SPORT-SCAN DAILY BRIEF NHL 5/14/2021 1212573 Ducks’ Dallas Eakins says rebuild comes with adversity 1212606 Avalanche sweeps Kings, wins Presidents’ Trophy with NHL’s best record Coyotes 1212607 schedule: Avalanche vs. Blues in 1212574 Coyotes Ekman-Larsson admits season's first round struggles, feels he can still play well 1212608 Avalanche’s J.T. Compher follows Monday’s game-winner with Wednesday hat trick 1212609 Winning the Presidents’ Trophy was the Avalanche’s first 1212575 Does Zdeno Chara know inside information that could . ‘Everyone knows the next box’ beat the Bruins? 1212610 2021 NHL Playoffs: Blues vs. Avalanche schedule, TV 1212576 How the Bruins plan to balance aggressiveness with channel, games, scores, guide to the first-round series playing smart against the Capitals 1212611 Deen’s List: No. 1 Avalanche prepare for first-round 1212577 NHL playoffs: See the schedule for the Bruins’ first-round matchup against No. 4 St. Louis Blues series vs. the Capitals 1212612 Avalanche defeat L.A. 5-1 to win first Presidents’ Trophy 1212578 Brad Marchand and the art of the shorthanded goal since 2001 1212579 Bruins must contain Caps’ all-star Alex Ovechkin in 1212613 Jost scores twice, Avs clinch No. 1 seed with win over playoffs Kings 1212580 Bergeron ends Bruins practice with cool gesture toward 1212614 Exclusive: Avs games to be on TV for all in first round teammates 1212615 Ryan O’Reilly: “We’re going to have some fun and we’re 1212581 Cool Show Of Leadership From Boston Bruins Bergeron going to beat them” 1212582 Boston Bruins Vs Washington Capitals Series Schedule 1212616 Presidential Sweet: Avalanche Are Tops in NHL Regular Set Season 1212583 Breaking Down the Boston Bruins/Capitals Playoff Series 1212617 Colorado Avalanche First-Round Playoff Schedule Set 1212584 2021 NHL Playoffs: Bruins vs. Capitals schedule, TV channel, games, scores, guide to the first-round series Columbus Blue Jackets 1212585 Zdeno Chara proved the Bruins wrong. And now they’ll 1212618 Panarin 2.0? Blue Jackets willing to keep Seth Jones into see him up close in playoff series with Capitals 2021-22 without extension 1212586 2021 NHL playoff preview: Capitals vs. Bruins 1212619 Stars’ pending UFAs plan to enjoy time away from the 1212587 World Championships: Tage Thompson to play for Team game before figuring out next moves USA, Colin Miller for Canada 1212588 Is Don Granato the right head coach to lead the Sabres? Who are the other candidates for the job? 1212620 Why Steve Yzerman's unexpected silence on Jeff Blashill shouldn't be surprising Flames 1212621 Jakub Vrana's desire to be a complete player a positive for 1212589 SNAPSHOTS: Andersson leads way in Flames win Red Wings 1212590 Mangiapane and Dube headed to world championships 1212622 Justin Abdelkader among Michigan contingent on U.S. 1212591 GAME NIGHT: Canucks @ Flames national hockey team 1212592 Haynes: Flames’ and Mark Giordano 1212623 Odds on Jack Eichel’s landing spot: Where Red Wings were ‘found money,’ so don’t squander it now rank on list 1212624 Steve Yzerman taking measured approach with Jeff Blashill decision 1212593 Here’s the Carolina Hurricanes’ schedule for the first 1212625 Jared McIsaac’s resilience from shoulder woes could pay round of the Stanley Cup playoffs off for Red Wings: ‘He’s got a bright future’ 1212594 Sebastian Aho drives the Hurricanes with his production, competitiveness Oilers 1212595 In this strange Hurricanes season, bad feelings will come 1212626 OILERS NOTES: 's star shone bright in last prepackaged in the playoffs Oilers-Jets playoff series 1212596 Hurricanes, Predators have hockey history, all the way 1212627 Should the Oilers play McDavid and Draisaitl together or back to 1998 apart? 1212597 The 10 most important Hurricanes for a first-round victory 1212628 Huddy factor not on Oilers' side against Jets these over the Predators playoffs 1212629 Dave Tippett won't sit Draisaitl and McDavid in meaningless final game 1212598 Ex-Chicago Blackhawks player sues the team for an 1212630 2021 NHL Playoffs: Jets vs. Oilers schedule, TV channel, alleged sexual assault by a former assistant coach games, scores, guide to the first-round series 1212599 The highs and lows of the 2020-21 Chicago Blackhawks: From Jonathan Toews’ season-long absence to Patrick Kane 1212600 Blackhawks sued by former player for alleged sexual assault by former assistant coach 1212601 High hopes for Borgstrom filling a center slot for Hawks next season 1212602 Blackhawks add to pipeline, sign Arvid Söderblom 1212603 Blackhawks missed Jonathan Toews 'in a lot of ways' 1212604 Patrick Kane opens up about nagging season-long injury 1212605 Blackhawks’ Jeremy Colliton on the timetable, Jonathan Toews, The System: ‘We’re going to be an elite team’ 1212631 Florida Panthers to open NHL playoffs against the Tampa 1212669 Retired Johnny Boychuk flourishing in unique Islanders Bay Lightning at home role after eye injury 1212632 Panthers feel fan momentum building with playoff push; 1212670 Leo Komarov proves to Barry Trotz that he gets job done will increase capacity near 50 percent vs. Lightning for Islanders 1212633 First-round schedule out: Panthers playoff series vs. 1212671 A look at the Islanders-Penguins first-round Stanley Cup Lightning starts Sunday night matchups 1212634 NHL finally announces schedule for Panthers, Lightning 1212672 Islanders expect Semyon Varlamov to skate Friday playoffs 1212673 Islanders will play Game 1 of playoff series against the 1212635 Florida Panthers increase capacity, host first playoff series Penguins on Sunday in five years 1212674 Islanders vs. Penguins Stanley Cup playoffs first-round 1212636 Panthers NHL Award WATCH: Chris Driedger, Masterton schedule Memorial Trophy 1212675 2021 NHL Playoffs: Penguins vs. Islanders schedule, TV 1212637 2021 NHL Playoffs: Panthers vs. Lightning schedule, TV channel, games, scores, guide to the first-round series channel, games, scores, guide to the first-round series 1212676 2021 NHL playoff preview: Penguins vs. Islanders 1212677 Islanders Have Tall Task Ahead in Shutting Down Pens’ Los Angeles Kings Sidney Crosby in First-Round Series 1212638 Kings end season with loss to Avalanche 1212678 NHL Releases Full Schedule for Islanders-Penguins First 1212639 Kings finish with another lopsided loss in Colorado Round Series 1212640 FINAL – Kings 1, Avalanche 5 – Rymsha, McLellan 1212641 Game Thread – Kings @ Avalanche, 5/13 1212642 LA Kings announce 2020-21 Team Award Winners 1212679 Rangers get permission to interview top coach on radar 1212643 5/13 Preview – Grosenick in, effort & character, Mikey 1212680 Brian Leetch resigns from job as Rangers adviser Anderson’s TOI, Team USA 1212681 Former Rangers captain Ryan Callahan latest to land ESPN job 1212644 Thursday's Wild-St. Louis game recap 1212645 With five regulars resting, Wild falls 7-3 in St. Louis in 1212682 SNAPSHOTS: All Murray needed was a little more time to season finale make his return 1212646 Wild's Kirill Kaprizov scores with performance bonuses 1212683 GARRIOCH: The Ottawa Senators could be ready to hand 1212647 Wild's playoff opponent unknown, but it will open the first the 'C' to Brady Tkachuk or Thomas Chabot next season round on Sunday afternoon 1212684 GARRIOCH: The Ottawa Senators will have a busy 1212648 Wild locked into third-place finish after 4-0 loss to St. Louis off-season but most of the pieces are in place 1212649 Wild close out regular season with 7-3 loss to Blues after 1212685 Senators preach defence and more defence as they leave blowing an early lead for the summer 1212650 Wild rookie goaltender Kaapo Kahkonen was team’s ‘X’ 1212686 The 10 biggest offseason priorities for the Senators, factor this season ranked in order of importance 1212651 Wild open NHL playoffs on Sunday. Here’s their first-round schedule 1212652 Wild lose again, set for playoff matchup with Golden 1212687 Flyers prospect Tyson Foerster is injured in Phantoms’ Knights after Thursday night settles West Division win; his strong rookie season ends 1212653 2021 NHL Playoffs: Wild vs. Golden Knights schedule, TV 1212688 Unlike last year, this should be (and needs to be) a channel, games, scores, guide to the first-round serie splashy offseason for the Flyers | On the Fly 1212654 ‘I don’t want him forgotten’: ’s family 1212689 Great expectations dissolve into myriad excuses opens up, 10 years after his death 1212690 Effects of virus still bugging Flyers coach Alain Vigneault 1212691 Flyers Notebook: As expansion draft looms, van Riemsdyk Canadiens optimistic about staying 1212655 North Division a result of gerrymandering for Canadian 1212692 Flyers goalie Hart knows 'we're all going to be better next fans year' 1212656 Canadiens didn't take Leafs lightly in 1979 series 1212693 After missing playoffs, Flyers CEO Dave Scott says team 1212657 Canadiens head into playoffs as huge underdogs against leadership 'in a good place' the Leafs 1212694 McCaffery: Flyers fans deserve better than hollow excuses 1212658 Canadiens-Maple Leafs series will start next Thursday in and promises from management 1212695 Grotz: Time seems right for Couturier contract extension 1212659 Canadiens' Tyler Toffoli has become an A-list celebrity in 1212696 Flyers 2020-21 report card: Grading everyone from Montreal Claude Giroux to the coaching staff to Carter Hart 1212660 About Last Night: Suzuki and Caufield enliven dull regular-season finale 1212661 2021 NHL Playoffs: Maple Leafs vs. Canadiens schedule, TV channel, games, scores, guide to the first-round ser 1212662 Predators have 'big advantage' over Hurricanes — and politicians hope to erase it 1212663 Nashville Predators vs. Carolina Hurricanes: Everything you need to know about the NHL first round playoff ser 1212664 Tickets on sale for Nashville Predators playoff series — and here's how to buy them 1212665 The 10 most important Hurricanes for a first-round victory over the Predators 1212666 2021 NHL Playoffs: Predators vs. Hurricanes schedule, TV channel, games, scores, guide to the first-round seri 1212667 It’s All Your Fault: The Pekka Appreciation Pod 1212668 Devils debrief: What we learned from two days of exit interviews 1212697 Penguins GM Ron Hextall: 'This group has been very 1212730 Silver Knights win Pacific Division title in inaugural season resilient' 1212731 Golden Knights to play Wild in first round of playoffs 1212698 After uneven start to season, Kasperi Kapanen fits in on, 1212732 Here’s the Golden Knights’ first-round playoff schedule off ice with Penguins 1212733 Golden Knights to face Wild in first round of playoffs 1212699 Penguins to open playoffs Sunday against Islanders beginning Sunday 1212700 Penguins will not erect big screen outside PPG Paints 1212734 Instant preview: Why did the Vegas Golden Knights Arena for first round of playoffs struggle vs. the Minnesota Wild this season? 1212701 ‘Added pressure’ but an ‘opportunity’ — what awaits 1212735 2021 NHL Playoffs: Wild vs. Golden Knights schedule, TV Tristan Jarry in his first NHL postseason channel, games, scores, guide to the first-round serie 1212702 Penguins open playoff series against Islanders on Sunday 1212736 Vegas’ Marc-Andre Fleury, better than ever at 36, at noon celebrates joining his idols in NHL record books 1212703 2021 NHL Playoffs: Penguins vs. Islanders schedule, TV 1212737 Marc-Andre Fleury was dominant as the COVID season channel, games, scores, guide to the first-round series began and continued some of the best puck-stopping of 1212704 Fifteen years, 3 Stanley Cups and a brotherhood: Inside his c Sidney Crosby and Evgeni Malkin’s powerful, quiet frie 1212705 2021 NHL playoff preview: Penguins vs. Islanders Washington Capitals 1212706 Game 1, Sunday at Noon; Penguins 2021 NHL Round 1212738 Capitals not naming their starting goaltender ahead of One Schedule Set playoff opener 1212707 PENGUINSIs it the Last Ride for the Penguins 1212739 Capitals vs. Bruins, by the numbers Championship Core? 1212740 Capitals' Carlson, Oshie progressing, Kuznetsov still out 1212708 Dan’s Daily: NYR Coaching Search, Penguins-Islanders Breakdowns/News Websites 1212750 The Athletic / NHL missed out on nearly $3.6 billion in revenue in 2020-21 because of limited attendance 1212709 Bob Boughner believes associate coach will be an NHL 1212751 The Athletic / Victims of alleged sexual abuse sue USA bench boss soon Hockey and the University of Minnesota 1212710 Patrick Marleau answers the big retirement question after 1212752 The Athletic / Fifteen years, 3 Stanley Cups and a Sharks’ season comes to an end brotherhood: Inside Sidney Crosby and Evgeni Malkin’s 1212711 Sharks miss playoffs for second straight season power 1212712 Marleau gets amazing gift from Howe's family to honor 1212753 The Athletic / Stanley Cup tiers: Anonymous exec, coach, record scout and player rate every playoff team 1212713 Exit Interview: Boughner on What Went Right, Wrong for 1212754 .ca / Canucks have opportunity to increase draft Sharks odds as losses pile up 1212714 Kane Named Sharks Player of the Year, Here’s My Vote 1212755 Sportsnet.ca / Stanley Cup Playoffs Power Rankings: 1212715 Exit Interview: Marleau Wants to Come Back for His 24th Contender or pretender? NHL Season 1212756 Sportsnet.ca / Flames' Mangiapane honoured to represent Canada at world hockey championship Seattle Kraken 1212757 Sportsnet.ca / 'Pesky and mean' Senators vow to make 1212716 Beating the goalie: Top-shelf shots all the rage in the NHL noise during 2021-22 season 1212758 Sportsnet.ca / Oilers continue to check off boxes as St Louis Blues regular season comes to an end 1212717 Blues will open playoffs on Monday night vs. Avalanche 1212759 Sportsnet.ca / Maple Leafs' Andersen feeling confident 1212718 Blues close regular season in style, tame Wild 7-3 despite loss in return from injury 1212719 Blues open postseason Monday night 1212760 TSN.CA / Former Blackhawks player alleges he was 1212720 St. Louis Blues know when they’ll open the playoffs. Now, sexually assaulted by coach they wait on the who 1212761 TSN.CA / Smith proves hunger and drive still burn bright 1212762 USA TODAY / NHL first-round playoff schedule released; quest for Stanley Cup starts Saturday 1212721 Lightning’s Victor Hedman back at practice, eyeing postseason return 1212722 Lightning’s first-round playoff series set to start Sunday 1212723 2021 NHL Playoffs: Panthers vs. Lightning schedule, TV channel, games, scores, guide to the first-round series 1212724 Projecting the Lightning’s lineup for Game 1 of the NHL playoffs 1212725 ‘Playing the right way.’ Maple Leafs want to finish the season strong — but also in one piece 1212726 NHL releases playoff schedule for Maple Leafs-Canadiens series 1212727 Leafs unplugged power play a concern versus Habs 1212728 Toronto Maple Leafs NHL Hockey 1212729 2021 NHL Playoffs: Maple Leafs vs. Canadiens schedule, TV channel, games, scores, guide to the first-round ser Canucks 1212746 Flames 4, Canucks 1: Another lacklustre night but, hey, it's nearly over 1212747 Woman files civil lawsuit against forward Jake Virtanen 1212748 Injured Canucks star Elias Pettersson expected to be ready for next season 1212749 The Armies: Jose Canseco, Richard Park and why Tyler Toffoli is the straw that broke the camel’s back Jets 1212741 Opening round of playoffs includes rare back-to-back games 1212742 Jets' final dress rehearsal 1212743 SNAPSHOTS: Jets-Oilers the talk of the Zoom room 1212744 Jets' silence on vaccinations deafening 1212745 2021 NHL Playoffs: Jets vs. Oilers schedule, TV channel, games, scores, guide to the first-round series SPORT-SCAN, INC. 941-284-4129 1212573 Anaheim Ducks going the right way, it’s not really how I work. Things are going to go a little harder sometimes, but you just have to work through it.

“This is the organization I want to be in. This is the place I want to be. I’m Ducks’ Dallas Eakins says rebuild comes with adversity excited for what type of team this organization can be in the next few years.”

By ELLIOTT TEAFORD | PUBLISHED: May 13, 2021 at 1:16 p.m. | WORLD CHAMPIONSHIPS UPDATED: May 13, 2021 at 2:44 p.m. Rakell and Isac Lundestrom will play for Sweden at the World Championships starting May 21 in Riga, Latvia. Max Comtois and Adam Henrique will play for Canada and Anthony Stolarz will play for the United Ducks coach Dallas Eakins said Thursday he looked forward to a return States. to the days when “our organization used to be the ones that wouldn’t even ring the doorbell or knock on the door. They’d just come in the Orange County Register: LOADED: 05.14.2021 house, beat you up and leave. That’s what we want to do here moving forward.”

In a wide-ranging, season-ending conversation, Eakins said the Ducks’ 17-30-9 record and second-to-last-place finish in the NHL’s overall standings were humbling, but not an unexpected development as the franchise completed the third season of its ongoing rebuilding project.

“You show me a successful person, a successful organization, anything successful, and those people have gone through some mud,” he said. “They have gone through a ton of adversity, so what we’ve gone through over this last year is necessary. You need to embrace it.”

Eakins also said the Ducks aimed too high when they said in December and January that they hoped to be a playoff contender by season’s end. But he also said he was OK with shooting too high and falling short rather than going too low and hitting a lesser target.

In hindsight, he said he should have managed the Ducks’ negativity better when it began to overwhelm the team near the one-quarter mark of the pandemic-shortened 56-game season, a pivotal but correctable stretch of games as the team began tumbling toward last place.

“With adversity and frustration also comes negativity,” he said. “I wish as a group we could have managed that negativity better. I think it was around that 15- to 20-game mark, just off the top of my head. It wasn’t a long stretch of it, but it was a couple of weeks. We got caught up in it.”

The end of the season – when the Ducks were buoyed by the youthful energy of defenseman Jamie Drysdale and center Trevor Zegras, their top draft picks the past two years – was far better than the beginning or the middle, according to Eakins. The Ducks closed the season 3-2-2.

“I think we are a far, far different team,” Eakins said. “We have a far, far different on-ice product now than we did at the end of last year. We have a far different on-ice product than we had at the start of this year or even at midseason.”

In addition, Eakins said he believed captain Ryan Getzlaf would re-sign with the only NHL team for which he has played and continue his Hall of Fame-worthy career for a 17th season in 2021-22. Eakins called Getzlaf an “outstanding leader” who was “fully on board.”

Earlier this week, Getzlaf restated his desire to take his time and speak to his family and Ducks general manager Bob Murray before deciding whether to re-sign with the team or retire. He’s unlikely to sign with another team, having made Orange County his home.

Eakins said he would reconnect with his family and then begin scouting playoff teams, including in person. Planning for next season is already underway, including personnel discussions with Murray. How to improve the worst power play in NHL history also is on their to-do list.

“We’ve got to get that looked after,” Eakins said.

RAKELL OPTIMISTIC

Rickard Rakell could have demanded to be traded at the deadline April 12, but he didn’t. He could have said a change of scenery would have done him good, but he didn’t. He could have bemoaned the Ducks’ poor record and his role in it, but he didn’t do that either.

“Ultimately, this is the place where I started to play in the NHL and I’ve been here for a long time,” Rakell said. “This season has been tough. Things haven’t gone the way I really wanted them to go, but at the same time, just because things were tough and things were going the wrong way for the team, I just felt like I still want to be here.

“This is the team I want to play for. I just don’t want to quit. If I said I wanted to move on at the trade deadline just because things weren’t 1212574

Coyotes captain Ekman-Larsson admits season's struggles, feels he can still play well

José M. Romero

Oliver Ekman-Larsson spent a little time on Monday letting the public know that he's fine. It wouldn't have been a question, if not for his admission after a loss to the San Jose Sharks back on April 28 that he was making too many mistakes and didn't "really know what I'm doing out there."

Such a statement from a team captain, no less, sparked reaction from fans wondering about the longest-tenured Coyotes player's desire and ability to play at a high level, and beyond that if he should still be with the team.

The words could have been more of a gut reaction to his play in the moment, and Ekman-Larsson finished the season with four points including a goal in the final five games. Nevertheless, they came up again after the season ended, without a playoff spot for the Coyotes.

Ekman-Larsson is just 29 and feels he can still play at a high level. He didn't want to blame the pandemic or make excuses, but acknowledged it's been a "different year" and that he believes in himself.

"My confidence is great. I know that I'm a good player and I've been a good player," Ekman-Larsson said. "I'm the first guy that will admit that I've been struggling. But it's not about myself, it's more about he team and I've always been that guy, so with that being said, I think if I play better the team is going benefit from that."

Ekman-Larsson was the subject of hot trade talk last offseason and despite the no-movement clause in his contract, gave the Coyotes the option to trade him to either Boston or Vancouver. He said he was only trying to help the team if it wanted to move on from him, though he wanted to remain in Arizona where he has played 11 seasons.

That situation was a difficult one for him, and Ekman-Larsson, not typically one to think of himself first, had to come to grips with the business of the game. On the ice this season, he produced three goals and 21 points despite a lower-body injury suffered on a hit against the boards that cost him 10 games early in the year.

Ekman Larsson went on to play all of the final 44 games, and at times his defensive mistakes were glaring in games.

"There were some games I had a couple of bad bounces and bad breaks, but I felt good the past little while," Ekman-Larsson said. "Obviously two games before in San Jose, on the last road trip, I felt like I took a couple of bad penalties and kind of put the team in a bad spot. But other than that, I'm bringing 100 percent to the ice every single day and if it's going my way or it's going against me, it is what it is and that's how it goes sometimes. But my work ethic has been there from Day 1 and I've been trying to do whatever I can to help this team win."

Coyotes General Manager Bill Armstrong said Ekman-Larsson had an "interesting" season. He thinks the trade talk from last year affected him and his play dipped near the end of the season during important games.

"He's a good captain. He's someone that obviously needs to improve with his play at key points in time and I think if you asked him he'd be disappointed at times... That's something that he and I will have to discuss and continue to talk about," Armstrong said. "But I've always said your captain has got to be your best player in key times. Big players play in big moments."

Armstrong on Thursday afternoon told 98.7 Arizona Sports that he and Ekman-Larsson have decided to decompress for a time with the season being over before they speak again about the defenseman's future. Ekman-Larsson has six years remaining on his contract that has an average annual value of $8.25 million.

Arizona Republic LOADED: 05.14.2021 1212575 Boston Bruins “I suppose if there’s anything he can give them,” mused Milbury, the ex- Boston blue liner, coach and assistant GM, “it’s maybe how to push somebody’s button, like, say, how to get under Marchand’s skin, or Does Zdeno Chara know inside information that could beat the Bruins? something like that.”

More significant, believes Milbury, is what the Trencin Tower of Power can still deliver on the ice. By Kevin Paul Dupont Globe Staff, Updated May 13, 2021, 8:18 p.m. Zdeno Chara isn't afraid to mix it up against his old mates -- he tangled with Patrice Bergeron in March.JIM DAVIS/

WASHINGTON — On-ice secrets are few in the NHL, perhaps scarcer GLOBE STAFF “I mean, [Patrice] Bergeron’s been around the league a than ever this season, what with the schedule pared by roughly one-third long time, people know him. People know Marchand. People know to 56 games. The Bruins and Capitals will face each other for a ninth time [David] Krejci,” Milbury said. “I doubt there’s any secrets he can reveal since Jan. 30 when they face off here Saturday night in Game 1 of the that you can’t see on a videotape. But I think his presence as a leader in playoffs. the locker room and his presence on the ice, as a big body that can shut people down, is much more important that any kind of leaks that he might Here on the cusp of what could be a two-month Stanley Cup run, what provide.” possibly could be left for the clubs to find out about one another? NBC’s Pierre McGuire disagrees. He believes Chara can inform “Not really any schematic secrets you can try,” John Carlson, the teammates about fixed plays off faceoffs, as well as -killing and Capitals’ top offensive defenseman, said early Thursday afternoon after forechecking schemes. In the loser-goes-home-for-good playoffs, practice. McGuire believes any tidbit is helpful. Nonetheless, the Capitals will enter the series with their resident 6-foot-9- “He knows everything about Krejci and Bergeron and Marchand,” noted inch Bruins cheat sheet, Zdeno Chara, hired this season after 14 years, McGuire, whose ice-level post allows him close-up scrutiny of every 1,023 games, and 1,001 practice sessions (give or take a maintenance player’s move. “He’ll have tendencies to give to the defensemen in day) on the Boston backline. Big Z stands tall possibly as the Capitals’ particular, about moves they like to perform or different ways they attack one-man secret decoder ring. the net. Now, obviously he won’t know as much about or Chara saw it all in Boston. Big Z, for years considered an extension of about Craig Smith, but he’ll know a lot about the rest of that lineup.” the Boston coach staff, knows every nuance, every subtlety in the Black McGuire recalled his one season (1991-92) on the Penguins’ staff, when and Gold lineup. And now he’s on the other side. His other-side-of-the- coach would plumb roster players for info on their old wall intel was one of the inherent risks when the Bruins let Chara walk as teams. a free agent, convinced their lineup didn’t have enough work to keep the former Norris Trophy winner busy. “Sometimes it bore fruit and sometimes it didn’t,” McGuire said. “But I would say in Chara’s case, because of the longevity of the player, the Zdeno Chara is in his first season with the Capitals.MATTHEW J LEE/ leadership abilities of the player, and the fact that he was an extension of GLOBE STAFF In the proud Chara’s universe, it was akin to the moon the Boston coaching staff for years, I think that makes him very valuable being told it no longer held sway over the ocean’s tides. to the Washington Capitals in this series.”

“You probably could have guessed it was going to play out this way,” said Bruins president Cam Neely playfully scoffed at Marchand noting that former teammate Brad Marchand, who joined the Bruins amid Chara’s Chara knew Bruins “code” words on the ice. fourth season in Black and Gold. “Obviously it adds another story line to “There’s no code words!” said a chuckling Neely. the series.” Nonetheless, Neely acknowledged, the Bruins are well aware of the According to Marchand, he witnessed Chara sharing Bruins-specific traits years Chara logged in the Hub of Hockey and that he knows “some with Capitals teammates during the clubs’ regular-season matchups. tendencies.” Chara, Marchand said, knows what the Bruins do “on certain plays” and “knows all the code names that we use.” “Also on the flip side, guys certainly know how Zdeno is going to play and what to expect from him,” added Neely, “and how to exploit that a little “You could see him talking to the guys about the plays we were going to bit, as well.” do,” added Marchand. “So it definitely can cause some challenges at times, but it’s the playoffs, you’ve got to work through that … just another Factored into the Bruins telling Chara that they viewed him as a part- element of the series that will make it fun and entertaining.” timer was the fact that he had slowed. No one in the organization doubted his toughness, his will, his reach, his want. But organizationally Whatever Bruins wisdom he can impart on his red-white-and-blue they wanted to push the pace from the back end, believing it was high teammates, Chara’s game alone has spoken volumes here in the District. time to draw rookies Jeremy Lauzon and Jakub Zboril into the mix. The Bruins told him he would not dress in the season-opening lineup and he would be spotted in (maybe) as needed in a No. 7 or 8 reserve role. Lauzon and Zboril, left shots like Chara, proved to have their fits and starts. In large part to patch over their deficiencies, general manager Don Yeah, hold my pilsner, the Slovak star no doubt muttered to himself as he Sweeney was forced to hire (via waivers) and Mike Reilly drove out of the North End at the end of December to begin his late-in-life (via April 12 trade) to fill the void that would not have been there had kick at the Cup. Chara simply been made to feel more needed during offseason talks. Teamed here all season with No. 3 partner Nick Jensen, Chara played in Meanwhile, Chara played with standard metronomic efficiency with his all but one regular-season game for coach , averaged a new team, the Caps needing to suit up only eight blue liners all season. healthy 18:19 in ice time, and led the club with an average 2:41 on the The scrambling Bruins were forced to suit up a baker’s dozen, with their penalty kill. Same ol’ Z, albeit the age-44 version, relying ever more on newbies clearly needing more time in the oven. his expansive wingspan and abundant situational smarts than whatever youthful jazz there is left to squeeze out of his tall oak legs. Milbury, channeling a bit of Neely, figures the Bruins can try to make use of their intel on Chara in this series. They know he’s a touch slower — “I think he’s delivered everything he said he was going to do,” Laviolette Milbury: “No surprise at his age” — and they know he can be forced into said in a recent Zoom session. “He was going to come here and he was tough situations on stickhandling plays deep in his zone, in the corner, going to be a factor on the ice. He was going to be a positive influence in along the rear wall. the locker room, a leader in the locker room. He was going to lead by example by the way he lives his life — the way he plays the game and No one 6-9, with a stick longer than Tom Wilson’s rap sheet, wants to be prepares for the game. At no point has he disappointed us in what he’s stuffed into a phone booth. delivered this year.” “I don’t know if pounding him is going to make any kind of a difference,” , the general manager on Long Island when Chara broke said Milbury, eschewing the idea of trying to wear down Chara with into the league as an Islander only after the invention of the wheel, is not heavy hits off dump-in plays. “But you know his assets, his size, is also a one to believe that Big Z’s dossier full of Boston intel can have a little of a liability occasionally when you get on him quickly, because it’s significant impact on the series. tough for him to maneuver. So putting pressure on him is always something I would have suggested. Get to him fast. Make him try to move the puck.”

The puck is about to drop on the playoffs. The Bruins and Chara, for years as intertwined as the spokes and B on the iconic Boston logo, have gone their separate ways.

Now the divorce decree becomes official, amid some parting icy stares and a few muttered secrets.

Boston Globe LOADED: 05.14.2021 1212576 Boston Bruins be very important, especially when you’re playing the same team for what could be as much as two weeks.”

Charlie McAvoy knows one of the keys to beating the Capitals will be for How the Bruins plan to balance aggressiveness with playing smart the Bruins to take care of their own business.JOHN TLUMACKI/ against the Capitals GLOBE STAFF Knowing the possible detours a series like this can take, Bruins defenseman Charlie McAvoy said composure will be key.

By Julian Benbow Globe Staff,Updated May 13, 2021, 7:04 p.m. “I think it’s just about getting to our game, what allows us to have success,” McAvoy said. “When we’re at our best, we’re skating, we’re defending. I feel like it really always starts there for us — taking care of After eight bruising regular-season battles against the Washington our end and then getting on the offensive side. Capitals, the Bruins understand that intensity and physicality come with the territory. “But if we can kind of establish our game quick, I think that’ll obviously work in our favor. And all we’re really concerned about is us in here and When the teams open up the Stanley Cup playoffs Saturday, the what we need to do to prepare.” chippiness will naturally dial up. But for the Bruins, a key will be matching the Capitals’ intensity while staying within their identity. Boston Globe LOADED: 05.14.2021

“I think it’s no secret that Washington is a team that has high energy, plays physical, has got high-end talent, and is very deep throughout the lineup,” Bruins captain Patrice Bergeron said. “So for us, it’s about what we can bring against that. I think we kind of have some of the same attributes where I think we can play that heavy game, but also we play a high-energy, fast game. It’s going to be playoff hockey. That’s what we expect. And that’s what we’re kind of looking forward to.”

The Bruins were 4-2-2 against the Capitals this season. The Capitals set an aggressive tone, even if it meant racking up penalties. At times, the Bruins got caught up in responding to that aggressiveness, and coach Bruce Cassidy said it’s something they will have to be mindful of with more at stake.

“That’s one thing we have to do, and not get away from, is get caught up in matching them hit for hit,” Cassidy said. “When hits are there, you’ve got to take them and you’ve got to show that, hey, we’re going to wear you down as the series goes along, as well.”

The Bruins are expecting a physical playoff series against the Capitals, as has been the case just about every time they met this season.MATTHEW J LEE/

GLOBE STAFF For as physical as the Capitals can be, the Bruins piled up 111 penalty minutes in the regular-season matchups, and the Capitals used it to their advantage with nine power-play goals. The Capitals finished the season third in power-play percentage (24.8) and tied for fifth in power-play goals (38), so Cassidy wants to make sure his team doesn’t play into Washington’s hands with any careless aggression.

“We have to be careful that that’s not our focus of, ‘OK, we’re going to get in there and we’re going to hit everything that moves,’ ” Cassidy said. “And all of a sudden now you’re getting penalties for chasing hits, so to speak.”

The Bruins’ strength, Cassidy said, is their ability to adapt to different styles. They can embrace a rugged game if need be, but they’ll thrive by leaning on skill.

“I think we’ve always been able to play both ways,” Cassidy said. “We’ve been able to skate with teams and we’ve been able to dish out our share hits and take them to make a play. So, that’s got to be our mentality is we’re going to play the right way and play hard.”

Against the Capitals, Cassidy said, the Bruins will have to walk the line between playing hard and playing smart.

“Hard also means having the puck and taking a hit to make a play,” Cassidy said. “Hard means retaliating in the right way. It means if they do happen to finish a check hard and we don’t like it, sometimes you’ve got to take a number and say, OK, they bang one of our guys, we’ve got to go put some pressure on [John] Carlson or [Nicklas] Backstrom or whatever the case may be.

“That’s how you answer some of that, is by being physical within the boundaries of the law against their skill, as well. And I think teams that do that are effective because that will frustrate them as much as anything, seeing their top guys getting hit.”

Knowing when and how much to press the issue can swing a series, Cassidy said, especially between teams with so much history.

“There’s a little bit of that gamesmanship that goes into every series with every opponent,” Cassidy said. “This one just happens to be two teams that the temperature does go up with us. So keeping your cool is going to 1212577 Boston Bruins

NHL playoffs: See the schedule for the Bruins’ first-round series vs. the Capitals

By Andrew Mahoney Globe Staff,Updated May 13, 2021, 12:09 p.m.

We knew the Bruins were opening their series with the Washington Capitals on Saturday. We now know the schedule for the rest of the series, with the teams playing every other night.

Join us Friday at noon for a subscriber-only event previewing the playoffs. Sign up here.

Game 1: Saturday at Washington, 7:15 p.m. (NBC)

Game 2: Monday at Washington, 7:30 p.m. (NESN, NBCSN)

Game 3: Wednesday at Boston, 6:30 p.m. (NESN, NBCSN)

Game 4: Friday, May 21, at Boston, 6:30 p.m. (NESN, NBCSN)

Game 5: Sunday, May 23, at Washington TBD

Game 6: Tuesday, May 25, at Boston, TBD

Game 7: Thursday, May 27, at Washington TBD

Boston Globe LOADED: 05.14.2021 1212578 Boston Bruins “I think he always had determination, so the determination made up for some of his stickhandling or ability to beat guys one-on-one, because he could put pucks in areas and outwill them to get it back,” Cassidy said.

Brad Marchand and the art of the shorthanded goal “He still does a lot of that, if you watch him. He’ll put pucks in his feet, get The Bruins’ scrappy left wing has a knack for turning an opponent’s lower, use his core strength and sort of find it, absorb part of the hit. He’s power play into a disadvantage got that great move where he puts the puck out front of them and as the defender goes to poke-check it, he whacks his stick away and goes around him, gets him off-balance. He still does that to a lot of guys, especially newer guys in the league. By Matt Porter, “That’s a move he’s perfected.”

Said Sharks broadcaster over a replay: “Quick acceleration, Almost every time it happens, it demoralizes one team and boosts impressive cutbacks, vision, hands, compete. Yeah, the Little Ball of Hate another. It makes players curse and slam their sticks on the ice. – you hate him because of plays like this.” In hockey, few plays change the game more than a shorthanded goal. ✕ ✕ ✕ ✕ ✕ ✕ ✕ ✕ ✕ Few players have mastered it like the Bruins’ Brad Marchand. June 6, 2011, vs. Vancouver Canucks When Marchand came into the NHL, he was undersized, underrated, and underappreciated. At 5 feet 9 inches and as a third-round draft pick, he SPEED was not expected to be a star player in a league built for those larger and more skilled. Marchand’s self-pass off the boards gives the Bruins a 3-0 lead

Over the last decade, though, he has made the shorthanded goal – the Marchand burst onto the scene in the Bruins’ championship run in 2011. ultimate underdog accomplishment – his signature. He is the Bruins’ His speed was evident in this clip from Game 3 of the Stanley Cup Final, franchise leader in shorthanded goals, including his first NHL goal in when he blew past all five Canucks on the ice. 2010. In the neutral zone, Marchand snatches the puck from Daniel Sedin and “It definitely lifts your own bench, but it takes the wind out of the sails of punches it through the stick of Henrik Sedin, then heads toward three the other team,” Bruins coach Bruce Cassidy said. “Teams that score a defenders – Alex Edler, Christian Erhoff, and Ryan Kesler. They shorthanded goal, I bet they win a lot more than they lose.” scramble after Marchand, who slips through coverage with a self-pass off the right-wing boards and holds off Kesler in the slot with strength and The Bruins have certainly benefited from Marchand’s shorthanded magic, edgework. The puck is rolling on its edge, but Marchand has created the distillation of the on-ice aggression he’s learned to channel toward enough speed to roof it over after a simple fake. winning puck battles and producing points. “I love watching him play. I didn’t like to play against him, I can tell you Here is how he has become one of the best shorthanded attackers in that,” said Dan Lacroix, Marchand’s former junior coach, who ran the hockey history: Tampa Bay Lightning penalty kill for Guy Boucher in the 2011 Eastern Conference finals. Marchand and the Bruins beat them in Game 7. ✕ ✕ ✕ ✕ ✕ ✕ ✕ ✕ ✕ ✕ ✕ ✕ ✕ ✕ ✕ ✕ ✕ ✕ March 11, 2021, vs. New York Rangers April 8, 2021, vs. Washington Capitals VISION STICKWORK Marchand gets the assist on Patrice Bergeron’s shorthanded goal Marchand scores a shorthanded goal against Vitek Vanecek, the 30th of Marchand can turn apex predator when he goes one-on-one against a his career forward, which can be common in shorthanded situations. In this two-on- two break with Patrice Bergeron, Marchand notices that of the two Marchand always keeps the defense guessing with his stickwork. In this Rangers back, one of them is right wing Pavel Buchnevich. Marchand example against the Capitals, he sells the pass to a Patrice Bergeron, switches with Bergeron, attacking the least-skilled defender on the ice. who has a step on Alex Ovechkin as he drives to the net.

Buchnevich is no match for Marchand. He stops in the high slot, Defenseman Justin Schultz slides because he thinks goalie Vitek completely flat-footed, a sitting duck. With Bergeron presenting as a one- Vanecek has the short side sealed in case Marchand shoots. But timer option (stick raised, ready to shoot), Marchand keeps an eye to his Marchand turns his skates and pulls the puck away from Schultz’s reach. left as he treats Buchnevich quite unfairly. At high speed, he tucks the He fakes a shot for a brief moment, causing the goaltender to freeze and puck between his skates, and outwaits a sliding Ranger while keeping an getting Ovechkin – an all-time great at scoring goals, but not an elite eye on Bergeron. He fits the pass through a sliver of a seam for a tap-in. defender – to attempt a shot block.

“Yeah, it was a fun one,” Marchand said. “They don’t happen very often. Pointing his skates toward the other side of the goal, Marchand brings Just kind of got lucky catching a forward back there. But they’re always the puck to his backhand, and stuffs it upstairs as Vanecek flails in his fun to be part of when it goes your way.” crease.

✕ ✕ ✕ ✕ ✕ ✕ ✕ ✕ ✕ ✕ ✕ ✕ ✕ ✕ ✕ ✕ ✕ ✕

Feb. 9, 2019, vs. San Jose Sharks Sept. 29, 2016, Canada vs. Europe (2016 World Cup of Hockey final)

COMPETITIVE FIRE FINISHING TOUCH

Marchand scores a shorthanded goal against Martin Jones Marchand scores a shorthanded goal to clinch the championship

“When you play against the power play,” Marchand said bluntly, “a lot of Marchand rose to elite player status in Team Canada’s win at the 2016 those guys are lazy defensively.” World Cup of Hockey. He found himself on a line with Sidney Crosby and Bruins pal Bergeron that went off for 12 goals and 25 points in six games. There was nothing lazy about what Erik Karlsson was doing in this clip. It Marchand led the world-class tournament in goals (5-3–8). was just Marchand in shark mode. In the opening game of the best-of-three final against Team Europe, Against the Sharks, Marchand catches a flip pass outside the opposing Marchand was penalized for cross-checking 21 seconds in. The talk blue line, sets it down and goes feeding frenzy on respected veteran around him at the time, particularly in his native country: an undeniable Karlsson (who at the time was playing through a groin injury). Marchand talent, but a player who crossed the line too often. gives Karlsson a stick-whack before deking and going five-hole on Martin Jones. Marchand’s ability to strike with deadly accuracy, again and again, helped change the narrative. Naturally, he did his best work on the penalty kill. Late in the clinching game, with Europe on the power play, Dec. 27, 2013 Marchand jumped off the bench and fired from between the hash marks with 44 seconds left, beating future teammate Jaroslav Halak. Robin Lehner

It’s hard to score shorthanded goals if you’re not a sharpshooter. In this 32 clip, Marchand has to reach for the pass, but quickly loads up a shot that Jan. 20, 2014 is so hard and so well-placed that Halak can barely react. Jonathan Quick Advertisement Continue reading below 42 Marchand and the penalty kill, by the numbers March 18, 2014 Marchand’s 31 shorthanded goals are the most by any player since he entered the league in 2009 and a franchise record for the Bruins.

He has turned the tables on the Panthers, Flames, and Sabres three 43 times each, and scored three shorthanded goals against James Reimer, Feb. 16, 2015 the most against any one goaltender. Karri Ramo Once he got going, Marchand didn’t stop. He has buried shorthanded goals every year of his career except for his first, and twice has scored 53 five in a season, which led the league in 2013-14. March 8, 2015 Marchand’s shorthanded goals Jonas Gustavsson Touch goals to see score, date, and goalie scored against. 53 SHG in win SHG in loss Oct. 17, 2015 ScoreDate, Goalie Mike Smith 52 ScoreDate, Goalie Nov. 3, 2010 43 Jhonas Enroth Nov. 23, 2015 31 James Reimer Nov. 24, 2010 54 Tomas Vokoun Dec. 4, 2015 52 Karri Ramo Dec. 9, 2010 42 Rick DiPietro Feb. 13, 2016 62 Darcy Kuemper Jan. 22, 2011 40 Empty Net Jan. 7, 2017 43 James Reimer March 31, 2011 63 James Reimer Jan. 14, 2017 80 Michal Neuvirth Dec. 23, 2011 43 Jose Theodore Jan. 26, 2017 53 Matt Murray Jan. 28, 2013 43 Cam Ward Oct. 5, 2017 43 Empty Net March 5, 2013 54 Braden Holtby Feb. 9, 2019 42 Jonathan Quick Dec. 12, 2013 41 Devan Dubnyk Feb. 26, 2019 42 Martin Jones Dec. 19, 2013 63 Ryan Miller March 31, 2019 50 Jimmy Howard 52

Feb. 25, 2020

David Rittich

32

Jan. 26, 2021

Tristan Jarry

42

April 6, 2021

Carter Hart

42

April 8, 2021

Ilya Samsonov

52

April 29, 2021

Empty net

Source: NHL.JOHN HANCOCK/

GLOBE STAFF Scoring a shorthanded goal can be a game-changing play. Since 2009, teams have earned 74.4 percent of potential points in the standings when they score a goal on the penalty kill.

Boston is even better, garnering 80.9 percent of potential points when scoring shorthanded. The Bruins are one of 10 teams to earn at least 80 percent of potential points in games where they have scored a shorthanded goal.

When Marchand scores a shorthanded goal, the Bruins are 24-3-4, good for 83.9 percent of potential points.

Percentage of potential points when scoring a shorthanded goal

SHOW MORE

Source: NHL. Notes: From start of 2009-10 season through May 12, 2021. *Winnipeg Jets includes games played as Atlanta Thrashers.JOHN HANCOCK/

GLOBE STAFF Advertisement Continue reading below

In addition to leading all active players in shorthanded goals, Marchand is also the most efficient player in the league when it comes to turning the penalty kill into an offensive win for his team.

Over the last 12 seasons, Marchand has been on ice for more than 1,292 penalty-kill minutes. In that time, the Bruins have scored 50 goals.

Among the 26 players who have been on ice for 30 or more goals on the penalty kill over that span, Marchand is better than them all with 3.87 team penalty-kill goals per 100 penalty-kill minutes.

No one else is even close.

Chicago center Jonathan Toews, the only other player with more than three team penalty-kill goals per 100 minutes, checks in at 3.09 goals per 100 minutes. Former Bruins captain Zdeno Chara, who has the most penalty-kill minutes over that span, is on ice for just 1.48 goals per 100 minutes.

Boston Globe LOADED: 05.14.2021 1212579 Boston Bruins their embodiments so he has a good handle on what the Bruins are up against.

“If we can establish our game quick, I think that will work tour favor,” said Bruins must contain Caps’ all-star Alex Ovechkin in playoffs McAvoy. “You never want to be undisciplined in the playoffs and no one ever wants to be in the penalty box so the onus is on playing smart.”

By RICH THOMPSON | PUBLISHED: May 13, 2021 at 4:25 p.m. | The second unit will like be comprised of Mike Reilly and Brandon Carlo, UPDATED: May 13, 2021 at 7:49 p.m. with Kevan Miller and Jeremy Lauzon on the third pairing.

THE NEW ABNORMAL

Father Time eventually catches up with everyone in the NHL but he’s The Bruins head into the 2021 playoffs in the middle ground of two running a distant second to Washington Capitals left wing Alex Ovechkin. extremes. Prior to the COVID-19 pandemic, the Bruins battled their playoff opponents in boisterous sold-out arenas in one of the most Ovechkin, 35, is in his 16th NHL season with the Capitals yet remains electrifying environments in professional sports. one of league’s the most feared snipers and a serious threat to score from any angle in the offensive zone. It’s been said that Ovechkin would Last season after an extended delay, the NHL conducted its playoffs shoot from the pizza stand in the mezzanine if he saw an opening. devoid of fans inside hermetically quarantined bubbles located in Canada; in Edmonton and in Toronto. Ovechkin posted exceptional numbers in the abbreviated 2021 season despite missing 11 games. Ovechkin scored 25 goals with 18 assists in The Bruins will face the Caps in the TD Garden on Wednesday and 45 games while leading the Capitals with a staggering 182 shots. Friday nights at 25% capacity, a welcome upgrade to last season’s isolation according to Bruins’ captain Patrice Bergeron. The rambunctious Russian from Moscow represents the biggest offensive challenge facing the Boston Bruins heading into the Stanley “It’s going to feel a lot more normal or like it used to be in years past,” Cup playoffs. said Bergeron. “The exception might be the attendance but just last game going back to 25% attendance, I felt the difference and it was great The Capitals (36-15-5) will host the Bruins (33-16-7) in round one of the to have it. East Division starting on Saturday night (7:30) at Capital One Arena. Bruins coach Bruce Cassidy cited a laundry list of the age-related “I thought it was perfect timing going into the playoffs. It’s not the regular deficiencies that have thus far failed to erode Ovechkin’s skill and drive. playoffs but I’m kind of looking forward to that.”

“As you get older, and you’ll see it with certain players, your hand eye Boston Herald LOADED: 05.14.2021 coordination goes a little bit, just enough to where you are just off sometimes on your plays,” said Cassidy following Thursday’s practice at Warrior Ice Arena in Brighton.

“Some guys obviously lose a step over the years and it’s that part of it. Those little plays in tight that you can’t seem to make on a regular basis. But I don’t see any drop off with (Ovechkin). He’s still a hard player that finishes his checks and that hasn’t gone away. He paces himself better in that regard and he’s had years of NHL physicality on his body.

“But I still see it when he plays us. He is willing to finish checks and attacks the net and his pace seems good. At the end of the day, we’ve seen him a lot and he’s not dropped off.”

Ovechkin has enjoyed a Hall of Fame career that shows no signs of abating as he continues to eclipse NHL milestones. Ovechkin has 730 career goals and 590 assists in 1,197 NHL games and has collected three Hart Trophies, the Calder Trophy, the Trophy and one Stanley Cup. Ovechkin needs one tally to tie Marcel Dionne for fifth place on the all-time goals list.

Cassidy’s point of emphasis heading into the series is to avoid stupid penalties and for good reason. The Capitals have the NHL’s third best power play with a 24.8% success rate.

Ovechkin is the lynchpin of the Caps’ power play where he operates from the left point. His signature play is the one-time slap shot from the left circle, an area known around the league as “Ovechkin’s office.”

“He’s had no drop off at all in his ability to crank his one timer and execute it very efficiently and you rarely see him whiff on one,” said Cassidy. “That’s the one thing that he has really kept in his arsenal and he’s had that forever and I don’t see a dropoff in that. He’s always going to be dangerous and you always have to account of that.”

SETTING THE D

Bruins’ top defensemen Charlie McAvoy and Matt Grzelcyk can anticipate spending long segments of ice time countering the Caps’ vaunted first line of Ovechkin, center Nicklas Backstrom and either Anthony Mantha or John Carlson on the right flank. Carlson has been out with a lower body injury but he did practice on Thursday.

McAvoy is a player for all situations and he leads the Bruins with 23:59 minutes per game. McAvoy skates long five-on-five shifts, is a key member of the Bruins penalty kill and covers the right point on the second power play.

McAvoy’s offensive component made strides this season with five goals, 25 assists and a plus-22. McAvoy has skated against the Capitals in all 1212580 Boston Bruins

Bergeron ends Bruins practice with cool gesture toward teammates

BY NICK GOSS

Patrice Bergeron is one of the best leaders in sports, and he's doing everything he can to prepare the Boston Bruins for their first-round Stanley Cup Playoff series against the Washington Capitals.

The Bruins center ended practice Thursday at Warrior Ice Arena by giving a stick tap to each one of his teammates. It was a small but meaningful gesture to build chemistry and confidence entering Saturday night's Game 1 in Washington.

Bruins vs. Capitals first-round playoff preview and prediction

Check out the scene in the video below from NBC Sports Boston's "The Camera Guys":

It's the small things - #NHLBruins captain Patrice Bergeron gives everyone a stick tap at the end of practice. Playoffs vs. old friend Zdeno Chara start Saturday. pic..com/vf0oJqZXTZ— The Camera Guys (@NBCSCameraGuys) May 13, 2021

Bergeron is in his first season as Bruins captain, but he was one of the team's most respected leaders long before getting the "C" stitched onto his jersey.

The Bruins have an excellent leadership group, led by Bergeron and several of the other veterans like David Krejci, Brad Marchand, etc.

Neely on a Taylor Hall extension: 'We'd like to get something done'

Bruins president Cam Neely was asked during a Zoom call Wednesday about the team's leadership in the context of trade deadline addition Taylor Hall making a seamless transition to the B's. Neely explained what makes the team's leadership group so effective.

"We’re blessed with the leadership that we have and have had for years. It really starts with how we want players to play. How we want player to act. How we want players to be in the community," Neely explained.

"You may want all that, but you may not get those types of players. Fortunately for us, we have that in spades. Everybody buys in. When your best players are also your hardest workers, it’s hard not to buy in. and if you don’t, you’re not here very long."

Bergeron sets a great example on and off the ice for the whole team to follow. Thursday's practice was further proof.

Comcast SportsNet.com LOADED: 05.14.2021 1212581 Boston Bruins

Cool Show Of Leadership From Boston Bruins Bergeron

By Joe Haggerty

BRIGHTON, Mass – Boston Bruins captain Patrice Bergeron is obviously a leader of men by virtue of the letter ‘C’ on his Black and Gold sweater.

But the 35-year-old Bergeron was one of the best leaders in pro sports long before he was named to the Bruins captaincy this season after Zdeno Chara moved on to the Washington Capitals team that the B’s will be playing in the Stanley Cup playoffs starting this weekend. And he showed it again at the end of Thursday’s practice at Warrior Ice Arena while making a point of giving every single one of his teammates a stick tap during the practice-ending stretch at center ice.

He’s one of the best leaders in pro sports and he was that way long before he ever got the “C” on his sweater. PB37 truly gets it on every level. https://t.co/Nckehutb6W

— Joe Haggerty (@HackswithHaggs) May 13, 2021

In a season where team-bonding has been severely curtailed by the NHL’s COVID-19 protocols, it’s little things like Bergeron’s stick taps that can go a long way. It might seem like a small, simple gesture, of course, but the message from Bergeron is also unmistakable when it comes to every single player on the roster holding special importance as they enter the postseason fray.

“I think we have a leadership group that’s been around and has some experience, so I don’t feel like I’m alone in this,” said Bergeron. “I’ll kind of help guys and be there for them, but at the same time I want to make sure everybody enjoys themselves and make sure they are in the moment at all times. Just like the regular season there will be adversity and ups and downs, and it goes back to taking charge of that moment you’re about to play.

“You don’t need to look too far ahead or everything else that’s going on, it’s more about your game and how you can play and respond as a team, and the way you want to compete.”

Bergeron finished with 23 goals and 48 points in 54 games in his first season with the full captain responsibilities, and it’s almost appropriate that Bergeron and Co. will see the former captain Chara in the playoff’s first round. It’s time to see exactly what kind of identity the Boston Bruins will have under Bergeron’s leadership and that’s off to a promising start with his subtle actions at the end of practice.

Boston Hockey Now LOADED: 05.14.2021 1212582 Boston Bruins *Thursday, May 27, TBD: Hurricanes @ Predators | TBD

*Saturday, May 29, TBD: Predators @ Hurricanes | TBD

Boston Bruins Vs Washington Capitals Series Schedule Set Florida Panthers (2) vs. Tampa Bay Lightning (3)

Sunday, May 16, 7:30 p.m.: Lightning @ Panthers | NBCSN, SN, TVAS

By Jimmy Murphy Tuesday, May 18, 8 p.m.: Lightning @ Panthers | CNBC, SNE, TVAS

Thursday, May 20, 6:30 p.m.: Panthers @ Lightning | USA, FX-CA, TVAS Within minutes of Boston Bruins winger Taylor Hall sniping the winner for a 3-2 win over the New York Islanders on Monday, the NHL Saturday, May 22, 12:30 p.m.: Panthers @ Lightning | CNBC, SN, TVAS announced that the Washington Capitals would host the Bruins in Game 1 of their first round Stanley Cup Playoffs series on Saturday at 7:15 PM *Monday, May 24, TBD: Lightning @ Panthers | TBD ET. Well, now we know the rest of the series Bruins-Caps series *Wednesday, May 26, TBD: Panthers @ Lightning | TBD schedule and the schedules for six of the eight first-round matchups. *Friday, May 28, TBD: Lightning @ Panthers | TBD Earlier this week, Boston Bruins head coach Bruce Cassidy said that he was hoping there’d be no back-to-back’s and ‘We’ll be every other day.’ HONDA WEST DIVISION Cassidy got his wish as that’s exactly how this series is laid out. After Colorado Avalanche/Vegas Golden Knights (1) vs. St. Louis Blues (4) opening the series at Capital One Arena Saturday night, the Boston Bruins and Washington Capitals will play Game 2 (7:30 PM ET) on Monday, May 17, 10 p.m.: Blues @ Avalanche/Golden Knights | NBCSN, Monday night before taking the series to Boston for Games 3 and 4 to be SN1, TVAS played May 19 and 21. Those games at TD Garden will have rare 6:30 PM ET starts though. If necessary, Game 5 would be May 23 in Wednesday, May 19, 10:30 p.m.: Blues @ Avalanche/Golden Knights | Washington DC, Game 6 would be on May 25 in Boston, and Game 7 CNBC, SN360, TVAS back at Capital One Arena would be on May 27. Friday, May 21, 9:30 p.m.: Avalanche/Golden Knights @ Blues | USA, Something tells us that the Boston Bruins and Washington Capitals will SN360, TVAS need at least two, if not all three of those ‘if necessary’ games to settle Sunday, May 23, TBD: Avalanche/Golden Knights @ Blues | TBD this series for what has become a bitter rivalry in the East Division this season. Here’s that schedule and those for the five other set series in the *Tuesday, May 25, TBD: Blues @ Avalanche/Golden Knights | TBD 2021 Stanley Cup Playoffs: *Thursday, May 27, TBD: Avalanche/Golden Knights @ Blues | TBD MASSMUTUAL EAST DIVISION *Saturday, May 29, TBD: Blues @ Avalanche/Golden Knights | TBD Pittsburgh Penguins (1) vs. New York Islanders (4) Colorado Avalanche/Vegas Golden Knights (2) vs. Minnesota Wild (3) Sunday, May 16, 12 p.m.: Islanders @ Penguins | NBC, SN, TVAS Sunday, May 16, 3 p.m.: Wild @ Avalanche/Golden Knights | NBC, SN, Tuesday, May 18, 7:30 p.m.: Islanders @ Penguins | NBCSN, SN, CBC, TVAS TVAS Tuesday, May 18, 10 p.m.: Wild @ Avalanche/Golden Knights | NBCSN, Thursday, May 20, 7 p.m.: Penguins @ Islanders | NBCSN, SN360, SN360, TVAS TVAS Thursday, May 20, 9:30 p.m.: Avalanche/Golden Knights @ Wild | Saturday, May 22, 3 p.m.: Penguins @ Islanders | NBC, SN, TVAS NBCSN, SN360, TVAS

*Monday, May 24, TBD: Islanders @ Penguins | TBD Saturday, May 22, 8 p.m.: Avalanche/Golden Knights @ Wild | NBC, SN360, TVAS *Wednesday, May 26, TBD: Penguins @ Islanders | TBD *Monday, May 24, TBD: Wild @ Avalanche/Golden Knights | TBD *Friday, May 28, TBD: Islanders @ Penguins | TBD *Wednesday, May 26, TBD: Avalanche/Golden Knights @ Wild | TBD Washington Capitals (2) vs. Boston Bruins (3) *Friday, May 28, TBD: Wild @ Avalanche/Golden Knights | TBD Saturday, May 15, 7:15 p.m.: Bruins @ Capitals | NBC, SN, CBC, TVAS SCOTIA NORTH DIVISION Monday, May 17, 7:30 p.m.: Bruins @ Capitals | NBCSN, SN, CBC, TVAS Toronto Maple Leafs (1) vs. (4)

Wednesday, May 19, 6:30 p.m.: Capitals @ Bruins | NBCSN, SNE, SNO, Thursday, May 20, 7:30 p.m.: Canadiens @ Maple Leafs | NHLN, SN, SNP, SN360, TVAS CBC, TVAS

Friday, May 21, 6:30 p.m.: Capitals @ Bruins | NBCSN, SNE, SNO, SNP, Saturday, May 22, 7 p.m.: Canadiens @ Maple Leafs | CNBC, SN, CBC, SN360, TVAS TVAS

*Sunday, May 23, TBD: Bruins @ Capitals | TBD Monday, May 24, TBD: Maple Leafs @ Canadiens | TBD

*Tuesday, May 25, TBD: Capitals @ Bruins | TBD Tuesday, May 25, TBD: Maple Leafs @ Canadiens | TBD

*Thursday, May 27, TBD: Bruins @ Capitals | TBD *Thursday, May 27, TBD: Canadiens @ Maple Leafs | TBD

DISCOVER CENTRAL DIVISION *Saturday, May 29, TBD: Maple Leafs @ Canadiens | TBD

Carolina Hurricanes (1) vs. Nashville Predators (4) *Monday, May 31, TBD: Canadiens @ Maple Leafs | TBD

Monday, May 17, 8 p.m.: Predators @ Hurricanes | CNBC, SNE, TVAS (2) vs. Winnipeg Jets (3)

Wednesday, May 19, 8 p.m.: Predators @ Hurricanes | CNBC, FX-CA, Wednesday, May 19, 9 p.m.: Jets @ Oilers | NBCSN, SN, CBC, TVAS TVAS Friday, May 21, 9 p.m.: Jets @ Oilers | NBCSN, SN, CBC, TVAS Friday, May 21, 7 p.m.: Hurricanes @ Predators | USA, FXX-CA, TVAS Sunday, May 23, TBD: Oilers @ Jets | TBD Sunday, May 23, TBD: Hurricanes @ Predators | TBD Monday, May 24, TBD: Oilers @ Jets | TBD *Tuesday, May 25, TBD: Predators @ Hurricanes | TBD *Wednesday, May 26, TBD: Jets @ Oilers | TBD *Friday, May 28, TBD: Oilers @ Jets | TBD

*Sunday, May 30, TBD: Jets @ Oilers | TBD

* if necessary

TBD – To Be Determined

Boston Hockey Now LOADED: 05.14.2021 1212583 Boston Bruins team, and having a legit, stud No. 1 defenseman can be a difference- maker in a playoff series. John Carlson is banged up physically, but he’s also the second leading scorer on the Capitals with 10 goals and 44 Breaking Down the Boston Bruins/Capitals Playoff Series points in 52 games this season. Just like Oshie and Ovechkin, though, Carlson was a minus player this season and he’s most definitely a player that can be exploited a bit in the defensive zone.

By Joe Haggerty Top to bottom, though, the Capitals are big, strong and tough with very good skill with Carlson at the top and the rugged Dmitry Orlov, Justin

Schultz, Dillon and Zdeno Chara giving the Capitals a big group of There is little doubt it’s going to be a board-rattling, hard-hitting defenders that can make life difficult for the Bruins. knockdown type of playoff series for the Boston Bruins as they ready for Boston has a lot of defensemen depth, but the depth gets tested quickly the Washington Capitals this weekend. if anything happens in terms of injuries or attrition. Grzelcyk and Reilly The Capitals aren’t quite as invincible against the Bruins anymore as the are premium puck-movers, but they also aren’t the biggest bodies out two hockey clubs evenly split the eight meetings during the regular there and will undoubtedly be targeted by Washington’s physical players. season, and Boston’s junior varsity took a lineup of Washington regulars McAvoy is a horse and a budding Norris Trophy-level defenseman, but to overtime on Tuesday night in their regular season finale. Braden Brandon Carlo has missed most of the season with injuries and Kevan Holtby is gone after being a dominant force against the Black and Gold Miller is battling chronic knee issues while skipping practices and during his Washington Capitals career, and that’s amounts to a pretty big morning skates to preserve his health. The health of Miller is a big key difference in the matchup. given his physical presence and his experience, particularly in what will be a nasty series with the Capitals. If the Bruins can remain healthy this Prior to this year, the Washington Capitals had sported a 16-2 record will be a close call, but who knows it if that is going to happen? against the Bruins since the 2014-15 season and they boast a 10-3 record against the B’s at Capital One Arena over the last six seasons Advantage: Capitals. while outscoring them by a 42-26 margin. In the past, the bigger and Goaltending: Braden Holtby owned the Boston Bruins and was most stronger, but equally skilled, Capitals have been a handful for the Black definitely in their heads when he was with the Capitals dating back to and Gold. their last playoff series against each other in the 2012 Stanley Cup But the Bruins are bigger and meaner this season with Trent Frederic, playoffs. But Holtby is gone and not even in the playoffs after signing with Nick Ritchie, a healthy Kevan Miller and Jeremy Lauzon with Jarred the Vancouver Canucks, and what remains are a couple of beatable Tinordi as a reserve, so they match up a little better against the likes of young goalies in Washington. Vitek Vanacek started the bulk of the Tom Wilson, Alex Ovechkin, Garnet Hathaway, Zdeno Chara and games this season, but there wasn’t much discernible difference between Brendan Dillon. But the Boston Bruins still understand it’s going to be Vanacek or Ilya Samsonov. They had identical 2.69 goals against equal parts skill content and street brawl if they hope to get by averages and they were both slightly above .900 with their respective Washington in a seven game playoff series. save percentages.

“[The Washington Capitals] have got a lot of big bodies and they like to Between the two 20-something goalies, they haven’t made a single play physical. This division, maybe aside from Pittsburgh to a degree, the appearance in the Stanley Cup playoffs. other three teams that are in the playoffs in this division play more of a On the other side, Tuukka Rask enters the playoffs healthy and sporting physical style game,” said Boston Bruins President Cam Neely. “I think a 7-1-0 record since returning from a suspected back injury in the middle our guys are prepared for that challenge and are expecting that. I think of the season. Rask has made 93 career playoff appearances and sports we did a good job with compiling this roster. Especially, adding some one of the best all-time save percentages (.926) in NHL playoff history pieces at the deadline that gives us a chance to win some playoff series.” despite never having won a Stanley Cup. Behind him is rookie sensation So, it’s going to be an entertaining, heavyweight battle kind of hockey Jeremy Swayman, who at 22 years old has posted a .946 save playoff series, and here’s how we see it all breaking down: percentage since coming up to Boston and has edged out Jaroslav Halak for the backup position at this point. Forwards: This a star-studded department for both teams. On one side there’s the NHL’s best forward line, the Perfection Line, with Brad Anything can happen when it comes to goaltending in the playoffs, but Marchand, Patrice Bergeron and David Pastrnak. Marchand is having a this could and should be a massive advantage for the Boston Bruins. Hart Trophy-level season, Bergeron was on a pace for 34 goals and 71 Advantage: Bruins. points in an 82-game regular season and Pastrnak was a point-per-game player even in what was a bit of a down season for him all around. Special Teams: The Capitals have the third-best power play in the NHL scoring 24.8 percent of the time during the regular season. Ovechkin Adding a motivated, productive Taylor Hall to the second line has continues to be the weapon of choice with the one-timers from all over transformed that group into an equally dangerous trio with David Krejci the ice in the offensive zone, but Carlson, Oshie and Backstrom are posting six goals and 21 points in 16 games skating with Hall and Craig power play weapons as well. The Boston Bruins know they need to be Smith adding to the duo as a hustling, dogged winger willing to shoot disciplined because the Capitals are one of the few teams that can win a pucks on the right side. The Bruins have a bruising third line with Nick special teams battle against the Black and Gold. The Bruins are still top- Ritchie, Sean Kuraly and Charlie Coyle, and a fourth line anchored by the 10 on PP with a 21.9 percent success rate and they have the potential to energetic Curtis Lazar. be even better in the postseason after adding guys like Hall and Reilly at For the Capitals side, TJ Oshie and Alex Ovechkin both finished as 20- the deadline. goal scorers while also finishing as minus players during the regular On the penalty kill, the Bruins (86 percent success rate) and Capitals (84 season. Tom Wilson is an equalizer with his physicality and intimidating percent success rate) are second and fifth in the NHL respectively and presence, and he will be hard on small-to-average sized Bruins are both very strong penalty kill groups. Zdeno Chara is one of the best defenseman like Matt Grzelcyk and Mike Reilly. Nicklas Backstrom and penalty killers in NHL history, and Patrice Bergeron and Brad Marchand Evgeny Kuznetsov are top tier playmakers and Carl Hagelin, Hathaway, are the NHL’s best penalty killing duo in terms of success and and Conor Sheary provide excellent depth in the forward dangerousness for shorthanded chances. This is as even as it gets in group. both special teams areas and it may be a wash over the course of a long, A real X-factor here is Anthony Mantha, who was okay with four goals hard-fought series where 5-on-5 offense will loom large. and eight points in 14 games after arriving in a trade with the Detroit Red Advantage: Even. Wings. He has the skill and size package to be a dominant force in the playoffs if he begins feeling it, so that’s something the Bruins will need to Coaching/Intangibles: Bruce Cassidy has enjoyed consistent success keep an eye on throughout the series. during his time guiding the Bruins and has come as close to winning a Stanley Cup as possible without actually getting to hoist it after losing a Advantage: Bruins. Game 7 on home ice in the 2019 Stanley Cup Final. The B’s bench boss Defenseman: This is where things get a little dicey for the Boston Bruins. did one of his best coaching jobs this season while covering up a couple Charlie McAvoy is arguably the best all-around defenseman for either of gaping roster holes that weren’t adequately filled until the Bruins acquired Hall, Reilly and Lazar at the trade deadline. Cassidy is intelligent, innovative and able to adjust on the fly and will have the Boston Bruins fully prepared for their series against the Capitals.

Peter Laviolette brings plenty of experience, won a Cup with the Carolina Hurricanes in 2006 and is just one of four coaches in NHL history that’s brought three different teams (the Flyers and Predators) to the Stanley Cup Final. Laviolette has shown difficulty retaining his effectiveness for long periods of time with the same team, but that isn’t really an issue during his first season guiding the Capitals into the playoffs. It will be interesting to see how Laviolette manages some very big personalities once the poop hits the fan for the Capitals in the playoffs, but we’re also talking about a Washington team that managed to win it all a couple of years ago.

Everybody has seen the Capitals pack it in at times when the going gets tough. That’s exactly what happened last summer in the Toronto bubble, but having Zdeno Chara among their leadership group may change that a bit. The Bruins are one of the tightest units in the NHL with leadership and clutch performers, but they also have a player in Pastrnak that’s still got a ton to prove in the postseason. And a No. 1 goalie in Rask that’s never been able to win the big game to get the Bruins over the hump for a Cup under his watch.

Advantage: Bruins.

Prediction: It will be a slobber knocker of a series that will take a chunk out of whomever wins it (and that could be a problem deeper into the postseason), but the guess here is that it will be the Bruins in a seven- game grudge match. Bruins in 7.

Boston Hockey Now LOADED: 05.14.2021 1212584 Boston Bruins

2021 NHL Playoffs: Bruins vs. Capitals schedule, TV channel, games, scores, guide to the first-round series

By The Athletic NHL Staff May 13, 2021

In this East Division matchup, the No. 2 Washington Capitals will face the No. 3 Boston Bruins in the first round of the 2021 NHL Stanley Cup playoffs. To find out who has the advantage in the series, check out Dom Luszczyszyn’s odds and probabilities, plus Stanley Cup tiers and predictions from experts in the hockey world.

Schedule/TV/Results

Game 1: at Washington, Saturday at 7:15 p.m. ET (NBC, SN, TVA Sports)

Game 2: at Washington, Monday at 7:30 p.m. ET (NBCSN, SN, CBC, TVA Sports)

Game 3: at Boston, Wednesday at 6:30 p.m. ET (NBCSN, SN360, TVA Sports)

Game 4: at Boston, May 21 at 6:30 p.m. ET (NBC, SN, TVA Sports)

Game 5*: at Washington, May 23, time TBD

Game 6*: at Boston, May 25, time TBD

Game 7*: at Washington, May 27, time TBD

(* – if necessary)

What to expect from the series?

Series preview: The Bruins are finally rounding into form, and that’s bad news for the Capitals, who are now tasked with stopping a runaway freight train. Despite finishing ahead of Boston in the standings and having home ice, the Capitals enter this series as underdogs.

Zdeno Chara proved the Bruins wrong: Some players live to stick it to their critics. Not Zdeno Chara. He isn’t one to wave his middle finger at his doubters. But just by doing what he loves beyond his previous employer’s projected best-by date, Chara proved the Bruins wrong about his part-time status.

Taylor Hall’s future with Bruins more likely: He’s gone from disdain for Brad Marchand the opponent to being inspired by the teammate, and it all makes it more practical that he will re-sign with Boston this offseason.

Capitals’ keys to beating the Bruins: Tarik El-Bashir on the six points of emphasis for Washington, including stopping the Bergeron line and leading on Zdeno Chara’s knowledge of Boston’s plays and code names.

Inside the Bruins’ game plan to negate the Capitals

Latest on Alex Ovechkin and the Capitals’ sidelined stars

Bruins-Capitals history

Bruins have had it with Capitals’ Tom Wilson: ‘Completely unnecessary’: Tom Wilson sent Brandon Carlo to the hospital with a hit the Bruins called “completely unnecessary. Dirty.”

Zdeno Chara vs. the Bruins: The disagreement that led to his departure

NHL Playoff matchups

Up next in the East Division: Penguins-Islanders

North Division: Maple Leafs-Canadiens | Oilers-Jets

Central Division: Hurricanes-Predators | Panthers-Lightning

West Division: Matchups are not finalized

The Athletic LOADED: 05.14.2021 1212585 Boston Bruins along in his career and getting the appropriate number of games it requires for all players, but in particular on the back end, and continuing to progress. We’re happy and excited where his trajectory continues.”

Zdeno Chara proved the Bruins wrong. And now they’ll see him up close Zboril started smoothly on the No. 3 tandem next to Miller. But Zboril’s in playoff series with Capitals game shuddered after Miller’s knee flared up.

He never shook the jumpiness that infected his retrievals, outlet passes By Fluto Shinzawa May 13, 2021 and defensive-zone coverage. Zboril was even worse than Lauzon at getting shots through, hitting the net with only 33 of 77 shot attempts (42.9 percent).

Zdeno Chara concluded his 23rd NHL season with 55 games. Zboril missed three games because of injuries and exited the regular- season finale because of an upper-body ailment. He will not be in That is four more than the sum of ex-partner Charlie McAvoy, the Bruins’ Saturday’s lineup. blue line leader. It is well above the projection set by the Bruins when they informed their captain that, in all likelihood, he would not be a lineup “Jakub, he’s 40-some-odd games into his career,” Sweeney said. “I think regular. he’s also had some ups and downs, some challenges that we expected to have. He’s played through some of those. Injuries as well. He’ll be on The Capitals did not give Chara charity games for the sake of nudging the outside of our starting lineup. But as you well know, we’ve used eight, him toward Chris Chelios, Scott Stevens, Larry Murphy and Ray nine, 10 D in the course of the playoffs. He has to be prepared and Bourque, the only four defensemen in league history ahead of him in ready. This is his first go-around for that. I think he’s acquitted himself career appearances. First-year coach Peter Laviolette leaned on Chara well. I think he’s had some bumps and some ups and downs. But his hard, especially on the penalty kill, where the strongman averaged a ability to move the puck and D-zone exits, while he learns to play against team-high 2:41 per game. the best players in the , he’s done fine.” Chara responded. On occasion, he wore an “A.” Capitals reporters voted Primarily because of injuries, Sweeney had to go 12 deep on his blue line for Chara as the team’s nominee for the Masterton Trophy, awarded to depth chart. Unexpected transactions included claiming Jarred Tinordi off the player who best exemplifies perseverance, sportsmanship and waivers and promoting first-year pro Jack Ahcan. dedication to the game. Sweeney reinforced the defense by acquiring Mike Reilly from Ottawa. “It’s a huge honor,” Chara said. “It’s something I take big pride in. I Reilly was a critical add. He recorded eight assists in 15 games. He hit expressed it many times: I love this game. This game gave me and my the net with 25 of 45 shot attempts (55.6 percent). Reilly completed long- family a lot. I learned a lot from this game. I try to do my best every day I distance passes to Taylor Hall and Craig Smith, his most common even- come to the rink, be a good example on and off the ice and do the things strength forwards. that can improve and make a difference for the team.” Because Reilly will start Game 1 next to Brandon Carlo, Cassidy is free Some players live to stick it to their critics. Not Chara. He isn’t one to to pair Matt Grzelcyk with McAvoy. wave his middle finger at his doubters. The 44-year-old plays to win and feed his passion for his livelihood. “When we acquired Mike, we felt he would bring the first-pass D-zone exits,” Sweeney said. “You’ve seen us stretch a little bit more. He sees But just by doing what he loves — playing hard 5-on-5 shifts, killing the ice. He’s been involved at the offensive blue line. He hasn’t chipped penalties, setting the bar for his teammates on the ice and in the gym — in any goals yet. But he’s certainly gotten his shot through with regularity. beyond his previous employer’s projected best-by date, Chara proved the Been active taking pucks down the wall, taking plays to the net-front and Bruins wrong about his part-time status. If Chara can help his new team slot areas. The mobility is something we felt and identified that he could win four first-round games, the 44-year-old will enjoy that more than help us with.” sending his former teammates to the golf course. The Bruins are satisfied with their post-Chara defense. It might be better Caught in between than if they had extended him. The Bruins didn’t get Chara’s every game pace right. Whether they were It just took a little work to get there. wrong about letting him walk remains to be seen. Doing his thing Chara’s contract expired at the same time Jeremy Lauzon and Jakub Zboril were drumming their fingers for opportunities. Lauzon was ready This has not been an easy year for Chara. Wife Tatiana and kids Elliz, for third-pairing work. Zboril required waivers to be assigned to the taxi Ben and Zach remain in Boston. It was painful, in both senses of the squad or Providence. word, for Chara to miss his only game of 2020-21 at TD Garden on April 18 because of soreness following a blocked shot. In hindsight, the timing simply did not align. But on Feb. 7, it was as a Capital, not a Bruin, that Chara passed Nicklas Under optimal circumstances, Lauzon and Zboril would each have had Lidstrom (1,564 games) to become the defenseman with the fifth-most one more season of preparation before assuming their respective roles of games played in league history. Lidstrom is special to Chara. He has shutdown presence and puck mover. At times, Lauzon, the defenseman regularly described meetings with the former Detroit captain with awe. with the greatest degree of stylistic overlap with Chara, played well next to McAvoy. He became coach Bruce Cassidy’s workhorse on the penalty “I think he’s delivered everything he said he was going to do,” Laviolette kill, where he averaged a team-leading 3:05 of work per game. said. “He was going to come here and he was going to be a factor on the ice. He was going to be a positive influence in the locker room, a leader At other times, Lauzon struggled with his footwork and puck play. His in the locker room. He was going to lead by example by the way he lives valley was on March 31 against New Jersey. His pass into Patrice his life, the way he plays the game and prepares for the game. At no Bergeron’s skates led to a Miles Wood first-period goal. In the second, point has he disappointed us in what he’s delivered this year.” following a defensive-zone draw, Lauzon threw an outlet pass onto Kyle Palmieri’s stick. Palmieri didn’t miss. Nobody knows the Bruins’ tendencies, especially on the power play, better than Chara. As the Bruins’ penalty-killing ace, Chara always Lauzon was out for 12 games following surgery for his fractured hand. It practiced against the No. 1 unit. He knows all their plays: David may be one reason only 44 of his 92 5-on-5 shot attempts (47.8 percent) Pastrnak’s left-elbow screamer, Bergeron’s bumper one-timer, Brad hit the net. The coaching staff ultimately decided his most optimal Marchand’s up-high rotation. position for Game 1 is on the No. 3 pairing, most likely, alongside Kevan Miller. Concurrently, the Bruins are more familiar with Chara than any team. They know he struggles when turning and going back for pucks. They “Lauzy missed an extensive period of time,” general manager Don know he’s better when he optimizes his reach and stick instead of Sweeney said. “It was a hand injury, so he had to come back and smooth defending in tight. They know he’s more vulnerable when he’s roaming in out a little of the rough edges that, at times, the game is hard for him. But the defensive zone instead of patrolling the house. you can’t deny his compete level. Led our team in penalty minutes’ time on ice. Embraced the matchup role or hardness role we covet in our They know he’s going to bring it. players. Kevan Miller in the same light. I think Lauzy’s continuing to move “I think this is truly one of the reasons they signed Z,” Cassidy said. “For this time of the year coming up. His impact probably hasn’t even been truly felt yet. We’re going to be the first ones to find out what it is.”

The Athletic LOADED: 05.14.2021 1212586 Boston Bruins It’s worth noting, though, that while the offence has been mostly dormant for Boston all season, it was wide awake when going head-to-head with Washington. The Bruins converted on 9.3 percent of their shots at five- 2021 NHL playoff preview: Capitals vs. Bruins on-five which led to 2.9 goals per 60 and 56 percent of the goals. That’s despite being narrowly out-chanced by the Capitals — turning the tables on Washington’s usual forte. Those numbers leaned more toward Boston’s favour before Tuesday’s no-name game, too. By Dom Luszczyszyn May 13, 2021 Where the Capitals have a significant edge is via special teams. They are

one of just two teams (Carolina is the other), that is top five in goal rates For five straight seasons and 10 of the last 14, the Washington Capitals on both the power play and penalty kill. Special teams are a bit of a blind have been division champions. It’s been a truly impressive run of spot in this model and it’s one area where Washington is likely consistent excellence, and though they finish the season with their undervalued here. highest points percentage in four years, it wasn’t enough to keep the After an off season in 2019-20, the Capitals’ power play was back in a streak alive. big way this season and it pillaged the Bruins in particular, scoring 11.2 That’s especially unfortunate this year because it means getting a first- goals per 60. Boston kept the chances down and has the third-best round date with Boston, a team that’s had the better of the season series penalty kill in the league so I’m not sure that continues, but it is (when not resting its entire lineup), as opposed to the Islanders, who the noteworthy from the head-to-head matchup. Washington was stellar on Capitals have owned. On top of that, the Bruins and Islanders are the penalty kill too, surrendering just 3.9 goals against per 60 and not heading in vastly different directions with no team being hotter than allowing many chances, either. Relatively speaking, the power play has Boston of late. been a major problem for Boston all season and the Capitals will not make things easy for the Bruins in this series. The Bruins are finally rounding into form, and that’s bad news for the Capitals, who are now tasked with stopping a runaway freight train. Figuring out the power play might be the key for Boston in this series. Despite finishing ahead of Boston in the standings and having home ice, That falls on the top guys who, as usual, carry extraordinarily high value the Capitals enter this series as underdogs. aided by being capable players with the man advantage. Boston’s edge is in its top-end talent and if those guys can’t click on the power play, that Series odds edge shrinks considerably.

Matchup adjustment takes into account each player’s Game Score Roster breakdown against this specific opponent as well as his Game Score over the last six weeks. Matchup adjustment takes into account each player’s Game Score against this specific opponent as well as his Game Score over the last six Death, taxes and Dom’s model underrating Washington’s chances of weeks. The numbers may be slightly skewed as a result of ice-time winning a game or series. It’s an expectation at this point, one the team allocation. probably doesn’t deserve. They’re admittedly a difficult team to model due to their ability to consistently finish their chances above expectations. The difference between the two teams’ top six groups is substantial, though that would be the case for any team playing the Bruins. Only the Having said that, I still can’t imagine a world where the Capitals should Leafs and Avalanche have a top six that’s close to the same level as be favoured over the new-and-improved Bruins. I mean, they barely beat what the Bruins can unleash. the Providence Bruins earlier this week. Boston has been arguably the league’s hottest team down the stretch, looking completely rejuvenated That top line featuring Brad Marchand, David Pastrnak and Patrice post-trade deadline. Couple that with the team’s play against Washington Bergeron remains the most frightening in hockey and carries more this year where the Bruins have been the better five-on-five team and combined value than Washington’s entire top six. That shouldn’t be too Boston gets a sizeable bump in series probability. Recent play plus the surprising with two 100-point talents and a perennial Selke Trophy matchup effect gives Boston an extra six percentage points in series win contender. This year they’ve continued to do their thing, earning a 64 probability. That means this series would be close to 42/58 without the percent expected goals rate in 433 minutes together while outscoring adjustment, which is basically a coin-flip once you discredit the pesky opponents by a 33-17 margin. They’ve been even better down the stretch Dom-Capitals Tax. too. With a very nice 69 points in 53 games, Marchand has been the most prolific member of the Ratatouille line — his fourth straight season Giving the Bruins a nearly two-thirds chance of winning might be going scoring at a 100-point pace or higher. He’s been a Capitals killer this out on a limb here, but they have a stronger recent history of elite play season, too, scoring seven goals and 13 points in seven games. The top that makes them more dependable. Their numbers this year are stronger line as a whole has been especially menacing, outscoring Washington nearly across the board, especially of late where they’ve looked much 10-3 this season. They’ll be a handful, as they always are. more like themselves. Most of the damage done by the top line has been at five-on-five this The Bruins are coming into the playoffs hot. The Capitals are not. year as Boston’s power play has been largely inconsistent. That’s a good problem to have given the standards of officiating in the postseason, but Season stats still one Boston will want to solve in order to go on a lengthy run. Over the last six weeks, the Bruins have controlled 57 percent of the A lot of the team’s power-play issues fall on the team’s most dangerous expected goals, the third-best mark in the league. They’ve made good on weapon with the man advantage, David Pastrnak, not being much of a that in terms of actual goals, earning nearly 58 percent of those. Both threat for a majority of the season. Pastrnak had been the most prolific numbers rise post-deadline where the Bruins have been a juggernaut at power-play goal scorer over the prior two seasons, but has seen his five-on-five. scoring rate drop to 1.47 goals per 60 this season — just one-third of Washington’s claim to fame is its ability to outscore its modest scoring where he was last season. The lack of Torey Krug quarterbacking chance share. Over the last six weeks that part of the team’s game has certainly hurts, but I don’t think that completely explains going 26 games been non-existent as Washington has been completely average. The without a power-play goal. Pastrnak won’t stay quiet forever and it’s a expected goals percentage remained consistent in its slightly above scary thought that the Bruins have been this good anyway without his averageness, but the usual execution wasn’t there. power-play magic. If he figures that out, the top line will be a serious problem for any team in its way this postseason. The Capitals already For the year, the Capitals have the edge at five-on-five in terms of have had enough trouble containing them. scoring, but the Bruins have significantly closed the gap since the deadline. It’s fair to say that version of the team is much closer to the one The Bruins have another big problem for opponents to deal with and we’ll see in the postseason. It’s one that can match Washington’s offence that’s the second line behind them. Taylor Hall, who was acquired for the thanks to more shot volume while being much stronger defensively. bargain bin price of a second-round pick, has been everything the Bruins That’s Boston’s claim to fame and it remains intact. The Bruins are the needed and more, a perfect fit next to David Krejci and Craig Smith. After league’s third-best at suppressing chances over the year and second-to- struggling mightily in Buffalo, Hall has looked much more like himself with none the last six weeks. Adding offence to that is what’s made them look seven goals and 14 points in 16 games as a Bruin. It’s the damage the much more imposing. second line is doing at five-on-five that’s much more worthy of praise, though. Together the trio has controlled the puck even better than the vaunted top line with a 68 percent expected goals rate and an even more some of the team’s fourth-liners and he scored at a fourth-line rate this absurd 13-to-1 goal ratio. That hot stretch to end the season meant both season. He’s creating fewer dangerous chances for himself and his Krejci and Smith finished the season above two points per 60, giving the linemates, an unexpected decline that really hurt the team for much of Bruins five such forwards. Hall, for what it’s worth, was at 2.83 as a the season. Jake DeBrusk has also fallen off a bit, though his issues look Bruin, theoretically giving the team six. Those top two lines will be like they stem more from bad luck than bad play as he’s earning the extremely difficult to contain with the way they’re rolling lately. same quality chances, he just isn’t capitalizing. The duo hasn’t really clicked much either, earning a 42 percent expected goals rate in 166 Washington’s top six just doesn’t stack up and it’s the reason this model minutes. Boston needs both players to turn things around for the team to has been sour on the team over the past few seasons: the stars don’t be at its best. The potential is there based on their prior work. shine nearly as bright anymore. The Capitals also have six forwards above two points per 60, with Anthony Mantha being the lone exception Though the depth isn’t there, the forward edge is still decidedly in in the top six, but all of them are on the lower end of the spectrum. Boston’s favour by a pretty hefty margin. The same is essentially true in There’s no one on the level of any of Boston’s first-liners on this side of net, where Washington has had problems all season and Boston still has the ledger. Alex Ovechkin and Nicklas Backstrom were both just shy of Tuukka Rask. being point-per-game players which is great, but not elite. Whether it’s Ilya Samsonov or Vitek Vanecek starting, neither is quite on Ovechkin and Backstrom remain the team’s strongest players and did a Rask’s level — and that’s in a down year. Samsonov allowed seven much better job of outscoring opponents this season (last year they were goals above expected this year in 19 games while Vanecek wasn’t too even), but were also among the team’s lesser play-driving forwards. It’s much better with nine in 37 games. Rask wasn’t a superstar by any possible Backstrom’s playmaking and Ovechkin’s finishing ability might means, saving nearly just as many as expected, but we all know how mean this is a model issue where both players should be expected to good he can be. Last season he had a .929 and saved eight goals above sustain high percentages, but a 12 percent on-ice shooting percentage is expected in 41 games. Those priors play a role in assessing his value always deserving of healthy skepticism. Backstrom’s 12.3 percent and here and help give Boston a larger edge. It’s a necessary one given the Ovechkin’s 12 percent on-ice shooting percentage are both career highs sharpshooters he’ll have to face on the other side. and they were both closer to 9 percent last season, which happens to be their career average. Betting on that feels safer and that means their Where Washington does have a slight edge is in its defensive depth. projected value going forward is lower than what they delivered this From top to bottom, all six defenders are top-four quality according to season. The same goes for Evgeny Kuznetsov, who is even higher at GSVA with Justin Schultz being the only player with a below-average 12.6 percent, though his career average is higher too at 10.3 percent. expected goals percentage this season. He’s looked much stronger next to the safer Brenden Dillon, giving Washington three pairs that fit well The Capitals were second in the league in five-on-five shooting together. percentage at 10.2 percent, so high numbers for their top forwards aren’t surprising, it’s just reason to be cautious regarding each player’s true The top pair is of course the one that pays the bills here, one made impact. That leads to some questions regarding Ovechkin’s projected possible by the balance created on the bottom two pairs. Last season the value which is lower than some might expect and as usual it’s a result of team was forced to separate their two best defencemen due to a lack of his defensive game. He has the worst expected goals against rate of any depth but with that no longer being a problem, Washington is afforded Capitals player and is second by actual goals against. That could spell the opportunity to put its best foot forward. The John Carlson and Dmitry trouble in a matchup against either of Boston’s top two lines and that’s Orlov pairing has been a recent development and an effective one at that been exactly the case in the season series. In eight games, Ovechkin with 57 percent of the expected goals (thanks to some stingy defence) has four points and has been outscored 11-to-1. and 55 percent of the actual goals. Carlson took a fair bit of flak last season for his inability to tilt the ice at five-on-five, but he’s genuinely The Backstrom line, flanked by Mantha and T.J. Oshie, will likely be improved this season while maintaining his offensive flair. Dmitry Orlov’s taking care of the toughest assignment here and they’ve been strong presence next to him has only accentuated that, giving the Capitals a pair together in limited minutes. The trio has a 58 percent expected goals rate that may be able to stifle Boston’s potent top line. together in 90 minutes. Oshie has arguably been the best player on the team down the stretch with a scintillating 14 goals in his last 20 games Boston’s defence is comparable in value, but much more top-heavy with and he’ll need to keep up that heat for the Capitals to have a shot in this a few glaring holes. The addition of Mike Reilly has really helped alleviate series. That’s especially true since he’s also the team’s leading scorer some of their problems since the deadline and he’s given the team a against the Bruins this season. Mantha started off hot with goals in four sorely needed top-four defender, allowing it to load up the top pair with its straight games with the Capitals but hasn’t scored in 10 games since. two best defenders.

The difference in value between the team’s top six groups will be very The Charlie McAvoy and Matt Grzelcyk pair was absolutely dominant this difficult to overcome for Washington, a seven-win disadvantage. The season, earning a 66 percent expected goals percentage together. That Capitals do make up some ground in the bottom six though where they’re ranked behind only Colorado’s Samuel Girard and Jacob MacDonald this legitimately one of the league’s deeper teams. season — and those two weren’t playing tough minutes like Boston’s pair. That’s what happens when you put two of the best puck-movers in Washington doesn’t have the best bottom six among playoff teams, but the league together on the same pair. Combine that with the Bruins’ top it’s certainly up there with two lines that can hold their own. Lars Eller is line and opponents rarely ever saw the puck with the five-man unit one of the game’s best third-line centers and was the team’s top play- earning a 73.5 percent expected goals percentage together. driver at five-on-five with a 56 percent expected goals rate. He can handle some shutdown duties if Washington feels the need to shelter the Putting the duo together wasn’t something the team could afford to do Ovechkin line a little bit. Conor Sheary was a real savvy depth add and often with the depth issues, and it’s incredible to think about what both he’s looked closer to the player he was back in his first stint with the defenders were capable of doing this year even when apart. McAvoy, in Penguins. The duo is assisted by Daniel Sprong, who has had some tough minutes, somehow still managed a 56 percent expected goals rate strong puck luck this season that may be difficult to sustain. Carl Hagelin with replacement-level defenders saddled next to him. Because he and Garnet Hathaway are fourth-line luxuries, too. doesn’t get top power-play time, McAvoy isn’t often looked at as one of the game’s best defensemen — but he’s right there with the massive Boston’s bottom two lines leave much more to be desired. Only the amount of value he brings at five-on-five. He can get results with anyone. Oilers have it worse among playoff teams according to GSVA. The fourth Grzelcyk, who is pretty underrated himself, was at a respectable 54 line always seems to be a sore spot for the Bruins and this season is no percent expected goals percentage away from McAvoy. He deserves a different with Sean Kuraly and Chris Wagner both struggling at five-on- fair bit of credit as well. five. The Bruins are heavily out-chanced and outscored when those two are on the ice, and that means more work for the top six to make up for it. Washington has the depth advantage again, but again, it’s the top guys Curtis Lazar was an intriguing addition, though, and he’s helped that will usually win teams the series. Boston has them beat across the massively. The goal differential wasn’t there over 56 minutes, but the trio board in that category with a better top six, top pair and starting goalie. It earned 59 percent of the expected goals together. There’s some hope will take a lot for Washington to stop that. there. The bottom line

The third line might be a bigger issue thanks to the play of Charlie Coyle Boston is finally coming around, looking like the top five team many this season. He was excellent for the Bruins last season, but has taken a expected the Bruins to be at the start of the season. Key deadline major step back. His 45 percent expected goals rate is ahead of only acquisitions have really helped the team unlock its potential and though there are still some holes in their game, the Bruins look like an even- strength juggernaut that has the ability to dominate the East.

Washington is the first team standing in their way and the Capitals should make things interesting. They are a difficult team to model because “unsustainable” usually doesn’t apply to them, but a cold run down the stretch does leave some room for debate on what is and isn’t sustainable for this team. Washington remains an elite offensive force, but regression comes for everyone. Over the final 20 or so games, the Capitals’ shooting percentage was nearly identical to Boston’s. That’s despite Washington finishing the year in second and Boston finishing the year in second last. Take away the elite shooting and the Capitals look a lot more ordinary.

Elite shooting should still be the expectation, don’t get me wrong, but against Boston there will be far fewer opportunities and far fewer chances. Boston can suffocate teams with its stingy defence and have a goalie that’s capable of stealing games. With a newfound offensive ability, the team looks like a contender, one that should control the puck heavily in this series.

Washington has a good team with plenty of depth. But Boston has a great team, loaded with talent at the top of the lineup that Washington will likely struggle to contain. That’s the difference here and it’s why Boston is the favourite in this one.

The Athletic LOADED: 05.14.2021 1212587 Buffalo Sabres

World Championships: Tage Thompson to play for Team USA, Colin Miller for Canada

Mike Harrington May 12, 2021

The season will continue for Buffalo Sabres winger Tage Thompson, who was named Thursday as one of 14 forwards for Team USA's entry into the IIHF World Championships from May 21-June 6 in Riga Lativa. Defenseman Colin Miller was named Wednesday to Team Canada.

With significant questions at center, Sabres could turn to Dylan Cozens, Casey Mittelstadt

“Whatever happens with them, it’s out of my control,” said Cozens, referring to Jack Eichel and Sam Reinhart, both of whom expressed their frustration Monday.

After starting the season on the top line but flaming out under Ralph Krueger and ending up as a regular healthy scratch, Thompson found a regular role under interim coach Don Granato. The line of Casey Mittelstadt between Thompson and Rasmus Asplund became a staple as Granato's third unit and Thompson finished with career highs of eight goals and 14 points while playing only 38 of the 56 games.

"I knew every time I was stepping out over the boards what I needed to do, and I think just that clarity and opportunity is something big for me just kind of running with that," Thompson said Tuesday during his end-of- season session with reporters.

One of Thompson's offseason goals is to continue to add on to his 6-foot- 7, 219-pound frame.

"I think there's always another level you can get to and you should never be comfortable with where you're at," he said. "That's going to be a big thing for me this summer. I think if I can get to that next level, it's going to be that much easier for me taking pucks to the net, using my body to hold off defenseman. I think I'm capable of doing that and I'm excited for the grind this offseason and hopefully the payoff it will bring for next season."

Miller had four goals and eight assists in 48 games for the Sabres. He's entering the final season of his four-year contract that carries a cap hit of $3.875 million and could be attractive to the Seattle Kraken in the July 21 expansion draft. Team Canada will be coached by Gerard Gallant, who was Miller's coach during his two seasons with the Vegas Golden Knights.

After serving quarantines and bubble life much of the season, many top- level NHL players are skipping the Worlds this year. Thompson and former Sabres prospect Colin Blackwell of the New York Rangers are the most prominent NHL forwards from this season on the roster. Justin Abdelkader and Brian Boyle, who did not play in the league this season, also are on the roster. Sabres General Manager is among a group of eight NHL GMs serving on the Team USA Advisory Board.

University of Michigan defenseman Owen Power has been named to Team Canada and college teammate Matt Beniers, a center, was selected by Team USA. Both of them are candidates to be the No. 1 overall pick in the NHL draft come July. The Sabres will be drafting no lower than No. 3, based on results of the draft lottery that will be held next month.

Buffalo News LOADED: 05.14.2021 1212588 Buffalo Sabres Bob Hartley: He has 13 years of NHL experience but has spent the past three in Russia, where he just won the KHL championship.

David Quinn: The Rangers recently fired him as part of the organizational Is Don Granato the right head coach to lead the Sabres? Who are the shakeup that led to Chris Drury taking over as president and general other candidates for the job? manager. Quinn made the playoffs once in three seasons and guided the young Rangers to a winning record in the tough East Division this season. By John Vogl May 13, 2021 Patrick Roy: The Hockey Hall of Famer would become the biggest name in the organization. Roy had three seasons at .500 or better in Colorado. He is coach and GM of the in the QMJHL. Don Granato spent parts of two seasons as a Sabres assistant coach. But after getting a chance at the top job, there’s probably no going back. Mike Babcock: His redemption tour following an unceremonious dismissal from Toronto led to a short TV stint and a job coaching the “I think (like) a head coach,” Buffalo’s interim bench boss said. “I took a University of Saskatchewan. Reports of poor treatment of players would head coaching job in my early 20s just because I knew that was my make him a controversial hire, but he’s ninth all time with 700 wins. passion, being a head coach. And it is. It’s a different position than an assistant coach — dramatically different. Jack Capuano: The former Islanders bench boss has spent the past two seasons as Ottawa’s associate coach. He’ll lead the United States at the “I’m most comfortable in the position as a head coach. I can assure you World Championship. Drury is GM of the U.S. team while Adams is on that because I’ve done it for years, years and years and had success the advisory board. doing it.” Kevin Dineen: He’s led San Diego of the AHL to back-to-back winning Granato has been a head coach during 20 of his 28 seasons, winning seasons after working as an assistant in Chicago and head coach in awards and championships. He’s won a lot of fans since replacing Ralph Florida. Dineen coached the Sabres’ minor-league team in Portland from Krueger in March. Buffalo improved significantly under 53-year-old, 2008 to 2011. whose personality and outlook meshed well with a young team. Jim Montgomery: He was 50-43-10 with the Stars and guided them to the None of that has earned him the permanent position. One of the most second round of the playoffs during his only full season. Dallas dismissed eye-opening experiences for first-time general manager Kevyn Adams him during the 2019-20 season for unprofessional conduct, an incident was last summer’s coaching search in Rochester, so Adams plans an that prompted a stay in rehab and an embrace of sobriety. He is an extensive one in Buffalo. assistant coach in St. Louis. “I learned a ton through the coaching search process we went through in Scott Arniel: The former Sabres forward and assistant coach is a third- the ,” Adams said. “I talked to a lot of different year assistant with Washington. Arniel was the Rangers’ associate coach people. Every one of those conversations, I learned from. for the previous five seasons and served as Columbus’ head coach from “I want to talk to a lot of people with our current situation in Buffalo. I want 2010 to 2012. to learn. I want to ask questions. I just want to talk to a lot of different Jacques Martin: Another coach with ties to Pittsburgh, he was part of the people with a lot of different backgrounds, so we’re going to do that.” Rangers’ dismissals. The 68-year-old led his team to the playoffs in 12 of Adams and the Sabres aren’t alone. There are also coaching vacancies his 17 seasons as head coach. with the Rangers, Coyotes, Blue Jackets and Kraken. Vancouver, Detroit John Stevens: He’s in his second season as an assistant in Dallas, which and Carolina have coaches with expiring contracts, so they may join in reached the Stanley Cup Final last year. He went 51-39-9 as head coach the search. in Los Angeles after winning two championships as a Kings assistant. There are enough coaches out there for all of them. Here are some Glen Gulutzan: The third-year Oilers assistant was previously the bench potential candidates. boss in Calgary, where he made the playoffs in 2017. NHL experience Mike Yeo: He was 246-181-55 as head coach of the Wild and Blues. St. : The most polarizing coach available. He’s demanding, Louis fired him during the 2018-19 season and subsequently won the which either drives players or drives them away. Where there’s no Cup with . Yeo is in his second season as a Philadelphia debate is his results. In 16 full seasons, he’s reached the playoffs 11 assistant. times. He’s won the Stanley Cup once and the Jack Adams Award twice. College coaches The 62-year-old could be intrigued by returning to where it started. He Nate Leaman: The Providence coach will be an assistant for the U.S. was a Sabres assistant from 1989 to 1995, then coached the Amerks for team at the World Championship, giving Adams a chance to see how two seasons while winning a . Leaman handles pro players. Leaman coached the United States to gold Bruce Boudreau: He’s made it clear he’s interested. As coach of the in January at the world juniors. Capitals, Ducks and Wild, he made the playoffs in 10 of his 13 seasons. He’s made the Friars into a perennial power during his 10 seasons, The 66-year-old won the Jack Adams Award in 2008 and has four 50-win including an NCAA title in 2015 and a Frozen Four appearance in 2019. seasons. Leaman has posted a winning record for nine straight seasons. Gerard Gallant: He’s coaching Canada at the World Championship. GMs Scott Sandelin: He made Minnesota-Duluth one of the elite college will be watching. programs, turning out NHL players while putting his team into the NCAA Gallant has been out of work since the Golden Knights surprisingly fired Tournament. him in January 2020 despite a 118-75-20 record and two playoff Mike Hastings: The Minnesota State coach is 236-90-24 during his nine appearances, including a trip to the Stanley Cup Final. He has a 270- seasons in Mankato. 216-56 record as coach of Columbus, Florida and Vegas. Bob Motzko: He’s happy with the Minnesota Gophers but is worth Claude Julien: He won the Cup with the Bruins and has coached the mentioning as a winner with St. Cloud State and three-time leader of the Canadiens twice, but the latest run ended just 18 games into this season U.S. world juniors team. following a 9-5-4 start. He’s among the career leaders in games (1,274) and victories (667). NHL assistants

Rick Tocchet: His four-season stay in Arizona is over following a 125- Steve Ott: The former Sabres captain is in his fourth season as a St. 131-34 record and one playoff appearance. Since he has ties to the Louis assistant and was on the staff when the Blues won the Cup in Penguins, he has a shot, based on the Pegulas’ fondness for Pittsburgh 2019. people. New associate GM Jason Karmanos worked with the Penguins while Tocchet was an assistant. Luke Richardson: The Montreal assistant has also been on the benches of the Islanders and Senators, serving eight seasons. He was head coach of the Binghamton Senators for four years. They all have potential for interviews. What they don’t have is an office in the Sabres’ arena.

Granato does. He’d like to keep it.

“He believes that he’s ready and capable of being the head coach of this team,” Adams said. “Donny and the coaching staff did a tremendous job under very challenging circumstances.

“He has an experience of working with young players. What I think he did very well was crystal-clear communication on expectations of how each individual was going to play and what the expectations are from how the team is going to play.”

Whether that’s enough to beat out the other candidates will be determined during the next couple of months.

“You see and feel the confidence and belief system has changed,” Granato said of the Sabres. “They know they’re building something, and that was great to be a part of and obviously something I would like to be part of moving forward.

“In this business, you earn it and have to re-earn it every day. Kevyn and the organization needs to go through a process and make a decision. I’m going to have talks with them and share more extensively my philosophy and approach. Obviously, I coached to the situation this season and tried to maximize what we could maximize, work with what we had to work with. You saw some of my coaching, but obviously we haven’t seen it all. So, we’ll lay that out.”

The Athletic LOADED: 05.14.2021 1212589 Calgary Flames While the new boss has been blunt about needing to see a lot of improvement from No. 6, he also reminded the kid is still only 22.

“If you look at the context of how many games there actually was, he’s SNAPSHOTS: Andersson leads way in Flames win played a lot. He’s going to play 50 games this year, which is significant,” Sutter said, stressing that for any developing , it’s a big leap from hot-shot junior to every-nighter in the NHL. “Once you take the next Wes Gilbertson step, playing against men, it’s a lot tougher to stay in the lineup and then succeed. There’s a whole package there that has to come together and I

think it will over time, but you have to look at the steps of it. You can’t just Rasmus Andersson hasn’t enjoyed the breakout campaign that so many look at ‘Oh, he was this … ‘ or ‘He’s that … ‘ were banking on. “It’s where he is going to fit in, what his role is going to be, how he can be The Calgary Flames defenceman seemed determined Thursday to end effective in the league, working on his skill-set. The skating part of it, the this season on a high note. shooting part, the passing part … They’re all areas that are in that 75- 80%. It’s not close to being all the way there yet.” The 24-year-old Andersson — still with a bright future ahead — scored once and was robbed of a shoulda-been beauty as the Flames opened a AROUND THE BOARDS string of four mostly meaningless matchups against the Vancouver Thursday’s meeting marked the first quarter of the Why-Bother Bowl, a Canucks with a 4-1 victory at the Saddledome. run of four straight makeup dates between the Flames and Canucks. Both teams are already eliminated from playoff contention. In fact, before Next up is Sunday’s affair at Rogers Arena (8:30 p.m., , the schedule was stretched out because of the Canucks’ extended layoff Sportsnet 960 The Fan). There are a hat-trick of playoff games earlier due to a COVID-19 outbreak, both were slated to have wrapped their that day, so even the diehard Flames fans may choose to allocate their regular-season work by now. TV time to one of those battles instead … Those upcoming matchups won’t be meaningless for the farmhands who are itching to prove they’re “You want to play well every game,” Andersson said after Thursday’s ready for primetime. Sutter promised that Adam Ruzicka would log his win. “And that’s what I’m going to try to do. So keep moving my feet, NHL debut — and have a follow-up opportunity, too — and the 22-year- make plays, jump in the rush, shoot when I have an opportunity to shoot old centre won’t be the only up-and-comer on audition. “I’d like to look at …” a couple of the other kids from Stockton, for sure,” Sutter said. “I just want to make sure it’s not a one-and-done, that they get back-to-back He did all those things Thursday. games somewhere.” There always seems to be a shortage of right- And while this was pond hockey, closer to exhibition than the high-stakes handed forwards around the Saddledome, so you can add both Matthew spring version, he should have had a smile on his face as he headed Phillips and Luke Philp to the list of lads we’d like a glimpse of … There home from the rink. will be plenty of Flames content at the 2021 IIHF World Hockey Championship in Latvia, with a half-dozen of Calgary’s players or Although the Canucks scored on his first shift of the evening, Andersson prospects already committed — Dillon Dube and Mangiapane (Canada), single-handedly erased the damage less than three minutes later, Connor Mackey (U.S.), Nikita Nesterov (Russia), Emilio Pettersen sneaking in from the blue-line and finishing a sweet feed from Johnny (Norway) and Ilya Solovyov (Belarus). Gaudreau. “A tap-in,” he called it post-game. OFF THE GLASS The snarky Swede — a relentless chirper — then nearly booked a spot on the highlight reel when he accepted a drop-pass from Matthew Flames right-winger Josh Leivo returned to action, his first game since a Tkachuk and fooled visiting goalie Thatcher Demko with a smooth deke, positive test for COVID-19 … Although the main tenants missed the but towering Tyler Myers managed to get his stick on what looked like a Stanley Cup playoffs, there will still be some excitement at the gimme. Tkachuk pounded one off the post in the scramble that followed. Saddledome this spring. The Flames and Professional Women’s Hockey Players Association (PWHPA) announced three of seven games — Andersson, who also fired wide on another golden opportunity in the including the final — of the May 24-30 stop on the Secret Dream Gap third, now has five tallies and 21 points on the season, not exactly what Tour will be contested at the landmark rink. The remainder will be played poolies were expecting from a dude who started this shortened sprint on at Seven Chiefs Sportsplex. There will be plenty of star-power on the ice the Flames’ top defence duo and No. 1 power-play unit. for that three-team tournament, led by the likes of Calgary’s Rebecca Johnston and national-program captain Marie-Philip Poulin … With While he’s since been bumped to the second pair and hasn’t been a alternate captain Sean Monahan finished for the season as he awaits hip mainstay on the man-advantage, No. 4 remains a major part of the long- surgery, Chris Tanev had an ‘A’ stitched on his jersey Thursday. In his term plan at the Saddledome. One of his best traits is his fiery first campaign in Calgary, the steady and soft-spoken Tanev has quickly demeanour, and he’ll be fuelled by the fact that 2021 didn’t go quite as become a popular teammate and respected locker-room leader … With planned. (After all, his minus-9 rating is still tied for worst on the team.) the win, the Flames improved to 24-26-3. Then again, Andersson doesn’t want to look too far ahead just yet. Calgary Sun: LOADED: 05.14.2021 “Obviously, we want to win the last three games,” he said post-game. “So that’s how we approach it.”

Andrew Mangiapane notched Thursday’s game-winner with a dandy deflection, while Elias Lindholm and Tkachuk both buried third-period goals and Jacob Markstrom delivered 24 saves in Calgary’s crease.

Matthew Highmore was Vancouver’s lone marksman.

VALIMAKI SITS (AGAIN)

In a hockey-mad market, it’s always a storyline when a first-round pick turned highly-touted prospect is a healthy scratch.

It happened with Sam Bennett, with Sven Baertschi, way back when with Mikael Backlund.

It’s happening now with blue-liner Juuso Valimaki, who was a spectator again for Thursday’s clash with the Canucks — his sixth sit-out under Darryl Sutter’s watch.

Valimaki has been viewed as a future focal point ever since he was selected in the opening round of the 2017 NHL Draft, although his ascent was delayed by a serious knee injury that cost him all of last season. 1212590 Calgary Flames skill-sets. That’s something both guys are looking to do. Neither is a finished product just yet.

“I just think it’s good to go and keep playing for these young guys,” said Mangiapane and Dube headed to world championships Flames head coach Darryl Sutter. “A lot of them, even though they’ve played a number of games this year, it probably gives them a chance to play more minutes in different situations and play with different guys and Daniel Austin different ways of playing. I just think it’s really good for the whole profile of the player.”

A trip to Latvia isn’t what any of the Flames had planned for this time of “Surreal.” the year. They’d much rather be getting ready for trips to Toronto or That’s how Andrew Mangiapane described the way he was feeling when Winnipeg or Montreal or even Edmonton for a first-round playoff series. Hockey Canada assistant GM Shane Doan called to invite him to play for Playing in the world championships isn’t a bad consolation prize, though. his country at the upcoming IIHF World Championships. It’s an opportunity and an honour and, yes, all a little bit surreal. Getting invited to play for Canada is a big deal for any player, but it’s Calgary Sun: LOADED: 05.14.2021 especially huge for Mangiapane.

He’s never represented his country before and has never actually travelled overseas, either.

In a couple of weeks, he’ll be skating around a rink in Riga, Latvia, with the maple leaf on his chest. So yeah, it’s understandable if it all feels a little surreal right now.

“I haven’t been overseas, I haven’t done anything for Team Canada, so when they called it was just … I’ve never done anything, it’s surreal. I still can’t believe it,” Mangiapane said. “You put in all the work to win a Stanley Cup. You want to play World Juniors (and) World Championships. You want to experience the whole hockey world.

“I should probably go to Italy sometime soon and do all that, but this’ll be the first time.”

Mangiapane will be joined for the world championships in Latvia by Flames teammate Dillon Dube, who has twice played for Canada at the world juniors. Connor Mackey was included on the U.S. team for the tournament and Nikita Nesterov is reportedly going to join the Russian national team.

They’ll all stick around Calgary for the next week for the Flames’ final four games of the regular season before quickly heading across the Atlantic. It’s an honour for all of them, although Dube and Mangiapane acknowledged it was somewhat bittersweet because the only reason they’re able to play for Canada is the Flames fell short of qualifying for the playoffs.

Still, though, the chance to play on a national team only comes around a couple times for any player and it’s an opportunity they’re both savouring.

Being able to do it together makes it even better.

“It’s going to be special sharing it with him,” Dube said. “When you go to these tournaments it’s a bit different. You don’t know too many guys, so if you have a close friend and, especially for us, for all the trying to make (the Flames roster), trying to stay here together and going to this tournament together and trying to win a tournament together, it’s pretty cool.”

With Mangiapane getting drafted in the sixth round by the Flames in 2016 and Dube getting selected in the second round a year later, their journeys from junior to the pros have been made side-by-side, in a lot of ways. They were even roommates in Penticton, B.C., when the Flames used to trot our their prospects for the annual Young Stars tournament.

So yes, the two are close, and whether you’ve played in major international tournaments before, like Dube, or are just making your Team Canada debut like Mangiapane, who wouldn’t want a good friend along for the ride?

Unfortunately, if Mangiapane is looking for advice, Dube isn’t sure he’s going to be much help.

“To be honest, I think it’s gonna be completely different than what I’ve been in before, so I think we’re going to have to go at it together and it’s nice to have him going, to be able to enjoy it with someone and push each other through that tournament,” Dube said. “Every tournament’s so different, so you go in with an open mind and be ready for whatever comes.”

While playing for Team Canada is an honour, it’s also an opportunity for young players like Mangiapane and Dube to continue developing their 1212591 Calgary Flames prospects in the Flames system, and getting him some icetime might be enough to get people in Calgary actually paying attention.

GET GADJOVICH IN?The Canucks called up 2017 second-round draft GAME NIGHT: Canucks @ Flames Jonah Gadjovich a week-or-so ago, and at some point you’d have to assume he’ll get in the lineup before the season is through. There’s really no reason not to, given that – as we mentioned above – these games are Daniel Austin completely meaningless in the standings.

LINES

Vancouver Canucks (21-27-3) at Calgary Flames (23-26-3) VANCOUVER

Thursday, 7 p.m. (Sportsnet West, Sportsnet 960) Nils Höglander — J.T. Miller — Brock Boeser

Season Series STORY CONTINUES BELOW

Calgary 4-2-0 This advertisement has not loaded yet, but your article continues below.

Vancouver 2-4-0 Article content

Previous Scores Tanner Pearson — Bo Horvat — Matt Highmore

Jan. 16 – CGY 3, Van 0 Marc Michaelis — Tyler Graovac — Jayce Hawryluk

Jan. 18. – CGY 5, Van 2 Jimmy Vesey — Travis Boyd — Zack MacEwen

Feb. 11 – Cgy 3, VAN 1 Alex Edler — Nate Schmidt

Feb. 13 – VAN 3, Cgy 1 Quinn Hughes — Tyler Myers

Feb. 15 – Cgy 4, VAN 3 Jack Rathbone — Travis Hamonic

Feb. 17 – Van 5, CGY 1 Thatcher Demko,

Top Scorers Braden Holtby

CALGARY CALGARY

Johnny Gaudreau 3-3-6 +2 Johnny Gaudreau – Elias Lindholm – Matthew Tkachuk

Sean Monahan 1-5-6 0 Milan Lucic – Derek Ryan – Dillon Dube

Elias Lindholm2-3-5 +1 Joakim Nordstrom – Mikael Backlund – Andrew Mangiapane

Rasmus Andersson1-4-5+1 Josh Leivo – Glenn Gawdin – Brett Ritchie

Mark Giordano 2-2-4 +1 Mark Giordano – Chris Tanev

VANCOUVER Nikita Nesterov – Rasmus Andersson

Brock Boeser 3-3-6 +6 Oliver Kylington – Michael Stone

Tyler Myers 2-3-5 +3 Jacob Markstrom

J.T. Miller 1-3-4+5 Louie Domingue

Bo Horvat2-1-30 INJURIES

Quinn Hughes1-2-3 Vancouver: Micheal Ferland (post-concussion), Elias Pettersson (upper- body), Jay Beagle (undisclosed), Justin Bailey (shoulder), Antoine FIVE KEYS TO THE GAME Roussel (lower-body), Brandon Sutter (upper-body) PRETTY MUCH POINTLESS Calgary: Noah Hanifin (shoulder), Sean Monahan (hip) The Canucks and Flames are both eliminated from playoff contention, so SPECIAL TEAMS these final couple of games mean absolutely nothing in the standings – the Canucks play the Oilers on Saturday and then three more against the Calgary: PP 19.3% (18th) PK 80.5% (13th) Flames. In fact, next week they’ll be playing out the string while American teams are starting the playoffs. Even the most hardcore fan can be Vancouver: PP 17.1% (25th) 78.2% (23rd) forgiven for not paying attention. Calgary Sun: LOADED: 05.14.2021 DRAFT, MAYBE?If you’re looking for intrigue, maybe there’s some to be found in the idea that the Canucks might leapfrog the Flames in the standings. That might affect the draft order, which is technically something that somebody might want to get excited about?

FIRST TIMEThe Flames and Canucks were supposed to play these games in late-March and early-April, but they were postponed because of the COVID-19 outbreak that hit the Canucks dressing room. That means that this will mark the first time the Canucks get a look at the Flames under new head coach Darryl Sutter. The Canucks were arguably the one team the Flames seemed to match-up well against under former head coach Geoff Ward, so it’s hard to say how much of a difference a new head coach will really make.

NEW FACESWith Sean Monahan’s season ending early because he needs hip surgery, centre Adam Ruzicka joined the Flames at practice on Wednesday. The big-bodied 21-year-old is one of the most intriguing 1212592 Calgary Flames multiple times before the Flames decided to take him in the fourth round, 104th overall.

The contributions the Flames have gotten from both players is not what Haynes: Flames’ Johnny Gaudreau and Mark Giordano were ‘found you ever expect from players acquired in that fashion. Usually, this type money,’ so don’t squander it now of player never progresses beyond the minors before either going to Europe or retiring and pursuing their backup career plan.

By Darren Haynes May 13, 2021 But Giordano emerged out of nowhere to become the team’s captain, the longstanding face of the franchise, and the club’s No. 1 defenceman for over a decade. In 2019, he capped off that meteoric rise by winning the Norris Trophy. When you play Edmonton and Toronto 19 times, it’s no surprise that grumblings from exasperated Flames fans after another frustrating That’s a gift from the hockey heavens. season have revolved around what Calgary does not have. Meanwhile, for a player drafted outside the top three rounds to put up a To the north, the Oilers have the deadly duo of Connor McDavid and 99-point season like Gaudreau did in 2018-19? That, after also leading Leon Draisaitl. the team in scoring the three seasons prior to that? Getting that type of elite offensive talent that late in a draft is like striking oil in your backyard. To the East, the Maple Leafs have lethal weapons Auston Matthews and Black gold, Texas tea … you know how the song goes. Mitch Marner. When you look back over the past two decades, in those rare instances That’s a generational player in McDavid (104 points). That’s a in which a team has had the good fortune of landing premium talents like generational goal-scorer in Matthews (41 goals). Giordano and Gaudreau without paying a premium acquisition price, The No. 1 overall picks from 2015 and 2016, respectively, have given the good things have followed. In fact, in most cases, great things have North Division’s top two teams a huge competitive advantage, as followed. witnessed nightly over the past four months. The Giordano Comparisons Calgary has never had the opportunity to shop at the type of swanky Giordano has had such a unique journey that it’s difficult to find similar Rodeo Drive boutiques where one would acquire that caliber of designer examples who have had comparable impacts. He really has been a talent. unicorn. The Flames have drafted in the top five only once in 41 years, and For example, to find the last undrafted player to win the Norris, you need they’ve never selected in the top three. Calgary has always been more of to go back to before an entry draft existed! a Nordstrom Rack kind of team. This year, that literally was the case with off-season free-agent signing Joakim Nordstrom, who produced just one As a proxy, let’s look at offensive production from the back end and focus goal in 41 games. At least he was on sale. on undrafted defencemen who have gone on to post 50-point seasons. It’s a feat Giordano did in 2015-16 (21-35-56) and 2018-19 (17-57-74), Meanwhile, those other two guys? No slouches either. and would have done in 2013-14 (14-33-47) and 2014-15 (11-37-48) if Draisaitl, third overall in 2014. Marner, fourth overall in 2015. Both check not for injuries that limited him to 64 and 61 games, respectively. the box of elite, high-end talents who have been better than advertised. Going back to 2000, only three others have done it. By comparison, the Flames’ two marquee names when it comes to Brian Rafalski, New Jersey | 1999-00 to 2006-07 homegrown, foundation-building first-round picks are Sean Monahan and Matthew Tkachuk. Both were taken sixth overall, one in 2013 and the 50-plus points with the Devils in 2000-01 (9-43-52) and 2006-07 (8-47- other in 2016. 55)

Of course, they once had Sam Bennett, too. The team’s highest-ever After playing four years of NCAA at the University of Wisconsin-Madison, draft pick at fourth overall in 2014 was supposed to be the best of the Rafalski went to Europe for four seasons before signing with New Jersey bunch. Now he’s basking in the glow of being a top-six center under the in May 1999 at age 25. Rafalski provided an immediate boost to the sunshine in Florida. But that’s a story for another day, or rather, was this Devils’ blue line, partnering with captain Scott Stevens on a pairing that story on a previous day, courtesy of my colleague Hailey Salvian. would become a lineup fixture until Stevens retired in 2004. Named to the NHL’s all-rookie team in his first season, Rafalski’s role and impact grew Regardless, whether you go Bennett-Monahan, Bennett-Tkachuk, or every year on a team that upfront was led by Patrik Elias and Scott stick with the current options and stack Tkachuk-Monahan side by side Gomez. with McDavid-Draisaitl or Matthews-Marner, either way, there’s no comparison. In his seven seasons with New Jersey, he made the playoffs every year, winning the Stanley Cup twice (2000, 2003) and losing in the final once But don’t allow the lamenting over what Calgary hasn’t had to distract (2001). He played in 102 playoff games for the Devils. your focus away from the luxuries they have had, which should have served as the great equalizer, if not put the team over the top. Dan Boyle, Tampa Bay | 2001-02 to 2007-08

For the past seven seasons, the Flames have boasted two coveted 50-plus points with the Lightning in 2003-04 (13-40-53), 2005-06 (15-38- pieces of their own that the rest of the league could only yearn for. We’re 53), 2006-07 (20-43-63) talking about the type of unforeseen grade-A talent that historically has propelled other teams to Stanley Cup championships. Boyle first signed with the Florida Panthers after four years of NCAA at Miami University (Ohio), but he still categorizes as found money for the Calgary’s had Mark Giordano and Johnny Gaudreau. Lightning, given that it only cost them a fifth-round pick to acquire the 25- year-old in January 2002. What looked at first like a depth move by GM For you or I, there’s no better feeling than putting on a pair of jeans you Jay Feaster quickly grew into something much bigger as the smooth- haven’t worn for a while, reaching into the pocket, and wait, what’s this? skating Boyle quickly became a vital cog, stepping right onto the top You pull out a crumpled $20 bill. pairing and taking over as quarterback of the power play. Well, that’s not true. There is a better feeling than that. One of the NHL’s worst teams prior to his arrival, Tampa Bay ended a It’s reaching into the other pocket and pulling out another $20 bill! stretch of six seasons (and nine of 10) without making the playoffs in 2002-03, then won the Stanley Cup in 2004. Found money. Nothing beats it. Torey Krug, Boston | 2012-13 to 2019-20 Since 2014, Calgary has had that in the form of Giordano and Gaudreau, who have combined for eight All-Star Game appearances despite not 50-plus points with the Bruins in 2016-17 (8-43-51), 2017-18 (14-45-59) being drafted in the top 100. and 2018-19 (6-47-53)

Giordano wasn’t drafted at all, signing with the organization as a free After three seasons of playing NCAA at Michigan State, Krug signed as a agent in 2004. In the 2011 draft, every team passed on Gaudreau free agent with Boston in March 2012. After one season in the AHL, Krug, 22, was called up for the 2013 postseason as the Bruins lost in During Alfredsson’s time, the Senators reached the Stanley Cup once Game 6 of the Stanley Cup Final. He became a key member of the blue (2007), made two trips to the conference finals and four times advanced line as Boston became a league force. During his time with the Bruins, to the second round. their 324-166-72 regular-season record (.641 point percentage) was third-best behind Tampa Bay (.652) and Washington (.649). Pavel Datsyuk, Detroit | 2001-02 to 2015-16

Over his eight seasons in Boston, Krug never won the Cup, but he 90-plus points in 2007-08 (31-66-97), 2008-09 (32-65-97) reached the final twice — that loss in six games to Chicago in 2013, then Drafted in the sixth round (171st overall) in 1998, Datsyuk made his NHL in 2019, when they suffered a heartbreaking Game 7 loss to St. Louis. debut at age 23. With him, Henrik Zetterberg, and Nicklas Lindstrom Johnny Gaudreau. (Sergei Belski / USA Today) leading the way, and with help from guys like Tomas Holmstrom, Johan Franzen, Brendan Shanahan, and role players like Kris Draper and The Gaudreau Comparisons Valtteri Filppula, Detroit compiled a 646-311-157 record (.650 point percentage) over Datsyuk’s 14 seasons, which was far and away No. 1 in Identifying a list of offensively gifted players like Gaudreau who were the NHL, with the San Jose Sharks next (.618). drafted outside of the first three rounds also made for quite the scavenger hunt. Detroit made the playoffs in every one of Datsyuk’s 14 seasons, winning the Stanley Cup twice (2002, 2008), losing in the final once and reaching Again, going back over the last 20 seasons, and using a 90-point season the conference finals once. as the measuring stick to represent a high-end offensive contributor — Gaudreau had 99 points (36 goals, 63 assists) in 2018-19 — only six Henrik Zetterberg, Detroit | 2002-03 to 2017-18 players have accomplished that after being drafted in the fourth round or later (or going undrafted). 90-plus points in 2007-08 (43-49-92),

Pavol Demitra, St. Louis | 1997-98 to 2003-04 Another late-round gem, this time a Red Wings selection in the seventh round (210th overall) in 1999, Zetterberg was a tremendous two-way 90-plus points in 2002-03 (36-57-93) player who had some big offensive seasons in his prime but was also a very reliable defensive player who regularly was in the Selke A similar story to Boyle in that he was traded early in his career, before conversation. In a testament to his big-game abilities, he won the Conn his potential was realized. Drafted in the ninth round by Ottawa, he was Smythe in 2008. He joined Detroit one season after Datsyuk and was traded to St. Louis at age 22 in exchange for 11th-round pick Christer with them for two more years afterward. Olsson, who would only play 25 NHL games. During Demitra’s seven seasons and under coach Joel Quenneville, the Blues boasted the Admittedly, this is far from an exact science, nor are the findings jaw- seventh-best record at 299-183-92 (.601 point percentage). The one dropping revelations. But when you look back on the past two decades, constant upfront, Demitra led the team in scoring four times. the theme is clear.

The Blues made the playoffs all seven years, reaching the conference Whether it’s the result of good scouting, good luck or a blend of the two, finals once (2001) and semifinals four times. when you happen upon top-end talent from unconventional places, it presents an opportunity to win. Other teams that experienced similar Milan Hejduk, Colorado | 1998-99 to 2012-13 good fortune have done just that.

90-plus points in 2002-03 (50-48-98) Based on the criteria above, if teams had two instances of found money A fourth-round pick of the Quebec Nordiques in 1994, Hejduk was a on its roster — see Detroit (Zetterberg, Datsyuk) and Tampa Bay (Boyle, clutch goal scorer and an instrumental piece on some excellent St. Louis) — the inscribing of names on the Stanley Cup shortly followed. Avalanche teams that also featured the likes of Joe Sakic, Alex Tanguay, Make it twice in the case of the Red Wings. Peter Forsberg and Chris Drury upfront. During his first seven seasons, If teams had one instance of found money, they won the Stanley Cup he piled up 474 points (221 goals, 253 assists) in 544 games, which was (New Jersey, Colorado), came darn close (Boston, Ottawa), or worst second to Sakic. During that time, the Avs posted the NHL’s fifth-best case, they were highly competitive over that span (St. Louis). regular-season record at 308-171-95 (.619 point percentage). That’s what makes Calgary’s none-of-the-above failings the past five to Through Hejduk’s 20s, the Avs made the postseason each year including seven years in particular that much more difficult to reconcile, and that winning the Stanley Cup once (2001), reaching the conference final three much more agonizing for fans. times and the semifinals twice. The pleasant surprises, which Gaudreau and Giordano turned out to be, Martin St. Louis, Tampa Bay | 2000-01 to 2013-14 propped open a window. Now, with both players down to one year 90-plus points in 2003-04 (38-56-94), 2006-07 (43-59-102), 2009-10 (29- remaining on their deals, that window is nearly shut, with just the slightest 65-94), 2010-11 (31-68-99) bit of breeze still blowing in.

This one stings as St. Louis, who was never drafted, started his career It begs the question, what do the Flames do this summer? with the Flames, signing as a free agent after four years of playing NCAA Regarding these two players specifically, the answer for me is simple: with Vermont and one independent season in the IHL. But , nothing. Flames GM at the time, released him in 2000. That summer, at age 25, St. Louis signed with Tampa Bay. Adding St. Louis to a forward group We’re certainly at that point, if not well past it, at which impactful changes that included Vincent Lecavalier and Brad Richards helped the Lightning for this club are necessary. But there are other parts of the roster where win a Stanley Cup. During the 2003-04 regular season, St. Louis won the this can be addressed. Art Ross Trophy. It’s more than fair to say that thus far, Giordano and Gaudreau have yet Tampa Bay ended a skid of six seasons without making the playoffs in to be part of the solution, but I’d argue they’ve been far from the only or 2002-03, then won the Stanley Cup in 2004. biggest problems either.

Daniel Alfredsson, Ottawa | 1995-96 to 2012-13 While they’ll be age 38 and 28, respectively, next season, they each still have plenty of game left. That was epitomized on Monday night by 90-plus points in 2005-06 (43-60-103) Giordano’s 95-foot breakaway pass and Gaudreau’s superb finish on the Talk about a heck of a sixth-round pick. Alfredsson played an amazing 17 opening goal against Ottawa. seasons with Ottawa. While he wasn’t able to help the Senators to a Since head coach Darryl Sutter put Gaudreau on a line with Elias Stanley Cup, Ottawa did make the playoffs 11 seasons in a row starting Lindholm and Matthew Tkachuk, he’s been on a tear with 15 points in 12 with Alfredsson’s sophomore season when he was 24. During that span, games. That’s a 103-point pace. That looks like a No. 1 line. Ottawa’s 475-289-138 record was fifth-best in the NHL (.603 point percentage), with other key contributors upfront also including Marian Gaudreau remains the club’s most dynamic offensive player and the Hossa, Jason Spezza, Alexei Yashin, Dany Heatley and Martin Havlat. closest thing they have to a game-breaker.

Giordano has also looked much more like his old, steady self since being paired with Chris Tanev. Sutter has leaned on him since he’s arrived and will continue to do so. With Sutter not going anywhere, I doubt the captain is either.

As the fourth-oldest defencemen in the league, Giordano is also fending off the unrelenting forecheck of Father Time, but doesn’t the club owe it to themselves to see if they can’t take advantage of everything he’s been?

Having never had the opportunity to play in a postseason game beyond the first round, and having played just 19 actual (non-qualifying-round) playoff games in his career, isn’t Giordano owed that, too?

He’s been the heart and soul of the team for the last decade. He’s had the second-longest tenure behind Jarome Iginla. And at 945 career games, Giordano is on pace to hit the century mark prior to next year’s trade deadline. That feels like a big deal.

But here’s the key. At the same time, you enter next season prepared to change course.

Could the Flames move Giordano at the trade deadline if the team sputters?

Why not?

That’s exactly what happened with . Lifetime Boston Bruin, traded to Colorado at age 39, while in the final year of his contract.

The same applies to Gaudreau if the Flames are not able, or not willing, to sign him to a contract extension.

Naturally, one will point to the meager return Calgary got, or didn’t get, for Iginla (Ben Hanowski, Kenny Agostino, and a late first-round pick, which became Morgan Klimchuk) as an example of the perils of waiting too long to move an expiring star asset.

But your best opportunity to get a big haul for Gaudreau is probably long gone anyway. How much richer would trade packages really be this summer as compared to next February?

As for Gaudreau’s no-trade clause that kicks in for 2021-22, those situations have a way of being worked out. If he gets an opportunity midseason to join a team out east and take a run at a Cup, hard to believe he would balk at it.

The other angle to consider is there’s also reason to believe that next season, with a return to the Pacific Division, life will be easier for the Flames.

Gone will be the star power of the Leafs, the imposing forward depth of the Jets, Cole Caufield and the speedy Habs, and the pesky, only- getting-better Senators.

You’re back to butting heads with Vegas as the division heavyweight, and that’s no small challenge, but you also find yourselves in the company of the three California teams, who are not what they used to be. Plus, you have Seattle. Vegas changed the narrative on what an expansion team can be, but I’m not sure one should expect a repeat showing from the Kraken.

So, is now the right time to blow things up? You can’t fault the fans for lobbying for that. I get it, especially with the caliber of opposition talent they were stargazing at for a third of this season.

But the reality is, getting those types of players is more wishful thinking than a strategy grounded in reality. Plus, Sutter is not here for a rebuild.

Make changes. Make some major ones if you can pull them off, but hang onto that found money that’s been in your pocket all these years in hopes that next season, finally, you can cash in.

The Athletic LOADED: 05.14.2021 1212593 Carolina Hurricanes “That’s a big advantage, there’s no doubt about it,” Brind’Amour said. “Obviously that’s out of our hands. ... It would be nice if we could definitely do that. Our fans have been great. They might have to put a Here’s the Carolina Hurricanes’ schedule for the first round of the Stanley little extra effort in if they don’t have that many people in there.” Cup playoffs The Canes were 6-2-0 against the Predators during the regular season, winning the first six games.

BY CHIP ALEXANDER News Observer LOADED: 05.14.2021

It took longer than expected but the National Hockey League on Thursday finally announced a full schedule for the 2021 Stanley Cup playoffs.

The Carolina Hurricanes and Nashville Predators will play Game 1 of their best-of-seven opening-round series Monday at PNC Arena, and Game 2 is set for Wednesday. Both games have an 8 p.m. starting time.

The series then shifts to Nashville, Tennessee. Game 3 is set for Friday (May 21) at 7 p.m. and Game 4 will be played Sunday (May 23) at Bridgestone Arena.

If necessary, Game 5 will be at PNC Arena on May 25 and Game 6 in Nashville on May 27. If a seventh game is needed, it will be at PNC Arena on Saturday, May 29.

“You get re-energized by this time of year,” Canes forward Jordan Martinook said Thursday. “It’s so much fun to play in these games, especially when you’ve seen both sides of it when you haven’t made it and how fortunate you are to play in these games.

“It’s a lot of fun. I’m pumped to get going.”

PREPARING FOR THE PLAYOFFS

The Canes closed out the regular season Monday at Nashville. Then began the wait for the NHL to set up the schedule as the North Division of Canadian teams finished up their games.

Canes coach Rod Brind’Amour said the wait would not adversely affect the team’s playoff preparations. Nor, he said, has the team’s expectations changed as they enter the playoffs for a third straight season.

“It’s no different for me than our first year. Our goal was to win,” he said Wednesday. “I know people made a big deal because we hadn’t done anything in forever, but we were disappointed that we didn’t win. The expectation here is to win. We’ve got a long road ahead of us. We’ve got a huge challenge but that’s the expectation.

“It has been a long, hard journey to get to this stage. We didn’t start the season saying we wanted to make the playoffs, but you had to make the playoffs to have a chance to win the whole thing. We’re here, now everybody that’s left is here and we’re starting over.“

The Canes, the Central Division champions, also could start over with a full roster, Brind’Amour said. Forwards Brock McGinn and Cedric Paquette have been out of the lineup because of injuries, McGinn missing the last 19 games of the regular season with an upper-body issue.

FIRST PNC ARENA PLAYOFF GAME IN ALMOST TWO YEARS

Monday’s game will mark the first Stanley Cup playoff game at PNC Arena in almost two years. On May 18, 2019, the Canes were beaten 4-0 by the Boston Bruins in Game 5 of the Eastern Conference finals, a sour end to what had been a special season.

The coming of the pandemic suspended the 2019-20 season in March and left the 2020 Stanley Cup playoffs in jeopardy, with the possibility of not awarding a Cup. But the league and players agreed on a 24-team postseason format and the games were played in the bubble cities of Toronto and Edmonton, with no fans allowed in the arenas.

With COVID-19 restrictions differing in each state, the Canes will be limited to about 6,000 fans for their home playoff games. A request made by the team to the state to increase the allowed capacity before June 1 but it was denied, team president and general manager Don Waddell said.

The Predators might have as many as 14,000 fans at their games at Bridgestone Arena, which concerns Brind’Amour. 1212594 Carolina Hurricanes Award for his cooperation with the media this season and was the first Canes rookie to win it.

Aho starred a year ago when the Canes swept the New York Rangers in Sebastian Aho drives the Hurricanes with his production, a best-of-three qualifier in the 2020 postseason in Toronto. His competitiveness undressing of former Rangers defenseman Tony DeAngelo and quick backhander to beat goalie Igor Shesterkin has been aired on many NHL highlight packages. BY CHIP ALEXANDER But the Canes then lost to the Boston Bruins in the playoffs for a second straight year, adding another layer of disappointment.

The Carolina Hurricanes often are portrayed as a team without a true “Those losses the last couple of years built some hunger,” Aho said superstar — no Connor McDavid or Sidney Crosby, Alex Ovechkin or Wednesday. “We are very hungry.” Auston Matthews. News Observer LOADED: 05.14.2021 But the Canes, in the Stanley Cup playoffs for a third consecutive season, have several players capable of being super and starring in any game. And perhaps no player has done that any better or more often than center Sebastian Aho.

Aho is the Canes’ leading scorer. He centers their top line. He’s also their top-paid player. He’s not very big, but he’s smart and crafty, and he’s stronger on the ice than one might think.

For a fourth season in a row, Aho has been named the Canes’ Most Valuable Player in voting by the Carolina chapter of the Professional Hockey Writers’ Association. That only underscores just how vital he has been during the team’s return in relevance.

“He’s very competitive. I love that about him,” Canes coach Rod Brind’Amour said recently. “I think his overall game has gotten better. Just watching him grow as a player has been really a pleasure.”

Brind’Amour initially was hesitant in using Aho at center when he took over as head coach. He’s not the prototypical NHL center with his size, and the Finn needed work on other aspects of his game. Like faceoffs, to name one. Aho wasn’t very good on faceoffs.

But Aho, 23, has made a believer of Brind’Amour. His work ethic is everything his coach would want, and his focus always sharp, both in practice and games. He’s a player who burns to win, and Aho said Brind’Amour has continued to push him to be better each year.

“I just want to be a good player and a good leader on this team and do my best to help the team to win,” Aho said Wednesday when informed of his PHWA award.

“Getting in the league as a young guy, I expect myself to be physically stronger every year and build some confidence through that on the ice, and obviously that’s what has been happening, I feel, every year. Be stronger and faster, things like that. With earlier experiences, you learn from those. I think confidence is the biggest thing.”

Aho again has the numbers. Playing all 56 games in the 2021 regular season, he led the Canes in goals (24), assists (33) and points (57). He topped the Canes with seven game-winning goals and was tied for the team lead with his seven power-play goals and 18 power-play points. He was at 52 percent on faceoffs.

Since forward Teuvo Teravainen returned from a concussion on April 27, Aho’s line with Teravainen and Andrei Svechnikov has been as productive as almost any in the league.

Aho’s hat trick against the Chicago Blackhawks on May 3 was the fourth of his career and the only one of the season for the Canes. His third goal that night was an empty-netter but he had to ward off the Blackhawks’ Patrick Kane to score it and get some hats flying at PNC Arena.

“It’s funny. You always have the feeling you can be better,” Aho said after that game. “There are so many situations on the ice where you think, ‘I could do that better or this better.’ That’s the kind of mindset I have, to make every shift matter.”

POSITIVE MINDSET FOR THE PLAYOFFS

That’s the mindset needed for the playoffs. The Canes and Nashville Predators are lined up for the best-of-seven opening round.

Brind’Amour said Wednesday he did not yet know the playoff schedule. He said he did hope to have a full complement of healthy and available players whenever the playoffs begin.

Brind’Amour did not commit to a starting goalie for Game 1 — Alex Nedeljkovic received the Carolina PHWA chapter’s Joseph Vasicek 1212595 Carolina Hurricanes early series, at the expense of overall competitive equity. (It’s possible three of the four best teams in the NHL are in this division, but only one will advance to the third round.)

In this strange Hurricanes season, bad feelings will come prepackaged in This was never a long-term thing, but it had short-term benefits as the the playoffs NHL played its way through the pandemic. Division play was more interesting in the regular season; seeing the same teams over and over again didn’t get old until the Hurricanes and Predators segued right into BY LUKE DECOCK their first-round series.

Who, in the spring of 2021, cares about the Predators or the Lightning or the Panthers? More than there would be otherwise, that’s for sure. Who, in the spring of 2001, cared about the New Jersey Devils? David Puddy, maybe. Certainly not anyone around the Carolina Hurricanes or Whatever is going to happen next already has a head start. any of their fans. News Observer LOADED: 05.14.2021 Then, Scott Stevens clobbered Shane Willis coming through the neutral zone and stood up Ron Francis along the boards, knocking both out of the first playoff series played at what is now PNC Arena. Suddenly, everyone had an opinion about the Devils, none of them good.

The Hurricanes got their revenge in 2002 — Francis shrugged off Stevens to score the series-clinching goal — and drove Martin Brodeur around the bend in 2006 and produced an improbable Game 7 comeback in 2009.

It got a little weird: If the Hurricanes were in the playoffs, for a while they were guaranteed to see the Devils.

And for that while, regular-season games against the Devils had a little more spice. That can’t be conjured at will. Rivalries aren’t imposed through marketing or geography. They have to happen organically, and that almost always happens in the postseason.

For years, people tried to make Canes-Caps happen as a rivalry. It took seven brutal games in 2019 to take it to the next level. The fact that every time Montreal visited during the regular season a new Canes-to-Quebec rumor would start north of the border had as much to do with surliness over the Habs’ elimination at the hands of the Hurricanes in 2002 and 2006 as anything else.

Or take Buffalo. Please.

In the modern NHL, familiarity doesn’t breed contempt: Elimination games do. Even if only among fans.

“People outside think more about, is there a rivalry?” Hurricanes center Sebastian Aho said. “We’ll just go out there and do our best and try to win some hockey games.”

But this year’s division-focused NHL is a throwback NHL, back to the days when teams had to make it out of their division first in the playoffs, when the divisions were more than a way to organize the standings. If there was a lot of fighting in the old Norris Division, it’s because those teams really hated each other after eliminating one another year after year.

Bob Probert and Joe Kocur and Stu Grimson and Al Secord and Basil McRae weren’t avenging clean hits as the modern code illogically insists, or putting on a show for their supper like minor-league brawlers; their fights were bad blood spilling onto the ice, too often literally.

Across the NHL, we may not have seen that kind of old-school bare- knuckling this season, but tempers have certainly flared as teams see the same teams over and over again, and nobody else. All those years in the Southeast Division never seemed to spark anything between the Hurricanes and either of the Florida teams, but this season certainly did. The April games the Hurricanes played at Tampa Bay and Florida were chippy, to say the least.

The two last-season losses in Nashville raised the stakes, and if the Hurricanes get past the Predators to face the winner between those two, the bad feelings will come prepackaged.

There may not be any history between the Hurricanes and any of the teams they might play in the first two rounds, but there’s more than enough enmity from the regular season to spill over into the postseason.

“I think so,” Hurricanes coach Rod Brind’Amour said. “Let’s put it this way: after these series they will for sure.”

In that sense, it’s a partial shame the NHL will move away from these divisions and this format as cross-border travel becomes possible again. Keeping the playoffs within the divisions was a throwback solution to a new problem, and it should have the same consequences: more heated 1212596 Carolina Hurricanes

Hurricanes, Predators have hockey history, all the way back to 1998

BY CHIP ALEXANDER

It was Oct. 13, 1998. The game had ended, the Carolina Hurricanes were angry about it, and it was time to write.

“Second verse, same as the first. Only worse. ...” the News & Observer reported.

The Hurricanes, in their second game of the 1998-99 season, had lost to the Nashville Predators, 3-2, in what was then called Nashville Arena.

Beginning their second season in North Carolina, the Hurricanes were looking for a strong start. Instead, they allowed three third-period goals in a 4-4 tie with Tampa Bay in their opener in Greensboro, then followed with the loss to the Predators.

Why worse? The Predators were an NHL expansion team in their first season. The win over the Hurricanes was the first for the new franchise. It was a first at home for the Predators, who had lost their opener, and their first NHL points.

“There’s no excuse for it,” Canes defenseman Steve Chiasson said after the game. “We’re a veteran team and there’s just no excuse, none.”

The Canes recovered from what would be an 0-1-3 start that season. They won the Southeast Division — Tampa finished last — and gave the state its first NHL playoff team.

The Canes lost to the Boston Bruins in five games in the opening round of the 1999 Stanley Cup playoffs. Chiasson tragically would die in a traffic accident after the team returned from Boston following Game 5.

Time passed. The Canes won the Stanley Cup in 2006. They had other playoff teams in 2001, 2002 and 2009, reaching the 2002 , and are making their third consecutive playoff appearance this season under head coach Rod Brind’Amour.

The Predators reached the 2017 Stanley Cup finals, losing to the Pittsburgh Penguins, They won the Presidents’ Trophy for the first time in 2018, then were beaten by the WInnipeg Jets in the second round of the playoffs.

Until this year, the Hurricanes and Predators have never gone head-to- head in the playoffs. It took a pandemic, a condensed season and a new Central Division, but the two teams finally will face off in the opening round of the 2021 postseason. It’s another first.

History was made in October 1998. Will more be made this year?

News Observer LOADED: 05.14.2021 1212597 Carolina Hurricanes There’s no doubt in my mind that he will, but he simply needs to play the game the right way — his way — from the first shift, to set that standard and refuse to lower it for the rest of the team.

The 10 most important Hurricanes for a first-round victory over the 5. Brett Pesce Predators Jaccob Slavin is day-to-day, but Brind’Amour is relatively hopeful he’ll have his full lineup for Game 1. What if Slavin does come back and isn’t By Sara Civian May 13, 2021 100 percent, though?

Pesce is going to have to take on a responsibility those who watch him know he can probably handle. Remember that time he played 28:18, aka As Dom Luszczyszyn’s series preview for The Athletic so deftly pointed almost half of the game, on April 22? He was in on every situation and out, the Hurricanes have an advantage in pretty much every aspect of excelled. After the game, Brind’Amour called him the most underrated their upcoming first-round playoff series against the Predators. That’s to player in the league, and he has a serious case. be expected of a No. 1 seed — and a top-tier team — and it shouldn’t come as a shock to anyone. But the Canes are only a year or so With two years of playoff experience under his belt, you get the feeling removed from their “underdog” era, and they know as well as anyone not Pesce could make a huge impact on this series just by keeping things to sleep on a team in that situation — especially a team coming in hot stable amidst uncertainty. like the Predators. 4. Vincent Trocheck

You expect your best players to be your best players and all the other Trocheck has somewhat surprisingly been a gigantic factor in the cliches, but here are 10 people that specifically need to perform to lift the Hurricanes’ top-of-the-league success this season. He, Martin Necas and Canes past the Predators: Nino Niederreiter have provided a level of secondary scoring that has 10. Rod Brind’Amour long been one of the biggest issues with this team.

The noted Jack Adams frontrunner’s coaching has garnered respect Trocheck had 17 goals in 47 games, but he’s cooled off with zero goals around the league for a reason. (seven assists) in his past 14 games.

Vincent Trocheck told me something a month or so ago that sums it up The Canes will need him to return to form for an easier time dealing with well. the Predators.

“I feel like I compliment him so often in the media, but he’s just been 3. Nino Niederreiter incredible,” he said. “I can’t say enough great things about Roddy. He’s The Athletic’s Predators writer Adam Vingan (give him a follow!), Braden been awesome to play for. He’s been one of my favorite coaches to play Gall and I discussed Niederreiter on Vingan’s podcast yesterday. for, ever. He’s a great player’s coach. He makes sure we’re all prepared every night. Even just coming into the locker room before the game and ���� �������� @ADAMVINGAN AND I TALK #PREDS W/ giving his pregame speeches. It seems like every night, he has SPECIAL GUEST @SARACIVIAN something new to fire us out. Every game, it’s like, how does he keep doing this? He makes me want to run through a brick wall.” – BLUEPRINT TO BEATING CAR

The “How does he keep doing this?” is the key, here. Brind’Amour’s – AN HOMAGE TO PEKKA ability to find unique ways to motivate players has never been more – PLAYOFF PREDICTIONS important than it is during a season that’s been brutal for a laundry list of reasons. – @BRIGIDBRESNIHAN DEBUTS!

Aside from the motivation factor, Brind’Amour’s in-game adjustments in BY @JASPERSNASH pursuit of ideal matchups have been fascinating this season. They HTTPS://T.CO/8AJWTPNXYM haven’t always worked, but those regular-season adjustments have been practice for the playoffs. I’m so curious to see what they’ll look like next HTTPS://T.CO/OIMG0PAMPT PIC.TWITTER.COM/CTHRZEGSOV week. — BRADEN GALL (@BRADENGALL) MAY 12, 2021 9. Sebastian Aho Niederreiter is coming off an excellent regular season featuring 20 goals Aho is so low on this list because there’s virtually no question or worry and 34 points in 56 games, but Nashville fans probably know him better about him at this point. He’s had a sturdy slow-but-sure development into for being an absolute pest who refuses to leave the front of the net. He a full-blown first-line center, and he built on his consistency again this rarely if ever has to actually drop the gloves, but a few times per game it year with 24 goals and 57 points in 56 games. With Teuvo Teravainen seems he has his opponents ready to do so. He’s also super underrated coming back from injury and crushing it, and Andrei Svechnikov rounding on the defensive side of things. into form, the SAT line should be the least of anyone’s worries against Nashville. This particular set of skills will be crucial playing a team as physical as the Predators, especially with physicality being a potential weakness for Don’t worry about them; worry about how the other skaters will be able to the Hurricanes and with the way the Predators were clearly trying to set a support them. tone in game 56.

8. Cedric Paquette 2. Andrei Svechnikov

Aside from his dog, this is why the Hurricanes traded for Cup champion Svechnikov has compiled an impressive postseason resume and an Paquette. He’s the classic sandpapery fourth-liner every Cup team equally elaborate target on his back to match in his third NHL season. needs, with the added benefit of not being 90 years old. The Predators When he’s on, those targeting him look more like cats scratching at a have clearly been trying to make a toughness statement to the Canes laser pointer projected onto a wall, but when he’s off, it’s stick-infraction that a guy like Paquette needs to respond to. city.

7. Dougie Hamilton These are the trials and tribulations of being a young star with a rare Just score the power-play goals, Dougie. combination of skill and physicality.

6. Jordan Staal Svechnikov generally embraces the big moments, though. Remember last postseason’s hat trick? Plus, he’s been rounding into form at the end Staal’s scoring flare has been a nice touch this season, but his of the regular season, with two goals and five points in his past five importance has nothing to do with that. games. If he can remain unfazed and play his big game, there’s a good chance he’ll have the most game-breaking impact of any skater in the How will he operate as an extension of Brind’Amour in the motivation series. realm? How will he continue to lead by example? 1. The starting goaltender Remember that “most important” player doesn’t necessarily mean “best” player for our current purposes. I have a take about the Hurricanes’ three-goalie rotation, and I can’t decide if it’s the stupidest thing I’ve ever thought in my life or if it actually makes sense, but hear me out.

It doesn’t matter if it’s Petr Mrazek or Alex Nedeljkovic in this scenario, but imagine the Canes roll either one out for Game 1 and it’s a mediocre- to-above-average performance, then the next one starts Game 2 and it’s about the same. You’re probably going to roll with that type of rotation for at least a few games.

I’m not expecting the following to happen because both have been solid all season, hence the “good problem” the Hurricanes find themselves in. But what if whomever the Canes roll with for Game 1 has an objectively terrible game, then the next guy comes in for Game 2 and is mediocre to above average, then comes back for Game 3 and is above average to great, then he keeps building on that?

Or what if the goalie the Canes start is amazing off the bat and they keep riding him?

It’s almost certainly not going to be that linear, no matter what happens — that’s the trouble with hard-and-fast goaltending decisions. But you sort of assume that if the Hurricanes are going to make a long run, they are going to end up with a 1a and a 1b, and you’d prefer to figure that out sooner rather than later.

“It’s good if the goaltending is bad, actually” is probably the galaxy brain of the year, but is anyone with me on this?

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Ex-Chicago Blackhawks player sues the team for an alleged sexual assault by a former assistant coach

By PHIL THOMPSON

A former Chicago Blackhawks player from the 2010 Stanley Cup championship squad has sued the team, alleging negligence in their handling of a sexual assault complaint against a former assistant coach.

The player, identified only as “John Doe,” alleges in the lawsuit filed April 30 that former video coach Bradley Aldrich also sexually assaulted a teammate. The player who filed the lawsuit is seeking $150,000 in damages.

WBEZ first reported the lawsuit.

The player is represented by lawyer Susan E. Loggans, who has represented several women in sex-based civil claims against singer R. Kelly.

In the lawsuit, “John Doe” alleges that in May 2010 Aldrich “sent inappropriate text messages,” “turned on porn and began to masturbate” in front of him without his consent, “threatened to injure (him) … physically, financially and emotionally if plaintiff did not engage in sexual activity” with him.

The player said in the lawsuit that he informed another assistant coach of the alleged sexual assault but the Blackhawks “did nothing,” and that the staff member “convinced the plaintiff that the sexual assault was his fault, that he was culpable for what happened, (and) made mistakes during his encounter with the perpetrator and permitted the sexual assault to occur.”

The lawsuit also states that before the incident the team had been made aware that Aldrich had sexually assaulted the plaintiff’s teammate.

Adam Rogowin, Hawks vice president of communications, issued an emailed statement on behalf of the team: “The Chicago Blackhawks take the allegations asserted by a former player very seriously. Based on our investigation, we believe the allegations against the organization lack merit and we are confident the team will be absolved of any wrongdoing. As this is a pending litigation matter, it would be inappropriate for us to comment further.”

“Joe Doe” says in the lawsuit that he suppressed the memory of the encounters with Aldrich until July 2019, when he learned Aldrich had been arrested and sentenced in an unrelated sexual assault in Michigan.

In February 2014, Aldrich, then 30, was sentenced to nine months in jail for having sexual contact with a student while serving as a volunteer on the Houghton High School hockey team, according to media reports at the time. He was also required to register as a sex offender and serve five years probation.

Aldrich’s case was discharged on Feb. 14, 2019, according to the Michigan Department of Corrections database.

When “John Doe” learned of the Michigan case, he “became aware of his injuries and damages,” according to the lawsuit.

Aldrich no longer is with the Hawks organization.

He also was one of six Hawks players and staff working for Team USA during the 2010 Winter Olympics.

According to a USA Hockey news release from June 2009, Aldrich had just completed his first season as video coach for the Hawks and spent the previous two seasons serving in a similar role at Notre Dame.

Chicago Tribune LOADED: 05.14.2021 1212599 Chicago Blackhawks “The biggest thing is once you start reaching these type of milestones, 400 goals and 1,000 games coming up, it leaves you wanting more,” Kane says.

The highs and lows of the 2020-21 Chicago Blackhawks: From Jonathan March 5: Three-time Stanley Cup winner Brent Seabrook calls it a career Toews’ season-long absence to Patrick Kane’s milestone and Kirby after dealing with lingering hip problems. Dach’s injury and return “I’m incredibly proud of my career,” he says. “… When I first got here, we weren’t the Blackhawks you see now or through the early part of the By PHIL THOMPSON decade. It was fun to be a part of that group that brought this franchise back up to the top. I wouldn’t change anything for anything.”

March 6: Strome is placed on injured reserve (concussion) retroactive to The Chicago Blackhawks finished their up-and-down season with a 5-4 Feb. 19. overtime loss Monday. March 18: Strome is activated off concussion protocol. The Hawks made a surprising challenge for a playoff spot, but ultimately a young team stalled out against a top-heavy Central Division that March 27: Dach is activated from long-term injured reserve and plays 20 featured two of the league’s top three teams. minutes against the Nashville Predators.

Along the way there were plenty of milestones, maneuvers and March 30: Forward Mike Hardman agrees to a two-year entry-level challenges that defined the season. contract.

Here’s a timeline of the moments that stood out. March 31: Defenseman Isaak Phillips agrees to a three-year entry-level deal. … Bowman is named GM of the U.S. men’s hockey team for the Dec. 23: Kirby Dach breaks his right wrist while playing for Canada at the 2022 Olympics. World Junior Championship in Edmonton. April 2: The Hawks trade forward Brad Morrison to the Florida Panthers Dec. 28: Dach has surgery. Team physician Dr. Michael Terry says, “We for Vinnie Hinostroza, who previously played for the Hawks from 2015- expect Kirby to return to hockey-related activities in approximately four to 18. He goes on to put up four goals and eight assists in 17 games. five months.” April 5: Dach acknowledges he still feels discomfort in his wrist. Dec. 29: Jonathan Toews reveals he has been dealing with an unspecified illness and will be out indefinitely. “There’s no doubts (but) there’s pain with it, still,” he says. “It’s a four-to- five-month injury and I’m playing within three months.” “This offseason, I’ve been experiencing symptoms that have left me feeling drained and lethargic,” Toews says in a statement. “I am working April 8: The Hawks acquire forward prospect Henrik Borgström, veteran with doctors so I can better understand my condition.” forward Brett Connolly, defenseman Riley Stillman and a 2021 seventh- round pick from the Panthers for forward Wallmark and defenseman Jan. 3: Dylan Strome agrees to a two-year contract extension. Lucas Carlsson.

Jan. 4: The Hawks announce their training camp roster, and absent are After a 5-1 loss to the Dallas Stars that included a three-goal second Dach (right wrist), Toews (medical issue), Alex Nylander (left knee), Carl period, alternate captain Connor Murphy calls the team “fragile” and Söderberg (immigration documents), Brent Seabrook and Evan Barratt makes one of the strongest statements about accountability to date. (both unfit to participate). “That’s been a theme with our losses,” Murphy says. “We seem to be a Jan. 12: Coach Jeremy Colliton signs a two-year extension through little bit fragile. Instead of picking each other up and a mistake on a goal 2022-23. or a shift where they’re on us, we don’t seem to be responding very well. That’s on us as a group, and even a leadership group, to be able to “With where we’re at, and certainly the direction we’re heading, Jeremy’s recognize things and get our game going in the right direction.” a big part of that and someone I’m excited to work with,” team President and general manager Stan Bowman says. April 12: At the trade deadline, the Hawks reap a 2021 second-round pick and a 2022 third-rounder by dealing Mattias Janmark to the Vegas Jan. 14: Dach (wrist) and Toews (medical issue) are placed on long-term Golden Knights, and they acquire forward by shipping injured reserve. Matthew Highmore to the Vancouver Canucks. Late January: Several Hawks go into COVID-19 protocol over the span of “We’re happy with how it all went, not just today but you look back a week, including Alex DeBrincat and Adam Boqvist (Jan. 25), Lucas probably the last week or so,” Bowman says. “We’ve made a few trades Wallmark (Jan. 27), Ryan Carpenter and Nicolas Beaudin (Jan. 30) go today and a couple previous to now, and it’s really consistent with we’ve into COVID-19 protocol. been trying to do going back to the offseason. We’re trying to rebuild our Boqvist, Wallmark and Carpenter said they contracted the coronavirus asset pool.” and experienced the lost of taste and smell. April 23 and 24: Strome is a healthy scratch for the remainder of a critical “It’s kind of weird. You want to see if you smell good or if your cologne is Predators series because of subpar play. good,” Boqvist said. “Obviously, it was two big games and it sucks to have to watch, but got to Early to mid-February: The Hawks activate players off protocol, including play better,” Strome says. “Got to produce more. They wanted to go with DeBrincat and Beaudin (Feb. 2), Boqvist (Feb. 8), Wallmark (Feb. 10) 7 ‘D.’ They thought they could find my minutes somewhere else.” and Carpenter (Feb. 13). April 25: Stillman agrees to a three-year deal. Feb. 17: Rookie goaltender Kevin Lankinen earns his first career shutout April 26: Andrew Shaw, a two-time Cup winner, announces his retirement in a 2-0 win over the Detroit Red Wings. after seven seasons with the Hawks and three with the Montreal “It feels awesome,” Lankinen says. “It’s just great. One of those nights Canadiens. He had spent nearly two months in concussion protocol. you always dream about growing up. You want to get your first game, “It’s been in the back of my head for a few years now,” Shaw says. “My your first win and then your first shutout. Nice to get that under the belt. love for the game pushed it away and listening to doctors for once in my At the same time, just hungry for more and looking forward to getting life, we finally made a decision it would be best for me to step away from more games.” the game.” He goes on to compile a 17-14-5 record with a .909 save percentage and April 27: Boqvist breaks his right wrist in a collision with Predators 3.01 goals-against average. defenseman Erik Černák. Boqvist also spent stints in concussion and Feb. 28: Patrick Kane scores his 400th goal during a 7-2 win over the COVID-19 protocol. Detroit Red Wings. “Certainly, it’s been unfortunate that his momentum has been stopped a few times by having him miss time when he’s been rolling and playing well,” Colliton says. “But that’s part of his development into a pro, finding a way to be a bit more durable and play more games.”

May 3: The Hawks are eliminated from playoff contention with a 5-2 loss to the Carolina Hurricanes.

“We had a good stretch middle of the season, but we have to play a full season,” DeBrincat says.

May 4: The Hawks scratch Dach after he aggravates scar tissue in his wrist. Two days later, he’s shut down for the final three games.

May 6: Duncan Keith and Brett Connolly suffer concussions and miss the final two games.

May 9: The United Center hosts season-ticket holders and general- admission fans for the first time this season, allowing 3,820 fans to watch the Hawks beat the Stars 4-2 with a lineup of 10 rookies.

May 10: The Stars turn the tables with a game-winning goal with 29.6 seconds remaining in overtime, handing the Hawks a 5-4 loss. DeBrincat scores his 32nd goal.

“We played back-to-back against an excellent team,” Colliton says. “Both teams were playing for pride, but still they’ve got excellent players over there and it’s a challenge.

“That’s part of what we were doing. We had 10 rookies in and it’s great experience for them as they understand what it takes to play in the league and how consistent you have to be.”

During the game, announcer apologizes for using a suicide metaphor earlier during the broadcast.

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Blackhawks sued by former player for alleged sexual assault by former assistant coach

The lawsuit claims former Blackhawks video coach Bradley Aldrich in May 2010 sent inappropriate text messages to, watched porn and masturbated in front of and threatened to injure the unidentified player if he did not engage in sexual activity.

By Ben Pope May 13, 2021, 4:34pm CDT

A recent lawsuit filed by a former Blackhawks player describes an alleged 2010 sexual assault by a former Hawks assistant coach.

The lawsuit, filed April 30 in Cook County Circuit Court, alleges that the former assistant, Bradley Aldrich, assaulted the player — identified only as “John Doe” — in May 2010, during the team’s Stanley Cup run. The lawsuit also alleges Aldrich had previously assaulted a different Hawks player.

Aldrich “sent...inappropriate text messages,” “turned on porn and began to masturbate in front of [Doe]...without his consent” and “threatened to injure [Doe]...physically, financially, and emotionally if [Doe]...did not engage in sexual activity,” according to the lawsuit.

The player allegedly reported Aldrich’s assault to Hawks mental skills coach James Gary, according to the lawsuit, but Gary “did nothing” and instead “convinced [Doe]...that the sexual assault was his fault, that he was culpable for what happened, made mistakes during his encounter with the perpetrator and permitted the sexual assault to occur.”

The lawsuit — filed by lawyer Susan Loggans — seeks $150,000 in damages from the Hawks, alleging the player continues to suffer from the trauma of the incident.

The Hawks said in a statement that an internal investigation determined the organization committed no wrongdoing.

“The Chicago Blackhawks take the allegations asserted by a former player very seriously,” the team said. “Based on our investigation, we believe the allegations against the organization lack merit and we are confident the team will be absolved of any wrongdoing. As this is a pending litigation matter, it would be inappropriate for us to comment further.”

Aldrich worked as a Hawks video coach, under then-head coach Joel Quenneville, from 2008 until sometime between 2010 and 2013. He also worked for the U.S. national men’s hockey team during the 2010 Winter Olympics and for the University of Notre Dame prior to joining the Hawks.

Aldrich pled guilty in December 2013 — and was sentenced in February 2014 to nine months in prison and five years probation — for an unrelated criminal sexual contact incident in Houghton, Michigan. Aldrich had been volunteering with the Houghton High School hockey team when he had sexual contact with a 16-to-18-year-old student.

The former Hawks player’s memories of the alleged 2010 sexual assault were triggered, according to the lawsuit, when he learned about Aldrich’s Michigan case in July 2019, shortly after Aldrich’s five-year probation ended.

The player had previously believed Gary, the mental skills coach, that the incident he experienced was not actually sexual assault, the lawsuit said. The lawsuit claims the statute of limitations therefore did not start running until 2019.

Aldrich has not been criminally charged in regards to the alleged Blackhawks incident.

The Hawks’ 2021 season ended Monday.

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High hopes for Borgstrom filling a center slot for Hawks next season

John Dietz

Depth down the middle.

It's such a key ingredient to every successful NHL team.

This year's Blackhawks are a great example of that. Without Jonathan Toews, the Hawks struggled to find consistency at center while mostly using Dylan Strome, David Kampf, Carl Soderberg, Pius Suter and Philipp Kurashev. (Kirby Dach played just 18 games).

Next season the Hawks are hoping that Henrik Borgstrom, who signed a two-year deal Wednesday, can step in and really upgrade the position.

"Excited to bring him in," said general manager and president of hockey operations Stan Bowman.

In addition to Brett Connolly and Riley Stillman, the Hawks acquired Borgstrom's rights from Florida on April 8 in exchange for Lucas Wallmark and Lucas Carlsson.

Borgstrom just wrapped up his season in Finland, scoring 11 goals in 30 games for HIFK Helsinki. He opted to go overseas this season after a disappointing 2019-2020 campaign in which he started with the Panthers but was then demoted to the AHL's .

"You know what, it was a tough start," Borgstrom said Thursday via Zoom. "I thought there were games there that I could have been better. Of course it's always coaches and management's decision. ...

"Obviously I was hoping to get a little more time, but I don't like to think about it now. There's going to be a new opportunity for me next season and I'm going to be focused on that."

Assuming Toews returns and Dach is 100 percent, that opportunity could come as the third-line center. Depending on what happens in free agency and with trades, Borgstrom might be battling for that spot with Strome and Suter.

"Obviously that depends on me, how I play and how I show up at the training camp," Borgstrom said. "I've got to be ready to take a spot and what's given to me."

The 6-foot-3, 198-pound Borgstrom scored 45 goals in 77 games from 2016-2018 at the University of Denver. He was teammates with Ian Mitchell, whom the Hawks drafted in the second round in 2017. Borgstrom went 23rd overall in 2016 to the Panthers.

"Henrik was a dominant college player -- one of the best college players I've seen in the last 10 years," Bowman said in April. "Really high-end skill. ... When you look at his best game it's pretty impressive.

"We've been watching him play in Finland. His skillset's very noticeable. Big, tall kid. Good reach. Athletic body, skater, hands. He can do a lot of different things with the puck. There's tremendous upside."

Borgstrom isn't sure where his summer training will take place, saying he'll be in contact with the Hawks about it. All he knows for sure is he can't wait for next season to arrive so he can try to live up to his first- round draft status.

"Yeah, of course that gives me energy," Borgstrom said when asked if the trade gives him fresh motivation. "For sure. (Because) just having the thought that the team wanted me is really, really nice. Try to work toward the beginning of the season. It's gonna be fun."

• The Blackhawks announced they have agreed to terms with goaltender Arvid Söderblom on a two-year, entry-level contract that runs through the 2022-23 season ($883,750 salary-cap hit).

Söderblom, 21, was second in the with a .922 save percentage, shared second with a 2.03 goals-against average and 4 shutouts in 22 regular-season appearances during the 2020-21 campaign for Skellefteå AIK.

Daily Herald Times LOADED: 05.14.2021 1212602 Chicago Blackhawks

Blackhawks add goaltender to pipeline, sign Arvid Söderblom

BY CHARLIE ROUMELIOTIS

HAWKS INSIDER

The Blackhawks added another goaltender to their pipeline after signing Arvid Söderblom to a two-year, entry-level contract that runs through the 2020-23 season, the team announced Thursday. His cap hit is $883,750.

Söderblom, 21, went 13-8-0 in the Swedish Hockey League this season and ranked second among all with a 2.03 goals-against average, second with a .922 save percentage and four shutouts in 22 appearances for Skellefteå AIK. He also went 1-1 in the postseason with a 1.54 goals-against average and .951 save percentage.

The Blackhawks now have four goaltenders under contract for the 2021- 22 season: Collin Delia, Kevin Lankinen, Malcolm Subban, Söderblom and Subban. Delia, Lankinen and Subban are all set to become unrestricted free agents after next season.

Söderblom is likely to start the season with the Rockford IceHogs of the American Hockey League, but could potentially be an option for the big club in the future if he can translate his overseas success to the professional level.

Comcast SportsNet.com LOADED: 05.14.2021 1212603 Chicago Blackhawks on the here and now and present and not worry about the outside things. We can’t do anything about it, you've got to focus on what’s in front of you.

Blackhawks missed Jonathan Toews 'in a lot of ways' "Of course, we hope he’s going to be back. He’s a great player and he’d really help us, but gotta give him time to sort things out and we’ll go from there." BY CHARLIE ROUMELIOTIS Comcast SportsNet.com LOADED: 05.14.2021

The Blackhawks went into the 2020-21 season planning to give their young players larger roles and that's exactly what they did. They're trying to integrate a new wave of talent into the lineup.

But there was a notable presence missing, both on and off the ice, all season: Jonathan Toews.

In December, the Blackhawks captain revealed he would not join the team for training camp because he had been "experiencing symptoms that have left me feeling drained and lethargic." Nobody knew how long his absence would last, but hockey became secondary at that point and his health was the main priority.

Five months later, the Blackhawks completed their campaign with a 24- 25-7 record and did so without the face of their franchise. And to say they felt his absence is an understatement.

"I miss him in a lot of ways," Patrick Kane said. "Off the ice, he's a great leader, great friend. So you miss him just in that sense. And then obviously on the ice, for me, it makes things a lot easier, too. Whether we’re playing together or not, you have that 1-2 punch that gives the other team something to think about, about who they’re going to defend. They've got to be more aware when he’s on the ice and I can come on next and maybe get easier matchups."

Kane wasn't finished.

"You miss him a lot in the faceoff department," he continued. "We saw that a lot with the power play this year. It gets to a point where it becomes frustrating you’re losing the draws and you've got to start on the breakout on the power play. He was so good at that. You took that for granted where you were always starting with the puck in the offensive zone. It seems like when we did that this year, we had a little bit more success and could create more. Miss him there.

"There’s a bunch of other ways we miss him. You expect him to be back, hopefully, he is back, and he’s obviously a big part of the organization."

The good news? Toews' health is reportedly improving and he's expected to be back for the 2021-22 campaign if he continues on the path he's been on as of late.

President/GM Stan Bowman said he talked to Toews a few weeks ago, but declined to elaborate on his status.

"He’s doing well, had a good chat," Bowman said. "We talked for about 15-20 minutes about a lot of things, our team but non-hockey stuff too. It was good to connect with him and catch up. That’s the update I have, though. I don’t have anything more than that. We’re hopeful he’ll be back, but we’re going to let it play out and we’ll see. It’s uncharted waters here. The situation came up and we’re taking it as it comes. When we have more information, we’ll pass that along. I don’t have another update on that right now."

Toews is a three-time Stanley Cup champion and Conn Smythe Trophy winner who has already established himself as one of the greatest players to ever put on a Blackhawks uniform. Everybody wants him back next season, but, most importantly, they want him feeling 100 percent again.

In a rebuilding year, it was challenging for the Blackhawks not to have their captain around. But they handled the situation as best as they could.

"He’s an extremely important player for us, for our team," head coach Jeremy Colliton said. "He’s meant a lot for the organization and the success we’ve been able to have. I think the team handled it very well, whether it was the players taking on more of a leadership role, the players taking on more responsibility as far as their play, focusing as a team on each game, that’s the most important thing.

"Not worrying so much about who is and isn’t in the lineup and what was being said on the outside about what kind of team we were going to be and who we didn’t have. That’s what you've got to do. You've got to focus 1212604 Chicago Blackhawks

Patrick Kane opens up about nagging season-long injury

BY CHARLIE ROUMELIOTIS

Patrick Kane just completed his 14th NHL season and turned in yet another Hart Trophy-type campaign after finishing with 66 points, which ranked No. 5 among all skaters as of Tuesday. He was one of the biggest reasons why the Blackhawks were sitting in a playoff spot when the calendar flipped to March.

But down the stretch, you could tell something was bothering the 32- year-old superstar.

Kane, who likes to be on the ice as much as possible, took multiple maintenance days in the final few weeks of the season to rest his body instead of participating in practice. During the team's morning skate on April 27 following a three-day break in the schedule, Kane was the first one on the ice and appeared to be testing whatever injury was nagging at him.

Patrick Kane is the first one on the ice for morning skate after taking a maintenance day at practice yesterday. #Blackhawks pic.twitter.com/3S91f7bLmQ— Charlie Roumeliotis (@CRoumeliotis) April 27, 2021

On Tuesday, the Blackhawks held their player exit interviews and Kane confirmed that he's been dealing with "one little issue" that began even before the bubble in Edmonton last season.

"Trying to figure that out and hopefully it’s nothing too serious," Kane said. "Hopefully just get it fixed, not have to worry about it next year. But besides that, conditioning and being able to play a lot of minutes, I feel really good about that and happy with where all that is at."

Kane declined to provide specifics on the injury but did admit he doesn't expect it to interfere with his offseason training. The only potential change in his summer routine is that he was advised to take a little bit more time off the ice.

"It was just something I’ve kind of been dealing with up close to the return to the bubble last year," said Kane, who will not participate in the 2021 IIHF World Junior Championship after captaining Team USA for the past two years. "I feel we’ve done a lot of good things to make it feel good in games, and then other games it hasn’t felt as great. So it’s just like an ongoing process.

"Hopefully we can get to the point where I’m not feeling it at all, and just feel strong on the puck and feel like it’s not an issue when I’m out there. That’s the ultimate goal."

Even though he was battling through an injury all season long, Kane still had ways to produce. He racked up 51 assists, which is tied for second among all skaters; 33 of those assists were primary.

The one area he was unsatisfied with was his goal production. He had a career-low 7.9 shooting percentage and scored only 15 goals this season; over the course of an 82-game schedule, he was projected to finish with 22, which would've been his lowest total since scoring 21 his rookie year.

If there's one thing you can bet on next season, it's Kane having a monster bounce-back year in that department.

"Disappointed and obviously not happy about the goal production, but I’m happy I still found a way to produce, given that that wasn’t there for me this year," Kane said. "Just gotta figure that out, obviously. Not too concerned about it because I feel like I can score goals and be a big-time goal producer in the league. Gotta maybe figure out how to find a way to get to the net a little bit more maybe or get more chances.

"With the way our team plays now, it’s not so much puck possession as it is moving the puck ahead and tracking it down. I've been used to playing that puck possession game my whole career, so it’s a little different, but I've just got to find a way to create no matter what the situation is. Looking forward to bouncing back next year."

Comcast SportsNet.com LOADED: 05.14.2021 1212605 Chicago Blackhawks Because I’m not there. So that’s something that weighs on you. And I’ve got to make sure I invest a lot of time and do everything I can to give some of that back when I get home. But I’m not alone in the league. I’m Blackhawks’ Jeremy Colliton on the timetable, Jonathan Toews, The sure there’s other coaches and some players, too. I think (Duncan Keith) System: ‘We’re going to be an elite team’ didn’t see his boy very much this year. So it’s tough.

Do you talk about these things with the players?

By Mark Lazerus May 13, 2021 Yeah, for sure. You always try to check in to see how guys are doing, and certainly for the ones with kids and families, it’s a little bit different. But it’s been a strange year for everyone. I feel like we’re on the upswing, though. I want to hope that we’re getting back. Jeremy Colliton’s a farmer. His dad was a farmer, and his dad’s dad was a farmer. We’re talking face to face, that’s something right there.

Back home in Blackie, , the Collitons grow mostly grain, while Yeah, it took longer than probably should have. But hopefully we’re close raising cattle, as well. And if there’s one thing you learn as a farmer, it’s to getting back to having normal lives. patience. Got any big swings planned to make up for that when you get home? “In the spring, you plant a lot of seeds, and they’re not all going to grow,” Whenever I come back from a long road trip, I feel like I’ve got to take the Colliton said during a wide-ranging conversation with The Athletic on kids to the zoo or Six Flags or something. Wednesday. “But you try to create the best conditions possible. You fertilize them, and you spray, and hopefully you treated the soil well Well, I’m going to walk into a two-week quarantine. And currently, Alberta before, so it’s got a chance. But the one thing you don’t do is, you don’t is having a tough time. dig up the crop in June or July because you’re impatient. You’ve got to let Oh, man. You should try to smuggle some vaccine doses across the it play out. Not all the seeds are going to grow, but in the fall, typically border. you have a harvest. You don’t know if it’s going to be in August or September or October. But if you did the right things, there’s a pretty Yeah, they’d probably appreciate that. They’re homeschooling right now. good chance you’re going to have a good crop. And that’s where we’re So I’ll be doing exit meetings (with players) on Zoom while my wife’s at.” trying to juggle two boys homeschooling and a two-and-a-half-year-old girl who’s potty training. So I’m going to be just as popular, likely, as I am Colliton and Blackhawks general manager Stan Bowman have been now. planting seeds in the form of prospects for a couple years now, hoping to harvest a bumper crop of NHL standouts in the very near future. Some Hiding down in the basement while all that’s going on upstairs. Ouch. players are just about done growing. Most need more time. But patience is much harder to come by in the NHL than the sweeping plains of Exactly. Keep it down up there! Alberta. All right, so we’re here at the end of the year. I don’t think anybody’s The rebuild has been official for only about eight months. It’s really been necessarily surprised where the team ended in the standings. It’s how we underway for about a year and a half. But the Blackhawks haven’t ended got here that was interesting. There are always the Stanley Cup-or-bust a season in a playoff spot for four long years. Haven’t won a playoff types out there, but do you view the 2021 season as a success? series in six. Well, we made a lot of progress. And I think going into the season, we And the fan base is growing impatient while Colliton is growing his crops. focused a lot on mentality and trying to establish a work ethic and compete level. And those things that we feel that down the road are Will Colliton be able to see the process through to the end? Just how going to add up to us being an elite team again. long will it take? And what will The System (insert dramatic musical sting here) look like when it does? Obviously, expectations going into camp weren’t very high. And we used that, telling the players right from the start: Let’s be more than people say Freed from the restrictive NHL pseudo-bubble now that the season is we’re going to be and let’s prove some people wrong. That should over, Colliton and I met Wednesday on the West Side in person for the motivate you. And I think it did. You’ve got to give them a ton of credit for first time in more than 14 months — we’re both #TeamJ&J; do your part how hard they worked, how committed they were, how competitive we and get vaccinated if you can — for a state-of-the-franchise chat. Here’s were. And we were able to be in the playoff mix to the last couple of the transcript, lightly edited for clarity. weeks. We’re going to see those dividends pay out in the years to come.

So, are you going home today? We got 300-plus games from rookies. A lot of them scored their first goals. That doesn’t count our second-year pros, our third-year pros, our I’m not going home today. But soon. My boys are not happy. They think fourth-year pros who also played, and played big roles. So the fact that the season’s over. Because up until now there’s been games on, and so we were able to play big games almost to the end, that’s really going to it’s pretty steady — every other day they get to see dad on TV so, you help us in the future. We’re not satisfied with the result. We want to be in know, OK, I get it, why he’s not home. But now the last couple of days, the playoffs. That would have been even better. We’ve talked about the it’s like, There’s no games on. What are you doing? Why aren’t you bubble experience and playing those two series against Edmonton and here? How long is it gonna take you to get home? Vegas and how valuable that (was). That’s what we wanted this year, There’s been a lot of talk about how this season has impacted players, too. And we pushed, and I pushed the team really hard when we were and for good reason. But a lot of the players are at least going home to kind of wobbling, to see what we could do. We kind of peaked at the end their kids and families most nights. When was the last time you saw your of February, getting into March. And we tried to push for another peak; it family? just felt like a lot of our guys kind of ran out of steam.

Yeah, that’s before Christmas. So I missed Christmas. We did the And that’s part of the learning experience, too. And we’re going to take FaceTime Christmas, and, you know, we FaceTime a lot, but certainly those lessons into next year. you want to hug your kids, right? And they need that. I don’t want to Your first two seasons, you started badly and ended well. This season, make it seem like I’m hard done by, or our family’s hard done by. We’re you started well and ended badly. Do the players go into the offseason very privileged and we know that. This is my job. And I love my job. And I feeling good about themselves? Or do you think they’re a little down on love coming to work every day and trying to make the team better. things?

My kids, on the other hand, they didn’t get the choice. I’m their dad, and Yeah, it’s going to take a little bit of time to get our mindset where it dad’s not here. And so that’s tough. And you don’t get those years back. needs to be. We’ll work on that in exit meetings. When you’re in it, the I don’t want to underplay that. Just because you’ve got a pretty sweet gig last couple of months, I mean, we’re grinding and it’s miserable when doesn’t mean that you’re not a human being. What’s been the mental toll, you’re losing. Especially when you feel like you have a chance and it’s not on the players, but on you? kind of slipping away. It should be miserable. So that’ll be the taste in a lot of guys’ mouths, and that’s OK. It should be like that. But overall, the Yeah, well, my No. 1 job is to be a dad and take care of my family. order that it happened shouldn’t detract from the progress that we made. Should be, anyway. And right now, I could do a better job, right? And the fact we had such a fantastic start is why we were in the mix at Do we want to be chasing two or three guys behind the net? No, we don’t the end. So we wouldn’t want to wish that away. want to do that. But it’s hard. There’s a read that’s happening at full speed and guys are desperate to keep the puck out of the net. It’s trying to capture the good things that we did and building on it. So Sometimes you get three guys at one post and then there’s someone at many of our young guys played and played a lot. But there’s a lot more the back post. These reads are made at full speed, and sometimes there there. And a lot of the message in these exit meetings will be how you are going to be breakdowns. If you watch the video from every team in train is going to determine where you’re going to be, come fall, and what the league, they’re going to have those, too. Because we aren’t where role you’re going to have, or if you’re even going to be on the team. we want to be as a team defensively, we’re going to have a few more. We’ve got a lot of guys who can take big steps here if they have a good And we’re going to do everything we can to shore that up. summer of training. Man-to-man is becoming more popular throughout the league, the last We’ve talked about the talent gap between this team and the Tampas four or five years, in particular. You have 10 or 11 defensemen and like and Carolinas of the world. When the margin of error is that small, is it 20 forwards to choose from. Do you look at the personnel you have and that much more difficult to maintain that pace and play that way? I mean, see the guys that can execute it the way you envision? you had to be almost perfect to win the way you did in February. Was that just unsustainable? No question. No team — very few teams — play strict man-to-man. There’s probably a couple. Carolina and Nashville probably play the Yeah, no question. Again, we’ve got to give those guys so much credit, strictest version of man-to-man, and then you’ve got Florida, which playing in their first years. But the older guys, too. They pulled these guys probably plays the strictest version of zone. Most teams are somewhere along, as well. We were playing at our top level for most of the first two- in between. And we’re probably right in the middle. And it depends if we and-half, three months. And that’s hard to do. We sustained it night in, are overloading — sometimes we are, sometimes we’re not. But we think night out. Even the games we lost. The Tampa games at home (March 4- that for this group, that type of play is how we’re going to get to be an 7, when the Blackhawks went 1-1-1 but turned a 3-0 lead into a 6-3 loss elite team. So we’ve got to keep getting incrementally better. And that’s in the finale), we would have loved to finish it off. And there’s little things how we’re going to get where we want to go. we could have done and things we’ve learned and talked about. But overall, it was as good as that group could play at that moment. And it’s You’re three years in here. All three years have been weird. You came in hard to sustain. midseason, your second one gets cut off early, and your third one’s a shortened season with the strangest schedule in league history. But all When that depth falls off a little bit, it was hard for us to get results. We three have been losing years. And there are still issues, like the needed to play at nearly 100 percent to beat those top teams, and we defensive numbers we’re talking about. How comfortable are you that had a really good division, some excellent teams. We talked about the you’re going to have the time to see this through? Hockey coaches have big three, but Nashville played outstanding the last few months, Dallas a very short shelf-life in this league. You got something of a reset button really had a hard push. So we were being challenged and even if we last year when the team declared it’s an open rebuild. But do you feel like came up a bit short, that experience is really going to help us as we look your clock reset then, that you have the faith of management, that you’re to (become) a playoff team going forward. going to get the chance to see this through?

OK, so I preface this by freely admitting I’m not an Xs and Os genius. But Yeah, I don’t look at it as like a clock and there’s a countdown (laughs). we certainly saw too many times this year where there were two That’s probably the wrong way to look at it. It’s coming in every day and defensemen in the same corner, where there were unchecked guys in doing everything I can to make the team better and help these guys. the goalmouth. There was one goal where there were five guys between Obviously, it’s a heavy emphasis on development and young players, but the dot and the wall on one side. Just unacceptable breakdowns. There’s it should be in our DNA going forward, even when we’re back to being an always this talk about “the system,” the man-to-man, the man-and-a-half, elite team — we should still have that developmental mindset and getting whatever the label is. How much of these breakdowns are systemic, and better every day. how much of it comes down to players executing properly? It’s really two years now that we’ve invested heavily in young players. Well, it’s on the coaching staff to do more to help these guys turn into Obviously, we made more of a statement in the media last year, but I more reliable defensive players. We want to improve away from the puck, think we’ve given a lot of opportunity to young players, even the year and particularly in our end. We’ve got to understand that we practiced a before. And it’s going to pay off, and it’s paying off already. We’ve got a lot this year, especially in the first half, and we need to continue to lot of young guys who are contributing at a really high level for our team, practice. That’s how we’re going to improve. You always make lots of and they’re going to be the building blocks for us to get where we want to tweaks to the system as you go, and you adjust to certain teams and go. … There are lots of encouraging signs, and lots of players who I think work through things. Even this year, we had a bunch of different neutral have the potential to be difference-makers in the league. And we’re zones, we did some different things in D-zone, at times we did the seeing it already with guys like (Alex) DeBrincat and Kirby (Dach). (Adam overload, trying to be more physical, trying to get stops. And sometimes Boqvist) has the chance to be a dynamic offensive player. There are a lot you adjust to teams that you’re playing and try to give your guys some that can be part of this going forward. more tools to have a little more success. The absolute dumbest thing a coach or GM could do is say I have an X- But ultimately, together with the players, we’ve just got to keep year plan, so I’m not going to ask you for a timetable. But in your mind, improving. A lot of young guys are learning how to play in the league, do you think you have it mapped out? Stan keeps talking about getting and we’ve got to help them through that. back to the top of the mountain. You talk about when you’re an elite So to state the obvious, when we see some of these mistakes happen, team, not if. Do you think you can see that future? they’re not by design? You’re not telling them, “This is what we want you No doubt. We’re going to be an elite team. I have total faith in that. And to do” and it leads directly to goals. You’ve got young players, you’ve got we’re on the right path. In Stan’s position, he’s got to look more broadly. constantly changing pairings because you’re trying to work everybody in. I’m trying to push all the time. I mean, even this past year, we knew I get all that. But how long will it take for the system to look the way you where we were at, we knew what the goal was as far as continuing to want it to look? work toward the long term. But when we’re in a playoff spot in February I think at times it looked great. Throughout the year, we had some games and March, I’m pushing the team to see how far we can go. That’s what I where we were excellent. We had shutouts and 2-1 wins and 3-2 wins. should do. I’m challenging them to reach a level that they maybe don’t Doesn’t mean those games were perfect, but certainly you could see the think they can get to. progress. Obviously, we integrated a lot of new players into the lineup. Sometimes it works. Sometimes it doesn’t. But we have to try. And even Whether it’s young guys coming up and getting an opportunity as the if you fail, as long as you’re going about it the right way, that could be a season went on because of injuries or whatever, or also at the deadline huge step forward in the development of the team, of the players when we swapped out quite a decent portion of the lineup and got new individually, of the coaches, as well. So I’m going to keep pushing, and guys in. we’re going to push next year again. We always want it quicker. If I can So it’s incremental. The goal has to be to get incrementally better. I think speed it up in any way, by developing the team, by developing the we’re doing that. I also think that it’s continuing to harp on the small, little players individually, I’m going to do it. I don’t think anyone’s going to details that can help us be a little bit more consistent. complain if we can speed up the process. But we can’t try to skip steps either. And that’s important. And as I’m coaching the team, and as I’m trying to win every night, I also have to be doing little things that make sure we’re developing the whole group for the future.

I wrote this the other day, when I look at the young guys, I think it’s pretty remarkable that all of them have proven to be capable NHL players. When they’re prospects, you never know who will pan out. But everyone who’s come in didn’t embarrass themselves out there. They all looked pretty competent, at worst. That said, I don’t know if I see a lot of superstars beyond the obvious ones — DeBrincat, Kane, guys like that. Do you see the potential for any of these guys to become the standard- bearers, or does that have to come from free agency, trades, future drafts?

It could, but I think we can let it play out. It’s, as you said, a big positive we played so many. I don’t know the number. We had 10 rookies in the last game. I don’t know how many played throughout the season, but it was a lot. And that’s not even counting the guys that are inexperienced, second-, third-, fourth-year guys. There’s a lot of potential. We don’t need all of them to turn into difference-makers. We don’t even need all of them to turn into NHL players. But it looks like a lot of them will. And that’s going to create competition. They’re going to push each other to get to another level. And that might be the push we need to have those difference-makers, to have those, as you say, standard-bearers come out of that group.

But we have to let the crop grow.

There’s nobody in the organization or on the planet that thinks the team is better because Jonathan Toews wasn’t here. But Toews, and (Brent) Seabrook and Andrew Shaw — those guys suck a lot oxygen out of the room just by their very presence. Did you maybe have more command of the room this year than the last two years? Because almost every guy other than Kane and Keith was a kid in there.

Well, I think it was just more that when you have those guys, you can let them run it. You can give that responsibility over. Any team that is elite, that is winning Cups, the players have to run things. That’s only natural. When you’re missing all those guys, the other guys in the leadership group have to take on more. The coach has to take on more, as well. I have to do more. We’ve got a lot of young players and they need help. They need help learning what it is to prepare. They need help learning what it is to lead. Your rookies can lead, but they’ve got to be given permission to do it, and they also got to be shown how — that’s a partnership between the other older guys and the coach.

We miss those guys. And we missed their presence in the room, we miss what they can do on the ice. But in the end, this could be a big positive as far as the opportunity that so many players got to take on more. Whether it’s our other older guys taking on more leadership, or young players having to do more as far as how they play, their work ethic, their competitiveness, and also the responsibility on the ice. It’s a negative, of course, to be missing those guys, but hopefully we turned it into a positive long term.

Is this a playoff team next year?

I hope. That’s the plan, right? I mean, that was the plan this year, too. I understand, “OK, we’re going to go with young players, we’re going to keep doing that. We’re going to still go with young players, but we’re going to make the playoffs, too.” That has to be the mindset. That was the mindset even in training camp. We didn’t come into training camp, saying, you know, we’re going to submit here, we’re going to concede. We’re going to play as hard as we can and compete and try and get in. And that has to be the thinking. That’s how we get better. We’ve got to challenge each other to do more, do more than you think you can. Put yourself out of your comfort zone. We need to have that approach. That’s how we’ll get there.

The Athletic LOADED: 05.14.2021 1212606 Colorado Avalanche “But once we got one the floodgates started to open there and we kept pouring it on. Just a great job by our team to stick with it and not get frustrated. It’s a huge win.”

Avalanche sweeps Kings, wins Presidents’ Trophy with NHL’s best Rantanen had two assists in the second-period barrage to overtake record MacKinnon for the team scoring lead. MacKinnon led the Avs in scoring Colorado will open the playoffs against the St. Louis Blues. The seven- in each of the past four seasons. Rantanen, who also leads Colorado game series begins Monday night at Ball Arena with 30 goals, finished tied for fifth in NHL scoring with 66 points. MacKinnon, who is nursing a minor injury and expected to play in Game 1, fell to seventh with 65 points.

By MIKE CHAMBERS | PUBLISHED: May 13, 2021 at 9:49 p.m. | “Everybody knows that’s not the reason why I go to the games,” UPDATED: May 13, 2021 at 10:42 p.m. Rantanen said of becoming the team scoring champion. “I know my job is to help the team offensively, mostly, and obviously my linemates help me

a lot. I don’t think there’s much (individual) competition — everybody is Bring on the Blues. pulling the rope in the same direction.”

In the finale of the abbreviated 56-game season, the Avalanche stormed The Kings jumped out to a 1-0 lead on Thursday when defenseman Sean back from an early deficit to defeat the Los Angeles Kings, 5-1, at Ball Walker beat goalie Jonas Johansson on a breakaway in the final minute Arena on Thursday night. of the first period. Walker appeared to trip the puck-carrying Burakovsky inside the Avs’ offensive blue line but a penalty was not called. A five-goal second period sparked Colorado’s fifth consecutive victory to finish the regular season and first Presidents’ Trophy in 20 years as the Johansson was otherwise solid in replacing regular starter Philipp NHL’s best regular-season team. Grubauer, who was serving in a backup role to rest up for the playoff grind. Grubauer has an NHL-most seven shutouts. The win sets up a first-round playoff series with the St. Louis Blues — the 2019 Stanley Cup champions. Footnotes. The Avs finished 7-1 against the Kings and went 4-0 without MacKinnon. … The Avs’ 17-game points streak at home ties the 2002-03 “We achieved the first goal we had this year: Get the home-ice team for the club record. … Colorado finished a combined 16-1-3 in advantage whole playoffs,” Avs star right winger Mikko Rantanen said. consecutive-night stretches, going 9-1-0 in the first game and 7-0-3 in the “We checked the one box. Everybody knows what the next box is. We second. The Avs have swept a club-record five back-to-backs. … Kings just have to start working on that, and I believe in this group.” forward Drake Rymsha made his NHL debut. … Colorado again played without trade-deadline acquisition Carl Soderberg, the 35-year-old The Avs, who improved to 16-0-1 in their past 17 home games, finish 39- forward. 13-4 with 82 points, tying the West Division rival Vegas Golden Knights (40-14-2) in points. Colorado claimed the division title and Presidents’ Denver Post: LOADED: 05.14.2021 Trophy with an NHL-most 35 regulation wins — the tiebreaker. Vegas has 30 regulation wins.

The No. 1 Avs and No. 4-seeded Blues will meet at Ball Arena for Game 1 of their series at 8 p.m. Monday. The second-seeded Golden Knights and No. 3 Minnesota begin their series Sunday afternoon in Las Vegas. The first-round winners meet in the second round before the NHL cross- brackets for the semifinals and Stanley Cup Final.

“The playoffs is a totally different animal,” Avs coach Jared Bednar said postgame. “No one is going to look at us and say, ‘Yeah, they won the Presidents’ Trophy, we’re going to roll over.’ It’s just not going to happen. It’s going to be a tough grind.

“It can put a target on your back but I think we have to be comfortable with that. We set high expectations. I don’t think we should shy away from trying to achieve them. The Presidents’ Trophy is one of them. The pressure — no one is going to put any more pressure on us than we put on ourselves.”

Colorado is the Presidents’ Trophy champion for the third time, and first since 2001 when it went on to win the Stanley Cup. The Avs, who claimed their 10th divisional title, will make their 17th playoff appearance — fourth consecutive — in their 25th anniversary season. They lost in Game 7 of the second round in each of the last two seasons.

“Everybody knows the last two years. We went out in the exact same spot — (losing) Game 7 second round. Our goal is to go past that and all the way to the end,” Rantanen said. “We have the group right now. We just have to get to work. But the experience, for sure, helps.”

First-line center Tyson Jost, again replacing leading scorer Nathan MacKinnon on Thursday, scored the first two goals midway through the second frame to open the floodgates. Forward Pierre-Edouard Bellemare, Joonas Donskoi and Andre Burakovsky added goals late in the period as Colorado cruised to its eighth win in its past nine games.

The Avs outshot the Kings 12-4 in the first period but trailed 1-0 at the end of it.

“At the start we were all over them. We were really heavy on pucks, stuff that we talked about before the game. We wanted to execute that and we did,” Jost said. “Obviously, when you play a period like that and they get one late it’s frustrating. You kind of go back in the dressing room and say, ‘Holy smokes, what do you have to do to plot one here?’ 1212607 Colorado Avalanche

Stanley Cup Playoffs schedule: Avalanche vs. Blues in first round

By JEFF BAILEY | PUBLISHED: May 13, 2021 at 9:40 p.m. | UPDATED: May 13, 2021 at 10:26 p.m.

The NHL has announced its schedule for the opening round NHL playoff games and the Avalanche will enjoy playing some late-night games against the St. Louis Blues.

Colorado finished the season with the best record in the league, going 39-13-4 on the season to claim the Presidents’ Trophy for the first time since 2001.

No. 1 Colorado is set to face-off against No. 4 St. Louis in a Western Division matchup with Game 1 taking place on Monday night at Ball Arena in Denver.

Full schedule below:

Game 1: Blues at Avalanche, Monday, May 17, 8 p.m. (NBCSN)

Game 2: Blues at Avalanche, Wednesday, May 19, 8:30 p.m. (CNBC)

Game 3: Avalanche at Blues, Friday, May 21, 7:30 p.m. (USA)

Game 4: Avalanche at Blues, Sunday, May 23, TBD

*Game 5: Blues at Avalanche, Tuesday, May 25, TBD

*Game 6: Avalanche at Blues, Thursday, May 27, TBD

*Game 7: Blues at Avalanche, Saturday, May 29, TBD

*if necessary

Denver Post: LOADED: 05.14.2021 1212608 Colorado Avalanche No MacKinnon. Bednar said Nathan MacKinnon won’t play Thursday. Tyson Jost (first two periods) and Alex Newhook (third period) took MacKinnon’s spot between Rantanen and Gabe Landeskog.

Avalanche’s J.T. Compher follows Monday’s game-winner with Denver Post: LOADED: 05.14.2021 Wednesday hat trick

Coach Jared Bednar said Nathan MacKinnon won’t play Thursday and goalie Jonas Johansson will start

By RYAN O’HALLORAN | PUBLISHED: May 13, 2021 at 5:45 a.m. | UPDATED: May 13, 2021 at 7:56 p.m.

From March 31 to last Saturday, Avalanche winger J.T. Compher scored two goals in a span of 19 games.

Now it seems like he can’t miss.

Compher followed up Monday’s game-winner at Vegas with his first career hat trick in Wednesday’s 6-0 thumping of Los Angeles. The Avalanche’s fourth consecutive win means they enter Thursday’s game against the Kings with a chance at the NHL’s President’s Trophy, a division title and home-ice advantage throughout the playoffs.

Compher, who now has 10 goals, tied a career-high with three points and his plus-3 rating was the best of his career.

“It’s pretty cool,” he said. “It’s exciting to get three and do it in a game where we’re pushing toward the end of the season. All three goals were great plays by teammates.”

Goal 1 (19:15 of first period to make it 3-0): Mikko Rantanen dug the puck out of the corner and fed an open Compher, who one-timed a shot from the right circle.

Goal 2 (4:16 of second to make it 4-0): Compher carried the puck into the zone and handed it off to Devin Toews, who gave it right back for the tap in.

Goal 3 (11:47 of second to make it 6-0): Compher intercepted a woeful Kings pass and fed Valeri Nichushkin, who returned the puck to Compher for the goal.

“Great job by those guys,” Compher said. “Made it really easy for me.”

Said coach Jared Bednar: “It can spark him for sure because I’ve really liked his game of late. He’s been skating really well and hounding pucks and he has to be a tenacious player to have success and when he’s skating and moving like he has the past couple weeks, good things will happen for him.

“He’s been a little snake-bitten and you get a night like (Wednesday), hopefully it can give him some confidence.”

Before Wednesday, Compher’s last multi-goal game was a pair of goals in a loss to the New York Rangers on Jan. 7, 2020.

“I pride myself playing big in (the) big games and I want to be a big part of the run this year,” he said.

Johansson gets call. Jonas Johansson will start in goal for the Avalanche on Thursday.

Kiszla: For Avalanche, the Presidents’ Trophy is not a curse. It’s essential to team’s quest for Stanley Cup.

Avalanche hammers Kings 6-0 to get within a victory of winning Presidents’ Trophy

Bednar said he considered pulling Philipp Grubauer after two periods and a six-goal lead, but opted to stick with the original plan of Grubauer- Wednesday and Johansson-Thursday.

“(Johansson) has been good for us and you have to be fair to him – he’s been doing a good job with his preparation and he knows it’s his game (Thursday),” Bednar said. “I think Grubby deserved a right to finish that game. I wanted to leave it where it was and go with our original game plan.”

Grubauer’s seventh shutout tied the Islanders’ Semyon Varlamov for most in the NHL and is tied for second in Avalanche single-season history. 1212609 Colorado Avalanche “He’s been stepping up his game,” Rantanen said. “He’s played really good with the big minutes he’s been playing on the first line. It’s been fun to play with him. He works really hard, one of the best forecheckers on Winning the Presidents’ Trophy was the Avalanche’s first goal. ‘Everyone our team, for sure — makes plays, and he can shoot the puck like you knows the next box’ saw today.”

As a top-10 draft pick in 2016, Jost entered the NHL the next year with high expectations. He struggled to find consistency, though, until By Peter Baugh May 14, 2021 emerging this season as an energizing player, quality penalty killer and relentless checker.

“He was drafted high, had success everywhere he’d played, but the NHL The Avalanche may have entered the 2021 season with a loaded roster is a different animal. It’s an unforgiving league,” Bednar said. “Got leaner, and Stanley Cup aspirations, but unplanned obstacles managed to get in stronger, quicker, all the things he needed to do to be more of an impact their way throughout the year. First there was a COVID-19 pause, then player for us. And this year he’s played amazing. He just hasn’t gotten there were injuries. Then there was another COVID-19 pause, and then the results from a production standpoint that he’d like. But he just keeps were more injuries. Even their February outdoor game didn’t go off showing up every day with a great attitude, he’s a great team guy, chips without a hitch; the sun at Lake Tahoe made the ice unplayable and in wherever he can. And he’s growing. His game is getting better and delayed the game eight hours. better. But when Game 56 came to a close Thursday, there the Avalanche were, “Who knows where that’s going to take him.” sitting atop the league standings. For the first time since the 2000-2001 season, Colorado took home the Presidents’ Trophy for most points in Thursday certainly was a positive indication. He’s the latest depth the NHL, securing home-ice advantage through the playoffs. Their .732 forward to step up down the stretch for Avalanche. Andre Burakovsky point percentage is best in franchise history, beating out the 2000-2001 has an eight-game point streak, Donskoi has scored in two consecutive team, which went on to win the Stanley Cup. games, and J.T. Compher had a hat trick Wednesday.

“In order to get to where we want to go in the playoffs, you’ve got to play It’s helping the Avalanche get where they want to go. real well, you need some luck, you have to stay healthy and you want to give your team as many advantages as you can in the 16-team “We achieved the first goal we had this year: get home-ice advantage the tournament,” coach Jared Bednar said after his team’s 5-1 win against whole playoffs,” Rantanen said. “We checked one box. Everyone knows the Kings. “One of those advantages is to get home ice.” the next box.”

To overtake Vegas in the standings, the team needed to go 5-0 in its last Avalanche fans certainly do. As time winded down, a chant broke out in five games. They managed to do it without Brandon Saad (lower-body Ball Arena’s upper bowl. injury) and with Nathan MacKinnon (undisclosed injury) missing four of “We want the Cup!” they yelled. “We want the Cup! We want the Cup!” the five games. The Athletic LOADED: 05.14.2021 “It means a lot,” Bednar said. “One of our goals was to get home ice in the playoffs. To have our guys accomplish that and dig in for it and work the way we worked, win eight out of nine at the end of the year and five in a row without some key players, I just thought that shows a lot of character. It’s a nice feather in their cap, and they should enjoy it.”

The Avalanche pulled out the win in front of a lively home crowd. A pair of youth hockey players from Telluride, Colo., arrived shirtless, their torsos painted burgundy, white and blue with the words “Go Avs Go.” One supporter came carrying a sign written in Swedish for captain Gabriel Landeskog. The players’ families were there in full force, too. Landeskog, Pierre-Edouard Bellemare and Nazem Kadri all waved and blew kisses to their kids during pregame warmups.

And, after the game, the roar of the crowd made Tyson Jost’s live TV interview inaudible.

But despite the buzz and lopsided final score, the first period didn’t quite come easy for Colorado. The Avalanche dominated the opening 20 minutes, outshooting the Kings and controlling possession, but goaltender Troy Grosenick kept Colorado off the board.

“You go back in the dressing room, and you’re like, ‘Holy smokes, what do you have to do to pot one here?” said Jost, who was donning a Presidents’ Trophy shirt during his Zoom call. “But our team stuck with it.”

And the 23-year-old Jost broke through. Playing on the top line in MacKinnon’s absence, he fired a Mikko Rantanen pass into the Kings net midway through the second period. Less than two minutes later, he redirected a Conor Timmins feed in for his second tally of the night. And, just for insurance, Bellemare, Joonas Donskoi and Andre Burakovsky added goals of their own.

That proved more than enough. After deciding to rest starting goalie Philipp Grubauer, Bednar got a solid showing from No. 2 netminder Jonas Johansson. He didn’t allow a goal after the first period, finishing the night with a .955 save percentage and earning postgame bear hugs from his teammates.

But no saves could overshadow the fan-favorite Jost. With the Avalanche clearly in control in the third period, teammates started feeding him passes in hopes he could cap off a hat trick. He wasn’t able to score a third time, but the gesture touched him. He said it shows how much the Avalanche players care about each other. 1212610 Colorado Avalanche

2021 NHL Playoffs: Blues vs. Avalanche schedule, TV channel, games, scores, guide to the first-round series

By The Athletic NHL Staff May 14, 2021

In this West matchup, the No. 4 St. Louis Blues will face the No. 1 Colorado Avalanche in the first round of the 2021 NHL Stanley Cup playoffs. To find out who has the advantage in the series, check out Dom Luszczyszyn’s odds and probabilities, Craig Custance’s playoff tiers and watch for predictions from our experts in the days to come.

Schedule/TV/results

Game 1: at Colorado, Monday, May 17, at 10 p.m. ET (NBCSN, SN1, TVA Sports)

Game 2: at Colorado, Wednesday, May 19, at 10:30 p.m. ET (CNBC, SN360, TVA Sports)

Game 3: at St. Louis, Friday, May 21, at 9:30 p.m. ET (USA, SN360, TVA Sports)

Game 4: at St. Louis, Sunday, May 23, time TBD (TV TBD)

Game 5*: at Colorado, Tuesday, May 25, time TBD (TV TBD)

Game 6*: at St. Louis, Thursday, May 27, time TBD (TV TBD)

Game 7*: at Colorado, Saturday, May 29, time TBD (TV TBD)

(* – if necessary)

What to expect from the series

Are the Avalanche better off facing the Wild or Blues? Among other items in Peter Baugh’s mailbag.

What we’ve learned about the Blues: Regular-season takeaways and what they mean for the playoffs

Can the Blues keep up with the Avalanche? Jeremy Rutherford looked forward to a potential playoff matchup late in the season.

Blues-Avalanche history

Five changes the Blues made against the Avalanche late in the season: How St. Louis turned around the teams’ regular-season series.

The best and worst of each team: Lessons from an early-season matchup.

NHL playoff matchups

Up next in the West Division: Wild-Golden Knights

North Division: Jets-Oilers | Canadiens-Maple Leafs

Central Division: Lightning-Panthers | Predators-Hurricanes

East Division: Bruins-Capitals | Islanders-Penguins

The Athletic LOADED: 05.14.2021 1212611 Colorado Avalanche given season. He’s done it in an 82-game season just once (2016-17 with Toronto).

Colorado used 32 skaters in all, which includes two (Ian Cole and Greg Deen’s List: No. 1 Avalanche prepare for first-round matchup against No. Pateryn) that have since been traded. 4 St. Louis Blues Johansson comes up big

Many people disagreed with Avs coach Jared Bednar’s decision to rest By Aarif Deen - May 13, 2021 No. 1 goalie Philipp Grubauer in a high-stakes game. But goaltender Jonas Johansson did his part.

If you feel like it’s been forever since you’ve seen an Avalanche team this Making his seventh start since being acquired from Buffalo on March 20, good, then you’re probably right. Because the 2021 Avs are the NHL’s Johansson helped the Avalanche clinch the Presidents’ Trophy with a 21- best regular-season team and they’re primed for a long playoff run. save performance on Thursday. It wasn’t the busiest or most challenging night, but Johansson kept it close despite the Avs trailing 1-0 after the Colorado (39-13-4, 82 points) defeated the Los Angeles Kings 5-1 first period. Thursday at Ball Arena to win its last five games, tying the Vegas Golden Knights atop the NHL standings in points. But the Avs have the Johansson got the nod in goal after Grubauer made 18 stops in a 6-0 tiebreaker (35-30 in regulation wins) and hold the No. 1 seed in the West victory over L.A. for his seventh shutout on Wednesday. Division and are the Presidents’ Trophy winners for the first time in 20 He finished his Avalanche season with a 5-1-1 record in seven starts. I’d years. say that’s pretty good for your third-string goalie.

The last time the Avs won the Stanley Cup was that same year — 2001 milehighsports.com LOADED: 05.14.2021 — after winning the Presidents’ Trophy. They also did it in 1997 but lost to the Detroit Red Wings in the Western Conference Final.

They’ve endured a long 20 years, filled with lottery seasons, draft picks, a coaching carousel and a lot of disappointment.

But to quote Michael Buble: “It’s a new dawn. It’s a new day.”

And this new version of the Avalanche has hopes of winning their third Stanley Cup championship in 25 years.

It starts with a series against the No. 4 St. Louis Blues.

The Deen’s List:

Avalanche vs. Blues

Colorado won five of eight meetings against St. Louis but lost the last two on the road two weeks ago. The Blues had a slow start to their season but have rebounded in a big way going 13-2-3 in their last 18 games to clinch the fourth seed in the West Division.

But this is certainly not a team to take lightly. Led by captain Ryan O’Reilly, St. Louis won the Stanley Cup in 2019 after starting that season slowly. They got hot at the right time and went on a run. The Avs won’t be an easy task for them but an upset could very much be a possibility.

And if you’re the Avs, you’re very much aware that this is not the Arizona Coyotes of last season. This matchup is going to be a much tougher first round.

Their last meeting

The last time Colorado met the Blues in the playoffs was in the Western Conference Final of, you guessed it, the 2001 Stanley Cup run. The Avs ousted the Blues in five games to set up a final against the New Jersey Devils.

This is the second time the two will meet in the playoffs. But Colorado also ousted the Blues in what many remember as Game 82. The Avs won that game to clinch the eighth and final playoff spot in 2018.

Rantanen leads the way

After recording two assists on Thursday, Rantanen climbed to 66 points — one more than superstar center Nathan MacKinnon — to lead the Avalanche in scoring.

Rantanen is the first player not named MacKinnon to lead the team in points since former Avalanche center Matt Duchene did it in 2015-16. Rantanen also led the Avs with 30 goals, which was fifth in the NHL.

Not bad after a poor season (for his standards) in 2019-20.

56 for Kadri

The Avalanche finished the shortened season with just one player appearing in all 56 games.

Center Nazem Kadri scored 11 goals and 32 points in 56 games playing with a number of different linemates throughout the season. This is the third time Kadri has appeared in every one of his team’s games in any 1212612 Colorado Avalanche Colorado defeated St. Louis five out of the first six meetings but the Blues came back with two straight in their building to close out the season series two weeks ago.

Avalanche defeat L.A. 5-1 to win first Presidents’ Trophy since 2001 First-round schedule:

Game 1: Monday, May 17 at 8 p.m. (Ball Arena)

By Aarif Deen - May 13, 2021 Game 2: Wednesday, May 19 @ 8:30 p.m. (Ball Arena)

Game 3: Friday, May 21 at 7:30 p.m. ()

For the first time in 20 years, the Presidents’ Trophy belongs to the Game 4: Sunday, May 23 TBD (Enterprise Center) Avalanche. *Game 5: Tuesday, May 25 TBD (Ball Arena) After a hiccup two weeks ago — where they lost three consecutive games, twice against St. Louis and once at Vegas — the Avs clawed *Game 6: Thursday, May 27 TBD (Enterprise Center) back into the West Division and NHL race by winning their final five games and eight of their last nine to clinch their first Presidents’ Trophy *Game 7: Saturday, May 29 TBD (Ball Arena since the Stanley Cup-winning team in 2001. * If necessary

Colorado (39-13-4) concluded its season Thursday with a 5-1 rout over milehighsports.com LOADED: 05.14.2021 the Los Angeles Kings at Ball Arena to tie the Vegas Golden Knights with an NHL-high 82 points. The Avs have the regulation wins tiebreaker, winning 35 times in 60 minutes compared to the Knights’ 30.

The Presidents’ Trophy secures home-ice advantage throughout the playoffs.

“We achieved the first goal we had this year. Get the home-ice advantage for the whole playoffs,” Avs superstar winger Mikko Rantanen said. “We checked the one box and everybody knows what’s the next box. Now we just have to start working on that. I believe in this group.”

With the No. 1 seed in the West Division locked up, the Avalanche will host the No. 4 St. Louis Blues for Game 1 of the first round at 8 p.m. on Monday. Colorado was 5-3 against St. Louis in eight meetings this season, including an 8-0 victory on Jan. 15.

“We know they’re a good team, we have a good rivalry against them,” said forward Tyson Jost, who scored two goals and the game-winner Thursday. “We’ve had some great battles in the past. Just looking back to that game where it was us and them to get in that last spot in the playoffs. It’s been a battle these last three or four years.”

Playing as the No. 1 center for an injured Nathan MacKinnon, Jost’s two goals opened the scoring for the Avalanche. Center Pierre-Edouard Bellemare and wingers Joonas Donskoi and Andre Burakovsky also scored in the second period, where the Avs entered down 1-0 but scored five times to put the game away.

Like teammate J.T. Compher, who scored a hat trick in Wednesday’s 6-0 victory over L.A., Jost is also heating up heading into the playoffs.

“It can’t hurt, that’s for sure,” Avs coach Jared Bednar said of Jost’s recent offensive output. “There’s a handful of guys that have been playing really well for us and have been snakebit. To get guys like Burky, Jost, Compher, Donskoi back scoring, I think it’s all really important.”

Rantanen had two assists to increase his points to 66 — one more than MacKinnon — to lead the Avalanche in scoring. Rantanen is the first player not named MacKinnon to lead Colorado in scoring since former Av Matt Duchene in 2015-16. He also led Colorado with 30 goals.

The achievement is nice but it wasn’t on Rantanen’s mind.

“Everybody knows that’s not the reason why I go to the games. I know my job is to help the team offensively,” Rantanen said “My linemates helped me a lot but I don’t think there’s that much competition in our team. Everybody’s pulling the same rope in the same direction so I don’t really look at that too much.”

Jonas Johansson got the nod in goal for the Avs and made 21 saves for the victory. Johansson was acquired from Buffalo on March 20 and is 5- 1-1 in seven starts.

The Blues started their campaign slower than expected but rebounded in a big way. Led by captain and former Avalanche center Ryan O’Reilly, St. Louis is 13-2-3 in its last 18 games. It finished just 27-20-9 and spent a majority of the season on the outside of the playoff picture before battling back to clinch the No. 4 seed.

The Blues closed out their season with a 7-3 come-from-behind victory over the No. 3 Minnesota Wild on Thursday. Minnesota travels to No. 2 Vegas for Game 1 on Sunday. 1212613 Colorado Avalanche Kings forward Drake Rymsha played nearly 13 minutes in his NHL debut. It was against the same franchise his father, Andy, skated for in 1991-92 when the team was located in Quebec.

Jost scores twice, Avs clinch No. 1 seed with win over Kings “To play my first game against the same organization my dad played for is kind of a crazy coincidence,” said Rymsha, who spent most of the season on the taxi squad. “I wouldn’t change it for the world.” By AP Wire - May 14, 2021 McLellan was pleased for him.

“He’s kind of an unsung hero around our group,” McLellan said. DENVER (AP) — Tyson Jost was barely off the ice and already wearing a burgundy shirt commemorating the Colorado Avalanche winning the NO MAC Presidents’ Trophy. Avalanche forward Nathan MacKinnon sat out Thursday for the fourth Guess they had an inkling. time in five games due to a lower-body injury. The team went 4-0 in the games he missed. Jost scored two of Colorado’s five second-period goals as the Avalanche clinched the West Division and the top overall seed in the NHL playoffs “We have such a deep roster that we have guys who can fill spots,” with a 5-1 win over the Los Angeles Kings on Thursday night. captain Gabriel Landeskog said. “Obviously, we miss him.”

One goal down. Now the real work begins. THIS & THAT

“The playoffs are a different animal. Everybody knows that,” Avalanche Avs D Conor Timmins had two assists. … D Cale Makar had an assist to coach Jared Bednar said. “No one’s going to look at us and say, ‘Yep, finish with 44 points in 44 games. He joined Steve Duchesne (82 points they won the Presidents’ Trophy. We’re going to roll over everyone.’ It’s in 82 game with Quebec in ’92-93) as the only defensemen in franchise not going to happen. It’s going to be a tough grind. It can put a target on history to average a point-per-game (minimum 40 games). … Goaltender your back, but we have to be comfortable with that.” Devan Dubnyk remains on the league’s COVID-19 protocol list.

Colorado and Vegas both finished with 82 points, but the Avs earned the LOADED: 05.14.2021 division crown and the Presidents’ Trophy — awarded to the team with the best regular-season mark — due to more regulation wins. This was the first time the Avalanche have captured the Presidents’ Trophy since 2000-01, when they went on to hoist the Stanley Cup.

“We achieved the first goal we had this year,” said Mikko Rantanen, who assisted on both of Jost’s scores to give him a team-best 66 points (30 goals, 36 assists). “Everybody knows what the next box is, so we have to start working on that.”

The journey begins Monday with a first-round series against St. Louis, which wound up with the fourth seed in the West.

“It’s a veteran team,” Jost said of the Blues. “We’re going to have to come out hard and be prepared.”

Pierre-Edouard Bellemare, Joonas Donskoi and Andre Burakovsky also scored in the pivotal second period. Backup Jonas Johansson made 21 saves to help the Avalanche finish 7-1 against the Kings this season.

The Avalanche have been playing at a high level at home, going 16-0-1 in their last 17 at Ball Arena. The 17 straight home games with at least a point ties the club record set in 2003.

Sean Walker scored for the Kings as they wrapped up their season on an 0-4-1 skid. Troy Grosenick stopped 38 shots.

Los Angeles finished 21-28-7 and 49 points.

“There was a point where we really believed we could be a team that was going to push for it and then it slipped away on us,” Kings coach Todd McLellan said. “The belief system slipped away.”

Down 1-0 heading into the second, Colorado quickly found its rhythm. Jost led the way by scoring twice within a 1:52 span to give the Avalanche a lead they wouldn’t relinquish.

The action got a little heated late in the second when Kings forward Brendan Lemieux collided with Avs defenseman Samuel Girard near mid-ice. Girard’s fellow defenseman, Ryan Graves, took exception and immediately dropped the gloves to square off against Lemieux.

Johansson stepped in for starter Philipp Grubauer, who shut out the Kings in a 6-0 win Wednesday. Bednar hasn’t played Grubauer in back- to-back games all season and didn’t want to start now, despite the importance.

Johansson rewarded his faith by improving to 5-1-1 with Colorado since being acquired in a deal with Buffalo on March 20.

Next up, the playoffs.

“We set high expectations,” Bednar said. “I don’t think we should shy away from trying to achieve them, and the Presidents’ Trophy is one of them.”

NHL DEBUT 1212614 Colorado Avalanche

Exclusive: Avs games to be on TV for all in first round

By Adrian Dater

All Avalanche first-round playoff games will be on television for all to see in the Denver area, industry sources tell Colorado Hockey Now.

Usually, Altitude has territorial rights for first-round Avs playoff games – meaning they would be blacked out to non-subscribers – but those restrictions have been lifted for this year, sources said. In Denver, there has been a nearly two-year-long stalemate between Altitude and Comcast/Dish Network over carriage fees, with Comcast/Dish subscribers unable to see Altitude and their broadcasts of Avalanche and Nuggets games.

But the Avs’ games will be on various NBC properties for the first round, and cable subscribers who get those channels – which is the vast majority of people – will be able to see the games against the St. Louis Blues.

Here is the TV schedule for the games, at least through the first three games, and keep in mind that Altitude will also be broadcasting the games on Directv and other outlets:

Monday, May 17, 8 p.m.: Blues at Avalanche | NBCSN, SN1, TVAS

Wednesday, May 19, 8:30 p.m.: Blues at Avalanche| CNBC, SN360, TVAS

Friday, May 21, 7:30 p.m.: Avalanche at Blues | USA, SN360, TVAS

Sunday, May 23, TBD: Avalanche at Blues | TBD

*Tuesday, May 25, TBD: Blues at Avalanche | TBD

*Thursday, May 27, TBD: Avalanche at Blues | TBD

*Saturday, May 29, TBD: Blues at Avalanche/TBD

Colorado hockey now LOADED: 05.14.2021 1212615 Colorado Avalanche

Ryan O’Reilly: “We’re going to have some fun and we’re going to beat them”

By Adrian Dater

The Avalanche-Blues series hasn’t even begun, and we already have some prime bulletin-board material for Avs players to stare at for the next three days, courtesy of former Avs forward Ryan O’Reilly.

Here is what O’Reilly said tonight to Blues reporters via Zoom, after St. Louis beat Minnesota in their season finale:

O'Reilly on Colorado: "We know that they have a lot of talent over there and they work hard. But for us, it's an exciting challenge. We're going to have some fun and we're going to beat them." #stlblues

— Jeremy Rutherford (@jprutherford) May 14, 2021

Well, this series just got a lot more contentious.

Hey, ROR can boast. He’s won a Stanley Cup and a Conn Smythe Trophy. He almost single-handedly beat the Avs in a game a couple weeks ago in St. Louis.

But we’ll see who laughs last in this one.

Colorado hockey now LOADED: 05.14.2021 1212616 Colorado Avalanche

Presidential Sweet: Avalanche Are Tops in NHL Regular Season

By Adrian Dater

Colorado Avalanche: 2021 Presidents’ Trophy winners. It’s not the Stanley Cup, no, but it’s a piece of hardware that feels pretty damn good right now for Avs fans.

In a 56-game regular season that saw two lengthy Covid-19 delays and the usual passel of injuries to some key players, the Avs nonetheless clinched the best record for the 2021 NHL regular season Thursday night from a 5-1 win over the Los Angeles Kings at Ball Arena in the season finale.

The Avs now have home-ice advantage for any round of the playoffs they play, starting with Monday’s first-round game against the St. Louis Blues.

Thank you, thank you, thank you, Messrs. President.

It was a fun regular season, one in which the Avs came to play most every night, with few letdowns. They won the final five games of the season to win best record in the league, four wins against the Kings sandwiched around one very tough game in Las Vegas against the now second-place Golden Knights, who will play the Minnesota Wild in the first round.

Game 1 of the Avs-Blues series will start on Monday night at Ball Arena, where 7,750 fans will be able to attend. My thoughts on playing the Blues instead of the Wild? You know what, there are NO easy series in the NHL playoffs. I think the Avs are a much better team than St. Louis, but this will NOT be an easy series, not with Jordan Binnington in goal and Ryan O’Reilly performing his usual pixie dust magic.

But I think it’s just better to have won this trophy and home-ice throughout the playoffs. Don’t worry, be happy.

I was pretty nervous about this game after the first period. The Kings had a 1-0 lead and it was looking like Kings scrub goalie Troy Grosenick might have ONE OF THOSE NIGHTS against the Avs. And then the second period happened, and it was 20 minutes of bliss for all Avs fans.

Tyson Jost – TYSON JOST – led the way with the first two goals of the period. Skating in place of Nathan MacKinnon on the top line, Jost really came through for the Avs. After he gave the Avs a 2-1 lead, everybody just relaxed and it was an easy time of things from there.

Philipp Grubauer got an extra night of rest, thanks to coach Jared Bednar’s surprising decision to start Jonas Johansson in this one. Bednar now looks like a genius, and guys like me who questioned his move now get to wear the dunce hat.

Size 12, please.

That extra day of rest – the Avs would have started the playoffs Sunday against Minnesota had they lost – might come in very handy, with MacKinnon and Brandon Saad – two top-6 forwards – still on the mend from injury.

The Avs earned that extra day off with a gritty, superb showing down the stretch. Take a day off tomorrow and Saturday, fellas. But, come to work for practice on Sunday, because:

The real work is only just beginning.

By the way, are these hats selling well?

Woops pic.twitter.com/bkOD3UsKUS

— Adrian Dater (@adater) May 14, 2021

Colorado hockey now LOADED: 05.14.2021 1212617 Colorado Avalanche

Colorado Avalanche First-Round Playoff Schedule Set

By Adrian Dater

Some time tonight, we will know exactly who the Colorado Avalanche will play in the first round of the NHL playoffs. It will be either the Minnesota Wild (if they lose to the L.A. Kings) or the St. Louis Blues (if they win).

The NHL this morning released the schedules for both series. If the Avs win tonight, they get an extra day of rest and play the Blues on Monday. If they lose to the Kings, they’ll play Sunday against the Wild. Here are the schedules:

Colorado Avalanche/Vegas Golden Knights (1) vs. St. Louis Blues (4)

Monday, May 17, 10 p.m.: Blues at Avalanche | NBCSN, SN1, TVAS

Wednesday, May 19, 10:30 p.m.: Blues at Avalanche| CNBC, SN360, TVAS

Friday, May 21, 9:30 p.m.: Avalanche at Blues | USA, SN360, TVAS

Sunday, May 23, TBD: Avalanche at Blues | TBD

*Tuesday, May 25, TBD: Blues at Avalanche | TBD

*Thursday, May 27, TBD: Avalanche at Blues | TBD

*Saturday, May 29, TBD: Blues at Avalanche/TBD

Colorado Avalanche/Vegas Golden Knights (2) vs. Minnesota Wild (3)

Sunday, May 16, 3 p.m.: Wild at Avalanche/Golden Knights | NBC, SN, TVAS

Tuesday, May 18, 10 p.m.: Wild at Avalanche/Golden Knights | NBCSN, SN360, TVAS

Thursday, May 20, 9:30 p.m.: Avalanche/Golden Knights at Wild | NBCSN, SN360, TVAS

Saturday, May 22, 8 p.m.: Avalanche/Golden Knights at Wild | NBC, SN360, TVAS

*Monday, May 24, TBD: Wild at Avalanche/Golden Knights | TBD

*Wednesday, May 26, TBD: Avalanche/Golden Knights at Wild | TBD

*Friday, May 28, TBD: Wild at Avalanche/Golden Knights | TBD

Colorado hockey now LOADED: 05.14.2021 1212618 Columbus Blue Jackets If Larsen doesn’t stay with the Blue Jackets — he’s been in the organization for 12 years, the last seven as an assistant coach in Columbus — he’ll likely join Tortorella’s staff wherever his next NHL stop Panarin 2.0? Blue Jackets willing to keep Seth Jones into 2021-22 may be. without extension The Blue Jackets also are expected to seek permission in the coming days to interview Gerard Gallant. It’s a job Gallant has held before, of course. He was head coach of the Blue Jackets from 2003-04 to 2005-06 By Aaron Portzline May 14, 2021 after serving as an assistant coach in the first three years of the organization.

Gallant, who is on his way to Latvia to coach Canada in the IIHF World COLUMBUS, Ohio — Blue Jackets general manager Jarmo Kekalainen Championship, is still under contract with Vegas through the end of next still hopes to sign defenseman Seth Jones to a long-term contract month. He took the Golden Knights to the Stanley Cup Final in their first extension this summer. But an ultimatum — sign or be traded season (2017-18). He won the Jack Adams Trophy that season as the immediately — will not be part of the Blue Jackets’ offer to Jones in July. NHL’s top coach. In keeping with the way the Jackets handled the pending unrestricted The New York Rangers on Thursday were granted permission by Vegas free agency of Artemi Panarin two years ago, Kekalainen told The to interview Gallant as a candidate to replace David Quinn, who was fired Athletic on Thursday that he’s willing to keep Jones well into next season Wednesday. without an extension in place. Kekalainen was asked what characteristics he’s looking for in the Blue “We still have one year left on (Jones’) contract,” Kekalainen said. “We’re Jackets’ next coach. not going to let a player of that caliber go without doing everything in our toolbox to convince him to stay. “Every coach is different,” Kekalainen said. “But there’s a standard here and it’s important that we keep it. The work ethic, how we go about our “I would do everything we can to get him to stay, which means fighting to business … we can’t be thinking about just the tactical side and getting a the bitter end and hopefully getting the right result.” smart coach. It was a bitter end, indeed, with Pararin. The Blue Jackets did everything “It also has to be a coach that runs a culture like we’ve had here for a they could to make him stay: an eight-year, $96 million offer, free vodka long time, and sets a standard every day in how we do our business.” for life and more, but he still left Columbus to sign as a free agent with the New York Rangers. Ready for the worlds

“That was a completely different situation,” Kekalainen said. “Everybody The Blue Jackets could have as many as seven players representing the knew they had their minds set on (New York). We could have gotten a organization beginning later this month at the IIHF World Championship shitload of futures for Panarin (at the trade deadline), but we decided to in Latvia. rent him to ourselves.” Forward Eric Robinson and minor-league defenseman Adam Clendening The thought — hope? — is that Jones, who has spent most of his career have made the final cut for Team USA, who will be coached by in Columbus, is more amenable to signing with the Blue Jackets. Initial Providence College’s Nate Leaman. conversations between Kekalainen and Jones’ agent, Pat Brisson, have begun, so perhaps Kekalainen has some indication of this. Forwards Liam Foudy and Justin Danforth were still on Team Canada’s roster as of Thursday, but final cuts are still forthcoming. Same with Further, Kekalainen said he and his front office have looked at trades forwards Mikhail Grigorenko and Dimitry Voronko and defenseman involving pending UFAs, to see if the return is greater one year away Vladislav Gavrikov for Team Russia. from the contract’s expiration versus the trade deadline of the final season. The Athletic LOADED: 05.14.2021

“It’s probably a little bit of a difference in the return if you do it one year before or at the deadline,” Kekalainen said. “But, at the same time, the competition could get a lot more intense at the deadline. If teams think a player can put them over the top, you never know.”

Many were surprised, for instance, when the Blue Jackets landed first- round picks in their trade deadline deals involving forward Nick Foligno (Toronto) and defenseman David Savard (Tampa Bay) last month.

A few other things to consider:

• Does Kekalainen acknowledging his willingness to wait almost guarantee Jones will push his decision into next year? Other than the fear of a catastrophic injury, what’s his impetus to sign now?

• Can the Blue Jackets handle another season in which the prevailing storyline surrounding the organization is whether a star player wants to stay in Columbus long-term?

• What if the Blue Jackets are in the playoff race, or close to it, at next year’s deadline? Is Kekalainen really going to take Jones out of the lineup in that situation?

Kekalainen said Thursday the No. 1 priority on his lengthy offseason to- do list is hiring a coach to replace firebrand John Tortorella, who had an impact on almost every aspect of the organization during his six seasons in Columbus.

The Blue Jackets will interview assistant coach Brad Larsen for the job, The Athletic has learned, but it was announced Thursday by the club that assistant coach Brad Shaw was leaving the organization.

It’s more than a little surprising Shaw is allowed to leave Columbus without so much as an interview, as he’s one of the most respected assistants in the NHL. He won’t have any trouble finding work. 1212619 Dallas Stars Cogliano, Comeau, Kero and Dowling all meet the games played requirement, but none are signed for next season.

“We’ll have those conversations,” Cogliano said. “There’s so much going Stars’ pending UFAs plan to enjoy time away from the game before on with the team. There’s so much going on in terms of everyone getting figuring out next moves situated, figuring things out. Of course, this is a phenomenal place to play.”

By Matthew DeFranks May 13, 2021 CDT Off to Worlds

Three players in the Stars organization will play for the United Stars in the upcoming World Championship in Latvia: forward Jason Robertson, For the Stars’ pending unrestricted free agents, it will take a little bit of goaltender Jake Oettinger and defenseman Ryan Shea, who spent the time to figure out their next move. entire season with AHL affiliate Texas.

Blake Comeau is looking forward to spending time with his three Dallas Morning News LOADED: 05.14.2021 daughters, who he spent a lot of days away from during the regular season. Jamie Oleksiak will hang around Dallas instead of going back to Canada, taking a bit to decompress. knows parts of the process are “an unknown and out of your control,” but vows to be ready when training camp rolls around, whichever locale he’s at.

The three players are the most prominent Stars UFAs this summer, though Tanner Kero, Justin Dowling, Sami Vatanen, Mark Pysyk, Taylor Fedun, Landon Bow and Stephen Johns are also unrestricted.

The biggest fish in Dallas in Oleksiak, who emerged as a top-four defenseman alongside Miro Heiskanen in the previous two seasons. Oleksiak scored a career-high six goals this season while averaging a career-high 20:29 of ice time and contributing to the penalty kill. The Stars held on to him at the trade deadline with the hopes of re-signing him.

The perfect time frame to re-sign Oleksiak, 28, could be between the expansion draft July 21 and the start of free agency July 28. That way, the Stars can keep Oleksiak without having to protect him in the expansion draft.

“We’ll probably circle back with my agent in a couple of weeks, touch on what’s going to happen this summer,” Oleksiak said. “Honestly, as of now, haven’t thought much about it. just taking time to get away from the game and then I’ll reflect later on it.”

Oleksiak’s cap hit might fall somewhere between $3 million and $4 million, based on other recent comparable contracts. His three-year contract that just expired had a $2.1375 million cap hit.

For Comeau, 35, and Cogliano, 33, the future is a bit murkier.

The two forwards made up two-thirds of the Stars’ checking line centered by Radek Faksa and combined to account for $5.65 million against the cap in each of the last three seasons. But the Stars have younger alternatives at their positions (Joel Kiviranta, Nick Caamano, Rhett Gardner and Ty Dellandrea) come to mind and could potentially use that money to sign a top-six forward in free agency.

But neither player is thinking about that right now.

“I have three young girls, they’re getting older now, my two older ones in sports and I missed a lot of things this year,” Comeau said. “They’re asking when I’m going to be home, and why I have to be gone so long. Going into this summer, I have the mindset of, if things fall into place, they fall into place. If they don’t, they don’t. I’m just excited to enjoy time in the summer with my family, get a little bit of rest here and re-energize.”

Cogliano: “I don’t take anything for granted. I was fortunate to come here and play for a great team, great organization, great coaching staff. We’ll see where that goes and what the future brings and you leave it to that.”

While it would be surprising if Comeau or Cogliano was brought back, it’s not wholly impossible. Each of the last two offseasons, general manager Jim Nill re-signed a veteran free agent: Roman Polak in 2019 and Andrej Sekera in 2020.

The Stars also might have to re-sign a UFA forward to fulfill the expansion draft requirements. Teams must leave at least two forwards available who are under contract for 2021-22 and played either 27 games in 2020-21 or 54 in the last two seasons.

Jason Dickinson might fill one of those spots should the Stars leave him unprotected, and should the team re-sign the restricted free agent before the expansion draft. Nick Caaamano could have been the other one if he’d played just three more games this season. 1212620 Detroit Red Wings

Why Steve Yzerman's unexpected silence on Jeff Blashill shouldn't be surprising

HELENE ST. JAMES

Steve Yzerman’s silence on the Detroit Red Wings coaching front would seem to favor Jeff Blashill, but hold off on placing any bets.

Yzerman is as deliberate and patient as they come; when he was named general manager in April 2019, he announced he wanted to spend his first year observing. He held off on naming a captain, made low-key signings to patch the lineup and set about steering the rebuild in the direction he deemed fit.

That included keeping Blashill on as coach, honoring the two-year extension Blashill had signed 17 days before Yzerman’s return.

Now that extension is up, giving Yzerman a free hand to bring in his own coach. Yzerman said last month “Jeff and I will sit down very quickly after the season and discuss that.” The season ended May 8. Their meeting so far has not yielded clarity.

Yzerman and Blashill have a good working relationship, often spending time in Blashill’s office at Little Caesars Arena dissecting performances after games. Blashill was named coach in 2015, at a time when the team was sinking into the rebuild because the playoff streak had left the farm system empty of elite prospects. The Wings advanced to the playoffs in Blashill’s first season, but the streak ended in 2017 after 25 consecutive seasons.

The Wings have gone 172-221-62 under Blashill’s guidance. Last season marked a low point, with only 17 victories in 71 games before COVID-19 mandated a shutdown. The Wings (19-27-10), lost five players to the pandemic a week into the 2020-21 season and a slew of players to injuries, including Tyler Bertuzzi, Dylan Larkin, Bobby Ryan and . Still, from Feb. 6 — about a week after the COVID-19 guys returned to action — to the end of the season, the Wings went 17-19-8, matching the record of the playoff-bound Montreal Canadiens.

Yzerman is not at the point where he’s looking for a coach who can guide the Wings to the Stanley Cup. The Wings need someone who can develop players, as Blashill has done with Larkin, Bertuzzi, Filip Hronek, Filip Zadina, Michael Rasmussen and more.

But maybe Yzerman wants a fresh voice. When he left the Wings’ front office in 2010 to accept the Tampa Bay Lightning GM position, Yzerman hired Guy Boucher for his first NHL head coaching job. Yzerman fired Boucher on March 24, 2013, and, the next day, announced the promotion of Jon Cooper. Yzerman had hired Cooper to coach the Lightning’s AHL affiliate in 2010.

If Yzerman wants to bring in someone new, he’s likely to consider his former roommate, Lane Lambert, who is an assistant with the playoff- bound Islanders. Lambert was head coach of the AHL Milwaukee Admirals until being named an assistant coach with the Nashville Predators in 2011. He was an assistant with the Washington Capitals during their 2018 Stanley Cup championship and has served under Barry Trotz in New York since 2018.

The New York Rangers made coaching news Wednesday, relieving David Quinn of his duties. Over the weekend, the Columbus Blue Jackets parted ways with John Tortorella, and the Arizona Coyotes parted ways with Rick Tocchet. In total, there are coaching vacancies in expansion Seattle, Arizona, Buffalo, Columbus, and the Rangers.

Detroit Free Press LOADED: 05.14.2021 1212621 Detroit Red Wings Blashill consistently saw Vrana’s desire to be a complete player, one who is elite at both ends of the rink.

“We’ve had a number of meetings already, we’ve gone over some things, Jakub Vrana's desire to be a complete player a positive for Red Wings and he’s done a real good job of being receptive,” Blashill said. “He truly wants feedback and he wants to get better at things.

"He's a really talented player, and that’s a fact. He needs to keep working TED KULFAN | The Detroit News on his all-around game, but he’s a really talented player. He can be a real key addition, and what I like most about him is he’s been very receptive

to coaching. He wants to get better in those areas that he needs to get Detroit — As the world awaits the identity of the next Red Wings coach better at so he can be out there more, and he’s done a good job of that. — will it remain Jeff Blashill or be someone else — it appears there’s one “I’ve learned he cares and he wants to be better and that’s a huge part of less question mark regarding the team. it.” Jakub Vrana is going to be an exciting and possibly impactful player for Vrana had 11 points in his 11 games with the Wings, including eight the Wings. The 11 games at the end of the season, though a snippet of goals. Four came in one game on April 22 against Dallas. information, sure looked promising. With the Wings decimated by injuries to scoring forwards Dylan Larkin, General manager Steve Yzerman, who hasn’t announced his decision Robby Fabbri, Tyler Bertuzzi and Bobby Ryan, Vrana supplied much- whether to retain Blashill, has made a flurry of deals already in his two needed offense. years retooling the roster. That, too, was a positive development given Vrana’s role in Washington But acquiring Vrana at this season’s trade deadline (along with Richard was secondary behind a group of established veterans such as Alex Panik and two draft picks) for Anthony Mantha could be an important one Ovechkin, Nicklas Backstrom and T.J. Oshie, among others. going forward. Vrana will get the chance with the Wings to be that go-to player. The draft picks were Washington's 2021 first-round pick and 2022 second-round pick, so both players could be legitimate prospects. But As a restricted free agent, the Wings will need to work out a new contract more so, Vrana, in a brief sample size, looked special. with Vrana, which will be intriguing to watch. Do the Wings make a long- term deal with Vrana? Or are both sides more agreeable and comfortable “He’s the type of player we can use here, a guy who finishes and just has with a shorter-term deal? that offensive ability,” defenseman Danny DeKeyser said. “He wants to put the puck in the back of the net. Regardless, Vrana looked ready for the challenge and the Wings are excited about giving him that opportunity. “He’s real good. … He’s got high-end skill, that’s obvious. When he gets the puck in the offensive zone, he creates chances and he’s one of those “We’ve talked about, it’s one thing to be a complementary player on a guys that when he gets a Grade-A scoring chance or a breakaway, he team with a whole bunch of skilled players. It’s another thing to try and be buries those more often than not.” a driver,” Blashill said. “I’d love to see him become a driver and be a guy who can really be a go-to guy. To do that you have to have a complete The offense was sublime, but a nagging item that was hanging over game, and he understands that and he’s working at it. Vrana when he arrived in Detroit was the perception that he didn’t take to coaching. “I knew he was a good player. He’s more skilled than I realized. He’s got legit, legit ability to score, without a doubt. He’s got a great stick. Now it’s In his final weeks with the Capitals, Vrana was twice a healthy scratch by just a matter of becoming that complete player and I’ve learned that he Capitals coach Peter Laviolette, with a lack of attention to the defensive wants to be that.” side of the rink appearing to be the main issue.

Laviolette addressed the situation the day after Vrana was traded. Detroit News LOADED: 05.14.2021 “When you say Jakub and me, or Jakub and a coaching staff, it’s just the idea of how a team needs to play in order to be successful on a nightly basis, and certainly in the playoffs when things become heavy,” Laviolette said. “It was never about one person. It’s about a style and way every player has to play on a successful team.

“You have to play with a certain identity and that’s what we’re trying to get through our team, and it’s not always there. It’s inconsistent at times throughout the team. Some of the conversations with Jakub did revolve around that.”

There were also comments by Capitals GM Brian MacLellan after the trade, saying Vrana was “a little frustrated with where he's at here within the organization. Probably wants a little more ice time, wants more responsibility and there was a tugging war between coaching staff and staffs that have had him and the way he was playing.”

So, there were red flags. But a positive for the Wings was the fact they saw no such issues.

If anything, Vrana went out of his way to receive and embrace the coaching.

In the next-to-last game of the season in Columbus, what excited Blashill wasn’t a highlight-reel goal by Vrana. Rather, it was something only a coach would love to see.

“What I really liked were two unreal backchecks,” said Blashill, a testament to Vrana’s desire to play defense and be accountable to that side of the rink. “That’s the work ethic of someone who wants to become that complete player, and hopefully complete winner, that you need.

“It’s not like he’s without mistakes. He’s going to continue to grow in those areas. But to me it shows what his care level is.” 1212622 Detroit Red Wings

Justin Abdelkader among Michigan contingent on U.S. national hockey team

Staff Report

The Detroit News

Justin Abdelkader, who played 13 seasons with the Detroit Red Wings, is one of four players hailing from the state of Michigan who will play for the U.S. men's national hockey team in 2021.

The roster was announced Thursday, ahead of the team competing in the 2021 International Federation Men’s World Championship May 21-June 6 in Riga, Latvia.

Abdelkader, a forward from Muskegon who also starred at Michigan State, is joined on the team by defensemen Matt Roy (Detroit) and Christian Wolanin (Rochester), and forward Jason Robertson (Northville).

Also on the team is Matt Beniers, a University of Michigan standout who should be one of the top players selected in the upcoming NHL Entry Draft, and defenseman Matt Tennyson, who played collegiately at Western Michigan. At 18 years old, Beniers is the youngest player on the roster.

"We’re excited with the roster we have and look forward to the world championship," Chris Drury, general manager of the national team, said in a statement. "It’s a unique year and we appreciate the dedication and commitment of everyone. We really like our team and our goal, like every other team our country puts on the ice, is to bring home a gold medal."

Abdelkader, 34, is making his third trip to the world championships for the U.S. team, following appearances in 2012 and 2014, the latter of which he served as team captain.

Abdelkader scored 106 goals and tallied 146 assists in 739 games for the Red Wings from 2007-2020. He was waived last October, and signed with EV Zug in Switzerland.

In his second season with the Dallas Stars, Robertson had 45 points (17 goals) in 51 games.

Roy finished his third season with the Los Angeles Kings. Wolanin played 18 games in the NHL last season between the Ottawa Senators and the Kings.

The U.S. team opens the tournament May 22 against Finland.

The Canadian team was also announced on Thursday with Red Wings defenseman Troy Stecher on the roster with University of Michigan defenseman Owen Power.

Saginaw center Cole Perfetti is one of 14 forwards on the Canadian team.

Detroit News LOADED: 05.14.2021 1212623 Detroit Red Wings Would the Sabres trade their franchise player within the division? Atlantic Division rivals Detroit and Buffalo were in different divisions this

year due to temporary realignment because of COVID-19, but the NHL is Odds on Jack Eichel’s landing spot: Where Red Wings rank on list expected to revert to the normal alignment next season. Buffalo surely would be hesitant to move Eichel to Detroit and have to face him 4-5 times a season with the teams possibly competing for a playoff spot in the near future. Updated May 12, 5:20 PM; Posted May 12, 5:20 PM They dealt another star, Taylor Hall, to division rival Boston at this year’s By Ansar Khan | [email protected] deadline, but he is five years older and unrestricted after the season.

Do the Red Wings have the pieces to deal? Jack Eichel dropped a bombshell on the NHL and the dumpster fire that It is difficult to project the asking price on a trade of this magnitude. is the Buffalo Sabres on Monday by expressing his dissatisfaction with Anthony Mantha landed the Red Wings a talented, younger player who the state of the franchise. has produced at a comparable rate (Jakub Vrana) as well as first- and “I’ve been a bit upset about the way things have been handled since I’ve second-round picks, though they will be late in each round, from been hurt,” Eichel, drafted second overall behind Connor McDavid in Washington. 2015, said during his postseason media availability. “I’d be lying if I said Eichel should fetch much more. things have moved smoothly since my injury. There’s been a bit of a disconnect between myself and the organization. … The most important So, the Red Wings likely would need to relinquish a proven top-six thing is just trying to get healthy, figure out a way to be available to play forward (Larkin? Tyler Bertuzzi?), their top pick this year (it could be in hockey next year, wherever that might be.” the top five, no worse than ninth) and maybe even the Capitals’ first- rounder, and a prominent prospect or younger player. Much of the disconnect the 6-2, 213-pound center talked about is the difference of opinion on how his injury (herniated disc in his neck) should Is Eichel’s injury cause for concern? be handled. It limited him to 21 games this season (two goals, 16 assists). He wants surgery, the club prefers rehab. Any team willing to invest that much in a player (in salary cost and assets relinquished) must be certain his play won’t be diminished moving Naturally, the comments triggered speculation on where he might be forward due to his injury, and surely expects the best is yet to come. traded, which teams would be interested and who has the assets to make it happen. Adams said on his media call that the team and Eichel have agreed to wait until early June to determine how to proceed with his injury. He said Sabres general manager Kevyn Adams, during his media call on the type of surgery Eichel’s camp desires has never been performed on Wednesday, said Eichel has not asked for a trade. an NHL player.

Can this relationship be repaired? If not, Eichel’s future figures to be the Would Eichel want to play in Detroit? hottest topic heading into the entry draft on July 23-24. Of course, it wouldn’t be his decision. But the Red Wings certainly Eichel, 24, has had a good career, averaging nearly a point a game (139 wouldn’t want to make a blockbuster deal for a player who isn’t all in on goals and 355 points in 375 games), though not spectacular. He has one leading the rebuild. Eichel has played on a lot of bad teams in Buffalo 30-plus goal season (36 in 2019-20) and one 80-plus point season (82 in and hasn’t appeared in a playoff game in his six NHL seasons. Not much 2018-19). would change for at least another year or two in Detroit. Would he have the patience to see it through? He has five years remaining on his contract at a $10 million cap hit. As shown in those odds, the Rangers and Kings, each with a good pool Who is the favorite to land Eichel? BetOnline (www.BetOnline.ag) of young players and prospects, are better-positioned to pursue Eichel. weighed in with these odds: Ultimately, Eichel to Detroit seems like a longshot, but with Yzerman in New York Rangers 5/2 charge, you never know. Los Angeles Kings 3/1

Arizona Coyotes 4/1 Michigan Live LOADED: 05.14.2021 Boston Bruins 5/1

Calgary Flames 6/1

Minnesota Wild 8/1

Detroit Red Wings 9/1

Columbus Blue Jackets 10/1

Philadelphia Flyers 14/1

Washington Capitals 16/1

Chicago Blackhawks 20/1

Montreal Canadiens 22/1

Toronto Maple Leafs 33/1

Red Wings general manager Steve Yzerman isn’t afraid to make bold moves. He showed that in Tampa Bay by trading Martin St. Louis and Jonathan Drouin and buying out Vincent Lecavalier, and last month by dealing Anthony Mantha.

Eichel would fill the Red Wings’ need for a top-line center for years to come, a spot that Dylan Larkin, who many believe is better-suited as a second-line center, has not cemented. The Red Wings have ample cap space and Eichel could accelerate their rebuild.

But, as shown by those odds, several other clubs are better-positioned to make a pitch for Eichel, for a variety of reasons: 1212624 Detroit Red Wings

Steve Yzerman taking measured approach with Jeff Blashill decision

Updated May 11, 2021; Posted May 11, 2021

By Ansar Khan | [email protected]

Two teams moved quickly to part with coaches on Sunday, less than 24 hours after their season ended.

Detroit Red Wings general manager Steve Yzerman is taking a more measured approach in deciding whether to retain Jeff Blashill.

Yzerman indicated on April 12 that he and Blashill would “sit down very quickly after the season” to discuss the future. It is unclear if that meeting has taken place. Blashill was in the final year of an extension he signed in 2019 under former GM Ken Holland.

It is possible that Yzerman and Blashill will meet later this week, after the two wrap up customary season-ending exit interviews with players. It would be unusual to have Blashill participate in those interviews if he weren’t going to continue as coach.

Teams that replace their coaches typically do it almost immediately after their season concludes. That is what Columbus did with John Tortorella and Arizona with Rick Tocchet.

Yzerman has several factors to consider, whether he has already decided or will decide after meeting with Blashill. They include the overall progress of the team, the development of younger players, and whether he feels a better alternative is available.

Yzerman surely is wary of making a hiring that doesn’t pan out and being forced to change coaches again in a couple of years.

The Red Wings are 172-221-62 under Blashill the past six seasons. They have missed the playoffs five years in a row, not unexpected given their dearth of talent.

They aren’t likely to contend for a playoff spot next season, maybe not even the year after. This is something prospective candidates surely recognize as well.

Blashill, 47, was going to be evaluated on the team’s progress and the development of young players.

The Red Wings went 19-27-10, posting a .429 points percentage, following a dreadful 2019-20 season (17-49-5, .275 points percentage). Aside from a handful of blowout losses, they were more competitive, despite experiencing a rash of injuries to key players like forwards Tyler Bertuzzi, Bobby Ryan, Robby Fabbri and Dylan Larkin and goaltender , as well as losing many regulars for a couple of weeks early in the season due to COVID protocol.

Michigan Live LOADED: 05.14.2021 1212625 Detroit Red Wings But the upside of having gotten back in time to play a small, but non- trivial, number of games in the AHL is McIsaac will now know exactly what he’s preparing for next season. He said he was on the ice “as much as possible” with skills coaches in Grand Rapids, watching video and Jared McIsaac’s resilience from shoulder woes could pay off for Red being around the team before he was able to get into the action himself. Wings: ‘He’s got a bright future’ But when he did, he said he felt like he “jumped in pretty well and contributed on both sides of the puck,” save for the mistakes that were

inevitable after so much time away. By Max Bultman “Having not played that long, in quite a while, playing a ton of games in a May 13, 2021 short amount of time, it can catch up to you,” Simon said. “I think that he did show glimpses of what he is: two-way guy that can contribute offensively. Things happen a little bit quicker at this level, so again, the more you’re put in those situations, the better served you’re going to be GRAND RAPIDS — Jared McIsaac must have developed a resilient in the future. And we tried to put him in those situations: PP, PK. sense of humor in the last two seasons. Hopefully he’ll take those experiences and be better for them next Because after missing his last two games with a sprained AC joint — season.” following surgeries on each shoulder in consecutive years — he didn’t Certainly that experience was the on-ice benefit of McIsaac getting back shy away from the frustration of his already-shortened 2021 season in the lineup for those 10 games. But don’t dismiss the inherent being shut down a few days early because of an injury of the shoulder significance of coming back from these shoulder injuries in the first place, joint where two bones meet. either. “No surgeries required,” McIsaac said with a chuckle. “So just short- The injuries themselves have cost McIsaac so much in time, term.” development and mental energy, to be sure. McIsaac called it “a little bump” and “nothing serious,” which surely has to He didn’t fold to them, though. So while McIsaac enters this offseason a be a relief, even though it will force McIsaac to miss the Grand Rapids bit banged up again, with an important to-do list awaiting him, he also Griffins’ final two games of the season this weekend. But as much as does so armed with a resilience he formed the hard way. McIsaac could muster that wry laugh Thursday morning, no one could have faulted him had he been dejected, either. It’s hard to quantify that or know how far it can take him. But McIsaac has already shown an ability to emerge from adversity early in his budding In 2019-20, the Red Wings defense prospect pushed through rehab in career. That shouldn’t go overlooked as he enters its next phase. time to play for Canada at the world juniors. This year, the 2018 second- round pick recovered from surgery to join the Griffins for the final stretch “He’s got a bright future,” Simon said. “He’s just gotta find a way to stay of AHL play — only hoping to play in five or six games at the time of healthy.” surgery, he ended up playing in 10.

Those are impressive recoveries by McIsaac, and as Griffins coach Ben Simon pointed out, they show his resolve. Because even though The Athletic LOADED: 05.14.2021 McIsaac’s not too worn down for a subtle joke about his bad injury luck now, it doesn’t mean it’s been any kind of laughing matter for him at a crucial stage of his career.

“Mentally draining,” McIsaac said of repeating the recovery process this season. His mind wandered to “here we go again” and “same ordeal.”

“But, I mean, (the) resources were put in front of me, and I did as much as I could to stay positive, and the guys, being around the team helped a lot too, watching games,” he said. “Last year I was in Detroit rehabbing, so I wasn’t with my junior team, I was just rehabbing in Detroit. So this year (was) a little bit easier going around knowing what was in front of me. A little bit smoother this time.”

When McIsaac did get back on the ice, Simon said, “his first couple games I thought he was fantastic. I think a little bit running on adrenaline, the excitement, kind of you could see just the relief of, ‘I get to play games.'”

He ended the year with two assists in 10 games, and McIsaac said he felt “really confident,” especially in the last four or five games. That squares with his shot totals: He had four shots in his last three games after having that many in his first seven. He said his body and shoulders felt great.

The sprained AC joint certainly throws a wrench into that, but seemingly convinced this injury is minor, McIsaac has his eyes already turned toward the next challenge.

“I haven’t had a full summer the past two summers to actually work on my upper body,” McIsaac said. “I’ve been rehabbing both summers, so it’s a big summer for that. It’s a big summer in general, preparing for next year.”

For all the things McIsaac has been robbed of by his shoulder issues, that detail might go overlooked. And at 6-foot-1 and 195 pounds, adding physical mass and strength could give McIsaac more confidence when engaging in one-on-one battles, as well as the obvious benefit of more effectiveness.

Simon also wants to see McIsaac add some quickness to his skating, particularly in terms of acceleration, for a player who describes his style of play as “a simple defensive game, move pucks, skate, defend, close plays early, contribute offensively as much as possible.” 1212626 Edmonton Oilers “I can’t tell you he’s in for sure, and I certainly can’t tell you that he’s not playing in Game 1. For Friday against Toronto, (Andrew) Copp won’t play. We’ll keep him out. He’ll be back on the ice early part of next week getting ready for it.” OILERS NOTES: Bill Ranford's star shone bright in last Oilers-Jets playoff series WHERE DID THE TIME GO?

People forget Ranford played more Oilers games in net than anybody else (449) with Fuhr next at 423. He retired in 2000 when Kevin Lowe, Jim Matheson • Edmonton Journal his old teammate, was head coach. Tommy Salo was the No. 1 goalie. He played 70 league games, and Ranford 16. Again he was only 33, Publishing date: May 13, 2021 young by today’s standards.

“I had the No. 1-goalie mentality and I was no longer that. My kids had Bill Ranford remembers the last time the Edmonton Oilers and Winnipeg bumped around a lot. I didn’t want to be a backup or a No. 2,” said Jets battled in the playoffs like it was yesterday, although there’s been Ranford. “I played 15 NHL seasons and I’m stupid enough to have 15 over 10,000 yesterdays since Game 1, April 4, 1990. more as a coach. This is my 30th year of NHL hockey. That’s nuts. Next year, I’ll have more as coach than a player and I never would have This was Ranford’s coming-out party as an NHL goalie, the first step thought that.” toward his only Stanley Cup win as a player, a Cup celebration along with the Conn Smythe MVP trophy, with two more victories coming as a Ranford has certainly followed Smith’s work this season. goalie coach in Los Angeles. “I’m not surprised at how well he’s played. He’s in phenomenal shape. He was only 23 years old, tasked with carrying the load with He takes really good care of his body,” said Ranford. unavailable because of his nagging shoulder issue, and Pokey Reddick as the No. 3 goalie. Edmonton Sun: LOADED: 05.14.2021 But the lights almost went out in that Game 1 at . The Jets beat the Oilers 7-5 in one of those uh-oh moments.

“Only my second opportunity to play in the NHL playoffs and, bottom line, I didn’t play well, but I got a lot of support not just from the coaching staff but the players and that was huge,” said Ranford, now 54, whose last NHL action came in 2000 after he had gone and come back for one last Oilers hurrah, retiring at 33 after 647 league games, five more than current Oilers goalie, 39-year-old Mike Smith, has played.

“They put a video together the morning after that first game, showed me making some saves and they said we’re either winning with you or without you,” he said. “It was one of those moments where you have to decide whether you’re going to prove everybody wrong or let them walk all over you.

“The thing that was impressive after Game 1 was this: Slats (general manager ) was in the dressing room and they could have hid me in the back but he pulled me off to the side and said this is going to be a good learning experience for you. He said, when things don’t go good, you have to take your lumps. It was a defining moment for me.”

The Oilers won Game 2 on Mark Lamb’s overtime goal here, lost Games 3 and 4 by a goal, Game 4 in double overtime on Dave Ellett’s goal as they went up 3-1 in the series, but Ranford shut the door as they won in seven. The Oilers only lost three of their next 15 playoff games.

“This was supposed to the year for the Jets. Time and time again we had beat them. Everybody felt because of the whole (absence of Wayne) Gretzky thing, this was going to be the year to take advantage of us. The Jets had a very, very good hockey team. Dale Hawerchuk and Thomas Steen, going through all those battles year after year,” said Ranford.

Ranford certainly recalls Jets assistant coach Alpo Suhonen saying they had the Oilers exactly where they wanted them, clinging to a last life.

“You learn those things, when you’ve got the top dog down, you keep your mouth shut and you don’t give a team something to put on the board the next morning,” said Ranford. “That happened then and , later in the Chicago series, when they were up on us and Mike mentioned that he thought wasn’t outplaying them. You know how the rest of that series went.

“Back then, the Oilers and Jets was a big rivalry. There was a huge love- hate relationship. They loved the style of hockey the Oilers played but to this day when I go back to Winnipeg (with the Kings) my name is not well received in that city,” he laughed.

NOT SAME WITHOUT EHLERS

The Jets, who have lost nine of their last 11, have struggled mightily since second-line right-winger Nikolaj Ehlers went out with a shoulder issue. With the playoff series opening May 19, they have no firm timetable on his return.

“He’s back skating with us now and he’s shooting some pucks. We’ll see where the next five or six days get us to,” said Jets coach Paul Maurice. 1212627 Edmonton Oilers your job a little differently, depending on who it is you’re trying to shut down or try to eliminate their scoring chances. But it’s always a tough test whether you go up against those two or Draisaitl and McDavid, it’s just a different approach.” Should the Oilers play McDavid and Draisaitl together or apart? Here’s what the forward lines could look like for the first game:

Leon Draisaitl • Connor McDavid • Jesse Puljujarvi Jim Matheson • Edmonton Journal Dominik Kahun • Ryan Nugent-Hopkins • Kailer Yamamoto Publishing date: May 13, 2021 James Neal • Ryan McLeod • Alex Chiasson

Devin Shore • Jujhar Khaira • Josh Archibald. Connor McDavid and Leon Draisaitl separated? If Kassian is ready to play and they need his aggressiveness, he could Or does this marriage stay intact? play fourth-line right-wing and Archibald could move to the left side with Shore out. It would still give them two penalty-kill guys in Khaira and There are other questions percolating in everybody’s mind as the Archibald on the line for extra minutes. Edmonton Oilers prepare for the Winnipeg Jets next Wednesday in the opening salvo in their playoff series — can right-winger Zack Kassian Gaetan Haas would be first centre called on if McLeod or Khaira were make it back to the bottom six after injuring his leg on a hit against Shea hurt, and has played 60 penalty-kill minutes, fourth most amongst Weber April 21, and will we see the game-but-hobbled Kris Russell on forwards. Tyler Ennis would be the first one up off the taxi squad the left side in the third defence pairing with Ethan Bear? because he played 30 games.

But those are sidebars. The big story is the nuclear option of McDavid Joakim Nygard would be the second roster player if they want some with Draisaitl together, all game long. Not with McDavid as the No. 1 speed. Neither plays on the power play or penalty kill, though, so their all- centre and Draisaitl as No. 2, which has always seemed logical against around minutes are limited in the bottom six. the Jets with Mark Scheifele in the first-line hole and Pierre-Luc Dubois at No. 2, but that’s not the way Dave Tippett has handled it through their And the defence, no changes in the first five with a veteran versus a nine league meetings. youngster in Caleb Jones in sixth hole:

Together constantly, not just on their power play, clicking at 28.1 per cent Tyson Barrie • Darnell Nurse with 48 goals in 55 games. Dmitry Kulikov • Adam Larsson “We’ve talked about Connor and Leon and where they play for a long Ethan Bear • Kris Russell time now. It’s situationally motivated,” said the Oilers coach, who has a switch in his head but won’t say when or whether he’ll keep them Russell, out since April 29, can kill penalties so he would probably get the together or apart, knowing they’ve been very successful on the same line Tippett nod in the third pair. against the Jets this season.

Is it mid-game, mid-series that he decides who they play with? Edmonton Sun: LOADED: 05.14.2021 “Sometimes it is within the game, where things aren’t going the way you want them to. You want to change the rhythm, there’s match-up stuff, lots of factors. It’s who’s playing with them if they’re apart and how they’re playing. It’s not a game-by-game thing, it really can be within the game,” said Tippett. “We can make the decision to start them together but whether they stay together …

“Like I said, it really is situational.”

Like if Ryan Nugent-Hopkins plays No. 2 centre and there’s not enough offensive juice coming from that line, Draisaitl would definitely move down.

Tippett expects to see the Jets double up Mark Scheifele and Adam Lowry.

Scheifele is a sure-fire Canadian Olympian in 2022 if the NHL goes to Beijing, but Scheifele has been eaten up by McDavid. When they’ve been on the ice together, McDavid has out-scored Scheifele 10-2, and the Oilers have had the puck so much they’ve had almost double the shot attempts, with McDavid playing 18 minutes even-strength this season and Scheifele 17:45 a game.

The Jets will definitely need Lowry, the NHL’s best big checking centre, but in Edmonton, Tippett will have last change and can get McDavid on whenever he wants against whomever he wants.

Lowry and the Jets are playing Toronto linemates Auston Matthews and Mitch Marner on Friday, which is a stern test, but they aren’t McDavid and Draisaitl.

“The matchup styles are a little different. McDavid is kind of in a league of his own right now just the way that he’s playing,” said Lowry. “But when you look at Matthews and Marner, they are so dynamic. But they go about it a different way. Matching up, the routes are little bit different, the physicality is a little bit different, the time and space and knowing where they are in the offensive zone. Like when we have the puck in their end, versus knowing where McDavid is when we have the puck in their end, because on a turnover, McDavid might have a breakaway.

“Marner and Matthews are a little more dynamic when they’re coming up the ice together. If there is a quick turnover, Matthews can score from anywhere. It’s one of those things where you kind of have to go about 1212628 Edmonton Oilers “When you go into a season, we all say it. It doesn’t matter where you end up in the standings as long as you make it into the playoffs.

“The perfect example was the Oilers in 2006, when I was coaching in Huddy factor not on Oilers' side against Jets these playoffs Edmonton. We made it in on the last day of the regular season. We went to Game 7 of the Stanley Cup Final. Once you get into the playoffs, anybody can beat anybody.”

Terry Jones Huddy looks back at the nine games between the Jets and Oilers this year, seven of which were won by Edmonton, including one in the last Publishing date: May 13, 2021 second of regulation time, and sees two exceptionally competitive hockey teams.

Yes, the Edmonton Oilers will be favored. “The whole season against Edmonton, other than the last one when they blew us out when we’d been on the road forever, were really good They have more star power, a 7-2 season series record, are coming into hockey games. I think it’s going to be a really good series.” the Stanley Cup playoffs on a roll with the league’s No. 1 power play, while the Winnipeg Jets have been a disaster, getting rolled almost every Huddy experienced going deep in the playoffs in Winnipeg when they night. upset Nashville in the 2018 playoffs. And, of course, he played all those series in Edmonton and experienced the incomparable playoff Big deal. The Oilers don’t have Charlie Huddy. environments at Northlands Coliseum.

The old warhorse, who still resides in Fort Saskatchewan in the off- “That’s what I’m going to miss with this series. I know what it’s like in the season, may have had the Oilers logo tattooed on his butt, but he has playoffs in Edmonton. And while our building in Winnipeg isn’t as big, it’s never been on the losing end of a Stanley Cup playoff series involving a loud building and it’s a great in the playoffs, too. the Oilers and the Jets. And he’s currently in the employ of the True North team from the capital, not the team in the “That run we had in Edmonton in 2006 was unbelievable. And then that Alberta capital. run we had here in Winnipeg against Nashville, the building was unreal. You could feel it moving almost. When the first Edmonton-Winnipeg series since 1990 begins with the first two games at Rogers Place next week, the defensive coach, who once “It’s going to be so disappointing to have these two cities playing each recorded the best plus-minus in the entire league, will be the only one on other and not to have that in either.” either bench to have been involved in all six series previously played series between the two teams. Edmonton Sun: LOADED: 05.14.2021 No, Huddy wasn’t around in 1979 when the Jets beat the Oilers in the final Avco Cup. But he was there for the first Stanley Cup series between the two teams that came into the league together.

That was back in 1983, and resulted in the Oilers going on and ending up in their first Stanley Cup Final that became the last year of the New York Islanders’ dynasty.

He was also there in 1984, ’85, ’87, ’88 and ’90, when the Oilers made the Jets a staple forerunner speed-bump series to all five Stanley Cup championships.

Edmonton had a ridiculous 22-4 record against the Jets, who didn’t win their first game in the playoffs against Edmonton until 1988. The Oilers out-scored the Jets 114-73 in those series.

“Maybe you forget a lot in 30 years, but I remember tough game after tough game against Winnipeg,” said Huddy.

He says he always believed those Winnipeg series played a big part in the Oilers glory gang getting their playoffs game together to go the distance.

“It’s crazy because most of those series against Winnipeg were sweeps but they were hard series,” said the one player on that glory gang with , Mark Messier, Jari Kurri, Grant Fuhr, , Glenn Anderson and Kevin Lowe who was never drafted.

“It was a battle every night. It was never, ‘We’re just going to go out there and beat these guys again.’ They had some great players on that team.”

Huddy says getting down three-games-to-one in 1990 with Gretzky gone to Los Angeles was a case of looking around the dressing room and reminding each other they won four Stanley Cups during the ’80s, and there was no reason they couldn’t win another.

“It was just believing that we could win. You just go out there after you’ve lost those games and remind yourself of the grind you went through all the season to get into the playoffs. You just go out there and try to win the next game to get you to the next game and then the next one to get to Game 7 to see what happens.”

That’s what these Jets have to do, he said of the team that was the most consistent in the NHL all season without having a three-game losing streak, until hitting the skids going down the stretch and losing nine of 11.

Huddy, didn’t mention the Jets weren’t expected to be in the playoffs by many back when the 56-game schedule started, but said the message is to look back to the start of the season. 1212629 Edmonton Oilers Earlier in the week Tippett had said he’d monitor things with No. 97 and 29 but said the two stars and leaders have their games going and want to keep playing well.

Dave Tippett won't sit Draisaitl and McDavid in meaningless final game Maybe it’s just me, but I definitely have a thing about that. It’s not that long ago in this city that we watched a coach cost an Edmonton team a by allowing his best player out to play for no good reason.

Terry Jones It was in the press box at that I was asking the question at some volume. What in hell’s damnation was head coach Publishing date: May 13, 2021 Chris Jones doing sending starting quarterback and league MVP Mike Reilly back out there with six minutes to play in a blowout end-of-regular- season 37-4 blowout win against the B.C. Lions? In Edmonton, the question is whether or not Oilers head coach Dave Tippett should even consider allowing Connor McDavid and Leon Reilly suffered a broken foot, and although he tried to play on it in the Draisaitl to go anywhere near the ice for the team’s final regular season playoffs, couldn’t get it done. It cost the Eskimos a Grey Cup, one that game prior to the playoffs Saturday afternoon. they’d win the following year with a healthy Reilly at the helm and winning Grey Cup MVP honours The answer, it says here, should be hell no. With the playoff matchmaking done and the Canadiens set to play the But that’s not the way it’s going to be. Toronto Maple Leafs in a Stanley Cup playoff series for the first time since 1979 the rest of this regular season is in garbage time for both Tippett is going to listen to his pair of future Hockey Hall of Famers. They clubs, although the Oilers had the motivation of winning a seventh in a want to play. So he’s going to say OK. row on the road for the first time in 34 years. In Winnipeg the question maybe illustrates, however, why the answer Tippett dramatically cut back on McDavid’s ice time and didn’t even send really should be hell no. him out for OT with Draisaitl, leaving Dominik Kahun the chance to score Before you can figure out how to beat the Oilers twice as many times in a the 4-3 winner. seven game series as you did in nine regular season games, you have to Tippett reduced the minutes of his captain to 15:12 for the night but figure out how to derail the Dynamic Duo. Why would the Oilers risk McDavid still managed to produce points 103 and 104 and his 12th game getting them dinged? of the last 13 that he recorded a multi-point game. It was the seventh With the first Edmonton-Winnipeg Stanley Cup playoff series since 1990 straight that The Duo managed to get at least two points each. Draisaitl secured Tuesday with the Jets second win in their past 11 games, coach scored his 199th career goal and the assist. Paul Maurice was asked the question at the end of his post-game Zoom It looked more like a preseason game than a playoff game and nobody call. got hurt, although it looked dicey when goaltender Mike Smith looked in What does he foresee in a series against Edmonton? some distress from getting some snow in his eye.

“I’m going to answer ‘How do you stop Connor McDavid and Leon Smith is not expected to play Saturday. So there’s that. Draisaitl 412 times?’ And if I’m any good I’m going to give you 412 different answers. I just hope one of them is right,” said Maurice of his team that had a 2-7 against the Oilers. Edmonton Sun: LOADED: 05.14.2021 You can talk about getting goaltending, secondary scoring, power play, penalty killing, aggressive fore checking, winning the little battles and races to the puck, physical play, scoring first and the rest of it that will be required if the Oilers are going to go deep in these Stanley Cup playoffs. But first and foremost the key is pretty obvious. You need Connor McDavid to be Connor McDavid and Leon Draisaitl to be Leon Draisaitl.

“No,” said Tippett of giving them the game off prior to the expected Wednesday, Friday start to the best-of-seven series with the Jets at Rogers Place.

“They both want to play the game,” Tippett added when I asked in Wednesday’s pre-game media availability.

Tippett played the two Wednesday in Montreal.

There’s nothing more exciting in the game that watching the two go for the gusto like they did Saturday when McDavid made it 100 points in 53 games and Draisaitl scored two to reach 500 points for his career.

But Wednesday it was excruciating for Edmonton fans watching them to make sure they didn’t get hurt.

Tuesday the Boston Bruins sat out anybody who had his picture on a hockey card for their game against the Washington Capitals, their first- round playoff opponent.

Boston scratched 15 regular players — FIFTEEN! — and used seven skaters that had played in 10 or fewer games this season.

“I don’t know how they went about doing that,” said Tippett of Boston. “I know we couldn’t do that. We have issues and roster issues. We couldn’t do it even if we wanted to. So it’s a moot question for me.”

Montreal sat enough players to fill four cabs against the Oilers.

Montreal didn’t dress ELEVEN regulars with a combined total of $55 million in contracts. 1212630 Edmonton Oilers

2021 NHL Playoffs: Jets vs. Oilers schedule, TV channel, games, scores, guide to the first-round series

By The Athletic NHL Staff

May 13, 2021

In this North Division matchup, the No. 3 Winnipeg Jets will face the No. 2 Edmonton Oilers in the first round of the 2021 NHL Stanley Cup playoffs. To find out who has the advantage in the series, check out Dom Luszczyszyn’s odds and probabilities, Craig Custance’s playoff tiers and watch for predictions from our experts in the days to come.

Schedule/TV/results

Game 1: at Edmonton, Wednesday, May 19, at 9 p.m. ET (SN, CBC, TVA Sports, NBCSN)

Game 2: at Edmonton, Friday, May 21, at 9 p.m. ET (SN, CBC, TVA Sports, NBCSN)

Game 3: at Winnipeg, Sunday, May 23, time TBD (TV TBD)

Game 4: at Winnipeg, Monday, May 24, time TBD (TV TBD)

Game 5*: at Edmonton, Wednesday, May 26, time TBD (TV TBD)

Game 6*: at Winnipeg, Friday, May 28, time TBD (TV TBD)

Game 7*: at Edmonton, Sunday, May 30, time TBD (TV TBD)

(* – if necessary)

The Athletic LOADED: 05.14.2021 1212631 Florida Panthers ▪ Caldwell also said TV ratings for the Panthers this season are the highest they have been in 17 years.

Florida Panthers to open NHL playoffs against the Tampa Bay Lightning Miami Herald LOADED: 05.14.2021 at home

BY WALTER VILLA MIAMI HERALD WRITER

MAY 13, 2021 11:36 AM

The Florida Panthers, looking to win a playoff round for the first time since 1996, will open their 2021 postseason journey on Sunday night at 7:30 against the visiting Tampa Bay Lightning at the BB&T Center.

Florida will also host Game 2 of the series on Tuesday at 8 p.m. Tampa Bay will host Game 3 on Thursday May 20 at 6:30 p.m. and Game 4 at 12:30 p.m. on Saturday May 22.

Should the series be extended, the Panthers will host Game 5 on May 24 and Game 7 on May 28. Tampa Bay would host Game 6 on May 26.

This will be the first playoff meeting ever between the Panthers and the reigning Stanley Cup champion Lightning.

“We’ve been waiting many years [to play Tampa Bay in the playoffs],” said Matt Caldwell, the Panthers CEO and president.

“Tampa is a great franchise, consistently in the playoffs. That is a franchise we’ve always tried to emulate. Now we’re ready to compete with them on and off the ice.”

Indeed, Tampa Bay has won the Stanley Cup twice — 2004 was its other championship year. In addition, the Lightning is expecting to get superstar forwards Steven Stamkos and Nikita Kucherov back from injury in time for Sunday’s series opener.

The Panthers, meanwhile, have never won the Stanley Cup.

Could this be the year for the Panthers?

There’s a long way to go, but the Panthers enter the playoffs on a roll with a active six-game win streak.

The Panthers also have a championship coach — Joel Quenneville won the Cup three times with the Chicago Blackhawks and one of the top two- way forwards in the NHL in center Aleksander Barkov. They have a goalie in Sergei Bobrovsky who helped the Columbus Blue Jackets upset the top-seeded Lightning two years ago in a stunning four-game sweep. It was the first series win in Blue Jackets history.

In addition, the Panthers (37-14-5) got forward Carter Verhaeghe off the injured list on Monday after he had missed 13 straight games due to an upper-body issue. He has 18 goals and 18 assists in 43 games this year.

And, the Panthers won five of eight matchups against the Lightning this year. Florida won its final three regular-season matchups against Tampa Bay, outscoring the Lightning by a combined total of 14-4 during that stretch.

Add it all up, and the Panthers appear primed to make some noise in the playoffs.

“I can’t put into words how excited we are,” said Chris Driedger, Florida’s backup goalie.

Barkov finished the regular season with 26 goals, scoring eight times in his final 10 games, to lead the Panthers.

Jonathan Huberdeau led Florida in points (61) for the second year in a row. He also had a team-high 41 assists.

The Panthers are also deep, with eight players posting at least 10 goals.

“We should be excited with how the season went for us,” Quenneville said. “But the playoffs are what we play for.”

The second season starts Sunday.

THIS AND THAT

▪ Caldwell said capacity will be increased to about 9,000 fans allowed inside the BB&T Center for the first round of the playoffs — just less than 50 percent capacity. 1212632 Florida Panthers postseason mainstay, making their seventh appearance in the last eight seasons and 12th in the last 18 with two Stanley Cup titles.

“I mean, that’s a franchise we’ve always tried to emulate since owner Panthers feel fan momentum building with playoff push; will increase Vinnie [Viola] has bought the team, and now, we think, we’re ready to capacity near 50 percent vs. Lightning compete with them both on and off the ice,” Caldwell said. “We have great respect and admiration for them, and we’re excited that we’re having this opportunity to play them in the playoffs.”

By DAVID FURONES

SOUTH FLORIDA SUN SENTINEL Sun Sentinel LOADED: 05.14.2021 MAY 13, 2021 AT 3:08 PM

With the Florida Panthers’ 2021 rise as one of the NHL’s top teams, there is optimism around the organization that it will lead to more consistent fan interest for years to come.

As the Panthers finished the regular season with one of the NHL’s best records with 79 points, what better way to capitalize on the breakout season than to open a Stanley Cup playoff run against the cross-state rival and defending champion Tampa Bay Lightning?

“I think it’s going to do wonders for us. I think it’ll be great for them, too, to have a true rival,” said Panthers president and CEO Matthew Caldwell on Thursday with the first-round series set to begin Sunday night at BB&T Center.

“This kind of series, the intensity, the excitement on the ice, all the people that are in the arena are going to feel it and are going to want to come back and experience it again. … We’re going to get more season-ticket holders. People are going to want to sign up for packages for next year. Yes, we plan to carry this into next season, for sure.”

Caldwell reports that the Panthers currently have 5,000 season-ticket holders and already have a 75-percent renewal rate for the 2021-22 season — numbers the organization is pleased with considering the time left before the start of next season, the possible push from a long postseason run and recovery from having limited capacity due to the COVID-19 pandemic.

“The year hasn’t even been announced. People are still figuring out getting out of their homes. We’re super excited about that number right now,” Caldwell said. “Six hundred of those are all new business, brand new folks that we brought in this season. They tested it out. They’re signing up. They weren’t season-ticket holders before.

“We still have the whole summer to sell. We still have, hopefully, multiple rounds that will increase the season-ticket holder base. We’re off to a good start.”

After back-to-back sellouts of 5,040 for the final two regular-season games against the same Lightning, Caldwell said the Panthers will increase capacity to more than 9,000 for the first round of the playoffs. It’s a figure that amounts to just shy of 50 percent of a full BB&T Center. The team will weigh options for greater capacity in future rounds should the team continue to advance.

Florida Panthers President & CEO Matthew Caldwell speaks to reporters during Media Day at the BB&T Center in Sunrise. (Susan Stocker / South Florida Sun Sentinel) (Susan Stocker / South Florida Sun Sentinel)

“We’re looking at every measure to make sure our fans continue to feel safe. We’re still requiring masks,” Caldwell said. “We’re excited to be able to get more people into the building. The demand is there. Most of our season-ticket holders have opted in to get playoff tickets, and then folks buying single game. Demand has been super high. We’ll keep watching the capacity.

“The state of Florida is okay with us opening up, but we still have guidelines and protocols to abide by with the NHL, so we’re working with them. They’re measuring our airflow, humidity, ice conditions. We’re just trying to do things in a safe manner.”

The demand is also evident in the Panthers’ television ratings. They increased their local television viewership this season by 67 percent, reaching the franchise’s highest number since the 2003-04 season.

Florida’s two NHL franchises have had divergent paths since being established a year apart. While the Panthers haven’t won a playoff series since their 1996 run to the Stanley Cup Final, the Lightning are a 1212633 Florida Panthers

First-round schedule out: Panthers playoff series vs. Lightning starts Sunday night

By DAVID FURONES

SOUTH FLORIDA SUN SENTINEL

MAY 13, 2021 AT 12:34 PM

The first-round Stanley Cup playoff series between the Florida Panthers and Tampa Bay Lightning will start on Sunday with a 7:30 p.m. puck drop for Game 1, the Panthers announced Thursday morning.

The full series schedule goes as follows:

Game 1: Sunday, May 16, 7:30 p.m., BB&T Center

Game 2: Tuesday, May 18, 8 p.m., BB&T Center

Game 3: Thursday, May 20, 6:30 p.m., Amalie Arena

Game 4: Saturday, May 22, 12:30 p.m., Amalie Arena

Game 5: Monday, May 24, Time TBD, BB&T Center*

Game 6: Wednesday, May 26, Time TBD, Amalie Arena*

Game 7: Friday, May 28, Time TBD, BB&T Center*

*if necessary

The Stanley Cup playoffs begin with Game 1 between the Boston Bruins and Washington Capitals on Saturday night to kick off NBC’s postseason coverage.

The delay in releasing a postseason schedule after Monday’s regular- season finale derives from multiple extensions to the regular season end date, specifically due to rescheduled games in the all-Canadian North Division. The NHL still has regular-season games scheduled through Wednesday, but the final set is between the Calgary Flames and Vancouver Canucks, both eliminated from playoff contention.

In the 2021 season, teams stuck to playing regular-season schedules within realigned divisions. With four teams making the playoffs in each of the four divisions, teams will remain in those divisions for the first two rounds of the playoffs. In the Central, the winner of the Panthers- Lightning series will face the winner between the top-seeded Carolina Hurricanes and No. 4 Nashville Predators.

The Panthers and Lightning are meeting for the first time in the postseason after 146 all-time regular-season meetings. Winning the last two games against their in-state rival by a combined score of 9-1 on Saturday and Monday, the Panthers won the regular-season series, 5-2- 1, over the defending Stanley Cup-champion Lightning.

With Monday’s 4-0 victory, Florida secured home-ice advantage in the series between the Central Division’s No. 2 and 3 seeds.

The Panthers are making their seventh playoff appearance in franchise history and first in a 16-team format since 2016 after last year losing in the qualifying round the NHL incorporated solely for 2020. The last time Florida won a playoff series was 1996, when the Panthers went all the way to the Stanley Cup Final before falling to the Colorado Avalanche.

Sun Sentinel LOADED: 05.14.2021 1212634 Florida Panthers

NHL finally announces schedule for Panthers, Lightning playoffs

Published 14 hours ago on May 13, 2021

By George Richards

The Florida Panthers finally know when they’ll be playing the Tampa Bay Lightning in the first round of the NHL’s Stanley Cup playoffs. The schedule was finally released Thursday afternoon.

Game 1 will be at BB&T Center on Sunday night at 7:30 with the game broadcast nationally on NBCSN and locally on one of the two Bally Sports regional carriers with Steve Goldstein and Randy Moller on the call.

The Panthers will also host Game 2 on Tuesday night at 8; that game will be on CNBC.

If you live outside the local broadcast zone, my suggestion is to figure out exactly where CNBC and USA Network is on your dial.

As for the initial schedule, Florida will play host to Games 1-2, 5 and 7 (if needed) and the first four games will be broadcast both locally and nationally.

The starting times and television schedule for the final three games of the series have not been determined yet.

Here is the complete schedule for the first Florida-Tampa Bay playoff series in history:

GAME 1: Tampa Bay Lightning at Florida Panthers; Sunday, 7:30 (NBCSN, BS-FLA/SUN)

GAME 2: Tampa Bay Lightning at Florida Panthers; Tuesday, 8 (CNBC, BS-FLA/SUN)

GAME 3: Florida Panthers at Tampa Bay Lightning; Thursday, 6:30 (USA, BS-FLA/SUN)

GAME 4: Florida Panthers at Tampa Bay Lightning; Saturday, 12:30 (CNBC, BS-FLA/SUN)

GAME 5*: Tampa Bay Lightning at Florida Panthers; Monday May 24 TBD

GAME 6*: Florida Panthers at Tampa Bay Lightning; Wednesday May 26 TBD

GAME 7*: Tampa Bay Lightning at Florida Panthers; Friday May 28 TBD

(*) — If necessary

Florida Hockey Now LOADED: 05.14.2021 1212635 Florida Panthers

Florida Panthers increase capacity, host first playoff series in five years

Published 16 hours ago on May 13, 2021

By George Richards

The Florida Panthers will host their first playoff series since 2016 although due to Covid-19 precautions, things will most definitely be different.

The team is increasing capacity at the 19,250-seat BB&T Center for the opening round against the Tampa Bay Lightning with over 9,000 being allowed into the arena.

With vaccinations being widely available to anyone who wants one, the team is hoping to bring in bigger crowds if the Panthers move through the playoffs.

The state of Florida, team president Matt Caldwell said, is fine with the team going to full capacity. The NHL, however, is hesitant.

Subscribe to FHN today for daily, in-depth coverage and analysis of the Florida Panthers from beat writer George Richards

Social distancing will be reduced from six to three feet per CDC directives and, if the Panthers advance, larger crowds will follow.

The schedule for the opening round of the playoffs is expected to be announced Thursday afternoon.

“The first round will be just under 50 percent capacity,” Caldwell said. “Not everyone will have six feet and we have decreased that to three feet. Hopefully we advance and we’ll look at it. If we get approved to increase capacity further, there won’t be as much social distancing as in the past. You start running out of space. That’s a good problem to have. Let’s get out of this first round and go from there.”

Work on the arena is underway with Game 1 against the Lightning expected to be Sunday night.

Large HVAC units and dehumidifiers have been installed around the back side of the arena. Due to the summer weather approaching and the larger crowds piling into the arena, the machinery is needed to not only increase air flow in the building but pull out humidity to help the ice surface.

Because the Panthers have not made it out of the first round since 1996, these dehumidifiers have never been used at the Sunrise arena.

The Panthers did use them in 1996 and 1997 at Miami Arena.

“The NHL has all the best medical advise and we want fans, when they come into a mass gathering, that they feel safe” Caldwell said. “The NHL has asked us to, being in Florida, to try and decrease the humidity as much as possible both for the ice conditions and because the more humidity is in the air, the more stagnant it is.

“We’re doing everything we can to increase airflow throughout the arena and decrease humidity. That will give us better conditions. Most people are vaccinated, our organization has had the opportunity to do so. … Most of our staff, our players and coaches all had access to be vaccinated. We’ll kind of have herd immunity and most of our fans have had the opportunity. We’re just taking extra precautions.”

Florida Hockey Now LOADED: 05.14.2021 1212636 Florida Panthers Driedger also played for five different ECHL teams: The Elmira Jackals, Evansville Icemen, Wichita Thunder, Brampton Beast and Manchester Monarchs.

Panthers NHL Award WATCH: Chris Driedger, Masterton Memorial Speaking to the media on Monday night after he pitched a 4-0 shutout in Trophy the season-finale against the Lightning, he joked that his minor league resume likely led to his nomination for the Masterton.

“It’s obviously very humbling,” Driedger said. Published 20 hours ago on May 13, 2021 Then, with a smile: “I was joking with the guys here. I said ‘They probably By George Richards saw my hockeydb(.com) page that showed I played for five teams in the East Coast League.’ That’s pretty crazy. That’s a lot of teams in the

Coast. But it has been a really incredible journey and I am extremely Three years ago, Florida Panthers goalie Chris Driedger was at the low fortunate to be given these opportunities.” point of his hockey career. Driedger had admitted in the past that he probably didn’t commit to his Cut loose by the Senators after four years of bouncing between Ottawa craft as seriously as he thought he was when he was with the Ottawa and various minor league outposts, Driedger had so few options, he was organization. thinking about giving Europe a try. He’s is now. Manny Desousa, Driedger’s agent, told him to hold on. The Panthers had It wasn’t much of a surprise that the Senators did not make him a an offer. It was a minor league contract with the likelihood Driedger would qualifying offer in 2018. be the No. 5 goalie within the organization. The Panthers offered him a lifeline with a minor-league contract. When It definitely wasn’t much, but it was something. his agent called, Driedger wasn’t exactly thrilled. “I knew at the time that the NHL wasn’t going to be an option,” Driedger “Manny told me there was a deal in Springfield to be the fifth guy for told Florida Hockey Now on Wednesday. Florida,” Driedger recalled. “I was like ‘that’s it? That’s the best we’ve “Maybe I should just cut my losses and see what Europe has to offer. My got?’ It was. agent talked some sense into me. I was 24 at the time. He was telling me “He told me he liked my chances. I wasn’t too sure, man. At that point, I was still a young man and I should stick it out. I reluctantly agreed. He that was my first legitimate option. That’s all I had on the table. Maybe I had my best interest at heart. He was really positive and had to listen to could have gotten something more had I waited. Maybe not. me moan and complain about what was going on.” “So I took the deal. Whatever happened, I was going to give it my Driedger, as we all know by now, took that minor-league lifeline thrown absolute best shot. I made that pact with myself and things started out by the Panthers. happening. Now we’re here. It has been a wild ride.” It has worked out pretty well for both sides. Driedger came to camp in 2018 with Roberto Luongo, James Reimer, Today, Driedger is an established NHL goalie, the owner of 21 wins over Sam Montembeault and Michael Hutchinson and ended up being where the past two seasons with the Panthers and a big reason Florida is in the he started as Florida’s No. 5 goalie. spot it is right now. “My goal was to be the No. 4,’’ Driedger said. “It’s kind of disheartening In 23 games as the “1-B” option to Sergei Bobrovsky, Driedger has gone when they ask you to have a great attitude being the No. 5 guy. I just 14-6-3 with three shutouts. went to camp wanting to move one spot up the depth chart and that has been my goal ever since. Don’t look too far, just play well and good Driedger’s 2.07 goals-against average and .927 save percentage are things will happen.” both ranked fifth in the league among regular goalies. His goals-saved above average ranks eighth at 11.78. Driedger was sent to the Manchester Monarchs of the ECHL because Hutchinson and Montembeault would man the nets at AHL Springfield. He will also be a free agent again this offseason. Unlike in 2018, Driedger and his agent will have plenty of options. But Luongo was hurt in the 2018-19 season opener in Tampa and Hutchinson was quickly recalled to Florida. Driedger packed and went to Driedger perservered and turned his career around. He has gone from Springfield. floating around six different minor league towns with the Senators and two with the Panthers to become a legitimate NHL starter. Although Driedger bounced between Springfield and Manchester for a few weeks, Hutchinson was so bad in his time with the Panthers that Soon, he will be paid like it. Florida eventually traded him to Toronto before the New Year.

On Monday, Driedger was announced as the nominee of the Florida Driedger was called up to Springfield full time. chapter of the Professional Hockey Writers’ Association for the Bill Masterton Memorial Trophy. “I was up and down three separate times and I had to pack up my entire life and move back and forth between Springfield and Manchester,” he The award goes to the NHL player who “best exemplifies the qualities of said. “There was a lot of packing and unpacking. Then they traded perseverance, sportsmanship, and dedication to hockey.” Hutchinson. That was, basically, the first good bounce I had had in three or four years.” “It is great he is getting recognition for the Masterton,’’ Florida GM Bill Zito said. “He is a deserving candidate. As the year went on, Driedger’s play got better and better.

“As an ambassador for all that is good about our sport as far as He ended up going 6-5-0 (2.75/.911) with Manchester and 18-12-1 perseverance and respect for the game … he’s a first-class person, (2.45/.924) with Springfield. teammate and representative of this organization. I couldn’t be prouder of him.” When Montembeault was recalled for his NHL debut after Reimer got hurt, Driedger became the AHL starter. THE ROAD TO SUNRISE Florida offered Driedger a two-year, two-way contract. Driedger, a native of Winnipeg, was drafted in the third round of the 2012 Draft by Ottawa and was on the Sens’ roster for parts of three seasons, “It was a wild 12 months from signing an AHL deal to getting an NHL appearing in just three games. extension,” Driedger said. “Quite a journey. I learned a lot. It was humbling and I am glad it happened to me. I learned a lot about myself Most of his work was at the minor league level, playing 92 games over and how to battle through some tough situations.” five seasons with AHL Binghamton/Belleville. The rest of the story has been told many times: Driedger started the 2019-20 season in Springfield with Montembeault backing up Bobrovsky; Driedger was terrific in Springfield, Montembeault so-so in Florida. By November, Montembeault was sent to the minors and Driedger was “It’s funny how things come full circle and how things change. Florida has called up. Bobrovsky had a rough game in Washington the night before been great to me and I am lucky to be part of this.” Thanksgiving and Joel Quenneville gave the next start to Driedger. Driedger is ready for whatever is next. It was his first NHL start. At least he didn’t look nervous. “Every day in the NHL is a blessing, being able to do what I love,” he “Honestly, I’m speechless at this point,” Driedger said after making 27 said. “My parents paid for me to play hockey as a kid. You don’t do it to saves and earning a shutout in a 3-0 win against visiting Nashville. make money.

“It has been a long time coming. I was definitely pretty nervous going into “There have been a lot of ups-and-downs but to be able to do it at the it, but once the puck dropped I kind of felt good.” highest level has been quite the honor. Hard to put into words how lucky I feel to be able to do it.” Driedger did go back to Springfield — but it was only for a rehab stint after he was hurt in January.

He ended the regular season as Florida’s starter, playing perhaps his Florida Hockey Now LOADED: 05.14.2021 best game in what turned into the pandemic-shortened season finale in St. Louis.

Bobrovsky played all of the games later in the summer bubble, but Driedger had made his mark.

Things only amplified this season.

“He really took advantage of his opportunity,” Joel Quenneville said. “I love his composure, his demeanor and his attitude. He fits right in with the group. He goes about his business in a real good, calm manner.

“He got more responsibility based on performance. I think he pushed Bob in a good way. I think it’s been a healthy rotation.’’

WHAT’S NEXT?

Driedger is going to be a free agent once this season comes to a close.

He has outgrown the Panthers.

Although thankful for the opportunity, Driedger almost assuredly will be leaving.

Florida, with $10 million a season committed to Bobrovsky, cannot afford to give Driedger the kind of money he has earned.

Driedger is now looked upon as a starting NHL goalie and he will paid as such.

Deservedly so.

“It’s really hard because this is a guy you wish you could keep,” Zito said. “My pedigree was as an agent. I have spent 25 years watching guys like Driedge try and make it, have the perseverance and the discipline and the guts to stick with it when they know they’re good.

“This guy didn’t just make it. He is elite. He did it with character, professionalism, class and dignity. The commitment to our team and his contribution has been invaluable. You can’t measure this guy’s value and how much respect I have for him.

“The story reminds me of Tim Thomas (a former Zito client) and what he battled through to make it. It’s just remarkable.”

On Wednesday, Driedger said he isn’t looking any farther into his future than what is in front of him. And that’s the playoffs.

Bobrovsky is expected to be Florida’s Game 1 starter, but Quenneville’s plan after that is not known.

“My goal is to win a Stanley Cup,” Driedger said. “I’m just trying to enjoy this as much as I can. This has been a special season we had here in Florida and I think we have a great chance here in the playoffs.

“I think as soon as you lose track of what’s in front of you, things can easily slip away from you. I’m trying to stay short sighted here.”

On Monday night, Driedger was named the first star.

In his postgame interview with Katie Gaus, Driedger looked up into the stands and gave a heartfelt thank you to the fans who continued to cheer him on.

Playing for the Panthers truly was a dream come true.

“A buddy of mine who I have known for years is also a goalie,” he said. “When we were 15 or 16 we were joking around. I said ‘you know what the best job in the world would be? Backup goalie in Florida.’ My buddy brought that up to me last year. He said look at you now, you’re hungry for more. 1212637 Florida Panthers

2021 NHL Playoffs: Panthers vs. Lightning schedule, TV channel, games, scores, guide to the first-round series

By The Athletic NHL Staff

May 13, 2021

In this Central Division matchup, the No. 2 Florida Panthers will face the No. 3 Tampa Bay Lightning in the first round of the 2021 NHL Stanley Cup playoffs. To find out who has the advantage in the series, check out Dom Luszczyszyn’s series preview and Craig Custance’s Stanley Cup tiers.

Schedule/TV/Results

Game 1: at Florida, Sunday at 7:30 p.m. ET (NBCSN, SN)

Game 2: at Florida, Tuesday at 8 p.m. ET (CNBC, SNE)

Game 3: at Tampa, Thursday, May 20 at 6:30 p.m. ET (USA, FX-CA)

Game 4: at Tampa, Saturday, May 22 at 12:30 p.m. ET (CNBC, SNE)

Game 5*: at Florida, Monday, May 24 at TBD (TBD)

Game 6*: at Tampa, Wednesday, May 26 at TBD (TBD)

Game 7*: at Florida, Friday, May 28 at TBD (TBD)

(* – if necessary)

The Athletic LOADED: 05.14.2021 1212638 Los Angeles Kings

Kings end season with loss to Avalanche

By PAT GRAHAM ASSOCIATED PRESS

MAY 13, 2021 8:57 PM PT

DENVER —

Tyson Jost scored two of Colorado’s five second-period goals as the Avalanche clinched the West Division and the top overall seed in the NHL playoffs with a 5-1 win over the Kings on Thursday night.

Pierre-Edouard Bellemare, Joonas Donskoi and Andre Burakovsky also scored in the pivotal period. Backup Jonas Johansson made 21 saves to help the Avalanche finish 7-1 against the Kings this season.

Colorado and Vegas both finished with 82 points, but the Avs earned the division crown and the Presidents’ Trophy — awarded to the team with the best regular-season mark — due to more regulation wins. This was the first time the Avalanche have captured the Presidents’ Trophy since 2000-01, when they went on to hoist the Stanley Cup.

Colorado begins a first-round series Monday against St. Louis, which wound up with the fourth seed in the West.

Sean Walker scored for the Kings as they wrapped up their season on an 0-4-1 skid. Troy Grosenick stopped 38 shots.

The home-ice advantage could come in handy: The Avalanche have been playing at a high level at home, going 16-0-1 in their last 17 at Ball Arena. The 17 straight home games with at least a point ties the club record set in 2003.

Down 1-0 heading into the second, Colorado quickly found its rhythm. Jost led the way by scoring twice within a 1:52 span to give the Avalanche a lead they wouldn’t relinquish.

The action got a little heated late in the second when Kings forward Brendan Lemieux collided with Avs defenseman Samuel Girard near mid-ice. Girard’s fellow defenseman, Ryan Graves, took exception and immediately dropped the gloves to square off against Lemieux.

Johansson stepped in for starter Philipp Grubauer, who shut out the Kings in a 6-0 win Wednesday. Avalanche coach Jared Bednar hasn’t played Grubauer in back-to-back games all season and didn’t want to start now, despite the importance.

Johansson rewarded his faith by improving to 5-1-1 with Colorado since being acquired in a deal with Buffalo on March 20.

Mikko Rantanen assisted on both of Jost’s scores to give him 66 points (30 goals, 36 assists). It’s the most on the team this season.

The Kings struck late in the first period when Walker capitalized on Burakovsky tumbling to the ice trying to keep the puck in the offensive end. Walker had a clear path to the goal and threaded a shot under Johansson’s glove for his fifth goal of the season.

LA Times: LOADED: 05.14.2021 1212639 Los Angeles Kings Like Wednesday the third period was largely an exercise in watching seconds tick off the clock as the second-intermission score once again stood as the final after a perfunctory period for both sides.

Kings finish with another lopsided loss in Colorado As they have done throughout the season, the Avs turned it on in the second period. They have scored the most goals and allowed the fewest in the middle frame in the NHL this season, producing a staggering +44 second-period scoring differential. By ANDREW KNOLL Midway through the game, Colorado drew even and less than two PUBLISHED: May 13, 2021 at 8:58 p.m. | UPDATED: May 13, 2021 at minutes later took the lead, both on goals by Jost. The Avalanched 11:33 p.m. scored four goals in just more than seven minutes.

First, Gabriel Landeskog lobbed the puck into the offensive zone on a A night after the Kings were too despondent to speak after a six-goal diagonal dump-in that was recovered by Rantanen. As all five Kings were loss, they fared only marginally better as they fell to the Colorado at the faceoff circle or lower between the center right and right side of the Avalanche, 5-1, in what could only be described as a merciful end to their zone, Rantanen sent the puck across the ice to where three Avs were season on Thursday night at Ball Center in Denver. trailing the play, led by Jost. He glided into the left faceoff dot and fired a wrist shot past Grosenick. The Kings (21-28-7, 49 points) finished the season with the NHL’s eighth- worst record, but their draft lottery position could still improve even Next, it was Rantanen carrying the puck into the zone, curling back though their season is over. The Vancouver Canucks have four fewer toward the blue line and sending the puck across the ice to Timmins. points than the Kings, but still have four games remaining due to COVID- Timmins kept his head up, spotting Jost on the doorstep, who had beaten related postponements. Olli Maatta with an outside-inside cut into prime real estate. Jost’s picturesque redirection of a seam pass gave him two goals in a span of “Our direction now is to evaluate what we just went through and to 1:52 and put the Avs ahead, 2-1. continue the building process,” Kings coach Todd McLellan said. Then it was Bellemare, a grinding center, who scored in consecutive On the flip side, Colorado (39-13-4, 82 points) secured home ice games for the sixth time in his career. Like the night before, he stuffed throughout the playoffs with its victory. The Avalanche finished in a points the puck in off a Jayson Megna rebound. Bukarovsky went wide and tie with the Vegas Golden Knights (40-14-2), but earned the tiebreaker chucked the puck on net from a sharp angle to generate a rebound. based on having more regulation victories. Colorado won both the West Megna followed up and Grosenick made a second save, but Bellemare’s Division title and the Presidents’ Trophy for the league’s best record. This ninth goal of the year extended the Avs’ advantage. was the first time the Avalanche have won the Presidents’ Trophy since 2000-01, when they went on to hoist the Stanley Cup. Colorado’s fourth goal came on a play in which the Kings got pieces of the puck, first on Timmins’ shot that was headed wide and deflected Colorado had to win its last five games to accomplish those feats, and it wider, and then on center Nazem Kadri’s pass across the crease, which did so by winning four of those games without top center and leading Grosenick deflected upward. Donskoi knocked the puck out of the air and scorer Nathan MacKinnon, who did not play Thursday. into the net for his career-high 17th goal.

McLellan spoke of an “eroding belief system” that he thought plagued his With 2:10 left in the second period, Kings winger Brendan Lemieux and team as the season progressed. Colorado defenseman Ryan Graves fought after Lemieux checked defenseman Samuel Girard to the ice. Lemieux controlled most of the “We didn’t play as well as we did earlier in the season, I think that’s action in the ephemeral tilt. evident,” McLellan said. “We lost some players to injury, we made a move, a player left. The quality of opponent, I believe, also went up.” With 62 seconds left in the period, Colorado gained the offensive zone during a four-on-four sequence. Burkavosky trailed the play as While the Kings had a relatively cushy schedule down the stretch overall, defenseman Devon Toews skated between three Kings and then passed they played Colorado four times in May and Vegas twice in April. They him the puck between all four. Bukakovsky whipped a wrist shot from lost all six of those games and won just five out of 24 meetings with between the circles. It was his 19th goal of 2020, which was one shy of Vegas, Colorado and the third-place Minnesota Wild. the career-high he set last season, in which he played five more games “There’s clearly a difference and a separation between these three teams than this year. in our division and the rest. That’s just the way it is; we have that far to The Kings’ first period proved nightmarish Wednesday and while go,” said McLellan, likely looking forward to Colorado and Minnesota (as Thursday’s opening 20 minutes bore some similarities – all possession well as St. Louis and Arizona) leaving the Kings’ division next season. metrics were 75 percent or higher in favor of Colorado, which out-shot Kings wingers Andreas Athanasiou and Austin Wagner were unavailable the Kings 12-4 – the Kings came away with a 1-0 lead. Thursday due to injuries. They were replaced by Matt Luff, who had last Grosenick was sharp, making a pair of commanding glove saves and played on April 24, and Drake Rymsha, who made his NHL debut. generally quieting the Avs as they clamored for a goal. “It’s been a long journey this year being on the taxi squad for most of the WIth 44 seconds left, Walker made a superb individual effort. He picked season. I just kept telling myself to keep working until my number gets up Burakovsky behind the Kings’ net, draping himself over the Swede called,” said Rymsha, whose father Andrew played for the Avalanche in and pursuing him back toward the blue line. An alert stick check knocked 1991-92 when the franchise was located in Quebec. Andrew was in the puck loose and Walker pounced, darting ahead on a breakaway. His attendance Thursday. no-frills stick-handle to the forehand setting up a wrist shot between the “To play my first game against the same organization my dad played for pad and glove of Johnasson. is kind of a crazy coincidence,” said Rymsha, who logged nearly 13 Walker has five goals and 18 points in 2021, but he finished strong with minutes on the ice after spending most of the season on the taxi squad. two goals and eight points in eight games this month. “I wouldn’t change it for the world.” Colorado opens a first-round series on Monday against St. Louis, which Defenseman Sean Walker scored the lone goal for the Kings, who wound up with the fourth seed in the West. The home-ice advantage wrapped their season on an 0-4-1 skid. Troy Grosenick made 38 saves in could come in handy: Colorado is 16-0-1 in its last 17 home games. the 31-year-old’s fourth career start and his second for the Kings. NOTES Center Tyson Jost racked up two goals for Colorado. Center Pierre- Edouard Bellemare, winger Joonas Donskoi and winger Andre The Kings gave out their regular-season awards, which were predictably Burakovsky, who added an assist, also scored. Right winger Mikko dominated by center Anze Kopitar and defenseman Drew Doughty. Rantanen and defenseman Connor Timmins pitched in with two assists Defenseman Mikey Anderson won the award for Best Newcomer and apiece. Backup goaltender Jonas Johansson made 21 saves to help the winger Trevor Moore was recognized as the Kings’ Unsung Hero. … Avalanche finish 7-1 against the Kings this season. Four Kings will represent the United States and three Kings will represent Canada at the World Championships this month in Riga, Latvia. Participation has been tepid overall after a season in which players were burdened by a litany of league restrictions designed to minimize the impact of COVID-19 on the season.

Orange County Register: LOADED: 05.14.2021 1212640 Los Angeles Kings dry, it caused problems for us, we had trouble scoring 5-on-5. A lot of younger players took on more meaningful, important roles. Were they or are they ready for them? Sometimes, that’s a real good thing and sometimes that’s not a good thing. I know the rhetoric out there is play FINAL – Kings 1, Avalanche 5 – Rymsha, McLellan the kids, play the kids, but we can do as much harm playing the kids as help if we put them in situations that they aren’t prepared for.

Notes – By Zach Dooley – Forward Anze Kopitar finishes the season as the team’s scoring leader

for the fourth consecutive season and 13th season in total, more than The LA Kings completed their regular season with a 5-1 defeat against any other player in franchise history. the Colorado Avalanche on Thursday evening in Denver. With the – Defenseman Sean Walker scored the game’s first goal tonight, and victory, Colorado clinched the NHL’s Presidents Trophy for most points in finished with eight points (3-5-8) during the month of May, the most the regular season. amongst NHL defensemen throughout the month. Although it was Colorado that controlled most of the puck in the opening – Forward Drake Rymsha made his NHL debut tonight and logged 13:16 period, it was the Kings that found the lone goal, through an individual in his first game, recording a +1 rating. effort from Sean Walker. Walker stripped forward Andre Burakovsky at the defensive blueline, took the puck the length of the ice and snapped a The Kings are scheduled to hold player exit interviews tomorrow shot past Jonas Johansson to open the scoring with his fifth goal of the morning, with coverage to follow throughout the weekend here on LAKI. season, unassisted.

The Avalanche broke through, however, with five goals in the second period, to take a 5-1 lead through 40 minutes of play, the most goals the LA Kings Insider: LOADED: 05.14.2021 Kings have allowed in a period this season.

Forward Tyson Jost scored the first two, off of a shot through a screen from the slot, followed by a redirect driving the net, to put the hosts ahead 2-1. Forward Pierre-Edouard Bellemare made it a 3-1 game later in the period, as he buried the second rebound opportunity off a scramble in front, following a pair of stops from Kings netminder Troy Grosenick. Joonas Donskoi made it 4-1, with a baseball swing at a shot out of midair at the back post, before Burakovsky scored on a clean wrist shot, inside the post, for the fifth of the frame.

Neither team found the back of the net in the third period, with each side getting one opportunity on the power play. The Kings finish the 2020-21 season at 21-28-7, including a 12-14-2 mark on the road.

Hear from forward Drake Rymsha, who made his NHL debut tonight, and Head Coach Todd McLellan from after tonight’s game.

Well, he’s kind of been an unsung hero around our group, he’s been with us all year on the taxi squad. He’s worked as hard as anyone that dresses every night, he just sat back quietly and did his thing. Everything we asked of him he did, and we got banged up here at the end, a couple of players, and he got his opportunity. The group was so excited for him, I think he motivated us a little bit tonight to pick our socks up and I couldn’t be happier for him, he’s so deserving of it.

On how much the final six weeks impacted the strides made in the first three months

We didn’t play as well as we did earlier in the season, I think that’s evident. We lost some players to injury, we made a move, a player left, the quality of opponent I do believe we went up. We had the streak of games there against Vegas, and then obviously the number of games we just played here against Colorado also presented a big challenge for us. There’s clearly a difference, a separation, between these two teams, three teams in our division and the rest. That’s just the way it is, we have that far to go. I didn’t think we played as well down the stretch as we did earlier in the year, there was a point where we did believe that we could be a team that was going to push for it and then it slipped away on us.

On the condensed schedule and how it impacted the Kings

There were pros and cons to it. I thought, earlier in the year, it helped, the older players had outstanding starts, maybe didn’t finish quite the way they wanted to, but it helped them, with less practice time, but I think it hurt a lot of young players. In our situation I think a lot of the teaching, a lot of the learning, had to be done through video throughout the season. Sometimes you take a negative event and it affects them mentally, so we tried to find positive stuff, but some of the best teaching moments are from mistakes. A lack of practice time certainly [didn’t help], but 31 teams, some got through it better than we did.

On some of the team’s strides he is most proud of from this season

Well, we have to sit back and review everything. I think there are areas that we improved in. Our special teams numbers went up, but then they started to come down, in particular the power play, it was two different seasons in my belief. The power play carried us a lot, but then it went 1212641 Los Angeles Kings

Game Thread – Kings @ Avalanche, 5/13

By Zach Dooley9 hours ago903 Comments

First Period

1. LAK – Sean Walker (5) – (Unassisted) – 19:15

Second Period

2. COL – Tyson Jost (6) – (Mikko Rantanen, Gabriel Landeskog) – 9:46

3. COL – Tyson Jost (7) – (Conor Timmins, Mikko Rantanen) – 11:38

4. COL – Pierre-Edouard Bellemare (9) – (Jayson Megna, Andre Burakovsky) – 14:26

5. COL – Joonas Donskoi (17) – (Nazem Kadri, Conor Timmins) – 16:50

6. COL – Andre Burakovsky (19) – (Devon Toews, Cale Makar) – 18:58

Thursday, May 13, 2021 – 6:00 p.m. PT

Ball Arena – Denver, COL

Referees: #29 Ian Walsh #44 Furman South

Linesmen: #82 Ryan Galloway, #98 Dan Kelly

Bally Sports West, Fox Sports GO, LA Kings Audio Network

LAK Starters: G Troy Grosenick, D Mikey Anderson, Drew Doughty, F Alex Iafallo, Anze Kopitar, Carl Grundstrom

LAK Scratches: Andreas Athanasiou, Dustin Brown, Blake Lizotte, Kurtis MacDermid, Jonathan Quick, Austin Wagner, Christian Wolanin

COL Starters: G Jonas Johansson, D Devon Toews, Cale Makar, F Gabriel Landeskog, Tyson Jost, Mikko Rantanen

COL Scratches: Devin Dubnyk, Jacob MacDonald, Nathan MacKinnon, Liam O’Brien, Brandon Saad, Carl Soderberg

LA Kings Insider: LOADED: 05.14.2021 1212642 Los Angeles Kings

LA Kings announce 2020-21 Team Award Winners

By Zach Dooley

The LA Kings announced their annual team awards earlier today, with four players winning the seven awards given out this season. Award winners are as follows –

Voted By The Media –

Bill Libby Memorial Award for Most Valuable Player: Anze Kopitar

Outstanding Defenseman: Drew Doughty

Best Defensive Player: Drew Doughty

Mark Bavis Memorial Award for Best Newcomer: Mikey Anderson

As a voter, all four winners matched my submissions. For Kopitar, he wins the most-valuable player award for the eighth time in his Kings career, and the second consecutive season. Kopitar also tied Marcel Dionne for the most wins in franchise history. Drew Doughty swept the defensive categories, winning both the outstanding defenseman award and best defensive player award. Doughty has been named as the team’s most outstanding defenseman 11 times, the most in franchise history, and this is his third time winning the best defensive player award. Joining Kopitar and Doughty among those honored by the media is defenseman Mikey Anderson, who was voted as the team’s best newcomer. This is Anderson’s first time winning an award with the organization, and comes as little surprise, considering his role this season on the first defensive pairing as a first-year player.

Additionally, as previously announced, the Los Angeles chapter of the PHWA named defenseman Matt Roy as the Kings nominee for the Masterton Memorial Trophy.

Voted by Kings Players –

Ace Bailey Memorial Award for Most Inspirational: Anze Kopitar

Unsung Hero: Trevor Moore

Kopitar wins the most inspirational player award, as voted by his teammates, for the second consecutive season, and the second time in total during his professional career. Trevor Moore is a first-time winner, as the team’s unsung hero. The award seems to be a staple of the Trevor family, awarded frequently to Trevor Lewis during his time with the organization. Several players received votes amongst teammates this season, with Moore a deserved winner.

Chosen by the Kings Booster Club –

Most Popular Player: Anze Kopitar

Kopitar completes his hat trick of awards with the most popular player title, awarded by the booster club. Kopitar has won that award twice in his career, also taking home the trophy in the 2006-07 season.

LA Kings Insider: LOADED: 05.14.2021 1212643 Los Angeles Kings all watched the game, we don’t need to beat down specifics. When asked what the team needs to do differently tonight, to end on a better note than Wednesday, McLellan said the following.

5/13 Preview – Grosenick in, effort & character, Mikey Anderson’s TOI, “Well, it’s quite obvious, I think we need an effort, we need a group of Team USA guys that actually care about finishing the season,” he said. “Individual pride. And it’s not too much to ask a group to work for 60 minutes. We might not have the skill, we might not have the quality of team that our opponents have tonight and the same group tomorrow night, but we have By Zach Dooley a lot more in us than we showed. It’s quite disappointing.”

The words character and intangibles have been thrown out several times TONIGHT’S MATCHUP: The Kings will conclude the 2020-21 regular as areas for evaluation down the stretch. Last night was likely not a season this evening in Colorado, with the backend of a back-to-back set checkmark in the positive column for many. How the team responds versus the Avalanche. tonight, playing against one of the NHL’s top teams that still has everything to play for, will be one final evaluation in that department. HEAD-TO-HEAD: The Avalanche have won all three games played so far this season at Ball Arena, and enter tonight’s action at 6-1-0 against Anderson will finish the season as the NHL’s leader in time on ice by a the Kings this season. Following yesterday’s shutout, forward Anze rookie skater this season. Anderson surpassed K’Andre Miller of the New Kopitar still leads the Kings with five points (0-5-5) from now seven York Rangers yesterday, with still tonight’s game in hand. games played this season against Colorado. For the Avalanche, forward Anderson has skated 1,119:26 so far this season, 37 seconds ahead of Mikko Rantanen collected three points last night, and now has 11 on the Miller with both defensemen appearing in 53 games this season. 53 season (4-7-11), more than any player in the league this season versus games and two of the most promising young defensemen, both the Kings. Rantanen has collected a point in 11 straight games against American-born, in the game were separated by less than a shift in total LA over the last three seasons. time on ice. KINGS VITALS: The Kings did not hold a morning skate today, in Anderson also led all first-year skaters in shorthanded time on ice as well advance of tonight’s game against Colorado. as even-strength time on ice. Assuming his numbers hold up with these Head Coach Todd McLellan said yesterday that Troy Grosenick is averages, Anderson would be one of ten rookie defensemen over the last expected to draw the start tonight, his second start of the season and ten years to average more than 21 minutes in total time on ice, and more fourth career NHL appearance. than two minutes of shorthanded time on ice, over the course of a season. Grosenick made 33 saves on 34 shots in his only appearance with the Kings to date, a 5-1 win over Anaheim on March 10. Grosenick Lastly, we saw three LA Kings named to Team Canada’s preliminary previously appeared in two NHL games with the San Jose Sharks in roster for the IIHF World Championships yesterday, and four more November 2014, amassing a win and a loss. Between victories on named to represent Team USA this morning. November 16, 2014 and March 10, 2021, Grosenick went 2,305 days Goaltender Cal Petersen, defensemen Matt Roy and Christian Wolanin without an NHL victory, the seventh-longest gap between NHL victories as well as forward Trevor Moore were all named to Team USA’s roster by a goaltender in league history. for the World Championships in Latvia, beginning later this month. Tonight will be Grosenick’s first career appearance against Colorado. This will be Wolanin’s second World Championships, after he appeared In terms of skaters, well, really anything is an option. It’s the last game of in six games as Team USA reached the quarterfinals in 2019. Petersen the season, there was no morning skate to guide our direction and the was on the 2017 team, also a quarterfinal defeat for the Americans, but Kings are coming off of a 6-0 loss that McLellan said lacked effort. did not appear in a game as the third goaltender behind Jimmy Howard and Connor Hellebuyck. As it stands right now, the options to enter into the lineup include Kurtis MacDermid and Christian Wolanin on the blueline and Matt Luff at As McLellan said yesterday, an incredible opportunity for any and all to forward. It would not be surprising, considering last night’s result, to see represent their country when called upon. some changes with how the Kings line up this evening, but for that, we “I think, any time your country calls you, if you’re healthy and in your wait until closer to puck drop. family life, everything is under control, I think you should consider the AVALANCHE VITALS: The Avalanche are playing tonight both for playoff opportunity,” McLellan said this morning. “I personally have had the seeding and the first team trophy awarded in 2021. A Colorado victory opportunity to do that, numerous times, in a coaching role and it’s one of would lock up both the top seed in the West Division, as well as the the best experiences I think somebody can have.” Presidents Trophy for most points in the NHL during the regular season, We could still expect to see a few more Kings named to their respective which comes with home ice throughout the playoffs. A Kings victory rosters in the coming days as the rosters continue to circulate. would bump the Avalanche to second in both races, with the Vegas Golden Knights claiming the spoils. Insiders, we’ve reached the final game preview of the season for the Kings. 60 more minutes of hockey, coming up tonight. Goaltender Jonas Johansson is expected to start tonight for the hosts, splitting the games with Philipp Grubauer as they did at STAPLES Center this past weekend. Johansson made 16 saves on 18 shots on Saturday, as he earned the victory in his first career game against the Kings. Since LA Kings Insider: LOADED: 05.14.2021 joining Colorado via trade, Johansson is 4-1-1 from seven appearances, with a .907 save percentage.

Where To Go From Here

A flat, 6-0 defeat in the team’s second-to-last game of the season was, from so many perspectives, not what anyone was looking for yesterday.

When asked what he specifically didn’t like from yesterday’s game, McLellan answered simply with “the first period, the second period and the third period.”

By my math, that accounts for all 60 minutes.

It’s rare that the Kings have been criticized for their effort this season. There have been games where the Kings have simply been outmatched by a better team, and you could probably put both games against Colorado at STAPLES Center into that category. 3-2 defeats, against a good team, but the Kings competed. Last night though was different. We 1212644 Minnesota Wild

Thursday's Wild-St. Louis game recap

MAY 13, 2021 — 10:24PM

GAME RECAP

STAR TRIBUNE'S

1. , Blues: Had two goals and an assist.

2. Brayden Schenn, Blues: Scored twice on the power play.

3. Jordan Kyrou, Blues: Buried two goals in the third period.

BY THE NUMBERS

2 Straight losses by the Wild to close out the regular season.

4 Goals by the Blues in the second period.

5 Regulars for the Wild that were scratched to rest up for the playoffs.

SARAH MCLELLAN

Star Tribune LOADED: 05.14.2021 1212645 Minnesota Wild In eight meetings this season, the Wild went 5-1-2 against the Golden Knights. Every game was competitive, all but two decided by one goal, and the Wild was effective in Vegas — going 2-1-1.

With five regulars resting, Wild falls 7-3 in St. Louis in season finale "We know how to play them to be successful," Eriksson Ek said. "We gotta work together, be smart and at the same time play aggressive."

That wasn't how the Wild looked Thursday. But the next time the team By Sarah McLellan Star Tribune plays, the stakes will be much different.

MAY 14, 2021 — 12:07AM "We're all excited just for what's to come and what we can do," Foligno said. "We know we're special, and this could be a great run for us."

ST. LOUIS – If the Golden Knights didn't like what they saw between the Avalanche and Kings on Thursday night, they might have cheered up Star Tribune LOADED: 05.14.2021 checking in on the Wild's game.

Colorado leapfrogged Vegas to clinch the West Division title and claim the Presidents' Trophy for the best record in the NHL after creaming Los Angeles 5-1, a result that sealed a first-round matchup between the now- No. 2 Golden Knights and No. 3 Wild.

In its last dress rehearsal, the Wild fumbled the chance to polish up its play before the postseason starts.

The Wild sat five key players to rest up for Game 1 on Sunday afternoon, and the new-look lineup didn't corral any momentum for postseason puck drop, coughing up a three-goal lead before collapsing 7-3 to the Blues at Enterprise Center to close the regular season with back-to-back losses.

"You could just tell that we're looking to get going here with the playoffs," Marcus Foligno said. "But you just can't do that in this league. You want to finish strong, and it is what it is. But we know we're better than that."

St. Louis scored four straight goals in the second period, including two on the power play from Brayden Schenn, and added three more in the third to flip a sleepy start into a feel-good finish ahead of the Blues' foray into the postseason as the fourth and final seed in the West Division.

They'll face the Avalanche in a series that begins Monday.

"Obviously, it unraveled on us," Wild coach Dean Evason said. "Yeah, it's disappointing. There's no question it is."

Although Kirill Kaprizov, Kevin Fiala, Mats Zuccarello, Jared Spurgeon and Jonas Brodin were scratched, the Wild dominated early.

Nico Sturm pushed in a loose puck 3 minutes, 23 seconds into the first period, Ryan Suter scored on a point shot 43 seconds later and Foligno batted a puck out of the air at 16:04 for his 26th point of the season — a new career high.

But then St. Louis took over.

Zach Sanford went top shelf 5:16 into the second, Schenn one-timed in a Ryan O'Reilly feed on the power play at 8:29 and David Perron's shot from the right faceoff circle tied the score at 11:33.

Another power-play goal from Schenn, who cleaned up a Perron rebound in front, put St. Louis ahead, and that deficit for the Wild only grew in the third.

Perron capitalized again on the power play before Jordan Kyrou capped the scoring with a pair of goals off the rush, at 6:33 and then 15:29.

St. Louis finished 3-for-4 with the man advantage, the most power-play goals given up by the Wild in a game this season. The Wild's power play went 0-for-2. Kahkonen made 20 saves and has been tagged for 16 goals in his past two games at St. Louis. Jordan Binnington had 16 stops for the Blues.

"They make plays when you give them that much time," Joel Eriksson Ek said. "We didn't help Kaapo a lot."

Despite the letdown on the heels of a 4-0 loss to the Blues on Wednesday, Foligno is convinced the Wild can bounce back for the playoffs.

"Regardless of these two games, I think we are a very confident group," he said. "We're excited for the postseason.

''This is what we push for all season long, and there's not a doubt in my mind that we can turn it on and be ready by Sunday." 1212646 Minnesota Wild The Wild won't need to send a seventh-round draft pick to the Penguins to complete the Nick Bjugstad trade.

That pick was conditional on Bjugstad playing in 70 games or registering Wild's Kirill Kaprizov scores with performance bonuses 35 points, benchmarks that were prorated to approximately 48 games and 24 points, and Bjugstad did not meet those marks in his first season with the Wild. So the Wild will retain its draft choice.

By Sarah McLellan Star Tribune

MAY 14, 2021 — 12:17AM Star Tribune LOADED: 05.14.2021

ST. LOUIS – Kirill Kaprizov's first regular season in the NHL is over, and the rookie is cashing in.

Before sitting out the Wild's finale Thursday against the Blues, Kaprizov already had maxed out the performance bonuses in his contract paid by the Wild, earning an extra $631,707 this season.

Kaprizov received bonuses for goals, points, points per game, ice time and for finishing in the top 10 in the NHL in goals. The 24-year-old is also eligible to get bonus money from the NHL for being a finalist for the Calder Trophy as the league's top rookie and for ranking in the top 10 in the NHL for goals among forwards.

As part of the transition rules laid out before the season, the thresholds for these bonuses and the payouts were prorated to reflect the shortened schedule. Winning the Calder Trophy usually nets a $212,500 bonus, but the prorated amount is approximately $145,121.

The Calder Trophy is voted on by the Professional Hockey Writers' Association, with voters ranking the top five candidates. A 10-7-5-3-1 points system is used to determine three finalists.

In July 2020, Kaprizov signed an entry-level contract that expires after this season. He received a $92,500 signing bonus and $832,500 in salary. But amid the hit the NHL took financially from the COVID-19 pandemic, the players agreed to defer 10% of their salaries and signing bonuses this season to be paid out in three installments in 2022, 2023 and 2024. Also, 20% of player salaries this season are held in escrow to figure out a 50-50 split of hockey-related revenue between the players and owners.

Through 55 games, Kaprizov set single-season Wild rookie records in goals (27), assists (24), points (51), power-play goals (8), even-strength goals (19) and even-strength points (38) while averaging 18 minutes, 18 seconds of ice time.

He led the Wild in goals, points, power-play goals and even-strength points. Kaprizov also paced NHL rookies in all those categories except even-strength points, where he ranked second; his even-strength goals were also tops among first-year players, and his points-per-game clip (0.93) was first on the Wild and in the league for rookies who played at least three games.

Dallas' Jason Robertson finished second in rookie points and tied for second in goals, ending up with six fewer points and 10 fewer goals than Kaprizov. Robertson's 28 assists were the most for rookies.

Schedule set

Puck drop for Game 1 of the Wild's first-round playoff series against the Golden Knights is 2 p.m. Sunday, and Game 2 is 9 p.m. Tuesday. Both games are in Las Vegas.

Games 3 and 4 at Xcel Energy Center will be next Thursday at 8:30 p.m. and Saturday, May 22, at 7 p.m.

If necessary, Games 5, 6 and 7 are May 24, 26 and 28. Start times are to be determined.

Resting up

Aside from Kaprizov, the Wild also rested forwards Kevin Fiala and Mats Zuccarello and defensemen Jared Spurgeon and Jonas Brodin for Thursday's regular-season finale.

Zach Parise, who was a healthy scratch the previous three games, drew into the lineup, along with defenseman Brad Hunt. Forwards Luke Johnson and Kyle Rau and defenseman Dakota Mermis were also recalled from the taxi squad to suit up. Kaapo Kahkonen started in net, with Cam Talbot backing him up.

Off the table 1212647 Minnesota Wild

Wild's playoff opponent unknown, but it will open the first round on Sunday afternoon

By Sarah McLellan Star Tribune

MAY 13, 2021 — 11:38AM

ST. LOUIS – The Wild clinched a playoff spot almost three weeks ago, but the team won't find out who it's playing in the first round until its final night of the regular season.

It does, however, know the schedule. Game 1 of the first round will be Sunday at either Colorado or Vegas at 2 p.m. Game 2 is Tuesday at 9 p.m. before the best-of-seven series returns to Minnesota for Game 3 on Thursday (8:30 p.m.) and Game 4 on Saturday, May 22 (7 p.m.).

The last three games, if necessary, are Monday, May 24, away; Wednesday, May 26, at the X; and Game 7 would be Friday, May 28, on the road.

Colorado set up the photo finish in the West Division with a blowout win over Los Angeles on Wednesday night, a result that kept it two points back of Vegas for the top speed with one game to go.

If the Avalanche wins again tonight against the Kings, the team will leapfrog the Golden Knights and claim first place since it owns the tiebreaker – boasting more regulation wins than Vegas.

But if the Avalanche loses, the Golden Knights will stay atop the division.

And this affects the Wild since whoever finishes in second will take on the Wild in Round 1.

Against either team the Wild will open on the road since the Avalanche's win ensured the Wild couldn't catch up, even if the Wild did win Wednesday instead of getting blanked 4-0 by the Blues at Enterprise Center.

"As the visiting team, you just want to make sure your game's tight," defenseman Matt Dumba said. "You're trying to steal a couple on the road. That'd be ideal."

Although the Wild had a decent start Wednesday as the road team, getting quality looks against St. Louis, the pressure never culminated in any offense.

At the other end, when the Blues got to the front of the Wild's net, they took advantage – scoring twice in the first period on shots in tight. Same with the third goal in the second.

"You give these guys a little bit of room they're really good," winger Marcus Johansson said. "They're good down low, and they find the middle."

Give kudos to St. Louis goalie Ville Husso for stymieing the Wild; he came up with 31 saves for his first career shutout, and many were difficult stops. He made 10 on rookie Kirill Kaprizov and Mats Zuccarello alone, ending Kaprizov's career-long six-game point streak at six games.

"Their guy played great in net," coach Dean Evason said.

The Wild will wrap up its regular season tonight with a rematch against the Blues, and the team was deciding after Wednesday's game whether to ice the same lineup or rest players ahead of the playoffs.

If the team does change up its look, Zach Parise could draw in after sitting as a healthy scratch the past three games.

Star Tribune LOADED: 05.14.2021 1212648 Minnesota Wild Talbot ended up with 23 saves and although he's given up four or more goals in four of his past six starts, he felt he had a sounder game than some of his recent showings.

Wild locked into third-place finish after 4-0 loss to St. Louis "I still thought that I played fairly well," Talbot said, "and I'm confident going into Game 1."

When Game 1 is remains unclear, but the Wild is running out of time to By Sarah McLellan Star Tribune prepare for it.

MAY 13, 2021 — 6:25AM "You're trying to get your game where it needs to be," Dumba said. "It's an important part of this time of the year and just being sharp and

everyone on the same page. We'll be just pressing hard to dial in some ST. LOUIS – The jumbotron anchoring Enterprise Center kept track of things [Thursday] night and make sure we're ready for the first round." the action between the Wild and Blues while the out-of-town scoreboard determined how significant it would be. Star Tribune LOADED: 05.14.2021 And before the first period was over, the game was facing a downgrade to irrelevant.

A 4-0 loss to St. Louis didn't change the Wild's spot in the standings, and a win wouldn't have either.

The Avalanche made it impossible for the Wild to climb into second and snare home-ice advantage in the first round of the playoffs by running away early from the Kings in a 6-0 rout, an outcome that locked the Wild into third place in the West Division and a matchup with the second seed.

"We don't care where we play," coach Dean Evason said. "Doesn't matter. We're in the playoffs. We're looking forward to playing."

The Wild won't know until Thursday night whether it's going to Colorado or Vegas for Game 1.

Since the Golden Knights also won, overwhelming the Sharks 6-0, the top seed in the division won't be decided until after the Avalanche wraps up its regular season with another game against the Kings.

If Colorado wins, the Avalanche will claim the division and hand the Wild off to Vegas. But if the Avalanche loses, Colorado will finish second and take on the Wild.

"When it comes to playoffs, yeah, it's nice to have home-ice advantage," Marcus Johansson said. "But it doesn't matter that much. It's a battle, and it doesn't matter Game 7 or whatever it is. If you're home or on the road, it's still the same game."

The Wild was planning to huddle after the game Wednesday to figure out whether the team will keep the usual lineup intact for the regular-season finale Thursday against the Blues or rest players.

While the break could be valuable to some, the Wild also runs the risk of going into the playoffs on a losing streak if the team falls again to St. Louis.

Although the Wild was shut out for the fourth time this season, Evason liked many parts of the Wild's effort, including its start before the Blues pulled away on David Perron's goal and two assists and Torey Krug's goal and assist.

St. Louis backup goalie Ville Husso, however, was the best player on the ice, making 31 saves for the first shutout of his career.

Some of his strongest work came in the first period. After blocking a one- timer from Ryan Hartman off a Kirill Kaprizov pass, Husso also kept out Matt Dumba's attempt on the rebound. The Wild power play also went 0- for-3.

"Their goalie played outstanding," Dumba said.

The St. Louis players in front of Husso got better as the first progressed, rewarding him with a 2-0 lead.

Ivan Barbashev buried the rebound off a sharp-angle shot by Perron at 12 minutes, 54 seconds before Jaden Schwartz redirected in a Jordan Kyrou feed at 14:40.

In the second, Krug buried a behind-the-net pass from captain Ryan O'Reilly at 9:56 and Perron's shot from beyond the circles at 13:10 eluded Wild goalie Cam Talbot.

"The mistakes that we made were clearly assignment mistakes that allowed for wide-open opportunities," Evason said. "So, those things are hopefully easily corrected with some video and some discussion." 1212649 Minnesota Wild Pioneer Press LOADED: 05.14.2021

Wild close out regular season with 7-3 loss to Blues after blowing an early lead

By DANE MIZUTANI | [email protected] | Pioneer Press

PUBLISHED: May 13, 2021 at 9:28 p.m. | UPDATED: May 13, 2021 at 10:34 p.m.

The regular season finale between the Wild and the St. Louis Blues meant absolutely nothing in the grand scheme of things. Neither team could move up or down in the division standings on Thursday night at Enterprise Center.

That said, the Wild can’t be feeling too good about themselves after a 7-3 loss to the Blues. Though lineup regulars like Kirill Kaprizov, Kevin Fiala, Mats Zuccarello, Jared Spurgeon, and Jonas Brodin got the night off, it doesn’t excuse the Wild squandering a three-goal lead on their way to a blowout loss.

It marked the second straight night in which the Wild looked overmatched against the Blues.

“We never want to play games where we just show up and see how it goes,” said Marcus Foligno, who finished the regular season with 26 points to set a new career high. “Obviously that’s how it looked these last two games.”

The good news for the Wild? They don’t have to play the Blues in the first round.

Instead, the Wild will take on the Vegas Golden Knights on Sunday at 2 p.m. That much was set in stone after Colorado Avalanche earned a blowout win over the Los Angeles Kings on Thursday night to clinch the Presidents’ Trophy.

“We know that we’ve outplayed them a lot of times this season,” Joel Eriksson Ek said of the Golden Knights. “I think we know how to play them to be successful. We are going to work together and be smart, and at the same time, play aggressive. I think we play our best game when we play aggressive.”

It was a fast start for the Wild on this particular night as Nico Sturm scored early in the first period to make it 1-0. Less than a minute later, Ryan Suter netted a shot from the point to stretch the lead to 2-0, then Marcus Foligno scored to make it 3-0.

Surely, that was a big enough cushion for the Wild, right? Not quite. Not only did they Wild look disinterested for most of the second period, they actually surrendered the lead completely as the Blues seized control of the game.

The disastrous stretch started with a snipe from Zach Sanford to make it 3-1 followed by a goal from Brayden Schenn a few minutes later to cut the deficit to 3-2. The train had left the station at that point and the Blues kept rolling with a goal from David Perron to tie the game at 3-3 and another goal from Schenn to make it 4-3.

“They didn’t get rattled,” coach Dean Evason said. “Some teams might go away. They didn’t go away. They just kept pushing and we didn’t handle it very well after that.”

It continued to snowball in the third period as Perron scored again to stretch the lead to 5-3 in favor of the Blues, and Jordan Kyrou scored less than a minute later to make it 6-3. For good measure, Kyrou finalized the score at 7-3 with a goal in the closing minutes.

“You could just tell that we’re looking to get going here with the playoffs,” Foligno said. “You just can’t do that in this league. You want to finish strong. It is what it is. We know we’re better than that.”

Can the Wild simply snap their fingers and be ready for the Golden Knights in a few days?

“Absolutely,” Foligno said. “We are a very confident group. We are excited for the postseason. This is what we pushed for all season long. There’s not a doubt in my mind that we can we can turn on and be ready by Sunday.” 1212650 Minnesota Wild

Wild rookie goaltender Kaapo Kahkonen was team’s ‘X’ factor this season

By DANE MIZUTANI | [email protected] | Pioneer Press

PUBLISHED: May 13, 2021 at 11:56 a.m. | UPDATED: May 13, 2021 at 11:56 a.m.

As the Wild prepare for what they hope is a lengthy playoff run, don’t forget about the man who helped them get here.

No, not rstar rookie forward Kirill Kaprizov. No, not dynamic winger Kevin Fiala. And no, not standout goaltender Cam Talbot.

While those three certainly played a vital role in the team’s success, as did countless others throughout the lineup, backup goaltender Kaapo Kahkonen was an X factor this season that should not be forgotten.

He was expected to start Thursday’s season finale against the Blues in St. Louis, and entered the game with a 16-7-0 record, 2.70 goals-against average and .908 save percentage. As impressive as those stats are, especially for a 24-year-old rookie goaltender, there was an even more impressive stretch a couple of months ago that pretty much saved the season.

With the Wild battling through a highly publicized COVID shutdown — Talbot was among the players who tested positive — Kahkonen was as a stabilizing force between the pipes. He filled in admirably for nearly a month and posted a 9-0-0 record, 1.44 goals-against average and .947 save percentage.

Who’s to say where the Wild would be right now without that stretch?

“I don’t really think about it that way,” Kahkonen said. “I feel like everybody contributed this year. Just everybody who’s been around this team this year, and played or not played, I think the positive attitude we all have had has for sure helped us to get here. That’s what it is, and that’s what makes good teams good.”

As does solid play between the pipes. Which is exactly what the Wild got from Kahkonen when they needed it most.

“We went on a stretch there where he was playing outstanding hockey for a large portion of time,” defenseman Ian Cole said. “Yes, maybe Cam takes that job in the playoffs and runs with it, and maybe Kaapo doesn’t play another game all season. I don’t think that diminishes what Kaapo has done, or the future he’s going to have, or how good of a goaltender he is.”

It seems like Talbot has established himself over the past month as the No. 1 option in net, and the Wild are most likely going to live and die with him through the playoffs. If that’s the case, coach Dean Evason said Kahkonen will continue to be someone the Wild can trust in a big moment.

“We as a team appreciate what he’s done and how he’s contributed,” Evason said. “He’s fit in wonderfully with the group.”

As for Kahkonen, he plans to continue to work his butt off in practices, like he has all season.

“I’ve been trying to tell myself go one day at a time,” he said. “You never know what’s going to happen this year with everything going on. I guess it’s been a little different, at least compared to the little while I was up for last year. But it’s been a fun year.”

Pioneer Press LOADED: 05.14.2021 1212651 Minnesota Wild

Wild open NHL playoffs on Sunday. Here’s their first-round schedule

By DANE MIZUTANI | [email protected] | Pioneer Press

PUBLISHED: May 13, 2021 at 11:36 a.m. | UPDATED: May 13, 2021 at 10:46 p.m.

For the Wild, the pursuit of the Stanley Cup will start at 2 p.m. Sunday on the road against the Vegas Golden Knights. That much was set in stone after the Colorado Avalanche beat the Los Angeles Kings on Thursday night to clinch the Presidents’ Trophy.

While the Wild will likely enter the first round as underdogs against the Golden Knights, maybe they shouldn’t be. They are a league-best 11-2-3 against them all-time and 5-1-2 this season.

Asked why the Wild play so well against the Golden Knights, winger Marcus Foligno responded, “It’s always been back and forth and physical and heavy. It’s suits us well. It’s going be a fun series.”

Still, it’s clear the Wild are putting too much stock in their opponent. As far as they’re concerned, if they want to win the Stanley Cup, they are going to have to get through whichever team is in front of them.

“We don’t care where we play,” coach Dean Evason said. “It doesn’t matter. We’re in the playoffs. We’re looking forward to playing.”

Pioneer Press LOADED: 05.14.2021 1212652 Minnesota Wild “But we know that what matters most comes Sunday. We have the experience in our locker room, we have the right mindset and we know it’s going to be a grind. I think the way we look at our team, it’s been that way all year. It’s been some ups and downs, but we’ve been a team Wild lose again, set for playoff matchup with Golden Knights after that’s been resilient and pushed back in games we’ve been down and Thursday night settles West Division that’s how our mindset has to be coming into these playoffs.

“You never want to play games where you just show up and see how it goes, but obviously that’s how it looked these last two games. But we By Michael Russo know what’s at stake and we know we’ve got a great, unique hockey club May 14, 2021 this year, and we’re all excited about what’s to come. We know we’re special and this could be a great run for us.”

After taking Friday off, the Wild will have some work to do during Sin City it is for the Wild. Saturday’s practice to refine their game, which has slipped defensively, at even-strength, on both the power play and penalty kill and in goal the For the first time in the four-year history of the Golden Knights, the Wild past few weeks. and the 2017-18 expansion team and Stanley Cup finalist will meet in the playoffs when the first round opens Sunday afternoon at T-Mobile Arena “Everyone in that locker room is confident,” Foligno said. “I mean, off the Las Vegas Strip. regardless of these two games, I think we are a very confident group. We’re excited for the postseason. This is what we pushed for all season On paper, this is a great matchup for the Wild even though the Golden long. And there’s not a doubt in my mind that we can turn it on and be Knights have a laundry list of stars, from Mark Stone and potentially ready by Sunday.” sidelined Max Pacioretty up front to defensemen Shea Theodore, Alex Pietrangelo and Alec Martinez to future Hall of Famer goaltender Marc- One issue, perhaps? Andre Fleury. No. 1 goalie Cam Talbot has allowed 24 goals in his past six starts, and Oh, there’s also some guy named . Kaapo Kahkonen absolutely unraveled Thursday night in a game that was very representative of his last start in St. Louis when Wild coach But no NHL team has more victories than the Wild’s 11 against the Dean Evason kept him in net for a franchise-record nine goals-against. Golden Knights since the team’s inception, and Vegas is very banged up with Pacioretty, Martinez, Ryan Reaves and Tomas Nosek all missing Kahkonen will be hearing the Blues’ goal horn in his dreams for quite a games down the stretch. while after he allowed another seven Thursday. The Wild played a terrific first period to spot the rookie a three-goal lead, the goals coming from Of course, the playoffs are a different animal than the regular season. Nico Sturm, Ryan Suter and Foligno. For Sturm, his 11 goals this season The Wild know that better than most, having made the playoffs eight tied Cal Clutterbuck for sixth in a single rookie season in Wild history. times in the past nine years but only advancing past the first round twice and not since 2015. And while there’s no doubt the Wild cratered in front of Kahkonen at times, the goalie gave up a slew of soft goals. On the other hand, much of the Golden Knights’ core remains intact from the one that advanced all the way to the Stanley Cup Final in 2018 (see Like, marshmallow soft. Jonathan Marchessault, William Karlsson and Reilly Smith) and the Western Conference Final during last summer’s Edmonton bubble. “Our concern after the first period was everybody. It wasn’t one guy,” said Evason, deflecting blame away from his goalie. “There’s concerns all “We find that when you play good teams like (Vegas), great teams, you around, obviously. But the concerns have to be short-lived. We need to raise up your play a little bit and (we’ve) just had emotional games go forward. It’s one of the times that we definitely throw this game away.” against them,” Wild hard-hitting winger Marcus Foligno said after the Wild closed the regular season Thursday night by coughing up a 3-0 first- Two reasons why the Wild feel confident going into the playoffs are the period lead en route to a 7-3 loss to the St. Louis Blues. “It’s always been game-breaking capabilities of Fiala, last year’s leading scorer, and fun (against Vegas). It’s always been back and forth and physical and Kaprizov. heavy. So, it suits us well. They’re a great team. We’re a great team. So Fiala, banged up lately, has been playing his best hockey of late, though. it’s gonna be a fun series. When we play aggressive, we’re a big hockey team, a smart hockey team, and we know how to play with that style and And Kaprizov ended his first NHL regular season as the franchise’s all- in that emotion.” time rookie leader with 27 goals, 51 points, eight power-play goals, 19 even-strength goals, 24 assists and 38 even-strength points in 55 games. The Wild, who clinched a playoff spot way back on April 24, wound up Over an 82-game season, that would be a 40-goal and 76-point pace. facing the Golden Knights because the Colorado Avalanche rallied to defeat the Los Angeles Kings on Thursday night by a 5-1 score. The His .49 goals per game is tied for first with Patrik Laine and Auston Avalanche tied the Golden Knights in the standings with a league-best 82 Matthews among NHL rookies since 2006-07. points, but they were anointed West Division champions and the league’s President’s Trophy winner by virtue of winning 35 games in regulation — The Calder Trophy front-runner led all NHL rookies by 10 goals and six five more than Vegas. points and he became the 46th rookie since 1950-51 to lead his team in scoring. In St. Louis, the Wild backed into the postseason by losing by a combined 11-3 the past two nights. It’s hard to really take much out of They’ll need both those players to be dynamite in the postseason, plus Thursday’s game because the Wild held out leading scorers Kirill Joel Eriksson Ek, a Selke Trophy contender and the Wild’s best Kaprizov and Kevin Fiala, veteran playmaker Mats Zuccarello and centerman. arguably their best two defensemen, Jared Spurgeon and Jonas Brodin, “We know that we’ve outplayed them a lot of times this season,” Eriksson for precautionary reasons with their fate set in concrete and the playoffs Ek said of the Golden Knights. “And I think we know how to play them to around the corner. be successful. We’re gonna work together, be smart, and at the same Zach Parise drew into the lineup for the first time in four games. Brad time, play aggressive. I think we play our best game when we play Hunt played for the first time since March 24. Recalled from the taxi aggressive. squad, Dakota Mermis played his third game of the season and first “We’re excited. We’ve been waiting a little bit for this. We just want to get since Feb. 18 and Kyle Rau and Luke Johnson also filled spots. going. It’s going to be really fun, and it’s gonna be a really exciting series. So, this was hardly the Wild’s lineup, and the Wild looked disinterested at It’s going to be fun.” times and almost trying to survive to escape healthy for the playoffs. Viva, Las Vegas! “No matter what people say, it’s always tough to forget about (the Wild vs. Golden Knights playoffs being around the corner),” Foligno said. “It’s always in the back of your head, not that you want to play safe hockey, but you want to feel All-time record: 11-2-3 good going into playoffs. This is what we play for. You wanna do things right and come out on top in every game. At home: 6-0-2 At Vegas: 5-2-1 — Parise ranks third among active U.S.-born players in postseason goals with 35. Only Joe Pavelski (61) and Patrick Kane (52) have more. This season’s series: 5-1-2 (2-1-1 at Vegas, 3-0-1 at home) — Suter has appeared in 81 career games during the Stanley Cup Wild vs. Vegas this season: Kaprizov 6 goals, 8 points; Foligno 3 goals, 7 Playoffs, notching 6 goals and 30 points in those contests while points; Brodin 2 goals, 6 points; Eriksson Ek 4 goals, 6 points; Talbot 3-1- averaging 27:26 time on ice per game. Only six players have averaged a 2 with a 3.26 goals-against average and .898 save percentage; higher such total since Suter made his NHL debut in 2005-06. Kahkonen 2-0 with a 1.51 GAA and .943 save percentage. — Kaprizov leads all Wild skaters in goals and points. Only three rookies Vegas vs. Wild this season: Stone 2 goals, 10 points; Karlsson 2 goals, 6 since 1993-94 have led a team in points during the regular season, while points; Chandler Stephenson 2 goals, 6 points; Tuch (3 goals, 6 points); also helping them qualify for the playoffs: Auston Matthews (2016-17 w/ Fleury 3-3 with a 2.41 GAA and .919 save percentage; Robin Lehner 0-1- TOR), Filip Forsberg (2014-15 w/ NSH) and Trent Hunter (2003-04 w/ 1 with a 3.87 GAA and .884 save percentage. NYI).

Wild all-time leaders vs. Vegas: Fiala 6 goals, 15 points in 16 games; — Kaprizov can become the seventh Wild rookie to score a goal in the Brodin 3 goals, 12 points in 16 games; Eriksson Ek 5 goals, 9 points in postseason – Erik Haula (4 in 2013-14) and Matt Dumba (2 in 2014-15) 14 games; Talbot 6-4-2, 3.54 GAA, .889 save percentage in 12 career are the only two with multiple playoff goals as a rookie. starts; Kahkonen 2-0, 1.51 GAA, .943 save percentage in two career starts. — Talbot holds an all-time record of 12-11 in the postseason (0-1 w/ NYR; 7-6 w/ EDM; 5-4 w/ CGY) with a .923 save percentage. Should he Golden Knights all-time leaders vs. Wild: Pietrangelo 7 goals, 22 points in go on a run with Minnesota, he can become the 10th goaltender in NHL 46 games; Stone 3 goals, 19 points in 19 games; Pacioretty 10 goals, 17 history (and only active) to record five or more playoff wins with three or points in 22 games; Fleury 7-13, 3.05 GAA, .896 save percentage in 20 more different franchises. starts; Lehner 3-3-2, 2.95 GAA, .898 save percentage. — The Wild have two former Stanley Cup champions on their roster and Fun fact: The Wild lead the NHL for most wins and team points (25) both were part of Pittsburgh’s back-to-back championships in 2016 and against Vegas. 2017: Ian Cole and Nick Bonino.

Golden Knights playoff factoids (per the NHL) — The Wild will look to begin the postseason with a victory for the third — Vegas is the fourth franchise in NHL history to make the playoffs in time in their history, with those wins coming in 2003, 2015 and 2020. In each of its first four seasons, following the Edmonton Oilers (13; 1980– any best-of-seven series, the Wild are just 2-11 in the opening game 1992), New York Rangers (9; 1927–1935) and St. Louis Blues (6; 1968– (with wins in 2003 and 2015, both on the road). On the other end of the 1973). spectrum, Minnesota boasts a perfect 3-0 record in Game 7s.

— Fleury can pass Tony Esposito and become the first goaltender in NHL history — and 21st player at any position — to skate in 15 The Athletic LOADED: 05.14.2021 consecutive postseasons. Only four goaltenders in league history have made 15 playoff appearances at any point in their careers.

— Fleury is the league’s active leader in playoff wins (81) and games played (146). He is in position to tie Grant Fuhr (150 GP) for fourth place in history for games played among goaltenders and within reach of equaling Billy Smith and Ed Belfour – who each have 88 wins — for fourth place in career playoff victories.

— The Vegas roster includes four Stanley Cup champions: Fleury (2009 PIT, 2016 PIT, 2017 PIT), Martinez (2012 LAK, 2014 LAK), Pietrangelo (2019 STL) and Stephenson (2018 WSH). Fleury is one of eight active NHL players — and the only active goaltender — with his name on the Cup at least three times; he can become the 13th netminder in NHL history to have his name engraved four or more times.

— Ten current Golden Knights players helped the club reach the 2018 Final: William Carrier, Fleury, Karlsson, Marchessault, Brayden McNabb, Tomas Nosek, Ryan Reaves, Smith, Theodore and Tuch.

—Smith is one of seven players to play in all 47 postseason games in Golden Knights history and is the franchise leader in playoff assists (31) and points (42). Only 18 players in League history have skated in each of a franchise’s first 50 all-time playoff games; Daniel Alfredsson (99 GP with OTT) is the only player to do so for a club that joined the NHL in the 1990s or later.

— Pacioretty leads all current Vegas players with 20 career postseason goals (61 GP), half of which have come across 23 playoff games with the Golden Knights (also 10 G in 38 GP w/ MTL).

Wild playoff factoids (per the NHL)

— The Wild have reached the postseason for the eighth time in nine seasons (since 2012-13), one of four clubs to do so (Pittsburgh, St. Louis Blues, Washington). Each of the other three clubs have won the Stanley Cup at least once in that span.

— The Wild (2000-01) will look to become the first expansion franchise from either the NHL, NBA, NFL or MLB to play its inaugural season in the 2000s or later and win a championship. Only two clubs that have entered the NHL since the start of the 1990s have won a Stanley Cup (Tampa Bay Lightning: 2004, 2020; and Anaheim Ducks: 2007).

— Parise, who could be on the outside looking in entering the postseason, has skated in 40 playoff games since signing with the Wild. He owns the franchise record for playoff goals (14), assists (20) and points (34). 1212653 Minnesota Wild

2021 NHL Playoffs: Wild vs. Golden Knights schedule, TV channel, games, scores, guide to the first-round series

By The Athletic NHL Staff

May 14, 2021

In this West matchup, the No. 3 Minnesota Wild will face the No. 2 Vegas Golden Knights in the first round of the 2021 NHL Stanley Cup playoffs. To find out who has the advantage in the series, check out Dom Luszczyszyn’s odds and probabilities, Craig Custance’s playoff tiers and watch for predictions from our experts in the days to come.

Schedule/TV/results

Game 1: at Vegas, Sunday, May 16, at 3 p.m. ET (NBC, SN, TVA Sports)

Game 2: at Vegas, Tuesday, May 18, at 10 p.m. ET (NBCSN, SN360, TVA Sports)

Game 3: at Minnesota, Thursday, May 20, at 9:30 p.m. ET (NBCSN, SN360, TVA Sports)

Game 4: at Minnesota, Saturday, May 22, at 8 p.m. ET (NBC, SN360, TVA Sports)

Game 5*: at Vegas, Monday, May 24, time TBD (TV TBD)

Game 6*: at Minnesota, Wednesday, May 26, time TBD (TV TBD)

Game 7*: at Vegas, Friday, May 28, time TBD (TV TBD)

(* – if necessary)

What to expect from the series

Instant preview: Why did the Vegas Golden Knights struggle vs. the Minnesota Wild this season?: Golden Knights beat reporter Jesse Granger previews the series and examines which players had the most success against the Wild in the regular season.

Wild lose again, set for playoff matchup with Golden Knights after Thursday night settles West Division: Wild beat reporter Michael Russo looks at where the team stands heading into the series.

Vegas’ Marc-Andre Fleury, better than ever at 36, celebrates joining his idols in NHL record books: Fleury (and Robin Lehner) won the William M. Jennings Trophy by allowing the fewest regular-season goals.

Was the Wild lineup without Zach Parise a preview of what will happen in the playoffs?: Coach Dean Evason recently gave a glimpse of how Minnesota’s playoff lineup might look.

Wild-Golden Knights history

Kirill Kaprizov fights Vegas’ attacks, but Wild teammates have his back: “It would be intense; it would be hard-hitting,” Wild goalie Cam Talbot said of a first-round series against the Golden Knights.

The Athletic LOADED: 05.14.2021 1212654 Minnesota Wild Off the ice, Derek was often forced to fight. Sometimes it was typical stuff, older kids wanting to test the big, new kid in town. Other times, it was because a kid from Milford, Ontario, or Melfort, Saskatchewan, would confront Derek or his brothers because Derek’s dad arrested “my ‘I don’t want him forgotten’: Derek Boogaard’s family opens up, 10 years dad” or “cousin” or “uncle last night.” after his death “That happened all the time,” Aaron says.

And if Derek felt anybody was bullying his brothers or sister, he stepped By Michael Russo in.

“You’d only ever hear about it. Never got to see it firsthand,” Aaron says.

Derek Boogaard so loved his Buddhas. Krysten remembers one time she was bullied and forced to flee in tears (though she admits she might have egged things on). The last year of his life, any time he returned home, he’d rub their bellies for good luck and wish for happiness and peace inside his aching, cloudy “I ran into my brothers and told them what happened,” Krysten says. head. “They came over and had some child-like banter with them to set them straight. In the end, we all went home and I got the big brother talk from Boogaard filled his Manhattan and Minneapolis apartments with Derek telling me to never instigate again.” Buddhas. At least a dozen of various sizes, girths and colors, from beautiful shades of blue and maroon to brown, black and gray. He At home, the three brothers were always roughhousing. Joanne has particularly loved the ones with wide smiles, the type of smile he so often several home videos where she’d keep Krysten in her playpen to protect put on the faces of others. her while the brothers wrestled. Joanne would tell them to stop, they wouldn’t listen and next thing you knew one or two of the boys would end Like other things in his life, Boogaard’s sudden interest in Buddhism was up crying. news to his family until it was too late. “I’ll pump my own tires here on this, but whenever we’d get into our little “It really came out of left field,” his brother Ryan says. “I don’t think any of brotherly scraps, I actually used to have the upper hand on Derek,” Ryan us fully understand what that was about, but now our whole family has says. “Then all of a sudden he sprouts up six inches over the course of them – in our gardens, in our homes, everywhere.” one summer and I got everything back in spades.” Buddhism seemed uncharacteristic for the 6-foot-7 behemoth, though Derek, Ryan and Aaron Boogaard. (Courtesy Joanne Boogaard) Boogaard was a mythical character of sorts. “I don’t know about that,” says Joanne, laughing. “They’d always be He worked for years to create his persona as the intimidating horsing around and bouncing off the walls, and it was never Derek that “Boogeyman.” His surname is actually pronounced BO-guard, not BOO, got hurt. It was the other ones that ended up in tears. They went through but he realized during his years playing major junior that BOO was a the drywall. I was forever patching.” better fit for a fighter. Size runs in the Boogaard family. Krysten is 6-5 and played for the So he became the Boogeyman and he loved it. He loved hearing his Canadian junior national basketball team and at the University of Kansas. name chanted. He loved how children gawked. How could anyone be so Ryan is the second-oldest yet smallest at 6-2. big! He loved that hockey fans in Minnesota loved him. He loved that opposing fans loathed him. Krysten, who’s now pregnant, was at a recent appointment to check on her progress. The ultrasound tech said her daughter’s feet are going to Boogaard was a titan in size 14 skates who made his living careening be big. around the ice, instilling fear into opponents with monstrous checks and thunderous punches that brought fans out of their seats. During his youth hockey playing days, Derek was often penalized for just being big. While fighting wasn’t allowed, “Kids would skate into him and Yet off that ice, the moment he sunk into his stall, stripped the tape off just fall down,” Len says. and removed the costume from his hulking body, Boogaard would transform back into a laid-back and affable personality, deep voice and As he progressed through the hockey ranks, he grew into his role. As a infectious laugh. “Meek and mild Derek,” according to his dad, Len. teenager playing for Melfort, Boogaard was getting taunted during a loss. So he skated over to the opposing bench and took on the entire team. “He was a big teddy bear,” Derek’s mom, Joanne, says. “You wouldn’t think that when you watched him on the ice. He would do anything for “It was a side of him I’d never seen,” Len says. “I’d seen some stuff anybody off of it. But when he fought, it was like, ‘How? Where is this before, but this just went over the top.” coming from?’” His willingness to drop the gloves extended into his NHL career. There Boogaard was molded for years by hockey teams like the Minnesota Wild are some NHL fighters who hate to fight. Boogaard wasn’t one of them. to be a bruiser whose main job was to protect teammates; he dropped the gloves 184 times in 12 WHL, AHL and NHL seasons. But Boogaard, “I don’t think he minded it at all,” Ryan says. “He was good at it. … He a 2001 seventh-round pick by the Wild, would try to reassure his worried liked protecting his teammates.” mom that fighting was only his job. During his time in Minnesota (2005-10), Boogaard protected a lot of “I’d make him phone me after every game no matter how late,” Joanne teammates. But the years took a toll, and in the spring of 2009, he had says. “Even in the WHL, he’d call and go, ‘Mom, I’m OK.’” shoulder surgery for a torn labrum. Straight off the operating table and still loopy from the anesthesia and the painkillers he was prescribed, Joanne wasn’t a fan of the fighting, often asking Derek, who scored only Boogaard demonstrated his enormous heart by showing up at Tom three goals in 277 NHL games, “Can you please don’t fight? Get a goal. Reid’s Hockey City Pub in St. Paul, Minn., to thank , the Do that.” Wild GM who had given Derek his shot. Risebrough had been fired a few days earlier. “But he wasn’t a scorer,” she says. “Yep, he liked Doug,” Joanne says. Joanne is speaking in the days leading up to Thursday’s 10-year anniversary of her son’s shocking death. There is so much she wants That surgery, however, was the catalyst to a downward spiral. During the people to know about her son. To understand who he was, and, perhaps recovery, Derek got hooked on Percocet and Oxycontin, painkillers he as important given his on-ice persona, who he was not. first came to rely on after injuries suffered in the ECHL.

Boogaard was a rambunctious child who began playing hockey in His family had no idea the depths of Derek’s addiction, but they noticed Ontario at ages 4 and 5, advancing to different levels across Canada. changes in behavior. The family moved a half dozen times while Derek was growing up because his dad, Len, was a Royal Canadian Mounted Police officer. It’s His brother, Aaron, says that at the outdoors superstore, Cabela’s, Derek not uncommon for those officers to change locations every three or four forgot what he was doing there and who he was. On another occasion, years. Aaron, a former professional hockey player himself and Wild draft pick, was playing video games with Derek when all of a sudden he stood up, In the spring of 2011, Boogaard showed up to the Rangers’ practice dropped the controller and had a panic attack. facility under the influence of alcohol and pills. He was pulled off the ice and a few days later Rangers boss Glen Sather, along with Boogaard’s “He goes, ‘Man, I’ve got to go to the hospital. I don’t feel right. My head, family, got him to re-enter the NHL and NHLPA’s Substance Abuse and this isn’t how a person should feel,’” Aaron recalls. Behavioral Health Program.

Derek went to the emergency room and got a CT scan. He was admitted into The Canyon, an addiction treatment center in “I think he knew,” Aaron says. “Unfortunately, what we found out he Santa Monica, Calif. eventually had, you can’t find out till postmortem.” During his time there, friends and family were hopeful he’d accept the Ryan, too, recalls having odd phone conversations with Derek during the fact that he would begin the path toward a life of sobriety. In May, summer of 2009. He’d call his dad and say, Derek “just doesn’t sound Krysten was graduating from KU, the first in her family to earn a college right.” degree. Derek didn’t want to miss her graduation. He was proud of his sister, earlier that year posting on Facebook: “congrats to my little sister, A couple of notable incidents followed. Boogaard, always a fan favorite, who got her 1,000th point last night for the Kansas Jayhawks!!!” showed up in a visible daze at the Minnesota State Fair on Aug. 30 to unveil the Wild’s new third jersey. Two weeks later, a police officer found “He was what drove me to be a better athlete and always encouraged him asleep and impaired behind the wheel of his car. The day Ryan more,” says Krysten, now 33 and a nurse in Medicine Hat, Alberta. found out, the Tampa Bay Lightning happened to be playing an exhibition Derek got special permission to leave the rehab facility. The plan was to game in Regina while he was at a RCMP training event. He went to the fly to Minnesota, where he would spend a few days with his brothers game, snuck downstairs and talked to Boogaard’s former Wild teammate, before they drove to Kansas to meet up with the rest of the family. On the Todd Fedoruk, whom Ryan had never met but knew was always open night of May 12, Derek went to dinner, then bar-hopping with Aaron and and honest about his own addiction issues. some friends. While inside one bar he frequented during his time with the Fedoruk gave Ryan some great advice, and the next day, Ryan flew to Wild, Derek obtained some pills. He returned to his old habit of drinking Minnesota and escorted his brother to a rehab facility in Malibu, Calif. and ingesting opioids, a dangerous cocktail, especially after a stint in Derek was there during training camp and the first part of October; the rehab. reason for Boogaard’s disappearance provided to the public was a The next day, Aaron, after spending the night at a girlfriend’s place, concussion sustained in practice. His teammates didn’t even know where returned to Derek’s apartment to find what he thought was Derek still he was. sleeping. He left for the airport to pick up Ryan around 4:30 p.m.

“He was embarrassed by his addiction. He always tried to hide it,” Ryan The night before, Derek wrote on Ryan’s Facebook wall, “Are you ready says. “But he didn’t take (that rehab stint) seriously. He was so worried for the fucking time of your life starting tomorrow?” that John Scott was going to take his job, he checked himself out.” Aaron and Ryan stopped at Potbelly for a sandwich, then entered Says Joanne, “People don’t know what these kids go through to stay in Apartment 200 at Heritage Landing around 6 p.m. the NHL, and how fickle their jobs are. Somebody can be replaced in the blink of an eye.” “Yeah, 415 1st Street North” Ryan says. “I still remember the address. I had never been to a Major League Baseball game before. We were Len didn’t learn about Derek’s sudden affinity for Buddhas until he supposed to go to the Twins-Blue Jays game that night. But I walked in arrived in New York in January 2011 to check up on his boy. Boogaard Derek’s bedroom, and he was non-responsive. … I knew right away that had signed a four-year, $6.5 million deal with the Rangers in the rigor mortis had already settled in. offseason, but he had suffered a concussion and reaggravated the shoulder injury during a fight in what turned out to be his final NHL game “I collapsed right away. Aaron started screaming and was calling 9-1-1. in December of 2010. The first call I remember making was to my dad’s house and my stepmom picked up. That was awful. This was my dad’s biggest fear Derek told his dad that it was Rangers teammate Sean Avery who about Derek. Worse, I then had to call my mum. The rest was a blur. introduced him to Buddhism as a means to overcome his physical and Paramedics showed up, the police, we were moved to a board room in psychological suffering. Avery gave Derek a book on Buddhism that the building. Awful.” taught about the religion’s four noble truths. And even though Len’s not convinced his son ever read that book, Derek bought a lot of Buddhas. Len was in Ottawa at the time and couldn’t get a flight to Minnesota until the next morning. Distraught, Joanne, without even calling an airline, “It had a calming effect on him,” Len says. “It just relaxed him, just by drove to the Regina airport. But she was in the process of getting her looking at them, by touching them.” passport renewed to attend her daughter’s graduation and wasn’t Around the time Boogaard was hurt, the Rangers changed a team rule supposed to get her new one until the following Monday. that forced injured players to leave the training facility before healthy “I was just devastated, in denial, and you kept hearing (about Derek’s players arrived. Avery wrote in his book that he and his teammates, death) on the radio,” Joanne says. “I don’t know if I even packed a bag. I which included the likes of Marian Gaborik and Brandon Prust, felt the just drove to the airport. They said, ‘Where’s your passport?” I said, ‘I new edict was specifically directed to keep Boogaard away from the don’t have a passport.’” team. They told Joanne she couldn’t fly without a passport: “I was so angry and That’s when Boogaard fell into a deep depression. He became a recluse said, ‘Fine, I’m driving (to Minnesota)!’” in his condo on the 33rd floor of The Sheffield apartment building overlooking New York’s Central Park. He sat in the dark because sunlight Of course, she couldn’t get there driving without her passport either. She gave him severe headaches. He self-medicated with alcohol and doesn’t remember how, but after several phone calls late into the night, painkillers, some prescribed, others obtained illegally. He feasted on fast she found somebody in the government who was sympathetic to her food. He laid around for hours and constantly texted family and friends. plight. Joanne got her passport that night and flew to Minnesota the next day. The constant phone calls and texts convinced Len, the retired RCMP officer, that this went beyond post-concussion syndrome. Her turmoil was heightened when she received a call out of the blue that evening from Boston University asking if she’d donate Derek’s brain. He suspected his son was abusing opioids again. “I thought, ‘How dare you ask me for my son’s brain? I don’t even believe When he arrived at his son’s apartment, he found Derek despondent and he’s dead,’” Joanne recalls. unrecognizable. It looked like he hadn’t showered in a while. Boogaard collapsed into his father’s arms and cried, Len says, for days. Joanne angrily told the doctors to call her ex-husband. They did, and Len had no qualms. Derek’s brain was sent from the Hennepin County “Here was this 6-8 giant, toughest guy in the NHL, and I was holding Medical Examiner’s Office on a commercial flight to Boston, where it was him,” Len says. “Him just crying like a baby, just wondering what had studied. gone wrong, why everything had gone the way it had.” Seven months later, doctors from Boston University told Joanne and Len Derek Boogaard with his dad, Len. (Courtesy Ryan Boogaard) via conference call that their son not only had chronic traumatic encephalopathy (CTE), a degenerative disease that can lead to memory Clusters of beautiful memories, sprinkled with millions of tears, wishing loss, depression and Alzheimer’s, but an advanced stage of it. They said you were still here for many many more years. In my heart my memory doctors were shocked at the brain damage that had already taken place. lingers, my soul aches, as you did not have to leave. A day, an hour, a The family was told that middle-aged dementia would have been in his moment does not pass that we don’t think of you. love you son future. “I do it because … I don’t want him forgotten,” Joanne says. “It answered a lot of questions,” Len says. “There had to be an explanation, some rationale as to what had gone down.” In addition to their memories, there’s a measure of guilt within the family.

Joanne wonders what life would have been like today for her son had he “I had no idea about CTE,” Len says. “In hindsight, had I known, I never lived. would have taken him to boxing lessons. I never would have allowed him to fight. I never would have allowed him to play hockey if we knew what “If it was the way they said, by the time Derek was 40, he would have the consequences were.” had dementia, or Alzheimer’s,” she says. “At the level of CTE in his brain, I think, ‘How would Derek have liked to live that way?’ We would have Joanne doesn’t think they could have prevented him from playing. had 10 more years with him, but what kind of years would they be for “It would have been impossible,” Joanne says. “You dangle that carrot in him?’” front of a kid, what kid does not want to play in the NHL if they had the Aaron says he believes Derek is in a better place. “I don’t think he would chance?” have liked where he would have been at later in life,” he says. Derek Boogaard with his mom, Joanne, during the Wild’s 2007 mothers- The coroner ruled Boogaard died of an accidental overdose of alcohol sons trip to Los Angeles and Anaheim. (Courtesy Joanne Boogaard) and oxycodone. Len and Jody watch almost no hockey these days. They went to a Junior He would have been 39 next month. A game recently, and Len was disgusted by the fighting and the fans’ excited reaction to it. Len and his wife, Jody Vail, also a retired RCMP officer, bought a large Buddha in the summer of 2011 and it now sits in the garden outside their “Two players started scrapping and the linesmen, they backed off and Yarmouth home in southwestern Nova Scotia. just let them swing,” Len says. “And they were just landing blow after blow after blow to their faces, to their heads. And I’m looking around at It brings them solace, as do all the Buddhas inside and outside of the fans and they’re just going crazy. And then I looked at one of the Joanne’s home in Regina, Saskatchewan, where she lives with her Yarmouth players as he was coming off the ice and his face was just youngest son, Aaron (known as Nick inside the family), his wife, Hailey, covered in welts and bruises. and their 20 1/2-month-old son named, of course, Derek. “I guess I just can’t wrap my head around, ‘Do these fans know why “Oh my God, he’s just a little hellion,” Joanne says. “He doesn’t take no. they’re cheering?’ No. 18-, 19-year-old kid should get beat up like that.” He touches something and you say, ‘No,’ and he just smiles and touches it anyway. That was Big Derek to a T. He never took no from anybody, Joanne, too, can’t stomach watching the Wild, getting bad memories and they have that same little grin on their face.” whenever she sees the No. 24 sweater. Matt Dumba, the Wild defenseman, got the family’s blessing in 2016 when he changed to “Yeah, that cheeky little side smile Derek used to have, my Derek has Derek’s old number. that same little quarter smile kind of thing,” says Aaron, 34, who works with at-risk youth in Regina. “He’s quite the handful.” “It’s hard to see. It just pulls you,” Joanne says.

One of Aaron’s friends made Little Derek a blue Rangers teddy bear with Aaron says he has no regrets that his brother played hockey. Derek’s No. 94 and nameplate on the back. On the front, it reads, “I’m a “I prefer him to still be with us, but I wouldn’t change it, and I want to say special Angel that watches over you. I’ll cheer you on from above in all he wouldn’t either,” Aaron says. “Because he loved what he did and he the things you do.” did his best at doing it.

Just like Len, there’s a cement Buddha in Joanne’s backyard over “Derek enjoyed his life. A lot of people put their money away and save it concrete that reads, “Derek Boogaard, June 23, 1982 – May 13, 2011.” and are a bit frugal with it. But he spent it and he enjoyed it and he did There are also several Buddhas inside her home, including in the corner things he loved and he supported all his loved ones with that. And he of her living room where Derek’s ashes sit inside a wooden chest with six enjoyed being able to help all of us out. He really did.” different colored panes on the cabinet doors. Over his decade-plus playing career, Aaron got into 150 fights. He even Inside the chest, in addition to Derek’s ashes, are his skates, a played two more seasons after Derek’s death. Asked if he’s worried he bobblehead, his Wild jersey and several pictures and other mementos. suffered lasting effects from the punishment, Aaron pauses. Hanging on the wall to the left of a bulbous, smiling Buddha are pictures “I worry about it, yeah,” he says. “I notice now I struggle a lot with of a smiling Derek at every age. There’s one poignant profile of Derek’s memory loss. … That might just be getting older as well. I don’t know. I face in a frame that reads, “The love of a family is everlasting.” It was a try not to worry about it, I really don’t. I never did it on Derek’s level. But gift from two teenage Wild fans named Katie and Shelby, who planned a I’m really glad I did quit when I did because it was becoming needless. memorial for fans to honor Derek in the lobby of Xcel Energy Center a Even my last year, I had two or three concussions. few days after he died. “I was like, ‘Hey, this is stupid. I’m making a thousand dollars a week Derek’s parents and his siblings attended. here in the Central League and getting my brains punched in, and for In front of a large crowd that included fans and former Wild teammates what? I lost a lot of motivation to continue after Derek died.” and trainers, Ryan said through tears, “Teddy bears are usually big and Back in October, former Wild forward Wes Walz found an old Wild bag cuddly. You wouldn’t think of Derek as cuddly, but there wasn’t a person with a bunch of Derek’s old Rangers and Wild equipment. One of the in our lives that had more love to give and more love to receive.” funnier things in there were his extra-large breezers and suspenders, As part of Joanne’s shrine to honor her son, there’s a brown teddy bear custom made two inches bigger to fit Derek. Derek made, a bottle of wine autographed by the 2005-06 Wild team Walz called Joanne to see if she wanted it. She did, and Walz gave the after the rookie dinner Derek paid several thousand dollars for, and bag to Wild equipment manager Tony DaCosta. He shipped it to Regina, Derek’s handprint in baby blue paint that reads in part, “To Mom, … and the Boogaards had a ball going through it. Everyday I’m growing and I’ll be grown up someday. … Here’s a final handprint just so you can recall exactly how my fingers looked when I Ryan’s 6-year-old daughter, Skylar, was humorously photographed in was very small.” Derek’s Wild pants and is fittingly missing her two front teeth.

On the 13th day of virtually every month since Derek died and certainly The day after his son died, Len couldn’t help but flash back to early on his birthday, June 23, Joanne pays homage to her son on his October 2005 when he drove 2,000 miles from Nova Scotia with such Facebook page, which is now a memoriam, or her own. Along with pride and excitement to watch his son make his NHL debut against the beautiful words she posts different pictures of her son. Calgary Flames. “He was staying at the Holiday Inn across the street from the arena,” Len says. “And I went up there and he was on the sixth or seventh floor and he overlooked the square and the square was packed with all the fans there, for the pregame stuff. And Derek got dressed to go to the rink and I watched him from the window meander through the crowd and nobody gave him a second look.

“And then I think of, about a year later, he couldn’t go anywhere without being recognized. … They loved him. That’s what I’ll remember. How the fans fell for him. I just hope he’s not forgotten.”

And while fans likely haven’t forgotten the giant who patrolled the rink in the early 2000s to protect his teammates, the memory his mom carries is different, more visceral, more painful.

“His hands!” Joanne says, her voice cracking. “I thought his hands were so mangled. Kind of stupid. I didn’t even think of his head.”

The Athletic LOADED: 05.14.2021 1212655 Montreal Canadiens No Chicago. No New York Rangers. No Detroit, no Philadelphia and no L.A. But, hey, great news. America got that Carolina-Nashville matchup it needs, but didn’t know it wanted.

North Division a result of gerrymandering for Canadian fans The North Division was sold as a way to reduce pandemic risk, which was sort of true. It reduced the pandemic risks for some teams. Just a few. If NHLers had been seriously worried about COVID, they would have all demanded to play in Canada. That they didn’t means they Cathal Kelly weren’t. 6-7 minutes 5/14/2021 In actuality, this change was a corporate welfare policy benefiting Canadian hockey. It had only one certain result – guaranteeing this country a spot in the semi-final stage of the Stanley Cup playoffs. Edmonton's Connor McDavid battles for the puck between Toronto's Auston Matthews, left, and Mitchell Marner during an NHL game at It wouldn’t seem so brazen if Canadian franchises had shown any ability Scotiabank Arena on March 29, 2021 in Toronto, Ontario. over the past decade to manage this by themselves. But they haven’t. So Big Brother stepped in to give the least needy a helping hand. Hooray for Let’s take a moment to pity the average American hockey fan. us. We gamed the system.

Everyone wants this guy’s money, but no decision maker in the NHL If a Canadian team ends up winning this whole thing, does that make it wants to hear his opinion. This is the same person who inspired the an asterisk achievement? Not necessarily. Not unless they don’t do it glowing puck. No one is going to take him seriously again. again for another decade. Then it’s worse than that. Then it was charity.

If he has any ideas on where the game should be headed, it’d be really has already made clear that the divisional realignment was helpful if he shouted them into a pillow. Just buy your Bruins jersey and a one-time thing. The purists enjoy theatrically disagreeing with shut up, pal. Canada’s got this. everything the NHL commissioner says, but not this time. Even the fanbases enjoying the temporary benefits of the North Division don’t want Why isn’t the NHL a bigger deal in the United States? It isn’t violence, or to see it made permanent. When you reduce the league to fractions, the lack of goal scoring, or the complexity of the game. The real barrier to that’s what it becomes – a fraction of itself. entry is America’s instinctive understanding that they are and always will be second-class fans of the sport. Like soccer, it will never be their game. In a weird way, this is what hockey felt like in the 1970s and eighties. You And America doesn’t like to be second-best at anything. knew there were players in the Soviet Union who were as good or better than the guys you watched every night, but you only rarely got to see A lot of strange things have happened during this pandemic season, but them up close and personal. That can’t be allowed to happen again. the game hasn’t looked much different at ice level. The only truly unusual theme to the year has been bending over backwards to keep Canada That will be the one good thing that comes out of the all-Canadian interested, at the expense of the United States. division. For the next generation or so, whenever some Canadian (and it will always be one of us) pipes up with a let’s-tear-it-all-down-and-go- How else would you explain the all-Canadian North Division? Aside from back-to-the-good-ol’-days plan for the NHL, we can say we tried that. It convenience, there was no urgent need to keep the league’s Canadian sounded more exciting than it turned out to be. teams in Canada. As the Canucks proved, they weren’t any safer up here. It’s not as though were going to get a chance to go watch them live. One sub-zero TV soundstage is very much like any other. Globe And Mail LOADED: 05.14.2021

Sliding into replacement arenas down south, a la the Blue Jays and the Raptors, would’ve kept the normal alignments in place. It might even have had some barnstorming potential in terms of growing secondary local fanbases.

Instead, Canada stamped its feet and the North Division sprang up. Mostly, it seems, because it sounded like a cool experiment. It was the closest the NHL will get to the hockey geek’s idea of nirvana – returning to the purity of the .

In theory, Connor McDavid vs. Auston Matthews nine times seemed like broadcasting gold. In reality, it got stale after a few meetings. One of the laws of large sample sizes is people get tired of large samples.

With so little variation possible among seven teams, even a casual observer could guess at the final order of finish and have got it pretty close to right.

The result is exactly what the boys at HQ dreamed up. Toronto was good. Edmonton was good enough. The Canadiens snuck in to add some nostalgic spice. The Jets are there to even out the geography. The teams that didn’t make it never had much hope, and so can’t be that disappointed.

What does it feel like to arrive at a near-perfect alignment of the Canadian hockey fan’s hopes and expectations? Good, I guess. Good and a bit boring.

Sure, Toronto vs. Montreal in the first round of the playoffs is a nostalgic callback to our collective past. It would be moreso if the matchup hadn’t been gerrymandered into existence.

We don’t watch sports for certainty or predictability. If the team that was supposed to win won every year, sports would collapse.

If you prefer disorder and disappointment, you’ll be delighted by how things turned out in the other, far less important three-quarters of the NHL. That’s become a ratings apocalypse for the other national broadcaster. 1212656 Montreal Canadiens running it and nobody in Toronto was happy about the way the team was going. They had some really good players, but it was always a circus.”

Shutt, who was inducted into the in 1993, ranks fifth Canadiens didn't take Leafs lightly in 1979 series on the Canadiens’ list of all-time goal-scorers with 408, trailing only Maurice Richard (544), Lafleur (518), Jean Béliveau (507) and Cournoyer (428). Shutt set a team record for most goals in a season when he scored 60 in 1976-77 and Lafleur matched that total the next season. Stu Cowan • Montreal Gazette Shutt said he still follows the Canadiens closely and watches a lot of their Publishing date: May 13, 2021 games on TV.

He said the key to that playoff series win over the Maple Leafs in 1979 was not to take anything for granted. One thing hasn’t changed in Canada since the Canadiens and Toronto Maple Leafs last met in a playoff series in 1979. There’s a Trudeau in the “Let’s say if Toronto came in and won the first game (at the Montreal prime minister’s office. Forum) it would have just gave them a confidence boost and then you’re in a battle for the whole series,” Shutt said. “That’s how we took it. We When the Canadiens swept the Maple Leafs in the first round in 1979 en went game by game, period by period and shift by shift. That’s how we route to their fourth straight Stanley Cup, Pierre Trudeau was prime won all of our championships.” minister. Now it’s his son, Justin, who is leading the country during this COVID-19 pandemic. That’s still good advice 42 years later.

In 1979, the president of the United States was Jimmy Carter. The Sugar Hill Gang released Rapper’s Delight, the first commercial rap-music hit, Montreal Gazette LOADED: 05.14.2021 The Deer Hunter won Best Picture at the Academy Awards and Lou Grant was voted TV’s Outstanding Drama Series at the Emmy Awards. You could listen to Rapper’s Delight on a new Sony Walkman if you could afford the $200 price tag, which was a significant amount of money back then.

Steve Shutt remembers that period and that playoff series well since he was a key member of the Canadiens.

“It was a little bit different than the series that’s coming up,” the 68-year- old Shutt recalled over the phone Thursday from his home in Sarasota, Fla. “First of all, we were the heavily favoured team, whereas in this particular series Toronto is the favoured team.”

The Canadiens finished the 1978-79 regular season with a 52-17-11 record for 115 points, 34 points ahead of the Maple Leafs, who were 34- 33-13.

Shutt said he recently looked back at the Canadiens’ lineup from that season and remembered just how strong they were.

“It wasn’t just me, (Jacques) Lemaire and (Guy) Lafleur and Larry (Robinson) and Serge (Savard),” said Shutt, who scored 37 goals that season. “We had Yvan Cournoyer, Dougie Risebrough, Mario Tremblay had scored 30 goals, Yvon Lambert was there. Pierre Mondou had scored 31 goals that year. Pierre Larouche was there. We had secondary players like Cam Connor, Dave Lumley, Pat Hughes. They were guys that could come in and fill in if somebody was hurt. Not only Larry and Serge and (Guy) Lapointe on defence, we also had Rod Langway there, , Gilles Lupien. So it was a pretty stacked team. Looking at the Toronto roster they had Lanny (McDonald) and Darryl (Sittler) and Tiger (Williams) and Borje (Salming) and (goalie) Mike Palmateer. After that it started getting a little thin.

“They couldn’t match us offensively because they only had the one big line,” Shutt added. “They had some good players, but I think we just had a little more talent than them. It’s a little bit reversed now.”

The Canadiens finished this season with a 24-21-11 record, 18 points behind the Maple Leafs (35-13-7), who have one game remaining against the Jets Friday in Winnipeg. The Canadiens had a 3-6-1 record against the Maple Leafs.

Shutt grew up in Toronto and played his minor hockey for the Marlies from peewee through junior, meaning he would practise every Saturday at before the Leafs held their morning skate.

“They used to have the 10:30 a.m. skate, so it was like who is going to come out on the ice because at that time the skate was an optional skate,” Shutt recalled. “You’d only have a couple of guys on the ice, so it was always a big thrill of who’s going to be on the ice and who are we going to see that Saturday. I used to watch Davey Keon play and Johnny Bower and Frank Mahovlich and Eddie Shack. Every Saturday night, we’d be watching . You got to know those players through the TV and then, for me, I got to know them just by practising down there and then waiting for them.

“I liked the Leafs, but as I was getting older I was looking for different players,” Shutt added. “How Frank Mahovlich did this, how did this. The Leafs franchise was in such disarray with Harold Ballard 1212657 Montreal Canadiens “It’s special to be part of a series like this,” said Canadiens defenceman Ben Chiarot, who grew up in Hamilton, Ont. “Every time I think about it, it just makes me more mad that there won’t be people in the building because you can just think about how electric the building would be Canadiens head into playoffs as huge underdogs against the Leafs going back and forth for a series like this.

“It’s going to be fun,” Chiarot added about the series, “and one that I’ll remember well after my career is done, for sure.” Stu Cowan • Montreal Gazette

Publishing date: May 13, 2021 Montreal Gazette LOADED: 05.14.2021

The Canadiens will be huge underdogs in their first-round playoff series against the Toronto Maple Leafs — and deservedly so.

The Canadiens earned the fourth and final playoff spot in the all- Canadian North Division with a 24-21-11 record. The Leafs clinched first place with a 35-13-7 record and are 18 points ahead of the Canadiens heading into their final regular-season game Friday in Winnipeg against the Jets. The Canadiens were winless in their last five regular-season games (0-3-2).

The Canadiens also struggled against Toronto this season, posting a 3- 6-1 record in 10 meetings. The Leafs’ Auston Matthews had 7-7-14 totals in those 10 games, while teammate Mitch Marner had 4-7-11 totals.

This will mark the first time the Canadiens and Leafs meet in the playoffs since 1979, when Montreal swept Toronto in the first round en route to winning a fourth straight Stanley Cup.

“Any time you get to play in the playoffs it’s special,” said Canadiens goalie Jake Allen, who won the Stanley Cup with the St. Louis Blues in 2019. “I’m fortunate that I’ve got numerous opportunities at that and you don’t take them for granted.”

Allen is in his eighth NHL season and has played in 29 career playoff games, posting an 11-12 record with a 2.06 goals-against average and a .924 save percentage. Against the Leafs he is expected to back up Carey Price, who has recovered from a concussion that sidelined him for the final 13 games of the regular season.

“To be able to play the Leafs in the first round of the playoffs — even just playing the Leafs in general is a special feeling, it doesn’t matter where you are in the league,” Allen said. “But to be able to play for the Canadiens, playing the Leafs in the playoffs, it’s been such a long time since that’s happened. We’ve got to cherish it and embrace it. It’s going to be fun, it’s going to be hard, but it’s going to be a great opportunity for us. They’ve got our number in the regular season, but this is a new chance and a new chapter.”

Matthews’s 41 goals are the most in the NHL this season and he ranks fifth in the league scoring race with 41-25-66 totals. Marner ranks fourth with 20-47-67 totals. Tyler Toffoli, who leads the Canadiens with 28-16- 44 totals, ranks 43rd in the NHL.

“He’s not as consistent with his tactics as most guys,” Allen said about Matthews. “I think a lot of guys, just from experience, get in certain positions and have scored certain goals on certain sides of the net or certain angles and, really when they get that puck, they tend to go back to those tendencies a lot of the time. Matthews is an open book, where he just sort of does what he feels and he’s not as easy to read or as easy to understand as most players.

“Sometimes he’ll shoot high glove from a certain spot, the next time he’ll shoot low blocker, low glove,” Allen added. “He’s sort of all over the place and you’ve just got to be on your toes and you’ve got to be patient and sort of try to read his release as best as possible. I think a lot of guys sort of go back to their tendencies and go back to their strong suits, and you see that a lot in the shootouts as well. Matthews has, obviously, a lot of talent and he’s one of the best goal-scorers in the league in the last while and it’s going to be a fun challenge for us coming up.”

The Maple Leafs haven’t won a playoff game against the Canadiens since May 2, 1967, when they won 3-1 in Game 6 of the final to win the Stanley Cup. The Leafs haven’t won another Cup since. The Canadiens swept the Leafs in the 1978 semifinals and again in the first round the next year. The Leafs haven’t won a playoff series since 2004.

The Canadiens haven’t won the Stanley Cup since 1993 and haven’t won a first-round playoff series since 2015.

Sadly, because of COVID-19 there won’t be any fans in the arenas in Toronto or Montreal for this much anticipated playoff series. 1212658 Montreal Canadiens

Canadiens-Maple Leafs series will start next Thursday in Toronto

Stu Cowan • Montreal Gazette

Publishing date: May 13, 2021

The Canadiens can certainly use a rest and they will now get one.

The Canadiens wrapped up their NHL regular season with a 4-3 overtime loss to the Edmonton Oilers Wednesday night at the Bell Centre. It was the 25th game in 44 days for the Canadiens in this crazy, condensed 56- game season because of COVID-19 and they finished on a five-game losing streak (0-3-2).

The Canadiens earned the fourth and final playoff spot in the all- Canadian North Division with a 24-21-11 record and will face the first- place Toronto Maple Leafs (35-13-7) in the first round of the postseason. The NHL released the first-round schedule on Thursday and Game 1 of the Canadiens-Leafs division semifinal series won’t be played until next Thursday, May 20, in Toronto (7:30 p.m., SN, CBC, TVA Sports, TSN 690 Radio, 98.5 FM). Game 2, also in Toronto, will be played on Saturday, May 22 (7 p.m., SN, CBC, TVA Sports, TSN 690 Radio, 98.5 FM).

After that, the series will shift to Montreal for Game 3 on Monday, May 24 and Game 4 on Tuesday, May 25.

Game 5 (if necessary) is slated for Thursday, May 27 in Toronto, Game 6 would be on Saturday, May 29 in Montreal, and Game 7 would be on Monday, May 31 in Toronto.

The first NHL playoff game of the year will be this Saturday when the Boston Bruins visit the Washington Capitals for Game 1 of their East Division semifinal series (7:15 p.m., SN, CBC, NBC, TVA Sports). The Penguins and New York Islanders will play Game 1 of their East Division series on Sunday in Pittsburgh (noon, SN, NBC, TVA Sports), followed by Game 1 of a Central Division series between the Tampa Bay Lightning and the Panthers Sunday night in Florida (7:30 p.m., SN, TVA Sports). The second Central Division series between the Hurricanes and Nashville Predators will start next Monday in Carolina (8 p.m., SN, CBC, TVA Sports).

The second North Division semifinal series between the Oilers and Winnipeg Jets will begin next Wednesday in Edmonton (9 p.m., SN, CBC, TVA Sports). The West Division matchups have yet to be finalized.

The Canadiens can use the long break in the schedule to give injured players Carey Price (concussion), (fractured thumb), Shea Weber (upper body) and Phillip Danault (concussion) more time to heal. Head coach Dominique Ducharme said he expects all those players to be ready to play when the playoffs begin. Jonathan Drouin, who left the team indefinitely last month for personal reasons, is not expected to return.

This marks the first time the Canadiens and Maple Leafs will meet in the playoffs since 1979, when Montreal swept their first round series en route to a fourth straight Stanley Cup.

“I think the last time we played the Leafs was in ’79, right?” Ducharme said after Wednesday’s game. “I’m born in ’73, so I was not that old. I was only 6, so I don’t quite remember that series. I know it was pretty quick and it was a 4-0 win, I think. And then after that (the Leafs) were playing in the Western Conference. I never really lived a Montreal and Toronto playoff run.”

He’s about to live one now.

Montreal Gazette LOADED: 05.14.2021 1212659 Montreal Canadiens

Canadiens' Tyler Toffoli has become an A-list celebrity in Montreal

Stu Cowan • Montreal Gazette

Publishing date: May 13, 2021

Tyler Toffoli has become a big star in Montreal after leading the Canadiens in scoring with 28-16-44 totals this season in his first year with the team after signing as a free agent.

Toffoli can’t walk down the street in Montreal with his wife, Cat, without being recognized by Canadiens fans.

“My agent (Pat Brisson) warned me that there would be extra scrutiny and pressure if I came to Montreal, but he thought I could handle it,” Toffoli writes in an excellent first-person story published Thursday on The Players’ Tribune website. “And I know I can. Because I want the same thing as every fan who wishes me luck when I’m walking down the street with Cat in Montreal: To win a Cup. That’s it. That’s why I came here.”

Thanks in large part to Toffoli, the Canadiens have taken the first step toward possibly winning their first Stanley Cup since 1993 by qualifying for the playoffs. They will open their first-round series against the Maple Leafs next Thursday night in Toronto.

Toffoli won the Stanley Cup with the Los Angeles Kings in 2014 when he was only 22. In The Players’ Tribune article, he writes that he took for granted how truly hard it was to win and notes that he hasn’t come close to winning another Stanley Cup since.

“I think about that every day,” he writes. “I really do. And it bothers me. That’s one of the reasons I wanted to come to Montreal. Because I feel like this team, this city, feels the same way I do: We’re hungry for a Cup.”

Toffoli thought he would be a King for life, but ended up being dealt to the Vancouver Canucks at last season’s NHL trade deadline. He was hoping to stay in Vancouver, but the Canucks never made him a contract offer as a free agent. So Toffoli accepted the four-year, US$17-million offer he received from Canadiens GM Marc Bergevin.

Toffoli writes about how much Nick Suzuki impressed him with his performance in the postseason last year and had him thinking: “Man, I want to play on this guy’s line one day.” He also writes about how much he has been impressed by rookie Cole Caufield — “He’s got that it factor” — and how Carey Price sets the tone for the Canadiens every day with his work ethic and determination to get better.

Toffoli adds that one of the reasons he wanted to sign with the Canadiens was the Montreal fans and the atmosphere at the Bell Centre and he’s looking forward to the day when fans can return to the arena.

“Even though I haven’t been able to experience a proper Saturday night at the Bell Centre as a Hab (because of COVID-19) — I know it’s going to be incredible when it happens,” he writes.

Toffoli also writes about how he was a D-list celebrity in Hollywood and shares a funny story about running into late Los Angeles Lakers star Kobe Bryant in the parking lot at the practice facility the Kings shared with the NBA team.

“I mean, it’s not every day Kobe is flashing the peace sign at a kid from Scarborough,” Toffoli writes. “I can tell you that much.”

Toffoli might have been a D-list celebrity in Hollywood, but he has quickly become an A-list celebrity in Montreal.

Montreal Gazette LOADED: 05.14.2021 1212660 Montreal Canadiens 1. “One week off should help the Canadiens. They desperately need this time to recharge their batteries, and get healthy. The Canadiens at full strength I believe will give Toronto a real battle, one, they haven’t had in months.” – Ryan Katz About Last Night: Suzuki and Caufield enliven dull regular-season finale

Montreal Gazette LOADED: 05.14.2021 Erik Leijon • Special to Montreal Gazette

Publishing date: May 13, 2021

The Montreal Canadiens lost their final game of the regular season 4-3 in overtime to the Edmonton Oilers at the Bell Centre Wednesday, but as with the playoff spot clincher on Monday, the team may have received some important intel in the process: Nick Suzuki and Cole Caufield form a dynamic duo. Playing on a line together for the first time, Suzuki had two goals, while Caufield had a goal and his first NHL assist.

Otherwise, game 56 was an anticlimactic finale since both teams entered locked into their respective playoff positions. It was more about conserving strength for the playoffs, which are expected to begin next Wednesday for the North Division. A number of regulars got the evening off: Josh Anderson, Tyler Toffoli, , Joel Edmundson, Jeff Petry and Jake Allen were all scratched, leaving Suzuki and Jesperi Kotkaniemi as the only Habs to play every game. The Oilers backed off in their own way: although Connor McDavid dressed, he only played 15:12 compared with his usual 20+. Despite the reduced minutes, McDavid added two assists to his otherworldly season totals.

Without the regulars, Michael Frolik, Alex Belzile, Erik Gustafsson, Xavier Ouellet and Cayden Primeau all dressed. Charlie Lindgren was the backup and prospect Jesse Ylönen, notably the guy drafted between Kotkaniemi and Alexander Romanov in 2018, made his NHL debut.

The goaltending was less than sharp at both ends in the first. Caufield scored his fourth as a Hab less than two minutes into the contest on the game’s first shot. He intercepted a Tyson Barrie pass at the left faceoff dot and wristed it through Mike Smith’s wickets.

The Oilers tied the game at 8:35 when Alex Chiasson used his body to shake off his defender before squeaking a deflected shot by Primeau. At 9:58, the Habs regained the lead on the penalty kill when Suzuki and Romanov went down the ice, with the puck carrier Suzuki shooting from the top of the circle to beat Smith. The Oilers capped off the hectic sequence when Ryan Nugent-Hopkins tied the game once again at 10:53 with a power-play marker. Period one ended tied 2-2.

Early in the second period, the Oilers nearly paid the ultimate price for not resting their stars when Smith got hit in the back of the head when Belzile skated into him. To the relief of Oiler fans, Smith remained in the game. The Canadiens had their own second-period scare when Jake Evans contorted awkwardly as he fell through the crease, but he didn’t miss a shift. Leon Draisaitl gave the Oilers a 3-2 lead on the power play, the recipient of a loose puck after McDavid tried to bank a shot off Primeau from behind the net.

Entering the third period down a goal, the Habs got another injury worry when Kotkaniemi wiped out and landed hard on his back, but he was also no worse for wear. The Oiler stars were surprisingly physical, with McDavid crosschecking Tatar multiple times with no call, while Draisaitl late in the period appeared to slew foot Armia. Suzuki tied the game, scoring his second in tight off a pass from Caufield. Overtime was done in a flash, as Dominik Kahun scored the winner 27 seconds in after Draisaitl took two Habs with him to the boards, leaving his fellow countrymen a chance to go alone on Primeau.

The so-called 2020-2021 regular season for the Montreal Canadiens is in the books. The team’s final record is 24-21-11 with a goal differential of - 9. None of that matters now, because they made the postseason and in a week, they’ll have a fresh set of downs against the North Division-leading Toronto Maple Leafs. With that week off, injured players will recuperate and practices, few and far between since April’s condensed schedule kicked in, will be held. I was looking for big picture thinking from the Liveblog commenters, especially since the game we were watching meant nothing in the standings.

3. “Thank God that was the last 3 ON 3 for the Habs this season.” – Bob Taylor

2. “I think that Perry deserves the “Raphael” award. The most effective NHLer who moves at a turtle’s pace.” – Marc Taillefer 1212661 Montreal Canadiens

2021 NHL Playoffs: Maple Leafs vs. Canadiens schedule, TV channel, games, scores, guide to the first-round series

By The Athletic NHL Staff

May 13, 2021

In this North Division matchup, the No. 1 Toronto Maple Leafs will face the No. 4 Montreal Canadiens in the first round of the 2021 NHL Stanley Cup playoffs. To find out who has the advantage in the series, check out Craig Custance’s Stanley Cup tiers.

Schedule/TV/Results

Game 1: at Toronto, Thursday, May 20 at 7:30 p.m. ET (CBC, SN, TVAS, NHLN)

Game 2: at Toronto, Saturday, May 22 at 7 p.m. ET (CBC, SN, TVAS, CNBC)

Game 3: at Montreal, Monday, May 24 at TBD (TBD)

Game 4: at Montreal, Tuesday, May 25 at TBD (TBD)

Game 5*: at Toronto, Thursday, May 27 at TBD (TBD)

Game 6*: at Montreal, Saturday, May 29 at TBD (TBD)

Game 7*: at Toronto, Monday, May 31 at TBD (TBD)

(* – if necessary)

What to expect from the series?

What can the Maple Leafs expect from Riley Nash? ‘He does the little things in-game that allow you to win’

How the Canadiens can beat the Maple Leafs: goaltending, depth and pushing the limits of physical play

Canadiens coach Dominique Ducharme says this difficult season made him grow, yet his most difficult time awaits

The Athletic LOADED: 05.14.2021 1212662 Nashville Predators It's a lot different when the playing field isn’t equal to start. This year’s playoffs are going to be unprecedented in that restrictions won’t be universal among teams and cities. For instance, the Canadian team that reaches the semifinals from the North Division might not even get to play Predators have 'big advantage' over Hurricanes — and politicians hope in its own country. to erase it Brind’Amour’s Hurricanes aren’t that unfortunate. They will have fans. As for bringing in more of them, the coach sure didn't mind being asked by a reporter about it: “Love that question. I love it. Yes. How do you do it?” Gentry Estes How? Nashville Tennessean Glad he asked.

This sort of thing has become complicated, more than most realize. It can The Nashville Predators are set to have “a big advantage” in their be political, involving local and state governments, yes. But teams also upcoming first-round Stanley Cup playoff series against the Carolina are dealing with NHL guidelines regarding an arena's HVAC systems and Hurricanes. airflow. Not my words. They are those of Hurricanes coach Rod Brind’Amour. That’s why the Predators, while upping attendance, aren’t going to full And he’s not talking about hockey players. capacity at Bridgestone during the playoffs, even as Nashville did ease Predators fans, he’s talking about you. its own restrictions.

He knows. He just played two games at Bridgestone Arena. He For the Predators to get to that 12,135 number required a significant experienced the lively Smashville crowds that felt larger than its undertaking that delved deep into topics like cooling and pandemic-reduced size would suggest. dehumidification. The challenge was that, sure, you can bring more air from the outside into Bridgestone. But the air in Nashville outside is warm “It was a big deal playing in there with that amount of fans,” Brind’Amour this time of year and getting warmer by the week. That’s not ideal for told his local media. “The energy level was intense. It felt great, and now keeping a hockey rink frozen. they're saying they are going to have more in there. “We kind of re-engineered our whole system,” Predators CEO and “That's a big advantage. There's no doubt about it.” president Sean Henry said, “which would allow us to probably double the amount of outside air we normally bring in, which then replicates almost The advantage being referenced by Brind’Amour wasn’t so much the an outdoor environment for as many as over 12,000 people. fans at Bridgestone as much as the fact his team wasn’t going to be able to have as many of them in its own building during the upcoming series. "You want to make it the biggest crowd you can have under the safest possible guidelines. That’s what the league set forth for us, and I give our PNC Arena actually seats about 18,860 for hockey games, which is more engineering staff a lot of credit for coming up with this solution and then than Bridgestone. But while the Predators announced this week that their running it through the league and their engineers where we ended up attendance would increase to 12,135 during the playoffs, the Hurricanes where we are. I think you're going to see a few other teams do a very were planning to be at about 6,000 when the series begins Monday night similar system." in Raleigh. I don't know how those NHL regulations would apply to the Hurricanes' That's according to the Raleigh News & Observer, which also reported home, but general manager Don Waddell told the News & Observer, “We that the state government had denied a request by the Hurricanes to think we can do it right if we increase attendance." allow more fans ahead of North Carolina’s expected loosening of COVID- 19 restrictions on June 1. In doing so, he was making the team’s case publicly and perhaps blowing a few political winds in the process. And so, a political uproar is brewing in the Tar Heel State. Two North Carolina Republican state senators on Thursday publicly implored Perhaps it works. Perhaps the Hurricanes will be able to welcome more Democratic Gov. Roy Cooper to "let North Carolinians celebrate this fans for this series championship season and enjoy playoff hockey in the Loudest House in the NHL by approving the Hurricanes' submitted plans,” according to a If not, you'd have to think Brind’Amour is right: It’ll be a clear advantage tweet by Andy Specht, a political reporter for WRAL in Raleigh. for the Predators.

In making their argument, those senators also talked about you, But the Predators still feel like they'll have one anyway. Smashville. They stressed that the Predators would have more fans than “Nashville always has an advantage over other cities," Henry said, the Hurricanes. "because our fans are bigger and louder and better. They just are.” These are the types of things, I suppose, that can start to happen when the NHL makes everyone wait a week after the end of the regular season to start a playoff series. Tennessean LOADED: 05.14.2021 Can’t blame the Hurricanes. Why shouldn’t they seek any advantage at their disposal? Because what has been happening at Bridgestone this season – even with smaller crowds – has been “definitely a big advantage,” Predators forward Ryan Johansen said. He's right. I've been there, and I don't think it's a coincidence the Predators started playing much better as more and more fans were allowed at their games.

“I can't tell you enough how nice it's been to have a good amount back in this arena,” Johansen said.

“Bridgestone is one of the hardest places to play for an opposing team,” Predators coach John Hynes said. “… It’s going to be a great environment (in the playoffs).”

Competitively, though, will it really matter that much? For the reputation that Nashville's hockey fans have earned around the NHL, their Predators have lost plenty of home playoff games over the years.

I’ve never believed that a home-crowd advantage in the playoffs is as big a deal in hockey as it might be in other sports. But that’s in normal times, when every team can expect to enjoy a good postseason environment. 1212663 Nashville Predators

Nashville Predators vs. Carolina Hurricanes: Everything you need to know about the NHL first round playoff series

Nick Gray

Nashville Tennessean

The Nashville Predators are back in the Stanley Cup Playoffs again, and will face the Carolina Hurricanes in a postseason series for the first time.

Nashville's playoffs streak is now at seven seasons, though the last two have ended in disappointing losses in the opening round.

But the context around this series will be different than the losses to Dallas in 2019 and Arizona in 2020. The Predators are the underdogs and the higher seed this season against Carolina, the regular season winners of the Central Division, and fared so-so against the Hurricanes during the season (2-5-1 record).

Tennessean LOADED: 05.14.2021 1212664 Nashville Predators

Tickets on sale for Nashville Predators playoff series — and here's how to buy them

Chris Thomas

Nashville Tennessean

Single-game tickets are on sale for the Nashville Predators' opening- round series against the Carolina Hurricanes in the 2021 Stanley Cup playoffs.

The seven-game series, which will begin Monday, will follow a 2-2-1-1-1 format, meaning the Predators are guaranteed to host Games 3 and 4 at Bridgestone Arena and would host Game 6 if necessary.

Last Monday, the Predators announced loosened attendance restrictions at Bridgestone Arena for the playoffs. The Preds, who had been allowing 40% capacity because of COVID-19 restrictions, will allow a maximum of 12,135 fans to attend games, approximately 70% of the arena's capacity.

The decision to loosen restrictions was made by the Predators, Metro Public Health Department and the National Hockey League.

The Predators are making their seventh consecutive postseason appearance.

Tennessean LOADED: 05.14.2021 1212665 Nashville Predators How will he operate as an extension of Brind’Amour in the motivation realm? How will he continue to lead by example?

There’s no doubt in my mind that he will, but he simply needs to play the The 10 most important Hurricanes for a first-round victory over the game the right way — his way — from the first shift, to set that standard Predators and refuse to lower it for the rest of the team.

5. Brett Pesce

By Sara Civian Jaccob Slavin is day-to-day, but Brind’Amour is relatively hopeful he’ll have his full lineup for Game 1. What if Slavin does come back and isn’t May 13, 2021 100 percent, though?

Pesce is going to have to take on a responsibility those who watch him know he can probably handle. Remember that time he played 28:18, aka As Dom Luszczyszyn’s series preview for The Athletic so deftly pointed almost half of the game, on April 22? He was in on every situation and out, the Hurricanes have an advantage in pretty much every aspect of excelled. After the game, Brind’Amour called him the most underrated their upcoming first-round playoff series against the Predators. That’s to player in the league, and he has a serious case. be expected of a No. 1 seed — and a top-tier team — and it shouldn’t come as a shock to anyone. But the Canes are only a year or so With two years of playoff experience under his belt, you get the feeling removed from their “underdog” era, and they know as well as anyone not Pesce could make a huge impact on this series just by keeping things to sleep on a team in that situation — especially a team coming in hot stable amidst uncertainty. like the Predators. 4. Vincent Trocheck You expect your best players to be your best players and all the other cliches, but here are 10 people that specifically need to perform to lift the Trocheck has somewhat surprisingly been a gigantic factor in the Canes past the Predators: Hurricanes’ top-of-the-league success this season. He, Martin Necas and Nino Niederreiter have provided a level of secondary scoring that has 10. Rod Brind’Amour long been one of the biggest issues with this team.

The noted Jack Adams frontrunner’s coaching has garnered respect Trocheck had 17 goals in 47 games, but he’s cooled off with zero goals around the league for a reason. (seven assists) in his past 14 games.

Vincent Trocheck told me something a month or so ago that sums it up The Canes will need him to return to form for an easier time dealing with well. the Predators.

“I feel like I compliment him so often in the media, but he’s just been 3. Nino Niederreiter incredible,” he said. “I can’t say enough great things about Roddy. He’s been awesome to play for. He’s been one of my favorite coaches to play The Athletic’s Predators writer Adam Vingan (give him a follow!), Braden for, ever. He’s a great player’s coach. He makes sure we’re all prepared Gall and I discussed Niederreiter on Vingan’s podcast yesterday. every night. Even just coming into the locker room before the game and Niederreiter is coming off an excellent regular season featuring 20 goals giving his pregame speeches. It seems like every night, he has and 34 points in 56 games, but Nashville fans probably know him better something new to fire us out. Every game, it’s like, how does he keep for being an absolute pest who refuses to leave the front of the net. He doing this? He makes me want to run through a brick wall.” rarely if ever has to actually drop the gloves, but a few times per game it The “How does he keep doing this?” is the key, here. Brind’Amour’s seems he has his opponents ready to do so. He’s also super underrated ability to find unique ways to motivate players has never been more on the defensive side of things. important than it is during a season that’s been brutal for a laundry list of This particular set of skills will be crucial playing a team as physical as reasons. the Predators, especially with physicality being a potential weakness for Aside from the motivation factor, Brind’Amour’s in-game adjustments in the Hurricanes and with the way the Predators were clearly trying to set a pursuit of ideal matchups have been fascinating this season. They tone in game 56. haven’t always worked, but those regular-season adjustments have been 2. Andrei Svechnikov practice for the playoffs. I’m so curious to see what they’ll look like next week. Svechnikov has compiled an impressive postseason resume and an equally elaborate target on his back to match in his third NHL season. 9. Sebastian Aho When he’s on, those targeting him look more like cats scratching at a Aho is so low on this list because there’s virtually no question or worry laser pointer projected onto a wall, but when he’s off, it’s stick-infraction about him at this point. He’s had a sturdy slow-but-sure development into city. a full-blown first-line center, and he built on his consistency again this These are the trials and tribulations of being a young star with a rare year with 24 goals and 57 points in 56 games. With Teuvo Teravainen combination of skill and physicality. coming back from injury and crushing it, and Andrei Svechnikov rounding into form, the SAT line should be the least of anyone’s worries against Svechnikov generally embraces the big moments, though. Remember Nashville. last postseason’s hat trick? Plus, he’s been rounding into form at the end of the regular season, with two goals and five points in his past five Don’t worry about them; worry about how the other skaters will be able to games. If he can remain unfazed and play his big game, there’s a good support them. chance he’ll have the most game-breaking impact of any skater in the 8. Cedric Paquette series.

Aside from his dog, this is why the Hurricanes traded for Cup champion 1. The starting goaltender Paquette. He’s the classic sandpapery fourth-liner every Cup team Remember that “most important” player doesn’t necessarily mean “best” needs, with the added benefit of not being 90 years old. The Predators player for our current purposes. I have a take about the Hurricanes’ have clearly been trying to make a toughness statement to the Canes three-goalie rotation, and I can’t decide if it’s the stupidest thing I’ve ever that a guy like Paquette needs to respond to. thought in my life or if it actually makes sense, but hear me out. 7. Dougie Hamilton It doesn’t matter if it’s Petr Mrazek or Alex Nedeljkovic in this scenario, Just score the power-play goals, Dougie. but imagine the Canes roll either one out for Game 1 and it’s a mediocre- to-above-average performance, then the next one starts Game 2 and it’s 6. Jordan Staal about the same. You’re probably going to roll with that type of rotation for at least a few games. Staal’s scoring flare has been a nice touch this season, but his importance has nothing to do with that. I’m not expecting the following to happen because both have been solid all season, hence the “good problem” the Hurricanes find themselves in. But what if whomever the Canes roll with for Game 1 has an objectively terrible game, then the next guy comes in for Game 2 and is mediocre to above average, then comes back for Game 3 and is above average to great, then he keeps building on that?

Or what if the goalie the Canes start is amazing off the bat and they keep riding him?

It’s almost certainly not going to be that linear, no matter what happens — that’s the trouble with hard-and-fast goaltending decisions. But you sort of assume that if the Hurricanes are going to make a long run, they are going to end up with a 1a and a 1b, and you’d prefer to figure that out sooner rather than later.

“It’s good if the goaltending is bad, actually” is probably the galaxy brain of the year, but is anyone with me on this?

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2021 NHL Playoffs: Predators vs. Hurricanes schedule, TV channel, games, scores, guide to the first-round series

By The Athletic NHL Staff

May 13, 2021

In this Central matchup, the No. 4 Nashville Predators will face the No. 1 Carolina Hurricanes in the first round of the 2021 NHL Stanley Cup playoffs. To find out who has the advantage in the series, check out Dom Luszczyszyn’s odds and probabilities, Craig Custance’s playoff tiers and watch for predictions from our experts in the days to come.

Schedule/TV/results

Game 1: at Carolina, Monday, May 17, at 8 p.m. ET (CNBC, SNE, TVA Sports)

Game 2: at Carolina, Wednesday, May 19, at 8 p.m. ET (CNBC, FX-CA, TVA Sports)

Game 3: at Nashville, Friday, May 21, at 7 p.m. ET (USA, FXX-CA, TVA Sports)

Game 4: at Nashville, Sunday, May 23, time TBD (TV TBD)

Game 5*: at Carolina, Tuesday, May 25, time TBD (TV TBD)

Game 6*: at Nashville, Thursday, May 27, time TBD (TV TBD)

Game 7*: at Carolina, Saturday, May 29, time TBD (TV TBD)

(* – if necessary)

What to expect from the series?

The 10 most important Hurricanes: Who needs to step up for a first-round victory over the Predators.

Predators ideal lines: Among other items in Adam Vingan’s mailbag.

Do the Predators actually stand a chance? The Predators’ record against Central playoff teams during the regular season speaks for itself.

Hurricanes playoff predictions: Among other items in Sara Civian’s Bag of Jerks.

Hurricanes clinch a playoff berth: What got them here and what questions must be answered the rest of the way?

Predators-Hurricanes history

Predators rivalry index: Where do the Hurricanes fall in the rankings of the Predators’ most-hated Central Division opponents?

The Athletic LOADED: 05.14.2021 1212667 Nashville Predators

It’s All Your Fault: The Pekka Appreciation Pod

STAFF REPORTS

MAY 13, 2021

What's there to talk about this week other than Pekka Rinne's possible retirement? Co-hosts Michael Gallagher, Geert De Lombaerde and Megan Seling reminisce on what the goalie has brought to not just the franchise but also the city of Nashville throughout his career with the Predators. They also have a few ideas regarding how to immortalize the man. A statue, of course! Where should it go? What should I look like? Should there be more than one?

Also discussed: The team is considered the underdogs going into Round 1 of the playoffs against the Hurricanes, but Gallagher has some impressive numbers that might make fans rethink the team's chances against Carolina.

Nashville Post LOADED: 05.14.2021 1212668 New Jersey Devils normal season with a fraction of the practice time seems like a perilous task. There was an obvious target — both special teams performed poorly over the course of the season.

Devils debrief: What we learned from two days of exit interviews It looks like the club will finish 28th in the NHL on the power play and last on the penalty kill, unless Vancouver nosedives in either category in its last five games. While the team’s play at even strength was often extremely encouraging, special teams were one of the critical By Corey Masisak components that submarined the season. May 13, 2021 When the special teams struggle, fans typically set their sights on the assistants.

This has been a different kind of hockey season for everyone, including “I’ve got a theory on that,” Ruff said. “We’re still all in this together. It isn’t for the people who cover the Devils. just two coaches sitting there looking at the special teams. All four of us, including Chris Taylor. … It definitely is an area that we know we’ve got It’s been more than 14 months since “normal times” included going into to be better. And that isn’t an ‘I’ thing, that’s a ‘we’ thing. We, as a staff, the locker room after practices and games and chatting with players are going to put in a lot of work in and make sure that our special teams about the story of the day, the story for next week or just whatever was are going to be better.” on our minds. That’s been replaced, hopefully only temporarily, with an imperfect but necessary collection of video meetings and phone calls. Severson’s toe injury There might only be a couple of players available per day. Damon Severson had a fantastic start to the season, playing like a No. 1 So, the past two days felt like an avalanche of information. More than two defenseman. He had some struggles later in the year, and there is an dozen players met with the media via video for year-end exit interviews, explanation for some of his issues — he was playing with a broken toe which coincided with their in-person meetings with Lindy Ruff, his for much of the second half. coaching staff and general manager Tom Fitzgerald. Ruff and Fitzgerald “It still hasn’t healed properly, so I feel like that affected my game a little debriefed with the media as well. bit, affected the way I skate and stuff like that,” Severson said. What did we glean from the parade to the podium? Quite a bit, actually. He had to tape his toes together. It wasn’t a pain issue once his foot was ‘I have a commitment to this organization long term’ in his skate, but it did impact his mobility. Severson also said he couldn’t really jump or run when he wasn’t on the ice. The injury is going to keep There has been a couple of slightly differing reports about Fitzgerald’s him from playing for Canada in the world championships, but he plans to unique contract situation over the course of this season. He was an rest it for a while and then start his offseason training program. assistant general manager, then interim GM and now he’s the executive vice president and GM. The issue is how long he is actually contracted to Other injury updates be the EVP/GM, and how long his original deal lasts, which multiple • Fitzgerald said he does not expect any of the lingering injuries from the sources have confirmed is beyond this season. season to affect anyone’s offseason workout plans. Sportsnet’s Elliotte Friedman recently reported Fitzgerald and the Devils • Ty Smith had a shoulder injury, then aggravated it. That explains his have been working on a contract extension. Fitzgerald was asked two absent periods that cost him eight games. It will also keep him from Wednesday if there have been any recent changes or updates to his playing for Canada at the worlds. contract. • Mackenzie Blackwood said his back locked up on him after old pal Kyle “No,” he said. “I have a commitment to this organization long term, to Palmieri ran into him while scoring a goal in the penultimate game. That’s Josh (Harris) and David (Blizter), who I feel are equally committed to me. why he didn’t play in the finale. He was the third member of the Devils My goal is to help them build this organization from the hockey ops side who had to turn down a chance to play for Canada in Latvia because of and become a winner, to take this organization back to where the people his health. who are long-standing fans (and) the alumni want it to get to at the levels that they were accustomed to back in the 90s and 2000s. That’s my job. Blackwood also said that he only truly felt back to “normal” with his And I’m committed to that. I’m committed to that long term. And I know breathing three or four weeks ago after a bout with COVID-19. He was Josh and David are committed to me long term.” the first player to contract the virus during the season, after testing positive before the club’s fourth game on Jan. 21. Take a minute to do This is still going to be something to monitor in the lead-up to all of the the math there … yes, he was saying that it was about three months important dates of the 2021 offseason. before he felt like what he remembered normal to be. Entire coaching staff to return • Andreas Johnsson said he felt bad for about a month after having Ruff said all of his assistant coaches — Alain Nasreddine, Mark Recchi, COVID-19, and it really affected his conditioning. Johnsson has asthma, Chris Taylor and Dave Rogalski — will return next season. This was the an extra wrinkle in his battle with the virus. first year with the club for all of them but Nasreddine, who has been an • P.K. Subban also has asthma, so that’s part of why he was held out assistant since 2015 and was the interim head coach last year after John longer after his bout with COVID-19. He tested negative seven days after Hynes was dismissed. the first positive, but the Devils were extra careful with him. It was also Ruff’s first experience working with Nasreddine and Recchi — • Nolan Foote said the injury that ended his 2019-20 season early “blew he had coached Taylor when he was with the Sabres. up on him” a couple times during the offseason, so he had some concern “I think we’re going to grow together,” Ruff said. “I enjoy working with about how ready he was for the start of this 2021 campaign. He declined them. I think Nas’ record, when you look at even what he’s done with the to state the nature of the injury — he called it upper body — and said his penalty killing previous to me. I tried a lot of things along his side on the concerns were gone after a couple of games with Binghamton. Foote penalty killing. This just isn’t him alone with young players, casting some also said he doesn’t expect it to have any impact moving forward. young players maybe in roles that we didn’t know if it was going to work. ‘Meaningful games’ We found out a lot about some players. In Mark’s case, just a guy that’s incredibly passionate about hockey, about making sure that this Devils This started near the end of the season with Hughes, but several of the team is going to be a winner, and spending time and helping develop a players, plus Ruff and Fitzgerald all reiterated versions of what their lot of these young players. I thought Mark’s work was invaluable. He did soon-to-be 20-year phenom said: One of the steps the club needs to take a lot of work with Jack (Hughes), so got to give him a lot of credit. It was next season is winning more games and playing meaningful hockey later a tough year for all the coaches, including myself, and we’re in this in the season. together and we’re going to get out of this together.” “We all want to play meaningful games come this time of the year,” Just like it is going to be harder to evaluate the players after a 56-game, Fitzgerald said. “We want to be geared up to the big dance, the playoffs. I twice-condensed season with a COVID-19 outbreak and other said it from the get-go last year, this group needs to crawl before they get challenges, evaluating assistant coaches after essentially two-thirds of a up and walk. We’re at the walking stage and we want to get running here soon. But you’ve got to learn how to go through the trials and tribulations A few other players also aren’t going to play in the worlds because they of a year like this. Understand what it takes to win, understand what it were nursing minor injuries at the end of the season, including Pavel takes to clock-manage — that’s the winning process. That’s the Zacha, Miles Wood and Will Butcher, per Fitzgerald. After one of the understanding. That’s a commitment, too. There’s got to be a longest offseasons in league history, this one is going to be a little shorter commitment from everybody. Saying and doing are two different things. than normal because of the late start to the 2021 campaign (the NHL is We all want to play meaningful games. Well, we’ve got to do it and we’ve reportedly shooting for Oct. 12 to start 2021-22). That likely played into got to follow it up with action. We’ve got to learn from the mistakes we why Hughes is not going to play for the Americans, so he can still try to made this year, which I think will be paid forward.” have a full offseason program.

No one was willing to say “playoffs or bust,” but a general theme on the At one point (before Crawford retired), the Devils were the only team timeline emerged: Improve next season and compete for a playoff spot. projected to spend more real dollars on its NHL payroll in 2021 than in The next step after that is expecting to be a postseason club. 2019-20. The organization also expanded several departments during the pandemic. “Obviously, there are some teams, you know they’re going to make the playoffs. They’ve been together for a long time,” captain Nico Hischier New Jersey created a goaltending department, beyond just new NHL said. “Teams that have a lot of experience and something like that is goalie coach Dave Rogalski. The Devils hired Esa Pirnes as a European what we’re building here right now. We’re all young guys, and we’ve development coach and retained former NHL assistant Rick Kowalsky as grown together year after year, and we want to be that team that before a player development coach along with Patrick Rissmiller and Eric the season, they know like we’re going to go to the playoffs. That’s what Weinrich. we’re doing here.” Fitzgerald said he expects to make further additions this offseason. Ruff is one of the most experienced head coaches in NHL history. He should pass Al Arbour for fifth place on the career wins list next year “I do, actually,” he said. “I think my goal is to really find great people that (needs 28 victories), but Ruff also reiterated that this season was unlike are passionate about hockey that can help this organization move any other in his career. Despite that, his boss had high praise. forward and be successful. Like I said, be passionate, hardworking, committed — (those) are characteristics that I’m looking for in people, “(He’s) just everything that I knew he would be,” Fitzgerald said. He’s people with growth mindsets that want to grow and get better and learn, genuine. He’s honest, He can motivate. He’s a great listener. He goes and not be just, ‘A matter of fact, this is what I know,’ but are looking to out of his way to understand players and listen to them, and I think improve their database of knowledge. So, I do. I see adding in certain there’s a major trust factor that went between players and Lindy as the departments.” head coach of the organization. Players knew that they didn’t want to make mistakes, but they could make mistakes and they weren’t going to be punished with ice time. Now, I think if mistakes continued throughout The Athletic LOADED: 05.14.2021 a game or throughout a player’s week of games, yeah, Lindy is also going to teach accountability. But I think there was a major trust there. His infectious personality, I think, rubbed off on all our players. I don’t think you’ll find a player that didn’t love playing for Lindy Ruff.”

The AHL/ECHL goaltending battles are starting to take shape for next season. New Jersey signed 2020 pick Nico Daws last week after he finished his season in Germany because the OHL didn’t play.

Fitzgerald said the Devils expect to sign Akira Schmid, a 2018 pick, soon. He just completed his third season in the USHL and had a big bounce- back year with Sioux City. Daws and Schmid could be the AHL goaltenders next year, but Gilles Senn and Evan Cormier are both restricted free agents. It could get pretty crowded if the Devils bring both back, not to mention potentially a veteran No. 3 type like Scott Wedgewood (though Senn is now 25 and could be ready for a No. 2/3 role).

Wedgewood and Aaron Dell are unrestricted free agents, so unless it is Senn, the Devils need to find a partner for Blackwood.

“Listen, we lost this year. That was a punch to the gut when that happened, that call I got,” Fitzgerald said. “I do think we have to reassess our goaltending and see where we’re at, and decide which way we want to go with it, whether it’s a 1A, 1B combo or it is a true No. 2 where Mackenzie’s plan is whatever, 70-30.”

Hischier leads a deep group of Devils who are going to be in Riga, Latvia, for the world championships. Jonas Siegenthaler is joining him on the Swiss team. Yegor Sharangovich is playing for Belarus, which was supposed to be the home country before the tournament was moved because of political protests and unrest. Kevin Bahl was named to Canada’s roster, but also left Binghamton’s game Wednesday early with an undisclosed injury.

Marian Studenic will play for Slovakia. Matt Tennyson, who is 31 years old and has never played for the United States in an international event at any level, will be there. So, too, will fellow American defenseman Matt Hellickson, a seventh-round pick who spent the past four seasons at Notre Dame and signed an AHL contract to finish the season. Hellickson could elect to become a free agent in September if he doesn’t an entry- level deal with the Devils.

Jesper Bratt would like to play for Sweden, but he’s in limbo right now. Bratt said that because he signed his contract so late, there is an issue with his taxes that he needs to resolve. It might cause him to stay in the United States for a while, but he said he and his agent have been in contact with Sweden’s coaching staff to keep them updated. 1212669 New York Islanders have an admiration for what he’s gone through and how he’s played the games over the years.”

In 725 NHL games with the Avalanche, Bruins and Islanders, Boychuk Retired Johnny Boychuk flourishing in unique Islanders role after eye finished his career with 54 goals and 152 assists. He hoisted the Stanley injury Cup in 2011 with Boston, chipping in three goals and six assists in 25 playoff games on the way to his first and only championship.

Prior to the Islanders acquiring Braydon Coburn from the Senators in By Mollie Walker April, Boychuk had the most playoff experience on the entire team with 104 postseason games. As the Isles gear up for their first-round series May 13, 2021 | 6:01pm | Updated against the Penguins, which begins Sunday at noon, Boychuk will surely be someone the team looks to.

When Johnny Boychuk abruptly announced that he was hanging up the “It was tough losing Johnny, but him being around, he’s still a guy that skates last November, he said it wasn’t a decision, but a life choice. everybody can kind of relate to,” Brock Nelson said. “Everybody looks up to him. Having him still be around the organization, I think it means a lot One that he made to salvage his eyesight, which had suffered and speaks to his character. He means a lot to our team.” irreversible deterioration in the form of poor peripheral vision and optic nerve damage stemming from two separate incidents over the course of Johnny Boychuk goes down with the eye injury that led to him retiring. his 13 years in the NHL. As much as Boychuk would’ve preferred to keep playing, he quickly Several doctors told the Islanders defenseman that if he continued to coined his own position and seamlessly transitioned into a whole new set play hockey, his eyes could get much worse. of responsibilities that allowed him to continue his influence on the Islanders away from the ice. When Boychuk called Lou Lamoriello to tell him the news, the general manager without hesitation encouraged him to remain with the team. Boychuk’s presence is something that the front office, coaching staff and Though he couldn’t play anymore due to his impaired vision, Lamoriello players have made clear is part of their culture. And it’s looking like he’ll and coach Barry Trotz wanted to keep him around because of the way he always be welcomed there. views the game. “We will keep him if he’d like, and we will find a role for him,” Lamoriello “When you have someone like that, you’d like to keep them around,” said. “But it has to be a role that he feels he’s contributing because that’s Lamoriello said. “I told him what we thought and asked him to just think the type of person John is.” about it. It didn’t take long, he wanted to be here.” It’s something that’s evidently been on Boychuk’s mind since he found So Boychuk got to continue lacing up the skates, joining the Islanders on out he could never play again. the ice for every practice this season. Depending on the schedule, he “Hopefully I can do it on the other side of the fence,” Boychuk said during would sometimes stay behind from one-game road trips and skate with his final press conference as a player. “That’s something I’ll have to the taxi squad. figure out soon.” He watches film with the team, takes notes and initiates conversations with players to discuss their game. When you ask any player about him, they say he is always there to put a smile on their faces, make things New York Post LOADED: 05.14.2021 light with a joke and bring energy to the locker room — just like he did through his six seasons on the Isles’ roster.

Johnny Boychuk has moved into a coaching role with the Islanders.

Boychuk, who is considered inactive after his designation to the long- term injured reserve list, has carved out a unique role for himself that doesn’t exactly have a name.

“Johnny is just being Johnny,” Cal Clutterbuck said. “I think when you’re fresh out of the game, I think he might have a little different perspective than some coaches who haven’t been in the game for a while or haven’t been in the game, and he brings a lot of experience the same way he would have when he was playing.

“It’s just he’s wearing a tracksuit instead of gear out there, but he’s the same guy.”

Lamoriello has lauded Boychuk for his knowledge of the game. So much so that the reigning GM of the year, who is currently second on the all- time wins list, has had Boychuk sit next to him during games.

And though Lamoriello consults with Boychuk, so does Trotz. The 37- year-old Boychuk has seemingly become a sounding board for management this season, and someone who one of the most well- respected duos in the NHL relies on.

“He’s a good influence on some of the young players because he’s gone through it, especially our defense,” Trotz said. “He’s got a really good perspective from a player who’s still in the game, and when you talk to Johnny, he gives a real good perspective to the coaching staff on where a player may be.

“The new-age players are a little bit different than it was 25 years ago, and you have to evolve, you have to see where players are, and he has some really good tidbits — not necessarily on the players, but probably more of the way the modern-day players thinks more.

“Obviously, he’s been a teammate for a lot of guys, and he knows how they react to either positive reinforcement or negative reinforcement. He’s a really good buffer, he understands those guys, and they really 1212670 New York Islanders might not really get credit for what he does but he’s a really effective player for us."

Leo Komarov proves to Barry Trotz that he gets job done for Islanders Newsday LOADED: LOADED: 05.14.2021

By Andrew Gross [email protected] @AGrossNewsday

Updated May 13, 2021 6:26 PM

Others can be surprised Leo Komarov has settled into the role as left wing to top-line center Mathew Barzal heading into the Islanders’ first- round playoff series against the Penguins. Barry Trotz even might have been at one point, before the coach really got to appreciate how Komarov — a quintessential hockey pest — operates.

But not the man affectionately known as Uncle Leo.

"You know me," Komarov said after the Islanders practiced on Thursday at Northwell Health Ice Center in East Meadow. "I’m just fighting and trying to play my best game. I won’t be surprised. I’ve been playing hockey for 30 years. Just living another day. Wake up, enjoy the hockey and see how it goes."

Game 1 is Sunday afternoon in Pittsburgh.

There’s nothing fancy to Komarov’s game, no statistics that stand out or analytics that Trotz can cite as to why this has been the best fit for Barzal and since captain Anders Lee suffered a season-ending right knee injury on March 11.

It just is.

"He always plays with an edge," Trotz said. "He adjusts his game to who he plays with. When you put him in a checking role, he does a good job checking. When you put him on an offensive line like Barzy’s, he understands the balance of that. He doesn’t lose his character or his identity because he’s moved to a different line.

"It doesn’t matter where you play Leo. His game doesn’t change. He just adapts."

But Trotz had to be convinced.

He admitted in his first season with the Islanders he was unsure of president and general manager Lou Lamoriello’s thinking in signing Komarov away from the Maple Leafs — Lamoriello was that team’s GM from 2015-18 — to a four-year, $12 million deal.

"I didn’t know Leo well enough," Trotz said. "I didn’t know his game well enough. What you don’t understand is you can watch his game and you can get bits and pieces. But you have to be living the whole experience. You have to understand the intangibles he brings into the room, the intangibles he brings on the bench, the intangibles he brings on the ice and the value he has in pulling it all together.

"He’s committed and he’ll do anything to win. Those were qualities I didn’t know about as much. Lou did, because he had him in Toronto. Once you have Leo in the lineup, you realize all those things come together and it’s the value of the Leo experience that allows you to appreciate the value that he does bring."

Komarov had one goal and seven assists in 33 games and Trotz tried others on Barzal’s line, notably rookie Kieffer Bellows and newly-acquired Travis Zajac. But Trotz kept coming back to Komarov.

He is a key contributor to the NHL’s second-ranked penalty kill. And despite playing with an edge and looking to get under the skin of opponents particularly the Bruins’ Brad Marchand Ko,marov accumulated only 15 penalty minutes.

What Trotz sees and the statistics don’t show is how easily Komarov interacts with his teammates. The 34-year-old was born in Estonia, settled in Finland and played in the Russian KHL before joining the Maple Leafs in 2014. Trotz joked Komarov "knows about five or six languages, we just don’t know which ones."

"He’s the life of the room sometimes," defenseman Ryan Pulock said. "He’s really light in the room and easy to talk to and always gets the guys laughing. On the ice, he just does his job. It might not be pretty and he 1212671 New York Islanders Penalty kill: The Islanders ranked sixth in the NHL at 83.7% and killed off 22-of-24 to end the season. The Islanders were disciplined, too, as their 135 times shorthanded were second fewest in the NHL. The Penguins’ penalty kill struggled at times as it ranked 27th at 77.4%. To be aware of, A look at the Islanders-Penguins first-round Stanley Cup matchups though: the Penguins were tied for fourth in the NHL with six shorthanded goals.

Edge: Islanders. By Andrew Gross Coaching: Mike Sullivan did another masterful job in his sixth season with [email protected] @AGrossNewsday the Penguins — perhaps his best including Stanley Cup wins in 2016 and May 13, 2021 4:11 PM 2017 — navigating through a injury-tinged season to a first-place finish. This will be his fifth playoff matchup against Barry Trotz, beating the Capitals in the second round en route to both Cups, then losing in the second round as Trotz led the Capitals to the Cup in 2018. Trotz’s The Islanders and Penguins will meet in the playoffs for the sixth time Islanders swept the Penguins in the first round the following season. and in the first round for the second time in Barry Trotz’s three seasons on Long Island. Edge: Even.

The Islanders have won four of the five series, including a four-game Staff predictions: sweep in 2019. Neil Best: Islanders in five – Their goaltending is far better and their "The last series was a long time ago," Islanders defenseman Adam defensive structure is capable of discombobulating anyone, including Pelech said. "But I think that, in general, this is a group that has Sidney Crosby. performed well in the playoffs and we have confidence going into the playoffs." Andrew Gross: Islanders in seven – I suspect the Penguins’ goaltending will not be suspect at all. But I also suspect the playoff-tested Islanders Here’s a position-by-position look at the teams: will still find a way to win.

Forwards: Sidney Crosby (24 goals, 38 assists) is still elite and his wings, Colin Stephenson: Islanders in six – The best goalie and the best Jake Guentzel (23 goals, 34 assists) and Bryan Rust (22 goals, 20 defense usually wins in the playoffs. The Penguins’ goaltending is simply assists) are great complements. Evgeni Malkin (eight goals, 20 assists) untrustworthy. So is their defense, really. will be healthy for Game 1 and third-line center Jeff Carter’s acquisition from the Kings has been crucial. He had nine goals in 14 games after being acquired. Newsday LOADED: LOADED: 05.14.2021 The Islanders’ strength is four-line balance. Kyle Palmieri must be more productive after notching two goals in 17 games after being acquired from the Devils. Versatile Jean-Gabriel Pageau (14 goals, 14 assists) may be the X factor. Leo Komarov has settled into injured Anders Lee’s spot on the top line with Mathew Barzal (17 goals, 28 assists) and Jordan Eberle (16 goals, 17 assists). The trio of Brock Nelson (18 goals, 15 assists), Anthony Beauvillier (15 goals, 13 assists) and Josh Bailey (eight goals, 27 assists) was the Islanders’ best in last year’s playoffs and late this season.

Edge: Penguins.

Defensemen: Kris Letang (seven goals, 38 assists) has a well- established pedigree for the Penguins but their season steadied once Brian Dumoulin (four goals, 10 assists) returned from an early-season injury. Mike Matheson, if healthy, can be a physical force but the Penguins’ depth has been tested.

The 128 goals the Islanders allowed were the second fewest in the NHL and depth has been key. Adam Pelech and Ryan Pulock will be matched against Crosby so it’s the second pairing of Nick Leddy (two goals, 29 assists) and Scott Mayfield that will be crucial. Those two have struggled defensively at times but can’t afford to do so against either Crosby or Malkin’s line. Edge: Islanders

Goalies: Semyon Varlamov had his best playoff run last season as he went 11-7-0 with a 2.14 goals-against average and a .921 save percentage in leading the Islanders to the Eastern Conference finals. He just improved on that this season, setting a team record with his 2.04 GAA and tying ’s team record with seven shutouts. Ilya Sorokin (13-6-3, 2.17, .918) practiced with the Islanders in the playoff bubbles last season but did not play.

The Penguins’ tandem of Tristan Jarry (25-9-3, 2.75, .909) and Casey DeSmith (11-7-0, 2.54, .912) have a combined one game of NHL playoff experience. Both struggled earlier in the season but finished strong and both are healthy again after battling late-season injuries.

Edge: Islanders.

Power play: The Penguins’ power play ranked fourth in the NHL at 23.7% and both Crosby (22) and Guentzel (18) ranked in the league’s top 20 for power-play points. In comparison, the Islanders ranked 21st at 18.8% and Leddy’s team-leading 11 power-play points were 93rd in the NHL. The Islanders, who sorely miss Lee on the man advantage, do have a dangerous weapon in rookie Oliver Wahlstrom’s shot from the left circle.

Edge: Penguins. 1212672 New York Islanders

Islanders expect Semyon Varlamov to skate Friday

By Andrew Gross [email protected] @AGrossNewsday

Updated May 13, 2021 8:22 PM

Goalie Semyon Varlamov remained absent from practice for a second straight day, but Islanders coach Barry Trotz expects that streak to be broken on Friday.

"He will skate tomorrow," Trotz said after Thursday’s session at Northwell Health Ice Center in East Meadow.

The Islanders open their first-round playoff series against the Penguins on Sunday afternoon in Pittsburgh. Varlamov, the presumed Game 1 starter if healthy, continues to deal with an unspecified strain that knocked him out of Monday’s season finale in Boston after two periods.

Varlamov, who went 11-7-0 with a 2.14 goals-against average and a .921 save percentage in the playoffs last season, should play Sunday if he returns to the ice on Friday. If he does skate it would be on his own, because the Islanders are not practicing on Friday.

If not, Ilya Sorokin, who was 13-6-3 with a 2.17 GAA and .918 save percentage is on call.

"They’ve been spectacular all year," defenseman Ryan Pulock said. "It doesn’t matter what guy is in the net. They give us a chance to win. We have a lot of confidence in them and it’s translated into our play."

Early start

The NHL finally announced its Stanley Cup playoffs schedule on Thursday and the Islanders-Penguins series includes two afternoon games. Faceoff for Sunday’s Game 1 in Pittsburgh will be noon and Game 4 at Nassau Coliseum on May 22 will start at 3 p.m.

Pulock said having such an early start for Game 1 could be beneficial.

"It happens quick that day," Pulock said. "I think it can be good. That first game of the playoffs, you know you’re excited about it. You can’t wait for it. So, when you wake up in the morning, you know you don’t have to wait all day. You can get ready for work."

Newsday LOADED: LOADED: 05.14.2021 1212673 New York Islanders

Islanders will play Game 1 of playoff series against the Penguins on Sunday

By Andrew Gross [email protected] @AGrossNewsday

Updated May 13, 2021 2:44 PM

The Islanders and Penguins will begin their first-round series on Sunday at noon at PPG Paints Arena.

The NHL announced its Stanley Cup playoff schedule on Thursday. The playoffs open with the Capitals hosting the Bruins in Game 1 of their first- round matchup on Saturday night.

The Islanders and Penguins will play Game 2 in Pittsburgh on Tuesday night before the series shifts to Nassau Coliseum for Games 3 and 4, on May 20 and May 22, respectively. Game 4 will be an afternoon start.

If necessary, Game 5 is in Pittsburgh on May 24, Game 6 is at the Coliseum on May 26 and Game 7 will be in Pittsburgh on May 28.

Starting times for Games 5-7 have yet to be set.

Newsday LOADED: LOADED: 05.14.2021 1212674 New York Islanders

Islanders vs. Penguins Stanley Cup playoffs first-round schedule

By Andrew Gross and Neil Best [email protected], [email protected] @AGrossNewsday

Updated May 13, 2021 2:51 PM

The Islanders and Penguins will begin their first-round series on Sunday at noon at PPG Paints Arena.

The NHL announced its Stanley Cup Playoff schedule on Thursday. The playoffs open with the Capitals hosting the Bruins in Game 1 of their first- round matchup on Saturday night.

MSG Networks will carry Games 2 and 3 of the Islanders’ first-round Stanley Cup playoff series against the Penguins, as well as Games 5, 6 and 7, if necessary. Those games also will be seen in the New York area on NBC’s cable outlets, with Games 2 and 3 set for NBCSN.

NBC Sports has assigned Islanders’ television play-by-play voice Brendan Burke and MSG Networks teammate A.J. Mleczko to work its Game 1 broadcast of the Islanders-Penguins series along with .

Newsday LOADED: LOADED: 05.14.2021 1212675 New York Islanders

2021 NHL Playoffs: Penguins vs. Islanders schedule, TV channel, games, scores, guide to the first-round series

By The Athletic NHL Staff

May 13, 2021

In this East Division matchup, the No. 1 Pittsburgh Penguins will face the No. 4 New York Islanders in the first round of the 2021 NHL Stanley Cup playoffs. To find out who has the advantage in the series, check out Dom Luszczyszyn’s odds and probabilities, plus Stanley Cup tiers and soon- to-come predictions from experts in the hockey world.

Schedule/TV/Results

Game 1: at Pittsburgh, Sunday, May 16 at noon ET (NBC)

Game 2: at Pittsburgh, Tuesday, May 18 at 7:30 p.m. ET (NBCSN)

Game 3: at New York, Thursday, May 20 at 7 p.m. ET (NBCSN)

Game 4: at New York, Saturday, May 22 at 3 p.m. ET (NBC)

Game 5*: at Pittsburgh, Monday, May 24, time TBD (TV TBD)

Game 6*: at New York, Wednesday, May 26, time TBD (TV TBD)

Game 7*: at Pittsburgh, Friday, May 28, time TBD (TV TBD)

(* – if necessary)

What to expect from the series?

Why were the Penguins so good against the Islanders in the regular season? Where does each team have the biggest matchup advantage? Which under-the-radar player could be an X-factor for each team? The Athletic’s Penguins and Islanders experts — Rob Rossi, Josh Yohe and Sean Gentille on the Pens and Arthur Staple on the Isles — answer these questions and more about what’s to come.

The Athletic LOADED: 05.14.2021 1212676 New York Islanders chances actually favoured the Islanders, but Pittsburgh was able to convert at its normal rate while the Islanders struggled the other way. A 5.7 percent shooting percentage won’t cut it and the team’s recent shooting luck doesn’t leave much room for optimism that things will 2021 NHL playoff preview: Penguins vs. Islanders change.

The Penguins had the complete opposite luck down the stretch, shooting the lights out with a 10.5 percent shooting percentage, which was more By Dom Luszczyszyn than enough to mask weaker goaltending the other way. They saw the May 13, 2021 same benefit on the power play with the league’s second-best goal rate. The Islanders won’t give them much in terms of chances, so converting and executing on the ones the team does get will be crucial. The Penguins have done well in that regard all season with just a 20th-ranked Winning the division should mean smooth sailing in the first round. Every expected goals for rate, but they’ll need to keep it going against a stingy other top seed is heavily favoured in its opening-round series. Not here. Islanders team. The East Division is a gauntlet where four very strong teams all have relatively equal claims to represent the division in the final four. There are That’s even harder when considering one of New York’s biggest no easy matchups here. strengths is goaltending, which always has the potential to drastically alter a series trajectory. Pittsburgh found a way to solve it pretty easily The Penguins and Islanders are no strangers to each other, having during the season series, but that doesn’t make it a guarantee come squared off in the playoffs in 2019 — a series Pittsburgh very much playoff time. wants to forget. This series will be about getting even after being embarrassed two years ago, a series Pittsburgh probably felt it should’ve Roster breakdown won on paper. Matchup adjustment takes into account each player’s Game Score The Islanders have continued building up their program since, becoming against this specific opponent as well as his Game Score over the last six stronger and stronger under coach Barry Trotz’s tutelage. They reached weeks. The numbers may be slightly skewed as a result of ice-time the conference finals last season on the back of strong defensive hockey allocation. and have only improved their game since. Analytically, it’s the strongest the team has looked under Trotz. Semyon Varlamov is the great equalizer in this series with goaltending being the Islanders’ largest advantage. Varlamov had a decent first Though the Islanders enter the series as underdogs — deservedly so as season with the Isles, earning a .914 save percentage while saving 1.5 the fourth seed — it’s in one of the closest series of the first round. goals above expected and he took an even larger step in his second season. He elevated his save percentage to a .929 for the season and Series odds finished sixth in goals saved above expected with 8.8. The Islanders’ Matchup adjustment takes into account each player’s Game Score defence made things easy for him as he ended up leading the league in against this specific opponent as well as his Game Score over the last six goals saved above average at 21.7 (meaning the Islanders’ defence weeks. deserves credit for 13 of those goals saved), but he still did his part.

The series would be even closer if not for the matchup and recency Varlamov was a top-five starter this season and is the main reason this adjustment made. The two teams actually played each other fairly evenly series should be a close one, but his status for the start of the series this season, but the edge still goes to Pittsburgh overall. More does carry some uncertainty. He left the final game of the season in the importantly, the Islanders fell into a bit of a lull down the stretch and it’s second period and didn’t return. If he’s not ready that could spell trouble that recency effect that likely plays a larger role in the adjustment. It gives in this series as Ilya Sorokin is a sizeable downgrade from Varlamov, the Penguins an almost three percentage point boost. completely nullifying the team’s goaltending advantage. Sorokin’s value is equal to Tristan Jarry’s, a 2.7-win difference in this series that In the grand scheme of things, there’s not much difference between a drastically tips the scales in Pittsburgh’s favour. The Penguins’ chances 57/43 split and a 54/46 split. This series is still a relative coin-flip, or as would improve by nearly eight percentage points if that were the case. close as you’ll get to one in a first round full of mismatches. They’d also improve by a fair bit if they went with the better goalie of their Both teams have their strengths that they can lean on and it’ll be a matter own. Pittsburgh seems to have loyalty to a fault with its anointed starter of which team can impose it more consistently over a seven-game series. and it arguably helped cost them a qualifying round series win last year, Season stats starting Matt Murray over Jarry. Again, it looks like the team will opt for the statistically worse goalie in this series with Jarry over Casey When it comes to this series, it’s fair to think offence for Pittsburgh and DeSmith, who had the better save percentage, goals saved above defence for New York. Same as ever really, and that’s how both teams expected and goals saved above average rates this season. It’s worth found their strength this year. At five-on-five the Penguins were sixth in acknowledging that there may be data issues when it comes to grading goals for while the Islanders were third in goals against. It’s what drove both goalies, though, as Evolving Hockey’s model suggests there’s a both teams to be side-by-side in the goals percentage rankings, right wide chasm in shot quality faced between the two (a weird thing for two around 56 percent each. The Penguins didn’t generate a ton of chances goalies on the same team), crediting DeSmith for much more goals according to public metrics, but they have the shooting talent to override saved above expected as a result. Regardless, even by goals saved that. The Islanders were all about sacrificing quantity for quality, too. On above average, DeSmith comes out ahead. special teams, the Penguins were fourth at generating goals with the man advantage while the Islanders were fifth at preventing goals on the The Islanders will have a bit more help insulating their goalies thanks to penalty kill. their stingy defence corps and sound defensive system. The Islanders were third in the league this season in expected shooting percentage But thinking that both teams only specialize in one facet of the game against at five-on-five at 7.3 percent. Unsurprisingly, that’s led by the does each a disservice. Pittsburgh can play defence. New York can team’s excellent top pairing of Ryan Pulock and Adam Pelech, one of the attack. Their weaknesses may be real on special teams where both are league’s very best shutdown pairs. Among defenders that played over bottom 10, but at five-on-five both were right around the top 10 in goals 500 minutes this year, the duo ranks 15th and fifth respectively in thanks to their ability to drive quality chances. Each team has its expected shooting percentage against. They really do limit quality strengths, yes, but they can hold their own the other way too. chances.

Unfortunately for the Islanders, their scoring ability completely dried up Pulock and Pelech may not look the part of No. 1 defenders because down the stretch and it’s what caused a precipitous decline in the neither scores many points, but the duo has been incredibly valuable. standings to the fourth seed. At one point they were fighting for first, but Together, they had a 61.6 percent expected goals rate this season, the having the third-worst shooting percentage at five-on-five over the final third-highest of any pair that played 200 minutes or more. They have a six weeks was far from ideal. similar goal rate too, and that’s all while playing against the opposing team’s best. As a result, the duo ranked seventh and ninth in GSVA, That’s a worrisome problem to have against the Penguins based on the respectively, among defencemen this season thanks to their ability to season series as execution was the main difference between the two drive play in tough minutes. That’s despite scoring 31 points combined. teams head-to-head this year. The shot attempts were even and the Getting anything by that duo is generally very difficult, but Pittsburgh was the fold, this would be a coin flip and his absence has been heavily felt able to crack the code a bit during the season series. Pulock’s expected for the Islanders so far. His injury was extremely disheartening to see goals percentage was still positive, but the 53.5 percent rate was well given how well the Islanders were playing up until that point and the team below his season average and he was outscored 6-4. just hasn’t been the same since. The Islanders were 17-6-4 when Lee played his final game, a 115-point pace. They went 15-11-3 since, a 93- For the Islanders to win the series, the top pair needs to be at its point pace. Lee isn’t a 10-win player, obviously, but it was abundantly absolute best. That was the key to victory in last year’s playoffs where clear how much his presence was missed. The Islanders were fourth in the duo was similarly impenetrable en route to the conference finals. It expected goals percentage before his injury at 55.7 percent and dropped remains especially true here because the team’s other two pairs aren’t three percentage points since. much to write home about which could be a problem against a deep Penguins team. While the rest of the Islanders’ forward group looks strong, there’s a massive Lee-sized hold on the top line that’s extremely difficult to ignore. The Islanders have been fairly rigid with their pairings all season and Right now it’s filled by Leo Komarov who has looked shockingly while the top pair has been excellent, the bottom two have looked a lot competent next to Mathew Barzal and Jordan Eberle, but that likely has closer to average. Nick Leddy and Scott Mayfield have a decent 52 more to do with the Barzal and Eberle than Komarov. The trio has a 61 percent expected goals rate together while the third pairing with Andy percent expected goals rate together which could pose major problems Greene and Noah Dobson is a shade under breakeven at 49 percent. It for whichever line it matches up against — if it holds. I’m a bit dubious of essentially means that when the top pair is off the ice, the Islanders are that given Komarov’s track record. pretty close to an average team, which may not fly against the Penguins. Barzal took a major step forward this season in terms of his play-driving In contrast, the Penguins defence seems to have the opposite problem. ability, posting a 59 percent expected goals rate as the Islanders The team’s bottom two pairs are both solid at around 53 percent when generally put out his line with the top pair. The five-man unit does an playing together, but the usually strong top pairing of Kris Letang and excellent job of controlling play and Barzal is the focal point of that. Brian Dumoulin has been out-chanced for the season. The duo has Though the Penguins outscored the Islanders with Barzal on the ice in earned great actual results regardless, likely thanks to the forward talent the season series, his line controlled the puck heavily with a 63 percent they play with, but it is an alarming trend given the structured game their expected goals rate. He’s an elite five-on-five player that can bring the opponents play. Letang offers enough offensive upside to counter the puck up ice better than almost anyone and make incredible passing plays play-driving issue with 45 points in 55 games and he remains an in the offensive zone. In previous seasons he had a tendency to default excellent power-play quarterback. Still, it does feel like the Penguins are towards low-to-high passes, but was one of the league leaders in high a bit vulnerable if their top pair can’t control play. Letang’s puck-moving danger passing this season. At five-on-five, Barzal scored 2.51 points per ability on the breakout has taken a step back this year, which is likely part 60, good for 29th in the league. of the issue. Barzal played at a 3.1-win rate this season, which would be good enough That hasn’t mattered much for most of the season and part of the reason to be considered elite despite only scoring at a 67-point pace. He’s not for that is public expected goals models might be underrating Pittsburgh there by projected GSVA mostly due to priors (where he was closer to this season — the Capitals effect if you will. That may explain the two wins), low ice time for a top line centre and the power play. That’s a massive difference between actual and expected goals for the team, and real problem for the Islanders and while it’s not on him completely, we’ll see if it holds up during the postseason. scoring just 3.5 points per 60 with the man advantage isn’t doing his One of the more shocking developments of the season for Pittsburgh value any favours. was the Mike Matheson and Cody Ceci pairing actually working. That’s the major difference in valuation between the top lines as Sometimes two wrongs make a right and the duo somehow managed a Pittsburgh is led by three terrific players who excel with the man 53 percent expected goals rate together, playing strongly enough to be advantage. That and the model’s skepticism that Komarov can keep up the team’s actual second pair in minutes. Ceci’s game fell off a bit when his suspiciously strong play to date on the top line. Matheson went down with an injury, but together they seem to click. Pittsburgh’s track record with rehabilitating sub-replacement level The depth otherwise is pretty comparable, a result of Evgeni Malkin not defenders into competent ones remains unrivalled and utterly quite looking like himself this year. Malkin started off really slow and inexplicable. never really found his footing even after coming back from injury. He finished the season with 28 points in 33 games, but more alarmingly was Overall, the Islanders’ defence group holds the edge, but it may be one of the team’s worst play-drivers, ahead of only three players who will narrower than expected in terms of total value due to the start the playoffs in the press box and linemate Jason Zucker. The two uncharacteristically strong play of Pittsburgh’s third pair and the offensive just have not meshed well at all and that leaves the second line upside Letang brings to the table. The Islanders don’t have a player that vulnerable unless they figure things out quickly. Zucker’s claim to fame can contribute offensively from the back end the way Letang can, the one was his forechecking ability which led to strong play-driving impacts, but glaring flaw in an otherwise strong defence corps. that hasn’t manifested this year in his first full season as a Penguin. He It’s no surprise that goaltending and defence are in New York’s favour, was projected to be worth roughly 1.5 wins — a solid second liner — but forwards generally drive the most value for a team and that’s where when he was acquired but hasn’t lived up to that expectation at all in Pittsburgh holds a hefty advantage. Pittsburgh. He scored at a 39-point pace this season.

That’s almost entirely due to Pittsburgh’s top line which, again, should While Zucker hasn’t fit well, speedy winger Kasperi Kapanen has, not come as a surprise. Sidney Crosby once again put the team on his surprisingly scoring 30 points in 40 games this season. He’s strong off back and carried it further than it perhaps had any right to be. He was the rush and that lifts the second line to stronger results, though I’m not one of just a few Penguins regulars with a positive expected goals sure I trust any line earning 59 percent of the goals on 43 percent of the percentage this year and saw the Penguins earn 57 percent of the goals expected goals. when he was on the ice. Of course, with Crosby, it’s all about his The Islanders’ second line on the other hand has crushed their minutes production and he scored 62 points in 55 games, a 92-point pace that led when playing together. The trio of Brock Nelson, Anthony Beauvillier and the team (though his 1.84 points per 60 at five-on-five was much farther Josh Bailey might be one of the league’s most underrated lines and like down the list). His linemates Jake Guentzel and Bryan Rust were right the top line, was able to massively control play this season. They too had behind him, finishing second and third among forwards with 57 and 42 an expected goals percentage north of 60 percent for the season, giving points respectively. All three had over 20 goals this season and the Islanders two such lines that have the ability to own the puck and performed well against the Islanders in the season series. In eight games control the most dangerous areas of the ice. Crosby had nine points, Rust had eight and Guentzel had seven. The trio is also key cogs in Pittsburgh’s top-five power play. That’s difficult to match up against and the Islanders’ third line has potential too with three very capable middle-six talents. Jean-Gabriel The Penguins will go as far as that top line takes them as their collective Pageau hasn’t driven play as prolifically as he did in last year’s playoffs, value is the entire difference between the two clubs. The Islanders don’t though, and that may be an issue when thinking about matchups. He has have a Crosby on the other side — they don’t even have a full top line one of the lowest expected goals rates on the team and is below 50 themselves. percent. Against Pittsburgh this year he’s closer to 40 percent. The There are two wins of value separating Pittsburgh and New York, a addition of Kyle Palmieri hasn’t worked out as expected either as he isn’t difference that would be completely covered by Anders Lee. With him in producing nor is he tilting the ice. Palmieri has a 48 percent expected goals rate as an Islander and just four points in 17 games. Interestingly, this particular trio with rookie Oliver Wahlstrom does have good underlying numbers, but it’s only in 50 minutes together.

Pittsburgh’s third line might just be its black ace in this series. Jared McCann has been the team’s secret weapon all season, scoring 2.4 points per 60 at five-on-five and leading the team with a 56 percent expected goals rate. He stepped in beautifully as the team’s second-line center when Malkin went down with an injury. He’s a luxury on the third line, but has the flexibility to move up into the top six if need be. McCann has looked really strong with deadline acquisition Jeff Carter as the former King has found new life as a Penguin. Carter looked close to cooked last season but has been rejuvenated on a contender scoring nine goals and 11 points in 14 games as a Penguin to go with some strong on-ice numbers at five-on-five. He’s providing a major impact.

The Islanders vaunted fourth line always deserves some discussion and they’re once again chugging along with a 55 percent expected goals rate for the year. They’re legitimately good, but the Best Fourth Line in Hockey might have to go the group on the other side given all their priors. A lot rides on Brandon Tanev being healthy enough to play, though, as he’s an important member of the team’s bottom-six and a strong play- driver since arriving in Pittsburgh.

The Islanders have a lot more forward depth than they’re given credit for, but the Penguins still have them beat there. Couple that with the star power of the top line and Malkin and Pittsburgh’s forward group might just be the difference in this series.

The bottom line

This is going to be a battle, it always is between these two. Both teams have opposing strengths they will lean on and it’ll be interesting to see whether offence or defence prevails.

The Penguins and Islanders have been trending in opposite directions over the final month of the season and New York will have to get itself in check quickly. Though offence has not been a weakness for much of the season for the Islanders, it’s been very difficult to come by of late, and if that continues this series might not be as competitive as it should be.

The Islanders are a team built for the gruelling grind of the playoffs, though — they’ll be ready for this series and it wouldn’t be surprising to see them at their best here. They were an elite scoring chance team all season and Pittsburgh will have its hands full dealing with New York’s frustrating brand of hockey. That should make this series a close one, one that should go the distance.

In the end, the edge belongs to the Penguins. They’re the more talented team on paper, but that distinction hasn’t stopped the Islanders before.

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Islanders Have Tall Task Ahead in Shutting Down Pens’ Sidney Crosby in First-Round Series

Published 11 hours ago on May 13, 2021

By Christian Arnold

When it comes to the list of responsibilities for the New York Islanders top defensive pairing of Ryan Pulock and Adam Pelech, they will have no greater challenge in the opening round of the playoffs than subduing the hot hand of Pittsburgh Penguins star Sidney Crosby.

Crosby is one of several weapons that Pittsburgh has, but the NHL superstar remains one of the biggest thorns in the side of the Islanders. In eight games alone this season, Crosby has nine points (three goals, six assists) against the Islanders.

His career numbers against New York speak even louder, meaning it becomes imperative that Pulock and Pelech lock him down.

“Obviously we know that going into this that we’re going to have to be good and we’re going to have to do a good job defensively,” Pulock said on Thursday following practice on Long Island. “Whoever we’re playing against, they have a few lines that can be very dangerous. We’re going to take it upon ourselves. We’re confident together that we can do a good job no matter who we’re playing and that’s what we’re going to try to do.”

In 75 career games against the Islanders, Crosby has 122 points (32 goals, 83 assists), which is the most points against a single team by any active NHL player. Simply put, Crosby, in part, has made a career of putting up points against the Islanders.

NHL Releases Full Schedule for Islanders-Penguins First Round Series

That is no secret, rather, just a fact that rears its ugly head whenever the New York Islanders and Pittsburgh meet.

“Sid is world-class,” Islanders head coach Barry Trotz said about how Crosby has developed over the years. “He’s just worked on his game. He’s a smarter player. I know that he’s way better defensively as a forward at this age than he was when he first came into the league. He can still score, he can still skate, he’s strong. He’s very intelligent as a player. All those things are there.

“When you’re youthful I guess you still have to go through a lot of those experiences. I mean he’s got a number of Cups, he’s played in the Olympics, all those things. All those experiences have made him as complete a player there is in the National Hockey League.”

Stopping Crosby is a tall order, especially this season. Crosby has a point in six of the eight games between New York and Pittsburgh, but silencing “Sid the Kid” isn’t impossible.

And Pulock and Pelech have done just that before in the playoffs.

When the Islanders swept Pittsburgh in the first round, Crosby was held to just one point the entire series and it only came in the form of an assist in the final game of the series. Who was there to help contain one of the most prolific players in the NHL? Pulock and Pelech.

“I don’t know, it’s a tough job to do,” Pulock said when asked about shutting Crosby down in the 2019 series. “He’s a world-class player. He’s been one of the best players in this league for a lot of years. It’s not an easy task and obviously, for us, we just have to play hard. We have to defend hard and be smart, and that’s what we’re going to try to do.”

Stopping Crosby will be a major component to the Islanders’ game if they hope to be successful in the first round, but it’s far from the only player they have to hone in on.

Trotz and the New York Islanders are well aware that once you stop Crosby, Pittsburgh can be just as dangerous with its other forwards.

“You can’t just focus in on one line. They’ve got three or even four lines that are capable of scoring,” Trotz said. “You don’t really get a break when you got a lineup like that. They don’t really give you a break, and nor should they. That’s about playoff hockey, you shouldn’t have a break in playoff hockey.” 1212678 New York Islanders

NHL Releases Full Schedule for Islanders-Penguins First Round Series

Published 17 hours ago on May 13, 2021

By Christian Arnold

It took some time, but the NHL finally released the schedule for the first round meeting between the Pittsburgh Penguins and New York Islanders. The series will be the sixth time in franchise history that the Islanders face Pittsburgh in the postseason.

Game 1 is scheduled to take place on Sunday at noon and air nationally on NBC. The first game at the Nassau Coliseum will take place on Thursday at 7 P.M. That game will air nationally on NBCSN and locally on MSG+.

The 2021 Stanley Cup Playoffs will mark the final time that the Nassau Coliseum will host postseason hockey. The New York Islanders move into their new home at UBS Arena in the fall.

NYI Hockey Now LOADED: 05.14.2021 1212679 New York Rangers

Rangers get permission to interview top coach on radar

By Mollie Walker

May 13, 2021 | 9:22PM

The Rangers were granted permission to interview Gerard Gallant for the team’s vacant head-coaching job, according to a Thursday report by TSN’s .

The former Golden Knights coach has been at the top of club president Chris Drury’s list of candidates since the search began after David Quinn was relieved of his duties Wednesday, The Post’s Larry Brooks reported.

The Blueshirts needed permission from Vegas because Gallant was still under contract for the 2020-21 season.

Gallant, who is the head coach for Team Canada, is set to leave for the world championships in Latvia next week. The Rangers were hoping to interview him before that, according to Dreger.

New York Post LOADED: 05.14.2021 1212680 New York Rangers

Brian Leetch resigns from job as Rangers adviser

By Mollie Walker

May 13, 2021 | 9:01PM

Hall of Famer Brian Leetch, who served as the Rangers’ hockey operations adviser since 2017, resigned from the organization on Thursday, The Post has learned.

Newly appointed president and general manager Chris Drury had asked Leetch to stay with the franchise, but the former Blueshirts defenseman still opted to step away. Leetch’s resignation comes on the heels of CEO Jim Dolan’s dismissals of former president John Davidson and general manager Jeff Gorton, as well as Drury’s decision to relieve David Quinn of his head-coaching duties.

Gorton announced in September 2017 that Leetch was hired to work with the hockey operations department in both hockey-related decisions along with off-ice player and prospect development. Additionally, Leetch was charged with assisting prospects in the organization, which included the team’s AHL affiliate, the Hartford Wolf Pack. Brad Richards, who played three seasons in New York, was also brought on in the same role at that time and remains with the team.

Brian Leetch

An 11-time NHL All-Star, Leetch played parts of 17 seasons with the Rangers from 1987-88 to 2003-04. He established franchise records in numerous categories, including career assists and single-seasons assists, as well as career goals, assists and points by a defenseman.

Leetch won two Norris Trophies, the Calder Trophy and became the first non-Canadian to win the Conn Smythe over the course of 18 seasons in the NHL. The Rangers retired his No. 2 jersey in 2008 and, at the time, made him the fifth player and first defenseman in franchise history to have his number hoisted into the rafters.

New York Post LOADED: 05.14.2021 1212681 New York Rangers

Former Rangers captain Ryan Callahan latest to land ESPN job

By Andrew Marchand

May 13, 2021 | 11:36am | Updated

The New York-to-Bristol connection continues.

Former Rangers captain Ryan Callahan is headed to ESPN, The Post has learned. Callahan, 36, spent eight seasons with the Rangers before playing parts of six years with the Lightning. He has done some work for NHL Network and NBC.

Callahan’s exact role is still to be determined, but will likely be a combination of studio and game assignments.

ESPN/ABC and Turner will take over NHL coverage from NBC beginning next season. Turner has hired and as its lead announcing team, while ABC/ESPN has brought in and as top analysts. and Sean McDonough are the leading candidates to be ABC/ESPN’s No. 1 play-by-player.

Callahan continues the New York feel in Bristol. In ESPN’s NFL studio, Keyshawn Johnson, Rex Ryan and Damien Woody are among the former Jets who are big parts of the coverage.

On baseball, Alex Rodriguez is the network’s lead game analyst. On basketball, its top team, Mike Breen, Jeff Van Gundy and Mark Jackson, all have connections to the Knicks.

New York Post LOADED: 05.14.2021 1212682 Ottawa Senators can’t really focus on that. I have to focus on what I can do to make myself a better hockey player. Come next season, hopefully I’m here and I can help this team win hockey games.”

SNAPSHOTS: All Murray needed was a little more time to make his THE LAST WORDS return Nick Paul is looking forward to suiting up for Team Canada in Latvia. He will leave Sunday from Newark, N.J., when the Canadian players head overseas with members of Team USA. “I’m super excited to be going Bruce Garrioch over there and representing Canada. Putting on my jersey is going to be amazing,” Paul said. “Anytime you get that opportunity it’s an honour.” Publishing date: May 13, 2021 Paul last suited up for Canada at the world juniors in 2015. He scored three goals in seven games … North Dakota D Jake Sanderson wasn’t on the American roster released Thursday. There were reports it was due Matt Murray will have to wait until next season. to a paperwork issue. It’s too bad, because it would have been exciting to see him on that stage … Alternate captain Thomas Chabot noted his The Ottawa Senators goaltender told reporters on exit day he was close shoulder injury took him out of the mix to play for Canada. “It’s not great to returning from a lower body injury he suffered Apr. 24 against right now,” said Chabot. “It’s better than it was. I wanted to go. It would Vancouver. have been a good thing to go to make the season a little bit longer.” … “I probably would have been able to play in the next little bit if we were Winger Auston Watson was going to stay in Ottawa for the summer but still playing,” said Murray as the players gathered for exit meetings and with the slow rollout of vaccines and the restrictions in Ontario in place, locker cleanup Thursday at the Canadian Tire Centre. “I don’t know he’s headed back to Nashville for a month or so. “I’ll go back and get my exactly what the timeline would have been but I was getting pretty close. vaccine, so I’ll be equipped that way when I come back,” he said. I was skating but I hadn’t practiced yet so it might have been a little bit longer. Ottawa Sun LOADED: 05.14.2021 “I’m progressing normally and I’m doing well.”

A PAINFUL FINISH

Blueliner Josh Brown is wearing a walking boot after breaking his foot blocking a shot midway through the second period of the club’s game May 3 against Winnipeg.

“At first, it felt like a stinger, you block shots all the time. It was when I pushed off to get back to the bench that I really felt a sharp pain,” Brown said. “I knew that wasn’t great. It’s one of those situations if you take your foot out of the skate to get an x-ray you’re not going to be able to get back in to finish the game.

“I just kind of thought I was going to suck it up, play through it and then afterwards we found out it was broken.”

He added if the club was headed to the post-season he would have tried to play through it.

“It’s swollen and it’s painful but it’s not anything too crazy,” Brown added. “I would probably try to keep going. I think I’m supposed to be in a boot for about three weeks.”

OFF THE GLASS

Josh Norris was asked to play for Team USA at the IIHF world championship but declined. He noted it has been a long year, especially with the season played in a bubble, and he wants to go home and get some rest then get prepared for next season. “It’s an honour to represent your country but it’s been a long year mentally and physically,” Norris said. “We’ve been playing every other night. Hopefully I get the chance to play some other time.” … Blueliner Jacob Bernard-Docker was headed back to Grand Forks Thursday to pick up his stuff and then return home to Alberta. “I’ll have to do another quarantine so that sucks,” Bernard- Docker said. He skates in the Calgary area with some local pros and is pleased he was able to get some games under his belt. “Just getting those five games is huge for me going into the summer,” he said. “It gives me an understanding of what I need to work on and (Wednesday) was pretty cool.” … The goal for blueliner Erik Brannstrom is simple: Get stronger. He knows he also has work on being better defensively. “It was a good learning experience for me with being in and out of the lineup but it was fun to play all the games after the deadline,” Brannstrom said.

THIS ‘N’ THAT

Colin White is headed back to the Boston area to do his training, but he has some business to take care of when he arrives. “I’ll get the vaccine when I get home so it’s exciting,” said White. He had a tough year physically. “I’ve never really had bumps and bruises like I had this year. It was just weird. There were some freak things that happened that you can’t really control,” White said … D Nikita Zaitsev was asked to play at the world championship with Team Russia in Riga, Latvia, but turned down the invite … G Joey Daccord says he may play a game with Belleville in the next week. His high ankle sprain isn’t 100% but “it’s really close.” He noted he isn’t concerned about the expansion draft. “It’s part of the business and part of the NHL in the summer,” said Daccord. “I 1212683 Ottawa Senators “We joke around that we signed a one year extension as roommates,” Tkachuk said. “We’re all excited this year. We had so much fun together, we might as well keep it going.”

GARRIOCH: The Ottawa Senators could be ready to hand the 'C' to After Jacob Bernard-Docker arrived from the University of North Dakota Brady Tkachuk or Thomas Chabot next season in April, Chabot extended the invitation to him to finish the season living with him and his girlfriend Marion at their home in Ottawa’s west end. Sure, these are small gestures, but they mean a lot in the big picture of team building. Bruce Garrioch Ottawa Senators winger Brady Tkachuk and Vancouver Canucks Publishing date: May 13, 2021 defenceman Alexander Edler in front of goaltender Braden Holtby on Monday night at the Canadian Tire Centre, Apr. 26, 2021.

The wait and ‘C’ approach may be about to come to an end for the That’s why Dorion and Smith have talked about the leadership coming Ottawa Senators. from within. Many of these players are the same age and they’re going up together. You get the sense that if one of them has the ‘C” sewn on As the Senators packed their bags and headed their separate ways on their jersey there wouldn’t be any hard feelings from the player that locker cleanup day Wednesday at the Canadian Tire Centre, a look doesn’t get selected. ahead to the 2021-22 season was already under way and a big topic of discussion in this off-season will surround whether this club is ready to Through the early stages of this rebuild, the Senators have held off on name a captain or not. naming a captain because they didn’t want to add another layer of pressure to a difficult situation. This year, Tkachuk and Chabot were Speaking to reporters in a Zoom call, coach D.J. Smith confirmed he named alternates along with Erik Gudbranson, who was dealt to expects to sit down with Senators’ owner Eugene Melnyk and general Nashville at the deadline. manager Pierre Dorion in the off-season to discuss that possibility. The club hasn’t had a captain since Erik Karlsson was dealt to the San Jose Some have wondered if maybe the Senators should just stick with the Sharks in Sept., 2018. alternate situation because to a man, everybody in that dressing room talks about the “leadership group” so this newspaper asked if it’s okay to “That’s something myself, Pierre and Mr. Melnyk will have to speak about keep the status quo? at length this summer,” Smith said. “If it’s the time, we have a lot of guys in that room that have really stepped up leadership wise. The obvious Those days may be behind us. guys every knows about, but it’s a group of guys that make teams win “It’s a tough question. At some point, you’ve got to make decisions and and not just one guy. you’ve got to make hard decisions,” Smith said. “It’s easy to sit in the “Obviously, one guy will be named at some point. That will be up to Mr. middle. The reason there wasn’t a captain is because we’re so young Melnyk, Pierre and myself to consult at some point.” and you don’t want to put a young guy through that stress of answering those questions every day when you’re losing. When Smith speaks of the top candidates, everybody is aware Smith speaks of alternate captains Brady Tkachuk and defenceman Thomas “That’s why Pierre did a good job bringing in a guy like Ron Hainsey and Chabot. Coming into this season, the latter would have been the this year with some older guys who ended up getting hurt and they could frontrunner to be the next captain after he signed an eight-year, $64 field those question. At this point, our leadership group is at a point million extension but the thinking on that front may have shifted towards where they’re almost ready for that and that will play a big part in Tkachuk. deciding what we do.”

Yes, Tkachuk, 21, who just completed his third NHL season, is a restricted free agent this summer and part of this decision may rest on Ottawa Sun LOADED: 05.14.2021 what kind of contract extension he signs with the organization. Still, his play this season has most certainly vaulted him into being at the forefront of the conversation.

There’s no question he’s the guy who makes the most sense because how many times has Smith noted that Tkachuk “is the guy who leads us into battle every night.”

His teammates cans see that leadership and centre Josh Norris has seen this for years.

“I feel like he’s just naturally like that,” Norris said. “He was like that when we were 15-or-16-years old. It just comes natural to him, it’s who he is. Sure, he’s gotten more mature, he’s become a better player and stuff like that but that’s just who Brady is.

“He’s the nicest guy ever and he just wants the best for his teammates along with this team and this city. He’s been here three years now. It’s nice that it’s starting to change and now we have to keep this momentum going. He’s one of our leaders and a guy who brings it every single night.”

Ottawa Senators defenceman Thomas Chabot (72) checks Vancouver Canucks centre Tyler Motte (64) during the second period at the Canadian Tire Centre on Wednesday, April 28, 2021.

However, it doesn’t mean Chabot is completely out of the mix. The duo has done whatever it takes to help this team win on and off the ice.

When rookie winger Tim Stuetzle arrived from the IIHF world junior championship in Edmonton and completed his seven-day quarantine last January, Tkachuk immediately invited him to live at the Westboro home he rents with Norris from Vegas Golden Knights’ captain Mark Stone.

That arrangement will continue next year because breaking up is hard to do. 1212684 Ottawa Senators Both sides want an amicable solution and Tkachuk is excited by the route this team has taken.

“There’ve been a lot of positives as a group,” Tkachuk said. “How we GARRIOCH: The Ottawa Senators will have a busy off-season but most finished off is something that we can be proud of and we’re looking to of the pieces are in place build on for next year. I can’t wait, we’re already talking about next year and we’re really excited.”

Vancouver Canucks right wing Brock Boeser battles with Ottawa Bruce Garrioch Senators right wing Drake Batherson in the third period at the Canadian Tire Centre, Apr. 28, 2021. Publishing date: May 13, 2021 As for Batherson, it’s his first time through this kind of negotiation but he

doesn’t seem concerned. Ottawa Senators centre Shane Pinto (57), left wing Alex Formenton (59), “I’ve given a little bit of thought to it,” Batherson said. “It’s tough not to left wing Nick Paul (13), defenceman Artem Zub (2) and defenceman think about it. We’ll take our time. I don’t have much going on anyway, so Nikita Zaitsev (22) skate to the bench after Zaitsev scored against the there’s no rush to do it. It’ll be good.” Toronto Maple Leafs, May 12, 2021. This group has created excitement. Led by the likes of Tkachuk, Article content Batherson, Josh Norris, Tim Stuetzle and Thomas Chabot, they’ve made While Pierre Dorion was among the NHL’s busiest general managers steps in the right direction in recent weeks. before the season got under way in January, he shouldn’t have nearly as Goaltender Matt Murray admitted that the adjustment to moving to many changes to make, or pieces to put in place, as he prepares for the Ottawa was more difficult than he thought it would be. 2021-22 training camp to open because many of those are already in place. “We had some struggles early on as a team, and I didn’t play well enough to keep us in games,” said Murray. “But the way we finished, Yes. the Senators got off to a poor start, but they had a strong finish with that’s all you can ask for in a response. It was really inspiring to see. It a 9-2-1 record in their final 12 games, including Wednesday night’s 4-3 gives everybody a really good feeling going into the summer and it gives overtime victory over the Toronto Maple Leafs. everybody the motivation to come back and make some noise next year.” “It was like a tale of two seasons,” said coach D.J. Smith on Thursday. Smith, who celebrated his 44th birthday on Thursday, said the strong “We were young and fragile and now we have confident kids walking finish makes everyone hope the summer goes by in a flash. around here at the end. We know next year is a brand new animal and we’ve got to be ready when the season starts because we’re not going to “We have to continue to get better as a team and my job as the coach is sneak up on anybody. to get the best out of each individual,” he said. “If I can help them realize their potential, the wins and the success will come naturally.” “When you’re at the bottom, teams tend to take you lightly. They’re not going to take us lightly any more.”

Decision have to made on this roster. The club would like to add another Ottawa Sun LOADED: 05.14.2021 centre and possibly a top-four defenceman. Both of those answers may come from within, but don’t be surprised if Dorion does look around before making a final determination on what the roster might look like.

The Senators will be focused on trying to get deals in place with restricted free agents such as Brady Tkachuk, Drake Batherson, Artem Zub, Victor Mete and Filip Gustavsson. Naturally, all eyes will be on Tkachuk and Batherson.

Discussions are already taking place with Mete and Zub, who have both fit in well on the blue line.

The expectation is that whenever a deal is done with Tkachuk, it will be kept under wraps until it actually happens. And the talented young winger wasn’t shedding a lot of light on the situation before heading back to his St. Louis home. But he is confident that he will have a deal in place.

Ottawa Senators left wing Brady Tkachuk (7) flattens Vancouver Canucks center Brandon Sutter (20) and controls the puck against center Zack MacEwen (71) during first period NHL action at the Canadian Tire Centre, Apr. 28, 2021.

“It’s a big summer and I love playing here,” Tkachuk said. “I love everything about the city, the fans, the staff and it’s just so much fun to come to the rink every day. It’s fun to be part of this community.

“Now I’m going to let my agent (Craig Oster) and Pierre, two high-end professionals in their respective fields, do their jobs. It’s all going to work out. It’s going to be an exciting summer.”

Senators’ owner Eugene Melnyk is committed to keeping this team together and the organization has gone about this build-up the right way by gathering young talent, along with assets that can be used as chips for deals. The belief in NHL circles is that the Senators will offer a long- term deal in the seven or eight-year range to Tkachuk’s camp at significant dollars.

There’s no question Melnyk and Dorion want him to be a big part of the Stanley Cup contender this organization is attempting to build.

Tkachuk watched his brother, Matthew, go through a contract negotiation with the Calgary Flames and he ended up signing a bridge deal. 1212685 Ottawa Senators Some of the talented young Ottawa Senators — Erik Brannstrom, Tim Stuetzle (18), Drake Batherson (19), Brady Tkachuk (7) and Josh Norris — celebrate after a Norris goal against Calgary.

Senators preach defence and more defence as they leave for the It happened faster than Smith might have expected at the outset of the summer season.

Beyond scoring goals, it meant the trio accepted a commitment to playing sound defence. Ken Warren “There are a lot of guys that can score in this league and the sooner we Publishing date: May 13, 2021 figure that out as a team (the better),” said Norris. “The last 20 games or so we did a really good job of not letting the other team get to our net. I

don’t think teams like playing against us. It’s hard to get to the net and When Ottawa Senators coach D.J. Smith talked about the “tale of two there’s not a whole ton of room out there. We clog it up and we finish seasons” Thursday, it effectively boiled down to hard numbers. checks, so sometimes it’s probably not the most fun thing to play against. (Improving that) is one of our goals.” As in how many pucks entered the Senators net. While Batherson’s offensive numbers — 17 goals and 17 assists — will In the forgettable opening 15 games of 2020-21, when the Senators went help him secure a lucrative new contract as a restricted free agent, there 2-12-1, they allowed a whopping 63 goals against. was also significant growth in his play without the puck as the season went on. In the final 14 games, when they rebounded to go 10-3-1 and carry so much optimism into the summer, they let in a relatively stingy 31 goals “I love having the challenge of going against the other team’s top lines against. and it forces you be aware out there, for sure,” he said. “I’m more of a 200 foot player this season (having been) given that role. Going forward, Accordingly, as Smith and the stream of players bid adieu until training I want to be counted on to be able to play in both situations, whether it’s camp, the determination to carry that defensive commitment into next closing out a game or trying to score to tie the game up.” year was repeated over and over again. In the background to all of the excitement about what could happen next “If you keep the puck out of the net, you have a chance to go to the next season if the team continues on its upward trend was the voice of injured gear,” said Smith. “We think we have some guys who can score here, but winger Austin Watson. as much as you score, if you don’t keep it out, you’re going to lose.” Come next October, Watson says the players can’t get ahead of That’s no grand secret, of course. Whether he was in Nashville, themselves by just expecting everything to fall into place automatically. Washington and now with the New York Islanders, Barry Trotz’s ability to They must, he said, be aware if warning signs of the old bad habits creep teach teams to play stifling defence has been the ticket to so much in. coaching success. “I don’t see that happening to this group,” he said. “But we have to When the Senators missed the playoffs in 2017-18, 2018-19 and 2019- continue to get better, have some commitment to work and winning and 20, they finished 31st, 31st and 30th in the NHL in goals against. the team aspect of everything. It has to start right away.” After going down that ugly road again to start the season, however, the Starting with taking care of their own net. Senators turned the corner in the final stretch, finishing ahead of Philadelphia, New Jersey, Buffalo and San Jose in that department. In late March, Smith challenged the team to keep the goals against below 2.8 per game and they accomplished that feat, finishing the 56-game Ottawa Sun LOADED: 05.14.2021 schedule with 190 goals against.

Ottawa Senators goaltender Filip Gustavsson (32) stops Toronto Maple Leafs centre Jason Spezza (19) during the second period.

Goaltending is central to all that, with Filip Gustavsson closing out the year with a 2.16 average and .933 save percentage, creating internal competition at the position.

Matt Murray, who carried the load during the atrocious start, finished with a 3.38 average and .893 percentage.

The Senators likely won’t be going to the playoffs next year unless Murray finds his groove in the crease again, but there is more to the story, too.

The oft-repeated cliché of “playing the right way” translates into recognizing and dealing with the low and high percentage situations as they come along.

“We were above the puck all the time, not trading rush chances,” Murray said of the mid-season change. “That gets you into trouble in today’s game. We’re learning what it takes to win on a nightly basis. Tactically and in terms of a mindset, we’re really growing.”

The youngest players on the team, including Tim Stuetzle and Alex Formenton, said improving their defensive games will be an emphasis in the summer.

Even the specifics of “stick detail” is an area where Formenton wants to improve.

Perhaps the most encouraging sign is that The Kid Line of Brady Tkachuk, Josh Norris and Drake Batherson was able to hold its own while matched up against the most potent lines in the North Division in the final stretch of the season. 1212686 Ottawa Senators camp next season, with a battle between Matt Murray, Anton Forsberg and maybe one other netminder. I don’t see the Senators doing anything drastic to address their goaltending before October.

The 10 biggest offseason priorities for the Senators, ranked in order of But for a lot of fans, the inconsistent play from the team’s blue line also importance played a significant factor in the Senators struggles this season. Chabot was logging too much ice time, without a lot of support around him.

The good news is that prospects like Jake Sanderson, Jacob Bernard- By Ian Mendes Docker and Lassi Thomson are in the fold and could be key contributors on the back end within the next 18 months. But if the Senators have May 13, 2021 legitimate playoff aspirations for next season, they’ll need to bolster that blue line with the addition of at least one veteran defenceman who can play north of 20 minutes per night. The Ottawa Senators’ regular season came full circle on Wednesday night. At this stage, I only have two spots absolutely locked in on the Sens blue line to start next season: Chabot as the first pairing defenceman on the They closed out their 56-game campaign the same way they started it on left side and Artem Zub as the second pairing rearguard on the right. Jan. 15 — with a home-ice win over the Toronto Maple Leafs. That’s it from my vantage point. Everything else is up for debate and comes with the word “maybe” attached. In between those two games, it was an unpredictable roller-coaster ride that somehow made the important switch from frightening to exhilarating. Is Erik Brannstrom the second-pair defenceman on the left side? Maybe.

And after finishing the regular season with nine wins in their final 12 Is Nikita Zaitsev the partner for Thomas Chabot on the first pairing? games, there is confidence coursing through this fan base that we Maybe. haven’t witnessed in several years. Does Victor Mete play ahead of Brannstrom? Maybe. Ottawa fans would probably embrace a first-round playoff matchup against Toronto under these current circumstances, happily putting up Is Jacob Bernard-Docker part of the equation next season? Maybe. their roster of underdog Sicko rookies against a team carrying the heavy Will Jake Sanderson turn pro at the end of next season and get some weight of Stanley Cup expectations. NHL games? Maybe. But unfortunately, they won’t be getting a first-round playoff matchup You’ll know when the Senators have taken the next step when a lot of against Toronto — or anybody else. Instead, all Sens fans can do is hypotheticals become absolutes. Good teams don’t have so many blank imagine playing playoff hockey next year at this time. And to accomplish spots and question marks on their blue line. that goal, there are several things that have to transpire in the months ahead. And my projected depth chart makes it painfully clear the Senators will need to add a top-four defenceman if they want to evolve as legitimate So here, ranked in order are the 10 most important things on the Ottawa playoff contenders next season. Senators’ priority list this offseason. But is that defenceman a partner for Chabot or Zub? 1. Sign Brady Tkachuk to a contract extension They should have multiple avenues of pursuing a blueliner in the months There’s no surprise this is at the top of the priority list. And quite frankly, if ahead, whether it’s trading with a club with expansion draft protection this is the only thing the Senators accomplish in the months ahead, it will issues, a team in salary cap trouble or going the free agency route. still feel like a successful summer for the front office. 3. Ramp up the marketing and communication plan In three short seasons, Tkachuk has vaulted himself into the rarefied air of franchise wingers like Daniel Alfredsson and Mark Stone — forwards You might be surprised to find this item so high on the priority list, but who combined productivity with character. Tkachuk is the embodiment of reconnecting with the fan base and business community over the next what the Senators are trying to be with this rebuild — youthful, exuberant four months is going to be crucial for the organization. and fun. Prior to the pandemic, the Senators had slipped into last in the entire Signing Tkachuk to an eight-year contract extension might be a tall order league in average attendance, the culmination of a scorched-earth given the unknown economic landscape in the post-COVID world. But approach that alienated many fans. inking him to at least a three-year contract is the bare minimum to satisfy the Senators fan base. The club is hoping to have some people inside the Canadian Tire Centre for games next season, but what will that number look like? Will it be Tkachuk signing on the dotted line would also represent his belief in the 5,000? Or 10,000? team’s plan. And his endorsement would probably convince a lot of fans that the internal turmoil has finally vacated the hallways inside Canadian Even if they are playing to reduced capacity, the Senators will be in a PR Tire Centre. battle to win back fans and corporate sponsors.

But if Tkachuk’s camp hesitates and plays hardball, we could be in for an But the viral video showing kids tossing hats at Tim Stützle was an interesting summer. The rumours of offer sheets will start to fly in late excellent reminder that the Senators need to capitalize on the positivity July, but as I’ve mentioned in the past, Ottawa fans shouldn’t worry about that is flowing through this marketplace. After three straight summers of that coming to fruition. teardowns and doom-and-gloom, the organization can legitimately sell hope and optimism as a tangible entity — not as some distant promise. Expect these negotiations to be wrapped inside a cone of silence and if details start to get leaked, it’ll probably be an indication that things have There is an insatiable appetite for Senators content and the organization gone off the rails. The Senators did a terrific job of negotiating Thomas should do everything to feed their hungry fan base in the months ahead. Chabot’s eight-year contract extension in a veil of secrecy and will hope During training camp a few months ago, the club was one of the most the same holds true this time around. restrictive in terms of access to its practices and scrimmages — declining to live stream any content for the fans. As long as they get this done at some point before September, there’s no reason to worry that Tkachuk will miss any portion of training camp or the Hopefully, the organization realizes its misstep and offers up a summer regular season. If this negotiation drags into the start of next season, it of endless content for their fans. has the potential to cast a dark cloud over the optimism in Ottawa and Peel back some of the mysterious curtains around Artem Zub. threaten the Senators’ chances to be a playoff team next year. Send a camera with Tim Stützle if he goes back to Germany. 2. Get a top-four defenceman Have the head coach roll into the Move 100.3 FM studios and let him I know the goaltending was a source of frustration for a lot of people, but pick the music for an hour so he lives up to his name of D.J. Smith. I don’t see the Senators doing anything on that front in the months ahead. The goaltending picture will likely come into focus in training Whatever the idea, I can promise you the fans will eat it up. And now would be a great time to have a virtual town hall meeting with (As a side note, I’ll be working with our Seattle beat writer Ryan S. Clark D.J. Smith and Pierre Dorion for season ticket holders — past and on a Sens-specific expansion draft piece. Look for that to drop at some present. Let them talk hockey operations strategy and answer your point next week.) questions about analytics and the power play. And then have a separate one with team president Anthony Leblanc, where you could chat about 6. Get extensions done for other RFAs the game day experience inside the arena. Tkachuk is going to take up most of the oxygen in the room, but we There are many people on the fence who have questions about the shouldn’t forget the fact the Senators have some other key RFA direction of this franchise. Invite them into the fold for a discussion and contracts to handle this summer. make them feel privy to the inner workings of the team and I promise Drake Batherson has emerged into a legitimate top-six forward and so you’ll win some of them back. Transparency is the best kind of public his next contract will be very interesting. It still screams bridge deal to relations and the Senators have been an organization wrapped in a cloud me, but there might be an appetite to get something done on a longer of mystery for too long. It’s time to start opening up some doors and term. In any event, Batherson has positioned himself nicely after a solid letting fans back inside. campaign in which he routinely flashed his offensive prowess.

They’re ready to fall in love with this team again — but the onus is Zub’s contract negotiation is going to be even more interesting because squarely on the team, not the fan base for this to happen. given his age — he turns 26 in October — he’s closing in on becoming 4. Figure out centre position an unrestricted free agent. So if the Senators want to eat up some of his UFA years — on a deal that goes three years or beyond — they’ll likely As we shift gears back to the on-ice product, I think the team needs to have to loosen the purse strings. figure out what’s happening at the centre position. His agent Dan Milstein was very open about his client’s contractual Clearly, Josh Norris has elevated his game and has cemented his spot status with this tweet in February after Zub scored his first NHL goal: on the No. 1 line to start next season. But what about the other positions down the middle? And since then, Zub has done nothing but enhance his status as one of Ottawa’s most reliable defenders. A two-year contract would take him up Let’s look at what I’ve got pencilled in for the Sens on opening night: to unrestricted free agency in the summer of 2023. But have the Senators seen enough to ink Zub to a long-term deal that buys up some As you’ll see, this is a much more complete picture than the projected of his UFA seasons? blue line for the fall. I think the eight winger spots are already spoken for, but the centre position is wide open for debate. It also feels like Victor Mete has passed his audition and will be retained this summer, but it’s hard to imagine his deal being anything longer than Does the club need to acquire a veteran centre to play in between Stützle one or two seasons. and Brown? Or are they comfortable handing the keys to Shane Pinto in that spot? If it were up to me, I’d start with Pinto there and make an Other RFA deals that need to be negotiated this summer include Logan adjustment midseason if it’s not working out. Brown, Filip Gustavsson and Vitaly Abramov. And all signs would point to the club walking away from Marcus Hogberg after he was passed on the But we also have to factor in Logan Brown. Do the Senators qualify him depth chart by several other netminders. this summer as an RFA or cut ties and trade him? If he’s still part of the equation in training camp, then the No. 2 centre spot could absolutely be 7. What’s the best draft strategy this summer? his for the taking. The Senators’ late-season surge pushed them out of the bottom five in Chris Tierney also has one year left on his deal, but where does he fit in the overall standings for the first time since 2017. A lot will depend on the October? The centre position has a lot of moving parts and Dorion and draft lottery balls and how that Calgary-Vancouver season series his staff will need to assess the best course of action for this team down finishes, but there is a good chance Ottawa will be drafting in the 7-10 the middle. range in the first round and will have roughly a 5 percent chance of winning the draft lottery. 5. Determine expansion draft protected list So the Senators will need to look at their organizational cupboard and We may get a window into the Senators’ plans at centre depending on see where they have the greatest need for depth. Many people will point who they protect — or leave exposed — for the upcoming Seattle to the right wing position as a potential area of weakness, but what are expansion draft. the odds that Dylan Guenther will be available when they pick?

Protected lists need to be submitted by July 17, with the actual expansion The access to viewing these prized prospects has been limited over the draft occurring four days later. past four months, making this year’s draft even more of a gamble than Logan Brown, Chris Tierney — and maybe even Colin White — become normal. In an ideal world, this is the last time the Senators are picking legitimate topics of conversation around centres to expose. Perhaps a inside the top 10 for the foreseeable future, so they should make this pick side deal could be worked out with Seattle to entice them to select Brown count. if the Senators are willing to move on from the centre. If the Senators are happy with their collection of young stars, would they And there is certainly a discussion on what veteran players are worth consider moving this year’s first-round pick for immediate help on the protecting. Some players may have built-in expansion draft protection blue line? The Senators also hold San Jose’s second-round pick from the based on their heavy contracts. So would the Sens leave Evgenii Erik Karlsson trade and given the Sharks struggles this season, it could Dadonov, Matt Murray and possibly Nikita Zaitsev unprotected, knowing mean Ottawa has three selections inside the top 40. There is some it’s highly unlikely the Kraken would bite on those deals? flexibility here and perhaps Dorion uses a little bit of his draft capital to land some immediate help. Colin White only enters this conversation because his contract — four more seasons at $4.75 million AAV — might be a touch high if he’s your 8. Contract extension for Nick Paul third-line centre. Just because the Senators expose a player in the draft This might appear a tad premature, but the Senators may want to open doesn’t necessarily mean they don’t want them to be part of their future. the door to a contract extension with Nick Paul this summer. Paul is set It could simply be an acknowledgement that the contract will be too rich to become Ottawa’s only significant UFA in the summer of 2022 and they for Seattle’s tastes. can start working on a contract extension with him once the free agency The biggest fear in this market is that Ottawa will lose one of their period officially opens on July 28. talented young goalies — either Filip Gustavsson or Joey Daccord. Can Paul is entering the final year of his contract that will pay him $1.5 million the Senators do anything to prevent this from happening or will they just in real dollars — with a cap hit of $1.35 million. It’s become abundantly have to live with the consequences? clear that Paul has risen in the ranks of the organization, as evidenced by In any event, this expansion draft should not be nearly as painful or his status as an alternate captain. The 26-year-old is a reliable, awkward as the Vegas expansion draft from 2017, when the Senators hardworking forward who can take key faceoffs in all situations. were unsuccessful in their attempts to get Dion Phaneuf to waive his no- movement clause and ended up losing Marc Methot as a result. The club has identified Paul as a key piece of the rebuild and it may be wise to lock him up to a sensible contract this season if his camp is willing to entertain the idea.

9. Contract extensions for D.J. Smith and Pierre Dorion

I have this one far down on the priority list because it doesn’t feel like there is a ton of urgency here. I hate the phrase “lame duck” general manager or coach because it implies the person is simply riding out the remainder of a contract until a change is made.

I don’t think that’s the case here, as Dorion and D.J. Smith both enter the final year of their respective contracts in the 2021-22 season.

But it does feel like the club’s rebuild has reached a definitive fork-in-the- road for next season. If Ottawa takes another step forward and becomes a legitimate playoff contender in 2021-22, it feels as though the general manager and coach will be rewarded with contract extensions.

If the Senators show minimal improvement and find themselves as a draft lottery team again, it might be a time for a house cleaning.

And it feels like the only way we’ll have those answers is after we play about 40 games of the regular season next year.

Still, the questions will swirl around Dorion and Smith as they enter the final year of their contracts and if the Senators want to eliminate that storyline, they could simply reward them with extensions this summer.

10. Bolster the hockey operations staff

I have this one at the bottom of the list because I think it’s the most unlikely to happen — even though the hockey operations staff could desperately use an injection of help and experience.

In various letters to season ticket holders in the past, Eugene Melnyk has strongly intimated that more resources would be poured into the hockey operations department.

When he gave Dorion a three-year contract extension in February 2018, Melnyk wrote, “Today’s announcement reflects a renewed commitment to scouting, drafting and development.”

A few weeks later in a letter to season ticket holders, Melnyk echoed the idea of bolstering the front office. “I remain committed to investing what is needed to identify, draft and develop the players that embody what it means to be an Ottawa Senator,” Melnyk wrote in a letter to fans in March 2018.

In March 2019, Melnyk released a statement confirming the club was looking to hire a president of hockey operations to assist Dorion. “It should come as no surprise that, given the scale of our rebuild and the opportunity to be part of a turnaround fuelled by an enormous well of young talent … the Ottawa Senators have become an attractive destination for hockey executives,” Melnyk wrote.

But six months later, that search went mysteriously dark. And now as we head into the summer of 2021, the position is still vacant.

If Ottawa could take some of that expansion money from Seattle and reinvest it into hockey operations — including hiring a president of hockey operations — it would go a long way into adding some stability and credibility to the front office.

Until it happens, however, it feels more like this is at the top of a wish list — rather than a priority list.

That’s why it lands at No. 10.

The Athletic LOADED: 05.14.2021 1212687 Philadelphia Flyers Philadelphia Inquirer / Daily News LOADED: 05.14.2021

Flyers prospect Tyson Foerster is injured in Phantoms’ win; his strong rookie season ends

by Sam Carchidi

Published May 13, 2021

Tyson Foerster, the big, 19-year-old right winger who was drafted in the first round by the Flyers last year, will not play again for the AHL’s Phantoms this season.

His season ended Wednesday when he suffered a separated collarbone early in the Phantoms’ 2-1 win over Binghamton in Newark, N.J., according to Brent Flahr, a Flyers assistant general manager who attended the game.

Surgery is not required, and Foerster will soon begin his rehab, Flahr said Thursday, estimating the recovery period was four to six weeks.

Just 1 minute, 59 seconds into the game, Foerster went headfirst into the end boards after being hit by defenseman Matthew Hellickson. Foerster was helped off the ice, and Hellickson was given a boarding major and a game misconduct.

Flahr said Foerster would not play in the Phantoms’ final two games, both at home. They host Wilkes-Barre/Scranton on Saturday night, and Binghamton on Sunday at 3 p.m.

The 6-foot-2, 194-pound Ontario native was outstanding in his first pro season, collecting 10 goals and 17 points in 24 games with the Phantoms. He was an underage player and was allowed to play in the AHL this season only because the Ontario Hockey League season was canceled due to the pandemic.

Foerster missed a month after suffering a small fracture on his right shinbone during the Feb. 6 opener.

“You never know how they’re going to handle it, playing against men,” Flahr said of Foerster’s jump to the AHL. “He had an unfortunate injury in the first game, and then when he got back, it took him a game or two to get going, and then he really started to go. You could tell the hockey sense and skill that he had. And not only that, but he plays with a little swagger. It was exciting to see, and you could see how he’s going to improve over time with strength and just growing into his body.”

Phantoms coach Scott Gordon said Foerster’s skating improved during the season, and he became “one of the faster guys on the forecheck and back-check.”

In a recent interview with The Inquirer, Gordon said Foerster had poise with the puck, was defensively responsible, and displayed excellent on- ice vision. “He doesn’t turn the puck over, and he’s got a great shot,” Gordon said.

Gordon said Foerster’s offense improved because of “the details that are in his game,” and called him “the whole package. He added all the details that go into being a successful hockey player.”

Foerster probably needs more grooming before he reaches the NHL, but he will have a chance to make the Flyers out of training camp next season.

As a 19-year-old, Foerster would have to return to the OHL next year unless the rules change. So would rugged Zayde Wisdom (7 goals, 17 points in 26 games), an 18-year-old Phantoms winger who has also had a very good season. After being slowed by the coronavirus, Wisdom has a total of five points in his last two games.

“The experience has been great for both of them,” Flahr said.

If the rules stay the same, the wingers would return to their OHL teams, which might stunt their growth after playing so well in the AHL.

“There’s enough [young] players who have had some success in the AHL, so if you asked some GMs, they would probably like to have the choice to keep a kid in the American League or send him back to junior,” Flahr said. “But the rules are in place with the CHL [] agreement, and unless something changes, that’s the reality.” 1212688 Philadelphia Flyers That’s on the remaining guys to step up and fill that hole. We just didn’t do it.”

While Fletcher searches for a dependable, defensive-minded player who, Unlike last year, this should be (and needs to be) a splashy offseason for preferably, has a Stanley Cup on his resumé — granted, not easy to find the Flyers | On the Fly — he also needs to boost an offense that dried up in the season’s second half. In the first 28 games, the Flyers averaged 3.3 goals per game. In the last 28 games, they averaged just 2.5 goals per game. by Sam Carchidi Promising prospects like right winger Wade Allison and center Morgan Frost, who may be a better option than Patrick next season, could be Published May 13, 2021 regulars in 2021-22. Shoulder surgery derailed Frost’s season and prevented him from making an impression.

Flyers defenseman Phil Myers talked the other day about his team’s Allison, who was recalled from the Phantoms late in the season, sparked disappointing season and how it didn’t go as planned. He tried to put a the Flyers with his physicality and his go-to-the-net style. He also positive spin on a listless 25-23-8 year in which the Flyers missed the displayed a wicked shot and collected seven points, including four goals, playoffs for the fifth time in the last nine seasons. in 14 games. Allison, 23, is the type of player who helps give teams an identity. The Flyers need more players like him, players who show “There were some good things,” he said. “All we’ve got to do is kind of emotion and energy. build off that and hit the reset button this summer. Have a good summer of training and come back ready to go for camp.” Fletcher, meanwhile, will try to work some magic in the trade and free- agent markets. No, no, no, no. “I think we have quite a few priorities,” he said. “Looking outside the And no. organization, certainly we could upgrade everywhere — up front, defense. Certainly we’re going to have to take a look at our situation in With all due respect to the towering Myers, this franchise — specifically, goal, which has kind of been a constant struggle here for years. We have general manager Chuck Fletcher — needs to do more than hit the “reset different areas we have to look at. We also need a lot of our young button” this summer. He needs to change the Flyers’ makeup, needs to players to be better.” add more speed, needs to give the team an identity. Will Fletcher swing for the fences and try to make a megadeal for a star Fletcher has ‘quite a few priorities’ center like Buffalo’s Jack Eichel? Will he try to sign a splashy free-agent Fletcher basically hit the “reset button” last year. Oh, he tried to make defenseman like Carolina’s Hamilton? some moves, but either a free agent like defenseman Travis Hamonic Stay tuned. Unlike last year, this figures to be an interesting offseason. didn’t want to come here, or Fletcher and an opposing general manager couldn’t come to a trade agreement. Flyers GM Chuck Fletcher needs to be aggressive in the trade and free- agent markets this summer. So Fletcher bet on young players like Myers, Carter Hart, Travis Sanheim, Travis Konecny, Nolan Patrick, Oskar Lindblom, Joel Farabee, Things to know and Nic Aube-Kubel to continue their progression. Except for Farabee, all took a step backward. Some took two steps back. (Patrick and Lindblom, Carter Hart talks about COVID-related loneliness, and bouncing back to of course, deserve a pass because they were returning from major become “a top goaltender” in the NHL. medical issues.) Nolan Patrick is attempting to put his trying season behind him. A normal Maybe if next season is a normal one, with a full training camp and an offseason should help the young Flyers center. 82-game schedule, the Flyers will get back into a rhythm and show this Flyers management: Offseason training limitations of Canadian players year was a fluke. hurt them this year. Fletcher can’t count on that. He needs to make changes, needs to be Yong Kim has some great photos of the Flyers’ season-ending, 4-2 aggressive, needs to shake up things. comeback win over New Jersey. His biggest miscalculation this season: Believing puck-mover Erik The Flyers’ season of high hopes turned into a series of unimaginable Gustafsson was the missing piece on a defense that lost the retiring Matt lows. As the newsboys used to say back in the day: Read all about it! Niskanen. , Joel Farabee, Claude Giroux, and Ivan Provorov were To his credit, Fletcher has acknowledged it didn’t work, that the pieces among the Flyers’ award winners before the season finale. didn’t fit. That’s a start. Now he needs to have a busy summer. For starters, the Flyers should add a right-handed defenseman (Dougie Giving numbers perspective Hamilton? David Savard?), a sniper (Johnny Gaudreau? Patrik Laine? Gabriel Landeskog?) and a goalie (Linus Ullmark? Jonathan Bernier?) With a 56-game season, it’s not as easy to get perspective on players’ who can play a lot of games if Hart struggles again. statistics. To help, here are the stats of the Flyers’ regulars, prorated over an 82-game season. Getting someone to play Niskanen’s role should be the general manager’s No. 1 priority. James van Riemsdyk: 17 goals and 43 points in a 56-game season = 25 goals and 63 points over 82 games. “Nisky was a great player, very solid, super steady, never really made too many mistakes out there,” said Ivan Provorov, whose play slipped this Claude Giroux: 16 goals and 43 points = 23 goals and 63 points over 82 season as he missed Niskanen as his defensive partner. “And he played games. big minutes last year. So, yeah, I think there’s some opportunities for Jake Voracek: 9 goals and 43 points = 13 goals and 63 points over 82 someone to step up and fill his spot and just find a way as a D-corps to games. play good. And I think overall as a team we didn’t perform to the best of our abilities, and it affected all areas of our game — offense, defense, Sean Couturier: 18 goals and 41 points = 26 goals and 60 points over 82 goaltending.” games.

Without Niskanen, coach Alain Vigneault constantly switched the pairings Joel Farabee: 20 goals and 38 points = 29 goals and 56 points over 82 as he tried to find the right duos. games.

With Niskaken, “we had a pretty good setup with roles and what guys Travis Konecny: 11 goals and 34 points = 16 goals and 50 points over 82 were doing last year, and the stability back there,” said veteran games. defenseman Justin Braun, who had a solid season. “Losing a guy like that, you lose that steadiness, night in and night out. Who is your partner Kevin Hayes: 12 goals and 31 points = 18 goals and 45 points over 82 going to be? We were bouncing around a lot trying to find chemistry. games. Ivan Provorov: 7 goals and 27 points = 10 goals and 40 points over 82 games.

Scott Laughton: 9 goals and 20 points = 13 goals and 29 points over 82 games.

Shayne Gostisbehere: 9 goals and 20 points = 13 goals and 29 points over 82 games.

Travis Sanheim: 3 goals and 15 points = 4 goals and 22 points over 82 games.

Oskar Lindblom: 8 goals and 14 points = 12 goals and 21 points over 82 games.

Nic Aube-Kubel: 3 goals and 12 points = 4 goals and 18 points over 82 games.

Phil Myers: 1 goal and 11 points = 1 goal and 16 points over 82 games.

Nolan Patrick: 4 goals and 9 points = 6 goals and 13 points over 82 games.

Justin Braun: 1 goal and 6 points = 1 goal and 9 points over 82 games.

Robert Hagg: 2 goals and 5 points = 3 goals and 7 points over 82 games.

Important dates

Saturday: Playoffs begin (Boston at Washington, 7:15 p.m., NBC)

May 21-June 6: IIHF World Championships (Latvia)

July 17: Deadline for clubs to submit protection lists for expansion draft, 5 p.m.

July 21: Seattle expansion draft

July 23: NHL draft, Round 1

July 24: NHL draft, Rounds 2-7

July 28: Free-agent signings permitted, noon

Answer: Thanks for the question. The Flyers are expected to use the option where they protect 11 players, which must be seven forwards, three defensemen, and a goalie.

Assuming no trades are made before the expansion draft, here are the players I believe they will protect: Giroux, Hayes, Couturier, Konecny, Lindblom, Laughton, and Patrick as the forwards; Provorov, Sanheim, and Myers as the defensemen; and Hart as the goalie.

That would leave high-priced players such as Voracek, van Riemsdyk, and Gostisbehere available. Teams can only lose one player to Seattle.

By the way, Farabee is among the players who doesn’t have to be protected. First- and second-year NHL players are exempt from the draft.

Philadelphia Inquirer / Daily News LOADED: 05.14.2021 1212689 Philadelphia Flyers chemistry. That's when you work on your systems and become a better team. I feel like this year, it was tough without it. Next year, it'll be a normal season, and we'll get back to it.”

Great expectations dissolve into myriad excuses The Flyers have one of the highest winning percentages on their home ice in NHL history. That advantage was taken away this year. But Oskar Lindblom said the Flyers will get that back next season when hopefully the Wells Fargo Center is at or close to capacity. Wayne Fishflyingfishhockey.com “That's a big part of the sport,” Lindblom said. “The fans. They’re

unbelievable, especially here when we have a full house to give you so This one hurt. much energy. It's way more fun to play when we have a full house too. I can't wait to get back and play for the fans again. Give it back to them In terms of expectations versus results, there have been disappointing from this year when they missed part of it. It's going to be great to see Flyers seasons in the past, but this one had to be one of the more painful them again. Hopefully, we can play better next year and give them ones. something to cheer for.”

When the Flyers dutifully tripped to the Zoom call chair to individually He’s right. When things get back to normal, maybe the Flyers’ record will, give their tale of woe on Tuesday, there were few smiles and basically no too. Then we won’t have to listen to a bunch of excuses next time laughs. around.

Philadelphia, picked by many to do damage in this year’s playoffs after an encouraging performance in last year’s Stanley Cup playoffs, made it to March, then marched into oblivion. Burlington County Times LOADED: 05.14.2021

Some excuses, like the COVID mess, were obvious. Others had deeper analysis. Take the miserable penalty kill for example.

Sean Couturier noted things fell apart early and stayed unraveled because, in part, the team lost veteran killers Tyler Pitnick, Derek Grant and Nate Thompson and tried to replace them with younger personnel.

That tactic didn’t work.

“I think we lost some key guys last offseason, guys with experience that were good penalty killers, you got guys like Thompson and Pitlick and even Grant that were those guys that we brought in, were experienced and knew their role and were good at it,” Couturier said. “This year we had kind of new guys kind of filling in some roles and yeah, those are tough players to replace especially when they're established for so many years in the league. It's an opportunity for some younger guys or some new guys to fill in roles. But those are three guys that you don’t replace with one guy, or you need a few guys to step up. So yeah, it’s tough losing those guys.”

Duly noted. Next up, Joel Farabee. He scored a team-high 20 goals at age 21, while a number of his young brethren took a step back. Coach Alain Vigneault credited part of Farabee’s success to training in the U.S. in the offseason where there were fewer restrictions than elsewhere.

Farabee’s take?

“I think everyone was affected differently this year,” he said. “It's a tough year, and I can speak from experience. When things aren't going great, sometimes it's been really hard to find your game and stuff like that. I have a lot of faith in my teammates here. I think we have a really good group. We have a lot of good young guys. I think this summer will be really useful. It's kind of a normal summer and we'll be heading into more normal camp and more normal season. So hopefully with that, guys are ready. And I'm pretty confident that all the young guys are going to take a step forward for next year.”

OK. How about Justin Braun? Does he have a theory on why the young players didn’t progress?

“I honestly would tell them you got to put the work in the summer,” Braun said. “It's one of those things you got to think about it for a while but then put it aside and kind of not turn this into work. You’ve got to enjoy it. You have got to have fun, and that's when you're going to have the best success. When you're showing up to the rink and enjoying it like you were as a kid. It's when it gets stressful, you’re losing sleep at night and you just got to go back to that, that younger mind. Enjoy your summer training. Get out there, work on things, but not make it work.”

Sounds like a plan.

Moving to another topic, lack of practice time proved to be a bugaboo for the Flyers, especially for the young players.

Would Kevin Hayes agree?

“It's easier to tune up your game when you can practice as a team a lot more than we did this year,” he said. “That was definitely a challenge for our team. The whole league went through it, so we can't really use that as an excuse. That's when you get better. That's when you build 1212690 Philadelphia Flyers defensive corps, it apparently cratered the entire unit to the point where Niskanen is held in almost supernatural regard now.

It also has nothing to do with the almost mind-boggling fact that a Effects of virus still bugging Flyers coach Alain Vigneault coaching staff with a head coach earning $5 million a year (with three years remaining on that deal), who has two assistant coaches who are former successful NHL head coaches (and paid accordingly), along with a couple of goalie coaches and sports psychologists, somehow could not By Rob Parent [email protected] @ReluctantSE on find a way to get inside goalie Carter Hart's head, or prevent the obvious Twitter fact that almost all of the young players on the squad took major steps May 12, 2021 backward in their progression.

Is that enough uncertainty for one NHL GM to mentally handle heading into the offseason? To cap off a season in which he had too few answers for what was happening right before his eyes, Alain Vigneault half-closed his eyes Hello? Tuesday and made a wish. "It's difficult to replace the whole team," Fletcher concluded. "I’m just stating that I’d like to coach the Flyers in a normal year," still-

Flyersf-coach Vigneault said. "With everything going on in the world, I don’t want to make it sound like I’m complaining, because it’s been hard Delaware County Times LOADED: 05.14.2021 on everyone. But I would really enjoy coaching the Flyers in a normal year and in a normal setting."

Not that everyone else hasn't been wishing for or protesting in the streets for returns to normalcy in so many circles of society, not to mention for 30 other NHL clubs.

Vigneault knows this, and voiced it. But what he didn't really say on this day, which served as a virtual version of the 46th consecutive Flyers "Breakup Day" without a Stanley Cup parade, was why he put so much blame for his team's failures on one, once-in-a-lifetime pandemic.

"COVID hit us," Vigneault said, "and after COVID, all we basically did was play games and not practice.

"I think this group, because we’ve got veteran players, and just a small group of players in that middle age frame of 27-28, and a lot of younger players. those younger players when the game slips a little bit were not quite executing the way we need to have success. You have to practice and we didn’t have any practice time. I’m not saying that’s the reason. A lot of things happened. ... But I do think that played a part in our game slipping and our season going the way it did."

To a man, the Flyers (25-23-8, 58 points) hinted at a few reasons why they fell short of the playoffs for the fifth time in nine years. But their head coach, who heads up a staff of assistants that includes two former NHL head coaches, couldn't seem to get coronavirus out of his thoughts.

"At the end of the day, what I need, Chuck can’t give me," said Vigneault, who received a 5-year, $25 million contract from general manager Chuck Fletcher in 2019. "Society can give (it to) me, though. I need a normal season. I need people to go out and get vaccinated, so that we can have a normal season next year. I’ve been here two years and we haven’t had one of those. I want guys coming into camp, having trained in a normal way in the summer. I want to go through a normal camp. I want to go through a normal season that’s 82 games worth. I want to go through normal playoffs where you play in front of your fans. You feel the energy. You feel the passion. ... Chuck can’t give me a normal season, but society can if we do our part.

"Hopefully we can all get there for next year."

Hopefully, for Flyers' fans' sake, they can all get there with a competent defense, a clear-headed starting goalie determined to put an embarrassing season behind him, a backup goalie who is more competitive and pushy rather than cushy and supportive.

Oh, and for Lord Stanley's sake, someone younger than the 33-year-old team captain that knows how to play a semblance of offensive hockey, and a stud defenseman willing to kick an opposing backside or two.

Is all that too much to ask out of one short offseason?

"I think we have quite a few priorities," Fletcher said. "Certainly we could upgrade everywhere; up front, defense. Certainly we’re going to have to take a look at our situation in goal, which has kind of been a constant struggle here for years. We have different areas we have to look at. We also need a lot of our young players to be better."

Yes, it all has much ado with the players on this team, and nothing to do with management's inability to replace veteran defenseman Matt Niskanen, whose sudden retirement last year not only left a hole in the 1212691 Philadelphia Flyers

Flyers Notebook: As expansion draft looms, van Riemsdyk optimistic about staying

By Bob Grotz [email protected] @BobGrotz on Twitter

May 12, 2021

For months there has been speculation the Flyers would expose forward James van Riemsdyk and his big contract to the Seattle Kraken in the expansion draft.

Van Riemsdyk, a native of Middletown, N.J., was tied for the team lead with 43 points and with 17 goals, trailing only Joel Farabee (20) and Sean Couturier (18).

More importantly, JVR and Ivan Provorov were the only Flyers to play in all 56 games. Van Riemsdyk is on the payroll through 2022-23. And yes, the 32-year-old winger has thought about playing for Seattle.

“I knew when I signed my contract that this expansion situation was coming,” van Riemsdyk said Tuesday. “When you don’t have any sort of protections in your contract you know these things are always possibilities. Ultimately, it’s all going to work out the way it’s supposed to work out. Obviously, those things are outside my control.

"I’ve loved my time here, it’s been a great place to play, a great place to live. Ultimately, I’d love to continue to be here. I think I still have a lot of good hockey left and a lot of good years left in me.”

Goalies Brian Elliott and Alex Lyon, and defenseman Sam Morin are pending unrestricted free agents.

Elliott, 36, is likely to be heading elsewhere. After producing a 15-9-2 record for an otherwise sub-average team, he might be able to command elsewhere more than the $1.5 million salary he received here last season.

“Obviously, you want to get as many years for as much money as you can, right?” Elliott said. “That’s what everybody would say. But, you know, it doesn't really bother me. I mean, I've kind of fought my whole career and proved it every year. I think it makes you a little bit stronger, actually, knowing that you'd have to really show yourself and you can't rest on your laurels from years past. You have to bring it every night if you want to stay in this league. And if that's the cards you're dealt and you've got a plan, you've got to play them.”

Wingers Nolan Patrick, Carsen Twarynski, defenseman Travis Sanheim and goalie Carter Hart are pending restricted free agents, with Patrick and Hart facing interesting contract battles.

Thirty-four-year-old defenseman Justin Braun needs surgery to repair the left foot that was fractured by a shot in the season finale Monday night.

“Yeah, it was a broken foot, just a shot from the point,” Braun said. “I put my foot square to it and hit it pretty good. So, should be a pretty standard broken bone. Four weeks and should be fine.”

Braun was Alain Vigneault’s curious choice as team MVP. He has one year left on his deal with the Flyers, which pays him $1.8 million in 2021- 22.

The Flyers have seven picks in the 2021 draft, including the fifth-rounder they got from Washington for Michael Raffl. The Capitals acquired that pick from Las Vegas. ... The Flyers have their own picks in each of the first four rounds and the sixth and seventh rounds.

Delaware County Times LOADED: 05.14.2021 1212692 Philadelphia Flyers was just kind of where we were at erring more on the side of caution, so we didn’t have any setbacks. I’m feeling a lot better now.”

Hart is feeling better both physically and psychologically, the latter a Flyers goalie Hart knows 'we're all going to be better next year' product of the isolation brought on for a young, single player caught in the realm of restrictive league coronavirus protocols that basically mandated no socializing for players at home or on the road.

By Bob Grotz [email protected] @BobGrotz on Twitter “When you live alone and stuff, you just go back and forth from the rink to your apartment every day,” Hart said. “But near the end (of the season) May 12, 2021 things were getting a lot better. I was hanging around with the boys a lot more. Some of the boys were inviting me over for dinners. Just little things like that make it so much easier in, I guess, a weird year. Going Goaltending, COVID and no practice time. forward, this is only going to help me with my career going into next season. I’m looking forward to having a clean slate next year. I think we Take away those indignities, club management suggested Tuesday, and all are. We’re all going to be better next year, I know it.” the Flyers would have reached the playoffs for the second straight season instead of sitting them out for the second time in three years. The Flyers won’t be better unless Hart is. As he goes, so go the careers of Fletcher and Vigneault, who are tethered to his production or lack The coronavirus and lack of practice time were league-wide issues thereof. although the thought of 59-year-old coach Alain Vigneault holding a team meeting on Zoom with a bunch of players who weren’t born when he was Whatever the Flyers plan is with Hart, it better work. There’s more to it 30something could produce some hilarious moments. (Unmute yourself, than rebuilding his confidence verbally. AV). “My level of confidence in Carter is very high,” Vigneault said. “He’s a But Vigneault and general manager Chuck Fletcher hit the nail on the good young man. He probably went through, for the first time in his life head with goaltending. (and) his career, adversity. You have to go through adversity to get better and to grow." Brian Elliott, at age 36, recorded a record of 15-9-2 in goal for the Flyers, which is stunning considering the team he was playing behind.

Carter Hart, at age 22, was so brutal in net, his record of 9-11-5 is a Delaware County Times LOADED: 05.14.2021 breath of fresh air. Vigneault benched him near the end of April. Sent him to a makeshift goalie school. Hart was so overwhelmed you wanted to tell him to relax, that everything was going to be OK.

He played to a 3.67 goals-against average and .877 saves percentage in 27 appearances.

Sounding like that grumpy old teacher who makes students get their troubling homework signed by a parent, Flyers general manager Chuck Fletcher gave his evaluation of the youngster who has healed from a mysterious knee sprain kept in-house, and who management wants to believe is in line for a massive rebound.

“I’m not a goalie coach or a goalie expert,” Fletcher said. “I don’t know that that’s for me to speak to. I think Carter’s no different than a lot of 22- year-old individuals. Every walk of life, whether you are in college, working or in sports, he’s a young man that’s finding his way. We’ve asked a lot out of Carter. He’s a precocious talent. He’s climbed the ladder very quickly. This year didn’t go the way he had hoped, the way we had all hoped. But there’s a lot of talent there. I think our expectation is that Carter will make the adjustments necessary and come back, be the goalie we all want him to be and that he expects to be. He’s a top- end talent. It’s a tough league. But he’ll make the adjustments he has to make, and he’ll return to form.”

Vigneault isn’t a goalie coach, either, but he’s had some good goalies. He rode Hart to a 24-13-3 record the previous season, the Flyers benefiting from the help of veterans who weren’t around this year. That list included defenseman Matt Niskanen, who was a big help until he retired with one year left on a contract worth $5.75 million annually. The more Flyers veterans spoke about Niskanen Tuesday, the more it sounded like management didn’t do enough to keep him around. But that’s another story for another day.

Vigneault said the Flyers got off to a good start this season due to “some real solid goaltending,” then “the goaltending slipped a little bit.” Check, and check.

Vigneault also pulled out the C-card, blaming the COVID outbreak for taking away practice time and condensing the schedule of games.

All of that said, Hart was shut down by the Flyers with that dubious knee sprain after one of his best games of the year – a shootout win over the hated Pittsburgh Penguins. Hart kicked off the ice after stopping Kris Letang in the shootout. That was it. No sense in letting Hart be a hero by getting back on the ice in a season stuck on ‘F’ ... as in "frustration."

“I was feeling good towards the end of April there,” Hart said. “You practice like you play and I was working my bleep off in practice and off the ice and I was feeling a lot better with my game. I just kind of tweaked (the knee) in overtime and then it just kind of progressively got worse. It 1212693 Philadelphia Flyers

After missing playoffs, Flyers CEO Dave Scott says team leadership 'in a good place'

By Bob Grotz [email protected] @BobGrotz on Twitter May 12, 2021

Dave Scott, Chairman and Chief Executive Officer of Comcast Spectacor, parent company of the Flyers, said Tuesday that the club missing the playoffs was "just not an acceptable level of performance, period.

"We've all talked about it," Scott said. "We're not happy where we are. There's been frustration, there's been anger but this is where we sit. It comes down to accountability and we're all accountable for the success of this team. And that starts with me, the ownership, the front office, the coaching staff and the players."

The Flyers finished 25-23-8, third from the basement in the East Division after residing near the top of it in April. It was the second time in three years and fifth time in nine years that they missed the postseason.

While Scott said that Flyers fans "deserve so much more, the City of Philadelphia deserves so much more, we deserve a winning hockey team," he also said that in this, his eighth season with the club, he's perfectly in tune with the leaders of his team.

Referencing general manager Chuck Fletcher and coach Alain Vigneault, Scott said, "I don't think we've ever had better alignment, looking back, as what we have now.

"I think we're in a good place. We'll be ready to move forward."

Scott then echoed the theme of Fletcher and Vigneault, who blamed the season largely on working through an outbreak of COVID and a harsh schedule in a shortened season which was a byproduct of the pandemic.

"We had some real solid goaltending," Vigneault said of the solid start. "And our goaltending slipped a little bit. COVID hit us. And you know, after COVID, all we basically did was play games and not practice."

Limited practice time hurt the young players, when their play slipped.

"I'm not saying that's the reason," Vigneault said. "I'm going to need some time to reflect on it. But I do believe that played a part in our game slipping and our season going the way it did."

Fletcher and Vigneault said they're committed to 22-year-old goalie Carter Hart, who struggled after a stellar season, Vigneault saying the netminder would learn from adversity.

Scott said the Flyers have the resources to move ahead, adding that Fletcher might have to get "creative" working through the flat salary cap.

Delaware County Times LOADED: 05.14.2021 1212694 Philadelphia Flyers Yet there were Scott, Vigneault and Fletcher on a videoconference Tuesday, looking like Legion of Doom bobbleheads, all promising to do better next time.

McCaffery: Flyers fans deserve better than hollow excuses and promises “I'm here,” Vigneault said, after climbing over multiple layers of from management questioning before confessing he wanted to coach again next season, “to win a Stanley Cup.”

Good to know. But there is reciting that goal, and there is committing a By Jack McCaffery [email protected] franchise's soul to that goal. That's what always made the Flyers popular in a crowded sports market. They had an owner, Ed Snider, who said he May 12, 2021 wanted to win the Cup and then paid for pricey free agents. He changed coaches. He changed more coaches. He screamed at officials from his luxury box. He did not rest until he had a contender, and he had enough The celebrated goaltender, Carter Hart, had been made to go away and of those that his statue is hardly out of place on the arena grounds. rediscover his professional purpose. What were the chances – just asking – Snider would have reacted to that The decorated coach, Alain Vigneault, had been slow to insist he would season of rotten hockey and disintegrating fan interest by declaring that return for another season. the hockey structure was in a good place?

The younger players had been regressing. But Fletcher is safe, and Vigneault is ready to try it again, and, no exaggeration, Scott will spend less time recapping a season than Snider The older players had not been helping them grow. would connecting with fans by screaming about one offside call. The defense had not been defending. “It’s time to reflect a little bit about where we’re going,” Scott said. The general manager, Chuck Fletcher, had been sitting as if frozen, “Certainly we have the resources to put something pretty good together unable to make a helpful move. this summer. We have the time. It's not easy in a cap world, but I’m confident that Chuck will be creative. And a night earlier, when they would finish a season with a half-dozen more losses than victories, the Flyers had promised free admission to a “We’ll figure a way to improve as we look to the next season.” later game to any fan willing to take a vaccine needle in the arm. Fewer So do it, already. Because the fans can always find other places to be than 100 accepted. That was roughly how many once would stand for jabbed with sharp objects. two hours outside a practice rink in February hoping for a glimpse of Peter Laviolette.

Such was the state of HC Voorhees Tuesday, 46 years after its last Delaware County Times LOADED: 05.14.2021 championship.

For that, Dave Scott would generously take six minutes and 57 seconds out of his morning to assure Flyers fans that, if nothing else, his leadership group is the best three-man structure around there since Bobby Clarke was centering Bill Barber and Reggie Leach.

“I just want to start by recognizing Chuck and Alain,” the acting owner said, risking a sports hernia while patting himself on the back. “This is my eighth season with the Flyers and I don’t think we’ve had better alignment looking back as to what we have now. You look at ownership. You look at the front office. You look at the staff. I think we’re in a good place and we’ll be ready to move forward.”

Scott did stop short of further insulting the fans in a hockey market that knows better, saying, “We’re not happy with where we are. There’s been frustration. There’s been anger. This is where we sit. It comes down to accountability and we’re all accountable for the success of this team. That starts with me, ownership, the front office, the coaching staff and the players.”

Yet there was a lack of passion in his presentation, an unwillingness to bang on a table and scatter ashtrays, the way executives once reacted around there.

There is a virus going around and the Flyers were prohibited from selling more than a few thousand tickets to any one game. Technically, that's why there were 15,000 unoccupied seats every night, not just atrocious hockey. Nor would Scott be alone in blaming the growing customer disconnect on that.

Vigneault, who makes $5 million a year, commandeered the challenges of virus protocols as his excuse for a 25-31 record, ignoring that fortunate geography allows the Flyers to take fewer chartered flights to road games than any other team in major-league sports.

No, the Flyers had a virus to blame and, darn it, they were going to do exactly that, as if the team that eventually wins the Stanley Cup wouldn't have had to face identical demands.

“I need,” Vigneault said, “a normal season.”

Hockey has been popular for 100 years because there is nothing normal about it. The appeal is in the players taking 29 stitches between periods and sacrificing teeth to win faceoffs in exhibition games. Early-morning medical tests and disrupted practice schedules are not reasonable excuses for a team to lose nearly six out of every 10. 1212695 Philadelphia Flyers At any rate, Vigneault noted that Couturier, who trained in Canada, “had a good year but didn’t have a Coots-type season like he had with me last year.”

Grotz: Time seems right for Couturier contract extension Talk about if you don’t have something nice to say …

It ranked right there with Vigneault personally naming Justin Braun the Flyers’ MVP earlier in the week, which amused almost everyone because By Bob Grotz [email protected] @BobGrotz on Twitter Couturier and Giroux were the obvious plays.

But back to Fletcher. You have to wonder if he wants to get locked in long term the way the Flyers are with Jake Voracek, who has three years Flyers three-time team MVP and NHL Selke Trophy winner Sean remaining on his deal, or JVR, with two seasons remaining. Couturier at his exit news conference Tuesday. Grossly underpaid, Coots will be entering the last year of his contract. If the Flyers don't extend him And who else is in the ear of Flyers CEO Dave Scott? , before the upcoming season he could decide to test free agency in the long-time executive who guided the team to some pretty good 2022–. seasons, was on board for some of those long-term pacts.

With just a hint of professional sarcasm, Flyers general manager Chuck Holmgren, on the Sports Chatter of Chester County radio program this Fletcher took control of his end-of-the-season press conference Tuesday week with host Bill Werndl, unabashedly offered up his opinion about after it was suggested to him that his first priority was a right-handed Couturier, with the disclaimer that it was just that, his opinion. shooting defenseman. “When I look at their team, Sean is their best player,” said Holmgren, the “I think we have a lot of priorities,” said Fletcher, mentioning forward, guy who drafted Couturier No. 8 overall in 2011. “He’s solid offensively. defense and goalie as areas in need of an upgrade. That doesn't leave He’s one of the best in the league defensively, He plays a 200-foot game. too many areas uncovered. He’s a good leader. I think the plan is to keep Sean here. I believe he wants to finish his career with the Flyers, but all those questions will be What Fletcher should have mentioned, however, was the Flyers’ most answered.” pressing matter, which is a contract extension for 28-year-old center Sean Couturier. The faceoff between the Flyers and Couturier is only months away. That’s when we’ll get an idea of whether they think he’s worthy of a deal It’s not too early to make a perennial team MVP feel wanted. Although $9.4 million is the average of the top 10 centers. Couturier is no Fletcher is going to need a ton of money to make that happen because Connor McDavid, who at $12.5 million has the highest cap number in the it’s likely to take a pact worth at least $9.4 million a season, the average league. But the Flyers see Couturier as a two-way star with a lot of of the top 10 NHL centers, to get it done. mileage yet to go, a more complete player than other Top-10 paid The Flyers are a little less than $1 million under the flat salary cap. Can centers on that list (Nik Backstrom at $9.2 million?). they afford to wait until the end of next season and the expiring deal of It might be a difficult negotiation, but it's one Fletcher needs to put at the Claude Giroux, their highest paid player, to do the deal? top of his priorities list. You would have to wonder if Couturier still would want to stick around if the Flyers fail to bounce back from the COVID challenges they failed to address in their non-playoff season. Delaware County Times LOADED: 05.14.2021 “We'll see,” Couturier said after his 2021 exit interview with the Flyers. “I mean, I obviously love it here in Philly. It's a great city. The organization's been awesome to me since I've gotten here. So, obviously, I'd love to stay. But it's part of the game, part of the business and we'll see what happens. I still have another year to play. So, we'll see.”

We don’t know if the Flyers still consider Couturier as the consummate building block. But going forward they couldn't imagine building without him there.

Yet seven of the club's players make more money than Couturier, the reigning NHL Selke Trophy winner and now a three-times running team MVP.

Entering his final season, Couturier will be in the final year of a contract paying him only an average of $4.33 million. Giroux, also slated for unrestricted free agency in 2022, tops the Flyers’ payroll at a cap hit of $8.275 million, followed by Jake Voracek ($8.25M), Kevin Hayes ($7.142M), James van Riemsdyk ($7M), Ivan Provorov ($6.75M), Travis Konecny ($5.5M) and Shayne Gostisbehere ($4.5M).

One of those players could go in the NHL expansion draft, although Giroux and Hayes won’t unless they waive the no-move clauses in their pacts to allow for them to be left unprotected by the Flyers.

Looking at the buyout numbers for Hayes, who based upon this season alone looked like the most overpaid Flyer, it’s going to be next to impossible to get rid of him. That’s the problem with long-term contracts. Fletcher and the Flyers’ brain trust have to decide if they’re going to tear this team apart or try to tweak it.

Here’s a suggestion: Flyers coach Alain Vigneault should not be allowed to get involved in the upcoming negotiations on any level. The man is a little too open about publicly expressing his thoughts.

Vigneault, also at the end of season presser, was trying to make a point about younger Canadian players struggling because of COVID restrictions that limited training availabilities. To AV, COVID is the source of the issues that impacted his underperforming team, although some teams hit harder by the virus made the playoffs. 1212696 Philadelphia Flyers every single box he needed to check in his first NHL stint and in the process gave a frustrated fan base some much-needed positivity.

Seven points in 14 games is already impressive for a rookie, especially Flyers 2020-21 report card: Grading everyone from Claude Giroux to the after accounting for the fact that Allison only was given 12:56 minutes per coaching staff to Carter Hart game to work his magic. But it wasn’t just the point production. Allison played high-energy hockey, attacked high-danger areas and flashed his plus-shooting ability — three elements the Flyers had sorely lacked. And the advanced stats loved his play too: Allison’s 59.7 percent xG share at By Charlie O'Connor five-on-five ended up being a team-high. Yep — even higher than those May 13, 2021 of Giroux and Couturier. It’s early, but the Flyers look like they have a real player here.

Sean Couturier (B) After a particularly arduous, tedious and all-around unsuccessful Philadelphia Flyers season, it’s long past time to walk into the forgiving Alain Vigneault had an interesting evaluation of Couturier’s season haze of the summer months. Eventually, the active portion of the Tuesday at exit-interview day, one that Couturier himself ultimately offseason will emerge, but for just a moment, imagine yourself back in concurred with about an hour later. “Coots, in my estimation, had a good school, ready to forget all of the drama of the just-concluded term and year but didn’t have a Coots-type season like he had with me last year,” poised to take a well-earned break. Vigneault noted.

Just one necessary event stood between your childhood self and That’s probably the best way to put it. No one would say that Couturier freedom: your report card. had a bad season — he finished with 41 points in 45 games, drove play (57.86 percent Corsi For, 53.35 percent xG For at five-on-five) and So to conclude our week-long wrap-up of the Flyers’ 2020-21 season, it’s certainly performed at the level of a 1C when looking at the season on time to grade each player on the team (who appeared in at least 10 the whole. He also dealt with two injuries — a separated rib and a hip contests) and the coaching staff at large. Spoiler alert: this particular issue — that slowed him for stretches, particularly the latter, an injury he class may not have been the most conscientious or high-achieving. mostly gutted through.

The A tier But Couturier didn’t take over games the way he did in 2019-20. The penalty kill he helps anchor regressed dramatically. And the best players Yeah, after this season, no one is getting an A. on opposing teams tended to fill the net against the Flyers — Sidney The B tier Crosby had 10 points in seven games, Alex Ovechkin 12 in six, David Pastrnak 10 in six, Artemi Panarin 10 in seven. In fairness, Couturier Claude Giroux (B+) missed some of those contests. But there just didn’t seem to be the same Flyers general manager Chuck Fletcher didn’t have a lot of praise to dish “just match Coots up with him and he’ll shut him down” certainty this out on exit-interview day, but one of his rare bits of positivity was directed season that existed previously. There’s a reason Couturier is getting at the team’s captain. “If you look at the last couple months, nobody almost no Selke Trophy buzz after winning it last year, and it’s not just played harder than Claude Giroux,” he said, and it’s difficult to argue with because the Flyers stunk. It’s because Couturier had a “just-good” year him. by his standards.

Generally speaking, if a team underachieves to the extent that the Flyers Joel Farabee (B) did, fingers are pointed at the team’s leadership — particularly the One of the few undeniable bright spots of the season for the Flyers. Both captain. But anyone who watched the games knows Giroux was doing Fletcher and Vigneault made it abundantly clear that Farabee — the everything he could to drag this corpse of a team back into playoff team’s leading goal scorer — was exempt from their criticism of the contention. Unlike in 2019-20, Giroux actively took over games. He young players on the team on exit interview day. Unlike the rest of the succeeded at center after multiple seasons of dropping off dramatically under-25 group, he took a significant step forward, finishing with 20 goals when forced to skate there. And his advanced metrics at even strength and 38 points, good for a 30-goal and 57-point pace over a full 82-game (2.04 points per 60 minutes, plus-0.231 impact on expected goal season. For a 21-year old, that’s not bad at all. differential, plus-7.4 impact on shot attempt differential) scream top-line forward. Farabee still has some issues in his game to work out. For a player with his high-level hockey IQ, he was involved in a surprising number of Giroux may not have won Team MVP (that went to Sean Couturier), but defensive-zone collapses, particularly in March. And he isn’t yet a play- to my eyes, he was the Flyers’ best all-around player. Of course, that driving forward at even strength — he checked in just above break-even was part of the problem — at this point in the Flyers’ timeline, he in terms of his impact on team expected goal differential (plus-0.010) at shouldn’t have to be. He’s not the raw scorer he once was and lacks the even strength. There’s still lots of room for his two-way play to grow. dynamism of his youth. But on the ice this year, Giroux more than did his part. The good news is that he has the skillset capable of growing it. Add that to the legitimate sniping ability that he flashed, plus the half-step he James van Riemsdyk (B+) seemed to gain in terms of skating ability, and Farabee is shaping up to Was JvR’s season perfect? Nah. He did go cold during the Flyers’ be a very good player. A future star? That might be going too far. But collapse in March and April, which went a long way toward squandering he’s certainly looking like a clear-cut top-six NHL forward. some of the goodwill he had built up with longtime critics due to his The C tier fantastic start. And he’s never going to be a great team’s top offensive option, hot streaks aside. He’s just not that caliber of forward. Shayne Gostisbehere (C+)

That said, van Riemsdyk pretty much had the platonic ideal of a James Gostisbehere certainly had himself an eventful season. He caught van Riemsdyk season. He scored a ton on the power play (10 goals). He COVID-19 in training camp, was immediately thrust into a top-pair role produced efficiently at even strength, scoring like a first-liner (2.10 points upon his return, ultimately fell far enough down the depth chart to turn per 60). He drove play (52.50 percent xG share). He finished the season into a healthy scratch, was waived, then earned a two-game suspension on a 63-point pace. In other words, he provided exactly what the Flyers just before the year’s final buzzer. could have reasonably hoped that he would. It’s just that he was The fact that Gostisbehere still has a viable case to be considered expected to provide those results in a supporting role, not be forced into Philadelphia’s “best” defenseman in 2020-21 speaks to what a debacle a lead one because of other players’ struggles. the season was as a whole, particularly for the blue line corps. Wade Allison (B+) Gostisbehere performed admirably with Ivan Provorov on the first pair, Fourteen games isn’t a large sample size, and by the time Allison made and their underlying metrics together (56.19 percent xG share) were his debut, the Flyers were essentially out of the playoff mix, so the games quite strong. But there’s a sheltering element there, and it became clear had a far less competitive feel. But the 23-year old winger checked about in matchups against teams like Boston that the duo wasn’t going to cut it as a set-it-and-forget-it top pair. At this point, Gostisbehere is a solid offensively oriented No. 4/5 defenseman with power-play utility — he’ll Samuel Morin (C) have his defensive lapses, but he’ll just about break even from a play- driving standpoint (plus-0.037 impact on xG differential) and score his fair Morin’s season essentially has to be graded on a curve, both because he share of points on a bombs-away style PP unit. That’s a piece with was trying to make a comeback from consecutive ACL tears and legitimate value, and credit Gostisbehere for getting himself back to that because the organization tried to turn him into a fourth-line left winger for point after an awful 2019-20. the first two months of the season.

That said, if that type of defenseman has a case to be a team’s best, it’s The forward experiment, of course, failed miserably, by Morin’s own a problem. admission. But when Morin made his return to the Flyers’ lineup in late March playing his natural defenseman role (after moving back there with Justin Braun (C+) the Phantoms), he was the central figure in one of the season’s few true bright spots — scoring the game-winning goal (and his first-ever NHL Ah, the other oft-criticized Flyers blueliner who actually had a pretty tally) against the Rangers on March 27. decent season. Aside from that moment, how did Morin actually do once he was back on Let’s be clear: Braun isn’t a top-pair defenseman, which is the role he the blue line? Well, not fantastic. The Flyers were outscored 8-2 with him ultimately took on for basically the entire second half of the season. He’s on the ice at five-on-five, though there likely was some bad luck there, as more of a shutdown specialist who legitimately does suppress scoring his expected goals for percentage was at 45.39 percent. And it’s chances but hurts his team’s offense as well. That’s not the kind of guy a important to remember that Morin was doing this after trying to change a coach wants backing up his top forwards, as a first pair generally does. new position and re-accustom himself to playing the sport of hockey at a But with the more talented Sanheim and Myers proving not to be capable high level. Given the circumstances — and adding in his willingness to of taking the role beside Provorov — and Gostisbehere best-suited for stick up for his teammates — Morin didn’t do too bad. sheltered duties — the job was thrust upon Braun, forcing him to play at Ivan Provorov (C-) least one pair (and probably two) above his ideal role. It looked ugly at times, but Braun held his own. The Flyers posted a 50.68 percent xG Ah, the 2020-21 Ashbee Trophy winner. share with Braun on the ice at five-on-five, and he came in positive by both Corsi and xG impact. In other words, the Flyers kept their heads Provorov took on a lot of minutes for the Flyers — eighth-most in the above water with Braun on the ice. league on a per game basis. From a point-production standpoint, 26 in 56 (0.464 per game) really isn’t too far from where he was last year Was he great in that role? Of course not. Braun’s inherent offensive and (0.521). His advanced metrics (minus-0.059 xG impact, 49.72 percent xG skating limitations make him a less-than-ideal fit for top-pair duties, share at five-on-five) were more underwhelming than outright poor. And maybe even top-four duties. But he did the job that was asked of him, he did it all without a partner suited for top-pair minutes. It’s not difficult to and the Flyers didn’t get killed as a result. make a case that Provorov’s season was decent.

Jakub Voracek (C+) But it certainly wasn’t good. Given the opportunity to build off his great 2019-20, Provorov instead took a step back and proved unable to drive Voracek’s primary job is to do one thing: score points. And in that regard, his pairing to success. He missed Matt Niskanen, to be sure, but this was his 2020-21 was a success. He finished tied for the team lead in points supposed to be the season Provorov proved he didn’t need help in the with 43, and actually, after accounting for games played, he was the form of a top-pair quality defenseman operating at peak powers to thrive. most efficient scorer of those in the three-way tie (JvR and Giroux). A Apparently, he does. 66.5-point 82-game pace is about normal for Voracek, so in that regard, he met expectations. Travis Konecny (C-)

Voracek’s defensive play did slip after a significant uptick in 2019-20, Konecny falls into the same bucket as Provorov, in that his season in though. Not only did it show up in the traditional stats (minus-12 rating), it truth wasn’t that bad, just a severe disappointment given the year that was apparent by the fancier numbers as well. Voracek’s defensive preceded it. In the wake of 2019-20, Konecny looked like he might be the impact by xG suppression was plus-0.137 — easily the worst on the rare Flyers youngster poised to exceed his median long-term prospect Flyers. That led to him grading out as one of the lower performers by projection; through most of last season, Konecny looked the part of a RAPM, which tries to isolate play-driving ability from teammate and potential future star. Unfortunately, it was his awful playoff run that opponent impact, among other factors. proved more predictive of the season he would have in 2020-21.

Defense obviously was a major issue for the Flyers in 2020-21, and no Thirty-four points in 50 games isn’t terrible — in fact, it’s the second-best one was without blame. But Voracek — particularly because of his place scoring rate of Konecny’s career. But Konecny’s sniper touch abandoned in the leadership core — really should have performed better in that area, him, as he paced for a mere 18 goals over an 82-game slate compared even if offensively, he absolutely did his job. to 30 the previous year. In addition, he no longer performed like a line- driver. In 2019-20, all the Flyers really had to do was put Konecny on a Travis Sanheim (C) line and it would outshoot, outchance and outscore the opposition. And now we come to one of the more controversial grades. Interestingly enough, Konecny’s defensive metrics improved this season, but his offense fell off a cliff, turning back into more of a break-even Sanheim was the Flyers’ best defenseman by a significant margin by impact player at even strength. Add in the early healthy scratch and 12- even-strength advanced metrics. His closest comparable in terms of game goal drought in March, and it’s difficult to see Konecny’s season as impact on xG differential in 2020-21 was Jared Spurgeon, and his closest anything other than a major disappointment. comp by impact on shot attempt differential was Mattias Ekholm. Those are pretty good defensemen! Plus he was a staple in the Flyers’ top four Robert Hägg (C-) all season; at one point, Vigneault referred to him as one of the team’s The underreported advanced stat story of the year: Somehow, in the three rocks on defense (with Provorov and Braun) who were essentially midst of the mess that was the Flyers’ blue line corps, Hägg actually immune from the possibility of a scratch. Sanheim did earn the trust of graded out half-decent by five-on-five metrics for the first time in his his coaches and ended up averaging a career-high 21:53 minutes per career. That’s right — we’re talking a 52.15 percent Corsi share and a game. 51.32 percent share of expected goals. Even Hägg’s glaringly poor start But then there were the breakdowns. And hoo boy, a lot of them ended is understandable with the exit-interview revelation that he began the up in the back of the net. season battling a groin issue. As a seventh defenseman, Hägg was pretty much fine. What a strange season. Sanheim’s on-ice save percentage at five-on-five was .8856 — seventh- worst among full-time NHL blueliners. And considering the gigantic Scott Laughton (C-) discrepancy between his expected goals per 60 minutes rate (2.07) and Laughton is one of those players where the realities of his season make his actual goals against per 60 (3.22), there are really only two possible it impossible to give him anything but a mediocre grade, but his explanations. Either Sanheim had himself one of the unluckiest years a “excuses” for it are actually quite legitimate. defenseman could possibly have, with almost every mistake of his being punished, or public xG models don’t quite grasp just how weak Sanheim On Feb. 7, Laughton had nine points in 13 games, was centering the was defensively. Let’s split the difference between the two possibilities Flyers’ most effective line (playing with Farabee and JvR) and had just and give him a C. delivered a hat trick against the Washington Capitals. Then COVID-19 struck the team. Laughton tested positive and was hit hard by the virus, Philippe Myers (D-) losing both weight and his sense of taste. Following his return, Laughton just never was the same player. He finished with 11 points over his final If there’s an award for “Most Disappointing Skater” on the Flyers, it 40 games, including a ludicrous 20-game pointless streak. The prospect probably has to go to Myers. of possibly being traded at the deadline also affected his play, by Think back to where he stood entering the 2020-21 season. After a Laughton’s own admission. It’s easy to see how his play could dip strong second half of his rookie season, which carried over into the first dramatically given the circumstances. round of the playoffs into the bubble, expectations were sky high. And He still was a black hole of offense for over two months, though, even if when Fletcher ultimately did not replace Niskanen in free agency or via his underlying metrics remained fine. The Flyers needed a lot more from the trade market, Myers quickly became the most attractive hopeful for Laughton, and he was unable to provide it. The five-year, $15 million an internal option to take his place. After all, he had already looked like a contract they gave him in the midst of those struggles implies that they solid second-pair defenseman as a rookie. Why couldn’t he take the leap don’t expect them to recur, though, and that’s probably the right call with to first-pair status as a sophomore? full knowledge of his situation. Lots of reasons. Myers’ consistency completely abandoned him, and The D tier then his confidence appeared to disappear as well. It’s tough to know if the healthy scratches in late February and March accelerated the Brian Elliott (D+) regression or were simply in reaction to the regression that had already begun. In any case, March was Myers’ disaster month, finishing with a This is one that I waffled on for quite a while. Elliott’s raw numbers — 48.54 percent xG share and an incredible minus-16 rating. Everything .889 save percentage, minus-20.5 Goals Saved Above Expectation — went wrong. are objectively terrible, and his March regression was a big part of the team’s struggles in that disastrous month. But it’s difficult to be too critical One positive? Myers’ end-of-season advanced metrics actually weren’t of Elliott with the knowledge that when he was used the way he should that bad: 52.23 percent Corsi For, 50.74 percent xG For. It’s just that no have been used — as a once-or-twice-a-week backup — he was good, regular defenseman in hockey had a worse on-ice save percentage than bordering even on great. Myers (87.27 percent). Assuming that it’s not the sign of a true-talent defensive collapse for Myers, better days should be ahead for him with Don’t forget that he had a .931 save percentage in January and February just a bit better luck. But that doesn’t make 2020-21 any less when he was the clear second-fiddle to Hart. That was the plan — don’t disappointing, given the expectations surrounding him when it began. overuse the soon-to-be-36-year-old netminder, but pick his spots and reap the rewards. That strategy was working beautifully until the Coaching staff (D-) schedule turned nightmarish and Hart’s play collapsed. Let’s begin by acknowledging that this year was certainly challenging Elliott’s grade, therefore, is mostly due to factors outside of his control. from a coaching perspective, especially when the schedule turned He’s likely still a viable NHL backup netminder, and his full-season demanding in March. Beyond filling out lineups on a nightly basis, there numbers are a misleading barometer of how much he has left in the tank. wasn’t a lot of active on-ice “coaching” that Alain Vigneault, Michel But a true backup is all he is at this point. Therrien, Mike Yeo, Ian Laperriere and Kim Dillabaugh could even try to do. That alone keeps them out of the lowest grade tier — the Kevin Hayes (D+) acknowledgment they were essentially learning on the fly how to prepare There’s a statistical case to make that Hayes is way too low here. His a team given the unique circumstances. point production, after all, is pretty much right in line with where it was All that said — it’s undeniable that the coaching staff as a whole did not last season. No, that’s not a misprint. In 2019-20, Kevin Hayes was on do a good job this season in Philadelphia. pace for 48.7 points over an 82-game season; this year, he trended to 46.2 points. In addition, his underlying five-on-five metrics actually No one is immune from criticism. Therrien never could crack the power improved year over year, with his on-ice xG share jumping from 50.71 play, changing personnel at least twice a week in a desperate attempt to percent to 53.00 percent. Maybe Hayes’ season wasn’t so bad. find chemistry that seemed to ensure chemistry would never develop. Yeo’s penalty kill cratered, and the team defense started out awful and He certainly failed the eye test, though, particularly in the second half. even at its best proved prone to ugly breakdowns. Dillabaugh was unable In Hayes’ defense, he was playing through injury; he acknowledged to adequately address and resolve Hart’s technical issues, which began Tuesday that he’s slated for “minor” offseason surgery. That surely worsening in February. As for Laperriere, his scouting-and-relationship- impacted the quality of his play. But during the final two months and building role is a bit more nebulous, but if one wants to ding him for the change of the season, Hayes had minimal impact on games. Three team’s lack of preparedness and a general absence of cohesion within points in 14 April games simply isn’t going to cut it, especially because games, go right ahead. Hayes’ heroics on the penalty kill were nowhere to be found this time And then there’s Vigneault. around. In 2019-20, Hayes was the big-play master — basically every time he scored, the Flyers won, and he often contributed to that victory in In the end, it’s the head coach’s job to make sure his team is ready to dramatic fashion. This season, all too often, he was on the periphery, and play and that his players are put in the best position to succeed. All too it eventually got to the point where Vigneault scratched him for a game often, the Flyers came out for games flat, implying that Vigneault was not late. A rough season for him. pushing the right motivational or lineup buttons to facilitate quick starts. Their system play was a total mess the first few weeks of the season, Michael Raffl (D+) hinting that Vigneault’s training camp refreshers proved insufficient. As Raffl’s stats aren’t great, but he was playing through injury most of the for the young players, there’s nothing wrong with a coach holding them season, and now he gets to take a run at the Cup with the Capitals. A accountable for mistakes and lapses, but Vigneault’s “tough love” style of popular player in the Flyers dressing room, Raffl will certainly have management just didn’t seem to work this as well this season as it did in former teammates pulling for him to get a ring. Year 1 for him in Philadelphia. His unsympathetic comments late in March regarding Hart’s work ethic — especially now with the public Oskar Lindblom (D) knowledge that Hart was struggling with his mental health — come off as particularly harsh in retrospect. The young players shouldn’t be let off the Lindblom just never made it all the way back physically in 2020-21 from hook for their struggles, but Vigneault undeniably failed in his attempts to his cancer treatments. As he acknowledged in his exit interview, the coax more out of them. relentless schedule made it especially difficult for him to fully return to form — recovery days (or a lack thereof) were especially tough. To Vigneault’s credit, he seemed to realize as much at Tuesday’s exit interviews, noting that he felt he “let everyone down,” which hints at a That said, there were games and stretches where Lindblom looked like feeling of significant responsibility for the team’s underachievement. But his old self, and if you knock January out of Lindblom’s season-long it doesn’t absolve him or his staff for failing in their efforts to live up to sample size, he ends up with a strong 54.04 percent expected goals those lofty expectations. share at five-on-five. Given a full, normal-ish offseason, there’s reason to believe he can get back to where he was pre-cancer. Simply having The F tier Lindblom back playing hockey again, however, made for one of the few bright spots of 2020-21 for Philadelphia. Nicolas Aubé-Kubel (F) How does a player go from being one of the team’s unsung heroes to one of its biggest liabilities after just one offseason? That’s what happened to Aubé-Kubel, who showed only flashes of the aggressive forechecking and opportunistic scoring (and chance creation) that allowed him to play at a stealth top-sixer level in a limited minutes role in Philadelphia’s bottom-six back in 2019-20.

Replacing that player was an inconsistent, overaggressive forward who took too many penalties and was a significant drag on the team’s offense. He’ll be fighting for a job next training camp, if Seattle doesn’t nab him in expansion or if he doesn’t get shipped out as the secondary piece in a trade.

Erik Gustafsson (F)

Fletcher’s only offseason signing proved to be a total dud. When Gustafsson played, he was a defensive liability, and he ultimately ended up out of the rotation entirely, traded to Montreal for essentially nothing. Aside from some decent scoring totals, there are few positives to take from Gustafsson’s time in Philadelphia.

Nolan Patrick (F)

Yes, Patrick’s season-long absence due to his migraine disorder needs to be taken into account. And yes, Patrick’s underlying metrics are surprisingly not terrible (49.44 percent Corsi For, 51.44 xG For). But in his comeback season, Patrick’s on-ice impact ranged somewhere nonfactor and liability.

Despite extensive power-play time (10th most on the team), Patrick managed just nine points in 52 games. His offensive impact wasn’t merely disappointing — it was nonexistent. As for his defense, I’m far from a plus-minus person, but when a player posts a negative-30 in a shorter-than-usual season, there probably was something significantly wrong with his play.

It’s not easy to return from 21 months away from competitive hockey. No one should be burying Patrick’s NHL career just yet. But unlike Lindblom, for example, Patrick showed barely any positive signs that he is destined to become an impactful NHL forward in the future. For a second overall pick, that’s about as big of a concern as can exist.

Connor Bunnaman (F)

Like many Flyers youngsters, Bunnaman entered 2020-21 with real momentum after a surprisingly effective 2019-20 season. The scoring totals hadn’t been there (two points in 21 games), but Bunnaman’s lines tended to carry play (52.82 percent xG share at five-on-five) and pass the eye test as well. So when he was given his shot in 2020-21 to secure the 4C job, there was legitimate reason for optimism.

But Bunnaman continued his scoring struggles (one point in 18 games), and this time, his lines were crushed territorially (36.38 percent xG share). Bunnaman’s final NHL game in 2020-21 was March 31, and it’s unclear where he stands in the organization at this point. The 23-year-old certainly didn’t help his long-term case for an NHL job.

Carter Hart (F)

It’s tough to put Hart in this tier, given the defensive lapses that made his job even more difficult than it should have been, and the pandemic- related issues that he admitted had weighed on him during the season. It was far from the best of circumstances for the 22-year-old netminder.

But he has to end up in this territory, for the simple fact that his season truly was that bad. Hart’s .877 save percentage was the worst by a regular NHL goalie since 2009-10 (Vesa Toskala), and his negative- 24.45 mark by Goals Saved Above Expectation was the fourth-worst by a netminder since the metric was developed. Hart can play much better than he did in 2020-21, and grading him on a curve this year out of sympathy would be selling his upside short. Hart can be a very good NHL netminder. But he was a very bad one this season.

The Athletic LOADED: 05.14.2021 1212697 Pittsburgh Penguins knew Jeff could still skate. He’s played very well for us. Everybody knows that. Him and Jared seem to have had chemistry right from the get-go. That’s a big thing when you bring a new player into a team who hasn’t really played with anybody and you find that chemistry right away. Penguins GM Ron Hextall: 'This group has been very resilient' Sometimes, it takes a while to find it and they just had that chemistry right away. That’s helped (Sullivan) and the coaching staff kind of settle

the lines and put people in places they feel appropriate. Jeff’s done a real SETH RORABAUGH good job for us.”

Thursday, May 13, 2021 6:20 p.m. While the Penguins could make a reasonable case for having the deepest roster of any team in the postseason, chances are they will be the least physical squad, too. That will be evident Sunday when they face an Islanders team with forwards Casey Cizikas, Cal Clutterbuck, Leo Ron Hextall is in a different place. Komarov and Matt Martin potentially in the lineup. The playoffs. Hextall, who hasn’t hidden his preference for adding a physical element To be clear, he’s been to the playoffs a lot, as an all-star goaltender and to the team at some point, doesn’t seem concerned in the immediate an executive. sense.

But he hasn’t participated in postseason games in any capacity since he “The playoffs, teams are going to try to come at (opponents) with was the general manager of the Philadelphia Flyers and saw them get physicality,” Hextall said. “That’s just the nature of the business and it’s dispatched in six games during the first round of the 2018 postseason by been going on for years. For us, it’s about playing through the physical his current employer, the Pittsburgh Penguins. play. We can play physical but we have to play through physical play. And it is going to get ramped up here for sure. This team, for the most A little more than three years later, after taking over as the Penguins’ part, has been through these playoff rounds before and they understand general manager in the middle of a season unlike any other in NHL it. Obviously, (forward Sidney Crosby and Evgeni Malkin) and history, Hextall — who is far more stoic as an executive than he ever was (defenseman Kris Letang) and all these guys have had the experience of during his career as a fiery, combative goaltender — admitted to a lack of being deep into the playoffs. They understand how physical it gets. And patience in anticipation of the Penguins hosting the New York Islanders certainly, they’ll be passing it on to their teammates here. for Game 1 of their first-round, series which opens Sunday at PPG Paints Arena. “What is a tough team? A tough team is a team that plays through and shows resilience and shows a never-die attitude. Since (president of “Oh!” Hextall exclaimed. “It’s exciting for all of us. The way we finished hockey operations Burke) and I have been here, this group has been and won the (East Division). … It’s exciting. There’s probably 16 teams very resilient.” right now that are very excited, and we’re one of them. Sunday can’t come here soon enough.” Hextall also expressed satisfaction with goaltender Tristan Jarry who will be entering his first NHL postseason as the unquestioned top goaltender. When Sunday does arrive, Hextall likely will see something he hasn’t yet observed during his still-young tenure as general manager. “He’s done a very good job for us,” Hextall said. “Really from the time (Burke) and I got here, in the middle of February there, Tristan has been A healthy lineup. very consistent. All Tristan’s got to do is exactly what he’s done, certainly With the benefit of a week between their regular-season finale and Game from the time we got here, and just be a really, really good goalie for us. 1, the Penguins are poised to have a fully healthy lineup for the first time And that’s be consistent. That’s what’s he’s done. (Backup) Casey this season. (DeSmith), when he’s stepped in, he’s done the same. He’s been very consistent. Our goaltending, certainly since we’ve been here, has been Everything from concussions to bruised ankles to the sporadic very good. Really, nothing changes in the playoffs for a goaltender. The placements on to the NHL’s covid-19 protocol list have led to the game still has to come to you. You can’t work harder. You can’t run Penguins usually deploying a pockmarked lineup. someone. The game comes to you and dictates your movements.

For Game 1, the 20 best players likely will be available. “You’ve just got to keep a cool head, and Tristan’s done a very good job of doing that. We’re looking forward to seeing him play.” “I take my hat off to the players and to the coaches,” Hextall said by phone. “When you’ve looked at the injuries that we’ve had and whatnot No matter if they lose in the first round or win the Stanley Cup, change — (forwards Evgeni Malkin) and Teddy (Blueger) went down at the same will be coming to the Penguins this upcoming offseason. With an time and (Kasperi Kapanen) … obviously, (Brandon Tanev) — our guys expansion draft, the probability of a flat salary cap and franchise pillars have fought through a decent amount of adversity and won the division. such as Malkin and Letang entering the final year of their contracts, the They’ve done a real good job, and I think their consistency has been franchise will be forced to undergo significant alterations because of the impressive.” NHL’s business.

The depth available to coach Mike Sullivan no doubt is impressive. An While short on specifics, Hextall acknowledges those realities. But his unofficial “fifth line” of Evan Rodrigues, Mark Jankowski and Colton focus is much more immediate. Sceviour would be a fourth line for a number of other NHL teams. With the Penguins, that trio is relegated to participating in optional morning “It’s really hard to say right now,” Hextall said. “The playoffs are going to skates, barring injuries or absences further up the depth chart. dictate. The expansion draft, we have a certain amount in our control there. But a certain amount is out of our control. We’ll figure those things “That’s a big reason that we’ve gotten through the injuries that we’ve out. We’ve obviously dabbled in those things. We’ll nail them down as we gotten through,” Hextall said. “You can look at different nights when Evan go along here. Rodrigues has stepped up and (forward) Freddy Gaudreau has stepped up and Colton Sceviour has stepped up. (Forward Zach Aston-Reese) “But right now, the focus is on the playoffs and how we can be has stepped up and (forward) Jared McCann has stepped up. So we’ve successful.” had contributions really from up and down the lineup. Both of our goalies. (Defensemen Mark Friedman) plays at the end and Chad (Ruhwedel) plays at the end. I really like our depth. It’s what got us through the injury Tribune Review LOADED: 05.14.2021 periods that we’ve been through.”

Of course, the Penguins’ depth was inflated on April 12 thanks to Hextall’s signature transaction as the team’s general manager when he acquired former All-Star forward Jeff Carter in a trade with the Los Angeles Kings. In the 14 games Carter played for the team following the deal, he scored a team-leading nine goals while putting up 11 points.

“We knew Jeff was a good player,” said Hextall, who oversaw Carter during his time as an executive with the Flyers and Kings. “Obviously, we 1212698 Pittsburgh Penguins Despite the appearance in February of friction between Sullivan and Kapanen, whom the Penguins drafted 22nd overall in 2014 but dealt to the Leafs a year later, Sullivan this week called Kapanen “a fun guy to be around.” After uneven start to season, Kasperi Kapanen fits in on, off ice with Penguins “He brings a lot of energy to the locker room,” Sullivan said. “I built a good relationship with him throughout the course of this season.

“It’s not easy when you miss training camp. You’re jumping on a moving CHRIS ADAMSKI train, so to speak, and we tried to help him to have success. I think ‘Kappy’ did a real good job of putting the work in and trying to make sure Thursday, May 13, 2021 4:41 p.m. that he got up to speed as quickly as he could.”

Now entrenched as the right wing on a line with Jason Zucker and In the aftermath of one of the more unique and meek playoff flameouts in Malkin, Kapanen is a potential X-factor in the Penguins’ quest to reverse franchise history — bowing out in four games against the No. 24 overall three years of postseason failures. seed in the 2020 Toronto “bubble” — there was a school of thought that “He’s an awesome guy,” Rust said. “He’s come into the room with a good could be major changes for the Pittsburgh Penguins. work ethic. He’s always laughing and having fun with the guys. He fits in But with the franchise set to open its next postseason 8½ months later, great. Any time you have guys like that, it just helps your locker-room the roster turnover at forward could be described more as a tweak. Of the chemistry.” 12 who dressed for Game 4 against the Montreal Canadiens last August, nine are expected to be in the lineup for Game 1 against the New York Islanders on Sunday. Tribune Review LOADED: 05.14.2021 Putting aside the in-season acquisition of Jeff Carter, the only major center or wing added to the Penguins this offseason was Kasperi Kapanen.

His personality perhaps as big as his pedigree of being a first-round pick and son of a 12-year NHL veteran, Kapanen’s 2021 tenure with the Penguins got off to an uneven start. But by the time his first regular season with his new “old” team ended, it was clear why former general manager was so eager to re-acquire him.

“He’s been awesome,” teammate Bryan Rust said.

Especially at 5-on-5. Per naturalstattrick.com, among players who appeared in at least half of the Penguins’ games during the regular season, none averaged more points per game at 5-on-5 than Kapanen (0.63).

Kapanen had 25 points at 5-on-5 in 40 regular-season games. It might come as a surprise that despite playing 15 fewer games than Crosby, Kapanen ended with as many 5-on-5 assists (16) as his superstar captain.

Kapanen was sixth on team in goals-for percentage (64.71%), second to Jared McCann in that metric among players who appeared in at least half of the Penguins’ games. That means that the Penguins scored almost twice as many goals as their opponents when Kapanen was on the ice.

“You see the contributions he makes on the ice,” coach Mike Sullivan said this week. “He’s a real good player.”

It wasn’t necessarily that way early. Kapanen had only two goals in his first 11 games, five in his first 20. He was absorbing some of the blame — fairly or not — for the struggles of linemate Malkin.

Kapanen’s season reached its nadir when he was benched during the third period of a Feb. 20 game. To that point, Kapanen had seven points in 13 games, but the demotion by Sullivan served as something of a turning point.

He had a goal and assist in the next game and 14 points over the next 14 games, playing a significant role in turning around the seasons of Malkin and the Penguins at large.

“We are real happy with how ‘Kappy’ has assimilated into the group here,” Sullivan said. “He’s a popular guy amongst his teammates. He has good relationships with our coaching staff.”

Kapanen’s slow start can, in part, be written off to circumstance. Getting traded during the pandemic and while in Europe, Kapanen wasn’t afforded what might be a typical offseason of getting to know new teammates. Then, when Penguins camp began around the start of the new year, Kapanen was stuck in Finland because of visa issues.

“That was a tough process,” Kapanen said. “… It (stunk) coming late and kind of missing camp, meeting a lot of new guys and new teammates.

“But they took me in from Day 1 and were happy that I was there. And when I got it going and got into games I felt as if I’d been here for years.” 1212699 Pittsburgh Penguins

Penguins to open playoffs Sunday against Islanders

SETH RORABAUGH

Thursday, May 13, 2021 12:02 p.m.

The Penguins will open the 2021 postseason Sunday when they host the New York Islanders at PPG Paints Arena in Game 1 of their first round series.

On Thursday, the NHL released a partial schedule for the entire first round.

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Penguins will not erect big screen outside PPG Paints Arena for first round of playoffs

ADAM BITTNER

Pittsburgh Post-Gazette

MAY 13, 2021 4:29 PM

The Penguins will be able to welcome more fans inside PPG Paints Arena starting next week, but the COVID-19 pandemic will continue to alter the Stanley Cup playoff experience for those without tickets to the games. At least for now.

The team announced Thursday that it will not be erecting the traditional big screen television outside the building for fans to gather and watch home games during the first round of the playoffs.

“At this time, the Penguins have made the decision to not install the outdoor big screen for Round 1 of the playoffs,” vice president for communications Jennifer Bullano Ridgley said in a statement to the Post- Gazette. “This difficult decision was made out of an abundance of caution to avoid overcrowding and help keep our fans safe as we continue to emerge from the COVID pandemic.

“We are focusing our efforts on our fans returning safely to PPG Paints Arena for the Stanley Cup playoffs with capacity increased to 50 percent, and following protocols to protect the health and safety of those in attendance.”

Penguins center Sidney Crosby battles for a loose puck against the Islanders on Saturday, Feb. 20, 2021, at PPG Paints Arena.

The Penguins begin their playoff run at home Sunday with a noon faceoff against the New York Islanders at the arena. Game 2 is Tuesday, and Games 5 and 7 would be played at the building May 24 and 28, respectively, if necessary. Capacity inside will increase to 50% starting with Game 2.

The big screen has become a popular playoff gathering spot for fans during the past decade-plus, with many bringing lawn chairs so that they can enjoy a crowd atmosphere without paying big bucks for rink-side seats.

For bigger games, multiple thousands have turned out, but for now it appears they will have to wait at least one more series for its return.

Post Gazette LOADED: 05.14.2021 1212701 Pittsburgh Penguins “I’ve always liked him as a goalie because he’s technically very sound,” the SiriusXM NHL Radio analyst said. “His movements are good. His positioning is good. Now you just need to find your ‘it factor.’ And I think we’re seeing it right now.” ‘Added pressure’ but an ‘opportunity’ — what awaits Tristan Jarry in his first NHL postseason In 2014, Jarry led the Edmonton Oil Kings to the Memorial Cup, the top prize in Canadian junior hockey. Biron believes that experience will serve him well.

MATT VENSEL “I think it’s important that you have won somewhere or at least experienced success,” said Biron, who played for a few NHL teams, Pittsburgh Post-Gazette including the Buffalo Sabres. “My second year in Rochester, we lost in MAY 13, 2021 1:54 PM the Calder Cup final. That experience gave me the sense I could compete under pressure at the highest of levels.”

But the Stanley Cup playoffs are “a different animal,” noted Boucher, who It took seven years and a meltdown from Matt Murray, but Tristan Jarry in 2000 took the Flyers all the way to Game 7 of the Eastern Conference last August made his first NHL playoffs start, with Pittsburgh’s season on finals. the brink. “Here’s my feel as an ex-player,” he said. “The attention to detail in a He was rock solid, particularly in the final two periods as the Montreal team concept is heightened. Teams check better. They manage the Canadiens pushed. He shrugged off one Joel Armia shot. Stared down a game better. Everything is better. And if you look, you’ll see that most point-blank blast from Phillip Danault. Flashed the glove on a Brendan guys, their save percentage goes up in the postseason. I know mine did. Gallagher breakaway. It wasn’t because it was all me.”

Just one of their 21 shots got past him, the Artturi Lehkonen tap-in after Conversely, Ron Hextall, another former Flyer who had a heck of a run in Brandon Tanev’s giveaway that sent the Penguins home from the playoff his first postseason, said a goalie must resist the urge to change his bubble. game too much.

That was the last piece of information that Jim Rutherford and the “When you really break it down, it’s the same game,” said Hextall, who Penguins needed before trading Murray to Ottawa and handing the replaced Rutherford as Penguins general manager in February. “You’re a starting job to Jarry. goaltender. You can’t work harder. You can’t play more physical. You can’t do this or you can’t do that like some players can. You’ve got to let Fans watch the first-round playoff series between the Pittsburgh the game come to you.” Penguins and New York Islanders on the big screen, Tuesday, April 16, 2019, at the PPG Paints Arena parking lot in Uptown. And once you get on a roll, Boucher said, “ride that sucker and don’t stop.” Sunday at PPG Paints Arena, Jarry will embark upon his first Stanley Cup chase as the No. 1 when the Penguins begin their series with the He pointed to Jordan Binnington, who led the St. Louis Blues to the Cup New York Islanders. in 2019, as one example. Coincidentally, there are some interesting parallels between Jarry and Binnington, a third-round pick who toiled in “His appearance last year in the bubble is nowhere near what he will be the American Hockey League for a few years before finally emerging as facing this year. Because he came in with nothing to lose,” former NHL an NHL No. 1 at the age of 25. goalie said. “This is completely different. You’re the man. You’re the guy. The spotlights are on you. So I think there is a ton of “Binnington was riding an incredible wave of confidence that year. We added pressure for Tristan Jarry.” wondered when that wave was going to peter out. It never did,” Boucher said. “So it’s not unprecedented. It can happen. It’s important to get off to What else can Jarry expect this spring? We chatted with four former a good start. They need to play well in front of Jarry and allow him to get goalies, including his new boss, about their experience of being the No. 1 comfortable.” in the playoffs for the first time. Before that, let’s acknowledge what Jarry did to get to this point. With Sidney Crosby, Evgeni Malkin and Kris Letang running out of time to win the Cup again, there is added pressure on the Penguins to get it The 26-year-old got off to a rocky start to the regular season. He was done in 2021. yanked from his second start, a loss in Philadelphia, and was held out of games for a week so goalie coach Mike Buckley could rein him back in. But NHL Network analyst , who shared the crease with He finally found his footing in February, going 23-5-2 with a .919 save Arturs Irbe when the Carolina Hurricanes went on an improbable run to percentage after Valentine’s Day. the Stanley Cup Finals in 2002, advised Jarry to make sure to “enjoy the moment and absorb it.” “I’m impressed with the way he’s played. I know it was a bumpy start for him but he’s overcome it. And that, to me, is a good sign,” said Brian “The biggest thing is the magnitude of the opportunity,” Weekes said. Boucher, who played his best hockey with the Flyers. “We saw another “You reflect on all the games you played, all the junior tournaments, the guy in Pennsylvania who had a tough start and didn’t overcome it. Look minors, the bus rides, the time in the car with your parents, the hard road where he’s at right now.” to get there. … And now you’re in the thick of it, getting a chance to compete for the Stanley Cup.” That other guy would be Carter Hart, Jarry’s training partner last offseason. Weekes remembers standing in his crease before his first playoff start, “my heart racing through my chest,” during the anthems. Down at the Boucher said he has been impressed with Jarry since the 2013 second- other end was Martin Brodeur, a guy he used to watch on TV. It was a round pick made his Penguins debut in 2016-17 even though Jarry did surreal experience. not establish himself as an NHL regular until last season, when he played in the All-Star Game. “I was trying to calm myself down with my breathing, doing deep breathing while the anthems played,” he said. “I get goosebumps talking Penguins center Sidney Crosby battles for a loose puck against the about it now.” Islanders on Saturday, Feb. 20, 2021, at PPG Paints Arena. So forget all that noise, he said, and focus on the opportunity of a “I thought right from the hop you could see there’s some smarts to his lifetime. game,” Boucher said. “He understood situational play and when to be aggressive. And he handled the puck well. That to me is a big one. If you “This is what you worked for,” Weekes said. “This is what you dreamt of.” can come into the NHL and have the courage to make plays that way, it says a lot about your confidence.”

In Jarry, Biron sees a goalie who is now playing with confidence and Post Gazette LOADED: 05.14.2021 control. 1212702 Pittsburgh Penguins

Penguins open playoff series against Islanders on Sunday at noon

MIKE DEFABO

Pittsburgh Post-Gazette

MAY 13, 2021 11:58 AM

The Penguins will open their seven-game series against the New York Islanders on Sunday at noon. The game will be televised on NBC.

Game 2 is slated for Tuesday at 7:30 p.m. It will air on AT&T SportsNet locally and NBCSN nationally. The series then shifts to New York with Game 3 on Thursday at 7 p.m (AT&T Sportsnet, NBCSN) and Game 4 on Saturday at 3 p.m. (NBC).

The format of the series is 2-2-1-1-1, with the first two games at PPG Paints Arena and the next two at Nassau Coliseum. The remaining three games of the series (if necessary) will rotate between the two venues with Game 5 and Game 7 in Pittsburgh and Game 6 on Long Island.

Post Gazette LOADED: 05.14.2021 1212703 Pittsburgh Penguins

2021 NHL Playoffs: Penguins vs. Islanders schedule, TV channel, games, scores, guide to the first-round series

By The Athletic NHL Staff

May 13, 2021

In this East Division matchup, the No. 1 Pittsburgh Penguins will face the No. 4 New York Islanders in the first round of the 2021 NHL Stanley Cup playoffs. To find out who has the advantage in the series, check out Dom Luszczyszyn’s odds and probabilities, plus Stanley Cup tiers and soon- to-come predictions from experts in the hockey world.

Schedule/TV/Results

Game 1: at Pittsburgh, Sunday, May 16 at noon ET (NBC)

Game 2: at Pittsburgh, Tuesday, May 18 at 7:30 p.m. ET (NBCSN)

Game 3: at New York, Thursday, May 20 at 7 p.m. ET (NBCSN)

Game 4: at New York, Saturday, May 22 at 3 p.m. ET (NBC)

Game 5*: at Pittsburgh, Monday, May 24, time TBD (TV TBD)

Game 6*: at New York, Wednesday, May 26, time TBD (TV TBD)

Game 7*: at Pittsburgh, Friday, May 28, time TBD (TV TBD)

(* – if necessary)

What to expect from the series?

Why were the Penguins so good against the Islanders in the regular season? Where does each team have the biggest matchup advantage? Which under-the-radar player could be an X-factor for each team? The Athletic’s Penguins and Islanders experts — Rob Rossi, Josh Yohe and Sean Gentille on the Pens and Arthur Staple on the Isles — answer these questions and more about what’s to come.

The Athletic LOADED: 05.14.2021 1212704 Pittsburgh Penguins both high draft picks and expected to do a lot of big things when we entered the league. You are happy and excited to be drafted that high, for sure. But at the same time, there is a different kind of pressure there. Geno and I have talked about it before and I think we just always have Fifteen years, 3 Stanley Cups and a brotherhood: Inside Sidney Crosby kind of had a sense for one another, when we’re up, when we’re down, and Evgeni Malkin’s powerful, quiet friendship what we’re dealing with.”

While Malkin’s comfort speaking English kept him from doing interviews as a rookie, he has understood the language well enough from Day 1 in Josh Yohe and Rob Rossi Pittsburgh to connect with his teammates. This helped the friendship. So, May 13, 2021 too, did Crosby’s natural understanding of his fellow superstar. Crosby sounds more like a therapist than a friend when analyzing Malkin’s personality. Perhaps, at times, they have been both of those things for one another. Sidney Crosby sat beside Evgeni Malkin in a warm locker room a few hours before facing elimination in Game 6 of the 2016 Eastern “He’s not someone who is always going to let you know how he’s Conference final in Tampa, their respective legacies on the line and the feeling,” Crosby explained. “He’s not always going to tell you if Penguins waddling toward one-hit-wonder territory. something’s wrong, so you have to get to know him. He’s just got a ton of pride, more than people realize, I think. I don’t think he’s real comfortable Usually at this time, Crosby had finished his media obligations and was being open about when something is upsetting him. But the more we’ve left alone to his thoughts while Malkin had long since departed. Not on gotten to know each other over the years, the more open we’ve learned this day. In Amalie Arena’s oddly-shaped visitor’s locker room, this lanky to become. I think it’s just a good, healthy relationship.” Russian star from a small, industrial town sat with his left shoulder pressed against the right shoulder of the face of hockey, this sturdy son There was plenty of fun along the way, too. of a Canadian harbor town. They came from wildly different backgrounds but, at this very moment, were a singular force. In 2006, many of the young Penguins were together at a bar on Pittsburgh’s historic South Side. Malkin and Crosby, along with others, In many ways, this is how it should’ve been after a decade together. Two were having some fun after a game when a group of young women generational players, gifted to the Penguins one year apart, primed to spotted two of Pittsburgh’s most eligible bachelors. leave an indelible mark on hockey’s biggest stage, another championship within reach. Seven years earlier, when they triumphed in 2009, their Not knowing many English words, Malkin sheepishly asked Crosby what precociousness was exceeded only by their dominance: Crosby, the to say to one or any of the women. Not knowing quite what advice to leading goal-scorer, Malkin the leading point-getter, and their Penguins give, Crosby instructed Malkin to approach them and introduce himself. champions after dethroning of the mighty Red Wings on a similarly sticky Already an admirer of Crosby, Malkin’s trust was evident when he quickly day in Detroit. walked toward the group and said, “Hi, I Seven-One.”

The presumed dynasty never happened after 2009, though, as the Standing a few feet away, Maxime Talbot, Malkin’s traveling roommate, Penguins stumbled their way through the next six postseasons, the future playoff linemate and a longtime friend to Crosby, bent over with superstars suddenly in their late 20s, the promise of their youth fading. laughter. Crosby, himself laughing, approached Talbot and politely jabbed him with an elbow, worried that Malkin would see them and think In Tampa, the locker room humidity intensified the heat engulfing Crosby they were making fun of him. and Malkin. They’d accomplished everything, but not enough. Theirs was always the burden of oversized expectations, the kind that define a “Sid was looking out for Geno then,” Talbot said. “It’s those little things relationship. that Sid does. He’s the best player in the world. He’s a better guy.”

“We had been through a lot together,” Crosby said recently. “I remember Malkin agrees. At his apartment in Moscow, his offseason condominium sitting there with him. We knew how important that night was.” on Florida’s Fisher Island and at his home in Pittsburgh, Malkin displays various memorabilia of Crosby. These include Russian nesting dolls The disappointing years since the 2009 Cup win could have weakened painted in Crosby’s likeness, framed photographs, pucks and sticks from any bond formed from their early glory days. Instead, Malkin, then soon various games, anything and everything the most serious Crosby fan to be a father for the first time, and Crosby, then the bearded face of would want for his or her collection. Malkin jokes that Nikita, his son, will hockey, became emboldened by a friendship neither expected. probably pick Crosby as his favorite player because of all the stuff.

“Sometimes stars aren’t close,” says Rick Tocchet, their former assistant “Is good,” Malkin said. “Of course, I will be his real favorite. But Sid is the coach who played with many a star in his time. “But those two, you know, best player, the best teammate. A great friend. I hope Nikita thinks of him it made things easier because of how close they are. You don’t see that as family. I do.” every day.” Clearly, Crosby considers Malkin family. Malkin arrived in Pittsburgh in 2006 at age 20. Crosby, one year his junior, was already a star and the established leader of the Penguins “Having him around has always made my life better, on and off the ice,” even as a teenager. Crosby said. “He has a way of knowing when to make you laugh, knowing when to lighten the room. But at the same time, he knows when While Malkin’s English was limited, his mutual understanding of Crosby to be serious, too. It’s just a great friendship. I just always liked him from — on and off the ice — was pure instinct from their first days together. the start. Always have. Always will.”

“We’ve been together for a really long time now,” Crosby said. “Now that It wasn’t just Crosby and Malkin, of course. Other young players in that I think about it, it’s hard to believe how long it’s been. And to be honest, era became part of the franchise’s fabric, namely Kris Letang and Marc- we became friends at the very beginning and it’s just always been that Andre Fleury. way. His English wasn’t so great at first, but we just always understood each other from the beginning.” Now in Las Vegas but forever a Penguin, Fleury always appreciated the locker room fellowship in Pittsburgh, the foundation of which was Crosby is arguably the most-hyped player in hockey history, with Wayne Crosby’s relationship with Malkin. Gretzky bestowing the moniker “The Next One” as a spinoff of his own nickname. Malkin didn’t receive that overwhelming brand of fanfare, but “I think, you know, they were in the same boat,” Fleury said. “It’s a small he was one of the great prospects of his time, his departure from Russia boat, you know. Two guys, two star players. And we have a good team. adding to his mystique and promise. And you know what they all say about us when we didn’t win for a few years. I feel like it was expected that we just win every year. That’s the Less than three years after Malkin’s arrival, the young superstars owned thing they had on them more than any of us from the early days. They Pittsburgh, the NHL and the Stanley Cup. had to win. When I got drafted, you know, it was like, someday the Penguins can be good again. When Sid and Geno got drafted, it was like, Yet that was only the beginning of a long journey. the Penguins are going to win the Stanley Cups all the time. How do you “I like to think I can relate to the pressure that he deals with and the satisfy that? expectations that come with all of that pressure,” Crosby said. “We were “Well, Geno and Sid, early on, you could tell what they really cared about Malkin each sensed their partnership could be the next casualty for was winning. Not the awards. Not who was the best player. Before continued postseason failures. maybe they were even good friends, they were these two guys who wanted to win. All of us were like that. That’s why we were so close. I “I of course worry because GM, coach and Nealer are gone,” Malkin said guess that’s why we still are. But like I’ve always said, when you go three years later. “Is not mad, but worry that maybe they say Sid and I through tough, tough times and beat it, overcome it, that’s when you get can’t play together too. We have to win again, of course. To stay respect for another guy on your team. together, we have to win again.

“As a person, that’s when a teammate becomes a friend.” “I tell Sid we have to win again because I always want to play with you.”

Friendship was required for Crosby and Malkin to persevere through Gonchar was to Malkin what was to Crosby in the mid- many of those tough times: Crosby’s concussion saga that coincided with 2000s: an iconic countryman, mentor and landlord. Malkin’s lost season to torn knee ligaments, the Civic Arena’s Though Malkin’s relationship with Gonchar garners much attention, disappointing final chapter, a playoff implosion for the ages against Crosby is also close with the Penguins’ former defenseman and assistant Philadelphia, a playoff whimper against Boston and two embarrassments coach. The night of their third Cup victory as teammates, Malkin and on Broadway. Then came Mike Johnston, a junior hockey coach whose Crosby each sought out Gonchar and his family for photographs on the Penguins tenure began with Malkin dodging him on a trip to Russia and ice. In doing so, the two players most responsible for the NHL’s only ended with Crosby’s scoring cratering in an overly simplistic system. back-to-back champion during the salary cap era came together after For whatever reason, drama seemed to accompany the Penguins after spending about 15 minutes at different spots on the ice. This is when the the won the Cup sooner than anybody expected in 2009. They were the astute Penguins employee shouts at each player, and when failing to get NHL’s marquee team, with Crosby and Malkin their talked-about co-stars. a response, screams, “Sarge!” — Gonchar’s nickname. The talk shifted to their failures by 2016, how they weren’t really great “I hear my name,” Gonchar says. “I look. And I see the cameraman anymore, how that mythical championship window was shutting, how waving to me. I thought, ‘Maybe he wants to get me with the Cup.’ But he Crosby and Malkin couldn’t really get it done any longer. really wanted for me to get Sidney and Evgeni over to the side to get that In 2016 and in 2017, the narrative changed in every conceivable way. picture. You know the one.” The boys who raised the Cup seven years earlier did so, twice, as men. Oh yes. The picture. That one.

A mangled toe is a small price to pay for hockey immortality. Malkin During his rookie season, the one where he introduced himself to girls as gladly paid it. “I Seven-One,” Malkin often caught himself transfixed on a framed Despite his toe’s bruised, gnarled appearance, and even with a gash photograph that hung above an entranceway separating the home above his lip that perplexed his then-1-year-old son, Malkin felt no pain a dressing room and player’s lounge at the old Civic Arena. The framed few weeks after the Penguins celebrated another Stanley Cup win in photograph showed Lemieux and Jaromir Jagr each gripping a side of 2017. His wife, Anna, said the smile had not left his face since this young the Cup that the Penguins won in 1991 and in 1992. On the day before family returned to Fisher Island following several days of celebrating in Game 7 of the 2009 Stanley Cup Final in Detroit, Malkin was one of the Pittsburgh. The last day included a small gathering at Malkin’s home in last players to leave Civic Arena. Before he departed for the airport, he the Pittsburgh area. took one last look at that framed photo and told a reporter, “I want one of me and Sid.” The scene was as Russian as an evening in Sewickley can be. In the euphoric chaos of the on-ice celebration in Detroit the next night, Except, of course, Crosby was there. So, too, were Crosby’s girlfriend, Malkin and Crosby never managed to get that picture. No big deal. They Kathy, his sister, Taylor, and his parents. were young. They were in charge. They would have many other chances. Or so they thought. When the Penguins won their long-awaited second The moment meant so much to Malkin that he preserved it by his title of the Crosby/Malkin era in San Jose in 2016, they simply forgot preferred method of record-keeping: Instagram. While recalling the again. Strike 2. dinner party a few weeks later, Malkin, wearing his Stanley Cup championship hat backward, said that night is one of many scenes that There would be no Strike 3. Malkin had instructed a team employee on should be included if anybody ever decides to make a documentary the morning of Game 6 in Nashville to “get me and Sid with Cup if we about him and Crosby. win, no matter what.”

Another scene of their brotherhood occurred about a month after the Lounging on a sofa with his injured toe resting on a table, dressed 2014 Olympics in Sochi, Russia, which were intended to be a celebration casually as if he had just warmed up for a tennis match against his actual of Russian hockey. Those Games represent one of Malkin’s best and brother, Malkin stroked his chin while looking at a digital picture of him worst periods. His country’s failure to medal still haunts him. However, and Crosby posing for the picture that had eluded them twice before. that failure, and the frustration with his own performance, is also what sent Malkin on a retreat to Moscow before the closing ceremonies. And “The best picture of my life,” Malkin says. “My two friends, and me.” it’s there where he and Anna became close. But even the exuberance of Many magical moments have followed that third championship in young love could not keep Malkin from falling into an emotional hole Nashville. There was the euphoric celebration, personal milestones when he, Crosby and other Penguins who played in those Olympics shattered, and so much more. To understand the dynamic of Crosby and returned to Pittsburgh. Malkin, though, is to watch Crosby during the ceremony that honored his As Malkin grew noticeably detached, Crosby considered talking to him on 1,000th game in February. several occasions but resisted because “how could anybody really know On one level, the ceremony had about it a touch of sadness. There were what it was like for G to go through that?” no fans to commemorate the evening; fans in Pittsburgh had to watch on Malkin himself says nobody could — but Crosby might be the closest. TV due to COVID-19, as did Crosby’s parents and sister. Crosby, usually Malkin’s experience at the Olympics in Russia, he said, was “probably, stoic in such situations, appeared to take the event in relative stride, like, every day for Sid — all the pressure and attention, you have to be standing beside Kathy while receiving gifts and adulation from his great all the time.” teammates.

When Crosby finally determined the time was right to talk with his friend And then, a video played. One by one, the biggest of names in hockey about the Sochi experience, Malkin says their conversation “was not congratulated Crosby. Finally, Malkin’s face appeared on the big screen about hockey, but life.” at PPG Paints Arena. The captain’s eyes welled. A powerful but quiet friendship was there, on display, for everyone to see. That conversation was not long. Nor was the one a few months later. This talk followed a turning point in their time with the Penguins, when a Once upon a time, in Tampa, their friendship wasn’t on display for the management and coaching shakeup was followed by a trade of their world to see. mutual friend, James Neal, in a move that did not sit well with Crosby or Rather, it was just those two. Crosby and Malkin. Sidney and Evgeni. Sid Malkin. Having failed to bring the Penguins back to a Stanley Cup Final and Geno. The two greatest athletes to grace Pittsburgh in a generation. after playing in two during their first three seasons together, Crosby and Two icons from very different places who, above all else, just decided to be friends. “I remember that day well,” Crosby said. “We knew what we had to do.”

That conversation they had at Amalie Arena, that moment in time when it was just the two of them sitting in an otherwise silent locker room, triggered everything.

Malkin may be the most decorated hockey player to come from Russia, and make no mistake, that means so much to him. Crosby was about to embark on a 12-month tour de force — 2016 Cup champ, 2016 Conn Smythe winner, 2016 World Cup of Hockey champion, 2016 World Cup of Hockey MVP, 2017 Cup champ, 2017 Conn Smythe winner — that would cement him as one of the five greatest players in history.

They had already accomplished much before May 24, 2016.

“We just wanted more,” Crosby said. “We still do, too.”

Their friendship stronger than ever, Crosby and Malkin teamed up and lifted the Penguins to great heights that season. And the next one. And maybe more winning remains.

The duo that bonded because of a ravenous desire to win realized something along the way.

“I hope we win more,” Crosby said. “That’s always the goal. But no matter what, he’s my friend for life.”

The Athletic LOADED: 05.14.2021 1212705 Pittsburgh Penguins chances actually favoured the Islanders, but Pittsburgh was able to convert at its normal rate while the Islanders struggled the other way. A 5.7 percent shooting percentage won’t cut it and the team’s recent shooting luck doesn’t leave much room for optimism that things will 2021 NHL playoff preview: Penguins vs. Islanders change.

The Penguins had the complete opposite luck down the stretch, shooting the lights out with a 10.5 percent shooting percentage, which was more By Dom Luszczyszyn than enough to mask weaker goaltending the other way. They saw the May 13, 2021 same benefit on the power play with the league’s second-best goal rate. The Islanders won’t give them much in terms of chances, so converting and executing on the ones the team does get will be crucial. The Penguins have done well in that regard all season with just a 20th-ranked Winning the division should mean smooth sailing in the first round. Every expected goals for rate, but they’ll need to keep it going against a stingy other top seed is heavily favoured in its opening-round series. Not here. Islanders team. The East Division is a gauntlet where four very strong teams all have relatively equal claims to represent the division in the final four. There are That’s even harder when considering one of New York’s biggest no easy matchups here. strengths is goaltending, which always has the potential to drastically alter a series trajectory. Pittsburgh found a way to solve it pretty easily The Penguins and Islanders are no strangers to each other, having during the season series, but that doesn’t make it a guarantee come squared off in the playoffs in 2019 — a series Pittsburgh very much playoff time. wants to forget. This series will be about getting even after being embarrassed two years ago, a series Pittsburgh probably felt it should’ve Roster breakdown won on paper. Matchup adjustment takes into account each player’s Game Score The Islanders have continued building up their program since, becoming against this specific opponent as well as his Game Score over the last six stronger and stronger under coach Barry Trotz’s tutelage. They reached weeks. The numbers may be slightly skewed as a result of ice-time the conference finals last season on the back of strong defensive hockey allocation. and have only improved their game since. Analytically, it’s the strongest the team has looked under Trotz. Semyon Varlamov is the great equalizer in this series with goaltending being the Islanders’ largest advantage. Varlamov had a decent first Though the Islanders enter the series as underdogs — deservedly so as season with the Isles, earning a .914 save percentage while saving 1.5 the fourth seed — it’s in one of the closest series of the first round. goals above expected and he took an even larger step in his second season. He elevated his save percentage to a .929 for the season and Series odds finished sixth in goals saved above expected with 8.8. The Islanders’ Matchup adjustment takes into account each player’s Game Score defence made things easy for him as he ended up leading the league in against this specific opponent as well as his Game Score over the last six goals saved above average at 21.7 (meaning the Islanders’ defence weeks. deserves credit for 13 of those goals saved), but he still did his part.

The series would be even closer if not for the matchup and recency Varlamov was a top-five starter this season and is the main reason this adjustment made. The two teams actually played each other fairly evenly series should be a close one, but his status for the start of the series this season, but the edge still goes to Pittsburgh overall. More does carry some uncertainty. He left the final game of the season in the importantly, the Islanders fell into a bit of a lull down the stretch and it’s second period and didn’t return. If he’s not ready that could spell trouble that recency effect that likely plays a larger role in the adjustment. It gives in this series as Ilya Sorokin is a sizeable downgrade from Varlamov, the Penguins an almost three percentage point boost. completely nullifying the team’s goaltending advantage. Sorokin’s value is equal to Tristan Jarry’s, a 2.7-win difference in this series that In the grand scheme of things, there’s not much difference between a drastically tips the scales in Pittsburgh’s favour. The Penguins’ chances 57/43 split and a 54/46 split. This series is still a relative coin-flip, or as would improve by nearly eight percentage points if that were the case. close as you’ll get to one in a first round full of mismatches. They’d also improve by a fair bit if they went with the better goalie of their Both teams have their strengths that they can lean on and it’ll be a matter own. Pittsburgh seems to have loyalty to a fault with its anointed starter of which team can impose it more consistently over a seven-game series. and it arguably helped cost them a qualifying round series win last year, Season stats starting Matt Murray over Jarry. Again, it looks like the team will opt for the statistically worse goalie in this series with Jarry over Casey When it comes to this series, it’s fair to think offence for Pittsburgh and DeSmith, who had the better save percentage, goals saved above defence for New York. Same as ever really, and that’s how both teams expected and goals saved above average rates this season. It’s worth found their strength this year. At five-on-five the Penguins were sixth in acknowledging that there may be data issues when it comes to grading goals for while the Islanders were third in goals against. It’s what drove both goalies, though, as Evolving Hockey’s model suggests there’s a both teams to be side-by-side in the goals percentage rankings, right wide chasm in shot quality faced between the two (a weird thing for two around 56 percent each. The Penguins didn’t generate a ton of chances goalies on the same team), crediting DeSmith for much more goals according to public metrics, but they have the shooting talent to override saved above expected as a result. Regardless, even by goals saved that. The Islanders were all about sacrificing quantity for quality, too. On above average, DeSmith comes out ahead. special teams, the Penguins were fourth at generating goals with the man advantage while the Islanders were fifth at preventing goals on the The Islanders will have a bit more help insulating their goalies thanks to penalty kill. their stingy defence corps and sound defensive system. The Islanders were third in the league this season in expected shooting percentage But thinking that both teams only specialize in one facet of the game against at five-on-five at 7.3 percent. Unsurprisingly, that’s led by the does each a disservice. Pittsburgh can play defence. New York can team’s excellent top pairing of Ryan Pulock and Adam Pelech, one of the attack. Their weaknesses may be real on special teams where both are league’s very best shutdown pairs. Among defenders that played over bottom 10, but at five-on-five both were right around the top 10 in goals 500 minutes this year, the duo ranks 15th and fifth respectively in thanks to their ability to drive quality chances. Each team has its expected shooting percentage against. They really do limit quality strengths, yes, but they can hold their own the other way too. chances.

Unfortunately for the Islanders, their scoring ability completely dried up Pulock and Pelech may not look the part of No. 1 defenders because down the stretch and it’s what caused a precipitous decline in the neither scores many points, but the duo has been incredibly valuable. standings to the fourth seed. At one point they were fighting for first, but Together, they had a 61.6 percent expected goals rate this season, the having the third-worst shooting percentage at five-on-five over the final third-highest of any pair that played 200 minutes or more. They have a six weeks was far from ideal. similar goal rate too, and that’s all while playing against the opposing team’s best. As a result, the duo ranked seventh and ninth in GSVA, That’s a worrisome problem to have against the Penguins based on the respectively, among defencemen this season thanks to their ability to season series as execution was the main difference between the two drive play in tough minutes. That’s despite scoring 31 points combined. teams head-to-head this year. The shot attempts were even and the Getting anything by that duo is generally very difficult, but Pittsburgh was the fold, this would be a coin flip and his absence has been heavily felt able to crack the code a bit during the season series. Pulock’s expected for the Islanders so far. His injury was extremely disheartening to see goals percentage was still positive, but the 53.5 percent rate was well given how well the Islanders were playing up until that point and the team below his season average and he was outscored 6-4. just hasn’t been the same since. The Islanders were 17-6-4 when Lee played his final game, a 115-point pace. They went 15-11-3 since, a 93- For the Islanders to win the series, the top pair needs to be at its point pace. Lee isn’t a 10-win player, obviously, but it was abundantly absolute best. That was the key to victory in last year’s playoffs where clear how much his presence was missed. The Islanders were fourth in the duo was similarly impenetrable en route to the conference finals. It expected goals percentage before his injury at 55.7 percent and dropped remains especially true here because the team’s other two pairs aren’t three percentage points since. much to write home about which could be a problem against a deep Penguins team. While the rest of the Islanders’ forward group looks strong, there’s a massive Lee-sized hold on the top line that’s extremely difficult to ignore. The Islanders have been fairly rigid with their pairings all season and Right now it’s filled by Leo Komarov who has looked shockingly while the top pair has been excellent, the bottom two have looked a lot competent next to Mathew Barzal and Jordan Eberle, but that likely has closer to average. Nick Leddy and Scott Mayfield have a decent 52 more to do with the Barzal and Eberle than Komarov. The trio has a 61 percent expected goals rate together while the third pairing with Andy percent expected goals rate together which could pose major problems Greene and Noah Dobson is a shade under breakeven at 49 percent. It for whichever line it matches up against — if it holds. I’m a bit dubious of essentially means that when the top pair is off the ice, the Islanders are that given Komarov’s track record. pretty close to an average team, which may not fly against the Penguins. Barzal took a major step forward this season in terms of his play-driving In contrast, the Penguins defence seems to have the opposite problem. ability, posting a 59 percent expected goals rate as the Islanders The team’s bottom two pairs are both solid at around 53 percent when generally put out his line with the top pair. The five-man unit does an playing together, but the usually strong top pairing of Kris Letang and excellent job of controlling play and Barzal is the focal point of that. Brian Dumoulin has been out-chanced for the season. The duo has Though the Penguins outscored the Islanders with Barzal on the ice in earned great actual results regardless, likely thanks to the forward talent the season series, his line controlled the puck heavily with a 63 percent they play with, but it is an alarming trend given the structured game their expected goals rate. He’s an elite five-on-five player that can bring the opponents play. Letang offers enough offensive upside to counter the puck up ice better than almost anyone and make incredible passing plays play-driving issue with 45 points in 55 games and he remains an in the offensive zone. In previous seasons he had a tendency to default excellent power-play quarterback. Still, it does feel like the Penguins are towards low-to-high passes, but was one of the league leaders in high a bit vulnerable if their top pair can’t control play. Letang’s puck-moving danger passing this season. At five-on-five, Barzal scored 2.51 points per ability on the breakout has taken a step back this year, which is likely part 60, good for 29th in the league. of the issue. Barzal played at a 3.1-win rate this season, which would be good enough That hasn’t mattered much for most of the season and part of the reason to be considered elite despite only scoring at a 67-point pace. He’s not for that is public expected goals models might be underrating Pittsburgh there by projected GSVA mostly due to priors (where he was closer to this season — the Capitals effect if you will. That may explain the two wins), low ice time for a top line centre and the power play. That’s a massive difference between actual and expected goals for the team, and real problem for the Islanders and while it’s not on him completely, we’ll see if it holds up during the postseason. scoring just 3.5 points per 60 with the man advantage isn’t doing his One of the more shocking developments of the season for Pittsburgh value any favours. was the Mike Matheson and Cody Ceci pairing actually working. That’s the major difference in valuation between the top lines as Sometimes two wrongs make a right and the duo somehow managed a Pittsburgh is led by three terrific players who excel with the man 53 percent expected goals rate together, playing strongly enough to be advantage. That and the model’s skepticism that Komarov can keep up the team’s actual second pair in minutes. Ceci’s game fell off a bit when his suspiciously strong play to date on the top line. Matheson went down with an injury, but together they seem to click. Pittsburgh’s track record with rehabilitating sub-replacement level The depth otherwise is pretty comparable, a result of Evgeni Malkin not defenders into competent ones remains unrivalled and utterly quite looking like himself this year. Malkin started off really slow and inexplicable. never really found his footing even after coming back from injury. He finished the season with 28 points in 33 games, but more alarmingly was Overall, the Islanders’ defence group holds the edge, but it may be one of the team’s worst play-drivers, ahead of only three players who will narrower than expected in terms of total value due to the start the playoffs in the press box and linemate Jason Zucker. The two uncharacteristically strong play of Pittsburgh’s third pair and the offensive just have not meshed well at all and that leaves the second line upside Letang brings to the table. The Islanders don’t have a player that vulnerable unless they figure things out quickly. Zucker’s claim to fame can contribute offensively from the back end the way Letang can, the one was his forechecking ability which led to strong play-driving impacts, but glaring flaw in an otherwise strong defence corps. that hasn’t manifested this year in his first full season as a Penguin. He It’s no surprise that goaltending and defence are in New York’s favour, was projected to be worth roughly 1.5 wins — a solid second liner — but forwards generally drive the most value for a team and that’s where when he was acquired but hasn’t lived up to that expectation at all in Pittsburgh holds a hefty advantage. Pittsburgh. He scored at a 39-point pace this season.

That’s almost entirely due to Pittsburgh’s top line which, again, should While Zucker hasn’t fit well, speedy winger Kasperi Kapanen has, not come as a surprise. Sidney Crosby once again put the team on his surprisingly scoring 30 points in 40 games this season. He’s strong off back and carried it further than it perhaps had any right to be. He was the rush and that lifts the second line to stronger results, though I’m not one of just a few Penguins regulars with a positive expected goals sure I trust any line earning 59 percent of the goals on 43 percent of the percentage this year and saw the Penguins earn 57 percent of the goals expected goals. when he was on the ice. Of course, with Crosby, it’s all about his The Islanders’ second line on the other hand has crushed their minutes production and he scored 62 points in 55 games, a 92-point pace that led when playing together. The trio of Brock Nelson, Anthony Beauvillier and the team (though his 1.84 points per 60 at five-on-five was much farther Josh Bailey might be one of the league’s most underrated lines and like down the list). His linemates Jake Guentzel and Bryan Rust were right the top line, was able to massively control play this season. They too had behind him, finishing second and third among forwards with 57 and 42 an expected goals percentage north of 60 percent for the season, giving points respectively. All three had over 20 goals this season and the Islanders two such lines that have the ability to own the puck and performed well against the Islanders in the season series. In eight games control the most dangerous areas of the ice. Crosby had nine points, Rust had eight and Guentzel had seven. The trio is also key cogs in Pittsburgh’s top-five power play. That’s difficult to match up against and the Islanders’ third line has potential too with three very capable middle-six talents. Jean-Gabriel The Penguins will go as far as that top line takes them as their collective Pageau hasn’t driven play as prolifically as he did in last year’s playoffs, value is the entire difference between the two clubs. The Islanders don’t though, and that may be an issue when thinking about matchups. He has have a Crosby on the other side — they don’t even have a full top line one of the lowest expected goals rates on the team and is below 50 themselves. percent. Against Pittsburgh this year he’s closer to 40 percent. The There are two wins of value separating Pittsburgh and New York, a addition of Kyle Palmieri hasn’t worked out as expected either as he isn’t difference that would be completely covered by Anders Lee. With him in producing nor is he tilting the ice. Palmieri has a 48 percent expected goals rate as an Islander and just four points in 17 games. Interestingly, this particular trio with rookie Oliver Wahlstrom does have good underlying numbers, but it’s only in 50 minutes together.

Pittsburgh’s third line might just be its black ace in this series. Jared McCann has been the team’s secret weapon all season, scoring 2.4 points per 60 at five-on-five and leading the team with a 56 percent expected goals rate. He stepped in beautifully as the team’s second-line center when Malkin went down with an injury. He’s a luxury on the third line, but has the flexibility to move up into the top six if need be. McCann has looked really strong with deadline acquisition Jeff Carter as the former King has found new life as a Penguin. Carter looked close to cooked last season but has been rejuvenated on a contender scoring nine goals and 11 points in 14 games as a Penguin to go with some strong on-ice numbers at five-on-five. He’s providing a major impact.

The Islanders vaunted fourth line always deserves some discussion and they’re once again chugging along with a 55 percent expected goals rate for the year. They’re legitimately good, but the Best Fourth Line in Hockey might have to go the group on the other side given all their priors. A lot rides on Brandon Tanev being healthy enough to play, though, as he’s an important member of the team’s bottom-six and a strong play- driver since arriving in Pittsburgh.

The Islanders have a lot more forward depth than they’re given credit for, but the Penguins still have them beat there. Couple that with the star power of the top line and Malkin and Pittsburgh’s forward group might just be the difference in this series.

The bottom line

This is going to be a battle, it always is between these two. Both teams have opposing strengths they will lean on and it’ll be interesting to see whether offence or defence prevails.

The Penguins and Islanders have been trending in opposite directions over the final month of the season and New York will have to get itself in check quickly. Though offence has not been a weakness for much of the season for the Islanders, it’s been very difficult to come by of late, and if that continues this series might not be as competitive as it should be.

The Islanders are a team built for the gruelling grind of the playoffs, though — they’ll be ready for this series and it wouldn’t be surprising to see them at their best here. They were an elite scoring chance team all season and Pittsburgh will have its hands full dealing with New York’s frustrating brand of hockey. That should make this series a close one, one that should go the distance.

In the end, the edge belongs to the Penguins. They’re the more talented team on paper, but that distinction hasn’t stopped the Islanders before.

The Athletic LOADED: 05.14.2021 1212706 Pittsburgh Penguins

Game 1, Sunday at Noon; Penguins 2021 NHL Round One Schedule Set

Published 17 hours ago on May 13, 2021

By Dan Kingerski

The Pittsburgh Penguins will begin their chase for the 2021 Stanley Cup on Sunday at noon. After some delay, the NHL released the schedule late Thursday morning.

The Penguins will host the New York Islanders in the best-of-seven game series. The Penguins are the top seed in the MassMutual East Division, and the Islanders slid into the playoffs as the East Division fourth seed.

The Penguins finished their season with a 1-0 victory over the Buffalo Sabres and received help when the Philadelphia Flyers took the Washington Capitals to overtime later that night. The Penguins clinched the East Division and celebrated by receiving their second COVID vaccination shots on Saturday evening.

Starting with Game 2, home games in Round One at PPG Paints Arena will be operating at 50% capacity under the new COVID-19 guidelines that go into effect on May 17th. Tickets to home games 2 and 5 go on sale Friday at 10:00 AM.

Fans are also encouraged to review the ‘Know Before You Go‘ checklist available on the team’s website before attending a game

Additional Notes from the team release:

The Penguins will wear their “Pittsburgh Gold” jerseys for home playoff games, and all fans in attendance will receive a gold rally towel.

All Penguins season ticket holders will be receiving “Paint the Town Gold” masks in the mail, courtesy of PPG. Fans can also pick up complimentary “Paint the Town Gold” t-shirts at local PPG retail locations, while supplies last.

Penguins playoff yard signs are also available for free at area DICK’S Sporting Goods locations, on a first-come, first-served basis while supplies last.

Pittsburgh Hockey NowLOADED: 05.14.2021 1212707 Pittsburgh Penguins Then it was almost down to two. When the organization and Evgeni Malkin stared into the abyss and

considered moving on from each other in the summer of 2019, insiders PENGUINSIs it the Last Ride for the Penguins Championship Core? told PHN that Sidney Crosby bridged the gaps between the coach, management, and player. The saga renewed Malkin’s Penguins career. His 74 points (25-49-74) in 55 games last season stood as a testament.

Published 20 hours ago on May 13, 2021 The Penguins big three want to retire as Pittsburgh Penguins. They’ve been through everything together. The Stanley Cups, the failures, and By Dan Kingerski the parades have inexorably linked Crosby, Malkin, and Letang.

Keeping the big three together has been the firmly stated goal of the To all good things, there comes an end. Through serendipity, a little bad organization, even if they’ve waffled occassionally. But sports and luck which brought new players to the fore, and good decision-making, economic realities rarely cooperate in the 21st-century salary cap era. the Pittsburgh Penguins have another legitimate, real, and tangible shot The Penguins are nearing the end of their championship window. Many, at the Stanley Cup. They won the East Division despite being crushed by including this scribe, thought it closed with a loud slam after a dreadful injuries, and one can only imagine how good a healthy roster can be. playoff exit last August to the 24th, and lowest, seeded Montreal Their Round One playoff series against the New York Islanders doesn’t Canadiens. That loss followed an embarrassing four-game sweep in yet have a start date, but that’s no matter. These Penguins have another 2019 by the New York Islanders. real shot at championship glory. Sidney Crosby, Evgeni Malkin, and Kris But new players like Kasperi Kapanen, Mike Matheson, Cody Ceci, and Letang also have a shot at becoming the most decorated core since the greatly improved goaltending courtesy of Tristan Jarry, plus newly 1980s Edmonton Oilers. acquired Jeff Carter, have seemingly kicked open the door of possibilities It may also be their last shot. again.

But that’s not something the players can or should think about. Nothing Unless they haven’t. good comes from worrying about the consequences of failure. Two straight pathetic playoff losses are not a foundation on which the “No, we don’t really talk about it. I think it’s enough when you have to status quo can rest. A third would almost necessarily spell the end of the prepare and get ready to start. So we’re excited, and we’ve been greatest salary cap dynasty in the NHL. No team has won more Stanley fortunate enough to have a lot of playoff games together, important Cups, and the Penguins are the winningest regular-season team (704 ones,” Crosby said. “So I think you try to cherish every opportunity and wins since 2005-06). make the most of it…you’ve just got to take advantage of the No team has had more success. opportunities when you get them. And we have one. So we’ll look to do something with it.” And so the Pittsburgh Penguins are again staring up at the Mt. Everest challenge that is the NHL playoffs. Just getting to the playoffs is Base There is a lot of history with the Penguins core. Camp 1. A majority of pundits didn’t think they had the ability to get here, Crosby was the youngest captain to ever hoise the Stanley Cup. At just but for the 15th consecutive season, they have. 21-years-old, “Sid the Kid” and his compadres not yet old enough to rent And they’re a solid favorite to advance past the struggling New York a car blazed through the NHL on a mission, which the Pittsburgh Islanders to Round Two against either the Boston Bruins or Washington Penguins achieved in June 2009. There were supposed to be many more Capitals. Cups, but failure and drama followed. The Penguins have new management. After Jim Rutherford bolted in The Crosby concussion drama lasted nearly two seasons from 2011- January, the organization turned to Ron Hextall as the new GM and Brian 2013. The hockey world wondered if they lost the face of the game. Burke as the President of Hockey Operations. Kris Letang struggled in the playoffs early in his career, but the 2005 New management often likes to make changes. Burke especially has a third-round pick became one of the premier defensemen and had a 2020- sweet tooth for heavy players with mean streaks. Surely, there is 21 season worthy of some Norris Trophy votes. additional pressure on Sullivan and the crew? Young Evgeni Malkin was a bull in the postseason and earned the Conn “I don’t think so. We put enough pressure on ourselves to win. We’re Smyth in 2009. He carried the Penguins last season when Crosby was trying to live up to our own expectations. And so that hasn’t changed, and out. that’s been the same way every year that I’ve been here,” Sullivan Seems like a lifetime ago, doesn’t it? rebutted PHN’s question. “And, you know, we have high expectations, and we’re going to do everything within our power to have success. But I Three All-Stars. Future Hall of Famers. Talent that defined an don’t think because circumstances have changed at the management organization and a hockey generation. They are the last three still level that it changes the expectations in the (room).” standing from a powerhouse team built through the draft and shrewd trades that carried the organization from the Mario Lemieux era to the If there is another playoff flameout, surely the new management will have Sidney Crosby era. a mandate from Penguins ownership to make changes to ensure the Penguins future is built around mid-20s players such as Jake Guentzel, The trio said goodbye to their brothers in arms. 2006 second-overall pick Bryan Rust, Jared McCann, Kapanen, John Marino, Matheson, and Jordan Staal wanted a bigger role on a new team in 2012. Colby Jarry. Armstrong was trade bait for Marian Hossa in 2008. Pascal Dupuis eventually succumbed to health problems in 2015-16. In the seasons And Sidney Crosby. following the 2009 Stanley Cup, Brooks Orpik, Rob Scuderi, and Max Actually, even amongst the mid-20s players, the only Pittsburgh Talbot left via free agency. Penguins player who would be safe is indeed Sidney Crosby. For a while, it seemed the organization imploded, and regret would be With a good playoff run, perhaps they convince the new management to the lasting legacy. keep the group together until the end. Allow the heroes of the story to Current head coach Mike Sullivan breathed new life into the remaining ride off into the sunset together. core with his commanding presence and steely determination, which But as Butch and Sundance proved, that isn’t always how the story ends. again ignited Crosby. Two more Stanley Cups in 2016 and 2017 The Penguins control their own destiny. If they win multiple series this followed. year, they’ll make a strong case to stay together. However, thoughts of “More Cups!” were immediately followed by But, if they suffer another embarrassing loss, the greatest trio in the NHL disappointment. since Gretzky-Messier-Coffey might never see another day in the same And then there were three. Crosby. Malkin. Letang. sweater. That’s the way it works. Maybe someday, we’ll learn when Game 1 will be played.

Pittsburgh Hockey Now LOADED: 05.14.2021 1212708 Pittsburgh Penguins TSN: Not that it matters much in Pittsburgh, but TSN’s Draft rankings are out and Craig Button says it’s defenseman heavy.

Women’s Hockey remains a fascination of “new world values” vs. Dan’s Daily: NYR Coaching Search, Penguins-Islanders “economic realities.” If or when I’m ever able, I’d surely bring a franchise Breakdowns/News to Pittsburgh. But the economics of women’s hockey is still iffy, at best. The players want to be fairly compensated like professional athletes who devote their lives to the game. The league says…sure, but with what money? So, the top players boycott the league. They have to get on the Published 22 hours ago on May 13, 2021 same page so that they can go to the NHL for support. It’s critical for By Dan Kingerski survival.

Sportsnet: The NHL might support a women’s hockey league IF the two factions, the NWHL (the league) and the PWHPA (the players union), The New York Rangers house cleaning continued on Wednesday as come together and submit a proposal. coach David Quinn, and most assistants got the ax. There are a few names that are reportedly already on the top of the Rangers list. We If you’re interested in the schism in women’s hockey, here’s a synopsis. broke down the Pittsburgh Penguins and New York Islanders coming For the rest of the playoffs, the Daily will be a collage of Pittsburgh Round One series, which STILL doesn’t have a start date. There’s news Penguins news, Opponent news, and the rest of hockey. on Jonathan Toews’s return, women’s hockey, and the National Hockey Now network.

Seriously, NHL, it’s Thursday. Can we get a schedule, please? Pittsburgh Hockey Now LOADED: 05.14.2021 For what it’s worth, NBC has two unfilled game slots at noon and 3 p.m. on Sunday. Also, the Penguins can have DOUBLE the number of fans on Monday. No, I would not be surprised if someone made a few discrete phone calls to push the Penguins Game 1 to Monday–that’s a lot of money in a season full of lost revenues.

And no one likes the noon slot for a regular-season or playoff game. NO ONE.

Pittsburgh Hockey Now: The full analysis–The Pittsburgh Penguins vs. the New York Islanders and the four key points on which the series hinges.

This isn’t 2019, for sure.

PHN+: Coverage from the Penguins practice facility in Cranberry, including some video from the scrimmage and an update on Evgeni Malkin

**We appreciate all of the new subscribers! We’re the homegrown sports outlet taking on the Silicon Valley giant burning through tens of millions of dollars (“Burn rate”). Your support means everything.

NYI Hockey Now: Goalie Semyon Varlamov missed practice again. Trotz says it’s no worry.

Uh-huh. Sure. Your starting goalie and your star center aren’t yet ready for the series. In the words of Alfred E. Newman, “What, me worry?”

It is playoff time (I should give free subscriptions for anyone who gets that reference above. I won’t, but I should!).

NHL.com: Brian Hedger did his best Pittsburgh Penguins vs. New York Islanders series breakdown, too.

NY Post: New Rangers GM Chris Drury (who was thought to be on the Pittsburgh Penguins shortlist in January) fired coach David Quinn and most of the staff on Wednesday. Here’s more on that, and the early coaching favorite, Gerard Gallant, expected to get an interview posthaste.

Buffalo News: Mike Harrington swats at the soap opera. Jack Eichel wants experimntal surgey. Team says no. GM Says Eichel has NOT requested a trade. Like sands through the hour glass, these are the Days of Our Lives…craziness in Buffalo.

Boston Hockey Now: Bruins GM Don Sweeney wants to get something done with Taylor Hall. They’ve been a great match so far.

Florida Hockey Now: This could impact the Penguins series — George Richards is hearing Florida vs. Tampa Bay will start Sunday night.

Vegas Hockey Now: Vegas steamrolled the San Jose Sharks, 6-0. Marc- Andre Fleury was fantastic and got the shutout, his NINTH straight win.

To win the Honda West Division, Vegas needs the LA Kings to beat the Colorado Avalanche tonight. Fleury has done his part, eh?

Colorado Hockey Now: The Avs have a shot at the President’s Trophy too–but can backup goalie Jonas Johansson win the finale? 1212709 San Jose Sharks forward Rudolfs Balcers will not play for Latvia and goalie Josef Korenar will not play for the Czech Republic. Korenar will stay with the Barracuda as it begins the AHL playoffs.

Bob Boughner believes associate coach will be an NHL bench boss soon INJURY UPDATES: Boughner said defenseman Radim Simek had an oblique strain as he sat out the final 10 games of the regular season.

“Every time he turned and every time he tried to make a play on his By CURTIS PASHELKA | [email protected] | Bay backhand or hit a guy, it was a spiking pain,” Boughner said of Simek, Area News Group adding that the Czech Republic-born defenseman will not require surgery this offseason. PUBLISHED: May 13, 2021 at 3:03 p.m. | UPDATED: May 13, 2021 at 3:42 p.m. Boughner said forward Matt Nieto missed the Sharks’ final 28 games with a hip flexor issue, which impacted his skating.

“His game is speed and explosion and explosiveness out of the gates SAN JOSE – Sharks coach Bob Boughner figures it is only a matter of with his legs,” Boughner said, “and I think he just couldn’t push through time before Rocky Thompson is running his own bench. that.” Thompson, who just finished his first season as the Sharks’ associate coach, could be sought after this spring as a handful of NHL teams look to fill head coaching vacancies. The Arizona Coyotes, who just parted San Jose Mercury News: LOADED: 05.14.2021 ways with Rich Tocchet after four seasons, are rumored to be interested in speaking with Thompson.

Sharks general manager Doug Wilson would not say Wednesday whether other teams have requested permission to interview Thompson, who was a head coach from 2017 to 2020 with the , the Vegas Golden Knights’ former AHL affiliate before he came to San Jose.

Boughner said he had not heard if other NHL teams have asked the Sharks about Thompson, who worked with the Sharks’ defensemen this season and coordinated the team’s power play.

“I believe he’s going to be a great head coach,” Boughner said of Thompson. “Even though he does a great job as an assistant, you can tell he’s got that pedigree of being a head guy, and that’s something that’s going to happen at some point.”

Boughner was in Thompson’s spot from 2015 to 2017 as an assistant with the Sharks on Pete DeBoer’s staff before he landed the Florida Panthers’ head coaching job.

“I don’t want to lose him,” Boughner said of Thompson. “We’re just getting started as a staff, but that’s the way our businesses is, and obviously, I would support that if he got an opportunity somewhere because he deserves it.”

Thompson and assistant coach John Madden were officially hired by Boughner in September. Among the biggest positives for the Sharks this season was the emergence of Mario Ferraro and Nikolai Knyzhov as top- four defensemen. For the majority of the season, Ferraro played alongside Brent Burns and Knyzhov was partnered with Erik Karlsson.

The Sharks’ power play, though, struggled for most of the season and finished at 14.1 percent for the year, 29th out of 31 teams.

“I put that on all of us,” Boughner said of himself, Thompson and Madden. “There’s not a day that goes by that all three of us don’t sit there and share ideas and adjustments and changes. So that’s something that’s got to improve.”

Thompson played professionally for 10 seasons, mainly in the AHL, before he served as an assistant coach with the Edmonton Oil Kings of the WHL from 2007 to 2010.

Thompson then became an assistant for Oklahoma City of the AHL for four seasons from 2010 to 2014 and spent one year as an assistant with the Edmonton Oilers.

Besides the Coyotes, NHL teams with open head coaching positions include the New York Rangers, Buffalo Sabres, Columbus Blue Jackets, and Seattle Kraken.

WORLD STAGE: Ferraro was excited about playing for Team Canada at the IIHF World Championships, which begin later this month in Riga, Latvia. It’s the first time Ferraro will play for his home country, as he’ll be Sharks’ lone representative on the Canadian team.

“Any time you get to represent your country, it’s a special thing,” Ferraro said. “It’ll be a great opportunity. I’m looking forward to competing against some of the guys on this team. It’s going to be a cool experience.”

Other Sharks participating in the tournament include Alexander Barabanov for Russia, Timo Meier for Switzerland, and Ryan Donato, Sasha Chmelevski, and Kevin Labanc for the United States. Per reports, 1212710 San Jose Sharks “That would just be part of the process, the journey,” Marleau said. Before Wednesday’s game, Marleau was presented with two gifts.

One was the stick used by Howe in his 1,767th and final NHL game on Patrick Marleau answers the big retirement question after Sharks’ season April 6, 1980, which was given by the NHL Players’ Association at the comes to an end request of the Howe family. The stick had been on display in the Hockey Hall of Fame in Toronto and will be replaced by a stick used by Marleau on April 19. By CURTIS PASHELKA | [email protected] | Bay Area News Group “I was blown away, I was speechless,” Marleau said. “The more I think about it, it’s crazy that they gifted that to me. Just very thankful and PUBLISHED: May 13, 2021 at 11:40 a.m. | UPDATED: May 13, 2021 at appreciative of the gift, but also the meaning behind it. Still kind of 3:22 p.m. speechless. It’s very special.”

Sharks players also presented Marleau with a custom painting by Lucasfilm and Disney Master Artist Kevin-John, which is of him and SAN JOSE – Patrick Marleau is not planning his retirement party just yet. Howe. Marleau said Thursday that he wants to keep playing next season, which After Wednesday’s game, before he left the ice, Marleau gave one final would be his 24th in the NHL, as he wants to rebound from what he felt salute this season to the fans that were in attendance. was a disappointing year from both a personal and team standpoint. “It was just me thanking the fans,” Marleau said. “The last few weeks Marleau had just nine points in 56 games in 2021, averaging over 13 here with breaking the record, the outpouring of support I’ve received — minutes per game as he was used in a variety of forward roles by Sharks not just breaking the record but throughout the season. coach Bob Boughner. He has 1,197 points, including 566 goals, in 1,779 career NHL games. “The game’s not the same without fans in the building. Everybody can see that, everybody can feel that. They make the game so much better, “It was a tough, tough season,” Marleau said. “With everything, with so much more fun to be a part of. We missed them all year long. But it’ll COVID, personally my play, I was not happy with my play or with the be nice to get back to somewhat normal, whatever that looks like, and results I got this year. There are some pretty sleepless nights with that have fans in the stands. They drive this game.” but looking forward to a rebound season next year.”

The Sharks played their final regular-season game Wednesday, losing 6- 0 to the Vegas Golden Knights at SAP Center. The Sharks finished the San Jose Mercury News: LOADED: 05.14.2021 season with a 21-28-7 record and in seventh place in the West Division, missing the playoffs for the second consecutive year.

Marleau said he played with a high-ankle sprain over the final eight games of the season, as well as a sore groin.

The injuries, though, were not going to be enough to halt his consecutive games played streak, which is now at 910 games, fourth-longest in NHL history behind Doug Jarvis (964), Keith Yandle (922) and (914). Yandle is still active.

“I feel like I still have a lot to give out there, a lot more than what happened this year for myself personally and points-wise,” Marleau said. “I’m eager to have a really good season and get back to playing the way I’m used to.”

Marleau, 41, played his 1,768th career NHL game on April 19, passing to become the league’s all-time leader in games played.

“I’m not one bit surprised,” he wants to keep going, Sharks defenseman Mario Ferraro, 22, said. “He has a passion that’s unmatched. The record he just broke, we know the special icon he is, he’s just a legend who shows passion like none other.

“He’s been playing in this league since before I was born. It’s pretty crazy. He’s unbelievable. That’s something we can all look up to, for me myself, especially. I’m not surprised.”

General manager Doug Wilson said Wednesday he was glad that Marleau had the opportunity to become the NHL’s leader in games played with the Sharks, but did not offer any guarantees that he would re- sign him for next season. Wilson and Marleau had not talked about next season as of early Thursday morning.

“I’m extremely proud that we were able to celebrate what he accomplished this year in a Sharks uniform,” Wilson said. “He is an iconic player and what he accomplished, I don’t think he’s even understood the enormity of what he’s done, breaking Gordie Howe’s record.”

Marleau was signed in October by Wilson and the Sharks to a one-year deal worth the NHL minimum salary of $700,000.

“There will be time for us to have those conversations,” Wilson said of sitting down with Marleau. “We are resetting. Where we’re going — going forward — is predicated on a lot of the younger guys getting the opportunities they’ve got this year.”

Marleau, 41, reiterated that his priority is to win the Stanley Cup, which has eluded him since he entered the league in 1997. He said he would open to playing elsewhere to get another opportunity at winning the Cup. 1212711 San Jose Sharks Karlsson finished with just 22 points and his points per game were barely more than half his career average. He has not played like the two-time Norris Trophy winner he was in Ottawa before being traded to the Sharks and signing a deal worth $11.5 million annually. Sharks miss playoffs for second straight season Karlsson will be 31 next season and Wilson said he believes he can regain his form with a strong offseason.

JOSH DUBOW, MARLEAU’S MILESTONE

AP Sports Writer The highlight of the season for San Jose came on April 19 when Patrick Marleau broke Gordie Howe’s NHL games played record. That provided May 13, 2021 an opportunity to celebrate a player who became a face of the franchise Updated: May 13, 2021 2:21 p.m. during more than two decades in San Jose.

Marleau wants to keep going next season at age 42 but after only nine points in 56 games, it’s uncertain whether the Sharks will give him that SAN JOSE, Calif. (AP) — Missing the playoffs in back-to-back seasons opportunity. for the first time in more than two decades hasn't altered the course San Jose Sharks general manager Doug Wilson wants to take. “I feel like I still have a lot to give out there, a lot more than what happened this year for myself personally and points-wise,” Marleau said. Wilson said there's no need to tear down and rebuild a franchise that was a perennial contender for most of the previous 15 years. He believes a EVALUATING EVANDER few key moves could get the Sharks back to that level next season when Evander Kane was the best player on the Sharks this season with 22 they try to avoid their first three-year stretch ever without a playoff berth. goals in 56 games despite going through a bankruptcy. Kane and the “I expect this to be a very good hockey team,” Wilson said. “I expect a Sharks reportedly told a bankruptcy court they were considering voiding team every year to compete for the playoffs. If we add the right things, the final four years of his contract. Wilson said he expects Kane back players get back in their cycle, they’re able to do that. I think we’ll be a next season. very good team next year. I really do.” "That is his personal choice how he handles that,” Wilson said. “I know The Sharks haven't been very good since making it to the Western he loves being here, he knows how supported he is, and for him to play Conference Final in 2019. They finished last in the Western Conference the way that he’s played is his appreciation for the support that he’s last season and took only small steps forward this season when they received from all of us in the organization.” finished near the bottom of the West Division with 49 points in the first full season under coach Bob Boughner. San Francisco Chronicle LOADED: 05.14.2021 Despite a season that started with training camp in Arizona and the first 12 games on the road because of COVID-19 restrictions in San Jose, the Sharks managed to get into playoff contention with a four-game winning streak from March 29-April 3.

The season that went off the rails with nine losses in 10 games, including four on a five-game homestand against bottom dwellers Anaheim and Los Angeles.

San Jose Sharks head coach Bob Boughner waves goaltender Martin Jones off the ice late in the third period of an NHL hockey game against the Colorado Avalanche, Friday, April 30, 2021, in Denver.

“These past years have been very difficult to take. It's not fun losing,” captain Logan Couture said. “Disappointing but I think it should give us some motivation going into next year. We all know we need to be better to a man in that dressing room.”

Wilson said the priorities this offseason will be improving on goaltending that has been among the league's worst the past few seasons with Martin Jones handling the bulk of the load and adding a third-line center to take pressure off Couture and Tomas Hertl.

BETWEEN THE PIPES

San Jose struggled to get consistent goalie play, finishing in the bottom three in save percentage for a third straight season. Jones finished with a save percentage of .896 for a third straight season as he has been unable to get back to the level of play he had his first three seasons in San Jose. He was pulled early eight times in 34 starts.

The Sharks could choose to buy out the final three years on Jones' contract with some veterans expected to be available before the expansion draft. Josef Korenar and Alexei Melnichuk also got some playing time late in the season and could be in the mix.

“We need quality goaltending to be successful in this league,” Wilson said. "We will explore all avenues to make that happen.

DEFICIENT DEFENSE

The Sharks spent nearly one-third of their salary cap on veteran defensemen Erik Karlsson, Brent Burns and Marc-Edouard Vlasic with little payoff this season.

Burns’ 0.52 points per game were his lowest since his first season in San Jose in 2011-12 and Vlasic struggled early and was dropped to the third pair. 1212712 San Jose Sharks

Marleau gets amazing gift from Howe's family to honor record

MAY 13, 2021

BY MARCUS WHITE

SHARKS ordie Howe's family gave Patrick Marleau a heck of a gift to commemorate the Sharks icon passing the late legend on the NHL's games-played list.G

The NHL Players Association this week presented Marleau with a stick from Gordie Howe's 1,767th and final NHL game. That stick was in the Hockey Hall of Fame, and it will be replaced by one of Marleau's from his record-setting 1,768th NHL game.

Howe's family requested the stick be taken out of the Hall of Fame in Toronto and gifted to Marleau.

"Mr. Shark" also received a painting of himself alongside "Mr. Hockey," a custom piece created by Disney and Lucasfilm master artist Kevin John.

The Howes have been supportive of Marleau breaking Gordie's record. , Gordie's son and a 16-year NHL veteran himself, said last month that his father would be happy Marleau broke his record.

"Obviously, Patrick Marleau has to have an incredible passion for the game," Howe told Bay Area News Group's Curtis Pashelka last month. "He's been blessed with good health for the majority of his career, but you can't achieve this goal unless you absolutely love what you're doing and like my dad, have a passion for what you're doing. Kudos to him for that."

Marleau played in his 1,779th -- and, possibly, his final -- NHL game Wednesday, as the Sharks lost 6-0 to the rival Vegas Golden Knights. The 41-year-old has said he hopes to return for another season, but he and the Sharks have not discussed a new contract.

If Wednesday was his last game at SAP Center, Sharks fans sent Marleau off with a fitting tribute. The franchise's all-time leading scorer skated for one last lap around the ice as the fans applauded.

Whether or not lap was Marleau's skate into the sunset, his career will always be remembered in San Jose.

Comcast SportsNet.com LOADED: 05.14.2021 1212713 San Jose Sharks What it comes down to me is, if you look at the analytics, is D-Zone Time Against and in the system that we play. It’s funny, you look at Boston, you look at the Islanders, you look at these teams that you know, are great defensively. But they’re not great in the analytics department of Exit Interview: Boughner on What Went Right, Wrong for Sharks how much time they spend in their end, and it’s just their system, but they defend very, very well.

So whatever system that we’re talking about, we have to have the ability Published 6 hours ago on May 13, 2021 to kill more plays. When we do [that], we got to break out cleaner. We got By Sheng Peng to cut down on the giveaways in the D-zone on our exits. That’s what really got us this year.

Yes, there were goaltending issues, we all know that. But if I look at the Bob Boughner’s headed back to Canada. season as a snapshot, just talking about offense and defense, that’s where we sit. “I’m going to spend some time with the kids,” the San Jose Sharks head coach said in his exit interview today. “I haven’t seen my kids in six Boughner, on how the San Jose Sharks’ power play can improve: months, and it’s probably the longest stretch of my life not seeing my children.” One is the faceoffs. Starting with the puck.

But of course, he won’t be staying there: There’s every indication that We were okay as an entry team. We didn’t have a lot of issues breaking he’ll back for his second full season behind the San Jose bench. in and setting up.

“I’m going to be back and forth this summer,” he shared, “getting work There’s a couple things that are glaring for me. Our net front presence done in preparation for next year.” isn’t good enough. No matter who we tried there. The best power plays in the league have that that guy standing in a goalie’s eyes. Boughner, as he so often was this season, was a picture of candor – considering his seat — in his exit interview. He shared his thoughts about Our shooting mentality is not good enough. You should be able to what worked this year for the San Jose Sharks, how the struggling power generate multiple chances on your power play. Sometimes, when you’re play can get better, the role that analytics plays in his assessment of the out there for 30-40 seconds, moving it around, not getting a shot, I think team, and how he can improve as a coach next year. we need to filter more pucks to the net, not necessarily to try picking a corner, it’s to get pucks there, so we can collapse and we can outnumber He also talked about the rumors that the Arizona Coyotes want to at the net. I thought for the most part of the season, we got a little too interview associate coach Rocky Thompson for their head coaching picky on our shot selection. And when we did shoot, we didn’t have position and some injury updates. enough traffic at the net.

Bob Boughner, on the positives from this season: There’s also, and we’re going to dive deeper into it, unforced errors. There’s lots of times where we’d lose the draw, we go down, we get in We’ve implemented four or five guys, which I feel will be full-time NHL and enter, we get set up, they have a little pressure on us, and instead of players — already are. I’m just thinking of the names that I think have making the easy play, you try and thread it to somebody. That really made strides and have established themselves. I think Gambrell being breaks your momentum. one of the guys that was a question mark coming in. Knyzhov obviously having a rookie season like he did. The pickup of Balcers, that was a Boughner, on how the San Jose Sharks’ team defense can improve: great pickup for us, he’s gonna really help us next year. Barabanov was signed, nice trade for us. Well, we made an adjustment after game 10 in our D-zone, we were giving up too much time, and we still did, but we improved a lot. Man-on- Then you got the Gregors and the Leonards and guys like that. I don’t man situations up top, we did a better job of identifying, it was a little bit want to miss anybody out the list. But those are the guys that come to of a mess there for the first 10 games. mind that. After last season, we weren’t talking about any of those names. We gave our goalie more support in front of him, our goaltending numbers improved there in that [amount of time]. Boughner, on the San Jose Sharks’ above-average 5-on-5 play, and if they just need a better power play and goaltending to get over the hump: I just thought that we played fast. That’s one of the things I said before the season that I wanted to do is really make sure that we’re a fast team Off the top of my head analytically, we changed some systems at the to play against. beginning of the year. My No. 1 focus was to create some more offense, be an offensive-minded team. We achieved that. I’ve already commented on the offensive improvements. That’s just a direct correlation of transitioning fast, putting pucks behind people if you When you look at the analytics, you almost have to take out games one don’t have a play, and where we really excelled — one of the areas that to 10, and games 46 to 56. We know what happened here in the last few we talked about all season — was attacking from below the tops of the weeks in playing a young lineup. Young goalies and everything else. circles and creating that triangle and quick strike mentalities and inner slot chances, those kind of things, instead of always bumping it back to First 10 games, I know every team’s the same, but a team like us with a our D and looking for the long shot and the tip. I thought we really lot of new faces, a lot of young guys, it was a pre-season for us. attacked teams from below the tops of circle. That’s one thing that we’ll We sit here today and we’re Expected Goals For in the league 10th continue to do. That’s not going to change. overall of 31 teams. We’re third in the Honda division behind Vegas and I also thought that on our entries, we create a lot of offense from getting Colorado. the puck past the half ice, what we call our money line, where you’re The systems that we put in obviously worked. Inner Slot Chances, we’re transferring the puck from one side of the ice to the other and attacking fourth in the National Hockey League. Those are expected goals for. So that way instead of always having the puck on the one side. We did some we’re getting the chances — obviously, some nights are better than good things in that department. others burying our chances. Boughner, on some of the team’s injuries: Power play absolutely has to improve. That’s not only on the players, [Simek] was an oblique strain, every time he turned, every time he tried that’s on the coaching staff, and we have to find a way to get the right to make a play on his backhand or hit a guy, it was a spiking pain. Cooch guys in the right positions and get the looks that we’re looking for there. was banged up, multiple lower-body things, but nothing that needs fixing That’s, a huge part of our improvement in the off-season. I think or anything in the summer. Barabanov will help that. Nieto was a lower-body, more of a hip flexor kind of issue. His game is On the flip side, taking games one to 10. And the last 10 away speed and explosion, explosiveness out of the gates with his legs. He defensively, we weren’t a very good breakout team this year. We gave up just couldn’t push through that. too many chances. Marcus [Sorensen], at one point had, I believe it was upper-body. I think it was something close to what a couple other guys dealt with, Timo missed games for an oblique strain. I think Marcus was a little bit of that Everybody knows he’s got a great offensive skill-set. He can help you as well. from the top of circles down. I think it’s the other part of the game that he struggles with from time to time. Everybody’s going to be back and healthy for sure in September. As the season went on, guys get worn down and they slow down a bit. Boughner, on how he’s gone from a player in the non-analytics era to a coach who embraces them: It was a matter of him being able to stick to the details, help us out that way. Originally when they came onto the scene, there was a lot of resistance from guys that have been in the game a long time. But the one thing about Ryan, he can help any team because of his offense. He’s good in front of the net on the power play. He’s a guy that We used to do it here when I was assistant coach with Pete. We didn’t loves coming to the rink, he’s a great teammate, and all those things. dive into it as deep as we are today. But we had the areas that we wanted to focus on. We just got to get the details of his game just a little better. When you’re playing against top-end players, if you want to be a top-six guy, you gotta Now, it’s an amazing tool. I still say [though], analytics are helpful and be responsible in all areas of the ice, and that’s sort of what we talked they assist, but it’s got to pass the eye test first. about.

When we watch a game, what I’ll do in the morning, we look at the analytics from the night before in the game, we get a report on our desk in the morning, we go through that. We see what’s green, which is great, San Jose Hockey NowLOADED: 05.14.2021 what’s red, what needs work from the night before. And then we watch the video after that, make sure it passes the eye test before I’m going to go in and just throw numbers around. Because some of it can be deceiving.

There’s a lot of analytics, you really got to decipher out what you need and what you don’t need and what makes sense, what doesn’t make sense.

There’s a lot of things we look at, but you have to still make sure that you’re using common sense, that the analytics match up with what you see.

Boughner, on Arizona wanting to interview Rocky Thompson for their head coaching job:

I’ve heard the rumors, but I haven’t got a call personally. I’m not sure Doug has.

I believe he’s going to be a great head coach. He’s actually got a mind right now, even though he does a great job as an assistant, you can tell he’s got that pedigree of being a head guy. That’s something that’s going to happen at some point.

I don’t want to lose him. I think we’re just getting started as a staff. But that’s the way our business is, and obviously, I would support that if you got an opportunity somewhere because he deserves it.

Boughner, on how he can improve as a head coach next year:

This year, the mandate was get in here, develop, give opportunities to younger players, fix the room a little bit and the culture, make sure we’re playing as a team.

We had bumps in the road, it was a little bit of a roller coaster, but I think at the end of the day, you know, we talked during the season about playing as a team, sticking up for each other, and those kinds of things, all that stuff got better.

I think moving forward: Just holding a hard line and holding guys accountable. There’s times this year where we made our decision and held guys accountable.

That’s an area, I think any coach would say it’s a fine line. You want to hold everybody to the same standard, which we do, but that has to go for your best players as well. There can’t be any blurred lines there.

I think at times, because the situation we’re in and we’re fighting for every point, some guys might have got away with more than we wish for. But we were sort of at the mercy of trying to win important games at that time of year.

It’s not a problem at all. But that’s something, if you look in the mirror, and you say next year coming in, I think that day one, you gotta make sure everybody’s on the same page, they stay on the same page, and no one veers from that path.

I think that I have a real good relationship with all these players. I’m a player’s coach. But at the end of the day, obviously, we got to make sure that the job’s being done.

Boughner, on where Ryan Donato needs to improve to establish himself as a top forward in an NHL line-up: 1212714 San Jose Sharks

Kane Named Sharks Player of the Year, Here’s My Vote

Published 11 hours ago on May 13, 2021

By Sheng Peng

Here’s how I voted — we were asked to vote top-3 for San Jose Sharks Player of the Year and “Media Good Guy”, top-2 for Rookie of the Year.

Player of the Year (in this order): Evander Kane, Tomas Hertl, Brent Burns

Kane was the obvious choice here. Meanwhile, Hertl came back from an okay (but still productive) first half to enjoy a strong second half of the season. And while Burns’s offensive numbers weren’t quite there, I gave him a lot of credit for soaking up a lot of minutes and taking on more of a defensive role at the probable expense of his points (for example, look at his drop in Offensive Zone Faceoffs Per 60 at 5-on-5 compared to the DeBoer era).

Rookie of the Year: Nikolai Knyzhov, Alexander Barabanov

Again, Knyzhov was the obvious choice here as a rookie who played top- four defensive minutes and didn’t look completely overmatched doing it. Barabanov over John Leonard might be a little controversial, just based on games played in teal, but I would argue that Barabanov played as many high-impact games as a member of the San Jose Sharks (over just 9 appearances) as Leonard (in 44 games). That’s no knock on Leonard, who showed a ton of promise, but the older Barabanov has a lot more pro experience than Leonard, and it showed this year.

“Media Good Guy”: Logan Couture, Hertl, Erik Karlsson

Per the San Jose Sharks, this was the criteria for this honor: “The award is presented annually to the player who handles his media responsibilities with cooperation, honesty and thoughtfulness, and answers the bell no matter the outcome or situation.” For those of you who watch the press conferences, what are your thoughts?

San Jose Hockey Now LOADED: 05.14.2021 1212715 San Jose Sharks San Jose Hockey Now LOADED: 05.14.2021

Exit Interview: Marleau Wants to Come Back for His 24th NHL Season

Published 11 hours ago on May 13, 2021

By Sheng Peng

Patrick Marleau wants to return next year for his 24th NHL season.

Will Marleau, who turns 42 in September, be skating for the San Jose Sharks or another team? He’s looking to add to his 1,779 All-Time Games Played, an NHL record, and his 910 Consecutive Games Played streak. Doug Jarvis holds that record at 964 and Marleau is chasing that milestone with Keith Yandle (922) and Phil Kessel (900).

The impending UFA addressed some of this in this morning’s exit interview, touching on his struggles this year, if returning to San Jose is an option next season, and the injuries he overcame in the latter part of the year. Here are some of the highlights:

Patrick Marleau, on the NHLPA giving him the stick that Gordie Howe used in his last NHL game as a gift:

I was blown away. I’m speechless. The more I think about it, it’s crazy that they gifted that to me and just very thankful and appreciative of the gift, but also the meaning behind it. You’re still kind of speechless. It’s really special.

Marleau, on his season:

I was a very tough, tough season. With everything, with COVID. Personally, I was not happy with my play, with the results I got this year. There were some pretty sleepless nights with that. I’m looking forward to a rebound season next year.

Marleau, on whether or not he wants to come back for another NHL season:

Yeah, I think so. I feel like I still have a lot to give out there, a lot more than what happened this year for myself personally. Points wise. So yeah, I’m eager to have a really good season and get back to playing the way I’m used to.

Marleau, on if the San Jose Sharks are an option for him next year:

I haven’t been able to sit down with Doug yet. But that’s something we’ll discuss together.

Marleau, on if his priority goal when choosing his next team is to win a Stanley Cup:

That’s the ultimate goal. We’ll see how everything plays out. But yeah, that’s always the goal, to win a Stanley Cup.

Marleau, on if he’s open to leaving San Jose to chase a Cup:

Yeah. That would just be part of the process, the journey.

Marleau, on his late-season injuries:

The last eight or so games, I got a high ankle sprain. My groin was a little sore too. I had to numb my ankle for some of those games. I wasn’t at my best towards the end, but still able to get out there.

Marleau, on the possibility of seeing Joe Thornton win a Cup in Toronto:

Yeah, I think obviously our careers have been intertwined for a number of years. Right from our drafts. I would love to see Jumbo win. I wish him all the best things in playoffs.

Marleau, on how special is was to break Gordie Howe’s All-Time Games Played record in a San Jose Sharks uniform:

I think it was extremely special. Having played majority of my games here and we live here year-round. So it’s super special to be able to do it in the Sharks uniform, team that drafted me, team I played most of my career with, fans that I’ve played in front of for so many years. People in the community, friends, family, so it was extremely special and something I’ll be grateful for.

1212716 Seattle Kraken “My first maybe 10 years, when (the goalie) doesn’t have their stick on the ice and it was a shot through his legs, the puck was going in,” said Martin Brodeur, the leader in career games played, wins and shutouts and a three-time Stanley Cup champion. “I never thought twice, ‘It’s Beating the goalie: Top-shelf shots all the rage in the NHL going to hit something.’ (Now) that stick really doesn’t matter if it’s on the ice or not because the pad just molds to the ice perfectly all the time and

it seals up everything.” May 13, 2021 at 12:53 pm Updated May 13, 2021 at 2:49 pm Of course, not everything is sealed up. Toronto’s Auston Matthews By STEPHEN WHYNO surpassed 40 goals in a 56-game season during which 684 different players have scored at least once.

All at the same time goalies like Tampa Bay’s Andrei Vasilevskiy, Vegas’ The puck was on Leon Draisaitl’s stick for maybe one-tenth of a second Marc-Andre Fleury and the New York Islanders’ Semyon Varlamov are before the reigning NHL MVP fired it into the net from an absurd angle putting up save percentages of .925 or higher. As two-time playoff MVP between the unsuspecting goaltender’s glove hand and the post. The and Hall of Fame goalie Bernie Parent said, “There’s a lot of talent out dreaded short-side goal. there.”

“Sometimes you think there’s a better play to be made,” Draisaitl said. Size, too. Jim Rutherford knows he never could have played his 468 “I’m lucky that I made that decision that it went in.” games in the ‘70s and ’80s at 5-foot-8. As a GM, Rutherford drafted 6- foot-4 goalie Frederik Andersen, who is just one of many giants in net. Luck ain’t got nothin’ to do with it. Beating an NHL goaltender is an evolving cat-and-mouse game with shooters, who are more accurate Brian Boucher, now an NBC Sports analyst, was part of that generation than ever before at picking their spots and have the best sticks ever of growing goalies at 6-foot-2 when he made his NHL debut in 1999 and designed at their disposal. understands why the butterfly has become the overwhelming style with so many bigger goalies. The result in modern-day hockey is players lighting the lamp with wicked shots over the shoulders of goalies, who almost exclusively turn to the “You cover a lot more ice from your knees when you’re 6-foot-3 than if butterfly style of going to their knees to stop the puck, opening up holes you are standing up,” said Boucher, who played 371 games before high on the glove and stick sides. Yet despite all the league efforts to retiring in 2013. increase offense, goalies have adjusted to the point that scoring is at its lowest level in four seasons. Not a fan of wasting energy, Tom Barrasso once bristled at questions about shots hitting the post behind him and quipped, “What do you want “Goalies are evolving,” said Olaf Kolzig, who won the Vezina Trophy as me to do, stop the ones that are going wide, too?” Nah, it’s difficult the NHL’s best goaltender in 2000. “They try to keep taking things away enough for goalies to avoid getting beat by the pucks on net nowadays. and they keep adding things to the players — these composite sticks, the unlimited curves — and the goalies, to their credit, just keep finding a “The game is so much faster, the quality of shot is a lot greater, and the way to get the job done.” commitment of players defensively is a lot different than when we played, so I think their job is a lot harder than we had,” Brodeur said. “It’s a lot The Associated Press interviewed 14 retired goaltenders with at least more demanding than it used to be.” 100 games of NHL experience ranging from 1965-2020 about the evolution of the position and how equipment for goalies and skaters, video, specialized coaching and analytics have changed the ways goals Seattle Times LOADED: 05.14.2021 are scored.

One consensus? Watch any game now, and the puck is most likely to get sniped top corner.

“That’s been going on for way too long,” said Kelly Hrudey, who played 762 games from 1983-88 before becoming an analyst for Sportsnet in Canada. “Goals are scored high short-side now — it’s almost like an epidemic. In my opinion, they’re giving away free goals.”

High short-side is how Draisaitl beat Ottawa goaltender Marcus Hogberg with that shot from just above the goal line earlier this season. According to HockeyViz analytics, that shot in that particular situation had under a 5% probability of becoming a goal.

By contrast, a wrist shot from between the faceoff circles has roughly a 20% chance of going in, and goalies of yesteryear can see exactly where the puck is going now.

“Guys shooting high glove or low blocker is almost an automatic for them,” said Martin Biron, who played 531 games from 1995-2013 . “They come in in the slot, they don’t have time to think, they shoot it, they go high glove. Boom, they shoot it and they go low blocker.”

If goalies know that, why does the puck keep going in? It’s a matter of technique. Almost every kid growing up playing the position is taught the butterfly; standing up to make saves just doesn’t happen.

“We stood up, so we would get beat low,” said Ron Hextall, Pittsburgh’s general manager, who played 701 games from 1986-99. ”They get beat more up top because of the fact that they’re obviously going down.”

Until now, that data has only been kept internally team-by-team, though the NHL through a deal with Amazon Web Services plans to unveil shot and save analytics when the playoffs begin this weekend. That information will be able to show each goalie’s success — or lack thereof — making stick, blocker, glove or pad saves.

The butterfly style has revolutionized goaltending, with advances in equipment lending a helping hand. Five-hole goals — those that go in between a goalie’s legs — are rarer now than in decades past. 1212717 St Louis Blues this season with Nizhny Novgorod, and former Blue Tage Thompson, who will live on in St. Louis history for being part of the Ryan O’Reilly trade. Thompson had eight goals and six assists in 38 games for Buffalo this season, his most productive season in the NHL despite the limited Blues will open playoffs on Monday night vs. Avalanche number of games.

Tom Timmermann St Louis Post Dispatch LOADED: 05.14.2021

The Blues first-round playoff series with Colorado will, as usual, require some late nights.

None of the Blues’ first three games, the only ones that have set start times yet, will start before 8:30 p.m., and Game 2 on Wednesday will start at 9:30 p.m.

The Blues will start postseason play on Monday in Denver and then play every other day until the series is over. Game 1 will start at 9 p.m. First- round games will air on as well as nationally on the NBC networks. Game 1 is on NBCSN, Game 2 on CNBC and Game 3 on USA.

Start times for the remaining games won’t be determined until the NHL knows how many games they will have on that day and which NBC time slots they need to fill.

The Blues series will be the last of the six U.S.-based series to get underway, which is good for the Blues because they need all the recovery time they can get. (The two North Division series, consisting of Canadian teams, will start later as the league waits for a bunch of rescheduled games involving Vancouver to be completed.)

Sammy Blais returned to the lineup on Thursday, but Vladimir Tarasenko (lower body) and Vince Dunn (upper body) both remain out. Coach Craig Berube had been hopeful of getting them back into a game before the playoffs, but that won’t happen.

“Yes, there’s concern,” Berube said. “They’re improving, so hopefully they get to the level that is needed to perform in a playoff game. That’s important. … It’s a possibility they could be ready (for Game 1), but it’s still up in the air. ”

Also out of the lineup on Thursday was defenseman Colton Parayko, who Berube said was “banged up.” Jaden Schwartz was given the day off for rest. Steven Santini came in for Parayko. Tyler Bozak returned to the lineup after sitting out the game on Wednesday.

The NHL playoffs begin on Saturday, but thanks to the schedule, the Blues will have three more days to get healed up before the playoffs begin.

“We’ve got a few days, so we’ll see what happens in the meantime,” Berube said.

When Torey Krug scored his first goal with the Blues on Jan. 23, the fifth game of the season, he said afterward, “Hopefully this will be the first of many.”

But for a long time, it was his only goal. For the next 44 games, Krug went without a goal. The defenseman who averaged almost 10 goals per season while with Boston was stuck on one with the Blues.

On Wednesday night, he got goal No. 2, moving down through the slot to take a feed from Ryan O’Reilly and drive it home.

“It does (feel good),” he said. “Obviously, you want to help the team as much as you can. I hit a few posts this year (he’s tied for the team lead with four) and it wasn’t going in for me. I don’t think it really affected the mental side of the game for me, but it definitely feels good.”

“He could have five or six more goals this year,” coach Craig Berube said. “He’s had opportunities that haven’t went in, but he makes a lot of high-end plays with the puck, got a lot of assists … He’s done a lot of good things.”

Despite his limited goal total, Krug is the leading point-getter among Blues defensemen thanks to his 29 assists, tied with O’Reilly for second on the team, and is sixth overall in points.

World bound

The U.S. team for the world hockey championships, which begin May 22 in Latvia, will include St. Louisan Chris Wideman, who played in the KHL 1212718 St Louis Blues “A little bit, not only embarrassed about the first period,” Schenn said. “But the effort obviously wasn’t there. Kind of pretty relaxed. Chief came in the first intermission and said: ‘We’re not playing like that tonight.’”

Blues close regular season in style, tame Wild 7-3 “It was pretty obvious what was going on in the first period,” Perron said. “Like Hitch (Ken Hitchcock) used to say, we just threw our sticks on the ice and played.”

Jim Thomas So the intermission talk after the first period was about getting back to details, execution, respecting the game — and as important as anything

— not hanging goalie Jordan Binnington out to dry. The Blues have made it to the finish line, all 56 games. And that certainly “I think that matters,” Perron said. “It doesn’t matter if it’s exhibition.” didn’t seem likely back in January, February and even March, when all kinds of games were postponed for all sorts of reasons — mainly COVID- Or a playoff game. related. After their first-period slumber, the Blues hit the Wild with a four-goal But the regular season is history following Thursday’s 7-3 victory over the barrage over 8:47 in the second period to take the lead. Minnesota Wild at Enterprise Center. The Blues got two goals apiece from David Perron, Brayden Schenn and Jordan Kyrou to overcome a The previously-slumping Sanford got it started with his 10th goal of the listless start and a 3-0 deficit. season, but his first since April 9 to get the Blues on the board at the 5:16 mark of the second. Zach Sanford broke out of a prolonged slump to get the rally started. And Perron became the first Blue in nearly two decades to finish a season “It was nice to see him get rewarded … and spark the team, and scoring more than a point a game. ultimately spark us to a win,” Schenn said.

Now the real race begins. Against Colorado in the first round of the A couple of minutes later, Schenn made the Wild pay on the power play playoffs. Game 1 is Monday at Ball Arena in Denver. with his 15th goal of the season. Next up was Perron with a roof shot from the right circle to make it 3-3 with 8:27 left in the second. It gave “We know that they have a lot of talent over there,” captain Ryan O’Reilly Perron 56 points on 18 goals and 38 assists. said. “They work hard. But for us, it’s an exciting challenge. We’re gonna have some fun, and we’re gonna beat them.” Since this was the Blues’ 56th (and final) game of the regular season, it meant that Perron would be the team’s first point-per-game scorer over a The Blues will have a running start into the postseason, having finished season since Pavol Demitra during the 2002-03 campaign. Demitra had with a flourish despite a grueling closing stretch of 13 games in 22 days 93 points in 78 games that season. to end the regular season, with 10 of the 13 coming against playoff teams. “It is nice for sure,” Perron said. “It’s been in the back of my head for a bit. After a certain amount of games you don’t know how long you can The Blues crushed it, going 8-2-3 over those final 13 contests. sustain that.”

“You look at it before — the schedule — and I think everyone was aware He sustained it. Perron finished with 58 points in 56 games because he of the schedule and you’re all a little bit — I don’t know if scared’s the added an assist and another goal before the game ended. right word,” Perron said. “But just the amount of hockey, the amount of travel — going to LA, Vegas, all that stuff. Minnesota.

“And then all of a sudden, you show the record at the end of the year, we St Louis Post Dispatch LOADED: 05.14.2021 did the job. It was fun to go through that and we’re gonna have big battles here.”

That 13-in-22 stretch came on the heels of a 3-2 loss at Arizona on April 17, with the Blues squandering a 2-0 lead in what loomed as a showdown match at the time.

“It was a tough loss in Arizona,” coach Craig Berube said. “It was a big game and we didn’t really treat it like a big game. I’m not saying they didn’t have that mindset going into that game, but we didn’t play like it.

“And I think guys realized how well we had to play down the stretch here and come together and do things to get into the playoffs. Our backs were against the wall a little bit and the guys responded really well.”

As he has done since the Blues clinched a playoff berth last Friday in Vegas, Berube tinkered with his lineup Thursday — in part because of injuries and in part to rest some veterans.

Tyler Bozak returned to action after resting Wednesday. Sammy Blais was back after missing five games with an upper-body injury. But Jaden Schwartz and Colton Parayko were out, with Schwartz resting and Parayko “banged up” and “day-to-day” according to Berube.

Minnesota (35-16-5), with its third-place playoff slot sealed Wednesday night, also rested several regulars: Jonas Brodin, Kevin Fiala, Kirill Kaprizov, Jared Spurgeon and Mats Zuccarello.

Which meant this one had the feel of a late-in-the preseason game where you play many of the regulars but still are looking at some fringe players. Unfortunately for the Blues (27-20-9), they started the game with preseason-like intensity. In other words, not much intensity at all.

Minnesota scored twice in the first four minutes, six seconds on goals by Nico Sturm and Ryan Suter. With the period winding down, Marcus Foligno batted in a rebound for his 11th goal of the season and it was 3-0 Wild. At that point the only question was how badly would the Blues lose? 1212719 St Louis Blues

Blues open postseason Monday night

Jim Thomas

In today’s 10 a.m. video, columnist Ben Hochman dissects the Blues’ possible playoff opponents (Colorado? Vegas?), wishes Jeremy Maclin a happy birthday and, as always, chooses a random St. Louis Cards card from the hat. Ten Hochman is presented Monday-Friday by The Milliken Hand Rehabilitation Center.

The Blues don’t know who they’re facing in the first-round of the NHL playoffs, but they now know when they’re playing. Be prepared for some late-night hockey.

Whether the opponent is Colorado or Vegas, the Blues open at 9 p.m. Central on Monday on the road. They play Wednesday on the road, with a 9:30 p.m. start, then play Games 3 and 4 at Enterprise Center on Friday, May 21, and Sunday, May 23, in the best-of-seven series.

If Colorado wins its regular-season finale Thursday night against the Los Angeles Kings in regulation or overtime, the Blues play the Avalanche.

If Colorado loses its regular-season finale tonight in regulation or overtime, the Blues play the Golden Knights.

St Louis Post Dispatch LOADED: 05.14.2021 1212720 St Louis Blues

St. Louis Blues know when they’ll open the playoffs. Now, they wait on the who

BY GAREN VARTANIAN

MAY 13, 2021 12:00 PM

The St. Louis Blues will not find out their first round playoff opponent until Thursday night, but they do know when they’ll open the postseason.

Seeded 4th in the Western Division, the Blues kick off postseason action at 9 p.m. Monday, May 17, against either the Colorado Avalanche or the Vegas Golden Knights. If the Avalanche beat the Los Angeles Kings on Thursday night, the Blues will play Colorado in the first round. If the Avalanche fall to the Kings, the Blues will go against Vegas instead.

Puck drop for Game 1 of the best-of-seven series is 9 p.m. CST. Game 2 is scheduled for 9:30 p.m. Wednesday, May 19, before St. Louis returns home for Game 3 at 8:30 p.m. Friday, May 21. Game 4 is scheduled for Sunday, May 23, with the start time TBD.

The Blues, who won the Stanley Cup in 2019, take a 26-20-9 mark (61 points) into Thursday night’s regular season finale at home against Minnesota. Puck drop is 7 p.m.

Colorado enters Thursday’s final regular season game at 38-13-4 (80 points). Most recently, St. Louis won two of three games against the Avalanche, dropping a 4-2 decision April 22 before regrouping with a 5-3 win April 24 and a 4-1 verdict April 26.

Vegas, meanwhile, finished the regular season at 40-14-2 (82 points), including a 4-3 overtime win against St. Louis on May 7 and a 4-1 victory the following night.

Belleville News-Democrat LOADED: 05.14.2021 1212721 Tampa Bay Lightning group, we want to be the best and continue to do the best,” McDonagh said.

“We know it’s not going to be easy, you need a lot of things to go right, Lightning’s Victor Hedman back at practice, eyeing postseason return but our group is prepared to take on that stress and that challenge and understand that if we stick together, we stick to our system and our structure and play very disciplined, that gives us the best chance for good results.” By Eduardo A. Encina

Published Yesterday Tampa Bay Times LOADED: 05.14.2021 Updated Yesterday

BRANDON — As the Lightning returned to practice to prepare for their first-round playoff series against the Panthers, so did defenseman Victor Hedman, who was sidelined for the regular season’s past two games.

The Lightning mostly had their full arsenal of players practicing at the TGH Ice Plex. Hedman and defenseman Ryan McDonagh returned after missing Saturday and Monday’s games in Florida, and forward Ondrej Palat was back on the ice after a one-game absence.

Right wing Nikita Kucherov and captain Steven Stamkos also practiced — continuing to get work on the team’s first power-play unit — and are on path to return from long-term injured reserve when the postseason begins. The only major absence is forward Barclay Goodrow, who is out indefinitely with an upper-body injury.

As for Hedman, he wouldn’t discuss whether his injury was something new or if it’s been lingering. He also didn’t want to address a Sportsnet Hockey Night in Canada report saying that Hedman was injured in a March 30 game against Columbus, has been playing through it and will require surgery at the end of the season.

“I’m not gonna speculate into injuries at this time,” Hedman said. “We’ll progress and we’re still a few days away.

“Whoever is going to be on the ice has got to be ready to go and that’s the bottom line. This is a time of year when you put a lot of things aside and you just focus on the game that’s ahead of you.”

Hedman played all of the regular season’s first 54 games before missing Saturday’s game in Florida and the season finale against the Panthers.

He awkwardly went into the boards in that March 30 game against the Blue Jackets and needed help skating off, but returned to finish the game and was second on the team in ice time with 24:03.

Since that game, Hedman has been a different player. Before it, he had 33 points in 35 games and was plus-13 while averaging 25:28 of ice time. In the 19 games after March 30, Hedman has 12 points and is minus-8 with 24:16 of average ice time.

Last season, Hedman was injured during the Lightning’s final round-robin game in the bubble. He left that game, angrily slamming his stick on the railing repeatedly on his way to the dressing room. But he returned to lead the Lightning to the Cup, winning the Conn Smythe Trophy along the way.

Asked whether Kucherov and Stamkos will be ready to return when the first-round series starts Sunday night at the BB&T Center, Lightning coach Jon Cooper was optimistic.

“We’re hoping those guys are good to go,” Cooper said. “They’re looking good now, so signs are pointing for them to be in the lineup and we hope they will be.”

No taking it easy

There was a competitive energy around the TGH Ice Plex that could not be mistaken Thursday.

Not from the mostly full complement of roster players. And not from the taxi squad that practiced ahead of the official start, then later joined the main group’s two power play units on the other sheet for additional work.

As practice continued, the intensity increased. Players skated harder and played more aggressively in their first time on the ice since Monday’s 4-0 loss against the Panthers.

“We’ll see what happens come Game 1 (at Florida on Sunday), but there’s still guys that have something to prove to one another and in our 1212722 Tampa Bay Lightning

Lightning’s first-round playoff series set to start Sunday

By Eduardo A. Encina

Published Yesterday

Updated 3 hours ago

TAMPA — The Stanley Cup playoffs are upon us, and the Lightning will open their first-round playoff series against the Panthers on Sunday at the BB&T Center in Sunrise. This is the first time the teams have met in the playoffs.

In the schedule announced Thursday, the opener is Sunday at 7:30 p.m. with Game 2 Tuesday at 8 p.m. The series moves to Tampa for Games 3 and 4 on May 20 (6:30 p.m.) and May 22 (12:30 p.m.) at Amalie Arena.

The Lightning’s first four first-round games will be broadcast on Bally Sports Sun and can be streamed through the Bally Sports app or on ballysports.com with pay-TV-service authentication.

First-round games scheduled to be shown on NBC, NBCSN, CNBC or USA will be blacked out locally regardless of whether your service provider has Bally Sports Sun, which will be the case for Frontier cable subscribers and YouTube TV and Hulu streamers.

Beginning with the second round, NBC and its family of networks will broadcast games exclusively.

The Lightning are holding a drive-through pep rally from 9 a.m.-noon Saturday in the parking lot area of where the Sears store was at WestShore Plaza in Tampa, along West Shore Boulevard. Fans can grab playoff yard signs, get their cars decorated and receive other giveaways, including doughnuts from Dunkin’ and rally towels for the first 1,000 cars. There will be live music, and ThunderBug and the Blue Crew will be there.

Fans attending will be asked to stay in their vehicles.

There also are plans for watch parties at Amalie Arena for Sunday and Tuesday night’s Game 2, and fans without tickets for Games 3 and 4 at Amalie Arena will be able to watch outside in Thunder Alley. Details on those events, which will be ticketed, will come soon.

The Lightning are increasing the capacity of Amalie Arena to 37 percent, about 7,000 fans, for the first round. Tickets are being sold to season- ticket holders, then Lightning Insider email subscribers.

The Panthers will host just fewer than 50 percent capacity, which is about 9,000 to 10,000 fans.

Tampa Bay Times LOADED: 05.14.2021 1212723 Tampa Bay Lightning

2021 NHL Playoffs: Panthers vs. Lightning schedule, TV channel, games, scores, guide to the first-round series

By The Athletic NHL Staff

May 13, 2021

In this Central Division matchup, the No. 2 Florida Panthers will face the No. 3 Tampa Bay Lightning in the first round of the 2021 NHL Stanley Cup playoffs. To find out who has the advantage in the series, check out Dom Luszczyszyn’s series preview and Craig Custance’s Stanley Cup tiers.

Schedule/TV/Results

Game 1: at Florida, Sunday at 7:30 p.m. ET (NBCSN, SN)

Game 2: at Florida, Tuesday at 8 p.m. ET (CNBC, SNE)

Game 3: at Tampa, Thursday, May 20 at 6:30 p.m. ET (USA, FX-CA)

Game 4: at Tampa, Saturday, May 22 at 12:30 p.m. ET (CNBC, SNE)

Game 5*: at Florida, Monday, May 24 at TBD (TBD)

Game 6*: at Tampa, Wednesday, May 26 at TBD (TBD)

Game 7*: at Florida, Friday, May 28 at TBD (TBD)

(* – if necessary)

The Athletic LOADED: 05.14.2021 1212724 Tampa Bay Lightning Goodrow being out is definitely a big blow. The Coleman-Gourde- Goodrow trio was not only a difference-making line in last year’s playoffs but their most consistent combo this season (logging more than 400 minutes together). They had 60-percent of the expected goals 5-on-5 Projecting the Lightning’s lineup for Game 1 of the NHL playoffs when they were on the ice, according to Evolving-Hockey.

The initial prognosis on Goodrow was not good, but there should be more clarity in the coming days. By Joe Smith “It’s tough shoes to fill, he’s a very reliable player,” Coleman said. “He’s a May 13, 2021 great PKer. It’s going to be an adjustment working with a new partner. But it’s the same thing, next man up. I’m going to feel it the most since I play with him every time I’m on the ice. We just hope to get him back in The Lightning putting together an all-Black line of Mathieu Joseph, the room at some point.” Gemel Smith and Daniel Walcott for Monday’s season finale was historic, inspiring and one of the best stories of the season. The question is, how do you replace him? My sense is that rookie Ross Colton will get a shot on that line. He fits the identity with his speed, But it also was sparked out of necessity due to all the injuries the relentlessness on forecheck and toughness around the net. Cooper said defending Stanley Cup champions have been dealing with. Colton’s continued presence in the lineup shows how the staff feels about him and thinks the rookie has improved in all areas since his That’s going to change as Tampa Bay prepares for their first-round callup. The Lightning played the Gourde line primarily against the Stanley Cup playoff series against the Panthers, which is likely to start Panthers top line during the season, and I could see them putting this Sunday in Sunrise. This preview by our Dom Luszczyszyn is a must- group in that matchup again, when possible. It’d free up the Point and read. Cirelli lines. When the Lightning returns to practice Thursday, captain Steven “His speed, his skill set, it’s allowed him to contribute in this league,” said Stamkos is expected to be a full participant and back in the top-six; he assistant coach Jeff Halpern. “When guys are jumping from college to the practiced with the team last week. It also wouldn’t be surprising to see AHL to the NHL, your speed is good, but all those things that you’re used Nikita Kucherov, sidelined since late December hip surgery, back skating to getting away from, you have to see how it’s going to go at the next on the top line with Brayden Point and Ondrej Palat, who also missed level. For Ross, that part of his game has fit in well. The thing I like about Monday’s finale with an injury. him is I’ve seen him lose a puck or lose a battle and next thing you know, Now, the next few days will be important to see where Stamkos and he goes after a guy and tries to hit him and make up for it. I like the jam Kucherov are physically, as the team hasn’t had many full-contact in his game. When you have players that compete as hard as that, it practices in the past month or so with the condensed schedule. But I makes it an easy fit in the lineup.” believe that only Barclay Goodrow, who is out indefinitely with an upper- Maroon and Joseph have been staples on the fourth line, and it would body injury, has been ruled out for Game 1 against the Panthers. make sense to slot Johnson in here back in the middle, where he’s most Victor Hedman and Ryan McDonagh, who each missed the last two comfortable. The fourth line plays usually around 10 minutes or less per regular-season games, should be on the ice in coming days, too. game, but we’ve seen this year how much of an impact they can have. Johnson’s production has been down overall, but his underlying With the band getting back together, how will Tampa Bay’s lineup look for defensive numbers have been solid overall. Remember when fans were the playoffs? We took a shot with our best guess here. wondering if Cooper would sit Johnson once Kucherov and Stamkos Forward lines were back? Well, it’s not a bad option to have depth-wise to have Johnson in the lineup after the injury to Goodrow. I liked what Barré- Putting Kucherov back with Point and Palat — at least to start — makes Boulet brought to the team in his second callup, but Johnson has the sense considering how dominant they were during the team’s Stanley experience and trust from Cooper. You have Barré-Boulet, Mitchell Cup run last summer. Point and Palat were the two team leaders in Stephens and Gemel Smith as options to step in, too. points with 48 and 46, respectively. Kucherov’s replacement on the wing this year rotated between Stamkos, Tyler Johnson, Yanni Gourde and Defense pairings even Alex Barré-Boulet as of late. Extras: , Cal Foote, Ben Thomas, Fredrik Claesson.

But the chemistry between Kucherov and Point is undeniable, as is Victor Hedman’s health has been a major question, especially after Kucherov’s impact on the team’s No. 1 center. Kucherov’s presence Sportsnet’s Chris Johnston reported last week that Hedman will likely alone will open up ice for Point and ensure he doesn’t have to do a lion’s have to undergo surgery in the offseason for a lingering lower-body share of puck possessing as he did throughout the year. injury. I can confirm the accuracy of that, though I don’t believe it will “Point has had to have the puck so much, it’s really got to wear on him impact Hedman’s availability to start and play in the playoffs. There has emotionally and physically,” said Lightning color analyst Brian Engblom. been an admitted “lull” in Hedman’s play the final month, so dealing with “When Kuch is out there, it’s going to allow Point to create on a give and an injury does make sense. go, and he can dart in and out. It relieves a lot of stress off Point when With Hedman back, and Jan Rutta healthy, it makes sense to put the Kuch comes back. That’s invaluable.” parings like this. The reason? Chemistry. There’s a natural fit between The trio has chemistry already, having experience playing together the Hedman and Rutta, Ryan McDonagh and Erik Cernak. I do think Cernak past couple seasons. Splitting up Stamkos and Kucherov provides some has played well with Hedman in the top pair (they had a 56-percent Corsi balance on the top two lines with scoring threats, so the Panthers can’t percentage in over 200 minutes together). just send their top defense pair of Gustav Forsling and Mackenzie But with Rutta being Hedman’s main partner the past couple seasons, Weegar on both lines. he’s a good choice to roll with. It also allows the team’s main shutdown Stamkos has said he enjoys playing with Killorn and Cirelli, noting how pair, McDonagh and Cernak, to reunite. They’ve been getting the good they are on the forecheck and creating puck possession and space toughest assignments the past few seasons and no doubt will see a lot of for him. This also might open up some scoring opportunities for Cirelli, the Barkov line in this series. who finished the season on a 26-game goal drought. Cirelli isn’t known As for the third pair, Mikhail Sergachev will get a chance with deadline for his goal scoring, with the Selke Trophy-caliber player a shutdown addition David Savard. Savard has had a bit of a slow start in his first center primarily. But Cirelli has more offense in him than he’s shown, and month with the Lightning, which is partly to be expected considering the he’s created some quality looks recently, including hitting two posts in transition both on the ice and off (moving his wife and three kids down). one game. Coach Jon Cooper said an upper-body injury toward the He’s also coming from a system in Columbus where defensemen sagged middle of the season kind of took the momentum away from what was a to take away shots from the middle and now he’s in more of a gap hot start offensively for Cirelli. He scored some big goals in the Cup run system in Tampa, so that takes time. Savard’s true value will come in the last year (including the OT winner against the Islanders in the Eastern playoffs, and his stay-at-home style fits well with a roaming Sergachev. Conference final), and has delivered clutch goals in his past, so I wouldn’t put it past him. The Lightning also have some depth options in Luke Schenn, Cal Foote, Ben Thomas and Fredrik Claesson. Schenn has had a pretty solid season overall, with a 55.63 Corsi percentage in nearly 200 minutes on the third pair with Sergachev. Schenn has averaged just 10:45 of ice time in his 38 games this year, but his what-you-see-is-what-you-get predictability is something coaches can trust. Schenn provides a physical presence and can eliminate players in front of the net. He makes quick, decisive passes. This series could potentially be one where you see Tampa Bay go with 11 forwards and seven defensemen, but it depends on how Kucherov and Stamkos feel and play.

“Schenn knows exactly who he is,” Engblom said. “When he gets the puck, he’s very decisive. Nothing fancy. He’s hard to play against in the corner and pounds people really effectively in front of the net. He ties a guy up before the puck even comes there. He’s the classic keep the game simple kind of guy. He’s no dummy. He can’t get into footraces, but he will win his battles, work his angles. He plays a smart game.”

Goaltending

Andrei Vasilevskiy

Curtis McElhinney

Vasilevskiy has been the team’s MVP this season, and I made an argument that he should be on Hart Trophy ballots, too. He started all of last year’s playoff games and is expected to do the same this season, barring injuries. The last two games have been rough for Vasilevskiy and the Lightning, with the Vezina Trophy winner allowing a combined nine goals.

But Tampa Bay was also playing without their two top defensemen and several forwards. So it’s hard to get a read. The Panthers have been one of the few teams to have success against Vasilevskiy this season, so that’ll at least give them some confidence.

The Vasilevskiy-Sergei Bobrovsky matchup could be a difference-maker in the series.

The Athletic LOADED: 05.14.2021 1212725 Toronto Maple Leafs While other teams were able to rest their stars after clinching playoff berths, the Leafs’ salary cap situation didn’t allow them to. They have one extra skater — Adam Brooks — and one extra goalie — Dave Rittich — on the active roster for the game in Winnipeg. ‘Playing the right way.’ Maple Leafs want to finish the season strong — but also in one piece There is no way to activate Zach Hyman or Riley Nash off long-term injured reserve and stay compliant with the cap. Likewise, they can’t promote Rasmus Sandin, Timothy Liljegren, Denis Malgin or Nick Robertson from the minors. By Kevin McGran Staff Reporter Jack Campbell will start in net. There’s a good chance Brooks, being Thu., May 13, 2021 from Manitoba, will play, offering a chance for rest to another player.

“We don’t have the flexibility to be able to make sweeping changes and Captain is probably the best example of what the Maple sit multiple people,” Keefe said. “We’ve got to find a way to stay in it Leafs have been preaching: Do the right things, do them over and over mentally and to make sure that we don’t let our guard down. That’s when again, keep progressing and peak at the right time. bad things tend to happen with injuries and such. We’ve got to stay sharp through this next game. And then we can turn the page from there.” Tavares is doing just that. The Leafs still have things to play for. As the Leafs head into the pandemic-delayed season finale on Friday in Winnipeg — more worried about staying healthy than getting a win — Auston Matthews will be crowned the Rocket Richard Trophy winner for Tavares is one of the hottest players in the league. He has nine goals leading the league in goals. He has 41. McDavid is the closest pursuer, and 13 assists since April 4, tied for sixth best in the league. He has eight goals back with one game to go. failed to score in just two games over that stretch. William Nylander has an eight-game points streak on the line. “I know what I’m capable of and the contributions that I want to make and A win of any sort will put the Leafs in fourth in the overall standings, the role that I have, so I just keep plugging away,” Tavares said. “I’m behind Vegas, Colorado and Carolina. A single point means fifth, behind (trying to be) hard to play against in all three zones (and) productive in all Florida. A regulation loss means sixth, behind Pittsburgh. That matters those areas.” because, in the third round, teams will be seeded based on regular- Some believe it goes back to him changing the loft on his blade. He had season points. used the same loft since junior hockey until changing things up midway Vegas and Colorado are in the same division, so only one of them can through the season. Tavares isn’t so sure. make it. Ditto Carolina and Florida. Still, the fewer teams above the “At the end of the day, the stick can only do so much. I think the guy Leafs, the better their chances for home ice in the third round, should that’s using it has to go out there and play the game and make plays. I they make it that far. was just out playing around looking for something different, found something that I liked, and I just continue to play. I keep working on my game, keep building on it.” Toronto Star LOADED: 05.14.2021 While the Leafs travelled to Winnipeg on Thursday, the league announced the first two games of the playoffs against Montreal would be Thursday, May 20 and Saturday, May 22.

The idea for the Leafs — with one game to go — is to finish the season strong. But they also want to finish it in one piece.

“There’s so many things that can that can go into a playoff series and your health is the utmost when you start one,” forward Nick Foligno said. “You want to get in there healthy.

“But there’s also playing the right way. I’ve been on a couple teams where you limp into the playoffs, and you just don’t get that same jump that you need. So it’s going to be a focus of ours this last game to play the game the right way, whatever the outcome. Play that that style of hockey that we’re going to need to, and then build off that.”

So another effort kind of like Wednesday’s 4-3 overtime loss to Ottawa. The Leafs blocked 11 shots, two fewer than average. One of them had Mitch Marner wincing, and Leafs Nation along with him.

“That’s the biggest mental hurdle right now,” Leafs coach said. “You want the team to play well, the guys want to play well, They want to win the game.

“But our guys know what’s around the corner here and nobody wants to be going into it too banged up. So you’re a little shy on everything that you’re doing, and you’re just not quite into it mentally. But it’s a 56-game season — it was only Game 55 — so we just got to play the game.”

The good news is the Jets are in the exact same boat. They will finish third and face Edmonton in the first round. They don’t want to get hurt either. They’ll need all hands on deck to take on Connor McDavid and Co.

“I think there’s going to be a lot of puck movement, it will be a fast game, but I think you’ll find most guys running fairly short routes in terms of finishing checks,” Jets coach Paul Maurice said after practice Thursday. “There’s almost a gentleman’s agreement. I don’t think you’ll see any late hits. Both teams are getting ready for the playoffs.

“There will be a certain amount of respect on the ice. Play hard, play fast. There won’t have a lot of animosity because there’s not a lot on the line, other than both teams trying to get that good feeling.” 1212726 Toronto Maple Leafs

NHL releases playoff schedule for Maple Leafs-Canadiens series

Staff Report

By The Canadian Press

Thu., May 13, 2021

The Maple Leafs and the Montreal Canadiens will be the last teams to get going in the NHL playoffs.

The league released the schedule for the opening round Thursday, with Boston and Washington starting things off Saturday in their East Division series. The West and Central Divisions start Sunday.

But the all-Canadian North Division won’t begin until later in the week. Edmonton hosts Winnipeg on Wednesday and the Leafs, at last, are at home to the Canadiens on Thursday, opening the first playoff series between Canada’s Orginal Six teams since 1979.

The North Division is finishing its regular-season schedule later than the other divisions because of the COVID-19 outbreak that pushed back a number of Vancouver Canucks games. The Canucks and Calgary Flames, neither of whom are in the playoffs, wrap up their seasons with games Sunday, Tuesday and Wednesday.

Toronto Star LOADED: 05.14.2021 1212727 Toronto Maple Leafs Thornton, with eight points in his past nine games, isn’t the only member of his family to play for the Leafs.

First cousin Scott was a first- round pick in 1989, one of three Belleville Leafs unplugged power play a concern versus Habs Bulls taken by Toronto in that opening round, with Scott Pearson and Steve Bancroft.

Scott played the first 33 of an eventual 1,000-game NHL career in ‘90-91 Lance Hornby before being traded to Edmonton in the Grant Fuhr/Glenn Anderson deal. Joe says he exchanges texts with Scott often. Publishing date: May 13, 2021 “He was (a Leaf) a long, long time ago. He loves I’m wearing the blue

and white and still going.” Never mind any pre-mature talk of a Stanley Cup parade in Toronto. One LOOSE LEAFS power-play goal seemed enough cause to pop the corks on Wednesday. Matthews needs one goal on Friday for 200 as a Leaf to tie Charlie It was Toronto’s first in seven games and underlines a deeper problem Conacher for 13th in franchise history … Tavares on another Battle Of that has festered for two months with just six goals with an extra man in Ontario when the Sens gave Toronto everything it could handle: “They’re 71 tries. going to be a very good team, you can tell what’s coming” … Pending What began as a quirky stat is getting embarrassing. A first unit stacked Minnesota’s final game against St. Louis on Thursday night, the Leafs with the team’s four highest-paid snipers and the second group with might need a point or two on Friday for a fifth- place finish in league enough special teams’ chops to know better, have combined to sit 16th in standings for future playoff seeding. The Leafs entered the day tied for a 31-team league. fifth with Pittsburgh and Washington at 77 points, two up on the Wild, but all three could get ahead of Toronto on regulation victories … Veteran Wednesday’s lone goal on five tries against Ottawa was from Jake Nick Foligno had six of the Leafs’ 27 hits on Wednesday against the Muzzin, who was just holding the absent Rasmus Sandin’s place on the Senators. blue line of the second unit.

Since John Tavares and Zach Hyman scored in the same game on March 3, the next half dozen have come in dribs and drabs from Tavares, Toronto Sun LOADED: 05.14.2021 William Nylander and Muzzin, with three for Auston Matthews (though, in fairness, that includes time he played through a sore wrist). But running at less than 10% efficiency on the eve of the playoffs, with a division-high seven short-handed goals against, is reason to doubt No. 1-seeded Toronto simply sweeps Montreal aside starting next week.

“The first two (Wednesday power plays) we were a little bit disconnected,” Matthews said. “A bit too much waiting around. We have to simplify, just shoot the puck and get pucks to the net. That’s for all five of us. Simple is probably better right now, get it to the net, create some havoc.”

There are other issues, such as gaining the line, setting up, net-front presence and getting point shots through, be it Morgan Rielly, Sandin, Muzzin or whoever.

Coach Sheldon Keefe, who speaks for power-play assistant Manny Malhotra, has run the gamut when discussing its woes with the media, from critical to analytical to philosophical. A couple of times, he’s even shut discussion down. On Wednesday, he cited too much indecision by his top guns.

“If you go back and look at each of the power plays, our best players had the puck on their stick at different times and we just don’t make a play. We either give it right back to them or they take it from us. It was not a matter of structure tonight, it’s having it on your stick and making the appropriate play.

“We failed to do that with our first unit, but our second (Muzzin, Joe Thornton, Jason Spezza, Wayne Simmonds and Alex Kerfoot) scored a great goal.”

The Leafs didn’t practise anything on Thursday, travelling from Ottawa to Winnipeg for Friday’s last game of the regular season.

BE CAREFUL OUT THERE

Keefe tempered his general post-game comments on Wednesday after urging the Leafs to finish strong in their final two matches and finish as high in the league standings as possible.

He agreed that getting through the Ottawa game with no injuries and duplicating that on Friday versus the Jets might make the game too conservative , but it’s the safer route into next week.

“The biggest mental hurdle is guys want to play well and win the games,” Keefe said. “But our guys know what’s around the corner. Nobody wants to be going into it banged-up. So, you’re a little shy in what you’re doing and not quite into it mentally.

“But we can’t let our guard down. That’s when injuries happen. You have to stay sharp through (Friday) and then we can turn the page.”

THORNTON LEAF TREE 1212728 Toronto Maple Leafs

Toronto Maple Leafs NHL Hockey

Lance Hornby

Publishing date: May 13, 2021

Canadian hockey fans know the playoff stakes — now they know the dates.

The NHL has released the full schedule for the first round of the 2021 Stanley Cup tournament, and for the long awaited Toronto-Montreal series, the best of seven begins Thursday at 7:30 p.m. and Saturday at 7 p.m., both at Scotiabank Arena.

With the Leafs concluding their regular schedule on Friday against the Jets, that means they must keep themselves sharp over a five-day practice period. The Canadiens, who wrapped up on Wednesday, have to wait even longer.

The venue moves to the Bell Centre for Games 3 and 4, a back-to-back Monday and Tuesday, then, if necessary, a return to one day off between games alternating Thursday, Saturday and Monday.

Toronto-Montreal, a spring rematch overdue 42 years, is just one half of the all-Canadian North Division playoffs, with Winnipeg and Edmonton starting their series this Wednesday at Rogers Place, home of the Oilers.

Big TV ratings are anticipated across the country and even though the absence of fans in-house will take something away from the experience, social media has been buzzing since the Leafs and Habs were officially matched earlier this week.

“It will be fun,” said the Leafs’ Nick Foligno on Wednesday night. “That’s the one you dream about on Hockey Night in Canada, right? The tradition of the teams has long been (known) and to have the opportunity to play in a series like that, I’m looking forward to it.”

In 1993, Nick’s father, Mike, was on the Leafs when they lost Game 7 of the Western Conference final to Los Angeles that would’ve set up a Toronto-Montreal Cup final. The later went on to win the last Cup by a Canadian team.

This year’s first-place Leafs should be favourites, but the fourth-seeded Habs have not had their full lineup in recent weeks. It will be Toronto’s offence against the stingy Canadiens, with the big question whether veteran Carey Price can make it back from a concussion to tend goal for Montreal and how Leafs new No. 1 netminder Jack Campbell fares in his first NHL playoff series.

“They’re a good team,” Leafs league-leading scorer Auston Matthews said of the Canadiens. “They have a lot of structure defensively, they’re tough to get inside on, they have good goaltending and pretty solid depth through their lineup. Offence won’t be easy to come by.”

South of the border where the regular season wraps up Thursday, Boston opens at Washington on Saturday night among the other six series.

Toronto Sun LOADED: 05.14.2021 1212729 Toronto Maple Leafs

2021 NHL Playoffs: Maple Leafs vs. Canadiens schedule, TV channel, games, scores, guide to the first-round series

By The Athletic NHL Staff

May 13, 2021

In this North Division matchup, the No. 1 Toronto Maple Leafs will face the No. 4 Montreal Canadiens in the first round of the 2021 NHL Stanley Cup playoffs. To find out who has the advantage in the series, check out Craig Custance’s Stanley Cup tiers.

Schedule/TV/Results

Game 1: at Toronto, Thursday, May 20 at 7:30 p.m. ET (CBC, SN, TVAS, NHLN)

Game 2: at Toronto, Saturday, May 22 at 7 p.m. ET (CBC, SN, TVAS, CNBC)

Game 3: at Montreal, Monday, May 24 at TBD (TBD)

Game 4: at Montreal, Tuesday, May 25 at TBD (TBD)

Game 5*: at Toronto, Thursday, May 27 at TBD (TBD)

Game 6*: at Montreal, Saturday, May 29 at TBD (TBD)

Game 7*: at Toronto, Monday, May 31 at TBD (TBD)

The Athletic LOADED: 05.14.2021

1212730 Vegas Golden Knights

Silver Knights win Pacific Division title in inaugural season

By Ben Gotz Las Vegas Review-Journal

Henderson Silver Knights come together after a win against the Ontario Reign during an AHL hockey game at the Orleans Arena in Las Vegas, on Saturday, Feb. 6, 2021. (Erik Verduzco / Las Vegas Review-Journal) @Erik_Verduzco

The Henderson Silver Knights clinched the American Hockey League’s Pacific Division title in their first season Thursday with a 5-0 win over Bakersfield at Orleans Arena.

The championship means the Silver Knights will have home-ice advantage throughout the division playoffs. They will host a best-of-three semifinal series at Orleans Arena and would host the best-of-three final.

The Silver Knights copied the Golden Knights in winning their division in their inaugural season. They’re 25-12 with two games remaining.

“In this weird season with not a lot of things to really strive for, it’s been our main goal just to win this division in the regular season and get home ice for playoffs and set ourselves up for success,” defenseman Jimmy Schuldt said. “It feels good to accomplish something this year and do it together.”

The Silver Knights entered Thursday needing one win or three overtime or shootout losses to clinch the division in their final series against second-place Bakersfield.

Forwards Pavel Dorofeyev, Danny O’Regan, Jake Leschyshyn and Tomas Jurco, and defenseman Zack Hayes, scored. Goaltender Logan Thompson continued his stellar season by winning for the 16th time in 23 games and posting his second shutout.

The Silver Knights’ final two regular-season games are Saturday and Sunday against Bakersfield at Orleans Arena.

“First and foremost, really proud of our team, the guys,” coach Manny Viveiros said. “Obviously, a difficult season. I thought our guys played exceptionally well.”

LAS VEGAS REVIEW JOURNAL LOADED: 05.14.2021 1212731 Vegas Golden Knights “The Wild, they’ve always been a good team at home,” right wing Reilly Smith said May 5. “Throughout my entire career, they’ve always been a tough team to play here in Minnesota. Sometimes you just need a gritty game against them here because it seems like a lot of the time it’s two Golden Knights to play Wild in first round of playoffs different teams when you’re playing them at home or on the road.”

LAS VEGAS REVIEW JOURNAL LOADED: 05.14.2021 By Ben Gotz Las Vegas Review-Journal

The Golden Knights had 40 wins in 56 games, posted the NHL’s second- best points percentage and gave up the fewest goals in the league this season.

But it wasn’t enough to even finish first in their division. The Knights finished second in the West after Colorado closed its regular season by defeating the Los Angeles Kings 5-1 on Thursday and winning the Presidents’ Trophy.

The Knights finished with the same number of points as the Avalanche (82) but lost the regulation wins tiebreaker 35-30.

The result means the Knights will play the third-place Minnesota Wild in the first round of the NHL playoffs. The best-of-seven series begins at noon Sunday at T-Mobile Arena. The game will be nationally televised on KSNV-3.

The teams will be meeting in the postseason for the first time. They have played plenty of times in the regular season, and the results haven’t been great for the Knights.

The Knights were 3-4-1 against the Wild this season, their worst record against any opponent. Only one of those wins came in regulation. They’re 5-10-1 against Minnesota all time, their third-worst record against an NHL team. The Knights have only fared worse against Columbus (2- 4-0) and Boston (1-4-1).

Those struggles have been magnified in Minnesota. The Knights at 2-6-0 all time at Xcel Energy Center and have never won there in regulation.

“There’s always teams that you have matchup issues with,” coach Pete DeBoer said after a May 3 loss in Minnesota. “Sometimes it’s not even the rosters, or the way they play isn’t a mismatch. It’s just a team is in another team’s head mentally, and, for us, you’ve got to fight through that. And I’m confident we will. Every time we go in here and play another game, you learn a little bit more.”

The Wild had success in their matchups simply because they scored goals. The Knights were the NHL’s best defensive team in the regular season. No team scored more than 2.38 goals per game against them except Minnesota, which averaged 3.0.

The Knights also scored three goals per game against the Wild, their third-fewest against any opponent.

Minnesota has been a competitive team for years, but the Wild have taken things to another level this season. Several Knights remarked that the Wild were different from years past.

“They made a bunch of changes, and they’re very underrated,” goaltender Robin Lehner said May 3. “They have a lot of skill. Some of their lines have a lot of grit. They play very hard. Good goaltending. They play fast, they make plays, they’re very dangerous off the rush, but they’re also really good at grinding.”

The biggest changes have been goaltending and Russian rookie Kirill Kaprizov. The likely Calder Trophy winner has been a game changer on the wing. He is eighth in the NHL in goals (27), and his dynamism gives the team an element it lacked.

It also helps that the Wild are getting better play in the net. Minnesota ranked 29th in team save percentage last season and lost in the play-in round to the Vancouver Canucks. This season, because of free-agent addition Cam Talbot and rookie Kaapo Kahkonen, it ranks 13th.

The Wild have been strong on special teams, too. They are 12th on the penalty kill (80.8 percent) in part because of their deep and talented blue line. They’re 24th on the power play (17.6 percent) but sixth since the beginning of March (23.5 percent).

Minnesota’s home-ice advantage is also real. The Wild were tied for the Knights for the second-most home wins with 21. They were 14-11-3 on the road. 1212732 Vegas Golden Knights

Here’s the Golden Knights’ first-round playoff schedule

By Ben Gotz Las Vegas Review-Journal

Golden Knights left wing Max Pacioretty (67) and Golden Knights right wing Mark Stone (61) fist bump their teammates after Pacioretty scored a goal during the third period of an NHL hockey game on Wednesday, April 28, 2021, at T-Mobile Arena, in Las Vegas. (Ellen Schmidt/Las Vegas Review-Journal) @ellenschmidttt

The Golden Knights will begin the Stanley Cup playoffs at noon Sunday at T-Mobile Arena.

The Knights will face the Minnesota Wild in a best-of-seven series. The teams finished second and third in the Pacific Division.

The Knights host the first two games before traveling to Minnesota and playing at Xcel Energy Center for Games 3 and 4. The sides will then alternate hosting the three remaining games, if necessary.

The latest the series can go is May 28.

The first and fourth games will be on national TV on KSNV-3. The second and third games will be broadcast locally on AT&T Sports Net (Cox 313/1313, DirecTV 684, CenturyLink 760/1760, U-verse 757/1757, Dish 414/5414).

Schedule

All times Pacific

Noon Sunday, T-Mobile Arena, KSNV-3

7 p.m. Tuesday, T-Mobile Arena, AT&T Sports Net

6:30 p.m. May 20, Xcel Energy Center, AT&T Sports Net

5 p.m. May 22, Xcel Energy Center, KSNV-3

TBD May 24, T-Mobile Arena, TBD*

TBD May 26, Xcel Energy Center, TBD*

TBD May 28, T-Mobile Arena, TBD*

*If necessary

LAS VEGAS REVIEW JOURNAL LOADED: 05.14.2021 1212733 Vegas Golden Knights

Golden Knights to face Wild in first round of playoffs beginning Sunday

By Justin Emerson

The Golden Knights will kick off the Stanley Cup Playoffs against the Minnesota Wild as the No. 2 seed in the West Division.

The Colorado Avalanche defeated the Los Angeles Kings tonight, clinching the West title and the Presidents' Trophy as the league's top seed. That sets up Vegas to host the Wild in a best-of-seven series, which will begin at noon Sunday at T-Mobile Arena and televised on NBC. Games 1 and 2 will be at T-Mobile Arena, as will Games 5 and 7, if necessary.

The Golden Knights struggled against the Wild this season, going 3-4-1 and only winning one game in regulation. Minnesota was the only team against which Vegas had a losing record in the regular season, and the Golden Knights are 5-10-1 all-time against the Wild.

The Golden Knights finished second in the West, but also second in the NHL, meaning they will have home-ice advantage in every series except if they play the Avalanche. Vegas and Colorado finished with the same number of standings points (82), but Colorado has the tiebreaker based on regulation wins (35-30).

Colorado will play the St. Louis Blues, with the winner of that series facing the winner of Vegas-Minnesota.

Golden Knights playoff schedule

Sunday — Game 1 vs. Minnesota Wild at T-Mobile Arena, noon, NBC

Tuesday — Game 2 vs. Minnesota Wild at T-Mobile Arena, 7 p.m., AT&T SportsNet (local) and NBC Sports Network (national)

May 20 — Game 3 vs. Minnesota Wild at Xcel Energy Center, 6:30 p.m., AT&T SportsNet (local) and NBC Sports Network (national)

May 22 — Game 4 vs. Minnesota Wild at Xcel Energy Center, 5 p.m., NBC

May 24 — Game 5 vs. Minnesota Wild at T-Mobile Arena, TBD*

May 26 — Game 6 vs. Minnesota Wild at Xcel Energy Center, TBD*

May 28 — Game 7 vs. Minnesota Wild at T-Mobile Arena, TBD*

*if necessary

LAS VEGAS SUN LOADED: 05.14.2021 1212734 Vegas Golden Knights 61% 54%

Power play % Instant preview: Why did the Vegas Golden Knights struggle vs. the Minnesota Wild this season? 18

18

By Jesse Granger May 14, 2021 Penalty kill %

87

Despite posting an exceptional regular season, the Golden Knights fell 82 just short of claiming their third division title in four years. Save % Vegas earned the NHL’s second-best record at 40-14-2, missing out on the top spot to the Colorado Avalanche because of a regulation-wins .920 tiebreaker. It’s a tough way to end an otherwise fantastic regular season, .909 but based on Wednesday night’s 6-0 demolition of the San Jose Sharks, the Golden Knights are ready for the playoffs. As the chart shows, Vegas holds an edge in nearly every aspect. The Golden Knights have controlled play and possession better than nearly They didn’t win the division, but they do have home-ice advantage in the every team in the league this year, with the exception of Colorado. They first round. That begins Sunday when the Golden Knights host the are fast enough to create offense in transition but strong enough to hold Minnesota Wild for Game 1 of the first round at T-Mobile Arena. the puck down low and win in the hard areas of the ice.

The Golden Knights and Wild have never met in the postseason, but The latter is where Minnesota has excelled in their matchups with Vegas. Vegas has historically struggled in the matchup. Minnesota is the only The Wild have changed their style of play dramatically over the last team the Golden Knights held a losing record against this year, with the couple of seasons, transitioning from a defense-minded side that Wild claiming five of the eight games. Going even further back, Vegas is prioritizes positioning to a more up-tempo team with puck skills to score. 5-10-1 all time against Minnesota and has still never won a regulation A big reason for that is Calder Trophy favorite Kirill Kaprizov. The 23- game in St. Paul. year-old burst onto the scene in his first NHL season, tallying 51 points in “It’s not like we’re not competitive,” coach Peter DeBoer said after a loss 55 games for the Wild. His exceptional skating, sticky puckhandling in to Minnesota on May 3. “We’re really close, and we have to get on the tight areas and creativity around the net translated quickly. He was right side of that line. So whether that happens tomorrow night or in the instantly the best player on the team and has been against Vegas. playoffs if we happen to meet them, I’m confident that this isn’t going to But despite the Wild’s new affinity for speed and skill in transition, they be a mental block that we’re going to carry around.” still do the majority of their work in the trenches. Minnesota controls the Vegas did manage to beat Minnesota in their final meeting of the regular area in front of each crease as good as any team in the league. Both in season, 3-2 in overtime. Here’s how the teams match up, stats courtesy front of their own net — clearing players and loose pucks in front of of Natural Stat Trick. goaltender Cam Talbot — and the opposition’s.

Season stats “They’re really good at grinding,” goaltender Robin Lehner said. “I was talking to (Marc-Andre) Fleury about that. How good they are at creating STAT VEGAS MINNESOTA offense around your net. They always move. There are a lot of plays from behind the net and a lot of cross-ice plays.” Goals/60 Minnesota ranked sixth in the NHL in rebound shots this season, 3.36 according to MoneyPuck. Meanwhile, the Golden Knights allowed the 3.18 second-most rebound attempts in the league. If the Wild are going to continue being a thorn in Vegas’ side, it will likely be through second- Goals allowed/60 chance opportunities. Both teams do a great job of getting in front of shots. Vegas leads the league with 843 blocks this season, and 2.16 Minnesota is second with 817. 2.73 Here’s a look at how the teams looked statistically, in only the eight Corsi % games against each other.

54 STAT VEGAS MINNESOTA

47 Wins

Shot share 3

54% 5

48% Goals

Scoring chance share 24

55% 23

49% Shot attempts

High danger chance % 505

55 414

54 Shots xGoals share 251

56% 244

51% Scoring chances

Goal share 215 187 A big series win over the Wild would certainly build more confidence than one over a team like St. Louis, for example. High danger chances Overall play and statistics suggest the Golden Knights are the better 72 team in this matchup, despite what the season series says. Now they 88 must prove it. xGoals The Athletic LOADED: 05.14.2021

21.1

21.6

Vegas controlled play relatively well, holding advantages in shot attempts, shots on goal and scoring chances. But as the chart shows, Minnesota did more with the opportunities it created, generating more high danger chances and expected goals despite possessing the puck in the offensive zone considerably less.

It’s a similar issue to the one that plagued the Golden Knights during the last postseason. They would hold the puck for periods on end but struggle to score. Then they’d allow a single rush the other way and find themselves trailing.

If the Golden Knights are going to win the series and exorcise this demon, they must do it in front of the net. Defensemen Alex Pietrangelo, Alec Martinez, Brayden McNabb and Shea Theodore must do a better job of collecting loose pucks in front of Fleury and Lehner. Vegas’ forwards must continue creating traffic in front of the net, an area they’ve improved on significantly from last season.

If the Golden Knights take care of that, they’ll be in a great position to win. They have a deeper group of elite forwards, play better team defense and hold a big edge in net. Talbot has been solid this season but isn’t on the same level as Fleury or Lehner.

Highest scorers vs. Minnesota

PLAYER GOALS ASSISTS POINTS

Mark Stone

2

8

10

Alex Tuch

3

3

6

Chandler Stephenson

2

4

6

Alec Martinez

1

4

5

Max Pacioretty

2

2

4

This matchup may seem like a nightmare scenario for Vegas. The Golden Knights ended the regular season with the second-best record in the entire league and still somehow didn’t win the division and must now face the only team they struggled with.

But this could also be an important stepping stone in their quest to raise Lord Stanley’s Cup. It’s not the exact same scenario, but beating the Blue Jackets in the first round certainly propelled the Lightning last year. 1212735 Vegas Golden Knights

2021 NHL Playoffs: Wild vs. Golden Knights schedule, TV channel, games, scores, guide to the first-round series

By The Athletic NHL Staff May 14, 2021

In this West matchup, the No. 3 Minnesota Wild will face the No. 2 Vegas Golden Knights in the first round of the 2021 NHL Stanley Cup playoffs. To find out who has the advantage in the series, check out Dom Luszczyszyn’s odds and probabilities, Craig Custance’s playoff tiers and watch for predictions from our experts in the days to come.

Schedule/TV/results

Game 1: at Vegas, Sunday, May 16, at 3 p.m. ET (NBC, SN, TVA Sports)

Game 2: at Vegas, Tuesday, May 18, at 10 p.m. ET (NBCSN, SN360, TVA Sports)

Game 3: at Minnesota, Thursday, May 20, at 9:30 p.m. ET (NBCSN, SN360, TVA Sports)

Game 4: at Minnesota, Saturday, May 22, at 8 p.m. ET (NBC, SN360, TVA Sports)

Game 5*: at Vegas, Monday, May 24, time TBD (TV TBD)

Game 6*: at Minnesota, Wednesday, May 26, time TBD (TV TBD)

Game 7*: at Vegas, Friday, May 28, time TBD (TV TBD)

(* – if necessary)

What to expect from the series

Instant preview: Why did the Vegas Golden Knights struggle vs. the Minnesota Wild this season?: Golden Knights beat reporter Jesse Granger previews the series and examines which players had the most success against the Wild in the regular season.

Wild lose again, set for playoff matchup with Golden Knights after Thursday night settles West Division: Wild beat reporter Michael Russo looks at where the team stands heading into the series.

Vegas’ Marc-Andre Fleury, better than ever at 36, celebrates joining his idols in NHL record books: Fleury (and Robin Lehner) won the William M. Jennings Trophy by allowing the fewest regular-season goals.

Was the Wild lineup without Zach Parise a preview of what will happen in the playoffs?: Coach Dean Evason recently gave a glimpse of how Minnesota’s playoff lineup might look.

Wild-Golden Knights history

Kirill Kaprizov fights Vegas’ attacks, but Wild teammates have his back: “It would be intense; it would be hard-hitting,” Wild goalie Cam Talbot said of a first-round series against the Golden Knights.

NHL playoff matchups

Up next in the West Division: Blues-Avalanche

North Division: Jets-Oilers | Canadiens-Maple Leafs

Central Division: Lightning-Panthers | Predators-Hurricanes

East Division: Bruins-Capitals | Islanders-Penguins

The Athletic LOADED: 05.14.2021 1212736 Vegas Golden Knights Despite those league-average numbers, the Golden Knights have allowed the fewest goals in the NHL to earn Fleury the first William M. Jennings Trophy of his career, along with Lehner. It may seem like a distant memory now, but in the offseason, there were serious questions Vegas’ Marc-Andre Fleury, better than ever at 36, celebrates joining his as to whether Fleury would even play in Vegas. idols in NHL record books He’s more than answered all of them, and now his name resides next to his idols on the all-time leaderboards.

Jesse Granger May 13, 2021 “It’s pretty awesome,” Fleury said. “I don’t know about those guys, who they watched, who they loved growing up. But for me, those guys in front

of me are the guys I looked up to. Patrick and Marty have big influences Late on a summer night in June of 1993 in Sorel, Quebec, 8-year-old on the way I play. I truly loved watching them. They are my models, and Marc-Andre Fleury was woken from his sleep by his father, Andre, who it’s pretty cool to be able to get close to them.” summoned him to the living room, where the family gathered around the Like many young goalies, Fleury modeled his game after those he television. idolized. Roy was a pioneer of the butterfly style that has become the Fleury anxiously cleared his eyes to see the hockey game, which was standard in today’s NHL, but when Fleury was first learning goaltending being played an hour south of his home at the Montreal Forum. His techniques, it was a new trend. hometown Canadiens led the Los Angeles Kings 4-1 in Game 5 of the “François Allaire was (Roy’s) goalie coach, and he had a public goalie Stanley Cup Final, needing a win to become champions. school in the summer,” Fleury recalled. “I went two years in a row, when I “It was a later game,” Fleury recalled. “I just went to bed early, I guess, was 13 and 14, and that’s when I learned a little more about it.” because I was still young. My dad loved hockey, and he came to get me Fleury’s mimicking of Roy isn’t limited to save techniques. He because he wanted me to see them winning the Stanley Cup.” appreciated Roy’s confidence in the net, his flair for the dramatic with Fleury watched as the final seconds ticked off the clock, sticks and exaggerated glove saves and even his quirky superstitions. Roy would gloves launched into the air and the entire Canadiens team mobbed star famously talk to his goalposts during games. goaltender Patrick Roy in celebration. It was a moment Fleury never “The goalposts are my friends, and I thank them for being my friends,” forgot, one he reenacted countless times in his basement, playing knee Roy told Tom Powers during the . “They stop the hockey with his friends. puck for me. They help me. I say thank you very much. I thank them all “We played a lot of hockey down there, and put some holes in the walls,” the time.” Fleury said with a laugh. “My friends and neighbors would come over, In his youth, Fleury saw Roy thank his goalposts, and decided to and my sister played, too. When you’re young you always pretend you’re continue the tradition. Fleury said he does so in English and French, just somebody, right? Patrick was always one of our favorites. When you win to be certain. at the end, it’s always Stanley Cup Game 7, and you’re always Patrick Roy.” Fleury wasn’t the only French-Canadian goalie who idolized Roy growing up. When he passed Ed Belfour for fourth place on the NHL’s all-time Twenty-eight years later, Fleury’s name sits beside Roy’s on the NHL’s wins list, it gave the province of Quebec the top-four winningest goalies all-time leaderboards. Over his 17-year NHL career, Fleury has played in ever. But it was Roy who paved the way for Brodeur, Fleury and Roberto five Stanley Cup Finals and won three. He has racked up an incredible Luongo. 491 regular-season victories in net – third all-time behind only his childhood idols Martin Brodeur (691) and Roy (551). Fleury has shut out “We all looked up to Patrick,” Brodeur said on a recent phone call with the opposition 67 times in the regular season, one more than Roy. The Athletic. “I think he’s the pioneer in the whole thing. I grew up and saw Patrick do it, and I’m sure Marc-Andre and Roberto say the same “It’s a huge honor,” Fleury said. “I don’t really step back and think about thing. You’re like, ‘Wow it is possible.’ A French-Canadian guy goes on my career and stuff like that very often, but those guys were my idols that the NHL stage and dominates. It gives you hope. It’s a guy from our little I looked up to growing up.” part of the country.” Perhaps most impressive about Fleury’s ascension up the all-time Twelve years younger than Brodeur, Fleury had the benefit of watching leaderboards is that he isn’t simply collecting stats on the back end of his Roy and Brodeur growing up, and considered both his models. storied NHL career. At 36 years old, he’s playing the best hockey of his life. Fleury has career highs in save percentage (.928) and goals-against “I saw a little less of (Brodeur) because he was in New Jersey. In average (1.98), and leads the league in goals saved above expected Montreal it’s pretty intense with the Canadiens coverage,” Fleury said, (17.54). He’s on the verge of doing something that has, to this point, laughing. “I loved his unpredictability. He was very unpredictable to the eluded him during his illustrious career – becoming a finalist for the shooter. On the same shot, he could make a butterfly save, a kick save, Vezina Trophy. a stand-up save or a two-pad stack. I really liked the way poke checked, too. I really looked up to him.” Fleury is doing all of this after many pronounced his career over. The Pittsburgh Penguins team he helped to three Stanley Cup championships Some of those old-school techniques have nearly disappeared from opted for the younger Matt Murray in goal in 2017, trading Fleury to the today’s goaltending style, but they still bleed into Fleury’s game on a expansion Golden Knights. Then, only two years after he led the Golden nightly basis. Knights on their storybook playoff run, the team traded for Robin Lehner, played him over Fleury in the playoffs and signed him to a $25 million “That was sick,” Vegas forward Max Pacioretty said of a diving poke extension. check Fleury made against the Sharks in March. “I mean … the dude is just the man. What else can you say? Me and (Ryan Reaves) were Last summer, many wondered if Fleury’s best days were behind him, and talking about we want to buy the rights to a movie about him. There’s no questioned whether his name would be heard much at all this season. He one else in the world like him. I get goosebumps just replaying that back began the season as the apparent backup, but after a hot start and an in my mind.” injury to Lehner, Fleury was thrust into his usual role of starting on a nightly basis. Fleury’s diving poke checks, thrilling two-pad stacks and theatrical winding glove saves make him one of the most entertaining goalies to Lehner was shelved for more than a month with a concussion, and during watch, especially for members of the old guard. that span, Fleury played 17 games in 36 days. He helped the Golden Knights to separate winning streaks of four and five games, stopped 456 “He’ll do anything to stop a puck,” Brodeur said. “He’s one of the most of 490 shots (.931 save percentage) and recorded three shutouts. Two of fun goalies to watch play because he’s a bit old school at times, in the them were against Colorado’s high-octane offense, the only two times way that he makes his saves, compared to other younger guys. So it’s the Avalanche have been blanked this season. kind of nice for an older guy for me to watch.

The Golden Knights have a strong team, but likely wouldn’t be where “There are things that (Fleury) does that are different from the typical they are without Fleury. Vegas’ defense ranks 16th in scoring chances goalie that we’re used to seeing now. The way he’s active around the net allowed per 60 minutes and 12th in high-danger chances allowed. with his stick. You don’t see many guys who are really active with their stick, as far as preventing a pass or preventing a shot with poke 17 games this season; Dylan Coghlan, who has bounced in and out of checking. You don’t see that and he does it a lot.” the lineup; Oscar Dansk, who has appeared in only one game; and Fleury, who made 33 saves in a win the night before and had carried the Over the last 20 years, goaltending has become far more technique- team on his back for nearly every game to that point. driven. Younger goalies rely less on instinct and unpredictability, and more on positioning and mechanics. It’s not necessarily a bad thing, as Still, Fleury was on the ice competing. Nearing the end of the session, goalies have improved drastically over that span in terms of efficiency. goalie coach Mike Rosati ran a drill in which players took turns firing one- But as much as research and technique go into the position, goaltending timers at the goalie from each circle. It’s a physically demanding drill for will always be more of an art than a science. Fleury and Dansk, who had to explode to the far post, then back across, over and over until Rosati decided the drill was over. And when Fleury is at his best, he’s Picasso. When it came time for Fleury’s final turn, he went all out. His skates dug FLOWER. #VEGASBORN PIC.TWITTER.COM/JLW83CGKUE into the blue paint of the crease as he slid post to post as quickly as he — NHL ON NBC SPORTS (@NHLONNBCSPORTS) APRIL 29, 2021 could. After several saves in a row, Rosati called an end to the drill, but Fleury immediately yelled out for more shots. Rosati shrugged and “I do miss it a little bit,” Fleury said when asked about the old-school style motioned for Holden and Coghlan to continue firing pucks. The cheers of goaltending that led to more theatrical saves. “Obviously, everybody is from his teammates grew louder with each save. Fleury dove across to doing their best to stop the puck the best way they can. That’s always the stop one, rolled onto his back to stop another, and finally, the drill was goal. But I miss those Grant Fuhr big glove saves, flashing the leather. over as he lay exhausted on the ice. Or Andy Moog’s two-pad stacks. It was so spectacular. Those guys were fun to watch. Dominik Hasek, I don’t think there was anyone like him. Pacioretty just happened to be walking past to pick up his meal from the Guys were spectacular and it was fun to watch, definitely.” team restaurant before heading home.

Fleury, perhaps more than any current goalie, blends the new with the He leaned in and said, “And that’s why he’s going to be a Hall of Famer.” old, the technique with the flair. His climb up the all-time leaderboards The Athletic LOADED: 05.14.2021 has been as fun for those watching as it is for the always-grinning netminder.

“To me, he’s a guy who looks like he’s having a ton of fun playing the game,” Brodeur said. “I think that goes a long way. He appreciates his teammates. His teammates are playing hard in front of him. You can see it in his interactions with players, even the referees or in interviews, the smile that he has. I know him personally too, I spent some time with Team Canada with him in 2010, and he’s just a genuine hockey player, a genuine person.”

Fleury hasn’t earned the same type of individual accolades as some of the other all-time greats, but team success is more than enough for him. Yes, he played on two incredibly talented teams throughout his career, but that shouldn’t diminish his accomplishments. Fleury’s play and character helped mold those team cultures.

He was drafted No. 1 overall in 2003 by a Pittsburgh team that had finished last in its division for three consecutive seasons. It took two seasons for Fleury and the Penguins to qualify for the postseason, and then they made the playoffs in each of the following 11 years. Then, Fleury was traded to an expansion team in Vegas that was expected to struggle immensely. He’s led them to four straight postseasons.

Fleury is now the league’s active leader in playoff wins (81) and games played (146), and when he takes the ice for the upcoming playoffs he will become the first goalie in NHL history to skate in 15 consecutive postseasons. And he’s not done. Fleury’s game is obviously still at an elite level, and his passion for the game is as vigorous as ever.

“From my earliest days working with Marc-Andre, beginning when he was 15, we frequently discussed his goaltending idols, different approaches of the top goalies and their style of play,” Fleury’s long-time agent Allan Walsh told The Athletic. “I would talk to Flower about my goaltending idol growing up, Ken Dryden, and some of the other goalie legends of the 1950s and 60s. It’s somewhat surreal that the 15-year-old goalie I started representing so many years ago is now in the conversation among some of the greatest goalies of all time. I know how much Flower loved watching Martin Brodeur and Patrick Roy growing up and how being in that special group means so much to him today.”

Now, young goalies in Quebec stay up late to watch Fleury play. They mimic his signature saves in practice. What does it all mean to him?

“It means I’m getting old,” Fleury joked, taking the same modest approach instilled in him at a young age by his father. “Obviously, it’s a huge honor. I’ve been very fortunate and lucky to play with great teams and stay healthy for most of it. I’m very lucky.”

Fleury is currently the sixth-oldest active goalie in the league at 36, but he’s still playing as though he’s in the prime of his career. More than anything, that’s a product of his work ethic and unrelenting drive to improve, even 17 years into his pro career.

A few weeks ago, the Golden Knights held an optional practice session at City National Arena in Las Vegas. The team had just played nine games in the last 15 days, so it was understandable when only four players took the ice. The players were Nick Holden, who has played only 1212737 Vegas Golden Knights

Marc-Andre Fleury was dominant as the COVID season began and continued some of the best puck-stopping of his career throughout the shortened, chaotic, and exhausting Vegas Golden Knights 2020-21 regular season. Robin Lehner fought injury and returned to hold up his end of the bargain, too.

Staff

Together, the Golden Knights goalies won the William M. Jennings Trophy as the goalies for the team, which allowed the fewest goals.

The award is the first for VGK. The Golden Knights duo allowed only 124 goals this season, which beat the New York Islanders goalie tandem (128).

Fleury, 36, was spectacular this season. He is among the leaders in wins (3rd; 26), shutouts (3rd; 6), goals-against average (4th; 1.98) and save percentage (5th; .928). Fleury is the first goaltender in League history to claim his first individual NHL Award in his 17th season or later.

Lehner, 29, also won the award with the New York Islanders in 2018-19. He is the seventh goalie to win with multiple teams (Ed Belfour, Jaroslav Halak, Dominik Hasek, Manny Fernandez, Patrick Roy, and Roman Turek).

Fleury posted a 19-save shutout on Wednesday night as the Golden Knights kept up the pressure on the Colorado Avalanche for first place, and the first seed, in the Honda West Division.

Marc-Andre Fleury finished the season 4-0-0 in May with a .944 save percentage and a paltry 1.23 GAA.

Lehner was 6-1-1 in April but stumbled in May with a 1-2-0 record, an .859 save percentage, and a 3.63 GAA.

Vegas Golden Knights head coach Pete DeBoer has not named a starter for the playoffs. One may recall the controversy last summer when he chose Lehner, and Fleury’s agent Allan Walsh used Twitter to post an eye-popping illustration of DeBoer stabbing Fleury in the back.

To win the Jennings Trophy, a goalie had to make 17 appearances this season, so Oskar Dansk and Logan Thompson won’t share in the trophy. Dansk won his only start when he stopped 25 of 29 shots in the Golden Knights March 5 win over the San Jose Sharks.

Thompson, of course, made two saves during his eight-minute relief appearance against Minnesota on March 10.

The Golden Knights are still awaiting their fate as the Colorado Avalanche must win on Thursday night to claim the West Division, or Vegas will be the top seed.

Vegas Hockey Now LOADED: 05.14.2021 1212738 Washington Capitals Weekes said he likes what he has seen in Vanecek’s progression this season, including Vanecek’s improved ability to know when to be aggressive in net and when to be more conservative.

Capitals not naming their starting goaltender ahead of playoff opener Weekes said he sees Vanecek as both stylistically and physically similar to Boston’s Jaroslav Halak. Both are a bit undersized for the position but tend to play bigger than they are, Weekes said.

Samantha Pell “This year he got to play a lot as if he were on a bottom-feeder team, but he is playing for a Stanley Cup contender,” Weekes said of the 6-foot-2,

187-pound Vanecek. “It’s like the best of both worlds. He is getting the The questions swirling around the Washington Capitals’ goaltending games and he is getting the support and he is around future Hall of situation began before the season even started. There was an idea of Famers, and all things being equal he has played exceptionally well, for who would be No. 1 in net, but after went absent me. Really, really good year.” because of a heart condition, the Capitals were left with two young Anderson has been with the Capitals’ taxi squad for the majority of the netminders: second-year player Ilya Samsonov and rookie Vitek season, practicing with the extras and staying prepared in case he is Vanecek. called upon. Veteran Craig Anderson signed a one-year deal before the season, but “You got to be ready for anything. That has kind of been the mentality for he entered the fold with the assumption he would be taking a back seat the last little bit,” Anderson said. “You don’t know when you are going to in the Capitals’ plans. The 39-year-old made only four appearances (with get in, and when you do get in you want to do the best job you can.” two starts) during the regular season. The veteran has also acted like a mentor for the Capitals’ two young Now, roughly four months later, with the Capitals’ first-round playoff goalies this season. He said he has tried to interact with them and ask series against the Boston Bruins starting Saturday, the question of who how they are feeling or dole out advice nearly every day. will handle the goaltending duties continues to loom. Washington still has not publicly announced a starter for Game 1. “‘The sun came up today, don’t worry about yesterday,’ type of thing,” Anderson said. Do the Capitals go with a rookie with no playoff experience who led them through multiple injuries and absences early in the season, an up-and- Despite his lack of game action, Anderson said he hasn’t felt any down first-round draft pick whose availability is still unclear, or a veteran frustration this season. He has used practice to continue to stay engaged with little game action this season? and has talked to his family every day. And while he said it has been tough for him to be away, he said he owes his family a lot once the Goaltending is the Capitals’ biggest playoff weakness, but Peter season comes to an end. Laviolette may provide some hope “I will be doing a lot for them, changing the world that way,” Anderson Vanecek (21-10-4, 2.69 goals against average) appears to have the said. edge, but as of Thursday afternoon Capitals Coach Peter Laviolette said the team is keeping that decision internal. However, when asked about For now, Anderson will stay ready in case he’s called upon, with the his comfort level putting a rookie in net, he said it didn’t faze him. postseason only days away.

“I think that once you are with someone for a year and you’ve played the Washington Post LOADED: 05.14.2021 game and you’ve counted on them, this is our team,” Laviolette said. “Vitek had pressure early on when he had to carry the ball by himself. . . . He did a terrific job.”

Also uncertain for Saturday’s playoff opener is the status of winger T.J. Oshie, who missed the regular season finale Tuesday after suffering a lower-body injury last week. There was, however, some encouraging news Thursday, when he took part in individual skating drills before practice and participated in a portion of the team practice while wearing a noncontact jersey. Oshie remains day-to-day.

The decision in net is complicated by the current absence of Samsonov. He has not been on the ice or at practice for more than a week after ending up on the NHL’s covid-19 protocols list with center Evgeny Kuznetsov for the second time this season.

The league does not make public why players end up on the covid-19 list.

The first time Samsonov and Kuznetsov were listed in January, both tested positive for the coronavirus. Both players experienced symptoms, and it took Samsonov nearly six weeks before he could return to the lineup. If Kuznetsov and Samsonov are healthy, their recovery time will undoubtedly be quicker this time. When Alex Ovechkin and Dmitry Orlov went on the covid-19 list in January because of contact tracing, they spent 10 days on the list before returning to practice.

Removing Samsonov from the equation for Saturday leaves Vanecek and Anderson as the top two options. NHL Network analyst Kevin Weekes, a former NHL goaltender, said he thinks Vanecek deserves the initial nod but that the team should assess things on a game-to-game basis.

“I think [Laviolette] understands the value of both, of the youth and the veteran experience and calm and steadiness,” Weekes said. “Listen, they are in a great position just based on matchup flexibility. They are in a good position right now. If you were to have come into the season and said, ‘Hey, [Lundqvist] is your guy,’ and now he is on the healing track and the Caps are where they are, it is pretty remarkable.” 1212739 Washington Capitals 68.42 percent of the shot attempts at five-on-five and had 78 attempts in 64 minutes of time on ice together — meaning they averaged more than one attempt every minute they were on the ice together against Washington. Capitals vs. Bruins, by the numbers They outscored the Capitals 9-3 at five-on-five while on the ice together and outshot them 45-19. They shot a staggering 20 percent, which might seem bound to hurt their overall numbers, were it not for the porous BY ANDREW GILLIS 84.21 percent save percentage assuredly due to increase as well as their utter domination of possession.

As the Capitals and Bruins prepare for what promises to be yet another Laviolette and the Capitals will likely have, even if they make a run to the physical series between the two teams, here are a few numbers to watch Stanley Cup Final, their toughest individual task upcoming in slowing as puck drop draws near: down the top line for the Bruins.

.915: Vitek Vanecek’s save percentage since April 1 14: Days from Evgeny Kuznetsov’s last game to Game 1

Vanecek seems incredibly likely to take the net for the Capitals in Game One of the big question marks surrounding the Capitals is Evgeny 1, though coach Peter Laviolette has opted to keep that announcement Kuznetsov’s status entering Game 1 of the Stanley Cup Playoffs. He in-house. Vanecek was in competition with Ilya Samsonov all season, hasn’t played since May 1 and was absent from practice Thursday as who has still not returned from COVID protocols after going on the list in well. And as the hours go by, his chances of being ready for Game 1 early May. appear to be dwindling.

He’s played 13 games from April through the end of the regular season In 41 games this season he tallied 29 points and, when Mantha was and saved 91.5% percent of the shots against him with a goals-allowed acquired, settled into a full-time role as Alex Ovechkin’s and Tom average of 2.53. He was a .908 goalie over 37 games played this Wilson’s centerman. Now, that appears in jeopardy for the start of the season. playoffs.

The Capitals can match up with the Bruins at five-on-five play, but like Comcast SportsNet.com LOADED: 05.14.2021 most series in the Stanley Cup Playoffs, that won't matter if a goalie swings the tide in either direction. If the goal does indeed belongs to Vanecek, he'll have every chance to prove he deserves it.

4-3-0: Vanecek’s record vs the Bruins this season

If Vanecek is the choice in goal, he’ll certainly have had his fair share of games to work off of.

Vanecek went 4-3-0 this season in seven games against the Bruins with a .905 save percentage and a 2.86 goals-against average. He allowed 19 goals on 199 shots in just shy of 400 minutes played against Boston.

His last three starts against Boston have been up and down, as he allowed one goal on 25 shots on May 11, five goals on 27 shots on April 18 and one goal on 35 shots on April 11.

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59.20: Expected goals percentage of the Capitals’ second line — when available

If the importance of T.J. Oshie potentially returning to the lineup wasn’t evident enough, this should do it.

The Bruins boast two hellacious scoring lines, one quite literally nicknamed “The Perfection Line,” meaning the Capitals need whatever they can to turn the tide. Their second line of Anthony Mantha, Nicklas Backstrom and Oshie should play a part in that. If Evgeny Kuznetsov is able to return as well and set the Capitals’ lines back to what they were designed to be, the Capitals will be able to roll the lines as they want.

In 11 games this season, and just shy of 90 minutes at five-on-five play, the trio controlled 54.68 percent of the shot attempts, 56.63 percent of the shots on net, and 65 percent of the high-danger chances. Those numbers mean that not only does the Capitals’ second line control the puck more often than not, they have quality scoring chances as well.

The 59.20 figure comes into play when factoring in what percentage of goals that line can expect to score judging where their shots are coming from. In short, they've been elite as a second line.

The actual scoring numbers haven’t been there in full, as that trio shot just 6.82 percent when on the ice together (far below the team’s 10.07 shooting percentage at five-on-five), which could indicate a progression to the mean could be in store just in time for the most important stretch of the season. If Oshie is able to return for Game 1, the Capitals will get a major boost.

Six: The goal differential in seven games from the Bruins’ top line

If there was a trio in the entire NHL that would keep the Capitals’ coaching staff, players and fans up late at night, this is the one.

The numbers through seven games for “The Perfection Line” against the Capitals this season are basically video game numbers. They controlled 1212740 Washington Capitals

Capitals' Carlson, Oshie progressing, Kuznetsov still out

BY J.J. REGAN

Capitals defenseman John Carlson and right winger T.J. Oshie were on the ice Thursday in a sign both are progressing toward a return to the lineup for Game 1 of the Stanley Cup playoffs against the Boston Bruins on Saturday.

Carlson was a full participant at practice and said he felt he would be good to go for Game 1. Oshie was on the ice for skating drills before practice and wore a non-contact jersey. He left before line rushes, however.

T.J. Oshie (lower body) skating before the Capitals practice today. Positive sign with Game 1 vs. Boston on Saturday. pic.twitter.com/GXCXAnvl2m— Tom Gulitti (@TomGulittiNHL) May 13, 2021

Though it is positive to see Oshie back on the ice, Washington head coach Peter Laviolette would not he'd be in the lineup.

"Those are things we're working through," Laviolette said.

The typical progression in these situations is for a player to return in a non-contact jersey, then practice as a full participant before returning to game action. That makes Friday's practice important to see if Oshie has progressed to that next step.

Here is a look at the lines from Thursday's practice:

Capitals lines at Thursday practice:

Ovechkin-Backstrom-Mantha

Sheary-Eller-Wilson

Sprong-Raffl-Carr

Hagelin-Dowd-Hathaway

*Pilon-Maillet-Oshie (Oshie left after rushes, as planned)

Orlov-Carlson

Dillon-Schultz

Chara-Jensen

*Fehervary-TvR

Vanecek

Anderson

Copley

*extras— Samantha Pell (@SamanthaJPell) May 13, 2021

Still absent from practice was Evgeny Kuznetsov. He remained on the COVID-19 protocol-related absence list Wednesday. The list is released at 5 p.m. every day so it is likely he will be listed again on Thursday after his absence.

Considering Kuznetsov's last game was May 1, it seems doubtful he could be ready for Game 1 even if he were to return for Friday's practice. He would likely need more time to get back into game shape.

Comcast SportsNet.com LOADED: 05.14.2021 1212741 Winnipeg Jets and say it’s a tough life in the NHL because relative to what other people are going through, seriously, how bad is it? You’re at the Ritz (Carlton) for seven days, how bad is that? But then there’s this isolation piece, where we’re no different than anybody else. So, we started thinking Opening round of playoffs includes rare back-to-back games about it and started talking about just that idea of mental wellness and mental well-being and thinking about it more than just winning and losing

hockey games. Jeff Hamilton "There’s a contact there with players there that I probably didn’t have the same way in the past and I think it was valuable. It was valuable for me and even helping in our stretch where things were going bad for us, I The first round of the Stanley Cup playoffs has been announced, with the found this group got tighter in the last four or five games together. Not Winnipeg Jets and Edmonton Oilers set to play Game 1 of their best-of- further apart and that was a really big positive. Coming out of that seven series Wednesday night at Rogers Place. Montreal game after a real tough night, that the players had got it right after that game. They had come together and started to work our way out The first round of the Stanley Cup playoffs has been announced, with the of this a little bit. So, there’s a sense of community here maybe that’s Winnipeg Jets and Edmonton Oilers set to play Game 1 of their best-of- borne out of not having any other community that you can have any seven series Wednesday night at Rogers Place. contact with. It’s just us and we came out of that and would understand The first two games will be played in Edmonton, which is the No. 2 seed that that’s put more stock and more time into how the players are doing in the Canadian division, with Game 2 set for next Friday. Puck drop for individually, from a mental health standpoint." both games is at 8 p.m. Winnipeg Free Press LOADED 05.14.2021 Adam Lowry will be getting vaccinated against COVID-19 now that he is eligible.

Winnipeg finished as the third seed and will host Game 3 and 4 at Bell MTS Place, which is scheduled as a rare back-to-back Sunday and Monday. Start times are still being decided.

"You just don’t see back-to-back games in the playoffs very often. You’d prefer you could keep your opponent on the road for another day, but I guess that’s what happens when you don’t win home ice advantage," Jets coach Paul Maurice said. "Sometimes after games in the playoffs you want to play the next day. If you won, you’re feeling like ‘let’s go back and play a doubleheader,’ you’re all jacked up. When you lose, you want to get back on it like right away. The team that wins is going to think the back-to-backs were great."

Game 5, if necessary, will be played in Edmonton on Wednesday, with Game 6 set for Friday in Winnipeg, followed by a series-deciding Game 7 back in Edmonton on Sunday. Again, exact start times have yet to be determined.

A different kind of shot: With all adults in Manitoba now eligible to get the COVID-19 vaccine, Jets centre Adam Lowry was asked about he and his teammates eagerness to join in the fight against the coronavirus.

Many teams in the U.S. have already received their dose(s) and the NHL has recently stated clubs with enough members vaccinated will get extended freedoms, including being able to hang out with teammates in social settings.

Lowry took a diplomatic approach, even if he did share his own interest, not wanting to dive too deep into the subject.

"I think everyone’s decision to get vaccinated is a personal one. I don’t think it’s my place to speak for other people whether they should or should not. I’m getting in line when I can, so that’s a personal decision," Lowry said after Thursday’s practice. "I’m not going to tell anyone else they should or shouldn’t. I think that’s something where they need to do their own reading, and kind of talk to the doctors and talk to the experts to form their own opinion on that."

A member of the Jets public relations staff then intercepted the conversation to clarify that there are individuals on the Jets travelling party, including players, that have received the vaccine but that no names would be provided in order to protect people’s privacy. And it was noted vaccinations that have occurred have been based "according to the eligibility laid out by the province," meaning it’s all been done above board.

Checking in: Maurice was asked if there was anything unique he’s experienced this year owing to COVID-19 that he might want to stick around once the global health pandemic is finally in check.

The Jets bench boss thought for a minute, before giving a thoughtful answer centred on mental health.

"I’ll go back to that three-game series we had in Toronto. We spend an awful lot of time talking about things (relating to) mental wellness and that’s something I probably haven’t done a whole lot of. Asking the questions, how are these guys doing and getting to them individually (and asking) ‘How are you handling this?’" he said. "I can’t come out here 1212742 Winnipeg Jets of finishing checks. There is almost — this is going to sound terrible for hockey — a gentleman’s agreement. I don’t think you’re going to see any late hits. Both teams are getting ready. There will be a certain amount of respect on the ice. Play hard, play fast, then if it happens that something Jets' final dress rehearsal gets away — a hit that’s not liked — it can get real ugly, real quick. But I don’t expect that."

He added: "You want to get out, you want to get a good feeling, it’s the Jeff Hamilton last game before we get going. It won’t have the same animosity because there’s nothing really on the line for anybody, other than both teams trying to get that good feeling." The stage has officially been set for the Winnipeg Jets. Their pursuit of the Stanley Cup begins against the Edmonton Oilers at Rogers Place That good feeling for the Jets will come with playing a consistent brand of Wednesday night. hockey. While the losses have piled up, the Jets believe they've been getting closer to a style of game that should he successful come playoffs. The NHL released the full schedule of the first round of the NHL postseason on Thursday, putting real dates and times to matchups that "Every day I feel like we've gotten better. You look at the last three or had been determined earlier this week. But before the Jets embark on four games, the amount of chances we've given up and the kind of what they hope will be a stretch of hockey that takes them right into the chances we've given up have gone down a lot. Earlier in the year we summer, a final dress rehearsal remains Friday, as Winnipeg welcomes were really plagued by giving up a lot of rush chances. That's something the Toronto Maple Leafs to town for the conclusion of their 56-game we have continually tried to work on," Jets centre Adam Lowry said. "I regular season. think that's all you can ask for is improvement over the course of the year. Now the slate's wiped clean after the game (Friday) and we're For the Leafs, a matchup with the Jets is pretty much meaningless. looking to really go into the playoffs feeling good about our game and Toronto has been atop the Canadian division since opening night in giving us the best chance to win every night." January and, most recently, has earned points in nine straight games (7- 0-2). Another consideration is the debate of rest over rust. The Jets hands are somewhat tied here, given how close they are to the salary cap and As for the Jets, while a win or loss won't affect their third-place finish, therefore what little wiggle room they have to work with when it comes to there's certainly more at play here. Winnipeg is coming off a 5-0 taking out or inserting players into the lineup. dismantling of the Vancouver Canucks Tuesday, but the victory has offered only a brief respite from what's been a challenging month. The Maurice said it's usually up to the player to decide what they need. With Jets have won just twice in their last 11 games, with all nine of those the playoffs not starting until Wednesday, not having to deal with a quick losses coming in regulation time. turn-around will entice most to play and resist going a full week between action. Indeed, given all that has gone wrong of late for the Jets, what should be a pointless game Friday is instead a much-needed building block to the Included in that list is goalie Connor Hellebuyck, who has voiced his postseason. desire to play and is set to get the start against the Leafs. But that also doesn't mean he'll necessarily finish the night in net. "Probably for both teams it's about trying to get your game tuned up for the next one, which is obviously when it really matters. They are going to "For him it’s all rhythm. To have played, then sit that many days out, it’s win the division here and have been basically at the top of division all not what he wants to do. He wants to get into the game," Maurice said year. Of course, you want to play well against them; you need to be "We’ll monitor his workload a lot more closely than we would in a normal ready to go," Jets defenceman Josh Morrissey said after Thursday's game. He wants to play, and he wants to play the whole game. We’ll start practice. with that."

"But I think our focus is on ourselves and trying to get our game… it's Winnipeg Free Press LOADED 05.14.2021 one last tune up, really, for the playoffs and we're going to try to bring a game that we can use against Edmonton and so that's where our heads are at. We've got a lot of work to do in between. We’re sort of on the task at hand and on our own room and preparing for that series."

The Jets won't be icing the lineup against the Leafs they'll deploy next week versus the Oilers. Andrew Copp was absent from practice and will be held out of action. The same goes for defenceman Tucker Poolman, who was in a non-contact jersey Friday and will miss a third straight game due to a lower-body injury.

When asked about his team's overall health, Jets head coach Paul Maurice said the only real concern for the playoffs is the status of forward Nikolaj Ehlers. Ehlers has missed the last eight games with a shoulder injury and though he's resumed skating, and started to add shooting to his solo workouts, he remains questionable for the start of the postseason.

Maurice has been conscious not to overwork his minutes-leaders, running four lines a lot more consistently than he's used to over the last few games. He'll take the same approach against the Leafs, understanding that another banged up player will only add to what seems like an already large mountain to climb in stopping Connor McDavid and the high-powered Oilers.

The Jets bench boss also isn't expecting a nasty affair against the Leafs, especially with Toronto likely more interested in preserving their collective health, too, as they plan to take a deep run at the Stanley Cup.

"Injuries can really change a series at any time. There is a threshold for every NHL team, that you get to a certain level you’re going to have a difficult time beating another playoff team — if you get that beat up," Maurice said.

"I think there is going to be a lot of puck movement (Friday), it’ll be a fast game, but I think you’ll find most guys running fairly short routes in terms 1212743 Winnipeg Jets “You want your team to play well and you’ve got your fingers crossed nobody gets hurt.”

That sounds like the kind of game coaches hate. SNAPSHOTS: Jets-Oilers the talk of the Zoom room “I like them way more than the games that you play and you’re not playing in the playoffs,” Maurice said.

Paul Friesen RE-ENERGIZED

Coming off their recent slide — nine losses in 10 games — defenceman Josh Morrissey says Tuesday’s 5-0 win over Vancouver has helped re- They still have one regular-season game left, against Toronto on Friday. energize the team.

But many of the questions lobbed the way of the Winnipeg Jets the day “There’s definitely renewed excitement,” Morrissey said, suggesting it prior were about their first-round playoff matchup with the Edmonton started with the celebration of Paul Stastny’s 1,000th career game. “That Oilers. whole day was just super-exciting and couldn’t be happier for him. And having that solidified idea of who we’re playing … the nice weather Maybe that’s because the NHL released the schedule: Games 1 and 2 yesterday — who doesn’t enjoy that? Yeah, everything’s good. Excited to are in Edmonton next Wednesday and Friday, with the series shifting to play.” Winnipeg on Sunday and Monday. SICK BAY UPDATE After that back-to-back, Games 5 through 7 (if it goes that long) would be every other day: next Wednesday, Friday and Sunday. Forward Andrew Copp won’t play on Friday, as the Jets are careful with whatever’s ailing him. That’s seven games in 12 days, if it goes the distance. Maurice says Copp will practise next week. “That’s a lot of hockey in a short amount of time,” forward Adam Lowry said. “That just seems it will carry over from the year. A lot of games, not The status of winger Nik Ehlers for Game 1 of the post-season remains a lot of off-days. There’s usually not a lot of practice time in the playoffs, up in the air. anyways. “He’s back skating with us now and he’s shooting some pucks,” Maurice “We’re really looking forward to getting underway and battling the Oilers. said. “We’ll see where the next five or six days get us to. I can’t tell you This is what we played for all year, to get into the playoffs.” he’s in for sure, and I certainly can’t tell you that he’s not playing in Game 1.” The Jets talked about stopping Connor McDavid and Leon Draisaitl, Edmonton’s two superstars. Ehlers will miss his ninth straight game on Friday.

They talked about Edmonton’s top-ranked power play. About the strong He remains the team’s No. 3 producer with 21 goals and 25 assists. season by Oilers goalie Mike Smith. Ehlers was hurt the previous time the Jets faced the Leafs, after several And, of course, they were asked about their six-game losing streak clashes with Joe Thornton. against the Oilers. Morrissey doesn’t expect any carry-over, although you never know. “There’s a couple of hurdles we kind of need to figure out before we get this series underway,” Lowry said. “We’re 2-7 against them, regular As for trying to re-establish some home-ice dominance, Morrissey says season. You would have liked that record to be a little better. The games location makes little difference this season. were closer, minus one or two. We feel we’re going into this series with a “Without the fans, other than not having to travel … every game is sort of good chance to win.” in the same scenario,” he said. “You’re maybe in a little nicer dressing The way Lowry sees it, the Jets have been getting better in each of their room at home or you’re in a hotel on the road. Other than that, there isn’t past three or four games. any crowd noise. It just feels like the same in both situations.”

They’ll take a look back at the season series with the Oilers when they The Jets are 12-13-2 at home, 17-10-1 on the road. begin prepping on Saturday. Winnipeg Sun LOADED 05.14.2021 “We certainly have a healthy respect for what that team can do offensively, off the rush,” head coach Paul Maurice said. “We have a way better understanding that they defend quite a bit differently than they did at the start of the year and I’m not talking about systems. Both teams are trying to get to that point, where they think they can score goals but the key will be how well they defend.”

A GENTLEMAN’S GAME

There is, of course, one regular-season tilt to get out of the way first.

Sure, gaining some momentum and good vibes with a second straight win going into the playoffs would be nice.

Sending a message to the Maple Leafs in case they face them in the second round might be another angle.

Preventing a Toronto sweep on Winnipeg ice this season is there, too.

But Friday night’s game really comes down to one thing: Getting through it healthy.

Don’t expect much hitting from either side.

“There is almost a — this is going to sound terrible for hockey — gentleman’s agreement,” is how Maurice put it. “I don’t think you’re going to see any late hits. Both teams are getting ready. There will be a certain amount of respect on the ice. It won’t have the same animosity because there’s nothing really on the line for anybody, other than both teams trying to get that good feeling. 1212744 Winnipeg Jets A percentage of those will die. Yet the Jets aren’t doing a thing to encourage the community to get on

board. Jets' silence on vaccinations deafening Everybody gets an opinion on vaccines, sure. Just like everyone can decide for themselves if the earth is round or flat.

Paul Friesen It’s this stage of the vaccination rollout where we need vaccine-reluctant people to make a decision for the greater good. Manitoba has its share of those.

Winnipeg Jets players pose with centre Paul Stastny (25) as he How many would be swayed by the momentum of seeing Jets players celebrates his 1,000th game after the Wednesday's tilt against the and coaches take a needle for Team Manitoba? Who knows, but it’s their Vancouver Canucks. USA Today Sports duty to try.

Article content After Lowry’s answer to my question, Jets staffer Greger Buer, who runs the daily media Zoom calls, jumped in. They are, by far, the most influential sports organization in Manitoba, their players among the most influential people in the province. “In the interests of player privacy, we won’t let you know individuals that have been vaccinated,” Buer said. “But some members of our travelling Young people look up to them as heroes, grown men and women wear party, including players, have been vaccinated to this point. And they jerseys bearing their names. have been doing so according to the eligibility laid out by the province.” Yet, the Winnipeg Jets’ silence on COVID-19 vaccinations is deafening. Great. Get them out, front and centre. Everybody’s eligible now. From the owners on down, not one member of the organization has Interest in the team is about to peak as the playoffs get underway next come out and said they’ve been vaccinated and encourage all week. Manitobans to do the same. I’ll bet provincial health officials would welcome a “Take your shot so we Elsewhere, celebrities are stepping up to wield whatever influence they can all win” message from the local NHLers. may hold, and you don’t have to look far to find examples. I’d hate to think the only difference between the Jets’ and Bombers’ The have had several players, including Grey approach is the CFL team’s need for fans in the stands. Cup MVP Andrew Harris, Jackson Jeffcoat and Pat Neufeld, record video messages about getting their shots. The messages are posted on social The Bombers can’t, and haven’t, played without at least a partial crowd. media, where they reach thousands of ears and eyes. But Canadian NHL teams have played on without anyone in the building, Head coach Mike O’Shea got the shot and is going into the Bombers buoyed by substantial TV contracts. Players and coaches are collecting facility to record his message on Friday. their hefty pay.

Winnipeg Goldeyes GM Andrew Collier has used his Twitter account to Surely, though, they think more deeply than that. encourage people to do the same. Yet, it’s complete, organizational silence. Yet, not a thing from the Jets. A vaccination vacuum, which, quite frankly, sucks. No mention from head coach Paul Maurice, 54, that he has rolled up his sleeve and would love to see Manitobans do the same so they can get Winnipeg Sun LOADED 05.14.2021 back in the building, eventually.

No recorded announcement from captain Blake Wheeler, who led the way when the pandemic started by recording a message about the importance of handwashing and staying socially distanced.

At 35, Wheeler is eligible for the vaccine. So why haven’t the Jets got him to say he will or already has got his shot to help protect the community and get life back to normal?

Wheeler encouraging people to do the same would go a lot further than hearing it from a politician.

Last weekend, Andrew Copp and Adam Lowry said they envied players in the U.S., where they’ve been far ahead in vaccinations and have already seen fans return and restrictions ease.

Everyone in Manitoba aged 18 and up is now eligible for a vaccine. So why aren’t we seeing a parade of Jets getting theirs?

On Thursday, I asked Lowry, 28, if he got his shot and if he was encouraging teammates to get it.

“Everyone’s decision to get vaccinated is a personal one,” Lowry said. “I don’t think it’s my place to speak for other people whether they should or should not. I’m getting in line when I can, so that’s a personal decision. I’m not going to tell anyone else they should or shouldn’t. That’s something where they need to do their own reading and talk to the doctors and talk to the experts to form their own opinion.”

Lowry is a thoughtful guy but, with all due respect, getting vaccinated is not just personal — it affects your friends, your neighbours, even complete strangers.

Manitoba hit a new pandemic-high with 560 new cases of COVID-19 announced on Thursday.

A percentage of those end up in a hospital bed, a percentage of those in ICU on a ventilator. 1212745 Winnipeg Jets

2021 NHL Playoffs: Jets vs. Oilers schedule, TV channel, games, scores, guide to the first-round series

By The Athletic NHL Staff May 13, 2021

In this North Division matchup, the No. 3 Winnipeg Jets will face the No. 2 Edmonton Oilers in the first round of the 2021 NHL Stanley Cup playoffs. To find out who has the advantage in the series, check out Dom Luszczyszyn’s odds and probabilities, Craig Custance’s playoff tiers and watch for predictions from our experts in the days to come.

Schedule/TV/results

Game 1: at Edmonton, Wednesday, May 19, at 9 p.m. ET (SN, CBC, TVA Sports, NBCSN)

Game 2: at Edmonton, Friday, May 21, at 9 p.m. ET (SN, CBC, TVA Sports, NBCSN)

Game 3: at Winnipeg, Sunday, May 23, time TBD (TV TBD)

Game 4: at Winnipeg, Monday, May 24, time TBD (TV TBD)

Game 5*: at Edmonton, Wednesday, May 26, time TBD (TV TBD)

Game 6*: at Winnipeg, Friday, May 28, time TBD (TV TBD)

Game 7*: at Edmonton, Sunday, May 30, time TBD (TV TBD)

(* – if necessary)

What to expect from the series?

Ideal Oilers lines for the playoffs

Jets-Oilers history

How the Oilers and Jets match up: Five things the regular-season series taught us about how they play each other.

NHL playoff matchups

Up next in the North Division: Canadiens-Maple Leafs

East Division: Bruins-Capitals | Islanders-Penguins

Central Division: Lightning-Panthers | Predators-Hurricanes

West Division: Wild-Golden Knights | Blues-Avalanche

The Athletic LOADED: 05.14.2021 1212746 Vancouver Canucks Mike DiPietro, the Canucks’ goalie of the future behind Demko, has been singing Clark’s praises this week, particularly given DiPietro has done almost nothing but practise this season.

Flames 4, Canucks 1: Another lacklustre night but, hey, it's nearly over And yet, for apparent budgetary reasons, Clark seems likely to walk.

The Canucks had plenty of defensive breakdowns, yielding multiple odd- On this night, both his students were calm and steady, making every man rushes, including a pair of three-on-ones. save, beaten only by feats of skill or defensive breakdowns in front of them.

Big save Patrick Johnston On a night that was short on highlights or broader lessons, Demko’s big glove save in the second period on Oliver Kylington stood out.

There are four games left to go in the 2020-21 Vancouver Canucks So did him standing tall against a third-period Flames three-on-one. season. There was nothing at stake in this game, but the Canucks’ goalie gave Three of those will feature the Calgary Flames, who beat the Canucks 4- his team a chance to win. 1 on Thursday night at Scotiabank Saddledome in Calgary. Where you going? The players involved deserve plenty of credit for working their way through these remaining games, which have no purpose other than to Mangiapane’s go-ahead goal included a mysterious sequence for Olli satisfy sponsorship and TV contracts. Juolevi.

From Saturday, they’ll be playing regular-season games while the The rookie Canucks defenceman made a bad pinch at the offensive blue Stanley Cup playoffs are underway. That’s never happened before in line and then, with the puck on the far boards, he inexplicably skated NHL history and it’s not likely to happen again. Any player will tell you it’s behind the net, leaving Mangiapane all alone in front of his net and free going to be a weird experience. to tip in a shot from the point.

Thursday’s game was surely a sign of what’s to come, with bursts of It looked like maybe Juolevi thought the puck was about to be cycled energy broken up by long doldrums. around behind the net, but it was a woeful read and the worst end result for a shift where he was caught chasing once and never caught up. “We want to win all three games,” Calgary defenceman Rasmus Anderson said flatly post-game. “You want to play well every game. Highmore’s first That’s what I’m going to try to do.” There’s little doubt the winger the Canucks picked up in the dumping of The Canucks had plenty of defensive breakdowns, yielding multiple odd- Adam Gaudette to Chicago has a motor. man rushes, including a pair of three-on-ones. But through two periods, You can see why Highmore generates some interest as a fourth-line they also had generated a good number of chances at the other end of energy player, even if offence isn’t really part of his skill set. the ice. In Vancouver he’s gotten a long look on Bo Horvat’s wing. The numbers “I’m encouraged by our group. Obviously we’re going through a tough aren’t great — the Canucks’ shot-attempt percentage with him on the ice stretch right now,” Canucks defenceman Tyler Myers said post-game. at even strength is just 40 per cent — but the whole team has struggled “We don’t want to make any excuses. But we’re battling hard. I love the since returning from their COVID layoff. way we’re still battling even though we’re out of it.” And he came without the offensive pedigree Gaudette carried, so Matthew Highmore opened the scoring for the Canucks, deflecting a expectations of production were low. wobbling Travis Hamonic point shot past Flames goalie Jacob Markstrom. It was his first goal as a Canuck. All this said, there’s no denying his goal, which opened scoring on the night, was a very fine bit of skill, a reminder that even the players who After Andersson tied up the game moments later, Andrew Mangiapane make the NHL who aren’t there to score possess far better talents than made a deft tip of a point shot of his own, beating Canucks netminder most mortals. Thatcher Demko. Highmore gave big credit to Brock Boeser, who carried the puck into the Elias Lindholm and Matthew Tkachuk sealed the game for Calgary with a zone and made a smart back pass along the boards to Hamonic, who pair of goals in 64 seconds late in the third. Tkachuk’s goal actually fired the rolling puck netwards. deflected over Demko’s shoulder off J.T. Miller’s stick. “Just trying to get a stick on it, honestly, didn’t know I scored ’till I heard The fourth goal frustrated the normally cool Demko so that he flung the somebody scream,” Highmore said of his tipped goal. “Right place, right puck away in frustration. time.” Here’s what we learned … Matthew Highmore's first goal with the @canucks opens the scoring! NEXT GAME #NHLonSN pic.twitter.com/lzbNaxxcAP

Saturday — Sportsnet (@Sportsnet) May 14, 2021

Vancouver Canucks vs. Edmonton Oilers Vancouver Province: LOADED: 05.14.2021

12:30 p.m., Rogers Place Saddledome. TV: Sportsnet Pacific. Radio: Sportsnet 650 AM

The Clark influence

At this point, it’s just about certain goalie coach Ian Clark won’t be back next season, which represents a true own-goal for the Canucks organization.

He’s built solid relationships with every goalie he’s worked with in Vancouver.

The performance he helped Markstrom achieve is well noted. As a reminder, without Clark, Markstrom has struggled some this year and sports just a .905 save percentage with the Flames this season. 1212747 Vancouver Canucks

Woman files civil lawsuit against Vancouver Canucks forward Jake Virtanen

Woman claims she was sexually assaulted by Jake Virtanen at a hotel

Scott Brown

A woman who alleges she was sexually assaulted by Jake Virtanen has filed a civil lawsuit against the Vancouver Canucks forward.

In the action filed in B.C. Supreme Court in Kelowna on Wednesday, the woman, identified only by the initials M.S., alleges she was the victim of an unwanted sexual encounter with Virtanen and is seeking unspecified damages for “pain, suffering, loss of enjoyment of life, loss of physical, mental and emotional health.”

M.S. alleges she met Virtanen at a Calgary music festival on or around July 14, 2017.

She said the two met again in Metro Vancouver in September and she was taken to what was described to her as the team’s training camp hotel. She alleges she repeatedly said no as the player forcibly undressed her and forcibly had intercourse with her without a condom.

M.S.’s lawsuit says she experienced shame, anxiety, self-blame and fear. The lawsuit says she also suffers from post-traumatic stress disorder and depression.

“The plaintiff has sustained certain special damages and financial loss arising from expenses for psychological and trauma treatment,” the lawsuit alleges.

The Canucks placed Virtanen on leave May 1 while the team takes part in an independent investigation into the allegations against the 24-year- old Abbotsford native.

None of the allegations have been proven in court.

Vancouver Province: LOADED: 05.14.2021 1212748 Vancouver Canucks “It’s been a long year,” admitted Boeser. “It has been hard mentally, and it would be tough to go and quarantine again for the fifth or sixth time in a year. And I obviously have personal (family) reasons and that’s why.”

Injured Canucks star Elias Pettersson expected to be ready for next Boeser took a team-leading 41 points (21-20) and 16.3 shooting season percentage into Thursday’s tussle in Calgary, and U.S. coach Jack Capuano could have certainly used that production. His right-wingers for ‘I’ve been there and missing games isn’t fun, especially for a guy who the worlds are Colin Blackwell of the Rangers (12-10-22), Ryan Donato was playing his best right before he got injured,’ linemate and good friend (6-14-20) and Kevin Labanc (12-16-28) of the Sharks and Eric Robinson Brock Boeser says of Pettersson of the Blue Jackets (8-10-18).

Boeser has 16 points (11-5) in 16 international appearances, topped by five points (4-1) to help the U.S. capture the 2014 World Junior A Ben Kuzma Challenge. He also had eight points (6-2) in five games in his country’s third-place showing at the under-18 world championship and was on the 2016 team that claimed bronze at the 2016 world junior There was no mystery to how the electric Elias Pettersson excelled championship. during his National Hockey League rookie season to capture the Calder Trophy in 2018-19. OVERTIME — Green wants Jonah Gadjovich to make his NHL regular- season debut, especially after 15 goals in his first 19 American Hockey Blessed with deceptive speed and incredible instincts to overwhelm the League games this season with Utica Comets, but it’s complicated. “The opposition, the Vancouver Canucks centre become a premier playmaker reality is we’ve had so many injuries and have had to use our four and intimidating shooter. His wrist shot packs accuracy and velocity and recalls,” said Green. “We have eight defencemen and 12 forwards and the one-timer slap shot is envied by his peers. those are the options right now. If we have injuries, I can put someone else in. When Utica’s season ends (Sunday), we can open up the roster However, there is mystery to what has actually sidelined Pettersson for and play whoever we want.” the last 25 games. Vancouver Province: LOADED: 05.14.2021 There’s ongoing speculation that he suffered a wrist or hand injury on March 1 in Winnipeg, then played through it the next night before being shelved. And while the Canucks continued to comment that he was “working hard” for a hopeful return this season, the talk now is centred on whether he’ll be ready for next fall as opposed to what could have been with a healthy Pettersson.

The club has only referred to the star centre’s slow-to-heal ailment as an “upper-body” injury.

“I don’t think we’re going to see him now, and he has been pushing hard to get back,” Canuck coach Travis Green said Thursday. “I’m not going to get into the specifics of the injury itself right now. There’s a time and place for that, probably at the end of the season. I’m under the understanding that he’s going to be fine.

“I can tell you we were hopeful he was going to play and we weren’t being coy about it. We wanted him back. He’s obviously a huge part of our team and is going to end up missing (30) games (overall). That’s a lot.”

Brock Boeser has often laboured through a wonky wrist that was taped for support. He knows how much that irritation can affect stickhandling and shooting (if it is a hand or wrist that’s troubling Pettersson), and a healthy Boeser is proof that any such ailment can be overcome.

“From my wrist injuries, you just have to stay on top of it and keep it strong,” said Boeser. “I really don’t know (the injury) with Petey when I do communicate with him. I try to catch up with him and I would assume he’s going to be ready next fall.”

If anybody knows Pettersson’s drive to live up to high expectations, it’s Boeser. He struck up an instant friendship with Pettersson on and off the ice.

“It’s a lot different this (COVID-19) year, and we barely get to see the injured guys when we’re at home,” added Boeser. “I keep in contact, but it just sucks to get an injury like that and miss this much time.

“I’ve been there and missing games isn’t fun, especially for a guy who was playing his best right before he got injured and is one of the best players in the league.”

Pettersson had seven points (5-2) in five games before being shut down; the restricted free agent will finish his frustrating season with 21 points (10-11) in 26 games.

No worlds for Boeser

Boeser has represented the U.S. on three occasions in international competition, but is passing on the world hockey championship that runs May 21 to June 6 in Riga, Latvia.

J.T. Miller and Thatcher Demko have also said no to the U.S., and it’s not surprising that this unfathomable NHL season that ends May 19 — and would be followed by a short turnaround for the worlds — has the trio thinking rest and recovery. 1212749 Vancouver Canucks Fans of Tank Nation will be happy to know that the first goal was the high point for the Canucks as that was the last goal of the night for the good guys. As Travis Green Jose points out, this is a hard league to win in, and everyone is going to come guns a-blazing when you sit down at that The Armies: Jose Canseco, Richard Park and why Tyler Toffoli is the hockey table or whatever. straw that broke the camel’s back The Flames’ first goal came after they basically won every single puck battle along the boards and then found Rasmus Andersson all alone in the slot: By Wyatt Arndt May 14, 2021 That goal was essentially one of those Dawn soap commercials where

they put a drop of soap in the grease and the grease just runs away from “Footfalls echo in the memory everything.

Down the passage which we did not take If you’re wondering how many games are left in this godforsaken season, it’s four after Thursday’s game, as you can see by me dropping a Dawn Towards the door we never opened soap reference.

Into the rose-garden. Where did the Goonies go, Wyatt?

Time present and time past They died with my enjoyment of hockey this year.

Are both perhaps present in time future Best overreaction

And time future contained in time past. WOW WHAT A LOUSY GAME THOSE GUYS SHOULD BE ASHAMED OF THEMSELVES I'M TAKING THE ALIEN OFF PAYROLL What might have been and what has been — JOSE CANSECO (@JOSECANSECO) FEBRUARY 4, 2019 Point to one end, which is always present. PUCK WATCHING BY #CANUCKS Footfalls echo in the memory — ELLA (@EKF2749) MAY 14, 2021 Down the passage which we did not take.” JACK RATHBONE WOULD NEVER — T.S. Eliot — DAVID QUADRELLI (@QUADREILI) MAY 14, 2021 Best countdown until the sweet release of the end of the hockey season Jose saying he’s going to trade Elias Pettersson to teach this team a IN A WARRIOR'S WORLD THERE'S NO SURRENDER KEEP lesson is a bit drastic, but this goal is another breakdown in the defensive FIGHTING zone that the Canucks have warmly embraced this season: — JOSE CANSECO (@JOSECANSECO) DECEMBER 16, 2020 There’s always a moment on any goal where if you had a time machine EVERY TIME HIGHMORE SCORES YOU HAVE TO TAKE A DAB you’d go back and try and stop it from happening, and on this one I would jump in my DeLorean and then scream at Olli Juolevi to not chase behind — NICK BONDI (@NICKBONDI) MAY 14, 2021 the net, leaving your check open in front of your goalie.

THAT GOAL JUST BOUGHT HIGHMORE ANOTHER 48 GAMES IN Rob Williams suggested to me that Olli outthought himself and was trying THE TOP SIX #CANUCKS to cut off the puck from being wrapped back around the boards, which — CODY SEVERTSON (@CODYSEVERTSON) MAY 14, 2021 fair enough, do your dekes, bro, but also, don’t do those dekes. That is one hell of a high-risk play to make for minimal gain. Last game The Armies was lucky to have Cher on board to give her analysis, and I could not be more excited to have former MLB star Jose Best call-out Canseco along for this ride. HE HAD THE C4 AND HE SAW A HELICOPTER

The Canucks got on the board first when Matthew Highmore actually — BEN PAINE (@L3ENJO) MAY 14, 2021 went high and ruined my ability to change his last name to make a bad joke: Super-accurate Warzone analogy. Sometimes you just see the big boom in your head and you throw logic down the basement stairs and lock the Highmore has the blueprint of Tyler Motte in front of him for how to turn a door. cynically viewed trade into a major win by establishing himself as a bottom-six guy with an engine that never quits. To this end, he has Best pushback played well enough down the stretch, but of course, it tends to help when KNOCK KNOCK you get to play with Brock Boeser and JT Miller, assuming you don’t get distracted by the angry swearing and wonderful flow of your linemates. — JOSE CANSECO (@JOSECANSECO) AUGUST 19, 2018

As Jose says, though, use that warrior spirit as motivation to get you Who’s there? through these last five games of the season. The Canucks knocking on Jacob Markstrom’s door. Let’s bash. Look, I am as ashamed of myself as you are, but this is where we are in Best over before it even began life right now.

I FEEL LIKE I'M THE WYATT EARP OF POKER EVERY TIME I GET IN You think Drance would make a better joke?? Have you seen his puns?? THE CASH GAME EVERYONE'S GUNNING FOR ME He would be all like, “The Canucks, still reeling from their willingness to — JOSE CANSECO (@JOSECANSECO) AUGUST 10, 2019 impignorate their future for short-term gains, have their jentacular fed to them from former hobnobber Jacob Markstrom. It’s too bad the Canucks THESE GUYS SHOULD REALIZE THAT IF THEY QUIT SCORING THE didn’t have a sale on their sinking ship of a season because it’s been GAME WILL END SOONER quite an oar deal.” — JEFF PATERSON (@PATERSONJEFF) MAY 14, 2021 SHOW ME THE LIE. I SEE WE'VE OFFICIALLY REACHED THE "BEER LEAGUE DEFENSE" Best save of the night PART OF THE SEASON. #CANUCKS WHAT IS THE GUY HAVE TO DO TO GET MORE FOLLOWERS — LACHLAN IRVINE (@LACHINTHECREASE) MAY 14, 2021 SHOOT HIS FINGER OFF OR SOMETHING — JOSE CANSECO (@JOSECANSECO) MAY 11, 2020 IF MARKSTROM IS A REAL HOMIE HE WOULD LET EDLER SCORE HIS 100TH IN ONE OF THE NEXT 4 GAMES LIKE LUONGO DID FOR GOOD LORD, WHAT AN INCREDIBLE SAVE BY DEMKO ON HENRIK#CANUCKS KYLINGTON. #CANUCKS — BROWNIE (@CANUCKBROWNIE) MAY 14, 2021 — DANIEL WAGNER (@PASSITTOBULIS) MAY 14, 2021 This was the closest Alex Edler got to that 100th goal. Thatcher Demko did his part to give some hope to the future as he played a strong game and gave the Canucks a chance to win it, were it If the Canucks aren’t going to dress Jack Rathbone, at least do not for Tank Captain JT Miller’s decisive goal later in the game. everything in your power to get Edler his 100th as a Canuck. Just straight up give him Alexei Kovalev 10-minute shifts until he gets it. But early on, he was flashing that Bubly style, as seen here with this ridiculous glove save: Best chaos

Jose is right, I have no idea how Demko doesn’t have more followers TYLER MYERS ELITE GOALTENDER because this kid is looking like he might be the real deal in Vancouver: — THE ONE AND ONLY TYLER MYERS SIMP (@CASSIDY7008) MAY Best mantra 14, 2021

NO OVERTIME YOU CAN'T CONTROL BIGFOOT OR ALIENS SO YOU CAN'T CONTROL ME EITHER NO OVERTIME — JOSE CANSECO (@JOSECANSECO) APRIL 5, 2021 NO OVERTIME My favorite play of the game was Tyler Myers coming up huge preventing NO OVERTIME a goal in the most absolute Myers way ever, by shooting the puck on his NO OVERTIME own net and hitting the post:

NO OVERTIME Jose is right, you can’t control Tyler Myers, but tell me there hasn’t been a more entertaining player to watch this year than him. NO OVERTIME The Canucks management team truly echoes the energy of Myers. — JEFF PATERSON (@PATERSONJEFF) MAY 14, 2021 Whatever happens, happens, you know, so just believe it’s going to all work out in the end. Take things day by day, you know? HOLD IT STEADY #CANUCKS WE ALMOST THERE. WE DON’T NEED A HERO TONIGHT Best how the turntables

— DAVID CEE (@CANUCKSIN4) MAY 14, 2021 IN ORDER TO REALLY LIVE YOU HAVE TO BE ABLE TO DIE A FEW TIMES HEHEH — JOSE CANSECO (@JOSECANSECO) JANUARY 20, 2021 — JOSE CANSECO (@JOSECANSECO) MAY 10, 2018 You haven’t truly lived until you’ve defended multiple odd-man rushes Jose is right, sometimes all you can do is laugh as the Flames’ third goal against, which is how Myers usually introduces himself to every was a result of Nate Schmidt and Tyler Myers playing high and wide, with defensive partner he plays with. Miller also playing high, ignoring the stranger danger down the middle: Juolevi has been paying close attention to those lessons, however, and The good news is that’s the most hustle we’ve seen from a Miller he flipped the script by making a pinch and leaving Myers to deal with the backcheck in 10 games, but the bad news is Elias Lindholm still scored. fallout: Best tank nation captain JT Miller To Myers’ credit, you can see the moment he knows he’s in Ralph SUCCESS IS MOVING FROM FAILURE TO FAILURE WITH NO LESS Wiggum danger, and he gets on his horse to race back into the play and ENTHUSIASM break it up.

— JOSE CANSECO (@JOSECANSECO) JANUARY 18, 2018 Best did Jimmy Vesey score update

THIS IS GOING TO BE A FUN WEEK HUH?

— ANNA FORSYTH (@AFORSYTH03) MAY 14, 2021 — JOSE CANSECO (@JOSECANSECO) FEBRUARY 13, 2021

THAT’S JT MILLER’S SEASON IN ONE PLAY. Nope.

— SEKERES AND PRICE (@SEKERESANDPRICE) MAY 14, 2021 Best stretch pass in the league

I’m a big fan of Miller and think he is a wonderful player, but man alive, THEY ARE VERY FEW OF US WHO CAN CONFRONT THE DRAGON this stretch to end the season has been a rough ride for him. ALONE

Still, people hoping for high draft position, he is your captain right now, as — JOSE CANSECO (@JOSECANSECO) FEBRUARY 24, 2020 he once again helped score a goal for the opposition: It’s true, Jose, only Alex Burrows has done it for Vancouver. Jose is bang on once again, though, as Miller needs to find his People like Juolevi know they need help, which is why he has perfected enthusiasm and jump back from the season he has had, no matter how the stretch pass: next season starts. It has now become a tradition to celebrate any stretch pass Juolevi I also have no idea how you award two assists on that goal and a lot of makes, which is why you now get a second angle of said pass: second assists in hockey in general tend to be straight-up lies, but that’s a rant for another day. Best whatever

Just create an own-goal statistic like football, do the right thing. Let Alex DAMMIT I’M MAD Edler lead the league in a category that shows his willingness to defend his net as a goalie. — JOSE CANSECO (@JOSECANSECO) MAY 10, 2018

Best reason Not as mad as Markstrom on this play where Nils Höglander ran him over like he was nothing more than a Rönttönen: I'M JUST HERE FOR EDLER 100 The best part of this is the ref giving him the old “what do you want me to — BOBAK (@BOBAKM) MAY 14, 2021 do about it? I just want to go home.” gesture.

Best of the Gravy Train COME STEP INTO MY WORLD THE TWILIGHT ZONE THE WORLD WHO'S RICHARD PARK? OF PURE IMAGINATION RICHARD PARK IS A KOREAN-BORN AMERICAN FORMER HOCKEY — JOSE CANSECO (@JOSECANSECO) FEBRUARY 13, 2019 PLAYER WHO PLAYED 14 SEASONS WITH 6 DIFFERENT NHL TEAMS. HE WAS A PLAYER DEVELOPMENT COACH FOR THE WILD NO SHIFT CLOCKS FOR FLAMES PLAYERS?#CANUCKS & CURRENTLY THE ASSISTANT COACH OF THE SOUTH KOREAN #VANVSCAL MEN'S NATIONAL HOCKEY TEAM. @THESTANCHION

— KEN HENDERSON (@KRUSTY027) MAY 14, 2021 — BUCKFOSTON (@BUCKFOSTON_) MAY 14, 2021

In my Twilight Zone of imagination, I picture one more season with Tyler Best we could have had it all Graovac, and it’s because of plays like these: TOFFOLI: “FROM THE SEC I GOT ON THE ICE THERE, I JUST With the Flames exhausted, the Gravy Train knows he can body-fake his LOVED IT. I WAS ON A LINE WITH [EP] & [JT] & WE HAD check off the scent and drives hard around the net. This puts him in his INCREDIBLE CHEMISTRY… I JUST HAD A DIFFERENT FEELING office, aka the weirdest angle in the world, and he takes his shot. COMING TO THE RINK EACH DAY. I WAS REJUVENATED…I FELT A This, as always, is the good stuff. REAL CONNECTION TO THE CITY. CAT & I BOTH DID” #CANUCKS

Best Brock Star — BUCKFOSTON (@BUCKFOSTON_) MAY 13, 2021

I HAVE FIGURED OUT A WAY TO LIVE AN EXTRA 30 YEARS Tyler Toffoli’s story on the Player’s Tribune is an insightful read, as most articles on that website tend to be. When you cover sports and the — JOSE CANSECO (@JOSECANSECO) FEBRUARY 7, 2019 stories of the behind-the-scenes action come out, many people deflect it away with claims of it being fake news or unverifiable. “My team is Jose is right, if you want to extend your career in the NHL, you have to infallible! That news story is clearly a lie. My team always has a plan, you be more than a one-dimensional player. This is why seeing Boeser do just can’t see it” seems to be the mantra most invoked, in a delightful stuff like this is so promising: balancing act of cognitive dissonance. On its surface, that’s just a simple forecheck, but the context of this clip is So yes, while what Toffoli said wasn’t new in the sense that we’d all this was after being stuck in his own zone with his linemates for two heard the stories before, there is something clean and concise about a minutes. They’re exhausted and trying to get off the ice, so Brock makes player involved directly with a story confirming the details. Much like sure to use everything he has left to buy his team some time to make the Shawn Matthias did on the Pucks on Net podcast where he told the world full change. that no, in fact, Jim Benning never reached out to his camp for a new This is also the good stuff. contract despite claims to the contrary.

Best metaphors And while the Toffoli story might be tired to some in a year in which the Canucks have faced only six opponents, and one can only talk about JOHN GARRETT FOR #CANUCKS GM Toffoli conquering the Canucks like a young Robb Stark leading his team PIC.TWITTER.COM/KJRVQXAMBV to victory in the Battle of the Whispering Wood so many times before people’s eyes glaze over, it’s worth noting what the story represents: bad — ROB WILLIAMS (@ROBTHEHOCKEYGUY) MAY 14, 2021 optics. I SUPPORT JOHN GARRETT’S BURGER BLUEPRINT FOR ROSTER If there was ever a theme for the regime of Jim Benning and Francesco CONSTRUCTION. JUST NEEDS TO ADD BACON. Aquilini, it would be that: extremely, very bad, horrible optics. — THOMAS DRANCE (@THOMASDRANCE) MAY 14, 2021 We’ve talked in the past about how the mistakes made during Benning’s Best chaotic metaphor time here always felt like a death by a thousand cuts. Here, let’s play a quick word association game: HE’S THE JOKER YOU PULL OUT OF YOUR BURGER WHILE SAYING “WHY DID I GET A CARD INSTEAD OF CHEESE, WHAT Sven Baertschi KIND OF RESTAURANT IS THIS??’ Troy Stecher — CAL BUTTERCLUCK (@CALBUTTERCLUCK) MAY 14, 2021 Best of Richard Park content Chris Tanev HE LOOKS SO DAMN CASUAL. HE WAS THE “CIGARETTE IN THE Salary Cap MOUTH” PLAYER WAY BEFORE TANEV. Free agency — J.BOWMAN (@JBOWMANCOUVER) MAY 13, 2021 Trade deadlines ONE OF THE CONFERENCES IN MY HOCKEY POOL IS NAMED AFTER CANUCKS LEGEND RICHARD PARK. I’M CURRENTLY IN What makes a good NHL defenseman THE PROCESS OF MAKING UP TRADING CARDS AS AWARDS. HERE’S RICHARD’S! I HOPE THIS IS SOME SCINTILLATING Drafting RICHARD PARK CONTENT FOR YOU, @THESTANCHION Trevor Linden PIC.TWITTER.COM/WXGTJJSSIW Oliver Ekman-Larsson — GORDIE PARMESAN (@GORDIEPARMESAN) MAY 14, 2021 Monetary value of leadership @THESTANCHION WATCHING THIS GAME FEELING LIKE STEVE KARIYA WOULD HAVE A HATTY TONIGHT. #CANUCKS AND Odds are most people walk away from that list with a lot of pointed, FLAMES PLAYING LOOOOOOOOSE negative questions. The drafting is the one major positive on that list, and PIC.TWITTER.COM/OKS8QMYVBQ even that is riddled with the optics of the Judd Brackett situation.

— JOSH THE ZAMBONI GUY (@JOSHZAMBONIGUY) MAY 14, 2021 The amount of clean “wins” the Canucks management has gotten over the last seven years has been minimal, to say the least, and tend to be RICHARD PARK PLAYED HIS FINAL TWO SEASONS WITH HC over-celebrated because what else are you going to do when everything AMBRI-PIOTTA OF THE SWISS NATIONAL LEAGUE. feels so bleak? Setting the bar so low that you come out looking like a HC AMBRI-PRIOTTA WAS FOUNDED IN 1937 AND HAS NEVER WON hero when you barely step over it was how I got through high school, I THE LEAGUE CHAMPIONSHIP. SO PARK PRETTY MUCH FINISHED know the process well. HIS CAREER WITH THE SWISS-CANUCKS (THEIR COLOURS ARE And that’s the thing with this team. It’s been seven seasons of bad optics BLUE AND WHITE TOO). to the point where it no longer feels like just bad optics, it just feels like — SAWYER MARSH (@SAWYERMARSH) MAY 14, 2021 poor management. Every day it feels like a new story comes out that paints the Canucks in a negative light. The latest? The Canucks not being able to get their own goalie, Mike DiPietro, to play more games for Utica, losing out to the St. Louis Blues’ Joel Hofer in their odd 50 shades of shared farm team situation.

For whatever reason, though, the Toffoli story feels like the straw that broke the camel’s back.

Would Toffoli have solved the Canucks’ defensive issues? No, of course not.

Would Toffoli have helped a team offensively, had chemistry with your franchise center and improved the skill of the team? Yes, of course.

Sometimes teams just need to land the easy win once in a while. If you can’t manage the easy wins, how do you convince a fan base you can pull off the hard ones?

But when pressed on the matter earlier this year, we got the sound bite of the season: “We ran out of time.”

They ran out of time on a guy who clearly loved playing here, and a guy the team used assets to acquire. Yet not a single phone call or fax was made.

And again, it’s not an end-of-the-world situation. Toffoli will most likely get that sweet Jeff Skinner regression next year, but hey at least his contract won’t be a burden.

And if you really wanted to be optimistic, you could explain away all the failures (Time is hard! Who saw that pandemic coming?? Injuries!), but at what point after seven long seasons filled with situations just like this, do you start to wonder, just what is the new two-year plan?

For a team that hasn’t had to try very hard over the years to sell itself to the fans, it’s almost as if the team needs a history lesson of the late ’90s and the Mark Messier era. A time when Brian Burke informed the world that all it would take is one quarter and the Canucks were out of here.

Are they in danger of moving the team? Of course not. But they are in danger of one of the worst things you can have in sports: long-term apathy.

Things can change quickly in hockey, and nothing masks fixes problems quite like winning, but the Canucks, starting at ownership, have some tough questions to ask themselves this offseason.

And the first one is, just what exactly is the plan here, really?

The Athletic LOADED: 05.14.2021 1212750 Websites games, which stand as the three best-attended games in the NHL this season.

The Dallas Stars were one of the three teams to open the season with The Athletic / NHL missed out on nearly $3.6 billion in revenue in 2020- fans on opening night and drew the most total fans this season, 121,534, 21 because of limited attendance and had the top average, 4,341, for most of the season until Vegas’ capacity was increased in recent weeks. Dallas’ attendance for its final home game of 6,014 was its top mark for the regular season.

By Sean Shapiro May 13, 2021 The Florida Panthers and Arizona Coyotes also had fans for 28 home games. The Panthers averaged 4,196 fans per game while the Coyotes

averaged 3,197. The National Hockey League missed out on almost $3.6 billion in Using the word “sellout” feels off in a season with limited capacity. revenue this season from ticket sales and in-arena purchases because of Instead, we’ll use the term “max allowed attendance.” attendance restrictions. In addition to Vegas, the Tampa Bay Lightning, New Jersey Devils, New League and team executives wouldn’t confirm or share financial impacts York Islanders, Carolina Hurricanes, Minnesota Wild, Pittsburgh specifically, but when The Athletic went over our math on how we Penguins, Boston Bruins, Anaheim Ducks and Washington Capitals all reached that number, we were told, “that’s not far off,” and “that’s the hit max allowed attendance for each of their home games. right ballpark.” Here is the total average attendance by team, accounting for games When the NHL regular season for American-based teams comes to a through Tuesday evening. conclusion on Thursday evening, the league will have welcomed slightly more than a million fans during the 2020-21 season. NHL team attendance

It’s a major, but expected, drop for a league trying to operate during the TEAM TOTAL ATTENDANCE GAMES AVERAGE COVID-19 pandemic. Vegas During the 2019-20 regular season the NHL had a total attendance of 18,805,362. The 2018-19 season, the last one that wasn’t impacted by 74162 COVID-19, had a total attendance of 22,002,081 with all 31 teams 17 playing 82 games. 4362 Heading into Wednesday’s games, the NHL has welcomed approximately 1,002,528 fans this season. That number isn’t entirely Dallas accurate, because four of the teams that had at least some paid attendance this season, the Nashville Predators, St. Louis Blues, Detroit 121534 Red Wings and Buffalo Sabres, didn’t report attendance on a game-by- 28 game basis on NHL game sheets. 4341 The seven Canadian teams played in front of empty buildings, so this data compiled by The Athletic is based on attendance totals for 20 Carolina teams. 89732 Even with new, more lucrative television deals with ESPN and Turner Sports, the NHL continues to be a gate-driven league. And missing out 21 on nearly 21 million fans in the regular season isn’t a fun math exercise 4272 for NHL owners or players. Florida For example, the average NHL ticket price during the 2019-20 season was $77.71 across the league. When you multiply that by 21 million, you 117515 start to recognize why the NHL is looking at close to $1.6 billion in lost revenue this season from ticket sales. 28 4196 And that’s just ticket sales. As multiple league executives have pointed out to The Athletic, there are other key revenue streams tied to arena Colorado attendance including food and beverage, parking, merchandise sales and even some sponsorship deals. 20198

One NHL executive said, on average, it’s smart to plan that each fan is 5 spending close to $100 per game on things outside of tickets. Another 4039 estimated $125 while another estimated $100 as well. Using that $100 as a benchmark, it’s a ballpark of close to another $2 billion in lost revenue Columbus for teams that would have been spent with otherwise full buildings. 63477 So when added up between gate and extra spending at games, that’s how we reached the $3.6 billion number. 16

NHL attendance is going to go up during the playoffs. Restrictions are 3967 starting to allow for larger crowds, and Vegas owner Bill Foley has even Chicago said he hopes his team will have 100 percent capacity by June 1, which would be around the start of the second round of the playoffs. It’s an 7737 enticing idea, but as one NHL team executive said, “it doesn’t even start to make a dent in the amount lost by not having fans in the regular 2 season.” 3868

Here is what we learned about hockey attendance this season when Pittsburgh looking at the numbers. 74001 Once allowed to admit fans, the Vegas Golden Knights led the league in average attendance, drawing an average of 4,362 across 17 games. 21 Vegas also “sold out” every game, with incremental jumps in attendance throughout the season, leading to a current max of 7,567 in its final three 3523 Tampa Bay 72073

22

3276

Arizona

89527

28

3197

Philadelphia

52016

17

3059

Minnesota

36300

12

3025

New Jersey

53900

19

2836

Boston

39621

17

2330

Washington

12798

6

2133

Rangers

31900

18

1772

Los Angeles

13906

8

1738

Anaheim

6868

4

1717

Islanders

19200

14

1371

San Jose

6063

6

1010

The Athletic LOADED: 05.14.2021 1212751 Websites “Collectively, based on credible and corroborating firsthand witness accounts, Perkins found that sexual abuse allegations like those reported in The Athletic were known by individuals within the university’s athletic department at or around the time of the former assistant coach’s The Athletic / Victims of alleged sexual abuse sue USA Hockey and the departure from the University. Despite this knowledge, available University of Minnesota evidence shows no action taken by the University to conduct an independent investigation or report the allegations to the authorities. That

is not what the University would do today,” the school said in a statement By Katie Strang May 13, 2021 in October.

According to the lawsuit, junior hockey team owner Ira Greenberg told Smith in 1989 that Greenberg believed Adrahtas was sexually abusing Multiple men are suing USA Hockey, the University of Minnesota and players on Greenberg’s team, but that Smith did not notify local Illinois amateur hockey’s state governing body (AHAI) over sexual abuse authorities or investigate the concerns (Smith previously said he does not they say they suffered while playing for prominent Chicago-area youth recall having that conversation). In 2010, when Adrahtas was nominated hockey coach Thomas “Chico” Adrahtas. for induction into the Illinois Hockey Hall of Fame, former player Chris Jensen detailed in a letter to AHAI’s then-president Mike Mullally the Among the claims in the federal lawsuit, which will be filed in the U.S. sexual abuse Jensen said he had experienced while playing for Adrahtas District Court of Minnesota this week, is that individuals in positions of in 1984. According to the lawsuit, Smith and former USA Hockey authority and multiple governing bodies failed to protect players from executive Tony Rossi were on the Hall of Fame committee and were sexual abuse, molestation and unwanted touching, despite concerns, aware of the report Mullally drafted to former USA Hockey legal counsel warnings and complaints about Adrahtas’ conduct. Adrahtas is also Peter Lindberg regarding the allegations. Lindberg advised Mullally named as a defendant in the lawsuit. and/or AHAI to refer the matter to local authorities, to notify clubs for Details of Adrahtas’ sexual abuse, coercion and misconduct became which Adrahtas had previously worked, as well as USA Hockey’s public in February 2020 when six former players described their insurance carrier to put them “on notice of a possible claim or claims experiences with Adrahtas to The Athletic. That article and others arising from the investigation.” detailed abuse that began in the early 1980s and continued until at least Smith, Rossi and Mullally are not named as defendants in the lawsuit, but 2003. The abuse took place in multiple states and occurred at several it alleges that they, AHAI and USA Hockey did not investigate or report to clubs. “appropriate prosecuting authorities,” interview past AAA personnel and The players said that Adrahtas cultivated close relationships with them parents or contact Robert Morris University’s athletic department when they were young and groomed them to become unwitting victims of (Adrahtas was an RMU coach at the time). sexual abuse. Adrahtas eventually offered to facilitate a woman to AHAI, in a statement, denied those claims: “In February 2010, upon provide oral sex to the players, with the caveat that they would be receiving a formal allegation of sexual abuse that occurred 26 years blindfolded and sometimes restrained by their wrists and/or ankles. The earlier, AHAI suspended former coach Thomas “Chico” Adrahtas pending players came to believe that it was Adrahtas who performed the oral sex. a disciplinary hearing, which Mr. Adrahtas declined to attend, leaving his Following the initial article, an additional player said he also was abused suspension in effect indefinitely. . . In 2020, the U.S. Center for SafeSport by Adrahtas, and that he believes he was unwittingly prostituted out to opened an investigation of individuals in AHAI’s leadership in 2010 to others and coerced into making pornographic material. investigate whether they received a report of child sexual abuse by Mr. According to the lawsuit, concerns about Adrahtas’ abuse reached the Adrahtas and failed to report the information. In April 2021, SafeSport now-deceased athletic director at the University of Minnesota, Paul Giel, advised those individuals that it was closing the matter and taking no the university’s board of regents and the former president of AHAI, Jim further action. SafeSport did not provide any investigation report or Smith, who is now president of USA Hockey. factual findings regarding the AHAI leaders’ actions.”

The lawsuit says that Adrahtas “carried out his sexual assault under the Adrahtas continued to coach at Illinois-based RMU until September guise of providing mentorship, with the promises of further (sic) Plaintiffs’ 2018, when Sacks sent his own letter to RMU and the American College hockey careers, while the Defendants and numerous hockey Hockey Association. organizations allowed him to continue to operate from a position of That letter, in which Sacks described a 20-month stretch of grooming and authority and power.” sexual abuse by Adrahtas that began in 1983, prompted an investigation “The acts, conduct, and omissions of Defendants, and their policies, conducted by the U.S. Center for SafeSport that determined that customs, and practices with respect to investigating sexual assault Adrahtas had “engaged in a pattern of exploitative and abusive sexual allegations severely compromised the safety and health of Plaintiffs and misconduct with young athletes he coached, egregiously abusing a an unknown number of individuals, and have resulted in repeated position of authority to manipulate and deceive young male athletes he instances of sexual assault, abuse and molestation of Plaintiffs by … mentored and coached, for sexual purposes.” Adrahtas received a Adrahtas, which has been devastating for plaintiffs and their families, lifetime ban in June 2020 and is prohibited from coaching in any USA causing post-traumatic stress disorder,” the complaint states. Hockey-sanctioned capacity.

The lawsuit claims that the University of Minnesota failed to investigate USA Hockey declined to comment on the federal lawsuit; a concerns about Adrahtas’ conduct and concealed the reason behind spokesperson said the organization had not seen the complaint. Adrahtas’ abrupt departure from the school in 1985. Before Adrahtas’ exit A May 2020 article highlighting how AHAI and Jim Smith handled for “personal reasons,” multiple people told Giel that they believed concerns about Adrahtas’ conduct prompted the U.S. Center for Adrahtas was duping Minnesota players into nonconsensual sexual SafeSport to launch an additional probe “into allegations that people activity. The lawsuit also claims the school withdrew the scholarship of within AHAI, including (Jim) Smith, were aware of sexual misconduct and one recruit, Mike Sacks, over concerns that Adrahtas was sexually did not take action.” abusing Sacks when Adrahtas was coaching the Gophers. A member of the team’s coaching staff informed Sacks he could no longer play for the USA Hockey, when asked about the status of the probe, said: “The U.S. school because of the allegations against Adrahtas and “the negative Center for SafeSport issued administrative closures related to Jim Smith press that would cause.” and the other former or current AHAI representatives that were alleged to have failed to report Adrahtas’ abuse. The notice closing the matter “UMN bullied Mike Sacks to ensure he would not attend UMN on his full contained no negative findings or conclusions related to Jim Smith or any athletic scholarship,” the lawsuit reads. of the AHAI representatives alleged to have knowledge and that no Three days after The Athletic reported that Adrahtas abused multiple action would be taken,” USA Hockey’s senior director of communications members of Minnesota’s 1984-85 men’s hockey team, the university Dave Fischer wrote in an email. hired a law firm to conduct an investigation into the allegations. That A SafeSport spokesperson took issue with USA Hockey’s probe determined that at least some members of the university’s athletic characterization of the probe: “It’s misleading to suggest that an department were aware of the allegations and failed to act, both in administrative closure means that the center conducted an investigation investigating the claims and reporting those claims to law enforcement. and found no wrongdoing. It’s an action, without findings, that allows the center to revisit a matter should additional information be made available.”

Adrahtas, who now lives in St. Petersburg, Florida, did not immediately return a request for comment. He previously told The Athletic: “I’ve never sexually abused anyone.”

The Athletic LOADED: 05.14.2021 1212752 Websites for sure. But at the same time, there is a different kind of pressure there. Geno and I have talked about it before and I think we just always have kind of had a sense for one another, when we’re up, when we’re down, what we’re dealing with.” The Athletic / Fifteen years, 3 Stanley Cups and a brotherhood: Inside Sidney Crosby and Evgeni Malkin’s powerful, quiet friendship While Malkin’s comfort speaking English kept him from doing interviews as a rookie, he has understood the language well enough from Day 1 in Pittsburgh to connect with his teammates. This helped the friendship. So, too, did Crosby’s natural understanding of his fellow superstar. Crosby Josh Yohe and Rob Rossi May 13, 2021 sounds more like a therapist than a friend when analyzing Malkin’s personality. Perhaps, at times, they have been both of those things for one another. Sidney Crosby sat beside Evgeni Malkin in a warm locker room a few hours before facing elimination in Game 6 of the 2016 Eastern “He’s not someone who is always going to let you know how he’s Conference final in Tampa, their respective legacies on the line and the feeling,” Crosby explained. “He’s not always going to tell you if Penguins waddling toward one-hit-wonder territory. something’s wrong, so you have to get to know him. He’s just got a ton of pride, more than people realize, I think. I don’t think he’s real comfortable Usually at this time, Crosby had finished his media obligations and was being open about when something is upsetting him. But the more we’ve left alone to his thoughts while Malkin had long since departed. Not on gotten to know each other over the years, the more open we’ve learned this day. In Amalie Arena’s oddly-shaped visitor’s locker room, this lanky to become. I think it’s just a good, healthy relationship.” Russian star from a small, industrial town sat with his left shoulder pressed against the right shoulder of the face of hockey, this sturdy son There was plenty of fun along the way, too. of a Canadian harbor town. They came from wildly different backgrounds In 2006, many of the young Penguins were together at a bar on but, at this very moment, were a singular force. Pittsburgh’s historic South Side. Malkin and Crosby, along with others, In many ways, this is how it should’ve been after a decade together. Two were having some fun after a game when a group of young women generational players, gifted to the Penguins one year apart, primed to spotted two of Pittsburgh’s most eligible bachelors. leave an indelible mark on hockey’s biggest stage, another championship Not knowing many English words, Malkin sheepishly asked Crosby what within reach. Seven years earlier, when they triumphed in 2009, their to say to one or any of the women. Not knowing quite what advice to precociousness was exceeded only by their dominance: Crosby, the give, Crosby instructed Malkin to approach them and introduce himself. leading goal-scorer, Malkin the leading point-getter, and their Penguins Already an admirer of Crosby, Malkin’s trust was evident when he quickly champions after dethroning of the mighty Red Wings on a similarly sticky walked toward the group and said, “Hi, I Seven-One.” day in Detroit. Standing a few feet away, Maxime Talbot, Malkin’s traveling roommate, The presumed dynasty never happened after 2009, though, as the future playoff linemate and a longtime friend to Crosby, bent over with Penguins stumbled their way through the next six postseasons, the laughter. Crosby, himself laughing, approached Talbot and politely superstars suddenly in their late 20s, the promise of their youth fading. jabbed him with an elbow, worried that Malkin would see them and think In Tampa, the locker room humidity intensified the heat engulfing Crosby they were making fun of him. and Malkin. They’d accomplished everything, but not enough. Theirs was “Sid was looking out for Geno then,” Talbot said. “It’s those little things always the burden of oversized expectations, the kind that define a that Sid does. He’s the best player in the world. He’s a better guy.” relationship. Malkin agrees. At his apartment in Moscow, his offseason condominium “We had been through a lot together,” Crosby said recently. “I remember on Florida’s Fisher Island and at his home in Pittsburgh, Malkin displays sitting there with him. We knew how important that night was.” various memorabilia of Crosby. These include Russian nesting dolls The disappointing years since the 2009 Cup win could have weakened painted in Crosby’s likeness, framed photographs, pucks and sticks from any bond formed from their early glory days. Instead, Malkin, then soon various games, anything and everything the most serious Crosby fan to be a father for the first time, and Crosby, then the bearded face of would want for his or her collection. Malkin jokes that Nikita, his son, will hockey, became emboldened by a friendship neither expected. probably pick Crosby as his favorite player because of all the stuff.

“Sometimes stars aren’t close,” says Rick Tocchet, their former assistant “Is good,” Malkin said. “Of course, I will be his real favorite. But Sid is the coach who played with many a star in his time. “But those two, you know, best player, the best teammate. A great friend. I hope Nikita thinks of him it made things easier because of how close they are. You don’t see that as family. I do.” every day.” Clearly, Crosby considers Malkin family. Malkin arrived in Pittsburgh in 2006 at age 20. Crosby, one year his “Having him around has always made my life better, on and off the ice,” junior, was already a star and the established leader of the Penguins Crosby said. “He has a way of knowing when to make you laugh, even as a teenager. knowing when to lighten the room. But at the same time, he knows when While Malkin’s English was limited, his mutual understanding of Crosby to be serious, too. It’s just a great friendship. I just always liked him from — on and off the ice — was pure instinct from their first days together. the start. Always have. Always will.”

“We’ve been together for a really long time now,” Crosby said. “Now that It wasn’t just Crosby and Malkin, of course. Other young players in that I think about it, it’s hard to believe how long it’s been. And to be honest, era became part of the franchise’s fabric, namely Kris Letang and Marc- we became friends at the very beginning and it’s just always been that Andre Fleury. way. His English wasn’t so great at first, but we just always understood Now in Las Vegas but forever a Penguin, Fleury always appreciated the each other from the beginning.” locker room fellowship in Pittsburgh, the foundation of which was Crosby is arguably the most-hyped player in hockey history, with Wayne Crosby’s relationship with Malkin. Gretzky bestowing the moniker “The Next One” as a spinoff of his own “I think, you know, they were in the same boat,” Fleury said. “It’s a small nickname. Malkin didn’t receive that overwhelming brand of fanfare, but boat, you know. Two guys, two star players. And we have a good team. he was one of the great prospects of his time, his departure from Russia And you know what they all say about us when we didn’t win for a few adding to his mystique and promise. years. I feel like it was expected that we just win every year. That’s the Less than three years after Malkin’s arrival, the young superstars owned thing they had on them more than any of us from the early days. They Pittsburgh, the NHL and the Stanley Cup. had to win. When I got drafted, you know, it was like, someday the Penguins can be good again. When Sid and Geno got drafted, it was like, Yet that was only the beginning of a long journey. the Penguins are going to win the Stanley Cups all the time. How do you satisfy that? “I like to think I can relate to the pressure that he deals with and the expectations that come with all of that pressure,” Crosby said. “We were “Well, Geno and Sid, early on, you could tell what they really cared about both high draft picks and expected to do a lot of big things when we was winning. Not the awards. Not who was the best player. Before entered the league. You are happy and excited to be drafted that high, maybe they were even good friends, they were these two guys who wanted to win. All of us were like that. That’s why we were so close. I That conversation was not long. Nor was the one a few months later. guess that’s why we still are. But like I’ve always said, when you go This talk followed a turning point in their time with the Penguins, when a through tough, tough times and beat it, overcome it, that’s when you get management and coaching shakeup was followed by a trade of their respect for another guy on your team. mutual friend, James Neal, in a move that did not sit well with Crosby or Malkin. Having failed to bring the Penguins back to a Stanley Cup Final “As a person, that’s when a teammate becomes a friend.” after playing in two during their first three seasons together, Crosby and Friendship was required for Crosby and Malkin to persevere through Malkin each sensed their partnership could be the next casualty for many of those tough times: Crosby’s concussion saga that coincided with continued postseason failures. Malkin’s lost season to torn knee ligaments, the Civic Arena’s “I of course worry because GM, coach and Nealer are gone,” Malkin said disappointing final chapter, a playoff implosion for the ages against three years later. “Is not mad, but worry that maybe they say Sid and I Philadelphia, a playoff whimper against Boston and two embarrassments can’t play together too. We have to win again, of course. To stay on Broadway. Then came Mike Johnston, a junior hockey coach whose together, we have to win again. Penguins tenure began with Malkin dodging him on a trip to Russia and ended with Crosby’s scoring cratering in an overly simplistic system. “I tell Sid we have to win again because I always want to play with you.”

For whatever reason, drama seemed to accompany the Penguins after Gonchar was to Malkin what Mario Lemieux was to Crosby in the mid- the won the Cup sooner than anybody expected in 2009. They were the 2000s: an iconic countryman, mentor and landlord. NHL’s marquee team, with Crosby and Malkin their talked-about co-stars. The talk shifted to their failures by 2016, how they weren’t really great Though Malkin’s relationship with Gonchar garners much attention, anymore, how that mythical championship window was shutting, how Crosby is also close with the Penguins’ former defenseman and assistant Crosby and Malkin couldn’t really get it done any longer. coach. The night of their third Cup victory as teammates, Malkin and Crosby each sought out Gonchar and his family for photographs on the In 2016 and in 2017, the narrative changed in every conceivable way. ice. In doing so, the two players most responsible for the NHL’s only The boys who raised the Cup seven years earlier did so, twice, as men. back-to-back champion during the salary cap era came together after spending about 15 minutes at different spots on the ice. This is when the A mangled toe is a small price to pay for hockey immortality. Malkin astute Penguins employee shouts at each player, and when failing to get gladly paid it. a response, screams, “Sarge!” — Gonchar’s nickname.

Despite his toe’s bruised, gnarled appearance, and even with a gash “I hear my name,” Gonchar says. “I look. And I see the cameraman above his lip that perplexed his then-1-year-old son, Malkin felt no pain a waving to me. I thought, ‘Maybe he wants to get me with the Cup.’ But he few weeks after the Penguins celebrated another Stanley Cup win in really wanted for me to get Sidney and Evgeni over to the side to get that 2017. His wife, Anna, said the smile had not left his face since this young picture. You know the one.” family returned to Fisher Island following several days of celebrating in Pittsburgh. The last day included a small gathering at Malkin’s home in Oh yes. The picture. That one. the Pittsburgh area. During his rookie season, the one where he introduced himself to girls as There, the Malkins played host to only the closest people in their lives. “I Seven-One,” Malkin often caught himself transfixed on a framed The guest list included: photograph that hung above an entranceway separating the home dressing room and player’s lounge at the old Civic Arena. The framed Malkin’s now-famous parents photograph showed Lemieux and Jaromir Jagr each gripping a side of Friends from Magnitogorsk the Cup that the Penguins won in 1991 and in 1992. On the day before Game 7 of the 2009 Stanley Cup Final in Detroit, Malkin was one of the Longtime agent Gennady Ushakov last players to leave Civic Arena. Before he departed for the airport, he took one last look at that framed photo and told a reporter, “I want one of Sergei Gonchar and his family me and Sid.” The scene was as Russian as an evening in Sewickley can be. In the euphoric chaos of the on-ice celebration in Detroit the next night, Except, of course, Crosby was there. So, too, were Crosby’s girlfriend, Malkin and Crosby never managed to get that picture. No big deal. They Kathy, his sister, Taylor, and his parents. were young. They were in charge. They would have many other chances. Or so they thought. When the Penguins won their long-awaited second The moment meant so much to Malkin that he preserved it by his title of the Crosby/Malkin era in San Jose in 2016, they simply forgot preferred method of record-keeping: Instagram. While recalling the again. Strike 2. dinner party a few weeks later, Malkin, wearing his Stanley Cup championship hat backward, said that night is one of many scenes that There would be no Strike 3. Malkin had instructed a team employee on should be included if anybody ever decides to make a documentary the morning of Game 6 in Nashville to “get me and Sid with Cup if we about him and Crosby. win, no matter what.”

Another scene of their brotherhood occurred about a month after the Lounging on a sofa with his injured toe resting on a table, dressed 2014 Olympics in Sochi, Russia, which were intended to be a celebration casually as if he had just warmed up for a tennis match against his actual of Russian hockey. Those Games represent one of Malkin’s best and brother, Malkin stroked his chin while looking at a digital picture of him worst periods. His country’s failure to medal still haunts him. However, and Crosby posing for the picture that had eluded them twice before. that failure, and the frustration with his own performance, is also what “The best picture of my life,” Malkin says. “My two friends, and me.” sent Malkin on a retreat to Moscow before the closing ceremonies. And it’s there where he and Anna became close. But even the exuberance of Many magical moments have followed that third championship in young love could not keep Malkin from falling into an emotional hole Nashville. There was the euphoric celebration, personal milestones when he, Crosby and other Penguins who played in those Olympics shattered, and so much more. To understand the dynamic of Crosby and returned to Pittsburgh. Malkin, though, is to watch Crosby during the ceremony that honored his 1,000th game in February. As Malkin grew noticeably detached, Crosby considered talking to him on several occasions but resisted because “how could anybody really know VIEW THIS POST ON INSTAGRAM what it was like for G to go through that?” A POST SHARED BY EVGENI MALKIN (@E.MALKIN71GENO) Malkin himself says nobody could — but Crosby might be the closest. Malkin’s experience at the Olympics in Russia, he said, was “probably, On one level, the ceremony had about it a touch of sadness. There were like, every day for Sid — all the pressure and attention, you have to be no fans to commemorate the evening; fans in Pittsburgh had to watch on great all the time.” TV due to COVID-19, as did Crosby’s parents and sister. Crosby, usually stoic in such situations, appeared to take the event in relative stride, When Crosby finally determined the time was right to talk with his friend standing beside Kathy while receiving gifts and adulation from his about the Sochi experience, Malkin says their conversation “was not teammates. about hockey, but life.” And then, a video played. One by one, the biggest of names in hockey congratulated Crosby. Finally, Malkin’s face appeared on the big screen at PPG Paints Arena. The captain’s eyes welled. A powerful but quiet friendship was there, on display, for everyone to see.

Once upon a time, in Tampa, their friendship wasn’t on display for the world to see.

Rather, it was just those two. Crosby and Malkin. Sidney and Evgeni. Sid and Geno. The two greatest athletes to grace Pittsburgh in a generation. Two icons from very different places who, above all else, just decided to be friends.

“I remember that day well,” Crosby said. “We knew what we had to do.”

That conversation they had at Amalie Arena, that moment in time when it was just the two of them sitting in an otherwise silent locker room, triggered everything.

Malkin may be the most decorated hockey player to come from Russia, and make no mistake, that means so much to him. Crosby was about to embark on a 12-month tour de force — 2016 Cup champ, 2016 Conn Smythe winner, 2016 World Cup of Hockey champion, 2016 World Cup of Hockey MVP, 2017 Cup champ, 2017 Conn Smythe winner — that would cement him as one of the five greatest players in history.

They had already accomplished much before May 24, 2016.

“We just wanted more,” Crosby said. “We still do, too.”

Their friendship stronger than ever, Crosby and Malkin teamed up and lifted the Penguins to great heights that season. And the next one. And maybe more winning remains.

The duo that bonded because of a ravenous desire to win realized something along the way.

“I hope we win more,” Crosby said. “That’s always the goal. But no matter what, he’s my friend for life.”

The Athletic LOADED: 05.14.2021 1212753 Websites This team has skill, depth, coaching and complete buy-in from the players. One concern that surfaced multiple times was whether or not they have the physicality to grind through a tough series against a bigger team. But mostly, people really like the Hurricanes. The Athletic / Stanley Cup tiers: Anonymous exec, coach, scout and player rate every playoff team The exec: “I think they’re really good. Tampa is the team to beat in the playoffs down there but Carolina is legit. They have depth, a good back end. I don’t trust their goaltending. When you get in a heavy series, there might be a concern. I think Tampa has beef that will make it hard for Craig Custance May 13, 2021 Carolina.”

The coach: “They play such as smothering game. There’s nights against This has the potential to be really fascinating. The tournament for the this hockey club it’s hard to get shots, let alone scoring chances. They’ve Stanley Cup begins and we really have no sense of how some of these made some adjustments on their power play and it’s got the ability to win teams match up against one another. Sure, we know that Connor games for them. The balance on that team, positionally, is as good as McDavid and Auston Matthews are super good. But it’d be great if, you you’ll see in the league. Their team structure is almost automated, know, they had played at least one game this season against any of the everybody plays the same way. If you look at teams that have success in league’s top 10 defensemen. More than ever, coaches, players and the playoffs, it doesn’t matter who is out there, every shift looks the executives have been laser-focused on the division they’re competing same. It’s over and over again.” against on a nightly basis. Tier 2 “This is going to be different,” said one NHL coach this week. “We know Boston Bruins each other so well, you’re going to have to get to know some other teams and the nuances of how you beat certain teams. The pregame meetings Average rating: 1.7 we have now (against division opponents) are almost pointless at this point. The players should be able to run them now.” The addition of Taylor Hall gives this team a new dimension. There was a lot of love for the Bruins among panelists, even if there was a bit of a It makes 2021 unique. And harder to predict. And a ton of fun. For the hesitancy to put them at the very top. third consecutive postseason, we’ve assembled a panel to make some sense of it all. Our anonymous panel includes a current NHL player, The exec: “I think Boston is the best team in the division now that they’re coach, executive, scout and me. Because I like to vote in things. We healthy. If (Tuukka) Rask is healthy and invested, that’s a game- asked everyone to place each playoff team into a tier, with a Tier 1 team changer.” a Stanley Cup favorite down to a Tier 5 team as one that should start The coach: “I really like the additions they made at the deadline. Mike making offseason plans now. The results are sorted, with their comments Reilly was playing really good hockey for the Senators. He became a below. steady defender and bolsters the depth of their D. Taylor Hall now gives Let’s dive in. them a legitimate second line, so shutting down and matching up with the Bergeron line is not as easy as it used to be. And you have a third line Tier 1 that can cause some problems. They’re battle-tested. Have a great leader in Bergeron. Their PK is the best in the league. They’ve balanced Vegas Golden Knights out their team as good as anybody.” Average rating: 1 The player: “I think Boston is good. Their D is questionable. But they One of two perfect scores goes to the Golden Knights. This has the feel know how to win, which is crucial.” of an elite team that has come close but is driven to finish the job. Vegas’ Tampa Bay Lightning biggest obstacle is the path to the Stanley Cup Final. It’s going to be a gauntlet. Average rating: 1.7

The exec: “They’re as good as anybody if they’re healthy.” This is the lowest rating the Lightning have slotted in this exercise in the three years it’s been conducted. Health is the biggest reason. Yes, the The coach: “They’re as deep as any team. They have depth in goal, Lightning are getting their stars back, but it may take a minute to click. which can be a real key factor. They’ve got playoff-type performers, and I think this year, more than any, the goal has been set that this is all The exec: “They’re still the team to beat. They’ve got the goalie and now they’re after. Pete DeBoer does a great job. They play structured, they they get their guys back for the playoffs. And they have guys who can play fast, they can play a physical game. As a playoff series grinds along, play in the trenches.” they have that ability to grind you down. They have talent on the back end. Their power play is a bit of an enigma for me. Can it get rolling?” The scout: “I think Florida has a good chance of upsetting them in the first round. Tampa has not been good for a while. But they know how to Colorado Avalanche turn on the switch. Getting (Nikita) Kucherov back is a big thing but can a player, after missing the whole season, come back and make an Average rating: 1 immediate impact? I don’t know. That’s a big question.” Our second perfect score went to the Avalanche. Even if you aren’t in The coach: “The reason they’re not a one for me is they’ve got a lot of love with the goaltending, this team is so good everywhere else that it’s questions in terms of their star players coming in at a point in the season forgivable. This is a powerhouse. where fitting into roles and finding how that blends itself into a team The exec: “They’re the scariest team. I don’t trust their goaltending. To game — it can be disruptive. These guys have obviously been a part of me, he’s a product of how they play and how good they are. But I’ve the team, been a part of winning, but there’s an adjustment for players of seen them when they’re rolling and they’re scary.” that stature coming back to your lineup at that point in time. Especially if you’re talking two of them. I like their pace, the tenacity the team plays The coach: “Everyone says the same thing about them — can their with and they’ve got the best goaltender in the tournament. They get to goaltending hold up? But their numbers are top five in the league. play that X-factor over and over again.” They’ve played extremely well. Health is a question in any position, it’s not something you can plan for. This team has such dynamic speed and Washington Capitals talent, they’re a (Tier 1) all day long. They have special players at just Average rating: 1.8 about every position. They transition the puck so quick, they attack so quick. If somebody gets them out some way, it’s a minimum six or seven Health, goaltending and depth concerns moved the Capitals a bit down games.” this list, but their size and experience are big pluses this time of year.

Carolina Hurricanes The exec: “They’re Jekyll and Hyde for me. Health, T.J. Oshie’s hamstring, Ovi’s back, I don’t trust their goaltending. If they’re healthy, Average rating: 1.3 they’re good. They’re heavy. If they’re healthy, it changes everything for me. Last year, they weren’t really invested.” The coach: “They’re a funny team. When they’re on, they smother you As long as Sidney Crosby and Evgeni Malkin are out there trying to win a and play a good, hard physical brand of hockey. I don’t know if they play Stanley Cup, this team will have respect from those around the league a fast brand of hockey. They’re a group of guys that are tested. Their and will be taken seriously in an exercise like this. lead horses are going to have to lead, there’s no question about that. They start losing their matchups as you guys go deeper in their lineup. The exec: “I think they’re better than they were a year ago. I don’t think Over a seven-game series, that depth has an effect. Can their young they have the depth or goaltending to beat other top teams.” goaltender hold up? We’ll see. The leadership they have is something The coach: “Jeff Carter gives them scoring depth. They’ve got some guys that can make up for some of that. They’ve got a plus in leadership and as secondary scorers who can play big roles in the playoffs. That lends can play a physical game.” itself well to matchup problems for your opponent. You have (Sidney) The player: “I think Washington is good. Their power play is so potent Crosby and (Evgeni) Malkin, and I don’t know how many more runs they with (Alex) Ovechkin, they’re still a (Tier 1). That power play can win have left in them. It seems like their D has really grown this year. They them way more games than they would normally. If they can keep it have (Kris) Letang and some of the young guys, their level of play has somewhat close, that power play can win for them.” gone up. They’re really well-rounded.”

Florida Panthers The player: “They’re OK. I think their D is a little suspect. Their goaltending is a little suspect. Kris Letang is on the downswing. Cody Average rating: 1.9 Ceci is meh, Mike Matheson is skilled but does dumb things defensively, which will bite you in the ass in the playoffs. I’m just very wary of that One of the season’s biggest surprises, Florida takes on the reigning group in general. The forwards are still a highly skilled, deep group.” champs in the first playoff series between the two Florida teams. Joel Quenneville has done an incredible job with this group. New York Islanders

The exec: “It’s been a little bit smoke and mirrors, but they’ve done a Average rating: 2.4 good job. On paper, they shouldn’t be that good, but it’s one of those teams that everything has gone right for this year. Aleksander Barkov is a The Islanders’ run last year is a reminder to never underestimate a team star for sure. But with no (Aaron) Ekblad, you can only go so far with that that will defend, play as a group and is willing to grind out a series. D corps. Q is a great coach. He’s the best in-game coach there is.” The exec: “They’re built for the playoffs. They’re heavy. They’re going to The scout: “Barkov might be the most underrated best player in the make it miserable on teams. They’re good defensively and well-coached. league. He might be the best player in the league. If you put him with The division is loaded, there’s no easy out. (Kyle) Palmieri hasn’t been Mitch Marner in Toronto or with (Leon) Draisaitl in Edmonton he would great there but he’s your typical trade deadline guy who doesn’t do equal (Auston) Matthews and (Connor) McDavid. Look at who he plays anything in the regular season who could score big goals in the playoffs. with, he carries those guys around the ice with him. It’s really amazing. That’s why they got him. They’re not easy to play against and can wear No hard feelings for (Carter) Verhaeghe or whoever else. He literally you down.” carries the other four guys on the ice when he’s out there. He just puts The coach: “Their game is not where it needs to be going in. It seems like them on his back and goes.” they’ve got pieces of their game and balance in their ice time and roles The coach: “The depth on the back end is a concern. I give them a three that seem a little out of sorts right now. They’re a stingy team and when in large part because they have to come through Tampa Bay. That you do that you give yourself a chance. They’re going to play a grinding almost drops them down a notch for me. I think Q has done an game. Their goaltending has been outstanding. That’s a big boost for outstanding job. They have the ability to score and they’ve got one of the them.” best two-way centermen in the league. Barkov has the ability to control Edmonton Oilers games by himself. That becomes a tough matchup for Tampa.” Average rating: 2.4 Toronto Maple Leafs You’ve heard all about Connor McDavid and Leon Draisaitl, but don’t Average rating: 2.1 sleep on the impact of Darnell Nurse in the postseason. But there are Everyone was completely comfortable saying this was the best team in enough questions here to give panelists pause. the North Division. But what that meant outside that division is completely The exec: “You have the two superstars up front, but they don’t really up for debate. The Maple Leafs might be the biggest question mark of have any depth. I don’t think they’re that good. McDavid can win any this tournament. game by himself or a series by himself, but eventually, you’ll get into the The exec: “I think they’ll come out of that group, but if you’re talking about heavy teams and it’ll be a challenge.” winning the whole thing, it’s a different game when they come out of that The scout: “I don’t think they have the depth that Toronto has … but division. Defensively, goaltending, we’ll see.” Draisaitl and McDavid could carry a team for a while. If their recent play The scout: “Goaltending. I’m just not sure about it. It could be above continues in the playoffs, look out.” average, it could be below average. I don’t think many people can tell The coach: “I will say this about their team: Mike Smith has been you for sure, to be honest. Their defense, I’m not totally sold on their outstanding this year. Nurse has played as close to Norris Trophy- defense. They have a good group of forwards. They’ve mixed in their consideration hockey as I’ve seen. He’s been a dominant force on the ice veterans. They’ve gotten good results from that. But you have to have and on both special teams. He’s played great hockey. So has Adam really good goaltending, I just don’t know what to expect.” Larsson. They can shut down top talent. … You used to think their depth The coach: “I’m going (Tier 2) because of the question mark in net. Jack was an issue but that bottom six in their lineup checks so well, it allows (Campbell) is an unproven goalie in the playoffs. Freddie Andersen is the game to get to the top six.” unknown. … When they’ve needed to turn it up, they’ve adopted a new The player: “They’re going to score goals but come playoff time, when style of play. They always wanted to rush, outscore you. When they were guys dial in the defense — especially outside the Canadian division and rolling over teams, they forechecked extremely well. They checked I’m thinking big picture here — who is going to win the Stanley Cup? If extremely well. They can build on that process in the first round.” you look at it, who is going to win, Colorado or Edmonton? It’d be The player: “Toronto — they’re steamrolling teams in the Canadian Colorado every time. Or Vegas. I just don’t know how deep they are division. Guess what? I don’t think any of the teams in the Canadian offensively and their defense is suspect past Nurse.” division are good. Any of them. They have no defense. How the fuck can Tier 3 they win the Stanley Cup when they play no defense?… I just don’t think their forwards care enough about defense to win. I don’t know if their Minnesota Wild goalie is good enough to steal them a series. They’re good against the Average rating: 3 Canadian division. I don’t think they’re actually good.” This Wild group has a different DNA than its predecessors. Kirill Kaprizov Pittsburgh Penguins provides a game-breaking element that hasn’t existed. The Wild’s biggest Average rating: 2.3 issue may simply be the division in which they compete. The exec: “They could be a tough out. Their defense is really good. They The scout: “I just don’t see it. I give them credit for fighting their way have secondary scoring now… They have enough guys who have some through a pretty rough stretch. I would say Carolina would be a heavy experience that if they get the goaltending they’re going to be tough to favorite in that series.” beat. And they play well against Vegas.” The coach: They’ve had some outstanding goaltending carry them The coach: “They play an attacking game that I was really impressed through stretches, righted the ship and got them in the playoff hunt. I just with. They continue to come at you and come at you. The one thing I love don’t know if they’re as deep as the teams they have to come out about this team is the physical depth they have. The fourth line with against.” (Marcus) Foligno is one that can make an impact on a series. I think that’s critical. They have a real identity… they’ve transitioned to a faster- The Athletic LOADED: 05.14.2021 style game. As young and as aggressive as they play – I don’t see them backing down.”

Tier 4

St. Louis Blues

Average rating: 3.7

This team isn’t all that far removed from a Stanley Cup run but there weren’t a lot of panelists who had much faith they could pull it off again.

The exec: “They lost their swagger. Without (Alex) Pietrangelo, their D has struggled. They seem to be off to me. I don’t even think they think they’re any good right now.”

The coach: “I just don’t know that they’ve got all the pieces going at the same time. I haven’t seen a real dominating stretch from their group that they can tie this thing together. They’ve got some good championship experience to rely upon, I don’t think you ever discount that. Today’s game is played so fast… I have concerns about them keeping up.”

Winnipeg Jets

Average rating: 3.8

This rating would have looked much different a month ago but don’t discount the impact of a goalie like Connor Hellebuyck in a playoff series.

The exec: “To me, they just lost their way. They look off.”

The coach: “I really like their centermen… they ask Hellebuyck to carry a lot of weight. Ultimately, their top guys are going to have to play extremely well. They’ve just been ok here down the stretch. I don’t know if they’ve got the depth on their back end to sustain any long run.”

Montreal Canadiens

Average rating: 4.3

A healthy Carey Price in the playoffs is a difference-maker. Even if he hasn’t been great in the regular season, his playoff track record is strong. Montreal is getting healthy and the importance of Brendan Gallagher’s return can’t be overstated.

The exec: “If they’re healthy, they can give Toronto trouble, if they get a couple saves. If Josh Anderson and guys like that start going, Toronto guys don’t want to play through that shit. I don’t have a lot of confidence in them but if they’re healthy, I can see them going a little bit.”

The scout: “Gallagher plays such a hard game, if he’s not 100 percent, I don’t know how he can survive. (Shea) Weber might be the biggest factor on the whole team. Not necessarily his play, just his presence. He’s one of the very, very few guys — and you can like him or not — but his presence on the bench with a team might be one of the greatest presences in the league. He makes the fourth liner better. He makes the guys on the ice when he’s out there better. He makes the guy on the bench sitting next to him better. Not to mention nobody wants to go in the corner and play against him. He’s a big factor.”

The coach: “Gallagher is a critical component. How effective he can be in the type of game he plays is a concern for me. He’s the straw that stirs the drink on that team. He elevates their level of play.”

Tier 5

Nashville Predators

Average rating: 4.6

This team probably isn’t going to win the Stanley Cup.

The exec: “They’ve had a good run here to get in. They might be content to get there and be done.” 1212754 Websites Coverage mistakes by Canucks' Tanner Pearson and Olli Juolevi led to net-front goals by Rasmus Andersson and Andrew Mangiapane. Flame Elias Lindholm scored on a third-period breakaway before Brad Meier, who has been selected to officiate 89 NHL playoff games in 22 years, Sportsnet.ca / Canucks have opportunity to increase draft odds as losses pretty much ended the contest at 15:59 with a botched elbowing call pile up against Canuck Jimmy Vesey on which the referee doubled down by tossing in an unsportsmanlike penalty.

31 Thoughts: The Podcast Iain MacIntyre Jeff Marek and Elliotte Friedman talk to a lot of people around the hockey

world, and then they tell listeners all about what they’ve heard and what While others are in the Stanley Cup playoffs, the Vancouver Canucks they think about it. and Calgary Flames are in a time machine. On the resulting power play, Matthew Tkachuk was credited for a goal They have been transported by circumstance back to their childhood that J.T. Miller accidentally directed top-corner on teammate Thatcher days of minor hockey and those big tournaments with a consolation side Demko. of the bracket. “I'm encouraged by our group,” Myers said. “I love the way we're still You know that side of the draw, when teams that have been eliminated battling even though we're out it. A lot of (injured) guys out of the lineup from championship contention — rather than driving home after only a right now that provide quite a bit of stability for us, within our system. But game or two – are allowed to keep playing? But participation comes with guys are battling hard. . . (and) we're still taking a lot of pride in these last conditions: games will be at strange times, and nobody is going to be few games.” paying much attention except parents. In six of their recent nine losses, the Canucks have scored one goal or The Canucks and Flames have basically become two of the worst teams less. in a giant National Hockey League tournament. They’re in the loser draw Minor-league callup Jonah Gadjovich, who had 15 goals in 19 games for with three games remaining against each other – after the good teams the Utica Comets, is unable to play until the Canucks can expand their start the Stanley Cup playoffs on Saturday – that are meaningless except roster on Sunday because the team, which was left with 19 games in 32 for draft-lottery seedings. days after its health crisis, has already used the four post-trade-deadline In this respect, the Canucks were big winners on Thursday, losing 4-1 to callups the NHL allows. the Flames, making it extremely difficult for Calgary to duck under But Gadjovich, who quarantined and met the Canucks in Winnipeg, is on Vancouver near the bottom of the league standings. the road trip and would be available on an emergency basis if any of the With four games remaining in an excruciating season mercilessly 12 forwards on Vancouver's roster is injured. On Sunday, as the Comets prolonged by last month’s COVID-19 outbreak, the Canucks are 26th in season ends, Gadjovich and fellow minor-leaguer Will Lockwood will be the league with a .433 winning percentage, but have an excellent chance able to join the Canucks for their final three games. to climb under the Detroit Red Wings and Columbus Blue Jackets. Those The team could use a boost. Or not. teams have completed their 56-game seasons and are three points ahead of Vancouver, which will help its draft odds immensely if the Sportsnet.ca LOADED: 05.14.2021 Canucks don’t win any more than one of their final games, starting with Saturday’s matinee against the Edmonton Oilers.

Lose all four in regulation and the Canucks will sneak into the bottom three in the standings.

Saturday will be the first time in NHL history that regular-season and playoff games will be played the same day, as the Boston Bruins and Washington Capitals open the Stanley Cup tournament after the Canucks play the Oilers.

Also eliminated, the Flames play the Canucks on Sunday, Tuesday and Wednesday when the opening round of the playoffs will be fully underway.

This is the loser bracket, and there are no participation ribbons.

“I never really thought of it like that, but maybe,” Canuck defenceman Tyler Myers said Thursday when asked about the minor-hockey tournament analogy. “Our last few games with Calgary, both will be out of it. But I think we'll see a lot of it just like it was tonight. Both teams still played hard. It'll certainly be a strange feeling but you can tell both teams are taking pride in the last few games here.”

The unprecedented season is getting even stranger.

“It'll be different, for sure,” Vancouver coach Travis Green said. “Whenever you're out of the playoffs, getting the most out of your group, especially the veteran guys, is a little bit different. But we've talked to our group about that -- what's expected. I thought we had a much better effort tonight. We did a lot of good things in the first two periods.”

The Canucks were awful in Tuesday’s 5-0 loss to the Winnipeg Jets, whose first-round playoff series against the Oilers starts Wednesday about two hours after Vancouver and Calgary end their seasons with a noon PT game.

The Canucks were far more engaged against the Flames but no more successful.

After Matthew Highmore opened scoring at 1:02 with his first Canucks goal, 14 games after his trade from the Chicago Blackhawks, Vancouver surrendered four straight goals to lose for the ninth time in 11 games. 1212755 Websites have had to get into the final four in years, and from there it's anyone's guess how the divisional champs will match up to one another.

5. Pittsburgh Penguins Sportsnet.ca / Stanley Cup Playoffs Power Rankings: Contender or It was a slow first month for the Penguins, but since Feb. 9, they're 32- pretender? 11-2 and have the best points percentage in the league. The offence isn't any concern, averaging 3.60 goals per game since the turnaround. However, of all the 16 playoff teams, only Minnesota and Nashville allow Rory Boylen more shots against. Pittsburgh is 14-8-2 against the other three playoff teams in the East and Jeff Carter has proven to be one of the best trade

deadline pickups, giving the Penguins a fierce 1-2-3 down the middle. Ladies and gentlemen... the Stanley Cup Playoffs. 6. Tampa Bay Lightning The final 16 teams are locked in and Round 1 playoff matchups are set in Credit to last year's champs, who were one of the best teams all season every division except the West, where Colorado can still pass Vegas for even without one game from Nikita Kucherov, who will now be back for first (and the Presidents' Trophy) with a win over Los Angeles on the playoffs. Steven Stamkos has been out since early April, but he too is Thursday. So, who are the top contenders now that the dust has settled expected to return. Victor Hedman, however, had been playing through on the abbreviated regular season? an injury for over a month, missed the tail end of the season and has an Knowing full well there's going to be an upset or two that blows up our unclear status. Still, Andrei Vasilevskiy can be a series-stealer, the depth brackets, this week's Power Rankings lists each of the 16 playoff teams throughout the lineup is enviable and they are as well-positioned to in order of how strong their case is for the Stanley Cup. Injuries are repeat as any team in recent memory. considered, as are how these teams finished in the regular season. So if 7. Boston Bruins you're banged up and finished the year on a sour note, it'll be reflected here. One of the top lines in hockey remains that way with Patrice Bergeron, David Pastrnak and Brad Marchand all finishing over 60 per cent in We're on to the second season now, folks, and about two months away Corsi. On top of that, Taylor Hall and David Krejci have found instant from crowning the next champ. chemistry, Tuukka Rask has been 7-1-0 since returning and the team 1. Vegas Golden Knights allows the second-fewest shots against per game.

The best thing about this time of season for Vegas is that the salary cap Remaining Time -8:58 is out the window, so the threat of having to dress a short bench goes East Division preview: The NHL’s most physical division will provide with it. Currently first in the league, Vegas arrives with a top five offence, plenty of entertainment defence and the No. 2 team save percentage. It's that last one that leads to the biggest questions for this team. Who will start Game 1: Marc-Andre 8. Florida Panthers Fleury or Robin Lehner? And then what would need to happen for the other to get the net? Last season's decision to go to with Lehner after he Offence was Florida's strength a year ago and they continued that in was acquired in trade led to the dramatic stabbed-in-the-back moment 2021 as the league's No. 3 goal-scoring team. But the defensive with Fleury's agent on Twitter. This year Fleury is a Vezina candidate, improvement is the story here. The Panthers went from outside the top Lehner has the ever so slightly better numbers since returning to the 20 in shots against per game last season to 16th this year, and one of lineup in March, and they've split duties since then. This is their biggest the worst units at suppressing high-danger shots in 2020 to the fourth- issue -- and that's why Vegas tops the list. best in the league in 2021. The goaltending hasn't gone as planned, but while Sergei Bobrovsky has only seen marginal improvement after a 2. Carolina Hurricanes disastrous first season in Florida, Chris Driedger has been the go-to guy and makes the situation in net one to watch. The Canes have been on the precipice of something for a few years and it's all falling into place in 2021. As high event as ever, Carolina is built 9. Edmonton Oilers around its deep defence with top-level talent, the offence has blossomed around Sebastian Aho and Andrei Svechnikov (while Vincent Trocheck There has been defensive improvement within the Oilers as well, but has rebounded for one of his best seasons ever) and now they even there are two notable reasons why they are No. 2 in the North: The first is have goaltending. A weakness in the past, the three-deep set of goalies that Mike Smith is having one of the best seasons ever for a goalie his has led the Canes to the third-best save percentage in the league. They age, and his own personal best since leading the Coyotes to the West did lose the last two games of the regular season to Nashville, their first Final in 2012. The second is Connor McDavid having one of the best era- round opponent, but won each of the previous games against them. And adjusted offensive seasons ever. Carolina finished the season strong overall, going 13-4-5 since April 1. 10. Washington Capitals 3. Colorado Avalanche The Caps rank in the bottom half of the league in shots per game and at A pre-season favourite that has met every expectation, the Avs are neck- 5-on-5 generate a similar amount of opportunities as they give up. That and-neck with Vegas in the division. The gulf in scoring between Nathan leaves less room for error in net, which also happens to be the biggest MacKinnon and the rest of the team narrowed this season and the area of concern. Ilya Samsonov has allowed three goals or more in league's third-best offence can throw a few threats at any opponent. On seven of his past nine starts and was put on the COVID list late in the the back end, Cale Makar is a Norris contender and leads a young and season, which makes Vitek Vanecek an intriguing backup. Neither has impressive group and helped the Avs to the lowest shots against per started a single Stanley Cup Playoff game. Alex Ovechkin is back and game mark in the NHL. Getting Philipp Grubauer back was a critical having Zdeno Chara go against his former Bruins team in Round 1 is a development for Colorado, but they also got concerning news around great storyline. MacKinnon as the regular season came to a close. Something to 11. NY Islanders monitor. It's hard to let the Islanders get too low in these rankings, because their 4. Toronto Maple Leafs team defence and goaltending translated to a lot of post-season success One of the best regular season Maple Leafs teams of all time, everyone in last summer's bubble. It also led them to a strong start to this season, knows about the firepower Toronto can throw at you with a top-five but the end has been a rough landing with a 10-7-3 record in their last offence. But the biggest and most critical improvement from them this 20. Goal scoring was never a strength, but they've been one of the worst season is that they are top-five in shots against per game after ranking offensive teams since Anders Lee went down and attempts to mitigate 19th in the stat last season. The improved team defence is what the that at the deadline have not panned out. Leafs hope carries over to playoff success, and that one of Jack 12. Minnesota Wild Campbell or Frederik Andersen is healthy enough to get them through. The young players have matured into veterans, who have been Buoyed by a great team shooting percentage and goaltending, the Wild surrounded with older leaders, and the blue line has been gradually have overperformed some of their underlying numbers and get outshot upgraded in the past couple of seasons. This is the best shot the Leafs more heavily at 5-on-5 than any other playoff team. Kirill Kaprizov is the headliner, but Joel Eriksson Ek, Jordan Greenway and Kevin Fiala make up en emerging young core to go along with a defence that has long been the team's strength. It's been a great season and a big step, but can they take down the best in their division yet?

13. Nashville Predators

Juuse Saros has made a heck of a push for the Vezina over the past few months and is the top reason why the Preds didn't sell off at the deadline and were a top three team by points percentage in the second half of the season. Surprisingly, Calle Jarnkrok has been the team's top scorer in that span, while bigger names such as Matt Duchene, Viktor Arvidsson and Ryan Johansen have each continued to struggle. They're a different team than when they started, and got Filip Forsberg back in the lineup in May, but it'll be an uphill battle to get out of the Central.

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Central Division playoff preview: Tough task ahead for a Lightning repeat

14. St. Louis Blues

Like Nashville, the Blues finished better than they started, wrapping up 10-4-3 in the past month. That got them into a playoff spot, but while the Preds had to fight off a charging Dallas Stars, the Blues only had to stay ahead of a fading Arizona Coyotes team. Look, the Blues are that team that could catch everyone off guard and if Jordan Binnington runs hot, he could help them steal a series. Binnington has a .924 save percentage in his past 15 starts, so that's not out of the question. But even as the wins started to come St. Louis was still being outshot quite heavily at evens and were considerably outscoring their expected goals rate. Since April 1 the Blues have played 11 games versus Colorado and Vegas, winning only three of them.

15. Montreal Canadiens

Health is going to be a major factor for the Canadiens because they'll need all hands on deck to take down the Maple Leafs in Round 1. Could it happen? Absolutely. If Carey Price is indeed back for Game 1, we have to consider how historically he improves in the playoffs. Even with his regular-season struggles being a story for a few years, Price's save percentage in his past four post-seasons are (in chronological order) .919, .920, .933 and .936 in last summer's bubble. That's all they'll need to overachieve in these playoffs, too, and even if Price can't go, Jake Allen is a solid second option.

16. Winnipeg Jets

They come in ice cold with just 22 goals scored over their past 11 games -- which includes a five-goal outburst versus Vancouver on Tuesday. That offence is supposed to be Winnipeg's strength, because its defence won't be slowing down Connor McDavid or Leon Draisaitl in Round 1. If they can get Nikolaj Ehlers back, that'll go a long way to remedying the situation. Connor Hellebuyck is probably going to have to stand on his head for the Jets to even get out of Round 1. The Jets beat the Oilers just twice all season and not at all since Feb. 15.

Sportsnet.ca LOADED: 05.14.2021 1212756 Websites Dube’s season hasn’t been as smooth, as his early season perch on the top line gave way to a fourth line gig and some tough love under Darryl Sutter.

Sportsnet.ca / Flames' Mangiapane honoured to represent Canada at His first invite to the worlds is a chance to end the year on a higher note. world hockey championship “For me, I owe them a lot - they’ve given me a lot throughout my years,” said Dube, eternally grateful for Team Canada opportunities like the one that saw him captain the country to world junior gold in 2018. Eric Francis May 14, 2021, 12:54 AM “I think every time - through U-18, world juniors, and this - it feels like every time you get a new opportunity and it feels like your first time going over and playing for them. It’s an honour every time.” The closest Andrew Mangiapane has ever come to representing his country was when he got a Team Canada jersey for the 2010 Winter A bigger honour experiencing it with his former roomie and pal. Olympics. “When you go to these tournaments it’s a little different, and you don’t The name stitched on the back was Crosby, and the tiny winger trying to know too many guys,” said Dube, who had 10 goals this year after being fill it out was just 14. one of the top three Flames players in last year’s playoff bubble.

The unlikely path he took from there, from OHL walk-on to being “If you have a really close friend with you, especially for us for trying to overlooked in his first of two NHL drafts, all led to a phone call from Team make Calgary and trying to stay here together, and going to this Canada assistant GM Shane Doan earlier this week with an invite to don tournament together and trying to win a tournament together. It will be the maple leaf at the upcoming 2021 IIHF World Championship. pretty cool just the stuff we’ve been through. It’s going to help each other out. I think we’ll be able to play better hockey having someone that you’re "I never dreamed of it,” said the soft-spoken Flames winger. this close to.” “I mean, you dream of it all the time, but it was so surreal to be called. It There’s someone even closer to Dube who will also be there to share the was great to hear from him. It's an honour. It's an honour to get the call experience. and I was just filled with joy.” “Probably my biggest thing was my brother got hired by Hockey Canada Asked if there was any point in his career he wondered if he was even about two months ago so we’re actually going together,” said Dube, being considered for a national camp invite, the 25-year-old Flames sixth joking that Jake will head up team services to ensure “Mang and I aren’t rounder shrugged. late for anything.” “Honestly, no I wasn’t,” said Mangiapane, whose size likely worked “Having a chance to win a medal with your brother is something not too against him despite posting back-to-back 100-point seasons with the many people get to do.” Barrie Colts. Sportsnet.ca LOADED: 05.14.2021 “Maybe in junior when I started putting up points and all that. When I was younger, no way. That’s why it’s so surreal to be going. I’ve never been asked to really do anything. I haven’t been overseas, I haven’t done anything for Team Canada. I still can’t even believe it. You put in all the work to win the Stanley Cup and you want to play world juniors and the world championship and you want to experience the whole hockey world.”

The invite marks the latest significant step in a career that saw him go from regular NHLer last year to top six fixture this season.

Given his work ethic, tenacity and finish, some believe he will soon be amongst the Flames' top scorers.

For proof it’s possible, the five-foot-10, 184-pound forward moved into a tie for the team lead in even strength goals on Thursday with a nifty deflection that stood as his third game-winner of the season in a 4-1 win over Vancouver. Twelve of his 14 goals have come at even strength in a season where he’s been one of the few bright spots for a team playing out a string of three more meaningless games against the Canucks before he packs for Europe.

An opportunity to continue building his confidence in Riga, Latvia starting May 21 will only help.

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Lindholm scores twice as Flames down Canucks

What makes his feel-good journey even better is that he’ll cross the pond for the first time while sitting beside long-time teammate and pal Dillon Dube.

“Dillon and I go way back - even in Penticton days we were roommates there,” said Mangiapane of the team’s former prospects training camp site.

“It’s honestly awesome. We grew up in the same kind of role and competing to make the NHL together. Now going overseas, it’s going to be fun. When we both got the call and were talking about it, it was ‘You go if I go, and I go if you go.” We both decided to go and it’s going to be awesome.”

Mangiapane not only managed to maintain his top-six status all season long, he also added regular power play and penalty killing duties to make him one of the most versatile and dependable forwards. 1212757 Websites “We had some struggles early on as a team, and I didn’t play well enough to keep us in games,” said Murray, bluntly. “But the way we finished, that’s all you can ask for in a response. It was really inspiring to see. Obviously it gives everybody a really good feeling going into the Sportsnet.ca / 'Pesky and mean' Senators vow to make noise during summer and it gives everybody the motivation to come back and make 2021-22 season some noise next year.”

What makes Brady Tkachuk a natural born leader to his teammates Smith and his Senators coaching staff deserve credit for keeping this thing on the rails. With so many young players struggling as a collective Senators forward Josh Norris discusses what makes Brady Tkachuk early on, it would have been easy for them to lose all confidence and sink such an important and natural leader and voice in the locker room, and further. The coaches did not browbeat their young core. someone that drags the entire team into battle on the ice. Brown says that Smith and the staff “instilled a belief in us. They saw

what we could be as a team before we saw it.” Wayne Scanlan May 13, 2021, 2:43 PM At the same time, the accountability shown by young leaders like Tkachuk and Thomas Chabot, Brown and Paul helped stabilize the kids. Players encouraged each other on the bench and in the room. They Players and coaches alike took turns trying to describe this bizarre, didn’t want to let each other down. unmatching bookends of a 2020-21 campaign by the Ottawa Senators. “We were sick and tired of losing,” Norris said. “It was the tale of two seasons,” said head coach D.J. Smith. Smith, who marked his 44th birthday Thursday, finished the season “NIght and day,” was how veteran forward Nick Paul, Ottawa’s Masterton enormously proud of what his team did, not merely in beating a Leafs Trophy nominee, described the horrendous 2-12-1 start for Ottawa team that was more or less just trying to remain healthy for their before a turnaround that sparked a 10-3-1 finish. upcoming playoff series against the Montreal Canadiens.

“We just wish we could keep going here,” Brady Tkachuk said, the day “It’s great to go out on that note and get rewarded, not just for after completing the season with a 4-3 overtime victory over the Toronto (Wednesday’s) effort but for the effort these guys have put in over the Maple Leafs. Ottawa finished 23-28-5, for 51 points in 56 games, eight last eight, nine weeks. They barely took a period off . . . didn’t let up one points behind the Montreal Canadiens holding down fourth place and the time.” final playoff spot in the North Division. Smith envisioned a hard-working physical team here and that’s what he Thursday was clean out time, “garbage bag day,” as it is often described got in the second half of the season. -- players putting their dressing room belongings into green bags to pack up for the summer. In non-pandemic times, media would be in that room, “We play hard and finish checks,” Norris said. “Teams really don’t like witnessing the farewell handshakes and last-minute signing of team playing against us.” merchandise for the marketing department. Asked to describe this team's personality, defenceman Josh Brown was This being the season like no other, media instead were on Zoom calls succinct: "We're pesky and we're mean." with players and Smith, from 8 a.m. until noon, each describing the We're not sure if Brown is aware that 'Pesky Sens’ was the handle given season that was and looking ahead to a more normal 82-game, 2021-22 to the 2012-13 Senators who snuck into the playoffs with a late charge season. behind goalie Andrew 'The Hamburglar' Hammond. Had there been 82 games this year, who knows what might have been Smith cites goaltending and team culture as factors behind the 2021 for Ottawa. There isn’t any racetrack left, so we cannot say if a longer turnaround. When Murray and then Marcus Hogberg got injured, goalie season could have witnessed the Senators surging into a playoff spot. prospects Joey Daccord and Filip Gustavsson stepped in with some big Based on games since Feb. 20, the Senators have the third-best record wins. Daccord suffered a high ankle sprain, but is back on the ice and in the North. says he may get a start with AHL Belleville before the season is out. I do know this. As someone who has been around Ottawa teams since Anton Forsberg, another waiver wire pickup, also stabilized things. the first game in 1992, I have not seen a more excited group that is NOT Regarding the culture around this young group, they are so close we going on to the playoffs. The Senators are so young, especially at would tell them to “get a room” if they didn’t already have one. forward and defence, and so enamoured of their play over the past month or so, their enthusiasm for next season is off the charts. “I love these guys,” Batherson said, unabashedly, about his bros. It’s been like that since 2017 at his first development camp in Ottawa, he “All the players and the city of Ottawa have a lot to look forward to next added. He met players like Parker Kelly, an undrafted forward, just taking year,” said winger Connor Brown, the ex-Maple Leaf who had a career- a shot with a blue-collar attitude. Talk about a different path, on year with 21 goals, including an NHL-leading five shorthanded goals. Wednesday, Kelly finally made his NHL debut and scored his first goal. That the fifth came against Toronto put a nifty exclamation mark on Batherson, like the rest of this upbeat group, was thrilled for him. Just Brown’s remarkable year. another young Sen with a career first. Brown is just one of many Senators who exceeded expectations this Smith says he’s never been around a closer team, including junior teams season. Rookies Josh Norris and Tim Stützle were both in Calder Trophy Smith took to the Memorial Cup. He likes the possibilities that can conversations -- Stützle early on and Norris in the second half. Norris emerge from a team that is close in the room and battles together on the finished the year tied for second in rookie goals, with 17, and third in ice. It sounds like the worst kind of hockey cliche, but there is truth to it. points, with 35. All that while taking on the two-way responsibilities of a No. 1 centre. Stützle became a fan darling. “I don’t think there’s enough said about what a good locker room can bring on the ice and the combination of young players growing together Drake Batherson rose up to be a first-line winger, alongside Norris and and holding each other accountable,” Smith said. the team’s lifeblood, Brady Tkachuk. Teams that win have that, Smith said. Newcomers Shane Pinto and Jacob Bernard-Docker settled in nicely after joining the Senators from their college hockey season at UND. “I think we’re right there now,” he said.

Young defencemen Victor Mete, plucked off the waiver wire from For salty veteran winger Austin Watson, who came over from Nashville, Montreal, and Erik Brannstrom, who came over in the Mark Stone trade this is a new experience, missing out on the NHL playoffs. Watson broke with San Jose, blossomed down the stretch when injuries and departures his thumb blocking a shot in late March, but is looking forward to going to thrust them into the spotlight. war with these kids next fall.

Matt Murray, the team’s No. 1 goaltender, had his own “tale of two “When I came here, the eagerness and the want to get better impressed seasons.” He was a big part of the early wreckage, but rebounded to play me a lot,” Watson said. “When you see that work come to a head and well in his last five games before getting injured. you start to have success, you realize how we need to play on a night-to- night basis. And that’s the task now, to not forget how hard it is to be consistent in this league.”

Watson says this is the youngest group he has been with in the NHL. While he recognizes the league is full of skilled kids, what struck him about the Senators youthful players was their maturity and ability to get along.

“The organization has done such a good job getting quality people,” Watson said. “They’re mature young guys.

“The teams that win buy into the team concept and I’ve seen that from Day 1 here.”

Which one of these guys gets named captain is still to be determined (as the “Brady!” chants go up in the background). Smith says the matter will be discussed this summer with GM Pierre Dorion and owner Eugene Melnyk. It would be easy to muddle along with the status quo and not stress out a young man with the letter ‘C’, but most NHL teams do have a captain.

“At some point, you’ve got to make the hard decision,” Smith said, adding that his young leaders like Tkachuk and Chabot are “almost ready for that, and that’ll be a big part in deciding what we do.”

Smith said that the common theme in his exit meeting talks, especially with the younger players, was to get better and get stronger.

“We’ve got to be ready when the season starts,” Smith said. “We’re not going to sneak up on anyone as much anymore.”

In Ottawa, September and October can’t come soon enough.

Sportsnet.ca LOADED: 05.14.2021 1212758 Websites goal. “Then add in McLeod in the middle. He plays a really mature game for a guy who doesn’t have a lot of experience in this league.

“We’re just trying to use these last couple of games to figure out how we Sportsnet.ca / Oilers continue to check off boxes as regular season can play and be effective as a line.” comes to an end Whether or not McDavid and Draisaitl are employed on the same unit or separate lines versus Winnipeg, a third line that can produce the odd goal and at least neutralize Adam Lowry’s line will be a big story in this Mark Spector May 12, 2021, 10:35 PM series.

• How’s Tyson Barrie doing? Check!

If you missed that rare, midweek, afternoon start in the Mountain time With another two assists Wednesday — unless Cale Makar goes wild in zone on Wednesday, allow Edmonton Oilers head coach Dave Tippett to Colorado — Barrie will lead all NHL defencemen in points this season. summarize it for you. He has 8-40-48, which is more than any other player — forward or defenceman — on a new team this season. “Sloppy, nobody got hurt, and we got two points. Other than that it was good.” When’s the last time a team had the top two NHL scorers and the leading defenceman? How about 1985? We could spend the next 800 words or so describing a meaningless game between two teams that have their playoff matchups set, but if • Darnell Nurse. OK, we’ll say it: He reminds us of a 25-year-old Alex games like this are your thing we’ll point you towards a season-ending Pietrangelo. series between Calgary and Vancouver that will mercifully unfold in the soap opera time slots next week. Nurse’s plus-29 is tied for tops among all NHL players, second only to Draisaitl at plus-31. He has taken a huge step this season: he’s a Top 15 This one ended on a lovely Leon Draisaitl feed in overtime, deposited scorer among NHL blueliners; fourth in the NHL in ice time at 25:42 per home by Dominik Kahun, who could barely believe his ears when he night; and he’s a big part of a Top 10 penalty kill. He rang a shot off the heard his name called for the opening faceoff of overtime. That shift is post late in Wednesday’s game that would have been his 17th goal, a generally occupied by one Connor McDavid. sign that the offensive awareness we always wondered about has finally arrived. “I was thinking my game was probably over. Then my coach said I’m going out with Leon,” chuckled Kahun, who scored just 27 seconds into • Goaltending? Well, the starter seems fine… OT for Edmonton’s second straight overtime win over the Canadiens. “It gives me confidence when pucks go in.” If Mike Smith gets Game No. 56 off, this will be the second best season of his 15-year career, a decade after his best season in Arizona. We Why use Kahun ahead of McDavid in overtime? never thought we’d be saying this as the playoffs open, but the Oilers have the best goaltender in the North this season. “Why not?” asked Tippett. “We were looking for a little German magic there, and they came through.” Smith’s .923 saves percentage ranks fifth among NHL starters. His 2.31 goals against average is sixth, and both numbers are better than any Fantasy Hockey Playoffs Bracket goalie in the North — including Round 1 opponent and reigning Vezina Think you know how this year's playoffs will unfold? Before every round, winner Connor Hellebuyck (.915, 2.60). from Round 1 to the Stanley Cup Final, predict the winners and number Oilers fans had their hearts in their throats when he appeared to get of games for each series and answer a few prop questions. injured in a crease collision Wednesday, but Tippett shrugged it off. So Edmonton wins, and closes out their regular season with seven “Ah, he just got some snow in his eye. He’s all right.” consecutive road wins, something this franchise has not done since 1987. It can’t hurt going into the playoffs on a heater, nor can six Sportsnet.ca LOADED: 05.14.2021 consecutive wins over their Round 1 opponent, the Winnipeg Jets.

Look — on its own, none of that stuff is worth anything come playoff time. But this time of year is about ticking off the boxes.

Are we confident on the road? Check.

How are the special teams? Check.

Do we have a third line coming along? Check.

So, let’s look at a few of those boxes, as Edmonton closes out what has been a fantastic regular season, ranked 10th in the NHL in winning percentage (.655).

• Special teams: With a two-for-three afternoon in Montreal, the Oilers pulled clear of the pack, topping the NHL with a 28.1 per cent power play unit. The penalty kill, meanwhile, is Top 10 at 82.2 per cent, and best in the North.

• McDavid and Draisaitl cruise into game No. 56 with seven consecutive multi-point games each. They’ll finish one-two in the NHL scoring race this season, and McDavid will very likely have more assists than any other player — except Draisaitl — has points.

“From experience, your top players are going to have to be your top players going into the playoffs," said Alex Chiasson. "We’re not too worried about that.”

• How about having a third line that’s coming together, with 21-year-old Ryan McLeod centering a couple of playoff war horses in Chiasson (29) and James Neal (32)?

“I feel like me and Nealer have always played well together. We understand the game and how each other plays. We know where to go,” Chiasson said, on a night when his line produced another even strength 1212759 Websites “He's put in so much work. We've witnessed it every single day at the rink, just to get himself prepared and back as healthy as possible to obviously get in the net and get a feel for it,” said close friend Auston Matthews. Sportsnet.ca / Maple Leafs' Andersen feeling confident despite loss in return from injury “I thought he played really, really well tonight. At times, we weren't good enough for him. On a couple of those, that's purely on us. I thought he looked good. He looked confident. I think that's all you can really ask for from a big piece like him for this team.” Luke Fox Former Leafs Nikita Zaitsev (a screened point blast) and Connor Brown

(a hardworking shorthanded strike, his NHL-best fifth) solved Andersen Is this how it ends? with excusable goals. But rookie call-up Parker Kelly, making his NHL debut, beat him from a tough angle, and Josh Norris twisted the knife With a whimper, not a bang? nine seconds into OT.

With not the slightest hint of controversy? Remaining Time -5:00

Without a single fan in attendance to chant “Fred-die!”? Andersen still trying to find his form

With the name “Rittich” — a goaltender who didn’t so much as dress Andersen chalked up the goals to “some weird plays and some Wednesday night — trending on Toronto Twitter, for goodness sakes? unfortunate bounces” — but he was caught swimming a bit.

While we are certainly not ready to proclaim the Frederik Andersen’s “Maybe that’s rust. Maybe I could do a few things differently [and] those Maple Leafs era over before the puck drops on the post-season — would be saves, but overall felt really good,” Andersen said. “I felt like I playoff runs can unravel best-laid goalie plans faster than you say “Jake was moving really well. Felt confident out there making some plays. Just Oettinger” — there is no doubt that for the first Leafs series in five years, calm in the net.” the crease will no longer be Andersen’s to lose. To be fair, the Leafs in front of Andersen were playing cautious. Too It belongs to Jack Campbell. calm.

And Andersen's harshest critics are ready to have Andersen backing up “Just no life, no energy,” Jake Muzzin said. backup David Rittich. Surely, the mind cannot help but wander to Game 1. Self-preservation is Fantasy Hockey Playoffs Bracket natural.

Think you know how this year's playoffs will unfold? Before every round, “That's the biggest mental hurdle right now,” Keefe said. “Guys want to from Round 1 to the Stanley Cup Final, predict the winners and number play well; they want to win the game. But our guys know what's around of games for each series and answer a few prop questions. the corner here, and nobody wants to be going into it too banged up. So, you're a little shy on everything that you're doing and you're just not quite ENTER NOW into it mentally. But it's a 56-game season and we're only through 55. Making his first NHL appearance in 60 days, the 31-year-old’s “We don't have the [cap] flexibility to be able to make sweeping changes rehabilitation pitch was the most meaningful story in the otherwise low- and sit multiple people. We've got to find a way to stay in it mentally calorie game. enough to make sure that we don't let our guard down. That's when bad Andersen and the organization have gone to great lengths to set him up things tend to happen, injuries and such.” as best as possible for success when he is called upon. Yes, Keefe only need look at his goaltender to see the toll injuries and First, GM made use of an AHL conditioning stint with the such can exact. Marlies. Then he stretched the salary cap to its limit (and sacrificed game During his five regular seasons in Toronto, Andersen has started 267 reps for skaters Rasmus Sandin, Zach Hyman and Riley Nash) in order games, faced 8,466 shots, made 7,740 saves, and stood in that crease to accommodate one last regular-season NHL look for Andersen, an for 12,625 minutes. Only Connor Hellebuyck in Winnipeg has seen more overworked anchor in this city for half a decade. work during that span. Andersen allowed four goals on 28 shots in a 4-3 overtime loss to the So, no, Andersen’s Leafs days won’t end like this. If anything, they’ll end Ottawa Senators, who squashed the Leafs’ Presidents’ Trophy bid and with more labour — even if that’s behind the scenes. deserved full marks for riding out their season on a high note. “Just keep working in practice, like I have been,” Andersen said of his “He got through the game. He moved well. I would say that's what stood next step. out,” coach Sheldon Keefe assessed. “That's really what the game was about is just getting him through the 60 minutes and feeling good. By all “I’m looking forward to this journey with this team. Every day is fun to be accounts, it seems that that was the case.” around this team and battle with the guys. Everyone can do their best and contribute. That’s what I’m going to keep doing.” Andersen finishes 2020-21 — his critical UFA contract campaign — with a 13-8-3 record, 2.96 goals-against average, and .895 save percentage. Sportsnet.ca LOADED: 05.14.2021 All these numbers are career worsts.

There is no more runway to get Andersen’s knee feeling strong and get the goaltender feeling confident – two intertwined objectives since his mid-March hiatus.

If he appears in a Maple Leafs net again, it’ll be under the bright lights of a pressurized playoff series. Perhaps on the second half of a back-to- back.

For the first time in Andersen’s tenure, Toronto will be a heavy favourite when it opens its series versus Montreal at home next week. And for once, the defence deployed in front of the Leafs’ crease will rank among the league’s best.

Yet it appears only a significant stumble from Campbell — seizing the No. 1 role with a franchise-record-breaking 17-2-2 record and a sparkling .923 save percentage — will pave way for an Andersen redemption tale. 1212760 Websites

TSN.CA / Former Blackhawks player alleges he was sexually assaulted by coach

An unnamed member of the 2010 Stanley Cup-winning team has filed a lawsuit, accusing the Blackhawks of ignoring allegations against a former video coach, Rick Westhead writes.

By Rick Westhead

An unnamed former Chicago Blackhawks player who was a member of the 2010 Stanley Cup-winning team has filed a lawsuit accusing the Blackhawks of ignoring allegations that he and an unidentified teammate were sexually assaulted by a Blackhawks coach.

The plaintiff, who is referred to as “John Doe” in court documents, alleges that former Blackhawks video coach Brad Aldrich was watching pornography and began to masturbate in front of him without his consent in May 2010.

The lawsuit was filed on May 7 in Cook Circuit Court in Chicago. Chicago radio station WBEZ first reported the litigation.

The former Blackhawks player alleged that Aldrich, who no longer works for the National Hockey League franchise, also sent him “inappropriate text messages” and threatened him “physically, financially and emotionally” if he “did not engage in sexual activity.”

According to WBEZ, Aldrich is now 38 and was convicted in 2013 of an unrelated fourth-degree criminal sexual conduct involving a student in Michigan. He is a registered sex offender in that state, WBEZ reported.

The lawsuit claims that the former Blackhawks player reported Aldrich's alleged misconduct to James F. Gary, the team’s mental skills coach.

“On or about May 2010, plaintiff, John Doe, began seeing Gary for counselling services after he was sexually assaulted by a team employee,” the plaintiff’s eight-page statement of claim says. “Prior to the sexual assault on John Doe, defendant was made aware that the same team employee had sexually assaulted a teammate of John Doe.”

Gary allegedly convinced the former player “that the sexual assault was his fault, that he was culpable for what had happened, [and had] made mistakes during his encounter with the perpetrator and permitted the sexual assault to occur.”

Susan Loggans, a lawyer for the plaintiff, told WBEZ that her client reported the alleged incident to the NHL Players’ Association, but “nothing happened.” Loggans said her client is seeking damages from the team in excess of $150,000.

Spokesmen for the Blackhawks and the NHLPA did not respond to requests for comment.

Blackhawks vice president of communications Adam Rogowin told WBEZ that the lawsuit “lacked merit.”

“The Chicago Blackhawks take the allegations asserted by a former player very seriously," Rogowin told WBEZ. "Based on our investigation, we believe the allegations against the organization lack merit and we are confident the team will be absolved of any wrongdoing. As this is a pending litigation matter, it would be inappropriate for us to comment further.”

TSN.CA LOADED: 05.14.2021 1212761 Websites “He was a very motivated guy,” Tippett said. “He’s played really well, but he really wants to help this organization and the players in this organization get better. He’s a great leader. The guys thrive off of him in the dressing room. He’s really competitive.” TSN.CA / Smith proves hunger and drive still burn bright An NHL goaltending coach close to Smith, who asked for anonymity The veteran netminder appeared to be out of a job in Edmonton after last because he works for a competing franchise, described Smith last off- season’s qualifying-round loss, but he bounced back to help save the season as “like a shark.” Oilers’ season, Frank Seravalli writes. “You put a challenge in front of him and he eats that up,” the coach said. “Sharks don’t swim away. He is fiercely competitive. He has no anxiety.”

By Frank Seravalli That has been Smith’s modus operandi his entire career. He was a fifth- round pick of the Dallas Stars in 2001 who had to start his career in the

AHL while the Stars’ first-round pick that season, Jason Bacashihua, got One word is rarely a window into the soul. But by saying so little, Mike top billing in the organization. Smith revealed so much about the competitive fire that rages in him with Bacashihua went on to play 38 games in the NHL. Smith is leading the a response to a question earlier this month. Oilers into the playoffs at age 39. Reporter: “Is there extra satisfaction for you putting probably the final nail “He’s just not one to roll over and accept his fate,” the coach said. in Calgary’s playoff hopes here?” “There’s been so many ups and downs, times it looked like he was going Smith: “Yup.” to be down and out. He decided he was just not going to be a backup. He loves the game, he loves competing.” The response was equally as telling as the smouldering smile and nod. His first partner, Turco, recognized some of that in Dallas. He invited the “To say Mike Smith is very competitive, that’s probably an younger Smith to live with him and his family. There was never any understatement,” said Marty Turco, Smith’s former teammate on the tension between the two, even though they were in competition for the Dallas Stars and one of his close friends. “He will use any motivation he same job – so much so that when Smith’s second season rolled around, can find. He loves to prove people wrong.” he moved back in with the Turcos.

That hunger, that drive to prove people wrong is a big reason why the 39- “A full fridge goes a long way,” said Turco, who still works for the Stars year-old Edmonton Oilers netminder is TSN Hockey’s Comeback Player and owns Kingsville Brewery in Kingsville, Ont. “I think the relationships of the Year in the non-Oskar Lindblom category. he formed with me and others, including Tipp in Dallas, has gone a long way for him. There is mutual trust there. He knows how he plays, how he There is no competing with Lindblom, unto a class of his own after acts. Tipp knows what he’s getting with Mike. And when you’re a goalie overcoming Ewing’s Sarcoma – a form of bone cancer – last year and and you know you don’t have to look over your shoulder when you make making it back to score eight goals over 50 games with the Philadelphia a mistake, that really helps.” Flyers this season. It’s a unique relationship. There aren’t many coaches who have brought Even in the non-Lindblom category, Smith had worthy competition. Marc- the same goaltender with them to three stops in the league, from Dallas Andre Fleury recovered from a sword in the back in Vegas to post a to Arizona to Edmonton, like Tippett has with Smith. career-best .928 save percentage and sub-2.00 goals against-average as the Golden Knights allowed the fewest goals in the NHL. Tippett recently called Smith “one of the best pure athletes I’ve ever coached.” He's harnessed that athleticism into technique. Turco said Smith’s teammate Jesse Puljujarvi made his way back to Edmonton after guidance from goaltender guru (and assistant GM) Sean Burke in declaring he would never play for the Oilers again and became a force, Arizona was the major turning point in Smith’s career. scoring at a 23-goal pace over 82 games. “He played him deeper in the net, used his size to his advantage,” Turco Drew Doughty, Joe Pavelski and Alex DeBrincat all bounced back with said. “That’s given his career longevity.” strong seasons. Smith took it to another level last off-season. His puck-handling prowess But the argument could be made that Fleury never actually had a was always a plus for teams breaking up the forecheck, taking pressure downturn in his game. off the Oilers’ defence. But Smith looks more calm this season when in The same can’t be said for Smith, who appeared to be out of a job when net. To listen to InGoal Magazine’s Kevin Woodley explain it, Smith’s the Oilers were bounced out of their hometown bubble and upset by the “flops per 60” are way down this season. 12th-seeded Chicago Blackhawks last August in the qualifying round. “Smitty was methodical,” the NHL goaltending coach said. “He worked Smith was tapped for the Game 1 start. He allowed five goals in 26 out with someone new and it was less a power approach and more of a minutes and was yanked in favour of Mikko Koskinen, who was no better supple approach. More flexibility, more agility. His butterfly was wider. He with a .889 save percentage in the quick series. wasn’t as rigid. He’s let the play come to him – and he’s in his element of comfort.” “We didn’t play very well and he didn’t have a great start in Game 1,” Oilers coach Dave Tippett said this week on TSN 1050 Radio. “Then Better than his .923 save percentage, his best mark since 2011-12, the boom. We were out.” Oilers have fed off of Smith's personality and mantra, as evidenced by the “yup” quote. It’s no secret that the Oilers targeted Vancouver’s Jacob Markstrom when free agency opened on Oct. 9. But after Markstrom signed with the “There’s more to it than just the goaltending,” Tippett said. “He’s been rival Calgary Flames, GM Ken Holland was vilified for sprinkling that $6 excellent in goal but he adds a presence to our team that our team has million around with Plan B. really dug into and adapted to.”

The Oilers instead signed Kyle Turris ($1.65 million), Tyson Barrie ($3.75 Smith has already turned back the clock. Now, the Comeback Player of million) and brought back Smith ($1.5 million) to take another run in the Year has one more wrong to right, and that’s last year’s playoff start. tandem with Koskinen. Yup, safe to say there is more than enough fuel for that fire.

To say the move did not inspire the Edmonton market with confidence, “What he’s done this year has been remarkable, it’s a heck of a story,” well, that would be as understated as saying Smith is merely “very Turco said. “It’s one thing to think about a 39-year-old playing this well, competitive.” Oil Country spewed venom. it’s another thing to say it out loud. This ole’ partner is thrilled for his success. Sometimes hard work does pay off.” Barrie went on to lead all defencemen in scoring with 48 points. And Smith saved the Oilers’ season. TSN.CA LOADED: 05.14.2021

The Oilers were 6-7-0 before Smith made his first start on Feb. 8. Edmonton went 29-11-2 after Smith’s return from injury, the fourth-best record in the NHL during that span based on points percentage. 1212762 Websites No. 2 Florida vs. No. 3 Tampa Bay Sunday, May 16: Tampa Bay at Florida, 7:30, NBCSN

Tuesday, May 18: Tampa Bay at Florida, 8 CNBC USA TODAY / NHL first-round playoff schedule released; quest for Stanley Cup starts Saturday Thursday, May 20: Florida at Tampa Bay, 6:30, USA

Saturday, May 22: Florida at Tampa Bay, 12:30, CNBC

USA TODAY Sports *Monday, May 24: Tampa Bay at Florida, TBD

*Wednesday, May 26: Florida at Tampa Bay, TBD

The abbreviated 56-game NHL schedule is still going on, but the league *Friday, May 28: Tampa Bay at Florida, TBD announced dates (along with some times and television) for the best-of- seven postseason series. WEST DIVISION

The Stanley Cup playoffs will open Saturday with the Boston Bruins at No. 1 Colorado vs. No. 4 St. Louis Washington Capitals as the lone game. There will be three games Monday, May 17: St. Louis at Colorado, 10, NBCSN Sunday, including the Tampa Bay Lightning visiting the Florida Panthers to begin defense of their 2020 championship. Wednesday, May 19: St. Louis at Colorado, 10:30, CNBC

Because North Division games will be played until May 19, those series Friday, May 21: Colorado at St. Louis, 9:30, USA won't start until the 19th and 20th. Sunday, May 23: Colorado at St. Louis, TBD Teams will play the first two rounds within their division, then the division winners will be seeded based on regular-season points for the semifinal. *Tuesday, May 25: St. Louis at Colorado, TBD The winners will play for the Stanley Cup. *Thursday, May 27: Colorado at St. Louis TBD

The schedule: *Saturday, May 29: St. Louis at Colorado, TBD

AWARD PICKS:Connor McDavid runs away with MVP, but others are up No. 2 Vegas vs. No. 3 Minnesota for grabs Sunday, May 16: Minnesota at Vegas, 3, NBC TROUBLE SIGNS:Victor Hedman's health among potential issues facing playoff teams Tuesday, May 18: Minnesota at Vegas, 10, NBCSN

First round Thursday, May 20: Vegas at Minnesota, 9:30, NBCSN

All times p.m. ET. Best of seven. *-if necessary Saturday, May 22: Vegas at Minnesota, 8, NBC

EAST DIVISION *Monday, May 24: Minnesota at Vegas, TBD

No 1. Pittsburgh vs. No. 4 NY Islanders *Wednesday, May 26: Vegas at Minnesota, TBD

Sunday, May 16: NY Islanders at Pittsburgh, noon, NBC *Friday, May 28: Minnesota at Vegas, TBD

Tuesday, May 18: NY Islanders at Pittsburgh, 7:30, NBCSN NORTH DIVISION

Thursday, May 20: Pittsburgh at NY Islanders, 7, NBCSN No. 1 Toronto vs. No. 4 Montreal

Saturday, May 22: Pittsburgh at NY Islanders, 3, NBC Thursday, May 20: Montreal at Toronto, 7:30, NHL Network

*Monday, May 24, NY Islanders at Pittsburgh TBD Saturday, May 22: Montreal at Toronto, 7, CNBC

*Wednesday, May 26 Pittsburgh at NY Islanders TBD Monday, May 24: Toronto at Montreal, TBD

*Friday, May 28 NY Islanders at Pittsburgh TBD Tuesday, May 25: Toronto at Montreal, TBD

No. 1 Washington vs. No. 3 Boston *Thursday, May 27: Montreal at Toronto, TBD

Saturday, May 15: Boston at Washington, 7:15, NBC *Saturday, May 29: Toronto at Montreal, TBD

Monday, May 17: Boston at Washington, 7:30, NBCSN *Monday, May 31: Montreal at Toronto, TBD

Wednesday, May 19: Washington at Boston, 6:30, NBCSN No. 2 Edmonton vs. No. 3 Winnipeg

Friday, May 21: Washington at Boston, 6:30, NBCSN Wednesday, May 19: Winnipeg at Edmonton, 9, NBCSN

*Sunday, May 23: Boston at Washington TBD Friday, May 21: Winnipeg at Edmonton, 9, NBCSN

*Tuesday, May 25: Washington at Boston TBD Sunday, May 23: Edmonton at Winnipeg TBD

*Thursday, May 27: Boston at Washington, TBD Monday, May 24: Edmonton at Winnipeg TBD

CENTRAL DIVISION *Wednesday, May 26: Winnipeg at Edmonton TBD

No. 1 Carolina vs. No. 4 Nashville *Friday, May 28: Edmonton at Winnipeg TBD

Monday, May 17: Nashville at Carolina, 8, CNBC *Sunday, May 30: Winnipeg at Edmonton TBD

Wednesday, May 19: Nashville at Carolina, 8, CNBC USA TODAY LOADED: 05.14.2021

Friday, May 21: Carolina at Nashville, 7, USA

Sunday, May 23: Carolina at Nashville, TBD

*Tuesday, May 25: Nashville at Carolina, TBD

*Thursday, May 27: Carolina at Nashville, TBD

*Saturday, May 29: Nashville at Carolina TBD