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SPORT-SCAN DAILY BRIEF NHL 12/25/2019 Anaheim Ducks Panthers 1167789 How ’ style has helped get more offense 1167818 Lightning score 3 power-play goals in 6-1 rout of Panthers from Hampus Lindholm and Cam Fowler 1167819 Kings prospect Alex Turcotte finding way to NHL with gap 1167790 Arizona Coyotes assign defenseman Jordan Gross to year at Wisconsin Tucson Roadrunners 1167820 Kings prospects, Bjornfot and Kupari, should improve with 1167791 Antti Raanta’s 38 saves not enough as Coyotes fall to world juniors experience Predators 1167792 suspended by NBC Sports for inappropriate comments 1167821 Wild assistant GM Tom Kurvers has been training for this fight his whole life Bruins 1167793 Holiday season means many things to many Bruins 1167794 The Bruins didn’t have their teammates’ backs on 1167822 How the West was won: Canadiens bring home six Monday, and that could be a problem precious points as their rookies step to the fore 1167795 When it comes to shootouts, skill doesn’t always win 1167796 Bruins' lack of menace once again on display in win over Nashville Predators Capitals 1167823 Catfish Corner newsletter: 'Partner' Preds' MVP, Roman 1167797 Torey Krug, Charlie McAvoy both injured in Bruins' win Josi on hot streak, Arvidsson back over Capitals 1167824 'He's on fire.' Roman Josi stays hot to keep Predators rolling into Christmas break 1167798 Collaboration between Sabres, Amerks produces 'good New York Islanders development story' 1167825 Islanders in good position in Metropolitan Division, but still 1167799 How Andrew Hammond brought his idea for a Buffalo- have some work to do to inspired goalie mask to life 1167800 Sabres now have time to think about the chances they missed — and the challenges to come 1167826 Rangers may have botched -Jacob Trouba maneuverings 1167827 Rangers searching for answers to fix struggling power play 1167801 Flames out of sync in pre-Christmas loss to Wild 1167802 Flames prospect Dustin Wolf spending holidays with U.S. NHL world junior team 1167828 Done Singing for the Blues, He Happily Wears Their 1167803 A Calgary couple is hoping to change the way fans Ring experience sporting events — and NHL teams are taking 1167829 NBC’s calls Jeremy Roenick’s threesome notice talk on podcast ‘unacceptable’ 1167830 World junior tournament gives NHL Seattle GM Ron Carolina Hurricanes Francis a head start on planning his future roster 1167804 Triangle Ten: The 10 most influential people in Triangle sports in 2019 Flyers 1167831 NBC suspends ex-Flyers center Jeremy Roenick over Blackhawks ‘inappropriate comments’ 1167805 Blackhawks’ excessive shift lengths remain a struggle, but 1167832 Flyers Travis Sanheim carries new confidence into they’re showing progress Christmas break after two- night against Rangers 1167807 Blackhawks 2019-20 midseason grades: Forwards 1167833 trip will test Flyers' rebuilt resiliency 1167834 Flyers Notebook: Rangers join the effort to honor Oskar 1167835 'Seeing that smiling face' of Oskar Lindblom makes the 1167808 Avalanche’s Gabe Landeskog on his 600th game: “No Flyers' 4-game winning streak no coincidence better way to do it than get a win” 1167836 O’Connor’s Observations: Carter Hart is making a strong case for earlier-than-expected NHL excellence 1167809 Fill-ins help banged-up Columbus Blue Jackets overcome slew of injuries 1167837 The most important Penguins of the 2010s: Nos. 10 1167810 Blue Jackets still deep on defense amid injury issues through 6 1167811 Blue Jackets 3, Islanders 2 | 3-2-1 postgame breakdown 1167838 At Christmas break, a look at Penguins’ coaching, goaltending, health 1167839 Catching up with former Penguin — and current constable 1167812 Boy, was I wrong about these Cowboys, Longhorn and — Steve McKenna Aggie football, and Nomar Mazara’s jump to stardom 1167840 Kris Letang Q&A: How do the Penguins compare to past 1167813 Shap Shots: Bowness’ approach, Winter Classic notes Stanley Cup clubs? and a book review 1167841 Sharks’ lack of success after coaching change could leave 1167814 The perfect gifts to lift Detroit sports out of the dumps GM on the hot seat 1167815 Lots of Red Wings intrigue, prospects highlight world junior tournament 1167816 From parents to former NHLers: Youth coaches who impacted the Red Wings 1167817 Leon Draisaitl is struggling badly, even as the Oilers’ depth forwards seem to be coming around St Louis Blues 1167842 BenFred: Naughty? Nice? Here are the perfect gifts for members of the STL sports scene 1167843 Blues respond to Berube's challenge with four-goal first period and sixth win in a row 1167844 Blues notebook: Christmas break welcomed; rest for Binnington, none for O'Reilly 1167845 Blues use first-period blitz to win sixth straight with 4-1 win over Kings 1167846 Does he look rested? Binnington back in goal for Blues vs. Kings 1167847 Lightning enjoy a break from the NHL for Christmas Maple Leafs 1167848 If first 15 games under Keefe are an indication, optimism should be at the Leafs' fore 1167849 LeBrun: Q&A with Leafs coach Sheldon Keefe on building relationships, playing aggressively and stacking lines 1167850 5 gifts under the tree for the Golden Knights 1167851 Golden Knights take star turn in Mariah Carey Christmas video 1167852 Ex-Golden Knight Pierre-Edouard Bellemare stellar back in Las Vegas 1167853 How About This Christmas Present?: $140 Ticket For VGK Game On New Year’s Eve 1167854 Capitals enter holiday break with a minor issue 1167855 The Capitals' Christmas wish list Websites 1167856 The Athletic / Bourne: Christmas break and the general conundrum of ‘rest’ 1167857 The Athletic / Seattle assistant GM Ricky Olczyk proved there’s more than one path to the NHL 1167858 The Athletic / Who will play in the NHL All-Star Game? Here’s our projection for all four divisional rosters 1167859 .ca / Top five right wingers of the decade: Kane, Kucherov take the offensive reins 1167860 Sportsnet.ca / Top three moments of the past decade 1167861 Sportsnet.ca / Top NHL draft-eligible players at the 2020 World Junior Championship 1167862 Sportsnet.ca / Top three Winnipeg Jets moments of the past decade 1167863 Sportsnet.ca / Top three Montreal Canadiens moments of the past decade 1167864 Sportsnet.ca / Canucks' Quinn Hughes showing he isn't intimidated by anyone 1167865 TSN.CA / Age only part of the story for youngest-ever Team 1167866 USA TODAY / Alex Ovechkin mourns death of Alex Luey, the young hockey player who inspired him

SPORT-SCAN, INC. 941-284-4129 1167789 Anaheim Ducks gone from a 3-2 league to a 4-3 league pretty quick. We’ve got to try to have everybody involved in that offense.”

Some of it is certainly out of necessity. The Ducks are averaging 2.51 How Dallas Eakins’ style has helped get more offense from Hampus goals, which ranks 29th. They’ve got four double-digit scoring forwards, Lindholm and Cam Fowler but it doesn’t appear as if one will push the 30-goal mark.

“There were a couple times late in that game where if I would have had By Eric Stephens reins, I would have had both arms pulled on them and my feet dug in as well,” Eakins said Saturday. “We would rather have to pull them back Dec 24, 2019 than try to push them forward. They’re getting to a spot. They’re starting to really understand their importance to our offense. They’ve taken it on

wholeheartedly. I think both are just going to keep improving in it.” Cam Fowler and Hampus Lindholm did not factor into the Ducks’ lone goal Sunday against the New York Rangers. But the two had an offensive impact Saturday against the normally stingy Islanders — and The Athletic LOADED: 12.25.2019 they’ve relished the greater opportunities given them.

Fowler scored his seventh goal, having already eclipsed the five he had last season. The last time he was this productive at this juncture of the season was 2016-17, where he would make his first and lone appearance in the All-Star Game. He finished with a career-high 11 goals and had 39 points.

A big part of the reason for his bounce is activating as a secondary attacker — essentially a fourth forward — on the rush and also making regular forays into prime shooting areas within the slot when the Ducks are able to possess the puck in the offensive zone.

Fowler has always been put in prime offensive situations. But this seems to be a green light to go without fear of ramifications if things don’t work. The steadiness of defensive-minded Erik Gudbranson as his current partner has also been a benefit.

“I think a lot of it has to do with what Dallas expects out of his D-men, which is getting up the ice and contributing in the offense as much as we can,” Fowler said of first-year coach Dallas Eakins and his system. “I think now that I’ve been given a partner that we’ve developed a little bit of chemistry with one another now. I know that he can be trusted, and he’s got my back. And he encourages me to get up the ice.

“Just gives me a little bit of peace of mind knowing that I can do that. Dallas expects me to get up and contribute offensively so I try my best to do that.”

Lindholm also is being given the go sign he hasn’t always had. For instance, his average of 1.41 minutes per game on the power play is a dramatic spark upward from the career-low 1.13 he had last season. However, he still hasn’t approached the two minutes per game he had in 2013-14 and 2015-16.

But Lindholm is making the most of the uptick. He had two assists against the Islanders and his 16 are leading the team. Even with a group that has struggled to score most of the season, the Swede is on pace for his first 30-assist year.

“It’s the kind of game I want to play,” Lindholm said. “I wanted to be offensive and I see myself as a good skater. Even when I join up the rush, I’m usually one of the first guys home anyways. If you look at the teams that are successful, you have to play offense with five guys. It’s usually that fourth guy coming in off the rush or joining the rush or leading it that usually makes the difference.

“As a D, you can get lost sometimes with forwards being a little sloppy on the forecheck and that’s usually when you can join up. I think that’s huge.”

At 25, Lindholm is theoretically moving into his prime years. He hasn’t hidden his joy in now having Eakins behind the bench.

“To be honest, from other years, it’s the first time I feel like someone is actually believing in me out there,” Lindholm said. “It gives me an extra boost out there too. Making plays and feeling comfortable out there. Before it’s kind of been you do one little mistake and they pull you off it.

“Before you were kind of holding your stick a little tighter because you’re almost afraid of making mistakes. Now it’s more of a belief that you feel like you have someone supporting and being behind you. It makes me want to play really, really good for a coach like that, that really believes in you and has your back.”

Eakins wouldn’t say if he felt Fowler and Lindholm were being held back as far as offensive creativity in prior regimes. But he did say, “This has 1167790 Arizona Coyotes

Arizona Coyotes assign defenseman Jordan Gross to Tucson Roadrunners

BY JAKE ANDERSON

DECEMBER 24, 2019 AT 10:01 AM

The Arizona Coyotes have assigned defenseman Jordan Gross to their AHL affiliate, the Tucson Roadrunners, the team announced on Tuesday.

Gross, 24, has notched two assists in two games for the Coyotes on the 2019-20 campaign.

In 26 games with the Roadrunners this season, the defenseman has registered 4-11-15 and four minutes.

He has also tallied 9-33-42 and 32 penalty minutes in 88 career appearances with Tucson.

In 2018, Gross was named to the NCAA All-Tournament Team after recording 10-20-30 and 26 penalty minutes in 40 games en route to a Big Ten championship with the Notre Dame Fighting Irish.

Arizona Sports LOADED: 12.25.2019 1167791 Arizona Coyotes

Antti Raanta’s 38 saves not enough as Coyotes fall to Predators

Staff Report

BY ASSOCIATED PRESS

DECEMBER 23, 2019 AT 9:11 PM

UPDATED: DECEMBER 23, 2019 AT 9:13 PM

NASHVILLE, Tenn. (AP) — Roman Josi had a goal and an assist, Pekka Rinne made 26 saves and the Nashville Predators beat the Arizona Coyotes 3-2 on Monday night.

Filip Forsberg and Viktor Arvidsson also scored for the Predators, who have won four of five.

Lawson Crouse and Jakob Chychrun scored for Arizona. Alex Goligoski added two assists.

Josi put the Predators up 3-1 at 9:56 of the third period with a wrist from the left .

Chychrun drew the Coyotes within one 37 seconds later, but Arizona could not tie it.

Josi, who earlier Monday was selected the NHL’s Second Star of the Week for last week, extended his career-best goal streak to five games.

Forsberg opened the scoring at 18:08 of the first.

After Antti Raanta turned aside Nashville’s first 21 shots in the period, Forsberg was finally able to put one in when Josi’s shot hit traffic in front and the puck bounced to Forsberg on the left side. With his feet below the goal line, Forsberg quickly kicked the puck to his forehand and slipped a slick wrist shot between Raanta and the near post.

Forsberg and Josi are tied for the team lead with 14 goals.

The Predators outshot Arizona 22-5 in the first. Prior to Forsberg’s goal, Raanta denied Rocco Grimaldi and then two backhand attempts by Matt Duchene in a five-second span.

Raanta finished with 38 saves.

Arvidsson made it 2-0 at 7:55 of the second when his long slap shot from the right side hit Raanta in the mask and then trickled across the goal line for his seventh of the season.

Playing in his second game since missing 12 after being cross-checked by St. Louis defenseman Robert Bortuzzo on Nov. 23, Arvidsson scored his first goal since Nov. 2.

Crouse halved the Nashville lead at 18:07 of the second.

After taking a pass from Nick Schmaltz on the right side, Crouse skated into the right circle and slipped a backhand by Rinne. Schmaltz has an assist in four consecutive games, totaling seven during that span.

Arizona Sports LOADED: 12.25.2019 1167792 Arizona Coyotes

Jeremy Roenick suspended by NBC Sports for inappropriate comments

Staff Report

BY ASSOCIATED PRESS

DECEMBER 23, 2019 AT 2:45 PM

UPDATED: DECEMBER 23, 2019 AT 2:45 PM

Former NHL forward Jeremy Roenick was suspended indefinitely by NBC Sports on Monday for his inappropriate comments about coworkers.

Roenick made a series of questionable remarks about fellow hockey broadcasters Kathryn Tappen, and during a recent appearance on the Spittin’ Chiclets podcast. An NBC Sports spokesman said the suspension is without pay and the network would have no further comment at this time.

On the podcast, Roenick discussed a vacation to Portugal with his wife and Tappen where he made repeated references to the NBC Sports anchor’s appearance and joked about the possibility of the three of them having sex together.

Roenick said they went on vacation together because his wife, Tracy, and Tappen are good friends. When another resort guest asked about the situation, he recalled, “I play it off like we’re going to bed together every night, the three of us.”

“If it really came to fruition, that would really be good, but it’s never going to happen,” Roenick said.

Roenick subsequently praised Tappen as “one of the most professional sports personalities I know.”

Later in the interview, Roenick called Sharp “so beautiful” and said: “I’d have to think about it if he asked me. … I wouldn’t say no right away.” He then seemed to contrast Sharp’s appearance with his and Carter’s.

“It’s good to have a beautiful face that talks well that knows the game because it’s totally the opposite when me and Anson get on there,” Roenick said.

He also called Sharp, a former teammate, “one of the greatest, greatest guys on the planet” and said, “I think he’s been great for NBC.”

Roenick played 20 NHL seasons with the Blackhawks, Coyotes, Flyers, Sharks and Kings before moving into television. He has been an analyst at NBC Sports since 2010.

Arizona Sports LOADED: 12.25.2019 1167793 1,000th game last season. The gifts handed out at a hockey team’s annual Secret Santa party are far less poignant.

“Inside jokes and jabs at guys, not too many you can share,” said Matt Holiday season means many things to many Bruins Grzelcyk, who once received a McDonald’s gift card from a teenage teammate at the US National Team Development Program, because, “I was like 140 pounds back then.” By Matt Porter Globe Staff Along with his gift, David Backes enjoys writing a note for a teammate to December 24, 2019, 4:27 p.m. read aloud.

“It’s a morale builder,” he said. “It’s a sign of acceptance when guys give you grief for whatever, what you’re wearing, what your tendencies are, a Looking ahead to the NHL’s holiday break, when he and his Bruins play you made. You mean enough to me that not only did I buy a gift, I teammates shelf their skates for three days, saw nothing know enough about you to give you a hard time. You’re part of this but good times. group.” “Hanging low, enjoying myself. Get some eggnog in me,” the Bruins star Ham, fish, and sometimes beef stew were on the Christmas menu for said with an elfish smile. Tuukka Rask back home in Finland. His (adult) plans for Christmas included no hockey. No games. No What would the holidays be without good food? practices. No work responsibilities, just enjoying the break with his family and friends. On Christmas morning, the Backes household smells of homemade cinnamon rolls and stove top hot cocoa. In Quebec, Bergeron looks Not too long ago, Marchand, 31, was a hockey-obsessed kid in forward to his grandmother’s meat pies and baked beans with maple Hammonds Plains, Nova Scotia. Christmas meant hockey play all day — syrup. when he wasn’t dressing up like Ninja Turtles with his brother, Jeff. At Tuukka Rask’s home, “We eat ham,” said the Finnish goalie. “A lot of In the spirit of the season, we present a stocking stuffed full of Black and ham and fish. Some beef stew, maybe.” Back in , Chara’s Gold holiday memories, traditions, food and fun . . . mother would cook carp. Traditionally, the fish is bought live and held for Hockey always has been, and always will be, one of the most expensive several days in the family bathtub, not unlike a New England lobster in a team sports. That means sacrifice on the part of parents. tank.

Bruins Hall of Famer Cam Neely fondly remembers how his late parents, That’s a level of preparation Joakim Nordstrom tries to achieve with his Marlene and Mike, “scraped up enough money” to snag a pair of brand- traditional Swedish hams. new Cooper helmets, in the bright red and white colors of their hometown “It’s salted, not smoked,” he said. “We try to replicate it over here. It’s team in Maple Ridge, B.C., for a teenage Cam and his brother, Scott. “It tough to do.” The brining process takes “a while, like 10 days,” he said. “I was a big deal back then,” recalled Neely, the Bruins president. “They always forget until four or five days before.” had just come out on the market.” The hockey memories, though, are unforgettable. Zdeno Chara’s favorite Christmas gift ever? Around age 9, in present-day Trencin, Slovakia, the Bruins was overjoyed to get a red and In Stockholm, Nordstrom and his pals would play at the local rink, where white Titan stick, the kind North American kids associate with Wayne his father worked. Around 10 p.m. on the 23rd — Swedes celebrate Gretzky. Christmas on the 24th — they would walk a half-mile with their skates and sticks, snacks and sodas, and the master key. In then-communist Czechoslovakia, there were no hockey shops for his father, Zdenek, to pluck a shiny composite model off the rack. It was “We’d play through midnight,” he said. “It was a really good start to handed down from a local club. A young Chara slept with it, and played it Christmas for us. We always took a good picture when the clock hit.” to splinters. In Neely’s youth, the frosty hours would blend together. “I was so happy to have it,” he said. “And emotionally attached to it, too. You didn’t want to get rid of it until it was completely shattered.” “Growing up in Canada, when you have the Christmas break, there are all kinds of tournaments at every level,” Neely said. “That’s all you did: Hockey nets are a game-changing gift for a young player. They make for play hockey or play street hockey. We had all kinds of time to play, and hours of good practice. At the Walpole home of Chris Wagner’s family, that’s what we did.” the sturdy net he got in fifth grade still sits in the driveway. Torey Krug, from Livonia, Mich., recalled “playing on the lakes until your He didn’t always get what he wanted. A young Wagner would play hands and feet were about to fall off. Then we’d come inside and have hockey video games for hours — “I’d play 20-minute periods,” he recalled some hot chocolate, and watch the GLI — the Great Lakes Invitational: — and as a fourth-grader, he asked for NHL 2000. His father, Paul, Michigan State, U of M, Michigan Tech and always one invited team. stepped in. Instead, he got JumpStart, a math tutoring game. “That was pretty cool when I finally got the chance to play in the “I threw an absolute fit,” he recalled. The net, clearly, got a lot more use. tournament. It felt like a dream come true at the time. . . . Joe Louis Arena, it was sold out and you’d have 20,000 people watching Michigan As a father of Cole, 9, and Shannon, 10, Bruins coach is State-Michigan.” typically just under the deadline with his presents. “Every year,” he said. “It just sneaks up on me, no matter what. What happens with me a lot, For many , the World Junior Championship is on the TV. Jake my wife [Julie] orders it online and I have to push a button or get the box DeBrusk still smiles when he thinks of 2009. He was a 13-year-old at the door.” jumping around his Edmonton house when Jordan Eberle tied the semifinal against Russia with 5.4 seconds left, a goal that is part of That had him musing about a tradition lost. modern Canadian sports lore. “I used to love to Christmas shop,” he said. “I used to love to go get stuff These days, DeBrusk places bets with his American teammates. He’ll be for her or the kids. In Providence, we lived right across from the mall and rooting against potential future Bruins Curtis Hall and John Beecher, who our kids were babies, so I used to love to do that stuff. The whole week will play for the US beginning Dec. 26, and Jakub Lauko (Czech before, I’d be there every afternoon. I kind of liked the noise, the hustle Republic). and bustle. You’d scramble around, and you’re getting good ideas.” John Moore, whose family used to take trips from Winnetka, Ill., to watch Cassidy keeps it simple with his gifts for players, coaches and staffers: a him play tournament games in Toronto and Detroit, gets reflective this bottle of red, something nice. time of year. The Bruins, particularly those well-established in the league, are “The whole family would pile in the car and go watch me play,” he said. generous to each other year-round. Patrice Bergeron bought David “It was a lot of fun. I always think about it at the end of the year if I’m Yurman necklaces for his teammates to thank them after he played in his driving home, or when we drive through those areas where I used to play. We’re staying in five-star hotels and flying in on private planes. You pinch yourself, and you’re so appreciative of the sacrifices your parents and your siblings made for you to play hockey.

“Back then, staying in a hotel was the coolest thing ever. They’ve got a pool!”

Since Bergeron and his wife, Stephanie, became parents in 2015 — they have two sons and a daughter — Christmas has taken on a new meaning.

“You’re really thankful for everything you’ve been given, and you try to make your kids understand that as well,” he said. “We’re in a very lucky situation where we have food on the table and toys under the tree. I always share that with them.

“It means a lot. It brings back a lot of memories and the special times I’ve had growing up. I’m trying to do the same things for my kids. I want them to enjoy it like I did.”

Boston Globe LOADED: 12.25.2019 1167794 Boston Bruins appeared to land a punch or two on the official as collateral damage as he kept throwing at Pastrnak.

The refs saw enough of Wilson’s act, particularly with one of their own The Bruins didn’t have their teammates’ backs on Monday, and that guys in stripes chipped up, to tag him with a misconduct and send him to could be a problem the showers.

The response from the all the guys wearing those Black and Gold By Kevin Paul Dupont Globe Staff uniforms: zippity-doo-dah. Nothing to see here, other than the game’s No. 1 goal scorer getting manhandled by the game’s premier bully. In an December 24, 2019, 12:17 a.m. idle moment, Wilson also popped Connor Clifton in the kisser. Because what the heck, when it’s time to fill your boots beating on Bruins, fill ’em

high, right? Old time hockey, the game that was dotted with brawls and stick Yep, the band played on. For his part, Pastrnak, charged with a roughing swinging and even the rare player foray into the stands to pound on the minor in the fracas, could be seen smiling in the penalty box as he paying customers, ain’t never coming back. exchanged words with Wilson. The tete a tete left Pastrnak with no The game, and the times in which we live, are all too smart, prim ‘n’ physical damage, no small thanks to Daisy’s protective aid. proper, and corporate mainstream for the clock to start running back This was the same Wilson who put a lick on Torey Krug at 5:01 of the toward Broad Street. It’s a kinder, gentler Original 31. Rarely is there a second, ending Krug’s night with an injured something or other (again, night that stretches the bounds of a PG rating. the next vague update will be Friday). The hit looked clean, even if the Nonetheless , there were touches of that sweet ol’ thuggery that outcome dirtied Krug. For Wilson, Krug was just the hors d’oeuvre. reappeared in the Bruins’ lopsided 7-3 win over the Caps Monday night The idea on Causeway St. is that team toughness wins out. The Bruins at the Garden. Enough, in fact, to prompt Bruins management to think are coached and managed to suffer fools such as Oshie and Wilson, long and hard about adding some individual toughness to the lineup if reap the power plays, then get even on the scoreboard. they’re to make another legit run at Cup. That’s OK some nights, and their advantage over the Capitals Monday We give you Exhibit A: T.J. Oshie’s hit on Bruins blueline wunderkind was such that they were able to take a lickin’ and keep on ticking. Charlie McAvoy with 1:38 to go in the third. Nasty. Unnecessary. Cheaper than the last suit that sold off the rack at Filene’s Basement. Last June, when it was vital, they weren’t as tough as the Blues. If they’re fortunate enough to see June again, then Monday, Dec. 23, should be The game was over, the Bruins in the midst of nursing a 6-3 lead over the night they learned there are some insults that just can’t be ignored. the finish line. Oshie, with no interest in playing the puck, unloaded on Some parts of old time hockey endure. the vulnerable prey that was McAvoy, the ex-BU blueliner who was already off-kilter as he sped toward the puck near the Caps bench. Nothing illegal about the smack, at least not by the standard set by the NHL Department of Player Safety, but it was a cheap and dangerous Boston Globe LOADED: 12.25.2019 play that could have left McAvoy in a world of hurt.

We won’t know about McAvoy’s status until Friday, when the Bruins return from their holiday break. Post-game, Bruce Cassidy said he appeared to be OK, but we should take that as standard coach speak after a game. Post-game “OKs” have a way of turning into a string of “day-to-days.”

Most telling, though, and of deep concern for the Bruins, was that Oshie didn’t have to answer for the hit. The referees said nothing. McAvoy’s teammates did diddly. And the band played on, the only answer to it all coming 1:10 later when Patrice Bergeron potted one into an empty net, his second strike of the night, for the 7-3 curtain closer.

McAvoy was road kill as he struggled back to the Boston bench, then sat there looking like some pulverized Looney Tune character, that hapless sap who reached into the oven with a lit match, asking, “Gee, let’s see, do you think the gas is on?”

So, who in a Black-and-Gold sweater might respond to such a thing? Monday night, no one. Crickets on an inordinately warm December eve.

On a different night, team captain Zdeno Chara would have been the guy. But Big Z had the night off, following surgery earlier in the day at MGH to pull a bunch of medical hardware out of his jaw to help eliminate a nasty infection. Had he been sporting his No. 33, the 6-foot-9-inch Chara no doubt would have tapped Oshie on the shoulder as, you know, a corrective measure.

Keep in mind, however, when the 42-year-old Chara returns, perhaps as early as Friday night, he’ll have to think more than once about sticking his chin out on anyone’s behalf, perhaps even his own.

Kevan Miller? Sure. Miller has ample, effective toughness, and he was dearly missed last spring, particularly in the Cup Final, when the Blues took their opportunistic tee shots, especially on the Bruins backliners. Miller has yet to play this season, and based on recent updates, it doesn’t sound as if he’ll be back soon.

Earlier in the period, the menacing cyborg that is Capitals winger Tom Wilson decided he would beat on David Pastrnak, who leads the Bruins and the league in goal scoring. With 13:26 gone in the third, and Boston with the 4-2 lead, the 6-4, 220-pound Wilson pounded on a fallen Pasta, with linesman Ryan Daisy hunkered over the star Czech winger as a protective shield. No bother for Wilson. He hunkered over Daisy, and 1167795 Boston Bruins The Bruins perhaps have too much talent to fail at something with as much skill as a shootout, but that might be where the problem lies, anyways; with how much thinking that goes into it and how prepared When it comes to shootouts, skill doesn’t always win goalies are now, it’s not as simple as skill winning every time out.

The numbers speak for themselves.

By MARISA INGEMI | [email protected] | Boston Herald

PUBLISHED: December 24, 2019 at 5:17 pm | UPDATED: December 24, Boston Herald LOADED: 12.25.2019 2019 at 5:18 PM

The Bruins have no luck in the shootout.

It doesn’t take too many numbers to convince any observer of that. This year the Bruins haven’t won a single shootout, and they’ve struggled there for the past few years.

The numbers back that up, too.

Brad Marchand, a 100 point player in the NHL a year ago, has the lowest shootout percentage of any active player with at least 40 attempts at 21.4%. David Krejci is the ninth-lowest at 27.4%. Patrice Bergeron has the 12th-lowest at 28.1%.

All three are considered elite offensive players, working in the top-six forwards and power play units. But none have had any success in the shootout.

So, what gives?

“Goalies are tending to Watch video now, and stuff like that,” said Marchand. “Shootouts are tough sometimes. Some guys are good at them and some guys aren’t. It changes every game.”

The only Bruins skater with any shootout success this season is Charlie Coyle, who has scored two out of three tries. He’s not a skill guy in the sense of a Marchand or Krejci, and while the shootout isn’t necessarily easier for non-traditional scorers, the amount of elite players who rank in the bottom tier of percentages is alarming.

Right ahead of Marchand are the likes of Marion Gaborik, Henrik Zetterberg, , , , Steven Stamkos, and other tremendous players. Some top players are relied on more frequently in these scenarios, but it still seems to be a blind spot for the best of the best to put the puck in during the end-of-game skill contest.

“It’s hard to explain because, you can practice, but everyone does it differently,” said Coyle, who has a career percentage of 50 in six attempts. “You have moves in your head, or some guys shoot first, or deke. It’s hard to really practice it because you’re going against your goalies. It’s hard, every goalie is different. Who watches film, it’s a weird thing.”

Coyle has the highest percentage on the Bruins of skaters who have at least five attempts, with defenseman Charlie McAvoy next at 2 for 5, and then it’s Bergeron at 25 for 89.

That’s a lot of goals with a low percentage among the elite, but the rest of the roster bodes even worse. David Pastrnak, the current league leader in goals, has just a 19.1% in 21 tries; the only lower percentage on the team — that isn’t zero — is Torey Krug at 18.2% in 11 attempts.

Jake DeBrusk has a scoring touch, but is operating at just 25% with two goals in eight tries.

“It’s one of those things that’s situational, but it’s tough because the pressure is on you,” he said. “You just try to go out there and score. Skill guys might think a little too much, but I feel like if you score one of them it kind of falls into place. It’s just a matter of doing it at the right time, and in what situation. If you need to score or you lose its a tough one as well.”

DeBrusk said sometimes a breakaway in a game situation might even be easier than a shootout, when the goalie is anticipating a shot; Coyle, who scored a shorthanded breakaway on Monday night against the Capitals, agreed.

“You have more pressure in a game with guys coming on you,” said Coyle. “In a shootout you kind of go in slow and change your angle, but a breakaway, there’s pressure on and you have to think quick, its spur of the moment. In a shootout, it’s oh what should I do, even the goalie does. A lot of thought goes into it. A breakaway can be better, you go out, do it, not much thinking, just do your move.” 1167796 Boston Bruins It might be time for “Cliffy Hockey” to realize protecting his teammates is part of his job description as a bottom pairing defenseman who doesn’t exactly light it up offensively.

Bruins' lack of menace once again on display in win over Capitals That all preceded Oshie cleaning McAvoy’s clock in the closing minutes of the third period on a play where the Capitals forward wasn’t playing the puck at all. Instead he was a heat-seeking missile looking to wipe out By Joe Haggerty the vulnerable Bruins defenseman, and Oshie did it without any real pushback from a Bruins team trying to protect a lead very late in the third December 24, 2019 11:29 AM period.

Haggerty: Who's on the Bruins' All-Decade Team? BOSTON — It’s been an uncharacteristic problem for the Bruins over the Cassidy hinted after the game that he thinks some kind of supplemental last few seasons and it reared its ugly head once again in a rare victory discipline may be coming for some of the Capitals players, particularly if against the big, strong and heavy Washington Capitals on Monday night. the Marchand rule is applied. The Bruins' lack of intimidating toughness and absence of a real fear “I could see it developing, but I didn’t see the final hit. There were a few factor coming from their lineup is allowing them to get pushed around by incidents tonight, I imagine player safety might be a little bit busy. I know the bigger, tougher teams in the NHL. if it was a guy like a [Brad] Marchand of the world, they’d be getting It was most definitely true in their loss to the St. Louis Blues in the looked at, so there was a few spears and some of those [things],” said Stanley Cup Final when the Blues beat them up over the course of seven Cassidy. “I don’t want to say it was clean or dirty because I have not games, and it was just as true in a 7-3 win over a Washington team that looked at it, and I imagine it will get looked at. They’ll have to judge that was clearly ready for Christmas break at TD Garden. accordingly, right?”

LIVE stream the Celtics all season and get the latest news and analysis The NHL Player Safety Department may or may not punish the Capitals on all of your teams from NBC Sports Boston by downloading the My for their actions on Monday night, but it’s clear the B’s didn’t do much to Teams App. make them pay on the ice. It felt like Washington didn’t have much invested in whether it was a win or a loss from the opening puck drop, Milan Lucic, Shawn Thornton and Adam McQuaid aren’t walking through and instead took their pound of flesh. that door, and it was plainly obvious once the Capitals started throwing bone-rattling hits that forced both Torey Krug and Charlie McAvoy to exit Some of the Bruins' toughness issue is that guys like Zdeno Chara and the game. Kevan Miller were injured, and David Backes and Chris Wagner were healthy scratches as Cassidy went with the aforementioned smaller, Even everyday energy players like Gregory Campbell, Andrew Ference faster lineup against the Capitals. Some of it is that bottom-6 guys like and Johnny Boychuk would drop the gloves to stand up for a fallen Brett Ritchie, Sean Kuraly and Clifton aren’t throwing their weight around teammates back in the day against bigger, sometimes tougher foes in in games where the Bruins need somebody to step up and answer the statement action that nobody can tread on the Bruins. bell.

That was not what happened on Monday night. Some of it is also a philosophical issue with the Bruins team-building as they are heavily leaning toward speed and skill, and favoring collegiate Once the Capitals fell down 4-0 following the first period, they became players that have no real background in the world of good, old-fashioned, less interested in winning the two points and instead guys like Tom old-time hockey. These are not your father’s Big Bad Bruins and they Wilson, Alex Ovechkin and even T.J. Oshie decided to inflict as much won’t be again unless muscle, toughness, and striking fear into the damage as they could on the Bruins ahead of the three-day holiday hearts of opponents becomes a priority in the B’s management box once break for the NHL. The Caps were taking runs at the B’s with impunity again. and there wasn’t much that the Bruins were doing about it. That means acquiring players who will deter some of what the Capitals “Clearly, [the Capitals] are a physical team, and there’s two different were doing in the final 40 minutes of Monday night’s win, and that means approaches. You can match them hit for hit or you can use your foot drafting some tough, hard-nosed players with size and skill as well. Let’s speed and smarts, and stay out of the box and try to frustrate them. I not forget that Wilson, as underhanded as he can be with some of his think what we did early in the first period was probably a smaller lineup activity, is a first-round pick whom Washington clearly and richly invested for us, so it’s something to think about that way,” said Bruce Cassidy. “At in before he became the NHL menace he is today. the end of the day, you do have to win your puck battles against them, against big men, which is a challenge for any team in this league. That’s So those players are not mythological unicorns that no longer exist as why [Washington] is in first place. I think they do it well. some would have you believe.

“You have to keep their D in check from joining the rush. I thought for the Monday night was a big win for the Bruins to snap a stretch of eight most part, [Dmitry] Orlov, Carlson, we did a good job with them. They got losses in their previous nine games, and a nice little two points against a some point shots, but not joining the rush. That’s kind of the formula, Washington team that’s routinely dominated them over recent history. easier said than done, against Washington, because they win a lot of But it also felt like a loss in some ways because the B’s were again hockey games, even though coaches all around the league probably exposed as a smaller, more skilled team that now relies on the league — have good gameplans. They’ve just got good players and they play their and on-ice officials — to protect them as a club that can no longer handle system well.” it all by themselves.

The first Wilson play was just a good, hard and punishing hockey hit That was never the Bruins' way in the past and it still feels a bit odd that where it looked like Krug’s shoulder absorbed most of the impact. But it it’s the direction they are headed in again this season. was part of a pattern of Washington’s big-bodied players taking turns running at the Bruins.

Finally, Wilson speared David Pastrnak between the legs in the third Comcast SportsNet.com LOADED: 12.25.2019 period and started a brouhaha when Pastrnak stepped up to the 6-foot-4, 220-pound Wilson after taking another hit from the Capitals behemoth in front of the Washington bench.

Both Pastrnak and Marchand scrapped with the much bigger Wilson, who ultimately started throwing punches at Pastrnak through the linesmen holding No. 88 down to the ice in a spot where he couldn’t defend himself. Connor Clifton watched this exchange and tried to hook Wilson with his stick instead of dropping the gloves and stick, and ripping Wilson off from his position attempting to cheap shot the NHL’s leading scorer. 1167797 Boston Bruins

Torey Krug, Charlie McAvoy both injured in Bruins' win over Capitals

By Joe Haggerty

December 24, 2019 9:00 AM

BOSTON – The Bruins beat the Washington Capitals on Monday night, but they may have paid a steep price for their rare victory.

With Zdeno Chara out of the lineup due to a procedure on his jaw, Torey Krug and Charlie McAvoy both were knocked out of Boston’s 7-3 win over the Capitals at TD Garden after big hits from Capitals players.

Krug was knocked out in the second period after Washington heavy hitter Tom Wilson drilled the undersized defenseman against the side boards by the Capitals' bench. Krug immediately crumpled into a ball and exited for the Bruins dressing room after getting off the ice.

T.J. Oshie then smoked Charlie McAvoy with a hard hit in front of the Washington bench in the third period.

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It appeared the Capitals forward wasn’t attempting to play the puck at all, and instead cleaned out an off-balance McAvoy skating hard for a puck near the offensive blue line. McAvoy had difficulty getting off the ice and didn’t return to the game with the victory already well in hand for Boston.

It remains to be seen if Oshie gets any blowback from NHL Player Safety for targeting a vulnerable player in McAvoy with the puck never really in the close vicinity.

The initial reports on McAvoy seemed pretty good despite concern about a concussion following the violent hit, but the prognosis for Krug was a bit more unclear with what was being termed an upper body injury.

"We’ll see how he is," Bruce Cassidy said after the game. "Obviously didn’t come back so that’s always a concern, but until he gets looked at further [postgame] we won’t know.

"Charlie, went and saw him, he seems to be okay. But again, until he gets looked at (we won't know)."

Given the impact Wilson made with Krug, it looked like a potential shoulder injury for the B’s defenseman, as that area absorbed all of the impact with the 6-foot-4, 220-pound winger.

The Bruins did a good job with Krug done after just 8:44 of ice time and McAvoy knocked out of the game in the third period. John Moore played a team-high 26:40 of ice time and Brandon Carlo topped 25 minutes as well in a game that was never really in doubt for the B's.

The good news for the Bruins is they now have three days off over the Christmas break to heal up, and they anticipate Chara will be ready to return on Friday night in Buffalo.

Comcast SportsNet.com LOADED: 12.25.2019 1167798 Buffalo Sabres is now of the Detroit Red Wings and held the same job with the Tampa Bay Lightning from 2010-18.

Krueger asked the Amerks' and Cyclones' coaching staffs how they Collaboration between Sabres, Amerks produces 'good development wished to play, their ideas on how to defend and score. Those concepts story' produced one style of play that can be seen in Buffalo, Rochester and Cincinnati.

By Lance Lysowski "That’s the goal, I think, of every organization is to have a seamless set of dynamics between the two teams, so when players arrive in the NHL, Published Tue, Dec 24, 2019|Updated Tue, Dec 24, 2019 you don’t have to do too much teaching from a systemic perspective," Sabres assistant general manager Randy Sexton said. "You can just go

right into the game tactics and the game plan, and the players are The collaborative process used to prepare prospects for an opportunity comfortable with the nomenclature, the drills and the approach. We’ve with the Buffalo Sabres began, in earnest, shortly after Ralph Krueger worked very hard at it. It’s a work in progress, but happy with where it is arrived in Buffalo. right now."

Rochester Americans coach Chris Taylor traveled the Thruway one June Adjustments are made at every level throughout the season. For morning to meet with Krueger over breakfast, and the two spoke in great example, the Sabres must tweak their penalty-killing strategy based on detail about the style of play and systems they wished to use. an opponent's power-play tendencies, whereas the Amerks typically stick to their structure. "That was the biggest relief was that we had the same ideas and principles in how we wanted to play," Taylor said in a phone interview However, the core principles remain the same. Even Krueger's "Stay Monday. "It was something really nice. It was instant, the connection Connected" mantra is used by the Amerks and Cyclones. Sexton between Ralph and I." suggested that players throughout the organization quickly bought in to the systems since Krueger has implemented an "exciting" style of play, Out of that conversation, and a subsequent coaches' symposium ahead and Cincinnati coach Matt Thomas explained last month that his NHL of the organization's Prospects Challenge in September, came what counterpart has assisted development and eased the transition by Krueger refers to as "Sabres hockey." The Sabres, Amerks and passing on a way to keep the concepts simple. Cincinnati Cyclones are using the same philosophies, systems and verbiage with their players. "It's as simple as this: if you're going to pressure the puck, you need to look to see if you're connected," Thomas said. "You can't go pressure by The model is similar to those implemented by organizations throughout yourself. That's a big word he uses a lot, is we've got to be connected. the . However, Curtis Lazar's performance It's a simple term and it's not that anybody's never heard it before, but it's Saturday against the Los Angeles Kings illustrated how well the Sabres a focal point of every zone in our system. Are we connected? If we are, are executing their development plan. we can pressure. If we're not, we've got to wait for our opportunity to pressure. For me, that's a real clear-cut way for guys to be able to "It’s a good development story," Krueger said. "We had him up here, understand that we're in go-mode because we're connected." there were some things we thought he needed improvement on and to work on. We communicate that to Chris Taylor, he goes to Rochester, The collaborative process is a tenet of the player development model spends some time down there and works specifically on the game he Sexton and General Manager Jason Botterill brought to Buffalo in 2017. needs to play here in the NHL. It was working down there, too, and he Execution depends on constant communication throughout the becomes a major player for them. He returns a better player and returns organization -- Taylor helped with the process in Rochester while working embracing the system and principles, the concepts that are up here." as an interim assistant coach with the Sabres for their first 22 games -- and has been assisted by veteran Amerks players, according to Sexton. Lazar, a 24-year-old former first-round draft pick of the Ottawa Senators, averaged just 8:51 of ice time during his first six games with the Sabres Team meetings and practices are run in the same fashion, Taylor said. In this season. He had a highlight-reel goal by blocking a shot and scoring addition to Lazar, forward Rasmus Asplund made a successful transition on a breakaway during his first game in a Sabres uniform Nov. 14 to the Sabres upon being recalled Nov. 15. Asplund, 21, has emerged as against Carolina, only to struggle with the nuances of playing wing in the one of Buffalo's top penalty-killing forwards while playing each of the NHL. team's last 20 games.

Lazar, who has played center for most of his junior and professional "We want guys to be comfortable in what they’re doing," Taylor said. "If careers, also was not moving his feet enough in the offensive and someone gets recalled to Buffalo, we want to make sure they know defensive zones. The Sabres shifted Lazar back to center when he was exactly what to expect. There’s nothing to learn. It’s get in there and get assigned to Rochester and gave him an on- and off-ice program to work to playing. That takes a lot off the player’s mind, so he doesn’t have to go on his agility and quickness. through different systems."

Lazar had five points in seven games upon returning to the Amerks and The Sabres are building their team through drafting and player was recalled by the Sabres on Friday when center Johan Larsson development. After spending most of last season in Rochester, former suffered an upper-body injury during a 6-1 loss to Philadelphia. During seventh-round draft pick Victor Olofsson leads all NHL rookies with 34 his first game back in Buffalo, Lazar helped close out a 3-2 win over the points through 38 games and is on pace for the most goals by a Sabres Kings by playing 15:53, his most ice time in an NHL game since he rookie since Ray Sheppard scored 38 in 1987-88. logged 17:57 for the Calgary Flames on March 29, 2018. Linus Ullmark, who spent parts of three seasons with the Amerks, has Lazar didn't have to spend time learning systems or principles in his emerged as the Sabres' No. 1 goalie and has a .918 save percentage in return to the Sabres since Taylor is teaching and speaking to the Amerks his last 12 starts. Rochester's roster includes a number of promising in the same manner as Krueger. prospects, including Lawrence Pilut, Will Borgen, Jacob Bryson, C.J. Smith, Andrew Oglevie and Jonas Johansson. "It’s been like that since day one," Lazar said. "Not much of an adjustment for me. That’s set me up for success. When (Amerks Casey Mittelstadt, who was drafted eighth overall in 2018, was assigned assistant coach Gord Dineen) was at the helm there, or with Taylor, to Rochester last week to build confidence and develop his game after everything we do in Rochester is the same as up here. You don't have to playing 114 games with the Sabres. A similar plan helped Tage think as much. You can just go out there and play your game." Thompson rediscover his scoring touch with the Amerks, though the 22- year-old winger has been out the past five weeks with an upper-body The collaborative process wasn't limited to Krueger and Taylor. Following injury suffered in his first game back with Buffalo. their one-on-one conversations in Buffalo and at the NHL draft in , they were joined by the coaching staffs of the Sabres, With Larsson likely to return Friday against Boston, the Sabres assigned Amerks and Cyclones to exchange ideas. Lazar to the Amerks late Monday night. However, Krueger is going to need reinforcements throughout the final 44 games of the regular Krueger used a similar process during his 13 years as coach of season, and the Sabres' development model has eased the transition for Switzerland's national team. He learned the importance of player those who receive the call. development in the NHL from Hall-of-Fame center , who "We believe in collaboration, we believe in unity and we believe in one," Sexton said. "We’ve practiced that and preached it from day one. It is rewarding and gratifying to see players coming from Rochester fitting in, some playing better than others, but as we remind all of our players all the time, becoming an every day NHL player is a process. You don’t get recalled once and you’re there forever.

"We tell our coaches all the time it’s a little bit like a stock. Some days it goes up and some days it goes down a little bit, but we need to make sure the trend is always up and to the right. Not every player is going to have a great day every day, but if we’re focused on collaborating internally and working with our players to help make them get better, then more often than not it works."

Buffalo News LOADED: 12.25.2019 1167799 Buffalo Sabres funny at times and you see all the videos that are coming across that go viral of people jumping through tables, so I thought if the ‘Hamburglar’ was jumping through a table, it might draw a few extra fans or something.

How Andrew Hammond brought his idea for a Buffalo-inspired goalie “But, I think from the painter’s perspective, it may have been a little mask to life easier to have the ‘Hamburglar’ going over the Falls rather than through a table off a port-a-potty or something.”

By Joe Yerdon Marsolais explained why they landed on the Niagara Falls theme from the artists’ perspective. Dec 24, 2019 “We always start with one sketch and we’ll redo it if they really don’t like it,” she said. “He told us he liked a mask we did in the past for Jeff Glass when he played for the San Diego Gulls. He wanted to have the colors Andrew Hammond’s “Hamburglar” nickname has followed him to each of similar to that, like the same kind of recipe, so we based the design on a his NHL stops. He’s done his part by sporting the cartoon image of the little bit of Glass’s previous elements. So we started with the two ideas McDonaldland burglar on his goalie mask in different forms since his and we discussed that, Alex and I, the one with the barrel and Niagara early days in Ottawa. Falls were more representative of the Buffalo area and the team and After signing a one-year, two-way contract with the Sabres in July, that’s why we went with that idea.” Hammond wanted to add a little Western New York flavor to his mask art. A goalie’s mask is an artist’s canvas, but the functions of the mask — the He’s been known as the “Hamburglar” since his college career at Bowling area for the cage and the fit on a player’s head — don’t leave the artist Green. The nickname gained national recognition when he carried the with much real estate to work with. It’s one thing to come up with an idea Senators to the Stanley Cup late in the 2014-15 season, going that could go viral if done right, but it’s another to find a combination that 20-1-2 with a .941 save percentage. During that run, Ottawa fans began fits the surface area and represents the artistic vision of each person to toss hamburgers on the ice to celebrate wins. involved. When moving to the Sabres’ AHL affiliate, the Rochester Americans, Creating the mask from first sketch to finished product, Marsolais said, Hammond brainstormed a way to localize his now-famous “Hamburglar” takes anywhere from 20 to 60 hours, depending on the complexity of the mask. designs. “The process, when you get the mask painted, is my painter will send me “With the kind of design Andrew wanted, and to get something similar to an email with broad questions if you have ideas, themes you want to go Jeff Glass, it wasn’t leaving enough room to be able to do that,” she said. with, what colors you’re looking for, sometimes other masks that you like “So we thought the other idea, the barrel, was better for that. The idea of and you follow along with that style,” Hammond said. “For me, it was my the Buffalo Bills Mafia was good, too; we just thought (the barrel) was first time to Buffalo/Rochester living here and I wanted to have something fitting better with the design and representing the Buffalo Sabres better that I thought went with the area.” than the Buffalo Bills because they’re the football team.” The 31-year-old Hammond came up with an idea, but in order to bring it Nailing a goalie mask is a point of pride for all involved. It gets people to to life, he had to find the right artist. The creative mind behind notice the goalies and artists alike. Hammond’s previous masks, Jason Bartziokas, had recently left the business. A mask connecting Buffalo’s two sports franchises may have attracted outside attention for the message alone. But, on top of the artistic Enter Sylvie Marsolais and partner Alexandre Mathys, the creative duo at challenges, Hammond knew the Bills Mafia tribute might face other Sylabrush based west of Montreal. For Marsolais, a hockey goalie herself roadblocks. who grew up in Quebec and has been playing the sport for about 25 years, there is more to the artistic process than taking an idea and a “It’s got to get approved by (Sabres equipment manager) Dave Williams request to “draw this.” up in Buffalo, but it never got to that point really,” Hammond said. “We erred on the side of caution and it turned out great, so I don’t have any “We start first by asking a couple questions to the goalie,” Marsolais said. regrets about that. Who knows, maybe in the future it can still happen. “Just basic things like, what would he like to have on his chin? Does he We’ll see.” have a nickname or would he prefer to have a logo there? After that, we do a sketch — me and Alex — and then we send the sketch to the goalie. And when he approves the sketch, we start the painting.” The Athletic LOADED: 12.25.2019 In the 20 years that Marsolais has been in the business, she’s built an impressive clientele of professional and amateur goalies who seek her out to come up with their designs. The masks of Tampa Bay Lightning starter Andrei Vasilevskiy, Columbus Blue Jackets starter Joonas Korpisalo, Tristan Jarry of the Pittsburgh Penguins and Dallas Stars backup Anton Khudobin are counted among her latest designs.

Hammond’s idea that made the cut was an image featuring “Hamburglar” going over Niagara Falls in a barrel. The concept is a morbid, yet fascinating, part of Western New York’s history. Since 1901, only 12 people have barreled over the Falls and lived to tell the story.

Before Marsolais and Mathys went to work, though, they considered one other idea.

“I think he’s a bit of a funny guy by his previous masks,” Marsolais said. “So he wanted to keep his ‘Hamburglar’ and he wanted him to do something funny like going down Niagara Falls in a barrel. His other idea was to have the Buffalo Bills Mafia and have Hammy jumping from maybe a Zamboni or something and jumping on a table.”

Hammond’s inspiration for the Bills-themed mask came from the NFL fan base’s notorious tailgating behavior, which includes the rowdiest fans jumping off the tops of cars onto (and sometimes through) tables. He also recognized the Sabres’ connection to the Bills, with Terry and Kim Pegula owning both Buffalo franchises.

“Outside of the Sabres, probably the most passionate thing about this area is the Buffalo Bills,” Hammond said. “I try making (the mask art) 1167800 Buffalo Sabres total he had a year ago. In Rodrigues’ case, the assist was his first point in 12 games.

“We thought Rodrigues and Sheary really answered the bell today,” Sabres now have time to think about the chances they missed — and the Krueger said. “They brought in a lot of energy, they brought some speed challenges to come with them, and with Z in there, there was something special going on. They scored the one goal and created multiple opportunities, and that’s something that’s exciting out of the game today.” By Joe Yerdon On a night when Eichel’s line had its hands full dealing with the Senators Dec 23, 2019 trio of Tkachuk, Pageau and Connor Brown, the secondary lines provided the help they desperately need with consistency. Although Kyle Okposo

missed the game with an illness, the setup with 11 forwards and seven OTTAWA — Sometimes a team just gets beat by a goalie who’s in the defensemen has allowed Krueger to shorten his bench late in games to zone. Sometimes a couple of mistakes wind up beating you. When go with the guys who are working out best. On Monday, that allowed him you’ve lost four of the past five games, sometimes all of those things will to find, perhaps, a line that can provide a spark to two players, Rodrigues happen. and Sheary, who clearly need to get their offense going.

A 3-1 loss on the road to the Senators on Monday isn’t what the Sabres “I thought Rodrigues, in general, functioned well as a line,” Krueger said. were counting on as they head into the Christmas break. After bouncing “Once Conor got his legs, and he hasn’t played that much lately, I back from a terrible loss to Philadelphia with a win against Los Angeles, thought he was skating the way he needs to, battling the way he needs the Sabres felt it was a chance to string a couple of wins together and to, and with Rodrigues, it was a strong performance he can now build use that to head into a wicked schedule after the break. on.”

Craig Anderson didn’t let that happen. He made 43 saves, highlighted by Apart from the positive takeaways, negatives remained: a sprawling blocker save on Evan Rodrigues in the third period. That • Krueger noted that the power play, which went 0-for-2, didn’t give the save, in particular, summed up the game for Buffalo. Sabres a lift. The power play has been better for the past few weeks after “I think the 25 scoring chances in 44 shots speak for themselves — going through a miserable stretch, but the memory remains of previous Anderson had a world-class game today,” Sabres coach Ralph Krueger games in which special teams sputtered. said. “We had good control early in the game, but we weren’t creating the • Eichel’s line had a tough game compared with how it has been rolling in net pressure that we should’ve out of the puck control we had. They were the past month-plus. The line was out-attempted and had fits trying to opportunistic on their chances.” deal with Tkachuk’s line. Considering how much the Eichel line has Ottawa’s two goals came from Jean-Gabriel Pageau taking advantage of carried the team all season, that group is allowed an off game, hard as Sabres mistakes in the defensive end. On the first goal, Brady Tkachuk they are to see. To the credit of Tkachuk’s line, it was relentless all game. beat Jake McCabe in a puck battle on the end boards. Jack Eichel left With Christmas break in effect until Dec. 27 and the roster freeze in effect Pageau to help out. By the time Sam Reinhart recognized he had to slide until 12:01 a.m. ET on Dec. 28, the Sabres will head into their next five to cover Pageau, Tkachuk had the puck on the way to Pageau for a games staring at a brutal stretch: a home-and-home against Boston, New rapid-fire snap shot that beat Linus Ullmark. Year’s Eve against Tampa Bay, Jan. 2 against Edmonton and Jan. 4 Pageau’s go-ahead goal in the third period occurred when he skated against Florida. Four home games and a lot of divisional points are on around Zach Bogosian to drive the net and create a chance. After the line. Ullmark made the stop, Bogosian committed to crashing the net to It’s time to get right. protect the crease as the Senators brought pressure from the middle of the ice and from the opposite wing. Bogosian’s effort sent him skating into Ullmark while Pageau slipped out, collected his own rebound and scored. The Athletic LOADED: 12.25.2019

Those two breakdowns turned into two goals on a night when Ullmark played well. That’s how things go sometimes.

“In the end, it’s a failed opportunity. We just didn’t use the opportunities we created and we had,” Krueger said. “Anderson was as good as it gets, and we just need to regroup. Our goal as a team is to be in every game as much as we can. We were definitely in this one, and we have to take the good things with us, and we have to believe that more often than not we’ll win a game like today.”

There were good takeaways. The 44 shots on goal were the most the Sabres have had in a game this season and the second time they’ve had 40-plus. According to NaturalStatTrick.com, the Sabres dominated at five-on-five, holding a 50-30 advantage with unblocked shot attempts. They out-chanced the Senators 37-14 and had a 15-6 advantage in high- danger scoring chances.

Jeff Skinner, who hasn’t scored in 10 consecutive games, had a dominant game with Jimmy Vesey and Marcus Johansson. As a unit, they generated 11 scoring chances, outshot opposing lines 11-5 and were 14-9 on unblocked shot attempts. Skinner alone recorded five shots on goal and was a persistent threat.

“I’ve just got to fight through it, that’s kind of the way it’s going for me right now,” Skinner said. “We just got to work through it. Their goalie made some good saves. They did a good job of pushing us to the outside and eliminating our second opportunities. You have to fight through that and try to find ways to generate chances inside and finish our chances.”

The makeshift line of Rodrigues centering Conor Sheary and Zemgus Girgensons gave the Sabres a spark, too. That unit produced the Sabres’ lone goal, with Girgensons tipping a pass from Rodrigues past Anderson. For Girgensons, it was his sixth of the season and pushed him past the 1167801 Calgary Flames look that impressive because he simply didn’t give him anything to shoot at.

The Wild potted a pair of lookalike markers in the second period — both Flames out of sync in pre-Christmas loss to Wild slick setups from below the goal-line, both wicked one-timers.

First, it was a Kevin Fiala to Joel Eriksson Ek, who opened the scoring Wes Gilbertson with a glove-side snipe.

December 23, 2019 8:47 PM MST Five minutes later, Jordan Greenway provided the setup and Kunin handled the rest.

At the other end, the only puck that slid past Devan Dubnyk was clearly ST. PAUL, Minn. — You know the sluggish feeling that comes with too kicked in by Derek Ryan and quickly overturned. The Calgary-raised much turkey and eggnog? Dubnyk made 22 saves for the donut.

That seemed to hit the Calgary Flames a couple days early. Wild leading scorer Eric Staal sealed the victory with an empty-netter.

Although the Flames denied they were out of gas, they were definitely Next on the docket for the Flames is the first instalment this season of out of synch in Monday’s 3-0 shutout loss to the Minnesota Wild at Xcel the NHL’s Battle of Alberta. They are headed north on the QEII Highway Energy Center, sliding into the NHL’s holiday break with a 1-3-1 record in for Friday’s much-anticipated matchup with Connor McDavid and the their past five outings. Edmonton Oilers (7 p.m. Sportsnet West/Sportsnet 960 The Fan).

The out-of-town team didn’t look especially sharp as it wrapped a “I just wished them a Merry Christmas,” Ward said of a short-and-sweet gruelling back-to-back. post-game message to his group. “We can be happy with some of the ground that we’ve made up from where we were 11 or 12 games ago. The Wild, once they pulled ahead, were happy to play a snoozy style. But, at the same time, we can’t be satisfied. We have to make sure we “I thought Minnesota did a great job with their tracking,” said Flames come back off the break and we’re focused, and we have a big four-point interim head coach Geoff Ward. “There wasn’t a lot of room out there for game right away with Edmonton. us, they worked hard back above the puck and they made it difficult for “We can take a few days and enjoy it with our families, but we have to us to get to their net. Their box-outs were excellent. I thought they did a remember what’s at stake when we get back off the holiday.” good job of getting out to the points in the defensive zone. ICE CHIPS “Sometimes, you have to tip your hat to the opponent, and I thought they did a really good job away from the puck today.” Flames speedster Dillon Dube was back in the lineup against the Wild, with Mark Jankowski again taking a seat as a healthy scratch. If it’s not The Flames (19-15-5) will now be away from the rink for a three-day too late, Santa, then Jankowski could really use a blast of offensive festive break. confidence for Christmas — heading into holiday break, the 25-year-old The crew from Calgary did celebrate a 5-1 victory Sunday in Dallas, so it centre has zero goals and just one point in 32 outings so far this season. wasn’t all bad as they hustled home for the holidays. And despite dropping four of their past five, they are an impressive 8-3-1 under Ward’s watch. Calgary Sun: LOADED: 12.25.2019 If not for a 31-save performance by backup netminder Cam Talbot, however, the final score in Minnesota might have been worse. The Wild finished with a 34-22 edge in shots on goal.

It shouldn’t come as a huge surprise that the Flames didn’t have their best stuff in their last skate before Santa loads up his sleigh.

With only 22 hours between puck-drops, this was their tightest turnaround of any back-to-back set this season, and the 1,380-kilometre flight from Dallas to Minneapolis-St. Paul isn’t just a wee hop.

The Wild, on the other hand, were in an ornery mood after Saturday’s lopsided loss to the Winnipeg Jets in front of their home crowd.

And, regardless of occupation, we all know what that last shift before a holiday can be like.

There wasn’t a lot of tic-tac-toe passing from the Flames. Until a third- period push, they didn’t spend a whole lot of time in the offensive zone.

“They’re a very structured team,” Talbot said after Monday’s setback. “They work hard at both ends of the ice. They’re good in front of their own net and in front of our net in the offensive zone.

“Everyone plays back-to-backs. You have to sometimes manage yourself out there if you’re not feeling it and try to make the easy play or the smart play and get it deep. I thought we were turning too many pucks over at their blue-line and gave them opportunities to come back at us. But maybe that’s just trying to make some plays that weren’t there today.”

For spurts of Monday’s matinee, especially in the middle frame, the 32- year-old Talbot must have been feeling like Kevin McCallister in Home Alone.

In the end, he was more like Harry and Marv — unable to pull off this robbery.

Talbot, unlike the would-be bandits in that Christmas classic, deserves full marks for his efforts.

His highlight-reel included two superb stops on Luke Kunin, a kick-save on a point-blank re-direct and a denial on Zach Parise that maybe didn’t 1167802 Calgary Flames how to do. My motto is ‘Just go out and do it and you’ll be fine.’ I’ve been fortunate enough to play in the games where there is quite a bit of pressure on you, and I love to thrive under the pressure. I love games Flames prospect Dustin Wolf spending holidays with U.S. world junior where you’re expected to lose, per se, and you go out and you find a way team to come out on top. I think it’s just one thing that has kind of been ingrained in me — no matter what it is, treat it the same way and give it all you have to the best of your ability, and whatever happens, happens.

Wes Gilbertson “You look back on it and as long as you can say that you gave your best effort and gave your team a chance to win, I think that’s all you can ask.” December 23, 2019 4:36 PM MST The Americans are being billed by many as the gold-medal favourites at

the 2020 IIHF World Junior Hockey Championship. The Calgary Flames’ puck-stopping prospect is getting his wish. Wolf, because of his size and draft status, would still be considered a The 18-year-old Wolf will spend the holidays in the Czech Republic, long shot to eventually star at the NHL level, but he is determined to representing Team USA at the 2020 IIHF World Junior Hockey prove otherwise. Championship. The California kid currently leads the WHL with a sparkling .941 save “All the people I’ve spoken with over the years, guys always remember percentage and five shutouts. Only stalwart Joel being able to play for their country,” said Thomas Speer, whose duties as Hofer, who will wear Canada’s colours this holiday season, has a better goaltending coach for the Stockton Heat include keeping tabs on all of goals-against average than Wolf’s mark of 1.91. Calgary’s netminder-or-the-future candidates. “It’s one of those things “Everett, they play good defence and they’re a good-structured team. But you tell your kids and your grandkids about, that you’re proud about. To you could look at a lot of teams that have good structure, their goalies get to say you wore that jersey, it means a lot to guys. don’t put up those type of numbers,” Speer said. “I think Dustin has done “For Wolfy, soak up all you can, have fun and just try to win hockey a really good job of just being consistent — and his level of being games. You don’t get to wear your country’s jersey that often so for him consistent is pretty elite. You know, a lot of goalies can be pretty good for to be there, just soak it up and be at your best.” multiple games, but he’s been elite for the whole year, and I think it’s just because he’s a young pro. The way his mind works, the way he looks at If the Flames’ three-day festive break seems like too long without hockey the game … It’s pretty high-end.” on the tube, rest assured there is must-see TV on Boxing Day, with Canada and the U.S. renewing their rivalry in their preliminary-round His mind could be his key to climbing the ranks. opener in Ostrava (11 a.m. MT, TSN). Scouts rave about Wolf’s hockey IQ, and his ability to read the play Wolf, a seventh-round selection in the 2019 NHL Draft and a workhorse should be especially noticeable on the international-sized ice. for the ’s Everett Silvertips, is expected to serve Speer, formerly the goaltending coach for USA Hockey’s National Team as the backup for the Americans, although things can change in a blink in Development Program, figures Wolf’s calm-and-cool demeanour will be this pressure-packed medal quest. an asset in the Czech Republic, saying “he doesn’t get too hyped up” and “Selfishly, we’d like to see him get a chance to play,” said Flames general that “a circumstance like this, a tournament like this, is just right up his manager of Wolf, who allowed just one goal in a half-game alley.” of exhibition action against the Swedes. “But just being in that “Talking to him before he left, I think he’s going there with the right environment is an experience that you don’t forget and you can draw a mindset,” Treliving echoed. “He’s just really, really mature and he’s really, lot on it as you move forward — the pressure of it, being around all the really focused. This guy is pretty narrow in terms of his focus. He doesn’t other top players in your peer group, seeing how they prepare, seeing let a whole lot creep in. He worries about the next shot and the next how they perform in that type of environment, where the stakes are so practice and the next game, and I just think his maturity level and his high … ability to focus and just be present is really impressive for a young guy. “It’s big-time exposure, a big-time stage. And those things can only help He gives up a goal, and he just moves right past it and moves on to the you. It helps you regardless, but obviously the more you play, the more next opportunity. you gain from it.” “So I think from a mental standpoint, the mental maturity that he has and Wolf, who hails from Gilroy, Calif., will be the only Flames prospect at this the mental toughness that he has is really suited for any kind of big stage latest edition of the international junior showdown. — and especially at that position. He’s focused on what he can control now and not on anything else.” Dmitry Zavgorodniy’s hopes of cracking Russia’s roster were spoiled by a broken collarbone. STEPPING STONE

Jakob Pelletier had to pass on an invite to Canada’s final selection camp Nearly half of the guys on the Calgary Flames’ current roster skated in due to a concussion. the IIHF World Junior Hockey Championship spotlight along their ascent to the NHL. Looking back … World-junior exposure certainly doesn’t guarantee big-league success, but this is one more reason for Flames fans to be excited about Wolf, whose size — he is listed at 6-foot and 161 lb. — seemed to scare off Calgary Sun: LOADED: 12.25.2019 every other would-be employer before the Flames called his name this past June at No. 214, just three picks before the draft floor was dismantled in Vancouver.

Spencer Knight, projected to be the go-to goalie for Team USA, was selected 13th overall by the .

“To represent your country in any fashion, it’s something else,” said Wolf, who also suited up in stars and stripes in a fourth-place finish at the 2018 Hlinka Gretzky Cup.

“I think it’s just another opportunity to prove yourself,” he added. “I’m fortunate Calgary took a chance in the draft, but there’s still a lot of work to do and a lot of time and effort and good showings to be able to get to the next level, and the world juniors would be just another step towards it.

“Whether I’m playing, backing up, whatever it may be, you give it all but you just go through your normal routines, don’t stress over it too much and just go out there and do what you normally do and what you know 1167803 Calgary Flames They also happen to be right by the chutes, which means noise and commotion and dust.

“Trial by fire … trial by dirt,” said Al, chuckling. A Calgary couple is hoping to change the way fans experience sporting events — and NHL teams are taking notice Sure, he laughs now, but the first bull of the evening — the very first bull — thunders over to the fence and, with his horns, rips apart their ethernet-cable connection.

By Scott Cruickshank A stunningly unforeseen development, but rectified in fewer than 15 Dec 24, 2019 9 minutes. Just a matter of a quick splice, really. “Obviously we were freaking out,” said Al, “but it didn’t really matter at the end of it.”

Jaime can laugh about it, too. A parking lot. It’s heaped with truckloads of dirt, surrounded by bleachers, which are sitting on top of flatbeds. Nearby are bands of rail- “We felt like a true Alberta company,” she said. “It’s funny now. It’s leaning cowboys and pens of snot-blowing bulls. classic Alberta, right?”

The scene, for Jaime Wood and , represents the starting Beyond the hilarious tale — and the dust that is still falling out of Al’s point. laptop — it had been mission accomplished.

Although that’s a misleading statement. Their idea works in the wild.

Because this momentous — and mucky — occasion has actually been “There’s a whole body of education around startups and milestones,” seven years in the making. Jaime and Al had embraced a compelling said Jaime, adding that they next covered the 2018 German concept, nurtured the heck out its growth, then decided to devote Cup and the 2019 National Junior A Hockey Championship in Brooks, themselves to fulfilling its potential. Meaning legwork aplenty had already Alta. “For us, getting out of the lab was huge. Getting through three been invested. market trials was also huge, because we learned how to operate our own business. You don’t really know that going in. You actually have no idea. But upon them now? The first opportunity to field-test their brainchild. Specifically, at the Bullbustin’ event at the Ranchman’s Cookhouse and “There’s no blueprint. We had to make it up as we go. Now we can see a Dancehall in July 2018. potential roadmap for growth.”

The Calgary couple’s plan is sound — in theory — and, if applied Wheels, these days, are in motion. properly, is sure to enhance fan-experience at sporting events. What they They are in talks with NHL teams that have shown interest in Fanoramas. want to do is go to venues and mount cameras, which capture the spectators’ reactions during moments of high drama, of jubilation. Additionally, there are European football leagues that are curious about the application. In fact, Al and Jaime received a grant — from the “A technology platform,” Al said of their baby — christened Fanoramas. Industrial Research Assistance Program Co-Innovation Program — to “We take pictures of fans whenever something big is happening. So support a pilot project with Peterborough United in England. when Johnny Gaudreau scores a goal, everybody stands up, and we get four or five pictures of them celebrating the moment.” At a fall conference in Paris, they mixed with the movers and shakers of the French sporting world — federations from football, from tennis, from Given the respective backgrounds of the founders, it’s an innovation rugby, from cycling, on and on. Companies on hand get an opportunity to that’s well-imagined and thoroughly explored. Jaime is a seasoned “pitch industry,” according to Jaime. “You have three minutes, you go marketer — she owns a master’s degree in communications from the table by table. You get to meet the majority of the French market.” The University of Calgary — while Al serves as the technological ace and the representatives, in turn, grade their interest in further meetings — household’s sports junkie. stamping a smiley face or a frowny face on their master sheet.

So he is aware of what’s been missing from the ticket-buyer’s realm. “It is totally speed-dating the industry,” said Jaime, adding that “I’ve been to all these events, right? I’ve got pictures on my cellphone … Fanoramas earned a 60 percent approval rating, “which was amazing.” and I almost never look at them,” said Al. “And they’re never really that The upcoming quarter is about establishing Fanoramas as a product- good. So I said, ‘Why don’t we give the fans something that they can’t get market fit in three markets in three leagues — the NHL and in soccer themselves that might be interesting?’ Like you high-fiving your best federations overseas. friend if (your team) wins the Stanley Cup — that’s a picture you’re going to love forever and might actually print. As opposed to, say, a selfie.” “We’ve spent the year testing and planting seeds,” said Jaime. “Now we’re ready to go live. It’s awesome.” Over the years, they have plowed through every obstacle that’s popped up. Al, though, admits that the process has been a grind at times.

Every contingency, it would seem, has been anticipated. “We probably underestimated how long it would take for teams to look for immersive experiences,” he said. “But they’re starting to open up to the A couple of months before the Bullbustin’ event, they’d chatted with possibilities that digital can provide in the arena.” Alberta Treasury Branch representatives. In need of more than money, Jaime told them: “We can get a line of credit anywhere. What we really They themselves are convinced — they’ve mastered the technology. need from you guys is an event. Can you put an event on the table?” And their philosophy is in place. “At the simplest form,” said Jaime, “we’re They found a fit, eventually. giving you back your cherished moments from the big events.”

Yes, a summertime bull-riding contest beside a Macleod Trail watering They also want their service to be free, which is where stakeholders — hole. corporate sponsorships and the teams themselves — come in.

Giddy-up. In less than 24 hours, they set up power and run 3,000 feet of “Fans are already shelling out a ton of cash to attend the event, for food ethernet cable. Everything’s in place. and beverage,” said Jaime. “They’re being bombarded with costs all over the place. So we’d love for this to be a fun service that they can use at no Which leaves only one question. cost.”

Where in tarnation do they go? On the topic — the origin of their idea — Al chuckles and repeats the “Because we need line of sight to the activity, so we know when to use question. “Was there a moment?” our system,” said Jaime. Big smile. “Oh, there was totally a moment.”

The only workable space turns out to be a tight squeeze under the Even if it sounds like the opening line of a bad joke, it is what really flatbeds, but about four feet off the ground. Having come this far, they happened — a Canadian guy walks into an Irish bar in Switzerland to gamely cram themselves. Al eventually puts on a hardhat because he watch Scottish soccer. keeps banging his head. That (whistle-wetting) starting point took place in 2011. “We’re trying to make sure to maintain the mindset that we want this to be massive. We could have one venue and serve one team all season Truth be told, a hook had arrived a little bit in advance of the actual a-ha long, but that’s not the company we’re trying to build.” moment.

Jaime and Al, working for Critical Mass in Geneva in those days, had been mulling their professional options. The global market was taking a The Athletic LOADED: 12.25.2019 hit. For the young family, including children Lilli and Xavier, what was next?

They sat down to plot their future. Of the conversation, Jaime recalled: “I said, ‘OK, if we want to work for ourselves and we value our time and our time with the kids, think of three things that you love, put them together, and if you come up with a great idea, we’ll do it.’ Then, literally, three months later, he comes home from that pub that night and he’s like, ‘I think I’ve got the idea.’ I thought it was good, too, so here we are.”

That fateful night — after Jaime had taken the kids home, after Al had declared that he was going to enjoy one more pint and watch some football — he took in the big screen as the cameras panned the bleachers.

He was rapt.

“They had all these great pictures of guys, right?” Al said. “I was like, ‘Man, these pictures are unbelievable.’ Face painters, you know the type, and just regular fans. Everybody loses their marbles when something great happens, and I thought, ‘Wouldn’t it be awesome if we could capture the whole crowd like that?’ That’s sort of where it came from.”

What if Jaime and Al could go to stadiums, set up hardware, get shots of individual fans in the throes of excitement?

What if fans, while still at the game, could download these photos as one-of-a-kind keepsakes?

What if teams and corporate sponsors saw the value of delivering something like this?

What if?

They saw potential. They incorporated the following year.

Then they came up with a name. (“When I first started thinking of the photography part of it, the panoramic photography had started to come around,” said Al. “Maybe we’d use one camera and just take panoramic pictures. Panoramic … Fanoramic … Fanoramas.”)

Now, the project needed some meat. They began to navigate the daunting road from napkin doodle to tangible goods.

Nobody had done anything like this — great news if you’re new to the game, but crummy news if you’re itching for existing software. “We had technology partners that said it couldn’t be built,” said Jaime.

Asked if they considering chucking it in, given the difficulties, Al laughs.

“That’s the startup world, right?” he said. “Highs and lows, peaks and valleys. I used to say — and I stole this from somebody — you don’t know if the the light at the end of the tunnel is the sun or a train coming at you.

“We think we’re almost at the end of the tunnel. We’ll see what happens next.”

Jaime and Al are living the depth of their belief.

For them, this is it. They’ve quit their full-time jobs.

“People tend to look at you like you’re crazy,” said Jaime, “and then you look in the mirror, ‘Well, maybe I am.’ But I’m fairly risk-friendly. Yes, it’s scary to quit your job when you have family, but we really do believe whole-heartedly in the company and the product.”

By their count, there are three competitors in the market, each boasting a slightly different spin on the concept.

“There’s no clear winner yet,” said Jaime. “Everyone is trying to figure out how to work with the club and the sponsor and the new technology. It’s definitely evolving.”

Their own outlook, however, remains big.

“We’re not trying to build a lifestyle business,” said Jaime. “We’re trying to make Fanoramas an expected part of the experience. Which means we’re trying to build a global company and scale fast. 1167804 Carolina Hurricanes generated for the university. The longer he was in the NBA, the more he came to believe the NCAA system was inherently inequitable, especially with young black men generating the vast majority of the revenue for Triangle Ten: The 10 most influential people in Triangle sports in 2019 others without sharing any of the spoils.

Legitimate challenges to the NCAA’s billion-dollar monopoly have been rare, but Volante said he can sense the tide beginning to shift. He BY LUKE DECOCK believes that college sports will look very different in a few years, whether that’s because of the HBL or not. But as the NCAA faces a barrage of DECEMBER 24, 2019 09:00 AM legislation and lawsuits designed to alter the current system, the HBL is attempting to create a different system entirely.

When presumptive No. 1 pick James Wiseman last week decided to “I’m not sure many other people or groups of people have thought about leave Memphis and prepare for the NBA draft rather than sit out a it, or maybe not done it because the NCAA is such a powerful institution,” lengthy NCAA suspension, David West felt his pain in Raleigh. said Kwame Ageymang, an Ohio State professor who studies the intersection of race and sports. “I hope it’s able to succeed, because the The longtime NBA veteran from Garner has embarked on a new phase of concept is a welcome one.” his basketball career, one that would have given Wiseman a place to play while going head-to-head with the NCAA and everything it West will be critical to the success of the league for many reasons. His represents. Wiseman, in his awkward situation, would have been the status in the basketball world gives it legitimacy, but it will also be ideal candidate for the new Historic Basketball League. primarily his responsibility to recruit some of the best players in the country to play in this league instead of the NCAA. Eschewing the “If he had this as an option, he would be the perfect case study,” West traditional college route is increasingly an option for top recruits, with said. LaMelo Ball and R.J. Hampton playing overseas ahead of this spring’s draft. The HBL would give them — and players like Wiseman — a West, 39-years old and 18 months removed from his final, title-winning domestic option. season with the Golden State Warriors, is the chief operating officer and chief recruiter of the HBL, which starting in 2021 plans to create a West said Nassir Little’s father Harold even reached out to him last winter collegiate-aged path to the NBA completely separate from the NCAA, to see if the HBL was an alternative for the former North Carolina one where players are paid up to $150,000, play a 28-game summer forward. It wasn’t then, but it may be for others soon. schedule and train during the academic year while attending college. They’ll just play for themselves instead of a university. It’s up to West to talk the top players into playing in the HBL instead. There’s not much riding on it. Only the survival of this new league and “There’s a huge elephant in the room in collegiate sports when it comes potentially the future of the NCAA. to the idea of amateurism,” West said. “It’s just plain obvious exploitation.” “It’s the right thing to do and the right approach to an issue a lot of people are trying to ignore,” West said. “These are the things I like to focus on Raleigh is one of eight East Coast markets targeted for the HBL, which and put my energy into.” co-founder and sports economist Andy Schwarz originally conceived as an attempt to get HBCUs to exit the NCAA and go their own way. Hence West is joined this year by a football coach, philanthropists, a Finn and a the name, which will change as part of a rebranding next month. Players phenom, among others, in this list compiled by News & Observer sports would play for their HBL team in the summer while training and attending columnist Luke DeCock with input from other staff members, focusing on classes at local schools in the winter. In Raleigh, that could be anything impact in 2019 specifically. from N.C. State to Wake Tech, even a vocational program. 2. MACK BROWN, NORTH CAROLINA FOOTBALL COACH Instead of student-athletes, in the NCAA’s loaded phrasing, they’d be For the most part, Brown has delivered on everything he promised when student/athletes, untethered from NCAA rules and regulations. he made his triumphant return to North Carolina, starting with a win over West is a key player in this audacious attempt to upend the system, a South Carolina in his re-debut, North Carolina’s first over a power- rebellion as much as a startup, which is why he tops this year’s Triangle conference opponent in an opener since the last time the 68-year-old Ten, the 10 most influential people in sports in the Triangle in 2019. Brown was the Tar Heels’ coach. After coming within a whisker of upsetting Clemson, the Tar Heels are headed to a bowl game (albeit with A polymath who has invested in clean energy companies, held clinics a 6-6 record) and by signing day Brown had completely upended the and refurbished basketball courts in Ghana and Senegal and run one of recruiting dynamic within the state. the country’s most successful AAU programs in Raleigh with his brother Dwayne, West became one of the NBA’s more vocal and outspoken The question now is whether the influx of talent (and several transfers players over the course of his 15-year career, especially after witnessing who sat out last season) can combine with star freshman quarterback the aftermath of Hurricane Katrina while playing in New Orleans. Sam Howell to make North Carolina nationally relevant again — if not next season, then soon. Either way, Brown’s return re-energized a Within hours of his retirement in August 2018, HBL co-founder Ricky program that had gone stale and filled the seats at Kenan Stadium that Volante was chasing West down, trying to get him on board. had gone empty under Larry Fedora.

“All of that: the business acumen, the basketball acumen, the social 3. HEATHER O’REILLY, RECENTLY RETIRED SOCCER LEGEND activism and awareness,” Volante said. “Those were all critical pieces.” After completing her decorated professional career with a second straight It turned out West’s interest was more than professional. After graduating NWSL title with the NC Courage, the doors of the soccer world are wide from Garner, he had to spend a year at Hargrave Military Academy to open for the 34-year-old O’Reilly. She made an unexpected cameo qualify academically at Xavier. He would have loved an opportunity like appearance at Charlotte’s MLS expansion announcement (that Charlotte this. had to import a soccer personality from the Triangle was a little bit too on point), served as an analyst for Fox during the World Cup and is getting “We’ll meet kids where they are, not force them into something they’re her first taste of coaching as a volunteer assistant at UNC, her alma not prepared for,” West said. “For me, it definitely would have been an mater. option to explore.” Whether O’Reilly wants to go into coaching (where her high profile in the Like any new sports league, the HBL faces major hurdles. But it has game would make her one of the few people capable of filling Anson pursued long-term funding from venture capitalists like a tech start-up Dorrance’s shoes in Chapel Hill when that time comes), television or and has an advisory board full of notable names in sports, media and management, just about any path she likes is open to her. business. It’s founders also think streaming games will substitute for a traditional TV deal because of the way the NBA is increasingly consumed 4. MIKE KRZYZEWSKI, DUKE MEN’S BASKETBALL COACH by younger fans these days: In clips and bits and pieces on social media as opposed to appointment viewing. Because of his stature in the college basketball world and work with the V Foundation, Krzyzewski could probably appear on this list every year. West believes it’s a chance worth taking. At Xavier, he didn’t really In 2019 in particular, though, he became one of the first coaches of his comprehend how much money he and his fellow basketball players stature — and there aren’t many — to come out in support of the California law allowing college athletes to profit off their name, image and 10. NORTH CAROLINA POLITICIANS (REALLY!) likeness. Perhaps no single event had more impact on the fan experience in North Krzyzewski’s willingness to not only accept this fundamental change to Carolina in 2019 than House Bill 389, which legalized the sale of alcohol the so-called “amateur model” but advocate for it paved the way for at public university sporting events. In short order, just about every others to challenge the NCAA and, by late October, the NCAA school in the state was selling beer and wine at football and basketball acknowledged that it was going to have to conform in some way to the games, and the lack of incidents and general calm with which the wave of legislation pending in other states. Krzyzewski’s voice was transition happened only underlined how misguided the state’s mini- heard, loudly, on the matter. prohibition had been.

5. SEBASTIAN AHO, CAROLINA HURRICANES CENTER The effort to change the law was truly bipartisan. The bill was sponsored by three Republicans and a Democrat — John Bell, R-Greene; James The Hurricanes didn’t hesitate to match the Montreal Canadiens’ offer Boles, R-Moore; Ken Goodman, D-Richmond and David Lewis, R- sheet for Aho last summer when Aho was a restricted free agent. Nor Harnett — passed by a Republican-controlled legislature and signed by a was there ever a doubt they would. But the hefty contract also placed Democratic governor. A toast to them. hefty expectations on the talented Finn, who at 22 became the team’s highest-paid player. Even if he isn’t quite at a $8..5 million level yet, Aho is the future of the Hurricanes’ franchise, a two-way center who still has room to grow. News Observer LOADED: 12.25.2019

Through mid-December, he was fourth on the team in scoring, but one of four Hurricanes in the league’s top 25. As the NHL awakens to his talent, there’s still one glaring hole on Aho’s resume: The Hurricanes made their run through the postseason largely without contributions from Aho. He was slowed by nagging injuries but a player of his caliber is expected to be a force regardless. He may get another chance this spring the way the Hurricanes are playing.

6. KAREN SHELTON, UNC FIELD HOCKEY COACH

North Carolina’s win over Princeton in the NCAA title game in November was the Tar Heels’ 46th straight win, capping back-to-back undefeated seasons and national championships. It was Shelton’s eighth title in 39 seasons in Chapel Hill, a record unmatched in the sport.

Field hockey, still generally a northeastern regionalism, has seen tremendous growth and change since Shelton established this southeastern dynasty on a shoestring budget many decades ago. But she has managed to keep the program among the elite that entire time, from her first title in 1989 to this fall, a feat as impressive as her longevity.

7. TERRENCE AND TORRY HOLT, ENTREPRENEURS AND PHILANTHROPISTS

This has very little to do with Torry Holt finally being inducted into the College Football Hall of Fame (and he’s still waiting for a deserved call from Canton). After starring at N.C. State and their successful NFL careers, the Holt brothers returned to Raleigh where in addition to their construction business, the Holt Brothers Foundation has given out hundreds of thousands of dollars to support the children of parents and guardians battling cancer.

There are several current and former professional athletes who actively give back to the Triangle (John Wall is notably another) but the Holt brothers continue to go above and beyond.

8. AKSHAY BHATIA, TEENAGE PROFESSIONAL GOLFER

The start of Bhatia’s professional golf career hasn’t exactly gone as planned, but he still has time to figure it out. The 17-year-old from Wake Forest turned pro after winning the Walker Cup with the United States in the fall, but failed to make the cut in five PGA Tour events or advance past the second stage of tour qualifying school.

While his attempt to turn the usual path to the tour on its head by skipping college and going straight to the big time has run into an early snag, it would only take one good week to jumpstart his career. It’s going to be interesting to follow in 2020, because Bhatia has unlimited potential but a limited number of sponsor’s exemptions into PGA Tour events left.

9. WES MOORE, N.C. STATE WOMEN’S BASKETBALL COACH

At a time when North Carolina is emerging from the turmoil of Sylvia Hatchell’s departure and Duke is teetering on irrelevancy, Moore has rebuilt the Wolfpack into the Triangle’s premier women’s program, as it once was under Kay Yow.

The Wolfpack has made the NCAA tournament Sweet 16 the past two seasons, the first back-to-back appearances for the program since 1991. Since arriving from Chattanooga, Moore, 62, has taken the Wolfpack to the NCAA tournament in four of his six seasons at N.C. State and the Wolfpack this season is one of three ACC teams in the top 10 of the AP poll. 1167805 ‘‘In the first and third periods in Winnipeg [and] the second and third periods in Colorado, we did a lot more of that. Then all of a sudden the game’s a lot easier.’’

Blackhawks’ excessive shift lengths remain a struggle, but they’re showing progress LOADED: 12.25.2019

By Ben Pope@BenPopeCST

Dec 24, 2019, 6:55am CST

Blackhawks coach has harped about the need for his team to take shorter shifts more than perhaps anything else this season.

The talking point has reappeared with regularity.

On Oct. 18: ‘‘When you keep your shifts a little shorter, you don’t get exposed defensively.’’

On Nov. 20: ‘‘If you’re hemmed in for a minute and 10 [seconds], then it becomes trickier.’’

And on Dec. 15: ‘‘The only time we get in trouble is when we extend our shift.’’

Colliton certainly has a point. Shorter shifts can sustain momentum through line changes and avoid the lags created when tired players late in their shift are stranded on the ice.

And he’s also correct that long shifts have been a problem for the Hawks. That was apparent from the opening weeks of the season and remains noticeable — if not as blatant — as the midpoint of the season nears.

Entering play Monday, the Hawks were averaging 49.0 seconds per shift, above their average of 47.3 seconds last season and the league average of about 47 seconds. Those two extra seconds might seem inconsequential, but multiplied by the more than 13,000 shifts Hawks players have taken so far this season, the importance begins to take shape.

That also explains why Colliton is still willing to expound on the subject.

‘‘We want to be a team that plays from second one to second 40,’’ he said Monday. ‘‘That’s when you’re at your best. When you’re tired, you don’t make good reads, you don’t win your battles and your puck plays are not as good. You just don’t set yourself up for success. So that’s what we want to do. Let’s play when we’re fresh, and that’s when we’re good.’’

The Hawks’ biggest long-shift culprits are fairly predictable names: Duncan Keith and (57 seconds per shift), Erik Gustafsson (56), Alex DeBrincat (54) and Dylan Strome (52).

Time on the first power-play unit, which Colliton often voluntarily keeps on the ice for up to 90 seconds, affects that leaderboard. Nonetheless, Colliton has been vocal about many of those stars taking too-long shifts even during five-on-five play.

Changing that trend will require a mental adjustment, so that players will change in a timely manner, and more puck possession, which would create additional opportunities to change safely. So how can the Hawks accomplish that?

‘‘It’s easy to say, but change in the offensive zone when you have the puck, especially in the second period,’’ Gustafsson said Monday. ‘‘Be good on the [blue] lines, too. If you lose the puck on their blue line all the time, it’s going to be hard for us to get a line change. Playing smarter out there is going to keep the shifts shorter.’’

Gustafsson also pointed out the shift lengths have been better lately, a factor that contributed to the Hawks’ success in road victories last week against the Jets and Avalanche, though not so much Monday’s blowout loss against the Devils. The numbers back him up: The Hawks averaged a fantastic 46.1 seconds per shift in those three games.

Now it’s simply a matter of maintaining that in the long term.

‘‘A lot of times in our game, it seems we have to start all over every shift,’’ Colliton said. ‘‘We finally have a good shift, and then we can’t build on it because we want to extend that shift until we score or there’s a whistle instead of changing early [to] put the next line in a good position. 1167806 Chicago Blackhawks ‘‘In the first and third periods in Winnipeg [and] the second and third periods in Colorado, we did a lot more of that. Then all of a sudden the game’s a lot easier.’’

Blackhawks’ excessive shift lengths remain a struggle, but they’re showing progress Chicago Sun Times LOADED: 12.25.2019

By Ben Pope@BenPopeCST

Dec 24, 2019, 6:55am CST

Blackhawks coach Jeremy Colliton has harped about the need for his team to take shorter shifts more than perhaps anything else this season.

The talking point has reappeared with regularity.

On Oct. 18: ‘‘When you keep your shifts a little shorter, you don’t get exposed defensively.’’

On Nov. 20: ‘‘If you’re hemmed in for a minute and 10 [seconds], then it becomes trickier.’’

And on Dec. 15: ‘‘The only time we get in trouble is when we extend our shift.’’

Colliton certainly has a point. Shorter shifts can sustain momentum through line changes and avoid the lags created when tired players late in their shift are stranded on the ice.

And he’s also correct that long shifts have been a problem for the Hawks. That was apparent from the opening weeks of the season and remains noticeable — if not as blatant — as the midpoint of the season nears.

Entering play Monday, the Hawks were averaging 49.0 seconds per shift, above their average of 47.3 seconds last season and the league average of about 47 seconds. Those two extra seconds might seem inconsequential, but multiplied by the more than 13,000 shifts Hawks players have taken so far this season, the importance begins to take shape.

That also explains why Colliton is still willing to expound on the subject.

‘‘We want to be a team that plays from second one to second 40,’’ he said Monday. ‘‘That’s when you’re at your best. When you’re tired, you don’t make good reads, you don’t win your battles and your puck plays are not as good. You just don’t set yourself up for success. So that’s what we want to do. Let’s play when we’re fresh, and that’s when we’re good.’’

The Hawks’ biggest long-shift culprits are fairly predictable names: Duncan Keith and Patrick Kane (57 seconds per shift), Erik Gustafsson (56), Alex DeBrincat (54) and Dylan Strome (52).

Time on the first power-play unit, which Colliton often voluntarily keeps on the ice for up to 90 seconds, affects that leaderboard. Nonetheless, Colliton has been vocal about many of those stars taking too-long shifts even during five-on-five play.

Changing that trend will require a mental adjustment, so that players will change in a timely manner, and more puck possession, which would create additional opportunities to change safely. So how can the Hawks accomplish that?

‘‘It’s easy to say, but change in the offensive zone when you have the puck, especially in the second period,’’ Gustafsson said Monday. ‘‘Be good on the [blue] lines, too. If you lose the puck on their blue line all the time, it’s going to be hard for us to get a line change. Playing smarter out there is going to keep the shifts shorter.’’

Gustafsson also pointed out the shift lengths have been better lately, a factor that contributed to the Hawks’ success in road victories last week against the Jets and Avalanche, though not so much Monday’s blowout loss against the Devils. The numbers back him up: The Hawks averaged a fantastic 46.1 seconds per shift in those three games.

Now it’s simply a matter of maintaining that in the long term.

‘‘A lot of times in our game, it seems we have to start all over every shift,’’ Colliton said. ‘‘We finally have a good shift, and then we can’t build on it because we want to extend that shift until we score or there’s a whistle instead of changing early [to] put the next line in a good position. 1167807 Chicago Blackhawks Shaw, also with three goals, has to dig deeper to be the point provider he's capable of being if/when he returns. The feisty winger had a career year in Montreal last season with 47 points (19 goals, 28 assists).

Blackhawks 2019-20 midseason grades: Forwards No. 3 overall pick, center Kirby Dach, has the tools to be a great player for the Hawks for years to come. His six goals in 32 games aren't bad, but he needs to improve his work in the dot upwards from the 35% of By Scott King faceoffs he's winning.

December 23, 2019 5:29 PM Dach's been able to use his reach while possessing the puck to keep defenders at bay. He's also shown quick hands and an ability to get to

open areas, looking to score. Heading into the 2019-20 season, the Blackhawks were looking for top Like the majority of the other Blackhawks forwards with skill, it's a matter players like Patrick Kane and to duplicate their offensive of putting it all together on a consistent basis. Dach does have the success from last year and get more secondary scoring support. Things excuse of being youthful (18) and inexperienced. haven't been going as planned overall. The Hawks forwards are 22nd in the league in Goals For with 104, Kane, who had a career year in points (110) and assists (66) last season, behind the Ottawa Senators (106). Chicago is also tied with the Senators is still producing at a high level with 46 points (20 goals, 26 assists) in 38 for Goals Against with 121. Blackhawks forwards who are leaned on to games this season. As the different linemates he's played with struggled score like DeBrincat haven't been getting the job done on the power play to find offense at times, "Showtime" often created it out of thin air. either. The Hawks power play is 26th in the league, converting at a low Toews, totaled his best year in goals (35), assists (46) and points (81) 15.3%. last season. His offensive production is down this year with 27 points The defensemen aren't the only ones responsible for the high shot totals (eight goals, 19 assists) in 38 games, but that's largely due to the captain and innumerable odd-man rushes goalies Robin Lehner and Corey having to focus on defense as newcomers like Alex Nylander were Crawford have regularly had to defend all year so far. The forwards have thrown out on the top line besides Toews and struggled defensively. also blown a lot of coverage and had trouble getting the puck out of the The 2010 Conn Smythe trophy winner is helping his line establish Blackhawks' end. possession through winning 56.79% of his faceoffs. Toews seems to be Grade: C+ able to make room for more offense lately with recent line shuffles.

Nylander, who has five goals and nine assists in 37 games with the Hawks, has gotten plenty of opportunities to be a difference maker. After Comcast SportsNet.com LOADED: 12.25.2019 coming over from Buffalo in a trade for Henri Jokiharju, formerly a top defensive prospect for the Hawks, Nylander's defense has regularly been a concern and, although there's been flashes of high-level skill in playmaking, he needs to find a way to put everything together on a consistent basis.

Another newcomer for Chicago, Dominik Kubalik, has underachieved with just 10 goals and six assists because he's been underutilized until recently. Kubalik's offensive talents and heavy shot were regularly buried in a bottom-six role instead of on the top line where he belongs, as well as the first power-play unit.

Despite being up and down the lineup through the midway point of the season, Brandon Saad was the most consistent forward before suffering an ankle injury in Winnipeg on Thursday. Strong on the puck and power- striding past defenders on a regular basis, Saad has 19 points (eight goals, 11 assists) in 36 games and looks most at home besides Toews on the top line.

Ryan Carpenter signed with the Hawks as a free agent after playing two seasons in Vegas. Carpenter has been one of the most consistently good Hawks this season. The forward has been a great shutdown player and clutch penalty killer.

The same can be said for former Ottawa Senator alternate captain Zack Smith, who although effective defensively and on the PK, needs to resurrect his scoring touch. Smith had 25 goals during the 2015-16 season with the Senators.

DeBrincat and Strome are the Hawks forwards that need to pick it up the most. Last year, the pals from the OHL's Eerie Otters had great chemistry together on the Hawks' second line and they looked pretty good playing with Patrick Kane as well. DeBrincat finished the 2018-19 season with a stellar 41 goals and Strome with a solid 51 points.

This season, DeBrincat has found himself in a scoring rut. The winger only has eight goals in 38 games and had a 12-game stretch from Nov. 9 to Dec. 2 without a goal.

Strome's 24 points aren't far off from last year's pace, but he needs to help generate more offense and improve on the dot. Right now he's winning 44.2% of his draws. The center missed four games while in concussion protocol this season.

Andrew Shaw and Drake Caggiula have missed considerable time in concussion protocol. Caggiula has missed 21 games and Shaw's been out for 12. Caggiula played the role of agitator and energy provider well when in the lineup, even managing to score three goals. 1167808 Colorado Avalanche

Avalanche’s Gabe Landeskog on his 600th game: “No better way to do it than get a win”

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

PUBLISHED: December 24, 2019 at 1:20 pm | UPDATED: December 24, 2019 at 3:55 PM

LAS VEGAS — Avalanche left wing and team captain Gabe Landeskog became a cemented franchise figure Monday night by playing his 600th NHL game at T-Mobile Arena. Landeskog, 27, scored a power-play goal in Colorado’s 7-3 victory over the Vegas Golden Knights.

“Six-hundred felt good,” Landeskog said of the Avs’ final game before the NHL’s mandatory three-day Christmas break. “No better way to do it than get a win.”

He added: “You want to be able to stay healthy and be part of the team and play a lot of games. I’ll trade my 600 regular-season for 600 playoff games, I’ll tell you that. But I’ll keep working towards that.”

Landeskog is just the third Avs player to play in his first 600 games with the Avs, following Cody McLeod (659) and Milan Hejduk (1,020). (870) and Adam Foote (760) also reach 600 games with the club after beginning their careers with the Quebec Nordiques.

At age 19 on Sept. 4, 2012, Landeskog succeeded Hejduk as Colorado’s captain, making him the youngest captain in NHL history at the time.

Landeskog, who was selected by the Avs with the No. 2 pick in the 2011 draft and never played in the minors, is Colorado’s second-longest tenured player behind defenseman Erik Johnson. Johnson, 31, was acquired late in the 2010-11 season from the St. Louis Blues and has played 540 of his 743 career games with the Avs.

Landeskog is second in his 2011 draft class in games played, goals (185) and points (430). He trails Philadelphia’s Sean Couturier (615 games played) and Tampa Bay’s Nikita Kucherov (201 goals and 502 points) in those areas.

Landeskog is the oldest member of his line, with Nathan MacKinnon having just turned 24 Sept. 1 and Mikko Rantanen 23 on Oct. 29.

“I saw the other day that the average age on our team is 26 or just below. And I’m 27,” Landeskog said. “It means I’m above-average age on our team. Which means I’m getting old.”

Older and wiser.

Despite missing 16 games with a broken foot from late October to early December, Avs coach said Landeskog is a major reason why Colorado has enjoyed one of the best starts in club history. The Avs (23-11-3) reached 49 points at the holiday break — tied for second-most in club history behind the Stanley Cup-winning team of 2000-01, which had 51 points (23-7-5) heading into Christmas.

“It’s been outstanding, really,” Bednar said of Landeskog’s leadership. “He’s really grown in that area in the four years I’ve been here. Takes a lot of pride in it. He has a way of connecting people — our young guys, our older guys — making everyone feel included.

“I feel that there are areas of his game that have really grown too. I think he knows exactly what he is now as a power forward and a guy who likes to go to the net and gets rewarded for doing that. When we need big goals he finds a way to score them. He does a lot for our team. Some of it is seen by the general public and some of it isn’t. But we certainly know the value that he brings to our team — especially in that leadership role.”

Footnote. The Avs’ charter returned to Denver early Tuesday morning, minus a handful of players who chose to fly elsewhere from Las Vegas for the holiday. The team will reconvene Friday for a morning skate at the Pepsi center ahead of a game against the Minnesota Wild.

Denver Post: LOADED: 12.25.2019 1167809 Columbus Blue Jackets All of the above have combined to give the Blue Jackets a pulse again. They’re not out of the woods, but they’re also not underwater anymore at 17-14-6.

Fill-ins help banged-up Columbus Blue Jackets overcome slew of injuries “We did talk a few weeks ago about using these couple of weeks before Christmas, as far as where it could put us — in a good spot, at least trying to get back in it, or are we in trouble?” Tortorella said. “I think Brian Hedger The Columbus Dispatch they’ve handled themselves very well here the last two or three weeks.”

Dec 24, 2019 at 5:10 PM It might not make a whole lot of sense, but that’s how the NHL rolls sometimes. Christmas has arrived in Columbus, where a happy bunch of

banged-up Blue Jackets are ready for more. There are times when things don’t make a whole lot of sense in the

National Hockey League. Columbus Dispatch LOADED: 12.25.2019 A team will get badly outplayed but win. A puck shot from an impossible angle will trickle into the net. A fourth-liner will rattle off an offensive bender, then hunch his shoulders and roll with it because he’s just as baffled as everybody else.

Stuff such as that happens every season, and each case is unique among the NHL’s massive vault of “X Files” occurrences.

The Blue Jackets have certainly logged their fair amount of them in 19 seasons, including the past two weeks of this season — which may wind up being looked on as one of the most historic stands they’ve ever taken, or just a really odd blip in the middle of an otherwise tough slog.

“We’re underwater,” Blue Jackets coach John Tortorella said Dec. 13 in Pittsburgh, a day after a lethargic-looking 1-0 overtime loss to the injury- depleted Penguins dropped his team 10 points back of the for the second wild-card spot in the Eastern Conference.

“We’re underwater, so I’m anxious to see how people respond, how coaches respond. Our whole team in that locker room — from coaches all the way down — how we’re going to have to respond to it.”

The Jackets had actually earned three out of four points in a two-game stretch against the Washington Capitals and Penguins at that point, but flew to Ottawa for the next game with an ominous feeling.

And that’s when things started to get weird.

Another overtime loss ensued, not to mention a stinging hat trick and OT winner by former teammate Anthony Duclair, but injuries were the bigger news.

Sonny Milano (upper body) and Josh Anderson (shoulder) went out in the first period, defenseman Ryan Murray (lower body) left in the second and the Jackets were already missing defenseman Zach Werenski (shoulder), rookie forward Emil Bemstrom (ribs) and forward Brandon Dubinsky (wrist), a cagey, faceoff winning forward who hasn’t played a single game yet.

Six players were out, the Jackets’ odds to join the playoff race seemed all but over and the next game on the docket was a rematch with a Capitals bunch looking for a little payback.

Logically, that probably should have been a death knell to this season. Instead, it was the start of an extraordinary sequence that took the Jackets into their holiday break Monday on a stunning high note.

Despite adding Cam Atkinson, Oliver Bjorkstrand and rookie Andrew Peeke to their mountain of injuries, the Blue Jackets have collected points in eight straight games (6-0-2) and rattled off a season-high winning streak of five games — including a 3-2 victory Monday at the New York Islanders, one of the NHL’s top teams.

They had five players in the lineup for that game who’ve played for the Cleveland Monsters in the this season, including four recalled in the past week as emergency fill-ins.

Those fill-ins are contributing.

Kevin Stenlund has two power-play goals in five games since being recalled. Nathan Gerbe put the Jackets up 2-1 in the second period against the Islanders. Ryan MacInnis and Jakob Lilja have added good minutes on the fourth line. Gabriel Carlsson played two solid defensive games while David Savard was sick.

That’s not to mention Joonas Korpisalo’s ongoing excellence in net or rookie defenseman Vladislav Gavrikov, who has scored goals in back-to- back games, including the winner in New York. 1167810 Columbus Blue Jackets games. The 25-year-old also started Monday against the Islanders, which was his fifth straight start, eighth straight game and 30th appearance of the season.

Blue Jackets still deep on defense amid injury issues Korpisalo’s hot hand isn’t just a recent phenomenon either. Since Nov. 15, his 10 wins were tied for first in the NHL with Pittsburgh’s Tristan Jarry, and he had put up scorching numbers in his past 10 appearances Brian Hedger The Columbus Dispatch (1.96 GAA, .928 save percentage).

Dec 24, 2019 at 12:10 AM Gerbe, who’s listed at 5 feet 4 inches, has always stood out for his lack of size and elite speed.

This season, his speed is back after he missed extended time last UNIONDALE, N.Y. — Despite a glut of injuries, the one thing the Blue season because of hip and hernia surgeries. Gerbe had a good training Jackets still have is defensive depth. camp with the Blue Jackets and now leads the Monsters in scoring with Even without Ryan Murray, Markus Nutivaara and Andrew Peeke, coach eight goals, 17 assists and 25 points in 30 games. John Tortorella had a "tough decision" to make with David Savard back "Last year was a funny year," said Gerbe, who still put up good numbers into the lineup against the New York Islanders on Monday night at the last season with 32 points on 10 goals and 22 assists for Cleveland. "I Nassau County Coliseum. missed eight months with hip surgery and double hernia surgery, (so) The choice was to play Scott Harrington in a third straight game, but you don’t know what this year brings. This summer, I trained hard and I rookie Gabriel Carlsson gave Tortorella something to think about during trained different. I tried to be smarter with my body, and it paid off." the two games Savard missed with an illness. Gerbe started out skating at right wing on the third line for the Blue "Tough decision to take him out tonight," Tortorella said. "I think he’s Jackets, skating with captain Nick Foligno and center Alexander shown tremendous improvement. I think he’s making quicker decisions Wennberg. His skating, American Hockey League success and and just going with them. He’s not as much in-between." experience were reasons that Tortorella cited for his latest NHL opportunity. Carlsson was an emergency recall from the Cleveland Monsters on Thursday, after Savard became ill. He was the 11th defenseman the Blue "He’s just a good pro," Tortorella said. "He’s a really good guy for our Jackets have had on their roster, following Adam Clendening, Peeke and team when we call him up, but when he’s (in Cleveland) I think he’s the eight who started the season in the NHL. teaching some of the young guys down there what it is to be a pro. And he can skate. Gerbs … he’ll be able to skate when he’s 55. He’s just a Carlsson logged 9 minutes, 44 seconds of ice time in the Jackets’ 3-2 bundle of energy that way, so that’s a good call-up for us." overtime victory Thursday against the Los Angeles Kings — his first NHL game since the season opener last year — and Tortorella used him for 13:15 in a 5-1 victory Saturday against the . Columbus Dispatch LOADED: 12.25.2019 Harrington has also played well, skating in his third straight game since Peeke was sidelined with a fractured finger last Tuesday in Detroit. After playing just nine of the first 34 games, he’s added stability to the third defense pairing — playing 16:20 against the Devils.

"I’m not sure what happens after the break," Tortorella said of a game against the Washington Capitals on Friday after Christmas. "We’ll judge tonight’s game as far as the lineup and then we’ll see where we go with it."

Nathan Gerbe had quite a holiday travel excursion to join the Blue Jackets on Sunday night.

It started Saturday night in Rockford, , where the veteran forward scored a power-play goal in the Monsters’ 3-2 victory against the IceHogs. A seven-hour bus ride back to Cleveland followed, and Gerbe then made the three-hour drive home Sunday morning to Oxford, Michigan, to be with his family for the holiday break.

Gerbe, 32, visited with his hospitalized father, then got a call around noon that changed his plans.

Bill Zito, the Blue Jackets’ senior vice president of hockey operations, told him to grab his gear and fly to New York as an emergency recall for the Jackets, who needed to replace injured forward Oliver Bjorkstrand. Gerbe’s gear was in Cleveland, so after a quick visit with his kids at his parents’ home, he drove back from where he started the day.

After another three-hour drive, he headed to the airport in Cleveland for an hour-plus flight to New York’s LaGuardia Airport and then sat in traffic during his ride to the team hotel.

"It was a good surprise and good timing for my dad, too, to get a little smile," said Gerbe, who made his season debut for the Blue Jackets and played in his first NHL game since Feb. 24, 2018. "I’m happy to be up here. We love playing hockey and playing the game, so you take advantage of every opportunity you can get."

The NHL revealed its Three Stars of the Week for last week’s games and there was a Blue Jackets player among the honorees.

Goaltender Joonas Korpisalo was named the third star for going 4-0-0 with a 1.50 goals-against average, a blistering .939 save percentage and one shutout.

Going back further, Korpisalo helped the Jackets earn at least a point in seven straight games — going 5-0-2 during the stretch and starting six 1167811 Columbus Blue Jackets Here’s a 3-2-1 rundown on a rock ’em, sock ’em night of hockey to usher in the holidays … three takeaways, two questions and one more thing:

Three Takeaways Blue Jackets 3, Islanders 2 | 3-2-1 postgame breakdown 1) Gavrikov dials up another one

After scoring a key goal in the Jackets’ 5-1 victory against the New Brian Hedger The Columbus Dispatch Jersey Devils on Saturday at Nationwide Arena, the Russian rookie got Dec 24, 2019 at 8:24 AM another chance to show off his "cellphone" goal celebration.

Gavrikov’s decision to fire a backhand from the right wing and cruise around the net late in the third turned out to be a wise one. UNIONDALE, N.Y. – There was a skirmish early in the third period and, as luck would have it, it happened directly in front of the Blue Jackets’ His attempt was blocked, but rookie Alexandre Texier knocked the puck bench. out of mid-air with the blade of his stick and quickly wheeled to flip a wrist shot at Islanders goalie Thomas Greiss. The game was tied, tempers were running hot – had been since the second period – and before you knew it there was a tangle of Blue The initial save was made with a kick of the goalie’s right leg, but Jackets and New York Islanders right there in front of John Tortorella on Gavrikov swatted home the rebound to put the Jackets up 3-2 with just Monday night at NYCB Live Nassau Coliseum. 3:29 left in the third. It turned out to be the winning goal and another opportunity to unveil his "cellphone" goal celebration. Gustav Nyquist took exception to a shove by the Islanders’ Mathew Barzal and returned the favor with one of his own. In an instant, Just as he did against the Devils, Gavrikov turned his left hand into a Islanders’ captain Anders Lee was in his grill after spotting Barzal’s makeshift "phone" and made another "big secret" call as Texier cruised theatrical headfirst fall – which to some, including the officials, might be over. called a dive. "Tex wanted to call with me, too, on my phone … together," Gavrikov That’s all it took for a skirmish to turn into a dust-up that grew into a bit of said, smiling. "Maybe he had a phone, I don’t know." a free-for-all that Tortorella cheerfully called "the grind" later in the Texier was sworn to secrecy about the destination of the "calls." evening – after the two sides were finally separated, after his Blue Jackets killed a late penalty to keep the game knotted and after rookie "He told me it’s a big secret, same as (Saturday)," Texier said, laughing. defenseman Vladislav Gavrikov scored his second goal in as many "It’s the big secret." games to win it 3-2 for Columbus. Gavrikov is one of the NHL’s best-kept secrets for the Blue Jackets, on "Yeah, I like this … I do," said Tortorella, who has watched his battered the ice and off, but won’t be any longer if he keeps scoring big goals. Blue Jackets rally for five straight wins amid an injury spate that has nine players out at the NHL’s holiday break. "I think we don’t see enough of "He tends to have a good look, just a good mental thought offensively, the grind in the game." when to jump in, when to hang around, as he did on the last goal," Tortorella said. "He’s really played well in the hard areas and he does There it was: "The grind." have some good offensive instincts."

His direct reference was to that blowup in the third, which had players 2) Strong Finnish from both sides literally jumping into the fray, but this was a chippy divisional game and it was filled with tempers that escalated quickly. Nobody on the Blue Jackets deserves this break more than Korpisalo, who has been outstanding in net for the past couple weeks. It was also filled with some great hockey, along with numerous pucks clinking off posts and crossbars, but the grind took center stage. This was his eighth straight appearance (fifth straight start) and he was as sharp as he’s been all season. On the same day he was named the There was also an elbow thrown in the first period by Johnny Boychuck NHL’s Third Star of the Week for going undefeated in four games last (6 feet 2, 227 pounds), aimed at the head of diminutive Blue Jackets week, Korpisalo made 35 saves for his career-high fifth straight victory. forward Nathan Gerbe (5-4, 169) – a direct retaliation to Gerbe’s persistent physical play just a day after being recalled on emergency There were some doozies, too, including a left skate save off a basis from the Cleveland Monsters. shorthanded breakaway by Casey Cizikas to keep the game tied 2-2 late in the third. There was another tussle in the second near the Jackets’ net, which included goalie Joonas Korpisalo giving New York’s Jordan Eberle a sly This was Korpisalo’s 29th start and 30th game, putting him one game facewash as Eberle was tangled up with Boone Jenner. Pierre-Luc from tying his career-high for a season. Passing that mark was expected Dubois got into it with Lee in the third, about two minutes after the now that he’s no longer backing up Sergei Bobrovsky, but getting to the Nyquist-Barzal brouhaha, and there were other kerfuffles too, keeping a 30-game threshold this quickly is a bit of a surprise. vocal crowd of mostly Islanders fans out of their seats and screaming. Part of that stems from rookie Elvis Merzlikins losing a little of Tortorella’s It wasn’t exactly old-time hockey, with blood everywhere, but it was trust with some shaky moments, but mostly it’s how much trust Korpisalo definitely more confrontational than most of this era’s regular-season has banked with the Jackets’ head coach. games. It was also refreshing for at least one set of eyes in the building. The Blue Jackets were in a tough spot after four straight losses in "I laughed when everything was going on by our bench there," Tortorella regulation Nov. 30 to Dec. 7, but have since gone 6-0-2 with Korpisalo said. "I looked at all the people there. We were talking in the locker room playing in all eight games (seven starts). and I said, ‘There’s not many of those guys that have been in those "He gives the team confidence," Tortorella said. "The way he’s played situations in a scrum like that. You know, it’s Barzal and (Nyquist), and here, he gives the team confidence and I think the team responds by everybody got involved." playing really well in front of him. It’s a nice little run we’ve got going here Tortorella loves it when "everybody gets involved." before the break. It’s something we needed to do, just to give us a sniff."

In his world, that’s just a hockey game the way it was meant to be 3) Gerbe got right to work played. And this was some hockey game. It was hard-hitting, fast-paced, After a long travel day that included driving roundtrip from Cleveland to entertaining and underscored by the "G" word. his hometown of Oxford, Mich., Gerbe joined the Blue Jackets on Sunday "You know how I feel about the game," Tortorella said. "I don’t feel night as an emergency recall. there’s enough of the grind and that type of checking game being played He stepped right into the lineup, replacing injured forward Oliver in the league." Bjorkstrand (rib and oblique), and the 32-year old veteran looked like Ah, but there was Monday night on Long Island and the Blue Jackets he’d been part of the Blue Jackets all season. He played a strong came out of it smiling as they head into a well-deserved couple days off. physical game, despite his small stature, and fired off a team-high five shots on goal in the 12:07 he played. Gerbe also scored one of the nicest goals of the Jackets’ season to put them up 2-1 in the second, roofing a backhand shot over Greiss’ shoulder and under the crossbar.

"Gerbe played a tremendous game today," Tortorella said.

Two Questions

1) Have we seen this before?

If the run the Jackets are on right now feels familiar, it’s because we have, indeed, seen something like this in the recent past.

It was a lot bigger stage, and there weren’t as many injuries to overcome, but they also beat long odds last season to sweep the heavily-favored Tampa Bay Lightning in the first round of the .

In both instances, the Jackets have made a concerted effort to control the neutral zone and "stay above the puck," as Tortorella has implored of them since training camp. The goal is to limit odd-man rushes, help out their goalies with good sticks in the defensive zone and capitalize offensively when scoring chances arise.

It worked to perfection against the Lightning, throwing a lightning quick skill team off its game, and it also worked against the Islanders – who didn’t generate a lot of odd-man situations.

The Jackets uptick in this area is remarkable considering their injury situation, as new faces from the Monsters have blended right into the mix without much, if any, miscommunication.

The key will be maintaining their edge and discipline coming out of the break.

2) Who’s closest to returning from injury?

It’s starting to look like Sonny Milano is getting close to playing again. Milano wasn’t available and missed his fifth game with an upper-body injury believed to be a concussion, but he fully participated in the Jackets’ morning skate.

Milano was injured on a hit by Ottawa Senators defenseman Mark Borowiecki in the first period of the Blue Jackets’ 4-3 overtime loss Dec. 14 at Canadian Tire Centre. He left the game and didn’t return. Monday’s morning skate at Nassau County Memorial Coliseum was his first on-ice workout with the team since the injury.

The Jackets’ defensive depth got a boost with David Savard returning from a two-game illness absence to face the Islanders and getting Milano back would give their injury-ravaged forwards a similar charge.

One More Thing

Assistant coach didn’t make the trip to New York, staying back in Columbus with his family as his 7-year old son, Ty, recovers from a broken jaw.

Ty Larsen was kicked in the head by a horse on the family’s farm last week, prior to the Jackets’ 5-3 victory in Detroit.

Columbus Dispatch LOADED: 12.25.2019 1167812 Dallas Stars through me while pulling the paper out of the bag the next morning. Thought I was having another heart attack.

In an otherwise credible column on the Mavs in June, I said I’d be Boy, was I wrong about these Cowboys, Longhorn and Aggie football, “shocked” if Luka Doncic and Kristaps Porzingis didn’t enjoy “immediate and Nomar Mazara’s jump to stardom chemistry.”

Question: Is there a time stamp on “immediate”?

By Kevin Sherrington Since writing in July that Leighton Vander Esch, Jaylon Smith and Sean 6:11 PM on Dec 24, 2019 Lee are the best set of Cowboys linebackers since the ’70s, it occurred to me that I’d overlooked other sets. Most of them, as a matter of fact.

Don’t regret anything I wrote from the Aggies’ loss to Clemson in 11-5 didn’t seem like too much to ask of the Cowboys this year. Not for a September. Just regret going at all. Making a game at Death Valley isn’t talented young team coming off a second-round exit. That’s what you get like driving to Sunnyvale. For the effort, it resulted in 46 clicks.Forty-six. I for being reasonable. could have done better staying home and ranking my favorite Seinfeld episodes. Was it my fault Kellen Mond was so bad? Was it Aggie You could say it set a tone for 2019. resentment left over from something I said about Jackie Sherrill? Dennis The Cowboys were headliners in the annual installment of “Stuff I Wish I Franchione? Kevin Sumlin? I mean, c’mon. As someone said, you’d think Hadn’t Written This Year,” back by popular demand. Actually, by request 46 people would click on the story accidentally while looking for Dallas’ of the boss, who likes it. Likes it a little too much, if you ask me. Feels 10 best taco stands. This is the kind of sympathy I get. The lovely wife like it’s going straight from my laptop to a file in HR. has sharp elbows.

Anyway, if there’s any lesson to be learned, most of the following bears From Sept. 9: Cowboys fans “must consider the possibility that [Jerry the whiff of false hope. Let this be a lesson to all who complain that the Jones] will be driving his yacht to Miami come February.” media is too negative. You try to be nice, and this is what you get. Frankly, I don’t even remember writing that. Could have been a desk guy Right out of the box, in fact, on Jan. 2, there was this nut graph on a trying to make me look clever. Yeah, let’s go with that. column after the merciful end of bowl season: The week of Texas-OU, you might have read this in my column from “Lone Star football is back, baby.” Austin: The Sooners’ Neville Gallimore and Ronnie Perkins are “nothing to worry about too much.” Also, the 5-0 Sooners hadn’t played anyone Seemed like the thing to write after Texas won 10 games and beat like Texas. Not only that, it’ll be interesting to see “what kind of team” the Georgia in the Sugar Bowl and Texas A&M smoked N.C. State in the Sooners really are. Gator. Good coaches everywhere in the state, I wrote. Even gave Jimbo Fisher an out in that big, fat contract, saying if he never wins a national Turns out Sam Cosmi, Texas’ talkative offensive tackle, said all that. I title, “nine wins should be the floor from here on out.” merely typed it. Last I looked from the Cotton Bowl press box, Sam seemed to regret talking to me at all. Then Jimbo wins seven this fall, failing to meet even the Kevin Sumlin threshold. Tom Herman managed just seven, too. Nice job defending our Regrets, I’ve had a few too many. After the Rangers whiffed on Zack national reputation. If it hadn’t been for Baylor and SMU, the Legislature Wheeler and Anthony Rendon, I wrote that Jon Daniels could still might have revoked the state’s football charter. salvage the offseason. “Just don’t expect anything big,” I added.

Funny thing is, I don’t even drink, yet these columns from January smack Two days later, Daniels traded for Corey Kluber and his twin Cy Youngs. of a New Year’s hangover. How else to explain writing on the 10th that Our Evan Grant talked me out of writing about it. Probably figured if I did, there are Pro Bowl caliber players “at every level” of the Cowboys’ Kluber would subsequently fall and break a hip or something. As it is, defense? Might surprise this season’s voters. Three days later, I said Evan looks forward to having something nice to write about for a change. Jerry Jones will not only keep Jason Garrett, he’ll “practically write him into the will.”

Maybe you don’t find that last prediction appalling. As long as it turns out Dallas Morning News LOADED: 12.25.2019 to be another mistake, right?

Most regrets in one day: 3, in a Rangers prediction column on Feb. 10. Wrote that Jose Leclerc would be the best Ranger and Nomar Mazara would “make the jump to stardom.”

What’s really galling is that neither one even thanked me. Or at least apologized.

As for the third regret in the column above, it was that the Rangers would win 72 games. Two months later, I said 76. Only two off! Except, by law, I can’t take credit because the first prediction takes precedence. Who says journalists have no ethics?

This is what I get for stepping outside my box and writing about the Stars: Said in February that they’d rid themselves of either or Jamie Benn, then followed up in May with a proclamation that Jim Montgomery’s “not going anywhere.”

Apologies for the vote of confidence, Monty. Wherever you are.

Wrote in March it was OK the Cowboys let Cole Beasley go because they still had Tavon Austin. The Cowboys, unmoved, signed Randall Cobb.

Where did we go wrong, Tay-Tay?

On April 8, wrote that Texas’ college basketball fans’ “long national nightmare is over” after Texas Tech beat Virginia for the NCAA title. If it sounds wrong, it’s because it was. Based on the prospects of tight deadlines, the boss had me write two columns, one for a Tech win, the other for a loss. Fortunately, the correct version made the paper. Nice work on the copy desk, fellas. But you should know a little shiver pulsed 1167813 Dallas Stars For most players, it only takes two or three uses to break in gloves before they feel comfortable. Some players like stiffer gloves than others.

Mattias Janmark, for instance, hasn’t practiced with the brown gloves yet Shap Shots: Bowness’ approach, Winter Classic notes and a book because his pair hadn’t arrived as of last Friday. He also happens to be review one of the players who said he could use a new pair of gloves without any issues.

By Sean Shapiro Stars goalies Ben Bishop and Anton Khudobin have yet to reveal their Winter Classic gear, but it will likely make a practice debut sometime Dec 24, 2019 soon after the holiday break.

Goalie pads don’t need the constant break-in like they used to, but both Bishop and Khudobin said they’d like to have a few practices with the One thing we’ve learned about during his two-week stint gear before Jan. 1. as the Dallas Stars’ interim coach is how he likes to deal with information and the media. Jason Farris likes to stay busy. He also likes to take deep dives into hockey history. Jim Montgomery was a relatively open book during press briefings, regularly discussing injuries and lineup decisions. It wasn’t hard to get That’s why the former Dallas Stars executive was an ideal fit for the honest answers about the team’s plans. Hockey Hall of Fame Board of Directors, which he joined earlier this month. It’s also the genesis for his book It Takes 23 to Win: Building and Bowness is more secretive in how he handles information. It’s not to an Being Part of Great Hockey Teams. extreme level — , for example, would never confirm or deny who his starting goalie was — but Bowness intentionally leaves some This is a business position; Farris isn’t on the selection committee. But he mystery in play. said the role is important to the long-term health of the Hall of Fame.

Case in point: When asked about Alexander Radulov’s recent injury, “I have a real passion for that place,” Farris said. “Since the mid-90s Bowness said it was a “day-to-day lower-body injury” and followed that when I got into all this crazy hockey book stuff, I’ve really been hooked up with a joke about how he could be as vague as he wanted to be. on the place.”

When it comes to how he’s changed things after taking over, Bowness Farris’ most recent book project ties in well to the Hockey Hall of Fame, has also been somewhat secretive. He’s talked about certain aspects of even if there is no official affiliation between the hall and his book coaching, but he’s not as open about the tools he uses — like Montgomery’s very public five-part process. In his prior book, Behind the Moves, Farris took a deeper look at how general managers maneuver. For this project, he wanted to examine how Thanks to the first episode of the Road to the NHL Winter Classic, which players view great teams — and how they would build them if they had aired Monday night on NBCSN, we do have some slight insight into one the chance. of the tools Bowness uses when trying to deliver messages to his players. “Great teams are built on so many things,” Farris said. “It’s not just the first-line guys and the top-pair defenseman. It’s also the depth players, A little more than two minutes into the episode, Bowness introduces a even the guys that don’t play that much and are scratched. If you look at sheet of paper that will be posted outside the locker room after each the best teams, there are strengths everywhere.” game. It’s a tracker of the chances for and the chances against per period, and it looks something like this. It’s an interesting and unique read that’s delivered in the form of a coffee- table book. You can tackle it cover to cover, as I did in the past couple Bowness is a more defensive-minded coach than Montgomery, and he weeks, or you can flip to select pages for informative nuggets and hockey isn’t afraid to say that to his team. history embedded in the pages.

“That’s our game right there, boys,” Bowness said in the clip. “Keeping To me, the anecdotes are the things that drive the book early on. The those chances against down.” honest stories about how teams interacted off the ice, as well as insight into certain teams from the past, were most compelling to me as a Tracking the chances isn’t about how often you are pressuring the other reporter. It’s interesting to compare recent teams, like the 2018 Stanley team. Rather, it’s how often you are limiting the opponent. Cup Champion Washington Capitals to how teams won in earlier eras. That, to me, was the most interesting nugget from the first episode. One question Farris focused on was this: If former NHLers could pick a Here are a few other observations based on the behind-the-scenes look: great team based on their past teammates, who would they select?

— Jim Montgomery’s firing is addressed, but there isn’t any further The project also sparked some story ideas we could tackle here in the context or discovery. The episode opens with Jim Nill’s press conference future as well. and then uses that event to introduce Bowness. It was a way of Farris picked his own team of 23 players and did his best to cover the acknowledging the coaching change, but it feels like the series is going to entirety of the NHL. focus on the present and not dwell about Montgomery any further. Farris intentionally picked players from different eras. Each player — Former Stars defenseman Dan Hamhuis and his family take a trip to selected took part in at least 400 NHL games and for at least four the Nashville Zoo, where one of Hamhuis’ daughters asks the question different franchises. These players fluctuated between different roles in many have pondered: “How will the ice not melt?” their careers, ranging from first to fourth-liners and even fill-ins. — It was interesting watching Taylor Fedun and Jamie Oleksiak discuss Those players then picked their teams, choosing teammates at a certain Fedun’s late arrival and how he prepared for the game against the Vegas time in their career with the idea of building a realistic team that could Golden Knights when John Klingberg was a surprise scratch. If you don’t win, not just one made up of all-stars. pay close attention to the Stars, you would have missed that. “You needed to have legit guys in each role,” Farris said. “You aren’t — We get a glimpse of the Stars’ in-flight activities (cards), while going to put on the fourth line, so you can’t just make an Bowness is working on prepping for the second game of a back-to-back all-star team. I gave a pseudo and they had to make sure to with the Predators. pick at least one player from each year they played.” — There is a big focus on the Stars-Predators game on Dec. 14, when It’s a significant undertaking — one I think was presented well here, both coaching staffs talk about the impact of the playoff series they especially visually. Lineups are laid out using hockey cards for each of played in the spring. Blake Comeau’s shorthanded goal had a big impact the players, and comments about why each player was selected provide on the game, which is even more apparent when you hear Predators insight about what each player valued. coach discuss that moment with his team. There’s an index at the end for each team, which provides further context The Stars started using the brown Winter Classic gloves in practice last for how each of these teams might have looked statistically if they were week. ever really constructed. “There are so many different roles, and I was interested in looking at those and how they all play a part in a team winning,” Farris added. “What makes a winning team and a great team? And I think in this it was The Athletic LOADED: 12.25.2019 nice to see the appreciation that players in different roles had for those in others, that’s one of my biggest takeaways.”

For example, it was fairly obvious Frank Mahovlich would select Jean Beliveau and as his fellow top-line players. But Farris said it was interesting watching the Hockey Hall of Famer pick the depth on his roster and how players like Bill Harris and Gavin Kirk played meaningful roles in his career.

“One of the funny ones was ,” Farris said. “I called him up and told him what I was working on, and there was just dead silence. I just thought, ‘Oh, he thinks this his stupid,’ and so I started to explain it again and he had the whole team ready like that. He said, ‘I don’t know what the hell I’m gonna do on my third line, but I’ve got a team.'”

For the record, Ferraro picked Andrew Brunette, and Patrick Flatley for his third line.

Farris had each of the 23 players pick their teams. He designed logos and assigned team names to each. He played out a hypothetical season for those teams and playoffs with the help of former NHL coach and player Terry Crisp as they determined an eventual champion for the Player Picked Hockey League.

The championship series featured the Schmautzy Seals — picked by Bobby Schmautz — who faced the Nieuwendyk Knights, a squad put together by former Stars forward and general manager Joe Nieuwendyk.

Bob Bassen’s team, the Bassen Bulls, reached the final four before losing to Schmautz’ team.

“I think it was cool to see the personalities of all the players when they picked their teams,” Bassen said. “When I picked my team it was about the best players, but also picking the people that I really felt were a big part of teams. I think it was important to me to have those types and recognize that.”

In addition to the hypothetical teams and the stories from players about their teammates, Farris also examined 12 Stanley Cup championship teams and eight international champions. Those international teams also include teams from the women’s game and sledge hockey.

Quick Hitters

—The ice-making process at the Cotton Bowl is on schedule, while certain parts are even moving ahead of schedule. A number of crew members working on the ice were originally going to fly home on Christmas Eve, but because of the progress they made, they were able to catch flights on Monday evening.

—The World Junior Championship starts on Thursday, and the Stars have three prospects in the tournament. Ty Dellandrea is playing for Team Canada while Oscar Back and Albin Erikkson are on Team Sweden.

—The Stars’ trio of Finns skated with the first recipients of the Friends of the Finns Youth Hockey Scholarship on Monday at the outdoor ice rink in Farmers Branch. The program is designed to provide financial assistance with either equipment or league fees to make hockey more accessible for those players.

Both Roope Hintz and Miro Heiskanen said it was important to get involved in the community in their second season in Dallas, and getting on the ice with youth hockey players is part of that. Esa Lindell was conducting a TV interview while I was talking with Hintz and Heiskanen, but he later told me, “whatever Roope and Miro said is probably good.”

Lindell’s new puppy, Bea, was with him at the event. Bea is an eight- week-old lab, and my 18-month-old daughter Evangeline enjoyed petting the young canine.

I also need to give the Stars credit for being understanding of the holiday season. Hintz and Heiskanen sat down for an interview while Evangeline munched on cheerios at the table with us.

—Let’s close with two programming notes! First, we are taking mailbag questions for Friday right now.

We also have our subscriber event next Monday.

—I hope you have a relaxing and enjoyable holiday. Thank you for reading and supporting our work. 1167814 Detroit Red Wings For Dylan Larkin: The determination to earn the Red Wings’ C next season, and the relief he doesn’t have the pressure of wearing it now.

For : The hope that young players will start learning, and The perfect gifts to lift Detroit sports out of the dumps Yzerman won’t glance at the standings and notice the Wings are on pace for historic ineptitude.

For Tom Gores: The realization that collecting aging stars like Blake Bob Wojnowski, The Detroit News Griffin and Derrick Rose might be fun, but isn’t conducive to long-term success. Gotta pick a direction, Pistons. Either get busy at the trade Published 9:48 p.m. ET Dec. 24, 2019 deadline or I’m sending you Vince Carter, Joe Johnson and a Dirk Nowitzki bobblehead.

I made the darn list and checked it more than twice, and can confirm For Griffin: A fully functioning knee, or two. times have never been tougher for our local sports teams, way more For Andre Drummond: A signature low-post move of any kind, and his naughty than nice. signature on a max contract — with another team. Not naughty in the sense of doing illegal things, but naughty in the sense For Dwane Casey: An unlimited supply of throat lozenges and Tums. of declining to stop pucks, or make tackles, or score runs, or prevent the opposition from dunking the ball. For Jim Harbaugh: One thing he deeply loves, one thing he desperately needs, one thing he’ll likely re-gift — a tall glass of milk, a bowlful of We were told this was the plan, to rebuild, but we didn’t expect it to crushed buckeye nuts and an autographed photo of Urban Meyer. include this much ugliness, did we? I’m not here to remind fans during the festive holidays that the Red Wings, Lions, Tigers and Pistons are in For Mark Dantonio: Fresh, new assistant coaches and an offensive game the throes of massive struggles. plan that doesn’t include third-and-9 jet sweeps crudely drawn on parchment paper. And for the tree, some of those sparkly three- and four- What’s the point in even mentioning the cumulative won-loss record from star ornaments all the neighbors have. their current or most-recent seasons is 70-170-1, a sizzling winning percentage of 29.2? Hey, at least the 3-11-1 Lions gifted you a tie. For Tom Izzo: Healthy shooters and improved fortune to land a ninth Final Four and that elusive second national title, so fans can start Once again, I’m here to lift spirits (on the rocks with a lime, please) and wondering when he’ll land a 10th Final Four and a third national title. provide gifts of hope to those who need it. And my goodness, plenty Also, a trademark for the phrase, “This should make us better in March.” need it. If you can believe in flying reindeer, “playoff contention” pledges and big bearded fellas sliding down chimneys to deliver No. 2 pencils to For Juwan Howard: The stamina and spirit to keep Cabbage Patch every boy and girl, then you can believe a new year will bring promising dancing his way through a successful first season as Michigan coach. draft picks and an occasional three-game winning streak, right? Right. For AD Warde Manuel: The willpower to resist dropping too many “I told As always, these gifts are non-returnable and non-transferable. you so’s” for his bold hiring of Howard.

For Matt Patricia: A subscription to a razor club, for starters. Also, the For AD Bill Beekman: A stack of “Hello, my name is ___” stickers to wear best gift of all — the real Bill Belichick defensive playbook, not the paint- around the Michigan State campus. by-numbers booklet the Hoodie gave him on the way out of New England. For Little Caesars Arena: More fan fannies in the seats.

For Bob Quinn: The No. 2 pick in the draft, and the strength to resist the For Detroit sports fans: A year full of shrewd trades, breakout stars and temptation to bypass Ohio State pass-rusher Chase Young for a slot fiiiiive gold rings. Haha, just kidding. How about gifts more feasible and receiver. Especially during the 12 Days of Christmas, it would be nice if practical — lower ticket prices, cheaper beer and the elimination of the Lions had 11 defenders defending and a pass rush involving more cheatin’ referees who fabricate ridiculous penalties at critical times to than two turtle doves. help the stupid Packers.

For Matthew Stafford: After suffering back-to-back back injuries, he’s due Stay strong, people, and sleep well with visions of free-agent sugar something special. The Lions finally gave him a fancy new running game, plums and shiny draft picks dancing in your heads! but it broke. Fortunately, the warranty on Kerryon Johnson didn’t expire, but I’ll put another running back under the tree just in case. Stafford deserves to play with a healthy back, in every way. Detroit Free Press LOADED: 12.25.2019 For Martha Ford: The competitive passion to warrant the “Marth Vader” moniker and the mystery shades, and to reverse the fortunes of a woeful franchise. I realize a pro football championship in Detroit has been on layaway for 63 years, but what about a division title? Or more than one playoff victory? Or a gift card redeemable for “playoff contention”?

For Chris Ilitch: The foresight to know when to switch from preaching patience to pumping payroll, before the last fan out of Comerica Park turns off the bathroom lights. Hint: That time is rapidly approaching. Signing boppers C.J. Cron and Jonathan Schoop from the Twins was a decent start in nudging the Tigers below their 114-loss limit.

For Al Avila: Three Wise Men aren’t available, but what about One Mize Man? Heralded Casey Mize should arrive and bring some pitching buddies with him. Avila’s list also ambitiously requested eight major- league position players. Ha. He’s more likely to get eight maids a-milking down on the farm.

For Ron Gardenhire: A starting rotation, an everyday lineup, a bullpen, a bench and a stocked fridge in his office with a mix of domestic and import lagers.

For Miguel Cabrera: His old bicep back, as well as his sweet swing, not his sweet tooth.

For Steve Yzerman: Five rangy defensemen, four rugged forwards, three French hens (no idea why), two promising goalies and a future superstar with the No. 1 pick. 1167815 Detroit Red Wings “It was pretty tough. It’s way different hockey because you’re playing against juniors there,” Zadina said. “I was used to playing against men. But it was still good, I liked it a lot.

Lots of Red Wings intrigue, prospects highlight world junior tournament “It’s always fun to wear the national logo on the chest.”

Blashill feels how a player performs in the world junior tournament isn’t going to dictate how successful he’ll be going forward in the short term. Ted Kulfan, The Detroit News “It’s going to be a learning process, playing in the American League is Published 3:17 p.m. ET Dec. 24, 2019 | Updated 7:31 p.m. ET Dec. 24, going to be a process,” Blashill said. “It just is. So whether he (Veleno) 2019 comes back and tears it up or grinds his way through the rest of the season, we’ll see.

“For me, it won’t dictate how good a player he is going to be in the future. Detroit — For hockey fans, nothing completes the holidays like the world To me, it’ll dictate how he reacts to all the these challenges he’s facing.” junior tournament.

Sure, you can open all the presents you want, eat every treat on the plate, and listen to carols until your ears pop. Detroit Free Press LOADED: 12.25.2019 But not until that puck drops for that United States-Canada game on Thursday are the holidays complete for the avid hockey fan.

This year’s tournament — a tournament Red Wings coach Jeff Blashill has been involved in as an assistant for Team USA in 2009 — is being held in the Czech Republic and wraps up on Jan. 5.

“I’m looking forward to the tournament, I love the tournament,” Blashill said. “You certainly want to see some of the prospects, but I also love watching the U.S. win.”

From a Red Wings’ perspective, this year’s tournament certainly has plenty of interesting angles.

The Wings are almost surely going to have a high draft pick, likely one of the first four picks after the lottery is done, so there will be plenty of attention focused on possible future Red Wings.

Forwards Alexis Lafreniere and Quinton Byfield (both on Team Canada) and Russian goalie Yaroslav Askarov are considered to be the three top prospects currently in the draft, and all would help strengthen the Red Wings.

But there’s also the current Wings prospects who will be competing in the tournament.

Forward Joe Veleno (Canada) and defenseman Moritz Seider (Germany), both of who are playing for the minor league affiliate Grand Rapids Griffins, will be competing for their country.

Also, defenseman Jared McIsaac (Canada), and forward Jonatan Berggren and goalie Jesper Eliasson (both Team Sweden) are other Wings prospects who will be participating.

“I’ve been a part of it, it’s a really unique experience,” Blashill said. “(There’s) probably as much pressure as they (the players) will face until they get to the National Hockey League. The pressure in that tournament is unfair for the age of the players to be honest with you.

“But it makes for a really neat environment. It’s probably a little different when it’s in Canada as opposed to Europe. When I was with the U.S. team in Ottawa, that was like nothing I’d seen to that point.”

For Red Wings fans, the progress of a player like Veleno will be closely watched.

Veleno, 19, has 12 points (five goals, seven assists) in 29 games, with a team-worst minus-22 plus-minus rating.

Similar to Filip Zadina the year before — a fellow first-round pick of the Wings — the adjustment to pro hockey hasn’t been all smooth.

“The American League is a real hard league,” said Blashill, who coached four seasons in Grand Rapids. “Moving into pro hockey from junior hockey, or from college to pro, is the biggest jump you make as a player. It’s way harder than moving from the American League to the NHL.

“It doesn’t surprise me, and nobody should be necessarily concerned. It’s just part of the development process.”

The Wings enabled Zadina to play for the Czech Republic in last year’s junior tournament, and Zadina was held to one point (an assist) in five games.

Zadina returned to Grand Rapids after the tournament, and played well enough to earn a nine-game stint in the NHL with the Wings. 1167816 Detroit Red Wings they are as people, as human beings away from the rink, they’re unbelievable people. Obviously college, they say, is the best four years of your life and that was certainly a fact for me, and they just had a positive impact on myself. And same goes with his brother (Dan) who I From parents to former NHLers: Youth coaches who impacted the Red had at prep school, at Salisbury. Which is funny. Same type of thing. Wings Those are the grooming years of your life, and they just have a significant impact in terms of how they help you become the person you are and the

level of professionalism that you should conduct as a person. For sure Max Bultman I’m extremely grateful to have those guys in my life.

Dec 24, 2019 Brendan Perlini: One that was there for my whole career has just been my parents in general. My dad, (Fred), was my coach a lot growing up, even here in Detroit he was on part of the coaching staff. My mom, (Vicki), was actually my coach when I was really young, like 8, 9, 10, 11. No one makes the NHL by accident. … She was probably my toughest coach to be honest. She wasn’t afraid Many players do have prodigious talent. An equal, and arguably greater, to give me a kick in the ass, I’ll tell you that. It’s pretty cool, though. You number have uncommon levels of discipline and drive. The greatest have look back and both your parents at one point coached you, it’s kind of both. But in the background, there are also invariably people who help cool. these world-class athletes discover and master their gifts. Dylan McIlrath: Lots. Probably most influential hockey-wise was Bruce Throughout the season, The Athletic has been asking every member of Southern. He coached us in summer hockey, probably ages 11 to 14, so the Red Wings (or at least, the ones who weren’t injured) about the most pretty impressionable age. He was the one who switched me to defense influential youth coaches they had growing up and the biggest impacts and believed in me that I could play there. I was swapping between those coaches had on them. In the holiday spirit, here are some of their forward and D a lot, and he just thought I could have potential as a answers: defenseman, even at that young age. And then he obviously put a letter on my chest that year. I try to see him once a summer, usually on the golf Dylan Larkin: I played for Joe Smaza, the head coach at Belle Tire, from course. the time I was 11 to 16. He was a great role model, great coach. And someone who just was coming from HoneyBaked, just wanted me to play Robby Fabbri: It’s tough to say just one of them. There was a group of and wanted me to play my game and be creative and play with good them that kind of, from growing up through summer hockey and winter players. He ran great practices, he was a great teacher, great competitor. hockey, that helped me along the way and (I’m) still in contact with them. Every tournament we went to, he wanted to win. It was a pretty special One of them I’ve been skating with since I was 9. … Domenic Amodeo. thing. He played. He was a skilled player and when we get out there he gives me the freedom to let him know what I want to work on and then he uses Luke Glendening: Probably my dad, (Tom). He coached me when I was what he knows to tweak things and give me little pointers. It’s just about growing up. … He had three things he always said: Have fun, try your the reps with him and it’s been a while and he’s helped me out the whole best and be a good sport, and that’s kind of what he tried to instill in me. way. It was never about the goals or the assists or anything like that, but it was how hard I worked. I think that’s what I’ve carried on most. Taro Hirose: He only coached me for about a year, but his name’s Scott Atkinson, he was sort of my skills coach growing up, power skating, and Christoffer Ehn: When I was maybe 7 till I was 15, I had a coach back he’s actually coaching my brother now so good family friend and always home that played a huge part in forming me both as a player and person. gave me a lot of good advice and really sort of taught me the game. I But, I mean, for the start of my senior career, too, I had a really good think just developing my skill set at a young age and focusing on power coach. He’s now the head coach of Djurgårdens, in the Swedish league, skating and things like that was really important. Robert Ohlsson. Really smart guy, worked a lot with me because he was the assistant coach in Frolunda when I was there. Really smart. Good Jonathan Bernier: For me it was probably in junior. I had Clément Jodoin, coach. Those are probably the two biggest influences on me. … (The he was (an assistant) Montreal coach for a while and he was my head other) doesn’t coach anymore. His name is Greger Walette. He was a coach (in the QMJHL) and I thought he changed my career quite a bit. … really smart guy too. He would come up with solutions and stuff to think I think just giving you confidence, and obviously the style he was — I think that’s biggest part, when you start playing hockey, that you get teaching helped me a lot, giving me confidence, playing good guys that teach you how to think. Use your head. Create some kind of defensively, and playing that way we were able to win the (QMJHL hockey IQ. … I think he did a really good job. And I’m still good friends Presidents) Cup. So obviously everyone had success and when you with him to this day. start having success at that age it just kind of carries on and was able to get drafted and keep going in that direction. Tyler Bertuzzi: Probably my minor midget coach, Darryl Moxam. Obviously I was a young kid, and he played in the OHL and now he Mike Green: Yeah, my first couple years of hockey. Dave Smith. coaches for the Sudbury Wolves, and he kind of made me into the player Dynastars was the team, summer league. He was a big influence on me. I am and taught me, not just on-ice, but off-ice what to expect. He was a One thing I’ll never forget, he (said), “Don’t be one dimensional.” big impact in me making it. He was just a good player-friend coach. Dennis Cholowski: Maybe Cliff Ronning, the old Canucks player. Played Obviously, we’re all young kids so can’t be as hard on us as you want, everywhere in the NHL, played a lot of years, got us so close to the and he was a good mentor on and off the ice … just with what to expect Stanley Cup that one year in ’94. Yeah. He was my coach probably six or and how to manage yourself. seven years in spring hockey. Just being able to be coached by a former Adam Erne: My team out in L.A. when I was 13, it was like the first real NHLer, especially at that young of an age, is pretty cool. He taught me a exposure I had to really good coaching, so I guess all the coaches on lot of things and had a pretty big influence on me. I still talk to him every that team. Rick Kelly, Bill Comrie, Sandy Gasseau. It was the first time I once in a while and stay in contact. He had a big impact on me, and had real coaching, like just learned details of the game. some of the things he taught me I’ll never forget. … It’s just playing the pro style, I guess. And we were so young, and being able to just learn Jonathan Ericsson: My dad, (Sven), is one of them, obviously. Another what they did in the NHL and what works and what doesn’t, nobody at guy, he passed away a few years ago so he won’t hear it, back in that age is really thinking about that — 10, 11, 12, 13 year olds. So just Sweden, his name was Tjorven Lindqvist. He was pretty hard on me. He learning those valuable lessons that young was really cool. was hard on everyone. Him and my dad, they were very different in how they were coaching stuff. Tjorven a was a little more aggressive, but Jimmy Howard: Yeah, several. Probably three of them. My first goalie always a great soul and he wanted the best for the team. … (My dad) coach, Barry Madigan. Coach Mike Eaves. And Grant Standbrook at the maybe held me a little more accountable than everyone else, but that’s University of Maine. Very fortunate I was able to be coached by them what I wanted. Was always honest. No bullshit. But he was never like growing up. My very first goalie coach, Barry Madigan, obviously just pushing me. He’s never been like, “You have to do this, you have to do building the foundation. Coach Mike Eaves just learning the details of the this, you have to be on my own terms.” And then he supported me in game, learning to have discipline and really work for goals. And then what I was doing. Coach Standbrook out of Maine, just going through my game with a fine- tooth comb, just sharpening it up really good. Alex Biega: The Donato family in general. Teddy Donato is obviously the head coach of Harvard … they’ve been great to me, and just the way Patrik Nemeth: I had one, when I grew up in Sweden, that was really good, actually. … (Mattias) Jonsson. He was really good. I think we were 12, 13; he was 20, if even that. … It’s pretty interesting — there’s actually four NHL players from that team (Nemeth, Gabriel Landeskog, Erik Gustafsson, Fredrik Claesson). … We had a group that was really competitive, and he just made the environment really good. And he made it fun. … It’s pretty impressive from an under-12 youth team in Sweden. He was awesome.

Madison Bowey: My dad, (Will), always coached me growing up, till I was 10 years old, so he was a huge influence on me. He loves the game, he’s very passionate and very supportive and I think he not only wanted myself to have success but the whole team. And I think that was one thing I learned from him is that it’s a team game, and I think everyone has to have fun and enjoy it, but also at the same time (be) ready to work. And then besides my dad I think a huge coach I had in Bantam hockey for two years was Rob Reimer, for Winnipeg. He was a guy that he had no kids on the team, you could tell he just did it out of true passion, and true love of the game and he really had our backs and I was fortunate where our team was really good and we won a few championships under his (guidance). And I think that was just a guy that really kind of showed how leadership and how accountability — even at a young age — how all of that, work ethic and everything, ties into being a successful not only as a hockey player but I think person in life. I learned a lot of life skills from him as well. That was 2008-09, 2009-10.

Justin Abdelkader: Shawn Zimmerman. He was a coach I had for (six or seven) years growing up. He coached me in youth hockey, starting in fifth grade all the way through my high school, through my junior year. He just taught me to make sure I was playing the 200-foot game, playing on both ends of the ice, being a player that is physical, blocks shots.

Darren Helm: When I was really young, Doug Cook was a good coach for me. Just a nice guy and kept things fun as a player. When I got to juniors, , I think he really helped with development and kind of taking that next step of him showing myself and other guys on the team the way we needed to play and take the next step. I think Willie would probably be top of the list. Probably my dad, (Gary), too. He never was on the bench with me but just after practices, after games, kind of lead me in the right direction — things that I could have done better and can do better. Just kept telling me to push forward and work hard and things will work out, so he was probably the biggest part of the success I’ve had. Not your typical on-the-bench coach, but on the sidelines for sure for.

Valtteri Filppula: My first coach was Sami Manttari, and then Jari Leppänen was the second one, and then Petri Eronen. They were the three coaches from pretty much growing up to 15, 16, (who) were with me. … Obviously that’s where you kind of develop a lot … as a player, how you’re going to be, how your skills are going to be, and I think those coaches are really important. And obviously they’re, at the same time, trying to hold you to those sports and stay in and not do something else. That way it’s huge.

Filip Zadina: Obviously my dad, (Marek). … He wanted me to be the best whatever I would do, so he probably did the most for myself. He helped me a lot every single day, every single practice we were on. … (Whether it) was a game day or the day before or day after, we were talking about the game. He helped me every single day. I’m so glad for it. … My dad. He’s the best.

The Athletic LOADED: 12.25.2019 1167817 Edmonton Oilers Until recently, that is. Monday’s loss to the Canucks also saw the Oilers continue an experiment that started just this past week: that of an old- school checking line, centered by Gaetan Haas.

Leon Draisaitl is struggling badly, even as the Oilers’ depth forwards After a brief stint on a unit with Riley Sheahan and Josh Archibald, seem to be coming around Tippett moved Haas back to centre his own line against St. Louis last Wednesday, and matched him against the Blues’ -led unit. On Friday, it was the Pens’ Malkin-centered top line. Saturday’s game against Montreal saw him get a steady diet of Brendan Gallagher. By Jonathan Willis Finally, against the Canucks, it was Elias Pettersson, who saw very little Dec 24, 2019 of McDavid and instead a steady diet of everyone else. His ice-time against Edmonton’s centres was as follows:

VANCOUVER — The Canucks beat Edmonton goalie Mikko Koskinen 5:12 vs. Ryan Nugent-Hopkins twice at five-on-five en route to a 4-2 win over the Oilers Monday. Leon 3:58 vs. Riley Sheahan Draisaitl was conspicuous by his involvement on both goals. That happens, but in Draisaitl’s case, it has now been happening with 3:55 vs. Gaetan Haas disturbing regularity over a long period of time. Over the past 25 games, Edmonton’s opponents have outscored the Oilers 34-18 with Draisaitl on 1:07 vs. Connor McDavid the ice. Partially the mixture of opponents is a result of Pettersson playing a lot of The defensive numbers are particularly galling. When down a man this minutes. Looking at the situation from Haas’s perspective makes it clear season, the Oilers have allowed an average of 5.57 goals against per how the coach was deploying him: hour. With Draisaitl out at five-on-five, the number is scarcely better: 5.17 3:55 vs. Pettersson goals against per hour over the past 25 games. 2:58 vs. Adam Gaudette Draisaitl has been unfortunate. He has also played poorly. 2:04 vs. Jay Beagle Vancouver’s two five-on-five goals capture the combination nicely. 1:01 vs. Bo Horvat On Tyler Motte’s 1-0 goal, Draisaitl won a defensive zone draw, but banked the puck off his skate in the process. As Draisaitl charged up the Tippett didn’t have last change, but used the Haas line in situations ice, he ended up abandoning both puck and shooting lane to Motte, who where he would have known it was likely they would draw a top unit, capitalized on the error. We might perhaps critique Draisaitl’s willingness such as on a defensive zone draw following a television timeout. Asked to fly the zone, but nine times out of 10 that puck makes it to a afterward if he was using Haas in more of a shutdown role lately, Tippett rather than sitting teed up for the opposing centre. acknowledged that he was.

On Bo Horvat’s 2-2 goal, there isn’t much defence of Draisaitl. One might “A little bit,” he said. “We’ve got the two lines there: Sheahan and Haas. argue that the referees got it wrong, that Horvat clearly kicked the puck They’re both really smart lines. They play on the right side of the puck into the net, but even if that were true it still doesn’t explain why Draisaitl and they do little things well. We need guys like that.” took such an indifferent approach to shadowing the Vancouver captain. If Horvat glides the way Draisaitl did, or if Draisaitl skated the way Horvat Sheahan has been playing relatively difficult minutes for much of the did, the puck doesn’t find its way into the net. season, but Tippett had been using the Haas unit in a less onerous role. What’s especially interesting is that both players have kept the damage We should allow that the cartoonish goals-against numbers being posted to a minimum over the past 25 games. With Sheahan on the ice, when Draisaitl’s on the ice are unrealistically inflated. Yet he also has the Edmonton has been outscored 8-7; with Haas the number is 7-6. In a worst expected goals against rate of any forward on the team. world where the Oilers’ top six is productive, that isn’t bad.

The situation is better when he plays with Connor McDavid, but still not Haas has had decent underlying numbers for most of the year and what good, as we see when we look at their hourly goal rates together and has changed lately is that they’re being posted in a more prominent role. apart: Sheahan’s line got thumped badly in the early going, but it’s probably a good idea to remember that both he and regular right wing Josh Together, per hour: 3.79 goals for, 3.79 goals against (50 percent) Archibald had injury issues in the early season. If this is that unit’s true McDavid without Draisaitl, per hour: 3.01 goals for, 1.51 goals against level of ability, that’s just fine given their cost and role. (67 percent) Or at least, it would be just fine if the top six was producing. Ryan Draisaitl without McDavid, per hour: 1.70 goals for, 4.25 goals against Nugent-Hopkins scored a lovely goal Monday which might be an (29 percent) indicator that he’s emerging from his own stretch of poor play. If he and Draisaitl can come out of the break playing at their usual levels, Draisaitl has not played well this season when asked to lead his own line Edmonton might just be in decent shape in the second half. away from Edmonton’s captain. Yet he’s also not playing especially well when on McDavid’s line. The marginal increase in offence he brings is more than offset by the total collapse of the unit’s defensive numbers. The Athletic LOADED: 12.25.2019 This is not normal for a player who was arguably the league’s most dominant five-on-five scorer in the early part of the season. Asked afterward whether the top line could use the rest that comes with the break, coach broadened it out to encompass the entire team.

“Our whole group needs it,” he said. “We played a lot of games in a short amount of time here. The break’s going to be good for everybody.”

Although widely considered a top-heavy team, the irony for the Oilers is that Draisaitl’s collapse is happening in tandem with Edmonton deploying a reasonably effective bottom six.

Broadly speaking the NHL is a power-vs.-power league, with top players facing off against their equivalents on the other side. The Oilers have not generally been an exception. Sites that measure quality of competition, such as PuckIQ, tend to have McDavid and Draisaitl taking the lion’s share of ice time against top opponents. 1167818 Florida Panthers season-high three power-play goals. … LW Jonathan Huberdeau has goals in three consecutive games. … Tampa Bay won three of the four meetings between the teams this season.

Lightning score 3 power-play goals in 6-1 rout of Panthers

Miami Herald LOADED: 12.25.2019

BY ERIK ERLENDSSON ASSOCIATED PRESS

DECEMBER 23, 2019 11:35 PM

TAMPA, FLA.

The Tampa Bay Lightning got off to a good start in a stretch of six consecutive games against division opponents.

Victor Hedman had two goals and an assist, Brayden Point had a four- point game and the Lightning scored three power-play goals in a 6-1 win over the Florida Panthers on Monday night.

Point had a goal and three assists, Nikita Kucherov added a goal and two assists and Alex Killorn and Mikhail Sergachev each scored power-play goals as the Lightning snapped a two-game winless skid.

Andrei Vasilevskiy finished with 29 saves and improved to 15-9-2 on the season.

“These are the teams we’re chasing,’’ Lightning head coach said. “

Florida’s Sergei Bobrovsky allowed a season-high six goals on 34 shots.

Jonathan Huberdeau scored the only goal for Florida, which had its three-game winning streak halted.

“We got out ... everything tonight,’’ Florida coach said. “Whether it was compete, whether it was possession, whether it was special teams, whether it was ... completed passes. They had it in every category. It was a disappointing way going into the break coming off of three good games and all of a sudden you come up with (Monday’s) game. But to give them credit they responded to the urgency that was appropriate.’’

The Lightning finished off a dominant opening period with a three-goal lead. Point opened the scoring 41 seconds in with a deflection of Erik Cernak’s shot from the right circle.

“You get that goal on the first shift, it really gets you fired up on the bench,’’ Tampa Bay defenseman Ryan McDonagh said. “That was a great start, something we talked about in trying to get the lead, play with the lead and keep building on it.’’

Hedman made it 2-0 with a slap shot from the center point at 15:06, and Sergachev scored on the power play with a wrist shot from the left circle at 18:03.

“To come into the room 3-0 you’re feeling pretty good about yourself,’’ Cooper said.

The Panthers cut into the lead with a Huberdeau power-play goal at 2:47, but Killorn answered at 5:53 on the rebound of a shot by Steven Stamkos. Kucherov made it 5-1 with another power-play goal at 9:52.

“Second period, I feel like, could’ve been our game if we scored a couple of goals on the power play,’’ Florida captain Aleksander Barkov said. “But we didn’t, they did and that’s the score.’’

Florida played most of the third period with four defenseman after Aaron Ekblad took a shot off his shoulder and left the game with 7:32 left in the second period and did not return.

Florida defenseman Anton Stralman took a hit to top of the helmet and was left bleeding on a shot by Ryan McDonagh.

Quenneville said both are expected to be fine by the time the Panthers return to action on Saturday.

NOTES: Lightning C Tyler Johnson was held out after aggravating a lower-body injury that kept him out of four games earlier in the month. … Tampa Bay recalled RW Mathieu Joseph from Syracuse of the American Hockey League. … Lightning RW Nikita Kucherov recorded his 300th career assist and 500th career point with a first-period assist. … Florida RW Noel Acciari was named the NHL No. 1 Star of the Week on Monday after recording seven goals in three games. … The Panthers allowed a 1167819 Los Angeles Kings routine to be far more fluid. His responsibilities have heightened, but so too have his opportunities for self-determination.

“In high school, they’re holding your hand, there are a lot more Kings prospect Alex Turcotte finding way to NHL with gap year at assignments,” he said. In college, “you pick and choose your spots on Wisconsin when to study. You don’t need to stress over it as much.”

Turcotte — who this week will represent the United States at the under- 20 World Junior Championships in the Czech Republic — has conflicting By JACK HARRIS feelings about this new reality. “The freedom part, I definitely like,” he said. But, he concedes, “It’s got its pros and cons.” STAFF WRITER Pro: Most nights, he relaxes in the single-room dorm he and Holloway DEC. 24, 2019 4:44 PM share. While Holloway usually plays “Fortnite” on their side-by-side televisions, Turcotte splits his screen time between “Call of Duty,” NHL video games and Netflix (“Peaky Blinders” and “Stranger Things” are MADISON, Wis. — With an impish grin and shallow dimple cratering on often queued up). his right cheek, Alex Turcotte tried to explain himself. Con: Dorm living fails to check many comforting boxes of home life, from While most students traverse the University of Wisconsin’s tree-lined the disappointing food on down. lakeside campus by foot, a group of freshmen on the Badgers’ hockey team has concocted a different workaround. “I really miss being around a family environment, having meals, being around people that care about you a lot and spending time with them,” “We just Uber,” said Turcotte, the 18-year-old prospect whom the Kings Turcotte said. “That’s the biggest thing that you kind of miss out on. But I drafted fifth overall this past summer, and who is now playing his first and guess that’s part of growing up too.” possibly only season of college hockey. Leaning against a wall after a recent practice, Turcotte half-chuckled, then expounded upon the ride- Revelations like this are what make the NCAA experience so valuable. share rationalization. It’s a gradual buffer before breaking into the NHL, providing stepping stones on which Turcotte can find his footing as a player and a person. For one, there’s the length of the walk between the math and animal science classes that several players have in the afternoons. Turcotte, “There’s a lot of responsibility,” said Wisconsin coach Tony Granato, a who doesn’t have a car of his own in Madison, says it’s a 25-minute hike. former Kings player who remains close with many in the club’s front His roommate, Dylan Holloway, says it’s closer to 40 but “feels like office, including President and general manager Rob almost an hour.” Blake. “That only helps you mature and grow, learn life skills outside the game of hockey that are going to be very valuable when it gets that way. There’s also Bascom Hill, a beautiful yet inconvenient landmark situated You come in here as kids, and you’ve got to grow up fast.” between the academic corridor of campus, near the windswept shore of Lake Mendota, and the Badgers’ practice facility, nestled in the opposite Granato’s on-ice critiques for Turcotte, who entered the holiday break corner of the university grounds. On other occasions, the reasoning is with six goals and 15 points in 16 games, have been limited. The 5-foot- simpler. 11, 185-pound center continually sharpens his game on his own, studying such current NHL players as Anze Kopitar, Jonathan Toews and “Sometimes when it’s cold out,” Holloway said, “we just don’t feel like Nathan MacKinnon, watching and rewatching clips of their highlights to walking.” look for techniques that might mesh with his style.

Whatever the case, Turcotte need not defend his decision. Not anymore Alex Turcotte poses for a portrait after being selected fifth overall by the anyway. Perhaps in the past, cutting even such a harmless corner might Kings in the 2019 NHL draft. have brought consequences. But he’s an adult now, suddenly bestowed with a level of independence and freedom that, even counting his time as But, mentally, Granato sees plenty of room for Turcotte to grow. He a top junior prospect, he has never truly experienced before. points out the player’s razor-sharp competitive edge as a blessing and a curse. That’s largely why he came to college in the first place: to learn lessons about life while putting the finishing touches on his game. Sometimes it can carry him to new heights, like when Turcotte battled back from a mononucleosis diagnosis this past spring to finish his season “Making mistakes in games and practice, you can learn from it — and and graduate from high school on time. But it can hold Turcotte back too. learn how to handle it here, where it’s not under a microscope,” Turcotte In his last six games of the semester, Turcotte failed to record a point — said, donning a red Wisconsin short-sleeve shirt while emphasizing the the struggles of playing at the NCAA level snowballing from one night to benefits of his current setting. “Get better from that as a person, and a the next. player.” “He’s hard on himself,” Granato said. “He pushes himself and demands a Turcotte’s path as a youth was structured and streamlined. Growing up lot of himself. Some of it is detrimental toward his performance because outside Chicago in a hockey family — his father, Alfie, played in parts of he gets so wound up in it. I think that’s part of the growth part. Learn to seven NHL seasons — he was quickly tagged as a prodigal prospect. control it, use it in a positive way.”

At 16, he moved to Michigan to play for the same USA Hockey National Once again, the college atmosphere serves as the perfect incubator. Team Development Program that produced such NHL All-Stars as Patrick Kane, Jack Eichel and . In two seasons, “I know I’m still 18,” Turcotte said. “I know it’s not the end of the world. Turcotte left his own legacy, wowing scouts with his quick stick and But if you’re going to make mistakes, you make them. You’ve got to learn nonstop motor while flying up draft boards. He became the Kings’ earliest from them and try to become better from them. Whether it’s in practice or selection since they took Brayden Schenn at No. 5 in 2009. games, it’s going to happen eventually. It happens to everyone. Even the best players in the NHL have gone through slumps. They always get He could have jumped straight to the pros or continued playing junior through it because they’re the hardest workers.” hockey. Instead, he came to Wisconsin to expand his horizons, becoming the latest top-ranked prospect to take a de facto NCAA “gap Turcotte wants to be all of the above: a top player, a tireless worker, the year” after being drafted. face of a franchise. He knows it’s what’s expected of him, and he already feels the weight on his back. He is expected to compete for a roster spot “It’s not easy,” said Nelson Emerson, the Kings’ director of player with the Kings next season. personnel. “It’s a challenge. You’re away from home. You’re on your own. You have to establish an organized schedule and an organized But for now, he’s still learning how to get to the NHL, using college as a formula to have everything work.” means to tiptoe toward his future, one adjustment at a time.

With the U.S. Development Program, Turcotte’s days were regimented “It’s up and down. There’s the good moments and the bad moments,” he down to the minute, bookended by a 6 a.m. wakeup call and a late- said. “But I think it’s like that for everything. There’s definitely been some afternoon practice that stretched until sundown. He has found his college adversity. Learning from that can only help me.”

LA Times: LOADED: 12.25.2019 1167820 Los Angeles Kings Bjornfot, sparked by an impressive NHL training camp, was in the lineup for the Kings’ regular-season opener at Edmonton. He appeared in three games with the Kings before getting sent down to later in October. With Ontario, Bjornfot has nine points (two goals, seven assists) Kings prospects, Bjornfot and Kupari, should improve with world juniors in 23 games and is plus five. experience He arrived in Southern California late in the summer and never expected to be spending the full hockey season in warm weather.

By Lisa Dillman “From the first, it was kind of weird,” Bjornfot said. “I just brought one luggage here. I was positive. I wanted to be here so it was good for me. Dec 24, 2019 My English is getting better. It’s more fun to get to know the language.”

There are a handful of Swedish players among the Kings and Reign to You have to appreciate the geographical awareness and nod to help ease Bjornfot’s language assimilation. Not so for Kupari, who was a traditional hockey rivalries from the savvy schedule makers on Day 1 at first-round pick (No. 20) in 2018. the World Junior Championship in the Czech Republic. “It will be nice (at worlds). Here, I haven’t talked Finnish at all — just to The Boxing Day lineup (Dec. 26) features the following games: my girlfriend — but not with the team,” Kupari said in an interview before leaving the Reign. “Back to old days. It helps when you’ve got to speak Russia vs. Czech Republic English every day. When I came here, it was sometimes struggling with English but it’s getting better all the time.” Finland vs. Sweden Kupari’s previous experience at the event will be an asset but this time United States vs. Canada he will be considered a core piece, rather than a supplementary player. Switzerland vs. Kazakhstan. In Finland’s final tuneup game, against Canada, he centered the top line.

OK, the premise may not work for Switzerland against Kazakhstan but “I’m one of the guys (the) coaches expect, and I expect, to lead the team. three for four still manages to make the narrative fit. Kings prospects Akil Help the team to win,” he said. Thomas and Aidan Dudas are on Team Canada’s roster facing off Bjornfot has been paired in pre-tournament games with Edmonton Oilers against Team USA and Kings draftees Alex Turcotte and Arthur Kaliyev. prospect Philip Broberg, who was drafted (No. 8) in the first round in [ Listen to Point Breakaway for more Kings coverage ] June, 14 places ahead of Bjornfot, who went 22nd.

But the Finland-Sweden game, in fact, is even more of an intramural The decision to send Bjornfot to Ontario helped greatly expand his contest for Kings fans to appreciate. Swedish defenseman Tobias horizons. Bjornfot and Finnish forward have been teammates for “It’s different, a smaller rink. It’s a tough game, a tough league, AHL,” he most of the season with the Kings’ American Hockey League affiliate, the said. “I get to play more on the power play than with the Kings. And I get . Another Swedish team member and Kings prospect, a lot minutes and it’s good for me. forward Samuel Fagemo, has been playing this season for Frolunda in the SHL. “I played on left and right sides. It’s good to be comfortable on both sides. It’s a challenge for me.” With teenagers like Kupari (19) and Bjornfot (18), one of the biggest challenges they’ve been facing professionally with Ontario is playing What does Bjornfot think of Kupari’s development? against bigger, more mature men. That sometimes makes it more difficult to get a proper read on their development, almost an apples-to-oranges “His game is getting better and better and he’s more comfortable,” comparison. Bjornfot said.

What the world juniors allows is for them to be evaluated against their Kupari, who has eight points in 27 games in Ontario, was just as contemporaries, a much more telling indication of how far they’ve come complimentary about Bjornfot. along the developmental path. “He’s really a good player and his strengths are his offensive game and “I think it’s going to be really good for both of them. They’re going to be in he’s very good with the puck, plays both sides and is really good at their peer group, and I think they’ve kind of separated themselves from making that first pass in the D zone and of course can handle the puck those (players),” Ontario Reign coach Mike Stothers said. “I’m and dangle sometimes,” Kupari said. “It’s fun to watch him play.” anticipating and I’m hoping that they’re going to be the most noticeable Teammates will become opponents as Bjornfot will be trying to contain guys on their team just because of this pro experience that they have. Kupari on Thursday in Trinec, Czech Republic. “Now the other way of looking at it is that there could be some that might “It’s great that the Kings are sending them,” Stothers said. “It’s great that take it the other way and if they don’t totally dominate, they’re going to they’re going to be able to represent their countries. It’s a once in a think of it as not being successful. I don’t think that’s the case either. I lifetime thing. I mean, it’s only going to make them better people and think it could be challenging to now step back a bit. So it’ll be interesting better hockey players.” and it might take them a little bit of time to adjust.”

Said Bjornfot: “Of course there is pressure but it is so much fun to play against players your own age and from different countries.” The Athletic LOADED: 12.25.2019 Furthermore, it gives the European players a chance to spend a couple of weeks around their countrymen, speaking their language and reconnecting with some of their teammates with whom they’ve likely played with and against since they were children.

Nelson Emerson and , from the Kings’ management group, will be on hand at the tournament, in addition to members of the organization’s amateur scouting staff.

“We put a lot of value on that tournament,” Kings general manager said. “They’ve been away — those two — from home for a while. Now they can go back and be with their teammates. Get a little bit of a sense of home. It’s a good break in the season.

“It’s important for them to play. We always had a provision, right from Day 1 when they came over here that hopefully they would be in a spot where they’d be playing in the world juniors on their respective teams.” 1167821 Minnesota Wild “It took a little bit to wrap my head around it and get into the mentality that I was going to take it on,” Kurvers said. “That said, instinctively, after living a life around this game, and being around all these guys that take on challenges every day, it wasn’t a big stretch to just take it on. It just Wild assistant GM Tom Kurvers has been training for this fight his whole took a little bit of time to pull it together.” life It’s not a stretch to say Kurvers has been training for this fight for his entire life. He just didn’t know it. Whether it was battling through an injury during his playing days, proving the doubters wrong when they told him By DANE MIZUTANI | [email protected] | Pioneer Press he wasn’t good enough, or simply living through the grind of an 82-game December 24, 2019 at 1:46 PM schedule, Kurvers has made a career out of battling through adversity

“You’re pretty well set up to take on a different type of challenge,” he said. “There are plenty of things to draw on from having played the game Wild assistant general manager Tom Kurvers knew something was and worked around the game. It’s not a normal way of living life. It’s wrong around this time last year. He just couldn’t put his finger on it. nights and weekends. It’s challenging travel. It’s really hard sometimes. Now I’ve been put in this situation and that stuff really has translated from It started as a little bit of a cough, coupled with a pinching sensation he a lifetime around the game.” noticed whenever he sneezed. Eventually, he began feeling more and more fatigued on a daily basis. Maybe the biggest thing that has translated for Kurvers is his competitive fire. As cliche as it sounds, Kurvers hates to lose more than he loves to As someone that spent more than a decade in the NHL before hanging win, and he has no plans to lose this fight. up the skates in the mid-1990s, Kurvers has always been pretty in tune with his body. “Anyone that plays this game past 12 years old has to be real competitive and I’m no different,” Kurvers said, referencing what his oncologist Eric “You’re always monitoring something as a professional athlete, and that Weinshel shortly after his diagnosis. “His words were awesome. It was habit doesn’t go away,” said Kurvers, who helped lead Bloomington real simple. He said, ‘Here’s what we’ve got. You’re going to live with Jefferson High School to its first state hockey tournament and won the this.’ I’ve held on to that.” Hobey Baker at the University of Minnesota-Duluth. ‘BUILT FOR THIS’ “I knew there was something off; I just couldn’t quite understand it.” Aside from his wife, Heather — his rock over the past year — Kurvers While his symptoms felt manageable — more inconvenient than has leaned heavily on the hockey community during his fight. incapacitating — Kurvers still vividly remembers casually speaking five words that later proved to be prophetic. “This hockey community is built for this,” he said. “As much as it’s a rough-and-tumble way of life, at the end of the day everyone is on the “I remember one night in bed, I was sweating and I was uncomfortable, I same team, and that outpouring of support has been staggering.” looked at my wife Heather, and I only said this once, I said, ‘I feel like I’m dying,’ ” Kurvers said. “I didn’t say it every night. It wasn’t running That was something Kurvers noticed immediately after his diagnosis and rampant in my mind all the time. It just came out once. And I got has continued to notice time and time again over the last year. He has diagnosed six weeks later.” built a massive network over the course of his career and doesn’t go many days without hearing from someone. For Kurvers, the possibility of cancer never crossed his mind. He thought it might be pneumonia when he went in to see the team doctor Sheldon “As big as the hockey community is, it’s also really small,” he said. Burns before a Jan. 19 home game against the Columbus Blue Jackets. “You’re constantly bumping into people in press boxes, or basements of rinks, or airports, or concierge lounges. It’s a great community that’s He went in for a CT scan a couple of days later on Jan. 21 and the bad spread all over the world. I can’t imagine a better support system.” news came later that night: Doctors found a nodule on the upper lobe of his right lung and immediately feared lung cancer. It was the same when NBC analyst Pierre McGuire was diagnosed with prostate cancer, and when fellow NBC analyst was “I was at home and I took the phone call from Dr. Burns and he told me,” diagnosed with colon cancer, and, most recently, when Flames assistant Kurvers said. “I walked downstairs to my wife and handed her the phone general manager Chris Snow was diagnosed with ALS. and he gave her the news. My mind was already racing. It knocked me out. It really did. You never want to hear those words.” “There are so many people that I’ve connected with that are fighting,” Kurvers said. “It’s important to have that type of support, too, with people An oncologist later ordered a PET scan for a more detailed read, and that are going through the same thing. It’s a different type of, ‘Hello.’ I’ll finally a biopsy that confirmed everyone’s worst fears put it that way.” “You’re in limbo hoping it’s something less than cancer,” Kurvers said. “I That common thread has helped Kurvers develop an unbreakable bond walked in (on Jan. 30) and the words to me were, ‘Unfortunately, it is with a couple of people in particular over the last year. cancer.’ ” He was introduced to former Wisconsin Badgers star Rob Andringa by He’s been fighting ever since. Wild vice president Jamie Spencer and now they meet at least once a “There’s a lot of bad luck out there and this is just my form of it,” Kurvers month for breakfast or lunch. said. “I haven’t let myself go down that road too much. It hasn’t been like, “I knew of Rob enough to say hello before all of this,” Kurvers said. “Now ‘Why me?’ I’m just taking it on every day.” he’s a very good friend. and has been an important guy in my fight.” TAKING IT ON He has also developed a close friendship with Winnipeg Jets scout Brian On the surface, the fact that Kurvers is now battling lung cancer seems Renfrew, who recently finished up his treatment for lung cancer. inconceivable considering he’s never smoked a day in his life. “He’s the one who gave me the insight that I could get on the road and “The truth is, 50 percent of the people with lung cancer are non- live with it,” Kurvers said. “That was a big thing for me to hear that from smokers,” Kurvers said. “There’s just a stigma attached to it, and that someone.” needs to change. Maybe the publicity of my situation can make a dent in With so many people in his corner, Kurvers wants to do the same for that mindset.” others taking on the fight. He recently chatted with the legendary Guy His pragmatic approach to his fight didn’t happen overnight. There have Lapointe after he was diagnosed with oral cancer. been moments when Kurvers has felt weighed down by the gravity of the “It was a tough phone call and he was scared and he was asking situation, especially in the first month after diagnosis. questions and I had something to offer him,” Kurvers said. “I took a lot Not only was Kurvers trying to mentally grasp the fact that he was out of that phone call, and I’m hoping he did as well. As tough as it was, fighting cancer, but he was also physically trying to heal from the biopsy. I’m glad he called, and now we’re connected in a different way — even if That, coupled with the fact that Kurvers was stuck at home and not it’s not necessarily the way we wanted.” around the game he loved, made it that much worse. ‘CONTINUING TO FIGHT’

Every day Kurvers wakes up, he twists opens a small plastic bottle, takes one pill by mouth and then goes about his business like usual. This is his treatment for lung cancer.

It’s an oral chemotherapy medication called Tagrisso that allows him to live a relatively normal life while still aggressively fighting the disease.

“I caught a huge break because only three percent of lung cancer patients match an existing oral chemotherapy plan that’s targeted specifically for lung cancer,” Kurvers said. “It’s pill form, and it’s both more effective on my cancer and there’s far less side effects from it.”

As of right now, surgery isn’t an option.

“It’s technically somewhere between Stage 3 and Stage 4, simply because it’s moved from my right lung to the sternum and lymph nodes,” Kurvers said. “It hasn’t moved or grown, though, so that’s a good thing. I think we got on it relatively early. Plus, since I’ve been on the meds, the tumor has actually shrunk, so it’s really working.”

Besides taking Tagrisso once a day, the best medication for Kurvers has been getting back to work. He made his official return this year when the Iowa Wild of the American Hockey League made a brief playoff run. That was a big step for him.

“I was a little apprehensive to get back on the road,” he said. “I just had to get back into the flow. It’s about managing my time each day because the lifestyle takes a lot out of a person. I’ve learned a lot as I’ve gone on.”

For Kurvers, the hardest part has been making sure he gets quality sleep, which sometimes is easier said than done considering the crazy travel schedule.

“You feel it at the end of a road trip,” Kurvers said. “I still have the same job to do and I’m trying to help other people along the way and I’m trying to make good decisions. That hasn’t really changed. Just staring at it each day and taking it on

While the cancer is no longer active, according to Kurvers, he knows he can’t let his guard down. He still goes in for blood work every month and has a PET scan every four months to check for any additional cancerous activity.

“That’s kind of the sequence of things now,” he said. “I’ve had good results with both of those things so far. They can’t tell me that it’s gone or doesn’t exist anymore; they can just say it’s not active.”

That means Kurvers will likely have to take Tagrisso for the rest of his life. It’s currently in its third iteration, and a fourth iteration is forthcoming.

“My job is to get there,” Kurvers said. “That’s the game plan.”

It’s as simple as that.

“We all know we’re going to die someday; I just got an official notice,” Kurvers said. “It’s almost like I got tapped on the shoulder, like, ‘Just a heads up. This is a thing now.’ I’m dealing with that and taking it on every day and continuing to fight. That’s all I can do.”

Star Tribune LOADED: 12.25.2019 1167822 Montreal Canadiens He’s known primarily for punishing opponents physically, but Fleury showed off finely developed offensive chops in junior, and he’s starting to flash them a little more frequently at the top level.

How the West was won: Canadiens bring home six precious points as For instance, consider this sequence from the game against the their rookies step to the fore Canucks.

He’s making that dangle and storming to the net with his team down a goal; it’s a confident play for anyone to make, let alone a defenceman By Sean Gordon who is in his 28th NHL game.

Dec 24, 2019 It wasn’t his only slick handle that night. Oh, and he also had his passing mitts on.

Fleury to Poehling, another phrase we might be hearing more of in future. WINNIPEG – Between the second and third period, the coaches pulled the youngsters aside to go over a few bullet points regarding the It’s generally accepted that road teams are at something of a Canadiens’ penalty kill, informing Nick Suzuki and Ryan Poehling they disadvantage because opposing coaches can dictate matchups, and it would be the second tandem up in the effort to run out the clock on a seemed clear at various points that the other side was keen to see if Nate Thompson interference minor. Fleury was up to defending their best.

Forty seconds into the period, the puck was swatted deep into the In Edmonton, he was confronted by the most terrifying, nightmare- Winnipeg end and the Canadiens’ future hopped over the boards. inducing sight that an NHL defenceman can hope to encounter, Connor McDavid in full flight. And he did just fine. The Jets’ Kyle Connor carried the puck down the left wall, it eventually ended up in the corner and popped up onto the glass when Shea Weber After that game, Danault was asked to assess Fleury’s progression and and Ben Chiarot converged on Mark Scheifele. offered this scouting report: “versatile, really good skills, very physical and defensively solid. He’s a good kid for us.” Suzuki flicked the puck past Connor after it caromed off the dasher, and this happened: Because of special teams and the fact Chiarot was lost for five minutes after fighting Zack Kassian of the Oilers, assistant coach Luke “It was our first shorthanded shift together, coach kind of brought us in Richardson shuffled the blue-line deck in Edmonton; it resulted in Fleury between periods and gave us a run-down of what to do and not get playing to the left of both Shea Weber, for one shift, and Jeff Petry. scored on,” Poehling said afterward, “and we end up getting a two-on- one. It was pretty funny.” “That’s probably my fault, I was probably supposed to play the left,” Petry smiled. “I have a tendency to drift.” Also, it was enticing, possibly even exciting. Two of Montreal’s three marquee forward prospects (the other being Jesperi Kotkaniemi, who is Joking aside, Petry reckons Fleury has reached a new level of maturity in still recovering from a concussion) on the ice, together, against the his game over the past couple of weeks. opposition’s top offensive guns. “As you play more games and get more confident it really shows,” he “It would have been more exciting if I scored,” Suzuki snorted. said. “He’s not afraid to make a move or do some things with the puck, but he’s making hard plays and smart reads in the D-zone as well.” He’s right. And also wrong. That the puck didn’t go in the net is immaterial, so is the fact the game was well in hand at that point with The first time the St. Cloud State product came up from the AHL he Montreal up 5-2 and they were out there because Joel Armia was injured looked out of sorts on the wing, and hesitant if not outright passive. On and Thompson was in the box. The coaches trusted two 20-year-old the Western swing, the Canadiens had the assertive, aggressive Ryan rookies to go out and kill a penalty in an actual NHL game, and they did. Poehling they saw in training camp before he got injured. Ice time in the NHL is contingent on passing a continuous series of small confidence votes; this was just one of many Claude Julien gave Poehling Though he played a modest 7:44 against Vancouver, his third game and Suzuki on this trip. since being called up, he showed some good things in attacking the net and playing purposefully. There were many storylines from the roadie where past seasons have gone to die. You had Max Domi’s offensive resurgence; six points in four The second game of the trip, against Calgary, was likely his best of the games including goals in three straight. Encouragingly against Winnipeg, year. This is a shift he played toward the tail end of the first period, which he displayed none of the defensive frailties evident in the previous game. Julien later suggested was his best shift of the season to that point. You had the line of Phillip Danault, Tomas Tatar and Brendan Gallagher, It’s a small thing, but when the team practiced at the Saddledome ahead who once again drove the bus or, to use general manager Marc of the Flames game, Poehling snapped his stick on a shot. Rather than Bergevin’s phrase, dragged the others into the fight. That unit combined simply step out of the drill, he raced over to assistant coach Dominique for nine goals on the trip, including a pair of game-winners. You had the Ducharme and ripped the stick out of his hands. Without breaking stride Canadiens re-asserting themselves as Team Resiliency (or as Team We he finished what he was supposed to do (it was a pass-and-shoot cycling Don’t Show Up For The First, c’est selon). You had Chiarot-Weber. You drill) and returned the stick to its rightful, somewhat bemused owner. had the power play humming along at nearly a 60 percent clip and winning them at least one, if not two games. You had . Asked later if he liked Ducharme’s stick more than his own, he smiled broadly and said “no way, it’s awful, I don’t know he uses that thing.” None of them matter more for the club’s immediate and medium-term future than this one: the rapid and in some cases surprising growth three In Edmonton, Poehling made several of the kind of heady, subtle plays young players – Suzuki, Poehling and Cale Fleury – displayed over nine coaches watch out for. days spent in Western Canada. Including this one, where he and Riley Barber switched wings: Let’s consider them each in turn. Note where Poehling is when the puck turns over, taking a couple of hard While much of the attention on the voyage focused on Suzuki, who has strides and curling back toward centre. He’s on the goal-side, or ‘above’ the largest role of the three, Fleury’s game has had a sense of growing his check. He reads the defenceman’s intentions and knocks down a assurance about it for a few weeks now. As the coaches cycled through pass that could easily send the Oilers off toward the Canadiens’ net with options on the third pairing to fill Victor Mete’s spot on the blue line numbers, then he shoulders aside an opponent to send the puck back between his injury-enforced absence on Nov. 30 and return in Winnipeg, into the Oilers’ end to allow for a line change. the big kid from Carlyle, Sask., remained a constant. “Just coming back and trying to be above my guy, and I realize there’s a The right-shooting rearguard saw his ice time increase as the trip wore couple of guys and when they get the puck they’re going to go, so I knew on; in the last two games he was logged 14:51 and 14:45, and played a that was my chance to shut the play down,” he said. “It was toward the little more than Brett Kulak in each. end of a shift too, so that was good.”

Here’s another sequence from late in the same period, where Poehling makes another little play along the boards to lift an Oiler stick and win a battle. The coaching staff tracks these things, and this instance went The other thing that became apparent in the Calgary game was the down in the ‘won’ column. extent to which Suzuki has become the guy who runs the Canadiens’ second power-play unit (it should probably be the first given how it’s been And in the third period, Poehling jumped on the ice shortly after the Oilers performing.) had scored the go-ahead goal, and promptly proceeded to outfox McDavid along the boards (after McDavid had forced him into giving up In the second period, he flat-out dominated the puck on the right half- the puck) and setting up Shea Weber for what really should have been a boards. Note the way he beaver-taps his stick as Petry gathers in the goal. puck. He is not asking for it. He is demanding it.

It was the pièce de résistance on his evening, and maybe even on the One last sequence from the Calgary game. Check out this defensive trip (when Danault was asked about Poehling’s road trip he made a point read after a turnover in overtime; Weber is gesturing at the man he wants of raising it). Anyway, here’s what it looked like. Suzuki to take, but he needn’t have bothered, the kid isn’t looking at him because he’s already headed that way. He kills the Calgary Just to emphasize the point, Poehling is out against McDavid and Leon counterattack dead. Draisaitl, and he’s not the one scrambling because a high-end talent has made a cheeky pass through his legs. Draisaitl is. The main message that Suzuki has been given is that he needs to increase his pace, i.e., the speed at which he executes and makes It can be challenging to get Poehling to talk about himself, and when he decisions. His progression in that regard has been notable over the past was asked to self-assess his trip he immediately referred to it being a four or five weeks, and more particularly since he’s become a full-time successful one for the team. centre in the absence of Kotkaniemi.

But he did offer a response to the benefits drawn from the first extended His game in Calgary prompted at least one well-regarded commentator road trip of his NHL career, one that spanned three different time zones to muse as to whether he, and not Kotkaniemi, is the Canadiens’ number and, in the words of his coach, “isn’t easy for anyone, even the veterans.” one centre of the future.

“It feels easy flowing,” he said. “You’re away from everything, I guess It’s a little premature to anoint Suzuki just yet. But he may well have been you’re forced to be with the guys in a sense, but you want to be. When the best player on the ice in Calgary. you’re not playing you’re hanging out with the guys and getting to know them better. The comfort level gets better and better with these road That’s a designation that would be much harder to earn two nights later trips.” in Edmonton. But in the second period, he found himself on the ice against the best player in the world – and deked him, creating a shot for When this trip began, Poehling was on the fringes of the team. He may himself and setting up a scoring opportunity that Barber should have yet spend more seasoning time in the minors when Jonathan Drouin converted. and/or Paul Byron return from injury, but in these four games, he showed that he’s a quick study. And given Julien’s fondness for physically robust That move didn’t go unnoticed by his teammates. Danault, who scored a players in his bottom-six, he has answered most of the key questions. power-play goal on which Suzuki assisted, said his young cohort plays without fear. When the Canadiens hit the road after a dispiriting loss to the Red Wings on Dec. 14, Suzuki hadn’t scored in 11 games and had three points over “He’s very good defensively, and he plays a hard game. He’s not taking the same stretch. any short cuts,” he said.

Against Vancouver, he would once again be held off the scoresheet, but Suzuki would cap off the trip with two helpers in Winnipeg, including That his line played the most even-strength minutes of any forward unit, and Pass to set up Tatar’s first goal on the power play. But let’s instead found themselves out against the top line of J.T. Miller, Elias Pettersson highlight a sequence that illustrates what Danault was saying. and Jake Virtanen for a little under half those minutes. It also resulted in a goal, but more pertinently it circles back to something And on his first shift of the game, Suzuki merely went from covering his Suzuki said earlier in the year. When listing some of the adjustments he’s man down low in front of the Montreal net, to sprinting up the ice to had to make since coming to the NHL, he mentioned one in particular: gather a pass and throw a shimmy on Quinn Hughes, who rumour has it that defencemen are so much better than junior players at evading a is a decent skater: forecheck, and that he’s had to focus more closely on stick placement and quick reads to close down opponents. Suzuki’s move doesn’t quite work, but it results in a chance shortly thereafter. And it’s a statement of intent. He is going to attack. Julien said He’s worked on that aspect of his game, as Nathan Beaulieu found out. in Winnipeg that before the trip he mentioned to Suzuki that while he was more than happy with his production on the power play, that he expected “Dom (Ducharme) was telling me to really pressure their D, and really get and needed to see more creativity and production at even-strength. on top of them,” Suzuki said, matter-of-factly, adding that “I thought I did a good job of that and intercepting, just found (Domi) jumping into a He got it. And Suzuki ended the trip with four points in four games. More hole.” than that, he wrapped it up looking like a guy who is going to play centre in the NHL. The game is slowing down perceptibly for Suzuki, and it certainly appeared to on the Western swing. Or maybe it’s a case of him speeding The Vancouver game was merely a taster of better things to come. It was his game up in order to deal with four tough opponents on the road; he in Calgary, two nights later, that Suzuki really busted through. expected to face top players as the home coaches tried to keep their stars away from Danault, and he was proven correct. By now you’ll have seen the gorgeous tip-in to make the game 3-3 in the late going, but again, the subtleties reveal more about his maturation as In Winnipeg, he was fed a steady diet of Mark Scheifele’s line and Blake an NHL player. Wheeler’s. When all was said and done, Suzuki’s unit had 62 percent of the shot attempts while it was on the ice, 60 percent of the scoring Here is an even-strength shift early in the first period in which he does chances, and two-thirds of the high-danger chances. what is quickly becoming his signature thing: reading the play, darting into space, taking the puck and moving it to a better spot. In this case, he “I’m gaining confidence with each game, just trying to feel my way leads the breakout and eventually gets to the net for a tip opportunity. through this league,” he said. “I know I didn’t have the best start to the season, but I’m learning new things each day in practice, in games, just One of the things about watching Suzuki closely is that the puck just trying to Watch video postgame and learn what kind of space I have and seems to follow him around. With just under three minutes to play in the what plays I’m able to make. I think it’s been getting better each game.” period, he pops up in the right place at the right time to harness a Price clearing attempt and steam toward the Calgary net. Iron is struck, but he It’s an interesting answer. Suzuki expects to be able to put up points in sticks with the play and eventually gets a second shot. bunches, it’s what he’s always done.

Note how he instinctively lifts Sean Monahan’s stick even before Joel That he did in a stretch of games that could well have sunk the Armia gets into Mikael Backlund’s hands to knock the puck loose. Then Canadiens’ playoff hopes, and that Poehling and Fleury also he’s leaning on the inside edge of his right skate for a sharp turn before demonstrated their mettle as NHLers on the road, is infinitely more Monahan reacts. valuable than six points in the standings.

The Athletic LOADED: 12.25.2019 1167823 Nashville Predators Has it been 10 years? A look back at the Predators' roster 10 years ago and today.

Catfish Corner newsletter: 'Partner' Preds' MVP, Roman Josi on hot streak, Arvidsson back Tennessean LOADED: 12.25.2019

Paul Skrbina, Nashville Tennessean

Published 7:00 a.m. CT Dec. 24, 2019

SOMEWHERE OUTSIDE CHICAGO -- Happy holidays and happy every day.

Craig "Partner" Baugh, who is happy every day.

I first met the Predators' locker room attendant when I started covering the team last year.

He's the one I most look forward to seeing every day when I go to work.

I'm hardly alone.

He is easily one of the most loved and popular people in the NHL.

Please check out his story.

By the way, the Predators have won four of five going into the three-day Christmas break. We knew it was going to be tough sledding after they lost eight of nine, and they've responded.

Here's last week's newsletter.

Nashville Predators defenseman Ryan Ellis (4), right wing Viktor Arvidsson (33) and center Ryan Johansen (92) congratulate defenseman Roman Josi (59) after scoring a goal during the second period against the Boston Bruins on Dec. 21, 2019.

Roman's numerals

Predators captain Roman Josi was named the NHL's second star of the week. He scored again during the Predators' victory Monday against the Coyotes, becoming the first defenseman since 2009 to score a goal in five consecutive games. He has 14 this season, which is one away from tying his career high. He's been doing it all for the Predators, putting himself in the discussion for the Norris Trophy.

Oh, and Ryan Ellis has been pretty darn good too.

Calle Jarnkrok, center — Nashville Predators center Calle Jarnkrok (19) reacts to scoring a goal against the Anaheim Ducks with right wing Viktor Arvidsson (33) during the third period at Bridgestone Arena in Nashville, Tenn., Tuesday, Oct. 22, 2019.

Cousin Eddie is back

Viktor Arvidsson returned to the Predators' lineup four weeks after a "dirty" hit from the Blues' Robert Bortuzzo put him on injured reserve. Arvidsson wasn't shy about expressing his feelings about the hit, either. He also wasn't shy about dressing up like Cousin Eddie from the movie National Lampoon's Christmas Vacation.

Winter Classic?

Winter Classic. Check out the latest Catfish Corner podcast where we talk about -- you guessed it -- the Winter Classic.

Road warriors

The Predators called it a "season-defining" trip. The Predators responded by winning three of four and going 3-0-1 away from Bridgestone last week, beginning with a two-game New York sweep of the Rangers and Islanders, against whom the Predators scored seven goals in a row.

Mattias Ekholm, defenseman — Nashville Predators defenseman Mattias Ekholm (14) celebrates his goal against the Detroit Red Wings with Nashville Predators defenseman Dante Fabbro (57) and center Calle Jarnkrok (19) during the third period at Bridgestone Arena in Nashville, Tenn., Saturday, Oct. 5, 2019.

He's a sick man

Mattias Ekholm flew to New York from Nashville on the day of the game, helped them to victory after spending the previous fours days sick in bed. 1167824 Nashville Predators Tennessean LOADED: 12.25.2019

'He's on fire.' Roman Josi stays hot to keep Predators rolling into Christmas break

Gentry Estes, Nashville Tennessean

Published 5:11 a.m. CT Dec. 24, 2019

After his seventh goal in five games, Roman Josi seemed almost embarrassed when asked about how it’s happening.

“I don’t know. I mean, getting a little lucky, too,” he said. “Sometimes you get the bounces."

For all that you can say about Josi – and his Predators teammates are saying it about their captain – note that he will flash a humble streak in his best moments.

But it’s not luck for Josi as much as it is the Predators, who are fortunate to have him. His best moments are turning into his team’s best, too.

Counting Monday night’s 3-2 blue-collar home victory over the Arizona Coyotes, the Predators won four of their last five games before the Christmas break, getting hot to boost a season that so far has been cooler than they would have liked.

The stretch has coincided with Josi being on an absolute tear offensively.

“He’s been unbelievable, our best player every night. He carries this team,” goalie Pekka Rinne said of Josi. “I can’t say enough about him. He’s obviously been a world-class player the past number of years, but I feel like this year he has taken another step.”

Monday night’s goal was Josi’s 14th this season, which pushed him atop all NHL defensemen while also tying for the Predators’ team lead. He is the team’s outright leader in points with 35, having added an assist along with his goal against the Coyotes.

By scoring in five consecutive games, Josi also set a Predators record for defensemen. He’s already one shy of his career-high of 15 goals for an entire season.

Norris Trophy-winning campaigns are made of such feats.

“He’s always been an impactful player offensively,” Predators coach Peter Laviolette said. “Right now, he’s in a groove, and that’s good for us. He’s had such a strong start to his season. Every game, he’s if not the most noticeable player, he’s one of them. There’s never a game where he doesn’t show up and punch his ticket. He works hard every game.”

“He’s on fire,” said Viktor Arvidsson of Josi. “He’s playing great. He’s playing confident, and you see that in his game. He makes unbelievable plays from nothing.”

For his goal Monday night, Josi was standing on the blue line when he received the puck and fired from so far out that he wasn’t even on the screen in the Predators’ live television broadcast.

The shot into traffic made it through, providing a 3-1 lead that held up.

“I just saw a lane. I just wanted to get it off quick,” Josi said. “I was pretty surprised it went in, but I’ll take it. … That goal doesn’t go in too often, but it found a way.”

In beating the Coyotes, the Predators knocked off a team that entered Monday tied for first in the NHL’s Pacific Division.

“A huge win for us,” Josi said. “That’s a good team over there.”

A few days of rest in the Christmas break followed the victory for the Predators, who’ll play a home-and-home Friday and Saturday with the Pittsburgh Penguins before heading to Dallas for the New Year’s Day Winter Classic against the Stars.

And they’ll take one of the NHL’s most in-form players with them.

“I don’t think my game has changed a lot since the beginning of the year,” Josi said. “I feel like I still play the same way. I’m just getting a couple more bounces.” 1167825 New York Islanders

Islanders in good position in Metropolitan Division, but still have some work to do to

By Andrew Gross [email protected] @AGrossNewsday

Updated December 24, 2019 1:14 PM

The Islanders are going to have some cleaning up to do after the NHL’s three-day holiday break, which began on Tuesday.

They went into their mini-vacation with a 3-2 loss to the Blue Jackets on Monday night at NYCB Live’s Nassau Coliseum. It was the Islanders’ third straight home loss, and all three have been marked by uncharacteristic defensive or puck management mistakes that led to opposing goals. They resume their season Friday night against the Blackhawks to open a three-game road trip.

“I think if you look over it as a whole, the first half, you’ve got to like where we’re at,” point-leader Mathew Barzal said. “We’ve had some good stretches of hockey. We’ve beaten some good teams lately but we’ve kind of given some points away that we should have gotten. At the end of the day, we’re in a pretty good spot right now and we’ve just got to get our minds right after Christmas to really push for a playoff spot.”

The Islanders (23-9-3) sit in second place in the Metropolitan Division, eight points behind the streaking Capitals. But the third-place Flyers have won four straight to pull within two points, and the Penguins and Hurricanes also are within three points.

“We go over every mistake,” coach said. “It’s not that they don’t know. We’re making some mistakes and they’re ending up in the back of the net. They’re unforced. That’s the thing that’s hard. We talk about being predictable and everybody being on the same page. It seems like the last few games, one guy is smarter than the rest and it gets us in trouble.”

Still, the Islanders are on pace for 115 points, which would be 12 more than last season when they finished second and reached the second round of the playoffs in their first season under Trotz and president and general manager . They’re on pace for the franchise’s most points since the 118 in 1981-82, when the Islanders won the third of four straight Stanley Cups and had the third-most points in team history.

A good portion of that cushion was built during a 15-0-2 run from Oct. 12- Nov. 23, which set the franchise record for points in consecutive games and left the Islanders at 16-3-2.

Barzal is having another All-Star caliber season with 16 goals and 16 assists, and his top line with captain Anders Lee (11 goals, 11 assists) and Jordan Eberle (three, 14) has been very productive of late. Second- line center Brock Nelson (13, 15) and left wing Anthony Beauvillier (10, 12) also have been consistent. But Trotz has struggled to find a permanent right wing on Nelson’s line, often flip-flopping Josh Bailey (eight, 14) and Derick Brassard (eight, 12), who was supposed to center the third line.

Overall, the lack of bottom-six production has been an issue.

“You’ve got to look at the big picture,” Trotz said. “We had a pretty good first half. That doesn’t mean anything if you don’t start winning games.”

Newsday LOADED: LOADED: 12.25.2019 1167826 New York Rangers Georgiev’s trade value — the Rangers will be stuck in a three-goalie quagmire when they finally summon Igor Shesterkin from the Wolf Pack for a look.

Rangers may have botched Kevin Hayes-Jacob Trouba maneuverings And it is “when” rather than “if.” Shesterkin is ready for his close-up after excelling on the small rink while going 12-4-3 with a .930 save percentage and 2.03 goals-against average in the AHL. The netminder, who will turn 24 on Dec. 30, did not come over from the KHL to serve a By Larry Brooks season-long apprenticeship in the minor leagues. December 24, 2019 | 7:18PM Vitali Kravtsov, who has since returned, was one distinct case and Andersson was another, but Shesterkin exercising his escape clause to bolt out of Hartford would not be a good look for the organization. Regarding the Rangers, who go into the NHL’s most civilized three-day holiday hiatus eight points behind second wild-card qualifier Carolina, which is twice as far as they are ahead of 29th-place overall Los New York Post LOADED: 12.25.2019 Angeles:

1. Believe me, I would have posed this question even before Monday’s 5- 1 loss at Philadelphia, in which Kevin Hayes scored twice.

But here it is: Would the Rangers be better off if they’d signed Hayes to the five-year deal, worth between the $5.75 million-$6 million, for which they could have had him during summer 2018 rather than trading him to Winnipeg at the deadline for Brendan Lemieux and that first-rounder the Blueshirts then sent back to the Jets with in exchange for Jacob Trouba?

They’d have Hayes ensconced as their second center, they’d have had Pionk as an asset entering last offseason and they almost certainly would not have bought out Kevin Shattenkirk if they hadn’t acquired Trouba … for whom they could have waited to sign as a free agent this coming summer. (Or not.)

So: Hayes, Shattenkirk and Pionk, out, with Trouba, Lemieux and a heaping amount of dead cap space (a tad under $6.1 million) for next season resulting from the former No. 22’s buyout, in.

What say you?

2. I was a major proponent of signing Hayes. Nothing that has transpired this season has changed my mind. Rangers management was always skeptical No. 13 would continue to thrive playing under a long-term contract. There was that. There was also the suggestion that signing Hayes would block Filip Chytil and Lias Andersson. There was that, too.

3. Trouba competes like crazy, but has not had the type of impact commensurate with the $8 million per he is pulling down on his seven- year deal. Yes, it is an adjustment moving to a new team and a new system after six years in the same place, and yes, he is also adapting to a first-pair role for the first time.

But for that type of contract, you’d like Trouba to be a difference-maker more than once every few weeks. For that type of contract, the Rangers will need more than they’ve received so far from No. 8.

At the same time, Trouba was pulled off the first power-play nine games into the season. That limits his potential impact. It is time to restore the shoot-first point man to the first unit. David Quinn stresses “shoot … shoot … shoot” with the man-advantage. It is time to get the point man with the shooter’s mentality back onto the first unit.

4. Mika Zibanejad holds no ill will toward Patrice Bergeron for delivering that Oct. 27 reverse-hit that caused the neck injury that sidelined No. 93 for 13 games. Indeed, Zibanejad told The Post that Bergeron called him shortly after the incident.

“I didn’t have any problem with the hit,” Zibanejad said on Sunday of the shoulder blow that caught him in the upper chest and sent him reeling. “I’d been going for the puck and missed it. That’s why I was vulnerable in that position and wasn’t ready for the hit.

“He called me afterward to see how I was. There was nothing wrong with the hit. And I don’t think there’s anything wrong with the reverse-hit in general. He wasn’t trying to hurt me. I know that and that’s what I told him. That’s not the kind of player he is.

“For him to call was very classy and very appreciated.”

5. Alexandar Georgiev’s start Friday against the Maple Leafs represented the 60th game of his NHL career. As such, the goaltender is no longer exempt from waivers.

Which means that, barring a trade — outings like Friday’s 6-3 defeat, in which No. 40 allowed a couple of questionable ones, do nothing to help 1167827 New York Rangers battle. You've got to score power play goals when you get five or six a night.’’

Rangers searching for answers to fix struggling power play Newsday LOADED: LOADED: 12.25.2019

By Colin Stephenson [email protected] @ColinSNewsday

Updated December 24, 2019 1:18 PM

The ending of their game in Philadelphia Monday night was so sudden, unexpected and devastating that Rangers coach David Quinn wasn’t even mad. He was just kind of bummed out.

“There’s a difference between playing well and winning,’’ Quinn said after his team surrendered three goals within the final five minutes and lost to the Flyers, 5-1, to close out the pre-Christmas schedule on a 1-3-1 skid and with a 17-15-4 overall record. “Right now, we’ve got to do a better job of playing winning hockey.’’

Quinn said a power play goal now and again would help. The Rangers came up empty on four power plays in Philadelphia, including a one- minute, four-second stretch midway in the first period where they had a two-man advantage.

“Our power play, obviously, it’s really hurt us lately,’’ Quinn said. “Our power play had plenty of chances. We get a five-on-three and we just – it’s a teamwide problem, slowing the play down and not shooting pucks.’’

The Rangers' power play is 0-for-17 over the last five games. The penalty killing unit has outscored the power play, 2-0 in that span, with the penalty kill unit getting a shorthanded goal in each of the last two games, against Anaheim Sunday and Philadelphia Monday. The last time the Rangers scored with the man advantage was in their last opportunity of a 6-3 road win over San Jose on Dec. 12.

The Rangers are 23-for-128 (18 percent) for the season on the power play, good for 19th overall in the 31-team league. The penalty kill is 22nd in the league, allowing 29 goals in 133 times shorthanded (a 78.2 percent kill rate), but their eight shorthanded goals are tied for most in the league with Carolina.

Earlier in the season, the power play was fine, with the first unit featuring Artemi Panarin, a righthanded shot, operating in the left wing circle, where he could take advantage of one-time shots. Rookie Kaapo Kakko, a lefthanded shot, operated in the right wing circle, while stationed himself on top of the goal crease, to screen the goalie and tip shots. Mika Zibanejad roamed the high slot area, where he could shoot or make plays, and a righthanded-shooting defenseman – first Jacob Trouba, then Tony DeAngelo, then Adam Fox, and, most recently, DeAngelo again – manned the point.

In the first nine games after Zibanejad returned from a 13-game absence with an upper body injury, the power play went 7-for-33 (21.2 percent). But since the San Jose game, that unit has struggled to find itself. Zibanejad and Panarin are both righthanded shots who like playing in the left circle, so the Rangers have been moving the two around. For a brief time Panarin moved to the right circle, and Kakko to the left, which meant no one-time shooting threats from either circle. Then Zibanejad moved to the left circle, Panarin stayed in the right circle, and Kakko moved to the high slot. With Kakko out the last two games due to a lower body injury, Pavel Buchnevich replaced him and set up in the right circle, with Zibanejad in the left and Panarin in the high slot.

All the while, Quinn has been imploring his players to just shoot the puck. They haven’t done that nearly enough, as far as the coach is concerned. And after the three-day Christmas break is over, Quinn and his staff are going to have to go back to the drawing board and try to figure something out with the power play.

“We're going to move some pieces around, I'll tell you that,’’ Quinn said Monday night. “Our mentality [has been] we get it, we hold it, we stick handle it. We look for the pretty pass, instead of just moving around and playing hockey within a power play. And it's killing us right now.

“I mean these are games that, you know, we've done a lot of good things five-on-five; we put ourselves in position to win,’’ he said. “We've improved in a bunch of areas. But you’ve got to win the special teams 1167828 NHL respect to Glenn, Pippi said, the Blues did not want to hire a successor so soon. Instead, they are relying on the bounty of local talent, some of whom Glenn judged during summer auditions.

Done Singing for the Blues, He Happily Wears Their Stanley Cup Ring “A lot of times they’re on, and I’ll say, ‘Oh, I remember them. They were very good,’” Glenn said. “There’s no weak link in the bunch.”

In those moments, and others, Glenn misses singing the anthem. But he By Ben Shpigel does not miss the long drives to and from the arena. Nor does he miss walking up and down all those concrete stairs. But the Blues are again a Dec. 24, 2019 juggernaut, leading the Western Conference, and though Glenn’s schedule this June is full — his daughter’s wedding, a deferred trip to New York for the Tony Awards — he would cherish the opportunity to The New York Times Sports department is revisiting the subjects of watch them repeat. some compelling articles from the last year or so. Here is our June report on Charles Glenn’s final days with the Blues. “If they want me back, I’m there,” Glenn said. “I’ll be well rested.”

Charles Glenn misses the concession workers at Enterprise Center in St. Louis. He misses the custodial staff there and the crew that cleans the New York Times LOADED: 12.25.2019 ice. He misses the Blues’ players and management. He misses the energy that would pulse through the corridors before games where he sang the national anthem, his voice, a soulful tenor, resonating through the arena’s uppermost reaches.

After 19 years as the Blues’ primary anthem singer, Glenn informed them on Jan. 6 — his 64th birthday, when the team ranked last in the Western Conference — that he would retire at season’s end. Even on better days, his multiple sclerosis left him fatigued and weak, and it was time to stop, it just was.

But Glenn promised that he would continue singing in the playoffs, if the Blues qualified. They kept winning, so Glenn kept singing — through April and May and deep into June, with three home games in the , the latest a Blues season had ever stretched.

Three days after St. Louis throttled the Bruins in Boston to win Game 7, Glenn and his band perched on a stage beneath the Gateway Arch, near the end of the victory parade route. Conducting with his cane, Glenn performed for about two hours, riffing during a soaring rendition of the team’s traditional goal song, “When the Blues Go Marching In.” He also belted out a different kind of anthem: “We Are The Champions.” Several times that afternoon, overcome with emotion, Glenn paused to collect himself.

“I have never seen so many people at one place, just a sea of people, all united for one purpose,” Glenn said. “It brought a tear to my eye.”

The Blues completed the most improbable in-season turnaround in N.H.L. history to win the franchise’s first Stanley Cup, a championship made ever more special by their relationship with people like Laila Anderson, the young superfan stricken with an immune disorder, and Glenn, a link between two of the city’s passions — hockey and music.

Months later, as a token of the Blues’ appreciation, Glenn received the same gaudy that the players did, with 282 diamonds and 51 sapphires.

“When he saw it, I wish you could have seen his face,” said Jason Pippi, the Blues’ director of entertainment. “He was walking around opening night wearing that thing with the swagger that only Charles Glenn can command.”

That night, Oct. 2, the Blues raised their championship banner and hoisted the Stanley Cup once more before playing the Washington Capitals. During a stoppage, Glenn was shown on the video screen, and introduced to a rousing ovation. He has not returned to Enterprise Center since — not because he is avoiding it, but because he has been too busy.

In October, he sang the national anthem before two Cardinals playoff games at Busch Stadium, hoping to transfer his talismanic powers to the local baseball team. In November, he said, his wife, Nikki, had to ferry him out of town for Thanksgiving, absconding to Kansas City, so she could get him to herself. Between teaching vocal music and choir at Missouri Baptist University and performing at holiday parties with his band darn near every night, Glenn had not had a day off in two weeks when we spoke in early December. Nor did he foresee getting any time off soon.

“I’m supposed to be retired,” Glenn said, “and I’m working harder than I ever have in my life.”

But when his schedule does allow, Glenn tunes into Blues games on television, or radio, and he listens. He listens to his successors. Out of 1167829 NHL

NBC’s Kathryn Tappen calls Jeremy Roenick’s threesome talk on podcast ‘unacceptable’

By ANDY CLAYTON

NEW YORK DAILY NEWS

DEC 24, 2019 | 2:34 PM

Friends or not, Kathryn Tappen is not letting Jeremy Roenick off the hook for his "unacceptable" comments.

The NBC hockey broadcaster released a statement after former NHL star Jeremy Roenick was suspended indefinitely by NBC Sports on Monday for his wildly inappropriate comments made about her and others on a podcast.

“While Jeremy and I continue to be good friends, what he said was unacceptable, especially among workplace colleagues,” Tappan said in a statement to the Associated Press. “I do not condone his comments.”

Roenick, who has been an analyst at NBC since 2010 after a 20-year career with the Blackhawks, Coyotes, Flyers, Sharks and Kings, got himself in trouble for discussing a vacation to Portugal that he, his wife and Tappan took together on the Spittin’ Chiclets podcast.

The three traveled together because Tappan and Roenick’s wife, Tracy, are good friends, Roenick explained before wandering into threesome innuendo.

“I play it off like we’re going to bed together every night,” Roenick said about how he explained the situation to another resort guest, “the three of us.”

He wasn’t smart enought to stop there.

“If it really came to fruition, that would really be good, but it’s never going to happen,” Roenick added.

Roenick didn’t stop with Tappan. He also tossed out some questionable comments about another member of his NBC broadcast team.

He called Patrick Sharp “so beautiful” that “I’d have to think about it if he asked me. ... I wouldn’t say no right away.”

An NBC spokesman told the AP that Roenick’s ban is without pay.

New York Daily News LOADED: 12.25.2019 1167830 NHL That changed around when I covered my first world junior tournament in 2003 in Halifax, Nova Scotia. That tourney featured a 16-year-old and goalie Marc-Andre Fleury with favored Canada, but also a stacked U.S. team with Zach Parise, Ryan Suter, Dustin Brown and Ryan World junior tournament gives NHL Seattle GM a head start Kesler. on planning his future roster The Americans made the semifinal and nearly knocked off Canada, losing 3-2, but served notice of their arrival. The following year in Helsinki, Finland, the U.S. beat Canada for its first gold and has since Staff Report added three more. Dec. 24, 2019 at 6:00 am Updated Dec. 24, 2019 at 9:30 am At last year’s tournament in Vancouver, British Columbia, the U.S. and future No. 1 overall NHL draft pick Jack Hughes lost the gold to Finland in the dying minutes. Still, that Team USA now enters these events as NHL Seattle general manager Ron Francis knows the 2020 IIHF World one of the favorites speaks volumes about junior hockey’s progress here. Junior Championship getting underway this week in the Czech Republic can provide crucial scouting information to help build his coming Much of the credit goes to the Michigan-based National Team franchise. Development Program, which provides elite level U-18 and U-17 training for players. Before the program’s onset in 1996, such players had to vie Francis will watch the highly anticipated U.S.-Canada opener on for limited spots on Canadian major junior team rosters or older NCAA television Thursday at his North Carolina home. He’ll then fly overnight to squads. London, England, connect to Vienna, Austria and drive three hours to the Czech city of Ostrava near the Polish border to start seeing games in “Now, they take these kids at an earlier age and work with them over person Friday night. time,’’ Francis said. “These are guys that have played together and understand their system.’’ For Francis, gathering firsthand info on the world’s top Under-20 age category players helps preparations on three fronts: The makeup of his The development team had eight players selected in the first round and future NHL roster, that of his AHL farm team and working out potential 17 overall in the NHL Draft last June. They included current Team USA trades ahead of the June 2021 expansion draft. starting netminder Spencer Knight — backed up this tournament by Silvertips goalie Dustin Wolf — at 13th overall, while forward Alex “I think there are a lot of things we’re trying to evaluate here,’’ Francis Turcotte was chosen 5th, Cole Caufield 15th and defenseman Cam York said Sunday. “One is the NHL rosters for our expansion draft. Two is 14th. AHL rosters to get information on them, too, for depth charts. And then the third piece is prospects. And Francis should come away from this tournament knowing a lot more about everyone else. After all, one or two of those players could “So, players that teams have drafted, players that are in this year’s draft eventually don a Seattle jersey. … it just gives us good knowledge on all the organizations that we’re looking at with (their) prospects in case we get down the road and we’re talking trade and stuff. We’ll kind of have an idea of who we think their Seattle Times LOADED: 12.25.2019 best prospects are.’’

Of course, any fan that’s ever watched the tournament will form instant impressions on who the best prospects are. Those who saw onetime Everett Silvertips netminder Carter Hart backstop Canada to consecutive gold medal contests and a championship in 2018 all sensed the Philadelphia Flyers had a great goalie prospect on their hands.

But often, it’s smaller things behind the play that dictate which world junior standouts attain future NHL success. There’s a temptation to assume this tournament is a preview of future NHL royalty, but the reality is often more sobering.

Francis never even played in the tournament — his junior career was shorter than most — and yet enjoyed a Hall of Fame career.

“There are a lot of players in this tournament that will never play in the NHL,’’ Francis said. “And there are players that aren’t playing in this tournament that will play in the NHL. So yeah, I think this is just kind of a snapshot where you’ve got 10 different countries there and a lot of high- end guys. So, you’re able to catch 13 games in seven days and get an assessment on these guys really quick.’’

With that in mind, he’ll eye specifics beyond who’s scoring goals and setting them up.

“I think it’s pretty easy to see which guys can fly and which guys struggle skating,’’ Francis said. “I think it’s a little more challenging to assess hockey sense — which guys have real good smart plays? Like, an offside winger. Is he puck-focused? Is he picking up the weak side D? You look at stick positioning at the blue line and different things that guys do that kind of make you go ‘OK, this guy is smart’ or maybe ‘This guy has some work to do.’ ’’

Yes, he’ll look for requisite passing and shooting skills. But alongside those, “you’re always interested in the kid that competes versus the guy that takes the easy way and stays on the perimeter too.’’

And for that, it helps to see games in person and follow where TV cameras don’t.

The Soviet Union owned the tournament in the 1970s before Canada made 1980s inroads and turned it into mostly a two-team event with Russia through the 1990s. Sweden, the Czechs and Finland occasionally challenged while the U.S. was an afterthought. 1167831 Philadelphia Flyers • The Sixers will take on the the first place Milwaukee Bucks on Christmas at 2:30 p.m. on ABC. Ahead of the game at 2 p.m., NBA Countdown will feature a basketball-themed Christmas story told by Sixers star and resident trash-talker Joel Embiid. Expect at least one NBC suspends ex-Flyers center Jeremy Roenick over ‘inappropriate lighthearted jab at Bucks star Giannis Antetokounmpo. comments’ Joel Embiid will tell a Christmas story on ESPN's NBA Countdown ahead of the Sixers' match-up with the Milwaukee Bucks. by Rob Tornoe, ESPN

Joel Embiid will tell a Christmas story on ESPN's NBA Countdown ahead of the Sixers' match-up with the Milwaukee Bucks. Jeremy Roenick, a former Flyers center who works as an NHL analyst for NBC Sports, has been suspended for comments he made about several • We still don’t know why Hall of Famer and former Eagles receiver Cris colleagues on the Barstool Sports podcast Spittin’ Chiclets last week. Carter was forced off his FS1 show First Things First. But according to Front Office Sports’ Mike McCarthy, the network is looking to replace him “Jeremy Roenick has been suspended indefinitely without pay for making with former offensive lineman Damien Woody, who has been an NFL inappropriate comments about his coworkers. We will have no further analyst on ESPN since 2011 and is often seen on their morning show comment at this time,” NBC said in a statement. Get Up!. Roenick, 49, suggested he would be open to sleeping with NBC Sports • Who said Eagles fans hate Joe Buck? The Fox Sports announcer, who studio host Kathryn Tappen after the two went on a summer vacation in was in Philly to call Sunday’s Eagles win over the Cowboys, found a Portugal with Roenick’s wife, Tracy. Roenick said he was approached by young Birds fan named Brian who memorized Buck’s call of DeSean at least one person who asked if the trio were together. Jackson’s game-winning punt return against the New York Giants in “I play it off like we’re all going to bed together every night, the three of 2015. us,” Roenick said. “If it really came to fruition, that would really be good. Tried to get this up before game started but I think @FOXSports found But it’s never going to happen.” my replacement...hopefully not for another 30 years. He also described Tappen and his wife as “blond bombshells” and pic.twitter.com/QCcOlp1FgI added, “If you’re gonna go with two blondes, go someplace in the — Joe Buck (@Buck) December 23, 2019 summer where the pool is out.” But Roenick also praised Tappen as one of “the most professional sports personalities” he has ever worked with. • You hate to see it, but former New Jersey Gov. Chris Christie was heckled by Eagles fans Sunday night while watching his Cowboys lose “She wants people to respect her for her knowledge of sports, not just alongside owner Jerry Jones. A fan seated in section C17 at the Linc, because she’s a pretty face,” Roenick said. who asked to remain anonymous, filmed the trash talking and said a “While Jeremy and I continue to be good friends, what he said was friend was thrown out by security due to what he described as “profane unacceptable, especially among workplace colleagues. I do not condone language.” his comments," Tappen said in a statement. “Christie didn’t directly interact with us because Jerry Jones didn’t grant Playoffs, never a grind when working w/ this guy! Long night ahead for him permission to speak at all,” the Eagles fan said. us, see u at 6pmET on @NBCSN!@Jeremy_Roenick Philadelphia Inquirer / Daily News LOADED: 12.25.2019 pic.twitter.com/0wLBx19yPn

— Kathryn Tappen (@KathrynTappen) April 15, 2017

On the same podcast, Roenick also joked about sleeping with NBC Sports studio analyst and former Flyers left winger Patrick Sharp.

“He is so beautiful, I’d have to think about it if he asked me,” Roenick said. “I wouldn’t say no right away.”

Since retiring in 2009 after 20 seasons in the NHL on various teams, Roenick has worked as a TV analyst. He joined NBC Sports in 2010, and works as a studio analyst on the network’s pre- and postgame shows.

Was Nick Foles ‘Monday Night Football’ graphic anatomically correct?

The animators at ESPN always cram a lot of detail into their Monday Night Football graphics, but even this is taking things a bit too far.

Earlier this month, during the the Seattle Seahawks’ home victory over the Minnesota Vikings in Week 13, ESPN aired a graphic about the 2012 quarterback draft class to highlight the fact Super Bowl champion Russell Wilson wasn’t taken until the third round.

“It’s so good on so many levels,” play-by-play announcer Joe Tessitore said of the graphic during the broadcast, which among other things featured undrafted Case Keenum standing in the background.

But the graphic also featured another quarterback taken that year in the third round — Super Bowl MVP Nick Foles, who like Wilson is seated with a Lombardi Trophy. But upon closer examination by The Ringer’s Danny Heifetz, it appears ESPN’s graphics department incorporated the legend of Foles’ oversized anatomy in its graphic, reinforced by the former Eagles quarterback sitting bowlegged.

“I know nothing about any of that,” David Sparkgrove, ESPN’s creative director and the lead animator for Monday Night Football’s custom animations, said when asked about Foles’ anatomy. “No. Nothing. That one you’re reading into.”

Quick hits 1167832 Philadelphia Flyers Rangers goaltender stops the puck, with teammate defenseman Adam Fox, against Sanheim during the first period on Monday.

Flyers Travis Sanheim carries new confidence into Christmas break after Sanheim isn’t concerned about the three-day break (Dec. 24-26) stalling two-goal night against Rangers the Flyers’ momentum. In fact, he said, he thinks it’ll be beneficial, allowing he and his teammates to rest and reflect on what they’ve accomplished so far — and what they have left to do. by Erin McCarthy “We’ve done a lot of good things up until this point, and it’s something we want to continue in the second half” of the season, Sanheim said. "It

seems like right now we’re getting everyone on board and everyone Travis Sanheim knew time was running out. The Flyers were down, 1-0, playing the right way. That’s kind of what you need going down the to the New York Rangers as the second period drew to close on Monday stretch.” night. Lindblom continues to inspire In the waning seconds of the session, Sanheim said he wasn’t thinking of Coach got emotional at his post-game press conference himself as the defenseman who had gone 15 games without a goal. He after Monday night’s win. When asked what has caused the team to was just a hockey player trying to make a play. rebound from a dreadful 0-3 road trip and win four straight, Vigneault’s “I didn’t know there was only one second left,” the 23-year-old said with eyes welled with tears. a laugh, "so I guess it’s a good thing I shot it.” He knows what may had played a part: the bone cancer diagnosis of 23- He saw an opportunity, skated toward the net and sent the puck year-old left winger Oskar Lindblom, which has rallied not only his locker bouncing through the legs of Rangers’ goalie Henrik Lundqvist. room but also the city of the Philadelphia and the entire NHL community.

Sanheim pumped his fist in the air, then skidded into Claude Giroux for a “I’d like to say it’s as simple as seeing Oskar in the morning” after the congratulatory hug. team got back from the road trip , Vigneault said, “and seeing that smiling face and him telling us ‘You guys got to win tonight.’ ” It wouldn’t be Sanheim’s final celebration of the night. He’d knock in another goal with 4 minutes, 11 seconds left in the third period, putting “I don’t think it’s as simple as that," the coach continued. "I’m not exactly the Flyers up, 3-1, and securing their fourth straight victory. Later, on a sure, but I know seeing him and being able to win that game and us power play in the final minute of the game, he assisted on Nicolas Aube- getting back on track, that was a big moment.” Kubel’s first NHL goal. Did the coach plan to use Christmas break to think about hockey? Not so Sanheim passes the puck against the Rangers on Monday. much, he said.

In the 5-1 win, Flyers fans saw a lot of promising signs — goalie Carter “For me, I’m going home," said Vigneualt, who’s a Quebec City native. Hart’s continued dominance, Kevin Hayes’ emotion translating into two "My parents are 85 and 86. I’m going to enjoy Christmas and enjoy goals and the return of young Joel Farabee. Coach Alain Vigneault said it spending time with my family.” was encouraging to see the team not play at its best and still manage to Philadelphia Inquirer / Daily News LOADED: 12.25.2019 win.

For Sanheim, it was just the second two-goal game of his career, both of which were against stellar . His first came against the Blue Jackets’ Sergei Bobrovsky in a December 2018 home game, which Sanheim entered on a 31-game goal-less streak.

After his big game on Monday, he heads into the three-day NHL Christmas break -- and then a six-game road trip -- with renewed confidence.

“As of late, I feel more comfortable out there," Sanheim said. “Sometimes early on in the season you don’t necessarily have that confidence out there. [You’re not as] comfortable to get up and make the plays the way you would mid-season.”

“Not sure why it tends to take me a little bit, but I’m happy to try and contribute when I can.”

The Flyers drafted Sanheim in 2014 with the 17th overall pick in the first round. Last season, his first full one with the team, he recorded nine goals and 35 points and was eventually promoted to the top pairing with . He was particularly impressive in the final stretch, collecting 25 of his 35 points in his last 51 games.

The strong performance led the Flyers to re-sign Sanheim to a two-year contract this summer. With the deal, the Manitoba native was primed to play a large role going forward. In June, he called this year’s group “a playoff team" that could compete for the Stanley Cup.

However, Sanheim’s had an underwhelming start this season, which included a late October stretch when he allowed opponents to score in three straight games.

“I’m obviously getting chances,” he said Monday. "Things aren’t going my way at times, but you just got to stick with it. If you’re generating, you’re eventually going to break through. It was nice to get a pair [Monday].”

Rangers goaltender Henrik Lundqvist stops the puck, with teammate defenseman Adam Fox, against Sanheim during the first period on Monday. 1167833 Philadelphia Flyers Provorov didn't feel that well at the 6:44 mark of the second period. That's when, quarterbacking a power play, he turned the puck over. quickly turned that TO into the first goal of the game.

Holiday road trip will test Flyers' rebuilt resiliency Considering all the energy that's sapped and all the other icky things such viruses can cause, you could probably excuse Provorov for making such a mistake in that situation.

By Rob Parent Or maybe not.

While head coach Alain Vigneault said he'd "give full marks to (Provorov) for playing that game," Vigneault added, "he'd be the first one to say he PHILADELPHIA — Perhaps it seems the Flyers are having another one can play better." of those up and down seasons. The past week could sort of attest to that philosophy, since they lost three straight games on the road in Colorado, What Provorov did say was only that he was getting better all around. Minnesota and Winnipeg from Dec. 11 through Dec. 15, then came home and turned in a four-game winning streak. "Just one of those nights where you don't feel great, and after 24 hours I felt better," he said. That beautifully culminated in Monday's 5-1 comeback victory over the New York Rangers. • • •

This latest streak of success has the Flyers back in the third playoff spot NOTES >> While Provorov looked under the weather and played that in the Metropolitan Division, cruising along at 21-11-5 in what has way, he also turned in 23 minutes, 20 seconds of ice time. ... Another amounted overall to their best first half of a season in a lot of years. Yet defenseman picked up at least the offensive slack for the Flyers' their upward progress has come with some streaky static. defensive leader. That would be Travis Sanheim, who had two goals and assisted on another. His biggest goal came with one and seven-tenths of Not having had any kind of successful season start since 2011, the a second left in the second period, where he was the first Flyer to beat Flyers seemed headed for the autumnal dregs again in October when goalie Henrik Lundqvist, leveling the game for the Flyers as they headed they kicked into a four-game losing streak that had them 2-3-1. But they for the third period. "I knew there wasn't much time left," Sanheim said, "I quickly righted the ship with a three-game win streak, and have repeated didn't know there was only one second left. It's a good thing I shot it." that pattern ever since while holding steady through a bevy of injuries and the stunning news that one of their best young forwards, Oskar Delaware County Times LOADED: 12.25.2019 Lindblom, was in for a battle against bone cancer.

All along, the Flyers continue to improve. Now comes their annually tough holiday season road trip, which this year has them hitting the West Coast beginning with Saturday's game in San Jose. It goes from there to Anaheim Sunday, Los Angeles on New Year's Eve then to Las Vegas, Arizona and finally landing back East against a nearby division opponent, the Carolina Hurricanes, on Jan. 7.

"Our last road trip we had some injuries going around," rookie Joel Farabee said. "Hopefully we can get some guys back healthy and yes, being on the road that long is tough. You have to be ready every night. So it'll be a good test for us."

It's easy to lose track of who's out in and who's in for this ever-changing Flyers team, whose starting 18 skaters against the Rangers numbered several players who not long ago this season were with the Phantoms.

Farabee is one of them. Against the Rangers, he was back from a three- game suspension for a late hit against Winnipeg's Mathieu Perreault, and he didn't miss a beat.

Nor did he beat up on anyone.

"I actually felt really good," Farabee said about his game Monday, in which he registered an assist and was a plus-2. "I don’t think there was any period of time where I didn’t feel good. Right from the start of the game my legs felt really good."

As for the injuries, or at least a couple of them, the Flyers were without not only Lindblom, who is out for at least this season, but they're still missing fellow forwards Michael Raffl, who has missed seven games with a broken finger, and Scott Laughton, out four games with a groin pull.

Raffl is looking ahead to returning Sunday in Anaheim.

• • •

Defenseman Ivan Provorov said he felt a lot better Monday night after a virus had sunk him Sunday. Provorov, a noted offseason workout nut, isn't exactly used to not being on his feet.

The guy is a fourth year NHL player and has never missed a game.

Like, ever.

And he wasn't about to start with a fairly critical Metro Division game against the Rangers.

"I came in and I felt a lot better than I did last night," Provorov said Monday night after the Flyers had put together a brilliant third period en route to the victory. "If I was able to play the game, contribute and help the team, then I knew I was going to play. It was tough at first but the more I was on the ice the better I felt." 1167834 Philadelphia Flyers That's not such a bad consolation prize. "I'm pretty comfortable with both (wing) spots, and I've been playing a bit

of both here and there," Farabee said of his position change. "So I feel Flyers Notebook: Rangers join the effort to honor Oskar good, I'm playing with two good linemates ... it should be a good night."

Despite the bad hit on Perreault, Farabee promised he'd still be the same player. Perhaps a touch more careful one, of course. By Rob Parent "I don't think necessarily that I'm going to be running around hitting guys," Farabee said. "But sometimes part of the game is you have to finish checks, so my mindset is the same as it was before." PHILADELPHIA — Flyers center Kevin Hayes and head coach Alain Vigneault talked at length Monday about still having close ties and happy NOTES >> The "Oskar Strong" T-shirt drive has reportedly raised more memories of their days with the New York Rangers not so very long ago. than $100,000 for Hockey Fights Cancer. ... The Flyers are off on a Christmas break now until Dec. 28, when they kick off a six-game road What the Rangers were planning to do that night only deepened the trip in San Jose. feelings. Delaware County Times LOADED: 12.25.2019 Six Rangers regulars were to wear "Oskar Strong" shirts under their jerseys at Monday night's game at Wells Fargo Center, in honor of Flyers winger Oskar Lindblom, who is in the fight of his young life against Ewing's sarcoma. Top-line Rangers center Mika Zibanejad and linemates Chris Kreider and Jesper Fast were anticipating wearing the shirts, along with teammates Brady Skjei, Ryan Strome and Tony DeAngelo, a native of Sewell, N.J.

"A very classy, first-class organization, so it doesn't surprise me," Vigneault said of the team he coached for five seasons. "There's no doubt that Oskar's situation has touched everyone in the league and like I said the other day, this is a strong league, a good league with strong people and good people and without a doubt the Rangers are showing their support."

Lindblom, 23, was enjoying a breakout season with the Flyers, a co- leader of the team with 11 goals when the shocking diagnosis came down. He will miss at least the balance of this season as he undergoes likely surgery and follow-up chemotherapy.

"A lot of guys on the other teams have asked me how he's doing," Claude Giroux said of Lindblom. "We compete against each other but at the same time, the hockey community is always pretty close."

Hayes, a five-year Ranger until being shipped to Winnipeg last spring, then signing a seven-year, $50 million free agent deal with the Flyers last July 1, indicated his closeness to some of his New York buddies.

"It was a great five years," Hayes said. "It's a first-class organization, but honestly, it's a first class league. The way that the hockey community comes together for ... any situation (like Lindblom's), the way the NHL joins together and supports, it's obviously impressive. It's a battle he's going to fight, and he knows that. But this organization and every other organization in the league, they stand together with him and wish him nothing but the best.

"The way the NHL has handled this it just shows what type of players these guys are. Oskar's a great guy, a great teammate. We all miss him in here. But for those guys over there to wear Oskar T-shirts, it's cool. it's impressive. And obviously we're going out there (Monday night) to battle, but I think every one knows that there's bigger things in life than just hockey."

Joel Farabee was back after serving a three-game suspension, which had been slapped on him after he popped Winnipeg's Mathieu Perreault with a late hit in a game in the Great White North last week.

Farabee did lose his lineup spot in the process, as his Phantoms promotee replacement, Nicolas Aube-Kubel, has impressed Vigneault.

"I like his game," Vigneault said of Aube-Kubel. "(It's) north-south, physical when he gets the opportunity. Physically he's been in the right position and he's been blocking shots. I like what he's brought for us. In this time we needed some help from some other people and he's one of the guys who's been contributing for us."

There's been a lot of Phantom contributions in a time of repeated injuries and Lindblom's illness. In addition to earlier callups Farabee, Morgan Frost and defenseman Phil Myers, Aube-Kubel, Mikhail Vorobyev and Andy Andreoff have all been brought in recently and all of them were in the starting lineup against the Rangers.

For Farabee, the penalty for losing his usual spot on Kevin Hayes' second line was switching from right wing to left wing on a third line that also features Frost and Jake Voracek. 1167835 Philadelphia Flyers

'Seeing that smiling face' of Oskar Lindblom makes the Flyers' 4-game winning streak no coincidence

By Jordan Hall December 24, 2019 7:00 AM

The Flyers were coming home at their lowest point of the season.

Alain Vigneault’s team had just finished an 0-3-0 road trip during which it learned 23-year-old forward Oskar Lindblom had been diagnosed with cancer.

Awaiting the Flyers in Philly was Lindblom.

Since the Swedish native greeted everyone with his captivating smile last Tuesday morning at the Wells Fargo Center ahead of the team’s game that night, the Flyers have gone 4-0-0 to surge into the NHL-mandated holiday break.

When asked how the Flyers so quickly and impressively flipped a demoralizing stretch into such a positive swing, Vigneault thought of the beaming Lindblom.

“I’d like to say it’s as simple as seeing Oskar in the morning [last Tuesday] and seeing that smiling face, and him telling us, ‘You guys gotta win tonight,’” the Flyers’ head coach said after a 5-1 win Monday over the Rangers (see observations). “I don’t think it’s as simple as that. There were a lot of emotions as far as me being with the team and seeing that. I’m not exactly sure, but I do know seeing him and being able to win that game and sort of us getting back on track was obviously a big moment.”

Before last Tuesday’s 4-1 win over the Ducks, which began the four- game winning streak, Vigneault said seeing Lindblom gave the Flyers their “best day.”

“I see Oskar here today, I think for him it was great,” he said then. “Cleared his mind, was around his friends. ... I know for me and I know for the team, it was the best thing that could happen for us.”

The Flyers learned of Lindblom’s Ewing’s sarcoma diagnosis prior to their Dec. 11 game against the Avalanche. They lost to Colorado, 3-1, to begin the three-game road trip in which they were outscored 14-5.

Focusing on hockey must’ve been difficult.

Then the Flyers saw Lindblom, they felt his presence and positivity that Tuesday morning, a renewal of their spirit.

They’re fighting with him and playing for him.

Sometimes it can be that simple.

Comcast SportsNet.com LOADED: 12.25.2019 1167836 Philadelphia Flyers and Brian Elliott. But even though the goalies might not be facing high shot volume, the shots they do see tend to be difficult to stop.

All statistics accurate as of Dec. 22. O’Connor’s Observations: Carter Hart is making a strong case for earlier- In essence, the Flyers have — intentionally or not — rolled with a than-expected NHL excellence “defense-by-puck-possession” strategy at 5-on-5. They tend to have the puck more than opponents, and as a result, don’t allow many shots. But when opponents do get into shooting position, their shots are “expected” By Charlie O'Connor Dec 24, 2019 to end up in the back of the net more than 6 percent of the time. Flyers goalies have to be on their toes at all times, even if they might go long

stretches without seeing much of the puck. After returning home from a devastating three-game road trip, the Does this mean the defense has been truly bad? That’s not quite Philadelphia Flyers had only one on-ice goal in mind: sweep the next four accurate — because the Flyers don’t allow many shots overall, they’re games against underwhelming opponents to enter the holiday break on a out of the league basement in expected goals allowed per 60 (20th), and high note. even grade out in the negative by Micah Blake McCurdy’s “Threat” They did just that. model, meaning that they’re better than league-average in suppressing location-adjusted shot quality. But, as this visualization from It wasn’t always smooth. It required a shootout to take down the plucky HockeyViz.com illuminates, Philadelphia is still allowing a bunch of shots Ottawa Senators on Saturday, and they were tied with the New York in the highest-danger area of all — the netfront. Rangers at the start of Monday’s third period. Yet the Flyers outscored the four opponents by a combined 19-7 margin (not counting the “goal” Take note of all the red — which highlights where a team allows more for winning the skills competition), and now sit in third place in the shots than league-average — around the crease. The Flyers may be Metropolitan Division. They’re on a 104-point full-season pace and trail keeping opponents out of the slot and even the faceoff circles, but they’re only the Washington Capitals and New York Islanders. getting gashed in the netfront area. That’s where Hart comes in. He and Elliott are tasked with erasing those high-danger chances and keeping The Flyers earned their three-day break. Until they return to the ice for the team from allowing a deluge of goals against. Hart, in particular, has Friday’s practice, they’ll be able to relax and reconnect with family and been more than up to the task. friends, before the start of another demanding road trip on Saturday in San Jose. For now, though, they can breathe easier in knowing that as 3. This isn’t a new phenomenon for Vigneault-coached teams 2019 winds down, they’re in a favorable spot. Back in March, when the Flyers announced the hiring of Vigneault, I 1. Carter Hart making his mark explored the popular perceptions surrounding the new head coach — from his treatment of young players to his stylistic tendencies — in “myth For those who missed the Flyers’ 5-1 victory over the Rangers and or fact” style. merely checked the final score, it might be hard to imagine that the goaltender was actually the most important player for Philadelphia. Vigneault mostly graded out well. But there was one area of concern — his teams had historically struggled to suppress high-quality scoring Head coach Alain Vigneault knew better, though. chances, at least according to the public models. This season, as the above information implies, that’s continued. “He was the best player on the ice,” Vigneault said in his postgame press conference. But there’s an interesting aspect of Vigneault’s teams and their “defensive issues” at 5-on-5 that warrants further examination. Expected The numbers backed it up. Hart stopped 34 of 35 shots, and he wasn’t goal data exist back to the 2007-08 season, which provides metrics on just facing a barrage of easy-to-save perimeter shots. The Rangers 11 seasons of Vigneault’s head-coaching career spanning two teams. racked up 3.10 worth of expected goals, per Evolving Hockey, yet And in every season but one (not including 2019-20), Vigneault’s clubs managed only one actual tally — a testament to Hart’s work until the allowed fewer actual goals at 5-on-5 than “expected” based on the public Flyers’ offense really got rolling in the final five minutes and turned a model. tight, goalie’s duel into a blowout. For ten consecutive seasons, Vigneault-coached clubs looked like they Hart outperforming the “expected” numbers wasn’t an isolated event. By should be bad (or at least mediocre) defensively at 5-on-5 by public stopping 2.10 more goals than expected, Hart’s Goals Saved Above models, but when it came to actual goals allowed, they were good Expected mark jumped to 7.09 on the season. Where does that rank defensively or at least not as bad as xG predicted. This information among starting goalies? Heading into Christmas, only two of the 31 leaves us with three plausible theories to explain the discrepancy. netminders who have the most starts on their teams have prevented more goals relative to expectation than Hart. Theory No. 1: Vigneault’s teams got lucky with their goals against results. Ten years might seem like a long time for luck to hold, but even an Take note of who isn’t on this list as much as who is. No Carey Price unweighted coin can come up heads ten times in a row. (0.906 SV%, -8.03 GSAx). No Sergei Bobrovsky (0.899 SV%, -9.04 GSAx). No Braden Holtby (0.907, -1.82) or Marc-Andre Fleury (0.910, - Theory No. 2: Vigneault’s teams actually were poor defensively, but they 3,54) or John Gibson (0.907, -6.35) or Andrei Vasilevskiy (0.908, -10.88). always outperformed “expected” numbers because of stellar goaltending. Hart, 21, is outperforming them all by the metric, and by significant After all, Vigneault had Roberto Luongo in Vancouver and Henrik margins, as well. Lundqvist in New York, and they’ll both end up in the Hall of Fame.

Yes, it’s only 25 games and 23 starts. There’s no guarantee Hart holds Theory No. 3: Vigneault’s teams actually aren’t as poor defensively as these numbers the entire season. But thus far he’s been one of the best public xG models tend to indicate, and the quality of chances his teams primary goalies in hockey, at an age when goalies rarely receive the allow are being overrated by the models. lion’s share of starts at the NHL level. It’s OK for Flyers fans to get just a bit excited. The third theory is the most favorable to Vigneault, and would bode best for the Flyers’ future success. But even if the truth leans more toward 2. The Flyers’ ‘quality against’ problem Theory No. 2 — that Vigneault preaches a puck-possession, attacking style of play that leads to semi-regular defensive breakdowns, which he Hart’s emergence as above-average netminder isn’t merely important trusts his netminders to negate — it’s possible the Flyers could still thrive. because of what it says about the talent level of a key franchise figure. That is, if Hart is truly one of the next great goaltenders. It’s also important because — at least by public shot-quality metrics — the Flyers aren’t making life easy for their netminders, particularly at 5- 4. The ideal Flyers lineup heading into 2020 on-5. Slowly but surely, the Flyers are approaching something resembling full The good news about the Flyers’ defense is it’s not giving up much in the health up front. Joel Farabee returned from a three-game suspension on way of raw shots. Only three teams — the Penguins, Hurricanes and Monday. Michael Raffl has skated regularly and appears poised to rejoin Blue Jackets — have allowed fewer unblocked shot attempts per 60 the lineup as soon as Dec. 29, when the team can officially remove him minutes at 5-on-5 than Philadelphia. Workload isn’t the problem for Hart from long-term injured reserve, versus the Anaheim Ducks. Scott Laughton participated in Monday’s practice and didn’t appear especially hampered; a return during the upcoming West Coast road trip doesn’t Aubé-Kubel didn’t win a job in September. But his work over the past two seem out of the question. weeks should go a long way in changing any previously held opinions about his NHL readiness. He’s still driving play (54.76 percent Corsi, Philadelphia, of course, still doesn’t have all of its potential weapons, and 50.28 percent xG), and this time around, he’s also scoring and earning that won’t change anytime soon — Oskar Lindblom’s focus is on his legitimate ice time (12:51 per night). Aubé-Kubel doesn’t look like a cancer fight, while Nolan Patrick continues to work through his migraine superstar. But he just might be a legitimate NHL forward. disorder. But with Farabee, Laughton and Raffl all back or on the way back, the lineup should begin to stabilize after a tumultuous month. Nicolas Aubé-Kubel celebrates his first NHL goal with his teammates. (Eric Hartline / USA Today) For both Raffl and Laughton to return to action, the Flyers will need to send at least one forward on the roster to Lehigh Valley. Mikhail 6. Hayes thrives in first meaningful game versus Rangers Vorobyev would be the logical choice because Raffl and Laughton can play center. Presumably, Chris Stewart will stay with the team but slide Hayes might have done his best to downplay the importance of his first back into a role as an extra forward. That would leave 13 forwards — regular-season game against the Rangers since signing a seven-year, including recent call-ups Nicolas Aubé-Kubel and Andy Andreoff — for 12 $50 million contract with Philadelphia. But Vigneault wasn’t buying the lineup spots. act.

While Andreoff has far from embarrassed himself in a fourth-line NHL “I mean, he’s been wound up about this game for a while,” Vigneault role, Aubé-Kubel’s recent work has impressed Vigneault so much that said. “I don’t know if he told you, maybe he (said) it was just another NAK finds himself on a line with Kevin Hayes and . game, but I know that meant a lot to him. He’s a very emotional young Assuming Aubé-Kubel’s play doesn’t sag, it’s hard to imagine him man, and scored two really big goals for us tonight.” returning to the minors. That would leave the coaching staff with one Hayes’ third-period heroics didn’t come out of nowhere, as he’d remaining tough question: Who gets the final spot in the top nine? impressed on Monday before exploding for the game-winner and game- The Flyers have eight “top-nine” forwards: Sean Couturier, Claude clincher. And where was he showing that extra spring in his step first? On Giroux, Jakub Voracek, Travis Konecny, van Riemsdyk, Hayes, Morgan the penalty kill, of course. Frost and Farabee. One of Laughton, Aubé-Kubel, Raffl or Tyler Pitlick While Hayes’ work on the PK has been strong all season, this was would have to fill the remaining spot. another level, winning a puck race against Artemi Panarin and then Raffl seems an unlikely choice; he was the closest thing the Flyers had to shrugging him off to waste more valuable seconds — 18 in total — during a solution to their 4C problem before he broke his finger. Pitlick might be New York’s two-man advantage. It looked like the game meant a strong forechecker, but his skill set seems best served on Line 4. That something extra to Hayes, and he finished it off in storybook fashion with leaves Laughton and Aubé-Kubel. Laughton has the more established his third-period goals. track record, and was in the top nine prior to his injury. But Aubé-Kubel He’s back on track for a normal Kevin Hayes offensive season, even has the job right now, and he’s done nothing to lose it, even flashing after the ten-game pointless streak that encompassed most of the first chemistry with Hayes and JvR. Would Vigneault and his staff be willing to half of November. Now, Hayes is pacing for 24 goals (career high: 25) roll with a stacked fourth line of Laughton-Raffl-Pitlick in order to keep and 49 points (career high: 54). With 2019 coming to a close, Hayes has NAK in the middle-six? It’s an intriguing question. been all that the Flyers could have reasonably hoped he would be.

5. Aubé-Kubel working to change minds 7. Why is Giroux’s scoring down?

Aubé-Kubel wasn’t exactly at the top of the organizational pecking order Giroux last had a down scoring season in 2016-17. He looked like a shell as far as earning his way back up to the NHL. And don’t think he wasn’t of himself on the way to 58 points in 82 games, and eventually keeping track of how many of his AHL teammates were ahead of him acknowledged that he’d spent the vast majority of the season at far less early in the season. than 100 percent due to the aftereffects of offseason surgery; his “It took me, I think, six call-ups before I got mine, so I was ready for this “excuse,” to some, proved to be an accurate diagnosis of the true challenge, and I’m proving it right now,” he said after Monday’s practice. problem, when he exploded the following season for a career-best 102 points. Six. That’s right — not even counting Carsen Twarynski and Connor Bunnaman, who both beat out Aubé-Kubel for roster spots in training But with Giroux at a 55-point pace through 37 games in 2019-20, is it camp, six more players earned in-season call-ups before NAK: Farabee, time for fans to worry about him again? Frost, German Rubtsov, Vorobyev, Andreoff and David Kaše all got The primary reason Giroux’s slow offensive start has been so perplexing chances with the Flyers before general manager gave is — unlike 2016-17, when he seemed slow and ineffective most nights Aubé-Kubel the call. — he still looks like Claude Giroux. He’s making defenders miss, fooling He’s making the most of the opportunity. opponents with deceptive, pinpoint passes and his acceleration seems unaffected as well. His play-driving ability at even strength hasn’t dipped, In five games with Philadelphia, Aubé-Kubel has three points, including either — Giroux’s Corsi RAPM/60 of +6.30 would be a career high, and his first NHL goal, which he scored in garbage time on Monday. But his his +0.137 by xG RAPM/60 trails only his breakout 2010-11 and his strong play goes well beyond a goal and a couple of assists. The 23- MVP-caliber 2017-18 seasons. The foundations of Giroux’s play remain year-old forward has played himself into the top nine with Laughton out of sound. the lineup; Aubé-Kubel has found a temporary home with Hayes and JvR, while Vorobyev and Andreoff remained stationed on Line 4, and So why isn’t he scoring as his usual rates? There are a couple reasons. Rubtsov and Kaše are back with the Phantoms. For the moment, Aubé- For starters, his linemates aren’t finishing the chances he creates for Kubel has pushed himself back up the organizational depth chart. them at 5-on-5. As of Dec. 22, Giroux’s individual goal rate was fine — Last October, he seemed on the verge of establishing himself as a full- his 9.46 percent shooting percentage in the situation is near his career timer NHLer. Aubé-Kubel may have failed to score a point in his nine- average of 9.96 percent. His linemates, on the other hand, aren’t holding game stint with the Flyers last season, but that was largely a product of up their end of the bargain, scoring on just 6.61 percent of their shots; limited ice time (5:35 per game average). Nonetheless, he drove play at historically, his linemates have been at around 8 percent. 5-on-5 — 56.72 percent Corsi For and 60.87 percent xG For — and In addition, Giroux has only earned a point on 54.55 percent of the goals appeared to be at the top of general manager ’s list for filling scored with him on the ice at 5-on-5; his average entering 2019-20 was holes in the big club’s bottom-six. But Hextall lost his job, and the new 73.71 percent. If we assume that Giroux’s playmaking abilities haven’t regime didn’t seem to hold nearly the same high opinion of Aubé-Kubel. fallen off a cliff — and that doesn’t appear to be the case — it seems like On Monday, he admitted that he’d worried about how the front office his linemates just aren’t doing a very good job of making their captain viewed him. look good on the scoresheet.

“Yeah, for sure,” he said. “Their first idea of me was me playing last year, But while Giroux’s 5-on-5 issues should resolve themselves as long as at the end of that season, when they changed (the) GM, and I think I his teammates improve on finishing their chances — and now that he’s wasn’t playing my best hockey (for the Phantoms) back then. So it was on a line Sean Couturier, that seems likely — there’s another issue that’s important for me to have a big summer, and be ready for camp.” potentially not as fixable. The Flyers’ power play has been a mess since the start of November, and Giroux’s PP production is predictably way down as a result. After years of being in the 7.0 – 8.0 points/60 range on say it’s as simple as seeing Oscar in the morning (last Tuesday), and the power play, Giroux is at 4.28, which would be a career low, by far. seeing that smiling face, and him telling us, ‘You guys got to win tonight.’

Increased scoring at 5-on-5 feels inevitable. The power play, however, is “I don’t think it’s as simple as that. There were a lot of emotions, as far as another story entirely. For the point-per-game version of Giroux to truly me being with the team and seeing that. So I’m not exactly sure, but I do re-emerge, the coaching staff and the players — including Giroux himself know seeing him and being able to win that game (last Tuesday), and — need to address the lingering issues with the PP. sort of getting back on track was obviously a big, big moment.”

8. Giroux-Couturier-Konecny line picking up where it left off If the Flyers carry over their recent success beyond the Christmas break and into the second half, it sounds like the events of last Tuesday will One reason Giroux’s even-strength scoring seems likely to pick up? For stick with the players and coaching staff. four consecutive games, Vigneault has reunited the trio of Giroux, Couturier and Konecny, and the results have been as one would expect The Athletic LOADED: 12.25.2019 — they’re running all over the opposition.

First put together just over two years ago, the Giroux-Couturier-Konecny line was one of the league’s best in the second half of the 2017-18 season, and helped to carry the Flyers to the playoffs. And even though it didn’t prove to be a mainstay the following season, that had little to do with the trio’s work together — the line was broken up in large part to spread the team’s top forward talent throughout the lineup, rather than simply “stack” Line 1.

Well, since Konecny’s return from a concussion, Vigneault has been doing some stacking. And Philadelphia’s “new” top line is putting up similarly fantastic metrics to its first two seasons together.

All metrics 5-on-5 only.

Every time they’ve been together, they perform like one of the NHL’s best forward lines in every statistical category. So far, they’re more than living up to their lofty reputation.

9. Myers’ impressive plus/minus

It’s become a favorite stat on local and national broadcasts over the past few weeks: Philippe Myers’ ridiculous plus/minus rating, which stands at +18. Not only does it easily lead the Flyers, but it also tops all rookies this season, two ahead of Minnesota’s Carson Soucy, who sits at +16.

A player having a good plus/minus certainly isn’t a bad thing. The point of hockey is to outscore the other team, so Myers justifiably has returned to the bench happy at a higher rate than anyone else on the roster. But no one — not old-school fans, not coaches, not even Myers’ teammates — would make the case that Myers is the Flyers’ best defenseman.

Shot and chance-based numbers back that up — his results by Corsi (49.86 percent) and xG (50.11 percent) entering Monday were OK (and could fairly be called good) for a 22-year-old, third-pair defenseman in his first NHL season. But they don’t hint that Myers is a stealth Calder Trophy contender, either, as his plus/minus might. So why has Myers been on the ice for so many Flyers goals and so few by the opposition?

The biggest reason? His on-ice shooting percentage is through the roof. Somehow, during Myers’ 331 minutes at 5-on-5 this season, the Flyers have scored on 15.23 percent of their shots. Not only is that 6 percentage points higher than any other Flyers defenseman, but it’s also the highest rate in the league among blueliners with at least 300 minutes played at 5-on-5.

Now, it’s fair to say that Myers has helped his cause, scoring three goals on just 24 shots (12.5 percent). But if defensemen have control over any shooting-related percentages while they are on the ice, save percentage would seem to be the more likely candidate, by virtue of a blueliner’s ability to prevent quality scoring chances. It’s highly unlikely that Myers is somehow inspiring his teammates to score on 20 of 127 shots (15.75 percent) by his mere presence.

Myers is having a strong rookie season, and he’s earned the right to be an every-night starter. But don’t get too excited about his plus/minus. It will be coming down in the near future.

10. Lindblom’s impact

Eight days ago, the Flyers returned home from a bad road trip — three consecutive losses, multiple injuries and, of course, the news of Lindblom’s cancer diagnosis. Since then, however, the team has responded with four consecutive victories leading into the Christmas break. The specter of the three-game skid has been brushed aside. But don’t think the impact of the Lindblom news has dissipated as well.

“That’s a good question,” Vigneault said, when asked about how his team was able to put the road trip in the rearview mirror so quickly. “I’d like to 1167837 Pittsburgh Penguins 7. Chris Kunitz, LW One of Shero’s first major trades came in 2009 when he added Kunitz, a

buzzsaw of a forechecker with some offensive touch, in hopes of finding The most important Penguins of the 2010s: Nos. 10 through 6 a complementary winger for Crosby.

Throughout the 2010s, Kunitz was virtually arc-welded to Crosby’s left hip and still is the Penguins’ captain’s most productive winger. That SETH RORABAUGH | Tuesday, December 24, 2019 3:51 p.m. connection was so palpable, it led to Kunitz being selected over more talented candidates for Canada’s roster in the 2014 Olympics.

Kunitz’s production petered out towards the end of his time with the By any measure, the 2010s were a successful decade for the Pittsburgh Penguins, but he was still one of the more revered members of the team Penguins, maybe the most successful in franchise history. Forget the two and was a contributor to three Stanley Cup titles for the franchise, Stanley Cup titles. Having zero bankruptcies qualifies as a triumph in the including the 2016 and ’17 editions. His signature moment with the “good decade” column for this organization. franchise may have been his overtime score against the Ottawa Senators But who were the 10 most important players on the ice over the past 10 in Game 7 of the 2017 Eastern Conference final. years? 6. Matt Murray G There are certainly are several likely choices for this designation given It feels strange to rank the starting goaltender for the 2016 and ’17 the individual accolades of the Penguins accumulated over the past Stanley Cup titles so low, but given Murray’s limited time with the decade. franchise to this point, that was held against him for the purposes of this The tabulation of this list was done through a vigorously unscientific endeavor. approach of sitting on a couch in pajamas and writing names on a yellow What can’t be disputed is how locked in Murray was for each of those legal pad. championship runs. The one criteria stressed above all else was longevity. If you played at A middling third-round pick in 2012, Murray’s name came to prominence least half of the decade, you probably are higher on the list than others. with the Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Penguins when he set a handful of AHL Here are Nos. 10 through 6 for Christmas. You’ll have to wait until Boxing goaltending records in 2014-15. Day for Nos. 5 through 1: When injuries hobbled incumbent goaltender Marc-Andre Fleury in 2015- 10. Jake Guentzel, C 16, Murray was given an opportunity to show what he could do at the NHL level and never looked back. In net for most of the 2016 run, Murray Had Guentzel arrived a few years earlier, he’d be higher on this list. drew comparisons to hall-of-famer Ken Dryden while leading the Penguins to the Stanley Cup championship. A third-round pick in 2013, Guentzel debuted during the 2016-17 season and found an almost immediate fit as a winger with Sidney Crosby. After In 2017, Murray was sidelined by injury for the early stages of the more than a decade of failures with the likes of , postseason and did not replace Fleury until the Eastern Conference final. Jonathan Filewich and Beau Bennett, the Penguins had an honest-to- During the Stanley Cup final, he shut down a potent Predators offense to goodness homegrown “winger for Sid.” claim the title once again.

Throughout his first two postseasons, Guentzel broke a handful of Murray’s success gave the team comfort in allowing it to part company scoring records that went back to the NHL’s earliest days in the late with the man ahead of him on this list. 1910s and played a major role in the 2017 Stanley Cup victory. Tribune Review LOADED: 12.25.2019 By the time the 2020s conclude, he may top a list such as this.

9. Patric Hornqvist, RW

A few weeks after taking over as general manager, Jim Rutherford shook up his roster in a major way by dealing away 40-goal left winger James Neal to the Nashville Predators for Hornqvist and center Nick Spaling.

The base numbers for the Penguins with Neal made this deal look bad at first glance, but Rutherford stressed a change to the mix of personalities in his room.

Hornqvist brought a constant team-first straight-ahead approach few others in the NHL possess. Additionally, he’s one of the most consistent net-front presences in the NHL. A steady 20-goal threat, Hornqvist is one of five men who have scored a Stanley Cup-clinching goal for the franchise.

8. Brian Dumoulin, D

When former Penguins general was forced to deal center during the 2012 draft in order to avoid potentially losing him as an unrestricted free agent, he got back a nice haul from the Carolina Hurricanes with center Brandon Sutter and the No. 8 overall pick in that draft, which was used on defenseman Derrick Pouliot. And, oh yeah, there was some throw-in defensive prospect from Maine.

As it turned out, the throw-in ended up being the best part of the deal by becoming a vital part of the Penguins’ Stanley Cup titles in 2016 and ’17.

Teamed with Kris Letang on the top pair during the 2016 postseason, Brian Dumoulin’s steadying defensive presence allowed Letang to take full advantage of his offensive skills. And when Letang suffered a season-ending neck injury in February of 2017, Dumoulin, in effect, became the team’s top defenseman.

For a franchise that always seems willing to gamble offensively, Dumoulin might end up being the best defensive player in Penguins history. 1167838 Pittsburgh Penguins

At Christmas break, a look at Penguins’ coaching, goaltending, health

TIM BENZ | Tuesday, December 24, 2019 6:40 a.m.

Much like Santa Claus, Brian Metzer and I are all over the map on Christmas Eve.

Yes, we get into our weekly Penguins chat, as always on a Tuesday. We talk goaltending. The state of the Pens’ health. And their current standing in the Metro Division.

Also, we look at the upcoming home-and-home series against the Nashville Predators.

But, don’t be stunned as we dive into Eddie Vedder, his sports legacy, the new Seattle franchise, Mario Lemieux’s first shift goal versus the “Immaculate Reception,” and the new “Star Wars” movie.

Don’t tell me you didn’t get enough on your plate in this Christmas feast of a podcast.

I mean, it’s not “A Christmas Story” Chinese food buffet. But it’s good.

Man, I haven’t seen a duck get treated that harshly since….well….Sunday against the Jets.

Tribune Review LOADED: 12.25.2019 1167839 Pittsburgh Penguins A teammate had good things to say about Australia and the top pro league there, so McKenna talked his way onto a team halfway across the planet.

Catching up with former Penguin — and current constable — Steve “People love the game and they love the physicality of it and I love how McKenna fast it is,” he said. “Yet you can put a pair of shorts on after the game and go surfing.”

McKenna skated for two seasons in South Korea and another for a MATT VENSEL Pittsburgh Post-Gazette DEC 24, 2019 11:45 AM Chinese team before calling it a career after one season in a third-tier league in Russia. He coached Australia’s national team and later a pro

team in Alleghe, Italy. Steve McKenna got on the phone at police headquarters Dec. 17 and “It was going great in Italy. I lived in this tiny, little ski village in the said he would gladly share what he’s been up to since he skated for the mountains. It was just an amazing place,” recalled McKenna, who spent Penguins. four years in Alleghe. “But I was getting a little older and I thought, ‘You The booming but polite Canadian voice coming through the line claimed know, I should get a job.’ ” he had lived on three other continents. He reminisced about going from Steve McKenna stretches before a January 2004 game against the hockey practice straight to the Australian coast to catch some waves, Washington Capitals. living in a quaint Italian ski village and appreciating the culture and cuisine in a place like South Korea. Ever since he was a kid growing up in the Toronto area, McKenna had an interest in police work. He wanted to help other people and liked the There was also the time a couple of years ago he talked a kid off a idea of being part of a team again. He would get to do some exciting bridge. things, and it gave him a reason to stay in shape. Sure beats being One couldn’t help but think, “Am I talking to the right Steve McKenna?” trapped inside a cubicle.

Jim Rutherford on Sidney Crosby's return, the Penguins' goalie situation In the summer of 2012, before his first and only season as the GM for and more Alleghe, McKenna began the process of becoming a police officer back in Ontario. This was the same guy who piled up 313 penalty minutes in 162 games with the Penguins? Who in eight NHL seasons dropped the gloves 82 He passed certification tests, was vetted through a long interview times? Who traded haymakers with , Marty McSorely, Rob Ray process and got a job offer with the Waterloo Regional Police Service. and George Laraque? Who at 6-foot-8 and 250 pounds was one of the After three months at the Ontario Police College, McKenna received his biggest players in Penguins history? badge in August 2014. He also received plenty of ribbing from old teammates and adversaries such as , who said, “Wait, Mac, After a little prodding and a lot of Googling, it all checked out. McKenna they gave you a badge?! AND a gun?!” has lived quite the life since we last saw him back in 2003-04, when he was an enforcer and locker room leader for the “X Generation” squad Some couldn’t believe that McKenna chose to get into a dangerous line that finished dead last. of work that can sometimes come with little appreciation. Others thought it made perfect sense. One told him, “That’s probably exactly where you Fifteen years later, he’s using his big frame and bigger personality to help should be.” out others as a constable for the Waterloo Regional Police Service in Ontario. McKenna and a young officer named Constable Jon Spaling were in the right place at the right time during the early hours of New Year’s Day in And, no, McKenna is not a Mountie. He patrols the streets in his cruiser. 2017.

“They don’t make horses that big,” McKenna said with a hearty laugh. It was a snowing, freezing night in Waterloo, and a 17-year-old stood on a train bridge threatening to jump. The two officers pleaded with the boy ■ ■ ■ to back away, saying that loved ones were worried about him. Spaling Before we get into the gig, how the heck did he wind up there anyway? shared a story about how he battled depression after his mom died when he was 16. McKenna’s second stint in Pittsburgh ended in 2004. He loved it here. At one point, Spaling reportedly lunged at the teen in an effort to pull him “It was just the feel of the team. It was really close with how the players to safety and they “lost their ground.” McKenna grabbed and saved them were and it just felt like a good, comfortable city to be in,” he said. “It both. wasn’t uppity or out of touch. It was a working town that appreciated sports. It was fun.” “A young fella was going through a tough period and having some dark thoughts,” he said. “It was a huge, huge moment. You share that with But a lockout led to the cancellation of the 2004-05 season and sweeping another officer — he’s a great guy — and you kind of go through that with changes that opened up the game, emphasizing speed, skill and scoring other people and you feel like you helped somebody that day. You really over size. do feel like you had an impact.”

“All the talk [during the lockout] was that the league was going to change Then the dispatcher calls with another assignment and you’re off to the and go smaller and away from players like myself,” said McKenna, who next one. It’s only after your shift ends, when you’re sitting around scored 18 career goals. “I kind of knew I was done, so I sat and did some headquarters or at a diner over a cup of coffee, do you get a chance to thinking and thought, ‘Why not see if I can go overseas somewhere and process what happened. see the world a bit?’ ” “You go through some really intense moments and your adrenaline just McKenna spent the lockout season with the Nottingham Panthers in goes through the roof,” McKenna said. “It’s the same feeling when you England. come into the locker room after a game and everybody kind of sits “Even a fourth-line nobody like me can be a somebody [overseas],” he around and talks about how it felt. ‘You did this and that was great.’ Or ‘I joked. can’t believe that happened.’ ”

But the power forward, now 46, wasn’t doing it for a little bit of notoriety. Most days, McKenna must handle things like neighborly quarrels and And he certainly wasn’t doing it for money, because there wasn’t much. domestic disputes. He said he’s thankful he hasn’t had to throw his weight around at any point and really, who’s messing with a 6-foot-8 During his NHL career, he often chatted with North American pals who dude? played overseas and with European teammates about their upbringings and culture in their countries. That piqued the enforcer’s interest in “I think a lot of it is talking and personality and presence, for sure,” he experiencing life abroad. It was amplified after he had a blast spending insisted. that one season in England. McKenna says he often leans of experiences from his nine years overseas. “You deal with people from [everywhere],” he said. “That helps you appreciate where they’re coming from and what they’re going through in this new country.”

Occasionally, someone stares at his badge. “Hey, aren’t you the hockey guy?”

Yup, believe it or not, it’s that Steve McKenna. The former NHL tough guy. The one willing to take a punch if someone so much as breathed on Mario Lemieux. The guy who decked Domi and Laraque and Ray and lived to laugh about it.

“I always tell people the role is basically the same as when I played hockey,” he said. “You’re not taking care of yourself. You’re taking care of everybody else.”

Post Gazette LOADED: 12.25.2019 1167840 Pittsburgh Penguins Maybe this is a mix of the 2016 team, which could overwhelm opponents, and the 2017 team, which seemed to gut out victories.

No, I don’t think you’re remembering it right. Kris Letang Q&A: How do the Penguins compare to past Stanley Cup In 2017, we relied more on our skill and power play and goaltending. If clubs? you remember 2017, the first two series we were getting outshot by a large margin, and Flower (Marc-Andre Fleury) was just unbelievable. And after that Muzz (Matt Murray) in the final was unbelievable and in the By Rob Rossi Dec 24, 2019 conference final was really good, also.

As far as 2016, we were going into games and it doesn’t matter if we trailed by three goals — like, we kept playing the same way: hard to play Kris Letang is not the Penguin with whom you stroll down memory lane. against, on the puck and fast. You’d go into games knowing you were ? He might resist at first. But he’ll eventually give in to the going to win. lure of looking back on a spin-o-rama goal or two. Is that 2016 team your best one? Sidney Crosby? He will not stay too long. But he’ll go back in time when Maybe not the best. It depends how you qualify it. The 2016 team was a topic requires his expertise. the most dominant. Even coach Mike Sullivan isn’t against sharing old stories to explain When you look at what the team has done this season — specifically, current approaches. forming an identity built on speed, possession and winning in spite of Letang, though, is usually keener on keeping conversations to the here injuries to many key players — do you see potential for a Cup run? and now. It’s been hard. We didn’t even have a full lineup yet. Maybe opening Not then. Not next. night?

Here. And now. No, now you’re not remembering it right. (Bryan) Rust was injured for the opener. Two periods. The Penguins have had two periods with their full This does not surprise anybody who knows Letang. For all the attributes lineup this season. that have drawn him attention over these 14 NHL seasons, Letang’s willingness to detail the finer points of a practice drill, a specific sequence Why do you know that? in a game, and any or all things related to hockey (including, but not It’s tough to say. You never know in December if you really have a Cup limited to, the business of it) is too often overlooked. He is not viewed as team. But the mindset and the attitude in our room is the same as it was a deep thinker, perhaps because he appears to view elaboration a waste in 2016. of time that could be better spent. And why does that matter? Studying video. Doting on his kids. Working out. A date night with his wife. Pushing himself through punishing individual drills after practice. It’s really encouraging. It’s our foundation. Flushing the toxins from his body after a game. We’re winning games, but we don’t have the best player in the world Those are some of the things Letang would have rather done in Calgary (Sidney Crosby). We’re missing a big piece on the back end (Brian after the Penguins won the first of a three-game swing through Western Dumoulin), a guy who shuts it down and plays big minutes for us. We Canada. That trip sent the Penguins into the NHL’s Christmas break don’t have Horny (Patric Hornqvist) on the power play. We’re still missing ranking in the top third of points, goal-differential, home record, the those big pieces. runaway leader in significant man-games lost to injury — and perhaps a goaltending controversy. And even if somebody comes back from an injury, another guy goes down. On this trip, that happened to Justin Schultz. How do you and Letang has had a typical season up until this break. When healthy, he teammates keep from letting it weigh on your emotions? How do you all has provided what few peers can: offense and minutes. He is one of only seem to just roll with these blows being absorbed? two defensemen who averages 0.80 points and 25-plus minutes per game. He also has missed eight games because of injuries. I think it’s just a mentality. You step in. You do your job.

The most games missed in any single season by a defenseman who I’ve been there like some of the guys now. If you get a bigger role, you’re went on to win the Norris Trophy winner was six. So, Letang already is a learning — but at the same time, you’re getting better. Injuries create long shot to win that award for the first time. opportunities. And usually, if you’re going to make it as a professional athlete, if you have an opportunity to do something — that’s what kind of Still, in case anybody was wondering how he compares to the current arouses you. I think it’s fun. Norris Trophy favorites, this chart might provide cause for debate over the holidays. You once said winning is the most fun an NHL player can have. Does that mean you can’t appreciate this season for what it’s been already if Letang is only slightly more concerned with individual honors than he is the club doesn’t get healthy and win the Cup? the past. Which is to say, he probably would prefer talking about any other subject. See, again I don’t think you’re remembering it right.

However, if past is prologue, Letang could be on the verge of a summer I said “winning is the most fun.” I didn’t say “winning was the only fun.” for which he has longed since 2016. It’s not as though he didn’t enjoy the We’ve had a lot of fun years. But we’ve only won the Cup three times. Cup day that came with the Penguins’ 2017 championship. But missing We didn’t only have fun years three times. But those three years — you that entire run because of injury — especially after he finished third in never forget those, and they are the most fun. Conn Smythe voting for the 2016 Cup championship — only served to How much fun could this club have when all is said and done? whet Letang’s appetite for playing again in the Cup final. Like I told you: it’s only December. During the Penguins’ Western Canada trip, Letang agreed to look back on his Penguins past … but only because it might reveal possibilities for We aren’t fun to play against. I think teams that are hard to play against their future. have the best chance to win in the playoffs. We need to make the playoffs. If we do and we have our full lineup, playing the way we have so Does the current club remind you of any of your previous Cup winners? far gives us a good shot. And I think we have enough guys in here who It’s only December. How were we in December those years? have won before that we know you don’t get many shots to win the Cup. So, you have to be ready for it. Fair enough. But does it? You can’t be ready for it in December. What is this theory of yours? But in the playoffs, you can look back to things that happened in December — or early in the season — and use those experiences to your advantage?

Probably. Maybe.

We’re talking about the playoffs, and the playoffs are completely different than the regular season. But you have to build that mindset for the playoffs during the season. I think that’s what we’re doing.

The Athletic LOADED: 12.25.2019 1167841 San Jose Sharks 9:40 PM - Dec 22, 2019 Twitter Ads info and privacy

347 people are talking about this Sharks’ lack of success after coaching change could leave GM Doug Wilson on the hot seat Logan Couture scored the only goal against Vegas on Sunday, assisted by Brent Burns and Tomas Hertl, so you can add one game to all of

those totals. By Kevin Kurz Dec 24, 2019 As has been mentioned several times in this space, the brain trust’s biggest misstep this summer was that they overrated the players they already had in the system, as no one has come up and grabbed a full- Just a few minutes after the Sharks lost to the Vegas Golden Knights on time spot. Sunday night at SAP Center, was seen quickly exiting the home dressing room in sweats, suitcase in tow. He was presumably off But should we really be surprised? This has been happening for years, to the airport to catch a red-eye to spend time with loved ones for the and that frustrated previous head coach Todd McLellan, too. four-day Christmas break. The Sharks’ deepest team, of course, was the one that advanced to the Time was tight, so Boughner was unavailable to speak with the media, Stanley Cup final in 2016. But don’t forget how that season started — but it’s probably safe to say he was even more frustrated than he was with guys like Barclay Goodrow, Ben Smith, Matt Tennyson, Mirco after the 5-2 loss to the Blues a night earlier. Despite a strong Mueller and Nikolay Goldobin all getting regular playing time in the first performance from goalie Aaron Dell, the Sharks failed to create much of few months despite none of them being ready. anything offensively until the third period. By the time they actually The problem ended up being solved as much by DeBoer as it was by showed a sense of urgency it was too late, and Vegas went on to a 3-1 Wilson, as the coach convinced the GM to bring in a collection of players win. that he or assistant coach Steve Spott were familiar with from past While the Sharks have looked marginally better than they did on the four- experience — Dainius Zubrus, Roman Polak, Nick Spaling and James game trip that cost Pete DeBoer his job, and better than they appeared Reimer to replace the struggling Alex Stalock as the backup goalie. No, throughout the month of October, they still don’t resemble the club that none of those players was a star, but as a group they helped to stabilize reached the Western Conference final last season. what was a weak collection of young players that weren’t ready to contribute to a contending team. Actually, you could take that a step further. On Monday morning, the Sharks found themselves in 29th place in the overall NHL standings, and DeBoer proved throughout his four-plus years in San Jose that he knew dead last in the Western Conference with 34 points. A 1-8-1 stretch when a young player was ready for a bigger role, and when he was leaves them with a 16-20-2 mark at the break. There’s a little more than better off gaining more experience in the minors. In firing DeBoer, is it half a season remaining, but 2019-20 may already be a lost cause. possible that the Sharks parted ways with the smartest hockey guy in the organization? General manager Doug Wilson has already made a bold move, replacing DeBoer and all of his primary assistants with Boughner, Roy Sommer, Considering just how many players are struggling — all seven of the Mike Ricci and Evgeni Nabokov. The spark that change was supposed to forwards mentioned in that tweet above are in the top nine — this doesn’t create hasn’t materialized, though. And now Wilson and his staff will be look like a problem the Sharks will be able to fix this season. It might be a in the spotlight — or even the hot seat — for the remainder of the problem beyond this season, as the AHL Barracuda are in last place season, particularly if the Sharks remain near the bottom of the standings themselves, with a 10-14-2 mark. and without a first-round pick this summer. So what’s the next move? It’s impossible to know how safe Wilson is as general manager if the If the Sharks really are trying to salvage the season, it’s difficult to Sharks bottom out because owner Hasso Plattner hasn’t spoken about envision a path that will work. the club in several years. But this miserable start could simply be the result of a number of missteps throughout the past few years that have It’s one thing to fix a single roster flaw throughout the course of a season, caught up to the Sharks all at the same time. And for that, the general but the Sharks have two major weaknesses — their depth and their manager bears ultimate responsibility. goaltending (still last in the league in save percentage). While Dell seems to have taken over the No. 1 job, he has yet to show he can handle that Let’s run through some frequently asked questions that could leave the kind of workload, so the jury remains out. general manager in the crosshairs if this doesn’t get fixed. So what can Wilson do? Well, he can’t dangle a first-round pick in next Where’s the depth? year’s draft, of course, so that makes it difficult to add any high-end Here’s a tweet I sent out before Sunday’s game that got plenty of talent. attention: In terms of moving players on the roster, Wilson’s hands could be tied Kevin Kurz there, too. Nearly all of the key players have either full or limited no-trade clauses, and the ones who don’t — Timo Meier and Tomas Hertl — ✔ surely are players that Wilson wouldn’t want to trade, anyway. The most appealing asset they have that doesn’t have any sort of no-trade clause @KKurzNHL is Brenden Dillon, a free agent at the end of the season. Dillon might be Marleau: 0 pts. last 10 games able to bring back a second- or third-line winger, but that kind of trade wouldn’t suddenly solve all of the team’s problems. Goodrow: 0g last 15 games Regarding the so-called “big three” on defense, Erik Karlsson and his Labanc: 1g last 15 games $92 million (and full no-movement clause) is a deal that Wilson is no doubt stuck with. Burns has a three-team limited no-trade clause, but Sorensen: 1g last 13 games considering how he’s playing, that wouldn’t be an easy trade for Wilson Thornton: 2a last 7 games, 0g this season to make even if he had options.

Meier: 2g last 9 games Marc-Edouard Vlasic, it’s believed, was willing to consider waiving his full no-movement clause for Montreal earlier this season, so perhaps that’s a Kane: 2g last 17 games deal that Wilson can still explore. But Vlasic has been one of the few Sharks players who have been pretty consistent the past six weeks, so Karlsson: 0g last 12 games dealing him for a forward would only leave the club thinner on the blue Burns: 1g last 17 games line.

Other than that things are great Why has this organization failed to develop talent through the draft in recent years? 1,933 Wilson deserves credit for finding a way to acquire and then sign top-end players to long-term deals. He saw promise in Burns when he acquired him from Minnesota, snagged Evander Kane for a minimal return and received universal praise for the Karlsson trade in which he didn’t have to surrender any high-end pieces from the roster.

But where are the contributions from underneath that every organization needs in the salary-cap era?

It’s not an easy job to find NHL talent in the draft when you’re a club like the Sharks, who are routinely selecting late due to regular-season success. But that doesn’t mean you can swing and miss on entire draft classes, and that’s what the Sharks pretty much did from 2013-16.

From the 2013 class, the only player currently in the NHL is Mueller, who has frequently been a healthy scratch in New Jersey and may have a difficult time finding a job next season after his contract expires. The only player from 2014 who’s playing in the NHL is Kevin Labanc, a sixth-round pick. The Sharks took nine players in the 2015 draft, and only first- rounder Timo Meier made it to the NHL. The Sharks’ 2016 draft class features Dylan Gambrell, Noah Gregor and Joachim Blichfeld, who have all gotten some playing time with the Sharks this season but none of them have proven they are full-time NHL players.

Put another way, the Sharks drafted 29 players from 2013-16, and only four of them are currently on NHL rosters — Mueller, Labanc, Meier and Gregor, who started the season in the AHL. The second round is where these failures are most evident, as the Sharks selected Gabryel Boudreau in 2013, Julius Bergman and Noah Rod in 2014, Jeremy Roy in 2015, and Gambrell in 2016.

Is the Sharks’ winning culture now a thing of the past?

For years, the Sharks boasted of having one of the best dressing rooms in the NHL, a winning culture that newcomers like Burns, Kane, Dillon and others quickly noticed upon their arrivals.

But that culture may have very well been packed away on a moving van from San Jose to Dallas, when Joe Pavelski relocated.

The Sharks’ game in Florida on Dec. 8 was perhaps representative of their lack of cohesion as a group. No one stepped in to defend Karlsson when his nemesis Mike Hoffman was trying to get the defenseman to fight on the first shift of the game. Kane voiced his frustrations in his postgame media availability when none of his teammates came to his defense after he was blindsided by MacKenzie Weegar.

Replacing the organization’s most respected player in Pavelski while making a big personality like Karlsson an alternate captain has surely changed the dynamic. The defenseman is not shy in voicing his opinions in the dressing room or even on the bench during game play, as he and others discussed with us earlier in this piece from Dec. 7.

While Pavelski’s departure was probably unavoidable in that he wanted a three-year contract that the Sharks just couldn’t afford, Wilson’s error here seems to be not having the foresight to see just how important the captain was to the dressing room, and to the culture in general. Letting Pavelski — who gave everything he possibly could to the organization — walk, while giving huge contracts to guys like Kane and Karlsson, might not have sat very well with some of Pavelski’s friends and teammates, either.

None of this is to say that Couture is a poor choice as captain, because there’s no one in the Sharks’ room that wants to win more than the 30- year-old center. Instead, Couture may have simply walked into a situation that was just not salvageable — a situation that could be a result of an unfortunate set of decisions from the offices upstairs.

— Reported from San Jose

The Athletic LOADED: 12.25.2019 1167842 St Louis Blues St. Louis University guard Jordan Goodwin: More national attention for how well he is playing

St. Louis University basketball coach Travis Ford: A free-throw coach BenFred: Naughty? Nice? Here are the perfect gifts for members of the Missouri men’s basketball coach Cuonzo Martin: An upset of Kansas STL sports scene Missouri forward Jeremiah Tilmon: A truce with the officials

Missouri guard Xavier Pinson: More minutes and fewer turnovers Ben Frederickson Missouri women’s basketball coach Robin Pingeton: Another Sophie

Cunningham No, I don't know what you should buy for your mother-in-law as you run Missouri football coach Eliah Drinkwitz: A better relationship with his around town in a panic. athletics director than the previous Tigers coach Yes, you should have wrapped up your shopping sooner than Christmas Missouri athletics director Jim Sterk: A quiet year Eve. Parker Search Firm: Better lists But have no fear, because once again, I am here with my twice-checked list of the must-get gifts for the St. Louis sports figures in your life. University of Missouri curators: A thank-you card

As always, just Venmo me the money — though cash is preferred — and Arkansas defensive coordinator Barry Odom: A subscription to the I'll take care of the wrapping and delivery. Arkansas Rivals website, HawgBeat.com.

Cardinals manager Mike Shildt: A swear jar Illinois football coach Lovie Smith: A Redbox Bowl win

Blues coach : An extra-large swear jar Broncos quarterback Drew Lock: More throws that make Denver head coach Vic Fangio look silly MLS4TheLou ownership group leader Carolyn Kindle Betz: Boxing gloves New England Patriots: Continued exposure of their cheating ways

Missouri Governor Mike Parson: An MLS4TheLou scarf Rams owner Stan Kroenke: More stadium cost overruns in Los Angeles and additional legal fees from the league's ongoing battle with St. Louis Incoming Hall of Famer Ted Simmons: A retired No. 23 on the walls of about the Rams' relocation rip-job. Busch Stadium St. Louis Rams personal seat license holders: A shopping spree Blues star forward Vladimir Tarasenko: A green light for the postseason St. Louis BattleHawks: A 2-0 record by the time the XFL team plays its Blues forward Ryan O’Reilly: A goal in a home game first home game at The Dome on Sunday, Feb. 23. Blues captain and defenseman Alex Pietrangelo: A contract extension Houston Astros: A new trash can Blues forward David Perron: The first All-Star appearance of his career. Cardinals hitting coach Jeff Albert: A verdict from MLB's investigation into (Pietrangelo, O'Reilly and goalie Jordan Binnington, if not more Blues the Astros' sign stealing that does not include the former Houston players, also are deserving of invites.) employee's name Blues general manager : A five-pound bag of Swedish St. Louis chapter of the Baseball Writers Association of America: A Fish candy to eat while contemplating trade-deadline moves rocking 2019 dinner. Interested? Tickets are on sale. Boston Bruins forward Brad Marchand: A fresh box of tissues Anyone who wants to delay shopping just a few more minutes: An Cardinals front office: A bounce-back season from Matt Carpenter invitation to today’s STLToday chat, which starts at 11 a.m., right here.

Cardinals third baseman Matt Carpenter: 10 pounds Happy Holidays, everybody.

Cardinals shortstop Paul DeJong: A few off days St Louis Post Dispatch LOADED: 12.25.2019

Cardinals closer Jordan Hicks: A strong return

Cardinals pitcher Kwang Hyun Kim, who prefers to go by “KK”: More K's.

Cardinals first baseman Paul Goldschmidt: A season like 2018

Cardinals starter Adam Wainwright: A season like 2019

Cardinals second baseman Kolten Wong: Another shot at leadoff

Cardinals center fielder Harrison Bader: An average above .250

Cardinals catcher Yadier Molina: Healthy hands

Cardinals catching prospect Andrew Knizner: Patience, and lots of it

Cardinals ace Jack Flaherty: Cy Young Award votes

Cardinals reliever John Brebbia: Beard wax, a new umbrella and a tea sampler

Cardinals outfield prospect Dylan Carlson: A locker in St. Louis

Free agent outfielder Marcell Ozuna: A Reds uniform

Affluent Cardinals fans: A safe and fun trip to London

Post-Dispatch Cardinals writer and life-saver Derrick Goold: A superhero cape

Regional cable legend and budding political superstar Jim “The Cat” Hayes: A successful presidential campaign 1167843 St Louis Blues The onslaught started 4:51 into the first period, when Schenn won a faceoff, defensemen Robert Bortuzzo and Vince Dunn worked the puck till it got back to Schenn, who turned on it in the slot and scored, with the puck deflecting off defenseman Sean Walker's stick on the way in past Blues respond to Berube's challenge with four-goal first period and sixth goalie Jonathan Quick. win in a row Forty five seconds later, Jordan Kyrou used his speed to blow past Ben Hutton and draw a slashing penalty. Seven seconds after the power play started, Pietrangelo one-timed a pass from David Perron, and Schwartz Tom Timmermann tipped it in to make it 2-0. The Blues reacted as if Pietrangelo had scored the goal, and it was initially announced for Pietrangelo before being changed to Schwartz. Schwartz has 11 goals this season and three of LOS ANGELES — The last game for any team before a break can be them have been tips of Pietrangelo shots. an adventure, especially for a team like the Blues that has a tendency to start slow and very gradually build up speed. “I guess I'll keep shooting and he'll keep getting in the way,” Pietrangelo said. “It works.” The Blues came into their game Monday with a five-game win streak, and in those five games, they had scored just twice in the first period. So “Go to the net,” Berube said. “That's where (Schwartz) is at his best. coach Craig Berube laid down a challenge to his team. That's where he scores his goals. When he's around that net, he gets goals, creates a lot of havoc. He's doing a good job.” “It starts now,” he said Monday morning, “mentally preparing yourself and holding yourself accountable. We've got one more game before the Kings coach Todd McLellan called timeout to try and settle things down, break. It's each individual making sure he's accountable for that and it and it worked, briefly. With 8:38 to go in the period, Jacob de la Rose starts from a mental side right now and tonight being emotionally won a faceoff, Dunn got the puck, skated behind the Kings goal, came engaged in the game.” out on the other side, skated to the slot and shot and scored his sixth goal of the season. It was 3-0. And compared to the first 40 minutes in San Jose on Saturday, when the Blues were thoroughly outplayed, they wasted no time on Monday and And soon 4-0. A second under a minute later, with the Blues on another sent themselves into their holiday break on a high note. Leaving nothing power play, Perron sent the puck up ice from his own end and Drew to chance this time, the Blues scored four goals in the first period, Doughty raised his hand to knock it down. It didn't work. The puck came matching their season high for production in 20 minutes, and sat on the off Doughty's glove to Pietrangelo, who knocked it down and had a two- lead to extend their win streak to six games with a 4-1 win over the Kings on-none break with Schenn. He passed to Schenn for the easy tap-in at Staples Center on Monday. goal. Fans booed, and when Quick made a routine stop of a shot 14 seconds later, fans gave a sarcastic cheer. Brayden Schenn scored twice to run his goal total to 17, matching his total from last season in just 38 games, and Jaden Schwartz and Vince “We got bounces, no doubt about it,” Schenn said. “I got bounces, Dunn also scored. Jordan Binnington, making his return to the ice after Schwartzie got one off his shin pad. Dunner made a good individual six days off, got the win, stopping 29 shots. The Blues went two for two effort. We definitely got some bounces tonight, and you need that. We on the power play, operating so efficiently that they needed just 33 probably sat back a little too much but at the end of the day we got two seconds of the possible four minutes to score the goals. points.”

“I think at this time of year, it could be easy to be distracted with a couple The Kings got one goal back when Alex Iafallo scored on a power play — days off coming up here,” said captain Alex Pietrangelo, who looked like Justin Faulk had been called for holding — with 1:07 to go in the period he had his 10th goal but lost it to Schwartz's shin guard. “But it was big that made it 4-1. for us to start well and get our legs underneath us. We did exactly that. And then the Blues sat back, with the Kings coming at them and the San Jose didn't go the way we wanted to at the start, so I'm proud of the Blues rebuffing their hopes. way we came out tonight.” “I think we could have been a little bit more aggressive,” Pietrangelo said. “We had a real good first period,” said Berube, who got congratulations “We took some penalties that maybe we didn't need to, myself included. from actor and St. Louisan Jon Hamm after the game. “Guys came out Things weren't going our way, but we found a way. We'll take a couple ready and competed hard and took advantage of some opportunities. We days and regroup and get our minds right, spend time with the family and scored, the power play got a couple. We were ready to play. I talked this get ready for the 27th.” morning about being ready to go in the first period and each guy be accountable for himself, and they were.” Penalties 1:43 apart in the third gave the Kings a chance to make something happen, with 17 seconds of four-on-three along with almost The Blues are off until Friday, when they face Winnipeg, and in their time four minutes of man advantage, but the Blues were up for the challenge. off they can enjoy the fact that they're five points up on second-place Colorado in the Central Division and have the best record in the Western “They were going to push after that first period, and we took some Conference. penalties,” Berube aid. “In the third we got in penalty trouble, that was the difference there. The second period they pushed hard. I don't think we If the second and third periods weren't as effective as the first it was little sat back, we just didn't attack enough. We defended too much.” matter after the Blues had staked themselves to a four-goal lead. Not that they weren't without some tension. The biggest challenge the rest of the MIKKOLA SENT DOWN way was defensive, and the Blues had to kill off four penalties in the final two periods, including 17 seconds of a five-on-three in the third, with any After the game, the Blues announced they were sending defenseman of them giving the Kings a chance to cut the lead to two. Niko Mikkola back to San Antonio.

Binnington hadn't played since last Monday, a 5-2 win over Colorado, Despite the holiday roster freeze, they could send Mikkola down because while Jake Allen got back-to-back starts. Binnington now will get three he was called up after Dec. 11 and they did it before midnight Pacific more days off. time. Mikkola doesn't need waivers and can be called back at any time. The Finnish defenseman didn't get into any games during his brief call- “I felt pretty fresh, and the boys had a great start tonight,” Binnington up. said. “A four-goal cushion is nice to have as a goaltender, and we came out hard and competed until the end.” BLUES' DECADE IN REVIEW

Binnington didn't have much work in the first period — the Kings didn't A DECADE'S WORTH OF STORY LINES, ALL IN ONE SEASON get their fifth shot on goal until there was 3:14 left — but the Kings made Game 7 Stanley Cup Final up for it the rest of the way, with 23 shots on goal in the last 40 minutes. That the Kings didn't score after the first period was testament to The Blues decade in review shapes up like this: 2018-19 and then Binnington and the team's penalty kill. everything else.

“He was really good,” Berube said. “He had to make some saves, When you finally win the Stanley Cup for the first time since the team's especially in the third period, he got tested.” inception in 1967-68, everything else pales by comparison. If you sliced it thinly enough, the 10 biggest Blues stories of the decade all happened in In the third period of a tie game, Robby Fabbri passed to Troy Brouwer, the window that began on July 1, 2018, the start of the 2018-19 NHL who redirected the puck off the post, the puck came back to him, he business year. missed and then while falling down put it and the Blues won 3-2. They beat Dallas in the second round and went to the conference finals for the The franchise's life, and the lives of many diehard and even non-diehard first time since 2001. They lost there to San Jose, but the dark clouds Blues fans changed on that day. No team in NHL history had ever gone that had loomed over them finally seemed to be breaking. as long from its inception without winning a Stanley Cup. Few teams in other sports, be it MLB, NFL or NBA, had gone as long without winning 6. THE PARADE one. The Blues had defied the odds in doing it. Chances were a halfway decent team — and the Blues were often more than half-decent in those Scenes from Blues Stanley Victory Parade years — would stumble into a title. The Blues never did. Everyone expected that when the Blues finally won the Stanley Cup, the Instead, they crammed all sorts of juicy storylines into one season: Team celebration would be like nothing the city had ever seen, and they were goes from worst to first; team fires coach, wins with interim coach; goalie right. Rather than a sedate parade with players waving from fire engines, called up from minor leagues leads team; key goal scored by kid from St. pickup trucks and convertibles, the Blues took the celebration to the Louis. Throw in a young girl fighting cancer and a victory song inspired people, leaving their vehicles to run into the crowd, drink beer with them, by a bar visit in Philadelphia and you had a season no one had ever seen exchange high fives and fist bumps and selfies and hugs. the likes of. The Blues redefined what a victory celebration should be.

Here's a look at the top 10 moments from the past decade of Blues The parade, three days after the win, stopped for long stretches because hockey: everyone was just having too much fun. Estimates on the size of the 10. WINTER CLASSIC crowd along the route and for the celebration under the Arch varied, but somewhere approaching half a million seems likely. Winter Classic to begin on schedule 5. BIG DEALS On a cold and foggy Jan. 2, 2017, the Blues put on a show, with a sold- out crowd of 46,556 — obviously the largest hockey crowd in St. Louis Game 7 Stanley Cup Final history —at Busch Stadium for the NHL's annual Winter Classic, where On the first day of NHL free agency in 2018, the Blues signed forward the Blues beat the Blackhawks 4-1 in a temporary ice rink in the middle David Perron and veteran center Tyler Bozak. So began Perron's third of the baseball field. There was some rain in the first period, but it tour with the team. (Strange fact: in Perron's 13-season career, the only stopped and didn't come back until 30 minutes after the game ended. team he has ever signed a contract with is the Blues.)

The Blues unveiled their new Winter Classic jerseys on that day, a Neither move would address the team's biggest needs, but that night, the powder-blue look that has become the team's third jersey. Blues got the player they needed. Ryan O'Reilly had grown tired of all the “I've been to baseball games here and it's an awesome atmosphere,” losing in Buffalo, and the GM there decided he wasn't right for the team said veteran defenseman Jay Bouwmeester. “To be able to experience it any more. Blues GM Doug Armstrong jumped at the chance, acquiring on the field, or on the ice, it's pretty cool.” O'Reilly for players who didn't fit with the Blues: Patrik Berglund, whose agent had missed a deadline for submitting names for his modified no- 9. TOM STILLMAN BUYS THE TEAM trade clause, a struggling Vladimir Sobotka and prospect Tage Thompson, along with a draft pick. St. Louis Blues visit President Trump at White House with Stanley Cup O'Reilly turned out to be the most consistent Blue over the course of the Tom Stillman, who made his fortune in the beer business, bought the season and won the Conn Smythe Trophy as playoff MVP. team from a group headed by Dave Checketts, which had never been able to break through, or make money, with the team on May 9, 2012 for 4. BINNINGTON TAKES OVER an estimated $130 million. It's all or nothing for the Blues in Game 7 Stillman, who grew up playing hockey in Minnesota and had been a minority owner under Checketts, put together a local ownership group How high were the Blues on Jordan Binnington in 2018? The year that persevered after the team spent two years on the market. Stillman before, the team tried to send him to the ECHL, the second tier of the gave the team local ownership and stability and despite not having deep minor leagues, because the Blues didn't have their own farm team and pockets or a big market, the group allowed Armstrong to spend to the they couldn't get him any ice time in the AHL. That season, he wasn't salary cap to put a winning team on the ice. even the Blues No. 3 goalie. But that player, Ville Husso, was injured and struggling, so when the Blues decided to dump veteran backup Chad 8. BIG DRAFT SETS BLUES' PATH Johnson, they called up their No. 4, Binnington, and were so high on him that they played Jake Allen for 14 straight games and Binnington only got Game 7 Stanley Cup Final in when the team had back-to-back games and didn't have a choice.

Doug Armstrong was just about to take over from Larry Pleau as general Then in his first game, he shut out Philadelphia on Jan. 7, and a legend manager when he made a move that would set the team on the path to was born. the success that would follow. The Blues, in their last draft under scouting director Jarmo Kekalainen, took Jaden Schwartz with their pick, Setting records left and right for rookie goalies and amusing fans with his the 14th in the first round. Armstrong then traded their previous season's dry demeanor — "Do I look nervous?" — he single-handedly changed first-round pick, defenseman David Rundblad, to Ottawa for the 16th the course of the season. pick, with which they chose Vladimir Tarasenko. 3. BERUBE REPLACES YEO Rundblad would play five seasons in the NHL, with Ottawa, Chicago and Phoenix, with four goals and 21 assists in 113 games, while Tarasenko The Blues and Coyotes tangle at the Enterprise Center became one of the top goalscorers in the league and Schwartz became After the summer's activities had built high expectations, the Blues one of the team's top forwards. A week earlier, Armstrong had dealt for stumbled out of the gate. They weren't bad, but they had a series of goalie Jaroslov Halak, showing that he would aggressively move to lopsided losses and never could string wins together. The team dwelled improve the team. at the bottom of the Central Division standings and couldn't get any 7. BROUWER'S GOAL POINTS BLUES TO CONFERENCE FINALS traction, despite all the talent. So on the night of Nov. 19, after a shutout loss to the Kings, the Blues fired in what would have been just St. Louis Blues v Chicago Blackhawks Game 7 his second full season.

Few things were as indicative of the Blues struggles as their inability to Associate head coach Craig Berube, who had coached the Flyers get out of the first round of the playoffs. The Blues had lost four previously and then become the Blues minor-league coach, was named consecutive playoff series going into the 2016 tournament, where they interim coach, and life after the interim tag seemed very unlikely. But the faced nemesis Chicago in the first round. The Blues went up 3-1 in the team rallied behind Berube, who focused on getting better and got the series, lost game 5 in double overtime, lost Game 6 in Chicago and then team believing in itself. The fear of disaster that used to hang over the came home for Game 7. Blues went away. 2. PAT MAROON SCORES

Blues, Stars in deciding Game 7

Pat Maroon, right, celebrates with Tyler Bozak, left, and Robert Thomas after scoring the winning goal in double overtime of Game 7 of a playoff series against Dallas on May 7, 2019. (Robert Cohen, rcohen@post- dispatch.com)

The Blues had won Game 6 in Dallas to force a decisive Game 7 in St. Louis in the second round of the playoffs. Both teams scored with 2½ minutes of each other in the first period and then settled in for a long battle. No one scored in the second or third period, so the game went to sudden-death overtime. No one scored in the first 20 minutes, and then early in the second overtime, Tyler Bozak won a faceoff, rookie Robert Thomas took a shot that hit the bar and off the back of goalie Ben Bishop, who grew up in St. Louis, but the puck didn't go in.

There was Pat Maroon, the Oakville kid who had taken a pay cut to sign with his hometown team so he could spend more time with his young son, to sweep in and knock the puck into the net, ending the game after 85 minutes, 55 seconds, and sending the Blues to the conference final.

1. BLUES WIN STANLEY CUP

It's all or nothing for the Blues in Game 7

On June 12, 2019, the Blues did it. Ryan O'Reilly scored to give the Blues the lead and Alex Pietrangelo scored with eight seconds to go in the first period to make it 2-0 and give the Blues some breathing room. They protected the lead through the second period and then Brayden Schenn scored midway through the third and all of a sudden, it looked like this would really happen.

Zach Sanford, who grew up nearby and was a lifelong Bruins fan, scored with 4:38 to play to make it 4-0, that did it. Fate would, for once, smile on the Blues. Even a late goal by the Bruins couldn't change things.

With large crowds watching back home at Enterprise Center and Busch Stadium, the clock went to zero and the Blues, playing on enemy turf, went wild. It was a fitting place for a finish: The Blues had played better on the road than at home throughout the playoffs, and in the Final, they won three of their four games on the road.

St Louis Post Dispatch LOADED: 12.25.2019 1167844 St Louis Blues “I think he got the rest that he needed,” Berube said before Binnington stopped 29 of the 30 shots he faced as the Blues beat the Kings 4-1. “Not that he wanted it, but he’s played a lot. Things add up, bumps and bruises, things like that. He got good rest and he feels good.” Blues notebook: Christmas break welcomed; rest for Binnington, none for O'Reilly Getting NHL players to take time off is not easy. In baseball, managers routinely rest players, but in hockey, that’s hard to do.

“Everybody wants to play,” Berube said. “Everybody wants to play a lot. Tom Timmermann Dec 24, 2019 0 It’s normal. At the same time, we have to manage the workload of a lot of guys.

“Most of them, they just like the routine of keeping going. I don’t know LOS ANGELES — On Christmas Day, sports fans can plop down in front what the word is for it, but they don’t like time off. They want to keep of their televisions and watch five NBA games in a basketball going, keep getting out there touching the puck. A perfect example is a bacchanalia. And if they want, NHL players can sit down right along with guy like Ryan O’Reilly. He never wants to take a day off but he needs it them. but he likes to get out there and make sure he’s touching pucks. It is hard The Blues haven’t played a game on Christmas — also significant as the to keep him off. I think he’s done a better job of it this year, just optionals birthday of early Blues legend Noel Picard — since 1971. The league and the days we say ‘no skate’ so everyone stays off. shuts down for three days, starting on Christmas Eve and play doesn’t "If you don’t want guys to go out, don’t make it optional, just say no resume until the 27th. (For years, the Blues played Chicago, either home skate.” or away, on Dec. 26th. But now, even that’s out.) O'REILLY AN IRONMAN “It goes by pretty quick,” defenseman Jay Bouwmeester said of the respite. “We’ve got three days off, but by the time we get home Monday marked the two-year anniversary of the last game O’Reilly (Tuesday), that’s a waste of a day (the team plane is supposed to arrive missed. around 4 a.m.) and then we’ve got Christmas and then the next day you’re thinking about going back. His ironman streak is at 166 games, and that doesn’t include the 26 playoff games he was in last season. O’Reilly’s 108 total games last “It is good. Basketball, they play on Christmas. For the road team that season was one off the NHL record for games in a season. would be pretty tough. We’ll take any break we can get.” St Louis Post Dispatch LOADED: 12.25.2019 That’s a big thing. In the long grind of an NHL season, if it takes Christmas to get some extended time, then bring it on.

“I think anyone who’s got nagging injuries, which is probably most of us right now, it’s nice,” said forward David Perron, who planned to head home to Montreal during the break. “You get to breathe for a second. I guess you do and you don’t (rest). Most of us are going to go home and you start running around and seeing all kinds of people and then you’re right back to Winnipeg and the next thing you know, we’re back in the swing of things playing every other day till the All-Star break.”

And it’s not just that there aren’t any games. There aren’t any practices, either. For the Blues game at Winnipeg on Friday, the team can’t travel until that day, making a rare time during the season when the group will fly into a city where they’re playing on the morning of a game.

“It’s good for the guys, it’s a good time to have a break, for sure,” coach Craig Berube said. “You can just go enjoy yourself at Christmas and not worry about anything. Christmas is a great time of year for families, so guys get three days like that mandatory off. It’s pretty nice.”

But while players have three days off, the same doesn’t apply for the coaches. Berube and his staff will have things to do to get ready for the Winnipeg game.

“The coaches have work to do to get ready for the game on the 27th,” he said. “You’re not on the ice, you’re not doing things with the team, so it’s good. We get to spend time with our families too.”

This is the seventh straight season the Blues have finished on the road before Christmas and the fourth time in those seven seasons they’ve finished on Dec. 23rd before a long flight home. This is the second time in three seasons that the were set for a late flight home from the Pacific time zone.

If there’s a good thing about finishing in Los Angeles, it’s that it makes the getaway easier for those who are going elsewhere than St. Louis because there are more nonstop flights available from here and, in some cases, red-eye flights that can get them out even earlier. Mackenzie MacEachern had a red-eye flight booked to Detroit after the game and Zach Sanford had one to his hometown of Boston.

And with the Blues’ season resuming on Friday in Winnipeg, players have a choice of coming back to St. Louis for an early morning flight on Friday or they can go straight to Winnipeg and meet the team there.

REST ASSURED

Goalie Jordan Binnington was back in the nets for the Blues on Monday, a week after his previous game. 1167845 St Louis Blues

Blues use first-period blitz to win sixth straight with 4-1 win over Kings

Jim Thomas Dec 24, 2019

The Los Angeles Kings were on the receiving end of a Blues blitz in the first period Monday at Staples Center. There were two goals by Brayden Schenn, one by Jaden Schwartz and another by Vince Dunn.

"Guys came out ready, competed hard, took advantage of some opportunities and we scored," coach Craig Berube said.

That proved to be more than enough to send the Blues home for Christmas with a 4-1 victory. They have won six in a row, their second- longest winning streak of the season.

"We talked before (the game) about being ready to go in the first period and each guy be accountable for himself and they were," Berube said.

The Blues, with the second-best record in the NHL, now take a three-day Christmas break with a 24-8-6 record, good for 54 points. They are midway through a stretch of 12 consecutive games against Western Conference teams, and next play Friday in Winnipeg.

The Blues had a pair of power play goals Monday and got two assists apiece by David Perron and Alex Pietrangelo.

After that scintillating opening period, there was an evenly-played second period. But then the Blues spent the third period on their heels, getting outshot 15-6 and surviving three LA power plays.

"They were gonna push after that first period _ we all know that," Berube said. "We took some penalties. In the third we got in penalty trouble, so that was the difference there."

Even so the Blues kept the Kings off the scoreboard over the final two periods, maintaining their status as the best in the Western Conference. Only Washington of the Eastern Conference, with 57 points on a record of 26-7-5, is better.

The Blues are 12-4-3 at home and 12-4-3 on the road this season. Now that's consistency.

It was 4-1 Blues after one period, with a late power play goal by the Kings' Alex Iafallo preventing total embarrassment early for the home team. And that's the way it stayed.

The four goals in one period matched a season high by St. Louis, last achieved in Game 4 on Oct. 10, when the Blues' scored four times in the third period of a 6-4 victory over the Ottawa Senators.

Schenn's first goal came at the 4:51 mark of the opening period, when he spun around quickly in the slot and sent a shot that deflected into the net off the stick of a Los Angeles defender.

Just 52 seconds later, Schwartz notched his 11th goal of the season _ a power play goal that came on a deflection of shot from the high slot by Alex Pietrangelo. Schwartz thus matched his goal total of the entire 2018-19 regular season. Before Christmas.

Dunn then scored his sixth goal of the season skating around from behind the net and finding himself uncovered after Matt Luff of the Kings fell down trying to cover him.

Schenn then made it 4-0 at the 12:21 mark of the first on _ would you believe it? _ a 2-on-0 break on the power play. It was Schenn's 17th goal of the season, matching his total from the entire 2018-19 regular season.

Goalie Jordan Binnington, making his first start of the week, stopped 29 of 30 shots in improving to 17-6-4 for the season. The only Kings goal Monday came on a deflection.

St Louis Post Dispatch LOADED: 12.25.2019 1167846 St Louis Blues Defensemen: Faulk-Pietrangelo

Bouwmeester-Parayko Does he look rested? Binnington back in goal for Blues vs. Kings Dunn-Bortuzzo

Goalie: Tom Timmermann Dec 23, 2019 0 Binnington

KINGS LINEUP: LOS ANGELES -- Does he look rested? Forwards It's been a week since Jordan Binnington last played and he'll be in goal for the Blues on Monday night in the team's final game before the Iafallo-Kopitar-Brown league's three-day Christmas break. Kempe-Lizotte-Wagner "I think he got the rest that he needed," coach Craig Berube said. "Not that he wanted it, but he's played a lot. Things add up, bumps and Prokhorkin-Amadio-Toffoli bruises, things like that. He got good rest and he feels good." Clifford-Carter-Lewis

Among the many things an NHL coach has to do, one of toughest is Defensemen telling guys that it's in their best interest not to practice or play some days. Ryan-Doughty

"Everybody wants to play," Berube said. "Everybody wants to play a lot. Hutton-Roy It's normal. At the same time, we have to manage the workload of a lot of guys. Most of them, they just like the routine of keeping going. I don't MacDermid-Walker know what the word is for it, but they don't like time off, they want to keep Goalie going, keep getting out there touching the puck. A perfect example is a guy like Ryan O'Reilly. He never wants to take a day off but he needs it Quick but he likes to get out there and make sure he's touching pucks and things like that. Tags

"It is hard to keep him off. I think he's done a better job of it this year, just Blues Kings Binnington optionals and the days we say 'no skate' so everyone stays off. If you ttimmermann don't want guys to go out, don't make it optional. Just say no skate." Tom Timmermann Binnington talked about getting back on the ice on Sunday here. St Louis Post Dispatch LOADED: 12.25.2019 STREAKER

The Blues have won five in a row, and the start of that streak coincided with Oskar Sundqvist's return to the lineup after missing six games to an injury.

Coincidence?

"Probably not," Berube said. "He's a good player, a very good player. He really brings a lot of energy to our team. His will, I think guys feed off that. He wills his way around the ice as much as I've seen any player."

Sundqvist wasn't so sure he should get the credit.

"Yeah, I don't think so," he said. "We've been getting a couple players back here and getting our game going. It seems like every night it's been a different line. It's good for us we have that weapon to have."

LAST ONE

The Blues, and the rest of the NHL, take a three-day break after today. That presents an added challenge to the team of players having to block out the upcoming Christmas holiday.

"It starts now," Berube said, "mentally preparing yourself and holding yourself accountable. We've got one more game before the break. It's each individual making sure he's accountable for that and it starts from a mental side right now and tonight being emotionally engaged in the game."

PERSONNEL FILE

The Blues had an optional morning skate on Monday, but Berube said it would be the same lineup as on Saturday against San Jose, and the lines the team ran in practice on Sunday looked the same as for that game.

Forwards:

Sundqvist-O'Reilly-Perron

Schwartz-Schenn-Kyrou

Steen-Thomas-Bozak

MacEachern-de la Rose-Barbashev 1167847 Tampa Bay Lightning recounted massive gatherings of 50 to 60 people at his grandparents’ house in , . But he isn’t making that 2,500-mile trip this year and hasn’t in a while.

Lightning enjoy a break from the NHL for Christmas Often his or his wife’s parents come visit wherever they live, but this year it’s just them and their 2-year-old son, Kingston. Jessica will be making It has been almost 50 years since the league last played on Christmas the traditional 12-dish Polish Christmas Eve meal of wigilia. She had Eve or Christmas. already made 150 pierogis, stuffed with homemade cheese, on Saturday.

And because the powers on high deem the holiday worth the break, many others who would be working the broadcasts and at the arenas get By Diana C. Nearhos to enjoy the time with their families as well.

Tampa Bay Times LOADED: 12.25.2019 'Twas the night before Christmas, when all through the league, not a creature was stirring, not even a rink rat.

The NHL has gone silent for the three days. Coaches, players, staff and everyone else involved with teams get a break for Christmas Eve, Christmas and Boxing Day. No practices, no games, no transactions.

“Christmas is my favorite time of year,” Lightning coach Jon Cooper said. “I’m glad that the league doesn’t play games on that day. They leave it for everybody to be with family.”

The last Christmas game was played in 1972, after that the league took two days off (Dec. 24 and 25) and eventually added a third day (usually Dec. 26, sometimes Dec. 23).

This is the only league to take the holiday off. The NBA highlights its Christmas triple header. The NFL plays when the holiday falls on a Sunday. NCAA football plays the Hawaii Bowl on Christmas Eve and you’ll find college basketball on Christmas. In other seasons, the MLB plays right through Mother’s Day and July 4. Only NASCAR breaks for Easter and Mother’s Day.

Phil Esposito played Christmas Day each of the first nine years of his career, including four Dec. 25-26 back-to-backs. He remembers going to a 2 p.m. Christmas matinee game after spending the morning assembling his daughter’s dollhouse.

“I’m the worst at doing that,” he said, “and drinking while I did it. But I got through the game and then we partied. We played back then because that’s when the kids could come.”

There have been proposals put in front of the league suggesting at least one Christmas game, with the kind of hype the NBA uses around its triple header. But they have never been approved by the commissioner or board of governors.

There’s money left on the table, but the individuals involved enjoy the break.

Players and coaches dispersed Tuesday morning after Monday’s game against Florida. Last year, the team didn’t have a game on Dec. 23. A handful of players left Edmonton on an Air Canada red-eye to Toronto immediately after the Dec. 22 game.

Some of the players will stay local. The Europeans aren’t going to fly home for a three-day break, which also goes for some of the farther-flung North Americans.

Braydon Coburn is hosting his whole family. That means his three brothers will bring their families to Tampa for a relief from winter, trading their traditions of outdoor skating for potential beach weather.

Ondrej Palat and wife Barbora typically go to the beach on Christmas Eve if it’s nice. This year, his parents will be on hand to spend the holiday with their 13-month-old granddaughter, Adela.

“I’m sure they will enjoy her,” he said. “They will take her somewhere. With just a couple of days, we don’t travel. Just relax, watch TV, Christmas movies.”

Like Coburn, Victor Hedman has a large group coming in. His wife’s parents and sisters, his parents and a friend will all spend Christmas with him and Sanna in Tampa. And they bring some of the Swedish treats he can’t get stateside.

Anthony Cirelli is one of four Lightning players heading back to family in Ontario for the holiday. His parents host both sets of grandparents, aunts, uncles, etc. for a big mid-day meal. 1167848 Auston Matthews and a healthy audition to demonstrate what they could do together.

The grind-it-out mantra has been replaced by a play-to-your-skills If first 15 games under Keefe are an indication, optimism should be at the approach and the results have been obvious. Leafs' fore “We have some energy in the group and you see see guys playing with some emotion most of the time and I think eventually, the skill will show once we play with good structure,” goalie Frederik Andersen said. “We’re Terry Koshan going to create so much room for each other that it’s (going to be) tough to defend.”

The day after Babcock was fired, Barrie spoke for himself and for the GAME DAY: Hurricanes at Maple Leafs team when he said: “It’s a new lease.” We can imagine that as the Maple Leafs sat down to dinner with family If only Barrie knew. and friends over the Christmas break that toasts of good fortune and optimism for the New Year and beyond were in order. “This month or so has been pretty hectic with the change and everything but we’ve done a pretty good job adjusting,” Matthews said on Monday. For good reason. “Our record has been pretty decent. We just want to continue to put our The bigger the sample size gets under coach Sheldon Keefe, the more best foot forward.” the Leafs have been winning. There’s no reason for that not to continue. Five victories in a row at the break thanks to the heart-stopping (and TAVARES LINES UP BEHIND COACH WITH PLENTY OF starting) 8-6 victory against the Carolina Hurricanes on Monday; wins in CONFIDENCE seven of eight after losing back-to-back games against the Philadelphia Flyers and Colorado Avalanche Dec. 3-4. John Tavares loves playing with Mitch Marner on his wing, but if Sheldon Keefe sees fit to keep Marner with Auston Matthews, the Maple Leafs Keefe’s Leafs have been on right side of the ledger 11 of 15 times since captain is cool with that. he replaced the fired on Nov. 20. No other team in the National Hockey League has as many wins in its past 15 games. “He’s trying to do what’s best for the team and get us to play the best we can,” Tavares said of his coach. “We all have a lot of trust in him.” While it’s laudable that the success comes as the Leafs have been making adjustments to playing with a greater emphasis on possession Marner and Matthews, along with Zach Hyman, have been on the ice for and offence, keep in mind that’s the way general manager six even-strength Leafs goals since Keefe united them against Detroit built this team to play. The ideas that Babcock had didn’t suit this group, this past Saturday. which was mired in a six-game losing streak and falling further down the Eastern Conference standings when Dubas and team president Brendan The play of that trio was crucial as the Leafs sloughed off a bad second Shanahan had seen enough, leading to the bloodless coup in the desert period and rallied to beat the Carolina Hurricanes on Monday. some five weeks ago as the Leafs wound their way through the For Tavares, it’s not about what each line can accomplish, but what the southwestern United States. 18 players employed each night are able to attain. On the day Babcock was summoned to a meeting with his bosses at the “We’re still not even halfway through (the season) yet,” Tavares said. Leafs’ resort hotel in Scottsdale, Ariz., Toronto had 22 points and was in 10th in the conference, two points out of a wildcard spot and five points “We’ve had periods where we’ve seen good results, played with the lead from third place in the Atlantic Division. well, and then there’s times where we haven’t.

In doubling their point total since to 44, the Leafs have moved past “It’s finding that consistency and that has been starting to come as of Florida, Montreal and Buffalo to sit in second place in the Atlantic behind late. Momentum and the belief is building and the trust in each other and the uncatchable Boston Bruins, who have 53 points. the game is getting stronger.”

The Leafs’ goal differential when Babcock was dismissed was minus-8. Toronto Star LOADED: 12.25.2019 Now, it’s plus-11.

At the break a year ago, the Leafs were in second in the Atlantic with 52 points, trailing the Tampa Bay Lightning by six points.

We know what came next: The Leafs mostly were mediocre in the second half, gaining just 48 points in their final 45 games and ceding home-ice advantage to the Boston Bruins in the first round.

While an injury or two to key players (don’t get hurt, Frederik Andersen) could derail the Leafs’ ultimate aspirations, there have been no indicators that the Leafs will fall, or begin to struggle, with the way Keefe has them playing.

Are the Leafs going to win every game between now and the regular- season finale against the Canadiens on April 4? No. Have they demonstrated they are capable of winning each time they step on to the ice? Yes.

“What we’ve seen is that we have good players and we have good depth,” Keefe said after the rollicking win against Carolina. “And we have the ability to set ourselves up to win games.

“What do we have to work out, I think, is dealing with playing with that lead. We want to be the team that controls the puck and controls a play. We’re feeling our way through that … we still see lots of positives in here that have helped us along the way.”

Keefe’s player usage and his willingness to make in-game changes have been revelations. Or perhaps we just became accustomed to the stodgier ways of Babcock, who never gave much thought to putting Tyson Barrie on the top power-play unit, pairing Barrie with , or giving 1167849 Toronto Maple Leafs conversation I had recently with Colorado GM Joe Sakic, where he quite honestly said that it’s not just about winning for the Avs but also entertaining their fans. They want to play a brand that’s fun to watch. I’m wondering if you share that philosophy because it sure looks like it when LeBrun: Q&A with Leafs coach Sheldon Keefe on building relationships, we watch your team play right now. playing aggressively and stacking lines Well, I certainly do share that philosophy and I recognize that. I think more importantly recognizes that, Kyle Dubas recognizes that, we want to be able to put together a team that is very By Pierre LeBrun Dec 24, 2019 fun to watch and one that can be exciting to go to a game and pay to watch or to watch on TV, but of course recognizing that we don’t want to sacrifice our ability to win games and to be competent in all areas of the TORONTO — The Toronto Maple Leafs have won 11 of their 15 games game. So, that’s not lost on us. We believe there’s a balance to be had under Sheldon Keefe since the 39-year-old coach took over for Mike there that can serve everybody well. Babcock last month. And they are doing so in a rather entertaining fashion, with the team’s offensive machine humming along at a high Coaches always talk about the process and that the team game you’re enough pace to cover up for some defensive issues that still need fixing. going to want to see come playoff time, if you make the playoffs. The Still, the Leafs — averaging four goals a game during that 15-game question I would have is that balance between creating the kind of stretch — have been a fun bunch to watch under Keefe, whose opening offence that you guys are and being able to defend especially come chapter has been impressive. playoff time. People can say what they want but the game is called differently at playoff time. A highly skilled Washington team grinded out I chatted with Keefe on Sunday for a Q and A that I hope you enjoy their Cup win two years ago, and we saw how the Blues played last year. during the holiday break: Can the Leafs’ style of play have the desired impact come playoff time? I know that’s a loaded question but it’s probably the question, right, with The team is 10-4-0 (now 11-4-0) since you took over, every game is the way this team is composed? rather interesting, what are your initial impressions of how things have gone; it’s not easy taking over a team in-season. Yeah, it’s a valid question, of course. The most recent examples (of Cup winners) are top of mind. We’re trying to build a team that can sustain It presents its challenges, however, it also presents its opportunities. itself through difficult times, be it in the regular season against different You’re taking over a team that obviously things weren’t going well, which opponents that pose different challenges or different adversities you is why teams make coaching changes. When that happens I think it’s might face. And in the playoffs, of course, is the ultimate challenge and obviously not just on the coach, the players I think accept and take the ultimate adversity inevitably and we want to be able to rise above responsibility for their own piece of that. So you have a captive audience that. To answer your question, I believe that we can build a program that when you come into that situation. I think that is the unique opportunity, it can get to that point. We’re not there yet. But we certainly do believe that. is challenging from the fact you’re kind of jumping on a moving treadmill That ultimately would be the goal. We have a bit of experience of doing but the captive audience really helps things get traction right away. so at the AHL level and we’re trying to do what we can here to find our And there’s really not that much practice time in the modern NHL, either, way at the NHL level. so that’s another challenge for you. Now you have a lot of former Marlies Yeah, that’s a good point with that championship experience at the AHL players on your Leafs roster. It reminds me a bit when Jon Cooper took level. The perception that people have of you both with the Marlies and over in Tampa initially, he had some of his AHL players up with him and now with the Leafs is that you are a players’ coach and that players love there was a lot of chemistry there. Do you feel that as well, that it’s been playing for you. But I think people shouldn’t mistake that for you being an advantage for you having such a large number of your former AHL easy-going all the time. We saw this past Saturday night where both players up with you now? Nylander and Kapanen spend a bit of time on the bench in the second Yeah, I do, that has really been helpful. Of course, having those period as you shuffled the lines. Is that your method of choice when it’s established relationships and kind of having a little more knowledge of a time to send a message or was that more an in-game alteration? player’s strengths and weaknesses and all of those types of things. I I think when you talk about being a players’ coach, there’s a lot of things think what has also helped me is just being in the organization. Even the that go into that. Certainly being a soft coach or being a pushover is not players I hadn’t coached previously, I had been around for five training one of them. Because ultimately I think players want to be held camps with the Leafs and with exhibition season, I’ve even been on the accountable, they want to play at a higher level and they don’t want to bench for some exhibition games. So I’ve had interactions with all of the just have a free pass. But what they do want, is they want relationships, players. And perhaps more importantly, I had known all of the staff they want respect, they want communication. I think that’s ultimately members, all of the coaches, all of the training staff, all the equipment where it begins. That’s what we try to spend a lot of time on. That’s what staff, all the media staff, management, all of them I had worked with as I’m looking to create right now, is that foundation of trust and respect. well through those exhibition games and training camps and other events We’re getting to the point now where things such as Saturday can start to that go around an organization. A lot of that credit has to go to Mike happen in terms of the accountability now that we’ve built the foundation Babcock, because of the environment he created in terms of involving of relationships but also just how we want to play and what the me and having me around and the importance of the Marlies to the expectations are. On a particular night, if somebody’s not going, it’s on program. The fact that he opened the doors and was so welcoming to me me to recognize that. But it’s also on our players to recognize that. We’ve really helped in that situation. talked a lot internally about the accountability within the group. And There’s been a bit of piling on towards Mike Babcock since his firing. I really, I think when you really have something is when the accountability think it was Chris Johnston of Sportsnet who had reported that Babcock towards one another trumps anything that comes from the coach. When had reached out to you after the change and wished you good luck. I the players can get to things because the coach has to, that’s when you think that gets forgotten in all this, I do think that it seemed like a really have something and that’s what we want to build towards. welcome change behind the bench for the players in terms of your Last question, and thanks again for your time Sheldon, you’ve certainly promotion, but it doesn’t mean that Babcock didn’t do some things that been unafraid to change forward lines in-game, I think our eyebrows are still help your team today? raised when you see a shift or two with John Tavares, Auston Matthews Well, absolutely. He certainly had an impact on me like we’ve talked and Mitch Marner, for example, all going out together. Has that always about in terms of just having me around and involving me in the been part of your arsenal that you like doing that? discussions and having me in meetings. Our communication throughout I have always believed that, particularly coaching at the junior level. I the season and him coming to watch the Marlies play, all those types of think when you’re coaching at the AHL level it’s a little bit different, I don’t things really helped me greatly. And, of course, just building the think there’s a huge gap or discrepancy in the talent level of the players foundation of the organization and the team. I think it’s easy to forget there. So I think you manage things a little differently there. But I do think where this team was before he arrived. He certainly did a lot of great at the NHL level, much like junior hockey, there is from top to bottom work to put the team in a good spot. And there’s a lot of things that are perhaps a larger gap in talent and ability; so with that in mind, I like to be still in place that we didn’t have to change with the team. able to put them together and see what that can bring to the game at a And yet having said that, it is certainly noticeable the way the team plays time where it’s either us looking to take advantage of a team on an icing under you, it’s quite aggressive, it’s entertaining. It reminds me of a or a TV timeout or a mismatch in personnel. Or just trying to spark something in the game. So I do believe that can provide something. It also in a sense goes back to the whole entertainment factor. I think that there’s something to be said about having those people on the ice who can create a little extra buzz. And I think from what we’ve experienced on the bench is that it adds to our team as well, and it gets everybody going. And because of the TV timeouts and such, it’s a lot easier at the pro level to get your lines back organized again.

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1167850 Vegas Golden Knights Monday’s 7-3 shellacking by Colorado dropped the Knights to 10-7-3 at home, tied for the 20th-best record in the league by points percentage. They’ve lost twice on home ice by five goals, which happened one time in the previous two seasons combined. 5 gifts under the tree for the Golden Knights If the Knights are going to make the playoffs and do any damage, they have to improve at home.

By David Schoen 4. Subban success

December 24, 2019 - 1:40 PM Backup goaltender Malcolm Subban caught a tough break when he was injured in the fourth game. But he’s rounded into form and filled in

admirably while Marc-Andre Fleury was away from the team following his It’s almost a rite of passage to receive a gift during the holiday season father’s death. that was underwhelming at first glance but ends up looking better over Since Nov. 25, Subban is 6-2-1 with a 2.52 goals-against average and time. .920 save percentage. His seven games with a save percentage above That’s been the Golden Knights season. .900 during that stretch is tied for second in the league.

Following an inconsistent start and injuries to key players, the Knights The trend in the NHL is for goaltenders to split starts more evenly, and woke up on Christmas Eve tied in points (46) with Arizona atop the Subban’s success allows Fleury to remain fresh for the spring. Pacific Division standings. 5. Third jersey True, their 20-14-6 record isn’t the official Red Ryder carbine-action, 200- It doesn’t matter whether the alternate jersey is gold or any other color, shot range model air rifle they asked Santa to deliver. these will sell out faster than a Popeye’s chicken sandwich. But the Knights are 9-3-2 since Nov. 27. They rank No. 1 in the league in So, what is taking so long for them to debut? C’mon, already, Bill Foley. total shot attempts and are seventh in expected goal percentage at 5-on- Put them on the shelves and take all the money. 5, according to NaturalStatTrick.

At the very least, it’s a long way from what the San Jose Sharks are enduring, that’s for sure. LAS VEGAS REVIEW JOURNAL LOADED: 12.25.2019 “We lost ourselves a little bit in November, didn’t play our game,” right wing said. “But overall, the last month, month and a half, some real good things, some real good hockey. We’re probably going to get some healthy bodies back here in the not too distant future. I like where we’re sitting.”

The most popular item on the Knights’ wish list this holiday season was a goal for rookie defenseman Nic Hague. Since that hasn’t arrived, here are five more gifts they could use in 2020:

1. Boost on the blue line

The Knights’ need to upgrade on defense hasn’t been as glaring since the change to a zone coverage scheme, but they could use another quality puck mover to run the No. 2 power play.

Those players are hard to find and don’t come cheap. Plus, the front office tag team of George McPhee and Kelly McCrimmon prefers to avoid rentals unless they can agree to a long-term contract extension.

Should they swing for the fences on an unrestricted free agent, Toronto’s Tyson Barrie and Chicago’s Erik Gustafsson are the top options. Philadelphia’s asking price for Shayne Gostisbehere ($4.5 million cap hit through 2022-23), could be too high.

One risky move would be trying to fix Carolina’s Jake Gardiner, whose backloaded contract comes with a $4.05 million cap hit through 2022-23.

Otherwise, the Knights could look at pending unrestricted free agent Joel Edmundson of the Hurricanes. The native of Brandon, Manitoba, (McCrimmon alert!) won the Stanley Cup with St. Louis.

2. Production from third line

This issue could be fixed with the return of Cody Glass, who started to develop chemistry with right wing Alex Tuch before sustaining an upper- body injury Dec. 8.

Maybe Paul Stastny breaks out of his season-long slump and returns to the second line, allowing Chandler Stephenson to form a speedy trio with Glass and Tuch.

Until then, the Knights are going to kick the tires on potential improvements such as New Jersey’s Kyle Palmieri (121 goals the past four-plus seasons). Chris Kreider of the New York Rangers also could be linked with multiple teams at the trade deadline in February as a UFA rental.

3. Home magic

Visiting teams built up their immune system to combat Vegas Flu and have adapted to the dance-club atmosphere inside T-Mobile Arena. 1167851 Vegas Golden Knights

Golden Knights take star turn in Mariah Carey Christmas video

By Mike Shoro

December 24, 2019 - 11:06 am

If it wasn’t clear to this point, it is now: The Golden Knights are celebrities.

Singer Mariah Carey released a music video chock-full of stars singing her legendary Christmas song, “All I Want For Christmas Is You,” to celebrate its 25th anniversary. Over the course of four minutes, celebrities like Ciara, Ryan Reynolds, Trevor Noah, Ariana Grande, JoJo Siwa, Chance the Rapper, Snoop Dogg and Laverne Cox take turns singing and moving to the upbeat Christmas tune while donned in festive apparel.

And then there were the Golden Knights, five of them in their steel gray home jerseys and four of them in Santa hats, sandwiched among other famous folks like Millie Bobbie Brown, Tyler Perry, James Corden and Daniel Levy. Ryan Reaves, Alex Tuch, Nate Schmidt and Williams Carrier and Karlsson briefly shimmy and sing along to the No. 1 song on Billboard’s Hot 100 list for the second straight week. They appear in a split-screen shot in front of a Golden Knights logo, just as Carey details how she doesn’t need to hang her stocking because even a gift from Santa Claus won’t make her happy.

Their cameo lasted about two seconds, but they and fellow Las Vegas athlete Floyd Mayweather Jr. comprise the sports star contingent of the celebrity mashup.

Carey belts the anthem over the various cuts of each celebrity in their homes, dressing rooms, vacation spots or studios. Accordingly, it’s not clear whether the Knights are actually singing along or just lip-syncing.

Probably for the best.

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Ex-Golden Knight Pierre-Edouard Bellemare stellar back in Las Vegas

By Ben Gotz

December 24, 2019 - 4:00 am

Pierre-Edouard Bellemare’s sweater has changed but his love for T- Mobile Arena hasn’t.

The former Golden Knight, who put together two career seasons in Las Vegas, continues to set milestones in his former home. In his first trip back the Colorado Avalanche center had his first career three-point game in a 6-1 win over the Knights on Oct. 25. Monday he scored two goals for the first time in his career to lead the Avalanche to a 7-3 victory.

“It’s hard to believe I scored two,” Bellemare said. “I usually score freaking five a year. That’s already one-third of it. That’s nice. I don’t think you’ll see that out of me every night, but it’s sure nice when it comes.”

Bellemare wouldn’t admit it, but it was probably also nice it came against his former team. He left the Knights in July to sign a two-year, $3.6 million contract with the Avalanche.

A well-paid fourth-line center was something the cap-strapped Knights couldn’t afford this summer. But Colorado, which was looking for forward depth, saw potential in the 34-year-old Bellemare.

Playing time rises

He’s playing an average of 13:29 this season. That’s a 1:03 increase over his last year with the Knights. He’s also on pace to shatter his career-highs in points, goals and assists. He has 10 points (four goals, six assists) in 35 games. His career-high is 16.

“(The Avalanche) were quite honest with me and they knew I could do more and they wanted more,” Bellemare said. “They gave me the chance to play in a position where I get a little more ice time and obviously I’m (doing well) right now. … I think it’s going pretty well. I’m just the same guy trying to work hard every day, but right now the puck luck is finding me a bit.”

Bellemare also admitted he’s had fun showing off the offensive side of his game. He made his bones in the NHL as a defensive-minded center and penalty killer. But his increased ice time and role with the Avalanche this season has given him the chance to show off a little.

Knights left wing William Carrier, Bellemare’s former linemate, was impressed by the “dipsy-doodle” Bellemare did to shake free of defenseman Shea Theodore on his first goal.

The move, and Bellemare’s second goal, was enough to make Knights coach entertain the question of whether he was holding the veteran back offensively his two years in Las Vegas.

“I must have been,” Gallant said, grinning. “He sure likes to play against us, doesn’t he? He’s a good character guy and a hard player and he comes in here and plays really well. I don’t know, maybe he didn’t like me. I have no idea.”

No bad blood

Bellemare, of course, insists there’s “no bad blood at all” between him and the Knights. The team played a tribute video for him in his first game back at T-Mobile Arena that he seemed genuinely moved by.

But there’s no doubt he found a good fit in Colorado. He’s playing well, and playing even better when he visits Las Vegas.

He’s scored three goals against the Knights and three goals against everyone else.

“It’s just crazy,” Bellemare said. “It’s crazy, but fun.”

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How About This Christmas Present?: $140 Ticket For VGK Game On New Year’s Eve

December 24, 2019

Alan Snel

On the day before Christmas, the Vegas Golden Knights alerted fans about a possible juicy holiday gift — tickets for “FIXED SEATS” starting at $140 for a VGK vs Anaheim Ducks game at T-Mobile Arena Dec. 31.

The average ticket for a Golden Knights game is $104.36, according to Team Marketing Report, which tracks game costs for fans.

A ticket to a Knights games is one of Las Vegas’ hottest ticket on the Strip.

And for $140, VGK fans receiving ticket alerts could grab a seat for the New Year’s game when the Knights host the Kings.

William Hill US said an NFL game bettor hit the jackpot when he made a $5 bet and went an amazing 15 for 15 on a William Hill Parlay Card to win a stunning $100,000 at Casino Royale.

The Packers’ 23-10 win over the Vikings clinched the 15-game winner last night. According to William Hill, the bettor got the following picks correct: Broncos -7, Raiders +6, Falcons -7, Saints -3, Over 51 in Saints vs Titans, Giants +2, Jets +3, Dolphins -1, Colts -7, Ravens -10, Eagles +3, Under 46 in Cowboys vs Eagles, Cardinals +10, Chiefs -5, and Packers +4.

From Sports Business Daily:

DraftKings’ Merger Will Allow It To Become Public Company

DraftKings is “merging with a special purpose acquisition company, allowing it to become public while forgoing the typical IPO process.” DraftKings will combine with Diamond Eagle Acquisition Corp., a SPAC with a market cap of roughly $500M, and SBTech, a betting and gaming company. The merger is “expected to close” in the first half of ’20. As part of the deal, Diamond Eagle will “change its name to DraftKings and change its ticker symbol.” (CNBC.com, 12/23).

LVSportsBiz.com LOADED: 12.25.2019 1167854 Washington Capitals The aggressive style the Capitals have implemented this season, with more bodies swarming the puck and trying to poke it away, also might have an unintended consequence.

Capitals enter holiday break with a minor issue “We want to be aggressive and hounding and hunting pucks down, which we are way better at than a year ago today,” Reirden said. “[But] sometimes when you are hunting pucks and trying to strip pucks, then you get into the hands — and that is an area we need to stay away from. Samantha Pell I want us to be aggressive on pucks; it’s the lazy ones that don’t have December 24, 2019 at 9:52 AM EST anything to do with the play that I think hurt our team. And it’s funny that those are the ones that end up in the back of your net.”

At the NHL’s holiday break, the Washington Capitals sit atop the league with 57 points through 38 games, three points ahead of St. Louis Blues Washington Post LOADED: 12.25.2019 and four ahead of the Boston Bruins. The Capitals are getting contributions throughout the lineup, but with an eye on refining their performance in anticipation of making another run at the Stanley Cup, one issue remains glaring: They’re taking too many minor penalties.

That was evident in Monday’s 7-3 loss to the Bruins at TD Garden, which was lopsided from the get-go after Boston scored four first-period goals.

“Far too many penalties, obviously, and if I had to point to one negative from 38 games into [the season], that would be it,” Coach Todd Reirden said.

Last time out: Bruins score early and often, and Capitals enter holiday break with a dud

The Capitals took eight minor penalties Monday and lead the NHL with 151. They rank fourth in penalty minutes (402). Vegas is second in minor penalties with 143; only Anaheim (464), San Jose (450) and the New York Rangers (444) have more penalty minutes.

Somewhat mitigating the problem, the Capitals’ penalty kill is second in the league at 84.9 percent. Only San Jose, at 88.1 percent, is better.

The Capitals faced seven shorthanded situations in Saturday’s 3-1 win against the Tampa Bay Lightning but killed them all off, including a five- on-three and a six-on-four. Goaltender Braden Holtby was stellar during the five-on-three, nearly killing off the two-man advantage on his own. But the Bruins proved to be a more formidable test. The Capitals faced another five-on-three against Boston when Evgeny Kuznetsov and Jakub Vrana were dinged for slashing and tripping, respectively.

“We did very well the other night, but you can’t expect us to kill seven every night,” center Lars Eller said. “Nobody really does that game after game. We got to find a way to stay out of the box, get our stick infractions down. That’s one area we can improve, and we have 100 percent control over that.”

When it comes to cutting down on the stick infractions, Eller said most of the time it’s just about “taking another step, skate.” Players need to get close enough to the opposition so they don’t have to hook a player, whack him or reach. Against Boston, the Capitals’ minor penalties were for high-sticking, hooking, tripping, roughing, holding, cross checking and twice for slashing.

Forward , who scored his sixth goal of the season Monday, said a big part of cleaning up penalties comes with puck management. He felt Boston had a strong neutral zone presence, so the Capitals got stuck in the middle and they “forced plays or mishandled plays,” which prompted the team to “chase guys.”

“When you are a stick-length away, we tend to use our stick and we get ourselves in trouble,” Eller said. “But [Monday] I think some of them we were forced to take [after] we made mistakes because we weren’t executing passes — and all of a sudden we create a one-on-two for ourselves or something like that. Some of it is lack of execution, and some of that is a little more will to work hard and keep your stick down.”

Reirden said, from a coach’s perspective, penalties can be divvied up into a few categories: unnecessary, borderline or strategic — to stop an obvious threat. Against Boston, the Capitals had all three.

“You see those type of mistakes when you are fatigued a bit,” said Reirden, whose team played three games in four nights. “Clearly an area we get better at, and we will.”

Reirden said he will try to remedy the situation by adjusting ice time, trying different combinations and continuing to emphasize foot movement. 1167855 Washington Capitals

The Capitals' Christmas wish list

By J.J. Regan

December 24, 2019 6:00 AM

It’s not too late to get those Christmas wishes into Santa! Just in case he is a hockey fan, there are a few items on the Capitals’ wish list that they would love to have to help them on their quest for the franchise’s second Stanley Cup.

If the Caps are on the nice list, here is what they should hope to find under the Christmas tree.

A top-four right defenseman

The biggest hole in the lineup is on the right side of the second defensive pair. The Caps have one of the best right defensemen in the world in John Carlson and then it has two bottom-pair righties in Nick Jensen and Radko Gudas. This team needs another top-four guy to play alongside Dmitry Orlov on the second pair to shore up the defense. You can get away with using either Jensen and Gudas there in the regular season, but they need a true top-four guy in that spot or they will get exposed in the playoffs.

3rd line goals

Lars Eller, Carl Hagelin and Richard Panik have not had much time together as a line, but when they have they have not been able to find much offense together yet. Washington’s top-six is as good as anyone’s and the fourth line has been great, the third line is really the only question mark on offense. Hagelin is still searching for his first goal of the season while Panik has only four points total.

The solution also may not be as simple as you may think. Panik is on the first year of a four-year deal which makes trading him difficult for those who advocate for such a move. The team is also tight enough under the salary cap that trading for another player while keeping Panik likely is not an option.

The best-case scenario for the Caps is for the third line as it is currently constructed to figure things out and start producing.

Power play goals

Say it ain't so! The Capitals' power play has gone ice cold with a 7.1- percent in the month of December. That's not going to get it done. Washington has as much talent on the power play unit as any team in the NHL. It has got to be able to produce more than that.

A new deal for Nicklas Backstrom

Backstrom is on the final year of his contract, but he is still the team’s top center and an extension seems likely. Plus, considering what he has meant to the franchise no one wants to see him walk as a free agent and suit up in another team's jersey. Considering that Backstrom’s current deal is a steal with a cap hit of $6.7 million, the new deal is not going to come cheap. With the team close against the cap, Brian MacLellan really needs to know what that cap hit is going to be before he can really make any other moves in the offseason.

Comcast SportsNet.com LOADED: 12.25.2019 1167856 Websites decline is far more noticeable when they try to find it again than it would be to the general public.

Still, players are so desperate to get off the season’s hamster wheel for a The Athletic / Bourne: Christmas break and the general conundrum of few seconds they most likely aren’t going to be mixing in a workout to ‘rest’ combat that issue. I would say of the whole season, maybe the whole year, Christmas break is the most “eat anything, drink everything, do whatever the hell you want” few days on the NHL calendar. The thinking is, “So it might be a little harder when you get back. So what?” It’s the By Justin Bourne one period of rest afforded to players when the coaches can’t get in the Dec 24, 2019 way, and they don’t judge the guys for returning stuffed full of chocolate and Baileys and heavy meats. They’d be hypocrites to act differently.

For most — I want to say all, but I’ll hedge for the oddballs out there — The makeup of a professional hockey team presents some difficult for most, the skate on Thursday feels impossible. Just impossible. Not challenges for coaches and managers alike. The job of those in charge is just for the physical aspect of a slightly flagging cardio level, but also to put the group in the best possible position to succeed — which means because they’re not used to eating like that for a few days in a row, or affording its hard-working talents rest to recover between physically drinking like that, and the hardest part is mustering the mental energy to taxing hockey games — and that wouldn’t be an issue … if everyone fell recommit to the program (only with heavier legs), which they’re back at in in the same demographic. Unfortunately, hockey teams are made up of a seeming blink. It’s like the Christmas break never happened, as players people between the very different ages of about 20 to 40. execute drills designed to look like puck-handling fun rush drills, but boy, you sure seem to be going all the way up and down the rink a lot, don’t As much as a director of hockey operations looks after a team’s logistical you? (That’s my way of saying coaches try to hide bag skates in “fun planning (hotels, meals, transportation and all that), the day-to-day drills” these days, but players get hip to the game pretty quick.) It feels planning of what to do with the team and when — including finding like skating in mud, as nearly everyone uses his break “rest” to go full Eff- players rest time — primarily comes down to a team’s coach. (Before It Mode. going too deep, I should note coaches have varied approaches regarding how involved they get with the daily itinerary. My experience on that side The fans’ takeaway, something you may be able to clearly see in those of the equation is alongside Sheldon Keefe, who’s involved with the games on Friday, is the uptick in scoring chances compared to the planning of every second of his team’s day.) average game. The schedule gives us games of a certain type at certain times of the year. In the early season, as teams perfect their systems, Age is an issue because as we know, rest is important, but just how everything is a little more loose defensively, and great offensive important varies greatly from Jack Hughes, 18, to Zdeno Chara, 42. producers often thrive. (I think of the starts Connor McDavid and Leon That’s why it’s “the conundrum of rest”: When hockey players are given Draisaitl had, followed by their still-impressive but mellowed pace in late rest, how 20-year-olds use it is vastly different from 40-year-olds. It would November/early December.) The pace of the season generally flags a bit be easy to say “rest is good, let’s give our team lots of time for rest and in late January/February — the dog days, if you will — as you’re sort of recovery,” but the reality is too much time off hurts young guys, who, in out at hockey sea, far from the beginning and the end of the season’s the midst of the insane time commitments of the season, are dying for journey. days to act like other people their own age for a hot minute. (Not everyone, of course, but certainly most of them.) It’s not a stretch to say The games directly after Christmas (and those directly before, more for teams can’t trust young players to use their rest time to actually rest like mental reasons) are often the most flawed of the year. Defensive they can with older players. assignments, which take real, honest hard work, are often missed by half-steps, which leaves openings, which great talents exploit — bad legs I can already hear the din of the naive saying, “You don’t get to the or not. The games are sloppy as minds are still returning from break, highest level without crazy commitment. There’s no way it’s like that shifts are short, and it’s generally fun but ugly. I had coaches not even anymore. Times have changed. These guys are machines now. They’re bother with the video from the first game back after the holidays. You win focused on one thing and one thing only. ‘Eyes on the prize 365, no days or you lose, and either way, you just try to get back into the routine. off,'” etc. It all goes back to where we started — the conundrum of rest. It’s one That ain’t it. Times have changed and the majority are crazy committed thing when both teams are going at it on the same playing field, like after and players don’t get to the highest level today without being pretty the holidays. During the season, teams don’t want to be the only ones serious about what they do. But yeah, a lot of the players are around 23 operating below peak efficiency because they wanted to give players years old and rich; if they get two days off in a row, they’re going to burn more “rest.” at least one getting weird, which can turn “rest” into wasted days. The easy answer to such questions and problems is just that everyone So, for a coach paying strict attention to each day’s itinerary — who also should be good pros and they shouldn’t let themselves go when they has a sports science team in his ear explaining how important it is that finally get time off from the grind. They should, just like they should work guys get time away from the rink to recover — it’s not as easy agreeing out more and should read more and should drink less and eat healthier. that the team should take two days off whenever it can. When guys don’t But this is real life, and that’s not how most people operate. use that time well, the group burns a day sweating out toxins and getting through that next practice to get back to where it was rather than making When hockey games resume on Friday, it won’t look terrible or slow or progress. Ask think about how many times during the season there will anything like that — the playing field is too level for that. But more often be three days available to burn without making progress, and we arrive than not, the more talented, skilled teams will win, as those that get by on where I’ve been driving this rest-related bus: Christmas break. effort and structure are usually left a step behind after all their glorious Christmas “rest.” Monday, Dec. 23, marked the last day of hockey before the short Christmas break, but the majority of the league finished before that, on Saturday or Sunday. No games are scheduled until Friday. What generally happens is players go wherever they’re spending Christmas The Athletic LOADED: 12.25.2019 the evening after their last game (or the next morning), and there will be a not-so-serious skate late on Thursday (so guys don’t have to travel back on Christmas). That skate isn’t to work on anyone’s game, but just to sweat out the Christmas baked goods and wine and other holiday indulgences before getting back to playing on Friday.

Most players are looking at somewhere between two and four legitimate days off — an interesting amount and a huge in-season rarity. It’s not enough time to undo a summer and a season’s worth of conditioning, obviously, particularly when it comes to muscles. But players can lose their cardio quick, within a matter of days, and I suspect for those who require peak levels of cardio to succeed at their jobs, a slight cardio 1167857 Websites that Ricky was persistent — Eddie described his younger brother as old school when it came to networking.

Lowe hired Olczyk as the Oilers’ director of hockey administration and The Athletic / Seattle assistant GM Ricky Olczyk proved there’s more legal affairs in 2007 and he was promoted to assistant general manager than one path to the NHL after one season.

“I knew I needed someone who could handle the legal side of things and some of the contractual stuff,” Lowe said. “He had all the credentials to By Scott Powers do it. Again, knowing he has a good family, a hockey background, but probably the one thing that stood out to me was he was hungry to be in Dec 24, 2019 the business.

“The assistant GM titles vary from organization to organization, but a lot Ricky Olczyk was facing the greatest challenge of his college career. of the workload now it’s analytics and what have you, but at that time, it was to handle all the necessary files and administrative stuff, This was nothing like he saw on the ice as a stay-at-home defenseman negotiations, contracts. You just don’t automatically assume that type of at Brown. He was surrounded, and no one was taking it easy on him. role they’re capable of scouts. They have to prove themselves over time, filing reports on players and getting a sense they’re capable of being a One Cornell Law School dean fired a question at him, then another, then scout as well, which he proved. Once he got on board, the guy is a another. They were relentless. relentless worker. I don’t know many who put more hours into it. I don’t “It was about four or five deans at Cornell Law School,” Olczyk, 49, said want to say married to the game, but pretty close to married to the of the 1995 panel hearing. “I’m standing up in front, they’re sitting down, game.” and I had to argue and propose and explain to them why it was Olczyk likes to run, enjoys the warmth of Arizona in the offseason and academically beneficial for me to take a semester away from Cornell Law spends time with his brothers’ families and his parents, but he lives for School and receive law school credit. They’re drilling me. ‘What are you hockey. There’s only one way he understands how to do the job. going to gain? What are you going to do?’ They bombarded me with question after question.” “I strive for perfection,” Olczyk said. “Will I ever get there? I don’t know. Coach Bill Belichick says do your job, and that’s all I know is to do my Olczyk had requested to earn an internship credit with the National job, to try to help the organization that I’m working for reach the pinnacle, Hockey League Players’ Association. Students normally got internship reach your utmost success day in and day out. So, I just continue, I put credit for working with organizations like the EPA or FCC. Olczyk had to my head down and work hard. Twenty-four/seven, I’m available. I love tell the panel why he believed the NHLPA was deserving of the same this game. I’ve read this game. I’m passionate about this game. And it’s a recognition. 24/7 job and I don’t regret it. That’s something I embrace. You know I say Olczyk was admittedly intimidated, but he stood tall. He explained how that to people, I am available 24/7. I get calls in the middle of the night law was integral to everything in professional sports, especially the from people in Europe, you know people that have different time zones, NHLPA and its CBA. Olczyk won his argument — the first step toward his what have you. Again, I keep the phone by my pillow and if something NHL dream. comes up or I need to address, I address it, just how I am. And I just love the game, and so it’s like just investing everything, my heart and soul into That path wouldn’t come as a player — Olczyk’s older brother Eddie, a the game.” U.S. Hockey Hall of Famer and now TV color analyst, took that one. Meanwhile, Ricky parlayed his internship into a full-time job with the Olczyk says he keeps a copy of the CBA next to his bed, and that is still NHLPA before representing players as an agent and breaking into the a major piece of what he brings to an organization. But his hockey league on the team side. He’s since held positions with the Edmonton expertise has grown since his early days in the NHLPA. His law degree Oilers, Carolina Hurricanes, Toronto Maple Leafs and now Seattle’s got his foot in the door. His work ethic and knowledge, from the CBA to expansion franchise, where he is Ron Francis’ assistant general the salary cap to scouting players, have propelled him forward. manager. “It’s a tough business to get in,” Lowe said. “A lot of people think being “He wanted to get involved in the game,” said Eddie Olczyk, who was the hired is an arms-length away, sometimes they are. But it’s like that in oldest of three brothers growing up in Palos Heights. “It was just a matter every business, you get referrals from people that you trust. But at the of at what level. He took advantage of it, worked hard, kept his mouth end of the day, those people have to prove themselves. It’s such a shut, networked and took a lot of the teachings from the real Ed and demanding business. He’s proven himself.” Diana Olczyk — my wife’s name’s Diana too so I say the real Edzo and Olczyk proved himself over seven seasons with the Oilers. From there, the real Diana (Ricky and Eddie’s parents). Keep your mouth shut, eyes Francis, another former teammate of Eddie’s, asked if he’d be interested open, keep working. You want to work for good people. I would say to in joining the Hurricanes as an assistant general manager. It’s a what level (would he get in hockey)? I probably didn’t know that when he relationship that has now spanned over two franchises. was at the Players’ Association, but once you’re there, who knows what that can bring.” And when it came to getting Seattle’s franchise off the ground, Francis couldn’t think of anyone better to help. Ricky wasn’t a bad player. He was the captain at Brown as a senior. He had a chance to play pro hockey after college — in Australia. “He’s kind of like a jack of all trades for me,” Francis said. “Certainly the CBA interpretation, he can do cap management, trade stuff, he can do Ultimately Olczyk decided against playing for the Macquarie Bears (now some scouting, contract negotiations. There are a lot of different things the Bears). He put his brain over his body, hanging up his skates we worked closely on in the four years in Carolina and I see him to begin pursuing a law degree at Cornell. continuing to do those in Seattle for us. I think there’s so much work to be “I always wanted to combine my two loves — hockey and law,” Olczyk done. I think when you’re in a franchise or an organization you take a lot said. “I certainly wanted to play professionally on the ice and then of things for granted. It’s every little thing. Like we’re going to go scout transfer into another career. It didn’t work that way. But to be able to work games, well, we got to get a scouting platform and build scouting for as long as I have at the NHL level and the pinnacle of our sport, to me categories and how we’re going to rate and what’s important and all that the greatest league in the world, I’m very blessed. I took a different kind of stuff. Very basic stuff, but there’s just a lot of things to do. I think journey to get there. I worked at the Players’ Association and I worked as having Ricky on board with his experience and expertise is very valuable an agent, consultant, family advisor, and then eventually worked with a for us.” team and I got my opportunity from Kevin Lowe, who I’m forever indebted Olczyk left the Hurricanes after Francis was fired and caught on with the to, gave me a chance to work on the management side. I mean, that was Maple Leafs as a scout for the 2018-19 season. When Francis rung him my ultimate goal.” again earlier this year and asked him to join Seattle as the organization’s Kevin Lowe, currently Edmonton’s president of hockey operations, vice president and assistant general manager, Olczyk jumped at the sought someone with a law background for the Oilers. He had played chance. with Eddie in the NHL and thought highly of the Olczyk family. It helped “I was beaming ear to ear, and ‘Where do I sign?’” Olczyk said. “He’s such a fine human being, a true gentleman. The way I coin it is the Jean Béliveau of our era. I never had the pleasure of meeting with Mr. Béliveau, but everything that I’ve read and heard from different people in this industry, it’s just a very eloquent, distinguished gentleman. And that’s how Ron Francis is. Ron Francis is a very good man.”

Olczyk also thought it was beneficial to work with someone who knew his strengths, and relished the idea of building something from the ground up. He got a small taste of that as the assistant general manager for Team Europe during the 2016 World Cup. This was much larger, and that excited him.

Francis, Olczyk and their growing staff have a lot to do before the 2021- 22 season. Olczyk is more than up for it.

“We’re going to end up scouting some games this year, getting on the road and start building our intel on players, prepping for the expansion draft, of course, and eventually the entry draft in ’21,” Olczyk said. “So, there’s a lot to do. Talk about building our culture and the people that we want to hire and the different roles and the needs that we’re going to require, the resources that we’re going to need for our team to be a successful product on the ice, all we’re going to be doing in the community. There’s so many different things that you know we’re going to have our hands in and discuss and talk about. It’s certainly extremely exciting, exhilarating, quite frankly.”

Eddie and Ricky Olczyk at Monday night’s Blackhawks game at the . (Scott Powers / The Athletic)

When he was hired by Seattle in September, he asked to live in the Chicago area for the season. From there, he could drive into the city to watch NHL games. He had three AHL teams within a few hours. College hockey and the USHL were easily accessible. He had two airports nearby that could get him to Seattle or anywhere else he needed to go. Plus, he wanted to spend quality time with his parents, whom he describes as his best friends, his brothers and their families.

Ricky and Eddie see each other often at the United Center. It’s a different relationship than when they were younger.

“You know, typical older brother back in the day,” Ricky said. “He still won’t admit it to this day, but believe me it’s absolutely true, as a lawyer, I deal in facts, the fact of the matter is he definitely placed me in a crawlspace when I was younger because I probably got a little smart- alecky with him.”

Eddie said, “I think his mind took a detour at Brown or Cornell or one of those important schools where it’s selective. We were playing hide and seek, and he locked himself in the crawlspace. He wants to seem to paint this picture that I was able to lock him in there. That’s a very good education to be able to put a spin on it, blame your big brother and I’m still in trouble with mom and dad 45 years later. … I guess I could take a shot at Ricky. He’s always been little. That’s a typical brother shot. For the record, yeah, he says I got the looks and he got the brain. Ok, I get it, sure.”

They joke, but there’s nothing but love there.

Ricky wanted to be just like Eddie growing up, but was never jealous of him. Ricky made it to the NHL, too, just in his own way.

“He may have wanted to have a pro career,” Francis said of Ricky. “Everyone who plays hockey wants to have that. I think he’s certainly carved out a real nice niche for himself. He’s very knowledgeable. He’s hard working. He puts in the time and the effort. He’s not afraid to help others as well. It’s a been good career for him. Hopefully he’s got a lot more years left in him.”

The Athletic LOADED: 12.25.2019 1167858 Websites Goalies Connor Hellebuyck, Winnipeg: He’s second in the NHL with 17 wins and

a .926 save percentage and his three shutouts are tied for the most in the The Athletic / Who will play in the NHL All-Star Game? Here’s our league. projection for all four divisional rosters Ben Bishop, Dallas: He has just 12 wins for the Stars, who have the league’s 25th-ranked offense, but his .926 save percentage is tied with Hellebuyck. By Jeremy Rutherford Further explanation: Dec 22, 2019 Colorado’s Mikko Rantanen has 24 points in 20 games, but missing 16 games with a leg injury might cost him a spot.

I promise I’ll never criticize the NHL’s Hockey Operations department Perron’s inclusion may seem surprising, but a case could be made that again when it comes to selecting the All-Stars. he’s been the Blues’ biggest difference-maker. Brayden Schenn, who’s tied with Perron for the team lead in goals, is also in the conversation, but Once the captains of the four divisional teams are determined via fan O’Reilly’s star power probably puts Schenn on the outside looking in. voting, that group fills in the remainder of the rosters. Parise got the slight edge over Eric Staal, who leads the Wild with 30 The captains were named by the league on Friday, with Boston’s David points. Pastrnak (Atlantic Division), Colorado’s Nathan MacKinnon (Central Division), Washington’s Alex Ovechkin (Metropolitan Division) and Dallas’ Miro Heiskanen and St. Louis’ Jordan Binnington are the biggest Edmonton’s Connor McDavid (Pacific Division) taking home the most snubs in the division. Heiskanen has been brilliant, but Colorado votes. They will be four of the 44 players invited to the All-Star Game on deserves two representatives and Makar has been the Avs’ second-best Jan. 26, and with it being played in St. Louis this season, I decided to player. That causes a ripple effect in which Bishop becomes the Stars’ pick the rest of the players. rep and Binnington is bumped. The host city has had four players twice in the last four years, so Binnington may wind up receiving some hometown Let me tell you, it was a difficult assignment. love. But his .920 save percentage is slightly less than Bishop’s and even Before unveiling my selections, which were made in consultation with Chicago’s Robin Lehner, whose is also .926 and who is not on the roster. The Athletic staff, let’s remind everyone of the roster restrictions the NHL Pacific Division introduced in 2015, when it went to a four-division format and a three-on- three tournament. Each of the teams is made up of 11 players (six Forwards forwards, three defensemen and two goaltenders) and all 31 teams must be represented by at least one player. Connor McDavid, Edmonton: A generational talent widely viewed as the best player, he leads the league with 61 points, an average of 1.56 points Those parameters don’t sound like much, but once you sit down and put per game. pen to paper, it’s easy to see how chaos is created and snubs happen. In fact, being the Blues beat writer, I’m going to open myself to a lot of Elias Pettersson, Vancouver: The Calder Trophy winner in 2018-19, he criticism by leaving off one of their most popular players to make the rest ranks 13th in the league with 39 points and is on pace for 20 more points of the math work. than last season.

I have three teams — Washington, St. Louis and Boston — with three Anze Kopitar, Los Angeles: It’s been a lowly year for the Kings, who are players, seven teams with two players and the other 21 teams with just last in the West, but it could be a 30-goal, 60-point season for their one player. Without further ado, here are the Central, Pacific, Atlantic and captain. Metropolitan rosters, with the skinny on every player (and statistics Leon Draisaitl, Edmonton: He’d be the main attraction on any other team, through Saturday’s games), and a further explanation on those who but next to McDavid, his 60 points (1.54 per game) are second in the didn’t make the list. Stick tap to The Athletic’s Shayna Goldman for the league. colorful charts. Max Pacioretty, Vegas: He leads the Golden Knights with 15 goals, 21 Central Division assists and 36 points and is on track to set career highs of 45 assists and Forwards 78 points.

Nathan MacKinnon, Colorado: One of the fastest players, he’s third in the Matthew Tkachuk, Calgary: He’s tied for the team lead with 29 points and league with 53 points and tied for the most with 35 at even strength. scored arguably the goal of the year against Nashville on Oct. 31.

David Perron, St. Louis: A vet who’s never made an All-Star appearance, Defensemen he has a team-high 35 points and is fourth in the NHL with five game- Jakob Chychrun, Arizona: The 21-year-old is fifth among defensemen winning goals. with nine goals and he is on his way to becoming an elite two-way player. Patrick Kane, Chicago: He’s in the top 10 with 20 goals and 46 points Erik Karlsson, San Jose: After offseason surgery, he’s played 36 of the and has 19 more points than any other Blackhawks player. Sharks’ 37 games, and his 24 assists rank third among all defensemen. Zach Parise, Minnesota: At 35 and leading the Wild with 14 goals, he’s a Cam Fowler, Anaheim: He’s been surging lately and is on track to beat candidate to play in his first All-Star Game with Minnesota in eight the career-high 11 goals he scored in 2016-17, his first All-Star season. seasons. Goalies Mark Scheifele, Winnipeg: He leads the Jets with 17 goals and 37 points, ranking fifth and sixth, respectively, in the Western Conference. Darcy Kuemper, Arizona: He was well on his way to an All-Star invite until an injury sidelined him, making his availability unknown. Ryan O’Reilly, St. Louis: The Conn Smythe winner has just seven goals, but he’s 10th with 26 assists and on pace for a career-high 58. Marc-Andre Fleury, Vegas: He’s been the backbone of the team and had what many claim was the save of the season against Toronto on Nov. 19. Defensemen Further explanation: Alex Pietrangelo, St. Louis: The Blues’ captain ranks seventh among defensemen with nine goals and is 11th with 26 points. Vegas’ Mark Stone, who has 13 goals and 34 points, was a strong candidate, but the decision went to Pacioretty because of his team-high Roman Josi, Nashville: The Preds’ captain is tied for the league lead with numbers and career-high projections. 13 goals by a defenseman and leads the Predators with 33 points. Nick Schmaltz has a team-high 27 points in Arizona and could be called Cale Makar, Colorado: He’s just a 21-year-old rookie, but he’s tied for a snub, but with Edmonton having two especially worthy forwards, and second on the Avs with 28 points and tied for the most game-winning Calgary, L.A. and Vancouver needing representatives, Schmaltz was left goals with three. off. Meanwhile, regarding the Coyotes’ Taylor Hall, it wouldn’t be fair to division’s six forwards comes out? Much like the Pacific, there’s more Schmaltz or Clayton Keller to include the newcomer. room on the back end, so Hronek is the choice.

In Calgary, it came down to Tkachuk, who has 29 points, and Elias Metropolitan Division Lindholm, who has 25. Lindholm has been more consistent, especially early in the season, but Tkachuk is a highlight reel and a nightly Forwards presence. If Tkachuk makes it, there will be one possibility lost, however. Alex Ovechkin, Washington: Approaching 700 goals, a feat only seven With L.A.’s Drew Doughty unlikely to be picked, we’ll miss seeing players have reached, he’ll participate in his eighth All-Star Game. Tkachuk and Doughty, who have had an ongoing on-ice spat, on the same team. Sidney Crosby, Pittsburgh: He only played 17 games before undergoing sports hernia surgery, but is expected to be back before the All-Star With the logjam up front and room on the back end, San Jose’s Game. representative is Karlsson instead of Logan Couture, who has 32 points, or Tomas Hertl, who has 13 goals. Artemiy Panarin, New York Rangers: His first season on Broadway has been a hit, with 20 goals and 45 points in 35 games, a 105-point pace. It’s the same situation in Anaheim, where Fowler is the choice instead of either Ryan Getzlaf and Jakob Silfverberg, each of whom have 25 points. Mathew Barzal, New York Islanders: He has a team-high 15 goals and 30 points, 24 at even strength, for the fourth-best team in the standings. If Kuemper’s injury prevents him from playing, Calgary’s David Rittich could be a replacement. Travis Konecny, Philadelphia: The 22-year-old top-line forward leads the Flyers with 32 points and is tied for second with 11 goals. Atlantic Division Kyle Palmieri, New Jersey: On a team that’s 30th in the NHL with 2.37 Forwards goals per game, he leads the Devils with 14 goals and 22 points.

David Pastrnak, Boston: The Hart Trophy candidate is the best player on Defensemen one of the top teams, leading the NHL with 28 goals and 13 power-play goals. John Carlson, Washington: No defenseman is having a better offensive year, with an NHL-best 13 goals and 47 points, the eighth-most of any Brad Marchand, Boston: His 100-point season last year was not a fluke, skater. as he’s on track for another with 18 goals and 51 points through 37 games. Dougie Hamilton, Carolina: He’s nipping at the heels of Carlson’s outstanding season with 35 points and a league-best plus-24 rating. Jack Eichel, Buffalo: He’s second in the NHL with 24 goals, including a league-best 18 at even strength, and he recently had a 17-game point Zach Werenski, Columbus: One of two All-Star-caliber defensemen, he streak. shouldn’t be overshadowed by teammate Seth Jones, as evidenced by his 19 points in 29 games. Jonathan Huberdeau, Florida: He ranks third in the league with 34 assists, including 16 on the power play, and he’s eighth in the league Goalies with 47 points. Braden Holtby, Washington: The goalie of the league’s best team, he Auston Matthews, Toronto: After five games without a goal, he’s got won 10 straight decisions earlier in the season and 12 of 15 during one seven in his last seven games and sits third in the league with 23. stretch.

Anthony Duclair, Ottawa: Easily the surprise story of the season as he’s Semyon Varlamov, New York Islanders: A partner with Thomas Greiss, with his fifth team, he has 21 goals in 37 games. he has been the more steady of the two for the league’s fourth-best team. Defensemen Further explanation: Shea Weber, Montreal: His 11 goals are fourth among defensemen, and at that pace, it would mark his first 20-goal season since 2015-16 with If Crosby is unable to play, either Jake Guentzel, who leads the Penguins Nashville. with 18 goals and has 37 points, or Evgeni Malkin, who has nine goals and 31 points, would be suitable replacements. Victor Hedman, Tampa Bay: A Norris Trophy winner in 2018 who’s been a finalist each of the last three years, he’s having another steady season. There is a group of forwards, including the Islanders’ Brock Nelson (13 goals, 28 points) and Carolina’s Andrei Svechnikov (15 goals, 36 points) Filip Hronek, Detroit: The 22-year-old has already surpassed his rookie and Sebastian Aho (21 goals, 34 points), deserving of a nod. But with goal total, and his 19 points have him fourth on the Red Wings. New Jersey’s options limited to Palmieri, and Barzal and Hamilton having Goalies superb seasons for the Islanders and Hurricanes, respectively, the other three will likely get shut out. Frederik Andersen, Toronto: He’s been as busy as any netminder, starting 29 games and earning 18 wins, both first in the league.

Tuukka Rask, Boston: After a Stanley Cup runner-up finish, he’s shared The Athletic LOADED: 12.25.2019 the load this season, and he’s still producing with a .922 save percentage.

Further explanation:

Duclair wasn’t even on the All-Star fan ballot, but you can’t blame anyone on a roster that has more qualified candidates in Thomas Chabot, Brady Tkachuk and Jean-Gabriel Pageau. But as The Athletic’s Hailey Salvian noted recently, since Oct. 23, only Pastnak has more goals than Duclair. While Chabot is a workhorse, leading the league with 25:59 of ice time per game, Duclair deserves to be the choice.

After Tampa Bay’s Nikita Kucherov won the Art Ross Trophy with 128 points last season, it will be considered a snub to leave him off the roster, but is it really? While Kucherov leads the Lightning with 37 points, the 15th-highest total in the league, he’s been benched this season by a team that’s 22nd in the standings and not in a playoff spot.

Few may feel compelled to disagree with Detroit’s All-Star representative, but those who do may wonder about the inclusion of Hronek ahead of Tyler Bertuzzi (30 points), Anthony Mantha (24 points) and Dylan Larkin (22 points). If so, who’s the choice of those three and which one of the 1167859 Websites played in — tops among his position during the 2010s. That’s impressive in its own right — the quick-footed winger hasn’t missed one single regular-season game in nine seasons, and it likely wasn’t because he somehow managed to avoid any semblance of an injury during that time. Sportsnet.ca / Top five right wingers of the decade: Kane, Kucherov take the offensive reins Take Kessel’s 695 points since January 2010 and compare them to NHLers at large, and only seven names sit above Kessel’s — an elite group: Kane, Crosby, Alex Ovechkin, Claude Giroux, Steven Stamkos, John Tavares and Backstrom. In the goals department, it is a similar Sonny Sachdeva story, with only six players sniping more than Kessel. December 24, 2019, 2:27 PM That elite goals sum also came on the back of Kessel emerging as one of the best power-play practitioners in the league, earning the fourth-most man-advantage points in the game behind only Giroux, Ovechkin and A look at the crop of right wingers who did their best work over the past Backstrom since 2010. decade tells a story of where the league’s been and where it’s going. Follow the timeline of Kessel’s career through this past decade, and his An exceptionally impressive pool of talent has gathered on that right side value in the league becomes more clear. of the ice, and the 2010s featured a little bit of every type of them. First, the trade to Toronto. Kessel swapped Bruins black and gold for There were a few elite right wingers on the last laps of their careers, Maple Leafs blue and white. He led the team in scoring every year he highlighted by a pair of them that went head to head in the ’04 Cup Final: was there — six straight seasons. Then, the move to Pittsburgh — in his Jarome Iginla and Martin St. Louis, both of whom played their last games first year with the Penguins, the club claimed its first Stanley Cup in in the 2010s. seven years. Kessel didn’t just push the talented group over the top — he led that squad in playoff scoring, putting forth a Conn Smythe-worthy Then there was the crew of young phenoms that came in at the tail end, performance, though it was the captain who eventually got the trophy. still figuring out how to piece it all together but clearly on the cusp of league-wide dominance. Two particular names stand out among that He added another Cup the next season. And the year after that, though crowd, with David Pastrnak and Patrik Laine looking like they could not earning a coveted three-peat, Kessel upped his game once again, become the class of the NHL over the next decade. this time in the form of a dominant 92-point season. It ranked as the best mark of his career, just a handful behind Malkin for the team lead, and And then there was everyone in between — those for whom the 2010s even a few points and goals above Crosby, despite both playing all 82 served as the timeline of their greatest feats. With more than a few elite games. names dotted among the bunch who made waves over the past decade, let’s look at the five who finished as the absolute best the right side had 3. Nikita Kucherov, Tampa Bay Lightning to offer over the past 10 years: There’s no question who the top right winger of the next decade will be. 1. Patrick Kane, Chicago Blackhawks Pastrnak and Laine will make strong bids, but it’ll be No. 86 in blue and white rolling through the competition, no doubt. If we’re going by the numbers, it’s tough to find any way to knock Patrick Kane off the 2010s throne. Of course, the fact that Kucherov’s only even been in the league for the latter half of this past decade precludes him from outshining high-scoring Kane wasn’t just the highest-scoring winger of the past decade, he champion wingers like the two above him on this list. But he’s an amassed the most points of any NHLer in the game since Jan. 1, 2010, interesting case. his 795 points over 737 games sitting a handful above Sidney Crosby’s sum over that span (albeit in far more games). Firstly, it’s not just that he only suited up for half the decade — he didn’t even start scoring at a truly elite level until the past few seasons. Even But what’s most impressive about Kane’s total over that stretch is that he so, the reason Kucherov slots in at No. 3 is because one of those recent ranked fourth overall in both goals (bested only by Alex Ovechkin, Steven campaigns wasn’t just elite, it was the single most prolific offensive Stamkos and John Tavares) and assists (topped only by Nicklas campaign anyone has mounted in 20 years. Backstrom, Claude Giroux and Crosby). Essentially, Kane managed to keep pace with both the best snipers and the best playmakers in the After a breakout year in 2017-18 that brought his first 100-point effort, game, and reigned as the best stickhandler. Kucherov finished up last year with a ridiculous 128 points — earning the Hart Trophy and Award for his efforts, while unseating Past that, it’s tough to ignore the three Stanley Cup rings he acquired Connor McDavid for the scoring title. during this timeline, pulling the Blackhawks out of a historic drought and turning them into the closest thing we’ve seen to an NHL dynasty in what While that 128 might feel like only a hair higher than other recent sums, it feels like eons. And as the best offensive player on all three of those Cup represents far more. Not a single player in the league has scored more teams, he played a central role — while Jonathan Toews topped him by than that total since 1996, when Mario Lemieux and Jaromir Jagr both one point for the post-season scoring lead during the first run, Kane led topped it. the club for Runs 2 and 3, earning a Conn Smythe Trophy for the second. All told, he finishes the decade as second in playoff scoring, Think of the absolute best seasons you’ve seen from Sidney Crosby, behind only Crosby. Alex Ovechkin, Connor McDavid. Think of every 100-point player you’ve watched go to work over the past two decades. Exactly zero of them Key to remember is the fact that Kane was a great but not elite scorer managed to score more in any single season than Kucherov did just last through his first eight years in the league — a hefty chunk of his career. It year, at age 25. was during this decade that he made the transition, beginning with 2016, when the playmaking wiz notched his first 100-point season, netting the That said, Kucherov isn’t on the list due only to one banner season. Hart Trophy, Ted Lindsay Award and Art Ross Trophy in the process Overall, he’s still amassed the sixth-most points among all right wingers (becoming the first American to win the Hart and Art Ross). over the past decade — and he wasn’t even in the league for the first three seasons of it. He ranks sixth with 498 points through just 479 Just last year, at age 30, he did it again, posting a career-best 110 points games, despite playing hundreds of games fewer than the majority of the for the offensively depleted Blackhawks. top 20 players at his position.

2. Phil Kessel, Maple Leafs/Penguins/Coyotes Boiled down to points-per-game, he ranks second, bested only by Kane, the top scorer of the decade. The hockey world is no stranger to downplaying Phil Kessel’s success, but if we’re looking at the last decade, start to finish, it’s tough to argue 4. Vladimir Tarasenko, St. Louis Blues there’s more than one right winger who’s done more than No. 81. On the face of it, Vladimir Tarasenko doesn’t seem like an obvious Again, look to the numbers. Over these past 10 years, Kane is the only choice over more high-scoring names like Blake Wheeler or Jakub player at Kessel’s position to outscore him, with the Madison, Wisc., Voracek. native finishing with the second-most points and goals over that timeline. Part of the reason for those lofty sums is the number of games Kessel’s The Blues sniper ranks just 14th overall in points among right wingers over the 2010s. Look to his specialty, goal-scoring, and it becomes a bit clearer. He ranks sixth on the list in goals scored over that span — and taking into account the number of games he’s played, having come into the league two years into the 2010s, that sniping skill is vaulted up even higher.

Among all right wingers who’ve been regular NHLers for at least half the decade, Tarasenko’s goals-per-game pace is tied for No. 1 over that timeline. And the two players tied with him sit above him on this list — Kane and Kucherov.

While Tarasenko’s overall scoring ability is impressive, he also ranks among the tops at his position due to his role in authoring one of the greatest comeback stories in NHL history, if not the greatest.

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 they think about it.

The tale’s been told many times by this point — on Jan. 1 of last season, St. Louis ranked last in the league. Once the calendar flipped, they found their game, flipping the script and eventually marching all the way to the Cup. The part of that story that doesn’t get told as often is the impact Tarasenko’s scoring spree had on St. Louis’ rise.

From that Jan. 1 date to the final game of the season, Tarasenko amassed an incredible 22 goals and 46 points through just 39 games — team-leading totals over that span, in both categories. He then helped lead the club in the goal-scoring department, pacing the team in shots and finishing just one goal behind Jaden Schwartz for the team lead during St. Louis’ Cup run.

5. Mark Stone, Ottawa Senators/Vegas Golden Knights

If you measure value in the league by offence alone, then maybe it should be one of those previously mentioned veterans slotting in here. Maybe Corey Perry, for his success early in the decade, or T.J. Oshie, for his versatile game and championship pedigree.

But if we widen our scope to all aspects of on-ice play, Mark Stone can’t be ignored.

The former Ottawa Senator is the rarest talent among every right winger on this list, and perhaps every right winger in the game. Stone made his name on the back of his two-way abilities, on the number of times his lizard-tongue-like stick snaps out to intercept a dangerous pass.

As of this moment, Stone leads the league in takeaways. Just like he did last year. In fact, in every year in which he’s been healthy enough to play a near-full season since he came into the league, Stone’s dominated in the takeaways department. But that’s far from the only area in which he excels defensively.

As Andrew Berkshire’s pointed out on numerous occasions, Stone’s not only the best defensive winger in the NHL — he’s challenging for best defensive forward overall, excelling also in key defensive areas of detail like winning puck battles or blocking passes to the slot.

Last season marked a game-changing point in his ascent among the league’s top two-way players, as Stone earned his first Selke Trophy nomination — a supremely rare feat for a winger, with the award often claimed by centremen.

But Stone’s proven he’s right there. It’s uncommon for a winger to have the ability to impact games defensively as much as he does, and the Winnipeg, Man., native is now to the point of challenging Patrice Bergeron for the title of the NHL’s two-way king.

On top of that, he’s no slouch in the offence department, with a pair of 60-point seasons over the past two years and a current pace in Vegas that would have him land in the 90-point range.

Stone is already somewhat of a unicorn among NHL wingers, and at only 27 years old on a deep, dangerous team, he figures to be just as much of a handful for the opposition next decade as well.

Sportsnet.ca LOADED: 12.25.2019 1167860 Websites No one could have imagined the Senators extending the Pittsburgh Penguins in the conference final, but they did — to double overtime in Game 7.

Sportsnet.ca / Top three Ottawa Senators moments of the past decade That goal, a soaring, distant, seeing-eye shot by Chris Kunitz, will go down in infamy in Ottawa along with the Game 7 conference final goal by Jeff Friesen of the New Jersey Devils in 2003.

Wayne Scanlan “I think that we did everything we could in our power and at the end of the day it could’ve gone either way, but they did it for a little bit longer than December 24, 2019, 3:16 PM we did and a little bit better,” Karlsson said after the Kunitz goal. “We played the best team in the league and we gave them a good match. As of right now, obviously, we’re very disappointed in the loss and getting so As decades go, the first 10 years of the new Millennium were a tough act close, but still being so far away.” to follow for the Ottawa Senators. Though the run was fun, there are those who wonder if the club would A franchise re-born in 1992, the Senators came of age by 2000, posting have been better off starting its rebuild sooner. In the fall of 2017, the 100 points or more five different times in the decade from 2001-2010 and Senators were still adding high-priced talent like Matt Duchene, only to missing the playoffs just once (2009). To this day, fans will argue which reverse field and declare a sell-off in 2018, after missing the playoffs. was the best Senators team of all time, the 2002-03 squad that lost to the New Jersey Devils in the Eastern Conference Final, the 2006-07 team Between the spring of 2018 and the trade deadline of 2019, the Senators that reached the Stanley Cup Final, or the 2005-06 edition that might had parted with such elite talent as Karlsson, Hoffman, Mark Stone and have reached glory if not for an injury to goaltender Dominik Hasek. Matt Duchene. By now, fans were looking to a future of bright new faces in the lineup. Sadly, we are not discussing that decade, but the one that followed, a decade that featured two major roster rebuilds for a franchise that missed 3. NHL 100 Classic at TD Place the post-season five times and is expected to make it six by the spring of Ottawa’s outdoor game on Dec. 16, 2017 could not have had greater 2020. significance, sitting as it was at the junction of Canada’s 150th birthday Still, amid a general downtrend in on-ice performance, there were and the 100th anniversary of the first NHL game played — between celebrated players and special moments. Here are three that stand out: Ottawa and Montreal.

1. Daniel Alfredsson retires as a Senator The anniversary game, Ottawa’s first as a modern outdoor host, didn’t disappoint. Some early Arctic weather – temperatures dipped into the low Fans in Ottawa were disheartened to see their beloved captain leave the minus-20s with the wind chill – provided a classic Canadian hockey franchise in 2013 to finish out his playing career with the Detroit Red scene before 33,959 fans at TD Place, home to Ottawa’s CFL team. Wings. Balaclavas were popular and Mike Hoffman’s beard was frosty.

So there was joy in the Capital when the man known as “Alfie” returned Despite a few numb fingers and toes, Bobby Ryan, Jean-Gabriel Pageau on Dec. 4, 2014 to be a “Senator for a day,” signing a one-day contract in (a notorious Habs-killer) and Nate Thompson, into an empty net, scored order to officially retire from the NHL as a member of the Senators. for Ottawa in the 3-0 win. Under the guidance of general manager Bryan Murray, the Senators had fun with this moment, having Alfredsson suit up for the pre-game warmup “I think that’s the coldest I’ve ever been,” Ryan said. “The fans came out with a dramatic on-ice entry through a receiving line of Ottawa and made it a heck of a night by being loud and being engaged and teammates. when the home team gets two points and the city can rally around it for a great event it makes it all the better. While No. 11 skated as though a member of the active roster again, fans chanted, “Alfie!! Alfie!! and the Alfredsson goal song, U2’s Beautiful Day, “It was worth every second of it. We had a blast.” resounded through a packed arena. Alfie played it up to the hilt, Ryan was right, the game was a testament to hockey fans in Ottawa. participating in warmup drills and stretching off to one side with his They not only braved the cold and the cost of tickets as high as $400, leadership pals, Chris Phillips, Erik Karlsson and Chris Neil, as was his fans also endured ill-timed comments from franchise owner Eugene habit. Melnyk. To the annoyance of NHL commissioner Gary Bettman, in town He took one final lap, under a spotlight and skated over to centre ice for the occasion, Melnyk hinted at moving the franchise and that a where his family was waiting for him, wife Bibbi and their four sons, planned move to LeBreton Flats near Parliament Hill was not a done Hugo, Loui, Fenix and William. At that moment, Alfie held the entire deal. That part turned out to be prophetic as the proposed RendezVous building in the palm of his hand. LeBreton project was officially scrapped in 2019.

“Thank you for all the great times and all the beautiful memories,” The outdoor game itself will live on as one of the franchise’s iconic Alfredsson told the crowd. “They will connect us to all of you, forever.” moments.

As a partnership moment to Alfredsson’s retirement, on Dec. 29, 2016, Alfredsson’s No. 11 was officially retired during an emotional ceremony Sportsnet.ca LOADED: 12.25.2019 at the Canadian Tire Centre.

2. Playoff run 2017

File this one under the Pleasant Surprise category. Not much was expected of a 2016-17 Senators team that had finished out of the playoffs with 85 points the previous year.

But a lot of things went right for Ottawa, including one of the finest seasons in the career of goaltender Craig Anderson, who posted a 2.28 goals-against average and .926 save percentage during the regular season before back-stopping the Senators stunning playoff run to the Eastern Conference Final.

In series wins over the Boston Bruins and New York Rangers, a host of players took turns as playoff heroes, including Bobby Ryan, Jean-Gabriel Pageau, Kyle Turris, Erik Karlsson, Mike Hoffman and Dion Phaneuf.

Phaneuf, Ryan, Turris and Pageau all delivered overtime winners that spring and Pageau had a four-goal game in Game 2 versus the Rangers, including the clincher in extra time. 1167861 Websites Yaroslav Askarov, G: Askarov is the top goaltender available at the draft with his impressive numbers at every level he’s played at so far. Currently with SKA-Neva St. Petersburg of the VHL, a league below the KHL, he’s got a 2.38 goals-against average and .922 save percentage in Sportsnet.ca / Top NHL draft-eligible players at the 2020 World Junior 16 games. Can anyone say this year’s Andrei Vasilevskiy? Championship CZECH REPUBLIC

Jan Myšák, LW: Projected as a mid-to-late round pick, Mysak has played Ryan McKenna this season in his native Czech Republic with HC Litvinov where he has five goals and four assists in 26 games. Sportsnet’s Sam Cosentino lists December 24, 2019, 10:21 AM him as a good, all-around player.

Jaromir Pytlik, C: A big centre at six-foot-three and almost 200 pounds, The projected top-three picks at next June’s NHL Draft in Montreal are who can put the puck in the net. Pytlik has 14 goals and 18 assists in 31 due to be on display for hockey fans over the holidays at the World games this season with the Sault Ste. Marie Greyhounds of the OHL. He Junior Championship in the Czech Republic. decided to come to North America to raise his draft stock at the start of January and so far it appears as though it’s paid off. Canada leads the group with some intriguing names on display while Sweden should have a pair of players up front who could help their GERMANY offence. Tim Stutzle, LW: Stutzle will be one to keep an eye out for this year. He’s Here’s a look at the top names who will be available for NHL clubs to projected to be just outside the top-five, but playing in a best-on-best select next June and competing at this year’s WJC. tournament like this one could change the opinions of scouts. He has five goals and 18 assists in 25 games during his first year of pro with Adler CANADA Mannheim of the DEL. He has good size and skill and it will be fun to see what he can do for Germany. Alexis Lafreniere, LW: He’s been the projected first-overall pick for a long time and could solidify that over the next few weeks if he has a solid tournament. This will be Lafreniere’s second world juniors after scoring one goal in five games at last year’s event. He will be relied upon heavily Sportsnet.ca LOADED: 12.25.2019 on Canada’s top line and should be well rested given that his first game in nearly two weeks came in a pre-tournament tune-up against Switzerland. He’s lit up the QMJHL so far this season and will have a chance to shine in the international spotlight.

Quinton Byfield, C: If there’s anyone pushing to topple Lafreniere for top spot in the draft, it’s Byfield. With his big, powerful frame, he’s extremely difficult to play against. Add in his impressive goal-scoring ability and Byfield is a remarkable player to watch. He’s third in OHL scoring with 57 points with the Sudbury Wolves and Canada’s coaches liked what they saw from him during selection camp. He’s likely to slot in on one of Canada’s top two lines and should get plenty of ice time.

Jamie Drysdale, D: Drysdale’s smooth-skating and solid decision making skills earned him a spot on Canada’s roster as a seventh defenceman. He’s been projected to be a top-10 pick at the draft although how much time he plays for the Canadians at the world juniors will depend on the performance and health of others. An exciting, offensive blueliner.

Dawson Mercer, RW: The product of Bay Roberts, N.L., is projected to be a mid-first round selection following a strong first half with the Drummondville Voltigeurs. His crafty hands in front of the net earned him a goal in pre-competition play against Switzerland as he continues to make a case for minutes in Canada’s lineup.

SWEDEN

Lucas Raymond, LW: There was some uncertainty as to whether Raymond would even make Sweden’s team at all, but he’s arrived at the tournament with lots to prove. His numbers at the pro level with Frolunda of the SHL haven’t been outstanding, but now he’s got a chance to play against players his own age. He’s a skillful forward and Sweden hopes he can provide some much-needed offence. Projections have Raymond going third overall.

Alexander Holtz, RW: Another young forward with a lot of upside for Tre Kronor. Holtz has good size at six foot, 183 pounds, which he uses to his advantage. A good friend of Raymond’s, Holtz has a nice shot and explosive speed. He’s a first-year pro with Djurgardens IF and played on the same line as Raymond in some tournaments leading up to the world juniors. It could make for an exciting trio to watch when the under-20 event begins.

FINLAND

Anton Lundell, C: There was doubt as to whether Lundell would even play at the tournament after an elbow injury earlier this month had him projected to miss six weeks. He was productive last year as Finland won WJC gold with one goal and three assists and has carried that forward in his second season in Liiga, Finland’s top professional level. Early projections have Lundell being a top-10 pick.

RUSSIA 1167862 Websites The Jets of the 1980s had some very talented squads, but being stuck in the Smythe Division with the Edmonton Oilers and Calgary Flames made post-season success a bit of a pipe dream. While the version of the franchise won three Avco Cups, Winnipeg’s Sportsnet.ca / Top three Winnipeg Jets moments of the past decade NHL entries were never even a final-four squad — until the spring of 2018.

The slow-and-steady approach of GM — aided by Ryan Dixon some draft lottery luck in 2016 that landed Patrik Laine with the second December 24, 2019, 3:40 PM overall pick — was starting to pay off by the 2017-18 season. Sensing the team was getting close, Cheveldayoff eschewed his usual cautious approach and dealt a first-round pick at the trade deadline to acquire centre Paul Stastny from the St. Louis Blues. When this decade began, the Winnipeg Jets were the . Then, on May 31, 2011, Mark Chipman, the chairman of True North After a 114-point season that smashed the previous franchise record of Sports and Entertainment Ltd., spoke the words Manitoba — heck, 99, the Jets made short work of the Minnesota Wild in Round 1 to win Canadian — hockey fans were desperate to hear since the original Jets their first playoff series of the new era. The next round brought a date departed for Arizona in 1996. “Today, on behalf of my family, our partner with the Nashville Predators, the top seed in the West and the defending David Thomson, and our entire organization, I am excited beyond words conference champs. A back-and-forth series saw the teams alternating to announce our purchase of the Atlanta Thrashers.” wins, culminating with an odd ending whereby Nashville smothered the Jets 4-0 in Winnipeg in Game 6 to force a decisive contest and the Jets With that, NHL hockey was reborn in Winnipeg. Now in their ninth returned the favour in Tennessee, winning Game 7 5-1 in enemy season, the Jets 2.0 have given their fans plenty to cheer about. territory. Here is a look at the top three Jets moments of the decade. With only the first-year Vegas Golden Knights standing between them Senior Writer Ryan Dixon and NHL Editor Rory Boylen always give it and a spot in the Stanley Cup Final, Jets fans could really start to dream 110%, but never rely on clichés when it comes to podcasting. Instead, big, especially after Winnipeg scored three goals before the eight-minute they use a mix of facts, fun and a varied group of hockey voices to cover mark of Game 1 en route to a home-ice win. However, the fairy dust that Canada’s most beloved game. coated the expansion Knights must have got in Winnipeg’s eyes, because Vegas ripped off four straight wins to take the series. Ryan 1. Let the Healing Begin Reaves, a Winnipeg native, even scored the game-winner in the The reaction to the official news of a Jets return was instant and clinching Game 5 contest. awesome. Fans gathered at two iconic Winnipeg locations — The Forks “It’s very difficult to find that positive feeling at this moment,” Maurice said and the intersection of Portage and Main — to celebrate, with road immediately after the loss. hockey games breaking out across the city and mayor Sam Katz latching on to former Jets great Thomas Steen as part of a conga line downtown. True, but that was certainly the exception to the rule in the past 10 years Yes, you could definitely hear a few corks being popped, too. for hockey fans in Winnipeg.

The first draft pick of the new era was Mark Scheifele, who wore a sweater with an NHL logo on the front of it at the 2011 draft. In Sportsnet.ca LOADED: 12.25.2019 September, the team unveiled their new uniforms at Royal Canadian Airforce base 17 Wing.

“Sharp jersey,” remarked the team captain, Andrew Ladd. “It’s a clean look and hopefully something that will stand the test of time.”

On Oct. 9, 2011, the Jets hit the ice at their new home, Bell MTS Place, in a scene very worthy of the old Winnipeg Arena. Though the visiting Montreal Canadiens spoiled the party with a 5-1 win, there was no dousing the unfettered joy in the building and around the city that night. If you don’t get chills watching the opener for that game, maybe you need to get hit with a Bobby Hull slapper or Dustin Byfuglien bodycheck just to make sure you’re capable of feeling anything at all.

2. The White Stuff

Let’s be real: Jets fans were so excited to have their team back, wins and losses were really a secondary consideration for numerous seasons. That said, playoff hockey had to become a thing again at some point.

In their fourth season after the move — and first full campaign under coach — Winnipeg won four of its final five contests and used a 99-point showing to snag the last Western Conference playoff berth. After losing Games 1 and 2 in Anaheim versus the top-seeded Ducks, the Jets returned to Manitoba for their first playoff game on home soil since April 28, 1996. That was a Game 6 loss to the Detroit Red Wings, which also doubled as the final appearance of any kind by the original Jets.

With the “white out” playoff tradition in full force, the scene was exactly what you’d expect for Game 3 on April 20, 2015.

Fuelled by the home crowd, the Jets came out gunning and when scored the opening goal of the game just shy of the first period’s halfway mark, the place went bonkers.

The good vibes didn’t last, however. Winnipeg lost a 5-4 overtime heartbreaker in Game 3 and were dusted two nights later as the Ducks completed the first-round sweep.

3. An Unprecedented Run 1167863 Websites 2. April 26, 2010: Jaroslav Halak makes 53 saves in Game 6 of the Eastern Conference Quarterfinal to help the Canadiens tie their series with the Washington Capitals 3-3

Sportsnet.ca / Top three Montreal Canadiens moments of the past OK, so we can’t pinpoint one specific moment of this game, but we’ll decade count the whole experience as one of the top-three moments of the decade. Because, honestly, it was one of the most surreal and epic experiences ever witnessed at the Bell Centre.

Eric Engels The circumstances were downright laughable, actually. Jaroslav Halak, the Slovakian netminder chosen in the ninth round of the 2003 draft, had December 24, 2019, 11:51 AM made a grand total of 85 regular-season appearances and three more in the playoffs before being given the assignment of backstopping the 88- point, 16th-seeded Canadiens against the Presidents’ Trophy-winning, MONTREAL — This is no peach of an assignment, but it’s one I must 121-point Washington Capitals. And yet, Halak got the job done through comply with, because this decade of Montreal Canadiens hockey is Games 1-5 to get the Canadiens to a sixth game in the series. coming to a close and there actually were three moments from it that are truly worth remembering. He had stopped 122 of 135 shots a Capitals team that scored 313 regular-season goals had managed to that point, but what he did in I say it’s a somewhat tedious task because to look back fondly on one of Game 6 will go down as one of the greatest single-game goaltending the only two decades over which the winningest franchise in NHL history performances in franchise history. didn’t manage to win a single Stanley Cup is…well…somewhat disappointing. Up against all that great history — 24 Cups the Canadiens I’d go as far to call it one of the greatest performances in NHL history, won between the years 1919 and 1993 — it would be ridiculous to actually. suggest anything that happened over the last 10 years would compare. On this night, Halak stopped eight threatening Alexander Ovechkin shots; And, let’s be real, the last half of the 2010s was rife with controversy and he made some 10-bell saves on noted playmaker Nicklas Backstrom; he otherwise utterly forgettable moments. stretched himself in all directions to block seven shots from sniper Alexander Semin; he made a combined 12 saves on Brooks Laich and Believe me, I know. I was there for all of it. Mike Green; and he came up with some of his best stuff of the soiree on the 10 shots Joe Corvo recorded. But I was also working on each of these three momentous occasions from the first half of the decade, and what I witnessed on those nights will Eric Fehr was the only Capital to sneak one through Halak. He did it on stay with me forever. So, with the help of some quotes, tweets and Washington’s 52nd shot of the game, with just under five minutes left. videos, I’m bringing those memories back to life as we bid adieu to the decade. But Halak made two more stops and helped Montreal to a 4-1 win to force Game 7. 3. May 12, 2014: P.K. Subban guarantees a win for the Canadiens after Game 6 of the Eastern Conference Semifinal against the Boston Bruins “Huge saves. Big, big-time saves,” said Montreal winger after the game. “We got two early goals, we wanted to get the lead, and If you want to know how P.K. Subban became one of the most beloved then he shut the door. It was him from that point on. And it wasn’t just the Montreal Canadiens in history, it officially happened months before he amount of shots, he faced a lot of quality shots. He’s unbelievable.” pledged to raise $10 million for the Montreal Children’s Hospital. I was standing within an earshot of Ovechkin when he disagreed with It was a gradual build from his June draft day in 2007 that percolated to a that assessment. full boil on that May night back in 2014, when Subban said this about playing Montreal’s archrival, the Boston Bruins, in an upcoming Game 7 “We make goalies feel unbelievable,” Ovechkin said. “When we played at TD Garden for a chance to go to the Eastern Conference Final: “It’s Philadelphia (two years ago), (Martin) Biron was good. (New York going to be great. The crowd, the noise, the energy in the building — I Ranger Henrik) Lundqvist was good last year. And this year we make can’t wait to take that all away from them.” Halak feel good.

OK, this wasn’t ’s “We will win tonight” guarantee in the “It’s disappointing, but we’ll find a way to break that and win. No panic. 1994 Eastern Conference Final, which the Hall of Famer backed up by Nothing.” scoring a hat trick to help the New York Rangers force Game 7 of their Close to nothing is what Ovechkin and the Capitals got in Game 7, when series against the New Jersey Devils. But it was a quote that was Halak stopped 41 of 42 shots to help the Canadiens win 2-1. guaranteed to get plenty of play in Boston for 48 hours after our very own Chris Johnston stapled it to his Twitter profile following Montreal’s 4-0 win That was something else, but it was nothing like what he did at the Bell in Game 6 at the Bell Centre. Centre two nights prior.

I mean, this was a bold — bordering on dangerous — thing for Subban to I don’t know if we’ll ever see anything like that again. say after the Canadiens had worked so hard to erase a 3-2 series deficit to a Bruins team that had clinched the Presidents’ Trophy and finished 1. May 10, 2010: Mike Cammalleri breaks the sound barrier at the Bell with 17 more points in the standings than the Canadiens had Centre in Game 6 of the Eastern Conference semifinal against the accumulated. Especially since the Bruins had a league-leading 31-7-3 Pittsburgh Penguins home record in the regular season and had beaten Montreal in two of the The press box at the Bell Centre is suspended high above the ice, and three playoff games at TD Garden after losing the first one in double when I tell you that it was shaking so much it felt like it was going to overtime. come down after Mike Cammalleri went forehand to backhand and But Subban’s confidence in himself and the team had skyrocketed after scored his second goal of the game — and 11th of the playoffs — to pull he had five assists in a first-round sweep of the Tampa Bay Lightning the Canadiens into a 2-2 tie with the defending Cup champion Pittsburgh and three goals and three assists through the first six games of the Penguins in the 11th minute of the second period in a must-win Game 6, Boston series. I am not exaggerating.

He didn’t pull back from his assertion before the Canadiens dressing It was, without a shred of doubt, the most hair-raising moment room was vacated by the press. Rather, he doubled down. experienced at this arena since Saku Koivu received that incredible ovation upon his return from successfully battling non-Hodgkin’s “I play to win, I don’t care who’s there,” Subban said. “I don’t care if lymphoma in 2002. there’s nobody in the stands. I’m going there to win. It’s irrelevant to me. I hope that it’s a hostile environment, it makes it all better.” That was emotional, and visceral, and nothing will ever compare to it. Ever. Dale Weise, Max Pacioretty and Daniel Briere did the scoring in Game 7, but it’s fair to say the Canadiens wouldn’t have won the game 3-1 without But this? This was eardrum-shattering mayhem. And it felt like a full- Subban leading them in ice-time (26:17) and without his four hits and two blown earthquake in the building, with a television timeout extending the blocked shots. moment. Watch the whole thing for yourself—no video could possibly do it justice — but take note of how crazy this gets from 1:42 onward.

Let’s just say I wasn’t exactly shocked when the Canadiens scored two minutes and 30 seconds after Cammalleri’s goal to take a 3-2 lead, even if the goal came from an unlikely source in defenceman Jaroslav Spacek.

Cammalleri later described the crowd’s outburst as being “like they’re giving you a little push as you go up the ice.”

That “little push” turned out to be a massive shove, with the Canadiens winning the game 4-3 and eventually taking the series with a 5-2 win in Game 7 two nights later.

Here’s what Cammalleri said about the moment when I revisited the memory with him in a telephone conversation last week:

“I remember the building just feeling like it was the centre of the universe,” he started, “you feel like at that point you’re living in the centre of the universe, like all eyes are here.

“I’ve always had such a romantic view, and that’s one of the reasons I loved playing in Montreal so much is I’ve always been a romantic about sport. I was brought up that way, and my father is that way. It’s just a romantic feeling when the crowd is that engaged, and you’re literally feeling them. You’re feeling connected to them when they’re that passionate about it in that moment. I don’t know what else to say other than it’s got to be tough for the other team. For us to come out and score after a three-minute ovation like that says something. It’s tough for the other team, and I’d say it’s great for us.”

Cammalleri’s memory of the goal that created that magical moment remains well intact.

“I just remember feeling like I got that puck after (Andrei) Kostitsyn threw it across and (Max) Talbot was covering me on that check,” he said.

“I got inside on him, I got on the backhand, and it was kind of a feeling like, ‘Hopefully (Penguins goaltender Marc-Andre) Fleury’s overplaying this,’ because that was kind of my read on Fleury was that he kind of liked to move a lot and overplay plays. I tried to be deceptive with him and always tried to go cross-grain on him, so I was thinking I could get this cross-grain on him and go backhand the other way, and he probably had pushed over and given me some exposure there. I was hopeful, and not even really looking at the net but just kind of feeling it, and it goes post-and-in and it’s like, ‘Alright, 2-2, we can beat these guys.’”

Cammalleri was feeling that, and it was abundantly clear the 21,273 fans in attendance at the Bell Centre that night were feeling it, too.

“That was a unique moment, for sure,” Cammalleri concluded.

I think it was the most unique moment of Canadiens hockey over the past decade.

Sportsnet.ca LOADED: 12.25.2019 1167864 Websites in the teeth of a too-man-men call that preceded Hughes’ power-play winner at 13:48.

"Borderline at that stage of the game," Tippett said of the penalty. "You Sportsnet.ca / Canucks' Quinn Hughes showing he isn't intimidated by get some breaks like that, but ultimately you gotta take care of things like anyone that. It’s the details in winning. If you’re not willing to do them enough, you’re going to lose some games and that’s what happened tonight."

Home of the Canucks Iain MacIntyre Stream all 82 Canucks games this season with Sportsnet NOW. Get over December 24, 2019, 2:12 AM 500 NHL games, blackout-free, including Hockey Night in Canada, all outdoor games, the All-Star Game, 2020 Stanley Cup Playoffs and more.

Ryan Nugent-Hopkins and Oscar Klefbom scored to build a 2-1 lead for VANCOUVER – In the first game of his rookie season with the Edmonton, which had been 13-0-1 in games they led into the third , about 55 minutes before he was scorched by period. Draisaitl and McDavid each finished minus-three, and the Oilers Connor McDavid on the Edmonton Oilers’ game-winning goal, Quinn are just 2-6-1 in their last nine games. Hughes turned to defence partner Chris Tanev before the opening faceoff and asked if they were staying out against the superstar once the Tyler Motte and Loui Eriksson, into an empty net, scored the other puck was dropped. Vancouver goals.

Tanev told him yes. And the then 19-year-old Hughes, according to A week ago, nobody foresaw the Canucks going into the Christmas Tanev, replied: "OK, let’s go." break with this much good cheer.

Less than three months later, Hughes didn’t have to ask on Monday. "We never lost confidence," Hughes said. "We’ve got a good team. We know it. Our coaching staff knows it and our management knows it. We Matched most of the game against the McDavid-Leon Draisaitl line, believe in ourselves." Hughes not only helped hold the National Hockey League’s top two scorers to three shots on net and a one assist apiece (on the power Motte said: "Winning fixes a lot of things. The momentum going into the play), he also blasted in the third-period game winner as the Canucks break is good." rallied to beat the Oilers 4-2. The Canucks’ next game is Saturday against the Los Angeles Kings. The "It’s good, but at the same time it’s humbling," Hughes, who turned 20 Oilers play Friday against the Calgary Flames. two weeks after that Oct. 2 loss in Edmonton, said of shutting down McDavid. "I know that on any given night, those guys could make me (minus) three. I just try to play my position when I play those guys. It’s a Sportsnet.ca LOADED: 12.25.2019 good feeling."

Checking centre Jay Beagle has had his whole NHL career to train for assignments like defending against McDavid and Draisaitl. Including the five he played for the Canucks straight out of University of Michigan at the end of last season, Hughes had 41 NHL games before Monday.

"For sure, he surprises me," Beagle said. "I knew he was a great skater coming in. You could tell that from Day 1. Great with the puck. But there are obviously things that you learn about a guy just from playing more games with him, (and) his play away from the puck and his reads, it takes a long time for some guys to get that. He has it right away, which is good for us."

Only a week ago, the laid-back West Coast (except when it comes to the Canucks or pipelines) was fiercely divided over whether coach Travis Green or general manager should be the first one fired after Vancouver lost four of five games to fall four points adrift of the final wild card playoff spot.

They’ve suddenly built their most impressive three-game winning streak of the season with a cathartic OT win against the Vegas Golden Knights, followed by victories against the Pittsburgh Penguins and Oilers, whose standings lead on the Canucks is down to two points.

But the tying goal on Monday was exceptionally controversial, since it involved the highly-subjective and mysterious "kicking motion" rule, the NHL war room in Toronto, a coin flip and a Ouija board before Bo Horvat’s right-footer was allowed to count for the Canucks.

Goal-less at home this season, which meant he hadn’t scored in Vancouver since he was named the Canucks’ captain on Oct. 9, Horvat clearly turned his right skate to guide the generous rebound from Tanner Pearson’s shot into an open net behind Oilers goalie Mikko Koskinen at 4:12 of the final period.

There are less footsy goals in soccer than the one Horvat scored, which is why his celebration was muted. He actually looked guilty putting his arms in the air.

"I wasn’t going to get my hopes up until we went to centre ice and the puck was dropped," Horvat said. "I came back to the bench and I was like: ‘You know what, with my luck at home right now, this probably isn’t going to count.’ Definitely wasn’t a kicking motion. I’m happy it went in. It couldn’t have come at a better time."

It was hard to tell post-game which interpretation of the rules was more disappointing to Edmonton coach Dave Tippett: Horvat’s kick or the kick 1167865 Websites "I like his intelligence," Hunter said. "He makes intelligent plays. I feel like he plays two ways, which we wanted and he's continued to get better since Day 1 of camp and hopefully he can continue to do that and win some big games for us." TSN.CA / Age only part of the story for youngest-ever Team Canada While the NHL is getting younger and younger, Hunter doesn’t necessarily believe this is the start of a new trend for Hockey Canada at the World Juniors. Mark Masters "It just depends on the years," he said. "You know what, every year is

different so we'll see next year what age it is. We have a lot of 18-year- According to EliteProspects.com, this is the youngest Team Canada ever olds playing this year and there's going to be a lot ... playing as 19-year- at the World Juniors with an average age of 18.61 years. olds in Edmonton (next year) so that can happen, we'll have to see. The bottom line is we picked these players based on who's the best, did a lot "Everyone here deserves to be here," Hockey Canada management of evaluation on them and that’s the conclusion we came up with." group leader Mark Hunter said. "That's what we looked at, who can play the best, and we evaluated from summertime to here. We put (age) Canada brings youngest ever team to WJC: 'We put who has the most aside, we picked who has the most talent and who can help the team talent' on the team win." According to EliteProspects.com, at an average age of 18.6 years old, The World Juniors have long been viewed as a 19-year-old event and this is not only the youngest Team Canada ever, but the first to average Canada’s deep talent pool usually makes it tough for under-agers to under 19 in the 44-year history of the official tournament. "Everyone's crack the roster, but this year, Canada actually has four first-year, draft- here that deserves to be here," said management group leader Mark eligible players. On the eve of the tournament, Hunter offered TSN a Hunter, "and that’s what we looked at, who can play the best." The group scouting report on his youngest players starting with returnee Alexis features four draft-eligible players, who are capable of stealing the Lafrenière. spotlight.

Lafrenière was benched during last year’s World Juniors and ended up Before turning in each night, Team Canada's players turn in their phones only playing a depth role in Vancouver. This year, the Rimouski left to the team staff. winger is on the top line and top power play unit. "The players understand they need to get to sleep, but do their friends? "He's grown up," Hunter observed of the reigning CHL player of the year. Do their families?" asked Hockey Canada director of men’s national "He plays a real good two-way game now, he understands what needs to teams Shawn Bullock. "Does everyone back home understand there is be done to win hockey games, how to win games … he sees he's got to that major time change? We started explaining that in the summer, why play both ends of the ice." we do those things and how important it's going to be over here to get that quality of sleep, no disruptions with phones buzzing or anything of Lafreniere on Canada's outlook: We're going to keep building and getting that nature." better Defenceman Kevin Bahl is grateful for the policy, especially since his Following Canada's final pre-competition game against Finland, Alexis NHL rights were traded in a deal that broke around 11 pm in Vienna Lafreniere spoke about how good he felt on his line, explained how much where Team Canada was training. of a weapon Nolan Foote's shot and offensive game is and discussed how his team feels overall with the tournament right around the corner. "If I had my phone I would've been up to 3 am so it's good," he said, "in my eyes at least." Quinton Byfield is challenging Lafreniere atop this year's draft class and will also start in a top-six role. A natural centre, the six-foot-four Byfield But, not everyone is a fan. has been skating on the left wing on a line with Arizona's Barrett Hayton "My girlfriend doesn't like it too much," said goalie Nico Daws with a and Lethbridge's Dylan Cozens. laugh. "But, no, it's good. Sleep's very important. Anything to get an "He's looked good," said Hunter. "He’s a young man that's really taken all upper hand in this tournament and it definitely helps." this stuff in and we hope for good things for him in this tournament, but "It's critical for these guys to get their rest so they can perform at an elite only time's going to tell." level," Bullock concluded. "This tournament happens real fast and at an "It's hard to believe he's that young," Hayton said. "Obviously, he looks elite level and we need to be fresh." like a man out there the way he shields the puck, protects the puck and 'My girlfriend doesn't like it': Canadian players give up their phones at the way he can take over a game is impressive. His hockey sense is night something that's not really talked out, but he has a great feel for the game." While overseas at the World Juniors, Team Canada players must turn in their phones before turning in for the night. "The players understand they Jamie Drysdale is a rare 17-year-old to make Canada on defence (only need to get to sleep," noted Hockey Canada director of men's national the seventh since 1991) and while he started each pre-tournament game teams Shawn Bullock, "but do their friends? Do their families?" Kevin as the seventh defenceman, the Erie Otter looked at ease at this level Bahl appreciated the move estimating he would've been up to 3 AM on and has potential to carve out a bigger role. the night he was traded if he had his cell. "His skating does wonders for him," Hunter noted. "I think he plays like a Canada's goaltending situation is coming into focus. Dale Hunter has Victor Mete, who just skates and does things and keeps pucks out of our confirmed that Moncton's Olivier Rodrigue, who was scratched in both zone. His gaps are excellent so he's really done a great job to present pre-tournament games, will start as the third goalie. himself here and just continue to get better and better." The coach wasn't ready to name a starter after Monday's game, but 'He's a genius': Drysdale poised to crack Canada's D at age 17 Daws appears to have a leg up. He didn't allow a goal in regulation or If the Islanders don't loan Noah Dobson to Team Canada, then Jamie overtime in his two exhibition appearances and owns a .939 save Drysdale will officially make the cut becoming just the seventh 17-year- percentage with Guelph this season. old to crack Canada's blue line since 1991 joining Aaron Ekblad, Ryan "I felt really good, really confident," said Daws after the win over Finland. Ellis, Jay Boumeester, Chris Phillips, Wade Redden and Scott "They have a good team over there, the Finns move the puck well and I Niedermayer. "He's a genius out there," gushed assistant coach André thought I did a good job in the half I played. My mindset's pretty strong, Tourigny. "Seriously, he's so smart ... everything you teach him he does still the same as when I came, play my game and have fun with it and I’m it right away." having a lot of fun out there and the results are showing." Drummondville forward Dawson Mercer wasn’t invited to the World After splitting a shutout with Daws in the first pre-tournament game, Junior Showcase in the summer, but used to a strong performance in the Portland’s Joel Hofer allowed three goals against the Finns, two in QMJHL Russia series games to catapult himself into the conversation. regulation and one in overtime. On the bubble until the final cut, Mercer scored in Canada's first pre- tournament game against the Swiss. "I've laid it all out on the line," he said. "You can't save them all so it's not "Unbelievable," Caufield said of Robertson. "He pulls off some crazy the end of the world. I'll learn from it and move on." moves. I think it just comes natural to him. He's done some things in practice and the pre-tournament games that have just been eye-opening Daws had never played for Team Canada before this camp and a Boxing to me. He’s so skilled and so smart, it’s incredible." Day showdown against the Americans would undoubtedly be the biggest moment in his career. "I like shootouts," Robertson said. "I have go-to moves and luckily it worked out." "You try not to think about it too much," Daws said. "I mean, obviously the whole country is watching and more and there's a lot of stress in How many go-to moves does he have? those games and a lot of pressure but, once again, I'm just here to have fun and play hockey." "More than one, that's for sure," Robertson said with a grin. "You got to read the goalie and hopefully it works." Daws on performance against Finland: 'I felt really good, really confident' Sandelin says Team USA has worked on shootouts "two or three times" Goalie Nico Daws was perfect in his last tune-up game before the and will do it at least once more. tournament begins on December 26th, stopping every shot he faced in the 30 minutes he played. The decision on who starts in net for Canada Leafs prospect Robertson dazzles in USA shootout drill; 'It just comes has not been finalized yet, but Daws likes his mindset right now, feeling natural to him' really good and confident. Nick Robertson will play a 'key role' for Team USA at the World Juniors, Cole Caufield scored 14 goals in six games at the under-18 World according to coach coach Scott Sandelin, who likely call upon the Championship earlier this year, tying Alexander Ovechkin for the diminutive Leafs prospect should there be a shootout. 'He’s done some tournament record. Does that MVP performance give him confidence things in practice and the pre-tournament games that have just been eye- heading into his first World Juniors? opening to me,' said teammate Cole Caufield. 'He's so skilled and so smart, it's incredible.' "That's in the past now, I think there's a lot of things I need to prove in this tournament too," the Montreal Canadiens first-rounder said. "I just want to prove that I'm one of the guys that can lead the team in different TSN.CA LOADED: 12.25.2019 ways than just scoring."

But scoring is what Caufield does the best and he appears to be riding a wave of momentum heading into the World Juniors having potted four goals in a final tune-up game against the Germans on Monday.

"When a goal scorer's scoring that's a good thing," USA coach Scott Sandelin said. "He loves to do that and it was a good game for him to have for confidence. It's going to get tougher, but he finds ways. He has that smile on his face and hopefully we can keep that on there with him scoring in the tournament for us."

Caufield always finds a way despite standing just 5-foot-7, 163 pounds. He has produced 12 goals in 18 games as a freshman with the University of Wisconsin this season. Last year, he set a new single-season USA National Development Program record with 72 goals.

"He just finds those soft areas," Sandelin observed, "just knowing where pucks are going and being in the right spot or getting there at the right time is a real key to his success around the net."

"The pucks find him," noted goalie Spencer Knight, "and he finishes up close, he can finish from back far, he can take one-timers off the rush, he also can make passes too."

Caufield has a swagger about him. Asked about Daws, he says he doesn't know anything about the goalie, who burst onto the scene this season after getting passed over in the NHL draft. And Caufield doesn't plan on doing any extra scouting.

"It's all about instincts," he insisted. "I mean, if the goalie can’t see it, he's not going to be able to stop it."

Caufield says the Boxing Day showdown with Canada will be the biggest game he’s ever played in.

"I've been looking forward to this for a long time," he said.

What stands out about the rivalry with Canada?

"Just the history of everything, just the US-Canada bloodbath, even in the summer when played them it was kind of getting chippy, it’s never not intense."

Caufield: 'There's a lot of things I need to prove'; anticipates Boxing Day 'bloodbath'

Cole Caufield made a big statement ahead of the World Juniors scoring four goals in Team USA's final tune-up game. But the American sniper is far from satisfied. 'There’s a lot of things I need to prove in this tournament,' the Canadiens first rounder said. 'I just want to prove that I’m one of the guys that can lead the team in different ways than just scoring.'

Sandelin lists Caufield and Nick Robertson as the best performers in his team's shootout work so far. It was Robertson, Toronto's top pick in June's draft, who won the internal competition at Tuesday's practice. 1167866 Websites

USA TODAY / Alex Ovechkin mourns death of Alex Luey, the young hockey player who inspired him

Mike Brehm

Alex Luey, a youth hockey player who inspired Washington Capitals star Alex Ovechkin to score his 20th career hat trick in 2017, has died of cancer at 15.

Alex's father, Scott, announced on Twitter Sunday: "Early this morning our son Alex’s 3-year battle with cancer ended when he passed away in his sleep at the hospital. Alex battled bravely and touched many lives during his life."

The younger Luey had been diagnosed with osteosarcoma and had part of his leg removed in 2016. He went into remission in 2017, but the cancer returned in 2018. He met Ovechkin again last October before a Capitals game in Toronto in which the star scored four points. During Hockey Fights Cancer night in November, Ovechkin held up a sign supporting Luey.

Their bond went public in 2017, when Ovechkin met with Luey before a game in Toronto and appeared with him during his postgame news conference. He had invited the Niagara Falls, Ontario, native to the game after learning Luey was in remission.

After the game, he said he had told Luey that if he scored a goal that night, it would be for him. Instead he scored three.

Ovechkin also had invited Luey and his family to the Capitals' Stanley Cup parade in 2018.

Luey's father said he would post funeral arrangements soon.

USA TODAY LOADED: 12.25.2019