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SPORT-SCAN DAILY BRIEF NHL 6/25/2020 1175928 Ducks submit proposal for OC Vibe, described by 1175957 Ex-Detroit Red Wings GM elected to Hockey Anaheim official as ‘L.A. Live on steroids’ Hall of Fame 1175929 Inside the Ducks owners’ massive development plan for 1175958 What Detroit Red Wings could do with second overall pick: Honda Center district NHL draft lottery countdown 1175959 Former Red Wings GM Ken Holland, Marian Hossa Bruins headed to 1175930 gets Hall call 1175960 Alexis Lafreniere is top prize for NHL draft lottery winner 1175931 Former Bruins forward Jarome Iginla highlights 2020 1175961 Ken Holland’s Red Wings journey: From minor league Hockey Hall of Fame class goalie to Hall of Fame GM 1175932 Jake DeBrusk will get paid this offseason, and it likely 1175962 Former Red Wings GM Ken Holland selected to Hockey won't be the Bruins Hall of Fame 1175933 Joe Pernice Q&A: The indie rocker’s lifelong love song to 1175963 Red Wings’ selection heads list of best-ever No. 2 draft Boston sports picks 1175964 Ken Holland, GM of the Red Wings’ era of dominance, is a Hockey Hall of Famer 1175934 The wait continues as Alexander Mogilny is not selected for Hockey Hall of Fame Oilers 1175935 In 11th try, former Sabres winger Alexander Mogilny could 1175965 finally joins Oilers glory gang in Hockey Hall of get Hall call Wednesday Fame 1175966 Ken Holland makes Hall of Fame as a great builder of Detroit Red Wings 1175936 Sportak: Iginla set stage for march to Hockey Hall of Fame 1175967 Kevin Lowe at long last gets call in to Hockey Hall of Fame in 2000 1175968 ‘It’s all surreal’: Kevin Lowe’s Hall of Fame nod nets 1175937 'It is extremely special': Iginla headlines Hockey Hall of surprise and satisfaction Fame's Class of 2020 1175969 vs. Edmonton: How do Western ’s NHL 1175938 Brute strength, skill and an unmatched drive earn Jarome hub city bids stack up? Iginla a Hall of Fame nod 1175970 I nominated Kevin Lowe for The Athletic’s mock Hockey Hall of Fame — and he fell way short 1175939 Hurricanes’ Rod Brind’Amour again bypassed by Hockey Hall of Fame 1175971 Panthers offer peek behind the curtain with online series 1175940 Civian: Not a Hall of Famer? Rod Brind’Amour about team’s return revolutionized hockey 1175972 Jarome Iginla, who finished his career with Kings, leads 1175941 Chicago Blackhawks greats Marian Hossa and Doug six-member Hockey Hall of Fame class Wilson elected to the Hockey Hall of Fame 1175973 Ducks submit proposal for OC Vibe, described by 1175942 Blackhawks alums Marian Hossa, inducted Anaheim official as ‘L.A. Live on steroids’ into Hockey Hall of Fame 1175974 MIKEY EYSSIMONT USED A BIG SUMMER TO MAKE 1175943 How Hawks center Dylan Strome’s puppy helped him IMPORTANT STRIDES IN YEAR 2 handle a whirlwind pandemic experience 1175944 Finally, the Hall of Fame calls Doug Wilson 1175945 Blackhawks Cup winner Marian Hossa gets into Hockey 1175975 With NHL draft delayed, Gophers recruit Jake Ratzlaff now Hall of Fame on first try eyes football border battle 1175946 Ex-Blackhawks react to 'all business' Marian Hossa's 1175976 Wild players slowly return at first voluntary, small group election to Hall of Fame workout at Tria Rink 1175947 Doug Wilson's wife gets emotional after Hockey Hall of 1175977 Pro scouts break down Canucks vs. Wild qualifying round Fame announcement matchup 1175948 Blackhawks' Marian Hossa proves he's a Hall of Famer both on and off the ice 1175949 Blackhawks' Jonathan Toews ranked best Top 10 NHL 1175979 Hockey Hall of Fame 2020: How ex-Devils stars Patrik draft pick of salary cap era Elias, Alexander Mogilny did in voting 1175950 Blackhawks 2015 champ 1175980 Devils interview Rangers’ Lindy Ruff for head coaching job reflects on epic Conference Final 1175981 What are the Devils’ best scenarios for the 2021 Seattle 1175951 St. Louis Blues take aim at Chicago Blackhawks in return expansion draft? to practice 1175952 Who could the Blackhawks lose to Seattle in the 2021 expansion draft? 1175982 Laura Curran: Nassau Coliseum still a viable option for Islanders next 1175953 Former Avs forward Jarome Iginla headlines 2020 Hockey Hall of Fame class as 4th Black player elected 1175983 Devils interview Rangers’ Lindy Ruff for head coaching job 1175984 Igor Shesterkin takes the ice at the NY Rangers' facility Wednesday for Phase 2 1175954 ‘Damn coin toss’: The twist of fate that defined the early Wild and Blue Jackets 1175985 Former Senators winger Marian Hossa, Ottawa's Doug Stars Wilson among Hall inductees 1175955 Jarome Iginla becomes first draft pick elected 1175986 Former Senators Daniel Alfredsson passed up for to Hockey Hall of Fame entry into Hockey Hall of Fame 1175956 Who could the Dallas Stars lose to Seattle in the 2021 expansion draft? 1175987 Jarome Iginla among 6 named to Hockey Hall of Fame; 1176013 America can’t act like a team, and it might cost us the former Flyers star Rod Brind’Amour bypassed return of sports 1175988 Now healthy, blossoming rookie Phil Myers ready to help 1176014 Jarome Iginla, Marian Hossa headline new Hockey Hall of Flyers when NHL play resumes Fame class 1175989 2019-20 Flyers season grades: Shayne Gostisbehere 1176015 Key questions for the 2020 postseason: How much will the 1175990 Animal Collective’s Brian Weitz lends a helping hand on extra rest help the Caps' veteran players? Flyers tracking project 1176016 Who could the Capitals lose to Seattle in the 2021 expansion draft? 1175991 Ex-Penguins Marian Hossa, Jarome Iginla selected for Websites Hockey Hall of Fame 1176023 The Athletic / LeBrun: Amid safety concerns, older NHL 1175993 Double Team: won with the Penguins and coaches weigh-in on return to play Bruins 1176024 The Athletic / Amid positive tests, NHL’s return hinges on 1175994 Penguins, Pirates announcers on challenges of remote transparency and responsibility play-by-play 1176025 The Athletic / Ice in July and August? NHL ice techs ready 1175995 ‘Burgh’s Best to Wear It, No. 68: Penguins’ Jaromir Jagr for a challenge when season restarts among the best of all time 1176026 The Athletic / Wheeler: 10 NHL Draft prospects your 1175996 Penguins’ Matt Murray and wife Christina expecting a favourite team should probably avoid baby girl 1176027 The Athletic / The history of ‘Jock Jams’: How a ’90s CD 1175997 Yohe: Projecting the Penguins’ protected list for the 2021 changed how we viewed sports and music expansion draft 1176028 The Athletic / Down Goes Brown: Single sentence case for 1175998 Anti-capitalism, punk and the Penguins: A Q&A with and against 25 Hall of Fame candidates Anti-Flag’s Chris Barker 1176029 .ca / Iginla, St-Pierre guided by trailblazers en route to Hockey Hall of Fame 1176030 Sportsnet.ca / After 20 years, Oilers' Kevin Lowe receives 1175999 Doug Wilson finally elected to Hockey Hall of Fame; But 'surreal' call to the Hall why now? 1176031 Sportsnet.ca / Road to NHL's return gets bumpier as more 1176000 Sharks GM Doug Wilson, Jarome Iginla headline Hockey players arrive from abroad Hall of Fame’s Class of 2020 1176032 TSN.CA / Jarome Iginla, Doug Wilson, Kevin Lowe among 1176001 Sharks GM Doug Wilson to be inducted in Hockey Hall of Hockey Hall of Fame's class of 2020 Fame 2020 class 1176033 TSN.CA / After strong second half, Portland's Jarvis has 1176002 Doug Wilson says getting Hall call ‘beyond any dreams’ he top-10 potential had as a player 1176034 TSN.CA / Mark Hunter on top NHL draft prospects, WJC memories St Louis Blues 1176003 Crombeen's was one for the ages for Blues Jets 1176004 ‘Everybody loves Louie’: A rare interview with St. Louis’ 1176017 Jets won't invoice for next season without details favorite polar bear World Leagues News 1176035 's 60-game MLB season is a coronavirus 1176005 Lightning back on the ice for Phase 2 after positive compromise — but what about next year? COVID-19 tests 1176036 Laker Bradley withdraws from squad 1176006 Is Lightning great a Hall of Famer? 1176037 Djokovic slammed over coronavirus 'horror show' 1176038 New York City Marathon Canceled Because of Pandemic Maple Leafs 1176039 Several Blue Jays players, staff reportedly test positive for 1176007 Doug Wilson, Kevin Lowe proof that good things come to coronavirus Hockey Hall of Fame-eligible players who wait ... and w 1176040 Cowboys RB Ezekiel Elliott opens up on testing positive 1176008 Jarome Iginla went from seeing it to being it — a hockey for coronavirus, concerns for NFL season hall-of-famer 1176041 UConn eliminates four sports due to coronavirus-related 1176009 Jarome Iginla in the Hall of Fame, wait over for Lowe, budget cuts Wilson 1176042 Sports rosters must expand much more to avoid 1176010 ‘He was living his dream’: , the Maple Leafs’ coronavirus shutdowns | Marcus Hayes heist that never was 1176043 PGA Tour sees another coronavirus case as Cameron Champ withdraws from Travelers Championship SPORT-SCAN, INC. 941-284-4129 1176018 Ben Kuzma: No Vancouver hub city hotel snag, but health is another matter 1176019 Canucks create team award to further Sedins' community legacy 1176020 Canadian cities give their best pitch to be an NHL hub city 1176021 Pro scouts break down Canucks vs. Wild qualifying round matchup 1176022 Vancouver vs. Edmonton: How do Western Canada’s NHL hub city bids stack up? 1176011 Golden Knights selling shirts encouraging coronavirus safety 1176012 City of Henderson Outdueling City of Las Vegas For Major League Team Presence, But Playing In Big Leagues Carr 1175928 Anaheim Ducks Even at the conservative count of two people per residence, the Angels and Ducks projects combined would add about 16,000 residents to the area. The projects also could draw from the crowds gathered a few Ducks submit proposal for OC Vibe, described by Anaheim official as blocks away at the Disney parks and at the Anaheim Convention Center. ‘L.A. Live on steroids’ In 2019, about 24-million tourists visited Anaheim, according to Charles Harris, chief marketing officer of Visit Anaheim.

L.A. Live covers about 23 acres. The Angels and Ducks projects total By BILL SHAIKIN STAFF WRITER 268 acres. And, to those who might scoff at the notion that Orange County can support such an ambitious scale of sports and entertainment JUNE 24, 20209:27 AM development, Ryan said he has heard it before.

Orange County wasn’t supposed to be able to support a hockey team, he As Anaheim envisioned a colossal sports and entertainment fun zone said, or a major concert venue so close to Los Angeles. that would stretch across a freeway and cover hundreds of acres, “For 25 years, we have said what is the absolute truth: With the 3-million anchored by an arena at one end and a ballpark at the other, a city people in Orange County and millions more just outside our borders, we official summed up the plan in four words, easily understood by Southern have our own great market,” Ryan said. “Orange County really does want Californians: “L.A. Live on steroids.” its own entertainment district.” As the Ducks’ owners toured the country, checking out sporting venues And just how does this district compare to L.A. Live? that have mushroomed into year-round entertainment centers, they paid particular attention to L.A. Live. On Wednesday, the Ducks unveiled what “We certainly wanted to match all of the success they’ve had there,” they call “OC Vibe,” layering a community feel atop a district that invites Young said. “L.A. Live built all of the fun, and all of the restaurants, and visitors to eat, drink and shop before and after events. all of the concert facilities.”

“We wanted to make this as much fun on Saturday morning as it will be What L.A. Live did not do, he said, is secure enough land to “plan a on Saturday night,” said Dan Young, the master planner for the project district in as walkable a fashion as you see here.” The limited space, he and former president of community development for the Irvine Company. said, made it impossible to integrate a residential component with an entertainment component as smoothly as the Anaheim projects propose The OC Vibe, if you will, skews mellow by day and energetic by night. to do. The project would integrate 2,800 apartments, including 15% reserved “As you move around the country, most of the ones that have had for affordable housing, and office space into a 115-acre site that focuses success — and LA Live is an example — are already in an established on public transit, encourages the use of trains and shared rides, and urban fabric,” Young said. “They haven’t had [this many] acres to draw funnels cars to the margins of the property. The site flows from the this much master planning into a site. Anaheim train station into one of three public parks, leading to a pedestrian bridge across Katella Avenue, a 1.5-mile footpath, and a “That is the ‘on steroids’ portion of this.” “wellness park” in which yoga and meditation could be offered.

The Honda Center would be enhanced with a grand entrance plaza that could be used for watch parties or holiday ice skating, and the arena LA Times: LOADED: 06.25.2020 would be surrounded by a food hall, beer garden, restaurants, clubs and a 6,000-seat theater. The project includes two hotels, four parking structures, and a redesigned Katella Avenue off-ramp from the 57 Freeway that would lead directly into the Angel Stadium parking area, or into one of the Honda Center parking structures.

The project was submitted to the city Wednesday for various approvals, with the first openings targeted for 2024 and the completion for 2028, when the Honda Center is scheduled to host Olympic volleyball competition.

Henry and Susan Samueli, the Ducks’ owners, plan to maintain sole ownership of the project and finance its estimated $3-billion cost, Young said. He added that the Samuelis would not seek to tap the city’s general fund or ask for hotel tax rebates but could pursue government funding reserved for parks, transportation or infrastructure improvements.

Tim Ryan, who runs the Ducks and the Honda Center, said the Samuelis would continue to invest in the arena as well. He said all the seats have been recently replaced and the Ducks’ locker room has been refurbished, with additional renovations expected to be announced within three months.

Wearing matching Ducks hats and surgical masks, Jayson Furusawa and Lynsey Koopman recently got "Hitched At Honda Center."

“The Honda Center will be as good as new, and in many cases better, than when it opened in 1993,” he said.

The Angels on Tuesday announced a similar live/work/play project for the Angel Stadium parking lot, targeted for completion in 2050, with double the residents and triple the office space the Ducks proposed for OC Vibe.

Young said the two teams had worked with one another to avoid duplicating development, with the Ducks’ project focused more on live entertainment. Even without the proposed concert hall, the Honda Center plays host to about 160 events in a nonpandemic year. The Angels’ project is centered around a larger neighborhood feel.

“We’re very compatible and synergistic in that way,” Young said. “We are very excited about what they’re doing over there. It will be a great complement.” 1175929 Anaheim Ducks Over 2,800 residential units, with 15 percent of it deemed affordable housing.

Office space totaling 825,000 square feet, with 325,000 of it located in a Inside the Ducks owners’ massive development plan for Honda Center newly-build tower on the northern side of the complex. Young sees that district part as an ode to Susan Samueli’s championing of inner well-being. “A very passive place and meant to be a relaxing moment in your week,” he said, noting a pavilion where meetings can be held or yoga classes By Eric Stephens conducted.

Jun 24, 2020 A bridge that will run over Katella, connecting the park with a large square that is currently parking on the south side of Honda Center.

“We’re trying to get people off that intersection at Katella and Douglass The plans for this sprawling, audacious project to transform Honda today,” Young said. “Our plan is to have you be able to enjoy a beautiful Center from an arena to attend games and concerts into a destination walk in the outdoors.” center were laid out in detail. But it begs the question of whether Orange The most significant change to the existing area around Honda Center County – if not the greater Southland – will populate it day and night. will be the parking around the arena and transit center repurposed into An air of skepticism might ride alongside the excitement that a $3 billion four structures as the project is built on the open land on either side of entertainment district brings. And is there for it. He has seen it. Katella. Young said the arena will have 8,000 parking spots, up from its Watched it dissipate. current 3,800.

“When I got here in ’92, a lot of people said that is a crazy idea,” said While part of one main road will be eliminated, a new road will run along Ryan, who watched the then-named Anaheim Arena take shape and the Santa Ana River bed and connect with three other streets and mature into the home of the Anaheim Ducks. “You’ll never attract an NHL thoroughfares. The goal for both, Young contends, is to improve traffic team (or) an NBA team. You’ll never attract world-class entertainment. flow. Well, we’ve proven it wrong.” Ryan calls it “the ultimate live-work-play environment.” From there, Ryan went on to out how, 36 years later, the marble- The group says that no taxpayer money will, as of yet, be involved. “What adorned edifice that has held up well over time will host the men’s and we’re saying here today is that we are not asking for any money that women’s indoor volleyball competition for the 2028 Summer Olympics. would otherwise go to the general fund of the city of Anaheim,” Young By then, if his foresight proves right, Honda Center won’t be a standalone said. arena. It will be an anchor of a massive development that will be in continuous use. Right now, the project is at rendering stage. An architectural firm and construction company must be selected. Environmental reviews must be The vision that has been powered by Henry and Susan Samueli, owners conducted. There will be constant coordination with the city of Anaheim. of the Ducks, is for residents and visitors to not only attend games and But the obstacles to reality appear to be few at first glance, given that the concerts but traverse on paths cutting through lush green areas, gather development is in an industrial area, and the Samueli family already for rallies in an expansive plaza, dine at a quick-bite eatery or enjoy a purchased existing buildings and acreage all along Douglass Road. multi-course meal at an upscale restaurant and take in a late-night beverage at a small club. Office workers are welcome to burn off their Two years of prep work has gone into this ambitious endeavor. Ryan and lunch during breaks. Meditative moments encouraged. Young toured numerous arena and stadium districts across the United States, including L.A. Live, which they took into account when planning Its name is ocV!BE. And its game is making 115 acres to the immediate ocV!BE. The duo has been working with more than 20 consultants and east of State Route 57 the place to meet and stay a while. experts covering art and design, traffic, and construction. And Ryan said “A district like this, when this becomes public and people see the the Samuelis “are in virtually every major update meeting” and will be magnitude of this and the style of this development based on live throughout the process. entertainment, is a massive magnet of every type of major event,” said Through it all, there was one element that they felt many other Ryan, who headed management of Honda Center and is now CEO of complexes were missing and will set theirs apart: “walkable ocV!BE Sports & Entertainment. “Whether that’s a festival in the environments.” summertime. Whether that’s a major convention that maybe is on the fence of am I or am I not going to choose Anaheim? This could be, in “What we’re doing here is by knitting a system of parks, open space and talking to Visit Anaheim and their CEO, the kind of thing that can put plazas together, we want people to come out and not just enjoy an something over the top. event,” Young said. “We wanted them to enjoy a whole day or the whole evening.” “One hundred percent, I believe that will be the case for an upcoming All- Star Game. For events such as the (NHL) draft. I can’t stress it enough. It Ironically, the Samuelis are putting their ocV!BE project into view one day takes the entire environment experience to a whole different level. It after Angels owner Arte Moreno and his business partnership announced becomes a tremendous amenity.” plans for a similar development surrounding Angel Stadium. “We are in coordination and communication with the Angels, but our project is There is a clear desire to bring hockey’s biggest names to Orange separate from theirs,” Young said. County. But there is a far grander plan at work. Think mixed-use development to the max. “ocV!BE will transform Anaheim as a destination,” Jay Burress, president and CEO of Visit Anaheim, said in a statement. “This exciting project will A 6,000-capacity concert venue sitting across from Honda Center with assist Anaheim in attracting and retaining guests, particularly multiple smaller clubs. conventioneers, to dine, shop, stay and be entertained in Anaheim, More than 30 restaurant concepts and retail shops, which will include a generating significant revenue for the local hospitality industry and the 68,000 square-foot, multi-story food hall featuring an artistic element City of Anaheim.” running through it. Young said the proposed development will generate over $300 million Two hotels with 650 total rooms that are linked by pedestrian pathways annually. Up to 13,000 construction jobs will be created, with 3,300 to every entertainment option. permanent jobs available upon the project’s completion.

A landscaped pedestrian-only street called The Paseo – which will A spokeswoman for the city of Anaheim said the project review and replace a portion of Douglass Road that runs on the west side of the approval process figures to take about 18 months. Young is hopeful that arena – that will house public art, kiosks and sitting areas. It will be part they will receive entitlement approval sometime in 2021 to begin of a three-mile interconnected loop that can entice walkers or joggers, construction. A timetable for opening the district’s first major phase is set according to Dan Young, the district’s master planner. for 2024.

Thirty total acres of open space that will include a five-acre park “The concept presented for the area around Honda Center will make our replacing the existing parking spots in front of a transportation center on vision for the growing Platinum Triangle a reality,” Anaheim mayor Harry the south side of Katella Avenue. Sidhu said. “In coming years, OC Vibe promises to be a vibrant Southern California destination with sports, entertainment, shopping, dining and homes in an exciting urban village we’ve always envisioned. This will also mean added revenue for our residents and neighborhoods and jobs for thousands.

“As we turn to economic recovery from the coronavirus crisis, this project is vital and will help Anaheim emerge stronger than ever.”

The Samuelis have long harbored hopes of hosting the NHL’s All-Star Game but have watched their bids get passed over during their 15-year run of Ducks ownership. For instance, the allure of downtown Los Angeles has been a factor in Staples Center (and its adjacent L.A. Live complex) hosting the NHL Draft in 2010 and the All-Star Game for the second time in 2017.

Anaheim is one of the few NHL cities to have never hosted a league-wide event of that magnitude. When I covered the Ducks for the Orange County Register, NHL commissioner Gary Bettman told me in 2018 there was no specific issue keeping the team or the city of Anaheim from being a host. There is no shortage of hotel rooms, with several new offerings recently built or under construction, including the upscale JW Marriott, that help connect the Katella Avenue corridor with existing hotels along Harbor Boulevard near the Disneyland resort.

But the immediate area around Honda Center is surrounded by one smaller-scale hotel – which the Ducks often use to house their young prospects and rookies – and a popular restaurant that the Samuelis now own. Otherwise, there are only industrial buildings between the arena and the ARTIC (Anaheim Regional Transportation Intermodal Center) transportation hub. A 25-screen movie theater and several restaurants at the Stadium Promenade are nearby, but they carry a city of Orange address and are separated by the river bed and some businesses.

The scale and promise of ocV!BE may reshape the league’s view.

“Henry and Susan Samueli are great owners and it is thrilling to see how much they have invested and will be investing in the community,” Bettman told The Athletic on Monday. “Their plans to develop the area around Honda Center are visionary — not just for the Ducks or Honda Center but for Anaheim.

“We are excited about what they are doing and would look forward to bringing NHL events to Honda Center.”

The announcement of a $3 billion complex while many small business owners are trying to recover from loss of revenue caused by closures due to the widespread COVID-19 pandemic might raise some eyebrows, but Young said their concern for those impacted was the reason why they held off making the project public for the past two months.

“Having said that,” he said, “we believe the public will receive this announcement with enthusiasm as they have not lost their desire to gather together to enjoy live sports and entertainment.”

Their hope is the enthusiasm only builds when it begins to materialize.

“I’m 100 percent confident that this will be embraced by Orange County and the residents from both L.A., and the surrounding area,” Ryan said. “Zero hesitation. It will become the gathering place.”

The Athletic LOADED: 06.25.2020 1175930 offer, sending the B’s into what still seems like a perpetual search for a right wing for Krejci that has not been fulfilled to this day, despite the organization’s return to prominence after missing the playoffs for two Jarome Iginla gets Hall call years following Iginla’s departure.

But as contentious as his pre-arrival to and exit from Boston could have been, his overwhelmingly positive personality would not overshadow his By STEVE CONROY | [email protected] | Boston Herald history with the team.

PUBLISHED: June 24, 2020 at 7:17 p.m. | UPDATED: June 24, 2020 at While Iginla’s time in Boston was short, his stature in the game and the 7:56 p.m. respect he had within the Bruins’ room was obvious. When the B’s visited the Avalanche for the first time after his departure, Iginla was chatting

with a reporter from Boston in the loading dock area when the Bruins’ Jarome Iginla played just one of his 21 NHL seasons with the Bruins and, bus arrived. That was the end of the interview, as all of Iginla’s former even if you subtracted his short stay in Black and Gold, he probably teammates all made a point of stopping and shaking his hand. would have still been voted into the Hockey Hall of Fame on Wednesday. In a recorded message from the Bruins, captain Zdeno Chara said that But that one season the newly-minted HHOFer spent here in 2013-14 he learned a lot from him, served to conjure all sorts of what-if scenarios for many long-time hockey Said Chara: “You should be proud of yourself for the way you played the observers in Boston. The rugged right wing with the soft mitts would have game and the positive effect you had on every team you played for and made the perfect Bruin, fitting into a similar mold that produced Cam every teammate you played with.” Neely. He wasn’t as big and maybe he picked his spots to drop the gloves more selectively than Neely did, but Iginla never shied away from demanding his space on the ice in order to pump home the 625 goals he scored in his lengthy career, while carrying himself off the ice like the role Boston Herald LOADED: 06.25.2020 model he knew he was.

Though a slam-dunk choice, Iginla admitted to some nervousness before getting the call from Hall Chairman of the Board Lanny McDonald.

“It’s really surreal. As hockey players you say that so much, but it really makes you reflect,” said Iginla on a conference call.

Iginla, in the first year of his eligibility, headlined a class that includes Marian Hossa, Doug Wilson, Kevin Lowe, Kim St. Pierre and Ken Holland, who is going into the Hall in the builder’s category. Notable misses were Daniel Alfredsson and Alexander Mogilny.

Iginla is the fourth Black athlete to be inducted into the Hall, following , and Willie O’Ree, a distinction that held a lot of meaning for him.

“It’s an amazing honor to be the fourth Black hockey player to go into the Hall of Fame. It’s a huge thrill,” said Iginla. “Growing up, I played hockey because I loved playing it. I didn’t view myself in minor hockey as a Black hockey player, but I was also aware that I was.

“I’ll try to explain that. I had a lot of wonderful, wonderful experiences growing up, but one of the questions I always got was ‘What are the chances of making the NHL?’ There aren’t too many Black players in the NHL. I had favorites as a kid. I always wanted to be like and I loved , the same as other kids. But it was also really special for me to see the Black players that were in the NHL. To see Grant Fuhr starring, to see Claude Vilgrain and Tony McKegney, it was very important for me to see to follow my dream. It’s a huge honor.”

Iginla established his HHOF credentials in 16 years with the Calgary Flames, winning the and Rocket Richard Trophy (twice) with them and coming within just a couple of minutes of winning the Stanley Cup in a memorable seven-game series against the Tampa Bay Lightning in 2004. He also won two Olympic gold medals with Canada, assisting on ’s iconic goal that beat the U.S. in of the gold medal game at the Vancouver Games in 2010.

Iginla, meanwhile, has a complicated history with the Bruins. Just a few months before he signed here, the B’s had attempted feverishly to land him in a with the floundering Flames — a team Iginla had captained for a decade — at the trade deadline in the lockout-shortened season in 2013. In fact, it was reported that the B’s had indeed obtained him. But Iginla had nixed the trade to the B’s in favor of Crosby’s Penguins, who most thought had a better chance at the Stanley Cup.

But after the B’s stunningly swept the Pens that year in the playoffs, and after Nathan Horton opted to sign with Columbus, Iginla offered his services to the B’s on a one-year, bonus-laden deal. It was a perfect match. Iginla fit perfectly in Horton’s place on David Krejci’s right side, notched his 12th 30-goal season and was part of a Presidents Trophy- winning team. But Iginla’s quest for the Cup fell short when the favored B’s were upset by the Canadiens in the second round.

The relationship between Iginla and the B’s turned out to be more of a fling than a marriage. With the B’s unable to offer him anything more than a one-year deal, Iginla was lured away by Colorado’s three-year contract 1175931 Boston Bruins “You were the ultimate professional on and off the ice with the way you carried yourself, and with the way you played the game every day,” said . “Your consistency, your effort, your dedication and let’s Former Bruins forward Jarome Iginla highlights 2020 Hockey Hall of not forget what a great role model you were to all the kids you inspired to Fame class be hockey players. Thank you for all of that.”

Interestingly enough, Iginla has retained a residence in the Boston area following his playing career while his children, Jade and Tij, play hockey By Joe Haggerty for local hockey programs.

June 24, 2020 5:28 PM The 2020 Hall of Fame induction ceremony is tentatively scheduled for Monday, Nov. 16 in Toronto, but that certainly may be subject to change

given the current circumstances of the COVID-19 outbreak. Jarome Iginla only spent a single season playing in Boston, but he clearly made an impact that befits today’s news that he was inducted into the Hockey Hall of Fame as a member of the 2020 class. Comcast SportsNet.com LOADED: 06.25.2020 Iginla joins Marian Hossa, Kevin Lowe, Kim St-Pierre, Doug Wilson and Ken Holland as this year’s inductees as it caps off a 20-year NHL career that included 625 goals and a dead even 1300 points in 1,554 career games with the Flames, Penguins, Bruins, Avalanche and Los Angeles Kings.

“Iggy” is obviously known best for his 16 years with the Flames, where he was a four-time All-Star and twice led the league in goals as one of the dominant power forwards of his generation. Iginla topped 50 goals twice in his career and surpassed 40 goals four different times as a game- breaking scorer, but he was also a tough customer who threw hard hits and was willing to drop the gloves when the moment called for it.

Iginla had an interesting run with the Bruins as he was nearly a member of the 2013 group that went to the Cup Final, but the right winger chose the Penguins over the Black and Gold when it came down to it at the trade deadline. Instead the Bruins settled on another Hall of Fame-level player in Jaromir Jagr, who famously was held without a goal while the Bruins fell a couple of wins short in the Stanley Cup Final against the Blackhawks.

Could Iginla have been enough to push the Bruins over the top in 2013 if he’d picked the B’s over the Penguins, and added the Stanley Cup title that ended up eluding him over the course of his 20-year Hall of Fame career?

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We’ll never know the answer, but he ended up joining up with the Black and Gold anyway.

Iginla signed with the Bruins in free agency the following season and posted 30 goals and 61 points in 78 games at 36 years old. It was a memorable season that included Iginla’s first, triumphant return back to Calgary since he was traded away by the Flames the season prior, and Iginla passing Johnny Bucyk on the all-time goals scored list while he was a member of the Black and Gold.

Certainly, those still around Boston from his time with the Bruins remember his one-year stint very fondly and very well.

Jarome's time in Boston was short.

“It’s a well-deserved recognition and an amazing accomplishment. [Iginla] should be proud of himself and the way he played the game, and the positive effect he had on every team he played for, and every player that he played with,” said Bruins captain Zdeno Chara, who will someday be joining Iginla in that Hockey Hall of Fame. “There are no surprises. There was no doubt that [Iginla] was going to be a Hockey Hall of Famer someday. Thank you for everything you did for our team in Boston, and personally for me I learned so much from you every day. You are an amazing pro, a natural leader and an incredible person.”

Haggerty: Tuukka ready to start practicing again

David Krejci played with Iginla and on a line that season, and the playmaking center got a front row seat while assisting on many of his 30 goals that season for the Black and Gold.

“Your leadership on and off the ice was really fun to watch,” said Krejci. “Just like watching you play and watching you practice and watching you shoot the puck. It was pretty special.”

Iginla is the second Hall of Famer to play in Boston with this current core group of Bruins players after Mark Recchi was inducted a couple of years ago, and both share many of the same admirable qualities on and off the ice. 1175932 Boston Bruins Bean: While it may be tough to re-sign Krug, let's stay positive

Given that the Bruins have $63 million committed for next season and would be expected to sign at least DeBrusk, Torey Krug, Zdeno Chara, Jake DeBrusk will get paid this offseason, and it likely won't be the Bruins Grzelcyk and Bjork to contracts once the season has been completed, it may very well come down to a decision between Krug and DeBrusk. If that becomes the case, Bruins GM might have to finally By Joe Haggerty entertain some of the overtures about dealing DeBrusk after he avoided trade temptation a couple of years ago when the New York Rangers June 24, 2020 2:12 PM were looking for the young winger in exchange for top-4 defenseman Ryan McDonagh.

This past season has been a key one, and a bit of a crossroads, for These days DeBrusk is going to command a big jump in salary to the young Bruins left winger Jake DeBrusk. $4.5-5-5 million average annual value and he still hasn’t quite developed into a consistently productive top-6 offensive threat on the second line. If The 23-year-old winger watched his offensive numbers recede this there was a time to deal away DeBrusk in the midst of salary cap season after posting career highs of 27 goals and 42 points in 68 games constraints, this would be the time to do it while getting back pretty close last season. In three fewer games this year, DeBrusk hadn’t cracked 20 to maximum value for a young, still-developing player. goals and had just 35 points while also registering as a minus player for the first time in his three seasons with the Black and Gold. With Nick Ritchie and Bjork both in the fold as young top-9 left wings, they would certainly have other young forwards ready to step into the The slight step back manifested itself in him getting benched a couple of second and third line slots while coming at a smaller price tag than times in-game and with DeBrusk getting moved around among the top-9 DeBrusk will command next season. And there’s more left wing depth forwards for the first time with the Bruins. For the most part in his Bruins organizationally as well with Jakub Lauko headed into his second career, DeBrusk had been paired with David Krejci on the second line professional season in Providence after scoring five goals in 22 games and that was an effective combo during the boom periods of his largely as a 19-year-old in the AHL last season. streaky production. What does all this mean? DeBrusk got off to a slow start with one goal in 12 games during the month of October and he ended the regular season with just one point in If the Bruins have intentions of signing Krug to an extension in the the final 14 games leading into the NHL hitting the pause button in mid- neighborhood of $7-8 million rather than letting him go in unrestricted March. free agency, then it could very well be that DeBrusk’s days are numbered in Boston. A year ago, that might have been preposterous to think All of it segues into a key postseason for DeBrusk this summer after coming off a 27-goal season at 22 years old, but as we’ve all learned the scoring fewer goals (6-to-4) in twice as many games (12-to-24) in last entire world can change pretty quickly in the span of a year. spring’s run to the Stanley Cup Final as compared to a promising, clutch showing against Toronto two postseasons ago. One thing is certain: The Bruins can’t bring everybody back with their salary cap situation and a slew of key players in Krug, DeBrusk, Once this postseason has finished — either good or bad for DeBrusk — Grzelcyk, Bjork and Chara all looking for new deals. The reigning NHL it will be about restricted free agency with a second contract due to the of the year certainly is going to have his hands full one player who's panned out for Boston from the fateful first round of the attempting to make all of the pieces fit as the NHL salary cap 2015 NHL Draft. tumbles right along with league revenues.

The COVID-19 outbreak couldn’t have come at a worse time for DeBrusk, who has averaged 20 goals and 40 points over his three NHL seasons since cracking the Boston lineup. He was hoping earlier in the Comcast SportsNet.com LOADED: 06.25.2020 season that it wouldn’t be a long, drawn out process for a second deal like it was for Bruins RFAs Charlie McAvoy and Brandon Carlo last summer.

“Obviously that’s going to be my situation [as an RFA]. Hopefully not [as a holdout], but maybe, possibly next year just looking around the league you see different things with guys dragging it out,” said DeBrusk, who will be joined by Matt Grzelcyk and Anders Bjork as restricted free agents for the Bruins. “It’s one of those where you ask questions on the business side of it. Things change and different stuff happens with talks, but at the same time I mostly just try to stay out of it. I try to stay dialed in to get ready for training camp and the season. I guess when that time comes, though, I’ll be more aware of what to expect.”

One would expect that DeBrusk saw a couple of forward peers from his draft class, Brock Boeser (3 years, $17.625 million) and Travis Konecny (six years, $33 million), both top $5 million per season on second contracts they signed this past year. So DeBrusk knew what kind of payday awaited him when things were running along as usual.

Boeser is in a bit of a different class given his upside and production, but DeBrusk and Konecny would have been comparable players had DeBrusk surpassed 20 goals and 40 points with another month of games played (which he certainly would have done with 12 games left in the season).

A tough postseason after a bit of a down regular season might slide DeBrusk back into the $4.5 million per season range, but it’s expected that he’ll be able to command something in that neighborhood after averaging 20 goals per season in the NHL.

All of it puts the Bruins into a challenging fiscal position with the salary cap expected — at best — to remain flat around the $81.5 million ceiling mark that it was this past season. Initially it was expected to go up to between $84-88 million prior to lopping off the final month of the 2019-20 NHL regular season, and prior to the NHL being expected to play in empty arenas when the do resume. 1175933 Boston Bruins I just started singing the hook, “Moonshot, Baby,” while watching the games on TV in Brooklyn that season. Just being a goofy fan, jumping around my apartment celebrating whenever Manny hit a dinger. Most of Joe Pernice Q&A: The indie rocker’s lifelong love song to Boston sports the song was written that way, long before I ever thought of recording it. I remember I was singing it in the shower and thought, “Hang on. I need to record this.”

By Craig Lancaster We released the song on my label and donated all the dough to charity. MLB was going to use the song for the World Series DVD but went with Jun 24, 2020 stock music. That said, someone at MLB got me into Game 2 of the World Series (a 3-0 Boston win). What a thrill!

Since the early 1990s, Joe Pernice has been one of the strongest voices I gave the speech at a friend’s wedding in Manhattan, got in my car and in indie rock, earning acclaim for his work fronting the bands Scud drove straight to Fenway. Missed the anthem, but what can you do? Mountain Boys and Pernice Brothers. Where were you when the Sox closed it out? What was that like? The first with Pernice Brothers (a band whose shifting lineup I was in Boston. My wife (musician Laura Stein) and I gave up our place sometimes includes another Pernice, Joe’s brother Bob), titled in Brooklyn. We moved to Toronto. But I was finishing a record in “Overcome by Happiness,” was praised by The New York Times as “a Massachusetts and told my wife I wanted to be in Boston for the World startling slice of beauty.” His musical partnerships have included such Series. … I was at my parents’ house in the Boston suburbs when the artists as Norman Blake (Teenage Fanclub) and hip-hop musician and Sox won it all. producer Budo. The next morning, I drove to Dorchester to meet my business partner, Pernice, who earned a master of fine arts degree from the University of Joyce Linehan. While driving on the Southeast Expressway, people were Massachusetts, is also an author — the novella “Meat Is Murder” and the waving at each other from their cars. Zero road rage. Not only did the novel “It Feels So Good When I Stop” (for which there was an baseball “other shoe” not drop, it was gone. All was forgiven and accompanying record) — and has written for the Canadian TV show “The forgotten. And I’ll tell you what: That feeling remains. We won in 2004 in Detail.” spectacular fashion. Any subsequent losses, scandals and trades are His most recent full-length Pernice Brothers record, “Spread the Feeling,” blips on the screen. came out last year. AllMusic wrote: “If you like your pop smart, snarky, Pernice’s son, Sammy, created a series of Lego representations of key and easy to hum along with, you can hardly do much better than this.” moments from the 2004 iteration of the Red Sox-Yankees rivalry: Alex Pernice, 52, is from Holbrook, Mass. That gives geographic dimension to Rodriguez knocking the ball out of the glove of Boston pitcher Bronson his love of Boston sports, particularly the Red Sox and the Bruins. As Arroyo in Game 6 of the ALCS; Sox catcher Jason Varitek giving a was the case for so many Sox fans, the 2004 World Series title was facewash to Rodriguez in a July game; and Dave Roberts’ crucial steal in transformational. He even got in on the action musically with an ode to a must-win ALCS Game 4 for the Sox. Sammy, who’s almost 14, did this Manny Ramirez, “Moonshot Manny,” that ended up on the soundtrack for when he was “7 or 8,” Pernice said. “He wasn’t even alive in 2004!” the Jimmy Fallon-Drew Barrymore film “Fever Pitch.” People who follow you on Twitter read a lot about your son. He seems to Over a couple of days in early May, Pernice went deep in a text-message be a baseball savant. conversation about the making of a Boston sports fan and how the He knows baseball. He knows the history. He knows strategy. Loves to games he loves show up in he writes. play baseball. He just loves the game. What was the genesis of your love of sports? Who was there, what are He’s been a guest on my friend’s Lima Time Time Astros podcast a few the teams you bonded with, and why did it happen the way it did? times over the years. I think he was 11 the first time. Honestly, I’ve been into sports, and music, as long as I can remember. Don’t get him started on automated balls-and-strikes calling and the Some of my earliest memories involve sports. My parents and my brother death of pitch framing. are definitely to blame. I did as they did. And because I played organized hockey and baseball from age 6, my runaway favorites of the Boston big Is there a Sox era you identify with more — say, the red caps of the ’70s four were the Bruins and the Red Sox. or the blue caps of the guys who finally broke through? Or is it all a continuum? Literally all of my friends played at least one organized sport year after year. It was what you did. Playing organized sports automatically makes I’d have to go with the 2004 team caps. That was a spectacular time. And you an instant rabid fan of the local pros. I was a grown man. My mother was almost 70, and she went to Game 1 of the Series (also a 3-0 Red Sox victory). She’d been a fan her whole No kidding, it still hurts to watch Mario Tremblay dagger the Bruins, just life and she’d never seen a winner. as it did when my father and I watched the game live on a color “idiot box” that was deeper than it was tall. You live in Toronto now, an AL East city. Any fondness for the home team? Unprompted, Pernice sent photo after photo of the evidence of his sports fandom: an upright piano festooned with signed and trophies, a I am in awe of professional baseball players and all pro squads. I feel the picture of his 87-year-old father’s 74-year-old youth baseball jersey, old same about the Blue Jays as I do 28 other teams: I hope they stay newspaper clippings and more. healthy and lose to Boston.

This sits on my piano. My brother and father brought it home from a How are you filling time during the pandemic? Strictly from a sports Fenway night game I was too young to attend: standpoint, you’d ordinarily be revving up with the Sox and watching what looked like it would be a deep run by the Bruins. (No money in it.) Well, my son plays AAA Rep baseball here, and I’m an assistant coach. Man, 1978 was a tough year for the young you. Tremblay’s Stanley Cup- (The head coach is an guy named Ryan Balan, who winning goal in May, Bucky Dent keeping the Sox out of the playoffs in coincidentally played for the Red Sox A farm team, the Lowell Spinners.) October. We’re prepping for a shortened season, hopefully in July. The players are Must you? working out at home. The head coach does live online conditioning and strategy “practices” ever week. Sorry. Let’s move on to the 2004 Red Sox and the World Series breakthrough after 86 years without a championship. My son is old enough to practice on his own, but we still throw, and I’ll hit him a million grounders. So I get my sports fix via prepping for youth My thrill of a lifetime: The song I wrote about Manny Ramirez was baseball. We’d usually play anywhere from 45 to 55 games in a season. mentioned on his Topps 2004 World Series card! I’m watching a lot of old baseball and hockey clips on YouTube. “Kiss I’m glad you brought up “Moonshot Manny.” Do you remember the Cam” bloopers, too. moment of thinking, all right, I’m doing this? I went down a Larry Bird rabbit hole two weeks ago. I’m also a big fan of all types of bicycle racing. Motocross, too. I will watch any documentary on vintage motocross racing.

During the early days of stay-at-home orders and the attempts to flatten the curve of coronavirus infections, Pernice recorded several videos in which he played stripped-down versions of Barry Manilow’s monster pop hits of the 1970s. He called the project “Barely Manilow” and ended each video with a message to stay strong and safe.

What spurred the “Barely Manilow” project? Any further plans for it?

I was just about to start recording my “Barely Manilow” album when the virus changed everything. I’d been thinking about making that album for a year or more. I am a big fan of many Barry Manilow recordings. Not all. But some are fantastic recordings. His voice is nuts. We’re talking about the days before pitch correction and audio editing on a computer. Barry delivered.

Though my tolerance for over-the-top production may be greater than most people’s, even I thought some of his recordings produced the real feeling out of the tracks. I didn’t think I’d do a better job. Not by any means. But I thought it would be fun to strip the songs down to the bare essentials and have a go at them.

I did the series of daily “Barely Manilow” videos mainly to keep myself grounded in my memory of reality. I had a job to do every day: record a Barry Manilow cover.

I just finished recording a new album last week (the first week of May; the album, a solo effort titled “Richard,” was released June 19). I am now recording the “Barely Manilow” album.

There is no intended irony in the videos, and there will be none in the recordings. I may not do the tunes justice, but my love of them is real.

One of my favorite songs of yours — and hard to believe it’s nearly 20 years old — is “The Ballad of Bjorn Borg.” Was that a case of the title reflecting a lyrical theme (“And we knew that what we had was nothing that we wanted”) or were you really thinking about the tennis great during composition?

It’s been a while. But Borg was a hero of mine. (Much like Evel Knievel was.) As a kid, I watched those insane Borg-(John) McEnroe matches. The drama and quality of play were as high as I’d ever seen in sports.

I know the song grew out of pondering Borg’s retreat from the game. It seemed out of left field. He seemed to have a lot of great tennis left in him. Of course, quitting probably didn’t come out of left field for him, and maybe he knew he had no more tennis in him. But why let the potential truth ruin a song?

There seemed something mysteriously tragic and ballsy at the same time: One of the greatest of all time steps away while he’s still great.

Like most of my songs, there’s a theme, a thread of truth, followed by everything else.

Let’s bring it all back around to the sports-playing kid you were. What do the games mean to you now that they didn’t or couldn’t when you were a 9-year-old on a pair of skates?

I think I enjoy watching professional sports more as a grown man than I did as a kid because there is absolutely zero chance I will ever be a pro athlete of any kind. Not even in curling, which anyone can do at any age. It’s liberating. I think it was an older Plato (and if it wasn’t, let’s pretend it was) who said something to the effect of, “Thank God I don’t think about getting laid that much anymore. I can finally get some real work done.”

That’s how sports are for me.

The Athletic LOADED: 06.25.2020 1175934 Buffalo Sabres Eleven 11 players who have spent time with the Sabres are in the Hall. The most recent is Dave Andreychuk in 2017.

Gilbert Perreault, Pat LaFontaine, Dominik Hasek and Tim Horton are The wait continues as Alexander Mogilny is not selected for Hockey Hall Rafters Club members who have their numbers retired in KeyBank of Fame Center. Andreychuk and Phil Housley were 1982 first-round picks who spent large portions of their career with the team while Dale Hawerchuk was acquired in a 1990 trade with Winnipeg for Housley and spent five By Mike Harrington productive seasons in Buffalo.

Published Wed, Jun 24, 2020|Updated Wed, Jun 24, 2020 The other four players – Dick Duff, Grant Fuhr, Clark Gillies and Doug Gilmour – had short stints with the Sabres at the end of their careers

after combining to win 16 Stanley Cups at their previous stops. The Two long waits for induction to the Hockey Hall of Fame ended Sabres are also represented by former coach/GMs Punch Imlach and Wednesday. Alexander Mogilny's call never came. There might be a and original owner Seymour H. Knox III. lesson in there for the former Buffalo Sabres sharpshooter.

Defenseman Doug Wilson, who has waited 25 years to get the call, and Buffalo News LOADED: 06.25.2020 fellow blueliner Kevin Lowe, who sat idle for 20 years, were both named as part of the six-person Class of 2020. Mogilny, who retired in 2006 and was nominated for the 11th time, did not get the required 75 percent of the vote from the 18-person selection committee.

Joining Wilson and Lowe were two former NHL wingers who made it in their first year, Jarome Iginla and Marian Hossa. Also named were former Canadian Olympic women's Kim St. Pierre and Edmonton general manager Ken Holland in the builder category.

"People have to understand it's not only that you have to get 14 of 18 votes or 75 percent, but it's also sometimes who you may be up against when you're nominated for that year," Hall of Fame chairman Lanny McDonald said in a conference call. "It's timing. Regardless of whether (Wilson and Lowe) go in like Marian and Jarome, it was so cool to be able to make those calls today and let them know it was richly deserved they are now in the Class of 2020. I'm sure if you ask them, they are absolutely honored and thrilled and couldn't care less it took a couple more years than maybe it should have."

Unlike sports such as baseball, which puts a 10-year cap on a players' eligibility, there is no cap in hockey. Former Montreal and Los Angeles goalie Rogie Vachon, for instance, waited 34 years after his career ended before he was inducted in 2016.

Mogilny, who had 473 goals and 1,032 points in a career highlighted by his 76-goal season in Buffalo in 1992-93, seems to be one of the top candidates on the outside looking in. But names like Daniel Alfredsson and Rod Brind'Amour didn't get in this year as well and there are older candidates like Steve Larmer also looming. With a limit of four players a year, the competition is difficult.

"I certainly understood you have to put up more points and win awards but my dream was always to win Stanley Cups," said Lowe, a six-time champion between Edmonton and the New York Rangers who had only 432 points in his career. "The Hall of Fame was something I never dreamed about. ... It's all surreal for me. Hasn't quite sunk in."

"I've always looked at the Hall of fame in awe," added Wilson, who played 14 of his 16 seasons with the Chicago Blackhawks from 1977-91 and is now the general manager of the San Jose Sharks. "The Wayne Gretzkys, the Bobby Orrs, Stan Mikitas, people of that level. It truly was unexpected. ... I'm privileged to play in this league, able to play as long as we were able to play. I didn't even think about it. Even today I'll be honest, it caught me off guard."

Mogilny, now 51, is president of Amur Khabarovsk, his hometown team in the KHL. He was the Sabres' fifth-round draft pick in 1988 as then- Buffalo GM Gerry Meehan took a chance on the Russian who many NHL teams loved but few thought would leave the . He also played with Vancouver, New Jersey and Toronto and won a Stanley Cup in New Jersey in 2000. Rumors abound, however, that the Hall doesn't feel he would attend its Induction Weekend activities and that is hurting his candidacy. Mogilny did not respond to his induction call from the Greater Buffalo Sports Hall of Fame in 2016 and did not attend that ceremony.

Still, he is a popular choice among Sabres fans and many national media members. What advice would two players who waited more than 20 years to get their moment give to others who are waiting?

"Just hang in there. It's all worth the wait," Lowe said.

"That's an understatement, worth the wait," Wilson said. "Timing never meant a thing to me." 1175935 Buffalo Sabres pandemic, with some voters who live in Toronto attending the meeting at the Hall and the rest of the committee participating via video conference.

Former Calgary winger Jarome Iginla is considered a lock in his first year In 11th try, former Sabres winger Alexander Mogilny could get Hall call of eligibility, and winger Marian Hossa, a three-time Cup winner with Wednesday Chicago, is also a good bet to be selected.

Mogilny is on the next tier of candidates that include ex-Ottawa captain By Mike Harrington Daniel Alfredsson, former Carolina captain and current Canes coach Rod Brind'Amour, longtime defenseman and current San Jose GM Doug Published Wed, Jun 24, 2020 Wilson, as well as wingers Patrik Elias and Theo Fleury. There is also a backlog of , and former Sabres No. 1 draft pick Tom

Barrasso, a two-time Cup winner in Pittsburgh, is among that group. After what was a difficult 50th anniversary season, perhaps the Buffalo Up to two women can be selected, and the top candidate appears to be Sabres will finally get the dose of good news they've waited many years former Canadian Olympic star , the younger sister of to hear on Wednesday. recently deposed Sabres GM . In his 11th year of eligibility, former Sabres winger Alexander Mogilny is Jennifer Botterill, 41, was a three-time Olympic gold medalist for Canada one of the top candidates for selection to the Hockey Hall of Fame. The (2002, 2006, 2010). At Harvard, she was the first player to win the Patty Hall's latest class will be announced at 4:30 p.m. on a show streamed via Kazmaier Award twice as the top player in U.S. women's college hockey. TSN.ca through NHL Network. She scored 319 points in her career and would be the sport's all-time Mogilny, of course, is best remembered for his clandestine defection from collegiate scoring leader, except for the fact women's hockey was not to Buffalo through in 1989 and for his 76-goal season sanctioned by the NCAA in her first two seasons. playing on Pat LaFontaine's wing in 1992-93. It's a franchise record She currently works as a motivational speaker and as a television analyst considered untouchable; next on the club's single-season list is Danny for the New York Islanders. Gare's 56 goals in 1979-80.

Mogilny's 76 goals remain tied for fifth in a single season in NHL history. Mogilny and Winnipeg rookie Teemu Selanne, a 2017 Hall inductee, tied Buffalo News LOADED: 06.25.2020 for league's goal-scoring lead in '93 – and no one has scored 70 goals since.

The continued snub of Mogilny is one of the most talked-about exclusions to the Hall these days.

Despite a 1,032-point career, it appears one reason Mogilny doesn't get rubber-stamped is that he didn't hit the magic 500-goal mark in the regular season, with his 39 playoff goals giving him a combined total of 512. But he surely would have had more than 473 goals were it not for three consecutive injury-plagued seasons in Vancouver in the late '90s when he played less than than 60 games in each one.

"There's absolutely no doubt to me," former Sabres General Manager Gerry Meehan, who orchestrated Mogilny's defection, told The News last October. "Five-hundred goals, 1,000 points, Stanley Cup, international play. Leading goal scorer in the league. Why is he not in? It's hard to understand."

Other chatter centers around his reclusive nature, with the Hall committee rumored to be concerned Mogilny would ignore his selection and not travel from Russia to participate in induction ceremonies (it should be noted the Hall has made no announcements about its plans for this year's scheduled November events). Mogilny, for instance, did not acknowledge or return to Buffalo for his 2016 induction into the Greater Buffalo Sports Hall of Fame.

Sabres brass came to Stockholm in 1989 and left with Alexander Mogilny

Mogilny, now 51, is president of Amur Khabarovsk in the KHL. His defection was a benchmark moment for Russian hockey players to come to North America, and many followed his lead to build standout careers. His 127 points in the '92-93 season were an NHL record by a Russian until Tampa Bay's posted 128 in 2018-19. The 127 total is second in Sabres history to LaFontaine's 148 points the same year. Mogilny also served as Sabres captain during the 1993-94 season, a first in the NHL by a Russian.

Mogilny won his lone Stanley Cup in 2000 with New Jersey and was a 43-goal scorer for the Devils in 2000-2001, the year they lost in Game 7 of the Cup final at Colorado. Prior to his own induction in 2018, former Devils goaltender stumped for Mogilny's candidacy.

"He's a guy that's worthy of being in the Hall of Fame, and I think one day he will get to the Hall," Brodeur said. "Alex was a great teammate. He was not like a lot of the Russian guys. He really wanted to come to America and be playing in the U.S. He was almost a scratch golfer and really became almost a typical American guy, just with a Russian name."

Mogilny faces plenty of competition to enter the Hall, as the 18-member selection committee is limited to electing no more than four former men's players. The vote will be done remotely for the first time because of the 1175936 Calgary Flames and humility that made Calgary — and the rest of the hockey world — fall in love with him wasn’t only there when the cameras were rolling.

Iginla was one of those players who treated everyone around him with Sportak: Iginla set stage for march to Hockey Hall of Fame in 2000 respect, genuinely asking how members of media were doing and even wondering how their families were, in my case knowing the names of my children. Randy Sportak Two stories stand out for me. June 24, 2020 7:29 PM MDT The first harkens back to the spring of 2002. After the all-star game in Los Angeles, Iginla’s first trip to the showcase event, my family joined me for a mid-season Disneyland vacation. Iginla’s first words to me the first The Calgary Flames star dominated the league with a 52-goal, 96-point time we saw each other after the Olympic break were, “Hey, did you kids campaign despite leading a club that finished nowhere near making the have fun at Disneyland?” The fact someone who in the interim won a Stanley Cup playoffs. However, I believe a bigger step toward Iginla’s gold medal and flourished on the world stage would take the time to ask naming to the Hockey Hall of Fame on Wednesday was taken in the fall is a testament to his sense of humanity. of 2000. The other stems back to the 2004 playoffs during the Detroit series. After Jarome Iginla’s breakout season of 2001-02 is widely viewed as the the Game 2 loss, the clash in which he fought Hatcher, a poorly worded turning point in his hall-of-fame career. question on the part of yours truly set off a slightly contentious encounter. That theory is understandable. As much as his celebrated scrap was a positive, in the first two games of that series, Iginla had not collected a point. In fact, he hadn’t even The Calgary Flames star dominated the NHL with a 52-goal, 96-point registered a on goal, and I asked whether the fight was a sign Iginla campaign despite leading a club that finished nowhere near making the felt he wasn’t doing enough. His response was along the lines of a “what Stanley Cup playoffs. do you think?!” attitude. My thought was it was a fair response from someone who was frustrated, especially knowing my delivery of the However, I believe a bigger step toward Iginla’s naming to the Hockey query was far from perfect. A few minutes after the scrum, I felt a tap on Hall of Fame on Wednesday was taken in the fall of 2000. my shoulder, and Iginla was there. On the eve of the 2000-01 season, under the new regime of general He said: “Hey, I’m sorry I embarrassed you in front of everyone.” After a manager and head coach Don Hay, Iginla made a rare brief conversation, all was smoothed over for a dozen more years of public statement. regular encounters. While we were talking in the Flames dressing room at the start of training Already with his No. 12 hanging in the rafters and an arena named after camp — my first year on the beat — Iginla proclaimed he was on a quest him in his hometown, a first-ballot selection to the hall of fame is well- to score 40 goals in the coming season. deserved for Iginla. It was bold, especially from someone who rarely made public Bearing witness to many of the biggest steps he took to reach the proclamations, but spoken with a quiet confidence. The 23-year-old, who destination is a career highlight for myself. netted 29 goals the previous season and 28 in 1998-99, wasn’t content that 30 goals meant reaching the next level.

Just as important was the realization there was more to Iginla’s motives Calgary Sun: LOADED: 06.25.2020 than lighting 40 lamps. It was obvious the power forward knew it was incumbent on him to become the Flames’ leader in more ways than one.

You could see in his eyes it wasn’t just about individual stats. Iginla had believed he could achieve more and would push himself to pull the Flames from their moribund situation.

Iginla fell short of his expectations, finishing the season with 31 goals and 71 points in 77 games before missing the final two weeks due to a broken hand, but the stage was set.

Bigger things for Iggy were just around the corner, and it was both a pleasure and an honour to witness first-hand Iginla’s evolution to superstar both on and off the ice.

On the ice, who can forget the 2001-02 campaign in which Iginla scored 11 goals more than any other player in the NHL, yet was denied the Hart Trophy? Even his 50th tally was one for the memory banks — a rocket of a slapshot over Jocelyn Thibault’s glove in Chicago.

Of course, the run to the 2004 Stanley Cup Final is worthy of its own chapter, highlighted by his play in the Game 7 win over the Vancouver Canucks in the opening round, the memorable fight with Detroit Red Wings Derian Hatcher, and the string of outstanding play in the final round against the Tampa Bay Lightning before the club simply ran out of gas (although a video review with today’s technology may have meant a different result).

Over the years came so many memorable performances and milestone moments that were a treat to witness.

The big milestones — 400 goals, 500 goals, 1,000 points and 1,000 games — were all part of a journey worth recording.

Not to be forgotten is the pair of Olympic golds, which Iginla won in dramatic fashion both times: scoring twice in a three-point game in 2002 and then setting up Sidney Crosby’s game-winning golden goal in Vancouver eight years later.

Then came the off-ice encounters, especially all of those beyond the countless interviews, which are at least as valuable. The gracious smile 1175937 Calgary Flames that’s why he is a Hall-of-Famer, and I was so proud to be able to make that call today.”

Iginla was just as tickled to see Lanny’s 403 number pop up on his 'It is extremely special': Iginla headlines Hockey Hall of Fame's Class of phone. 2020 He becomes the fourth Black player to receive a Hockey Hall of Fame nod, joining pioneers Willie O’Ree and Angela James and his childhood Wes Gilbertson idol and eventual teammate Grant Fuhr.

June 24, 2020 6:26 PM MDT Born and raised in Oil Country, Iginla would become Calgary’s biggest star.

He shredded the franchise record books, scoring 525 goals — including Calgary Flames legend Jarome Iginla is headed to the Hockey Hall of 83 game-winners — and piling up 1,095 points in the Flaming C. Fame, the headliner among the induction class unveiled Wednesday afternoon. For a decade, he served as club captain. He nearly carried a lunch- bucket crew to a Stanley Cup parade in 2004. For all those seasons that Jarome Iginla was the captain, go-to goal- scorer and face-of-the-franchise for the Calgary Flames, the fans at the He had his name engraved on the Lester B. Pearson Award, King Clancy Saddledome were witnessing greatness. Memorial Trophy, Mark Messier Leadership Award and twice on the Maurice ‘Rocket’ Richard Trophy. Wednesday’s announcement is not so much a confirmation — nobody doubted it — but a reminder of that. Along the way, the Saddledome supporters were witnessing greatness.

Iginla is the headliner for the Hockey Hall of Fame’s Class of 2020, Iginla, as he awaited Wednesday’s news, had been reflecting on his officially taking his place among the best to ever lace up skates. incredible career. Fans in Calgary must have been reminiscing, too.

“It is extremely special,” Iginla told TSN after Wednesday’s reveal. “You Their beloved No. 12 is now a Hockey Hall-of-Famer, with the official hear ‘surreal’ a lot. We say that as hockey players, but this truly is. I had induction tentatively scheduled for Nov. 16 in Toronto. a hard time sleeping the last couple of nights. I’ve been very excited and “It’s a dream,” Iginla said. “As a kid, you’re just dying to get to the NHL. I a little nervous. It brings you back, makes you reflect, and you think of so never would have dreamed this. And even when I played in the NHL, I many memories. never would have dreamed this.

“At the start of my career, just making the NHL was such a thrill. I didn’t “Just trying to break into the toughest league in the world and then dream of making it to the Hall of Fame. With the guys that are in, being a competing night in and night out, it’s been a huge thrill. It goes so fast. part of that club, it’s a true honour.” It’s hard to believe we’re here.”

He belongs. This legendary puck-chaser wasn’t necessarily known for his punctuality.

In fact, he was a first-ballot shoo-in. Which is why Jarome Iginla had to laugh off Wednesday’s oopsie.

Iginla, who heydayed for 16 seasons at the Saddledome before capping Rightfully expecting a call from the Hockey Hall of Fame, Iginla had his career with stints in Pittsburgh, Boston, Colorado and Los Angeles, arranged to be surrounded by his loved ones and biggest fans — his wife racked up 625 goals at the highest level. In league history, only 15 gents and three kids, father, sister, in-laws, etc. — at his summer home in have picked more corners. , B.C., when he received that special news.

The sharpshooting right-winger — now 42 and splitting his time between Except that the Calgary Flames’ legend flubbed the time change. Boston and B.C.’s Okanagan Valley — also ranks among the NHL’s all- time leaders with 1,300 points and 1,554 games played and made a When Hockey Hall of Fame chairman Lanny McDonald dialed Iggy’s major impact in international action, including an assist on Sidney digits to welcome him to this exclusive club, the 42-year-old was running Crosby’s golden goal at the 2010 Vancouver Olympics. errands all by his lonesome.

If there were a statistical tally of who had signed the most autographs, “When I got the call from Lanny, I was actually out and I wasn’t with the smiled for the most photos and been the biggest difference-maker for family,” Iginla told TSN, grinning from ear-to-ear as he admitted his charities, Iginla’s name would be near the top of those charts, too. mistake. “I messed up the times. It’s one of those things … I guess I was a little late sometimes in my career, so some people will say it’s fitting, None of that needs to be explained to fellow Flames icon Lanny but it was still extremely special. McDonald, who is now chair of the Hockey Hall of Fame and called Iggy on Wednesday with a warm welcome. “When I got that call from Lanny, it’s something that I’ll never forget where I was — sitting in the car by myself. It wasn’t how I had pictured it, Also among the Class of 2020 are Marian Hossa, Kevin Lowe, Doug but it was just as awesome anyway.” Wilson and female puck-stopper Kim St. Pierre, while Ken Holland — currently the general manager of the — will be enshrined in the builder category. Calgary Sun: LOADED: 06.25.2020 “Look at how long he played, how he played, what a great teammate he was … ” McDonald said of Iginla. “He played tough. He played hard. He scored big goals. He made great plays to set up teammates.

“But maybe as important is what he did off the ice. I’ll share with you a quick story. When I was in management with Calgary, we were in Hartford or Carolina … Jarome was always the last guy out to the bus. There were kids over on the outside of the fence and most of the players all went onto the team bus, and Jarome came out — he’s the last one — and I was standing there signing a couple autographs and Jarome walks right by and goes onto the bus and I thought, ‘Damn, I was kind of hoping he’d come over and sign a few.’

“Well, he went on the team bus and he told every teammate, ‘Get off the bus and sign autographs for the kids for a few minutes, and then we’ll leave.’ That told me a whole lot about Jarome, what kind of a person he is and what he stands for.

“How he played the game, how good he was with the press, how good he was with the fans, how good he was both on and off the ice … Yeah, 1175938 Calgary Flames “It’s extremely special,” Iginla told TSN after it became official. “You hear ‘surreal’ a lot — we say that as hockey players, but this truly is. I’ve had a hard time sleeping the last couple nights. I’ve been very excited and a Brute strength, skill and an unmatched drive earn Jarome Iginla a Hall of little nervous. It brings you back. It makes you reflect. You think of so Fame nod many memories. Starting out my career, just making the NHL was such a thrill.

“I didn’t dream of making it to the Hall of Fame … and being part of that By Scott Cruickshank club. It’s a true honour. I’ve been extremely blessed. It’s still sinking in. I’m proud of it. It’s very, very special.” Jun 24, 2020 Joining Iginla in the Class of 2020 are fellow players Doug Wilson,

Marian Hossa, Kevin Lowe, Kim St-Pierre, as well as builder Ken One morning at the Saddledome, a well-respected sportswriter turns and Holland. offers his insight to a coffee-slurping colleague. A standout in , Iginla was selected 11th overall by the Dallas The unprompted two cents? That the young winger skating around with Stars in 1995. the puck is solid. Not great. Certainly a quality piece, but more along the From that particular draft class, nobody scored more times, recorded lines of a supplementary producer, than a primary engine that drives a more assists or collected more points than the St. Albert native. Only team. three players — Peter Worrell, , — got The comment, regarding a player who’s a handful of seasons into his tagged with more minutes. NHL career, is meant as a compliment. And, in fact, as a description, it’s And if the Stars’ scouts saw something special in Iginla, who had been accurate. Jarome Iginla, at that stage, had never scored 30 goals. rated 26th by Central Scouting, they weren’t alone. Not that Iginla had been privy to the rink-side chat, but the notion of being Because the Flames, on Dec. 20, 1995, shipped holdout Joe considered merely OK? If you know the man, even in passing, you know Nieuwendyk to Dallas in exchange for Iginla and . At the that this is a reputation he’d rather not wear. Ever. time of the swap, Iginla was with Team Canada, preparing for the world Higher praise, though, requires higher totals — he understands that. junior tourney in Boston. Hearing that he’d been moved to Calgary, he Therefore, in September 2000, he tells reporters that he is shooting for naturally assumed he was Hitmen-bound. 40 goals. The youngster wasn’t the only one scratching his head. Nieuwendyk As in right now, during that upcoming season. himself, shortly after the details had been announced, innocently wondered: “Who’s Jarome Iginla? I don’t mean to dismiss him. I just don’t The declaration catches the attention of Calgary Flames skipper Don know who he is.” Hay, who knows Iginla well from their overlapping days with the WHL : “It’s really good that he’s saying those things because Groused from St. Louis Blues headquarters: “I don’t know what now he has to live up to those expectations. The thing with Jarome is we offered (for Nieuwendyk) but I do know we offered more and other he’s got to continue to push himself. He’s got to continue to play with a teams offered more than what Calgary got. They got nothing. I’ve never little bit of an edge, and not be content with just being a player.” seen a guy (Flames boss Al Coates) offered nothing and accept it. What kind of commitment to winning is that? You’d think they’d have gotten That sentiment is not lost on Iginla. Then 23 years old, he decides that he something back. What was the big charade all about?” has zero interest in settling for a supporting role. Coates, shrugging off criticism, countered: “There is no crapshoot. We “I don’t want to be an average player,” he said, perched in his stall know what we are getting.” following an on-ice session at camp. “I have a lot of respect for the guys that can (excel) season in, season out — John LeClair, . Flames fans didn’t have to wait long for their introduction to the Every year, they put together a good 82 games for their teams. I want to acquisition. be a better professional. Iginla, the afternoon after the Blazers were eliminated from the playoffs “I want to pick up my game — not just one notch, but a few notches.” by the , made his Flames debut — wearing No. 24 — in Game 3 against the Chicago Blackhawks at the Saddledome. Centring That season Iginla ends up falling shy of his target, but he manages to Theo Fleury and German Titov, he picked up a helper in the opening- post personal highs of 31 goals and 71 points. round contest. The next game, he scored.

Then, the 2001-02 campaign arrives. As first impressions go, it was a solid effort.

One prominent publication, in its preseason position-by-position The following season, Iginla cracked the Flames lineup out of camp and, breakdown, ranks Iginla as the 20th-best right winger in the league. by picking up 21 goals and 50 points, wound up a member of the NHL’s Canada’s autumn auditions for the Olympic team do not include him — all-rookie squad. The rest? Forwards Jim Campbell and Sergei Berezin, that is, until Simon Gagne gets hurt. defencemen Bryan Berard and Janne Niinimaa, along with goalie . Undaunted, Iginla barrels into the regular season, dominating offensively, surprising extensively and collects the most goals in the NHL, 52, and the Berard claimed the Calder Trophy, while Iginla placed second. most points, 96. As a freshman, Iginla scrapped three times, including a tilt against a His worth, after that winter’s display, cannot be disputed. legitimate middleweight in Dody Wood.

As the quintessential power forward, captain of his team and face of the The battle with Wood, on New Year’s Eve, was Iginla’s first in the NHL. franchise, he writes an incredible story, transforming himself from Shean Donovan, then in San Jose, remembered the rest of the Sharks undrafted bantam into the game’s best player. ribbing Wood after the spirited bout with the teenager.

Iginla, with trademark soft hands and short fuse, leaves his mark. “They just thought Jarome was some skilled junior kid, a goal scorer, more like a dangler,” Donovan said. “And Jarome did unbelievable This is nobody’s second-line winger. against him … so the guys gave it to Dody pretty hard. And he got it This is a first-ballot inductee. pretty hard until guys realized Jarome could actually fight.”

On Wednesday afternoon, the Hockey Hall of Fame’s chair of the board Not everyone got the memo. Lanny McDonald announced that Iginla — owner of 625 goals, 675 Including one of the Vancouver Canucks’ newcomers, who, one night, assists, 1,300 points, 1,554 games — is wholly deserving of got more than he bargained for after bumping into No. 12. enshrinement. “He challenged me the last time we played and I just skated away,” Ryan It’s impossible to argue. Kesler said afterward. “I didn’t think he was a fighter. I didn’t know he was a fighter. I guess he proved me wrong.” This is how Iginla and his game came to be defined. “You’re trying to figure out what role you’re going to have,” Iginla said, reflecting in the days leading up to his 500th goal. “You start to just be Sure, he was a broad-shouldered competitor who was driven to score. thankful you’re in the NHL and (thinking), ‘Are you going to be able to But the no-guff attitude was part of the package. A snarling star willing to score any goals here?’ I remember thinking, ‘Maybe I’m going to be more drop his gloves, even in the preseason (as he did in Edmonton in 2002). of a role (player) with some fighting.’ But you don’t know. You don’t know. All of which is what made Iginla, Iginla. You’re trying to make your way in. You’re trying to find any way to make the team, to stay on the team. “There is a temper threshold there — that, if pushed too far, he could snap and be the tough guy, the protector,” said in 2002. “I can still remember thinking that. Fortunately, things turned around.” “At the same time, in the crucial situations where we needed the big And then some. goals, he came through. That tells you a lot about his aggressiveness inside. Sometimes that doesn’t get portrayed by his personality. Iginla was a disruptive force in enemy territory. Wicked one-timers from wherever. Power moves through the crease. Close checking suited him. “We get to see it when he’s preparing for a game. He’s very light-hearted He welcomed confrontation, relished it even. He was at home in traffic. and a good guy around the dressing room, but 10 minutes before that game, Jarome gets himself into the zone. He doesn’t really talk to Numbers, year after year, piled up. anybody. He puts a towel over his head and basically bows his head between his legs. You know he’s thinking. You know he’s getting himself He led the Flames in points for 11 consecutive seasons, on each of those motivated and focused.” occasions potting 31 or more goals. He registered 28 or more goals 15 times. It’s worth noting that he had a full season of primetime productivity Steve Staios discussed how difficult it was to defend Iginla. The issue, he snuffed, thanks to the 2004-05 lockout, when he was 27 years old. noted, is that while trash talking and posturing are the norms, especially in the rink’s hotly contested neighbourhoods, Iginla’s threats were never Nevertheless, milestone after milestone was met, then surpassed. hollow. That anger wasn’t manufactured. If he said he wanted to go, it In his breakout season, 2001-02, Iginla tied Jose Theodore in Hart was on — there was no bluffing. And that level of sincerity will rattle a Trophy voting. But because the Montreal goalie had drawn more first- certain segment of blueliners. place mentions, 26 to 23, he got the nod.

A Flames staff member once said he didn’t mind seeing Iginla brawl — The same weekend, though, the Flames winger was declared the winner especially if he wanted to do it early. The reasoning? Fight or not, it could of the Award — named after Lester B. Pearson in those be a game-changer. If a defenceman or checker declined the challenge, days — which goes to the league’s most outstanding player as Iginla would own him for the rest of the night. determined by NHLPA members. (“You can’t fool the players,” Paul Once upon a time, in the opening period against the Los Angeles Kings, Kariya noted in his introduction.) one of those exchanges occurred. Despite the subsequent refusals to “The scary part is that Iggy wants to be one of the best players every engage, that moment, according to Iginla’s teammates, stood as the year,” said shortly after seeing his friend accept the trophy. turning point. “He doesn’t want to have just one good year and be, like, ‘OK, that was “Definitely, Iggy set the tone by telling (Sean) Avery that we’re not going fun.’ He wants to do it year in, year out. That’s going to make him one of to back down from anybody,” Byron Ritchie said after the victory. “Avery the best players for years to come. was talking a lot and Jarome said, ‘If you’re going to talk, let’s settle it.’ “Who knows what’s going to happen? But maybe it’s going to be Jarome For the best player in the world to set the tone physically, it shows for the next eight years. He’s going to enjoy all the things that go along everyone in the dressing room that we mean business.” with it, but he’s not going to get carried away and let it go to his head. He And on the occasions a rival did accept the invitation, well, everyone doesn’t want to be known as a fluke. He wants to put a whole string of knew how that would light Iginla’s fuse. them together.”

Another example of those burning embers sparking a dominating effort Iginla captured the Maurice (Rocket) Richard Trophy as the league’s top from Iginla occurred against Detroit — one goal, two jerseys (because goal scorer two times. the blood-soaked original needed to be sent to the cleaners), three Twice, he reached the 50-goal plateau. (After hitting that benchmark the assists, plus-three, five penalty minutes, seven stitches — in a 4-2 second time — 2008 in Game 82 at Vancouver — he made sure his decision. Noted Iginla afterward: “If you ask anybody, if they get into a teammates were on the ice following the buzzer to honour , fight, they usually come back … much more charged up and ready to who had just skated in the final game of his career.) go.” Thrice, he was a first-team All-Star. It was a rough-and-tumble approach that appealed to many, including his scarred and bent-nosed elders. He received second-team All-Star recognition in 2004. That same season, he was handed the King Clancy Memorial Trophy (for leadership This was, in their parlance, an honest player. and humanitarian contributions) and the NHL Foundation Player Award.

“I see a lot of young players today who are supposed to be the future of Internationally, he collected gold at two Olympics (you may remember his the game and I shake my head. Guys who dive. Guys who don’t put the assist in Vancouver), one World Cup, one world championship, one world team first,” said nearly 20 years ago. “If they’re going junior tourney. to hand the torch over to somebody, (Iginla is) a guy that we, as older players, think is a great choice. He does all the things that the throwback He bagged Memorial Cups in 1994 and 1995. He got the WHL’s player of players are proud of. He doesn’t dive, he sticks up for himself, he sticks the year award, Four Broncos Memorial Trophy, in 1996. up for his teammates, he plays hard in both ends of the rink. Yes, Jarome Iginla’s resume fairly brims. “He’s got a code. If you break the code with him, he’ll break it with you. There had been tough times, too, in Calgary. But he’s not a cheap player by any means. A classy player. The kind of guy you root for as far as his future in the game.” Seven years between playoff appearances, for starters. Some first-round wobbles. Some postseason shortfalls. Brute strength played no small part in his success. But no one in these parts will soon forget Iginla’s contributions to the Not towering — 6-foot-1 and 212 pounds — but incredibly powerful, remarkable run of 2004. That spring had been the stage for next-level incredibly stubborn, incredibly durable. After all, this is someone who heroics. muscled his way to 250 goals before obstruction became a no-no in 2005-06. “To me, that’s the real Jarome Iginla,” Rhett Warrener said a decade later. “At the end, especially here (with the Flames), he could still score Skill, though, is what ultimately allowed Iginla to knock down the door of goals and was still a good player … but that intensity, that desire, that the Hockey Hall of Fame. passion that he played with (in 2004), inspired guys. Putting it into words Making it hard to believe that those early-career dry spells had plagued is hard. him with self-doubt. “When you’ve got a guy of that calibre? Playing that hard? Well, you saw how good he could be.”

Those eight weeks — as the Calgarians hustled past the Vancouver Canucks, Detroit Red Wings, San Jose Sharks, before meeting the Tampa Bay Lightning in the Stanley Cup showdown — put Iginla on the radar of even casual fans in this country.

“Everybody would ask me, ‘Is he really that good?’ Uh, yeah, he was the best player in the world at that point,” , chuckling, said last year. “Being on TV for two months, every other day, I think most were rooting for us — well, maybe not in Edmonton — and to see him play at that level, to see him lead the team emotionally, physically, on the scoresheet, was awesome.”

Interestingly, when a couple of Flames-flavoured members of the Hockey Hall of Fame had been asked in recent years about Iginla’s legacy, it was not tide-turning dustups and offensive outbursts that sprung to mind.

Rather it was his gentlemanly behaviour behind the scenes.

“I remember a road trip … him standing out there, signing autographs for the kids — and he was the only one,” McDonald said. “Everyone else, all the rest of the guys, were on the bus. He went over and told them, ‘Get your butts out here and sign autographs for five minutes, then we’ll leave.’ That tells you a whole lot about leadership and taking the time to make it a great day for the next generation.”

Peter Maher, independently, follows suit when offered a chance to discuss Iginla’s upside.

“I remember on road trips, Jarome would always come out 10 minutes before the bus would leave the hotel to sign autographs,” said Maher, Class of 2006. “I’ll never forget the night of the San Jose series — they won Game 6 here to clinch the series — and by the time I was leaving the Saddledome it was an hour and a half after the game and it was raining. And out in the back parking lot, Jarome was there, signing autographs for some kids, in the rain. And not only signing, but asking them, ‘How are you doing in school?’ and all that type of thing. On a night to be celebrating — I’m sure he caught up with his teammates later — he took time to chat with these kids in the rain.”

Iginla’s pursuit of the Stanley Cup eventually carried him out of town — to Pittsburgh, to Boston, to Colorado, to Los Angeles.

But, last season, he returned to Calgary where, to the surprise of absolutely no one, his No. 12 sweater was retired by the Flames.

And now this, the ultimate honour — a spot in the Hockey Hall of Fame.

On the first ballot, no less.

The Athletic LOADED: 06.25.2020 1175939 Carolina Hurricanes

Hurricanes’ Rod Brind’Amour again bypassed by Hockey Hall of Fame

BY CHIP ALEXANDER

JUNE 24, 2020 04:58 PM ,

Not this year. Brind’Amour has been passed over, again.

The Hockey Hall of Fame in Toronto announced the class of 2020 on Wednesday and many believed Brind’Amour, in his eighth year of eligibility, could be elected as a player, given his 20-year career numbers and Stanley Cup championship with the Carolina Hurricanes.

But the class had six members: Jarome Iginla, Marian Hossa, Doug Wilson, Kevin Lowe and Kim St. Pierre as players, and Ken Holland as a builder.

Brind’Amour, 49, helped the Hurricanes win a Stanley Cup as their captain in 2006 and wants to lead them to another Cup as their head coach. As a player, the center was relentlessly effective in two-way play. The statistical numbers were there but he also had all the intangibles of a being a leader and role model.

“He played at such a high level for such a long time and understood both ends of the ice probably better than anybody,” , a forward on the 2006 Stanley Cup champions, said in a 2019 interview with the N&O.

Brind’Amour , 49, twice was awarded the Selke Trophy, given annually to the best defensive forward in the NHL. The center, whose No. 17 jersey was retired by the Hurricanes, played 1,484 regular-season games, finishing his career with 1,184 points (452 goals, 732 assists).

Brind’Amour has been named to the Philadelphia Flyers Hall of Fame and the North Carolina Sports Hall of Fame. But the Hockey Hall of Fame will have to wait.

News Observer LOADED: 06.25.2020 1175940 Carolina Hurricanes But we humans have an obsession with quantifying things, so let’s bring up six relevant Brind’Amour numbers.

59.1: Percentage of even strength faceoffs won, the most among NHLers Civian: Not a Hall of Famer? Rod Brind’Amour revolutionized hockey with at least 600 points

1,484: NHL games played, 25th all-time, despite carrying the grunt work By Sara Civian most of his nights on the ice

Jun 24, 2020 24:18: Average time on ice per game during the 2005-06 season, which is while he was the captain of the only Hurricanes team to win the Cup.

35: His age when he won the Cup When The Athletic’s Hockey Hall of Fame Committee got together to elect its 2020 class, committee chairman Eric Duhatschek had a clear Two: Number of consecutive days off from working out in his entire life purpose. One: There is precisely one mural painted at PNC Arena, and it is “We were trying to illustrate a serious point,” he wrote. “Just how difficult Brind’Amour lifting the Cup it can be to get 14-out-of-18 people to agree on a single candidate.” This gray area is what makes him a Hall of Famer to those who know him Duhatschek brought up several crucial points before digging into the and confuses those who don’t. He is the person that made faceoffs cool process, and as a former member of the actual committee, his insight again and made working out seem worthwhile more than maybe any was invaluable (per usual). hockey player, ever.

Now, this is important: The article was meant to represent the actual Bottom line: If you have ever tried to coach or parent a child into loving voting process. the game of hockey, I guarantee Brind’Amour’s playing career has influenced you. “If you’re trying to do this as a real-world exercise, you can’t just make the case for the players you believe have been historically snubbed by Brind’Amour revolutionized what it is to be a hockey player. He is the the Hall of Fame,” Duhatschek continued. “You also have to take into truest living embodiment of grit paying off. We always talk about grit and consideration that every year, a new crop of first-year eligible players hard work as some sort of secret handshake in the hockey world. How needs to be considered as well.” are we going to remind our kids that the secret handshake is also the foundation in the age of YouTube highlight reels? Fair enough. And although discussion among the real Hockey Hall of Fame committee is private to keep it real, the general guidelines are right When I first got to know Brind’Amour the coach, I was fascinated and on the official Hockey Hall of Fame website. surprised by how well he connects with this generation of hockey players.

There can be a maximum of four inductees from the male player The more I got to know him, the more I realized he was the revolution category per class. A successful candidate needs 14 affirmative votes that birthed so many of these one-track-minded hard workers – like from that 18-member committee to gain election. That’s hard. As Andrei Svechnikov and Sebastian Aho. While Blue Jackets coach John hundreds of original geniuses point out every day on Twitter, it’s not Tortorella has condemned new-age procedures like “taking care of called the Hockey Hall of Very Good. It’s one of the most exclusive yourself” and “drinking carrot juice,” Brind’Amour did all that before honors in sport, and I tend to like it that way. anyone could blame the millennials.

My colleagues did an excellent job staying true to the “real-world” aspect How are we going to assert that hockey is about hard work and quiet of this exercise – vote how you think the committee will vote. Our sacrifice when the quintessential embodiment of all of that is still judged committee nominated 13 in the male player category – none of which by his numbers? were Rod Brind’Amour. I logged onto Twitter just minutes after the article How are we going to sit here and preach to our children that hard work is went live and (predictably) it felt like this: more important than flash, that every last faceoff win matters, that there’s I’m sure the arguments surrounding one of the most heated Hockey Hall a purpose to off-ice workouts if Rod Brind’Amour isn’t in the Hockey Hall of Fame predicaments – The Curious Case of Rod the Bod – are still of Fame? raging on as we speak. Forget the numbers, Rod Brind’Amour is the heart and grit of the game of As a card-holding member of the “it’s not the Hockey Hall of Very Good” hockey, and he’s inspired a new generation to drink carrot juice instead club, I would agree that numbers alone don’t make Brind’Amour a lock. of beer. If that doesn’t make it into the Hall of Fame, then what are we They put him in the discussion, obviously, so let’s go over the same ones doing here? for the 6,000th time for the sake of transparency:

Thirty-nine players with 14-plus seasons of 49 points or more have come The Athletic LOADED: 06.25.2020 up in Hall of Fame eligibility. Thirty-seven are in. Brind’Amour had 15 seasons.

Thirty-seven players with 1,100-plus points and a Stanley Cup win have come up for Hall of Fame eligibility. Thirty-five of them are in. Brind’Amour had 1,184 points.

I could go on with all this, but get real: It’s not going to convince anyone, including me.

What if I told you that we do not have to cherry-pick numbers to make Rod Brind’Amour fit into the Hall of Fame?

The numbers might be the least important – ergo, least effective – campaign for the spot Brind’Amour deserves.

We spend so much time arguing about the numbers because they’re objective, so we tend to forget that they’re one part of many alleged criteria: playing ability, sportsmanship, character and contributions to his or her team or teams and to the game of hockey in general.

Brind’Amour’s playing career was about anything but numbers, and that’s why his contributions to the hockey world remain so important yet so impossible to quantify. 1175941 Chicago Blackhawks goals, 97 assists — in 205 postseason games. In eight seasons with the Hawks, he had 186 goals and 229 assists.

“Marian exemplified what it means to be a champion on and off the ice,” Chicago Blackhawks greats Marian Hossa and Doug Wilson elected to Hawks Chairman Rocky Wirtz said in a statement. “From the moment the Hockey Hall of Fame Marian arrived in Chicago, his leadership, work ethic, determination and will to win had a positive impact on his teammates which ultimately led us to three Stanley Cup Championships. He was as complete of a hockey By CHRIS BOGHOSSIAN player as they come, and an even better human. There is not a more deserving individual to be recognized as a first-ballot Hall of Famer than CHICAGO TRIBUNE Marian Hossa — his class and dignity will never be forgotten.” JUN 24, 2020 AT 7:21 PM Wilson, 62, played for the Hawks from 1977-91 and ranks first among franchise defensemen in goals (225), assists (5,554) and points (779) and fourth in games played (938). The Ottawa native was known for his Marian Hossa helped the Chicago Blackhawks win three Stanley Cups in rocket slap shot — and for being one of the last helmetless players in the six years but never won an individual award during his stellar 19-year NHL. NHL career. Wilson also appeared in 95 postseason games with the Hawks, totaling That changed Wednesday when Hossa was elected to the Hockey Hall 80 points (19 goals, 61 assists). of Fame in his first year of eligibility. “I’m not even a Hall of Famer in my own house, so joining this club Joining Hossa in the Class of 2020 is Doug Wilson, who played 14 of his means the world to me,” Wilson told NHL.com. “I would like to thank all of 16 seasons with the Hawks after they drafted him with the sixth pick in the people who have been so good to me in this game.” 1977. Wilson, currently the San Jose Sharks general manager, won the Norris Trophy after the 1981-82 season as the NHL’s top defenseman. A strained relationship between Wilson and coach/general manager reached a boiling point just before the 1991-92 season, and the Wilson got the call in his 24th year on the ballot. Hawks traded Wilson to the Sharks, marking a bitter end to an otherwise stellar career in Chicago. The 18-person selection committee also voted in players Jarome Iginla, Kim St-Pierre and Kevin Lowe and Ken Holland in the builder category. Wilson played his final two seasons with the Sharks, finishing his career with 237 goals and 590 assists (827 points). Among NHL defensemen, Widely regarded as one of the best two-way forwards in NHL history, he ranks 12th in goals, 15th in points and 18th in assists, and his 39 Hossa, 41, played the final eight seasons of his career with the Hawks, goals in 1981-82 is the fourth-highest single-season total by a who signed him to a 12-year, $63.3 million contract on July 1, 2009. defenseman. Eleven months later, Hossa and the Hawks hoisted the Stanley Cup after “Doug was a stalwart on the Blackhawks blue line from the moment he defeating the Philadelphia Flyers in six games, ending the franchise’s 48- was drafted in 1977,” Wirtz said in the statement. “His toughness and year championship drought. They won titles again in the lockout- consistency throughout his career embodied the meaning of being a shortened 2013 season and in 2015. Blackhawk. The accolades speak for themselves: Norris Trophy winner ”This is an amazing day for me and my family,” Hossa said Wednesday as the league’s top defenseman in 1982, seven-time All-Star, franchise in a conference call, according to reports. “I never thought I would have leader in goals and points as a defenseman — and now, a Hockey Hall (this) amazing career. My dream came true when I won the first Stanley of Famer. Although he works for an opponent now, he will always be a Cup. This is definitely something special. ... This means so much to me. part of the Blackhawks family.” I’m humbled and really grateful.” The Sharks hired Wilson as general manager in May 2003. He is the only NHL player to appear in three consecutive finals with three Iginla will be the fourth Black player inducted after Grant Fuhr, women’s teams — the Pittsburgh Penguins in 2008, the Detroit Red Wings in 2009 hockey pioneer Angela James and Willie O’Ree. Iginla and Fuhr are the and the Hawks in 2010. only Black NHL players enshrined for their on-ice accomplishments, “What are the chances you sign and win it right away?” Hossa said after while O’Ree was chosen in the builder category in 2018 for breaking the the Hawks’ 4-3 overtime victory on June 9, 2010. “So many things went league’s color barrier 60 years earlier. through my mind. Unbelievable. I was just thinking about my family and The longtime Calgary Flames captain was the first Black player to lead going through it three times in a row, and finally I did it.” the NHL in goals and points and was the first Black athlete in any sport to Hossa stunned the hockey world on June 21, 2017, announcing he would win a gold medal in the Winter Olympics. A first-generation Canadian not be able to play the following season because of a progressive skin whose father is Nigerian and mother is American, Iginla owns arguably disorder and severe side effects of the medication used to treat it. the biggest assist in Canada’s history of international hockey. He passed Although he was under contract through the 2020-21 season, he never the puck to Sidney Crosby for Crosby’s “golden goal” at the 2010 played in the NHL again. Olympics in Vancouver.

While he hadn’t retired officially, Hossa told a newspaper in his native “This selection is hard to believe and makes me reflect and look back on Slovakia in May 2018 that his career was over. The Hawks severed my career,” Iginla said. “I was always just trying to make the NHL and contractual ties with Hossa two months later, trading him to the Arizona this recognition means a lot to me and my family.” Coyotes. It’s unclear if the Hall will hold its traditional in-person induction ceremony Hossa joins 2015 inductee as the only players to go into Nov. 16. The NHL is still trying to resume its season after suspending the Hall while still under contract. Like Pronger, Hossa qualified because play in March, with the playoffs potentially extending into October and he hasn’t played in three years and retired in 2018 because of the skin delaying the start of next season until December or January. disorder.

The Ottawa Senators selected Hossa with the 12th pick in the 1997 draft, Chicago Tribune LOADED: 06.25.2020 and he made his NHL debut the next season. A left-handed winger, Hossa was second in Calder Trophy voting for the league’s top rookie in 1998-99.

The Senators traded him to the Thrashers in August 2005, and the Penguins acquired him in February 2008 in a bid for the Stanley Cup — but they lost to the Red Wings in the Cup Final. Hossa signed a one- year deal with the Wings that offseason, hoping to win an elusive title — but the Penguins defeated the Wings in a seven-game final in 2009.

A five-time All-Star, Hossa finished with 525 goals and 609 assists for 1,134 points in 1,309 regular-season games and totaled 149 points — 52 1175942 Chicago Blackhawks

Blackhawks alums Marian Hossa, Doug Wilson inducted into Hockey Hall of Fame

By Ben Pope@BenPopeCST

Jun 24, 2020, 3:35pm CDT

It’s official: Marian Hossa is a first-ballot Hall of Famer.

The three-time Stanley Cup champion, a crucial yet underrated member of all three Blackhawks’ title-winning teams, is one of six members of the Hockey Hall of Fame’s 2020 class.

Former Hawks defenseman Doug Wilson, now the Sharks’ general manager, also was among the inductees.

Hossa and Wilson became the 37th and 38th Hawks alumni, but just the fifth and sixth this century (Denis Savard in 2000, and Doug Gilmour in 2011 and in 2013), to be inducted.

The rest of the 2020 Hall of Fame class included fellow first-ballot selection Jarome Iginla, longtime Oilers defenseman Kevin Lowe and women’s hockey pioneer Kim St. Pierre, as well as current Oilers and former Red Wings GM Ken Holland in the “builders” subsection.

Hossa played 1,309 NHL games over 19 seasons, the final eight of which came with the Hawks, before retiring in 2017.

He tallied 525 goals and 609 assists, good for 1,134 career points — 57th in league history. He hit the 50-point plateau for 15 consecutive full seasons (exempting the abridged 2013 campaign), and reached the 100- point threshold with the Thrashers in 2006-07.

Hossa never won an individual award, but his stellar, consistent performance in every zone made him a stalwart on all three of the Hawks’ Cup-winning teams.

The 2010 title deservedly provided his first championship after losing with the Penguins to the Red Wings in the 2008 Final, then losing with the Red Wings to the Penguins in the 2009 Final. He’s the only player in NHL history to appear in three consecutive finals with three different teams.

“This day means so much to me. I’m humbled and really grateful,” Hossa said during a conference call with reporters. “I would’ve never thought I was going to have an amazing career. My dream came true when I won the first Stanley Cup. This is definitely something special.”

Despite his shock, Hossa long was considered a prime candidate for the 2020 Hall of Fame class.

Wilson, meanwhile, had a long wait for induction. He called it a “pleasant shock.”

The fan-favorite defenseman played 1,024 NHL games over 16 seasons, the first 14 of which came with the Hawks, between 1977 and 1993.

His 827 career points rank 15th all-time among defensemen.

Wilson was a three-time All-Star and won the 1982 Norris Trophy as the league’s best defenseman after a 39-goal, 85-point season. He made five conference final appearances with the Hawks, but never advanced to a Cup Final.

Chicago Sun Times LOADED: 06.25.2020 1175943 Chicago Blackhawks changing so fast. [Auston] Matthews got it the other day, and a few guys on Tampa Bay have gotten it.

“If it’s safe, you want to get back to playing hockey — that’s what we all How Hawks center Dylan Strome’s puppy helped him handle a whirlwind miss doing and love to do. But if there’s some doubt, I think guys have pandemic experience families and kids and have to look at the future, as well. It’s definitely up in the air, and it’s not really for me to decide.”

By Ben Pope@BenPopeCST Regardless of the outcome, he’ll at least have a cuddly, playful 60-pound ball of affection to carry him through. Jun 24, 2020, 7:30am CDT

Chicago Sun Times LOADED: 06.25.2020 When Blackhawks center Dylan Strome adopted a golden retriever puppy during the All-Star break, he hoped his new dog — promptly named Wrigley — would keep the mood light during the ups and downs of his NHL seasons.

Little did he know that Wrigley would soon become his every-day companion and source of entertainment through his longest stretch away from hockey.

“I feel a little bit bad for him,” Strome said this week. “He’s in his sixth house now, and he’s only 6 months old. He’s moved around a lot.”

When the season paused March 12, Strome — along with his girlfriend and Wrigley — initially planned to stay in Chicago. But as the coronavirus situation in Illinois and across North America rapidly worsened, Strome decided his childhood home of Mississauga, Ontario, was the best bet.

“When we heard the borders might close, it felt like a race to get home,” Strome said. “We just decided to get a rental car and drove back. It was all within a matter of less than 24 hours.”

They rented an Airbnb to quarantine for two weeks. Then that rental ran out, so they moved into what was supposed to be Strome’s summer home.

All the while, Strome had none of his equipment, and no rinks at which to skate even if he did have it.

“That might’ve been the longest anyone — at least me, personally — has been off the ice since I was maybe 9 or 10 years old,” he said.

Instead, for two months, the pending restricted free agent was forced to keep in shape by running and roller-skating around the block, using a newly purchased Peloton bike and doing workouts over Zoom with Hawks trainer Paul Goodman.

“It was definitely something none of us has ever lived through and might not have to live through ever again,” he said. “If there was a positive thing about it, I got to spend some time with family, and everyone got through it together.”

That included his brother Ryan, a breakout star for the Rangers this season, celebrating the mid-quarantine birth of his daughter May 17.

It also included Wrigley doubling in age and weight, from an adorable, “little crazy” puppy — as Strome described his new best friend back on March 8 — to a nearly full-grown dog.

“He’s not the tallest,” Strome said. “But he’s 60-plus pounds right now at 6 months old. His parents were around 90 to 100 pounds, so we don’t know exactly how big he’s going to get, but probably somewhere around there.”

Wrigley’s social-media fame has grown as exponentially as his weight: The account, run by Tayler McMahon, Strome’s girlfriend, has more than 9,000 Instagram followers. He’s even closing in on the DeBrindogs — Alex DeBrincat’s account for his Shiba Inu, Ralph, and new puppy Burt — and their 12,300 followers.

But are they rivals? Not quite.

“They’re friends, actually,” Strome said with a laugh in March.

The friendship included a canine reunion last Thursday — only one day after Strome made his own return to Fifth Third Arena, joining the Hawks’ small but growing contingent of players practicing together again.

Now Strome is simply waiting to see if actual hockey can return.

“If you would’ve asked me a few days ago, I would’ve said it seems pretty safe,” he said. “Now it’s definitely difficult to say because everything’s 1175944 Chicago Blackhawks "My dad was alive to see me win the Norris Trophy.

"I've always said the game was much better to me than I was to the game. Players in our league have always understood that nobody is Finally, the Hall of Fame calls Doug Wilson bigger than the game and I'm proud to have been a part of it."

Doug Wilson should have never had to wait for the Hall of Fame.

Barry Rozner Similarly, with Bill Wirtz and Pulford out of the picture, perhaps there will Follow @BarryRozner come a day soon when the Hawks do the right thing and retire his No. 24. Updated When Wilson was traded to San Jose in 1991, he left Chicago as fourth 6/24/2020 5:36 PM all-time in games played for the Hawks, ninth in goals, third in assists and fifth in points.

Not bad on an Original Six franchise with a history of Hall of Fame When it comes to the sport of hockey and Hall of Fame injustice, there players. has been no worse offense than the one endured by Doug Wilson the last 24 years. Nearly 30 years later, and with the Hawks now in existence 93 years, Wilson is still ninth in games, fourth in assists and seventh in points. He But with the announcement Wednesday afternoon that he has finally also remains the franchise leader among defensemen in goals, assists been elected, Wilson can rest easy and erase the nagging insult. and points, and is fourth in games played behind Duncan Keith, Brent To understand why he had to wait, well, you can go back to his Seabrook and Bob Murray. unnecessary departure from the Blackhawks -- something he has in Imagine what the numbers would have been had he not been run out of common with teammates Steve Larmer and , who town by Mike Keenan, who also couldn't wait to get rid of another Hall of continue to wait for their call from the Hall. Famer in Denis Savard. Back in the early '90s, the league was run by Bill Wirtz, who was closely One wrong has been righted for Doug Wilson. The Hawks have an aligned with Alan Eagleson and Bob Pulford, and as president of the opportunity now to fix another. NHLPA, Wilson led a revolution against corruption. All it will take is a sweater in the rafters. Eagleson, with massive conflicts of interest as players association boss, stole from players, was in bed with certain owners and later was jailed for fraud and embezzlement. In the process of trying to form a legitimate NHLPA, Wilson was blackballed by those in charge. Daily Herald Times LOADED: 06.25.2020

"All I know is I have no problem looking in the mirror," Wilson told me in 2002. "I've never really worried about the things I can't control. I played the game because I loved it and for no other reason.

"I grew up with tremendous respect for the game and it was a privilege to play. I don't look back with anything except gratitude."

After his career, he should have been a slam-dunk Hall of Famer, but as the years passed his career was forgotten and Wilson was known more for his work as the San Jose general manager.

And it's criminal that he spent these years wondering how he could be dismissed.

Consider the case:

• When Wilson retired in 1993 after 14 years with the Hawks and two with San Jose, he was 61st all-time among all players in points (827), through 76 years of NHL hockey.

• At the time of his retirement, there were only four defensemen ahead of him and all are in the Hall of Fame today. Their names are , , and .

• At the time, Wilson was 40th all-time in assists (590). The same four defensemen were the only ones ahead of him on that list.

• There were only five defensemen ahead of him in goals (237), including Phil Housley, and all five are in the Hall of Fame.

• At the time, only Potvin and Bourque had played more games than Wilson (1,024).

Wilson had a cannon from the point and won a Norris Trophy based on a 39-goal season in 1981-82. He was a brilliant passer who participated in one of the NHL's best-ever power plays.

That's the offense, but defensively you will see few better in your lifetime. A much different game during Wilson's era (1977-93), he was nearly impossible to beat 1-on-1 and he did it clean during a time when the physical play was violent and clutch-and-grab was the order of the day.

"I have no regrets about anything I've done in hockey," said Wilson in 2002, always a class act. "I got to play with Bobby Orr as a defense partner. Stan Mikita was my first roommate and like a second father to me.

"I scored a game-tying goal in the on a pass from Wayne Gretzky to send it into OT. 1175945 Chicago Blackhawks The Hawks signed Hossa to a 12-year contract during the 2009 off- season. It is considered by most the best free-agent signing in Chicago sports history. His influence on and off the ice helped propel a solid Blackhawks Cup winner Marian Hossa gets into Hockey Hall of Fame on group of young, emerging players to an epic six-year run unmatched in first try team annals.

Versteeg still remembers what it was like the first time he saw Hossa practice. John Dietz "He didn't play until November and -- I swear -- it was like watching a Follow @johndietzdh Ferrari skate down the ice," Versteeg said. "I still remember me and (Patrick) Kane looked at each other and we're like, 'That's a professional Updated player right there. Look at him.' " 6/24/2020 7:19 PM Hossa scored 24 goals and had 27 assists in just 57 games that season, then added 3 scores and 12 assists in the playoffs. The one everyone remembers came in Game 5 of the first round against Nashville -- a goal Marian Hossa scored 525 goals over his illustrious career, 186 of which that gave the Hawks a 5-4 OT victory just seconds after Hossa served a came with the Blackhawks. five-minute boarding penalty.

He also dished out 609 assists. Ten weeks later Hossa and Versteeg were sitting next to each other in the United Center dressing room with the Stanley Cup Final tied at two And won three Stanley Cups. games a piece. Versteeg -- as he did before every game -- went to grab But according to former teammate , none of those numbers them both energy bars. adequately illustrate why Hossa was elected into the Hockey Hall of And then disaster struck as Versteeg spilled coffee in Hossa's stall. Fame on Wednesday in his first year of eligibility. "I remember before the game, I was so nervous and shaking because I "If you watched his entire game, that's where you get the true don't know if Hoss is mad at me. Is this a bad omen?" Versteeg said. appreciation of the extra dynamic he could bring to a team," Versteeg "I've got to play the game of my life tonight to make up for spilling Hoss' said. "That alone gets him into the Hall of Fame. Because everything that coffee. he did away from the puck changed outcomes of each and every game. ... "And I did. I had a goal and 2 assists, and he played well (in a 7-4 Hawks victory). I was like, 'OK. Thank goodness that spilling his coffee didn't "And not only that, I think it changed a little bit of hockey in itself. Just screw us over.' " seeing a star player work that hard to get back was so impressive. ... That was always attributed to him because anywhere I went they always Three nights later, the two were sitting together just before Game 6 and showed clips of Marian Hossa." Versteeg thinks: "Should I spill his coffee because it worked last time?' "

Hossa was golfing Tuesday when he got a call from his agent that And guess what? He did. Wednesday could indeed be a special one. The winger didn't want to get his hopes up, but when his phone buzzed at 9 p.m. Slovakian time, he Said Versteeg: "I went by again and spilled it, and he goes: 'What the got awfully excited. heck, Steegy!?'

"It was a phone call that I will never forget for the rest of my life. It was an "I spilled it on purpose. He probably doesn't know that to this day. amazing moment and I'm still processing what's happening," Hossa said Obviously we won. So that was kind of a story between me and him that during a 90-minute teleconference that included this year's five other no one knows." inductees. "It's 1 a.m. (now) and I'm having the first bottle of wine already Hossa made the Hawks a dangerous team all the way through 2016-17 done. when he poured in 26 goals despite turning 38 that January. Two months "I don't know how long this press conference is going to go, so good luck after the Hawks were swept by Nashville in the playoffs, the Hawks said to me." Hossa would not play during the 2017-18 season due to a skin condition.

Also elected were former Blackhawks defenseman Doug Wilson, Jarome He never returned to the ice and was traded to Arizona on July 12, 2018, Iginla, Kevin Lowe, Ken Holland and Kim St-Pierre. Wilson, a left-shot in a salary-cap move. defenseman, was drafted sixth overall by the Hawks in 1977. A Norris Versteeg remembers seeing rashes on Hossa's shins and elbows "a lot" - Trophy winner after his 39-goal campaign in 1981-82, he finished with - even going back to 2009. So when the news broke that Hossa was out, 225 goals and 554 assists for the franchise from 1977-91. Versteeg had a different reaction than most. Hossa, who was forced out of the game due to a skin condition, had eight "Everyone's like, 'It's sad the way it ended,'" Versteeg said. "But I mean 30-goal seasons and three times had 40 or more. to be brutally honest, what else was he going to accomplish? He played in back-to-back in 2008 and '09, ending up "That's what I just think. I mean you can add to the legacy, but the on the losing side each time. Using those setbacks to grow as a person legacy's already written." and a player, Hossa then helped spearhead the Hawks to their first Stanley Cup title in 49 years in 2010. One that just culminated with an invitation to the Hall of Fame.

"Going through the failures make you stronger," Hossa said. "I learned from my previous mistakes maybe. I just tried to take the Games 6 or Games 7s a little bit easier; prepare for the game like it was a regular Daily Herald Times LOADED: 06.25.2020 game."

Hossa was the first one to touch the Cup after captain Jonathan Toews sought out the veteran on the Wells Fargo Center ice.

"We were all screaming as loud as we could for Hoss," Versteeg said. "For him to win and to be the person he is, first and foremost. Never met a better guy in the game.

"But (also) a player that's been through everything. For us to all see that; I mean I remember screaming like I was a child."

Said Hossa: "What a great memory. I've still got a picture in my office from when I first touched the Stanley Cup." 1175946 Chicago Blackhawks

Ex-Blackhawks react to 'all business' Marian Hossa's election to Hall of Fame

By Scott King

June 24, 2020 8:55 PM

In light of Marian Hossa's big news in being among the Hockey Hall of Fame's 2020 inductees, NBC Sports Chicago got a hold of some of his former Blackhawks teammates right after the announcement to get their instant reaction:

John Scott (Hawks teammate 2010-2012):

"Just excited. I don't think he ever got the recognition he deserved, right? I always say this, I was lucky enough to play with him. He was the most underrated player of our generation where he just did everything right, he put up points, he was a great defensive forward.

"He just kind of went about his business and didn't cause any kind of trouble and he never got any recognition. So I was super happy he finally got his due. He's a first-ballot Hall of Famer and the only reason he wouldn't get in is just because people don't really notice him. He just does his job and goes home.

"What I loved most about him was if you got him away from the rink and went to dinner with him and stuff he just had a great personality, such a funny guy, you would never expect that. When he got to the rink he was all business."

Bryan Bickell (Hawks teammates with Hossa 2009-2016):

"That's awesome."

We actually broke the news of Hossa's election into the Hall to Bickell, who was at his cottage.

"A world-class player that is a two-way player that can score and put in big minutes, 5-on-3, shorthanded... He's an all-around player that can skate, a world-class skater... His skating abilities when he first came in the league until his last game that he played, it was pretty similar. It's awesome to hear a guy like that get nominated.

"For me, I'm close to him, I know I have a couple other teammates that eventually will get there, but for the most recent, for Hossa to do it, it's a pretty awesome moment for him for sure."

Dave Bolland (Hawks teammates with Hossa 2009-2013):

"It's great news. Great to hear Hossa made it. I think it was a no-brainer."

Bolland didn't think Hossa's lack of individual awards would keep him out of the Hall like some did.

"I didn't think that would be an issue. I think the (committee) looks at how many points he's put up, he's in the league for how long and he's got three Stanley Cups, he's been in the Stanley Cup Finals five times. He's just an all-around great person, unbelievable person and great leadership with Chicago."

Jamal Mayers (Hawks teammates with Hossa 2011-2013):

“Hoss was a rare combination of unreal strength, ridiculous skill and a complete gamer! All of those traits pale in comparison to who he is as a teammate and friend. His humility made him relatable and he led by example every shift!”

Comcast SportsNet.com LOADED: 06.25.2020 1175947 Chicago Blackhawks

Doug Wilson's wife gets emotional after Hockey Hall of Fame announcement

By Matthew Rooney

June 24, 2020 7:55 PM

While Marian Hossa’s selection to the 2020 Hockey Hall of Fame class is the one that will stick out most to Blackhawks’ fans, the induction of defenseman Doug Wilson was long overdue. Twenty-four years, to be exact.

In a conference call on Wednesday, Wilson said it was "a pleasant shock" to finally get the call from Hall of Fame chairman Lanny McDonald, but it was his wife who stole the show.

“I can’t even put it into words, because I don’t, first of all, even know if I’m worthy. But I know this, I’m not even a Hall of Famer in my house, it’s my wife,” quipped Wilson.

After thanking the chairman, Wilson handed the phone to his wife, Kathy Wilson. Once being informed of her husband’s selection to the Hall of Fame, she was so overwhelmed with emotion she could barely speak. Wilson expressed his thankfulness for Kathy, who he called "the heartbeat of our family."

"This as an opportunity for me to thank all the people that have been so kind to me over the years, and how good this game has been to me," Wilson said. "But it starts and ends with my wife. And for you to make this call, Lanny, and for her to hear it from you makes everything worthwhile."

Wilson joins Hossa. Jarome Iginla, Kevin Lowe, Kim St-Pierre and Ken Holland (builder) in the Hockey Hall of Fame Class of 2020. Wilson spent 14 of his 16 NHL seasons in a Blackhawks uniform and won a Norris Trophy with Chicago.

In those 14 seasons, Wilson amassed 779 points in 938 games before reaching the 1,000-game plateau with the San Jose Sharks and became their first captain in franchise history.

Comcast SportsNet.com LOADED: 06.25.2020 1175948 Chicago Blackhawks

Blackhawks' Marian Hossa proves he's a Hall of Famer both on and off the ice

By Charlie Roumeliotis

June 24, 2020 7:00 PM

Marian Hossa's name was on the Hockey Hall of Fame ballot for the Class of 2020 and he didn't have to wait very long to hear his name called. In fact, he didn't have to wait at all.

Hossa was at his home in Slovakia on Wednesday and gave his wife a heads up around dinner time that there might be a call coming from an unknown Canadian number, but it wasn't guaranteed. At roughly 9 p.m. in Slovakia, shortly before the official announcement, reality set in for Hossa after he received a call from chairman of the board Lanny McDonald that every player dreams of getting: You're a first-ballot Hall of Famer.

"It's a phone call [my wife and I] will never forget," Hossa said on a conference call. "It was an amazing moment."

Hossa played 19 seasons in the NHL, where he recorded 1,134 points in 1,309 games with five different teams. He ranks 35th all-time in goals (525) and was the 80th player in league history to hit the 1,000-point mark, but he'll be the first to tell you winning three Stanley Cups in Chicago trumps any individual accolade.

Heck, just one was good enough for Hossa after falling short in back-to- back years prior to winning it at all with the Blackhawks in 2010.

"Unbelievable moment of my career," said Hossa, who's the only player in NHL history to reach the Stanley Cup Final in three consecutive seasons with three different teams. "Finally, after three times in the Stanley Cup Final, I lifted the Stanley Cup above my head and Jonathan Toews gave me the Cup right after. What a great memory. I still have a picture in my office from the first time I touched the Stanley Cup."

While his career was cut short because of a progressive skin disorder, Hossa certainly left his mark in hockey and accomplished all he needed to before hanging up the skates. You could tell how much the honor meant to him as he reflected on his career and Hall of Fame vote.

"I'm really grateful for the opportunity to start playing in the 1997-98 and I never thought I would have an amazing career," Hossa said. "My dream came true when I won the first Stanley Cup. This is definitely something special to be in the top, top players and the people in [the] National Hockey League. This means so much to me. I'm humbled and really grateful."

After Hossa was announced as part of the 2020 Hockey Hall of Fame Class, his former teammates chimed in on social media — including Patrick Kane and Duncan Keith — to offer their congratulations and express their appreciation for what he did for them and the sport. It's impossible to find somebody inside the hockey community that has a bad word to say about Hossa.

And as if Chicago needed another reason to fall in love with him, Hossa provided one final mic drop on Wednesday.

One hour after the announcement, all six members jumped on a conference call for a Q&A session with the media. The call lasted almost two hours. At the 110-minute mark, Hossa finished answering a question then admitted: "It's 1 a.m. here and I'm having a first bottle of wine already done and I don't know how long this press conference will go, so good luck to me."

A true Hall of Famer, both on and off the ice.

Comcast SportsNet.com LOADED: 06.25.2020 1175949 Chicago Blackhawks

Blackhawks' Jonathan Toews ranked best Top 10 NHL draft pick of salary cap era

By Matthew Rooney

June 24, 2020 3:11 PM

It doesn’t take advanced analytics to realize that the Blackhawks hit a home run by drafting Jonathan Toews third overall in the 2006 NHL Entry Draft. According to a recent article from The Athletic, advanced analytics not only confirm that the Blackhawks made a great selection in Toews, but say that Chicago made the best top-10 draft pick of the salary cap era from 2005-2016 (2017-2019 were excluded due to a lack of sufficient data).

The Athletic evaluated each draft pick's first seven seasons (based on an advanced metric called Game Score Value Added) and expected value based on draft position to decipher which draft pick from those 12 seasons provided the most value. Toews' wins of total value (similar to baseball’s WAR statistic) came in at a whopping 25.6, the third-highest rating for a top-10 pick since 2005 behind only Connor McDavid and Sidney Crosby (both at 28.8).

Toews comes out on top of those two as the more valuable draft pick, however, due to the expected value from where each player was picked. The expected wins of total value from the number three selection through the first seven seasons is 10.2, while the expected value for a first overall pick is 17.7. So while McDavid and Crosby may have accounted for “more wins,” Toews provides more value given the expectations for a third overall pick vs a first overall pick.

So while Hawks fans don’t need fancy stats to tell them Toews was a great pick, it sure is nice to have confirmation of where he stacks up. And it sure is nice to remind Blues fans what they missed by passing on him with the first overall pick.

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Blackhawks 2015 Stanley Cup champ Antoine Vermette reflects on epic Conference Final

By Scott King

June 24, 2020 1:28 PM

Former Blackhawks forward and 2015 Stanley Cup champ Antoine Vermette caught up with Blackhawks team reporter Eric Lear to discuss his time in Chicago and an epic playoff series for the ages.

Vermy, it's been too long!

Vermette was acquired in a trade with the on Feb. 28, 2015. He had three assists but zero goals in 19 regular-season games with the Hawks.

The forward had been a scratch for two consecutive games earlier in the playoffs.

In Game 4 of the 2015 Western Conference Final against the Anaheim Ducks, after being a scratch in Game 3 of the series, Vermette scored in double overtime to win it for Chicago 5-4 and even the series 2-2 heading back to Anaheim for Game 5. The Hawks ended up winning the series in seven games before beating Tampa Bay to hoist their third Stanley Cup in six seasons.

The forward credits his late, but vital, postseason production to his linemates on Chicago's then third line: and Teuvo Teravainen.

"We had a really good chemistry . . . I think it speaks for the strength of our lineup," Vermette said. "These guys on that line, I think it was a great combination. We had speed, skill, we could read off each other pretty well.

"We had a young, talented Teuvo coming up, trying to make a name for himself. And Sharpy, being in the league for such a long time, great veteran presence. Just great players overall. For me, it was a great fit and it was such a fun time playing with these two guys: very creative, talented and fast."

For Antoine, the Ducks series was as fun to play in as it was to watch.

"I think it was very fun for the fans watching it, playing in it was great, especially when you're on the right side of it," he said. "And you can make the argument, obviously, without that series, winning that one, we don't set up ourselves with a chance to win (the Cup).

"That speaks for itself, but the level of the game and the intensity and how tight, how we came back and facing a tough situation, trailing 2-1 and that goal came in overtime last game in the homestand... Going on the road with a 3-1 deficit, facing a team like that, that's totally different. So it was very slim, the margin of error was next to none."

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St. Louis Blues take aim at Chicago Blackhawks in return to practice

By Alex Shapiro

June 24, 2020 9:38 AM

The St. Louis Blues are really taking the old adage “keep your friends close, and your enemies closer” to heart.

The team tweeted out some pics of players returning to the ice for practice, and if you take a closer look you can see a Blackhawks logo in net.

Is this the Blues taking a page out of Michael Jordan’s book and doing whatever they can to give themselves an edge in practice?

Or are the Blue paying respects to a team loaded with superstars that can challenge them for the Eastern Conference title if they go on a hot streak?

Hard to say. But it’s safe to say most hockey fans would love to see Corey Crawford in net, and Jonathan Toews and Patrick Kane challenging the likes of Vladimir Tarasenko, Alex Pietrangelo and Jordan Binnington when hockey finally does return.

Comcast SportsNet.com LOADED: 06.25.2020 1175952 Chicago Blackhawks Blackhawks in the Nick Schmaltz trade. But with the uncertainty over the salary cap in the wake of the pandemic, might have to make some very difficult choices. , Strome is here to stay — the Who could the Blackhawks lose to Seattle in the 2021 expansion draft? Blackhawks like him, and he loves it in Chicago.

On the bubble

By Mark Lazerus and Scott Powers Lucas Carlsson: Carlsson shot up the organizational depth chart during the 2019-20 season and looked very good in his six NHL games before Jun 24, 2020 the pause. If he takes another big step forward during the 2020-21 season, the Blackhawks won’t want to expose a good, young

defenseman. If he takes a step back, it’ll be easier to leave him We don’t even know when the 2020 offseason will begin, but it’s never unprotected. So next season is a big one for him and for the Blackhawks. too early to look ahead to the 2021 offseason. For the second time in four Calvin de Haan: If the Blackhawks choose to protect seven forwards and years, an expansion team will be selecting one player each from the 30 three defensemen instead of eight skaters, there likely won’t be a spot for other NHL teams (Vegas, which built its team under the same rules in de Haan. He was looking like a top-pair defenseman before he was lost 2017, is exempt from the Seattle draft). Each team will be able to protect for the season with a shoulder injury, but his injury history and his age either seven forwards, three defensemen and one goaltender, or eight (29) make him a good candidate to be exposed. skaters (any combination of forwards and defensemen) and one goaltender. Connor Murphy: Murphy has quietly been the Blackhawks’ most reliable defenseman over the past two seasons, and he’ll have one year left on The Blackhawks have so many questions to answer between now and his very reasonable contract next summer. The Blackhawks won’t want next June — will they be able to re-sign Dominik Kubalik, Dylan Strome, to lose him. But again, it’s a numbers game, and at least a few quality Drake Caggiula and Corey Crawford; will Brent Seabrook, Andrew Shaw players will end up unprotected. This could turn into one of those horse- and Calvin de Haan return from serious injuries; will Alex Nylander trading machinations like we saw ahead of the Vegas expansion draft, become the productive player they envision — but you can be sure when teams would offer a pick or a prospect for an assurance that general manager Stan Bowman has had his eye on the Seattle certain exposed players won’t get selected. expansion draft since it was announced two years ago. Alex Nylander: The case for or against Nylander should be a lot easier to Who will stay, and who might go? We broke it down by tiers, and then make after next season. Right now, you could probably make a case for each made our projected protected lists: either. He had an up-and-down first season with the Blackhawks and was Exempt from the draft obviously under a microscope because he was acquired in exchange for Henri Jokiharju. Nylander has potential and showed some of it this Nicolas Beaudin season. He did finish with four fewer 5-on-5 points than Brandon Saad. But if Nylander doesn’t take that next step, and it’s a matter of protecting Adam Boqvist him or another valuable defenseman, then the choice might be to expose Kirby Dach him.

Dominik Kubalik Brandon Saad: What the Blackhawks decide to do with Saad should be interesting. His contract runs through the 2020-21 season. On the one Ian Mitchell hand, Saad has been a lot like the player he was during his first stint with the Blackhawks. On the other hand, he hasn’t exactly been the 30-goal All players who have accrued two or fewer NHL seasons by the end of scorer they were hoping they were getting back from Columbus in the 2020-21 season are exempt from the expansion draft. The same exchange for Artemi Panarin. Could the Blackhawks let him walk in free goes for unsigned draft choices who are on the team’s reserve list. This agency? If so, they’ll expose him. Might they re-sign him? If so, they’ll saves the Blackhawks from having to worry about their prized prospects probably protect him. Boqvist, Dach and Mitchell, as well as breakout star Kubalik. That, in turn, allows them the flexibility to expose one or more of their veteran Andrew Shaw: Shaw’s future is a complete unknown at this point. He defensemen, knowing that the defensive cupboard isn’t bare. hasn’t played a game since Nov. 30 due to a concussion. It wouldn’t be surprising if he retired or he attempted to play again. If he does come Must be protected back, there are concerns among people in the Blackhawks about Patrick Kane: Kane has a full no-movement clause through the end of his whether he can be the same player without exposing himself to further contract in 2022-23. It’s not as if the Blackhawks would leave him head-injury risks. There are rules within the expansion draft that restrict exposed, anyway. players with potentially career-ending injuries being exposed in the draft. Much more will likely be known about Shaw prior to next season. Duncan Keith: Keith also has a full no-movement clause through 2022- 23. His contract expires 16 days before his 40th birthday. Corey Crawford, Collin Delia and Kevin Lankinen: If the Blackhawks are able to re-sign Crawford beyond this season — they’d certainly like to — Brent Seabrook: Seabrook has a full no-movement clause through 2023- and he plays the 2020-21 season anywhere near the level he played the 24. Assuming he’s able to return this season from surgeries on both hips 2019-20 season, he’ll likely be the goalie they protect, despite his age. If and his shoulder, the Blackhawks would be required to protect Seabrook. he’s not re-signed, or he falters in his age-36 season, whichever goalie Now, would he be willing to waive his NMC in order to allow the emerges as his heir apparent — Delia and Lankinen are both signed Blackhawks to protect another defenseman, considering it’s unlikely through the 2021-22 season at bargain-basement salaries (Delia at $1 Seattle would be willing to take on the last three years of his contract? It’s million, Lankinen at $800,000) — will be an easy choice to protect. It’s an intriguing idea, but an unlikely one. Just asking the question of also conceivable that Delia takes a big step and looks like a future No. 1 Seabrook would open a can of worms the Blackhawks are likely very goalie during the 2020-21 season. In that case, the Blackhawks could reluctant to open. expose Crawford, knowing they have a cheaper option waiting to take Jonathan Toews: Toews has a full no-movement clause through the end over. Regardless, the Blackhawks will only be able to protect one. of his contract in 2022-23. He’s not going anywhere, nor would the Certain to be exposed Blackhawks want him to. Ryan Carpenter: Carpenter, who is signed through the 2021-22 season, Likely to be protected is a cheap and useful player for the Blackhawks, but he won’t be Alex DeBrincat: DeBrincat has no NMC in his new three-year contract protected. which kicks in next season, but the Blackhawks aren’t about to risk losing Drake Caggiula: Caggiula, who would need to be re-signed after this the young sniper to Seattle. season, just might be the type of versatile player an expansion team Dylan Strome: Assuming the Blackhawks re-sign Strome this offseason looks at drafting. (he’s a restricted free agent), there’s no way they’d expose him. But is it Dennis Gilbert: Gilbert has some NHL experience now, but the a lock that they’ll re-sign him? Under normal circumstances, it certainly Blackhawks have way too many defensemen for him to find a place. should be. He’s posted 89 points over 116 games since coming to the David Kampf: The Blackhawks really like Kampf, but he probably hasn’t shown enough to be protected.

Olli Maatta: The Blackhawks will likely have a discussion about whether to buy out Maatta this offseason. If not, he’ll certainly be exposed in the draft.

John Quenneville: Quenneville is still somewhere between an AHL and NHL player. He’ll be a restricted free agent after the 2020-21 season.

Nick Seeler: Seeler wasn’t just a temporary pick-up for the Blackhawks on waivers this season. He has another year left on his contract.

Dylan Sikura: Sikura hasn’t lived up to what the Blackhawks hoped he’d be coming out of college. We’ll see if he changes that story this season.

Zack Smith: Smith is a candidate to be bought out this summer. If that doesn’t happen, he’ll be heading towards free agency after next season.

Lazerus’ projected protected list

(8 skaters/1 goalie) Alex DeBrincat, Lucas Carlsson, Corey Crawford, Patrick Kane, Duncan Keith, Connor Murphy, Brent Seabrook, Dylan Strome, Jonathan Toews.

Lazerus: The logical part of my brain is telling me there’s no way the Blackhawks would expose Alex Nylander at age 22, and that I’m over- hyping Carlsson by suggesting the Blackhawks would not expose him, especially considering all the young defensemen they have in the pipeline. But the Blackhawks have learned the hard way the last few seasons that you can never have enough good young defensemen. I think Carlsson becomes an NHL regular next season and will warrant protection. I also think you can’t have Duncan Keith and a bunch of kids on the blue line, so keeping Murphy is important. So I’m going with the eight-skater option. Nylander remains an X-factor, a very gifted player who has yet to show the consistency needed to be a top-six player in the NHL. Send a mid-round pick to Seattle to steer them toward de Haan, Caggiula, Kampf or Carpenter and away from Nylander. And if there’s cap maneuverability in the offing, I expose Saad, hope (or again, ensure) he doesn’t get selected, then sign him in the following week before free agency opens.

Powers’ projected protected list

(7 forwards/3 defensemen/1 goalie) Alex DeBrincat, David Kampf, Patrick Kane, Alex Nylander, Brandon Saad, Dylan Strome, Jonathan Toews; Connor Murphy, Duncan Keith, Brent Seabrook; Collin Delia.

Powers: I originally thought I’d go with the eight-skater format, but I changed my mind. There are some ifs involved in this, but I do think the Blackhawks would seek to protect DeBrincat, Kane, Nylander, Strome and Toews as their forwards. Nylander’s next season plays a role in this discussion and Strome’s next contract, but I do think they’re in the long- term outlook for the Blackhawks as of now. If that’s the case, that would only leave them just three defensemen to protect anyway, so you might as well protect a few more forwards, too. I threw Kampf and Saad in there, but that could change after next season as well. The defenseman situation will be interesting to watch play out with potentially de Haan, Murphy, Maatta and Carlsson all being in the mix to protect. Delia appears to be the Blackhawks’ No. 1 goalie of the future as of today, but that could change a year from now, too.

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Former Avs forward Jarome Iginla headlines 2020 Hockey Hall of Fame class as 4th Black player elected

By STEPHEN WHYNO | The Associated Press

PUBLISHED: June 24, 2020 at 3:02 p.m. | UPDATED: June 24, 2020 at 3:06 p.m.

Jarome Iginla headlines the Hockey Hall of Fame’s class of 2020 after being elected Wednesday in his first year of eligibility.

Iginla will be the fourth Black player inducted after Grant Fuhr, women’s hockey pioneer Angela James and Willie O’Ree. Iginla and Fuhr are the only Black NHL players enshrined for their on-ice accomplishments, while O’Ree was chosen in the builder category in 2018 for breaking the league’s color barrier 60 years earlier.

The longtime Calgary Flames captain was the first Black player to lead the NHL in goals and points and was the first Black athlete in any sport to win a gold medal in the Winter Olympics. A first-generation Canadian whose father is Nigerian and mother is American, Iginla owns arguably the biggest assist in Canada’s history of international hockey. He passed the puck to Sidney Crosby for Crosby’s “golden goal” at the 2010 Olympics in Vancouver.

Iginla is joined in the 2020 class by winger Marian Hossa, defensemen Kevin Lowe and Doug Wilson, Canadian women’s star Kim St. Pierre and longtime general manager Ken Holland.

In addition to two Olympic gold medals in three appearances, Iginla won the Maurice “Rocket” Richard Trophy twice as the NHL’s top goal-scorer and in 2003 won the Art Ross Trophy for the most points and as MVP voted by fellow players. He also won the Canadian junior twice and world juniors, world championship and once each.

A power forward on the wing with a prolific scoring touch, Iginla had 625 goals and 675 assists for 1,300 points in 1,554 regular-season NHL games for the Flames, Avalanche, Penguins and Kings. He had 68 points in 81 playoff games and most notably led Calgary to Game 7 of the Stanley Cup Final in 2004.

“This selection is hard to believe and makes me reflect and look back on my career,” Iginla said. “I was always just trying to make the NHL and this recognition means a lot to me and my family.”

Hossa was also elected in his first year of eligibility and joins 2015 inductee Chris Pronger as the only players to go into the hall while still under contract. Like Pronger, Hossa qualified because he hasn’t played in three years and retired in 2018 because of a skin disorder.

A skilled, two-way winger, Hossa won the Stanley Cup with Chicago in 2010, 2013 and 2015. He reached the final two other times, had 149 points in 205 playoff games and finished with 1,134 points in 1,309 games with the Senators, Thrashers, Penguins, Red Wings and Blackhawks.

Lowe and Wilson had to wait much longer to get in after retiring in the 1990s. Holland made it in the builder category after winning the Cup three times with Detroit, and St. Pierre will be the seventh woman in the hall.

The 18-member selection committee voted remotely for the first time because of travel difficulties posed by the coronavirus pandemic. Those living in the Toronto area met in a conference room to determine the inductees, who got congratulatory calls from chairman of the board Lanny McDonald.

It’s unclear if the hall will hold its traditional in-person induction ceremony in November. The NHL is still working on trying to resume its season after suspending play in March, with the playoffs potentially extending into October and delaying the start of next season until December or January.

Denver Post: LOADED: 06.25.2020 1175954 Columbus Blue Jackets valuable commodity than picking first in an expansion scrapheap filled with castoffs, retreads and soon-to-be retirees.

“That’s not exactly a good runner-up (prize),” MacLean said, laughing, of ‘Damn coin toss’: The twist of fate that defined the early Wild and Blue missing out on the higher pick in the entry draft, which took place 20 Jackets years ago Wednesday. “I remember thinking that day, ‘What a way to start this franchise off, losing this damn coin toss.’”

By Michael Russo and Aaron Portzline Twice!

Jun 24, 2020 It really is amazing how a flick of the wrist by a league official, coupled with gravity and the hard surface of a table causing a silver coin to bounce a certain way, can initiate the paths of two NHL franchises.

Editor’s note: One day after a look back at the 2000 Wild-Blue Jackets The NHL Draft always seems to go in cycles, and there are some drafts expansion draft on its 20th anniversary, we examine how integral a single — like, 1979, 1988, and 2003 — that are jam-packed with franchise- coin toss was to the early direction of two franchises. altering players that litter not only the first round but beyond.

The early fate of two new NHL franchises hung in the balance on June 1, And then, there are some classes like 2000 that are simply not as strong. 2000, when NHL deputy commissioner Bill Daly led a small contingent into a board room inside the Hilton across from the Meadowlands Sports There were two game-breaking scorers at the top of the draft — Dany Complex in New Jersey. Heatley and Marian Gaborik, then a steep decline from there. The top six picks in the 2000 draft would wind up combining for 4,765 regular-season It was the morning of Game 2 of the Stanley Cup Final. Across the games, but only 11 of the remaining 24 players taken in the first round highway from the vast hotel, the New Jersey Devils would play host to even played more than 200 games. the Dallas Stars that evening. And once then-Islanders GM decided to blow a hole With the Manhattan skyline in view just over the Hudson River, the New through his franchise by trading both his goalies — and York Rangers, in typical I-don’t-give-a-$%&# fashion, rattled the hockey Kevin Weekes — on the morning of the 2000 draft and thus making it world and did their best to upstage both nearby events that same apparent he was going to draft Rick DiPietro first overall, it made the burn morning with the news that legendary Edmonton Oilers boss Glen Sather of not winning that coin toss three weeks earlier sting once again for would become their next general manager. MacLean.

But still, all of that outside noise did nothing to quell the excitement in that That’s because it cinched the fact that Minnesota would be able to select boardroom, where Columbus Blue Jackets GM Doug MacLean and Gaborik or Heatley third overall. Minnesota Wild GM Doug Risebrough gathered on either side of Daly, forming a half-circle around a high-top cocktail table covered by a “It was so frustrating,” MacLean said. “The fact that us and Minny are tablecloth with the NHL shield on it. coming into the first-year expansion with two teams after Nashville and Atlanta had already come in, and we’re picking third and fourth in the Daly held a specially made coin in his hands: the Wild logo on one side, draft? Like, it was a joke, totally a joke.” the Blue Jackets logo on the other. 2000 NHL Entry Draft: Top six picks The winner of the coin flip — these were simpler times, remember — would get to choose between picking first in the expansion draft or 1 picking third in the entry draft, both of which were set for later that month Islanders in Calgary. Rick DiPietro This was a seminal moment for two franchises — two excited hockey markets — and yet it was Daly’s hands that were trembling. G

“Bill is a confident guy, but I couldn’t believe how nervous he was,” 318 Risebrough said. 130-136, 2.87 GAA, .902 Sv% “Bill gets all the big jobs at the league,” MacLean cracked. 2 “(Daly) was like, ‘Here’s what we’re going to do: We’re going to flip this coin. It’s going to land on the table,’” Risebrough recalled. Thrashers

The scene that followed was right out of a Leslie Nielsen movie.

“He flips the coin, the coin hits the table and it falls into my feet right F below me,” Risebrough said. “I look down and I see the Wild logo facing 869 up.” 372 G, 419 A, 791 PTS Risebrough was ecstatic … until Daly lunged down to grab the coin. 3 “‘We have to do it again,'” Risebrough recalls Daly saying. “‘It has to land on the table.'” Wild

Risebrough couldn’t believe it. Marian Gaborik

“I’m standing there thinking, ‘What are the chances of it coming up Wild F twice?'” 1035 But as fate would have it, Daly flipped the coin again and “bang,” 407 G, 408 A, 815 PTS Risebrough said, “it came up Wild again.” 4 “So basically,” Risebrough said, “we won the coin toss twice.” Blue Jackets That double whammy was the first kick in the teeth for a bad-luck Blue Jackets franchise that would make the playoffs only once in its first 12 Rostislav Klesla seasons and took until Year 18 to win a playoff round. So began a long streak of bad breaks when it came to draft picks. D

Put it this way: Getting the higher pick in the entry draft — the third 659 overall selection as opposed to fourth — was considered the more 48 G, 111 A, 159 PTS 5 On the other hand, Tommy Thompson, Risebrough’s longtime co- assistant GM who was director of scouting back in 2000, was a little more Islanders blunt.

Raffi Torres He said there is no doubt the Wild would have passed on Klesla and F instead would have selected Hartnell. The only other option Thompson could recall was an opportunity to trade back to the middle of the first 635 round. But Thompson said he couldn’t promise Risebrough that his second choice beyond Hartnell — — would still be on the 137 G, 123 A, 260 PTS board. 6 As it turned out, the Wild never had to consider trading back. Predators “Klesla, he’s the kind of guy … you know how sometimes, there’s Scott Hartnell talented guys and you just don’t like them for some reason? That wasn’t it with Klesla at all,” Thompson said. “We actually had (Hall of Famer and F current Wild scout) Guy Lapointe follow him around as the old defenseman (himself). 1249 “And (Klesla) just … he wasn’t bad, but it’s just that we thought he was 327 G, 380 A, 707 PTS really misplaced at No. 4. I mean … he never excited me one game I saw The top three on the Wild’s list were Gaborik, Heatley and DiPietro. the guy. At least with Hartnell, you knew what you were getting. He was a Minnesota never had any use for DiPietro because it had already swung little bit lead-footed and everything, but he was a character guy and I its first trade in franchise history to acquire Manny Fernandez and don’t think there was … he wasn’t going to be a strikeout — put it that selected Jamie McLennan one day earlier in the expansion draft. way.”

“We wanted a scorer,” Risebrough said. “We were for sure taking Hartnell went on to play 1,249 NHL games — the second-most of any Gaborik. There was no debate. Heatley was there, Gaborik was there, player in the 2000 draft — and scored 327 goals, amassing 707 points but we had Gaborik ahead of Heatley. Once the Islanders traded Luongo, and 1,809 penalty minutes. Coincidentally, he played for the Blue Jackets we knew they were going to take DiPietro. It was between Heatley and from 2014-17. Gaborik. I asked (then- GM) Donny Waddell, ‘Who you Klesla scored 48 goals and 159 points in 659 NHL games over 13 years gonna take?’ He said, ‘We’re going to take Heatley.’ I said, ‘Thanks for with the Blue Jackets and Coyotes. telling me that,’ and went back to our table and said, ‘Gaborik is going to be there.’” On the other hand, 20 years later, Gaborik is still the Wild’s all-time leading goal scorer with 219 and ranks second with 437 points in 502 The Blue Jackets’ top three were, in order, Heatley, Gaborik, and games. Rostislav Klesla, a stay-at-home defenseman from the Czech Republic. The Jackets had DiPietro fourth and Scott Hartnell fifth. To add insult to injury, Gaborik would wind up playing only 34 games for Columbus during an injury-riddled 2012-14. He’d be dealt to the Los They had considered goaltender Brent Krahn with the No. 4 overall pick if Angeles Kings at the 2014 trade deadline for a prospect and a couple of DiPietro was taken, but that faded after they acquired Marc Denis earlier picks and that year helped lead the Kings to the Stanley Cup with 14 that month in a trade with Colorado. goals during a magical playoff run. “We loved Gaborik,” MacLean said, “and we spent a lot of time over in “I loved watching Gaborik,” MacLean said. “The breakaway speed this Slovakia with him. (Then-director of amateur scouting) Don Boyd guy had. I liked him as a kid. I even remember watching him when I was absolutely loved him. I had seen him at the World Junior the year before in L.A. at the Stanley Cup — how valuable he was, even for the Kings in in Winnipeg when he was an underage (player). It was the first time I had that Stanley Cup run late in his career. He played some great hockey, seen him.” even then. And that was after a multitude of injuries. He was a talented, At 2 a.m. on the day of the draft, MacLean got word that the Islanders talented guy.” were taking DiPietro. He then started to hear rumors out of Atlanta that There’s little doubt that “damn coin toss” set the direction of both the Thrashers were going to take the defenseman, Klesla. organizations. MacLean was elated. If true, the Blue Jackets would be guaranteed The Wild went to the Western Conference final in only their third year of Heatley or Gaborik. existence. Gaborik, that 2002-03 season, notched his second “Then all of a sudden, (the Thrashers) take Heatley at two, so then we consecutive 30-goal season and then racked up nine goals and 17 points knew Gaborik would go three,” MacLean said. “And we end up with in the first 13 games of an 18-game postseason that ended with Jean- Klesla, which at the end of the day, obviously, we would’ve preferred Sebastien Giguere and the Anaheim Ducks suffocating the Wild in a four- Gaborik, but Klesla ended up playing 12 years and had a pretty good game sweep. career. Not what we expected when he was coming out of Brampton. He The Blue Jackets didn’t make the playoffs for the first time until 2008-09. was projected to be a much higher-end offensive player than he ended That was Gaborik’s final season in Minnesota. up being. And I don’t know if (being on an) expansion team hurt his development. “If I was trying to articulate what I wanted with that first pick, I knew Minnesota had a history with hockey. I knew they understood the game “I watched him at the World Junior. He was the All-Star defenseman and speed and skating,” Risebrough said. “I agreed with all of that. The MVP, and he looked like he was really going to be a stud. But there was automatic sell for me — instantaneous — was Gaborik because of how no doubt Gaborik was the guy that Don Boyd wanted, for sure. And so he skated. If he didn’t play as well as we wanted the first two years, that was really frustrating.” you’re still going to see a world-class skater. It’s going to start the MacLean believes the Wild would have taken Klesla at fourth overall had conversation of what we’re trying to do. Columbus won the coin toss. “But that wasn’t the case. He was dynamic right away.” “They either have to take Klesla or pick another forward,” MacLean said. Thompson remembers one day overhearing how excited the Wild scouts “And it would have been Klesla … because it was not a good draft. It was were talking about all of the Wild’s other young guys. They did snatch up a terrible draft.” a pretty impressive collection, including defenseman Nick Schultz in the Risebrough didn’t know for sure which player the Wild would have taken second round of the 2000 draft. To this day, Schultz’s 743 games with had they ended up with the fourth pick. Maybe he was just being nice, Minnesota ranks second in franchise history behind 2001 first-round pick but Risebrough said Klesla was in the mix while also acknowledging the Mikko Koivu. Wild weren’t as intrigued by taking a “defensive defenseman” that lacked “I said, ‘Yeah, yeah, but that’s from the press box. Get down in the “offensive flash.” stands,’” Thompson said. “When you see Gaborik, you understand why the fans talk about him, the hair flew and went, the jersey floated behind him. He produced offensively and he was exciting to watch. That was the big thing. It gave us an element that we weren’t going to have.”

If the Wild had lost that coin toss, Risebrough would have had to figure out a way in those early years to swing a trade to acquire that kind of game breaker.

Or, perhaps the Wild would have been so bad, they would have earned another high draft choice that could have landed a future stud at or near the top of a subsequent year’s draft like , or .

From the Blue Jackets’ perspective, “here’s how I rationalized it two or three years later,” MacLean said. “I ended up getting Nash (first overall in 2002). So I said, ‘OK, I got Nash as a franchise winger instead of Gaborik. I ended up with Klesla, who I thought was going to be a franchise defenseman. And then I got Pascal Leclaire, who looked like he was going to be a franchise goaltender until he ran into his injury problems probably about Year 7 or 8 of his pro career.

“I thought I was in pretty good shape, so I didn’t feel bad. Just didn’t turn out that way.”

Twenty years later, the Blue Jackets stunned the Tampa Bay Lightning in the first round of the 2019 playoffs.

In 2019, the Wild snapped a streak of six straight postseason berths that included advancing to the second round only twice.

In a way, they’re probably still paying for being too good too soon during those early years in large part because of how competitive Gaborik made them.

Oh, and having Jacques Lemaire as coach didn’t hurt.

Risebrough recalled a funny story from 2003.

“Lemaire calls me in for a meeting,” Risebrough said. “Oh, boy. He says, ‘We have a real problem. You’re going to have to do something, Doug. This team is playing well, we’re going to make the playoffs. If you don’t trade somebody, we’re going to make the playoffs.’ I said, ‘What’s wrong with that?’”

“(Lemaire said,) ‘There’s nothing wrong with that, but we’re going to make the playoffs and we’re not supposed to make the playoffs this early. This wasn’t the plan.’”

Risebrough thought about what Lemaire said and went back to him a few days later.

“I said, ‘Here’s the deal, Jacques. We can’t derail this right now. The players are putting too much into this, everybody is. We’re in contention. We can’t derail it by making a trade. Let’s see what happens.’”

The Wild would go on to be the first team in NHL history to rally from consecutive 3-1 series deficits, beating Colorado and Vancouver to reach the conference final.

“I was really lucky,” Risebrough said, laughing. “Not only did I win a second coin toss, but Gaborik was available.”

Risebrough probably wishes he had that lucky coin as a keepsake.

“I have no idea where the coin is,” Risebrough said. “I know (Daly) didn’t give it to us.”

The Athletic LOADED: 06.25.2020 1175955 Dallas Stars into October and delaying the start of next season until December or January.

Jarome Iginla becomes first Dallas Stars draft pick elected to Hockey Hall of Fame Dallas Morning News LOADED: 06.25.2020

Staff Report

By The Associated Press

4:42 PM on Jun 24, 2020 CDT

Jarome Iginla headlines the Hockey Hall of Fame's class of 2020 after being elected Wednesday in his first year of eligibility.

Iginla will be the fourth Black player inducted after Grant Fuhr, women’s hockey pioneer Angela James and Willie O’Ree. Iginla and Fuhr are the only Black NHL players enshrined for their on-ice accomplishments, while O’Ree was chosen in the builder category in 2018 for breaking the league’s color barrier 60 years earlier.

Iginla was initially selected 11th overall by the Dallas Stars in the 1995 NHL entry draft before eventually being traded to the Calgary Flames. He becomes the first Stars draft pick since the franchise moved to Dallas to be elected to the Hall of Fame.

The longtime Calgary captain was also the first Black player to lead the NHL in goals and points and was the first Black athlete in any sport to win a gold medal in the Winter Olympics. A first-generation Canadian whose father is Nigerian and mother is American, Iginla owns arguably the biggest assist in Canada’s history of international hockey. He passed the puck to Sidney Crosby for Crosby’s “golden goal” at the 2010 Olympics in Vancouver.

Iginla is joined in the 2020 class by winger Marian Hossa, defensemen Kevin Lowe and Doug Wilson, Canadian women's star Kim St. Pierre and longtime general manager Ken Holland.

In addition to two Olympic gold medals in three appearances, Iginla won the Maurice “Rocket” Richard Trophy twice as the NHL’s top goal-scorer and in 2003 won the Art Ross Trophy for the most points and Ted Lindsay Award as MVP voted by fellow players. He also won the Canadian junior Memorial Cup twice and world juniors, world championship and World Cup of Hockey once each.

A power forward on the wing with a prolific scoring touch, Iginla had 625 goals and 675 assists for 1,300 points in 1,554 regular-season NHL games for the Flames, Avalanche, Penguins and Kings. He had 68 points in 81 playoff games and most notably led Calgary to Game 7 of the Stanley Cup Final in 2004.

“This selection is hard to believe and makes me reflect and look back on my career,” Iginla said. “I was always just trying to make the NHL and this recognition means a lot to me and my family.”

Hossa was also elected in his first year of eligibility and joins 2015 inductee Chris Pronger as the only players to go into the hall while still under contract. Like Pronger, Hossa qualified because he hasn't played in three years and retired in 2018 because of a skin disorder.

A skilled, two-way winger, Hossa won the Stanley Cup with Chicago in 2010, 2013 and 2015. He reached the final two other times, had 149 points in 205 playoff games and finished with 1,134 points in 1,309 games with the Senators, Thrashers, Penguins, Red Wings and Blackhawks.

Lowe and Wilson had to wait much longer to get in after retiring in the 1990s. Holland made it in the builder category after winning the Cup three times with Detroit, and St. Pierre will be the seventh woman in the hall.

The 18-member selection committee voted remotely for the first time because of travel difficulties posed by the coronavirus pandemic. Those living in the Toronto area met in a conference room to determine the inductees, who got congratulatory calls from chairman of the board Lanny McDonald.

It’s unclear if the hall will hold its traditional in-person induction ceremony in November. The NHL is still working on trying to resume its season after suspending play in March, with the playoffs potentially extending 1175956 Dallas Stars Joe Pavelski — Seattle selecting Pavelski is highly unlikely, which is why Pavelski and deserve a lot of credit for the contract they negotiated last summer. Pavelski’s declining performance this season Who could the Dallas Stars lose to Seattle in the 2021 expansion draft? aside, he’ll be 37 years old and going into the final year of his deal when Seattle plays its first NHL game.

Stephen Johns — The Stars have a “good problem” on their hands of By Saad Yousuf having a desirable top four defensemen. Unfortunately, by nature of the 7-3-1 format, one of them is the odd man out. Heiskanen is the obvious Jun 24, 2020 one to protect, while Lindell and Klingberg have both proven to be important in their roles. However, given Johns’ contract situation, this isn’t an automatic goodbye. Even though we’re moving through 2020 at the pace of the Zootopia sloth, the year will still end on Dec. 31, and we’ll finally enter the year of Johns is set to be an unrestricted free agent next July, just weeks after the Seattle expansion draft. As it stands today, with the possibility of the expansion draft. It would be in Dallas’ best interest to not extend him timelines changing due to the pandemic, the currently unnamed NHL ahead of time and wait until after the expansion draft is over. Under his franchise will hold its expansion draft in June 2021 and begin play in the current contract situation, if Seattle selects Johns, they’ll have his rights 2021-22 NHL season. for a small window to try and work out a deal; otherwise, they risk losing him for nothing if he chooses to sign with another team in July when free With that being the case, let’s take a look at who the Stars may protect agency opens up. and who will be exposed for Seattle to pluck. Most recently, the Stars lost Cody Eakin to the Vegas Golden Knights in the 2017 expansion draft Given his future prospects in Dallas being paired next to Heiskanen, not after he was not one of the 11 players the team protected. to mention the bond with Nill that’s been strengthened throughout his long road to recovery, the possibility of losing Johns to Dallas or any Teams have two options: Either protect nine players (eight skaters, one other team a few weeks after selecting him in the expansion draft would goaltender) or 11 players (seven forwards, three defensemen and one be a calculated risk for Seattle. Three years ago, the NHL gave Vegas a goaltender). Weighing the depth at forward and defensemen obviously 48-hour window to talk to pending unrestricted free agents to gauge their factors into the path a team chooses, but three years ago, the Stars were interest in signing with them, should they select them in the draft. one of 23 teams that went the 11-player route. We’ll take a look at both scenarios here before explaining how the Stars should proceed. First, — Taylor Fedun, Jamie Oleksiak, Justin Dowling, Blake Comeau and some important points to consider: Andrew Cogliano all fall under the same contractual situation as Johns, meaning they become unrestricted free agents in July 2021, shortly after — Jamie Benn, and Alexander Radulov all have no- the expansion draft. They would all be eligible for Seattle to select, but movement clauses (NMC), meaning they automatically count towards the with the same caveats mentioned above with Johns. protected slots. Option 2: Eight skaters, one goaltender — Joe Pavelski signed a three-year deal with Dallas last summer but only has an NMC for the first two years. This means Dallas is not 1. Jamie Benn (NMC) automatically required to designate him as a protected player for the 2. Tyler Seguin (NMC) 2021 expansion draft. 3. Alexander Radulov (NMC) — Thomas Harley, Jason Robertson and Jake Oettinger, who are on entry-level contracts, are among the notable prospects not eligible for the 4. Denis Gurianov (RFA 2020, expected to be signed and under contract expansion draft. at that time)

— Denis Gurianov and Roope Hintz are both slated to become restricted 5. Miro Heiskanen (RFA 2021) free agents following the remainder of this season. They are expected to be signed to new deals later this year and under contract at the time of 6. Esa Lindell (UFA 2025) the expansion draft 7. John Klingberg (UFA 2022)

— Ben Bishop also has an NMC, so he’s slotted to be the goaltender in 8. Stephen Johns (UFA 2021) either scenario. Regardless, Bishop would have been the choice to be protected, given the situation with Oettinger and Dallas likely signing a 9. Ben Bishop (NMC) veteran backup to a one-year deal in the 2020 offseason. The purpose of this 8-1 option, as opposed to the 7-3-1 plan, revolves — The Seattle draft rules, which are the same as they were three years around that No. 4 defenseman spot. If the Stars feel they have to protect ago for Vegas, can be found here. all four of Heiskanen, Lindell, Klingberg and Johns, this is the way to do it. However, it exposes a few more forwards, which leads to another Option 1: Seven forwards, three defensemen, one goaltender Pavelski note, particularly considering this 8-1 format.

1. Jamie Benn (NMC) When the Stars looked to bolster their forwards last summer, much of the 2. Tyler Seguin (NMC) conversation revolved around re-signing Mats Zuccarello after trading for him at the 2019 trade deadline. Zuccarello left for Minnesota, instantly 3. Alexander Radulov (NMC) preserving the Stars’ 2020 first-round pick, and signed a five-year contract containing a full no-movement clause with the Wild. If Dallas had 4. Denis Gurianov (RFA 2020, expected to be signed and under contract signed Zuccarello to that deal, this option would look extremely at that time) undesirable. Dallas would only side with this option to protect four 5. Roope Hintz (RFA 2020, expected to be signed and under contract at defensemen, leaving four more spots for skaters. Benn, Seguin and that time) Radulov all have NMCs; if Zuccarello had one, too, both Hintz and Gurianov would be exposed. Because of Pavelski’s contract setup, at 6. Radek Faksa (RFA 2020) least one of them is able to be protected here.

7. Jason Dickinson (RFA 2021) Dickinson, a 2021 restricted free agent, would be exposed to Seattle in this option. They could select him and hold his rights as an RFA. 8. Miro Heiskanen (RFA 2021) After presumably signing Hintz to a new deal in the 2020 offseason, 9. Esa Lindell (UFA 2025) Stars would risk losing him here as well. You can substitute Gurianov for 10. John Klingberg (UFA 2022) Hintz in this scenario but either way, one of them would be available for Seattle to select. 11. Ben Bishop (NMC) Thomas Harley factors in quite significantly in which option the Stars Notable exposures select. If he’s ready to be an impact NHL player and a reliable top-four defenseman, the risk of losing Johns is more manageable and the 7-3-1 option becomes an easier route to pick. Considering the contending window the Stars are currently in, if he’s not ready, it could lead to a bit more conversation between which option to choose.

The 7-3-1 option gives Dallas the ability to protect two more players — specifically, both Gurianov and Hintz. It leaves open the risk of losing a premier defenseman, but Johns’ 2021 UFA status (along with many other players’) make it a tougher decision for Seattle, and if things go expected to plan, Harley could be a top-four talent anyways. There’s a decent chance that the player Dallas will lose in the expansion draft isn’t even on the roster right now, and Seattle may just have to select a project or B-list prospect to ensure themselves a favorable outcome. It’s still early, but the 7-3-1 option seems to be the way to go for Dallas.

The Athletic LOADED: 06.25.2020

1175957 Detroit Red Wings

Ex-Detroit Red Wings GM Ken Holland elected to Hockey Hall of Fame

Helene St. James, Detroit Free Press

Published 5:06 p.m. ET June 24, 2020 | Updated 5:19 p.m. ET June 24, 2020

The day he promoted his understudy to general manager, Jimmy Devellano predicated Ken Holland would have a tremendous run in Detroit.

Holland and the Red Wings had just celebrated their first Stanley Cup in 42 years. By the time he left the organization in May 2019, Holland had won another three Cups. That tremendous run has led Holland to the Hockey Hall of Fame, as he was announced as part of the 2020 class Wednesday afternoon. Holland enters as a builder.

Marian Hossa, who played for the Wings in 2008-09, also is part of the class.

Holland spent 22 years as manager of the Wings, 36 in the organization overall, starting out as a minor-league goaltender and scout.

He was named the 10th general manager of the Wings on July 18, 1997, a month after the Wings won the Cup. One of his first moves was to trade Mike Vernon, the 1997 playoff MVP, to San Jose.

One of Holland’s busiest offseasons came in the summer of 2001, when he began assembling one of the greatest teams in hockey. He traded for Dominik Hasek, signed and Brett Hull, putting together a roster that would send nine players to the Hall of Fame.

Holland left the Wings to become general manager of the Edmonton Oilers less than three weeks after Steve Yzerman was named GM of the Wings.

Detroit Free Press LOADED: 06.25.2020 1175958 Detroit Red Wings

What Detroit Red Wings could do with second overall pick: NHL draft lottery countdown

Helene St. James, Detroit Free Press

Published 11:09 a.m. ET June 24, 2020

Detroit Red Wings general manager Steve Yzerman could have the most-watched pick of the 2020 NHL draft.

The Wings will find out where they’ll make their first selection on Friday, when the NHL holds a lottery crafted to address the uncertainty imposed by COVID-19. When the league paused the season on March 12 there were still three weeks left in the regular season — and the Wings were the only team that had cemented where it would finish in the standings: In last place.

With a tentative “return to play” scenario that involves a 24-team playoff format, Phase 1 of the lottery will feature the seven non-playoff teams plus eight placeholders for the teams that lose in the qualifying round.

The event will be broadcast live on NBCSN and NHL Network starting at 8 p.m. There will be separate drawings to determine who picks first, second and third. In the event a placeholder team is chosen, a second lottery will be held between the qualifying round and Round 1 of the playoffs.

The Wings will pick no worse than fourth. They have 18.5% odds of getting the first pick. The Ottawa Senators have both their own odds (13.5%) and San Jose’s (11.5%, thanks to a trade).

Left wing Alexis Lafrenière is regarded as the consensus first overall pick.

If the Wings draw the second pick, Yzerman’s choices are headlined by forwards Tim Stützle and Quinton Byfield. Jamie Drysdale is the top- ranked defenseman in the draft.

Byfield, 17, is a 6-foot-4 center, but Yzerman may find it hard to pass on Stützle, a dynamic forward out of Germany who can play left wing or center.

Stützle (6-1, 187 pounds) is a phenomenal skater who thinks the game at an incredibly high level. The 18-year-old spent this season with Adler Mannheim (the former team of Yzerman’s 2019 first-round selection, Moritz Seider), where Stützle recorded 34 points in 41 games.

He was rookie of the year in Germany’s top league. At the 2020 World Junior Championship, Stützle wowed with five points in five games. He’s an all-around creative force who combines speed, stick handling, smarts and swagger. Stützle would give the Wings a much-needed offensive juggernaut, someone who can force opponents to back down because of his speed and ability to think with the puck.

Stützle is a top-line forward who potentially could form a potent line with Dylan Larkin and Anthony Mantha and move the needle forward on the rebuild.

Detroit Free Press LOADED: 06.25.2020 1175959 Detroit Red Wings Hossa spent the 2008-09 season with the Wings — he was signed Holland — scoring 40 goals (71 points) in 74 games and helping lead the Wings to the Stanley Cup Finals, where they fell to the Pittsburgh Penguins in seven games. Former Red Wings GM Ken Holland, Marian Hossa headed to Hockey Hall of Fame One of the premier two-way forwards in the game, Hossa had 525 goals and 609 assists (1,134 points) in 1,309 games and won three Stanley Cups later in his career with Chicago. Hossa is 20th all-time with 12 playoff game-winning goals and 30th all-time with 149 playoff points. Ted Kulfan, The Detroit News “This is an amazing day for my family and me,” Hossa said. “I’m grateful Published 5:14 p.m. ET June 24, 2020 | Updated 7:42 p.m. ET June 24, for the opportunity to play in the NHL. 2020 “Yesterday I got a call from my agent and he told there was a chance. I

am grateful and humbled for this to happen. Detroit — Ken Holland decided to forego selling vacuum cleaners for a “My wife was making dinner tonight and all of a sudden the phone rings scouting job with the Wings in 1985 once his playing career ended. here at 9 p.m. Slovakian time. I got real excited and got the news. It was It turned out to be the right move. a phone call I’ll never forget.”

Holland, who built the Red Wings into a dynasty, was elected Hossa’s career was cut short in 2017 due to eczema, a skin disorder. Wednesday to the Hockey Hall of Fame. Among the builders or players with local ties missed election this season Holland was named in the builder category, while former Wings’ forward include Michigan coach Red Berenson, and former Wings’ Chris Osgood, Marian Hossa, who played one memorable season in the organization and Mike Vernon. during a legendary career, also was elected.

Also making up the 2020 class: former Calgary Flames star Jarome Detroit News LOADED: 06.25.2020 Iginla, defensemen Kevin Lowe and Doug Wilson, and Canadian women's star Kim St. Pierre.

“I am honored and humbled to have gotten the call,” Holland said. “To hear this incredible class I’m going into the Hall with, it makes it a more special day.”

The Hall of Fame induction ceremony is scheduled for November. But with next season already pushed back because of the pandemic — the playoffs are to be held later this summer — it’s likely the induction will be rescheduled for later.

Holland was general manager of the Wings for the 1998, 2002 and 2008 Stanley Cups, and was assistant GM in 1997

The Wings made the playoffs 25 consecutive years under Holland’s direction before finally missing in 2016-17.

And to think, Holland was days, maybe hours, away from accepting a job as a vacuum salesman after finding out his playing career was ending with the Wings (Holland was not getting re-signed).

But then-general manager Jimmy Devellano (also a Hall of Famer) offered Holland a job as the Wings’ western Canada scout, and Holland was on his way.

“I played nine years in pro hockey and I wasn’t sure what I was going to do,” said Holland, a former goaltender. “My mom suggested getting the Electrolux vacuum cleaner job. A couple days later Jimmy Devellano called and offered the job as a scout for the Wings and here I am today.

“Funny how life goes.”

Holland joined the Wings as a Western Canada scout in 1985 and was quickly promoted to director of amateur scouting, and then to assistant GM.

As the Wings’ GM, Holland deftly drafted players such as Pavel Datsyuk and in late rounds, while signing free agents that fit well onto a star-laden lineup, making the Wings an annual contender.

“What stands out today, you reflect back on getting hired by Jimmy Devellano as a scout, and Mr. and Mrs. Ilitch trusted me to take over to become general manager in 1997,” Holland said, “and all the the talented people I worked with off the ice and on the ice.

“Scotty Bowman and Jimmy Devellano and Mike Babcock and the list goes on and on, talented people I got to work with. Jimmy Nill running the draft. You have to feel fortunate.”

Holland left the Wings organization after 34 years in May 2019 for Edmonton, and quickly resurrected the Oilers as a playoff team this season.

“There a few things for me personally, things you’d like to accomplish in the game,” Holland said. “Today was one of those, getting the call I got. Winning a Stanley Cup is an ultimate, and I’ve been fortunate.” 1175960 Detroit Red Wings about the Wings also, especially with his good friend Joe Veleno also part of the organization.

“I know it’s a great organization,” said Lafreniere, when asked about the Alexis Lafreniere is top prize for NHL draft lottery winner Wings. “A lot of good players have played there I know Joe from playing with him two times in juniors. He’s my good friend now. For sure it would be fun to play with him (in the NHL).

Ted Kulfan, The Detroit News “It would be fun, it would be special for sure,” said Lafreniere of being drafted by Ottawa. “It’s a great place to play, a lot of good players, it Published 2:41 p.m. ET June 24, 2020 | Updated 2:41 p.m. ET June 24, would be an honor for sure. 2020 “We’ll see what happens.”

Detroit — Why is there so much importance attached to winning Friday’s NHL Draft Lottery? Detroit News LOADED: 06.25.2020 Because that team, including the Red Wings, will have the chance to pick first and select left wing Alexis Lafreniere.

Alexis Lafreniere had 35 goals and 77 assists for 112 points in only 52 games for Rimouski.

There isn’t an NHL analyst out there, or mock draft that’s been compiled, that doesn’t have the Rimouski ( Major Junior Hockey League) star going to whichever team wins Friday’s lottery and selects first.

Lafreniere won every major award for the best junior hockey player this pandemic-shortened season, and led Canada to gold medal at the world junior tournament with an impressive performance.

“He’s quite the player,” JF Damphousse, Quebec and Maritimes regional scout for Central Scouting, said in April. “When you look at every aspect of his game, you could consider every aspect as elite. Every time I saw him play, he makes plays that you don’t think are possible, and he still makes them.

“(But) what separates him from the pack is his compete level. He’s willing to play physical and he battles every game.”

The statistics are eye-popping: Lafreniere had 35 goals and 77 assists for 112 points in only 52 games for Rimouski.

But the 6-foot-1, 186-pound forward showed his grit and determination returning from a scary-looking knee injury at the world juniors — and the way Lafreniere excelled on the ice — that was equally impressive.

“The natural competitive instincts and skills he displayed to take charge and lead Canada to victory (at the world junior championships) put on display the determination, perseverance and passion that is part of his hockey DNA, which is truly exceptional and impressive," said Dan Marr, NHL director of central scouting, which has Lafreniere ranked No. 1 among eligible draft prospects.

Lafreniere had 10 points (four goals, six assists) in five games for Canada at the tournament.

During a conference call in April announcing Lafreniere’s selection as the No. 1 player by Central Scouting, Lafreniere talked about his intangibles, aside from on ice skills.

Lafreniere’s leadership qualities have received high marks among scouts, along with passion for the game.

“The way I'm a leader and always want to win when the game's on the line, I think I can make a difference,” Lafreniere said. “That's a strong asset that I have. For sure, there's some other really good players in the draft, so it's really special to be No. 1.”

Lafreniere is presumably the best of a small group of players who expected to be drafted within the first five or so picks.

Forwards Quinton Byfield, Tim Stutzle, Cole Perfetti (Saginaw/OHL) and Lucas Raymond, defensemen Jamie Drysdale and Jake Sanderson (US National Development Team Program), and goalie Yaroslav Askarov are all highly-regarded potential picks after Lafreniere.

The Red Wings have an 18.5% chance of winning Friday’s lottery, and would surely select Lafreniere if getting the chance.

Ottawa owns its own pick and San Jose’s — which happen to be the Nos. 2 and 3 spots after the Wings — giving the Senators an overall 25% chance of winning the No. 1 spot.

Lafreniere admitted playing in Ottawa — only two hours from his hometown — would be intriguing. But Lafreniere had good things to say 1175961 Detroit Red Wings Holland reflected even further back in his career, saying it will take some time for this honor to sink in.

“I think back to growing up in Vernon, B.C., and playing minor hockey Ken Holland’s Red Wings journey: From minor league goalie to Hall of and Tier II junior hockey and I really was a back-up goalie in Tier II and Fame GM made the (of the WHL) and then today to get the call that I’m going into the Hockey Hall of Fame and you think about all the great people, great players who’ve played the game,” Holland said. “What a wonderful game this is.” Updated 9:03 PM; Today 9:03 PM

By Ansar Khan | [email protected] Michigan Live LOADED: 06.25.2020

Ken Holland was a minor-league goaltender at the end of his career, after barely getting a sniff of the NHL, when he considered becoming a vacuum cleaner salesman.

He instead accepted an offer to remain in the game as an amateur scout. A few promotions, several championships and more than three decades later, he is heading into the Hockey Hall of Fame.

Holland, general manager of the Detroit Red Wings for 22 years, was selected Wednesday for the builders category.

Marian Hossa, who spent one season as a Red Wing, will join Jarome Iginla, Kevin Lowe, Doug Wilson and Kim St-Pierre in the players category.

The induction ceremony typically is in November, but no date has been established yet because of uncertainty due to the coronavirus pandemic.

Holland joined the Red Wings in 1983 and played two seasons, almost exclusively with their AHL affiliate Adirondack, before retiring.

“I played nine years of pro, wasn’t sure what I was going to do, and my mom suggested getting an Electrolux vacuum cleaner job,” Holland said during a conference call. “A couple days later, (Red Wings GM) called and offered me the job as a scout for the Detroit Red Wings and here I am today, getting the call from Lanny (Hall chairman McDonald) and being with this incredible class of the 2020 induction. Funny how life goes.”

Holland was soon promoted to director of amateur scouting. He became assistant GM in 1994 before being promoted to GM in 1997, a month after the Red Wings ended a 42-year Stanley Cup championship drought.

The Red Wings won three Cups, reached the playoffs 19 consecutive seasons, and won more regular season and playoff games than any team (1,044) during Holland’s time as GM. Shortly after the club hired Steve Yzerman last year to replace him, Holland joined the Edmonton Oilers as GM.

“I reflect back on getting hired by Jim Devellano when I retired as a player and then Mr. and Mrs. Ilitch (owners Mike and Marian), who trusted me to take over and become the general manager, and then all the talented people I worked with off the ice and on the ice,” Holland said. “I was so fortunate, we had so many great players, and to work with Scotty Bowman and Jim Devellano and Mike Babcock, the list goes on and on. Jim Nill running the draft. I got to go up to the mic and make some announcements, but there were a lot of people that were doing all the work.”

Unlike players, who must wait at least three years after retirement to be selected, builders can enter any time. Holland, who signed a five-year deal with the Oilers, will continue building a team.

“I’m certainly proud of the things that we were able to accomplish (in Detroit) over the long period of time,” Holland said. “I knew in the last year that I was in Detroit that it was probably time for change and Steve Yzerman came in and the owners had asked me to stay on as senior vice-president. I got a good relationship with Steve that goes back to 1983 when we both went to training camp together. And then I feel very fortunate (Oilers owner) and (team president) Bob Nicholson reached out to me and gave me an opportunity to come to Edmonton. I’m really cherishing this opportunity.

“Hopefully, we can build the Oilers into a team that can make some noise, try to make the playoffs as many times as you can and when you get in, you got to try to make some noise. There’s a few things that you like to accomplish in the game. Today was one of those calls I got and obviously winning a Stanley Cup is an ultimate (goal), and I’ve been fortunate to be part of four Cups.” 1175962 Detroit Red Wings Michigan Live LOADED: 06.25.2020

Former Red Wings GM Ken Holland selected to Hockey Hall of Fame

Updated Jun 24, 2020; Posted Jun 24, 2020

By Ansar Khan | [email protected]

Ken Holland, the general manager during the Detroit Red Wings’ longest run of success, has been selected to the Hockey Hall of Fame.

Holland was the Red Wings’ GM from 1997 to 2019, during which time the team won three Stanley Cup championships and reached the playoffs 19 consecutive seasons, extending their streak to 25, which was snapped in 2017. He will enter in the builders category.

Holland, 64, left the organization last year to become GM of the Edmonton Oilers, after Steve Yzerman returned to Detroit to become general manager.

Marian Hossa, who played one season for the Red Wings, was among four former NHL players selected on Wednesday. He joined Jarome Iginla, a right wing who racked up 625 goals and 1,300 points, mostly with the Calgary Flames, as well as former defensemen Doug Wilson and Kevin Lowe. Kim St-Pierre, a goaltender who won three Olympic gold medals for Canada, also was selected.

Holland joined the Red Wings in 1983 as an aging minor league goaltender signed by then-GM Jimmy Devellano, who would become his mentor, helping him advance in the organization.

Holland was hired as a Western Canada scout in 1985 and eventually promoted to director of amateur scouting. He became assistant general manager in 1994 before being promoted to GM in 1997, a month after the Red Wings ended a 42-year Stanley Cup championship drought.

In addition to three Cups, the Red Wings won four Presidents’ Trophies during Holland’s tenure as GM (2002, 2004, 2006, 2008). The team also won more combined regular season and playoff games (1,044) than any other NHL franchise.

“I am incredibly humbled by this honor,” Holland said in a statement. “I am in this game because I loved it as a young man and I am happy to have been able to stay in the game.”

Hossa, 41, compiled 525 goals and 1,134 points over 19 seasons while playing well enough defensively to gain Selke Trophy votes in 15 seasons.

Hossa won three Stanley Cups during his eight seasons with the Chicago Blackhawks. His career ended in 2017 due to eczema, a skin disorder. This was his first year of eligibility.

After playing for the Pittsburgh team that lost to the Red Wings in the 2008 Cup Finals, Hossa signed a one-year free-agent contract with Detroit. He flourished during the regular season with a team-leading 40 goals and tallied 71 points.

The Red Wings had two big pending free agents that season, Hossa and Johan Franzen, and not a lot of cap space. They were willing to sign whoever agreed to a deal first, and Franzen inked an 11-year, $43.5 million contact near the end of the regular season.

Hossa signed a 12-year, $62.8 million pact with the Blackhawks on the first day of free agency.

A maximum of four males may be selected in any given year in the players category.

The list of former Red Wings who weren’t selected includes Daniel Alfredsson, the longtime Ottawa Senator who played his final season in Detroit in 2013-14. This was his fourth year of eligibility.

Former Red Wings goaltenders Mike Vernon, and Chris Osgood also did not gain entry.

Longtime University of Michigan coach Red Berenson, a strong candidate for the builders category, also was not selected.

1175963 Detroit Red Wings 2. , Kansas City, 1975: His NHL career consisted of only 165 games (25 goals, 61 assists). Left wing played just seven pro seasons in the NHL, , AHL and CHL before retiring.

Red Wings’ selection heads list of best-ever No. 2 draft picks 3. Andrei Zyuzin, San Jose, 1996: Defenseman bounced around with six teams over 10 NHL seasons. His best year was 2003-04 with the Wild (eight goals, 21 points) and overall, he appeared in 496 games (38 goals, 82 assists). He played six seasons in Russia, Austria, Switzerland and Updated Jun 24, 2020; Posted Jun 24, 2020 Belarus at the end of his career. By Ansar Khan | [email protected] 4. Doug Smith, Los Angeles, 1981: A center who could not establish himself in the NHL, playing with five teams over parts of nine seasons. His best season was 1984-85 (21 goals, 41 points). He suffered a career- The second overall pick is sometimes viewed as a consolation prize in ending neck injury while playing in Austria in 1992 that rendered him a years where there is a consensus player at the top of the draft, like in quadriplegic. He re-learned how to walk and began a career in business. 2020 with Alexis Lafreniere. 5. , Pittsburgh, 1976: A right wing who had two decent If Quinton Byfield or Tim Stuetzle or whoever is selected second seasons with the Blues (45 goals, 97 points in 118 games) but retired two experiences a career like the players on the list of best-ever No. 2 picks, years later at age 27 after struggling for two seasons. their team will not complain. Others: Jacques Richard, Atlanta, 1972; Perry Turnbull, St. Louis,1979; The Detroit Red Wings have a 16.5 percent chance of winding up with Sylvain Turgeon, Hartford, 1983; Pat Falloon, San Jose, 1991; Ryan the second pick during Friday’s draft lottery (8 p.m., NBC Sports Murray, Columbus, 2012. Network, NHL Network). Chances are, they would select either Byfield, a 6-4, 215-pound center from Sudbury (OHL) or Stuetzle, a 6-1, 187-pound Thursday: The five best and five worst No. 1 picks of all-time. skilled winger from Mannheim (Germany).

Here is a look at the five best and five worst No. 2 picks since 1969, the Michigan Live LOADED: 06.25.2020 year the draft, which originated in 1963, was expanded to 10 rounds and gained prominence (This does not account for players the teams missed on):

The best selections at No. 2

1. Marcel Dionne, Detroit, 1971: He ranks sixth on the NHL’s all-time list for goals (731) and points (1,771). After four seasons with the Red Wings, he signed as a free agent with the Kings in 1975. The Red Wings were awarded Terry Harper, Dan Maloney, a second-round pick and cash to Detroit, not even close to what Dionne was worth. Dionne played on a lot of mediocre-to-bad teams, advancing as far as the second round of the playoffs only three times in 19 seasons and no further.

2. , Pittsburgh, 2004: He has won the Art Ross Trophy as the league’s leading scorer twice, in addition to the Hart (MVP), Conn Smythe (playoff MVP) and Calder (top rookie). He has missed many games due to injuries over a 14-year career in which he has amassed 416 goals and 1,076 points in 907 games. He has tallied 168 points in 162 playoff games, winning three Stanley Cups.

3. Chris Pronger, Hartford, 1993: One of only two defensemen since World War II (along with Bobby Orr) to win the Hart Trophy as league MVP (1999-2000), winning his lone Norris Trophy that season. Big defenseman won the Cup with Anaheim in 2007. He collected 157 goals and 698 points in 1,167 games with five teams.

4. Brendan Shanahan, New Jersey, 1987: Ranks 14th on the career list of goals (656) and seven in power-play goals (237). Traded to Detroit near the start of the 1996-97 season for Keith Primeau, Paul Coffey and a first-round pick, he spent nine of his 21 seasons with the Red Wings, winning three Cups. His teams missed the playoffs only twice during his career.

5. , San Jose, 1997: If he plays next season and appears in 44 games, he will be the NHL’s all-time leader in games, passing Gordie Howe. He currently ranks fifth with 1,723 games. He has played in 854 consecutive games, the second-longest active streak (behind Keith Yandle’s 866) and the fifth-longest all-time. He played a lot of good, but not great, Sharks teams, reaching the Cup finals only once (2016, losing to Pittsburgh, his current club). He has tallied 562 goals and 1,188 points.

Others: Brian Bellows, Minnesota, 1982; , Vancoouver, 1999; Eric Staal, Carolina, 2003; Drew Doughty, Los Angeles, 2008; Victor Hedman, Tampa Bay, 2009.

The worst selections at No. 2

1. Dave Chyzowski, N.Y. Islanders, 1989: Left wing did not plan out in the NHL, picking up just 15 goals and 31 points in 126 games. He flourished in the minor leagues with eight different AHL and IHL clubs and had success during an eight-year stint in Europe (Germany and Austria). 1175964 Detroit Red Wings was introduced, the Red Wings appeared in two more Stanley Cup Finals in 2008 and 2009, winning in 2008.

The 25 straight years the Red Wings made the playoffs might not be Ken Holland, GM of the Red Wings’ era of dominance, is a Hockey Hall matched for quite some time in this era of extreme parity. The longest of Famer active streak belongs to the Penguins, at 14. And though the Red Wings’ fates have since fallen precipitously, Holland’s fingerprints are all over some of the bright spots of the rebuild, as well.

By Max Bultman In addition to overseeing the drafts that landed Detroit’s core players Dylan Larkin (the likely next captain), Anthony Mantha, Tyler Bertuzzi, Jun 24, 2020 Filip Hronek and Filip Zadina, Holland’s role in acquiring draft picks toward the end of his tenure landed some important pieces for Yzerman to inherit. It was in 1983 when Ken Holland joined the Detroit Red Wings as a player. Two years later, he transitioned into becoming a scout for the Even in 2013, Holland traded back two spots in the draft from 18th franchise. In 1997, he became the team’s general manager, overseeing a overall, in exchange for the picks that became Mantha and Bertuzzi. His legendary era for the franchise. 2018 trade of Tomas Tatar landed the Red Wings the picks that became Joe Veleno and Robert Mastrosimone, two of the team’s top prospects. And Wednesday, he was forever etched into the history of the sport, And at his final trade deadline with the Red Wings, he flipped Gustav elected to the Hockey Hall of Fame. He joins Marian Hossa, Jarome Nyquist for the pick that became Albert Johansson, who was impressive Iginla, Kevin Lowe, Kim St-Pierre and Doug Wilson in the 2020 class, in his first pro season, and the 65th pick in the coming draft. scheduled for induction Nov. 16 in Toronto. History will, of course, be the ultimate judge of how those moves pan out, Holland will be inducted as a builder, a fitting distinction for a man whose and how they add to Holland’s legacy in Detroit. influence was all over three decades of success for the Red Wings. He was part of the scouting department during arguably the greatest draft of But Wednesday, the Hockey Hall of Fame made its ruling clear, already, all time, in 1989. He was in charge when the franchise hoisted its second on where that legacy stands in the history of the sport. consecutive Stanley Cup in 1998. And he was behind one of the most Technically, he will enter the Hall while holding the title of GM for the star-studded offseasons in league history when he acquired three future Oilers. But he’s going in as the Hall of Fame general manager of the Hall of Famers in one summer en route to another Cup in 2002. Detroit Red Wings. All of that came as he managed the Red Wings through their legendary

25-year playoff streak, through a changing of eras and the introduction of a salary cap, before finally passing the general manager torch to Steve The Athletic LOADED: 06.25.2020 Yzerman last spring. In all, Holland won four Stanley Cups with the Red Wings, three of them as general manager.

“He’s got a great mind and he’s used that to be successful, but … it’s how he deals with people and manages people,” Dallas Stars GM Jim Nill told The Athletic’s Sean Shapiro. Nill was Detroit’s assistant GM under Holland from 1998-2013. “That’s one of the things I learned the most from him. We get into a business and we get good at something and that’s our MO, but when you climb the ladder it becomes more about what you do and surrounding yourself with good people and lifting them up, and that’s what Kenny did. He surrounded himself with good people, he stepped up and backed people when he had to. Because of that he’s had success.”

Holland’s public send-off in Detroit was slightly complicated by the rebuild the Red Wings had entered at the time in his departure — like any general manager, in a career that long, he made some controversial personnel decisions in trying to balance championship pursuits and the long-term future. And, of course, they were made in public — as so many front-office decisions are, for better or worse. But in the end, history will look back on his legacy in much the same way the Hall did Wednesday: as an architect of some of the sport’s great teams, and as someone who helped shape the league as a whole, too.

And Holland, of course, is not done yet. Now at the helm of the Edmonton Oilers, his franchise has two of the most exciting young players in the sport in Connor McDavid (arguably the game’s best player) and Leon Draisaitl (a likely MVP finalist this season). He could still add more championships to his legacy.

But it’s what he’s already done in Detroit that cemented his case. Take, for example, the 2001 offseason, when Holland acquired two of the top 15 goal scorers ever and one of history’s greatest goaltenders in the same summer. The acquisitions came before the salary cap, but Holland was still working off a budget, which meant he had to get creative. He asked four of his star players, Yzerman, Brendan Shanahan, Nicklas Lidstrom and Chris Chelios, to each defer $500,000 of their salary to the next season in order to make the Brett Hull signing work. Even on a team that had already accomplished everything it could have wanted, all four agreed to do so.

“That just goes back to why they were such a great team and a great organization,” Hull said last week, “because the players were willing to do whatever it took, and everybody trusted Kenny Holland so much that they would do that to make their team better and to win.”

That was the culture Holland oversaw, which made the Red Wings so successful during their 25-year playoff streak. Even after the salary cap 1175965 Edmonton Oilers Daryl Katz and Bob Nicholson reached out to me and gave me an opportunity to come to Edmonton,” the former Medicine Hat Tigers player said of getting the call from Tigers legend McDonald. “I’m really cherishing this opportunity. Kevin Lowe finally joins Oilers glory gang in Hockey Hall of Fame “I signed a five-year deal and I want to continue to build,” he said of adding the cherry to the top of his career that included four Stanley Cups, three as a general manager winning more combined regular-season and playoff games than any other NHL franchise. June 24, 2020 8:17 PM MDT “For me, there’s still a lot of things I want to accomplish in the game. Obviously winning another Stanley Cup is one of them. Today is one of those ultimate things. This is an incredible day for me and my family.” There was a time when somebody from Edmonton being selected to the Hockey Hall of Fame was an annual occurrence. Iginla, of course, like Messier and Fuhr before him, is the one true born (Royal Alexandra Hospital, Canada Day 1977) and raised (St. Albert) But there’s never been a hat trick before. Edmontonian.

Wednesday when HHoF chairman Lanny McDonald and the 18 voters And despite being celebrated throughout his career as the leader of the completed voting with only a handful of them actually in the room at Calgary Flames, he seemed to take special delight on that this day when Toronto’s Hockey Hall of Fame, they’d selected three to be enshrined he got the call from the other Flames legend, McDonald. next November. “I started a little bit late. I was about seven years old. Around the Kevin Lowe had probably figured he was never going to get there, he’d Edmonton area, that’s not young. But I got in hockey schools and I lived been left knocking at the door that Glen Sather, Wayne Gretzky, Mark next to outdoor rinks, had a chance to fall in love with the sport and grew Messier, Grant Fuhr, Jari Kurri, Paul Coffey and, after some delay, Glenn up in a great minor hockey system in St. Albert. That’s what this does, Anderson had all entered before. going into the Hockey Hall of Fame. You think of all the different people. I never would have dreamed this.” Ken Holland, the new Oilers general manager, didn’t expect to get a call to tell him he was going in as a builder because, well, he’s still building. Along with Marian Hossa, Doug Wilson and the first female goalie to get into the Hall, Kim St. Pierre, it’s a Hockey Hall of Fame class you could And while St. Albert native Jarome Iginla was the one obvious first-ballot write about for days. guy to go in, he seemed to be thrilled with the people he was going in with and the local angles involved when he got his call in his car an hour before all his family members were to gather for the occasion here. Edmonton Sun: LOADED: 06.25.2020 When your correspondent asked Lowe, the first player selected in the first round of the first draft involving the Edmonton Oilers back in 1979, about the possibility of having given up joining the rest of the glory gang, said the truth is he never saw himself as a Hall-of-Famer.

To me, he was to that Oilers team much like what Rollie Miles ended up being with the first all-time team in Edmonton, the 1954-55-56 champion Eskimos.

One by one, the Jackie Parkers, Johnny Brights and Normie Kwongs were inducted. But you can’t put everybody from one team in the Hall and it wasn’t until years later that Parker, Bright, Kwong and a host of teammates finally convinced the selection committee that one man was missing.

Lowe said the truth is he never saw himself as guy who would one year have his banner hanging from the rafters.

“For me the Hall of Fame was Bobby Orr, Jean Beliveau, Gordie Howe, Wayne Gretzky, Mark Messier,” he said. “While I know there are players of my ilk in the Hall of Fame, and it’s a place for everyone, I wouldn’t say I was disappointed in the years I didn’t get in, but I certainly had come to the realization and understood that you had to put up more points and win awards.

“My dream had always been to win Stanley Cups. The Hall of Fame was something I never dreamed about,” said the defenceman his teammates nicknamed ‘Vish’ (for Viscious), who won six Cups, five in Edmonton and another with the Rangers. “Today, when I saw it was Lanny McDonald phoning me, I thought to myself, ‘Well, surely he’s not phoning to tell me I DIDN’T get in.’

“It’s all still surreal for me. It really hasn’t sunk in,” Lowe continued in the conference call. “I was blessed to have played as long as I did. I was blessed to have played with great players. I was blessed to have played in a great city that just embraced us.

“Just to think that this all started 40 some odd years ago when I was the Oilers first draft pick and actually didn’t know that the Oilers were in the NHL,” he said, marvelling at joining one of the four World Hockey Association merger teams. “So I cant really explain how shocked I am about this.”

For Holland, he didn’t exactly wake up in the morning expecting the call to the Hall.

“I’d been in Detroit for 36 years and with the Red Wings 22 years as a general manager and am certainly proud to have accomplished the things we did over a long period of time and I feel very fortunate that 1175966 Edmonton Oilers

Ken Holland makes Hall of Fame as a great builder of Detroit Red Wings

Jim Matheson, Edmonton Journal

June 24, 2020 7:45 PM MDT

When the Hall of Fame call came, Ken Holland thought more of yesterday than today.

“It’s a day of reflection, so many people helping along the way … I have a lot of calls and texts to return,” said the Edmonton Oilers general manager who was elected in the builders’ category for his estimable work with the Detroit Red Wings.

He started as a Western Canadian amateur scout, then as the right-hand man to GM Jim Devellano, then as the manager of a team that won three Stanley Cups on his watch and was a powerhouse for most of his two plus decades with the Ilitch family’s team.

Holland only played four NHL games as a goalie but he’s in the HHOF for his smarts. He’s won 962 games as general manager, which puts him fifth all-time. He’s one of only 11 GMs to reach at least 1,700 regular- season games.

“I knew the Hall of Fame selection was late June, but I’m an NHL general manager thinking more about Phase 2 and Phase 3 (Return to Play practices) and everything that’s going on in our world with the Edmonton Oilers first … but the phone rang,” said Holland, at his home in Vernon.

“Honoured and humbled. I was not expecting a call.”

Last week, when Scotty Bowman, who was on the selection committee for years was talking about Kevin Lowe’s player candidacy, he tossed out Holland’s name as a possible builder. Obviously, Bowman, who was Holland’s coach in Detroit, is all-seeing, all-knowing.

“I owe Scotty a call for this day, certainly, and Jim Devellano, who believed in me and hired me along with , starting out as a Detroit scout. The Ilitchs are at the top of the list. Tremendous ownership.”

Holland, the architect of 13, 100-point seasons in Detroit was hired by the Oilers in May, 2019, and there’s miles to go before the Oilers are Cup champions. But, he’s done it once before as a builder, which is why he’s in the HHOF.

“I got trained working with Jim Devellano, Neil Smith (Detroit chief amateur scout, then Rangers’ GM in their ’94 Cup win), Scotty Bowman, Jim Nill. We found some players and it was a lot of fun,” said Holland.

“I was very fortunate… … my first NHL general manager job in Detroit was with a team that had just won the Stanley Cup (1997) with a real core. Most GMs are taking over a team on the rebuild.”

Holland was going to be senior vice-president with the Red Wings with Yzerman taking over, but when the Oilers came calling, he jumped at it.

“I feel very fortunate that Daryl Katz and Bob Nicholson brought me in. Very fortunate for another opportunity in Edmonton,” he said. “I’m hoping my building days aren’t over and we can make some noise over the next few years.”

Edmonton Sun: LOADED: 06.25.2020 1175967 Edmonton Oilers the time, about your best player working so hard, but Kevin was the same, only on the back end.”

Lowe actually had Kurri as one of the 18-member selection committee for Kevin Lowe at long last gets call in to Hockey Hall of Fame the HHOF induction night which, COVID permitting, will be held Nov. 16 in Toronto.

The call from the HHOF came Wednesday while he was doing yard work. Jim Matheson, Edmonton Journal “Lee Fogolin (his long-time Oilers defence partner) had just left and I was June 24, 2020 7:38 PM MDT just putzing around,” said Lowe. “The phone rang and and saw Lanny McDonald’s name (HHOF chairman). I was thinking: ‘He wouldn’t be

calling to tell me I wasn’t getting in, would he?’ Lanny and I go a long Somebody once wrote that Kevin Lowe was like the car that would ways back. We were in the Players Association together in the early always start in any weather and you never had to worry about it running 1980s. He is held in such great regard. It was nice to get the call from out of gas on a lonely road in the middle of the night. him.”

Maybe he was never as big a wheel as Wayne Gretzky or Mark Messier Lowe, who now can have his No. 4 retired here to assuage the team or Paul Coffey, but Lowe was the engine that drove the Edmonton Oilers, credo that only its NHL Hall of Famers’ numbers can hang from the and now the first player they drafted 41 years ago this August and the rafters, was an offensive defenceman in junior with the Quebec first Oiler to score in the NHL, can share a Hall of Fame seat with those Remparts with 173 points in 201 games as their captain. other Boys on the Bus. But that was never part of his Oilers DNA, even scoring the first Oilers “He was a Lee Fogolin disciple,” said Gretzky. “He played hard, practised goal on Tony Esposito — and he was fine with that. He played hard hard and he had no qualms about getting in the face of any player whom minutes, with a flimsy Jofa helmet, charging into corners, his stick held he didn’t think was playing as hard as they should have been. high.

“When you are a pivotal part of teams that win six championships, you “It was all about the winning,” said Lowe. “If I wasn’t playing on the power are a huge part of that success. Points-wise, he was never going to be play, I didn’t care. If they said: ‘We want you to be on the penalty-kill,’ that guy, even though he was a point-getter in junior. But his forte was then that was great.” his defensive prowess. Because he played so hard and worked so hard, he held everybody accountable whether that was Blair MacDonald or Dave Semenko or Wayne Gretzky. And I say that in a good way. Edmonton Sun: LOADED: 06.25.2020 “I told him (Wednesday) I’m more excited for you getting in than me getting in.”

Lowe, who won five Stanley Cups in Edmonton and another with the New York Rangers, has now joined Gretzky, Messier, Coffey, Jari Kurri, Glenn Anderson, Grant Fuhr and coach/GM Glen Sather in the HHOF. An embarrassment of riches, for sure.

“Glen always said that when you win, good things happen. But nobody anticipated this kind of success,” Gretzky said. “I’m more enamoured by this: When the Oilers were deciding which jerseys should be retired, Kevin (as GM) and Craig MacTavish (as coach) said if you get to the Hall of Fame, your jersey gets retired. So now Kevin’s jersey gets retired and it’s well- deserved.”

On top of that, current Oilers GM Ken Holland, who won three Cups as the manager of the Detroit Red Wings over more than two decades, also got into the Hall of Fame on Wednesday as a builder, so a stunning daily double for the Oilers organization.

Lowe, 61, waited almost two decades after being first eligible and, at times, it seemed like the voters had dismissed his role with the championship Oilers. Or that his goals and assists (432 points) weren’t nearly Hall of Fame calibre. Besides, he never won the Norris Trophy as the NHL’s best defenceman, although he played in seven all-star games.

“I never considered myself a Hall of Famer and I was OK with that,” said Lowe. “For me, that was for Jean Beliveau or Gordie Howe, for Wayne Gretzky and Mark Messier and you know, for Bobby Orr. Those guys.

“At the end of the day, when you’re growing up, you dream of winning the Stanley Cup, not becoming a Hall of Famer. You never think of that. So at the end of the day, I had achieved all of my goals … and some would say I might have been a little greedy, winning too many.

“For a lot of years after retiring, I could understand (not getting a HHOF call).

“I know a lot of teammates and Slats (Sather) went to bat for me, at least I’m finding that out now.”

Maybe they couldn’t quantify leadership or sweat equity through his 1,254 league games and 214 more in the playoffs, but they have now. He was the glue in the Oilers lineup and had a huge hand in building their dressing room culture.

“Kevin was really tough, he played hurt (in 1988, he played with broken ribs and a busted wrist through the playoffs),” said Coffey. “He showed up every night ready to play … and in practice he would get so pissed off if you weren’t working. That made us all better. We took about Wayne all 1175968 Edmonton Oilers Lowe was one of the leaders, serving as alternate captain on the last three Cup teams before donning the ‘C’ for one season after Messier was dealt.

‘It’s all surreal’: Kevin Lowe’s Hall of Fame nod nets surprise and “He accomplished everything in the game that anyone ever sets out to satisfaction do,” Fuhr said.

Lowe never had the eye-popping totals that some of his teammates did, nor did he garner the accolades. The Oilers’ first Stanley Cup year in By Daniel Nugent-Bowman 1984 was the last time in his career that Lowe surpassed 40 points in a season. Lowe never finished higher than fifth in Norris Trophy voting and Jun 24, 2020 ended his career with 431 points in 1,254 games.

But Coffey is near certain the Oilers wouldn’t have enjoyed the same Paul Coffey couldn’t resist when asked for his thoughts about Kevin level of dominance had Lowe not patrolled the blue line. Lowe being voted into the Hockey Hall of Fame, announced by the Coffey and partner Charlie Huddy looked up to Lowe and veteran Lee selection committee Wednesday. Fogolin when it came to how to play through pain and lead by example. “It’s about fucking time,” Coffey, Lowe’s longtime Oilers teammate, said. “What Kevin did for us wasn’t measured in goals and assists,” Coffey To say the wait’s been a long one for those with a rooting interest is an said. “He made me better every night. He made our whole group, understatement. It was Lowe’s 20th year of eligibility, after all. especially on the back end, better every night.”

Coffey couldn’t put his finger on why, but for some reason, he felt a Fuhr said Lowe did a tremendous job of blocking shots and the taking heightened sense of anxiety on Wednesday with the announcement foes’ shooting angles away – “He made the game easier for me to read” looming. He felt maybe – just maybe – that Lowe might get the call in – while also making life miserable outside of the crease. 2020. “There were no easy nights. He made the opposition work for every inch It happened. Lowe is going in as part of a class with Oilers general they got,” Fuhr said. manager Ken Holland, who is being recognized for his years of success That was recognized not only by Lowe’s Oilers peers, but by rivals with the Red Wings. Induction night is tentatively scheduled for Nov. 16 around the NHL as well. depending on the status of the COVID-19 pandemic. Hockey Hall of Fame chair Lanny McDonald faced Lowe and the Oilers in “It’s all surreal for me,” Lowe said. “I can’t even explain how shocked I some epic Battle of games as a member of the Flames. The am about this.” Oilers eliminated the Flames in four of five playoff series during that time. Lowe is the eighth member of the dynastic 1980s Oilers to be voted into Edmonton’s offensive superstars had opponents on high alert, but it was the Hall, joining coach/GM Glen Sather, Wayne Gretzky, Jari Kurri, Grant Lowe they feared for another reason. Fuhr, Coffey, Mark Messier and Glenn Anderson. “It was never fun to play against Kevin,” McDonald said. “Kevin was one Compared to the other players, Lowe was easily the most understated. of the most reliable defencemen you could possibly imagine. More That was by design, Coffey said – and Lowe was the impetus for that. importantly, we all knew that he was the leader of the pack. As the future Hall of Famers pumped in goals in a run-and-gun fashion, “Every time something happened … Kevin Lowe was in the thick of it.” Fuhr felt those looking after things in front of him rarely got their due. Lowe never considered himself a Hockey Hall of Famer. It’s the elite of “That was going to be the big issue – whether the defensive side of our the elite such as Gretzky, Messier, Bobby Orr, Gordie Howe and Jean team ever got the credibility that it was due,” Fuhr said. “By Kevin getting Beliveau who come to mind when he thinks of those who belong in the in, it gives it the credibility.” sport’s hallowed hall. Taking on that background role was by design, Coffey said – and Lowe He recognizes there are players of his ilk who’ve been enshrined. And was the impetus for that. there are those still waiting after many years of being eligible. Lowe broke into the NHL as an offensive defenceman coming out of the His advice? QMJHL’s Quebec Remparts. (The league’s best defenceman trophy is now named after him.) He was the Oilers’ first NHL Draft pick in 1979, “Just hang in there,” Lowe said. “It’s all worth the wait.” 21st overall, after the team joined the league from the World Hockey Association. After Anderson was inducted in 2008 – his ninth year of eligibility – Fuhr figured Lowe’s day would come along one of these years, too. One year later, along came Coffey – drafted sixth overall – a player who would blossom into one of the game’s greatest offensive blueliners. “The fact that it took so long …,” he said, trailing off. Lowe, without ego, took a backseat. Of course, Lowe wouldn’t have waited so long if Coffey had his druthers. “It would have been very, very easy for him to be resentful. Not him,” He called Lowe immediately after he heard the news. Coffey said. “He was as important on the ice as in that dressing room. “I’m so proud of you,” Coffey told him. “He did nothing but help me in my first few years in the league. That’s the sign of a real champion – a real Hall of Famer.” Coffey said it’s a great day for the organization. The cherry on top is that Lowe goes in with Holland, the team’s general manager for the past 13 Lowe knew the Oilers would be better off with Coffey quarterbacking the months. power play and spearheading the offence. Lowe had no issue with sliding into the background and focusing on a different role. “I told Kenny his greatest work was in Detroit, but his greatest triumph will be winning a Stanley Cup in Edmonton. There will be nothing like it,” “I liked to say – with a little bit of humour – where I fit in was when Paul Coffey said. Coffey came off the ice on the power play after 1 minute and 50 seconds, I would generally do a good job with the last 10 seconds,” Lowe said. Coffey would know. And so, too, especially would Lowe. “Coff was clearly gonna be the offensive guy. Like Fuhr, Lowe is one of seven players to win five Stanley Cups with the “All I wanted to do was find my place on the team – and win. We figured Oilers. Add in his 1994 Rangers title and he’s one of just five skaters to out the formula really well.” win at least six Cups without ever having played for the storied Canadiens. The other four – Red Kelly, , Messier, The Oilers certainly did that, winning five Stanley Cups in a span of Anderson – were already in the Hall of Fame. seven years. The last two were without Coffey and the final one came sans Gretzky. And, finally, Lowe is, too. “Now’s his time. This is perfect timing for him,” Coffey said. “I’m so happy for him.”

The Athletic LOADED: 06.25.2020 1175969 Edmonton Oilers visiting rooms — the NHL version deemed the best among the league’s players — two decent auxiliary locker rooms, and two “star rooms” for musicians to use before and after concerts.

Vancouver vs. Edmonton: How do Western Canada’s NHL hub city bids The attached Downtown Community Arena is where the Grant MacEwan stack up? collegiate team plays. That team has its locker room there and then are four community-type dressing rooms. That rink could, at worst, be used for practices.

By Thomas Drance and Daniel Nugent-Bowman The Oilers’ initial plan called for one or two city-run recreation centres to be used for practices. The rec centres and would be rented Jun 24, 2020 and then cleaned after each session. Rogers Place is also connected via a walkway to a five-star hotel, which would house the players. They would never have to go outside and leave their bubble to travel between Will it come down to Edmonton or Vancouver in the bid to be an NHL the hotel rooms and the arena. return to play hub city? Is it really possible that both places could host NHL postseason games? What the Oilers have in terms of overall capacity at a singular facility can’t be matched in Vancouver. Rogers Arena, in contrast to Edmonton’s We’ll find out soon enough. Las Vegas and Vancouver are the betting gargantuan facility, has relatively basic amenities. favourites at the moment, but whether one of Edmonton or Vancouver is in and one’s out or they both get the two coveted titles, it’s clear the two There’s the visiting and home locker room facilities and two more Western Canadian cities have been very seriously considered as hosts permanent auxiliary dressing rooms. for the NHL’s attempt to conclude the 2019-20 season. When Rogers Arena hosted the 2010 Winter Olympic Men’s and With the decision nearing, we figured we might as well recap their cases, Women’s tournaments — renamed Canadian Olympic Place too. Using five categories, The Athletic’s Edmonton and Vancouver beat for the event — an additional dressing room was placed on the parkade writers sum up where the bids are at as the decision nears — likely this level. week. The Canucks have no designated practice facility, although there are The size of the local outbreaks plenty of ice rinks locally that could be appropriated or rented for NHL usage. Based on some quality sleuthing by Patrick Johnston of the In Edmonton, the Alberta capital has been touted by Edmonton-NHL Vancouver Province it certainly seems like, among the various options, proponents as the safest Canadian city in terms of the amount of COVID- the newly renovated facility out at the University of British Columbia is the 19 cases and access to testing. one the league itself is targeting as a regular practice ice sheet should the return to play hub be located in Vancouver. The province of Alberta launched Phase 2 on June 12, permitting more business to open and larger groups to interact, and there has been a rise While Edmonton’s facilities are unrivalled outside of Detroit, Rogers in cases since then. According to the provincial government website, Arena in Vancouver has a long history of seamlessly hosting major, Edmonton had 857 total cases as of Sunday – up from 684 on June 12 multi-team events, including the 2010 Olympic Winter Games and the with 226 active cases in the city. World Junior Tournament in 2018. There’s a multitude of nearby, local ice sheets — from UBC to Burnaby’s 8-rinks, where the Canucks often As of Monday, at least five restaurants have closed after staff or practiced in the Before Times — that can accommodate the needs of 12 consumers tested positive for the coronavirus. NHL clubs. While Edmonton has relatively low levels of active COVID-19 cases, Accommodations Vancouver has even fewer. In fact, there are currently more active cases in Edmonton (226) than in the entire province of British Columbia (174). Let’s start with the previously mentioned hotel in Edmonton.

The Province of British Columbia launched Phase 2 on May 6 and there’s Players will have rooms at the JW Marriott, across the street from the been no significant change to “the curve” of active COVID-19 cases in arena and connected by an indoor walkway. That setup should rival or weeks. even surpass the situations of the other five remaining hub-city choices.

This week, British Columbia premier John Horgan is expected to unveil The Marriott hotel is equipped with Archetype, a state-of-the-art fitness additional details for the opening of Phase 3 — which will include gym for players to use outside of the in-arena facility at Rogers Place. encouraging British Columbians to travel within the province and Where the Edmonton bid could suffer is the Marriott hotel doesn’t have permitting television and film production to begin again, among other enough rooms to accommodate all team staff and personnel. The hotel activities — while British Columbia’s Provincial Health Officer, Dr. Bonnie website indicates there are 322 rooms and 24 suites; a roster of 28 Henry, estimated on Tuesday that on average British Columbians are players over 12 teams totals 336. Overflow people would have to stay at back up to about 60-65 percent of their normal day-to-day connections. a couple nearby hotels. Secure transportation or unfettered walking routes will have to be the means of getting from the secondary Facilities accommodations to the arena. This is the area where Edmonton really has the edge in this comparison. Vancouver, similarly, has a JW Marriott located a brief three-minute walk Rogers Arena — opened as GM Place in September of 1995 — has had from the Gate 9 media entrance to the Rogers Arena event level. The a couple of key facelifts over the years, but it’s a relatively aging facility, Parq has a 517 capacity and on site is also the Douglas, an autograph particularly when compared with Edmonton’s Rogers Place, which is one collection hotel with an additional 188 rooms. of the newer buildings in the NHL and remains absolutely state of the art At the foot of the Cambie Street bridge, just a five-minute walk from the across the board. game rink, the city of Vancouver has the requisite hotel amenities to The visiting room at Rogers Place is far superior to the one at Rogers house 12 teams in the “bubble.” Arena, and that’s the visiting room for the Edmonton Oil Kings’ The NHL is extremely familiar with the Parq hotel. Not only is the Parq an opponents! official partner of the Canucks organization, but it served as something of Make no mistake, the amenities at Rogers Place are probably the major an NHL headquarters during the 2019 NHL Entry Draft hosted in reason Edmonton is one of six cities left in the running. Vancouver. The staff rolled out the stops and made quite the impression.

The ice in Edmonton was voted by the players as the second-best in the Without that relatively new hotel facility located nearby the game rink, league, while Vancouver’s ice cooling equipment is aging and struggles The Athletic understands that Vancouver’s bid would’ve been far less in particular with dehumidification — although as such, a rainy, wet appealing to the league. November day tends to be a bigger issue than the heat of June or July. Lifestyle amenities Rogers Place has the bells and whistles that make it perfectly suited for a The lifestyle amenities factor might seem like a trivial consideration when tournament of this magnitude, however. Since the main rink hosts the Oil weighed against the economic insecurity and widespread sickness Kings, there are two home-style dressing rooms available. There are two wrought by the pandemic, but professional athletes are used to having world class options for dining, entertainment and leisure activities. The Athletic LOADED: 06.25.2020 If you’re a professional hockey player committing to spending, potentially, several months away from your family, it’s important to have a sense of what life will be like and some security in the prospect that it won’t be a dreary hamster wheel of going to the rink to play and then returning to your room for some Netflix and “RS” (room service, in classic, shortened hockey nomenclature).

As The Athletic reported on Tuesday, a focus on restaurants and lifestyle amenities was a key part of Vancouver’s resubmitted hub city bid last week.

There are a variety of high-end restaurants located within the Parq facility itself and nearby, but the proposed “lido deck” that Pierre LeBrun reported on is part of a correlation of factors that may serve to put the Vancouver bid over the top:

Even if the Roxy remains temporarily closed, Vancouver has a reputation among NHL professionals as a desirable place to visit (even if it’s a pressure-packed place to play full time). That’s likely to prove a big edge.

Golf has been a staple of Edmonton’s lifestyle package from the onset. That remains the case, although it’s unclear how many rounds staff and players, more specifically, will play during the playoffs.

TSN’s Ryan Rishaug was the first to report earlier this week about an Olympic village–style setup at Ice District, the area around Rogers Place. Oilers senior vice-president of corporate communications and government relations Tim Shipton, the team’s point person for the bid, was unable to speak to The Athletic Tuesday before deadline for this story.

Rishaug reports indoor and outdoor activities will be available, consisting of golf simulators, basketball courts, movie nights, video games, live entertainment, table tennis, billiards, lounge areas and rooftop patios. He added the bid has arrangements with at least a dozen high-end restaurants for food delivery.

Shipton told The Athletic in an earlier interview that arrangements would be made in conjunction with Travel Alberta to allow players’ families — if they’re permitted to attend the hub city — to visit tourism destinations across the province. Rishaug reported as much as well. This was the supposed intention behind a widely joked about 63-second video sent Monday from Alberta Premier Jason Kenney’s Twitter account.

X-Factors

This tidbit shouldn’t factor into the hub-city decision and almost certainly won’t. This would, however, likely favour Edmonton over any other location.

When reporting on the local economic impact a hub city should expect, The Athletic was told by one economist not to expect much variance between the different markets. The amount of money generated wouldn’t be much in the grand scheme of things – a second economist estimated no more than $20 million, whereas Shipton said up to $35 million – but it could be more impactful in Edmonton.

Sure, the Alberta economy has long been in the dumps. The more notable variable is Edmonton represents the smallest market still in the running to be a hub city. That $20-35 million could theoretically go further in Edmonton than in Vancouver – or Toronto, Las Vegas, Los Angeles, or Chicago.

Again, this won’t be a key consideration. The COVID-19 situation, ability to keep players and staff safe, and quality of facilities are way more important factors at play. Those seem to be checkmarks in Edmonton’s favour. The economic impact, although small, would simply be the cherry on top of the sundae.

As for selecting Vancouver, the X-Factor is indistinguishable from the overall containment of the COVID-19 virus in British Columbia. There’s simply no NHL market that’s flattened the curve as effectively and persistently, and maintained containment while entering Phase 2 (and preparing for Phase 3).

Now that Vancouver has upgraded the lifestyle amenities factor in their hub city bid significantly, the market has emerged as a bona fide frontrunner to serve as an NHL hub city.

In a final assessment, this remains a singular pandemic. And so it all comes down to the virus. 1175970 Edmonton Oilers referee/linesman. Campbell had already been nominated as a builder by Eric Duhatschek. When it was clear Jennifer Botterill and Natalie Darwitz were later going to be up for spots in the player category and only two can be inducted, I opted to submit Lowe’s name.) I nominated Kevin Lowe for The Athletic’s mock Hockey Hall of Fame — and he fell way short There were 18 members on our shadow committee and a candidate requires 14 votes to be elected. As many as four male players can be inducted each year, so members can vote for up to that amount. They can, however, choose to vote for zero, one, two or three players. By Daniel Nugent-Bowman There were 13 male players submitted by our committee and all but three Jun 24, 2020 of the panelists voted for the player they nominated. Considering Jarome Iginla was a lock to be elected unanimously in his first year of eligibility, that meant 10 committee members – nine, not counting me – instantly When I nominated longtime Oilers defenceman Kevin Lowe in the player had half their ballot full. category for the Hockey Hall of Fame as a member of The Athletic’s shadow committee, I did so mostly as an experiment. If those other nine members were going to vote for Lowe, they only had room for one other player on their ballot. Minus Iginla, these were the For the record, I wasn’t really compelled to advocate for Lowe’s induction other players up for consideration: Daniel Alfredsson, , — although I certainly wouldn’t have been opposed to it either. , Marian Hossa, Steve Larmer, Vincent Lecavalier, Jere Lehtinen, Alex Mogilny, , Mike Vernon and Doug Wilson. In truth, I put Lowe’s name forward to see if Guy Carbonneau’s enshrinement last year would sway my colleagues to vote for a mostly It’s not hard to see why Lowe struggled to gain much traction in our vote, defensive-minded player, the type that’s underrepresented in the Hall. a situation that has probably been mirrored on the selection committee that truly matters at some point. The committee was unmoved, however, and Lowe fell well short with just two votes. And at least some of the reason why has to do with how the Lowe received just two votes – mine and one from Duhatschek – and voting works. was removed from subsequent ballots. A player must receive at least six yays in the first round of voting to remain up for consideration as long as Let’s start with Lowe’s qualifications. He’s at best a reasonable Hall the maximum four players aren’t elected right away. candidate and it might be fairer to classify him as a fringe contender. This is his 20th year of eligibility, after all. We don’t know what goes on behind the real selection committee’s closed doors, but there probably aren’t 13 male players nominated every With due respect to the King Clancy Memorial Trophy he won in 1990 for year. On the flip side, there are other times where there’s clearly more his leadership and humanitarian work, Lowe was never really in the than one no-brainer first-time eligible male player candidate. In 2004 for running for a major award. The closest he came to a Norris Trophy as the instance, Ray Bourque, Paul Coffey and Larry Murphy were all enshrined game’s top rearguard was a fifth place showing two years earlier. in their first attempts. Lowe posted at least 40 points for three straight seasons early in his Whether it’s volume of candidates or quality of first-timers, Lowe can career (1982-1984) but never reached that threshold again. Even as a easily get pushed aside in favour of others if/when he’s nominated and defenceman, Lowe’s offensive numbers – 431 points in 1,254 career up for debate. The Athletic’s exercise illustrated it perfectly. It also games – aren’t much to get excited about. illustrated why it’s difficult to vote for two players of similar styles with The selection committee hasn’t put much stock into blueliners of Lowe’s similar credentials. ilk. is the only true post–Original Six era defensive Theoretically, someone voting for Lowe should strongly consider voting defenceman who’s been inducted into the Hall of Fame. Langway had for Jere Lehtinen, too, right? Lehtinen, like Lowe, was more recognized similar offensive stats to Lowe – 329 points in 994 games – although his for his defensive play and, like Carbonneau, won three Selke Trophies. two Norris Trophy wins vault him ahead. He was the last winger to claim the award. The argument for raising Lowe’s No. 4 to the rafters in Edmonton is much But I didn’t vote for him. I couldn’t. And it wasn’t due to some principled sounder. He was the team’s first NHL draft pick and ranks first on the stance either. franchise list in games played. I had to write down Iginla’s name. I’d already committed to Lowe. I also Lowe was arguably the defensive conscience of the high-flying Oilers determined Mogilny was going to get one of my votes. Mogilny’s years of teams that included offensive superstars like Hall of Famers Wayne peak performance and historical impact of defecting from the Soviet Gretzky, Mark Messier, Jari Kurri and Glenn Anderson. His plus-240 Union to join the NHL, paving the way for other countrymen to follow, rating with the Oilers is fifth in team history, and it was hurt by time with was more than enough for me. weaker squads in the early 1990s. Alfredsson, Gonchar, Hossa, Lehtinen and Wilson were considered for Carbonneau’s candidacy was built on three Selke Trophies for defensive the final spot on my ballot. In the end, I was swayed by committee prowess as a forward and three Stanley Cups. His offensive totals member Sean McIndoe’s pitch more than anyone else’s and Wilson got weren’t elite by any means with 663 points in 1,318 games. There are my fourth vote. Like Lowe, Lehtinen got two votes and could no longer be parallels between Carbonneau and Lowe, only that the latter is bereft of considered in the next round. individual accolades because there isn’t a top defensive defenceman award. (I had room on my second ballot to add one more player – Mogilny and Wilson were holdovers and three spots were available after Iginla went in Lowe, however, was a leader on five Stanley Cup teams with the Oilers – – but opted not to include Hossa. I have a ton of respect for his skills and one of seven players to accomplish that. have zero issue with him eventually getting the required votes. He seems That’s where his candidacy starts to get more interesting. Add the Cup more in the Hall of Very Good class to me.) he earned with the 1994 Rangers and Lowe is one of just 24 players to Lowe and Lehtinen have similar Hall of Fame cases given their defensive win at least six championships. He’s one of only five skaters to have specialties, although it’s an apples-to-oranges comparison between the done so without having played for the Canadiens. The other four – two given the difference of positions. Lehtinen is the more decorated Messier, Anderson, Bryan Trottier and Red Kelly – are in the Hall of player — but with just one Stanley Cup championship. Fame. But it would be challenging to get both players on your first ballot given The pros were enough to outweigh the cons in my mind and I nominated the others to choose from. And they’re the types of players that need as Lowe. I decided once I nominated someone, I had to then vote for him or many votes as they can muster to keep them alive for run-off ballots. her. Some of my committee members didn’t share that viewpoint and that’s their prerogative. That’s just the stance I took. No, Lowe’s case for the Hall is far from airtight. If it were, he would have been in a long time ago. (As an aside, I was considering nominating Cassie Campbell in the female player category. Committee members are permitted to vote for All the voting structure seems to do, however, is puncture another hole in one player only, regardless of gender, and one builder or it.

The Athletic LOADED: 06.25.2020 1175971 Florida Panthers

Panthers offer peek behind the curtain with online series about team’s return

By MAX MARCOVITCH

SOUTH FLORIDA SUN SENTINEL

JUN 24, 2020 AT 5:02 PM

The Florida Panthers are trying to pull back the curtain on their return to the ice.

Wednesday, the team announced a five-episode behind-the-scenes online series that will chronicle the team’s build-up to its best-of-five series against the New York Islanders, at a date and time still to be announced.

The series, called “Panthers Uncaged,” will start at 5 p.m. on July 1, with an episode that promises insight from players and staff about how they’re handling the unusual situation of coming back after the COVID-19 pandemic work stoppage. It will be available on YouTube, Facebook, IGTV and PanthersVision.

“During these unprecedented times, we aim to provide access into players’ lives to showcase their emotions, perseverance and dedication in their quest to bring the franchise its first Stanley Cup,” said Panthers’ senior vice president Shawn Thornton.

The latter point will read as an audacious claim for a team that enters the expanded 24-team postseason format as the 10-seed in the Eastern Conference, and for a franchise that hasn’t won a playoff series since it made the Stanley Cup Finals in 1996. But throughout the return process, the Panthers have been unequivocal in their goals.

“I think there are a lot of positive things we’ve learned from this situation, Panthers general manager Dale Tallon said on May 28. “And I think they’re eager and willing to pay the price to go deep.”

That process is already well underway. Florida is already in Phase 2 of the league’s return plan, with players returning to the area for voluntary workouts. Phase 3, training camps, are set to kick off July 10, barring any setbacks. Florida, notably, has emerged as a new hub of rising coronavirus cases, as Wednesday marked another record for cases. It’s still unclear how much the data factors into the league’s plans or individual players’ plans as they weigh the risk levels. The NHL still has not released “hub” cities where games will take place nor dates for the planned return to the ice. It expects to do so once camps open.

A team news release on the series says “Each episode will give insight into the processes, training regimes and preparation for the upcoming 2020 postseason.”

Thornton added: “We wanted to give our Panthers family a behind-the- scenes look at what our players, trainers and staff are doing to ensure a safe environment as the NHL’s Return to Play plan begins.”

As the teams and the league try to sift through these complications, it appears, we’ll all be able to join along for the ride.

Sun Sentinel LOADED: 06.25.2020 1175972 Los Angeles Kings much better as an executive, using his scouting and managing abilities to build Red Wings teams that won the Cup in 1997, 1998, 2002 and 2008. “I am incredibly humbled by this honor,” he said. “I am in this game because I loved it as a young man and I am happy to have been able to Jarome Iginla, who finished his career with Kings, leads six-member stay in the game.” Hockey Hall of Fame class

LA Times: LOADED: 06.25.2020 By HELENE ELLIOTT SPORTS COLUMNIST

JUNE 24, 20203:45 PM

Classy winger Jarome Iginla, who wrapped up his impressive career by briefly playing for the Kings, leads the six-member Hockey Hall of Fame class that was announced Wednesday. The induction ceremony is scheduled for Nov. 16 in Toronto, but that’s subject to change because of the far-reaching effects of the COVID-19 pandemic and its effect on the NHL schedule and events.

Also elected in the players’ category were three-time Stanley Cup champion Marian Hossa; defenseman Kevin Lowe, who won six championships with the Edmonton Oilers and New York Rangers; defenseman Doug Wilson, and three-time Olympic women’s hockey gold medalist Kim St-Pierre. Ken Holland, who guided the Detroit Red Wings to four Cup titles as their assistant general manager and general manager, was elected in the builders’ category.

Iginla, best known for his 16 seasons with the Calgary Flames, had 625 goals and 1,300 points in 1,554 regular-season games over 22 seasons. He was a first-team All-Star selection three times and won the goal- scoring and scoring titles in 2001-02. He repeated as the goal-scoring champion in 2003-04. He also won two Olympic gold medals. Iginla, 42, was elected in his first year of eligibility.

Kings right wing Jarome Iginla celebrates after scoring against Nashville at Staples Center.

“It’s very, very special,” said Iginla, who was born in Canada to an American-born mother and Nigerian father and was named Jarome Arthur-Leigh Adekunle Tig Junior Elvis Iginla. “Later in my career I was definitely hopeful [of being elected]. Earlier in my career I was just trying to stay afloat.”

Iginla is the fourth Black player elected to the Hall, following former goaltender Grant Fuhr, women’s hockey standout Angela James, and Black hockey pioneer Willie O’Ree. Acquired by the Kings from Colorado on March 1, 2017, for a conditional fourth-round pick in the 2018 draft, Iginla had six goals and nine points in 19 games. The Kings missed the playoffs that season.

Hossa, a native of Slovakia, played 19 seasons with the Ottawa Senators, Atlanta Thrashers, Pittsburgh Penguins, Red Wings and Chicago Blackhawks and collected 525 goals and 1,134 points in 1,309 games. He was a member of the Blackhawks’ Cup-winning teams in 2010, 2013, and 2015.

Lowe was a member of the Oilers’ dynasty that won the Cup five times in seven seasons, and he added a sixth title with the Rangers. His teammates were flashy but he was steady, focusing on the defensive aspects of the game. “I think I perhaps represent the next level of guys who helped to win championships,” he told .com. “I appreciate that my contributions to the teams I played on are being recognized in this way.”

Wilson, now the general manager of the San Jose Sharks, won the Norris Trophy as the NHL’s best defenseman in 1982. He holds many Blackhawks team records for defensemen, including goals (225) and points (779). “I’m not even a Hall of Famer in my own house, so joining this club means the world to me,” he told nhl.com. “I would like to thank all of the people who have been so good to me in this game.”

Chris and Kelsie Snow with their children, Cohen, left, and Willa.

St-Pierre was a goaltender who compiled a 1.17 goals-against average and .939 save percentage while playing for Canada. In addition to three Olympic gold medals she also won five women’s world championships. “When I was growing up it was only boys, and when that changed my dream was able to come [true],” she said. “I’m grateful and would like to thank all of my coaches and my family.”

Holland was a goaltender as a player but appeared in only four NHL games, spending the rest of his career in the minor leagues. He fared 1175973 Los Angeles Kings Even at the conservative count of two people per residence, the Angels and Ducks projects combined would add about 16,000 residents to the area. The projects also could draw from the crowds gathered a few blocks away at the Disney parks and at the Anaheim Convention Center. Ducks submit proposal for OC Vibe, described by Anaheim official as In 2019, about 24-million tourists visited Anaheim, according to Charles ‘L.A. Live on steroids’ Harris, chief marketing officer of Visit Anaheim.

L.A. Live covers about 23 acres. The Angels and Ducks projects total 268 acres. And, to those who might scoff at the notion that Orange By BILL SHAIKIN STAFF WRITER County can support such an ambitious scale of sports and entertainment JUNE 24, 20209:27 AM development, Ryan said he has heard it before.

Orange County wasn’t supposed to be able to support a hockey team, he said, or a major concert venue so close to Los Angeles. As Anaheim envisioned a colossal sports and entertainment fun zone that would stretch across a freeway and cover hundreds of acres, “For 25 years, we have said what is the absolute truth: With the 3-million anchored by an arena at one end and a ballpark at the other, a city people in Orange County and millions more just outside our borders, we official summed up the plan in four words, easily understood by Southern have our own great market,” Ryan said. “Orange County really does want Californians: “L.A. Live on steroids.” its own entertainment district.”

As the Ducks’ owners toured the country, checking out sporting venues And just how does this district compare to L.A. Live? that have mushroomed into year-round entertainment centers, they paid “We certainly wanted to match all of the success they’ve had there,” particular attention to L.A. Live. On Wednesday, the Ducks unveiled what Young said. “L.A. Live built all of the fun, and all of the restaurants, and they call “OC Vibe,” layering a community feel atop a district that invites all of the concert facilities.” visitors to eat, drink and shop before and after events. What L.A. Live did not do, he said, is secure enough land to “plan a “We wanted to make this as much fun on Saturday morning as it will be district in as walkable a fashion as you see here.” The limited space, he on Saturday night,” said Dan Young, the master planner for the project said, made it impossible to integrate a residential component with an and former president of community development for the Irvine Company. entertainment component as smoothly as the Anaheim projects propose The OC Vibe, if you will, skews mellow by day and energetic by night. to do.

The project would integrate 2,800 apartments, including 15% reserved “As you move around the country, most of the ones that have had for affordable housing, and office space into a 115-acre site that focuses success — and LA Live is an example — are already in an established on public transit, encourages the use of trains and shared rides, and urban fabric,” Young said. “They haven’t had [this many] acres to draw funnels cars to the margins of the property. The site flows from the this much master planning into a site. Anaheim train station into one of three public parks, leading to a “That is the ‘on steroids’ portion of this.” pedestrian bridge across Katella Avenue, a 1.5-mile footpath, and a “wellness park” in which yoga and meditation could be offered.

The Honda Center would be enhanced with a grand entrance plaza that LA Times: LOADED: 06.25.2020 could be used for watch parties or holiday ice skating, and the arena would be surrounded by a food hall, beer garden, restaurants, clubs and a 6,000-seat theater. The project includes two hotels, four parking structures, and a redesigned Katella Avenue off-ramp from the 57 Freeway that would lead directly into the Angel Stadium parking area, or into one of the Honda Center parking structures.

The project was submitted to the city Wednesday for various approvals, with the first openings targeted for 2024 and the completion for 2028, when the Honda Center is scheduled to host Olympic volleyball competition.

Henry and Susan Samueli, the Ducks’ owners, plan to maintain sole ownership of the project and finance its estimated $3-billion cost, Young said. He added that the Samuelis would not seek to tap the city’s general fund or ask for hotel tax rebates but could pursue government funding reserved for parks, transportation or infrastructure improvements.

Tim Ryan, who runs the Ducks and the Honda Center, said the Samuelis would continue to invest in the arena as well. He said all the seats have been recently replaced and the Ducks’ locker room has been refurbished, with additional renovations expected to be announced within three months.

Wearing matching Ducks hats and surgical masks, Jayson Furusawa and Lynsey Koopman recently got "Hitched At Honda Center."

“The Honda Center will be as good as new, and in many cases better, than when it opened in 1993,” he said.

The Angels on Tuesday announced a similar live/work/play project for the Angel Stadium parking lot, targeted for completion in 2050, with double the residents and triple the office space the Ducks proposed for OC Vibe.

Young said the two teams had worked with one another to avoid duplicating development, with the Ducks’ project focused more on live entertainment. Even without the proposed concert hall, the Honda Center plays host to about 160 events in a nonpandemic year. The Angels’ project is centered around a larger neighborhood feel.

“We’re very compatible and synergistic in that way,” Young said. “We are very excited about what they’re doing over there. It will be a great complement.” 1175974 Los Angeles Kings “I think it’s always been a part of my game [dating back to college],” Eyssimont said. “I think it helped, when I started playing that way and going to the net and those hard areas, that opens up the rest of my game, where I can score more goals from a shot from further out from MIKEY EYSSIMONT USED A BIG SUMMER TO MAKE IMPORTANT the net. I think that I’ve always played hard, and not been scared to go to STRIDES IN YEAR 2 the hard areas around the net and my game, all around the ice, will be better.”

As he progressed through his sophomore season, those at higher levels BY ZACH DOOLEY FOR LAKINGSINSIDER.COM continued to take note. JUNE 24, 2020 At the trade deadline, Eyssimont was mentioned by Kings General Manager as being a player having a good season, a sentiment that he followed up on during a media call during the pause in The introduction to the can be challenging for play. young players. “Mikey Eyssimont really made a step forward with some opportunities to Forward Mikey Eyssimont was not only no exception to that during his play in different situations,” Blake said. rookie campaign, but perhaps even a poster child for the transition. As one of the more highly touted first-year players during the 2018-19 With his play attracting the attention of the Kings brass, and Blake was season, the high-scoring collegiate forward Eyssimont posted a 20-point not the only member to have taken notice, was a callup potentially in campaign from 61 games played as a rookie, but put in the work over the Eyssimont’s future as the Kings approached their final games down the summer to improve into a contributor entering his second professional stretch? Indications pointed towards it being a decent possibility, as the season. Colorado native spoke to.

“I think it’s inevitable to say that a player can come in, going from playing “I’d like to think so,” he said of a possible callup had the season two games on the weekend, having all week to practice and then you continued. “I like to think in my head that I would’ve gotten called up and turn pro and you’re playing three or four games a week sometimes, plus besides some indication from some of the staff, that they’re happy with you’re traveling,” LA Kings Director of Player Development Glen Murray me and I’m doing what I’m supposed to be doing to earn that callup, I said. “It’s a tough adjustment, there’s no question about it. I think when think that there’s good indication that maybe it would’ve happened. I just we talked to him after his rookie season he understood that. He tried to stay positive and really just go into every day like it’s a tryout and understood how, after that season, he really needed to up his training to I’m trying to help the team win.” be able to last throughout the season, because practices are harder, Looking ahead, Eyssimont will be a restricted free agent, in search of his you’re practicing every day, you’re in the gym, you might be traveling, second contract with the Kings following the expiration of his two-year, there’s sometimes where it may be four games in a week, so it was an entry-level deal. With the assumption that he returns to the organization, adjustment.” the Kings development team is expecting big things as he looks to take Several people – coaches, management, broadcasters, onlookers – another positive step forward in his career. noted the improvements in Eyssimont’s game as he entered this season, “I think his season was just progressively getting better and better,” and lauded him for putting in the work during the summer to get to where Murray said. “He’s improved and now he needs to take that next step, he needed to be. and I think he’s one-hundred percent dedicated to improving his game “I think that I came into this second season with a little bit of a different and getting stronger. He’s not the biggest guy, but he’s definitely taken a attitude,” Eyssimont said. “Going through that first season, and some of couple strides, which is great to see. He listens, he wants to learn, he the struggles I had, there was a lot I took out of it that was actually wants to get better any way he can, and working with the development positive. Coming int [the 2019-20] season, I think I was just able to kind staff has been great. I’m looking forward to seeing where his next steps of get past that mental game of it, earn the trust of [the coaching staff], are next season.” that helps. I think the main thing is that I wasn’t the same skater as I was,

I think I look like a totally different skater. I want to continue to improve that, but my speed and strengths were some of the biggest things that LA Kings Insider: LOADED: 06.25.2020 helped me improve into my second year.”

During the preseason at the NHL level, Eyssimont got into a handful of NHL games with the Kings, including the Salt Lake Shootout, before he was assigned to Ontario. Eyssimont’s play on a line with Blake Lizotte and Akil Thomas was particularly praised during an early preseason tilt against Vegas.

Despite being amongst the first large group of professional players sent to the AHL, Eyssimont’s name was one that generated some buzz throughout the Kings organization, no small task for a second year player.

“He really deserved everything he got this year,” Murray said. “He worked so hard in the offseason, he came back to training camp and he really took a couple of steps. He got a few preseason games, he earned it, he earned everything he got. People in the organization were talking about him.”

With the Reign, following an up-and-down start to the season, Eyssimont took off from December on. After he was a healthy scratch in a game in Bakersfield in late-November, the St. Cloud State product went on to amass 21 points from his next 29 games played and was a big part of the Reign putting together an impressive run in the middle to backstretch of the shortened AHL season.

A large contributor to Eyssimont’s success came from getting into better areas on the ice than he did in his first season, some of the harder and greasier areas, to score goals and make plays. When watching him on the ice, you felt like he could always create a chance with limited space, which is how several of his goals this season were scored, using his improved strength and speed, along with his craftiness, in the process. 1175975 Minnesota Wild “Once you’re in an NHL team’s training camp,” Bandel said, “they don’t put your draft number on you.”

Football analysts have questions of their own. With NHL draft delayed, Gophers recruit Jake Ratzlaff now eyes football “He’s a physical football player though I’d say he’s at the lower end in border battle terms of strength compared to other guys I’ve seen,” said Helmholdt, who said he’s only seen Ratzlaff on film. “You notice it when he hits people. There’s not the same sort of impact you see with other top .” By David La Vaque Star Tribune This offseason, Ratzlaff’s strong hands have been anything but idle. His JUNE 25, 2020 — 12:00AM workouts, which can number as many as three per day, include weightlifting and on-ice training, as well as sprints and jumps on the

beach at Lake Marion in Lakeville. Rosemount football and hockey standout Jake Ratzlaff makes an In the next few months, Ratzlaff’s workouts will benefit football and impression with his handshake. hockey. And then a decision must come. “He’s got hands like suitcases,” said Chris McAlpine, a family adviser to “I’ve told him to do it on his terms,” McAlpine said. “I’ve told him, ‘If you the Ratzlaffs through Octagon Hockey. “My hand disappeared the first play hockey, we’d be tickled pink. If you play football, we’ll be big fans.’ ” time we shook hands.”

Ratzlaff, a senior this fall, and McAlpine expected to be celebrating when Ratzlaff, a big and mobile defenseman, got selected in the NHL draft Star Tribune LOADED: 06.25.2020 originally scheduled for June 26-27 in Montreal. The coronavirus pandemic indefinitely postponed the event.

And now, Ratzlaff’s elevated recruiting profile adds another wrinkle to his future athletic endeavors.

A Star Tribune All-Metro first-team football selection last fall, Ratzlaff narrowed his prospective colleges to Minnesota and Wisconsin.

Blue line or ? Ratzlaff can’t lose. But which sport will win?

“If I’m drafted in a certain place, I might play football,” said Ratzlaff, who verbally committed to play hockey at Minnesota before his freshman year of high school. “At the end of the day, it will come down to the love of the sport.”

This much is certain, sort of: Ratzlaff will play football for Rosemount this fall (provided there is a season). Then he will leave for Green Bay of the U.S. Hockey League after the season, he said, “unless I decide to play football” in college.

McAlpine said he told Ratzlaff, a 6-2, 213-pound athlete, “ ‘I wouldn’t quit football even though hockey people think you should.’ He enjoys both and he’s pretty good at both.”

Therein lies the conundrum.

“If you’re an NHL team, you have to have reservations not knowing where his commitment stands,” said Fred Bandel, a Florida Panthers scout with more than 20 years of experience evaluating NHL-caliber players. “They want to draft someone who is 100 percent committed to hockey.”

Ratzlaff ranked No. 90 out of 241 North American skaters in NHL Central Scouting’s final rankings of draft-eligible prospects. Bandel lauded him as “a big, strong defenseman who moves well. He is physical and competitive. He’s the type of guy who every team needs.”

Those same attributes made Ratzlaff a renowned last fall. He posted 126 tackles, including 12 for losses, as the Irish reached the Class 6A state quarterfinals for the first time in three years. He’s expected to play linebacker when his senior season resumes.

“He’s a Power Five-caliber prospect,” said Josh Helmholdt, Midwest recruiting analyst for Rivals.com and Yahoo Sports. “He’s prototypical sizewise for a linebacker. And college coaches like players who excel as multisport athletes. They are adaptable rather than robotic.”

Originally, Ratzlaff was considering Wisconsin or Iowa. But he developed strong interest in the Gophers last fall.

“It just felt like home so I threw them in there,” Ratzlaff said.

A decision looms, one bigger than a two-state border battle. Ratzlaff hoped to add draft results to the equation. But the missing intel might not matter.

Trepidation among NHL teams’ front offices when it comes to evaluating a prospect with options is “fair,” said McAlpine, who called getting drafted a “pretty powerful” moment. But he isn’t advising Ratzlaff to decide between hockey and football solely because of draft status. Bandel also put draft results in perspective. 1175976 Minnesota Wild

Wild players slowly return at first voluntary, small group workout at Tria Rink

By Sarah McLellan Star Tribune

JUNE 24, 2020 — 11:59PM

More than 100 days have passed since the Wild last gathered for a practice, but Tria Rink in St. Paul is no longer idle.

The Wild officially began Phase 2 of the NHL’s return to play plan Wednesday, opening its practice facility for voluntary, small group workouts.

Sessions are closed to the public, but the team posted a video on social media of goalie Devan Dubnyk, defenseman Carson Soucy and forward Ryan Hartman on the ice.

Only players from the Wild are using Tria Rink, even though NHLers could request access to another team’s facility if it was near where they were staying during the shutdown. The NHL season has been paused since March 12 because of the coronavirus pandemic.

All players and staff allowed inside the facility were to undergo testing for COVID-19 before participating, and players also needed to have pre- participation medical evaluations. Players can skate in group of up 12 while remaining socially distant during workouts on and off the ice.

Other NHL teams have had their practice rinks in use for weeks since facilities were allowed to open June 8. Since then, 11 out of 200-plus players have tested positive, the NHL said. Last week, Tampa Bay had to close its facilities after three players and additional staff members tested positive. The Lightning reportedly reopened its training sites Wednesday.

Wild training camp is scheduled to begin July 10 at Tria if the league and the players agree to restart the season. The sides need to finalize the protocols for camp and the remaining games. Already they’ve agreed to a 24-team format in two hub cities that kicks off with round-robin play for the top four teams from each conference and a best-of-five, play-in series for everyone else. Once down to 16 teams, a traditional four-round, best- of-seven playoffs will ensue for the Stanley Cup.

The Wild is set to face off against the Vancouver Canucks in the qualifying round.

If the NHL and NHL Players’ Association can reach an agreement in time to begin training camp as scheduled, the season could resume by the end of July.

In the meantime, players are preparing on their own. Forward Luke Kunin said recently he’d been skating locally with teammates Zach Parise, Eric Staal and Jordan Greenway. Players who are working out at Tria Rink aren’t allowed to skate at any other facility.

Hall chooses six

Jarome Iginla and Marian Hossa, wingers elected in their first year of eligibility, head the 2020 class for the Hockey Hall of Fame.

Iginla, the fourth black player in the Hall, played most of his career with Calgary, scoring 625 goals and finishing with 1,300 points. He’s the only black athlete in any sport to win a gold medal in the Winter Olympics. Hossa won three Stanley Cups with Chicago and had 1,134 career points.

Other 2020 inductees will be defensemen Kevin Lowe and Doug Wilson; executive Ken Holland, and Canadian women’s goaltender Kim St. Pierre. Lowe, a six-time Cup winner, and Wilson, the 1982 Norris Trophy winner, had to wait more than 20 years to be inducted. Holland, general manager of the Oilers, won three Cups as Detroit’s GM. St. Pierre backstopped Canada to three Olympic gold medals and five world championship titles.

Star Tribune LOADED: 06.25.2020 1175977 Minnesota Wild “That’s going to be the strength for Minnesota, that third-line was the real identity of that team,” the first scout said. “If they can hold serve against Vancouver’s top line, I think it gives the Wild a good chance at 5-on-5 to at least stay competitive.” Pro scouts break down Canucks vs. Wild qualifying round matchup On the back end, both scouts favoured the Wild and not by a small margin.

By Thomas Drance and Harman Dayal “The Minnesota top-four is very good, it’s dynamic, it’s always been the identity of that team,” the first scout said. “Mathew Dumba competes, Jun 24, 2020 Jared Spurgeon is so smart, he has elite, elite hockey sense. I’m a big Jonas Brodin fan, in my opinion, he has elite defensive sense. Brodin’s a great, great, great player to match up against Vancouver’s speed when In a five-game qualifying round matchup between Vancouver and you got J.T. Miller busting down the wing. He can gap up and contain, Minnesota, the Canucks are like a finely tuned, but temperamental sports he’s a very important player and a good complement for Ryan Suter. car. The Wild, if we’re to drive forward with this analogy, are akin to a dependable, sturdy sedan. “Dumba, if he’s on his game, can throw a big open-ice hit and change the momentum. He’s kind of one of those guys you want in the playoffs, he The sports car might be flashier and it might be favoured from afar, but plays with a chip on his shoulder, competes like a bastard. He’s a big- when you hit the road in your trusty sedan, you know exactly what you’re game player. going to get. “Their D-corps is a lot better than Vancouver’s and that’s gonna be the Now the question is: In a five-game series, which vehicle will reach their Canucks’ Achilles’ heel.” destination first and claim a Stanley Cup playoff spot? Our second scout largely offered the same assessment, adding that how To hear the professional scouts tell it, this is a matchup between a Wild well the Canucks defenders cope with the Wild forecheck is the bell- team that lives to frustrate their opponents, relies on a five-man game weather matchup that may determine the entire series. and plays a grinding style of hockey. In the next lane over, a high-flying offensive club in the Canucks that can strike in an instant, but can be “If Vancouver is going to win, it’ll be a series with a lot of transition prone to losing their way defensively. offense,” the second scout suggested. “The big question for the Canucks, as I see it, is whether their defence can get the puck out of their own end “The Wild have better depth, a better checking line and better overall quickly. Quinn Hughes is built for that, but I’m not sure their other guys structure in their game,” an Eastern Conference scout based in the are. Western Conference opined when asked to break down a Canucks-Wild matchup. “Minnesota plays systematically, they’re more consistent as a “That’s the key for me, the whole 5-on-5 battle comes down to how well five-man unit than the Canucks are. do the top-four guys on Vancouver that aren’t Quinn Hughes get the puck out of the zone and avoid Minnesota’s forecheck. Vancouver has to get “But, the Wild aren’t very quick,” the scout continued. “They have to play going north, and not spend too much time screwing around in their own the way they do as a five-man unit, rely on their defence to take away zone, especially against a grinding team like Minnesota. gaps and rely on their veteran forwards to be defensively aware. If they get away from that, and if Vancouver can trade chances with them, then “When the Canucks are sound, they can be really, really good. The the Wild will be in trouble.” problem is, they’re a younger group that can lose that structure quickly and they’re going to be playing against a frustrating team.” As the NHL’s return draws near, The Athletic Vancouver’s writers each reached out to an Eastern Conference professional scout based in a Goaltending Western Conference city to provide their perspective on a qualifying Vancouver and Minnesota are polar opposites in the goal prevention matchup that promises to be a fascinating contrast in pace and style. department. 5-on-5 The Canucks fill the net with aplomb but rely heavily on goaltending to Up front, the pair of scouts we spoke to shared pretty similar sentiments compensate for glaring defensive issues. The Wild, on the other hand, about both clubs: Vancouver’s top end is superior, but Minnesota’s got are notoriously stingy at preventing chances but have been sunk by the edge in terms of the overall depth of their forward group. underwhelming play between the pipes — owning an .897 team save percentage that ranks 29th in the NHL. “Vancouver’s top six is as good as arguably anyone’s in the league,” the first scout said. “This is going to be a big test for Elias Pettersson and it’ll Minnesota’s incumbent No. 1, Alex Stalock, posted a .920 save be interesting to see how he fares. They have more elite, top-end talent, percentage in 18 games following Jan. 1, but he comes into the series more 5-on-5 scoring. Tyler Toffoli is a good player and was a very good with a very limited track record. fit. “He’s not a starting goalie in the NHL, there’s no doubt about that,” the “The Wild, on the other hand, when they’re going they have that bottom- first scout said of Stalock. “You’re hoping (Devan) Dubnyk comes back. six firing. They’ll roll all four of those lines.” Dubnyk’s shown in the past, in the regular season, that he can have unbelievable stretches. He hasn’t done it in the playoffs though. If they’re Minnesota’s advantage in the quality of their depth forwards was a pretty gonna have a chance to win the series, they need to get good consistent theme, with both scouts singling out Joel Eriksson Ek goaltending. specifically as a potential difference-maker. “Stalock can give you a shot in the arm, but you’re probably going to “Honestly, I don’t think the Wild are a great matchup for Vancouver,” the have to rely on a more established starter like Dubnyk. Dubnyk’s carried second scout said. “Eriksson Ek is going to be a really interesting a big load in the regular season, he just hasn’t ever been able to string it matchup against Pettersson in this series. He’s one of the more under- together in the playoffs.” rated checking line centres in the league and he’s improved a lot in the last year-and-a-half. He’s an agitator and he’s strong, even if he’s not The skepticism about Dubnyk’s level of play going into this matchup was gifted offensively. I’d guess that’s the matchup Minnesota will want. shared by both scouts. That Vancouver has a potentially decisive edge in net obviously isn’t a secret in the lead up the series. “Even beyond that third line, you look up and down the lineup and physically, the Wild are tough to play against. They have Marcus Foligno, “Dubnyk has struggled. He’s struggled with confidence, and is prone to Ryan Hartman, Jordan Greenway, Luke Kunin — even Zach Parise is allowing bad goals, even if they do a good job limiting scoring chances,” hard to play against. The Canucks are more of a top-heavy, quick-strike added the second scout. “With the way Jacob Markstrom played this group and I don’t love the bottom end of their lineup. So I think Minnesota season, you’d have to give the advantage to Vancouver in goal.” will have an advantage rolling lines.” Markstrom has solidified himself as an upper-echelon starter over the last Vancouver’s top end is seen as more dynamic and explosive, but both 18 months or so. His .918 save percentage might not jump off the page, scouts agree that in practice, the Canucks’ potential edge up front may but data from Clear Sight Analytics and Sportlogiq that take into account be somewhat neutered by the quality of the Wild third line in particular. the porous defence in front of Markstrom, both grade him as a top-five ice-time per game (or both), the average age is north of 30. Do the same goalie this year. exercise for the seven Canucks players that qualify, and the average age is 25.7. “If Markstrom plays the way he’s been playing … he was unbelievable,” the first scout said. “He’s a Vezina candidate for me and how well he’s What will that mean for a truncated play-in series following an played this year. There’s no question that goaltending is in Vancouver’s unprecedented layoff? favour.” “The Wild are a middling team, but it’s a veteran club,” our second Special teams Eastern Conference scout said. “These guys have played a lot of games. They’re thrust into a series and nothing will be a surprise. On the other On paper, the matchup between the Canucks power play and the hand, I do think older teams might have a bit more trouble in return to Minnesota penalty kill looks like a significant mismatch in Vancouver’s play scenarios.” favour. Not so fast, cautioned one of our professional scouts. Our first Eastern Conference scout definitely wondered if the veteran “In a short series, I might be inclined to lean towards Minnesota’s penalty experience factor could work in Minnesota’s favour, and even invoked killing honestly,” our second professional scout said. “They just didn’t get the old “cult-like” Jacque Lemaire Wild in suggesting that the team with saves.” more veteran savvy may have an edge coming out of the long break.

The Wild power play, meanwhile, wasn’t quite as potent as Vancouver’s, “I remember the old Wild under Lemaire,” our first scout reminisced. although their second unit didn’t benefit nearly as much from the “Jacque’s teams through the first 10 games were one of the best teams bounces. Still, our second pro scout sees the Canucks holding a not in the league. They played with structure, they’re disciplined, cut shifts insignificant edge in the special teams battle. short, just rolled lines, stuck to the game plan while other teams still tried “I still think Vancouver has an edge on special teams,” our second to get their legs under them. It’s obviously a completely different team professional scout insisted. “The Vancouver power play is the more now, but it kind of reminds me of that scenario in that you’re starting over. dangerous of the two. You’re going to have to have your structure in place and maybe that’s where a veteran team like the Wild could benefit.” “On the power play, the Wild get the job done, but it doesn’t always look pretty. It’s sort of a mishmash honestly and I don’t really trust it. The Our second scout tended to disagree, however, suggesting that he thinks Canucks just move the puck around so well on the power play.” younger legs could give the Canucks a big edge in a short series.

X-factor: Kevin Fiala “I do think a long gap in play is going to make it harder for an older player to adjust to the pace of the game,” our second scout said. “If you’re in Kevin Fiala’s monstrous second-half, which featured 14 goals and 26 your mid-30s, you go through training camp, get one preseason game in points through the final 18 games of the regular season, made him a and then boom — you’re into the playoffs. Vancouver’s key guys are in lynchpin for Minnesota’s late surge. their early 20s — Hughes, Pettersson, (Brock) Boeser even Miller is young compared to some of the Wild’s key players. I don’t think that the On a Wild squad short on elite offensive talent, Fiala stands out as a age thing will be a factor later on in the playoffs, but in the qualifying potential game-breaker. Someone who can put the team on his back round, I think younger guys will have an advantage. offensively. “Just think about it, if it takes older guys like Suter, Parise, Koivu and “From a coaching perspective, they needed offense so I think they Mats Zuccarello a couple of games to warmup, they’re done.” unleashed him a little bit after the coaching change,” the second scout said. “There are streaks and there’s luck, sure, but in Fiala’s case, I think Final thoughts he’s the real deal talent wise. In that series against Vancouver, he’ll have a lot of room to maneuver. There are so many differences when comparing the Canucks and Wild, from roster construction to style of play. “He would be one of their three X-factors as I see it. I really think Eriksson Ek is the biggest one, to be honest. But Fiala is crucial to the Zoom out and consider the whole picture though, and it’s apparent that Wild offense. I’d also add in Devan Dubnyk because there’s a lot of these teams are actually evenly matched. reasons to be skeptical about his level of performance.” Both scouts agreed that Vancouver’s success in this series will hinge on The first scout was a little bit more hesitant on Fiala. He doesn’t deny the the blue line’s ability to transition the puck quickly out of the defensive 23-year-old’s electric offensive tools but is leery about the other parts of zone. As much as that element of the game is about avoiding getting his game. bogged down in their own end, the key in moving north quickly is that the transition game is essential for a Canucks team that will need to get “All eyes are gonna be on him because he wants to be the guy, he’s got meaningful production from their top-end talent to defeat the Wild. a chance to make a statement. But the fair question is, can you win with him in the playoffs?” the first scout wondered. “He turns pucks over in “Vancouver is well-favoured,” the first scout said. “I’d take Minnesota’s D bad places at bad times, he’s got selfishness, he doesn’t really manage well ahead of Vancouver’s, but talent wins.” the game all that well, especially for a tight series where one play can The Canucks may have an advantage in terms of high-end skill, but turn the momentum. Minnesota’s grinding style could prove to be a neutralizing force — at Kevin Fiala least if they get enough saves.

“Fiala’s a dynamic player when he’s going, real high-end skill, he can “The Wild are gonna have to play their game, stick to it and the bottom make plays that other players can’t. Most importantly, he found six is gonna have to be really good to give them a chance,” continued the consistency and that’s always been a knock. first scout. “I think Minnesota can (get that from the bottom six), but their goaltending is going have to give them a push along the way.” “He’s the focal point for Minnesota’s unknown upside. He can dominate and give them a chance to surprise a team or two, but this is just me — So how do these scouts score the overall matchup? In fancier, more I’m skeptical on him. hockey-specific language: it’s a coin flip.

“I don’t trust him with turning pucks over, not working the backcheck, little “I give Vancouver the goaltending matchup. And the forward matchup, subtleties — the things you need in a playoff series. He’s earned all the but not by as much as you’d think based on the face value of praise he got this year with his consistency no doubt, but he’s going to Vancouver’s top players,” the second scout said. “Obviously, you give have to earn it the hard way in the playoffs.” Minnesota the edge on defense. Overall though, I don’t think there’s too much to choose from between these two. The age thing “Either team can be better over five games.” Age comparisons across teams can be deceptive. All older teams have a young guy or two and most younger teams have a couple of greybeards.

Still, on the whole, and particularly among their key contributors, the The Athletic LOADED: 06.25.2020 Canucks are a significantly younger team than the Wild. Of the eight players on Minnesota who were either in the top-five in team scoring or 1175978 Minnesota Wild “That’s not exactly a good runner-up (prize),” MacLean said, laughing, of missing out on the higher pick in the entry draft, which took place 20 years ago Wednesday. “I remember thinking that day, ‘What a way to start this franchise off, losing this damn coin toss.’” ‘Damn coin toss’: The twist of fate that defined the early Wild and Blue Jackets Twice!

It really is amazing how a flick of the wrist by a league official, coupled with gravity and the hard surface of a table causing a silver coin to By Michael Russo and Aaron Portzline bounce a certain way, can initiate the paths of two NHL franchises.

Jun 24, 2020 The NHL Draft always seems to go in cycles, and there are some drafts — like, 1979, 1988, and 2003 — that are jam-packed with franchise-

altering players that litter not only the first round but beyond. The early fate of two new NHL franchises hung in the balance on June 1, And then, there are some classes like 2000 that are simply not as strong. 2000, when NHL deputy commissioner Bill Daly led a small contingent into a board room inside the Hilton across from the Meadowlands Sports There were two game-breaking scorers at the top of the draft — Dany Complex in New Jersey. Heatley and Marian Gaborik, then a steep decline from there. The top six picks in the 2000 draft would wind up combining for 4,765 regular-season It was the morning of Game 2 of the Stanley Cup Final. Across the games, but only 11 of the remaining 24 players taken in the first round highway from the vast hotel, the New Jersey Devils would play host to even played more than 200 games. the Dallas Stars that evening. And once then-Islanders GM Mike Milbury decided to blow a hole With the Manhattan skyline in view just over the Hudson River, the New through his franchise by trading both his goalies — Roberto Luongo and York Rangers, in typical I-don’t-give-a-$%&# fashion, rattled the hockey Kevin Weekes — on the morning of the 2000 draft and thus making it world and did their best to upstage both nearby events that same apparent he was going to draft Rick DiPietro first overall, it made the burn morning with the news that legendary Edmonton Oilers boss Glen Sather of not winning that coin toss three weeks earlier sting once again for would become their next general manager. MacLean. But still, all of that outside noise did nothing to quell the excitement in that That’s because it cinched the fact that Minnesota would be able to select boardroom, where Columbus Blue Jackets GM Doug MacLean and Gaborik or Heatley third overall. Minnesota Wild GM Doug Risebrough gathered on either side of Daly, forming a half-circle around a high-top cocktail table covered by a “It was so frustrating,” MacLean said. “The fact that us and Minny are tablecloth with the NHL shield on it. coming into the first-year expansion with two teams after Nashville and Atlanta had already come in, and we’re picking third and fourth in the Daly held a specially made coin in his hands: the Wild logo on one side, draft? Like, it was a joke, totally a joke.” the Blue Jackets logo on the other. 2000 NHL Entry Draft: Top six picks The winner of the coin flip — these were simpler times, remember — would get to choose between picking first in the expansion draft or 1 picking third in the entry draft, both of which were set for later that month in Calgary. Islanders

This was a seminal moment for two franchises — two excited hockey Rick DiPietro markets — and yet it was Daly’s hands that were trembling. G “Bill is a confident guy, but I couldn’t believe how nervous he was,” 318 Risebrough said. 130-136, 2.87 GAA, .902 Sv% “Bill gets all the big jobs at the league,” MacLean cracked. 2 “(Daly) was like, ‘Here’s what we’re going to do: We’re going to flip this coin. It’s going to land on the table,’” Risebrough recalled. Thrashers

The scene that followed was right out of a Leslie Nielsen movie. Dany Heatley

“He flips the coin, the coin hits the table and it falls into my feet right F below me,” Risebrough said. “I look down and I see the Wild logo facing up.” 869

Risebrough was ecstatic … until Daly lunged down to grab the coin. 372 G, 419 A, 791 PTS

“‘We have to do it again,'” Risebrough recalls Daly saying. “‘It has to land 3 on the table.'” Wild

Risebrough couldn’t believe it. Marian Gaborik

“I’m standing there thinking, ‘What are the chances of it coming up Wild F twice?'” 1035 But as fate would have it, Daly flipped the coin again and “bang,” Risebrough said, “it came up Wild again.” 407 G, 408 A, 815 PTS

“So basically,” Risebrough said, “we won the coin toss twice.” 4

That double whammy was the first kick in the teeth for a bad-luck Blue Blue Jackets Jackets franchise that would make the playoffs only once in its first 12 seasons and took until Year 18 to win a playoff round. So began a long Rostislav Klesla streak of bad breaks when it came to draft picks. D

Put it this way: Getting the higher pick in the entry draft — the third 659 overall selection as opposed to fourth — was considered the more valuable commodity than picking first in an expansion scrapheap filled 48 G, 111 A, 159 PTS with castoffs, retreads and soon-to-be retirees. 5

Islanders He said there is no doubt the Wild would have passed on Klesla and instead would have selected Hartnell. The only other option Thompson F could recall was an opportunity to trade back to the middle of the first 635 round. But Thompson said he couldn’t promise Risebrough that his second choice beyond Hartnell — Justin Williams — would still be on the 137 G, 123 A, 260 PTS board.

6 As it turned out, the Wild never had to consider trading back.

Predators “Klesla, he’s the kind of guy … you know how sometimes, there’s talented guys and you just don’t like them for some reason? That wasn’t Scott Hartnell it with Klesla at all,” Thompson said. “We actually had (Hall of Famer and F current Wild scout) Guy Lapointe follow him around as the old defenseman (himself). 1249 “And (Klesla) just … he wasn’t bad, but it’s just that we thought he was 327 G, 380 A, 707 PTS really misplaced at No. 4. I mean … he never excited me one game I saw the guy. At least with Hartnell, you knew what you were getting. He was a The top three on the Wild’s list were Gaborik, Heatley and DiPietro. little bit lead-footed and everything, but he was a character guy and I Minnesota never had any use for DiPietro because it had already swung don’t think there was … he wasn’t going to be a strikeout — put it that its first trade in franchise history to acquire Manny Fernandez and way.” selected Jamie McLennan one day earlier in the expansion draft. Hartnell went on to play 1,249 NHL games — the second-most of any “We wanted a scorer,” Risebrough said. “We were for sure taking player in the 2000 draft — and scored 327 goals, amassing 707 points Gaborik. There was no debate. Heatley was there, Gaborik was there, and 1,809 penalty minutes. Coincidentally, he played for the Blue Jackets but we had Gaborik ahead of Heatley. Once the Islanders traded Luongo, from 2014-17. we knew they were going to take DiPietro. It was between Heatley and Gaborik. I asked (then-Atlanta Thrashers GM) Donny Waddell, ‘Who you Klesla scored 48 goals and 159 points in 659 NHL games over 13 years gonna take?’ He said, ‘We’re going to take Heatley.’ I said, ‘Thanks for with the Blue Jackets and Coyotes. telling me that,’ and went back to our table and said, ‘Gaborik is going to be there.’” On the other hand, 20 years later, Gaborik is still the Wild’s all-time leading goal scorer with 219 and ranks second with 437 points in 502 The Blue Jackets’ top three were, in order, Heatley, Gaborik, and games. Rostislav Klesla, a stay-at-home defenseman from the Czech Republic. The Jackets had DiPietro fourth and Scott Hartnell fifth. To add insult to injury, Gaborik would wind up playing only 34 games for Columbus during an injury-riddled 2012-14. He’d be dealt to the Los They had considered goaltender Brent Krahn with the No. 4 overall pick if Angeles Kings at the 2014 trade deadline for a prospect and a couple of DiPietro was taken, but that faded after they acquired Marc Denis earlier picks and that year helped lead the Kings to the Stanley Cup with 14 that month in a trade with Colorado. goals during a magical playoff run.

“We loved Gaborik,” MacLean said, “and we spent a lot of time over in “I loved watching Gaborik,” MacLean said. “The breakaway speed this Slovakia with him. (Then-director of amateur scouting) Don Boyd guy had. I liked him as a kid. I even remember watching him when I was absolutely loved him. I had seen him at the World Junior the year before in L.A. at the Stanley Cup — how valuable he was, even for the Kings in in Winnipeg when he was an underage (player). It was the first time I had that Stanley Cup run late in his career. He played some great hockey, seen him.” even then. And that was after a multitude of injuries. He was a talented, talented guy.” At 2 a.m. on the day of the draft, MacLean got word that the Islanders were taking DiPietro. He then started to hear rumors out of Atlanta that There’s little doubt that “damn coin toss” set the direction of both the Thrashers were going to take the defenseman, Klesla. organizations.

MacLean was elated. If true, the Blue Jackets would be guaranteed The Wild went to the Western Conference final in only their third year of Heatley or Gaborik. existence. Gaborik, that 2002-03 season, notched his second consecutive 30-goal season and then racked up nine goals and 17 points “Then all of a sudden, (the Thrashers) take Heatley at two, so then we in the first 13 games of an 18-game postseason that ended with Jean- knew Gaborik would go three,” MacLean said. “And we end up with Sebastien Giguere and the Anaheim Ducks suffocating the Wild in a four- Klesla, which at the end of the day, obviously, we would’ve preferred game sweep. Gaborik, but Klesla ended up playing 12 years and had a pretty good career. Not what we expected when he was coming out of Brampton. He The Blue Jackets didn’t make the playoffs for the first time until 2008-09. was projected to be a much higher-end offensive player than he ended That was Gaborik’s final season in Minnesota. up being. And I don’t know if (being on an) expansion team hurt his development. “If I was trying to articulate what I wanted with that first pick, I knew Minnesota had a history with hockey. I knew they understood the game “I watched him at the World Junior. He was the All-Star defenseman and speed and skating,” Risebrough said. “I agreed with all of that. The MVP, and he looked like he was really going to be a stud. But there was automatic sell for me — instantaneous — was Gaborik because of how no doubt Gaborik was the guy that Don Boyd wanted, for sure. And so he skated. If he didn’t play as well as we wanted the first two years, that was really frustrating.” you’re still going to see a world-class skater. It’s going to start the conversation of what we’re trying to do. MacLean believes the Wild would have taken Klesla at fourth overall had Columbus won the coin toss. “But that wasn’t the case. He was dynamic right away.”

“They either have to take Klesla or pick another forward,” MacLean said. Thompson remembers one day overhearing how excited the Wild scouts “And it would have been Klesla … because it was not a good draft. It was were talking about all of the Wild’s other young guys. They did snatch up a terrible draft.” a pretty impressive collection, including defenseman Nick Schultz in the second round of the 2000 draft. To this day, Schultz’s 743 games with Risebrough didn’t know for sure which player the Wild would have taken Minnesota ranks second in franchise history behind 2001 first-round pick had they ended up with the fourth pick. Maybe he was just being nice, Mikko Koivu. but Risebrough said Klesla was in the mix while also acknowledging the Wild weren’t as intrigued by taking a “defensive defenseman” that lacked “I said, ‘Yeah, yeah, but that’s from the press box. Get down in the “offensive flash.” stands,’” Thompson said. “When you see Gaborik, you understand why the fans talk about him, the hair flew and went, the jersey floated behind On the other hand, Tommy Thompson, Risebrough’s longtime co- him. He produced offensively and he was exciting to watch. That was the assistant GM who was director of scouting back in 2000, was a little more big thing. It gave us an element that we weren’t going to have.” blunt. If the Wild had lost that coin toss, Risebrough would have had to figure out a way in those early years to swing a trade to acquire that kind of game breaker.

Or, perhaps the Wild would have been so bad, they would have earned another high draft choice that could have landed a future stud at or near the top of a subsequent year’s draft like Ilya Kovalchuk, Rick Nash or Eric Staal.

From the Blue Jackets’ perspective, “here’s how I rationalized it two or three years later,” MacLean said. “I ended up getting Nash (first overall in 2002). So I said, ‘OK, I got Nash as a franchise winger instead of Gaborik. I ended up with Klesla, who I thought was going to be a franchise defenseman. And then I got Pascal Leclaire, who looked like he was going to be a franchise goaltender until he ran into his injury problems probably about Year 7 or 8 of his pro career.

“I thought I was in pretty good shape, so I didn’t feel bad. Just didn’t turn out that way.”

Twenty years later, the Blue Jackets stunned the Tampa Bay Lightning in the first round of the 2019 playoffs.

In 2019, the Wild snapped a streak of six straight postseason berths that included advancing to the second round only twice.

In a way, they’re probably still paying for being too good too soon during those early years in large part because of how competitive Gaborik made them.

Oh, and having Jacques Lemaire as coach didn’t hurt.

Risebrough recalled a funny story from 2003.

“Lemaire calls me in for a meeting,” Risebrough said. “Oh, boy. He says, ‘We have a real problem. You’re going to have to do something, Doug. This team is playing well, we’re going to make the playoffs. If you don’t trade somebody, we’re going to make the playoffs.’ I said, ‘What’s wrong with that?’”

“(Lemaire said,) ‘There’s nothing wrong with that, but we’re going to make the playoffs and we’re not supposed to make the playoffs this early. This wasn’t the plan.’”

Risebrough thought about what Lemaire said and went back to him a few days later.

“I said, ‘Here’s the deal, Jacques. We can’t derail this right now. The players are putting too much into this, everybody is. We’re in contention. We can’t derail it by making a trade. Let’s see what happens.’”

The Wild would go on to be the first team in NHL history to rally from consecutive 3-1 series deficits, beating Colorado and Vancouver to reach the conference final.

“I was really lucky,” Risebrough said, laughing. “Not only did I win a second coin toss, but Gaborik was available.”

Risebrough probably wishes he had that lucky coin as a keepsake.

“I have no idea where the coin is,” Risebrough said. “I know (Daly) didn’t give it to us.”

The Athletic LOADED: 06.25.2020 1175979 New Jersey Devils victory short of repeating, as it lost Game 7 of the Finals to the Colorado Avalanche.

Mogilny spent the next three seasons with the , then Hockey Hall of Fame 2020: How ex-Devils stars Patrik Elias, Alexander after sitting out the lockout season in 2003-04, he rejoined the Devils as Mogilny did in voting a free agent in August 2005 on a two-year, $7-million contract. Due to a chronic hip issue, Mogilny scored just 12 goals and 25 points over 34 games in his final NHL season, which included 19 games with the AHL’s Albany River Rats to give the Devils some salary cap relief. Updated Jun 24, 2020; Posted Jun 24, 2020 Mogilny was at his best playing for Buffalo on a line centered by Hall of By Randy Miller Famer Pat LaFontaine, who remembers his former teammate as one of hockey’s best and dynamic players.

Patrik Elias scored and set up goals consistently playing 1,240 NHL “Just the talent alone, (Mogilny) was thinking the game at another level, games over two decades, all of them in a Devils sweater. The Czech left and then he had the skill to complement that hockey sense.” LaFontaine winger also defended about as well as any forward in his era. told The Athletic in May. “He was just at another level. And I just looked at him like, ‘Wow.’ The things he could do on the ice, I’ve never seen The four-time All-Star was a leader. He was first in the NHL in playoff anyone do really at that speed and that quickness and he was just he points over a 10-year span. He was a huge part of two Stanley Cup was a step ahead. He’s just phenomenal. teams. “Looking back at some of those years, those Buffalo years ... Alex was a “There wasn’t nothing that Elias couldn’t do in the game,” said highly lot of fun to watch. I was just a co-pilot on the trip.” respected TSN Canada hockey analyst Craig Button, a former NHL general manager. Like Elias, Mogilny the wait for hockey immortality continues.

Almost nothing. Elias has yet to convince the Hockey Hall of Fame’s 18- “I think they’re both Hall of Famers,” Button said. member selection committee that he’s worthy of induction.

On his second try, Elias was passed over again Wednesday when the Star Ledger LOADED: 06.25.2020 six-member 2020 class was announced.

Five former players were elected - right wings Jarome Iginla and Marian Hossa, defensemen Kevin Lowe and Doug Wilson and women’s goalie Kim St-Pierre - along executive Ken Holland as a builder. They’re tentatively scheduled to be inducted in Toronto on Hall of Fame weekend from Nov. 13-15.

Lowe, who won five Cups with the Edmonton Oilers and one with the Rangers, was elected on his 20th year of eligibility. It took just one ballot for Iginla, who is 16th all-time with 625 goals, and Hossa, who scored 525. Wilson was a seven-time All-Star who won a Norris Trophy, Pierre led Canada to three Olympic goal medals and Holland won three Cups as GM for the Detroit Red Wings

Alexander Mogilny, a dynamic Russian left winger who had a 42-goal season and won a Cup during his two stints as a Devil, was passed over for the 12th time.

Elias, 44, is the Devils’ franchise leader with 408 goals, 617 assists and 1,205 points. In January 2009, his No. 26 was retired and raised to the Prudential Center rafters along with four other franchise greats – Hall of Famers Martin Brodeur (31), (27), and (4), and Ken Daneyko (3).

“It is one of my proudest moments that I was able to spend my entire career with one team,” Elias said on his jersey retirement night.

Elias is Hall of Fame worthy, too, former Devils long-time GM told NJ Advance Media in 2017.

“Yes,” Lamoriello said. “He was a Devil all his life. He played for the logo. He didn’t cheat anything. He had tremendous talent and he had a career he and his family can be proud of.

"I had him from 18 years old to just about his whole career. He's a champion. He deserves whatever recognition and accolades that are given. He'll earn it. He played the game the right way, and I'm proud of him."

Mogilny, 51, was a four-time All-Star and ranks 53rd all-time with 473 goals. His 76 goals in 1992-93 for the Buffalo Sabres tied Teemu Selanne for the league rank and are tied for the fifth most in a season. He also scored 55 playing for the Vancouver Canucks in 1995-96.

What is keeping Mogilny out of the Hall of Fame?

“He wasn’t consistent,” Sabres former director of hockey John Muckler once said. “He’d have ups and downs and you never could get a good read on whether Alex would show up the night he was playing.”

Mogilny, 51, first joined the Devils in March 2000 in a trade from the Canucks, and he ended up being the final puzzle piece to a club that beat the Dallas Stars in the Stanley Cup Finals. The next year, Mogilny racked up 43 goals and 83 points for a Devils team that finished one 1175980 New Jersey Devils

Devils interview Rangers’ Lindy Ruff for head coaching job

By Larry Brooks

June 24, 2020 | 11:54am | Updated

Rangers’ assistant coach Lindy Ruff has been interviewed by the Devils for their vacant head coaching position, The Post has learned. Sportnet’s Elliotte Friedman was the first to report his candidacy.

Ruff, whose areas of specific responsibility are the defense and penalty kill, is in his third year with the Blueshirts. It is unclear whether the Devils would have permission to hire the 59-year-old coach before the Rangers either win the Stanley Cup or are eliminated in the planned summer tournament for which New Jersey did not qualify.

The Rangers are tentatively scheduled to begin training camp on July 10 before moving into their qualifying round matchup against the Hurricanes.

Alain Nasreddine, the interim coach under whom the team went 19-16-8 after he replaced behind the bench on Dec 3, remains a candidate for the permanent job. Gerard Gallant, Peter Laviolette and John Stevens are also believed in the running. (Tom Fitzgerald continues to operate as interim general manager, though the Devils are apparently still undecided whether he will keep the post.)

The Rangers have struggled on the defensive end of things (last in the NHL in expected five-on-five goals-against per 60 minutes) over and on the penalty kill (ranked 23d this year and over the last three years) throughout Ruff’s tenure but young defensemen Adam Fox, Ryan Lindgren and Tony DeAngelo have improved under his tutelage.

Ruff was an NHL head coach for 19 seasons (Buffalo 15 years and Dallas for four) before joining then head coach Alain Vigneault’s staff in 2017-18. He is sixth in career victories (736) and seventh in games coached (1,493).

Igor Shesterkin joined the Rangers’ small-group workout at the club’s training facility for the first time on Wednesday. Pavel Buchnevich and Ryan Lindgren have reported but are awaiting the results of their COVID- 19 tests before they are cleared to join their teammates on the ice.

New York Post LOADED: 06.25.2020 1175981 New Jersey Devils The two notable names missing from the “locks” group are Pavel Zacha and P.K. Subban. If either plays well next season, they could move into “lock” territory. Zacha’s inconsistent play and Subban’s huge salary cap number could motivate the Devils to expose them if other players perform What are the Devils’ best scenarios for the 2021 Seattle expansion draft? better and move ahead of them on the list. Zacha is closer to being a lock than Subban is, but not if the club decides to protect four defensemen.

Here’s what the Devils’ protection list could look like on June 24, 2020, By Corey Masisak based on which option the club chooses: Jun 24, 2020 Scenario 1: 7-3-1

Forwards: Joey Anderson, Jesper Bratt, , Michael McLeod, If the 2019-20 NHL season had finished on time, we would be 12 months , Pavel Zacha, Travis Zajac away from the 2021 expansion draft for the Seattle franchise. Defensemen: Will Butcher, Damon Severson, P.K. Subban The 2020-21 league calendar remains in limbo, largely dependent on Goaltender: Mackenzie Blackwood how the plan to finish this season pans out over the next several months. We have projected what the Devils’ protection list might look like and The big decision here comes with the final two forward spots. It’s easy to which player(s) they could lose to Seattle, both during the 2018-19 add Zacha and Anderson, but the last two spots are more difficult season and before the “Summer of (Ray) Shero” 2019 offseason because it means choosing between the veterans (Zajac and Miles occurred. It’s time for an updated projection. Wood) and the kids who are closest to being NHL ready (namely McLeod, Janne Kuokkanen and Nick Merkley). One more season with Let’s recap the rules from the Vegas expansion draft, which the NHL has McLeod, Kuokkanen and Merkley, not to mention other prospects like already told its GMs would be the same for the Seattle franchise. Marian Studenic and Nathan Bastian, could play a big part in this Teams can protect seven forwards, three defensemen and one goalie, or decision. four forwards, four defensemen and one goalie. I split the difference, protecting Zajac even though he could be a pending All players with current no-movement clauses must be protected. UFA, and McLeod, because the current administration believes he is going to be an NHL regular and can play center while the other cannot. All first- and second-year professionals and unsigned draft choices are Arguments to protect Wood, Kuokkanen or Merkley are valid. Any of the exempt. three could be an inviting selection for Seattle. The Devils could swing a trade to keep Seattle from selecting one or more of them, but a few of Players with career-threatening injuries who have missed the past 60- those deals during the Vegas process proved costly and NHL GMs might plus games or have been confirmed to have career-threatening injuries be hesitant to go that route again. are not allowed to be used to fulfill exposure requirements A case could be made to protect Mirco Mueller or Connor Carrick and First, here are the Devils who will be exempt from the process: dare Seattle not to take on Subban’s $9 million cap hit, but neither of — Jesper Boqvist, Jack Hughes, Nikita Gusev, Mikhail Maltsev, Gilles them cemented their place this season as a long-term answer on the Senn, Fabian Zetterlund blueline. Maybe one of them can do so next year.

— Any draft pick who has yet to play for Binghamton or New Jersey Scenario 2: 4-4-1

A team official confirmed Gusev is not eligible. He did sign a one-year Forwards: Jesper Bratt, Nico Hischier, Kyle Palmieri, Pavel Zacha contract with Vegas for the 2018-19 season (in April 2019, to burn off his Defensemen: Will Butcher, Mirco Mueller, Damon Severson, P.K. entry-level contract), but he didn’t play any games for the Golden Subban Knights. Goaltender: Mackenzie Blackwood Here are the players who are under team control for next season and are not exempt. They will either need to be protected or exposed: Choosing this path on June 24 means protecting Mueller (or Connor Carrick, or Colton White) instead of a trio of forwards that likely includes Forwards: Joey Anderson, Nathan Bastian, Jesper Bratt, Brandon Anderson and two of the players on the bubble we just discussed. The 7- Gignac, John Hayden, Nico Hischier, Janne Kuokannen, Nick Merkley, 3-1 plan is the most sensible route. Michael McLeod, Kyle Palmieri*, Nate Schnarr, Brett Seney, Yegor Sharangovich, Marian Studenic, Miles Wood, Pavel Zacha, Travis Zajac* The decision, though, might not be as easy in 2021 based on how the rest of the year transpires. Defensemen: Will Butcher, Connor Carrick*, Josh Jacobs, Mirco Mueller, Colby Sissons, Damon Severson, P.K. Subban, Matt Tennyson*, Colton What happens after a busy offseason? White The Devils’ roster changed significantly from early June until late July last Goalies: Mackenzie Blackwood, Evan Cormier, Cory Schneider year. They added Subban, Gusev and . What happens if the Devils have another active offseason, whenever it actually * Will be a pending UFA in the offseason before the 2021-22 season. happens? These players can be protected or exposed. If exposed, Seattle will have a 48-hour window to negotiate with and sign them before the draft starts. Interim general manager Tom Fitzgerald said that adding to the defense If they are selected during the draft, Seattle would gain their exclusive corps, with size, hardness and the ability to move pucks, would be at the negotiating rights until free agency begins. top of his wish list. If that means the addition of one veteran defenseman, the team’s expansion draft plan might not change too much. Let’s identify the Devils’ locks to be protected, then work through both scenarios (seven forwards, three defensemen, one goalie vs. 4-4-1), and It could force the Devils to choose between Subban and the new veteran how offseason shopping plans could affect New Jersey’s plans. defenseman as the third player protected at the position. If Subban improves in his second year with the Devils, they could be more The locks convinced to go the 4-4-1 route. Forwards: Jesper Bratt, Nico Hischier, Kyle Palmieri If the Devils add two defensemen who need to be protected, this gets Defensemen: Will Butcher, Damon Severson more interesting. If New Jersey can land a younger defenseman from a salary cap-squeezed club, that player could quickly become a lock to be Goaltender: Mackenzie Blackwood protected as part of the long-term plan. And what if the second addition is This list assumes all of these players are on the roster at the end of next a veteran with term left on his contract? season. If Palmieri hasn’t signed a contract at this point, the Devils likely Pick three from this group: won’t want to lose him — or the ability to trade his negotiating rights — to Seattle for nothing. Damon Severson P.K. Subban

Will Butcher

Younger defenseman

Veteran defenseman with term

That could lead the Devils to expose Subban and even Butcher or use the 4-4-1 plan, at which point one of those five would still be available to Seattle.

The Devils could also add another forward, specifically a wing, to provide goal-scoring and veteran leadership alongside Palmieri and Zajac. It could be a player on a one-year deal, similar to Simmonds. But if it is someone with term left on his contract, the Devils’ decisions at forward will be even tougher.

Then there is the goaltending. The specter of the expansion draft could have a direct effect on what the Devils do at the position.

If the Devils go into next season with Blackwood and Cory Schneider, it’s all but certain they’ll protect the one who turns 24 in December. If New Jersey does want to add a goaltender to compete with Schneider, or even to replace him, the pool of free agents who would consider joining the Devils might be limited. Even if the Devils offer a multi-year contract, that goaltender is going to know he’s almost certain to be left exposed.

Three years ago, the Devils protected four forwards (Palmieri, Zajac, and ), four defensemen (Severson, Andy Greene, John Moore and Mueller, who had just been acquired from San Jose) and Schneider. Vegas selected Jon Merrill and he’s been a solid depth defensemen for them.

The Athletic LOADED: 06.25.2020 1175982 New York Islanders

Laura Curran: Nassau Coliseum still a viable option for Islanders next season

By Andrew Gross [email protected] @AGrossNewsday

Updated June 24, 2020 11:33 PM

Mikhail Prokhorov and the Russian billionaire’s Onexim Group can say they’ve shut NYCB Live’s Nassau Coliseum because of the financial difficulties the COVID-19 pandemic has brought.

But Nassau County Executive Laura Curran said Wednesday in a radio interview the Islanders’ longtime home rink is still a viable option for the next NHL season before the team plans to move into its under- construction arena at Belmont Park in October, 2021.

“I’m really hoping we can have a great season with the Islanders in the Coliseum before Belmont opens,” Curran said on 1010 WINS. “I do know that the next time the Islanders do play in New York, it will be in Nassau County.”

Prokhorov is seeking investors to take over the Coliseum’s lease and assume the remaining $100 million in debt.

New York Gov. Andrew M. Cuomo announced on Feb. 29 the Islanders would play all their home games in 2020-21 at the Coliseum after splitting home games during this paused season and last season between Barclays Center and Uniondale.

“Of course, the pandemic has changed a lot,” Curran said. “What I can tell you is there are conversations going on. Very important, big conversations happening and I’m an optimistic person.”

Newsday LOADED: LOADED: 06.25.2020 1175983 New York Rangers

Devils interview Rangers’ Lindy Ruff for head coaching job

By Larry Brooks

June 24, 2020 | 11:54am | Updated

Rangers’ assistant coach Lindy Ruff has been interviewed by the Devils for their vacant head coaching position, The Post has learned. Sportnet’s Elliotte Friedman was the first to report his candidacy.

Ruff, whose areas of specific responsibility are the defense and penalty kill, is in his third year with the Blueshirts. It is unclear whether the Devils would have permission to hire the 59-year-old coach before the Rangers either win the Stanley Cup or are eliminated in the planned summer tournament for which New Jersey did not qualify.

The Rangers are tentatively scheduled to begin training camp on July 10 before moving into their qualifying round matchup against the Hurricanes.

Alain Nasreddine, the interim coach under whom the team went 19-16-8 after he replaced John Hynes behind the bench on Dec 3, remains a candidate for the permanent job. Gerard Gallant, Peter Laviolette and John Stevens are also believed in the running. (Tom Fitzgerald continues to operate as interim general manager, though the Devils are apparently still undecided whether he will keep the post.)

The Rangers have struggled on the defensive end of things (last in the NHL in expected five-on-five goals-against per 60 minutes) over and on the penalty kill (ranked 23d this year and over the last three years) throughout Ruff’s tenure but young defensemen Adam Fox, Ryan Lindgren and Tony DeAngelo have improved under his tutelage.

Ruff was an NHL head coach for 19 seasons (Buffalo 15 years and Dallas for four) before joining then head coach Alain Vigneault’s staff in 2017-18. He is sixth in career victories (736) and seventh in games coached (1,493).

Igor Shesterkin joined the Rangers’ small-group workout at the club’s training facility for the first time on Wednesday. Pavel Buchnevich and Ryan Lindgren have reported but are awaiting the results of their COVID- 19 tests before they are cleared to join their teammates on the ice.

New York Post LOADED: 06.25.2020 1175984 New York Rangers

Igor Shesterkin takes the ice at the NY Rangers' facility Wednesday for Phase 2

Vincent Z. Mercogliano, NHL Writer

Published 2:47 p.m. ET June 24, 2020 | Updated 7:48 p.m. ET June 24, 2020

The New York Rangers' presumed-No. 1 goalie has begun skating and working out at the team's practice facility in Tarrytown.

Rookie Igor Shesterkin officially took the ice at the MSG Training Center on Wednesday, making it a total of eight Rangers who are currently participating in Phase 2 of the NHL's "Return to Play" plan.

Forwards Artemi Panarin, Chris Kreider, Brendan Lemieux and Phil Di Giuseppe and defensemen Adam Fox, Marc Staal and Brendan Smith were the initial seven who showed up when the facility first opened the week of June 8.

Shesterkin had been training in Florida, where he was spotted in Instagram videos taking shots from Washington Capitals star and other NHLers.

Forward Pavel Buchnevich has also returned to New York and is expected to be the next player to join after he's cleared. So far, none of the Rangers who have shown up have tested positive for COVID-19.

More players are on the way, with defenseman Ryan Lindgren expected to arrive soon. Forward Kaapo Kakko and goalie Alexandar Georgiev are planning to travel back from Europe later this week, according to Newsday.

Beginning Tuesday, the league expanded Phase 2's small-group activities from six players allowed at a time to 12.

Shesterkin, 24, burst on the scene after debuting in early January, seizing the starting goalie role by going 10-2 with a .932 save percentage and a 2.52 goals against average.

Team president John Davidson said last week that the Rangers will keep an "open mind" when it comes to picking their goalie for the anticipated qualifying round series against the Carolina Hurricanes, adding, "We have to go with who you think is going to give us the best chance to win."

The expectation is that it will be Shesterkin over Georgiev and veteran .

Phase 3, which will be full-squad training camps for all teams who qualified for the approved 24-team tournament, is scheduled to begin July 10.

Bergen Record LOADED: 06.25.2020

1175985 Ottawa Senators general manager of the San Jose Sharks, but he’s being honoured for his career as a player with Chicago for 14 seasons.

He had 237 goals and 827 points in 1,024 NHL games before he retired Former Senators winger Marian Hossa, Ottawa's Doug Wilson among in 1993 and was surprised when he got the emotional phone call from Hall inductees McDonald.

“I can’t even put it into words because, first of all, I don’t even know if I’m worthy,” Wilson told McDonald when he was informed of the news. “But, I Bruce Garrioch know this, I’m not even a Hall of Famer in my house, it’s my wife (Kathy).”

The video of the phone call to Wilson is neat because he put Kathy on "I'm really grateful. I have nothing but great memories of my time in the the phone so that McDonald could inform her of the decision and you capital." could certainly hear the emotion in her voice. Not everybody with connections to Ottawa was snubbed by the Hockey “I’ve got tears in my eyes myself,” said McDonald. Hall of Fame on Wednesday. McDonald noted on a conference call the competition is tough and While fans in the national capital were waiting to have a celebration for patience is involved. former Senators captain Daniel Alfredsson, the 18-member selection committee decided to take a pass on his induction for the fourth time. But “Sometimes, people have to understand, it’s not only that you have to get they did name former Senators winger Marian Hossa and longtime NHL 75 per cent of the votes, it may be who you’re up against when you get defenceman Doug Wilson, an Ottawa native, among the six inductees nominated that year. Sometimes it’s timing,” he said. announced by chairman Lanny McDonald on Wednesday afternoon. Wilson said he never really thought about getting into the Hall. The 41-year-old Hossa, who was on the ballot for the first time, was selected by the Senators No. 12 overall in the 1997 draft and went on to “It was unexpected when you look at all the great players that have a highly successful career. He spent seven seasons with the organization played this game,” said Wilson. “To me it was unexpected, there’s people before former general manager John Muckler decided to deal him to the that are more deserving than me. The phone call caught me off guard. Atlanta Thrashers in August 2005 in exchange for winger Dany Heatley The timing never meant a thing to me.” because of a contract dispute. Ottawa Sun LOADED: 06.25.2020 Speaking on a conference call with reporters, Hossa noted he appreciated starting his career with the Senators.

“Getting the chance to get drafted by the Ottawa Senators at the beginning of my career, it’s unreal and it went (by) so fast and here we are on a phone call and I’m getting into the Hockey Hall of Fame,” said Hossa, one of the most humble people you’ve ever met.

“I’m really grateful. I have nothing but great memories of my time in the capital of Canada in Ottawa when I started my career. Getting the chance to play for Jacques Martin in my early days and we had great players like Daniel Alfredsson, and great guys in Ottawa. I had a great seven years in Ottawa and nothing but great memories.”

That’s a deal that is still widely debated because Hossa went on to win three Stanley Cups with the Chicago Blackhawks. He’s the only player in NHL history to make a trip to the final with three different teams in consecutive seasons, including Pittsburgh in 2008, Detroit in 2009 and Chicago in 2010.

He ended up signing a 12-year deal with the organization.

In 1,309 career NHL games, Hossa had 525-609-1,134 points. He had 52 goals and 149 points in 205 playoff games. Anybody will tell you that Hossa was the type of performer who played with his heart and soul every night.

He laid it on the line, he worked hard and he started his career having to overcome a devastating knee injury he suffered in the Memorial Cup final playing for the .

One of the lasting Images in Ottawa was Hossa sitting on the ice looking helpless after the New Jersey Devils kept the Senators from their dream of going to the Stanley Cup final in 2003 when Jeff Friesen scored the winner late in Game 7 at the .

There was no disappointment in Ottawa when Hossa hoisted the trophy with the Hawks for the first time in 2010, and again in 2013 and another time in 2015 because he was always highly regarded here. He was forced to retire at the end of the 2016-17 campaign because of a skin disorder.

He was thrilled to be in this year’s class.

“This means so much to me and my family,” said Hossa. “It’s amazing to be in these amazing group of players I was looking up to when I was kid trying to make the National Hockey League.”

Though Hossa was on the ballot for the first time, Wilson’s induction ended a long wait.

The 62-year-old Wilson, who spent three years playing for the legendary Brian Kilrea with the Ottawa 67’s from 1974 to 1977, has been a longtime 1175986 Ottawa Senators The issue for Alfredsson now is that he has fallen into a cycle of those waiting for their induction. We’ve found out there’s no way to predict what route this committee will take because there wasn’t a whole lot of speculation about Holland and Lowe leading up to the announcement. Former Senators captain Daniel Alfredsson passed up for entry into Hockey Hall of Fame “The Cups play a factor, not a determining factor, but it plays a factor,” said John Ferguson Jr., executive director of player personnel for the Boston Bruins. “It doesn’t mean that he’s not going to be considered. Is there some aspect to the fact that, yes, it’s a Canadian market, but not a Bruce Garrioch large Canadian market like the two on either side of them (Montreal and Toronto).

Daniel Alfredsson will have to wait for the call to the hallowed hall, again. “That might play some role in keeping him out, thus far.”

The former Ottawa Senators captain, who suited up for the club for 14 Alfredsson shouldn’t lose hope, though. Wilson, the San Jose Sharks GM seasons, was passed over by the Hockey Hall of Fame selection and an Ottawa native, hasn’t suited up in the NHL for 24 years, was committee when this year’s class was announced Wednesday afternoon. named as an inductee on Wednesday. That means Alfredsson and the fans in the city should never give up hope for the possibility of his The 47-year-old Alfredsson, the club’s captain from 1999 until he spent invitation to the hall. his final year with the Detroit Red Wings in 2013-14, was hoping to be the first player in the modern day history of the franchise to be drafted by As TSN’s director of scouting Craig Button noted at the end of the the club and named to the hall. broadcast Wednesday, he always felt Wilson and Lowe both had Hall of Fame careers. He said he expects, down the road, that former Pittsburgh That honour, however, now belongs to former Ottawa winger Marian goalie Tom Barrasso, Calgary winger Theoren Fleury and Alfredsson will Hossa, who was among the six inductees into the Class of 2020 — be inducted some day. Calgary’s Jarome Iginla, Chicago’s Doug Wilson, Edmonton’s Kevin Lowe, Canadian goaltender Kim St-Pierre and Ken Holland. Back to the familiar phrase of just wait until next year.

This was Alfredsson’s fourth year of eligibility and there was Ottawa Sun LOADED: 06.25.2020 disappointment across Ottawa when the news was announced. He finished his career with a 444-713-1,157 scoring line in 1,246 games and had another 100 points (51-49) in 121 playoff games with the Senators.

His regular-season numbers place him 54th among all NHL scorers and he won the Calder Trophy as the NHL’s rookie-of-the-year in 1996.

Not only did he help take the Senators to the Stanley Cup final in 2007 against the Anaheim Ducks, Alfredsson was a player who paid the price every night. He was widely respected because he was as good defensively as he was offensively and led the way with a work ethic that was difficult to match.

Selected No. 133 overall in the sixth round by the late John Ferguson Sr., Alfredsson also had an incredible career overseas and was named to the IIHF Hall of Fame in 2018. He suited up for Sweden at the Olympics five times and helped lead the country to gold in 2006 at , Italy.

The push has been on to get Alfredsson into the HHOF since he became eligible three years ago but he hasn’t able to receive the 75% of support needed from the 18-member committee to get over the top.

The organization and his former teammates will be disappointed for Alfredsson, though a best-case scenario will seen him one day go into the hall with late Senators general manager Bryan Murray, who remains a top candidate in the builders category.

“I would love to see Alfie get in,” former Senators centre told Toronto reporters on Tuesday afternoon. “I hope he gets the respect he deserves in terms of voting. He’s a guy that didn’t win in the NHL, but won a lot internationally. He was a guy that was a role model for me.

“In Ottawa, he’s the guy that really helped bring that club to respectability and did so much for the community on and off the ice … I can’t say I’m not rooting for him. He’s been eligible for a couple of years and it feels like this year he might have a little bit more of a chance.”

Committee member Pierre McGuire talked about the secrecy of the process during his daily call on TSN 1200 on Wednesday morning, but said every aspect of a player’s game is studied before a decision is made.

To get into the HHOF, you need someone to lobby on your behalf by making a presentation.

“There’s debate, there’s discussion and there’s open-ended debate, too,” said McGuire. “People are challenged, but more times than not, I would say it’s an amazingly intense and educational environment. You may think you know a lot about a player that’s involved in the selection process and, all of a sudden, you find out other things because somebody has done some amazing research.

“You sit there and you say: ‘Wow, I didn’t know that about that person’. It’s intense, but it’s also very informational and right . I’ve really enjoyed the process.” 1175987 Philadelphia Flyers

Jarome Iginla among 6 named to Hockey Hall of Fame; former Flyers star Rod Brind’Amour bypassed

by Sam Carchidi,

Six members were named to the Hockey Hall of Fame on Wednesday, including former NHL stars Jarome Iginla, Marian Hossa, Kevin Lowe, and Doug Wilson.

Ken Holland, the architect of a Detroit Red Wings dynasty, was selected in the builder’s category, and Kim St-Pierre, a standout goalie of the Canadian women’s national team throughout the 2000s, rounded out the choices.

Rod Brind’Amour, a former star center with the Flyers and Carolina and the best defensive forward of his generation, was again bypassed.

The induction ceremony will be held in Toronto and is tentatively set for Nov. 16, but the date could change based on when the 2020-21 NHL season begins.

Iginla, who will become the fourth Black player ever inducted, was an easy choice for the 18-member selection committee. The right winger was chosen in his first year of eligibility.

A longtime star with Calgary, Iginla collected 1,300 points, including 625 goals, in a 20-year career that also had stops in Pittsburgh, Boston, Colorado, and Los Angeles.

Iginla, who had 12 straight seasons with at least 30 goals, sounded overwhelmed after hearing the news he would be enshrined.

“Just making the NHL was such a thrill,” he said.

Iginla, a humble sort, said he didn’t begin playing hockey at a young age.

“I started when I was 7, and that was kind of late ... but I caught up,” he said.

Jarome Iginla, Hockey Hall of Famer. pic.twitter.com/n2GcPXFuuA

— TSN (@TSN_Sports) June 24, 2020

Like Iginla, Hossa was a consistent scorer. The big right winger had eight seasons with at least 30 goals and finished his 19-year career with 1,134 points (525 goals, 609 assists) in 1,309 games. Hossa played for five teams (Ottawa, Atlanta, Pittsburgh, Detroit, and Chicago) and won three Cups with the Blackhawks.

Lowe, a defensive-minded defenseman who was a seven-time All-Star, is the seventh player from the 1984-85 and 1986-87 Edmonton Oilers to win Cups in those seasons -- the Flyers were the victims both times -- and later be named to the Hall of Fame. Overall, he won six Cups -- five with Edmonton and one with the New York Rangers, who ended a 54- year drought in 1993-94.

Wilson was a star defenseman with Chicago. He had 827 points in 1,024 career games with the Blackhawks and San Jose, and he captured the Norris Trophy as the league’s best defenseman in 1981-82 while finishing in the top five on three other occasions.

Holland was the general manager who steered Detroit to three Stanley Cups (1998, 2002, 2008), and he was an assistant GM when the Red Wings swept the Flyers in the 1997 Final.

St-Pierre was a three-time Olympian and a five-time IIHF champion. She won three Olympic gold medals with Canada and five World Championships.

Brind’Amour, now Carolina’s head coach, was bypassed despite an outstanding career (452 goals and 1,184 points) in which he won the Selke Trophy twice as the NHL’s best defensive forward and the Stanley Cup in 2006 with the Hurricanes.

Former Flyers coach Ken Hitchcock, who won a Cup while coaching Dallas, was also among the candidates the committee didn’t select. Hitchcock’s 849 career wins are third most in NHL history.

Philadelphia Inquirer / Daily News LOADED: 06.25.2020 1175988 Philadelphia Flyers No longer did Myers look like a rookie. Philadelphia Inquirer / Daily News LOADED: 06.25.2020

Now healthy, blossoming rookie Phil Myers ready to help Flyers when NHL play resumes

by Sam Carchidi,

Even if the NHL’s regular season hadn’t been paused -- and later declared finished -- on March 12, Flyers rookie defenseman Phil Myers wouldn’t have played until the playoffs.

A fractured right kneecap, suffered when he blocked a shot taken by Buffalo’s Jack Eichel on March 7, took Myers out of the lineup. But the Flyers played only one more game before the coronavirus stopped the season.

At the time, little did anyone know that the games probably wouldn’t resume until about five months later -- that is, if they are played, probably starting in early August.

So the 6-foot-5, 210-pound Myers, who was expected to miss a month, is now healthy and ready to return if/when the Flyers play in a round-robin tournament against Boston, Tampa Bay, and Washington.

Myers, who drove 13 hours from the Canadian maritime province of New Brunswick to South Jersey to attend the volunteer workouts, began skating in small-group sessions with his teammates Monday and continued Wednesday.

“I’ve been rehabbing it while I was home and I’ve been working hard and working out,” he said after Wednesday’s workout at the Skate Zone in Voorhees. “I just have to get back to skating now. I hadn’t skated much at home, so it’s good to be back in a routine. I never needed surgery, so it was a smooth recovery and it’s coming along good.”

Rookie defenseman Phil Myers at the #Flyers’ training facility today. Photo: Zack Hill. pic.twitter.com/ky5uap2sId

— Sam Carchidi (@BroadStBull) June 24, 2020

Myers, 23, progressed nicely this season. In 50 games, he had four goals, 16 points, and a plus-17 rating -- tied for second among NHL rookies and second on the Flyers, behind Sean Couturier (plus 21).

“I thought it went well for the most part,” Myers said. “Obviously I had some ups and downs at the start, but after Christmas, I thought I was playing some consistent hockey and I earned some of the coaches’ trust. Overall, I’m pretty happy how the first season went, but there’s still lots of work left to do. I’m just going to keep working hard, stay humble, and go from there.”

Myers called it a “privilege” to be back at the Flyers’ practice facility. Ten players have been working out there, and their other teammates are skating near their homes in the United States, Canada, and Europe.

More players filter into the area each day as the NHL inches closer to July 10, the date training camps will start if the league and the players’ association agree on safety and healthy issues.

When/if play resumes, Myers figures to be on the second pairing with Travis Sanheim. The other projected pairings: Ivan Provorov and Matt Niskanen, and Justin Braun and Robert Hagg. Barring an injury, Shayne Gostisbehere will probably be the extra defender.

Like Sanheim earlier in his career, Myers went through an adjustment period in the season’s first few months, then found his niche as he gained confidence.

Myers said the speed is a lot different in the NHL than it was when he played with the AHL’s Phantoms.

“For me, I just tried to do my job and not try to do too much,” he said. “That’s why I had a pretty good season. When I was keeping it simple, that’s when I was playing my best hockey, so I’m just going to keep doing that and hopefully things will go well for me.”

With Myers and Sanheim contributing a combined eight points and a plus-9 rating, the Flyers won nine straight shortly before the season was paused, helping the team allow just 1.89 goals per game during that span. 1175989 Philadelphia Flyers wants to be the guy again. I believe now that the knee is getting back to where it needs to be, we could see that happen.

B for Gostisbehere. 2019-20 Flyers season grades: Shayne Gostisbehere Fordyce

This is a tough one; Ghost had a tough season. Gostisbehere would tell By Brooke Destra, Katie Emmer, Taryn Hatcher, Joe Fordyce, Jordan you himself that this was not a great season. He was in and out of the Hall June 24, 2020 12:50 PM lineup and had stretches of injury. Ghost looked like a shell of the player we saw come up a few years ago who totally reinvigorated the Flyers' team, particularly on the power play.

The 2019-20 NHL regular season has concluded and the next time the I believe most of Ghost’s difficulties have to do with confidence. When puck drops will officially kick off the race to the Stanley Cup. The Flyers Ghost is a confident player, it’s visible on the ice, perhaps more than any are hungry and ready to battle it out, but that is thanks to the hard work player I’ve ever seen. When Ghost makes the little fake at the blue line from back in October. and stick handles deep into the offensive zone, that’s a confident Ghost. With the exception of a small stretch this season, we didn’t see that In an End to End series, NBC Sports Philadelphia’s Brooke Destra, Katie player much of the time. Emmer, Taryn Hatcher, Joe Fordyce and Jordan Hall will be grading players based on individual performances. Ghost has been the subject of trade rumors the past two seasons, so maybe the weight of that on his mind has affected his play. Either way, Today we will be looking at Shayne Gostisbehere. the Flyers need a confident Ghost going forward. Whether he’s in the Destra lineup for the round robin and playoffs or for next season, there are big decisions involving his future that have to be made. There’s no denying Gostisbehere struggled for the majority of the 2019- 20 season. From injuries to never fully getting his legs under him and all Overall, a C- for Gostisbehere. of the trade rumors surrounding him, it was a pretty underwhelming Hall season. Gostisbehere endured a trying and turbulent regular season. While he may not be the strong offensively inclined defenseman we once thought he could be based off his stellar 2017-18 season, the Flyers Anyone would be frustrated if their own season transpired the way his have seen a whole lot worse than him on the blue line in recent years. did. So, while he’s fallen short of expectations, it doesn’t automatically mean he’s a bad player — but rather still figuring things out. He is the type of He entered 2019-20 facing pressure to rekindle his offensive prowess player that thrives when confident and there didn't seem to be much from 2017-18, when he put up a career-high 65 points, fourth most confidence this season. among NHL defensemen that season.

He did appear to be one of the weaker links, but that’s also in part to the He was then a healthy scratch for three games during November, a Flyers having solid defense overall, making him mostly stand out in a stretch in which he was honest about fighting his confidence more than negative way. Again, it could have been far, far worse. I truly hope he he had ever done before. puts this season behind him and finds the missing piece to his game To compound everything, Gostisbehere dealt with a lingering left knee once more. What a threat the Flyers could be (even more so) if injury that required arthroscopic surgery Jan. 14. Gostisbehere returned Gostisbehere finds himself again. to action Feb. 6 but showed rust and head coach Alain Vigneault C- for Ghost. admitted the defenseman’s path back could have been better structured by the club. Emmer Gostisbehere’s issues with his knee ended up prolonging. Because of the High expectations have been on Gostisbehere to have another season injury and some healthy scratches, Gostisbehere didn’t play in 24 of the like he did in 2017-18, when he had 13 goals and 52 assists for 65 points Flyers’ final 26 games before the NHL stoppage. with 33 points on the power play and a plus-10 rating. Clearly the potential is high, but unfortunately it wasn’t displayed during this 2019-20 Frustrating, right? regular season. The 27-year-old finished the regular season with 12 points in 42 games. The consistency just wasn’t there for No. 53. The coaching staff expected Unfortunately for Gostisbehere, the season went completely awry and more out of him at different points in the season — especially when unplanned. keeping him out of the lineup as a healthy scratch for three games in The 24-team return-to-play tournament and 2020-21 season could give November. He did get back in the lineup to have six points and a plus-3 him a refreshing chance to restart — and finally be healthy. mark in the next 18 games, but then came injury in early January, which made it more difficult for Gostisbehere to build up consistency. Comcast SportsNet.com LOADED: 06.25.2020 Dealing with injury obviously didn’t make things easier, but hopefully this extended time off will be a good thing for Gostisbehere — who should be plenty healthy when the puck is dropped again.

He gets a B-.

Hatcher

Gostisbehere is an interesting case. I know everyone wants him to be the producer on the blue line that he was a couple years ago, and we haven’t exactly seen that. And, I truly think that since he’s gotten that bad knee operated on, cleaned out and doing better, we’ll see now see Gostisbehere back to his old form.

That being said, I really do commend him on how he’s handled this season during stretches when he’s struggled. He’s openly admitted that at times he’s mentally gotten in his own way. Overthinking things. When the coaching staff scratched him so he could mentally reset, he handled it like an absolute pro.

Mike Yeo told us a while back that his response is what you want to see in a guy. He’s a pro, he understood it, but he’s angry, he’s hungry and he 1175990 Philadelphia Flyers check the box scores every morning to keep tabs on the Orange & Black during the early Eric Lindros years.

Weitz’s fandom held up as he entered adulthood and dove into a career Animal Collective’s Brian Weitz lends a helping hand on Flyers tracking as a full-time musician. He even wrote briefly for Sports Illustrated about project the intersection between hockey and music. But it wasn’t until he appeared on a May 2016 episode of the “Puck Soup” podcast — then hosted by Greg Wyshynski (now of ESPN) and Dave Lozo — that he resolved to start paying attention to the sport’s burgeoning analytics By Charlie O'Connor Jun 24, 2020 movement. Off-air, the topic of advanced stats and Corsi came up. Weitz joked that he didn’t know what those words meant, and that he had considered diving deeper but probably was just going to stick with It was November 2017, just a few months after I had accepted a job plus/minus. covering the Flyers for The Athletic. One morning, I noticed an email in my inbox with a generous but unfortunately timed offer: If I was planning “Those two guys, who are both older than me by a couple years, I think, to start a full-scale tracking project, a fan named Brian said he would be and I expected were old-school hockey fans that grew up watching in the happy to help. ’80s like I did, they just laughed at me,” he recalled, laughing. “They were just like, ‘Get the fuck out of here, you serious? Plus/minus?’ And I was I’m good for now, I responded. Nothing was in the works, as I was still just embarrassed. finding my footing as a beat writer. But I promised him if a large project came up, he’d be the first to know. “I was like, ‘I never want to be around hockey people again where this comes up and I can’t at least hang in the conversation,’ and I get laughed The following summer, with the 2017-18 season in the books, I resorted out of the room for saying I still believe in plus/minus. So that was a to my favorite time-waster when there’s no Flyers hockey to WATCH: watershed moment, where I (said), ‘All right, I’m just going to go home tweeting random music thoughts. On this occasion, I mentioned my and look up these words.’” inability to truly click with the music of Animal Collective, one of the biggest and most critically acclaimed indie rock bands of the previous Weitz began to pick up the concepts, largely through Flyers-centric, decade. advanced-stats-filled articles on Broad Street Hockey written by one Charlie O’Connor. Which was why, after subscribing to The Athletic and Not even a week later, Brian responded to the months-old email thread: seeing a comment of mine saying that certain questions about players After my offer to spend some downtime on tour tracking hockey games, and teams could be answered only through time-intensive tracking he joked, you trash my band on Twitter? projects, Weitz offered his services via email.

“Brian,” as it turned out, was diehard Flyers fan Brian Weitz, also known Three years later, Weitz remained interested. As his knowledge of as Geologist, electronic sound manipulator for (and one of the four core advanced stats had expanded, so did his curiosity about the tactical side members of) Animal Collective. of the game, as he explored writers such as Justin Bourne, who in between writing gigs had worked for two years as a video coach for the “I just assumed (that) there’s (not) a lot of crossover between hockey Toronto Marlies. fans and Animal Collective fans,” he said in a phone interview this month, explaining why he didn’t reveal his identity from the start. “It didn’t seem “Just in a weird alternate-life story in my head, I thought, what would it worth it.” have been like (to be a hockey video coach)?” Weitz said. “Maybe you have to play hockey (at a high level) to do that. But that’s an interesting We struck up an occasional email correspondence in the aftermath of the job. I would like to do that for a year. I’ve bounced around to different amusing misunderstanding. So when the NHL season was paused careers in my life, and it just sounded like a fun one. because of the coronavirus pandemic, and I made the decision to launch an in-depth tracking project centered on the Flyers’ forecheck, Weitz was “And when you offered the tracking project, it sorta sounds like what I logically the first person I asked to participate. As it turned out, Weitz was imagined a video coach does. Let’s live that life during the pandemic.” just as excited to try it as he had been in late 2017. Weitz started in late March and quickly took to the tracking project. “I was just curious — what would I learn from actually doing the Originally given the option to merely record the times of each Flyers tracking?” he said. “Would I see things differently when I watched the dump-in during his assigned set of games, Weitz ultimately chose to games? It just seemed like a good use of time and a way to learn.” track every data point in the project. He discovered it was an ambitious undertaking. Animal Collective, for the less musically inclined, is one of the indie rock community’s best-known bands of the past 20 years. The four primary “(There were) those moments when you see an event, but you say, ‘Oh, members met in Baltimore County in high school and, after years of but I didn’t catch who F3 was, I have to rewatch it,’” he recalled. “I made working together on various projects, officially constituted the group in some system with my hands; my left hand tracked shots and my right the early 2000s. hand tracked failed exits. My wife would just see me moving my fingers around, and I would have to pause it with my elbow and look at my They quickly earned a growing fan base and critical acclaim for their fingers.” sound, which spanned multiple styles but often was placed into the catch-all genres of psychedelia and experimental pop. By the mid-to-late In addition, tracking games wasn’t Weitz’s only duty during the 2000s, they were one of the biggest indie rock bands in the world. Their pandemic-driven lockdown. Weitz lives in Washington, D.C., with his wife commercial peak, the 2009 album “Merriweather Post Pavilion,” hit No. and two children, a fourth-grader and a kindergartner. During the 13 on the Billboard Top 200 chart, topped numerous “best-of” lists and lockdown, Weitz’s wife — a schoolteacher — spent the bulk of her days even ranked 14th on influential webzine Pitchfork’s 200 Best of teaching students remotely. That left Weitz tasked with guiding the the 2000s list. remote schooling of his two children.

To date, Animal Collective has released 11 albums under its moniker, “I’m a terrible teacher,” he said, laughing. “It’s such an irony that my kids with Weitz part of the active personnel for eight of them. But long before had to be homeschooled, and my wife is an incredible teacher and she Weitz adopted the Geologist nickname, and long before his family moved couldn’t teach them at all. They just had to be left with me.” to Baltimore County and he met his future bandmates, he was already a hardcore Flyers fan. Music, of course, remained a focus. But with all four band members confined to their homes, practicing in the same space was impossible, as It was the goalie position that first intrigued Weitz. , in part was recording Animal Collective’s planned 12th full-length album in the because of his unique ability to score goals despite being stationed at the studio. As a result, music productivity was limited to composing in opposite end of the rink, was an early favorite. By third-grade summer isolation, long-distance collaborations and virtual improvisation sessions. camp, Weitz was playing street hockey, and by the 1988-89 season, his family and two others were splitting Flyers season tickets. In his younger Tracking hockey games, strangely enough, filled a glaring void for Weitz days, Weitz played at the Bucks County Ice Sports Center (then called as a de-stressor, which was especially important during a stressful time. The Face Off Circle) in Warminster, Pa. Hockey had hooked him, so “My wife had a phrase for it, (that) I felt very present but also very turned much so that after his family relocated in 1993 after his eighth-grade year off at the same time (while tracking),” he explained. “I meditate every and he could no longer catch Flyers games on television, Weitz would day, (or) I tried to when my family was out of the house and I was just working from home before the pandemic. And I haven’t been able to do it since the quarantine, and I really missed it. And this almost (replaced) my meditation practice.”

Weitz also eventually found a tracking system that worked for him. At the start, he felt obligated to set daily goals for himself — such as tracking an entire game. But soon he discovered a healthier and more efficient way of completing the project: He’d use tracking as a way to decompress after a draining teaching session with his kids or a frustrating music session.

“There were moments when I would work (on music) for an hour and I would hate everything I did, and be really down on myself, and, in the past, I would go in the backyard and pace around or something,” Weitz said. “But I found that the tracking was super helpful in resetting my brain — my creative side of my brain.

“Instead of getting upset with myself, I would just be like, ‘All right, just go track. Just do a period. And then come back to music.’”

By the project’s conclusion in late May, Weitz’s sense of earned accomplishment belied a strange feeling of sadness that the tracking had ended.

“It was very meditative. … It really helped replace the practice of breathing and trying to be present,” he said. “Tracking hockey is insanely calming for me.”

With the project complete, Weitz is back to serving as a long-distance musician and, with homeschooling finished (for now), summer father.

But he believes he has a better understanding of the team he loves, and potentially, the game as a whole. Over time, previously under-the-radar players began to stand out to Weitz as impact contributors to the Flyers’ success on the forecheck.

“(Nicolas Aubé-Kubel) was in all the time, and just relentless,” he said. “And he’s a great forechecker. If you’re just watching on TV while you’re also looking at your phone or something, you may miss that. I also spent most of the season not really noticing Tyler Pitlick, and he was hard not to notice during this tracking project.”

Nicolas Aubé-Kubel battles for position during a game in February. (Kyle Ross / USA Today)

That said, Weitz acknowledged the inherent limitations of an outside tracking project — namely, odd camera angles, and the knowledge gap that exists between the tracker and the tactical directives of a team’s coaching staff.

“To me, it seems like the positioning of a forward based on where the puck is and where his teammates are and the kind of support he has to give — you can’t always see that from the feed that we’re watching,” he said. “Because I felt like, yes, I would notice a lot of the little things — or, I’m trying to see the little things, and it’s really hard to do with the angle that I’m seeing a lot of times.

“And I think I just need to be more educated, too, on what the coaches are looking for. (I’ve asked), ‘What qualifies as a successful forecheck?’ I’m still not really sure. A goal, great. Shot attempts, great. A lot of zone time, great. But how does that relate to the forecheck? I don’t really know. And I assume it’s related to some kind of system that the coach puts in place. If the puck’s here, F2 does this, F3 does this. But I’m ignorant of those things, at least at the present.”

But don’t take that frank admission as frustration with tracking projects. Not only could Weitz see himself working on another in the future, but he’d also be excited to work on them regularly, with writers in the public sphere or even for teams.

“I love this,” he said. “I don’t know if it’s a second career or anything, but I like having my mind focused on different things throughout the day. (It’s) definitely something I would like to focus more on.”

The Athletic LOADED: 06.25.2020 1175991 Pittsburgh Penguins Iginla came to the Penguins with similar intentions which were rooted in his success as Crosby’s linemate for Canada in the 2010 Olympics. But those hopes were never realized.

Ex-Penguins Marian Hossa, Jarome Iginla selected for Hockey Hall of Acquired from the Calgary Flames in another blockbuster trade at the Fame 2013 deadline, Iginla’s first game with the Penguins saw Crosby suffer a broken jaw. As a result, Iginla was used primarily on a line — and occasionally as a left winger — with Malkin.

SETH RORABAUGH Wednesday, June 24, 2020 5:26 p.m. In 13 regular season games with the Penguins, Iginla collected 11 points (five goals, six assists).

During the 2013 postseason, Iginla was used briefly for a handful of Marian Hossa had two hockey idols growing up in the Slovakian portion games during the first round against the New York Islanders and the of Czechoslovakia in the 1980s and early 1990s. second round against the Ottawa Senators. He got to play for one of them. By the time the Penguins were swept in the Eastern Conference final by “One of my favorite two players was ,” Hossa said. “And the Boston Bruins, Iginla found himself on the third line with the likes of Wayne Gretzky” Beau Bennett and Brandon Sutter.

Hossa and fellow ex-Penguins forward Jarome Iginla will join Lemieux, As unappetizing as his tenure with the Penguins was, Iginla professed now the team’s owner, in the Hockey Hall of Fame. They were selected enjoyment. for induction on Wednesday. “A great experience,” Iginla said. “The fans are very, very passionate “I never thought I was going to have an amazing career,” Hossa said on about their hockey there. … Unfortunately, we lost to Boston in the a conference call. “This is something definitely special. It means so much conference final. But getting the chances to play with Crosby and Malkin to me. I’m humbled.” and Letang and Fleury and (Brooks) Orpik, they had a great, great leadership group. Very talented. A very humble group of guys that work Their class will include long-time NHL general manager Ken Holland, very, very hard. You can see why they’ve been a dominant team and former NHL defensemen Kevin Lowe and Doug Wilson as well as Kim went on to win. I sure wish we would have won. It was tough (losing to St-Pierre, a former star goaltender for the Canadian women’s national Boston) but it was still an amazing experience. team. “I never had in my career a chance to play with guys like Crosby and Hossa and Iginla were each members of the Penguins for brief stretches. Malkin (before leaving Calgary). To see their habits up close, you see Both were acquired at trade deadlines as “rental” players and were gone how hard they work. Growing up sometimes, you think that it’s all talent by the ensuing offseason. and people are born this way. But in my career, what really stood out is getting around a few guys like (Crosby and Malkin) and seeing how But they each had memorable tenures as a member of the Penguins, dedicated they are. Yes, they’re talented but also how much work they particularly since each was intended to be a complementary winger to put into each part of their game.” franchise center Sidney Crosby. In addition to the Flames and Penguins, Iginla also played for the Bruins, Hossa arrived in Pittsburgh in a blockbuster deal with the Atlanta Colorado Avalanche and Los Angeles Kings before retiring in 2017. Thrashers at the 2008 deadline. An injury limited him to 12 regular- season games and 10 points (three goals, seven assists). In the Spending 20 seasons in NHL, Iginla, who was a first-round pick of the postseason, he appeared in 20 games and erupted for 26 points, Dallas Stars in 1995, appeared in 1,554 games and scored 1,300 points including a team-leading 12 goals. (625 goals, 675 assists).

After helping the Penguins advance to the Stanley Cup Final, where they A native of Edmonton, Iginla will become the fourth Black player in the lost to the Detroit Red Wings, Hossa went from hero to public enemy in Hall, joining Stanley Cup-winning goaltender Grant Fuhr, women’s Pittsburgh after he spurned general manager ’s long-term pioneer Angela James and forward Willie O’Ree, the first Black player in contract offer and joined the Red Wings on a one-year deal. NHL history.

At the time, Hossa said he felt joining the Red Wings gave him the best “Growing up, I just played hockey, loved playing it,” Iginla said. “I didn’t opportunity to win the Stanley Cup. view myself in minor hockey as a Black hockey player, but I was also aware that I was. … I wanted to be like Mark Messier and I loved Wayne In 2009, the Penguins defeated the Red Wings and Hossa for the Gretzky. But it was also special to see the Black players that were in the franchise’s third Stanley Cup title. NHL. To see Grant Fuhr staring, to be able to say to other people, ‘Oh “When I got the call that I was traded from the Thrashers to the look at Grant Fuhr, he’s an All-Star.’ … It was very, very fortunate for me Pittsburgh Penguins, my eyes opened,” Hossa said. “I saw the to follow my dream.” opportunity to play in a great organization and with great players like Sid Hossa and Iginla are the 18th and 19th one-time members of the who we became close in the short time I was there. And guys like Penguins to receive this honor. They join: (Evgeni) Malkin and (Kris) Letang and (Marc-Andre) Fleury. An amazing run. We ended up a little bit short. Obviously, the rest is history and the Forwards – Andy Bathgate, , Mario Lemieux, Joe Mullen, guys did great afterward. Mark Recchi, Luc Robitaille, Bryan Trottier

“A great organization, great fans. A top-notch organization overall. Good Defensemen – Leo Boivin, Tim Horton, Paul Coffey, Larry Murphy, memories.”

A first-round draft pick of the Ottawa Senators during the 1997 draft Executives – Scotty Bowman, Herb Brooks, Bob Johnson, , staged at the , Hossa’s greatest success came as a member of the Chicago Blackhawks. He was a member of that franchise’s Stanley Cup championship teams in 2010, ‘13 and ‘15. The induction ceremony is scheduled for Nov. 16 in Toronto.

A painful skin disorder forced Hossa to quit hockey in 2017. While he has Tribune Review LOADED: 06.25.2020 not played for more than three seasons, he never officially retired because of the NHL’s salary cap rules on players retiring before their contracts expire require teams to incur a penalty. In 2018, his contract, which does not expire until 2021, was traded to the Arizona Coyotes.

In 19 seasons, Hossa appeared in 1,309 regular season games and had 1,134 career points (525 goals, 609 assists). 1175992 Pittsburgh Penguins Iginla came to the Penguins with similar intentions which were rooted in his success as Crosby’s linemate for Canada in the 2010 Olympics. But those hopes were never realized.

Ex-Penguins Marian Hossa, Jarome Iginla selected for Hockey Hall of Acquired from the Calgary Flames in another blockbuster trade at the Fame 2013 deadline, Iginla’s first game with the Penguins saw Crosby suffer a broken jaw. As a result, Iginla was used primarily on a line — and occasionally as a left winger — with Malkin.

SETH RORABAUGH Wednesday, June 24, 2020 5:26 p.m. In 13 regular season games with the Penguins, Iginla collected 11 points (five goals, six assists).

During the 2013 postseason, Iginla was used briefly for a handful of Marian Hossa had two hockey idols growing up in the Slovakian portion games during the first round against the New York Islanders and the of Czechoslovakia in the 1980s and early 1990s. second round against the Ottawa Senators. He got to play for one of them. By the time the Penguins were swept in the Eastern Conference final by “One of my favorite two players was Mario Lemieux,” Hossa said. “And the Boston Bruins, Iginla found himself on the third line with the likes of Wayne Gretzky” Beau Bennett and Brandon Sutter.

Hossa and fellow ex-Penguins forward Jarome Iginla will join Lemieux, As unappetizing as his tenure with the Penguins was, Iginla professed now the team’s owner, in the Hockey Hall of Fame. They were selected enjoyment. for induction on Wednesday. “A great experience,” Iginla said. “The fans are very, very passionate “I never thought I was going to have an amazing career,” Hossa said on about their hockey there. … Unfortunately, we lost to Boston in the a conference call. “This is something definitely special. It means so much conference final. But getting the chances to play with Crosby and Malkin to me. I’m humbled.” and Letang and Fleury and (Brooks) Orpik, they had a great, great leadership group. Very talented. A very humble group of guys that work Their class will include long-time NHL general manager Ken Holland, very, very hard. You can see why they’ve been a dominant team and former NHL defensemen Kevin Lowe and Doug Wilson as well as Kim went on to win. I sure wish we would have won. It was tough (losing to St-Pierre, a former star goaltender for the Canadian women’s national Boston) but it was still an amazing experience. team. “I never had in my career a chance to play with guys like Crosby and Hossa and Iginla were each members of the Penguins for brief stretches. Malkin (before leaving Calgary). To see their habits up close, you see Both were acquired at trade deadlines as “rental” players and were gone how hard they work. Growing up sometimes, you think that it’s all talent by the ensuing offseason. and people are born this way. But in my career, what really stood out is getting around a few guys like (Crosby and Malkin) and seeing how But they each had memorable tenures as a member of the Penguins, dedicated they are. Yes, they’re talented but also how much work they particularly since each was intended to be a complementary winger to put into each part of their game.” franchise center Sidney Crosby. In addition to the Flames and Penguins, Iginla also played for the Bruins, Hossa arrived in Pittsburgh in a blockbuster deal with the Atlanta Colorado Avalanche and Los Angeles Kings before retiring in 2017. Thrashers at the 2008 deadline. An injury limited him to 12 regular- season games and 10 points (three goals, seven assists). In the Spending 20 seasons in NHL, Iginla, who was a first-round pick of the postseason, he appeared in 20 games and erupted for 26 points, Dallas Stars in 1995, appeared in 1,554 games and scored 1,300 points including a team-leading 12 goals. (625 goals, 675 assists).

After helping the Penguins advance to the Stanley Cup Final, where they A native of Edmonton, Iginla will become the fourth Black player in the lost to the Detroit Red Wings, Hossa went from hero to public enemy in Hall, joining Stanley Cup-winning goaltender Grant Fuhr, women’s Pittsburgh after he spurned general manager Ray Shero’s long-term pioneer Angela James and forward Willie O’Ree, the first Black player in contract offer and joined the Red Wings on a one-year deal. NHL history.

At the time, Hossa said he felt joining the Red Wings gave him the best “Growing up, I just played hockey, loved playing it,” Iginla said. “I didn’t opportunity to win the Stanley Cup. view myself in minor hockey as a Black hockey player, but I was also aware that I was. … I wanted to be like Mark Messier and I loved Wayne In 2009, the Penguins defeated the Red Wings and Hossa for the Gretzky. But it was also special to see the Black players that were in the franchise’s third Stanley Cup title. NHL. To see Grant Fuhr staring, to be able to say to other people, ‘Oh “When I got the call that I was traded from the Thrashers to the look at Grant Fuhr, he’s an All-Star.’ … It was very, very fortunate for me Pittsburgh Penguins, my eyes opened,” Hossa said. “I saw the to follow my dream.” opportunity to play in a great organization and with great players like Sid Hossa and Iginla are the 18th and 19th one-time members of the who we became close in the short time I was there. And guys like Penguins to receive this honor. They join: (Evgeni) Malkin and (Kris) Letang and (Marc-Andre) Fleury. An amazing run. We ended up a little bit short. Obviously, the rest is history and the Forwards – Andy Bathgate, Ron Francis, Mario Lemieux, Joe Mullen, guys did great afterward. Mark Recchi, Luc Robitaille, Bryan Trottier

“A great organization, great fans. A top-notch organization overall. Good Defensemen – Leo Boivin, Tim Horton, Paul Coffey, Larry Murphy, memories.” Sergei Zubov

A first-round draft pick of the Ottawa Senators during the 1997 draft Executives – Scotty Bowman, Herb Brooks, Bob Johnson, Craig Patrick, staged at the Civic Arena, Hossa’s greatest success came as a member Jim Rutherford of the Chicago Blackhawks. He was a member of that franchise’s Stanley Cup championship teams in 2010, ‘13 and ‘15. The induction ceremony is scheduled for Nov. 16 in Toronto.

A painful skin disorder forced Hossa to quit hockey in 2017. While he has Tribune Review LOADED: 06.25.2020 not played for more than three seasons, he never officially retired because of the NHL’s salary cap rules on players retiring before their contracts expire require teams to incur a penalty. In 2018, his contract, which does not expire until 2021, was traded to the Arizona Coyotes.

In 19 seasons, Hossa appeared in 1,309 regular season games and had 1,134 career points (525 goals, 609 assists). 1175993 Pittsburgh Penguins being spent on the vaunted HBK Line along with and Nick Bonino.

While he produced more than a point per game in 2016-17 and 2018-19, Double Team: Mark Recchi won with the Penguins and Bruins Kessel’s fortunes fizzled out in each of those postseasons and he was on the move again, dealt to the Arizona Coyotes in June of 2019.

3. Dean Prentice, left winger SETH RORABAUGH Wednesday, June 24, 2020 4:12 p.m. Truth be told, Prentice is far more renowned for his time with the New York Rangers as an All-Star throughout the 1950s and early 1960s than with any other franchise. But that shouldn’t dismiss his mostly effective While the NHL is on hold because of the ongoing coronavirus pandemic, play as a member of the Bruins and Penguins. the Tribune-Review will offer the Double Team project, an examination of the five best players who have contributed substantially to the Penguins The Rangers dealt Prentice to the Bruins in February of 1963. In Boston, and another franchise. For consideration, a player must have played at Prentice was selected for the 1963 All-Star Game (which was held before least the equivalent of a full season for each franchise. (Sorry, Jarome the 1963-64 season), served as a sturdy defensive winger for the Bruins Iginla fans.) and even produced a 23-goal season in 1963-64.

Today, a look at the Boston Bruins, who entered the NHL in 1924, 43 After suffering a broken back — during a sequence in which he was years before the Penguins. As one of the NHL’s so-called “original six” tripped then scored on the ensuing penalty shot — in December of 1964, franchises, the Bruins raised a fuss when the Penguins changed from Prentice was traded to the Detroit Red Wings in February of 1966. their primary color of blue to a black and yellow scheme in 1980 but Following some solid but hardly notable seasons in Detroit, Prentice those protests fell on deaf ears. On the ice, the Bruins have had a clear claimed by the Penguins through an intra-league draft in June of 1969. advantage over the Penguins. In 210 games against the Bruins, the Penguins have a 73-110-27 record. With the Penguins, Prentice enjoyed a late-career renaissance in his late 30s. In 1969-70, he led the team with 51 points — including a then 1. Mark Recchi, right winger franchise-record 26 goals — in 75 games and was selected to another All-Star Game, becoming the first Penguins player to score a goal in that As an undersized fourth-round draft pick in 1988, Recchi didn’t beat the contest. He also helped the franchise reach the postseason for the first odds by simply reaching the NHL. He thrived at the sport’s highest level time that spring. for 22 years and was ultimately enshrined into the Hockey Hall of Fame in 2017. In 1970-71, Prentice scored 21 goals and 38 points in 69 games. By October of 1971, he was traded to the . The first four of those seasons took place in Pittsburgh, the most notable being the 1990-91 campaign when he helped offset the absence of 4. , defenseman injured franchise icon Mario Lemieux by leading the team with 113 points (40 goals, 73 assists) in 78 games. An All-Star that season, Recchi Ference was something of a rarity during his time with the Penguins in served a prominent role in the franchise’s first Stanley Cup title that the late 1990s and early 2000s. He was one of the relatively few players spring. they drafted and developed themselves.

At the 1992 trade deadline, the Penguins dealt Recchi to the rival As an eighth-round pick in 1997, made his NHL debut in 1999-2000 with Philadelphia Flyers and he bounced between Philadelphia and the a team mostly compiled of castoffs from other organizations. For a over the next 12 years before returning to Pittsburgh variety of reasons, the Penguins, under general manager Craig Patrick, an unrestricted free agent in 2004. Following the 2004-05 NHL lockout, just didn’t generate homegrown talent at a high rate during that era. Recchi had a productive but brief second act with the Penguins before he Ference truly established himself during the Penguins’ memorable 2001 was moved again at the 2005 trade deadline to the Carolina Hurricanes, playoff run when, as a 21-year-old, he served as their top defenseman, helping that franchise win its first Stanley Cup that spring. Barely a month averaging 20:22 of ice time per game, most among the blue liners. after that triumph, he re-signed with the Penguins for a third stint. In 2001-02, he opened the season at the NHL level and played 75 games After a sturdy 2006-07 season, Recchi struggled badly at the start of but struggled with a sports hernia and registered only 11 points (four 2007-08 and many wondered if he was at the end of his career, including goals, seven assists) for a team that began to rebuild after dealing away Penguins management which put him on waivers in December of 2007. star forward Jaromir Jagr. Part of that rebuilding involved dealing Recchi rebuilt his game during brief tenures as a member of the Atlanta Ference to the Calgary Flames by February of 2003. Thrasher and Tampa Bay Lightning before being moved again to the Boston Bruins at the 2009 trade deadline. Four years later, he was traded to Boston, where he enjoyed his greatest success as an NHLer. Within the confines of coach Claude Julien’s With Boston, Recchi put together a marvelous final act, primarily as a structured defense, Ference thrived as a second-pairing blue liner. In second-line winger, and was a vital component of the 2011 Stanley Cup 2010-11, Ference was a key contributor to the Bruins’ Stanley Cup championship, that franchise’s first in 39 years, before retiring. championship and helped them reach the final once again in 2013. 2. Phil Kessel, right winger After seven seasons with the Bruins, he joined his hometown Edmonton Several years before he was vilified in Toronto, Kessel was an outcast in Oilers as a free agent in 2013. Boston. 5. , defenseman But he was a sympathetic figure early during his time with the Bruins. Gill’s career can really be split in half — before and after the 2004-05 The fifth overall pick of the 2006 draft, his rookie campaign of 2006-07 NHL lockout. was interrupted by a bout of testicular cancer. His ability to overcome that considerable challenge earned him the Bill Masterton Memorial Trophy, Prior to the work stoppage, the NHL was a big man’s territory full of which recognizes perseverance and dedication to the sport. plodding, oafish defensemen who were permitted, through lackluster enforcement of the rules, to hook, hold and generally impede faster, Kessel finally began to realize his potential in 2007-08 when he broke skilled players. There were few players in the NHL who thrived in that through with 36 goals and 60 points in 70 games. environment better than the 6-foot-7 Gill who routinely drew assignments And after a productive two-round run in the postseason, Kessel seemed against the likes of Jagr and Flyers star forward Eric Lindros. poised to establish himself as the Bruins’ next great player. But a An eighth-round pick in 1993, Gill spent the first eight years of his career contract dispute forced the Bruins to deal him to the Maple Leafs during in Boston and played in an impressive 626 career games for several the 2009 preseason. playoff-caliber Bruins teams. After six prolific but unsatisfying seasons with the Maple Leafs, Kessel But after the lockout, new rules were implemented to make the game was moved again by the summer of 2015 when the Penguins acquired more excited (i.e. faster). As other aircraft carrier-sized defensemen were him via trade. In Pittsburgh, Kessel enjoyed his greatest success as a largely weeded out of the game, Gill adjusted his game, dropped weight two-time Stanley Cup champion in 2016 and 2017, with much of that time and lasted another nine seasons in the league. A free agent signing with Maple Leafs in 2006, Gill joined the Penguins at the 2008 trade deadline and in parts of two seasons, he helped the Penguins play for the Stanley Cup twice.

After falling short against the Red Wings in 2008, Gill formed a shutdown second pairing with Rob Scuderi and that duo played a major role in the franchise’s third Stanley Cup title in 2009.

Following that success, Gill joined the Montreal Canadiens as a free agent.

Honorable mention: Leo Boivin, defenseman; , right winger; Randy Hillier, defenseman; Ron Schock, center; Bob Woytowich, defenseman.

Tribune Review LOADED: 06.25.2020 1175994 Pittsburgh Penguins As for the Penguins radio feed, I’ve been led to believe that the radio crew is welcome to the North Shore studio, too. But the plan might be to design a similar set up at the 105.9 The X studios in Greentree for the sake of consistency and streamlining. Penguins, Pirates announcers on challenges of remote play-by-play After all, start time conflicts could arise. And while one TV broadcast will have to be bumped, the other will be on air. And the two radio broadcasts would have to go on simultaneously. That’s three broadcasts for two TIM BENZ Wednesday, June 24, 2020 6:38 a.m. studios on the North Shore.

So I wouldn’t be surprised if the combination of Mike Lange, Josh Getzoff Pirates play-by-play man Greg Brown has been calling baseball games and Phil Bourque call the action from a scaled-down version on Fleet since 1989. Street.

But never in the way he’s about to try once Major League Baseball I also learned that a very — very — slight chance exists that the radio returns to play. broadcast could originate from PPG Paints Arena late in the playoffs if covid-19 numbers decline. It’s a long shot, but potentially the Pens could The covid-19 pandemic is restricting travel for baseball franchises to the socially distance about 4,000-5,000 fans into the building to watch on the point that local broadcasters will only be calling games — in person — at big screen while the radio crew is in their normal booth and can watch their own home stadiums. Television and radio games will originate from the monitors and the Jumbotron. a remote studio when the local club is on the road. Which brings up the topic of crowd noise. That’s something Mears said “For home games, to my understanding, nothing has changed,” Brown was mixed into the World Juniors broadcast and naturally piped into their said during a phone interview last week. “We’ll be in the radio and TV booth to give a real feel to the call. booths and doing the game per usual. On the road, we’ll go to the AT&T SportsNet studios.” But at least those were actual humans making real noise at the venue overseas. That was real sound being transmitted live. Not artificial noise. There, the Pirates television broadcasters will have a large set-up with Or even fans via an “app” as has been suggested. multiple monitors to capture camera feeds from the road. In a normal situation, Brown told me that’s up to nine active cameras at a time. That’s an idea Brown doesn’t like.

So while the Pirates are playing in Cincinnati, Brown or Joe Block and “Do I want crowd noise pumped into my headset to pump me up when their color commentators (Bob Walk or John Wehner) will be calling the it’s not actually happening on the air?” Brown asked. “And do we want to game inside their North Shore studio. put fake crowd noise in a telecast so we think more fans are there? I’m leaning against that.” They’ll have a program monitor — which is what the viewer sees at home. Yet they’ll also have to keep an eye on up to eight other shots at I’m with Brown on that, 100%. I’m sorry, authenticity matters. once in order to call action. Both Mears and Brown dive deep into that conversation. We also talk Essentially, Brown and company will be watching the game as director about why the challenge for the baseball call may be more difficult than Pete Toma has for so many years. hockey, even though hockey moves faster.

“I’ve got to be a bit of a director myself,” Brown explained. “I’ve got to all Similarly, the nuances of the job will be far more difficult for the color of the sudden see what camera is dedicated to a ball hit down the line. analysts. Mears and Brown tell you why, as I spoke with both play-by- And train myself to get to that screen. And then get to the camera at play artists during our Wednesday podcast. home plate watching the run cross home plate.” Tribune Review LOADED: 06.25.2020 Brown says he’ll likely rely on the standard center field shot from behind the pitcher, looking into home plate more than usual.

“I try to avoid getting away from what the viewer sees at home. I want to see what you are seeing,” Brown said.

As it has been explained to me, the Pirates radio team will be in a slightly smaller studio next door with fewer monitors for cameras. They’ll call the game from there and then it’ll be fed to 93.7 The Fan for broadcast.

By the way, when I say “studio,” that apparently means “converted conference room” for radio purposes.

“It’s unlike anything I’ve ever done,” Brown said.

Meanwhile, Penguins television play-by-play man Steve Mears has done this before. When he was working for the NHL Network, he called World Junior Championship games from a remote studio.

“It is doable,” Mears insists. “It’s amazing the amount of people who came up to me and said, ‘How was Finland? How was Sweden?’ These are broadcast people. Hockey people. Knowledgeable about the game. And they didn’t know.”

Mears tells me the studio set up for AT&T is more elaborate than what he had for the World Junior Games, and the bigger challenge for him is “not being immersed with the team and daily access.”

Mears says, to his knowledge, the plan is that he and color commentator will be calling all of the Penguins AT&T games played in their hub city while the local broadcasting crew remains in the Pittsburgh studios. The number of games, though, is still to be determined.

NBC can pick up games during the “play-in” round against the Montreal Canadiens, as well as the round of 16 if the Pens advance. But Mears believes, as of now, the broadcast is AT&T’s whenever NBC passes — until the conference semifinals. Those arrangements are similar to those in a normal NHL season. 1175995 Pittsburgh Penguins

‘Burgh’s Best to Wear It, No. 68: Penguins’ Jaromir Jagr among the best of all time

CHRIS ADAMSKI Wednesday, June 24, 2020 6:30 a.m.

The Best to Ever Wear It

The Tribune-Review sports staff is conducting a daily countdown of the best 100 players in Pittsburgh pro and college sports history to wear each jersey number.

No. 68: Jaromir Jagr

There are too many ways to recognize Jaromir Jagr’s place among hockey’s all-time greats, from the five scoring titles (only Wayne Gretzky, Gordie Howe and Mario Lemieux have more) to the 766 goals (only Gretzky and Howe have more) to the 1,921 points (topped only by Gretzky). He was named by the respected Hockey News as one of the NHL’s top 50 players of all-time — in 1997, still at age 25 and with another two decades of play yet to come.

With all due respect to four-time Super Bowl-winning Steel Curtain mainstay L.C. Greenwood, Jagr’s credentials made him a shoo-in as the greatest to wear No. 68 for a Pittsburgh team as judged by the Tribune- Review.

The only conceivable case to be made against Jagr was his departure from the Pittsburgh Penguins in 2001 and hot-and-cold relationship with the organization and its fans thereafter.

Jagr infamously said he felt as if he was “dying alive” during a 2000-01 season in which his mentor, Lemieux, came out of retirement. Jagr’s salary and the Penguins’ financial constraints at the time made it prohibitive to keep him after they lost in the 2001 Eastern Conference finals.

After 439 goals, 640 assists and 1,079 points in 11 seasons with the Penguins, Jagr would add 327 goals, 515 assists and 842 points over parts of 13 other seasons for eight other teams — including the Penguins’ biggest rivals (the Washington Capitals, New York Rangers, New Jersey Devils and Philadelphia Flyers).

It was his signing with that latter team, in 2011, that irked Penguins fans most. It followed three seasons that Jagr played professionally in Russia and came amid a flirtation with the Penguins.

.@TimBenzPgh and @SethRorabaugh discuss the Penguins’ trip west, as well as the AHL Pens, and who will have the better #Penguins career: Malkin or Jagr? https://t.co/KbfLwV5VVD

— Tribune-ReviewSports (@TribSports) December 19, 2019

Still, by now, it seems all is forgiven. And even for a franchise blessed with an overabundance of generational talents, Jagr still easily sits among the top four — and, in many cases, higher — of every relevant statistical career offensive category.

Greenwood was a six-time Pro Bowl honoree who twice was named All- Pro. He’s part of the NFL’s 1970s all-decade team and the Steelers’ all- time team. After making the list of finalists six times, Greenwood remains a candidate for induction to the Hall of Fame.

Tribune Review LOADED: 06.25.2020 1175996 Pittsburgh Penguins

Penguins’ Matt Murray and wife Christina expecting a baby girl

Joshua Axelrod

Penguins goalie Matt Murray was already preparing for the 2020 NHL playoffs to begin some time in the near future. Now, he’ll have to get ready for fatherhood as well.

Murray and his wife, Christina, announced Wednesday via Instagram that they are expecting a “baby GIRL Murray” in January 2021, according to Christina’s post. The Murrays revealed Christina’s pregnancy four days after their first wedding anniversary.

Murray posted the same photo to Instagram with five pink heart emojis as the caption.

The Penguins’ Twitter account quickly offered its congratulations to the Murray family for their big news.

Congratulations to the Murray family! pic.twitter.com/BDGnMCwiRF

— Pittsburgh Penguins (@penguins) June 24, 2020

Penguins fans might be most familiar with Christina from a 2017 video that went semi-viral after Murray won his second Stanley Cup in a row. He gave Christina a celebratory kiss, but based on her reaction he must have tasted like he had just played an NHL hockey game.

Matt Murray kisses his significant other, apparently he doesn't taste too good pic.twitter.com/m1MUUfUW98

— CJ Fogler #BlackLivesMatter (@cjzero) June 12, 2017

She later clarified on Instagram that Murray tasted just fine, “but his beard was so sweaty it was like I was kissing Beckham.”

The Murrays have two Newfoundland dogs, Beckham and Leo, who of course have their own Instagram account. The dogs actually served as groomsmen when Matt and Christina eloped last June.

Becoming a father will probably be extra special for Murray, whose own dad died in January 2018. So while the Penguins wait for the NHL to tell them what the Eastern Conference’s hub city will be and Murray continues to shrug off the competition between himself and Tristan Jarry for the starting goalie job, he will also be preparing for life as a professional athlete, husband and new parent.

Post Gazette LOADED: 06.25.2020 1175997 Pittsburgh Penguins even if he saw the odd shift with Crosby or Malkin — he wouldn’t look out of place. I believe he’s here for the long haul.

Analysis — This strikes me as a wise approach for the Penguins. They Yohe: Projecting the Penguins’ protected list for the 2021 expansion draft love their top-six right now, and this would protect five of those players in Crosby, Malkin, Guentzel, Zucker and Rust. McCann is a pretty valuable player and is young. Tanev was outstanding in his first season with the Penguins and doesn’t figure to slow down anytime soon. By Josh Yohe Jun 24, 2020 One name of interest is Patric Hornqvist. He had a really good season,

bouncing back nicely from the previous campaign. But he’s going to be I’m feeling ambitious. 34 in January, his body has been through more wars than most and he makes $5.3 million annually until the summer of 2023. The salary cap is In only a year — or thereabouts, given the unpredictability of the 2020-21 about to drop, perhaps significantly. My guess is that he will be traded schedule — the NHL will hold the expansion draft for Seattle’s franchise. right around the time of the expansion draft. His no-trade clause expires Given how wildly successful the Vegas Golden Knights were in their first at the conclusion of the 2020-21 season and I’ll guess that’s when he is season, the expansion draft rules haven’t changed one bit. moved.

Once upon a time, expansion teams like the Sharks and Senators were So under such a scenario, who would be attractive for Seattle? Teddy hideous in their NHL debuts. The league much prefers the Vegas model. Blueger is a nice player who keeps getting better. Same with Zach Aston- Reese. Some new players will be in the fold by then, of course. But most Every NHL team will lose a player to Seattle. Teams once again may of the Penguins’ core players would be protected. protect eight players at any position, or protect seven forwards, three defensemen and one goaltender. The Penguins will use the latter given Defensemen that they possess important assets at every position. — Things are going to get interesting with him. He’s 33 now And here’s an important thing to remember: Players who have completed and I’ve never felt like he would age especially well, given his multitude two full seasons or less aren’t required to be protected and can’t be of health ailments and that he’s a player who relies on his brilliant claimed. This is important. This means players such as Samuel Poulin, physical gifts as opposed to being an exceptionally thoughtful player. Nathan Legare, Pierre-Olivier Joseph and, yes, John Marino, are exempt Like Malkin and Rust, only one year will be remaining on his contract from this list. next summer. So, what do the Penguins do with him? If he plays well this summer and next season, I imagine they’d offer an extension, albeit not This list is going to require me to make a prediction or two regarding for more than three seasons. If his game starts to fade? It will be certain players and their respective short term futures with the Penguins. interesting. But I suspect they will protect him. I’ll explain below. Brian Dumoulin — He won’t be going anywhere. Dumoulin is just Obviously this isn’t a perfect science, but I have a pretty strong idea of entering his prime and might be the best defensive defenseman in team what the protected list will look like next summer. history. He also handles the puck much better than he’s given credit for. Forwards What a terrific player. He’ll be in Pittsburgh for a long time.

Sidney Crosby — Players with no-trade clauses have to be protected, Marcus Pettersson — The Penguins rewarded him with a long-term and while I’m sure Jim Rutherford wants to see old friend Ron Francis contract and really like him. He’s solid and young. The organization is build a winner in Seattle, I’m pretty comfortable in my belief that one of hopeful he can develop into a similar player to Dumoulin, and their the five greatest players of all time won’t be made available. Crosby and physical assets are pretty similar. Mario Lemieux are both invested in making sure the Penguins’ captain Analysis — The Penguins love Joseph and have him projected as their plays for only one NHL franchise. Lemieux did this. Crosby’s boyhood No. 3 defensemen on the left side within a year, where he’ll play behind hero, Steve Yzerman, also did. It means a lot to him. Dumoulin and Pettersson. One would imagine Jack Johnson will be a Evgeni Malkin — He too possesses such a no-trade clause. In the candidate for a trade or a buyout by the summer of 2021. On the right summer of 2021, Malkin will only have one season remaining on his side, things are a bit murky after Marino, who looks like a star. But I contract. I’m guessing he’ll sign an extension next summer. Needless to suspect Letang will be around for a couple of more years following this say, he won’t be playing in Seattle. summer, which gives the Penguins five out of six members of what appears to be a very good blue line. Justin Schultz almost certainly will Jake Guentzel — Another obvious decision for the Penguins, as be employed elsewhere at this point. Guentzel isn’t going anywhere and signed a pretty team-friendly contract, given his freakishly consistent production and his ability to thrive on Goaltenders either wing with either star center. Tristan Jarry — I suppose this name gets your attention. It will be Jason Zucker — You don’t give up a first-round pick and one of your best interesting to see how this situation plays out. Jarry and Matt Murray are prospects for one full season of a player when he’ll have two years left on both restricted free agents following this season. Both will be due raises, his contract. He’s not going anywhere. and Murray’s could be substantial, especially if he performs particularly well in the upcoming postseason. Rutherford said in May that it will be Bryan Rust — Much like Malkin, he’ll have one year remaining on his very difficult for him to keep both goaltenders following this season deal in the summer of 2021. He strikes me as a candidate for an because of the expected salary cap nosedive, something that will impact extension that summer. If his goal-scoring continues at its rate from many teams, including the Penguins. My guess is Murray will be traded earlier this year, I could see him commanding between $5 million and $6 this offseason. I don’t say this with certainty and the Penguins still have million per season, which could be difficult for the Penguins. But he’s a faith in the goaltender who landed them two championships. They could heck of a player and not someone the Penguins will be interested in offer bridge deals to both goaltenders. Remember, Murray is still a losing. restricted free agent, so it’s not guaranteed that he will get the money he Jared McCann — Those first five choices were pretty simple. The last wants this summer. two are a little bit more interesting. The Penguins really like McCann and Analysis — This is going to be fascinating. I just can’t shake my sense project him as their long-term No. 3 center. He’s a restricted free agent that the Penguins are going to deal Murray at some point. He’s never following this season and will require a raise, but he should be affordable been quite the same goaltender since the spring of 2017 and, while he’s for a few more years. hardly been bad and is eminently capable of delivering more Brandon Tanev — On a couple of occasions during the past year, I’ve championships, I don’t know that he’ll be here for the long haul. As an told Rutherford that many believe he overpaid for Tanev’s services. He organization, the Penguins aren’t wild about paying their goaltenders an literally laughs when I mention it. They aren’t letting this guy go enormous amount. They have high-price talent elsewhere on their roster anywhere. He’s one of the fastest players in hockey, draws an enormous and, in Jarry, they have a talented goaltender who went to the NHL All- amount of penalties, is an elite penalty killer, is excellent defensively, is Star Game. I just don’t see Murray getting the contract he wants here, physical and will score 15 goals a year. He’s one of the best fourth-line and thus, I’m projecting he’ll be traded, which will pave the way for Jarry players in hockey and, frankly, if he were elevated to the third line — or to be protected. The Athletic LOADED: 06.25.2020 1175998 Pittsburgh Penguins This is a big question: So, you look at what’s gone on — over not just the last few months but the last few years, with this sort of reconciling that hockey culture has had. They’re talking about being inclusive, and the results have been mixed. Whether it’s the way (Gary Bettman) reacted to Anti-capitalism, punk and the Penguins: A Q&A with Anti-Flag’s Chris J.T. Brown, on and on — there’s hegemony in hockey in particular, Barker whether it’s because such a white sport or whatever. How do you reconcile those principles of inclusion and justice, and also being a fan of

a sport that struggles with it? By Sean Gentille Jun 24, 2020 I’ll be even more blunt than you. “How are you an anti-capitalist when you walk into a place that was once called Consol Energy Center?”

This conversation won’t appeal to everyone. That is fine. Hockey doesn’t Seriously — when you walked into that rink, named after one of the appeal to everyone, y’know. Neither do the Pittsburgh Penguins. Neither biggest fracking operations on the planet, given the harm they’ve done does Anti-Flag’s brand of punk music. Neither does Anti-Flag’s brand of locally, globally, how do you reconcile that? leftist politics. Neither does Anti-Flag. One: What I’ve learned is that you can be hypercritical of structures that It’s Music Week here at The Athletic, though. The list of artists more you live in. Activism is not a competition to me. I support and applaud impactful than Anti-Flag in Pittsburgh’s history — they’re 12 records and folks that physically remove themselves from exploitative scenarios. nearly two decades in, somehow — is short. The list of musicians who Folks that live off the earth, free from credit cards? I wish that I had a bit are bigger Penguins fans than bassist/vocalist Chris “No. 2” Barker might more strength within me to commit to that level. But I also know that what not exist. we do, what we ingest, the things we buy — there’s real power in that. And so while it does hurt my soul to go see those things, to walk into any So, if you like hockey, or the Penguins, or punk music, or leftist politics, number of rinks that are named after banks or infrastructures that might there’s something here for you. If you like two of those, or three of those, be large employers in a city right now, but undeniably have made it more or — wow — four of those, there’s a lot here for you. Quite a bit. difficult for people to save themselves? I think that there is hypocrisy in that. But there’s also the idea that this is OK because we are human If not? Oh well. beings. We need to find things that give us joy. This interview has been condensed and edited for clarity and length. (Dr.) Cornel West talked about being in Ferguson in 2014, where I know how you’re going to answer this, but what was the entrance point everyone was saying “Stay woke, brother, stay woke.” And he said, ” You to the Penguins and the sport? What got you hooked? can’t stay woke all the time. That’s insomnia. ” There’s value in being free, recharging our batteries, indulging in things that make us feel good, Mario Lemieux. I was born in ’81, and in ’84, for Christmas, everybody and then also having the wherewithal to push back against those got a hockey stick. That was pretty much it. As soon as they got good, I structures when we’re recharged. was old enough to recognize the cultural shift in the city. You could feel it. “The Boys of Winter,” the marketing — all of it worked on me. Older kids It’s a tough thing to reconcile because it’s North American professional in my neighborhood were playing street hockey all the time, so I wanted sports. There is no altruism. But you look at the way the NHL has to be around as much as possible. And it was something I was good at. specifically dealt with stuff over the last few years, and it’s actually worse. Being a tall, skinny kid, it was the sport that worked well for me. I They are actually lagging behind. And that makes it even tougher to see gravitated to it because when I tried to do it, it worked. And path of least stuff like what happened with . There’s a next-level naivete, if resistance is a big part of my life. Everything else is hard all the time — not full-on exclusion, that’s tough to take. And it seems like now, they’re whether it’s injustice that we see, economically, racially, environmentally. at a point where they’re asking tougher questions that they weren’t a Whether it was the fact that my family was really poor, or that my brother couple of years ago. But it’s tough to reconcile. and police were at odds my entire childhood, or my dad was a piece of Much like with NASCAR, you’re dealing with a predominantly white sport shit — all of those things — I had all of this negativity. And then I found during a real shift in not just America, but the world right now, with the this one thing, whenever I did it, my brain shut off. “This is what I’m Black Lives Matter movement. “OK, you made your Instagram post gonna do now.” where you say your team stands against racism — but how do you then Does the music that you play contribute to that? Because playing a show put your money where your mouth is?” The beauty of sports is that the for you is different than, like, an ’80s band playing a casino. It’s a most racist motherfuckers on the planet can see Michael Jordan and go different, more active experience, mentally and emotionally. Is that part of “Well, that’s beautiful.” And in that sense, sports is cracking something the appeal of hockey — occupying your mind and body in a different way, open that we don’t get in other vocations. Music is a comparable thing. If almost more passively? you’re racist and love the Beatles, you have to know that the first song the Beatles played was Chuck Berry. The things we love can challenge Oh, yeah. I think it’s one of the main reasons so many people involved in us to be better. counter-cultural discussions , specifically in America, are fans of hockey. It’s an alternative sport. There’s an underdog mentality to it. It’s a It’s going to impact all parts of our lives, and that includes something as commitment. Sure, anybody can go get a stick and a ball and play, but trivial as ice hockey. We need more empathy in everything. I know that that’s not the same thing. Baseball and basketball are essentially the there’s a lot of discussion about performative activism and performative same games, whether you’re in your backyard or a stadium. Ice hockey allyship, but when people come in contact with something and make up in particular — it’s only that. That’s the experience. So I think that’s their own minds, they’re far more inclined to believe it. And you know comparable — and you grew up the same way I did. When you were part what I love about the wave of people turning their avatars into black of something that was bigger than you and outside the norm, you felt squares and making statements? Fads can have silver linings. For some more like yourself. And I think that’s a similar thing. Of course, because people, it’ll be their introduction. We need to hold people’s feet to the fire, the Penguins are popular, fans are going to come in and out of it. It’s like including the ultra-wealthy, whether it’s Starbucks or Viacom or whether when rock and roll music becomes more popular, like is happening now: it’s the Pittsburgh Penguins. You made the statement. Now, what are you People are looking for angry and expressive art. It’s cyclical in its cultural doing within your community to make sure you uphold the statement? significance. But the people that really care, they’re gonna be there That’s our job, and for some people, it’s just to turn their brains off and whether it’s X-Generation Penguins or Sidney Crosby and Evgeni Malkin. watch the game.

The big connection, to me, always was that it felt like it took effort. It was What did you think, by the way — because I got yelled at by a lot of tougher to find information about it, and it was a little bit tougher to find people about this — about the Lemieux statue getting graffitied? people who cared. You had to care about it, and you had to seek it out. Because the reaction to that was just … I don’t know how you could do Whether that’s finding hockey fans in smaller towns or figuring out which anything other than laugh at it. People were acting like they tore it down. VFW had good shows, it took a level of effort that I think other stuff might It was unbelievable, how wrong people got it. not. Correct me if I’m wrong, but the guy didn’t even want it built (laughter). I’ve always kind of subscribed to the idea that if what you’re doing is It’s just another example of how out of touch we are with our lives, in the universally loved and accepted, it’s probably pretty shitty. So I think about sense that we’re looking at a building that was a scam for the city, going that in terms of sports and entertainment that I digest, and the art and back to economic hardship in Pittsburgh and acting like a casino could be culture I digest. a cure for that. It’s immoral, and for me, the answer is simple. People’s The worst one would’ve been 2016. The (Nick) Bonino/Washington lives are always more valuable than property. game. We were in a small town in Ontario, maybe Oshawa, There were like 300 people there. Small club, sold-out show. Literally, the band We’re bombarded with this every day, all the time. You realize the before us was on when overtime starts. They finish and they’re like, “Yo, fundamental differences in the approaches by us, and the approaches by are you guys gonna go on?” “Nah. I’m gonna stay right here.” And I them. (New York City mayor) Bill de Blasio is starting a fireworks task watched it at the bar, and then as soon as he scored, we went on. There force, where cops are going to do undercover buys. It’s insane, how are other ones when I’ve had a laptop behind the amp and I’m going every hour, we’re reminded how much differently people think. back and checking it, but that game was too much. They were up 3-0, It’s also just a failed experiment of people continuing to put profit first. “If and I was like, “Oh sick, we’re gonna have a great show.” And then the you work hard enough, if you are smart enough, if you are strong Caps came back, and I was like, “Well, not going on until this is over.” enough, then you can have anything you want.” We are increasingly You were in Oshawa? You could’ve just come out and said, “You guys recognizing that that’s nonsense. can relate to this. Hold on.”

It’s wild to see people disabused of that notion, every day. You think “OK, Oh, I did. I watched at the bar with half the audience. In Canada, they maybe the lightbulb is coming on,” and hope it’s true. understand. We were in the right place.

Empathy is so, so much harder to spread than apathy. You see it on the What’s the coolest experience you’ve had watching games on the road, highest level where Republican lawmakers are staunchly anti-LBTQ+ with other bands, whatever. folks until their son or daughter or nephew or niece is coming out. Then their tune changes. I think it’s comparable for something as silly as spray We played the arena in Berlin during the (2011-12) lockout, and (Flyers painting a statue, where people are offended by it because Mario stars) Daniel Briere and Claude Giroux came to the show because they Lemieux did so much for Pittsburgh. But was this an attack on Mario were playing for the Ice Bears. Our backstage was connected to the Lemieux? No. It was the social structure, the Hill District, the dividing line locker room. At the time, I was playing with Penguins guitar picks, so I of a highway that put the haves and have-nots on either side of it. lined their lockers with those. Their goalie at the time, Rob Zepp, he was really cool, and he sent me a picture of them with the picks at their One of the original sins of this city is Mellon Arena, and to see people not lockers. “They aren’t happy.” even carry that into the discussion was wild. We played (in Montreal). It was us and this band from And it’s painful, because it goes back to this idea, “Well if you’re against Canada called Billy Talent, so we sold out every arena in Canada on that it, you can’t step foot in it.” And that’s not the way this works. I’m an tour, the Canadiens by far were the coolest to us. They invited us to the optimist. I search for tangible victories. And in terms of hockey, even game before the show, and we sat in the press area, which is this ring when we have to have things like Akim Aliu and Evander Kane’s around the top of the arena. It’s the sickest view. And they only played organization (the Hockey Diversity Alliance), this is what needs to Anti-Flag and Billy Talent songs during the game. They played the happen. These are your Black voices within the sport. They need to lead Penguins and the Penguins won, so it was the sickest day of my life. the conversation, and you need to listen. From there, we need to do our That press box, I’ve never seen it at another arena; it’s a track that goes best to support them, but also be reflective. And all the things the overall all the way around, and you can look straight down. culture and the average person needs to do? Sidney Crosby needed to do as well. Because being good at one thing doesn’t excuse you from the That’s everybody’s favorite road city, partially because of the press box, other things. partially because there are these hot dogs that everyone loses their mind over. Montreal rules. Alright, so you’re a Lemieux guy, first and foremost. Evander Kane said, “ I want to hear from Sidney Crosby , I want to hear What’s your Jagr relationship? Because I love asking people who grew from Tom Brady,” and people took offense to that, which seemed crazy up here how they feel about him. to me. If they changed the color of the goalie trapezoid paint, they’d ask Sidney Crosby what he thought of it. Clearly. He’s the voice of the I personally love him. I was 12 or 13, and I remember him being so league. He should have something to say. You expect him to have an young and so identifiable. The other guys on the team were only a opinion on the most mundane shit, and this is real life. handful of years older than him, but he looked young. It made you feel like you could do it. I equate it to when I saw Green Day in the So … “Longview” video, and the kid had pimples like me, and he was not What do I think of the postseason plan? (laughter) handsome, and his teeth were fucked up, and I was like, “I can do that!” It was the same feeling I got watching Jagr. Fucked up teeth. Was cross- Yeah, we’ve got to try to bring this back. Uh, whose wing would you put eyed in that photo. “What do you mean he’s a superstar? He’s a normal Jake Guentzel on? kid.” I had the hair, too. When he left, I never felt betrayed. I felt like he needed to go get his money. I really wish in the main Jagr Watch year, I’m really curious to see what the roster looks like. I know one of them got when he went to Philly, I wish he came back. That would’ve been the sick. I just want it to happen. I don’t know why they sent the Lightning to sickest bookend. Florida in the first place. I just want to watch games, man. HD has hurt every sport except hockey, because I’ve been watching ’90s throwback Who’s your go-to random Penguin? Do you know what I mean? Guys off games, and I’m like, “This looks like shit.” the ’90s teams or 2000s teams …

And it’s not that long ago. It’s like 2006. … for when I’m making a joke? It’s Rico Fata. You know who I’ve been talking about a lot lately, is Jimmy Paek. I’ve done a lot of work with this Yeah! I was watching the Edmonton-Carolina series (in 2006), and I was organization in Germany called Hockey is Diversity and it’s started by a like, “You can’t even see the puck!” Korean player, and he loves Jimmy Paek. We’ve been talking a lot about “Did Cam Ward play in 1958? Is that Terry Sawchuk playing for the Red him. Plus he’s No. 2. But yeah, Rico Fata is the one. With my buddies, Wings a million years ago?” when Dom Simon missed the net, it’s like “Put Rico Fata out there.”

(laughs) But yeah, I think you play Guentzel with Sid. I think Nick I saw you’re selling “Drop Pucks Not Bombs” shirts with Gritty on them. Bjugstad is the new Beau Bennett, and that we’ll never see him again. How’d that happen? But seriously, I want to know the insider take on Dominik Simon. Ohhh, it’s been a bone of contention. I’m sure you know, but not a lot of I think he’s a good player that doesn’t have hands and can’t score goals. people know, Gritty really became a mascot of the anti-fascist movement He does everything else well. Sid loves playing with that dude, and in Philadelphia. there’s a reason for it. Every Cup team has one or two of those; guys on Uh-huh. As I said earlier, sometimes you have to ask questions you know entry-level deals, they do 5-6 things well but they have some sort of fatal the answer to. flaw that stops them from being a first-liner. As you know. As you know. It was just so funny, and it felt like the right I was watching the St. Louis-Boston series, and David Perron in that time. We have done many, uh, controversial souvenir items. And this series was what you want Dominik Simon would be. Could you imagine if might be the most controversial item we’ve created. People are like, “Yo, he finished half of his chances? Or a third? I’m on board, but why is it black and orange?” “Oh, you’d have been What’s the worst instance of you guys having a show conflict with a big better with it if we did a straight black-and-white version? Good to know.” game? Did you miss any Cup Final games? When I was last in Germany in January, we put on a charity game. It was amazing — there were women from the German Olympic team, DEL teams. And then they all came to our show in Berlin, 20-some hockey players, the next night. And they all wanted the Gritty shirt. So you’d look out and see these guys who were a foot taller than everyone in the audience, wearing the same shirt and bobbing their head while we were playing.

Alright, so tomorrow night. No COVID concerns. Everything is cool. You can either play a show or sit against the glass at a Penguins playoff game. What’s the choice?

Oh, ideally I’d get a better seat than on the glass. But I’d go to the game. Listen, man, I have played an infinite amount of shows. You couldn’t add them up, the list is so long. “You need to do something else with your life.” “You’re right, I need to go to this hockey game.”

The Athletic LOADED: 06.25.2020 1175999 San Jose Sharks NHL First Team All-Star in 1982 and twice was named as an NHL Second Team All-Star (1985 and 1990).

Twenty of the 21 retired Norris Trophy winners have now been elected to Doug Wilson finally elected to Hockey Hall of Fame; But why now? the hall. The exception is , who won the award in 1991.

San Jose Sharks GM Doug Wilson, one of the most prolific offensive “Privileged to play in this league, privileged to be able to play as long as defensemen of his generation, was elected to the Hockey Hall of Fame we were able to play, and then to have something like this happen is to on Wednesday me, unexpected,” Wilson said. “There’s so many players and people that I feel are deserving of this and at least equal or more than me. But the timing, really, I didn’t even think about it.”

By CURTIS PASHELKA | PUBLISHED: June 24, 2020 at 1:39 p.m. | Wilson was chosen sixth overall by the Blackhawks in 1977 after a stellar UPDATED: June 24, 2020 at 5:32 p.m. junior career with the Ottawa 67’s of the OHL. Wilson had 254 points in 156 regular season games with the 67’s, who retired his No. 7 sweater.

Internationally, Wilson represented Canada at the 1984 Canada Cup and SAN JOSE — It was the type of phone call that Doug Wilson said he the 1987 Rendez-vous ‘87 series, which pitted the top NHL players never expected to receive. against the Soviet Union men’s national ice hockey team. But when it came Wednesday afternoon, with Lanny McDonald beginning Wilson was home when he received the news, which he was able to to tell him that he had been elected to the Hockey Hall of Fame in his share with his children and grandchildren, who are also living with him 24th year of eligibility, Wilson put his wife, Kathy, on the line so they and his wife right now. could relish in the news together. “When you come into this league, it’s not what you think about,” Wilson “She’s been the foundation and the rock of our family,” Wilson said of his said about making the hall of fame. “You think about playing the game wife. “And I thought it was important that Lanny be able to share it with and staying in the moment. This is the cherry on top of a sundae that just both of us at the same time.” came out of left field.” Wilson, one of the most prolific offensive defensemen of his generation San Jose Mercury News: LOADED: 06.25.2020 and the Sharks’ general manager for the last 17 years, is part of a 2020 class that includes players Jarome Iginla, Marian Hossa, Kevin Lowe and Kim St-Pierre and Edmonton Oilers general manager Ken Holland.

The class was elected by a 18-person committee, which could select a maximum of four male players, two female players, and either two builders or one builder and one referee or linesman. All nominated candidates needed to receive at least 14 votes (75%) to get in.

The 2020 induction ceremony is, for now, scheduled for Nov. 16 in Toronto.

“This was very unexpected,” Wilson said. “I look at it and I truly believe this, that just for me to have been considered and mentioned in this category, is beyond any of the dreams that I had when I started playing this game.”

Wilson, 62, has been eligible for induction since 1996, three years after he retired. He played his first 14 seasons from 1977 to 1991 with the Chicago Blackhawks, and his 779 points in that time ranked third among all defensemen, behind only Paul Coffey (1,045) and Ray Bourque (934).

Wilson won the Norris Trophy in 1982 after an 85-point season, and his 39 goals that year remain the fourth-most ever scored by an NHL defenseman. He finished amongst the top-five in Norris Trophy voting three other times.

Wilson, an Ottawa native, played the last two years of his career with the Sharks. In 16 years, Wilson played 1,024 games and had 237 goals and 590 assists, which ranks 15th among defensemen on the NHL’s all-time scoring list. Now, only one defenseman in the top 15 in scoring, former Shark Gary Suter, has not been elected to the Hall of Fame.

Last year’s election of defenseman Sergei Zubov perhaps opened the door for Wilson, as the two finished their careers with similar statistics. Zubov, a two-time Cup winner, had 771 points in 1,068 regular season games over 12 NHL seasons.

Wilson also had 80 points in 95 career playoff games, as his points per game average in the postseason (0.84) is tied for fifth all time. Wilson, however, never won a Stanley Cup in his playing career, a possible reason for why he wasn’t elected to the hall before Wednesday.

Lowe, a six-time Stanley Cup winner, was in his 20th year of eligibility.

Why were they selected now?

“People have to understand that, it’s not only that you have to get 14 of 18 votes,” said McDonald, the Hall of Fame chairman. “But it’s also sometimes, who you might be up against when you’re nominated for that year. I’m not saying whether (Wilson and Lowe) were ever nominated before or not. It’s just sometimes, it’s time.”

Wilson was selected to eight NHL All-Star Games — seven with Chicago and one with San Jose. While with Chicago, Wilson was named as an 1176000 San Jose Sharks

Sharks GM Doug Wilson, Jarome Iginla headline Hockey Hall of Fame’s Class of 2020

Chronicle News Services Updated 5:34 pm PDT, Wednesday, June 24, 2020

Sharks general manager Doug Wilson, a three-time All-Star defenseman who spent the final two seasons of his 16-year playing with San Jose, was among six people announced Wednesday as members of the Hockey Hall of Fame’s Class of 2020.

The group also includes four-time All-Star wing Jarome Iginla, who will be the fourth Black player inducted; three-time Stanley Cup champion wing Marian Hossa; six-time Cup-winning defenseman Kevin Lowe; Canadian women’s goaltender Kim St. Pierre; and longtime GM Ken Holland.

Wilson, Chicago’s first-round draft pick in 1977, was in his 24th year of eligibility when the Hall made its call for him. In 1,024 regular-season games, he had 237 goals and 590 assists — including a career-high 39 goals in 1981-82 when he won the Norris Trophy as the league’s top defenseman.

“I’m not even a Hall of Famer in my own house, so joining this club means the world to me,” Wilson told NHL.com. “I would like to thank all of the people who have been so good to me in this game.”

Iginla, selected in his first year of eligibility, became the first Black player to lead the NHL in goals and points when he had 52 goals and 96 points for Calgary in 2001-02. He also was the first Black male athlete in any sport to win a gold medal in the Winter Olympics when he helped Canada earn the title in the 2002 Games.

“This selection is hard to believe and makes me reflect and look back on my career,” said Iginla, who is tied for 16th in NHL history with 625 goals.

Hossa also was elected in his first year of eligibility and joins 2015 inductee Chris Pronger as the only players voted into the Hall of Fame while still under contract. Pronger’s career ended because of post- concussion issues; Hossa quit playing in 2017 because of a skin disorder.

In 1,024 regular-season games, Doug Wilson had 237 goals and 590 assists — including a career-high 39 goals in 1981-82 when he won the Norris Trophy as the league’s top defenseman.

Holland made it in the builder category with four Cup rings and St. Pierre helped Canada to three Olympic gold medals and five world championship titles.

The Hall of Fame induction ceremony is scheduled to be held in Toronto on Nov. 16.

San Francisco Chronicle LOADED: 06.25.2020 1176001 San Jose Sharks

Sharks GM Doug Wilson to be inducted in Hockey Hall of Fame 2020 class

By Marcus White June 24, 2020 1:58 PM

Doug Wilson is headed to the Hockey Hall of Fame.

The Hall of Fame announced Wednesday that Wilson, the Sharks general manager, will be inducted as a player this year.

Welcome to the Hockey Hall of Fame, Doug Wilson. #HHOF2020 | #HHOF pic.twitter.com/6F2zfuPiWW

— Hockey Hall of Fame (@HockeyHallFame) June 24, 2020

Marian Hossa, Jarome Iginla, Kevin Lowe, Kim St. Pierre and Ken Holland are set to be inducted alongside Wilson. The Hockey Hall of Fame tentatively has scheduled this 2020 class' induction for a Nov. 16 ceremony in Toronto.

Wilson played 16 NHL seasons with Chicago and San Jose, retiring after the 1992-93 season. A left-handed defenseman, Wilson scored 827 career points (230 goals, 590 assists) and won the Norris Trophy in 1982. Wilson still ranks 15th among blueliners in career points, and he retired as the eighth-highest scoring defenseman in NHL history.

All seven defensemen ahead of Wilson at the time of his retirement eventually were selected for induction in the Hockey Hall of Fame, but Wilson waited considerably longer than many of his Hall of Fame peers to get the call. He first was eligible for selection in 1996, and Wilson's 24- year wait was the longest of the former NHL players set to be inducted this fall.

The Sharks traded for Wilson just before the first season in franchise history, and the defenseman served as San Jose's first captain. He was the first Shark to appear in an NHL All-Star Game, representing the team in Philadelphia in 1992. Wilson scored 48 points (12 games, 36 assists) in 86 games with San Jose.

Wilson took over as the Sharks' general manager in 2003, and San Jose has made the Stanley Cup Playoffs in 15 of his 17 seasons at the helm. The Sharks have been consistent Stanley Cup contenders under Wilson's watch, appearing in five Western Conference finals and reaching the Cup Final in 2016.

Only 17 general managers' organizations have won more games than the Sharks have in Wilson's tenure (710).

Comcast SportsNet.com LOADED: 06.25.2020 1176002 San Jose Sharks staying in a moment, and this is the cherry on top of a sundae that just came out of left field.”

Naturally, there was a flood of congratulatory phone calls and text Doug Wilson says getting Hall call ‘beyond any dreams’ he had as a messages. Among those who reached out to Wilson were Joe Thornton, player Wilson’s former junior coach Brian Kilrea, former longtime Oilers and Rangers general manager Glen Sather, and Ducks general manager Bob Murray, who played with Wilson on the Blackhawks, and many, many more. By Kevin Kurz Jun 24, 2020 Thornton, himself a lock to join Wilson in the Hockey Hall of Fame

someday, passed this along to The Athletic, via text: “Me and my family Finally, the call came. are extremely happy to see #24 Doug Wilson get the call to be inducted into the Hockey Hall of Fame. As an elite defenseman who has a deep Hockey Hall of Fame chairman and legendary NHL defenseman Lanny passion for the game, him and his entire family truly deserve this honor to McDonald was the one who placed it. be amongst the greatest who’ve ever played the game.”

“This is a phone call long overdue,” said McDonald, who proceeded to “The two key guys on those Chicago teams were Doug Wilson and Steve inform Sharks general manager and former elite NHL defenseman Doug Larmer,” Murray said. “This is a very good moment for a lot of guys. It’s a Wilson that he was among the newest members of the Hockey Hall of little unfortunate (it took so long). But justice has been served. It’s Fame. Wilson joined Jarome Iginla, Marian Hossa, Kevin Lowe, Kim St. wonderful.” Pierre and Ken Holland (builder category) as part of the Class of 2020, with a tentative induction date of Nov. 16 in Toronto. Wilson mentioned having to place just one phone call, to his mother, who is currently in a senior home. He hadn’t yet had a chance to give her the The timing was ideal, too, in that Wilson was surrounded Wednesday by good news at the time he held a conference call with the local media. 11 of his family members at their house in Arizona, including his youngest daughter, who is currently six-and-a-half months pregnant. Among those whom Wilson would have liked to share the day with who aren’t here anymore are his father, former roommate and Blackhawks The first thing Wilson did when he received the call from McDonald was legend Stan Mikita, whom Wilson referred to as a “second father,” and to hand the phone to his wife, Kathy. After he told McDonald he “couldn’t business mentor and friend Bill O’Rourke. even put into words” how he felt, Kathy Wilson got on the line and was overcome with emotion herself after McDonald asked her what it was Wilson, an Ottawa, Ontario, native, was drafted sixth overall by the going to be like “hanging out later tonight with a Hall of Famer.” Blackhawks in the 1977 NHL Draft. He was inducted into the Chicago Sports Hall of Fame in 1999. “She is the heartbeat of our family,” Wilson said. “When we first moved to San Jose our kids were 7, 5, 3 and 1. I had it easy, I’d just go play Wilson is one of the rare individuals in hockey who can be associated hockey. She knew nobody. What she has done is she’s been the with two franchises. Although he’s entering the Hall as a player primarily foundation, the rock of our family. I thought it was important that Lanny because of his career with the Blackhawks (and not as a builder for his be able to share it with both of us at the same time.” accomplishments as the Sharks’ GM since 2003), he did help to establish the Sharks’ foundation upon his arrival to the Bay Area in 1991. Why Wilson had to wait this long for the call is difficult to understand. His achievements and the numbers he put up as a defenseman from 1977 “He brought the team instant credibility, someone who was universally through 1993 certainly seem to merit enshrinement. recognizable on the roster,” said longtime Sharks radio voice Dan Rusonowsky, who has been with the organization since its inception. In order to get elected, 14 of a possible 18 votes from committee members are needed. “I think he taught everybody on that team what it meant to be a classy professional, and it set the tone for what it really means to be a San Jose “It’s not only that you have to get 14 of 18 votes, but it’s also sometimes Shark today. The way he carried himself, the fact that he’s such a great who you may be up against when you’re up that year,” McDonald said. family man. That’s important to him. The way that he played hard with “Sometimes, it’s timing. Regardless of if they go in (in the first year of great skill and with respect for his opponents, but with great eligibility) like Marian and Jarome, it’s richly deserved.” competitiveness. And I think that all of those things were really important to the team in the early years.” WELCOME TO THE HOCKEY HALL OF FAME, DOUG WILSON. #HHOF2020 | #HHOF PIC.TWITTER.COM/6F2ZFUPIWW Wilson played 86 games with the Sharks over two seasons at the , posting 48 points (12g, 36a). — HOCKEY HALL OF FAME (@HOCKEYHALLFAME) JUNE 24, 2020 When asked about any individual achievements in his career of which he Wilson, 62, stands 15th among NHL defensemen all time with 827 points, was most proud, such as, perhaps, winning a Norris Trophy, Wilson 12th in goals with 237, won the Norris Trophy in 1982 (and finished in the instead mentioned how memorable it was to be a part of the 1984 top five in voting three other occasions), played in seven NHL All-Star Canada Cup team. That roster featured players such as Wayne Gretzky, Games and was a postseason NHL All-Star three times (’82, ’85, ’90). He Mark Messier, , Paul Coffey and Steve Yzerman. skated in 1,024 games over 16 seasons, 14 with Chicago and the final two with San Jose as the first captain of the expansion Sharks. He ranks “It was the best-on-best, playing against the Russian team with the KLM first among Blackhawks defensemen in goals, assists and points, and is line,” he said. “That jumps out at me right this moment. The individual seventh all time in scoring and ninth all time in games played for the things you look back and you say, ‘That’s nice.’ But I think all the Original Six club. teammates that I played with and the things that you go through together, even the first couple years with the Sharks. Every team and moment was Still, he had to wait 24 years to get the call after he became eligible in different, and I know this — when you do finish playing, you miss being 1996. around the guys. The camaraderie, the team dynamics, things like that. “This was very unexpected,” Wilson said. “I truly believe this, that just for “It’s just the friendships you make in this game. The quality of people in me to have been considered and mentioned in this category is beyond this game make this game special. It’s moments like today that flashes any of the dreams I ever would have had when I started playing this you back to that, and hopefully we don’t ever take that for granted.” game. I’ve been a very fortunate guy, played in the ’70s, ’80s and ’90s and the people that I played with — I was not expecting this. And I’m The Athletic LOADED: 06.25.2020 probably as excited or more excited for my family and people that were huge parts of my life that I now get to take time to reach out and call, and I appreciate the number of texts and calls I’ve got today.

“There’s a kaleidoscope of people that have been so good to me. And it’s a privilege to play in this league and play this game. It’s humbling. I’ve never really thought much about it, I’ll be honest with you. When you come into this league, it’s not what you think about playing the game and 1176003 St Louis Blues ceased operations after that ’77-78 season, merging with the Minnesota North Stars.

“To be honest with you, it was a pretty rough year as a whole,” Crombeen's goal was one for the ages for Blues Crombeen said. “It was a franchise that was at the bottom of the league. I remember the rink was actually situated closer to Akron than it was to Cleveland.

Jim Thomas “The Montreal Canadiens would come in, they were one of the elite teams in the league, and I remember playing a game there where we had

2,500 people in the stands. . . . It created an atmosphere like you were at Struggling with a bad cold, had trouble breathing during a practice.” the morning skate. The Blues’ winger felt a little better that night but knew After the merger, the North Stars were allowed to protect 14 players from he was slated for only spot duty in the decisive Game 5 against the the combined rosters. The rest would be made available in a dispersal Pittsburgh Penguins. draft to the five teams that finished with the worst records the previous Over the opening two periods he played only three shifts — all on the season. penalty kill. Then he sat and sat some more. For nearly two hours. Only two of the five eligible teams made a selection in a draft that took all “You sit there on the bench and it’s funny how things go through your of four minutes. The Blues made one of those two picks — Crombeen — mind,” Crombeen said at the time in 1981. “I kept wondering whether and were excited about landing a winger regarded as perhaps the fastest we’d be playing New York or going home. I never dreamed I’d be the guy skater in junior hockey just a year earlier. to score the goal.” “I can’t say specifically that I recall it to a ‘T,’ but I’m sure to me it was a But 5 minutes, 16 seconds into the second overtime, Crombeen played breath of fresh air, a chance for a new start to try to play up to his fourth shift of the night. Taking a Mike Zuke pass from the corner, expectations,” Crombeen said. “At the time when I first went to St. Louis, Crombeen was left uncovered in front of the net. Pittsburgh goalie Greg it was a team that was somewhat in a rebuilding process. Millen got a piece of the shot but not enough. Crombeen never saw it go “There were a lot of young players that were just starting their career, in. and had a year or two under their belt. , , a lot “I was aware of the mayhem in the crowd, and I looked over at ‘Zukie’ of those guys were just at the start of their career. Mike Liut.” and he was two feet in the air,” Crombeen said after the game. “That’s And Mike Crombeen. when I knew it was in.” He never became the kind of scorer in the NHL that he was with Kingston And there it was — one of the most famous goals in Blues’ playoff history in junior hockey, instead settling into a role of defensive specialist and with Crombeen the unlikely hero in a 4-3 victory in that clinched the penalty-killer. series, 3 games to 2. The Blues were upset by the New York Rangers in the quarterfinals. Crombeen enjoyed his time in St. Louis. During off-days, he’d go hunting and fishing with Larry Patey or Ed Staniowski. He appreciated the Nonetheless, Crombeen’s goal breathed life into a franchise that had not passion and loyalty of the fan base. won a playoff series since 1972. But just two years after his historic goal against Pittsburgh, the Blues had Now 63 and living in Barrie, Ontario, Crombeen hasn’t watched that goal a new general manager in Ron Caron, a new coach in Jacques Demers, in years. No, make that decades. and no room on the roster for Crombeen. “I think I have a copy of the goal that’s on an old cassette, which He was placed on waivers prior to the 1983-84 season and claimed by obviously in time I’ve gotten rid of anything that could play it,” he said in a Hartford along with Bob Crawford and the man with the big assist on that phone interview Saturday. “So I can’t even remember the last time I’ve Pittsburgh goal — Zuke. Crombeen played his final two seasons in even looked at it. It’s probably been 30 years ago.” Hartford, where Caron’s predecessor in St Louis, Emile “The Cat” (Alas, it’s easy enough to find on YouTube.) Francis, was GM.

But Crombeen isn’t the type to live in the past. Crombeen would return to St. Louis many times in later years to watch his son B.J. play for the Blues from 2008-12. “It was a time of my life that I enjoyed very much, and a lot of fun memories with it,” Crombeen said. “But since that time you kinda move “During that time it gave me a chance to connect with some of the guys on. I’ve looked at it with my kids when they were growing up, stuff like that I played with that I hadn’t seen for 20-plus years,” he said. “It was that. nice to get caught up with a number of the guys that settled in the area.”

“There’s the odd time when it comes up in a conversation, where you Following hockey, Crombeen spent nearly 30 years working in sales for bump into somebody and somebody recalls it or saw it and brings it up. Adidas. He retired from Adidas three years ago and has eight grandkids So you relive it I guess in your mind.” to keep him busy, many of whom are now playing hockey.

It is commonplace in the NHL for the equipment manager or someone to Who knows? Maybe there’s a third generation Crombeen in the making fetch the puck after a memorable goal and save it for the player, but for the Blues. Crombeen doesn’t remember that happening. St Louis Post Dispatch LOADED: 06.25.2020 “Maybe I did get it and maybe I misplaced it,” he said. “But I don’t have it in my possession now and I don’t recall ever having it.”

Overall, Crombeen regrets that he kept very little memorabilia from an NHL career that spanned eight seasons with the Cleveland Barons, Blues and . Crombeen says he has a Whalers jersey somewhere, and that’s about it.

He scored 47 of his career total of 55 goals over five seasons with the Blues, including a career-high 19 during the 1981-82 campaign.

A highly-touted junior player, Crombeen scored a franchise-record 160 goals in four seasons with the . The Barons made him the fifth overall selection in the 1977 NHL draft; he was taken fourth overall by Edmonton that same year in the WHA draft.

He chose the Barons for what would be their second — and last — season in Cleveland. In an unusual set of circumstances, the Barons 1176004 St Louis Blues was sitting in a wheelchair. But when I walked in, he had a huge smile, screamed for joy and said, ‘There you are, Louie! I’ve been waiting for you!’ That moment was one that will always stick with me.

‘Everybody loves Louie’: A rare interview with St. Louis’ favorite polar “When I make someone happy, that fills me with joy. There’s nothing I bear have seen or experienced that equals the excitement kids get when you first show up.”

If there’s a Blues game that night, Louie eventually makes his way to By Jeremy Rutherford Jun 24, 2020 Enterprise Center, and like the players, he has his own pregame routine. He arrives at the rink about 5 p.m. to stretch, eat and get into costume.

What does a polar bear eat before a big game? The subdivision was part of a new housing development in the St. Louis area and didn’t show up on Louie’s navigation system, making the Blues’ “Well, it depends on what they’re serving, but usually a lot of salmon,” he mascot about 30 minutes late for a recent appearance. said, laughing.

The club hadn’t played a game in nearly three months because of Louie is often seen in his Blues sweater, but depending on the theme of COVID-19, and it was one of the first toasty days this summer. But you the night, he’s got an outfit for every occasion. And he doesn’t like to get wouldn’t have known that seeing the smiles and hearing the shrieks rid of anything, so he keeps it all stored inside the arena. when Louie pulled up the street in his blue van. “Kim Kardashian might be jealous of the closet space I have,” he said. The joy that mascots elicit from children — and adults for that matter — can rarely be replicated in other walks of life. To many youngsters, they The doors open, and like a Hollywood A-list celebrity, Louie likes to be are as popular as the star players, and they make time to greet everyone. fashionably late to the concourse. They have stories that will melt hearts, but part of what makes them so “Usually I let the fans come out to the building before I head out because alluring is that they don’t speak publicly. I tend to get mobbed,” he said. “You’ve got to be on your toes, for sure. However, as part of “Mascots week” at The Athletic, Louie granted us There are a lot of fans to high-five and you don’t want to miss anybody.” permission for his first-ever, exclusive interview. Introduced to St. Louis Louie’s big dark eyes are especially looking for the children, many of in 2007, he invited us to ride along with him to the subdivision — one of whom are pretty timid. an estimated 600 appearances in 2020 — and then broke his 13-year silence over lunch. “I try to play peek-a-boo, just anything I can to make them feel more comfortable, whether it’s smacking my nose on a door, shaking my belly “I’m not much of a talker,” Louie said. “I hope you can understand hand or dancing around,” he said. “Each kid is different and sometimes they’re gestures. But I do have a lot to say.” too terrified, but most of the time you’re able to get a smile out of them. I A mascot who has attended hundreds of Blues games and gone to many can think of one time specifically when the girl stood behind her mom the birthday parties, retirement ceremonies, weddings — “I’ve been the ring entire time and would not come anywhere near me. But the mom tweeted bear-er,” he joked — speaks to why people might be so drawn to a blue me later on that as soon as they got to the car, the girl told her that I was polar bear from a small town near the Arctic Circle, and he takes us her best friend and she wanted me to come live with them.” behind the scenes on that recent appearance so the rest of us can see Like the high-fives, the questions start flying at Louie, too. for ourselves. “The one I get every time, ‘Do you smile for pictures?'” he said. “Yes, I’m Louie’s family would have never envisioned their son and sibling being smiling for every photo!” the mascot for an NHL team. Yes, he grew up in extremely cold temperatures, but hockey was not part of his childhood. Another is why Louie doesn’t wear pants?

“They can’t believe it,” he said. “They think it’s weird seeing me among all “Does Winnie-the-Pooh wear pants? No, it’s too restrictive,” he said. “We the fans, on TV and in the newspaper. They’re pretty shocked that that’s have fur for a reason.” what came about. Being a big blue bear, I never thought it would turn into this, either.” But there are nights when Louie probably wishes he wore pants.

It wasn’t instant celebrity status for Louie, who played second-fiddle to “People can get very handsy,” he said. “They like to check things that the Cardinals’ mascot, Fredbird, when he burst onto the scene in St. maybe they shouldn’t be checking.” Louis. The Cards had won 10 World Series titles by that time, and he Once the puck drops, Louie becomes part of the in-game entertainment, was synonymous with the city. which can be both gratifying and death-defying.

“I think coming to a baseball town, where Fredbird had been around for “That’s my favorite part,” he said. “I walk on railings, and there are a lot of close to 40 years, it took a while for people to recognize me,” Louie said. high-wire acts. And when you have feet as big as mine …” “I would say that was the most challenging thing, just the recognition that there was more than one professional mascot in the city. But now it’s Louie works the crowd at a Blues game. (Courtesy of St. Louis Blues) Louie and Fredbird. We’re best friends. We have to FaceTime each other, though, because we don’t usually talk.” There are also people to see and places to be. There are ticket packages that include in-seat visits, not to mention the tweets from fans and texts Like Fredbird long ago, Louie had to learn the ropes of being an from friends asking him to stop by. entertainer all day long. With an expected 600 appearances this year, that’s an average of nearly two per day, and he has done as many as 10 “There’s one little girl, she’s at almost every game, up in the Mezzanine, from sunup to sundown. and they always try to find me,” he said. “She’s adorable, and for my birthday one year, she gave me a picture book of us, and I can watch her The mornings often start out at a school, and as a former student himself, grow up through all the pictures. That’s sitting on my desk right now.” Louie knows how much fun it was when special visitors made a big splash. There are many parents, in fact, whose main mission — more than watching the game — is finding Louie for their kids. “I always do my best to get every student in the school riled up,” he said. “I’ll knock on the door, jump in, get everybody up out of their seats, then “It’s kind of funny how I stand out in a crowd, but I’m pretty hard to find at leave so the teachers can deal with it. The teachers don’t always games,” he said. “I don’t know how exactly that works, but I guess when appreciate that, but at least the kids will remember it.” you have 19,000 people, a big blue bear can blend in a little bit.”

In the afternoon, Louie may see more children at hospitals, and while But with no home games since March 9 because of the league pause, these kids may be less fortunate, they are just as excited. Blues fans have been missing their team and their mascot.

“I remember one particular time I was at (St. Louis) Children’s Hospital So Stephanie Kullorn, a Blues season-ticket holder, recently organized and there was a kid that couldn’t have been more than 10 years old,” he an appearance by Louie to her subdivision in Barnhart, Mo. She posted it said. “He had been in a pretty bad car accident and he couldn’t walk; he on her neighborhood’s Facebook page and invited everyone. “He’s our mascot,” Kullorn said. “He’s the definition of the Blues. He’s “We were coming back from the All-Star Game one year, and we were on funny and enjoys making everybody have a good time. So this was a way the same flight home,” he said. “We get to the baggage claim and people to enjoy it because the kids have really been wanting to go to a game. were coming up and asking him for autographs. He signed everything Everybody loves Louie, and it just kind of brings everything back to and was very generous with his time. But then he points at me and tells normal.” them, ‘There’s Louie!’ It was funny.”

Well, as normal as can be these days, anyway. All of his interactions are Besides his popularity, Louie now has something else in common with with social-distancing measures in place, which presents a challenge Tarasenko: He has done an interview with a reporter. when pulling onto a street full of kids. “It was nice to be able to talk and share some of my experiences So Louie came up with an idea that was copied from the movie “Teen because I have a lot,” he said. “But that was the first and only time I’m Wolf.” There’s a scene in the 1985 comedy starring Michael J. Fox in going to tell my stories.” which his werewolf character climbs onto the top of a van and dances as it drives down the road. The Athletic LOADED: 06.25.2020

Louie didn’t get that dangerous, but before his van turned left toward the crowd, he jumped on top of it like Teen Wolf.

“I’ve done a few of them where I was inside the van, but when people see a big, lovable bear, they kind of forget about everything else that’s going on,” he said. “I’ve had quite a few come up and high-five me or give me a hug before I can react. So ‘Teen Wolf’ was kind of the inspiration. I like to make a big entrance, and what’s bigger than riding on top of a van and having everybody in the neighborhood see me?”

Louie makes a grand entrance at a recent appearance. (Jeremy Rutherford / The Athletic)

A group of kids that had been waiting an extra half-hour for his arrival looked up in amazement.

“We weren’t expecting it, and when we saw him standing on the van, everybody was panicking that he was going to fall off,” Kullorn said. “It was a good entrance, for sure.”

They chanted “Louie,” and afterward the mascot would say: “It never gets old. Think about walking into a friend’s house and being excited to see them, and them excited to see you, and then multiply that because it’s somebody you don’t even know. It’s pretty incredible.”

But in the moment, the mascot made the visit personal for the families.

“It just makes everybody remember back to when they were a kid, just the sheer joy,” said Jake Ulmer, 36, of Barnhart. “When I was a kid, it was Fredbird. If you got to hug him or get a high-five, that’s all you really wanted when you went to a ballgame. I would say even more so than the players for me, as a kid, I just always wanted to see the mascots. When I heard Louie was coming here, we made sure we were home because I knew it was going to make the kids super happy, and that’s all you really want for them.”

Ulmer’s son, Liam, turned and said, “It’s really cool!”

Louie then got a challenge from a young girl for a dance-off contest. This is another part of the job that requires a lot of time, keeping up with the latest trends on social media and practicing them in front of mirrors at home.

“Gotta look good from all sides,” he said.

Louie looked good, but admittedly didn’t dance well enough for the victory.

“Oh, she kicked my butt; she won for sure,” he said. “I’m not nearly as flexible, and when she pulled out the high-leg kick, I threw in the towel. The Fortnite moves, I’ve seen enough kids do them, and I can do most of those. But the high-leg kick or the splits, I’m out.”

After the loss, Louie’s van was on its way out of the subdivision, and he was longing for the day when fans will be able to return to the rink.

“I miss being able to interact and high-five and not have to be on the roof of a van,” he said. “None of us really know what’s going to happen, so we’re playing it by ear just like everybody else. But I hope to get back to the way things were and get fans in the building. I love the sport of hockey, but it’s not nearly the same without the fans.”

They’ll be back one day, but what will the post-virus rules look like regarding interaction with mascots? Could the contact be limited?

“We always want Louie to be around,” Ulmer said. “When you’re going to a game, he’s a huge part of the atmosphere, especially for the kids. I hope nothing happens. We want him to be there.”

That reminded Louie of a funny story involving the Blues’ Vladimir Tarasenko. 1176005 Tampa Bay Lightning

Lightning back on the ice for Phase 2 after positive COVID-19 tests

The team reopened its training facilities Wednesday. They had been shut down Friday after players and staff tested positive.

DIANA C. NEARHOS

TAMPA — The Lightning returned to the ice Wednesday, reopening their training facilities at and the TGH Ice Plex for voluntary workouts.

The team shut down its Phase 2 workouts and both facilities on Friday after players and staff members tested positive for the coronavirus as part of the league-mandated biweekly testing. In an internal email shared with the Tampa Bay Times on Friday, the organization said the arena would be closed until July 6.

The Lightning has decided to open it back up to players, which it announced through a tweet from Bryan Burns, who writes for the team’s website.

The players who tested positive, and people who came into contact with the players, are currently in quarantine.

After receiving positive tests, the team followed league protocol, shutting things down and implementing more tests. It released a statement from general manager Julien BriseBois that the players were “asymptomatic other than a few cases of low-grade fever.”

The NHL expanded Phase 2 to groups of 12 players as of June 23.

The organization originally opened Phase 2 on June 9, making ice available to groups of six players. More than 12 players had participated in the voluntary workouts, according to videos shared by the team. Players and staffers must have temperature and symptom checks upon entering the arena, and are tested of the virus twice a week.

The NHL, which said 11 of “more than 200″ players have tested positive since Phase 2 began, announced a target date of July 10 for training camps to open. That date, however, was dependent upon the league and players association having an overall agreement on resuming play, which is not yet in place.

UP NEXT:Lightning’s Frantz Jean focuses on inclusion in talks with his son

Tampa Bay Times LOADED: 06.25.2020 1176006 Tampa Bay Lightning Playing ability, sportsmanship, character and contributions to his or her team or teams and to the game of hockey in general.

Considering Lecavalier was a pillar in Tampa Bay not only for his playing, Is Lightning great Vincent Lecavalier a Hall of Famer? but also his legacy off the ice with his pediatric cancer wing at an area hospital, I offered this letter of support in our selection simulation.

When you get handed the label of the future “Michael Jordan of Hockey” By Joe Smith Jun 24, 2020 on draft day by your owner, it’s an impossible standard to live up to. But Lecavalier did his best, becoming the face of the Lightning franchise after

being taken No. 1 overall in 1998. He led Tampa Bay to a Stanley Cup in It was one of the signature plays of Vincent Lecavalier’s career. 2004, won a Rocket Richard Trophy as the league’s top goal scorer in 2006-07 (52 goals). Lecavalier’s 421 goals may not pop off the page, but The former Lightning captain was a dynamic force in his prime, including he was a model of scoring consistency, racking up at least 20 goals in 13 the biggest game of his career – Game 7 of the 2004 Stanley Cup Final. of his first 15 seasons (the only ones below were his rookie year and the There were five minutes left in the second period of a one-goal game. lockout-shortened 2012-13 season). And there was a several-year Lecavalier won an offensive zone faceoff, used his 6-foot-4, 215-pound stretch where Lecavalier was one of the best forwards in the game, frame to force his way through the slot and into the corner. He picked up finishing fourth in Hart Trophy voting in 2007. Had Lecavalier not lost one the puck, completed a couple spin moves on a Calgary defenseman season in his prime due to the 2004-05 lockout, he’d likely have gotten before darting into the left, where three other Flames awaited. closer to the 500-goal plateau, not to mention have another chance at a Stanley Cup. Like former teammate, Brad Richards, Lecavalier’s Lecavalier took a huge hit – one that he admitted gave him a headache numbers were stunted by scoring being at historic lows earlier in his for a couple days after – but found Ruslan Fedotenko atop the circle for career, with one and a half seasons wiped out due to labor stoppages. the eventual game-winning goal. “You’re toe-dragging everybody, second Not to mention Lecavalier played on many lean Lightning teams. But guy, third guy, and I’m like, ‘Vinny, I’m here!” Fedotenko recalled. when it came to playoff time, Lecavalier rose to the occasion, especially The game was like a wrestling match on ice, with all the pre-lockout in the 2004 Stanley Cup run. There was his between-the-legs goal to clutching and grabbing. There was no room. Well, for most players. force overtime in Game 3 against Montreal in the Eastern Conference semifinals, his fight with Calgary captain Jarome Iginla in the Cup Final “You had to really do something special one-on-one to create some and his highlight-reel assist on the game-winning goal in Game 7. space,” Hall of Famer Martin St. Louis said. Lecavalier also had 19 points in 18 games during the Lightning’s run to “One of the few skilled plays in that game,” defenseman said. the Eastern Conference Final in 2011. “A hell of a play. A big-time play.” My pitch didn’t work in our debate and process, which took around four VINNY LECAVALIER WAS A BEAST IN HIS PRIME. SOMEONE THAT hours over Slack last week. The only vote Lecavalier got was from me in SIZE SHOULDN'T ALSO HAVE HANDS THAT NICE. WATCHING HIM the first wave, and when a player has fewer than five votes in the initial round, he’s taken off the ballot for the following runoff votes. Iginla, AND MARTY ST.LOUIS PLAY OFF EACH OTHER Mogilny, Hossa and Doug Wilson were elected by us in the male player PIC.TWITTER.COM/ZMWPEIG9TM category, and it’ll be interesting to see what the actual Hall of Fame class — DIMITRI FILIPOVIC (@DIMFILIPOVIC) JUNE 23, 2020 looks like Wednesday.

Lecavalier’s longtime linemate, St. Louis, was inducted into the Hockey But Lecavalier could still indeed be considered in future years (perhaps Hall of Fame two years ago. The Flames captain Jarome Iginla, with a better advocate than I). Lecavalier’s nemesis in that 2004 series, will likely get the call “The people, they look for special,” Bowman said. “The Rocket Richard Wednesday when this year’s class is selected. Trophies, they look for All-Star selections. Stanley Cup is one of the It begs the question: Will Lecavalier ever get his turn? Is he a Hall of (qualities) but there have been players that got in without winning the Famer? Cup. It’s a category where individual trophies, All-Star teams, you’ve got to look at it all. You’ve got to look at the era.” Lecavalier’s case isn’t a slam-dunk by any means. I found that out the hard way when I pitched the former Lightning center in The Athletic’s Bowman also said you have to look at comparables. simulation of the Hockey Hall of Fame selection committee. The process One way to do so is to check out the players’ similarity scores on is unique with its own set of challenges, as we’ll get to later. Hockeyreference.com. The scores, derived using a method similar to the But Lecavalier does have an interesting case, even if it’s a borderline one used at Pro-Football-Reference.com, attempts to find players whose one, with those on the committee having to decide if he belongs in the careers were similar in terms of quality and shape. It’s not about having Hall of Fame or just below in the “Hall of the Very Good.” the same style of play. But you look at how long their careers were, how good their best years were compared to the worst years. Were there There are 18 members on the selection committee, with each only able several great years and then a few mediocre ones? to nominate one male player, one female player and one builder. To make the Hall of Fame, you need 14 of the 18 members to vote for you A key stat used for this is Point Shares, a statistic that tries to determine (members only get to pick four on the initial male player vote). That how many of a team’s points the player was responsible for, like makes it a challenge even during lean years, not to mention when there’s baseball’s win shares or wins above replacement. a potential class of candidates that includes Iginla, Marian Hossa, If you look at this chart, you’ll see a few comparables to Lecavalier’s Alexander Mogilny, Daniel Alfredsson, Patrik Elias. Similarity Score that are Hall of Famers, like Bobby Clarke and Denis “Some years, it’s a slam dunk,” said Scotty Bowman, a member of the Savard. You can argue will likely get inducted, too. But selection committee from 2003-17 who was instrumental in pushing there are also non-Hall of Famers, potentially the “Hall of the Very Good” former Lightning captain Dave Andreychuk over the edge in his 15th year category, like Peter Bondra, Tony Amonte and Bernie Nichols. on the ballot. “But all of a sudden, if there’s 3-4 guys popped up retired With Lecavalier, he may not have been one of the best players in hockey around the same time, if you’re not one of those 3-4 slam dunks, you for a 10-year span, but he had a pretty impressive prime. And you have to wait. Andreychuk waited longer than that. Going forward, it’s wonder what his career and numbers could have looked like had he not going to be tricky. The game has changed so much that people get 500 had a season and a half wiped away by a lockout. Or if Lecavalier’s early goals now are not as honored as they were 20 years ago. years weren’t spent in the “dead puck” era, with all the obstruction, “They have to be dominating.” clutching and grabbing before the post-lockout rules opened up the offense. Lecavalier didn’t reach the 500-goal plateau, finishing with 421 (949 points) in 1,212 games. He did win a Rocket Richard Trophy as the But there’s also the factor of the shoulder injury Lecavalier suffered in a league’s top goal scorer. He won a Cup. He made four All-Star teams collision with at the end of the 2007-08 season. Lecavalier’s and won gold for Canada in the 2004 World Cup. numbers weren’t the same after that. Lecavalier had been on a run where he scored 33, 32, 35, 52 and 40 goals. That five-year stretch, from The Hall of Fame’s own website offers a summary of what members are 2002-08, put him among the best in the game in point share. asked to ponder: You’ll notice Lecavalier was right behind Hossa, Jaromir Jagr and Iginla, and ahead of Hall of Fame teammate St. Louis.

Five years don’t make a career, nor a Hall of Fame case, but Lecavalier’s overall body of work at least puts him in a conversation. There was his consistency, with his first 13 of 15 seasons with 20-plus goals. There were his clutch moments in the postseason (from his between the legs goal against Montreal in 2004 to his fight with Iginla and Game 7 highight-reel assist). He was the long-time face of a franchise, and a significant figure in the community, with the pediatric cancer wing at Moffitt Cancer Center changing lives daily. Lecavalier even coached his son’s youth team in Tampa, the Brandon Bulls, to a state title this spring.

At the very least, Lecavalier will likely have a wait ahead of him, much like his teammate Andreychuk, who was inducted in 2017. Andreychuk had 640 career goals, with the most power play goals in league history, yet it took a long time for the voters to put him in.

“It’s not like baseball, there’s no ‘veteran’s’ category,'” Bowman said. “Where after so many tries, you have a veteran’s category with different voters, living members of the Hall of Fame, that can get you in. So once you get past 10 or 12 years, the feeling becomes, ‘Well if people when you retired didn’t put you in, how could we put you in?’ It’s hard to get a player or somebody in.

“It’s a very tricky process.”

The Athletic LOADED: 06.25.2020 1176007 Toronto Maple Leafs Now players like Alfredsson, who has been passed over four times, and Mogilny, passed over 11 times, have to wait.

“If I have any advice for anybody that’s on the cusp of perhaps going in Doug Wilson, Kevin Lowe proof that good things come to Hockey Hall of someday, just hang in there,” said Lowe. “It’s all worth the wait.” Fame-eligible players who wait ... and wait Said Wilson: “That’s an understatement.”

Toronto Star LOADED: 06.25.2020 By Kevin McGran

The Hockey Hall of Fame seems to be changing on the fly while catching up with the past.

The 18-member selection committee held its first virtual induction debate, complete with computerized voting, and emerged with six names that in some ways ignited a debate about what makes a hall-of-famer.

First-year eligibles Jarome Iginla and Marian Hossa were essentially slam dunks. Current Oilers GM Ken Holland, going in as a builder for his success in Detroit, was well deserved and Kim St-Pierre became the eighth female player in the hall and the first goalie from the women’s game.

But it was the other two selection — the long-overlooked Kevin Lowe and Doug Wilson — who stood out. You could make arguments for the likes of Daniel Alfredsson, Rod Brind’Amour, Alex Mogilny, Curtis Joseph, Keith Tkachuk and Theo Fleury. But they’ll have to wait, just like Lowe and Wilson did. Lowe retired in 1998, Wilson in 1993.

The selection committee, whose membership changes over time, viewed the two differently than previous committees.

“It’s not only that you have to get 14 of 18 votes, or 75 per cent of the vote,” said Lanny McDonald, chairman of the Hockey Hall of Fame. “But it’s also sometimes who you may be up against when you’re nominated that for that year … It’s just, sometimes it’s timing.”

Wilson’s wait lasted 24 years. He is perhaps better known to today’s generation of hockey fans as the general manager of the San Jose Sharks. But he goes back a long way, to rooming with Stan Mikita in his rookie year with the Chicago Blackhawks, and being a teammate of Bobby Orr.

“I’ve always looked at the hall of fame in awe,” said Wilson. “The Wayne Gretzkys, the Bobby Orrs, the Stan Mikitas. People of that level. So, when, something like this happens, it truly was unexpected.”

The 62-year-old Wilson has been eligible for induction since 1996. (Players must wait three years from their last game as a professional.) His 827 points (in 1,024 games played) are 11th among defencemen. He won the Norris Trophy in 1981-82.

“There are so many other players and people that I feel are deserving of this, at least equal or more than me. But the timing, really, I didn’t even think about it. I’ll be honest with you, it caught me off guard.”

Lowe is probably the last of the great Oilers dynasty of the 1980s who will be inducted. Six others from those years — Gretzky, Mark Messier, Jari Kurri, Grant Fuhr, Paul Coffey and Glenn Anderson — are already in the Hall. Lowe’s No. 4 is expected to be retired in Edmonton this year.

It’s McDonald who called the recipients, meaning a Flame like McDonald had to give an Oiler like Lowe the good news.

“It was never fun to play against Kevin,” said McDonald. “We all knew he was the leader of the pack. Every time something happened — and we had plenty of battles between Edmonton and Calgary — Kevin Lowe was in the thick of it.

“What a day it is to be able to call him.”

Lowe was the first player the Oilers drafted when they joined the NHL in 1979. He said he didn’t even know Edmonton had joined the NHL. (Edmonton was one of four WHA cities to merge into the older league.)

“The goal was always about winning,” said Lowe. “I had to find my place within that team. We figured out the formula pretty well.”

The hall has been catching up with overlooked players for a while. Vaclav Nedomansky went into the hall in 2019, 36 years after becoming eligible. He was joined by Guy Carbonneau, who waited 16 years from the time of eligibility. Rogie Vachon went into the Hall in 2016, 31 years after becoming eligible. 1176008 Toronto Maple Leafs It wasn’t his only big performance playing for the country. As an unexpected addition to the 2002 Olympic team, Iginla shone, scoring two goals and adding an assist in another gold-medal win over the U.S. Fitting, then, that his birthday falls on Canada Day. He turns 43 on Jarome Iginla went from seeing it to being it — a hockey hall-of-famer Wednesday.

This year’s other honorees in the player category include: Marian Hossa, a three-time Stanley Cup winner with the Chicago Blackhawks; Kevin By Dave Feschuk Lowe, the glue-guy defenceman of the 1980s Oilers; Doug Wilson, the 1981-82 Norris Trophy-winning blueliner; and Kim St-Pierre, a three-time Olympic gold medallist and the first women’s goaltender to earn a hall It will be 25 years in December that Jarome Iginla was traded by the nod. Ken Holland, the Edmonton Oilers GM who made his name as an Dallas Stars to the Calgary Flames before he had played an NHL game. executive with the Detroit Red Wings, was nominated as a builder. And let’s just say his welcome to Calgary wasn’t exclusively a warm one. Just as Iginla spoke of the power of seeing Fuhr excelling in the NHL, St- The player going the other way was the beloved , who Pierre, said she was inspired by another groundbreaking moment in the had been a 50-goal scorer on a Stanley Cup-winning team for the game’s history, specifically and Angela James becoming Flames years earlier. Sure, in acquiring Iginla, Dallas’s 11th-overall pick the hall’s first women inductees in 2010. in the 1995 draft, the Flames were getting a younger commodity who had been a prolific scorer as a junior for two Memorial Cup-winning teams in “When I first found out that a woman would be inducted into the hall of Kamloops. What they weren’t getting was a household name. fame … it made it so special for me to be a women's hockey player,” St- Pierre said. “And to now be the eighth woman to join the Hockey Hall of A headline in one Calgary newspaper wondered: “Jarome Who?” An Fame makes it very special.” article about the trade included a pronunciation guide beside to the new guy’s surname. You say it, as we’ve all come to know, “ih-GIHN-lah.” In Indeed, even the greats need role models. It helps to see it if you want to the Yoruba language of Nigeria, the country from which his father be it. Last week, when I was researching an article on the innovative emigrated to Canada, it means “big tree.” Colored Hockey League of Nova Scotia, which was based in and around Halifax from 1895 to 1920 and beyond, one of the historians who wrote So it was fitting on Wednesday that, on the day Iginla found out he was the definitive book about the league offered a stern critique of what he being inducted into the Hockey Hall of Fame in his first year of eligibility, sees as the hall’s insufficient celebration of the game’s diverse history. he paid homage to the importance of roots. He wasn’t only talking about the parents who supported him and the maternal grandfather who first “The hall of fame hasn’t done enough,” said George Fosty, who co- signed him up for the game that would become his life as a young boy authored “Black Ice: The Lost History of the Colored Hockey League of growing up in St. Alberta, Alta., not far from Edmonton. He was also the Maritimes” with his brother Darril. “We’ve never worked with (the talking about his Black predecessors in the NHL, of which there aren’t Hockey Hall of Fame). It tells you everything you need to know. There many, and his Black predecessors at the Hockey Hall of Fame, of which are people in hockey circles who don’t like change … They need to step there are even fewer, and how much their presence, and their up. They need to do more.” excellence, meant to him as a kid filled with drive and dreams. Which brings us to an impending opportunity. What better occasion than When the hall of fame’s induction gala is held in November — in person the induction of the hall’s fourth Black honoured member and eighth or virtually, we’ll see — Iginla will be just the third Black athlete to woman than to correct some of the oversights and under-representations become an honoured member as a player and the fourth all told. The of years past in the name of better years ahead? As kids, both Iginla and other players are Grant Fuhr, the Edmonton Oilers goaltending great, St-Pierre will tell you it’s true: You’ve got to see it to be it. Seeing it in the and Angela James, Canada’s dominant women’s player of the 1990s. game’s sacred shrine can have an impact that makes a city and a Willie O’Ree, who broke the NHL’s colour barrier in 1958, was welcomed country remember your name. into the hall in the builder category in 2018. On Wednesday Iginla said his mother reminded him of a photograph he’d “I didn’t view myself in minor hockey as a Black hockey player, but I was taken with Fuhr when Iginla was around 10 years old. It was also aware that I was,” Iginla said. “And if that doesn’t make sense, I’ll try summertime. Fuhr, the NHLer, was dressed in a baseball uniform after a to explain it. I had a lot of positive, wonderful, wonderful experiences. But game. a question I got asked a lot was, ‘What are the chances of making it to “It’s pretty neat to think that (Fuhr) obviously got to the hall of fame (in the NHL? You know, there aren’t many Black players in the NHL.’ ” 2003). And I got in there with him,” Iginla said. “It is an honour in so many Indeed, there weren’t many. Iginla, growing up in Alberta, was a fan of ways. Seeing that it’s possible, I know it was special to me. Maybe me Oilers immortals like Mark Messier and Wayne Gretzky, the same as the (getting in the hall) will be special to some other kids in the way it was to other kids. me.”

“But it also really was special to me to see the Black players who were in Toronto Star LOADED: 06.25.2020 the NHL, to see Grant Fuhr starring — to be able to say to other people, ‘Well, look at Grant Fuhr, he’s an all-star’ — and to see Claude Vilgrain and Tony McKegney,” Iginla said.

Knowing those Black players were making their way at the highest level of the game, Iginla said, gave him “answers” to those who questioned his odds of making it as a distinct minority in a predominantly white sport.

“It was very, very important for me following my dreams,” he said.

As hall-of-famers go, Iginla is a no-brainer. He twice won the Rocket Richard Trophy at the league’s top goal scorer. In 2001-02, when he lost a narrow media vote to Jose Theodore for the Hart Trophy as league MVP, he won what has since been renamed the Ted Lindsay Trophy as the most valuable player as named by his peers. Only 15 players have scored more than Iginla’s 625 regular-season goals. Thirteen of those men are already inducted into the hall. The other two, Jaromir Jagr and Alex Ovechkin, are locks to follow. And for all Iginla’s talent as a scorer, he’s perhaps best remembered for setting up one of the epochal goals in his country’s history. In one moment, Sidney Crosby was calling from the puck with an audible “Iggy!” In the next, Canada had defeated the United States for a gold medal that capped the host country’s watershed haul at the 2010 Vancouver Olympics. 1176009 Toronto Maple Leafs Holland joined Lou Lamoriello as the long-time general manager of a team who is in the Hall as an active executive. Holland won three Cups with the Red Wings before last year’s move to Edmonton.

Jarome Iginla in the Hall of Fame, wait over for Lowe, Wilson “So many people in Detroit did the work, I went to the microphone and made a few announcements,” the humble Holland said.

He joked when his minor-league goaltending career ended when he was Lance Hornby called by Wings exec Jim Devellano with an offer to scout — just when his mother suggested he take a job selling vacuum cleaners. Twelve

years later, he was GM. The Big Tree is going under hockey’s big tent. With Hossa coming up for consideration, his multiple Cups eclipsed Though the media couldn’t see Jarome Iginla’s winning smile on Alfredsson and Mogilny. Wednesday’s conference call, it’s sure to light up the Hall Of Fame on St. Pierre is the first goaltender among the female entrants to the Hall. induction night as the former Calgary Flames captain headlined a 2020 class of five players and one builder. McDonald said the Nov. 16 induction in Toronto is still planned, but will be re-evaluated in mid-August given the current pandemic, with the Fellow first-year eligible Marian Hossa was also named, along with two possibility the 2020 and 2021 ceremonies being combined. defencemen who’ve waited 20 or more years for the Hall call — Kevin Lowe and Doug Wilson. Three-time Canadian women’s Olympic team The Hall Of Fame Class of 2020 goalie Kim St. Pierre was also inducted, with long-time Detroit general manager and current Edmonton Oilers boss Ken Holland, in as the lone RW Jarome Iginla man in the builder’s wing. Born: Edmonton, Alta., July 1, 1977. But it’s at least another year on the outside for two well-known players on NHL seasons: 21 (16 with Calgary, plus Pittsburgh, Boston, Colorado, Canadian NHL teams who were thought to be on the short list. Ottawa Los Angeles). Senators captain Daniel Alfredsson and one-time Vancouver Canuck and Toronto Maple Leaf Alex Mogilny were not picked again. Numbers: 1,554 regular season NHL games, 625 goals, 675 assists, 1,300 points, 1,040 penalty minutes. In playoffs, 68 points in 81 games. Iginla needed at least 14 of 18 votes from the selection committee, only four of whom were in the Hall’s boardroom in Toronto, the rest hooked International: Gold in world junior, world championship and Olympics with into the first-ever long-distance vote, due to COVID-19 concerns. A Canada. committee member still had to put forward Iginla’s name and the names of all potential inductees for secret-ballot votes. Awards: Lester B. Pearson Trophy 2002, Art Ross Trophy 2002, Rocket Richard Trophy 2002, ‘04. Iginla’s 21 NHL seasons, 16 of them with the Flames, came after a trade with his draft team, the Dallas Stars, for Joe Nieuwendyk. Today, in a Did you know: At his first tryout, there was no sweater for him. His hockey world suffering an image problem with prejudice against its grandfather ran to a store and bought him one in Flames’ colours. minority players, Iginla’s induction as the Hall’s fourth black player is a RW Marian Hossa: significant one. Born: Stara Lubovna, Slovakia, Jan. 12, 1979 “I didn’t view myself as a black player, though I was aware of it,” Iginla said of growing up near Edmonton. “I had a lot of wonderful experiences NHL seasons: 18 (Seven with Chicago, six with Ottawa, plus Atlanta, (in hockey), but I was asked a lot: ‘There aren’t many black players in the Pittsburgh, Detroit). NHL.’ I wanted to be like Mark Messier and I loved Wayne Gretzky, but seeing Grant Fuhr and to say to other people: ‘he’s an all-star’ and to see Numbers: 1,309 NHL games, 525 goals, 609 assists, 1,134 points, 628 Tony McKegney and Claude Vilgrain, it was very important to me.” penalty minutes. In playoffs, 205 games, 149 points.

Iginla, whose name means ‘Big Tree’ in his Nigerian father’s native International; Played for Slovakia at the world juniors, world language, thanked his hockey-loving grandfather Rick for helping him championships, World Cup and Olympics. after a later start to the game than many kids after his parents split up. Awards: Three Stanley Cups, all-rookie team, second team all-star.

Iginla considered taking up goaltending and treasured a picture of he and Did you know: Hossa and countrymen Marian Gaborik and Zdeno Chara Fuhr taken at a charity baseball game. all have streets named after them in the city of Trencin where they played “If there are other kids, minorities or blacks growing up who see it’s club hockey. possible, maybe (getting a Hall spot) will be special to them the way it D Doug Wilson was for me,” Iginla said. Born: July 5, 1957, Ottawa, Ont. Lowe and Wilson were like many who’ve been on the Hall’s lengthy waiting list, so long that they stopped fretting whenever the June voting NHL seasons: 16 (14 with Chicago, two with San Jose) date came up — only to be surprised to see chairman Lanny McDonald’s number on their phone. It worked out that most of Wilson’s family, Numbers: 1,024 NHL games played, 237 goals, 590 assists, 827 points, including his grandchildren, were at a pool party at the San Jose general 830 penalty minutes. In playoffs, 80 points in 95 games: manager’s house and his wife broke down when she answered. International: 1984 Canada Cup win with Canada.

Wilson took time to reflect on a career in Chicago that went back to the Awards: Norris Trophy, first and second team all-star late Stan Mikita being his first roommate and friendships with the late Keith Magnusson as well as Bobby Orr in the latter’s brief Hawks stint. Did You Know?: Was the first captain in Sharks history.

Lowe has often been considered a huge missing piece of the Oilers’ D Kevin Lowe Stanley Cup dynasty in the Hall that already features Gretzky, Messier, Born: April 15, 1959, Lachute, Que. Fuhr, Jari Kurri, Glenn Anderson, Paul Coffey and Glen Sather. NHL seasons: 19 (15 with Edmonton, four with New York Rangers) “I’ve never seen myself as a Hall of Famer. That was Gretzky and Gordie Howe,” Lowe said. Numbers: 1,254 NHL games, 84 goals, 348 assists, 432 points, 1,498 penalty minutes. In playoffs, 58 points in 214 games. “I understood you have to put up more points, win more (individual) awards. My dream was to win Cups. But when I saw Lanny’s number International: 1984 Canada Cup, 1982 world championships. today, I thought surely he’s not phoning just to say I didn’t get in. This hasn’t quite sunk in.” Awards: Six Stanley Cups, King Clancy Memorial Trophy. Did You Know: While GM of the Oilers, often verbally sparred with Anaheim rival Brian Burke, who is on the Hall selection committee.

G Kim St.-Pierre

Born: Dec. 14, 1978, Chateauguay, Que.

Numbers: St-Pierre played boys’ hockey until she was 18, then joined the women’s team at McGill University, the Canadian Women’s Hockey League and Team Canada. On the national team, she had a career 1.17 goals-against average and .939 save percentage.

International: Three Olympic gold medals and five World Women’s Championships Did You Know?: Replaced a flu-ridden Carey Price at a Montreal Canadiens practice.

Ken Holland

Born: Nov. 10, 1955, Vernon, B.C.

Numbers: Promoted from scout to GM of the Red Wings in July of 1997 and remained with them 22 years until last season when he joined the Edmonton Oilers. Wings won more combined regular season and playoff games than any other team in his Detroit tenure. Part of several Team Canada management groups.

Awards: Three Stanley Cups as GM. Sports Illustrated GM of the Decade 2000-09.

Did You Know?: A goalie, he was drafted by the Maple Leafs in 1975 from Medicine Hat, where Hall chairman Lanny McDonald, then a Leaf, also played.

Toronto Sun LOADED: 06.25.2020 1176010 Toronto Maple Leafs In giving up Berard, Milbury said there were “certain flaws” in Berard’s defensive game that might never be fixed.

Now an analyst for NBC, Milbury said there was more to it than that. ‘He was living his dream’: Bryan Berard, the Maple Leafs’ heist that never Although the Islanders had selected Roberto Luongo with the No. 1 pick was in 1997, he had yet to play in the NHL and Milbury wanted a goalie who could immediately serve as a calming presence.

“Well, there was so much going on in Long Island at the time,” Milbury By Jonas Siegel Jun 24, 2020 said recently. “We had ownership issues every other week it seemed. We were desperate to try to get a goaltender that could hold the fort down.

Bryan was terrific as a teammate, a thoroughbred with skills that won him Bryan Berard was roaming around Montreal, doing some shopping on a a Calder Trophy. But he was a little bit of a thoroughbred and tough to cold, January day in 1999 before his New York Islanders were set to face corral. His offensive skills were terrific. In his own end, he was still the Canadiens. learning.

Berard wasn’t scheduled to play that night due to a groin injury. Upon “We wondered whether he would ever get it all right.” returning to the team hotel, he bumped into a pair of Islanders assistant Berard had played 188 NHL games at that point. As Pat Quinn, the Leafs coaches in the lobby. coach at the time, said, “Like a lot of young guys, I hear he’s had trouble “(Mike) Milbury’s on a rampage,” they warned of New York’s general learning to play defence, but then again, I’m not so sure I know a lot of manager and coach. “You better get up there before he does something 21-year-olds who can.” stupid.” Berard described his relationship with Milbury, who removed the coach’s “Guys, I think it’s too late,” Berard replied. “I think I’m going to Toronto.” title from his portfolio 12 days after the trade, as “love-hate,” but close enough to be comfortable knocking on the GM’s hotel-room door. A stick rep from Sherwood had already reached out to Berard to break the news. Berard knocked on the door of Milbury’s hotel room. Once To this day, Milbury’s claim that he couldn’t hack it defensively still inside, Milbury confirmed it: Berard had indeed been dealt to the Maple doesn’t sit well with Berard. Leafs. “To me, if you look back, yeah it was a crock of shit,” Berard said. Just 21 on the day of the trade, Berard was the No. 1 pick in 1995 who, Yes, he took chances and wishes he knew then what he knows now — less than two years earlier, had become the first defenceman to win the when to pick his spots based on the score and time of game, the kind of Calder Trophy as the NHL’s top rookie since Brian Leetch in 1989. Only knowledge he distills today to young players as director of player Hall of Famers Larry Murphy, Phil Housley and Ray Bourque put up more development for Mount Saint Charles Academy, a private Catholic school than the 48 points Berard managed as a teenage rookie. The 94 points in Rhode Island. “But to say I was a liability defensively? I think that was he racked up over his first two seasons were tied for the 10th most just a complete scapegoat. Because even when I came to Toronto, right among defenders, ahead of the likes of Scott Niedermayer, Chris Chelios away I was playing with (Alexander) Karpovtsev, playing with Cory and Rob Blake. Cross, and some nights we’re playing against the top lines.” But the Islanders were trading him anyway. Berard said Milbury put stock in plus-minus. The previous season Berard All the Leafs had to give up in return was a frustrated 27-year-old, Felix finished minus-32 — albeit while playing big minutes as a 20-year-old on Potvin, who had requested a trade after losing his starting job earlier that a 71-point team that had only two 20-goal scorers (Ziggy Palffy and season to newly signed Curtis Joseph. ) and Tommy Salo in goal.

It had all the makings of a grand heist for Toronto. It was one, however, However, the sting of the trade quickly wore off. “It was kind of like that was not to be. winning the hockey Powerball,” Berard said of joining the Leafs.

More than 20 years later, Berard tries not to dwell on what didn’t happen Unlike the Islanders, the Leafs were on the rise and about to move into with Leafs or with his own career. their new digs at the Air Canada Centre. They had an old-school coach in Quinn, who, Berard quickly observed, let his players play. Berard is 43. He’s spent the past six years working for WhaleRock Point Partners, a wealth management firm, trying to help others avoid the “He let me be me, but when I needed a kick in the butt, he was the first same financial pitfalls he made during his playing days. guy (to do it),” Berard said of the late Leafs coach. “He had respect. Obviously, he played the game — he had respect for players, which a lot Last month, he had surgery to repair two herniated disks in his neck, the of coaches, I think, don’t have.” result of wear and tear that may be related to the high stick from Marian Hossa in 2000 that zapped the vision from his right eye, short-circuited To Berard, the Leafs’ dressing room had what seemed like an ideal blend his Leafs tenure and derailed, potentially, a franchise-changing trade. of veterans such as , Kris King, Glenn Healy, Tie Domi and Steve Thomas; youngsters such as himself, Mike Johnson and Todd Largely forgotten to history until recently, in January 1999, Mike Smith Warriner; and a pair of popular in Danny Markov and Dmitri was Leafs team president Ken Dryden’s No. 2, the de facto GM. After Yushkevich. Berard and his new Leafs teammates often bonded over adding Joseph, Smith insisted he would net a quality asset for Potvin, golf, even squeezing in a weekend at TPC Sawgrass, just outside one that would improve the Leafs’ fortunes in the present and future. Jacksonville, Fla., spearheaded by Quinn. According to a Toronto Star report, a 1998 preseason trade that would have netted Rob Niedermayer fell through when Smith insisted — and Following his arrival in Toronto, Berard played more than any other Leafs the Florida Panthers resisted — that the 24-year-old centre, who had player, almost 23 minutes a game, for the fifth-best team. He put up 19 concussion problems, go for neurological testing. points over 38 games, including 11 running the power play. He added another nine points and averaged 21 minutes during the Leafs’ march to So Smith waited and Potvin quietly seethed. the Eastern Conference final, which they lost, Berard said, by looking past the Buffalo Sabres, especially after Dominik Hasek missed the first By early December, after five mediocre appearances in the Leafs’ net, two games to injury. Potvin walked out in the hopes of forcing a trade. Speculation percolated, including one reported swap that could have brought scoring winger “I think that year we lost to Buffalo there, we did choke,” Berard said. “I to Toronto from Tampa Bay. But still, Smith waited. guess that feeling in the locker room was we really had something Finally, in the second week of January, nearly six months after the special and things were going for us and moving for us. And I think, with acquisition of Joseph, Smith found his asset. It was Potvin for Berard in a hindsight, when I look back, as players, we might have overlooked one-for-one deal. It looked like a home run for the Leafs and another odd Buffalo a little bit, and we were just kind of peeking towards playing for swerve for the Islanders. the Cup.”

“He’s only 21 years old, so we have the potential to have a top-of-the-line Throughout the season, Berard had shown plenty of potential to make defenceman for a decade,” Smith told The Star following the deal. the trade appear incredibly one-sided for the Leafs. Meanwhile, Potvin struggled to give the Islanders anything better than Berard suited up in all 82 games for the Rangers in 2001-02, scoring two what Salo had. “The Cat” suited up in 11 games for the Islanders post- goals and adding 21 assists. Two years later, in Chicago, he won the trade and put up an .893 save percentage. After another 22 Masterton Trophy for his resilient efforts, scoring nearly a point per game underwhelming games the following season, he was traded to (47 in 58) while averaging almost 22 minutes of ice time. Vancouver. In all, the Islanders received 33 games and an .893 save percentage from Potvin. Troubles with his lower back eventually ended his career at 30.

But of course, Berard’s tenure in Toronto would also end much sooner How might Berard’s hockey story — and that of the Leafs in the early than expected — albeit as a result of a more tragic circumstance. 2000s — be different if not for his eye injury?

By spring 2000, Berard’s first full season in Toronto, he was eating up At worst, he appeared poised to become an offensive staple in the top nearly 20 minutes a game and on pace for close to 40 points. He had four of the Leafs’ blue line, alongside the emerging Tomas Kaberle. At recently celebrated his 23rd birthday as the Leafs travelled to Ottawa to best, might Berard have evolved into a player on par with the likes of play the Senators on March 11. Playing in Ottawa was always awkward Morgan Rielly, or even a perennial Norris Trophy candidate in the mold of for Berard as Senators fans were quick to remind him they hadn’t Leetch? With a healthy Berard on the blue line, perhaps the Leafs, a 100- forgotten he had requested a trade before playing a single game for point team, don’t lose to New Jersey in the second round in 2000. them. “Yeah, it’s impossible to guess what he could’ve become,” Milbury said In his book, “Relentless: My Life in Hockey and the Power of recently. “(He) would’ve had to corral his game. He would’ve had to Perseverance,” Berard explained that the request had nothing do with become a more complete player in order to be at an elite level. He had playing in Canada and more to do with his concern over the direction of elite offensive skills, but his defensive zone awareness needed to the franchise and his place in it. improve. And you know, that’s tough to do with one eye.

“I think people thought that I was a spoiled American that didn’t want to “Felix never got it right in Long Island, so, do I wish I’d made a different play in Canada, which was totally untrue,” Berard said. deal? Maybe. But as I said, there were so many things going on in Long Island. We had so many holes. But when you have a hole in goal, it’s the On the ice that night, with less than five minutes left in the second period kiss of death.” and the Leafs ahead 3-1, Senators forward spun around to fire a shot on the Leafs’ net. Unbeknownst to Hossa, Berard was positioned closely Berard played only 102 regular-season games for the Leafs, plus 17 behind him. As Hossa turned and fired, his stick rose up and struck more in the playoffs. Toronto, nonetheless, was “by far” his favourite stop Berard in his right eye. in the NHL. The city’s hockey vibe, his teammates, the coach, the winning — he loved it all. He just never got to see it through. Sitting on their living room couch, watching on TV in Rhode Island, Berard’s parents knew it was bad. “There was so much blood,” his “I guess I wish could’ve seen the player I could have been, or would have mother, Pam, told The Canadian Press. “All I could say was, ‘Oh, my been, with two eyes,” Berard said. “But I try not to (think about it) too God. Oh, my God.’” much, because it gets me a little angry, it gets me a little upset at times.”

Hossa called it the “worst feeling” of his life. The Athletic LOADED: 06.25.2020

“He was living his dream,” Berard’s father, Wally, said at the time. “And now, I think this might be the end of his career. We’ve got our fingers crossed. But it looks like the end.”

Berard himself thought it was the end, too.

“They were doing everything they can to basically save the right eye, never mind gaining vision in it,” he said.

Berard sat out the entire 2000-01 season. Slowly, he tried to regain elements of his life. He threw baseballs and footballs to help with his depth perception. An unrestricted free agent in summer 2001, his career prospects looked dim, especially since he still couldn’t see out of his right eye.

After a call to Herb Brooks, the head coach of the U.S. Olympic team in 2002, Berard was back on the ice after receiving the go-ahead to take part in their fall training camp in Colorado. He didn’t look out of place skating alongside American stars like and Keith Tkachuk. The Leafs, and other teams, were interested.

“We consider Bryan Berard a Maple Leaf,” Leafs assistant GM Bill Watters told The Star.

“I thought that I could at least, I guess, prove myself wrong, and prove a lot of people wrong that I could come back and play with one eye,” Berard said.

Berard eventually signed with the Rangers. Although New York was a media market on par with Toronto, Berard figured that on a team featuring Leetch, Mark Messier, Theo Fleury and Eric Lindros, he could probably fly under the radar somewhat. He also wanted a fresh start.

The Leafs were disappointed. None more so than Quinn.

The “Big Irishman” told Berard as much later that summer when they crossed paths at a function. Quinn wished Berard would have at least talked to him before he signed with New York.

“I think I maybe even shed a tear or two about it,” Berard said of his conversation with Quinn, “because he was so good (to me), and that organization, the Leafs, were unbelievable to me. But I just thought, for me as a player, I thought I would be able to hide under the radar better (in New York), and it wouldn’t be as much as pressure to be that player that I was once was before I got hurt.” 1176011 Vegas Golden Knights

Golden Knights selling shirts encouraging coronavirus safety

By Rochelle Richards Las Vegas Review-Journal June 24, 2020 - 1:37 PM

Don’t take a Chance with safety. As new coronavirus cases surge in Nevada, the Golden Knights are reminding fans to stay safe. The Knights are encouraging fans to wear masks in public, and as a fun reminder, fans can purchase shirts featuring a photo of Knights mascot Chance wearing a mask and the phrase “Don’t take a Chance.” Proceeds from the shirts will go to the Vegas Golden Knights Foundation and back into the community. LAS VEGAS REVIEW JOURNAL LOADED: 06.25.2020 1176012 Vegas Golden Knights Now, the city is negotiating with a dealmaker named Floyd Kephart of The Renaissance Companies on a public-private proposal to redevelop a mile-long stretch of Las Vegas Boulevard, including rebuilding the Cashman Center into a 25,000-seat MLS stadium in downtown. City of Henderson Outdueling City of Las Vegas For Major League Team Kephart’s group includes billionaire investor Seth Klarman. Presence, But Playing In Big Leagues Carries Public Price If the city reaches a deal with The Renaissance Companies, the Las Vegas Lights FC soccer team of the 35-team United Soccer League will be sold to Klarman. It’s unclear if Klarman is a big soccer fan, or if this is By Alan Snel of LVSportsBiz.com a big land play and development project to be flipped. The Golden Knights plan to show Lifeguard Arena to the media Friday. Poor city of Las Vegas. For so many years, Mayor Oscar and Carolyn The community ice center is expected to be very similar to the City Goodman Inc tried unsuccessfully to plant a major league sports team National Arena facility in Summerlin. The Knights did not get any public inside the city limits. money for that ice center in Downtown Summerlin unlike the ice facility in Henderson. Clark County is shutting out the city. Big-time. T-Mobile Arena? It’s in the county. And so is the Raiders’ palatial new domed stadium. Even the The Golden Knights staged downtown watch parties and events in swanky $150 million minor league baseball park is in Clark County, downtown Las Vegas where VGK sponsor and Circa owner Derek though it’s called Las Vegas Ballpark under an $80 million naming rights Stevens is a major player. deal (a story for another time). But when it comes to playing in the major leagues, the city of Las Vegas And now comes along the city of Henderson, the classic Second City in has a lot of work to do to catch up to the city of Henderson. the shadow of its more-famous sibling, Las Vegas. And these days, The Athletic LOADED: 06.25.2020 suburban Henderson is out major-leaguing the city of Las Vegas. The Vegas Golden Knights have built a $25 million community ice center called Lifeguard Arena on 3.2 acres at 240 South Street in Henderson. The facility will be similar to that of City National Arena, the VGK’s headquarters and training center in Summerlin. You guessed it: City National Arena is in the county, not in the city of Las Vegas. Speaking of the Golden Knights, they are teaming up with the city of Henderson to rebuild the Henderson Pavilion at Green Valley Parkway into an $84 million, 6.000-seat minor league hockey arena to house the VGK’s Silver Knights Triple A minor league team in the American Hockey League. The Henderson Silver Knights will play in the Orleans Arena before moving into their new minor league hockey venue in Henderson. And the city of Henderson welcomed the Las Vegas Raiders’ coaches this week to their new team headquarters across the street from the Henderson Executive Airport. Building designer Leo A Daly worked with Manica Architecture to create the 336,227-foot Raiders HQ facility on 30 acres with another 25 acres open for development. The construction cost at the 55-acre site for the training center/HQ was $158 million. Here are more details on the Raiders HQ in Henderson. But nothing is for free when a city wants to play in the majors. The city of Henderson initially invested $10.75 million in VGK’s Lifeguard Arena, which will host the Silver Knights practices. Then, the city council approved another $3.2 million March 17 to expand the building footprint and improve interior facilities in order to accommodate the Silver Knights team. This augmented agreement brought the Lifeguard Arena investment to $13.95 million — nearly $14 million. The city also earmarked another $42 million in public dollars for the $84 million Henderson Events Center/Silver Knights arena project. And on the football side, Henderson gave the Raiders a $6 million price break on the team headquarters’ land, which was valued at $12 million. That means the city of Henderson has invested $61.95 million in the community ice center, the Silver Knights’ arena project and the Raiders HQ during the past two years. Is it worth it? Well, that’s for city of Henderson residents to decide. Henderson is hardly a stranger at trying to play in the big leagues. A dubious developer from Texas named Christopher Milam was embroiled in a lawsuit with the city of Henderson in 2014 after he promised to build a major league sports venue near The M hotel-casino in the city. He used the promise of major league sports to get a sweetheart purchase deal on BLM land thanks to the city of Henderson’s help, but never delivered on the pro sports stadium. It’s commonplace for cities across the country to give public dollars to sports interests because of the allure of being a “big league” city. The city of Hernderson has even entertained communications with the MLB Arizona Diamondbacks, but it’s just as commonplace for cities to be used as pawns in leverage plays orchestrated by major league sports teams as part of efforts to win subsidized venues. The city of Las Vegas has attempted to recruit MLB and NBA teams, but failed. It also tried a deal to build a Major League Soccer (MLS) stadium in Symphony Park in 2015, but Goodman Inc. failed at that one, too. 1176013 Washington Capitals criticized Trump or his policies. When I went to spring training in February and March, I wondered whether there would be cracks in the team. I didn’t sense any. When winning is the issue, check your race, politics, religion, sexuality and every other darn thing at the door. America can’t act like a team, and it might cost us the return of sports Maybe there’s some hope. On Monday afternoon, every member of the NASCAR community marched down an Alabama racetrack behind driver Bubba Wallace, some pushing his car, as everyone cheered. The Thomas Boswell reason? A noose was found in the garage stall assigned to Wallace’s team, less than two weeks after Wallace, the top-flight Cup Series’ only African American driver and a strong supporter of Black Lives Matter, This week, my wife went into a store in Annapolis where she, the owner urged NASCAR to ban the Confederate flag from its races, which it did. and a white-haired, 6-foot-6 customer in a Navy hat were the only ones in the place, which bore a sign reading, “Masks required.” Federal investigators concluded Tuesday the noose-like thing had been there for months with no link to Wallace or any hate crime. A man entered with no mask. My wife said, “The sign says, ‘masks.’ ” So we have doubly good news. No one evidently did anything wrong. But “Why should I?” he said. NASCAR’s support of Wallace when it thought he had been targeted will be recalled and admired for years. Every member of NASCAR marched The big old man bellowed at full Navy volume, “GET OUT OF HERE!” behind Wallace. Not all of them believe everything that he believes. The barefaced guy got out. Fast. Later, he came back — with a mask. When will sports return? Where things stand with NBA, MLB, NFL and This little story points in many directions, but one of them troubles me other leagues. most: America is no longer a team. And it’s killing us. Many of us. Now we know what it looks like when Americans, who don’t agree on Our clubhouse is so full of feuding, selfishness, team-last egos and everything and probably disagree on lots of things, stand together and backstabbing that we can’t even agree to wear a face mask during a vow that there are some things we all agree on. NASCAR showed that plague. Our fury is so close to the surface that a few words lead to when an issue is powerful and at the core of our beliefs, we can still act screams. If the world were a sports league, we would be a franchise like a team. falling apart fast. Each day, sometimes each week, sports fans discuss when or if our Jerry Brewer: What we see in a flag or a noose or a black racer is telling. games will return. We ask as if owners, players, unions and deciding We can do better. medical protocols are the main issues. They are not. The reason that sports are returning in the E.U. and not yet here has nothing to do with Of course, the world really is a competitive league — but an economic any of that. one. In that race, in controlling the novel coronavirus pandemic, we are far behind Asia, where, just to illustrate, Japan and South Korea are If you want to know why there might be no MLB or NFL season this year, playing baseball, and Europe, where elite professional soccer is back in and the NBA and NHL might not resume, it is for two main reasons. The England, Germany, Italy and Spain. first is the pandemic. But the second is America’s sickly sense of team. The gap is incredibly embarrassing. If you want to know why, among If we all want to see our country recover — and sports returning is just a many more serious American problems, we may have no more Major small part of that — follow health experts’ guidance on social distancing League Baseball, NFL, NBA or NHL this year, consider Tuesday’s stats. and crowd sizes. And for all our sake, perform an act so minimal yet as The seven largest countries in the European Union, with a combined vital as life and death: Wear a mask. population around the same as our 330 million, had about 6 percent as Washington Post LOADED: 06.25.2020 many new coronavirus cases as the United States: 2,074 to 33,730. Texas and California had more than 5,000 new cases each. In April, the E.U. was just as big a health disaster as America. But the E.U. still operates like a team — one that believes in science and has the discipline to fight together against a pandemic. Now the results are in. The E.U. is considering banning Americans from going to Europe even after its restrictions on travel lift July 1. For the first time, a continent may be saying: “We don’t want your American tourist dollars. You’re not worth the risk.” The easy out is to blame politics, especially President Trump and the Republican Party, but it’s a lot more, too. A huge piece of America’s core character — such as our collective intelligence and common sense, our unselfishness and cooperation, our tolerance for our differences — key qualities that made us great, have deteriorated. Is that what decadence looks like in an empire that has passed its peak but doesn’t know it yet? It’s ironic that, in the capital of politics, Washington sports fans know what teamwork looks like. We have seen how championship teams put their common goals ahead of individual interests. Everyone is allowed their views. The Capitals know Alex Ovechkin is a supporter of Russian President Vladimir Putin. Not all of them like that, but it never became an issue in their Stanley Cup win in 2018. When the team comes first, you search for ways not to fuss or unravel. You absolutely do not seek reasons to fight. Right now, the United States wakes up every day ready to brawl — with itself. Good teams grasp the basic level of putting the team first: “We can’t win unless we all do this.” You either buy in or you go out. Right now, our country can’t even buy into using masks in situations in which scientists say it will cut the rate of virus transmission by up to 80 percent. We’re so divided we can’t agree to take one step — just three more feet — between each other when we are in groups. Social distancing — six feet, not three — evidently is just too big a sacrifice. After the Nationals won the World Series last year, some players accepted an invitation to play golf with President Trump. Other Nats have 1176014 Washington Capitals

Jarome Iginla, Marian Hossa headline new Hockey Hall of Fame class

By Adam Zielonka - The Washington Times - Wednesday, June 24, 2020

Jarome Iginla, Marian Hossa, Kevin Lowe, Doug Wilson, Kim St. Pierre and Ken Holland were selected for the Hockey Hall of Fame’s 2020 class Wednesday. Iginla will be the fourth Black player inducted after Grant Fuhr, women’s hockey pioneer Angela James and Willie O’Ree. Iginla and Fuhr are the only Black NHL players enshrined for their on-ice accomplishments, while O’Ree was chosen in the builder category in 2018 for breaking the league’s color barrier 60 years earlier. The longtime Calgary Flames captain was the first Black player to lead the NHL in goals and points and was the first Black athlete in any sport to win a gold medal in the Winter Olympics. Iginla played more than 1,500 NHL games, the majority of them for the Calgary Flames, and earned six All-Star appearances. He finished his career with precisely 1,300 points (625 goals, 675 assists) and is Calgary’s all-time franchise leader in points, goals and games played. Hossa’s 19-year NHL career was split among Ottawa, Atlanta, Pittsburgh, Detroit and Chicago, and in his later years he won three Stanley Cups with the Blackhawks. Hossa amassed 525 goals and 609 assists in his career. Lowe was a longtime stay-at-home defenseman for the Edmonton Oilers who won six Stanley Cups with the dynasty headed by Wayne Gretzky. Wilson, too, was a top defensemen in the 1980s, spending most of his career with the Chicago Blackhawks and winning the 1982 Norris Trophy for top defenseman. He currently serves as the San Jose Sharks’ general manager. In the women’s category, St. Pierre dominated her era as a Canadian goaltender who led her country to three Olympic gold medals and five IIHF world titles. And Holland came out of the “builder” category, recognized for his success as the longtime general manager of the Detroit Red Wings. Among the players who were eligible but not selected for induction include two former Capitals stars: defenseman Sergei Gonchar and forward Peter Bondra. Washington Times LOADED: 06.25.2020 1176015 Washington Capitals

Key questions for the 2020 postseason: How much will the extra rest help the Caps' veteran players?

By J.J. Regan June 24, 2020 6:00 AM

The 2020 postseason will be unlike any other and, as a result, there are a lot of unknowns. As the July 10 start to training camp approaches, let's look at the biggest unknowns facing the Capitals. Today's question: How much will the extra rest help the Caps' veteran players? When Game 7 between the Capitals and Carolina Hurricanes hit overtime in 2019, it was clear the Caps were hanging on for dear life. They were out of gas. The good news is that the year before they won the Stanley Cup and had an abbreviated offseason as a result so it was easy to see why this happened. Not everyone adjusted well and the performance of some players was inconsistent throughout the season. By the final game of the first round of the playoffs, no one seemed to have much left in the tank. RELATED: NHL ALLOWS TEAMS TO HAVE 12 PLAYERS FOR ON-ICE SESSIONS The bad news is that as the core continues to grow older, this is going to be a growing problem for the team with every passing year, regardless of how deep they go in the playoffs. Nicklas Backstrom is 32, John Carlson is 30, Lars Eller is 30, Carl Hagelin is 31, Braden Holtby is 30, Ilya Kovalchuk is 36, T.J. Oshie is 33 and even the ageless Alex Ovechkin is 34. When a team is built around a core of players all on the wrong side of 30, what's a good way to mitigate any fears of fatigue? How about pausing the season for several months right before the playoffs? Perhaps age and fatigue would have been an issue again in the 2020 postseason had it been played on time immediately after an 82-game season. After several months off, however, this should no longer be an issue. But there is a downside to all of the extra rest. It's not just the Caps who are benefitting from it. The Boston Bruins have been the best team in the NHL almost from start to finish. One advantage Washington had over them heading into the postseason, however, was a longer offseason. While the Caps exited in the first round, Boston made it all the way to Game 7 of the Stanley Cup Final last year. Perhaps they would have run out of gas in the playoffs the way Washington did against Carolina. After all, the Bruins are a veteran team as well with Patrice Bergeron (34), Jaroslav Halak (34), David Krejci (33), Brad Marchand (31), Tuukka Rask (32) and Zdeno Chara (42). Now, fatigue won't be an issue for Boston, or any other veteran team for that matter. Yes, Ovechkin and Co. will be well-rested for the 2020 postseason, but so will everyone else. Comcast SportsNet.com LOADED: 06.25.2020 1176016 Washington Capitals Nick Jensen: The 29-year-old blue liner struggled early in his Caps’ tenure but seemed to be on the verge of turning a corner when the season was halted. But just like Kempny, the Caps would need to expose Siegenthaler or Eller in order to protect him. Jensen is under contract Who could the Capitals lose to Seattle in the 2021 expansion draft? through 2022-23 at $2.5 million per. Garnet Hathaway: The 28-year-old fourth-line winger is signed through 2022-23 at $1.5 million per. Prior to the stoppage, Hathaway was on By Tarik El-Bashir Jun 24, 2020 pace to equal his career high for goals (11) and points (19). Nic Dowd: The 30-year-old fourth-line center is signed through 2021-22 We’re probably about a year away from the 2021 NHL expansion draft, at $750,000, the lowest salary among Washington’s forwards. He’s also which will stock the roster of the league’s 32nd team, the yet-to-be- the second-most important forward on the Caps’ sixth-ranked penalty kill named Seattle franchise. Yes, we’re aware that the draft is a ways away. (behind Hagelin). And that the timing of the draft could be impacted by current events. Braden Holtby, Brenden Dillon, Ilya Kovalchuk and are But it’s going to happen. Washington’s front office is planning for it and unrestricted free agents at the end of this season and, thus, may not be Seattle general manager Ron Francis is already eyeing the Caps’ roster. on the Caps’ roster in 2021. Dillon would appear to have the best chance of being re-signed to a multi-year extension and, if that happens, it would So let’s have some fun and take a crack at a Washington protected list, certainly change the math. Dillon could bump a forward, like Eller, or okay? replace Siegenthaler using this formula. We’re going to project whom the Caps could protect and whom they Option 2: Seven forwards, three defensemen, one goaltender might expose, utilizing the two options teams will have at their disposal — a list that includes eight-skaters and one goalie and another that 1. Alex Ovechkin includes seven forwards, three defensemen and one goalie. 2. Evgeny Kuznetsov Before we begin, though, let’s recap the ground rules: 3. Nicklas Backstrom Nicklas Backstrom has a no-movement clause for the first three seasons 4. Tom Wilson of the five-year, $46 million extension that he signed in January. So, unless he waives it, he must be protected. 5. Jakub Vrana Top prospects — Connor McMichael, for example — aren’t eligible to be 6. Lars Eller plucked by Seattle. 7. Richard Panik And, finally, a primer on the expansion rules via NHL.com. 8. John Carlson Option 1: Eight skaters, one goaltender 9. Jonas Siegenthaler 1. Alex Ovechkin (UFA 2021) 10. Dmitry Orlov 2. Evgeny Kuznetsov (UFA 2025) 11. Ilya Samsonov 3. Nicklas Backstrom (UFA 2025) Using this formula — which right now makes the most sense for the 4. Tom Wilson (UFA 2024) forward-heavy Caps — Washington would protect five of their top-six forwards, two of their top-four defensemen and Samsonov. 5. Lars Eller (UFA 2023) Oshie would again be left exposed. It’s no disrespect, though. It’s 6. Jakub Vrana (RFA 2021) business. Although he hasn’t shown any signs of slowing down, it would 7. John Carlson (UFA 2026) be tough to envision him being a 25-plus goal-scorer until he’s 38, particularly given how he plays. 8. Jonas Siegenthaler (RFA 2020) Protecting Panik may raise some eyebrows, and that’s understandable. 9. Ilya Samsonov (RFA 2021) Remember this: it’s possible, if not likely, that a forward who is not currently on the roster will get the seventh and final protected spot up This list protects five of the Caps’ top six forwards, their No. 1 front (think: Kovalchuk’s replacement, whoever that ends up being.) defenseman and the potential franchise goalie. Based on this projection, here are the exposed players who could be of interest to Seattle: As for Dillon, if he were to re-sign, he’d potentially bump Orlov off of the list. T.J. Oshie: Why would the Caps leave the heart and soul of the team exposed? Because he’ll be 34 years old at the time of the expansion The Athletic LOADED: 06.25.2020 draft and will have four seasons remaining on his contract with a cap of $5.75 million per. Why would he interest Seattle? He’s a four-time 25- goal scorer, he’s got Seattle-area roots and he’d quickly win over a new fanbase with his personality and playing style. In fact, Oshie — who is from Everett, Washington — could be a nice fit as Seattle’s first captain. Dmitry Orlov: It was a tough choice protecting Siegenthaler, 23, over Orlov, 28, for the eighth skater spot. But Siegenthaler’s youth, upside and affordable cap hit earned him the nod. As for Orlov, he’s a top-four blue liner who’s under contract through 2022-23, at $5.1 million per, and the Caps certainly could be at risk of losing him. But it might be a risk they’d be willing to take. Why? They’ve got a couple of intriguing left shot prospects — Martin Fehervary and Alex Alexeyev — who are expected to push for full-time roles in the not-so-distant future. Carl Hagelin: The 31-year-old winger could anchor Seattle’s penalty kill, much as he does in Washington. He’s signed through 2022-23 at $2.75 million per. Richard Panik: Like Hagelin, the 29-year-old is signed through 2022-23 at $2.75 million per. It’s hard to justify protecting a bottom six winger but he’s topped 20 goals once and, with a bounce-back next season in D.C., could be of some interest to Francis and Co. Michal Kempny: The 29-year-old blue liner is signed through 2021-22 at $2.5 million per and, when healthy, can be very effective. In order to protect him, the Caps would need to expose Siegenthaler or 31-year-old center Lars Eller. 1176017 Winnipeg Jets

Jets won't invoice for next season without details

Jason Bell

A foggy outlook for the 2020-21 NHL season has at least given hockey- starved Winnipeg Jets fans a financial reprieve this summer. Under normal circumstances, season-ticket holders would have already directed partial payments to True North Sports & Entertainment for the upcoming campaign. However, the abnormal prevails during the COVID- 19 pandemic. The club indicated on its website it won’t send out invoices until the NHL’s deep thinkers figure out what the 2020-21 season might look like. "We will be adjusting timelines and will communicate with you once the details have been finalized," the Jets said in a statement. The prospect of playing in front of empty arenas next season also remains a distinct possibility if the virus remains a threat and a vaccine hasn’t been developed. It’s a certainty that with a late-summer 24-team playoff format, the next NHL season won’t begin in October. NHL commissioner Gary Bettman said the range for the beginning of next season could be anywhere between November and January. The coronavirus pandemic has had a serious financial impact on many families. But that won’t be represented in renewals, as season- ticket holders faced a Feb. 21 deadline — prior to the health crisis — to maintain their contracts for another three years. "The multi-year renewals were completed before the pandemic began in March, and as we’ve done in the past, any unrenewed seats will be offered to our wait list," said Rob Wozny, True North’s vice-president of communications and content. "However, with the pause in the 2019-20 season, and no indication to date about what a 2020-21 season will look like, it’s premature, at this point, to speculate on if or when we’ll explore our options until we have direction from the NHL." Winnipeg had already offered season-ticket holders rebate or refund options when the rest of the 2019-20 regular season was officially scrapped in May. The Jets had 11 games left on their schedule, four of which were to be played at Bell MTS Place. The Jets have maintained a season-ticket base of 13,000 since its original drive in June 2011. Wozny had indicated last October the team’s wait list was still 4,000 names long, just half of the original 8,000. The rink on the old Eaton’s site seats about 15,200 for hockey. The Jets’ streak of packing the house for more than 300 straight home games since relocating from Atlanta nine years ago was snapped in October. Often, upwards of a thousand tickets for games were available on the resale market, depending on the opponent. And tickets were still available for many games right up until first puck drop. Wozny was asked this week if True North is planning for other ways to alleviate some of the financial burden on season-ticket holders for the 2020-21 season. "We will not be sending invoices for the 2020-21 NHL season until a plan for the 2020-21 season has been determined. When the timing has been determined to move forward, we will be adjusting timelines and will communicate with seatholders once the details have been finalized," Wozny said. Some fans had already shelled out for their first instalment to guarantee their vantage points at the downtown arena. Much like their Canadian brethren, the Jets have offered refunds but have also offered incentives to ticket holders to allow the Central Division club to keep the money. The team has waived a two per cent administrative fee it usually adds to each of the monthly instalment payments until a plan for the 2020-21 season has been determined. Winnipeg Free Press LOADED 06.25.2020 1176018 Vancouver Canucks “And being it was only last year, it’s still on the top of their minds and when they look for hotels, they look for great experiences. It’s definitely an advantage and so is our location with how close we are to Rogers Arena.” Ben Kuzma: No Vancouver hub city hotel snag, but health is another matter Parq Vancouver hotel and casino in April 2019. Jason Payne / PNG They also look for safety and food options because of the cohort bubble concept restricting movements from arenas to hotels. Ben Kuzma “Being under one roof, we have seven restaurants and bars, lots of outdoor space and a fitness centre,” said Harper Treskin. “And with safety, our world has changed. We have protocols for associates (staff) The NHL has been digging in with all the jurisdictions on what the health wearing masks and for guests from the time they walk into the hotels. protocol is for positive-test scenarios. There could be subtle differences They’re going to be asked a lot of questions and a lot of the touch points across the jurisdictions, but the league wants to understand how those in rooms have been eliminated or reduced. could impact its plans “And protocols to keep common areas clean and safe have all changed. Marion Harper Treskin is on the board of directors of the Hotel It’s part of the new normal.” Association of Vancouver and has an obvious NHL hub city bias. Harper Treskin said between the JW Marriott, Parq casino and the Dr. Brian Conway of the Vancouver Infectious Diseases Centre is a Douglas, there will be several food options. hockey fan and has a critical novel coronavirus concern. “We’ll have to keep the players interested in the food that we can offer,” Harper Treskin, who is general manager of the JW Marriott Parq she said. “We working through how to provide that in the bubble.” Vancouver, and the adjacent Douglas, Autograph Collection, knows how well equipped the premium downtown hotels are to house and host major Vancouver Province: LOADED: 06.25.2020 events. So does the NHL and the NHL Players’ Association. The JW Marriott was headquarters for the 2019 NHL entry draft and would be the main hotel if Vancouver is named one of two hub cities for resumption of the season paused March 12 by the COVID-19 outbreak. Players have a big say in where they play and have approved Vancouver. Harper Treskin has also been in constant logistics conversations with NHL officials. “We’re definitely well positioned and can meet their needs from a hotel perspective without a doubt and also in regards to the (quarantine) bubble,” Harper Treskin said Wednesday of the two hotels offering a combined 517 rooms. “There are a few good options to make it work, but hub city dates were fluctuating. They were all over the place in which the restart program could actually happen for the hub city. Every day things are changing a little bit, so as to when it would start or end and that was still being decided.” That’s the good stuff. The bad is a reported “snag” in confirming Vancouver as a hub. The NHL has been digging in with all the jurisdictions on what the health protocol is for positive-test scenarios. There could be subtle differences across the jurisdictions, but the league wants to understand how those could impact its plans. While B.C. has done a remarkable job of flattening the COVID-19 curve, 11 players testing positive of the 200 tested rings leaguewide alarm bells. “As we move to the next phase and are more in contact with even greater groups for more significant periods, we need to make sure the 11 doesn’t become 50 and 100 and even a larger number that we can’t control,” said Dr. Conway. “The fact that there are (NHL) cases is of concern and 11 of 200 is higher than most would have expected.” And if a player tests positive in Vancouver, then what? “The key now is understanding how it happened,” said Dr. Conway. “How did they get infected? Did they arrive at the facilities affected? Did they acquire the infection while training in these small groups? And as a result of them becoming infected, did anyone else become infected and can we stop further cases from occurring? “If players test positive, they need to be isolated and there needs to be tracing. And until we can do that properly, you need to put a hold on things until that can be accomplished.” Training camps are scheduled to start July 10 and post-season play Aug. 1. The Canucks will conduct their camp at Rogers Arena and be in a cohort self-isolation bubble for 14 days to meet COVID-19 safety and distancing edicts. As for hub city accommodations, that has never been a problem. “The hotel conversations have been positive and there has been a lot of excitement, but nothing has been determined or contracted,” added Harper Treskin. We’ve been speaking almost daily with the NHL. And the fact that many of them were here for the draft, we did a really great job with it and wowed a lot of people. 1176019 Vancouver Canucks

Canucks create team award to further Sedins' community legacy

Patrick Johnston

The Canucks player who best represents the Sedins' community values will be recognized each season, starting this year. The Vancouver Canucks, a team that has long prided itself on its work in the community, will now recognize one of their own for their charity work every season. Wednesday, the NHL club announced the creation of the Daniel and Henrik Sedin Award, which will recognize outstanding community leadership and humanitarian work by a Canucks player each season. For years — and quietly, for the most part — the Sedins and their foundation have supported a bevy of local community initiatives, from B.C. Children’s Hospital to Canuck Place to playgrounds for public schools to programs for at-risk youth. “Community has always been a core value of the Canucks organization and has been brought to life through incredible ambassadors, like Daniel and Henrik Sedin,” Trent Carroll, chief operating officer of Canucks Sports & Entertainment, said in a press release. “They were two individuals that always went above and beyond for others and, with the introduction of the Daniel & Henrik Sedin Award, we intend to honour and inspire acts of generosity and contributions in the community for generations to come.” The inaugural winner of the award will be announced along with the rest of the 2019/20 award winners on July 6. Fans can vote for four awards — the Cyclone Taylor Trophy for team MVP, the Walter (Babe) Pratt Trophy for best defenceman, the Award for most exciting player and the Fred J. Hume Aware for unsung hero — on Canucks.com until July 2. The Award for the most three-star selections and the Cyrus H. McLean Trophy for leading scorer (J.T. Miller). Vancouver Province: LOADED: 06.25.2020 1176020 Vancouver Canucks reportedly mulling adding food trucks and an outdoor movie theatre to its campus at the exhibition grounds.

There is so much at stake that neither the Oilers Entertainment Group Canadian cities give their best pitch to be an NHL hub city nor MLSE will comment until after the announcement is made for fear they would upset the NHL.

Where this all ends we will soon know. But whichever cities in Canada Marty Klinkenberg lose out, it will not be for a lack of trying. Globe And Mail LOADED: 06.25.2020 With a decision looming as early as Thursday, the battle to become Canada’s host city during the NHL playoffs has become as desperate as the quest to win the Stanley Cup. Details have emerged from ostentatious pitches made by Oilers Entertainment Group and Maple Leaf Sports and Entertainment Ltd. to persuade the NHL to make Edmonton or Toronto one of two hubs where 12 teams will contest the postseason. A decision is expected to be announced as early as Thursday. Until then, there will be plenty of teeth gnashing in both those cities and in Vancouver, which is also in the running. Edmonton’s splashy proposal includes creating an Olympic-style village in the downtown core around Rogers Place. All of the players would stay in the 22-storey JW Marriott hotel, which is attached to the arena by a pedway. Basketball courts, golf simulators, movie nights, ping pong and pool tables, and video games are among the promised amenities. Not to be outdone, MLSE would create a 16-hectarecampus where players and staff would live on the Canadian National Exhibition grounds. The design provides access to a host of facilities, including the Coca- Cola Coliseum, which is home to the AHL’s Toronto Marlies, the Raptors’ practice facility and Hotel X, a resort on Lake Ontario with more than 400 rooms. In its bid, Vancouver heavily relies on its history of success in hosting the and the 2015 FIFA Women’s World Cup. British Columbia Premier John Horgan wrote a letter to NHL commissioner Gary Bettman on the city’s behalf. Both Edmonton and Vancouver stressed their relatively low numbers of COVID-19 cases. The regular season was halted on March 12 as the grave respiratory illness spread across North America. The NHL plans to resume with playoff games beginning in August. An original list of 10 possible sites has been winnowed down to six, with Chicago, Las Vegas and Los Angeles the potential choices in the United States. Only two sites will be chosen, most likely one in each country. Las Vegas is considered to be a shoe-in because, well, it is Las Vegas. That leaves others to make extravagant promises. Nobody has committed to moving players around in a Trojan horse, but we have gotten close. Alberta Tourism officials created a video to help Edmonton with its bid. It is worthy to note that the promotional film shows the Columbia Icefield, Lake Louise, streams, waterfalls and other lovely sights in the Rockies – but not Edmonton itself, other than a quick scan of the skyline. All of those places are spectacular, but a minimum of four hours travel from Edmonton. Alberta Premier Jason Kenney posted the video on social media on Monday along with the words, “It’s an obvious choice to bring the NHL to Edmonton.” Much fun has been poked at this since then. One Canucks fan in Vancouver created a meme with photos of the Sydney Opera House, the Great Wall of China, the Roman Colosseum and the Milky Way, along with those same words, “It’s an obvious choice to bring the NHL to Edmonton.” In a message also posted online, the Premier championed Edmonton’s effort and said he has spoken to Bettman. “I think we have got a tremendous pitch,” Kenney said. “The beating heart of hockey and the NHL is the Canadian prairies. I cannot think of a better place to come to.” Players are unlikely to have time for sightseeing, but Alberta Tourism is helping to create vacation experiences for their families. The Oilers Entertainment Group has also arranged for dedicated days at golf courses that will be open only to players. All of the sites, of course, are promising strict health measures to protect the players from illness, whether that is really possible or not. Last week, the NHL announced that 11 of 200 players tested since training facilities opened on June 8 have been confirmed to have COVID-19. Toronto’s initial bid focused on creating a bubble close to Arena, but it has had to up its game to keep up with Edmonton. MLSE is 1176021 Vancouver Canucks “The Minnesota top-four is very good, it’s dynamic, it’s always been the identity of that team,” the first scout said. “Mathew Dumba competes, Jared Spurgeon is so smart, he has elite, elite hockey sense. I’m a big Jonas Brodin fan, in my opinion, he has elite defensive sense. Brodin’s a Pro scouts break down Canucks vs. Wild qualifying round matchup great, great, great player to match up against Vancouver’s speed when you got J.T. Miller busting down the wing. He can gap up and contain, he’s a very important player and a good complement for Ryan Suter. By Thomas Drance and Harman Dayal Jun 24, 2020 “Dumba, if he’s on his game, can throw a big open-ice hit and change the momentum. He’s kind of one of those guys you want in the playoffs, he plays with a chip on his shoulder, competes like a bastard. He’s a big- In a five-game qualifying round matchup between Vancouver and game player. Minnesota, the Canucks are like a finely tuned, but temperamental sports car. The Wild, if we’re to drive forward with this analogy, are akin to a “Their D-corps is a lot better than Vancouver’s and that’s gonna be the dependable, sturdy sedan. Canucks’ Achilles’ heel.” The sports car might be flashier and it might be favoured from afar, but Our second scout largely offered the same assessment, adding that how when you hit the road in your trusty sedan, you know exactly what you’re well the Canucks defenders cope with the Wild forecheck is the bell- going to get. weather matchup that may determine the entire series. Now the question is: In a five-game series, which vehicle will reach their “If Vancouver is going to win, it’ll be a series with a lot of transition destination first and claim a Stanley Cup playoff spot? offense,” the second scout suggested. “The big question for the Canucks, as I see it, is whether their defence can get the puck out of their own end To hear the professional scouts tell it, this is a matchup between a Wild quickly. Quinn Hughes is built for that, but I’m not sure their other guys team that lives to frustrate their opponents, relies on a five-man game are. and plays a grinding style of hockey. In the next lane over, a high-flying offensive club in the Canucks that can strike in an instant, but can be “That’s the key for me, the whole 5-on-5 battle comes down to how well prone to losing their way defensively. do the top-four guys on Vancouver that aren’t Quinn Hughes get the puck out of the zone and avoid Minnesota’s forecheck. Vancouver has to get “The Wild have better depth, a better checking line and better overall going north, and not spend too much time screwing around in their own structure in their game,” an Eastern Conference scout based in the zone, especially against a grinding team like Minnesota. Western Conference opined when asked to break down a Canucks-Wild matchup. “Minnesota plays systematically, they’re more consistent as a “When the Canucks are sound, they can be really, really good. The five-man unit than the Canucks are. problem is, they’re a younger group that can lose that structure quickly and they’re going to be playing against a frustrating team.” “But, the Wild aren’t very quick,” the scout continued. “They have to play the way they do as a five-man unit, rely on their defence to take away Goaltending gaps and rely on their veteran forwards to be defensively aware. If they Vancouver and Minnesota are polar opposites in the goal prevention get away from that, and if Vancouver can trade chances with them, then department. the Wild will be in trouble.” The Canucks fill the net with aplomb but rely heavily on goaltending to As the NHL’s return draws near, The Athletic Vancouver’s writers each compensate for glaring defensive issues. The Wild, on the other hand, reached out to an Eastern Conference professional scout based in a are notoriously stingy at preventing chances but have been sunk by Western Conference city to provide their perspective on a qualifying underwhelming play between the pipes — owning an .897 team save matchup that promises to be a fascinating contrast in pace and style. percentage that ranks 29th in the NHL. 5-on-5 Minnesota’s incumbent No. 1, Alex Stalock, posted a .920 save Up front, the pair of scouts we spoke to shared pretty similar sentiments percentage in 18 games following Jan. 1, but he comes into the series about both clubs: Vancouver’s top end is superior, but Minnesota’s got with a very limited track record. the edge in terms of the overall depth of their forward group. “He’s not a starting goalie in the NHL, there’s no doubt about that,” the “Vancouver’s top six is as good as arguably anyone’s in the league,” the first scout said of Stalock. “You’re hoping (Devan) Dubnyk comes back. first scout said. “This is going to be a big test for Elias Pettersson and it’ll Dubnyk’s shown in the past, in the regular season, that he can have be interesting to see how he fares. They have more elite, top-end talent, unbelievable stretches. He hasn’t done it in the playoffs though. If they’re more 5-on-5 scoring. Tyler Toffoli is a good player and was a very good gonna have a chance to win the series, they need to get good fit. goaltending. “The Wild, on the other hand, when they’re going they have that bottom- “Stalock can give you a shot in the arm, but you’re probably going to six firing. They’ll roll all four of those lines.” have to rely on a more established starter like Dubnyk. Dubnyk’s carried a big load in the regular season, he just hasn’t ever been able to string it Minnesota’s advantage in the quality of their depth forwards was a pretty together in the playoffs.” consistent theme, with both scouts singling out Joel Eriksson Ek specifically as a potential difference-maker. The skepticism about Dubnyk’s level of play going into this matchup was shared by both scouts. That Vancouver has a potentially decisive edge in “Honestly, I don’t think the Wild are a great matchup for Vancouver,” the net obviously isn’t a secret in the lead up the series. second scout said. “Eriksson Ek is going to be a really interesting matchup against Pettersson in this series. He’s one of the more under- “Dubnyk has struggled. He’s struggled with confidence, and is prone to rated checking line centres in the league and he’s improved a lot in the allowing bad goals, even if they do a good job limiting scoring chances,” last year-and-a-half. He’s an agitator and he’s strong, even if he’s not added the second scout. “With the way Jacob Markstrom played this gifted offensively. I’d guess that’s the matchup Minnesota will want. season, you’d have to give the advantage to Vancouver in goal.” “Even beyond that third line, you look up and down the lineup and Markstrom has solidified himself as an upper-echelon starter over the last physically, the Wild are tough to play against. They have Marcus Foligno, 18 months or so. His .918 save percentage might not jump off the page, Ryan Hartman, Jordan Greenway, Luke Kunin — even Zach Parise is but data from Clear Sight Analytics and Sportlogiq that take into account hard to play against. The Canucks are more of a top-heavy, quick-strike the porous defence in front of Markstrom, both grade him as a top-five group and I don’t love the bottom end of their lineup. So I think Minnesota goalie this year. will have an advantage rolling lines.” “If Markstrom plays the way he’s been playing … he was unbelievable,” Vancouver’s top end is seen as more dynamic and explosive, but both the first scout said. “He’s a Vezina candidate for me and how well he’s scouts agree that in practice, the Canucks’ potential edge up front may played this year. There’s no question that goaltending is in Vancouver’s be somewhat neutered by the quality of the Wild third line in particular. favour.” “That’s going to be the strength for Minnesota, that third-line was the real Special teams identity of that team,” the first scout said. “If they can hold serve against On paper, the matchup between the Canucks power play and the Vancouver’s top line, I think it gives the Wild a good chance at 5-on-5 to Minnesota penalty kill looks like a significant mismatch in Vancouver’s at least stay competitive.” favour. Not so fast, cautioned one of our professional scouts. On the back end, both scouts favoured the Wild and not by a small margin. “In a short series, I might be inclined to lean towards Minnesota’s penalty “I remember the old Wild under Lemaire,” our first scout reminisced. killing honestly,” our second professional scout said. “They just didn’t get “Jacque’s teams through the first 10 games were one of the best teams saves.” in the league. They played with structure, they’re disciplined, cut shifts short, just rolled lines, stuck to the game plan while other teams still tried The Wild power play, meanwhile, wasn’t quite as potent as Vancouver’s, to get their legs under them. It’s obviously a completely different team although their second unit didn’t benefit nearly as much from the now, but it kind of reminds me of that scenario in that you’re starting over. bounces. Still, our second pro scout sees the Canucks holding a not You’re going to have to have your structure in place and maybe that’s insignificant edge in the special teams battle. where a veteran team like the Wild could benefit.” “I still think Vancouver has an edge on special teams,” our second Our second scout tended to disagree, however, suggesting that he thinks professional scout insisted. “The Vancouver power play is the more younger legs could give the Canucks a big edge in a short series. dangerous of the two. “I do think a long gap in play is going to make it harder for an older player “On the power play, the Wild get the job done, but it doesn’t always look to adjust to the pace of the game,” our second scout said. “If you’re in pretty. It’s sort of a mishmash honestly and I don’t really trust it. The your mid-30s, you go through training camp, get one preseason game in Canucks just move the puck around so well on the power play.” and then boom — you’re into the playoffs. Vancouver’s key guys are in X-factor: Kevin Fiala their early 20s — Hughes, Pettersson, (Brock) Boeser even Miller is young compared to some of the Wild’s key players. I don’t think that the Kevin Fiala’s monstrous second-half, which featured 14 goals and 26 age thing will be a factor later on in the playoffs, but in the qualifying points through the final 18 games of the regular season, made him a round, I think younger guys will have an advantage. lynchpin for Minnesota’s late surge. “Just think about it, if it takes older guys like Suter, Parise, Koivu and On a Wild squad short on elite offensive talent, Fiala stands out as a Mats Zuccarello a couple of games to warmup, they’re done.” potential game-breaker. Someone who can put the team on his back offensively. Final thoughts “From a coaching perspective, they needed offense so I think they There are so many differences when comparing the Canucks and Wild, unleashed him a little bit after the coaching change,” the second scout from roster construction to style of play. said. “There are streaks and there’s luck, sure, but in Fiala’s case, I think Zoom out and consider the whole picture though, and it’s apparent that he’s the real deal talent wise. In that series against Vancouver, he’ll have these teams are actually evenly matched. a lot of room to maneuver. Both scouts agreed that Vancouver’s success in this series will hinge on “He would be one of their three X-factors as I see it. I really think the blue line’s ability to transition the puck quickly out of the defensive Eriksson Ek is the biggest one, to be honest. But Fiala is crucial to the zone. As much as that element of the game is about avoiding getting Wild offense. I’d also add in Devan Dubnyk because there’s a lot of bogged down in their own end, the key in moving north quickly is that the reasons to be skeptical about his level of performance.” transition game is essential for a Canucks team that will need to get The first scout was a little bit more hesitant on Fiala. He doesn’t deny the meaningful production from their top-end talent to defeat the Wild. 23-year-old’s electric offensive tools but is leery about the other parts of “Vancouver is well-favoured,” the first scout said. “I’d take Minnesota’s D his game. well ahead of Vancouver’s, but talent wins.” “All eyes are gonna be on him because he wants to be the guy, he’s got The Canucks may have an advantage in terms of high-end skill, but a chance to make a statement. But the fair question is, can you win with Minnesota’s grinding style could prove to be a neutralizing force — at him in the playoffs?” the first scout wondered. “He turns pucks over in least if they get enough saves. bad places at bad times, he’s got selfishness, he doesn’t really manage the game all that well, especially for a tight series where one play can “The Wild are gonna have to play their game, stick to it and the bottom turn the momentum. six is gonna have to be really good to give them a chance,” continued the first scout. “I think Minnesota can (get that from the bottom six), but their Kevin Fiala goaltending is going have to give them a push along the way.” “Fiala’s a dynamic player when he’s going, real high-end skill, he can So how do these scouts score the overall matchup? In fancier, more make plays that other players can’t. Most importantly, he found hockey-specific language: it’s a coin flip. consistency and that’s always been a knock. “I give Vancouver the goaltending matchup. And the forward matchup, “He’s the focal point for Minnesota’s unknown upside. He can dominate but not by as much as you’d think based on the face value of and give them a chance to surprise a team or two, but this is just me — Vancouver’s top players,” the second scout said. “Obviously, you give I’m skeptical on him. Minnesota the edge on defense. Overall though, I don’t think there’s too “I don’t trust him with turning pucks over, not working the backcheck, little much to choose from between these two. subtleties — the things you need in a playoff series. He’s earned all the “Either team can be better over five games.” praise he got this year with his consistency no doubt, but he’s going to have to earn it the hard way in the playoffs.” The Athletic LOADED: 06.25.2020 The age thing Age comparisons across teams can be deceptive. All older teams have a young guy or two and most younger teams have a couple of greybeards. Still, on the whole, and particularly among their key contributors, the Canucks are a significantly younger team than the Wild. Of the eight players on Minnesota who were either in the top-five in team scoring or ice-time per game (or both), the average age is north of 30. Do the same exercise for the seven Canucks players that qualify, and the average age is 25.7. What will that mean for a truncated play-in series following an unprecedented layoff? “The Wild are a middling team, but it’s a veteran club,” our second Eastern Conference scout said. “These guys have played a lot of games. They’re thrust into a series and nothing will be a surprise. On the other hand, I do think older teams might have a bit more trouble in return to play scenarios.” Our first Eastern Conference scout definitely wondered if the veteran experience factor could work in Minnesota’s favour, and even invoked the old “cult-like” Jacque Lemaire Wild in suggesting that the team with more veteran savvy may have an edge coming out of the long break. 1176022 Vancouver Canucks four community-type dressing rooms. That rink could, at worst, be used for practices.

The Oilers’ initial plan called for one or two city-run recreation centres to Vancouver vs. Edmonton: How do Western Canada’s NHL hub city bids be used for practices. The rec centres and Rogers Place would be rented stack up? and then cleaned after each session. Rogers Place is also connected via a walkway to a five-star hotel, which would house the players. They would never have to go outside and leave their bubble to travel between the hotel rooms and the arena. By Thomas Drance and Daniel Nugent-Bowman Jun 24, 2020 What the Oilers have in terms of overall capacity at a singular facility can’t be matched in Vancouver. Rogers Arena, in contrast to Edmonton’s Will it come down to Edmonton or Vancouver in the bid to be an NHL gargantuan facility, has relatively basic amenities. return to play hub city? Is it really possible that both places could host There’s the visiting and home locker room facilities and two more NHL postseason games? permanent auxiliary dressing rooms. We’ll find out soon enough. Las Vegas and Vancouver are the betting When Rogers Arena hosted the 2010 Winter Olympic Men’s and favourites at the moment, but whether one of Edmonton or Vancouver is Women’s ice hockey tournaments — renamed Canadian Olympic Place in and one’s out or they both get the two coveted titles, it’s clear the two for the event — an additional dressing room was placed on the parkade Western Canadian cities have been very seriously considered as hosts level. for the NHL’s attempt to conclude the 2019-20 season. The Canucks have no designated practice facility, although there are With the decision nearing, we figured we might as well recap their cases, plenty of ice rinks locally that could be appropriated or rented for NHL too. Using five categories, The Athletic’s Edmonton and Vancouver beat usage. Based on some quality sleuthing by Patrick Johnston of the writers sum up where the bids are at as the decision nears — likely this Vancouver Province it certainly seems like, among the various options, week. the newly renovated facility out at the University of British Columbia is the The size of the local outbreaks one the league itself is targeting as a regular practice ice sheet should the return to play hub be located in Vancouver. In Edmonton, the Alberta capital has been touted by Edmonton-NHL proponents as the safest Canadian city in terms of the amount of COVID- While Edmonton’s facilities are unrivalled outside of Detroit, Rogers 19 cases and access to testing. Arena in Vancouver has a long history of seamlessly hosting major, multi-team events, including the 2010 Olympic Winter Games and the The province of Alberta launched Phase 2 on June 12, permitting more World Junior Tournament in 2018. There’s a multitude of nearby, local business to open and larger groups to interact, and there has been a rise ice sheets — from UBC to Burnaby’s 8-rinks, where the Canucks often in cases since then. According to the provincial government website, practiced in the Before Times — that can accommodate the needs of 12 Edmonton had 857 total cases as of Sunday – up from 684 on June 12 NHL clubs. with 226 active cases in the city. Accommodations As of Monday, at least five restaurants have closed after staff or consumers tested positive for the coronavirus. Let’s start with the previously mentioned hotel in Edmonton. While Edmonton has relatively low levels of active COVID-19 cases, Players will have rooms at the JW Marriott, across the street from the Vancouver has even fewer. In fact, there are currently more active cases arena and connected by an indoor walkway. That setup should rival or in Edmonton (226) than in the entire province of British Columbia (174). even surpass the situations of the other five remaining hub-city choices. The Province of British Columbia launched Phase 2 on May 6 and there’s The Marriott hotel is equipped with Archetype, a state-of-the-art fitness been no significant change to “the curve” of active COVID-19 cases in gym for players to use outside of the in-arena facility at Rogers Place. weeks. Where the Edmonton bid could suffer is the Marriott hotel doesn’t have enough rooms to accommodate all team staff and personnel. The hotel This week, British Columbia premier John Horgan is expected to unveil website indicates there are 322 rooms and 24 suites; a roster of 28 additional details for the opening of Phase 3 — which will include players over 12 teams totals 336. Overflow people would have to stay at encouraging British Columbians to travel within the province and a couple nearby hotels. Secure transportation or unfettered walking permitting television and film production to begin again, among other routes will have to be the means of getting from the secondary activities — while British Columbia’s Provincial Health Officer, Dr. Bonnie accommodations to the arena. Henry, estimated on Tuesday that on average British Columbians are back up to about 60-65 percent of their normal day-to-day connections. Vancouver, similarly, has a JW Marriott located a brief three-minute walk from the Gate 9 media entrance to the Rogers Arena event level. The Facilities Parq has a 517 capacity and on site is also the Douglas, an autograph collection hotel with an additional 188 rooms. This is the area where Edmonton really has the edge in this comparison. At the foot of the Cambie Street bridge, just a five-minute walk from the Rogers Arena — opened as GM Place in September of 1995 — has had game rink, the city of Vancouver has the requisite hotel amenities to a couple of key facelifts over the years, but it’s a relatively aging facility, house 12 teams in the “bubble.” particularly when compared with Edmonton’s Rogers Place, which is one of the newer buildings in the NHL and remains absolutely state of the art The NHL is extremely familiar with the Parq hotel. Not only is the Parq an across the board. official partner of the Canucks organization, but it served as something of an NHL headquarters during the 2019 NHL Entry Draft hosted in The visiting room at Rogers Place is far superior to the one at Rogers Vancouver. The staff rolled out the stops and made quite the impression. Arena, and that’s the visiting room for the Edmonton Oil Kings’ opponents! Without that relatively new hotel facility located nearby the game rink, The Athletic understands that Vancouver’s bid would’ve been far less Make no mistake, the amenities at Rogers Place are probably the major appealing to the league. reason Edmonton is one of six cities left in the running. Lifestyle amenities The ice in Edmonton was voted by the players as the second-best in the league, while Vancouver’s ice cooling equipment is aging and struggles The lifestyle amenities factor might seem like a trivial consideration when in particular with dehumidification — although as such, a rainy, wet weighed against the economic insecurity and widespread sickness November day tends to be a bigger issue than the heat of June or July. wrought by the pandemic, but professional athletes are used to having world class options for dining, entertainment and leisure activities. Rogers Place has the bells and whistles that make it perfectly suited for a tournament of this magnitude, however. Since the main rink hosts the Oil If you’re a professional hockey player committing to spending, potentially, Kings, there are two home-style dressing rooms available. There are two several months away from your family, it’s important to have a sense of visiting rooms — the NHL version deemed the best among the league’s what life will be like and some security in the prospect that it won’t be a players — two decent auxiliary locker rooms, and two “star rooms” for dreary hamster wheel of going to the rink to play and then returning to musicians to use before and after concerts. your room for some Netflix and “RS” (room service, in classic, shortened hockey nomenclature). The attached Downtown Community Arena is where the Grant MacEwan collegiate team plays. That team has its locker room there and then are As The Athletic reported on Tuesday, a focus on restaurants and lifestyle amenities was a key part of Vancouver’s resubmitted hub city bid last week. There are a variety of high-end restaurants located within the Parq facility itself and nearby, but the proposed “lido deck” that Pierre LeBrun reported on is part of a correlation of factors that may serve to put the Vancouver bid over the top: ONE NEAT DETAIL I’M TOLD IS THAT THEY WOULD HAVE A 30,000 SQUARE-FOOT OUTDOOR SPACE/DECK/PATIO FOR THE PLAYERS AT THE HOTEL THAT’S CONNECTED TO A RESTAURANT. THERE ARE OTHER HOTELS AND RESTAURANTS THAT ARE PART OF THE BID BUT IT ALL SOUNDS RATHER GOOD. AND WELL, IT’S VANCOUVER IN THE SUMMER SO IT’S BASICALLY HEAVEN. REMEMBER THE PLAYERS HAVE A SAY IN WHERE THIS ALL ENDS UP. Even if the Roxy remains temporarily closed, Vancouver has a reputation among NHL professionals as a desirable place to visit (even if it’s a pressure-packed place to play full time). That’s likely to prove a big edge. Golf has been a staple of Edmonton’s lifestyle package from the onset. That remains the case, although it’s unclear how many rounds staff and players, more specifically, will play during the playoffs. TSN’s Ryan Rishaug was the first to report earlier this week about an Olympic village–style setup at Ice District, the area around Rogers Place. Oilers senior vice-president of corporate communications and government relations Tim Shipton, the team’s point person for the bid, was unable to speak to The Athletic Tuesday before deadline for this story. Rishaug reports indoor and outdoor activities will be available, consisting of golf simulators, basketball courts, movie nights, video games, live entertainment, table tennis, billiards, lounge areas and rooftop patios. He added the bid has arrangements with at least a dozen high-end restaurants for food delivery. Shipton told The Athletic in an earlier interview that arrangements would be made in conjunction with Travel Alberta to allow players’ families — if they’re permitted to attend the hub city — to visit tourism destinations across the province. Rishaug reported as much as well. This was the supposed intention behind a widely joked about 63-second video sent Monday from Alberta Premier Jason Kenney’s Twitter account. X-Factors This tidbit shouldn’t factor into the hub-city decision and almost certainly won’t. This would, however, likely favour Edmonton over any other location. When reporting on the local economic impact a hub city should expect, The Athletic was told by one economist not to expect much variance between the different markets. The amount of money generated wouldn’t be much in the grand scheme of things – a second economist estimated no more than $20 million, whereas Shipton said up to $35 million – but it could be more impactful in Edmonton. Sure, the Alberta economy has long been in the dumps. The more notable variable is Edmonton represents the smallest market still in the running to be a hub city. That $20-35 million could theoretically go further in Edmonton than in Vancouver – or Toronto, Las Vegas, Los Angeles, or Chicago. Again, this won’t be a key consideration. The COVID-19 situation, ability to keep players and staff safe, and quality of facilities are way more important factors at play. Those seem to be checkmarks in Edmonton’s favour. The economic impact, although small, would simply be the cherry on top of the sundae. As for selecting Vancouver, the X-Factor is indistinguishable from the overall containment of the COVID-19 virus in British Columbia. There’s simply no NHL market that’s flattened the curve as effectively and persistently, and maintained containment while entering Phase 2 (and preparing for Phase 3). Now that Vancouver has upgraded the lifestyle amenities factor in their hub city bid significantly, the market has emerged as a bona fide frontrunner to serve as an NHL hub city. In a final assessment, this remains a singular pandemic. And so it all comes down to the virus. The Athletic LOADED: 06.25.2020 1176023 Websites Florida where the cases are spiking right now. Everyone is making plans, but there’s still a lot of unknowns right now, with the virus itself and how you contract it, right? I mean, there are so many different parts. What about the cleaning staff doing the rooms in the hub city? What about the The Athletic / LeBrun: Amid safety concerns, older NHL coaches weigh- people serving the food? What about the bus driver? They all go home … in on return to play “So yeah, there is concern,” Kitchen said candidly. “I’m just wondering, how do they have everything covered? I will definitely give it some thought.’’ By Pierre LeBrun Jun 24, 2020 Kitchen is set to become a grandfather for the first time in November with his daughter expecting twins. There isn’t a day that goes by that Rick Bowness doesn’t sit back and “You wouldn’t want anything to happen before that time. A lot of family wonder. stuff that crosses your mind,’’ Kitchen said. How safe is it for him to stand behind the bench this summer if the NHL’s Bowness, a grandfather himself, wants to see what Phase 3 and 4 24-team tournament goes ahead as scheduled? protocols look like once they are finalized and how the bubbles will work “I’ve been giving it an awful lot of thought. Without a doubt. I’m 65,’’ in each Hub city. Bowness told The Athletic this week. “Am I nervous? Absolutely I am, to “We’ll have to see how it all looks when we get there,’’ he said. “You’ve get this thing.’’ got to trust that the league and everyone is doing everything they can to To be clear, he is currently planning to coach the Dallas Stars this protect us all. Until I get there and see how it’s all laid out. If the safety summer. But he’s certainly eyeing the situation closely. As he should be. and precautions are being met, then yeah, we’ll go ahead with it.’’ And he’s not alone. There are 12 active members on NHL coaching Would he wear a mask behind the bench? staffs that will be 60 or over by the end of the month — Bowness being “I certainly haven’t ruled that out,” Bowness said. “I don’t know what the the oldest head coach at 65. other coaches are saying, but we certainly have not ruled that out. All these coaches need to be thinking about this right now, considering “Don’t be surprised if you see me behind there with a mask on. I wouldn’t we are just a few weeks from the proposed starting date of training hesitate, let’s put it that way, if I had any concerns at all.’’ camps, set to open on July 10. Winnipeg Jets assistant coach Charlie Huddy, who turned 61 earlier this “No doubt you’re thinking of the different options you may have, whether month, says there’s of course a concern, but he’s planning to be behind it’s wearing a mask, to what extent you are going to deal with your team the bench. and players (meaning distancing),” Montreal Canadiens head coach Claude Julien, who turned 60 in April, said via text message this week. “I “I think we’re all the same, I think everybody is worried about it, the know it may be a challenge behind the bench more than anywhere else players included. I mean, we’ve obviously never been through this but my thinking is that I need to be ready to adjust and have options before. I don’t think anybody knows how it’s all going to play out,’’ Huddy when that time comes depending on where we are at with COVID and said this week. our hockey circumstance. “Do we wear a mask? We’ll see what the NHL comes up with as far as “That also means pulling myself out if I feel a real danger,” Julien added. the protocol for us behind the bench,” Huddy added. “I don’t know, it’s “My family and life are more important than my job at that point.’’ new for everybody. Am I nervous? Of course you’re going to be nervous. I’m a little bit older, could I get it easier than other people? I guess that Julien also said that he knows the league is planning on taking every could possibly happen. But I’m still going to coach and we’ll just go from precaution. And that’s true. there.’’ There will be a protocol for all participants – which includes coaches – for Philadelphia Flyers head coach Alain Vigneault, 59, trusts that the league Phase 3 and Phase 4, NHL Deputy Commissioner Bill Daly confirmed in will have everything figured out. an e-mail. “Everyone who needs to know will be made aware,” Daly wrote. “I have absolutely no worries, with what I’ve heard we have to do with the NHL protocol,’’ Vigneault said via text message this week. “Personally, The NHL will not place restrictions on coaches based on age and it will I’m healthy, no conditions, if I get it, I get it.’’ be up to each individual to decide if they want to come back or not. If a coach decides not to come back, the team will work to accommodate that Added Panthers head coach Joel Quenneville, 61, via text message this decision. week: “Will do whatever is required. I know I’m old, but raring to go.’’ “The health, well-being and safety of all of our coaches is our primary That same excitement is fuelling Martin as well, he feels great about a focus,” Michael Hirshfeld, the executive director of the NHL Coaches’ veteran Penguins team he feels can win. He’s balanced all the risks in Association, said via text message. “In discussions with the NHL and Bill his mind and can’t wait to get out there. The grandfather of four won’t let Daly about the return to play, we have been assured that our association COVID-19 ruin that opportunity by keeping him home. will be included in decisions to help determine what is both safe and reasonable for all of our coaches.’’ “I don’t want to stop living, put it that way,’’ Martin said of being willing to still coach this summer. Basically, it comes down to each coach’s comfort level. “I just feel I’m fortunate to be healthy and hope it continues.’’ Pittsburgh’s Jacques Martin is the oldest assistant coach in the NHL at 67. The point is that if anyone feels unsafe this summer, they can walk away. As reported last week, the NHLPA plans to negotiate the right for Penguins head coach Mike Sullivan reached out to Martin to make sure individual players to opt-out of the tournament if they’re not comfortable he was at ease with still being behind the bench. Martin confirmed that playing. he is. “Players and coaches who do not feel comfortable should have the right “I don’t know, I’ve been prudent, I’ve been careful, but for some reason, I to walk away, because their health is No. 1, no matter what,” Bowness guess my belief is that I feel I’m in good condition for my health both said. “So if they’re not comfortable, then they should be able to walk physically and mentally. I guess I’m of the belief that when my times away without any repercussions whatsoever.’’ comes, I’m going to go,’’ Martin said with a half chuckle. The Athletic LOADED: 06.25.2020 “It’s funny, I haven’t been scared but I’ve been careful as far as when I go to the store I wear my mask, wash my hands and social distancing. I believe strongly in those things. I’ll continue to be careful. But when Sully asked me, I had no hesitation.’’ Mike Kitchen is 64, the second-oldest assistant coach in the league. You better believe the Florida Panthers assistant coach has put some thought into it. “Well, it’s definitely crossed my mind,’’ Kitchen said this week. “Especially in Florida, you’re looking at going down and having a training camp in 1176024 Websites In multiple NHL cities, players have avoided opting into Phase 2 protocols for a number of reasons, not the least of which being that they don’t want to be tested multiple times every week and they think they’re getting a better workout with larger groups of players. The Athletic / Amid positive tests, NHL’s return hinges on transparency and responsibility In at least one of those cities participants report that they are not keeping safe social distancing and are not wearing masks while with the large group of players. By Scott Burnside and Sean Shapiro Jun 24, 2020 “It’s a big concern for a lot of guys,” one veteran NHLer said when asked about the possibility that some players won’t take social distancing seriously. The NHL announced last week that 11 players tested positive for COVID- Multiple NHL executives expressed concern privately about players being 19. responsible throughout the return to play. While players can be kept in These positive tests were accompanied by the news that the Tampa Bay smaller groups for Phase 2 and training camp workouts, enforcing that Lightning were temporarily shutting down their practice facility after three bubble away from the rink is going to be – and in some cases already players and several staff members tested positive, and there new cases has been – difficult. among players from multiple teams who have been skating outside of the “Teams are frustrated,” another GM said. “Spending a lot of time and Coyotes’ practice facility, according to multiple sources league-wide and effort to comply with protocols, players end up putting themselves in risky in Arizona. situations away from the rink.” The bigger news is that they are almost certainly not going to be the last. NHL executives are also worried about players’ social circles. While a None of the players’ identities have been officially released, and The player may be social distancing, a family member or significant other Athletic’s policy is to not identify athletes by name unless the team or failing to do so could easily pierce the bubble. For this reason, NHL player agrees to do so. teams are likely going to encourage smart socialization, suggesting players in the same bubble interact at a players’ home, for example, No one expected the NHL would return to play without having players during Phase 2 and 3. But it’s far from a fail-safe solution. test positive. The strict protocols for Phase 2, the voluntary return of players to NHL facilities for small group workouts under strict supervision “There is an onus on all parties involved here, players, coaches, trainers, and regular COVID-19 testing, were put in place to determine how etc., to be extra careful and responsible with this thing because of close widespread the virus was before teams gather en masse for training proximity to others and because they are in the spotlight,” another former camp and games. NHLer said. The problem is that Phase 2, which began June 8, is strictly voluntary. “They all want to play so they need to be diligent away from the rink to protect the game.” The NHL’s release indicating that since Phase 2 opened more than 200 players had been tested and only 11 had tested positive is relatively Some players admit they are worried about their peers. While a player meaningless since it reflects only a tiny part of the NHL world as a can be responsible and follow all the proper protocols, one player in the majority of players continue to work out outside of the purview of the group going rogue can infect an entire bubble. Players being held teams and the league. responsible for everyone’s health will be a motivating talking point, but some fear that it’ll just be an empty threat to others. Yet, as of Tuesday, the number of players who can work out at NHL facilities went up from six to 12. “If I do everything right, but then can still get it if someone else isn’t responsible, that’s a scary thought,” an Eastern Conference player said. In the wake of these converging storylines, the NHLPA and the league “You want to believe everyone is making the right decision. But clearly are in lockstep in the belief that protecting players’ privacy in this everyone isn’t.” situation is sacrosanct, and the league has taken over announcing positive tests, which teams were previously responsible for releasing, so One veteran NHL team source said he thinks the number of positive tests that only the total number of players and not the teams they play for will among NHL players is going to rise in the coming days as more and be identified. more players return to their NHL cities in preparation for the start of training camp on July 10. “It’s a blurry line, privacy rights versus public health. Where is the line?” one former player said. One NHL GM indicated they are in regular contact with local health officials about the best way for their players to stay safe and they have While players have a right to keep this medical information private, there tried to share that information with their players. Given all of the are still details surrounding these positives tests that the league, teams information that has been gathered, this GM’s belief is that participating and the players themselves need to consider as they move forward in in Phase 2 and following the strict protocol is the best and safest way to their efforts to resume the NHL season. proceed. In the instances of the players who are outside of Phase 2 and tested Will that message get through in sufficient numbers to prevent the NHL’s positive, how was it spread? What were the details surrounding their plan for return to play from collapsing? workouts? what are the details surrounding their workouts? Who is performing the contact tracing to ensure that all those who came in One team source said he thinks the widely held notion among players contact with the players who tested positive are being warned about that most people connected to the NHL who have tested positive are possible exposure? asymptomatic is misguided and that there are more serious cases than have been made public at this stage. Were these players symptomatic and sought testing as a matter of course? If they were asymptomatic, how did the positive test come The NHL has said it will provide more comprehensive numbers later this about? week in the next update on the state of testing and will include numbers dating back to the start of Phase 2. Here is a more critical question for all the players. It seems unrealistic to expect the NHL or the NHLPA for that matter to Are they out socially and not observing the recommended protocols of keep tabs on literally hundreds of players who are outside the Phase 2 safe social distancing and not wearing a mask? protocols. But it also appears that failing to keep tabs on them may cripple the NHL’s ability to return to action. The NHL is aware of the circumstances surrounding all the positive tests that have been reported to them. It is also aware of the suspected What impact will the rash of positive tests have on the NHL’s bid to manner of exposure and the health status of those who have tested return? positive. But not sharing that information could contribute to not all players taking the protocols seriously. That part is unknown. It’s obviously not just this group of players that tested positive that is at At some point it would be great to see an NHL player step forward and issue here, but this illustrates the issue the NHL and the NHLPA have in share his experiences. trying to get their arms around this problem. Maybe their stories are cautionary tales. Maybe they are simply One GM told The Athletic that he has concerns about a number of his reminders that no matter how careful you are you can still contract the own players being out socially. virus. Maybe they represent the whole spectrum. Regardless, this seems like a time for candor and transparency from the league and the players. The Athletic LOADED: 06.25.2020 1176025 Websites When the arena doors open 60-90 minutes before a game, the outside weather comes rushing into the building, wreaking havoc on the rink environment. Warm is one thing, but wet is another. The Athletic / Ice in July and August? NHL ice techs ready for a “If it’s raining outside and people are all wet when they come into the challenge when season restarts building, that moisture goes into the air,” Blue Jackets ice technician Ian Huffman said. “And there goes the humidity.”

But the damage doesn’t stop when the arena doors are closed. By Aaron Portzline Jun 24, 2020 Any building with 18,000-plus fans — all of them breathing, presumably, and most of them with a core temperature of around 98.6 degrees — will see the temperature rise usually 6-8 degrees between faceoff and the COLUMBUS, Ohio — The coronavirus has scrambled our sense of days end of the third period. and months, but here’s a little nugget to recalibrate your brain to the typical rhythm of an NHL season: The latest a season has ever ended is If the game goes into overtime … June 24, just four days into summer. “People are yelling, people are sweating,” Huffman said. “That’s all Anybody who has poured a bag of ice over a bucket of beers knows how moisture being created within the building and going into the air, and that hard is it to keep water frozen in the heart of summer, but that’s the humidity really affects the surface of the ice. challenge that awaits the NHL if the 24-team restart makes it off the ground. “The snow that sits on the surface of the ice (after it has been roughed up by skates) will pull that moisture in, and that makes it heavier and affects It will be difficult enough to build and maintain ice beginning on July 10 the pucks. The puck doesn’t push through it like it does with a dry snow.” when the 24 surviving teams are expected to host training camps at their home rinks. That’s why NHL ice techs are known to be sticklers about “their” ice when it’s not being used, especially in the fall and spring when it can be warm But the task will be tougher in late July or early August when the league outside. sends the top 12 teams from each conference to its hub cities, where the ice will be taxed with at least three games a day in the qualifying round “I shut every curtain in the rink, close every window, tell everybody to and early rounds of the playoffs. stay the hell out of the bowl,” Bateman said. “We leave the lights low, make sure every door is shut. And I do my ice-making at night.” The oldest weather adage holds in hockey, too: It’s not just the heat, but the humidity that keeps Zamboni drivers awake at night. Every NHL rink measures its air quality during a game to make sure the carbon dioxide content in the air doesn’t rise to a dangerous level. At least two of the NHL’s six remaining possible hub cities — Chicago Typically, CO2 is 0.04 percent of the air we breathe. and Toronto (after Columbus, Dallas, Pittsburgh and St. Paul were eliminated this week) — suffer from heavy, oppressive, humid air in the To keep it near that number, rinks bring fresh air into the building (inhale) depths of summer. and pump out the old (exhale) through large dampers on the roof. Two others on the list, Las Vegas and Phoenix, are literally in the middle “Picture the arena like a big lung,” Bateman said. “It needs good air to of the desert, where the average daily temperature exceeds 100 degrees breathe.” in the summer. In the depths of summer, cooling that outside air quickly can be a real “I’ve had the bottom of my flip-flops melt on the sidewalk in Vegas,” said challenge. NHL rinks have cooling towers, but they aren’t typically asked Cody Bateman, ice operations manager at American Airlines Center in to cool the air by more than 50 degrees. The ideal temperature in an NHL Dallas. “I don’t think your ice plant (which keeps the ice frozen from rink is in the low-60s. beneath the rink) or your air conditioning will turn off the entire time.” “Imagine bringing in 115-degree air and trying to cool it off,” Brant said. Las Vegas is reportedly a favorite to be a hub city, which means the NHL But with no fans in the buildings — only players, coaches, and trainers will attempt to stage the world’s coldest game in the middle of the Mojave relying on the oxygen — replacing the CO2 might not be an issue. It’s Desert. expected that fewer than 100 people, including players, will be permitted Around the NHL, ice techs — a tight-knit community — are sharing ideas in the bowl area during a game. and trying to anticipate worst-case scenarios when the league attempts “We’ll still have to monitor the air,” Brant said. “But with almost nobody in to resume its season on national TV after a four-month pause. the building, I don’t think Co2 is even going to be on the radar (of There are plenty of year-round rinks, sure. But NHL-sized arenas are concerns).” usually ice-free from the moment the season ends to a week or so before HOW IS THE RINK AT AAC BUILT? WE SPEAK WITH CODY training camp starts. BATEMAN, OUR ICE OPERATIONS MANAGER, WHO WALKS US “It’ll be a great learning experience for all of us,” said Jeremy Brant, THROUGH THE PROCESS FROM START TO FINISH. director of operations for the Vegas Golden Knights and T-Mobile Arena. PIC.TWITTER.COM/HL3ZKXQHEO “When you do the same thing game after game and year after year, you — X-DALLAS STARS (@DALLASSTARS) SEPTEMBER 11, 2018 have your routine down. You know how your equipment works, you know Every NHL rink took out its ice in the days after the March 12 what your weather is during hockey season and how your ice reacts. announcement that the season was put on pause. Most of the 24 teams, “But this is going to cause us to really push the limits of our systems, and including Columbus, will use their practice rinks for training camp 2.0. you’re not sure where you should draw the line in a number of different But when the NHL announces its hub cities, those ice crews will get to aspects. This experience is going to let everybody figure out where that work immediately. line is.” “None of the buildings have put ice in at this time in the summer,” A Zamboni resurfaces the ice prior to a 2018 Penguins-Blue Jackets Huffman said. “Maybe for a Disney Show or something like that for a game at Nationwide Arena. (Aaron Doster / USA Today) week. But for something like this — a 60- or 90-day run, where you’re on The NHL would not make its ice guru, Dan Craig, available to be it multiple times every day — there’s some uncertainty, I guess. interviewed for this story. But the icemakers in Columbus, Dallas and Las “The fight will be in finding the right numbers and then monitoring it. But Vegas were optimistic that ice conditions won’t be as bad as many (with no fans in the building), we won’t be fighting the variables expect. throughout the course of a game as we normally do. The heat and humidity outside will be like nothing they’ve ever faced “I’m optimistic, absolutely. And the NHL … they’re confident in our ability during the hockey season, although it can be mighty hot in Vegas and to do what we need to do.” Dallas in mid-September when training camps open in a typical year. Bateman likes to joke that his job is “an eighth-grade science experiment But the biggest reason for optimism, they said, is the other major impact with $160 million worth of players skating on top of it.” of COVID-19: Fans will not be allowed to attend any games. “I’ve been in conversation with Don Zamboni (yep, that’s right) for three Yes, hockey fans, you’re both the lifeblood of this sport and the biggest months now about mineral content in water,” Bateman said. “Dude, I’m detriment to the surface on which it’s played. such a nerd. I started laughing after our last conversation, thinking ‘this is so ridiculous.'” Bateman has been “making ice” in Texas for 20-plus years now, the last “16 or 17” in the NHL. But the pursuit of perfect ice is never-ending. The concrete floor under the ice surface is kept at 16-18 degrees. Heavily salinated water (so that it can go well below 32 degrees without freezing) is pumped repeatedly through pipes just beneath the surface. The NHL gets daily reports from rinks all over the league, and they’re looking for three main indicators: Ambient air temperature: anywhere from 59-65 degrees is considered good Relative humidity: a range of 25-40 percent is acceptable Dewpoint: 40-45 degrees is preferred Of those three numbers, the dewpoint is the most important because it’s a combination of the first two. “Because the weather will be so different from what we’re used to working in, it’s going to be like going to a different city and learning their climate and seeing how the ice will react,” Brant said. “For us (ice techs), whoever becomes the hub, it’ll be great to have some different scenarios to see how your ice reacts. “It’s going to be new for everybody. The challenges we’ll see as this goes along will be really interesting. We’ll learn a lot from it.” Ice techs around the league already are planning at least two new approaches for the “experiments.” The ice degrades during the course of a game, some of it melted and soaked up by skates and socks and some lost to evaporation. Most rinks keep their ice at a thickness of one inch or 1 1/4 inch during the regular season, when shootouts can be counted on to end games. They might go 1/4-inch thicker during the playoffs, when games can require multiple overtimes to be decided. Now, though, they face multiple playoff games on the same sheet of ice on the same day, which means the ice is going to take a beating with no chance to “flood” the ice for thickness in between games. “We’re probably going to go 1 1/2 inches thick or even 1 3/4 inches, just to allow ourselves a bit of a buffer,” Huffman said. “We don’t want to worry about having enough ice.” The risk at 1 3/4-inch or above is that the top of the ice surface will be too far away from the freezing elements in the floor, leading to a mushy, snowy surface. “You don’t want to get too far away from the concrete base,” Bateman said. “But you have to have enough ice. You could lose 1/4 to 3/8 of an inch in a day, maybe as much as a 1/2 inch or more if you’re playing three games.” This conundrum almost certainly will mean 24-hour workdays for ice crews. They’ll spend the overnight hours helping the ice to “recover” after a long day of being ground and cut by NHL skaters. “We would be building it back in very thin layers,” Huffman said. “You don’t want to go out and just do a firehouse flood and let it level itself and come back in the morning. That’s not good ice. You want to spray it on in thin layers. “We always compare it to Saran Wrap. It’s solid, but it’s a bunch of individual layers in there. If you do it the right way, it’ll take you all night. But the sheet of ice you’ll have the next day is going to be really good.” Ice techs from across the league may be brought to the hub cities to help the local staffs. It’s also likely that Craig, the NHL ice guru, will be going from hub city to hub city to check on the ice. “It needs to be perfect,” Bateman said. “This is the National Hockey League. It’s the elite of the elite players in the world. The ice has to be that good, too.” The Athletic LOADED: 06.25.2020 1176026 Websites you he’ll be selected ahead of a number of those players, though. And therein lies the problem.

Jaromir Pytlik — C, Soo Greyhounds 6-foot-2 The Athletic / Wheeler: 10 NHL Draft prospects your favourite team My final ranking: No. 79 should probably avoid After an excellent start to the season, Pytlik struggled to take his game to the next level in the second half with the Greyhounds. He’s got a lot of By Scott Wheeler Jun 24, 2020 tools. He’s big, he can skate, he’s a reliable player without the puck, he may be able to penalty kill at the pro level and he’s got decent touch in traffic and around the net. He also really struggled on draws (46.8 percent) throughout the year and his value will be muted if he has to There’s something about our collective sports psyche where negative switch to the wing at the pro level. He often left me wanting more. And as outcomes last longer in our memories than positive results. Sports fans one of the older players in the draft, he should have dictated more live in a constant state of revisionist history and they’re more likely to offensively in the second half than he did. His peers caught him and remember the trade that went wrong or the prospect their team passed surpassed him in many cases, reinforcing the value of repeat viewings on at the draft than the success stories. throughout the year. At the end of the day, Pytlik’s game plateaued more We wonder “What could have been?” That’s just then nature of the than the other top forwards in the draft and I would no longer consider business. There are 31 NHL teams but only one champion at the end of him in the first two rounds as a result. each season. The rest get to be bitter until their day comes. Pessimism Antonio Stranges — LW, London Knights, 5-foot-10 normally rules the day for most sports fans. And though it keeps you complaining, it also keeps you coming back. My final ranking: No. 80 Each year, this piece aims to give fans a heads up on some of the Stranges presents an interesting dichotomy because there’s probably a players that may come back to haunt their team. The goal is to highlight larger chance he’s selected lower than where I have him ranked than prospects I believe could become those mistakes. higher, which would suggest that he shouldn’t be included on a list like this. All it takes is one team that’s willing to take a swing on his talent and These are 10 players who I believe have a chance of being selected a lot bizarre set of skills in the second round to change that, though, and he’s higher than they should. exactly the kind of player that one team won’t touch and another won’t be Note: A player’s inclusion on this list does not mean they are an able to pass on. Early on this season, I fit into the former group. I saw the inherently bad prospect. There are four prospects on this list who heel-to-heel skating stride and the A-level stick handling talent (which is appeared in my top 100 and one, even, who I believe is a first-round particularly impressive given he plays with a weirdly long stick for his talent. A player’s inclusion here is more indicative of my belief that there size) and I believed the rest could be sorted out. He can do things with will be better options available in the range they are expected to be the puck that all but a few in this draft class can emulate. He’s the kind of selected in, based on everything I’ve learned. Some are high-upside player who will swipe his stick over the puck on a breakaway and still fool prospects whose hype, I believe, has moved beyond their skill set. the goalie: Others are low-upside players who might be mid-to-late round picks, but His unique ability to open up his stride can help him make plays from the who I wouldn’t draft. Read more on many of these players in my final top perimeter as a passer or sneak by pressure too: 100 ranking. But in time, the data never lined up with some of that flair. He ranked Jake Sanderson — LHD, NTDP, 6-foot-1.5 27th among draft year OHL players in primary points per game (0.51) My final ranking: No. 19 behind some players who might not even get selected, for example. Sanderson’s appearance here has more to do with his expected draft And the more I watched him, the more the eye test didn’t quite pass too. range than with his status as a top prospect. He’s one of the best skaters Because he also lacks defensive acumen, a willingness to consistently in the draft. He’s got size, length, the ability to play in transition and a go to the inside with the puck, strength on the puck and a pro-level shot. polished defensive game. I believe he has a real chance at becoming an For every time where his skating helps create a play, there’s another impact second-pairing defenceman in the NHL. But this draft class is light where he reverts to it unnecessarily and it takes him out of the play on high-end defencemen. Sanderson is widely viewed as the second- altogether: best prospect available at the position (and even, in some circles, as a Unless a team is taking him in the mid-to-late rounds, a couple of better prospect than Jamie Drysdale) and some teams are going to fascinating tools probably aren’t worth the experiment. seriously consider taking him in the top 10. I think Drysdale is likely the only defender worthy of a top-10 selection (Sanderson at No. 9 or No. 10 Eemil Viro — LHD, TPS, 6-foot wouldn’t be crazy for me) but we rarely have a draft class with just one defenceman taken in the top 10. If history repeats itself and Sanderson is My final ranking: No. 93 taken ahead of a player like Cole Perfetti or Lucas Raymond or Draft-eligible prospects almost always get a boost from playing their draft Alexander Holtz, I believe it could haunt a team in a decade’s time. I just year at the pro level and Viro is one of just two draft-eligible Finnish don’t see the kind of puck skill and offensive zone talent needed to justify defencemen to play regularly in Liiga this season. And while it’s easy to taking Sanderson ahead of any of the top seven or eight forwards on my see why in watching the other, Topi Niemela, I could never wrap my head board, even if the rest of his game is high-end enough to warrant it. around why Viro was rushed to Finland’s top professional level this Justin Barron — RHD, Halifax Mooseheads, 6-foot-2 season. He plays a smooth game with the puck, he’s a good outlet passer and he’s got above average footwork laterally. But he also lacks My final ranking: No. 47 strength on the puck and in man-on-man battles, he’s not a particularly talented player offensively (though he will join the rush) and his head just Barron’s a tough one because there’s a lot to like about his game. He’s a isn’t always in it without the puck. There were too many times this season mature defender for his age, he was excellent for Halifax a year ago and where he just lacked detail in his game. he has long looked well ahead of most of his peers. He also has some big proponents in the hockey world, including the brass at Hockey Why his stick wasn’t on the ice in a situation where there’s no reason he Canada and yet it would surprise me if he were taken in the first round. shouldn’t anticipate the puck moving from the corner to the front of the Still, while he may have progressed earlier than many of the other top net: defencemen in the class, he also hit more of a wall this season than they did. Some of that was out of his control and dictated by injuries as well as Or where he’s out of position and doesn’t have the physical tools to clear the strength of his team, but some of it was also the byproduct of a skill the front of the net: set that lacks a dynamic quality with the puck. I believe some teams see Players who typically play as many games at the pro level as Viro did this him as a safe bet to become a middle-of-the-lineup defenceman because season are normally selected higher in the draft than where Viro’s game of his size, strength and well-roundedness. I see that as more of a risk suggests he should be taken. than a safety net, because there’s nothing about his game that really dominates, he’s on the older side of the draft (and thus has less runway Will Cuylle — LW, , 6-foot-3 to reach that ceiling) and he lost crucial development time this season. I’d feel more comfortable taking a swing on the upside of defencemen like My final ranking: Unranked Emil Andrae, Jeremie Poirier, Lukas Cormier, Helge Grans, William Cuylle is the most imposing physical presence in this draft. And even as Wallinder or William Villeneuve. Or, if you’re looking for a safe bet, I’d the game changes and the brutishness of it fades from the game, teams sooner take Braden Schneider or Kaiden Guhle. I can also guarantee are still looking for that. Most teams still want a Tom Wilson and fans love that kind of player. Cuylle has some of those qualities. He’s big, he’s team this year, though, and I don’t think he’s ever going to be a power- heavy, he finishes every check, he’s mean, he hits like a truck, he’ll drop play guy up a level, so I’ve struggled with his projection. He’s also going the gloves if he has to and he’s got just enough skill around the net to need at least another two years in junior before you really know where (particularly as a shooter) to score goals. He was a top prospect growing he’s at. I think there will be better bets on defencemen throughout the up, he’s a quote-unquote name and he scored 26 goals a year ago. You draft, particularly in the middle rounds where he’s likely to be picked. get the picture. It’s not hard to understand why teams will fall in love with him. Christoffer Sedoff — LHD, Red Deer Rebels, 6-foot-1 “It’s well-documented that he started really slow. I think he was just My final ranking: Unranked putting a lot of pressure on himself. He’s always been a player who has Sedoff has had so much exposure that he’s bound to get picked. He has been able to score at every level and even last year he had no issues been playing for Team Finland internationally for years, he played in with that. He honestly looked like a different player, though. I was worried Finland’s top under-20 junior league when he was 16, he was a top about him at the beginning,” Spitfires head coach Trevor Letowski said selection in the CHL import draft and to my surprise, he was selected to earlier in the year. play in the CHL/NHL Top Prospects Game. NHL Central Scouting has “But he has just completely turned it around. Now he’s back to where he him 63rd in North America. He also played pretty significant minutes for a needs to be. His shot is off the charts and I know everyone knows he has Red Deer program run by Brent Sutter. Everyone is familiar with his a good shot but just the way he releases it, it’s special. It’s just a rocket.” game. I just don’t think he’s talented enough. Whenever I have watched him in up-tempo games, he has looked a step behind the play with and His game never took the steps I was hoping it would, though. He never without the puck. He’s big and imposing and has been for quite some became a dominant offensive player who could create for himself. And as time. But as the size of those around him has played catch-up, his skill the season progressed, he relied too much on his linemates to get him level hasn’t kept pace. He’s the only player on this list who wasn’t even in the puck. I just don’t see the small area skills and problem-solving the 50 honourable mentions of my final top 100 ranking. needed to be more than a depth player at the next level. And though I would maybe consider taking a chance on him in the seventh round, he’s The Athletic LOADED: 06.25.2020 not in the conversation much higher than that. Until I see more consistent shift-to-shift playmaking, he projects as a fourth-liner. I suspect he’s a top 100 pick, he’s just not a top 100 prospect. Tyler Kleven — LHD, NTDP, 6-foot-4 My final ranking: Unranked A player that’s 6-foot-4, 200-plus pounds and is a decent skater for that size is going to draw some attention. Unfortunately, despite some enticing attributes, I don’t see the required puck skills to project Kleven as more than a potential third-pairing guy at the next level. At least not yet. The potential of those tools will have him picked in the middle of the draft, though. He was asked to take on some tough minutes with this year’s NTDP and I have considered that in my evaluation of his game throughout the year. But he’s not particularly comfortable with the puck, that can be tough to teach and I just don’t consistently see enough offence instinct. Mix in that he takes a lot of penalties or that for someone who is a physical presence, he’s often pretty lackadaisical and I just couldn’t justify having him as more than an honourable mention on my board. Despite the aforementioned above-average skating for his size, Kleven needs to keep his feet moving more. The sequence below is a good example. He (No. 25 in navy) needs to turn back on that chip and get to the boards top make himself an option. When he’s lazy on the pivot, the D-to-D play goes by him and the puck’s in the back of the net. If you’re going to be relied upon as a shutdown guy, plays that can’t happen as consistently as they did in my viewings of Kleven. Yan Kuznetsov — LHD, University of Connecticut, 6-foot-4 My final ranking: Unranked I have asked several people in the scouting world to explain some of the buzz behind Kuznetsov, who was one just two first-year eligibles to play in the NCAA this season (alongside should-be first-rounder Dylan Holloway) and I’ve never been particularly satisfied with the responses. He’s an under-17 gold medallist, a Clark Cup Champion and he played a regular shift in multiple situations for UConn, where he put up 11 points as a freshman. In theory, at his age and with his size, I should like him more than I do for that. Maybe I watched the wrong games. I don’t know. Because I never saw any real NHL tools. He’s a fine skater for his size but it needs some work. But I’d like him to use his size more than he does (he’s a little too passive for my liking) and he doesn’t have a single offensive tool that leaps out as NHL quality. Whenever I’ve watched him, he has looked pedestrian. Either I’m missing something or he’s a long shot for the NHL. Daemon Hunt — LHD, Moose Jaw Warriors, 6-foot My final ranking: Unranked Hunt, like Barron, has been on the prospect radar for some time. At the start of the season, NHL Central Scouting gave him an “A” grade, which indicated they believed he was a first-round talent. Also like Barron, though, he missed some crucial development time this after a skate blade cut his arm, requiring surgery. After missing all of December, January and February, Hunt returned just before the season was cancelled, picking up four points in five games. He’s strong and athletic with some decent tools and a head-on-a-swivel approach to the game, with and without the puck. I wouldn’t fault a team for taking a late-round flier on him. He looked sloppy defensively on a rebuilding Moose Jaw 1176027 Websites Around that time, the label found success with a series of compilation albums called “MTV Party to Go,” which featured curated dance tracks from various artists. Looking for the next big seller, Lynch found herself in a suite at a Knicks game at Madison Square Garden, listening to the The Athletic / The history of ‘Jock Jams’: How a ’90s CD changed how music playing on the arena’s PA system. we viewed sports and music The playlist made her think about her childhood trips to Chicago Stadium — the sound of the organ and the rock and hip-hop songs that revved up the crowd. The songs would likely be cheap to license. Some were one- Rustin Dodd Jun 24, 2020 hit wonders. What if Tommy Boy Records put out a of those songs? jock jam / jŏk jām / noun As Lynch would put it: “Hey, it’s usually the really dumb and really simple ideas that work.” 1. an upbeat, sometimes electronic, song or track that is often played at sports arenas or stadiums. 2. a piece of rock or hip-hop music that Lynch enlisted the help of Ray Castoldi, the organist and music director pumps up its listener and evokes memories of the ’90s 3. a song from a at Madison Square Garden. The label partnered with ESPN to offer a series of compilation albums released by Tommy Boy Records and sheen of sports credibility. (Behind the rise of anchors Dan Patrick and ESPN 4. the subject of this story Keith Olbermann, the network’s flagship show, “SportsCenter,” was taking off.) The project culminated in the release in October 1994 of Let’s go back, before the dawn of “Jock Jams,” before canned house “Jock Rock, Volume 1,” a 24-track compilation that mixed in arena chants music blared in NBA arenas, before a bright orange compact disc (“Charge!”) with stadium bangers (Queen’s “We Will Rock You” and Gary infiltrated ’90s culture, before the Dutch pop group 2 Unlimited asked the Glitter’s “Rock and Roll Part II,” to name two). existential question of the decade: “Y’all ready for this?” Let’s start with a young musician in Chicago named Nancy Faust. The record sold half a million copies, was certified gold in early 1995 and peaked at No. 79 on the Billboard Top 200 albums chart. The playlist Faust was the White Sox’ stadium organist for 41 years, starting at leaned classic: The 1968 single “Mony Mony” from Tommy James & The Comiskey Park in 1970. She was blonde and thin and a ballpark staple, a Shondells sat alongside songs from James Brown, Sly and the Family soundtrack for the South Side summer. Stone and Steppenwolf. There was even a little nod to Faust. Track 22 was Steam’s “Na Na Hey Hey Kiss Him Goodbye,” two songs before the She had grown up in Chicago, her mother working as a professional closer, the “SportsCenter” theme song. musician. When she was 4, she started fiddling on her family’s organ. She spent her childhood mastering the instrument, and by the late ‘60s, Tommy Boy Records followed with a second volume of “Jock Rock” in she was studying at North Park University, balancing her classes with a 1995, and what came next may say something about the importance of side gig as a party musician. Faust was talented. She also had a choice. titles and marketing and the power of alliteration. One year after the When she finished her degree in psychology, she could do one of two release of “Jock Rock,” the label launched another compilation series things: She could become a teacher or she could play the organ for the with a slightly different name. It was called “Jock Jams.” The first volume White Sox. was released July 25, 1995 — 25 years ago this summer. The latter did not feel like a sustainable career. The tradition of organ It soon became part of the sports and music lexicon. music in baseball dated back just three decades, to Wrigley Field in 1941. The domain was often dominated by men. But Faust decided to ”Frankly,” Lynch said, “we were surprised at how well it took off.” take a chance, to embark on an experiment of sorts, and less than a The cover of “Jock Jams, Volume 1” featured three cheerleaders — in decade later, the choice would change the course of sports history. Or, at mid stunt — splashed across a bright orange background. Above them the least, the sound of it. was the following promise: “The Hottest Crowd-Pumpin’ Grooves Of All In one version of the story, Faust was sitting at her organ in summer Time!” It was as if someone had condensed the mid-’90s into one piece 1977, during a game against the Kansas City Royals, when the opposing of album art. manager, Whitey Herzog, pulled a pitcher from the game. At that At ESPN and Tommy Boy Records, there remained doubts about the moment, Faust began playing the song “Na Na Hey Hey Kiss Him ultimate viability of “Jock Jams.” Those soon vanished as quickly as the Goodbye,” a No. 1 single from 1969 by a band called Steam. The crowd cover art became ubiquitous. The album opened with the famous sang along to the earworm chorus and the stadium rocked. As Faust said catchphrase from boxing ring announcer Michael Buffer (“Let’s get ready years later, “It created quite a stir.” to rumble!). It was certified platinum within 14 months. In another version, Faust had actually been playing the song for years. If you were a kid in 1995, you probably remember the cover art. You had She liked to push the musical envelope, to add popular rock songs to her the plastic CD case tucked in a rack in your bedroom. You put the CD on rotation of organ classics. She loved any track that elicited a response. in the high school weight room. You listened to it during basketball That night, everything aligned. It was a hot summer evening, a pennant warmups or elementary school gym class or — if you were a little older race in Chicago. — during basement parties. “I never heard people sing like that before,” Faust said. The “Jock Jams” sequel, released in August 1996, was even bigger, a The chorus became a rallying cry. The song was re-released by Mercury smash that rode the wave of the Macarena dance craze (track 10!). It Records. Faust, who also played the organ at Chicago Stadium, was went platinum in less than three months. It became the only “Jock Jams” awarded an RIAA Gold Record. And though we had no word for the album to reach the top 10 of the Billboard albums chart. The folks at phenomenon at the time, it’s clear now. Tommy Boy had unwittingly created a ’90s touchstone. The track was a certified jock jam. As writer KT McBratney put it in a 2017 piece for MEL Magazine: “’Jock Jams’ continues to bring us together. You’ll hear the songs at sporting Around the time Faust was hitting her groove, another young Chicago events, but it’s their inclusion in weddings, karaoke nights and workout woman named Monica Lynch became a regular at games at Chicago playlists that threads this magic through our daily lives.” Stadium. Lynch had grown up in the suburban enclave of Oak Park, Ill. Her mother worked in ticket sales for the Bulls and Blackhawks; she From a musical standpoint, “Jock Jams” trended into more modern fare, loved hockey and Black music and exhibited a genuine rebellious streak. more electronic and hip-hop. The first volume included songs from 2 Unlimited, the dutch dance group; Tag Team, the rap duo with the iconic By 1978, the year after Faust launched a craze, Lynch moved to New hit “Whoomp! (There It Is)”; and C&C Music Factory, the group behind York. She reveled in the party scene, waited tables and spent time as a the No. 1 single “Gonna Make You Sweat (Everybody Dance Now).” topless dancer in a midtown nightclub. In 1981, seeking more stable work, she answered an ad in The Village Voice and became the first The sound reflected the pulsating music that had fast become a staple employee of Tommy Boy Records, a fledgling that during timeouts at NBA arenas, the songs that accompanied a dance specialized in rap music. team, a T-shirt launch or an applause meter. Or, in the words of Technotronic, a pop group from Belgium that appeared on Volume 1, the Lynch became the label’s president in 1985, shepherded it through the songs that could “pump up the jam, pump it up, while your feet are decade and watched it take off in the early ’90s, when acts like De La stomping.” Soul, Digital Underground and Queen Latifah ushered in a new era of alternative rap. In a 1992 profile, The New York Times called Lynch, a It represented something of a shift. For years, organ music had been a white woman in her mid-30s, the “high priestess of hip-hop.” staple during NBA games, the repetitive notes offering a metronomic underlay to each possession and spurring crowd involvement. But the phenomenon of music soundtracking sports events is not a 20th-century trend. In fact, the relationship dates to at least ancient Greece, to the original , when contemporary music was performed at the bacchanalian festivals that accompanied the event and during the individual competitions. In the long jump, for instance, athletes held weights in each hand and competed while flute music played. A few thousand years later, marching bands found a home in college football — an extension of military bands from the battlefield — and smaller pep bands soundtracked college hoops and Major League Baseball. (“The Star-Spangled Banner” became a fixture after it was played at the 1918 World Series.) In time, the organ became synonymous with hockey, baseball and basketball. By the late 1970s, Faust was innovating with the organ and more baseball teams were playing in between innings. (In 1975, Orioles GM Frank Cashen famously helped start the tradition of playing John Denver’s “Thank God I’m a Country Boy” during the seventh inning.) Today, NBA arenas have in-house DJs and samples of hip-hop during games. The musical aesthetic has become so standard in arenas that when the New York Knicks experimented by going with no music during a game against Golden State in 2017, the Warriors’ Draymond Green said it was “ridiculous” and “changed the flow of the game.” “That’s complete disrespect because you advance things in the world to make it better,” said Green, who is 30 and came of age in a post-“Jock Jams” world. “You don’t go back to what was bad. And so it’s like computers can do anything for us — it’s like going back to paper.” “Jock Jams,” in its effort to capture the arena sound, came to define the genre. After the first four volumes went platinum, the compilation series came to an end in the early 2000s. The advent of file sharing and illegal downloads put a dent in album sales. The compact disc’s era faded. Tommy Boy ran into licensing issues when the labels involved with the “Now That’s What I Call Music!” series hoarded their most popular tracks. The series is history, but the legacy lives on. It’s almost impossible to hear “Party Rock Anthem,” a 2011 single from LMFAO, or “I Gotta Feeling” by the Black Eyes Peas without thinking one thing: Hey, this sounds like a jock jam. One day in early June, I texted my three older siblings a question: Did anyone remember how our family came to own both volumes of “Jock Rock” and the first two volumes of “Jock Jams”? I was around 10 years old then, and I remember the track lists, the “SportsCenter” drops and the CDs themselves, slid into some black binder case that featured a collection of ’90s movie soundtracks and greatest hits albums. I just couldn’t remember who bought them. Jock jams have a way of burrowing into your memory and taking up bandwidth. The answer as to why, however, may be less about the art and more about the audience. Consider what Faust learned during the summer of 1977. The best songs for a sporting event are the ones that elicit a response. It’s why the hypnotic central riff in the White Stripes’ “Seven Nation Army” came to dominate global soccer. It’s why 2 Unlimited’s “Get Ready” became synonymous with pregame intros. It’s why student sections are still chanting “Na-na-na-na; na-na-na-na; hey- hey-hey, goodbye.” In her essay on “Jock Jams,” McBratney described how cognitive research has shown that young adults connect pieces of music with specific personal memories. It’s especially intense for an impressionable tween. “On a neurocognitive level, the song is mapped to the emotion experienced at the time of listening to it,” she wrote, “so Quad City DJs asking you to ‘C’mon ride the train’ was neurologically tied to the elation you felt dancing with your gang at that bar mitzvah.” In other words, the definition of a jock jam — or a “Jock Jams” album — depends on when you first heard it. You’re 10 years old and you hear Queen’s “We Will Rock You” in gym class. You’re 12 and you hear Europe’s “The Final Countdown” during the final minutes of an NBA game. You’re 15 and shooting baskets in your driveway, cueing up a Discman to volume one. “Y’all ready for this?” The Athletic LOADED: 06.25.2020 1176028 Websites The case for: One of the most memorable and entertaining players of his generation, the diminutive Fleury went from a longshot to even crack the NHL to a Cup-winner and 50-goal scorer who had two 100-point seasons and over 1,000 career points. The Athletic / Down Goes Brown: Single sentence case for and against 25 Hall of Fame candidates The case against: Partly because of some personal struggles, his career didn’t last long enough to rack up the sort of numbers the Hall typically looks for in an 80s/90s offensive star; he didn’t crack 500 goals and his 1,088 points rank just 70th all-time on an era-adjusted basis. By Sean McIndoe Jun 24, 2020 Keith Tkachuk

The case for: With 538 career goals, Tkachuk is the all-time leader in The Hockey Hall of Fame will announce the class of 2020 today, and goals scored among eligible players who haven’t been inducted. time will tell if they did a better job than our picks on Tuesday. For now, let’s consider the cases for and against some of the candidates, as we The case against: Somebody has to be on top of that list, and if Tkachuk break down 25 of the biggest names up for consideration. goes in, does that mean we have to induct Pat Verbeek next? Wait, twenty-five? Kevin Lowe Yeah, there are a lot of candidates out there who can, at the very least, The case for: While he didn’t put up the flashy offensive numbers of his make a plausible case for induction. I wound up with a list of 25, and I’ll Hall-of-Fame teammates, Lowe’s blue line steadiness was a crucial piece still be excluding at least a few names that some readers will be of the Oilers dynasty, and his six Stanley Cup rings suggest that a Hall of expecting to see. Fame that doesn’t do enough to recognize defensive prowess should consider fixing that by inducting one of the best stay-at-home guys of his This is for the men’s player category only, since the drama around the era. women’s side appears to be mainly whether the committee stops at Jennifer Botterill or inducts two players for the first time since 2010, and The case against: Even at a time when Norris voters were willing to the builder category always feels like a total crapshoot from the outside. recognize defensive defensemen (like two-time winner Rod Langway), I’ve also focused on players who made their names in the NHL, although Lowe was never a finalist and only received votes in four of his 19 the committee could look to some of the underrepresented international seasons, and there’s a danger in getting caught up in counting Cup rings leagues for at least a spot or two. for guys who happened to play for star-studded dynasties. Still, 25 names is a lot. I’m not even dipping all that far back into history Shane Doan with most of these, which may be a mistake since the committee will occasionally induct a player who’s been eligible forever. And of course, The case for: He spent 21 seasons with one organization, finishing his we occasionally get picks that seem to come out of nowhere; if I’d written career with 400 goals and in the top-20 all-time in games played while this piece last year, I doubt I’d have included Guy Carbonneau, but he cementing a reputation as a leader and the face of a franchise. made it in. At the same time, the committee has 18 members and each The case against: Despite all those games, he only barely cracked 400 can only nominate one candidate, so several of the names below won’t goals and didn’t get to 1,000 points, and 21 seasons without a single top- even be discussed in this year’s proceedings. five All-Star finish points to a guy who was good and sometimes very With 25 names to get through, we’ll limit the case for and against to one good but never one of the greats. sentence each. In a few cases, one run-on sentence, but only one. And Jeremy Roenick while the whole point of this sort of thing is to give us something to argue about, we’ll start with what should be the one candidate that everyone The case for: His 513 goals and 1,216 points both rank near the very top can agree on. of the list for eligible players who haven’t been inducted, and Roenick also had important international success with Team USA while being one Jarome Iginla of the few NHL stars of the era who had an actual personality. The case for: He’s Jarome Iginla. The case against: He’s yet another guy with no major awards on his The case against: With over 600 goals and 1,300 points to go along with resume despite playing 20 years, and after eight years of eligibility it being one of the most respected leaders in the sport, there really isn’t would seem strange for the HHOF to come calling this time given the one, and the committee should take roughly three minutes of discussion year he’s just had. to wrap this one up before moving on to the tougher calls. Mike Vernon Daniel Alfredsson The case for: Eric Duhatschek laid it out here, but it basically comes The case for: He finished with 1,157 career points and won a Calder to down to Vernon doing an awful lot of winning, including in head-to-head go with a King Clancy and that weird Mark Messier award, not to mention matchups against Hall-of-Famers like Grant Fuhr and Patrick Roy. Olympic gold, and it feels like we all just assumed he’d get in eventually The case against: Modern goalies are underrepresented in the HHOF, when he first became eligible. but with no Vezinas and just one postseason All-Star nod, Vernon isn’t The case against: That eligibility came back in 2017, and every year it the right guy to be at the front of the line if we rectify that. seems like there are a couple of new candidates that push him off Chris Osgood enough ballots that you start to wonder if he’s destined to become the poster child for the Hall of Very Good. The case for: He was a winner, both in the regular season (where his 401 wins rank him 13th all-time) and in the playoffs (where he won three Pierre Turgeon Cups). The case for: At 1,327 points, he’s the leading scorer among eligible The case against: He only had one year where he was an All-Star or players who haven’t been inducted yet by well over 100 points. Vezina finalist, so the question is whether he was a Hall-of-Fame talent The case against: With no awards except for a Lady Byng and only one or merely a good goaltender on a series of truly great Red Wings teams. season in a 19-year career where he received so much as a single Hart Vincent Lecavalier vote, Turgeon might be the all-time example of a player who racked up big numbers without ever being considered one of the game’s elite. The case for: The 1998 first overall pick was the first true face of the Lightning franchise and a key piece of their Cup win, and he briefly lived Doug Wilson up to the “Michael Jordan of hockey” hype by posting five-straight 30- The case for: I made it in more detail earlier this week, but Wilson was goal season, including a 52-goal campaign that saw him win the Rocket one of the very best defensemen of the 1980s, winning a Norris and Richard. finishing in the top 15 in career scoring. The case against: While he certainly seemed to be on pace for a Hall- The case against: He was considered a tier below the Ray Bourques and worthy career in his late-20s, his production fell off sharply after that and Paul Coffeys of his generation, and his production trailed off just enough he finished with well under 500 goals and 1,000 points. after the age of 32 to leave his career numbers a bit short of slam dunk John LeClair territory. The case for: We’ve met a lot of players on this list who didn’t win many Theo Fleury awards and weren’t considered among the very best at their position, but LeClair flips that script – he had a five-year stretch where he was The case against: Purely based on his on-ice impact, he was a goal postseason All-Star every season and was neck-and-neck with Hall-of- scorer who didn’t quite get to 500 and was only an All-Star twice, which Famer Paul Kariya as the very best left winger in hockey. may not be enough if for some reason the committee decides to ignore his historical impact. The case against: Those five years might not be enough, because the rest of LeClair’s career falls into the good-but-not-great category, and he Tim Thomas ended up just barely passing the 400-goal and 800-point marks. The case for: If your standard for a Hall of Famer is what they were at their peak then you have to take a hard look at Thomas, who earned two Vezinas, two first-team All-Star nods, a Conn Smythe and a Stanley Cup The case for: He joined the 300-win club and had five top-ten Vezina in a three-year period from 2009 to 2011. finishes in an eight-year stretch, but he’s best known for being the winning goalie for two of the most iconic hockey moments of the 1990s The case against: He didn’t reach the league full-time until he was 30, so — the Rangers 1994 Cup win and Team USA’s 1996 World Cup. his counting stats don’t measure up to previous inductees. The case against: He never won a Vezina or was a postseason All-Star Steve Larmer and his career numbers leave him behind other candidates, so he’ll have to settle for being a Rangers legend but not a Hall-of-Famer. The case for: He won a Calder, was a Selke finalist, had one of the longest iron man streaks ever, won a Cup with the Rangers and finished Peter Bondra with 1,012 points. The case for: Despite playing the vast majority of his career in a low- The case against: His career numbers aren’t overwhelming because he scoring era, Bondra cracked the 500-goal plateau that used to mean played his last game at 33 partly due to a bad back, and while candidates automatic induction for scorers. like Eric Lindros, Cam Neely and have been given injury consideration, they also had best-in-the-world peaks that Larmer can’t The case against: With under 900 career points and no major awards (or match. really even any years that he came close), his case rides almost entirely on his goal-scoring volume, and it’s just not high enough for induction. Marian Hossa Jere Lehtinen The case for: He was a beloved wizard who scored 500 goals and 1,100 points while playing a Selke-worthy, two-way game, and just about The case for: His case hinges entirely on his defensive game and three everyone seems to agree that he’s a Hall-of-Famer and you’re a bad Selkes, which never seemed like enough until Carbonneau’s induction person if you disagree. last year may have shifted the criteria. The case against: I’ve written about this before and always get crushed The case against: Carbonneau’s selection was questionable, to put it for it, but Hossa played two decades without ever winning an award kindly, and there’s a strong argument to be made that we should chalk it (including all those Selkes we’ve apparently retroactively awarded him) up as an unfortunate miss rather than start inducting every shutdown and was only an All-Star once, so I genuinely don’t understand why he’s forward with 500 career points. been moved into the sure-thing category even though I acknowledge that Sergei Gonchar the argument seems to be lost. The case for: One of the best Soviet defensemen in history, he was a Rod Brind’Amour two-time All-Star and finished in the top ten in Norris voting seven times The case for: He had more points than Hossa and almost as many goals, while racking up 811 points, good for 16th all-time among defensemen actually did win a Selke (twice), and won a Stanley Cup as a captain, so (and ninth on an era-adjusted basis). if Hossa is a lock than it’s deeply weird that Brind’Amour rarely even The case against: While he showed up on plenty of Norris ballots, he was seems to be part of the conversation. never even a finalist, which seems to capture how he was viewed during The case against: He played 20 years and never won any individual his career — a good defenseman who wasn’t quite among the game’s hardware besides those Selkes, and even his scoring numbers dip very best. slightly behind Hossa’s if you adjust for the era. Patrik Elias Man, that’s a lot of names. And I still didn’t get to everyone, because we The case for: He cracked the 1,000-point mark in the dead puck era as a didn’t mention Claude Provost, or Ron Hextall, or Vincent Damphousse, two-way player while winning two Cups and spending his entire 20-year or Dave Taylor, or Bernie Nicholls, or Rick Middleton, or , that career with one team. one guy that you’re absolutely sure in a no-brainer and are now furious about. The case against: He was a first-team All-Star once, but otherwise never won a major award and topped out at just over 400 goals, which doesn’t And again, this was just the male players who made their name in the feel like enough even if you adjust for the era. NHL – the committee has a lot more than that to wade through. It’s going to make for a tough decision. Whichever way they go, just remember: I Curtis Joseph was right about the reason all the inducted candidates got in, and also right about all the reasons everyone else didn’t. That’s called 100 percent The case for: He ranks seventh all-time in wins, and was legitimately accuracy. Somebody start working on my plaque. considered one of the very best goalies in the game for long stretches, including five top-five Vezina finishes and a fourth-place finish in Hart As for who I’d cast my vote for, I stand by my ballot from this weeks’ voting, plus a stint as Team Canada’s Olympic starter. shadow committee: Iginla, Mogilny, Wilson and Hossa. I think all four should be in, although only Iginla would rank as an inexcusable, flip-the- The case against: He never won any of those Vezinas, he lost his table snub. I’d also be fine with Alfredsson, Fleury or Joseph, and you Olympic starting job to Martin Brodeur and his wins total is balanced by could probably talk me into Gonchar, Tkachuk or Roenick (but not this the fact that he also ranks third all-time in losses. year). The others range from “they should solidly be in the discussion but I don’t think I’d ultimately vote for them,” including Brind’Amour, Barrasso Tom Barrasso and LeClair, to “worth a mention but that’s it,” which is pretty much The case for: He had arguably the greatest rookie season of any everyone else. goaltender in NHL history (winning the Calder and Vezina as a teenager), The Athletic LOADED: 06.25.2020 then followed that with two Cups, four more seasons as a Vezina finalist and 369 career wins. The case against: In addition to apparently being a huge jerk who probably alienated at least a few committee members, his resume looks like a guy who was very good for a long time, but never truly elite apart from that stunning first season. Alexander Mogilny The case for: He has a strong case just based on his career numbers, which include 1,000 points and one of the greatest single goal-scoring seasons in history, but his off-ice importance as the first Soviet star to defect should make him a no-brainer. 1176029 Websites second year I saw the goalie equipment in the middle of the room and I don’t know why — I fell in love with the equipment, even if it was brown and it was nothing appealing like it is today. Sportsnet.ca / Iginla, St-Pierre guided by trailblazers en route to Hockey “I lost my first game. It was awful. I didn’t want to play hockey anymore, Hall of Fame but my parents knew I was so passionate about it, so they gave me a second chance and we never looked back.”

Iginla was fortunate to grow up in an Edmonton suburb in the days of Chris Johnston | June 24, 2020, 10:57 PM Gretzky, Messier, Paul Coffey and Jari Kurri. You know, the Hall of Famers he’s now keeping company with. He was a massive Fuhr fan, too, and cherishes a picture he had taken with the Oilers goaltender at a Growing up in St. Albert, Alta., Jarome Iginla didn’t feel any different than baseball diamond when he was about 10 years old. his hockey-loving peers. But as the son of a Nigerian father and an The other shot he has framed in his house appeared in Sports Illustrated American mother, he was occasionally reminded he was. when he was teammates with Fuhr and Fred Brathwaite in Calgary Other kids would point out that there weren’t too many Black players in during the 1999-2000 season. Iginla played in Fuhr’s last NHL game and the NHL and ask: What were the odds Jarome could make it? that photo has become a treasured memento, too. It was in those moments the newly minted Hockey Hall of Famer found “I look at it all the time, and it means a lot to me,” Iginla said. extra appreciation for the trailblazers who had broken through. Here he is now, the boy from St. Albert. “I had phases as a kid,” Iginla said Wednesday, after earning election to The man who met his heroes and became a hero to so many. Ten or 15 the Hall in his first year of eligibility. “Like I wanted to be like Mark or 20 years down the road there’ll be Hall of Famers talking about him Messier and I loved Wayne Gretzky, the same as other kids. But it also the way he gushes about those who helped fuel his belief. really was special to me to see the Black players that were in the NHL. To see Grant Fuhr starring (for the Oilers), to be able to say to other “Willie O’Ree, being in the Hall of Fame, I think is so well-deserving,” people, ‘Well look at Grant Fuhr, he’s an all-star’ and to see Claude Iginla said. “I didn’t have to experience anything near what he had to do Vilgrain and Tony McKegney, to have answers for other kids. and I’m very thankful for his courage in blazing a path for us to follow.” “It was very, very important for me following my dream.” Sportsnet.ca LOADED: 06.25.2020 Oh, the places that dream helped carry him. Iginla became the heart and soul of the Calgary Flames, a 50-goal scorer who was equally beloved for flashing a competitive streak when necessary. He was a shining star when Team Canada ended a 50-year gold-medal drought in men’s hockey at the 2002 Olympics and assisted on the Golden Goal after Sidney Crosby hollered “Iggy!” on behalf of the entire nation in 2010. And soon, be it on Nov. 16 when the Hockey Hall of Fame has tentatively scheduled the induction ceremony or at a further point when the coronavirus pandemic allows, Iginla will become the fourth Black inductee following Fuhr, Angela James and Willie O’Ree. “It is an honour in so many ways, but also I think that if there’s other kids — other minorities, other Black kids growing up — and seeing that it’s possible,” Iginla said. “Maybe that will be special to some other kids in the way that it was to me.” Calls like the six Hall of Fame chairman Lanny McDonald made Wednesday afternoon always bring forth a rush of emotions and reflections. Thoughts about parents and partners and teammates and coaches who offered a helping hand along the way. Heroes and guiding lights, too. Marian Hossa spoke of his two childhood idols — Wayne Gretzky and Mario Lemieux — and the thrill that came with playing for Lemieux’s Pittsburgh Penguins in 2008. Kevin Lowe recalled growing up in Quebec, watching the 1970s Montreal Canadiens parade the Stanley Cup through the streets every year and how that fuelled his desire to follow their lead. Doug Wilson cited the influence of his brother Murray, who won four championships with those Habs teams, calling him “the best big brother you could have.” Ken Holland is set to join the Hall as a builder and retold the story about briefly becoming an Electrolux vacuum salesman after his nine-year pro career ended — before Jim Devellano called with a scouting job that led him to 22 years at the helm of the Detroit Red Wings. “Funny how life goes,” Holland said. Then there was Kim St-Pierre, understandably thrilled to become the eighth woman ever elected to the Hockey Hall. The longtime Canadian national team goaltender grew up in Chateauguay, Que., before women’s hockey players started competing at the Olympics and world championships, and had to play on boys teams until she was 18. Her first hockey hero was Patrick Roy. She later found inspiration from the barriers Manon Rheaume knocked down. “Being the only girl, it was never easy,” said St-Pierre, a three-time Olympic gold medallist. “I want to thank my parents. They said, ‘Ok you want to play hockey, we’ll support you even if you’re the only girl playing hockey in my city.’ I started playing and I soon became a goalie. My 1176030 Websites 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. Sportsnet.ca / After 20 years, Oilers' Kevin Lowe receives 'surreal' call to “One of the most reliable defencemen you could possibly imagine,” said the Hall McDonald, a long-time Calgary Flame. “But more importantly we all knew that he was the leader of the pack. Yes, they had Gretzky, they had Kurri, they had Messier, they had Anderson, they had Grant Fuhr. But every time something happened…Kevin Lowe was in the thick of it. They were Mark Spector June 24, 2020, 8:22 PM like a wolf pack, and that wolf out front was doing a hell of a job. When something had to be said, or something had to be done on the ice, we knew he was going to start it. EDMONTON — The line was 20 years long for Kevin Lowe, winding through six Hockey Hall of Fame teammates and a HHOF builder in Glen “It’s why in 19 years he only missed the playoffs once, and won six Sather. Stanley Cups.” By the time Wayne Gretzky, Mark Messier, Glenn Anderson, Paul Coffey, Lowe’s star took a hit when he returned from the New York Rangers to Jari Kurri and Grant Fuhr had been feted it seemed the Hall’s doors had shepherd the Oilers through their Decade of Darkness, and the mostly closed on old Edmonton Oilers, just as Lowe had reached the front of the younger fans who didn’t have history with him rightfully questioned the line. whole “Old Boys Club” routine. They rented road signs to ask for his ouster, and funnelled their passion into denigrating the man, as much as “I never saw myself as a Hall of Famer,” Lowe admitted on Wednesday, the executive. It was a regrettable time. just a couple of hours after taking the induction call from HHOF Chairman Lanny McDonald after 20 years of eligibility. “For me, the Hall of Fame Through it all, of all those great Oilers, Lowe is the only one who stayed. was Bobby Orr, Jean Beliveau, Gordie Howe, Wayne Gretzky, Mark Whose primary home, after all these years, is still in snowy Edmonton. Messier. He took on that role. Because Lowe was never afraid of the dirty work. “Although I know there are players of my ilk in the Hall of Fame…I “The goal was always just about winning,” he said. “As the pieces fell into understood you had to put up more points, win awards. My dream was place, Gretz, Jari, Mess and Andy did the bulk of the scoring. But we as always to win Stanley Cups — the Hall of Fame was something I never players did our part to try to get to the win. If the night wasn’t going well dreamed about. Today, when I saw it was Lanny McDonald phoning me, for them and they weren’t putting up the points, then someone like us I thought to myself, ‘Surely he’s not calling to tell me I didn’t get in. needed to step up.” “It’s all surreal for me.” Smart, relentless and accountable, when it came to the Boys on the Bus, Kevin Hugh Lowe, of Lachute, Que., was the ultimate old-school Lowe was indeed the adult in the room. defenceman. He played 1,254 games between 1979 and 1998, and will “I quickly realized that I had to find my place within that team,” he said. “I no doubt finally have his No. 4 retired in Edmonton, for whom he was the had offensive DNA when I came to pro…but all I wanted to do was find a Oilers’ first ever draft pick and the scorer of the franchise’s first NHL goal. place on the team — and win. Sign up for NHL newsletters “We figured out the formula pretty well.” Get the best of our NHL coverage and exclusives delivered directly to Sportsnet.ca LOADED: 06.25.2020 your inbox! He played hurt in a way today’s player is actively dissuaded from doing, through the fog of concussion and bloodied appendages the likes of the one that stopped a game in St. Louis one night when Bernie Federko looked down and asked, “Who’s bleeding?” It seems Lowe’s skate had filled with blood, and was now overflowing. He once told me this, near the end of a career when that invisible foe vertigo was holding him down: “You used to say you saw stars. Now it’s a concussion,” he said. “I’ve had lots. Lots.” That quote makes you cringe today. But inside those dressing rooms, in the days before we know what we know now about concussions, it was a player like Lowe who forged culture. “The Edmonton Oilers are not what they became without Kevin Lowe. He was the adult in the room,” Mark Messier emailed on Wednesday. “One of the most competitive players I have every played with and demanded players give more through his own sheer determination. “This is a great day for all Oiler fans and the organization. What a teammate. What a winner. What an unbelievable ambassador for the organization.” Lowe was the measuring stick against which teammates gauged their willingness to play through pain; the guy who wasn’t always on the ice when the Oilers scored their five goals a night, but who was routinely deployed on a late penalty kill, or when the opponent had an empty net, in those final moments when ’80s hockey became particularly dangerous. “Paul Bunyan Rules,” it what Lowe called those final 45 seconds in a game, when a trailing team didn’t care about taking a penalty, and the referee had swallowed his whistle anyhow. That was Lowe’s time, as important a window in sealing the victory as it had been for the glamour boys who had scored off those silky two-on-ones earlier in the night. “Sure, there are going to be people out there who’d rather see Paul Coffey out there, lugging it up the ice,” Lowe, now 61, told me years ago. “But maybe not. Maybe, when there’s a minute left in the game, they’d rather see me out there.” He didn’t make a lot of highlight reels, the man who married Canadian Olympic skier Karen Percy. But the Oilers had enough of those players. 1176031 Websites Toronto, are slowly going to be opening up and we have to probably be a little more careful as we get close to training camp here."

Sportsnet.ca LOADED: 06.25.2020 Sportsnet.ca / Road to NHL's return gets bumpier as more players arrive from abroad

Chris Johnston | June 24, 2020, 2:22 PM

Now that the great migration is upon us, with charter flights originating in Finland and Sweden set to bring NHL players back to North America, so too is the formidable challenge of maintaining momentum towards resuming the season. It boils down to a simple equation, really. More players in their playing cities means a greater number will be tested for COVID-19 on a regular basis and that’s almost certain to result in more identified coronavirus cases among the NHL population. That’s before you take into account anything else happening in the regions where those players are heading. There’s been a recent surge in cases across the southern and western parts of the United States, in particular, and the Tampa Bay Lightning had to shutter their practice facilities for six days after three players and a couple staff members produced positive tests. They reopened on Wednesday morning. The Lightning players were among 11 new cases announced by the NHL at the end of last week — a number that could be viewed as either shocking or encouraging, depending on your perspective. Both the league and NHL Players’ Association had been prepared by medical experts to expect more positives as they transition to increased testing, which is why Jason Spezza took an upbeat view of the news: "In the grand scheme of things I think we’re doing pretty well as a league," he said. He wasn’t presenting a head-in-the-sand viewpoint, either. The veteran Toronto Maple Leafs forward is well-versed on the issues and was merely being realistic about where things stand right now. This is a critical juncture in the league’s return-to-play ambitions with not just health and safety protocols and hub city selections on the verge of being finalized, but also players moving towards being ready for training camps still tabbed for a July 10 opening. Less than half of the 750 players needed for a NHL restart are currently being tested as part of the carefully controlled Phase 2 workouts. And absolutely no one is limited in what he can do away from the team facility, whether taking part in small-group sessions or not. While many of us have been wondering how the league might react to an outbreak once it gets everyone stationed inside a hub-city bubble during the playoffs, the road to reaching the competition phase could be even bumpier. That’s because players are going to be gathering in greater numbers with each passing day and the 24/7 bubble isn’t expected to be placed around them for another month yet. "I’ve been involved in a lot of the [return-to-play] talks and I’m pretty confident that once we get into hub cities we’ll be able to do a good job of keeping it out," Spezza said Tuesday. "I think getting there is going to be the challenge and that’s where it takes a little bit of discipline on our part as players to make sure we don’t kind of derail the plans." All signs still point to things going ahead, with a charter plane set to bring a group of NHLers from Helsinki to New York on Friday. A similar flight is planned this week for players who have been back home in Sweden as well. Meanwhile, travel has picked up for players stationed around different parts of North America. Those entering Canada must still observe a 14- day quarantine before hitting the ice while some travelling to the U.S. or within Canada must observe a seven-day quarantine period, depending on their mode of travel, per the rules set out in the NHL/NHLPA agreement governing Phase 2. For everyone else, the guidance is simple: Exercise extreme caution. That’s not easy to do with local restrictions starting to ease off in most cities, but the fate of the NHL season hinges on it. "I think one of the biggest challenges for players in general is just as everything around us starts opening up we almost have to tighten up because we’re going back to play," said Spezza. "And that’s going to be an adjustment for us because it seems like things, at least here in 1176032 Websites "I think I perhaps represent the next level of guys who helped win championships," Lowe said. "I appreciate that my contributions to the teams I played on are being recognized this way." TSN.CA / Jarome Iginla, Doug Wilson, Kevin Lowe among Hockey Hall Lowe, now 61, played in a combined 1,468 regular season and Stanley of Fame's class of 2020 Cup playoff contests and won 801 of them. Those 801 wins, while a team stat, are tied for 10th all-time with now fellow Hall of Famer Scott Niedermayer, according to Elias Sports Bureau. Frank Seravalli Down Highway 2 in Alberta, Iginla lives on as the heartbeat of the Calgary Flames, even nearly a decade since moving on via trade.

Iginla took home the Ted Lindsay Award in 2001-02 as the league’s most The wait wasn’t very long for Jarome Iginla or Marian Hossa. outstanding player, as voted by his peers. The two-time Olympic gold But for Kevin Lowe and Doug Wilson, a combined 43 years’ worth of medallist – who found Sidney Crosby for the Golden Goal in 2010 and wondering and wishing were wiped away on Wednesday for two scored twice in the gold-medal game in 2002 in Salt Lake City – could decorated defencemen with one call from hockey’s hallowed Hall. not have been much of a debate for the Hall. The Hockey Hall of Fame announced on Wednesday afternoon that Even so, the unassuming Iginla will take his rightful place among Iginla, Hossa, Lowe and Wilson were elected in the men’s player hockey’s greats. Iginla was a late invitee to Team Canada's 2002 category. They will be joined in the Class of 2020 by Canadian female Olympic camp after an injury to Simon Gagne and he initially thought that star goaltender Kim St. Pierre and three-time Stanley Cup winning GM call was a prank. Ken Holland in the builder category. "I think they just called because I was close by in Calgary," Iginla said. Iginla became the first black male skater (non-goalie) elected to the "Camp had already been going on for a day. I didn't know if I belonged. Hockey Hall of Fame. But that was a big turning point in my career in terms of confidence." "I didn't view myself in minor hockey as a black hockey player," Iginla Wednesday's call to Iginla was no prank. He is joined in the Hall by said. "But I was also aware that I was." Hossa, who joins Chris Pronger as the only two players in Hall of Fame history to be elected while still under contract. Hossa, now 41, stepped The Hall’s traditional induction is scheduled for Nov. 16, but that is written away from the game prior to the 2017-18 season as a result of a in pencil with the COVID-19 pandemic, which also forced the 18-member progressive skin disorder. selection committee to deliberate candidates virtually for the first time in Hall of Fame history. When at the top of his game, Hossa starred as a 200-foot key contributor on successful teams. The proud Slovakian – who owns all of his Daniel Alfredsson, Tom Barrasso, Theoren Fleury, Alexander Mogilny country’s scoring records – is the only player to skate in three straight and Keith Tkachuk were among the prominent candidates passed over Stanley Cup Finals with three different teams (Pittsburgh, Detroit, again. Chicago). Iginla and Hossa were elected in their first years of eligibility. Wilson was For Hossa, it took until the third try, in Chicago in 2010, to lift Lord first eligible in 1996, while Lowe could have first appeared on a ballot in Stanley’s mug, but he helped the Blackhawks to two more in 2013 and 2001. 2015. His 525 career goals rank 35th all-time, making him a fine first- ballot selection. To put that length of time in perspective, Wilson has been eligible since his son – Doug Wilson Jr. – was 10 years old. Doug Wilson Jr. is now 34 St. Pierre was Team Canada’s backstop for more than a decade, from and has served as the San Jose Sharks’ director of scouting for a 1998 through 2011. She shares the record with Charline Labonte for number of years. most Olympic gold medals by a goaltender with three, though St. Pierre holds the distinction of being undefeated (8-0-0) with a staggering 0.78 "It was truly unexpected," Wilson said. "Pleasant shock is an goals against-average in Olympic competition. understatement." St. Pierre, now 41, played boys' hockey until she was 18 and was in net It was worth the wait. when Canada won Olympic gold for the first time, simultaneously Hall of Fame chairman Lanny McDonald called Wilson early Wednesday snapping an eight-game losing streak against the Americans. She also afternoon. In an emotional exchange, the long-time Chicago Blackhawks holds the World Championship records for most medals (five gold, four blueliner handed the phone to his wife, Kathy, and asked McDonald to silver), (13) and longest sequence (430:09), which share the good news. spanned four tournaments. “I’ve got tears in my eyes myself,” McDonald said. "Hockey has always been my passion and this is a very special honour," St. Pierre said. "When I was growing up, it was only boys and when that Wilson was a tour de force on the Blackhawks’ blueline. He captured the changed, my dream was able to come true." Norris Trophy in 1981-82 as the league’s top defenceman and finished in the top five in voting three other seasons. Few have demonstrated the ability to “build” teams like Holland, who is a fitting choice as the lone representative in the builder category this Wilson, now 62, racked up an impressive 827 points in 1,024 career NHL season. Holland, 64, has been at the helm of an NHL team consecutively regular-season games, including nine campaigns of 50 points or more. A since 1997. Prior to that, he served as the Detroit Red Wings’ director of member of the original Sharks roster out of the 1991 Expansion Draft, he scouting for seven years. is now the second longest-tenured general manager in the NHL, in charge of the Sharks since 2003. His eye for talent led the Winged Wheel to four Stanley Cups, including three as general manager (1998, 2002, 2008) and one as assistant Wilson also owns a 39-goal season, which is the seventh-highest-scoring general manager (1997). During his time in Detroit, before being hired by season by a defenceman in league annals. The other six are owned by the Edmonton Oilers in 2019, the Red Wings won more regular season men named Bobby Orr and Paul Coffey. and playoff games than any team in hockey. Coffey’s offensive exploits may not have been possible without Lowe Holland recounted the story of how Jim Devellano offered him a timely holding down the fort in front of Grant Fuhr. scouting job with the Red Wings just two days after signing on to become an Electrolux vacuum salesman like his mother suggested. There were few low moments in Lowe’s storied career. All he did was win. "I am in this game because I loved it as a young man," Holland said, "and I am happy to have been able to stay in the game." Lowe’s offensive numbers and individual accolades were not gaudy, which may have drawn out his bid for the Hall, but he is the first pure Holland is in it forever now, forever linked to five other deserving defensive defenceman elected since Rod Langway in 2002. classmates. Lowe hoisted five Stanley Cups with the Edmonton Oilers and was then TSN.CA LOADED: 06.25.2020 brought to the Big Apple to help the New York Rangers end a 54-year drought in 1993-94. Only seven defencemen in history have won six or more Cups and now all are in the Hall, with the exception of Montreal Canadiens defenceman Jean-Guy Talbot. 1176033 Websites This Seth Jarvis kid on @pdxwinterhawks might be okay at hockey. What a goal pic.twitter.com/PWMWPMzjAY

— Ben Dooley (@BenTDooley) January 26, 2020 TSN.CA / After strong second half, Portland's Jarvis has top-10 potential The player McKenzie heard scouts bring up when talking about you was Mitch Marner. Who is your NHL role model? Mark Masters "I love Brayden Point. He has that compete and grit that I really adore. He's able to be a smaller-body guy and still really dominate the game. I'm honoured to be even in the same conversation with Mitch, he's an incredible player and somebody I definitely get a lot of my creativity and a On Monday, TSN Hockey Insider Bob McKenzie unveiled his final lot of my skilled plays off of, but overall I compare myself more to National Hockey League draft prospect rankings. Seth Jarvis came in No. Brayden Point." 18, but McKenzie noted that, after a strong second half, the Portland Winterhawks centre had emerged as a legitimate threat to become a top- Your dad, Raymond, played football and is a high school football coach. 10 pick. How much football did you play and why did you ultimately choose hockey? "I heard about it over Twitter and getting tagged with things," Jarvis said with a smile. "I had to seek it out and see it for my own eyes and hearing "I played football for about six years growing up. I was a quarterback. I those words from Bob really motivated me, knowing I have a chance to played until I was 13, which is when hockey gets a little more serious and be a top-10 prospect. At the beginning of the year I was in that second- time consuming. Football was always a big love of mine. Those two to-third-round range, so to be able to jump as high as I did has been sports went hand in hand, and playing football helped with hockey when awesome." it comes to skating through checks and keeping your feet moving. When I had to make the choice it was a tough one, because I played football Jarvis didn't start slow this season, per se, but he wasn't at his best. A almost as long as I played hockey. When I made the choice, it was series of heart-to-heart conversations during the holiday break brought because hockey was my first love and what I fell in love with from the him a sense of clarity. start." "I was definitely feeling a little bit of the draft pressure in the first half," Was your dad disappointed when you picked hockey? Jarvis admits. "I had expectations for what I wanted to do, and I wasn’t playing as good as I thought I could. I talked to a couple of my coaches, "He was a little disappointed, because he enjoyed watching me play my dad, a couple buddies back home over the Christmas break and I football and he could give me a little more advice in that sport, but he came back refreshed and ready to make a push." knew hockey was what I wanted to do, so he was fully supportive." — TSN Hockey (@TSNHockey) June 23, 2020 What advice have you received from former Portland Winterhawk and fellow Winnipeg native Cody Glass? After the calendar flipped to 2020, Jarvis exploded for 57 points in 26 games. He rose six spots from his mid-season mark on McKenzie's list. "Cody's been a big help for me. He's someone I can reach out to all the On NHL Central Scouting's list of North American skaters, Jarvis time. He just preached how you can't look into things, whether it be draft catapulted eight spots from his mid-season ranking landing at No. 11. lists or stuff like that, and to keep off social media as much as you can. That's something I strived to do, and I just zoned in on the game and "I played with a lot more confidence, a lot more freely," Jarvis explained. what's going on around me and with my teammates rather than having "I just really let myself play loose. I play my best hockey when I'm having my head buried in those lists. And lately he's been someone I can rely on fun and just kind of messing around out there. I was playing free and not with interviews – whether it's tough questions that might be asked, or just afraid to make mistakes and that's when I really stepped it up." asking him what I can expect. He's really mentored me that way." Jarvis finished second in scoring with 98 points You were named the WHL's most sportsmanlike player, but twice this in 58 games. season you received a 10-minute misconduct, both times for a mouth While Jarvis has seen his draft stock rise, he continues to face questions guard infraction. What happened there? about his size. Listed as 5-foot-10, 175 pounds, there are concerns about "Well, growing up I always had trouble with my mouth guard and chewing how effective he'll be at the next level. The 18-year-old says it's a on it and it's always kind of out of my mouth. Coming into the year, my constant conversation point during interviews with NHL teams. coaches even stressed it to me that I really need to keep it in my mouth "I try to make it known that it won't matter," Jarvis said. "I understand that or else that will happen and unfortunately I got caught a couple times. I'm not the biggest guy on the ice and that might scare people, but I try to But it’s something I’ve definitely worked on. Usually when I get nabbed is emphasize the heart and the grit I play with, which really pushes me when I'm focused, and I start chewing on it and it comes out my mouth. I through those situations when I'm against a bigger d-man or tougher think when the ref sees the one side of it hanging out of my mouth that's competition." when they usually get me." The Winnipeg native spoke to TSN via Zoom this week and explained Sportsmanlike awards can be overlooked or misinterpreted, what do you how his hockey IQ helps him get the better of bigger players. Jarvis also think the award says about your game? explained how playing football helped him in hockey and how he "It says that I play on the edge and aggressively, but I know the limits and managed to get a pair of misconducts this season despite being named I don't want to hurt my team by taking a penalty. I just play on that border the WHL's most sportsmanlike player. where I make sure I'm effective and physically engaged, but not taking The following is an edited transcript of the interview. penalties." How much bigger and stronger do you think you will get? Your brother, Kayden, who is six years older, works as a coach with RINK Training Centre in Oak Bluff, Man. What's the biggest thing he's "The weight comes on pretty easy now. Through this quarantine I think taught you? I've been able to put on maybe six pounds of muscle. And the height, I think I have, hopefully, two more inches in me. I want to hit that 6-foot "He's taught me the power of working hard. Right now he's balancing mark, that'd be great. Whatever I can get I'll take." university courses, work and still trying to have a life outside all of that. He's someone that's never been really given anything ... Even growing Are you basing that on genes? up, he was a smaller player and someone who got overlooked a little bit, but at the end of the day, he made it to a high level of junior hockey and "Yeah, my dad is a big guy. He's about 6-foot-2 and we have the same made me really proud. He showed me that I really have a chance to do body type and he grew late and that's what everyone's expecting from this as well. He showed me the power of hard work and how far that can me." take you." How does your hockey IQ help you get the better of bigger guys? How hard are you working now? "Just being able to see holes and see defencemen making a mistake and "I'm lucky to have a gym downstairs and my dad, being a football coach being able to capitalize on that. I've gotten a lot better at reading players and a gym teacher, he has that background in physical education, so and being able to use my body to shield myself. I think my ability to find he's helped me tons. Thankfully the gyms opened up here about a month those little gaps and holes to make plays and skate through is something ago and I've been able to get back into a normal type of schedule. I've that's really improved." just been putting my head down and working as hard as I can, because I know this is a time where I can take strides, improve my body and improve my overall mass, so it's something I've really taken advantage of." TSN.CA LOADED: 06.25.2020 1176034 Websites too much into that tournament when it comes to him. I'd say what he's done all year matters and he was pretty dynamic for the Sudbury Wolves." TSN.CA / Mark Hunter on top NHL draft prospects, WJC memories Erie's Jamie Drysdale is projected to be the first defenceman picked in the draft, what impresses you the most about him?

"He's got a quiet confidence in himself. He doesn't go around and talk Mark Masters much about himself, but he knows he can do things against older players. And, you know what? I wouldn't put it off that he could jump into the National Hockey League next year, because of his calmness with the Projected first-overall pick Alexis Lafreniere has received a lot of praise puck. He already reads forechecks really well and sometimes that takes during his draft year, yet Mark Hunter still believes the 18-year-old time for a young defenceman. He knows where to go with the puck, and Rimouski left winger doesn't get enough credit. he has a knack to get pucks out clean, which is a hard thing to teach and usually takes time. But he has that figured out already." "The thing that is underrated to me is he really enjoys the game," the London Knights general manager said. "It's an 82-game schedule in the — TSN (@TSN_Sports) April 3, 2020 National Hockey League and you really have to have that love of the London's Connor McMichael is also among the eligible returning players game and he has that love of the game to go along with the skills, the for Team Canada at the next World Juniors, what steps did he take this smarts and the shot." season? Hunter got an up-close look at Lafreniere during the World Juniors as the "He took some big steps. There were some question marks when he Saint-Eustache, Que. native helped lead Team Canada to its first gold came back because of his consistency and he took a step with his medal on European ice since 2008. consistency. He comes back from Capitals training camp and said right "He wants the big-time games," said Hunter, who served as general away, 'I've got a good chance to win the scoring championship for the manager of Team Canada. "I still remember the one goal he scored OHL,' and that's confidence. He knew that to do that he had to play every there, late on Boxing Day against the Americans. It was a huge goal and night and he did that. With the World Juniors, he had to make the club. I it was pretty special to see that done at a key moment. Big-time players told him up front before he left, 'You're not guaranteed to be on this do that kind of stuff." team,' and he battled hard at camp. He just finds ways to get goals, make plays at key times and I think he ended up with seven points in seven ALEXIS. LAFRENIERE. What else is there to say?! games and he was a big part of our club. He seemed to get better and pic.twitter.com/tVyObK4fZw better as the tournament went along." — TSN (@TSN_Sports) December 26, 2019 Connor McDa-- Connor McMichael pots Canada's first goal of the tournament!  #WorldJuniors pic.twitter.com/jvaRku728u In Canada's next game Lafreniere went down with a scary looking knee injury. It appeared his tournament was over, and it certainly would've — TSN (@TSN_Sports) December 26, 2019 been understandable, considering the stakes, if he decided to shut things down and take a cautious approach. After a great World Juniors, Knights winger Liam Foudy actually made his NHL debut this season for the injury-ravaged Blue Jackets. We know "Some guys would have said, 'Well, I'm injured,' but he let our trainers how fast he is, but he's spoken about getting his hands to catch up to his and doctors look at it and calmed the knee down, he had some swelling, feet. Where is he in that process? and we gave him a few days off," Hunter recalled. "Some players take another step after a big tournament and find After missing the next two games, Lafreniere returned in the knockout confidence in themselves to put everything together and I think he stage and was eventually named tournament MVP. calmed down and found calmness in his game. He let his hands do more work with his legs and put it all together. First half, sometimes he was "He played through some pain," Hunter said. "He played through it and inconsistent, being too wild on the ice and then at the World Juniors he still played very well. So, that was important in showing he has the grit was excellent. He really took steps in that tournament and getting better and the love of the game to come back. He didn't take the easy way out. and better every game and he came back afterwards in London and was He went the hard way and played through some pain and it was special." excellent – maybe the best player in the OHL after the World Juniors. So, With the end of the junior seasons being cancelled due to the COVID-19 he really came back confident and you couldn't get the puck away from pandemic, scouts missed out on the chance to watch the top prospects in him. He had confidence in his hands and legs at the same time. I high-leverage moments, which makes the evaluation process trickier. But sometimes think he loses some confidence with his hands and where to for Hunter, Lafreniere's NHL potential is crystal clear. go. Well, he had it all figured out. He was excellent in the second half." "He's a No. 1 winger. I really believe that. His intelligence is off the The Jackets are planning to bring Foudy to training camp, should Leafs charts. He's got good compete or NHL compete." fans be worried? With the #NHLDraft lottery days away, @LondonKnights GM and "I think they'll have a hard time keeping him out of the lineup. We talked @HC_WJC manager Mark Hunter offers his take on prospects Alexis to [Jackets coach John Tortorella] after he went up there and Torts said, Lafreniere, Quinton Byfield and Jamie Drysdale: 'His calmness has come to another level.' Any good NHL player has to https://t.co/dge5MnpP3r#TSNHockey pic.twitter.com/J6pqZXBAZ7 feel the time you have and don't have on the ice, and I think he's figured that out and how much time he has to make a play. The good players — TSN Hockey (@TSNHockey) June 24, 2020 can figure that out quicker and he's figured that out. I'd be shocked if he isn't playing for Columbus during the playoffs." Hunter and his brother, Dale, the Knights head coach and Team Canada's bench boss at the World Juniors, have built a junior hockey What did you, personally, take from the World Juniors experience? juggernaut. They have a proven track record of identifying and developing talent. They've guided London to two Memorial Cup titles and "Relationships that we built over that time ... [with] a lot of players like produced three first-overall picks. Barrett Hayton. You see a young man like that with his character and you just know he's going to be an excellent player in the National Hockey With phase one of the NHL lottery on Friday, Mark Hunter spoke to TSN League. And Bowen Byram, who played through being sick in the last via Zoom this week and offered his take on the top prospects while also game. He was really sick and showed a lot of will to win to do that and explaining why Toronto Maple Leafs fans should be worried about that will help him out at the next level. So, there's a lot of relationships Knights winger and Blue Jackets prospect Liam Foudy. there. Over time you see guys, the training staff, and all the people that were involved with Hockey Canada and, you know what? It's a group The following is an edited transcript of the interview. where everyone worked together and there were no cliques or different Sudbury centre Quinton Byfield didn't have the impact he had hoped for agendas and I think that's so important to any team. You need to have at the World Juniors, but he's also almost a year younger than Lafreniere. everyone pushing in the same direction." What potential do you see in his game? After waiting so long for that first World Juniors opportunity and then "He has all the tools to be a special player. He's big and strong, can winning gold, were you and Dale interested in coming back for another skate, can shoot, can pass and he's going to be a centre, which we're all run? looking for. The upside is huge for him and he's only going to get better. "We did have some interest. We talked about it, but it was such a high In the tournament he had moments when he showed good stuff and ride and we had so much fun then you go, 'Can you duplicate that moments when there wasn't enough ice time. That said, I wouldn't read again?' And we didn't know, so we just said, 'Let's take a back seat here.' We got the Bear [Andre Tourigny] who will do a great job and he The financial incentives are incredibly tempting (an estimated $1 billion deserves that chance. Hockey Canada is in good hands." split between team owners and players) and a worthy conversation, but the NBA is far from essential. There are players who live paycheck to Ottawa 67’s coach Andre Tourigny served as an assistant last year and, paycheck, as hard as that may be to believe in a sport that pays the least as you mentioned, now takes over as head coach. From your experienced among them a minimum salary of $898,310, but the perspective, what makes him a good coach? wealthiest players have driven the game’s return in coordination with "Technically he's strong, of course, but I just take that for granted. His billionaires who could easily afford to pay everyone in their employ communication skills are excellent, and everybody knows where they through 2020. stand with him. I think that's important in a short tournament, because Now is probably a good time to mention the highest-income Americans everybody needs to know what the pecking order is and where they're have disproportionately cut spending during the pandemic, according to going to play. Are they third line or second line or first line? Are they on Opportunity Insights researchers at Harvard University. the top power play? First penalty kill? I know Bear will get that sorted out quickly and the quicker you sort that out the better your team is." NBA team owners will shred the current collective bargaining agreement under its force majeure clause if the season does not resume, leveraging — TSN Hockey (@TSNHockey) June 1, 2020 future financial uncertainty against players and possibly setting potential Like last year, goaltending appears to be a wide-open competition for earnings back a decade. But franchise owners will likely enact the clause Team Canada and London's Brett Brochu is among those invited to the anyhow. Depending on them to do right by the players is a fool’s errand, virtual summer camp. What allowed him to make the jump to the OHL so but majority white team owners bargaining for a greater percentage of smoothly this season? their majority Black employees’ earnings is a public relations nightmare. The players have leverage, too. "Last year he played Junior C close to where I live, I live out near a farm in Petrolia, and I had someone come to me and say, 'You got somebody But enough about collective bargaining. There are greater concerns at good here.' And I said, 'Are you sure?' And he said, 'This guy is the real play. deal.' And he came into our camp and just got better every day and by Washington Wizards forward Davis Bertans cited one of them on the end he was our No. 1 goalie and making big saves at big times. He'll Monday, reportedly opting out of the remainder of the season as “a be a goalie that people will have off the radar a little bit, but with his drive preventative measure” against potential health risks of playing in and his ability, he will be a player to be reckoned with when he's 18, 19 Orlando. Bertans will be an unrestricted free agent at season’s end and and pro." stands to earn a significant raise from his current $7 million salary. In Were you surprised at what he accomplished this season? other words, he is financially incentivized not to play and to remain healthy. "For a 17-year-old goalie to come in and play in front of 9,000 fans and deal with the expectations of performing every night and the pressure of Not only must players worry about contracting coronavirus, they also face that, you know, yes, he did surprise us that he could do that on a increased injury risk following an extended layoff. Many players could not consistent basis. He got the record for most wins for a 17-year-old goalie engage in their usual offseason workout routine during the pandemic. in the OHL, which is a great accomplishment. He accomplished that Even those who managed to stay conditioned now have just three weeks while being 5-foot-11, 170 [pounds], but people forget about his heart of training camp to get into game shape before immediately jumping into and his heart's huge and his will is exceptional." high-stakes competition in a condensed schedule. Knights winger Luke Evangelista is ranked No. 50 on Bob McKenzie's This is not how the NBA is supposed to operate. final prospects list, for the team that ends up taking him, what type of Case in point: Portland Trail Blazers forward Trevor Ariza also opted out player are they getting? of Orlando on Monday, in order to spend a month with his 12-year-old "Smart, crafty and knows how to play both ends of the ice. He was one of son during a custody battle, according to ESPN’s Adrian Wojnarowski. our penalty killers as a 17-year-old and our unit was No. 1 or No. 2 in the That is just one example of how the league’s restart forces players to OHL, so he knows how to play an all-around game. He needs to get choose between their families and their jobs. Ariza reportedly stands to more strength and he knows that. He's got some good upside because lose as much as $1.8 million by deciding not to play. he will get stronger. When he gets stronger and a little more pop in his This is nowhere near what players originally signed up for. Families are legs he'll be hard to deal with." not permitted to join players in Orlando until Aug. 30, when the second — TSN Hockey (@TSNHockey) June 23, 2020 round of the playoffs commences, and even then each team is allotted only 17 additional hotel rooms for 17 roster spots. Players could go more TSN.CA LOADED: 06.25.2020 than seven weeks in quarantine without seeing their families during one of the most volatile times in the country’s history. World Leagues News There are those who will say it is the players’ job to play, and they are paid handsomely to do so. Several players have even expressed a desire to play in order to maximize the amount of money they can pour back It is time for the NBA to call off the 2019-20 season into their communities as part of the Black Lives Matter movement, and that is commendable. The NBA could have an unprecedented opportunity to raise awareness to social justice causes in Orlando. Ben Rohrbach But there are at least an equal number of players who have expressed publicly their belief that the NBA’s restart could distract from a movement in which so many of their colleagues have been on the frontlines. Kyrie That’s right: It is time for the NBA to call off the 2019-20 season. Irving is among them. The injured Brooklyn Nets star coordinated a I have been circling this determination for weeks, and ever since the conference call in order to allow rank-and-file members to voice concerns league announced plans this month to resume the season at Walt Disney about resuming play, ranging from the social justice cause to the World in July, every concern we have shared is coming to fruition. extended time away from family and fear of the coronavirus. (Oh, don’t worry, we’ll get to COVID-19.) And then some. Los Angeles Lakers teammates Avery Bradley and Dwight Howard also We have hit double digits on the number of players who have already shared reservations about leaving their communities during global tested positive for coronavirus upon reporting to teams for individual protests against racial injustice to resume the NBA season. Bradley workouts. Citing myriad reasons, multiple players have opted out of opted out of Orlando on Tuesday, citing both his continued support of the participating in the 22-team restart, slated to commence at the ESPN Black Lives Matter movement and the health of his 6-year-old son, who Wide World of Sports Complex on July 30. COVID-19 cases have reportedly has a history of respiratory illness. exploded in Orlando, Florida, the city surrounding the single-site location. And a number of players are trepidatious about distracting from the My takeaway from reported conversations on the conference call that ongoing social justice movement. included nearly one-fifth of the NBA’s players was that they previously felt unheard. There is no telling how many feel pressured to participate in That sums up the worst of it, but there are many more reasons cramming Orlando by a group of superstars who unanimously favored resuming the hundreds of people into one of the nation’s largest coronavirus hotspots season before the temperature was taken around the league. Superstars to play an indoor contact sport is a terrible idea. There is really only one are also among those who stand to benefit the most from playing out the reason to even consider it, and it has nothing to do with player safety. As 2019-20 campaign. The players’ association also unanimously agreed to Memphis Grizzlies forward Justise Winslow shared on his Instagram further discuss the league’s 22-team restart in early June, but the two story this past week, “All About The Benjamins, baby.” sides did not come to a formal agreement until Tuesday, when the Yahoo Sports LOADED: 06.25.2020 wheels were in motion and a winnowing timeline forced a decision. In the hours after the deal was reported Tuesday, news surfaced that at least seven players tested positive for COVID-19. Four unnamed members of a Western Conference playoff team, two Phoenix Suns and Denver Nuggets star Nikola Jokic could not be cleared to report to their teams, according to reports. Indiana Pacers guard Malcolm Brogdon and Sacramento Kings forward Jabari Parker both publicly revealed positive coronavirus tests on Wednesday. Another Kings player also reportedly tested positive. There are two weeks remaining for players with the virus to quarantine and be cleared for the start of training camp on July 11 in Orlando. While no player has made public an experience with life-threatening symptoms resulting from the virus, there is ample evidence that COVID-19 can be deadly for relatively young and otherwise healthy adults, even if the odds are in their favor. Some have suffered strokes. Long-term effects from the virus are relatively unknown, but both brain and lung damage are potential concerns, and there is no way of knowing how players with the virus now will respond in August. A 113-page memo the NBA sent to teams last week outlined extensive testing guidelines and precautionary measures against an outbreak, but the Disney employees responsible for providing services to players and coaches are among those who are not beholden to the same level of scrutiny. Epidemiologists have expressed serious doubt the NBA can keep the virus at bay. Many of those employees are also petitioning for Disney and government officials to reconsider the amusement park’s scheduled reopening next month. Orlando is experiencing an explosion of the coronavirus. Florida has shattered records day after day, reporting more than 5,500 new cases on Wednesday. Orlando is the second-hardest hit city in the state. Given their consultation with infectious disease experts, the NBA should have been well aware that Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis’ early decision to reopen the economy heightened the risk of this explosion. NBA commissioner Adam Silver acknowledged the spiking COVID-19 statistics and struck a “resolute but somber” tone in a recent call with team executives, prompting concern at every level of the league, ESPN’s Baxter Holmes and Zach Lowe reported on Saturday, when Florida reported 4,000 new cases. “It seems almost impossible to imagine the virus won’t get inside the bubble,” University of Washington epidemiology professor Jared Baeten told Yahoo Sports’ Henry Bushnell, “given rising case numbers.” An outbreak on the National Women’s Soccer League’s Orlando Pride, which forced the team to withdraw from the league’s Challenge Cup, raised concerns about false negative tests potentially spreading the virus like wildfire among teammates and opponents in close contact. European soccer was set up to succeed in avoiding serious outbreaks, but there were nearly as many positive tests in Orlando over the past 24 hours as there has been in all of Germany in the past two weeks. The outbreak that forced a Russian team to field replacement players last week is more analogous to the NBA’s restart. The odds of crowning an illegitimate NBA champion have increased significantly over the past week. We may have already reached the tipping point, since withdrawn players have dealt a blow to the Lakers’ title chances and further weakened playoff prospects for the Wizards and Blazers. More players can opt out by July 1. On the flip side, other players who would have missed the regularly scheduled playoffs may now be available. And according to Wojnarowski, some teams currently outside the playoff picture plan to treat Orlando as “an extended summer league to develop young players and protect veterans.” There is also the real possibility that COVID-19 sidelines more players once the season commences. What if a quarantined superstar misses an entire playoff series? Or an entire rotation is locked down? Any champion outside the Lakers, Los Angeles Clippers and Milwaukee Bucks will be met with raised eyebrows, and skepticism could even follow the favorites if any of those teams’ players are not available. The risk of a watered-down product at the expense of player safety is great. And God forbid a single person dies from coronavirus as a result of the NBA’s restart, whether a service worker spreads it to a player and his family members or the reverse. There is no financial incentive for the league that could justify that. Broadly, the NBA would be a lot better off canceling this season now and prioritizing a safe return to the 2020-21 campaign than calling it off again midstream come September. History will remember this time in our life for far different reasons than who won an NBA ring in 2020. 1176035 World Leagues News The real question, then, is: What happens next? What happens when this euphoria is over?

The real question, then, is: What happens next? What happens when this Baseball's 60-game MLB season is a coronavirus compromise — but euphoria is over, when baseball is back, when people embrace the sport what about next year? again … and then it’s time to start negotiating again? One of the silver linings of the disgust everyone has directed at owners and players was the hope that there would be some sort of realization on both sides that this fighting was destroying the sport. One hoped for some sort of step By Will Leitch back from the brink, a recognition of the damage both sides were doing to the game. You wanted them to feel chastened. Loving baseball this spring has been pretty hard. I’d feel a lot worse if I But why would either players or owners feel chastened now? The didn’t know it has been an awfully difficult three months to be a fan of argument each side has always made during times of nastiness is that, anything. eventually, fans will forgive and forget. And keep the money spigot open and flowing. That argument sure looks pretty smart right now, and it’ll This week, baseball — we have been told — is officially back. look even smarter if the television ratings for baseball games are as high Technically this is true. Commissioner Rob Manfred is indeed setting a as many suspect they will be. (Assuming, of course, teams do end up schedule that will hopefully begin around July 24 and end on Sept. 27, playing.) That may cause each side to dig in even more before the with the playoffs and World Series immediately thereafter. Barring December 2021 negotiations. It makes it look like stridency has no real COVID-19 outbreaks that make playing out a season impossible — far punishment. from an absurd possibility — there will be baseball in some form this summer. We want to hear what you THINK. Please submit a letter to the editor. But the process to get here has been depressing to watch. And what has It is also possible players and owners will accept their fans’ love with Major League Baseball learned from this experience? That could be modesty, with humility, with an understanding of the obligation that both depressing, too. sides have to the sport and its spectators, and thus a shared sense of cooperation and responsibility, with … OK, I actually couldn’t finish that But the process to get here has been depressing to watch. And what has sentence with a straight face. This is going to get uglier in a year than it Major League Baseball learned from this experience? That could be just was. Let’s enjoy this beautiful game while we can. We can love it. depressing, too. But let’s not kid ourselves: We are also enablers. It’s our primary utility as fans, it turns out. It is one thing for a team sport to be forced to shut down because of COVID-19: Every professional American contact sports league has had NBC UNIVERSAL LOADED: 06.25.2020 to do so, and, so far, none have found their way back, though the National Women's Soccer League and Major League Soccer are getting close. But it is quite another to have your delay extended not because of health protocols or safety concerns but because management and labor have decided that, of all times, this is the exact moment to have a knockdown, drag-out fight to the death over what, at the end of the day, are relatively minor financial issues. Baseball could have returned on July 4, the first North American team sport to return, with millions of fans salivating to watch even the most banal, uninspiring game. Instead, with unemployment at record highs, unprecedented cultural upheaval and a deadly pandemic — not to mention the high emotions already stirred up by a presidential election year — baseball dithered with an endless cavalcade of Zoom spitballs for three weeks. And they never did end up coming to an agreement. Major League Baseball announces 60-game season JUNE 24, 202002:34 The fact that we may now have some semblance of a season is not because the two sides came to an agreement; they just ran out of time and thus punted all their discussions until December 2021, when their current Collective Bargaining Agreement expires. That not only means that all this in-fighting was pointless; it means we’re just going to have to go through it all again in a year-and-a-half. The sport, having a fight over money in the middle of a national catastrophe, couldn’t have done more harm to itself if it had hired an outside hitman. I love baseball as much as I love anything in the world, and I kept finding myself downright ashamed to be a baseball fan. I wasn’t the only one wondering if baseball was actively self-destructing. Except: Look at how everyone reacted to the news that baseball was returning. (Read the comments.) Baseball is soooo back. LET'S GO‼️ pic.twitter.com/lOKJzmhDKc — SportsCenter (@SportsCenter) June 24, 2020 BASEBALL IS BACK!! pic.twitter.com/qIOqjLGURU — Baltimore Orioles (@Orioles) June 24, 2020 Baseball fans have responded to the compromise this week with joy. Do those people look furious at baseball to you? Does baseball look like a sport that has self-destructed? There were naysayers, of course; those who worry (not without justification) that baseball (and sports in general) are rushing back to play before it is safe to do so, for financial reasons. And yet, there is something inherently freeing about those simple words, “Play Ball.” My mood has brightened considerably since learning baseball is returning — or is at least going to try to — and I’m obviously not the only one. I’m just ready to watch some baseball. I suspect all of us are. 1176036 World Leagues News

Laker Bradley withdraws from squad

MIAMI • The Western Conference-leading Los Angeles Lakers will be without starter Avery Bradley when the National Basketball Association (NBA) season resumes, as the guard announced on Tuesday that he will not join the team next month in Florida. Bradley told ESPN that his decision was made out of concern for the health of his six-year-old son, Liam, who has dealt with respiratory problems. After a four-month hiatus prompted by the coronavirus pandemic, the NBA will send the top 22 of its 30 teams to the Walt Disney World Resort near Orlando, Florida. Training is due to run from July 9-29 with games to commence on July 30. "As committed to my Lakers teammates and the organisation as I am, I ultimately play basketball for my family," Bradley, 29, told ESPN. "I can't imagine making any decision that might put my family's health and well-being at even the slightest risk." The rules of the paused season will allow the Lakers to replace him on the roster, and multiple media outlets reported that free agent J.R. Smith could be a top target. The former Cleveland Cavaliers guard won an NBA championship alongside current Lakers star LeBron James in 2015-16. But the 34-year-old may be unfit, last appearing in an NBA game in November 2018. Bradley averaged 8.6 points and 2.3 rebounds for the Lakers in 49 appearances this season, including 44 starts. His concerns are not unfounded. Seven NBA players have tested positive for the coronavirus recently, according to various media reports on Tuesday. The only one of the group who was specifically identified was Denver Nuggets All-Star centre Nikola Jokic, who is reportedly under quarantine in his native Serbia. Two unnamed members of the Phoenix Suns have the virus, according to the Arizona Republic. And ESPN's Adrian Wojnarowski tweeted that an unnamed Western Conference play-off team had four players test positive in the past week. Reigning champions Toronto Raptors became the first to arrive in Florida but will stay in southwest Florida until entering the safety zone early next month. To comply with NBA safety protocols, individual players are working out in a controlled atmosphere until group workouts are permitted. LOADED: 06.25.2020 1176037 World Leagues News "I think there's a lot of his peer group who are scratching their heads," veteran coach Paul Annacone told Tennis.com.

Martina Navratilova, who won 18 Grand Slam singles titles, tweeted: Djokovic slammed over coronavirus 'horror show' "Yikes... this is not good and it's a pattern... What now, US Open? Roland Garros? We have a lot of work to do."

Brazil's Bruno Soares, a doubles player who sits on the Player Council, AFP AFPJune 24, 2020 called the Adria Tour a "horror show". ATP chairman Andrea Gaudenzi said it was a lesson for other tournaments. Belgrade (AFP) - Novak Djokovic was widely condemned for hosting a tennis exhibition where he was one of four players to test positive for the "It's a little bit like when you tell your kids when they try to learn to ride coronavirus, a lapse that sent shudders through a sport struggling to get the bike to wear the helmet," Gaudenzi said. "It's 'no, no, no'." back on its feet. "And they ride the bike, they fall, and then they wear the helmet." The world number one on Tuesday issued an unstinting apology for the now-cancelled Adria Tour in the Balkans, where social distancing was Djokovic had already raised eyebrows during lockdown for his anti- minimal and matches were played in front of thousands of fans. vaccination stance and for unusual claims including that human emotions can change the quality of water. Djokovic, 33, said he is "so deeply sorry" that the tournament "caused harm". His wife Jelena has also tested positive after the couple travelled Serbian newspaper Danas said that the farcical end to the Adria Tour back from Croatia to Belgrade to be tested. could "maybe be the best warning for all others that no one is immune to a vicious virus". Among the scathing criticism of Djokovic, there were questions about whether he, or tennis, should be allowed back on any court in the near LOADED: 06.25.2020 future. Many voiced concerns over attempts to restart professional tournaments in August, including the US Open which is scheduled to begin on August 31. Djokovic, Grigor Dimitrov, Borna Coric and Viktor Troicki all tested positive after taking part in the Adria Tour event in Croatia, where players embraced across the net, played basketball and even danced in a nightclub. Australia's Nick Kyrgios, so often in the crosshairs for his own on-court indiscretions, said the incident was pure "stupidity". "Don't @ me for anything I've done that has been 'irresponsible' or classified as 'stupidity' -- this takes the cake," tweeted the world number 40. Britain's Andy Murray, a three-time Grand Slam winner who has known Djokovic since their junior days, said: "I don't think it has been a great look for tennis." "In hindsight, it's not something that should have gone ahead," Murray told reporters. "Some people have said maybe this has put the US Open in doubt –- which it may well do. But the measures and the protocols they have in place at the USTA (United States Tennis Association) are different to Serbia and Croatia. No fans for a start." In the latest repercussion, Serbian NBA player Nikola Jokic has reportedly tested positive for the virus after being pictured with Djokovic at a basketball event in Belgrade earlier this month. Jokic's team, the Denver Nuggets, who are ramping up preparations for a resumption of the NBA season, declined to comment on the report in the Denver Post, citing medical privacy. The player is now in quarantine in Serbia. The president of the Croatian tennis federation insisted that at the time of the Zadar event, it appeared safe to go ahead without strict health regulations. "When we accepted Novak's idea to organise the tour, the epidemiological situation in Croatia was much better," Nikolina Babic told the Vecernji List daily paper on Wednesday. "Maybe some minor mistakes were made but the idea was good." - PR disaster - COVID-19 has been a public relations disaster for Djokovic. He was criticised for breaking lockdown rules to train in Spain and raised eyebrows by insisting he would not be prepared to vaccinate against the coronavirus. Djokovic also described limits on players' entourages at the US Open as "extreme" and "impossible", again putting him at odds with much of public opinion. His latest misstep has caused some to question his presidency of the ATP Player Council, which advises the ATP board. 1176038 World Leagues News from casual participants to help pay for the elite field’s appearance fees and prize money.

The Coronavirus Outbreak New York City Marathon Canceled Because of Pandemic Frequently Asked Questions and Advice Updated June 24, 2020 By Matthew Futterman What’s the best material for a mask?

Scientists around the country have tried to identify everyday materials A public health crisis that has proved to be treacherous for large events that do a good job of filtering microscopic particles. In recent tests, HEPA claimed two more of the world’s biggest marathons on Wednesday, with furnace filters scored high, as did vacuum cleaner bags, fabric similar to organizers in New York and Berlin canceling their races this year flannel pajamas and those of 600-count pillowcases. Other materials because of the spread of the coronavirus. tested included layered coffee filters and scarves and bandannas. These scored lower, but still captured a small percentage of particles. The cancellations left the sport without three of its six most important races in 2020 — the Boston Marathon was called off in May — and Is it harder to exercise while wearing a mask? increased concerns that interruptions to the endurance sports world A commentary published this month on the website of the British Journal would continue until there was a medical solution to the crisis. of Sports Medicine points out that covering your face during exercise The New York City Marathon, one of the most prestigious and lucrative “comes with issues of potential breathing restriction and discomfort” and events of its kind, would have celebrated its 50th anniversary in requires “balancing benefits versus possible adverse events.” Masks do November. It is one of the highlights of fall in New York and a spectacle alter exercise, says Cedric X. Bryant, the president and chief science for endurance sports, attracting more than 50,000 runners, 10,000 officer of the American Council on Exercise, a nonprofit organization that volunteers and roughly a million fans, who line nearly every accessible funds exercise research and certifies fitness professionals. “In my yard of the 26.2-mile course through the five boroughs. personal experience,” he says, “heart rates are higher at the same relative intensity when you wear a mask.” Some people also could City officials and New York Road Runners, which owns and organizes experience lightheadedness during familiar workouts while masked, says the event, decided holding the race this year would be too risky. Public Len Kravitz, a professor of exercise science at the University of New health experts have said mass events, especially those that bring people Mexico. together from across the globe, will remain a danger until a treatment or a vaccine for Covid-19, the disease caused by the virus, is widely I’ve heard about a treatment called dexamethasone. Does it work? available, a stance that makes it difficult to envision major public The steroid, dexamethasone, is the first treatment shown to reduce marathons coming back without one. mortality in severely ill patients, according to scientists in Britain. The “At some point, we are going to be waiting for runners on finish lines drug appears to reduce inflammation caused by the immune system, again,” said Michael Capiraso, the chief executive of New York Road protecting the tissues. In the study, dexamethasone reduced deaths of Runners. patients on ventilators by one-third, and deaths of patients on oxygen by one-fifth. He said he and other organizers had held out hope that their race could happen. They decided to cancel it before having to spend more money to What is pandemic paid leave? organize it. The coronavirus emergency relief package gives many American “There was hope, but that turned to uncertainty, and given what we have workers paid leave if they need to take time off because of the virus. It seen the past months, this was really the only decision,” Capiraso said. gives qualified workers two weeks of paid sick leave if they are ill, quarantined or seeking diagnosis or preventive care for coronavirus, or if White House officials have issued warnings about another wave of they are caring for sick family members. It gives 12 weeks of paid leave infections this fall. And while infection rates in the New York metropolitan to people caring for children whose schools are closed or whose child area are now among the lowest in the country, the virus is spreading at care provider is unavailable because of the coronavirus. It is the first time concerning rates in areas that have not heeded the advice of public the United States has had widespread federally mandated paid leave, health officials to continue to practice social distancing, avoid public and includes people who don’t typically get such benefits, like part-time gatherings and wear masks. As of Wednesday, cases were rising in 27 and gig economy workers. But the measure excludes at least half of states over the previous two weeks. private-sector workers, including those at the country’s largest employers, and gives small employers significant leeway to deny leave. Following coronavirus health guidelines while holding a major race is simply impossible, leaving the endurance sports business economically Does asymptomatic transmission of Covid-19 happen? devastated this year. So far, the evidence seems to show it does. A widely cited paper “I worry about their ability to get through the pandemic,” Rich published in April suggests that people are most infectious about two Harshbarger, the chief executive at Running U.S.A., an industry trade days before the onset of coronavirus symptoms and estimated that 44 group, said of the organizations that manage races. “The question isn’t percent of new infections were a result of transmission from people who how do we respond, it’s how do we get through this?” were not yet showing symptoms. Recently, a top expert at the World Health Organization stated that transmission of the coronavirus by Runners who had signed up for this year’s race in New York will be able people who did not have symptoms was “very rare,” but she later walked to choose to receive a refund or to defer their entry to the race during the back that statement. next three years. They will also have the option to run the race virtually from Oct. 17 to Nov. 1. Organizers said they would announce details of What’s the risk of catching coronavirus from a surface? the virtual event in July. Touching contaminated objects and then infecting ourselves with the In the New York marathon, the runners and thousands of volunteers are germs is not typically how the virus spreads. But it can happen. A transported to a starting line village at Fort Wadsworth on Staten Island, number of studies of flu, rhinovirus, coronavirus and other microbes have where they huddle and wait for hours to be called to the start at the foot shown that respiratory illnesses, including the new coronavirus, can of the Verrazzano-Narrows Bridge. The runners then cram into a series spread by touching contaminated surfaces, particularly in places like day of starting corrals while they wait for a cannon sound to signal the start of care centers, offices and hospitals. But a long chain of events has to the race. happen for the disease to spread that way. The best way to protect yourself from coronavirus — whether it’s surface transmission or close Remaining six feet apart simply cannot happen. human contact — is still social distancing, washing your hands, not Organizers canceled the race once before, in 2012, after Hurricane touching your face and wearing masks. Sandy hammered the region just days before the race. They decided How does blood type influence coronavirus? against having only an elite field this year in part because they feared crowds would gather on the streets and because of the uncertainty of A study by European scientists is the first to document a strong statistical international runners being able to travel to the United States. link between genetic variations and Covid-19, the illness caused by the coronavirus. Having Type A blood was linked to a 50 percent increase in The London and Chicago marathons remain scheduled for the fall, but the likelihood that a patient would need to get oxygen or to go on a organizers have yet to commit to holding them. The Tokyo Marathon ventilator, according to the new study. went forward in early March only with elite runners, but that is not a long- term solution; without ticket sales in the sport, organizers need money How many people have lost their jobs due to coronavirus in the U.S.? The unemployment rate fell to 13.3 percent in May, the Labor Department said on June 5, an unexpected improvement in the nation’s job market as hiring rebounded faster than economists expected. Economists had forecast the unemployment rate to increase to as much as 20 percent, after it hit 14.7 percent in April, which was the highest since the government began keeping official statistics after World War II. But the unemployment rate dipped instead, with employers adding 2.5 million jobs, after more than 20 million jobs were lost in April. What are the symptoms of coronavirus? Common symptoms include fever, a dry cough, fatigue and difficulty breathing or shortness of breath. Some of these symptoms overlap with those of the flu, making detection difficult, but runny noses and stuffy sinuses are less common. The C.D.C. has also added chills, muscle pain, sore throat, headache and a new loss of the sense of taste or smell as symptoms to look out for. Most people fall ill five to seven days after exposure, but symptoms may appear in as few as two days or as many as 14 days. How can I protect myself while flying? If air travel is unavoidable, there are some steps you can take to protect yourself. Most important: Wash your hands often, and stop touching your face. If possible, choose a window seat. A study from Emory University found that during flu season, the safest place to sit on a plane is by a window, as people sitting in window seats had less contact with potentially sick people. Disinfect hard surfaces. When you get to your seat and your hands are clean, use disinfecting wipes to clean the hard surfaces at your seat like the head and arm rest, the seatbelt buckle, the remote, screen, seat back pocket and the tray table. If the seat is hard and nonporous or leather or pleather, you can wipe that down, too. (Using wipes on upholstered seats could lead to a wet seat and spreading of germs rather than killing them.) What should I do if I feel sick? If you’ve been exposed to the coronavirus or think you have, and have a fever or symptoms like a cough or difficulty breathing, call a doctor. They should give you advice on whether you should be tested, how to get tested, and how to seek medical treatment without potentially infecting or exposing others. In the absence of federal guidelines, endurance events are likely to happen on a state-by-state or event-by-event basis. The Marine Corps Marathon remains scheduled for late October in Washington and Arlington, Va., though organizers have canceled two shorter races for that weekend. A marathon in Fargo, N.D., scheduled for August, plans to move forward. It attracts about 1,500 participants. Spartan, which manages events with obstacles, held a race for about 1,000 people in Florida this month. New York Road Runners carries cancellation insurance for the marathon, which will help ease what will be a significant blow. The marathon is the signature event and among the main revenue generators for the organization, which collects a little more than $100 million each year but had to cancel two other major events in the spring: the New York City and Brooklyn half marathons. According to tax filings, those races accounted for the bulk of the running organization’s $41 million in race entry fees in 2018, the last year for which figures are available. When the race was canceled in 2012, the organization infuriated runners by insisting until just two days before the race that it would take place. By then, thousands of runners had traveled from across the United States, Europe and Asia only to have to return home without racing after training for months. Mayor Bill de Blasio of New York had signaled in the spring that the chances for holding the marathon were poor. He described such large events as “the last piece of the puzzle” in terms of reopening the city. “I think it’s fair to say it’s going to be a while before we’re comfortable with any large gathering,” the mayor said then. The cancellation was a major disappointment for Aliphine Tuliamuk, who won the U.S. Olympic marathon trials in February. After the Tokyo Games, which have been postponed a year, to 2021, she had planned to run New York, where she proved to herself in 2017 and 2019 that she could be a world-class marathoner. When the Olympics were postponed, she wanted to use New York to stay sharp ahead of the Games in 2021. Without a race on the horizon, she said she was “training for the love of training.” “I sort of knew this was coming,” Tuliamuk said. “After what we have been through the past four months, it’s the right call.” New York Times LOADED: 06.25.2020 1176039 World Leagues News The Blue Jays' training facility is in Florida, one of several southern states that have seen huge spikes in COVID-19 cases.

The Toronto Raptors, Canada's lone NBA team, have resumed training in Several Blue Jays players, staff reportedly test positive for coronavirus Fort Myers, Fla., ahead of the league's restart next month in Orlando. The NHL, meanwhile, is planning a hub city approach that does not involve frequent travel back and forth between the U.S. and Canada. The Canadian Press · Posted: Jun 24, 2020 3:33 PM ET | Last Updated: Vancouver, Toronto and Edmonton are among the contenders to be June 24 selected host cities by the league. The Blue Jays finished the 2019 season with a 67-95 record. Toronto was 12-6 in preseason play this year before spring training was stopped Several players and staff members on the Toronto Blue Jays have tested in mid-March. positive for the coronavirus, a source has told The Canadian Press. LOADED: 06.25.2020 The source confirmed the news on condition of anonymity because the team has not officially announced the positive cases. The developments came less than a week after the Blue Jays shut down their spring training complex in Dunedin, Fla., after a player presented symptoms consistent with the virus. Last Friday, the team said personnel at the facility underwent testing per protocols established by its medical team and Major League Baseball. Sportsnet's Shi Davidi, who works for the company that owns the Blue Jays, was the first to report the positive test results on Wednesday afternoon. MLB announced Tuesday night that the regular season — trimmed to 60 games from the usual 162 due to the pandemic — will be played in empty ballparks starting July 23 or 24, with teams scheduled to report to camps by July 1. Most teams intend to work out in their regular-season ballparks, but the Blue Jays' plans remain unclear. Specifics on the exact number of COVID-19 cases and arrangements the team has made will likely be announced at a news conference expected on Friday. Several Toronto Blue Jays players and staff have tested positive for the coronavirus, a source has told The Canadian Press. 4:35 Anyone entering Canada for non-essential reasons must quarantine for 14 days, and the U.S.-Canada border remains closed to non-essential travel until at least July 21. It also remains unclear where the Blue Jays will play home games this season. A message left with the team was not immediately returned. MLB submits resumption plan to Canadian government Major League Baseball has submitted a plan to the Canadian government to play in Toronto this year and health authorities are examining it. Anna Maddison, a spokesperson for the Public Health Agency of Canada, said Wednesday the restart plan is being reviewed. "The resumption of activities in Canada must be undertaken in adherence to Canada's plan to mitigate the importation and spread of COVID-19," Maddison told The Associated Press. "The Public Health Agency of Canada has received, and is currently assessing, a restart plan from Major League Baseball." Maddison also said big league baseball requires the formal support of health authorities in Ontario. Major League Baseball plans to unilaterally issue a 60-game schedule for its shortest season since 1878. 1:39 Earlier Wednesday, all-star outfielder Charlie Blackmon of the Colorado Rockies became the first MLB player known to have tested positive for the coronavirus. A source confirmed the test result to The Associated Press on condition of anonymity because there was no official announcement. The Denver Post said he was one of three Rockies players to test positive. All-star outfielder Charlie Blackmon, 2 other Rockies have coronavirus: report The NBA and NHL, which are both planning to resume play next month, have also had players with positive test results in recent days. While some positive cases were expected in pro sports — now that athlete testing has ramped up and more sports are returning — anxiety has been heightened due to a recent rise in cases throughout parts of the United States. 1176040 World Leagues News

Cowboys RB Ezekiel Elliott opens up on testing positive for coronavirus, concerns for NFL season

Jori Epstein

Cowboys Ezekiel Elliott describes his COVID-19 symptoms mildly. For a day or two, Elliott battled a cough and “a little bit of shortness of breath.” News broke June 15 that multiple Cowboys and Texans players had tested positive for coronavirus, Elliott's agent confirming to NFL Network that his client was among the group. The three-time Pro Bowl selection still has not yet returned to workout, he said Wednesday afternoon on his Twitch channel. But “now I’d say, I feel good,” Elliott said during a Q&A session with YouTube host Scooter Magruder. “I feel normal.” Elliott doesn’t assume teammates and coaches necessarily will be as lucky should the NFL stage its season as planned amid a pandemic. Cowboys players haven’t reported to headquarters at the Star since head coach Mike McCarthy was hired in January. Players are tentatively scheduled to report to training camp in approximately a month, even as states including Texas experience record-high weeks of new COVID-19 cases and related hospitalizations. Elliott emphasized he misses his teammates and football, the camaraderie in the locker room lost when offseason activities turned virtual. But his concerns abound for NFL employees who may have asthma, newborns or elderly family members living in the same house. “I do hope we have a season,” Elliott said. “But it has to be right.” Rams head coach Sean McVay described the challenge last week when he asked: “We’re going to social distance — but we play football?” Twenty-two players, often on a field indoors, breathing heavily while playing a contact sport that involves tackling presents challenges that golf, tennis and baseball don’t. The NBA’s proposal is to impose a bubble environment for players during a shortened season. NFL medical staff have pointed to the logistical hurdles for a sport that fields dozens more players per team than do NBA squads. A front office executive for one team told USA TODAY Sports this week that their organization has largely adopted a “wait-and-see” approach for implementing coronavirus policy, since information on best practices and limitations is changing rapidly. The person was granted anonymity since they weren’t authorized to publicly disclose the team’s protocols. The NFL still has questions still to answer. Elliott hopes health and safety are chief priorities in formulating those answers. He said he doesn’t know whether to expect a 2020 season. “I just feel like there’s a lot of moving parts that have to be figured out,” Elliott said. “I just don’t know how they can keep the players healthy. You’ve got to put the health of the players first. And it’s not even so much I would say the players’ health because I got corona and it didn’t really affect me much. But a lot of people have kids, they may have kids with asthma, their parents or grandparents may live with them. “We have to find a way to make sure the players and their families, and the coaches also and their families, aren’t put at risk.” USA TODAY LOADED: 06.25.2020 1176041 World Leagues News

UConn eliminates four sports due to coronavirus-related budget cuts

By PAT EATON-ROBB The Associated Press,Updated June 24, 2020, 3:45 p.m.

STORRS, Conn. — The University of Connecticut decided to eliminate four athletic teams as it deals with an expected budget deficit driven by issues related to the coronavirus pandemic. UConn President Thomas Katsouleas told the school's Board of Trustees Wednesday that the school will reduce the number of sports it supports from 24 to 20, eliminating its men's cross country, men's swimming and diving, men's tennis and women's rowing teams. He said eliminating those programs, along with mandating a 15% cut in the operating budget of all sports and cutting some scholarships, should result in a requested savings of $10 million annually, or 25% of the school's subsidy to the Division of Athletics over the next three years. That subsidy was $42 million in 2019. The school will continue to support the eliminated sports through the 2020-21 academic year, allowing the 124 affected athletes time to transfer or make other decisions, officials said. “While this is a painful decision, it is in the best interests of the long-term viability of UConn and of UConn athletics,” Katsouleas said. That move came as the Board of Trustees approved a $1.5 billion spending plan for its main campus in Storrs and regional campuses, with the expectation that it will need to revisit budget several times this year to deal with coronavirus-related shortfalls. The school’s chief financial officer, Scott Jordan, has predicted a deficit of between $47 to $129 million, depending on when and how the school reopens from the pandemic and whether it will face cuts in support from the legislature, which is dealing with shortfalls to the state budget. “We’re planning on a shortfall of about $50 million,” Katsouleas said. The school is planning an Aug. 31 reopening for the fall semester, but the board also approved a plan that will allow for fees, such as room and board, to be adjusted, depending on what services can be offered on campus. “The university is developing plans to de-densify classrooms and residence halls, and this will require offering students the option of taking some or all of their classes online,” Jordan said in a memo to the board. “Should they choose this option, they may not benefit from some of the traditional student services offerings that are paid for by student fees, such as the Rec Center or the shuttle bus system.” The board spent almost an hour and a half hearing from former athletes who asked to save their sports. Track and field alumni have pledged more than $1.6 million for that program. Men’s golf alumni had said they could contribute $900,000 over the next five years. Rowing coach Jennifer Sanford told the board said she was not informed of the decision to eliminate her sport until Tuesday afternoon, giving her very little time to rally support. “This decision will come as a surprise to many, because very few saw it coming,” she said. “If approved, the University of Connecticut will be the only Division I rowing program in the country that has been cut.” Athletic Director David Benedict said the decision was difficult, but necessary and brings the school more in line with the number of sports offered at other institutions in the Big East conference, which UConn officially rejoins next month. “Reducing expenses is critical to our financial sustainability but that doesn’t make this decision any more palatable for the student-athletes and coaches on the affected teams," he said. Boston Globe LOADED: 06.25.2020 1176042 World Leagues News Even if the leagues refuse to keep enough players in reserve, they should at least keep a collection of specialists behind glass, including baseball. At least two starters, one long reliever, and one catcher should be quarantined. Sports rosters must expand much more to avoid coronavirus shutdowns | Marcus Hayes NHL teams will carry at least three goalies. They should quarantine a fourth, and maybe a fifth. For the Flyers, Alex Lyon would make the most sense. by Marcus Hayes Basketball teams should keep at least one point guard on ice. In the Sixers’ case, that would give them ... one point guard.

Football teams should keep a quarterback quarantined. Buccaneers The most alarming thing about the video that shows Dallas Goedert coach Bruce Arians, who is the smartest man in any coaches’ room, getting sucker-punched in South Dakota, besides the sucker punch, is suggested that strategy two weeks ago on the “Green Light” podcast, the that nobody on camera is wearing a mask. The Eagles tight end is media endeavor of former Eagles pass rusher Chris Long, who was the confronting a guy in a bar less than 6 inches away from his possibly smartest man in any locker room. COVID-addled mouth. It’s as if the United States isn’t still in the depths of a 100-year pandemic. Coach @BruceArians thinking ahead in what could be a unique fall. Link in pinned tweet for the entire pod. pic.twitter.com/tJZSGs3JR2 This isn’t meant to chastise Goedert; not exactly, anyway. Rather, this is meant to point out that many people will ignore recommendations like — chris long (@JOEL9ONE) June 10, 2020 those from the South Dakota Department of Health, and they will act carelessly, and they will contract COVID-19. Some of these many people That’s a smart start; the Eagles probably have that sort arrangement will be athletes. They already are. already with Josh McCown, who will be 41 this season. The NFL should go further. Teams should quarantine a , a kicker, and a long A dozen Phillies employees, seven of them players, have tested positive snapper, too. for the coronavirus in the past week, more than one-quarter of the reported 47 positive tests in Major League Baseball as of Wednesday. The bystanders PGA Tour golfers Nick Watney and Cameron Champ tested positive and The players are only part of the issue. The largest and the most at-risk the Tour has only held two events. Almost 100 college athletes have segment of the sports industry doesn’t throw, catch, or shoot. tested positive since they returned to campus, mostly football players, including at least 28 football players from Alabama, Clemson, and LSU, That’s why any coach, scout, executive, or member of the support staff the schools that won the last five national championships. (trainers, secretaries, massage therapists, janitors) who doesn’t believe returning to work is safe would either have their contract automatically This is the video of Dallas Goedert getting suckered punched in extended by one year or be granted a year’s salary. There should be no Aberdeen, SD. penalty for being old, or overweight, or for immuno-compromised, or Source is one of my best friends in college's (South Dakota School of living with someone who is. Certainly, there should be no penalty when Minesand Technology) BIL who knows the bar owner.@RapSheet working in an entertainment industry that generates billions of more @AdamSchefter @nflnetwork @richeisen pic.twitter.com/v0hMeMsKz5 dollars every year for multibillionaires who aren’t likely to leave their mansions until the virus is long gone. — #NoJusticeNoPeace (@SamStompy) June 21, 2020 This projection of mass sickness might sound insensitive, or dismissive. This is the new normal. Any industry that restarts with in-person It is not. We completely understand the dangers associated with COVID- interaction will feed the virus. If the four major sports leagues expect to 19. We sounded alarms before sports and society shut down. We have reopen before a vaccine is developed, mass-produced, and mass- supplied guidelines and projections as we’ve learned more. administered, outbreaks will be as common as foul balls. . The U.S. posted its highest single-day total of new cases Wednesday. Eight states Most people who contract the virus exhibit mild to severe symptoms, but are routinely logging record numbers of new cases and hospitalizations, many get very sick, some emerge scarred for life, and a very small and four of them -- Arizona, Texas, Florida, and Missouri -- are home to percentage die. It is the worst experience of most of our lifetimes. It has seven of Major League Baseball’s 30 teams, who will start preparing for been abhorrently mismanaged by most government entities, particularly their season next week. A few weeks later, football training camps begin the federal government and the current presidential administration, and at team sites, and those four states are home to eight of the 32 has left America a ghastly, international laughingstock. franchises. We take the coronavirus very, very seriously. But, for better or worse, this The behaviors of Americans, particularly American athletes, simply is who we are. We are restarting sports in many states where we cannot be trusted. shouldn’t be restarting lawnmowers. The price we pay for our impatience will be massive, but we seem indifferent to the horror just over the That’s why all four major sports must expand rosters far past their current horizon. plans, or risk shutting down their seasons. What’s more, unless a vaccine is developed very soon, these major roster expansions will need to roll As expensive as the human toll of restarting sports might be, the over into the 2020-21 winter seasons and likely through the beginning of economic cost of doing so properly, with vastly expanded rosters, would baseball in 2021. Coronavirus victims can take up to six weeks to be hefty, too. It would cause all sorts of salary-cap headaches, but those recover. The leagues are going to need lots of players in reserve. are just numbers; we’re in the midst of a pandemic. This is no time to pinch pennies. The numbers The only means of prevention is to call off all of the games, but that ship NBA rosters, which usually sit at 15 on game days, should be 25 deep, has sailed. There’s too much television money at stake for the owners not 17, as they’re discussing. Basketball is the sport likeliest to foster and players. Many experts don’t foresee a COVID-19 vaccine until early transmission. You might need two full teams. next summer, which sounds slow but actually would be a miraculous timeline. Again, this would mean that these rosters would need to remain NHL rosters need at least 35 players, given the degree of contact in the expanded through early next summer, at least. game. The league plans to expand from 23 to 28, plus unlimited goalies. There’s no reason to believe athletes like Goedert will protect themselves NFL teams should carry 90 players. Usually, they carry 53 players on the or others by following guidelines. The absence of active cases can erode roster plus 10 practice-squad players. For now, they’re talking about vigilance. Goedert was at The Zoo Bar in Aberdeen, S.D., which is in expanding practice squads to 16 players, which would give them 69. Brown County, where only about 330 cases of the coronavirus have been Nice, but, practically speaking, that’s about 30 players too few when discovered. Goedert’s hometown, Britton, in Marshall County, has seen you’re trying to navigate a disease that spreads like dandelion seeds. five cases. Still, the state’s department of health recommends wearing a mask. Nobody was. Major League Baseball teams should have 40 players ready at the drop of a hat, or the spike of a temperature. Shockingly, baseball is getting it These giant rosters might seem impractical, but they are the only feasible right. Big-league active rosters, which were expanded from 25 to 26 last price of doing business. winter, will stand at 30 for the first two weeks of the short season, 28 for the third and fourth weeks, and 26 after that. Also, teams reportedly will Otherwise, there won’t be any business to do. have a total player pool of 60, including the ones on the active roster and the three-man traveling taxi squad. The other leagues should follow suit. Philadelphia Inquirer, LOADED: 06.25.2020 1176043 World Leagues News

PGA Tour sees another coronavirus case as Cameron Champ withdraws from Travelers Championship

Jack Baer

For the second time in five days, a golfer is withdrawing from a PGA Tour event after testing positive for COVID-19. Cameron Champ, an American ranked No. 79 in the World Golf Ranking, is out of the Travelers Championship after testing positive for the coronavirus in a pre-tournament screening, the Tour announced Tuesday. PGA TOUR statement on Cameron Champ WD: pic.twitter.com/ZeT0EAWhT0 — PGA TOUR Communications (@PGATOURComms) June 23, 2020 Champ will now self-isolate, while the Tour releases its full testing results on Wednesday before the event. Nick Watney became the first golfer to test positive for the virus since the PGA Tour returned to play earlier this month. Watney withdrew from the RBC Heritage before the second round last weekend after experiencing symptoms and reaching out to a doctor. While Watney’s diagnosis came mid-tournament and created worries about golfers he could have possibly spread the virus to, Champ’s case was caught before the event even started. Champ also wasn’t part of the field at the RBC Heritage. Champ and Watney certainly won’t be the last cases the PGA Tour experiences as it holds events amid the pandemic. Rory McIlroy has called such cases in golf inevitable, and the sport of golf isn’t alone in facing that risk.

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