Sport-Scan Daily Brief
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SPORT-SCAN DAILY BRIEF NHL 8/22/2021 Arizona Coyotes 1219587 Coyotes' letter to fans, partners addresses arena matters and commitment to remain in Phoenix area Chicago Blackhawks 1219588 Projecting Blackhawks’ 2021-22 depth chart: How will a crowded field sort out? Colorado Avalanche 1219589 Avalanche forward Logan O’Connor on playoff exit: “You learn from your failures more than your successes” Edmonton Oilers 1219590 Lowetide: Will the Ethan Bear trade be the latest shortsighted move that haunts the Oilers? Los Angeles Kings 1219591 All The Kings Men – Dave Poulin on Phillip Danault New York Rangers 1219592 Henrik Lundqvist’s longevity on top with Rangers stands alone Ottawa Senators 1219593 OHL announces proof of vaccination policy for all Ontario teams Philadelphia Flyers 1219594 Flyers give Travis Sanheim healthy raise 1219595 Flyers sign depth center to new contract 1219596 Keys for a Flyers return to the playoffs? Most underrated prospects? Breakout and rebound candidates? Mailbag Pittsburgh Penguins 1219597 Dan’s Daily: Blackhawks Misspell FLEURY, PHN’s Origin Story Vegas Golden Knights 1219598 Fleury over Lehner for Vezina, Knights division favourites 1219599 Can Golden Knights tap misfit magic again with newcomer Nolan Patrick? SPORT-SCAN, INC. 941-284-4129 1219587 Arizona Coyotes Coyotes' letter to fans, partners addresses arena matters and commitment to remain in Phoenix area JOSÉ M. ROMERO Arizona Coyotes season ticket holders and corporate partners were told Friday that the team is committed to remaining in the Valley, and that it has begun looking into options for an interim arena solution. Those statements were part of a letter addressed to both parties as well as key stakeholders, signed by Coyotes President and CEO Xavier Gutierrez. The letter was sent a day after the City of Glendale's announcement that it will not renew the Coyotes' arena lease deal after the 2021-2022 season. The club and the city had been operating on a year-to-year lease agreement for Gila River Arena for the past several years, while negotiating a longer-term deal. But Glendale City Manager Kevin Phelps announced an end to those talks with the idea of taking the arena "in a new direction," he said Thursday. The Coyotes will play this season at the arena, but if Glendale stays true to its decision, the Coyotes will need a new building in which to play home games going forward. The team is going forward with a proposal to develop an area of land in Tempe into an arena and entertainment district, but that figures to take several years to be completed even after the bid is submitted by the early September deadline. The letter said the Coyotes were looking forward to extending the lease agreement with Glendale for Gila River Arena by a few seasons, and that the organization remains willing to negotiate an interim lease extension despite the city's announcement, while pursuing a longer term arena solution elsewhere in the Valley. "Both the Coyotes and the NHL are one hundred percent committed to staying here, and even if our specific arena plans beyond the 2021-2022 season are not yet confirmed, i want to be very clear to you that our future is here in Arizona," Gutierrez wrote. "While the manner of Thursday's announcement by the city of Glendale was somewhat surprising, we have long recognized that our decision to explore this extraordinary opportunity in Tempe could cause a few logistical complications and have begun exploring a range of options for an interim arena solution," the letter stated. The letter also addressed the monies owed the arena's management company, ASM Global, by the franchise, stating that the Coyotes have worked "diligently" and cooperatively" with the arena manager "to fulfill contractual and financial obligations to the City of Glendale." It's been reported between last year and this past week that the Coyotes are hundreds of thousands of dollars in debt to ASM Global. This is not the first time a Coyotes team president has addressed arena matters and a commitment to the Valley in a letter to fans. Former president and CEO Ahron Cohen did so on Jan. 1, 2019, six months before the Meruelo Group purchased majority ownership of the team. Arizona Republic LOADED: 08.22.2021 1219588 Chicago Blackhawks Recently re-signed Alex Nylander, if he doesn’t make the team outright, will get chances when others inevitably suffer injuries. So will young depth players Mike Hardman and MacKenzie Entwistle, whom the Hawks Projecting Blackhawks’ 2021-22 depth chart: How will a crowded field believe in enough that they recently awarded them one-way, two-year sort out? extensions starting in 2022. Overpaid Brett Connolly, although he’s only 29 and only a year removed from a 33-point season, seems like the odd man out. By Ben Pope Defensemen Aug 21, 2021, 6:30am CDT First pair: De Haan — Jones Bowman unequivocally thinks Jones, 26, is the elite No. 1 defenseman The Blackhawks’ busy offseason soon will give way to an equally busy the Hawks long have craved — as does Jones himself. His results the training camp. last few seasons with the Blue Jackets indicate otherwise, but he immediately will assume this role nonetheless. Flashy acquisitions Seth Jones and Marc-Andre Fleury and (potentially) returning captain Jonathan Toews will attract the biggest shares of How the left side of the defense plays out will be an interesting camp attention when camp begins in mid-to-late September. Toews’ status — storyline. Veteran Calvin de Haan, praying for a completely healthy whether he’s playing or not — especially will affect how good the Hawks season at last, and incoming Jake McCabe will start the battle to play will be and how the rest of the depth chart will sort out. alongside Jones neck-and-neck. But the Hawks also have added depth and flexibility to their roster, so Second pair: McCabe — Murphy some of the less publicized battles for the final spots will be competitive and meaningful. As many as 18 forwards and 10 defensemen have If McCabe loses that battle, he at least will receive the consolation of viable chances to make the 12-forward, six-defenseman lineup on playing alongside longtime friend Connor Murphy. McCabe and Murphy opening night. could form a truly impressive shutdown pairing. How will that lineup look when the Hawks open the regular season Oct. Murphy will be vying for a bigger contract next summer, too, as the 13 against the Avalanche? Here’s a rough projection. Hawks’ most notable pending unrestricted free agent in 2022. He deserves a raise over his current $3.85 million cap hit, although the Forwards megadeal the Hawks gave Jones will make that tougher to negotiate. First line: DeBrincat — Dach — Kane Third pair: Stillman — Kalynuk The Hawks desperately hope and need Kirby Dach, now healthy, Assuming the Hawks want right-handed youngster ian Mitchell — after a stronger and more experienced, to break out in his third season. if he can tumultuous and largely unsuccessful rookie season — to spend some surge into the 60- to 70-point range, he’ll be a fully capable first-line time restoring his confidence at Rockford, a left-handed defenseman center for Patrick Kane and Alex DeBrincat. likely will have to play on his off side on the third pair. Wyatt Kalynuk, a bright spot late last season, is a decent bet to be that guy. Kane’s health also will be important to watch in camp, considering how an undisclosed nagging issue slowed him down late last season. But he Riley Stillman’s three-year contract implies the Hawks see him holding and DeBrincat are the most proven stars the Hawks have right now. down an NHL job for good, and his physicality made trading Nikita Zadorov easier for them to swallow. Second line: Hagel — Toews — Kubalik Others in the mix Toews has played in only nine NHL games in 17 months. Even if the 33- year-old center is ready for camp — something still largely unknown, Caleb Jones — if he doesn’t make the team outright — probably will be although the Hawks seem to be penciling him in — there’s no guarantee the seventh defenseman, ready to step in when injuries happen. Mitchell, he’ll become the consistently elite, familiar Toews again immediately. Nicolas Beaudin and Alec Regula probably will play big minutes at Rockford. If he still can handle a top-six role, however, it would make perfect sense to reunite him with Dominik Kubalik, whose career he helped accelerate Goaltenders in 2019-20. Brandon Hagel, with his speed and dogged puck retrieval, could fill the role Brandon Saad formerly did next to Toews and Kubalik. Fleury will be the Hawks’ undisputed No. 1 goalie entering the season; that’s a privilege the reigning Vezina Trophy winner has earned. Kevin Third line: Kurashev — Johnson — Strome Lankinen more than proved his NHL worthiness last season, but he clearly isn’t ready to handle a heavy NHL workload. General manager Stan Bowman this month named Tyler Johnson alongside Dach and Toews as the Hawks’ top three centers, so the The tandem should be more like a ‘‘1A-1B’’ situation than a traditional former Lightning veteran presumably will slot in here. His finishing skills starter-backup divide, however, with Lankinen starting at least every third would complement Philipp Kurashev’s playmaking abilities nicely. game, if not more often. Dylan Strome — who doesn’t play well on the wing but only reasonably Malcolm Subban well might be traded rather than lost for nothing on fits there on the 2021-22 Hawks — remains a trade possibility, but the waivers.