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SPORT-SCAN DAILY BRIEF NHL 8/22/2021 1219587 Coyotes' letter to fans, partners addresses arena matters and commitment to remain in Phoenix area 1219588 Projecting Blackhawks’ 2021-22 depth chart: How will a crowded field sort out? 1219589 Avalanche Logan O’Connor on playoff exit: “You learn from your failures more than your successes” 1219590 Lowetide: Will the Ethan Bear trade be the latest shortsighted move that haunts the Oilers? 1219591 All The Kings Men – Dave Poulin on Phillip Danault 1219592 Henrik Lundqvist’s longevity on top with Rangers stands alone Ottawa Senators 1219593 OHL announces proof of vaccination policy for all teams 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 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 ? 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 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 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 : 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 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. Much-discussed NHL/AHL tweener Collin Delia and prospect odds of that decrease with each day. If Toews isn’t ready in September Arvid Soderblom likely will be the goalies at Rockford. or October, Strome might get another opportunity as the second-line center. If Toews is ready, Strome remains a wild card.

Fourth line: Khaira — Carpenter — Gaudette Chicago Sun Times LOADED: 08.22.2021

This is probably Ryan Carpenter’s final season with the Hawks, but he has been a fourth-line and -kill constant in each of the last two. Jujhar Khaira was signed specifically to add fourth-line .

If Adam Gaudette’s transformative offseason carries into the season, he might push as high on the depth chart as the second line. But he also could use his new weight to grind alongside Carpenter and Khaira.

Others in the mix

Top prospects Lukas Reichel and Henrik Borgstrom will be popular attractions during camp, but their rawness and the Hawks’ quantity of forwards make it probable they’ll groom with Rockford of the AHL in the fall. 1219589 Colorado Avalanche things in order to put myself in that position, but in regard to the third line, I think I have the ability. But we have a deep team.”

Q: Seven Avs who played all 10 playoff games have moved on. What do Avalanche forward Logan O’Connor on playoff exit: “You learn from your you think of their replacements? failures more than your successes” OC: “I’m excited to see what (Darren) Helm has to bring. I know he’s a fast-skating forward with a forechecking mentality. He’s a bottom-six By MIKE CHAMBERS forward for a reason — just being smart in all facets of the game, a two- way forward. And then we get (defenseman Ryan) Murray on the back August 21, 2021 at 5:45 a.m end, plus (Kurtis) MacDermid, (goalie Darcy) Kuemper. I think guys are really excited about the players coming in.” . Q: You seemed to be a tight, cohesive team last season. Do you think Avalanche forward Logan O’Connor is among approximately 10 NHL the chemistry will be similarly strong in 2021-22? regulars participating in the University of Denver’s pro camp at Magness Arena this week. OC: “Every year you have to hope for that. Bringing back Landy (captain Gabe Landeskog) was huge. He’s obviously a big glue guy. I think The 25-year-old former DU standout signed with the Avs as an undrafted management does a good job of promoting culture, same with the free agent in 2018, and has appeared in games each of the past three coaching staff. We have good leaders in there. I think culture is huge. seasons, including 22 in 2020-21. With a little more than a month before You want to play for each other more. That’s what winning teams have — the Avs start training camp, O’Connor agreed to an interview with The every winning team has a good culture. I know we had that last year and Post. Here’s what he had to say: I’m sure we’ll move forward next season.” Question: You played in just 22 games last season, plus two in the playoffs — the last two. We know you had surgery for a lower-body injury. What was the injury? Denver Post: LOADED: 08.22.2021 OC: “It was sports hernia and groin surgery. It had been bugging me for a while. It started early in the year and I tried to just push through it and push off surgery until the summer. It just got to the point I really couldn’t do that anymore and play to my ability. It’s tough to play in this league as 70 or 80%.”

Q: You guys began 6-0 in the playoffs before everything went wrong in the second round against Vegas. Does losing four straight for the first time all season still sting?

OC: “It was a disappointing end for us, obviously. You just try to take things away that will help improve next year and not have this feeling again, because dwelling on it throughout the summer is never fun, especially knowing the team we have and the potential we had to make an impact in the playoffs.”

Q: The team was on a Cup-or-bust mission last season. Is that mission that much more intense now?

OC: “I think guys are definitely still pretty sour about things and hopefully we can carry that into next season. We can do anything (great) in the regular season but after the Presidents’ Trophy, none of that really matters. It’s a clean set, a reset, and we have to learn from that. You learn from your failures more than your successes, so I think we just have to take steps going forward and grow and mature as a group through the playoffs.”

Q: The Avalanche protected you in the expansion draft last month, while other forwards like Joonas Donskoi (who was selected) and J.T. Compher were unprotected. I know contracts have something to do with that, but how does it feel to know the Avs have a deep investment in you?

OC: “It’s huge and goes a long way, but now that’s over with and now I have to turn the page and build on it, keep taking steps in the right direction. I don’t think you can ever be satisfied in this league because that’s when you fall back a couple steps. You have to constantly push and round out your game. I think that’s what everybody does in the summer to come to camp prepared to help the team win.”

Q: I would think you’re a little more confident this summer after making your return in the playoffs and playing so well in Games 5 and 6 against Vegas. True?

OC: “The first game I felt pretty good. Obviously, taking that much time off I didn’t know what to expect in regard to how I would feel. It’s tough taking that much time off and jumping into a pretty big series against Vegas. But I did feel good. The second game, I think I struggled a bit. I was just pretty sore after that first game.”

Q: There are similarities between you and Donskoi, now a Kraken. Do you think you can replace Donskoi as a third-line and bumper guy on the power play?

OC: “I think I have the ability to play it. Obviously, we have a lot of good guys on the power play, though. I would need to work on a bunch of 1219590 Edmonton Oilers Kris Russell

191

Lowetide: Will the Ethan Bear trade be the latest shortsighted move that 52.5 haunts the Oilers? 6.0

61.5 By Allan Mitchell When Bear was on the ice against the best in the Canadian Division, Aug 21, 2021 Edmonton enjoyed almost 60 percent of the shot share and quality.

The Nurse-Barrie tandem was not as effective in possession but did well in actual goals for and against. One of the reasons is Connor McDavid, Edmonton Oilers fans have had a difficult time this offseason saying who improves everyone on the ice with him. Taking away McDavid from goodbye to Ethan Bear, a young player who impressed everyone on and the defencemen’s stats reveals a very different picture than the one off the ice in his two-plus seasons with the team. above. (Note: We’re in a small sample size when parsing these numbers, The organization might likewise have a difficult time replacing Bear, who but there is value in seeing how everyone performs without the captain.) was emerging as something of a unicorn on the team’s defence. A right- PLAYER TOI VS. ELITES DFF% DFF% REL. handed defender, rare in itself, Bear also owns a wide range of skills that DIFF. include exceptional passing and solid coverage during opposition rushes, and he is a good fit alongside Darnell Nurse when used in that prominent Adam Larsson role. 250 His cap hit, meanwhile — $2 million last season and in the year to come — gives an NHL team the luxury of a prominent player with a value 51.3 contract. It’s an important piece in team-building under the salary cap. 2.4

Bear isn’t a perfect player — he isn’t a burner and is slightly undersized 40.0 — but trading a who is 24, has two years of NHL experience and has chemistry with your top rearguard is an unusual move. Darnell Nurse

What do the Oilers need to accomplish after trading Bear? Let’s have a 172 look. 37.5 Bear’s deployment -15.1 Oilers coach Dave Tippett used Nurse and Tyson Barrie as his top 26.7 pairing for much of last season, but Puck IQ tells us five men played significant five-on-five time against elites for a significant portion of the Kris Russell season. If we look at Bear’s minutes against elites, DFF percentage (Dangerous Fenwick, a shot-differential metric that includes all shots but 151 gives extra value to dangerous and close shots) and relative DFF 49.3 percentage, and then goal differential, all at five-on-five, we see a fascinating season for the young defenceman: 1.4

PLAYER TOI VS. ELITES DFF% DFF% REL. GOAL 44.4 DIFF. Ethan Bear Darnell Nurse 133 429 53.0 48.7 3.4 -1.7 33.3 51.2 Tyson Barrie Tyson Barrie 124 314 35.9 43.2 -16.5 -11.1 26.7 50.0 Without McDavid, things change drastically for the top pairing of Nurse- Adam Larsson Barrie. It’s easy to place blame on the defenders, but roster composition is the main culprit. The gap between McDavid and the rest of the roster 304 leaves all of Edmonton’s defenders well below 50 percent in goal 53.7 differential.

5.8 The first name that catches the eye is Adam Larsson, who had a strong season for Edmonton in all situations. Fans are rightly concerned about 41.2 losing a quality shutdown defenceman, but there were worries about going long term with the big Swedish player, who signed a four-year, $16 Ethan Bear million contract with the Kraken. He turns 29 in November and has 214 played a lot of grueling NHL minutes.

59.0 Larsson has played 603 regular-season games and has a history of the type of injuries (including reported back issues during the 2020 bubble 12.3 playoffs, as reported by Postmedia’s Jim Matheson) that can lead to 25.0 chronic problems. There is risk in signing a defenceman approaching 30 with a back problem. Bear has no such problems on his résumé. His foot speed isn’t a plus, and his size (5-foot-11, 197 pounds) is below average for the position, but overall, he does more to help his team win games than his current The Athletic LOADED: 08.22.2021 salary ($2 million) by some margin.

Bear is making $2 million in 2021-22 and then will likely earn $4 million- plus on a longer contract that could buy some free-agent seasons.

He is 24 and, barring injury, is likely to be productive for the next several years. The have him signed through his mid-20s or close to his peak value.

That’s what Edmonton needs to replace.

The three career stages

There are three stages to an NHL player’s career:

• Development (time-consuming and risky, the success rate for developing healthy and effective defencemen is poor)

• Productive and cost-effective (usually from NHL arrival as a regular through end of restricted-free-agent seasons at age 27)

• Full-price seasons and reduced effectiveness after age 30

A team never wants to do the hard work of development without getting those key years when a player can help in an important position without being paid major dollars.

This is vital in the cap era.

Bear is just past his entry years, with his two-year bridge deal up at the end of 2021-22. The pressure point on his future is next summer, when his salary is likely to double. Carolina will attempt to get several seasons, even some UFA years, wrapped around the final RFA campaigns. It’s a good way to reduce the overall cap number.

The Oilers have been avoiding this kind of arrangement in recent seasons, first with Jeff Petry, expensively with Nurse, and now with Bear. It’s an inefficient path and can’t work if the organization is unable to replace Bear’s talent.

What does it all mean?

What do the Oilers need to accomplish after dealing Bear?

More value contracts. Holland did a nice job delaying the start of Evan Bouchard’s entry deal, Edmonton will have the young phenom on a value contract for the next two seasons. Holland did the same thing with Dylan Holloway, as the clock starts ticking on his deal this fall. Slow-playing contracts will help the organization over the next four (critical) seasons.

The club also badly needs to retain head coach Jay Woodcroft as long as possible or find a suitable replacement. The minor- league team wandered in the wilderness for a long time before finding Woodcroft, Dave Manson and the now-departed J-F Houle.

Finally, the Oilers have to make the right bets on talent.

I see the Bear trade as Holland measuring Bear’s future value (one year at $2 million, plus two more RFA seasons after his current contract expires) against signing Barrie to a three-year deal worth $4.5 million per season as well as the return he got for Bear in Warren Foegele.

I can see the reasoning, but the bet needs to be the correct one. Barrie’s three seasons will start at age 30, and chances are he’ll be less effective at the end of the contract than he was a year ago. Bear is about to enter the heart of his career, on a $2 million contract for the coming season.

Oilers fans have watched young talent get traded for 15-plus seasons, from Devan Dubnyk to Andrew Cogliano to Petry, Taylor Hall, Jordan Eberle and more. What’s more, the return for those talented players has been less than 100 cents on the dollar.

Oilers fans have a right to demand value in trades made by management. The past 15 years have earned them that much. Trading a top-four defenceman for a third-line winger in order to shoehorn Barrie onto the roster doesn’t look like full value.

Edmonton needs to win a trade, bringing back more talent than was sent away. Foegele is a useful player, as I wrote at the time of the trade.

If the Oilers make the playoffs and win two rounds, fans will move on. If Edmonton falters, and Bear flourishes, the deal will join a long list of trades that are famous only for bringing back less than full value. 1219591 Los Angeles Kings

All The Kings Men – Dave Poulin on Phillip Danault

By Zach Dooley

Following the Kings addition of Phillip Danault, Jesse Cohen of All The Kings Men was joined by former 13-year NHLer and current TSN analyst Dave Poulin to talk about the organization’s marquee offseason signing.

Poulin, who has covered the Montreal Canadians and Danault closely over the past four seasons self-admittedly played a very similar game stylistically to Danault en route to winning a Selke Trophy in 1986-87 raved about the attributes Danault brings to Los Angeles.

Here are some of the notable takeaways from Poulin on the Kings signing Phillip Danault to his six-year, $33 million contact.

On the strengths in Danault’s game

He’s been in the conversation for the Selke Trophy over the last few years, in the top 5-10. He gets all of the tough starts: he gets all of the defensive zone face-offs, he gets all the penalty kill defensive zone face- offs and he’s a real strong face-off guy (53.1% career average). He’s comfortable with his own game and I think that’s going to be a big factor in his success.

On the value that Danault could have on the Kings organization for years to come

With Danault, you have an ingredient. If you want to teach defensive responsibility to the Kings prospects, that certainly starts in the AHL with the Reign, but it also starts with assimilation by watching and learning from other players that you’re playing with. If you’re watching Danault on a night-to-night basis, you’re watching someone you can learn from and get better from.

On Danault allowing Anze Kopitar to focus on offense more by taking on the defensive responsibilities

The reason you don’t have to put Kopitar out on a big defensive zone face-off is because you now have a Phillip Danault, and you can trust him every bit as much in that situation as Kopitar. Therefore, you’ve lightened the defensive responsibilities for Kopitar and now you can give [Kopitar] more offensive zone face-offs. Danault gives you that option. It’s an absolute that [Danault] will help players north and south of him on the roster.

LA Kings Insider: LOADED: 08.22.2021 1219592 New York Rangers not have enough left to take out the more rested Devils in the conference finals after also having been put through a seven-game Round 1 meat grinder against the Senators.

Henrik Lundqvist’s longevity on top with Rangers stands alone John Tortorella never did a better job behind the Rangers bench than he did during the 2011-12 season, in which they won the Eastern Conference going away and fell one point short of the Presidents’ By Larry Brooks Trophy, but he never did a worse job than during those playoffs, with a group that was primed to win it all.

5. Best series victories: 1. Montreal, 2014 conference finals; 2. 1. Do Games 6 and 7 against the Devils in the 1994 conference finals, Washington, 2015 second round; 3. Pittsburgh, 2014 second round; 4. the penalty shot save against Pavel Bure and the franchise’s only Ottawa, 2012 first round; 5. Devils, 2008 first round; 6. Atlanta, 2007 first championship in the last 81 years elevate Mike Richter round; 7. Washington, 2013 first round; 8. Montreal, 2017 first round. above Lundqvist in the pantheon on Blueshirts goaltenders, which also features Ed Giacomin and Dave Kerr? Worst series defeats: 1. Ottawa, 2017 second round; 2. Pittsburgh, 2016 first round; 3. Tampa Bay, 2015 conference finals; 4. Devils, 2012 If that is your contention, I wouldn’t attempt to dissuade you, for the 34.5- conference finals. pound silver chalice is more than worth its weight in historical gold. Lundqvist versus Richter is a debate on which both sides have currency. 6. The crowning achievement: Game 6, 1-0 over Montreal at the Garden For another team with more success, the choice would be self-evident. to go the 2014 Cup final and the miraculous second-period helicopter But here, 1994 stands alone. save on Thomas Vanek about two minutes before Dominic Moore scored the game’s only goal. But know this: No one, not one and not one player, was ever the face of the franchise for 15 years, the way Lundqvist was. No one, “I don’t know if it’s because I’m getting old or maybe because I’m a not one goaltender and not one player, was ever relied upon for so long, goalie, but I don’t remember too many specific games or saves as much the way Lundqvist was. as the entire feeling of the experience of my career and of my teammates,” Lundqvist said. “But if there’s one moment, yeah, 1-0 2. OK, who do you have, The Cat’s Rangers or the King’s? against Montreal to go to the final, the way the Garden was, that would Are you taking the Emile Francis Era, from 1966-67 through 1974-75, in be the one.” which the Blueshirts of Giacomin, Rod Gilbert, Jean Ratelle, Vic Hadfield and Brad Park qualified for the playoffs nine straight years and went to the finals once and the semis three other times after having missed the New York Post LOADED: 08.22.2021 tournament seven of the previous eight seasons?

Or are you taking the Lundqvist Years from 2005-06 through 2016-17 in which the Rangers of this vintage qualified for the playoffs 11 of 12 years, went to the finals once and the conference finals two other times after having missed the tournament the previous seven seasons?

Rangers

Henrik Lundqvist announced his retirement on Friday.

Giacomin, Gilbert, Ratelle and Park are in the . Lundqvist will be the only player from the latter era to gain induction into the HHOF. There is that to consider.

But the playoffs …

Emile’s teams went 5-9 in playoff series; Lundqvist’s went 11-11.

In their four-year peak, from 1971 through 1974, Emile’s teams went 5-4 in playoff rounds and were 3-4 in elimination games.

In their four-year peak from 2012 through 2015, Lundqvist’s teams went 8-4 in playoff rounds and 15-4 — honestly, how is that even possible without winning it all once? — in elimination games.

The side on which you come down in this debate may be generational, and no doubt there was more star power on The Cat’s Rangers. But there is no question whatsoever that Lundqvist’s Rangers were the more superior playoff team.

It kinda hurts for the kid from the original Section 419 to admit that.

3. Top 10 Most Valuable Teammates of the Lundqvist Era: 1. Ryan McDonagh; 2. Derek Stepan; 3. Jaromir Jagr; 4. Dan Girardi; 5. Rick Nash; 6. Ryan Callahan; 7. Mats Zuccarello; 8. Derick Brassard; 9. Marc Staal; 10. Brad Richards.

“My rookie year, I felt like, ‘Wow!’ Everything was so big,” Lundqvist told The Post in advance of Friday’s retirement announcement. “My teammates … Jagr.

“It was kind of overwhelming.”

4. I have always been convinced that the Rangers lost the 2012 Cup when they failed to close out the Capitals in fewer than seven games in the second round.

Losing Game 4 (after winning Game 3 in triple overtime) and a potential clinching Game 6 (after tying Game 5 at 19:52 of the third period and winning it in OT) in Washington was devastating to a team that essentially cut down to nine forwards and five defensemen. They just did 1219593 Ottawa Senators

OHL announces proof of vaccination policy for all Ontario teams

Staff Reporter

Publishing date:Aug 21, 2021

The has announced a proof of vaccination policy for all of its 17 Ontario teams for the 2021-22 season that starts on Oct. 7.

“This expanded policy will cover all spectators and other attendees at all OHL events, including games and practices,” the league announced.

The policy includes team personnel, employees and fans. Children under age 12 will be required to be accompanied and supervised by a fully vaccinated adult and will be required to follow all safety protocols.

Last month, the league announced that players, team staff and billet families would need to be vaccinated before training camps open.

The Ottawa 67’s are scheduled to play their first home game at TD Place arena on Sunday, Oct. 10 against the Kingston Frontenacs.

The league also has three U.S.-based teams: the Erie Otters in and the Flint Firebirds and Saginaw Spirit, both in Michigan. They will open the season by playing each other exclusively through the end of October.

Both Pennsylvania and Michigan continue to be hot COVID-19 zones. Michigan, with a population of about 10.2 million, has recorded more than one million confirmed and probable cases since the pandemic began and more than 21,300 deaths. Both the number of cases and death tolls are more than twice the number in much-larger Ontario.

Another complication is the unsettled situation at the -U.S. border. Canada now allows vaccinated Americans to cross the border, while the U.S. remains closed to Canadians for non-essential travel until at least Sept. 21.

The OHL was the only league in the top-tier Canadian Hockey League group — which includes the Quebec Major Junior Hockey League and the , which has four U.S.-based clubs — that did not play at all last season because of the pandemic.

Ottawa Citizen LOADED: 08.22.2021 1219594 Philadelphia Flyers

Flyers give Travis Sanheim healthy raise

Sam Carchidi

The Flyers avoided salary arbitration with defenseman Travis Sanheim, signing the restricted free agent to a two-year deal Sunday that carries a $4.675 million average annual value.

Sanheim received a heathy raise despite a disappointing season.The Flyers’ cap hit for their seven projected defensemen will be a little higher than Vegas’ for its top seven defenders. The Golden Knights had the best defense in the NHL last season, allowing 2.18 goals per game. The Flyers surrendered a league-worst 3.52 goals per game.

The Flyers also will spend more than what two-time defending Stanley Cup champion Tampa Bay will pay its seven defensemen.

The Flyers Travis Sanheim will be part of well-paid defensive corps after signing a two-year deal on Sunday. Despite a big dropoff in production last year, Sanheim avoided arbitration and received a healthy raise.

If money spent equates to victories, then, the rebuilt Flyers should be much improved in 2021-22.

For seven defensemen, Vegas is projected to have a $24.3 million cap hit, while Tampa’s is projected to be $25.375 million. If you include as the extra defenseman, the Flyers have $25.525 million in cap hits committed to seven defenders.

Sanheim, 25, who had a $3.25 million cap hit during each of the previous two years, slipped last season (15 points, minus-22). It was his worst season in his three full years with the Flyers. The Flyers were going to take him to arbitration Thursday if they didn’t reach an agreement. Sanheim’s point totals have dropped the last three years — from 35 points in 82 games, to 25 points in 69 games, to 15 points in 55 games. His goals have gone from nine to eight to three in that span.

The Flyers are counting on Sanheim bouncing back as he is expected to be paired with recently acquired Rasmus Ristolainen.

Philadelphia Inquirer / Daily News LOADED: 08.22.2021 1219595 Philadelphia Flyers

Flyers sign depth center to new contract

BY JORDAN HALL

Connor Bunnaman, a depth center who shouldn't be forgotten in the Flyers' bottom-six competition, signed a two-year, $1.5 million contract on Friday.

The 23-year-old was a restricted free agent this offseason. Bunnaman's new deal is a two-way contract in Year 1 and a one-way contract in Year 2, while the average annual value of it is $750,000.

The Flyers have been impressed with Bunnaman's growth since he was taken in the fourth round of the 2016 draft. He has quietly gotten better and has logged 39 games over the last two seasons. Bunnaman provides good size and positional versatility, given he can play the wing if needed.

Bunnaman has competed well in the Flyers' last two training camps. As a dark horse, he won a role in the club's 2019-20 season-opening lineup, while Kevin Hayes called him "the most improved player in camp" last season.

In 2020-21, Bunnaman played 18 games and finished with 11:34 minutes a night. He had an assist, a minus-6 rating and won 53.8 percent of his faceoffs.

Bunnaman gained valuable experience down the stretch of the 2019-20 regular season before the NHL trade deadline, when the Flyers acquired Derek Grant and Nate Thompson. He was a plus-7 in 21 games and then played four games in the playoffs, so the Flyers trust his ability to jump into the lineup and be effective.

Bunnaman will compete among a crowded group vying for roster spots and opportunities in the Flyers' bottom six this season. He could open the year at AHL affiliate Lehigh Valley and be a depth option throughout the season.

The Flyers have a big restricted free agent remaining this offseason. The club elected for salary arbitration with 25-year-old defenseman Travis Sanheim. The hearing date is next Thursday, the last day for arbitration hearings. The two sides can still negotiate and agree to a deal before then.

Comcast SportsNet.com LOADED: 08.22.2021 1219596 Philadelphia Flyers clearly was not able to use the abbreviated training camp effectively, in the sense of having his team sharp from a systems standpoint to begin the season, and his “tough love” style of coaching Keys for a Flyers return to the playoffs? Most underrated prospects? and discipline didn’t have the desired motivating effect that it had in Year Breakout and rebound candidates? Mailbag 1 of his Philadelphia tenure. Mike Yeo’s penalty kill fell apart, as did the blueline corps he coached. Michel Therrien juggled the power-play combinations on what seemed like a daily basis and never really found anything that clicked. Dillabaugh never truly “figured out” how to get By Charlie O'Connor Carter Hart right until it was far too late. Aug 21, 2021 This plays into team chemistry as well. In the wake of a rough year, the coaches need to successfully turn the page on 2020-21, beginning at training camp, and re-establish trust with returning players. That will be Summer is nearing the home stretch, which of course means one thing essential in fostering an environment that can facilitate success. And for Philadelphia Flyers fans: the return of hockey. then, once the season begins, they simply have to get their charges ready to play winning hockey and to live up to their potential as NHLers. Flyers development camp is right around the corner, scheduled to begin Aug. 28. In the wake of Friday’s announcement that restricted free agent Last season the special teams were a concern. With no new coaching Connor Bunnaman was re-signed to a two-year, $1.5 million contract, changes, how can we expect a better result this year? Are new additions general manager Chuck Fletcher has just one more piece of required the magic bullet? Do you expect a top-five or top-10 performance for both offseason business: resolving Travis Sanheim’s pending arbitration PP and PK? — Daniel K. hearing (Aug. 26). Slowly but surely, Flyers hockey is on the way back. I’m far more optimistic about the penalty kill, for a few reasons. Unsurprisingly, this month’s edition of Flyers Mailbag is focused on the looming season — expectations, lineup questions, potential holes, For starters, we’ve already seen a Yeo-coached unit have extended potential strengths, salary-cap questions. So with just a little bit more success. Back in 2019-20, it was a dynamic, attacking unit — both one of downtime left before the real action begins, let’s take a look at the the best shot/chance suppression PKs in hockey, and one of the more questions on top of Flyers fans’ minds. dangerous ones in terms of short-handed chances and goals. Obviously, it took a nosedive in 2020-21. But there’s reason to think a bounce back (Note: Some questions are edited for length and clarity.) is possible. An improved Hart would help in a huge way. Both Ellis and Atkinson should provide big boosts for the unit — Ellis defensively, and What needs to go right this year to get to the playoffs? — Bill T. Atkinson in terms of short-handed offense. Add in a (hopefully) healthier Let’s run through what I view as the requirements for a return to the Kevin Hayes in the wake of offseason surgery, a not-weakened-from- postseason: COVID-19 Scott Laughton, and a full year removed from cancer treatments, and the PK should be better. 1. Carter Hart bounces back (or Martin Jones saves the day) The power play? Well, the good news surrounding the unit coached by First and foremost, the Flyers need to do a better job of goal prevention. Therrien is that purely from a results standpoint, it hasn’t been awful, Though their 2020-21 issues in that area weren’t solely on the ranking 18th and 14th the past two seasons. Based on fan sentiment, it netminders, Hart and Brian Elliott struggled mightily, particularly in sure feels like it was worse than that, and given the talent on hand, it March. If Hart returns to form and doesn’t allow 30 more goals than does seem like the power play should be better. But I’m skeptical that will expected (as he did in 2020-21, according to Natural Stat Trick) that will be the case. go a long way in putting Philadelphia back in playoff contention. And if he struggles? Well, in that case, they better hope that Kim Dillabaugh can fix Atkinson should provide a much-needed shooting dynamic, but it’s worth Martin Jones. Teams just don’t make the playoffs with the kind of noting that Jakub Voracek was a very good power-play producer as well, goaltending the Flyers received last season, though the goalies will also so I’m not sure that’s a net gain. Yandle has been a strong power-play need … quarterback for years, but there’s no guarantee he has a locked-in spot on PP1. Players like Wade Allison and Morgan Frost could help — or 2. The new-look defense to click as a whole they could fail to make the opening night lineup. There are far more unknowns when it comes to pulling the power play out of its current rut of It’s not necessary for every player in the blueline corps to have a mediocrity, compared with the possibility of a rapid, dramatic standout season, especially if we’re only talking about the playoffs as the improvement of the PK. goal. (If we’re talking Stanley Cup contention, then yes, everybody needs to play well.) But the Flyers could survive even if Rasmus Ristolainen Given the departures of Shayne Gostisbehere, Nolan Patrick and remains the Buffalo version of Rasmus Ristolainen, or if Ryan Ellis is Voracek (plus the additions of Atkinson, Ellis, Ristolainen and Yandle), merely good and not great, or if basically just replicates how do you see the power-play units shaking out? — Brian T. 2020-21, or if Travis Sanheim continues to watch his mistakes end up in the back of the net. They just can’t have all (or most) of those things If I had to guess on the 10 most likely players to make up PP1 and PP2 happen. If three of their top four defenseman basically live up to to begin the year, I’d guess the following: Claude Giroux, , reasonable expectations, and the third pair simply holds its own, that’s a , James van Riemsdyk, Atkinson, , Hayes, massive upgrade over what the group as a whole delivered in 2020-21, Yandle, Provorov and Ellis. and really should be enough to push the team back into the postseason, To be clear, these wouldn’t be my choices. I’d rather have an eighth so long as … forward in place of Provorov, in particular. I really like Allison as a 3. Team chemistry is a lot better potential net-front option, or even as a slot one-timer option in the vein of Scott Hartnell. But based on seniority and the past strategies of Therrien This really is the X-factor. As Fletcher pointed out in an insightful and the coaching staff, this group makes the most sense, with interview with Broad Street Hockey’s Stephanie Driver last month, when youngsters like Allison and Frost pushing for spots if some of the adversity hit the team in 2020-21, the group didn’t handle it especially veterans falter. Lindblom and Ristolainen could factor in, but both would well, allowing bad situations to snowball into awful ones. This particular have to jump existing options. incarnation of the Flyers needs to respond better to challenges, play with more trust on the ice and hold each other better accountable off it. As for the specific structures of the units, I wouldn’t be shocked if they Veterans like Ellis, Cam Atkinson and Keith Yandle should, in theory, give the Giroux-Atkinson tandem a shot early on, to see if they can help in that regard, but the viability of the new mix is unknown until the generate immediate passer-shooter chemistry. Yandle makes sense as season actually begins. It’s an intangible element to the Flyers’ success, the kind of facilitator up top that they want, and Couturier (bumper) and but as 2020-21 showed, it’s a pivotal one as well, even if … JvR (net front) are chalk choices for PP1 given their track records and standings on the team. That would leave a Hayes-Konecny-Farabee- 4. The coaches also need to do a much better job Ellis-Provorov PP2, with one of Hayes or Konecny taking net-front duties. I don’t love it, but I could see it being their opening look. Much of the With the exception of Ian Laperriere taking on the head coaching role in specifics will depend on how training camp shakes out, though. I expect Lehigh Valley and being replaced by Darryl Williams, the Flyers chose to the coaching staff to test out lots of different combinations. bring back the entirety of their NHL coaching staff for 2021-22. But don’t take that to mean they lived up to expectations last season. They didn’t. How confident are you in their centers? Obviously Coots is the 1C, but expect he’ll fall somewhere in the $4 million to $5 million cap-hit range, Hayes had a step back last year and they are a bit thin after that. Any and if arbitration happens, he’s locked into either a one- or two-year term, way you think they could address it? — Will H. both of which I imagine would be on the low end of that range.

It’s actually one of my biggest concerns regarding the team’s roster. So let’s give Sanheim a $4.3 million cap hit, which is Evolving-Hockey’s projection for a two-year contract. That gives Philadelphia $17.3 million “Bring in a quality third center” was No. 8 on my “perfect offseason” committed to three of their top four defensemen. It may seem like a lot, checklist in late June, though I acknowledged that for cap/asset reasons, but it really doesn’t put the Flyers way out of line with other teams in the Flyers were probably going to have to choose between adding a hockey, even after a potential Ristolainen re-signing. Here are the second top-four defenseman and acquiring a legitimate top-nine center. It leaguewide combined cap numbers (in millions) for each team’s top four, was justifiable to prioritize the former (though questions remain of with any upcoming contracts or raises yet to start noted: whether they picked the right player to fill that hole), but now they are left with a serious question at the 3C spot. San Jose

That said, it’s a problem that could certainly be resolved internally if Frost $28.75M steps up. Don’t forget he made the team out of camp last season and should be 100 percent healed by September’s training camp from the New Jersey shoulder injury that ruined his 2020-21 season. Frost has more than $25.33M enough talent to run with the 3C job; it’s just impossible to state with certainty that he will until he actually does. Minnesota

Beyond Frost, the Flyers are left mostly with stopgaps who are better at $24.58M other positions (Giroux, Laughton) or lower-upside youngsters (Tanner Colorado Laczynski, Jackson Cates). If Frost can’t make the 3C job his own and the Flyers remain in playoff contention, I imagine center will become the $24.10M top priority for Fletcher at the trade deadline. Tampa Do you see it as a problem that JVR, Lindblom and Laughton are slotted as bottom-six players in most depth charts out there? Do you think ice $22.38M time will be an issue re: young players bouncing back? — Jonathan M. Dallas To the contrary, I see it as one of the Flyers’ biggest strengths. $22.15M For this version of the Flyers to succeed, it needs to be on the back of Winnipeg enviable scoring depth. That’s their entire model. So the fact players like van Riemsdyk and Lindblom and Laughton are being projected as third- $21.98M or even fourth-liners isn’t a bug; it’s a feature. It should in theory allow Philadelphia to roll four lines and wear down opponents, the way they did Vegas in the second half of 2019-20. $21.75M And in truth, it’s not like any of those players are ideally suited for top-six St. Louis minutes at even strength, anyway. I’ve always viewed JvR as the perfect sheltered third-liner. Keep him away from the toughest matchups, and let $21.28M him focus on racking up the goals against lesser competition and on the power play. Lindblom certainly can be a top-sixer — he showed it in the Montreal first half of 2019-20 — but it’s probably best to wait for him to prove he $21.11M can return to those heights post-cancer before penciling him into such a lofty spot in the lineup. As for Laughton, he’s the Swiss Army knife of the Los Angeles lineup. Is he a second-line-caliber winger right now? Probably. But having second-line-caliber players on third (or even fourth) lines is how $20.98M teams win titles, and Laughton is the type of person who will play any Pittsburgh role without complaining. $20.63M So in short, no, I don’t see it as an issue at all. Edmonton What prospects do you think should be talked about more often in the Flyers organization, and do you think they will make a strong future $19.81M impact for us? — John O. Darnell Nurse Ronnie Attard, Noah Cates and Samuel Ersson. Attard is clearly the Flyers’ top right-handed defensive prospect, Cates strikes me as close to Anaheim a sure-thing useful NHL bottom-sixer and Ersson was historically good $19.71M for his age in the Allsvenskan in 2018-19 and then had a low-key fantastic SHL season for a Brynäs club that by all accounts was horrid Washington defensively in 2020-21. I think he has high-end NHL backup potential, $19.60M though we’ll have to see how his game translates to North America first. Seattle What Olympic event would Gritty take gold in? — Eric F. $19.35M Diving. I’m envisioning Gritty doing something straight out of Sum 41’s music video for “In Too Deep.” Vancouver

Let’s pretend everything goes perfect with Ristolainen and he looks like a $18.76M great second-pairing defenseman. How in the world are the Flyers going to afford to re-sign him while paying Provorov, Ellis and Sanheim so Carolina much? — Austin G. $18.63M It’s really not an outlandish scenario that the Flyers could fit them all in the short term, depending on how the Sanheim negotiation/arbitration plays out. $18.20M

Don’t forget that neither Provorov ($6.75 million cap hit) nor Ellis ($6.25 Chicago million) is getting paid like true a No. 1 defenseman, and both are locked up for quite a while. As for Sanheim, his situation is more fluid, but I do $17.80M Seth Jones ability to pass on the contract. They’re stuck with it unless they trade Sanheim to another club in the wake of the decision. Nashville As for the potential nature of an arbitrator-decided contract, I agree that it $17.76M will likely exceed $4 million in cap hit but am skeptical it will approach $5 Mattias Ekholm million. Don’t forget Sanheim can only earn a one- or two-year term via arbitration, depending on his preference. Yes, the going rate for quality Calgary defensemen seems to be skyrocketing this summer, but those are pretty much all on long-term deals — deals that Sanheim won’t be able to $17.75M access via the arbitration process. Toronto It’s likely going to be a tight cap situation regardless of how it plays out, $17.63M unless Fletcher has another trade up his sleeve. I could absolutely see the Flyers rolling with a 22-man roster to start the season if necessary. Morgan Rielly? But it should be manageable, even if not ideal.

Philadelphia If you had to pick one breakout (or rebound) Flyers player for this season and one player most likely to disappoint, who would you take? — Jason $17.30M F. Rasmus Ristolainen? “Rebound” and “breakout” are two very different things, so I’ll split them Ottawa into two separate categories.

$17.00M I think quite a few Flyers players are going to rebound. I expect Lindblom to be much more effective given a full offseason to rebuild his body in the Florida wake of cancer treatments, and I believe Ivan Provorov will be far better given greater stability on the back end. But I’ll go with Carter Hart. I could $16.95M be totally off here (and if I am, the Flyers are in trouble), but I see him Arizona shaking off 2020-21 and re-establishing himself as one of the best young netminders in hockey. $15.95M As for breakout candidates, Allison strikes me as an intriguing one. He’s Boston proved he’s physically ready for the NHL, has a clear path to a top-nine $15.69M role on this roster, fills a stylistic need as a shoot-first power forward type and put up fantastic underlying metrics (60.2 percent on-ice expected Charlie McAvoy goals share at five-on-five) during his audition at the end of the 2020-21 season. I’m not expecting him to take a star turn in his rookie season, but New York Rangers assuming he makes the team out of camp, I could see 20 goals and 40 $14.43M points with strong advanced stats.

Adam Fox Who might disappoint? It seems like fan expectations are very high surrounding Farabee entering 2021-22, and I could see him not quite Detroit meeting them. It’s difficult to imagine him having a truly bad season — he’s too complete and diligent a player — but it wouldn’t shock me if he $14.20M doesn’t take the leap into 60-point territory that I sense many fans believe Columbus is destined. I’m getting some “Konecny in 2018-19” vibes, in that people might be predicting the full-fledged breakout a year early. Wouldn’t shock $11.78M me if it comes, but he’s the one player on the Flyers where optimism regarding his immediate future is running a bit wild. Zach Werenski What I understand reading the statement of Kärpät (Liiga) about Samu Buffalo Tuomaala is that he will start the season in AHL. Is this correct? “…at the $9.20M end of the training camp, Tuomaala will represent the Flyers organization.” — Kristian W. Rasmus Dahlin My understanding is that there’s yet to be a final decision on Tuomaala Re-signing Ristolainen to the same cap hit he has now ($5.2 million) — the Flyers’ second-round pick in July — and his ultimate plan for 2021- would definitely put the Flyers on the higher end of the chart — but not 22. outlandishly so. Right now, they’d be fifth, though the raises looming for Darnell Nurse, Seth Jones and Adam Fox very well could push the The Flyers signed him to his entry-level contract this month, so they now Oilers, Blackhawks and Rangers above that point by the time a new have more control over the direction of his career. But Tuomaala has Ristolainen contract kicks in. quite a few options. He could, as you note, play in the AHL despite his young age, because he was drafted out of a European league (in this Obviously, if Ristolainen requires a significant raise, that changes things. scenario, the Flyers could even slide his 2021-22 contract year so long And I’m still skeptical that he’ll play well enough in Philadelphia to be as he doesn’t become an NHL regular, which seems extremely unlikely). worth re-signing in the first place. But if he does prove to be worth the He was also selected by the of the OHL in their Import investment, the Flyers could make it work. Draft, so he could be loaned by the Flyers to them for 2021-22. And then there’s always the chance the Flyers could loan him back to Finland (or Why do I have this nagging feeling the Flyers are going to walk away another European league) if they don’t feel like the OHL or AHL are the from Travis Sanheim’s arbitration award? Given the Nurse and (Vince) best fits. Dunn contracts (I believe both were RFA thus can be cited by Sanheim’s representatives), there’s no way he gets a number under $4 million My read of the situation is that Tuomaala wants to come to North average annual value, and it seems very possible he’s over $5 million America and work on adjusting to the style of play as soon as possible. I AAV. I don’t really see how the Flyers can ice a team with no cap space do believe there’s some concern on the part of the Flyers, though, that he and only 22 players for an 82-game schedule, especially with COVID-19 might not be physically ready for the AHL as of yet. So the final still looming and requiring call-up players. — Mario D. destination is still up in the air.

Well, let me set your mind at ease in one regard: The Flyers are not The good news is that Tuomaala is coming to development camp allowed to walk away from Sanheim’s arbitration award, assuming a regardless, which begins Aug. 28. So he’ll have a chance to showcase hearing does happen Aug. 26 and the two sides do not agree to a himself to the Flyers’ brass up close for five days. I wouldn’t be shocked contract before that time. A team can only “walk away” from a contract if his performance at camp helps to dictate where he ends up in 2021-22. decided by an arbitrator if the player was the one who elected arbitration. In this case, it was a club-elected arbitration, so they will not have the The Athletic LOADED: 08.22.2021 1219597 Pittsburgh Penguins Henrik Lundqvist Freaks Out and Flips Net Over - Rangers vs Penguins (03/03/16)

Detroit: Remember former first-round pick Evgeny Svechnikov? He just Dan’s Daily: Blackhawks Misspell FLEURY, PHN’s Origin StoryPublished signed an AHL deal with the . 20 hours ago on August 21, 2021By Dan Kingerski Which SEVEN Red Wings could go to the Olympics?

Colorado: And Peter Budaj is back with the Colorado Avalanche. The Dan Kingerski former Avs goalie is now a coach…

And, as promised, the story of the mixer, the young radio guy, and If you trade for a future Hall of Famer, learn to spell his name, especially determination. No, it’s not a Lifetime movie because I didn’t give it all up on a jersey. New Chicago Blackhawks goalie Marc-Andre Fleury sold his for the girl or a Christmas tree. And the dialogue was much better. Las Vegas home for a pretty penny, and he was included in a As PHN prepares to move into its new downtown office and I prepare to Blackhawks promotional photo of the locker room jerseys. Unfortunately, move back to the better part of the North Side (THANK YOU!), I find his new jersey…misspelled his name. Another Hall of Fame broadcaster myself throwing away some sentimental broadcast equipment. I already will hang up the mic after this season, and we took a hard look at ditched the expensive Sennheiser headsets I used as Team USA play- Pittsburgh Penguins defenseman Kris Letang and his possible new by-play in 2005 and the Johnstown Chiefs in 2006. But Friday, I pitched contract. the piece of equipment that started it all. Ignore the typo in the final I also told a long story on Twitter. Since Only 20% of our audience comes tweet… from the bluebird of misery, I’ll post it here, too. Always keep working. For I was 24 and getting pressure at home to abandon my radio career. some, success comes easy. I’m not one of those people. Through happenstance and hardwork, I wound up on a local hockey Packing up for the big moves to a new downtown studio/office and new team’s radio network for a bit, but that wasn’t enough. So, I put on my living quarters… entrepreneurial hat and got to work with $100 and lots of knowhow…

Have to throw away the original soundboard for The Fourth Period Radio — Dan Kingerski (@TheDanKingerski) August 20, 2021 Show. Let me tell you about it… I grabbed a 22-year-old cohost, who was a newbie writer at the — Dan Kingerski (@TheDanKingerski) August 20, 2021 Washington OR named @MarkLazerus and we had a blast.

The story continued at the bottom… Jarome Iginla gave us our first big interview and the show began to grow.

Pittsburgh Hockey Now: What is Kris Letang worth? Will he want to — Dan Kingerski (@TheDanKingerski) August 20, 2021 recoup value from his long team-friendly deal? PHN did the full analysis Succumbing to home pressure, I even decided to end the show before with comparables, the Pittsburgh Penguins salary cap, and market the 2005-06 season, but God sent a sign—the Predators pressured forces–How much is Kris Letang worth on his next contract? ESPN Nashville to add more hockey content. So, without telling us, Also–for PHN readers, FanDuel is offering a few promo bets on the ESPN added the show! Manny Pacquiao fight. — Dan Kingerski (@TheDanKingerski) August 20, 2021

AND–John Perrotto provided some insights and betting tips for the And here I am with a 11-outlet hockey network that is one of THE most Steelers game tonight. read professional hockey outlets in the world, and we’re still growing.

NHL News & National Hockey Now Because of that $50 soundboard.

Vegas Review-Journal: Guess that is goodbye. Marc-Andre Fleury sold Au revoir, you magnificent bastard. his Vegas suburban home for a tidy little $8 million sum. — Dan Kingerski (@TheDanKingerski) August 20, 2021 CBS Vegas: Seriously, learn to spell your new goalie’s name correctly. F- l-E-u-r-y. NOT F-l-U-e-r-y. Sure it happens on Twitter with a quick tweet or may even happen in private, but the Chicago Blackhawks didn’t realize the mistake and displayed his incorrect jersey in a promo photo. Ouch. Pittsburgh Hockey Now LOADED: 08.22.2021

Off to a hell of a start in Chicago…

Sportsnet: The signed big d-man Nikita Zadarov to a one-year extension for a moderate $3.5 million salary.

Boston: Tuukka Rask shows up on some “top unsigned free agents” lists, but the goalie really isn’t a free agent. The Bruins expect him back this season…eventually.

NYI: Gary Bettman says Islanders fans “are going to love” the UBS Arena.

I don’t know. You can’t replace character and history and the acoustics of those old barns. For all of the cramped quarters and lack of space in the old Pittsburgh Civic Arena, watching a game at that place was superior to PPG. I don’t know if any new arena is quite as fun as the old one.

Maybe teams should start building slightly cramped shoebox arenas that are a little less comfortable but put you on top of the action? Those places seemed to have much better fan involvement, eh? But arriving late, carrying on a conversation for two hours, and leaving early is cool, too.

Washington: Goodbye, Henrik Lundqvist. THE most well-dressed man in the NHL and a brilliant goalie.

WGRZ: Rick Jeanneret will hang up his mic in Buffalo following this season. Another colorful, fun announcer will say goodbye.

Of course, since Lundqvist was a primary Pittsburgh Penguins rival, tormentor, and great player, he gets a little ribbing on the way out… 1219598 Vegas Golden Knights

Fleury over Lehner for Vezina, Knights division favourites

By Todd Dewey

August 21, 2021 - 1:31 PM

The Golden Knights chose Robin Lehner over Marc-Andre Fleury when they traded the 2021 Vezina Trophy winner to the Chicago Blackhawks.

But Las Vegas oddsmakers favor Fleury over Lehner to win the 2022 Vezina, awarded to the NHL’s best goaltender.

Fleury, who turns 37 in November, is the 10-1 second choice at Caesars Sports to win the award behind Tampa Bay’s Andrei Vasilevskiy, the +450 favorite. Lehner is tied for the eighth pick at 20-1.

“Forty is the new 30 so, physically, Fleury can probably do it,” Caesars Sports vice president of trading Nick Bogdanovich said. “But he’s on a brand new team in a brand new system, and Chicago’s been in the basement a few years and Vegas has been in first.”

Despite the odds, Bogdanovich likes Lehner’s chances playing for a Knights team that’s the +550 favorite at Caesars to win the Stanley Cup.

“One hundred percent. No doubt. He steps into a great spot,” he said. “A lot of that award is stats, but guys also have to be on a big winning team. Lehner will have a much better chance.”

Lehner, 30, went 13-4-2 for the Knights last season with a .913 save percentage and 2.29 goals-against average. He and Fleury (26-10-0, .928, 1.98) won the NHL’s Jennings Trophy, awarded to the goalies on the team that allowed the fewest goals.

“Lehner is as capable as anyone else of winning the big game, winning the Cup and winning the Vezina,” Red Rock Resort sportsbook director Chuck Esposito said. “But there’s more pressure on him this year because, for the first time, this is clearly his team. He’s going to play the bulk of the games.”

Division odds

Circa Sports recently posted NHL division odds and made the Knights heavy -210 favorites to win the Pacific. The Knights are -180 at Boyd Gaming.

The Edmonton Oilers are the +470 second choice at Circa and the expansion Seattle Kraken are the 7-1 third pick (14-1 at Caesars). The rest of the teams are in double digits, with the at 70-1 and at 270-1.

“The Knights are, by far, the best team in the Pacific Division,” Esposito said. “You can make a case that a lot of teams in the Pacific are in rebuilding mode. The Knights have the luxury of playing the expansion Kraken and the Sharks, Kings and Ducks.

“It’s hard to find a scenario in the Pacific that the Knights don’t win the division easily.”

The Pacific features three of the 10 longest shots at Caesars to win the Stanley Cup in the Kraken (60-1), Sharks (75-1) and Ducks (100-1).

The Colorado Avalanche are the heaviest division favorites at Circa at - 300 to win the Central.

The division races are much tighter in the Eastern Conference, where the Metro is a toss-up between the (+365), Pittsburgh Penguins (+375) and New York Rangers (+375), and the Atlantic is a toss-up between the Lightning (+250), (+250), Boston Bruins (+265) and (+265).

LAS VEGAS REVIEW JOURNAL LOADED: 08.22.2021 1219599 Vegas Golden Knights If Krebs, or another center, beats him out, Patrick still figures to be involved in the lineup. William Carrier has a seeming lock on the fourth- line left wing, but Patrick and Nicolas Roy could split time as fourth-line Can Golden Knights tap misfit magic again with newcomer Nolan center and right wing. Then if an injury happens to a top-six forward, Patrick? Vegas will likely look to Patrick as one of the replacement options.

The Golden Knights have an exemplary history of turning players other teams didn’t want into roster mainstays. Look no further than the two By Justin Emerson players ahead of Patrick on the depth chart for proof of that. They’ll get another test this season in a player Philadelphia lost patience with, and Saturday, Aug. 21, 2021 | 2 a.m. once who Vegas may need to look to as an important member of its roster in the middle of the ice.

The Golden Knights acquired William Karlsson as a throw-in during the expansion draft. Chandler Stephenson came for a fourth-round pick. LAS VEGAS SUN LOADED: 08.22.2021 Neither of the Golden Knights’ top two centers arrived in Vegas with much fanfare, but transformed into key contributors as the franchise has a knack for turning castoffs into valuable pieces.

They are looking for similar fortunes with center Nolan Patrick, who was acquired from Philadelphia in a swap for Cody Glass last month. A former No. 2 overall pick, Patrick struggled last season, but Vegas hasn’t given up on the idea that the soon-to-be 23-year-old can be an impact player in the NHL. The team heads to training camp next month.

“It obviously wasn’t the year I wanted to have in Philly last year,” Patrick said. “I think a fresh start was the best thing for me. Coming to an organization like Vegas is obviously extremely exciting. For my offseason training, I’m extremely motivated after the season I had. Looking for a bounce-back year. I’ve been doing everything I can to get myself ready for the first game.”

The Golden Knights are not only optimistic about Patrick’s potential, but they might be relying on it. Outside of Karlsson and Stephenson, Vegas doesn’t have a proven top-six center in their organization, though prospect Peyton Krebs is seen as close. If an injury happens to either Karlsson or Stephenson, Vegas will need either Patrick or Krebs to step up.

In his four professional years, Patrick’s NHL production has been hit-or- miss, with a lot more of the latter recently. He had 13 goals and 30 points as a 19-year-old rookie in 2017-18, then turned in a similar season the next year. While point totals in the 30s aren’t what you want from a top prospect, he wasn’t even age 21 and could still equal the lofty expectations.

Instead, Patrick missed all of 2019-20 with a concussion, then returned for a full season last year in which he struggled mightily.

In 52 games with the Flyers, Patrick had four goals and nine points, had a team-worst 24% on-ice goals percentage at even strength (minus-30 rating). According to advanced stats site Evolving Hockey, Patrick was worth minus-2 Goals Above Replacement, and was the second-worst forward in the NHL at 5-on-5.

There are reasons to believe those numbers weren’t as bad as they looked. While the 24% goal rate is near the bottom of the league (just decimal points from being the worst in the NHL), he actually had a positive (50.4%) expected-goals rate. And Flyers goalies didn’t help him much, with a league-worst .865 save percentage when Patrick was on the ice.

Patrick also shot only 4.7%, well below his career average. His shots weren’t going in and based on the 5.2% team shooting percentage with him on the ice, neither were those of his teammates, deflating his potential for goals and assists.

But it was all enough for the Flyers to cut bait with their lottery-winning draft pick. They dealt him as part of a package for defenseman Ryan Ellis with Nashville, who in turn flipped him to Vegas for Glass.

“I’ve seen a lot of him and a lot of goals and a lot of plays when I’m on the side, so it’s going to be nice to have him on our side,” said junior foe and new teammate Brett Howden, acquired by Vegas on the same day as Patrick. “He’s a really special, dynamic player. For Vegas to get him as well, it’s obviously huge for the team.

Patrick will get every chance to succeed in Vegas.

Slotted behind Stephenson and Karlsson on the depth chart, Patrick will likely compete for the role of third-line center with Krebs in camp. Should he win that job, he’ll likely have experienced NHL forwards Mattias Janmark and Evgenii Dadonov on his wings.