SPORT-SCAN DAILY BRIEF NHL 10/07/17 1076892 After a subpar scoring season last year, Corey Perry gets 1076925 Nikita Zadorov will return to Avalanche lineup against off to a good start with the Ducks Devils 1076893 Brandon Montour welcomes increased workload on Ducks’ depleted blue line 1076926 Postgame blog: Blue Jackets 5, Islanders 0 1076927 Blue Jackets 5, Islanders 0 | Resounding opening win 1076894 Hockey healing Oliver Ekman-Larsson as he embraces 1076928 Michael Arace | With around, Jackets’ new era for Coyotes cannon will be busy 1076895 Antti Raanta ready to go for Coyotes’ home opener 1076929 Blue Jackets | Blackhawks impressed Joonas Korpisalo 1076930 Western Conference preview: Plenty of competition stands in way of Predators’ repeat 1076896 Why the Bruins’ opener was a tear-jerker, and other 1076931 Blue Jackets | With Panarin in mix, top line should shine thoughts 1076897 Bruins get just what they wanted from their young guys 1076898 For one game at least, David Krejci and Bruins appear to 1076932 Stars have to learn from distractions and improve after 2-1 be skating down good path loss to Vegas 1076899 Morning Skate: Why no youth movement between the 1076933 He said it: Quotes from players, coaches after Stars' 2-1 pipes? loss to Vegas 1076900 Heartfelt father-son moment punctuates DeBrusk’s debut 1076934 'I didn't want to miss this one': Ex-Stars James Neal, Cody 1076901 Haggerty: Youthful, fast-moving Bruins draw rave reviews Eakin deliver vs. Dallas in first-ever Knights win on opening night 1076935 Stars' disappointing opener was filled with plenty of 1076902 Noel Acciari exits Bruins win with injury after blocking a positives under Ken Hitchcock's watch shot 1076936 Cold Facts: Golden Knights steal season-opener in Dallas 1076903 DeBrusk, McAvoy and Bjork all kick off B's careers with a with late from ex-Star James Neal bang 1076937 Stars notebook: Hitchcock names teammates who will back up Jamie Benn as alternate captains 1076938 Cody Eakin, other ex-Stars brought some extra intensity 1076904 Focused on the task at hand, Justin Bailey starts the into Dallas' season opener vs. Vegas season with a pair of goals 1076939 Stars rinkside reporter Julie Dobbs out at Fox Sports 1076905 Sabres Notebook: Keeping puck in OT; Scandella healthy; Southwest days before opener Moulson in 1076940 Morning skate update: Uncertainty abound as Stars open 1076906 Housley impressed by Sabres' puck possession in season vs. expansion Golden Knights overtime 1076941 Former Stars goalie Antti Niemi gets pulled in Pittsburgh 1076907 Exhibit A is shot in the arm for Sabres' offense debut; Penguins lose 10-1 1076908 Sabres' Scandella gets good news with hip; Bogosian 1076942 Late goal gives expansion Vegas Knights opening win misses practice over Dallas Stars 1076909 Five things to know as the Rochester Americans open 1076943 Dallas Stars line up next to Golden Knights before opener their season in honor of victims 1076910 For all the changes, Hurricanes’ season still rests on the 1076944 Wings' Mantha making strides to be an everyday player shoulders of one man 1076945 Wings' Athanasiou heads to Switzerland to assess options 1076911 Five pressing questions for the Hurricanes as the season 1076946 Red Wings explain all the empty seats for LCA opener opens 1076947 Red Wings bask in glow of opening win, Kronwall ailing 1076912 How to watch Carolina Hurricanes season opener 1076948 See Griffins' newest piece of art: Another Calder Cup 1076913 It’s been 8 years since Canes made the playoffs. What will banner in rafters it take to get back in? 1076949 Andreas Athanasiou heading to Switzerland to skate, assess options 1076950 Red Wings' Jeff Blashill: 'We need (fans) in the stands' 1076914 Paired with Patrick Kane, Nick Schmaltz looks like 1076951 Red Wings rave about atmosphere inside 'best (arena) in potential breakout player the world' 1076915 Blackhawks Q&A: Defense, Nick Schmaltz, Richard Panik 1076952 Martin Frk enjoys special Red Wings debut and more 1076916 Brandon Saad becomes second Blackhawks player to score hat trick in season opener 1076953 Can Edmonton Oilers captain Connor McDavid score 100 1076917 Patrick Kane dazzles, but look at how his Blackhawks goals? That's a mouthful teammates delivered 1076954 Surprise! Edmonton Oilers' backbone is built on team 1076918 Nick Schmaltz’s speed adds new dimension to Patrick defence Kane’s game 1076955 Terry Jones: Edmonton Oilers expect 'follow the leader' 1076919 Subtle line change pays massive dividends for factor will elevate team Blackhawks 1076920 Title-race with Pens matters to Blackhawks 1076921 Chicago Blackhawks open with 10-1 victory 1076922 In shadow of Blackhawks sexy offense, young defensive duo lights Q's lamp 1076923 Showtime, baby: Blackhawks’ second line was off-the- charts good in season-opening blowout 1076924 Five takeaways from Blackhawks' 10-1 win over Penguins in season opener 1076956 Lightning deals Panthers and new head coach Boughner 1076995 Offering a conspiracy theory over the Kyle Turris contract a defeat in season opener negotiations 1076957 Panthers lose season opener 5-3 after Tampa Bay scores 1076996 Hard work helps Brassard hit the ground running without three times in third period training camp 1076958 Preview: Lightning at Panthers, 7 p.m., Saturday 1076997 Game Day: Senators versus Red Wings 1076959 First-round pick Owen Tippett a scratch in season opener 1076998 Chris Wideman makes instant mark on opening night for against Tampa Bay Senators 1076999 Senators' Alex Formenton sprints into NHL with assists Kings from ex-Leafs 1076960 Kings' rookie trio relishes the experience of making their 1077000 Another year, another round of uncertainty begins for the NHL debuts together in season opener Senators 1076961 What we learned from the Kings' 2-0 victory over the Flyers 1076962 ’s value to L.A. Kings can’t be measured 1077001 For Flyers' rookie Nolan Patrick, more substance than by statistics flash in first two games | Sam Carchidi 1076963 BLACK AND WHITE: BACK TO WORK; FSW’S CHINA 1077002 Which Flyers defenseman will be odd one out when roster GAMES SPECIAL AIRS SATURDAY is trimmed? 1076964 OCTOBER 6 PRACTICE QUOTES: JOHN STEVENS 1077003 10 observations from Flyers' 2-0 loss to Kings 1076965 NEWCOMERS, INCLUDING FOLIN, IAFALLO, 1077004 Taylor Leier's mom has priceless reaction to hearing her COMFORTABLE IN KINGS DEBUTS son made the Flyers 1076966 WAKING UP WITH THE KINGS: OCTOBER 6 1077005 Travis Sanheim makes costly mistake in debut as Flyers blanked by Kings 1077006 Flyers-Kings observations: Nothing gets past Jonathan 1076967 Wild-Caroilina game preview Quick in shutout 1076968 Wild might start Alex Stalock in goal Saturday 1076969 Wild keeping Matt Cullen young in 20th NHL season 1076970 Wild’s Mikael Granlund misses practices, expected to play 1077007 Penguins coach Mike Sullivan rips team's 'commitment Saturday level' while allowing 10 goals by the Blackhawks 1077008 11 of the Penguins' worst losses in the Sidney Crosby era 1077009 Mike Sullivan insists the Penguins will ‘respond the right 1076971 Victor Mete keeps standing tall on Canadiens blue line way’ Nam Y. Huh/Associated Press 1076972 Canadiens at : Five things you should 1077010 Jim Rutherford not letting Penguins' lopsided loss affect know his thinking 1076973 What the Puck: Canadiens start with a win, but debate rages on St Louis Blues 1076974 Canadiens Notebook: An opening-night win, but lots of 1077011 Upshall jumps right into lineup room for improvement 1077012 No red carpet for Hitchcock at Blues' home opener 1076975 Price is right as Canadiens work overtime to beat Sabres 1077013 Blues open home slate after showing character in Pittsburgh 1077014 Schenn on his puck toss: 'A little Tom Brady in the pocket 1076976 Predators return to Pittsburgh ready for Final there' rematch 1076977 Predators announce home-opener event schedule 1076978 Predators' Viktor Arvidsson bright spot in listless loss to 1077015 Lightning opens season with win over Panthers Bruins 1077016 Lightning journal: Brayden stars with goal, two assists 1077017 After last season's flop, this is shaping up as must-see TV 1076979 Devils unveil NHL's largest scoreboard for Lightning 1076980 8 Devils training camp observations | Nico Hischier's role; 1077018 Joe Smith's takeaways from Friday's Lightning-Panthers Cory Schneider's focus game 1076981 Long offseason finally over for Devils as they open vs. Avs 1077019 Jake Dotchin a surprise scratch for Lightning opener 1076982 Devils: 5 key questions for 2017-18 season 1077020 Lightning gameday: Panthers again? 1076983 Devils Top 10 Countdown - No. 2 LW Taylor Hall 1077021 New twist on a familiar script for Lightning's Dan Girardi 1076984 Devils re-hire Chico Resch as their new radio analyst 1077022 Mike Babcock says Maple Leafs have to get better in 1076985 This is an opener the Islanders would like to forget home opener 1076986 Islanders routed by Columbus in season opener 1077023 There might be no limit for improving Leafs star Auston 1076987 Ho-Sang healthy scratch for Isles opener Matthews 1077024 NHL letting loose its goal scorers: Feschuk 1077025 Leafs add goalie Calvin Pickard in deal with Vegas 1076988 After loss to Avalanche, Rangers will have hands full 1077026 Game day: New York Rangers at Maple Leafs against Maple Leafs 1077027 Leafs tweak lineup ahead of home opener 1076989 What Rangers’ Filip Chytil learned from his first NHL game 1077028 Leafs lineup not settled yet 1076990 Rangers on high alert for buzzing Toronto Maple Leafs 1077029 Maple Leafs strengthen crease, acquire Calvin Pickard from Vegas NHL 1077030 Babcock changes up Leafs lineup for home opener 1076991 Well, for a hockey player he really wasn’t that 1077031 NHL scoring is up after two nights — does the young ungentlemanly talent mean it's here to stay? 1076992 owner eyes more than just a new arena 1077032 Despite resounding win, Maple Leafs coach will make 1076993 Professor doubts Calgary’s need to publicly fund new lineup changes for home opener Flames arena 1076994 For Bruins’ Charlie McAvoy, Age 20 Might Feel Kind of Boring Websites 1077059 Risky bet: Playnow.com creates B.C. Bonanza wager for 1077062 The Athletic / Behind the save: Maple Leafs gain strong Canucks, Lions and Whitecaps foundation to work with in new netminder Calvin Pickar 1077060 Canucks' millennials hold the key to how season plays out 1077063 The Athletic / Bourne: How NHLers use the subtlest fakes 1077061 Green makes splash into a coaching fishbowl full of to create offence second guessing 1077064 The Athletic / Custance: Athanasiou and Red Wings moving closer to a split 1077065 The Athletic / Duhatschek Notebook: Duchene situation 1077033 James Neal proves golden twice for Knights in historic win reminiscent of Ryan's Ducks departure, Kane can play wit 1077034 Golden Knights play for grieving Las Vegas, deliver 1077066 The Athletic / Raising the Staal Brothers: Hard work, historic first win humility and family 1077035 Golden Knights’ Calvin Pickard traded to Maple Leafs 1077067 The Athletic / Brigette Lacquette blazes trail for First 1077036 Golden Knights win inaugural NHL game, 2-1 Nations youth through hockey 1077037 Golden Knights, Stars honor victims of Las Vegas mass 1077068 NHL commissioner Gary Bettman doesn't see Ilitch family shooting selling 1077038 Golden Knights TV broadcast team carries plenty of 1077069 ESPN / John Chayka, the Arizona Coyotes' whiz-kid GM, history is more than just a numbers nerd 1077039 James Neal brings scoring touch to Golden Knights 1077070 ESPN / Obvious and uncomfortable burning questions for 1077040 Goals to grasshoppers: recalling Las Vegas’ hockey all 31 NHL teams history 1077071 Colorado Avalanche goalie Calvin Pickard slides across to 1077041 Golden Knights’ head coach has been there before with rob Edmonton Oilers captain Connor McDavid, but soon expansion 1077072 Watch as Calvin Pickard makes a nice recovering glove 1077042 Deryk Engelland’s career comes full circle with Golden save which leads to cheesy commentary. Knights 1077073 In this week's edition, Mitch Marner and Auston Matthews 1077043 Fleury comfortable being the face of the Golden Knights’ set up Patrick Marleau for his first goal with the Ma franchise 1077075 Sportsnet.ca / Believe it, Maple Leafs fans: Your team’s 1077044 Golden Knights owner takes calculated risky by bringing time is now hockey to desert 1077076 Sportsnet.ca / Five most interesting players to watch this 1077045 Golden Knights’ road to early success in NHL won’t come season, according to easy 1077077 Sportsnet.ca / Trevor Linden excited about Canucks’ 1077046 Golden Knights deal goalie Calvin Pickard to Maple Leafs ‘formidable group’ of prospects 1077047 Bill Foley’s dream comes true with Golden Knights debut 1077078 TSN.CA / Marleau mentors Marner, Leafs kids 1077048 Cox Cable, AT&T reach deal to show Golden Knights 1077079 TSN.CA / Leafs shuffle lineup for home opener games 1077080 TSN.CA / TSN Hockey's Top 10 Storylines of the Week 1077049 Analysis: Marc-Andre Fleury difference for Golden Knights 1077081 TSN.CA / Defending McDavid: Canucks draw game’s in opening night win toughest task on opening night 1077050 Golden Knights deliver thrilling come-from-behind victory 1077082 TSN.CA / Inside McDavid’s quest for goal-scoring in franchise opener greatness 1077083 USA TODAY / New Jersey Devils to unveil largest Washington Capitals in-arena scoreboard at Prudential Center 1077051 For Jakub Vrana, playing with Evgeny Kuznetsov and Alex Ovechkin is almost beyond words 1077052 Alex Ovechkin scores hat trick seven minutes apart 1077056 Jets focus on details prior to Western road swing 1077053 Ovechkin offered Alzner some advice ahead of Saturday's 1077057 Don’t sound alarm just yet meeting 1077058 Things to watch in Jets versus Flames 1077054 Caps' Nathan Walker set to make history Saturday night 1077055 Prediction recap: Ovechkin to the rescue SPORT-SCAN, INC. 941-284-4129 1076892 Anaheim Ducks

After a subpar scoring season last year, Corey Perry gets off to a good start with the Ducks

Mike Coppinger

Corey Perry threw both his hands in the air and pulled them to his side in jubilation. This first goal — career No. 350 — had to feel good. All off-season (and much of last season) Perry heard the comments. Washed up, they said. Not the same elite player. And there was good reason to believe he had seen better days. Perry, once a 50-goal scorer and league MVP, found the back of the net just 19 times last season. So when Perry scored twice in the Ducks’ season opener Thursday — a 5-4 victory over the Arizona Coyotes after erasing a three-goal deficit — it must have been a weight off his back. Just maybe, the old Corey Perry is back, and his subpar campaign was simply a matter of puck luck. “I knew that question was coming, here we go,” Perry, 32, said with a laugh when last season was referenced. “Yeah, it’s exciting. It’s definitely a [boost] of confidence when you find the right spots. My linemates made some pretty good plays on those goals so credit to them as well.” Perry, who added an assist, played on the top line along with Rickard Rakell and Andrew Cogliano. The makeshift No. 1 unit — would-be top-liners Patrick Eaves and Ryan Getzlaf are on injured reserve — was involved on all but one goal, with Cogliano, Rakell and Perry each producing three-point nights. “You want [Perry] to feel it,” Cogliano said. “When he does, he usually keeps it going. We’re a team here and we need contributions from each guy. One night it might be him or it might be another guy. He did a great job. ... He was around the puck all night.” Perry was his usual pesky self in front of the net — and behind the net too. He ran into Coyotes goalie Louis Domingue in the trapezoid, which ignited a pile-up of bodies and punches with Perry at the bottom. “You get involved right away, that’s for sure,” Perry said. And maybe this is exactly what Perry needed to jump-start his bounce- back campaign — a fracas, a couple goals and playing right wing on a line that played at a frenetic pace with the forecheck, especially in the third period. The Ducks are missing a trio of top-six forwards right now, and two top- four defensemen. But if the Corey Perry everyone really knows, is back, just maybe the depleted Ducks can hold the fort down until the cavalry returns. “We believe in Corey Perry,” coach Randy Carlyle said. “The commitment we’re trying to portray to him is if he plays in a top role and continues to do the things we ask you to do, we think you’re going to score goals. It’s our job to prop him up, not tear him down.”

LA Times: LOADED: 10.07.2017 1076893 Anaheim Ducks had two while Cogliano tied the score in the third period and Rakell followed with the winning score to cap a four-goal comeback.

Carlyle professed no surprise with their immediate chemistry as he Brandon Montour welcomes increased workload on Ducks’ depleted blue offered a reminder of highlighting their “dynamic” work in the final line preseason game against the Kings. “You guys got short memories,” he chirped. By ERIC STEPHENS | [email protected] | Orange County Register Cogliano pointed to Rakell’s playmaking in the middle and playing off him and Perry. PUBLISHED: October 6, 2017 at 6:40 pm | UPDATED: October 6, 2017 at 6:43 PM “Raks is a pretty underrated player in how he plays the game,” Cogliano said. “He opes up a lot of ice. If I can complement him with getting on the foreheck and turning pucks over and creating some zone time, when you get pucks for Perry in the (offensive) zone, he can create damage on the ANAHEIM — Losing two top defensemen can be damaging to any team other team.” and the Ducks are simply not the same without Hampus Lindholm and Sami Vatanen patrolling their blue line. It appears Ryan Getzlaf will miss a second straight game due to a nagging lower-body injury. Patrick Eaves and Ryan Miller are already on The two have been in daily skating drills before practice but they’re not at injured reserve and the first chance they can become eligible is the point of dealing with contact as they work to complete their recovery Wednesday’s home game against the New York Islanders. from major shoulder surgeries. Their absence creates concern but that has been eased by the presence of a former lacrosse player. Not that either will be ready to return by then. Carlyle said he is focusing on the players who were available to him Thursday night. “There’s no Brandon Montour operated at a high level in that sport growing up but white knights coming for tomorrow night’s game,” he said. gave it up for hockey. The Ducks are reaping the benefits of that decision and they’re very comfortable with handing him plenty of responsibility on defense, particularly while Lindholm and Vatanen return to complete health. Orange County Register: LOADED: 10.07.2017 Montour is eating it up. He was present throughout the Ducks’ 5-4 comeback win over Arizona on Thursday, making several defensive plays and picking off Clayton Keller’s errant pass into the neutral zone to start a counterattack that led to Ondrej Kase’s second-period goal. The night’s total – One assist and a plus-3 rating over 20 minutes, 46 seconds of action. “That’s what it’s all about,” Montour said Friday. “I have the confidence in myself to play like that. Continue to have them have trust in me and vice versa. It’s good. When they have confidence in me on the ice, it just makes me play that much better.” It didn’t take long for Ducks coach Randy Carlyle to put his trust in Montour and it speaks to how well the 23-year-old played in his own end during an impressive NHL debut last season. Carlyle said that trust came about 10 games into his stay with the club after being called up from the minors. “We felt that we could trust him in some of the situations and that he was going to react positively,” Carlyle said. “The one thing about Monty, and I’ve said it all the time, is he loves to play. And he could play all day. “He’s one of those guys that doesn’t need a lot of urging. He’s more engaged when the pressure goes up. He likes to be involved in it. He doesn’t sit back. He doesn’t go to the back row. He steps up and tries to go to the front row. Which is encouraging for a young player.” Francois Beauchemin is Montour’s defense partner and the 13-year veteran is being a mentor in the same vein that he was when Lindholm was breaking into the league. Beauchemin readily sees Montour’s best attributes – the great skating ability, hard shot and eagerness to battle for the puck in the corners. The thing that he wants to impart on the youngster is keeping a level head between plays good and bad and knowing when to force the issue and make a play and when to use caution. Consistency is paramount. “This is mostly the hardest thing sometimes when you’re young,” Beauchemin said. “You have a couple of really good games and then you start to struggle and get nervous and squeeze your stick a little bit more. You’re not making plays. “He’s got talent. He’s just got to make sure he keeps getting better every day. And keeps a lot of things simple. Because he can make all those plays without forcing them.” Like Lindholm did before him, Montour is digesting Beauchemin’s wisdom. “He’s experienced,” Montour said. “He’s won. He’s been on different teams , different dressing rooms and stuff like that. I don’t know how many games he’s played but he’s experienced it all. It’s good to have someone like that.” Key players on the shelf forced the assembling of a new top line but it paid huge dividends right away against the Coyotes. The threesome of Andrew Cogliano, Rickard Rakell and Corey Perry combined for nine points, and were directly involved in four goals. Perry 1076894 Arizona Coyotes When he left his native Sweden before last season, Ekman-Larsson was hopeful his mother Annica’s condition would improve.

She was diagnosed with breast cancer a decade ago, getting better Hockey healing Oliver Ekman-Larsson as he embraces new era for before regressing again only to rebound and then restart the cycle. Coyotes Annica underwent surgery and chemotherapy. Eventually, the disease spread to her lungs and then it invaded her whole body. Sarah McLellan, azcentral sports Published 6:06 p.m. MT Oct. 6, 2017 About a year ago, though, she was still up and walking and she wanted Ekman-Larsson to return to Arizona and play. Annica loved hockey, staying up late to watch all of Ekman-Larsson’s games. She sent him a The desert is unruly in this part of the Valley. message after each one. Arms of cacti jut out in every direction. Dirt roads peel off from the main “Even if she was sick for 10 years, she didn’t have one bad day,” Ekman- street. Shrubs of different sizes squat together in the sand to melt into a Larsson said before pausing and then continuing, “So, yeah, that was blob of green. pretty special about her.” Eventually, though, the landscape changes. He stayed in touch with his family every day, but he talked to his parents and brother Kevin constantly anyway. They’d FaceTime, text or call, It’s perfectly manicured with rocks organized into neat sections, trees based on the time with Sweden being nine hours ahead. arching gracefully as if they’re posing for a postcard and pavement clear of gravel. And at the top of a winding driveway on a hill in Scottsdale is “You knew what was going on,” he said. “But at the same time, you were Coyotes defenseman Oliver Ekman-Larsson’s house, a 6,000-square- trying to prepare for it. But it’s nothing you can prepare for.” foot, five-bedroom, six-bathroom oasis – with a hockey-themed pinball machine. Being at home alone was a comfort at times, but Ekman-Larsson picked his spots because sometimes it was too harsh of a reminder he was Inside, Ekman-Larsson is jabbing at his cellphone to find the right button helpless and away from family. He tried to stay busy, watching movies, that will roll up the shades on a Friday afternoon. When he does, sunlight playing golf or tennis and meeting up with friends. pours in and blankets the hardwood floor, black couch and ping-pong table in his front room. “It’s a weird feeling, you know,” he said. “It’s kind of hard to explain if you haven’t gone through it. You can’t just put a finger on it, so I don’t know “I love it,” Ekman-Larsson said. “It’s a little bit further away, but it’s worth really. … It’s just like empty, somehow.” the drive. It’s so nice and quiet out here.” The drive to Gila River Arena was the hardest. Ekman-Larsson focused When he’s not at work in Glendale, this is where Ekman-Larsson spends on his mother for 40 minutes – asking himself if he should call home and the most of his time – reclining on the sofa watching Shooter on Netflix. wondering if she had a bad day. He’s lived here for four years, but his house has been more than a place to relax in between games. But when he arrived at the rink, he redirected his thoughts to hockey even though he couldn’t completely engage. And that helped. It’s helped him heal. He put on a brave face, and he knew it was a mask, but Ekman-Larsson So has playing for the Coyotes. wanted to because of his teammates. They made him feel better, treating him as if everything was normal. Arizona’s home opener Saturday against the Vegas Golden Knights will be Ekman-Larsson’s first regular-season appearance at Gila River Arena And many had no reason to believe otherwise. Word of what Ekman- since he left the team late last season following the death of his mother, Larsson was silently coping with didn’t spread to the entire team until the whose battle with cancer weighed on Ekman-Larsson as he skated bye week in January. through an adversity-laden campaign. Shortly before then, Ekman-Larsson’s dad Patric called him. And despite how difficult the past has been, Ekman-Larsson’s optimism for the future hasn’t waned and he’s ready to embrace a new era for the “It’s getting worse,” Patric said. “You should probably come home.” Coyotes that has positioned him as the face of their revival. During that break in the schedule, Ekman-Larsson returned to Sweden “I’m super excited about the challenge,” he said. and visited with Annica. She was resting constantly, but the two talked as much as they could and one day the family had dinner together. Ekman-Larsson leans into a leather chair underneath a massive window that spies rocky terrain off in the distance. He’s dressed comfortably in a Ekman-Larsson asked her if she wanted him to stay. Annica wanted him grey cotton short-sleeve shirt that exposes the constellation of tattoos to go back; in her mind, she was going to beat cancer – like she had down his left arm, black cutoff shorts and slip-on sandals. previously done. As he stretches out his left leg, he acknowledges that the last year has By doing what she wanted, Ekman-Larsson could help her feel better been the toughest of his 26. about the situation. And even though he knew there was a chance she wouldn't make it, he didn't feel like he was saying goodbye. “I don’t think I’m going to go through anything like that again, to be honest with you,” he said. “Well, I hope not.” He prayed she would be there when he returned after the season, and he told her he loved her. Many viewed it as a down season for the Coyotes’ No.1 defenseman. And then he left. His goal output (12) was almost cut in half from 2015-16, and Ekman- Larsson registered just 39 points – his fewest since 2013. He made "One of the hardest things I ever done," Ekman-Larsson said. "I don't uncharacteristic turnovers, and the Coyotes’ offensive quarterback was think it’s going to get much harder than that." on the ice for almost 275 more shots-against during 5-on-5 play than Shocking news shots for Arizona. On an off-night in March, Ekman-Larsson was at The W Scottsdale Hotel A broken left thumb was partly to blame, an injury Ekman-Larsson to walk in a fashion show. suffered in late November but continued to play through for six weeks because he still thought he could help. But he couldn’t unleash his He invited teammate Anthony Duclair to go with him and after the two patented wrist shot; even passing was a struggle. And once the thumb grabbed dinner, they arrived at the venue for the show. healed, another whack to the glove limited his ability for a subsequent three-to-four weeks. A few minutes before Ekman-Larsson was scheduled to walk, his phone rang. It was Patric. But Ekman-Larsson’s thumb wasn’t the only problem. “My mom passed away,” Ekman-Larsson said to Duclair. His heart and head weren’t the same, either. She was 51. “I’m so proud of myself that I really stayed over here and played and still putting up 39 points and played the way I did,” he said. “I wouldn’t call it Duclair hugged Ekman-Larsson and told him he didn’t have to model. But in an off year on that part but at the same time, I know that I can play he did anyway. better. So that’s why it’s an off year.” Ekman-Larsson didn’t cry. He wanted to but couldn’t. It was like his body had been turned off. He was in shock. “I don’t love it,” he said. “But I don’t hate it.” When Ekman-Larsson woke up the next morning, that’s when reality What the spotlight does, though, is motivate him. He isn’t happy just sunk in. skating in the NHL. Ekman-Larsson wants to get better, lift a Stanley Cup and win a Norris Trophy as the league’s best defenseman. And then he bawled. He realizes he has the potential to dictate outcomes, and he enjoys the "You know that you’re never gonna see her again," he said. "She’s not power. When Ekman-Larsson’s skating, moving the puck and ripping gonna be there. She’s not gonna text you or call you or stuff like that, so shots, the Coyotes have a legit chance. it's like a big hole to fill. And it's never gonna be full again." “I want to be the guy who makes it go the other way and start winning Later that night, he dressed for the Coyotes. and be the game-changer,” he said. “I think I have what it takes to do Ekman-Larsson didn’t care about hockey that game, but he played that. At the same time, we’re going to need everybody to play better.” because he wanted to do it for his mom. She had wanted him to stay on As much as it looks like his team because he’s the best player, Ekman- the ice all season, so he did that for her. Larsson doesn’t see it that way – although he recognizes the unique He isn’t sure how he did it, but he did. position he carries. He would have loved to be named captain and even though he wasn’t, with the team appointing him and four others alternate “I think we got that from our mother, actually,” Kevin said. “She was so captains, he said he’s not disappointed and vows to lead regardless. strong.” “I will give 100 percent every single game and single practice,” Ekman- With three games left in the season – and after suiting up for all 79 that Larsson said. “That’s what I do, and that’s who I am so that’s what I’m came before – Ekman-Larsson finally took a leave of absence from the going to keep doing.” Coyotes, who had made it clear whatever Ekman-Larsson felt was necessarily to help himself and his family should be his No.1 priority. Ekman-Larsson walks outside his glass front door and onto the balcony that festoons the front of his house. His family had been trying to postpone the funeral until after the season ended, but it was time. It’s still sunny but not as bright as before. Dusk is crawling closer and so is nighttime, and then it’ll almost be a new day. He spent the offseason surrounded by friends and family. After being home for a few weeks, Ekman-Larsson felt like he needed to get away so He’s excited for this fresh start with the Coyotes, even if it is a little nerve- he represented Sweden in the IIHF World Championship and captured wracking. Although he may have already been in the driver seat as the gold. team’s most important catalyst, he’s no longer leasing. He’s now the owner. Ekman-Larsson was also glued to his phone, monitoring the stunning turnover that saw the Coyotes’ captain, goalie and coach subtracted in “We’re excited for him to be synonymous with the Coyotes and less than a week before replacements and reinforcements were added. synonymous with what it means to be a Coyote,” Chayka said. He expected some changes, a few new players, but not an overhaul of But Ekman-Larsson has perspective on the challenge, an outlook that this magnitude. Ekman-Larsson, however, wasn’t completely surprised; emerged from watching his mother persevere like she did. General Manager John Chayka reached out at one point to ask what “It’s just a sport,” he said. “I still take it serious, but it’s easier for me to Ekman-Larsson thought about fellow countryman Niklas Hjalmarsson – a put that behind me and move forward from a bad game or I messed up. pillar on the Blackhawks blue line. I’m like, ‘Yeah, whatever. I’m just going to try to do better next time.’” Ekman-Larsson told Chayka he’d love to play with Hjalmarsson and He won’t be completely isolated. Kevin is nearby now, suiting up for the praised his leadership. Soon after, Chayka swung a with Chicago Tucson Roadrunners – the Coyotes’ affiliate – to land Hjalmarsson – Ekman-Larsson’s new partner on the top pairing. after the Coyotes wanted to give the 22-year-old prospect an opportunity The offseason moves have stoked Ekman-Larsson’s excitement for the and signed him to a one-year contract in May. season, and he believes progress is possible. But it felt weird walking Still, there’s good days and bad ones, “but that’s how it’s going to be,” into a locker room that didn't include former captain Shane Doan, who did Ekman-Larsson said. “It’s not going to go (away) in a day or a week or a not receive a contract offer from the Coyotes and retired in August. year. It’s just something that I’m going to live with for the rest of my life.” Asked if he agrees with the team’s makeover, Ekman-Larsson exhales He said he wouldn’t have survived the hardship of the past year if it and then said, “Well, I don’t have to agree with everything. Chayka, he’s wasn’t for hockey. It’s what he loves, what he’s excels at and what my boss and I don’t have anything to say. I’m glad he called me about makes him feel good about who he is. Niklas, and that makes me really happy that I have a say in that. At the same time, that’s how it works. You gotta keep in mind it’s a business.” So there’s really only one way to move forward. There’s a few paintings on the wall, an assortment of pillows across the Ekman-Larsson is going to play. couch cushions and a fuzzy rug in the center of the living room. It’s what his mom wanted. Ekman-Larsson had an interior decorator help him outfit his house, and Arizona feels like home. “I’m gonna go out and try to have fun and just don’t think too much,” he said. “If I have fun, that’s when I’m playing my best hockey. So that’s “I’m super happy here, and I’ve been here for eight years – this is my what I’m going to do.” eighth year,” he said. “I haven’t thought about leaving once.”

Drafted sixth overall in 2009, Ekman-Larsson is the organization’s best homegrown product on the roster. Arizona Republic LOADED: 10.07.2017 He’s one of the league's elite defenders yet also one of its best-kept secrets, a baffling juxtaposition likely the result of the Coyotes’ five-year playoff absence and playing in an NHL market that’s barely in its 20s. His six-year, $33 million contract will expire after next season. The Coyotes aren’t allowed to start negotiating a new deal until the summer, but the team views him as a long-term solution and Ekman- Larsson wants to stay. “I’ve always looked at it the grass is not greener on the other side,” he said. “It’s been tough for five, four years. But at the same time, you could take the easy way out, ‘Yeah, bye-bye,’ (and) go to some other team. Or you could stay and really be the guy who turns it around and be remembered for that. “So that’s how I look at it, and I don’t like to take the easy way out.” After seven seasons, Ekman-Larsson has gotten used to the attention, embracing it through maturity even though he doesn’t seek it out. 1076895 Arizona Coyotes

Antti Raanta ready to go for Coyotes’ home opener

BY CRAIG MORGAN | OCTOBER 6, 2017 AT 5:12 PM UPDATED: OCTOBER 6, 2017 AT 9:11 PM

GLENDALE, Ariz. — Coyotes coach Rick Tocchet will check in one last time with goalie Antti Raanta and goalie coach Jon Elkin on Saturday morning, but the expectation from all three is that Raanta will make his first regular-season start as a Coyote and as a No. 1 goaltender on Saturday night against the Vegas Golden Knights at Gila River Arena. “You should have seen some of the saves he made yesterday in the morning skate,” Elkin said Friday. “It was crazy, watching him stretching. He’s 100 percent as far as I can see. There are no limitations. He’s real sharp.” Raanta suffered what he called a spasm in his only preseason appearance, a 5-4, shootout loss at San Jose in which Raanta allowed four goals on 32 shots and left after two periods. He was cleared to play in the season opener on Thursday in Anaheim, but Tocchet and Elkin wanted him to get a couple more practices before playing. “I feel good,” Raanta said. “Every day has been a little progress and the last two to three days you started to feel the sharpness in my movements and you’re seeing the puck good. “Maybe first practice when I came back, I was kind of hesitating in some movements but when the training staff said ‘go for it’ and then you start making those split saves and whatever saves you try to make, you just forget it. It’s been feeling good and I think it’s behind us.” Tocchet admitted there is some concern that Raanta has not played or practiced much since suffering the injury. “He hasn’t been on the ice for a couple weeks here in training camp. He really only had one good practice,” Tocchet said. “I’m not a big fan of guys missing training camp. You can see guys who have missed it, they’re a little rusty so that’s why we’ve got to get guys in and playing and sort it out.” Goaltending is still a great unknown for Tocchet. Raanta has never been a No. 1 goalie so Tocchet has no idea what he’ll get and he has no idea what the game split will be between Raanta and backup Louis Domingue. “We’re going to need Louis to give us some good games regardless of how many games Antti plays. You want to keep him mentally sharp, physically sharp,” Tocchet said. “Whatever the workload is, I’m not sure about that yet. It depends on the goalies you have. Your philosophy changes with what type of goalies you have and who can handle what.” Elkin said in a perfect world, the staff would have eased some of those concerns in the preseason. “It would be nice to work some things out and understand exactly where he’s at as far as games go,” Elkin said. “It would have been a luxury, but I’m not overly concerned. The guy’s a 29-year-old veteran. He knows how to prepare. He’s played the game before. He knows how to figure it out and battle.” Raanta said he is trying not to let nerves and excitement get the better of him in his first meaningful game with his new team. “When you step out for the first time in a regular season game in your home building, you want to prove that you can do the job,” he said. “I remember the first preseason game when I was playing it was just chaos. I think it was chaos inside the team game but it was chaos also in the crease. We watched a little tape. There were still good things but you could tell off the 40 minutes, ‘what were you doing?’ “That was a learning experiment again that you have to just calm down and focus on the right things. The puck will come to you. You don’t have to chase it all the time.”

Arizona Sports LOADED: 10.07.2017 1076896 Boston Bruins ■ Lost in space all last season, Matt Beleskey was more involved and looked faster (funny how that happens). He contributed 2:24 shorthanded and even 0:51 on the power play. Why the Bruins’ opener was a tear-jerker, and other thoughts ■ Riley Nash had a busier night than usual (16:37 and won 8 of 13 faceoffs), in large part because of Bergeron’s absence. A power-play regular with the Hurricanes, the ex-Cornell standout has more game than By Kevin Paul Dupont he’s been asked to provide here in third- and fourth-line roles. Globe Staff October 6, 2017 ■ Adam McQuaid and veteran sluggo Cody McLeod (now 1,459 career PIMs) threw down at 10:56 of the first for a respectable bout. Sidekick Fluto Shinzawa cranked his press box chair an extra notch higher with each shot the pair landed. Thoughts, reflections, and random shots off the glass following the Bruins’ 4-3 win over the Predators in their season opener at the Garden ■ Part of what we saw in the opener was a Bruins team playing as if the Thursday night. coach grew up as a puck-lugging defenseman who wanted to make things happen on every shift. Seat belts, everyone, because turbulence ■ The hockey world needs more parents like Louie DeBrusk. The 46- can rock even the smoothest flights. year-old veteran of 401 NHL games, in the Garden stands for the opener, fought back acute allergy symptoms, including tearing eyes, when son Jake scored in his NHL debut for the Black and Gold. Lots of dust on Causeway Street these days due to ongoing construction. Boston Globe LOADED: 10.07.2017 ■ Loved it when the Garden crowd booed every time Predators defenseman P.K. Subban touched the puck. Way too much hakuna matata in today’s Original 31. Locals still remember some of Subban’s juvenile on-ice antics in a Canadiens uniform. Institutional memory is a good thing. ■ Frank Vatrano and Kevan Miller were both sent to the sin bin for delay-of-game transgressions after shooting pucks into the crowd. Coach Bruce Cassidy may have hit on the remedy: “We’re going to need higher glass here at the Garden, clearly.” Lesson: When in doubt, blame the Bull Gang. ■ Vatrano found his way into the lineup because of the absences of Patrice Bergeron (lower-body injury) and David Backes (diverticulitis). If he wants to stay there, he’ll have to play with more urgency. Cassidy gave him only 7:08 in ice time — the team low for the night, other than Noel Acciari, who left with an injury. ■ , fully recovered from offseason groin surgery, was sharp, though uncharacteristically scrambly a couple of times. The Predators were without a shot for the opening 12:25. ■ Backes would have helped settle things down late in the third period, when the Predators scored a pair in a span of 73 seconds. According to Bruins general manager Don Sweeney, the diverticulitis is expected to keep the veteran forward out through October. Dr. Ben Wedro, frequent contributor to the WebMD digital site, noted that diverticulitis, which is inflammation of the digestive tract, is common in emergency rooms. Treatment: “Antibiotics in uncomplicated cases,” noted Wedro. “In cases of abscess or perforation, surgery may be required.” Backes took ill Wednesday and did not attend practice. “It came on all of a sudden,” said Cassidy. “It’s unfortunate. That’s the way it is right now. He’ll have the appropriate time to deal with it — and we’ll miss him. ■ Acciari departed early in the second period when he hurt a hand blocking a Subban slapper on the penalty kill. Among the funnier postgame moments was when Cassidy wasn’t sure whether to label it an upper-body or lower-body injury. “Depends if he’s waving at you or tying his shoes, I guess,” said Cassidy, the media corps erupting in laughter. “I know he’s going to be out for a little bit. We don’t anticipate having him in Monday.” ■ If Bergeron recovers over the weekend, it may not be necessary to call up a forward from AHL Providence for the Monday matinee vs. the Avalanche. But with Acciari and Backes out of the mix, it’s a good bet at least one WannaB gets recalled for next week’s trip to , Arizona, and Vegas. ■ Charlie McAvoy has lots of game, and it’s going to be fun to see both his game and personality unfold. Could be Gronk territory, albeit within the confines of the hockey culture, which would have minimized Gronk’s tactics long ago. ■ After hip surgery, David Krejci never recovered his full skating stride last season. But he was in full flight in the opener, with speedy wingers DeBrusk and David Pastrnak, the trio collecting a line of 2-4—6. “I feel good, excited,” said Krejci, who finished with three assists. “If you look back a few years ago . . . it’s a totally different team. Lots of young guys. A lot of good, fast players and it’s fun to play with them.” 1076897 Boston Bruins The Predators, with only Arvidsson’s goal through two periods, made it tight at the end, even after Brad Marchand’s empty-netter (shorthanded) at 17:07 of the third made it 4-1. Sloppy play and penalties on Boston’s Bruins get just what they wanted from their young guys side helped Scott Hartnell and Filip Forsberg connect 1:13 apart to pull within the one goal.

“It’s an 82-game schedule, so we know there will be challenges along the By Kevin Paul Dupont way,” said Cassidy, pleased overall by performance and style of play. “It is the culture we are trying to create. So if we continue to work on our Globe Staff October 6, 2017 fitness and practice habits and get it our heads . . . we want to be relentless and not reckless for 60 minutes. Today we were, for about

58½, which is pretty good.” Younger, faster, and fresher, like some quick-sketch redesign Elon Musk

would cook up between his overnight flights to Mars or two-hour shuttles to Beijing, the 2017-18 Bruins came out with jets roaring in their season Boston Globe LOADED: 10.07.2017 opener Thursday night at the Garden. Paced by second-period goals from newbies Jake DeBrusk and Charlie McAvoy, each playing the first regular-season games of their careers, the Bruins pinned a 4-3 loss on the Predators before a sellout crowd of 17,565 at the Garden. With key veterans Patrice Bergeron and David Backes missing from the lineup, coach Bruce Cassidy saw his Black-and-Gold Brat Pack deliver, as well as a key performance from David Krejci (three assists). Krejci picked up helpers on the first three goals, aiding the Bruins in building an insurmountable 3-1 lead against last year’s Stanley Cup co-finalists. “We’re pleased,” said Cassidy, focusing on the play of his youngsters, including Anders Bjork, Matt Grzelcyk, DeBrusk, and McAvoy. “They all had good moments. They all had learning moments over the course of the game. But they stayed with it — they’re good players and obviously helped us win a hockey game. That’s what they’re here for.” The youth movement proved all the more necessary when the Bruins learned earlier in the day that they would be without Bergeron, who is day-to-day with what is believed to be a short-term injury. Of greater concern, at least for the present, was that the Bruins announced after the first period that Backes was hospitalized earlier in the day for diverticulitis — an oft-painful inflammation of the digestive tract. He is not expected to play for the remainder of the month, what would be a total of 10 games or more. Along the way, the Bruins also lost gritty winger Noel Acciari, who exited in the second period with what appeared to be a hand injury. Because of a growing list of injuries, the club is likely to summon a forward or two from Providence prior to Monday’s matinee at the Garden vs. the Avalanche. David Pastrnak, fresh off the 34-36—70 that he rode to the cashier’s window for a $40 million payout, opened the scoring at 8:37 of the first period, rifling in one of his patented one-timers, a 50-footer off a velvety feed from McAvoy to connect on a five-on-three power play. The Bruins were 0 for 4 on the advantage for the rest of the night. But the spotlight glared a little hotter on Pastrnak in the final seconds of the first when he lost hold of the puck deep in Boston’s defensive end and watched Viktor Arvidsson rip it home for the 1-1 tie with only 11 seconds to go before the break. A two-goal second, with strikes by DeBrusk and McAvoy, brought the Bruins into the third with a fairly comfortable 3-1 margin. With his mom and dad and grandmother in the stands, following an overnight flight from Edmonton, DeBrusk popped in his first career goal with 5:48 gone in the period. Bjork helped move the play up ice and it was Krejci who made the key pass into the slot, where DeBrusk picked it up at speed and fired his forehander by veteran stopper Pekka Rinne. Jake’s dad Louie, a tough customer in his NHL playing days, was overcome with emotion, dabbing at tears of joy as he sat in his loge seat. “He was known as a tough guy,” said the smiling junior DeBrusk, who with little prompting can recite the details of his dad’s first NHL goal. “I heard he was tearing up. But, hey, it’s an emotional moment . . . and I’ll have to chirp him for a while about it.” McAvoy also connected off the rush, following a two-on-two dash into the zone and also picking up a relay from Krejci. The ex-BU backliner closed into the slot and unleashed his wrister from about 20 feet, the Garden crowd erupting in full throat. The Bruins were up by a pair and Krejci, who had 31 assists all last season, had three helpers on the scorecard. “It’s awesome for the three of us to kind of get that out of the way,” said McAvoy, noting that he, DeBrusk, and Bjork all factored in the scoring. “Points aren’t everything, that’s for sure. But for offensive guys like Jake, Anders, and myself, sometimes the hardest thing to do is get the zero out of there.” 1076898 Boston Bruins So one down and 81 to go, Bruins fans have plenty to like about this team.

For one game at least, David Krejci and Bruins appear to be skating down good path Boston Herald LOADED: 10.07.2017

Stephen Harris Saturday, October 07, 2017

On a night at the Garden when so much of the spotlight, rightly so, shined on the youngest of the Bruins — forwards Jake DeBrusk and Anders Bjork and defenseman Charlie McAvoy — it was important Thursday not to overlook some of this team’s key veterans. At the top of that list was center David Krejci, who was named the No. 1 star for the B’s 4-3 opening night victory against the Nashville Predators. Simply put, Krejci has long been the key to the Bruins. Of course there are other key pieces in the team puzzle — including, now, the kids — but when he’s in peak form, this is a much, much better team. When he’s not, the opposite. In the early months last season, coming back from major offseason hip surgery, Krejci was gamely (and probably prematurely) in the lineup, and he stayed there for all 82 games. But for something like half of the season, he was far from the player he wanted to be, as his skating was diminished by the surgery and lengthy rehab. Finally healthy and moving properly in the second half of the campaign, he ended up putting up numbers most NHLers would covet — 23 goals, 31 assists — and was a key to the B’s returning to the postseason. The quest to go to the playoff dance again becomes a lot easier with the 31- year-old in peak form from the start. The Bruins, who had a scheduled day off yesterday and get back to work today to prep for Monday’s Garden visit by the Colorado Avalanche, are missing other key puzzle pieces. Forwards Patrice Bergeron and David Backes and defenseman Torey Krug missed the opener, and forward Noel Acciari was injured blocking a shot. If and when the lineup is intact, a healthy Krejci could be a key in this being a very potent club, one that plays with speed, skill and creativity. Always a voice of calm reason, Krejci cautioned against making too much of the Game 1 win. “It was a good game but you don’t want to get ahead of yourself, you know?” Krejci said Thursday night. “You’ve got to keep working. Practice has been good. (Thursday) was a good game, a strong game. We played with high pace, lots of speed, got the job done. So, enjoy the next couple days and get ready for Monday.” Coach Bruce Cassidy’s line-juggling led to Krejci playing much of the game with rookies DeBrusk and Bjork as his wingers. Presumably that will change at least partially when Bergeron returns. But Krejci, like everyone at the Garden, was impressed with the youngsters’ poise and performances. “It’s normal to have a little nerves in you before the first game,” Krejci said. “Not just for the young guys but for the veterans, as well. It was the first game in a long time. But I thought they handled themselves pretty good. Charlie and DeBrusk got the first goal so that’ll help their confidence. And Bjork got a point as well, so good for them. I played with Jake a lot this training camp. Haven’t skated with Bjork at all, but for some reason I thought we were finding each other pretty well. “We’ll see how the lineup is going to look like, but it was fun playing this game.” Krejci is delighted with the infusion of young talent. “I feel good, excited,” he said. “If you look back a few years ago and now it’s a totally different team (with) lots of young guys. So it’s a lot of good, fast players and so it’s fun to play with them.” And the critical point is that management’s rebuilding program has delivered these kids, with more on the way. There’s a nice balance of veterans and surprisingly mature youngsters. “There was no hesitation, which was very encouraging and great to see,” said captain Zdeno Chara, who played a team-high 23:33 of smothering defense. “Sometimes you see that there’s excitement and energy, but they might have a little hesitation about whether they should or shouldn’t go to that spot, or to forecheck, or name it. You can pick different examples, but it was nice that there was a good flow. Everyone was on the same page.” 1076899 Boston Bruins

Morning Skate: Why no youth movement between the pipes?

By Joe Haggerty October 06, 2017 3:54 PM

Here are all the links from around the hockey world, and what I’m reading, with the NHL in full bloom. *There is most definitely a youth movement across the NHL over the past few seasons, but that hasn’t really extended to goaltending. Interesting piece from Kevin Woodley. *The Carolina Hurricanes make a bit of an unconventional decision and decide to split the captain duties between Jordan Staal and Justin Faulk. *At opposite ends of the spectrum in their NHL careers, Connor McDavid and Patrick Marleau demonstrate the fine art of anticipation on opening night. *The Columbus Blue Jackets got a taste last season under John Tortorella while getting back into the playoffs and now they want the whole damn thing. *Solid piece from FOH (Friend of Haggs) Marc Divver about the good times that continue to roll for the Providence Friars. *Kevin Shattenkirk is living out his dream playing the defenseman position for the New York Rangers, and his family is along for the ride. *It sure sounds like Jiri Hudler needs to be put in timeout after reportedly causing a pretty nasty ruckus on a Delta flight. *Nico Hischier is past the hype of being selected first overall in the draft, and now he’s looking forward to getting his NHL career going. *For something completely different: Some cryptically teased spoilers for the Season 6 twists and turns on “Arrow”.

Comcast SportsNet.com LOADED: 10.07.2017 1076900 Boston Bruins

Heartfelt father-son moment punctuates DeBrusk’s debut

By Joe Haggerty October 06, 2017 1:04 PM

BOSTON - Once you’re a dad you get even more of an affinity for those heartwarming father-son moments that can often happen in sports, and there was a beautiful one between former NHLer Louie DeBrusk and 20- year-old Bruins rookie Jake DeBrusk on opening night. Dad serves as a hockey television analyst in Canada and had worked the Edmonton Oilers game on Wednesday night, and then took a red-eye flight to make sure he was in the stands for his son’s NHL debut at TD Garden against the Nashville Predators on opening night. It was a special night for the DeBrusks, who had a large contingent of friends and family that traveled from Edmonton for the game. Jake responded with his first NHL goal and a pair of points in Boston’s 4-3 victory. NESN cameras caught DeBrusk’s dad teary-eyed and beaming with pride in the stands right after the goal, and it was something his exuberant son was only more than happy to talk about after the victory. “He’s known as a tough guy but I heard that there were some tears coming from him. So it’s a very emotional time, but I’ll be chirping him for a couple of years to come. That’s for sure,” said DeBrusk, with a big grin on his face. “It means a lot. He took a red-eye here with the family, got in early with family, took a nap, came to the game. It’s one of those things that I’m very fortunate and lucky. “Obviously, everyone’s got different family things going on, but I was lucky enough for them to come and lucky enough to score when they were here. So it’s one of those things that I guess was meant to be and something I’ll never forget, that’s for sure.” DeBrusk was a force throughout. He played with speed and had a team- high four shots on net in his 14-plus minutes punctuated by the scoring drive to the net in the second period. By midway through the game, DeBrusk was on the left wing on a line with David Krejci and Anders Bjork and the former first-round pick looked like he absolutely belonged after sweating out his roster spot in training camp. DeBrusk’s coach certainly came away impressed with the rookie skating hard, moving his feet and taking it hard to the net. Bruce Cassidy expects to see more of the same after such a promising debut. “[He’s a] smart player. You can’t teach that. Good feel for the game. We’ve talked about liking his pace. For him, it’s just about playing against big men now. Is he ready for that? Tonight he looked good. At other times, guys push him off the puck,” said Cassidy. “He’ll have to learn what he can get away with, but he does have the ability to separate. We saw that. “If you can’t separate with your foot speed, then it doesn’t matter how smart you are sometimes once they get locked on to you. So, he has that ability to go with his smarts, so we like him. See tonight, he had a little bit of finish as well. That’s the other part. You need that production at some point, and we got it tonight.” The Bruins certainly got their production on opening night and the DeBrusk family got an awesome father-son hockey moment roughly 20 years in the making.

Comcast SportsNet.com LOADED: 10.07.2017 1076901 Boston Bruins Still, if the suddenly Fast and Furious Bruins can play with that same speed, skill and relentlessness for most nights this season, they’re going to be pretty good. If they can get consistent contributions from the rookie Haggerty: Youthful, fast-moving Bruins draw rave reviews on opening players that stepped up on opening night, then the Bruins will be even night better. That’s the test now. The Bruins set the bar up fairly high with a strong effort right out of the starting gate and the challenge now will be to match By Joe Haggerty October 06, 2017 12:14 PM that and build on for 81 more games this season. The fact they were able to do that on opening night without Patrice Bergeron, David Backes and Torey Krug gives everyone belief that we BOSTON – There were two major takeaways from the Bruins opening may see plenty from this entertaining, high-tempo Bruins team in what night win over the Nashville Predators. One is that the B’s are very young could be a surprisingly good season for the Black and Gold. in many key spots around the lineup and that they played very fast hockey in an energetically good way. Three of Boston’s four goals in the 4-3 win over the Western Conference- Comcast SportsNet.com LOADED: 10.07.2017 champion Predators were from players 21 or under and the Bruins played fast, aggressive hockey while consistently pushing the pace and moving Nashville backward for long stretches of play. Jake DeBrusk and Anders Bjork both passed their top-six forward tests with flying colors as DeBrusk potted his first career goal on a nice drive to the net. Both of the rookie wingers ended up on the same line with a rejuvenated David Krejci by the end of the night. Charlie McAvoy showed his skill dishing slick PP passes to David Pastrnak for one-time opportunities and soaked up 22 plus minutes of ice time while also showing his rookie side by taking on three minor penalties. The healthy doses of confidence that the rookies will take from opening night certainly can beneficial to a strong start and undoubtedly will also help guide them through the inevitable challenging periods they’ll face this season. “It’s awesome. It’s awesome for the three of us to kind of get that out of the way and now you can roll, kind of,” said McAvoy. “Points aren’t everything that’s for sure, but for offensive guys like Jake [DeBrusk] and Anders [Bjork] and myself – I try and contribute – sometimes the hardest thing to do is to get that zero out of there in the point column. We came out of the gate pretty hot there and I’m very happy. I’m very happy for Jake, very happy for Anders to get their first points and I’m just thrilled that we walk out of there with two points.” For a team that’s going to rely heavily on youthful contributions after no major signings or trades this summer, the Bruins had to love the early returns with all their kids stepping up in their first night under the big lights. There is still more of that to come, but the draft-and-development plan has begun to produce in a major, tangible way at the big-boy level. “We’re pleased. They all had good moments. They all had learning moments throughout the course of the game, as we expected, but they stayed with it,” said Bruce Cassidy. “They’re good players and obviously helped us win a hockey game. But that’s what they’re here for. They were put in good positions to do that, and I thought our veteran guys pulled them along well. They’re good players and they did their part, so we’re very pleased with them.” The youthful additions to the lineup certainly paid off on the scoreboard with DeBrusk and McAvoy scoring their first NHL goals, and Bjork also getting involved with his speed and tenacity on the fore-check. It was clear that a couple of young, fast-moving players along with an adept puck-mover in McAvoy also did a great deal to augment Boston’s team speed and allow them to embrace an aggressive, up-tempo style Cassidy has been working to instill. Even a bigger, slower-moving object like 40-year-old Zdeno Chara has altered his style and embraced the relentless, quick-acting approach that seemed to overwhelm the Predators for long stretches. Combine all of the high-speed and precision skill with Adam McQuaid’s old-school, titanic heavyweight bout in the first period, and you have the Black and Gold version of the Extremely Fast and the Traditionally Furious coming to a hockey rink near you this winter. “I thought it was good. It was a high-paced game and both teams played with a lot of energy. You can tell it’s early in the season, but that pace was pretty quick and fast with the puck moving up and down,” said Chara. “Obviously there were some opportunities on both sides and some power plays, but that’s what we’re going to see. It’s pretty obvious that’s what the new ‘modern hockey’ is all about. It’s a lot of skating and a lot of moving, and whoever makes those plays quicker and better is probably going to win those games.” Clearly, there were mistakes and things to work on borne of both youth and the fast, aggressive style. McAvoy was whistled for three minor penalties while getting caught leaning offensively a couple of times and the Bruins allowed goals in the waning minutes of periods in a pattern that’s been very problematic for them in the recent past. 1076902 Boston Bruins

Noel Acciari exits Bruins win with injury after blocking a shot

By Joe Haggerty October 06, 2017 1:39 AM

BOSTON, Mass – The Bruins continue to lose bodies from their lineup as Noel Acciari was forced out of Boston’s 4-3 opening night win with an injury suffered blocking a shot. The fourth line energy player struggled with injuries last season as well due to his high-energy and fearless style of play, and it looks like this season may not be all that different. The 25-year-old skated nine shifts in the win and a total of 4:42 of ice time before he was done for the night, and Acciari’s absence pushed other players like Matt Beleskey into penalty killing duty once the fourth line winger was lost. The Bruins are already planning on not having Acciari for Monday afternoon’s matinee against the Colorado Avalanche, and he may miss more time than that after earning a fourth line spot with Riley Nash and Tim Schaller in training camp. The Bruins hadn’t made a decision on any potential call-ups from Providence in the wake of the injury, and might not need to call up anybody at all if Patrice Bergeron is healed up enough to play after the weekend. “I know he’s going to be out for a little bit,” said Bruins head coach Bruce Cassidy, who termed Acciari's injury as upper-body after it appeared to be a lower-body injury based on the original blocked shot. “I don’t know the exact extent, but we don’t anticipate having him in Monday. I suspect we will revisit the lineup in the morning. We will have to. “Bergy [Patrice Bergeron] we said was day-to-day. We’ve lost Noel [Acciari] and [David] Backes for a little longer period of time. If Bergy is ready to go, then we’ll have our twelve. If not, then we’ll have to look at Providence.” That could mean a promotion for a player like Jakob Forsbacka Karlsson or Danton Heinen after being a couple of the last players cut in the preseason, or perhaps Austin Czarnik will be feeling good enough to jump back into Boston’s lineup. Either way, they will miss Acciari’s energy, physicality and ability to aggravate opponents with his full-tilt style of play.

Comcast SportsNet.com LOADED: 10.07.2017 1076903 Boston Bruins

DeBrusk, McAvoy and Bjork all kick off B's careers with a bang

By Joe Haggerty October 06, 2017 1:19 AM

BOSTON, Mass – If the Bruins were trying to get all of the firsts out of the way in their season opener, they did a pretty good job of it in Thursday night’s win over the Predators. Both Jake DeBrusk and Charlie McAvoy scored their first NHL goals in their very first regular season games, and Anders Bjork also notched his first career point in Boston’s 3-2 victory at the Garden. Even better both DeBrusk and McAvoy did it in front of their families, including former NHLer Louie DeBrusk wiping away tears in his eyes after watching his boy score in the game’s second period. Particularly for a player like the 20-year-old DeBrusk that wasn’t able to break through for a goal in the preseason, notching one on a nifty little 1-on-1 move at a meaningful moment is something he’ll always remember. “[It’s] pretty surreal to be honest. It was one that I’ll never forget, that’s for sure. A little bit of a blur at the moment. Was just trying to make a quick move, and it went in, and the crowd went pretty loud. So I’ll never forget that feeling,” said DeBrusk. “[His dad] is known as a tough guy but I heard that there were some tears coming from him. So it’s a very emotional time, but I’ll be chirping him for a couple of years to come. That’s for sure.” Those specific, individual moments were obviously special for those rookies, and created personal memories that will last a lifetime. But they also brought an enthusiastic energy to a Bruins team looking for any kind of motivation entering a new season, and eased the pressure each young player was feeling to contribute immediately. “I think [it means] a lot. I mean, even when they try to think, ‘yeah okay, I just want to have a good game.’ They still want to get the first one,” said David Pastrnak, who also scored in Thursday night’s opener and can still remember his first NHL goal in a Bruins uniform. “Once you get the first one, first point they can get the thought in their head, ‘I can play in this league.’ “You know, instead of game by game going [by] with no points and you start thinking more and more [about it]. I’m talking from my own experience, you know. So, it’s good. I’m really happy for the guys and [I’m glad] they scored.” Now DeBrusk, McAvoy and Bjork should move into their next few NHL games with a different level of confidence, and the growing belief that they truly belong after getting off to a rousing good start on opening night.

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Focused on the task at hand, Justin Bailey starts the season with a pair of goals

By Amy Moritz | Published Fri, Oct 6, 2017 | Updated Fri, Oct 6, 2017

ROCHESTER -- He took the puck and snapped a wicked wrist shot, hard and accurate, at the Syracuse net. It was so hard, it bounced right back out in the blink of an eye forcing the officials to the replay to confirm that the puck, indeed, did cross the goal line. With that he let out a scream, full of passion for the moment and the game. That's Justin Bailey at his best. "I think all of us want to have a good start from both a team standpoint and personally, but I mean I haven't scored in a long time," Bailey said. "It's been a few months and a long summer so I let that emotion out when I scored, for sure." He ended up with two goals on Friday night as the Rochester Americans opened the season with a 3-1 win over the Syracuse Crunch in Blue Cross Arena. Bailey's stat sheet looked pretty good -- two goals, four shots and a plus-2 rating. But for head coach Chris Taylor, that's just the tip of what he expects from the third-year pro. "I liked his game in some parts," Taylor said. "I still think he has details and little things that he has to improve on. But that's not going to change overnight. That's not going to change in one game. It's a process and he knows it. We talk about it on the bench. "But when he wants to go and wants to play, he's really good. He can skate. He can beat defensemen one-on-one and he's got a great shot. But there's other aspects of his game that he's got to pick up." Bailey knows there are parts of his game that need to get better if he's going to make the jump to a full-time NHL job. He was one of the last cuts from Buffalo Sabres training camp in September after playing 32 games with the big club last year. The natural disappointment didn't seem to linger for Bailey, who worked on his mental game over the summer and came back to Rochester ready to work. "I think for me that was a game where I wanted to use some momentum from coming down to help me get a fast start," Bailey said. "For us, we wanted to have a fast start. We wanted to show the city of Rochester that it's going to be a change of pace around here. I think from our goaltender all the way through our team, everyone contributed in their own way. That's what the outcome is when everyone pulls their end of the rope." From the top on down the line, the Sabres have been looking to institute a culture change throughout the organization. Bailey said that was a consistent theme in training camp and the Amerks seemed to take the lessons learned in practice and implement them in the game. "We did everything that we were supposed to do tonight," said goaltender Linus Ullmark, who had 27 saves. "It's the first game of the season. Everyone's exited. A lot of people are watching us this time of year. We want to keep it rolling, not just every other night but every night." It was a good first step in Taylor's eyes, who picked up his first career win in his first game as a head coach. But it's only one game. The teams meet again Saturday in Syracuse and there's 70-some odd games left. Still, a fast start sets the tone for the season. Details need to be worked on. The power play needs some time to develop. But those are workable things with a team of players who have arrived in Rochester with a positive mentality. "I think everybody has accepted where they're at and they want to do well here," Taylor said. "They're going to have to do well here before they get recalled if they do get recalled. That's the whole culture change that we're doing here. When you're down here, you're playing as hard as you can. You're trying to get better as a player and you're trying to get better as a teammate."

Buffalo News LOADED: 10.07.2017 1076905 Buffalo Sabres Nolan skated 12 minutes against the Canadiens, including 2:24 for a short-handed unit that was 4 for 4. He did it in front of a familiar face. His father, former Sabres coach Ted Nolan, flew in from Poland to watch the Sabres Notebook: Keeping puck in OT; Scandella healthy; Moulson in debut. Ted Nolan is coach of the Polish national team.

By John Vogl | Published Fri, Oct 6, 2017 Buffalo News LOADED: 10.07.2017

Three-on-three overtime is in its third season, and it took Phil Housley just one game as an NHL head coach to experience it. "I think it's great for hockey, obviously," Housley said Friday. "The fans love the open ice. The players love the open ice. "I don't like it when we don't get a win out of it, but that's continuing to evolve." The Sabres fell to 0-0-1 with a 3-2 shootout loss to Montreal on Thursday. Buffalo took a methodical approach during overtime and tried to set up plays rather than get in a track meet. It resulted in more puck control. The puck was in the Montreal zone for 2:25 of overtime, including 1:44 on the Sabres' sticks. It was in the Sabres' zone for 1:41, including 1:15 of possession time for Montreal. The other 55 seconds were spent in the neutral zone. Buffalo had a 4-3 shot advantage. "We had some good looks," Housley said in KeyBank Center. "We had some things that almost transpired into some scoring chances. I thought our guys were really smart about maintaining possession and not giving it up. "We got ourselves into some dead zones where they were able to attack. I think we could have brought it back and just held possession because it's such a big part of three-on-three. But moving forward, we've had some success. We won a game in overtime in preseason. We had some really good looks last night without giving up too much, so I'm pretty happy about it." Should the Sabres reach overtime again Saturday when they visit the New York Islanders, expect the marquee and fast skaters to partake. Jack Eichel, Evander Kane and Nathan Beaulieu started the extra session, followed by Ryan O'Reilly, Kyle Okposo and Rasmus Ristolainen, and Sam Reinhart, Jason Pominville and Victor Antipin. The first good sign for Marco Scandella was playing more than 21 minutes in the Sabres' opener. An even better one was practicing the next morning. After taking maintenance days throughout training camp, Scandella was back on the ice Friday. It was an encouraging step in his return from offseason hip surgery. "It's a great sign," the defenseman said. "We waited until I was 100 percent ready to play, so we didn't take any chances. I was very comfortable jumping into the game and battling. I didn't even think about my hip." Scandella didn't play in any preseason games, but he seems ready to go for the regular season. He should be in the lineup Saturday. "We just didn't want to have any setbacks, and I felt like the training staff here did a great job with managing the injury," he said. "I came back when I was absolutely ready and when we knew that it wouldn't inhibit me from making plays or making decisions." The only player missing from practice was Zach Bogosian, though Housley said the defenseman skated on his own. Bogosian is day-to-day with a lower-body injury. "He's making progress, which is good to see," Housley said. "We've just got to be careful about it, but it's good to see that he's making progress and has skated two days in a row now." The Sabres will make a change to their fourth line. Matt Moulson, who sat Thursday, practiced with Jacob Josefson and Johan Larsson in place of Jordan Nolan. "He's going to fit right in," Housley said. "We're going to continue to make adjustments if we feel we need to make adjustments and give our guys the best chance to win. "I think Matt is a true goal scorer. He can bury the puck, and he can bring that against his old team." 1076906 Buffalo Sabres

Housley impressed by Sabres' puck possession in overtime

By John Vogl | Published Fri, Oct 6, 2017

Three-on-three overtime is in its third season, and it took Phil Housley just one game as an NHL head coach to experience it. "I think it's great for hockey," Housley said Friday. "The fans love the open ice. The players love the open ice. "I don't like it when we don't get a win out of it, but that's continuing to evolve." The Sabres fell to 0-0-1 with a 3-2 shootout loss to Montreal on Thursday. Buffalo took a methodical approach during overtime and tried to set up plays rather than get in a track meet. It resulted in more puck control. The puck was in the Montreal zone for 2:25 of overtime, including 1:44 on the Sabres' sticks. It was in the Sabres' zone for 1:41, including 1:15 of possession time for Montreal. The other 55 seconds were spent in the neutral zone. Buffalo had a 4-3 shot advantage. "We had some good looks," Housley said in KeyBank Center. "We had some things that almost transpired into some scoring chances. I thought our guys were really smart about maintaining possession and not giving it up. "We got ourselves into some dead zones where they were able to attack. I think we could have brought it back and just held possession because it's such a big part of three-on-three. But moving forward, we've had some success. We won a game in overtime in preseason. We had some really good looks last night without giving up too much, so I'm pretty happy about it." Should the Sabres reach overtime again Saturday when they visit the New York Islanders, expect the marquee and fast skaters to partake. Jack Eichel, Evander Kane and Nathan Beaulieu started the extra session, followed by Ryan O'Reilly, Kyle Okposo and Rasmus Ristolainen, and Sam Reinhart, Jason Pominville and Victor Antipin.

Buffalo News LOADED: 10.07.2017 1076907 Buffalo Sabres wanted, so we have a sour taste in our mouths. We have to go out next game and bring the same effort but clean up a few things, a few areas of our game, and we're going to have success." Exhibit A is shot in the arm for Sabres' offense Buffalo News LOADED: 10.07.2017 By John Vogl | Published Fri, Oct 6, 2017 | Updated Fri, Oct 6, 2017

The Sabres reached 40 shots just four times in 82 games last season. That's a paltry 4.9 percent. They're at 100 percent this season. OK, it's one game, and it could dip to 50 percent Saturday when Buffalo visits the New York Islanders. But Phil Housley promised a more exciting offense, and Exhibit A was encouraging. "That was a great step in the right direction as far as our shot mentality and our shot mindset goes," Housley said Friday. "We did a lot of good things. We can take a lot away from that game, but it's just one game." The Sabres outshot Montreal, 45-40, in Thursday's season-opening 3-2 shootout loss. For a team that had the shot advantage in just 24 of 82 games last year, the outing had players feeling confident this season should be different. "We put a good amount of pucks at the net," said left wing Zemgus Girgensons, who had six shots. "Our offense is coming along." As important as it was to get shots, even better for Buffalo was who took them and where: *The Sabres had 35 shots at even strength, nine on the power play and one short-handed. They relied too much on their power play last season, so creating at five-on-five is a good sign. *Of the Sabres' 69 shot attempts, 30 were from below the faceoff dots, according to HockeyStats.ca. The players were able to get close to the Montreal net. *Defensemen registered 13 shots after averaging just seven per game last season. "This is the game we're going to bring," blue-liner Marco Scandella said in KeyBank Center. "In the league nowadays to have success you have to have the D jumping in the rush and being part of the attack. I feel that's what we're building. Phil did a great job in Nashville, and we're trying to implement that system here. "It's early, right? We're in Game One, and we're just going to get better. I just felt like Game One was a good step for us." Montreal hasn't been an easy team to test. It tied for 10th last season in fewest shots allowed, giving up 29.6 per game. Buffalo's new offense caught the Canadiens off-guard. "They were very, very fast," Habs forward Max Pacioretty told NHL.com. "Their D are really fast, and I was very surprised by that. They took over the game and they took control of the game." As much as there was for the Sabres to like, it was far from perfect. They attempted those 30 shots from in close, but Price saw most of them. "We had to get bodies in front," Girgensons said. "That’s something we need to work on." The Sabres weren't happy they allowed 40 shots. That shouldn't be a surprise, though. They did that 17 times last year. "We gave up way too many chances against," Housley said. "That was the result of a couple things, our puck management through the neutral zone and just our coverage coming back into our zone. Those things we can sort out. "The thing that we can control is getting pucks deep. We talk about the next level where we're getting it in the blue line, but we're not getting it into the corner. As a result, it sort of feeds their transition and we're coming back and spending energy in the wrong areas. Those things we've got to be better at. "There's a lot of good teams out there that have good transition games. If we can control that, make them spend energy playing defense, I think that's in our favor." Having success in the first game gives Buffalo confidence it can continue to call the shots. "I feel like everyone believes in this room, and we just have to make a statement," Scandella said. "It's a good start. It's not the result we 1076908 Buffalo Sabres

Sabres' Scandella gets good news with hip; Bogosian misses practice

By John Vogl | Published Fri, Oct 6, 2017 | Updated Fri, Oct 6, 2017

The first good sign for Marco Scandella was playing more than 21 minutes in the Sabres' season opener. An even better one was practicing the next morning. After taking maintenance days throughout training camp, Scandella was back on the ice Friday. It was an encouraging step in his return from offseason hip surgery. "It's a great sign," the defenseman said in KeyBank Center. "We waited until I was 100 percent ready to play, so we didn't take any chances. I was very comfortable jumping into the game and battling. I didn't even think about my hip." Scandella didn't play in any preseason games, but he seems ready to go for the regular season. He should be in the lineup Saturday when Buffalo visits the New York Islanders. "We just didn't want to have any setbacks, and I felt like the training staff here did a great job with managing the injury," he said. "I came back when I was absolutely ready and when we knew that it wouldn't inhibit me from making plays or making decisions." Scandella played 21:11 and recorded two shots and four hits in the 3-2 shootout loss to Montreal. He was part of an offense that fired 45 shots at goaltender Carey Price. "This is the game we're going to bring," Scandella said. "In the league nowadays to have success you have to have the D jumping in the rush and being part of the attack. I feel that's what we're building. "It's early, right? We're in Game One, and we're just going to get better. I just felt like Game One was a good step for us." The only player missing from practice was Zach Bogosian, though coach Phil Housley said the defenseman skated on his own. Bogosian is day- to-day with a lower-body injury. "He's making progress, which is good to see," Housley said. "We've just got to be careful about it, but it's good to see that he's making progress and has skated two days in a row now." There could be one lineup change Saturday. Matt Moulson, who was scratched Thursday, skated with Jacob Josefson and Johan Larsson on the fourth line in place of Jordan Nolan.

Buffalo News LOADED: 10.07.2017 1076909 Buffalo Sabres start to his season last year. He went to Tampa Bay's training camp on a professional tryout then signed with the Crunch.

Five things to know as the Rochester Americans open their season Buffalo News LOADED: 10.07.2017

By Amy Moritz | Published Fri, Oct 6, 2017

For the sixth straight year, the Rochester Americans will open the season at home, hosting the Syracuse Crunch in Blue Cross Arena at 7:05 p.m. Friday. Here's what you need to know: 1. The Amerks want to instill a winning culture. While the playoff drought in Rochester isn't as pronounced as it is for the parent Buffalo Sabres, the Amerks are looking to make the postseason for the first time since 2014. Since then they've endured three losing seasons. And the six-time Calder Cup champions haven't advanced past the first round of the playoffs since 2005. While minor league hockey is often focused on development and depth, all in service of the parent club, winning can be a big part of that development. "Once you become a team then everyone does well and everyone has success," new Amerks head coach Chris Taylor said. "I think that's the way we've got to approach it and the players have to approach it, because you can't do it by yourself. Especially the way we want to do it in this organization, it has to be as a team. If you don't play as a team, then it's not going to work for you as an individual. That's our whole culture. That's how we're going to do it. That's what it's all about. 2. The "old guys" are pretty important. There were some big off-season moves for the Amerks which brought veteran players to the team, including center Kevin Porter and defenseman Nathan Paetsch. The two will play a key role in establishing a new culture for the Amerks, one that looks at a team game and winning as a way to individual success. Porter, 31, is making his third stint as the Amerks captain, who also wore the "C" in Rochester for the 2012-13 and 2013-14 seasons. Since then, Porter has won a Stanley Cup with the Pittsburgh Penguins and spent time with their AHL club, the Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Penguins. Last season Paetsch, 34, won the Calder Cup with the Grand Rapids Griffins, where he was captain while the 29-year-old Fedun was an alternate captain for Rochester last season. Amerks confident they have right veterans to mentor, push prospects 3. Speaking of the veterans, the Amerks are stacked. With the addition of 27-year-old defenseman Zach Redmond this week, the Amerks now have seven players with the AHL veteran designation. Per league rules, only five veterans can play in a game. "We’ll have to look at that and make sure we put guys where they’re supposed to be, and the best players are going to play," Taylor said. Redmond comes to Rochester from the trade the Sabres made which sent Nic Deslauriers to the Montreal Canadiens. "He has a lot of experience in the back end," Taylor said of Redmond. "He's going to help our power play out with a right-hand shot. We're very happy to have him. 4. The young guys have plenty to prove. Forwards Justin Bailey and Nicholas Baptiste have been on the cusp of an NHL career. They were battling to make the Sabres roster out of training camp but both start the season with Rochester. Baptiste played 14 games for the Sabres last season while Bailey played in 32. They certainly provide depth for Buffalo, but their goal is not to be depth players. How they handle starting the season in the AHL will be a key moment in their development. Also back in Rochester is Hudson Fasching, who missed major time last year with a groin injury. Look for Linus Ullmark to continue his development as the Amerks' starting goalie. 5. Welcome the Conacher Brothers. The Amerks opening night opponent features two Western New York collegiate connections. Cory Conacher and Shane Conacher both played at Canisius College. Cory has been at the pro game for a while, returning to North America last year to sign with the Tampa Bay Lightning. He was the leading point getter for the Crunch with 60 points in just 56 games, including a career-high 43 assists. Cory also added four points (one goal, three assists) in 11 games for the Tampa Bay Lightning. Shane will make his Syracuse debut. He left Canisius after his junior season to sign with the Toronto Marlies only to have an injury delay the 1076910 Carolina Hurricanes

For all the changes, Hurricanes’ season still rests on the shoulders of one man

BY LUKE DECOCK [email protected] OCTOBER 06, 2017 4:27 PM

RALEIGH Talk about the return all you want. The goofy co-(no- )captaincy, too. Or Trevor van Riemsdyk, who arrived to shore up the third defensive pairing and, at 26, became the oldest person in the top six, which is nuts. None of it really matters that much. It’s all just a coat of paint. Things look nicer, but the real change, the one that really matters for the Carolina Hurricanes, is harder to see behind his mask. The success or failure of this team rests squarely on the broad (and elevated) shoulders of Scott Darling. And that’s the tall and short of it. The quiet, bearded, gangly goalie is the key to this team’s future. If he can hack it, the playoff drought will almost certainly end. If he can’t, and Cam Ward ends up playing 50 games – well, Hurricanes fans have seen that movie before and know how it ends. As erratic, frustrating, streaky and confounding as the Hurricanes were last season, they might have made the playoffs with just average goaltending. Instead, they missed for the eighth straight season, the longest, most excruciating, most damaging drought in the NHL. It now extends across multiple years of three coaching regimes. For all the plaudits he collects around the NHL circuit, Bill Peters’ record after three years in charge is actually worse than Kirk Muller’s. Muller was 80- 80-27. Peters is 101-103-42, although that improves to 71-62-31 if you give him a free pass on his first season. Paul Maurice, post-2009, was 83-81-25 when he got axed. The common thread among the three, besides zero playoff appearances? Ward, although it’s not all his fault, even if that’s a common sentiment among fans. There’s plenty of blame to go around, even beyond Eddie Lack. The Hurricanes have been too old when they needed to be younger, too young when they needed to be older and took far too long to assemble this group of talented players with untapped potential. Either way, the Hurricanes too often required something approaching perfection from Ward, and he could rarely deliver. And it was always Ward. Whether by default or design, Ward has been the main guy in net for this team for the past 11 years, in which the Hurricanes have made the playoffs once. All of the other contenders for the No. 1 job – most notably John Grahame, Anton Khudobin and Lack – turned out to be pretenders. If Lack were any good, this might have been a playoff team last spring. So now the Hurricanes try again, with Darling, whose record as a backup on one of the NHL’s best teams was stellar but who has never played more than 45 games in a season, and that when he was 19. The Hurricanes will probably need him to play at least 60, and play them well, not that Darling is taking that for granted. “Cam and I both want to play, and just because I showed up and signed here doesn’t mean, ‘Here you go, here’s 80 games,’ ” Darling said. But he will start Saturday’s opener against the Minnesota Wild, after missing his first scheduled preseason start with an undisclosed minor injury. In the two games he played after that, he was stellar: a 1.50 goals- against average and .925 save percentage. It’s foolish to draw sweeping conclusions from preseason because of the frequent talent disparity between game rosters, but those numbers are everything you’d expect from Darling. If he can deliver anything close to that in real games, it’ll be a different kind of season for the Hurricanes. And if he can’t, it’ll look all too familiar.

News Observer LOADED: 10.07.2017 1076911 Carolina Hurricanes

Five pressing questions for the Hurricanes as the season opens

BY CHIP ALEXANDER [email protected] OCTOBER 06, 2017 4:18 PM

Here are five questions for the Hurricanes as they open their season Saturday at PNC Arena against the Minnesota Wild. What about a new owner? Hurricanes president Don Waddell said late this week that the sales process continues. Chuck Greenberg, the sport attorney who is heading up an investment team that wants to buy the Hurricanes, says it has been “business as usual.” No snags in the negotiations, both agree. It’s a complex sale, and it will need NHL approval before the ownership change, but Canes owner Peter Karmanos and the Greenberg group may have a deal in place before the season ends. Is Scott Darling a No. 1 goalie? Darling believes he’s ready to be a No. 1 guy for the first time in the NHL. General manager Ron Francis believes it. Canes coach Bill Peters believes it. Being a No. 1 goalie means stringing together quality starts, not having an occasional game where you stand on your head and make incredible saves. Darling was very good in 32 games in Chicago last season as a backup. How will he handle 50 or more starts? Will the Canes be better in OT? The Canes have let a lot of points slip away in overtime and shootout games the past two seasons – 15 games lost in 2016-17, 16 the year before. Everything needs to improve: better 3-on-3 play, more confidence on shootout shots, better play in net. Darling is 8-5 in his career shootouts, allowing nine goals on 44 shots. Cam Ward is 17-41, allowing 68 goals on 183 attempts. Can the Canes score enough goals? Peters is the first to say, “We need to score more goals.” Francis’ opinion is with better play by the group of six defensemen in the D-zone, it will create more offensive-zone time and thus more scoring chances. But somebody has to finish. That’s the problem. Players have to go to the front of the net. Jeff Skinner may score 37 or more goals but needs help. The list of players who need to do more offensively is a long one, including defensemen – Justin Faulk being the exception – who need to do more than score an occasional goal. Will the co-captain system work? It’s unusual and seems quirky but Jordan Staal and Faulk, named team co-captains Thursday, are well-matched and both say there will be other voices heard, in the locker room and on the bench. Justin Williams won’t be holding back. Skinner is an alternate captain and is good at sensing the pulse of the team. Some of the young D are fiery, competitive types. It might have been better with one player wearing the “C” but Staal and Faulk might make it work.

News Observer LOADED: 10.07.2017 1076912 Carolina Hurricanes

How to watch Carolina Hurricanes season opener

BY CHIP ALEXANDER [email protected] OCTOBER 06, 2017 3:42 PM

The Carolina Hurricanes open the 2017-18 season Saturday, Oct. 7, against the Minnesota Wild. Starting time: 7 p.m., PNC Arena. TV coverage: Fox Sports Carolinas will broadcast the game. There will be an extended, one-hour pregame show on Fox that will include interviews with general manager Ron Francis, coach Bill Peters and former Canes forward Bates Battaglia, who will reflect on the team celebrating its 20th anniversary in North Carolina. In-game events: The Hurricanes will announce a 20th Anniversary Team and will unveil the 20th ranked Top 20 Moment as voted on by the fans. Tailgating, parking: Parking lots will open at 2:30 p.m. Parking is $20. Post-game: Fans will be allowed to go on the ice to have their photo taken in front of the lowered video board, which will display a commemorative opening night message. Fans will enter via the top of section 115, and all must sign a waiver that will be available at the promotions kiosk outside of section 108-109.

News Observer LOADED: 10.07.2017 1076913 Carolina Hurricanes were signed to long-term contracts in the offseason. Goaltender Scott Darling’s four-year contract will pay him $16.6 million.

“Pete has been good to me,” Francis said. “My job is to put the best It’s been 8 years since Canes made the playoffs. What will it take to get team on the ice possible. There have been times when I’ve needed to back in? call him and asked to do things and he’s been fine with it. I don’t use that as an excuse at all.” BY CHIP ALEXANDER Francis was the captain of the Canes’ 2002 Eastern Conference champions and is a Hockey Hall of Famer. He believes he has molded [email protected] and assembled a team with the speed and the skill to put the Canes in the playoffs for the first time since 2009. OCTOBER 06, 2017 12:37 PM Williams adds grit. The Canes have used the Chicago Blackhawks’ salary-cap squeeze to add Darling and other players – center Marcus Kruger, defenseman Trevor van Riemsdyk – with Stanley Cup pedigrees. Coming from Justin Williams, it wasn’t so much a promise as a rallying cry. “We played well last year despite below-average goaltending,” Karmanos said. “If we had average goaltending last year we’d have made the Soon after signing a free-agent contract with the Carolina Hurricanes in playoffs by six or eight points according to our analytics. July, the forward said, “We’re done losing. It’s time to climb the ladder and be relevant.” “But we’ve built a team now that’s going to be a very good team for quite a few years. Ronnie (Francis) has built something that’s going to last.” Williams won a Stanley Cup with the Hurricanes in 2006. Traded away in March 2009, he later won two Cups with . He knows It’s a team that has the attention of NHL analysts as the Canes’ 2017-18 about relevancy in the and what it takes, in the season begins Saturday against the Minnesota Wild. Some see structure and makeup of a team, to be relevant. similarities with the Nashville Predators, who went through a rebuild and made it to the Stanley Cup final last season before being beaten by the “They’ve done a lot of work over the last couple of years here to get this Pittsburgh Penguins. team to where it is today, and it’s time to take the next step,” Williams said this week. “That’s what that comment was about. It’s time to make “They have checked off the two boxes we talked about with Nashville in the playoffs and be a relevant team in the conversation of the best terms of goaltending and defense,” NBC analyst Mike Milbury, a former hockey teams in the NHL.” NHL general manager, said of the Canes. “The defense is more emerging than polished just yet, and the question for me will be can they As the Hurricanes celebrate their 20th year in North Carolina, there is a score often enough to get the job done. But they’re clearly headed in the demarcation line in that 20-year period. In the first 12 years, the Canes right direction.” won a Cup, advanced to two (2002, 2006), reached the Eastern Conference finals three times (2002, 2006, 2009) and had Hurricanes president Don Waddell, hired in July 2014, said that has been five playoff teams (1999, 2001, 2002, 2006, 2009). reflected on the business side. Waddell said in the 2006-07 season, with the impetus of winning a Cup, the Canes sold about 10,000 season The last eight years: no playoff teams. tickets. That’s now the longest playoff drought in the NHL after the Edmonton “We have under 7,000 right now,” Waddell said. “When I got here it was Oilers, the team the Canes beat in the 2006 Stanley Cup final, qualified under 5,400, so we’re making progress.” last season for the first time since ’06. And, yes, being able to draft Connor McDavid was a big part of that. The Canes were in the black financially last year, the first for the Carolina franchise in a non-playoff year. Waddell said the Canes made about $2 Former Canes coach Paul Maurice once likened it to a slugger in million, which he said did not include the lucrative cut NHL teams baseball, either hitting a home run or whiffing. The good years were very received from the expansion fee paid by the Vegas Golden Knights good, bringing Raleigh to life, energizing the community. entering the league as the 31st team. “I think we might have spoiled some people in the first few years,” Waddell said despite finishing 30th in home attendance (11,776), the Hurricanes general manager Ron Francis said. “We had the Stanley Cup Canes were not last in revenue from home games. finals, the conference championship, the Stanley Cup. There were a lot of things happening.” “If the team continues to go the way we think they will, that will be a big uptick for us from a financial standpoint,” Waddell said. But the past eight years have strained the patience of Canes fans. Attendance has suffered, and the Canes have been last in the NHL the In looking back at the past eight years, Francis said poor starts have past two years. been a common thread. That, he said, needs to change this season, and the Hurricanes do have a more favorable October schedule with five “It’s been a problem the past seven or eight years because we did not home games and five on the road. make the playoffs,” Canes owner Peter Karmanos Jr. said. “In 2008 and 2009 the economy wasn’t great. Even though we made the (2009) In a loaded Metropolitan Division, the NHL’s best, it’s imperative to keep conference finals, Raleigh was suffering probably more than anywhere pace. else from the ‘Great Recession.’ Then as we came out of the Great Recession we had a team that has not been very good.” “You just never knows how it goes,” Francis said. “There’s bad bounces, bad calls, injuries, you name it, there’s all kind of different scenarios. I As for the lagging attendance, Karmanos said, “It has nothing to do with can honestly say this is the best team we feel we’re putting on the ice the market. We need to win. We need to earn those tickets, and we will.” since we took over as a management group, and we’re excited to see what they can do.” That may happen under new ownership. Karmanos, who has owned the team since 1994, has been negotiating a sale with an investor group Williams, for one, is ready to drop the puck and get started. headed by Texas-based sports attorney Chuck Greenberg – a $500 million transaction that could be completed before the end of the season. “This is time you want to bring it all together,” he said. “Now’s the time. The Canes have long been called a “budget team” and annually have had among the lowest payrolls in the league. That will continue this season with a young team with an average age of 24.9 on its 23-man News Observer LOADED: 10.07.2017 roster. Carolina’s projected cap hit of $60.43 million tops only the Arizona Coyotes, according to CapFriendly.com, which tracks league salaries. The Canes generally have been loathe to hand out big contracts to free agents. It didn’t help when they signed forward Alex Semin to a one-year, $7 million deal in 2012-13, then gave him a five-year, $35 million extension, only to have him turn out to be a bust that resulted in a costly contract buyout. Francis, entering his fourth season as general manager, said he has been given enough financial resources by Karmanos. Williams’ two-year deal is worth $9 million. Defensemen Jaccob Slavin and Brett Pesce 1076914 Chicago Blackhawks

Paired with Patrick Kane, Nick Schmaltz looks like potential breakout player

Chris Hine Chicago Tribune

The Blackhawks' 10-1 victory over the Penguins in Thursday's season opener was like a start-of-semester party at college. Everybody having a good time with no bad vibes anywhere. But a moment in the third period at the United Center was akin to someone putting on a bad song or spilling a drink. Nick Schmaltz hunched over in pain and needed help getting back to the locker room because of an apparent knee injury. It killed the buzz. Coach Joel Quenneville squashed any fears after the game when he said Schmaltz would be fine — despite how bad the injury looked — and Schmaltz took the ice for practice Friday at Johnny's IceHouse West. It's a good sign for the Hawks, considering how impressive Schmaltz looked centering Patrick Kane and Ryan Hartman. Contrast that with where Schmaltz was 12 months ago — a tentative forward who wasn't sure where he would fit or how he could use his playmaking ability. "It was a pleasant surprise," Schmaltz said of the opener. "All the lines were playing really fast and we were playing good defensively and that led to a lot of chances. … It's cool to see the chemistry click right away." "Click" might be an understatement. The three accounted for 12 points, with Schmaltz netting two goals and one assist. Schmaltz looks like a potential breakout player. After spending most of last season on a wing, he is at center, his more natural position. Coming into training camp, Quenneville said the Hawks had Schmaltz pegged as a top-six forward, but they weren't sure about his abilities at center. He struggled on faceoffs last season and was 4 of 12 against the Penguins. But when you see Schmaltz using his speed and stick as well as he did Thursday, it's hard to keep him from that center slot with Kane. "It was a great option to have him knowing he could play wing," Quenneville said. "The chemistry that first time we saw them together was something. It was a great — I don't want to say discovery — but he looked like he wanted to play center and he wanted to play with Kaner." Schmaltz said he entered camp determined to make it work at center. "I love having the puck in the middle of the ice and love playing fast," he said. "(I worked on) getting stronger in the offseason, getting quicker, winning more puck battles and enabling our line and myself to have the puck more. We're at our best when we have the puck — making plays and holding on to it and generating a lot of chances." Schmaltz's emergence at center gives the Hawks greater depth at the position and a viable third scoring line with Artem Anisimov, Patrick Sharp and rookie Alex DeBrincat. And it keeps Kane — who put up career numbers playing with Anisimov and Artemi Panarin the last two seasons — on a dangerous line that can utilize his rare skills, such as the behind-the-back and spin-o-rama passes he made to set up goals Thursday. "Hopefully we can continue that and play that style of game as much as we can," Schmaltz said. One-timers: Quenneville said center Tanner Kero, who left after the second period Thursday because of an undisclosed injury, is questionable to play Saturday against the Blue Jackets. If Kero can't play, Tommy Wingels would be the fourth-line center. … Quenneville said he is unlikely to make any other lineup changes Saturday but would like to get defensemen Cody Franson and Jordan Oesterle, healthy scratches Thursday, in the lineup soon.

Chicago Tribune LOADED: 10.07.2017 1076915 Chicago Blackhawks

Blackhawks Q&A: Defense, Nick Schmaltz, Richard Panik and more

Chris Hine Chicago Tribune

The Blackhawks opened a lot of eyes in Thursday’s 10-1 victory over the Penguins. It was the first time they scored 10 goals in a game since 1988. All the talk in the preseason about an inexperienced defense and the loss of players like Artemi Panarin, Marian Hossa and Niklas Hjalmarsson didn’t seem to matter much on Thursday. Here are some questions looking ahead to what you can expect during this season. I’m going to say true, although Thursday night sure makes it hard to go with that answer. I still think this is the biggest issue long term with this team. The Hawks’ defense was hard to judge because the game was such a blowout but it is still going to be a work in progress. Jan Rutta, who is playing in his first NHL season, was paired with Gustav Forsling and that’s a grouping I’d want to see more of in tougher situations to see what they can do. It appears Michal Kempny is going to be the big beneficiary of the minutes vacated by Brian Campbell and Trevor van Riemsdyk. Kempny was playing with Connor Murphy, making him a de facto top four defenseman. He was even killing penalties. We’ll see if the Hawks can keep up this kind of elite level offensive production. They can easily be among the highest scoring teams in the league given the plethora of skill on their top three lines. And when they’re clicking, well, you saw what can happen. But in the playoffs when the games get tighter, the defense will have to step up. Of the things that concern me about the Blackhawks, Richard Panik playing on the top line is not chief among them. He proved he can handle the responsibility last season when he played with Nick Schmaltz and Jonathan Toews from February until the end of the season. And he will be playing with Brandon Saad and Toews this season. Panik has been a revelation for the Hawks. I agree with you that he scored some fortunate goals, especially early last season, but I also think he scored some gritty goals based on his physicality and effort. He’s a good skater, has noticeable chemistry with Toews and now Saad, at least based on the early portion of camp and Thursday’s game. And having Panik playing adequately or better on the top line also allows you to better balance the rest of the lineup. That can’t be underestimated. Too many times players come to the Hawks and it takes them a while to get comfortable playing how the Hawks play. Saad and Sharp know the deal. They know how to be defensively responsible and they can skate. That helps. I think the Hawks are still looking for the right blend on defense and just because they allowed only one goal to the Penguins, you can’t say they’re completely OK there. Cody Franson and Connor Murphy were very candid in a story I did recently in which they talked about the difficulties of learning the Hawks’ system. It might shed some insight into what it takes to do that. In terms of forwards, the chemistry looks great so far. Defense? Let’s see. Nick Schmaltz. I wasn’t sure if he could be a center at the NHL level, but he looks the part and then some. He had a fantastic game Thursday centering Patrick Kane and Ryan Hartman before he exited because of a knee injury. (Quenneville said Schmaltz is fine and Schmaltz is “very likely” to play Saturday). Faceoffs are still a work in progress for Schmaltz. He only won 4 of 12 on Thursday, but when he’s making plays like he did Thursday, who cares that much about the faceoffs? Schmaltz has an evident rapport with Kane and he’s more comfortable and assertive on the offensive end than he was a year ago at this time. It’s a night and day difference. He’s dangerous with and without the puck and since teams have to account for Kane, Schmaltz has freedom to operate. They are a potent dangerous combination and as Hartman proved with five points Thursday, opponents can’t sleep on him either. The ceiling is high for that line.

Chicago Tribune LOADED: 10.07.2017 1076916 Chicago Blackhawks

Brandon Saad becomes second Blackhawks player to score hat trick in season opener

Paul Skrbina Chicago Tribune

Jonathan Toews’ first point Thursday night turned out to be an exclamation point. The Blackhawks captain had no intention of shooting when he closed in on Penguins goalie Matthew Murray during the third period of a 10-1, season-opening victory at the United Center. The Blackhawks captain instead tapped the puck off the tape on Brandon Saad’s stick and a hat trick was born, the second in Hawks history in a season opener. The other man to do it? Bobby Hull in 1965. Toews body followed Saad’s shot into the net and the two embraced, just like old times, soon after. Saad’s return to the Blackhawks after spending last season with the Blue Jackets reminded him why he never wanted to leave in the first place. “With Jonny you always gotta be ready,” Saad said. “You saw the play on the last goal; what a pass. “He put it right on my tape.” A red carpet was rolled out on Madison Street before the game. Among those who were cheered the loudest was Saad, who helped the Hawks reach 10 goals in a game for the first time in a season-opener and the first time in any game since 1988. Saad also helped the Hawks to the Stanley Cup titles in 2013 and 2015. “He’s just a force,” said Patrick Kane, who had a goal and three assists. “A lot of his goals are just him going to the net, whether he’s getting a stick on it or a skate. He could do some good things.”

Chicago Tribune LOADED: 10.07.2017 1076917 Chicago Blackhawks 5. Not seeing Marian Hossa playing 200 feet like a boss will take some getting used to. Hossa is hockey for Paul Konerko. Both players are understated and classy, respected and beloved by teammates, and their Patrick Kane dazzles, but look at how his Blackhawks teammates teams don’t win championships without them. And did I say understated delivered and classy? 5a. Itty-bitty rookie Alex DeBrincat, the 5-foot-7 forward who set scoring records in junior but carries questions about surviving against adults in Steve Rosenbloom the NHL, met 6-foot-1, 219-pound Ian Cole in the corner and drilled the Penguins defenseman. DeBrincat should earn more ice time. Cole will The RosenBlog feel much shame. 5b. All 10 Hawks goals came at even-strength, so if you’re looking for a negative, the power play went 0-for-6. Five things about Blackhawks 10, Penguins 1 on opening night: 5c. Sidney Crosby was on the ice for half the Hawks’ goals. 1. The blind back pass from behind the net that leads to a goal? 5d. Twenty-three-year-old Penguins defenseman Olli Maatta is still trying Check. One-nothing, Hawks, and nobody was missing Artemi Panarin. to figure out how a senior citizen like Patrick Sharp can give him The spinnerama move followed by a pass instead of a shot that led to windburn like that. another goal? 5e. Years of watching and writing hockey have led me to the conclusion Check. Three-nothing, Hawks. Penguins goalie Antti Niemi still has no that if the Hawks can score 10 goals every game, they won’t miss Niklas idea which post to cover. Hjalmarsson. Roofing a backhander from an impossible angle below the right circle? 5f. Jan Rutta finished with a plus-7 Corsi, but it still looked like the Czech defenseman needs work adapting to the smaller ice. Check. Six-one, Hawks. Different goalie, same red light. 5g. Wishing you well, Eddie O. Yeah, the Patrick Kane bingo card can fill up fast. 5h. Judd Sirott to the Boston Bruins radio broadcast and Chris Boden to It apparently doesn’t matter that he lost his favorite playmate in the trade the Hawks radio broadcast is like the trade that helps both teams. that brought back Brandon Saad. Kane is just going to play his game, make his moves, show off his ability, and wow everybody, like usual. His 5i. Tweet from the Penguins’ account: “Glad that’s over.’’ linemates, whoever his linemates are, will simply have to keep up. 5j. More opponents on the second game of a back-to-back, please. But we already knew Kane could pull off rat hockey moves in an actual 5k. Oh, and would you look at that: Panarin and the Blue Jackets come NHL game. What we didn’t know was whether these different, chastened into the United Center on Saturday after facing the Islanders in Columbus Blackhawks could deliver on promises of a new style and emphasis they on Friday. vowed after getting wiped out by the Predators in the playoffs last April. 5l. What’s up, Rod Buskas? Turns out, on opening night against the Penguins on Thursday anyway, the Hawks filled out a bingo card pretty well themselves. Speed the Hawks didn’t have while getting pantsed by the Predators? Chicago Tribune LOADED: 10.07.2017 Check. The Hawks beat the Penguins to loose pucks all over the ice and blew past the defending Stanley Cup champions up ice the way the Predators gave the Hawks windburn last spring. Offense while rolling 12 forwards? Check. Each line recorded at least an assist, led by the four goals and 12 points from Kane and new playmates Nick Schmaltz and Ryan Hartman. Offense from the defense? Check. Hawks GM Stan Bowman stressed that the Hawks were demanding their defensemen move the puck and join the play at the other end, and bang, look at that, one goal and six assists from the blue line. Yeah, it was only one game, but imagine if the Hawks had come off getting swept by the Predators last spring and had expressed all the anger they expressed and made the stunning trades they made and changed the coaches they changed, and still lost the opener by something like 2-1 to a team that had played the night before? We’d be calling for Gar Forman to take over the Hawks. No, we wouldn’t. I lied. We would never call for Forman to take over another team we care about. Never ever. But you get the point. 2. Quick, someone tell Hartman’s family to take a picture of the NHL stats page. It might never happen again, but this morning he’s leading the Art Ross race with five points. Last season, Hartman didn’t record his fifth point until the week before Thanksgiving. Hartman scored the game’s first goal, but his best play might’ve been corralling the puck near the right boards, spinning quickly in his own zone, and then making a nifty pass up to Kane that would culminate in one of Schmaltz’s two goals. 3. Saad joined Alex Ovechkin, Wayne Simmonds and Connor McDavid with hat tricks in their respective openers. Remarkably, each had three goals and zero assists. That’s a scoring line of 3-0, meaning there’s a four-way tie for first in the NHL’s Cy Young race. 4. Much to my surprise, Brent Seabrook looked good playing alongside Duncan Keith. I don’t think that was ever the case with that pairing last season. And how good was Seabrook in the opener? He led the Hawks in Corsi with a plus-15, according to NaturalStatTrick.com. 1076918 Chicago Blackhawks Chicago Sun Times LOADED: 10.07.2017

Nick Schmaltz’s speed adds new dimension to Patrick Kane’s game

10/06/2017, 07:45PM Mark Lazerus @MarkLazerus | email

Artem Anisimov is a big body who does all the little things well. Brad Richards was a savvy veteran with a nose for the net and a solid two-way game. Dave Bolland was a gritty pest with some sneaky offensive ability. Marcus Kruger was a defensive specialist with little offensive upside. All of them were solid, reliable centers for Patrick Kane, sturdy anchors who allowed him to roam freely and dominate the puck. But none was particularly fast. But Nick Schmaltz? Schmaltz is fast. And as the Blackhawks’ eye- popping 10-1 rout Thursday of the Penguins showed, that speed could open up a whole new world of possibilities for Kane. ‘‘If he has speed, he can beat guys through that if a defenseman doesn’t back up,’’ Kane said. ‘‘And if [the defenseman] does back up, then it gives me more space. It’s kind of a win-win in my situation when I get the puck.’’ Indeed, when Schmaltz comes flying through the middle of the ice — with or without the puck — opponents have to pick their poison. Do they pressure him and risk having him blow by for a breakaway? Do they back off and leave the slot wide-open for him, Kane and Ryan Hartman to work some magic, while allowing the Hawks’ defensemen space to join the rush? Does it even matter when there’s that much speed and that much skill? Schmaltz had an outstanding training camp, immediately seizing the No. 2 center spot from Anisimov. And after only one game, Kane compared Schmaltz to the most dynamic player in the world, who just so happened to have scored a hat trick a night earlier. ‘‘Watching [the Oilers’ Connor] McDavid [on Wednesday] night, you saw some of the similarities with Schmaltz, where he comes through the middle that fast and can almost create breakaways by getting that puck with so much speed in the middle of the ice,’’ Kane said. What separates McDavid from everyone else isn’t just his elite skill; it’s that he can use that skill while moving at breathtaking speed. If Schmaltz can use his own speed and playmaking ability, Kane might be in for many more four-point nights. ‘‘It opens up a ton,’’ said Hartman, who had a goal and four assists Thursday. ‘‘The defense has to respect that. They’ve got to back up a little bit because they know a guy with that type of speed is coming through the middle, and it opens up the sides. So having a guy with speed like that definitely helps offensively, for sure.’’ The Hawks scored in all sorts of ways against the Penguins. Kane found Hartman from behind the net. Kane teed up two goals for Schmaltz as they streaked down opposite wings with Hartman in the middle. The trio was in constant motion, usually at high speed. That game was obviously a best-case scenario, but Schmaltz said he sees no reason why he, Kane and whomever the left wing is can’t keep generating Grade-A scoring chances. ‘‘I just try to use my speed up the middle,’’ Schmaltz said. ‘‘When I do that, I’m going to get a lot of chip passes and a lot of mini-breakaways out of that.’’ Schmaltz always has been more of a playmaker than a scorer. As a sophomore at North Dakota, he had 11 goals and 35 assists in 37 games. Last season, he had six goals and 22 assists in 61 games with the Hawks. But through one game this season, he already has two goals and an assist. Schmaltz said he doesn’t set statistical goals for himself. But with his speed and vision through the middle and Kane’s playmaking ability on the perimeter, the possibilities are tantalizing. ‘‘I’m just trying to take a step forward in my career from last year,’’ Schmaltz said. ‘‘If I play the way I’m capable of playing, the numbers will be there.’

1076919 Chicago Blackhawks

Subtle line change pays massive dividends for Blackhawks

John Dietz Follow @johndietzdh

Afterward, though, Patrick Kane, Jonathan Toews, Richard Panik, Artem Anisimov, Alex DeBrincat, Ryan Hartman and even assistant coach Kevin Dineen had fun peppering Corey Crawford and Anton Forsberg with shots from close range. Yes, there were smiles all around. And why not? It's not every day you open a season in such style. "It was very exciting for the team, just being on the bench watching the game and seeing a lot of different guys produce," said Kane, who executed a month's worth of highlight-reel plays in less than 30 minutes. Kane's chemistry with Nick Schmaltz -- who was back at practice after injuring his left leg or ankle Thursday -- is already off the charts. And while there was concern during training camp that an DeBrincat- Schmaltz-Kane line would have difficulty scoring from in close because none of them are built for that kind of game, Quenneville fixed that issue by swapping DeBrincat with the gritty, hard-charging Hartman. Now, with DeBrincat slotted in with Anisimov and Patrick Sharp, every line has someone who is willing to get down and dirty in front of opposing goaltenders. Schmaltz looks like he's the real deal and he has impressed the entire organization from the first day of camp. "It looked like he trained well this summer and prepared himself to improve, where all of a sudden he's not just happy being in the NHL -- he wanted to be a regular," Quenneville said. "We had him on the wing and then he played center with Kaner one game and it was like, 'OK. Wow.'" Schmaltz improved his strength and quickness in the off-season and is committed to winning more puck battles so his line bewilder opponents game after game. He's also more than happy at center. "I love having the puck in the middle of the ice and I love playing fast," Schmaltz said. "Getting the opportunity to play with Kaner is a lot of fun, and Hartsy is fitting in nice, so it's cool to see the chemistry click right away. "Hopefully we can just keep getting better in practice and translate that into games." Records galore: Here are some records that were set by the Blackhawks in their 10-1 victory over Pittsburgh on Thursday: 10 -- Most goals by the team in a season opener. (Previous high was 8 vs. Nashville in 2006). 8 -- Largest margin of victory in a season opener. (Previous mark was 5 in 1938). 5 -- Ryan Hartman (G, 4A) set a team record for most points in an opener. 3 -- Brandon Saad joined Bobby Hull (Oct. 23, 1965) as the only Hawks to record a hat trick in an opener. It was Saad's second career hat trick. Slap shots: Tanner Kero, who was injured against Pittsburgh, is questionable to play Saturday vs. Columbus. If Kero's out, Tommy Wingels will likely center the fourth line. … Patrick Sharp's first-period goal Thursday was the 600th point of his career. … Artem Anisimov was 15-for-21 on faceoffs vs. the Penguins.

Daily Herald Times LOADED: 10.07.2017 1076920 Chicago Blackhawks

Title-race with Pens matters to Blackhawks

John Dietz Follow @johndietzdh

Thanks to the Pittsburgh's triumph in the Stanley Cup Final last June, the Penguins officially pulled up alongside the Chicago Blackhawks in the race for NHL team of the salary-cap era. Before the teams squared off in the Hawks' season opener Thursday night at the United Center, Jonathan Toews and his teammates were asked if this matters to them in the least bit. And for most of them, it certainly does. "When you're watching a team like Pittsburgh, let's say in the playoffs last year, you're almost rooting for them to lose so they don't catch you," Patrick Kane said. The Penguins' titles came in 2009, '16 and '17, and they became the first team in almost 20 years to repeat as champions. Toews and Corey Crawford both said the Hawks should be more motivated than ever to try and win it all a fourth time. "I guess you can say that winning three Cups in … the last decade (is) not special now that we're not the only team to have done it," Toews said. "You could say it even surpasses (us) by going back to back. "There's no doubt if that fire wasn't back before, it is now. … We want to be one of those teams that's considered one of the best and one of the winningest in this era." Said Crawford, who was part of the 2013 and '15 title teams: "That's definitely a big competition. Something we want to do every year is to win and we want to be the team that has the most in this new era. "It's tied now, so maybe that gives us a little extra motivation -- if we even need that. But it's been fun winning and that feeling makes you want to do it again." Bickell honored: One day after signing Bryan Bickell to a one-day contract, the team honored him with their One More Shift promotion before Thursday's season opener vs. Pittsburgh. Bickell skated onto the ice after public-address announcer Gene Honda introduced the entire team, including Marian Hossa, who was standing on the bench with Joel Quenneville and the other coaches. The crowd erupted when Bickell hit the ice. He was greeted by all of the Hawks on one of the blue lines and stood next to Jonathan Toews for the national anthem. Bickell finished his career in Carolina last season after being diagnosed with multiple sclerosis. Slap shots: Nick Schmaltz and Tanner Kero were injured during the Hawks' 10-1 victory over Pittsburgh, but coach Joel Quenneville expects both players to be able to play Saturday against Columbus. … Duncan Keith needs 10 goals to hit 100 for his career, while Brent Seabrook needs 11. … If Joel Quenneville wins 49 games this season, he will hit 900 for his career.

Daily Herald Times LOADED: 10.07.2017 1076921 Chicago Blackhawks

Chicago Blackhawks open with 10-1 victory

John Dietz Follow @johndietzdh

In the Joel Quenneville-Stan Bowman era of the Chicago Blackhawks, no season came to a more abrupt ending than the 2016-17 campaign. Every fan knows the gory details, so we won't rehash them here. But two days after the Hawks were swept by Nashville last April, a stoic, inscenced Bowman said: "It's unacceptable to be where we are today. I'm frustrated, I'm angry. This was a tough, tough loss for us all to take." Bowman went to work in the days and months to come, remaking the Hawks in ways large and small so that they can still compete for Stanley Cup titles. Nobody knows exactly how the 2017-18 version of the Hawks will pan out, but Thursday night's season-opening 10-1 shellacking of the Pittsburgh Penguins at the United Center must have sent shock waves across the NHL. "We had a lot to prove," said Ryan Hartman, who scored the season's first goal and added a game-high 4 assists. "I can't really say we're angry still. I mean, it's a new season. But we wanted to come out ready and show we're a contender." They did that and then some, exploding to a 4-0 lead in less than 10 minutes, going up 8-1 in less than 30 and scoring 10 goals for the first time in almost 30 years. "It was almost like it wasn't a real game or something," said Patrick Kane, who had a goal and 3 assists. "It was just amazing. It was a fun start to be a part of." Hartman got the party started at 6:21 of the first period, and the Chelsea Dagger button was on "repeat" after that as Brandon Saad followed at 7:06, Nick Schmaltz flipped another shot home 28 seconds later, and Saad scored again at 9:16. An overjoyed Patrick Sharp added a fifth first-period goal at 17:01. Kane, Schmaltz and Richard Panik kept it going in a 3-goal second period, Saad ended up with a hat trick when he scored 5:21 into the third period, and Brent Seabrook made the scoreboard hit double digits for the Hawks for the first time since 1988 when he scored at 13:45. Corey Crawford was spectacular in net, making 28 saves. "I like how everybody was ready for the game," Kane said. "I don't know if it was a sour taste of what happened last spring, but it's a new group in here. "It seems like we have a lot of energy, a lot of speed. I thought training camp was very detailed from the coaches down to the players. Everyone was just ready to go." This was the 19th time in franchise history the Hawks scored 10 or more goals. The franchise record is 12, set on Jan. 30, 1969, at Philadelphia. It was a great start for sure, and we'll see if the Hawks can keep the momentum going in the face of a brutal opening schedule that continues with Columbus, Toronto, Montreal, Minnesota, Nashville, St. Louis and Edmonton. "It's one game and it's exciting and we're going to enjoy it," Saad said. "But we play again Saturday. You've got to move on. It's good to feel good about yourselves, but you know you're not going to put up 10 every night."

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In shadow of Blackhawks sexy offense, young defensive duo lights Q's lamp

By Tracey Myers October 06, 2017 2:56 PM

Jan Rutta was taking in every moment of his first NHL game on Thursday night, from the introductions to the Bryan Bickell ceremony to the raucous United Center crowd, which had plenty of reasons to be boisterous. That may sound like Rutta was distracted but it was actually the opposite. “I mean, the fans are amazing and they fill us with so much energy,” Rutta said. “So it’s really good.” For Rutta, it was the crowd. For Gustav Forsling, his partner in the Blackhawks’ season opener, it was offseason reading on mental skills. Be it Rutta’s transition from Europe to North America or Forsling’s need to improve in a sophomore season, whatever helps a young defenseman feel more comfortable you go with it. It worked for Game 1, anyway, when the duo came away with a combined outing that coach Joel Quenneville appreciated. “Both of them were strong defensively,” Quenneville said. “They went to people quickly, I thought they had a really good gap and the involvement in our rush game and their patience with the puck on the point was great. Our defense as a group of six were really good as far as defense to offense and more involvement with our defense on the attack.” The Blackhawks’ big question this season is defense, so nights like Thursday for Rutta and Forsling are encouraging. They’ll likely be playing again on Saturday when the Blackhawks face the Columbus Blue Jackets – why the heck would you change anything out of a 10-1 victory? For Rutta, the move across the pond has been smooth. Same goes for the transition from preseason to Game 1 of the regular season. “I played four preseason games and those teams, they played one, two, sometimes three lines of their normal teams. Getting to know the players – not that I didn’t know them. I know them from TV – but once you’re on the ice with them, it’s a little different,” Rutta said with a laugh. “It’s good to get to know the guys you play.” Forsling, meanwhile has to jump off the levels he set last training camp. It was an excellent start but the Blackhawks needed more from him. That goes double this season but Forsling is feeling more confident about himself and his game – again, mental skills reading this summer. “I just trust myself. I trust my abilities and I keep working every day,” Forsling said. “I learned a lot [last season] but I wasn’t really happy. I wanted more. So I’ll try to get that out of me this season.” Quenneville likes Forsling’s approach. “When you have confidence as a young defenseman, you seem to have way more patience of things developing and opening up and then you have confidence going into the puck area and trying to influence it and not that hesitation in your game,” he said. “When [Forsling] plays with more poise he gets to another level. He’s had a good camp and some really good days. And definitely his partner helps and does a lot of nice things with him.” Who knows how long the Blackhawks’ defense is going to be a work in progress. There will probably be switches – Duncan Keith and Brent Seabrook were together on Thursday but that likely won’t be long term. For Rutta and Forsling, getting as many opportunities as possible and utilizing whatever helps them feel better out there will help their development

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Showtime, baby: Blackhawks’ second line was off-the-charts good in season-opening blowout

By Tracey Myers October 05, 2017 11:40 PM

Nick Schmaltz and Patrick Kane were a sizzling combination through most of Thursday night’s game. From their reads off each other to the passes to the points, the duo, which had built up great chemistry through training camp, put it to full use through two-plus periods. Throw in Ryan Hartman for more of a net-front presence and there was the potential for some points. Make that a lot of points. Schmaltz had two goals and an assist, Kane had a goal and three assists and Hartman had a career-high five points (goal, four assists) in the Blackhawks’ lopsided 10-1 victory over the Pittsburgh Penguins on Thursday night. Playing against the two-time defending Stanley Cup champions, who played Wednesday night against St. Louis, the Blackhawks started strong, didn’t let up and got a little something from everyone. But the newest version of the second line stole the show. There was a late-regulation scare when Schmaltz left the game favoring his left knee. But Quenneville said Schmaltz was fine and is expected to play on Saturday when the Blackhawks face the Columbus Blue Jackets. That concern gone, Quenneville could appreciate what that line did. “That was amazing watching the speed, whether it’s Schmaltzy going through the middle of the ice, playmaking, patience in the offensive zone be it off the rush and in zone or cross-ice passes. They were doing it all tonight,” Quenneville said. “It was one of those nights where they were outstanding. They all complimented one another, all hit open spaces and they all hit those little holes and were extremely dangerous. It was a great start for them.” Schmaltz and Kane worked together a lot this summer, trying to build on the chemistry they had in some games last season. While they’ve been together just about all of training camp Hartman was added to the line a few days ago – “Hartzy is one guy who gets to the net most, better than a lot of guys do,” Quenneville said. The trio didn’t get a preseason game together but that didn’t seem to matter. “Felt great. You could probably tell we were having a good time, having fun with it,” Hartman said. “Kane made some great plays and Schmaltzy as well. Things were clicking. The whole team came out hot and ready to play. It was a good win for us.” The night-and-day difference between Schmaltz last season to this one was evident on Thursday. The speed has increased. So has his confidence. Kane’s precision was stellar, from his spin-o-rama pass to set up Schmaltz’s first goal to his driving backhand goal early in the second period. Hartman had a steady drive to the net, his goal starting the Blackhawks’ five-goal barrage in the first period. As first runs go, it was an impressive one for the Blackhawks. They’re feeling pretty good about their lines right now. The Hartman-Schmaltz- Kane trio didn’t have a lot of time together prior to the season opener but their timing was pinpoint on Thursday. “It was almost like it wasn’t a real game. It was just amazing, a fun start to be a part of and I think we were just playing hockey,” Kane said. “It’s not like we were trying to run up the score. We were just playing hockey. It was fun to have that. Good start, don’t be satisfied, but you gotta be happy with the way we came out.”

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Five takeaways from Blackhawks' 10-1 win over Penguins in season opener

By Charlie Roumeliotis October 05, 2017 11:35 PM

Here are five takeaways from the Blackhawks' 10-1 win over the Pittsburgh Penguins in Thursday's season opener: 1. Brandon Saad makes it rain How's that for a return? Saad announced to Chicago that he's back by netting a hat trick for the second time in the last couple weeks, but this one actually counted. He scored a pair of first-period goals at even strength, then found the back of the net in the third period to cap it off thanks to a terrific pass by Jonathan Toews, the United Center crowd of 21,705 showering the ice with hats. "The puck was finding me tonight," said Saad, who finished with a team- high five shots on goal. "I'll take it." 2. Patrick Kane in MVP form Who needs Artemi Panarin? Seriously though, Kane put on an absolute clinic in his season debut, tying a career high with a four-point game (one goal and three assists). His first two assists — a no-look pass and a spin-o-rama — will be on his highlight reel, and so will his goal, where he roofed a ridiculous backhander past Matt Murray, who made a relief appearance after former Blackhawks netminder Antti Niemi allowed four goals on 13 shots in the opening period. "It's almost like it wasn't a real game," Kane said of the 10-1 rout. "It was amazing." 3. Ryan Hartman, Nick Schmaltz shine ... and Blackhawks dodge a bullet Schmaltz backed up all the preseason hype that surrounded him by scoring two goals and adding an assist in the win. He backchecked hard, he led the rush and buried his scoring chances. Kane went as far to say after the game that Schmaltz's speed through the middle of the ice reminds him of Connor McDavid. Staying on the same line, Hartman had himself a career night as well, recording five points (one goal and four assists) in the victory. That trio of Hartman, Schmaltz and Kane was simply dynamic. "It was amazing watching the speed, whether it was Schmaltzy going through the middle of the ice, playmaking, patience in the offensive zone, be it off the rush, cross-ice passes, they were doing it all tonight," head coach Joel Quenneville said. "One of those nights where they were outstanding. All complemented one another, all hit open spaces and they all hit those little holes and were extremely dangerous. It was a great start for them." There was a bit of scare at the end of the third period when Schmaltz left the Blackhawks' bench favoring his leg. Quenneville said after the game that Schmaltz is fine and that he will "likely" play Saturday, along with Tanner Kero, who suffered an injury in the win. 4. Patrick Sharp gets in on the action, too Oh yeah, it was a nice welcome home for the Sharp Shooter as well. He scored the team's fifth goal to cap off the monstrous first period, which happened to be his 600th career NHL point. He finished the game with seven shot attempts and logged 19:34 of ice time, which led all Blackhawks forwards. 5. Artem Anisimov's success at the dot Getting away from all the scoring and looking deeper into the box score, something that flew under the radar was Anisimov's success at the faceoff circle. That was a huge concern for him last season, when he won only 45.1 percent of his draws. Consistency is his biggest issue, but he won 15 of 21 faceoffs (71.5 percent) in a third-line role to open the season. Great start.

Comcast SportsNet.com LOADED: 10.07.2017 1076925 Colorado Avalanche NOTEBOOK Avalanche — Jonathan Bernier will start in goal. Semyon Varlamov, who made 37 saves in leading Colorado to a 4-2 victory Thursday at the New Nikita Zadorov will return to Avalanche lineup against Devils York Rangers, will start Monday at Boston in the finale of the three-game road trip. … There were no changes to the forward lines at practice Friday. Carl Soderberg, a healthy scratch Thursday, alternated on the By MIKE CHAMBERS | [email protected] | The Denver Post fourth line. … With the addition of defenseman Anton Lindholm, the Avs are carrying the maximum 23 players. … The Avalanche bused from PUBLISHED: October 6, 2017 at 3:23 pm | UPDATED: October 6, 2017 Manhattan to New Jersey late Thursday night and will depart for Boston at 4:19 PM Saturday evening. … Rookie wing Alex Kerfoot was drafted by the Devils in 2012 but elected to become a free agent and sign with Colorado.

Devils — This is their season-opener and first game since they closed NEWARK, N.J. — Reporting a week late to Avalanche training camp out the preseason Sept. 27. … Center Nico Hischier, 18, the No. 1 pick in likely led to the opening-night scratch of defenseman Nikita Zadorov, who the June draft, is expected to play on a line with Marcus Johansson and watched in street clothes as Colorado beat the New York Rangers 4-2 on Drew Stafford. … Veteran forwards Travis Zajac (pectoral muscle) and Thursday at Madison Square Garden. But Zadorov, who is considered Brian Boyle (illness) are unavailable. … The Devils will introduce a new one of Colorado’s best blue-liners, will skate out of the doghouse 88,000-pound HD scoreboard in which they say is the world’s largest. Saturday and play against the New Jersey Devils in their season-opener The big screen was installed during preseason games but not at the Prudential Center. operational. … Former Colorado Rockies goalie Glenn “Chico” Resch is “I think it’s important to put him in tomorrow because I think he can help New Jersey’s new radio analyst after an 18-year career as a television us,” Avs coach said after Friday’s practice at the Devils’ analyst. arena. “I think it was important to keep him last night because we have to

make sure that everyone is on the same page coming into this thing.” Denver Post: LOADED: 10.07.2017 This “thing” starts with 100 percent commitment to training and diet for a team that finished with a league-low 48 points last season, and Zadorov wasn’t in great physical shape when he reported Sept. 22. Zadorov went unsigned until Sept. 15, a day after veterans reported, and the 6-foot-5 Russian was held up with immigration issues until Sept. 21. Zadorov, 22, had nearly 11 days to prepare for Thursday’s opener, but his benching could have been a punishment for reporting late and out of shape. “I don’t know. I don’t know what it is,” Zadorov said when asked if he was being punished. “No comments.” He added: “It’s not fun for any player when you’re scratched. But I’m playing tomorrow so (I’m) forgetting about it. … I was really happy the boys got to win yesterday. I was cheering. I did everything I could to help my team. I’m just going to come tomorrow and play my best game and get a win.” Bednar wasn’t sure who Zadorov will replace in the lineup. The coach wants to study more film on the big win against the Rangers, but he has another defenseman to consider in rookie Anton Lindholm, who was recalled from San Antonio of the American Hockey League late Thursday night. Lindholm, 22, was among the Avs’ final cuts Tuesday. He took a 7 a.m. direct flight from San Antonio to New Jersey on Friday and practiced with the team. “I wasn’t there long enough to unpack the bags, so it all happened quickly,” Lindholm said of his brief stay in San Antonio. Lindholm was a surprise cut Tuesday because he had been partnered in the preseason with Erik Johnson, who logged nearly 26 minutes of ice time Thursday. Johnson played so much partly because rookie Andrei Mironov struggled at times in his NHL debut. The Avs are carrying 13 forwards and eight defensemen. Hockey teams usually don’t change the lineup after a big win, but Bednar isn’t satisfied. He will put goalie Semyon Varlamov in a backup role Saturday to give Jonathan Bernier his first career start with his new team. Varlamov was the No. 1 star Thursday with 37 saves; he did not allow a goal at even-strength. “Even though we won, we recognize that we were a little bit too opportunistic and relied on our goalie too much,” Bednar said. “We did have good juice and enthusiasm in the room so we want to make sure that continues.” COLORADO AT NEW JERSEY, Noon Saturday, ALT, 950 AM Spotlight on: Will Butcher. The Devils’ rookie defenseman, a 2013 Avalanche draft pick who chose not to sign with Colorado and became a free agent after a four-year career at the University of Denver, is tentatively scheduled to make his NHL debut against the Avs. New Jersey coach John Hynes didn’t reveal his opening-day lineup Friday, but Butcher — the 2017 Hobey Baker Award winner — was in a top-six role and power-play specialist at practice. “You can see he’s more and more comfortable with the pace, with his decision making,” Hynes told the Star- Ledger. “That’s a big adjustment for an offensive player. We feel he’s learned about dealing with less time and space and making decisions.” 1076926 Columbus Blue Jackets Dubois, meanwhile, said he got through his nerves during warmups and was ready once the game started.

“The warmup was the time I was looking in the stands and drinking it all Postgame blog: Blue Jackets 5, Islanders 0 in, but when the puck dropped I knew I had to be ready,” he said. “It felt really good (to score). I had a chance before on the 2-on-1 and wanted that back. To get another chance like that on a nice play from Jonesy By Adam Jardy (Seth Jones) at the blue line and put that one in, it felt really good.” The Columbus Dispatch I caught up with Bobrovsky earlier this week for a profile that ran in Friday’s Blue Jackets preview section. Throughout our conversation, he @AdamJardy consistently turned talk to what lies ahead this season rather than focus on the good or bad of the past. Posted Oct 6, 2017 at 11:33 PM Updated Oct 6, 2017 at 11:33 PM This seemed like a pretty good first step for the season, then. Although

he wasn’t forced into many highlight-reel saves, he stopped all 29 shots The grind of an 82-game season that hopefully continues even further he faced. will take a toll on every NHL team at some point. On opening night, “It’s definitely nice,” he said. “I enjoyed the game tonight, definitely. I though, the Blue Jackets kicked off their bid for the first consecutive enjoyed the atmosphere. I enjoyed the way our team played. It was a playoff seasons in franchise history with a raucous, 5-0 home win against great start, but it’s only one game and it’s a long season so we have to the New York Islanders. have good rest and get back tomorrow.” All five goals came from different players, and the only question for the Tortorella was, not surprisingly, complimentary of his goaltender. final half-hour of play was whether or not Sergei Bobrovsky would end up with another shutout (spoiler alert: he did). “Bob had to make some big saves at times,” he said. “I don’t think he was too busy, but he made some key saves at some key times.” So while it was exactly the kind of home opener the sellout crowd at Nationwide Arena had hoped for, coach John Tortorella pumped the Quotable brakes on the hype train just a bit – but only after handing out some deserved compliments. “I guess I did have a pretty good preseason, but it means nothing if you don’t do it in the regular season so it was definitely a good feeling to get Case in point: the Blue Jackets continued to add to their lead until it that one out of the way on the first shift. That kind of got rid of all my reached five goals and then played like they wanted to keep the shutout. nerves, so it was definitely good.” – Milano, who has consistently been Bobrovsky made eight saves in the first period, 10 in the second and 11 praised by Tortorella for having a strong camp. in the third.

“I thought we played better as the game went on,” Tortorella said. “It’s a good group of guys. I felt that last year. We’ve got a lot of the core back. I Columbus Dispatch LOADED: 10.07.2017 think it’s imperative that they teach a lot of the young guys that are in the lineup here on how we go about our business. I heard that on the bench tonight from our leaders. I saw Duby (Brandon Dubinsky) talking to Luc (Pierre-Luc Dubois) at certain times about situations. Nick (Foligno) is with two kids, Borky (Oliver Bjorkstrand) and Sonny (Milano). I like the conversation. “Having said all that, it was a good night for us (but) we just need to slow ourselves down. Great, we played a pretty good 60-minute hockey game, let’s just stay on top of ourselves. We’ve got to improve in a lot of areas.” Just a few hours earlier, Tortorella had dismissed a handful of pregame questions about how this year’s team might have grown or improved from last year. His reasoning was understandable: until the team actually played some games, how the heck could he really know? Now after one game, I asked Tortorella if there was anything that he felt he learned about his team. “I thought we played quick,” he said. “I think that’s the most important thing for this team, with the youth that we have and I think that we’ve added speed more than last year. We have to have a mind-set of playing quick, and I thought we did. I thought our defensemen’s legs were moving all the time, getting us out of our end zone as quickly as possible. That’s what we’re looking for. In a 5-0 game, there wasn’t a lot of ebbs and flows and momentum swings. I thought we had the puck most of the time until the third period. “We’ve got to keep staying on ourselves and taking it one day at a time. We’ve got a team (in Chicago) that spanked Pittsburgh. We play them (Saturday) night. It’ll be a good test for us, back-to-back.” Milano couldn’t have drawn up a better debut. On the first shift of his career, seconds into his debut, the rookie scored at 1:07 to give the Jackets the early lead. Then, roughly midway through the second period, fellow debutant Dubois closed the scoring with his first goal. Not bad for a couple of newbies. “I think it was like a 10-second shift,” Milano said. “I just got out there and the puck landed on my stick and I put it in. That was pretty cool. You kind of black out, honestly. It was an unbelievable feeling. I’ve never been happier in my life, to be honest.” It also came against the team the Massapequa, New York, native grew up cheering for. “It’s definitely a good feeling, scoring against the team I grew up watching,” he said. “They’re my favorite team, so it’s nice to put one in against them.” 1076927 Columbus Blue Jackets

Blue Jackets 5, Islanders 0 | Resounding opening win

By Adam Jardy The Columbus Dispatch @AdamJardy Posted Oct 6, 2017 at 9:54 PM Updated Oct 6, 2017 at 11:13 PM

The kids might be all right. With the youngest lineup in the NHL, featuring four rookies, the Blue Jackets opened the season Friday night with plenty of fanfare and expectations. In front of a sellout crowd at Nationwide Arena hoping for a run that lasts longer than 10 days into the postseason, they rode some of that youth — and strong play from goalie Sergei Bobrovsky — to a 5-0 shellacking of the New York Islanders. All five goals were scored by different players. Their average age: 22.4. “I think we’re all ready, all the young guys, all the rookies,” said Sonny Milano, who scored his first NHL goal. “Everyone seemed confident out there, and hopefully it carries over (Saturday night at Chicago).” It’s just one in an 82-game season, and coach John Tortorella made sure to reinforce that point afterward. But for the full-throated fans who mostly stuck around and chanted “C-B-J!” in the closing minutes, it was a celebration and an affirmation of their offseason hopes. Milano started it 67 seconds in. After a strong preseason camp, he took an Oliver Bjorkstrand pass while crashing to the net from the right slot for a goal on the team’s first shot of the season. Artemi Panarin’s backhanded pass to Cam Atkinson at 11:02 of the second doubled the lead and was the first of three assists for the left wing acquired in a summer trade. It also marked the fourth straight home opener in which Atkinson scored a goal. The Jackets blew it open in the second, getting goals from Ryan Murray at 6:57, Zach Werenski on the power play at 10:25 and rookie Pierre-Luc Dubois at 11:50 to send Islanders goaltender Thomas Greiss to the bench. Dubois had a half-dozen family members in attendance to see his debut and said he’ll eventually keep the puck after his parents hold onto it for a while. “I wanted to get that goal too, and it felt really good, but to see (Milano) get that goal, I was really happy for him,” Dubois said. “We’re good friends, so I wanted to match him.” Panarin was dangerous throughout, becoming the first player to notch three points in his Blue Jackets debut while also putting in noticeable effort on the defensive end. “I wanted to play as well as I could and of course please the fans,” Panarin said through an interpreter. “I was very impressed. I didn’t expect that much support.” The only question remaining after the Dubois goal was whether Sergei Bobrovsky would finish with his team-record 20th shutout, and he did in stopping all 29 shots. During the pregame introductions, Bobrovsky received the loudest cheer and his name was drowned out by applause. “I love my fans, too,” he said. “Thanks to them. It definitely gives you a little extra energy, a little excitement, but as soon as the puck drops you have to make sure that you make them happy with your saves. My main focus is still the same: to stop the puck.”

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Michael Arace | With Artemi Panarin around, Jackets’ cannon will be busy

Staff Report Posted Oct 6, 2017 at 11:13 PM Updated Oct 6, 2017 at 11:13 PM

Skepticism is healthy, especially when the subject is the Blue Jackets, who won 50 games last season — which can only mean they cannot do it again, right? Odds are they won’t, and history suggests it’s not likely. What the heck. Let’s see how this goes. The process began Friday night, when the New York Islanders visited Nationwide Arena for the Blue Jackets’ season opener. The Islanders are not among the upper echelon of the tough Metropolitan Division, not on paper. The Blue Jackets should be. One of the measuring sticks is carried by Artemi Panarin, who was the best player on the ice, Johnny Tavares included, and Johnny T is one heckuva hockey player. (It’d be a beautiful thing if the Blue Jackets have the cap space and the gumption to go after him, either before or after the trade deadline. All due respect, but is not in Johnny T’s class. But I digress.) The night began with the best meet-the-Jackets pregame ceremony in forever. The smoke cleared, the strobes stopped flashing, the game began and the Jackets scored. They scored on their first shot of the season, a one-timer from close range by Sonny Milano (assists to Oliver Bjorkstrand and Nick Foligno). They had a 2-0 lead at the end of the first period and a 5-0 lead at the end of the second. That is how it ended, 5-0. Nobody had enough ear plugs. “I’m lucky,” Panarin said. “I got used to the cannon in the preseason. When I came here with Chicago, I wasn’t ready for it.” Now, it looks like he can light the fuse, blindfolded. A goodly number of Blue Jackets fans liked the Brandon Saad-for- Panarin deal with the Blackhawks. There was some healthy skepticism, too. Panarin in his first two seasons had 61 goals and 151 points playing with one of the NHL’s elite scorers, Patrick Kane. How much of Panarin’s success could be attributed to Kane, and could Panarin thrive without that miniature maestro? Panarin was acquired to lend offensive artistry. It was a major need for the Jackets, exposed during last spring’s first-round playoff loss to the Pittsburgh Penguins. He will be judged on his game-breaking abilities, and they were on full display Friday night. It’s worth saying again: He was the best player on the ice. “Elite hands, elite speed, elite vision,” an out-of-town scout said at the end of the first period. Panarin set up the Jackets’ second goal with a filthy give-and-go he worked with Cam Atkinson. He got on his horse to backcheck, and thwart a three-on-two, after he saw Zach Werenski was caught pinching on the half wall. He set up the Jackets’ third goal, a one-timer from the bottom of the left circle by Ryan Murray, with a deft saucer from the end wall. He picked up his third assist of the night on the Jackets’ first power-play goal of the season, a Werenski one-timer from the top of the slot. “Saader lights it up the other night (Thursday, with a hat trick against the Penguins). They (Chicago) got a good player there,” Blue Jackets coach John Tortorella said. “We’ve got a pretty good one here, too. I’m excited about what he brings, the whole package. ... “I’ve learned a lot about him in the last few weeks. There’s a helluva lot more to him than just the skill.” It is immediately clear that the slippery Panarin-Alexander Wennberg- Atkinson line — which combined for five points — can play at a level heretofore unseen in Columbus. Whatever happens, the Bread Man is going to be a thrill to watch over the next 81, and beyond.

1076929 Columbus Blue Jackets

Blue Jackets | Blackhawks impressed Joonas Korpisalo

By Adam Jardy The Columbus Dispatch @AdamJardy Posted Oct 6, 2017 at 9:34 PM Updated Oct 6, 2017 at 9:34 PM

As a goaltender, Joonas Korpisalo couldn’t help but take note of what Chicago did on opening night against the reigning Stanley Cup champions. Led by former Blue Jackets forward Brandon Saad’s hat trick, the Blackhawks broke double digits in a 10-1 win over the Pittsburgh Penguins on Thursday night at the United Center. Korpisalo paid attention for two reasons. First, as a goaltender, he said he instantly felt bad for whoever would’ve been in net for the Penguins. Second, it was less than two weeks earlier that, on that same ice, Korpisalo made 52 saves in a 3-2 preseason win against a Chicago team skating most of the same players who were on the ice Thursday. He’s preparing as if he will be in the lineup as the Blue Jackets play their first back-to-back games of the year. “I saw the score and they played a heck of a game,” he said before Friday night’s season opener against the New York Islanders. “No matter what, we’ve got to be ready for it. Last time we played against them, they got 50-something shots so you know what to expect. They’re a skilled, skilled team. Nothing more than that — just play my own game and I think the team is really ready for it, too.” Last season, Korpisalo had one game where he allowed six goals and another where he allowed five. The Blue Jackets actually won the former and lost the latter. Rematch The Blue Jackets’ first road game of the season will pit two teams that pulled off a blockbuster summer trade, headlined by the Jackets’ acquisition of Artemi Panarin for Saad. The Russian-speaking Panarin has been reluctant to do interviews at his locker, owing to the language barrier, but linemate Alexander Wennberg said he doesn’t expect the reunion to affect Panarin. “Obviously he’s going to be excited to be back there and play against them, and you want to do good, but I don’t think that’s going to affect his game too much,” he said.

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Western Conference preview: Plenty of competition stands in way of Predators’ repeat

By Larry Lage, The Associated Press Posted Oct 6, 2017 at 6:00 PM

The Nashville Predators are proof that anything is possible in the NHL playoffs. History suggests they are up against quite a challenge. Nashville made it into the 2016-17 postseason as the eighth seed in the Western Conference and ended up becoming just the third team seeded last to reach the Stanley Cup final since 1994. The Predators couldn’t stop Pittsburgh from repeating, and they’re about to find out how hard it is to defend a championship in their stacked conference. The West has not had a repeat champion since Detroit pulled off the feat in 2007-08 and 2008-09. Nashville’s appearance in the playoffs was no fluke. The Predators made the postseason for the third straight year and the 10th time in 13 seasons. The city should be prepared to have a good time again next spring, catfish and all. “Our expectation is to be in the playoffs, but also ... to win hockey games and to play in our building as much as we can, because our fans were so great,” defenseman P.K. Subban said. “It was a huge edge for us in the playoffs being at home.” The Predators seem set up for more success. Mike Fisher retired and was effectively replaced by Penguins center Nick Bonino. Goaltender Pekka Rinne is under contract for two more seasons, to go with forwards Viktor Arvidsson, Ryan Johansen and Filip Forsberg, along with defenseman Subban for at least five years. “We all know it was a lot of fun, and it was a tremendous experience going through all that,” Johansen said. “At the end of the day, like 29 other teams, we didn’t reach our goal.” Elsewhere in the West, Colorado was the NHL’s worst team last season and might be the only team in the Central Division without a legitimate shot to make the playoffs. The division was so tough last year that Nashville finished a relatively distant fourth behind Chicago, Minnesota and St. Louis. Each of those teams figures to be just as good this season and will have to compete with Dallas, which led the league in major moves. Don’t sleep on Winnipeg, either. The Jets have made the playoffs only once in the past decade, but they could break through this season. Mark Scheifele, a 24-year-old center who quietly ranked among league leaders with 82 points, leads a team with young stars Patrik Laine, 19, and 21- year-old Nikolaj Ehlers. The Pacific Division, meanwhile, is so stacked that even the 20-year-old, reigning league MVP with a $100 million contract is far from cocky about his team’s chances. “It’s so competitive,” said Edmonton’s Connor McDavid, who was given an eight-year contract extension last summer. “The Pacific, especially, I think you’ll see a lot of teams right around that 100-point mark, 95-point mark, that are kind of right on the cusp.” No one is sure how many points the league’s newcomer, the Vegas Golden Knights, will have. But they are betting a few veterans making at least $5 million this season — goaltender Marc-Andre Fleury and forwards James Neal and Reilly Smith — will make help them be relatively competitive. The franchise’s path to success won’t be with castaways from other teams, but by drafting and developing talent. The Knights had three of the top 15 picks in the draft, including center Cody Glass sixth overall, but they don’t plan to rush any of them to the big show on the Strip.

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Blue Jackets | With Panarin in mix, top line should shine

By Adam Jardy The Columbus Dispatch @AdamJardy Posted Oct 5, 2017 at 10:32 PM Updated Oct 5, 2017 at 10:32 PM

The excitement over what the top Blue Jackets line might look like this year can be felt within the locker room, too. When it traded for left winger Artemi Panarin, a team that tied for sixth in the NHL in goals last season added a dynamic scorer and playmaker who should challenge Cam Atkinson to be the team’s points leader. In between them is Alexander Wennberg, who dished out 46 assists in a breakout season last year. And yes, they’re excited to play together. “I think we’re all pretty highly skilled, so any time you’ve got a line like that you want to go out there and do whatever you can to help the team win and produce,” Atkinson said. “When they put a line like us together, we’re supposed to produce. We’re supposed to score goals and create momentum for the boys.” In leading the team in scoring for a second consecutive season, Atkinson set career highs in goals (35) and points (62) as he enters the final year of his contract. Panarin is eighth in the NHL in scoring during the last two seasons. Though the hope is that the duo will combine with Wennberg and do the heavy lifting on offense, they won’t be alone. The belief in the front office is that this group of forwards is fast and dangerous. That made this week’s re-signing of Josh Anderson, a restricted free agent who missed all of camp while angling for a new contract, all the more important. He scored 17 goals last year in an average of about 12 minutes per game, but he is cut from a different cloth. “I think he gives us a nice element that we don’t have a lot of, which gives us a big, fast winger who can play a physical game,” general manager Jarmo Kekalainen said. “We have a good skill level and I think he brings that other element to our team too, where he can really skate and play a physical game and put some pressure on the defensemen to cause turnovers. He can also score goals.” Depth at center remains a concern, and the Blue Jackets continue to be mentioned as a possible destination for Colorado’s Matt Duchene, who had 18 goals and 23 assists last season. Veteran Nick Foligno has moved from left wing to center ice in part to shore up the depth and also allow rookie Pierre-Luc Dubois to play his more-natural spot on the left. Center Boone Jenner has missed the entire preseason with a middle- body injury, and although he has been listed as “day-to-day” there is no announced timeline for his return. Winger Brandon Dubinsky looks healthy after having offseason wrist surgery. Jenner’s injury and Anderson’s absence have allowed the likes of Zac Dalpe, Sonny Milano and Lukas Sedlak to make names for themselves throughout camp. Coach John Tortorella has consistently sung the praises of Milano, whom he referred to Tuesday as a top-six player for Friday’s opener. “He has earned an opportunity to be where he’s at right now,” Tortorella said of Milano. “It’s a great story.”

Columbus Dispatch LOADED: 10.07.2017 1076932 Dallas Stars chance to get it on net. I saw that Kari was down, so I just tried to get it up."

In the end it was the play that won the game, and you can break down Stars have to learn from distractions and improve after 2-1 loss to Vegas about for places where the Stars could have prevented it. They will study film Saturday and try to learn from it...learn from the entire game...before they play at St. Louis. By Mike Heika , Staff Writer Contact Mike Heikaon Twitter:@MikeHeika "We played hard and played awfully well for an extended period of time but we got distracted. When you get distracted, you throw the game up in the air," Hitchcock said. "We've got to find a way to grow our game. Call it a learning experience, but understand the Stars can't afford too We've got to get more players playing better. If we can do that, we'll be many more. in good shape. We had some players that really played well but we need more players to play better and that's an important challenge for Dallas lost a 2-1 game to the expansion Vegas Golden Knights Friday in us." the season opener...at home...when it had a 46-30 advantage in shots on goal. While it would have been easy to blame Vegas goalie Marc-Andre Dallas Morning News LOADED: 10.07.2017 Fleury, who was spectacular in making 45 saves in the first game ever for his team, or blame Kari Lehtonen, who came on in relief for an injured Ben Bishop and allowed two goals on 11 shots, the real reason was Stars players weren't consistent enough. "I don't think it's on the goaltending. I think we made two big errors and both ended up in our net," Stars coach Ken Hitchcock said. "We did a lot of good things tonight and we did a lot of things we've got to get better at. We've got people that we've got to get better. We didn't extend the lead after the second period with all the scoring chances so we left the game out there. Even 10 minutes gone in the third period, when we had the one goal lead and were controlling it, we made a couple of mistakes." The unraveling started when former Stars winger Reilly Smith snapped a shot that deflected off the helmet of Bishop, the free agent savior who had stopped all 19 shots he had faced. Bishop suffered a cut on his head and also had to go into the NHL's concussion protocol, a program designed to minimize the danger of concussions for players. After a short time, Bishop returned to the bench to see if he could get back in the game. But the league said no. "He's fine and we were directed to keep him out," Hitchcock said. Lehtonen said he thought there was a chance he was coming back out of the game, but understood the situation. "I just asked if he was OK, if we would switch, but we kept going,"Lehtonen said. "He wished me luck, and that was it." It was another odd incident in an odd night. Dallas hyped the opener with a Victory Green carpet walk, but also had a somber moment reflecting on the earlier death of play by play man Dave Strader after a battle with cancer and the tragic shooting in Las Vegas. Mix in physical play by Stars wingers Alexander Radulov and Antoine Roussel, and way too many penalty kills for Dallas (seven, actually), and you had a night filled with distractions. "We have to find a way to not be distracted. That's the biggest challenge," Hitchcock said. "We have to keep our foot on the pedal and keep our focus razor sharp for 60 minutes. That's a learned skill that we have to collectively participate in. That's the number one thing that, if we expect a different result, has to change here." The scorers could have been distracted by the strong play of Fleury. Roussel could have been distracted by some frustrating officiating. Tyler Seguin could have been distracted by a huge hit he took from Neal at the end of the second period. Hitchcock's point is the players have to find a way to rise above all of that if they want to become a team that can win in the playoffs. "I think the key thing to take away from tonight's game, it's not the chances, but it's the times we make a couple of mistakes in the critical point in the game," said Seguin, who scored the only Dallas goal and finished with 10 shots on goal. "I think we have all sat here enough times last year, not trying to bring up the past, but we had a lot of chances in a game. It's obviously game one, we need to find ways to play in those key moments and not be the first team to make a mistake." The Golden Knights stepped up, and it was two former Stars who helped get the job done. Neal was traded years back for Alex Goligoski and now is on his fourth NHL team. Eakin was taken off the Stars roster in the expansion draft. They combined on a pretty goal, as Eakin took a stretch pass up the middle of the ice, drew both Stephen Johns and Dan Hamhuis to him, and then fed the puck back to Neal, who put a shot over a lunging Lehtonen. "Yeah, just trying to be available for (Eakin) to get it over," Neal said. "Obviously, he had a guy on his back and he just put it over there. I think it hit off my skate. I just tried to do everything I could just to give myself a 1076933 Dallas Stars was not a good game and we've got to improve. Get more goals, and we've got to get better defensively."

On frustration of not finishing on chances: He said it: Quotes from players, coaches after Stars' 2-1 loss to Vegas "It is what is. It's happened and you cannot take time back so we're going to play another one, try to earn those chances again and try to be better By Mike Heika , Staff Writer Contact Mike Heikaon Twitter:@MikeHeika in the next one." On a night coming away with no points: On the status of Ben Bishop: "Lots of chances, I think the key thing to take away from tonight's game, it's not the chances, but it's the times we make a couple of mistakes in "He's fine and we were directed to keep him out. He'll be fine tomorrow." the critical point in the game. I think we have all sat here enough times, last year not trying to bring up the past, but we had a lot of chances in a On the play of Kari Lehtonen: game, its obviously game one, we need to find ways to play in those key moments and not be the first team to make a mistake." "I don't think it's on the goaltending. I think we made two big errors and both ended up in our net. We did a lot of good things tonight and we did a On your line tonight: lot of things we've got to get better at. We've got people that we've got to get better. We did a lot of really good things. We didn't extend the lead "I think we kept saying, lets get better every shift. First period we were after the second period with all the scoring chances so we left the game okay, second period we got better and third period we got a couple more out there. Even ten minutes gone in the third period when we had the chances. You only get so much out practice. You have the skill of Jamie, one goal lead and were controlling it but then we made a couple of and the work horse of Radulov, we are going to keep getting better, my mistakes." linemates are very competitive and we love the game, Radulov does not stop talking win or lose". On the team not believing it's a repeat of last year: On what went into this night and what sparked the third period "I think it's the process. We have to find a way to not be distracted. That's comeback: the biggest challenge. We have to keep our foot on the pedal and keep our focus razor sharp for 60 minutes. That's a learned skill that we have "Well, we worked hard all game. It was a 2-1 hockey game, but it was to collectively participate in. That's the number one thing that, if we really a 5-4 hockey game. The goaltenders had action on both ends. I expect a different result, has to change here." think we hit a couple of crossbars, but the guys worked hard and competed hard and we stuck around and we got a couple of good On the cause of the team's distraction: opportunities and capitalized." "I think it's a lot of things. I think it's a combination, it's not just how good On Marc-Andre Fleury's play tonight: the goalie was or frustration by not scoring. That's the big challenge facing us, we can't be distracted. Distracted by taking penalties 200 feet "He was outstanding. He was obviously the first star of the game and from our net. Distracted on retaliation. Frustrated because you missed a made some great saves for us in the hockey game and he kept us in it. scoring chance or something didn't happen. We played hard and played Like I said, we had a couple of great opportunities and hit some awfully well for an extended period of time but we got distracted. When crossbars, so it was a good game and we were in the game all night." you get distracted you throw the game up in the air." On playing James Neal as much as possible after he scored the first On what he'd like to see tomorrow night in St. Louis: goal: "We've got to find a way to grow our game. We've got to get more "He is a goal scorer and he played a really good game. It was his first players, playing better. If we can do that, we'll be in good shape. We had game of the year and he is probably going to be pretty tired some players that really played well but we need more players to play tomorrowmorning. He played well and he capitalized on those chances. better and that's an important challenge for us." That's what a goal scorer does." On the Radulov-Seguin-Benn line tonight: On the taxing effort tonight and playing again tomorrow: "I look at the distracted part. I don't look at it from scoring chances or "Not worried about that at all. We'll enjoy this and then tomorrow missed opportunities, I look at it from who's setting the tone. What is the afternoon we'll do our pre-scout and get ready for the Coyotes. This is a competitive tone we're looking at and we've got work to do there." great win for our franchise tonight and we are pretty excited." On the Stars in the second period: On the third period looking like their best period tonight and what that means for his team: "We were in control and playing well. I thought maybe we backed off a little but we were in good control. But, when you're up 1-0 and leave the "We battled back. The score was 1-0 and we were right there banging on game out there like we did, something can happen and tonight something the door and then [James] Neal tied it up and our guys felt real good on happened." the bench and fortunately we got a two-on-one and he banged in another one. So, it was a good effort by our team and obviously our goaltender On being back behind the Stars' bench: was outstanding." "It's comfortable for me. This is the teaching environment that I love and I On if he thinks this game was able to provide a distraction to Las Vegas love doing it here. It's great." in a positive way: On coming in late: "Definitely a happy story tonight. We wanted to come out, and like I said, it's great for our franchise to win the first game and for the sad thing that "Tried to warm up a little bit, and then get things going. They got a couple happened in Vegas this weekend I think it helped the healing a little bit." of shots there, and kind of got going so that was no issue. It usually takes a couple of shots to get into it and I was there". On tonight's game: On possibility of Ben coming back in: "We had to come together as a team really quick. We come out starting against a tough team and everything that has happened in Vegas it is "Just ask if he is okay, if the coach would say something, we would just going to be a point we can rally behind the city and shed some light switch, but we kept going, he wished me luck and that was it. on a very terrible situation. To win the first game was awesome. The On disappointment after playing so well: guys played hard and we did everything we could to win the game and we did. It was awesome." "Well It's big, when you have a chance to put a team away, you would like to do that and definitely we created some great stuff. It's just not On being a part of the team's history: going in like it normally is, that was tough for us, but you have to keep "Ever since I was picked in the expansion draft, it is pretty crazy how going, just fell short at the end. everything has worked out. I started my career in Dallas, so it was funny On missed chances: to come back here for my first game with a new team and it was great. I was excited and I didn't want to miss them." "The chances have got to go in if we're going to win the games. We've got to work harder. It was a tough loss, especially in our rink. We had On where the goals he scored tonight ranks in his career: chances to play north and south and they kept themselves in the game. It "Those rank up there with the best of them. I know it's just the first game of the year, just to see how happy the guys were and how excited everyone was to start the season with a new team, a fresh start to do something special. It was a great feeling."

Dallas Morning News LOADED: 10.07.2017 1076934 Dallas Stars Dallas Morning News LOADED: 10.07.2017

'I didn't want to miss this one': Ex-Stars James Neal, Cody Eakin deliver vs. Dallas in first-ever Knights win

By Mike Heika , Staff Writer Contact Mike Heikaon Twitter:@MikeHeika

James Neal and Cody Eakin returned to Dallas and lifted up their new team. It was a great feeling. Neal scored twice Friday, including the game-winner on an assist from Eakin, in leading the Vegas Golden Knights to a 2-1 win over the Stars. It was a huge win for the expansion team, especially when you consider the city still is recovering from a shooter's attack. Both teams wore Vegas Strong decals on their helmets, and the Stars players stood behind the Golden Knights players during the playing of the national anthem. It was a powerful moment, Neal said. "We just had to come together as a team really quick," Neal said. "We come out starting against a tough team. Like I said, with everything that's happened and gone on in Vegas, this is going to be a point where we can rally behind the city and shed some light on a terrible situation. "To win the first game was awesome. The guys played really hard. We did everything we could to win the game, and we did. It was awesome." Neal was activated Friday from injured reserve, as he missed training camp because of offseason surgery for a broken hand. But he looked sharp on both goals and also when barreling over Stars center Tyler Seguin on a big hit. He helped Nashville to the Stanley Cup finals before being selected in the expansion draft. "Yeah, ever since I was picked in the expansion draft in Las Vegas, it's pretty crazy the way everything's worked out," Neal said. "I started my career here in Dallas, so it was funny coming back here my first game a new team and a fresh start. "It was great. I was excited. I didn't want to miss this one, so it was awesome." It also was pretty crazy how it worked out for the Stars. Dallas' season ended in disappointment as the Stars finished 24th and missed the playoffs. They decided to not renew coach Lindy Ruff's contract, hired Ken Hitchcock as their new coach and acquired big pieces in Ben Bishop, Martin Hanzal, Alexander Radulov, Marc Methot and Tyler Pitlick. That made Dallas the heaviest team in the NHL at 210 pounds per player and also restructured how the Stars played on the ice. So there was a lot of anticipation for Friday's game. "I'm just tired of reading all of the predictions and all of the experts," Hitchcock said before the game. "I'm ready to see what we've got." What he saw was a team was a lot. Dallas controlled the puck and finished with a 46-30 advantage in shots on goal. It killed all seven penalties. It got a sweet power-play goal from Seguin. And it fell apart in the third period after goalie Ben Bishop was forced to leave the game with a cut in the head. Neal scored twice on replacement goalie Kari Lehtonen, who took the loss. Bishop was hit in the mask on a shot from another former Stars player, Reilly Smith. He had a cut on his head and had to go into the concussion protocol program. Although Bishop returned to the bench, he was not allowed to return to the game. Lehtonen was beaten on Neal's shot through a crowd, and then the entire defense broke down when Eakin was sprung with a breakout pass. Eakin drew both Stephen Johns and Dan Hamhuis to him, and then fed Neal. "Yeah, just trying to be available for [Eakin] to get it over," Neal said. "Obviously, he had a guy on his back, and he just put it over there. I think it hit off my skate. I just tried to do everything I could just to give myself a chance to get it on net. I saw that Kari [Lehtonen] was down, so I just tried to get it up. I don't know. Honestly, it was just a great feeling, so it was a lot of fun out there." In the end, it was not so fun for the Stars. "It's a process, and we'll take it step by step," he said. "We'll find out how we look in these first two games, and then we'll go from there."

1076935 Dallas Stars In the time Hitchcock has been gone, he has taken the Flyers to an Eastern Conference Final, led Columbus to its first taste of the postseason and won the Jack Adams Trophy as coach of the year in St. Stars' disappointing opener was filled with plenty of positives under Ken Louis. Hitchcock's watch But after making consecutive trips to the Stanley Cup Final with Dallas in 1999 and 2000, that final showcase has eluded Hitchcock. Needless to say, the same goes for the Stars. By Tim Cowlishaw , Staff Columnist Contact Tim Cowlishawon Twitter:@TimCowlishaw There's a reason Dallas fans are hoping that this second marriage proves to be as memorable as the first. It got off to a bumpy start Friday night, but there's a long road to travel. Let's give it 15 games before we decide this thing's on the wrong side of the tracks. Back. That was the story of the night at American Airlines Center.

Hockey was back. It had been awhile. That's what happens when the Stars fail to play beyond early April as they have done so many times of Dallas Morning News LOADED: 10.07.2017 late. Ken Hitchcock was back. Head coaches rarely attract the kind of roar he received in the pregame introductions. But the man who helped guide Dallas to a Stanley Cup 18 years ago is here to take one more kick at the can. And Ben Bishop's back. Most folks didn't know he was ever here, but he played for the Texas Tornado 13 years ago before heading for University of Maine and, eventually, a successful NHL career with the Tampa Bay Lightning. And, oddly, there was the surprise of Kari Lehtonen being back in goal. Four minutes into the final period Bishop took a hard shot off the mask and went down. He had made 19 stops in 19 shots in his Stars debut, but he was bound for the concussion protocol and his night was done. So who really knew that the most important "back" would be the return of former Stars player James Neal? After Lehtonen replaced Bishop with a 1-0 lead, Neal scored the first goal in Las Vegas Golden Knights history and the second as the expansion team rallied for a surprise 2-1 victory over the Stars. "When you're up 1-0 and you leave a goal out there, some things can happen," Hitchcock said. "Tonight they did." A home-ice loss to start the season? Against a team that did not exist a year ago? Well, this wasn't in anyone's plans. Not in owner Tom Gaglardi's when he paid for the offseason acquisitions of Hitchcock, Bishop, forward Alexander Radulov, defenseman Marc Methot and others. Not in the plans of fans who wore Bishop jerseys to AAC for his first regular-season start in a home uniform. And not even in mine when I picked a Columbus-Dallas Stanley Cup final. Note: It's one of 82. Everyone will have to live with this for 24 hours until the Stars drop the puck against the Blues, marking Hitchcock's return to St. Louis. Hitchcock said he liked the second period but didn't like his team's inability to avoid "distractions," citing, among other things, a penalty taken by captain Jamie Benn in the offensive end. Still, there were positives to take from a disappointing opener. The Stars outshot Las Vegas 46-30. Expansion teams aren't supposed to show up with one of the game's premier goaltenders, but the Golden Knights did exactly that after picking former Penguin Marc-Andre Fleury. He could have been first star, second star and third star as far as I'm concerned. This looked like a different Dallas team from what we've seen even if the initial result was familiar. The old Stars favored an exciting but wildly uneven offensive style of play, but that has been retired. It was gone the minute Hitchcock was hired last spring, and you could see it even in the first period Friday when the Stars were struggling to find their footing and Antoine Roussel was struggling to stay out of the penalty box, earning three minors in the first 20 minutes. The Stars had 31 shots on goal in the game's first 32 minutes and yet it remained scoreless. Finally, a power play goal at the 17:01 mark of the second period made it 1-0 Stars. Tyler Seguin, the source of so much speculation as to how he would both handle Hitchcock's demands and possibly develop into the kind of two-way center that Mike Modano became under Hitch's watchful eye, redirected the shot from Devin Shore past Fleury for the score. The Stars' scoring shouldn't have ended right there. Fleury made sure it did. 1076936 Dallas Stars

Cold Facts: Golden Knights steal season-opener in Dallas with late goal from ex-Star James Neal

By Mike Heika , Staff Writer Contact Mike Heikaon Twitter:@MikeHeika

Vegas seemed to score on a mad scramble late in the second period, but the official said he blew the whistle while the puck was under Ben Bishop. Here is the NHL's statement: "At 19:06 of the second period in the Golden Knights/Stars game, the Situation Room initiated a video review because the puck entered the Dallas net. The referee informed the Situation Room that he had blown his whistle to stop play before the puck crossed the goal line. . According to Rule 78.5, apparent goals shall be disallowed when the Referee deems the play has been stopped, even if he had not physically had the opportunity to stop play by blowing his whistle." This is not a reviewable play therefore the referee's call on the ice stands - no goal Vegas." What does it mean? The Stars blew a bunch of offensive opportunities, but they also had a 46-30 advantage in shots on goal. It was a good first game with a bad result. Stars: With Dallas on the power play, Devin Shore made a pass/shot from the left point and Tyler Seguin tipped it over Marc-Andre Fleury at 17:01 of the second period. Stars 1, Golden Knights 0. Golden Knights: Former Stars winger James Neal whipped a wrister from the right circle through a crowd and past Kari Lehtonen at 10:27 of the third period. Stars 1, Golden Knights 1. Golden Knights: Cody Eakin broke down the middle of the ice, drew two defenders and passed over to Neal, who lifted a shot over Kari Lehtonen for the game-winning goal. Golden Knights 2, Stars 1.

Dallas Morning News LOADED: 10.07.2017 1076937 Dallas Stars

Stars notebook: Hitchcock names teammates who will back up Jamie Benn as alternate captains

By Mike Heika , Staff Writer Contact Mike Heikaon Twitter:@MikeHeika

Stars coach Ken Hitchcock has chosen to use four alternate captains instead of the usual two. Jamie Benn will receive support from Jason Spezza, Seguin, John Klingberg and Alexander Radulov. Only two players can wear an "A" in a game, so Seguin and Klingberg will serve as alternate captains at home in the first half of the season, while Radulov and Spezza will serve on the road. The plan will be switched at the midway point, Hitchcock said. Spezza served as an alternate captain last season, and Hitchcock said he wants his key players to also be key leaders. "They are the impact players," Hitchcock said. "I don't think you can have impact players and not give them leadership roles." Briefly: The Stars honored former play-by-play man Dave Strader, who died Sunday after a battle with cancer, with a tribute before the game. They also will wear a helmet sticker all season to remember Strader. -- Gemel Smith earned a spot on the opening night roster and suited up. "This is something I have worked every day of my life for, and I am not taking it for granted," he said. -- Stars scratches were Adam Cracknell, Greg Pateryn and Julius Honka.

Dallas Morning News LOADED: 10.07.2017 1076938 Dallas Stars

Cody Eakin, other ex-Stars brought some extra intensity into Dallas' season opener vs. Vegas

By Mike Heika , Staff Writer Contact Mike Heikaon Twitter:@MikeHeika

It didn't take long for Cody Eakin to discover he wasn't on the Stars anymore. The former Dallas center said before the game he expected to have an intense performance. Then he was crushed by an Alexander Radulov hit in the first period. "I'll try to get under their skin a little, and hopefully they don't dipsy me too hard," Eakin said of facing old friends Tyler Seguin and Stars captain Jamie Benn. Eakin played a team-high 22:57, had a shot on goal, and assisted on fellow former Star James Neal's game-winning goal. The Stars waded into the season opener with patience and positioning. Included in the emotion of starting a new season with a new coach was seeing three former teammates across the ice. The Vegas Golden Knights are the NHL's newest expansion team, and they netted Eakin, Neal and Reilly Smith in transactions last summer. All of that combined to bring a friendly competition. Benn and Seguin used to play on a line with Eakin, who logged 349 games in a Stars uniform, so they looked forward to play against their old teammate. "There's going to be a lot of chirping, that's for sure," Benn said before the game. "It's fun to play against close friends and ex-teammates. We know him pretty well, we spent a lot of time together. He's a great player, fun to be around, he competes hard, good in all area of the game, and that's going to be tough for us." And Benn said he thinks the move will be positive for Eakin, 26. "He's got a fresh start on a new team," Benn said. "I'm sure he's going to be a leader on that team." Eakin already is, it seems, and he said he looks forward to expanding his role. "It's a great place to be, and a great chance for me," Eakin said. "I think I've played well, and I know everyone is excited to be here."

Dallas Morning News LOADED: 10.07.2017 1076939 Dallas Stars

Stars rinkside reporter Julie Dobbs out at Fox Sports Southwest days before opener

By Barry Horn , Staff Writer Contact Barry Hornon Twitter:@bhorn55

Fox Sports Southwest has decided to move on without rinkside reporter Julie Dobbs, who doubled as producer and host of the cable network's Stars Insider magazine show. Dobbs, a cancer survivor and wife of Stars video coach Kelly Forbes, said FSSW management told her in July that it was eliminating her rinkside job after three seasons, and she was told this week she was out of an Insider job after eight seasons. She had asked to drop her producer duties and remain only as host. FSSW had other ideas. "I would love to stay in the business, but my options are limited because of my husband's job here," Dobbs said. "I still love the team and will be at all the games." FSSW, via email, said company policy is that it doesn't comment on personnel matters. Dobbs' news came days after play-by-play voice Dave Strader, a Stars employee, died from bile-duct cancer. Dobbs, 32, was diagnosed with advance Stage 3 breast cancer in September 2013 but was declared cancer free six months later. Soon after that happy news she underwent a double mastectomy and had 15 lymph nodes removed. "Thankfully," she said, "above all else my health is very good." Around the Horn: ESPN's College GameDay stops at TCU from 8-11 a.m. Saturday in advance of the West Virginia-Horned Frogs game at 2:30 p.m. The show last visited the Fort Worth campus in 2009. GameDay was in West Virginia for the Horned Frogs' victory over the Mountaineers in 2014. And so you know, the venerable Lee Corso correctly picked the Horned Frogs via headgear in that game. He is 4-0 when picking TCU. He has never picked West Virginia... Meanwhile, the remainder of the Houston Astros-Boston Red Sox playoff series belongs to FS1. Ex-Ranger A.J. Pierzynski, David Cone are the analysts joining play-by-play voice Joe Davis. FS1 also has the New York Yankees-Cleveland Indians series. Matt Vasgersian is on the call alongside analyst John Smoltz. Joe Buck and Smoltz will work the ALCS and World Series for Fox. The NL's Division Series belong to Turner. Ernie Johnson and Ron Darling are working the Chicago Cubs-Washington Nationals, while Brian Anderson, Dennis Eckersley and Joe Simpson will be on the call of Los Angeles Dodgers-Arizona Diamondbacks series.

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Morning skate update: Uncertainty abound as Stars open season vs. expansion Golden Knights

By Mike Heika , Staff Writer Contact Mike Heikaon Twitter:@MikeHeika

The Stars start their new era with three new coaches in Ken Hitchcock, Rick Wilson and Stu Barnes, as well as several new players in Ben Bishop, Marc Methot, Martin Hanzal, Tyler Pitlick and Alexander Radulov. Vegas is starting its era as a hockey team, kicking off an expansion season while still trying to formulate a roster. Uncertainty abound in this contest. Key matchup Cody Eakin vs. Tyler Seguin: Eakin was taken by Vegas in the expansion draft and has played the majority of his career with the Stars. He has led Vegas in the preseason with five points (one goal, four assists) and has often faced the opposition's best center in his career. Former linemate Seguin is expected to center the Stars' top line. Since joining the Stars four years ago, Seguin ranks fifth in scoring. Key number 30th: Dallas finished 30th in the NHL in penalty kill success last season at 73.6 percent. The St. Louis Blues had the best penalty kill in the NHL while being coached by Ken Hitchcock. An improved penalty kill is a huge goal for the 2016-17 Stars. Keep a watchful eye on that. Notable - Dallas went 3-3-0 in preseason. Vegas went 3-3-1. - Cody Eakin played 349 games for Dallas and tallied 146 point. - Vegas forward and former Stars player Reilly Smith was part of the trade that acquired Tyler Seguin from Boston in 2013. - Stars defenseman Marc Methot was acquired by Vegas in the expansion draft (from Ottawa) and then traded to Dallas. This will be the first time Methot has faced his former club. - This is the seventh straight time the Stars have opened the season at home. Dallas is 4-1-1 in the previous six games. - Ken Hitchcock is one win shy of tying Al Arbour (782) for third on the NHL's all-time coaching wins list. - Hitchcock currently ranks first in Stars franchise history in games coached (503), wins (277) and winning percentage (.622). - Forward Gemel Smith is expected to play in the season opener while Adam Cracknell is expected to be a healthy scratch. Cracknell will likely play Saturday against St. Louis. He said it "I've got goosebumps thinking about it. It's going to be cool hosting Vegas for their first ever game, and it's always a treat to play in front of our crowd, especially in a home opener." "It's exciting. This is something I have worked every day of my life for. It's good to finally get this opportunity. I am definitely excited, and I am not taking it for granted." "They are the impact players. I don't think you can have impact players and not give them leadership roles." "I don't think there's anything wrong with how we played last year, I don't think there's anything wrong with how we wanted to play this year. I think it's just a matter of if you're not going to play with confidence and with the belief you are going to win every night, it's hard to play any system."

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Former Stars goalie Antti Niemi gets pulled in Pittsburgh debut; Penguins lose 10-1

By Scott Bell , Assistant Sports Editor Contact Scott Bellon Twitter:@ScottBellDMN

Saying Antti Niemi's debut with the Pittsburgh Penguins went poorly would be doing it a disservice. Niemi was pulled less than 10 minutes into his first start with the Penguins after allowing four goals on 13 shots. The defending Stanley Cup champion Penguins ultimately lost to the Chicago Blackhawks by a 10-1 margin. It was the most goals allowed by Pittsburgh since a 10-8 loss to San Jose on Jan. 13, 1996. The Stars bought out the remainder of Niemi's contract in June after acquiring Ben Bishop in an offseason trade. He signed with the Penguins less than a week later. The Stars own him $3 million, or two-thirds of the $4.5 million he was due to make this season. It will be split as a $1.5 million cap hit for both the 2017-18 and 2018-19 seasons. Niemi ended up being one of general manager Jim Nill's worst moves. He was signed to a three-year contract that averaged $4.5 million in hopes of creating a goaltending duo with Kari Lehtonen. Although the pair were good in the first season, they fell apart last year. Niemi went 12-12-4 with a 3.30 goals against average and .892 save percentage. Of the 44 goalies who qualified for NHL rankings, Niemi was 44th in GAA and 43rd in save percentage.

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Late goal gives expansion Vegas Knights opening win over Dallas Stars

BY STEPHEN HUNT Special to the Star-Telegram

OCTOBER 06, 2017 11:35 PM

For three seasons, James Neal was a fan favorite for the Dallas Stars, earning the nickname “The Real Deal” and selling plenty of jerseys. But on Friday night at American Airlines Center, Neal might have officially become Public Enemy Number One by scoring both goals for the expansion Vegas Golden Knights in a shocking 2-1 season-opening win against the Stars. Vegas is the first NHL expansion team to win its inaugural game since Ottawa and Tampa Bay both accomplished that feat in 1992. Neal scored twice in the third period, both tallies coming against Kari Lehtonen, who relieved Stars No. 1 goaltender Ben Bishop, who left the game early in the third with a cut to the head. Earlier in the game, Neal had raised the ire of Stars fans after leveling Tyler Seguin, who scored the Stars’ only goal, with a physical check late in the second period. Four minutes into the final period, a shot by ex-Star Reilly Smith passed through Bishop’s mask and struck him in the head, drawing blood. Bishop left the ice on his own as Lehtonen, the Stars’ starting netminder the past few seasons, entered. Bishop had stopped all 19 shots he faced prior to departing. Dallas had taken the lead late in the second period when Seguin, who led the Stars with 72 points last season, scored on a redirect with Dallas on the power play just 2:59 before the second intermission. Vegas had nearly tied it with 53 seconds remaining in the second, but Brendan Leipsic’s wrist shot from the slot had been whistled dead before it crossed the line. Leipsic’s shot had gotten under Bishop, who then fell backwards. It then appeared that Stars defenseman John Klingberg knocked the puck into his own net. Video review determined that the referee had whistled play dead prior to the puck crossing, so the on-ice call of no goal stood. Neal’s first goal came 9:33 into the third when he sent a wrist shot past Lehtonen, who had stopped the first four shots he faced in relief of Bishop, tying the game at one. Neal then delivered the eventual game- winner with 2:44 remaining when he roofed a wrist shot into the top of the Dallas net from the right side, stunning a sellout crowd that was celebrating the beginning of the Stars’ 25th anniversary season in Dallas. Another former Star, Cody Eakin, who Vegas had selected in the NHL Expansion Draft this summer, assisted on Neal’s second. Besides Neal, the other big star for the Golden Knights was veteran goaltender Marc-Andre Fleury, who stopped 45 of the 46 shots he faced. Lehtonen stopped 9 of the 11 shots he faced in relief of Bishop. One positive for Dallas from this loss was their penalty kill keeping the Vegas power play off the board, despite the Golden Knights having the man advantage seven times. The Stars, who were also playing their first game under new head coach Ken Hitchcock, return to the ice Saturday at St. Louis, the club Hitchcock coached before being fired last winter. Hitchcock, who led Dallas to the Stanley Cup championship in 1999, is beginning his second stint with the Stars.

Star-Telegram LOADED: 10.07.2017 1076943 Dallas Stars

Dallas Stars line up next to Golden Knights before opener in honor of Las Vegas victims

Staff Report The Associated Press OCTOBER 06, 2017 8:36 PM

DALLAS The Dallas Stars formed a line next to players from the Vegas Golden Knights to honor victims of last weekend’s mass shooting before the debut of the first major pro sports franchise in Las Vegas. After Dallas introductions marking the 25th season since the NHL came to Texas, the Stars players skated from their blue line to the Vegas blue line so that both sets of players were together for pregame remembrances Friday night. The Stars first honored a staff member who died in a car wreck during the offseason before paying tribute to play-by-play announcer Dave Strader, who died of bile duct cancer at 62 the same day of the Vegas shooting that killed 58 people. There was were brief moments of silence for each, and the video board read “Viva Las Vegas” as the public address announcer said, “Dallas stands with Vegas and those affected by the horrifying tragedy.”

Star-Telegram LOADED: 10.07.2017

1076944 Detroit Red Wings “And we need them in the stands. I thought there were moments when it was real full and moments when it wasn’t. We need them in the stands, as much as possible. Wings' Mantha making strides to be an everyday player “It’s a loud building. So it will be a huge home ice advantage when they’re in the stands.” Gregg Krupa, The Detroit News Published 8:05 p.m. ET Oct. 6, 2017 | Similar circumstances occurred at Joe Louis Arena, especially given the Updated 8:06 p.m. ET Oct. 6, 2017 policy of not letting fans walk to seats while play is underway, which is still enforced at Little Caesars Arena.

But it certainly would not be the first venue, in hockey and otherwise, in Detroit — The first goal scored in Little Caesars Arena has its which the ancillary activities keep the attention of fans, even when the significance. game is on. But when Anthony Mantha absorbed Martin Frk’s errant shot on a 5-on-3 Detroit News LOADED: 10.07.2017 power play and chopped the flopping puck into the Wild net at 14:40 of the second period Thursday's regular-season opener, it gave the Red Wings a 1-0 lead, after Jimmy Howard kept them in the game. It is the kind of big goal the Wings would like to see throughout a long career for the big 23-year-old in Detroit. Asked what went well and what he could improve in his 71st game played for the Red Wings, Mantha immediately referenced team play. “What went good for me? I mean, our line played great,” he said. “With Larkin, Frk and myself, we had a good night.” And then the goal scorer immediately discussed the one that went the other way. “I think we had a little slump there, in the second period. We had a goal they scored on us," Mantha said. "We watched the video on that goal this morning, and it’s just learning the process. Maybe two, three feet on the ice would make a huge difference.” Mantha credited Jeff Blashill, his coach for most of the past four seasons, with pounding home the message: Be an everyday player. “Well, I think he, like a lot of guys, he is still working towards it,” Blashill said. “I think we probably have as good an example of that, with (Henrik) Zetterberg, as anyone in the league. It’s good model to follow. “It’s still a work in progress. These are years of habits that, over the last couple of years, we’ve been trying to break with Anthony, and he’s trying to break. And he’s doing a great job. “He’s been an impactful player on most nights. So, let’s keep going.” Blashill believes the young line can make a significant difference. “I think that line can be a separator for us,” he said. “I think if they can play at real high level and play the way winning hockey takes, they can really, really boost our team. “I think they can handle that responsibility.” Feeling out process It will take some more playing in Little Caesars Arena to truly assess playing conditions. But the ice is improving, and a bit of a work in progress as the new surface gets skated in and conditions in the building become familiar. “You go through games, you learn the humidity level and things like that so we can create less snow,” Blashill said. “The snow builds up a little bit fast. That’s one big thing.” The end boards do not toss pucks back at attacking forwards, so the rebound pass may not be as much a part of the Wings’ arsenal, or the opponents’, as it famously was in Joe Louis Arena. “We were looking for a few of the old bounces off the end wall last night,” the coach said. “We didn’t get them.” Crowd factor The second or third periods, played with the house about half full, started poorly for the Red Wings. Blashill and a few players mention the coincidental absence of the solid wall of loud fans the building was designed to inflict on opponents. Of course they understand it is up to them to play the game, and that fans in the new stadium have an entertaining concourse to explore, with a small Red Wings’ museum yet to come. “That’s one of the challenges of a great building with so much to offer, especially with a new building where they’re checking things out,” Blashill said. 1076945 Detroit Red Wings

Wings' Athanasiou heads to Switzerland to assess options

Gregg Krupa, The Detroit News Published 7:38 p.m. ET Oct. 6, 2017

Detroit — Andreas Athanasiou is off to Switzerland for some skating and to see what opportunities there might be for an unsigned restricted free agent from the NHL in Europe. Red Wings GM Ken Holland confirmed that the speedy 23-year-old forward, who scored 18 goals for an offensively challenged Wings team last season, called him Friday morning and told him he was off across the Atlantic to test the waters. “He called me today just to say that he is going to Europe,” Holland said. Asked how the conversation went, Holland paused and said, “Double-A’s going to Europe.” Athanasiou, whose skill tantalizes a franchise rebuilding while attempting to make the playoffs, is the only unsigned RFA in the NHL. His playing time became an issue at a few junctures during his two- season tenure with the Red Wings, as coach Jeff Blashill said Athanasiou needed to affect games for longer stints than he had. Like Dylan Larkin and Anthony Mantha, and what is likely to be a succession of young players moving through the roster in the next few seasons, Athanasiou is still developing in the NHL. Both Larkin and Mantha have seen their time on ice reduced, at times, based on effectiveness. Even veteran players sometimes receive that treatment. Athanasiou’s agent, Darren Ferris, was not immediately available for comment. TSN's Bob McKenzie, who first reported the news about Athanasiou Friday, reported Athanasiou has no contract in Europe, but is traveling there to skate and test the market. The National League in Switzerland has produced NHL players in the past, offered a refuge for exiles and prolonged the careers of retirees. The Red Wings have made clear the negotiations with Athanasiou are stalled because the Red Wings have a market value for him based on comparable players around the league, and Athanasiou is seeking more. The Wings also are up against the hard salary cap of the NHL. But roster moves can alleviate that obstacle. Athanasiou also entertained KHL offers from Russia in August, including one for $3 million that is more than $1 million richer than what the Wings are considered likely to have offered. Martin Frk, who took Athansiou’s spot on the roster, surprised the Red Wings with his performance in the preseason and assisted on the team's first goal of the regular season against the Wild on Thursday, while displaying among the hardest shots in the NHL. The line of Larkin, Mantha and Frk played well, almost continuously. Detroit News LOADED: 10.07.2017 1076946 Detroit Red Wings

Red Wings explain all the empty seats for LCA opener

Tony Paul, The Detroit News Published 5:33 p.m. ET Oct. 6, 2017

Detroit -- It was the buzz all over social media on Thursday night, especially on Twitter. Why so many empty seats for the first regular-season Red Wings game at brand-new Little Caesars Arena? Fans weren't the only ones to notice. Tom Wilson, president and CEO of Olympia Entertainment, was taken aback, as well. "It was really interesting, because everybody was in their seats when we dropped the puck, and you just expect that's going to happen," Wilson told The Detroit News on Friday afternoon. "Now, we do have clubs here, and people sometimes go back in the clubs to have something to eat and everything like that, then they come out when the period starts. "But, boy, people really, really disappeared last night." The reason: The novelty of the new arena. Yes, of course, the game was sold out, and almost every ticket sold was accounted for at the gates. Fans, though, flocked to the concourse -- littered with countless shops, bars, restaurants, artifacts and the like -- to check out the new digs. And, subsequently, that made for some poor optics on TV, as at times it seemed like less than half the seats were occupied. "So that will change as you're here the second time and the third time, and a lot of those people in the lower level are season-ticket holders so they'll be back next week having seen everything," Wilson said. "So it won't be as pronounced next time. "But last night, it was one of those things that got your attention, 'Where'd they go?'" Wilson said the same thing happened for the arena's first event, the first of the Kid Rock concerts last month. About the time Kid Rock was ready to go on, the Metro Detroit rocker hesitated, because there were so many empty seats. It was so startling, Wilson said he joked at the time, "Play a note! We gotta get people in here." The arena is vast and impressive, but as such, there's a whole lot to see -- and you won't see it all after one visit, or even two. "I think you'd have to come five or six times, and even then you will not have experienced everything here," Wilson said. "Around every corner, you sort of find something you haven't seen before." Eventually you'll turn a corner, and stumble upon a hockey game. Detroit News LOADED: 10.07.2017 1076947 Detroit Red Wings

Red Wings bask in glow of opening win, Kronwall ailing

The Detroit News Published 2:39 p.m. ET Oct. 6, 2017 | Updated 4:30 p.m. ET Oct. 6, 2017

Detroit — Better health and a better power play could go a long way toward the Red Wings’ goal of making the playoffs, even as they develop their prospective stars and rebuild this season. Upbeat after their 4-2 win in the home opener in their new arena over a Wild team forecast for success this season, the Red Wings drilled on fundamentals Friday at practice and savored their success on the power play. But there was a bit of bad news on the injury front. Defenseman Niklas Kronwall (groin), who did not play in the opener Thursday, skated by himself after the rest of the team left the ice. A full participant in the morning skate Thursday and at practice Wednesday, Kronwall’s status is day-to-day, Jeff Blashill said. “He won’t be in tomorrow night,” the coach said. The Red Wings play the Senators, who may see the return of standout defenseman Erik Karlsson to their lineup. Karlsson delayed his start to the season recovering from offseason surgery on his foot after playing through part of the stretch drive and playoffs with an injured heel. The All-Star did not play in the Senators' 5-4 loss to the Capitals on Wednesday and Ottawa's power play suffered. Ottawa GM Pierre Dorion told reporters Thursday he hoped Karlsson could return Saturday against the Red Wings. On Friday, the Senators coach Guy Boucher scaled that back to say Karlsson remains day-to-day. An upbeat mood prevailed, generally, at Red Wings practice. Not only did Anthony Mantha and Dylan Larkin look strong against the Wild, Jimmy Howard withstood some considerable pressure by the Wild until the Wings started scoring and the team had a staunch response when it lost the lead with two quick, early third-period goals by the Wild. The Red Wings roared back. Henrik Zetterberg scored the winner and Martin Frk applied frosting to the cake. Asked if it signaled a more resilient team than last season. “I am not sure if I would compare it to last year, or not,” said the veteran defenseman Mike Green, who assisted on all four goals, after scoring a hat trick in the home opener last season. “I think the team did a really good job of staying composed, even when we went down two, there.” “We didn’t lose our cool. We just kind of stayed in the same mind frame and we are able to fight our way out of it. “With ‘Z.’ getting a big goal and ‘Frky’ obviously finishing it off, it was great.” Detroit News LOADED: 10.07.2017 1076948 Detroit Red Wings

See Griffins' newest piece of art: Another Calder Cup banner in rafters

Updated on October 6, 2017 at 7:40 PM Posted on October 6, 2017 at 7:37 PM By Peter J. Wallner

GRAND RAPIDS - Like acquiring a prized painting, the Grand Rapids Griffins knew exactly the right place for their latest piece of work: right next to the other one. The Griffins raised the banner on their 2016-17 Calder Cup championship amid wild cheers from a sold out crowd at Van Andel Arena before Friday's season opener against Manitoba. It slid in nicely in a new place in the rafters next to the franchise's first title from 2012-13. Take a look above at how it went. It was the Griffins' first time on the ice since they won the title in front of a home crowd on June 13. Here are a couple reminders: Michigan Live LOADED: 10.07.2017 1076949 Detroit Red Wings

Andreas Athanasiou heading to Switzerland to skate, assess options

Updated on October 6, 2017 at 8:58 PM Posted on October 6, 2017 at 6:23 PM By Ansar Khan

DETROIT -- Andreas Athanasiou and the Detroit Red Wings are farther apart in their contract stalemate -- literally. Athanasiou is "headed to Switzerland tonight" his agent, Darren Ferris, told MLive in a text. Athanasiou is joining Lugano of the Swiss Hockey League to skate, but he hasn't signed a contract with that club or made a commitment to play there. He will assess his options once he starts skating there. Red Wings general manager Ken Holland declined comment, other than to say Ferris called him to relay Athanasiou's plan. Athanasiou, 23, isn't likely to sign with the Swiss team, since he could only earn a fraction of what he could make in the NHL. Holland said earlier this week that he and Ferris had resumed talks but were not any closer to a deal. The Red Wings have had two offers on the table -- two years at $1.9 million a season or one year at $1.25 million. Athanasiou was seeking $2.5 million per season. Now that the season has started, Athanasiou is losing money. So even if he signed for $1.9 million, he would make the prorated amount of that salary. Athanasiou had been contemplating an offer from the KHL's Ak Bars Kazan but a source said the Russian team withdrew the offer because the forward was asking for too much. Michigan Live LOADED: 10.07.2017 1076950 Detroit Red Wings

Red Wings' Jeff Blashill: 'We need (fans) in the stands'

Updated on October 6, 2017 at 3:57 PM Posted on October 6, 2017 at 3:27 PM By Ansar Khan

DETROIT - Little Caesars Arena was packed during the opening faceoff Thursday, as one would expect in the first regular season game at the building. But as the Detroit Red Wings' season-opener against the Minnesota Wild progressed, more seats emptied, making it seem like a preseason crowd. A sellout crowd of 19,515 attended, but many fans apparently were scattered throughout the facility, taking in the sights, hitting the various clubs or just watching the game on big screens instead of their seats. Players and coach Jeff Blashill noticed. They're hoping the stands will be more occupied at the next LCA game, Oct. 16 vs. Tampa Bay to fully maximize home-ice advantage. "That's one of the challenges of a great building with so much to offer, especially a new building where they're checking things out," Blashill said. "We need them in the stands. I thought there were moments where it was real full and moments where it wasn't. We need them in the stands as much as possible. It's a loud building, so it's going to be a huge home- ice advantage when they're in the stands." Said Mike Green: "It's definitely entertaining for them and I think that's good. It's good for them to be able to move around and enjoy the whole building. Obviously, it's state-of-the-art with what's going on here, so I think it's great." Is there new home louder than Joe Louis Arena? "There's moments where it was definitely louder for sure," Blashill said. "When we scored those two quick power-play goals, it was real loud. Certainly, in the third there were moments it was loud." Blashill called the ice a work in progress. "It's much better than it was originally," he said. "Now it's just a matter of as you go through games you learn the humidity levels and things like that so we can create less snow. The snow builds up a little bit fast, so that's one big thing." The boards aren't nearly as lively as they were at Joe Louis Arena, which frequenctly resulted in big rebounds and unpredicatable bounces. "We were looking for a few of the old bounces off the end wall last night, but we didn't get them so we'll keep working through it," Blashill said. Michigan Live LOADED: 10.07.2017 1076951 Detroit Red Wings The stands in LCA are steep in a similar manner to give it that same feel and the players noticed.

"It was great," said defenseman Mike Green, who had three assists. "It Red Wings rave about atmosphere inside 'best (arena) in the world' was awesome, to be honest. The energy was great. Obviously with the new building, it's just completely different than any other rink. It's got its own identity and it's fun to play in. Posted on October 6, 2017 at 10:10 AM "It's a different feel. It feels a little more enclosed. They're kind of sitting By Brendan Savage right there. It's cool." Zetterberg agreed. DETROIT - The atmosphere in and around Little Caesars Arena was "Atmosphere was awesome," he said. "Obviously you see here, the way electric for much of Thursday. the arena is built, it gets loud in here so it's fun to play. It started in the middle of the afternoon with a pregame party and red "Two points tonight was huge, especially with everything before (the puck carpet walk by the Detroit Red Wings players and alumni, amped up dropped). Every season opener is important but this one is obviously during an elaborate introduction ceremony and continued throughout the special to come in and play in front of our fans in the new arena and get first regular-season game in the building's history. two points." But how did it compare to Joe Louis Arena, the Red Wings home for 37 Michigan Live LOADED: 10.07.2017 seasons before they moved into the new $863-million building? "That's a good question," said goaltender Jimmy Howard. "I don't know. There's such excitement with everything, first game in a brand new building. We'll see as the games go when the games get more important." In the grand scheme of things, the 4-2 victory over the Minnesota Wild in the first real game in LCA history can't really be considered "important." It's just one in an 82-game season. But at the same time, the last thing the Red Wings wanted to do was lay an egg in their first regular-season game at LCA. So the Red Wings were understandably happy after they got goals from Anthony Mantha, Dylan Larkin, Henrik Zetterberg and Martin Frk to send everyone - except the Wild, of course - home happy on opening night. "It's huge," said Howard, who made 37 saves. "It's great for everyone. This facility, it's unbelievable. The Ilitches, they wanted to build the best one in the world, and they definitely did. This is something special, not only for us but the fans and the city of Detroit as well. It's great to get out there and play real good. "It was a great team win. Specialty teams came up huge for us, especially in the second period there, and got us going." Mantha and Larkin scored power-play goals 23 seconds apart late in the second period to give Detroit a 2-0 lead and although the Wild scored a couple of quick ones themselves early in the third to tie it, the Red Wings never trailed and regained the lead for good when Zetterberg made it 3-2 with 12:53 left. Howard made the lead stand up the rest of the way in recording his 200th career victory and in typical fashion gave his teammates the credit for playing well in front of him. The biggest moment for Howard and the Red Wings came early in the second period, when they killed a 5-on-3 Minnesota power play that lasted for 93 seconds. The Red Wings also caught a couple of breaks when Minnesota had two goals waved off because Wild players interfered with Howard. "I thought Jimmy was great all game," said coach Jeff Blashill. "Jimmy was the difference for sure. The 5-on-3 is a big moment. I thought our killers did a great job. They had one really, really good chance they missed on. "But I thought Jimmy was solid all game." Like Howard, Blashill was impressed by the atmosphere inside the new building. "It was great, especially early," he said. "You had the 'Let's go Red Wings' early. It was loud for sure. I think the beginning of the second period, lots of people were checking out the concourse, so we've got to work on that, we've got to make sure they're in there at the start. "Overall, I thought atmosphere was great. It's an absolutely awesome building." Indeed, many seats were empty when the teams returned to the ice for the second period as fans stayed on the concourse, presumably to check out all the unique features of the arena. The arena's design was patterned after the Bell Centre in Montreal because Red Wings general manager Ken Holland thinks it's the most intimidating building the Red Wings play in on the road. The Bell Centre's structure makes it feel like the fans are right on top of the ice. 1076952 Detroit Red Wings Michigan Live LOADED: 10.07.2017

Martin Frk enjoys special Red Wings debut

Updated on October 6, 2017 at 6:08 AM Posted on October 6, 2017 at 6:01 AM By Ansar Khan

DETROIT - Martin Frk celebrated his 24th birthday Thursday with his first career goal and assist during his Detroit Red Wings debut, a 4-2 victory over the Minnesota Wild in the festive Little Caesars Arena opener. He planned a more mellow postgame celebration. "I will enjoy it with my girlfriend and my dog at home, maybe have a beer or something," Frk said. "Tomorrow is a new day and we got to work again." His dog, Winston, will be happy to see him. "I will just cuddle with him, just try to play with him," Frk said. "Always when I leave, I feel bad. When I have to leave for the game, for him it's about five or six hours at home by himself, so I am always happy to get home. He does make me happy, too, when the game is not good. It's just a fun time for him." Frk has been having fun since the start of training camp. With no end in sight to Andreas Athanasiou's contract stalemate and a wrist injury to Tyler Bertuzzi, Frk seized the opportunity to earn a spot on the season- opening roster. He meshed well on a line with Dylan Larkin and Anthony Mantha. Frk is here because he has a booming right-handed shot, which even the team's goalies want no part of in practice. "The guy can fire it," Jimmy Howard said. "We had to tell him to tone it down a little bit in practice. Every single time he'd wind up I wanted to skate in the corner. "He can be a great weapon for us. He just had to utilize it night in and night out. As it gets around the league how big and how heavy a shot he has, he's going to have to find ways to get open because teams are going to key on him." The Red Wings use Frk on the left point on the second power-play unit, where he can open up for a one-timer while taking passes from fellow righty Mike Green. Mantha opened the scoring at 14:40 of the second period during a five- on-three power play, when he banged in the rebound of Frk's shot. "We knew Frkie was going to take that slap shot at some point and I was just there and it hit my leg and came down at the right place," Mantha said. "I think it's probably the hardest shot in the league, so it's huge for our team." Green, who assisted on all four goals, called it a "wicked shot." "I think it's just unpredictable," Green said. "Just the way he shoots the puck ishard for goalies to read. It makes it difficult for guys to get in the lanes." "When he's open, I'm definitely looking for him. Not only that, tonight I thought he did a great job on the forecheck, he created some turnovers, he won his battles. He did a lot more than just his shot." Frk scored an important insurance goal at 10:24 of the third period, slapping the puck past Devan Dubnyk after making a good play at the other end of the ice. "The play on the wall is an excellent play," coach Jeff Blashill. "That probably would go unnoticed, but they were coming down the walls hard, he handled it, he made a play underneath, next thing you know we're up the ice, next thing you know it's in the net." Frk wasn't happy with his play the first two periods. "It was a different tempo. You've just got to get used to it," Frk said. "I am learning, like every man. It may be taking a little bit of a while before I get everything right. Guys with more experience, they can always help you. I'm just going to work on doing the details right and get better every day." Said Blashill: "I thought he really settled down as the game went along. I thought early on he was probably nervous a little bit." 1076953 Edmonton Oilers Only two Oilers goalies have ever had a shutout in an home-opener — Cam Talbot against Calgary on Wednesday and Nikolai Khabibulin on Oct. 7, 2010, also against Flames. Talbot has 11 shutouts with the Oilers, Can Edmonton Oilers captain Connor McDavid score 100 goals? That's a third best all-time behind Tommy Salo (23) and Curtis Joseph (14). In 10 mouthful career games against Vancouver, Talbot has never had a regulation loss, accumulating a 6-0-4 career record with a 1.65 goals against average and three shutouts. JIM MATHESON This ’n that: Oilers senior VP of hockey operations, Craig MacTavish, travelled with winger Anton Slepyshev to Stockton for Bakersfield’s AHL Published on: October 6, 2017 | Last Updated: October 6, 2017 5:32 PM opener Friday. It’ll be Slepyshev’s first game on a short conditioning stint MDT to see how his sprained ankle holds up. He should be in Vancouver Saturday with the Oilers but likely won’t play.

Edmonton Journal: LOADED: 10.07.2017 The season Wayne Gretzky scored the NHL high 92 goals, he had 370 shots. That’s a goal every four shots back in 1981-82. So, newly-signed Calgary Flames winger Jaromir Jagr saying Connor McDavid could score 100 goals one day, would mean the Edmonton Oilers captain would likely need a shooting percentage in the 25 per cent range to do it. That’s a mouthful. “I think 100 goals is impossible,” said Oiler centre Mark Letestu “For him to do that, his shooting percentage would have to be off the charts. What is the high now, 20 per cent?” Indeed of the top 30 scorers last year, only Jets’ centre Mark Scheifele (32 goals on 160 shots) hit 20 percent. A good year for most shooters these days is 15 per cent. In Gretzky’s 92-goal season (80 games), 10 guys scored at least 50, including Mark Messier. Mike Bossy finished second to Gretzky with 64 goals and Dennis Maruk had 60. Bossy had 301 shots for a 21.3 percentage and Maruk had 268 shots for 22.4. There were some very good goalies, but also some who made themselves look very small in the net. It’s not the same now. “I don’t think it’s in his nature (shooting),” Letestu said. “After watching him the last two years, he’s a pass-first guy. But if he decides to dedicate himself to scoring goals I don’t see why he couldn’t get 50 or 60.” Former Oilers draft pick Jake Brenk and partner Dave Jackson had a very quiet night refereeing Wednesday in Edmonton’s season opener, calling a measly three minor penalties after NHL teams had steady parade to the box in pre-season. So what happened? “We were really disciplined. I don’t necessarily think our officials put the whistles away,” laughed Letestu, who played just 9:25 in the opener because he’s part of the Oilers power play and penalty-kill. “It’s still a trend, they’re really cracking down (slashing), I watched some games (Thursday) night and there were lots of penalties. For the most part we kept our sticks on the ice and eliminated the hack and whack. I expect us to be on the power play more and we’ll have to kill more penalties.” Normally Letestu’s in the 14-minute range, with even-strength, power play and penalty kill. “I’ve got my roles to play but it’ll all balance out,” said Letestu, who’s on the first power play and penalty-killing units. “Didn’t happen the first game but there will be nights when I’m out there too much.” Oscar Klebom’s defence partner Adam Larsson was an interested spectator as he watched his fellow Swede fire pucks. Klefbom had nine shots on Flames goaltender Mike Smith on Wednesday and six more which either went wide or were blocked. “That’s out of my tool-box, that speed (of shot),” said Larsson. “I tell him to shoot all he wants and go up the ice if you want. I want him to feel comfortable. I know he has an incredibly hard shot. I don’t have anything like the one that went to the goalie’s mask.” Oilers winger Drake Caggiula, who missed most of the second period Wednesday getting repairs to his lip and his face after colliding with Calgary’s Garnet Hathaway, has a nasty bruise under his left eye but no shiner because they got ice to it. But his lip is pretty swollen still. He’s no pretty face like his North Dakota teammate and Vancouver Canucks rookie winger Brock Boeser. “I can’t say I was a good looking guy before and I can’t say I am now,” said Caggiula. “I’ll probably have a couple of canker sores around my lip that’ll make it tough to eat.” 1076954 Edmonton Oilers It makes life easier on the defencemen, knowing they can count on the forwards.

“They worked hard for us,” said defenceman Adam Larsson. “You have Surprise! Edmonton Oilers' backbone is built on team defence to defend five guys nowadays and that’s how we played when we were successful last year, everybody was committed. ROBERT TYCHKOWSKI “With the guys we have up front, I don’t think we have to worry too much about the offence. It’s going to be there anyway. If we take care of Published on: October 6, 2017 | Last Updated: October 6, 2017 5:00 PM defence, I think we’re in a good spot.” MDT Edmonton Journal: LOADED: 10.07.2017

While Connor McDavid’s opening night hat-trick had most Edmontonians bouncing off the walls in celebration, Todd McLellan saved his biggest fist pumps for what happened at the other end of the ice. Yes, McDavid served notice he is the most electrifying force in the National Hockey League, and the Oilers showed they have the best first line in hockey, but it was the way they’ve come together on defence that really excites the Oilers’ head coach. Obviously. He’s a coach. Nobody likes taking the fun out of the game more than coaches. But even the players are taking a large measure of pride in the way they look after their own end. It began last season, reinforced itself in the playoffs, and was front and centre again on Wednesday when the Oilers gave Calgary nothing in as convincing a 3-0 win as you’ll ever see. “We started doing it last year, started to figure out the way we wanted to play,” said forward Leon Draisaitl. “We have a great goalie and we’re all buying into the system, and it really showed in the first game. That’s what we’re trying to do even better than last year. We know that offence comes from good defence.” Getting Edmonton’s skill players to buy into the defence-first philosophy had been an ongoing, and losing, battle for 10 years. Too often, their defensive structure looked like a cross between panicked parents trying to find lost children in a grocery store and drunk fans chasing home-run balls in the centre-field bleachers. It took a long time and a significant personnel change, but they finally figured things out. “Definitely,” said goalie Cam Talbot, whose life is being made much easier by the shift in philosophy. “We’ve gone leaps and bounds from my first season here. Everyone thinks that we’re just a high-powered offence, but we’re very structured in our own zone. Give our guys a lot of credit for really buying into Todd’s system.” Convincing skill players that offence comes from defence is one of the bigger challenges a coach will ever face (ask all the fired coaches in Edmonton’s recent history), but McLellan says Edmonton is living proof that it’s worth the effort. “We value it, we take pride in it, we stress numbers to the group,” said McLellan. “Regardless of how much offence you have you have to fall into that threshold to be a successful team, to get to the playoffs and have success in the playoffs. Getting the players to believe and understand and take pride in it is really important. I think we’ve got there. I think our team is embracing that a little bit.” Case in point: The early candidate for goal of the month. “Connor’s goal the other night that everybody is talking about, they have the clock on him and he was going this fast,” said McLellan. “Nobody saw his stick position and how he stripped the puck from Ferland by being in good defensive position. “The rest of our team was tired on that shift yet they weren’t flying all over, they were playing well defensively. They made the line change when Connor took off with the puck. Those are things we stress. The eyeballs all go to Connor and the goal, and that’s great, but the rest of the guys did a tremendous job at the back-end of a shift when they were tired to create that situation.” Now, with the Oilers up just 1-0 in the third period against Calgary, there was no sense of dread or impending doom (even among the media, who live for that kind of stuff). Instead, you just had a feeling they would either close it out or expand their lead. And they wound up doing both — scoring two goals and outshooting the Flames 16-5. “Defence is always going to be easier when you do it as a group, when all six guys on the ice are working as one,” said defenceman Darnell Nurse. “We played really well as a team not giving them much. And when we had the puck, we held on to it, when you possess the puck for most of the game, it takes away a lot of their chances.” 1076955 Edmonton Oilers But remember, the Oilers got off to a great trip, last year winning seven of their first eight. It’s going to take a total team effort, like the one you watched Wednesday, to replicate that. Terry Jones: Edmonton Oilers expect 'follow the leader' factor will elevate The way we won, showing an ability to defend and not give up a lot was team important for us. Todd McLellan Meanwhile, with that start, the spotlight is going to stay on McDavid. In TERRY JONES his rookie year, he didn’t score his third goal until his fifth game when he scored twice in Calgary. He would go on to score only three more goals Published on: October 6, 2017 | Last Updated: October 6, 2017 4:24 PM in the following 13. MDT Last year, he scored two goals in the opener and another in the second game as the Oilers opened with back-to-back games against the Flames. However, he only scored two in the next 16 games. Connor McDavid isn’t going to score all the goals to lead the Edmonton Oilers to victory every game. Imagine how giddy this city would be if he had a string of games like his first to lead the Oilers onward and upward with the rest of the line-up But with his natural hat-trick in the opening game, the question is if the playing ‘Follow The Leader?’ 20-year-old second-year captain will have a ‘Follow The Leader’ factor in play as the returning Hart, Art Ross and Ted Lindsay trophy winner? Edmonton Journal: LOADED: 10.07.2017 Todd McLellan is expecting it. “I hope it’s real strong,” said the head coach. “He’s our captain. There’s no doubt he’s our leader. He gave us everything he had in our opener. He emptied his tank. That’s a pretty good example to set for your teammates. Our team takes on a lot of his personality, as it should. Moving forward, we want to make sure he can stay at that level. “It’s hard because we play 82 games and he faces a lot of good checkers. On other nights people have to pick him up as well. Leadership is awful important, the one leader or the 19 followers? You could be the best leader in the world, but if you don’t have good followers, good luck.” As the Oilers head to Vancouver for a date with the Canucks Saturday, McLellan isn’t worried about the rest of the team turning into spectators to watch McDavid. “When we went through the chances, there were a number of opportunities created by other players as well,” said McLellan. “There were strong cycle shifts, trading off their shots … Mike Smith played a tremendous game in goal,” he said of his gold medal-winning goalie from the IIHF World Championship two years ago in Prague. There were other players on our team not wearing No. 97 that had good scoring chances but the goaltender played really well. “It was a heck of a night by Connor, but more importantly, a good night by everybody around him. The way we won, showing an ability to defend and not give up a lot was important for us. When we started last year, I thought we were outscoring our mistakes. In our first game, we didn’t make many mistakes and we didn’t need to do that.” To anybody who wasn’t there, obviously it was going to sound like it was all McDavid. He was the story, the whole story and nothing but the story. But he wasn’t the only one who showed up. He was just the only one who scored. Connor McDavid leads the stretch after scoring a hat-trick in the home opener against Calgary. The Edmonton Oilers practiced on home ice at Rogers Place on October 5, 2017, ahead of their next regular season game in Vancouver on Saturday, Oct. 7, 2017. SHAUGHN BUTTS / POSTMEDIA But you go down the line-up and grade the team for openers, and most everybody had a passing grade. “It was a complete team game,” said defenceman Eric Gryba. “Our defencemen were able to have really good gaps. That was suffocating to the Flames. But a big part of that was that our forwards were coming back.” “The most promising thing from our perspective is that normally you play in these first 10 or so games you give up a lot of chances trying to figure out systems and miscommunications and in the opener there wasn’t too much of that,” said Zack Kassian. “Our best players were back-checking hard and leading the way for us. They didn’t get any secondary chances or odd-man rushes,” said shutout goaltender Cam Talbot. “They made my job pretty easy “We know it’s really important to get a good jump on the season,” said Oscar Klefbom. Getting out of the gate great is definitely a goal for this 103-point team. They don’t want to be chasing the season. The Oilers have a pretty good schedule for openers with Calgary, Vancouver and Winnipeg, the Western Canadian teams they went 11-0-1 against last season up first. Also, four of the first five are at home. 1076956 Florida Panthers

Lightning deals Panthers and new head coach Boughner a defeat in season opener

BY ERIC ERLENDSEN OCTOBER 06, 2017 10:20 PM

The Stanley Cup is never won in October. But it sure can be lost. The Florida Panthers are well aware of how detrimental a slow start can be to a season, or how much a hot start can set them up. With back-to- back games to start the season against a division opponent, the plate is set for the chance to get off to that coveted quick start. Add in that those two games come against in-state rival Tampa Bay, and the Panthers know they don’t even have to leave the state. The recipe is there for the mixing. “We have to get points early and that’s what we want,’’ forward Jonathan Huberdeau said. “I think with this being a back-to-back with a division rivalry it’s going to be really important that we get things going the right way.’’ It didn’t go as planned in the season opener as Florida rallied from down two goals only to give up two early goals in the third and fell to the Lightning 5-3 at Amalie Arena. Connor Brickley, Mark Pysyk and Huberdeau scored for the Panthers while Roberto Luongo took the loss in net. Vladislav Namestnikov and Nikita Kucherov scored third-period goals to allow Tampa Bay to pull away. The two teams meet again on Saturday at BB&T Center in the home opener for the Panthers. The Panthers stumbled out of the gate last season, hovering around .500 for the first two months of the season and never go on track. The longest winning streak of the season was five games, which didn’t come until February. It resulted in a change behind the bench and the Panthers, one year after winning the Atlantic Division, Florida finished in sixth place and changed coaches again at the end of the season. “We’ve learned the past few seasons that every game matters, every point counts, especially later in the season,’’ forward Vincent Trocheck said. “So to get off to a hot start and win games early really means a lot.’’ In facing the Lightning twice to open the season, it offers a sense of familiarity. The two teams met three times in the preseason, all in the same week with Florida sweeping the Lightning. Though it was just preseason, the results, particularly in the two games in Sunrise, gave the Panthers a sense that they are on the right path. “The first two games I think both coaches were watching a lot of young guys and there were a lot of mistakes being made,’’ Florida head coach Bob Boughner said. “The third game, I liked our game against a pretty good lineup in Tampa. And I think both coaches know the tendencies and the strengths and weaknesses of each lineup by now. So now it’s just about concentrating on your own team and playing your game plan.’’ Notes: Owen Tippet, the Panthers first-round pick in the 2017 Entry Draft, was a healthy scratch for the game and will have to wait to make his NHL debut. Tippet did take part in pregame warmups, however. “It’s going to be good for him,’’ Boughner said. “I want him to watch and I want him to prepared because he could be in any day. (And) it’s not so much what he has to do, he’s ready to play, some guys have had good camps and some guys are in their positions. It’s like any other team, it’s a numbers game right now and I expect when he gets in there he’s going to be a good player for us.’’ … The Panthers also scratched C Denis Malgin and D McKenzie Weegar. Miami Herald LOADED: 10.07.2017 1076957 Florida Panthers nifty backhand finish. He only had four goals for the Panthers last season.

“I talked about that a lot in the last few days, about secondary scoring,” Panthers lose season opener 5-3 after Tampa Bay scores three times in Boughner said. “We got it tonight. We didn’t get a lot of primary scoring. third period They had their chances. I’m not disappointed with anybody’s effort. We just got to execute.” Matthew DeFranks As the Panthers look to replace four departed forwards from last year’s team, they’ll look for scoring from all over their roster. They’ll look to a third-line forward that shoved his way onto the roster with three preseason goals. They’ll look to a 25-year-old defenseman who just The beginning of a new hockey season offers the chance to erase the pushed his goal total into double-digits. past and write the future, to shed history and to make it new. It brings unfettered optimism and renewed faith that this season may be the But they’ll also look to their top line of Jonathan Huberdeau, Aleksander season. Barkov and Evgenii Dadonov. The trio combined for a goal with nearly five minutes left in the third period, with Huberdeau scoring his first of the So in the hours before the Florida Panthers’ season-opening 5-3 loss to year and Barkov and Dadonov each collecting assists. But it wasn’t Tampa Bay on Friday night, when Amalie Arena’s ice rested undisturbed enough to overcome the Lightning’s outburst. and untouched, the promise of new beginnings brought a fresh scent to an October night. With three Tampa Bay goals in the third period, though, “We battled back, but unfortunately, too little, too late,” Luongo said. it disappeared. Sun Sentinel LOADED: 10.07.2017 After they erased a two-goal deficit in the second period, the Panthers surrendered two goals early in the third period that gave Tampa Bay another two-goal lead. Vladislav Namestnikov scored 25 seconds into the third period to break the tie. Six minutes later, Nikita Kucherov gathered a loose puck in front of the net and fired it past Roberto Luongo to give the Lightning insurance. Tampa Bay added a late empty-net goal by Ondrej Palat, his second of the game. “My message after the game was if we play like that, we’re going to win our fair share of games,” Panthers coach Bob Boughner said. “I wasn’t unhappy with the effort. Sometimes, the execution has to get better.” Friday’s game was the Panthers’ first regular season one since their season fizzled to an end in April, a disappointing 81 points hung on their ledger after a division championship the year before. The season opener came against their cross-state division rival picked by some as a dark horse Stanley Cup contender. Florida got off to a slow start on the scoreboard. Some of its early play was sloppy — missed passes, mishandled pucks and scoring chances gone unanswered — but it controlled play on the ice. Tampa Bay scored first when Palat dribbled a shot through Luongo’s legs 6:33 into the first period. Palat sped past a diving Aaron Ekblad before challenging Luongo with a shot. As the play finished, Luongo swiveled his head toward the net behind him. He sought to locate the puck. When he found it in the back of the net, he lifted his chin skyward, dismayed to give up the first goal of the season. The Panthers finished the first period with a 10-6 edge in shots, but didn’t muster any on their two power play opportunities. The Lightning extended their lead to 2-0 almost immediately after the second period began. Brayden Point wristed a shot from Luongo’s right, nearly even with the goalline. It slipped past him on the near side to give Tampa Bay a two-goal lead. “I need to be better, that’s the bottom line,” Luongo said. “I think that was the difference in the game tonight. We deserved better and the first couple goals, there’s no excuse for that. Those goals can’t go in.” Luongo finished with 20 saves on just 24 shots. “Lu’s a big part of this team,” Boughner said. “One guy’s never going to get blamed for anything. Win as a team, lose as a team.” But then the Panthers started to click, and the offense came from unlikely sources. Connor Brickley, the third-line winger who impressed in training camp, scored Florida’s first goal of the season on an Alex Petrovic assist. Petrovic caused a turnover in the neutral zone, then led the rush before wrapping a pass in front of Lightning goalteander Andrei Vasilevskiy. It bounced into the crease, where Brickely was all by himself for a tap-in goal. It was Brickley’s second career NHL goal. Panthers coach Bob Boughner said his team played well enough to win and he was happy with the effort in his first game as Florida's coach. More than five minutes later, the Panthers tied the game, again thanks to a defenseman joining the rush. After Vincent Trocheck held the puck in at the blue line and whirled it down low, Radim Vrbata directed it towards the net. Defenseman Mark Pysyk gathered it and beat Vasilevskiy with a 1076958 Florida Panthers

Preview: Lightning at Panthers, 7 p.m., Saturday

Matthew DeFranks

Lightning at Panthers When/where: 7 p.m./BB&T Center, Sunrise TV: Fox Sports Florida. Radio: 880-AM; 640-AM (Palm Beach) Scouting report: The Panthers and Lightning finish their season-opening home-and-home series when the two teams lock horns in Sunrise on Saturday night. After facing each other three times in the preseason and once to open the regular season, Florida and Tampa Bay will play only twice more the rest of the season after Saturday. Saturday will be the Panthers’ home opener and coach Bob Boughner’s first game coaching in Sunrise. Florida is 6-1-0 in its past seven home openers, including last year’s overtime win over the Devils. James Reimer could earn the start in goal after Roberto Luongo started the season opener on Thursday night in Tampa Bay. Sun Sentinel LOADED: 10.07.2017 1076959 Florida Panthers Roberto Luongo James Reimer First-round pick Owen Tippett a scratch in season opener against Tampa Sun Sentinel LOADED: 10.07.2017 Bay

Matthew DeFranks

Florida Panthers first-round pick Owen Tippett made the team out of preseason camp, but didn’t make his NHL debut in the season opener Friday night in Tampa Bay. The 18-year-old forward was scratched, along with forward Denis Malgin and defenseman MacKenzie Weegar. Throughout this week’s practices, both Tippett and Malgin worked as extra skaters for the Panthers. Tippett was the No. 10 pick in the NHL draft this year, and was one of the Panthers on the roster bubble in training camp’s final days. “It’s going to be good for him,” Panthers coach Bob Boughner said after morning skate on Friday. “He’s going to go for warm up and I want him to watch. I want him to be prepared because he could be in any day.” The Panthers will have a brief look at Tippett before they have to make a decision on his future this season. He’s allowed to play in nine NHL games before using the first year of his three-year entry level contract. If the Panthers elect not to keep him, Tippett would return to his junior team in the Ontario Hockey League. Tippett is regarded as a sharpshooter who can score, a role the Panthers could use given the departures of four of their top forwards in the offseason. Even though he’s just a teenager, Tippett has NHL-ready size at 6-foot-1 and 200 pounds. Last year with the Mississauga Steelheads, Tippett racked up 44 goals and 31 assists in just 60 games. When asked what Tippett needed to do to crack the Panthers’ lineup, Boughner said it was a numbers game. “It’s not so much what he has to do,” Boughner said. “He’s ready to play. Some guys have had good camps and guys are in their positions there. It’s like any other team. It’s a numbers game right now, and I expect when he gets in there, he’s going to be a good player for us.” Boughner said Tippett can also play left wing, though he is primarily a right wing. The Panthers spent most of preseason camp searching for a second-line left wing to play alongside center Vincent Trocheck and right wing Radim Vrbata. They tried Finnish import Henrik Haapala there, before giving Brandon Pirri and Malgin shots there during single practices. The Panthers ultimately settled on Jamie McGinn as the second-line left wing. Acquired from Arizona less than three weeks ago, McGinn scored nine goals last year for the Coyotes. For Tippett, sitting out is an unfamiliar feeling. On Friday morning, he said that he had never scratched a game. Boughner has been preaching a 200-foot game to Tippett as he adjusts to the speed and competition in the NHL. Among other things, Tippett said he needed to be more aware in the defensive zone and added that he could learn while not actually playing. “They’re pros and they’ve been pros for a long time, so they know what it takes,” Tippett said. … The Panthers wore a decal of the state of Florida on the back of their helmets to recognize Hurricane Irma relief efforts. The Lightning also wore a decal on the back of their helmets. The two teams join a list of Florida teams with a similar decal, including the Miami Dolphins and the Miami Hurricanes. Friday’s lineup against Tampa Bay, 7:30 p.m. Jonathan Huberdeau – Aleksander Barkov – Evgenii Dadonov Jamie McGinn – Vincent Trocheck – Radim Vrbata Connor Brickley – Jared McCann – Nick Bjugstad Michael Haley – Derek MacKenzie – Colton Sceviour Keith Yandle – Aaron Ekblad Mike Matheson – Mark Pysyk Ian McCoshen – Alex Petrovic 1076960 Los Angeles Kings

Kings' rookie trio relishes the experience of making their NHL debuts together in season opener

Curtis Zupke

Often when a player makes his NHL debut, it occurs in a normal regular season game, perhaps in an unfamiliar city. Seldom does it happen on a team’s opening night, when their name is announced during introductions and they skate out to center ice under a spotlight. Such was the case Thursday for three Kings: Alex Iafallo, Oscar Fantenberg and Kurtis MacDermid. “The national anthem gave me some chills,” Iafallo said Friday, a day after the Kings’ 2-0 victory over Philadelphia. “Very cool.” Iafallo’s parents, Tom and Barbara, flew to L.A. from Buffalo, N.Y., to watch their son in person. MacDermid is from Sauble Beach, Canada, three hours north of Toronto, and there wasn’t enough time for his parents to make it out. But it was special for all three to reach that moment in their careers simultaneously. “It was great experience, especially doing it together,” Iafallo said. “We had all of training camp together. It was fun to play the home opener with such an amazing team and amazing players. It can’t get any better than that.” Kings coach John Stevens paused and thought for a moment when asked if he’d ever had three players make their NHL debut in the same game. “I’ve had lots of young players in the lineup,” Stevens said. “Whether they all made their debut together, I’m not sure.” Stevens graded them differently given their various roles. Iafallo displayed high-end skill as the left wing on the top line. The 6-foot-5, 208- pound MacDermid is an intimidating presence in the mold of former Kings defenseman Matt Greene, and he was paired with the dynamic and more offensive-driven Fantenberg. Fantenberg is older than Iafallo and MacDermid — he turns 26 on Saturday when the Kings play the — and he has extended European experience. He said it helped to take part in development camps over the summer to adjust to the NHL game. Fantenberg played more than 17 minutes and was a plus-1 against the Flyers with MacDermid as his partner. “He’s a big guy and he plays a simple [game],” Fantenberg said. “You feel pretty safe out there. He talks a lot and it’s easy to play with him.” MacDermid turned in some big hits and knocked down the Flyers’ Taylor Leier behind the net in the second period. He was inserted into the lineup after Alec Martinez got injured before the opener. “It’s something I’ve dreamt of since I was a kid,” MacDermid said. Third line iced The line of Adrian Kempe, Jonny Brodzinski and Michael Cammalleri was all but benched in the third period. Kempe and Brodzinski took two shifts each and Cammalleri four. Stevens said their ice time wasn’t curbed because of the special teams situations. “It will be earned throughout the hockey game,” Stevens said. “I thought there were times in our zone we got in trouble. That line specifically had some trouble managing the puck in the neutral zone.” UP NEXT At San Jose Sharks When: 7:30 p.m., Saturday On the air: TV: FSW; Radio: 790 Update: The post-Patrick Marleau period began Wednesday for San Jose, which lost its all-time leading scorer to the Toronto Maple Leafs this offseason. Franchise fixtures Joe Thornton and Joe Pavelski remain, as well as reigning Norris Trophy-winner Brent Burns. The Sharks’ normally potent power play slipped to 25th in the NHL last season. LA Times: LOADED: 10.07.2017 1076961 Los Angeles Kings

What we learned from the Kings' 2-0 victory over the Flyers

Curtis Zupke

The beginning of the John Stevens era wasn’t pretty. It was actually ugly in the final 20 minutes. But compared against last season, the Kings will gratefully take a 2-0 win against the Philadelphia Flyers in their season opener Thursday. Goalie Jonathan Quick looked to be in midseason form with a 35-save shutout that stood in polar opposite to his serious groin injury on opening night last season, which kept him out for four months. Here’s what we learned: The defense is ahead of the offense. After so much chatter about more offensive possibilities, the Kings never quite clicked aside from the fourth line of , Nick Shore and that produced their first goal. and Tyler Toffoli teamed for a goal as well, but there were too many broken-up plays and stoppages in the offensive zone and not enough extended pressure. The game had 73 faceoffs. The Kings were reduced to playing defense in the third period, when Quick made 17 of his 35 saves. One aspect that concerned Stevens in the preseason was having the Kings take care of their own zone, and that appears to be a talking point going into their next game Saturday. Alex Iafallo could be fun to watch. Iafallo’s perfectly placed pass to Anze Kopitar in the first period was an example of the type of skilled hands the Kings need. Iafallo happened to be making his NHL debut, on the top line with Kopitar and Dustin Brown, and here’s guessing the rookie earned a stay for a little while. Nolan Patrick was quiet. The highly-regarded Philadelphia rookie was kept under wraps. He had one shot in 14 minutes, 20 seconds of ice time, which included nearly five minutes on the power play. But he and linemates Wayne Simmonds and Jordan Weal saw a lot of ice time against Carter’s line, and Patrick lost six of eight faceoffs. “I thought our top guys were really good tonight,” Stevens said of shutting down Patrick’s line. “I thought our defense played really solid.” It was only the second NHL game, in as many nights, for Patrick, the second pick in June’s draft. LA Times: LOADED: 10.07.2017 1076962 Los Angeles Kings

Jonathan Quick’s value to L.A. Kings can’t be measured by statistics

By CLAY FOWLER | PUBLISHED: October 6, 2017 at 7:16 pm | UPDATED: October 6, 2017 at 7:20 PM

EL SEGUNDO — Last season, the Kings were without Jonathan Quick for 59 games. Surprisingly, they had a slightly better winning percentage without their two-time Stanley Cup champion goaltender than they did with him. A groin injury in the first period of the 2016 season opener shelved Quick for the longest stretch of his career, giving the franchise a chance to see how another goalie would fare behind their defense, which is perennially one of the NHL’s best. Peter Budaj, who had played in exactly 55 NHL games the previous four season combined, was Quick’s primary replacement last season. He finished fourth in the league with a 2.22 goals-against average. Quick’s goals-against average in his last full season was exactly 2.22. The goaltender’s performance in 2015-16 was good enough to make him one of three finalists for the Vezina Trophy awarded to the NHL’s best at his position. The numbers seem to suggest the Kings aren’t necessarily a significantly better team with Quick in goal. But numbers don’t tell the entire story, according to Kings coach John Stevens. “It’s hard to put a figure on or quantify his leadership,” Stevens said. “But I think just his presence in the room, it has a real calming effect.” Quick stopped all 35 shots he saw in the Kings’ season-opening 2-0 win over the Philadelphia Flyers on Thursday night. With two Kings defensemen making their NHL debut in front of him and the team protecting what was a one-goal lead until 2:21 remained in the game, there was no small amount of pressure on Quick. Philadelphia outshot the Kings, 17-5, in the third period. But Quick still managed his 45th career shutout. The 35 saves were the seventh most he had made in a shutout performance. A day after scoring on three of their five power-play chances, the Flyers were 0 for 5 against the Kings. “In the penalty-kill situation, you trust him to take care of certain things,” Stevens said. “He knows what he’s responsible for and I think that allows guys to settle down and really, I think it allows you to be more aggressive. … He’s a real calming force on your hockey team, especially when you’ve got some young guys in the lineup. I don’t think you can measure that, but you can certainly feel it.” Kings games streaming online Every Kings game during the regular season will be available online via Fubo TV, an official partner of the franchise. The Kings are the first professional sports team to partner with the live streaming TV service that offers a base package with more than 65 channels. For $19.99 a month for the first two months and $39.99 each additional month, subscribers can access Fubo TV and stream Kings games being broadcast on Fox Sports West, Prime Ticket and NBCSN. “With our partners fuboTV, we are providing our digital-savvy followers with a cutting edge platform to watch the action live,” Kings president said. Orange County Register: LOADED: 10.07.2017 1076963 Los Angeles Kings

BLACK AND WHITE: BACK TO WORK; FSW’S CHINA GAMES SPECIAL AIRS SATURDAY

JON ROSENOCTOBER 6, 2017

LA Kings Production’s Black and White series does a wonderful job using ambient sounds and rink noise to set a scene, and in the first offering of the new year, such resonances are interrupted by John Stevens blowing a whistle at practice. It is, after all, time to get “Back to Work,” as the new episode serves as a preview of what’s to come as a blank slate is gradually colored in through 82 games. “The expectation for the LA Kings is to win the Cup. We need to trust them that they will do whatever it takes to win.” -Luc Robitaille China Games: LA Kings Insider (not affiliated with LA Kings Insider) debuts tomorrow night after LA Kings Live post-game coverage. I am not joshing you when I say that there could have been enough material to outlast The Lord of the Rings trilogy, so give a stick tap to producer Jack Wilson, cameraman Ed Lewis and editor Jake Loskutoff at FOX Sports West for putting this together along with footage provided by LA Kings Production and NHL Production, and of course, keep those stick taps going for Patrick O’Neal, who was a wonderful guide for this unforgettable trip. There’s truly unique content here, including players and coaches mic’d up for practices and both games, players’ accounts of the Great Wall of China, Samson Lee sharing why this trip was so special for him, and how the team ran clinics and made pushes to help grow the game abroad. LA Kings Insider: LOADED: 10.07.2017 1076964 Los Angeles Kings

OCTOBER 6 PRACTICE QUOTES: JOHN STEVENS

JON ROSENOCTOBER 6, 2017

PRACTICE QUOTES On whether he’s ever coached a team where three players made NHL debuts in the same game: I’m not sure. I have to go back and check. I’ve had lots of young players in the lineup. Whether they all made their debut together or not, I’m not sure. But I’ve had lots of young players, for sure. [Reporter: Did they acquit themselves fairly well as far as opening night, the first game, and all that?] I think it’s all different. I mean, depending on each guy’s situation, I thought Iafallo came in and continued to do the things that we’ve been impressed with his ability to do. He’s tenacious on the puck, responsible. Made some pretty high-end skill plays there, especially the one play to Kopi, but he does a lot of really good things. Especially the guys on the back end, you see a guy like MacDermid steepped in and I thought played solid for us. Fantenberg, even though he’s older and he’s got experience playing at a high level overseas, this is his first opportunity here. I thought he settled in and played a pretty solid game for us. Overall, I thought it was pretty good. [Reporter: It’s a hell of a pass by Iafallo, wasn’t it?] Yeah, it’s a high-end play by a kid. I think if you looked at the play he made defensively where he got a stick on a puck and kind of disrupted things and was able to keep his speed, and then having the presence of mind to hunt down a puck and get a puck over the top of a defender, it was just a great all-around play. I think if you get that play in 10 times, it’s probably got a 70% chance of going in, maybe higher. [Reporter: Kopi got robbed on that one, didn’t he?] I like to the see that. You know what? That’s a good play, a good opportunity. Those are things we want to see – opportunities created around the net, getting to the right spots. Those pucks are going to go in for him, provided he keeps getting to those pucks. On the difference between having Jonathan Quick in net and not having him available: It’s hard to put a figure quantifying leadership, but I think just his presence in the room, he’s got a real calming effect. I think it really shows in the penalty kill situation. I think you’re going to trust him to take care of certain things. You’re going to give up something on the PK. He knows what he’s responsible for. I think that allows you guys to settle down, and I think it allows you to be more aggressive. I thought last night he just managed the game really well. He got whistles when we needed whistles, he steered pucks away from traffic coming to the net, and I just think he had a real calming force on your hockey team, especially when you get some young guys into the lineup. Again, I don’t think you can measure that, but you can certainly feel it. On whether there was too much special teams play last night: I think it’s what we’ve come to expect a little bit, certainly in the third period. But I think those plays in the third period, I mentioned it last night, I think we’ve got to clean up our neutral zone a little bit in terms of managing the puck. It put us in those situations where we end up taking penalties, but we’d like to stay out of the box. We’ve always put a big focus on playing hard but not taking penalties, and I think I think its enforced with the new rules. I don’t think we saw a whole lot of that last night where the penalties were a byproduct of the enforcement of the new rules. I think the penalties would’ve been penalties last year, so we can certainly clean that up. On whether the absence of Adrian Kempe’s line in the third period was a reflection of relying more on other lines: No, I think it’s just that that’ll be earned throughout the hockey game. I thought there were times when we were in our own zone when we got in trouble, and that line, specifically, had some trouble managing the puck in the neutral zone, so that’s the reason they didn’t play as much in the third. LA Kings Insider: LOADED: 10.07.2017 1076965 Los Angeles Kings “We battled all training camp together, and it was just fun to get to play the home opener with such an amazing team and amazing players. I couldn’t have pictured it any better than that.” NEWCOMERS, INCLUDING FOLIN, IAFALLO, COMFORTABLE IN Andrew D. Bernstein/NHLI KINGS DEBUTS Christian Folin, on whether he felt good personally in the season opener:

Yeah, I felt really good. It was fun being out there. I’ve been waiting for a JON ROSENOCTOBER 6, 2017 long time. Training camp was fun and all, but it’s way more fun when the regular season starts, so it was good to be out there, and I think we played well as a team. It’s always good to start with the shutout. Six players who did not play for the Los Angeles Kings last season dressed in the season opener Thursday night, an entertaining 2-0 home Folin, on whether he felt comfortable playing his own game: win marked by excellent goaltending in both creases. Yeah, absolutely. Muzzin did a good job helping me, too. Such an easy On one end, there was Michal Neuvirth robbing Anze Kopitar with an guy to play with, so it made it a lot easier for me, too. excellent glove save following a pinpoint saucer pass from Alex Iafallo, Folin, on whether there were any adjustments with shuffled defensive who made a deft touch in the neutral zone to direct the puck away from pairings: Shayne Gostisbehere to set the wheels in motion on the impressive play. Not really. I mean, we all do the same things. I played the first preseason That play didn’t ultimately lead to his first career point, but there will be game with Muzzin, so it’s not a big deal. Even during the games, we kind plenty of opportunities to come for the 23-year-old. of switched on and off here and there, like PK and power play and all that “We battled all training camp together, and it was just fun to get to play kind of stuff. You get mixed up during the game, and I don’t think it’s the home opener with such an amazing team and amazing players,” he anything that phases anyone specifically. It’s always nice – a little extra said. I couldn’t have pictured it any better than that.” chemistry. At the other end of the ice, there was Quick robbing Claude Giroux and a Alex Iafallo, on being on the ice for the national anthem during his NHL number of other comers in a typically sound 35-save performance. debut: He teamed with a reformed contingent of defensemen in the wake of A great singer, you know. It was an amazing feeling. It’s pretty sad what Alec Martinez’s injury whose contributions pieced together to serve as happened in Vegas with Christiana. That was good to recognize her and the backbone of two key late game penalty kills. everybody at the Las Vegas shooting, but other than that, the national anthem gave me some chills at the time, so it was very cool. Shorthanded time on ice for the defensemen: 4:19 for Christian Folin, 3:44 for Jake Muzzin, 2:15 for Oscar Fantenberg, 4:54 for Iafallo, on seeing his parents after the game: and 4:48 for Derek Forbort. That’s some overtime pay. Just big hugs. I finally got to the level and was happy that they were there And while Doughty is the featured artist of anything related to the Kings’ to experience that. They had a lot of fun up there, and it was pretty cool back end as a whole, it was Folin, as one of the six to make their Los for them to experience that. Angeles debut, who emerged with among the most noteworthy LA Kings Insider: LOADED: 10.07.2017 performances. “I thought he was just real solid,” John Stevens said. “He’s a first-pass guy with the puck that defends with really good gaps and is firm with his battles, and I thought he was all of that last night. He looked really comfortable. I think he’s really worked hard and is a really well conditioned athlete coming into the season. We needed some extra minutes out of him last night with Marty out of the lineup, and I thought he did a good job for us.” Folin signed as a free agent over the summer after three seasons with the Minnesota Wild, a team that has added good team speed in recent years but had formed an identity, similar to Los Angeles’, as a tightly structured premier defensive club that operates with noteworthy detail and positioning. Such similarities aren’t lost on Folin, a player who spent the 2012-13 and 2013-14 seasons with the University of Massachusetts-Lowell, which ranked fourth out of 58 NCAA Division I teams with an average of 2.02 goals-against per game in his first season. The next year, the River Hawks led all D-I teams by yielding 1.88 goals-against per game. “We were a really defensive team, we had a lot of older guys, bigger guys and we liked to defend, so that has actually helped me with my transition from going from a good college player to an NHL player,” he said. “But definitely the way we played in Minnesota too, you learn how to play defense first, and if you want to be successful, you’ve got to start at your own end and build from there, and that’s something I’ve been really pleased with the way we’ve been doing so far this season.” He said similarities in structure and checking between Minnesota and Los Angeles weren’t necessarily the reasons he chose to sign with the Kings, but rather that there was good comfort and an appreciation of his game. “I knew L.A. was looking at me when I was signing as a free agent, and there had been talks back and forth a little bit, so I always knew there was an interest,” he said. “When I got a chance to come here, I said ‘yes,’ right away.” The Kings were one of a long list of teams to go hard after Iafallo over the summer. Fresh off a 42-game, 21-goal, 51-point season with the Bulldogs, the comfort he exhibited in his first NHL game wiped away a few “nervous jitters” that would be inevitable for anyone playing their first pro game. “It was a home opener, so skating out there and looking out there at the crowd and was pretty special,” he said. 1076966 Los Angeles Kings

WAKING UP WITH THE KINGS: OCTOBER 6

JON ROSENOCTOBER 6, 2017

GAME STORY As minutes ticked off the clock in the third period Thursday night and the Kings were forced to kill a pair of late Flyers power plays, the importance of the final six or seven minutes became clear and present. This was a game the Kings had to get two points out of. It was an even game, backed by excellent goaltending, and though the Kings were occasionally sloppy with the puck – especially during stretches of the second half of the second period and much of the third – they had opportunistically cashed in on an impressive rush play set up when Kyle Clifford nearly singlehandedly swiped away a Philadelphia zone exit, feeding Nick Shore, whose laser-guided diagonal zone feed was placed on a tee for Trevor Lewis. But clinging to that one-goal lead, and forced into a pair of late kills, the circumstances were evident. Los Angeles will not have much margin for error in their hunt for a playoff berth this year. With an early October heavy home schedule that the team has to take advantage of in advance of a difficult road trip, it was paramount that a game in which the Kings held a third period lead would not devolve into a night of “what-ifs” some three or four months down the line. And even though Drew Doughty was whistled midway through the period, necessitating irregular defensive penalty kill pairings of Forbort-Folin and Muzzin- Fantenberg, and although L.A. faced three defensive zone draws and six shot attempts during the subsequent kill, they emerged from the late game onslaught with the lead, setting up a Carter-to-Toffoli top shelf redirection on a two-on-one-and-a-half that seemed like a carbon copy of a number of goals that duo has accounted for in the past. Warm up the bus. Aaron Poole/NHLI There were two forward lines that essentially remained intact throughout camp: Pearson-Carter-Toffoli and Clifford-Shore-Lewis. The two goals that were scored on Thursday night were Lewis from Shore and Clifford, and Toffoli from Carter and Pearson. Hey! How about that. But among the most significant factors in Thursday’s win was that the Kings effectively shut down the Weal-Patrick-Simmonds line, a trio that combined for four goals in the Flyers’ 5-3 win over the Sharks on Wednesday. (That’s a touch misleading, given that three of the four goals came on the power play, and Simmonds’ hat trick goal was an empty netter.) But Simmonds has scored 29, 28, 32 and 31 goals over the last four seasons, and there was hardly a rustle heard in his direction during five-on-five play. And in line with the important late-game kills, the restructured defensive pairings were quite good. Drew Doughty was subtly excellent, calming plays down while under pressure and using his excellent stick to break up plays in the defensive zone, including one ominous-looking development in which his poke check sent the team in the other direction, leading to a Jake Muzzin scoring chance. Derek Forbort played almost 22 minutes, 4:48 of which was spent on the penalty kill. Christian Folin had one hesitant play in the second period that nearly led to a Philadelphia odd-man rush but was otherwise very good in both making simple plays on the breakout and using his stick to clog passing lanes. (If only someone had written about the team’s concerted stick-checking focus!) Muzzin carried over his standout preseason into a strong checking game in which he also jumped into the rush and finished with seven shot attempts. Behind the D, Jonathan Quick was pretty okay, too. Harry How It’s hard to articulate, but it was an extremely difficult week throughout the organization following the death of Fan Services Associate Christiana Duarte during the tragic events Sunday night in Las Vegas. There was a touching salute of Christiana, the other victims who lost their lives, and the first responders who placed their lives on the line to aid those critically injured and in need of immediate aid. There were strong words of unity that were needed in binding us together and in honor of Christiana, and to offer solace to those who knew her. Dave Joseph, backed by her friends’ calls of “Chrissy!” from the seating bowl when her name was announced, and with emotion in his voice, provided a powerful and eloquent recognition of the lives ended far too soon. That’s not easy to do in front of a room of 18,230 people. Here are all the stick taps in the world to Joseph, a close friend and admirer of late Kings public address announcer David Courtney, and continued love and support to the Duarte family and all others whose lives will be forever affected by the tragedy. LA Kings Insider: LOADED: 10.07.2017 1076967 Minnesota Wild

Wild-Caroilina game preview

OCTOBER 7, 2017 — 3:41AM RACHEL BLOUNT

6 p.m. at Carolina • PNC Arena FSN, 100.3-FM Preview: The Wild, which lost 4-2 in Thursday’s season opener in Detroit, finishes a two-game road trip in a place where it has had recent success. It is 3-1-2 in its past six games at PNC Arena and has earned points in 11 of its past 14 games against the Hurricanes. Saturday’s game is Carolina’s season opener; the Hurricanes have not played since completing their preseason schedule Sept. 29. Players to WATCH: Wild F Chris Stewart, expected to play his 600th NHL game Saturday, led the team with one goal and one assist in Thursday’s loss. He has seven assists in 13 games against the Hurricanes. Carolina defenseman Justin Faulk, a South St. Paul native who played for Minnesota Duluth, has had an assist in each of the Hurricanes’ past five season openers. Numbers: This season marks the Hurricanes’ 20th anniversary in Carolina. They finished the preseason with a 5-2 record. ... The Wild has not scored a power-play goal in its past seven games against the Hurricanes. Injuries: Wild F Zach Parise (back) is out. Carolina F Lee Stempniak (upper body) is out. Star Tribune LOADED: 10.07.2017 1076968 Minnesota Wild Star Tribune LOADED: 10.07.2017

Wild might start Alex Stalock in goal Saturday

By Rachel Blount Star Tribune OCTOBER 7, 2017 — 3:40AM

RALEIGH, N.C. – If he had his choice, Wild coach Bruce Boudreau would prefer lengthy breaks from competition in March, when his team could use the rest. Still, he refused Friday to complain about the stop- and-start schedule set out for the Wild through the first three weeks of the NHL season. The Wild plays only six games — two per week — over the season’s first 19 days. After Saturday’s game at Carolina, the team does not play for four days until a game at Chicago on Oct. 12. It opens its home schedule Oct. 14 against Columbus, then has a five-day break before back-to-back games at Winnipeg and Calgary. While that could hamper the Wild’s ability to settle into the routine of regular competition, Boudreau is grateful to have the extra practice time — particularly after a 4-2 loss at Detroit in Thursday’s season opener, when he saw plenty of areas that need fine-tuning. “You’ve just got to make do,’’ the coach said after Friday’s practice at PNC Arena. “We complain when we play four games in six nights, so I’m not going to complain when you’ve got a week off. “We’re fine. We get a week off after [Saturday’s] game, and that gives us a lot of time to work on stuff that we need to work on.’’ Because of the limited number of games, Boudreau said “there’s a good chance’’ the Wild will start backup goaltender Alex Stalock against Carolina. Boudreau doesn’t want Stalock to be idle for too long at the beginning of the season, and with Devan Dubnyk expected to start in Chicago and in the home opener, Saturday’s game is a logical spot for Stalock to get a turn. All players except Mikael Granlund were on the ice for Friday’s practice. Boudreau said Granlund, who was limping a bit after Thursday’s game, was taking a “maintenance day’’ and that he expects the forward to be ready to play Saturday. Plenty to fix Among the things Boudreau wants to brush up are the Wild’s defensive spacing, special teams and shot selection. The team failed to score on four power plays in Thursday’s loss, and the penalty kill surrendered two goals on five chances. It also faltered after rallying in the third period to tie the score 2-2, as the Red Wings scored a pair of goals from the slot — including one in which Henrik Zetterberg picked up a loose puck. Boudreau thought the Wild settled for too many outside shots, despite outshooting the Red Wings 39-31. He also noted that they didn’t shoot high when Detroit goaltender Jimmy Howard was on his knees. “I’m pretty sure we had more chances than them,’’ Boudreau said. “But at the same time, I didn’t think we were getting in for the great shots from 10 feet out until [Joel] Eriksson Ek did it. We missed a couple of open nets on the five-on-three. But for the most part, I thought they were perimeter chances.’’ Eriksson Ek scored the Wild’s first goal by beating Howard in the top corner, an approach forward Nino Niederreiter agreed the rest of the team should follow. “The biggest thing is playing simple, getting pucks to the net and getting more shots in front of the net,’’ said Niederreiter, who put five shots on goal but did not score. “Especially myself. I’ve got to elevate those pucks to make sure I give them a chance to go in. “These days, the goalies are very good down low. It’s not always easy to get pucks up high, but it’s something you’ve got to work on. [Thursday] we had enough chances to win that hockey game, but the shots were too low. That’s something we’ve got to do better.’’ Etc. • Five of the Wild’s first six games are on the road. Last season, it finished 22-13-6 in away games, earning the second-most road points of any team in the Western Conference. • The Wild will hold an open practice at Bloomington Ice Garden at 11 a.m. Oct. 29. Free tickets are available through the Bloomington Amateur Hockey Association (www.bloomingtonhockey.com). 1076969 Minnesota Wild And while he is still subtly reminded of his age from time to time — he doesn’t know the words to “Everyday We Lit” by YFN Lucci, the song the Wild blare in the locker room after wins — Cullen is perfectly fine with it. Wild keeping Matt Cullen young in 20th NHL season “Those guys keep me young,” he said. “It’s a fun place to be. And my kids are starting to listen to some of that stuff, so I’m starting to pick it up at home a little bit so I can keep up with these guys.” By DANE MIZUTANI | PUBLISHED: October 6, 2017 at 4:17 pm | UPDATED: October 6, 2017 at 5:32 PM “Not many guys get the opportunity to finish their career at home,” Cullen added. “To be able to come here at this point, and come to a team that we believe is close to doing something special, I can’t think of a better way to close out my career.” RALEIGH, N.C. — Matt Cullen breathed a sign of relief when Jaromir Jagr signed a one-year deal with the Calgary Flames on Oct. 4. That Pioneer Press LOADED: 10.07.2017 meant the seemingly immortal Jagr, 45, remains the NHL’s oldest player. Otherwise, it’s Cullen, 40. “I was pretty happy about that,” Cullen said with a smile. Make no mistake, though, Cullen is the old man of the Wild locker room. He’s six years older than Mikko Koivu, the team’s second-oldest player, and rookie Joel Eriksson Ek, 20, was 10 months old when Cullen made his NHL debut with the Anaheim Ducks. “I’m pretty sure it’s been like that wherever I’ve gone for the last six or seven years,” Cullen said. “I’ve been the oldest guy for a while now. It’s all good. I enjoy it.” Cullen was the oldest player on the Pittsburgh Penguins in each of the past two seasons. He has pretty much contemplated retirement every offseason for the past five years, only to have the the sport pull him back into its irresistible orbit. It was the same story about four months ago after the Penguins defeated the Nashville Predators to capture their second straight Stanley Cup. “I was pretty sure that I was done,” Cullen said. “When we were on the ice celebrating, I was pretty sure that was it.” Cullen, however, started feeling better physically at a much faster rate than he expected. About midway through the offseason, he was ready to get back into the gym — and after that it was only a matter of time before he was ready to get back on the ice. He signed a one-year deal with Minnesota on Aug. 16. “I consider myself fortunate to feel as good as I do,” Cullen said, crediting his nutrition for keeping him so fresh. “My body has held up, so it allows me to keep playing. I’ve learned to adapt what I do every offseason because the body is always changing. As I get older, I have to be a little bit smarter with what I do.” When he finally knew he was going to come back, Cullen chose the Wild over the Penguins. While he considered it one of the toughest decisions of his life, Cullen said he couldn’t pass up the chance raise his sons — Brooks, Wyatt, and Joey — in his home state. “This was a cool opportunity that presented itself,” said Cullen, a native of Virginia, Minn. “I think the thing that excites me the most is giving the boys the Minnesota experience whether it’s the outdoor rinks or going to high school hockey games or going to college hockey games. Those things that come with being home in Minnesota are pretty unique, and last time we were here, the kids were kind of young. I look forward to being able to go through all that with the kids.” Jason Zucker and Charlie Coyle have credited Cullen with helping them start their career on the right foot during his three-year stint with the Wild from 2010-13. “He was one of the first guys to kind of take me under his wing a little bit and show me the ropes and give me some advice that, even though it was very simple, it’s stuff that I still look at today,” Zucker said. “He was just a good sounding board for me at that time.” “We were talking the other day about how I have kids now, and before I was a kid myself coming into the NHL,” Zucker added. “It’s kind of funny how that works. It’s nice to have him back, especially with two more Stanley Cups.” That experience is going to speak for itself on the ice. “It really gives us great depth,” coach Bruce Boudreau said. “He’s a guy that stabilizes our fourth line.” Asked if he thought he’d be filling that role at 40 years old, Cullen shook his head. “Never,” Cullen said. “You never, ever consider playing this long. I consider it a blessing. I’m happy to be here. It’s a great life.” 1076970 Minnesota Wild

Wild’s Mikael Granlund misses practices, expected to play Saturday

By DANE MIZUTANI | PUBLISHED: October 6, 2017 at 2:25 pm | UPDATED: October 6, 2017 at 4:25 PM

RALEIGH, N.C. — Already without star winger Zach Parise, who missed the season-opening road trip with back issues, the Wild held crafty winger Mikael Granlund out of Friday’s practice because of an undisclosed injury. Granlund, who led the team in scoring last season with 69 points, played in Thursday’s season-opening, 4-2 loss to the Red Wings in Detroit, logging 16 minutes, 25 seconds of ice time. In his absence Friday, coach Bruce Boudreau shook up his second and third line, respectively, playing Mikko Koivu in between Marcus Foligno and Tyler Ennis, and Joel Eriksson Ek in between Jason Zucker and Chris Stewart. Is Wild ‘difference-maker’ Zach Parise starting to break down? Granlund is expected to be ready for Saturday’s game against the Carolina Hurricanes. “It was more of a maintenance day than anything else,” Boudreau said. “I expect him to be fine by tomorrow.” Boudreau paused before tacking a one-liner onto the end of his answer. “What do I know?” Boudreau said. “I thought Zach was going to be ready the first week of camp, too.” START AND STOP With the Wild essentially getting five days off after Saturday’s game against the Hurricanes, Boudreau said there’s “a good chance” backup goaltender Alex Stalock starts against Carolina. It would make sense to get the South St. Paul native in now with the way the schedule plays out over the next couple weeks. No doubt the Wild want starter Devan Dubnyk to start the Oct. 12 road game against the Chicago Blackhawks as well as the Oct. 14 home opener against the Columbus Blue Jackets. After that, the Wild have another week off before their next game, so essentially, if the Wild choose not to start Stalock for Saturday’s game, he might not play until the third week of the season. “You’ve got to make due,” Boudreau said of the wonky schedule. “We complain when we play four games in six nights. You’re not going to complain about a week off. In a perfect world we’d like that week off maybe to be in March or something to get a break. You know, we’re fine. We get a week off after tomorrow’s game and it gives us a lot of time to work on stuff that we need to work on.” BROTHERLY LOVE Eric Staal can’t wait to go toe-to-toe with younger brother Jordan Staal when the puck drops for Saturday’s game. Eric, 32, spent the first 12 years of his NHL career playing with the Hurricanes before singing with the Wild two summers ago. Jordan, 29, has spent the past five years with the Hurricanes, and recently was named co-captain along with South St. Paul native Justin Faulk after the team played last season without a captain. Who did those two players replace as captain? Eric Staal. Asked if he gave his younger brother any advice on how to lead, Eric Staal responded, “No. He knows what he’s doing. He’s a natural leader. I’m not surprised he was given that honor.” BRIEFLY The will hold an open practice at Bloomington Ice Garden on Sunday, Oct. 29, at 11 a.m. Pioneer Press LOADED: 10.07.2017 1076971 Montreal Canadiens TSN Radio 690) and Alex Ovechkin, who had a hat-trick in Washington’s season-opening 5-4 win over the Ottawa Senators on Thursday.

“I watched him a lot as a kid,” Mete said about Ovechkin, who broke into Victor Mete keeps standing tall on Canadiens blue line the NHL when the defenceman was only 7. “I’m excited … it should be a good game.” STU COWAN, MONTREAL GAZETTE The Canadiens didn’t check into their Washington hotel until after 2 a.m. Friday and Mete said he didn’t get much sleep with the adrenaline still Published on: October 6, 2017 | Last Updated: October 6, 2017 5:04 PM pumping after his first NHL game. It helps his roommate is Artturi EDT Lehkonen, who was a rookie last season. “I seem to always be rooming with Finnish guys, even in junior hockey,” Mete said with a smile, referring to his London roommate Olli Juolevi, WASHINGTON — About 20 minutes after the Canadiens practice had who was the Vancouver Canucks’ first-round pick (fifth overall) in 2016. finished Friday, Victor Mete was still on the ice at the Kettler Capitals “(Lehkonen) went through this last year, so he just said to take in all the Iceplex along with Charles Hudon and Alex Galchenyuk, shooting pucks experiences, take in everything and don’t take it for granted … but enjoy at goalie Al Montoya. it.” The 19-year-old Mete probably could have stayed on the ice all Mete was certainly enjoying himself at practice Friday. afternoon. Montreal Gazette LOADED: 10.07.2017 “This was my dream my whole life, so now being able to actually live it is really good,” Mete said after he finally returned to the locker room. “Just being able to play around with the boys out there, shoot pucks and play games and stuff, it’s really cool.” If Mete was nervous during his NHL debut Thursday night — a 3-2 shootout win over the Sabres in Buffalo — it certainly didn’t show. The 5- foot-9, 184-pounder logged 18:43 of ice time — including 2:44 on the power play — and finished plus-1. Mete also had his own personal fan club in attendance with his father, mother and sister among a group of about 40 family members and friends who had a loge at the KeyBank Center. “They didn’t ask me for any tickets,” Mete said. “They took care of it themselves. It was really good to see the support I got. Almost all my family was there and I’m lucky to have them.” Mete’s sister, Julia, is three years older than him and is one of the reasons he became such a fantastic skater. Julia was a figure skater and Victor used to skate with her on the family’s backyard rink and try to imitate her. “I used to go watch her compete a lot also,” Mete said. “I used to do a lot of power skating as a kid, but I never figure skated myself.” About 40 of Victor Mete’s family and friends were on hand in Buffalo to watch his NHL debut on Thursday night. (Club de hockey Canadien) Mete started playing hockey at age 6. His father was also a defenceman as a kid, but Victor said the highest Joseph Mete played was at the minor-midget level with the Don Mills Flyers in the Greater Toronto Hockey League. Joseph is now general manager of The Venetian, a family owned banquet hall that specializes in corporate and social events. The Mete family has been in the hospitality business for more than 45 years. Joseph, like Victor, grew up dreaming of one day playing in the NHL, but it never happened for him. “He always encouraged me to play,” Victor said. “He said because he wasn’t able to live his dream of making it, he wanted to give me every opportunity to do it. He had a big impact … he would pick me up from school and bring me to some (hockey) camps that I didn’t even know there was.” But no matter how many hockey camps he went to, how many power- skating lessons he took or how many times he watched his sister figure skating, none of that would help Victor grow taller. While his height has always been considered a disadvantage by others, Mete simply refused to listen. Even after he wasn’t put on the NHL Central Scouting list of players to watch heading into the 2015-16 season with the OHL’s London Knights. Even after he wasn’t selected until the fourth round (100th overall) by the Canadiens at the 2016 NHL Draft. Even after he was considered a serious longshot to make the Canadiens this season. Mete just keeps beating the odds and Canadiens coach Claude Julien is getting tired of answering questions about the teenage defenceman. “He’s just good, guys,” Julien told reporters in Buffalo after Thursday’s game. “You don’t have to explain why he’s good. He’s been good, and he keeps showing it and I don’t have to say more about him. He’s a good defenceman, I like the way he skates and moves the puck and, hopefully, he continues to show that.” Mete was paired with Shea Weber against the Sabres with the veteran defenceman logging a game-high 29:30 of ice time, which earned him a day off from practice Friday. The No. 1 defensive pair will face a big challenge Saturday against the Capitals (7 p.m., CITY TV, TVA Sports, 1076972 Montreal Canadiens

Canadiens at Washington Capitals: Five things you should know

PAT HICKEY, MONTREAL GAZETTE Published on: October 6, 2017 | Last Updated: October 6, 2017 4:25 PM EDT

Here are five things you should know about the Canadiens-Washington Capitals game at the newly renamed Capital One Arena on Saturday (7 p.m., (CITY, TVA Sports, TSN 690 Radio). Things in common: Both teams finished first in their respective divisions last season. The Canadiens topped the Atlantic Division, but lost to the Rangers in the first round of the playoffs. The Capitals finished first in the Metropolitan Division before losing to Pittsburgh in Round 2. They both opened this season with shootout wins on the road Thursday. Montreal won 3-2 in Buffalo, while the Capitals were 5-4 winners in Ottawa. Super scorers: This game will feature the top two goal scorers since the last lockout ended in 2013. Alex Ovechkin is the runaway leader with 222 goals and he has won the Rocket Richard Trophy four times. He slumped last season with 33 goals, but had a hat trick Thursday in Ottawa. Max Pacioretty is No. 2 with 157 goals and he started on the right foot with a goal in Buffalo. Weber faces heavy workload: Defenceman Shea Weber took a well deserved day off Friday in Washington. Weber was on the ice for 29:30 during Thursday’s shootout win over the Sabres in Buffalo. Weber was paired with Victor Mete, but the rookie played only 18:43 as he was spared penalty-killing duties. Weber led the Canadiens with seven hits and no other Canadien had more than two. Homecoming for Alzner: Defenceman Karl Alzner will get a chance to see some old friends. Alzner, 29, played nine seasons for the Capitals before signing as a free agent with the Canadiens on July 1. His poke check in the defensive zone earned him an assist on Philip Danault’s short-handed, tying goal in the third period Thursday. The Capitals’ lineup includes two former Canadiens forwards — Lars Eller and Devante Smith-Pelly. Another opening, another show: One of the drawbacks of starting the season on the road is the prospect of playing in another team’s home opener. The Sabres’ opener on Thursday was low key, but Capitals owner Ted Leonsis is going Hollywood. The players will arrive at the Capital One Arena in cars supplied by team sponsor Lexus and will be accompanied by fans as the enter the building on a red carpet. Montreal Gazette LOADED: 10.07.2017 1076973 Montreal Canadiens

What the Puck: Canadiens start with a win, but debate rages on

Brendan Kelly, Montreal Gazette Published on: October 6, 2017 | Last Updated: October 6, 2017 4:47 PM EDT

One game into the Habs’ seemingly endless National Hockey League season and Montreal Canadiens fans are already losing their cool. By Friday morning, the debate over our beloved team was in overdrive with the battle lines clearly drawn. And so it begins. The best discussion in town is back — big time. And, as is always the case, there is a sharp division between the two camps in the Habs Nation. The rose-coloured-glasses crew looked at the game Thursday night at the KeyBank Center in Buffalo, which Les Boys won 3- 2 in a shootout, and saw another Cup in the offing. The grumblers — some call them haters — saw something else altogether. They saw a team with a blue line as porous as a big slice of Swiss cheese, forwards who still have trouble scoring and a team that is only able to eke out victories thanks to the miraculous play of the chap who wears No. 31. A buddy of mine texted me after two periods to say he was on a train back from Toronto and wasn’t watching the game, but asked if I could confirm that the Habs had really given up 29 shots in the first two periods. I told him that was indeed true and by the time the game ended, Montreal had allowed a whopping 45 shots in Carey Price’s direction. That shot total is fodder for the critics who don’t think this team is the real deal. If they make a habit of letting the opposing team throw rubber at Price 45 times a night, they will lose more games than they win. And you just know that Claude Julien surely didn’t enjoy the start to his first full season in his Groundhog Day-esque return to coaching the Canadiens. After the game, Julien admitted that “defensively, we made some mistakes” and for maybe the most defensive-minded coach in the NHL to say that speaks volumes. But the glass-half-full crowd — you know who you are! — prefer to talk about the Saviour (Jonathan Drouin) and they have reasons to be upbeat about this young guy. His pass to Max Pacioretty to set up the first goal was a beauty and his deke on Robin Lehner in the shootout was nothing short of a masterpiece. So who’s right? I have my doubts about this squad. I think they’re going to miss Alexander Radulov up front and as good as Victor (Meat) Mete looked Thursday, it’s a dangerous idea to build your D corps around a small 19-year-old kid. I have to agree with TSN 690 morning host Conor McKenna on this one. It’s great for Victor Mete that he made the Canadiens. What an accomplishment. That said, it’s also a testament to how bad their revamped blue line is. Kid shouldn’t be in the NHL yet. — Conor McKenna (@mckennaconor) October 4, 2017 We’ll see where this team goes. Anything can happen, in theory, but the one thing I know for sure is that the blind faith of some Habs fans is downright nutty. A guy called in to the French-language radio outlet 91.9 Sports on Thursday and said that he was convinced that Marc Bergevin was going to win the GM of the year award and that Julien will take the honour as coach of the year. That, I’m afraid, is a little far-fetched. But let’s have the Great Habs Debate, as long as you keep it civil and keep the swearing to a minimum. The bizarre thing is that those of us who are more critical of the Canadiens are totally game to engage in a conversation about what we think of Bergevin’s plan — or lack of plan — for the team. Yet, all too often, the fans on the other side of the fence, like the caller to 91.9, simply refuse to talk to us. They call us names. They say things like “you’re a hater” or “move to Nashville if you love P.K. so much.” They don’t really make the case for Bergevin. It’s odd. I wade through a lot of vitriol every day on Twitter from these fans and it continues to amaze me that so many believe you simply are not permitted to hold the view that Bergevin is doing a terrible job. I thought sports talk was about arguing about the merits of the folks who manage the team you love. I’m old school. When my team loses, I’m not happy. I want us to win. That’s not hate. That’s love. Montreal Gazette LOADED: 10.07.2017 1076974 Montreal Canadiens Nicklas Backstrom arrives with his young daughter at #Capitals practice facility and signs autograph for young fan #Habs #HabsIO pic.twitter.com/ViheVepK7P Canadiens Notebook: An opening-night win, but lots of room for — Stu Cowan (@StuCowan1) October 6, 2017 improvement New faces on defence

The Canadiens’ blue line has a new look this season after the loss of half Posted by Stu Cowan of the top-six defenceman over the summer: Nathan Beaulieu (Buffalo), Alexei Emelin (Nashville) and Andrei Markov (KHL). In their place are Victor Mete, Karl Alzner and Mark Streit. WASHINGTON — The Canadiens arrived at their Washington hotel just after 2 a.m. Friday with two points in the standings from an opening-night Mete, the 19-year-old rookie, didn’t look out of place in Buffalo, logging 3-2 shootout win over the Sabres Thursday night in Buffalo. 18:43 of ice time — including 2:44 on the power play — and finishing plus-1 against the Sabres while paired with Weber. Alzner played with The Canadiens will be back in action Saturday against the Capitals (7 Jeff Petry and logged 21:28 of ice time, finishing minus-1. Mark Streit p.m., CITY, TVA Sports, TSN Radio 690) and then face the Rangers played 12:39 while paired mostly with Jordie Benn. Sunday in New York (7 p.m., SN1, RDS, TSN Radio 690). The home opener at the Bell Centre will be Tuesday against the Chicago “We’re going to be fine,” Julien said about his defence. “I think it’s just Blackhawks (7:30 p.m., TSN2, RDS, TSN Radio 690). giving those guys an opportunity to grow together. A lot of new faces back there and guys are just trying to get used to doing the right things The highlight Thursday night in Buffalo was Jonathan Drouin’s gorgeous and being in synch with each other.” backhand goal in the shootout, but there were also some trouble spots — starting with the fact the Canadiens gave up 45 shots. Max Pacioretty Petry played 18:54 and was even in plus/minus, while Benn played 17:27 and Phillip Danault (short-handed) scored for the Canadiens in regulation and was plus-1. time. Al Montoya makes save at #Habs practice #HabsIO “Obviously, our breakouts, our end-zone stuff wasn’t very good,” pic.twitter.com/6Wsy3AL5J9 Canadiens coach Claude Julien said after Friday’s 12:30 p.m. practice at — Stu Cowan (@StuCowan1) October 6, 2017 the Kettler Capitals Iceplex in Arlington, Va. “When you watch the game, it’s stuff that we know we’ve done better in the past and for some Alzner, who will be facing his old Capitals teammates Saturday, is still reasons — I don’t know if it was the first-game jitters … I watch some adjusting to the Canadiens’ zone style of defence in their own end. other games and there’s some major breakdowns in other games, too, that cost some goals. It’s the first game of the season and you’re going to “When you play man-on-man and then you play zone — and you’ve been see some of that stuff.” doing it for so many years — it’s not natural for a guy to come out there and all of a sudden catch on to everything,” Julien said about Alzner, who Drouin shootout winner pic.twitter.com/Z5J5LsQI37 spent nine seasons with the Capitals after being Washington’s first-round pick (fifth overall) at the 2007 NHL Draft. “He wants to play his game and — steph (@myregularface) October 6, 2017 you can see he’s thinking out there. But when the time comes where’s The good news is that the Canadiens also fired 40 shots at the Buffalo he’s just reacting and not thinking is when he’ll be comfortable.” net. Pacioretty had a team-leading six shots, while Drouin had five (he Defenceman David Schlemko, another newcomer to the Canadiens who also assisted on Pacioretty’s goal) and Charles Hudon had four. has been sidelined with a hand injury, was cleared to practise Friday but “We still generated some good scoring opportunities, I think, throughout hasn’t been cleared to play yet. the lines,” Julien said. “But at the same time, I think defensively we have #Habs Karl Alzner hasn’t been forgotten in media room at #Capitals to be much better in our own end. We gave up a lot of shots and our D- practice rink #HabsIO pic.twitter.com/Gp94DAeEtC zone coverage wasn’t great, so we need to be better. Our execution on breakouts wasn’t great, either. Guys not necessarily doing what they’re — Stu Cowan (@StuCowan1) October 6, 2017 supposed to do and it throws everybody off balance. We hope to be able to rectify that by tomorrow. So we’ll go from there and hopefully we’re an Sore nose for De La Rose improved team tomorrow.” Jacob De La Rose had a sore nose at practice Friday after taking a high Hopefully for the Canadiens they don’t have to rely on Carey Price so hit from former teammate Nathan Beaulieu Thursday night. much against the Capitals. The goalie looked to be in mid-season form “I’m not sure if it was an elbow or a butt end … something hard,” De La against the Sabres. Rose said about the hit. “When you say a guy earns his paycheque, he certainly did last night,” “It’s a bit sore, but it’s fine,” he added about his nose. Julien said about Price. “He stood tall for us. We’re so used to him bailing us out at times when we need him to bail us out. So it was good to see When asked if his nose was broken, De La Rose responded: “I don’t him have a strong game and be the goaltender we all know he is.” know, maybe.” #Habs practice getting started #HabsIO pic.twitter.com/lIxs8Y2Hqh De La Rose, who beat out Torrey Mitchell for the centre spot on the fourth line, had the least ice time of any Canadiens player against the — Stu Cowan (@StuCowan1) October 6, 2017 Sabres, logging 9:37, including 2:02 short-handed. The lines “It was my goal coming into camp to make the team,” De La Rose said. Here’s how the lines and defence pairings looked at practice Friday with “First of all, it’s nice to make the team and now I got to prove myself that I veteran defenceman Shea Weber taking a therapy day after logging a can play, too, and become an everyday player that you can rely on every game-high 29:30 of ice time against the Sabres. You can Watch video game and also prove that I can bring something to the team.” action from the practice on the HI/O Facebook page. Beaulieu, who was traded to the Sabres this summer by Canadiens GM Pacioretty – Drouin – Gallagher Marc Bergevin in exchange for a third-round draft pick, logged 23:29 of ice time and was plus-1. Beaulieu was used in all situations by new Hudon – Plekanec – Lehkonen Sabres coach Phil Housley, playing 3:17 on the power play and 3:11 short-handed, while playing on the No. 1 defence pair with Rasmus Galchenyuk – Danault – Shaw Ristolainen. Byron – De La Rose – Hemsky Montreal Gazette LOADED: 10.07.2017 Mitchell Mete – Davidson Alzner – Petry Benn – Streit Morrow – Schlemko 1076975 Montreal Canadiens

Price is right as Canadiens work overtime to beat Sabres

October 6, 2017 12:06 AM EDT By John Wawrow

BUFFALO, N.Y. — Jonathan Drouin scored the lone shootout goal in rallying the Montreal Canadiens to a 3-2 victory over the Buffalo Sabres on Thursday night in the season opener for both teams. Phillip Danault forced overtime by scoring a short-handed goal on a wraparound with 11:59 left. Max Pacioretty also scored for Montreal. Carey Price stopped 43 shots through overtime and all three shootout attempts following an off-season in which he signed an eight-year, $84 million contract. Jason Pominville scored twice in his first game back with Buffalo since being reacquired in a trade with Minnesota in June. Robin Lehner stopped 38 shots and the Sabres earned one point in Phil Housley’s debut as coach. Jack Eichel set up Pominville’s second goal with a perfect cross-ice feed two days after the 20-year-old franchise player signed an eight-year, $80 million extension. Drouin settled the shootout by driving directly at Lehner. Faking to his left to catch Lehner leaning, Drouin went to his backhand and deposited the puck into the open right side. Drouin also had an assist in his first game with Montreal since the Quebec-born player was acquired in an off-season trade with Tampa Bay. Danault’s goal caught Lehner by surprise. Montreal defenceman Shea Weber dumped the puck in behind Buffalo’s net, Danault got to puck and wrapped it in just inside the right post and Lehner’s skate. Pominville opened the scoring with a power-play goal 8:30 into the first period. The former Sabres captain spent the four-plus seasons in Minnesota before being was acquired along with defenceman Marco Scandella. Pominville then put the Sabres ahead for good 22 second into the second period. Eichel set up by carrying puck along the right boards and snapping a sharp pass through the middle to Pominville, who one-timed it in to the left the net. The only thing initially missing was the familiar banner that once adorned the arena wall that read, “Pominville Population” and a number, which was updated each time he scored. It was finally erected before the start of the third period. Pominville’s last two-goal game in a Sabres uniform came in a 4-3 shootout win over New Jersey on March 2, 2013, about a month before he was traded to Minnesota. Buffalo is coming off a tumultuous off-season in which general manager Tim Murray and coach Dan Bylsma were fired after the team missed the playoffs for a sixth consecutive season. Jason Botterill took over as GM in May and a month later hired Housley, the Hall of Fame defenceman who opened his career in with Sabres as an 18-year-old in 1982. NOTES: The Sabres elected not to choose a captain to start the season and instead named four assistant captains: Forwards Eichel, Ryan O’Reilly and Kyle Okposo, and defenceman Zach Bogosian. … Canadiens free-agent addition, D Karl Alzner, extended his consecutive games streak to 541 — the fifth-longest active streak, and one short of matching Brendan Morrison for 17th on NHL list. … Sabres had 10 players who weren’t on the team last season. … Bogosian did not play due to a lower-body injury. National Post LOADED: 10.07.2017 1076976 Nashville Predators

Predators return to Pittsburgh ready for Stanley Cup Final rematch

Adam Vingan, USA TODAY NETWORK — Tennessee Published 2:40 p.m. CT Oct. 6, 2017 | Updated 3:09 p.m. CT Oct. 6, 2017

PITTSBURGH — Engraved inside each of the Pittsburgh Penguins' diamond-encrusted Stanley Cup rings is a reminder. Listed on the 14-karat, white-and-yellow gold band are the Penguins' four vanquished playoff opponents. At the bottom is the Predators' logo, a "4- 2" indicating the six games that it took Pittsburgh to defeat Nashville to win a second consecutive championship in June. At least the Penguins' fifth Stanley Cup banner, raised at PPG Paints Arena on Wednesday evening, didn't hang over the Predators' practice on Friday afternoon. The Penguins lowered it so that they could place it back with the others in sequential order. It'll be up there on Saturday, though. A win in a Stanley Cup Final rematch won't rewrite history or dull the pain. But it wouldn't hurt. “It’s not going to give us anything back from last year,” Predators defenseman Yannick Weber said. “But after the final, it’s definitely a little bit of a rivalry now. It still stings that we lost.” The start of a new season doesn't allow much time for retrospection. It's no longer about how the Predators came up empty-handed, but how they can earn redemption. Memories, both cherished and bittersweet, surely will resurface Saturday, though. “Their season was just as long,” said Predators center Nick Bonino, referring to his current teammates after he won two Stanley Cups with the Penguins. “The emotions were just as high for them. It’s something I don’t talk about too much because it’s still a pretty emotional raw feeling.” On the off chance that Saturday's game needed more emotion, each team has reason to be motivated. The Predators were irritated with their flat performance Thursday in a season-opening loss to the Boston Bruins. The Penguins' quest for a three-peat has started with back-to-back losses, including a 10-1 thrashing from the Chicago Blackhawks on Thursday. “It’s not easy to be a Stanley Cup winner," said Predators goaltender Pekka Rinne, who allowed 11 goals in three Stanley Cup Final games in Pittsburgh. "I think everybody (has) froth coming out of (their) mouth when you have a chance to play against them. I think every single team wants to beat them, and I don’t think it’s going to be any different for us. “We can’t expect anything because we made it to (the) finals that we’re going to be better than we are, so we’ve got to prove it all over again.” Tennessean LOADED: 10.07.2017 1076977 Nashville Predators

Predators announce home-opener event schedule

David Ammenheuser, USA TODAY NETWORK – Tennessee Published 2:59 p.m. CT Oct. 6, 2017 | Updated 3:23 p.m. CT Oct. 6, 2017

The Predators have announced the schedule for celebrating the opening night of their 2017-18 home season. The festivities on Tuesday will include their annual gold walk from a new location to the unfurling of the Western Conference champion banner prior to the game. The schedule of events: 3 p.m.: Plaza Party begins in front of Bridgestone Arena 3:45 p.m.: Player gold walk, starting from the stage at Tootsie's World Famous Orchid Lounge, and across Broadway to the arena. Tootsie's is celebrating its 57th annual birthday bash on Tuesday. 5 p.m.: Bridgestone Arena doors open. Once inside fans can view the 7th Man Banner, which includes the names of 6,000 season-ticket holders, Predators players, coaches and staff. 6:45 p.m.: Opening night festivities begin, including the unfurling of the Western Conference champion banner, the introduction of players and the national anthem. 7:05 p.m.: Predators open their home schedule against the Philadelphia Flyers. The Predators opened the season with a road game at Boston on Thursday and will play Pittsburgh on Saturday. The home opener is sold out. There will be a limited number of $15 tickets available at 10 a.m. on sale at Ticketmaster.com. A special promo code for those tickets will be announced on 107.5-FM on Tuesday morning. Country artist Cole Swindell will headline a free concert at Tootsie's beginning just at 4:50 p.m. Other performers include Billy Ray Cyrus, Trick Pony, Terri Clark, John Stone, Darryl Worley, Halfway to Hazard, Tim Watson, Anthony Orio and more special guests to be announced. The Tootsie's Birthday Bash will begin earlier in the day with gates opening at 11 a.m. downtown and live music beginning at 11:30 a.m. Tennessean LOADED: 10.07.2017 1076978 Nashville Predators

Predators' Viktor Arvidsson bright spot in listless loss to Bruins

Adam Vingan, USA TODAY NETWORK — Tennessee Published 7:30 a.m. CT Oct. 6, 2017 | Updated 9:59 a.m. CT Oct. 6, 2017

BOSTON — Resist the urge to overreact to the Predators' inauspicious start to their season Thursday against the Boston Bruins. One unpromising game in an 82-game schedule — particularly the first game of that 82-game schedule — won't torpedo the season. After all, the Pittsburgh Penguins, Nashville's opponent Saturday, lost 10-1 to the Chicago Blackhawks on Thursday. It could be much worse. In the interest of optimism, Predators forward Viktor Arvidsson was a bright spot Thursday as he typically is. Nashville lacked speed against Boston, but Arvidsson's trademark hustle was present. He salvaged the team's lethargic first period by scoring with 11 seconds left, led Predators forwards with four shots and tilted puck possession in the team's favor when he was on the ice. The seven-year, $29.75 million contract Arvidsson signed in July is representative of the Predators' faith in the 24-year-old to regularly produce at a 30-goal, 60-point rate, if not more. Arvidsson, despite the long-term security, still is in prove-it mode. "Keep staying consistent and keep playing a hard game and a game with a lot of attitude and a lot of determination," Arvidsson said. "I feel like I can probably step it up a little bit more than I did last year, and I worked hard this summer to do it." OK, back to the bad. The Bruins won Thursday without injured forwards Patrice Bergeron and David Backes, the latter of whom has been diagnosed with diverticulitis (a digestive disorder). That thrust Boston's rookies into the spotlight. Forward Jake DeBrusk and defenseman Charlie McAvoy each scored in their NHL regular- season debuts. The Bruins last had two players score their first NHL goals in their first games on the same night in 1949. It last happened in the NHL more than 14 years ago. It's a bit heartwarming, though. Who doesn't love a proud parent? Tennessean LOADED: 10.07.2017 1076979 New Jersey Devils

Devils unveil NHL's largest scoreboard

Posted on October 6, 2017 at 11:38 AM By Chris Ryan

NEWARK -- The Devils added something else making its team debut on Saturday. The team unveiled a 88,401-pound, 9,584.9-square foot scoreboard that hangs over center ice at the Prudential Center, and it comes in as the largest, in-arena, center-hung scoreboard in the world. The scoreboard was in place during the Devils' two home preseason games, but it was not ready for use. It will be in action for the regular- season opener at 2 p.m, on Saturday against the Colorado Avalanche. The four-sided board features the same dimensions on each side, and the video screens serve as the equivalent of 1,300 50-inch TVs. One side of the video board equates to nine of the screens on the Devils' previous scoreboard. "The New Jersey Devils, Prudential Center, and the family of properties in Harris Blitzer Sports & Entertainment portfolio pride themselves on thinking big, innovating and staying ahead of the curve," Devils president Hugh Weber said in a statement. "Our partnership with Trans-Lux, and the installation of the largest in-arena scoreboard in the world, is another example of our commitment to providing our fans the most dynamic, engaging and technologically-advanced experience in the industry today. "At roughly four stories tall, this new Trans-Lux scoreboard will put Newark on the international map, where it belongs. In addition to supporting the fan experience, this incredible scoreboard creates new, more dynamic, engaging and visually appealing opportunities for our sponsors." Star Ledger LOADED: 10.07.2017 1076980 New Jersey Devils "Gibbons is a quick player, fast player. Tenacious on the puck. Excellent penalty killer," Hynes said. "Versatile, can play left wing, can play right wing. In this particular camp, we feel he’s come in and played to the 8 Devils training camp observations | Nico Hischier's role; Cory identity we want to have 5-on-5, and he brings with guys kill Travis and Schneider's focus and Brian out — (Gibbons) has killed at the NHL level, the AHL level. He’s very good at it.”

Schneider's focus Posted October 06, 2017 at 07:30 AM | Updated October 06, 2017 at 07:57 AM Devils goalie Cory Schneider allowed three total goals over his final three preseason games, where he anchored three wins for the Devils. After a By Chris Ryan down season in 2016-17, Hynes has seen a renewed energy from the Devils' net minder.

“He has a different focus level about him," Hynes said. "He’s been much NEWARK -- After a long layoff following their final preseason game, the calmer in the net. Rebound control has been good. Reading his plays Devils will drop the puck on the 2017-18 season on Saturday against the has been good. There’s less movement. Last year, when he made saves, Colorado Avalanche at the Prudential Center. Training camp lasted just they looked like miraculous saves, where my first year, he made difficult over three weeks, but the Devils got the chance to establish competition scoring chances look easy." and form an identity. Before the season officially gets underway, here are eight things we learned from Devils training camp. John Hynes explains why Joseph Blandisi and John Quenneville missed final Devils cut Nico Hischier Forming identity Given what Nico Hischier did in the preseason, it's hard to imagine the Devils could have asked for more from the 2017 No. 1 pick. His seven Regardless of who you ask, most Devils will agree there was a new points in four games led the Devils, while Hischier played his way into a energy in the locker room throughout training camp. After how the team top-six role to start the season. struggled last season, the Devils believe they have the players and the mindset to help them be a more competitive team on a nightly basis. “It’s nice when you can have a younger player who’s shown to this point he can handle the responsibilities and play with older players," Devils "We feel like we’ve practiced to a certain identity, we feel like we’ve coach John Hynes said. "Part of the reason we have him there is he’s played to a certain identity," Hynes said. "We feel like our team building shown he can do that. Competitive situations, playing center, he has the trip accomplished some things we wanted, which was team bonding. hockey IQ, he had the competitiveness and also the awareness, just as a Some internal guidelines that we want to have on and off the ice as a person, being who he is and not have to rely on other people." group that we committed to, and that’s what we really wanted to accomplish in training camp. The other part of it was to create some very Hischier will likely start on the second line on Saturday, playing with left competitive decisions and force us to make tough decisions, and we fell wing Marcus Johansson and right wing Drew Stafford. like the group did that.” Deciding between 8 defensemen Star Ledger LOADED: 10.07.2017 One question throughout training camp was whether the Devils would carry seven or eight defensemen to open the season, and they ultimately landed on eight. They took their time trimming down to those eight after a tough competition throughout camp, and now they face more tough decisions in deciding who to sit on Saturday. "Basically you have to go through and really look at, who do you have in your lineup, with Travis (Zajac) and (Brian) Boyle out?" Hynes said. "What are some skill sets that we need, whether that might be special teams, special situations as well as 5-on-5 play? We’ll have to discuss that further and try to come up with a group we feel on Saturday is going to gibe us a best chance to win 5-on-5 and give our special teams a chance to be successful.” Butcher's improvement One of those eight defensemen still on the roster is rookie Will Butcher, and Hynes saw the 22-year-old make adjustments to the speed and demands of the game on both ends of the ice throughout camp. "You can see he’s more and more comfortable with the pace, with his decision making," Hynes said. "Sometimes when you have an offensive guy, a puck-moving guy that’s in situations where you’re understanding time and space and how much bigger guys are or quicker guys are or how well positioned guys are on the other team. That's a big adjustment for an offensive player. We feel he’s learned about dealing with less time and space and making decisions.” Roster surprises Throughout their competition at camp, the Devils had some surprise players emerge to grab roster spots for opening night. Jesper Bratt, a 2016 sixth-round pick, had a strong summer and continued to play, as he described, the best hockey of his life during September. Brian Gibbons, who last played in the NHL in 2014-15, earned a final roster spot, partially due to his effectiveness on the penalty kill. On Jesper Bratt: “Jesper was one of those guys you saw at Development Camp," Hynes said. "At rookie camp, his game never really tailed off. He just continued to be consistent and play his game. The thing we like about him, he didn’t come in here and take a back seat. He wanted to play in key situations in games. He didn’t get rattled by it. He wants to be on the ice, he wants to be in the most competitive situations in the game, and it's nice to see a younger player who has that type of mentality, but also has the ability to translate it into very consistent efforts and productivity.” On Brian Gibbons: 1076981 New Jersey Devils “Obviously there’s 31 teams that think they can make the playoffs,” said Hall who has yet to reach the playoffs in his seven NHL seasons after being selected first overall by the Oilers in 2010. “What I’ve learned is if Long offseason finally over for Devils as they open vs. Avs you say playoffs all year, you kind of get lost and forget about what you have to do to get there. We have a young group. I think we have a group that can surprise people but we’re going to have to earn our points every night.” Andrew Gross Published 6:13 p.m. ET Oct. 6, 2017 Much of that optimism stems from Hischier’s preseason play as he scored a goal in each of his four games. NEWARK – It’s been a long wait for these Devils, be it from the end of an “I haven’t seen a weakness in his game so far,” Johansson said. “He’s unbelievably disappointing season in April, or just from their last such a good, all-around player. He’s got so much hockey sense. He’s preseason game on Sept. 27. just really smart and he knows where to be at the right time. That is a really big thing for a young player.” The theme through the offseason and the successful 5-1-1 preseason, which will mean nothing if the play does not carry over into the regular Now, Hischier must prove that in the regular season. season, has been to create a better team identity, to be a team that plays fast and is tough to play against. The long wait is over. The wait ends on Saturday as the Devils face the Avalanche in their Bergen Record LOADED: 10.07.2017 regular-season opener at Prudential Center at 2 p.m., (Television: MSG Plus; radio: digital One Jersey Network), which includes the pomp-and- circumstance of a red carpet arrival for the players three hours before faceoff. It will mark the NHL debut of No. 1 overall pick Nico Hischier, who has attracted playoff-level media attention from his home country of Switzerland, and, the Devils hope, the start of a new era for the rebuilding franchise, now in their third season under general manager Ray Shero and coach John Hynes. “I think we’re all frustrated with how last year and, to a man, I think everyone prepared well in the offseason,” said top-line left wing Taylor Hall, starting his second season in New Jersey. “I think we came in with a goal in mind that we’re going to be a lot better team this year.” To be fair, the Devils couldn’t be much worse than they were in 2016-17, as they finished last in the Eastern Conference with a 28-40-14 mark and a conference-low 183 goals. The Devils finished the season on a 3-17-4 skid that included just one regulation win. “There should be,” defenseman John Moore said when asked whether the Devils enter this season with residual anger over how they performed last season or a proverbial chip on their shoulder. “It was a kick in the butt and you need to acknowledge it and you need to face that head on. It’s on us to wash that taste out of our mouths and bring some credibility back here.” Winning the NHL Draft lottery and selecting Hischier, who opens the season centering veteran wings Marcus Johansson and Drew Stafford on the second line, as well as signing college free agent defenseman Will Butcher has helped the rebuilding process. Four of the Devils’ eight defensemen and seven of the 23 players on the initial roster are 23 or younger. “Getting out of last place, it’s hard work,” Shero said. “That’s been our training camp. This is kind of a start for us in terms of where we want to go and what we want to be.” Shero’s offseason also included acquiring Johansson, who would have led the Devils last season with his 58 points, from the salary cap- strapped Capitals for draft picks, signing veteran center Brian Boyle, who starts the season sidelined after being diagnosed with Chronic Myeloid Leukemia, and trading for 22-year-old defenseman Mirco Mueller from the Sharks. Hynes said he senses the players are “on a mission.” “The same that it’s been from exit meetings through dealings with players this offseason, which is they have something to prove and they’re a hungry group and a group that really wants to play to an identity and be known as a group that’s difficult to play against,” Hynes said. But, to reinforce the positives from the preseason, it behooves the Devils to start the season strongly. It is a challenging schedule with eight games in the first 14 days. “I think it’s critical and it’s critical that it’s coming from the players, that it’s being driven by us and that is being reinforced by us, not the coaches,” Moore said. “There has to be a standard to hold to each and every day. We’ve done that so far but that’s the easy part so far. Now we have to start climbing and tackling this regular season.” Just don’t start mentioning playoffs yet. The Devils have been absent from the postseason since a surprise run to the 2012 Stanley Cup Final against the Kings. 1076982 New Jersey Devils

Devils: 5 key questions for 2017-18 season

Andrew Gross, Published 11:32 a.m. ET Oct. 6, 2017 | Updated 12:04 p.m. ET Oct. 6, 2017

As the Devils face the Avalanche in their regular-season opener on Saturday at Prudential Center, here are five key questions for 2017-18: 1. Can Cory Schneider regain his form? While some of his teammates think the criticism of Schneider’s performance last season was unfair, there was a significant dip in the statistics for the Devils’ unquestioned No. 1 goalie. Coming off an All-Star season, Schneider posted a 2.82 goals-against average and a .908 save percentage, the worst numbers of his career in a season in which he played more than eight games. Schneider, working again with Roland Melanson, his goalie coach with the Canucks, has looked more technically sound in the preseason, being in better position and using an economy of motion rather than scrambling to stop the puck. If the Devils are to improve, Schneider must carry that play into the regular season. 2. Are Pavel Zacha and Nico Hischier ready to be the top two centers? The one sour note in an otherwise promising Devils’ offseason was the August news that No. 1 center Travis Zajac would miss four to six months after needing surgery to repair a torn left pectoral muscle. But youth was served in the preseason as Nico Hischier, 18, the No. 1 overall pick in this June’s draft and Pavel Zacha, 20, the sixth overall pick in 2015, played their way into top six roles. Zacha is expected to start the season centering Taylor Hall and Kyle Palmieri on the top line and Hischier is expected to start between veteran wings Marcus Johansson and Drew Stafford on the second line. The offense should take care of itself but both Zacha and Hischier still need to prove they can be responsible defensively against the opponents’ top lines and be reliable in the faceoff circle. 3. Can the defense improve? This, of course, is directly related to the initial question of Schneider regaining his form. There’s no doubt Schneider did not get much help for the defense last season – and that’s not just focusing on the defense but the overall team defense. Too often, opponents were left open near the crease, or rebounds were not cleared. Any technical improvements Schneider makes this season will be negated if the Devils’ defense remains porous. A significant subset of the previous question. General manager Ray Shero patiently tried to improve his group of defensemen by acquiring Mirco Mueller from the Sharks and signing coveted college free agent Will Butcher, the Hobey Baker Award winner and NCAA titlist as a University of Denver senior. Shero is hoping the net result is that his returning veterans are pushed to better performances with the greater internal competition. Steven Santini, also 22, adds more youth to the group after playing 20 games for the Devils last season. John Moore, still just 26, had a career-high 12 goals last season and Damon Severson, 23, who signed a six-year, $25 million extension, had a career-high 28 assists. Captain Andy Greene remains the top-pair leader and will log heavy minutes both five on five and on the penalty kill. 5. Will they score more goals? Washington Capitals center Nicklas Backstrom (19), Another must-have for the Devils to improve. They ranked last in the Eastern Conference with 183 goals and their power play was 22nd in the NHL. Butcher and Mueller should give the Devils heavier shots from the point on the power play, Johansson’s 58 points with the Capitals would have been the Devils’ team high last season and Hischier provides a playmaking element. The key will be playing the up-tempo style coach John Hynes preaches and the defensemen quickly distributing the puck out of their own zone to start the team in transition. Bergen Record LOADED: 10.07.2017 1076983 New Jersey Devils

Devils Top 10 Countdown - No. 2 LW Taylor Hall

Andrew Gross, Published 9:03 a.m. ET Oct. 6, 2017 | Updated 9:03 a.m. ET Oct. 6, 2017

No. 2 Name: Taylor Hall Position: Left wing Age/Height, Weight: 25/6-1, 205 2016-17 Statistics: Twenty goals and 33 assists in 72 games Philadelphia Flyers goalie Steve Mason (35) stops a Why he’s important to Devils: Without question the Devils most talented offensive player, Hall, selected first overall by the Oilers in the 2010 NHL Draft, has been a key part of general manager Ray Shero’s rebuilding plan after being acquired for defenseman Adam Larsson on June 29, 2016. It took Hall awhile to adjust to playing in New Jersey as compared to the hockey-crazy Edmonton he obviously missed last season, and he was also slowed by knee surgery in November. A gifted passer, Hall often didn’t see his playmaking efforts result in points last season though he clicked on a line with right wing Kyle Palmieri in the second half. Still, the Devils need more from Hall than last season’s 53 points – think closer to the 70-point range. More will also be asked of Hall as a team leader this season, especially with helping to mentor fellow No. 1 overall pick, Nico Hischier, 18. Hall is entering his eighth NHL season yet is still looking for his first playoff appearance, a source of tremendous frustration for him. Quotable: “Obviously, he’s such a dynamic player,” Palmieri said. “I’ve been fortunate to play with him for quite a bit in the preseason and going into last season. I think he’s improved upon last year. He looks faster and he’s got more jump and he looks stronger and more confident with the puck and carrying the puck up the ice, which can only mean great things.” Previous: Devils Top 10 Countdown - No. 3 C Nico Hischier Devils Top 10 Countdown - No. 4 D Andy Greene Devils Top 10 Countdown - No. 5 RW Kyle Palmieri Devils Top 10 Countdown - No. 6 C Pavel Zacha Devils Top 10 Countdown - No. 7 D Will Butcher Devils Top 10 Countdown - No. 8 F Marcus Johansson Devils Top 10 Player Countdown - No. 9 Adam Henrique Devils Top 10 Player Countdown - No. 10 Damon Severson Bergen Record LOADED: 10.07.2017 1076984 New Jersey Devils

Devils re-hire Chico Resch as their new radio analyst

Andrew Gross Published 6:26 p.m. ET Oct. 5, 2017

Retirement didn’t hold Glenn “Chico” Resch for too long. The former Devils goalie, who left the MSG booth in 2014 after 18 seasons as the team’s television analyst, was announced on Thursday as the Devils’ new radio analyst replacing Sherry Ross, whose contract had not been renewed. Resch, 69, will join play-by-play announcer Matt Loughlin on the WFAN and digital One Jersey Network broadcasts. Per the Devils, Resch will also serve as a team ambassador for community relations and corporate events, youth hockey clinics and in other grassroots initiatives. “I have an incredible passion for the New Jersey Devils and the game of hockey and it’s exciting to be a part of this organization as it builds around such promising young players,” Resch said in a statement released by the Devils. “I know firsthand how dedicated the Devils’ fanbase is and I’m looking forward to engaging with them through my work as a broadcaster and team ambassador.” The Devils open their regular season against the Avalanche on Saturday afternoon at Prudential Center. Resch played in the NHL from 1974, when he made his debut with the Islanders, through 1987, when he retired with the Flyers. After helping the Islanders win the first of their four straight Stanley Cups in 1980, Resch played for the Colorado Rockies/New Jersey Devils organization from 1981-86. Interestingly, the Devils now employ both Resch and his successor as Billy Smith’s goaltending partner with the Islanders, new goalie coach Roland Melanson. Resch played 267 of his 571 career regular-season games for the Rockies/Devils franchise, though none of his 41 career playoff games. He did win the Bill Masterton Trophy in 1982 for dedication and perseverance to hockey and was the winning goalie in the 1984 All-Star Game for the Wales Conference. Glenn "Chico" Resch will be addressing Devils fans “We’re thrilled to have Chico back in the organization as a member of our broadcast team and in an important role as a team ambassador,” Devils general manager Ray Shero said in a statement released by the team. “He has an incredible personal connection with our fans that resonates beyond the rink. As we continue to grow our team and develop our dynamic young roster, it’s essential to have people like Chico in our organization to further our culture and goal of long-term success on and off the ice.” Resch had retired in 2014 and moved to Minnesota for family reasons. The pioneering and popular Ross, the first woman to serve as an analyst for the Stanley Cup Final, had worked as the Devils’ radio analyst since 2007 after initially filling the role from 1992-95. In 2009, stepping in for an absent Loughlin, Ross became the first woman to provide play by play for a full NHL game in English. Bergen Record LOADED: 10.07.2017 1076985 New York Islanders

This is an opener the Islanders would like to forget

By Associated Press October 6, 2017 | 11:24PM

COLUMBUS, Ohio — Much to the Islanders’ chagrin, Artemi Panarin didn’t need to score a goal to have a big impact in his first game for the Blue Jackets. Acquired in an offseason trade with the Blackhawks and touted as the elite scorer Columbus needs, Panarin had three assists and passed sharply as the Blue Jackets rolled over the Islanders in a 5-0 victory Friday night, the season opener for both teams. The Islanders opened with energy, but got bogged down after Columbus started scoring. “It was disappointing,” Islanders coach Doug Weight said. “It seemed a little like deer-in-the-headlights after it was 3-nothing. We just didn’t react well.” Rookies Sonny Milano and Pierre-Luc Dubois had their first NHL goals, Cam Atkinson, Ryan Murray and Zach Werenski also scored, and Sergei Bobrovsky made 29 saves for his 20th career shutout. With all of the offensive opportunities, it could have been worse for the Islanders. Milano scored on Columbus’ first shot of the season — 1:07 in. Oliver Bjorkstrand shoveled the puck out from the back wall to the 21-year-old Milano, who snapped a 10-footer past goalie Thomas Greiss. “I think it was like a 10-second shift,” Milano said. “I just got out there and the puck landed on my stick and I put it in, so it was pretty cool.” Greiss made 21 saves before being pulled after giving up Dubois’ goal. Jaroslav Halak stopped all 11 shots he faced in relief. Midway through the first period, Panarin circled in and teed up a pass that grazed Greiss’ stick and went into the net off Atkinson’s skate. The whole sequence came about after Atkinson picked off a pass in the neutral zone and fed Panarin for the rush. Murray scored from the left circle 6:57 into the second period after getting a pass from Panarin, who carried the puck around the back of the net. Later in the period on a power play, Werenski jumped on a sharp rebound and slammed it past Greiss from about 60 feet. The 19-year-old Dubois — the third overall pick in 2016 — got his first NHL goal, a wrister from the slot 1:25 later to make it 5-0. “It was really fun,” Dubois said. “Sonny started us off with a goal, and it doesn’t get better than that.” New York Post LOADED: 10.07.2017 1076986 New York Islanders

Islanders routed by Columbus in season opener

Updated October 6, 2017 10:36 PM By Arthur Staple

COLUMBUS, Ohio — The start was bad. Then it got worse. The Islanders opened the 2017-18 season by giving up a goal 1:07 in and never recovered, getting a 5-0 thrashing from the Blue Jackets on Friday night. “I think it’s a good wakeup call,” Andrew Ladd said after the Isles’ worst season-opening loss since 2003. “Is there any panic in here? Not at all. We were maybe a little too cute offensively early and then we fell behind and started to get away from what we do.” The Islanders gained some confidence from a strong preseason and Doug Weight felt it would carry over to a fast start to the season, something the Isles needed after a 6-10-4 start to 2016-17 that essentially doomed their playoff hopes. But 67 seconds in, they were in a hole once again. Thomas Greiss and Calvin de Haan got crossed up on a routine goaltender-defenseman exchange below the goal line and the fast, aggressive Blue Jackets pounced. Oliver Bjorkstrand fed Massapequa’s Sonny Milano for the opening goal, Milano’s first in the NHL. The Isles actually had the better of the zone time in the game’s first few minutes but didn’t get Sergei Bobrovsky moving or screened well enough. And de Haan made an ill-advised, cross-ice pass that Cam Atkinson picked off to start a play that ended with Atkinson scoring off his skate at 11:07. “Just bonehead plays and that’s not like Calvin,” Weight said. “The first he’s got to hustle back and give Greisser a target. And the second, they’re in a 1-1-3 [structure], we know what they’re doing and he just doesn’t move his feet.” Once Ryan Murray beat Greiss up high on a delayed Isles penalty at 6:57 of the second, the game was over. The Islanders looked stunned. “Deer in the headlights,” as Weight put it. Zach Werenski scored at 10:25 on the power play and Pierre-Luc Dubois scored his first NHL goal at 11:50, sending Greiss to the bench for Jaroslav Halak after 31:50, five goals and 26 shots against. “We just weren’t very tough to play against and I’m not sure why,” John Tavares said after a very quiet night. “I’m definitely happy we get right back at it tomorrow night.” Hockey Long Island in the pros: NHL edition The Islanders flew home Friday to open their home season against the Sabres on Saturday. The desire to throw this one out could be strong, but Weight didn’t seem to be bothered that the loss was so decisive. “Sometimes it’s good to get smacked in the face every once in a while,” he said. “Our ‘D’ were so active in the preseason, cutting down the walls, making plays in the offensive zone — I don’t remember us doing that once tonight. And they were moving all over the place.” John Tortorella’s team had an impressive 2016-17 and looked very much the same on Friday, using their speed to catch the Islanders flat-footed in all three zones. The Blue Jackets blocked shots and broke up passes early in the first, when it was still a game, and the Islanders didn’t follow suit. Bobrovsky made 29 saves for the shutout. “I think we can learn a lesson from how they played,” Ladd said. “They make plays when they’re available and when they aren’t they still try to get pucks to the net and grind away. But by no means are we down in here. There’s a lot of belief about what we can do.” Newsday LOADED: LOADED: 10.07.2017 1076987 New York Islanders

Ho-Sang healthy scratch for Isles opener

Updated October 6, 2017 3:04 PM By Arthur Staple

COLUMBUS, OHIO — Josh Ho-Sang will miss Friday’s season-opening game for the Islanders. He’s not happy about it, but he’s not sulking either. “What’s allowing me to deal with this is I trust Dougie (Weight) a lot. I trust him. He’s my coach,” Ho-Sang told Newsday after he spent nearly an hour on the ice Friday morning doing conditioning work. “He has the best intentions for this team. I know what he wants to achieve this year. If at this point in time he thinks this is the group he needs, then I trust him. That’s the mentality we’ve been preaching.” For his part, Weight doesn’t view Ho-Sang’s healthy scratch as a punishment. The coach saw a few old habits leak into preseason games — he wants Ho-Sang to have a little more awareness of time-of-game and time-of-shift moments — but not much else, which is why Weight and his coaching staff needed until Thursday afternoon to decide on Jason Chimera playing and Ho-Sang sitting, as well as Adam Pelech playing on defense and Scott Mayfield and Ryan Pulock sitting out. “He’s a good kid. He’s fearless, he’s got speed, he’s got skill. I want him to watch the game tonight, that’s it,” Weight said. “I want him to watch the situational plays. He gets excited to play the game. And I am not taking that away from him. He’s earned his spot on this team and he will be playing sooner rather than later. And he will be a big part of our success. There’s nothing to read too much into it, I’m not just going with the veterans. This is just the way it is.” With three games in 3½ days to start the season — the Isles face the Sabres in Brooklyn on Saturday night and the Blues there on Monday afternoon — nothing is set for even the immediate future beyond Friday night. Thomas Greiss and Jaroslav Halak will split goaltending duties these first two games as well. Ho-Sang admitted to some mixed emotions over the whole thing. “I still believe in my core values, in what I can do, how I can help this team. I believe I can make a difference every night,” he said. “But as of right now, I’ve just got to trust my coaches. It’s like when your parents or your boss tells you, ‘We’re going to do this for your betterment, the betterment of the company.’ You’ve got to have that blind faith and it can be difficult at times. “By no means am I happy about it. But the one thing I am happy about is we have a group of guys that came in today full of smiles and I was one of them. We’re all here together. If I maintain a positive attitude, a positive outlook, when there’s other guys who potentially get subbed out for me, they come with the same attitude. That’s what makes a great team. “In the large scheme of things it’s one game. More than anything I want us to win tonight and go from there. It’s a long year. A lot can happen. I just know that when I get my chance they’re not going to be able to take me out.” Newsday LOADED: LOADED: 10.07.2017 1076988 New York Rangers

After loss to Avalanche, Rangers will have hands full against Maple Leafs

JUSTIN TASCH Friday, October 6, 2017, 5:52 PM

TORONTO — Not once over the first four years of Alain Vigneault’s tenure as Rangers head coach has the club come out of the gate 0-2, which, if one puts stock into such things, may bode well for their Saturday night tilt against the Maple Leafs, who are full of firepower and scored seven goals in their opener on Wednesday. The last time the Rangers opened the season 0-2 was in 2012-13, when they went on to lose in the second round to Boston before John Tortorella was fired and Vigneault hired. There have been poor starts — 2-6 in Vigneault’s first Rangers season in 2013-14 when they were .500 as late as Jan. 3, and 1-3 plus a 7-7-4 mark into mid-November. Those seasons ended with a Stanley Cup Final appearance and a Game 7 of the conference final, respectively. Contrast those with the endings after great starts each of the following two years, and perhaps starting slow out of the gate doesn’t seem so bad. But the Blueshirts surely don’t want to wait much longer for their first victory, and as their new pieces continue to assimilate they'll all have their hands full against Toronto and 20-year-old American star Auston Matthews, already with three points under his belt. The Arizona native helped pull Toronto out of an era of misery — during which it missed the playoffs in 10 out of 11 seasons — propelling the club back to prominence quicker than expected and reenergizing its fans, something Kevin Shattenkirk saw first-hand when the then-Capital played a first-round matchup here in April. “It’s a wild building,” Shattenkirk told reporters Friday. “Obviously the team is much better and the city’s kind of behind them again. And there’s a lot of talent there, most importantly.” A cupboard full of talent, indeed, including other 21-and-unders Mitch Marner and William Nylander — the exuberant tackler of Henrik Lundqvist after Sweden won the World Championship in May. Matthews played all 82 games plus six playoff matches as a 19-year-old in a league skewing younger and younger. Exhibit A is one of the Rangers’ first-round picks Filip Chytil, who at 18 years and 30 days old on Thursday became the fourth-youngest Ranger to appear in a game in franchise history and sixth-youngest player to play in an NHL game since the 1967-68 expansion season. Chytil played just 7:40 in his debut, only 1:54 in the third period, in part due to him not yet having a special-teams role. Vigneault reiterated Chytil might get penalty-killing minutes, but only after he practices it more. The Czech center had a golden chance to make a play less than two minutes into the game on a 2-on-1 with Mats Zuccarello, but his pass was off target. “I think if he makes that play there it gets him going,” Vigneault said. “But it was a first game for a young man. I’m sure he was excited and he’ll be better next game.” New York Daily News LOADED: 10.07.2017 1076989 New York Rangers

What Rangers’ Filip Chytil learned from his first NHL game

By Larry Brooks October 6, 2017 | 7:46pm | Updated

Fifteen seconds into his first shift and 1:50 into his first NHL game, here came 18-year-old Filip Chytil across the line on left side with the puck on his stick, Mats Zuccarello on his right, and one Avalanche defenseman back … and going down. “Fifty-fifty to pass or shoot,” Chytil told The Post after Friday’s practice and before the flight to Toronto in advance of Saturday’s match against the Maple Leafs. “On my first shift, maybe I should have tried a shot, I wanted to score a goal on my first shift, that would have been the best feeling, but Mats was open and I made the pass.” The pass, though, was tipped into the crowd by a kneeling Chris Bigras, and with it went Chytil’s best and only opportunity of the Blueshirts’ 4-2 opening defeat to the Avalanche in which the youngest player to skate for the Rangers since the end of World War II got 11 shifts worth 7:40 of ice time. “I think if he makes that first play and it clicks, the rest of the game flows a little better,” coach Alain Vigneault said. “Before the game we had shown the team that exact same clip where on two-on-ones they like to go down and slide, so there was an opportunity for an early saucer pass or take it to the net. “One or the other, shoot or make the play. It’s certainly easier in retrospect.” Vigneault said he’s considering mixing Chytil into the penalty-killing unit after some more practice work in order to take advantage of his skating and to increase his ice time. “Playing that first game was a big experience and a good experience,” Chytil said. “It would have been better to win, I would have enjoyed it more, but playing in the NHL was the dream of my childhood. “I expected the game to be fast but maybe it was faster than I expected. I was watching our centers to try and see what I could learn about playing in the best league and against the best players in the world. “I’m going to be ready the next game and I’m going to be better,” he said. “I want to get better with every game.” Vigneault was generally pleased with the performance of the Marc-Staal- Anthony DeAngelo third pair that got the assignment as the second penalty-kill tandem. I thought they were good,” the coach said. “I thought Marc Staal, in his role on this team, he was physical, his gap was good and he used his partner when available. Anthony, I saw some real positive things, but I also saw some areas. Saw some other areas to work on. He needs to be tighter when we don’t have the puck, but I also need him to be confident in his instincts and to jump up when it’s time and not back off in those situations. “It was his first game with his new team and I’m sure he had some [butterflies]. He’ll be better.” DeAngelo, who played 16:22, said he thought he played, “well for the most part but I know I can be better in certain situations defending in our end and when we don’t have the puck.” Staal, who played primarily with Nick Holden a year ago after spending the previous two seasons with Dan Boyle and Kevin Klein after having previously partnered with Anton Stralman and before that, Dan Girardi, said that he and DeAngelo are developing “pretty good chemistry.” “He’s very talented,” Staal said. “He’s smart, he’s eyes-up, we’re talking a lot during practice and between shifts, and I’m looking to be physical and strong on my one-on-ones, so we’ll keep working on it. The Blueshirts, who face the Canadiens at home on Sunday, have not opened 0-2 since 2012-13, have not lost first three since an 0-4 getaway in 1998-99 and have not gone winless in their first three since 2011-12 (0-1-2). New York Post LOADED: 10.07.2017 1076990 New York Rangers

Rangers on high alert for buzzing Toronto Maple Leafs

October 6, 2017 6:42 PM By Steve Zipay

TORONTO — This town is absolutely buzzing, and the beehive is the Air Canada Centre, where the Maple Leafs will stage their home opener against the Rangers on Saturday. Don’t think the Rangers aren’t wary of being stung for the second consecutive game. “I was there in playoffs last year, it’s a wild building . . . and the city’s behind them again,” Kevin Shattenkirk said Friday. “There’s a lot of talent there, most importantly. We have to try not to play a run-and-gun game with them because that feeds right into their emotions and into their system. If we can frustrate them a little early on, hopefully we can build on that and score on our chances.” The Leafs have firepower for sure, hanging seven goals on the Winnipeg Jets in their opener on Wednesday. Rangers coach Alain Vigneault said the team would remain in the locker room for the Leafs’ introductions, which are sure to be rousing. Shattenkirk, who was on ice for three goals in the 4-2 loss to the Avalanche in the season-opener at Madison Square Garden on Thursday, reiterated that on rushes, the trailers burned the Blueshirts’ backchecking. “They found that late guy. We have to make sure we’re coming back and clogging that area.” Said Mika Zibanejad, who scored twice on six power plays: “There’s obviously room for improvement everywhere.” Last season, the Rangers topped the NHL in wins (27) and points (56) on the road, and often rebounded from losses quickly, going 23-7-4 in games following a defeat. Vigneault, who outlined some of the “bad decisions and bad reads” in Thursday’s game, generally tinkered with the lineup after losses, switching out a forward or a defenseman. But it appears that there won’t be any changes from Thursday. If there were, it would be on defense: The Rangers are carrying only 12 healthy forwards and eight defensemen. Judging from practice, Nick Holden and Steven Kampfer will be healthy scratches again and Henrik Lundqvist sounded like he wants the work. He mentioned after Thursday’s game that “the biggest thing when you haven’t played for 10 days, you just try to go out there and build your game.” It’s not unreasonable however, that changes could come in Sunday’s home match against the Montreal Canadiens, the third game in four nights. “It was finally a real hockey game and the margin of error got that much smaller, so that was really the best part for us,” Shattenkirk said about Thursday’s loss. “We realized one mistake turns into a goal now, whereas in the preseason you can get away with it. The only way to get better as a team is to play games.” Newsday LOADED: LOADED: 10.07.2017 1076991 NHL • Comedy writer Alex Kaseberg, on reports that O.J. Simpson, fresh out of prison, is living in a mansion on a golf course in Las Vegas: “Shoot. I had my money on Kato Kaelin’s couch.” Well, for a hockey player he really wasn’t that ungentlemanly • Eric Kolenich of the Richmond (Va.) Times-Dispatch, on the most amazing thing about the FBI’s bribery investigation into college basketball: “Louisville paid $100,000 for players yet scored only 53 points Originally published October 6, 2017 at 5:17 PM against Virginia.” By Dwight Perry / Sideline Chatter • Mike Bianchi of the Orlando (Fla.) Sentinel, on the NBA taking measures to deter teams from losing on purpose: “If only they could implement a rule to help the Magic, who lose out of habit.” Ten minutes for misconduct, anyone? • At Fark.com, on new Marlins owner Derek Jeter jettisoning front-office executives left and right: “No word if they also got a gift basket.” Delta attendants say out-of-work hockey forward Jiri Hudler demanded cocaine from them and then attempted to urinate on their food cart during • Anti-Dean Spanos message towed behind a plane over the a flight from New York to Prague. transplanted Chargers’ home game last Sunday: “If Spanos wants to see a sellout, he should look in the mirror.” Bonus points: Hudler was the NHL’s Lady Byng Trophy winner — awarded for sportsmanship and gentlemanly play — in 2015. • RJ Currie of SportsDeke.com, on Hall of Fame receiver Jerry Rice’s new ”hobby” of crashing a wedding ceremony per week: “Rice at Gang-tackled weddings — since when is that news?” A would-be carjacker in Albuquerque, N.M., got more than he bargained • Janice Hough of LeftCoastSportsBabe.com, after 25th-ranked LSU paid for — as in battered, bruised and held for the cops — after he tried to a $1 million appearance fee to — and then lost to — 20½-point underdog commandeer a car carrying four high-school football players. Troy: “The last time Troy was involved in a story this embarrassing, a In other words, the perp is now 0-1 on the road this year. horse was involved.” Eight up, eight down • TBS’s Conan O’Brien, on the ensuing drug scandal if video gaming becomes an Olympic event: “Performance-enhancing ramen.” Eight front-office employees have already been terminated since Derek Jeter’s group purchased the Miami Marlins. • Rams defensive coordinator Wade Phillips, to The Dallas Morning News, on why he has no hard feelings about the Cowboys canning him Looks like Jeter, who batted near the top of the order in his playing days, seven years ago: “If I had a vendetta against any team that fired me, I’d is now relishing the cleanup role. have a quarter of the league.” A clean sheet Seattle Times LOADED: 10.07.2017 Dolphins and Saints, 0-0 for the first 29 minutes? Looks like they scheduled an NFL game in London last Sunday — and a soccer match broke out. Sports quiz Q: What do LaMelo Ball and the 0-for-L.A. Chargers have in common? A: They’re both getting home-schooled this year. Stat of the Week The Diamondbacks tied an MLB playoff record by hitting four triples in their NL wild-card playoff win last Tuesday. Compare that to the five three-baggers hit by the Blue Jays this year — in 162 games. Why, of course From the You Just Can’t Make Up Stuff Like This file comes word that the Cleveland’s FirstEnergy Stadium — home of the Browns, losers of 29 of their past 31 games — was the scene of a dumpster fire last Tuesday. Talking the talk • Washington State football coach Mike Leach, taking in the wild on-field celebration after his team’s 30-27 win over No. 5 USC: “It’s like Woodstock, except everybody’s got their clothes on.” • Brad Dickson of the Omaha (Neb.) World-Herald, on singer Willie Nelson owning a golf course: “If you make a hole-in-one, you have to buy a round of joints.” Where’s my line? The International Tennis Federation suspended Britain’s Dan Evans for a year after he tested positive for cocaine. Officials figured something was amiss when he suddenly started snorting up the baseline. Quote marks • Just-retired Giants pitcher Matt Cain, in The Players’ Tribune, recalling his perfect game in 2012: “Not going to call anyone from S.F. a liar, but I’ll just say this: There were about 42,000 people in attendance that day. And in the last five years, I think I’ve met all 100,000 of them.” • Jim Barach of WCHS-TV in Charleston, W.Va., after a judge in a divorce case ordered joint custody of the couple’s Edmonton Oilers season tickets: “Those will be the only hockey games where the players stop to watch the fighting in the stands.” 1076992 NHL As for Edmonton, Oilers' owner Daryl Katz has said he would not have bought the team "without the challenge and opportunity to build the arena and everything around it." Rogers Place cost $480-million (Canadian) as Calgary Flames owner eyes more than just a new arena part of a $6-billion downtown renewal venture. Knowing a hotel, a 66- storey office tower and various shops and restaurants were part of the deal, city council committed $313-million to the arena, with $231-million coming from a community revitalization levy and increased parking CARRIE TAIT AND ALLAN MAKI revenue. 7 HOURS AGO Mr. King, at a news conference last month, said CSEC has partnered with a developer and someone is interested in building an office tower, OCTOBER 6, 2017 although he did not provide more detail.

The hockey club has argued the arena would attract development and The partnership that owns the Calgary Flames proposed a deal for a new therefore benefit the city because it could then collect property taxes. arena that would give the private company a chance to transform into the Murray Edwards, one of the Flames' most powerful owners, is familiar real estate developer for a potentially lucrative new community, with the property game. He owns three ski resorts in British Columbia – according to documents obtained by The Globe and Mail. mountains dotted with accommodations and development. Calgary Sports and Entertainment Corp. (CSEC), which owns the Flames The Flames' owners, according to the term sheet, envision a 19,000-seat and other sports teams, made its first arena offer to the city in a letter and event centre and adjoining 5,000-seat practice facility, including sufficient two-page list of terms Feb. 21. The documents provide a glimpse of the parking. Under the Flames terms, the complex would include a "public club's vision for a complex more extensive than just an arena. gathering place adjacent to the facilities for public participation in festivals, celebrations and outdoor/indoor events" built at the city's As part of the proposal, the Flames' owners insisted on receiving an expense. option to buy and develop land near the events complex, a slice of the Stampede Casino's revenue, all parking revenue from major events it "It has become increasingly clear through our process that the viability of would manage at the events complex and other goodies. The demands an NHL presence in Calgary is severely impaired," Mr. King said in the included the city of Calgary covering the cost of flood insurance, February letter to the city's deputy manager. reimbursing the club for all provincial property taxes that may be imposed "Taking into account that we, like Edmonton, Winnipeg, and others, on the facilities, and requiring local ratepayers to pick up the bill for a operate in small and therefore marginal markets, it is imperative that public gathering place suitable for festivals next to the arena. facilities keep pace with others in North America." The Flames' owners The documents underscore how the multimillion-dollar arena negotiations also wanted the city to waive public transit fees for people who held a are – for both camps – about far more than a concrete structure in valid ticket to "any event" at the arena and practice centre, according to Victoria Park, an underdeveloped zone east of Calgary's downtown. the document. Calgary would also provide police services "commensurate with" other facilities in North America. If Calgary acquiesced to the terms, for example, it would give some of Canada's wealthiest men business opportunities in part thanks to In the interview, Mr. King said it was "inappropriate" for someone to leak financial support from taxpayers. Further, some of the sticking points the document. "Somebody was playing fast and loose with their ethics would affect the Calgary Stampede's balance sheet. The Stampede, and I think that's a damn shame," he said. which hosts the city's famous 10-day festival and other events, is a not- Calgarians vote in a municipal election Oct. 16. CSEC calculated it would for-profit organization and parking and gambling revenue are important to cost $500-million to build the arena and practice facility. It asked the city its operation. to cover $250-million while the Flames organization would contribute "Our proposals in the enclosed term sheet outline the minimum $100-million in cash. Another $150-million would come from a user fee requirements for a robust competitive sports environment and the spanning 35 years and financed by the city, according to the Flames' infrastructure needed to compete on the world stage from an offer. The Flames, in another presentation it released publicly, described entertainment perspective," Ken King, president of CSEC, said in the its share and the user fee as "similar to prepayment of rent for 35 years letter. of tenancy." This offer leaves $50-million unaccounted for. The city contends it excludes the price of land and the money necessary to Any deal that is "not consistent" with the Flames' demands would be "a maintain and then demolish the Scotiabank Saddledome. disappointment and would create an untenable environment," Mr. King wrote. The city rejected the deal. The city believes it will cost $555-million to build the main facilities. It demanded the Flames pay $185-million in cash and finance a $185- The Flames and city bureaucrats continued negotiations after the million ticket tax stretching 35 years in exchange for Calgary chipping in February offer. Naheed Nenshi, who is campaigning for his third term as the equivalent of $185-million, which includes the cost of land expenses mayor, in a news conference last month said the Flames' subsequent associated with the Saddledome. pitch was "not particularly different" than the first. Globe And Mail LOADED: 10.07.2017 Mr. King, in an interview on Friday, disagreed. "The process evolved and we ended up in quite a bit different place than where we started," he said, declining to say what changed because negotiations are over. "It is quite academic what, if any, the difference was." In September, Mr. King publicly declared the discussions "spectacularly unproductive" and said the owners walked away from negotiations. In the February offer, CSEC demanded an "option to acquire adjacent lands for the purpose of constructing residential or commercial structures including high-density housing, hotels, restaurants, etc.," the term sheet said. The group also said it needs to "approve" Calgary's master plan to revitalize Victoria Park to "ensure it will be an appropriate environment" for the arena complex. There is a growing trend toward professional sports teams building hotels and bars, condos and apartments near their stadiums or arenas. Jeff Vinik, owner of the NHL's Tampa Bay Lightning, has begun the first phase of a $3-billion (U.S.) downtown and waterfront development project backed by Bill Gates' Cascade Investment. Included in the long- term plans are a medical school, condos, a hotel, shops, restaurants and office towers, much of it close to Amalie Arena. The Detroit Red Wings also have a development component in the team's new arena project. Ilitch Holdings, which owns the Red Wings, is behind the rebuilding of 50 blocks of midtown Detroit near its just opened $863-million Little Caesars Arena. 1076993 NHL Although Edmonton's council had campaigned for some measure of provincial funding, there was no direct contribution. Premier Rachel Notley refused to pick up a $32-million shortfall in construction costs. Professor doubts Calgary’s need to publicly fund new Flames arena Globe And Mail LOADED: 10.07.2017

ALLAN MAKI AND CARRIE TAIT 8 HOURS AGO OCTOBER 6, 2017

Dan Mason can see the benefits for both sides. The Edmonton Oilers have their new arena and the city has the downtown revitalization kick- start it was hoping for. Better still; the finances look to be holding up, thanks to the hard-scrabble negotiations between a wealthy team owner and city council. But while Rogers Place is succeeding, Mr. Mason, the University of Alberta professor who consulted on the arena plan for the city, isn't sure the same thing can work in Calgary, where negotiations between the team's wealthy owners and Mayor Naheed Nenshi have turned spectacularly sour. "In Edmonton, the rationale for using public money was always about relocating economic activity from one part of the city to another, to make the downtown more vibrant," Mr. Mason said. "In Calgary, there isn't the same incentive, as Calgary's downtown doesn't need the same kind of boost … This makes it much more difficult to justify the use of public funds in Calgary." When it comes to competitiveness, Calgary and Edmonton have squabbled for bragging rights in sports, politics, the size of their shopping malls, even the weather. Then Edmonton green-lighted a much-needed downtown renewal project that included a new home for the city's NHL Oilers. Calgary took a keen interest in the proceedings, knowing it would soon need a facility to replace the Scotiabank Saddledome. The overall cost of Edmonton's arena project ended up being close to $614-million, which included the land, a connection to nearby light-rail transit, a community rink as well as the glass-covered Winter Garden located outside Rogers Place. The cost of the 18,347-seat arena was $480-million. The funding details had team owner Daryl Katz contributing $166-million in cash and lease payments to the city, which owns Rogers Place. Mr. Katz agreed not to move the Oilers from Edmonton for 35 years. There is also a tax on Oilers' tickets that is expected to produce $125-million over 35 years. The city is in for $313-million, with $231-million coming from a community revitalization levy and increased parking revenues. Property owners within the designated boundary are paying the same amount of tax they normally would, except the money is going towards repaying what was spent on infrastructure within the arena boundary. In December, 2014, almost two years before Rogers Place officially opened, Edmonton announced the arena had prompted $2.5-billion in new development. In November, 2015, the city estimated the community revitalization levy would produce $984-million over its 20-year term. In September, 2016, the city noted the levy had already brought in close to $9-million. City officials said it was a good indication the plan was delivering as advertised. "I think the arena and overall development in Edmonton is working," Mr. Mason said, "in the sense that the development is occurring as projected, and the economic activity the city wanted to target in the downtown core is happening." In Calgary, the city's proposal called for $185-million from the Flames, $185-million from a ticket surcharge and $185-million from the city. The Flames' countered by asking for $225-million from the city and its East Village community revitalization levy, with the hockey team contributing $275-million ($100-million in cash, $150-million from a ticket tax and $25- million from a "source that was not clarified.") There was no accounting for the $30-million needed to purchase the land. The Flames had been pushing their CalgaryNext plan – an arena, football stadium and field-house built in one location on the western fringe of downtown. The city wants an arena in Victoria Park, where it would be situated among shops, restaurants and condos. But the community revitalization levy that presently exists for Victoria Park and the East Village is not enough to finance a new arena – and there won't be any provincial help, either. 1076994 NHL The speculation reached a pitch when Colorado General Manager took in the Beanpot finals on Feb. 13 between B.U. and Harvard.

The Terriers lost, 6-3, and Quinn said, “Charlie probably didn’t have one For Bruins’ Charlie McAvoy, Age 20 Might Feel Kind of Boring of his best games.” Shortly thereafter, Bruins General Manager Don Sweeney told McAvoy he would not be going anywhere. By GARY SANTANIELLOOCT. 6, 2017 “I thought Charlie played his best hockey after the trade deadline,” Quinn said. “He was able to play hockey with no distractions.”

For McAvoy’s N.H.L. debut, the Bruins flew his parents to the game in BOSTON — Bruins defenseman Charlie McAvoy began his first full Ottawa. When McAvoy saw his father after the game, he smiled and season as a professional hockey player on Thursday — one goal, one said, “Dad, I just played in the N.H.L.” assist — and is a strong candidate for rookie of the year. For the rest of the playoffs, McAvoy lived in a hotel in Watertown, near However long his career lasts, he is unlikely to match the frenetic early the Bruins’ practice facility. During the summer, he moved into an months of this year, when he played for five teams and in two apartment in Boston with Matt Grzelcyk, a former college teammate who international competitions, the N.C.A.A. tournament and the Stanley Cup is also with the Bruins. He worked out at B.U.’s Agganis Arena. playoffs, all at age 19. He made it home to Long Beach a couple of times, including a few days “A lot of dreams came true last year,” he said at a recent Bruins practice. in July when his parents threw a small party for him to celebrate his year. The 14th pick in the 2016 N.H.L. draft, McAvoy interrupted his His mother noted McAvoy’s embrace of his new responsibilities as a sophomore season at Boston University to play for the gold-medal- professional, even in what foods he would eat. winning United States team at the world junior championships in January. He then helped lead B.U. to a berth in the N.C.A.A. tournament in March. “Everything he has had to do has taught him something new to get to the next step in his life,” she said. “He keeps making more mature decisions The Terriers won their West Regional semifinal against host North along the way. I think he’s grown a lot over the last four months.” Dakota in two overtimes, then lost in overtime to Minnesota-Duluth the next night, arriving home early on March 26. What the Bruins like about McAvoy, who turns 20 in December, is his ability to move the puck up ice, a good fit for Coach Bruce Cassidy’s Four days later, McAvoy was practicing with the Providence Bruins of the aggressive style. And he is not shy about using his size in the defensive American Hockey League, Boston’s top minor league affiliate. end. “He was ready to make the jump, maturity-wise and skill-wise,” said the Cassidy also has been impressed by McAvoy’s makeup. junior forward Jordan Greenway, one of McAvoy’s four roommates last year. “Things don’t bother him,” he said. “And he always seems to play better on the bigger stages.” McAvoy had played only four A.H.L. games when the Bruins lost two top defensemen heading into the against the Ottawa Correction: October 6, 2017 Senators. They summoned him to Boston, but before he could fly with An earlier version of this article misstated the given name of Charlie the team to Canada, he had to stop at his B.U. dorm to pick up his McAvoy Sr.’s brother and business partner. He is Kevin, not Peter. It also passport and a couple of suits. misstated the surname of a Boston University hockey player. He is Ryan He made his N.H.L. debut in April, paired with the Bruins’ captain, Zdeno Cloonan, not Clooney. Chara, who played his first N.H.L. game a month before McAvoy was New York Times LOADED: 10.07.2017 born in 1997.

“Nothing rattles his cage,” said the junior forward Ryan Cloonan, who also lived with McAvoy last year. “Even off the ice, he’s such a mature kid for how young he is.” But McAvoy’s season still was not over. After joining Bruins teammates for a weekend in Arizona, McAvoy joined the American team for the world championships in France and Germany in May. The United States lost to Finland in the quarterfinals on May 18, ending what McAvoy’s father called “a wild ride.” Charlie McAvoy Sr., with his brother Kevin, owns McAvoy Plumbing in Long Beach, N.Y., a business started by their grandfather in 1926. That his only son, the second of his four children, was able to handle so much in such a short time, at such a young age, did not surprise him. “He’s always been a pretty grounded kid, and he doesn’t have my temper,” McAvoy Sr. said. “He stays in the moment. In fact, he’s always telling me, ‘Dad, don’t get too far ahead of yourself.’” Now 6-foot-1 and 211 pounds, the younger McAvoy started skating when he was 3. After playing for Long Beach High School as a freshman, McAvoy lived with a billet family in Michigan for two years while playing for the United States National Team Development Program. With the help of his mother, Jen, a former teacher, he took online classes so he could enroll at B.U. a year early. As a 17-year-old freshman, he often competed against players five and six years older, but he led the Terriers’ defense with 25 points in 37 games, earning Hockey East All- Rookie Team honors. B.U. Coach David Quinn said, “Charlie’s an easy guy to love.” Quinn added: “I think he’s got an incredible ability, which I think great players have, to have swagger without arrogance. He’s very confident in who he is, and he knows how good he is, but he doesn’t have an arrogance about him that affects his play or his teammates.” When McAvoy was drafted by the Bruins, the clock began ticking on his college career. Quinn said the only time he sensed McAvoy being distracted was the approach of last season’s N.H.L. trade deadline on March 1, when rumors swirled that McAvoy might be included in a trade to the Colorado Avalanche. 1076995 Ottawa Senators TOSSING AND TURNOVERS: After a win or a loss, good game or bad, Smith has trouble shutting it down when he gets home. “If I can fall asleep by 2 a.m., that’s pretty good,” he said. “Most guys are like that.” Offering a conspiracy theory over the Kyle Turris contract negotiations Usually it’s adrenalin. “I don’t bother going to bed until at least one,” Smith said. “You just roll around. It’s just hard to come down after a game.” Sometimes it’s with added guilt and regret. Smith said “the wheels were turning all night” after he was minus-3 in Thursday’s DON BRENNAN shootout loss to the Capitals. “There was a lot to think about,” he said. “There were a few things I would have done differently.” Specifically, his Published on: October 6, 2017 | Last Updated: October 6, 2017 8:54 PM turnover that led to Alex Ovechkin’s second goal. “I tried to go through EDT the middle and I rushed it,” he said. “Turned it over, and they have a quick attack. They leave at least one guy in the zone. That was maybe not all my fault … but it’s the responsibility of a winger to get that puck Ask yourself this: out.” … Checking to see which colour jersey Erik Karlsson wears at practice has become duty No. 1 these days. As soon as he is dressed Who benefits from a report that comes out on the day of the season like his teammates, it’s expected Karlsson will be ready to go. “I was opener that suggests the Ottawa Senators and the agent for Kyle Turris trying to decipher the yellows from the greens to the blues,” Mark have hit a sudden and serious impasse in contract negotiations? Borowiecki joked Friday. “He’s back in the blue. My head’s just spinning.” And who gains from the ensuing speculation by highly respected hockey … When Smith was asked what colour he’d like to see Karlsson wear, he insiders doing the reporting that, while it’s doubtful the team is prepared said purple. “I haven’t seen that one yet,” Smith said with a grin. “There’s to sign the smooth centre to a seven- or eight-year deal, the likely move got to be a lime green around. My first couple of years, we had the Slime now is to trade him? Line or whatever. Ryan Shannon, me and Jesse Winchester. Maybe we could get that one back.” Players are apparently having a chuckle Why would the Senators create waves by leaking something like that? If watching the media checking out Karlsson’s colours. “We’re fascinated general manager Pierre Dorion has become frustrated with talks — and you guys get excited about it,” Smith said. we firmly believe such is not the case — what good would it do him to put that out there? It’s not like he has to go through the media to let other Ottawa Citizen LOADED: 10.07.2017 teams know his window is open for offers. And why would the agent, Kurt Overhardt, want everyone to think Turris is digging his heels in the sand for the second time in his career? What kind of a season is Turris going to have with that hanging over his head? Even if it was true, the Senators would be in no hurry to move Turris when they’re trying to gain some traction for a run they hope leads them back to the playoffs. Clearly uncomfortable talking about his contract to the media, Turris was in the back, off-limits area by the time the doors to the dressing room opened to media on Friday. At some point, and surely more than once, he’ll have to address the story that promises to serve as a distraction to both the team and the player. And who would that benefit? Just throwing it out there, but could this be the dastardly work of a rival GM trying to rock the Senators boat? It’s certainly conceivable. In what is expected to be another close race to the finish line, don’t put it past teams to take any advantage they can get. It’s also possible things could get ugly between the Senators and Turris camps. It makes sense for Turris, who is playing out a team-friendly contract, to look for security. It also seems unlikely the cash-strapped Senators will go seven or eight years with him, especially when Mark Stone can become a restricted free agent next summer and Erik Karlsson deserves to get paid like the third-best player in the National Hockey League when his deal expires July 1, 2019. Will Turris get traded? It’s possible if talks do plummet south. But, again, that’s not what we’re hearing. And if our esteemed colleagues are being fed fake news, it only threatens to throw Turris off his game. “It’s human nature,” said Zack Smith, who signed a four-year extension last January, when unrestricted free agency was still on his horizon. “You try not to let it bother you because those are things you can’t control. You really have zero control over that. Even when you think you have an idea where you sit, you don’t, because people have to play their cards close to their chest. Speculation is also speculation. (For the media) trades are good. It’s news, it’s something to talk about, they want it. But a lot of the times it’s nothing anyway.” Smith thinks this is one of those times. “It’s hard for me to imagine Turris is in this situation because he’s a huge part of the team. He’s been here a long time and he’s been awesome while he’s been here,” Smith said. “To me, it doesn’t hold much water. When you’re on the other side, you’re the player, and these guys are talking about your GM wants to trade you, you’ve got to set that aside. “I can’t speak for Kyle, but, if I was in that situation, it could be a distraction. I’d be lying if I said it wasn’t. Especially around trade deadline and they’ve got those guys on the panels, 40 guys they think are getting traded, eight of them might end up getting moved. “It’s a lot of worry for nothing.” That may or may not be the case. In the meantime, it will be interesting to see how Turris responds 1076996 Ottawa Senators Boucher deserved the acknowledgment. After missing the playoffs in 2015-16, the Senators advanced to the Eastern Conference final and very nearly beyond in his first year behind their bench. When his name Hard work helps Brassard hit the ground running without training camp was announced and the centre ice video board focused on him, Boucher acknowledged the roar by raising a hand and smiling.

“I was just going to nod and I just found my self waving,” he said. “I guess DON BRENNAN it’s just a reaction or a thank-you reaction because I know that, when you get something special like that in your life, you’ve got to recognize it.” Published on: October 6, 2017 | Last Updated: October 6, 2017 8:39 PM EDT To Boucher, the moment was almost like a great big group hug. “You know what it does, it makes you feel like you’re part of something special, and that’s how I felt,” he said. “I felt part of something special, Who needs training camp? and last year’s work, and everything we did, translated into the fans recognizing the players, the staff, and the organization. You feel part of That was the standing joke after Derick Brassard recorded just his something good.” second three-point game for the Ottawa Senators in Thursday’s season opener against the Washington Capitals. The 30-year old veteran skated Ottawa Citizen LOADED: 10.07.2017 with the team during camp, but, because of his mending shoulder, didn’t get cleared for contact until the day before the game. In other words, his next full practice will be his first since last season. “Whatever you put in is what you get out,” Senators head coach Guy Boucher said Friday, repeating the message he passed on to the team earlier in the morning while using Brassard as the example. “Brass, the therapists and doctors have told me, has been unbelieveable this summer. He did double and triple the work, and that’s why he’s so ahead of the schedule. He was the same on the ice. He came every day and said, ‘When can I get on? Can I do extra? Can I do this, can I do that?’ He wanted it so badly. “I’m so happy for him, because he’s getting what he put into it.” Brassard learned the values of hard work by studying veterans he played with in Columbus and New York, guys like Sergei Fedorov, Mike Peca, Adam Foote, Chris Clarke, Fredrik Modin, Manny Malhotra and, especially, Marty St. Louis. When Brassard was with the Rangers, the team acquired St. Louis, whose sensational career included two Art Ross Trophies as the NHL’s leading scorer. “On day offs, when no one would go in, he would go and work on his game,” Brassard remembered. “Everyone’s like, ‘The guy is 39 years old.’ He was working on his game all the time. One-timers, in-tight stuff, the little things. “I’m like, ‘If he is working on his game and he’s had 100 points, why can’t we?’ He had won scoring titles and stuff. It was pretty cool to see. You learn from other guys.” Brassard is now trying to pay it forward. Sitting two stalls from rookie Alex Formenton, he is taking the 18-year old under his wing. “He doesn’t talk much, but I’m sure he’s looking at other guys, the stuff they do, the way they practise,” said Brassard, who is usually among the first Senators on the ice. “Me and (Mark Stone) try to get him involved with the guys. Stoner brought him to shop, bought a pair of shoes and a sweater. “When I was younger, I always appreciated when older guys are nice to you. You feel more comfortable. You play better.” Last season, Brassard’s first with his hometown team, his point production dropped by 20. Boucher is certain his No. 1A centre will now be back to his old self, even after first-game adrenalin has run its course. “This year his mind, his body, his emotions … it’s all in the perfect place,” Boucher said. “The guy you saw (Thursday), that’s the Brass I know. If I have to be a betting man, he should be able to maintain it. Point-a-game, I don’t know, but I think the effort and everything that goes into it will continue to be there, I’m sure.” Acknowledgement for Boucher The cheers were louder for Erik Karlsson and other players, of course, but the reception Senators fans gave Boucher during pre-game introductions on Thursday was definitely a few decibels higher than what would usually be delivered to a coach. Boucher noticed the roar of approval. “Of course I recognized it, and it’s flattering, and I really, really appreciate it,” he said Friday. “I would lie if I’d say it’s a normal thing. Any time in your life you feel appreciated and you get recognition, whether it’s personally, on an every day level, or something that’s a lot grander, like yesterday, it makes you feel good.” 1076997 Ottawa Senators Petr Mrazek Sick Bay Game Day: Senators versus Red Wings Senators: Clarke MacArthur, Colin White, Erik Karlsson Red Wings: Johan Franzen, Tyler Bertuzzi, Niklas Kronwall Ken Warren, Published on: October 6, 2017 | Last Updated: October 6, The Big Match-Up 2017 7:59 PM EDT Henrik Zetterberg versus Jean-Gabriel Pageau: If you’re a betting man, bank on the pesky Pageau, moved back to centre and assigned to check the Red Wings’ future Hall of Famer. Zetterberg scored his 327th goal in Red Wings at Senators his 1,001st career-regular season game Thursday, a 4-2 win over the When/Where: 7 p.m., Canadian Tire Centre Minnesota Wild. TV: Sportsnet 1 Ottawa Citizen LOADED: 10.07.2017 Radio: TSN 1200-AM, 94,5, Unique FM Five keys to the game 1: The Big Line: The Senators were in seventh heaven — seven points — from the line of Bobby Ryan, Derick Brassard and Mark Stone against Washington. Can they stay hot? 2: Cleaning up the mess: For two periods against Washington, the Senators limited giveaways. When they started coughing up the puck in the third, Alex Ovechkin made them pay. 3: What does Detroit have left? The once mighty Red Wings aren’t want they used to be, missing the playoffs for the first time in a generation last season, but they did win their 2017-18 season opener and want to prove naysayers wrong. 4: What’s the shut down defence pair? Senators head coach Guy Boucher went into the season banking on a Cody Ceci-Johnny Oduya duo, but Oduya left Thursday’s game with a lower-body injury and Ceci struggled. 5: Not so special teams: If Capitals goalie Braden Holtby hadn’t robbed Brassard on a power play in overtime, we might not be having this discussion. Still, results matter and the Senators finished 0-for-5 with the man advantage, reminding fans of last season’s struggles. Special Teams Senators: PP 0% (15th), PK 100 % (6th) Red Wings: PP 40 % (2nd), PK 100 % (7th) Senators Gameday Lines Bobby Ryan-Derick Brassard-Mark Stone Mike Hoffman-Jean-Gabriel Pageau-Tom Pyatt Zack Smith-Kyle Turris-Ryan Dzingel Alex Formenton-Nate Thompson-Alex Burrows Defence Johnny Oduya-Cody Ceci Dion Phaneuf-Fredrik Claesson Mark Borowiecki-Chris Wideman Goalies Craig Anderson Mike Condon Red Wings Gameday Lines Tomas Tatar-Henrik Zetterberg-Gustav Nyquist Anthony Mantha-Dylan Larkin-Martin Frk Justin Abdelkader-Frans Nielsen-Darren Helm David Booth-Riley Sheahan-Luke Glendening Defence Dan Dekeyser-Trevor Daley Jonathan Ericsson-Mike Green Xavier Ouellet-Nick Jensen Goalies Jimmy Howard 1076998 Ottawa Senators

Chris Wideman makes instant mark on opening night for Senators

Ken Warren, Ottawa Citizen Published on: October 6, 2017 | Last Updated: October 6, 2017 7:46 PM EDT

Shoot first, ask questions later. As an organizational philosophy, that approach seems to work well for the Ottawa Senators. When Chris Wideman scored on the Senators’ first shot on goal of the National Hockey League season against Washington Capitals goaltender Braden Holtby on Thursday night — 6:25 into the first period — it wasn’t as rare as you might think. In 2015-16, Kyle Turris also opened the season by scoring on the Senators first shot against Buffalo Sabres goaltender Robin Lehner, a mere 30 seconds in. “It was just about getting the puck on net,” Wideman said. “The guys did a great job screening him. (Mark Stone) was kind of blind-folding him, so I was just fortunate that it went in.” It was a positive, and perhaps necessary, solid start for Wideman, who also registered a third-period assist on Stone’s second goal. With Erik Karlsson out of the lineup while recovering from left foot surgery, Wideman received playing time on the first unit of the power play. When Karlsson returns and if the rest of the defence corps is healthy, coach Guy Boucher will be forced to decide who comes out. Wideman could be the odd-man out, but, if he keeps putting up points, the decision gets tougher. “Any time you can contribute, it’s obviously good,” said Wideman, who played 19:51 against the Capitals. “We’re missing a big piece of our team right now and it’s on all the guys in the lineup to step up a little bit and try to help the team win. Any way you can do that, whether it’s offensively or defensively — that’s a big hole — it’s going to take all of us to fill it.” Ottawa Citizen LOADED: 10.07.2017 1076999 Ottawa Senators

Senators' Alex Formenton sprints into NHL with assists from ex-Leafs

KEN WARREN, OTTAWA CITIZEN Published on: October 6, 2017 | Last Updated: October 6, 2017 8:04 PM EDT

Get over it, Ottawa Senators fans. The surprise early arrival of Alex Formenton into the National Hockey League came with considerable help of former Toronto Maple Leafs stars Wendel Clark and Gary Roberts. Formenton, who will become the youngest player in modern Senators history (18 years, 24 days) when he makes his NHL debut Saturday against the Detroit Red Wings, was coached by Clark for four years with the Toronto Young Nationals, and last summer Formenton trained side by side, day after day, with Roberts in the gym. “He worked so hard,” Formenton’s proud father, Jim, said Friday. “(Roberts) knew it was important for him to get off to a good start with the organization. Now he’s writing his own little story here. It’s amazing to see him do this.” Nobody saw it coming, or could have. It was expected that Formenton, drafted in the second round (47th overall) by the Senators in June, would be shipped back to the Ontario Hockey League’s London Knights at some point towards the middle or end of training camp. Instead, he’ll become the first second-round pick to step directly into the NHL since Daniel Sprong of the Pittsburgh Penguins two years ago. “It’s definitely really exciting,” the soft-spoken speedster said following Friday’s practice. “If I get the opportunity, I want to make the best of it. It’s going to be something special if I do get to play. My whole family will be there.” The cast will include Jim Formenton, mother Christine, brother Justin and perhaps a dozen more family members, all of them stunned at how quickly it happened. “At 15, in his draft year in the OHL, he was 5-5 and maybe 140-145 pounds,” said Jim Formenton, who is best friends with Wendel Clark and works as a mechanic for Wendel Clark’s Meineke in Woodbridge, Ont. “He just kind of took off one year.” Now 6-2 and 165 pounds, Alex Formenton never wanted to do anything other than play hockey, even scooting around the basement on roller blades as a three-year-old. “I remember coming home from a weekend tournament after he played six games and I expected him to jump on the couch,” Jim Formenton said. “Instead, he jumped out of the car, put on his roller blades and started playing hockey on the driveway. “I said, ‘Come on in, let’s do something else.. He told me that this is what he wanted to do. Well, I guess it kept him out of trouble.” The 18-year-old will no doubt have butterflies leading up to his NHL debut, but events of the past week, including signing his first contract, making the opening-night roster and getting set for his regular-season debut Saturday, have also seemed unreal to his family. “I haven’t slept well all week, but in a good way,” his father said. “How did this happen?” Ottawa Citizen LOADED: 10.07.2017 1077000 Ottawa Senators “I like to think about it a little bit before the game and look at the lineup and what it’s going to be like,” Pageau said. “But every team now has a couple of good lines, so it’s hard now to get a good matchup. We had Another year, another round of uncertainty begins for the Senators some matchups (Thursday), but sometimes we lost those matchups with the power play and penalty killing and they changed up, so it’s hard to get a perfect match-up. KEN WARREN, OTTAWA CITIZEN “It’s always a personal challenge when you’re playing these skilled, talented guys and you take pride playing against them.” Published on: October 6, 2017 | Last Updated: October 6, 2017 5:53 PM EDT With or without Karlsson, the Senators must clean up their act inside their own blue-line. They were in control in the third period against Washington, ahead 3-1, but a cascade of miscues — a Cody Ceci giveaway, a Zack Smith giveaway, Nate Thompson losing his man — led Welcome back to another year of fun, games, distractions, injury to Alex Ovechkin’s hat trick tying the game 4-4. The Capitals then setbacks and who knows what for the Ottawa Senators. survived a Senators power play in overtime and won in the shootout. One game into a new National Hockey League season and it’s oh so “We didn’t get the result we wanted, but we did some good things and cloudy again inside Canadian Tire Centre. there are things we can work on,” said defenceman Chris Wideman, who Let’s begin with the hint of uncertainty about Kyle Turris’s future as had a goal and an assist. contract negotiations continue. Craig Anderson, who stopped 24 of 28 shots against the Capitals, will The talks — or at least talk about the talks — took a twist before start in goal. Thursday’s season-opening 5-4 shootout loss to the Washington Capitals Ottawa Citizen LOADED: 10.07.2017 when TSN’s Darren Dreger said the 28-year-old Turris, pending unrestricted free agent centre would be traded “at some point.” While neither Turris nor Senators general manager Pierre Dorion talked publicly Friday, it’s believed that Turris and his agent, Kurt Overhardt, are seeking a contract extension of seven or eight years, too long for the Senators to stomach. “I’m not going to talk about negotiations,” Overhardt said Friday. This much is crystal clear: If Dorion can’t come to terms with Turris, the Senators will have to deal him before losing him for nothing as a free agent next summer. Yet committing to Turris for the long term would be tricky. Bobby Ryan (five years remaining) and Dion Phaneuf (four years) are also on long- term deals, while Mark Stone can be a restricted free agent next summer and captain Erik Karlsson could become an unrestricted free agent following the 2018-19 season. Now back to the present, where Karlsson’s status for Saturday’s game against the Detroit Red Wings remained unclear Friday. Karlsson was on the ice for practice and paired with Mark Borowiecki, and Senators head coach Guy Boucher at least opened the door for a possible return by Karlsson, who had his left foot surgically repaired in June. “He looked great,” Boucher said. “It’s day to day, so any time now. I told him, ‘The day that (you are) ready, you tell me.’ And (Friday) he told me was doing great. That’s about it.” Johnny Oduya, a summer free-agent signing, is also iffy for Saturday’s game because of a lower-body injury in Thursday’s contest. He didn’t skate Friday. If Karlsson and Oduya are both sidelined on Saturday, the Senators will need to recall a defenceman from the Belleville Senators of the American Hockey League. Belleville opened its regular season Friday night against the Laval Rocket. “We have to see where all those guys are and make a decision,” Boucher said. As for forwards, the biggest news is that Alex Formenton is expected to make his NHL debut, replacing Logan Brown. Formenton, who turned 18 on Sept. 13, will become the youngest player in modern Senators history. Mika Zibanejad (18 years, 172 days) is the current record-holder. Formenton will likely begin the game on a line with Nate Thompson and Alex Burrows. “I wanted, as quickly as possible, to try and get both kids (Brown and Formenton) in and see how they’re managing stuff,” Boucher said. “(Detroit) has smaller, quicker, faster guys and that’s where Formenton has those qualities. I think it’s a perfect moment to get him in there, and the sooner the better.” After combining for three goals and four assists against Washington, the line of Bobby Ryan, Derick Brassard and Mark Stone will stay together, but Boucher will juggle elsewhere. Turris will serve as centre for Zack Smith and Ryan Dzingel. Jean- Gabriel Pageau will move back to centre from right wing, skating with Mike Hoffman and Tom Pyatt. Pageau will likely go head-to-head against Red Wings star centre Henrik Zetterberg. 1077001 Philadelphia Flyers “This is a hard league with veteran players, let alone with guys who are playing their first or second NHL game,” Hakstol said. “It’s a hard league.” For Flyers' rookie Nolan Patrick, more substance than flash in first two For Patrick and the other Flyers rookies, NHL 101 is underway and it will games | Sam Carchidi be a work in progress for the next six months. Philadelphia Inquirer / Daily News LOADED: 10.07.2017 Updated: OCTOBER 6, 2017 — 9:23 PM EDT by Sam Carchidi,

ANAHEIM, Calif. — For those who expected more scoring and more creativity from Nolan Patrick in his first two NHL games, take a deep breath and relax. The kid is going to be fine. The kid is going to be playing a long time and, eventually, will be the Flyers’ top-line center. Just because a player was drafted No. 2 overall doesn’t mean he’s going to step into the NHL and dominate. He turned 19 last month and, truth be told, he’s holding his own. There is more substance than flash in his game, and, in the long run, that will sustain a lengthy and successful career. In his first two games– a 5-3 win over San Jose, followed by a 2-0 loss to the physical Kings — Patrick didn’t score, but he didn’t look out of place, either. He played solid two-way games, especially in the opener, and made some crisp passes to set up scoring chances. “His hockey IQ is pretty impressive for a young player like that,” captain Claude Giroux said as the Flyers prepared to play in Anaheim on Saturday night. “He’s going to be a good player.” Patrick has sometimes shown a reluctance to shoot — for instance, he bypassed a golden scoring chance from the left circle on a power play in Los Angeles and made an ill-advised pass — but as he gets more comfortable, the shots, and goals, will come. “He can shoot and he will shoot,” general manager Ron Hextall said. “The one thing with a young player, sometimes you want to show a little respect for your linemates and a guy like Simmer [Wayne Simmonds], and you think pass first instead of thinking about what’s the right play. Typically, Nolan makes the right play, and he’ll get better as time goes on.” Hextall liked Patrick’s game in the opening-night win, but he thought his energy level dipped a bit in the hard-fought loss in Los Angeles. “But that’s pretty normal for most guys, let alone a 19-year-old,” Hextall said of playing games on back-to -back nights. “He’s very consistent on his reads, and his positioning on the ice is terrific. He had a pretty tough matchup [in L.A.], and I think for a 19-year-old, he’s made a nice account of himself and will learn from it.” Patrick, whose teammates call him “Patty,” has centered Jordan Weal and Simmonds. They combined for nine shots in the first game — three by each player — and just four in the loss. The game in Los Angeles was especially tight-checking and space was at a premium. “He had a tough matchup; he was playing against a pretty good guy,” said coach Dave Hakstol, referring to former Flyer Jeff Carter of the Kings. Patrick won just two of eight faceoffs. “He and his line battled hard against a big, heavy line.” “I think I can be better. I wasn’t good enough,” Patrick said after managing one shot against the Kings. “Just going to move on from here and hopefully be better the next game. Just stay confident and keep pushing.” Patrick, rounding into form after undergoing his second abdominal surgery in the last two summers, said the pace of the early regular- season games was obviously faster than it was in the preseason, “but I felt pretty good and I felt our line played pretty good.” His teammates were dumbfounded by how he showed no nerves in his debut. “Honestly, I wasn’t nervous at all,” he said. “I was more excited. They were kind of joking around with me before the game about it, and it was a good game and I was happy to get the first win.” Patrick plays unselfishly. To him, goals and assists are secondary. He just cares about victories. 1077002 Philadelphia Flyers — Laughton had a game-high five shots and, with linemates Taylor Leier and Michael Rafl, created several scoring chances.

— After going 3 for 5 on the power play in San Jose, the Flyers were 0 Which Flyers defenseman will be odd one out when roster is trimmed? for 5 against the Kings. … Claude Giroux said the Flyers “did a lot of good things” in L.A.: “I feel like the lines are starting to click a little bit and finding some chemistry. As frustrated as we are that we lost this game, Updated: OCTOBER 6, 2017 — 4:02 PM EDT we have to take a lot of good things out if it.” by Sam Carchidi, — Excluding an empty-net score, the Flyers have just one even-strength goal over two games.

Philadelphia Inquirer / Daily News LOADED: 10.07.2017 ANAHEIM, Calif. — In essence, the Flyers are holding open auditions for their final defensive spot. Enter Travis Sanheim and Samuel Morin, promising young defensemen who appear to still be battling for that last opening. Sanheim struggled during the first 40 minutes of his NHL debut Thursday as the Flyers dropped a 2-0 decision to Los Angeles at the Staples Center, but he settled down and played solidly in the third period. The question is, did he open the door for Morin to get a shot at staying with the Flyers, who plan to soon reduce their roster from eight defensemen to seven? Morin could play Saturday in Anaheim, and the fact that he has two years of AHL experience — one more than Sanheim — could work in his favor when a final roster decision is made. In the second period of Thursday’s hard-fought loss, Sanheim allowed Trevor Lewis to get behind him and score the game’s first goal, though he was caught out of position because of Scott Laughton’s neutral-zone turnover. Sanheim, who looked hesitant in the game’s early stages, later was penalized four minutes for high sticking and he finished minus-2 on the night. In the third period, he got more involved in the offense and had some scoring chances, resembling the player who tied for the team lead with three goals in the preseason. “I kind of wish the game could have gone on and I could go right into the next one because I started to feel more comfortable and started to play my game,” said Sanheim, 21, after the Flyers slipped to 1-1. After the game, general manager Ron Hextall reiterated he doesn’t want one of his young defensemen sitting as an extra. That implies that either Morin, a healthy scratch in the first two games, or Sanheim will be sent to the Phantoms during or after the road trip. “We’re not going to carry eight, but I don’t have a timeline necessarily,” Hextall said when asked when a decision would be made. “It could be tomorrow, it could be a week from now, it could be two weeks from now.” It will probably be sooner rather than later because Hextall wants his young players playing. The three rookie defensemen — Sanheim, Morin, and steady Robert Hagg — each bring a different skill set. Coach Dave Hakstol is deciding which of those skill sets matches up best against the strengths of each opponent, saying he would put together a lineup “specific to the team we’re playing against.” “We’re just looking for the right piece of the puzzle,” Hextall said. “Sam’s a big, heavy defensive defenseman. Hagg is a solid two-way guy, and Travis has a little more offense than both of them. You’ve got three different players there.” Hextall liked the way Sanheim overcame his poor start Thursday. “It’s his first NHL game and you have to take that into account,” Hextall said, “and as the game went on, he got better.” “This is a tough building and a tough environment to play your first NHL game,” Hakstol said of the Staples Center, “and I really liked how Travis stayed with it. I really thought he started to play his game in the latter half of the second period and the third period. That’s a positive. There’s going to be some jitters there.” Especially when a roster spot is hanging in the balance. Breakaways — Michal Neuvirth was outstanding as he stopped 25 of 27 shots, including a highlight-film save on Anze Kopitar in the opening period, but the Kings’ Jonathan Quick (35 saves) was flawless as he notched his 45th career shutout. — The Flyers, looking much faster than last season, have dominated the third period, territorial-wise, in each of the first two games. They outshot L.A., 17-5, in the third. 1077003 Philadelphia Flyers

10 observations from Flyers' 2-0 loss to Kings

Updated: OCTOBER 6, 2017 — 9:31 AM EDT by Sam Donnellon,

Takeways from the Flyers’ defeat Thursday night in Los Angeles. 1. There are no moral victories but… The Flyers were playing a second night in a row. The Los Angeles Kings were playing their season opener at home with new coach John Stevens – someone the players overwhelmingly supported for the job – in his first game. The Flyers brought energy. They peppered Jonathan Quick with 35 shots. In the third period, when their legs should have been the heaviest, they outshot the Kings, 17-6 – including an 11-1 stretch that begged for a tie game. 2. Travis Sanheim was minus-2 in his first game as a Flyer, playing a little less than 11 minutes. Paired with Radko Gudas in place of Brandon Manning, he also took a 4-minute penalty for drawing blood with a high stick, and had two shots on goal. Like Nolan Patrick the previous night, he wasn’t great, wasn’t a disaster. Neither goal was the result of any miscue on his part – a Scott Laughton turnover sprung Trevor Lewis behind him and resulted in the Kings’ second-period goal. Sanheim did not register a giveaway in his time on ice. 3. The defenseman derby: Among the three rookie defensemen, it will be interesting to see whether Sanheim or Samuel Morin suits up Saturday against Anaheim – or whether Morin replaces Robert Hagg alongside Shayne Gostisbehere. Hagg has been solid for much of the first two games, although he did take a foolish chance at mid-ice that led to a hooking call on Travis Konecny in the first period. 4. Nolan Patrick WATCH: 18 shifts, 14:20 of ice time, one shot, two missed nets, credited with a hit. He won two of his six faceoffs. There were flashes of what made him such a coveted pick – his first shift included a pestering takeaway in his own zone and a blast from the top of the circle that just missed the net. But mostly, he still seems to be getting comfortable in his first few games as a pro. 5. The power play: One night after generating three goals in five chances, the Flyers went 0 for 5. This might have something to do with Jonathan Quick being in the net rather than Martin Jones, and the Kings remaining disciplined on their penalty kill and not allowing Wayne Simmonds to sit in their goalie’s lap. 6. Even strength: This is the bigger issue, especially since it was such a focus this off-season. Two games into the season, the Flyers have one 5-on-5 goal. The new first line was outplayed by the Kings’ first line at the start of the game, although it created chances as the night progressed. Which leads to Observation 6. 7. Seven shots, no goals for first line. A night after Sean Couturier could not convert on six shots, he had two of his line’s seven, including a nice individual play that got him alone in front of Quick. He did not get a shot off. His skating and play-making have been fun to watch, but his finishing woes continue, and could jeopardize his spot on that line. Voracek, too, is in one of those familiar funks in which he’s thinking too much out there. With his linemates waiting for a shot at the doorstep last night, he skated himself right out of a great opportunity. 8. Michal Neuvirth. One night after Brian Elliott stopped 32 shots, Neuvirth made 25 saves and looked equally impressive. His glove grab as he moved post to post on Anze Kopitar might still have the Kings captain talking to himself. 9. Meanwhile … The fourth line of Taylor Leier, Scott Laughton and Michael Raffl was credited with nine shots on goal. Laughton, whom the Flyers protected in the expansion draft instead of Pierre-Edouard Bellemare and who beat out Hobey Baker finalist Mike Vecchione for a spot on the team, registered five of those shots. 10. Ivan the Rock: One night after logging 25:35 of ice time, Ivan Provorov put in 22:43 of work, 29 shifts in all Thursday. He played near- equal parts power play and shorthanded, had four of the Flyers’ 13 blocked shots, and finished even. Philadelphia Inquirer / Daily News LOADED: 10.07.2017 1077004 Philadelphia Flyers

Taylor Leier's mom has priceless reaction to hearing her son made the Flyers

By The700Level.com October 06, 2017 1:05 PM

Flyers rookie Taylor Leier has appeared in 16 NHL games over the past two seasons. But this year is different for the 23-year old. With an impressive camp and preseason, Leier edged out Matt Read, Oskar Lindblom and others to solidify his spot as a full-time NHL player. After being told he made the team, Leier called his mom to share the good news. And, as you can see in the video above, Leier’s mom couldn’t contain her excitement as her son’s dream came true. On the ice, Leier is a member of the Flyers’ speedy and revamped fourth line alongside Scott Laughton and Michael Raffl. Comcast SportsNet.com LOADED: 10.07.2017 1077005 Philadelphia Flyers latter half of the second period and in the third period. That’s a positive. There’s going to be some jitters there.”

Then again, if Hextall had it his way, he’d save Sanheim along with fellow Travis Sanheim makes costly mistake in debut as Flyers blanked by rookie defensemen Robert Hagg and Sam Morin for another day. Not Kings when you’re ready, when he’s ready, and most importantly, when they’re ready. All three will play this season. It just won’t be at the same time or with the same team. By John Boruk | NBC Sports Philadelphia October 06, 2017 4:20 AM “You can understand with these three guys, they’re three different players,” Hextall said. “Sam’s a big, heavy defensive defenseman. Hagg is a solid two-way guy and Travis has got a little more offense than both LOS ANGELES — On the way to the STAPLES Center Thursday, about of them. You’ve got three different players there.” three hours prior to puck drop, a fan on the street asked if there were any lineup changes. “How we piece our lineup together is going to be specific to the team we’re playing against and specific to the situation,” Hakstol said. It’s a curious question considering that less than 24 hours before that, the Flyers exploded for five goals, which included a power play that went 3 Yeah, yeah, yeah. Orange stars, yellow moons, blue diamonds and for 5. That feat coupled with Wayne Simmonds posting the franchise’s rainbows. first hat trick on opening night in a building where the Flyers rarely have had success. After Thursday’s shutout, you can see the line of thinking. A bowl of marshmallows would not make for a good team. Unless you carefully What more could one fan possibly want? craft them and combine them perfectly with the other bland pieces, you will fail to realize just how good the marshmallows can truly be. Yes, it’s a hypothetical, but you don’t have to venture too far to find the answer — whether that’s a block from the hotel or on a thread of Comcast SportsNet.com LOADED: 10.07.2017 comments listed below a Flyers-related story on the internet. People want to see the youth and they want to see it now. It’s like a bowl of Lucky Charms, except the Flyers’ young players are the marshmallows, and you can never get enough marshmallows. The rest of the cereal? That’s just filler for the bowl. On Thursday night, Travis Sanheim was the pink hearts or the green clovers or whatever color and shape you prefer. The 21-year-old made his NHL debut in the Flyers’ 2-0 loss to the Kings (see observations), much to the delight of anyone who was sitting at home in an orange and black sweater. All of that goodness that came out of the preseason was supposed to just carry over into the regular season. That’s what Sanheim’s girlfriend likely expected when she posted on social media earlier in the day that her sweetheart was playing in his first game. That sort of information is never to supposed to leave Ron Hextall’s double steel-plated vault. Regardless, it leaked out. After all, this was a coronation, so let the greatness commence. Never mind that Sanheim played his very first game in one of the league’s toughest venues against one of the league’s toughest teams. “This is a hard league,” head coach Dave Hakstol said. “You see it with veteran players, let alone with guys who are playing their first or second game. It’s a hard league.” That hard part wasn’t supposed to be part of Sanheim’s night, until the rookie was asked to describe his first taste of regular-season hockey. “Actually pretty disappointed with my effort,” Sanheim said. “I thought I could play a lot better. I started feeling more comfortable in the third. I got my feet under me and started to play more of my game, and getting up in the ice and making plays. I wish I could have done that early. Obviously, being my first game, I was a little hesitant early. I wish I could go back and tell myself maybe get a little bit more comfortable, start getting up in the ice and start playing my game.” The plays Sanheim was remembered for making in the preseason weren’t exactly the plays Sanheim will be remembered for following this game. Most notably a neutral-zone turnover that saw Trevor Lewis work his way behind Sanheim and the defense. A pass, a one-timer and just like that, a 1-0 Kings’ lead. “That shift in the second period was actually a turning point in this hockey game,” Hakstol said. “The one shift that they had there was a turnover that ended up in the back of the net. That’s something they’ll look at.” “Yeah, I saw him,” Sanheim said of Lewis. “My gap was a little off. With the turnover, I wish I was a little farther up. I think then he doesn’t see that play. I wish I could have had a better gap. That’s a mistake and something I can learn from.” Overall, Sanheim finished with 10:58 of ice time and a minus-two rating. He also somehow played just one single second on the power play, where he could have unleashed that rocket of a slap shot. As if Lucky Charms aren’t coated with enough sugar, Hakstol wanted to make sure he added one more teaspoon. “There’s lots of good to say,” Hakstol said. “This is a tough building and a tough environment to play your first NHL game and I really liked the way Travis stayed with it. I really thought he started to play his game in the 1077006 Philadelphia Flyers • A night after the Flyers’ power play exploded by converting 3 of 5 opportunities, the team came up empty against the Kings with an 0-for-5 performance. Flyers-Kings observations: Nothing gets past Jonathan Quick in shutout • Going back to the end of last season, the Flyers have started two rookies on defense in three of their last four games with three different combinations (Ivan Provorov-Sam Morin, Provorov-Robert Hagg, By John Boruk | NBC Sports Philadelphia October 06, 2017 1:00 AM Sanheim-Hagg). • The biggest franchise-altering trade between the Flyers and Kings took place on June 23, 2011, when was sent to L.A. for Wayne LOS ANGELES — The Los Angeles Kings redeemed last year’s home- Simmonds, Brayden Schenn and a second-round pick that was used to opening loss to the Flyers with a 2-0 victory Thursday night at the acquire Nicklas Grossmann. With the trade of Schenn this past offseason STAPLES Center. to St. Louis for two first-round selections and a potential third, we may not know the overall value of that trade for another five to 10 years. The Kings didn’t require a spectacular effort from Jonathan Quick, who was solid and steady as he stopped all 35 shots and survived an early Lines, pairings and scratches third-period wave. Forwards Michal Neuvirth made his first start of the season and stopped 25 of the 27 shots he faced in the defeat. Claude Giroux-Sean Couturier-Jakub Voracek • The Flyers (1-1-0) could not match Los Angeles' energy and speed in Jordan Weal-Nolan Patrick-Wayne Simmonds the opening nine minutes, as the Kings (1-0-0) had a considerable amount of zone time. The first period was one that Travis Konecny would Dale Weise-Valtteri Filppula-Travis Konecny rather forget. First, he failed to cover his man coming down center ice, Taylor Leier-Scott Laughton-Michael Raffl which resulted in a hooking penalty. As Konecny exited the box, he was immediately stripped of the puck, and as he scrambled back into the Defensemen Flyers’ zone, he committed another turnover that led to a Kings’ shot. Ivan Provorov-Andrew MacDonald • Jakub Voracek mentioned how he didn’t like the way the top line played defensively in the game against San Jose. Early on, the unit struggled Shayne Gostisbehere-Robert Hagg again to get back with its coverages against the Anze Kopitar line. Travis Sanheim-Radko Gudas • However, the trio of Voracek, Sean Couturier and Claude Giroux Goalies produced some prime scoring chances in the second period. Voracek had all sorts of time but was completely undecided on what to do in one Michal Neuvirth instance. Brian Elliott Later in the second, Giroux came out of the box and made a nice move to cut to the middle of the ice. Quick made the initial stop and Giroux had Scratches: Jori Lehtera, Brandon Manning, Sam Morin. a second opportunity to put back his own rebound. Comcast SportsNet.com LOADED: 10.07.2017 In the same period, Couturier glided across the front of the crease but couldn’t get off a quality shot. Three prime opportunities, but the Flyers were just unable to convert. • Part of the reason the Flyers didn’t generate some early speed like we saw in San Jose was that the Kings made life rough in the neutral zone. In fact, the Kings capitalized on one of those neutral-zone turnovers when Scott Laughton coughed it up. The Flyers’ defense fell out of position with Radko Gudas on the left side and Travis Sanheim on the right. Trevor Lewis slipped around Sanheim, who probably didn’t know he was there, for the easy one-timer off a pass from Nick Shore. • Making his NHL debut (see story), Sanheim played 4:48 in the first period, all at even strength. “I felt good out there,” Sanheim said. “It was nice to get through those first couple of shifts. Obviously, there were some nerves at the start of the game, but I felt good.” However, Sanheim was careless during the second period in getting his stick too high as he clipped Lewis in the face and drew blood, which resulted in a four-minute double minor. The Flyers’ PK killed off the full four minutes. • The Flyers' best stretch of hockey came in the third period as they outshot L.A., 11-1, in the first nine minutes of the final stanza, but they simply couldn’t capitalize with a game-tying goal. Then, with 2:21 left, Tyler Toffoli scored off an assist from Jeff Carter to extend the Kings' lead. • With 1:19 remaining in the first period, Neuvirth came up with the save of the night as he robbed Kings captain Kopitar with a fully-extended glove save. Neuvirth’s stop saved his defense after a turnover that led to L.A.'s quality scoring chance. Game two and this may be the best save we see all year. Incredible! pic.twitter.com/sJzRjN9nYC — NBC Sports Philly (@NBCSPhilly) October 6, 2017 Based on his starts in the preseason and Thursday night, Neuvirth is showing early signs of the goaltender who came to Philadelphia in 2015- 16. 1077007 Pittsburgh Penguins he cautioned, “When you get beat in the fashion we got beat, it's an important wake-up call for all of us.”

Tribune Review LOADED: 10.07.2017 Penguins coach Mike Sullivan rips team's 'commitment level' while allowing 10 goals by the Blackhawks

Jerry DiPaola Friday, Oct. 6, 2017, 2:48 p.m. Updated 5 hours ago

Penguins coach Mike Sullivan canceled a practice Friday that was scheduled to start about 12 hours after the end of the game in Chicago the night before.No one was given the day off, however. Sullivan and his coaches led players through a nearly hour-long video review of the historic 10-1 loss to the Blackhawks. When he met with reporters later, Sullivan had no panic in his voice, only a stern tone that indicated the problems with the 0-2 Penguins are all too real but fixable. Maybe Sullivan's most significant charge was questioning his players' “commitment level to play the game the right way.”Asked if a dip in commitment level speaks to effort, he agreed. “Yeah, it does,” he said. “And, I think, that's something we all pride ourselves in. That's something that's completely within all of our control. “We have to make sure we hold one another accountable to a certain standard, and I believe this group will do that.” That process could begin Saturday at PPG Paints Arena, where the Penguins will play the Nashville Predators, their opponent in last season's Stanley Cup Final. It will be the Penguins' third game in four nights. Recalling that Cup-clinching series illustrates how much has changed since June. The Penguins' final two games then were shutout victories by Matt Murray, who allowed 13 goals in six games — only three more than the Blackhawks scored in one. In fact, the 10 goals were the most allowed by the Penguins in a game in 21 years. It's a problem that can be reversed, Sullivan said. He already pinpointed some specific points that, he said, were emphasized during Friday's meeting. “Sometimes we get in certain modes where we're trying to outscore teams instead of just playing the game the right way,” he said.Players were not available for comment, but defenseman Kris Letang said Thursday night some of the problems are obvious. “I think the attention to detail needs to be better,” he said. “We over- backchecked twice and let the guy walk into the slot with a screen. It's just little details.” Sullivan specifically addressed other issues that were points of discussion in his meeting with the players. “It's hard to win in this league when you don't pay attention to those details,” he said. “It manifests itself in so many different ways. Whether it be puck battles, wall play or the trenches, we have to be more committed to win those battles.” He also wants to see more physicality. “At the end of the day, it boils down to some element of physicality,” he said. “That's what's been absent in our play away from the puck, most specifically in our end zone and even on the forecheck. “We anticipate the next play and are peeling off people. We're playing to someone, not through someone.” The Penguins allowed 15 goals in the first two games, including overtime in the opener. They didn't give up their 15th goal last season until the sixth game. “It starts with an attitude when we come to the rink in the morning,” Sullivan said. “I know we have what it takes to be competitive. We just have to heed the lessons.” The Penguins lost several players from last year's team, including Nick Bonino, Matt Cullen and Chris Kunitz. Patric Hornqvist hasn't played because of a hand injury, and general manager Jim Rutherford has mentioned seeking a third-line center in a trade since well before the season.The team is not perfect, but Sullivan said no one is panicing. Yet, 1077008 Pittsburgh Penguins Flyers 8, Penguins 4 April 15, 2012 11 of the Penguins' worst losses in the Sidney Crosby era In a first-round playoff series full of ugly performances by the Penguins, this might have been the worst. Daniel Briere scored twice as the Flyers jumped out to a 4-2 first-period lead. Fleury was pulled after giving up six JONATHAN BOMBULIE | Friday, Oct. 6, 2017, 7:09 a.m. goals on 28 shots, and Crosby fought Claude Giroux. Bruins 6, Penguins 1 For a few minutes, all Sidney Crosby could do was shake his head and June 3, 2013 express his embarrassment. Brad Marchand scored twice as the Bruins took a 4-1 first-period lead Eventually, he tried to look forward. and cruised to victory in Game 2 of the Eastern Conference finals. It was a series full of frustrating losses for the Penguins, but this was the only "You've got to evaluate it," Crosby said from a quiet visiting locker room one that wasn't close. at the United Center in Chicago on Thursday night. "Whether you win or lose, you've got to be honest about your game. It hasn't been good Devils 4, Penguins 0 enough. It's a tough lesson, but we've got to take something from it. Nov. 14, 2015 Hopefully this is something that is a wake-up call for us." Malkin's frank assessment of his team's performance stands out from this Crosby was referring to a 10-1 loss that just concluded moments before, brutal loss that was the beginning of the end of the Mike Johnston sending the Penguins to an 0-1-1 start to the season. The Blackhawks coaching era for the Penguins. "We're not playing right," Malkin said. blitzed the Penguins with four goals in a three-minute span of the first "We're not working hard. I know it's tough right now. We're mad at each period and rolled from there. other. We need to stop, look in the mirror and start working. We're not By goals allowed and margin of defeat, it was the worst loss of the working." Crosby era of Penguins hockey, which began in 2005. Capitals 7, Penguins 1 Crosby has burnished his reputation as hockey's ultimate winner in the Nov. 16, 2016 last two years by claiming the Conn Smythe trophy as playoff MVP in back-to-back seasons and adding a World Cup title and MVP honors Nicklas Backstrom had a five-point night and Matt Murray was knocked from that tournament to his resume. from the game in the first period after Malkin's stick accidentally clocked him in the head. "These games are humbling," coach Mike Sullivan said. But that doesn't mean he hasn't suffered his share of memorable "We were embarrassed out there tonight. All of us." lopsided losses, too. Here's a look at a few of them. Capitals 5, Penguins 2 Senators 6, Penguins 3 May 8, 2017 April 11, 2007 Andre Burakovsky scored a pair of goals and Washington built a 5-0 lead The first playoff game in the career of a 19-year-old Crosby, 20-year-old before the Penguins scored two seemingly meaningless goals late in the Evgeni Malkin and 18-year-old Jordan Staal was a shock to the system. third period in Game 6 of a second-round playoff series. As it turns out, Andrej Meszaros and Chris Kelly scored in the first seven minutes and they weren't meaningless. They set the tone for a decisive 2-0 Penguins Ottawa went up 6-1 before a couple of goals in garbage time. "They beat victory in Game 7 two days later. us in every aspect of the game," coach Michel Therrien said. "We can't be worse than that." Senators 5, Penguins 1 Flyers 8, Penguins 2 May 17, 2017 Dec. 11, 2007 The Senators scored four goals in 13 minutes to show the Penguins they meant business in Game 3 of the Eastern Conference finals. The game Joffrey Lupul had three goals and three assists and Plum's R.J. is memorable because it was Fleury's last appearance for the Penguins. Umberger also recorded a hat trick as the Flyers gave a sound thrashing He gave up four goals on nine shots before giving way to Murray for to their intrastate rivals. The game is most remembered, however, at good. least by Penguins fans, for the beating 41-year-old Gary Roberts gave 23-year-old Ben Eager in a third-period fight. Tribune Review LOADED: 10.07.2017 Red Wings 5, Penguins 0 June 6, 2009 In the pivotal fifth game of the Stanley Cup Final, the Red Wings scored three power-play goals, Pavel Datsyuk returned from injury to record two assists and Marc-Andre Fleury was pulled after giving up five goals on 21 shots. The game turned out to be the ultimate wake-up call for the Penguins, though, who won the next two games to claim the franchise's third Stanley Cup. Islanders 9, Penguins 3 Feb. 11, 2011 Michael Grabner and Matt Moulson had two goals apiece as the Islanders cruised to a decisive victory, but those were merely footnotes on this night. Trevor Gillies gave Eric Tangradi a concussion with a vicious elbow, winger Micheal Haley fought Penguins goalie Brent Johnson and 15 fighting majors, 21 game misconducts and 346 penalty minutes were handed out in this unforgettable mess of a brawl game. Afterwards, owner Mario Lemieux issued a scathing statement, criticizing the state of the NHL. Lightning 8, Penguins 2 April 23, 2011 Playing without Crosby and Malkin due to injury, the Penguins managed to win three of the first four games of a first-round playoff series with Tampa Bay anyway. The tide turned with a Game 5 blowout. Simon Gagne, Pavel Kubina and Steven Samkos had two goals apiece. 1077009 Pittsburgh Penguins “When we don’t manage the puck appropriately, we give teams freebies,” Sullivan said. “We give them opportunities that are high quality. That was the case on a lot of the goals [Thursday] night. When you look at the Mike Sullivan insists the Penguins will ‘respond the right way’ Nam Y. genesis of some of those scoring chances, it started with our lack of Huh/Associated Press diligence to manage the puck in the critical areas of the rink.” This has been a problem when the Penguins have struggled under Sullivan dating to 2015-16 — OK, they didn’t struggle much then — and JASON MACKEY it’s hardly uncommon for skilled hockey clubs. 8:07 PM OCT 6, 2017 Good offensive players are, by nature, risk-takers. When those gambles backfire, well … you have the dumpster fire that transpired Thursday night. Pretty much the last thing you should expect is for Penguins coach Mike • The second thing Sullivan would like to see change is for the Penguins Sullivan to go bananas over an October loss, even one as rotten as what to be a little more physical in their end. And while Sullivan admitted that transpired Thursday night at United Center in Chicago. the Penguins aren’t exactly built to bang, they need to do something, anything. Does that mean he won’t get irritated? Of course not. Sullivan fumed afterward, and deservedly so. As Sullivan reiterated Friday at UPMC “We’ve got to create separation from the puck,” Sullivan said. “We’ve got Lemieux Sports Complex, “We were all embarrassed, quite honestly. to get into peoples’ bodies. We’ve got to disrupt puck possession. We’ve None of us want to go through that experience.” got to stop cycles. We have to do that by playing to our strengths. We have to use our skill sets to win puck battles. The experience to which Sullivan was referring, of course, was the Penguins’ 10-1 beatdown at the hands of a really good Blackhawks “At the end of the day, it boils down to some element of physicality. team, the worst loss of Sullivan’s tenure here and one he called That’s what has been absent in our play away from the puck, I think, “disturbing.” most specifically in our end zone. Even on the forecheck, we’re anticipating that next play and peeling off people instead of … if we’re a A day later, Sullivan sacked practice a few hours before its scheduled stick length [away], we’re playing to someone not through someone.” start time in favor of a video session, one in which he peppered his players with clips from the Chicago game. No word on whether anyone • The Penguins get a chance to change all of that when a familiar foe puked. enters the building Saturday in the Nashville Predators. Probably a good thing, too. Penguins players look up at the big screen at the United Center after Chicago's Brandon Saad scored his third goal of the night Thursday. Sullivan’s team responded to adversity plenty in the 2017 Stanley Cup final and throughout the playoffs the past two seasons. He’s confident After the 60-minute session concluded, Sullivan was upbeat and they’re going to once again here. generally optimistic that his team will be able to turn things around rather quickly. “When you get stung like that, I think the most important takeaway is that we heed the lessons,” Sullivan said. “Where are we going to go from “We believe in them,” Sullivan said. “We know they’ll respond the right here? How do we respond? way. We’re not going to overreact to this. We’re going to heed the lessons. “We believe in this group. I know that we have what it takes to be competitive. We just have to heed the lessons.” “It starts with an attitude when we come to the rink in the morning. We have to make sure that we come with the right attitude, that we’re ready Post Gazette LOADED: 10.07.2017 and willing to play the game the right way.” Sullivan offered plenty of thoughtful, strong and well-articulated comments in his 10-minute session with the media. Here are a few takeaways from that: • The coaching staff is discussing changes. Sidney Crosby #87 of the Pittsburgh Penguins brings the Stanley Cup to the ice before to raising their 2017 championship banner prior to playing the St. Louis Blues at PPG PAINTS Arena on October 4, 2017 in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. Whether or not they’ll include more juggling of lines and defense pairings — Sullivan got a head start when things went sideways against the Blackhawks — or bringing Josh Archibald or Chad Ruhwedel into the fold remains unclear. But there’s a good chance you’ll see something different. And soon. “We have some ideas going into tomorrow’s game,” said Sullivan, never one to shy away from a bold lineup change. “What I’ve always liked about this group of players that we have is we have some versatility in being able to move people around depending on who our opponent is or how our team is going at a particular time.” • The issues plaguing the Penguins — they’ve given up 15 goals in two games — are more mental than physical. Or, at least by saying what he said, Sullivan could prefer that his team walk before trying to run. “For me, it starts with a mindset,” Sullivan said. “I said that [Thursday] night after the game. It’s hard to win in this league. Right now, more so than results, our coaching staff is concerned or focused on just the mindset or the commitment level to play the game the right way. I think when this team starts there, we’re competitive and we can play with anybody.” • If we are going to talk Xs and Os, Sullivan identified two things he would like to see change. One, the Penguins’ play with the puck. Essentially, to be way more careful with it. 1077010 Pittsburgh Penguins “We’ll see how it plays out and see what comes our way. McKegg has played well. And Carter has played well, too. Our two games have had nothing to do with our third- and fourth-line centers. Can we make that Jim Rutherford not letting Penguins' lopsided loss affect his thinking position stronger at some point? Yeah. We’re going to. But as long as those two guys keep going the way they’re going, that’s not going to affect them because one of them can move to the wing.” JASON MACKEY The biggest change the Penguins can make at this point is getting Hornqvist back. As Rutherford said, it’s not far off. Hornqvist has been 4:23 PM OCT 6, 2017 skating on his own and is due to rejoin practice any day now. Not a minute too soon, really. The Penguins chartered flight home from Chicago touched down around “When he’s out of the lineup, it affects [the lineup],” Rutherford said. 2 a.m. Friday. General manager Jim Rutherford was back in his office “Right from preparing in the morning skate to the pregame to the less than seven hours later. dressing room to what he does on the ice. But we can’t use that as an excuse. All teams are going to have injured players. We have to pick up “No time for resting,” Rutherford told the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette by the slack. We certainly have enough good players that our play could phone a few hours later. “There’s work to be done.” have been better than what it’s been in the first two games.” The period of time between the Penguins’ 10-1 shellacking at United Post Gazette LOADED: 10.07.2017 Center and Rutherford’s return to his normal work routine provides pretty much all you need to know about the state of the team. For one, nobody was happy. Mike Sullivan reacts after Brandon Saad scored his third goal of the night Thursday. But there’s also zero panic, Rutherford explained, citing a story from his first Stanley Cup season as GM of the Carolina Hurricanes. “I played on some bad teams,” Rutherford said. “You weren’t surprised when it happened. I guess people are more surprised it happened to the defending Stanley Cup champions. “I also go back to 2006. Not that we were the defending champs, but the year in 2006, when Carolina won the Cup, we lost a game at home, 9-0 [to Atlanta Nov. 12, 2005]. Everybody thought the season was coming to an end at that point. It obviously wasn’t. “The fact of the matter is, we lost at home to St. Louis last year and we lost in Chicago last year. We’re one point ahead of where we were a year ago.” In the lineup that November night for Rutherford’s Hurricanes was Matt Cullen, who now is with the Minnesota Wild. The loss Thursday offered a difficult reminder that Cullen, Chris Kunitz and Nick Bonino are no longer with the team, and Patric Hornqvist remains out because of offseason hand surgery. “It’s obvious that we lost some good dressing room guys,” Rutherford said. “We have other guys in the room that can take more responsibility. Penguins goalie Antti Niemi blocks a shot as defenseman Olli Maatta (3) and Chicago winger Richard Panik battle for the puck in the first period. “You have guys who are not with the team. You have another one of our real good dressing room guys [Hornqvist] who’s not in the game. That’s a big chunk of that.” Then Rutherford offered some good news for Penguins fans regarding Hornqvist. “He’ll be back soon,” the GM promised. Spinning this to the positive, though, doesn’t mean the Penguins had a relaxed flight home from the Windy City. Things were definitely tense, the frustration palpable. “It was a very quiet flight,” Rutherford said. “The only people I could hear talking were the flight attendants.” Penguins coach Mike Sullivan canceled practice Friday in favor of an early afternoon video session. When he combs through everything, Sullivan will find plenty of defensive breakdowns and also a performance lacking emotion — which Kris Letang cited after the game. Rutherford offered a similar assessment of his team’s play thus far. “We didn’t come with the same intensity and the will to play the game the right way,” Rutherford said. “That’s what we have to get back to.” The temptation here might be to swing a deal for a higher-profile third- line center and soon, but that isn’t what has crept into Rutherford’s head. He’s actually quite happy with how Greg McKegg and Carter Rowney have fared so far. “The third-line center didn’t affect the two games,” Rutherford said. 1077011 St Louis Blues Although he was bloodied, Dunn said he didn’t need any stitches and didn’t lose any teeth.

“They’re all good,” he said. “So far, so good.” Upshall jumps right into lineup St Louis Post Dispatch LOADED: 10.07.2017

By Jim Thomas St. Louis Post-Dispatch 4 hrs ago (…)

Two weeks ago Scottie Upshall was in China. On Wednesday, after just a few skates with the Blues, he was back in the lineup as if he’d never left. “It feels like it was yesterday we were lacing up in the playoffs and now here we are with a new season,” Upshall said. The veteran forward signed with the Blues last Sunday, and like a football player returning to his former team, he already knew the “playbook” as well as the organizational approach. “It’s just nice to be back in this room with these guys,” Upshall said. “Nothing’s changed. Our focus and attention to detail is the same as it was last year, and we’ve just got to keep building on it.” Playing on the Blues’ fourth line, Upshall was on the ice for 10 minutes, 9 seconds and 13 shifts in the season-opener against Pittsburgh. “I thought he played well,” coach Mike Yeo said Friday. “He brought good energy for us. He’s got good energy on the bench. Penalty kill was good. “I thought our penalty kill last game was very good. We’ll be really tested again (against Dallas) with that. But other than the 5-on-3 goal and really for most of that, we did a heck of a job. That’s a big part of the game right now and I thought he did a good job with that.” While with the Vancouver Canucks on a tryout contract last month, Upshall spent five days and played two exhibition games in China. “It was a great experience,” he said. “They’re trying to promote hockey over in Asia. China’s hosting the 2022 Olympics. They now have a KHL team. So I think they’re looking to promote our brand over there.” Besides playing a game in Shangai and one in Beijing, Upshall and the rest of the Canucks got some sightseeing in. They toured the Great Wall, walked the Bund on the waterfront in Shanghai, and ate some Chinese dumplings. “It was cool,” Upshall said. TOM BRADY HE’S NOT Center Brayden Schenn said his reaction basically was the same as his teammates when he tossed the puck down the ice in the third period in Pittsburgh. “What the heck was that?” Schenn said. “A little Tom Brady in the pocket there. • BLUES TALK: Sound off about the 2017-18 season “As soon as I threw it, I knew it was a penalty. I went right to the box. No argument. I looked at the bench and I think they were all just shaking their heads. Brain cramp on Game 1, and gotta get rid of those.” Schenn spoke following the Blues’ morning skate Friday, his first comments on his bizarre puck-tossing penalty. It gave the Penguins a 5- on-3 advantage and helped Pittsburgh rally to tie the score 4-4, although the Blues won 5-4 in overtime. Predictably, Schenn got his share of text messages after the game. “I don’t think many texts would’ve came in if we lost that game,” he said. “I think people were allowed to laugh after it. When I did it, I don’t even know what the heck I was thinking. I just grabbed it, and it was a blackout play, and tossed it down the ice. I’m playing the wrong sport for that one.” Schenn had a goal and an assist, and was the Blues’ best faceoff man in the contest. FACE TIME Along with fellow rookie Tage Thompson, defenseman Vince Dunn got a game puck from equipment manager Joel Farnswoth, commemorating their first NHL regular season game. In Dunn’s case, it just might have been the same one that struck him in the face, momentarily sidelining him during the Penguins game. “Right in the mouth,” Dunn said. 1077012 St Louis Blues Scottrade, the team embarks on a four-game trip to New York and Florida. After an Oct. 18 pit stop at home against Chicago, it’s off to Colorado and Las Vegas. No red carpet for Hitchcock at Blues' home opener “The start of the year’s just as important as the finish,” center Brayden Schenn said. “You know, you want to be at the top of the standings or at least keep pace with the rest of the teams, and you don’t want to fall By Jim Thomas St. Louis Post-Dispatch 4 hrs ago (…) behind in this league, especially in this division how good it is. “So you gotta get the two points at home when you can.” There’s a Tim Hortons on Tucker Boulevard, not far at all from Scottrade Although the team hasn’t stressed over its injury situation, the Blues are Center. You will not find Ken Hitchcock and Mike Yeo there chopping it missing 303 games, 53 goals and 81 assists from their 2016-17 roster in up on Saturday afternoon. sidelined players Steen, Patrik Berglund (shoulder), Jay Bouwmeester (ankle), Robby Fabbri (knee) and Zach Sanford (shoulder). “Yeah, I don’t think that we’ll be sitting down and having coffee with each other,” Yeo said. “That’s (not) the way it works. I’ve got a lot of friends in Every point they can put in their pockets before some of those players the game, as does he. Game days are game days.” return is a bonus. On this game day the big fella is back in town. The man known as “Hitch” “When you’re missing four, five ... important parts to our team, we gotta took over a Blues franchise that had missed the playoffs five of the find ways to get as many points as we can and not use that as an previous six years and helped put it back on the map. excuse,” center said. Before getting fired last Feb. 1, Hitchcock led the Blues to five straight “We had injuries last year,” team captain Alex Pietrangelo said. “We playoff seasons and piled up 248 regular-season victories, second only played through it. Organizational depth is key. Even played without Fab to Joel Quenneville’s 307 in franchise history. But there will be no in the second half of the year, we got through it. You obviously want Hitchcock bobbleheads passed out Saturday night at Scottrade, nor any those guys back, that’s the ultimate goal. But these young guys are lengthy salutations. stepping up, playing good.” The Blues come to bury Hitchcock, not praise him. OK, at least they want St Louis Post Dispatch LOADED: 10.07.2017 to defeat his Stars in the 7 p.m. faceoff. “I’m still incredibly grateful and appreciative of my time with Hitch,” Yeo said. “I learned a lot from him and I really enjoyed working with him.” But Yeo quickly added: “He’s gonna want to beat us and we’re gonna want to beat his team. So we’ve gotta make sure we’re ready to go.” It’s the home opener for the Blues. The late Noel Picard, a Blues legend and original Blue, will be honored before the game. There are all sorts of additional pregame festivities planned. Many Blues players will have friends and relatives coming in for the contest. After spoiling the Penguins’ Stanley Cup banner-raising party Wednesday in Pittsburgh, the Blues don’t want the Stars to do the same thing to them in St. Louis. “Absolutely not,” defenseman Joel Edmundson said. “That’s why we want to try and stop ’em. We want Blues fans to go home cheering.” And the Stars to, well, just go home. Actually, this will be Hitchcock’s second time in the building since taking over as coach of the Stars. Two weeks ago the Stars played here in a preseason contest. And on Sept. 19, the Blues played in Dallas in their exhibition opener. Yeo said he took two things out of those contests. No. 1: “We got our butt kicked.” No. 2: “Not to play the way that we did.” The Blues lost 5-3 in Dallas, and lost veteran Alexander Steen with a broken hand after an unpenalized slash by Antoine Roussel. Four days later in St. Louis, Dallas outshot the Blues 37-21 and outscored them 4-0. “Obviously I think that we had a little bit younger groups in those games, but you could see that (the Stars) were bought-in to a lot of the things that Hitch preaches,” Yeo said. “We know what some of those things are. It’s what successful teams do, and we have to make sure that we’re ready for those areas.” Dallas was physical in both contests. Actually, that was the case even in the Blues-Stars contest in the NHL prospects tournament in Traverse City, Mich. “They’re a pretty rough team,” said rookie defenseman Vince Dunn. He was on the ice against the Stars in Traverse City as well as the Sept. 19 preseason game in Dallas. “I think for my size, I just need to push back a little bit and not play too small,” said Dunn, who’s listed at 6-0, 203 pounds. “I’m expecting a hard game,” Edmundson said. “We know the way Hitch coaches and they’re just gonna try to grind us down. So the team that sticks to their system the longest, sticks to the basics, I think that’s who’s gonna win the game. But it should be a battle.” With seven of the Blues’ first nine games on the road, it’s extra-important to squeeze out two points at home. Following Saturday’s contest at 1077013 St Louis Blues As for the 30 starts, president of baseball operations John Mozeliak pointed out: “I also think the evolution of starting pitching — not many get to 200 (innings) anymore. So understanding what that looks like is Blues open home slate after showing character in Pittsburgh probably why you see more 13-man staffs because you’re backfilling for those unpitched starting innings.”

CARDS TALK: Sound off about offseason moves 5 hrs ago (…) Remember Delvin Perez? He was the excitable but controversial (PEDs) Benjamin Hochman first-round pick from 2016. He’s still only 18 — turns 19 on Nov. 24 — but had what Mozeliak called “a frustrating year for him.”

The thin infielder spent time at two affiliates, the Johnson City Cardinals We’re so close — like, an Alex Pietrangelo toe-drag away — from the and also back with the Gulf Coast Cardinals. Blues’ home opener, and I can already hear the crackly recording of the Glenn Miller Orchestra and Charles Glenn’s “o’er the ramparts” and the He hit better in the Gulf Coast League, but even that wasn’t necessarily welcoming, harmonic and soothing sound of the arena foghorn. good. Perez had a .238 average with a .320 on-base percentage. It was the smallest of sample sizes possible, but in their lone game, the “He didn’t take that big leap forward,” Mozeliak said. “He’s somebody we Blues showed the character they’ll need to survive this month without will spend a lot of time and energy on this offseason and make sure he’s Alexander Steen and Jay Bouwmeester. Those two vets are pests on the prepared for what he needs to do. Sometimes when you have those penalty kill and, the former more than the latter, provide stability in five- young high school players there is a lot to learn. First-rounders also have on-five play. I don’t think it’s fair to truly evaluate this year’s Blues until a lot more expectation on them. For him the learning curve was more we see this year’s Blues out there. But in the meantime, the short term, difficult. Still a talented young man and someone we are excited about.” they’re going to have to snatch some points off the schedule. And on the road, too. And one game down, they’ve done just that, winning a game In Perez’s first year in the organization, he stole 12 bases and was that looked daunting from the day the schedule was announced. thrown out once. In his second season (17), he was five for 10. OK, some more thoughts heading into Saturday night: Earlier this week, a Kentucky football writer tweeted a link. It was to audio of a Kentucky player, talking about the upcoming game with Mizzou. I • Naturally, a guy might have some extra adrenaline in his first game, but could imagine the audio went something like this: “Our punt return team Tage Thompson was sure fun to watch Wednesday — and I’m excited to is extremely hydrated and ready for the Tigers!” see kid in person Saturday. His confidence with his stick-handling is what stood out to me at Pittsburgh, as he unleashed a few nifty moves to My prediction: Wildcats 27, Tigers 17. create space and, thus, offense. Congrats to our friend Dan O’Neill, longtime Post-Dispatch sports scribe, He turns 20 on Oct. 30 against the Kings, one of just five home games who has a new book out: “When The Blues Go Marching In.” Some fun this month. stuff in there. He’ll be signing books and talking hockey Saturday from 2- 4 p.m. at the Book House, during Maplewood’s Toast To Local Beer • Last season, by the Winter Classic, Colton Parayko had yet to score a Fare. goal. He of course netted one in the first game this season. During camp, coach Mike Yeo, Parayko, Al MacInnis, everyone talked about how And you can debate with him whether last year was the Blues’ 50th year Colton could and should ascend as an offensive threat — and not by his (which was of course widely celebrated, since it was the Blues’ 50th year trademark glides up ice with the puck on his stick. Ascend as in scoring a since inception) … or if this is the 50th year (because the 2004-05 bunch of scorchers. He’s one-for-one. lockout canceled a full season, meaning this will be the 50th season the Blues play hockey)? MORNING SKATE: Daily Blues updates St Louis Post Dispatch LOADED: 10.07.2017 • Vladimir Sobotka has a fascinating balance out there. He shows poise and patience, which led to his second assist in the first game. But there is that beautiful restlessness against the boards, No. 71 playing with this tenacity that just smothers. • It was hard to tell — is Pittsburgh’s defense in transition just that bad, or are the Blues just that good at energizing offense? So far, so bad for the Penguins (the Hawks beat them 10-1 on Thursday). BLUES TALK: Sound off about the 2017-18 season • Seven of the Blues’ first nine games are on the road. That’s ridiculous, even if the team went 14-4-1 under Yeo on the road last year, which is ridiculous in its own way. • Brayden Schenn should be punished for his puck-throw by having to change numbers with Scottie Upshall, so Upshall can be 10 again, and we can all stop being confused. Quick NFL thought. The Cam Newton saga was tough to watch, but it showed us a couple of things. First, we found out that some NFL players don’t believe women can know the game. And that, hopefully now, those same NFL players sure as hell know that women DO know the game. Some Cardinals talk: Can Luke Weaver start 30 games next year? “We talked about this in our meetings — the way Luke pitched, just like every other pitcher, there are going to be an ideal number of innings that we think they’re going to be suited for,” manager Mike Matheny said. “What, did Luke throw 160 this year? (Actually it was 138.) He’s tracking well toward being a guy who could be in a rotation for an extended period of time. We’re always watching as we go what everybody looks like and if they might need a little time and take into consideration the previous couple of years and what their build-up has been, but he’s tracking in the right direction.” I sincerely enjoyed watching the confidence of Weaver down the stretch — he had this I-belong-here demeanor. I was also disheartened by his final two outings. And it’s fair to point out the three worst starts of his 10 were against quality clubs — the Diamondbacks, Brewers and Cubs. But as it stands, he’ll have to be a reliable starting pitcher for the 2018 Cards to compete. 1077014 St Louis Blues Upshall-Brodziak-Thorburn Defense Schenn on his puck toss: 'A little Tom Brady in the pocket there' Pietrangelo-Edmundson Parayko-Gunnarsson By Jim Thomas St. Louis Post-Dispatch 12 hrs ago Bortuzzo-Dunn St Louis Post Dispatch LOADED: 10.07.2017 Chalk it up to an out-of-body experience. Blues center Brayden Schenn said his reaction probably was the same as everybody else when he tossed the puck down the ice in the third period Wednesday in Pittsburgh. "What the heck was that?" Schenn said. "A little Tom Brady in the pocket there. "As soon as I threw it, I knew it was a penalty. I went right to the box. No argument. I looked at the bench and I think they were all just shaking their heads. Brain cramp on Game 1, and gotta get rid of those." Schenn spoke following the Blues' morning skate Friday, his first comments on his strange puck tossing penalty. It gave the Penguins a 5- on-3 advantage, and led to a Pittsburgh rally that tied the game 4-4 in a game the Blues eventually won 5-4 in overtime. Predictably, Schenn got his share of text messages after the game. "I don't think many texts would've came in if we lost that game," he said. "I think people were allowed to laugh after it. When I did it, I don't even know what the heck I was thinking. I just grabbed it, and it was a blackout play, and tossed it down the ice. I'm playing the wrong sport for that one." Schenn had a goal, an assist, and was the Blues' best faceoff man in the contest. PUCK IN THE FACE Along with fellow rookie Tage Thompson, defenseman Vince Dunn got a game puck from equipment manager Joel Farnswoth, commemorating their first NHL regular season game. Who knows, it may have been the same one that struck Dunn in the face, momentarily sidelining him during the Penguins game. "Right in the mouth," Dunn said. Although he was bloodied, Dunn said he didn't need any stitches and didn't lose any teeth. "They're all good," he said. "So far, so good." Dunn said he tried to get the nervousness out of the way on his first shift, but settled in after that. The fact that the Blues left PPG Paints Arena with a victory made his first game all the more memorable. "It's something you dream about as a kid," he said. "For that dream to finally come true, it's a big moment in my life. I just kinda gotta look up from here and keep moving forward and try and improve myself each day." FRIDAY'S MESSAGE After a players' day off Thursday, coach Mike Yeo brought a message to the team for Friday's practice: "You're gonna win games, you're gonna lose games but our mentality is every day we come back to the rink and we're gonna try and get better," Yeo said. "I thought we had a good practice. I thought we had a good video (session). This is one game into a long process of not trying to get too caught up in the big picture. I don't think anyone's gonna get too overly excited about the fact that we won one hockey game. "At some point here we're gonna lose a hockey game and we're not gonna just let that derail us either." THE LINES There were no changes in lines or defensive pairings Friday from what the Blues went with in Pittsburgh. Forwards Sobotka-Stastny-Tarasenko Schwartz-Schenn-Jaskin Paajarvi-Sundqvist-Thompson 1077015 Tampa Bay Lightning Joe Smith can be reached at [email protected]. Follow @TBTimes_JSmith.

THROUGH OUR LENS: Here's what the Lightning opener looked like to Lightning opens season with win over Panthers Tampa Bay Times photographers. Lightning 1 1 3 5 Joe Smith Panthers 0 2 1 3 Friday, October 6, 2017 11:39PM Lightning 1 1 3 5 Panthers 0 2 1 3 TAMPA — The roar was deafening when Lightning captain Steven First—1, Tampa Bay, Palat 1 (Point, Hedman), 6:33. Penalties—Sustr, Stamkos was fittingly introduced last before Friday's season opener. TB, (slashing), 8:25; Kucherov, TB, (slashing), 14:35. Finally, Stamkos was back. And finally, after a painfully long, playoff-less Second—2, Tampa Bay, Point 1, 0:25. 3, Florida, Brickley 1 (Petrovic), summer, so was hockey. 12:21. 4, Florida, Pysyk 1 (Vrbata, Trocheck), 17:47. Penalties—McGinn, "The guys were so excited and amped up to play this game, knowing FLA, (slashing), 0:47; Sergachev, TB, (hooking), 5:03; Sceviour, FLA, how long the fans have been waiting for hockey that meant something," (slashing), 13:33; Ekblad, FLA, (slashing), 19:40. Stamkos said. Third—5, Tampa Bay, Namestnikov 1 (Killorn, Stamkos), 0:59 (pp). 6, And if Tampa Bay finds a way like it did for its 5-3 victory over the Tampa Bay, Kucherov 1, 6:38. 7, Florida, Huberdeau 1 (Dadonov, Panthers in front of a sellout crowd of 19,092 at Amalie Arena, Yandle), 14:30. 8, Tampa Bay, Palat 2 (Point), 19:46. Penalties— meaningful hockey might be played here in the spring. It wasn't the Hedman, TB, (slashing), 16:49. Shots on Goal—Florida 10-12-14—36. Lightning's best performance, but it showed resolve after blowing a two- Tampa Bay 6-11-8—25. PP opps—Florida 0 of 4; Tampa Bay 1 of 3. goal lead. Goalies—Florida, Luongo 0-1-0 (24 shots-20 saves). Tampa Bay, Vasilevskiy 1-0-0 (36-33). "We got better as the game went on," coach Jon Cooper said. Tampa Bay Times LOADED: 10.07.2017 With slow starts to the season plaguing Tampa Bay the past two seasons, wing Ryan Callahan said he had never seen this group so hungry heading into an opener. Pundits all over North American have pegged Tampa Bay a Stanley Cup contender, just like it was before last season's stunning playoff whiff. There were plenty of reasons for the Lightning to feel encouraged after the game. Goalie Andrei Vasilevskiy, opening his first full season as No. 1, was the team's best player early with some stellar, point-blank stops. "If he lets a couple of those in, it's a whole new game," center Brayden Point said. Point had a monster game, with a goal and three points, his line with Yanni Gourde and Ondrej Palat carrying the Lightning. If the trio can pull that off regularly, Tampa Bay might have some much-needed secondary scoring. "They were fantastic," Stamkos said. LIGHTNING JOURNAL: Brayden Point stars with goal, two assists. At last year's opener, Point joked he had to figure out where to skate during introductions, having surprised many by even making the team. On Friday, he was the game's No. 1 star. After Point gave the Lightning a 2-0 lead early in the second period, the Panthers bounced back with two goals in five minutes to tie it. That's when Stamkos had his first signature moment of the season. On a power play, he found Vladislav Namestnikov at the back post for an easy tap-in. It was a play they had worked on a few days ago in practice, a cross-crease feed from Stamkos right on Namestnikov's tape. "Nice to see it work," Stamkos said. Stamkos had two shots and three hits in 18:14 of playing time, believing it was a good step in his first regular-season game since November because of knee surgery. Wing Ryan Callahan, in his first regular-season game since January because of hip problems, looked like his old self, ferocious on the forecheck and power play. And 19-year-old defenseman Mikhail Sergachev held his own in his Lightning debut. Sergachev tied for the team lead with four shots and showed an edge in a first-period scrum with the Panthers' Vincent Trocheck. Sergachev did have a rookie moment, getting stripped of the puck behind his net and taking a penalty, but overall he was solid in 16 minutes. "He exceeded our expectations," Cooper said. "He didn't shy away; he played with confidence. You want to have guys back there that do that." There's still a long way to go. Tonight's game against the Panthers in Sunrise continues a three-games-in-four-nights stretch. "You're not in the playoffs winning one game," Anton Stralman said. But for a team — and a fan base — that had waited so long for a chance at redemption, it was a good start. 1077016 Tampa Bay Lightning

Lightning journal: Brayden Point stars with goal, two assists

Roger Mooney, Friday, October 6, 2017 10:09PM

TAMPA —C Brayden Point called it an honor to be named the first star in Friday's season-opening 5-3 victory against the Panthers after he finished with a goal and two assists. "We had so many guys that played so well that could have been a first star easy," he said. If stars were awarded to lines, Point would have walked away with that, too, after he and wings Ondrej Palat (two goals) and Yanni Gourde turned in an impressive performance. "They were the best line," coach Jon Cooper said. Palat scored the first and final goals of the night, the last an empty-netter. Point scored 25 seconds into the second period to make it 2-0. "That line carried us and played extremely well," C Steven Stamkos said. "Hopefully that's a sign of things to come, because if that's the case, we'll have three offensive lines that can contribute, and that's going to be a tough matchup for other teams." Dotchin a surprise scratch D Jake Dotchin, who was paired with Victor Hedman during the second half of last season, was a surprise healthy scratch. Dotchin played in only the final preseason game after violating an unspecified team rule. Cooper, when asked after the morning skate why Dotchin would not be in the lineup, said, "You have 23 guys, 20 get to play. You've probably heard this answer — it's monotonous — but not everyone is going to play every single night. When your name is called, you've just got to be ready to help us win, and that's it." The Lightning opened the season with eight defensemen. One of them, rookie Mikhail Sergachev, can play up to nine games before the Lightning can opt to send him to his junior team and not have his entry- level contract kick in. Another is Slater Koekkoek, who was a healthy scratch. It's possible the Lightning is shopping a defenseman. Dan Girardi, signed in offseason free agency, began the game paired with Hedman, but that didn't last long. Hedman and Anton Stralman were reunited before the first period was over. "You look all around the league," Cooper said, "I don't know if there's a d- core that has stayed completely intact." No protest from J.T. RW J.T. Brown, who raised his right fist over his head during the playing of the national anthem before a Sept. 28 preseason game against the Panthers in Sunrise and said he would consider doing it before a regular- season game, did not get the opportunity Friday. Though Brown was introduced with his teammates during the pregame ceremony, he was a healthy scratch and was not on the bench during the anthem. THROUGH OUR LENS: Here's what the Lightning opener looked like to Tampa Bay Times photographers. The alternates The Lightning has not announced alternate captains for the season. It started with D Braydon Coburn and RW Ryan Callahan wearing A's. Tampa Bay Times LOADED: 10.07.2017 1077017 Tampa Bay Lightning THROUGH OUR LENS: Here's what the Lightning opener looked like to Tampa Bay Times photographers.

And the talent might be at the highest the Lightning has had since the After last season's flop, this is shaping up as must-see TV for Lightning days that names such as Vinny, Marty and Richy called Tampa Bay home. Nikita Kucherov is a top 10 NHLer. Victor Hedman is a top five defenseman. Andrei Vasilevskiy has the makings of future Vezina Trophy Tom Jones candidate. Friday, October 6, 2017 10:07PM There's depth and experience and leadership and grit and a nice splash of youth, too.

But what's especially nice is the time for all the talk and predictions is TAMPA — Steven Stamkos watched hockey on television Wednesday over. It's time to actually get out there and play and see what the and Thursday nights. Lightning has. Jones: Does the Lightning have another Cup run in it? (w/ video) "Everything starts fresh," Cooper said. "Everybody is in first place. It's just an exciting time." "If I'm not playing," he said, "I try to catch it." The party continues tonight in Sunrise. You can watch it on television. Ryan Callahan watched a bunch of hockey, too. Tampa Bay Times LOADED: 10.07.2017 "It gets you ready," Callahan said. "That's for sure." For both, Friday night's game was more than just another Lightning season opener. Both missed most of last season — a lost season, as it turned out, for Tampa Bay. In fact, it was a lost season partly because those two veteran leaders lost so much time. So, until Friday finally got here, the best they could do was watch it on TV. "You want to get going," Stamkos said. "You want to join the party." The party got under way Friday night against the Panthers inside a sold- out Amalie Arena. And so it begins. The Lightning is back. Expectations are as high as ever. That's the buzz, not only here but all over. Some are even talking Stanley Cup. "Internally, expectations are just as high," Stamkos said. "If people want to talk about us, that's great." As coach Jon Cooper puts it: better to be talked about than ignored. And better to be considered a favorite than the alternative. "But it doesn't change our approach or anything," Stamkos said. "We know it was a disappointing year last year and, to be successful, you need a lot of things to fall into place." That starts with Stamkos being healthy. When healthy, he's one of the best players on the planet, and perhaps the league's purest goal scorer. When he's not healthy, he scores as many goals as you and I do. How can that possibly not hurt the Lightning? LIGHTNING JOURNAL: Brayden Point stars with goal, two assists. You're not supposed to use injuries as an excuse because no one else cares. Every team has injuries. But when you miss the playoffs by a point and your best player misses 65 games, it's hard — and not really fair — to say it didn't have an impact. Missing Callahan hurt, too. He missed 63 games. Now, both are back. "To be able to come back here and feel the way I do and to be able to play the game that makes me successful," Callahan said, "well, it's very exciting." There's a different feeling about this team as compared to a season ago. Last summer, the Lightning talked a good game, saying all the things you're supposed to say about being ready and paying attention to details and one game at a time and blah, blah, blah. It talked the talk but couldn't skate the skate. Truth was, the team was complacent. After trips to the Stanley Cup final in 2015 and Eastern Conference final in 2016, the Lightning acted like a playoff spot was in the bag last season. Basically, the fellas acted as if all they had to do was throw their sticks on the ice and then wait to find out who was coming to town for the first round of the playoffs. A sluggish start was followed by devastating injuries. The Lightning fell into such a deep hole that a late-season rally wasn't enough to make the playoffs. Ultimately, it got what it deserved — a spring playing golf instead of hockey. But this time, you do sense something a little different. A little more determination. A little more humbleness. "The hunger in this room … is the highest that I've seen it," Callahan said. 1077018 Tampa Bay Lightning

Joe Smith's takeaways from Friday's Lightning-Panthers game

Joe Smith Friday, October 6, 2017 9:40PM

It was surprising that D Jake Dotchin was a healthy scratch for the season opener. Though Dotchin was held out of all but one preseason game due to a violation of a team rule, you wonder if his sitting Friday had more to do with the possibility that the Lightning is shopping a defenseman (such as Andrej Sustr). Though C Steven Stamkos is still shaking off some rust, RW Ryan Callahan looked like his old self. Callahan, 32, is playing the physical style that he needs to play to be successful but that he couldn't play last season due to hip surgery. Callahan will be a huge boost to the penalty kill. The Yanni Gourde-Brayden Point-Ondrej Palat line was the Lightning's best, scoring Tampa Bay's first two goals. Having Point as the third-line center makes the lineup deeper and might help provide secondary scoring the team has often lacked. Steven Stamkos and Nikita Kucherov can't do it all. Tampa Bay Times LOADED: 10.07.2017 1077019 Tampa Bay Lightning

Jake Dotchin a surprise scratch for Lightning opener

Joe Smith Friday, October 6, 2017 12:06PM

Lightning defenseman Jake Dotchin has been paired with Victor Hedman all week, ever since the final preseason game. The two were partners for the second half of last season, when Dotchin helped balance out the top-four. That's what makes Dotchin, 23, a surprise scratch for Friday's opener against the Panthers at Amalie Arena. Dotchin was limited to just one due to an unspecified team rule violation. Coach Jon Cooper would only say that with eight defensemen, someone has to sit. J.T. Brown and Slater Koekkoek are the other expected healthy scratches. But this could also mean, if the Lightning is indeed shopping a defenseman (like Andrej Sustr), it's better to play him. So it'll be interesting to see which scouts are in the stands tonight. "You have 23 guys, 20 get to play," Cooper said. "You've probably heard this answer - it's monotonous - but not everyone is going to play every single night. When your name is called, you've just got to be ready to help us win and that's it." With Dotchin out, veteran Dan Girardi - making his Lightning debut - is paired with Hedman. Anton Stralman is still with rookie Mikhail Sergachev, Sustr with Braydon Coburn. "You look all around the league, I don't know if there's a d-core that has stayed completely intact," Cooper said. "Maybe Nashville, but (Ryan) Ellis is hurt. Different guys have got to play and get a different feel for each other. It's Game 1, there's 82 in a season. You hope chemistry comes because we don't know if this is going to stay together the whole time. But you've got a good veteran guuy that can protect the net and you've got a horse that leads the charge out there. For tonight, that's how it's going to go." Girardi said it should be pretty easy adjusting playing with Hedman, a Norris Trophy finalist last season. "His game is a lot different than mine. He's offense, offense, but is also great defensively. I'll read off him. If he's going, I'll be back to help out." Both Dotchin and Girardi play the stay-at-home defenseman role, so Hedman thinks he'll adjust. "(Girardi) is steady, tough to play against, a good first pass," Hedman said. "He's very vocal on the ice. It shouldn't matter who you play with, you've got to do your job and give your team a chance to win." More from skate: The Lightning lines remained the same, with Namestnikov-Stamkos-Kucherov/Killorn-Johnson-Callahan/Gourde- Point-Palat/Kunitz-Paquette-Dumont... Stamkos said he's not nervous how his surgically-repaired knee will respond in tonight's opener, having been encouraged by the preseason. “I played 4 (preseason) games and felt fine," Stamkos said. "It’s just regular anxiousness and excitement." Tampa Bay Times LOADED: 10.07.2017 1077020 Tampa Bay Lightning

Lightning gameday: Panthers again?

Roger Mooney Friday, October 6, 2017 10:00am

The Lightning begin its 25th season tonight with a familiar foe. A really familiar foe: The Panthers, who are not only a division rival but a team the Lightning played three times last week and will play again Saturday night in Sunrise. Both teams look to rebound from disappointed seasons since much was expected of each last year and neither qualified for the playoffs. Bob Boughner, the Panthers first-year head coach, comes to Sunrise after two years as an assistant with San Jose. Lightning coach Jon Cooper said to expect the Panthers to incorporate some of the Sharks game in their own since the Sharks reached the postseason twice during Boughner during his two seasons there. Of more concern to Cooper is the way the Lightning played against the Panthers during the preseason. “We played them three times and we came up empty all three,” Cooper said. “You can say, we’ll neither team had all their players, but we still went 0-3 against them, and we’ve got to obviously improve on that. It’s two teams that probably did not meet expectations last year. We’re a team coming off a fairly recent Stanley Cup run and an Eastern Conference final run, and they’re a team coming off a division championship, so you know there’s going to be good players on the ice. We got to find a way.” C Alexsander Barkov and LW Jonathan Huberdeau, the Panthers top two scorers, are reunited after Huberdeau played only 31 games last season because of a lower body injury. Barkov had four assists against the Lightning last week. Huberdeau had three goals and two assists. “(Barkov has) got a really good chemistry with Huberdeau, and they’ve shown they can score in the past, and they started doing it again in the preseason,” Cooper said. “Huberdeau is going to be healthy. It was unfortunate what happened to him last year. Probably a little bit renewed energy in those two, and if we’re going to have success, we’re going to have to find a way to stop them.” Tampa Bay Times LOADED: 10.07.2017 1077021 Tampa Bay Lightning

New twist on a familiar script for Lightning's Dan Girardi

Roger Mooney Friday, October 6, 2017 7:00am

For 11 years D Dan Girardi skated to the same blue line on opening night and saluted the same set of fans while wearing the same sweater. “Like clockwork,” he said. Girardi, one of the Lightning’s two offseason free agent signees, will rewrite the familiar script when he is introduced before tonight’s game against the Panthers at Amalie Arena. After 11 seasons in New York with the Rangers, Girardi will begin the next chapter of his career in Tampa Bay. “It’s going to be a little different,” he said. “Even during morning skate I’ll probably start feeling it a little bit.” Girardi signed a two-year contract during the summer to add some grit the Lightning’s defense and penalty kill unit. He joins F Chris Kunitz, the former Penguin who signed a one-year deal, as two veterans expected to add to the leadership on the ice and in the dressing room. No stranger to season openers, Girardi is eager to get to tonight as the Lightning begin the 25th season in franchise history with the first of 82 games of the regular season. “The home opener you’re always a little nervous anyways,” he said. “You get announced. Everyone is excited for the year. The fans want to see a really good game. You want to make an impression, especially with a new team. I want to make sure I play well. This will be a little different.” Tampa Bay Times LOADED: 10.07.2017 1077022 Toronto Maple Leafs "Hockey's exciting about hockey, so I don't need anything to get me more fired up about it," he said in typical Babcock-ese. "In saying that, I think the home opener is a great thing. It's a celebration of the start of the year. Mike Babcock says Maple Leafs have to get better in home opener "I'm glad we played a game already, so you get that under your belt. I thought we weren't very good early in that game and ideally we'll be better in this game. But I think it's important to celebrate your team with NEIL DAVIDSON your fans in your city and that's what the opening night about. We have to find a well to play well." THE CANADIAN PRESS It looks like defenceman Calle Rosen and centre Dominic Moore will 9 HOURS AGO OCTOBER 6, 2017 come in Saturday, replacing Andreas Borgman and Eric Fehr. Babcock said he opted to play Fehr in Winnipeg because he's from Winkler, Man. Moore gets the nod Saturday because he once played for Despite watching his team win 7-2 in Winnipeg to kick off the season, the Rangers. Mike Babcock wants improvements in Saturday's home opener against the New York Rangers. He decided to alternate Borgman and Rosen the first two games because "I didn't know the difference between the two of them." The Maple Leafs coach reeled off Toronto's eight penalties Wednesday night against the Jets, a docket that ranged from too many men on the Fehr and Moore are vying to be the team's fourth-line centre. Borgman, ice and an equipment violation (Leo Komarov's askew visor) to four high- Rosen and Martin Marincin, who played for the AHL Marlies on Friday, sticking calls. are competing for the role of sixth defenceman. "Stay out of the box, that will really help us with goals-against and then Babcock has said all along it will take some time to settle on his final just [a] commitment to doing things right," Babcock's wish list read after lineup. practice Friday. "As a group, we have been through enough. We know how to do it right, we've just got to do it right." "We're going to figure it out," he said. Goaltender Frederik Andersen helped Toronto survive a rocky opening Toronto added some depth at goaltender Friday, acquiring Calvin Pickard that saw three straight Leaf penalties. Then Toronto's high-octane from the Vegas Golden Knights in exchange for forward Tobias Lindberg offence kicked into gear. and a sixth-round selection in the 2018 draft. Pickard was assigned to the Marlies. Veteran winger Patrick Marleau scored his first two goals as a Leaf with singles from Auston Matthews, Mitch Marner, William Nylander, James The 25-year-old posted a 15-31-2 record with a 2.98 goals-against van Riemsdyk and Nazem Kadri. average and a .904 save percentage in 50 games with Colorado last season. He was selected by the Golden Knights in the expansion draft. The young guns now get to showcase their skills before a home crowd filled with expectations after a breakthrough 2016-17 season that saw the Globe And Mail LOADED: 10.07.2017 Leafs (40-27-15) improve by 29 points over the previous year and take the first-place Washington Capitals to six games in a tight first-round playoff series. For defenceman Morgan Rielly, the home opener is a chance to "get better defensively." "There are things we can improve on for sure," he said. "We had a good meeting today, talked about New York and what they bring to the table so we're going to be ready." The Rangers lost their home opener 4-2 on Thursday to Colorado despite outshooting the Avalanche 39-26. There was plenty of talk Friday about the early wave of offence in the league with hat tricks from Edmonton's Connor McDavid, Philadelphia's Wayne Simmonds, Washington's Alex Ovechkin and Chicago's Brandon Saad. "You look around the league, there's lots of speed and lots of skill," said Rielly. "I think it's great for the league, it makes it very exciting," he added. But not for defencemen. "Not fun," said Rielly. Matthews is loving it, however. "Guys are coming in and they're ready to play and they're making an impact for their team," said Matthews, who did just that last season when he scored 41 goals and won rookie of the year honours. "You see it on pretty much every team now; they've got a guy that's pretty young, that's coming in and he's not just being a role player, he's playing a pretty big part on that team. "Fortunately for us, we've got six or seven of those guys that can pretty much play anywhere and make an impact every night in different ways. You can see the league kind of trending to some younger guys, some younger talent. It's definitely fun to be a part of." For the 38-year-old Marleau, Saturday's curtain-raiser at the Air Canada Centre follows 19 home openers in San Jose. "I'm excited," said Marleau. "It's going to be a great atmosphere to go into. They usually all are, but now it's a little bit different for me with the new club and everything." Babcock has also seen more than his share of home openers and says while he still appreciates them, he doesn't need a special occasion to remember how exciting hockey is. 1077023 Toronto Maple Leafs

There might be no limit for improving Leafs star Auston Matthews

By MARK ZWOLINSKISports reporter Fri., Oct. 6, 2017

Could Auston Matthews fire 50 goals this season? It is something worth pondering. With the new rules governing slashing, and the openings they could create for offence, players like Matthews conceivably will have more time and more room to make plays. On the eve of the Leafs’ home opener against the Rangers, the talk was about goals and about the targets that Matthews and Edmonton’s Connor McDavid, the new titans of the game, could reach. The latter, Calgary’s Jaromir Jagr suggested, might score 100. And Matthews, who had 40 as a rookie, could be a lock for 50. Right or wrong, the talk about the sky being the limit for the Leafs’ superstar centre is there. Matthews certainly has the maturity and mental discipline to keep the talk from being a distraction to himself and his teammates. He recently said he has goals for himself, but wouldn’t delve into what they are. Instead, Matthews sees all the ripening talk of exploding offence this season as the product of some recent developments of which he was a part. One was last year’s , where he starred with McDavid and a host of other youngsters on the North American under-23 roster. “A big part of it is all the skill and talent in the league,” Matthews said, referring to how members of that World Cup team, and other teenage stars, have entered the league not only prepared for the NHL level but prepared to star in it. “Guys are elevating their games, they’re working hard and they’re ready to play. But its early in the season right now . . . the first 10-20 games, teams are figuring out the way they want to play. So, in time, you won’t see 10-goal games like you’re seeing now (as in the Blackhawks’ win over Pittsburgh on Thursday). “Things are loose now, but it will tighten up. Teams will start checking harder, for sure.” The other development seemed more fantasy than reality: Matthews, like almost every player of his generation, has grown up in the digital age. And those players regularly tapped into YouTube to witness the 50-goal exploits of still-active players like Alex Ovechkin and the “golden goals” from Sidney Crosby. The dream, of playing in the NHL and mimicking their YouTube favourites, was once a distant goal; now there’s a chance to connect the dream and reality. “I used to Watch videos of all the (star players),” Matthews said Friday. “I watched when I was young, and now young kids probably watch that stuff even more than I did. “You saw it and you tried to translate it into your game. But it’s tough to make it on talent alone. You also see the best players in the league and their work ethic . . . they are defensively responsible too.” That equation offence is often repeated by the Leafs: Good defence means you have the puck more on offence. It was reflected in Matthews’ rookie season when 32 of his 40 goals came at even strength. It was the most by a teenager in recent NHL history. His teammates have no problem discussing the “sky is the limit” talk surrounding their centre. “You don’t put limits on a guy like Auston,” linemate Zach Hyman said. “We’ve only played one game, so there’s a lot of work to do, and you take it one game at a time, and don’t get ahead of yourself. “But it was clutching and grabbing, they changed the rules there, and now it’s slashing, and that all helps a guy who can really skate, like Auston. He likes to have the puck and now there may be more time for him to have it and make more plays.” Toronto Star LOADED: 10.07.2017 1077024 Toronto Maple Leafs Coaches used to call the stick the equalizer, the defensive equalizer. Well, the stick is basically gone now.”

“It’s certainly harder to check guys and limit their opportunities when you NHL letting loose its goal scorers: Feschuk can’t use your stick as much up on the gloves,” Leafs defenceman Morgan Rielly said in a pre-season interview. “But that’s a rule. So we’ve just got to get used to it.” By DAVE FESCHUK Toronto coach Mike Babcock begged to differ on Friday: “I don’t think it Fri., Oct. 6, 2017 makes it one bit tougher. I think it makes it easier. Because instead of having your stick in the air, you can actually put it on the puck where it’s doing some good.” We’ve been hearing hockey people express awe at the masterful work of Still, some defensive hiccups have to be expected. McGuire likened this Connor McDavid for years. But there was an especially ear-grabbing kind rejig to the NFL’s years-ago crackdown on contact between defensive of awe oozing from the mouth of Jaromir Jagr, the second-most prolific backs and receivers, which led to an explosion in high-flying passing scorer in NHL history next to Wayne Gretzky. attacks. And maybe it mirrors the NBA’s outlawing of hand-checking, which allowed smaller, quicker guards like Steph Curry to flourish and Jagr said this week he wouldn’t be surprised if McDavid “someday offence to rule. scored 100 goals” in an NHL season. Never mind that McDavid, 20, has entered the league at a moment when league-wide scoring totals have Leafs defenceman Connor Carrick said the NHL’s push toward a more been closer to historic lows than Gretzky-era highs. Given that Jagr, 45, offensive game isn’t simply a function of the officials’ whistle. There’s an is playing deep into his fourth decade as a pro, it was worth hearing him aggregation of small things piling up, including rosters stocked with out. younger (and more defensively raw) players, plus an ongoing trend that favours offensive-minded defencemen over the stay-at-home type. “I’ve never seen anything like that in my life, somebody dominate like that with his speed,” Jagr said, speaking of McDavid’s opening-night hat trick “(Defencemen are) more mobile, they’re faster, there’s more talk about against the Flames. being able to create in transition,” Carrick said. “It’s good for the game.” Jagr wasn’t the only longtime observer to offer big-numbered projections Will the resultant outburst of offence be so good that McDavid flirts with a for McDavid’s not-so-distant future. Pierre McGuire, NBC’s between-the- 100-goal season? benches colour guy, told TSN radio in Toronto that he could imagine McDavid scoring 82 goals in 82 games. “The kid’s special. But 100 goals? That ain’t happening,” said Leafs centre Nazem Kadri. “Guys barely score 45 now. Imagine trying to Split the difference between Jagr’s and McGuire’s projection and you’ve double that and then some. That’s absolutely insane.” got a future scenario in which McDavid flirts with the single-season record of 92 goals set by a 21-year-old Wayne Gretzky back in 1981-82. Indeed, history tells us it’d be wise to wait a few months — or maybe a couple of years — before we announce that the “H” in this allegedly new Precisely what kind of alternate universe have we entered? A season NHL stands for Hundred. As it is, with 81 games remaining Edmonton’s ago, after all, McDavid scored exactly 30 goals in 82 games, while No. 97 has a mere 97 goals to go. playing the third-most minutes among NHL forwards behind Patrick Kane and Ryan Kesler. So the idea that McDavid is suddenly going to latch on “I could see (McDavid) breaking the 50, 60 mark, but 100?” Kadri said. to goal-a-game pace, or better, seems rash. “Maybe if we take the goalies out of the net.” So as we arrived at the first Saturday night of the hockey season — with Toronto Star LOADED: 10.07.2017 the Maple Leafs and their own scoring star, sophomore Auston Matthews, entertaining the Rangers in the most hotly anticipated home opener in recent memory — it was worth asking, “What gives?” “Right now, those rules are perfect for (McDavid),” Jagr said. Ah, yes — those rules. The ones in the NHL rulebook that NHL referees have suddenly been instructed to call, at least for the moment. McGuire, for one, is convinced the league’s new emphasis on calling various rules — most notably a crackdown on slashing to the hands of the puck carrier — has suddenly made the NHL more hospitable to the skilled. How much more hospitable? The results of the opening couple of nights —the Blackhawks’ 10-1 win over Pittsburgh and the Leafs’ converted touchdown in Winnipeg — suggest the changes to the game, if they’re sustained, could be significant. “That slash we’re trying to get rid of — the one on the hands — if they call it consistently it’ll give you that extra split second to maybe make a play or carry the puck a bit more,” said James van Riemsdyk, the veteran Leafs forward. “I mean, it’s only been two days, but so far it seems like there’s been a lot of goals.” Some grain-of-salt context is required here. We’re talking, to be clear, about the National Hockey League, formerly known as the National Hooking League, more recently recognized as the National Hacking League. This is an organization that has aided and abetted in the snuffing out of offence for years. It got so bad that last season Sidney Crosby led the league in goals with 44 — the lowest total to win the Rocket Richard Trophy since before the 2004-05 lockout. Still, there’s a feeling among players that the league means business. So far power-play opportunities are way up. And Eric Fehr, the veteran Maple Leafs forward, said the current season already reminds him of the first season after the 2004-05 lockout, when a summit led by now-Leafs president Brendan Shanahan birthed a rethinking of the game that re- valued skill, penalized obstruction and boosted scoring. Except, some say this is different. Some say the current crackdown on slashing has the potential to open up the sport in a new and exciting way. “I’ve talked to a bunch of elite shutdown defencemen in the league, and this is a much more difficult thing to overcome than the 2005-06 obstruction crackdown,” McGuire said. “It’s going to be very, very difficult for matchup defencemen to neutralize the better offensive players . . . 1077025 Toronto Maple Leafs

Leafs add goalie Calvin Pickard in deal with Vegas

By MARK ZWOLINSKI Fri., Oct. 6, 2017

The Toronto Maple Leafs have added more depth to their organizational goaltending ranks, acquiring Calvin Pickard from the Vegas Golden Knights in exchange for forward Tobias Lindberg and a sixth-round pick in the 2018 draft. The deal, announced Friday afternoon, will see Pickard sent to the Toronto Marlies, where he will join Kasimir Kaskisuo and Garret Sparks. Pickard became a moveable asset in Vegas, which had selected former Penguins star Marc-Andre Fleury in the NHL expansinon draft, while recently adding Malcolm Subban off from the Bruins. The 25-year-old Pickard was a member of Team Canada at the world championships the past two seasons, including two starts with the gold- medal-winning team in 2016, and seven starts in 10 games last spring when the Canadians won the silver. A native of Moncton, N.B., Pickard was selected by Colorado in the second round (49th overall) in the 2010 draft. Lindberg, meanwhile, appeared in six games for the Leafs in the 2015-16 season after being acquired from Ottawa. Toronto Star LOADED: 10.07.2017 1077026 Toronto Maple Leafs

Game day: New York Rangers at Maple Leafs

By MARK ZWOLINSKI Fri., Oct. 6, 2017

AIR CANADA CENTRE TV: CBC, Saturday, 7 p.m. Radio: Sportsnet 590 The FAN KEY PLAYERS Andersen/Lundqvist This game should offer a solid goaltending battle. Frederik Andersen got off to a good start in the Leafs’ season-opening victory in Winnipeg on Wednesday. The Rangers outshot Colorado in their season opener, but Henrik Lundqvist allowed three goals on the first 18 shots and New York lost 4-2. NEED TO KNOW Rangers coach Alain Vigneault said his team was “tepid” while allowing the Avalanche to escape with a win. The Rangers outshot Colorado 39- 26 but managed just two power-play goals — both by Mika Zibanejad — against Semyon Varlamov. The Avs netminder came up with some highlight-reel saves to preserve the win . . . Newly signed free agent Kevin Shattenkirk led the team with 23:38 of ice time in their opener. Filip Chytil, the 18-year-old who wowed everyone in training camp with his skills and speed, played 7:40, including fewer than two minutes in the third . . . The Rangers have been quick starters the last two seasons, going 13-4 to open 2016-17 and 14-2-2 a year earlier. UP NEXT Monday, vs. Chicago Blackhawks. Toronto Star LOADED: 10.07.2017 1077027 Toronto Maple Leafs

Leafs tweak lineup ahead of home opener

By MARK ZWOLINSKI Fri., Oct. 6, 2017

The Toronto Maple Leafs have added more depth to their organizational goaltending ranks, acquiring Calvin Pickard from the Vegas Golden Knights in exchange for forward Tobias Lindbergand a sixth round pick in the 2018 NHL draft. The deal, announced Friday afternoon, will see Pickard sent to the Toronto Marlies, where he will join Kasimir Kaskisuo and Garret Sparks. Pickard became a moveable asset in Vegas, which had selected former Penguins star Marc-Andre Fleury in the NHL expansinon draft, while recently adding Malcolm Subban off waivers from the Bruins. The 25 year old Pickard was a member of Team Canada at the world championships the past two seasons, including two starts with the gold medal winning team in 2016, and seven starts in 10 games last spring when the Canadians won the silver (5-2-0, 1.49, .938). .A native of Moncton, N.B., Pickard was selected by Colorado in the second round (49t overall) in the 2010 draft. Lindberg, meanwhile, appeared in six games for the Leafs in the 2015-16 season, after being acquired from Ottawa in February. The Maple Leafs will shuffle their lineup for their home opener Saturday, giving defenceman Calle Rosen his first NHL start, and bringing Dominic Moore into the lineup as the fourth line center. Rosen, recalled from the Marlies Friday morning, after Martin Marincin cleared waivers and was sent down, will skate on the third defensive pairing with Connor Carrick. Andreas Borgman, who made his NHL debut on defence in Wednesday’s season opening win in Winnipeg, will be the seventh defenceman for Saturday’s game. Moore starts Saturday against the Rangers in place of Eric Fehr, who was the fourth line centre in game one. Leafs coach Mike Babcock said the coaching staff wants to see all players on the roster in game action. “We’re gonna figure it out,” Babcock said about how his roster shapes up. As for Marincin, Babcock said “we think Marty has lots of good skill to play in the NHL ... confidence is what we talked about with him, so ... play well (in the AHL) when your coach and manager are watching you. Rosen and Borgman have not played in the NHL, so we don’t want them sitting around.” In the meantime, Morgan Rielly was back on the top power play unit in practice Friday. The all-star defenceman, Babcock said, was taken off the unit last season, while the coaching staff guided him through improvements to his defensive play. “The first priority was to team him to play defence,” Babcock said. “Our power play was fine without him last year (second overall rated in the NHL). Now, its even better. It wasn’t a question of how Morgan was playing, it was just what we were doing with him.” Toronto Star LOADED: 10.07.2017 1077028 Toronto Maple Leafs broken leg suffered in the playoffs last spring … The Rangers are 10-2-1 in their past 13 visits to Toronto, and in their past seven meetings overall, are 6-1-0 against the Leafs. Leafs lineup not settled yet Toronto Sun LOADED: 10.07.2017

BY LANCE HORNBY, TORONTO SUN FIRST POSTED: FRIDAY, OCTOBER 06, 2017 11:57 PM EDT | UPDATED: SATURDAY, OCTOBER 07, 2017 12:01 AM EDT

TORONTO - Don’t etch the Maple Leafs roster in stone quite yet. After the Leafs defeated the Winnipeg Jets in a laugher on Wednesday night in the 2017-18 regular-season opener, coach Mike Babcock won’t use the same lineup on Saturday for the home opener against the New York Rangers. Defenceman Calle Rosen will make his National Hockey League debut, and veteran centre Dominic Moore will play in his first game for the Leafs since 2009. Watching from the Air Canada Centre press box will be centre Eric Fehr, who was sharp on the penalty kill in Winnipeg, and rookie defenceman Andreas Borgman. “I decided we were going to play Borgman there (in Winnipeg) and Rosen here,” Babcock said. “I did the same with Fehr. Fehr is a Winnipeg kid and Moore played in New York. In the end, that’s how I made my decision. “If you base (the lineup) on (that) you won and should never change your lineup, I don’t think you are being fair to our group and developing the best group you can. “Those decisions can always be second-guessed on a win-loss basis, but to me we are trying to build our program and do the right thing and evaluate our players and get better. That’s why we’re (making the changes).” Rosen will be paired with Connor Carrick. Moore will be on the fourth line between Matt Martin and Connor Brown. “I’m looking forward to everything,” Rosen said. “Playing in the NHL is what every kid dreams about. If I play, that would be another step in the right direction in my career. “(Carrick) is easy to play with. I think we are both pretty good skaters and can pass the puck. We have to keep the tempo and give the puck to our forwards quick.” Rosen was recalled from the Toronto Marlies on Friday after the roster spot opened when defenceman Martin Marincin cleared waivers and was sent to the Leafs’ American Hockey League affiliate. “We think Marty has lots of good skills to play in the NHL and confidence has been something we have talked a lot about,” Babcock said. “Every time the (Leafs) manager and coach are there watching, you play well and then when there is an opportunity you get called upon. “In the meantime, though, we’re in a process. Borgman and Rosen, we don’t want either one of them sitting around, so if they are not playing, they won’t be here.” Fact is, Babcock has a pool of depth that not all NHL coaches can boast. “I guess it’s like anything — you still have to make that decision,” Babcock said. “You can avoid making that decision and say ‘We won’ and don’t get them in. But we think they are all good players. If it was clear that one guy was ahead of the other guy, there would be no decision to make and I would not have to worry about that. “We’re deeper than we have been in a long time. Sosh (Nikita Soshnikov) and Kappy (Kasperi Kapanen) can play in the NHL without any question, and yet they are not here.” LOOSE LEAFS Moore, who played for seven NHL teams since his most recent game with Toronto, was taking his second Leafs debut in stride. “I have not really thought about it that way,” Moore said. “It’s such a different team now, a different organization. But it’s a thrill to put that jersey on and an honour as well.” … Also practising on Friday, as promised by general manager Lou Lamoriello, was defenceman Roman Polak. The NHL veteran has not signed a contract with the Leafs after trying out during camp but will continue to practise with the club as he recovers from a 1077029 Toronto Maple Leafs

Maple Leafs strengthen crease, acquire Calvin Pickard from Vegas

BY TERRY KOSHAN, TORONTO SUN FIRST POSTED: FRIDAY, OCTOBER 06, 2017 04:36 PM EDT | UPDATED: FRIDAY, OCTOBER 06, 2017 04:42 PM EDT

Already with depth at forward and defence, the Maple Leafs beefed up their goaltending picture on Friday afternoon. The Leafs acquired goalie Calvin Pickard from the Vegas Golden Knights, trading minor-league forward Tobias Lindberg and a sixth-round pick in the 2018 National Hockey League draft to Vegas. The 25-year-old Pickard, who had a 15-31-2 record with a 2.98 goals- against average and a .904 save percentage for the Colorado Avalanche last season, has been assigned to the Toronto Marlies of the American Hockey League. Pickard provides insurance for the Leafs if No. 1 netminder Frederik Andersen gets hurt or if backup Curtis McElhinney falters. Pickard is under contract through the end of the 2017-18 season at a salary-cap hit of $1-million US. Next summer, he will be a restricted free agent. A native of Moncton, N.B., Pickard was a second-round pick by the Avalanche in 2010, going 49th overall. In 86 games in the NHL, all with Colorado, Pickard has a record of 28-44- 6 with a .914 save percentage and a 2.77 goals-against average. Toronto Sun LOADED: 10.07.2017 1077030 Toronto Maple Leafs

Babcock changes up Leafs lineup for home opener

BY TERRY KOSHAN, TORONTO SUN FIRST POSTED: FRIDAY, OCTOBER 06, 2017 12:25 PM EDT | UPDATED: FRIDAY, OCTOBER 06, 2017 10:40 PM EDT

TORONTO - Morgan Rielly is happy to do a little more of what comes naturally. The Maple Leafs defenceman, now in his fifth season in the National Hockey League, appears to be primed for a greater role in 2017-18 when the Leafs have the man advantage. “It’s no secret the power play is a lot of fun,” Rielly said. “You get to hang on to the puck, you get to stickhandle, make passes, play offence. It’s enjoyable.” Rielly was speaking to a couple of reporters on Friday in the Leafs dressing room at the MasterCard Centre after the club practised in preparation for the regular-season home opener against the New York Rangers on Saturday night at the Air Canada Centre. Rookie defenceman Calle Rosen will make his NHL debut, playing with Connor Carrick on the blue line in place of Andreas Borgman, while veteran centre Dominic Moore will replace Eric Fehr on the fourth line as coach Mike Babcock gets a look at a couple of new players. Rielly’s offensive instincts and talent were what drew NHL scouts to him during his junior career with the Moose Jaw Warriors of the Western Hockey League. When the Leafs drafted Rielly with the fifth pick overall in 2012, the organization figured it had the kind of player who would run the power play for years once he earned a full-time job in the NHL. Babcock, when he took over as Leafs coach two years ago, had something different in mind. Babcock didn’t deny Rielly’s flair, but wanted the youngster to round into a better player and start to bring his defensive game up to par. Under Babcock the past two seasons, Rielly killed penalties an average of two minutes 22 seconds a game, while his power-play time dropped to 58 seconds on average last season. In each of his first three seasons in the NHL, Rielly didn’t average less than one minute 49 seconds of power-play time. When the Leafs opened the regular season on Wednesday against the Winnipeg Jets and emerged with a 7-2 victory, Rielly had a significant role on four power plays, playing two minutes, 53 seconds. Rielly helped kill penalties as well, but the lion’s share of PK time among Toronto defencemen went to Ron Hainsey and Nikita Zaitsev. A small sample size, but it points to what’s likely coming for Rielly. “The priority for us was to teach him how to play defence,” Babcock said. “When you’re building your program, you have to get your best players to be good players. “It had more to do with what we were trying to do with him than whether he played on the power play. It was fine last year without him (second in the NHL) and he got to be a better player. “Bringing Hainsey here to help him out is going to make a huge difference, you have a veteran player who is calm and knows how to play and has learned over time.” At 23, Rielly’s days on the learning curve aren’t close to done. Defensively, he’s going to have to tick upward as he continues to build trust with Babcock. It will be intriguing to watch how increased power- play time influences what he does on other shifts. Rielly doesn’t rely just on intuition when goes over the boards on the power play. He’s not staying in the video room until the wee hours of each morning, but he has taken note of what players such as Erik Karlsson, Brent Burns and Drew Doughty are doing when their respective clubs have a man advantage. “I don’t know where to start — the way they move the puck, where they are on the ice, trying to get open, everything,” Rielly said. “Quarterback it (is the role). Distribute the puck, be an outlet and if you have a chance to shoot the puck, make sure it gets through. Because if it gets blocked, forwards aren’t too happy.” Toronto Sun LOADED: 10.07.2017 1077031 Toronto Maple Leafs “I think it’s hard to say after only two games,” said 20-year veteran Patrick Marleau, who scored twice on Wednesday. “But you saw a bunch of teams that were ready to go and wanted to get off to good starts and it NHL scoring is up after two nights — does the young talent mean it's just snowballed.” here to stay? “As the season goes on, it will get tighter,” said Matthews, who had a goal and two assists in the opener. “The first 10, 15, 20 games, teams are kind of still figuring out their structure and how they want to play. I’m Michael Traikos October 6, 2017 8:40 PM EDT sure by November you’re not going to see many 10-1 games and stuff like that.”

Something else to watch for is whether on-ice officials, who have been TORONTO — Did he see the game? Of course he did. cracking down on slashing and face-off infractions, continue to call the game by the rulebook. Of the 82 goals scored in the first two days of the Maybe Auston Matthews didn’t see every single goal that the Blackhawks season, 22 came on the power play, a product of there being 4.5 man- scored in a 10-1 win on Thursday night — against the back-to-back advantage opportunities per team — up from 2.99 at the end of last year. defending Stanley Cup champions, no less — but once he found out what was happening he quickly turned on his TV and watched the More power plays equal more goals, but they also allow skilled players madness unfold. the time and space to be really creative. Neither seems to be in short supply these days. “It was crazy,” Matthews said of Chicago’s Patrick Kane, who had a goal and three assists on Thursday. “I think every single goal or assist he had Fingers crossed, it lasts beyond the weekend. was a top 10 on SportsCentre the next day. He’s such a fun player. It’s always fun to watch that kind of stuff.” National Post LOADED: 10.07.2017 There’s been a lot of that going around so far. Lots of goals. Lots of highlight-reel plays. Lots of jaw-dropping skill on display. We know, give it a few more days. A week or a month even, before jumping to conclusions. After all, the season literally just started. But what a start it’s been. On Day 1, the Toronto Maple Leafs scored seven goals without seemingly breaking a sweat and Edmonton’s Connor McDavid scored a hat trick while blowing past defenders at a speed unsafe for most city streets. By Day 2, Alex Ovechkin and Brandon Saad brought the number of hat tricks to four and thanks to the Blackhawks, the early league average was 6.58 goals per game — the highest it has been since 1992- 93 when teams combined to average 7.25 goals per game. It’s obviously not going to stay like this forever. Last season, teams started quickly too, averaging 6.69 goals in the first two days. The coaches and their defensive systems would never allow it to remain this way. Besides, no one really thinks McDavid is going to score 164 goals this season — or even 150 or 100, as Jaromir Jagr predicted was possible if the kid “would learn how to score on breakaways a little more often.” The Leafs are not actually the reincarnation of the 1980s Edmonton Oilers. There is a solid chance that we have seen our last 10- goal game of the season. (There were two last season but there hadn’t been one since 2011 before that.) And yet, we haven’t seen our last highlight-reel goal. Not with the amount of high-end talent in the league these days. That’s the thing that has stood out so far: it’s not the quantity of goals being scored, it’s the quality of them. Did you see Jack Eichel’s pass to Jason Pominville on that one-timer? How about the deke Patrick Marleau pulled off after receiving a saucer pass from Matthews? Or Jonathan Drouin’s feed to Max Pacioretty? All three of Kane’s three assists could have gone viral. The speed and skill on display so far has been jaw dropping. That’s not going anywhere. If anything, with McDavid and Matthews and others still in the very early stages of their career, this is just the beginning. In other words, you probably wouldn’t want to be a goaltender — or even a defenceman — this year. “It’s no fun,” Leafs defenceman Morgan Rielly said of his position. “You look at Kane, you look at McDavid, you look at Auston … they’re more skilled than ever. I mean, you watch McDavid skate and guys are faster than ever. I think it’s great. It’s great for the league … but it’s not always the most fun (to play against).” Whether all this skill will translate into more overall goals is far too early to tell. But last year, which was the first full season of McDavid, Matthews and many other top scorers, saw the average number of goals slightly rise from 5.45 per game after holding steady between 5.31 and 5.43 for the five seasons before. That trough was the culmination of a slow decline since teams emerged from the second league lockout to score 6.05 goals per game in 2005-06. Could it be a sign that the NHL is in for a scoring boon? Well, let’s wait and see what the scores look like in November, when Chicago’s Ryan Hartman (five points on Thursday night) most likely won’t be leading the Art Ross Trophy race and Pittsburgh’s Matt Murray won’t be allowing 5.5 goals per game. 1077032 Toronto Maple Leafs

Despite resounding win, Maple Leafs coach will make lineup changes for home opener

Terry Koshan October 6, 2017 4:17 PM EDT

TORONTO — Don’t etch the Toronto Maple Leafs roster in stone quite yet. Although the Maple Leafs defeated the Winnipeg Jets in a laugher to open the season on Wednesday night, coach Mike Babcock won’t use the same lineup on Saturday for the home opener against the New York Rangers. Defenceman Calle Rosen was recalled Friday and will make his National Hockey League debut, as will veteran centre Dominic Moore. Watching from the Air Canada Centre press box will be centre Eric Fehr, who was sharp on the penalty kill in Winnipeg, and rookie defenceman Andreas Borgman. “I decided we were going to play Borgman there (in Winnipeg) and Rosen here,” Babcock said. “I did the same with Fehr. Fehr is a Winnipeg kid and Moore played in New York. In the end, that’s how I made my decision. “If you base (the lineup) on, ‘you won and should never change your lineup,’ I don’t think you are being fair to our group and developing the best group you can. “Those decisions can always be second-guessed on a win-loss basis, but to me we are trying to build our program and do the right thing and evaluate our players and get better. That’s why we’re doing it.” Rosen will be paired with Connor Carrick. Moore will be on the fourth line between Matt Martin and Connor Brown. “I’m looking forward to everything,” Rosen said. “Playing in the NHL is what every kid dreams about. If I play tomorrow, that would be another step in the right direction in my career. “(Carrick) is easy to play with. I think we are both pretty good skaters and can pass the puck. We have to keep the tempo and give the puck to our forwards quick.” Rosen takes the roster spot that was opened when defenceman Martin Marincin cleared waivers and was sent to the Leafs’ American Hockey League affiliate. “We think Marty has lots of good skills to play in the NHL and confidence has been something we have talked a lot about,” Babcock said. “Every time the (general) manager and coach are there watching, you play well and then when there is an opportunity you get called upon. “In the meantime, though, we’re in a process. Borgman and Rosen, we don’t want either one of them sitting around, so if they are not playing, they won’t be here.” Fact is, Babcock has a pool of depth that not all NHL coaches possess. “I guess it’s like anything — you still have to make that decision,” Babcock said. “You can avoid making that decision and say, ‘we won’ and don’t get them in. But we think they are all good players. If it was clear that one guy was ahead of the other guy, there would be no decision to make and I would not have to worry about that. We’re deeper than we have been in a long time. Sosh (Nikita Soshnikov) and Kappy (Kasperi Kapanen) can play in the NHL without any question, and yet they are not here.” Also practising on Friday, as promised by general manager Lou Lamoriello, was defenceman Roman Polak. The NHL veteran has not signed a contract with the Leafs after trying out during camp but will continue to practise with the club as he recovers from a broken leg suffered in the playoffs last spring. In a move later in the afternoon, the Leafs announced they had acquired goaltender Calvin Pickard from the Vegas Golden Knights and assigned him to the Marlies. Toronto sends forward Tobias Lindberg and a sixth- round selection in the 2018 NHL draft in the exchange. National Post LOADED: 10.07.2017 1077033 Vegas Golden Knights

James Neal proves golden twice for Knights in historic win

By Ed Graney Las Vegas Review-Journal October 6, 2017 - 10:35 PM

DALLAS — When you and your friends order another round in the coming years and someone suggests a game of Trivial Pursuit All-Star Sports, remember the name James Neal. He just became an answer. A few weeks ago, the guy wasn’t even skating. A few days ago, it was uncertain he would dress for the season opener of the Golden Knights. Now, he’s the man who forever etched his likeness into the pages of the NHL expansion team’s record book. Neal scored both third-period goals in a 2-1 win against Dallas at American Airlines Center on Friday night, allowing the Knights to depart the franchise’s inaugural game victorious. “To see how happy the guys were to start the season with a new team and a fresh start, we all have an opportunity,” Neal said. “I started my career here in Dallas, so it was funny coming back here.” There was no laughing heard from the Stars’ locker room. Neal was an expansion draft pick of the Knights from Nashville, but he had wrist surgery in late July and didn’t believe he could recover in time to be on the ice Friday. But he began practicing this past week, and as the game drew closer, it became more evident he would play. He started on the same line as Cody Eakin and David Perron, and more than anyone else took advantage when Dallas goalie Ben Bishop had to leave in the third period after being struck in the face mask by a puck. Neal’s first goal was off a wrist shot from the top of the circle and tied the game at 1, but his game-winner will be remembered a long while. Eakin fed Neal off a 2-on-1, and the latter while sliding toward the goal flicked the puck over backup Kari Lehtonen. Less than three minutes later, the Knights had their first win. “(Neal) is a goal scorer who played a real good game,” Knights coach Gerard Gallant said. “He’s probably going to be really tired in the morning, but he capitalized on those chances.” The Knights are going to need more of the same from Neal to compete most nights, a team lacking much firepower and one that could find itself in countless close, low-scoring games. He was drafted 33rd overall by the Stars in 2005 and also played for the Penguins and Predators. Now, he’s the answer to a trivia question. “You can’t (script this),” Neal said. “Having the surgery so late, I just wanted to do everything I could to be part of the first game. It was a tough, short summer. I didn’t feel as though I was handling it all that well.” There is a group of teammates and coaches and fans that would vehemently disagree.

LAS VEGAS REVIEW JOURNAL LOADED: 10.07.2017 1077034 Vegas Golden Knights On the video board high above, this flashed: Viva Las Vegas. “Obviously, it’s terrible what happened,” Neal said. “I think in times like this, having a sports team to rally around will help the community in a Golden Knights play for grieving Las Vegas, deliver historic first win good way. “It’s time for all of us to come together. It’s a point where we can rally By Ed Graney Las Vegas Review-Journal behind the city and shed some light on a terrible situation. You’ve seen it with other teams in such hard times when terrible things happen that fans October 6, 2017 - 9:59 PM can really find something positive in sports. Hopefully, that happens with us.” Updated October 6, 2017 - 10:08 PM Las Vegas never will be the same for many reasons, but in the wake of terror, sports has offered a potential pause to all the chaos and heartache. DALLAS — The green wristbands sparkled among the darkness like a wave of togetherness, American Airlines Center home to NHL history on One game does not make a season or even a week, but this was Friday and yet also a building that remembered those lost and injured in different. the deadliest gun massacre in modern U.S. history. History is a starting point, and for theirs, the Golden Knights skated off a In a week when fear and death and incomparable sorrow tested the faith winner. and resolve of Las Vegas like never before, major league professional sports officially joined its ranks. And in the process, gave a grieving city reason to smile, if only for an instant. Everyone did their best here to honor those affected while the visitors also celebrated the latter. The inaugural expansion season is underway for the Golden Knights, LAS VEGAS REVIEW JOURNAL LOADED: 10.07.2017 and future record books will tell generations they beat the Dallas Stars 2- 1 before 18,532, a night of firsts for the franchise punctuated with a victory. “A happy ending and yet a lot of people are still suffering at home,” goalie Marc-Andre Fleury said. “For us to win the first game, to work hard all night to get it, hopefully it made people in Las Vegas proud of us, proud of their team fighting through adversity.” Fact: There could be a season’s worth of these types of tight, contested, close, grind-until-the-end games. But what the Knights lack in skill, they certainly make up for in grit, and yet my vote for the three stars of the night would have read this way: 1. Fleury, who more than flashed the talent that was part of three Stanley Cup championship teams in Pittsburgh. He stopped all but one of 46 shots. He was unbelievable. 2. James Neal. The forward, who didn’t begin skating with the Knights until this past week after undergoing offseason wrist surgery and didn’t anticipate being active for the season opener, scored both goals. The winning goal came sliding from his knees with 2:44 remaining. 3. The puck that went through the mask of Dallas goalie Ben Bishop in the third period. No. Seriously. Bishop went off holding a towel to his bloody face and didn’t return, forcing a much lesser talented Kari Lehtonen into action and opening the door for the Knights. To that point, Bishop had stopped all 19 shots against him. He was as stellar as Fleury while facing far fewer shots in a lot less traffic. “We worked hard all game,” Knights coach Gerard Gallant said. “We stuck around and got a couple good opportunities and capitalized. We’ll enjoy this. This is a great win for our franchise. We’re pretty excited.” I’m not sure even Fleury can keep up the sort of level he offered, but he will have to be great more nights than not for the team to find success. The Knights were 0-for-7 on the power play and have failed to score off 28 straight dating to the preseason. That’s more than a little slump. That’s a sign. It was one of those games in which Dallas led 1-0 after two periods and yet it felt like 4-0. But that’s who the Knights are going to be, and it was enough on a night when the thoughts of many were 1,200 miles away. The evening began with Dallas honoring a staff member who died in a car wreck during the offseason, then paying tribute to Dave Strader, the team’s play-by-play voice who died of cancer Sunday at age 62. The same day of the shooting. The lights were turned off and green wristbands sparkled among the darkness, and the Stars slowly skated to the blue line and in position behind the Knights, forming a sign of solidarity against the horror and one of respect for the innocent. 1077035 Vegas Golden Knights

Golden Knights’ Calvin Pickard traded to Maple Leafs

By Steve Carp Las Vegas Review-Journal October 6, 2017 - 9:27 PM

DALLAS — Calvin Pickard first left Las Vegas and now has left the country. The 25-year-old goaltender, acquired by the Golden Knights in the expansion draft from the Colorado Avalanche, cleared waivers Friday and was traded to the Toronto Maple Leafs. The Knights received forward Tobias Lindberg, who will be assigned to the Chicago Wolves, the Knights’ American Hockey League affiliate. Lindberg spent last season with the AHL’s Toronto Marlies, recording 16 points (six goals, 10 assists) in 44 games. During the 2015-16 season, he appeared in six games for the Maple Leafs and had two assists. He was taken in the fourth round (102nd overall) of the 2013 NHL Entry Draft by the Ottawa Senators. Pickard started two games for the Knights in the preseason, going 0-1-1 with a 4.00 goals-against average. As expected, Vadim Shipachyov was in Texas on Friday. But instead of being in Dallas with the Knights, the 30-year-old center from Russia was in Cedar Park, some 190 miles to the south, playing for the Chicago Wolves against the Texas Stars in the Wolves’ AHL season opener. Oscar Lindberg took Shipachyov’s place on the line with Reilly Smith and Jonathan Marchessault. Knights center Cody Eakin spent five years with the Stars and has fond memories. His best season came in 2014-15 when he scored 19 goals and had 40 points. “It was a great atmosphere in this place. I met a lot of good people, made a lot of good friends,” Eakin said before the Knights’ NHL debut. Eakin is looking to bounce back from the worst year of his NHL career — three goals and nine assists in 60 games. Golden Knights forwards Reilly Smith (2012, 2013) and James Neal (2008 to 2011) also played for the Stars. Veteran defenseman Marc Methot was selected by the Knights in the expansion draft from the Ottawa Senators only to be traded to Dallas five days later for goaltender Dylan Ferguson and a second-round draft pick in 2020. “I knew right away it was coming,” Methot said. “That was the word on the street. “It would have been cool to be part of an expansion team. But no slight against Vegas, but I’m glad to be on an established team. There’s a lot of firepower and talent here.”

LAS VEGAS REVIEW JOURNAL LOADED: 10.07.2017 1077036 Vegas Golden Knights LAS VEGAS REVIEW JOURNAL LOADED: 10.07.2017 Golden Knights win inaugural NHL game, 2-1

By Steve Carp Las Vegas Review-Journal October 6, 2017 - 8:34 PM Updated October 6, 2017 - 10:23 PM

DALLAS — They were Vegas Tough, alright. Vegas Resilient too. And Vegas Lucky at times as well. The Golden Knights, skating for the first time as an NHL franchise and playing for a city still on the mend following Sunday’s mass shootings on the Las Vegas Strip, exemplified everything general manager George McPhee had in mind when he built this team over the past three-plus months. They scrapped. They sacrificed. They battled. They didn’t panic when trailing 1-0 midway through the third period. And with veterans James Neal and Marc-Andre Fleury leading the way, the Knights made their historic debut as Las Vegas’ first major league professional sports team a successful one, defeating the Dallas Stars, 2-1 in front of a sellout crowd of 18,532 at American Airlines Center. With majority owner Bill Foley watching among the fans at a team watch party at Topgolf Las Vegas, the Knights saw Neal score twice, becoming a trivia answer and a hero in a seven-minute, 11-second span. His first, a wrist shot from the top of the right faceoff circle, sailed past backup goaltender Kari Lehtonen with 9:33 remaining, tied the game at 1-1. It was the first goal in franchise history. Lehtonen had replaced Ben Bishop four minutes into the third period after Bishop took a puck to the face on a shot by Reilly Smith. The game-winner saw Neal work a 2-on-1 with Cody Eakin who passed him the puck as he skated down the right side. He was sliding on his right knee but managed to flick the puck over Lehtonen with 2:44 to play. “He’s a goal-scorer and he made a great play,” Smith said of Neal’s game-winner. “It was good to have him on the ice.” Fleury then took care of the rest, He had kept his team in the game as the Stars unleashed a barrage of shots at him throughout the contest. But other than Tyler Seguin’s redirect of Devin Shore’s shot from the point during a second-period Dallas power play, Fleury was seamless. He stopped 45 shots and was selected as the game’s No. 1 star. “I expect to stop them all,” Fleury said afterward. “But it’s a great win for us. We’re a new team and everyone kept working hard. It’s exciting to win the first game.” The Stars had several golden opportunities to retake the lead, the best coming off the stick of Alexander Radulov, who was six feet away with nothing but an empty net to shoot at and Fleury down and out with 3:42 to go. But Radulov missed the net, air-mailing the puck over the cage and into the protective netting. Coach Gerard Gallant said he doesn’t expect Fleury to have to stop 45 shots every night. But he’s glad his goalie is capable of doing so when called upon. “We worked hard all game,” Gallant said. “We stuck around, we got a couple of good opportunities and we capitalized on them.” Gallant said Neal, a 23-goal scorer with Nashville last season who missed the entire preseason as he recovered from surgery on his broke right hand in the off-season, came through just hours after being activated from the injured reserve list. “It was his first game of the year and he’s probably going to be pretty tired (Saturday morning),” Gallant said. “But he played well and he capitalized on his chances which is what a goal-scorer does.” As his triumphant players headed for the bus for the flight to Phoenix and Saturday’s game against the Arizona Coyotes, McPhee was smiling in the near-empty locker room. He had put this team together and on the opening night for the franchise, they delivered. “They battled,” McPhee said. “They never gave up. They never gave in. “They deserve it. They came back and won it. And I’m happy for (owner) Bill Foley.” 1077037 Vegas Golden Knights

Golden Knights, Stars honor victims of Las Vegas mass shooting

By Steve Carp Las Vegas Review-Journal October 6, 2017 - 5:52 PM Updated October 6, 2017 - 8:57 PM

DALLAS — They stood with Vegas. With the tragic events of Sunday on the Strip still fresh, the Dallas Stars joined the Golden Knights on the Knights’ blue line at American Airlines Center as the teams stood in a moment of silence Friday to remember the shooting victims before the Knights’ debut in the NHL. Then the Knights went out and played for Las Vegas, as James Neal scored twice to rally the Knights from a 1-0 third-period deficit for a 2-1 victory. Marc-Andre Fleury, the other hero for the Knights, stopped 44 of 45 shots to get the win. The Stars were planning to honor the memory of team broadcaster Dave Strader before the puck drop. Strader died Sunday from bile duct cancer at age 62. Then the Stars skated from their blue line to join the Knights. The sellout crowd stood and cheered. Knights coach Gerard Gallant said before the game that he and his players were aware of the emotions in Las Vegas and that the players were ready to perform. “Everyone knows what a difficult time it has been this week,” he said. “Our guys did a great job getting out in the community to try to lend whatever support they could. Now, it’s time for them to do what they do best, which is play hockey and entertain the fans.”

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Golden Knights TV broadcast team carries plenty of history

By Ben Gotz • Las Vegas Review-Journal October 6, 2017 - 3:50 PM

Golden Knights television play-by-play announcer Dave Goucher still has the ticket from the first NHL game he broadcast. His new partner, color commentator Shane Hnidy, is also a collector, saving the ticket from his first NHL game as a player. But it was only recently they realized their tickets are from the same game. On Oct. 5, 2000, Goucher called his first game as the Boston Bruins’ radio announcer, a 4-4 tie with Ottawa. Playing on the Senators’ third defensive pair was a 24-year-old who finally cracked an NHL lineup because of an injury. Fate keeps connecting Goucher and Hnidy, though this time in new roles as the Golden Knights’ first-ever television broadcast team. “You never would’ve thought, 17 years later, that we’d end up working together on television,” Goucher, 48, said. “It’s pretty ironic how it all worked out.” The two certainly took different paths to reach Las Vegas. Goucher, a Pawtucket, Rhode Island native, kept working up the East Coast hockey ladder after graduating from Boston University in 1993, calling minor league games for eight years before holding the Bruins job from 2000- 2017. Hnidy, from a town of about 4,000 in Manitoba, dreamed of playing in the NHL while shoveling snow off tennis courts so he and his friends could play “road hockey” growing up. He was drafted 173rd overall in 1994 and after four years in the minors he got his chance, playing 11 seasons with six different teams. His final stop connected him and Goucher again, as Hnidy was part of the Bruins team that hoisted the Stanley Cup in 2011 after a Game 7 win in Vancouver. It’s only fitting then that the pair’s first preseason broadcast as a Golden Knights team was in the same arena on Sept. 17. Hnidy’s post-playing career took off when the Winnipeg Jets moved in about two hours from his hometown in 2011 and offered to let him do some radio work. Within a year he was also helping out on television on TSN, and became the network’s full-time Jets color analyst in 2014. “It happened quick. Sometimes I say this career has taken off quicker than my previous career (playing),” Hnidy, 41, said with a laugh. Hnidy quickly impressed at TSN with his work ethic and his ability to see and analyze plays on the ice quickly. “He doesn’t need a replay to confirm what he saw,” Jets play-by-play man Dennis Beyak said. “He knows what he saw. He knows why this happened and then the replay confirms it.” Its those skills that led him to be hired by the Golden Knights and paired with Goucher. The two are still learning how to work together on television, but with 17 years of history there already, things seem to be coming together quickly. “There’s an instant chemistry. Doing our first (preseason) game … it was seamless,” Goucher said. “That’s what you want with your broadcast partner, the ability to work together. It was just fantastic.”

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James Neal brings scoring touch to Golden Knights

By David Schoen • Las Vegas Review-Journal October 6, 2017 - 3:47 PM

James Neal wasn’t always known for having a wicked shot. After being drafted by Dallas in 2005, Neal arrived at his first NHL training camp ready to show off the blast that made him a second-round pick. But he quickly found out he lacked firepower. “I could see (Mike) Modano, Jason Arnott, Bill Guerin, those guys were just ripping the puck,” Neal said. “I couldn’t score on Marty Turco if I was 2 feet from him, and I was like, ‘All right, I have to work on my shot.’ ” Neal made several adjustments to his game, including changing the curve on the blade of his stick, and developed into one of the top snipers in the league. The 30-year-old wing scored more than 20 goals in each of his nine NHL seasons — one of six active NHL players to accomplish the feat — and gives the Golden Knights a proven offensive threat in their inaugural season. “Throughout my career, I’ve been relied on to score goals,” Neal said. “To come here and be a big part of that, it’s a little added pressure, but the pressure you put on yourself and you want on yourself. It’s a great chance for me here, and I look forward to doing good things.” Neal pumped in a career-high 40 goals for Pittsburgh during the 2011-12 season while skating on a line with center Evgeni Malkin. He finished last season with 23 goals and 41 points in 70 games, helping the Predators reach the Stanley Cup finals. Neal’s 238 career goals ranks 15th in the league since 2008, when he arrived in the NHL, and his 451 career points are more than anyone else on the Knights’ roster. “He’s a game-changer. He’s a guy who can make you win a game,” said Knights goaltender Marc-Andre Fleury, who played three-plus seasons in Pittsburgh with Neal. “He’s got such a good shot, good release. Having faced him in practice and games, he’s a guy that can score some big goals for your team, and we’re lucky to have him with us.” Neal is owed $5 million this season and is in the final year of his contract, which largely explains why he was left unprotected in the expansion draft by Nashville. Should Neal perform well for the Knights, his contract status and goal- scoring prowess make him a candidate to be dealt to a contending team as the trade deadline approaches. “(I) just want him to come in and play the way he can play and have a great year,” Knights general manager George McPhee said. “Whether we extend him or someone else does, we’ll see where we are as the season progresses. But we claimed him for a reason. He’s a good player, he can score goals, he plays with an edge.” The 6-foot-2-inch, 221-pound Neal spent the offseason recovering from surgery on a broken hand suffered in Game 1 of the Western Conference finals against Anaheim. Neal is expected to skate on the Knights’ top line with center Vadim Shipachyov and also feature on the No. 1 power-play unit. “As you get older and you play in the league a while, you learn to control the things you can control and let the other stuff just work itself out,” Neal said. “I’m definitely not worried about getting traded. I’m not worried about becoming an unrestricted free agent. I’m more excited to be a part of this expansion team.”

LAS VEGAS REVIEW JOURNAL LOADED: 10.07.2017 1077040 Vegas Golden Knights that iconic MTV Video: They may not have started the fire for pro hockey in Las Vegas, but they certainly fanned the flame. Goals to grasshoppers: recalling Las Vegas’ hockey history “I like to think we kept the fire alive and developed the game for those who came after us,” he said of the Wranglers’ legacy.

Jason Zucker was born in Newport Beach, California, in 1992 but moved By Ron Kantowski • Las Vegas Review-Journal to Las Vegas with his family when he was 2 months old. October 6, 2017 - 3:46 PM He made his NHL debut with the Minnesota Wild in 2011. That’s right — a kid who grew up here when about the only ice to be found in Las Vegas was at the bottom of a highball glass had made it all Things that have left the building: Elvis, the minor league Las Vegas the way to the NHL. It was like a kid from Utah learning to play blues Thunder and Wranglers, Frozen Fury I-XVIII, grasshoppers. guitar, and then breaking in with B.B. King. Surely you remember the grasshoppers. Zucker, 25, has been a mainstay with Minnesota and had his best season in 2016-17 with 22 goals and 25 assists. He also led the NHL in Sept. 27, 1991. eyebrows raised and double takes among hockey broadcasters at every Kings. mention of his hometown. Rangers. Grasshoppers. LAS VEGAS REVIEW JOURNAL LOADED: 10.07.2017 On a temporary outdoor hockey rink at on a 95-degree night. The little buggers — not to be confused with Ken “The Rat” Linseman of the old Philadelphia Flyers, at least not in this case — were attracted by the bright lights reflecting off the ice and came falling out of the desert sky during the third period. Wayne Gretzky thought it was a hoot. Not sure about John Vanbiesbrouck, the Rangers’ goalie, after New York allowed five unanswered goals. It was a night that shall live not in infamy, but in insecticide. Until June 22, 2016, the day Las Vegas officially was awarded an NHL expansion franchise, the grasshoppers being whistled for too many men on the ice might have been the most memorable occurrence in the city’s short but colorful professional hockey history. When the Thomas & Mack Center was converted into a hockey arena in 1993, the Las Vegas Thunder immediately began to outdraw the UNLV basketball team at the turnstiles. Radek Bonk. Butch Goring. More than 8,000 fans at every home game. There were shots, goals, fights, the Village People, a female (Manon Rheaume) between the pipes, and females on the blue line between periods, stripping down to their dainty things during infamous bikini contests. Make that infamous bikini contest, singular. The Thunder, featuring nearly as many NHL players as the Golden Knights, went 52-18 during their inaugural season before, like so many things in Las Vegas, interest in minor league hockey waned about the same time the Thunder and UNLV dropped their gloves over their lease agreement. The team lasted six seasons. “Nobody could have done a better job than we did the first three years with our crowds,” said Bob Strumm, the Thunder’s former general manager who still makes his home in Las Vegas. “We brought in (Alexei) Yashin, (Pavol) Demitra, Jimmy Kyte — these were NHL players.” After the Thunder was banished from UNLV’s frozen pond, local puckheads were forced to settle for a once-a-year hockey fix. It was called Frozen Fury, a series of NHL exhibition games featuring the Los Angeles Kings against another West Coast team, usually the Colorado Avalanche. Frozen Fury I, Kings vs. Avalanche, was played in 1997. The series continued through 2016, when the Kings dropped the puck on hockey and high-sticking penalties at T-Mobile Arena with games against the Dallas Stars and Avalanche. After the Thunder’s demise, pro hockey over the long term would return to Las Vegas in 2003-04 with the advent of the ECHL’s Las Vegas Wranglers. The Wranglers outlasted the Thunder and skated through the 2013-14 season at Orleans Arena, which was just the right size for Double-A hockey and wacky promotions such as Dick Cheney Hunting Vest Night, games that started at midnight and between-periods concerts feting pint- sized rockers Mini Kiss. Billy Johnson, the team’s enterprising president and resident P.T. Barnum impersonator, said the Wranglers were sort of like Billy Joel in 1077041 Vegas Golden Knights

Golden Knights’ head coach has been there before with expansion

By Steve Carp • Las Vegas Review-Journal October 6, 2017 - 3:43 PM

Just call him “Turk.” Gerard Gallant is a simple guy. The first head coach of the Golden Knights doesn’t answer to “Mister,” and even “Coach” seems kind of formal to him. But his face will no doubt become familiar to Golden Knights fans very quickly, as he, along with Marc-Andre Fleury, Deryk Engelland and James Neal are the faces of the franchise. “So far, it’s been great,” Gallant said of his arrival to Las Vegas. “I haven’t spent a lot of time here, but the people have been very friendly and it’s great to be here.” A year ago, Gallant had no need to go to Las Vegas, much less look to build a home. He was coaching the Florida Panthers and had guided the team to the Atlantic Division title in 2015-16. Some believed he should have been the NHL’s Coach of the Year. But things quickly took a downturn. The Panthers were dealing with injuries and got off to a slow start. The front office had changed, and the organization was leaning more toward analytics than traditional means of assessing players. Just after Thanksgiving, the team made a change. Gallant was let go, and the move stunned the hockey world. But Florida’s loss would ultimately be the Golden Knights’ gain. General Manager George McPhee knew Gallant, and the two quickly connected after meeting in December. He wouldn’t be hired until April 13. But he has quickly settled in, and as the Knights prepare to open their inaugural season Friday in Dallas, Gallant’s job is to make sure this team competes every night. “I coach the same way I coached in junior hockey; I respect my players. I’m honest and I trust them to be professional and do their jobs,” Gallant said. “We’ve got a lot of quality people, and for me, when you get good people, you ultimately will have success.” Gallant has seen the NHL become a faster league with transition hockey being the current rage. That means having speed, quickness and the ability to go from defense to offense. McPhee has provided Gallant with enough talent that he believes can play that way. “The game evolves,” he said. “It changes every year. One thing is it’s a fast game, so you better be able to skate. We’ve got speed and we’ll use it.” Gallant knows coaching an expansion team is no easy task. He went through it during the early stages when he worked for the Columbus Blue Jackets. He also knows it’s a long season, and it will be up to him and his staff to keep the on-ice lulls to a minimum and keep things positive. “We know there are going to be some tough days or weeks,” he said. “But we’re going to keep things positive and not lose our perspective. We want our guys to take pride in playing for this organization and come to the rink every night ready to battle and to win.”

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Deryk Engelland’s career comes full circle with Golden Knights

By David Schoen • Las Vegas Review-Journal October 6, 2017 - 3:41 PM

The first phone call Deryk Engelland received from the Golden Knights came on a Sunday. The second call didn’t come until the eve of the NHL expansion draft. “I think it was two days of my wife pacing around the house until we heard back from them,” Engelland said. “It was a long two days, but it was well worth the wait.” Engelland, a longtime valley resident, will see his pro hockey career come full circle this season. After starting out with the ECHL’s Las Vegas Wranglers in 2003, the 35- year-old defenseman is back in his adopted hometown and hoping to finish his career with the Knights. “To start here in the East Coast (Hockey League) with the first year (it) was here, and to be able to be part of this the first year the NHL is here is pretty special,” Engelland said. “Probably not too many guys can say they’ve done that, and it’s a great honor to be part of this team, and I’m looking forward to the season.” Engelland played two seasons with the Wranglers — he met his wife, Melissa, during that time — and spent five more seasons in the minors before finally reaching the NHL with Pittsburgh in 2009. Engelland played five seasons with the Penguins, then signed a three- year deal with Calgary in 2014 as a free agent. Knights general manager George McPhee could have opted for another player on the Flames’ unprotected list in the expansion draft and pursued Engelland in free agency. But he chose Engelland instead and signed the rugged, 6-foot-2-inch, 214-pounder to a one-year, $1 million contract. “He’s been very helpful to a lot of people with his knowledge of Las Vegas,” McPhee said. “But it’s not just his familiarity with Las Vegas. We like the way he plays and the leadership he provides.” Engelland and his wife received multiple texts and phone calls after the expansion draft from teammates, wives and girlfriends seeking information about their new city. Need to find a house? Engelland can help. Know of a good babysitter? Ask Engelland. “Usually you come into a team and there’s a lot of guys that you can contact about the city. Unfortunately for Deryk, there’s only one guy,” Knights defenseman Jason Garrison said. “He’s a leader on and off the ice. He’s going to help guys out, whether it’s older guys like myself or younger guys coming in. We’re very fortunate to have a resource like that.” Engelland represented the Knights at multiple charity functions this summer and organized the Knights’ informal practices before the start of training camp. While McPhee said the Knights might not name a captain in their first year, Engelland will be counted on to lead in the locker room regardless. “We’re going to have a veteran group of players that are going to be our leadership group,” said coach Gerard Gallant. “We want (those) guys to be good people. We want them to help our young kids be better players, and he’s one of those guys.” Engelland had four goals and 16 points last season in Calgary but is known for his physical play. In 469 career NHL games, he has compiled 500 penalty minutes. That combative style should further endear Engelland to local hockey fans. “I started my pro career here, and hopefully we’ll finish it here,” Engelland said. “It’s pretty amazing, and sometimes it’s still a little shocking where we’re at now. I take a lot of pride in it, and I’m very grateful.”

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Fleury comfortable being the face of the Golden Knights’ franchise

By Steve Carp • Las Vegas Review-Journal October 6, 2017 - 3:40 PM

How ironic that the face of the franchise hides behind a mask. Marc-Andre Fleury, who will be the Golden Knights’ starting goaltender in the team’s inaugural NHL season, welcomes the celebrity that has been given him by the expansion team’s fan base even though he was never seeking it. From the moment his name was announced June 21 late in the NHL expansion draft at T-Mobile Arena with the news being greeted by a standing ovation from more than 10,000 fans, Fleury has become the most identifiable member of the Knights. “It’s been fine,” Fleury said. “I want to show my passion for the game, and I want to connect with our fans and help grow the game in Las Vegas.” Fleury has settled in quickly. He purchased the home of former NHLer Sheldon Souray in Southern Highlands. He has done promotional work for the team and the league, including appearing on NBC’s “Today” show last month wearing his Golden Knights home jersey. The day after the expansion draft, Fleury was participating in a street hockey clinic outside T-Mobile. It’s only a matter of time before you see Fleury on television doing commercials for local businesses. “It’s been great,” he said of the reception he has received. “But it’s a big challenge being part of something new like this. It’s not something I’ve been through before.” Fleury won three Stanley Cups with the Pittsburgh Penguins (2009, 2016 and 2017). He was not the face of the franchise there. That honor went to Sidney Crosby, but he was a beloved member of the Penguins, both by the fan base and by his teammates in the locker room. But the Penguins had their goalie of the future in Matt Murray. Fleury still saw himself as a starting goalie in the NHL. And through a series of negotiations with the Penguins, he agreed to be left unprotected in the expansion draft and was selected by the Knights. He has his rings, so he’s not worried about maybe never getting another chance to win a Stanley Cup. He’s not, however, going to roll over and allow a culture of losing to permeate the locker room. “Every guy here wants to win,” he said. “We know where we’re at, but we won’t accept losing. I think we’re all gonna try hard, work hard at getting points, getting wins and getting close as a team to building this franchise. We’re still looking at winning some games.” It’s that kind of attitude that endears Fleury to the fans and gets respect from his teammates. In the NHL, goalies are not allowed to serve as captains. Fleury wouldn’t be a natural to wear the “C” but still can act like a leader. “We have a lot of young guys,” he said. “Anything I can do to help them I’m glad to do.” Fleury will team with Calvin Pickard to form the Knights’ goaltending tandem. Both are looking forward to working together and give the team stability in net. “Yeah, it’s good to have him here,” Fleury said of Pickard. “He’s a very good goalie, and I’m sure we can learn from each other. You’re always trying to learn in this game.” In his 13-year NHL career, Fleury has 375 wins, a 2.58 goals-against average, a .912 save percentage and 44 shutouts. He turns 33 in late November but shows no signs of slowing down. “I’m excited to be here,” he said. “It’s all very new, but it’s also so nice. The guys in the room, the staff that we have, the facilities that we have, everything has been awesome. It’s up to us to have a good camp here and have a good show on the ice.”

LAS VEGAS REVIEW JOURNAL LOADED: 10.07.2017 1077044 Vegas Golden Knights that 72-year old gunslinger, a $500 million expansion fee and the millions more he has and will continue to pour into his franchise hardly speaks of someone who will try and win on the cheap. Golden Knights owner takes calculated risky by bringing hockey to desert “My budget will be the salary cap,” he said. “We will sign those free agents along the way that are needed to help the core group of players we will build our team with through the draft. I absolutely will spend the By Ed Graney Las Vegas Review-Journal money needed to win.” October 6, 2017 - 3:39 PM On the day NHL owners voted in favor of adding a 31st team, the culmination of a 2½-year pursuit by a graduate of the United States Military Academy at West Point, Foley talked most about community and his franchise being a major extension of how Las Vegas now would be There is a belief some hold about Bill Foley that might surprise you, that perceived. He promised the team would be dedicated, focused and he is the business world’s equal to Brett Favre scrambling from pressure, taking no prisoners. a billionaire gunslinger who writes checks before analyzing the purchase, who chucks his financial support into countless ventures before That it would produce early success. fastidiously surveying the entire field. That it was more personal for him than any of his business ventures. Who might see the double-coverage that would cause others to check down but really doesn’t give a damn. At its inception, the Vegas Golden Knights was a mere dream for the guy who some believe swims at the bottom of the ocean when pursuing Foley prefers another portrayal of his acumen: that he is instead a value interests. buyer who takes calculated risks, who has grown his many companies by obtaining them at their lowest points and then building them into great This time, it turns out, he snagged one hell of a crab. success stories over time.

“Some people think I’m a bottom-dweller, that I’m too cheap and swimming around the ocean floor grabbing as many little crabs as I can,” LAS VEGAS REVIEW JOURNAL LOADED: 10.07.2017 Foley said. “It’s not true. I like value. I like things that can really be improved.” Is there a better example, then, of something that begins with no history at all? He had never before swum in this part of the ocean, near its floor or otherwise, before emerging as the man who would bring Las Vegas its first major league professional sports team in the form of an NHL expansion franchise. It made sense that the inception of such a level of sports in Southern would begin with hockey, always thought to be the ideal test model for whether the town could support such a venture over time. Reason being, If such an untapped market without a deep, rich hockey tradition and one that would rely on a tourism base to purchase its share of tickets could make it work, other leagues like the NFL and NBA wouldn’t hesitate to follow. Already, without a puck having been dropped for real inside T-Mobile Arena, the Raiders have made such plans. In terms of hockey, the irony of such a historic move is not lost on those closest to Foley, an admitted recluse who isn’t big on large groups or glad-handing others as a way to inspire them. The chairman of Fidelity National Financial is all about commitment and drive and determination, not so much about giving speeches or being front-and-center when the cameras turn on. But when the Golden Knights open their inaugural season in Dallas on Friday night, the journey that began with Foley gauging local interest with a season ticket drive in February 2015 will have come full circle. Las Vegas will never be the same, having arrived to a place on the global sports map it never knew. “I’ve been approached with other opportunities as a minority owner in sports, but always felt like I should be in the front of the plane and not the back when it comes to this,” Foley said. “From the minute we got the franchise, I was all in. That’s why we moved to Las Vegas. We’re embedded here now. I’m not going to be an absentee owner. I believe that if I can bring my business instincts and my knowledge of business to this franchise, we will be one of the best hockey clubs in terms of how things are run. “I also believe we can have a very strong, competitive team.” The latter would be proven over time. Perhaps a very long time. Of the nine teams added to the NHL between 1991-2001, the Florida Panthers had the best inaugural season at 33-34-17 in 1993. But it also took Philadelphia just six years to go from expansion side in 1967 to Stanley Cup champion, a timeline Foley has publicly stated as a goal for the Knights to match. That’s probably a best-case scenario — even a stretch for one — and Foley knows it. But while some in his world of finance might consider him 1077045 Vegas Golden Knights

Golden Knights’ road to early success in NHL won’t come easy

By Steve Carp • Las Vegas Review-Journal October 6, 2017 - 3:37 PM

What was a dream of Bill Foley more than three years ago becomes reality Friday night in Dallas. Las Vegas’ first major league professional sports franchise will debut with the Golden Knights playing the Dallas Stars at American Airlines Center. Yes, there have been other firsts for the expansion franchise for which Foley and his partners paid a record $500 million in 2016 to join the NHL. There was the draft lottery. Expansion draft. Entry draft. Development camp. Rookie camp. Veterans training camp. Seven preseason games. But all of those benchmarks will take a back seat to Friday night. Now it’s for real. The foundation will be laid for a franchise Foley hopes will be in the playoffs in three years and competing for a Stanley Cup in six. “It’s hard to believe it’s here,” Foley said right before training camp. “It seemed like it was just yesterday we were asking people to put down deposits for a team that didn’t even exist.” About 14,000 purchased some sort of season ticket plan and T-Mobile Arena, the team’s home off the Strip, figures to be full just about every night. So what kind of team can the fans expect of these expansion Golden Knights? General manager George McPhee built a team that has experience throughout, starting in goal with Marc-Andre Fleury, who has three Stanley Cup rings, and Calvin Pickard. He has a nice blend of experience and youth on the blue line with Nate Schmidt, Shea Theodore, Luca Sbisa, Jon Merrill and Colin Miller. Up front, there are enough guys who can put the puck in the net. Jonathan Marchessault, Reilly Smith, James Neal, David Perron and Cody Eakin have all proven they can produce at the NHL level while Erik Haula, Oscar Lindberg, William Carrier and Brendan Leipsic are young and have the ability to blossom into quality scorers. Then there’s the X-factor, Vadim Shipachyov. The 30-year-old center was a star in Russia, finishing second in the Kontinental Hockey League in scoring last season. But he has never played in the NHL. Can he put up numbers close to the 26 goals and 76 points he registered with St. Petersburg SKA last season? Head coach Gerard Gallant’s expectations are simple — come to the rink every night ready to compete and give your best effort. His hope is his team will have the mettle to hang in against the NHL’s elite while finding a way to beat some of the league’s lesser lights and amass enough points to where they wind up with a respectable record and perhaps avoid the Pacific Division cellar. “We want good people who will come in and respect the organization,” Gallant said. “When you get good people, ultimately you’re going to get good results.” The Knights are in a tough division as the Pacific boasts several of the NHL’s elite teams in Edmonton, Anaheim and San Jose. Calgary made several significant moves in the offseason while Los Angeles has new hockey people running its operation and a fresh philosophy. In other words, every division game figures to be a battle. The reality is expansion teams usually struggle. And the Golden Knights, despite the NHL’s best efforts to give them every opportunity to be competitive, figure to have a tough go of it in their inaugural season. But they should also provide enough excitement and good moments for their fans to have hope for the future.

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Golden Knights deal goalie Calvin Pickard to Maple Leafs

By Steve Carp Las Vegas Review-Journal October 6, 2017 - 2:32 PM

Goaltender Calvin Pickard cleared waivers Friday and was quickly traded by general manager George McPhee to the Toronto Maple Leafs. In return for Pickard, the Leafs sent forward Tobias Lindberg. He will be assigned to the Chicago Wolves, the Knights’ AHL affiliate. The Knights also received a sixth-round draft pick for 2018. Lindberg spent last season with American Hockey League’s Toronto Marlies, recording 16 points (six goals, 10 assists) in 44 games. During the 2015-16 season, he appeared in six games for the Maple Leafs and recorded two assists. He was drafted in the fourth round (102nd overall) of the 2013 NHL Entry Draft by the Ottawa Senators. Pickard started two games for the Golden Knights during the preseason, going 0-1-1 with a 4.00 goals-against average. Pickard was acquired by the Knights in the 2017 expansion draft from the Colorado Avalanche.

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Bill Foley’s dream comes true with Golden Knights debut

By Brent Musburger Special to the Review-Journal October 6, 2017 - 2:22 PM

With Friday’s dropping of the puck in Dallas, a dream came true for Las Vegas when the Golden Knights began play in the NHL. Who would have believed even a decade ago that any of the professional leagues would land in Nevada for more than just an experiment in occasional scheduling? We know now that owner Bill Foley had that dream years ago and dared to make it happen. The commendation for the Golden Knights comes from their reaction to Sunday night’s tragedy on the Strip. Even as they were busy getting ready for their season, players visited the heroes at the Metropolitan Police Department, the families who were victimized in the shooting and the blood drives that drew thousands of donors. So welcome, Golden Knights. You bring a much-needed bit of happiness to a place that can really use it right now. Inch for inch, 5-foot-5-inch Jose Altuve of the Houston Astros is one of the greatest players in baseball history. On Thursday, Altuve became the ninth player in MLB history to hit three home runs in a playoff game, joining the likes of Reggie Jackson, Albert Pujols and Babe Ruth. All eight of his predecessors are just a little bigger than he is. Hitting a career-high .346 this season, Altuve won his third American League batting title in the past four years, and his consecutive string of four 200-hit seasons puts him in elite company. He is one of four right- handed hitters to do that, joining Michael Young, Kirby Puckett and Al Simmons. Altuve is poised to be the shortest MVP since Phil Rizzuto in 1950. Put your money on him someday making it to the Hall of Fame. The Cleveland Indians have the look of a champion, so it’s no wonder they are favored to win the World Series. This comes after some were second-guessing manager Terry Francona for skipping over the likely Cy Young winner, Corey Kluber, and going with Trevor Bauer in Game 1 against the New York Yankees. But Bauer dominated the Yankees this season with a 1.38 ERA in two starts. He obviously paid off that confidence by taking a no-hitter into the sixth inning and a shutout in his 6 2/3 innings. I get why Saquon Barkley of Penn State and Baker Mayfield of Oklahoma are the betting favorites for the Heisman Trophy. But my long shot is Alabama quarterback Jalen Hurts. In five games, Hurts has completed 64 percent of his passes for 747 yards, six touchdowns and no interceptions. The sophomore also has rushed for 461 yards — 92.2 a game — and four touchdowns. But the most important number is 5-0. If the Tide continues to win in impressive fashion, look for momentum to surround the often-overlooked Hurts. It was one of the worst beats I have seen in the NFL. Of course I am still thinking about what happened in the final seconds Monday when the Redskins’ bounce-passed two laterals, only to have the Chiefs’ Justin Houston scoop up the football and score a touchdown that meant nothing to the game and everything to gamblers. As this game swung instantly from a Redskins cover and under to the Chiefs and over, it brought to mind one of the last bad beats I called. That was the famous Ohio State cover by Joey Bosa against Northwestern on the final play of their game four years ago this week. Houston’s TD caused a $7,500 turn in the Westgate SuperContest, which offered a $15,000 prize to the first-place team at the quarter pole of the NFL season. PHD Sports was leading at 17-3, with Schematic Advantage at 16-4. But just as the lights were about to be turned off, a loss turned into a win for Schematic Advantage. Instead of $15,000 to itself, PHD Sports had to split it with Schematic Advantage.

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Cox Cable, AT&T reach deal to show Golden Knights games

By Steve Carp Las Vegas Review-Journal October 6, 2017 - 12:17 PM Updated October 6, 2017 - 5:33 PM

Golden Knights fans who are Cox Cable subscribers will get to watch their team from the comfort of their home. Cox, the largest provider for TV services in the valley, reached a 12th- hour agreement Friday with AT&T to put AT&T SportsNet Rocky Mountain, the official channel for the Golden Knights, on its system. Friday’s inaugural game at the Dallas Stars was shown on Channel 96 (standard definition) and 1096 (high definition). The game also was shown on DirecTV, Prism and U-verse. Beginning Saturday for the Knights’ game at Arizona, the channel will be 313 (SD) and 1313 (HD). The Cox-AT&T deal, which came after more than two months of negotiations, was finalized late Friday morning. “We would like to thank both AT&T SportsNet and Cox for their commitment and dedication to reaching an agreement,” said Vegas Golden Knights Chairman and CEO Bill Foley. “There was a significant amount of work put in from both sides, and we are appreciative of these efforts.” AT&T officials also were happy about the deal. “We are excited to be able to announce this deal with Cox and bring the Vegas Golden Knights games to their customers in Las Vegas and surrounding areas,” said Nina Kinch, vice president of affiliate relations. “We are anxious to see the team perform and looking forward to viewers having access to our network and Emmy Award-winning productions.”

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Analysis: Marc-Andre Fleury difference for Golden Knights in opening night win

By Jesse Granger (contact) Friday, Oct. 6, 2017 | 11:50 p.m.

DALLS — James Neal has received much of the credit for the Golden Knights 2-1 opening night win in Dallas, and deservedly so. Neal scored both goals for Vegas, including the spectacular game-winner from his knees. But if it weren’t for goaltender Marc-Andre Fleury’s performance for the first 50 minutes of the game, the Dallas Stars would have been too far ahead for Neal’s goals to matter. The three-time Stanley Cup champion saved 45 of the 46 shots he faced, keeping the Golden Knights within striking distance. Here are three of Fleury’s best moments of the night, and a bonus look at Neal’s game-winning goal. Fleury made the original save on a strong wrist shot from Esa Lindell, then managed to keep the rebound in front of him while Antoine Roussel crashed into him. “I had a few shots early so I was able to get into the game,” Fleury said. “The first game you’re always a little more excited so it was good to get into it early.” Fleury didn’t have to make the save on the initial breakaway, but appeared to have his leg in the way in case he did, then saved the second attempt after a pass back. “We’re not going to give up 40-some shots a game and be successful, but we had some great chances ourselves,” Gerard Gallant said. “Fleury stole this game for us.” One of the most impressive sequences of the night, Fleury saved the initial shot through traffic, then somehow managed to make it over to save the rebound. “When I play I expect to save them all,” Fleury said. “I want to save them all. I got a few good bounces here and there to keep it at one but I’ll take it.”

LAS VEGAS SUN LOADED: 10.07.2017 1077050 Vegas Golden Knights “It’s not a happy ending yet because a lot of people are still suffering,” Fleury said. “But for us to be out there and win the first game, I think the guys worked hard all game to get that win. Hopefully that makes all of the Golden Knights deliver thrilling come-from-behind victory in franchise people in Las Vegas proud of us.” opener There isn’t a city at the moment that needed something to celebrate more than Las Vegas, and in their first-ever game the Golden Knights delivered. By Jesse Granger (contact)

Friday, Oct. 6, 2017 | 10 p.m. LAS VEGAS SUN LOADED: 10.07.2017

DALLAS — As Golden Knights forward James Neal flipped the puck from his knees — over a diving goaltender and toward the net — he didn’t have time to watch where it landed. Neal crashed face-first into the end boards, but just before the collision he caught a glimpse of the fans through the plexiglass. Their agonized faces, halfway covered by their hands in disgust, told Neal his shot had found the back of the net. The eventual game-winning goal gave the Golden Knights a 2-1 victory in their first game in franchise history Friday night in Dallas, but, more important, it put a collective smile on fans back at home. “I’m glad we could just give people something to be happy about,” Neal said. “We went and saw the first responders and are just doing everything we can to help uplift this city and this community.” Neal attended the Route 91 Harvest Festival last Friday and planned on returning Sunday. “I got a text Sunday night that I was skating by myself in the morning so I didn’t end up going,” Neal said. “Having friends there at the concert and what happened is just sickening. My prayers go out to everyone affected.” Neal missed attending the concert on the night of what would become the deadliest shooting in modern U.S. history because he was busy rehabbing his hand. The winger had surgery in July after breaking his hand in last year’s Stanley Cup Playoffs, and only began handling a puck a week ago. “I honestly didn’t think I’d be starting the season,” Neal said. “I just wanted to try to do everything I could to be a part of the first game with this team.” Neal not only scored the spectacular game-winning goal, but also the first goal in team history earlier in the third period. “He’s probably going to be pretty tired tomorrow morning, but he played well and he can capitalize on those chances and that’s what a goal scorer does,” coach Gerard Gallant said. The Stars outshot Vegas 46-30, but Golden Knights goalie Marc-Andre Fleury was nearly unbeatable between the pipes. “Fleury stole that hockey game for us,” Gallant said. “He was outstanding. He made some great saves for us and he kept us in it.” Fleury finished with an impressive 45 saves, only beaten by a shot that was tipped on the way to the goal by Tyler Seguin late in the second period. “It was great to get that first game under our belt and to win makes it even more special,” Gallant said. “We played a great hockey team tonight, so we can look back and say we played one of the better teams in the league, in my opinion, and played toe-to-toe with them all night.” The turning point in the game may have come when Stars’ starting goalie Ben Bishop was injured when a puck hit him in the mask. Bishop, who had saved all 12 of the shots he faced to that point, left the game bleeding from his face and was replaced by Kari Lehtonen. Lehtonen surrendered the two goals to Neal and the Golden Knights completed the unlikely come-from-behind victory. The former Nashville Predator has 238 career goals, including one in last season’s Stanley Cup Finals, but says the two he scored Friday night were equally important. “Those are up there with the best of them,” Neal said. “I know it’s just the first game of the year but just seeing how happy guys were and how excited everyone was to start the season with a new team with a fresh start.” The Dallas Stars provided a moment of solidarity before the game when their players skated across the rink, and stood behind the Golden Knights during the national anthem. Players know the win is relatively insignificant in the grand scheme of things happening back at home. 1077051 Washington Capitals something on the ice. … If something happen and he’s trying to explain to me, I already saw it, so it’s easy to understand it.”

That’s why Coach Barry Trotz sees Kuznetsov as one mentor for Vrana, For Jakub Vrana, playing with Evgeny Kuznetsov and Alex Ovechkin is even if Kuznetsov doesn’t view their relationship that way. “Kuzy is one of almost beyond words the most intelligent players in the league,” Trotz said. Vrana made his NHL debut last season, playing in 21 games with By Isabelle Khurshudyan October 6 at 4:54 PM Washington, and while he showed flashes of the skill and speed that could be an asset to the Capitals’ lineup, he was also inconsistent. By the end of the season, Vrana was back in the American Hockey League, at one point scratched for a playoff game there. OTTAWA — Let’s say the game’s not going well, and Evgeny Kuznetsov can sense Jakub Vrana getting tense next to him on the bench. After salary cap constraints forced the departures of top-six forwards Kuznetsov knows just how to relax his new 21-year-old linemate: He’ll Marcus Johansson and Justin Williams, the Capitals are looking to Vrana say something funny to Vrana in Russian; Vrana will respond in his to be an inexpensive way of replacing some of that production because native Czech. Typically, a lot gets lost in translation, and both players he’s still on his entry-level contract. As a way of showing Vrana that the end up laughing. team projects him to be a top player, Trotz paired him with two of the team’s top players. “And then the next shift, we just play in the offensive zone and create some offensive chances,” Kuznetsov said. “I think that helps him.” He’s even starting to speak their language. The NHL might be the most international of North America’s top “That’s a pretty good position for a young guy,” Trotz said. “I think you professional sports leagues. The Capitals alone have players who hail should just smile and go, ‘I can’t believe I’m playing with two pretty good from nine countries. But on the ice, one language is established among players. I should be pretty productive.’ I’m hoping he takes that attitude. teammates — usually. Washington’s trio of Alex Ovechkin, Kuznetsov I’m hoping those two other guys are excited to have someone who’s and Vrana regularly uses two. young and enthusiastic that will help them along as well.” “He speak Russian to me, and when I don’t understand, I speak back the Czech with him, right?” Vrana said. “We don’t even understand each other, but we just keep going. And then it gets a little intense.” Washington Post LOADED: 10.07.2017 And is Ovechkin following along? “I have no idea,” Vrana admitted. [NHL 2017-18 preview: Playoff projections and pivotal stats for every team] There must be method to the madness with how the three came together in the Capitals’ 5-4 season-opening win against the Ottawa Senators on Thursday night. In addition to Ovechkin’s hat trick, Vrana finished two assists, five shots on goal and a plus-three rating in the line’s first stint together. Entering Saturday night’s home opener against the Montreal Canadiens, the Capitals hope this is the season that Vrana, the organization’s 2014 first-round pick, transitions from being a top prospect to a full-time NHLer, and it’s on Ovechkin and Kuznetsov to aid in that process. Kuznetsov, 25, doesn’t quite consider himself a mentor to Vrana, just four years his junior. “I’m not one of the older guys. Come on,” Kuznetsov bristled. But Kuznetsov tells Vrana jokes in Russian to lighten the mood when a game starts to feel too serious. “It’s just funny, you know?” Kuznetsov said. “Sometimes you need to relax a little bit. Some players, they’re too focused. Sometimes they’re not smiling. I like V. He’s always smiling, so even if something bad happen, he always positive. That’s good thing about him.” During his first three years in the league, Kuznetsov discovered that stressing about his play only made him play worse because the negativity went against his naturally cheerful disposition. As Kuznetsov worked through a slump at the start of last season, he tried to find ways to lift his own spirits in games that weren’t going his way. In one game last season, he put a puck in his mouth and then dropped it into the hands of a linesman before a faceoff. Perhaps his Russian jokes to Vrana are funny for both players because Vrana comprehends only bits and pieces of them. “He understands right away,” Kuznetsov said. “I kind of know what he’s saying,” Vrana said sheepishly. “I would say sometimes it’s really hard when he speak very fast.” It’s natural that Ovechkin and Kuznetsov are more comfortable speaking their native Russian to each other on the ice. When Vrana was added to their line, they figured Czech was close enough. “There is some level of mutual intelligibility between all Slavic languages,” said Malgorzata Cavar, an assistant professor of linguistics at Indiana University.”A huge percentage of vocabulary can be traced back to common Slavic roots but there are differences in pronunciation, grammar, and lots of ‘false friends,’ words that sound similar but mean something different.” Vrana said when Kuznetsov is directing him on the ice, such as before a faceoff, it’s in English. If Vrana has to say something in Czech, Kuznetsov said he gets the gist. “When we talk about hockey, if he speaks, I listen,” Kuznetsov said. “If I speak, he listens. It’s kind of usually one-way when one of us kind of saw 1077052 Washington Capitals

Alex Ovechkin scores hat trick seven minutes apart

By Matthew Paras - The Washington Times - Friday, October 6, 2017

Capitals star Alex Ovechkin earned the 18th hat trick of his career Thursday in a 5-4 win against the Ottawa Senators. And he did it in a span of less than seven minutes apart. The Capitals trailed 3-1 in the third period when Ovechkin scored two back-to-back goals in just 1:23 to tie the game. He added his third goal with 9:12 left in the game.

Washington Times LOADED: 10.07.2017 1077053 Washington Capitals

Ovechkin offered Alzner some advice ahead of Saturday's meeting

By Tarik El-Bashir October 06, 2017 3:40 PM

Alex Ovechkin offered Karl Alzner a little advice in a recent text message conversation between the former teammates. “He said, ‘Don’t block any of my shots,’” Alzner cracked Friday afternoon, moments after Montreal wrapped up its practice at Kettler Capitals Iceplex. “We’ll see.” Alzner, who signed with the Habs as a free agent this summer after spending nine seasons in Washington, will make his return to D.C. on Saturday at Capital One Arena. So why were Alzer and Ovechkin texting one another late Thursday night? Alzner initiated the conversation, reaching out to Ovi after No. 8 scored a hat trick to rally the Caps for a 5-4 shootout victory in Ottawa. Alzner wanted to congratulate him—and rekindle an old joke. “There was a little inside joke that we all had last year and when I saw that he had a hat trick [in] the first game of the year I texted him that joke and he replied laughing and told me he switched to CCM [sticks] and this and that,” Alzner said with a smile. “So it was brief, but it was just kind of funny. There’s some guys that I’m very close with, and it’s just natural that we’ll keep in touch.” Alzner’s challenge Saturday night will be twofold: No. 1) he’ll need to keep his emotions in check as he returns to his first NHL home and No. 2) he could see some time marking Ovechkin’s line—something he’s done hundreds of times in practice but never in a game. “You can’t let him shoot, that’s the main thing,” Alzner said, asked if there’s any secret to shutting Ovechkin down. “You watched yesterday. If you watch his goals, you just give him an inch and he can score. It’s crazy. With guys on him, it doesn’t matter. So that’s the main thing. If you take away his space, it can help. I’ve seen it work in the past, but I’ve also seen him fight through it. So it’s just manage it as best you can. I don’t think there’s one secret to him.” Asked if he’s ever wondered what it would feel like to catch on Ovechkin one-timer off the shin pad, Alzner said he had thought about it—recently, in fact. “I’m really happy he plays on the other side so I don’t have those one- timers on the PK and all that stuff,” Alzner joked. “I’ve went through all these things. So, yeah, I’ve thought about it. But when it comes down to it there’s other guys that shoot hard, too, and you still find a way to put yourself in front of it. So if it happens, it happens.”

Comcast SportsNet.com LOADED: 10.07.2017 1077054 Washington Capitals

Caps' Nathan Walker set to make history Saturday night

By Tarik El-Bashir October 06, 2017 3:00 PM

Nathan Walker is scheduled to become the first Australian to play in the NHL when the Caps host the Canadiens on Saturday night at Capital One Arena. Walker, a third round pick in 2014, earned a spot on the Capitals’ 23-man roster with a strong training camp, but he was a healthy scratch in Washington's regular season opener Thursday night, a 5-4 shootout victory in Ottawa. Count Caps Coach Barry Trotz among those who are eager to see what the Sydney native can do at the NHL level. Walker spent the past four seasons playing for the minor league Bears. “He’s got a really unique skill set,” Trotz said about Walker last week. “He is explosive. He’s quick. He gets on people. He causes havoc. He’s not nice to play against. He’s going to make you pay when you’re out there. He’s going to play hard against you and he’s going to have an effect on the ice.” It’s unclear who Walker will displace in the lineup, but the feisty forward projects as a bottom-six left wing. In three preseason games with the Caps, Walker had a goal (shorthanded) and five shots on goal.

Comcast SportsNet.com LOADED: 10.07.2017 1077055 Washington Capitals

Prediction recap: Ovechkin to the rescue

By J.J. Regan October 06, 2017 9:00 AM

The Capitals opened their season in Ottawa on Thursday and walked away with a 5-4 shootout win thanks to a late rally from an Alex Ovechkin hat trick. Here’s a recap of the three bold predictions. 1. The Capitals wills core three or more goals - Correct With no Erik Karlsson and with the typical sloppiness of the first game of the regular season, I had a feeling this would get weird. Washington scored only three goals against the Senators all season last year. Alex Ovechkin managed that by himself on Thursday. 2. We will see three or more slashing penalties - Wrong…barelyrsay There were two slashes called on the night, but I could not get that last one. The emphasis of cutting down on slashes has contributed to some terrible games in the preseason, but when I needed one on Thursday, that’s when they decided to put away the whistles. 3. Alex Ovechkin will score – Correct Correct Correct Ovechkin scored a hat trick in the third period and it’s a good thing because the Caps needed all three of those goals. 2016-17 results: Just like the Caps, I am off to a good start and it also took some late heroics from Ovechkin. Correct: 2 Wrong: 1 Push: 0

Comcast SportsNet.com LOADED: 10.07.2017 1077056 Winnipeg Jets down and run over our goalie on the first goal, you just get over it. It’s a bad break. I didn’t think on (Leafs goals) two and three— three especially — that we had the right mindset. Jets focus on details prior to Western road swing "That’s consistent around the league of a team that doesn’t have a lot of winning on its side, and wants to. It’s not that they’re not trying. They've just got to get everything back on one shift. They haven’t won enough to By: Jason Bell have confidence to run their own game. And every year it’s a brand-new team. You can win two Stanley Cups in a row and have a tough night. It Posted: 10/6/2017 6:53 PM | Comments: 1 happens." The final comment was a reference to the Pittsburgh Penguins, who were stung 5-4 in overtime Wednesday by the St. Louis Blues and then got The Winnipeg Jets focused Friday on the finer points of their game after smacked 10-1 by the Chicago Blackhawks on Thursday. gutting out a gruelling on-ice session 24 hours earlier that left many players hunched over and gasping for breath. Maurice was blunt the day before, suggesting the club cannot move forward if it can't properly defend. Jets winger Mathieu Perreault said the Head coach Paul Maurice designed a practice at Bell MTS Iceplex with directive isn't falling on deaf ears. plenty of quickness drills in mind early on but went heavy on special- teams’ work for the final 30 minutes, prior to the team’s departure for "That’s been (the message) all training camp, too. We’ve been talking Calgary. about that. It didn’t show in the first game but I think we’re going to move on from that game," said Perreault, the other Winnipeg scorer It’s the first of three straight contests on the road for the Jets, who are Wednesday. "Whether you lose 7-2 or 1-0 the first game, we see it as a looking to rebound from a startling 7-2 loss to the Toronto Maple Leafs at loss, a loss of two points. a jam-packed Bell MTS Place on Wednesday night. "We’re focusing on the next two points. Obviously, we have to be better The events of the night might have unfolded much differently had defensively and we’re working on that." Winnipeg’s power-play unit — simply merciless in the pre-season — managed to slip a puck or two past Leafs’ netminder Frederik Andersen Jets centre Matt Hendricks remains on the injured reserve list with a during three man-advantage opportunities before the game was 12 lower-body injury. Nic Petan, a healthy scratch in the home opener, took minutes old. line rushes with Lowry and Shawn Matthias and is expected to play in Calgary. Shooting blanks was a momentum killer for the hosts, who disintegrated defensively and allowed forwards Nazem Kadri, James van Riemsdyk Marko Dano appeared to be the 13th forward in Friday's practice, while and William Nylander room to fire back-to-back-back tallies in just under Ben Chiarot and Tucker Poolman were the extra defencemen. three minutes of play before the first period expired.

The Jets finished the night with a whopping eight power-play chances but came away empty. Winnipeg Free Press LOADED 10.07.2017 While Maurice refused to characterize the final 20 minutes of Thursday’s workout as a ‘bag skate,’ clearly the message was delivered after the ugly defeat to open the 2017-18 regular season. On Friday, however, it was more about exercising their hockey minds. Jets centre and alternate captain Mark Scheifele said the approach was expected and appreciated by the group. "Obviously, after the Toronto game we deserved to skate a little bit. It shows us we don’t wanna do that again. But we worked on some good things (Friday) and, hopefully, got much better," said Scheifele, who beat Andersen midway through the final frame with Toronto already ahead 6- 0. Scheifele, right-winger Blake Wheeler and defenceman Dustin Byfuglien had the biscuit moving at rapid speed in practice, creating space for sniper Patrik Laine to take a pass and unload in a hurry, with Adam Lowry providing the screen. "We gotta capitalize on our power play when we get the chances. Look at the start of the game. If we get an early one, it can change the whole outlook of the game," said Scheifele. "It’s something we always want to be on the right side of instead of the wrong side. "Any time you go through (a lopsided loss), you gotta learn something. Clearly, what we did didn’t work and the biggest thing for us is put that in the past, know it’s going to take a lot more hard work. This league’s really good and we’re going to play against some really good opponents this upcoming road trip and you gotta put it behind you and focus on the next one." The Flames play their home opener after getting a faceful of Connor McDavid on Wedesday night in a 3-0 shutout loss to the host Edmonton Oilers. McDavid, the NHL's most valuable player last season, ripped a hat-trick in the battle of Alberta. The Jets get another up-close-and-personal look at the young superstar Monday at Edmonton's stunning Rogers Place before heading to Vancouver for a meeting with the Canucks on Thursday. Winnipeg mismanaged just about every aspect of their defensive game against Toronto and left goalie Steve Mason out to dry numerous time, although he, too, had a shaky '17-18 debut. Maurice said when the power play failed to cash in and the Leafs scored first, there were signs of panic from a squad still not accustomed to winning on a consistent basis. "It was the score of the game (that) dictated how we played defensively and that’s a mistake. That’s got to get corrected. We had a player fall 1077057 Winnipeg Jets Once that becomes part of the mindset – and only then – will the Jets find themselves in a position to be successful on a consistent basis.

“That’s been (the message) all training camp, too,” Jets forward Mathieu Don’t sound alarm just yet Perreault told reporters. “We’ve been talking about that. It didn’t show in the first game but I think we’re going to move on from that game. Whether you lose 7-2 or 1-0 the first game, we see it as a loss, a loss of BY KEN WIEBE, WINNIPEG SUN two points. We’re focusing on the next two points.” FIRST POSTED: FRIDAY, OCTOBER 06, 2017 02:02 PM CDT | Chasing the game is a recipe for failure and the Jets spent far too much UPDATED: FRIDAY, OCTOBER 06, 2017 03:01 PM CDT time doing that last season, leading to predictable results. One can understand there being plenty of angst after a blowout loss, but perspective can be a valuable thing over the course of an 82 game- CALGARY - If it seemed a bit early for a wake-up call, that’s because it season. was. Look no further than last year’s opener, when the Jets rallied from a 4-1 Each and every team in the NHL wants to get off to a good start when deficit to defeat the Carolina Hurricanes 5-4 in overtime. optimism is understandably high. That effort, while impressive, didn’t lead me to believe the Jets were It’s important to remember season openers aren’t necessarily indicators going to win the Stanley Cup. of what is to come. Nor does a one-sided defeat to the Maple Leafs make me think the Jets That’s not to say the Toronto Maple Leafs don’t have a dynamic offence are destined to finish dead last. – they obviously do – it just seems a bit silly to suggest the Winnipeg Jets, based on one regular-season game, are going to get blown out on a Having said that, the Jets can’t afford many more stinkers in a month that regular basis. has them playing 11 games – nine of which come against teams that made the playoffs last season. Sometimes, teams just lay an egg. The Jets realize a good first month won’t propel them into the playoffs, Don’t believe me, just ask the two-time defending Stanley Cup but a bad first month can make it increasingly difficult to recover. champions – who were blown out 10-1 by the Chicago Blackhawks on Thursday. CALGARY – Take a wild guess who had the most ice time among Winnipeg Jets forwards in the season opener? Nobody is running Mike Sullivan or Matt Murray out of town because of a blowout. If you said Adam Lowry, congratulations. But there’s a marked difference between a team with the hardware the The Jets’ third-line centre was the only forward over 20 minutes of ice Penguins have acquired since 2009 and a Jets franchise that has missed time in the 7-2 loss to the Toronto Maple Leafs. the playoffs in five of the past six seasons and has yet to win a single playoff game. Lowry, who played 20:27, would have preferred the extra ice time came under different circumstances, but when you play at even strength, on Benefit of the doubt has to be earned and the Jets haven’t banked the penalty kill and are on the top power play unit, it occasionally adds enough goodwill in the piggy bank. up. This isn’t a defence for the lacklustre showing the Jets provided in the “It’s always nice to play a lot. You know, we’d have liked to convert on opener, not in the least. some of those power-play opportunities,” Lowry told reporters in Winnipeg on Friday. “I don’t think it’s going to be too often where I have Teams don’t get praise for an opening 15 minutes of good hockey. the most ice time over our forward group.” For most bubble teams, a 60-minute effort is a minimum requirement. Lowry, who played just under 10 minutes at even strength, 7:50 on the power play and 2:39 while shorthanded, finished the night with four shots Wednesday’s outcome was ugly and there were plenty of reasons for on goal and three hits, but was only 33% in the faceoff circle. fans, players and members of the coaching staff to be concerned about after a 7-2 loss to the Maple Leafs. Jets head coach Paul Maurice makes no apologies for handing Lowry plenty of responsibility. The Jets defensive-zone woes were never going to get solved completely during training camp, but the loose coverage isn’t acceptable either. “Yeah. I’m fine with it. He’s going to do both (power play and penalty kill)," Maurice told reporters. "We’d like to stay out of the penalty box and The Jets open a three-game road trip through western Canada on on a percentage basis, we did that relative to our opponent. Saturday against the Calgary Flames and they’ll continue on to face the Edmonton Oilers and Vancouver Canucks before returning home to take “He does a nice job net front, gets a good screen, gets his handle on the on the Carolina Hurricanes. puck. He needs to kill penalties, too. He’s in our three-hole in terms of our lines so his 5-on-5 minutes will be reasonable.” Spending more time with the puck would benefit the Jets, who feature no shortage of offensive talent. Running into a hot goalie happens on occasion in the NHL and when a Winnipeg Sun LOADED 10.07.2017 guy like Frederik Andersen makes 17 saves in the first period, it’s natural to squeeze the stick a little and for players to over pass or look for a perfect play in an effort to score. It’s also natural for individuals to press or go off script when you fall behind by two goals, that’s also what turns two-goal deficits into a 4-0 game. It also turns potential comebacks into blowouts. “I think whether it’s a 3-2 loss or a 7-2 loss, it’s still a loss. That’s kind of the way you have to look at it,” Jets centre Adam Lowry told reporters. “There’s parts of our game that we can take from that and we know we need to be better. Any time you get beat 7-2, there are areas that have to be looked at and need to be kind of worked on. “You see in the NHL, Pittsburgh loses 10-1 last night and they’re the defending Stanley Cup champions, so it’s not like the sky is falling. We know we’re going on this road trip with a job to do. We’re looking forward to getting back in good spirits and getting that good feeling back.” As gifted as the Jets might be offensively, they won’t be able to out-score their mistakes on a regular basis. 1077058 Winnipeg Jets

Things to watch in Jets versus Flames

KEN WIEBE, WINNIPEG SUN FIRST POSTED: FRIDAY, OCTOBER 06, 2017 01:52 PM CDT

Steve Mason will be the Jets starting goalie when the season opens on Wednesday. (Kevin King/Winnipeg Sun/Postmedia Network) After a tough outing saw him take an undisciplined penalty that shifted the momentum and be on the ice for four even-strength goals against, Trouba will be looking for a bounce-back effort. Part of his responsibilities on Saturday will include trying to neutralize the Flames gifted winger. Jets goalie Steve Mason didn’t get much support in his debut with his new club, but he was the first to admit he needed to be better than he was after giving up five goals on 20 shots against the Toronto Maple Leafs on Wednesday. Although the Jets generated plenty of quality offensive opportunities on Thursday during the first period with the man-advantage, their inability to finish was a factor as they went zero-for-eight overall. The Jets gave up two power-play goals in four chances and were scored on twice during delayed penalty calls. The roof caved in on the Jets when they gave up three goals in fewer than three minutes late in the first period and they often abandoned their defensive responsibilities in an effort to get back into the game. That simply can’t happen. Getting 37 shots on goal against Maple Leafs netminder Frederik Andersen – including 17 during the first period – was one of the few positives for the Jets in Wednesday’s lopsided loss. Smith was one of the few bright spots for the Flames in a 3-0 loss to the Edmonton Oilers in their opener, making 42 saves The NHL is a better place with Jaromir Jagr in it. As the 45-year-old winger gets set to make his season debut, it’s important to remember he’s still a productive player. In 47 career games against the Jets, he has 25 goals and 58 points.

Winnipeg Sun LOADED 10.07.2017 1077059 Vancouver Canucks

Risky bet: Playnow.com creates B.C. Bonanza wager for Canucks, Lions and Whitecaps

SCOTT BROWN October 6, 2017

You could turn a tidy profit on a minor sports miracle on Saturday. It’s one of those rare nights that will see Vancouver’s big three professional sports team all in action, and the B.C. Lottery Corporation is taking advantage of the occasion by allowing fans to lay money on all three squads with a special parlay wager. The Vancouver Canucks host the Edmonton Oilers, 7 p.m., at Rogers Arena, the B.C. Lions entertain the Ottawa Redblacks, 4 p.m., at B.C. Place Stadium, and the Vancouver Whitecaps hit the road for a 2 p.m. match against the New York Red Bulls. You can bet your hard-earned cash on all three teams to win with the B.C. Bonanza wager at Playnow.com. With the initial odds on the Vancouver trifecta set at 19/1, a $20 bet will pay out $400. Odds of Canucks winning Stanley Cup are an NHL-worst 150/1 Of the three Vancouver teams, only the Lions are favoured to win — and they’ve lost two straight games and five of their last six. So, you’ve got to ask yourself, do you feel lucky?

Vancouver Province: LOADED: 10.07.2017 1077060 Vancouver Canucks Stecher is coming off a commendable rookie season but can he be the power-play quarterback this team has desperately needed? What about Hutton? While we’re asking questions, can those two provide some Canucks' millennials hold the key to how season plays out offence on a blue-line that totalled a pitiful 22 goals last season? As for the goalies, they’re a little farther along. But Markstrom, who figures to shoulder most of the workload, has never played more than 32 Ed Willes games in a season and Nilsson’s highest total is 26 games. Published: October 6, 2017 Add it all up and it’s unlikely this group will take the necessary leap forward together. But what if Markstrom establishes himself as a bona Updated: October 6, 2017 5:14 PM PDT fide No. 1 this season? What if Gudbranson keys an improved penalty kill and Hutton and Stecher combine for 15 goals? What if Horvat supplants

Henrik as the team’s first-line centre? Bo Horvat believes it's show-time for himself and the Canucks who have It likely won’t be enough to get the Canucks into the playoffs but it will some NHL experience: “There are no excuses. I’ve had my time in the send the right message about this team’s future. That might be as much league. I’ve played three full years and I can’t play the young-guy card. I as the Canucks could hope for out of this season. have to bring it every night." “There usually comes a time when you know what you have in a player,” There is an oft-repeated story in NHL lore concerning the wide-eyed said Green. “You know what to expect, what their plateau is, what their rookie facing off against the veteran star and Ben Hutton admits his great games are. younger self was struck by hero worship on a number of occasions. “We still don’t know that with some of our guys.” “I’d line up and I was like, ‘Holy crap. That’s Ryan Getzlaf beside me,’” said the Canucks’ third-year defenceman. “Or that’s Corey Perry coming Which might not be the most comforting feeling for a first-year head down on me. I guess a lot of guys go through that.” coach but it should guarantee things won’t be boring around his team this season. Maybe, but one day those same guys look up at the player bearing down on them and don’t see Perry or Jeff Carter or whoever. They see No. 10 “We’re not rookies anymore,” said Hutton. “I’d like to think we’ve for the Anaheim Ducks and, at that moment, they’re no longer a kid established a name for ourselves. I don’t think it’s ‘who’s that Baertschi finding his way in the world’s toughest league but a full-blown NHLer guy’ anymore or ‘who’s that Horvat?’” judged by the game’s highest standard. No, but wouldn’t it be great if that turned into, ‘Damn, who’s that Horvat?’ Hutton has now arrived at that point in his career. As it happens, so has Bo Horvat, Sven Baertschi, Markus Granlund, Troy Stecher, Erik Gudbranson and even the goaltending tandem of Jacob Markstrom and Anders Nilsson. All are 25 and under — OK the goalies are both 27 but Vancouver Province: LOADED: 10.07.2017 that’s under 25 in real years — and all have demonstrated some promise to date. But promise is no longer good enough for the Canucks. Any hope they have of extricating themselves from the pit in which they dug themselves rests on those players taking a collective step in the next phase of their careers. It might be asking a lot but, if it doesn’t happen for that group of players this year, it might never happen for this team. If that’s the case, a lot of people in this province will be saying, ‘Holy crap,’ and not in the good way. “There are no excuses,” said Horvat on Friday as the Canucks prepared for Saturday’s season-opener against Edmonton. “I’ve had my time in the league. I’ve played three full years and I can’t play the young-guy card. I have to bring it every night. “I’m going to be playing against the best players in the world night-in, night-out and I’ve got to be ready for that.” In other words he’s become a man and it’s time to set aside his childish ways. “Making the playoffs is our goal in here,” said Henrik Sedin. “There’s no question about it. But you want to see young guys take another step. If they do, we have a chance to make the playoffs.” In the Canucks’ final tune-up for Game 1 of the NHL’s 82-game marathon, most of the outside focus was on the lamentable decision to sit Jake Virtanen against the Oilers in favour of a more veteran lineup. It appears the Canucks are still struggling with their messaging but this is just the first game of the season and there will be plenty of time to hammer away at Travis Green’s decisions. The story of the Canucks’ millennials, meanwhile, might not be as sexy but its infinitely more important to the team’s aspirations in 2017-18. The 25-and-under crowd represents one-third of the Canucks’ lineup and their greatest hope for advancement. Horvat is entering his fourth year which is typically a breakout season. Can he make the jump from 50-point complementary centre to 75-point alpha male? Granlund and Baertschi are coming off 19- and 18-goal seasons, respectively. Can they get to the 25-goal mark and help transform the Canucks’ pop-gun offence? Gudbranson, with 339 career NHL games, is the most experienced player in the group but he’s still only 25. He’s also coming off an injury- plagued season and his return to form is crucial for a team that has to improve its penalty kill. 1077061 Vancouver Canucks But many have assumed if players such as Virtanen and Boeser are in Vancouver instead of Utica, they’d need to play at least 10 minutes a game and even more to make it worthwhile. Green makes splash into a coaching fishbowl full of second guessing Not so, Green said. “Some players can play 10 minutes a night and get better, and some Jason Botchford need to play more,” Green said. “I saw the other night the young player for Edmonton (Kailer Yamamoto), I think he had 6½ minutes. I thought he Published: October 6, 2017 had a good game. Updated: October 6, 2017 4:03 PM PDT “Some guys can’t skate as well if they’re playing seven or eight minutes. Sometimes, young players need to learn that. They’re used to playing a lot of minutes and it’s hard for them. Travis Green will begin his first regular season as coach of the Canucks “We have to find that magic number for guys to see if they’re productive when his NHL team faces the Edmonton Oilers Saturday night in playing 10, 12 or eight minutes.” Vancouver. No pressure, but Sam Gagner was brought in to inject life and offence in 5 questions the new NHL bench boss is already dealing with before the the Canucks’ power play. first puck drops in the regular season. 2. Will the special teams improve? People don’t even know the opening night lineup and the second guessing has already begun. Watching the Canucks power play last year was much like seeing a toddler attempt to crack a safe. The dial just kept turning and turning but Welcome to Vancouver, Travis Green. no one ever got any closer to the loot. In this NHL city everyone knows more than the coach. And, to be fair, How bad was it? Just about as bad as it gets. Only one team had a lower Green is the fourth head coach in six seasons so maybe some do. success rate and only two generated fewer shots. Green turned heads late this week when he had Markus Granlund, one The Canucks averaged 43.77 shots per 60 minutes on the power play. of his most efficient goal scorers, on a checking line. Meanwhile the pre- For comparison, the 2013-14 Canucks hit 58.31 shots per hour. It’s been season’s cover boy Jake Virtanen, one of the Canucks best skaters, a steady, and massive, decline since. seemed like the odd man out. Much has been done to try to flip the trend. Newell Brown, known for his Will Green change things up before the Canucks’ regular season opens love of movement and the drop pass, was hired to coach the power play. Saturday night against Edmonton? Both Thomas Vanek and Sam Gagner were signed to score on the power play. He just may. Thing is, there’s still no obvious trigger man on the Sedins’ group, which While we wait to find out, here are the five biggest questions the is expected to include Vanek, Gagner and either Alex Edler or Michael coaching staff faces this season: Del Zotto on the point. Jake Virtanen: After winning the fans’ hearts and minds back, he’s likely Can movement help that group generate enough shots? That right there to sit a bit this season. will be Brown’s biggest challenge. 1. How will this coaching staff develop kids? “Some units look for the perfect plays out there,” Sven Baertschi said. It felt like there was an audible gasp echoing throughout the Fraser “But as long as you have pressure, as long as you have shots, you can Valley the moment Virtanen was practising as the 13th forward. build off it. Wait, what? “The hardest thing to defend is if shots are coming on net. Everything gets messed up on rebounds. As long as you get shots, you’ll be good.” The player who just reclaimed the hearts and minds of Vancouver’s hockey fans, the guy who made us collectively believe again — as much The power play gets all the headlines, but the Canucks’ penalty kill last as you can believe after a really good pre-season — could now sit out year was just as bad and it doesn’t have any incoming free agents the opener? expected to save the day. What kind of fresh hell is this? “We need to be better, for starters,” Green said. “We’ve changed a few things with our kill. And it’s going to be up to our players. They’re going to And if that didn’t launch people into a heart-screaming panic, Brock have to kill penalties stronger than they did in the past. Boeser excluded from the Canucks’ power play sure did. “Maybe it’s little details they haven’t done in the past. I’m not going to get The Chicago Blackhawks just wiped the Pittsburgh Penguins 10-1 with into how the team killed in the past.” two rookies in prominent roles, and yes both were on the power play. Just last season those same Hawks had six rookies get substantial ice Hmmm. time. Thomas Vanek is expected to help the Sedins play an uptempo style So what gives in Van City? under coach Travis Green. Virtanen crushed it all pre-season and now he’s going to sit for Alex 3. How will Green’s systems work with this team? Burmistrov who made one good play? It’s great the Canucks are vowing to play an uptempo, aggressive style, Well, as coach Green pointed out, not everyone develops in the same but are we all going to pretend a year ago the team wasn’t saying the way or at the same speed. only way they could succeed was to play tight, buttoned up and defence-first? Boeser and Virtanen made the team, sure. But, turns out, it doesn’t mean they’re playing 82 games. Or even half that. Consistently in the pre-season, the Canucks have said they want to play fast. It’s still a little unclear how that can happen when Thomas Vanek is Green even suggested Friday 60 could be a lot. playing with the Sedins on a top line. “Some (young) guys can probably play — I don’t know a number — say Vancouver will definitely be relying on Green’s systems to generate 50 games or 60 games,” Green said. “It depends on how smart a players improved speed in its games and the players think that system is going to is; where he’s at; what he has to work on; and if that can be attained at lead to more scoring. the NHL level without hurting his development. “We’re not the biggest or strongest, but we are going to play hard and “There’s no magic formula for developing players. fast and those are the two biggest things,” Baertschi said. “(And) this is not just about developing players, this is making sure we “There will be a faster pace. I do think we’ll be a competitive team. What develop players while we want to put a competitive team on the ice.” we’re trying to do is play at a quicker pace and not wait for teams to skate into traps. The Canucks spent a lot of money this summer buying free agents, in part to ensure prospects didn’t have to, well, play NHL games. “I love it. I think anybody who wants to play in the offensive zone would. It’s hard to defend when guys come at you quick.” Most assume the lack of talent means the Canucks can’t play this way and win. But the good news is Green’s systems proved to be really effective for his Utica teams which almost always had inferior talent. Will it translate? We’re about to find out. Daniel Sedin and Bo Horvat can expect to see coach Green juggle lines a lot more than ex-bench boss did. 4. How impatient will Green be with his lines? There were pros and cons to Willie Desjardins’ lineup patience. There were times it paid off in a huge way. He kept Baertschi and Bo Horvat together through some bleak times, and they both came out of it better for it. Other times, it didn’t work out so well, like when Desjardins continued to station Brandon Sutter on his team’s first power-play unit months after it became obvious he was ill-suited for the role. Green is expected to have an itchy trigger finger with his lines, and is expected to be have more of Alain Vigneault’s blender in him than Desjardins’ loyalty. “I’ve played two games for him and the lines did change over the course of the game,” Horvat said. “I think he likes trying different things. “He likes seeing which guys are going and I think he likes to mix and match with what’s working. I do think he’s going to mix it up more than Willie.” Is that a good idea? “I think it is,” Horvat said. “You have to go with guys who are finding chemistry. It’s good to be always looking for ways to generate offensive production.” Jacob Markstrom is technically the Vancouver Canucks’ starting goalie, but coach Green isn’t afraid to ride the hot hand in net, or bench the cold one. 5. Who is the starting goalie? In short, there isn’t one. If the Canucks were being honest, they’d tell you the hope is Jacob Markstrom can establish himself as a No. 1 goalie. They’re paying him nearly $3.7 million for the next three seasons. It’d be an upset if the guy they brought in on a two-year deal with an average cap hit of $2.5 million wins the job over time, but it’s entirely possible. Really, there is not a lot to choose from with him and Anders Nilsson. For the first time in a while, the position is up for grabs. Green said he hasn’t even mapped out the first 10 games, promising to make his calls by who is playing well. That’s a massive difference from a year ago when the Canucks were adamant Ryan Miller was the starter. Will Green stick to his word or will Markstrom’s salary dictate he gets a much longer leash than has been suggested? This week will be a good test of that, especially if the Edmonton Oilers light up the Canucks in the opener, something more than a few people are predicting.

Vancouver Province: LOADED: 10.07.2017 1077062 Websites On average, the Avalanche allowed a little over 31 shots per game, and they finished third-worst in the NHL in terms of penalty differential.

They would take over four penalties per game, drawing around 3.5 of The Athletic / Behind the save: Maple Leafs gain strong foundation to their own. Then, they would leave Pickard to be shelled with shots in work with in new netminder Calvin Pickard close, allowing the puck to head his way from a full five feet closer than they had with Varlamov earlier in the season. He ended up with a .839 save percentage in 4-vs-5 situations, which came often enough to Cat Silverman significantly tank both him and the team. 2 hours ago It seemed that he’d get his fresh start with Vegas, when he was selected by the expansion club this summer.

General manager George McPhee had other plans, though. Goaltending On February 19th, 2017, Calvin Pickard stopped 37 shots for the coach Dave Prior has been noted as a big fan of Malcolm Subban, a Colorado Avalanche in their game against the Los Angeles Kings, player he and McPhee see as an easy renaissance project with a flashy recording a .925 save percentage in all situations. game and who was made available on waivers by the Bruins earlier this week. The Avalanche lost that game. Pickard, who lacks some of Subban’s speed and does everything a bit He posted a .938 save percentage in the next game just two days later, more by the book, ended up not being Prior’s preferred reclamation task. stopping 30 shots. They would lose that game, as well – and the following one, in which Pickard made a whopping 40 stops for a .952 That brings him to his current home, settling into the GTA. save percentage. The 2016-17 season isn’t one that Pickard wants to be remembered for, Pickard posted a .920 save percentage or better in 21 complete games but it’s hard for Toronto fans to overlook. It makes up over half of his played for Colorado during his 2016-17 season, and the team would lose body of work at the NHL level, and it exposed some glaring holes in his a mind-blowing nine of those. Taking out his two shutouts – where the game. He struggled with consistency when given a heavy workload, and team quite literally could not have lost the game – they lost half of the even his even-strength metrics weren’t much to write home about. games in which Pickard played significantly above the league average. From a technical standpoint, though, his game continued to improve last Of course, Pickard recorded 21 excellent games, but also managed to year, which is a testament to his willingness to work through even the put up 22 games with a save percentage lower than .900. toughest of seasons. He only played in 50 games, getting credit for 48 of their outcomes, and One of the biggest bad habits that a goaltender can get into is counter- put up extreme results on both ends of the spectrum in nearly every rotation, and Pickard himself was a victim of that during his early pro appearance he made. years. In essence, he had a season made up of either very, very strong During his final season with Francois Allaire, though, that little performances or very, very poor ones, boasting an almost remarkable inconsistency – which sees a goaltender move his torso and head in the level of inconsistency in his first season as an NHL starter. opposite direction from his body during crease movement, creating an inefficiency with his speed and accuracy – became a rarity. For Toronto Maple Leafs fans, that’s not exactly a ringing endorsement. Rather, it’s the kind of performance that, on paper, makes even a team’s This particular clip is from his game against the Los Angeles Kings last staunchest supporter very nervous. February. Notice how he stays on his feet when he can – eliminating extra pushes needed, which can slow him down and tire him out – and Off paper, though, there’s much more to the story. keeps his torso and his legs moving in the same direction. Calvin Pickard entered the 2016-17 NHL season in high spirits. Assuming he continues to work on that in Toronto, it should become all Drafted 49th overall by the Avalanche in 2010, Pickard slowly worked his but absent in his game altogether. way from the WHL’s Seattle Thunderbirds to Denver. He also managed not to revert to old depth patterns, staying within his His path to the top saw a significant evolution in his game. He was reined crease despite a season-long situation that would cause any goaltender in after playing well beyond the confines of the blue paint in his early to scramble for comfortable habits. He stayed at a reasonable depth, and years, taught a more conservative approach despite his shorter stature. that should serve him well once he arrives in Toronto. He eliminated extra movements and worked on efficiency, drawing It’s possible that Pickard will get his first nod with the Toronto Marlies in skaters to him instead of challenging too often and draining his energy. the coming days. He could even get his first start on day one with the organization, giving the Leafs a chance to evaluate what they’re working The work paid off. After decent WHL numbers, Pickard became an AHL with almost immediately. workhorse. He became the consensus starter for the Lake Erie Monsters in 2012, with 47 games in his rookie season alone. By his third year in Given the tough season he’s walking away from, there is still the chance the pros, he managed to skate out for both 50 AHL games and 16 NHL that Pickard will need some time to collect his thoughts and fall back in games with Colorado, going 6-7-3 with the Avalanche and recording a love with the crease. He may need some additional tweaking at the AHL .932 save percentage in the process. level, although his World Championships performance this spring suggests that he’s still got an excellent foundation to work with. The next season, he was given a slightly bigger NHL workload, but held strong with a .922 save percentage in 20 games. Over his first 36 games, Toronto’s depth in net is sorely lacking, though. he posted a quality start – meaning either a minimum .918 save Curtis McElhinney hasn’t inspired much confidence with the Leafs brass. percentage or fewer than two goals – in over 60 per cent of his games. He struggles with post coverage and consistency, and his angles lack a That was the body of work he had to offer when Colorado officially made standard level of acceptability at moments where he should have no him the backup behind Semyon Varlamov in the summer of 2016. He’d problems squaring to the shot. proven that he was hard-working, effective, and promising. After him, Garret Sparks and the Leafs have had a tumultuous few years, Then, the 2016-17 season happened. and Kasimir Kaskisuo spent most of last season in the ECHL. Adding a player like Pickard, who could quickly turn into an effective tandem player No player on the Colorado Avalanche had a good season last year. at the NHL level, is an easy bet for a team like Toronto to take. None. Only one player hit 20 goals, only one hit 50 points, and only three players even hit the 80-game threshold. Possession metrics were poor, He’s still a wait-and-see situation, but there’s plenty to appreciate about and the team ultimately put up the kind of frustrated performance that the player Toronto just added to their roster. He just needs to get past the results in just 48 points over a full season. no-good, horrible, terrible season Colorado experienced last year. To top it all off, Varlamov was shut down for the season by January, undergoing two separate hip procedures during the team’s lost season. The Athletic LOADED: 10.07.2017 That left Pickard right where fellow backup Mike Condon had been the season prior; with little in the way of starting experience, behind a poorly- performing team with no help on the way. 1077063 Websites Defencemen and goalies have gotten so good at reading the play, offensive players have been forced to become poker players. Only hockey players know there are certain tells they can’t avoid showing, so The Athletic / Bourne: How NHLers use the subtlest fakes to create the best way to hide their cards is to give that same tell even when offence they’re about to play different cards.

Justin Bourne The Athletic LOADED: 10.07.2017 12 hours ago

Here’s the things with making fake-shots and fake-passes: At the higher levels of hockey, you don’t have to actually make a “fake” to make what amounts to a fake. If any player is going to shoot the puck, they have to make certain biomechanical movements. They vary slightly by player, but there are common threads — one being the lowering of the shoulder on your top- hand side, like a lean in. You can’t shoot while upright. Another tell that a player is going to shoot, is that they hang on to the puck for an extra few milliseconds. In our sport, you don’t get a lot of time to just have the puck. Because of that, not everyone is comfortable having it on their stick for extended periods of time. They’re used to unloading it ASAP. So that means the longer a player has it, the more a goalie expects them to do something with it. If you add all that up, a “fake,” could simply be a tiny top-shoulder lean while holding on to the puck for an extra half second. In beer league, you might have to roll out a full wind-up to get a goalie to bite. At the highest levels, where these guys are trained to sniff out every player's next move, those subtle hints can be enough. Of course, in pro hockey this concept doesn't apply solely to goalies. These days “fakes” happen all over the ice to trick and freeze defenders, even without there being any obvious fake. Players use body position and even head position as misdirection to open the lanes they want to use. Pretty straightforward on first watch, yes? Well, it’s not. It looks like a clean lane to Hartnell, but really, David Krejci is standing right there, and Johansen didn’t even sauce the pass, so how did this get through? Well, he tries to sell Krejci that he’s going to move the puck up to the point with body and head position. He even pushes his arms in a direction that says he’s going to the point. But at the very end, he uses the toe of his curve, rolls his wrists over, and hooks the pass in to Hartnell. Krejci buys all of 1.5 percent of the fake, but it’s just enough to make him start to slide his stick up to the point … and pull it out of the passing lane. I highly recommend watching til the end, where you can see the best angle, and without pauses. Count it. One thing I was fortunate to learn during my time with the Toronto Marlies was from Brooks Laich. He showed me video of a skill Mike Green developed on the power play to give Alex Ovechkin the best chance possible to convert on his one-timers. Before Green would make the pass over, his body position and hands showed shot until they absolutely couldn’t anymore. His job was to hold everyone in front of him for as long as conceivably possible. It didn’t make a huge difference on this Red Wings goal Thursday night — and it's not even his best fake — but this is what the concept looks like: That movement is a trend among defensemen who pick up a lot of points on the power play. They don't just make direct passes, they increase their “gravity,” so to speak, by holding players near them as long as possible. Maple Leafs fans may be familiar with this variety of fake-via-body- positioning. On opening night, Jake Gardiner used it to freeze the Jets and their goaltender before finding William Nylander at the side of the net: The last version to show you here is the fake I mentioned earlier in the opening: that to fake a shot, sometimes you just need to hold on to the puck for an extra second and lean. Anaheim’s Corey Perry utilized this subtle fake to find his was inside the Arizona Coyote’s defence to score his first of the year Thursday night. 1077064 Websites The Red Wings two-year offer is in line with comparable players of the same age and offensive production. They’ve made a one-year offer higher than his qualifying offer, something some teams won’t do when The Athletic / Custance: Athanasiou and Red Wings moving closer to a they have all the leverage. They haven’t forced a three-year deal on split Athanasiou. The lines of communication remain open. None of this would happen if the Red Wings didn’t want him on their team. Still, Athanasiou is headed to Switzerland to train, not to the new Craig Custance arena in Detroit. That could very well be an indication that he has little desire to play for the Red Wings and prefers a trade or that he feels he’s 5 hours ago earned a payday outside the framework of the current system. Either way, it’s not conducive to a deal getting done. The Red Wings have future restricted free agents Dylan Larkin and Anthony Mantha Now, it’s starting to get complicated. coming off their entry-level deals soon. The camps for those two are When a deal between the Red Wings and restricted free agent forward surely watching to see how this plays out, one of the main reasons the Andreas Athanasiou didn’t get done early in training camp, it was playing Red Wings have held firm. Overpay for Athanasiou and they'll have to out like a traditional negotiation. overpay for those two as well. The Red Wings had leverage because Athanasiou was a restricted free Now, the date to watch is Dec. 1. agent without arbitration rights. He wrestled some back by getting a KHL If Athanasiou doesn’t sign a contract with the Red Wings before then, he offer. can’t play in the NHL this season. He’d lose a valuable year of The two sides met in Toronto during the first Saturday of training camp, experience. The Red Wings would lose working in the electrifying talents the only time during these talks Athanasiou and Red Wings GM Ken of one of their most exciting players, one the fanbase adores. Holland spoke face to face. The message was made clear to the talented If that date passes without a deal, it won't matter if one side can take the winger: Athanasiou’s role on the Red Wings was going to increase. He’d moral high ground in the public debate surrounding these negotiations. have a spot in the top nine. He’d play 15-16 minutes per game. He’d get Everyone involved ends up losing. power-play and penalty-kill time and his opportunities would go from there. Even during a negotiation that hasn’t gone particular smoothly, the Red Wings wanted, and still want, him on the team. The Athletic LOADED: 10.07.2017 That message, and the offer of a two-year deal worth $1.9 million per season, still wasn’t enough to get it done. On Friday, Athanasiou moved one step closer to a split with the Red Wings by leaving for Switzerland to skate with HC Lugano, an NHL source confirmed with The Athletic. TSN’s Bob McKenzie was the first to report that development. As of Friday evening, he hadn’t signed anything to play in Switzerland, keeping open the option of a return to the Red Wings this season, but it’s clear: The two sides have dug in. And the longer it takes to find a resolution, the murkier that resolution gets. In training camp, Athanasiou could have agreed to a deal and wouldn’t have been too far behind his teammates. Now, with every regular season game the Red Wings play, the gap between Athanasiou and the rest of the league gets larger. “How many guys through the years have missed camp and they never quite get it going?” pointed out one NHL source this week. Yes, the Red Wings' offer is still likely on the table, but as this drags on, it’s clear that it’s going to take more than an agreement in money to resolve this relationship. Athanasiou has had issues with the Red Wings that go beyond what he’s earning, whether it be playing time or treatment by coaches. He may have legitimate gripes based on his production during his limited ice time. On the other side of the equation, the Red Wings will want to know how serious the 23-year-old is about becoming an important part of the franchise’s emerging nucleus as it transitions to a younger team. Ultimately, if it’s a trade that Athanasiou wants, and that wouldn’t be the most shocking conclusion, both sides may need to be patient. According to an NHL source, the Red Wings aren’t actively shopping Athanasiou. Their preference is that he plays for them this season and continues to progress as an exciting young player. But multiple sources confirmed that they are listening. They have to at this point. Teams are calling to check in on the situation to see how eager the Red Wings are to make a move. The message back has been consistent. The return has to be a good — a young player with similar upside. The Red Wings are telling teams they aren’t moving Athanasiou for something like a second-round pick or a player in their late 20s who only makes them marginally better. One rival GM told The Athletic on Friday the asking price for Athanasiou was high – a young, top-four defenseman or a young center. It’s similar to last year when Winnipeg Jets defensemen Jacob Trouba held out. If they were going to trade him, the Jets wanted a good, young defenseman in the same age range and pedigree back in return. But if a team has that player, why would they make the trade? It’s a tough trade to consummate and it’s equally challenging with Athanasiou. And so both sides wait. 1077065 Websites deadlock will continue. All Duchene can do, at 26, is show the rest of the NHL that a 41-point season in 2016-17 was an aberration and that all the things that make him attractive as a player – the first-step acceleration, The Athletic / Duhatschek Notebook: Duchene situation reminiscent of the good work in the faceoff circle, the versatility to play two positions Ryan's Ducks departure, Kane can play with anyone, and more effectively up front – are still intact. The better he plays, the more his market value increases and the sooner he will find a new NHL home.

MORE MATT Eric Duhatschek A handful of NHL teams – from the Islanders, Blue Jackets, Hurricanes 12 hours ago and Senators in the east, to Calgary and Anaheim in the west – have been linked to a possible deal for Duchene, who has two years remaining on a five-year, $30 million contract with a $6 million annual salary-cap charge. That term, naturally, represents a risk of sorts to any team Matt Duchene considers hockey a form of therapy and his first session acquiring Duchene in a deal – that their control of him expires in the on the couch this season went pretty well – two points in the Colorado summer of 2019, which is not too far down the road. If the acquisition Avalanche’s season-opening win over the Rangers in New York. cost for the selling team is a controllable asset, it requires them to take a Duchene is in that curious form of NHL limbo – knowing that his future leap of faith – not only that Duchene is a good fit for them, but that he lies elsewhere, but still wanting (and needing) to act professionally until sees it that way, too. If you’re Carolina, for example, with a collection of such time as general manager Joe Sakic can get him to a new NHL young-to-relatively young defencemen that includes Jaccob Slavin, Brett home. Sakic is on the hot seat in Colorado after last year’s dismal 48- Pesce, Noah Hanifin, Justin Faulk, Jake Bean and Haydn Fleury, you point season, but for anyone wondering why there’s so little urgency, probably have the best assets to complete a deal with Colorado. Then it remember this: Colorado isn’t going to contend this year anyway, and would just be a matter of whether you’d want to do it or not. Carolina really needs to use the 2017-18 season as a means of re-establishing its could use a centre of Duchene’s pedigree to round out what is emerging organizational credibility. Accordingly, it probably doesn’t matter if it takes as a team with a massive upside. That’d be an interesting trade, stitched a day, a week, a month or until the trade deadline to get a Duchene deal together by the NHL’s fifth and ninth all-time leading point producers done, only that when it happens, Sakic gets it right. (Hurricanes GM Ron Francis and Sakic). In many ways, the souring of Duchene’s relationship with the Avalanche KANE IS ABLE is strikingly similar to the scenario that played out between Bobby Ryan and the Anaheim Ducks that finally culminated in a trade back in July Every two years or so, it seems as if the Chicago Blackhawks oblige 2013. Patrick Kane to break in one or two new linemates and every two years or so, Kane does it in such a fashion that it is practically seamless. This Duchene and Ryan were both highly regarded prospects coming out of year was no exception. After general manager Stan Bowman traded junior and were drafted in the top three – Duchene third overall in 2009; away Artemi Panarin to the Columbus Blue Jackets in the deal to re- Ryan second overall in 2005 – and both had early successes with their acquire Brandon Saad as a linemate for Jonathan Toews, Kane began respective teams. the year playing on a line with Nick Schmaltz and Ryan Hartman. Duchene scored 122 points in his first two NHL seasons and after injuries Schmaltz got some face time with Kane last year during Artem derailed his third year, was almost a point-a-game player in Years 4 and Anisimov’s injury and they were together for most of training camp, but 5 (113 points in 118 games). Ryan scored 30 or more goals in each of Hartman was an 11th-hour addition to the line — and yet it looked as if it his second to fifth seasons with the Ducks. had been together forever. Both were charismatic, outgoing players, popular with teammates, and Playing against the defending Stanley Cup champion Pittsburgh with an important emerging role in the dressing room chemistry. Teams Penguins, Chicago managed only 10 goals to run their former want year-in and year-out consistency from their core players and five goaltender, Antti Niemi, out of the rink. Kane had four points and was the years in, Duchene and Ryan had done that. They’d established a base catalyst in Hartman’s five-point night, Schmaltz finished with two goals line for performance, and approaching the primes of their respective and an assist. careers, they looked ready to move from very good NHL player to elite It was a grim night for Niemi, who was the Blackhawks’ starter when they status. won the first of their three recent Stanley Cup titles back in 2010. He Then, inexplicably, their developments stalled. It wasn’t that they stumbled when he first stepped on the ice and it was all downhill after necessarily played badly either. They just plateaued. But in the NHL, that. Presumably, the Penguins started Niemi because they were playing when young players aren’t showing growth, questions start to arise and for the second time in two nights and don’t want to overwork Matt Murray, usually idle trade speculation soon follows. who was limited to 49 regular-season appearances last year because of injury. But it backfired in a major way, and Niemi got the hook after giving In the same way that Duchene eventually got fed up with hearing his up four goals, at which point Murray was left to absorb the rest of the name making the trade-rumor rounds, Ryan did, too. Early on, it seemed Blackhawks’ onslaught, which consisted of another six goals as the game inconceivable that the Ducks would move Ryan. He felt as much a part of descended further into farce. the core as Ryan Getzlaf or Corey Perry. In time, mostly because the rumblings wouldn’t go away, it almost became an inevitability. Sure Chicago’s 10-goal outburst was the first time a team had managed that enough, after what seemed like an interminable wait, Ryan was sort of a performance in a season opener since the Calgary Flames did eventually traded to the Ottawa Senators for three pieces: Jakob in the 1989-90 season, kicking off their Stanley Cup defence, in a wild Silfverberg, Stefan Noesen, plus a first-round draft choice in 2014. 10-7 victory over the Detroit Red Wings (Yes, once upon a time, Calgary actually used to win season openers, though not so much lately – eight The early returns suggested the Senators won the deal, on the grounds losses in a row and counting). The NHL record for most goals in a that the team that gets the best player always wins every trade. But season opener is 12, set by the 1919-20 Montreal Canadiens. Silfverberg unexpectedly became a core piece in Anaheim at a much lower cost than Ryan – and for a budget team, that represented an Kane played most of the past two seasons with Anisimov; in the 2015 unexpected win. run, he was seeing time with Brad Richards; and in 2013, it was Michal Handzus. Some NHL superstars are difficult to play with. Kane just make The Avalanche is being cautious when it comes to pulling a trigger on a it seem easy. No matter who they play him with, he can find a fit with just possible Duchene deal, on the grounds that the last time they traded a about anyone. core player for multiple pieces, it didn’t work out at all. Ryan O’Reilly plays a top-six role for the Buffalo Sabres and the players that went KINGS FOR A DAY Colorado’s way in that 2015 deal – Nikita Zadorov, Mikhail Grigorenko Between 2010 and 2015, the Blackhawks won the Stanley Cup three and J.T. Compher, plus a second-rounder – haven’t produced times, and the Los Angeles Kings twice. This year, many prognosticators comparable results (though Zadorov still might). saw flaws developing in both organizations, and some even projected When Anaheim made the Ryan trade, some figured that the first-rounder them as bubble teams to make the playoffs. In the same way that going the Ducks’ way (Nick Ritchie) might become the most important Chicago sent an emphatic message in their opener — that they are still piece. In time, that might be true. Right now, though, it’s still Silfverberg. an offensive team to be reckoned with — Los Angeles followed a tried- The Ducks liked him so much that they amended their expansion-draft and-true organizational script in their 2-0 opening-night win over the formula in order to protect him – and were willing to let defenceman Shea visiting Philadelphia Flyers. Theodore go, because they valued Silfverberg’s contributions so greatly. What made the Kings so great in the Darryl Sutter era? Smothering In a perfect world, that’s what Colorado wants – that every piece that defence, exceptional goaltending from Jonathan Quick and just enough comes back in a trade for Duchene either meets or exceeds offence to eke out a lot of low-scoring wins. When Sutter took the job expectations. Until Sakic hears the right combination of names, the originally, he called the NHL “a 3-2 league” and the Kings mostly demonstrated that. On the nights it wasn’t, it was because the Kings –Speaking of milestones, it took the Capitals’ Alex Ovechkin only one were trying to turn it into a 2-1 league. The aesthetics might not have night to move past the legendary Guy Lafleur and into a tie with Mike been great, but the results sure were. Modano for 24th place on the all-time goals list. Ovechkin’s hat trick to start the season gives him 561 career goals. If Ovechkin scores exactly In the regime shift that occurred this summer, John Stevens took over 50 this year, he can accelerate past Mats Sundin, Joe Nieuwendyk, Mike from Sutter behind the bench and there was probably a sweet moment Bossy, Mark Recchi and and vault into an 18th-place tie with afterward – knowing that his first victory as the Kings’ permanent coach Dino Ciccarelli. Ovechkin needs to play 79 out of the Caps’ 82 games to came against the Flyers team that fired him from his first NHL post 25 get to 1,000 this season. Injuries mean Sidney Crosby, who entered the games into the 2009-10 season. (Stevens held the Kings’ job on an league the same year as Ovechkin, had 782 games on his NHL resume interim basis for four games in 2011-12, going 2-2, until the Sutter prior to the Penguins’ opener. appointment became official). Their formula for success against a Flyers’ team playing its second game in two nights was eerily reminiscent of when they were Kings – they were comfortable and confident nursing a 1-0 lead into the late stages of the game, or before Tyler Toffoli counted The Athletic LOADED: 10.07.2017 the insurance goal against Flyers’ netminder Michal Neuvirth. The best news was probably that Quick made it through opening night unscathed. A year ago, Quick was hurt in the opener and didn’t play again until the final quarter of what turned out to be a lost season. NET GAINS –It’s hard to believe that seven-and-a-half years have passed since goaltender Jaroslav Halak led the Montreal Canadiens on that unlikely run to the 2010 Stanley Cup semi-finals. Halak was playing ahead of a young Carey Price in what was a job share that season and he helped the Habs knock off the Washington Capitals and the Penguins before their run ended against Chris Pronger and the Flyers. In the seven full seasons since that performance, Halak has gotten into only nine playoff games, but he could be a central figure in this year’s regular-season playoff chase, given how the middle of the Eastern Conference standings projects as a tightly bunched group, with Halak’s New York Islanders an on-the-cusp sort of playoff contender, same as Montreal. Halak was wandering in the NHL wilderness after the Canadiens moved him out – first to St. Louis, then to Washington, then to the Islands and eventually, last year, to the Islanders’ minor-league affiliate in Bridgeport after he was the odd-man out in a badly thought-out three-goalie rotation. Halak was rehabilitated, largely by new coach Doug Weight in the last gasps of last season, and he will be the starter at home on Saturday against the Sabres. If all goes well, he seems to have the better overall credentials than Thomas Greiss to play the majority of games for the Islanders. And if his strong play gets the Islanders in as a wild card, at the expense of an Ottawa or a Montreal, that would be an odd circular turn of events. –After you get past Colorado, which seems destined to be a bottom feeder again, the Central figures to be the most tightly bunched division, with Winnipeg and Dallas looking better and the four teams that finished ahead of them – St. Louis, Chicago, Minnesota and Nashville – all looking as if they could drop or plateau. Five teams could conceivably make the playoffs in the Central, but even if they do, one of the six has to fall out. Is it St. Louis? They have been devastated by injuries early and came up short in the Jaromir Jagr bidding. Kevin Shattenkirk, traded away at the deadline, hasn’t been replaced. Colton Parayko needs to really step up, but the key will be goaltender Jake Allen. At one stage last season, Allen’s confidence was so shattered that he was left at home from a road trip so he could collect his thoughts. But after the coaching change – Mike Yeo in for Ken Hitchcock – Allen turned it right around, and he went from a liability to a strength, really one of the reasons the Blues hung on to a playoff spot last year. If Allen is a top-five goalie in the NHL this year, the Blues could make it anyway, even with a depleted line-up. But unlike past years, when good was good enough in St. Louis, because of their depth, this year Allen may be required to steal some games on the nights when the Blues aren’t very good. That 5-4 overtime win, on the road, against the Penguins, was a pretty good start. –It’s not 100 percent clear how tumultuous the relationship between Blues’ sniper Vladimir Tarasenko and Hitchcock was, but you’d have to think, watching some of the body language, that they firmly agreed to disagree about Tarasenko’s deployment more than once. Now Hitchcock is in Dallas and instead of Tarasenko, he has the mercurial Alexander Radulov on his squad. On the nights he is on his game, Radulov can be a magical talent. On the nights when he isn’t engaged, he’s not there at all. Hitchcock prizes consistency. Radulov’s task this year will be to give it to him. This could be an all-or-nothing sort of signing for the Stars. If it works out, the fit with Jamie Benn and Tyler Seguin could turn them into one of the top three lines in the league. If it doesn’t, they’re back to searching for the right fit there. –Seguin, by the way, projects as a centre in Hitchcock’s system, after years of being shifted to the wing by former coach Lindy Ruff, as a change-of-pace sort of a move. Seguin likes the commitment. Hitchcock also instructed him to think more about offence this year, which is counterintuitive to what you might think, but may be just the sort of message that puts Seguin into contention for second place in the scoring race behind the Oilers' Connor McDavid. Hitchcock, incidentally, needs just one victory to tie and two to pass former Islanders’ great Al Arbour and move into third place on the all-time NHL coaching wins list. 1077066 Websites kind of a hockey guy. So I knew the teams and a lot of the names. And guys from Thunder Bay have gone down there before. You know, from Alex Delvecchio to Nelson Pyatt, there’s a few of them. The Athletic / Raising the Staal Brothers: Hard work, humility and family “But I never in my wildest dreams thought I’d have a boy in the NHL.” Or, four of them. Michael Russo 14 hours ago Eric Staal lit it up for the Peterborough Petes, was drafted second overall in 2003 by the Hurricanes and was ultimately followed to pro hockey by Marc, now 30, Jordan, now 29, and Jared, now 27. Jared played two RALEIGH, N.C. — “Boys, supper!” NHL games and is contemplating retirement after playing last year in Scotland. He’s currently helping Dad on the farm. It became the nightly routine in the Staal household. Growing up, there was a Staal sibling rivalry. The sun would set into a cold, dark Thunder Bay, Ontario, evening, and Linda Staal would call for her four boys — Eric, Marc, Jordan and Jared “They went at it. We didn't interfere … too much,” Henry Staal said, — to quit playing hockey on the outdoor rink husband Henry built and grinning. “It was far enough away from the house that we couldn't really come inside their warm, toasty house. hear them. Could kind of see them through the trees, going up and down playing hockey and sometimes pushing and shoving.” “Every night,” Linda Staal said. How the heck did Henry and Linda Staal, who have been married 34 The Staal Bros. would always disregard Mom’s repeated calls for grub, years and have eight grandchildren (six born in the United States, one in so she’d ultimately turn out the exterior lights. Canada, and one in Scotland), raise four professional hockey-playing sons? “We’d eventually come in when she’d call for us … but never the first time,” Wild veteran Eric Staal said, smiling at the distant memory. “I think a part of it, in my mind, is because Eric, he's the oldest, just like any or most families, he kind of set the bar,” Henry Staal said. “And then “That’s because we got the last laugh,” Rangers defenseman Marc Staal the other guys just kind of because of their inner competitiveness, they said. might have been thinking, ‘Well, if that guy can do it, why can't I do it?’ During one hockey tournament down in the Twin Cities, the Staal So, they kind of followed his lead in some respects. children played with pucks that had red lights on each side. “And, for Eric, he's naturally driven to be the best person, best player, The puck would flash anytime it was struck by a stick. whatever, that he can be. So, the other guys, I mean they have it too, naturally, but I think they followed him, somewhat, like that way.” Of course, the Staals snagged a couple and brought the pucks home to Thunder Bay. Linda Staal said they didn’t do anything special. “So, when Mom turned out the lights, we’d just play with that puck “You just raise your children. They liked to play hockey, and we loved to because we could see it in the dark,” Eric said, laughing. watch it,” Linda said. Even Henry would get a kick out of the boys’ antics when it came to Interestingly, Eric Staal’s good friend and current Wild teammate Matt ignoring mom’s calls for dinner. Cullen — they also were teammates in Carolina as Cup champs — sees parallels between Eric’s parents and his own, Terry and Nancy Cullen. “They used to get mad at me when the rink wasn't ready,” Henry Staal, a The Cullens raised three professional hockey-playing boys — Mark and second-generation sod farmer, said of his four boys. “They’d say, ‘Dad! Joe, being the others. How come the rink's not ready yet?’ I’d go, ‘I'm working on it! Give it a couple more days.’ My winter focus was how to get that rink ready for “Just salt of the earth people,” Cullen said of Henry and Linda Staal. every time they'd come off the school bus.” “Hard-working. Down to earth. Just good, good people.” All those hours amassed by the Staal boys honing their craft must have The Staals say maybe one key is they weren’t overbearing, nutty hockey worked. Somehow, Henry and Linda Staal raised four boys who would all parents. play professional hockey. “I tried not to be, and part of that is because we have four boys,” Henry Saturday night, the latest Eric vs. Jordan battle will come when the Wild said. “So, if you have four kids playing, whether it be AAA or whatever, if play the Hurricanes in Carolina’s home opener. you get all wound up with every little thing, with every child, you'd drive yourself bonkers. Thinking back, probably with Eric — who was the first It will be Eric’s second return to Carolina as a member of the Wild. one — I was more wound up than I should have been, in my mind. Of Staal’s 1,012 regular-season games, 909 came with the Hurricanes, “I realized it. As soon as you start having more you realize that, this is and 43 of his 53 playoff games. He won a Cup with the Canes in 2006. stupid. So, you know, you just go out and enjoy it. And we're busy, so He’d eventually captain the Canes, and he ranks second in franchise you couldn't focus on one kid, you couldn't micro-manage. Because you history behind Hall of Famer and current general manager Ron Francis in have four of them! You can't! So you just got to go and watch, and goals, assists and points. support them, and pay the money. Since debuting in the 2003-04 season, Eric Staal, now 32, ranks third “And that's it. So, for them, looking at us, it's not that we didn't care. But amongst active players in games played, fifth with 353 goals, seventh we realized that you can't start getting all wound up about every little with 846 points and eighth with 109 power-play goals. thing that that one's doing, because you've got that one, and that one, and that one.” Even when Eric was growing up, Henry and Linda didn’t fully understand how special a player their oldest son was until taking him to the Ontario To this day, Henry Staal owns a 600-acre sod farm in Thunder Bay. He bantam championships in Toronto at age 15. and brother Gary run the operation with only a couple other employees and, of course, Jared, “who cuts the grass,” Linda said. “Because of where we are, our team generally has no competition, essentially,” Henry Staal, who played college hockey at Lakehead “We just supply now. We don’t do any contracting. Just supply. Grow it, University, said. “But you go down to Toronto, and you're playing the best and ship it out,” Henry Staal said of the sod that’s especially used for teams in Toronto, and Eric just lit it up. Like he played so well, like he Kentucky Bluegrass. really played well. And all of a sudden these agents started coming up because we didn't have an agent. Both Henry and Linda’s parents immigrated to Canada from Holland in the 50s. “We didn't know you needed one. A little naïve, right? Agents and scouts kept coming up to us. And we're going, ‘What's going on?’ And then Henry’s dad, John, started the farm later that decade for a landscaping they're saying, ‘Well, this kid, he's going to get drafted like in the first business. Henry worked the farm until he was a teenager and eventually round.’ I'm thinking, ‘Wow, he's probably got something here. He might took it over. be able to do something.’” “But nobody was growing sod,” Henry said. “We were importing from Still, even then, it never occurred to Henry Staal that these agents and Minnesota, actually. Importing sod from Minnesota. So, we thought, ‘Why scouts were actually talking about the NHL. can't we grow it here?’ So my dad was the one. He bought the first 100 acres, and then we decided to kind of focus on that. So we kind of got out “I thought it was just to play in the Ontario Hockey League,” Henry Staal of the landscaping end of it, and just focused on sod.” said. “I knew what the OHL was. We didn't have an OHL team, but I'm As kids, all the boys worked on the farm, but Eric probably the most “because he really enjoyed it,” Henry said. “To this day, he's the most interested of the four boys about what's going on. Like he would lay irrigation.” “And drive the tractor,” Linda said. “He did a lot of tractor work, pretty young, too,” Henry said, laughing. “And then they laid sod, too. Back in those days we were still laying sod. We've kind of got out of that. It's a lot more headaches, you need nine, 10 employees. When our kids were there, we had pretty cheap labor.” But the Staals think this is where Eric learned the importance of hard work. Wild general manager Chuck Fletcher has been around Eric and Jordan Staal in his career, and interviewed Marc during his draft year. “They’re just great people,” Fletcher said. “They’re hard-working people, they’re humble, excellent teammates and love the game. Obviously Henry and Linda did a great job of raising them. “It had to be a pretty cool environment to grow up in.” Back in Thunder Bay, the family is as tight-knit as can be. They started a foundation to raise money for families and children battling cancer, and Eric, Marc and Jordan have homes next to each other on the same lake. All summer is spent pontooning, fishing and chasing their kids around. “And lots of golf,” Eric said. Henry and Linda Staal, whether they’re in Thunder Bay or their winter home on the west coast of Florida, try to watch every NHL game played by Eric, Marc and Jordan, named Hurricanes co-captain this season with Justin Faulk. The Staals loved when Eric and Jordan were Carolina teammates because it meant one less game to watch. At the start of every hockey season, the parents create a calendar and insert all of their kids' games. They used to set up three televisions for the nights they all were playing. “But that didn't work so well,” Henry Staal said. “I could do two, and then record one.” They are beyond proud of their four sons, and it’s clear they’re especially impressed how Eric, a true pro and gamer, has only missed 22 games in his career. “I guess old-school is a pretty good way to describe him,” Henry said. “I mean all our guys are kind of the same that way.” Eric Staal resurrected his career last season when he led the Wild with 28 goals. All was going well until a frightening incident in the final game of the playoffs when he crashed head-first into the end boards. “Very disappointed, especially the way last season finished [with a first- round exit] and being in the hospital when we were officially eliminated,” said Staal, who (luckily) suffered a concussion and nothing more catastrophic. “I’ve never been through something like that before. The days after, it was such a letdown and then dealing with some of the effects of the injury were hard. “Credit to my wife and family for picking me up in those moments because it was tough dealing with the sudden end of the season when you were on such a good team and then the headaches and other effects.” Overall, Staal said he was happy with his season, “but I’m not satisfied. I still feel like I’ve got a little chip on my shoulder that I want to prove again that I’m still a top player that can go against any other team’s top players and top two lines and be effective. “Disappointing finish, but it’s a new year and another opportunity to prove again to myself and the team that I can be a big part of the puzzle.”

The Athletic LOADED: 10.07.2017 1077067 Websites the phone from Dauphin, Man., where he operates a construction outfit. “You go to hockey tournaments and sport functions, the attention she gets is absolutely amazing. She deserves it.” The Athletic / Brigette Lacquette blazes trail for First Nations youth At the beginning, however, even he hadn't been sold on the idea of his through hockey five-year-old daughter playing hockey. The closest rink was in Winnipegosis, an hour away. And, tomboy or not, she seemed too small to be skating against boys. Scott Cruickshank “Probably for the whole (first) year I was trying to make her quit … 16 hours ago because I thought hockey was too rough,” says Terance. “It's a physical and demanding sport. I didn't think it was something she would excel at – not knowing she would prove me wrong.” A father watches his daughter. She fights for a loose puck, then returns In the early years, on-ice adjustments ended up being the least of the to the bench. family's worries. She plops down, hangs her head, and begins to cry. There were financial hurdles – maxing out charge cards and lines of credit, driving tens of thousands of kilometres, relying on second-hand As one of the coaches, he is close enough to offer comfort. The little girl gear – and blatant bullying. finally admits that a player on the other team had said: “Get off me, you dirty Indian.” Brigette was an easy target. It was a sickening twist to the day. “She always had skin issues,” says Terance. “Her eczema got so bad, it was on her face and on her arms. Kids were teasing her at school. Kids This was supposed to be a fantastic time for Brigette Lacquette, a were teasing her on the bus. Everybody was making fun of her.” blueliner for the West-Man Selects, a rural team of all-stars skating in a summertime showcase in Winnipeg. During one low moment, Brigette, crying her eyes out, begged her parents to let her quit school. Instead of wide-eyed joy – it had marked her first-ever hockey tournament – the experience was stained by racism. “Why would you say that, right?” she says. “Because it just felt like there was no one for me – no one that wanted to be my friend. It was sad.” Brigette was not yet a teenager. Her skin eventually cleared up. “Obviously, it didn't make me feel great,” she says now, a dozen years later. “You don't know what to say. It was mixed emotions – sad, mad, In the meantime, she kept busy – hockey in the winter, softball in the frustrated. It hurt my feelings. summer. “I was shocked. It's crazy. You're 11, 12 years old, you probably shouldn't “Obviously, I felt pretty alone when I was younger,” says Brigette. “Sports say that, right?” just made me feel like I belonged somewhere. Without hockey, I wouldn't be where I am today. On the spot, mid-game, Brigette's father Terance, choking down his own disgust, was able to provide sound advice. “It definitely gave me an out … I could've gone down a different path.” That she should ignore the comments. She hopes this path spirits her to PyeongChang. That she should focus on becoming the best player, the best person. Part of the centralized gang leading up to the 2014 Winter Games, Brigette had been cut before the team departed for the Games in Sochi. Still, the kid was shattered. Right now, there are nine defenders on the premises. Two must leave. Her parents – Terance, who is Métis, and Anita, who is from the Cote First Nation in Saskatchewan – were, too. “Yeah, it's stressful,” Brigette says after practice in Calgary. “But, really, I'm just focusing on giving it my all pretty much every day, just focusing “I know it broke Brigette's heart,” says Terance. “Part of me wanted to on the task at hand.” leave and get the heck out of there. Another part of me said, ‘We never run from things. Why should we start now?' I told her, ‘Challenge it. Face Dad, of course, would love to see her perform in the Olympics. But, in his it. Beat it on the ice.' And that's what she did. mind, she's already made her statement. “She was determined, as a little girl, that she was not going to let this “I'm very, very proud of my girl,” says Terance. “The valleys that she went affect her dream and where she wants to go in life. through … from the mountains that she was on. A lot of people would've walked away. To fight through that and elevate yourself again? It takes a “And look where she is today.” lot of courage. Where's she at today … you can't find the words. Brigette is the first First Nations member of the Canadian women's “To come from a small community of 60, 70 people and to be near the hockey team, currently fine-tuning for the 2018 Olympics. top of the world in women's hockey …” Raised in the tiny community of Mallard – a dot on the Manitoba map, Unprompted and as a matter of fact, Terance points out that the girl who 350 kilometres northwest of Winnipeg – she acknowledges that along the uttered that racist comment never excelled in hockey. And guess what? way she transformed the ugliness of racism into fuel. Her Winnipeg-based squad later tried to recruit Brigette. “It's something I used to make me better,” Brigette says. “Shooting pucks, And those kids who bullied his girl to tears? Well, they never went that's something I thought about. I don't want to be called that ever again. anywhere – literally or figuratively. They're still in Mallard, doing That drove me.” whatever. And, ready or not, shy or not, she is a role model. “When she goes back … they all want to be her friend, they all want to The 24-year-old, who majored in American Indian Studies at the talk to her – ‘Hey, we were buddies since we were little.'” University of Minnesota-Duluth, isn't hiding from her place in history. A wry chuckle. “I mean, it's pretty cool, right?” says Brigette, smiling. “I always want the “Yeah, not really.” girls … to know you can really do anything if you set your mind to it. It's crazy, but you know what? It's possible. But apparently even tormentors know an inspirational story when they see one. And this one features Brigette Lacquette, trailblazer. “I'm extremely proud of that title, to be known as that, because I never really had that growing up.” Middle child of three, she led her siblings into hockey – the eldest, Tara, is a former goalie putting the finishing touches on a nursing degree; She looked up to Jordin Tootoo, who skated for Canada's world junior Taran closed out his junior career in the spring and helps on his dad's side in 2003, and remembers one day in Brandon getting the Wheat construction crew. Kings' standout to sign her mini-stick. Explaining Brigette's success, Terance says she is most like his wife, Now Brigette is the one in demand. Anita. “When we walk around, all of a sudden girls are running up to her, Which is to say stubborn and determined to overcome. saying, ‘Can we get a picture? Can we get a picture?'” says Terance, on “A very strong-willed person,” Terance says of his daughter. “That's why she is where she is today – because of that attitude. That willingness to challenge anybody or anything for what she believes in, for what she wants. “For the First Nations community, the doors have been opened. Everybody else is trying to get through that door now. “Brigette being a pioneer and going down the rough road it took to get there, it'll help everybody else who follows.”

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NHL commissioner Gary Bettman doesn't see Ilitch family selling

Katie Strang 17 hours ago

As the Red Wings opened the 2017-18 season in the much-anticipated Little Caesars Arena with a 4-2 win against the Minnesota Wild, the team ushered in a new era in Detroit. The gleaming, state-of-the-art arena signified an organization in transition, not just with the on-ice product but in ownership as well, with Christopher Ilitch at the helm after his father, longtime team patriarch Mike Ilitch, passed away in February. Since the youngest Ilitch took over the reins, there has been plenty of speculation about what sort of commitment he would have to both the Red Wings and the Tigers, especially with both organizations expected to face lean years ahead. Some have even wondered if a potential sale of one team or both could be on the horizon. NHL commissioner Gary Bettman doesn't see the Red Wings leaving the family. “No. Definitely not,” Bettman told The Athletic on Thursday night. “I don’t buy that.” What makes him so confident? “I know the family, I know Chris. I know Marian. I've known Marian for 25 years. I've known Chris for 25 years. I knew Mike and was in regular communication with him,” said Bettman, who sat between the two Ilitches while watching Thursday's game from an expansive suite. Though the Red Wings enter the 2017-18 season with the intent on remaining competitive and fighting for a postseason spot, the Tigers have started to rebuild in recent months, shedding salary and trading away some of their top talent – an about-face that has prompted plenty of questions and theories about ownership. Still, Bettman is skeptical the other Ilitch team would be on the block, either. “I don't think [so]. No,” Bettman said, shaking his head. “It’s nothing that would be consistent, not only that I’ve never heard them discuss that, but it’s inconsistent with anything I've ever heard him say. Their commitment to Detroit is so deep and it’s such an unbreakable bond and the teams are an essential part of that.” Though the valuation of the two teams, not to mention the sort of lucrative deals recently brokered (the recent sale of the Miami Marlins for a reported $1.2 billion, which recently received unanimous approval by Major League Baseball) could elicit an alluring offer, Bettman believes the sentimental value still supersedes the monetary gain. “This transcends business for the Ilitch family,” Bettman said. “This means so much more, including their commitment to Detroit.” Bettman said that he was with Ilitch, who declined to comment when approached prior to Thursday’s game, at the recent Board of Governor’s meeting, during which Ilitch received praise for his presentation on the District Detroit project. Bettman acknowledged that Mike Ilitch wielded considerable influence within the NHL community — “he was extraordinarily well-respected” — but that his son has acquitted himself well in his stead. So, what changes, if any, are Red Wings and Tigers fans likely to see with the younger Ilitch in charge? “I think you're gonna see business as usual,” Bettman said. “The vision that Mike and Marian had and have is a family vision, and Chris is the one who executes it now. People tend to forget that when Mike was ill that it was Chris who was attending board meetings and negotiating deals and doing all of the day-to-day details that needed to be done to run this vast empire.”

The Athletic LOADED: 10.07.2017 1077069 Websites to co-found Stathletes, a hockey analytics company, in 2010 while he was earning a business degree. Stathletes' goal was to use video analysis to create new statistics that better help measure the ability and ESPN / John Chayka, the Arizona Coyotes' whiz-kid GM, is more than value of players -- and to make those numbers more accessible. Thus, just a numbers nerd he doesn't come across as a "stats geek" who can't communicate with hockey lifers -- the knee-jerk stereotype for younger execs who subscribe to analytics. 6:28 PM BST In fact, the conversation between Chayka and Sullivan -- whom Arizona promoted to assistant GM this summer from his previous role as director Josh Cooper of player development -- in the press box that night in L.A., occasionally sounded like an echo chamber. A slash by rookie Coyotes forward

Christian Fischer elicited a "you can't do that" exclamation from Chayka, LOS ANGELES -- As Arizona Coyotes general manager John Chayka which was echoed almost immediately by Sullivan, who then noted, "... took his place in the far left corner of the visiting press box at Staples but it's so natural to do it." Center, his age was not the only thing that set the 28-year-old apart from Though Sullivan -- who played 16 seasons in the NHL with the New many of his contemporaries. Eschewing the coffee favored by most Jersey Devils, Toronto Maple Leafs, Chicago Blackhawks, Nashville hockey folks, Chayka instead sipped a cup of mint tea and chased it with Predators, Penguins and Coyotes -- admits that he was skeptical at first occasional gulps from a bottle of water mixed with a BioSteel nutritional of Chayka, he was impressed with the latter's decision-making during supplement. Chayka's first draft with the team, then as assistant general manager, in Chayka pointed out that that the antioxidants in the tea and the nutrients 2015. Sullivan recalled how Chayka wasn't afraid to voice his opinion in the supplement are more likely to help him stay healthy over the grind about prospects, even when it was contrary to those of some of his older of an 82-game season than an artificial -- and temporary -- boost from co-workers. That chutzpah quickly won Sullivan over, and the two caffeine. became friends. "You can get worn down and get sick in this business," Chayka said, "He had his laptop and he had all these numbers [that explained] what explaining why he chooses to go healthier with his beverage choices. draft picks were worth, what would happen if you make a trade and what you would need in return if we were trading a certain pick or certain Chayka has been celebrated as one of the NHL's brightest young minds player," Sullivan said. "He was pretty vocal and confident in himself for ever since he became the youngest GM in NHL history when Arizona someone we had just hired. I was still suspicious, but it takes very, very hired him in 2016. During a preseason game against the Los Angeles few conversations with him about hockey to realize he does have a very Kings, he gave ESPN.com a peek into how that mind is working high knowledge of the game. And once you realize that, it just becomes feverishly to reshape the Coyotes from one of the league's longtime also- two guys talking about the game." rans into a contender. Chayka uses analytics as a tool in his decision-making process and as a On this particular night, Chayka was mostly focused on how effectively resource in dealing with players, coaches, agents and opposing GMs. his team was moving the puck up the ice. "We want to see what our hit But he also relies on the eye test. He had written the Coyotes' lines in a rate [coming out of the zone] is," he said. leather-bound notepad, and at various points during the first period, he scribbled ideas and thoughts on the page. Significant changes were made in the desert since the end of last season, including bringing in a new coach and a new goalie, and saying "I just write down my general feelings and thoughts and things I want to goodbye to a longtime captain. But will all that be enough to change the research deeper," Chayka said. results? Early on, Chayka seemed pleased with Demers, the puck-moving When he was still a Canadien, P.K. Subban pledged to raise $10 million defenseman Arizona had acquired from the Panthers for forward Jamie for the Montreal Children's Hospital. While working to keep that promise, McGinn in mid-September. Chayka noted the way that Demers almost the Predators defenseman also befriended Talia Baily, a 10-year-old who effortlessly moved the puck up the ice on two breakouts. is battling Ewing's Sarcoma. "That's actually two good plays by Demers there," Chayka said to Some questions about the new season are obvious. (Will the Penguins Sullivan after the situations, which came almost in rapid succession. three-peat?) But some questions aren't so obvious and/or fans aren't willing to go there. We asked both the easy and the tough questions for Chayka also took note of the minutiae of the game. When Strome them. entered the faceoff dot, he stood further away from the circle than some other players. From a player-personnel perspective, he also wanted to get a good look at first-round draft picks Dylan Strome and Clayton Keller -- along with "Look at Stromer, he doesn't stand anywhere near the lines," Chayka new acquisitions Jason Demers, Niklas Hjalmarsson and Derek Stepan. mused to Sullivan. "He prefers it." The Coyotes finished with 70 points last season and missed the playoffs Chaka wasn't pointing a out a problem; he simply found it interesting that for the fifth consecutive year, so Chayka made some aggressive -- and Strome took an unconventional strategy toward draws -- and it seemed to startling -- moves during the summer. First, he informed longtime captain work. Strome was 63 percent on faceoffs during the game. Shane Doan, over breakfast at a local restaurant, that the team would not Throughout the period, Chayka did see plenty of situations where his be offering the soon-to-be free agent a new contract. Then Chayka team could improve -- particularly on delayed outlet passes from traded veteran goaltender Mike Smith to the Calgary Flames. Former Arizona's zone. coach Dave Tippett and the Coyotes also agreed to part ways, and Chayka replaced him with Pittsburgh Penguins assistant coach Rick "That's a late read," Chayka said after a defenseman missed the forward Tocchet, who played for and had a previous stint as an assistant with the skating up the ice. Coyotes. As he continues to tinker with his team's lineup -- the Demers acquisition Adding Stepan from the New York Rangers, Hjalmarsson from the was the 17th personnel addition the Coyotes made this offseason -- Chicago Blackhawks and Demers from the Florida Panthers was Chayka realizes that a GM's job doesn't cease one the season begins. designed to give the team veteran depth to help the younger players Even on this night, a meaningless preseason game, he continued to develop with less pressure. Chakya and the Coyotes also hope that analyze Arizona's every move and figure out ways the players could Tocchet's animated personality will give the team a different type of improve. leadership than did the stoic Tippett. The Coyotes also added goaltender Antti Raanta, who was Henrik Lundqvist's backup with the Rangers, to "I think you always try to find something to work on. The reality is a lot of replace Smith. times the end result might work out, but the process isn't what you'd like it to be," Chayka said. "Sometimes that's hockey. Sometimes guys make "I think the focus was, 'We have this core group of young players that we the wrong play, but they're skilled enough to get away with it." want to cultivate and grow. How do we put them in the best position to have success?'" Chayka said. "For us, [the priority] was surrounding The Coyotes took two penalties late in the period, which led to a Kings 5- them with veteran leadership that could grow with them." on-3 advantage. Arizona killed off one of the power plays, but Los Angeles defenseman Drew Doughty blasted a shot past Coyotes Though Chayka is known as an analytics whiz, he is clearly comfortable goaltender Louis Domingue to put the Kings up 1-0. speaking hockey's traditional language with assistant general manager Steve Sullivan. A high-scoring winger at the junior hockey level and OHL The box went silent for a few minutes after the goal, as Chayka and draft pick whose career ended because of a back injury, Chayka went on Sullivan -- along with goaltending coach Jon Elkin, who sat on the far right side -- tried to digest what had just happened. Then Chayka and Sullivan started to chat and saw they were on the same page. "We got caught out there with three forwards. We kind of lost our structure for a second, and [when you do that] good teams make you pay," Chayka said. The period ended with the Coyotes down 1-0 -- and they eventually lost the game 4-1 -- but Chayka had seen some progress from his team and a few blocks to build on for the rest of the game, leading into opening night. "It's an evaluation game. I thought the way [Tocchet] used his bench was really effective for trying to understand players in different positions," Chayka said. "I think 5-on-5, we outplayed them. Obviously, we took some penalties. We know they're trying to crack down on slashing, and we just can't do it, so we cleaned that up, and some of that is just a learning thing where it's new to slashing rules. We learned from our mistakes. I think our young guys will, and we'll just keep evolving, so I was happy."

ESPN LOADED: 10.07.2017 1077070 Websites Uncomfortable: Is this team a hot mess? Buffalo Sabres ESPN / Obvious and uncomfortable burning questions for all 31 NHL Obvious: How will new coach Phil Housley mesh with Jack Eichel? teams Uncomfortable: Is Robin Lehner really a No. 1 goalie in this league?

Detroit Red Wings Oct 5, 2017 Obvious: Is this team too old and slow to contend? Paul Grant Uncomfortable: Was Trevor Daley the best they could do on the free- agent front? So many new faces, so many questions. But what is really going to Florida Panthers happen to your favorite team this season? Let's take a look at the questions most will ask and the others fans might be afraid to ask. Obvious: How much does veteran goalie Roberto Luongo have left to give? Metropolitan Division | Atlantic Division | Central Division | Pacific Division Uncomfortable: Are stud defenseman Aaron Ekblad's injury woes chronic? Metropolitan Division Montreal Canadiens Carolina Hurricanes Obvious: Can Jonathan Drouin bear the pressure as a French-Canadian Obvious: Does Scott Darling have what it takes to be a No. 1 goalie, scorer playing for the Habs? especially behind a defense that is not the Chicago Blackhawks'? Uncomfortable: Can the defense sustain the absence of longtime steady Uncomfortable: Will Justin Williams make that much of a difference at 35 hand Andrei Markov? Bonus: Are the Habs going to miss Alexander and be worth the investment of $4.5 million per season that could have Radulov more than they would like to admit? been spent elsewhere? Ottawa Senators Columbus Blue Jackets Obvious: Can the Senators match last season's amazing playoff run? Obvious: How many goals will former Blackhawks sniper Artemi Panarin score while playing alongside someone other than Patrick Kane? Uncomfortable: Will Erik Karlsson be the same whenever he comes back from his severe foot injuries? How will the Senators fare while he's out? Uncomfortable: Will Sergei Bobrovsky's save percentage be closer to what he had last season (.931) or what he had the previous season Tampa Bay Lightning (.908)? Obvious: How good will the Lightning be if Steven Stamkos resumes the New Jersey Devils pace (20 points in 17 games) he was at when his 2016-17 season ended with an injury? Obvious: Will No. 1 pick Nico Hischier be really fun to watch? Uncomfortable: What if goalie Andrei Vasilevskiy, 23, isn't ready to be the Uncomfortable: Has Cory Schneider (.908 save percentage, .458 quality- No. 1? start percentage, -8.87 goals saved above average in 2016-17) lost his fastball? Toronto Maple Leafs New York Islanders Obvious: Can Auston Matthews match his amazing 40-goal rookie season? Obvious: Will John Tavares re-sign with the Islanders, or will he get fed up with the circus and go elsewhere in the offseason? Uncomfortable: What if all that budding talent on the blueline stays unrealized? Uncomfortable: See above. The Blackhawks have played a lot of hockey over the years. Are New York Rangers Jonathan Toews & Co. getting burned out? Steven King/Icon Sportswire Obvious: Who is going to score down the middle for the Rangers? Central Division Uncomfortable: Is the legendary Henrik Lundqvist on the wrong side of Chicago Blackhawks his career peak? Obvious: How much will the Blackhawks miss the scoring of Artemi Philadelphia Flyers Panarin? Obvious: Is Brian Elliott, on his third team in three years, really the Uncomfortable: Is the Blackhawks' long-term core -- Jonathan Toews, answer in net? Patrick Kane, Duncan Keith, Brent Seabrook, Corey Crawford -- burned out? Uncomfortable: Should the Flyers be worried about No. 2 overall pick Nolan Patrick's early injury problems? Colorado Avalanche Pittsburgh Penguins Obvious: When will Matt Duchene be traded, and what will be the return? Obvious: Can the Penguins three-peat? Uncomfortable: Is GM Joe Sakic in over his head? Uncomfortable: Coming off neck surgery, can Kris Letang return to the Dallas Stars level he was at when he was hurt Feb. 21, enough to run the power play, kill penalties and continue to eat monster minutes? Bonus: Is Sidney Obvious: Will Ben Bishop be the goalie who finally saves the day for the Crosby (since 2014: Olympics gold, two Stanley Cups, one World Cup Stars? title) in danger of getting burned out? Uncomfortable: Is defense-first coach Ken Hitchcock a good fit for a team Washington Capitals that has Tyler Seguin, Jamie Benn and Alexander Radulov? Obvious: Will this team ever make it past the second round of the Minnesota Wild playoffs? Obvious: Is Bruce Boudreau destined to have great teams flame out in Uncomfortable: Despite how they're spinning it, did the Capitals lose too the playoffs? many key players (Marcus Johansson, Justin Williams, Nate Schmidt) to Uncomfortable: Is Zach Parise a bust? return to dominance? Nashville Predators Atlantic Division Obvious: Can the Predators build upon their deep run into the playoffs? Boston Bruins Obvious: Does Zdeno Chara have any gas left in the tank? Uncomfortable: How many good seasons does Pekka Rinne have left in ESPN LOADED: 10.07.2017 him? St. Louis Blues Obvious: How will the absence of scorer Robby Fabbri hurt the already offense-starved Blues? Uncomfortable: Do they have enough depth up front to go deep in the playoffs? Winnipeg Jets Obvious: Will talented scorer Patrik Laine build on his fantastic rookie season? Uncomfortable: Is Steve Mason really a marked improvement in net? Will the Penguins continue their dynastic run? Will the Blackhawks return to dominance? And just who are the Golden Knights, exactly? ESPN has the lowdown on every team. Experts' picks for the 2017-18 NHL season Connor McDavid earned the big hardware last season in his second attempt. Can he do it again? And will the Penguins pull the unfathomable and three-peat? Our experts have got this. Scouts' takes on all 31 teams At this time of year, every team thinks it has a chance to win. But what do the people who are paid to watch the games for the opposition think? Here is a collection of scouts from around the league giving us an objective take on each team. Pacific Division Anaheim Ducks Obvious: Are the Ducks the favorites in the West? Uncomfortable: Will the absence of star checker Ryan Kesler -- he's out until January -- be a bigger blow than we're being led to believe? Arizona Coyotes Obvious: Will new coach Rick Tocchet and veterans Derek Stepan and Niklas Hjalmarsson raise this team to new levels? Uncomfortable: Are they really counting on Antti Raanta being better than Mike Smith was? Calgary Flames Obvious: Is Mike Smith the answer for the Flames' net woes? Bonus: How many goals will Jaromir Jagr score? Uncomfortable: Are the Flames ascending at the same time as their provincial rivals are ready to dominate? Edmonton Oilers Obvious: How many points will Connor McDavid score this season? Uncomfortable: Which key player will take a slide backward and bring the delicate house of cards tumbling down? Los Angeles Kings Obvious: Can Anze Kopitar return to superstar form and take the Kings back to the playoffs? Uncomfortable: What exactly led them to believe that 35-year-old Mike Cammalleri (10 goals last season) will provide much-needed offense? San Jose Sharks Obvious: How much will the Sharks miss Patrick Marleau, whose scoring was effectively not replaced? Uncomfortable: Is Joe Thornton in danger of fading away? Vancouver Canucks Obvious: Is this the last season for the Sedin twins? Uncomfortable: Does this team have any goaltending whatsoever? Vegas Golden Knights Obvious: How many wins will the Golden Knights have in their inaugural season? Uncomfortable: Who are these guys, exactly?

1077071 Websites For now, the Leafs will try to get a little closer to being who they want to be with each passing day.

Colorado Avalanche goalie Calvin Pickard slides across to rob Edmonton Oilers captain Connor McDavid, but soon after, the Oilers avenge their Sportsnet.ca LOADED: 10.07.2017 cap and make it 3-1.

Chris Johnston @reporterchris October 6, 2017, 8:10 PM

TORONTO – Mike Babcock wasn’t joking when he estimated it would take about 20 games worth of roster tinkering to get things right with the Toronto Maple Leafs. Let’s review what the organization has been up to since finalizing its opening night roster, shall we? Day 1: Beat Winnipeg 7-2 at Bell MTS Place with backup goalie Curtis McElhinney sitting on the bench and defenceman Martin Marincin watching from the press box as a healthy scratch. Day 2: Place Marincin on waivers. Day 3: Send Marincin to the American Hockey League while recalling Calle Rosén; acquire goaltender Calvin Pickard in a trade with Vegas for a 2018 sixth-round pick and AHLer Tobias Lindberg – thereby putting McElhinney’s future with the Leafs in doubt. The carousel is in full swing before Toronto has even held its home opener and there’ll probably be a couple players looking over their shoulders when they report for duty at Air Canada Centre on Saturday morning. Babcock heavily foreshadowed this approach throughout training camp, but it’s one thing to hear about it and quite another to see it. The Pickard trade hints at more to come. While it’s believed the Leafs were only willing to complete the transaction after the 25-year-old cleared waivers – giving them the ability to send him directly to the AHL Marlies – he doesn’t look like a candidate to stay in the minors for long. Not only is Pickard nine years younger than McElhinney, he’s already had two seasons as a NHL backup that were statistically stronger than anything the 34-year-old has previously managed during his career. It would be unwise to write him off as a No. 3 following a short stay with the Golden Knights and a difficult stretch playing behind an historically inept Colorado Avalanche team last season. Between that, he won a silver medal as the goalie of record for Canada at the IIHF World Hockey Championship in May. A career .914 save percentage in 86 appearances certainly suggests that Pickard is a viable NHL option behind Frederik Andersen. McElhinney made some big starts down the stretch for the Leafs in 2016- 17, including the win over Pittsburgh that secured a playoff berth on the final weekend of the season, and signed a $1.7-million, two-year extension on July 1. Now he’s facing the possibility of being bumped from a NHL job without even playing a meaningful game since the ink dried. Ryan Dixon and Rory Boylen go deep on pucks with a mix of facts and fun, leaning on a varied group of hockey voices to give their take on the country’s most beloved game. Heck, the Leafs coach planned to make lineup changes following the lopsided opener in Winnipeg. Rosén will replace Andreas Borgman on the blue line, while Dominic Moore takes Eric Fehr’s spot at fourth-line centre when the New York Rangers visit Saturday night. It won’t stop there. The organization is bursting with more depth than its had in a decade or more – with Kasperi Kapanen and Nikita Soshnikov among those currently in the AHL and Josh Leivo sitting out as the 14th forward at the NHL level. Veteran defenceman Roman Polak also continues to skate as a practice player with the Leafs in hopes of landing another contract. Then there are the external options. “The right people always end up on the team,” Babcock said at the start of training camp. “Sometimes they don’t end up on the team right away.” 1077072 Websites

Watch as Calvin Pickard makes a nice recovering glove save which leads to cheesy commentary.

Daniel Nugent-Bowman @DNBsports October 6, 2017, 5:47 PM

Of all the ways the Toronto Maple Leafs added to their roster in the off- season, that they didn’t bolster their goaltending position seemed puzzling. Sure, they re-signed Curtis McElhinney to a two-year deal before he hit free agency, but it’s clear the veteran’s role is mainly to spell Frederik Andersen on the second night of back-to-back games. Bringing back Garret Sparks was a depth move, too. Well, after Friday’s trade, the Leafs now have someone with the upside to fill in for Andersen for a string of games if he’s unhealthy or not playing well. The Leafs obtained Calvin Pickard, 25, from the Vegas Golden Knights in exchange for Tobias Lindberg and a sixth-round pick in the 2018 NHL Draft on Friday. While Pickard has been assigned to the Marlies in the AHL, he’s only a cab ride away if the big club ever needs a capable replacement. When the Colorado Avalanche didn’t protect Pickard ahead of the expansion draft, it was thought by many to be a miscalculation on their part. The Golden Knights took advantage and chose him presumably to back up Marc-Andre Fleury. Their goaltending situation looked set. But Pickard was deemed expendable in Vegas after Malcolm Subban was claimed off waivers from Boston earlier this week. Pickard was then placed on waivers, but cleared. The Leafs are at 48 contracts out of the allowable 50, according to CapFriendly.com, possibly the reason they wanted to ship out a player rather than simply make a claim to acquire Pickard. He’ll be a restricted free agent in July when his $1-million contract expires. There are a couple huge caveats here. One; Pickard got the starting job with the Avalanche last season because No. 1 goalie Semyon Varlamov sustained a season-ending groin injury. And two; Pickard’s numbers (15- 31-2, 2.98 goals-against average and .904 save percentage in 50 games) were less than sublime. The thing to consider, however, was that Pickard played on the Avalanche, who were terrible to put it kindly – they finished in last place – and atrocious if you’re not sugar-coating things. Their 48 points were the fewest of any team in the salary cap era. The Avs used a patchwork defence and surrendered an NHL-worst 278 goals, so Pickard was far from the only person to blame. In fact, some even thought highly of his work. For the second consecutive spring, Hockey Canada came calling to ask if Pickard would be interested in a spot on the world championship team. After earning a gold medal as Cam Talbot’s backup in 2016, Pickard assumed the top job during the Paris-Cologne tournament in May. He had his lowlights, most notably against Switzerland when he surrendered the tying goal on a shot from the sideboards that ricocheted off his stick and then blocker. It was a game Canada ended up losing in overtime. Overall, though, Pickard’s 1.49 goals-against average and .938 save percentage in seven games were spectacular. He also held his own against Sweden’s Henrik Lundqvist in the gold-medal matchup, which Canada ultimately lost 2-1 in a shootout despite his 40 saves. Pickard was quite the goaltender in junior for the WHL’s Seattle Thunderbirds. His older brother was even more accomplished. Chet Pickard also suited up for a U.S. Division team, the Tri-City Americans, and won the league’s top netminder award in both 2008 and 2009. He claimed CHL honours in the first season. The elder Pickard also made Canada’s world junior team in 2009, backing up Dustin Tokarski en route to a gold medal. He was drafted in the first round by Nashville, 18th overall, in 2008, but never appeared in an NHL game. The 27-year-old just started his third season in the German league, this year with the Mannheim Eagles.

Sportsnet.ca LOADED: 10.07.2017 1077073 Websites Upon signing his eight-year, $80-million extension this week, Jack Eichel told insider Pierre LeBrun that he received a congratulatory text message from Matthews, a former teammate. In this week's edition, Mitch Marner and Auston Matthews set up Patrick When you write hockey, you tend to make predictions. Most never come Marleau for his first goal with the Maple Leafs, Byron Buxton crashes the true, but you remember the ones that do. I pegged Connor McDavid’s wall, and Connor McDavid is really, really fast. AAV at $12.5 million on the dot. Matthews’ eight-year extension next summer should make him more than Luke Fox Eichel and less than McDavid. The crystal ball says $11.25 million per year. @lukefoxjukebox 4. J.T. Brown may take athletes’ protest against racial injustice to the ice October 6, 2017, 5:34 PM this weekend. Heading into Friday’s Tampa Bay Lightning opener, the checking forward is considering raising his right fist during “The Star-Spangled Banner.” 1. Practice? We’re talking about practice?! Brown, 27, told the Tampa Bay Times he spoke with several active Yes, we are talking about practice. military, along with his family before deciding what he felt was right. In 20 years as an NHL player, Patrick Marleau has never had a coach Expect coach Jon Cooper, captain Steven Stamkos and leader Ryan who runs practice like Mike Babcock. Callahan to have Brown’s back. Brown also donated $1,500 to help remove the Confederate statue from downtown Tampa. “Babs has a way with what he wants to accomplish with his high-tempo practices. What I’ve notices about his practices is you get one or two “For me, right now, we’re going to keep trying to bring awareness,” chances at your drill, and if you screw up your drill, you don’t get to do it Brown told the Times. “You want to make sure you’re in the community, again. It’s game-like. You might only get one or two good rushes [in a you’re backing up what you’re talking about, what you’re supporting, not game], so you better make the most of them,” Marleau explains. just talk.” “It makes you focus that much more in practice.” The raised fist echoes back to the 1968 Olympics, when African- American track stars John Carlos and Tommie Smith drew attention to Even Mike Commodore, the world’s most ardent Babcock detractor, is on black power on the medal stand. record saying that the man knows how to run a great practice. If Brown does goes through with the protest, it will be an act of courage in We noticed last season that Babcock’s morning skates all run precisely this small-c conservative sport. 17 minutes long. Every player knows what to expect. 5. Kris Letang apologized to Matt Murray and Antti Niemi after Marleau says he’s been on past teams where players sense they’ll be Pittsburgh’s “embarrassing” (in Sidney Crosby’s words) 10-1 loss to doing the same drill for a while, so they let their guard down. It’s human Chicago Thursday. nature to relax when you know you’ll get four chances to dial it in. That’s not the case in Toronto. Head coach Mike Sullivan assumed the blame. The Leafs coach runs a tight ship. “Everything went wrong,” Sullivan told reporters. “It’s disturbing. We have to do some soul searching.” “I’ve had practices like that in the past, but Mike does it every practice,” Marleau says. That may be. But this is what happens when your backup goaltending takes the sharpest drop-off in the league. The Pens went from Marc- “You know going into it: Working on the power play, we’re gonna get two Andre Fleury, a top-10 starter, to Niemi, who hasn’t had an average save chances, 45 seconds each. You lose the puck, you’ll sit and watch the percentage since 2015. next group do it. It adds intensity and focus to the practice.” Even more perplexing: Pittsburgh let Vegas’s Calvin Pickard — who So far, it works. Marleau is on pace for his first 164-goal season. showed great for Team Canada at the World Championship and has a 2. The Maple Leafs’ kids are no longer rookies, so it’s a safe bet we’re better career save percentage than Niemi despite playing in Colorado — going to gradually see more intersections between the players and slip through waivers unclaimed. outside businesses. Love the Maple Leafs' post-waivers acquisition of Calvin Pickard. The energy-drink giant approached Marner in summer and asked if he Wondering why Pittsburgh or Edmonton didn't scoop him up before noon. liked the product. Red Bull is one of the many beverages available to 6. I had a fun assignment during last month’s NHL Rookie Showcase. I Leafs players between periods, and Marner says he picked up a habit of got to conduct a bunch of lighthearted on-camera interviews with downing one during the second intermission of games in 2016-17. (The prospects. (Rest easy: They’re on camera, not me, and they’ve been London Knights didn’t offer as many choices.) edited lovely.) Hopefully they’ll give you a glimpse into these kids’ “It’s not like I drink it a lot off the ice, but I definitely have one a game. I personality. like the taste of it,” Marner said. “I like to keep hydrated. I drink a lot of 7. I was blown away by Little Caesars Arena, the Detroit Red Wings‘ new substance throughout the game. That’s one I think helps me.” home, Thursday. Even more so than when I checked out the Edmonton Red Bull declined comment, per company policy, but did confirm they Oilers’ new digs last winter. A couple things that didn’t make my column have an agreement with Marner, their latest sponsored Canadian athlete. on the rink: “I know they have a lot of snowboarders, skiers, skateboarders, a couple • Like the Oilers, the Red Wings have a giant 3-D team logo on the NASCAR drivers. You feel like a tight family. I got a couple tweets ceiling of their spacious dressing room, which means there’s zero chance replaying to that shot from people I haven’t me yet that are on the brand,” of ol’ Clumsy Feet here stepping on the logo and invoking the hockey Marner said. “I’m very happy to be a part of it. It feels like one family with gods’ wrath. Great new architectural trend. that sponsorship. I’m excited to move forward with them.” • Unlike The Joe, the rink sits below grade, giving the bowl a swallowing The drink brand had a similar deal with Dion Phaneuf when he was effect. Also, the ceiling of the rink has panels of lights. captain of the Leafs. Sources say the defenceman’s trade to Ottawa • Fans chucked multiple octopi on the ice during the anthem, and the decreased their sponsorship exposure. clean-up crew swung them around joyfully for the cameras. Thus foiling The former Leafs captain memorably got ripped back in 2014 for wearing PETA’s grand plan. a Red Bull hat during post-game interviews. Marner is well aware of the • The Wings’ practice pad is built underneath the plaza. Like Columbus, kerfuffle and sees no issue. the players have only one place to go for all their needs. “I don’t wear hats during post-game. I keep it off and stay face-to-face,” • The concourse offers such a bounty little craft-beer bars and cool Marner said. “Free time, I wear hats like everybody.” viewing areas, fans tend to be drawn out of their seats to mingle. This 3. So, which companies are lining up to associate themselves with could spell empty seats in a sellout, but because the seats are all red (no Auston Matthews, whose worth continues to rise? obvious class designations here), the same colour as most fans’ attire, it’s harder to notice vacant bums. “That’s something we gotta fix,” Jeff Blashill said. The coach did notice. • Henrik Zetterberg said the ice was a little soft due to the heat outside. It was patio weather in October in Detroit. 8. For the past few years, coaches and players have spoken increasingly about the value of a “leadership group” as opposed to a captaincy. Now that trend is being formalized. Both the Toronto Maple Leafs and Carolina Hurricanes are comfortable heading into a second consecutive season without a clear C. The Hurricanes announced defenceman Justin Faulk and centre Jordan Staal as co-captains. Jeff Skinner is an alternate. The hot rumour was that Oliver Ekman-Larsson was a shoe-in to succeed Shane Doan as the Arizona Coyotes’ captain. Instead, he and Niklas Hjalmarsson were named alternate captains. Derek Stepan, Brad Richardson and Alex Goligoski will serve as alternate captains on a rotating basis. Wait: Alternate captains to the alternates on an alternating basis? This is getting complicated. The Vegas Golden Knights, according to GM George McPhee, won’t name a captain. Neither will the Buffalo Sabres, who let Brian Gionta walk. When I spoke to Gionta this summer, he endorsed Eichel for captain. The Sabres are willing to give the young centre all the extra money but no extra felt. That’ll be five clubs without one clear-cut captain all year if this holds. Gotta be a record. 9. Martin Frk played two NHL games for Carolina last year, but nothing like Thursday’s arena-opener for Detroit on his 24th birthday. “Frky got a chance to show off his shot and it went in,” beamed captain Henrik Zetterberg. How dangerous is the rookie’s shot, the thing he practised for an hour a day against a four-hole cardboard cutout his dad made for him? “We had to tell him to tone it down a bit in practice. He winds up,” Red Wings goalie Jimmy Howard says. “In practice, for me, I just hope it doesn’t hit me. If he scores, he scores. He can be a great weapon for us. “As it gets around the league how big and heavy his shot is, he’s going to have to find ways to get open so teams don’t key on him.” 10. The Golden Knights will only host just five Saturday-night home games all season. No more than one per month. That’s among the fewest in the NHL and a curious stat considering the assumption that the league would want to promote its new toy on its biggest TV night. But there’s a reason for that. In Las Vegas, every night is Saturday night. No surprise: The largest employment sector in the Las Vegas area is leisure and hospitality, with almost 300,000 workers. 11. Due to the tragedy in Vegas last weekend, plans for the city’s first pro team’s opener have changed out of respect. Not only is the franchise donating money for the victims’ families — $300,000 with the NHL and Foley Family Charitable Trust — but the Knights have been out in community, meeting with those families as well as the first responders. Tragically, the tone of opening night will be sombre when it should’ve be joyous. We learned that Sports Illustrated was planning a big feature on happy- go-lucky Marc-Andre Fleury, smiling face of the Golden Knights. Appropriately, the publication went in another direction. 12. Because we all deserve a good laugh heading into the weekend, here’s the latest version of KHL’s Funniest Home Videos. Slapstick, the highest form of humour:

Sportsnet.ca LOADED: 10.07.2017 1077074 Websites

Watch as Calvin Pickard makes a nice recovering glove save which leads to cheesy commentary.

Daniel Nugent-Bowman @DNBsports October 6, 2017, 5:47 PM

Of all the ways the Toronto Maple Leafs added to their roster in the off- season, that they didn’t bolster their goaltending position seemed puzzling. Sure, they re-signed Curtis McElhinney to a two-year deal before he hit free agency, but it’s clear the veteran’s role is mainly to spell Frederik Andersen on the second night of back-to-back games. Bringing back Garret Sparks was a depth move, too. Well, after Friday’s trade, the Leafs now have someone with the upside to fill in for Andersen for a string of games if he’s unhealthy or not playing well. The Leafs obtained Calvin Pickard, 25, from the Vegas Golden Knights in exchange for Tobias Lindberg and a sixth-round pick in the 2018 NHL Draft on Friday. While Pickard has been assigned to the Marlies in the AHL, he’s only a cab ride away if the big club ever needs a capable replacement. When the Colorado Avalanche didn’t protect Pickard ahead of the expansion draft, it was thought by many to be a miscalculation on their part. The Golden Knights took advantage and chose him presumably to back up Marc-Andre Fleury. Their goaltending situation looked set. But Pickard was deemed expendable in Vegas after Malcolm Subban was claimed off waivers from Boston earlier this week. Pickard was then placed on waivers, but cleared. The Leafs are at 48 contracts out of the allowable 50, according to CapFriendly.com, possibly the reason they wanted to ship out a player rather than simply make a claim to acquire Pickard. He’ll be a restricted free agent in July when his $1-million contract expires. There are a couple huge caveats here. One; Pickard got the starting job with the Avalanche last season because No. 1 goalie Semyon Varlamov sustained a season-ending groin injury. And two; Pickard’s numbers (15- 31-2, 2.98 goals-against average and .904 save percentage in 50 games) were less than sublime. The thing to consider, however, was that Pickard played on the Avalanche, who were terrible to put it kindly – they finished in last place – and atrocious if you’re not sugar-coating things. Their 48 points were the fewest of any team in the salary cap era. The Avs used a patchwork defence and surrendered an NHL-worst 278 goals, so Pickard was far from the only person to blame. In fact, some even thought highly of his work. For the second consecutive spring, Hockey Canada came calling to ask if Pickard would be interested in a spot on the world championship team. After earning a gold medal as Cam Talbot’s backup in 2016, Pickard assumed the top job during the Paris-Cologne tournament in May. He had his lowlights, most notably against Switzerland when he surrendered the tying goal on a shot from the sideboards that ricocheted off his stick and then blocker. It was a game Canada ended up losing in overtime. Overall, though, Pickard’s 1.49 goals-against average and .938 save percentage in seven games were spectacular. He also held his own against Sweden’s Henrik Lundqvist in the gold-medal matchup, which Canada ultimately lost 2-1 in a shootout despite his 40 saves. Pickard was quite the goaltender in junior for the WHL’s Seattle Thunderbirds. His older brother was even more accomplished. Chet Pickard also suited up for a U.S. Division team, the Tri-City Americans, and won the league’s top netminder award in both 2008 and 2009. He claimed CHL honours in the first season. The elder Pickard also made Canada’s world junior team in 2009, backing up Dustin Tokarski en route to a gold medal. He was drafted in the first round by Nashville, 18th overall, in 2008, but never appeared in an NHL game. The 27-year-old just started his third season in the German league, this year with the Mannheim Eagles.

Sportsnet.ca LOADED: 10.07.2017 1077075 Websites That was the season prior to the Connor McDavid draft and the Leafs 19- 9-3 start that year – which preceded their epic 11-35-5 finish – hurt their odds in arguably the most important draft lottery in league history. Sportsnet.ca / Believe it, Maple Leafs fans: Your team’s time is now That they got Marner fourth overall and got some lottery luck the following year in landing the No. 1 overall pick in Auston Matthews obscures that fact. Michael Grange But that’s nit-picking in the overall context of what the Shana-plan has @michaelgrange wrought: the richest, youngest pool of talent in the NHL, arguably, and the best young group the Leafs have ever had as their assault on every October 6, 2017, 12:29 PM conceivable franchise record for rookies indicated last season. As a bonus, there remains a depth of prospects and draft picks that give management more room to manoeuvre from here. If there’s a package to It’s been 50 years and 186 days (and counting!) since the Toronto Maple be put together to add one more high-end defenceman – perhaps the Leafs have won a Stanley Cup. It’s been just as long without the Blue only part of the roster that looks in need of bolstering – you get the sense and White making an appearance in the Final. they have pieces to pull it off. It’s a streak unlike any other in the National Hockey League, it goes It’s hard to get your head around. When I sat down with Shanahan two without saying, but every once in a while it’s worth stepping back and years ago the idea of the Leafs getting to where they are now still marveling at it, like you would a hideous piece of sculpture. seemed like a long way away. But more than its length, the Leafs monument to mediocrity and worse is “There is a certain way [we] have to prepare and play in order to become remarkable for the depth of troughs between the rare crests. For most of the kind of organization and team that we want to be,” he told me. “If that those years, trying to believe in the Leafs has been like treading water in takes three months, three years, it doesn’t matter. the bottom of a well – the light above seemed so far away and you found yourself getting very, very tired trying not to sink. “It takes as long as it takes.” It’s not that the Auston Matthews and William Nylander and Mitch Marner It didn’t take very long did it? and Connor Brown and — the list goes on, doesn’t it? – are going to win the Cup this season or the next or the one after that. The NHL and its Which is why today is a great day to be Leafs fan and there will almost salary cap have bludgeoned the league into parity and unpredictability assuredly be more to come. Not because they head into their home and windows that suddenly fly open and snap shut. opener Saturday night coming off a resounding 7-2 win on the road, a result that seemed to justify every bit of pre-season optimism already So there are no locks anymore and dynasties rise and fall in record time. floating around the club. But on Friday, Oct. 6 it’s completely reasonable to look at the Leafs But because no matter what happens from here, it’s very clearly just the roster stacked top to bottom with skill and potential 20-goal scorers (I start of a blindingly bright future that has arrived all at once. count eight of them) and think that they could win a Cup this year and the year after and maybe for a good while after that. This is a neck-wrenching U-turn in Leafs historical trajectory. Is this how Sportsnet.ca LOADED: 10.07.2017 Leaf fans felt on the eve of the 1961-62 season, before 21-year-old Dave Keon lifted the Leafs to three straight Cups and a fourth in 1967? I have no idea, but there’s a level of legitimate optimism that’s unmatched since, I know that. It’s not that Toronto has gone all that time without hope or expectation. In between the long lulls – most of the 1970s, pretty much all of the 1980s and a chunk of the 2000s – there were glimmers of hope. Darryl Sittler and Lanny McDonald made it to the semi-finals in 1977-78 although being swept by the late-dynasty Montreal Canadiens quickly dimmed the brightest moment in the Ballard-era darkness. The Gilmour-Burns-Potvin Leafs provided perhaps the best chance to break the streak in 1992-93, but they were undone by Gretzky and Kerry Fraser in the conference finals. Would they have had a chance against the Montreal Canadians in the ’93 Final? Sure they would have, but that group was a surprise contender to begin with and largely built on the back of veterans. Even as they returned to the conference final in 1993-94, there was a sense of the air leaking from the balloon, and sure enough, that moment in the sun was washed out almost as quickly as it arrived. The Pat Quinn era brought more success – six straight playoff appearances; three 100-point seasons and two more conference finals appearances – and some teams that had legitimate championship expectations. But they could never get over the top and if their window began to close prior to the 2004-05 lockout, it was nailed closed and covered by hurricane shutters by the time it ended. It’s taken 12 years to open it up again. Which is why things seem so different this time around: this concept not only of hope and expectation – but of a future – that’s what’s new and so luxurious. It almost feels like a guilty pleasure. There were all kinds of reasons for optimism when Brendan Shanahan took over the club’s top job and began preaching patience and process from the get-go. There were some early stumbles: was there any need to extend Randy Carlyle prior to the 2014-15 season? And Shanahan got away with one when he failed to commit to tanking or rebuilding for that same season – saying he had to study the situation first – until mid-way through when he ended up firing Carlyle anyway. 1077076 Websites Of the two possibilities, splitting them up seems to make the most sense. That unrelenting 1-2 punch a la Sidney Crosby and Evgeni Malkin would put the rest of the league in a grinder by presenting them with an Sportsnet.ca / Five most interesting players to watch this season, impossible problem to solve. By opting to spread the wealth rather than according to analytics loading up on top, they’d ensure the opposition wouldn’t be able to focus the brunt of their defensive forces on stopping one line. Having McDavid and Draisaitl on separate lines makes the Oilers a significantly more difficult team to deal with. Dimitri Filipovic At this point we can say with unabashed confidence that McDavid has @DimFilipovic vaulted into the rare pantheon of superstardom where everything he touches turns to gold, and everyone he plays with will have their value October 6, 2017, 12:15 PM inflated.

Draisaitl’s case is a bit more iffy, because aside from a number of playoff Everyone already knows everything there is to know about megastars games last spring, we didn’t really get a chance to see how capable he Connor McDavid, Sidney Crosby, Alex Ovechkin and Erik Karlsson. was of carrying his own line yet: They’re difference makers who will play a deciding role in the fates of Combination Ice Time CF% FF% SF% GF% their team and the league. Draisaitl with McDavid 674.03 53.85 55.07 55.62 Instead of latching on to low-hanging fruit, let’s instead shine the spotlight 59.42 on a handful of other names that figure to play an important role for their teams this year. These are players who have something to prove, are Draisaitl without McDavid 500.03 47.74 47.45 45.03 poised to make the next step, or hold the keys to their team’s fortunes. 44.19 Because of that, we should be closely following the progress of these McDavid without Draisaitl 636.52 52.23 53.16 52.28 players as the year goes on. 65.45 Steven Stamkos (CF%= % of Shot Attempts controlled by Oilers, FF% = % of Unblocked Shot Attempts controlled by Oilers, SF% = % of Shots on Goal controlled It feels like cheating having Stamkos on this list given that he surely by Oilers, GF% = % of Goals scored by Oilers) would’ve been included among those top-tier stars above just a couple of years ago. At the same time, it also feels like we’ve collectively been This doesn’t mean Draisaitl can’t be that type of player. He’s only 21 sleeping on the fact that a) the Lightning had to play out the final 65 years old, which means there’s plenty of room for development ahead. games of last season without Stamkos and b) he’s now fully healthy and He also already passes the eye test with flying colours, boasting all of the ready to go from the jump this year. tools you’d like to see from a top young player. Most importantly, he’s shed any residual concerns there may have been about his skating ability It’s understandable that people are skeptical of Stamkos this season, back when he was a draft prospect. given how much time he’s missed. At this point it’d be irresponsible to project him to play in all 82 games, or expect him to get back to lead the It’s just slightly unnerving that the Oilers made the type of financial league in scoring again. commitment to him they did, without fully vetting whether he was truly capable of being what they paid for. What should provide optimism here, however, were the inklings we saw that he was finally starting to round back into the form he held as one of If he can carry his own line while maintaining his offensive output, then the league’s preeminent scorers prior to his catastrophic leg injury back it’s a no-brainer deal you make if you’re the Edmonton Oilers. If he can’t, in 2013. Playing with Nikita Kucherov and Vlad Namestnikov (a line that though, and settles into a role as McDavid’s running mate on the wing, figures to be reunited to start the year) did wonders for helping you’ve still at least got yourself a luxury. rejuvenate Stamkos at five-on-five and brought out the best version of him we’d seen in years. It reversed the course of his downward slide: But it’d be a luxury instead of a necessity, and one that you’re paying an awfully steep premium for in lieu of addressing more pressing needs Season Goals/Hour Points/Hour CF% Relative elsewhere. And that undoubtedly presents a whole new set of financial CF% Expected GF% Relative Expected GF% questions that’ll eventually need to be answered. 2010-2011 1.33 2.55 52.08 -0.35 53.74 2.42 Nathan MacKinnon 2011-2012 1.81 2.79 48.36 2.24 48.67 2.05 On the one hand, it’s easy to lose sight of the fact that MacKinnon just turned 22 years old. On the other, it’s hard not to look at what he’s done 2012-2013 1.07 2.29 49.48 3.37 50.44 2.95 thus far in his career as something of a disappointment given the sky 2013-2014 1.56 2.56 53.79 3.55 53.69 5.75 high expectations he came into the league with as a first overall pick. 2014-2015 1.28 2.15 52.90 -0.39 53.19 -1.62 That’s likely due to the fact that his offensive production has been trending in the wrong direction since his tremendous rookie season: 2015-2016 0.93 1.69 51.02 -1.77 48.11 -5.06 Season 5v5 Goals/Hour 5v5 Points/Hour 2016-2017 1.37 3.29 56.16 8.79 52.11 5.54 2013-2014 0.72 2.07 (All data via Corsica and Natural Stat Trick) 2014-2015 0.70 2.02 Whichever version of Stamkos we get will impact Tampa’s place in the standings. Will we get the fully-loaded peak version of Stamkos, or will he 2015-2016 0.58 1.63 slink back to being the declining goal scorer he was post-broken leg? 2016-2017 0.52 1.62 If he’s the former, it will provide a compelling wrinkle to the argument that The caveat that’s important to note about MacKinnon is that despite the the Lightning will bounce all the way back to being the top challenger to fact the box car counting stats haven’t been there, he’s still managed to the Pittsburgh Penguins and their hold on the Eastern Conference and be effective in more subtle ways. At 5-on-5, he’s drawn 45 more Stanley Cup. penalties than he’s taken in his first four seasons thanks to the blazing Leon Draisaitl speed he possesses. He’s also generated a high volume of shots, which in theory is considered to be a good thing, but may be more of a negative Given how successful Draisaitl and Connor McDavid were at terrorizing here given his inexplicably poor finishing ability: the opposition whenever they shared the ice last season, it’s understandable that the decision of whether or not to keep them together Season MacKinnon’s Shooting % League Average Forward is a difficult one for coach Todd McLellan. Shooting % They essentially made their intentions clear the moment they inked 2013-2014 10.00 10.43 Draisaitl to an eight-year, $68-million deal this summer. That contract 2014-2015 7.29 10.39 made Draisaitl the 10th-highest paid player in the league this season, a payday that also signalled the Oilers envision his long-term landing spot 2015-2016 8.57 10.58 as the 1B to McDavid’s 1A down the middle. 2016-2017 6.56 10.74 To put all of those individual struggles to turn shots into goals into 2015-2016 91.45 28th 90.23 29th perspective, here’s a look at how many more times he would’ve scored in each season if he was a league average finisher: 2016-2017 91.26 29th 90.09 27th Season Actual Goals Scored League Average Expectation The reason Darling is particularly intriguing here is because he’s still a relatively unknown commodity. Carolina’s investment in him is 2013-2014 24 25 reminiscent of the bet the Edmonton Oilers made on Cam Talbot a few summers ago, when he had an impressive albeit limited track record to 2014-2015 14 20 analyze. 2015-2016 21 26 While there’s no denying he’s sparkled during his brief NHL career thus 2016-2017 16 27 far, it only spans 75 total games sprinkled throughout three separate seasons. Dating back to his junior and collegiate career, the most games I’m not entirely sure what to make of all of this. One theory is that he ever appeared in during a single season was 42 a decade ago in the MacKinnon still doesn’t know how to harness his immense speed and USHL. winds up putting himself in suboptimal shooting positions. But that’s more anecdotal than anything else. Much like Talbot, if Darling is able to hold up under a workload he’s never really had to shoulder before, he’ll do wonders for Carolina over the top This is why MacKinnon is on this list – even though the Avalanche aren’t and turning them from a tantalizingly talented group into a legitimately going anywhere this season, he is one of the more fascinating players to competitive one that finally makes its triumphant return to the post- keep an eye on because of how large the discrepancy is between how season. good our eyes tell us he should be, and how good he’s actually been so far. If you watch him on the right occasion – especially on an international stage where he’s playing with gifted players – you come away thinking Sportsnet.ca LOADED: 10.07.2017 there’s no reason why he shouldn’t be one of the most dominant NHL players. As I generally do in these unique cases I’ll bet on the talent and youth eventually winning out over time, but these struggles have persisted long enough that there might be something more to it than meets the eye. Ryan McDonagh In terms of a change in surroundings from one season to the next, there may be no bigger winner out of the summer than Ryan McDonagh. After years of being strapped to Dan Girardi, he has now finally been freed to run wild and explore the world with Kevin Shattenkirk as his new partner. The splits for McDonagh with and without Girardi over the years aren’t necessarily surprising, but are remarkably telling: Season TOI with Girardi Shot % with Girardi Chance % with Girardi Goal % with Girardi 2013-2014 1113.07 50.15 50.48 54.23 2014-2015 925.34 48.51 48.85 51.57 2015-2016 472.07 43.33 42.95 64.11 2016-2017 779.15 43.75 44.65 46.12 Season TOI without Girardi Shot % without Girardi Chance % without Girardi Goal % without Girardi 2013-2014 241.52 55.42 57.91 43.72 2014-2015 271.48 54.51 49.82 65.97 2015-2016 472.07 53.12 55.14 62.65 2016-2017 236.39 54.76 55.10 64.08 It doesn’t exactly require a lot of mental gymnastics to reach the conclusion that McDonagh’s on-ice numbers will skyrocket now that he’s free from Girardi and playing with a net positive five-on-five partner. For us viewers, however, an even more interesting byproduct of the change will be seeing if and how McDonagh’s game opens up and evolves stylistically. Watching McDonagh navigate this new, joyous world could present us with one of the more aesthetically pleasing stories of the 2017-18 season, and the Rangers with a much needed shot in the arm. Scott Darling The Carolina Hurricanes are one of the most trendy consensus sleeper picks this season, and with good reason. Unlike the past couple of years where they’ve had similar hype only to wind up falling short of expectations, there’s legitimate reason to believe this season is different. That optimism begins and ends between the pipes, a position they finally focused on improving this off-season when they acquired Scott Darling from the Chicago Blackhawks. Despite the fact the Hurricanes have regularly been one of the better puck possession teams in the league under Bill Peters, none of it has ultimately mattered because their goaltending units haven’t been able to stop the puck with any consistency: Season 5v5 Save % League Rank All Situations Save % League Rank 2014-2015 90.89 29th 90.21 27th 1077077 Websites “I’m hoping he’ll be cleared for contact next week so that would mean he’d start practicing with our guys, with the team without a medical jersey on. That would put him still a couple weeks away. We’d probably want to Sportsnet.ca / Trevor Linden excited about Canucks’ ‘formidable group’ get him some games in Utica to get him up to speed. I’m still thinking of prospects he’s first of Novemberish.”

Rory Boylen Sportsnet.ca LOADED: 10.07.2017 @RoryBoylen October 6, 2017, 3:54 PM

The Vancouver Canucks, Canada’s only team currently in a rebuild and the least likely to reach the playoffs, are all about the future these days. Sure, they picked up some veterans including Sam Gagner, Thomas Vanek and Alex Burmistrov over the summer, but there’s a chance some of those older guys are dealt by the trade deadline for picks and/or prospects. This franchise is all about the future right now and is coming off a successful 2017 trade deadline in which it added promising forwards Jonathan Dahlen and Nikolay Goldobin (four goals in three AHL games so far). Neither of them cracked the opening night roster, but will instead begin the season in the AHL before making the jump. Brock Boeser, one of many early league-wide candidates for the Calder Trophy, did make the team right away and is set to start the season on the third line with Burmistrov and Gagner. Virtanen, the sixth overall pick from 2014, made the cut too, though he may have to wait to make his season debut. All told, team president Trevor Linden is excited about the direction in which the team is headed. “There is a formidable group of young players within our system that is marching towards being contributing everyday NHL players,” he said Friday on Sportsnet 650’s Starting Lineup. “Some of those players are at different stages so it’s going to take some patience. “I’m excited for (coach) Travis (Green). He’s assembled a great staff and I really like how he’s approached things. I’m excited to see where he can get some of those players in their development.” Linden pointed out that Green has done a good job of setting the tone as the new head coach in Vancouver, holding his players accountable, being firm with them, but also being fair. He agreed with the notion that Green is similar to former Canucks coach Alain Vigneault in the kind of culture he’s trying to plant — the biggest difference being that Vigneault had the Sedins, Ryan Kesler and Alex Edler (among others) in their primes, while Green is building this team from the ground up. One prospect who won’t be in either Vancouver or AHL Utica this season is Olli Juolevi, who instead was returned to Finland to play in that country’s main professional league. After Green said Juolevi just wan’t NHL ready earlier, Linden agreed and pointed out that kind of decision- making by the coach is a good example of how this team will be grown. “Travis is a big believer in they have to earn their stripes. They have to be accountable and be contributors and earn the trust of the coaching staff,” Linden said. Linden went on to discuss a few of the younger players in the Canucks’ organization. Here are some of the highlights: Jake Virtanen: “I think he’s a young player that didn’t fully understand where he needed to be on a daily basis. I think Travis had a significant impact on him last year. I think Jake brings to our team something we desperately need and that’s that power, speed, physicality-type game.” Brock Boeser: “I think we still have to recognize these are young players. Even Brock, he’s a great kid, he’s a talented kid; he’s skilled. But we need to be patient with him and understand there will be growing pains along the way. I think it’s unfair to look at other players around the league and say ‘well this is where that player should be.'” Jonathan Dahlen, who starts the season on IR in the AHL: “He’s had a bout of mono and we’re getting him in for some assessment and tests and seeing where he’s at and trying to figure out what his future looks like.” Brendan Gaunce: 1077078 Websites Moore will make his season debut on Saturday replacing Fehr. Meanwhile, Calle Rosen was recalled from the Marlies and will replace fellow Swedish rookie Andreas Borgman in the lineup against the TSN.CA / Marleau mentors Marner, Leafs kids Rangers. Babcock said it was always his intention to get both those guys into a game early in the year so he could evaluate them against NHL talent. He gave Fehr the start in Winnipeg, because he's a Manitoba native, which allows Moore to face his old team in the Rangers. By Mark Masters Brown dealing with fashion police

* Brown and Fehr were both told by the officials on Wednesday night to * Mitch Marner has made improving his shot a priority this season and, to untuck their jerseys. "I understand where they're coming from in some that end, watching Patrick Marleau up close is a big boost. Marleau's senses," Brown said. "We're not intentionally tucking in our jersey. I think second goal on Wednesday night was a good example of what Marner it's the way we skate, a bit hunched over, so our jerseys seep up and wants to incorporate more into his game. "He put his body in position to tuck into our pants. But, it's up to us to do what we can to abide by the shoot pretty quick and that’s a thing I’m trying to work on, getting your rule." body in a position to shoot quick," Marner said.

Marleau has stayed out late after a couple practices this week to work alongside Marner and other youngsters like Auston Matthews, William TSN.CA LOADED: 10.07.2017 Nylander and Connor Brown. On Tuesday, he placed some pucks along the outline of the crease and shot them in the net rapid-fire style. "You try and work on your hands and that’s (a drill) I’ve used for a while now," the 20-year veteran explained. "It’s good to get to those loose pucks around the net and try to get them upstairs.” What advice does Marleau have for Marner when it comes to improving his shot? "Just try some different things," he said. "He's got a great work ethic already so part of it, for him, is he already knows what he wants to accomplish and he'll put the work in and get it done." Marner received a series of texts from his friends after the Leafs signed Marleau in the off-season. His buddies were all pumped that Marner would get to work with an Olympian, who has scored more than 500 NHL goals. "It’s pretty cool that the year he got drafted (1997) and dressed in the NHL, a couple of us were just getting born," said the 20-year-old Marner. "That’s a pretty cool stat.” On the ice, it's the subtle plays that stand out even more than the goals Marleau's scored. "Even the play leading to his first goal when he kicked the puck with his foot was something," Brown noted. "And then the little touch pass to Nazzy (before his second goal) in the neutral zone, just little things like that, that you know are hard from doing them, he does them well. Through the neutral zone plays rarely die with him.” The young Leafs all rave about how the 38-year-old Marleau handles himself off the ice. "He's a pro, that's No. 1," observed Brown. "He gets the most out of himself. I also think he just loves it. He loves the game and that's been able to motivate him through so many years in the NHL and coming back every year refreshed." * So far, Marleau has made a tricky transition look pretty easy. After two decades in San Jose, he is adapting to a new city, new coach, new system, new linemates and everything that comes with that. “I’m sure Patty would tell you it’s a work in progress," said Leafs head coach Mike Babcock, who arrived in Toronto after a decade in Detroit. "Any time you have four kids and a wife and you live in the same place 20 years, it’s going to take you some time. There’s going to be some moments at home probably that aren’t great and yet the rink can be a safe haven for you and you just come here and play and, obviously, I thought Pat was real good the other night ... I think it’s nice for him to score early so you don’t have to go two weeks without scoring and everyone asking questions you don’t want to answer.” Patrick Marleau's transition to Toronto has been a smooth one so far. The ex-Shark scored twice in his Leafs debut on Wednesday and during practices has been staying out late to help rising stars like Mitch Marner refine their craft. * Babcock is putting an emphasis on discipline after Toronto found itself shorthanded eight times in Winnipeg. And although the Leafs’ penalty kill survived, they did allow 18 shots. "We can be a lot better," said Brown, who played 7:25 short-handed against the Jets. "Frederik (Andersen) was our best penalty killer by a mile. I think, we can deny entries a bit more. They were entering the zone with control too much. We did do a good job keeping them to the outside, but we looked at the video and there are some things we can correct. It's easy to learn when they pot a few, but you have to learn when things are going well, too." Marleau should get some consistent minutes on the penalty kill this season. The last time he played such a role was with the Sharks in 2014- 15. "It's good," he said. "I like being part of it. It's obviously something you take a lot of pride in, being out there and shutting the other team down." Marleau and Marner have practised with the penalty killers this week and appear to be the two standby forwards should reinforcements be needed beyond the regular group of Brown, Zach Hyman, Leo Komarov and the fourth-line centre (Eric Fehr and/or Dominic Moore). 1077079 Websites possibility of a return if either first-year defender needs more ice time elsewhere.

One bubble player who seemingly won’t get the same opportunity to TSN.CA / Leafs shuffle lineup for home opener assert himself in the lineup any time soon is Josh Leivo. Babcock acknowledged the Leafs are perhaps deeper now than they’ve By Kristen Shilton been in years, and nowhere is that more true than at Leivo’s winger position. Just like last season, an injury is his best chance of getting in.

TORONTO – The Maple Leafs are coming off an emphatic 7-2 season- opening win over the Winnipeg Jets, but that’s not stopping Mike TSN.CA LOADED: 10.07.2017 Babcock from making changes. The Toronto head coach is breaking out the blender early, altering his lineup for Saturday’s home opener against the New York Rangers. “If you just base things on [the fact] you won, so you should never change your lineup, the problem is then I don’t think you’re being fair to our group and developing the best group you can,” Babcock said Friday after practice. “So those decisions can always be second-guessed on a win/loss basis, but to me we’re trying to build our program and do the right thing and evaluate our players and get better, so that’s why we’re doing it.” That process began Thursday, when the Leafs placed defenceman Martin Marincin on waivers. The 25-year-old made the opening-night roster over Swedish newcomer Calle Rosen, but was a healthy scratch against the Jets as the seventh blueliner. By Friday, Marincin had cleared waivers and been assigned to the Toronto Marlies, while Rosen had been recalled from the AHL. He was slotted in as the sixth defenceman at practice, pushing Andreas Borgman, who just made his NHL debut on Wednesday, down to the extra spot. Babcock confirmed Rosen will start in place of Borgman on Saturday, and that Dominic Moore, also a healthy scratch on Wednesday, will play at fourth-line centre instead of Eric Fehr. Moore was drafted 95th overall by the Rangers in 2000, playing 87 games with the club between 2003 and 2006, and then returning to skate in 239 games between 2013 and 2016. “I didn’t know the difference between the two. I decided we were going to play Borgman [in Winnipeg] and Rosen here,” Babcock said. “I did the same with Fehr. Fehr is a Winnipeg kid, Moore played in New York. In the end, that’s how I made my decision. I don’t think that’s scientific enough to keep anyone out of the lineup.” Babcock offered no insight as to how long he'd continue shuffling players in and out (“we’ll figure it out”). “We’re in a process where Borgman and Rosen haven’t played in the NHL for a long time. We don’t want either one of them sitting around, so it they’re not playing they won’t be here,” Babcock said. Rosen, who tallied two assists in five exhibition games, is pleased that his opportunity to experience real NHL action didn’t take long to come following his demotion. “That’s what I was hoping for. It’s fun to be back,” he said. “To play in the NHL is what every kid dreams about. If I’m able to play tomorrow, that would be another step in the right direction in my career. I just feel I have to keep doing what I was doing in the preseason, keep working every day.” Rosen, who signed as a free agent last spring out of the Swedish Hockey League, will step in next to Connor Carrick. That puts two good skaters together against a Rangers’ team that has speed built into every phase of the game. While the Leafs top-four defencemen are set in their pairings, Carrick could see a lot of movement next to him. “I think it’s my job to talk to them out there, and I’ve enjoyed it. I’ve enjoyed a little bit of the leadership in that,” he said. “I know my first couple games with [Jake] Gardiner, he was vocal on the blueline, [telling me] ‘go’ or ‘stay out.' It was helpful for my game. This is definitely an opportunity in terms of getting a look at both [Rosen and Borgman] and management and coaches can see who’s game I make better, who’s making my game better, and then make a decision for the team going forward that way.” Toronto risked losing Marincin to another NHL club by placing him on waivers when they could have just recalled Rosen for Saturday’s game and sent Borgman, who they didn’t appear to plan on playing anyway, to the AHL without needing waivers. It isn’t a ringing endorsement for Marincin’s standing with the franchise, but Babcock didn't rule out the 1077080 Websites Golden Knights are trying to avoid putting some of their surplus defencemen on waivers.

And yet, they claimed goaltender Malcolm Subban on waivers, then TSN.CA / TSN Hockey's Top 10 Storylines of the Week somehow got goaltender Calvin Pickard through waivers on his way to the AHL. What's going on here? By Scott Cullen This seems like a lot of hoops to jump through in order to protect assets like Luca Sbisa, Griffin Reinhart or Brad Hunt. Vegas’ plan to draft lots of defencemen in the expansion draft was fine, but they needed to have follow-up deals lined up because now they are left holding the bag, at Edmonton Oilers centre Connor McDavid, coming off a season in which least it appears that way when they aren’t willing to demote some of their he won the Art Ross, Hart and Ted Lindsay trophies and, the real prize, excess at the position. was named the No. 1 player in TSN’s Top 50 players. What’s discouraging is that this team, which is already fighting uphill, isn’t The 20-year-old went into the offseason with an objective of scoring more even putting out its most talented possible lineup. goals and while that’s probably something every player should focus on, McDavid actually has the tools to do something dramatic in this regard. TURRIS TRADE BAIT? He carries the puck at a speed that is unprecedented, and while there Could Kyle Turris be a candidate for trade? are so many fast skaters in the league, few can match McDavid and none can process the game at an elite level while also using that blinding TSN’s Darren Dreger suggested that, if the Senators don’t come to a new speed. contract deal with pending unrestricted free agent centre Kyle Turris, that a trade, while not imminent, “seems likely.” And it’s that speed that caught the eye of Jaromir Jagr, who has played with and against, well, just about everyone in the NHL since 1990. The trouble this presents for the Senators is that, if they make that kind of move during the season, is that it will come across like waving a white Speaking of Jagr, somehow the 45-year-old had remained unsigned flag. Turris is good and teams that have playoff aspirations don’t tend to through the entire summer and, then, just before the start of the 2017- trade good players for future assets. If 2018 season, the Calgary Flames signed him to a deal that costs $1- million with another $1-million in achievable bonuses, a pittance for a Ottawa expects to be a playoff team this year, it’s hard to imagine it with winger who has produced 112 points over the past two seasons, a total Turris subtracted from the roster. that ranks 52nd in the league. Now, if the trade deadline is approaching and the Senators are well out Yes, he’s slowed down and when teams are trying to get faster, that is of a playoff spot then that could change the calculation because, at that the obvious reason for teams hesitating to bring him in, but the bottom point, the team can start looking to the future when they can reasonably line is that Jagr remains productive and could have helped a lot of teams. expect to have Logan Brown and Colin White ready to contribute at The Flames, who desperately need the skill upgrade on the right side, centre. should reap the rewards and, if he is too old, the contract isn’t going to tie There will be lots of trade rumours throughout the year, but how the the organization in knots. Senators handle the future of Turris, their 28-year-old No. 1 centre, will Trade rumours had swirled around Colorado Avalanche centre Matt be worth keeping an eye on. Duchene for such a long time that it seems preposterous that he started The Sabres have hitched their wagon to Jack Eichel. this season in Colorado. It seemed likely that he would get moved before last season’s trade deadline, and then it didn’t happen. Just before the season started, the Buffalo Sabres signed their franchise centre, 20-year-old Jack Eichel, to a contract extension. The extension He finished with 41 points in 77 games, which didn’t enhance his value, kicks in next season and is for eight years and $80-million; big dollars. but surely it would happen at the draft. Nope. Maybe in early July, once teams had explored their free agent options. Still no. With Connor McDavid’s new deal set to pay him $12.5-million per season, and Leon Draisaitl now earning $8.5-million per season, Eichel’s That leaves Duchene in an uncomfortable position, a player who is ready contract is another data point for the rising young stars in the game. With to move on, and a team that wants to move him, but can’t come up with a Eichel getting $10-million, it seems a given that Toronto’s Auston deal that they like. Matthews and Winnipeg’s Patrik Laine will be looking at deals north of So, the Avs started the season with Duchene centering a line with rookie that price tag when they prepare to sign extensions. Alex Kerfoot and 2012 first-overall pick Nail Yakupov, which hardly It also appears that bridge deals no longer apply, especially to high-end seems like putting Duchene in a position to succeed. Of course, if talents. It’s not unreasonable for that change to have taken place, success for Duchene would mean improved production that would, in because these players are getting paid during their peak performance turn, figure to enhance his trade value. years, but it’s still a change in the way the business has operated. Now, Duchene had a goal and an assist in Game One, a 4-2 win at the As for Eichel, specifically, he’s a terrific player and the Sabres are Rangers, but watching the Avalanche handle this process has been hitching their wagon to him as the franchise star. After the Sabres difficult. cleaned house, firing GM Tim Murray and head coach Dan Bylsma after Regarding Duchene, a team exec texted, “How does this end?” Good a reported rift with Eichel, there is suspicion that Eichel holds too much question. sway in the organization, but if the off-ice concerns aren’t a problem, it makes sense for the Sabres to sign Eichel and hope that he’s the The Pittsburgh Penguins, winners of back-to-back Stanley Cups, cornerstone piece around which they can build. received their rings before the start of the season and expectations had the Penguins as the top team coming into this season. The Toronto Maple Leafs opened the season with an impressive road victory, 7-2 at Winnipeg, and that’s done nothing to slow down the hype They opened the season with a 5-4 overtime loss at home against St. machine around the Maple Leafs, a young team that is coming into a Louis, which wasn’t alarming, but also not a great indication in a home season with expectations for the first time in a long time. game against a team missing quite a few regulars due to injuries. Getting better goaltending than the Jets isn’t the most notable That was small potatoes, however, because the Penguins followed that accomplishment, but the Leafs’ skill was on display and that’s why opening-night loss with a spectacular 10-1 blowout loss at Chicago. Even optimism abounds for the Leafs. Not only do they have promising young if they were playing on back-to-back nights, that kind of performance was stars Auston Matthews, William Nylander and Mitch Marner, but veterans not becoming of an NHL team, let alone the team expected to be the best Patrick Marleau, James van Riemsdyk and Nazem Kadri are contributing in the league. too, and that depth of talent is why expectations are higher for Toronto this season. It had better improve quickly, though, because the Penguins host Nashville before back-to-back road games at Washington and Tampa As they say, plan the parade. Bay. Washington Capitals right winger Tom Wilson has been flirting with this The Vegas Golden Knights are getting ready to play their first NHL game for some time, even getting suspended for two preseason games this Friday night, and it appears that their roster is a tad unsettled. year, before his most recent incident, a boarding penalty against St. Louis’ rookie winger Samuel Blais, that resulted in a four-game They have sent No. 1 centre Vadim Shipachyov and potentially their best suspension. defenceman, Shea Theodore, to the AHL, presumably because the To the league’s credit, they have needed to hand out harsher punishments for bad hits, so if they are going to tilt in that direction, and Wilson getting tagged moves them in that direction, then that’s probably for the better all around. There’s nothing wrong with expecting hits to be clean. This is a wildly small sample, of course, but there were some goals being scored in the first couple of nights of the season. Not only was there an average of seven goals per game (it won’t last), but four individual players – Connor McDavid, Wayne Simmonds, Brandon Saad and Alex Ovechkin – recorded hat tricks in their team’s season opener, something that last happened in the league 100 years ago.

TSN.CA LOADED: 10.07.2017 1077081 Websites “He’s so quick and he’s as fast with the puck as he is without it,” Edler says. “He’s so shifty, obviously, so playing against a guy like that you have to try to keep a good gap and attempt to take his away his time TSN.CA / Defending McDavid: Canucks draw game’s toughest task on before he gets his speed up. There’s no question it’s a challenge.” opening night It’s the toughest assignment in hockey these days and it comes at the Canucks on opening night. Will they be up to the challenge of stopping Connor McDavid? Is anyone truly up to that challenge? We won’t have to By Jeff Paterson wait long now to find out.

VANCOUVER – As you ponder how the Vancouver Canucks hope to TSN.CA LOADED: 10.07.2017 contain the best player in hockey on Saturday night at Rogers Arena, consider this for a moment: the Canucks have never beaten a Connor McDavid-led Edmonton Oilers team in regulation time. In nine National Hockey League meetings, the Oilers have won seven times and suffered a pair of shootout losses. McDavid has four goals and 11 points -- including three-game winners and a pair of power play goals – and has been held off the scoresheet just once. And in only four of those contests has the wonder boy played logged more than 20 minutes of ice-time. It’s almost as if McDavid has taken it easy on the Canucks to this point in his career. Wednesday on home ice, McDavid put his vast array of other-worldly talents on display for all to see scoring all three Edmonton goals in a 3-0 win over Calgary. The hat trick was impressive, but it was his seven shots, his nine attempts and his ridiculous speed that had the hockey world buzzing. The Canucks, of course, were taking notice from a distance as they try to game-plan a way to stop the 20-year-old superstar. Last Saturday, in the final preseason contest for both clubs, new Canucks coach Travis Green did his best to hard match Brandon Sutter (and minor league linemates Darren Archibald and Jayson Megna) against McDavid. It had the expected results with Sutter and his line conceding two-thirds of all even strength shot attempts while they were on the ice. In Saturday’s season opener, don’t be surprised to see Sutter draw the most-challenging assignment in the sport once again. This time, however, look for the Canucks top defensive pairing of Alex Edler and Chris Tanev to join in the effort to keep McDavid in check. Edler played the preseason finale while Tanev was a healthy scratch. Even though he wasn’t on the ice last weekend, Tanev has already seen enough of McDavid in his first two seasons to know how much of a handful he is. “He’s the fastest in the league for sure,” Tanev tells TSN 1040. “If you’re flat-footed and you’re sitting there and he’s flying at you at 100 miles an hour, it makes your job pretty tough. That’s why all five guys need to be on the same page in our neutral zone forecheck when they have the puck. It’s a combination of us as defencemen and the centres trying to slow him down.” If it was just McDavid on his own, the task would be difficult certainly, but likely more manageable. However, he’s now surrounded with a supporting cast that requires plenty of attention, too. Last weekend, linemate Leon Draisaitl scored both Edmonton goals against the Canucks – the first one set up deftly by McDavid. In the nine career head to head meetings between the Canucks and Oilers with McDavid in uniform, Edmonton has outscored Vancouver 27- 12. The surprise there might be that the Oilers haven’t generated more offense against struggling Canucks teams the past two seasons, but the 12-goal output for Vancouver indicates the Canucks likely haven’t had the puck much in those games. That will be a challenge on Saturday with the Oilers fresh of their season opening victory while many of the Canucks have barely played since returning from China two weeks ago. For Tanev and company, getting up to game speed in a hurry will surely be a challenge. It’ll be that much tougher against McDavid who seems to get faster on a nightly basis. “He likes to swing back and get moving and pick up speed, so forwards can help by slowing him down and not making that pass to him so easy,” he explains. “But all five guys have to know when they’re out there against him” Alex Edler agrees that on-ice awareness is a key. Although with the buzz of the crowd every time McDavid hopes over the boards, it’s not difficult to tell when he’s on the ice. Knowing he’s out there is one thing, though, recognizing where he is on the ice is another altogether. And Edler says because McDavid covers so much ground in such a short span of time, split second decisions can be disastrous if you gamble for a loose puck thinking you can get to it before he does. Incorrect reads against a player like McDavid can – and so often do -- turn into disasters for defenders. 1077082 Websites Wednesday’s rousing opener was just that: one game in a 27-week test of survival. It was a night McLellan said McDavid “emptied the tank,” which also captured the attention of the newest member of the Battle of TSN.CA / Inside McDavid’s quest for goal-scoring greatness Alberta. “McDavid is too good, man,” Jaromir Jagr told reporters Thursday. “You know, to score 100 for him, it’s possible. He scored three and [had] three By Frank Seravalli other breakaways. I’ve never seen anything like that in my life, somebody dominate like that.”

Forget 100 goals. Even 50 would mark an enormous leap. The last time EDMONTON - Connor McDavid glanced at the scrap of paper covered in an Oiler netted 50 was in 1986-87 when Jari Kurri (54) and McDavid’s a reporter’s scrawl and, yes, the numbers seemed to reflect what he mentor, Gretzky, scored 62. pictured in his mind's eye. The oddsmakers have installed McDavid as the sixth-most likely players The reigning Hart Trophy winner’s summer mission was to climb from 30- to lead the league in goals. No TSN panel member on The Quiz picked goal scorer to Rocket Richard chaser, but his execution was not McDavid to lead the league in goals during Tuesday night’s season necessarily data-based. preview show. McDavid said he spent time studying Auston Matthews, Joe Pavelski and Maybe Wednesday night was a one-off special performance. Or, maybe last year’s league leader, Sidney Crosby, and visualized the bridge to the it was a hint of what’s to come this from a player who honed in on one of 14-goal gap that separated him from Sid. the few areas he can improve. McDavid pointed to Matthews’ third period deflection in Winnipeg on “I’ve never been one of those goal scorers, that guy who goals come Wednesday night as a model goal – even though Matthews scored just a easy to,” McDavid said. “You reach a point where you need to find new few minutes before McDavid stepped onto the ice on opening night and ways to be successful.” netted a hat trick that worked Oil Country into a frenzy.

McDavid pointed out Wednesday that he hadn’t scored on one deflection since his first NHL goal in 2015. TSN.CA LOADED: 10.07.2017 “Like zero,” McDavid said. More tip-ins would be one way to make up ground. The other, he figured, would be rebound goals around the crease – where Crosby earns his money. “He’s always in the right spot at the right time,” McDavid said. “The puck seems to sit there, but it’s not by accident. It’s not a coincidence. It’s something that he’s doing. It’s something that I want to do.” The trait that puts McDavid in the class with Crosby, Wayne Gretzky and other greatness is that he recognized his own perceived deficiency. Data wasn’t handed to him by the Oilers’ video team or coach Todd McLellan to review over the summer. “I just go by memory,” McDavid said. “I remember most plays that happen.” So when McDavid was handed this breakdown on Thursday, showing where his goals were scored compared to Crosby’s, the numbers seemed to jibe with what he saw in his own head. “Look, 17 rebounds,” McDavid said, pointing. “That’s pretty remarkable. He’s always in the right spot.” McLellan was not surprised. “Most of it is done on his own,” McLellan said. “He’s a self-motivator. He studies his games. He works with skills coaches. They study situations. They study what might happen or occur in a game and then they go out in practice, next thing you know he’s executing it.” Then McLellan deadpanned: “If you look up my stats, I don’t know if I’m the one who should be helping him score more goals.” Many of the goals that McDavid does score – like the dazzling end-to- end rush in the third period on opening night that pulled 18,347 orange- clad fans out of their seats the second he scooped up the puck – are the ones that can’t be taught. Few players on the planet can do that. What has to make McLellan excited and the rest of the NHL nervous is that what McDavid is endeavouring to add to his game can be learned. Every team has a player or two who can do it well. “You have to learn how to arrive on time,” McLellan said. “You have to learn how to hit the hole at the right time, as the puck’s coming off the pads. You can be too far ahead of it.” Is McDavid the fastest player in NHL history with the puck? He had multiple breakaways against the Flames and was able to find the back of the net on one of them. Craig Button joins Gino Reda to explain how Connor McDavid's speed allows him to create his own breakaways. The rest of the NHL is scampering to catch up to McDavid, but he wants to slow down. “If you’re flying through the slot, flying by the net, you’re taking yourself out of a chance to score,” McDavid said. “Arriving on time, the great goal scorers they know how to do that.” 1077083 Websites

USA TODAY / New Jersey Devils to unveil largest in-arena scoreboard at Prudential Center

Kevin Allen, USA TODAY Sports Published 8:25 a.m. ET Oct. 6, 2017 | Updated 8:25 a.m. ET Oct. 6, 2017

When the New Jersey Devils play their home opener Saturday against the Colorado Avalanche in Newark's Prudential Center, everyone will be guilty of scoreboard watching. The Devils, a franchise that has been aggressively trying to improve their product on and off the ice, are unveiling a massive, high-tech 88,401- pound center ice scoreboard that they say is "unparalleled in size and scope to any other indoor arena." "This new Trans-Lux scoreboard will put Newark on the international map, where it belongs," said Hugh Weber, President of Harris Blitzer Sports and Entertainment and the New Jersey Devils and Prudential Center. The monstrous scoreboard is four stories high, and only one of its screens is nine times the size of any of the screens on the Devils' previous scoreboard. The video screens on the Trans-Lux scoreboard are the equivalent of 1,300 50-inch televisions. The pixel count is more than 29 million. With a square footage of 9,584.9 feet, the scoreboard is more than three times the size of the average single-family home in New Jersey and the surrounding areas.

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