SPORT-SCAN DAILY BRIEF NHL 7/17/2020 1188377 Coyotes show room for improvement after first scrimmage 1188410 Avalanche gets taste of what’s to come in scrimmages of training camp inside empty Pepsi Center 1188378 Coyotes’ special teams, mental strength both important for 1188411 Avalanche star Nathan MacKinnon named finalist for Lady restart Byng Trophy 1188412 Nathan MacKinnon’s Lady Byng nomination impresses former Avalanche teammate Ryan O’Reilly 1188379 Hailstorm leads to flooding at ’s , 1188413 Nathan MacKinnon named finalist for Lady Byng Trophy an NHL hub site 1188380 David Pastrnak, Ondrej Kase deemed ‘unfit to participate’ in Bruins’ practice 1188414 Blue Jackets hold competition between Joonas 1188381 Tuukka Rask leaves practice early Korpisalo and Elvis Merzlikins 1188382 David Pastrnak, Ondrej Kase absent from Bruins’ practice 1188415 Blue Jackets too ‘green’? John Tortorella has the 1188383 Tuukka Rask knocked out of Bruins practice for second youngest club among the 24 time this week 1188384 2020 NHL Season Restart: Teams, format, schedule, locations, and odds 1188416 ‘This will be the hardest championship to win’: Stars’ Tyler 1188385 Bruins' David Pastrnak, Ondrej Kase 'unfit to participate' Seguin says winner shouldn’t have an after being expected to skate 1188417 Stars defenseman Stephen Johns named a finalist for 1188386 NHL Restart: Could Anders Bjork be Bruins' X-Factor after Masterton Trophy impressing in camp? 1188418 Roundtable: Discussing Bill Masterton finalists’ stories of 1188387 Goaltending and defense still the priority: 10 takeaways hardship, recovery from Bruins scrimmage 1188419 Settling in: Stars think they’ve found a fit for Pavelski with 1188388 With David Pastrnak and Ondrej Kase missing, questions Janmark, Radulov arise for Bruins 1188420 The one award missing from Nicklas Lidstrom's 1188389 SNAPSHOTS: Flames’ Brodie has both family safety, exceptional Detroit Red Wings career contract status in mind as action resumes 1188421 Flint's Rico Phillips hired for new diversity role with Ontario 1188390 Flames GM Treliving responds to rumours, says Hockey League Gaudreau ‘has never looked better’ 1188422 NHL's older coaches debate wearing masks, taking 1188391 Flames prospect Josh Nodler angling for another shot in precautions Stars and Stripes 1188423 Red Wings 1950s all-decade team: Glorious era produced 1188392 Flames GM addresses rumours about camp’s split several Cups, all-time greats squads: ‘Nobody’s in trouble’ 1188424 The Red Wings’ No. 4 draft pick: Making the case for 1188393 From junior nobody to NHL commodity, inside Connor Alexander Holtz Mackey’s journey to Calgary Carolina Hurricanes 1188425 Oh, baby, would Matt Benning love to win a Stanley Cup 1188394 Maniscalco, filling big shoes, gets dream call on 1188426 Oilers Pipeline: Mazura is a long-term prospect who'll be Hurricanes TV playoff broadcasts in USHL 1188395 Traded by the Rangers, Canes defenseman Brady Skjei 1188427 JONES: NHL Hub City plans on making TV mountain out isn’t lacking motivation of ant hill 1188396 ‘This is not my wish’: John Forslund disappointed by 1188428 A look at 5 questions facing the Oilers midway through separation from Hurricanes their first week of camp 1188429 Lowetide: Zack Kassian’s role on Oilers top line must include responsible play 1188397 Chicago Blackhawks finalize Ian Mitchell’s 3-year deal that runs through 2022-23 and sign Pius Suter and Wyatt Florida Panthers 1188398 Blackhawks sign Ian Mitchell, 2 free agents to contracts 1188430 A look at some of the Florida Panthers’ COVID-19 policies starting next season and sanitation protocols 1188399 Colliton hopes intense practices pay big dividends vs. Oilers 1188400 Can DeBrincat rediscover his scoring touch? 1188431 YOUR GUIDE TO THE NHL’S POSSIBLE RETURN TO 1188401 D Mitchell to wait until next year to join Blackhawks THE OLYMPICS IN 2022 1188402 Rogers Place, Blackhawks' qualifier venue, experiences flooding Minnesota Wild 1188403 Blackhawks defenseman Dennis Gilbert announces 1188432 Minnesota Wild hosting supply drive Wednesday for St. season-ending wrist injury Paul Midway community 1188404 Who is Pius Suter and where does he fit into Blackhawks’ 1188433 Now healthy and happy, Mikko Koivu worried more about plans? the Wild’s current opportunity than his future 1188405 Blackhawks sign forward Pius Suter to one-year contract 1188406 Wyatt Kalynuk scouting report and what signing means for Blackhawks 1188407 Why Patrick Kane, Blackhawks will want to play with Wyatt Kalynuk 1188408 Why Blackhawks' Alex Nylander is standing out in Phase 3 training camp 1188409 10 key observations from the first week of Blackhawks summer camp Canadiens St Louis Blues 1188434 Stu on Sports: Canadiens face big challenge against a 1188462 Dunn absent from practice, but Blues can't say why healthy Sidney Crosby 1188463 Berube's omission from finalists is, 1188435 Former Als, Rocket exec Weightman strives to bring with all due respect, bogus ECHL to Trois-Rivières 1188464 Vladi's back . . . and looking good 1188465 Only injuries spoiled the fun for Babych in St. Louis 1188466 Bortuzzo back on the ice at Blues camp, but Dunn is 1188436 Guess who's back, back again, JoFA's back for the absent Predators 1188467 With playoffs on the horizon, can Binnington do it again? 1188437 Five observations from the first three days of Predators 1188468 Fans of Swedish club chip in to help sign ex-Blue training camp Berglund Tampa Bay Lightning 1188438 Mets sale: Ranking the bidders | Alex Rodriguez, Jennifer 1188469 What to look forward to as hockey returns Lopez get boost from Patriots’ Robert Kraft 1188439 Mets sale: Why Jennifer Lopez holds the key to ex- Maple Leafs Yankees slugger Alex Rodriguez’s bid 1188470 Auston Matthews, Nathan MacKinnon and Ryan O’Reilly 1188440 Mets sale: Sheldon Adelson complicates Steve Cohen, named finalists for NHL’s Lady Byng award Alex Rodriguez-Jennifer Lopez, Josh Harris-David Blitzer 1188471 Three all-Canadian exhibition games part of NHL’s b relaunch in Toronto, Edmonton 1188472 Leafs coach has history with John Tortorella, some good, some bad, some about to be 1188441 Sydney Esiason and Islanders’ Matt Martin welcome baby written girl 1188473 Leafs' Matthews honoured with Lady Byng nomination, but 1188442 Islanders coach has tough choice to make could be 'more physical' between Semyon Varlamov and Thomas Greiss in for 1188474 Leafs star Matthews finalist for Lady Byng with pla MacKinnon, O'Reilly 1188475 ‘It was an emotional decision’: Paul Hendrick on leaving New York Rangers Leafs Nation Network 1188443 Rangers aren’t concerned with lack of playoff pedigree 1188476 ‘He’s his own cat’: What makes William Nylander unlike 1188444 Brady Skjei has ‘a ton of motivation’ entering playoff series anyone on the Maple Leafs against Rangers 1188445 Igor Shesterkin likely to be Rangers' starter in net for play-in series 1188488 Canucks notebook: Adding game-day routines and focus to 'fluid' camp itinerary NHL 1188489 Ben Kuzma: Is there a budding Bieksa in Canucks 1188446 The Boston Bruins Had Home Ice. Now They’ve Got a prospect Jett Woo? Hub. 1188490 Nyet yet Canucks, Nikita Tryamkin is staying in Russia 1188491 Used to playing through aches and illness, NHLers know COVID-19 is different 1188447 Senators' Ryan is one of three finalists for Masterton 1188492 Nikita Tryamkin signs in KHL: Why what you think you Trophy know about him is wrong 1188448 Roundtable: Discussing Bill Masterton finalists’ stories of 1188493 Canucks summer training camp: 6 thoughts from the first 3 hardship, recovery days 1188449 Flyers begin preparing for Bruins with lineup moves and 1188477 Rocky Thompson leaves Golden Knights organization scrimmages on tap this weekend 1188478 Golden Knights struggle with thought of leaving families 1188450 Flyers’ Oskar Lindblom, Cherry Hill’s Bobby Ryan among behind finalists for Masterton Trophy 1188479 Jack Dugan signs entry-level contract with Golden Knights 1188451 Flyers Lindblom named a Masterton finalist 1188452 Flyers 's heartwarming favorite moment of quarantine 1188480 Capitals’ 2019 first-round pick could make his NHL debut 1188453 Flyers' Oskar Lindblom voted as 2020 Bill Masterton in playoff restart Memorial Trophy finalist 1188481 NHL hub arena in Edmonton expected to be fine after 1188454 Focused Flyers finding their footing at camp: ‘They want to partial flooding put in the work’ 1188482 Capitals and Stingrays renew ECHL affiliation 1188483 The new normal: Caps adjust to the return of hockey during a pandemic 1188455 Patrick Marleau’s tireless pursuit of the Stanley Cup brought him to the Penguins 1188456 Double Team: Greg Millen brought stability in net to the Penguins and Blues 1188457 Stars defenseman Stephen Johns of Wampum named finalist for Masterton Trophy 1188458 Is Matt Murray struggling in net during Penguins training camp? 1188459 Postseason offers Justin Schultz one last chance to make his case before free agency 1188460 Hockey’s race problem in Pittsburgh, and the man who intends to abolish it 1188461 Sharks GM: Nothing imminent in regards to naming a full-time coach Websites 1188494 .ca / Flames, Johnny Gaudreau shrugging off speculation during unorthodox camp 1188495 Sportsnet.ca / Maple Leafs want even more from Nylander: 'He needs a push' 1188496 Sportsnet.ca / Oilers optimistic they have what it takes for extended playoff run 1188497 Sportsnet.ca / Young Canucks eager to take 'next step' in unique playoffs 1188498 Sportsnet.ca / NHL Training Camps Day 4: Treliving says Gaudreau has 'never looked better' 1188499 Sportsnet.ca / What's going to matter most for Maple Leafs versus Columbus 1188500 TSN.CA / Sheldon Keefe ready for chess match with 'ultimate competitor' Tortorella 1188501 TSN.CA / 'Committed, focused' Auston Matthews named Lady Byng finalist 1188502 TSN.CA / Playoff Preview: Examining the best of the West 1188503 TSN.CA / NHL training camps in U.S. a 'reckless' health risk for players, doctors say 1188484 Jets players stick to strict pandemic protocols 1188485 Playoff hockey in empty arenas will take some getting used to for Jets players, coaches 1188486 DeMelo made big impression in small period of time with Jets 1188487 Jets blue-liners feeling confident with Vezina-candidate Hellebuyck behind them World Leagues News 1188504 Northern Colorado suspends sports workouts after spate of COVID-19 cases 1188505 NJCAA adjusts season start dates for sports calendar due to COVID-19 1188506 NFLPA: 72 NFL players have tested positive for COVID-19 1188507 Sports Leagues' COVID-19 Research: Who Will It Help? 1188508 Errors plaguing IndyCar teams in the ‘very restrictive’ era of COVID-19 1188509 NCAA issues extended guidelines to help navigate return to fall sports during coronavirus pandemic 1188510 Fall sports running out of time as COVID spikes continue 1188511 Family members banned from community sport in virus crackdown 1188512 NASCAR hosts largest sporting event crowd since pandemic

SPORT-SCAN, INC. 941-284-4129 1188377 Arizona Coyotes

Coyotes show room for improvement after first scrimmage of training camp

Jack Williams

Although the Coyotes have been out on the ice since Monday, the team engaged in intra-squad competition for the first time, giving players and coaches a glance at what the team may look like when they travel out to Edmonton in the coming weeks.

While head coach was excited to have the team scrimmage for the first time, he said that the pace was slower and some rust was evident.

"The plan was the first few days to get some skill work and pace. We're going to have to do a lot more of this," Tocchet said. "We've got plenty of time, but we don't have plenty of time. It's one of those things. There was a little bit of rust out there for sure."

The roster divided up into two teams about halfway through practice and scrimmaged for a regular period of hockey. A low-scoring scrimmage, seeing the red squad take the victory 3-1, found the players holding a similar mindset to Tocchet of needing to get the rust off.

"There's a little bit of rust being knocked off, but I think it's just more about being used to bumping guys and seeing so many guys on the ice," defenseman Jason Demers said. "We've been skating in small groups and now we have everybody back. Getting used to that comes pretty quick and it's just about getting our timing."

The rust needs to be knocked off quick as the team finishes up training camp and heads up to Edmonton for their play-in series against Nashville in a little over two weeks. In addition, the team has an exhibition game against Vegas on July 30, closing the training gap even more.

"We're going from 0 to 100 and we need to get to 100 quicker than normally," Tocchet said. "When you're in a scrimmage, or even a drill, you gotta bring it. I told some guys you can't just show up (to the playoffs) and just expect to turn it on. It's gotta be ingrained in you everyday. We can't waste a practice, especially in this format."

One aspect of the game that players are looking to take advantage of in an alternative environment is the ability to communicate with a clarity unlike a regular game. In practicing in an empty Gila River Arena and playing games in front of no fans, the Coyotes are encouraging their teammates to talk on the ice a little more than usual.

"I think you should hear every pass and every play called during the game," Demers said. "I think that is going to help some guys a lot, because you may not be using your vision a lot when you're coming back, so guys using their voice is going to be a huge thing for us. We also want to trust each other and trust the calls that are made."

While the team's first scrimmage wasn't the most impressive in Tocchet's eyes and is pushing his team to compete through every drill, he said he understands that it's still early in camp. Tocchet is expecting the scrimmage to improve before the team heads off to Edmonton.

"You gotta remember it's the fourth day and it's the hump day," Tocchet said. "It's early and some of these guys have been off the ice for awhile, so there are some factors. However, saying that, all teams are dealt the same cards. We need to find that competitive balance. The next scrimmage should be a lot better and I'm expecting a lot better."

Arizona Republic LOADED: 07.17.2020 1188378 Arizona Coyotes

Coyotes’ special teams, mental strength both important for restart

BY MATT LAYMAN JULY 16, 2020 AT 7:28 AM

The Arizona Coyotes’ work to prepare for the Nashville Predators in a qualifying postseason series continued Wednesday with focus on special teams, particularly the power play.

“There was really some good parts,” head coach Rick Tocchet said after practice. “Overall, I liked the energy. We got a bunch of goals. It’s amazing, because early on we were struggling and weren’t shooting the puck and then players were barking at each other. I barked at a couple guys — not so much bark, but just to tell them if we don’t shoot the puck, we’re not going to open things up.”

After that, he said, the goals started to come.

Special teams battles often decide hockey games, and in a best-of-five series against the Preds, the two teams figure to see each others’ special teams units quite a bit. Arizona finished the 2019-20 regular season 18th in the NHL on the power play (19.2%) and Nashville finished 25th (17.3%). Arizona finished fifth in the NHL in the kill, while the Predators were 29th.

Tocchet said what’s most important to him, though, is getting a power play goal in a key situation, and not focusing on the percentage as a whole. He made similar comments during this past season.

“Yeah, you go 0-for-3, 0-for-4 in a game, but you get that fifth power play with sixth minutes left and it’s a 2-2 game, that’s what I want these guys to understand,” Tocchet said. “That’s a big power play, the pressure’s on, can we score that goal? That can win you the game. And that’s the key for me. Are we there yet? No, but are we getting there? Yeah.”

The Predators are unique in that they are in the postseason with a different coach than they started the year with. was replaced during the season after Nashville got off to an underwhelming start. Current head coach came over after he was let go by the New Jersey Devils during the season.

“I think their PK, they’ve switched things under Hynesy, I think they were better,” Tocchet said. “The last seven or eight games, they were a lot better at PK. I think they’ve found their rhythm. They’re very aggressive up ice. There’s some things that they do that we’re going to try to exploit, but I think they’ve changed some things on the special teams, and the stats are saying it’s for the better.”

Ultimately, though, the formula for winning may be simpler than we all realize.

“I think it’s not going to be as much about X’s and O’s as much as it’s going to be about individual player performances,” forward Taylor Hall told Arizona Sports’ Doug & Wolf on Wednesday. “Can guys come ready to play? Can guys step up and have big games and help their team out that way?”

Forward Derek Stepan, who has played 97 career playoff games, agreed with Hall.

“I agree with Taylor,” Stepan said. “I think the X’s and O’s are going to be a part of it, but I think these three weeks, teams are going to prepare like crazy, the Xs and Os are going to maybe take a backburner to conditioning and controlling your emotions and finding a good groove. Any time you go into a playoff series, you’ve got to have all the things like the special teams winning, you’ve got to get people to get hot, goaltending needs to play well and you’ve got to stay healthy.

“I think all of that’s still going to be part of it, but yeah, there’s going to be a mental side of this game, especially being in hub cities. There’s going to be a mental side of this where you have to be sharp in order to have any success through this.”

Arizona Sports LOADED: 07.17.2020 1188379 Boston Bruins

Hailstorm leads to flooding at Edmonton’s Rogers Place, an NHL hub site

By Staff Report Updated July 16, 2020, 9:33 p.m.

Ten days before 12 Western Conference teams are due to report to Edmonton in preparation for an Aug. 1 resumption of the NHL season, a massive hailstorm sparked flooding at Rogers Place, the not-yet 4-year- old home of the Oilers that’s due to serve as one of two playoff hubs.

“A significant storm came through [Edmonton] earlier this evening,” the arena’s account tweeted on Thursday night, explaining the nearly $500 million complex had “suffered some water damage to the terminus of Ford Hall, along with some smaller leaks in other parts of the building.

“We are assessing the damage and at this time are confident that it will not hamper our planning and preparation & we will be ready to host the return of NHL hockey.”

Longtime NHL reporter Darren Dreger said the league was similarly unconcerned with their plans to use the arena for games in two weeks.

Wow. @RogersPlace pic.twitter.com/Py60mnBgAT

— same ol , 90% more Dan (@theDanalytic) July 16, 2020

Reports from Edmonton say the storm featured dime-sized hail, heavy rain, and flash floods. A severe thunderstorm warning was in effect.

The Bruins are among the 12 Eastern Conference teams slated to travel to Toronto’s Scotiabank Arena for Eastern Conference play. Edmonton was chosen as the site for both conference finals and the Stanley Cup Final, which will run no later than Oct. 4.

Boston Globe LOADED: 07.17.2020 1188380 Boston Bruins “I think he got stung the other day with a shot, hit him in the wrong spot. So maybe that was acting up again today,” Cassidy said. “I’m going to get an update in a little bit if there’s anything serious. They have not David Pastrnak, Ondrej Kase deemed ‘unfit to participate’ in Bruins’ come to me. That’s typically a good sign if they don’t come right to you. practice I’m suspecting he’s had a little bit of bad luck in the same spot for a couple days.

“Hopefully, it sorts itself out. These will be some of the bumps and By Matt Porter Globe Staff,Updated July 16, 2020, 11:33 a.m. bruises and aches that are going to start to appear now with your group.”

The scrimmage had good pace, though it was light on scoring. Brandon Carlo had the only goal. David Pastrnak participated in practice Wednesday but not Thursday. “We’re not over-evaluating what they’re doing in time and space just yet,” A day after he looked “great,” according to his coach, David Pastrnak Cassidy said. “We just want them to get back to being comfortable with was “unfit to participate.” people around them and guys be respectful of one another, and as it The Bruins dived into the NHL’s odd new disclosure policy for information goes along, ramp it up a little bit more each day.” about player health on Thursday, when Pastrnak and Ondrej Kase were The White team consisted of Brad Marchand-Patrice Bergeron-Bjork, not present for a full-team practice at Warrior Ice Arena. Jake DeBrusk-David Krejci, and Kuhlman/Studnicka, Zdeno Chara- Both practiced without apparent issue or limitation on Wednesday. But Charlie McAvoy, and Torey Krug-Carlo, with Dan Vladar in net. The Bruins coach was unable to say much of substance about Black team was Nick Ritchie-Charlie Coyle-Sean Kuraly, Joakim his top two right wings Thursday, other than that Pastrnak and Kase were Nordstrom-Par Lindholm-Chris Wagner, Matt Grzelcyk-Jeremy Lauzon, originally expected to skate. and John Moore-Jakub Zboril, with Jaroslav Halak in goal.

“That was the plan,” Cassidy said. “As for the league [designation], it’s Boston Globe LOADED: 07.17.2020 ‘unfit to participate’ right now. Hopefully that changes in the near future, and yeah, any time players miss a session where we expect them back at full speed, then until he’s out there, it is a concern for us as a team. But we’re just going to forge ahead.”

This is part of the NHL’s new world. A league that collects “upper-body” and “lower-body” injuries (“UBI” and “LBI”) is now afflicted with “UTPs.”

In their Phase 3 (training camp) and Phase 4 (competition) return-to-play protocols, the NHL and NHLPA agreed that teams would disclose nothing more about player ailments other than they are "unfit to play" or "unable to practice." Those are intentionally vague terms.

In theory, they could apply to anything, from the usual bumps, bruises, strains, and sprains to something coronavirus-related, such as a positive COVID-19 test or a player kept in isolation because he is believed to have come in close contact with a symptomatic person.

The NHL and NHLPA ostensibly agreed to do this to protect players, who did not want test results disclosed. The new language does nothing to calm speculation about players’ absences, particularly in the cases of stars such as Pastrnak.

On Tuesday, when Pastrnak and Kase missed their second day of camp, Cassidy alluded to the pair arriving late because they were quarantining after traveling from the , where they spent most of the pause.

“What happens with some of these guys, again, unable to practice or unfit — whatever the terminology, it’s all-encompassing — they weren’t on the ice today,” Cassidy said Tuesday. “Some of that has to do with the timing of testing, returning from Europe, etc. It’s not necessarily an injury or a positive test in a lot of these cases.”

Cassidy wasn’t looking too far ahead.

“Am I thinking ahead to being without those guys in the round-robin or playoffs? No,” he said Thursday. “That would be speculating.

“But yeah, for today if I get word later today that the same thing is going to happen again tomorrow, then we start thinking about, ‘OK, we’ve looked at a couple of guys [as top-six right-wingers], anything else?’ We’ll meet as a staff to go through that.

“But like I said, I’m not thinking too far ahead, other than if it does turn into a long-term thing, who is the best fit.”

At Thursday’s practice, which included a 10-minute scrimmage, Anders Bjork was in Pastrnak’s spot at No. 1 right wing. Jack Studnicka and Karson Kuhlman split reps at the No. 2 right wing slot, where the Bruins envisioned Kase playing when they traded a first-round pick, David Backes’s contract, and prospect Axel Andersson to Anaheim in February.

Tuukka Rask left the ice after the first 10 to 15 minutes. The starting netminder, who departed Tuesday for a brief time when he was stung by a shot, did not return this time. Cassidy will only be concerned about Rask if his issues continue. 1188381 Boston Bruins “If you’re going to compare it to the start of the year, in August, they’ll play 5-on-5 hockey for at least 10 times before they hit the ice (in training camp) and get used to that part of it with the bodies around them. Listen, Tuukka Rask leaves practice early it may not be intense, but they haven’t been able to do that. The maximum amount was four or five guys at a time, then it built up to about Tough early going for Bruins’ goalie 12 guys, so that part of it we’re going to have to phase in and that’s why we’re at it a little bit early here, basically Day 3 on the ice.

“We have to acknowledge as coaches that they’re going to be behind in By STEVE CONROY | PUBLISHED: July 16, 2020 at 5:42 p.m. | that area. So we’re not over-evaluating what they’re doing in time and UPDATED: July 16, 2020 at 5:44 p.m. space just yet. We just want them to get back to being comfortable with people around them and for guys to be respectful of one another. As it goes along, we’ll ramp it up more each day. Again, you’re going right into As if the Bruins didn’t have enough concerns with the absences of David high intensity hockey and we need to be ready for it, so let’s work up to it. Pastrnak and Ondrej Kase, they also had an unscheduled early exit from I was pleased that the guys handled it well and we’ll see how it is (Friday) practice by Tuukka Rask on Thursday. if there’s any residual effect body-wise.”

In Tuesday’s practice, Rask had taken a shot that caused him some Also on Thursday, assistant coach Kevin Dean made his first appearance discomfort. He briefly left the ice and went down the runway, but returned at practice since the restart. a few minutes later. On Thursday, he left after early line rushes and, this time, he did not return. Boston Herald LOADED: 07.17.2020

Coach Bruce Cassidy did not have a full update.

“If it continues (it’s a concern),” said Cassidy. “I think he got stung the other day with a shot, hit him in the wrong spot, so maybe that was acting up today. I’m going to get an update in a little bit. If it was anything serious, (the trainers) have not come to me, so that’s typically a good sign if they don’t come right to you.

“I’m suspecting he’s had a little bit of bad luck in the same spot a couple days. Hopefully it sorts itself out. These will be some of the bumps and bruises and aches that will appear now with your group.”

By virtue of his position and how well he plays it, Rask is the most important player on the Bruins. He was terrific in the B’s run to the Stanley Cup Final last year and could be a finalist for the Vezina Award given to the league’s top goaltender. It would be his second. So, no, it would not be ideal for the B’s to lose him.

But the B’s do have an enviable insurance policy in Jaroslav Halak, who posted an 18-6-6 record with a 2.39 goals against average and .919 save percentage. A decade ago, Halak backstopped the Canadiens to a surprise run to the Eastern Conference Final.

If Rask has any lingering issue, it’s easy to imagine Halak seeing playing time in meaningful games.

‘Trying to stay responsible’

The feeling among some players and coaches is that if this 24-team tournament gets derailed, it will happen now during Phase 3, when players still have freedom to move about their local environs before everyone goes to the more controlled situation of the hub cities of Toronto and Edmonton.

Cassidy gave some insight into where he draws the line.

“You’re trying to stay responsible because the last thing I want to do is get infected with the coronavirus and have to stay away from my teammates and risk infecting them,” said Cassidy. “For example, last night I’m at my daughter’s field hockey game and I like the parents, I want to talk to them, but I want to stay as far away as I can while still supporting her. And the son (Cole) has right after that and you’re trying to catch that. And I enjoy watching my kids’ sports. That part of it, yes, we’re trying to maximize that.”

“We are not out at restaurants,” Cassidy said. “I think we went once or twice at an outdoor seating one when they first opened but I just don’t think that’s necessary. But watching your kids’ activities for me is. I need to be there, I want to be there. Those are the parts you prioritize, at least I do, and go from there. We need to get to Toronto healthy as a group here to give ourselves the best chance to win. I certainly want to do my part.”

Picking up the intensity

For the first time, the B’s split up the squad and scrimmaged. Cassidy saw some expected conditioning issues but otherwise was pleased given the circumstances.

“In the moment they were fine, they were battling. Guys need to recognize the urgency level, and that’s normal. Guys have not been involved,” said Cassidy. 1188382 Boston Bruins

David Pastrnak, Ondrej Kase absent from Bruins’ practice

B’s missing top two right wings

By STEVE CONROY | July 16, 2020 at 1:23 p.m.

Coach Bruce Cassidy’s hope was that both David Pastrnak and Ondrej Kase, the Bruins presumptive top two right wings, would be available for Thursday’s practice, which featured some of the most purposeful and challenging work of this brief training camp.

But it didn’t happen. After Pastrnak skated with a group of a dozen players and Kase skated later with Trent Frederic on Wednesday, both were deemed “unfit to participate” on Thursday, according to Cassidy. Who knows what tomorrow or the next day will bring?

“Hopefully, that changes in the near future,” said Cassidy. “Yeah, any time players miss a session when we expect them back at full speed, until he’s out there, it’s a concern for us as a team. But we’re just going to forge ahead. We’ve plugged different guys in. We’re obviously missing two guys that play up in your lineup and a guy like David that’s your leading scorer, you want him in there, you want him getting back into condition, you want him returning to the ice and be with his teammates. But he’s not… so we used Anders (Bjork) up there. We’re going to mix different guys in. We’ve used Jack Studnicka a little bit on the wing. He gets a look with (David Krejci). (Karson Kuhlman’s) been there before. So it does allow you to do other things, but obviously we’d prefer to have both those guys back.”

Both Pastrnak and Kase missed the first two days of camp because they needed to fulfill quarantine obligations after returning from their native Czech Republic. The NHL has chosen to take a vigilant stance on the players’ privacy as it tries to pull off a 24-team Stanley Cup tournament during the coronavirus pandemic, so we don’t know if there was a positive test or whether a symptom or two cropped up or both.

Cassidy is not yet planning for the worst-case scenario, but the wheels are certainly turning in his coach’s mind.

“Am I think ahead to being without those guys for the round robin or the playoffs? No. That would be speculating,” said Cassidy. “But, yeah, for today, and if I get word later today that the same thing’s going to happen tomorrow, then we start thinking ‘We’ve looked at a couple of guys. Is there anything else?’ We’ll meet as a staff to do that. But there are only so many guys who can go up to David’s spot. Kase came late, so there are a lot of guys who’ve played in that spot. We know that with (Krejci) on his right side, so that would be nothing new. But to miss both of them, it sure is an opportunity for someone else. But like I said, I’m not thinking too far ahead, other than if it does turn into a long-term thing, who’s the best fit. That’s why we moved different pieces around.”

Also, Tuukka Rask left practice early. In Tuesday’s practice he had taken a puck somewhere that gave him discomfort. Cassidy was assuming it was related to that and that it was nothing minor, but he didn’t have a definitive update.

Boston Herald LOADED: 07.17.2020 1188383 Boston Bruins

Tuukka Rask knocked out of Bruins practice for second time this week

By Joe Haggerty July 16, 2020 5:01 PM

BRIGHTON, Mass. — As if the absence of David Pastrnak and Ondrej Kase wasn’t concerning enough for the Boston Bruins, Bruins goaltender Tuukka Rask also left the ice a few minutes into Thursday’s camp practice at Warrior Ice Arena.

There didn’t seem to be any incident where Rask suffered an injury on Thursday, but he did leave the ice for a few minutes on Tuesday as well after getting hit with an errant shot about midway through the morning session.

Unlike with Pastrnak and Kase, the details of Rask’s absence from the ice were a bit more plentiful after the fact given what everybody saw happen on the ice.

“I think he got stung the other day with a shot hitting him in the wrong spot. So maybe that was acting up on him today,” said Cassidy. “I’m going to get an update in a little bit. If there was anything serious they have not come to me, so it’s typically a good sign if [the medical staff] doesn’t come right to you. Maybe it’s a little bit of bad luck [getting hit] in the same spot over a couple of days and it will sort itself out.

“These will be some of the bumps and bruises that are going to appear now with our group. We’ve had three good sessions now and we ramped up the physicality today, so I’d expect that will be part of it over the next week until the bodies start getting used to it.”

The difference between Rask getting hit Tuesday and Thursday was that he didn’t return to practice this time around, so that bears watching over the next few days.

But the Bruins have three other — Jaroslav Halak, Dan Vladar and Maxime Lagace — so they should be in good shape in terms of Return to Play camp numbers if Rask needs a day or two to nurse whatever practice injury he’s suffered in the last couple of days.

Comcast SportsNet.com LOADED: 07.17.2020 1188384 Boston Bruins Saturday, Aug. 8: Rangers vs. Hurricanes*

(No. 7) New York Islanders vs. (No. 10) Florida Panthers

2020 NHL Season Restart: Teams, format, schedule, locations, and odds Saturday, Aug. 1: Panthers vs. Islanders

Tuesday, Aug. 4: Panthers vs. Islanders

By Justin Leger July 16, 2020 3:57 PM Wednesday, Aug. 5: Islanders vs. Panthers

Friday, Aug. 7: Islanders vs. Panthers*

Boston Bruins hockey is right around the corner. Sunday, Aug. 9: Panthers vs. Islanders*

After a four-month hiatus due to the COVID-19 pandemic, the B's and 23 (No. 8) vs. (No. 9) Columbus Blue Jackets other NHL teams are set to return to action and compete for the 2020 Stanley Cup starting Aug. 1. The road to the Cup will be an unfamiliar Sunday, Aug. 2: Blue Jackets vs. Maple Leafs one though, as the format for the league's return to play will be a bit Tuesday, Aug. 4: Blue Jackets vs. Maple Leafs different than what we're accustomed to. Thursday, Aug. 6: Maple Leafs vs. Blue Jackets So what should we expect when the 2020 NHL season resumes? Here's everything you need to know: Friday, Aug. 7: Maple Leafs vs. Blue Jackets*

When does the NHL season resume? Sunday, Aug. 9: Blue Jackets vs. Maple Leafs*

The NHL will skip the remaining games in the original 2019-20 regular- *If necessary season schedule and return to play with a tournament that is set to begin WESTERN CONFERENCE Aug .1. The Stanley Cup Qualifiers will include 16 teams playing eight best-of-5 series, and a round-robin among the top four teams in each ROUND ROBIN conference will determine seedings for the Stanley Cup Playoffs. Sunday, Aug. 2: St. Louis Blues vs. Colorado Avalanche What does this mean for the Bruins? Monday, Aug. 3: Dallas Stars vs. Vegas Golden Knights The B's finished the regular season with the NHL's best record (44-14- 12) and will begin the restart with an Aug. 2 round-robin matchup against Wednesday, Aug. 5: Avalanche vs. Stars the Philadelphia Flyers. Thursday, Aug. 6: Golden Knights vs. Blues Where will the NHL season restart take place? Saturday, Aug. 8: Golden Knights vs. Avalanche Eastern Conference games will be played at Scotiabank Place in Sunday, Aug. 9: Stars vs. Blues Toronto, and the Western Conference matchups will be played at Rogers Place in Edmonton. QUALIFYING ROUND

Which teams are participating in the season restart? (No. 5) Edmonton Oilers vs. (No. 12) Chicago Blackhawks

There will be 24 teams battling it out in Toronto and Edmonton. The only Saturday, Aug. 1: Blackhawks vs. Oilers teams to not make the qualifiers are the Buffalo Sabres, New Jersey Devils, , Los Angeles Kings, San Jose Sharks, Ottawa Monday, Aug. 3: Blackhawks vs. Oilers Senators, and Detroit Red Wings. Wednesday, Aug. 5: Oilers vs. Blackhawks Bruins/NHL schedule Friday, Aug. 7: Oilers vs. Blackhawks* EASTERN CONFERENCE Saturday, Aug. 8: Blackhawks vs. Oilers* ROUND ROBIN (No. 6) Nashville Predators vs. (No. 11) Arizona Coyotes Sunday, Aug. 2: Philadelphia Flyers vs. Boston Bruins Sunday, Aug. 2: Coyotes vs. Predators Monday, Aug. 3: Washington Capitals vs. Tampa Bay Lightning Tuesday, Aug. 4: Coyotes vs. Predators Wednesday, Aug. 5: Lightning vs. Bruins Wednesday, Aug. 5: Predators vs. Coyotes Thursday, Aug. 6: Capitals vs. Flyers Friday, Aug. 7: Predators vs. Coyotes* Saturday, Aug. 8: Bruins vs. Capitals Sunday, Aug. 9: Coyotes vs. Predators* Sunday, Aug. 9: Flyers vs. Lightning (No. 7) Vancouver Canucks vs. (No. 10) Minnesota Wild QUALIFYING ROUND Sunday, Aug. 2: Wild vs. Canucks (No. 5) Pittsburgh Penguins vs. (No. 12) Tuesday, Aug. 4: Wild vs. Canucks Saturday, Aug. 1: Canadiens vs. Penguins Thursday, Aug. 6: Canucks vs. Wild Monday, Aug. 3: Canadiens vs. Penguins Friday, Aug. 7: Canucks vs. Wild* Wednesday, Aug. 5: Penguins vs. Canadiens Sunday, Aug. 9: Wild vs. Canucks* Friday, Aug. 7: Penguins vs. Canadiens* (No. 8) Calgary Flames vs. (No. 9) Winnipeg Jets Saturday, Aug. 8: Canadiens vs. Penguins* Saturday, Aug. 1: Jets vs. Flames (No. 6) Carolina Hurricanes vs. (No. 11) New York Rangers Monday, Aug. 3: Jets vs. Flames Saturday, Aug. 1: Rangers vs. Hurricanes Tuesday, Aug. 4: Flames vs. Jets Monday, Aug. 3: Rangers vs. Hurricanes Thursday, Aug. 6: Flames vs. Jets* Tuesday, Aug. 4: Hurricanes vs. Rangers Saturday, Aug. 8: Jets vs. Flames* Thursday, Aug. 6: Hurricanes vs. Rangers* *If necessary Updated odds to win the 2020 Stanley Cup

The Bruins and Tampa Bay Lightning currently are +650 favorites to win it all in 2020.

Boston Bruins: +650

Tampa Bay Lightning: +650

Colorado Avalanche: +800

Vegas Golden Knights: +800

Washington Capitals: +900

Philadelphia Flyers: +1000

St. Louis Blues: +1100

Dallas Stars: +1500

Pittsburgh Penguins: +1600

Edmonton Oilers: +2300

Toronto Maple Leafs: +2900

Comcast SportsNet.com LOADED: 07.17.2020 1188385 Boston Bruins One would guess if it is indeed a positive COVID-19 test then the Bruins are hoping it’s a false positive as it was with one of the Bruins players last month when they first started up Phase 2 voluntary practices.

Bruins' David Pastrnak, Ondrej Kase 'unfit to participate' after being One other thing to note: It could be as simple as either Pastrnak or Kase expected to skate running a high temperature and being sent home, or one, or both, of them having come into secondary contact with somebody who tested positive for COVID-19 rather than testing positive themselves. But By Joe Haggerty July 16, 2020 12:44 PM something clearly happened to both players between participating yesterday and being kept away from the Bruins facility on Thursday.

Either way, it’s going to be interesting to see how all of this plays out over BRIGHTON, Mass. — Things may have just gotten very real for the the next few days, and weeks, with it being a window into what things Bruins when it comes to keeping a tight lid on their Return to Play camp might be like once players start testing positive when the actual games amid the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic. are being played in August, September and October. After Bruce Cassidy expected a full group on the ice for Thursday Comcast SportsNet.com LOADED: 07.17.2020 morning at Warrior Ice Arena, both David Pastrnak and Ondrej Kase were deemed “unfit to participate” and weren’t at the facility after both players looked healthy while skating at Warrior on Wednesday.

Pastrnak was also slated to speak with the media via Zoom on Thursday as well, but that was scrapped by Bruins PR once he was unavailable to participate on the ice.

“That was the plan,” said Bruce Cassidy, when asked if he had hoped that Pastrnak and Kase would be full camp participants in practice by Thursday. “It’s ‘unfit to participate’ for right now and hopefully that changes in the future.

“Anytime players miss a session where we expect them back up to full speed, until he’s out there then it is a concern for us as a team. But we’re going to forge ahead. We’ve got different guys in, but obviously anytime you’re missing two guys that play up in your lineup — and David is our leading scorer — you want them in there, getting back into condition and returning to the ice being with [their] teammates. But [they’re] not, so we’ll mix guys in there. It allows us to do some things, but obviously we’d prefer to have those guys in there.”

Clearly, it’s a big deal when things become uncertain with a player in Pastrnak who tied for the league lead with 48 goals this season and is a game-breaking force for the Bruins both on the PP and at even strength. Anders Bjork has skated with Patrice Bergeron and Brad Marchand in Pastrnak’s spot over the first few days of camp, and the Bruins slid top prospect Jack Studnicka onto the wing for Thursday’s camp session in place of Kase.

Haggerty: It's too bad NHL Awards voters are overlooking Pastrnak

But the mounting absences in camp for both players really begin to put them behind at this .

Cassidy wasn’t very forthcoming with the details given the NHL’s policy of being tight-lipped about both injuries and positive COVID-19 testing in the Return to Play, but it sounded like the Bruins might be planning for a longer absence for both players. Given that they skated yesterday and appeared 100 percent healthy, it is cause for concern.

While it could be a false positive test result at this point, it should also be noted that both Pastrnak and Kase were skating together locally at rinks with local hockey teams while serving out their mandatory quarantine period all the way up to the beginning of this week. Cassidy said he wasn’t looking too far ahead at either Pastrnak or Kase missing out on postseason games in August, but a potential 14-day quarantine period would keep them completely out of action for a while.

“We look at our lineup and who could do the reps and be the best fit. Nothing is set in stone. Anders has played up there, so for us as coaches we get used to that,” said Cassidy. “Am I thinking ahead to being without [Pastrnak and Kase] in the round-robin or the playoffs? No, that would be speculating. But for today and if I get word later today that the same thing is going to happen tomorrow, then we start looking at other guys and as a staff we go through that.

“But there’s only so many guys that would go up to [Pastrnak’s] spot. Kase came late [at the trade deadline], so there’s a lot of guys that could play in that spot. We know that with [Krejci] on his right side, so that would be nothing new. But to miss both of them [on the right side] sure is an opportunity for somebody else. But I’m not thinking too far ahead other than ‘Hey, if it is long term then who is the best?”

Haggerty: Could Bjork be a X-Factor in NHL restart? 1188386 Boston Bruins player who could potentially slide up with Bergeron and Marchand while freeing up David Pastrnak to skate with David Krejci for a more diversified attack.

NHL Restart: Could Anders Bjork be Bruins' X-Factor after impressing in Given the lack of right wing presence in camp, Bjork has clearly heeded camp? the coaching and applied it to his game after a lot of time over the last few months to dissect his game. Now it will be about doing it during games once he inevitably gets his chance when the NHL returns to play, By Joe Haggerty July 16, 2020 12:00 PM and showing that he’s indeed ready to be more of a factor for a Bruins team still desperately searching for secondary scoring in their lineup.

Comcast SportsNet.com LOADED: 07.17.2020 BRIGHTON, Mass. — With David Pastrnak and Ondrej Kase off to slow starts with the main Bruins group after being left out of practice due to international quarantine rules, it’s created an opportunity for others at B’s Return to Play camp this week.

The Bruins player who's taken the most advantage of that opportunity? It’s got to be 23-year-old Anders Bjork, who is poised to be even more of an impact player for the Bruins coming off a regular season where he stayed healthy, stayed consistent and finally established himself as an NHL player.

Bruce Cassidy pointed Bjork out specifically during the first day of camp back on Monday at Warrior Ice Arena and he’s been skating the right wing in Pastrnak’s place on the top line ever since. Then again, Bjork has more to compete for than some of the other B’s forwards who already have their regular spots locked up in the lineup.

Once the Bruins traded for Ondrej Kase and Nick Ritchie toward the end of the shortened regular season, it wasn’t an automatic that Bjork would be in the lineup. It’s the same situation now with actual games just a couple of weeks away from happening in the Toronto hub city.

“We like Anders as a person, we like him as a player, but we’re going to play the 12 best guys, however they fit in our lineup,” Cassidy said of Bjork, who just a few years ago was the B’s top forward prospect after lighting it up at the college level for Notre Dame. “He’s certainly in that mix. Is he automatic? No. So for him, this return to play, these practice sessions are more important than some of the other guys because you don’t have a lot of games to prove yourself.

“That’s something we’ll be looking for, for him and for a few of the other guys. That’s where Anders is at and we’ll see how it plays out in the next two weeks, three weeks.”

Bjork finished with nine goals and 19 points along with a plus-5 rating in 58 games and showed the kind of speed, skill and versatility to play up and down the top three lines in the B’s forward group. In the first few days of camp he’s showed a little more offensive polish, a smidge more confidence and a willingness to be stronger on and off the puck.

Haggerty: Why does Pastrnak get no respect in awards voting?

Those are things he’s been keying on with his first Stanley Cup playoff experience dead ahead amidst a very competitive situation with Boston’s forward group.

“I think I’ve been pleased with how I’ve felt out there. Going in, I think everybody wasn’t sure if you were going to have the [skating] legs that you had during the season with the skill, and stuff. And there are things I need to work on a bit. That’s been my mentality that I need to keep sharpening up my skill set a little bit for when the games start,” said Bjork, who said he was able to start skating in late June back in Wisconsin prior to the start of Return to Play camp. “I definitely had time to reflect [on the season].

“I made some strides with consistency, especially on the defensive side where I really thought that I earned some trust there and matured my game. It was one of my main goals was to earn the trust of the coaching staff and my teammates, and I think I did that a little bit. The main thing [for me] is continuing to build the offensive confidence and tenacity.

I think I’ve shown it in spurts here or there, but it’s about building that offensive confidence and a real attack mindset. It’s something I’m focused on moving forward. I did a decent job, but I felt like I was timid at times when I look back at some of my games. There were opportunities where I could have been ready to go attacking the net, and that’s something the coaches have talked to me about a lot.

A Bjork willing to regularly attack the net and using his speed and skill to make plays could be a big factor for the Bruins when it comes to the Stanley Cup playoffs next month. They need somebody else to step up and be a player other teams have to worry about in the middle-6, or a 1188387 Boston Bruins 7. In theory, Ritchie should be a good left wing on a puck-possession line with Coyle and Kuraly. The three forwards weigh in at 663 pounds total. If they play to their strengths, the three third-liners should control the puck Goaltending and defense still the priority: 10 takeaways from Bruins effectively in the offensive zone. Away from the puck, Kuraly will be the scrimmage first forechecker, Ritchie will be F2 and Coyle will be the high forward.

Ritchie will be the key to the line. Specifically, whether he can keep pace with his high-tempo linemates. By Fluto Shinzawa Jul 16, 2020 8. Torey Krug is playing for a megabucks deal, either in Boston or elsewhere. He skated like he’s intent on earning it.

The Bruins ended their Thursday session with 10 minutes of Krug takes a regular-season pounding because of his size and scrimmaging. The teams: fearlessness. The time off served him well. Krug was really moving.

White 9. Jeremy Lauzon has locked down the No. 6 spot on the blue line. Foot speed has been Lauzon’s biggest liability. But the left-shot defender Brad Marchand-Patrice Bergeron-Anders Bjork moved very well while closing on opponents. While Grzelcyk relies on his Jake DeBrusk-David Krejci-Karson Kuhlman/Jack Studnicka sticks to disrupt plays, Lauzon can apply his physicality to initiate puck separation. Third and fourth lines will not enjoy playing against Grzelcyk Zdeno Chara-Charlie McAvoy and Lauzon.

Torey Krug-Brandon Carlo Until injuries or illness flare up on defense, Connor Clifton and John Moore are in for a long wait. Dan Vladar 10. This may not be Jack Studnicka’s time. But being around a Cup- Black driven team for the second straight postseason will only favor the 21- Nick Ritchie-Charlie Coyle-Sean Kuraly year-old. The way Studnicka skated, handled the puck and looked for his teammates, he may have a future as a No. 2 NHL center. He’s only Joakim Nordstrom-Par Lindholm-Chris Wagner lacking experience and man strength.

Matt Grzelcyk-Jeremy Lauzon The Athletic LOADED: 07.17.2020 John Moore-Jakub Zboril

Jaroslav Halak

Observations

1. The Bruins’ identity will not change in the playoffs. They will live and die on goaltending and defense. Brandon Carlo was the only player to score. Otherwise, both teams excelled at keeping tight gaps, stretching sticks into lanes and denying chances from developing.

It may not have been a coincidence that Bruce Cassidy started the day showing video to the team to remind it of in-zone thoroughness.

“We work from our own end out, so breaking pucks out, (defensive) zone — I liked that part of it,” Cassidy said. “I think there was one goal. We had a little bit of a breakdown on a rotated puck that Brandon scored on. You’re looking to see, ‘Is the structure good? Are we getting back to identifying our roles, responsibilities?’ ”

2. Scoring consistently could be a dogfight. It’s inevitable that opponents will train their defensive sights on the Bruins’ most accomplished scorers. With David Pastrnak unfit to participate, the No. 1 line had to accommodate newbie Anders Bjork.

This is where the grinders have to prioritize breaching perimeters and gaining net-front access. The power play, which the Bruins have yet to practice, will have to provide timely scoring.

3. Brad Marchand and Patrice Bergeron will be just fine. After 10 years of partnership, the two could trade sticks and still generate chances by finding openings and getting each other the puck.

4. It may take Jake DeBrusk and David Krejci a little longer to hit their groove than Marchand and Bergeron. It wasn’t the most accomplished regular season for the second-liners.

This year, according to Natural Stat Trick, the pair recorded a 54.84 goals for percentage and a 51.3 Corsi For rating during 484:42 of shared 5-on-5 play. Last season, in 717:12 of ice time, they had a 60.38 GF% and a 56.25 CF%.

Krejci looked like his usual slippery self during the scrimmage. DeBrusk had good legs. But they didn’t seem as aligned as Marchand and Bergeron.

5. After four months off, players with quick feet looked more acclimated than their counterparts. DeBrusk, Anders Bjork, Karson Kuhlman, Charlie Coyle, Sean Kuraly, Chris Wagner and Matt Grzelcyk served as Exhibit A.

6. On the flip side, it may take time for battleships such as Zdeno Chara and Nick Ritchie to reach cruising speed. 1188388 Boston Bruins

With David Pastrnak and Ondrej Kase missing, questions arise for Bruins

By Fluto Shinzawa Jul 16, 2020

On Wednesday, David Pastrnak practiced with 10 of his Bruins teammates. Later in the day, Ondrej Kase and Trent Frederic skated as a two-man cohort. It was the first time both right wings skated since returning to Warrior Ice Arena for Phase 3 of the NHL’s return.

Bruce Cassidy expected Pastrnak and Kase to join the main group on Thursday. Plans changed. Pastrnak and Kase did not practice on Thursday.

“Unfit to participate right now,” Cassidy said of both players. “Hopefully that changes in the near future.”

It was as detailed as Cassidy is allowed to be. Because of privacy concerns, team officials are forbidden from citing injuries or illness to explain player absences from games or practices.

Cassidy allowed, however, that additional days off the ice for his top two right wings would not help the Bruins’ cause.

“Anytime players miss a session where we expect them to be back up at full speed, until (Pastrnak) is out there, it is a concern for us as a team,” Cassidy said. “But we’re just going to forge ahead. We’ve kind of plugged different guys in. Obviously missing two guys who play up in your lineup and a guy like David, who’s your leading scorer, you want him in there. You want him getting back in condition. You want him returning to the ice and being with his teammates. But he’s not.”

Pastrnak played in all 70 games this season. Kase was limited to 55 games (49 with Anaheim, six with the Bruins) because of injuries, the latest being a concussion.

Pastrnak and Alex Ovechkin finished atop the league with 48 goals. Because of talent, hockey sense and familiarity, Pastrnak teamed with Brad Marchand and Patrice Bergeron to form arguably the finest three- zone line in the league. The 24-year-old self-starter is a critical component on a team that, at times, struggles to score.

Kase was general manager Don Sweeney’s top prize before the trade deadline. The Bruins identified the fast, quick, hard-nosed, high-volume shooter as the No. 2 right wing they have perpetually pursued (see Brett Connolly, Lee Stempniak, Rick Nash, Marcus Johansson).

Anders Bjork practiced in Pastrnak’s spot. Karson Kuhlman and Jack Studnicka shared shifts as No. 2 right wing next to Jake DeBrusk and David Krejci. Bjork, Kuhlman and Studnicka have looked lively in camp. But Bjork, in particular, does not compare to an in-tune Pastrnak, as sublime a finisher as there is in the NHL.

The Bruins are scheduled to practice Friday and Saturday. They will take Sunday off.

“Am I thinking ahead to being without those guys in the round robin or playoffs? No. That’d be speculating,” Cassidy said. “But yeah, for today. And if I get word later today that the same thing’s going to happen tomorrow, then we start thinking, ‘OK, we’ve looked at a couple guys. Anything else?’ We’ll meet as a staff to go through that. But there’s only so many guys that will go up to David’s spot.”

Tuukka Rask left practice early. Rask took a puck up high on Tuesday. Jaroslav Halak and Dan Vladar finished out the session.

“I think he got stung the other day with a shot, hit him in the wrong spot. So maybe that was acting up again today,” Cassidy said. “I’m going to get an update in a little bit if there’s anything serious. They have not come to me. That’s typically a good sign if they don’t come right to you. I’m suspecting he had a little bit of bad luck in the same spot for a couple days. Hopefully it sorts itself out. These will be some of the bumps and bruises and nicks that are going to start to appear now with your group.”

The Athletic LOADED: 07.17.2020 1188389 Calgary Flames “The way I look at it is it’s another chance to do as best as you can out there,” he reasoned. “And hopefully something comes.”

OFF THE GLASS SNAPSHOTS: Flames’ Brodie has both family safety, contract status in mind as action resumes The Flames’ much-talked-about training-camp groupings remain unchanged, but GM Brad Treliving is anxious to squash any speculation that the nine guys in the afternoon sessions are out of shape or Wes Gilbertson otherwise in the organizational bad-books. “The groupings that we have on the ice, 100%, have no conditioning issues. They are not done for disciplinary issues, are not done because anyone is in trouble or haven’t done what they were supposed to do,” Treliving said via video During the pandemic pause, TJ Brodie was busy pushing weight. conference. “I want to dispel that notion”… Four days into training camp, Literally. Flames forwards Dillon Dube and Buddy Robinson have still yet to skate. We have spotted Mikael Backlund and Derek Ryan — Calgary’s second- The Calgary Flames outfitted each of their players with custom and third-line centres — but both made early exits and have been M.I.A. rollerblades — attached to their usual skate-boots — and Brodie upped since. Ryan did hit the ice for just a few minutes between sessions the degree of difficulty and also maximized his dad-time by including his Thursday but was gone before long … If you’ve been following along, two-year-old daughter, Severn, in his workouts. you already know that all the club can say about the status of any absentee — that goes for Dube, Robinson, Backlund and Ryan — is they “She’s at the age now where we have a little cart that I’ll push her around are “unable to participate.” That’s a league-wide mandate … Want to stay in,” Brodie said. “So back home, I’d push her around the neighbourhood safe while also showing your support for the Saddledome stars? You can wearing those.” now purchase a three-pack of Flames’ logoed masks through the online Family matters must have also weighed on the 30-year-old defenceman team store. Even better, a portion of proceeds will be directed to as the NHL and NHLPA finalized plans for this unprecedented summer grassroots initiatives through the Flames Foundation. restart. Brodie’s wife, Amber, has multiple sclerosis, which could put her Calgary Sun: LOADED: 07.17.2020 at increased risk if exposed to COVID-19.

“I definitely thought about it, and that’s one of the reasons why I came back (to Calgary) alone,” Brodie said. “We’re just taking it day-by-day and seeing where everything is at. Hopefully, they’ll come out next week and I at least get to the see them before we go to the bubble, but it’s definitely something that is always in the back of your mind.”

Brodie could have opted out without penalty, but the soon-to-be unrestricted free agent didn’t go that route. Instead, he is back at the Saddledome with his pals, prepping for a play-in series against the Winnipeg Jets.

Was it a difficult decision?

“It’s hard — hockey is my job,” Brodie replied. “It’s one of those things where you want to be as safe as possible. But at the same time, especially with my contract being up, I didn’t know how that would affect me if I didn’t come back.

“But whenever I do see them, I’m going to take that extra precaution to make sure it’s safe for them.”

Brodie is one of those guys who could be key to prolonging the Flames’ stay in the hub-city bubble in Edmonton.

He’ll be working with Mark Giordano on Calgary’s top pairing, tasked with trying to shut down the Jets’ terrific trio of Kyle Connor, Mark Scheifele and Blake Wheeler.

With Travis Hamonic opting out for his own family reasons, No. 7 will likely be asked to log more time on the penalty-kill.

When asked Thursday about Brodie’s importance to the squad, Flames interim coach Geoff Ward was gushing positives.

“You only have to look at when Gio went down, how well he played,” Ward said, referring to a three-week stretch that Calgary’s captain was sidelined by a hamstring injury. “I think he took the ‘D’ core a little bit on his back. He raised his level of play. I thought in the absence of Gio, he really stepped up. He’s a guy in our room that says the right things at the right times. He’s a quiet guy, but he has some real, real strong leadership attributes, which we’re happy that he’s starting to exercise those and show those on a more regular basis. And I tell him all the time how important that is to what he brings to the table for us.

“You’re right, a lot of people don’t talk about him, but he’s an extremely important member of our team, not only by what he does on the ice but also what he does with our group as a leader and as a guy who develops our culture and points guys in the right direction of how we want Calgary Flames to be.”

With Brodie’s five-year, US$23.25-million pact about to expire, his agent might want to clip that comment for future negotiations.

His contract is certainly in the back of his mind, but the smooth-skating blue-liner will worry about that later. 1188390 Calgary Flames “I think our group has done a great job, all nine of us. We’re skating hard and working hard and we’re getting those extra reps in, and that’s going to help us in the long run.”

Flames GM Treliving responds to rumours, says Gaudreau ‘has never Indeed, with so few bodies, those nine don’t get much time to catch their looked better’ breath between drills.

If you watch the late sessions, however, you can tell these aren’t bag- Wes Gilbertson skates or detention periods.

Treliving told reporters the Flames have “a pretty good idea” about when they’ll combine or shuffle the two training-camp groups, but he doesn’t The speculation had Brad Treliving steamed. want to share the specifics in case the plan changes.

After a pair of analysts — one based in Toronto, another in Vancouver — “I’m not in the least concerned that we’re behind,” Treliving said. “The wondered aloud if Johnny Gaudreau is skating with the Calgary Flames’ smaller group, they’re doing the exact same practice as the first group, smaller training-camp group as some sort of punishment for his post- but with a lot less guys. So the joke is already going that Team B will be pause conditioning level, Treliving rushed to the defence of his star skating circles around Team A when everybody is back together. player. “I’m hoping that’s very soon, but we’re going to just be cautious.” “Johnny Gaudreau has never looked better,” Treliving declared. “I can’t speak high enough to the work level that Johnny has put in during the Whenever that day does come, it would be a good sign if Gaudreau is break. It was evident when I saw him — I don’t think he’s ever looked the best player on the ice. better. For those that are in attendance at our practices, he is absolutely The Flames, quite frankly, need him to be. flying out there. He’s in a great frame of mind … The wee winger wasn’t as productive this past winter, although he still “I’m totally ecstatic with where Johnny Gaudreau is right now.” finished second on the team charts with 58 points — 18 goals and 40 Unless you’ve been without wifi since the Flames’ opened their restart helpers — in 70 games. training camp at the Saddledome, you’ve undoubtedly heard Gaudreau If he can shake off his past playoff struggles and be a difference-maker in and eight teammates — five other forwards, two defencemen and one the play-in round against the Winnipeg Jets, and hopefully beyond, that netminder — have been skating in a separate afternoon group. will quickly be forgotten.

Meanwhile, Johnny Hockey’s usual linemates — Sean Monahan and “I’ve liked him. I’ve liked a lot about him,” said Flames interim coach Elias Lindholm — are among the 23 gents in the morning sessions. Geoff Ward, asked to assess Gaudreau’s performance through four days The Flames, bound by an NHL/NHLPA mandate to not comment on any of summer camp. “He has a lot of jump. He’s come back in great shape. health matters, have repeated countless times that the strange split is He’s working extremely hard. He’s having fun out there. He has a smile dictated by “circumstances.” on his face, which is extremely important — this is the time of year you have to enjoy. That invites speculation. “So everything we’ve wanted out of Johnny … Right now, he’s checked Some of the connect-the-dotters haven’t come even close. all the boxes. We’re real, real pleased where he is. We’re real pleased with how he’s playing. And we’re anxious to get him back on the left side Rumours, of course, are a fact of life in the pro sports, especially for a with Monny and Lindy.” face-of-the-franchise sort like Gaudreau. Calgary Sun: LOADED: 07.17.2020 Treliving, as the Flames’ general manager, typically tries to ignore them. He rarely addresses them.

On Thursday, he couldn’t stay silent.

“Any thought that people are skating with certain people because they were in trouble or didn’t do what they were supposed to do is not correct. It is 100% incorrect,” Treliving said. “We have had to separate our groups because of circumstances, and we are taking every precaution needed. We’ll leave it at that. In today’s day and age that we’re in, we’re trying to be as cautious and let safety rule the day and lean on our medical professionals, who do a great job. And that’s what we’re going to continue to do.

“I can’t stress it enough that our guys have done more than I thought they would do over the course of the break, to be perfectly honest, from a conditioning level. And I couldn’t be more adamant that nobody is in trouble, nobody has done anything wrong, nobody is being disciplined … That’s not the reason for the groups.”

Gaudreau, like most NHLers, had to get creative to stay in shape during the pause.

After heading home to Carneys Point, N.J., he immediately ordered a Peloton bike. He would lace up his rollerblades and go for 10 for 15 miles, often with his parents tagging along on their bikes.

Asked on a video conference Thursday about the speculation, the 26- year-old left-winger didn’t seem too fussed.

“We’ve been out of sports for a while so when a reporter or someone gets some buzz, maybe try to run with it, I guess, because there hasn’t been many stories coming out of recent,” Gaudreau said. “I feel good. I feel fresh. I’m excited to be in a group of nine right now, because I’m getting extra reps in. Being off the ice for two or three months, all the reps you can get is pretty crucial. 1188391 Calgary Flames me an idea how hard you have to work and what it takes to win an international tournament like that.”

Many causal Flames fans have likely never heard of Nodler. Flames prospect Josh Nodler angling for another shot in Stars and Stripes A world junior roster spot — especially with the tournament being contested on Alberta ice — would certainly get people talking.

And maybe someday, folks in Michigan will be staying up late to watch Wes Gilbertson him

“Obviously, you want to always work hard and reach your goals,” Nodler As a freshman at Michigan State University, Josh Nodler was sometimes said. “But I think with how exciting it was to be drafted last June and now studying into the late-night hours. having my rights owned by an NHL team, especially such a great organization as Calgary, it kind of gives me another thing in the back of That didn’t always mean cramming for an exam or scrambling to polish my mind, it puts me another step closer to my dreams and it kind of gives off an essay. me even more motivation to keep working hard and working on different things. It was often 9 or even 10 p.m. in Lansing, Mich., when the Calgary Flames hit the ice for game action, but Nodler — a fifth-round selection of “There was definitely some good feedback (from the Flames). We kept in the club last summer — considers this to be important curriculum as he contact a lot throughout the year. They came to a lot of the games, both strives toward his dream job as an NHL forward. home and away, to watch me and I think the biggest thing was that I had good year and to always keep stressing on things that I need to work on “There are a lot of players, especially on the Flames, to point out, but and keep improving. I think a big part of it is that it’s a marathon, not a there are two players that — for different reasons — I really focus on,” sprint. You have to realize that — it’s not always a super-quick process, Nodler said. “Obviously, there’s Johnny Gaudreau. He had a similar path but just to take it day-by-day and work as hard as you can and keep as I, because he played in the USHL (United States Hockey League), improving yourself to reach your goal.” was drafted to Calgary out of the USHL and then played college hockey. So he’s had a similar path, and you can see how good he really is and THE FILE ON NODLER the success he’s having at the NHL level. Watching things that he does and hopefully learning from him and watching his games is pretty cool AGE: 19 (April 27, 2001) and definitely relatable. HOMETOWN: Oak Park, Mich.

“I think another player that is interesting for me to watch is (Andrew) HEIGHT: 5-foot-11, WEIGHT: 191 pounds Mangiapane, because last year at development camp, they talked a lot about his story and his development, how he wasn’t always the most POSITION: Centre, SHOOTS: Right skilled or best player at his level, but he worked his way up and worked his butt off and eventually made it. I think that’s something to emulate DRAFTED: 2019, 5th round, No. 150 overall and always strive for.” THE SKINNY: Earned top rookie honours in first season with Michigan Nodler’s long-term goal is full-time employment at the Saddledome — or State Spartans … One of a pair of Flames prospects invited to USA at Calgary’s new downtown arena — but the 19-year-old is first hoping to Hockey’s 2020 World Junior Summer Showcase, which has since been score a trip to Edmonton and Red Deer next winter. cancelled. Netminder Dustin Wolf was also slated to attend … As a draft- eligible, put up 17 goals and 42 points in 54 outings with the USHL’s Josh Nodler earned top rookie honours in first season with Michigan Fargo Force … Product of the Detroit Honeybaked program, a name that State Spartans MSU will be familiar to fans of the Mac’s Midget AAA Tournament.

Those two Alberta cities are set to split hosting duties for the 2021 IIHF Calgary Sun: LOADED: 07.17.2020 World Junior Hockey Championships — fingers crossed, the COVID-19 pandemic won’t alter that plan — and the Michigan State Spartans centre is on Hockey USA’s short list. The product of Oak Park, Mich., was one of 44 hopefuls invited to their summer showcase in nearby Plymouth, but that evaluation camp — slated to start next Friday — was cancelled due to the ongoing health crisis.

“Just the opportunity to try to make that team is something pretty special,” said Nodler, who notched three goals and five assists in 36 appearances with the Spartans as an NCAA rookie. “From a very young age, I’ve always watched that tournament growing up and I’ve always dreamed of playing in it. I’ve had friends and acquaintances that have gone through and played in that tournament, and watching them compete with the USA Hockey team and wear that jersey and represent their country at the highest level possible. It’s pretty special. That’s something that I really hope I can do.”

The good news for Nodler, despite the summer-camp cancellation, is that the brass at USA Hockey know what he’s capable of.

He donned the Stars and Stripes for the first time in an undefeated run at the Five Nations Tournament in Ostrava, Czech Republic, in 2017.

He was part of a golden group at the 2018 World Junior-A Challenge in Bonnyville, Alta.

And a few months later, despite heading home empty-handed after an overtime loss in the semifinals, his hockey sense and setup skills were on display as the top scorer for Team USA with seven points at the 2018 in Edmonton and Red Deer.

“That’s definitely some good experience I think I have, and it gives me a perspective on the honour and the gratitude that you get from wearing that U.S. jersey,” Nodler said. “It really shows you how special it is and how appreciative you should be to represent your country, and it gives 1188392 Calgary Flames wanted out of Johnny right now, he’s checked all the boxes. We’re real, real pleased.”

There, done. For the next news cycle, Treliving had accomplished what Flames GM addresses rumours about camp’s split squads: ‘Nobody’s in he set out to do — halting the hearsay before it picked up any more trouble’ momentum.

“I just wanted to address it — not scolding anybody,” he said, “and By Scott Cruickshank Jul 16, 2020 hopefully clarify it for you people.”

Which he did. Sort of.

No reporters requested to speak with the Calgary Flames general Because had he been actually punishing 11 players for bad-boy manager. Didn’t matter. behaviour, at least it would have been an explanation.

Brad Treliving had something to say. Now what?

Thursday, after his team’s on-ice sessions at the Saddledome, he got These are the groups: aboard a Webex call and offered his take to whoever cared to listen. Morning (24) — G: David Rittich, , Artyom Zagidulin; D: Mark At issue — the oddball arrangement of the Flames’ split squads. Giordano, T.J. Brodie, Erik Gustafsson, Derek Forbort, Oliver Kylington, Juuso Valimaki, Michael Stone, Alexander Yelesin, Connor Mackey: F: Through four days of camp, as the NHL prepared to return to play, the Sean Monahan, Elias Lindholm, Matthew Tkachuk, Mikael Backlund, morning group included 24 players. Derek Ryan, Tobias Rieder, Alan Quine, Austin Czarnik, , Glenn Gawdin, Matthew Phillips, Adam Ruzicka Which for the afternoon’s practice left the remaining 11 chaps, a collection that included a of the team’s top performers. Afternoon (11) — G: Cam Talbot; D: Rasmus Andersson, Noah Hanifin; F: Johnny Gaudreau, Milan Lucic, Andrew Mangiapane, Sam Bennett, That caused some head-scratching, some guessing. Then came a Dillon Dubé, Mark Jankowski, Zac Rinaldo, Buddy Robinson prominent report that the second allotment was made up of players in hot water. Maybe for disciplinary reasons. Maybe for a lack of conditioning. As has been well-publicized, Dubé and Robinson have not yet skated. The Flames are not permitted by the league to provide details or updates At the centre of it? Johnny Gaudreau. other than the two forwards “are unable to participate.” Hence the fuming from the upstairs office at the Saddledome. (Brett Holmes / Icon Sportswire) Riled up by baseless dot-connecting, Treliving asked team Also worth noting, Ryan left early from Monday’s practice, while Backlund communications staffers to announce his availability. Then he peeled off departed mid-session Wednesday. his mask, took his spot in front of the Flames backdrop just outside the dressing room, booted up a laptop, stared into the camera — and, he Neither centre has returned to action. hoped, straightened out a few misconceptions. Nor — and this seems important — have any of the afternoon gang been He referred to the out-of-the-box measure as “imperative … because it’s shifted to fill the vacancies of Ryan or Backlund with the early group. raised to the level of coming to my desk.” Because this is no rumour denier. Typically, Treliving doesn’t even acknowledge scuttlebutt. It’s not a stretch to suggest that the afternoon group remains on its own — for now — because of potential secondary exposure to the This time, though, he felt compelled to clear his throat. coronavirus.

“I couldn’t be more adamant that nobody’s in trouble, nobody’s done Treliving, understandably, could speak in only general terms about the anything wrong, nobody’s being disciplined,” said Treliving. “That’s not situation. the reason for the groups. And, quite frankly, we’re ecstatic with the work that’s gotten done here over the first four days. “We’ve had to separate our groups because of circumstances,” he said. “We’re taking every precaution needed. And we’ll leave it at that. In “Listen, I get it. This process is new for all of us. Your job is to report. today’s day and age that we’re in, we’re trying to be as cautious (as Rumours and innuendo and all that stuff, that’s part of our lives. We block possible) and let safety rule the day and lean on our medical all that stuff out and we worry about just the inside. (But) it certainly got to professionals. And that’s what we’re going to continue to do. a level where I felt I needed to address it. “I know it’s new for everybody, in terms of the reporting procedures and “I think you guys know me well enough — I’m going to support my how it’s being handled. I know it creates confusion and sometimes players.” speculation. It’s certainly not our intent. But we have to follow the guidelines that are in place.” Gaudreau, in particular, on this day. The Flames winger had been singled out on the national stage by at least one media observer. At some point, the players will merge, scrimmage, then get reshuffled into a game group and taxi squad. “I think it’s unfair,” said Treliving. “Professional sports isn’t fair. But when it gets to a level where a guy has done absolutely nothing to get … “It probably won’t be (Friday), but I expect it to be soon. I’m not in the criticism, when it (should be) the absolute opposite. He looks least concerned that we’re behind,” said Treliving. “We will be doing phenomenal. intrasquad games next week … so our training camp process, in terms of getting the work done, hasn’t varied.” “Johnny Gaudreau has never looked better. For those in attendance at the practices, he’s absolutely flying out there. He’s in a great frame of Bank on Gaudreau rejoining his first-line pals Monahan and Lindholm — mind. I’m totally ecstatic where Johnny Gaudreau is right now.” there is no chance of that not happening, in case anyone had been wondering. Gaudreau, unfazed, shrugged off any and all reports from the outside. “We’ve had a lot of good chemistry together,” Gaudreau said. “I don’t see “Yeah, I don’t listen too much to that kind of stuff,” he said. “As long as it being a problem, not practising for a week or a week and a half I’m prepared and ready to go when Aug. 1 comes around … I know I will together. I’ve played with Monny most of my entire career — there’s be. I’ve never had a problem being ready for the start of a season or (only) 10, 15, 20 games I haven’t played with him. I feel like we could just anything like that.” pick up our sticks and be fine together. And Lindy did a great job of Geoff Ward, too, vouched for the preparation of No. 13. Although not on hopping on our line.” the ice at the same time as his star so far, the coach has kept close tabs. So for the Flames, it’s business as usual. “I’ve liked him. I like a lot about him,” said Ward. “He’s got a lot of jump. Which, this season, means dealing with adversity on a regular basis. He’s come back in great shape. He’s working extremely hard. He’s having fun out there. He’s got a smile on his face. Which is extremely One week ago, Travis Hamonic informed the club that he would not be important. This is a time of year you have to enjoy. Everything we’ve participating in the postseason, leaving a right-side void on the blue line. Now, with four players (for a variety of reasons) missing valuable ice time, the Flames find themselves coping with the latest round of hurdles.

“There’s no excuses for us,” said Treliving. “We’re not sitting here, ‘Woe is me.’ A lot of teams are dealing with different issues right now. But all the work’s getting done. Nothing’s been impacted.”

In fact, Treliving went out of his way to point out that the new normal isn’t so different when you get right down to it. Hockey-wise, in fact, it’s about the same.

“It’s new that you’re having training camp on July 13. It’s new that everybody gets tested every day. It’s new that you take a temperature test. It’s new that the media is sitting in Section 400. All that’s new,” he said. “But, at the end of the day, it’s training camp. And what I’ve really been impressed with … I would say our tempo has been even (higher) than you would see on Day 1 in a September training camp.

“Calendar and protocol, you take those away … it’s hockey. It’s just happening at a different time.”

The Athletic LOADED: 07.17.2020 1188393 Calgary Flames “It happened pretty quick,” said Mackey, who was here in time to participate in a half-dozen sessions in Phase 2. “I was always kind of hoping that was an opportunity. That was in the back of my mind. I was From junior nobody to NHL commodity, inside Connor Mackey’s journey staying ready — you never know.” to Calgary In normal times, Mackey would have signed as soon as the Mavericks were eliminated from NCAA championship contention, then joined the Flames — on the ice — for a few regular season dates, à la Johnny By Scott Cruickshank Jul 16, 2020 Gaudreau (in 2014). Alas, that avenue got closed.

So he’s making the most of his time now, sharing the ice with the likes of Mark Giordano, who happens to be the reigning Norris Trophy winner. From the depths of the USHL Draft — 13th round, to be exact — he tries out for the . As a 19-year-old rookie. “I’m trying to be a sponge, really, and pick up things from everybody, especially him,” said Mackey. “He’s a great player. Just the little things he He succeeds, but, in his first taste of junior hockey, Connor Mackey does. His gap. His stick positioning. The position he’s in. His work ethic. opens very few eyes. Just watching him, I’m trying to take in as much as I can. Despite being one of the oldest kids on the roster, he’s scratched for half “And T.J. Brodie, I’m watching him. Such a great skater. You’re kind of of the Gamblers’ games. He dresses only 29 times — and in half of those taken aback by how good some of these guys are.” appearances, he receives just one or two shifts. He’s also noticed he’s not far away, either. The other day he handled This is not a player with buzz. quarterback duties during a power play drill and looked good doing it. Of So what the heck happened in the summer of 2016? Because the the skaters in black — the colour worn by defencemen — an observer following season, Mackey not only leads Green Bay in scoring, he is would be hard-pressed to single out the rookie. named the USHL’s top defenceman. “I feel that I belong here,” Mackey said. “I know I still have a lot to prove. How, in a blink, does a relatively old prospect snap to attention? How It’s only been a few days. As every day goes by, I get a little more does he go about upgrading himself, from spare part to elite piece? comfortable. I’m learning things. I feel fine out there, but I know I can do better.” “I was one of the only returning guys,” replied Mackey. “So I was like, ‘I want to take the reins. I want to be a difference-maker.'” Hastings applauds the Flames’ above-and-beyond investment in Mackey, allowing him to bask in that environment. A nice thought, but he admits he actually can’t put his finger on the reason for that blast of improvement. “The opportunity to absorb is one that he values,” Hastings said. “He’s a very perceptive young man. He doesn’t say a lot. Goes in, does his work. Dad, too, is stumped by the remarkable transformation. “I think it says a lot, I really do. It says that the Flames are hoping he can “Yup, good question,” Dave Mackey said from the family’s home in Tower get acclimated sooner than later.” Lakes, Ill. When the twins were wee, Dad relocated the family, moving to nearby Thoughtful pause. “One thing sticks out to me.” Tower Lakes, Ill. By the age of 9, the boys were spending winters wheeling around outside. He recalls that his sons — Connor and twin brother Ian — took it upon themselves that offseason to rise daily at 4:30 a.m., to drive 45 minutes, “It gave them a chance, like a lot of Canadian kids, to grow up playing to train at “this little greasy … kind of like a Rocky gym,” operated by Kyle pond hockey,” said Dave, a Vancouver native who — after being an 11th- Mulvey (son of former NHLer Grant Mulvey). Such was their round selection of the Chicago Blackhawks in 1984 — played 14 years of commitment. And getting there on time had been only half the strain. pro hockey. “They were out there before school, after school, late in the evenings. No parents, no refs, no coaches.” “A lot of guys who worked out with Kyle were like, ‘Man, this is too hard for us,’ or, ‘I don’t want to show up six days a week,'” said Dave. “But the Endless hours on their own sharpened skills — and competitive edges. boys had that mentality built in — I never had to push them. It was After all, there was always a handy measuring stick. something they both wanted.” “They’re very close,” said Dave. “If anybody helped Connor, more than Ian’s journey takes him to the MJHL — Portage and Winkler — then to anybody, it was probably his twin brother.” Simon Fraser University, and, this past winter, through ECHL Fort Wayne and Kansas City. Together, they played high school hockey. As a senior, Connor served as captain. Connor, though, joins Minnesota State University — the first and only school to offer him a scholarship — and settles into an integral role. In But going into his NHL draft year, he was hardly well-positioned. An fact, NHL teams begin to circle the freshman. More after his sophomore unknown, really. Central Scouting identified a couple of hundred year. prospects in North America. He wasn’t one of them.

Then, during his junior campaign, comes a flood of suitors, including the “We knew he wasn’t getting drafted,” said Dave. “He was on nobody’s Calgary Flames who inked the lad to an entry-level deal in March. radar.”

Mike Hastings, head coach of Minnesota State University, rattles off Well, not nobody’s. The Glacier Nationals did nab Connor’s rights with Mackey’s achievements in recent years, his rapid rise through the ranks. the 224th pick of the NA3HL’s draft.

“This talks to you about his ability, I think, to adapt,” he said. “There’s not But the Mackeys had a plan. a lot of time frame there that went by without a progression. Connor knew if he made his way into the USHL, he would probably get a “That internal motivator is always there for him.” college scholarship. And he knew if he made his way into college, he would probably have the time to develop into an NHL commodity. Barely four years removed from bench-warming duty in the USHL, Mackey is skating daily with the Flames. “That was always my dream,” said Mackey. “It’s still my dream.”

His contract, which opens in 2020-21, makes him ineligible to participate His career, thanks to that remarkable about-face, launched in Green Bay. in the upcoming postseason. But, an indication of what the Flames think (They still talk about Mackey there. Gamblers skipper Pat Mikesch told of the 23-year-old, he was summoned to the Saddledome anyway. That the “Green Bay Press Gazette”: “We’ll be able to use him as an example says plenty — as does assigning him a hockey number, 6, instead of a for years to come for some of our players that don’t get a lot of ice time training-camp 70-something. that first year. If you work every day at practice and work every day in the weight room, you can take huge strides.”) As he recalls, the invitation from his employers came on a Wednesday. He was on a plane, bound for Calgary, on a Friday. Seamlessly, the upward trend continued at Minnesota State University — “And I was thinking, ‘Wow. I’m three steps behind,'” he said, with a laugh. right in front of the coach’s eyes. Mackey was prepared and “I wasn’t a great skater to start with.” singleminded. Nevertheless, he soon found his footing, at one point catching up to “Put it this way — I don’t feel me or my staff or anybody else put greater Savard and decking the superstar. “He came up to me after and told me expectations on Connor than Connor,” said Hastings. “He wanted to if I did that again I’d be selling pencils outside the Stadium. So I was like, come in and be better every day. Those are guys you like being around.” ‘OK.'”

Hastings raves more, talking about how Mackey arrived with a well- And while Mackey isn’t starching anyone this week at the Saddledome — deserved reputation as a power play whiz, how he took measures to at times, he’s even being deployed as a winger to round out the lines — round out his game, how he ended up being “very comfortable no matter the newcomer is getting accustomed to the NHL pace. Dad gets that. where he was in the rink.” “I remember being amazed at the great shape of the other guys, the Not hurting matters was Mackey’s edge. speed and the finesse of the game. It’s just at a whole other level,” said Dave. “I’m sure Connor’s seeing the same thing now, right? This is no one’s soft touch on the ice. “For him, it is a little different of a path … but he has really blossomed.” “With some guys, you don’t know if they’ve got to get themselves worked up to that point,” said Hastings, “but I think it’s pretty natural with him.” The Athletic LOADED: 07.17.2020

Here, it’s worth noting that Pops had been a rugged winger during hockey’s wild and woolly years, into the 1980s and through the 1990s. He fought Stu Grimson and , Kevin McClelland and Wendel Clark.

Hastings goes ahead and makes the father-to-son connection — but not in the expected way.

“Dave’s about as humble as they come and I don’t think Connor fell too far from that tree. He lets his actions speak more than his words,” he said. “I don’t think (playing in the NHL) is something he feels is his given right. He’s OK to do the work.”

Even on the margins of the hockey map as a teenager, the boy never lost his way. Dad’s advice all along? “I told him, ‘If you’re real passionate and pretty good, someone will find you.'” Which is exactly how it played out.

In the summer of 2017, Mackey accepted an invitation to the Flames’ development camp. At WinSport, he skated alongside young pros and bona fide prospects for the first time.

“My biggest takeaway? I thought I fit in well,” he said. “That’s when I really started thinking, ‘I did well here.’ It gave me confidence.”

The following offseason, he attended the Buffalo Sabres’ gathering of prospects. And, by that stage, word was out.

Describing NHL interest in his pupil this past spring, Hastings laughed and said: “Oh, a lot of phone calls, a lot of asks.” So, no, he wasn’t shocked that Mackey was going to leave his program after three years. Not only had the youngster already completed his degree — “That says a lot about him, too” — he was physically ready for the next level.

Muscling up, he carries 200 pounds on his 6-foot-2 frame. For Hastings, he was handling 25-30 minutes per night with ease.

“Connor’s at a point where there’s not a lot of holes in his game,” said Hastings, who offered high grades for him as a person, too. “Rock solid. I mean, rock, rock solid. He helped progress our culture just because of the type of young man that he is. He’s not the guy that’s going to be up in the middle of the locker-room hooting and hollering — he’s just not. He’s more, ‘I’ll show you instead of tell you.'”

And now he’s showing the Flames, who are thrilled by what they’re getting — a self-propelled blue-chipper, who’s gone from anonymity to prominence in a matter of winters.

Talk about momentum.

“He did all the things away from the rink when no one else was looking, you know what I mean?” said Dave. “Eating right. Training right. Being a bit of a student of the game, watching hockey and learning. And, gosh, still learning — he’s got a lot to learn.

“No one’s ever had to push him. He pushes himself. He was just really driven to be a hockey player. That’s been his passion since he was a kid, since he was 5 or 6.”

Dad’s, too — and he made it all the way. He recalls his own long-ago introduction to the NHL.

In preparation for his first camp at 19, Dave worked his tail off, arriving at Chicago Stadium in terrific shape. Then he stepped on the ice with the likes of Denis Savard, Steve Larmer and Doug Wilson. 1188394 Carolina Hurricanes “Mike’s awesome. He’s a Hurricane. I want to see him do so well because he’s such a deserving guy and a guy everybody loves around here.”

Maniscalco, filling big shoes, gets dream call on Hurricanes TV playoff Maniscalco, whose furlough ends Monday, has been told he’s only in the broadcasts chair for the duration of the playoffs. The Hurricanes haven’t decided what they’ll do if and when the 2020-21 season is played, although certainly Maniscalco would be expected to remain in the role if this goes BY LUKE DECOCK JULY 16, 2020 02:44 PM well.

“Our decision has been just for these playoffs at this point,” Hurricanes general manager Don Waddell said. “I like the team we’ve put together.” This isn’t how Mike Maniscalco imagined getting the job, but it’s still the job he always dreamed about getting. The longtime sideline reporter for So Maniscalco is approaching this as an audition, a chance to show what Carolina Hurricanes broadcasts on Fox Sports Carolinas will take over he can do in the job he’s always wanted, one previously held by a future the play-by-play chair for next month’s playoffs, one recently vacated by Hall of Famer in Forslund and a current Hall of Famer in former radio his friend and mentor John Forslund. voice Chuck Kaiton.

“It’s bittersweet,” Maniscalco said Thursday. “That’s the only word I can “This organization has such a tremendous history of play-by-play voices,” use.” Mansicalco said. “I just want to honor that.”

The team announced Thursday that Maniscalco and analyst Tripp Tracy News Observer LOADED: 07.17.2020 will call the Hurricanes’ qualifying-round games against the New York Rangers starting August 1, as well as the July 29 exhibition game against the Washington Capitals, all played in the NHL’s Eastern Conference coronavirus bubble in Toronto.

Maniscalco and Tracy will be here, calling the games off a monitor, as if taking over for Forslund — who will be freelancing for NBC during the playoffs after turning down the Hurricanes’ offer of a pay cut — wasn’t going to be tough enough.

“On the one side, I wish the circumstances were completely different,” Maniscalco said. “But on the other side, it’s an opportunity, and we’ll see what happens and I’ll do my best and make the most of it and we’ll see how things play out.”

Even under the best of circumstances, these would be difficult shoes to fill. There were others with more hockey play-by-play experience available, including former broadcaster Jason Shaya, a frequent Forslund fill-in when he was on NBC duty. Maniscalco is fully aware of the intense scrutiny he would face even in a normal transition.

But Forslund’s forced departure only makes it tougher, especially since the Hurricanes have publicly, if only technically, left the door open for his return. (The two sides haven’t negotiated since Forslund’s contract expired at the end of June.)

“I have all the respect in the world for John,” Maniscalco said. “I wish this was a different circumstance of how this opportunity came about, but he’s the best. He knows it. That’s my feeling on him. That’s where my line is drawn: If anyone asks me about it, he’s the best voice in the NHL.”

Nevertheless, it’s the culmination of a lifelong dream for Maniscalco, one that started as a student at Buffalo State and followed a long odyssey through sports radio hosting and TV reporting to get to this point only days before he turns 45.

He got a taste of it during the 2019 playoffs, when he did the Hurricanes radio broadcast with Tracy for five games that were national TV exclusives, with Forslund working for NBC. (The normal Hurricanes radio broadcast on WCMC-FM has been a simulcast of the TV broadcast for the past two seasons.)

“Just to have this opportunity, and have it in the playoffs, where the games mean so much and people do hang on the calls of the games, I know there’s going to be pressure,” Maniscalco said. “And I know who I’m not.”

Maniscalco has served as the sideline reporter for FS Carolinas for four seasons and was the host of the pregame and postgame radio shows for nine years before that, so he’s a familiar face to players, coaches and fans alike — and many of the latter reached out last fall when Maniscalco was sidelined with a benign tumor in his abdomen. (He passed his six- month checkup a few weeks ago.)

Former Hurricanes forward Shane Willis will return on the pregame and postgame shows, with arena host Abby Labar taking over for Maniscalco in the other chair.

“Johnny’s been great. We love him,” Hurricanes coach Rod Brind’Amour said Thursday. “A huge part of the history of this group. Tripp and him are special, a part of what this team has been about for a long time, and represent us really well. So that’s tough to hear. ... 1188395 Carolina Hurricanes Niederreiter, Martin Necas and either Morgan Geekie or Ryan Dzingel, with defensemen Sami Vatanen and Jake Gardiner alternating.

Skjei has been paired with Vatanen, another Feb. 24 trade pickup, during Traded by the Rangers, Canes defenseman Brady Skjei isn’t lacking camp and the two appear to be the second D pairing begin Jaccob Slavin motivation and Hamilton. Brind’Amour still has time to watch and mull it over with eight NHL defensemen in camp, but it is a solid pair — Skjei a left- handed shooter and Vatanen a right shot. BY CHIP ALEXANDER “We have a good group here and everybody is pushing each other,” Vatanen said. “It’s a good battle for everybody.”

Brady Skjei once envisioned a long career with the New York Rangers Skjei expects the competition in camp to remain stiff. Everyone wants to and enjoyed being a part of the Broadway scene. play, especially in what will be a unique, if historic postseason.

Now, he’d like nothing better than to beat the Rangers, close ‘em down. “Going into these playoffs and not knowing what’s going to happen, with injuries, with COVID, we’re very comfortable with our D corps,” Skjei “I have a ton of motivation,” the Carolina Hurricanes defenseman said said. “We think any player can play any night and play a big role.” Thursday in a Zoom media call. Especially one with a chip on his shoulder. Skeji signed a six-year, $31.5 million contract with the Rangers on July 28, 2018. The defenseman was popular with his teammates, liked News Observer LOADED: 07.17.2020 playing at Madison Square Garden and wanted to help the Rangers contend for a Stanley Cup.

And then he was traded.

On Feb. 24, Skjei was dealt to the Hurricanes in exchange for a conditional 2020 first-round draft pick. Say goodbye to Broadway. He quickly moved to Raleigh to play for his new team, leaving his girlfriend, Gracia, a nurse at a New York hospital.

For seven games. On March 12, Skjei was with the Canes in New Jersey when the NHL postponed the season because of the coronavirus pandemic There was much on his mind, especially with his girlfriend working in what was then one of the country’s biggest hot spots for the virus.

“The first month it was pretty wild in New York,” Skjei said. “The hospital did a great job of keeping the nurses safe. A ton of credit to her and all her co-workers for what they’re doing during this time.”

Skjei, 26, said he soon was back in New York in an apartment that had been newly renovated, unsure what was next for hockey. But the NHL made the decision to try and complete the 2019-20 season and crown a Stanley Cup champion. And wouldn’t you know it, the Hurricanes were matched up against the Rangers in a best-of-five qualifying round that begins Aug. 1 in Toronto.

“I think it will be a little different but I can tell you I’m really excited and really looking forward to it,” Skjei said. “I really enjoyed my time in New York and I loved every part of it. But now I have a ton of motivation, a little chip on my shoulder, going into this playoff series.”

The Canes were swept by the Rangers in the regular season, losing four times, and it was the Rangers’ best skill guys — forwards Mika Zibanejad and Artemi Panarin, to name two — who did the most offensive damage. The Canes have the experience of playing the Rangers and plenty of video, but they now have Skjei, an insider, someone who played more than 300 games for New York.

“These two teams see each other enough that they know each guy’s game,” Skjei said. “Obviously I probably know each guy’s game a little better than these guys (Canes teammates). We’ll definitely give some inside scoops and try to give us the best chance to win.”

Canes coach Rod Brind’Amour is counting on it. Nothing like having a player who is well-versed in the systems of Rangers coach David Quinn and has insights into the preferences or weakness of individual players.

“I don’t want to give away too much but we’ve talked to Brady a little bit,” Brind’Amour said in Thursday’s media call. “We’ll definitely use him as a resource here as we start dialing up more talking about our opponent. Starting next week we’ll definitely pick his brain because he was just there, he’s been in their system a long time. It’s in the works.”

After four days of training camp, Brind’Amour planned to give the players Friday off, go back on the ice Saturday and Sunday at PNC Arena, then have another off day on Monday.

The Canes spent part of Thursday’s practice working on special teams. One power-play unit had forwards Sebastian Aho, Teuvo Teravainen, Andrei Svechnikov and Justin Williams along with defenseman Dougie Hamilton. A second unit had forwards Vincent Trocheck, Nino 1188396 Carolina Hurricanes

‘This is not my wish’: John Forslund disappointed by separation from Hurricanes

By Sara Civian Jul 16, 2020

This week, for the first time in franchise history, the Hurricanes began a training camp without play-by-play announcer John Forslund.

“More or less, reality set in,” Forslund told The Athletic Thursday afternoon. “This was not my wish. I should be there and I would be there, but I’m not there.”

Forslund and color commentator Tripp Tracy’s one-year contracts expired July 1, and negotiations amid the COVID-19 crisis and an uncertain sports landscape were tense from the start. The Hurricanes offered both broadcasters new contracts that would make them independent contractors with a base stipend and a bonus scale directly tied to attendance.

After weeks of “leaving the door open,” — a phrase the Hurricanes kept using to describe contract talks with Forslund, who had moved with the team from Hartford to the Carolinas — the sides weren’t able to reach an agreement in time for the upcoming playoffs.

“We’re not negotiating anything right now, but we’ll get through this and see where we go,” GM Don Waddell said on Saturday.

Though the Hurricanes said the door is still open as recently as last Friday, Forslund doesn’t want to give fans any false hope that he’ll be walking through it.

“(Waddell) has said (the Canes are ‘leaving the door open’) multiple times and I appreciate it,” Forslund said. “That’s nice of him to say. But what does that really mean, though? There’s no dialogue. I would never look at a statement like that and scoff at it, but I want the reality to be there too, of, there isn’t anything happening. I don’t want any false pretense or anything like that with the fans. There’s nothing happening between myself and the team. And until that happens — or if it never happens that’s understandable — then I have to deal with the reality of being free for the first time in my career. It’s the first time in my career I’ve been in a position like this. I’m not really good at it.”

Forslund, who has made recurring national appearances, will freelance for NBC in the playoffs. He doesn’t have his schedule yet, but since he’s covering the Eastern Conference there’s a chance he could be assigned a Canes series.

He leaves for the Toronto bubble next week, while a familiar crew of Mike Maniscalco (play-by-play), Tracy (color), Abby Labar (host) and Shane Willis (host) will cover the qualifying round for FOX Sports Carolinas.

“They have an opportunity now to extend the story of what was a very good season,” Forslund said. “This is a tough circumstance, but they’re all going to do great with it.”

Tracy will be without Forslund for the first time in his career, but he couldn’t be happier with the selection of Maniscalco. He hopes familiarity will make it easier on the fanbase.

“These are the definition of colossal shoes to fill, but Mike is the one person who has a chance,” Tracy said. “Our fanbase can tell he is authentic. Our fanbase loves him. Even though the boys will all be in a bubble, those guys would run through a wall for him.”

Forslund said he has seen fans’ well-wishes, by the way, and he’s overwhelmed with gratitude.

“I want to say how appreciative I am of all of that,” he said. “There will be a time I can address that the right way, but I see every bit of it, appreciate every ounce of it. It makes me feel like what I did here was meaningful, had an impact. I hope it would have but you just never know until something like this happens, unfortunately.”

He paused, and reiterated the hardest part of a hard situation.

“This is not a situation of me leaving on my own accord.”

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Chicago Blackhawks finalize Ian Mitchell’s 3-year deal that runs through 2022-23 and sign Pius Suter and Wyatt Kalynuk

By PAUL SULLIVAN CHICAGO TRIBUNE | JUL 16, 2020 AT 11:01 AM

The Chicago Blackhawks on Thursday officially signed Ian Mitchell to a three-year deal that runs through the 2022-23 season.

Mitchell, a second-round pick in 2017 out of Denver, carried a cap hit of $925,000. The 21-year-old defenseman was named a first-team All- American and first-team All-National Collegiate Hockey Conference this season. He was sixth among NCAA defensemen with 32 points this season, including 10 goals, and was named a finalist for NCHC Offensive Defenseman of the Year.

Mitchell had the option to sign this season and become a restricted free agent after 2021-22 but decided to delay the start of his pro career until next season. The signing was not a surprise, but the start date was up in the air until now.

“Unfortunately, he’s not eligible to play for us (now), which would’ve been nice,” general manager Stan Bowman said Monday during a teleconference.

The Hawks also agreed to terms on a one-year deal with Swiss forward Pius Suter for 2020-21 and a two-year deal with Wisconsin defenseman Wyatt Kalynuk that runs through 2021-22. Both carry a cap hit of $925,000.

Suter, 24, played for Switzerland in the 2018 Olympics, while the 23- year-old Kalynuk was an All-Big Ten defenseman last year.

The Hawks have an off-day as they prepare for their play-in series against the Oilers, which begins Aug. 1 in Edmonton.

Chicago Tribune LOADED: 07.17.2020 1188398 Chicago Blackhawks NOTE: Defenseman Dennis Gilbert announced he’s missing the NHL restart because of a wrist injury that will require surgery. He appeared in 21 regular-season games for the Hawks but wasn’t included on their Blackhawks sign Ian Mitchell, 2 free agents to contracts starting next camp roster, which previously seemed strange. season Chicago Sun Times LOADED: 07.17.2020 Mitchell, the Hawks’ top prospect, unofficially signed in April, but the start season of his contract had yet to be determined.

By Ben Pope Jul 16, 2020, 11:21am CDT

The Blackhawks announced a trio of signings Thursday — including top prospect Ian Mitchell after a prolonged process.

Mitchell, a defenseman, will officially join the Hawks at the start of the 2020-21 season, and his three-year entry-level contract will last through the 2022-23 season.

The NHL made all players signed after March 12 — the date the season stopped because of the coronavirus — ineligible to compete in the restarted playoffs this summer. However, players could still sign and then effectively burn one of their three years just to practice with their new team for a few weeks — an option the Wild’s top prospect, Kirill Kaprizov, chose when he signed earlier this week.

By contrast, the Hawks will end up getting a third year of Mitchell at a cheap $925,000 cap hit, which could be invaluable in a stagnant era for the NHL salary cap.

The decision concludes a long saga around signing Mitchell that dates back to last summer, when Mitchell rejected general manager Stan Bowman’s signing attempt in order to return for his junior year at Denver University. Mitchell, 21, was unofficially signed in April, but the contract couldn’t be filed without a start date.

Mitchell was one of the best players in college hockey each of the last two seasons and projects as a top-four defenseman at the NHL level, a role he could step into as soon as November.

The Hawks also signed two free agents — Wyatt Kalynuk, another college hockey product, and Pius Suter, a European league import.

Suter’s addition marks the second straight year the Hawks landed the top scorer in Switzer-land’s National League. And if Suter, 24, has a debut season anything like his predecessor’s, Calder Trophy finalist Dominik Kubalik, he’ll be a smash hit. He comes to Chicago after five consecutive years with Zurich SC. He ripped off 30 goals and 53 points in 50 games this past season, shattering his previous career high of 39 points.

He’s a bit undersized at 5-11, 170 pounds, but he makes up for that in creativity.

“After leading the league in goals and points in Switzerland, it’s time for the next step,” said Georges Muller, Suter’s agent. “At the end, it was tight decision between two organizations. We believe he fits best into the Blackhawks. They have proven many times that they are successful in integrating European undrafted players.”

Muller also noted that Hawks assistant coach has an existing relationship with Suter that helped influence the decision.

Suter’s path in North America could vary from resembling Kubalik’s on the high end to Anton Wedin’s on the low end (Wedin couldn’t break out of the AHL all year and returned to Sweden in May). But such is the nature of all European imports. The Hawks will surely be optimistic about Suter, whose one-year contract will make him a restricted free agent next offseason.

Bowman also added 21-year-old University of Wisconsin product Kalynuk, a defenseman who scored 28 points in 36 games as the Badgers’ captain this past season.

Kalynuk was a seventh-round pick by the Flyers in 2017, but they let his rights expire last month. He’ll almost certainly need time to develop in the AHL before the Hawks give him a big-league look. He’s signed to a two- year contract.

The announcements came as the Hawks took a day off from on-ice workouts after three consecutive days of practice to begin training camp. They’ll practice again Friday, their fourth of 12 before departing for Edmonton on July 26. 1188399 Chicago Blackhawks

Colliton hopes intense practices pay big dividends vs. Oilers

John Dietz

It's been an intense, frenetic first week of training camp for the Blackhawks as they prepare to face the Edmonton Oilers in a play-in series that begins August 1.

Practices are chock full of fast-paced drills and bag skates that have left nearly every player gasping for air by the time the hour is over.

Wednesday's session included a 25-minute scrimmage that featured a pair of goals by Dylan Strome, another by Drake Caggiula and 3 impressive saves by goalie Colin Delia.

Malcolm Subban also impressed, stopping a one-timer by Chad Krys and a breakaway chance by Brandon Saad.

"I've been really impressed and pleased with the intensity that our guys have shown and the work ethic," said coach , who gave his team Thursday off. "We've had three pretty hard days. ... We're trying to put ourselves in the best position to be prepared when the puck drops for Game 1, and I think so far we've done that."

As might be expected, there were plenty of hiccups. Passing was sloppy at times and some players were taking unnecessary/dangerous chances.

Before the opener at Edmonton, the Hawks will face the defending champion St. Louis Blues in an exhibition game. Puck drop is scheduled for 5:30 p.m. July 29.

"They're a really good team and it's gonna help us get ready right off the bat," said forward Alex DeBrincat, who has been placed on the top line with Jonathan Toews and Brandon Saad. "(These) three weeks we're trying to get ready for playoffs and that's a hard pace. I think St. Louis plays a hard game, so that should be good for us."

Colliton has consistently rolled out the same forward lines thus far. The others have Dylan Strome centering Patrick Kane and Alex Nylander; Kirby Dach centering Dominik Kubalik and Drake Caggiula; and David Kampf centering Ryan Carpenter, Matthew Highmore. Philip Kurashev has rotated in on the fourth line.

The 'D' pairings figure to be Adam Boqvist and Duncan Keith; Calvin de Haan and Connor Murphy; Olli Maatta and Slater Koekkoek.

The wild card is obviously Brent Seabrook. If he shows enough, he would probably slot in on the third pairing for Koekkoek.

Signings

The Blackhawks made the Ian Mitchell signing official Thursday. The 21- year-old defenseman inked a three-year deal ($925,000 salary cap hit) that runs through the 2022-23 season.

The Hawks also signed forward Pius Suter to a one-year, $925,000 deal and defenseman Wyatt Kalynuk to a two-year, $1.85 million deal.

Suter, 24, was MVP of Switzerland's National League-A last season where he recorded a league-best and career-high 53 points (30G, 23A) in 50 games.

Kalynuk, 23, was captain of the Wisconsin Badgers last year and recorded a career-high 28 points (7G, 21A) in 36 games. He was originally a seventh-round pick of the Flyers in 2017.

Gilbert announcement:

Defenseman Dennis Gilbert went on Twitter on Thursday and announced that he is not participating in the NHL restart due to a wrist injury that will require surgery. Gilbert played 21 games for the Hawks and 30 for Rockford this season.

Daily Herald Times LOADED: 07.17.2020 1188400 Chicago Blackhawks "He's an offensive player and when you don't score, it wears on you. but I feel great about his game going forward. We'll see the benefit of those bounces evening out.

Can DeBrincat rediscover his scoring touch? "Hopefully it happens this playoff."

Daily Herald Times LOADED: 07.17.2020 John Dietz

If the Blackhawks have any chance of upsetting the Edmonton Oilers next month, it goes without saying they're going to need contributions from Patrick Kane, Jonathan Toews, Brandon Saad, Dominik Kubalik, Duncan Keith and Connor Murphy.

It will also be a big plus if Kirby Dach, Alex Nylander and Adam Boqvist can take their games to the next level.

Of everyone on the roster, however, it may be most imperative that Alex DeBrincat rediscover his scoring touch when the puck drops for the best- of-five series on August 1.

DeBrincat, who was coming off a 41-goal campaign, managed just 18 goals in 70 games in 2019-20. Only 8 of those scores came at even strength. (The year before that numbers was 28).

He also scored multiple goals just twice -- and those didn't come until Games 61 and 67.

It was the roughest of his three pro seasons, and for multiple reasons.

• His confidence took a hit early on when too many shots flew off target. Just 5 of 77 attempts (6.5%) found the back of the net in the first 27 games.

• Admittedly second-guessing himself in November, DeBrincat started whiffing or misfiring on power-play one-timers and fumbling the puck at times in all zones.

• Always a shoot-first player, DeBrincat actually began hesitating to fire the puck on net.

"I feel like at the beginning of the season I wasn't really playing the game I'm used to," DeBrincat told me in late November. "I don't think I was playing well at all. I was a little panicked with it and then I started holding onto it a little bit longer."

With time, of course, comes perspective. Given a four-month break due to the coronavirus pandemic, DeBrincat was able to go back and watch some of his performances.

And what he saw gave him plenty of reasons to believe he can be a difference maker against Edmonton.

"The points and goals didn't necessarily come, but I felt like I still brought a lot to the table," said DeBrincat, who has been skating on the top line with Toews and Saad during this second training camp at Fifth Third Arena.

"Obviously I had some bad games. But overall it wasn't as bad as I had in my mind. When you go back and watch games, I did a lot of good things.

"It was a little bit different for me mentally ... trying to get over not scoring as much and things not going my way. This past season's going to be big for me in my development, and hopefully I can come out here and get hot right off the bat."

That would obviously be a huge coup for the Hawks, who face long odds if Corey Crawford is unable to face Connor McDavid, Leon Draisaitl and the rest of the Oilers.

Once part of DeBrincat's game that definitely improved was his passing as he dished out 21 assists during one 42-game stretch. He also plays solid defense for an undersized forward.

All in all, coach Jeremy Colliton remains pleased expects the 22-year- old's scoring touch to eventually return.

"When ... you start to build packages to show our guys how we want to play, he's all over those packages," Collitons aid. "I often see he's an example when we're showing the team: 'This is how it should be done.' We've tried to communicate that with him; make him feel better about himself. 1188401 Chicago Blackhawks

D Mitchell to wait until next year to join Blackhawks

Associated Press Updated 7/16/2020 12:30 PM

CHICAGO -- Ian Mitchell will have to wait until next season to join the Chicago Blackhawks.

The 21-year-old Mitchell, one of the organization's top prospects, agreed to a three-year contract in April. But there was some question about when the defenseman's entry-level deal might begin.

Mitchell is ineligible for the resumption of the NHL season, and the team announced Thursday it had finalized a contract with the former University of Denver star that begins with the 2020-21 season rather than burns a year right now so he can practice with the team.

The Blackhawks face Edmonton in Game 1 of the qualifying round on Aug. 1.

The team also announced it had agreed to a two-year contract with defenseman Wyatt Kalynuk and a one-year deal with forward Pius Suter. The deals for Mitchell, Kalynuk and Suter each carry a $925,000 salary- cap hit per season.

Mitchell was selected by the Blackhawks in the second round of the 2017 draft. He was a first-team All-American during his junior year at Denver, collecting 10 goals and 22 assists during the regular season. He also served as team captain.

He finished his career with the Pioneers with 18 goals and 71 assists in 116 games.

Mitchell and Kalynuk join a promising group of young defensemen that includes 19-year-old Adam Boqvist, a first-round pick in the 2018 draft. Nicolas Beaudin, who doesn't turn 21 until October, also could be a factor as soon as next season.

The 23-year-old Kalynuk had a career-high 28 points in 36 games during his junior season at the University of Wisconsin, finishing with seven goals and 21 assists. He also served as a team captain with the Badgers.

Kalynuk was originally selected by Philadelphia in the seventh round of the 2017 NHL draft.

Suter, 24, won the MVP award for Switzerland's National League-A last season, collecting 30 goals and 23 assists in 50 games for the ZSC Lions.

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Rogers Place, Blackhawks' qualifier venue, experiences flooding

By Scott King July 16, 2020 8:15 PM

On Thursday evening, a video surfaced on Twitter appearing to show substantial flooding in Rogers Place Arena, one of two hub arenas for the NHL's Return To Play featuring a 24-team playoff.

Oh no. The @IceDistrict is melting.

This is the south entrance of @RogersPlace in #Edmonton during another rain storm.

We have had so much rain this summer. pic.twitter.com/392RB0yYDR

— Paul Almeida (@AzorcanGlobal) July 17, 2020

Rogers Place issued the following statement on Twitter shortly after the video was posted, confirming the flood was in the building:

"A significant storm came through #yeg earlier this evening. As a result, #RogersPlace has suffered some water damage to the terminus of Ford Hall, along with some smaller leaks in other parts of the building.

"We are assessing the damage & at this time are confident that it will not hamper our planning & preparation & we will be ready to host the return of @NHL hockey as hub city. We will share more information as it becomes available."

The first NHL event the venue is scheduled to host is an exhibition game between the Oilers and Calgary Flames on July 28. Following the exhibition contest, the Oilers are slated to take on the Chicago Blackhawks in a best-of-five play-in series on home ice — with the winner advancing to the first round — beginning Aug. 1.

The league had previously announced Rogers Place would be the host of the Conference Finals and Stanley Cup Final in addition to the Stanley Cup Qualifiers, Round Robin for seeding, and the first two rounds of the playoffs.

Toronto's Scotiabank arena, home of the Maple Leafs, is the other hub for the tournament.

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Blackhawks defenseman Dennis Gilbert announces season-ending wrist injury

By Scott King July 16, 2020 5:48 PM

On Thursday, Blackhawks defenseman Dennis Gilbert announced on Twitter he had a wrist injury that would require surgery and end his season.

The statement provided clarity on why Gilbert wasn't on the Hawks' Phase 3 training camp roster and prepping for the play-in series against the Oilers on Aug. 1 with the rest of the team.

Dennis Gilbert not at Phase 3 training camp with #Blackhawks due to a wrist injury that will require surgery. https://t.co/lFKl8UZN9K

— Scott King (@ScottKingMedia) July 16, 2020

Also in the tweet, Gilbert said he discovered the injury during the NHL pause, which began on March 12 due to the COVID-19 pandemic.

Related: Why Patrick Kane, Blackhawks will want to play with Wyatt Kalynuk

The blueliner said he plans on joining the team next season.

Gilbert had three points (one goal, two assists) and a +/- rating of -8 in 21 games with the Hawks this season.

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Who is Pius Suter and where does he fit into Blackhawks’ plans?

By Charlie Roumeliotis July 16, 2020 2:50 PM

The Blackhawks announced three signings on Thursday that included their own coveted blue line prospect Ian Mitchell and a pair of free agents in defenseman Wyatt Kalynuk and forward Pius Suter.

Mitchell, of course, is the most notable name because of how highly the organization views him. Walynuk drew attention, too, for his strong junior season at Wisconsin, where he served as the team captain. Suter’s name flew a little bit under the radar at first glance, but that’s because he got lumped into a group.

Click to download the MyTeams App for the latest Blackhawks news and analysis.

So let’s single him out because there’s a lot to like about what he could bring to the table.

Suter led all skaters in goals (30) and points (53) through 50 games last season in Switzerland's National League-A, where he was named league MVP. For reference, Dominik Kubalik registered 25 goals and 57 points in the same league prior to making the NHL jump with the Blackhawks.

Suter is 24 years old and listed as a center and left winger, so he brings some versatility up front the Blackhawks always appreciate. He's on the smaller end at 5-foot-11, 176 pounds, but is known to be an effective two-way player and can clearly produce on offense.

Suter, who signed a one-year contract that carries an average annual value of $925,000, is not eligible for the 2019-20 season resumption, but he’s expected to compete for a roster spot next season. And there’s certainly a potential role for him as a middle-six forward if he can grab it.

According to Sportsnet’s Chris Johnston, there were as many as nine NHL teams bidding for Suter’s services and the Blackhawks won out because of their successful track record with undrafted European players. But there’s also familiarity with assistant coach Marc Crawford, who was the head coach of the ZSC Lions during Suter’s rookie season in 2015-16.

The Blackhawks are going to be in a salary cap crunch for years to come, so locking up Suter for next season at a low cost is noteworthy and a big reason why the team was aggressive in their pursuit. It would be unreasonable to expect Suter to have the same Calder Trophy-type output as Kubalik in Year 1, but there’s potential for him to step in and make an impact right away.

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Blackhawks sign forward Pius Suter to one-year contract

By Scott King July 16, 2020 10:20 AM

On Thursday, the Blackhawks announced the signing of forward Pius Suter to a one-year contract for next season. He'll carry a $925,000 cap hit.

Suter — 24 and a native of Zurich, Switzerland — recorded 53 points (30 goals, 23 assists) in 50 games for ZSC Lions of Switzerland’s National League-A last season and was named league MVP.

Related: Why Patrick Kane, Blackhawks will want to play with Wyatt Kalynuk

Over five seasons with ZSC Lions, Suter recorded 168 points (81 goals, 87 assists) in 210 regular-season games, 18 points (9 goals, 9 assists) in 34 playoff contests and helped ZSC Lions to the 2017-18 NLA Championship.

He also represented Switzerland in the 2018 Winter Olympics, picking up five points (3G, 2A) in four games.

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Wyatt Kalynuk scouting report and what signing means for Blackhawks

By Charlie Roumeliotis July 16, 2020 10:05 AM

The Blackhawks have officially agreed to terms with defenseman Wyatt Kalynuk on a two-year, entry-level contract that runs through the 2021-22 season and carries an average annual value of $925,000, the team announced Thursday.

Kalynuk spent the past three seasons at Wisconsin, where he served as the team captain during his junior season and ranked second among all Big Ten skaters with 28 points (seven goals, 21 assists) in 36 games. He played in all situations for the Badgers and led the team in assists (21), unassisted goals (3) and shots on goal (112).

“He was our go-to offensive defenseman," Wisconsin head coach Tony Granato told NBC Sports Philadelphia in March. "He got the most minutes on the power play; he was the guy we wanted the puck to go through. He’s an elite offensive defenseman that has the ability to run a power play. We asked a lot of him."

Click to download the MyTeams App for the latest Blackhawks news and analysis.

Kalynuk was drafted by the Philadelphia Flyers in the seventh round (No. 196 overall) of the 2017 NHL Draft. He decided to forgo his senior year at Wisconsin but chose not to sign with the Flyers during the 30-day exclusive negotiating window, which made him an unrestricted free agent.

Kalynuk gives the Blackhawks another intriguing blue line prospect, joining a list that includes 2018 first-round picks Nicolas Beaudin and Adam Boqvist, 2017 second-round selection Ian Mitchell and 2018 third- round pick Alec Regula, who was acquired from Detroit in October and led all OHL defensemen this season with 27 goals.

The 6-foot-1, 189-pound left-handed shot defenseman isn't a slam-dunk to solidify an everyday roster position, but his path appears to be more favorable in Chicago than Philadelphia. The challenge is, the Blackhawks have five defensemen — Calvin de Haan, Duncan Keith, Connor Murphy, Olli Maatta and Brent Seabrook — under contract through at least the 2021-22 campaign, so he'll certainly have to earn his spot in the lineup.

At 23 years old, Kalynuk is ahead of the curve in his development compared to some of the other younger defensemen in the pipeline. And his game is rounding out nicely.

"The good thing about him is he knows his responsibilities defensively to take care of that end," Granato said. "So you don’t like saying offensive defenseman because a lot of times you say that and you think players that don’t take pride in the defensive part of the game. That’s certainly not the case with him.

"Defensively, his game was very solid, very responsible. He’s not an overpowering defenseman that’s going to run people over, but positionally, he’s going to be in great position, he’s smart, he makes a great first pass and I think he’s got great potential for a real high-exciting NHL career.”

Like Mitchell, Kalynuk will not be eligible for the 2019-20 resumption of play, meaning his entry-level contract will kick in next season. That benefits a team like the Blackhawks, who will be in a salary cap crunch for years to come.

Comcast SportsNet.com LOADED: 07.17.2020 1188407 Chicago Blackhawks "He's very elusive," said Granato, who was an NHL forward for 13 years. "He's a guy that I think if you look at the Blackhawks' lineup, especially the skill upfront and the forwards upfront, they need guys from the Why Patrick Kane, Blackhawks will want to play with Wyatt Kalynuk backend that can not only get them the puck, but also get up in the play with them.

"I see him as one of the players that Toews and Kane and the skill guys By Scott King July 16, 2020 12:22 PM are going to say, 'I want to be on the ice with him,' because of the way he reads the game and he's able to support the play from a defenseman's

standpoint. I think it's a great fit." After reading newly-signed Blackhawks defenseman Wyatt Kalynuk was According to Granato, Kalynuk's offensive skill set won't hurt his chances from Manitoba and hearing him described as serious and competitive, it of sticking with the Hawks either. was hard not to think of another member of the Hawks he may be sharing a locker room with soon. "His ability to get the puck through from the point, whether it be on the power play or in the offensive zone, is really innate," the coach said. "I would say that out of all the Badgers that I have interviewed, talked "He's got that ability to know how to bypass the shot blocker's lane and with and met in the last three years he seems to be the most stoic and get it through. That's a really important skill to have just from the (most) serious," Badgers rinkside reporter for Fox Sports Wisconsin Piper standpoint that the game has become a shot-block league. Shaw said of the blueliner, who spent the last three years at the University of Wisconsin. "You not only have one goalie, you have layers of shot blockers. And he has the ability at the back end to deliver the puck back to the forwards On Thursday, the Blackhawks announced that they signed Kalynuk to a and that's what forwards want, they want guys that if you get it back to two-year contract beginning next season through 2021-22. He'll carry a the point they know that either it's going to get to the net or it's going to cap hit of $925,000. get back down low. And he sees that part of the game and has a real The 6'1, 189-pound D-man chose to forego his senior year in signing with good feel for that." the Blackhawks. It's those offensive tools that have made him an effective power-play Players who signed entry-level contracts during the pause or ahead of quarterback at the college level. But, could the Hawks give him a chance the NHL's 24-team playoffs aren't eligible to participate in them. If at taking the lead on the man advantage early on? Kalynuk joined the Hawks for Phase 3 training camp, he would have "At some point," Granato said. "Again, I think that the players he's going burned the first year of a contract. to play with will determine that and if they like being on the ice with him "He's extremely hard-working and very competitive but I also always got and they like the way he gets the puck through to the net and they like the impression that he's very humble," Shaw added. "Obviously as the the way he gets the puck up on the ice in a breakout, he'll get that captain, I would do the most rinkside interviews with him typically. He's opportunity. I think those are his strengths. At this point, that's who's very hesitant to take credit for things that are going well and he's very going to dictate whether he plays or not, the guys he's playing with. quick to take the blame for things that could be going better." They're the ones that will find ways to get him on the ice and be on the ice with him." Click to download the MyTeams App for the latest Blackhawks news and analysis. Kalynuk's former coach thinks he's good to go at the NHL level whenever the Hawks want to give him the opportunity. Much like how Jonathan Toews' teammates have tried to shake the captain's 24-hour game face, Kalynuk's squad has done the same to get "I think he's ready," Granato said. "First of all, he's a smart kid. If he a glimpse of a smile. thought he needed another year to polish his skills up or needed to do something to give himself a better chance, he would have stayed in "Thinks he's Erik Karlsson and thinks Canada is good at everything," school. So I think he's ready for that. Will he need some seasoning in the Shaw recalls former Badger teammate Jack Berry saying while shooting minors? That depends on what Chicago sees in him and what they have a fun video for fans. in depth at the blue line next year. But I see him getting his opportunity and being ready for it and making the most of it. Again, I think it's a great There do seem to be some initial similarities between Toews and addition to their organization and it's a perfect fit for both sides." Kalynuk in the way they conduct themselves as well as where they're from. Take away the trophy case fighting for its life while sporting Comcast SportsNet.com LOADED: 07.17.2020 achievements from the game's highest levels, and there's one major difference between the two: Toews is a forward and Kalynuk a defenseman.

And, according to those who've watched him play for the Badgers the past three years, quite the defenseman.

As a junior, he served as the team's captain and power-play quarterback. He recorded 28 points (seven goals, 21 assists) in 36 games with the Badgers last season and was a first-team All-Big Ten selection. Additionally, the blueliner had 25 points in each of his first two seasons with Wisconsin.

The Philadelphia Flyers had selected Kalynuk in the seventh round of the 2017 NHL Draft, but he became a free agent after the Flyers failed to sign him during their period of exclusivity.

Tony Granato, whose brother Don is a former assistant coach with the Hawks, has been head coach of the Badgers since 2016. He's also been behind a decent amount of NHL benches, including the Avalanche's when he took over the team in 2008 after left.

Granato thinks the defenseman's skating ability could make him a valuable asset for the Blackhawks.

Kalynuk, coast-to-coast. @BadgerMHockey pic.twitter.com/99ZdOCkpFU

— NHL on NBC (@NHLonNBCSports) January 21, 2018 1188408 Chicago Blackhawks

Why Blackhawks' Alex Nylander is standing out in Phase 3 training camp

By Scott King July 16, 2020 7:35 AM

When forward Alex Nylander came to the Blackhawks last offseason in a trade that sent Henri Jokiharju — a young and promising defenseman for Chicago — to the Buffalo Sabres, Blackhawks fans and media were left scratching their heads.

Then, Nylander scored the Hawks' first goal of the season in their first game of the 2019-20 campaign against the Philadelphia Flyers in Prague.

Throughout the season the winger would show flashes of offensive brilliance that occasionally earned him ice time among the Blackhawks' top forwards like Patrick Kane.

Click to download the MyTeams App for the latest Blackhawks news and analysis.

But as soon as we would feel remorse for doubting the trade and his abilities, Nylander would cough up the puck or hesitate in the midst of a quality scoring chance immediately after.

The 22-year-old is using the NHL's Return To Play program as an opportunity to show growth and dependability in his game.

Nylander was one of few Hawks that regularly participated in Phase 2's small group voluntary workouts. Teammates are already noticing his game in Phase 3's training camp, which began on Monday.

Related: Why Blackhawks' Phase 3 training camp has had an extra intensity

"Nylander, I thought, looked really good. He’s quick, he’s firing the puck and he’s a lot of fun to play with," Hawks forward Dylan Strome said after Day 2's practice.

When asked about Strome's comments on Wednesday, Alex said he's confident in how he's performed in camp, but wants to reach another level for the Blackhawks' big postseason opportunity.

"I feel pretty good right now, been getting those skates in before in Phase 2 which was huge. I feel really good here in camp, but I want to be prepared because this is obviously going to be my first playoffs," Nylander said. "Like Stromer said, I started playing really well at the end of the season, especially with Stromer and Kane, good chemistry and stuff like that and kind of building on that and keep it going for the playoffs, it's going to be huge."

The Blackhawks will be playing the Oilers in a best-of-five play-in series for this year's Stanley Cup Playoffs on Aug. 1 in Edmonton. Before the qualifying round starts, the Hawks will take on the St. Louis Blues July 29 in an exhibition game.

"We have huge games there obviously and we just need to be as ready as possible," Nylander said. "It was nice to get to know (teammates) and play with them in Phase 2, so we got to know each other better off the ice and on the ice, so just keep carrying it on every day in training camp and working hard and we'll be ready for the playoffs."

Nylander had 26 points (10 goals, 16 assists) in 65 games with the Hawks before the NHL paused on March 12 due to the COVID-19 pandemic.

Comcast SportsNet.com LOADED: 07.17.2020 1188409 Chicago Blackhawks “It’s been awesome,” Alex Nylander said. “We were both here for Phase 2 and got to know him a lot more. It’s been great, being able to have him out there in practices. He’s got a huge opportunity here now and it’s 10 key observations from the first week of Blackhawks summer camp going to be a lot of fun this playoffs.”

CHECKING IN TODAY AT A COOL 97.6 DEGREES. #CHILLIN PIC.TWITTER.COM/CEGYDKQBSS By Mark Lazerus and Scott Powers Jul 16, 2020 — MARK LAZERUS (@MARKLAZERUS) JULY 15, 2020

3. Subban was Crawford’s backup when the pause happened, but the job We’re four days into this strangest of training camps, and we have a won’t be handed to him. The Blackhawks want to give Subban, Collin decent idea what the Blackhawks’ forward lineup is going to look like Delia and Kevin Lankinen looks. against the Oilers on Aug. 1. Beyond that, well, it’s anybody’s guess. So far in camp, Colliton has been rotating which goalies have practiced Here are 10 comments, concerns and key observations as we approach with the main group. Delia and Subban participated the first day, Subban the halfway point of Phase 3: and Lankinen the second day and Deila and Lankinen on the third day.

1. The story of training camp is obviously Corey Crawford’s absence. “As far as the competition, we’ve told those guys that they have some time here to prove themselves and we’ll give everyone a chance,” The Blackhawks can say very little publicly about his situation, aside from Colliton said on Wednesday. “We’ve rotated those three guys through the that he’s “unfit” to play, but the topic is on everyone else’s lips and looms first group and the plan is to continue to do that, so that everyone gets a large over the camp. shot to show themselves and for us to get a bigger picture. We already With Crawford, the Blackhawks may have a chance against the Oilers. have a small sample size, to handicap a few ice times in, we’re not going Without him, they probably don’t. to do. But I think the competition between them is going to be very interesting to watch.” We don’t know exactly why Crawford is missing from camp. He deserves his privacy, which is why the NHL has restricted the team’s ability to Blackhawks goaltending coach Jimmy Waite’s opinion will undoubtedly disclose injuries and other ailments. What we have learned is the be significant in this process. He’s been working closely with all three Blackhawks internally haven’t ruled out the possibility of him returning goalies during the practices. and playing. 4. Four months isn’t a lot of time for a veteran player. But for a 19-year- Though Crawford’s return would be beneficial for the team’s chances, the old rookie, it’s an eternity in terms of development. So maybe it shouldn’t Blackhawks do also realize he’s missing vital conditioning and training be such a surprise that Kirby Dach has been one of the most impressive time. It’s unclear how much Crawford has been working out on his own players through the first three days of summer camp. on or off the ice — he wasn’t around the practice facility for Phase 2, Heck, Jeremy Colliton was practically expecting it. either — so it’s completely possible Crawford wouldn’t be exactly “ready” when he returned. “We expected, (were) almost hoping, that he’d come and look like he took another step just by being older and with some months of training,” Like a lot of goalies, Crawford has said and shown he plays a lot better Colliton said after Wednesday’s scrimmage. “Even though they weren’t when he’s in a rhythm. Just looking back on Crawford’s quotes from the perfect conditions, he was able to put some work in and get rested training camp in September, he mentioned how it was good to have a up. It’s a long grind when you’re 18, 19 years old and going through that mixture of practices and games to get him going. This following quote is first NHL season. He’s been very noticeable with his skating and something you hear a lot from him. confidence on the puck, even more so than last year. We’re just excited “Just trying to see the puck every day and just build off that,” Crawford to see him get back into game action and we think he can be important said. for us. He provides a lot of different things both offensively and defensively. I think we’ll see more production from him as he gets older Crawford not seeing enough pucks and building off each day are and more comfortable at our level and what he can do against NHL probably the Blackhawks’ fears if he returns too late into this process. defenders. We’re excited to see how that turns out.”

2. Malcolm Subban was expected to be a tiny footnote in Blackhawks Dach always has been strong on the puck, but he seems quicker and history, acquired in the Robin Lehner trade just so there’d be someone to more aggressive, too. He sliced through the neutral zone to set up back up Crawford. When the season was paused, it appeared that scoring chances on more than a few occasions, including this give-and- Subban’s entire Blackhawks career would be the 70 seconds he saw on go with Duncan Keith that led to a Drake Caggiula goal on Wednesday. March 3, when Crawford was briefly removed from the game to be evaluated for a possible concussion. KIRBY DACH WITH A GIVE-AND-GO WITH DUNCAN KEITH THROUGH THE MIDDLE ON A RUSH THEN DRAKE CAGGIULA TAPS But as it stands now, he might be the most likely starter for Game 1 IT PAST TOMKINS FIVE-HOLE. PIC.TWITTER.COM/LWNCZHTEZT against the Oilers. — BRANDON CAIN (@BRANDONMCAIN) JULY 15, 2020 “It could end up being the opportunity of a lifetime,” he said on Wednesday. Dach spent his quarantine at his family’s home in Alberta, and was fortunate to have a fully equipped gym and a small army of coaches and Subban put up excellent numbers in the with a trainers to maximize the time off. If there’s a rookie wall, he’s long since save percentage of .917 over four seasons. But his NHL stints with the gotten over it. Bruins and Golden Knights have been subpar. He has a career save percentage of .899, and this past season, he was in the bottom-10 of the “As you get older and more mature, you’re going to feel stronger on the league with a GSAA of minus-10.63. ice,” Dach said. “That was a big thing for me during this break, was to get in the gym right away and maintain my strength and try to add some size, “The best way to describe Subban’s tenure in Las Vegas — but at the same time not take away from my on-ice game. I feel like I was inconsistent,” said The Athletic’s Golden Knights beat writer, Jesse able to accomplish that, and tweaked a couple things in my offseason, Granger. “At times, Subban can be dominant, using his stellar athleticism started working with some new people that really helped me out.” and lateral movement to completely shut opponents down. At other times he loses the puck in traffic too easily, and lets in deflating goals at the Dach should have no trouble hanging in playoff hockey. The playoff wrong time. I still believe it’s at least partially a product of irregular beard, well, that might be more of a struggle. playing time and sporadic starts. If given a chance to find a real rhythm “I’ll try one out,” he said with a sheepish grin. “I don’t know if I’ll look any he has the potential to win games in the NHL, but it’s no sure thing.” good in it. Last year in junior, I tried to and it was pretty patchy and didn’t Subban was around for Phase 2, giving him a chance to get to know look too good. But it’s part of a playoff tradition so I might as well give it a more people in the organization and to get his legs back underneath him go.” after quarantine. Even during his two weeks in Chicago in February and March, he quickly became a popular teammate. 5. Colliton has focused largely on conditioning and pace through the first McDonough “took care of them” before he was fired, according to the three days of camp. It sounds like he’s been happy with those aspects so team source. far. Interim president Danny Wirtz, whom the team source did not expect to It’s expected the Blackhawks will pick up the intensity. They held a keep the job long-term, wanted to maintain maximum flexibility should the scrimmage on Wednesday and will likely have many more when they Blackhawks decide to drastically alter their hockey operations return to the ice on Friday after a day off. It’s clear the coaches are trying department. In other words, if the Blackhawks don’t show marked to create urgency among the players, as they’ve been blowing their improvement during the 2020-21 season, there could be a house- whistles to encourage players to sprint back to the bench. cleaning in the near future.

Also in scrimmages, Colliton and his coaches will be able to focus more Bowman framed the shakeup as better positioning the Blackhawks for on systems, preparing for the Oilers and evaluating players. Colliton the future, and divvying up the numerous responsibilities of an assistant probably doesn’t have a lot of roster decisions to make, but there will be general manager. He singled out Ryan Stewart (now AGM of pro a few. scouting), Mark Eaton (AGM of player development) and Kyle Davidson (AGM of hockey administration) 6. The goalie decision(s) will be the major one for Colliton, but there’s also probably one or two to make on defense. “The three of those guys were really blossoming in their current roles and ready to do more,” Bowman said. “And we had Norm Maciver as our Part of the equation is if Calvin de Haan returns to camp. He practiced assistant GM, he’s been doing that for a number of years, and the Monday and missed the last two days of practices due to a family responsibilities of the assistant GM, they’ve been growing year after year. emergency. While de Haan is coming back from shoulder surgery, he If you look around the league, it’s not a surprise to see that most teams was penciled into a spot. He’s another player who could benefit from have two — some teams have three — assistant GMs, because those scrimmage reps. responsibilities in today’s game are expanding. We found that we put a Nicolas Beaudin has been filling de Haan’s spot on a pairing with Connor lot on Norm’s plate, and Norm’s background as an assistant coach in Murphy the last few practices. It’s unclear whether Beaudin is a Boston and (as) a successful NHL defenseman, he’s really good at placeholder for de Haan or being considered as a replacement. Carlsson identifying players. We wanted to try to give him an opportunity to do would seem like the more logical choice if de Haan doesn’t return. more of that, and take some of the responsibilities that he had and move them to some younger people, give them a bigger role in the hockey ops, Brent Seabrook being a full participant in camp means he probably has and also move Norm into a key role in player personnel, where he’s to be considered for a lineup spot, too. He’s been paired in practices with going to have a number of people who report to him and he’s responsible Carlsson on what would be considered the fourth pairing. for guiding that whole group.”

Seabrook may simply not be ready to play in NHL games yet. The fact 9. Alex DeBrincat never lost confidence as his shooting percentage he’s even competing in practices as he has been is impressive coming plummeted from 18.6 percent last season to 8.7 percent this season. off three surgeries. Still, if Seabrook feels he can and should play against Going from 41 goals in his second NHL season to just 18 in a truncated the Oilers, it won’t be an easy decision for Colliton. Ultimately Colliton will third season wasn’t what he had in mind after signing a contract likely decide what he believes is best for the Blackhawks. extension in the fall, but DeBrincat was adamant that the numbers didn’t reflect his play, that there’d be a positive regression to the mean 7. When the Blackhawks last took the ice for a true game, their power eventually. In fact, his expected goals-for percentage at 5-on-5 increased play was rolling. from 46.47 to 47.05 (per Natural Stat Trick) even though he went from 28 The Blackhawks scored two goals on three power plays against the San even-strength goals to just eight. Sometimes, the puck just doesn’t go in. Jose Sharks on March 11. You may not consider the Sharks much of a A thorough review of his film during quarantine only reinforced his challenge, but they actually had the best penalty-kill percentage during confidence. the regular season. “I think I was still getting better,” DeBrincat said. “I think the points and A couple key elements to the Blackhawks’ power play success that game goals didn’t necessarily come, but I felt like I still brought a lot to the were getting shots from the point and having a net-front presence. table. I had a little time to reflect. Obviously, I had some bad games, but Duncan Keith scored the first power-play goal from the point while Dach overall, I think it wasn’t as bad as I had in my mind, or when you go back was at the net. The second goal was Alex DeBrincat feeding Patrick and watch games. I think I did a lot of good things. It was a little bit Kane in transition. different for me mentally, trying to get over that not-scoring-as-much, and Back to that first goal — the Blackhawks struggled this season to get things not going my way. This past season’s going to be big for me and enough shots off from the point and then have someone effectively my development and hopefully I can come out here and get hot right off screen the goalie. Erik Gustafsson couldn’t recapture his magic of a the bat.” season ago, and Andrew Shaw’s extended absence gave them few net- Colliton wasn’t worried about his 22-year-old sniper, either. front options. It’s where the Blackhawks missed Artem Anisimov the most this season. “A lot of it comes down to (the fact) he didn’t convert on chances like he did in the past, whether that’s a puck hitting post and out instead of post Colliton is hopeful Dach will fill the net-front role and Keith can continue to post and in,” Colliton said. “And it’s that confidence you feel when you to be aggressive at the point. The future power-play quarterback is Adam do score — puck goes off you, goes off a stick and in — he didn’t have Boqvist, but Keith seems best suited now. Keith was influencing the as many of those situations. When I look at how he played, we’re power play late in the season. He has two goals and five assists from the pleased with his game, particularly with the puck. … He’s all over as far power play in his last 10 games before the pause. as doing the right thing. This is how it should be done. We’ve tried to From what the Blackhawks have shown in practice so far, it appears the communicate that with him, help him feel better about himself. He’s an first unit will be Keith, Kane, Jonathan Toews, Dominik Kubalik and Dach. offensive player and when you don’t score, it wears on you. but I feel The second unit will be Boqvist, DeBrincat, Nylander, Brandon Saad and great about his game going forward. We’ll see the benefit of those Dylan Strome. bounces evening out, hopefully it happens this playoff.”

LANKINEN AND SUBBAN ARE THE FIRST GOALIES OUT FOR 10. Dennis Gilbert was expected to be among the camp participants, but PRACTICE. HERE’S VIDEO OF LANKINEN: he wasn’t able to attend because of an upper-body injury, according to a PIC.TWITTER.COM/SPPYV6C2NS source. It appears that opening allowed Alec Regula or Chad Krys to be included in the camp. — SCOTT POWERS (@BYSCOTTPOWERS) JULY 14, 2020 The Athletic LOADED: 07.17.2020 8. One interesting aspect of the Blackhawks’ recent front-office shakeup is that, according to a team source, nearly everyone in the front office is on a one-year contract, including Norm Maciver, who went from the inner circle as assistant general manager to vice president of player personnel. General manager Stan Bowman and senior vice president of hockey operations Al MacIsaac are on multi-year deals, as former president John 1188410 Colorado Avalanche

Avalanche gets taste of what’s to come in scrimmages inside empty Pepsi Center

The Avs will play before 18,500 empty seats at Rogers Place in Edmonton

By MIKE CHAMBERS | July 16, 2020 at 4:52 p.m.

The Avalanche got a taste on Thursday of what it might feel like early next month when the Western Conference playoffs unfold before no fans at 18,500-seat Rogers Place in Edmonton.

For the first time since NHL training camps opened Monday, the Avs held a full-fledged intrasquad scrimmage inside an empty Pepsi Center.

“Obviously, it’s quiet, but you don’t expect much more out of a scrimmage,” Avs captain Gabe Landeskog said on a Zoom call after the hourlong Burgundy vs. White affair. “It will be different, no doubt, and we’ve known that the whole time — it will be very different.

“I’ve said this before and I’ll keep saying it: Nothing else in this world is what it used to be, so why should the Stanley Cup playoffs be any different? We’re just going to have to get used to the new normal and make the most of it.”

Landeskog played left wing on White’s top line, with center Nazem Kadri and right winger Valeri Nichushkin. They often went head-to-head with Burgundy’s top line featuring center Nathan MacKinnon and wingers Andre Burakovsky and Mikko Rantanen. MacKinnon scored a fancy goal on a breakaway but White got goals from defensemen Erik Johnson and Ian Cole in an otherwise close matchup.

“It’s obviously a little strange having so many seats and nobody in them,” Cole said afterward. “But I think everybody is aware of the situation and do the best they can as far as trying to put a good product out there, regardless of how many people are in the stands, regardless of how many people are watching or cheering us on (on television).

“There are some times during the season, especially at some different buildings around the league, where you kind of have to make your own energy. And this is certainly going to be one of those times to the nth degree. This is going to be very new to us, but I think something that you can deal with it and create your own energy to gain that advantage.”

Reporters and the Zamboni crew from the lower level of the arena could hear just about everything players and coaches were saying during the scrimmage. Without fans, the opposing team and the television microphones are bound to pick up much more verbal interaction.

The question is, might Avs coach ask his players to limit on-ice conversations because, without fans, they will be so easily heard by the opponent?

Bednar said that’s an emphatic “no.” Young players in squirts and peewees are taught to call for the puck, to tell a teammate if he has time and space, to rim the puck out of danger. And without fans at the highest level, that should not change.

“To me, it eliminates confusion,” Bednar said of talkative on-ice teams. “It helps everything get sorted out on the defensive side of the puck. Offensively, it helps you play faster. We’ve been trying to get our team to be more vocal, more confident, and give more help to their teammates for a number of years now.

“We’ve improved dramatically in that area and now I noticed, after the break, we’ve regressed back. We have to get them back talking again. We’re going to be pushing that. Already started today. Hopefully, our guys continue to improve and get back to where they were and even move past that.”

Footnotes. Rookie Shane Bowers took a high stick to the face and did not complete the scrimmage, which featured goalies Pavel Francouz (White) and Philipp Gruabuer (Burgundy). … Bednar said his club will take Friday off and return to camp Saturday.

Denver Post: LOADED: 07.17.2020 1188411 Colorado Avalanche

Avalanche star Nathan MacKinnon named finalist for Lady Byng Trophy

By MATT SCHUBERT | PUBLISHED: July 16, 2020 at 11:09 a.m. | UPDATED: July 16, 2020 at 11:09 a.m.

For the second time this week, Avalanche forward Nathan MacKinnon was named a finalist for a prestigious NHL award.

On Thursday, it was for the Lady Byng, which is awarded by the National Hockey Writers’ Association “to the player adjudged to have exhibited the best type of sportsmanship and gentlemanly conduct combined with a high standard of playing ability.”

Earlier in the week, MacKinnon was named a finalist for the Ted Lindsay Award, given to “the most outstanding player” by NHL players.

The 24-year-old had 36 goals and 58 assists for 93 points during the 2019-20 regular season, ranking in the top 10 in all three categories. He did so while getting whistled for just 12 penalty minutes, which is the second-fewest among the NHL’s top 25 scorers.

Other finalists for the Lady Byng include Toronto forward Auston Matthews and former Avs star Ryan O’Reilly, now with St. Louis.

Two other Avs have previously won the Lady Byng: O’Reilly in 2013-14 and Joe Sakic in 2000-01.

Denver Post: LOADED: 07.17.2020 1188412 Colorado Avalanche

Nathan MacKinnon’s Lady Byng nomination impresses former Avalanche teammate Ryan O’Reilly

By Aarif Deen - July 16, 2020

The last time an Avalanche player won the Lady Byng Trophy was in 2013-14 when Ryan O’Reilly finished the season with two penalty minutes (PIM) in 80 games.

The award, given to the player “adjudged to have exhibited the best type of sportsmanship and gentlemanly conduct combined with a high standard of playing ability,” is often given to a star forward that records a lot of points and minimal PIM’s.

Superstar center and first-time Lady Byng nominee Nathan MacKinnon’s 93 points in 2019-20 led the Avalanche in scoring for the fourth consecutive season. But this year the 24-year-old did it while spending little time in the penalty box. His 12 PIM’s were the lowest in his seven- year career and just two more than O’Reilly and four greater than the third finalist announced Thursday, Auston Matthews.

While O’Reilly and Matthews have consistently had low PIM totals on a yearly basis, MacKinnon made it a priority this year to stay out of the box. The feat may not come as a surprise to him, but for a former teammate that has seen the intensity MacKinnon plays with, it was both surprising and worthy of a chuckle.

“I was a little surprised to see his penalty minutes this year,” O’Reilly said with a smirk on a Zoom call. “Playing with him, sometimes you could see he gets a little mad. I was very impressed with him with having that few and being that disciplined he’s definitely come a long way.”

Now with the St. Louis Blues, O’Reilly — the reigning Conn Smythe Trophy winner — says he always knew MacKinnon would be a special player.

“The first time I ever skated with him it was just, you could just see there was something that was different than most guys in the NHL,” O’Reilly said of his former teammate, who was absent from the call. “His control, what he could do at the speed he’s at. It was so impressive.”

O’Reilly and MacKinnon were both a part of the surprising 2013-14 Avalanche team that rolled through the regular season, winning 52 games, before falling in overtime of Game 7 in the first round against Minnesota.

While O’Reilly won the Lady Byng that season, MacKinnon was named the Calder Trophy winner as the NHL’s rookie of the year. And ever since then he has elevated his game to be one of the best in the NHL. MacKinnon was nominated for the Ted Lindsay Award on Tuesday and is in contention for the Hart Trophy, which will be announced Tuesday.

“It’s great seeing how hard he’s worked to just keep growing his game and getting better and better as he’s progressed along these past years to being one of, if not the most dominant player in the game,” O’Reilly said. “It’s definitely very impressive but he’s a guy that worked for it.” milehighsports.com LOADED: 07.17.2020 1188413 Colorado Avalanche of the New York Rangers won the award seven times in eight seasons, he was given the trophy to keep and Lady Byng donated another trophy in 1936. After Lady Byng’s death in 1949, the NHL presented a new Nathan MacKinnon named finalist for Lady Byng Trophy trophy, changing the name to the Lady Byng Memorial Trophy.

Announcement Schedule

By MHS Staff - July 16, 2020 The three finalists for 2020 NHL Awards are being announced through Tuesday, July 21. The series of announcements continues Friday, July 17, when the three finalists for the Vezina Trophy and Willie O’Ree Community Hero Award will be unveiled. NEW YORK (July 16, 2020) – Colorado Avalanche center Nathan MacKinnon, Toronto Maple Leafs center Auston Matthews and St. Louis milehighsports.com LOADED: 07.17.2020 Blues center Ryan O’Reilly are the three finalists for the 2019-20 Lady Byng Memorial Trophy, awarded “to the player adjudged to have exhibited the best type of sportsmanship and gentlemanly conduct combined with a high standard of playing ability,” the announced today.

Members of the Professional Hockey Writers Association submitted ballots for the Lady Byng Trophy after the conclusion of the regular season, with the top three vote-getters designated as finalists. The winner will be revealed during the Conference Finals, with the exact date, format and time to be determined.

Following are the finalists for the Lady Byng Trophy, in alphabetical order:

Nathan MacKinnon, C, Colorado Avalanche

MacKinnon ranked fifth in the NHL with 35-58—93 in 69 games, 43 points more than his next-closest teammate, to lead the Avalanche into the playoffs for the third consecutive season. He also placed among the top 10 in the League in power-play points (4th; 31), assists (6th; 58), power-play goals (t-6th; 12), goals (9th; 35) and power-play assists (t- 10th; 19), while topping the NHL in shots on goal (318). MacKinnon did so while registering a career-low 12 penalty minutes, the second-fewest among the League’s top 25 scorers; no other NHL forward averaged more time on ice (21:13) in 2019-20 while taking fewer penalties. The 24- year-old Halifax, N.S., native – who earlier this week was named a 2019- 20 Ted Lindsay Award finalist – is a Lady Byng Trophy finalist for the first time. He is seeking to become the third player in Avalanche/Nordiques history to win the award, following O’Reilly in 2013-14 and Joe Sakic in 2000-01.

Auston Matthews, C, Toronto Maple Leafs

Matthews finished third in the NHL with a career-high 47 goals, one behind Maurice “Rocket” Richard Trophy co-winners Alex Ovechkin and David Pastrnak, while also topping the Maple Leafs with a career-best 80 points in 70 games (47-33—80). Matthews – who added personal highs and ranked among the top 10 in the League in shots on goal (4th; 290) and power-play goals (t-6th; 12) – also established a career-low with eight penalty minutes, tied for the fewest among the NHL’s top 100 scorers. He did so while sharing second place in the League in takeaways (78) and ranking eighth among NHL forwards in total time on ice (1,467:52), also both personal bests. The 22-year-old Scottsdale, Ariz., native – who captured the Calder Memorial Trophy in 2016-17 – is vying to become the eighth different player to win the Lady Byng Trophy with the Maple Leafs and just the second to do so in the expansion era (since 1967-68), following Alexander Mogilny in 2002-03.

Ryan O’Reilly, C, St. Louis Blues

O’Reilly led the reigning Stanley Cup champion Blues with 12-49—61 in 71 games to power the team to the highest points percentage in the Western Conference (.662; 42-19-10). He topped the NHL in both face- off wins (880) and face-offs taken (1,556), ranking 10th among qualifying players with a 56.6 face-off winning percentage. O’Reilly received five minor penalties (10 PIM), the sixth time in his 11 NHL seasons he has totaled 10 or fewer penalty minutes, while ranking seventh in the League in takeaways (69) and 10th among NHL forwards in total time on ice (1,460:45). The 29-year-old Clinton, Ont., native – who previously won the Lady Byng Trophy in 2013-14 (w/ COL) – is a finalist for the award for the third straight season, following second-place finishes in both 2018-19 (w/ STL) and 2017-18 (w/ BUF). He is looking to become the fourth player to capture the trophy with the Blues, joining Phil Goyette (1969- 70), Brett Hull (1989-90) and Pavol Demitra (1999-2000).

History

Lady Byng, wife of Canada’s Governor General at the time, presented the Lady Byng Trophy during the 1924-25 season. After Frank Boucher 1188414 Columbus Blue Jackets percentage in his first 10 games as Korpisalo’s backup, the Latvian rookie thrived in the spotlight.

Beginning with a 4-1 victory against the Florida Panthers and former Blue Blue Jackets hold goaltender competition between Joonas Korpisalo and Jackets’ star goalie Sergei Bobrovsky on New Year’s Eve at Nationwide Elvis Merzlikins Arena, Merzlikins rattled off a sizzling 12-2-0 record in a 14-game span. It included a scorching 1.51 GAA, blistering .953 save percentage and five . Brian Hedger The Columbus Dispatch Jul 16, 2020 at 6:08 AM It was exactly what the Jackets needed, keeping them in the hunt for the playoffs despite a mountain of injuries. Now, the roster is nearly at full strength, and two impressive, young goalies are eyeing the postseason. Some might view the Blue Jackets’ decision to stage a goalie competition heading into the NHL’s modified playoffs as a drawback. “I don’t think it changes in any way from the end of the regular season,” Korpisalo said. “Every day, we go in there and try to be better than the The risk, as they see it, would be a rusty goalie no matter who wins the other guy. It’s a healthy competition, which is awesome.” job between Elvis Merzlikins and Joonas Korpisalo. That is the last thing you’d want going into a five-game series in the qualifying round against Columbus Dispatch LOADED: 07.17.2020 the high-powered Toronto Maple Leafs, which will start with Game 1 on Aug. 2 at Toronto’s Scotiabank Arena.

The Blue Jackets, however, see it differently.

“I know that’s going to be a question going along all the way through this here,” coach John Tortorella said Monday, after the first day of training camp to prepare for the NHL’s 24-team return plan.

“We have no clue who’s going to be our goaltender when we start playing. I think they’ll make that decision for us. I’ll tell you right now, both of them deserve that opportunity the way they played this year, but we’re going to see where they all stand as we go through the camp, go through an exhibition game and make our decision as we get closer to Aug. 2.”

Along with start times for the first couple of games, the NHL released details Tuesday about the exhibition games to be played in Toronto and Edmonton, the other hub city. Each team will get one practice run to prepare for the games that count, and the Blue Jackets play theirs July 30 against the Boston Bruins.

Merzlikins and Korpisalo will likely split time in the exhibition, and their play could be a big factor in deciding the Jackets’ top goalie to start the playoffs.

“A lot of things could happen from here until then,” Tortorella said. “We’re going to allow them to play, we’re going to allow the forwards and defensemen to play, and then we’re going to make our call.”

That’s fine by both Merzlikins and Korpisalo, who each shined in separate stints as the Jackets’ top goalie during the regular season.

“I’ve never played any playoff hockey in the NHL, and I’m looking forward to it,” said Korpisalo, who earned his first career invitation to the NHL All- Star Game before a knee injury Dec. 29 opened the door for Merzlikins to be the Jackets’ top option. “I’m going to fight for a spot to be a starting goalie (in camp), and it’s a great chance here.”

Merzlikins has a different outlook.

“Of course, from my side and even from his side, you want to play … because there is only one net,” he said. “I’m not focusing now on being the No. 1. I’m not focusing on ... ‘destroying’ Korpi. I’m not focusing on that. I’m focusing just to give my best and to help the team. ... We are here together. We are friends and we are trying to help the club and organization to play, so that’s the most important thing, I think.”

The first three days of camp haven’t provided much clarity to external observers or Tortorella, who said he hasn’t paid attention to the play of his goalies yet. Scrimmages will be a different story, holding the potential to provide some separation between the two.

Otherwise, each goalie has a strong case based on the regular season.

Korpisalo earned the top role in fall training camp, but got off to a middling start. He found his top gear in November and excelled until he tore a meniscus in his right knee during a shootout loss to the Chicago Blackhawks. Between Nov. 2 and that game Dec. 29, Korpisalo went 12- 6-3 in 22 appearances with a 2.11 goals-against average, .926 save percentage and two shutouts.

The following week, he was named to the Metropolitan Division’s All-Star roster, even though he needed surgery to repair his knee and missed the league’s all-star festivities.

Merzlikins, meanwhile, capitalized on the opportunity to handle the No. 1 role. After struggling to a record of 0-4-4 with a 3.41 GAA and .889 save 1188415 Columbus Blue Jackets Philadelphia

27.9

Blue Jackets too ‘green’? John Tortorella has the youngest club among Tampa Bay the 24 28.0

Arizona By Aaron Portzline Jul 16, 2020 28.0

St. Louis COLUMBUS, Ohio — The Blue Jackets have been among the NHL’s youngest teams for the last several seasons, so the forward lines in 28.0 training camp 2.0 this week haven’t exactly been a revelation. Vegas

But it’s still jarring to witness the array of baby-faced skaters — one after 28.4 another — and contemplate what lies ahead of them. Boston Liam Foudy, with all of two NHL games under his belt, is skating on a line with left winger Nick Foligno and center Boone Jenner. 28.5

Alexandre Texier, who has played 38 games over the past two seasons, Pittsburgh is on the left side of a line with the Blue Jackets’ No. 1 center, Pierre-Luc 28.6 Dubois, and the club’s leading goal scorer this season, . Minnesota

Then there’s the fourth line, where two newbies — left winger Eric 28.6 Robinson (64 NHL games) and right winger Emil Bemstrom (56) — are flanking veteran center Riley Nash. New York Islanders

Put another way, one-third of the Blue Jackets’ forwards are rookies. 28.7

“I’m not afraid to put these guys in spots that are going to be crucial Nashville situations,” coach John Tortorella said. “We’ve lived in that world now for 29.0 a number of years here, and I feel very comfortable with it.” Dallas CapFriendly’s Tim Hiebert projected the 20-player starting lineup for each of the 24 teams in the NHL’s return-to-play tournament. The Blue 29.2 Jackets, with an average age of 25.1 years old, are the youngest team still alive in the 2019-20 season. Washington

Average age of the 20 projected starters 29.2

Columbus The New York Rangers, with an average age of 26.1, are the next youngest team on the list, but that one year difference per player is quite 25.1 a margin. Across a 20-man roster, that’s 20 years of experience.

New York Rangers The Washington Capitals, with an average age of 29.2 years old, are the oldest club in the tournament. 26.1 “I’ve seen the game grow, and it’s changed dramatically since the early Chicago years when I was coaching, in terms of letting (the young guys) play,” 26.4 Tortorella said. “The youth of this franchise has been a very important part of us trying to get there to be that team that wins a Stanley Cup. Winnipeg “I’ll err with the youth. I like the guys who just go out and play, make 26.5 some mistakes, but they don’t worry about it. Sometimes they don’t even realize they made the mistake.” Toronto It wasn’t long ago — a decade, maybe? — when young players had a 26.7 huge hurdle to clear in gaining trust with veteran coaches. They would be Montreal shielded from certain matchups, usually the opponents’ toughest line and most talented line. They might be benched late in games while a lead is 26.9 being protected, the lines jumbled to keep veterans on the ice at all Colorado times. They might be held back from defensive-zone starts, lest they make a crucial mistake. 27.0 Tortorella has already indicated that he plans to throw heavy minutes at Calgary his most trusted players when Columbus plays Toronto in a best-of-five qualifying series beginning Aug. 2. The bulk of the work will fall on 27.0 veterans like Cam Atkinson, Gustav Nyquist, Foligno, Jenner, etc.

Carolina But Tortorella won’t be able to completely “protect” his rookies, even if he 27.1 wanted to. And he may not want to.

Vancouver Keep in mind, on the other end of the ice, the Blue Jackets have two goaltenders who have never played in a postseason game. The 27.4 qualifying round, while not technically the playoffs, will likely have the same level of scrutiny. Edmonton “Over the years I’ve watched it both ways,” Tortorella said, “and I’m not 27.5 sure which one is best: being young and stupid and not even knowing Florida what’s going on around you when it comes to playoff hockey, versus being a grizzled veteran who has been in it and played in some big 27.5 games. I’m not sure.” Notebook

• Blue Jackets coach John Tortorella was named a finalist for the Jack Adams Award (coach of the year) for the fifth time in his career. He has won the award twice before: in 2004 with Tampa Bay and in 2017 with the Blue Jackets. Tortorella guided the Blue Jackets to a 33-22-15 record despite losing key pieces to free agency and losing 419 man-games to injury, tops in the NHL.

Here’s Tortorella on his 19th season as an NHL bench boss: “It was one of the more enjoyable seasons I’ve had because I was a bit of a spectator in watching this team play as a team. It was a real wake-up call to me (about) how important it is to play as a team versus having that star power. Every team is looking for star power, and, eventually, when you want to get to the end (of the playoffs) and win (the Stanley Cup), you needed a game-breaker to find a way to lead a team. But it was really good for me to see that playing as a team can overcome so many things.”

• After missing Tuesday’s practice, center Pierre-Luc Dubois was back on Wednesday, giving the Blue Jackets a full set of forwards.

They were short a defenseman, though. Ryan Murray was absent, with no reason given.

• The first two days of practice were capped with 20 minutes of hard skating to work the lungs and legs after a four-month break. They were scheduled to do the same on Wednesday, but plans changed. Tortorella spoke with players, many of whom hadn’t skated on back-to-back days since the NHL season paused on March 12.

He also spoke with the team’s director of high performance, Nelson Ayotte, who measures every aspect of the players’ exertion. “The players are always looking for more; that’s just how our athletes are built,” Tortorella said. “(But) we felt it was time to back off of the conditioning skate. We left them alone because the numbers told us we should. We had a ton of puck touches, and that’s what I wanted in these first few days.”

• Fox Sports Ohio will broadcast all five games of the Blue Jackets’ best- of-five qualifying-round series with Toronto beginning Aug. 2. FSO will also air the Blue Jackets’ exhibition game against Boston, set for July 30 at 7 p.m. ET. All games will be played in Toronto’s Scotiabank Place, but the broadcasts — both TV and radio — will emanate from Nationwide Arena.

• The Blue Jackets have scrimmages planned for 12:30 p.m. both Thursday and Friday.

The Athletic LOADED: 07.17.2020 1188416 Dallas Stars Seguin: “Yeah, probably. Usually in the offseason, I take months off, three to four weeks off from just being on the ice. But back in Toronto, I’ll get back in skating with goalie schools. Just going to the ice and just ‘This will be the hardest championship to win’: Stars’ Tyler Seguin says shooting. Nothing crazy... Definitely probably the longest I’ve gone Stanley Cup winner shouldn’t have an asterisk without being on the ice.”

Seguin also delved into some of the details regarding the Edmonton hub Dallas Morning News LOADED: 07.17.2020 city.

By SportsDay Staff 12:00 PM on Jul 16, 2020 CDT

Stars center Tyler Seguin recently appeared on BaD Radio on Sportsradio 96.7 FM/1310 The Ticket [KTCK-AM] recently to talk about the return of hockey and more. Here are some of the highlights:

On the possibility of the entire sports schedule flip-flopping:

Seguin: “I know the NHL’s been looking at it for a while as far as revenue-wise. If we’re the only league playing at one time, it’s great for TV ratings, it’s great for everything else. I guess we’ll see what happens. I don’t have that much say in what happens in the big league, but I’m all for whatever they decide.”

On whether there will be an asterisk for this year’s Stanley Cup Champion:

Seguin: “I think this will be the hardest championship to win. Every guy’s healthy right now. Every team has maybe had guys injured, but everyone’s back. The top players are feeling their best. I think that this is going to be the hardest by far Stanley Cup to win. Whether we win it or someone else wins it, I’m not personally going to put an asterisk on it. If there is an asterisk, I think it’s like you said, it’ll be because it’s the hardest one to win. I’m looking forward to the opportunity.”

On using the break to work out with Jamie Benn and his teammates:

Seguin: “We were fortunate in a way that we all weren’t on our own. A lot of players — you had to train by yourself if you went home or whatnot. Us group of five decided to stay in Dallas. So each of us had our own workout gear and we brought it all over to Jamie’s house. He’s got a good setup in his backyard with a garage and good space... So we had our own little setup and it was awesome not having to be by yourself. And having other guys around, any athlete knows, there’s a difference. When other people are around, you have that extra push sometimes... I really enjoyed it.

“I enjoyed spending time with my teammates, kind of having other guys to lean on as well when it comes to conversations of the world, the NHL and NHLPA and collective bargaining stuff. Everything that was going on, it was nice to be able to walk in there at 7:30 in the morning and have a conversation for a half an hour to get caught up before we trained.”

On if he’s satisfied with the NHL’s collective bargaining agreement with the NHLPA:

Seguin: “Yeah. At the end of the day for both parties, we got something done that we’re both comfortable with. With how the world is, it’s hard to say that either side was going to walk out saying, ‘You won.' We had to meet in the middle. But for the most part, I think everyone’s happy and comfortable with what happened and now it’s going to be about the bubble in Edmonton. As far as I’m understanding, it should be pretty good and secure. I’m comfortable with it and I guess we’ll have another conversation when we get down there and see really how it is.”

On some details about the hub city in Edmonton:

Seguin: “As far as I know, each team in the hotel will have their own floor. You’re not supposed to go in each other’s rooms. On that floor, we’ll have our own team suite or room where I guess there could be a ping pong table and maybe some video games. And the Dallas Stars, we love playing our cards, so we’ll have a lot of card games for sure. The main and only rule is don’t go in each other’s rooms, always be wearing masks, every meeting wearing a mask and when you go to the rink, the rink’s going to be the most normal part I guess. On the ice and having practices and stuff, no masks for that. Being at camp has felt pretty normal thus far. As far as that, the only odd thing is just wearing a mask when we have video sessions.”

On if the coronavirus hiatus is the longest he’s been without being on skates: 1188417 Dallas Stars Lindblom was diagnosed with a rare form of bone cancer in December, and completed his final chemotherapy treatment in July. He recently detailed his fight with cancer to Sports Illustrated.

Stars defenseman Stephen Johns named a finalist for Masterton Trophy View this post on Instagram

Johns missed 22 months of action due to post-concussion syndrome and painful headaches before returning to the ice in January. Amazing feeling when ringing the bell today! I can’t even explain how thankful I am for the doctors, nurses and everyone else that have helped By Matthew DeFranks me these past 6 month’s.

A post shared by Oskar Lindblom (@oskarlindblom) on Jul 2, 2020 at 10:40am PDT Stars defenseman Stephen Johns was named a finalist Thursday for the Bill Masterton Memorial Trophy, annually awarded to the player “who NHL award winners will be revealed during the Conference Finals, with best exemplifies the qualities of perseverance, sportsmanship, and dates, times and format to be announced, according to the league. The dedication to hockey.” Conference Finals are currently scheduled to run from Sept. 8-21.

The other two finalists are forwards Bobby Ryan of Ottawa and Oskar The Stars begin their Stanley Cup playoff run next month. They open Lindblom of Philadelphia. The winner will be announced during the NHL’s round robin play Aug. 3 against Vegas. conference finals, scheduled for Sept. 8-21. “My playoff hockey experience is very limited, but I’ve come to realize Johns missed 22 months of action due to post-concussion syndrome and that it’s a very rare opportunity and how extremely hard it is to win,” painful headaches before returning to the ice in January for the Stars. Johns said. “A lot of times during the last two years, I didn’t think I’d be During that period, Johns suffered from depression and suicidal thoughts, able to compete for a Stanley Cup again.” he detailed in interviews with The Athletic. There were times he believed Dallas Morning News LOADED: 07.17.2020 his hockey career was over.

The finalists for the Bill Masterton Memorial Trophy: pic.twitter.com/J04YrLYRGa

— PHWA (@ThePHWA) July 16, 2020

“I think about a year in, I started to lose a lot of hope because every doctor I would go to see, or every specialist I would go to see, they would tell me one thing and then the other was telling me a different thing,” Johns said Thursday during a Zoom conference. “A handful told me they would probably never tell me to play hockey again, that it was safe for me to play hockey again.”

Johns did not play the 2018-19 season, and only sporadically skated with the rest of his teammates during practice and did not travel with the team after October. This season, the steps toward recovery began in the summer, when Johns participated in development camp with the Stars’ prospects.

He began practicing with the Stars with more regularity during the season before the team assigned him to AHL affiliate Texas for a conditioning stint in January. On Jan. 11, Johns played his first professional hockey game since March 2018, scoring a goal and adding three assists for a four-point night. He played one other AHL game before he was cleared for NHL action.

On Jan. 18, Johns returned to the lineup in Minnesota, the last place he played an NHL game nearly two years before. He played 17 games before the league’s stoppage because of the coronavirus pandemic, totaling two goals and three assists as he became the top-four defenseman the Stars anticipated he would be.

He scored his first goal back in the NHL on Feb. 3 against the New York Rangers, with his parents in attendance at Madison Square Garden. He pointed to them after he scored.

“My dad got laid off when I was younger, and I had to quit hockey for a year,” Johns said. “He sacrificed pretty much everything he could in order for me to play. All I wanted to do was make him proud and play in the NHL.

“They didn’t really get to see me as a solidified NHL player. Right when I got injured, that was kind of when I felt like I had solidified myself in the NHL. For them to be there that night, not really knowing what to expect and for that to happen, it was the best-case scenario, something I’ll never forget.”

No Dallas Stars player has ever won the Masterton Trophy, though the award is named for former Minnesota North Star Bill Masterton, whose retired jersey number hangs in American Airlines Center. The award is voted on by the Professional Hockey Writer’s Association, and the PHWA chapter for each club nominates one player for the award.

Ryan battled alcohol addiction, entering the NHL/NHL Players’ Association assistance program in November and returning to the Senators in February. During his first home game after coming back on Feb. 27, he scored a hat trick. 1188418 Dallas Stars knuckle” his issues until he hit a breaking point in November and decided to seek proper help.

Ryan was apprehensive about sharing his story publicly but opened up, Roundtable: Discussing Bill Masterton finalists’ stories of hardship, hoping he could help other people battling similar addictions. Since then, recovery through social media, Ryan said he’s been able to help some people find treatment. Some he’s helped by just having “the right conversations.”

By Hailey Salvian, Sean Shapiro and more Jul 16, 2020 Ryan was nominated for his perseverance in his struggles with alcohol, but also for the way he’s used his platform to help others.

Sean, you wrote about Johns quite a bit. Why was he nominated? The PHWA and the NHL announced the finalists for the Bill Masterton Memorial Trophy on Thursday. Shapiro: Johns missed the entirety of the 2018-19 season with post- traumatic headaches and post-concussion syndrome, and heading into The award has been presented annually to the player who best this season, he and the Stars had considered his career might be over. exemplifies the qualities of perseverance, sportsmanship and dedication to . Dallas Stars defenseman Stephen Johns, Ottawa Johns missed the first four months of the season, but he returned in Senators forward Bobby Ryan and Philadelphia Flyers forward Oskar January after going 22 months between games. Returning to the lineup Lindblom formed the trio that best fits that description, according to was enough for him to be in the Masterton conversation. What Johns did voters. after he returned is even more remarkable as he played at a level that was equal, if not higher, than where he was before his injury. The Masterton isn’t like other NHL award debates. For starters, no one wants to be in the running to win it — it typically means something drastic Johns’ story had been kept quiet for most of the time because, as he said has altered his life and career — and it’s not like the Norris or Vezina, last month, he struggled with mental health and suicidal thoughts. That with debaters trying to tear down another candidate. part of his story wasn’t a reason he was named a finalist. It wasn’t public before ballots were cast, but it’s an important part of his story and he However, it is an award worth discussing and celebrating some of the wants to help others with mental health and let people know it’s OK to human stories, so we’ve gathered each of the beat writers who covered ask for help in their darkest moments. the finalists to discuss stories and people who were honored. I remember the Twitter reaction from Ryan’s hat trick pretty vividly. The Athletic’s Dallas, Philadelphia and Ottawa beat writers, Sean Hailey, what was that game like in person? Shapiro, Charlie O’Connor and Hailey Salvian, got together for a conversation about each team’s Masterton finalist. Salvian: It was the highlight of my first year in Ottawa, that’s for sure. The Canadian Tire Centre isn’t typically a loud building, but for that game, it Shapiro: To start, Hailey and Charlie, can we get a quick reminder of why was deafening. Every goal by Ryan came with a chant and an ovation. Ryan and Lindblom were even on the ballot in the first place? He fought, too, which brought more energy into the building. The hat-trick goal was when things got really emotional for Ryan. The whole building O’Connor: It was his third season in the NHL and Lindblom seemingly was cheering. His teammates were standing and cheering. His wife was had figured things out. After 30 games, the 23-year old was tied for the in the building, too. It was just an incredible, almost indescribable, Flyers’ team lead with 11 goals and had quickly earned the trust of new atmosphere. Even some of the Canucks players skated over to give head coach Alain Vigneault, turning into a staple on the top two lines. Ryan stick taps after the game. To know what Ryan has been through in Then, shortly after arriving in Denver for a three-game road trip on Dec. his life, and this season, I don’t think anyone could have scripted a better 10, his entire life turned upside down. return.

Lindblom had been diagnosed with Ewing’s sarcoma, a form of bone Johns’ return was quite special too, right? cancer usually found in young children. Immediately, Lindblom’s career Shapiro: The first game back was a bit of a snoozer for the Stars in became secondary. The focus rapidly shifted to what literally was a fight Minnesota. It was emotional for Johns, but the real moment that captured for his life. how much Johns and his family had gone through was a couple of weeks Seven months of treatments followed, including surgery to attempt to later in New York at Madison Square Garden. remove a tumor. Yet Lindblom’s positive attitude held, from his visit to the Johns’ parents, Ray and Noreen, drove to New York from Western Flyers’ locker room just days after his diagnosis to his surprise Pennsylvania to watch their son play in person for the first time in more appearance at team picture day in March to his heartwarming return to than two years. Johns scored his first NHL goal in two years that night, a the practice facility in June. Finally, on July 2, Lindblom rang the bell at big bomb from the point, and when he went by the bench in the high-five the Pennsylvania Hospital in Philadelphia, signifying the end of his line, he stopped and pointed at his parents. treatments. He had done it. After the game, Johns met with the media and choked back tears Next up for Lindblom is an attempted return to play, which, if all goes discussing the journey his parents and girlfriend, Taylor Zakarin, had well, could happen as soon as next season. But even if he can’t make it gone through in supporting him. He mentioned how he’d never thought back — and no one is betting against him — his fight against the disease he’d score an NHL goal again. He was emotional talking to reporters, and has already made him an inspiration for people battling cancer. then he found his parents and gave both of them a hug in a moment all Salvian: Ryan has classified this as “absolutely” the most difficult season three have said they’ll never forget. in his 12-year career after he took time away from the Senators to enter I think there is a bit of theme for all three finalists in that it’s a story that the NHL/NHLPA player assistance program. He missed three months of could help others for various reasons. the season to undergo treatment for alcohol abuse, and his homecoming at Canadian Tire Centre was arguably one of the best feel-good Charlie, for Lindblom, what does the future look like in terms of a moments of the year. comeback?

After getting sober in the program, Ryan returned to Ottawa, scored a hat O’Connor: The Flyers seem optimistic Lindblom’s career is far from over. trick and was moved to tears on the bench by multiple standing ovations. Apparently, the treatments went about as well as anyone could have hoped, and he’s already back skating. Now, most of Ryan’s struggles through his childhood have been very public. But when he left the Senators in November, the only explanation Obviously, he has a long way to go in terms of rebuilding the muscle he was that he was entering the program. lost and regaining his skating legs. It’s not going to be an easy road back, but don’t forget he was on the verge of a breakout season when he was It wasn’t until February, after he returned, that Ryan opened up to diagnosed. Even if he can’t return as quite the same player from a reporters for the first time about his treatment. physical standpoint, Lindblom’s biggest strength has always been his He said he’d been dealing with alcohol abuse issues for a long time and hockey IQ, and that hasn’t gone anywhere. was constantly dealing with insomnia and panic attacks. He was Another point worth making: Lindblom’s teammates are in his corner and frequently overridden with guilt and shame. He tried for years to “white surely will be supporting him completely throughout his comeback. They dedicated the entire season to Lindblom and saw his battle as a way to keep the problems of hockey and everyday life in perspective. If he can return, it’s going to be an incredible moment not just for Lindblom, but for the entire team.

Salvian: The NHL went on hiatus on March 11, and after a 14-day quarantine, Ryan went home to Idaho, where he said he is using his time off to refocus on his sobriety and keep training. Ryan struggled at the start of this season — admittedly due to his abuse issues — but after his time in the program, he said he hit the reset button on his career.

He said physically, he has never felt better and wants to maintain his top form next season, whenever that may be.

He will have to fight for a regular spot and ice time in Ottawa (he has two years left on his contract) as the Senators have an influx of prospects and draft picks who will start pushing Ryan down the lineup.

At 32, I don’t know if Ryan will play like the $7 million man everyone always wants him to be. But I do think he will be in a much better place to succeed next year.

Shapiro: Johns has said he doesn’t know what the future holds for him. He has been more than willing to say he’s not the same person he was before his chronic headaches and some of the darkest moments of his life.

However, Johns is hopeful for the future and that’s why he wanted to share his story. He’s in a spot in Dallas where he’s a key cog on a team that could be a contender in this wacky return-to-play format, and just playing playoff hockey after what he endured is a victory.

I don’t think winning the Masterton is something Johns, Lindblom or Ryan ever envisioned. But all three, to me, seem to be deserving candidates whichever way the votes end up.

The Athletic LOADED: 07.17.2020 1188419 Dallas Stars One big thing for Dallas will be making sure Pavelski spends more time in front of the net on the power play. Rotation and chaos can be tools, so seeing Pavelski on the half-wall isn’t bad, but in an ideal world, he’s at his Settling in: Stars think they’ve found a fit for Pavelski with Janmark, best when he’s in a spot closer to the crease to take advantage of his Radulov hands around the net.

Bowness assigned each of his assistants one of the top three teams in the Western Conference when the Stars started to get a better picture of By Sean Shapiro Jul 16, 2020 what the return-to-play format might look like. It didn’t always make for an easy task.

Assistant coach Todd Nelson had to go back to December to find proper FRISCO, Texas — One of the key metrics the Dallas Stars coaches look video of the Colorado Avalanche. Colorado was rocked by injuries this at for individual players is offensive time of possession. season, and the team Dallas likely would have faced in April had the While they won’t disclose what those exact numbers are, Stars interim pandemic not shuttered things looks completely different than the one coach did say earlier this week that Alexander Radulov that will take the ice August. and Mattias Janmark are first and third, respectively, on the team when it It’s one of the many quirks of this resumed NHL season. Everyone is comes to having the puck on their stick. healthy and each team has ample time to practice before the playoffs get That’s why they may be the ideal wingers for Joe Pavelski as the Stars started, which gives teams like the Stars a chance to make tweaks that return to the ice in Edmonton on Aug. 3 with a round-robin seeding game could alter what teams have scouted from regular-season video. against the Vegas Golden Knights. One thing that Bowness isn’t altering is how he’s planning to approach Finding the ideal fit for Pavelski was more of a challenge than the Stars the round-robin seeding tournament against Colorado, St. Louis Blues expected after they signed him to a three-year, $21 million contract last and the Vegas Golden Knights. summer. Pavelski’s goals and points dropped off dramatically as the Dallas would be the fourth seed based on the regular season. The Stars coaches spent much of the season playing with combinations that abridged tournament gives the Stars a chance to move up and set a tone could replicate the situation that gave Pavelski prolonged success in San for how they plan to approach the playoffs. Jose. It’s a message that Bowness is carrying throughout training camp, and Pavelski isn’t a possession player. To steal a soccer term, he’s a poacher he’s using the training camp from back in September as a learning in front of the net (albeit a much better defensive forward than the typical experience. Bowness said the Stars had a poor camp before the start of No. 9) who goes to the right areas and takes advantage of others holding the 2019-20 season, which likely contributed to the 1-7-1 start that Dallas the puck. Pavelski and old linemate Joe Thornton sliced the Pacific was fortunate to rally from in November. Division apart like this for years, with Thornton protecting pucks and drawing defenders while Pavelski served as the keen finisher who found There’s no room for a 1-7-1 start in this format. Players know that and the open space. they’ve had discussions about how they need to look at this restart as a chance to right some wrongs in that regard. The Stars did have conversations with the Sharks before the trade deadline about Thornton, but that deal never materialized. The closest Some other notes from the first couple days of training camp: thing the Stars have to him on their roster is Radulov and, as crazy as it sounds, Janmark. — The Stars originally planned on scrimmaging on Wednesday; instead, they worked on special teams. The first scrimmage has now been moved Radulov and Janmark aren’t even close to the level of passer that to Sunday, but that schedule is tentative. Other teams have been more Thornton is – the Sharks forward is one of the finest passers in NHL proactive about scrimmaging. The Toronto Maple Leafs, for instance, history – but they do protect pucks and buy time. They allow Pavelski to have started a best-of-five inter-team scrimmage series. play his game more similarly to his time in San Jose, though, so when the trio is together, good things tend to happen and the Stars typically Toronto is in the best-of-five qualifying round, not the round robin, so spend more time in the offensive zone. there is greater urgency directed toward reaching game speed since for those teams and less of a soft landing like Dallas has. The Stars also tend to create more chances around the crease, which is where Pavelski has thrived in his NHL career. — I asked Miro Heiskanen and Denis Gurianov this week who would win a race if there was a three-person heat between them and Roope Hintz. Here’s a visual look at the impact the line had from HockeyViz. Gurianov dodged the question, but Heiskanen said Gurianov would win in a “stop-and-start race.” The trio has been together each day of training camp, and while it’s not easy to judge line combos in practice, the Pavelski line has put the puck Personally, I think it depends on the distance and starting technique. If in the net more consistently than others. it’s a short sprint from a standing start, I’m betting on Gurianov. If it’s a longer race – a full lap around the rink – or a rolling start, Heiskanen Another key to Pavelski’s success, and this will be crucial in the playoffs, would have the edge. is the power play. That’s another area where it took Pavelski and the Stars longer to marinate together than they would have liked. — I don’t think he’ll play, but the player that benefited most from Roman Polak not returning to Dallas was Dillon Heatherington. Heatherington is One of the issues was assuming it was a complete like-for-like change getting more opportunities in camp as a big, physical defenseman who for Pavelski when it came to swapping out Brent Burns for John wouldn’t have been there if Polak were still around. Klingberg as his point man on the power play (I was guilty of this myself). Burns and Klingberg are both offensive-minded defensemen, but their — Goalie Colton Point went through his testing and is now cleared to approaches are different. Burns shoots more for sticks, and for years he practice. Bowness said in a Zoom call on Wednesday that Point should shot for Pavelski’s stick in particular. Klingberg takes more of a wrist shot practice on Friday. that can be tipped and is designed to float through more layers. It’s also got a higher trajectory. An untipped Klingberg shot would likely hit the The Athletic LOADED: 07.17.2020 upper half of the net, while Burns’ shot typically hovers closer to the ice. Both types of shots can be effective, but switching from one to the other after such a long time in one system can be an adjustment – and a bit of frustration at first – for a player like Pavelski who was so used to having the point man look directly for his stick.

Klingberg and Pavelski started to get on the same page more before the NHL’s stoppage. There hasn’t been noticeable success on the power play in training camp; in a 13-minute power play scrimmage the Stars didn’t score once on Wednesday. But Pavelski is at a point where he’s better reading what Klingberg is trying to do. 1188420 Detroit Red Wings

The one award missing from Nicklas Lidstrom's exceptional Detroit Red Wings career

Helene St. James, Detroit Free Press Published 2:52 p.m. ET July 16, 2020 | Updated 3:00 p.m. ET July 16, 2020

Detroit Red Wings GM Steve Yzerman on a Zoom call following the news he'll pick fourth in the 2020 draft. Detroit Free Press

One player retired without winning an award he undoubtedly deserved and another wished he had retired before winning a different award.

The NHL is rolling out its 2020 award finalists: Thursday saw the league reveal Colorado Avalanche forward Nathan MacKinnon, Toronto Maple Leafs forward Auston Matthews and St. Louis Blues forward Ryan O’Reilly (who the Wings passed over by one spot in the 2009 draft) are the top vote-getters for the Lady Byng Memorial Trophy. Dallas Stars defenseman Stephen Johns, Philadelphia Flyers forward Oskar Lindblom and Ottawa Senators forward Bobby Ryan are the top vote-getters for the Bill Masterton Memorial Trophy.

In this edition of Detroit Red Wings Revisited, we look back at the team’s history with those awards.

Nicklas Lidstrom played against the opponent's best players but rarely took a penalty during his 20-year career with the Detroit Red Wings.

The Lady Byng trophy, named for the wife of Canada’s former Governor General, has been awarded since 1925, voted on by the Professional Hockey Writers Association. It is presented to a player who has exhibited sportsmanship and gentlemanly conduct while playing at a high level. It’s a description that defined Pavel Datsyuk, who was awarded the trophy four straight years from 2006-10 and was runner-up in 2015 (to former teammate Jiri Hudler, then with the Calgary Flames).

There is another recent Wings player who arguably deserved to win one during his 20-year career, and that’s Nicklas Lidstrom. He is one of six defensemen in league history to have topped 1,500 games, and his 514 career penalty minutes are less than half of the next-closest defenseman, Larry Murphy (1,084). (Chris Chelios leads the group at the other end, with 2,891 career penalty minutes.) Lidstrom, who retired in 2012, always played against the opponent’s best forwards, thwarting them with his exceptional positional play. He defined sportsmanship, but the closest he got to the Lady Byng was finishing as runner-up three straight years from 1999-2001, again in 2003 and 2011, and as second runner up in 2002.

[ From stealing apples to winning 4 Stanley Cups: Nicklas Lidstrom turns 50 ]

The first Wings player to receive the Lady Byng was Marty Barry in 1937. Red Kelly won it in 1951, ’53 and ’54 and Alex Delvecchio in 1959, ’66 and ’69. Other Wings winners number Bill Quackenbush in 1949, Dutch rebel in 1956 and Marcel Dionne in 1977.

The Masterton trophy, bearing the name of the former Minnesota North Stars player who died in 1968 because of an on-ice injury, dates to 1968. Also voted on by the PHWA, it has been awarded to a Wings player twice: Brad Park in 1984, and Steve Yzerman in 2003. Yzerman had undergone a knee realignment surgery known as osteotomy in 2002, which forced him to miss the first 61 games of the 2002-03 season. He ended up playing 16 games, and was recognized for his perseverance in returning to play.

In hindsight, Yzerman would have done things differently. Speaking in 2009, three years after he hung up his skates, Yzerman wished he had retired earlier.

“I think if I did it all over again, I'd have retired after ’02, just because with the condition of my knee, I should have just hung it up after ’02,” he said. “My last year, it was a real struggle just to stay healthy. I was relieved to retire. I knew I couldn’t keep up anymore. I was falling apart.”

Detroit Free Press LOADED: 07.17.2020 1188421 Detroit Red Wings

Flint's Rico Phillips hired for new diversity role with Ontario Hockey League

The Detroit News Published 2:52 p.m. ET July 16, 2020 | Updated 3:05 p.m. ET July 16, 2020

Flint's Rico Phillips was hired by the Ontario Hockey League for the newly created role of director of cultural diversity and inclusion.

Phillips, a retired member of the City of Flint fire department and the winner of the NHL's Willie O'Ree Community Hero Award last year, will establish and lead a committee to provide guidance and expertise to the OHL and teams to help ensure that the game is inclusive for all players, staff and fans.

“There is no question that the biggest challenge facing hockey and sports, at all levels, is how to ensure that the game is inclusive," Phillips said in a statement.

"I believe the key to doing this is to work hard to eradicate racism and ensure an environment that is free from any discrimination."

The committee will make recommendations and build upon the league's current policies and player and staff training.

“Rico Phillips has proven over the years that he not only understands hockey, but he understands the role that community plays in the sport and the challenges that face players and teams with regards to racism and inclusiveness,” OHL commissioner David Branch said in a statement.

The OHL is part of the Canadian Hockey League with 60 teams in nine Canadian provinces and four American states, including two teams in Michigan, the Saginaw Spirit and the Flint Firebirds.

Detroit News LOADED: 07.17.2020 1188422 Detroit Red Wings Award as coach of the year, brushed aside a question about himself and said, “Safety is the priority” for all involved.

Kitchen made what he called “a difficult decision to say the least, but the NHL's older coaches debate wearing masks, taking precautions right decision for me and my family” in opting out, and Quenneville said he wished his longtime right-hand man nothing but the best.

Much like players, only a handful of whom decided not to play, coaches Stephen Whyno, Associated Press Published 2:23 p.m. ET July 16, 2020 had to make their own determinations.

“I think this is going to be an individual thing,” Bowness said. “We’re all going to deal with it in our own way. … We’re all going to have to make After two days behind a mask and off his skates, Rick Bowness returned that call.” to his natural habitat on the ice with air inside the rink blowing against his face. Detroit News LOADED: 07.17.2020 “You get out there and you miss it,” the Dallas Stars coach said. “You realize how much you enjoy being out there.”

The NHL’s oldest head coach still worries about COVID-19 but not enough to stop doing his job. It’s a risk-reward proposition coaches and executives around sports are weighing, and while Florida assistant Mike Kitchen is the only one to so far opt out of hockey’s return, plenty of others are considering masking up behind the bench and taking other precautions in the middle of a pandemic.

Dallas Stars coach Rick Bowness coached from behind the bench the first couple days of training camp.

“It’s a different world out there,” Bowness, 65, said. “I’m going to have to adjust to it, there is no question. I just want to make sure I’m cautious, which we’ve been since this virus started, and I will continue to do that. My health — hey, I’m a grandfather now, my first grandkid. I intend on playing some golf with that kid down the road. I intend on being here a lot longer. So, yeah, am I going to be careful? Absolutely.”

The World Health Organization said the disease can be more severe in people 60 and over, and the NHL has four head coaches and a handful of assistants in that age range. The average age of the 24 head coaches in the playoffs is just under 54, the second-oldest behind the NBA among North America’s four major professional sports leagues.

With that life experience comes meetings like New York Islanders coach Barry Trotz held with his staff this week to talk about whether to don a mask for games and practices.

“I don’t know exactly what I’m going to do,” Trotz said Wednesday on his 58th birthday. “I’m not too concerned. I’m in pretty good health, but it affects everybody differently if you do get it. I don’t want to get it, so there’s a good chance I could have a mask behind the bench, but I haven’t decided yet. I should say I don’t want to give it to anybody if I have it, but I don’t.”

Coaches are relying on frequent testing at training camp and in the hub cities of Toronto and Edmonton, hoping before going into quarantine that players and their families can avoid contracting the virus that halted the season in March. All team staff are tested every other day for now and will be daily once games start.

“We’re all doing everything we can not to bring it into our locker room,” Bowness said. “Give our players credit, as well, because this is a big sacrifice for everyone and they’re looking after themselves.”

The NHL reported 43 players tested positive during voluntary workouts from June 8-July 12. At least three of those cases came from the Tampa Bay Lightning and one from the Boston Bruins, though the league took over reporting statistics in the name of privacy and anonymity.

Outside practice facilities, coaches’ comfort levels might vary from a hotspot such as Texas to the Canadian province of Manitoba, where there have been zero reported cases in 13 of the past 14 days.

“It was possibly easier for me, because of the fact that I was pretty darn safe right from the start,” 53-year-old Winnipeg Jets coach said. “I’m really confident in what goes on in our building, tested every second day, I don’t feel particularly exposed.”

The only coach taking part in the NHL’s return older than Bowness is 67- year-old Pittsburgh assistant Jacques Martin, who was on the ice for camp practices this week like normal. Columbus’ John Tortorella, 62, Florida’s Joel Quenneville, 61, and Montreal’s Claude Julien, 60, also all felt comfortable enough to get back to work.

Tortorella, who along with Philadelphia’s 59-year-old Alain Vigneault and Boston’s 55-year-old Bruce Cassidy is a finalist for the Jack Adams 1188423 Detroit Red Wings won the Vezina Trophy three times. He was traded to Boston in 1955 to make room for the up-and-coming Glenn Hall. The Red Wings reacquired Sawchuk two years later for young forward Johnny Bucyk, who would go on to become a Hall of Famer. Sawchuk died in 1970 at age 40 due to a Red Wings 1950s all-decade team: Glorious era produced several Cups, pulmonary embolism suffered in a drunken fight with Rangers teammate all-time greats Ron Stewart. Sawchuk was inducted into the Hall of Fame in 1971.

Coach

By Ansar Khan Tommy Ivan: He coached the Red Wings for seven seasons from 1947- 54, winning three Stanley Cup championships. His overall .653 winning

percentage (262-118-90) ranks second in franchise history behind Scotty The 1950s produced the first great era of Detroit Red Wings hockey. Bowman’s .655 among coaches behind the bench three or more seasons. He served as Chicago Blackhawks general manager from The franchise won four Stanley Cup championships in a span of six 1954-77. Inducted into the Hall of Fame in 1974, he died in 1999 at age seasons from 1950-55 and seven consecutive league titles in the Original 88. Six era (1949-55). Red Wings in the 1950s The team boasted the famed Production Line of Sid Abel centering Gordie Howe and Ted Lindsay and some of the game’s other all-time Stanley Cup titles: Four greats, like Terry Sawchuk, Alex Delvecchio and Red Kelly. Division titles: Seven As we continue to break down the Red Wings’ all-decade teams, here is Playoff appearances: 10 a look at the 1950s: Major awards Forwards Art Ross Trophy (scoring leader): Ted Lindsay, 1950; Gordie Howe, Gordie Howe: Long before being dubbed “Mr. Hockey,” Howe combined 1951, 1952, 1953, 1954, 1957. scoring ability and toughness to dominate the league in the 1950s. He helped Detroit win four Cups while earning the scoring title (Art Ross Hart Trophy (MVP): Gordie Howe, 1952, 1953, 1957, 1958. Trophy) five times and the MVP (Hart Trophy) on four occasions. A consistent offensive force, Howe led Detroit in goals (385) and points Vezina Trophy (top goaltender): Terry Sawchuk, 1952, 1953, 1955. (807) during the decade. Howe was inducted into the Hall of Fame in Norris Trophy (top defenseman): Red Kelly, 1954. 1972, shortly before coming out of retirement to play in the newly formed with sons Mark and Marty. He died in 2016 at Calder Trophy (top rookie): Terry Sawchuk 1951, Glenn Hall 1956. age 88. Lady Byng Trophy (sportsmanship): Red Kelly, 1951, 1953, 1954; Dutch Ted Lindsay: After establishing himself as one of the top players in the Reibel, 1956; Alex Delvecchio 1959. league in the late 1940s, Lindsay continued to excel in the 1950s with his combination of talent and toughness. He was second on the Red Wings Michigan Live LOADED: 07.17.2020 in goals (195) and points (472) during the decade and first in penalty minutes (879). He notched a career-best 85 points in 1956-57, his 13th season. Lindsay’s efforts to organize a players union prompted general manager Jack Adams to trade him to Chicago in 1957. After three seasons in Chicago and four in retirement, Lindsay returned to the ice in 1964-65 for one final season with the Red Wings. He was inducted into the Hall of Fame in 1966 and in 2017 named one of the league’s 100 greatest players of all-time. He died in 2019 at age 93.

Alex Delvecchio: Smooth, consistent, durable, skilled center played all 23 of his NHL seasons with the Red Wings and ranks third behind Howe and Nicklas Lidstrom on the franchise’s games played list (1,550). He ranked third in goals (149) and fourth in points (399) for the club during the 1950s. Nicknamed “Fats,” Delvecchio entered the Hall of Fame in 1977 and was named by the NHL as one of its 100 greatest players in 2017. The Red Wings retired his No. 10 in 1991.

Defensemen

Red Kelly: Kelly revolutionized the defense position with his skating ability and penchant for joining the rush. An eight-time postseason All- Star (first team six times) and the first winner of the Norris Trophy in 1954, he racked up 143 goals and 415 points in 679 games during the decade. He is one of only three defensemen to win the Lady Byng Trophy for sportsmanship and gentlemanly conduct (three times). Inducted into the Hall of Fame in 1969, he was named one of the game’s 100 greatest players in 2017 by the NHL. The Red Wings retired his No. 4, raising it to the rafters at Little Caesars Arena on Feb. 1, three months before he died at age 91.

Marcel Pronovost: A two-way, rushing defenseman Red Wings fans dubbed as their own “Flying Frenchman,” Pronovost played in six All-Star Games during the decade, ranking second to Kelly among Detroit defensemen in games (604), goals (60) and points (201). He played on all four Cup-winning clubs. He was inducted into the Hall of Fame in 1978. He spent 24 years as a scout with the New Jersey Devils, while living in Windsor, until 2014. He died in 2015 at age 84.

Goaltender

Terry Sawchuk: One of the greatest goalies in NHL history, Sawchuk played on all four of Detroit’s Cup-winning clubs in the 1950s and posted a record of 267-155-92 during the decade in two stints with the team. He 1188424 Detroit Red Wings So, too, will Holtz continuing to improve without the puck, which is the area Eriksson believed the winger grew the most this season.

“Positioning on the ice, trapping, forechecking, playing defense in their The Red Wings’ No. 4 draft pick: Making the case for Alexander Holtz own end and then keeping possession and stuff like that,” Eriksson said. “He’s always been good with the puck. Always been a goal-scorer, always been able to score a lot of points. And he’s been able to keep that up a little bit on senior level, even though it’s a huge step to go from By Max Bultman Jul 16, 2020 junior hockey in Sweden to SHL level, so to speak. But he’s been doing it better than most juniors.”

This is the sixth, and final, in a series examining the Red Wings’ options Simply put, Holtz is an offensive weapon who would immediately become with the fourth overall pick in the 2020 NHL Draft. You can read parts 1, the Red Wings’ top forward prospect. 2, 3, 4 and 5 here. Today, we lay out the case for Swedish winger The remaining questions Alexander Holtz. To match his high-end offensive skill set, Holtz has one of the best track In Alexander Holtz’s first season with the Djurgårdens IF hockey records of those expected to be available when Detroit picks at fourth organization in Sweden, he could not be stopped. overall. But if there is a question remaining in his game, it probably starts Fourteen goals in five games in the U16 SM league. Twenty-three in 17 with his skating, which Pronman rated pro average. in the J18 Elit. Eighteen in 13 in the J18 Allsvenskan. Even in the Ultimately, while Holtz’s shot and sense will give him a good chance to SuperElit, a U20 league, Holtz scored four goals (and added four assists) become a good NHL player regardless, his chance at becoming a star in 11 games. This was the 2017-18 season, and Holtz didn’t turn 16 until could rest in part on how much he can improve his agility and continue to midway through the campaign. round out his game. “He had that ability to just score, from anywhere,” Djurgårdens general “For his age, he’s well developed when it comes to strength and when it manager Joakim Eriksson said recently. “Score — percentage-wise, of comes to power straight forward,” Eriksson said. “But to be able to kind of the chances he created — on a much, much higher level than all the dominate, first in SHL and then dominate (in the) NHL, he needs to others.” improve his agility on the ice, movement, protecting the puck.” That, in a nutshell, is Holtz, one of the very best goal-scorers available in Eriksson pointed out that as Holtz continues to climb the levels of this fall’s NHL Draft. hockey, defenders will be bigger, smarter and stronger. It’s probably fair The basics to add faster to that list, too. So any improvement he can make in the agility department will help him navigate those defenders to get into Holtz is a 6-foot, 192-pound winger for Djurgårdens in the Swedish scoring positions with the puck. Hockey League. He led all U18 players in Sweden’s top league, the SHL, in scoring this season, with 16 points in 35 games. His nine goals tied for While Pronman did denote skating as the area of Holtz’s game he would the third most by a U18 player in league history, according to point to if asked to pick a weakness, he made clear that it’s not bad, and eliteprospects.com, trailing only Markus Näslund and Patrik Erickson. cited an NHL scout describing it as between average and above average. That’s an important distinction. But as it pertains to his ultimate upside, The Athletic’s Corey Pronman did a full video breakdown of Holtz’s game any improvements he can make to his skating will help solidify his last month, in which he graded Holtz’s shot a 70 (on the 20-80 scouting potential ceiling. scale), which translates to elite. He also rated Holtz’s puck skills as a 65 and his vision a 60 and gave his skating a pro-average rating of 50. Important in all that, too, is that Eriksson described Holtz as easy to Pronman ranked Holtz sixth on his 2020 draft board. The Athletic’s Scott coach and a player who has been mature from a young age. He also said Wheeler also ranked Holtz sixth. he’s handled all the attention in his draft year well and thinks Holtz “kind of likes the spotlight.” The case to pick him That’s another mark in his favor, since as a high pick he will be under the In a draft heavy on potential difference-makers at forward, Holtz might microscope immediately upon being drafted. Really, though, he has been just be the best pure scorer available when the Red Wings pick. already as one of the most high-profile prospects all season. And that may only increase if the Swedish league can begin its regular season in Statistically, his numbers as a teenager in the SHL speak for themselves. September, as planned — making Holtz one of a few prospects near the His shot (wrist shot, in particular) draws rave reviews. And if you ask top of the draft who could have additional chances to state their case. Eriksson, that may not even be his best trait as an offensive player. While Holtz got more ice time this season than Raymond, his countryman “I would say number one is his sense,” he said. “I mean he has that goal- and fellow top prospect, he still usually played less than 15 minutes per scoring sense. Just go to the right areas in the offensive zone. He has night. Next season, Eriksson expects his role to increase, which will add that ability to kind of find the rebounds, find the tips … or just showing up to that opportunity to make a few final statements before the draft, which (in) the open spots, getting passes and then finishing. I would say sense is slated for October 9 and 10. is his number one skill when it comes to scoring.” Either way, though, Holtz has proven his bona fides as one of the top Pronman’s highest grade on Holtz is still his elite shot, and he also has a goal-scoring prospects in the draft and offers one of the top offensive higher grade on Holtz’s puck skills than his sense, but that mostly speaks skillsets available at fourth overall. to his all-around complement of skills: all three are rated 60 or better, making them all high-level traits. The Athletic LOADED: 07.17.2020 For a team such as the Red Wings, who scored just two goals per game last season, that has to be enticing. That Holtz does all that as a right- handed shot would only be a bonus. (Detroit has no right-handed forwards in its usual top six.)

As a junior player last season, Holtz’s 47 points were the second-most all-time by a U17 player in the SuperElit, trailing only fellow 2020 draft prospect Lucas Raymond, according to eliteprospects.com. In three SuperElit games this season, he scored seven goals. And he produced on the international stage, too, posting five points in seven games at the World Junior Championships — a U20 tournament for which Holtz was a double-underager.

Holtz is also sturdy, and Eriksson said he does not believe Holtz will have any problems getting to the crease, which will matter at the NHL level. 1188425 Edmonton Oilers different than if I was playing against Ryan (Strome, ex-Oilers and Rangers centre).”

Benning wasn’t sure how the defensive pairings would work before Oh, baby, would Matt Benning love to win a Stanley Cup Phase 3, but after Mike Green opted out for family reasons, that took away the possibility of a Green-Russell tagteam.

“Ken (Holland, general manager) wanted to some extra depth and when Jim Matheson, Edmonton Journal Mike came into the picture (in a late-February trade), I was pulled out for three games. Then he got hurt (sprained knee),” said Benning. “Going

into this, I had no idea what the pairs would be. It’s not up to me. I know Matt Benning will be changing shifts but he won’t be changing diapers Rusty and I play well together, we play a simple game. The playoffs is during the Stanley Cup tournament, because he won’t be holding his different from regular season too. You don’t get hit as much (in league baby boy Miles for a while. play) but you’re getting hit every time in the post-season. That’s the game I like, being physical. Potentially, not until early October if the Edmonton Oilers go all the way, winning 19 games, as the host team in the hub city. “Talking to the guys, with no fans in Edmonton, it’ll be a quiet building and every chance you get to make a big hit and get your bench going, it There will be no day passes for the Oilers defenceman once he’s in the could be magnified three times over a normal crowd.” NHL bubble. Edmonton Sun: LOADED: 07.17.2020 “Yeah it’s a big tease. I’m only 10 or 15 minutes down the road and I can’t see him for what could be two and half months,” said Benning, whose wife Janelle, a nurse, gave birth to their son June 22.

It’s normally a perfect gift in a summer off-season for NHLers, except for this year, with the 12 Western Conference teams sequestered in hotels starting June 26.

With the Oilers in Phase 3 for two weeks of practice and scrimmages, Benning can get to Rogers Place and the adjacent Downtown Community Arena and back home, but not for the tournament.

He’s sleeping at night and looking after Miles during the day while Janelle rests, but that’ll all change in the bubble. It’ll be hotel-rink-hotel-rink for as long as the Oilers are playing. He’ll have to Facetime with his wife to see how Miles is coming along once the tournament starts.

Benning knows he has to be more vigilant with COVID-19 than ever before.

“Yeah, it’s a sensitive time. We had a few calls with the NHLPA (NHL Players Association) and an infectious disease expert and we had a bunch of questions about newborns and their immune system,” said Benning. “We talked a lot to the paediatric doctors too and they said keep your circle small, and we’ve done that. When I come home, I’m washing my hands and making sure I’m clean before I touch Miles.

“I’ve been the one going to the grocery store for the last three or four months to keep the exposure away from my wife.”

Once Benning is in the bubble, he won’t be able to help Janelle.

“When we found out we were pregnant, we said: ‘Oh, that’s good, it’ll be a the end of June and the season will be winding down and I would be able to enjoy time with him.’ Then this threw a curveball at us. But I’ve enjoyed the last few weeks with Miles and my wife. I’ll be on Facetime (in the bubble) like the other guys on the team with their families who aren’t travelling here.

“Miles has grown a ton the last two and half weeks. Sucks that I won’t be around, but it’s part of hockey. We’re so close to the end and doing something special and my wife realizes that.”

During the Phase 3 practices, it’s a medical tune-up for the tournament with the players being extra careful, and not just using their specific water bottles.

“During the season, we have our own water bottles too but if your bottle is at the end of the bench or yours is out of water, you grab somebody else’s. It’s not a big deal, but now you only touch yours,” he said.

“A bigger thing is the towels. Guys like to wipe off their visors or their faces to get rid of the sweat, but now you can only use the towel once and you throw it in the dirty laundry. You don’t want anybody else using it.”

Benning could be with Kris Russell in the third Oilers pairing for the Hawks qualification series and he’ll be seeing old roommate Drake Caggiula.

“We like to play physical against each other, even though we’re good friends. It’ll be like when I was at Northeastern University, playing college hockey against Drake when he was at North Dakota. We probably hit each other six on seven times on the first shift,” said Benning. “It’s no 1188426 Edmonton Oilers who played four USHL games during the Thanksgiving 2019 break from prep school at Omaha, but they dealt his rights to the Chicago Steel.

Mazura was skating regularly during the pandemic back at a rink about Oilers Pipeline: Mazura is a long-term prospect who'll be in USHL 45 minutes from Pardubice, so he fortunately was ahead of his North American counterparts. But he missed out on a second Oilers development camp late in June.

Jim Matheson, Edmonton Journal That was cancelled because of COVID-19.

“I’m bummed about that. Nobody was battling for a spot, just to get better. It was a good experience,” said Mazura, who nevertheless had Mazura. rinks back home where up to 100 people can skate. The Czech-born centre was taken by the Edmonton Oilers in the fifth “I’m not worried about getting sick, I’m young and my immune system is round of the 2019 draft out of Kimball Union Academy, the New pretty good.” Hampshire prep school where Joey Dudek, the kid they got in the Patrick Maroon-New Jersey trade, also went, is now getting ready to play in the A friend did test positive for COVID-19. United States Hockey League. “It wasn’t too bad, they just lost their taste,” he said.. Mazura, 19, who is from Ales Hemsky’s hometown of Pardubice, had committed to Providence College but he’s opted to play for the junior He was back on the ice around the time one of his heroes, Hemsky, Chicago Steel instead, with the USHL saying it will start play on Sept. 26. retired.

“That’s the right place for him,” said Scott Howson, who headed up the “His health wasn’t the greatest. The concussion is what kept him from Oilers’ player development before moving to the American Hockey playing,” he said. “I work with the same trainer he worked with. It was League to be the new president, taking over for Dave Andrews. really bad, unfortunate, but he had great career.”

The Chicago Steel is where Carolina’s Jaccob Slavin once played, also Edmonton Sun: LOADED: 07.17.2020 ex Oilers player Tom Gilbert, and Chris Chelios’s son, Jake. Mazura isn’t sure where the Steel plays, but…

It’s not in Chicago. It’s in the town of Geneva, Ill., which is a 45-minute drive from the United Center.

But, hey, the six-foot-four, 191-pound Mazura, who is the captain at Kimball, is sure seeing the hockey world.

He’s an engaging teenager and there’s some obvious game there, according to Howson. It’s going to take awhile before they know exactly what they’ve got but if he winds up in college, the Oilers have plenty of time to wait.

“Tomas is a long-term project,” said Howson. “Very good vision and passing ability. Tall, long body, lacks strength.”

Mazura, who skated back home with NHLers Filip Zadina, Martin Kaut and Filip Hronek during the NHL pause, knows exactly what he is.

“I don’t score a lot but I can drag a couple of guys on to me and dish the puck,” he said.

He was going to college but said, “The Oilers wanted me to take another year (of development). There’s lots of question marks with college (playing time) and we don’t know when it’s going to start and there’s going to be a good amount of travel. I thought it would be better to get more ice time (in the USHL) and maybe play on the first two lines.

“In college, I might be a third-liner, working my way up (as a freshman). I’m sure both options would have been good but I think this is more safe for my development.

“Providence still has good players and because they weren’t able to finish their season, some of the guys who were supposed to sign (pro contracts) didn’t do that, so that closes some windows. Chicago is a good place to play.”

The USHL hopes to be playing by the last week of September, but if COVID-19 blocks that, he said he “had a backup plan. I would play somewhere in Europe, but I’m not sure where or what level.”

His buddy, Oilers fourth-round 2019 draft Matej Blumel, was going to the University of Connecticut last fall but changed his mind and returned to play in Pardubice in their elite league, also on the Czech under-20 world junior team. Blumel, a right-winger, played 31 games for Pardubice but didn’t get a whole lot of ice-time and had five points.

Mazura probably isn’t ready for an elite league back in Europe.

He dominated at the high-end prep school Kimball Union, however. He had 54 points in 37 games his draft year and this past season had 73 points in 35 games, including 60 assists.

As Howson says, Mazura’s greatest talent is his passing ability.

“The year I got drafted, I had a good second half of the year before I broke my collarbone and didn’t play much (seven games),” said Mazura, 1188427 Edmonton Oilers member NHL crew arrived and hit the ground running under partial quarantine.

“The events team is from all over, consisting of both Canadian and JONES: NHL Hub City plans on making TV mountain out of ant hill American staff. There’s production people, people involved in the wiring and physical set up for television and people involved in the event business who would work on the outdoor games, drafts, all-star games and other NHL events,” said Ballantyne. Terry Jones There’s a major video virtual press conference with Mayer being planned

for next week. It’s getting real now. There are questions waiting to be answered on dozens of fronts, The building of Hub City in Edmonton is underway and there’s more to it including plans of producing an NHL awards show in Edmonton than just taking out the ice, peeling off the Oilers logo, putting in a fresh sometime during the Eastern and Western Conference finals. sheet and slapping an NHL Stanley Cup logo at centre ice. Some of the broadcast plans, including whether they’ll pipe in crowd It’s a bit of a secret but Stu Ballantyne, who along with Tim Shipton are noise and the list of team chants each club has been asked to put the two Oilers Entertainment Group executives that headed the bid, together for each of their ‘home’ games, and the entire philosophy for offered a bit of a teaser. game presentation will be revealed then.

“We’re moving in an entire set design,” OEG senior vice-president of It has been reported the NHL emailed season ticket holders of the 24 operations Ballantyne said of what’s happening inside Rogers Place right teams involved a request to record themselves cheering for 30 seconds, now. “It’s been created for a made-for-TV sporting event. Because there asking for specific chants, such as: “Connor! Connor! Connor,” for are no fans in the seats, the NHL is doing some spectacular stuff to McDavid, or “MVP! MVP! MVP,” for Leon Draisaitl; and team chants, like: enhance the telecasts. “Let’s Go Oilers,” and “Here We Go Oilers.”

“There’s not a lot we can talk about right yet because the NHL has to Yes, it’s getting real now. Or is that unreal? release that information. But I can tell you it’s a detailed set design, Edmonton Sun: LOADED: 07.17.2020 almost like for a major concert. There’s a lot of equipment coming in to build that set and that’s what we’re working on right now. It’s like an ant hill with everybody moving around.”

Shipton and Ballantyne thought they were busy organizing and producing the successful Edmonton bid. But it turns out they were just warming up.

“It’s like, ‘Be careful what you wish for,’” laughed Shipton.

They can’t believe how busy it’s suddenly become as the entire concept of playing between 60 and 81 hockey games in Rogers Place — six exhibition games, the best-of-five qualifying round play-in games, the traditional best-of-seven series through to the two conference finals and the Stanley Cup final itself — comes to life.

“The days are long but the weeks are short,” laughed Shipton again. “There’s a lot of work involved but it’s exciting, quite frankly, to see the Oilers on the ice and the parallel of activity on The Hub.”

Across the street from the set they’re building in the seats at Rogers Place, the fencing is being erected to start creating the hard perimeter for the bubble around the Ice District, J.W. Marriott and other hotels.

“The idea is to ensure that everybody in the bubble environment maintains their health and maintains separation from the general public. It’s a temporary construction fence held down by counterweights. We’re going to trim it by putting coverings on both sides to allow the players to move freely,” said Ballantyne.

The COVID-19 testing operation is already up and running with local partner Dynalife Labs.

They’ve already been testing people, obviously including Oilers players and personnel for a while now. OEG staff members who are now working inside the bubble are being tested daily. In all, by the time NHL commissioner Gary Bettman presents the Stanley Cup in Rogers Place as late as Oct. 4, it will all add up to a phenomenal number.

Every player will be tested every day and all of the staff and vendors will be tested every three days and any staff or worker that’s in the bubble is also tested every day.

“It’ll be thousands and thousands,” said Ballantyne. “One of the important parts of our bid was that we would not be taking testing capacity away from the public health system and the NHL is paying for all of the testing,” said Shipton. “We need to ensure that there’s a 24-hour turnaround in getting the results.

“We’re about to build a large clinic in Ford Hall, where teams could enter one way and exit the other. On any given day, you’ll have teams playing three games and teams practicing at the Terwillegar Recreation Centre. It’s a big logistical effort.”

Some new customers showed up for the Dynalife crew Tuesday evening. NHL chief content officer and Hub City lead Steve Mayer and his 14- 1188428 Edmonton Oilers Tippett was quick to mention both players on Wednesday even though they haven’t seen a whiff of time outside of work on a fifth line along with Russell through three days of camp.

A look at 5 questions facing the Oilers midway through their first week of Nygard’s speed would make him a nice fit on the left wing with Sheahan camp and Archibald on one of the bottom two lines, which has been the case for spurts this season. With the more established offensive options Tippett has at his disposal, it’s unlikely Nygard gets top-six duty.

By Daniel Nugent-Bowman Jul 16, 2020 He doesn’t seem like a fit to replace Neal on that line with Khaira and Chiasson either.

“What you’ve got there is a big, strong line that I think could be a good Through three practices and three scrimmages, we are starting to get playoff line,” Tippett said. “They all play key roles on special teams.” some clarity regarding the Oilers. Getting Nygard into the lineup could result in quite the shuffle on the left Leon Draisaitl and especially Connor McDavid look like they haven’t side and would mean one of Athanasiou, Ennis or Neal comes out. missed a beat. Good news for Edmonton on that front. Don’t forget, however, Nygard hasn’t played since Jan. 29 when he broke Throw in two additional names, Ethan Bear and Alex Chiasson – most his hand after blocking a shot against Calgary. Tippett feels he’s skating notably Tuesday for the latter – that seem to have an extra pep in their well coming back from injury, but just needs to find his touch. steps. Like Nygard, there seems to be only one natural spot for Haas – And, if you want to get strictly into aesthetics, Riley Sheahan and Jujhar replacing Khaira as the fourth-line centre. (Now, if that happened, that Khaira have a commanding lead when it comes to the best playoff could be another line to throw Nygard on.) beards – Zack Kassian’s chops aside. The issue here, as has been mentioned several times, is the Oilers Still, there’s a ton about this team that we still don’t know. simply don’t have enough penalty killers to remove Khaira from the If all goes according to plan, the Oilers have less than two weeks before lineup. their only postseason tune-up game – July 28 against the Flames. Add He was their fourth most-used forward while shorthanded and their PK just three more days to that and they’ll open their postseason play-in was second in the league. Among the regulars, Sheahan, Archibald, series against Chicago. Nugent-Hopkins, Khaira and Draisaitl are the only forwards who kill There are questions that’ll need answers soon enough. Here are five of penalties. them. Khaira played left wing most of the season but shifted to centre shortly Does Dave Tippett have his forward duos set? after the trade deadline acquisitions of Athanasiou and Ennis created a glut at the position. As far as any roster decisions can be set this early in camp, it certainly appears coach Dave Tippett has determined his right wing and centre Problems, problems, problems for Tippett – but seemingly good ones to combinations. have.

“You’re never locked into anything,” Tippett said. “There’s some that you “We like our depth,” he said. “We have a lot of interchangeable parts. know work.” “We’re looking for synergy on lines. We have the ability to tinker with it.” Let’s start with the obvious ones. How will the last defensive pairing look? Draisaitl and Kailer Yamamoto have been linemates since the calendar To the surprise of no one, camp started with Oscar Klefbom and Adam flipped to 2020. There’s no reason to split them up, especially the way Larsson together and Darnell Nurse and Ethan Bear as another pair. Draisaitl, Yamamoto and Tippett gushed about their chemistry on Tuesday. There was expected to be intense competition for the third pairing, but Mike Green opting out of postseason action and Caleb Jones being Save for emergency situations, Sheahan and Josh Archibald have been deemed unfit for practice has halted that for now. a pairing at 5-on-5 all season. That’s another one all but etched in stone. Kris Russell and Matt Benning have been entrenched as the third pair for Tippett had some kind things to say about the work ethic of frequent practices and scrimmages, whereas Jones has been put through the scratch Patrick Russell. But with due respect to him and Cooper Marody paces afterward by assistant coach Brian Wiseman and associate bench – a natural centre skating on the starboard side at camp – there are boss Jim Playfair. really only two other right wingers expected to be in the mix. Jones is expected to practice with the main group soon – perhaps as When you look at Kassian and Chiasson, the former has had more ice early as Friday – which adds an interesting wrinkle to the battle. time and chemistry with McDavid – a fact that was mentioned by Tippett. That leaves Chiasson with centre Khaira. Jones, a lefty, is the most competent and trusted blueliner on the team to play his weak side. So, any combination of those three players as the The only other possible option is James Neal. Moving him across the ice Nos. 5 and 6 defencemen are possible – including with Russell on the left would logically have to come at the expense of one of the four right and Jones on the right. wingers – most likely Chiasson. William Lagesson, Evan Bouchard and Philip Broberg provide depth at Since the right wing and centre duos are written in dark pencil, it’s the left camp. Having either of the latter two players appear in 10 games would side that’s in flux. burn the first year of their entry-level contracts. Ryan Nugent-Hopkins is the only one guaranteed a spot in the top six. What about Philip Broberg? He’s with McDavid now, leaving Andreas Athanasiou to skate with the Draisaitl and Yamamoto. Neal and Tyler Ennis both have top-six As I reported early last week, the Oilers’ plan was to merely invite credentials, with the latter’s speed making him an especially worth Broberg to training camp, arm him with some valuable experience and candidate. send him back to Sweden for SHL camp with Skelleftea.

It’s quite likely we’ll see some shuffling on the left side of the top three Well, now that Green has opted out, there could be a shift in thinking. lines as camp progresses. Tippett has said as much. Broberg is one of 10 defencemen currently with the Oilers, a number that Could others make their way into the mix? includes the not-quite-ready-for-action Jones.

Where might Joakim Nygard and Gaetan Haas fit? GM figured he’d be taking 10 defencemen into the bubble on July 26 before Green chose not to play. As a result, the Oilers will use the next week and a half to assess Broberg’s performance at camp to determine if he’s ready to serve as the team’s 10th blue line option. “If you watch the practices, he looks good out there,” Tippett said. “He doesn’t look out of place at all.

“Everybody’s pleasantly surprised. This is the first real look we’ve had of him here.”

Keeping Broberg in Edmonton would potentially come at the expense of him preparing for the 2020-21 SHL season.

If the 2019 first-round pick heads back to Sweden at the conclusion of training camp, Holland said his spot on the roster won’t be replaced.

“By the time we get into that hub, things are gonna start to go fast,” the GM said.

Brandon Manning is the only other defenceman in the organization with NHL experience this season. The pending free agent was suspended five games for using a racial slur during an AHL game in January.

On Wednesday, prospect Dmitri Samorukov was officially loaned to CSKA Moscow of the KHL for the 2020-21 campaign.

Not keeping Broberg around would leave a vacant spot on the roster. The Oilers would then take only three goaltenders, nine defencemen and 18 forwards into the bubble – a total of 30 players rather than the maximum 31 allowed.

Barring an injury or something else unforeseen, the three goaltenders will be Mike Smith, Mikko Koskinen and Stuart Skinner. Dylan Wells and Olivier Rodrigue aren’t scheduled to move on to Phase 4.

Who’s No. 1?

Oh yeah; in case you haven’t heard, Smith and Koskinen are duking it out for the starting assignment for Game 1 against Chicago on Aug. 1.

Nothing new to report there. Just figured we’d keep this ever-pressing question in mind.

Tippett couldn’t or wouldn’t say yet if he plans on splitting the goaltending duties during the exhibition game.

The Athletic LOADED: 07.17.2020 1188429 Edmonton Oilers Kassian looks like a player who is not going to get a second hour against elites unless riding shotgun with the captain. However, that’s just one part of the equation.

Lowetide: Zack Kassian’s role on Oilers top line must include responsible Against mid-level play This is a game state (five-on-five against mid-level competition as defined by Puck IQ) that should see Edmonton outscore opponents consistently. McDavid versus a second line is advantageous, we should By Allan Mitchell Jul 16, 2020 see quality results. Here are the numbers.

Some real concern here, and we have to allow for the possibility that McDavid’s summer rehab and fatigue (discussed here) may have Zack Kassian will turn 30 on Jan. 24, 2021 and statistically reached his impacted things. Together, McDavid-Kassian are outscored against mid- peak with a fantastic 39-game run that marked the first half of the 2019- level competition and individually the captain was outscored badly. 20 season. That’s very late for a player to reach his career apex, but Kassian’s scoring numbers (13-14-27, .692 points-per-game) and five- There are only a few possible explanations (luck, poor linemates, fatigue, on-five production (2.52 points-per-60, No. 29 among all NHL forwards injury, double shifting is ineffective, bad goaltending, McDavid is secretly on New Year’s Day) during that time represent a spectacular half-season 40) and this was a problem in 2018-19 as well. McDavid-Kassian for the big winger and an incredible spike in career offence. together against mid-level competition scored 11-11, and McDavid without Kassian against elites resulted in an 11-14 deficit in 2018-19. After that strong beginning, the second half of Kassian’s 2019-20 season was marred by suspension, inconsistent play and a major drop in McDavid’s double shifting, a big part of the game when Edmonton is performance. behind, is delivering subpar results. That may be due to poor quality of five-on-five play by fourth-line wingers. Here are his results against mid- For the Edmonton Oilers, Kassian’s effective play in the first half is vital level competition with Edmonton’s right wingers in 2019-20: to the team’s success, and the team needs him to be aware in all areas. When he’s playing a disciplined game (while also playing his physical Kassian 11-12 style) good things happen for the team, despite his defensive shortcomings. Chiasson 1-3

When he’s taking penalties that cost important divisional games? And Josh Archibald 1-1 lead to a two-game suspension? That’s a problem. Following that up with Patrick Russell 0-2 a seven-game suspension, after general manager Ken Holland rewarded Kassian with a handsome new contract? Kailer Yamamoto 0-0

Time to take stock and seek redemption. Let’s start with what Connor Kassian and Chiasson are veterans who bring toughness and some skill, McDavid needs for a linemate and what Kassian can deliver and what he Russell is a pure fourth liner and Archibald is more of a checker. cannot provide. McDavid’s 2019-20 performance against mid-level opponents was 13-19, Kassian’s 14-15. Elements of success Whatever the reason for the results, coach Dave Tippett will want to It’s so easy to get caught up in things that don’t matter when discussing tweak and improve those numbers. the contributions made by individual players. All of the numbers we’ll look at in this piece include every element each player brings to a line. So, in Against Gritensity Kassian’s case, his presence as a deterrent against tomfoolery by the opposition against McDavid are built in to the numbers. If the captain can These are the minutes against the lesser NHL players, employed to wheel in a more carefree manner, and if that means more goals, then it’ll make sure they don’t give up a goal. We should expect McDavid to get show up in the stats. There’s a tendency to romanticize the position of less ice time against this group and to dominate. Here are the 2019-20 enforcer by some and a growing trend of discounting the intimidation numbers from Puck IQ. factor by others. As expected, opposition coaches tried to keep McDavid away from their The bottom line: If it helps or hurts, it should show up in the numbers. soft parade. McDavid-Kassian had a good possession number and sawed off the goal differential, I think we can discuss things like Questions that need answers goaltending helping to account for 13 goals-against in 164 minutes (that’s 4.76 goals against per hour, a truly ghastly number against elites). Does Kassian help McDavid outscore at five-on-five? This is a loaded question but we do have a way to find the answers. I like to use Puck IQ McDavid without Kassian wins the possession number and scores well as a tool to identify exactly what’s going on during games. Puck IQ does but the goals against almost matches the output. this two ways: First, by identifying the quality of competition for each player and binning them into three levels (Elite, Mid-level, Gritensity) in Kassian with McDavid order to give us a more accurate view. Second, Puck IQ weights the Not every puzzle is an easy one to complete. The McDavid line should shots to give more importance to high-danger chances. The result is a be outscoring and it did not deliver as expected in 2019-20. The Puck IQ wonderful view of each player and how they perform against different ‘binning’ shows the No. 1 line did well against elite competition and levels of competition. scored well (while giving up too much) against what Puck IQ refers to as Against elites ‘gritensity’ third and fourth liners.

This is the good stuff. In order for Kassian to hold on to his job on the top The mid-level numbers are dire. line with McDavid, he has to be able to help the captain outscore the What do the numbers tell us? competition. If the line’s effectiveness against elites is quality when Kassian is on the ice, that’s a very good indicator. Using Puck IQ, we’re The problem is threefold: Spotty goaltending, a lack of a defensive looking at McDavid-Kassian 2019-20 together and then each man apart conscience on the McDavid line, plus the roster isn’t built for a club that is from the other: trying to double shift the most dynamic offensive player in the league. Put another way, those penalty killers on the depth lines came at a cost that McDavid-Kassian is below 50 percent in Dangerous Fenwick percentage, played out at five-on-five and impacted the captain. but the duo performs better than their fellow linemates overall. The goal differential is handsome and that’s good (outscoring!) but in the case of Kassian is not an exceptional defensive player, so expecting him to McDavid we might be talking in spite of Kassian as opposed to because suddenly emerge as the strong defensive member of the line isn’t of his right winger. realistic. There are things he can do to suppress scoring, and one of the areas that needs work is marking his man in the Edmonton zone. An McDavid without Kassian is a little worse in possession, remains superior example is here, a goal by Brandon Saad that results from a brilliant to other Oilers forwards and outscores opponents 5-3. Kassian without Patrick Kane pass. Kane has a partial breakaway that is denied by the McDavid is less than an hour, so we need to be aware of samples. smart work of Ethan Bear. Kane turns, looks for the trailer, and Saad has daylight on Kassian. A split second later, the puck is in the net. Kassian can help the Oilers by being more aware without the puck.

What does it all mean?

Kassian is signed, the Oilers clearly believe in him. It’s also true that Ryan Nugent-Hopkins has been moved from the Draisaitl line to provide better defensive coverage than the video shows on the Saad goal.

The goaltending needs to improve and Ken Holland will have to find a way to shore up the fourth-line wingers for McDavid’s double shifting.

Kassian? Hold that temper in check, keep scoring at something close to the levels seen in the first 39 games of the season, more awareness defensively and haul ass in order to catch up on breakouts, arriving in time to intercept that cherry pass by Patrick Kane.

He’ll be 30 in January 2021, and he’s still developing as a player. His talent is clear — there’s a reason Kassian went in the first round those long years ago. The question now surrounds his ability to hold on to that job on the McDavid line.

If the Nuge shuffle doesn’t work, Kassian could find himself with another centre.

The Athletic LOADED: 07.17.2020 1188430 Florida Panthers Players expect to feel even more comfortable once they arrive in Canada, where case counts are lower and the NHL has said it plans to conduct daily tests.

A look at some of the Florida Panthers’ COVID-19 policies and sanitation “I commend the training staff for their process of complying to all the protocols challenges that are faced with the players coming every morning and what they’ve got to do for the facilities, and the cleaning and all of the stuff they never had to worry about before,” Quenneville said in an appearance on WQAM’s “The Joe Rose Show with Zach Krantz.” BY DAVID WILSON JULY 16, 2020 04:17 PM “Everybody’s done a good job of making it work and trying to be as ready as possible.”

A few days before Phase 2 of the NHL’s return-to-play plan began last Miami Herald LOADED: 07.17.2020 month, a line of cars filled the parking lot at the Florida Panthers IceDen.

The first wave of players had arrived in Coral Springs to prepare to take part in the small group workouts allowed by the league, so the Panthers did what so many others across South Florida have done on a larger scale since the COVID-19 pandemic began in march: They set up a drive-through testing site.

Dave DiNapoli and the rest of the Panthers’ training staff tended to the first group of players, including Noel Acciari, as they looped through the lot, spit in a vial and received instructions about what to expect for the next few days.

“There’s a lot of processes that we go through in order to make sure that safety is taken into consideration ... and then you get into a situation like this where the whole world just shuts down,” DiNapoli said in the second episode of team-produced documentary series “Panthers Uncaged,” which debuted Wednesday on the team site. “I don’t think there’s anybody on the face of the earth that thought that this was going to wind up being as debilitating to society as it was, but at the end of the day you’re dealt that hand and you’ve got to play those cards.”

The head athletic trainer’s plan was the focus of much of the second episode. His staff’s response let Florida move through Phase 2 effectively and start postseason training camp this week without any significant hiccups.

On Wednesday, coach Joel Quenneville said the Panthers aren’t currently dealing with any positive cases of the coronavirus as the team is now just a week away from departing for Toronto to enter a bubble and take part in the NHL’s expanded postseason.

“Organizationally here, we’re fine as far as what we’re talking about,” the coach said.

Florida’s precautionary measures are similar to those in place all across the United States. Everyone is required to wear masks inside the Panthers IceDen, and stickers are placed all over the floor to encourage social distancing and direct people around the practice facility.

Certain areas are cordoned off so personnel enter and exit their designated areas in one direction. The documentary showed Images of workers in hazmat suits and gas masks sanitizing team facilities.

This week, the full team has all been in the IceDen together, but the start of Phase 2 limited the facility to allowing only six players inside at a time with no coaches in attendance. Everyone has their temperature screened with an infrared thermometer upon entering the facility, and players are tested twice a week using a saliva-based test rather than the more invasive nasal swabs.

“We’re using a saliva-based test, only because jamming a swab for a nasal type of test up a guy’s nose twice a week is not the most comfortable,” DiNapoli said. “I know our guys. They’re some of the toughest guys in the industry. It’s commonly known how tough hockey guys are, but I’ll tell you what: Putting one of those swabs up your nose is not comfortable for anybody.”

After the initial tests the week before Phase 2 began in June, players had virtual meetings with team doctors on the first day of the phase. Ultimately, the facility didn’t actually open until the third day of the second phase as the team made sure players were clear to reenter.

“It’s definitely different,” Acciari said, “just seeing all the arrows on the ground, what’s blocked off, one way in, you’re testing as soon as you get in the rink.”

Throughout Phase 2 and the start of Phase 3, Panthers players repeatedly praised the protocols and said they feel safe in the facility, particularly as COVID-19 cases climb across Florida. 1188431 Los Angeles Kings What did an Olympics without NHL players look like? Different. The U.S., for instance, had some college players and professionals from Europe or the AHL, while the Olympic Athletes from Russia featured a star-studded KHL-full roster that still missed notable Russian names like Ovechkin or YOUR GUIDE TO THE NHL’S POSSIBLE RETURN TO THE Malkin. OLYMPICS IN 2022 The biggest surprise of the tournament? Team Germany, led by none other than Marco Sturm, former Kings player and current assistant coach on Todd McLellan’s staff. Sturm was tabbed head coach of his native BY KAYLEA KONOVAL FOR LAKINGSINSIDER.COMJULY 16, 20200 Germany in 2015, and with Germany failing to receive one of the nine COMMENTSOLYMPICS automatic bids, he was first tasked with helping Germany qualify for the Olympics by winning a qualifying tournament in 2016. Keep in mind that, had they not won that qualifying tournament, there’s no Olympics for Hey Insiders! Germany.

As you saw last week, one of the major announcements by the NHL and In PyeongChang, Sturm not only helped Germany prove it belonged in NHLPA was the four-year extension of the Collective Bargaining the Olympics, he led the nation to the gold-medal game after defeating Agreement, which included an agreement allowing players to participate none other than heavily favored Sweden and Canada in the quarterfinal in the next two Olympics. For a quick reminder, NHL players started and semifinal rounds. In the gold-medal game, Sturm and Team participating in the Olympics in 1998 – and proceeded to participate in Germany came within 56 seconds of winning gold before falling to the five-straight Olympic Winter Games – before missing the 2018 Olympic Olympics Athletes of Russia, which included current LA Kings forward Winter Games in PyeongChang. Nikolai Prokhorkin, in overtime by a 4-3 count.

As exciting as the 2018 Olympic tournament was – particularly for LA Notable LA Kings Olympic Ties Kings assistant coach Marco Sturm and silver medal-winning Team Germany – the tournament wasn’t quite the same as the five NHL-filled Vice President and General Manager of the Kings, Rob Blake made his Olympic tournaments. A quick scan at those Olympic Winter Games Olympic debut in 1998 in Nagano, Japan, notching a goal and an assist brings to mind some historic moments – Dominik Hasek’s golden heroics to help Canada to a fourth-place finish. Four years later, he won gold with in 1998; Canada ending its 50-year Olympic gold-medal drought in 2002; Canada at the 2002 Olympic Winter Games in Salt Lake City, helping the Sidney Crosby’s overtime golden goal for Canada in 2010 on home ice; country end a 50-year Olympic gold-medal drought in men’s ice hockey. or even the U.S.-Russia shootout in 2014. Blake also competed in his third Olympic outing in the 2006 Winter Olympics in Turin, Italy, bringing his Olympic totals to six points (2-4=6) in So, does this recent news mean we could be seeing some LA Kings 18 career games. players with an Olympic medal around their necks in 2022? We’re hopeful, but it’s not a done deal just yet. The 2010 Olympic Winter Games in Vancouver, British Columbia, saw Drew Doughty (Canada), Dustin Brown (USA) and Jonathan Quick (USA) Let’s walk through some of the details, as well as take a quick look back make their countries’ Olympic rosters for the first time. The trio faced off at Kings ties to Olympic history. in the preliminary round, where the U.S. edged Canada, 5-3, before meeting again in the gold-medal game. There, Doughty and Team Al BelloJpg Canada prevailed on home ice with a 3-2 overtime win as Doughty, the CBA Extension Opens Door for Olympic Return youngest member of Team Canada at 20-years-old, tallied two points in six games and was on the ice for the golden goal. Brown skated in all six When the NHL and NHLPA announced last Friday that both parties had games for the silver medal-winning U.S. while Quick served as a backup agreed to a four-year CBA extension, that included a commitment to goaltender. players returning to the 2022 and 2026 Olympic Winter Games. The news should not only bring excitement to players interested in Five current Kings players would go on the skate in the 2014 Olympic representing their country, but to all hockey – and Olympics – fans. Winter Games as Doughty, Brown and Quick would skate in their second Olympics and be joined by Anze Kopitar (Slovenia) and Jeff Carter In 2018, the NHL ultimately did not send players to the Olympics in (Canada). Kopitar finished seventh with Slovenia, recording three points PyeongChang, South Korea. The reason? Well, there were several – in five contests (2-1=3). Brown and Quick came in fourth with USA, with ranging from the league’s disinterest in pausing the regular season for Brown tallying three points in six games (2-1=3) while serving as an nearly three weeks, fears of player injuries, limitations on marketing alternate captain and Quick, Team USA’s starting goaltender, went 3-2-0 rights or highlight usage, etc. Many of the players were upset at the idea with a 2.17 GAA and .923 SV%. Together, Doughty and Carter helped of not participating, but the lack of any inclusion of the Olympics in the Canada win its second consecutive gold medal. Doughty earned CBA at the time, led to the resulting scenario. Tournament All-Star honors and tied for the team-lead in Therefore, the fact that the latest CBA includes an agreement regarding scoring with six points in six games (4-2=6) while Carter was one of three the Olympics is the first, and perhaps most important, step in bringing the tournament players register a hat trick and finished with five points (3- NHL back to the Olympics. 2=5) in six games.

So is the NHL participating in the 2022 Olympic Winter Games A Sure What will the 2022 Olympics Look Like? Thing? Assuming everything gets squared away, the 2022 Olympic tournament Not quite. While the NHL and NHLPA have come to an agreement to currently has nine countries qualified and its three groups already sorted. allow players to participate, there are still some items to be resolved with Group A and C will feature two highly prominent international rivalries go the International Olympic Committee before a full celebration is in order. head-to-head, as Group A features both Canada and the United States while Group C includes both Finland and Sweden. Joining Canada and A major sticking point in 2018 came about when the IOC stated it would the U.S. in Group A is Germany and tournament host, China, while decline to pay the participation costs associated with travel, insurance Group C’s two other participating teams will be determined by Olympic and accommodations – a hurdle that will still need to be resolved Qualifying Tournaments. In Group B, Russia, Czech Republic and between the IOC and NHL. Switzerland will also be joined by a team determined from Olympic Qualifying Tournament play. Should fans worry about the NHL/NHLPA/IOC not being able to get on the same page like they did in 2018? International Ice Hockey Federation Who will end up representing LA when the time comes? Will it be one of president Rene Fasel, in a recent interview with the Associated Press, the six current Kings players with Olympic experience (Brown, Carter, was highly optimistic an agreement can be made. Doughty, Kopitar, Prokhorkin, Quick), or one of the next wave of rising young stars making their mark? Time will tell what the future holds but for “No, I don’t think there’s a deal breaker,” Fasel told The Associated now we can speculate on who “goes for gold” on the world’s biggest Press. “There are a lot of challenges, but I think in principle I would say stage. the news that that’s in the CBA, for me and especially international hockey, is very good news.” NOTE – Kaylea Konoval works for the Kings and is one of many contributors to LA Kings Insider at this time. Flashback to 2018: Sturm Guides Germany to Surprising Silver LA Kings Insider: LOADED: 07.17.2020 1188432 Minnesota Wild

Minnesota Wild hosting supply drive Wednesday for St. Paul Midway community

By EMMA EIDSVOOG |PUBLISHED: July 15, 2020 at 2:13 p.m. | UPDATED: July 16, 2020 at 5:33 p.m.

The Minnesota Wild will host an Essential Supply Drive on Wednesday, July 22, in partnership with Greater Twin Cities United Way and Toyota. The drive will be 9 a.m. to 2 p.m. outside Xcel Energy Center and St. Paul RiverCentre along Kellogg Boulevard.

The first 150 people who donate will receive a Kevin Fiala autographed photo and a Minnesota Wild hat.

Additionally, all fans who make a donation will receive Minnesota Wild giveaway items including a Zach Parise and Mikko Koivu canvas print, a United Way “Live United” t-shirt and complimentary Coca-Cola products. Toyota Tundra trucks are being used to collect and deliver the day’s donations to the nonprofits.

Needed items include non-perishable food, hygiene and project support goods. People who are unable to donate supply items but would still like to support these efforts can visit the Greater Twin Cities United Way’s website to learn more and donate.

The event will follow CDC guidelines to ensure safety of volunteers, donors and community members. Those donating should wear a mask and plan to unload their vehicles while maintaining social distancing.

Donated money and items will go toward Keystone Community Services, Hallie Q. Brown Community Center and the communities they serve in the St. Paul Midway area. These organizations provide food support, community-based programs and other services to the community.

Pioneer Press LOADED: 07.17.2020 1188433 Minnesota Wild “Once the games are done, we’ll look at the future and it’s going to be totally up to mentally, physically how I feel. I’m trying to do the right thing in my mind about the future and things like that. For the final decision, I don’t think it’s the time to make that call as of right now. “ Now healthy and happy, Mikko Koivu worried more about the Wild’s current opportunity than his future Pioneer Press LOADED: 07.17.2020

By JACE FREDERICK | PUBLISHED: July 16, 2020 at 5:24 p.m. | UPDATED: July 16, 2020 at 5:24 p.m.

It was fair to wonder if coronavirus would end Mikko Koivu’s 15-year Wild career.

The 37-year-old forward is a free agent this offseason, and it’s possible that this is his final season in Minnesota, and the NHL altogether. How unsatisfying it would have been for such a tenure to end so abruptly.

Koivu didn’t seem to spend much time entertaining that thought over the past four months. Instead, he put his efforts into making sure he was taking care of his body so that if the season did resume, he would be ready. Koivu said he knew more than a month ago that if there was a return to action, it would happen around now.

“I think that kind of made it easier preparation-wise, and then planning the workouts and the physical part of it,” he said. “I think you’re always worried about what’s going to happen, and then when you don’t know, like I said I think the last month, month and a half once you hear the options and … I don’t want to say the deadline necessarily, but timing- wise that was kind of where we were at.”

Now we know that if this is it for Koivu’s time in a Wild jersey, at least it will end in the postseason, as should be the case.

“Mikko Koivu has meant everything to this franchise. He has been such a figure, just watching from afar for so many years of how he’s led and led by example, and is still leading,” Wild coach said. “There’s a reason he’s the captain of the team. You watch his work ethic out there, it’s just absolutely awesome. Like, awesome. He doesn’t let anybody off the hook. If you’re going against him, you’re going against a man that’s competing every single second that he’s on the ice, practice or games. So yeah, I’m excited obviously for everybody, but no question excited for Mikko going forward here.”

As of now, just a few days into training camp 2.0, Koivu’s body feels good. What a relief that is for the veteran. The knee surgery that ended his 2019-20 campaign continued to bother him 20 to 30 games into this season. Then came a groin injury. It wasn’t until just before the hiatus in mid-March that he really started to feel good. He and the Wild’s entire fourth line were playing well.

Koivu, who went to Finland for a few weeks during the pause to train, admits he was a little concerned about how his body would react to coming back from the extended time off, but so far, so good.

“Everything should be good to go,” he said. “Every skate helps as of right now, but just feeling healthy, and I think that’s something as a hockey player, once you go through a serious injury, that’s something that (makes you) really appreciate and you know how much better it is once you can do the things you want to do without pain. I’m feeling good and, like every other guy on the team, it’s been fun, and I think everyone has energy and it’s been a positive first couple of days at camp.”

That sounds like a guy who may want to play past this season. He ribbed The Athletic’s Michael Russo for reporting that, should he not agree to another deal with the Wild, he may finish his playing career in Finland. While that’s an option, everyone in Finland took it as a certainty. As of now, nothing has been determined.

He’s focused on the here and now.

“I feel really good. I feel, I don’t want to say 100 percent healthy, but there’s no pain, nothing that will bother you playing the game, and you can enjoy it now. And that’s a feeling you want to have,” Koivu said. “So, that hasn’t changed. I’m just really trying to enjoy every minute of it on the ice and the preparation part and, once we get to Edmonton, to start playing again. I’m trying to take it as a new experience and just make sure that, like I said, I think we all realize now that anything can happen, and so you just want to have fun with it, and then at the same time prepare the right way and make sure we do our part as good as we can. 1188434 Montreal Canadiens Danault was asked during a video conference on Wednesday whether he’d rather be matched up against Crosby or Malkin.

“I’ll take anybody,” he said. Stu on Sports: Canadiens face big challenge against a healthy Sidney Danault noted that Crosby is a better two-way player than Malkin, who is Crosby more of an offensive-minded player.

“I’m going to prepare the same thing as every single game during the Author of the article:Stu Cowan Montreal Gazette year,” Danault said about the challenge he will be facing against the Penguins. “I play against the big line, it’s my role and I take pride in this. We take pride in this as a line, as a team, too. Obviously, I know Crosby is a real, real good player, offensively, defensively. He’s a two-way The Canadiens had a 1-1-1 record this season against Pittsburgh, but forward, so it’s going to be a big challenge, probably one of the biggest in Penguins captain Sidney Crosby didn’t play in two of those games. my career so far. So I’m going to embrace it. It’s going to be fun. I want to When the Canadiens beat the Penguins 4-1 in Pittsburgh on Dec. 10, embrace the challenge.” Crosby was sidelined after having surgery to repair a core muscle injury Danault keeps getting better in November. Crosby was still recovering from the surgery on Jan. 4, when the Penguins beat the Canadiens 3-2 in overtime at the Bell Danault tied his career high with 13 goals this season (despite the last 11 Centre. games being wiped out because of COVID-19) and had 47 points in 71 games to finish second on the Canadiens in scoring behind Tomas Tatar Crosby was pointless and minus-7 in his last four games before having (22-39-61). the surgery. Crosby missed 28 games because of the surgery, but the Penguins still went 18-6-4 without their captain. A big reason for that was Danault was also plus-18 (a career-high and team best) while playing Evgeni Malkin, who posted 11-27-38 totals in the 28 games Crosby against the opposition’s No. 1 line every game and he won 54.5 per cent missed. of his faceoffs.

In his first game back on Jan. 14, Crosby had 1-3-4 totals in a 7-3 win “When I showed up here (in February 2017) he was a really young over the Minnesota Wild. Crosby was in the lineup when the Penguins player,” Julien said about Danault. “I’m not sure if it was just his second beat the Canadiens 4-1 on Feb. 14 in Pittsburgh and he picked up three or third year in the league. But he was one of those young players that assists. you could see a lot of potential in. When I met with him, he kept talking about the fact that he really liked a guy like Patrice Bergeron’s game and Crosby finished the season with 16-31-47 totals in 41 games and was knew I coached him (in Boston). So it was easy for me to work with this minus-8, while the Penguins finished with a 40-23-6 record, 15 points guy and help him become a real reliable player. ahead of the Canadiens (31-31-9), who played two more games than Pittsburgh. Malkin finished the season with 25-49-74 totals in 55 games “What I’ve seen in the years that I’ve been here is a guy that with and was plus-7. experience, with maturity, with time and practice is getting better all the time at becoming a good two-way player,” the coach added. “It’s OK to Obviously, the Canadiens are going to have to find a way to limit the say: ‘Well you know, he’s reliable defensively,’ but I think you can’t forget damage Crosby and Malkin can do when they meet in a best-of-five first- that his line (with Tatar and ) has been the most round postseason series that will begin on Saturday, Aug. 1 in Toronto. productive line of our team for a couple of years now. So offensively he’s The Canadiens’ Phillip Danault has developed into one of the best two- also done a good job.” way centres in the NHL, but he won’t be able to check both Crosby and Canadiens 2-0 vs. Penguins in playoffs Malkin. The Canadiens and Penguins have only met twice before in the playoffs “As much as I’d like to say he’s going to be in Crosby’s and Malkin’s face and the Canadiens won both series. all the time, when you don’t have home-ice advantage that may become a little tough,” Canadiens coach Claude Julien said when asked about In 1998, the Canadiens beat the Penguins in six games during the first Danault during a video conference on Wednesday. “It may not be as round of the playoffs. Mark Recchi (3-5-8), Vincent Damphousse (2-6-8) easy as we think it can be.” and Shayne Corson (3-4-7) led the Canadiens in scoring during the series, while Andy Moog was in goal, earning a in a 3-0 Game 6 The Penguins will be the home team for Games 1, 2 and 5 (if necessary), victory. Jaromir Jagr (4-5-9), Stu Barnes (3-3-6) and Ron Francis (1-5-6) meaning they will have last change for those games. led the Penguins in scoring, while Tom Barrasso was in goal. “Phil can’t cover two guys that may be centres on two different lines here, After beating the Penguins, the Canadiens were swept by the Buffalo unless (Penguins coach) Mike Sullivan wants to make it easy on me and Sabres in the second round. send those two centres with another line in between,” Julien said. “(Then) I can double-shift (Danault) at times, which I doubt’s going to happen. But In 2010, the Canadiens beat the Penguins in seven games in the second having said that, I think at the end of the day you’re going to have to rely round of the playoffs. Mike Cammalleri (7-1-8), Brian Gionta (5-3-8) and on other players to do the job.” Scott Gomez (0-7-7) led the Canadiens in scoring, while Jaroslav Halak stood on his head in goal, posting a .927 save percentage over the seven One of those players will be rookie Nick Suzuki. games. Sergei Gonchar (2-4-6), Alex Goligoski (1-5-6) and Kris Letang “Nick Suzuki might be a first-year player, but he’s a smart player,” Julien (3-2-5) led the Penguins in scoring, while Crosby had 1-4-5 totals. Marc- said. “This may be Nick’s opportunity to step in there and we know how André Fleury was in goal for the Penguins. reliable and smart he is as a player. So he may be able to do the job. We After beating the Penguins, the Canadiens went on to lose in five games don’t know what’s going to happen with a Max Domi yet. So there’s some to the Philadelphia Flyers in the Eastern Conference final. situations here that are going to happen that there’s some guys that are going to have to step up and help with that role. That’s all we can do. We Another chance for Tatar can’t create magic here and all of a sudden bring an experienced guy in our lineup that would be adequate for that role. We have what we have The last time the Canadiens played a playoff game was April 22, 2017, and we need to make it work with what we have — and that’s what we when they lost 3-1 to the New York Rangers in Game 6 of their first- intend to do.” round series at Madison Square Garden.

No on-ice session today, but a ton of pics to share from camp so far. Tatar’s last playoff game was on June 7, 2018, with the expansion Vegas Golden Knights in Game 5 of the Stanley Cup final against the https://t.co/Z9FHauZSrK#GoHabsGo pic.twitter.com/gytRhLeLjY Washington Capitals. The Capitals won the game 4-3 to take the Cup.

— Canadiens Montréal (@CanadiensMTL) July 16, 2020 The Golden Knights acquired Tatar from the Detroit Red Wings on Feb. 26, 2018, in exchange for a first-round pick at the 2018 NHL Draft (Joe Pick your poison Veleno), a second-round pick in 2019 and a third-round pick in 2021. The Canadiens didn’t skate Thursday in Brossard, instead working out in the gym at the , and there was no media availability. Things didn’t work out for Tatar in Vegas. He posted 4-2-6 totals in 20 regular-season games after the trade and dressed for only eight of the Golden Knights’ 20 playoff games, posting 1-1-2 totals. The Canadiens acquired him from Vegas on Sept. 10, 2018, along with Suzuki, in exchange for Max Pacioretty.

During a video conference on Tuesday, Tatar said he enjoyed his time in Vegas despite the fact he wasn’t used a lot.

“We were playoff Stanley Cup finalists,” he said. “It’s all about the team to move on. … I enjoyed my part there and we came close to winning it. So when I look back, I’m just trying to look for the positives and that would be the experience, how far we went.

“We had a lot of success that time,” Tatar added. “We went all the way to the final. It’s a great experience. I’m sure a lot of these guys (on the Canadiens) will be playing playoffs for the first time … they’re going to enjoy it. It’s a different tournament, it’s a different kind of stage of the league and it’s a lot of fun to battle for a Cup. So I’m sure guys are going to enjoy it. It’s going to be good, fun and hopefully they will have a good battle against the Pens. They have a good team, but you know playoffs … you never know and I think we will be ready.”

Kovy on how he took on the break: "I have four kids at home, so it's easy for me. I gotta keep them busy and I want to lead by example, so we're doing something every day...no days off for our family."

Watch the full presser below.#ALLCAPS pic.twitter.com/Bfbuy5Q5VR

— Washington Capitals (@Capitals) July 15, 2020

Kovalchuk hopes to face Canadiens

When traded Ilya Kovalchuk to the Washington Capitals on Feb. 23 in exchange for a third-round pick at this year’s NHL Draft, he figured the Canadiens weren’t going to be in the playoffs.

Now they are — nobody could have expected that — and the Canadiens could have used Kovalchuk against the Penguins.

Instead, Kovalchuk and the Capitals will open round-robin play on Aug. 3 against the Tampa Bay Lightning in Toronto to determine seeding for the second round of the playoffs. But Kovalchuk is hoping to see the Canadiens again.

“Hopefully, we’ll see them in the conference final,” Kovalchuk told reporters in Washington on Wednesday.

Kovalchuk had 6-7-13 totals in 22 games with the Canadiens and had 1- 3-4 totals in seven games with the Capitals.

“It’s all history and I’m very happy to be here,” Kovalchuk said. “We have a great team here and great chance, so we just need to work hard as a team and be as well-prepared as we can as a team.”

Montreal Gazette LOADED: 07.17.2020 1188435 Montreal Canadiens American Hockey League three times. The city has a population of 135,000 and has undergone an industrial revitalization by establishing technology parks.

Former Als, Rocket exec Weightman strives to bring ECHL to Trois- Note: The Hockey Inside/Out Show will return on Thursday, July 23, with Rivières our second special video conference episode as our panelists — Montreal Gazette columnist Stu Cowan, former Canadien Rick Green, CBC Daybreak Montreal’s Jessica Rusnak and host Adam Susser — discuss the Canadiens and the NHL playoffs. Be sure to check it out on Author of the article:Herb Zurkowsky • Montreal Gazette our HI/O homepage Thursday morning and you can view all of our previous episodes on our Hockey Inside/Out YouTube channel here.

When he resigned last January as a vice-president of Groupe CH, Mark Montreal Gazette LOADED: 07.17.2020 Weightman was seeking a new challenge, preferably in sports. And he believes starting a professional franchise from its infancy meets those objectives.

“You don’t launch new professional sports franchises often,” said Weightman, who was the president of the Laval Rocket, the Canadiens’ American Hockey League affiliate. “The notion of potentially building a brand new franchise — the name, logo and colours. You’re building the organization from scratch and building something up. That could potentially be a very interesting and fun project to undertake.”

Weightman, a former president of the Alouettes, has been working as a consultant for Deacon Sports and Entertainment, a Newfoundland-based group that reached an agreement in principle last week with the city of Trois-Rivières. The objective is to bring an expansion ECHL franchise to a 4,500-seat arena — expected to be completed by January — in the city that would begin play in the 2021-22 season.

Once a lease agreement has been signed, an application will be submitted for an expansion franchise, which is expected to be voted on by the ECHL’s board of governors in September.

“The ECHL has been in discussion with a group representing Trois- Rivières and is aware of the efforts,” said Joe Babik, the league’s director of communications. “At this time, no application for membership has been submitted.”

And, while no NHL affiliation can be announced until a franchise is awarded, it’s expected the club will become the Canadiens’ second farm team. Trois-Rivières is approximately 141 km northeast of Montreal.

“The only thing we can say is that we’ve been following the situation, but won’t comment on it,” said Paul Wilson, senior vice-president (public affairs and communications) for Groupe CH.

Although no long-term commitment has been confirmed, Weightman, 47, a Beaconsfield resident, is expected to assume a senior management role with the new team. He has been representing the ownership group, headed by Dean MacDonald, in discussions with Trois-Rivières municipal council to come to a lease agreement.

Weightman has worked closely with politicians at all levels of government. Along with serving as Rocket president, he was the vice- president (development and operations) at Place Bell, the Rocket’s home. He resigned as Als president in 2016, but assisted in the team’s request for funding when it expanded and refurbished Molson Stadium.

Weightman proved to be an ideal conduit for MacDonald and his group. Not only could he assist with any language barrier, the coronavirus pandemic also made it impossible for MacDonald to travel to .

“They felt like it wasn’t going anywhere,” Weightman said. “We were able to do a 180 over the last three months. The timing worked out well for them.”

MacDonald operated Canadiens affiliates in Hamilton, Ont., and St. John’s.

If Trois-Rivières lands an expansion franchise, it would mark the ECHL’s first foray into Quebec. The league consists of 26 teams, two of which are in Canada — St. John’s and Brampton, Ont. There was a team in Victoria from 2004-11.

“A pro hockey franchise affiliated with an NHL team — there’s some prestige attached to that,” Weightman said. “This would be a distinct product. It’s pro hockey and players in an NHL system, two steps away from the NHL. The ECHL has become a development-focused league, with younger players.”

Trois-Rivières had a Quebec Major Junior Hockey League franchise between 1969-92. The city also had semi-pro franchises in the North 1188436 Nashville Predators "Bonino's line has really picked up where it left off," Hynes said. "They look fantastic. Their attention to detail, their execution levels have been high."

Guess who's back, back again, JoFA's back for the Predators Tennessean LOADED: 07.17.2020

Paul Skrbina

Familiarity breeds contentment.

At least as far as Predators coach John Hynes is concerned.

His belief in that notion has prompted Hynes to reconvene the "JoFA" line of Ryan Johansen, Filip Forsberg and Viktor Arvidsson during the first week of summer training camp.

The three, who have a track record of success together, went from "breaking up is hard to do" to "reunited and it feels so good."

That could prove pivotal for the Predators during the NHL's 24-team playoff tournament. Nashville is scheduled to begin its three-game, play- in series with the Coyotes in Edmonton on Aug. 2.

Johansen, Forsberg and Arvidsson played just 124 minutes, 19 seconds together in five-on-five play this season after skating together for a team- high 523:24 last season and 518:51 in 2017-19.

With a two-week training camp after a four-month layoff, time is of the essence. So, too, is familiarity.

"It's important to try to get some chemistry as quickly as you can. They're all three smart players, highly skilled players," Hynes said Wednesday. "They understand how to play without the puck. That line looks pretty good. ... They can be a very good line; they have been a very good line.

"It looks as though they're ready to play some good hockey."

The three combined for 76 goals (32.2% of the team's total) and 86 assists last season.

The reason for the breakup was rooted in several factors, not the least of which were Johansen's struggles during this regular season.

Still, Forsberg foresees a brighter future this time around.

"The familiarity has always been there," he said. "It's been awhile since we've played together but you can almost tell right away in the back of your head what the other guys are going to do.

"It hasn't been a ton of game-like drills so far but the couple of line rushes we had, I thought it looked really good."

It likely won't be without some hiccups along the way, though, given that players have been mostly off the ice for so long.

Forsberg provided a glimpse of that Wednesday when he tripped over a puck and bit the dust, prompting stick taps from his teammates and a smile across his face.

Arvidsson later earned a few stick taps of his own after he dazzled the puck past Juuse Saros during a drill.

Johansen wore a Colton Sissons shirsey after practice Monday — "I love that kid," he said — to try to capture some of the playoff magic from the 2017 Stanley Cup final run.

"I figure the shirt's got a little luck in it still from (Sissons') playoff magic," Johansen said. "I might keep it on for awhile."

Will finish have impact on who starts in goal for Predators?

NHL announces first three game times for Predators-Coyotes series, plus exhibition game

Predators: Asterisk or not, winning Stanley Cup this season will be tougher

Hynes likely will stick with some form of Matt Duchene and Mikael Granlund on the second line, possibly with Kyle Turris. And the third line of Rocco Grimaldi, Nick Bonino and Craig Smith, the team's most productive on both ends of the ice during the season, seems to be a lock to stick as the Predators chase their first Stanley Cup under unique circumstances. 1188437 Nashville Predators Kyle Turris Matt Duchene

Mikael Granlund Five observations from the first three days of Predators training camp Rocco Grimaldi

Nick Bonino By Adam Vingan Jul 16, 2020 Craig Smith

Calle Jarnkrok It has been 34 years since there were best-of-five series in the Stanley Cup Playoffs. Colton Sissons

When the qualifying round begins Aug. 1, the league will cram eight Austin Watson series and up to 40 games into a nine-day stretch. Think of it as “August Madness.” Yakov Trenin (extra)

Of course, playing in a best-of-five series, which the Predators are Colin Blackwell (extra) preparing to do against the Arizona Coyotes, means there is less margin Hynes reuniting Filip Forsberg, Ryan Johansen and Viktor Arvidsson is for error. interesting, considering they shared only 38:01 of ice time at five-on-five The winning formula is the same as it is for a seven-game series. The in 28 games with Hynes behind the bench during the regular season. On elements just matter more. Tuesday, they connected on an impressive goal during a rush drill, demonstrating their well-established chemistry. Luckily, the Predators “The crucial parts of the game — beginnings of the game, your speciality captured it on video. teams — I think (are) going to play a huge role,” Predators goaltender Pekka Rinne said. “The beginning of the series, you get off to a good With limited time to experiment, Hynes appears to be leaning on familiar start, and (it makes it) that much harder for (the) other team to come combinations. back. You don’t have as much time to adjust or anything like that. It “I think it’s important to try to get some chemistry as quick as you can,” makes it interesting. (At) the NHL level, none of us have ever had this Hynes said. “(Mikael) Granlund and (Matt) Duchene have very strong situation, so it’s going to be interesting to see.” chemistry. Kyle Turris is a very smart player. He’s complemented (those Whenever players and coaches rattle off the keys to victory in the guys well) in practice. They seem to be jelling. They’re all smart players, playoffs, starting well, special teams and goaltending usually top the list. highly skilled players. They understand how to play with and without the puck. That line looks pretty good. In league history, teams that win Game 1 of a best-of-seven series have a series record of 478-219 (.686 winning percentage), according to Elias “We all know about Johansen and Forsberg and Arvidsson. I think Sports Bureau. In best-of-five series, the Game 1 winner has a 62-13 coming off the break, having an opportunity to talk to those guys, get to (.827) all-time record. know them better, set some expectations, bring them back in (with a) fresh slate, they can be a very good line and have been a very good line. “Everyone wants to win the first game in a series, whether it be best-of- It’s nice to see them come back and the way that they’re practicing and seven, best-of-five, whatever it is,” Predators defenseman Ryan Ellis working. It looks as though they’re ready to play some really good said. “There’s less room for error, not as much time to make up ground. hockey.” You’ve seen teams lose three and then win four straight, and there’s obviously not the opportunity to do that. I think Game 1’s important, There are no surprises on defense: getting a good start and hopefully a win. It bodes well for our team and Possible Predators defense pairs our chances after that.” Roman Josi The competition between Rinne and Juuse Saros is the most talked- about aspect of training camp among reporters and fans. Saros was Ryan Ellis clearly the better goaltender in the second half of the regular season, but Predators coach John Hynes said Tuesday that Rinne, who has started Mattias Ekholm each of the Predators’ 89 playoff games since 2010, “has come back Dante Fabbro here in fantastic shape (and is) working unbelievably hard in practice.” Jarred Tinordi “I’ve tried to pick up where I left (off) and show every day in practice that I can be the guy, but I haven’t really thought too much ahead,” said Saros, Korbinian Holzer who started 15 of the Predators’ final 21 games before the regular season ended in March. “I’m just trying to do my best and earn that spot.” Dan Hamhuis (extra)

On the other side, the Coyotes’ Darcy Kuemper and Antti Raanta are Yannick Weber (extra) arguably the most underrated tandem in the league, as this video from “I think you start where you left off,” Predators general manager David The Point highlights: Poile told local radio station 102.5 FM on Wednesday. “Unless there’s a In the interest of fairness, Hynes has not committed to a goaltender for reason to give away their spot, meaning illness or injury, I think that they Game 1 on Aug. 2. But he praised Saros and Rinne’s relationship. get the benefit of the doubt, as long as they come to camp prepared, in shape and don’t give you any reason to doubt their commitment to (the) “I haven’t seen anything like it in my career,” Hynes said. “Pekka Rinne team (or) any reason why they should lose their spot. Having said that, as a human being and a pro and a teammate is unbelievable. When there’s always competition, and we’ll try to develop that as this training (Saros) was playing a lot down the stretch, just Pekka’s support of him on camp goes along.” the bench, when he came over to him, just almost a look like, ‘Hey, keep going, proud of you.’ … The way that they work with each other and push The Predators will start scrimmaging later this week, which will provide a each other is really impressive.” better look at their game plan.

Based on the first three days of practice, the Predators’ forward lines “When we get into our scrimmages, we’re going to expect that there’s against the Coyotes could look something like this: going to be not just intensity, but there’s going to be attention to detail,” Hynes said. “When you’re watching the scrimmage, you’re going to be Possible Predators forward combinations able to see what we want to do. Guys can really get up to speed on game situations and things like that in the scrimmage.” Filip Forsberg Last year, the Predators’ maligned power play did not score in 15 Ryan Johansen opportunities in a first-round loss to the Dallas Stars. Viktor Arvidsson Under Hynes, the power play converted 18.1 percent of its chances, have guys that do really take it seriously, and it is driven from the family which ranked 20th in the league since the date of his hiring in January. It guys. We also have a lot of guys that are married and (don’t) have kids, goes without saying that a functioning power play is critical. so then it goes back to not wanting to (give) it to their wives.”

Hynes wants his units to be more fluid and unpredictable. There is also The Athletic LOADED: 07.17.2020 an emphasis on getting the puck to high-danger scoring areas more frequently. Since Hynes became coach, the Predators are 13th in inner slot shots and 17th in passes to the slot per 60 minutes on the power play, according to Sportlogiq.

Possible Predators power-play units

Filip Forsberg

Viktor Arvidsson

Mikael Granlund

Calle Jarnkrok

Kyle Turris

Ryan Johansen

Craig Smith

Matt Duchene

Roman Josi

Ryan Ellis

“Our attention to detail on the power play has got to be better,” Hynes said. “Execution level, simple little things, like if you’re giving a guy a pass and he’s in a one-time position, it’s got to be in his wheelhouse for a one-timer. It can’t be off his skate (or) not in the right position. The attention to detail on puck recoveries, so if there’s a shot and a retrieval, how do we get it, break down their pressure and then attack in some transition situations. The third thing is the entries and (breakouts). … We have the talent to have a really strong power play, but the execution, attention to detail and working as a five-man unit (are) going to be a big point of emphasis.”

Forward Yakov Trenin was deemed “unfit to play” when the Predators released their roster Monday but practiced Tuesday and Wednesday. In an effort to protect player privacy, the league and the players association agreed that “clubs are not permitted to disclose player injury and/or illness information.”

Teams can carry 30 skaters during training camp, but the Predators have 31. Trenin is fit enough to practice but not enough to play, according to the team. It is similar to a player being on injured reserve but still being able to practice as he works his way back into the lineup.

The Predators, who invited 35 players to training camp, can bring 31 to Edmonton on July 26.

Rinne remarked Monday that Bridgestone Arena is so clean that you “can eat off the floors.”

He was joking, of course. But a sterile and safe environment is critical to the successful completion of Phase 3 before the Predators enter the quarantined bubble in Edmonton.

Players are required to wear masks except when they are exercising or on the ice. They must also social distance when possible and are prohibited from socializing in close contact. Basically, the message is to stay home.

“There’s a lot of responsibility on each guy,” Predators captain Roman Josi said. “There’s a lot of trust on our team. Everybody’s going to do the right thing.”

Nashville has experienced a surge in coronavirus cases in recent weeks. Earlier this month, Nashville SC was forced to withdraw from the MLS is Back tournament after multiple players tested positive for COVID-19.

CapFriendly pointed out that the veteran-laden Predators have the third- oldest projected lineup among the 24 returning teams. Many of the players have young families, which Hynes said is a “big factor” when it comes to following the rules.

“We have a little bit of an older team, so you have guys that have families and a little bit (of a) different lifestyle,” Hynes said. “We really tried to communicate with the players even before coming back to training camp just about the importance of social distancing, wearing a mask, trying to really stay basically in somewhat close to Phase 1 quarantine. We do 1188438 New Jersey Devils

Mets sale: Ranking the bidders | Alex Rodriguez, Jennifer Lopez get boost from Patriots’ Robert Kraft

By Mike Rosenstein

It’s been one week since first-round bids were submitted for the New York Mets. Here’s what we know:

- Billionaire hedge fund manager Steve Cohen submitted the top bid, reportedly offering $2 billion for the club and another $2 billion for SNY (even thought Sportico reported the cable channel is not for sale).

- Former New York Yankees slugger Alex Rodriguez and Jennifer Lopez continue to add to their team of investors after their first-round bid, which was competitive but did not measure up to Cohen’s offer.

- New Jersey Devils and Philadelphia 76ers owners Josh Harris and David Blitzer may or may not be combining forces with casino mogul Sheldon Adelson and the equity firm Silver Lake Partners.

- Rumors of a “mystery bidder” have not been substantiated.

So who’s the actual front-runner to buy the club? FOX Business Network’s Charles Gasparino thinks he has a beat on the bidders.

After a day of chasing lots of rumors on @Mets bid, my initial scoop stands: Stevie Cohen --at least for now--remains in the lead for the team w Harris Blitzer No 2 and @AROD third and no "mystery bidder" to be found. more now @FoxBusiness

— Charles Gasparino (@CGasparino) July 15, 2020

Gasparino’s ranking came before Thursday’s juicy nugget of news regarding Rodriguez and Lopez. The New York Post reports the couple met with Robert Kraft of the New England Patriots to discuss ownership issues.

According to multiple sources who witnessed the visit, J-Rod flew to Foxborough, Mass. on July 9 to meet with Bob and Jonathan Kraft, father-and-son owners of the New England Patriots, to hammer out a partnership on stadium operations for Citi Field and the development of Willets Point around the ballpark. Sources inside the meeting tell The Post that J-Rod were accompanied on their trip by senior bankers from JPMorgan Chase’s private wealth group, including Mary Callahan Erdoes, the CEO of the bank’s Asset & Wealth Management group.

The Post reports the couple’s visit with the Krafts lasted five hours and included a tour of Gillette Stadium and the surrounding properties at Patriot Place.

Cohen had agreed in December to buy the Mets for $2.6 billion, but the deal collapsed in February when Cohen pushed for immediate control of the team while the Wilpon family wanted to remain with the club for five more years.

Fred Wilpon bought a minority share of the Mets in 1980. In 1986, Wilpon became an equal partner in the club with Nelson Doubleday, Jr. The Wilpon family bought out Doubleday and became the sole owner of the Mets in 2002.

In April, Forbes released its list of the most valuable MLB franchises. The Mets were 6th at $2.4 billion. However cash flow is a problem for the Mets with baseball struggling to salvage the 2020 season amid the coronavirus pandemic.

The New York Post reported the Wilpons hope to sell the club by October.

Star Ledger LOADED: 07.17.2020 1188439 New Jersey Devils Star Ledger LOADED: 07.17.2020

Mets sale: Why Jennifer Lopez holds the key to ex-Yankees slugger Alex Rodriguez’s bid

By Mike Rosenstein

Much has been made about former New York Yankees slugger Alex Rodriguez trying to buy the New York Mets, the club for whom he grew up rooting. His bid is a partnership with fiancee Jennifer Lopez, and the singer/actress is more key to the couple’s ownership quest than you may think. Per the New York Post’s Page Six:

As the race to buy the team goes into overdrive, entertainment insiders say bidders J.Lo and Alex Rodriguez would add a missing ingredient to Citi Field the others can’t offer — glamour. A source said Lopez would do for the Mets what Jay-Z did for the Nets in 2012, when he helped launch that team in Brooklyn and “made it cool to go to Barclays Center.” (He also chose the team’s logo and colors.) “Forget about any other owner, or even any player. One thing Jennifer has is the No. 1 social media following,” pointed out a sports source.

Page Six also reports Lopez would help attract other stars Citi Field, making the ballpark an “entertainment experience.”

ESPN reported Monday that NFL stars Brian Urlacher, Travis Kelce and DeMarco Murray are among the investors backing the bid by Rodriguez and Lopez.

Dallas Mavericks owner Mark Cuban, who once tried to buy the Chicago Cubs and Texas Rangers, told the Post he was invited to team up with the Rodriguez and Lopez as well. “A-Rod approached him about joining his bidding group but he passed, declining to provide more specifics.”

But FOX Business Network’s Charles Gasparino said Rodriguez trying to rope in other sports stars won’t make a big difference in his group’s bid.

BREAKING: Lots of laughter inside the @AROD bidding group on the breathless reporting on those sports stars joining his bid for the @Mets. "They have no money," said one person close to the group. "It's a joke"

— Charles Gasparino (@CGasparino) July 15, 2020

According to the New York Post, “Mets COO Jeff Wilpon would prefer to sell the team to J-Rod if their offer is close to the best bid at the end of the auction, several sources said.”

The team of Lopez and Rodriguez is one of at least three parties which has moved on to the second round of bidding. They face competition from billionaire hedge fund manager Steve Cohen and a combined bid from New Jersey Devils and Philadelphia 76ers co-owners Josh Harris and David Blitzer. There also are rumors of a “mystery bidder.”

Buy coronavirus face coverings: MLB, NFL, NBA, NHL, NCAA

Complicating the bidding is a report by the New York Post revealing the mystery guests to be billionaire casino mogul Sheldon Adelson and private equity giant Silver Lake Partners. The Post reported they would join the bid being led by Harris and Blitzer.

However the Las Vegas Review-Journal doused the rumor of Adelson’s involvement. “No bid, no interest,” said Ron Reese, spokesman for Adelson’s Las Vegas Sands Corp.

A spokesperson for Silver Lake also denied the equity firm is interested in being a part of Mets ownership, according to amNewYork Metro. “Any claim that Silver Lake is making or joining a bid for the NY Mets is entirely false and inaccurate,” the spokesperson said.

Fred Wilpon bought a minority share of the Mets in 1980. In 1986, Wilpon became an equal partner in the club with Nelson Doubleday, Jr. The Wilpon family bought out Doubleday and became the sole owner of the Mets in 2002.

In April, Forbes released its list of the most valuable MLB franchises. The Mets were 6th at $2.4 billion. However cash flow is a problem for the Mets with baseball struggling to salvage the 2020 season amid the coronavirus pandemic.

The Post reported the Wilpons hope to sell the club by October. 1188440 New Jersey Devils However Gasparino later reported that the offer made by Rodriguez was in the ballpark with Cohen’s proposal.

SCOOP: People close to @Mets bidding process tell me $1.7B @AROD/ Mets sale: Sheldon Adelson complicates Steve Cohen, Alex Rodriguez- Viola/Repole bid is low; actual number is said to be closer to $2B that Jennifer Lopez, Josh Harris-David Blitzer bids hedge fund billionaire Steve Cohen is said to have bid. Components of @AROD bid are not known ie how much debt is involved. More as I get it

— Charles Gasparino (@CGasparino) July 12, 2020 By Mike Rosenstein On top of that, ESPN reported Monday that NFL stars Brian Urlacher, Travis Kelce and DeMarco Murray are among the investors backing the bid by Rodriguez and Lopez. Non-binding first-round bids to buy the New York Mets were submitted one week ago. Dallas Mavericks owner Mark Cuban, who once tried to buy the Chicago Cubs and Texas Rangers, told the Post he was invited to team up with At this point, at least three suitors have moved on to the second round: the Rodriguez and Lopez as well. “A-Rod approached him about joining Billionaire hedge fund manager Steve Cohen, a consortium led by ex- his bidding group but he passed, declining to provide more specifics.” New York Yankees slugger Alex Rodriguez and fiancee Jennifer Lopez, and a combined bid from New Jersey Devils and Philadelphia 76ers co- Gasparino said Rodriguez trying to rope in other sports stars won’t make owners Josh Harris and David Blitzer. The New York Post reports a a big difference in his group’s bid. fourth “mystery bidder” remains in play as well. BREAKING: Lots of laughter inside the @AROD bidding group on the On Wednesday, the New York Post revealed the mystery guests to be breathless reporting on those sports stars joining his bid for the @Mets. billionaire casino mogul Sheldon Adelson and private equity giant Silver "They have no money," said one person close to the group. "It's a joke" Lake Partners. The Post reported they would join the bid being led by Harris and Blitzer. — Charles Gasparino (@CGasparino) July 15, 2020

Sportico also reported Wednesday Adelson could be aligning himself According to the Post, “Mets COO Jeff Wilpon would prefer to sell the with the Harris-Blitzer group. According to the report, Adelson “is team to J-Rod if their offer is close to the best bid at the end of the particularly interested in the possibility of a casino being part of the real auction, several sources said.” estate development around Citi Field, said the person, who was granted Cohen agreed in December to buy the Mets for $2.6 billion, but the deal anonymity because the matter is private.” collapsed in February when Cohen pushed for immediate control of the Adelson is worth almost $31 billion. Silver Lake is worth $43 billion. That team while the Wilpon family wanted to remain with the club for five more money, when combined with that of Harris and Blitzer, would create a years. group with massively deep pockets which could outbid Cohen, who’s Buy coronavirus face coverings: MLB, NFL, NBA, NHL, NCAA worth $11 billion. Fred Wilpon bought a minority share of the Mets in 1980. In 1986, Wilpon However FOX Business Network’s Charles Gasparino tweeted became an equal partner in the club with Nelson Doubleday, Jr. The Wednesday his skepticism of Adelson’s involvement. Wilpon family bought out Doubleday and became the sole owner of the a poss casino development in the area, separate from the H&B Mets bid. Mets in 2002. The money -- at least then -- was coming from the Sands, not Adelson, In April, Forbes released its list of the most valuable MLB franchises. The for a casino. They all could be full of crap, but the denial came to Mets were 6th at $2.4 billion. However cash flow is a problem for the question of Adelson being part of H&B bidding group. story developing Mets with baseball struggling to salvage the 2020 season amid the — Charles Gasparino (@CGasparino) July 15, 2020 coronavirus pandemic.

That skepticism was confirmed by a report in the Las Vegas Review- The Post reports the Wilpons hope to sell the club by October. Journal. “No bid, no interest,” said Ron Reese, spokesman for Adelson’s Star Ledger LOADED: 07.17.2020 Las Vegas Sands Corp.

A spokesperson for Silver Lake also denied the equity firm is interested in being a part of Mets ownership, according to amNewYork Metro. “Any claim that Silver Lake is making or joining a bid for the NY Mets is entirely false and inaccurate,” the spokesperson said.

Gasparino tweeted Wednesday if the Adelson rumor ends up being false, that leaves Cohen as the leading contender.

Harris Blitzer Sports signaling its not going to engage in a bidding war and will not bid above $2B, meaning Steve Cohen, at least for now and probably until this is over, remains the heavy favorite to own team. ... I’ve covered Steve Cohen’s hedge fund exploits for the past 25 years including his brush w insider trading charges (which I wrote a book about). Never thought Steve would one day become a populist hero for @Mets fans by “saving” the team from the Wilpons.

Sportico reported Tuesday four groups (Cohen, Rodriguez-Lopez, Harris- Blitzer. and the mystery bidder) had advanced to the second round of negotiations to buy the Mets.

Gasparino reported Cohen initially established himself as the front-runner after putting the most cash on the table: $2 billion for the club and another $2 billion for SNY (even thought Sportico later reported the cable channel is not for sale).

The New York Post reported Cohen’s offer topped the one made by Rodriguez and Lopez.

The former Yankee slugger’s bidding group offered around $1.7 billion, two sources close to the situation said. That is also in the range of the bid that came in from Philadelphia 76ers and New Jersey Devils owners Josh Harris and David Blitzer, sources said. 1188441 New York Islanders

Sydney Esiason and Islanders’ Matt Martin welcome baby girl

By Jaclyn HendricksJuly 16, 2020 | 9:37am View this post on Instagram

A post shared by Matt Martin (@mattymarts17) on Jul 15, 2020 at 1:29pm PDT

The newest Islanders fan has arrived.

On Wednesday, Sydney Esiason announced she and Islanders forward Matt Martin had welcomed their first child, daughter Windsor Grace, who arrived Tuesday.

“Windsor Grace Martin Our Winnie came into the world on July 14, 2020 and changed our lives forever,” Esiason posted to Instagram. “A truly indescribable love I have never known until now. The world is your oyster, WinWin and mom and dad are so excited for the ride. We love you so.”

Proud dad Martin, 31, also shared a photo of himself cradling his baby girl, stating wife Esiason is “doing well and handled it like a champ.”

“We are so excited to finally have you here Winnie and we love you so much,” Martin posted on social media.

The Islanders quickly welcomed Windsor to the “#Isles” family.

“Welcome to our #Isles family, Winnie!” the team commented on Martin’s father-daughter post.

View this post on Instagram

A post shared by 푺풚풅풏풆풚 푬풔풊풂풔풐풏 푴풂풓풕풊풏 (@sydneyemartin) on Dec 31, 2019 at 9:05pm PST

Esiason, the daughter of former NFL star and current WFAN host Boomer Esiason, recently celebrated her first wedding anniversary with Martin, as the couple tied the knot in Southampton last June.

Boomer, a die-hard Rangers fan, was quick to point out the colors of the blanket on Windsor.

“Love the red, white and blue stripes on the blanket! that’s my girl!” Esiason tweeted.

On New Year’s Day, Esiason and Martin revealed they were expecting.

New York Post LOADED: 07.17.2020 1188442 New York Islanders hours outside of Lubbock, Texas. But the goalie was not facing shots as he worked on his own.

“I came to New York and when I started to see shots, I felt rusty,” Islanders coach Barry Trotz has tough choice to make between Semyon Varlamov said. “Right now, we’ve been skating together for three weeks. Varlamov and Thomas Greiss in goal for play-in series I feel better. My puck control is getting better. By the time playoffs start, I’ll be 100 percent.”

Meaning, both Varlamov and Greiss are hoping to make Trotz’s difficult By Andrew Gross Updated July 16, 2020 5:49 PM decision as tough as possible.

Newsday LOADED: LOADED: 07.17.2020 Barry Trotz knows selecting his starting goalie for Game 1 of the Islanders’ best-of-five qualifying series against the Panthers will be the toughest lineup decision he faces in Training Camp 2.0.

The coach is always quick to say he can’t make a wrong decision between Semyon Varlamov and Thomas Greiss — “I think I can do that blindfolded, probably,” the coach said — but in a short series, one bad goalie performance could mean elimination.

“It might be the most difficult decision we have to make as an organization,” Trotz said.

Islanders goalie Semyon Varlamov protects the net during Islanders goalie Semyon Varlamov protects the net during

Islanders goalie Semyon Varlamov protects the net during an NHL summer training camp session at Northwell Health Ice Center on Tuesday, July 14, 2020. Credit: Kathleen Malone-Van Dyke

The evaluation process will continue on Friday after the Islanders had their first off day since camp opened on Monday. Varlamov was on the winning side of a 2-0 intrasquad scrimmage on Wednesday at Northwell Health Ice Center in East Meadow.

The Islanders open their qualifying series on Aug. 1 in Toronto and will have just one exhibition game beforehand, against the Rangers on July 29 in their hub city.

Trotz started the season alternating his goalies for the first 33 games, a franchise-record, but Varlamov was carrying more of the workload when the season was paused on March 12 in response to the COVID-19 pandemic.

Greiss went 16-9-4 with a 2.74 goals-against average and a .913 save percentage in 31 appearances while Varlamov was 19-14-6 with a 2.62 GAA and a .914 save percentage in 45 games.

Varlamov made 30 saves in the Islanders’ last game, a 5-4 shootout loss at Vancouver on March 10 and that marked his 12th appearance in 14 games.

“I don’t know if there’s any [position group] that’s ahead of the other but the one that can make the biggest difference is goaltending,” Trotz said. “Going into this tournament, I think it’s going to be a mindset, it’s going to be team play and it’s going to be special teams and your goaltending. Those four elements are going to be key.”

Greiss started two of the three regular-season games against the Panthers as the Islanders swept the season series. Varlamov made 35 saves in a 3-2 overtime win on Oct. 12 at NYCB Live’s Nassau Coliseum. Greiss stopped 37 shots in a 2-1 win at Barclays Center on Nov. 9 and had 32 saves in a 3-1 win at Florida on Dec. 12.

But the nearly eight months between games for the Islanders and Panthers renders the regular season results as insignificant ancient history. Rather, Trotz, director of goaltending Mitch Korn and goalie coach Piero Greco must determine through training camp practices, scrimmages and one exhibition game whether Varlamov or Greiss is sharper after such a long and unexpected layoff when ice time was scarce.

Greiss remained on Long Island during the pause while Varlamov spent the bulk of the time in Texas and then trained in Colorado before returning to New York.

“We all went through a difficult time,” Varlamov said. “After we played the last game and we flew back home, in the next two days I was already driving to Texas, trying to escape from New York. The situation in New York was pretty bad.”

Varlamov said he trained in his garage while working with his trainer via FaceTime. Finally, Varlamov was able to find ice time at a rink about two 1188443 New York Rangers

Rangers aren’t concerned with lack of playoff pedigree

By Mollie Walker July 16, 2020 | 10:41PM

For more than half of the Rangers roster, the restart tournament will be their first NHL playoff experience. But for every single player in the league, the restart tournament will be unlike any experience anyone’s ever had.

That’s what makes this modified 24-team expanded playoffs so unique: It’s an even playing field. A team like the Rangers, whose majority hasn’t played in a single playoff game, can confidently aim to “win the whole thing.” It’s anybody’s Stanley Cup.

“Going into this type of situation that no one has prepared for, I think [experience] will play less of a factor,” veteran defenseman Marc Staal said on a Zoom call this week. “Especially early on, especially in these play-in rounds, it’s going to be four, five games in five or six days. The team that’s confident, playing well, playing hard and getting some bounces will win.”

The most experienced Ranger, goaltender Henrik Lundqvist, has appeared in 128 playoff games — but it’s yet to be seen if he’ll get the chance to play in another. Staal (104) and Chris Kreider (77) round out the short list of Rangers who have played in more than 50 playoff games.

Even team point leaders Mika Zibanejad and Artemi Panarin haven’t had substantial playoff experience, with Zibanejad having just 28 postseason games under his belt while Panarin has 27.

It’s no secret that the Rangers have had one of the youngest teams in the league this season. They’re projected to have the second-youngest squad of the 24 teams heading into the restart tournament, according to Cap Friendly, behind only the Blue Jackets.

But it’s the same Rangers team that went 12-7-1 in the last month and a half of play, including a 9-1 stretch in February. Though Staal said he could see playoff experience coming into play deeper into the tournament, he believes that no one truly knows what expect.

“The fact that we’re not going to have any fans,” Staal said with a laugh. “That we’re playing against a team and it’s not at their rink or ours. It’s going to be strange for sure. Don’t really know what to expect, but our preparation now is to just trying to get as sharp as we can until the puck drops and then you figure it out as you go.”

Before the Rangers roster was expanded for training camp 2.0, there were 11 players who had never played in the postseason. Now that the roster has expanded to 34 players — which includes Micheal Haley, who is on injured reserve, and K’Andre Miller, who can’t participate in games — there are 20 players without playoff experience vying for spots.

Defenseman Adam Fox, one of three true rookies on the team, believes that playing without fans and at a neutral site puts every team in the same boat. However, the 22-year-old Fox still sees an opportunity to learn from veterans with playoff experience.

“Obviously no one has played in a bubble with no fans during a play-in tournament into a playoffs, so it’s definitely unique for everyone,” he said on a Zoom call with reporters Wednesday. “But at the same time, especially guys on our team, we’re a pretty young team, it still is the playoffs and there’s still going to be a different type of intensity. I think guys with experience definitely could help guys like me during this.

“It’s a little more of an even playing field when there’s no fans and you’re in a bubble there.”

New York Post LOADED: 07.17.2020 1188444 New York Rangers

Brady Skjei has ‘a ton of motivation’ entering playoff series against Rangers

By Mollie Walker July 16, 2020 | 3:18PM

Hurricanes defenseman Brady Skjei says he has a chip on his shoulder going into the best-of-five qualifying series against the Rangers, his former team who traded him five months ago.

“I’ve got a ton of motivation,” Skjei said on a Zoom call with reporters Thursday. “I really enjoyed my time in New York, loved every part of it, but now I’ve got a ton of motivation and a chip on my shoulder going into this series.”

The Rangers traded Skjei, whom they drafted in the first round in 2012, to Carolina on Feb. 24 in exchange for a conditional 2020 first-round pick, bringing their total picks in the 2020 NHL Draft to 10. The condition is that the Rangers will receive the lower of the Canes’ two first-round choices, the other being the top-10 protected pick Carolina received from the Maple Leafs.

With modifications to the NHL Draft Lottery due to the coronavirus shutdown that suspended the remainder of the 2019-20 regular season, the No. 1 pick will be selected from among the eight teams that do not advance past the qualifying round of the playoffs – or the teams that acquire those picks via trade.

Skjei neglected to say who he was expecting to see start in goal for the Rangers come Aug. 1, but did offer up some high praise for rookie netminder Igor Shesterkin, noting his calmness and ability to not let anything bother him.

Hurricanes head coach Rod Brind’Amour made a point to say that he believes Skjei will be a big help in preparing his team for the Rangers.

“We’ll definitely pick his brain,” Brind’Amour said.

Skjei accumulated 25 goals and 87 assists in 307 games with the Rangers, but struggled in his final stretch of games leading up to his trade. The rookie defensive pairing of Adam Fox and Ryan Lindgren ultimately made Skjei expendable, edging him out of a relatively deep pool of left-handed defenders.

In his first seven games with the Hurricanes, Skjei recorded just one assist and was a minus-four.

New York Post LOADED: 07.17.2020 1188445 New York Rangers

Igor Shesterkin likely to be Rangers' starter in net for play-in series

By Colin Stephenson

Henrik Lundqvist went back to Sweden when the NHL paused due to the coronavirus pandemic. Sweden didn't have the restrictions that were in place in the United States and most of the world. No social distancing. No lockdown of any kind.

So Lundqvist, the 38-year-old goaltender who has been the face of the Rangers for most of the last 15 years, had access to gyms and ice and everything he needed to get himself ready for if and when the NHL was to restart its 2019-20 season.

Lundqvist worked on his body, his mind, and his technique, he said on Monday. And he came back to New York for training camp feeling good about himself entering this battle for the Rangers’ No. 1 goaltender job.

And then on Wednesday, when the Rangers spent most of their practice time scrimmaging, Igor Shesterkin was sharp.

“I thought Igor had a great day today,’’ Quinn said after the scrimmage.

Quinn quickly went on to say that Lundqvist and Alexandar Georgiev also were very good in the scrimmage — Georgiev didn’t give up a goal, in fact, in his 20 minutes. But given Quinn’s declaration Monday that “this isn’t training camp,’’ and that “we are picking up where we left off’’ when play stopped, it kind of looks like the coach’s mind is already made up about who his goaltender will be Aug. 1 when the Rangers begin their best-of-5 play-in series against the Carolina Hurricanes in Toronto.

It’ll be Shesterkin.

At the time the NHL halted play on March 12, Shesterkin, the 24-year-old Russian rookie who was called up from AHL Hartford in early January, had taken over as the No. 1 goaltender. He was 10-2 with a 2.52 goals- against average and .932 save percentage, and was one of the major factors why the team suddenly inserted itself into the playoff race. On Wednesday he played the entire the 40-minute scrimmage, while Lundqvist and Georgiev each played a half in the opposing goal.

Shesterkin was quick, and made difficult saves look effortless. Plus, his stickhandling was superior. A few times, he controlled a puck and fired an accurate outlet pass to an open teammate up by the blue line. One time, he sprinted off his goal line to beat an opposing forward to a loose puck above the circle, and fired it clear of danger, like a soccer goalie might. Lundqvist and Georgiev can’t do that.

The Rangers leave for Toronto on July 26, and certainly, stuff can happen between now and then. Lundqvist or Georgiev could turn into brick walls when they get into the net, or Shesterkin could somehow lose his sharpness. There’s always the possibility of an injury, or maybe someone tests positive for the coronavirus (which we wouldn’t be informed of). But Quinn’s attitude from Day 1 of the Rangers’ return is that he liked where the team was at the time of the pause, and so, barring some kind of injury or something else unexpected, he’s not inclined to change anything.

The forward lines and defense pairs this week have been the same that were together when play was halted (with the exception of Chris Kreider being back on the first line, now that his broken foot is healed).

And when asked if Brendan Smith — who played most of the season as a forward, but switched to defense after Brady Skjei was traded (to Carolina, ironically) — might switch back to forward, Quinn replied quickly, “Smitty’s a defenseman.’’ That means Libor Hajek, who spent the first half of the season with the Rangers before being sent down to Hartford in January, is the seventh defenseman, for now.

If Quinn isn’t pondering giving the highly regarded Hajek a chance to break into his top six on defense, you wouldn't expect him to make a change in net either.

Newsday LOADED: LOADED: 07.17.2020 1188446 NHL The Bruins leave for Toronto late next week, and they’ll play at least one exhibition game before playing the round-robin matches against the Flyers on Aug. 2, the Lightning on Aug. 5 and the Capitals on Aug. 8. The best-of-seven first round begins Aug. 11, and if the Bruins play out all The Boston Bruins Had Home Ice. Now They’ve Got a Hub. four rounds, they will have played 28 games in as few as 53 days.

Like the other teams in Toronto and the Western Conference contenders in Edmonton, the Bruins will be in a far more circumscribed environment By Gary Santaniello than they currently are at home. No walking around the neighborhood. No trips to the supermarket. And, most significant, no contact with family. For what could be almost two months, their world will be limited to the Four months ago, the Boston Bruins had an all but assured plan for team hotel, local rinks for training and the Scotiabank Arena. postseason vengeance. Defenseman Torey Krug said he accepted the circumstances of the In the team’s last game, on March 10, it shut out the Flyers in team’s title chase, which for him include leaving his wife and 1-year-old Philadelphia, 2-0, increasing its lead over its closest Eastern Conference daughter. rival to eight points. Boston, a one-goal loser in Game 7 of last year’s Stanley Cup finals against St. Louis, had virtually locked up home ice “Any time you get a chance to compete for the Stanley Cup,” he said, through this season’s playoffs, winning 16 of its previous 20 games. “you take it every time you get it.”

If 2020 has taught the world anything, it’s that things change. New York Times LOADED: 07.17.2020

When the Bruins gathered Monday morning for a 9:30 practice, it had been 123 days since the N.H.L. paused its season indefinitely. In that time, the league created a plan to restart with an expanded 24-team playoff format hosted in two Canadian hub cities, Edmonton and Toronto. Faced with the terms of this year’s postseason — no bye or guaranteed home ice for top seeds, a round-robin opening round to determine seeding — Boston quickly realized that the accrued advantage of the normal format was gone, replaced by a situation in which it could fall to the fourth seed and meet a difficult first-round opponent.

“Yeah, that’s the biggest challenge,” said Don Sweeney, the Bruins’ general manager. “We’re at a disadvantage in that regard. I think we’d all agree we’d rather have had a bye than play in the round robin.”

Boston will join Philadelphia, Tampa Bay and Washington in a three- game round robin of Eastern Conference top seeds that starts Aug. 2 in Toronto. Against those clubs this season, the Bruins won just three of 10 games, losing four in shootouts. Opening training camp this week, Sweeney emphasized the importance of the three-week preparation.

“The players have to understand it’s a really short window to get up to speed,” he said.

The Bruins appear suited for such an immediate challenge. The roster is deep and experienced, led by a top line that led the league in points and goals when play stopped. The team is backstopped by an elite goaltending duo in Tuukka Rask and Jaroslav Halak, who shared the Jennings Trophy, awarded for allowing the fewest goals in this abbreviated season.

Coach Bruce Cassidy said he relies heavily on a leadership group that includes defenseman Zdeno Chara, the team’s captain who turned 43 right before play stopped, and center Patrice Bergeron, who is in his 16th season with the team. But the coach acknowledges that with five of his key players under age 25, responsibility for the team’s success does not rest solely on the veterans.

Winger David Pastrnak, 24, who is tied for the league lead in goals (48) with Washington’s Alex Ovechkin, and defenseman Charlie McAvoy, 22, who partners with Chara on the top pairing, will also play critical roles.

“It’s not always incumbent on the older guys to be big brother,” Cassidy said. “This is a situation where little brother can pull on the rope a little harder, too.”

Cassidy, for his part, has few roster decisions to make. He will reinforce the message to players that he will continue to tinker with lines and that he offers no guarantees on playing time.

“We’ve put guys in the press box for the odd night to let them know, ‘Hey, listen, we expect a little bit better here and there,’” he said, “and that won’t change.”

Having come so close to capturing the Stanley Cup last season, the Bruins recognize the opportunity at hand, even under these circumstances.

“We know where we ended,” said David Krejci, a center, of the team’s standing in March. “With the team we have, we can start where we left off. Don’t overthink, just trust the system.” 1188447 Ottawa Senators “Being from Philly, I always kept an eye on the Flyers,” Ryan said. I’m happy to see it. Not only did he get to ring the bell (a triumphant gesture when treatments are completed at the hospital, but he has been a source of inspiration to his entire team. I will be tuning in to every game (in the Senators' Ryan is one of three finalists for Masterton Trophy playoffs). I hope he gets in. He’s got a fan in me.”

Johns, meanwhile, went 22 months between NHL games dealing with post-concussion symptoms before returning to the Dallas lineup in Ken Warren January.

“I was kind of by myself there for 22 months,” he said when he returned Bobby Ryan’s triumphant return to the Ottawa Senators lineup after to the lineup. “And those were probably the hardest days of my life, for battling alcohol problems has made the Ottawa Senators winger a front- sure.” runner to win one of the NHL’s most celebrated awards. Goaltender Craig Anderson is the only Senators player to have won the The NHL announced Thursday that Ryan, Philadelphia Flyers winger Masterton Trophy, receiving the honour for the 2016-17. Anderson spent Oskar Lindblom and Dallas Stars defenceman Stephen Johns were months away from the team in order to be with his wife, Nicholle, who finalists for the Bill Masterton Trophy. The voting was conducted by the was undergoing treatment for a rare throat cancer. Professional Hockey Writers Association. Ottawa Sun LOADED: 07.17.2020 The trophy, presented to the NHL player who best exemplifies “the qualities of perseverance, sportsmanship and dedication to hockey,” is named after the former Minnesota North Stars forward who suffered brain trauma during a 1968 game and died two days later.

Ryan’s story is compelling.

He endured a well-publicized traumatic childhood that saw him move to California from the outskirts of Philadelphia and included changing his birth name from Bobby Stevenson.

Last November, he left the Senators to deal with his struggles with alcohol, enrolling himself in the NHL and NHL players association’s assistance program.

Ryan’s return, 3½ months later, represented one of the chief highlights of the 2019-20 Senators season. He registered a hat trick and engaged in a fight, feeding off his own emotions and the energy of a Canadian Tire Centre crowd that treated him with endless ovations.

While Ryan has been criticized for failing to live up to the lofty expectations of the seven-year, $50.75-million contract he signed in 2014, Senators fans can empathize with a player who is battling personal demons that can affect anyone.

Ryan, 33, says being able to tell his story has opened up lines of communication that were previously closed.

“The most rewarding part of this would be, I had more candid conversations with people in the past eight months than in the past 33 years,” he said in a Zoom conference call with reporters late Thursday afternoon. “It has been incredible. Some people reached out on social media, on behalf of somebody that is struggling.

“It has been rewarding. Some probably don’t need help with alcohol. They just need conversations. I still test with people I probably won’t meet. I was just trying to help myself. Paying it forward has been extremely rewarding. I still have terrible days. Those are the days that I go through those messages. It has been an incredible process.”

The words are typical of Ryan. When he opens up, he ventures to places where other players don’t often go.

That said, the other Masterton finalists also offer up compassionate stories, too.

Lindblom was tied for Philadelphia’s goal-scoring lead in November when he was diagnosed with Ewing’s sarcoma, a rare bone cancer.

While he has yet to return to Philadephia’s lineup, the Flyers dedicated the remainder of the 2019-20 season to Lindblom.

When Flyers coach Alain Vigneault was nominated as one of three finalists for the Jack Adams Trophy as NHL coach of the year Wednesday, he said it was the team’s response to Lindblom’s situation that served as motivation for the club’s improved play.

“I’m so proud of this group and everybody associated with it,” Vigneault told reporters Wednesday. “That was a very challenging time for our group and we responded by doing our jobs, staying focussed. Considering what could have happened, this is extra special. Oskar is healthy now, our team did well, so this is very special for me.”

Even Ryan weighed in Lindblom’s battle, which included treatments in the cancer wing at a Philadelphia hospital. 1188448 Ottawa Senators knuckle” his issues until he hit a breaking point in November and decided to seek proper help.

Ryan was apprehensive about sharing his story publicly but opened up, Roundtable: Discussing Bill Masterton finalists’ stories of hardship, hoping he could help other people battling similar addictions. Since then, recovery through social media, Ryan said he’s been able to help some people find treatment. Some he’s helped by just having “the right conversations.”

Ryan was nominated for his perseverance in his struggles with alcohol, By Hailey Salvian, Sean Shapiro but also for the way he’s used his platform to help others.

Sean, you wrote about Johns quite a bit. Why was he nominated?

The PHWA and the NHL announced the finalists for the Bill Masterton Shapiro: Johns missed the entirety of the 2018-19 season with post- Memorial Trophy on Thursday. traumatic headaches and post-concussion syndrome, and heading into this season, he and the Stars had considered his career might be over. The award has been presented annually to the player who best exemplifies the qualities of perseverance, sportsmanship and dedication Johns missed the first four months of the season, but he returned in to ice hockey. Dallas Stars defenseman Stephen Johns, Ottawa January after going 22 months between games. Returning to the lineup Senators forward Bobby Ryan and Philadelphia Flyers forward Oskar was enough for him to be in the Masterton conversation. What Johns did Lindblom formed the trio that best fits that description, according to after he returned is even more remarkable as he played at a level that voters. was equal, if not higher, than where he was before his injury.

The Masterton isn’t like other NHL award debates. For starters, no one Johns’ story had been kept quiet for most of the time because, as he said wants to be in the running to win it — it typically means something drastic last month, he struggled with mental health and suicidal thoughts. That has altered his life and career — and it’s not like the Norris or Vezina, part of his story wasn’t a reason he was named a finalist. It wasn’t public with debaters trying to tear down another candidate. before ballots were cast, but it’s an important part of his story and he wants to help others with mental health and let people know it’s OK to However, it is an award worth discussing and celebrating some of the ask for help in their darkest moments. human stories, so we’ve gathered each of the beat writers who covered the finalists to discuss stories and people who were honored. I remember the Twitter reaction from Ryan’s hat trick pretty vividly. Hailey, what was that game like in person? The Athletic’s Dallas, Philadelphia and Ottawa beat writers, Sean Shapiro, Charlie O’Connor and Hailey Salvian, got together for a Salvian: It was the highlight of my first year in Ottawa, that’s for sure. The conversation about each team’s Masterton finalist. Canadian Tire Centre isn’t typically a loud building, but for that game, it was deafening. Every goal by Ryan came with a chant and an ovation. Shapiro: To start, Hailey and Charlie, can we get a quick reminder of why He fought, too, which brought more energy into the building. The hat-trick Ryan and Lindblom were even on the ballot in the first place? goal was when things got really emotional for Ryan. The whole building O’Connor: It was his third season in the NHL and Lindblom seemingly was cheering. His teammates were standing and cheering. His wife was had figured things out. After 30 games, the 23-year old was tied for the in the building, too. It was just an incredible, almost indescribable, Flyers’ team lead with 11 goals and had quickly earned the trust of new atmosphere. Even some of the Canucks players skated over to give head coach Alain Vigneault, turning into a staple on the top two lines. Ryan stick taps after the game. To know what Ryan has been through in his life, and this season, I don’t think anyone could have scripted a better Then, shortly after arriving in Denver for a three-game road trip on Dec. return. 10, his entire life turned upside down. Johns’ return was quite special too, right? Lindblom had been diagnosed with Ewing’s sarcoma, a form of bone cancer usually found in young children. Immediately, Lindblom’s career Shapiro: The first game back was a bit of a snoozer for the Stars in became secondary. The focus rapidly shifted to what literally was a fight Minnesota. It was emotional for Johns, but the real moment that captured for his life. how much Johns and his family had gone through was a couple of weeks later in New York at Madison Square Garden. Seven months of treatments followed, including surgery to attempt to remove a tumor. Yet Lindblom’s positive attitude held, from his visit to the Johns’ parents, Ray and Noreen, drove to New York from Western Flyers’ locker room just days after his diagnosis to his surprise Pennsylvania to watch their son play in person for the first time in more appearance at team picture day in March to his heartwarming return to than two years. Johns scored his first NHL goal in two years that night, a the practice facility in June. Finally, on July 2, Lindblom rang the bell at big bomb from the point, and when he went by the bench in the high-five the Pennsylvania Hospital in Philadelphia, signifying the end of his line, he stopped and pointed at his parents. treatments. He had done it. After the game, Johns met with the media and choked back tears Next up for Lindblom is an attempted return to play, which, if all goes discussing the journey his parents and girlfriend, Taylor Zakarin, had well, could happen as soon as next season. But even if he can’t make it gone through in supporting him. He mentioned how he’d never thought back — and no one is betting against him — his fight against the disease he’d score an NHL goal again. He was emotional talking to reporters, and has already made him an inspiration for people battling cancer. then he found his parents and gave both of them a hug in a moment all three have said they’ll never forget. Salvian: Ryan has classified this as “absolutely” the most difficult season in his 12-year career after he took time away from the Senators to enter I think there is a bit of theme for all three finalists in that it’s a story that the NHL/NHLPA player assistance program. He missed three months of could help others for various reasons. the season to undergo treatment for alcohol abuse, and his homecoming Charlie, for Lindblom, what does the future look like in terms of a at Canadian Tire Centre was arguably one of the best feel-good comeback? moments of the year. O’Connor: The Flyers seem optimistic Lindblom’s career is far from over. After getting sober in the program, Ryan returned to Ottawa, scored a hat Apparently, the treatments went about as well as anyone could have trick and was moved to tears on the bench by multiple standing ovations. hoped, and he’s already back skating. Now, most of Ryan’s struggles through his childhood have been very Obviously, he has a long way to go in terms of rebuilding the muscle he public. But when he left the Senators in November, the only explanation lost and regaining his skating legs. It’s not going to be an easy road back, was that he was entering the program. but don’t forget he was on the verge of a breakout season when he was It wasn’t until February, after he returned, that Ryan opened up to diagnosed. Even if he can’t return as quite the same player from a reporters for the first time about his treatment. physical standpoint, Lindblom’s biggest strength has always been his hockey IQ, and that hasn’t gone anywhere. He said he’d been dealing with alcohol abuse issues for a long time and was constantly dealing with insomnia and panic attacks. He was Another point worth making: Lindblom’s teammates are in his corner and frequently overridden with guilt and shame. He tried for years to “white surely will be supporting him completely throughout his comeback. They dedicated the entire season to Lindblom and saw his battle as a way to keep the problems of hockey and everyday life in perspective. If he can return, it’s going to be an incredible moment not just for Lindblom, but for the entire team.

Salvian: The NHL went on hiatus on March 11, and after a 14-day quarantine, Ryan went home to Idaho, where he said he is using his time off to refocus on his sobriety and keep training. Ryan struggled at the start of this season — admittedly due to his abuse issues — but after his time in the program, he said he hit the reset button on his career.

He said physically, he has never felt better and wants to maintain his top form next season, whenever that may be.

He will have to fight for a regular spot and ice time in Ottawa (he has two years left on his contract) as the Senators have an influx of prospects and draft picks who will start pushing Ryan down the lineup.

At 32, I don’t know if Ryan will play like the $7 million man everyone always wants him to be. But I do think he will be in a much better place to succeed next year.

Shapiro: Johns has said he doesn’t know what the future holds for him. He has been more than willing to say he’s not the same person he was before his chronic headaches and some of the darkest moments of his life.

However, Johns is hopeful for the future and that’s why he wanted to share his story. He’s in a spot in Dallas where he’s a key cog on a team that could be a contender in this wacky return-to-play format, and just playing playoff hockey after what he endured is a victory.

I don’t think winning the Masterton is something Johns, Lindblom or Ryan ever envisioned. But all three, to me, seem to be deserving candidates whichever way the votes end up.

The Athletic LOADED: 07.17.2020 1188449 Philadelphia Flyers

Flyers begin preparing for Bruins with lineup moves and scrimmages on tap this weekend

by Sam Carchidi,

Flyers training camp is about to get more serious.

Coach Alain Vigneault expects to start putting together his probable playoff lines and pairings starting with Friday’s sessions in Voorhees. On Saturday, the team will have intrasquad scrimmages.

Flyers coach Alain Vigneault on Carter Hart preparing for Stanley Cup playoffs debut: ‘I think this is the right time for him'

Having not played a game since March 10, the players aren’t as worn down as they would normally be as the playoffs approach.

“You don’t have the wear and tear, but you also don’t have that rhythm,” defenseman Justin Braun said.

They will start to get into a rhythm over the next few days, and playing an exhibition game against Pittsburgh on July 28 will also help.

The Flyers will restart the bizarre season Aug. 2 against Boston, the NHL’s top team, in a round-robin, seeding tournament. The Flyers went 2-1 against the Bruins during the regular season, beating Boston in a pair of shootouts (3-2 and 6-5) and dropping a 2-0 decision March 10, ending their nine-game winning streak.

Memorable moment

Vigneault got emotional Thursday when talking about his favorite moment after serving a 14-day quarantine upon arriving in Quebec in early May.

“The first trip I made was to my parents’ senior-care residence,” he said.

He was excited to visit with his 87-year-old mother, Loraine, who has been battling dementia, and his father, Maurice, 85.

“It was a very cold day in May, but it was a good day for my mom. She recognized me and that was a real good day for me,” said Vigneault, who visited with his parents every other day that month.

“... This moment was no doubt the highlight” of being away from hockey.

Breakaways

The Flyers were off the ice Thursday. ... Derek Grant, who was the Flyers’ third-line center when the season was halted, can become an unrestricted free agent after the season, but he downplayed his free- agent status. “I think everyone in the room, regardless of your contract status, our focus is getting ready for the playoffs,” he said. Grant, 30, had a career season with a combined 15 goals in 56 games with Anaheim and the Flyers.

Philadelphia Inquirer / Daily News LOADED: 07.17.2020 1188450 Philadelphia Flyers Seeing the fight and positive outlook Lindblom carried “had a huge impact on our group and our focus,” coach Alain Vigneault said.

“We obviously had his back the whole entire time,” Hayes said. “I think it Flyers’ Oskar Lindblom, Cherry Hill’s Bobby Ryan among finalists for made us realize there is more to hockey. Obviously we want to win every Masterton Trophy single night and everyone wants to score goals every single night, but there’s some real stuff going on outside of hockey. I think our team got a taste of that this year and I think it brought our team together, for sure.” by Sam Carchidi, Flyers' fans waved cards to show their support for Oskar Lindblom during a Dec. 17 game against the Ducks.

Flyers' fans waved cards to show their support for Oskar Lindblom during Flyers left winger Oskar Lindblom battled a rare bone cancer with dignity a Dec. 17 game against the Ducks. and a positive attitude, serving as an inspiration to his teammates. Hayes said that “if anyone on our team was having problems throughout And to the entire NHL. the year, all you had to do was think of what Oskar was going through On Thursday, Lindblom was named one of the three finalists for the Bill and your problems became very minuscule compared to his.” Masterton Trophy, awarded to the player who best exemplifies The Flyers, who finished second in the Metropolitan Division and will play perseverance, sportsmanship, and dedication to hockey. Boston in its round-robin tournament opener Aug. 2, have dedicated their Ottawa right winger Bobby Ryan, a Cherry Hill native, and Dallas season to Lindblom. defenseman Stephen Johns were also nominated. The award will be Three Flyers have won the Masterton: Bobby Clarke in 1971-72, Tim announced during the Stanley Cup playoffs. Kerr in 1988-89, and Ian Laperriere in 2010-11. “I’m very humbled to be considered for this award that so many The Masterton Trophy honors the only NHL player to die from injuries courageous and great players have won,” Lindblom said. “Seeing the suffered in a game. Masterton, 29, a center with the Minnesota North overwhelming support from fans, my teammates, and the entire hockey Stars, died on Jan. 15, 1968. community has been very emotional for me and without a doubt helped me get through this difficult time -- and back to being with and doing the Philadelphia Inquirer / Daily News LOADED: 07.17.2020 things I love.”

Ryan, 33, entered the NHL/NHLPA assistance program Nov. 20 to get help for alcoholism and returned to the Senators lineup in February. He told his story publicly to help others who were struggling with the disease.

Johns, 28, returned to the NHL in January after missing 22 months because of post-concussion syndrome.

Lindblom, 23, a Sweden native with a humble, quiet personality, finished his chemo treatments this month. Earlier, he had a tumor surgically removed.

“He’s one of the toughest guys I know,” Flyers center Kevin Hayes said Wednesday. “Every time you saw him, he was upbeat, he was happy. If it wasn’t for him losing his hair, you probably wouldn’t have known he had cancer.”

The always-smiling Lindblom has been declared without evidence of cancer at this time, his Pennsylvania Hospital medical team told Sports Illustrated. He even joined his teammates at a small-group practice June 23. He hopes to return to play next season.

“I look forward to the day I’m back on the ice,” Lindblom said when learning the Philadelphia chapter of the Professional Hockey Writers’ Association had named him the Flyers’ Masterton nominee last month.

“He was a true warrior, a true professional, and kind of made us realize that our problems aren’t that serious,” Hayes said. “I think he kind of brought our team together.”

Oskar Lindblom was tied for the team lead with 11 goals when his cancer was diagnosed and his season was ended.

The Flyers rallied around Lindblom and became one of the NHL’s best teams after his Ewing’s sarcoma diagnosis in December.

“That was obviously a huge moment in our season — to have one of your best players go down with cancer,” Hayes said of the stunning news.

At the time, Lindblom was having a breakout season and shared the team lead with 11 goals.

“Obviously he was a close friend to everyone,” Hayes said. Cancer is a serious situation. It’s a sucky situation. It affects a lot of people. Just so happens this year, it affected our team. You never want to see anyone battling cancer. When it happened, I think Oskar was a true professional about it. He didn’t wonder, ‘Why me? Why me?‘ He kind of just took it on, full head of steam and battled it.”

In breaks between grueling chemotherapy treatments, Lindblom surprised his teammates by showing up at some home games and meeting them in the locker room afterward. 1188451 Philadelphia Flyers

Flyers Lindblom named a Masterton finalist

By Rob Parent

As expected, Flyers winger Oskar Lindblom was selected Thursday as one of three NHL finalists for the Bill Masterton Trophy, one of the most prestigous honors in the sport.

The award is given annually to the NHL player who "best embodies the qualities of perseverance, sportsmanship, and dedication to the game of hockey."

Lindblom was nominated by the Philadelphia chapter of the Professional Hockey Writers Association for his drive to withstand the rigors of cancer treatment, while keeping an eye on his hockey future. The 23-year-old, who began the season as one of the Flyers' top scorers with 11 goals and 18 points through 30 games, was diagnosed in December as having Ewing's sarcoma, a rare form of bone cancer.

In a statement, Lindblom said he was "very humbled to be considered for this award that so many courageous and great players have won. Seeing the overwhelming support from fans, my teammates and the entire hockey community has been very emotional for me and without a doubt helped me get through this difficult time, and back to being with and doing the things I love."

Lindblom is not playing the upcoming NHL postseason tournaments but has been training and skating and expects to be on the ice for training camp for the 2020-21 season, whenever that may be.

Joining Lindblom as finalists are Ottawa's Bobby Ryan, the Cherry Hill, N.J. native who made a very public and successful comeback this past season after treatment for alcohol abuse, and Dallas' Stephen Johns, who returned to the lineup this season after being out for near two years while dealing with post-traumatic headaches.

Lindblom finished his chemotherapy treatments at the Abramson Cancer Center at Pennsylvania Hospital on July 2, and has been deemed as being cancer free.

Three other Flyers have won the Masterton. They are current Flyers assistant coach Ian Laperriere in 2011, current executive vice president Bob Clarke in 1972 and Tim Kerr in 1989.

His whole career still ahead of him, Lindblom would seem a fine addition to that group.

"It’s been tough, but you learn a lot about yourself,” he said in a recent Sports Illustrated interview. “You can complain that you’re tired one day, you don’t want to go to work, you don’t want to work out.

"I probably shouldn’t complain when I’m healthy and I have my dream job of playing hockey and can just be thankful for life.”

Delaware County Times LOADED: 07.17.2020 1188452 Philadelphia Flyers

Flyers head coach Alain Vigneault's heartwarming favorite moment of quarantine

By Jordan Hall July 16, 2020 1:10 PM

In late April during the suspension of the 2019-20 NHL season, Alain Vigneault shared his appreciation for the essential workers on the front line of the coronavirus pandemic.

The Flyers' head coach made his way back home to Gatineau, Quebec, where his girlfriend Monica Cotton is an emergency nurse and his sister Nicole Vigneault works for Quebec Health (see story).

He also talked about his parents.

"They’re both in their senior residence, they’ve both been isolated since Day 1," he said on April 29. "My mom is having a little bit more challenging time mentally in the past few months, but my dad is still as sharp as he can be. There’s no doubt that him going through this by himself, he’s very lonely."

For Vigneault, his first visit to see his parents during the quarantine meant the world to the 59-year-old head coach.

He shared the touching story and a picture to Flyers senior director of communications Zack Hill, which you can read and see below. He also chatted about it Thursday on 97.5 The Fanatic's "Farzetta in the Morning" show with Marc Farzetta.

It was the first day I was officially allowed to go out after serving my 14- day quarantine since arriving back in Gatineau, Quebec. The first trip I made was to my parents' senior care residence.

My mom Loraine (87) and dad Maurice (85) were originally both on the fifth floor but my mom is now battling dementia so she had to be moved to a 24-hour service on the second floor. When I arrived, they both walked out onto the second floor balcony and I was able to take this photo. We were able to talk for a few minutes. It was a very cold day in May but it was a good day for my mom. She recognized me and that was a real good positive for me.

Ever since the beginning of May, my sister and I had been visiting every other day. For the last three to four weeks, the country has opened up and my dad can travel and do his errands and can leave the residence. It's coming along in Canada in a positive way.

This moment was no doubt the highlight of my quarantine — getting to see my parents.

Alain Vigneault seeing his parents Maurice and Loraine. (Picture courtesy of Vigneault)

Comcast SportsNet.com LOADED: 07.17.2020 1188453 Philadelphia Flyers

Flyers' Oskar Lindblom voted as 2020 Bill Masterton Memorial Trophy finalist

By Jordan Hall July 16, 2020 2:50 PM

When Flyers forward Oskar Lindblom rung the bell on the 5th floor of the Abramson Cancer Center at Pennsylvania Hospital on July 2, it signified the completion of his radiation treatments.

But also so much more.

It signified the 23-year-old's unwavering courage and fight to overcome a life obstacle as scary as cancer.

He’s one of the toughest guys I know," Kevin Hayes said Wednesday. "Every time you saw him, he was upbeat, he was happy. If it wasn’t for him losing his hair, you probably wouldn’t have known he had cancer. He was a true warrior, true professional, and made us realize that what our problems are, they're not that serious. I think he brought our team together.

Lindblom, along with Stephen Johns (Stars) and Bobby Ryan (Senators), was voted by the Professional Hockey Writers Association as a finalist for the 2020 Bill Masterton Memorial Trophy, an award given annually to "the player who best exemplifies the qualities of perseverance, sportsmanship and dedication to ice hockey.”

The winner is expected to be announced during the Conference Final series, which are scheduled to begin Sept. 8.

"I'm very humbled to be considered for this award that so many courageous and great players have won," Lindblom said in a statement released by the team. "Seeing the overwhelming support from fans, my teammates and the entire hockey community has been very emotional for me and without a doubt helped me get through this difficult time, and back to being with and doing the things I love."

The Swedish native was diagnosed with Ewing’s sarcoma in mid- December. The Flyers, fans and the NHL have rallied around Lindblom ever since. Lindblom, who according to his medical team is now deemed without evidence of cancer at this time, constantly uplifted the Flyers' spirits with his own presence and positivity despite enduring draining treatments.

Back in December, the Flyers had finished an 0-3-0 road trip during which they learned of Lindblom's sudden and shocking diagnosis. At that juncture, it was the club's lowest point of the season. As the Flyers returned to Philadelphia, Lindblom greeted them at the Wells Fargo Center and the team went on to win four straight games.

Prior to his diagnosis, Lindblom was projected to finish with 30 goals, which would have shattered his career high of 17 set in a promising 2018-19 rookie season.

"That was a huge moment in our season, you have one of your best players go down to cancer," Hayes said. "He's a close friend of everyone, but cancer, it's a serious situation, it’s a sucky situation. It affects a lot of people. It just so happened this year, it affected our team. You never want to see anyone battling cancer but it happened and I think Oskar was a true professional about it. He didn’t wonder why me, why me. He just took it on, full head of steam and battled it.

"We obviously had his back the whole entire time, but I think it made us realize there is more than hockey. We want to win every single night and everyone wants to score goals every single night, but there’s some real stuff going on outside of hockey. I think our team got a taste of that this year and I think it brought our team together, for sure.

"If anyone on our team was having problems throughout the year, all you had to do was think of what Oskar was going through and your problems became very miniscule compared to his."

On and off the ice, Lindblom made the Flyers better in 2019-20. And he wants to put on that jersey again in the future.

Comcast SportsNet.com LOADED: 07.17.2020 1188454 Philadelphia Flyers “I like the spirits. I like the mood and I like our guys right now,” he said. “The leadership is coming from our veteran guys. They want to do well, so we’re going to put in the time and put in the effort.”

Focused Flyers finding their footing at camp: ‘They want to put in the Even the famously lighthearted Kevin Hayes is on board with the shift, work’ though he isn’t merely a jokester — he’s a veteran of 40 playoff games who’s looking to add quite a few more to his track record this summer.

“It’s definitely more serious,” Hayes said. “Coaching staff knows it. By Charlie O'Connor Jul 16, 2020 Players know it. Management knows it. Everyone behind the scenes knows it.”

But don’t take that to mean Hayes has stopped his constant chatter and Mere minutes after the NHL announced on Wednesday that Philadelphia ongoing efforts to keep things from getting too sedate. Flyers head coach Alain Vigneault was one of three finalists for the Jack Adams Award, given to the top coach in the league, he was asked during “It’s still fun here every day,” Hayes said, chuckling. “I make sure of that.” an end-of-day video conference call whether he felt the team had met, or even exceeded, his lofty preseason expectations. Quick hits

Vigneault took the question in an entirely different direction, one that 1. James van Riemsdyk’s daughter Scarlett was born in early May during perfectly aligned with the Flyers’ public-facing mentality on Day 3 of their the height of the pandemic-driven NHL pause. So with a two-month-old return-to-play training camp. at home and concerns about the health risks of the coronavirus top of mind, did van Riemsdyk give any serious thought to opting out of the “The only way I can answer that question is that the season’s not over,” resumed season, as six players around the league chose to do? he said. “We’re going into the best part of the season. We’ve earned the right. We’ve made the playoffs. We’ve earned the right to compete for the “For me and my family, I think they know what everything means to me Stanley Cup. Our business is far from over. That means that my job is far as far as hockey,” he said. “Being on the Return To Play committee and from over.” seeing some of the ins and outs of some of these decisions, I think they saw the thought that was going into this. I don’t think (the NHL was) The novelty of a midsummer training camp is wearing off. The going to put us in a position to be extra vulnerable, or put our health at strangeness of mask-wearing and social distancing has diminished. Now, stake — and in essence, put the health of our family at stake. I think they all Vigneault and the players want to talk about is Aug. 11: the first day of were comfortable with that. I think my family knows how much the game the NHL playoffs, when they’ll begin their long-awaited run at the Stanley and that sort of stuff (mean to me).” Cup. The messaging is laser-focused: It’s time to get down to business. Will Vigneault win his second Jack Adams Award? (Zack Hill / Flyers) “I’m just looking right now at our first three days and the way that our veteran group and our veteran players have come here and the focus,” 2. As expected, Vigneault was named one of the three finalists for the Vigneault said. “If you look into their eyes, they want to be here. They Jack Adams Award, along with John Tortorella of the Columbus Blue want to put in the work. They want to get ready.” Jackets and Bruce Cassidy of the Presidents’ Trophy-winning Boston Bruins. Vigneault won the award in 2006-07 with the Vancouver Canucks Alain Vigneault said he likes the players’ level of focus early in training and has now been a finalist five times in his career. camp. (Zack Hill / Flyers) The Adams, which is voted on by the National Hockey League The on-ice work has matched that mentality. After a relatively light Day 1 Broadcasters’ Association, will likely come down to Vigneault or on Monday that seemed largely about rebuilding chemistry among Tortorella. Vigneault has the benefit of helping engineer the largest year- players and increasing sharpness, Tuesday was structured as a short, over-year points pace increase of any team in 2019-20, in addition to high-intensity day. Wednesday split the difference between the first two stewarding his club through the full-season absence of Nolan Patrick and days of camp; while they again focused on breakout drills and passing, the loss of Oskar Lindblom after his cancer diagnosis. But Tortorella’s the coaches skated the players hard, perhaps with the knowledge that case has a compelling narrative as well. The Blue Jackets were expected Thursday would be an off-ice day on the schedule. to fall off a cliff after Artemi Panarin, Sergei Bobrovsky, Matt Duchene and Ryan Dzingel signed elsewhere in the offseason. Instead, Columbus The players appeared to feel the effects of the high-effort day, but they remained in the playoff hunt, even after it was ravaged by injuries to key held their own. In fact, Michael Raffl said he was impressed with his players in the second half. teammates’ conditioning levels after months of quarantines and lockdowns. Vigneault won a straw poll of The Athletic writers back in March, but the broadcasters will make the final decision. They could easily favor “That four-month break didn’t help, but I was surprised how good shape Tortorella. the boys (were in) when they came in for the camp,” he said. “The pace has been really, really good the last three days. I was a little bit surprised. 3. Teams knew the round-robin and play-in rounds would be preceded by It’s been a really good feeling, and I think the boys are ready to go.” an exhibition slate, but now they know exactly what that will entail. Shortly after arriving in their respective hub cities of Toronto and The media do not have locker room access during this unusual training Edmonton, each team will have one “preseason” game before the games camp. But during the regular season prior to the pause, it was easy to start to matter. see the natural vibe of the Flyers’ room, particularly over the final few months of the campaign, when the team played its best. This group of If all goes according to plan, the Flyers and Pittsburgh Penguins will be players was noticeably loose, with jokes and banter flying from all the first teams to hit the ice at either hub. They’re scheduled to play at 4 corners of the room. Yet with more serious, veteran leaders such as p.m. on July 28 in Toronto. The Flyers will also be involved in the first Sean Couturier, Matt Niskanen and Brian Elliott present, an undercurrent round-robin matchup on Aug. 2 against the Boston Bruins. You can’t say of business-like resolve existed as well. the Flyers don’t get the prestige games.

According to Justin Braun, one change at this camp versus the regular 4. When asked which teammate he’d most like to room with at the hub season is that the latter feeling is taking a bit more precedence. city if the players are allowed roommates, van Riemsdyk made an interesting selection: Carter Hart. “It’s funny to hear some of stuff that’s “I think guys are a little more focused than we were towards the end (of going on his brain,” van Riemsdyk said, laughing. the regular season) in practice because we have to gear up so quickly,” he said, providing a glimpse into the locked-down locker room. “So I feel Claude Giroux got the better of Carter Hart in one battle Wednesday. like guys are focused more on dialing that in, because (when) you’re at (Zack Hill / Flyers) the end of the season, conditioning’s easier and all that stuff is easier. You got the tempo down. I think guys are really dialed in on trying to get 5. A battle during Wednesday’s early session between Hart and Claude everything back to where it should be.” Giroux showcased the balance between seriousness and fun the team has struck in camp. After being stymied by Hart in close, Giroux Vigneault is a fan of the team’s slightly adjusted approach. continued to dig at the puck as the 21-year-old goalie tried to cover it, taking at least three more whacks before recovering the puck and slipping it behind Hart. While skating away, Giroux turned back and flashed a smile at the surely-a-little-irritated Hart, as if to say, “Sorry kid, but I just had to get a goal there.”

The Athletic LOADED: 07.17.2020 1188455 Pittsburgh Penguins Joining a team with the likes of young stars such as forward Auston Matthews and Mitch Marner, Marleau served as a mentor for several of his younger teammates. It was hoped that blend of youth and experience could push the Maple Leafs to their first Stanley Cup title since 1967. Patrick Marleau’s tireless pursuit of the Stanley Cup brought him to the Penguins But after two consecutive unappetizing first-round exits, Marleau was traded to the Carolina Hurricanes in the 2019 offseason. After Carolina bought out the last year of his contract, he was free to rejoin the Sharks on a two-way contract, which he did not sign until Oct. 9, a few days into SETH RORABAUGH | Thursday, July 16, 2020 7:47 p.m. the start of the regular season.

“Patty was very transparent about wanting to come back to San Jose and Note: CCPA compliance requires embedded widgets like Facebook, we were transparent with him in that we had promised some of our Twitter and inline videos be disabled in stories. younger players an opportunity to compete for jobs,” Wilson said. “Even before the regular season started, we ran into a series of issues with Games define Patrick Marleau’s marvelous NHL existence. Specifically, injuries, suspensions and other circumstances that were forcing us to put he’s played a lot of them through various contexts. some of those younger players in roles that weren’t fair to them.

He’s fifth in NHL history with 1,723 career regular-season games, barely “Patrick, his agent and myself kept in communication throughout the half a season behind the all-time leader, Gordie Howe at 1,767. early part of the year and I told them that if we got into a situation where we were looking for some veteran help, they would be my first call. That’s And with an active run of 854 straight regular-season games, he has the how things ended up working out and then he goes out and scores two NHL’s fifth-longest consecutive games streak all-time. goals in his first game back in Chicago.” There’s another figure that tells his story. In a 5-4 road win against the Blackhawks on Oct. 10, Marleau scored With 1,914 combined regular-season and postseason games, Marleau twice. holds the NHL mark for most total games played without a Stanley Cup By the start of December, Marleau and the Sharks were in position to victory. return to the postseason as they were in third place of the Pacific And at 40, he might have his best chance to get off that list. Division. But a 2-9-2 stretch during the month all but ended their postseason hopes. By the time the trade deadline rolled around Feb. 24, That’s why, despite having a resume worthy of the Hockey Hall of Fame, they were struggling to stay out of last place. he re-signed with the San Jose Sharks to a two-way contract worth a league-minimum $700,000 in October. That reality brought him to Pittsburgh. In eight games before the NHL halted play due to the coronavirus, he primarily played on the left wing of When the Sharks’ season sank out of playoff contention, San Jose center Evgeni Malkin’s line and contributed two points (one goal, one management opted to send their franchise icon to the Penguins at the assist). trade deadline in February, receiving a conditional draft pick in the process. Four months after the Penguins’ last game, he’s been working out during the team’s training camp at its facility in Cranberry on the left wing of the “There’s no denying that we didn’t have the year that we wanted to after third line, with center Jared McCann, who grew up a fan of Marleau. going to the (Western) Conference final the previous season,” Sharks general manager Doug Wilson told the Tribune-Review. “In those “I went to a game in Arizona,” said McCann, 24. “Patrick, he was playing situations, you have to be realistic and do what’s in the best interest of for the Sharks at the time and they were playing the Coyotes. … I was the organization. Pittsburgh really wanted Patty at the deadline, so it was really young and kind of starstruck. I remember I met (Sharks forward) a natural fit to put him in a position to have that chance, while also Joe Thornton and Patrick Marleau and Patty signed a puck for me. acquiring a really good asset for our club that can be used in a number of “He’s definitely a guy that I looked up to. He signed a puck for me when I ways.” was 12. It’s pretty cool to be on his line right now.” Marleau boosted the Sharks in just about every way a player can boost a But what does Marleau still offer as a linemate right now at age 40? franchise, minus a Stanley Cup championship. “He can do everything for us,” McCann said. “He can score goals, he has The No. 2 overall pick in the 1997 draft, which was staged at the Civic shown he can do that. He can play well defensively. He’s a big body who Arena, Marleau helped the Sharks grow out of their awkward expansion goes to the net and gets to those dirty areas.” years from the early 1990s into a nearly year contender for the Stanley Cup. “He’s a guy that brings a ton of versatility to our team,” coach Mike Sullivan said. “He can really skate. He brings size. He helps us on the From the early days of the “dead puck” era, when goals were hard to penalty kill. We can utilize him in power-play situations. I can move him find, to the hiccup-quick “new NHL,” when rule changes promoted up and down the lineup. If I need to play him in the top-six (forwards), he offense and skill, the Sharks were one of the NHL’s steadiest capable of playing there. He’s a real versatile guy for us. He just adds organizations. more depth and dimension to our team. In the first 19 seasons Marleau spent with San Jose (1997-2017), the “We’re thrilled to have him. He’s really been a great addition to our team Sharks reached the postseason 17 times. and I know how excited he is to compete for the Stanley Cup.” During that time, Marleau whose name is listed in the Sharks’ media Unlike with the Sharks, for whom he served as a captain over five years, guide 349 times, became the face of the franchise. Marleau doesn’t need to be a franchise player. The Penguins already “On the ice, Patty holds nearly every record in Sharks franchise history have a handful of those in place. and has established himself as one of the top players our game has ever But even on a team with a couple of future Hockey Hall of Famers and seen,” Wilson said. “Off the ice, Patrick is a long-standing member of our All-Stars with several Stanley Cup rings, Marleau carries a heightened local community and he and his family have made their permanent home stature in the Penguins’ dressing room. in San Jose. He is one of the few players that when you see that Sharks logo, he immediately comes to mind. You can’t tell the story of the San “Obviously a guy with all the experience he has, the respect that he Jose Sharks without spending a considerable amount of time talking earned throughout his career, it’s a big presence in our locker room,” said about Patrick Marleau.” defenseman Kris Letang, 33. “Our young guys or even guys my age look up to Pat. He’s a tremendous player but also a great teammate. Any But the Sharks never won the Stanley Cup. Their best opportunity to do guys in our room can actually watch him on and off the ice and learn tons so came in 2015-16 when they reached the franchise’s only Stanley Cup of things.” Final, only to lose to the Penguins in six games. “Patty has a true love for the game and a knowledge about how to be a After the Sharks fell short once again in the 2017 postseason, Marleau pro,” Wilson said. “You see the impact he had briefly in Toronto on some made a difficult decision to leave San Jose and signed as a free agent of their younger players and he did the same thing here. He keeps with the Toronto Maple Leafs. himself in amazing shape and he’s willing to play up and down the line- up to do whatever the team needs. It’s rare to see someone who has played as many games as Patty not only take that approach but still have the ability to perform in those various roles.”

There’s one more role Marleau would like to claim.

Stanley Cup champion.

“I still love the game,” Marleau said. “Still want to play. Still want to win the Cup. This is a great opportunity for myself and Pittsburgh to put some hard work in here and see where it leads us. Hopefully, it’s with us winning here at the end.”

“That’s the goal. That’s always been the goal throughout my whole career.”

Tribune Review LOADED: 07.17.2020 1188456 Pittsburgh Penguins fifth place in voting for the Vezina Trophy, which recognizes the NHL’s top goaltender.

Traded to the midway through the 1989-90 season, Double Team: Greg Millen brought stability in net to the Penguins and Millen remains the Blues’ franchise leader in postseason wins with 17. Blues 2. , right winger

Undrafted out of Boston College, Mullen famously turned down an SETH RORABAUGH | Thursday, July 16, 2020 6:22 p.m. opportunity to play for the United States National Team that eventually won the gold medal during the “Miracle on Ice” in the 1980 Olympics. His reasons were simple as he was given a lucrative contract offer from the Blues. Note: CCPA compliance requires embedded widgets like Facebook, Twitter and inline videos be disabled in stories. Debuting in 1981-82, Mullen spent parts of five seasons in St. Louis. As a rookie, he put up 25 goals and 59 points in only 45 games. Had he While the NHL is on hold because of the ongoing coronavirus pandemic, played more, he might have finished higher than 11th in voting for the the Tribune-Review will offer the Double Team project, an examination of Calder Memorial Trophy, which recognizes the league’s top rookie. the five best players who have contributed substantially to the Penguins and another franchise. For consideration, a player must have played at After battling through injuries in 1982-83, Mullen broke out in 1983-84 by least the equivalent of a full season for each franchise. (Sorry, Jarome scoring a team-leading 41 goals — the first of his seven seasons with 40 Iginla fans.) or more goals — as well as 85 points in 80 games. He followed that up in 1983-84 by once again leading the team with 40 goals as well as 92 Today, a look at the St. Louis Blues. As part of the NHL’s 1967 points in 79 games for the Norris Division champions. expansion class, the Blues, named after the W.C. Handy song, “Saint Louis Blues,” were the first true rivals of the Penguins, routinely engaging Midway through the 1985-86 season, Mullen was traded to the Calgary in fight-filled contests during the late 1960s and early 1970s. Flames and won the Stanley Cup in Alberta in 1989.

In 149 all-time games against the Blues, the Penguins have a 56-69-24 Wanting to add veteran experience to a mostly younger roster, the record. Penguins acquired Mullen via trade in the 1990 offseason. Injuries limited Mullen to 47 games and 36 points in 1990-91, but by the postseason, he 1. Greg Millen, goaltender contributed eight goals and 17 points in 22 games as the Penguins Were it not for a summer vacation, the fortunes of Millen and the claimed their first Stanley Cup championship. Penguins could have been very different. Mullen reached the 42-goal mark in 77 games during the 1991-92 After Millen and the Penguins nearly upset the Blues in a preliminary campaign, but a knee injury sidelined him for most of the postseason. round series during the 1981 playoffs, Millen was a restricted free agent Regardless, he got his name on the Stanley Cup for the third time. during the ensuing offseason. He and his agent, Pat Caputo, were up After reaching the 30-goal mark twice in the next three seasons, Mullen front about trying to get the best possible deal for the young goaltender joined the Boston Bruins as a free agent in the 1995 offseason before and openly courted offers from other teams. returning to Pittsburgh as a free agent less than a year later. While restricted free agents occasionally get offers from other teams By the time he retired in 1997, the future Hockey Hall of Famer was the today, it was virtually unheard of in this era. NHL’s career leader among American players in goals (502) and points Millen agreed to a lucrative offer from the in June but (1,063). wanted to give the Penguins an opportunity to match, and a copy of the 3. Ab McDonald, left winger contract he agreed to was sent to the Penguins’ offices for general manager Aldedge “Baz” Bastien to review. The only problem was Bastien Pittsburgh Penguins Forward Ab McDonald served as the Penguins’ first was on vacation and — at an time before cellular phones or other forms captain during their inagural season of 1967-68. of immediate communication — could not be reached. A Stanley Cup champion in the late 1950s with the Montreal Canadiens After receiving no response from the Penguins, Millen formally signed and the early 1960s with the Chicago Black Hawks, McDonald extended with the Whalers, who, per the rules of the day, had to compensate the his career into the 1970s with expansion teams. Penguins by sending forwards Pat Boutette and Kevin McClelland to Pittsburgh. Claimed by the Penguins in the 1967 expansion draft, McDonald spent one season in Pittsburgh, but it was a notable campaign as he served as Three years later, the Penguins were the worst team in the NHL and the franchise’s first captain and led the team with 22 goals in 73 games. were in position to draft franchise icon Mario Lemieux. Had Millen remained with the team, Lemieux could have worn a different sweater Despite that success, he was traded to the St. Louis Blues in the 1968 during his career. offseason. During the 1968-69 season, he was selected for the All-Star Game, scoring 21 goals and 42 points in 68 games, then helped the The Penguins selected Millen in the sixth round of 1977 draft, and he Blues reach the Stanley Cup Final, losing to the powerful Canadiens. made his debut in 1978-79 at the age of 21, appearing in 28 games and going 14-11-1 as Denis Herron’s backup. He followed that up with another All-Star Game nod in 1969-70 as he scored a career-best 25 goals as well as 55 points in 64 games. In the By 1979-80, the Penguins were so confident in Millen that they traded playoffs, McDonald paced the Blues with 15 points games before losing Herron to the Montreal Canadiens and handed the starting role to Millen. once again in the Stanley Cup Final, this time to the Boston Bruins. He rewarded that faith by going 18-18-7 in 44 games with two shutouts and led them to a near-upset of the favorited Boston Bruins in the (Note: In the first three seasons following the 1967 expansion, teams qualifying round. were divided into two divisions split between the “” and expansion teams. By design, an “original six” team would meet an Millen regressed a bit in 1980-81, appearing in 63 games and going 25- expansion team in the Stanley Cup Final until the NHL did away with the 27-10 but set a still-standing franchise record for goaltenders of 26 format prior to the 1970-71 format.) consecutive games played. After his strong playoff effort, the Penguins thought they had a franchise goaltender for the first time in the club’s Limited to 20 games in 1970-71, McDonald was traded to the Detroit Red history but ultimately lost him to Hartford. Wings in May of 1971.

Unable to lift the fortunes of the woebegone Whalers, Millen was traded 4. Gordie Roberts, defenseman to the Blues by February of 1985 and was initially part of a platoon with Roberts only played two seasons with the Penguins, but each of them Rick Wamsley. ended with him holding the Stanley Cup above his head. Millen took over as starter by 1987-88, playing in 48 games with a 21-19- The Penguins acquired Roberts from the Blues early in the 1990-91 7 record. His strongest season was 1988-89 when he appeared in 52 season. A physical and reliable defensive player, Roberts was one of the games and posted 22-20-7 record with six shutouts and even finished in steadiest presences on a blue line that underwent major changes throughout the campaign. Appearing in 61 games during the regular season, he posted 15 points while primarily teamed with defenseman Larry Murphy. He then played in all 24 postseason games and added three points, helping the Penguins claim the 1991 Stanley Cup title.

Roberts followed that up in 1991-92 by playing in 73 games and recording 24 points. Then in the postseason, Roberts dressed for 19 games, racked up two assists and claimed his second Stanley Cup ring. During the ensuing offseason, he joined the Bruins as a free agent.

Before joining the Penguins, Roberts spent parts of four solid but hardly spectacular seasons with the Blues after being acquired at 1988 trade deadline from the Philadelphia Flyers.

His high-water mark in St. Louis was the 1988-89 campaign when he played 77 games and recorded 26 points. During the 1989-90 season, he appeared in 75 games, posting 17 points.

A native of Detroit, Roberts, who was a prolific scorer with the New England Whalers of the World Hockey Association during the 1970s, was the first United States-born player to reach the 1,000-games mark and was inducted into the United States Hockey Hall of Fame in 1999.

5. Ian Cole, defenseman

Like Roberts, Cole was a Michigan native who was plucked out of St. Louis and helped the Penguins win two Stanley Cups.

Unlike Roberts, Cole was probably something of a disappointment in St. Louis. A first-round pick in 2007, Cole mostly struggled to find his game with that organization, bouncing between the NHL roster and the Peoria Rivermen of the American Hockey League. Cole regularly showed glimpses of his abilities in St. Louis but never seemed to gain the full trust of coaches, whether it was Davis Payne or .

His best season in St. Louis might have been his last. After playing in 54 games and recording nine points, he was traded to the Penguins at the 2014 trade deadline.

In Pittsburgh, under the guidance of assistant coaches Sergei Gonchar and Jacques Martin, Cole developed his game and became a steady, defensive presence. In 2015-16, he became one of the team’s top penalty killers and led the squad with 122 blocked shots despite playing only 70 games.

During that postseason, he formed a steady third pairing with Justin Schultz and helped the franchise claim its third Stanley Cup title. During a 3-1 road win against the San Jose Sharks in Game 4 of the Final, Cole scored the contest’s opening goal.

In 2016-17, while many of the team’s other defensemen missed time with significant injuries, Cole was in the lineup for 81 of 82 games in the regular season despite his style of play which once again allowed him to lead the team in blocked shots (194). He also established career highs of five goals and 26 points.

That postseason, he played in all 25 games for a fatigued team that won the Stanley Cup once again more through will than ability.

At the 2017-18 trade deadline, the Penguins dealt Cole to the Ottawa Senators in a three-way trade involving the Vegas Golden Knights.

Honorable mention: Marc Bergevin, defenseman; Robert Bortuzzo, defenseman; Mike Eastwood, center; Ron Flockhart, center; David Perron, left winger.

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Stars defenseman Stephen Johns of Wampum named finalist for Masterton Trophy

SETH RORABAUGH | Thursday, July 16, 2020 12:30 p.m.

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Dallas Stars defenseman Stephen Johns, a native of Wampum, has been named as a finalist for the Bill Masterton Memorial Trophy by the Professional Hockey Writers Association.

The award recognizes the player who best “exemplifies the qualities of perserverance, sportsmanship and dedication to hockey.”

Johns returned to action this season after missing parts of three seasons due to lingering concussion issues.

The other finalists are Flyers forward Oskar Lindblom and Ottawa Senators forward Bobby Ryan

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Is Matt Murray struggling in net during Penguins training camp?

TIM BENZ | Thursday, July 16, 2020 6:03 a.m.

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Our TribLIVE colleague Mark Madden had an interesting Penguins nugget about the goaltenders on his radio show on 105.9 The X Wednesday.

Madden said that he has been getting Twitter direct messages and reports from some colleagues in the media who have been attending Penguins “Phase 3” training camp practices in Cranberry.

“It’s only three days but, by most accounts, (Tristan) Jarry has been outplaying (Matt) Murray. And, furthermore, Murray hasn’t been looking great,” Madden said during the 5 p.m. hour of his show.

I’d love to add my own opinion on that bit of news. But media presence is limited to one person per outlet. Thankfully, our Penguins beat guy Seth Rorabaugh is the Trib’s man on the scene. So he can to be our eyes.

I brought him onboard for the “Breakfast With Benz” podcast Thursday to get his assessment.

“I can’t say that I’ve really noticed any sort of difference between the two goaltenders based on what we have,” Rorabaugh said. “What we have watched so far is a lot of drills.

“I can’t sit there and say one goalie is doing all that much better than the other when it’s really such an artificial environment in the confines of practice. If someone is watching it a little more intently than I am, I wouldn’t dispute it. But I can’t say that one goalie has stood out negatively or positively as opposed to the other one.”

One thing Rorabaugh did point out is that he has noticed Murray more often between the pipes when facing some of the Penguins top-line players during those drills. So maybe that is skewing the perception that he is struggling.

“I’d say that’s by design,” Rorabaugh added. “I don’t think that’s something you want to chisel in stone that Murray is going to be the starter in Game 1 against the Montreal Canadiens at 8 p.m. on Aug.1 based off that. But it would suggest how things are stacked in terms of the hierarchy.”

However, Rorabaugh said he does expect a 50-50 split of time between Murray and Jarry when the Penguins play the Philadelphia Flyers on July 28 in Toronto for a warmup game.

The two of us also discuss how the team plans to keep both goalies safe from the coronavirus and emergency policies if they both get sick. Plus, we dive into some of the brimming optimism surrounding the team, the media coverage restrictions, and the absence of those nine players who are being cordoned off in case of covid-19 infection.

Tribune Review LOADED: 07.17.2020 1188459 Pittsburgh Penguins game scoreless stretch? That third pairing could become one of the Penguins most-glaring weaknesses.

No matter how this postseason unfolds, Schultz will eventually end up at Postseason offers Justin Schultz one last chance to make his case the negotiating table. The dynamic changed during the pause when the before free agency NHL agreed to keep the salary cap flat at $81.5 million until the league’s hockey-related revenue rebounds to pre-pandemic levels. The upper limit was initially expected to fall somewhere between $84 million and $88.2 million. Mike DeFabo The Penguins already have more than $68 million committed to next

year. And that’s before they sign either of their two goalies, who are both Justin Schultz always knew July 2020 was going to be an important set to become restricted free agents. It’s possible, given Marino’s month for his career — just maybe not like this. impressive rookie year and the fact that the Penguins are always fighting to keep all their stars under one cap, the next few months are Schultz’s The three-year deal Schultz signed in 2017 on the heels of a 51-point last in black and gold. season that earned him Norris Trophy votes? It expires this offseason. During a normal year, Schultz would be spending this month as an But this unanticipated cap consequence of the pandemic isn’t just unrestricted free agent, fielding offers and deciding where the next touching the Penguins’ payroll. A number of teams will have far less than chapter in his career will take him. the Penguins’ roughly $13.22 million to work with, including Arizona ($1.51 million), St. Louis ($2.05 million), Toronto ($4.59 million), Tampa Instead, after a four-month pause to the NHL season and countless Bay ($5.33 million) and Chicago ($7.35 million). rounds of golf to take his mind away from the ice, Schultz is taking part in the second training camp of the season as the Penguins gear up for the Schultz has gambled before with a prove-it, one-year deal in summer qualifying-round matchup with the Montreal Canadiens. 2016 that paid him $1.4 million. That was followed by a breakout year that led to his current deal that carries an average-annual value of $5.5 The primary goal, of course, is to win his third Stanley Cup in a Penguins million. uniform. But at the same time, there’s an additional opportunity to present a closing argument, so to speak, before Schultz steps to the “I’d obviously like to stay here,” Schultz said. bargaining table. Either way, if Schultz finishes this year with a Stanley Cup over his head, Those goals are not separate. They’re intertwined. that’s a good thing for both sides.

“You definitely think about it,” Schultz said. “Obviously, it’s my future. I’m Post Gazette LOADED: 07.17.2020 just coming in here trying to help this team win the Stanley Cup. If I do that and I play well, then that will all take care of itself.”

This has not necessarily been the way Schultz hoped his contract year would go. After a gruesome ankle injury derailed his 2018-19 season, the defenseman once again struggled to stay off the injury report.

On Nov. 27, the club placed Schultz on injured reserve. He was activated on Dec. 6. But less than a month later, on Jan 3, he went back on injured reserve for nearly three weeks.

When the Penguins placed Schultz on IR the first time, coach Mike Sullivan said it was difficult to pinpoint exactly when the injury occurred. That hinted that whatever ailed the blue liner was chronic, rather than an acute injury, and makes you wonder how close to 100% Schultz really was this season.

Asked if the pause was beneficial from a health standpoint, the soft- spoken Canadian said it was.

“It was good to get home [to Kelowna, British Columbia],” Schultz said. “I actually got some really good training in. I feel really good.”

The trouble for the Penguins was Schultz’s stats aren’t much prettier than his medical records.

He notched just 12 points in 46 games, and his minus-13 rating is his worst for a single season since the Penguins took him on as a reclamation project in 2015-16. Opponents have generated 50.4% of the high-danger scoring chances when Schultz is on the ice at 5-on-5, per Natural Stat Trick. Only Jack Johnson has fared worse among Penguins blue liners.

These stats are tough to digest because the Penguins know Schultz’s value when he’s at his best. The way the Penguins are deploying him in camp illustrates the two sides of what Schultz has been since he came over from Edmonton in the middle of the 2015-16 season.

On one hand, he’s splitting time with Kris Letang on the top power play unit, where his offensive upside and shoot-first mentality can be on full display. On the other hand, he’s been passed over by rookie John Marino on the depth chart and is now skating alongside Johnson on the third pairing.

The question is, which version of Schultz do the Penguins see this postseason?

A healthy Schultz playing at his best gives the Penguins a former Norris Trophy vote-getter skating in the third pairing. That’s some serious defensive depth and a nice weapon to help fix a power play that’s been inconsistent this year. But if Schultz’s stats look like they did during a 27- 1188460 Pittsburgh Penguins Smith went to Sears and bought an aluminum net, a stick and some balls and starting playing street hockey in East Liberty.

“The neighborhood kids looked at me like I was crazy,” he said. “They Hockey’s race problem in Pittsburgh, and the man who intends to abolish didn’t know what I was doing. So, I’d show them. I’d explain the game to it them. And the next thing you know, they were asking their parents to get them sticks, and we were playing street hockey on the streets of East Liberty.

By Josh Yohe Jul 16, 2020 “And you know why that is? Because it’s hockey. And everyone loves hockey once they’re exposed to it.”

For Smith, his love affair continued through high school and a two- Hockey hasn’t always loved Howard Smith. decade stint in the Navy, where he served in Operation Desert Storm and Smith has always loved the sport back, anyway. even brought his hockey equipment on his ship in the Persian Gulf.

“Damn right I have,” Smith said. “And I always will.” When the conflict de-escalated, Smith found himself with some free time.

Why? “They don’t have many ice rinks in the Middle East,” he said. “But they do in Dubai, and I found it. I was there every day. It was beautiful.” “Now that’s an interesting question,” he continued. Smith returned to his hometown in 1999, three children in tow, and Smith is the only Black Level 5 USA Hockey coach in Western wanted to continue his mission to bring hockey closer to the inner city. Pennsylvania. He’s been a local coach for decades, assisting with boys Shortly after the turn of the century, he helped form Hockey in the Hood, and girls hockey teams of all ages in numerous hockey affiliations around now Pittsburgh ICE and he worked his way up the USA Hockey coaching Pittsburgh. He’s coached a team of wounded veterans. He’s one of the ladder. founders of Hockey in the Hood in Pittsburgh, which is now called Pittsburgh Ice. Smith still coaches Pittsburgh ICE players along with “It’s what I love to do,” he said. “I love working with hockey players of all many other duties in hockey federations all around Western levels, from all areas. Boys. Girls. Men. Women. White. Black. It doesn’t Pennsylvania. He’s a fixture on local ice pads. matter to me.”

He’s experienced the beauty of hockey, and also has been the victim of But, Smith learned, it matters to some in the hockey world. the ugly side of hockey’s culture. The worst night Through it all, he has one dream. To understand Smith, how beloved he is by so many in Western “I want kids from the city to have a rink of their own,” he said. “That won’t Pennsylvania, and how he copes when racism rears its ugly head, is to solve all of the race problems in our world or in this sport that I love. But if understand what happened in 2008 at the Ice Castle in Castle Shannon. we want Black, inner-city kids to feel embraced and accepted by the Smith was coaching the Carrick High School hockey team that night, a game of hockey, it would be a start.” team that largely consisted of players from the Pittsburgh city schools Smith has a powerful ally in his fight: the Pittsburgh Penguins. that don’t have hockey teams. Some of his players were White, some were Black. Then again, the current redevelopment negotiations across the street from PPG Paints Arena have been anything but smooth, and more than In the game that particular evening, members of the visiting Wheeling 10 years later, there still isn’t an economic bridge between downtown and Park team started to taunt Smith through his players. the Hill District. The Penguins recently walked away from the negotiating “During every line change, when players would come back to the bench, table. they’d tell me what was going on,” Smith said. “It got so ugly that night. Construction of Civic Arena itself has been a point of contention for My players were saying, ‘Coach, they’re calling you the n-word. A Pittsburgh’s Black community in that it cut the Hill District off from monkey. An ape. A gorilla. They’re saying you should go back to Africa, downtown. The feud was ignited by Civic Arena’s construction, dating that you should be coaching basketball instead of hockey.'” back to the late 1950s, and the relationship between the Penguins and Smith was angry. But he didn’t want his players to fight back. the Hill District remains contentious to this day. “I said, ‘Just play, boys,'” Smith said. “I didn’t want them to be upset, and Still, the Penguins organization shares Smith’s vision. I knew they were upset, of course. But I didn’t want violence. I don’t ever “Howard’s a great guy,” Penguins CEO David Morehouse said. “And we believe violence is the answer.” want a rink in the city, too. It’s a process. But we are all in. We are The taunting never stopped. committed to helping make this happen. Because it’s an important thing.” “It was very steady the entire game,” Smith said. “My kids were very, very Smith understands the difficulty of the project but has devoted much of upset. And of course, so was I. But I didn’t want anyone to see that. I his life to making it happen. didn’t want anyone to know it was getting to me.” “I think we just need a spark between the Black community, the Penguins The pain Smith felt that night grew in intensity, even after the game. and hockey,” he said. “I want to be that spark.” During the handshake line, which traditionally is a symbol of good First love sportsmanship, some of the Wheeling Park players refused to shake Smith’s hand. Smith grew up in the Hill District and East Liberty during the 1960s and 1970s. Hockey has rarely been the sport of choice in American inner “I think that’s when I really saw that there was a real problem,” Smith cities, and it certainly wasn’t in Hill District in the early 1970s. said. “I already knew, but that made it considerably worse.”

Then, one night, his life was changed. Smith was the last man off the ice that night, as he stopped to sign the score sheet among other typical coach duties. When he walked into the “I had a friend in the Hill District,” Smith said. “One of the only White locker room, he knew something wasn’t right. families in the Hill District at that time. I was 9 or 10. They were hockey fans and his dad took us to a game at Civic Arena. From the very second A player approached him. I walked in that place, I was mesmerized. I was hooked for life. I wanted “Coach, don’t go out there.” to be involved in hockey from that point forward, always.” Smith gave a puzzled look. Smith still remembers the smell of the arena that night, the brightness of the lights, the speed of the game. He was hooked and, at that moment, “Don’t go out there,” the player repeated. “They’re waiting for you.” became something of a local pioneer for the game. A confused Smith asked who was waiting. “The hockey bug hit me hard at that moment,” he said. “The other team.” Smith, as military men go, doesn’t like confrontation. But he wasn’t afraid. educate the white, suburban children who populate hockey rinks from Mt. A former Navy Chief, Smith wasn’t about to stay in the locker room until Lebanon to Cranberry that seeing color will never be acceptable. the crowd left. He believes the example he sets is paramount. So, he picked up his hockey bag, threw it over his shoulder and walked into the Ice Castle lobby. “When I walk into a rink, everyone knows who I am because I’m the only Black coach around,” he said. “I’m Coach Howard, and everyone knows “That’s when I really had a funny sense that there was a problem,” Smith it. If I fly off the handle, if I do something egregious, I’m going to be said. “I’m walking to the lobby area, and I hear noise. Parents were judged differently. And I know it. It’s going to be, ‘Uh huh, he snapped. yelling. Everyone was yelling. And all of a sudden, I’m thinking, ‘Oh shit. They got to him.’ If I get into an argument, if I scream at a parent or at a What’s going on here?'” player, people are going to say, “Look at the Black coach yelling.’ So, I won’t do it. I won’t stoop to certain levels. They won’t get to me.” At that point, the Wheeling Park coach brought one of his players to Smith. The player, a senior, apologized to Smith for “our language out Smith isn’t a pacifist. But he believes violence is the last resort, and that there.” peace, love and communication are the path to racial harmony in hockey as well as life. According to Smith, the player didn’t make eye contact during the apology, looking at the floor instead. “I’ve had the talk with my children,” Smith said. “My children are biracial. Their mother is from the Philippines. Long ago, we lived in California, and “I was boiling inside,” Smith said. “But I held my temper. And then, I they fit in there. When we moved to Pittsburgh, it was different. It’s a very turned around.” White city. I heard a lot of, ‘Daddy, we want to move back to California. What Smith witnessed when he turned around was one of the most We hate it here.’ powerful moments of his life. His team, a mix of white and black players, “As a father, it was a horrible thing to hear.” formed a semi-circle around Smith, daring anyone to utter the words to Smith’s face that were said on the ice. Smith said he still receives “the look” when he walks into local arenas. While he’s popular among pretty much all who know him, Smith said “the “They thought something was about to go down,” Smith said. “They had look” never goes away. my back. I will never forget that.” “I’d be just another guy if I coached in Detroit or Philly,” he said. “But Wheeling Park’s coach then apologized to Smith for the flagrant, abusive Pittsburgh is a very White city. Everyone notices when the Black guy language. walks into the rink.”

“I told him his apology rang hollow to me at that point in time because he Smith is tired of being the only “Black guy” at the hockey rink. He’s tired could have done something about it the entire game and chose not to,” of life being so difficult for Pittsburgh ICE, too. Smith said. There are too many obstacles for inner-city kids who have talent and a Before Smith could leave the building, the Castle Shannon Police had love for the game to hone their craft. There is no rink to call their own. arrived because reports of racial abuse had been made during the game. Transportation is difficult, especially in Pittsburgh, which “isn’t a good Smith gave a statement regarding what happened. Later that night, he public transportation city,” Smith said. filled out a report with the Pennsylvania Interscholastic Hockey League, whose lack of a passionate response probably troubled Smith more than So Smith loads kids into a church van and drives them to the RMU Island anything. Sports Center to get time on the ice.

A week later, he received a piece of mail from the PIHL. “We’ve lost a lot of kids over the years because it’s just too difficult to make it all happen,” Smith said. “They wrote me a letter,” he said. “More or less, I was told that, since it was the last game of the season and the kid was a senior anyway, that it Morehouse and the Penguins are well aware. was case closed. I still have that letter to this day. It’s the ultimate proof in our game that racism still exists, and that, often, no one seems real “It’s a 15-year project to get the game of hockey to be more diverse,” interested in doing anything about it.” Morehouse said. “It won’t happen overnight. But it needs to happen. Pittsburgh ICE does a great job, but they need more help. They do need The Athletic obtained a copy of the letter that Smith received. Wheeling an arena in the city, and we want to give it to them very badly.” Park removed its team from the PIHL postseason following the incident, but otherwise, no penalty was assessed to the program. The two bullet That, Smith said, is the answer. Or, at least, it is the foundation. points in the letter from the PIHL to Smith read: “We need to get people involved,” he said. “Does that mean racism will • “Wheeling Park Hockey Association shall report on any actions they go away? No. Does that mean there won’t still be racism in hockey? No. have taken since this occurred. But let me tell you something: There’s a lot of greatness in the game of hockey, a lot of great people. The kids in the inner city deserve to be a • “Wheeling Park Hockey Association shall submit an outline of what they part of that. And there’s a lot of kids in the inner city who are good, good plan to do to prevent this type of unacceptable behavior from occurring in people. Hockey deserves to know about them, too.” the future and ways they plan to improve overall behavior for next season. The Athletic LOADED: 07.17.2020

And that was that.

This was the incident that Smith most remembers, but there were others.

“Things got ugly with racial comments at Southpointe on a few occasions,” he said. “Two years ago in Connellsville, well, I won’t even repeat some of the words that were said that night.”

Yet Smith has never lost his cool, has never snapped, has never become violent even though such behavior would seem perfectly justifiable.

The dream

Many nights, Smith has asked himself if he’s treated differently because he’s “the Black coach.”

“The answer is always yes,” he said.

But being “the Black coach” comes with a certain responsibility, he said. Smith has two jobs as a youth hockey coach in Western Pennsylvania: He wants to bring the game he loves to the inner city, and he wants to 1188461 San Jose Sharks

Sharks GM: Nothing imminent in regards to naming a full-time coach

While may remain the front runner for the San Jose Sharks full-time head coaching job, Doug Wilson says there’s “nothing official to report in regards to our coaching staff.”

By CURTIS PASHELKA |PUBLISHED: July 16, 2020 at 6:10 p.m. | UPDATED: July 16, 2020 at 9:21 p.m.

Are the San Jose Sharks about to give Bob Boughner a contract extension and name him the ninth full-time head coach in franchise history?

Not at the moment.

Thursday afternoon, Darren Dreger of TSN reported that Boughner, who has been the Sharks’ interim coach since December, was believed to have earned a extension with the team and that Rocky Thompson, who coached the of the AHL the past three seasons, would join his staff.

Although Boughner has been labeled as the front-runner for the Sharks’ full-time head coaching position since the spring, general manager Doug Wilson said Thursday he has not finalized a decision.

“At this time, we have nothing official to report in regards to our coaching staff for the coming season.,” Wilson said via text message. “The process of identifying candidates to fill out our staff is on-going.”

Reached by text message Thursday, Boughner told Bay Area News Group, “All I can confirm at this point is that I have a very good relationship with Rocky and I’m going through the process with Doug on my own situation. Other than that, nothing to report.”

Earlier Thursday, Golden Knights general manager Kelly McCrimmon told reporters Thompson was leaving the organization for a coaching opportunity with an NHL team.

In 2015, Thompson replaced Boughner as coach of the OHL’s Windsor Spitfires. Boughner, a co-owner of the team, had stepped down as Windsor’s coach to join Pete DeBoer’s staff in San Jose.

Boughner took over as the Sharks’ head coach on an interim basis on Dec. 11 after DeBoer and three assistants were fired following a 15-16-2 start to the season.

With a roster beset by injury, Boughner had a 14-20-3 record before the NHL paused its season on March 12. The Sharks played better defensively, but finished the season with a 29-36-5 record and 63 points, third-fewest in the league.

Still, Wilson, this spring, labeled Boughner as having the “upper-hand” to become the next full-time coach, believing his knowledge of the roster and past experience as Florida’s bench boss from 2017-2019 would serve him well going forward.

Boughner, 49, also received approval of the job he did as interim coach from players like captain Logan Couture and Norris Trophy winners Brent Burns and Erik Karlsson, with Karlsson saying in May, “Even though (Boughner’s) future was uncertain, I think he did the right thing for the organization and the team moving forward, not necessarily for the season that we were in.”

The NHL presently has three interim head coaches — Boughner, Geoff Ward in Calgary and Rick Bowness in Dallas. Dean Evason, an original Shark, was named Minnesota’s interim coach Feb. 14 after Bruce Boudreau was fired. Evason was named the Wild’s full-time coach earlier this week.

San Jose Mercury News: LOADED: 07.17.2020 1188462 St Louis Blues After an off-ice day on Wednesday, Berube upped the intensity at practice on Thursday. “We’ve got to keep it going, keep the tempo going,” he said. “More competition drills will be coming in, like today. I thought the guys did a great job. Both groups were really good. Overall, I Dunn absent from practice, but Blues can't say why was very happy with practice. … You’re not seeing as much five-on-five because of the smaller groups and the reason for that is I just want to get

the pace up, I want them to get their skating legs under them. I want Tom Timmermann them to get going.” … Jay Bouwmeester, the St. Louis nominee, was not among the top vote-getters for the Masterton Trophy for perseverance. … Tyler Tucker, the 20-year-old defenseman who played in juniors this season, joined the team for practice Thursday. He’s not eligible to play The Blues got defenseman Robert Bortuzzo back at practice on this season. Thursday but were without defenseman Vince Dunn for unspecified reasons. St Louis Post Dispatch LOADED: 07.17.2020 NHL teams aren’t giving out injury information in the playoffs and the league is announcing only the number of players to test positive for COVID-19 but not any names or which teams have positive tests.

“You’ll have to take that up with the league. Any individuals that aren’t out there, that goes to the league,” Blues coach Craig Berube said. He also declined to say how long Dunn might be out.

Since no information about any injury is being released, it’s possible something else is wrong with Dunn, that he strained a muscle or has a cold. But during a pandemic, the coronavirus will be the first thing on anyone’s mind.

If Dunn had a positive test, his return would depend on several factors. If he has COVID-19 symptoms, he can’t return to team facilities until after the fever is gone, respiratory symptoms have improved and he’s tested negative twice at least 24 hours apart. Or, he can return after a minimum of 10 days if there has been no fever or respiratory symptoms for 72 hours. If he has tested positive but has no symptoms, he will have to self- isolate until he has two negative tests at least 24 hours apart or 10 days have passed since the initial positive test.

The Blues are scheduled to leave for their bubble in Edmonton on July 26.

Dunn’s spot alongside Justin Faulk in practice was filled by Bortuzzo, who had missed the first two days. Bortuzzo’s early absence from camp makes it likely that he was one of the four players who reportedly tested positive for COVID-19.

“It’s tough, his first day back, but he did well and it’s good to have him back,” Berube said.

The Blues have yet to have their top seven defensemen in practice together. Colton Parayko also missed the first day of practice.

O’Reilly eyes Lady Byng

After finishing as the runner-up the past two seasons, center Ryan O’Reilly has another chance as he joined Nathan MacKinnon of Colorado and Auston Matthews of Toronto in the top three for the Lady Byng Trophy for gentlemanly play. O’Reilly won the award in 2014 when he was with Colorado.

O’Reilly was called for five penalties this season, the sixth time in 11 NHL seasons he has had 10 penalty minutes or less.

“I definitely don’t like being over on that side of the ice,” he said. “It’s a weird place to watch the game from. I can’t really vividly remember the penalties this season, but every time I get one I’m definitely disappointed. It’s not a fun place to be. I’m not very tough so it’s usually for something like a stick infraction, something where I lost control, so it’s doubly disappointing.”

His five penalties consisted of two trips, a slash, a hook and, in his only non-stick penalty, a hold.

“It’s a talent (to take that few penalty minutes),” said Berube, who in 1987-88 had 108 penalty minutes in 27 games, two minutes more than O’Reilly has had in 804 career regular-season games. “He has a great stick and he knows how to play the game. He uses his head out there, very smart. We don’t want to take penalties, we’re one of the lowest penalized teams in the league, going back to last year, and we want to continue to do that. He just puts himself in the right position all the time not to take penalties.”

The NHL will announce the winners of its awards during the conference finals, but a date has not been determined.

Notes 1188463 St Louis Blues "I don't care," Berube said Thursday afternoon with a chuckle. "I don't think about that stuff. I really don't. The guys who are finalists for the award deserve it, in my opinion. They have all had tremendous years.

Berube's omission from Jack Adams Award finalists is, with all due "Tortorella has done a tremendous job there in Columbus. Losing players respect, bogus like that. Very young team. Lots of injuries this year. He's done a great job. Vigneault, coming into Philly, getting them back on the map, he's done a tremendous job there. He's been a great coach for a long time. He's done a good job. And Cassidy has done a good job every year in Ben Frederickson Boston. He's well deserving of it.

"That's great for those guys. It's just the way it is. I don't really worry Imust be missing something. about it."

The three finalists for the Jack Adams Award were announced I'll drop it. But first, one more thing to consider. Since Blues general Wednesday, and Blues coach Craig Berube’s name was not on the list. manager fired Mike Yeo and put the team in the hands of Berube, a move that helped launch a historic run to a historic A day has passed. championship, the Blues have more regular and postseason wins (96) than all but one team in the NHL, and that one team (Boston) is the one No correction has been announced. the Blues beat in seven games last season to lift the Stanley Cup. I guess this wasn't some sort of mix-up? Berube finished third among the three finalists for this award last season. Apparently, it really is what it looked like – a big mistake. He didn’t make the cut as one of three finalists this season. The Jack Adams Award is given annually to the coach voted as best in I must be missing something. the NHL. St Louis Post Dispatch LOADED: 07.17.2020 Members of the NHL Broadcasters’ Association vote on the honor.

This year’s finalists are Bruce Cassidy of the Boston Bruins, John Tortorella of the Columbus Blue Jackets and Alain Vigneault of the Philadelphia Flyers.

There's a problem beyond a whiff of some East Coast Bias.

With all due respect to these coaches and the voting body for the award, a compelling case can be made that Berube is more deserving of a coach-of-the-year award than each of the three finalists.

Cassidy’s Bruins finished the coronavirus-pandemic-shortened season with the NHL’s best record (44-14-12). Boston’s +60 goal differential was the best in the NHL, by a margin of 11. No team in the Eastern or Western Conference topped the Bruins’ 100-point season.

Do you know the team that came closest?

That would be Berube’s Blues, who some might remember beat Cassidy’s Bruins in last year’s Stanley Cup Finals.

The Blues had the second-most points in the NHL, 94, when the pandemic shut the season down. Like, the Bruins, they were standing tall at the top of their conference. Only one Eastern Conference team, the Tampa Bay Lightning (92 points), was within eight points of the Bruins. Only one Western Conference team, the Colorado Avalanche (92 points), was within eight points of the Blues.

Of the three finalists – Cassidy, Tortorella and Vigneault – only Cassidy’s case suggests he might have coached his team to a better spot entering this delayed and bubbled postseason tournament.

But none of the three encountered a curveball quite like Berube.

Tortorella’s Columbus team overcame a bad stretch of injuries to secure a place in the postseason. The list included Josh Anderson, Cam Atkinson, Oliver Bjorkstrand, Seth Jones, Joonas Korpisalo and more. Impressive.

But please point me to one team that played as well as the Blues did without arguably their best player for the bulk of the season. Vladimir Tarasenko, who had averaged more than 36 goals per season over his past five seasons, played all of 10 games this season before a shoulder injury pulled him from the equation.

Do you remember how bleak things looked then? The hockey experts thought the Blues’ chance of a repeat, slim before, were toast. Wrong. From the day Tarasenko went down, to the day the pandemic stopped the season, the Blues’ .664 win percentage ranked first in the Western Conference, and only trailed the Bruins (.705) in the Eastern Conference.

And that wasn't even the scariest loss the Blues had to deal with. The team could have been derailed when veteran defenseman Jay Bouwmeester collapsed on the ice in Las Vegas due to a heart condition. Berube held his team together.

For the record, Berube is not miffed. Like, at all. 1188464 St Louis Blues “He looks like the Vladi of old to me,” coach Craig Berube said Tuesday. “He’s shooting the puck really well. He’s moving. He looks good out there. He’s been off for a long time, but to be honest with you he doesn’t look rusty to me. He looks like he’s pretty dialed in right now.” Vladi's back . . . and looking good Few in the Blues organization know Tarasenko better than Ivan Barbashev, his good friend and fellow Russian. And Barbashev concurs with the others. Jim Thomas “He looks great,” Barbashev said. “He’s been doing the recovery for a

long time. I think you guys know he was supposed to get back not long You’re on the short list of elite scorers in the NHL. Ten games into this after the pause on the season. But since then he’s been working out for season, just as you were getting in gear following offseason knee another extra (four) months.’ surgery, you sustain a shoulder injury in late October. “I think it actually was a really good thing for him, just to make sure. His There’s frustration, undoubtedly some dejection early as you undergo recovery went really well. His shot is at a Stanley Cup level, skating fast. another surgery. He’s on top of his game right now.”

“It was hard at the start. I’m not gonna lie,” you say. The setup at Centene Community Ice Center for Phase 3 (training camp) allows media — masked up and socially distanced, of course — to get a But after nearly five months of recovery, rehab, and finally some skating close-up look at Tarasenko’s shot from behind the glass behind one net. in late February and early March, you’re about a week away from The puck is jumping off his stick, just like the old days. returning to the game you love. While he appreciates the compliments, Tarasenko has been around Not so fast. Then a worldwide pandemic strikes. Sorry Vladimir enough that he doesn’t get overly-excited about practice feats. Tarasenko, no hockey for four more months. Really not much of anything for four months. “It’s nice to hear obviously, but it’s not enough when you’re doing it in practice,” he said. “I’m just ready to play in a game and help my team “So it’s been a while,” Tarasenko said. “It’s been a lot of time without win.” hockey but it’s really exciting, out of my house finally and preparing for games. Especially playoff games.” He didn’t nibble much on the suggestion that the extra months during the pandemic pause helped strengthen the shoulder. Barring any further setbacks, and if the coronavirus stays away, Tarasenko will play in his first game in more than nine months when the “I don’t know; we’ll see,” he said. Blues begin round-robin play Aug. 2 against Stan Kroenke’s Colorado That answer may have simply been a case of Tarasenko playing it coy. Avalanche. Or, he could get in a few days earlier, on July 29, in the But Berube filled in the blanks. Blues’ one-and-only exhibition game against the Chicago Blackhawks if you want to count that. “The longer you have off, the more of a rehab and strengthening, it’s gonna be a lot stronger,” Berube said. “So I think it’s probably in a better “There’s a different side to every situation,” Tarasenko said. “I look at it spot than it would’ve been before the (March) break — him coming this way: I do whatever I can to prepare for playing. You can’t control back.” what you can’t control. I can’t control when the season gets delayed. Tarasenko has been reunited on his familiar line with Jaden Schwartz “So I was lucky to have another extra time to spend with my family — and Brayden Schenn. The power play units have yet to get any work with kids and my wife. I can’t complain. Now I’m ready to play. All that since camp started Monday, so it remains to be seen how that shakes stuff is in the past and I’m looking forward for playoffs.” out. “Another” extra time, because the first extra time was the shoulder But the bottom line: In the entire NHL, only Alex Ovechkin and John recovery and rehab, followed by the pandemic pause. He did his share of Tavares had scored more goals since the beginning of 2014-15 entering training during the pause, including some, uh, unique work. On social this season. media a couple of months ago, he could be seen bench-pressing his wife Yana over his head — undisputed proof that the shoulder was fine. “Nice little secret weapon we’ve had there waiting all year to come back,” Pietrangelo said. “Yeah, it’s like a special workout,” Tarasenko said, smiling, during a Zoom interview Thursday. “It’s something funny I had to do through And just in time for the playoffs. quarantine. My wife had the idea. It’s not my everyday routine, but there are some times when you can do it.” St Louis Post Dispatch LOADED: 07.17.2020

But there were also serious times for Tarasenko during the coronavirus lockdown, time for reflection and contemplation.

“A lot of time to think about everything,” he said.

Such as?

“I think especially with this virus situation, I think everybody was (forced) to think what’s really important to them in life,” he said. “You think about yourself, about life.

“Now, I just understand the most important thing is everybody in your family is healthy. And you can’t ask for more.

“So a lot of conversations. A lot of playing with kids. And like I said, just get ready mentally for playing some games. My family helped me with it, all my teammates were helping me with it, too, and now I’m here.”

Here and looking good. The early reviews on Tarasenko have been boffo.

On Monday, general manager Doug Armstrong said Tarasenko was almost scoring at will and showed no signs of rust.

Defenseman and team captain Alex Pietrangelo said he expected a seamless transition. 1188465 St Louis Blues like a sparkplug. He never stopped. He just kept coming and coming. He won a lot of battles and he got rewarded.”

But it was a line change in his third season in St. Louis that propelled Only injuries spoiled the fun for Babych in St. Louis Babych to a 54-goal season in 1980-81, the first 50-goal season in Blues history. His linemates were Blake Dunlop and Jorgen Pettersson.

But just when it looked like Babych was on his way to becoming one of Jim Thomas the preeminent power forwards of the day, a fluke injury changed everything. He was fighting Winnipeg’s Jimmy Mann in a preseason

game in 1981. Wayne Babych in his second year with the Blues in the 1979-80 season. “I just wanted to give him one more shot and the referee grabbed my Not long before Christmas during their 2018-19 Stanley Cup season, wrist ‘cause I guess I had the advantage on him and they were protecting former Blues star Wayne Babych took a trip from his Winnipeg home to him,” Babych said. “He grabbed my wrist and that ripped my rotator cuff. St. Louis. The inimitable Bobby Plager would be his tour guide in the That was in Regina, Saskatchewan.” Gateway to the West. Babych never had surgery, but underwent all kinds of rehab and “He said, ‘You probably won’t recognize me,’” Babych recalled. “Then he treatment. Nothing seemed to help. He wore a shoulder harness the rest hung up. So I landed about 5:30 p.m. and he’s wearing a paper bag over of his career. His shot and scoring touch were never the same. His goal his head.” total dipped to 19 in that ’81-82 campaign, then down to 16 the following season, and 13 in ’83-84. Oh, that Bobby Plager. Even less was said about injuries back then in the NHL, and Babych said “Obviously he was just joking because St. Louis was in last place at the some fans were riding him, not knowing what he was going through. time,” Babych said. “The fans are kind of on you that ‘Why aren’t you scoring again?’” he Obviously the standings would change. Like many former Blues, Babych said. “Well, I couldn’t even lift my arm over my shoulder.” took delight in the team’s Stanley Cup run. But he never got to watch the team he spent six seasons with (1978-84) play in person during the He was waived after the ’83-84 season, claimed by Pittsburgh and playoffs. scored 20 goals playing right wing on a line with Mario Lemieux. But his career was on the downside. He got to play half a season with younger His father, Edward, had suffered a stroke that spring and Babych brother Dave for Hartford during the ’85-86 season, and that was watched those Blues’ playoff games at his dad’s bedside on the family certainly a career highlight. farm near Edmonton. But the following season he was slashed on a breakaway by then “That’s why I didn’t come to the Stanley Cup run; I wanted to so many Quebec-prospect Ken McRae — once again in a preseason game. He times,” Babych said. “He told me to go, but he was a big part of my life so needed reconstructive knee surgery. He managed to play four games we watched the games on the TV from his bedside. that season but it was essentially a career-ending injury.

“He could still talk, and his mind was great. Just, he couldn’t move. He “They told me I wasn’t supposed to walk again,” he said. had no left side. He was kind of bedridden most of the time.” Now 62, Babych says the knee still bothers him. The rotator cuff injury Edward passed away eight months ago, Nov. 25, 2019, as the Blues makes it tough to sleep at times. were early into their title defense. His father was happy for what the team accomplished in winning the Cup. Post-hockey, Babych has built and sold a couple of golf courses, once owned a waterslide park. He owns a small car business, conducts “Well, everybody was,” Babych said. “What a story that is.” hockey camps all over, does charity work, and watches 13-year-old son Cole play hockey. And what a story Babych is. “Sometimes you kind of look back at your career the way it goes and all He was a teenage phenom growing up in the Edmonton area and hockey the injuries I had,” he said. “I just kind of think of today’s game, boy I wasn’t even his best sport. would’ve probably been sitting out most of the year with all the stuff that “When I was — what? — 15, I was throwing over 100 miles an hour,” they used to freeze up so that I could play. Babych said. “But I loved playing. And I really enjoyed playing with the Blues. I played He recalled striking out 21 batters pitching in a Canadian championship for the fans in those days. And I loved St. Louis, I loved the fans. I still game, playing with and against players three and four years older. The have a lot of great friends there.” Houston Astros just happened to have a scout there. The Astros came Including one who greets him with a bag over his head. back a few days later, and brought radar guns. St Louis Post Dispatch LOADED: 07.17.2020 That’s how Babych found out how fast he could throw.

“The biggest offer was Seattle,” Babych said. “But the Yankees, Houston, Montreal (all showed interest). I was a much better ballplayer than hockey.”

But Babych said the money in hockey was much better than his baseball offer at the time, so he cast his lot with the St. Louis Blues, who chose him No. 3 overall in the 1978 draft. He had posted back-to-back 50-goal seasons in juniors, so he was a pretty big deal in hockey, too.

Babych went straight to the NHL and didn’t disappoint. In his debut season, he set what were then Blues’ rookie records for goals (27), assists (36) and points (63), despite playing in only 67 games — missing several weeks with one ankle that was broken and another that sustained a hairline fracture after getting tripped. He was a finalist for the Calder Trophy as rookie of the year.

Playing right wing on the Blues’ original “Kid Line” with Hall of Famer Bernie Federko and Brian Sutter, he had 61 points (26 goals, 35 assists) in just 59 games the following season.

“Bernie was a great playmaker,” Babych said. “Obviously one of the most underrated players. I’m glad he made the Hall of Fame. Brian, he was 1188466 St Louis Blues

Bortuzzo back on the ice at Blues camp, but Dunn is absent

Tom Timmermann

Defenseman Robert Bortuzzo, who missed the first two days on the ice, presumably because of a positive test for COVID-19, was back on the ice with the second group on Thursday at Centene Community Ice Center.

But another defenseman, Vince Dunn, was not on the ice with the second group of players. Coach Craig Berube deferred all comment on the situation to the league, which is the protocol the league has set for dealing with the coronavirus, with no information being given on any injuries.

Berube did not give any indication of when Dunn might return. The Blues have yet to have their full collection of defensemen on the ice in camp.

All other players were on the ice, including defenseman Tyler Tucker, who joined the team for the first time.

With Dunn not taking part, Bortuzzo skated with Justin Faulk.

O'Reilly has shot at Lady Byng

Blues center Ryan O'Reilly will get another chance at winning the Lady Byng Trophy for gentlemanly play after being among the top three vote- getters for the third straight season.

O'Reilly has come in second each of the past two seasons and won the award in 2013-14 when he played for Colorado.

The other candidates are Nathan MacKinnon of Colorado and Auston Matthews of Toronto.

O'Reilly had just five minor penalties this season, the sixth time in his 11 seasons he has 10 or fewer penalty minutes. He was seventh in the league in takeaways and 10th among forwards in total ice time.

Other Blues to have won the Lady Byng: Phil Goyette, Brett Hull and Pavol Demitra.

The candidates for the Masterton Trophy, given for dedication and perseverance, are Stephen Johns of Dallas, Osakr Lindblom of Philadelphia and Bobby Ryan of Ottawa. Jay Bouwmeester was the St. Louis nominee for the award.

St Louis Post Dispatch LOADED: 07.17.2020 1188467 St Louis Blues was 2-2-0 against the Avalanche with a 3.98 GAA and a .857 save percentage, and 1-0-1 against the Golden Knights (3.92/.901).

Binnington tried to keep busy during the “pause,” especially in the early With playoffs on the horizon, can Binnington do it again? weeks when nobody was doing much of anything.

“Anything you could find to keep your body moving on a day-to-day basis, whether it’s biking, swimming, working out,” he said. “Keeping the Jim Thomas mind sharp in different ways that you can at home. I think everyone’s on the same page, in the same boat, around the league. Just take care of

yourself and just prepare here as well as you can.” During the monotony of the NHL’s four-month coronavirus virus pause, But there’s no substitute for being on the ice, and that’s what is Blues goalie Jordan Binnington picked up the guitar as a hobby. happening for the entire team, and the entire league, now that Phase 3 Now that the pause has ended, the Blues are hoping he can pick up (training camp) has begun. where he left off — in net. “I think we understand that we’re diving right into war here,” Binnington “He’s given us no reason not to think that he’s capable,” general said. “I think as hockey players, this group, I believe we can prepare and manager Doug Armstrong said. “What he did last year. What he did this adapt fairly quickly together and hopefully we can continue that kind of year. What he and Jake (Allen) did as a tandem this year was success and growth with each other going into this playoff round and the spectacular for us. So we believe he’s gonna come in here like everyone rest of the games.” else and knock off the rust and be ready to go.” As for the guitar … well, it’s a work in progress. Binnington, of course, was a second-half sensation during the Blues’ “I learned a couple tracks, but still not concert-worthy,” he said. “But it 2018-19 regular season. He hit some ruts during the playoffs, even was a nice hobby for the free time we had. I was just keeping the mind struggled through a couple of clunkers during the Stanley Cup Final busy, and tried to come up with something to show for it.” against Boston. Even now that hockey has resumed — at least hockey practice — After getting pulled five goals into a 7-2 Game 3 loss to the Bruins, some Binnington said: “I’ll pick it up every so often, play it when my girlfriend’s in the North American hockey media suggested — with straight faces — cooking dinner or I’m just hanging out. It’s a nice little hobby. Easy to do. that the Blues might have a goaltending issue. Low maintenance. So yeah, I’ll keep it going.” Uh, no. Binnington once again displayed an ability to shake off a bad Which is exactly want the Blues want from him in goal: keep it going. outing. Anyone who watched his performance in Game 7 of the Cup Final — particularly his stellar first-period work — knows this as fact. Because St Louis Post Dispatch LOADED: 07.17.2020 three days earlier in Game 6, Binnington had been on the wrong end of a 5-1 score.

For someone named after Chicago Bulls basketball legend Michael Jordan — Binnington’s father is a big hoops fan — you could call the Game 7 performance Jordanesque.

With that in mind, one of the fun parts about the Post-Dispatch’s “Where are they now?” series on former Blues was hearing alums marvel at Binnington’s work.

“That goalie they had, and there’s a guy that came from nowhere,” original Blue Frank St. Marseille said. “They had no plans for him at all when he was down in the minors. … He got called up, and boy, he won the Cup for them as far as I’m concerned. I think he’s the one that should’ve been the (playoff) MVP.”

And from Blues goalie Eddie Staniowski, aka “Saturday Night Eddie” when he played in the mid ‘70s and early ‘80s: “I mean you look at Binnington’s play — holy cow! He took goaltending in St. Louis to a whole new level there during the playoffs and during the run to the playoffs.

“Even his play this year. Who knows what’s to come for him?”

The Blues obviously hope it’s more of the same. At age 27 (as of July 11), Binnington still hasn’t played a full NHL season and has a modest 80 regular-season starts on his resumé. His regular-season numbers in 50 games this season (2.56 goals-against average/.912 save percentage), don’t approach his otherworldly output from 32 games in 2018-19 (1.89/.927)

But they’re still very good numbers.

“Binnington, coming into this year, maybe a lot of people were wondering if he could do what he did from January on (last season),” coach Craig Berube said. “Which he has. He wins hockey games. Best way I can put it: ‘Binner wins games.’ And that’s what goalies are supposed to do.”

Binnington went through the first “slump” of his career in January and part of February, but was tuned in over the last month before the pandemic pause. He allowed two or fewer goals in seven of nine games over that span. Among goalies with more than four starts, he ranked third in goals-against (1.79) and seventh in save percentage (.929).

Granted, that stretch of play was a long time ago — too long ago to think a carryover is automatic, or even possible. Even with that in mind, it will be interesting to see what Binnington does in round-robin play against Colorado and Vegas — two teams that gave him trouble this season. He 1188468 St Louis Blues Doug Armstrong will probably be a candidate for the Jim Gregory General Manager of the Year Award, though voting for that is held during the playoffs.

Fans of Swedish club chip in to help sign ex-Blue Berglund One other trophy the Blues have a shot at, but with no idea who that might be, is the Conn Smythe Trophy that goes to the MVP of the playoffs. O’Reilly won it last season. To have a chance, the Blues will likely have to win the Stanley Cup again. Tom Timmermann Notes

The Blues didn’t skate on Wednesday, doing off-ice work at Centene Patrik Berglund, who played in the eighth-most games in Blues history Community Ice Center, but are scheduled to be back on the ice on with 694 but who may go down in franchise history as the guy who got Thursday and Friday. Coach Craig Berube said they would likely have at traded for Ryan O’Reilly, signed a two-year contract with Swedish club least one off day during their Phase 3 training camp, which could come Brynas IF. Sunday. A week from Sunday is their travel day to Edmonton. … The How he got there is a bit out of the ordinary. According to reports from only players still in the organization who played in a game for the Blues Sweden, Brynas had reached its salary limit and couldn’t afford any more this season and aren’t in camp are defenseman Jay Bouwmeester, who players and turned to its fans for help. More than 5,000 fans chipped in to is sitting out the rest of the season (and probably retiring) because of his raise $231,000, plus at least another $110,000 from a company whose heart condition, and forward Nathan Walker. owner is a fan of the team, in order to sign Berglund and defenseman St Louis Post Dispatch LOADED: 07.17.2020 Simon Bertilsson, so the team did it.

“Patrik Berglund is perhaps our biggest external recruit in modern times,” said Brynas IF managing director Michael Sundlov.

“Johan Alcen (a contemporary of Berglund’s who plays for Brynas) has been punching holes in my head,” Berglund was quoted as saying by the Swedish newspaper Aftonbladet, translated into English. “He started six weeks ago. I met Micke (Sundlov), (coach) Peter (Andersson) and the gang and then it took off in earnest.”

Berglund, 32, had 17 goals last season, tying him for seventh in the league, and 14 assists in 52 games for sixth-place Djurgardens IF of the Swedish league. Djurgardens was in no rush to re-sign Berglund, so he jumped to Brynas. Brynas finished 12th in the 14-team league last season.

Berglund should still have two years to go on the five-year, $19.25 million contract he signed with the Blues in 2017. Berglund’s failure to submit a list of teams for his limited no-trade clause opened the door for general manager Doug Armstrong to trade him to Buffalo for O’Reilly. After being traded to Buffalo, Berglund was unhappy there and had his contract terminated, returning home to Sweden, where it now appears he’ll stay for at least two more years.

Awards window open

While the NHL moves through Phase 3 in hopes of getting through its 2019-20 season, another season has begun as the league begins to announce the candidates for its postseason awards.

The NHL calls them “finalists,” but because the voting is completed and there isn’t another round, they’re really just the top three vote-getters. On Tuesday, the league announced the top vote-getters for the Jack Adams Award as coach of the year and the Calder Trophy as rookie of the year.

The Blues didn’t have any one in the Calder race (which will go to either Colorado’s Cale Makar or Vancouver’s Quinn Hughes; Chicago’s Dominik Kubalik is there to round out the trio). Craig Berube probably got some consideration for the Adams after guiding the Blues to the best record in the Western Conference, but he didn’t break into the top three, which is Bruce Cassidy of Boston, John Tortorella of Columbus and Alain Vigneault of Philadelphia.

If the Blues are going to pick up any hardware this year, it will likely again be by O’Reilly, who will be a candidate for both the Lady Byng Trophy for gentlemanly play or the Selke Trophy for the best defensive forward. Lady Byng nominees will be announced on Thursday, the Selke on Monday.

O’Reilly won the Selke last season and was the runner-up for the Lady Byng the previous two seasons and won it in 2013-14 when he was with Colorado.

Alex Pietrangelo is likely to get consideration for the Norris Trophy for the top defenseman, but John Carlson of Washington is the heavy favorite to win, and if it’s not him, it likely will be Roman Josi of Nashville. Those candidates will also be announced on Monday.

Top vote-getters for the Masterton for perseverance and dedication will be announced Thursday (Jay Bouwmeester was the Blues nominee), the Vezina for the top goalie on Friday and the Hart Trophy as MVP on Tuesday. 1188469 Tampa Bay Lightning This one won’t happen this season. But the feeling of a crowd amped up and feeling like the building might start vibrating is one of the best parts of live sports. Even if you’re watching from home, you feel your own excitement rise with the crowd’s. What to look forward to as hockey returns Sometimes it’s the little things, like fans in Amalie Arena chanting, “We want 10!″ after the Lightning scores their ninth goal. There’s the tense anticipation as you feel the momentum start turning and the next goal Diana C. NearhosL starts to seem inevitable — say, late in a good power play, or during a sustained possession.

Everyone enjoys goals and wins, but the love of hockey goes much We’ll have to wait at least a few more months for this one, but it will come deeper than that. The four months since the NHL season came to a eventually. sudden stop have given fans time to think about what makes them love Tampa Bay Times LOADED: 07.17.2020 the game.

Lightning fans know the feeling of longing for more games after an abrupt halt all too well after last season ended in the first round and this season paused for the pandemic.

Here are some things to look forward to when the Lightning play their first game Aug. 3.

The sound of skates

There is nothing like the sound of skates cutting into a fresh sheet of ice. It defies description.

That sound and the crisp smell of ice paint a picturesque image of the sport. Add in the thwack of stick hitting puck and the thump of puck hitting goalie pads, and you have a soundtrack of the long-missed game.

The sound can get muddled in the noisy arena during a game but is beautifully clear on video from practice. It might also be audible in games without fans, though the league will also try to add audible atmosphere.

First big hit

Big hits might carry even more momentum without fans to affect the flow of games. [ DIRK SHADD | Tampa Bay Times ]

Hitting teammates is fun and all, but the crunch of pads during the first big hit against an opponent is something else.

Even without a crowd to react, a big hit will lift a bench. One team yells, cheers and chirps and the other can only take it. Those plays might be even more impactful now without crowd noise to shift momentum.

It could be Pat Maroon driving someone into the boards or a good open- ice hit, like Mikhail Sergachev delivered on in Buffalo. Yanni Gourde might line up someone bigger than himself — which is most of the league — not that it stops him.

The jaw-dropping play

Will Andrei Vasilevskiy make an absurd behind-the-back save first or will Nikita Kucherov shock and awe with his incredible vision? Maybe that first “how did he do that?” play will be Anthony Cirelli catching someone from behind and taking the puck away cleanly.

We can only guess which player will deliver the first jaw-dropping play of the 2020 postseason (there are probably odds set somewhere), but there are many options from the Lightning. Wondering who will blow fans’ minds first is part of the fun of watching this team.

Sitting on the edge of your seat

Playoffs bring excitement and thus emotions. Usually we have to wait more than six months from the start of the season to get to playoff hockey. After this four-month pause, we only have to get through nine days from the start of play to the playoffs.

Playoffs mean sitting on the edge of your seat, clasping your hands tightly as you yell at the TV (positively or negatively). They mean emotional highs and lows, as each play seems to carry the outcome of the whole season.

That knot in your stomach hoping and wishing your team will pull off the comeback or pull out the win doesn’t come from anything else like it does the playoffs.

The roar of the crowd

Fans are part of what makes hockey fun, but we'll have to wait for next year to experience that emotion. 1188470 Toronto Maple Leafs

Auston Matthews, Nathan MacKinnon and Ryan O’Reilly named finalists for NHL’s Lady Byng award

Nathan Denette/The Canadian Press

Toronto Maple Leafs centre Auston Matthews, Colorado Avalanche centre Nathan MacKinnon and St. Louis Blues centre Ryan O’Reilly are the three finalists for the 2019-20 Lady Byng Memorial Trophy.

The award is presented annually to the player best combining sportsmanship, gentlemanly conduct and ability.

Matthews finished third in the NHL with a career-high 47 goals, one behind Maurice (Rocket) Richard Trophy co-winners Alex Ovechkin and David Pastrnak, while also topping the Maple Leafs with a career-best 80 points in 70 games.

The 22-year-old Scottsdale, Ariz., native also established a career-low with eight penalty minutes, tied for the fewest among the NHL’s top 100 scorers. He did so while sharing second place in the League in takeaways (78) and ranking eighth among NHL forwards in total time on ice (1,467 minutes 52 seconds).

“It’s not a fun place to watch the game, from in the penalty box,” Matthews said. “I prefer to spend my time not there. I’m not overly physical or an in-your-face kind of player. I try to use my body position and try to use my stick and little skills to win puck battles, win the puck back, and play my game.

“There’s lots of ups and downs ... try not to get too emotional.”

Matthews’ exemplary on-ice conduct, however, came after an adverse start to the season when news broke in September that he was facing a charge of disorderly conduct and disruptive behaviour stemming from an alleged May incident outside his condominium Scottsdale, Ariz.

Matthews issued an apology in November after the charge was dismissed following a settlement between the parties.

MacKinnon ranked fifth in the NHL with 93 points (35 goals, 58 assists) in 69 games to lead the Avalanche into the playoffs for the third consecutive season. The 24-year-old from Cole Harbour, N.S., registered a career- low 12 penalty minutes, the second-fewest among the league’s top 25 scorers. No other NHL forward averaged more time on ice (21:13) in 2019-20 while taking fewer penalties.

O’Reilly led the reigning Stanley Cup champion Blues with 61 points (12 goals, 49 assists) in 71 games to power the team to the highest points percentage in the Western Conference. The 29-year-old from Clinton, Ont., topped the NHL in both face-off wins (880) and face-offs taken (1,556), ranking 10th among qualifying players with a 56.6 face-off winning percentage.

O’Reilly received five minor penalties, the sixth time in his 11 NHL seasons he has totalled 10 or fewer penalty minutes, while ranking seventh in the League in takeaways (69) and 10th among NHL forwards in total time on ice (1,460:45).

“It’s amazing to be nominated,” O’Reilly said. “It’s an honour and I look forward to finding who’s the winner.”

Globe And Mail LOADED: 07.17.2020 1188471 Toronto Maple Leafs

Three all-Canadian exhibition games part of NHL’s relaunch in Toronto, Edmonton

Jeff McIntosh/The Canadian Press

The NHL has unveiled further details on the schedule for its restart, with each team playing one exhibition game before starting the qualifying round and seeding play in Toronto and Edmonton.

Two all-Canadian matchups are included on the first day of exhibition play, with the Maple Leafs facing the Montreal Canadiens in Toronto and the Oilers meeting the Calgary Flames in Edmonton on July 28.

The first exhibition game features the Pittsburgh Penguins against the Philadelphia Flyers in Toronto on July 28.

All Eastern Conference games are in Toronto, with the Western Conference in Edmonton.

The Vancouver Canucks meet the Winnipeg Jets in Edmonton on July 29 as part of a six-game exhibition day.

Three more exhibition games conclude the schedule on July 30.

The best-of-five qualifying round opens with five games on Aug. 1, including Winnipeg versus Calgary, Montreal against the Pittsburgh Penguins and Edmonton against the Chicago Blackhawks.

The schedule kicks off in Toronto with the New York Rangers against the Carolina Hurricanes at noon local time.

Globe And Mail LOADED: 07.17.2020 1188472 Toronto Maple Leafs After catching a mighty long breath during the hockey furlough. “In the race of the regular season, it’s relentless. It’s difficult to really nail

down and get to work on things that you need to do … It’s kind of Leafs coach Sheldon Keefe has history with John Tortorella, some good, patchwork mid-season. So now it’s really a chance for us to get to work. some bad, some about to be written Identify the areas that we really wanted to target and then build a plan. We’re fortunate to have this chance to reset ourselves.”

Keefe’s NHL coaching debut began with a squall of success, going 15-4- By Rosie DiManno 1 to start, but the Leafs were in a hardscrabble battle by the time the calendar flipped to March. It’s impossible to understate Keefe’s playoff

rookie-ness, on top of across-the-board unknowns in this oddball world of We’ve seen Maple Leafs bench bosses outcoached in the playoffs sports recommencement. before. Last year comes immediately to mind. “First of all, the NHL has its own unique challenges,” Keefe noted. “The So where does an NHL neophyte in the head honcho ranks go, mano a calibre of the coaches is better, the calibre of the players is better. This mano against the crafty John Tortorella? event in itself is unique, not just for me but for everybody. So there are some things where nobody has an advantage. Sheldon Keefe has just over a fortnight to figure that out before the play- in series with Columbus launches at Scotiabank Arena. “Playoffs are playoffs, the ups and downs, the emotions of it. You’re so invested, one game to the next, how things go, the chess matches that They have history, Keefe and Tortorella, a lot of it filthy. From their days happen between the two teams, the adjustments you have to make. together in Tampa, even if that’s all silty water under the bridge circa From my perspective, as I’ve gone from one level to the next, it’s the 2020. same. And I am expecting that to be much the same here.”

“Well, playing for him as a young guy, it was difficult. He made it tough to Those emotions will likely be accentuated — exacerbated — within the earn your way as a young player and I was caught up in that,” Keefe NHL playoff bubble in hub-city Toronto, where opposing players, all admitted on a Zoom call Thursday. staying in the same hotel, might meet each other over breakfast after a vehement game the night before. As a 19-year-old Keefe was drafted in 1999 by Tampa Bay in the second round but he never found a firm playing niche when Tortorella assumed “You can go from one excellent game, feeling like you’re really on your the reins, toggling between the NHL and the minors, at one point way and you can win the whole thing, to getting down and you start to suspended after refusing a minor-league demotion before his career have doubts. That’s what you have to manage with your team. petered out as journeyman, ultimately on the scrap heap with a shredded Recognizing key moments when you really have to rally your team. knee. Long gone by the time the Lightning captured their first and only Through a playoff run, you have to identify them, make sure that you Stanley Cup title, in 2004, under Tortorella’s tutorship. approach each one appropriately and you’re making the proper adjustments throughout.” But Keefe’s regard for Tortorella — a coaching throwback in temperament, yet able to navigate the modern NHL — has risen, In a best-of-five series, the end can slam down awful quick. particularly since Keefe metamorphosed to coaching himself. But these Leafs, young as they are, have been there before. They’re “Certainly as I made the transition from playing to being a coach and playoff-wizened, more so than their coach. started to think about what you want, what you’re going to do, how you’re going to put together your program, (that’s) when you really learn to Keefe might end up taking a leaf from them. respect the process of how he put together a team concept. Toronto Star LOADED: 07.17.2020 “I didn’t get to play on that Stanley Cup championship team in Tampa but I was there through the process of that team growing from one year to the next to the next, eventually to the point where it was too good for me to play on.”

Making his own bones behind the bench in his second act, Keefe drew upon that education, using it as a “foundation” for his salad days in Pembroke and beyond, from Junior-A to an AHL triumph with the Marlies.

“I learned a lot from him,” Keefe continued, with a tip of the hat to a man who once tormented him, yet looms as an exemplar for messaging and methodology. “Fortunate to reconnect over the last few years.”

It has been mainly through text messages back and forth, including a congratulatory cable when Keefe replaced the jettisoned last November. His resumé now has 47 games compared to Tortorella’s 1,327, plus 110 playoff games. Keefe, of course, is a playoff virgin at the NHL coaching level.

This series could be a chess match between the two men, it could be a mosh pit wrangle in the best-of-five opener.

“I’m ready,” Keefe avowed. “One thing about Torts is he’s an ultimate competitor. I’d like to believe that I’m a competitor at the same time. The greatest way to show somebody respect is to make sure you’re ready to compete.” At which juncture Keefe clearly had enough of that line of inquiry. “That’s about all you’ll hear from me in terms of talking about Torts and our past.”

Tortorella, by the by, is among the three finalists for coach of the year, fifth time around.

Keefe has been using this training camp 2.0 to craft his own playoff concept, facing a post-season that will be even more of a whirlwind, coronavirus-compressed and misshapen. That process was already underway when the NHL pulled the plug in March. “I don’t think it has to be altered in terms of the playoffs or anything like that. But it’s an opportunity for us to have a training camp to establish a real foundation.” 1188473 Toronto Maple Leafs NURSING NICK With a day off from the ice at training camp, Keefe spent much of

Thursday hunkered down in meetings with individual players and among Leafs' Matthews honoured with Lady Byng nomination, but could be those summoned to his office was rookie winger Nick Robertson. 'more physical' Keefe can relate to Robertson, considering Keefe was promoted to Leafs coach following the firing of Mike Babcock with much hype and high expectations. Terry Koshan Robertson, after dominating the Ontario Hockey League 2019-20 season with 55 goals for the Peterborough Petes, is in a similar situation now.

Auston Matthews’ propensity for avoiding the penalty box while “Overnight, your world changes,” Keefe said. “The messaging for him is performing at a high level has been recognized by the Professional that you’ve earned this in terms of the work you’ve put in and the Hockey Writers Association. success.

The Maple Leafs star, along with Nathan MacKinnon of the Colorado “The greatest challenge is to separate what happens in the room and Avalanche and Ryan O’Reilly of the St. Louis Blues, has been voted as what happens on the ice with what’s being said on the outside. one of the three finalists for the 2019-20 Lady Byng Memorial Trophy. “Nick’s a great player with great potential. But there’s no timeline for him. All three centres are deserving of the award, which goes “to the player We’re fortunate to have this event and to have him part of it, because we adjudged to have exhibited the best type of sportsmanship and think we’re shortening the runway for him. gentlemanly conduct combined with a high standard of playing ability.” “If it clicks and he adjusts to the point where he’s an option for us, then During a Zoom call on Thursday, Matthews acknowledged the honour in that’s wonderful. We’ve got a player that’s going to be great for a very being voted as a Lady Byng finalist — he mentioned being a fan of long time as Leaf.” former Detroit Red Wings star Pavel Datsyuk, who won the Lady Byng four times — but copped to not using his 6-foot-3, 220-pound body as LOOSE LEAFS much as he could. Before taking questions, Keefe started with a shoutout to Paul Hendrick, “I probably would like to see myself be a little bit more physical in general who announced on Wednesday his time with Leafs Nation Network has and use my body and size a little bit more,” Matthews said. come to an end. “For me in my role both (with) the Leafs and the Marlies, he has always made me feel extremely comfortable,” Keefe said. “He has “I’m not an overly physical or in-your-face player. I try to use my position an unbelievable knack for making the person on the other side of the to use my stick and little skills to win puck battles. microphone feel comfortable. His class and professionalism will be greatly missed. I wish he and his wife Alicia the best to spend the time “I prefer to play with the puck than just be running around chasing and together that they so deserve.” … The Leafs will be back on the ice at the hitting guys. for practice on Friday, with scrimmages “It’s not a fun place to watch the game from, in the penalty box.” scheduled for Saturday and Sunday … A member of the Leafs has won the Lady Byng on nine occasions, most recently Alex Mogilny in 2003. Matthews’ 47 goals in 70 games before the NHL went on pause on March 12 because of the coronavirus global pandemic represented a Toronto Sun LOADED: 07.17.2020 career-high and were second-most in the NHL, and he recorded a career-high 80 points. Matthews had just eight penalty minutes.

“The Lady Byng is a great feather in his cap,” Leafs coach Sheldon Keefe said during a Zoom call. “You look at the fact that he plays the game with such discipline … it’s not easy to do his job. He’s a major focus for the opposition and plays a lot of minutes and to keep his head and stay cool and stay committed and focused is a credit to him.”

MacKinnon had 12 penalty minutes while recording 93 points in 69 games.

O’Reilly led the defending Stanley Cup champion Blues with 61 points in 71 games and had a mere 10 penalty minutes. He is a Lady Byng finalist for the third year in a row and won the trophy in 2014 when he was with Colorado.

TORTS REPORT

One of the fascinating aspects of the qualifying round between the Leafs and the Columbus Blue Jackets will be the matchup involving Keefe and Jackets coach John Tortorella.

The two go back to the early 2000s with the Tampa Bay Lightning, when Keefe was trying to get his NHL career off the ground with Tampa and Tortorella was the coach.

Keefe said he got a “nice note” from Tortorella upon being named coach of the Leafs last November.

“I learned a lot from him,” Keefe said. “He’s famous for his training camps and getting his teams ready to play and I’ve tried to model different parts of how I’ve run my camps at the junior level and to this day here at the NHL level (after him).”

Is Keefe prepared for a chess match with Tortorella?

“Yeah, I’m ready,” Keefe said. “Torts is an ultimate competitor, and I would like to believe that I’m a competitor at the same time.

“The greatest way to show somebody respect is to make sure you’re ready to compete.” 1188474 Toronto Maple Leafs

Leafs star Matthews finalist for Lady Byng with MacKinnon, O'Reilly

Terry Koshan

Auston Matthews’ propensity for avoiding the penalty box while performing at a high level has been recognized by the Professional Hockey Writers Association.

The Maple Leafs star, along with Nathan MacKinnon of the Colorado Avalanche and Ryan O’Reilly of the St. Louis Blues, has been voted as one of the three finalists for the 2019-20 Lady Byng Memorial Trophy.

All three centres are more than deserving of the award, which goes “to the player adjudged to have exhibited the best type of sportsmanship and gentlemanly conduct combined with a high standard of playing ability.”

Matthews’ 47 goals in 70 games before the NHL went on pause on March 12 because of the coronavirus global pandemic represented a career high and were second in the NHL, and he also recorded a career- high 80 points. All the while, Matthews had just eight penalty minutes, his fewest in any of his four NHL seasons.

MacKinnon had 12 penalty minutes, representing a career low in his seven NHL seasons, while recording 93 points in 69 games, the third season in a row the Avs star has had more than 90 points.

O’Reilly led the defending Stanley Cup champion Blues with 61 points in 71 games and had a mere 10 penalty minutes. He is a Lady Byng finalist for the third year in a row, and won the trophy in 2014 when he was with Colorado.

Matthews and MacKinnon are first-time finalists for the Lady Byng.

In Lady Byng voting last year, when it was won by of the Florida Panthers, Leafs defenceman Morgan Rielly finished fourth, while Matthews was eighth.

A member of the Leafs has won the Lady Byng on nine occasions, most recently in 2003, when Alexander Mogilny was the winner.

Other Leafs to take the Lady Byng include Joe Primeau (1932), Gordie Drillon (1938), Syl Apps (1942), Sid Smith (1952 and 1955), Red Kelly (1961), Dave Keon (1962 and 1963), Alex Mogilny (2003).

The winner of the 2020 Lady Byng will be revealed during the conference finals, with the date to be determined.

Toronto Sun LOADED: 07.17.2020 1188475 Toronto Maple Leafs “He talked to you like an equal.” Henny, as Hendrick is widely known inside Scotiabank Arena, had also

been part of the soundtrack of Glynn’s early fandom. ‘It was an emotional decision’: Paul Hendrick on leaving Leafs Nation “I’m a pretty rambunctious person, and I think it’s a pretty rambunctious Network fan base,” Glynn said. “He was always there for Mr. Rogers-like sage By Sean Fitz-Gerald Jul 16, 2020 wisdom. His mere presence reminded us to be better.”

Chris Clarke held a series of management roles at Leafs TV. The channel became a launching pad for several media careers. Hendrick Paul Hendrick took a deep breath. became a mentor, he said, “because, if it seemed like you wanted to take the slow way around things, he would say, ‘no, we’ve got to do it this “Here goes.” way.’” He pressed the “tweet” button on his device and announced to the “He’s such a walking encyclopedia when it comes to this franchise that, universe that his career covering the Maple Leafs on a full-time basis had any time you wanted any kind of information – even on the most obscure come to an end. The 63-year-old wrote that he was stepping away from players – you don’t even turn to your media guide,” said Andi Petrillo. his job with Leafs Nation Network, and then he thanked everyone from “You turn to Henny.” the owners to the fans. Petrillo joined the channel in 2006, and now hosts “Leafs Lunch” on TSN “It was an emotional decision,” he said in an interview a few hours later. 1050. She laughed when she remembered that, beyond knowing about “But my iPad and phone have been dinging consistently for a couple of the player, Hendrick so often seemed to have a connection to them. hours now.” “Somehow,” she said, “he knew the player’s godmother, sister, cousin or Hendrick has been with the channel from its earliest days, from when it somehow they went to school with his kids.” carried live games and marathon pregame shows to its evolution into the digital media space. He broadcast from morning practice, from postgame In those days, she said there was a standing rule inside Leafs TV. If the scrums and from everywhere in between. Leafs held an optional skate, or if they had a workout or a team meeting, someone from the channel had to attend. If the rink was open, they had Part of his decision was borne from a need to slow down. His wife, Dr. to be there, she said, even if nothing was interesting. Alicia Sarabia, has been living with cancer. She is an infectious diseases specialist, and in a normal world, Hendrick said she would be busy in her She laughed: “Sometimes to the point where players would look at me field right now, while he followed a young team into a playoff run. like, ‘why are you even here?’”

Except, there was a recurrence in September. “Henny was in the same boat, and he always had a different angle,” she said. “He always found a way to ask them something different, and “She’s worked so hard to endure all these challenges, and is doing well,” something interesting and engaging. So I always watched that.” Hendrick said on Wednesday. “We want to take advantage of this time together.” Joe Bowen had plenty of time to watch Hendrick work, too. There were charter flights, and then after the broadcast crew was removed from the He covered the Leafs in March and initially hoped to wrap up the season charter flights, they flew commercial. There were cab rides and airline on the beat. He was hoping to sign a six-month contract with Maple Leaf delays and, more often than not, dinners together on the road. Sports & Entertainment. And because so many of those seasons involved disappointment on the “But logistically, it wasn’t a good fit for MLSE,” he said. “They’ve got a ice, Bowen also got to see his colleague work through challenging business to run, and a network to run. And so we mutually agreed to part situations after the game. At some point — believed to be during Ron company and go our separate ways — with heavy heart on both sides, Wilson’s era as head coach — tradition began to dictate that Hendrick because it’s not an easy thing to do.” ask the first question in most major scrums. Leafs TV launched as a digital cable channel in September 2001, As a representative of the in-house broadcaster, that could require fancy heralded as the first channel in North America to focus on a specific footwork after another bad loss. team. Some outside media treated the organization with skepticism, and complained when it claimed exclusive access to coach-general manager “It’s sort of, ‘well, you lost 10-1, but you were 53 percent on the faceoffs,’” Pat Quinn on NHL trade deadline day in 2002. Bowen said with a laugh. “Let’s find something positive.”

Hendrick, who had long-established his broadcasting bona fides at MLSE issued a statement on Wednesday. CHCH in Hamilton, was a veteran influence on the roster. John Shannon hired him when the channel had fewer than 50 employees. “Paul Hendrick has been a familiar face and voice for Leafs fans and players alike for decades and his impact will continue to be felt for years “I was not the easiest guy to work for,” Shannon said. “And Paul was a to come,” the company wrote in an email. “We wish Paul and his family sounding board for tons of people. He led by example. He worked harder all the best in this next chapter for them and thank him for his years of than everybody else. He was the prototypical Canadian: He did it, he did service to Leafs Nation.” it without any bravado, and he was really damn good.” Hendrick said he will miss covering games in Montreal on a Saturday More often than not, Hendrick would also end up covering a mediocre-to- night. He will miss the games in Vancouver, where Canucks fans seem terrible hockey team. to harbour a special reserve of dislike for Toronto. (“I don’t know if there’s respect, but there is animosity,” he said. “And it was always fun to be a “He really believed that the cup was half-full when it was sometimes part of that, and share in the passion and emotions.”) difficult to think there was anything in the cup,” Shannon said with a chuckle. “He made the game enjoyable. He made the game fun. And for This is not a retirement, he said. He is still hoping to be involved in most of us, that’s what it’s supposed to be.” hockey-related projects. He needed to step away from the daily grind of covering the team. On Wednesday, after Hendrick exhaled, his tweet drifted through social media. Active players such as Auston Matthews and Travis Dermott “I’d still love to be a part of it, but my wife’s a priority,” Hendrick said. tweeted their best wishes, as did dozens of Hendrick’s former “We’ve got an opportunity to do some things, and we’re going to take colleagues. advantage of that.”

Steve (Dangle) Glynn spent about two years at Leafs TV a decade ago. The Athletic LOADED: 07.17.2020 He was an intern at first and was still making his first nervous steps into the industry.

“It was still a point in my career where I was sort of intimidated by basically everyone,” he said. “And anyone with any sort of tenure, you had to kiss the ring or be a bit of a suck-up. But with Henny, you just never got that feeling. 1188476 Toronto Maple Leafs “He’s very family oriented,” said former teammate Connor Brown. “He is one of the nicest guys day to day. He goes out of his way to say hi to my mom, my dad and my brother. And I think that resonates with them. They’re always asking me how (Nylander’s) doing.” ‘He’s his own cat’: What makes William Nylander unlike anyone on the Maple Leafs Nylander hosted much of his family in Toronto before Christmas, with his dad, Michael, responsible for assembling the plates of cured salmon and herring.

By Joshua Kloke Jul 16, 2020 “He’s a very big family guy,” Johnsson said. “He has his family around a lot. I feel like he loves his family and loves having them around.”

Alex said he talks to his brother “almost every day,” calling him an “easy “What’s something we might not know about William Nylander?” guy to talk to.” The question seemed fairly straightforward, especially given who it was Not surprisingly, Nylander the big brother is a different character than posed to. Nylander the Maple Leafs winger. But apparently not. Consider the following exchange with Alex after that Blackhawks practice “I have no clue,” Nylander said in March, before turning to a Maple Leafs in January. media relations representative. “Do you have anything?” “He’s just obviously a really good guy,” Alex said. “I really don’t know Despite setting a career high of 31 goals this season, the 24-year-old what to say. I think you guys know most of it.” Maple Leafs forward remains reticent with the media and far more “I don’t think we know much,” I said. reclusive than some of his fellow offensively gifted teammates. “Oh no?” Alex said. “He doesn’t say much here?” And so the same question was put to some of his teammates. No, the group of Leafs reporters standing around him said. Defenceman Travis Dermott paused for nearly 30 seconds before providing an answer. “He’s quiet?” Alex said, raising his eyebrow. “Oh.”

“I don’t know,” Dermott said, laughing. “He’s his own cat.” The foodie

“Give me a second here,” said defenceman Tyson Barrie, also taking his Rasmus Sandin was one of the few teammates who didn’t think long and time to reflect on the question, before coming to the same conclusion. “I hard after being asked about Nylander. don’t know. He keeps things pretty secretive I guess.” “He likes lasagna,” Sandin said. Forward Kasperi Kapanen responded almost immediately. Well, what’s not to like about lasagna? “You’re not going to get anything out of me,” he said. “He’s a man of few words, which is his choice. That’s how he likes to roll.” “No,” Sandin said with his eyes widening. “He really likes lasagna.”

That elusiveness only adds to the Nylander mystique. Despite his So much so that on a road trip earlier this season, Nylander tried to incredible talent, there are nights when critics still question his effort. His perfect the art of the “bang bang,” or the double dinner. six-year, $45 million contract may end up being a bargain if he continues “Last time we were in New York, we had a team dinner,” Sandin said. to produce at his current level, yet his name still comes up from time to “And then after the team dinner, he went back out. He just had to grab time in trade rumours. some lasagna.” More than four seasons into his tenure with the Leafs, it’s fair to suggest Nylander ventured to I Sodi, a small Tuscan restaurant in Greenwich fans and media still don’t know a great deal about one of their key Village, for a plate of lasagna, all 20-plus layers of it stuffed with either players. meat or artichoke sauce. “Maybe he wants it that way,” Andreas Johnsson said with a grin. “The best lasagna that I’ve ever had,” Nylander said. “Not really many But just because Nylander isn’t the most talkative player on the Leafs, it people know about it. It’s a very different type of lasagna.” doesn’t mean he’s unpopular with current and former teammates. Nylander’s love of Italian fare shouldn’t be surprising, given he has “He’s a great guy. Great player, great person,” said former Leafs professed his appreciation for Toronto Italian restaurant Sugo. His tastes defenceman Nikita Zaitsev. “Great everything.” aren’t limited to Italian.

With as much help as we could get, here’s a sense of the real Nylander. Take, for example, Nylander’s fascination with sushi. And after watching Jiro Dreams of Sushi, the documentary about an 85-year-old sushi The family man master and owner of a Michelin three-star restaurant inside a Tokyo subway station, Nylander got adventurous and attempted to make sushi Nylander comes from a large family. He is one of six children. He has at home. four sisters. His brother, Alex, who is 22, plays for the Chicago Blackhawks. “No good,” Nylander said. “You can get good fish, but the rice is really hard to do. They add stuff to rice and it’s hard to get the measurements “I love having them around,” Nylander said. right.” After the season went on hiatus in March, Nylander spent two months in Until he perfects the art of making sushi, he’s perfectly happy to venture Florida with his brother. Their days were dominated by competitive to downtown Toronto sushi restaurant Miku for its flame-seared salmon games of tennis, with the occasional break to make a music video. oshi. VIEW THIS POST ON INSTAGRAM The rink rat

TOOOOSIE SLIDEEE Kyle Flanagan met Nylander, then 18, in 2014 when the two were A POST SHARED BY ALEXNYLANDER (@ALEXNYLANDER) ON APR teammates with Modo in Sweden. Nylander stood out to him 14, 2020 AT 1:02PM PDT immediately.

It’s not uncommon to see Nylander’s sisters in Toronto as well. In “He’s a rink rat,” Flanagan said. “The work ethic for an 18-year-old was January, the day before the Leafs hosted the Blackhawks, two of really impressive.” Nylander’s sisters took in Chicago’s practice at the Ford Performance Despite the fact critics continue to question Nylander’s effort, his Centre and snapped photos as their youngest brother faced an eagerly teammates say he is someone obsessed with improving. His awaiting media. breakthrough season is in many ways proof of the work Nylander has put in behind the scenes. “Something you don’t know is how hard he works, every single day,” said shares with his brother, who was a teammate of Olofsson’s with the former teammate Trevor Moore. “He’s a guy who’s very laid back and Sabres in 2018-19. casual in his demeanour and how he walks around and stuff, but the effort he puts in in the gym, when no one is watching … he does it every On the bus, on the plane and in the hotel room, the Nylanders were day. always in search of some shut-eye.

“You’ll be leaving the rink and Willie’s still in there doing squats.” “I’ve never met two people who sleep as much as they do,” Olofsson said. Justin Holl agreed. As a rookie at Modo, Nylander would have to sit at the front of the bus, “That’s probably something people don’t realize about him,” Holl said. where there was far less space to sleep than among the veterans in the “He’s a really hard worker. He’s always working on his game after back, who might have an entire row to themselves to stretch out. practice. He’s always doing extra stuff, working on his speed, his edges, his explosiveness.” So Nylander resorted to other measures.

That approach comes into focus when Nylander is asked why he isn’t “I’d always bring a thick yoga mat and I’d fall asleep in the aisle,” he said. often seen around the dressing room after practice, making conversation “I’d just pass out for four hours.” with reporters as some of his other teammates do. Not much has changed. Nylander naps for up to four hours on most “I don’t hang out here too much,” Nylander said, breaking into laughter. days. As someone who struggles to wind down for naps during the day, I had to ask him for some tips. Nylander isn’t known to decline a request to speak, so is it just that he doesn’t enjoy talking to the media unless he has to? Nylander shakes his Nylander shrugged. head. “I just chill,” he said. “Until I feel like it.”

“It’s not that,” he said. “I just have other stuff that I want to do before I get The Athletic LOADED: 07.17.2020 out of here. Recovery. Cold tub. NormaTec.”

He insisted, albeit in a typically blunt manner, that he’s often just busy doing the things that have helped him become the player we saw this season.

“I do what I need to do,” Nylander said, “to feel good.”

And he appeared to feel good on Wednesday, when he wore a smile and was the first player on the ice, at 10:46 a.m., ahead of the Leafs’ 11 a.m. skate.

“The talent and the ability, not many players in the world can match that,” said head coach Sheldon Keefe. “It’s part of Will’s nature, at times, to not be as engaged as you’d like him to be. And he needs a push. Sometimes it comes from me, but a lot of times it comes from himself. He’s a guy that’s hard on himself.”

The aloof golfer

According to Jake Muzzin, Nylander is blessed with all-round athletic abilities. Still, Muzzin’s voice rises with surprise when he describes Nylander as a “pretty good golfer.”

Muzzin was also surprised by how nonchalantly Nylander invited him to play at Augusta National Golf Club, home of the Masters.

“He said, ‘Oh, I might go play Augusta.’ I said, ‘You might go play Augusta? Is it happening? And can I come? This is a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity,’” Muzzin said. “He didn’t understand how hard it is to get on that course, and the history.”

“I don’t really get stressed too much,” said Nylander, who acknowledged he didn’t understand at first how prestigious a round at Augusta is.

His aloof demeanour extends to the golf course as well.

“He’s kind of a nonchalant guy. He doesn’t really give a … ” Muzzin said, his voice trailing off. “And that’s important in golf. If you can go out there and just play, have a good time and not put pressure on yourself, you end up shooting a better round. And he has that nonchalant attitude. Good or bad, he’s happy with it.”

Muzzin, a golf obsessive, envies Nylander’s approach on the course.

“I wish I had that (attitude),” Muzzin said. “I have high expectations. I put too much pressure on myself, and then I underperform! And then I get mad at myself!”

The napper

Buffalo Sabres winger Victor Olofsson loved watching Nylander when the two were teammates with Modo.

“He’s probably, to this day, one of the most skilled guys I’ve ever played with,” Olofsson said. “Being able to do the things he did at that age in the SHL was impressive to watch.”

But what was equally impressive to Olofsson was how quickly, and how often, Nylander could fall asleep. It’s a character trait he apparently 1188477 Vegas Golden Knights

Rocky Thompson leaves Golden Knights organization

By David Schoen Las Vegas Review-Journal

July 16, 2020 - 5:29 PM

Rocky Thompson, who coached the Golden Knights’ American Hockey League affiliate the past three seasons, is leaving the organization, general manager Kelly McCrimmon said Thursday.

Thompson is expected to be hired as an assistant coach with the San Jose Sharks, according to reports from TSN and Sportsnet in Canada.

Thompson’s departure means the new are in need of a head coach for the 2020-21 season. McCrimmon said he does not have a timetable for filling the position.

In three seasons with the Chicago Wolves, Thompson went 113-71-18- 11 and won two Central Division titles. He led the team to the final in 2019.

The Wolves were 27-26-5-3 and fourth in their division when the AHL season was paused because of the coronavirus pandemic.

Thompson and Sharks interim coach Bob Boughner have a connection through the Ontario Hockey League. Boughner hired Thompson to succeed him as Windsor’s coach in 2015 after Boughner left to become an assistant in San Jose.

LAS VEGAS REVIEW JOURNAL LOADED: 07.17.2020 1188478 Vegas Golden Knights LAS VEGAS REVIEW JOURNAL LOADED: 07.17.2020

Golden Knights struggle with thought of leaving families behind

By Ben Gotz Las Vegas Review-Journal

July 16, 2020 - 5:25 PM

Robin Lehner kept driving home one point as the NHL Players’ Association hashed out the league’s return-to-play protocols: Wherever he went to chase the Stanley Cup, he wanted his family with him.

The Golden Knights goaltender didn’t quite get his wish when the NHL’s Phase Four guidelines were approved last week. His wife and two kids will be able to join him in Edmonton, but not until the Western Conference Finals if the Knights make it that far.

That separation — especially during a time when most families are staying home together more than ever — is going to be a challenge for players. Lehner and his teammates aren’t thrilled about it, but it’s the price they have to pay to chase a championship.

“It’s not just about the players’ mental health, it’s about the families’ mental health, too,” said Lehner, who has been open about his struggles with mental illness and has become a mental health advocate. “A lot of players have young kids and wives, and we’re going to leave them at home alone, quarantined in the house with the kids. It’s going to be equally as tough for them as it is for us. I wasn’t very happy we couldn’t bring them from the get-go, but if we get to see them in the conference final, I think that’s big at least, and we’ll go from there.”

There’s no shortage of children among players, and their numbers are only growing. Left wing William Carrier welcomed daughter Stella in March. Left wing Max Pacioretty and his wife, Katia, said in April that they’re expecting their fifth child and first daughter.

Leaving their kids behind — and asking their wives or partners to pick up the slack — is going to be difficult for players. Right wing Ryan Reaves said it’s going to be extra hard after spending so much time with his son and daughter during the league’s pause because of the coronavirus pandemic.

“It’s going to be tougher on the kids,” Reaves said in June before the return-to-play guidelines were set. “My boy, he’s 4 years old. He just loves spending time with dad and playing with me. To go from me being home every single day for four months to potentially being gone for two months, it’s going to be hard for him.”

Left wing Jonathan Marchessault chose to look on the bright side of the situation.

If the team reaches the conference finals, players’ families essentially will get a vacation in Edmonton.

“I’m sure if we get there, it’s going to be a fun experience for the kids and the families,” Marchessault said.

Players’ spouses/partners and children will get their own rooms in Edmonton, but they will be allowed to stay together once testing and quarantine requirements are fulfilled.

That means, for families flying commercial, testing negative for COVID- 19 three times the week before departure and testing negative four times in Edmonton over a four-day period. Knights personnel will make their “best efforts” to help families in Las Vegas get tested, according to the Phase Four protocols.

Getting to experience the final stages of the playoffs with their families should be a healthy incentive for players to go far in the postseason. And even though being apart from their loved ones at the beginning of the playoffs isn’t anyone’s first choice, Marchessault said it’s the hand players have been dealt.

“It’s not an ideal situation, for sure,” Marchessault said. “But, I mean, the whole situation is not ideal. Not just for us but for everybody. It’s just the new world that we’re living in, and everyone needs to adapt. We’re professional hockey players. We signed contracts, and we have to earn our paychecks. At some point, when it comes to playoffs, it’s all about winning and getting your name on the Cup.” 1188479 Vegas Golden Knights

Jack Dugan signs entry-level contract with Golden Knights

By David Schoen Las Vegas Review-Journal

July 16, 2020 - 12:01 PM

Updated July 16, 2020 - 7:06 PM

Jack Dugan was left in limbo since he decided in May to turn pro, unsure if he was eligible to sign a contract with the Golden Knights for this season.

The NCAA’s leading scorer finally provided closure on the matter Thursday, as Dugan signed a two-year entry-level deal with the club.

“I was waiting to see what was going to happen, and obviously the NHL ruled against it, which is why today I came out and signed,” Dugan said. “I knew what I wanted to do. I wanted to be with Vegas. One way or another, I was hoping that was going to be able to happen.”

Dugan’s deal comes with the rookie maximum $925,000 average annual value and a $92,500 signing bonus in each season, according to a source.

More significantly, the contract will begin with the 2020-21 season, making Dugan a restricted free agent in 2022.

The return-to-play agreement that was negotiated between the NHL and NHL Players’ Association provided a 53-hour window starting Monday to sign for the 2019-20 season.

But since he is ineligible to participate in the NHL postseason, Dugan decided not to burn the first year of his contract.

“It gives Jack a real good opportunity to get his feet wet in pro hockey before he’s going into a contract year,” general manager Kelly McCrimmon said. “If he burned the year, right away he’s turning pro staring at a contract year, which, it is what it is. It would have been fine. We were open-minded to doing it either way, but we’re pleased, first and foremost, to have Jack under contract.”

Dugan was a fifth-round pick by the Knights in 2017 and posted an NCAA-best 52 points in 34 games as a sophomore at Providence. The 6- foot-2-inch, 194-pound right wing was named one of 10 finalists for the Hobey Baker Award as the nation’s top college hockey player.

With the Knights projected to be tight against the salary cap for 2020-21, Dugan could challenge for a spot on the opening roster.

“I’ll be able to go into training camp, really see what I’m up against,” Dugan said. “Hopefully I’ll make an impact, leave an impression. That’s really all I’m trying to do.”

The Silver Knights are looking for a new head coach.

Rocky Thompson, who coached the Golden Knights’ American Hockey League affiliate the past three seasons, is leaving the organization to pursue an opportunity with another NHL club, McCrimmon said.

Multiple reports indicated Thompson was expected to be hired as an assistant coach with the Sharks, but San Jose general manager Doug Wilson told the Bay Area News Group the team was still evaluating candidates.

In three seasons with the Chicago Wolves, Thompson went 113-71-18- 11 and won two Central Division titles. He led the team to the Calder Cup final in 2019.

Goalie Logan Thompson is expected to participate in training camp this weekend after he finishes his mandatory quarantine period, McCrimmon said.

Thompson signed a two-year, entry-level contract with the Knights on Monday.

LAS VEGAS REVIEW JOURNAL LOADED: 07.17.2020 1188480 Washington Capitals Notes: The Capitals continued to skate in two groups for their third day of camp, and backup goaltender Ilya Samsonov missed his third straight day of practice. Samsonov went back to Russia during the shutdown but returned to Washington in time for the restart. In his place between the Capitals’ 2019 first-round pick could make his NHL debut in playoff pipes has been assistant video coach Brett Leonhardt. … restart Defensive prospect Alex Alexeyev also missed his third straight day of practice. …

Samantha Pell Forward prospect Shane Gersich was back at practice Wednesday after missing Tuesday’s session. … July 16, 2020 at 2:52 PM EDT For the rest of the season, teams are not allowed to share player injury or

illness information, the league and the National Hockey League Players’ Connor McMichael has been staying ready, waiting for his chance to Association announced last week, “out of respect for an individual make his Washington Capitals debut. The team’s 2019 first-round draft player’s right to medical privacy.”… pick could get that opportunity sooner than expected. The Capitals have an off day Thursday and will be back on the ice The 19-year-old is participating in his second Capitals training camp after Friday. being drafted 25th overall last year. He is one of 34 players on the team’s official training camp roster and is expected to go with the team to Toronto as an extra forward. McMichael said coaches have not told him Washington Post LOADED: 07.17.2020 whether he is in their plans for the early stages of the restart, but they have been giving all players the same message.

“The coaches were just telling everyone to be ready,” McMichael said Wednesday on a video call. “You never know what can happen in the playoffs. You need depth in the playoffs, especially. I’m just ready to go whenever I get my name called.”

With saying Tuesday that is preparing to leave the NHL bubble in Toronto for the birth of his second child in early August, the Capitals might need a replacement at third-line center. While it is unclear how many first-round games Eller could miss, the Capitals want to be prepared for his absence.

McMichael could be an option, according to Capitals Coach Todd Reirden.

“He’s a guy that can play center, and we’ve got some other guys as well that have the ability play center and also play on the wing as well,” Reirden said. “It is not necessarily just in the middle that you may see Connor. . . . His hockey sense and his ability to not be overwhelmed by the situation [are] some really strong qualities of him as a young player.”

Barring injuries or other absences, Travis Boyd, the team’s 13th forward, is another option for the third line. Nic Dowd, the team’s fourth-line center, also could be bumped up, but that would disrupt a fourth line that had started clicking when the season was paused in mid-March.

With so much uncertainty, including the possibility of a novel coronavirus outbreak inside the bubble, the Capitals want to have multiple options.

“It’s a really cool experience,” McMichael said. “I’m just really happy to be here. I’m going to do everything to prove to the coaches that I can play in the lineup. If not, I’ll always be ready in case someone gets hurt or other things happen. I’m just really excited to be here, and it should be really fun.”

When will sports return? Where things stand with the other leagues.

Before the Ontario Hockey League season was canceled March 18, McMichael recorded 102 points (47 goals, 55 assists) in 52 games for the London Knights.

“It was unfortunate our season got canceled,” McMichael said. “We had a really good team, and I thought we could go really far. … I’m just excited to get another chance to finish this season out."

McMichael was named to the OHL’s second all-star team this season. Given the uncertainty of next year’s junior season, McMicheal said he doesn’t feel a lot of pressure to impress coaches in hopes of making an NHL roster.

“I just want to keep playing my game,” McMichael said.” I know what I’m capable of, so I just want to prove to the coaches that I can deserve a spot on this team next year. Even if I’m sent back to London, I’ll be focused on the next year making the team. So I’m really excited to get going.”

If McMichael does get the call to suit up for a playoff game this year, he would be the first Capitals player to make his NHL debut in the playoffs since Tom Wilson in 2013. 1188481 Washington Capitals

NHL hub arena in Edmonton expected to be fine after partial flooding

Staff Report

By Associated Press

July 16, 2020 11:49 PM

EDMONTON, Alberta (AP) -- Parts of Rogers Place were flooded early Thursday night, with the Edmonton Oilers saying the damage wouldn't affect plans to use the arena as an NHL hub when the season resumes.

Oilers Entertainment Group spokesman Tim Shipton said the storm that also brought hail caused leaks in one of the entrance hallways and smaller leaks elsewhere.

"We are assessing the damage and at this time are confident that it will not hamper our planning and preparation and we will be ready to host the return of NHL hockey as hub city," Shipton said.

Video posted to Twitter showed water streaming from large gaps in the ceiling tiles of Ford Hall and the floor completely awash after a major thunderstorm that brought hail as well as heavy rain.

The arena opened in 2016.

The league plans to resume play with a 24-team format. The NHL is aiming to have teams in the hub cities of Toronto and Edmonton by July 26, with the games starting to count on Aug. 1.

Washington Times LOADED: 07.17.2020 1188482 Washington Capitals

Capitals and Stingrays renew ECHL affiliation

By J.J. Regan

July 16, 2020 2:35 PM

The NHL may be gearing up for the playoffs, but it's still summer meaning there is other business to attend to as well. The Capitals and South Carolina Stingrays of the ECHL have renewed their affiliation agreement with a three-year contract extension, general manager Brian MacLellan announced on Thursday. Washington and South Carolina have been affiliated for six consecutive seasons and this new agreement will extend them out to nine. The two teams were also affiliated from 2004 to 2012 before the Caps had a two-year affiliation with the Reading Royals.

“We are excited to extend our agreement with the South Carolina Stingrays organization,” MacLellan said in a statement. “We look forward to continuing our affiliation with a first-class and successful organization in which our prospects can develop.”

The Capitals also renewed their AHL affiliation with the earlier in the year.

The owner of the Stingrays, Todd Halloran, appeared on an episode of the Capitals Talk podcast in May and was effusive in his praise of the Caps and their affiliation.

"I know that the Capitals recently renewed their affiliation with Hershey, obviously that’s priority,” Halloran said. “I’m sure in the coming weeks here, we’ll be doing the same. I don’t have any great concerns about it. It’s been a great relationship.”

Washington currently has five players under contract who have played for South Carolina: Braden Holtby, Tyler Lewington, Pheonix Copley, Vitek Vanecek and Kristofers Bindulis. All but Bindulis are on the team's current training camp roster.

"The Washington Capitals are a first-class organization,” Rob Concannon, president of the South Carolina Stingrays, said. “They have been a great partner with us for a long time. We look forward to continuing to help some of their young prospects develop."

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The new normal: Caps adjust to the return of hockey during a pandemic

By J.J. Regan

July 16, 2020 6:00 AM

Training camps opened across the NHL on Monday, marking the start of Phase 3 of the league's return to play plan and bringing us all one step closer to the postseason. But even though hockey may be "back" it sure does feel a lot different. The practices, once open to the public, are now closed. Most of the media are covering camp from home with only a few sitting at their own tables above the rink, each wearing a mask. Unless they are on the ice or conducting interviews on Zoom, the players are in masks wherever they go.

Hockey may be back, but not in the way anyone is used to.

"It's been weird," Lars Eller said. "I think it was most weird in the beginning coming back and doing these tests and seeing everybody wear masks, but now it's just become normal every day. It's almost you notice someone without a mask now. That's the weird thing, right? That's where we are now."

Professional athletes are known as creatures of habit and the Capitals players are no different. All of those habits now must be cast aside as the players adjust to the health and safety protocols imposed by the NHL and NHLPA.

That's the reality of trying to play hockey in a pandemic.

"On the ice is normal," Alex Ovechkin said. "On the ice is same rules what we have before. But soon as you step off the ice in the locker room everybody have to wear a mask. It's kind of weird, but I'm pretty sure we're going to get used to it."

"Obviously, it’s things we’re not used to, but for the most part, every other day you just spit in a little tube and then you go onto the rink," T.J. Oshie said. "Obviously, it’s not as comfortable wearing a mask as it would be without, but as far as on the ice stuff it feels like a normal training camp except for we’re kind of ramping things up as we go, which I think is great. I think it’s saving guys from getting hurt. But just less numbers out there, so more reps. Unfortunately, it’s kind of becoming a little bit normal going around with a mask and not being able to hug the guys, but it’s fine and we’re grinding through it.”

For their part, the players understand and accept the precautions being taken. No one wants to play hockey more than they do and they want to be able to do it in a way that is safe both for them and for their families.

"if we get a chance to play hockey we are going to do whatever we can to make it work," Brenden Dillon said.

He added, "I think our staff here has done an unbelievable job of making us feel safe and ultimately it is going to be about these next couple weeks before we can get to the bubble. We’ve been assured it is going to be as safe as it can be there and a little bit of an unknown until we can get there and get into that routine. It is going to be a little different setup than in your home dressing room, that comfortability that we’ve gotten used to. I think everybody if we can all do our part and realize that with this crazy circumstances we have to be safe.”

The trade-off, however, is that the game they loved and have played for essentially their entire lives looks and feels a lot different than ever before.

"It's been an adjustment, but the whole world's adjusting and we're just adjusting with it," Eller said. "Now it's just started to feel normal. We see every single person around you doing the same thing, it becomes the new normal."

Comcast SportsNet.com LOADED: 07.17.2020 1188484 Winnipeg Jets taken it extremely seriously and that’s all we can do," Morrissey said Thursday.

The big one, of course, is COVID-19 testing, which players are subjected Jets players stick to strict pandemic protocols to every second day throughout training camp. According to league protocols, testing "must be done in the context of excess testing capacity so as not to deprive health-care workers, vulnerable populations and symptomatic individuals from necessary diagnostic tests." Staff Report "Each club shall engage with its local health authorities to ensure that

asymptomatic players and other club personnel are eligible under There’s no GPS monitors attached to their ankles, nor is head coach applicable regulations and local conditions to receive tests, either publicly Paul Maurice showing up at their door in the middle of the night to ensure or privately, and to further ensure that doing so does not take testing compliance. resources away from publicly necessary testing," the NHL says.

But make no mistake about it: despite only a handful of active COVID-19 Results must be available within 24 hours, and a weekly report must be cases around here, the Winnipeg Jets are basically in lockdown while filed about the number of tests conducted, along with any positives. back in town for their two-week summer camp. Teams were required to secure a "service provider and/or testing service," but the Jets won’t tell me who that is, nor would they describe They’ve been given instructions to severely limit their time in the the process of how the nasal swabs are being procured and analyzed. community, which is the way it should be for the health and safety of everyone. "They (Jets) are paying for that test for themselves. The way we have it set up is it’s not affecting the province’s capacity at all, even though right "We’re not really allowed to go anywhere but the rink and back home, now we would have had plenty of capacity... The full expense is being depending on where guys came in from and how long they’ve been in paid by them," Manitoba’s chief provincial health officer, Dr. Brent town. It’s a bit of an adjustment because you’re almost living your normal Roussin, told the Free Press on Thursday. life — I mean nothing is normal these days, but you’re still able to go out and do groceries and do simple things. Then you come here and you’re As long as all 24 teams can make it through camp and arrive safely to basically locked up again," defenceman Luca Sbisa, who spent most of the hub cities of Edmonton and Toronto by July 26, expect the most the NHL pause in California, told me Thursday. unique playoffs in NHL history to proceed rather smoothly, given the more strenuous conditions that will exist inside the so-called "bubbles" "Everyone has basically gone through it twice now. When it first started players will be living in. and then things, depending on where you lived, were kind of back to normal a little bit and now you’re back to square one." And that, according to Jets captain Blake Wheeler, will make a few rather small sacrifices in the grand scheme of things worth it. To be clear, Sbisa wasn’t complaining. He signed up for this, as every player had the option of bowing out if they wished. A few around the NHL "It’s not quite life as usual. It’s not business as usual. There’s still a lot of did so; none of them in Winnipeg. For this to work in the middle of a hurt going on, and I’m American, so there’s still a lot of things going on in pandemic, strict adherence is required. That’s especially true in life outside of this arena," he said. "But for the couple hours that we’re at numerous U.S. cities where the number of cases continue to climb and the facility, we get to be around each other, and it’s definitely a welcome the idea of holding camps there seems ill-advised. distraction and an opportunity for us to hopefully provide some relief and some entertainment for people who’ve been craving it for a long time." It’s refreshing to see the Jets are practising vigilance despite being housed in the safest NHL market when it comes to COVID-19 numbers. They have their own policies, on top of what is outlined in a 19-page Winnipeg Free Press LOADED 07.17.2020 Phase 3 document put together by the league.

For example, both Josh Morrissey and Adam Lowry came in earlier this month from their off-season homes in Calgary and were still required to quarantine for a week and pass four COVID-19 tests before they could begin skating, like every other teammate. This, despite the fact Albertans are currently allowed to travel to Manitoba without self-isolating.

"We didn’t distinguish between a player that was coming from a hot spot or a player that was considered coming from a low-risk area like Western Canada. Every person in our group that’s here went through that process," explained Maurice.

"We had a bunch of guys that were coming from low-risk areas that maybe wouldn’t have had to quarantine and you’d get a slight competitive advantage because they could work out maybe a few days more. We just didn’t think the risk possibly would certainly be any advantage, so we shut everybody down."

Once they’ve been cleared for training, there are no mandatory isolation requirements for players in their home markets during this phase. However, league guidelines say everyone is "strongly recommended to continue to exercise distancing behaviour... and stay at home as much as possible and practicable and avoid unnecessary interactions with non- family members."

The list of NHL rules is lengthy. No carpooling to practice, and no cabs or rideshare services. No post-skate group meals. No hot or cold tubs, or saunas and steam rooms. No sharing supplements and protein powders, and no passing around creams, gels and balms. The document even urges players to sing Happy Birthday twice when washing their hands.

They’re also urged to do pick up or delivery of groceries and must undergo multiple daily temperature checks, both at home before leaving for the rink and once they arrive. Masks must be worn except when on the ice.

"Listen, we’re in a different world right now. It’s a different time and precautions are of the essence. From my experience, everyone has 1188485 Winnipeg Jets playing this beautiful game and that’s all you can do. That’s all you can think about and let the rest take over," said forward Mark Scheifele.

Throw in the fact teams are all coming off a lengthy hiatus and are Playoff hockey in empty arenas will take some getting used to for Jets healthier than ever, and there’s the potential for one heck of a hockey players, coaches tournament — provided you can get past the fact there will be no fans in the building to see it.

"I anticipate that guys are going to come out flying. Everyone is excited to By: Mike McIntyre come back and play and having all that time off and thinking about today — thinking about coming back, being back on the ice — you have that Posted: 07/16/2020 7:00 PM | Comments: feeling, that fire, that was burning for two, three months. It’s nice to be back. I expect the games to be very intense," said defenceman Luca Sbisa. The thrill of victory. The agony of defeat. And the sound of silence that’s going to come with summer playoff shinny. There have been some suggestions the Stanley Cup winner this year should have an asterisk beside their name, but Jets players aren’t buying Yes, it’s safe to say playing in empty arenas is going to take some getting it. After all, they’ll have to win five rounds of hockey instead of the used to for athletes who often feed off frenzied crowds when the stakes traditional four, 19 games instead of the usual 16, to reach the promised are highest. In fact, of all the unique aspects of the NHL’s return-to-play land. protocols in the middle of the COVID-19 pandemic, the in-game experience has been mentioned the most at Winnipeg Jets training camp "It’s just going to be like every other Stanley Cup that you can win. this week. Obviously, you won’t have any fans, but at the end of the day when you win the Cup, it’s the 20 guys that are on the ice and the coaches and the Consider this: The last time the Jets faced the Calgary Flames, there GM and the organization that does it. It’s going to feel the same," said were more than 30,000 die-hards jammed inside a Regina football forward Mathieu Perreault. stadium screaming their lungs out. But when the puck drops on Aug. 1 inside Rogers Place in Edmonton for the start of the best-of-five “It’s just going to be like every other Stanley Cup that you can win. qualifying series, nary a seat will be filled. Obviously, you won’t have any fans, but at the end of the day when you win the Cup, it’s the 20 guys that are on the ice and the coaches and the "It’s going to be a lot different. I’ve thought about it quite a bit. Obviously, GM and the organization that does it. It’s going to feel the same.” — Jets the game itself doesn’t change, the ice surface doesn’t change, the nets forward Mathieu Perreault are not any bigger or smaller. All of that is really still the same. During the play, it’s going to be different, communicating is probably going to be Jets head coach Paul Maurice said he may end up having some easier. You’re going to hear every little single stick on the ice or hitting of flashbacks to his days behind the bench of the Carolina Hurricanes, the boards, passing, stickhandling," defenceman Josh Morrissey said particularly one night at the old Greensboro Coliseum when a freak Thursday. snowstorm meant there were plenty of good seats available — like nearly all of them — inside the 22,000-seat facility. Blue-line partner Dylan DeMelo believes television networks will have to have their fingers at the ready over the censor button, unless artificial "There’s, I don’t know, 200 people there, 250, in a building like that, so I noise is added to the broadcasts to drown out the on-ice chatter. do know what it’s like to be in a very, very thin crowd but in an NHL game," said Maurice. “I’m trying to picture a Game 7 Stanley Cup finals in overtime with no fans and how weird that would be. You can’t prep for it, it’s never been The noise is completely different. The communication on the ice is done before. I think you’ll just have to stay focused on the game.” — Jets fantastic — except you can hear the other team calling plays. The one defenceman Dylan Demelo that you don’t get over is the silence after a goal. Even on the road, right? The road team scores a goal, there’s a lot of bad language from the fans "I think it will be definitely interesting, and guys will have to work on their and some disappointment and then, for us, we always have Jets fans at trash talk. Especially if it’s going to get picked up, might have to keep it road games, so there’s a pocket of people losing their minds up in the PG, but you might hear some funny things," said DeMelo. "I’m trying to corner. This is going to be really quiet. And that was maybe the one thing picture a Game 7 Stanley Cup finals in overtime with no fans and how I would say I never got past — the fact that the home team would score, weird that would be. You can’t prep for it, it’s never been done before. I your bench jumps up and... it’s quiet. Right? That will be something." think you’ll just have to stay focused on the game."

Sports teams will often pump up the volume at practices to prepare for going into hostile environments, like the Winnipeg Blue Bombers did last Winnipeg Free Press LOADED 07.17.2020 season prior to heading west to play the Saskatchewan Roughriders in the CFL’s West final. In this case, maybe the Jets ought to to consider piping in the sound of crickets at Bell MTS Iceplex.

"Obviously, there’s not going to be the big swings in emotion where you score a goal and the building erupts and you don’t have to weather that storm on the road. With no noise in the building, you’re going to be able to hear everything. You’re going to know where guys are. It’s not going to be that deafening whiteout sound that we’re used to when the playoffs roll around in Winnipeg," said forward Adam Lowry.

"I think creating that energy on the bench is going to be important but, at the same time, I don’t think it’s going to take much to get the guys jacked up and ready to play. We know what we’re playing for. We know what we came back to chase and what our goal at the end of all of this is."

"It’s not going to be that deafening whiteout sound that we’re used to when the playoffs roll around in Winnipeg.” — Jets forward Adam Lowry

In that sense, there is truly no such thing as home-ice advantage in these unique, 24-team playoffs. Yes, the designated "home team" will get the benefit of last change, but that’s it, unless you consider wearing their dark jerseys some kind of reward.

"It’s going to be different. Everyone’s in the same boat though, so there’s no excuses. If you look at it in a positive way, you’re going to come out feeling better than if you’re feeling negative about the whole situation. We just have to be positive, keep working hard at our game, keep enjoying 1188486 Winnipeg Jets “I think I’ve fit in here very well and I think there’s definitely a possibly of that in the future, of possibly re-signing here,” DeMelo said. “And if that is the case I would definitely welcome it, I enjoyed my time here so far. Even from the outside, when I was with Ottawa and San Jose, I always Defenceman DeMelo made big impression in small period of time with valued how this team played and the coaching staff and organization and Jets bodies in that room.

“So it’s a great team to be a part of. I think we’ll worry about that when the season’s done, though, and focus on a good playoff run here and see Ted Wyman how far we can go.” July 16, 2020 5:57 PM CDT With the 6-foot-1, 191-pound DeMelo playing alongside Morrissey on a shutdown pairing, it has freed up offensive-minded blue-liner Neal Pionk to play on a second pairing with Dmitry Kulikov. The third pairing in For a player who doesn’t have a single point as a member of the training camp so far has been Nathan Beaulieu and Tucker Poolman. Winnipeg Jets and has only appeared in 10 games, Dylan DeMelo sure seems to be highly regarded as a stabilizing presence on the blue line. It’s a lunch-bucket group, let’s face it. Morrissey and Pionk have some star power and can play in all situations, but the rest of the group is made DeMelo was acquired from the Ottawa Senators in February in exchange up of workmanlike journeymen who play a more old-school style of for a third-round draft pick and he seemed to fit in quickly with a Jets game. defence that had been in flux all season long. Maybe that’s why DeMelo fits in so well. His style and point production won’t make anyone forget about Dustin Byfuglien, Jacob Trouba and Tyler Myers anytime soon, but DeMelo has The team’s analytics were trending upward after his arrival and perhaps become a No. 1 right-side defender on this team, pairing up with smooth- it’s because of the different dynamic DeMelo brings. He’s often skating Josh Morrissey. mentioned as a player who makes his defence partners better,

“He had a really, really big impact,” Jets head coach Paul Maurice said “Maybe it’s just the predictably of my game, I think everybody knows Thursday after Day 4 of Jets training camp at the IcePlex. what they’re getting,” DeMelo said. “I think I just keep my game real simple, just play solid hockey. I think I make good reads out there and my “He changed our matchup quite a bit. He had experience. Certainly when defensive partner can read off me, and it makes things a lot easier. he was in Ottawa, they were running him a lot against the other team’s best. So he’s another safe, consistent defenceman in our lineup, when “I’m pretty vocal out there, just trying to help my D partner when I can. I we had so many injuries and so much changeover. He was very, very think, overall, it’s probably just my steadiness. Usually guys who you important.” know what you’re going to get from them are pretty easy to play with.”

DeMelo, 27, played his first game with the Jets on Feb. 20 and the team went 6-3-1, with him in the lineup, until the season was paused because Winnipeg Sun LOADED 07.17.2020 of the COVID-19 pandemic.

Those who follow the team closely saw an immediate difference in the Jets’ blue-line play, with DeMelo’s simple style fitting right in. He seemed to make Morrissey — who admittedly had struggled for much of the year — more comfortable and successful.

“Obviously we didn’t get the chance to play too many games before we got shut down, but he’s such a smart player,” Morrissey said. “He plays a simple game and that’s not a detriment at all. I think that might be one of the best compliments because he always makes the smart little play and he makes it look easy. He’s got a good stick defensively, communicates well. He’s been a big addition for our group. He fit in right away in the locker room and on the ice.

“For myself, personally, we developed a pretty immediate chemistry and I’m looking forward to building on that in the future.”

DeMelo seems destined to log a lot of minutes for the Jets in their qualifying round best-of-five against the Calgary Flames. It’s a notion that seems bizarre when you consider how little time he has actually spent around the team.

“Definitely a little strange,” said DeMelo, who spent the pause back home in London, Ont.

“I definitely had to watch some old game film, do some homework, and kind of just refresh my brain on how we play. Obviously, we’re not putting in an overly extensive system, but just to get familiar again with where guys are, where I need to be as a defenceman, all over the ice.

“It really feels like the beginning of training camp for me as opposed to the other guys. It’s a little different for them obviously, having been around (longer).”

DeMelo, who started his career with the San Jose Sharks and was acquired by the Senators in the Erik Karlsson trade, can become an unrestricted free agent after this season.

He would have already signed or gone free in a normal year (free agency usually begins on July 1), but instead he’ll play somewhere between three and 33 games for the Jets as they try to win a Stanley Cup in the summer.

Regardless, it seems like he has seen enough to know it’s a good situation. 1188487 Winnipeg Jets He was not with the main group that will start the playoffs for the Jets against Calgary, but he’ll presumably work his way back there before the team heads to the hub city of Edmonton on July 26.

Jets blue-liners feeling confident with Vezina-candidate Hellebuyck Eric Comrie joined Hellebuyck in goal with the main group on Thursday, behind them Also taking part for the first time on Thursday was defenceman Nelson Nogier, a regular with the of the AHL.

Ted Wyman Still missing since the beginning of camp are defencemen Anthony Bitetto and Logan Stanley. July 16, 2020 5:12 PM CDT The Jets are following strict NHL protocols regarding information about absent players. Whether they are absent due to injuries or if it’s related to COVID-19, nothing will be announced. Most observers expect to see and hear ’s name when the NHL announces the three finalists for the Vezina Trophy on Friday. Maurice said the team will have a scrimmage game Friday at the IcePlex. The team will play its exhibition game on July 29 against Vancouver in In fact, it seems like a foregone conclusion for the Winnipeg Jets star Edmonton and open the playoffs against the Calgary Flames on Aug. 1. goaltender, who was previously nominated for the award in 2017-18. He was born in Italy, raised in Switzerland and makes his full-time home “He’s got my vote,” Jets defenceman Josh Morrissey said after practice in California. on Thursday at the IcePlex. Yet, Luca Sbisa, only a few months into his time with the Jets, kept his Morrissey doesn’t actually get a vote — those go to the NHL’s 31 general family in Winnipeg for almost three months during the COVID-19 managers — but Hellebuyck had an outstanding regular season and is a pandemic. front-runner for the league award. He was one of just a few Jets players who stuck around and he believes The Jets’ fourth-year starter will likely go up against Tuukka Rask of the he made a good choice. Boston Bruins and Andrei Vasilevskiy of the Tampa Bay Lightning. “When it all started, California was really bad,” said Sbisa, whose home Whether he wins the award or not, members of the Jets organization are is in Newport Beach, Calif. very glad he’s on their side as they head into the NHL’s summer playoff tournament. “I guess it’s really bad there again, but we just felt safe in Winnipeg and we just had no real need to go back. You put in the time during the winter “As a D-man, you are happy to have him back there … it gives us so so you kind of want to see what this place is all about in the summer. It much confidence,” Morrissey said. was good. We stayed here for most of the time and then we got to go “He looks great on the ice here (in training camp) and his presence, his back home for about two-three weeks in June before we came back poise, mean so much. He’s a calm guy, he’s never too high or too low, here.” he’s very confident in his game. I think that radiates out through our The 30-year-old defenceman, who was picked up by the Jets on waivers whole team but definitely on our blue line.” from the Anaheim Ducks last October, may not see much playing time in Hellebuyck, 27, started 56 games this season and went 31-21-5, with a play-in series against the Calgary Flames. He’s currently not among the 2.57 goals against average and .922 save percentage. top-six blue-liners, though he’s sure to get in quickly if and when there are injuries. Rask had a lower GAA (2.12), a higher save percentage (.929) and more wins (41) than Hellebuyck, but he also played on a better team. The Sbisa has quickly established himself as a good personality in the Jets Bruins had the best record in the NHL when the season was paused. locker room and he has made good friends, including one in captain Blake Wheeler. You could argue no goalie meant as much to his team as Hellebuyck, who faced the most shots (1,796) in the entire NHL. “I got really lucky … we found a rental that was right next door to (Wheeler’s house) so our families became really close,” Sbisa said. “We “Overall numbers, yes,” Jets coach Paul Maurice said. have one boy, he’s three. He was born a day after (Wheeler’s) youngest, so they’re best friends. When this all happened, we did our quarantine “But the month he had in November, and I’d say again in February, you and then we got to spend a lot of time together. go back and look at the saves that he made, the consistency of his game, that was as good a run as I’ve seen a goalie have that I’ve ever “It was great. I learned a lot from him. He’s great. He’s just a through- had the privilege of watching from our bench. and-through leader.”

“He was dominant in those two months. Consistency is the hallmark of any good pro, but greatness means that you have to play at a different level than the other players that you’re competing against in terms of the Winnipeg Sun LOADED 07.17.2020 other goalies. He got two months in there that were as good as you can play.”

Hellebuyck carried the Jets at times during the 2019-20 season, even as they tried to find their way defensively through massive changes on the blue-line.

As the season wore on, the Jets started to look more comfortable defensively, with Hellebuyck doing his thing, night in and night out.

“When you’ve got a goaltender that has that ability and whose game is on that level, it allows you, as a defence, to not be afraid to make a mistake because you know he’s back there,” Morrissey said.

“We know we can be aggressive, we can play an aggressive, hard-gap style of game. With that style of game, occasionally there are gonna be chances, but there are in any style of game, that’s the nature of hockey.”

Goaltender Laurent Brossoit finally made an appearance at Jets training camp on Thursday, after missing the first three days of practice sessions.

He wasn’t on the ice at the very beginning of the Group 1 session at the IcePlex, but he eventually made his way out there near the end of the skate. 1188488 Vancouver Canucks Their house became a home away from home. Demko is only four years older than Rathbone and so both were freshmen at their respective schools.

Canucks notebook: Adding game-day routines and focus to 'fluid' camp “I was over there pretty often, getting a home-cooked meal, played Xbox itinerary with Jack,” he recalled with a grin. “I’ve always enjoyed being around them.”

PATRICK JOHNSTON Vancouver Province: LOADED: 07.17.2020 July 16, 2020 3:38 PM PDT

Head coach , with a face mask and clipboard, watches his Vancouver Canucks workout from the stands in Rogers Arena.

The Vancouver Canucks are looking to build a some camp rhythm, even if there are no opponents to play just yet

There’s nothing normal about the new normal, but the Vancouver Canucks did their best Thursday to simulate a dose of the old ways.

On the fourth day of the NHL team’s return-to-play training camp, head coach Travis Green asked his players to approach the day as if they had a game scheduled at night.

They took a morning skate. They did a brief media session after. Then they went home and rested, just as they always would.

On the docket was a 7 p.m. intrasquad scrimmage. It wouldn’t be like an exhibition game, but it would give the players something to focus on.

“Just trying to mimic what a game would look like, a lot of times in training camp, you’re having an exhibition game right around this time,” Green said via Zoom.

The bench boss said it was likely the team would repeat this routine.

“Good to get back into the swing of things,” Canucks winger Tanner Pearson said.

“It’s fun, just like a normal game day,” Jake Virtanen added.

“Camp has been tough, Greener’s practices are super hard. It’s been a good camp, super competitive and we’re very excited to get things rolling here. Everyone is looking good and I’m excited for tonight.”

Green said he didn’t know what the ice availability would be like once the team moved to Edmonton for a July 29 exhibition game against the Winnipeg Jets or their qualifying series against the Minnesota Wild, which starts Aug. 2 at Rogers Place.

“Adaptable and focused, that’s two words we’re using with our group. Being fluid is being part of it. I’m not worried about it at all,” he said.

Thursday’s scrimmage plan called for two 25-minute periods, with some stoppage time and all penalty calls leading to penalty shots. Skills coach Glenn Carnegie was expected to play referee.

Neither Micheal Ferland nor Brandon Sutter took part in Thursday’s scrimmage or morning skate, albeit Ferland did skate with the black aces group of depth skaters, all from the .

Ferland was declared unfit to play on Monday. He didn’t skate Tuesday, but did skate with the later group on Wednesday.

It’s not clear what the issue is with him, as the NHL has ordered teams not to reveal injuries or COVID-19 news to the media. Players are simply declared as unfit to play if they aren’t able to participate in a session.

“Hopeful that he’ll get back soon,” Green said of Ferland’s status.

Sutter was declared unfit to play Wednesday and didn’t appear on the ice. He was out of action on Thursday, too.

Netminder Thatcher Demko smiled when he was asked about Wednesday’s big news, that defence prospect Jack Rathbone had signed.

“That was just awesome,” he said. His mother had played volleyball with Rathbone’s aunt when they were younger and have remained good friends.

When a teenaged Demko moved to Boston to play hockey at Boston College, his mom made sure to connect him with the Rathbones. They told him to call if he ever needed anything. 1188489 Vancouver Canucks “I remember sitting in the locker room and looking at the lineup and I swear there were only a handful of guys on the Calgary team who weren’t on the roster last year,” said Woo. “So it was exciting for me to see how I matched up with guys who had already played in the NHL. I Ben Kuzma: Is there a budding Bieksa in Canucks prospect Jett Woo? thought I not only kept up, I stepped up and played the body.

“And I was even chirping some of the other guys. It was a fun experience and a good step for me.” BEN KUZMA The next career step depends on a lot of factors. July 16, 2020 4:24 PM PDT Woo signed a three-year, entry level deal in March 2019, but the salary-

cap crunch facing the Canucks is daunting. They have unrestricted and "I’ve seen couple of his highlights and I’ve seen people kind of compare restricted free agents on the back end and signed NCAA standout Jack me to Bieksa. Even my last year in Moose Jaw, where I put up a point a Rathbone to an entry-level deal Wednesday. Nikita Tryamkin is playing game, I still felt I was that gritty defenceman who was chirping, getting in another year in the KHL and prospect Olli Juolevi will try to finally crack the other team's head and still playing hard" —Canucks prospect Jett the roster next season along with AHL standout Brogan Rafferty. Woo “I’m just working hard and not worrying too much about where I am,” said Is Jett Woo a Kevin Bieksa 2.0? Woo, who skates and trains with his father who runs the Laker Hockey Academy in Winnipeg. The Vancouver Canucks’ prospect defenceman had improved awareness in his own zone this season with the Calgary Hitmen of the Woo has plenty of added incentive. He wasn’t invited to the last two WHL. It complemented a game with plenty of grit, offensive potential, the Team Canada camps for the World Junior Hockey Championship. A slow will to lead and the gift of gab. transitional start in Calgary didn’t help and one insider noted of Woo that “he’s not good enough.” That was Bieksa. Loud and proud and tough as nails. He carved out a 13-year NHL career by doing whatever it took. And he scored in double “That’s just going to make me better,” said Woo. “I’m the type of person overtime to propel the Canucks to the 2011 Stanley Cup Final. who always uses as much as I can as fire. This year put me in the right direction and it also humbled me.” He also had 73 career goals, 1,271 penalty minutes, 67 fights and countless barbs and jabs at the opposition — even at his teammates with THE WOO FILE a dry wit. Age: 19 “I’m not saying he’s going to be that player, but he’s like a Bieksa,” Hometown: Winnipeg Canucks general manager Jim Benning said of the club’s second-round selection in the 2018 entry draft. “He can move the puck, but there are Height/Weight: 6-foot, 189 pounds intangibles where he can play a rough and physical game and get under the skin of the opponent. Position: Defence

“His ability to sort out the play and react with conviction, that’s where he Drafted: 2018, 37th overall made some real good strides.” The skinny: “Once he got settled into a new team, the coaches were Woo, who turns 20 on July 27, was too young to recall three 40-point happy with his two-way game. He didn’t put up as many points as the seasons for Bieksa. But he knows today’s game places a premium on previous year, but he still had a good development year.” — Vancouver agile puck-moving defenceman and that there will always be a place for Canucks GM Jim Benning. those who can box out down low, move the puck up ice, be hard to play against and not afraid to speak up. Vancouver Province: LOADED: 07.17.2020 “I’ve seen a couple of his highlights and I’ve seen people kind of compare me to Bieksa,” Woo said Thursday from his off-season home in Winnipeg. “Even my last year in Moose Jaw, where I put up a point a game (66 in 62 games), I still felt I was that gritty defenceman who was chirping, getting in the other team’s head and still playing hard.

“I’ll never lose that part of my game and what I can do is make it better.”

Woo was forced to play better on a veteran-laden Hitmen club that was prepped for a long postseason run after compiling a 35-24-4-1 record when the season was cancelled by the novel coronavirus outbreak. It had a lot to do with Woo’s production slipping — 46 points (7-39) in 64 games — but he thought his game grew because of the competitive environment.

Woo had an 11-game point streak in February and 88 penalty minutes and was buoyed by higher demands from the coaching staff.

And his vision should improve because he had laser-eye surgery in June.

“It was more of a team game in Calgary and trying to get everyone involved and ready for that playoff run,” said Woo. “It was an eye opener for me, just to be with a new team and see how everything works in going to a first-class organization.

“It was seeing Flames alumni around the rink and being in a bigger city. Going into potentially my last year in the WHL — because we’re not sure what’s going to happen with it (COVID-19) — I wanted to round out my game this year and improve my strength. And that was playing hard and gritty. I thought I was reliable.”

Woo played in a Canucks split-squad preseason game in Calgary last fall in which Jake Virtanen scored twice in a 3-2 overtime win. The Flames iced 15 NHL players and the Canucks rolled out six. 1188490 Vancouver Canucks It’s well known that Tryamkin didn’t mesh well with Green’s predecessor, , so hearing from the Canucks’ current bench boss, who is a big believer in being player-centric in his methods, clearly made an impact. Nyet yet Canucks, Nikita Tryamkin is staying in Russia Green said he enjoyed the discussion with Tryamkin.

What he heard from the big Russian sounded familiar to him, echoing his PATRICK JOHNSTON own experience in personal and professional growth when he was a player. July 16, 2020 2:55 PM PDT “The first time he came over it was a good learning process for him. As

you get older and you play more, it happened to me a lot, as you look Nikita Tryamkin, the former Vancouver Canucks defenceman who had back you learn some things,” Green said. “His English was a lot better made a lot of noise about wanting to return to the NHL over the past than it was before.” year, has re-signed in the KHL. SNAP SHOTS — Diamond also pointed out that contracts like The giant blueliner re-signed with Avtomobilist Yekaterinburg on Baertschi’s, for mid-tier forwards, are likely to dry up in the flat-cap world. Thursday, ending speculation for another year that he’s going to return to “That $3-million player is a luxury that is going to disappear. Star either the Canucks or the NHL. forwards like Pettersson are going to suck up whatever cap room there is.” Todd Diamond, Tryamkin’s agent, told Postmedia his client is disappointed.

“But we never got into any substantive discussion (with the Canucks) in Vancouver Province: LOADED: 07.17.2020 any case,” he said. “Very general, never the nitty-gritty.”

Canucks general manager Jim Benning had said previously he was interested in bringing Tryamkin, who he drafted in 2014, back to the NHL. Benning and assistant general manager John Weisbrod are known to favour big players and Tryamkin certainly fits the bill at 6-foot-8.

Tryamkin played 79 games for the Canucks between the final weeks of the 2015-16 season and the entirety of 2016-17. He scored three goals and added eight assists, playing as a third-pairing defenceman for the most part.

According to Diamond, he and his client simply ran out of time. Tryamkin hasn’t skated since February and there was a chance to get back on the ice with the team he’s skated with in Russia his entire professional life.

The cap-crunched Canucks couldn’t fit Tryamkin, who scored two goals and nine assists in 58 games for Yekaterinburg this past season, on a one-way, one-year deal into their current cap situation for 2020-21, Diamond said.

“We know they have a mess on their hands, with the flat-cap world, with Roberto Luongo sitting there,” he said, referring to the US$3-million cap recapture penalty that’s further diminishing the Canucks’ ability to spend. The fact the Canucks signed the underperforming Loui Eriksson, plus depth centres Jay Beagle and Brandon Sutter, to big contracts doesn’t help matters either.

The Canucks hold Tryamkin’s rights through the end of the 2021-22 season. Diamond has long maintained that Tryamkin wants to return to the NHL. That’s still his desire. And given the Canucks still hold his rights, the preference remains in Vancouver.

“If he wasn’t committed, we wouldn’t have waited,” Diamond said. “We take a realistic view of things — they have the rights, if you want to get out of the rights, you have to make a fire. That doesn’t make sense. And he knows Vancouver as a city. He’s comfortable with it.”

He pointed out that next summer Sven Baertschi’s contract comes off the books, which will create some flexibility. And Alex Edler — who Tryamkin would not be an effective replacement for, despite his stature — Jordie Benn and Sutter will also be out of contract.

“This gives Vancouver another two cycles to make the moves they need to make. There is a bit more flexibility next year,” he said. “The thing Jim Benning needs is time.”

But it must also be pointed out that Tryamkin wouldn’t be the only Canuck chasing a contract, as both Quinn Hughes and Elias Pettersson will be looking for big raises that summer as well.

This Canucks team is very different from the one Tryamkin left. Diamond said Tryamkin has taken great note of that. Travis Green spoke with him on the phone some months back.

“The team has a lot of good pieces, more than when he left,” Diamond said. “He was committed to coming early for training, understanding what he needs to do to be an effective NHLer.” 1188491 Vancouver Canucks The league said earlier this week 30 players tested positive for COVID- 19 during voluntary workouts at team facilities between June 8 and July 12. Another 13 positive results came outside of the league’s protocol, while 10 other players tested positive in the spring. Training camps Used to playing through aches and illness, NHLers know COVID-19 is opened Monday, but individuals and teams won’t be named moving different forward with regards to positive tests.

It’s no secret players have hid countless injuries in the past, and the league has been criticized heavily for how it dealt with the concussion Joshua Clipperton issue, but Mathieu Schneider, special assistant to NHLPA executive director Don Fehr, said the virus is different territory.

Dave Tippett remembers keeping injuries from trainers on numerous “If concussions were contagious, I think players would feel differently occasions during his playing days. about it,” Schneider said. “Guys certainly understand the notion that if they are not honest with symptoms or how they might feel, that they put A cracked bone? Good to go. What about a sore shoulder? No problem. their entire team in jeopardy.

It’s well known that NHLers battle through aches, pains and even illness. “There’s going to be a huge onus on the players here in [training camp] Almost like clockwork, a flu bug tears through more than a few locker to make sure that they’re taking care of themselves and looking out for rooms every season. Players often attempt to soldier on without missing their teammates – going to the rink, going home, going to the grocery any time, especially when the games matter most. store, social distancing, wearing mask, washing your hands. All the things that all of us are practising every single day now.” In the era of COVID-19, however, some of that old the definition of “toughness” is being thrown out the window. Toronto Maple Leafs defenceman Morgan Rielly said it simply comes down to common sense is in this new reality. Players and coaches are keenly aware that if they’re feeling even the slightest bit off – and there are a laundry list of symptoms associated with “It’s on the players and our staff to be honest with each other,” he said. the novel coronavirus, from chills to headaches to fatigue and weakness “You don’t want to put anyone else at risk. – it needs to be reported immediately. “You want to do what’s best for them.” “Doesn’t matter if you’re a tough hockey player or not,” said Tippett, now the head coach of the Edmonton Oilers. “I had a lot of games where I hid a broken finger or something like that from doctors. I didn’t want them to Globe And Mail LOADED: 07.17.2020 know because they wouldn’t let me play.

“But when you get sick, you’re going to have to tell people. That’s just the way of the new world.”

The NHL opened training camps this week as part of its plan to kickstart a campaign that was suspended in mid-March by the pandemic. Players and staff are getting tested every 48 hours – they’re not currently quarantined – and that will be increased to once a day when the 24 teams involved in the resumption head to the hub cities of Edmonton and Toronto, where they’ll be kept in a bubble separate from the general public.

Vancouver Canucks captain Bo Horvat said the mentality of the past has been turned on its head when it comes to illness.

“As hockey players you want to be in every single game, you want to play, and you want to help your teammate, and you want to be a difference-maker,” he said. “Before you played through colds, you played through injuries, you played through sickness and stuff like that.

“You have to step back and think a little bit now. It’s a different animal, this virus. You have to be not only cautious of yourself and how you’re feeling, but the people around you, too. It’s not just your teammates, it’s the medical staff, it’s the trainers, it’s everybody you’re around every single day, and even obviously opposing teams. You’ve got to think of everybody. You’ve got to be very cautious.”

Edmonton Oilers centre and season leading scorer Leon Draisaitl said that caution is going to become the new norm.

“Every hockey player has played through certain things and we’ve all played through a flu or sickness or whatever it is,” he said. “But now with this going around, it makes it a little more dangerous.

“You have to be careful.”

Winnipeg Jets centre Andrew Copp said hockey’s team-first mentality should kick in if someone isn’t feeling right.

“You hope that everyone’s pretty dialled in, and not only for everyone’s health and safety, but for the team too,” he said. “If this guy gets it, he’s not playing. Hopefully everyone can realize that we’re all making a lot of sacrifices here.”

The NHL hasn’t said how many positive tests would constitute the “uncontrolled outbreak” listed in its return-to-play protocol that could conceivably shut the league’s resumption down. There’s a difference between cases being spread out and a cluster of infections on a team or teams. 1188492 Vancouver Canucks He’s grown up, matured and understands he needs to do more to contribute to the group on his second go-around in the NHL. People and players mature and evolve. Tryamkin has, by all accounts.

Nikita Tryamkin signs in KHL: Why what you think you know about him is “I believe the first time he came over it was a good learning process for wrong him,” Canucks head coach Travis Green said Thursday when asked about a telephone call between himself and Tryamkin, first reported by The Athletic last week. “As you get older and play more — and it happened to me a lot throughout my career where you look back at By Thomas Drance things and learn from them — and I think he did that. His English was a Jul 16, 2020 lot better than it was before, and I actually really enjoyed my conversation with him.”

And so a colourful saga continues, with a reunion put off for another year. Nikita Tryamkin’s much-discussed return to the NHL will wait for at least This isn’t the last act, though. another cycle. The club not only will retain Tryamkin’s exclusive rights through next Tryamkin has signed a one-year contract with Avtomobilist offseason, but — as a result of him not signing now — will also retain him Yekaterinburg. He will remain in the KHL for the 2020-21 season. as an expansion exempt player in the 2021 Seattle expansion draft, according to Canucks sources. This isn’t the end of this story, it’s just the latest false start. Tryamkin, drafted 66th overall in Jim Benning’s first draft as Canucks general In the meantime, Tryamkin will surely continue to be discussed ad manager, could yet make a return to Vancouver before all is said and nauseam in Vancouver. done. Perhaps it’s a result of his dramatic dimensions or his uniqueness as a Like everything else these days, the pandemic played a major role in hockey player. Whatever is behind it, Tryamkin has always been a fun, shaping this outcome. Tryamkin wanted to sign with the Canucks for the engaging topic. 2020-21 season. He waited until after the opening of KHL training camps. He was hoping that he could get some certainty — and a credible offer — From the Patcast’s tongue-in-cheek quest to have him on the podcast as from a Canucks organization he’d like to play for again. a guest to the BFG T-shirts to the Chris Pronger video, Tryamkin has seemingly always been on the tip of the tongue for Canucks fans. That didn’t materialize. The two sides never really got down to the business of hammering out a deal. The Pronger video, in particular, remains a classic bit of underground Canucks lore. Over the years the story has taken on a life of its own. It’s As Tryamkin’s deal with Avtomobilist caused ripples Thursday morning, blended with an organizational habit for overselling player comparables Tryamkin’s agent Todd Diamond had some critical things to say about during the leanest years of the rebuild. the Canucks’ cap situation on TSN 1040, to Rick Dhaliwal and to Postmedia’s Patrick Johnston. You can bet the Canucks weren’t too It’s now oversold as a tale of the Canucks mismanaging a prospect’s pleased, though that won’t inhibit their extant interest in Tryamkin. development.

Tryamkin’s decision to remain in the KHL was probably inevitable Whether that latter point is true or not, a four-minute video of how considering how this has all played out. I suspect that in normal times, Pronger used his size to intimidate opponents didn’t make the difference with all of what’s implied by that — the cap’s upper limit going up several between Tryamkin succeeding in the NHL or not. That’s absurd. million dollars and the Canucks business functioning as normal — there In fact, the video wasn’t even custom made. It was found by then- would’ve been a deal to be made. Canucks video coach Ben Cooper — currently the head coach of the As it stands with the introduction of a multi-year flat salary cap and the Blue Fox of ’s Metal Ligaen — on YouTube and shown uncertainty introduced by the novel coronavirus, the Canucks couldn’t to Tryamkin in an effort to inspire him to be a bit more unpredictable and responsibly commit a mid-sized “prove it” type contract to Tryamkin, who play that intimidation ‘game-within-a-game’ that still matters in the NHL. would’ve projected as a third pair defender for the club next season. It’s “It was about using his size to intimidate and create space,” Cooper said. not all about the cap — we showed how Tryamkin could potentially fit into “Coaches do this all the time with young players. Teach, inspire, give the equation — but in a flat cap environment and in consideration of them new ideas.” Tryamkin’s KHL leverage, it wouldn’t have been convenient to have Tryamkin take up more space against the cap than a typical depth The video itself remains live and publicly listed on YouTube. It’s titled defensive signing. “Chris Pronger: Mean, Nasty and Tough.”

Vancouver is going to need to be efficient somewhere on their roster and As the latest episode of the Tryamkin story closes, here’s the fabled the left side of their third defensive pair is a crucial area for the team to Pronger video that was shown to Tryamkin, for the viewing pleasure of try to go with a “plug and play” approach with a player on an affordable the VIPs: contract. Assuming the club is able to move Jordie Benn’s contract, there’s going to be options to do so too: whether it’s re-signing Oscar Fantenberg at a modest cap hit, having Jack Rathbone play on an entry- The Athletic LOADED: 07.17.2020 level contract or hard selling a veteran unrestricted free agent defender on coming short term to Vancouver, where life is relatively normal amid the pandemic. After all, it seems very possible that low rates of community transmission could replace low state taxation rates as a stealth factor on the NHL free agent market this offseason.

Tryamkin had an understandable timeline and was reluctant to wait too much longer. He hasn’t played since February. He can’t be sure the 2020-21 NHL season will even commence on time and as planned.

Meanwhile, Tryamkin represented a luxury bet for the Canucks.

There is ample reason to be skeptical about what Tryamkin could’ve contributed on his return. The negativity about Tryamkin’s character and ability has gone a bit overboard, though.

Tryamkin remains an extremely rare specimen. He’s a 6-foot-7, 250- pound hockey Goliath who moves very well for his size. His skill set is roughly NHL-level and at the very least, he’d have been a useful penalty kill contributor with the upside to play reliably in an everyday role on the third pair. 1188493 Vancouver Canucks unless there are injuries – like to Brandon Sutter, who missed Wednesday’s practice and was designated “unfit to play.”

In and of itself the clarity we were given about Vancouver’s probable Canucks summer training camp: 6 thoughts from the first 3 days Game 1 qualifying round lineup right off the bat is the statement.

It’s a statement of intent and focus, really. That the job is clear and simple. This time in Phase 3 is about preparing for the Wild specifically, By Thomas Drance not about experimenting with players and trying them out.

Jul 16, 2020 Which brings us to the rather innovative decision Green has made for Day 4 of the Canucks’ playoff prep camp. The club is hosting a

“simulated game” on Thursday night, complete with a 10:30 a.m. morning The Vancouver Canucks are back on the ice as a team, conducting full skate and a 7 p.m. puck drop for a scrimmage. For Canucks players, the team practices that are officially called “Phase 3 training sessions,” as rhythms of Day 4 will closely match a preseason opener in a normal the NHL attempts to restart the season. camp environment.

“Phase 3 training sessions” is such a sterile term though. But in a world The simulated game day seems like a clever way to break up the usual rocked by a disruptive viral outbreak, where health and safety are at a monotony of extended training camp practice sessions and one wonders premium throughout our day-to-day lives, romantic, sales-driven phrasing how often the Canucks will hold these nighttime scrimmages in the lead is not at all a priority. up to the club’s scheduled departure for the Phase 4 Edmonton bubble in just over a week. I’d expect this isn’t a one-off. The phrase “Phase 3” is clearly designed by medical professionals who have scientifically broken down how professional athletes at the highest It’s also another sign of outside the box thinking from a Canucks head levels can get back to the business of competing in the safest possible coach who has taken an impressively modern approach to prepare his manner to its essential components. In essence, it’s a plan for the steps club for this qualifying round matchup. Even beyond the simulated game that professional athletes absolutely need to take in order to ramp up days, as Green and his staff have worked through the pre-scouting physically to compete in Phase 4. process during the hiatus, the breakdown of their own club and – since the matchup became set over five weeks ago – of the Wild has included At some point though, the romance will return. It’s inevitable. Once the Vancouver’s analytics and video department. games matter, this will again be “the show.” They’ve employed in-house data and advanced stats, with the Canucks’ And that’s worth keeping in mind. The Canucks aren’t just gearing up to analysts working hand-in-hand with the hockey people on the coaching be at optimal health and performance for Phase 4. staff to diagnose and, with video, confirm various deployment, tactical and structural matters. They’re preparing up to win games in the Stanley Cup playoffs, damn it. Will that work give the Canucks an edge when the games are played? Three days into the Canucks’ playoff preparatory camp, it’s time to Maybe, maybe not. It’s hockey. There are always variables. breakdown six big takeaways from what we’ve seen on the ice so far. By the way, you can expect more from Harman Dayal, who will take you There’s a certain way a coach will send a message, even in training inside Green and his staff’s analytical approach to analyzing his club’s camp. Things aren’t done at random – or as Canucks head coach Travis performance as we get closer to puck drop. Green would say “we didn’t just draw the names out of a hat, I can tell you that” – there’s a logic behind every choice, one that becomes more On the second day of the Canucks’ training session on Tuesday, apparent as camp goes along. Vancouver’s coaches ran their players through a variety of fast-paced drills that heavily emphasized skating. Green has previously run three training camps as Vancouver’s head coach and at each of those camps, he’s tended to make a big statement For the first 20 minutes, as the club moved with pace and purpose right off the bat. between drills, nearly every exercise – like continuous 2-on-1 drills, with back checkers – was effectively a stealth bag skate. In his first year, back in 2017-18, Green opened Canucks training camp by giving Nikolay Goldobin the first shot of playing with Henrik and Daniel Just look at the Jake Virtanen backcheck, or how gassed J.T. Miller is Sedin (it didn’t last long). In Year 2, he moved Elias Pettersson, a rookie after he scores to get an idea of the pace of practice: forward who’d played on the wing in his final season in the , and from the get-go played him as a first-line centre. It The whole thing looked brutal, absolutely gruelling, even from the 300 was a decision that altered the trajectory of the franchise. And in Year 3, level. And this was the day after the formal Day 1 bag skate on Monday. Green debuted a Quinn Hughes/Chris Tanev pair on the very first day of On Tuesday, things settled down after a water break 22 minutes into camp. By December, the duo had emerged as his matchup pair and they practice. Finally, there was some in-zone work. were rarely separated at even strength throughout the season. After the 55-minute practice concluded and the main group caught some If we consider this pre-playoff camp to be the third-and-a-half Canucks wind during a brief scrape and a few minutes for the black aces to get training camp of Green’s tenure, it’s notable that there’s really been warmed up, the Canucks’ regulars returned to the ice for a scrimmage. nothing too significant lineup-wise that stands out as a “statement.” The After the scrimmage, Green admitted he thought his players looked tired Canucks top-six forward group looks like it did when we last saw it. The during it. bottom-six looks a bit different, in that Zack MacEwen isn’t a regular in rushes at the moment, but that’s really just a product of Jay Beagle being There were some exceptions, of course, some players who stood out healthy and changing up the bottom-six somewhat. significantly during that scrimmage. Pettersson and Hughes were among them, of course. Miller has probably looked like the Canucks’ best On defence, the Canucks iced the same basic pairs that they did on Day player throughout the first three days and was his usual swashbuckling 1 of training camp in Victoria way back in a different world in September self. Chris Tanev snuffed out everything with his uncanny defensive 2019. The only difference is that Oscar Fantenberg has passed Jordie awareness, of course. Benn on the depth chart in the intervening months. And then there was Loui Eriksson. Much maligned in Vancouver and Typically, the statements Green has made early on in his training camps written off eight times over. When Canucks fans think of Eriksson, they have centred around his usage of a particular young player. There’s mostly think about how the club can get rid of his cap hit. nothing like that this time. In Tuesday’s scrimmage though, Eriksson was unstoppable. He didn’t This isn’t an ordinary training camp. This time, it’s about gearing up for a lose a puck battle. When he had the puck, he always made the right play. single opponent, NFL-style. He had energy despite what had come before the scrimmage and he There’s no time for experimentation or messing around. Green’s going used it to out-compete everybody. He was just stronger on the puck than with his lineup from the get-go and aside from tweaking things for any checker he encountered. scrimmages, the Canucks’ bench boss probably won’t fundamentally If a player the market is more excited about – like MacEwen, Kole Lind or alter his deployments from what we saw on Day 1 this week too much, Jake Virtanen – had put in a scrimmage performance like that, the media watching the training camp session would’ve written articles, maybe even The Wild generate a ton of offence from the back end. It’s not just the songs, about it. Hype would’ve been built. Excited fan comments like production from Minnesota’s defenders, though that jumps right off the “The playoffs is when that type of player shines!” would’ve crushed my @ page, it’s also the style they play. Minnesota’s defenders – from Ryan mentions on Twitter. Suter to Jared Spurgeon to Jonas Brodin to Matt Dumba, even Carson Soucy scored seven goals this season – are responsible for driving a lot But it’s Eriksson, so no one really cared. I tweeted about it and most fans of the Wild’s offensive attack. thought I was kidding. Cutting off the top and making clean plays along the wall with a defender Anyway, it’s just a Day 2 scrimmage, right? pinching down is going to be crucial for Canucks wingers against Well, on Wednesday, Eriksson did it again. He scored a breakaway goal Minnesota’s blueliners, and those aren’t exactly hallmarks of Virtanen’s and helped his team win the game, for a second consecutive day, thus game. In fact, those are areas where he’s characteristically struggled. avoiding the loser’s fitness test punishment. It could be a perfect storm for the fan favourite. Vancouver probably Here’s the thing about Eriksson, and while it may be considered a hot needs Virtanen’s speed and offence in the bottom-six, so you’d think he’d take, I stand by it: It’s time to make peace with the likelihood that he’s have the edge as it stands today. going to be in the lineup when the Canucks play the Wild. With MacEwen pushing and in consideration of Ferland’s abilities if he’s He’s going to be in the lineup because he’s one of the club’s most healthy, Virtanen should probably feel some pressure to show a bit more effective two-way wingers and one of their most effective penalty killers. here. He’s going to be in the lineup because he’s smarter and fitter and more The Canucks are making no secret of the fact that they’re holding an defensively reliable than the other candidates for those minutes. open audition to see which of their organizational depth defenders can He’s going to be in the lineup because, for all of the mostly fair criticism seize that eighth defender spot. he’s endured over the years, he’s still the club’s best (and, yes, also their It’s the one spot in the main group that rotates daily. On Monday, Jalen most expensive) fourth-line forward. Chatfield skated with the main group while paired up with Benn. On We’ve yet to see any special teams work from the Canucks at training Tuesday, Brogan Rafferty took his turn. On Wednesday, it was Guillaume camp so far, which isn’t surprising. We probably won’t see it at any great Brisebois. Ashton Sautner will surely get his shot too, and maybe even length – aside from a touch of lite work at morning skate on Thursday – Olli Juolevi. until next week. Conceptually, this might seem like a low stakes audition. An eighth With the composition of the club’s bottom six, we’ve already seen that defender seems pretty low down the depth chart, especially when the penalty killing is going to be a significant factor shaping which forwards seventh defender can play both sides. end up in the lineup. If Sutter’s injury is more serious, we have no way of It’s amazing in the playoffs though how quickly an eighth defender can knowing since all the information we’re permitted at the moment is “unfit find themselves playing real minutes. Benn will also, at some point, be to play,” this will be doubly true. leaving the team to be with his family for the birth of his first child, One side effect of the Canucks’ youth and attacking potential, especially meaning he will have to quarantine on his return. down the middle, is that the club doesn’t really have a huge surplus of And, of course, it’s not just about filling a particular depth slot for the 24- reliable penalty-killing forwards. Pettersson has never done it and while team return to play format either. This audition matters for the Canucks he’s surely got the on-ice intelligence to be excellent in time in 4-on-5 depth defenders that are looking to make an impression that will give situations, he’s not really the guy you want expending energy in them an edge at the next Canucks training camp ahead of the 2020-21 stationary defensive situations. He’s certainly not the guy you want season. rushing out to the point to block a shot. That competition will be exceedingly high leverage, especially with all of has improved defensively, but his play away from the the uncertainty on the Canucks blue line going forward and the club’s puck remains a work in progress. Bo Horvat, for reasons that I find overall cap crunch. In a world where Tanev, Fantenberg and Troy baffling considering his two-way value at even strength, remains Stecher’s contracts are expiring and where it’s far from guaranteed that unreliable when the Canucks are shorthanded. The Canucks Benn will be back with the club next season, there could realistically be surrendered expected and actual goals against at a higher rate with real competition for a couple of everyday blue line jobs at the NHL level. Horvat on the ice this past season than they did with any other regularly used penalty-killing forward: This is a big opportunity for the players cycling through the main group.

In the event Sutter’s injury is serious and threatens his ability to So far we’ve seen all of the hopefuls participate in scrimmages, and participate versus Minnesota, there becomes no reliable way to remove Chatfield, Rafferty and Brisebois skate for a full practice with the main Eriksson, Motte and Beagle from the lineup — particularly because the group. Of those three, I thought Brisebois looked the most polished by a Wild power play is pretty potent. It might also force Miller into killing fair bit. penalties, a necessity that tends to cause his ice time to balloon well beyond what’s optimal. Aside from clearly NHL calibre passing, Brisebois doesn’t do anything that really stands out, but everything about his game is polished and NHL These variables introduce a mess of knock off effects across the bottom quality or just about. It showed when he was with the main group on six. For example, if you need Beagle, Motte and Eriksson in the lineup, Wednesday and didn’t look at all out of place. and Vancouver probably does, that makes it pretty tough to find space for more than one of Virtanen, Ferland or MacEwen. Rafferty is so good with the puck, but I wonder if his edgework, particularly when defending off of the rush, isn’t quite at the level of an Virtanen rung a typically dangerous wrist shot off the crossbar in everyday NHL player. Wednesday’s scrimmage. Aside from that, he hasn’t stood out. Watching Rafferty in one particular instance pivot to defend one of Virtanen’s fitness level isn’t noticeably off – he appears to be keeping up Vancouver’s elite forwards, Dayal caught my eye and waved me over. As from the media’s vantage point in the 300 level – but he’s yet to really I approached him – keeping a safe physical distance – Dayal said to me, assert himself in camp to this point. And as we spelled out in the last “Remember that Benning quote?” in reference to the one Benning section, because of Vancouver’s penalty-killing shortfall up front, there’s provided The Athletic for our top-10 ranking of Canucks prospects: going to be a lot of competition for those bottom-six minutes, particularly along the wings once Ferland joins the main group, as he’s expected to “Where he still needs some work is on the rush, defending on the rush, shortly. his gap control, his mobility and stuff like that.”

Turning these scenarios over in my head and watching these practices, I just nodded. I’ve become convinced that it’s really not a lock that Virtanen will be in Monday was really a tough skating day, and I don’t have too many the lineup for Game 1 against the Wild. A decision not based on fitness takeaways from how Chatfield performed. He certainly kept up, though level or training camp performance, but a confirmation of Virtanen’s that’s not a big surprise since he’s an excellent skater. We’ll see how he continued inability to button-down defensively. handles the higher intensity scrimmages as practice moves along, and There’s also a matchup specific consideration here. whether he shows some of that physical bite that is a separator for him. As for Juolevi, he was used at both forward and defence in Tuesday’s scrimmage and in both positions I thought he really struggled. There were some moments when he looked impressive going through drills with the black aces on Wednesday, but I suspect as the Canucks drop a few players to get to their 31 player maximum before Phase 4, that Juolevi is likely to be among the players the club leaves behind.

The competition level

Big picture, overall I’ve been really impressed with the level, pace and seriousness that the club has managed and maintained through the first three days of camp. A five-month hiatus, with ice difficult to come by – especially in the first few months of the pandemic – and coming back, the Canucks look more or less like themselves.

When you think about it, it’s actually kind of amazing.

The scrimmages have been pretty spirited on occasion, with the competition amping up for a shift or two here and there, particularly as the clock winds down. It’s not like there have been any big hits or anything, these players are still teammates, but there’s a pretty constant flow of hard battles.

Overall the Canucks look fit and the aura hanging over the camp is impressively competitive in the early going. I’d expect that to ramp up further as it moves along, particularly as the Canucks move into Thursday’s simulated game day.

Perhaps my favourite moment of the first three days speaks to the overall competitive atmosphere. It occurred after Team Blue, losers of Wednesday’s scrimmage, had completed their fitness test punishment of push-ups and a back-and-forth neutral zone crawl.

Players aren’t always on the same team in these scrimmages. They switch it up day-to-day, to keep it fresh.

Jacob Markstrom was on the losing Team White the day prior. He only let in one goal, a bit of a flukey long-distance Tyler Toffoli marker.

As Team Blue filtered off the ice, Team White did a bag skate. In full equipment, trailing well behind the skaters, Markstrom dutifully completed his share of the losing team’s laps.

And so it was, again, on Wednesday. Markstrom, the teams MVP two years running, an absolutely fierce competitor, finished his share of the crawl and as he stepped off of the ice, he smashed his stick angrily against the boards.

The Canucks might lose to Minnesota in the qualifying round. They also might win, but things could very realistically go against them.

Outcome aside, when your starter and a key leader on the club, is that mad about losing consecutive scrimmages, that’s when you’re beginning to cook with oil as a group.

And I’d bet Markstrom destroys Thursday night’s test game too.

The Athletic LOADED: 07.17.2020 1188494 Websites One thing he didn’t do was cut his hair, which brought quite a smile when asked if he was indeed sporting a man bun.

“There haven’t been barber shops open in New Jersey – it’s been Sportsnet.ca / Flames, Johnny Gaudreau shrugging off speculation terrible,” Gaudreau said with a laugh. He isn’t legally permitted to go during unorthodox camp anywhere in Calgary other than the rink and his home, due to Canadian quarantine rules.

“My niece is four or five years old – she dyed her hair blue and so she Eric Francis | @EricFrancis wanted to dye mine blue. It didn’t come out blue, it came out bleached, and now it’s yellow, and now I don’t know what to do. It has been a wild July 16, 2020, 7:22 PM three months at home at the Gaudreau house. I need a barbershop to open up and I need this quarantine to end to get out of my condo and get a fresh cut.” So much for waiting until the playoffs for the Calgary Flames to demonstrate they have some pushback in them. Treliving and coach Geoff Ward have said the groups will look a lot more normal soon, paving the way for intrasquad games as early as Sunday Brad Treliving went on the offensive Thursday, hosting a hastily-called (the team is likely off Saturday). online availability to address chatter he felt the need to dispel. “We have a pretty good idea, but I don’t want to say ‘this date’ and for In particular, the Flames general manager wanted to defend Johnny whatever reason it’s not, and then the speculation runs rampant again,” Gaudreau, who some national observers have speculated arrived in said Treliving, whose team has missed Dillon Dube and Buddy Robinson camp out of shape. since the start of camp, and skated without Derek Ryan and Mikael Backlund on Thursday. “Johnny Gaudreau has never looked better,” said Treliving, whose club has been the subject of endless conspiracies due to their odd training “We’re probably being overcautious. In today’s world we’re being camp groups, which have separated players like Gaudreau, Milan Lucic, cautious and letting safety rule the day and leaning on our medical Andrew Mangiapane and Cam Talbot into a group of nine, far from the professionals. And that’s what we’re going to continue to do. I’m not the main group of 23. least concerned we’re behind. The joke is already going that Team B is going to be skating circles around Team A when they get together.” “For us to focus on one guy is completely unfair. I can’t speak highly enough about the work he’s put in. He’s absolutely flying out there. He’s in a great frame of mind. I’m totally ecstatic (about) where Johnny Gaudreau is.” Sportsnet.ca LOADED: 07.17.2020

Where he is, is far from linemates Sean Monahan and Elias Lindholm, who have shrugged off the notion they’re missing valuable time to build chemistry as a trio.

Gaudreau said the same Thursday, pointing out he and Monahan have played together his entire NHL career.

Still, Treliving felt the need to address a less than ideal situation exacerbated by the league’s mandated rules prohibiting clubs from elaborating on absences from camp. The Flames refuse to discuss the circumstances that forced them to change groupings a week before camp.

“I know you’re not getting all the info you normally would, but I would caution everyone speculating in this environment,” Treliving said.

“The groupings we have today on the ice are 100 per cent not conditioning issues or because anyone is in trouble or done anything wrong. Quite the contrary. We couldn’t be more happy with the conditioning levels they came to camp in.

“Rumours are part of the business, and we don’t address every one of them, but it’s gotten to the point where I felt I need to defend my players.”

Not a bad idea at a time when team-building of any sort is needed.

Gaudreau would have entered camp with the spotlight on him anyway, given how ineffective he was each of the Flames’ last two playoff series, in which he’s accrued three assists in nine games.

A poor series by the Flames top line of Monahan, Lindholm and Gaudreau, like last playoffs, would likely mean the Winnipeg Jets will make quick work of the Flames in their best-of-five play-in starting Aug. 1.

“I guess we’ve been off sports for a while, so when a reporter gets some buzz they try to run with it,” said Gaudreau, who added he doesn’t pay much attention to media reports.

“As long as I’m prepared and ready to go. I know I will be. I’ve never not been prepared for the start of a season. I feel good, I feel fresh. I did a good job keeping up with exercising and eating well, and the other things away from the ice. I’m excited about being in a group of nine because I’m getting lots of reps, which will help us in the long run.”

Never known for his fitness levels, the 5-foot-9, 165-pound winger said he bought a Peloton bike the first week of the pandemic-induced pause and did daily rollerblades and bike rides with his folks and girlfriend. 1188495 Websites clips where he was all over the puck and winning pucks back. One very underrated thing about William is the way he can win pucks back in terms of takeaways in the offensive zone; he’s right near the top of the league in that regard.” Sportsnet.ca / Maple Leafs want even more from Nylander: 'He needs a push' Senior Writer Ryan Dixon and NHL Editor Rory Boylen always give it 110%, but never rely on clichés when it comes to podcasting. Instead, they use a mix of facts, fun and a varied group of hockey voices to cover Canada’s most beloved game. Luke Fox | @lukefoxjukebox Nylander led all Leafs with seven game-winners this season but has yet July 16, 2020, 12:44 PM to score more than once in each of his three post-season series.

As with all topics, the self-proclaimed “typical rockstar” (as per his TORONTO – The day after the nadir of the Toronto Maple Leafs’ season, Instagram bio) doesn’t seem stressed about his production in do-or-die the players were told they didn’t need to come to the rink for practice. situations. Take it easy. Maybe think about your sins. Come back recharged. Nylander is a man of much fashion and few words. One of his go-to One Leaf who had just lost to a Zamboni driver–slash–emergency goalie phrases is “of course.” was spotted clocking in at work on his day off anyway. “Of course,” he and Matthews have chemistry. There was William Nylander at Ford Performance Centre, joining the “Of course,” he’s feeling much better about heading into the Columbus injured Ilya Mikheyev, pumping pucks at frenemy David Ayres, absolving series than he was the Bruins tilt last year. the embarrassment with more shooting drills. And there was Nylander again this Wednesday, first on the ice. “Of course,” he wants to prove he’s a showtime player in August.

Jeff Marek and Elliotte Friedman talk to a lot of people around the hockey “I mean, that’s where the big players show up, and that’s where I think a world, and then they tell listeners all about what they’ve heard and what big part of my game this year will help me become a dominant player in they think about it. the playoffs,” Nylander said. “Playoff hockey is a little different, so I think that’s why we need to have a high intensity here in camp to get us all The lazy knock on Nylander is that the natural-born talent doesn’t put ready.” forth the effort, and we think much of that false notion has to do with the aesthetics of his game. As we’ve seen, a refreshed Nylander can be a dangerous Nylander.

Nylander doesn’t chug and charge, bang or crash. (Imagine: In 68 During the pause, he and his younger brother, Chicago Blackhawks games, the guy threw all of nine hits, half of them probably by accident.) forward Alexander, headed down to Florida. They soaked in the sun, He floats and dips, weaves head up, golden flow whispering in the wind. played 45 tennis matches against each other (estimated score: Alex 23, He makes a sector of hockey diehards want to chuck lunch pails at him. Willy 22), and competed in video games. Shirts optional.

But don’t confuse his mirage of effortlessness with not trying. They also did this:

“Will’s a guy who loves to be on the ice, first of all,” Nylander’s coach, “We had a blast,” Nylander says. “We were just playing around with [the Sheldon Keefe, states. “There’s no questioning his work ethic and his Toosie Slide] and we thought it was a fun thing to do, so that’s why he preparation off the ice and in practices or on his own personal time on posted it.” the ice. He does what he needs to do to get himself prepared, and I’m not worried about him on that front.” But when the call came to get back to work, Nylander hurried back to Toronto to serve his quarantine. He only missed two days of Phase 2’s To be sure, there was concern about the 24-year-old heading into 2019- voluntary workouts, and by all accounts his conditioning has him game- 20. And for self-inflicted reason. It was one thing for Nylander to push his ready. 2018 contract negotiation to the 11th hour, as was his right as a restricted free agent. It was quite another to see him cash $12 million, “I feel good out there,” Nylander smiles. score just seven goals and add one more in a seven-game playoff loss to

Boston. Sportsnet.ca LOADED: 07.17.2020 A stellar turn at the 2019 world championships, a vow to “dominate” last fall, a Comeback Player of the Year nod from the Professional Hockey Writers’ Association, and a career-best 31-goal campaign later, Nylander looks worth every penny of his $6.96-million cap hit.

“I was playing pretty good there,” Nylander said this week at camp, where he’s been reunited with Auston Matthews and Zach Hyman on Toronto’s top line. “I got in a good flow, and I think I started to find my game and develop in the areas where my strengths are. I was getting more out of my game.”

What is both frustrating and encouraging, five seasons into Nylander’s NHL run, is a sense that there is still more to squeeze out.

Keefe’s challenge is to summon a consistent level of effort and competitiveness from the winger game-to-game. The feeling is that, yes, Nylander is a zone-entry master and 42 takeaways this season are swell, but he could have even more steals.

“It’s part of Will’s nature, at times, to not be as engaged as you’d like him to be. And he needs a push. Sometimes it comes from me, but sometimes it comes from himself as well. He’s a guy that is hard on himself,” Keefe explains.

The coach tries to guide through positive reinforcement, showing Nylander clips not of his mistakes, but rather of shifts where he’s hounding the puck with a strong stick and winning it back along the wall. He wants to drill a sense of urgency into the player.

“At times, he doesn’t even need to see the clips. He knows the situations you’re talking about,” Keefe says. “I showed him a number of different 1188496 Websites The good news is, Edmonton has the best penalty kill at the dance, finishing the regular season second (84.4 per cent) behind only San Jose. Meanwhile, they have two options in goal in case one of Mikko Koskinen or Mike Smith does not return from the pause in form. Sportsnet.ca / Oilers optimistic they have what it takes for extended playoff run We know, traditional hockey lore states that a team goes with its hot goalie exclusively in the playoffs. That would be the case with Edmonton’s proposed first-round opponent, the Chicago Blackhawks, who would ride Corey Crawford if he’s healthy, though he’s been deemed Mark Spector | @sportsnetspec “unfit to play” and absent from camp so far. July 16, 2020, 12:00 PM However in Edmonton this season, Smith started 37 games to Koskinen’s 34. They were a true tandem, so the question for head coach Dave Tippett would be: does he pick one and go with him, or does he EDMONTON — As the players filtered into position for the faceoff that continue with the platoon system that left the Oilers as the second-best would open the second period of a Jets-Oilers game on that fateful team in the Pacific this season? Wednesday evening, Blake Wheeler skated a little closer to Leon Draisaitl, leaning in to hear the Oilers centre. From the press box, you We’d bet that Smith gets the first start, and Tippett goes with his gut from knew what the topic was, on a night when the NBA had abruptly there. postponed its first game and had a player test positive for COVID-19. It’s put his Oilers in a good position so far this season. “He asked me if I had heard about the NBA?” Wheeler said after the game, a 4-2 Jets win on the last night of the National Hockey League schedule before ‘The Pause.’ “The refs were talking about it too. It’s an Sportsnet.ca LOADED: 07.17.2020 usual kind of night overall. I was talking to (Jets winger) Andrew Copp before the game, saying it’s going to be wild looking at our phones after the game. We barely got the puck dropped and the dominoes were already falling.”

There were five games played on the night of Wednesday, March 11. By the time they were completed, we knew the chances of seeing any hockey on the Thursday, let alone that Maple Leafs-Bruins, Jets-Flames doubleheader on , were poor.

In Edmonton, when you mused that perhaps we wouldn’t see NHL hockey again for a long while, the reaction was universal. “We waited this long to have a good team, and now they’re cancelling the playoffs?!?”

It is a cruel, cruel twist that after all those barbs about wasting Connor McDavid’s prime years on a team that couldn’t make the playoffs, an Oilers team that appears to have finally turned the corner would have its post-season called off. Edmonton has missed the playoffs in 12 of 13 seasons, but then spent this season near (or at) the top of the Pacific Division. How could fans be denied the excitement they had earned over 71 games?

Well, with NHL teams now in mid-summer training camps ahead of an August 1 return to play, let’s take a look at where Edmonton stands heading into this weird, 24-team, ghost game post-season.

No question, Edmonton’s weakness is 5-on-5 play — not a good thing when power plays get harder to earn in the playoffs. No playoff team has a worse “goals for percentage” at five-on-five than Edmonton (47.32 per cent), according to Natural Stat Trick.

The Oilers have lived off their power play this season, a unit that has led the league virtually wire to wire, posting a 29.5 per cent success rate that threatens the NHL record of 31.88 per cent set by the 1977-78 Montreal Canadiens.

So general manager Ken Holland set out to help his team at 5-on-5 at the trade deadline, bringing in speedy winger Andreas Athanasiou and puck- moving defenceman Mike Green. Neither one were destined for the first power-play unit, though it was hoped for that both would improve the team in all of those important minutes played at even strength.

Green played two games before getting injured and he opted out of the summer playoffs. Athanasiou struggled with his new team and a re-start in Edmonton would do him some good.

Edmonton’s formula has been pretty simple: Connor McDavid tends to be able to orchestrate a goal by himself most nights; the Leon Draisaitl- Kailer Yamamoto-Ryan Nugent-Hopkins line usually finds a goal; and the power play is good for a goal in about 80 per cent of their games.

That means Edmonton is fairly adept at getting to three goals each night. Important, in a 3-2 league. Add one every second night from the Bottom 6, or a defenceman, and you’ve got a club that can score enough to win a playoff series or two.

The question the Oilers have to answer is simple: can they keep the puck out of their net enough to win games at a time of year when offence is traditionally more difficult to create? 1188497 Websites This is an improving team that beat nearly all of the NHL’s best this season: the Boston Bruins, St. Louis Blues, Philadelphia Flyers, Washington Capitals, Pittsburgh Penguins, Vegas Golden Knights and Colorado Avalanche. Sportsnet.ca / Young Canucks eager to take 'next step' in unique playoffs The Canucks are confident, and the youthfulness among most of their top players should help them get ready on the relatively short runway the NHL has given them for their best-of-five preliminary series against the Iain MacIntyre | @imacSportsnet Minnesota Wild. July 16, 2020, 12:00 PM Vancouver needs Markstrom to play in August like he did last winter when he had a Vezina-candidate calibre season. Goaltenders, including Markstrom, often require a lot of reps to get into top form, but the 30- VANCOUVER – Up until this week, when you visited the National Hockey year-old has at least been on the ice and tracking pucks in Sweden, League’s website and clicked the “scores” tab, the schedule remained where hockey training continued despite the global pandemic. frozen on March 11, the five games that night preserved like the victims of Pompeii. “I think we have such a good, solid core group of guys,” veteran defenceman Tyler Myers told reporters during the shutdown. “You add in The league shut down for the coronavirus the next day, stranding the a piece here and there to keep developing your team. I guess what I’m Vancouver Canucks in the Arizona desert two days after the team got 48 trying to say is we’re close. We’re close to that point of becoming a saves from Thatcher Demko and a shootout winner from J.T. Miller to winning team. It’s just a matter of…experience and getting that feeling of beat the New York Islanders 5-4 in a thriller at Rogers Arena. what it takes to win. And part of that is getting that experience in playoffs.” After four years in which Vancouver lost more games than anyone except the Buffalo Sabres, the Canucks have built an impressive foundation and That’s another box they’re about to tick. appeared to be adding layers to the construction product as the 2019-20 season progressed.

That last win briefly nudged them back into a playoff position on points, Sportsnet.ca LOADED: 07.17.2020 one ahead of the Winnipeg Jets, who would win 4-2 the next night in Edmonton on what turned out to be the end of the regular season, and pushed Vancouver into the top eight in the Western Conference on winning percentage.

When they return for the NHL’s extraordinary summer Stanley Cup tournament, the Canucks will be part of the top 12 in the West and will feel like their first 69 games this season were about four years ago, not four months ago.

Like all teams, they’ll be healthier. Key defenceman Christopher Tanev and starting goalie Jacob Markstrom, the Canucks’ MVP, have recovered from injuries and with any luck Vancouver might also have back a top- nine winger in either Josh Leivo (fractured knee) or Micheal Ferland (concussion) or both. Each had what was supposed to be a season- ending injury.

But will the Canucks be the same? Will they better, which is what coach Travis Green has planned for?

Under these once-in-a-lifetime circumstances, it’s impossible to know how the Canucks or any team will perform in empty arenas after an extended layoff so devoid of professional-level training amid social- distancing restrictions and non-essential business closures that it makes a typical NHL off-season look like a weekend break.

What we do know if the NHL is actually able to execute its ambitious playoff plan is the experience, good or bad, should be invaluable to the many young Canucks who have never logged a playoff game.

Although the playoffs in 2020, the Canucks’ 50th anniversary in the NHL, have been the goal since Miller was acquired from the Tampa Bay Lightning last June, neither Green nor general manager Jim Benning would mention the P-word when the season began. The two words they used were “next step” – as in the next step of the Canucks’ evolution is for players like Elias Pettersson, 21, and Brock Boeser, 23, and Quinn Hughes, 20, to experience the intensity required to make the Stanley Cup tournament. That’s the next step. And now the Canucks are going to get that.

There are flaws in their game that need fixing, particularly defensively. And the blue line, as a group, needs to get stronger over time to catch up to the dramatic improvement the Canucks have seen up front.

Having in the lineup both Tyler Toffoli, the two-way winger who had six goals and 10 points in 10 games after his trade from the Los Angeles Kings, and offence-driving winger Boeser, who had just returned from a rib injury when the season halted, gives the Canucks one of the best top- sixes in the NHL.

Jeff Marek and Elliotte Friedman talk to a lot of people around the hockey world, and then they tell listeners all about what they’ve heard and what they think about it. 1188498 Websites The Flames finished atop the Western Conference last year only to be unceremoniously ousted in five games by the Colorado Avalanche in the first round. A disappointing season one year earlier held them out of the post-season altogether after being swept by the Ducks in 2016-17. Sportsnet.ca / NHL Training Camps Day 4: Treliving says Gaudreau has 'never looked better' All this pressure has made the separation of star forward Johnny Gaudreau from the main group (and all of his usual linemates) at training camp this week all the more interesting in Calgary.

Emily Sadler | @EmmySadler Head coach Geoff Ward hadn’t been able to go into any details when pressed earlier this week, but said Thursday that he’s been really July 16, 2020, 1:16 PM pleased with Gaudreau’s performance so far in camp.

General manager Brad Treliving also addressed reporters and discussed It’s been a busy week at rinks around the NHL, as 24 return-to-play the groupings on Thursday in an effort to put an end to speculation teams hit the ice in preparation for puck drop on Aug. 1. around the decisions behind the separation of players, which continued for Thursday’s skating sessions. Treliving made it clear that fitness or We’ve been tracking various developments to come out of camps all disciplinary measures did not factor into the groupings, and said all week. Check back throughout the day as we collect more news and decisions in that regard were made out of caution and nothing notes from Day 4: controversial.

The Vegas Golden Knights will continue to play without an official team “With all of our players, we couldn’t be more happy with the conditioning captain for the remainder of 2019-20, opting not to head into the post- levels that they’ve come to camp in. So any thought that people are season with a “C” stitched onto anyone’s sweater. Instead, they’ll skating with certain people because they’re in trouble or didn’t do what continue relying on a large leadership group. they’re supposed to do is not correct. It’s 100 per cent incorrect,” he said. “We’ve had to separate our groups because of circumstances, and we’re “We don’t need to add to everything that’s going on here right now. We taking every precaution needed. I will leave it at that.” were playing real well going into the pause, I like how we’ve come out of the pause,” head coach Pete DeBoer told reporters on Wednesday. When asked about Gaudreau specifically, Treliving said he’s “ecstatic” “We’ve got great leadership — a big group of guys that have really taken with how his star has performed so far this week. charge and recognize the opportunity, so we’re just gonna keep it the way it is until we finish this season.” “Johnny Gaudreau has never looked better,” Treliving said, adding that he couldn’t speak highly enough about the work level No. 13 has put in Pastrnak’s return halted, ruled “unfit to play” over the hiatus.

Boston Bruins star David Pastrnak made his summer camp debut on “I don’t think he’s ever looked better. He’s absolutely flying out there. Wednesday after fulfilling the necessary quarantine and testing He’s in a great frame of mind. I’m totally ecstatic where Johnny requirements upon returning from Czech Republic. Gaudreau is right now.”

However, after his absence was noted on Thursday, head coach Bruce Battles in the blue paint Cassidy announced he’d been ruled “unfit to play.” The Nashville Predators’ goaltending situation has been intriguing all Unable to elaborate, per league rules, on any player’s absence right now, year, and now we await the naming of a Game 1 starter between veteran Cassidy added that the team has no choice but to prepare for any length Pekka Rinne and netminder of the future, Juuse Saros. of possible absence. Look at the Predators’ playoff past, and it’s all Rinne — as The Athletic‘s Dallas taking advantage of camp do-over Adam Vingan pointed out, the 37-year-old has started every single Predators post-season game since 2010. But it’s Saros who backstopped One of the biggest questions about each of the 24 teams returning to the club to this year’s dance, having started the bulk of their games down play is how quickly they’ll be able to shake off any rust and be at their the stretch. best right out of the gate. The Columbus Blue Jackets are another club whose crease has been Though the Dallas Stars eventually emerged as one of the top clubs in shared by two starters: Joonas Korpisalo and Elvis Merzlikins. Head the Western Conference — and one of four teams in the West with an coach John Tortorella is on record as calling that one a “coin flip” at this automatic berth in Round 1 — it took them a little while to get there. After point, as both options are solid and give the club a strong shot against a lacklustre camp in September, the Stars stumbled in the early going the Toronto Maple Leafs. and lost eight of their first 10 games.

“We were not happy with our training camp last year and it showed coming into October,” interim head coach Rick Bowness said during a Sportsnet.ca LOADED: 07.17.2020 media availability Thursday morning.

Bowness said the tone was set prior to players arriving, with a team-wide email to make it clear that this time around things will be “totally different.”

“This is something, clearly, no one’s been through. The intensity coming out of this camp is going to be far greater than coming out of camp in September and early October. You’re going right into it and you’re not going to have time to find your game,” Bowness told reporters. “That’s why it’s important our practices are upbeat, our tempo is good, and we’re working on the things we know we have to work on. The players have to bring a good attitude every day and we can’t waste a day — there’s just not enough time.”

The Stars’ place in the standings means they’ll have a little bit of cushion compared to other clubs. While each team will play just one exhibition game prior to the Aug. 1 start date, Dallas’s first real action will come in the form of three round-robin games against the Golden Knights, Avalanche and Blues, while eight other Western teams are thrown right into a best-of-five qualifying round.

The playoffs bring pressure for every team contending, but perhaps none more this year than the Calgary Flames. 1188499 Websites series outcome: the Leafs’ retrievals and breakouts. There’s no doubt in my mind that goals and games will swing on that single area of play.

When Columbus heads through the neutral zone and puts the puck deep Sportsnet.ca / What's going to matter most for Maple Leafs versus past the heels of Toronto’s D, how successful are the Leafs at getting Columbus back to the puck first and turning the play back up the ice the other way? When the Leafs are successful there in general, they thrive. We know they can absolutely dine out on the rush, and no team in the NHL had more possession time in the offensive zone than Toronto (according to Justin Bourne | @jtbourne SportLogiq data, as referenced in this video by The Point), leaving little July 16, 2020, 1:15 PM question about how they control the game when they get it turned the right way.

That SportLogiq data also reveals a couple other important notes here, Each week, Justin Bourne’s column will cover three different topics in for which I’d encourage Leafs fans to brace themselves. If the Leafs varying depths. Think of it as a three-course meal with an appetizer, main struggle at turning retrievals into breakouts, it leads to the opposing team course, and dessert… earning possession time deep in the Leafs zone, and no team in the NHL gave up more goals against the opposing cycle than Toronto in 2019-20. In a recent piece on the Blue Jackets plans heading into their series That D corps is not built for prolonged bend-but-don’t-break shifts of against the Toronto Maple Leafs, Columbus beat writer Aaron Portzline defensive-zone coverage. was describing life immediately after the departures of Matt Duchene, Artemi Panarin and Sergei Bobrovsky: So while excelling on retrievals is important for all teams, it’s crucial for the Leafs because the swings are all the more dramatic. “Safe is Death” became “Safe is Life” for a Blue Jackets club with concerns about scoring goals and with two unproven goaltenders in What makes this hyper-relevant here, and why we’re talking about it, is Joonas Korpisalo and Elvis Merzlikins, neither of whom had ever been SportLogiq’s data also shows that the 2019–20 Columbus Blue Jackets starters in the NHL. It was a logical play. Without Panarin and Duchene, were the second-best team in the NHL at creating offensive chances off the Jackets couldn’t survive high-scoring games. Without Bobrovsky, the forecheck, and the best at creating actual goals. So if the Leafs go they couldn’t accept taking risks to create chances. Essentially, the Blue back on pucks, get stopped by F1 and lose possession, the equation of Jackets’ margin for error left as a free agent last summer, too. Columbus being dangerous in quick-strike from there, and the Leafs being generally weak in those spots, well, that’s some bad math for the We know how that shook out, with the Blue Jackets’ goaltending being boys in blue and white. among the league’s best this year. So, then, here’s the crucial question: Are the Leafs able to regularly Portzline goes on to explain how the Jackets were only middle of the execute cut-offs and stings? pack defensively until around December, when it really clicked for them. They were the best defensive team in the NHL over the ensuing months, For those who haven’t heard me use that terminology before, it’s how the which came to be their stylistic hallmark, particularly given all the injuries Leafs staff describes what – if we’re being honest – is just interference their roster endured. away from the puck to inhibit forecheckers from gaining dangerous amounts of speed. That article, and anything you find written on Columbus, and everything the Blue Jackets say about themselves right now, seems to be about the When Leafs forwards are heading back to their own zone, watch the team’s attention to defensive detail, how they’re not cheating the game, players who aren’t around the puck, even those behind the play. Skating and what they can do to replicate what they did last year against Tampa fast is about momentum. Those Leafs skaters will be trying to step in Bay. They want to D-up, they want to be stingy, and they don’t want to front of the Columbus players as they move up the ice. They’ll give get caught out of position (particularly with their third guy high in the O- regular cross-pushes away from the action (those are just cross-checks zone). that lack sharpness to avoid penalties). They’ll do whatever they can to buy those D-men going back on pucks even an extra half-second, which In a battle where two groups of people want to establish dominion over can be the difference between a breakout and a turnover. the other, it feels like the Blue Jackets are fortifying their castle, sharpening their weapons, and locking the gates. They’re digging moats, Cut-offs take mental discipline (it’s easy just to float on back if the rush and donning armour, and heating oil. They’re preparing to handle what’s against isn’t dangerous), it’s work that’s rarely immediately rewarded, predicted to be an offensive onslaught. and it’s the type of thing that separates winning teams from those who can’t get over the hump. Do your skill guys still put in work when the they But at the end of the day, if the plan is just to defend the hell out of your aren’t directly interacting with the play around the puck? end, you’re not going to take over anything the other way. You might make it hard for the other side to get where they want to go, but at some Retrievals-to-breakouts is going to be a battle within the war for Toronto, point, you’re taking on casualties and slowly moving backwards, not and their ability to regularly prevail there will determine how much they accomplishing anything the other way. get to brandish their most deadly weapons at the other end.

I’m about to go in on how and why the Blue Jackets can beat the Leafs in Dessert: I got the media version of what hockey players feel when they’re the main course here, but every time I hear a team enter a strategy with told “Look for a place; it’s time to move out of the hotel” the mindset of defend, defend, defend, I can’t help but think they’re spending a little too much time thinking about one end of the ice. The tweets say what needed to be said here, but I just wanted to thank those who’ve given me a chance at Sportsnet, and to commit to giving You’ve still gotta score to win, and Columbus was 27th in the league per readers/viewers/listeners the best possible hockey content I can in the game there. I know they had injured players that are healthy now, but years to come. SN has so many fun tools I’m pumped to attempt to use they’d be well-served by concerning themselves with creating some (I’m gonna go full Howie Meeker with a telestrator at some point, I action the other way, too. promise). I’m just really excited, and assuming all goes to plan here in the coming weeks, there’s gonna be a lot to talk about. Let’s have some Main course: The one area of systems play where the Leafs need to fun. excel to beat Columbus is…

To the dismay of many who put together “series previews” as part of their job description, no matchup ever comes down to just one thing. Lord, Sportsnet.ca LOADED: 07.17.2020 would that be nice, but that’s just not how hockey shakes out. A playoff series is just a handful of games where teams actually have the time to study their opponent (to better defend against their strengths), so great special teams can look bad for a few games at the wrong time, elite offences can dry up, and bad goaltending can undo the best-laid plans of mice and men.

But heading into this upcoming Leafs/Blue Jackets battle, there’s one area of systems play that will unequivocally have a huge effect on the 1188500 Websites "It's just recognizing the key moments when you really have to rally your team and through a playoff run there really are many of them," Keefe said. "You have to identify them and make sure that you approach each one appropriately and that you're making the proper adjustments TSN.CA / Sheldon Keefe ready for chess match with 'ultimate competitor' throughout. But it's my favourite time of the year ... It's the best time of Tortorella the year and I'm excited for it."

Keefe: 'We needed to get better as a team'

Mark Masters Maple Leafs head coach Sheldon Keefe knew there were areas of his team's game that needed to be address, whether the season was paused

or not. But with the chance to hold a training camp before the playoffs TSN Toronto reporter Mark Masters checks in daily with news and notes start, Keefe is confident Toronto can eliminate those issues. on the Maple Leafs, who stayed off the ice on Thursday with head coach Auston Matthews only took four minor penalties while scoring 47 goals in Sheldon Keefe holding a series of meetings with individual players. 70 games this season. He also tied for second in takeaways (78) and Sheldon Keefe learned a lot about coaching from watching John ranked eighth among NHL forwards in total ice time. The 22-year-old was Tortorella. rewarded on Thursday with his first nomination for the Lady Byng Memorial Trophy. "The biggest thing that I've taken away is just in how he handled young players, in particular elite players," said Keefe, who played for Tortorella "That's kind of just how I've always played the game," Matthews said in a from 2000 to 2003 in Tampa. "I was the same age as Vincent Lecavalier Zoom call hosted by the NHL. "I'm not overly physical or an in-your-face and and he was a big part of shaping their careers and kind of player, but I try to use my body position, use my stick and kind of having success with them. Of course, he's very famous for his training use little skills to win puck battles and win the puck back. I try to play my camps and getting his teams ready to play. I've tried to model parts of game and there's lots of ups and downs and I try not to get too how I run my camps at the junior level and even now to this day here at emotional." the NHL level [after him]." As the games got more intense down the stretch, Matthews maintained Now, Keefe is getting set to match wits with the Columbus Blue Jackets his production and composure with only one of his penalties coming after bench boss in his first series as an NHL head coach. Dec. 3.

"One thing with Torts is he's an ultimate competitor," Keefe noted. "I like "It's a great recognition for him," said Keefe of the nomination. "You think to believe I'm a competitor at the same time and I think the greatest way about all the things that go into it. Of course, you look at the penalty to show someone respect is to make sure you're ready to compete. That minutes and the fact he plays the game with such discipline and keeps will probably be about all you'll hear from me in terms of talking about himself on the ice as often as possible and available in that sense, but Torts and our past and I'm just going to focus on getting myself and our also it's not easy to do his job. He's obviously a major focus for the team ready to compete." opposition and he plays a lot of minutes. To keep his head and stay cool and stay committed and focused on the task at hand is a credit to him." Asked about Keefe earlier this week, Tortorella said he wanted to wait until closer to the start of the series before answering those type of While the Lady Byng celebrates "gentlemanly conduct" on the ice, questions. Keefe says the pair have a friendly relationship and Tortorella Matthews, who stands 6-foot-3, 220 pounds, made a point of saying he’s sent him a congratulatory message after he was promoted to replace looking to mix it up a little more moving forward. Mike Babcock in November. "I'd like to see myself be a little more physical," he said. "I guess just in "I've been a big fan of his career as my coaching career grew," Keefe general use my body and size a little bit more ... I try to use body said. "I've always been able to watch from a distance and feel like I've position, hand-eye co-ordination to kind of pick and choose my spots had a pretty good sense of his messaging and his methodology." when I can anticipate where a guy is going and try to steal it and gain possession back." After the qualifying round matchups were confirmed, Jackets captain Nick Foligno said he believed Tortorella could give his team an edge. In a The other nominees are St. Louis Blues centre Ryan O'Reilly, who won best-of-five series, every line change, every motivational pep talk, every the award in the 2013-14 season, and Colorado Avalanche centre time out will take on even more significance. Keefe, who will turn 40 in Nathan MacKinnon. September, isn't worried about the experience gap between him and the Button explains why he would award the Lady Byng to MacKinnon 62-year-old Tortorella. TSN Director of Scouting Craig Button joins Glenn Schiiler to explain why "This event in itself is unique, not just for me, but for everybody. So there he thinks Nathan MacKinnon deserves the Lady Byng Memorial Trophy, are some things there where nobody has the advantage," Keefe pointed and detail how Bobby Ryan and Connor McDavid meet the criteria for the out. "From my perspective as I've gone from one level to the next Bill Masterton Memorial Trophy. [coaching in the playoff is] the same and I am expecting that to be the case here." Now that the Leafs blueline is finally fully healthy, Tyson Barrie has high expectations for the group. Keefe estimates that he's taken part in around 35 playoff series during his coaching career and he has a championship on his resume, having "It's awesome," he said. "I think we have as good a group as any in the guided the to a Calder Cup title only a few years ago. National Hockey League."

"The biggest thing is recognizing the emotions that come with the Barrie and Justin Holl are the only regular Leafs defenceman to avoid the playoffs and, in this event that we’re taking part in, it’s certainly going to injury list this year. Morgan Rielly played through pain due to an be no different," Keefe said. "In fact, it's probably enhanced even more undisclosed issue early in the year before sustaining a broken foot in for some of the reasons we've already talked about with family and the January. Jake Muzzin dealt with a broken foot and a broken knuckle. bubble and all those things, where you can go from one excellent game Cody Ceci was sidelined with an ankle sprain. Travis Dermott missed the and feeling like you're really on your way and you can win the whole thing start of the year after undergoing shoulder surgery. to maybe you get down and you start to have doubts. That's really what you have to manage with your team." Despite staying healthy, Barrie had an up-and-down season with the Leafs. He got off to a nightmare start with his new team registering just The media attention is intense in Toronto where Keefe did a lengthy seven assists in the opening 23 games. After Keefe replaced Babcock, media call on Thursday even though the Leafs didn't even skate. Barrie was elevated to the top power play unit and found his footing, Meanwhile, the Blue Jackets held a full practice, but there were no posting 32 points in 47 games. Still, he didn't seem completely requests for Tortorella from the local reporters so he didn't do a media comfortable. The 28-year-old believes his issues mirror those of the session. team.

While Tortorella guided the upstart Jackets to the second round last year, "We've been going through some stats and percentages and we got to the Leafs young core is still looking to win a series. Keefe will need to be better defensively," he said. "All of our offensive numbers are there help them navigate the emotional minefield that is playoff hockey. and for me it's finding that line of jumping in and trying to create offence and making plays and then also being responsible in my own end and shutting down plays in the neutral zone and then transitioning the puck. I think my personal game fits well with what the team's going through. It's got to be a little more focused on shutting the other teams down and getting into that top tier of teams that limit chances."

Barrie has been skating with Dermott on the third pairing so far at camp.

"We move the puck well and we both find space to jump in and try to create when we can," he said.

Can Keefe finally solve Leafs D issues?

We're two days into Sheldon Keefe's first training camp as an NHL head coach and the main focus is obvious, defence. Toronto ranked 17th in goals against per game after Keefe took over behind the bench, they had been 24th under Mike Babcock. There's been some improvement, but Keefe says they must play much tighter. Mark Masters has more.

The fathers on the Leafs are leaning on each other for support as they prepare to leave their families and enter the NHL Phase 4 bubble on July 26.

"It's going to be tough," admitted veteran forward Kyle Clifford. "I have three young kids at home, [Jason] Spezza has some young kids, [Jake] Muzzin, JT [John Tavares], so we're all kind of sticking together and making sure we're communicating with each other and trying to be there for each other."

A run to the Conference Finals, scheduled to start Sept. 8 in Edmonton, would mean more than five weeks away from loved ones.

"We've had lots of family conversations about it," said Spezza, who has four daughters at home. "There's been a lot of talk and the kids have been involved in it. My wife has been really supportive and the kids are supportive. They know dad doesn't have a lot of time left playing and this is really important to me and I'm really lucky to have them feel that way about it. It isn't going to make it easier and there will be some days when you miss your kids, but everybody is making sacrifices right now."

Clifford has added motivation to make it to the final four as his wife's family is from Edmonton and will be camped out there during the playoffs. Families are allowed into the bubble during the Conference Finals.

"Fortunately my family's going to be out in Edmonton waiting for us in the Conference Finals so I'm looking forward to that," he said. "The goal is to be going out there to see them."

The pandemic pause allowed Clifford, who was acquired from the Los Angeles Kings in a February trade, to find his footing in Toronto and also get more familiar with the Leafs' game plan.

"It definitely gave me some time to reset and get my family life in order a little bit," the 29-year-old said. "We were a little sporadic with living arrangements and with things like that. So, I took the opportunity to get that aspect straightened out. And then from the hockey standpoint it was great to just to have a little reset and communicate with the coaches throughout the process ... learning the new systems that I didn't really get a chance to get fully accustomed to in the first month there. I'm definitely taking advantage of the opportunity to be ready to go and be on the same page with what the coaches are putting out there for us."

Clifford, who had a goal and two assists in 16 games after joining the Leafs, has been skating as the fourth line left winger so far at training camp alongside Frederik Gauthier and Spezza.

Spezza on his kids: 'They know dad doesn't have a lot of time left playing'

A long playoff run will mean an NHL player will be separated from their family for more than a month. That isn’t easy during the best of times and it’s even harder during a pandemic. But Jason Spezza, a father of four daughters, and Kyle Clifford, a father of three sons, have spoken to their families about what’s about to happen and are grateful to have their support.

TSN.CA LOADED: 07.17.2020 1188501 Websites it or gain possession back. I think it's just having an understanding of your game and where you're at out there.”

Matthews won’t find out if he’s this season’s Lady Byng winner until the TSN.CA / 'Committed, focused' Auston Matthews named Lady Byng Conference Finals, dates and times for which have yet to be revealed. finalist Being in the mix is enough of a compliment though, and puts him in similar categories to players he himself has long admired.

“I was a big Pavel Datsyuk fan growing up, and he's obviously won this Kristen Shilton award quite a few times,” Matthews said of the four-time Lady Byng recipient. “You just look down the list of guys that have won in the past,

it's not a bad list to be on. It’s obviously a big honour and I'm flattered to TORONTO — Maple Leafs forward Auston Matthews received his first- just be in the conversation with two really great players in Nate and ever nomination for the Lady Byng Memorial Trophy on Thursday, joining Ryan. I'm excited to see what happens.” Colorado’s Nathan MacKinnon and St. Louis’ Ryan O’Reilly as a 2019-20 finalist. TSN.CA LOADED: 07.17.2020 The award is handed out annually to the player that has “exhibited the best type of sportsmanship and gentlemanly conduct combined with a high standard of playing ability,” a combination of criteria that Toronto head coach Sheldon Keefe sees his top centreman exemplify.

“I think it's a great recognition for him. The Lady Byng in particular is a great feather in his cap,” Keefe said on Thursday. “You think about all the things that go into it, you look at the penalty minutes and the fact that he plays the game with such discipline and keeps himself on the ice as often as possible and available in that sense. But also, it's not easy to do his job. He's obviously a major focus for the opposition, and he plays a lot of minutes and to keep his head and stay cool and stay committed and focused on the task at hand, it's a credit to him.”

When the NHL hit pause in mid-March, Matthews was third in the NHL scoring race with a career-high 47 goals - one back of Trophy co-winners Alex Ovechkin and David Pastrnak - and had a personal-best 80 points in 70 regular-season games.

Through it all, Matthews was assessed a career-low eight penalty minutes, tied for fewest among the NHL’s top 100 scorers, while averaging the eighth-most minutes among forwards at 20:58 per night.

His ability to both tackle tough matchups and stay disciplined is what’s helped Matthews, 22, work his way into the Lady Byng conversation.

“I think that's just how I've always played the game,” Matthews told reporters on a Zoom call of his controlled demeanour. “It’s not a fun place to watch the game from in the penalty box, so I prefer to spend my time not there. I'm not overly physical or an in-your-face kind of player, I just try to use my body position, use my stick and use little skills to win puck battles and get pucks back and play my game. There’s lots of ups and downs, so I try not to get too emotional.”

Matthews' impeccable season on the ice began under less glowing circumstances though, when he faced a September charge of disorderly conduct and disruptive behaviour stemming from an alleged incident in May involving an employee at his condo in Scottsdale, Arizona. He issued a public apology on the matter and charges against him were dismissed following a settlement between the two sides.

Since then, Matthews' energy has gone into improving his game, and picking up where he left off in the regular season will be crucial for the Leafs' next shot at the postseason. In a prospective Phase 4 of the NHL’s return to play plan, Toronto will face the Columbus Blue Jackets in a best-of-five qualifying round play-in series beginning Aug. 2. It’s a shorter runway from which to advance through the 24-team tournament, and Matthews will keep his focus sharpened accordingly.

“In the playoffs, it's an emotional roller coaster and it's a notch above the regular season so now I think you're just trying to stay level-headed and sticking with it,” he said. “Especially in that kind of hockey when there really isn't much space and not as much action going on, it’s important to not get frustrated and then end up costing your team.”

Where Matthews could see turning up the heat is though by throwing his 6-foot-3, 220-pound frame around a little more. But only if it doesn’t take away from his time handling the puck (or add more time in the box).

“For me, personally, I'd probably like to see myself be a little bit more physical in general and just use my body and size a little bit more,” he said. “But I'm more of a guy that prefers to play with the puck, than just be running around chasing and hitting guys. I try to use my body position, my hand-eye coordination, pick and choose my spots of when I can anticipate where the puck is going or where a guy's going and try to steal 1188502 Websites In many ways, Dallas is Boston West – an impressive defensive team back-stopped by two strong goaltenders in Ben Bishop and Anton Khudobin. Only four teams gave up fewer expected goals per-60 minutes this season at even strength, and just two one team – the TSN.CA / Playoff Preview: Examining the best of the West aforementioned Bruins – gave up fewer actual goals. For any Western Conference competitor, breaking through against the Dallas defence will

be trying, and that alone makes them a credible threat this post-season. Travis Yost But one wonders what will happen when Dallas faces teams around the league more capable at possessing the puck, more capable at holding the offensive zone for longer periods of time, and more capable of As part of the NHL’s return to play plan, we previewed each of the eight generating dangerous scoring opportunities from the interior. The only play-in round match-ups. The return to play previews were hopefully as time Dallas appeared to be a broken team this season was when they exciting to read as they were to write. But we would be remiss if we did were chasing the game, searching desperately for scoring opportunities not overview the other eight playoff competitors – the eight presumptive of their own in the offensive end. Stanley Cup favorites waiting in the wings for their second-round foes. Whereas the strength of the Dallas club is their ability to limit both high On Tuesday, we looked at the biggest questions facing the round robin quality chances and minimize the shot volume against, the weakness is teams in the Eastern Conference. Today, we will look at their peers in the their ability to generate anything meaningful in the other direction. Western Conference, including the St. Louis Blues, Colorado Avalanche, Consider the heat maps of where shots come from with Dallas on the Dallas Stars, and Vegas Golden Knights. offensive and defensive side of the game – it is virtually a clone of one another: St. Louis Blues: How healthy is Vladimir Tarasenko? What is most interesting is that the players historically doing damage for It’s not the same as Colorado’s cluster injuries – more on that in a the Dallas forward group – Tyler Seguin and Jamie Benn being the two moment – but the return of Vladimir Tarasenko from a shoulder injury is a most obvious names – didn’t provide nearly as much scoring punch as significant one. Tarasenko required five months of rehabilitation from the expected. In fact, the only forwards who stand out in a positive light on a injury and subsequent surgery, and in a normal season, Tarasenko’s rate basis were Denis Gurianov and Roope Hintz – the only two players status for the post-season may have well been in jeopardy. In this case, who grade out well relative to their peers around the league: the Russian sniper was given three more months to rehabilitate. Vegas Golden Knights: Can this team make an uncomfortable decision in With Tarasenko sidelined for much of the season, head coach Craig net? Berube had to get creative with his top-six. The defending Stanley Cup champions have an embarrassment of riches when it comes to depth The Vegas Golden Knights have been around for three seasons, and a competency, but when it comes to best-on-best, they are heavily reliant face of the franchise has certainly emerged in goaltender Marc-Andre on the likes of Tarasenko and two-way dynamo Ryan O’Reilly. Down Fleury. In fact, Vegas’ inaugural Cinderella-type season was really driven Tarasenko, Berube thrust players like David Perron and Zach Sanford by the performance of their star goalie – Fleury stopped a whopping 92.7 into bigger roles. Both played well, but replacing a player who has scored per cent of shots thirty or more goals in five consecutive seasons is an impossible ask for most teams in the league, even ones as deep as St. Louis. But Fleury has simply not been the same goaltender during the 2019-20 regular season. Statistically speaking it was the worst year of his career, If Tarasenko is healthy, his injection into the lineup will give the Blues an ominous sign for 35-year olds who have played over a thousand NHL some much needed scoring punch. If not, this Blues lineup – while still games. Fleury’s poor performance – along with the struggles of back-up comparing quite favourably against most of the Western Conference – Malcolm Subban, moved to the Chicago Blackhawks at the trade could be in tough against the round robin calibre teams. deadline -- was particularly noticeable on a Vegas team that may have the most talented lineup in the Western Conference. Colorado Avalanche: Can Colorado make the most of their injury reprieve? Vegas still ended up winning the Pacific division, but the front office didn’t waste any time addressing the team’s most obvious concern. When the If there is a short list of Stanley Cup contenders, the Colorado Avalanche Golden Knights sent Subban (along with a 2020 second-round pick) to are on it. This line up is a far, far cry from the version we saw a couple of Chicago, they acquired Swedish goaltender Robin Lehner. Lehner has years ago – one heavily reliant on star players and relentless been working to secure a starter role for a few years now, and the counterattacking. The 2019-20 version is an elite 5-on-5 hockey team numbers justify it – this season alone, his save percentage (92.0 in all with impressive skill and speed at every position; their 162 goals scored situations) and goals saved above expectations (+5.0) ranked 10th in the there were more than any other team in the National Hockey League. National Hockey League. Behind their deep forward pool, the team has a blue line anchor in 21- year old Cale Makar, and their goaltending tandem of Pavel Francouz In many ways, Lehner was a hired gun for this Vegas team. His contract and Philipp Grubauer held up quite well. expires at the end of the season, and Lehner could command starter money from any number of teams around the league. Head coach Peter And, they may be one of the few teams that benefited from such a long DeBoer has inferred that both goalies would be used this post-season, layoff. but it will be fascinating to see who gets the high leverage starts. Fleury One of the biggest reasons why the Avalanche were unable to create any is the veteran, but Lehner is the better option. sort of daylight in the Central division race was because of the injury bug.

The team ranked fifth in man games lost this season with 222, with 169 of those games lost from their forward group. These weren’t immaterial TSN.CA LOADED: 07.17.2020 injuries, either. Star Nathan MacKinnon was slated to miss time due to a lower body injury right before play was stopped. Grubauer, the team’s presumptive starting goaltender, was sidelined with Mikko Rantanen only played 42-games this season after missing extended time due to an upper body injury. Nazem Kadri (19-games), Andre Burakovsky (12- games), and Matt Calvert (20-games) all missed substantial time.

Despite such poor injury luck, the Avalanche finished fourth in the National Hockey League by standings points and third in sheer goal differential. And while the four-month layoff is sure to create some rust for teams across the league, one wonders if the stoppage of the season was a bit of a reprieve for an Avalanche team that needed to get healthy.

The healthy version of this team is, of course, quite good.

Dallas Stars: Where will the scoring come from? 1188503 Websites agents said they have urged their clients to ask their wives and children to stay at home, and not go to places like coffee shops, grocery stores or on play dates.

TSN.CA / NHL training camps in U.S. a 'reckless' health risk for players, The NHL has not reported results of Covid tests for players since Phase doctors say 3 began on Monday. Doctors say that people with the virus typically test positive five to seven days after they are first infected and tend to be infectious at least a few days before their first positive test. During Phase 2, 30 of the 600-plus players who attended voluntary on-ice training in Rick Westhead their NHL cities tested positive for Covid. The NHL on Monday said it was aware of a further 13 players who had tested positive during Phase 2.

Infectious disease specialist Dr. John Swartzberg says the NHL and NHL While provincial and state governments in Canada and the U.S. are Players’ Association have made a massive mistake by staging team updating Covid numbers on a daily basis, the NHL has said only that it training camps in Southern U.S. cities where Covid infection rates are will provide “regular updates” on the results of its Covid tests. The league spiking. and NHLPA have agreed not to identify players who have the virus or the teams that have players with positive cases. “This is unwise, it’s bad judgement, it’s a horrific decision,” Dr. Swartzberg, a physician and researcher at the UC Berkeley School of Dr. Swartzberg said he couldn’t believe the NHL medical advisors agreed Public Health in California, said in an interview with TSN. to training camps in the Southern U.S.

Dr. Swartzberg is among seven infectious disease experts who told TSN On Saturday, Florida reported 15,300 new Covid cases, a state record in separate phone interviews this week that they disagree with the joint for a single day. Florida’s 282,435 Covid cases are nearly triple the league-union decision to have training camps in cities such as Tampa, number of active cases in Canada. Sunrise, Fla., Phoenix, Las Vegas, and Dallas - at a time when the “The NHL is putting so many people at risk, including players, coaches coronavirus is pinballing throughout the region. and trainers, some of whom are older, and other people,” Dr. Swartzberg Florida has averaged 11,119 new Covid cases per day over the past said. “The other part of this that disappoints me is sports figures are week, the fastest rate of growth in the U.S. Texas is close behind, revered. They are held up as symbols of our society and when this averaging 9,079 new daily cases. In Dallas, the county medical happens, when [professional sports leagues] behave badly, and with examiner’s office has run out of room to place dead bodies awaiting poor judgment, it gives license to people to do the same.” autopsies. The NHL did not respond to a request for comment. Arizona has become a Covid hotspot after Gov. Doug Ducey in May Dr. Isaac Bogoch, an infectious disease specialist in Toronto who is relaxed stay-at-home orders, while in Nevada, new Covid cases grew at advising the NHLPA, said in an interview on Monday with TSN that the a rate of 3.3 percent for the week ended July 14, or 881 new cases per risks to players remain low if they practice social distancing, wear a mask day. The growth rate for the week ended May 31 was 1.4 percent, or 116 and wash their hands. new cases per day. “There’s uncertainty at every step with this,” Dr. Bogoch. Said. “All the Dr. Michael Silverman, a London, Ont., infectious disease specialist, said protocols do is reduce the risk, but in the pre-vaccine era, there’s no it was "crazy" and "reckless" for the NHL to stage training camps in place on earth that’s going to be risk free.” states where infection rates are rising so rapidly. Dr. Jeffrey Kwong, an epidemiologist from the Dalla Lama School of Public Health in Toronto, Dr. Bogoch said it might have been safer to hold training camps in called the NHL decision “mindboggling.” Toronto and Edmonton, in the “bubbles” planned for Stage 4, but players didn’t want to do that because it would have meant another several The number of documented Covid cases is rising in 41 U.S. states. weeks away from their families and homes. Dr. Sumon Chakrabarti, an infectious disease specialist at Trillium Health “It’s true that in Florida, Arizona, Texas and Southern California that Partners in Mississauga, Ont., said he would advise the NHL against there’s a high burden of infection right now, but remember we still have having training camps anywhere in the U.S. right now. this virus in Canada with several hundred new cases each day,” he said. “Community transmission is an important metric for Covid and right now “That means people can’t be comfortable or cavalier anywhere.” in the U.S., it’s nuclear, it’s gargantuan especially in Florida,” Dr. Dr. Prabhat Jha, an epidemiologist at the University of Toronto and Chakrabarti said. “Having training camps in the U.S. is a terrible non- director of the Centre for Global Health Research at St. Michael's evidence-based decision. I’m sure players will be wearing masks and Hospital, said it was “crazy” to hold training camps in communities in the washing hands but it’s like having a small umbrella outside. In the light southern U.S. rain it works well and you’re ok. But if you start getting winds and torrential rains, that umbrella isn’t going to do anything for you. Even in a “There is so much uncontrolled community transmission that it’s almost ‘bubble’ you’re in a bucket of Covid ... You want to be charitable and impossible to think you could protect the players from getting the maybe the NHL is so far into this that it’s just hard for them to pull back. infection and bringing it here to Canada,” Dr. Jha said. But you look at this and say, ‘What are you thinking?’”

The NHL began Phase 3 of its return to play on Monday, with players reporting to training camps across North America. Players can choose to TSN.CA LOADED: 07.17.2020 opt out of playing in the 24-team playoff tournament scheduled to begin on Aug. 1 in Toronto and Edmonton.

Those players who left their NHL home cities during the pause have returned via commercial flights. It's unclear how many players have remained in their NHL cities since the NHL shut down on March 12.

“Just the travel means they’re going through at least two airports and an airplane in the midst of a global pandemic,” said Dr. Swartzberg, who opened an AIDS clinic in San Francisco in the mid 1980s and has spent 45 years treating infectious diseases. “In America we have 25 percent of the world’s cases and only 4 percent of the world’s population. The risks just from traveling here are huge. Wearing a mask and washing your hands mitigates your risk, but it definitely doesn’t eliminate it.”

During Phase 3, NHL players are staying in their own homes in their NHL cities. They are not in quarantine, although the NHL has offered to help with grocery shopping and delivery to help limit contact between players and their families and others in the community. Several NHL player 1188504 World Leagues News

Northern Colorado suspends sports workouts after spate of COVID-19 cases

Staff Report

Associated Press

Jul 16, 2020 Updated 4 hrs ago

The University of Northern Colorado has suspended athletic workout activities after a spate of positive cases of COVID-19, including among football players who have been advised to quarantine.

There is no timeline for when the student athletes will be allowed to return to voluntary workouts at the campus about an hour north of Denver.

The university on Thursday declined to identify those who tested positive for the virus, citing patient privacy and Weld County Department of Public Health and Environment regulations.

The school is working with local health officials on contract tracing to notify anyone who came in close contact with the student athletes who were infected.

LOADED: 07.17.2020 1188505 World Leagues News Spring sports competitions remain intact with minor adjustments to dates. This includes baseball, softball, beach volleyball, men’s and women’s golf, men’s and women’s lacrosse, track and field, and men’s and NJCAA adjusts season start dates for sports calendar due to COVID-19 women’s tennis.

The NJCAA has provided extensive information that relates to scrimmage and practice dates and allowances in the fall. Championship Braden Fogal dates are subject to change based on championship facility availability.

Jul 16, 2020 Updated 7 hrs ago “These poor kids need to be able to play because so many of their seasons last year were cut short,” said Smithpeters. “The whole idea of

sports is working so hard in order to achieve something, and I think this a Following recommendations from the National Junior College Athletics positive outlook for sports and athletics moving forward.” Association Presidential Advisory Council and the NJCAA Board of

Regents, the NJCAA announced its adjusted plan of action for the upcoming 2020-21 academic year. The Southern Illinoisan LOADED: 07.17.2020 After the Board of Regents’ vote on Monday, junior colleges were informed a majority of sports competition will be moved to the spring semester. With a focus in providing the best opportunities for student- athletes safety, the association's most recent plan is to shift fall, winter and spring sports later in the school year.

With a majority of sports still on hold due to COVID-19, the NJCAA’s decision was one that John A. Logan men's basketball coach Kyle Smithpeters felt was perfectly executed.

“I thought the NJCAA did a phenomenal job hitting the bigger marks and keeping athletes' health as its biggest concern,” said Smithpeters, who is accustomed to beginning basketball in November. “I’m happy that junior college was proactive, and not waiting for another league to figure out what else could happen.”

All close-contact fall sports including football, men’s and women’s soccer, and volleyball will be shifted to the spring semester. Dates for all three divisions of the NJCAA cross country championships and half marathon championships will keep their originally scheduled dates in the fall alongside Division III women’s tennis.

John A. Logan girls volleyball coach Bill Burnside sees the decision as a unique opportunity that allows coaches more time to get acclimated with new faces.

“We were given a heads up on the situation back in early June,” said Burnside. “I think the NJCAA did the right thing in a sense of the relief it provides coaches and players from wondering how we were going to play a full season.

“Our freshmen normally have a quick turnaround from practicing in early August to playing in early September, so in some unique way it gives me an extra semester to work with them.”

For Smithpeters and his players, all winter sports competition will begin in January with a majority of championship seasons moved from March to April. The fall practice season is still permitted under strict guidelines that permit 60 consecutive calendar days for practices and scrimmages within Sept. 15 and Dec. 15, 2020. The rules also permit five scrimmage dates against outside competition; each scrimmage limited to two outside opponents.

The changes also include women’s basketball, wrestling, and swimming and diving. Men’s and women’s track and field, and bowling will be held at the beginning of March.

“I think this is a plan we’ll start seeing across the country,” said Smithpeters. “Our whole thing with this program is staying positive and facing whatever is in front of us. We’re still allowed scrimmage games in the fall and practices early on, so those are the areas we’re concerned with right now.”

Burnside has one sophomore on the volleyball team set to graduate early in December, which is one of the only negatives he sees for the new season beginning in January. He suspects what might disappoint his players the most is not playing in the fall season they’ve grown used to over the years.

“For the team it’s mostly a positive with an exception to some individuals,” said Burnside. “I’ve notified them all, but haven’t had a chance to reach out yet.

“It’s going to take time for us all to grow used to this new normal. We’ll know more once we’re at least a month into the fall and then see what kind of adjustments we need to make.” 1188506 World Leagues News

NFLPA: 72 NFL players have tested positive for COVID-19

Jason Owens Yahoo Sports

July 16, 2020

With training camp approaching, the NFL Players Association announced on Thursday that 72 NFL players have tested positive for COVID-19.

The data considered testing results as of July 10. The number represents 2.5% of players considering 90-man rosters for training camps. The NFLPA did not report how many players had undergone testing.

With training camp yet to start, the 72 positive cases represent players who have contracted the coronavirus either in their everyday lives or in unsanctioned workouts among teammates. Players are not yet in locker rooms or on practice fields together.

Quarterbacks across the league like Tom Brady, Kyler Murray and Russell Wilson have hosted workouts with teammates despite being advised against doing so by the NFLPA. The NFLPA did not release names of the players who tested positive.

The page also included numbers on the concentration of COVID-19 cases in NFL counties, with the Dolphins home of Miami-Dade county recording the highest rate. Norfolk County, which is home to the New England Patriots, has the lowest concentration, according to NFLPA data.

The report arrives the same day that Houston Texans defensive end J.J. Watt criticized the NFL for its lack of COVID-19 planning, claiming that players are largely in the dark about protocols to protect players in addition to financial implications of the pandemic. Watt’s statement arrived after weeks of reported concerns from players over the NFL’s preparedness for play amid the pandemic.

Training camps are scheduled to open on July 28 with rookies scheduled to report on July 19.

Yahoo Sports: LOADED: 07.17.2020 1188507 World Leagues News effectiveness in other contexts. NBA players are being encouraged to opt into a study arm at the University of California San Francisco.

The NBA also donated $100,000 to co-fund another Mayo Clinic study of Sports Leagues' COVID-19 Research: Who Will It Help? convalescent blood plasma transfusion, according to a paper published in June in Mayo Clinic Proceedings. Lead author Michael Joyner, MD, said NBA funding helped researchers get the study going: "We are very by Ryan Basen, Enterprise & Investigative Writer, MedPage appreciative."

July 16, 2020 The researchers and other experts praised the leagues for their assistance. "I think these studies have a lot of ability to contribute to

public health," said Zach Binney, PhD, an epidemiologist at Emory Since early in the pandemic, professional sports leagues have been University in Atlanta. "This deserves to be counted in [the leagues'] sponsoring and participating in COVID-19 studies, offering large favor." populations and needed funding to help researchers learn more about a With the government offering limited funding, researchers have to look disease threatening both public health and the leagues' operations. elsewhere, said Sarah Fields, PhD, a sports studies scholar with As new studies launch with the National Basketball Association (NBA) University of Colorado at Denver. returning to action soon, experts are simultaneously applauding the Joyner's team, for example, initially had not secured enough government leagues' involvement while questioning their motives and citing glaring funding for their study, he said. So they reached out to several contacts limitations. for help and the NBA was one of about a dozen entities to oblige. While Potential conflicts raised by funding from professional leagues has raised he appreciates its $100,000, he noted that United Health Group provided alarm bells for some. $5 million.

"There are always concerns about conflicts of interest, no question Wealthy sports leagues' involvement is "kind of convenient," said Fields. there," said Lee Igel, PhD, a medical ethicist with the New York "The biggest challenge of big-scale research is getting subjects," she University Tisch Institute for Global Sport. "What are the objectives? ... noted. "We are using a convenient population with a funder who will pay. This is one moment where those things certainly matter more than they I totally understand why [the researchers are] doing that." ever did before." Said Bhattacharya of his MLB study: "We wanted to understand how far Igel's chief question: Are the leagues principally motivated by improving along the epidemic is [nationally]. This was the only way to do it." public health -- or by returning athletes to play? "We participated because the researchers at Stanford asked us to, and "You can't have the best of both worlds," he said. we promised them that we would deliver a nationwide sample and turn During the spring, the NBA and Major League Baseball (MLB) partnered around the tests quickly among our employees," an MLB spokesperson with researchers on separate studies of COVID antibody tests. wrote in an email.

The MLB study found antibodies present in just 0.7% of a national Binney commended the MLB study for yielding a key finding: With the population featuring mostly staff and not players (10,000 total employees prevalence of antibodies so low, it squelched the popular notion that from 27 of its 30 teams), said lead researcher Jay Bhattacharya, MD, of millions of Americans had already been infected as of its May public Stanford Health Policy in Palo Alto, California. release. Because players and staff were scattered across the country when they were tested, results were geographically scalable. "That was MLB funded most of the study, along with Sports Medicine Research and an enormous public service," Binney said. Testing Laboratory and Partnership for Clean Competition, he said. Bhattacharya was not paid by any of the funders, he said. As designed, the saliva study will allow researchers to track antibodies and viral loads longitudinally via testing the same people regularly, MLB listened to his advice on protecting participants and double- Binney said. checking data. He showed MLB the manuscript, and "they let me say whatever I want," he added. "I really do believe they did this for public Joyner does not see any potential hangups with the leagues' health reasons." involvement, noting most large academic centers have conflict of interest statements built in, and IRBs and other bodies to monitor studies. Results from the NBA antibody study are not yet available. The NBA has shared protocol information with its teams, ensured samples were mailed "There is an altruistic component," Fields said. "These studies will to researchers and made staff available to the researchers, said project potentially benefit these leagues as well, but these are multi-billion-dollar leader Priya Sampathkumar, MD, of the Mayo Clinic in Rochester, organizations and it is nice to see they are doing something that could Minnesota. The NBA paid for the tests, and Mayo is funding data benefit all of us." collection and analysis activities. Funders' Influence As NBA personnel have been arriving at the league's "bubble" in Orlando Whenever an interest group funds research, questions inevitably arise this month to resume the season -- players, coaches, and others are to about whether it will try to steer the results in its favor. have as little contact as possible with the outside world -- Yale University researchers have launched an NBA-funded study of saliva COVID There is precedent for pro sports leagues manipulating scientific studies testing, they confirmed via email. According to reports, they hope their and programs. The National Football League (NFL) has a long history of spit test will prove to be at least as sensitive as the swab tests now intervening in research and public health regarding concussions and universally deployed -- allowing for easier testing access and use, as well long-term neurodegeneration. as quicker test result turnarounds. The NFL took steps to ensure results favorable to the league and The Yale researchers had planned to simultaneously conduct an covered up findings regarding concussion science dating at least from epidemiologic examination of the NBA population; but Harlan Krumholz, the 1990s until recently, according to reports and books. MD, of Yale, told MedPage Today via email that that has been unofficially frozen due to complexities associated with the league's return. Restarting But COVID is more prevalent and affects more groups of people than a season after four months off has proved challenging even without concussions in football, or any sport. getting involved in science. None of the researchers and experts interviewed for this story suspected In an effort to pick up infections quickly, NBA players are also being league foul play with the COVID studies. Too much is at stake and the asked to wear rings provided by Oura, a Finnish wearables company, studies are too visible, they said. that sense heart rate, respiratory rate, and temperature to develop a But, experts noted, the leagues do have much to gain if the studies yield composite COVID risk score. certain results. Data showing the saliva tests' efficacy, for example, University of Michigan researchers will evaluate the players' data, would boost the NBA's image and help ensure the league not only can according to The Verge. Researchers are reportedly studying Oura rings' finish its current season in Orlando, but also play its entire 2020-2021 season as planned. Igel worries how positive results would be perceived by a youth sports audience eager to return to play without social distancing, "without looking at the circumstances or the environment that the research is happening in."

Pro sports is a much more controlled environment, Igel said. "We are talking about athletes whose organizations invest millions of dollars in them, up against parents, administrators, and people in the community who want that for their kids one day," he said.

Where Are the Women?

One limitation in the studies that seems certain is their lack of female participants. While the MLB antibody study included staff, Fields noted that few are women. It is unclear if the NBA antibody or saliva studies involve women, though it, too, is likely to involve mainly if not entirely men.

Not only is there the sex limitation, the saliva study is even more focused: about three-quarters of NBA players are Black and the average age is 26, ranging from 19 to mid-30s.

The lack of women "won't take away from" the studies' findings, Igel said. "But we know the virus attacks and affects men and women differently."

Said Binney: "That is going to be a major limitation of any of these studies."

Despite these potential drawbacks, researchers and experts are giving the leagues the benefit of the doubt. As COVID continues to move around the U.S., they say public health needs all the assistance it can get, and now. Why not wealthy organizations with large populations?

"I would rather have the money than not accept it and worry about conflicts of interest," Binney said. "I don't see that as being a big risk."

Studying concussions in football threatened the NFL's viability because independent results revealed the sport's danger. But the current studies do not proffer "anything that risks undermining their sports fundamentally," he added. "It's probably more of a PR move on their part than any desire to produce their own science; maybe there's a little bit of community spirit too."

Said Fields: "They're not going to say basketball is protective against COVID."

"There are people who care. You tend to forget that with sports," Igel said. "It's so much about the money, but there is a high level of consciousness; it matters, it's not just about rushing back."

"Sure there's always some concern that you'll get the result you want if you pay for [studies]," Igel added. But the long-term consequences of manipulating a COVID study right now "would be disastrous. That's got to be factored in."

"It's a contribution to the existing body of knowledge," he said. "What most people are looking for understandably now is a silver bullet. ... But it's a study, its an indicator, it's a way forward. It's not the final answer and we have got to be conscious of that."

medpagetoday.com LOADED: 07.17.2020 1188508 World Leagues News “Frankly, I think to myself from time to time, ‘Is this worth all this? Should I just retire?’ It’s just provided such a different way to go racing.”

The COVID-19 limitations have been coupled with a lack of repetition this Errors plaguing IndyCar teams in the ‘very restrictive’ era of COVID-19 season as teams and drivers have wrestled with going from 0 to 200 mph literally and figuratively. With hardly any real-world testing since February and the absence of two weeks in May at Indianapolis Motor Speedway By Nate Ryan that provide teams with the daily at-track reps needed to work as well- oiled organizations. Jul 16, 2020, 6:00 PM EDT “All of those things give time for people to get up to speed and mistakes

and issues to get sorted out,” Andretti Autosport Chief Operating Officer Consistent gaffes in the pits. Costly blunders behind the wheel. Curiously Rob Edwards told NBC Sports. “If you look at any of the other sports inaccurate data entry by the most buttoned-up of engineers. leagues that have ramped back up, like soccer in Europe, they had preseason training and friendly matches before they got into competition. If there’s been a theme in the NTT IndyCar Series this season (aside from the seeming invincibility of Chip Ganassi Racing and its four “IndyCar, we haven’t had any of that, so I think in terms of the crews and consecutive victories), it’s been the preponderance of miscues and drivers, the ramp up is different. Particularly at Texas for the first race. mistakes by even the best teams in the paddock. You’d normally have Friday and Saturday to work through issues that came up. Texas, you had often a matter of hours or minutes to sort The delayed 2020 season is nearing its midpoint during a grueling stretch things out. Oh by the way, in 97-degree heat when you’d been up since 4 of five races in 15 days with consecutive doubleheader race weekends at o’clock in the morning. I think all of those things contribute. Road America and Iowa Speedway. And it seems the massive number of errors can be traced to the confluence of a lack of routine and the “I think people were finding more cadence at Road America, but it’s a lot restrictions of working during the socially distanced era of the novel more like having a light switch than a dimmer in terms of ramping things coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic. up. I think for sure that’s a factor in some of the jumbling that we’ve been seeing.” “Up and down pit lane, I don’t think anyone has been flawless from the pit crews to the drivers to the strategists,” Team Penske managing director At Arrow SP McLaren Motorsports, managing director Taylor Kiel said Ron Ruzewski told NBC Sports. “Like anything, you get in a rhythm in the “the general word we’re using is intensity from the moment you step in season and just get to where it’s second nature. Up until these last the car or on the plane to go to the track until the moment the checkered couple of weeks, it’s been pretty choppy. So I don’t think anybody has flag waves. You don’t have a lot of time to think. It’s very fast paced. The really truly found their flow.” amount of time between sessions is reduced dramatically compared to what we’re used to, so how that’s changed us is the pre-event work, The exception might be Scott Dixon, who opened the season with three while always a priority for us, is an absolute necessity now. If we unload consecutive victories at Texas, the Indianapolis Motor Speedway road with a package that’s not quick, you’re not going to get any better by the course and Road America. Though he had the fastest and dominant car time the race shows up.” in the opener, Dixon’s latter two wins came by capitalizing on others’ misfortune and missteps (namely, a fueling problem for Graham Rahal Kiel said the team has prioritized pit stop practice as important as our and problems on pit exit for Josef Newgarden at Road America). pre-event simulation work or our car builds or anything we’re doing from an R&D perspective, so we prioritize it and make time for it.” But even Dixon ran into trouble Sunday when he finished 12th at the Elkhart Lake, Wisconsin, road course after being hindered by two slow pit Not all of the errors necessarily have been related to repetition. Edwards stops (the first because of a problem changing the right rear; the second noted that Alexander Rossi’s prerace problem at Texas was related to for two stalls). Though teammate Felix Rosenqvist triumphed for his first series protocols limiting personnel in the pits (which since have been career victory to keep the team undefeated in 2020, working through the relaxed), and a mechanical failure for the No. 27 Dallara-Honda at Indy pandemic has been just as much a slog for Ganassi as a raft of protocols also was unrelated to the pandemic. have changed the commonly held best practices and workflow for Ruzewski said Newgarden’s stall at Road America was related to “an preparing and racing in IndyCar. engine issue. It was kind of a fluke thing. A lot of things we’ve seen this “Nobody likes working the way we’re working,” Chip Ganassi Racing year at Team Penske have been these tiny, obscure things that have managing director Mike Hull told NBC Sports. “It’s very claustrophobic been pretty rare, ‘Oh, I’ve never seen that happen before or I can’t almost. You’re having to rethink every movement based on what the believe that happened,’ but unfortunately as competitive as the series is COVID requirements are upon each of us as a team of people inside this now and the talent out there, you basically have to have a flawless IndyCar bubble. It’s very restrictive. All our people in the building when weekend.” we come to work every day and how we work in the building and how we In finishing second in the Saturday race at Road America, Power travel and work at the racetrack and how we work in the pit lane. It’s so revealed he had to overcome being bogged down by a second car that foreign to what we’ve ever done before, that it puts everybody at a totally was too tall because an engineer had entered the wrong ratio – different mental preparation level than they’ve ever been before.” something that likely would have been caught pre-pandemic with more While there has been much focus on the compressed schedules time for Team Penske’s redundant systems to act as a failsafe. (practice time has been severely limited; and IndyCar will limit qualifying “A guy that never made a mistake that I can recall clicks the wrong button at Iowa to Friday only to give teams a break Saturday), Hull said the on a screen, accidentally hits enter, and next thing you know the wrong number of hours being worked are roughly the same. Rather than being bit’s in the car,” Ruzewski said. “It was an honest mistake, and arguably, physically taxing, it’s a mental strain that might be affecting team it wasn’t completely detrimental, but you could also argue it wasn’t an A members, who are wearing masks full time while trying to adhere to new plus score, and maybe that was the difference with Scott (Dixon) getting policies foreign to the freedom of access and movement they typically the better restarts.” enjoyed. There have been some teachable moments from navigating the logistics “Things you take for granted at the racetrack — reaching in the cooler of new protocols as well. Andretti Autosport originally was planning to and grabbing a drink – we have protocols now for that, and guys that are distribute cloth masks to its team members but discovered they were less handing out drinks,” Ruzewski said. “We’re taking it really seriously and practical in the heat of 90-plus degrees. The masks commonly found in trying to put our best foot forward to protect our guys and the series.” the medical field were included instead in at-track PPE kits (which also Said Hull: “You just have this thing hovering over you all the time that included hand sanitizer). ‘Man, I hope I don’t get sick. I hope I’m doing everything right.’ You’re “Would you believe there’s a reason that hospitals tend to wear the probably freaking out about that. You’re freaking out about going to the paper-type masks because they’re very breathable,” Edwards said with a grocery store, to Target, about dropping your kids off wherever. You’re chuckle. “I think a lot of teams had looked at trying to do something with living a different life today to protect the group and team of people you branding and masks, and ourselves in particular. We had to just step work with, and it’s a different working environment. back and say whilst it looks really good, it’s not the most practical. Having guys perform at their best is important for the sponsors and the performance of the car on track, so we’ll take the good, old paper-ish masks as the best solution.”

Edwards also sees other positives emerging from the pandemic, noting the efficiency of a one-day schedule (which is used by European-based Formula E Series that also is raced by Andretti) “will influence what racing looks like in the future for us in IndyCar.

“We’re happy to be doing it and enjoying the challenges,” Edwards said. “We’d 100 percent prefer to be racing this way than still be quarantined at home and still wondering what racing might look like. I’d say the mental challenges were as great or greater for a whole bunch of A types being forced to stay home for March, April and May. The whole COVID-19 pandemic is a mental challenge as much as a health and safety and physical challenge. Yes, there are mental challenges at the racetrack, but there were equal, greater mental challenges sheltering at home.

“It’s obviously challenging, but it’s obviously important to be out there racing and overcoming challenges is what people in motor racing do. You work your way through it.”

nbcsports.com/LOADED: 07.17.2020 1188509 World Leagues News The Big 12 schools plan to implement the 72-hour testing, which a conference spokesperson said aligns with the guidance from its league medical advisers and is among the recommendations that have already NCAA issues extended guidelines to help navigate return to fall sports been made by the Big 12 athletic directors' football working group. during coronavirus pandemic Big 12 commissioner Bob Bowlsby told ESPN his conference - along with the other Power 5 conferences - helped develop the document, so "we plan to follow it." Heather Dinich "Some of them are recommendations, some of them are best practices, ESPN Senior Writer some of them are requirements," Bowlsby said. "Generally speaking, we all embrace the document, and we'll do everything we can to make sure

that all of us have the same minimum standards across the A-5, and I The NCAA Sport Science Institute on Thursday released extended guess that we will expect that our nonconference opponents will meet the guidelines to help schools continue to navigate a return to fall sports same stipulations." amid the coronavirus pandemic, including testing and results within 72 Bowslby said "time will tell" if there will be enough tests available to hours of competition in "high contact risk sports," but NCAA president comply with the guidelines. Mark Emmert conceded the virus is trending in the wrong direction. "That's one of the challenges, for sure," he said. "Not only the availability "When we made the extremely difficult decision to cancel last spring's of testing, but also the turnaround time from the time you submit the test championships, it was because there was simply no way to conduct them to the time you get the results back." safely," Emmert said in a statement. "This document lays out the advice of health care professionals as to how to resume college sports if we can While much of the focus has centered around the end of this month for achieve an environment where COVID-19 rates are manageable. Today, any major decisions regarding scheduling, Bowlsby reiterated he would sadly, the data point in the wrong direction. If there is to be college sports like to get into August preseason camps "to see how we do once we get in the fall, we need to get a much better handle on the pandemic." back to helmets and shoulder pads."

The NCAA's guidelines released Thursday also included testing "It's never really been about the season starting on time," he said. "It's strategies for all athletic activities, including preseason, regular season about being able to safely and with good health, continue to do the things and postseason, along with daily self-health checks, the use of face you need to do to progress to the fall, and if we're able to do those things coverings and social distancing during training, competition and outside during August, we'll get started on time. If we get disrupted, then there of athletics. will have to be decisions made about whether we can start on time or not, or whether we go to some conference-only schedule or something "Any recommendation on a pathway toward a safe return to sport will like that. It's day by day by day. There really isn't a decision date. You depend on the national trajectory of COVID-19 spread," said Brian keep going as long as you can keep going. Hainline, NCAA chief medical officer. "The idea of sport resocialization is predicated on a scenario of reduced or flattened infection rates." "To be clear, what we're proceeding on is the advice of scientists and doctors," he said. "There are national trends that over the last three According to the release, the recommendations were developed in weeks have not been good, but as you hear from almost anybody who's collaboration with the NCAA COVID-19 Advisory Panel, American an expert on this virus, they will tell you that they can't forecast with any Medical Society for Sports Medicine (AMSSM) COVID-19 Working precision exactly what's going to happen with the virus. The other is you Group, Autonomy-5 Medical Advisory Group, National Medical just have to keep moving forward and applying best practices and Association, and NCAA Committee on Competitive Safeguards and learning from what you experience." Medical Aspects of Sports Prevention and Performance Subcommittee. The guidance also takes into consideration recommendations from the According to a conference spokesperson, the SEC testing protocols will Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. "at a minimum" include the 72-hour testing recommendation, and the ACC, Big Ten and Pac-12 are expected to do the same. While the NCAA made testing a major part of its most recent guidelines, the onus is still on the individual schools to provide the tests, and the document stated, "schools should plan to secure the resources necessary to both perform the tests and to manage the details related to espn.com LOADED: 07.17.2020 any positive results." If PCR testing cannot be performed within 72 hours of competition, then the competition should be postponed or canceled, or an alternative plan for testing should be developed and agreed upon.

The NCAA guidelines state that any individuals with "a high risk of exposure" should be placed in quarantine for 14 days -- and that includes opposing team members following competition. In some cases, the document states, that could mean an entire team.

The NCAA also gave guidelines for travel, stating when feasible, "schools should aim to travel and play the same day to avoid overnight stays," a scenario that's unlikely for college football season. If overnight stays are necessary, the NCAA recommends travel protocol includes universal masking and social distancing for individuals traveling with others by private car, van, chartered bus or chartered plane. It also suggests "prepackaged meals or room service should be considered."

The NCAA also gave guidance to help protect game officials, suggesting the use of an "electronic whistle."

Equally as important to its guidelines on how to try to operate safely during the pandemic, the NCAA also laid out specifics to help campuses know when it's no longer safe to proceed with college sports:

Local public health officials stating that there is an inability for the hospital infrastructure to accommodate a surge in hospitalizations related to COVID-19.

While the NCAA continues to update its guidelines and practices that schools should consider, individual campuses are still charged with developing and executing their own plans as staff and student-athletes return to workouts. 1188510 World Leagues News “They’ve been a big part of the conversation. But the direct reality is not good and the notion that we’ve politicized medical guidance of distancing, and breathing masks, and hand sanitization, ventilation of Fall sports running out of time as COVID spikes continue being outside, being careful where you are in buildings. We are running out of time to correct and get things right. As a society, we owe it to each other to be as healthy as we can be.”

NATE ALLEN Later on Twitter, Sankey tweeted: “I want to provide the opportunity for college athletics to be part of the fall, but we need to all consider our

behavior to make possible what right now appears very difficult. The Though not vanishing so fast as the March 11-12 days canceling the direct reality is not good...”That reality indefinitely postponed the SEC 2020 championships and competition in all NCAA spring semester sports Football Media Days that were to start Monday in Atlanta.It’s a reality conducted from mid-March through June, it seems the NCAA’s fall looming even as Coach Sam Pittman’s Razorbacks and all SEC football semester sports slate may soon be erased. teams can increase the allowed weightlifting and conditioning activities to July 24 having footballs on the ground walkthroughs leading into the The coronavirus COVID-19 pandemic canceled the spring sports starting August start of preseason practice.If the SEC follows the Big Ten and hours before Arkansas’ Wednesday, March 11, first-round victory over Pac 12 lead canceling nonconference football competition, it would affect Vanderbilt marked the second and ultimately final game of the SEC the Razorbacks Sept. 5 season-opener against Nevada at Reynolds Basketball Tournament. Razorback Stadium in Fayetteville, a Sept. 12 visit to Notre Dame, and Oct. 3 and Nov. 21 games in Fayetteville against Charleston Southern That tourney was supposed to conclude with the Sunday, March 15, SEC and the University of Louisiana-Monroe. Tournament Championship game leading into the next week’s never- played NCAA Tournament.

The COVID-19 resurgence, if resurgence is indeed the correct term since The Saline Courier LOADED: 07.17.2020 the virus seldom entirely abated anywhere in the U.S., looms more likely dooming football and all collegiate fall semester sports from competing this autumn.

SEC athletic directors held a meeting via the Internet Monday knowing last week that the Ivy League entirely abandoned its 2020 fall semester sports schedule. Far closer to the SEC’s economic home, two of its fellow Power Five conferences, the Big Ten and the Pac 12, have canceled their nonconference events for the fall semester and intend playing only competition within the conference.

Power Five conference members SEC, ACC and Big 12 presumably ponder similar scenarios.

The conference only competition seems a last, and likely forlorn hope, much like the March 11 crumbling from proposing finishing conference basketball tournaments without fans to scrapping the NCAA Tournament bonanza before it could tip off.

Arkansas and Vanderbilt went into their first-round SEC Tournament game told hours before tipping off at Bridgestone Arena in Nashville, Tennessee, that Wednesday’s winner would advance to a tournament resuming Thursday playing in front of no fans.

By the March 12 Thursday, the Razorbacks were headed home with the tournament canceled, while the Razorbacks SEC Men’s and Women’s SEC Indoor Track champions teams were called off the practice track and sent home from the canceled NCAA Indoor Championships that were to be conducted March 13-14 in Albuquerque, New Mexico.

Their outdoor track seasons were canceled, too, as were all the spring sports and the spring practices for football and other sports working out through their offseason.

SEC schools especially want to play football, the economic engine for their athletic programs and an economic engine for their campuses and nearby businesses, but the national response to the pandemic that has claimed 135,000-plus lives in the United States doesn’t bode well.

From resistance to wearing the masks that health organizations assert would help protect each other from the virus’ contagion to a failure to recognize that too many states too fully reopened for business too soon has massively reproduced the virus.

Especially in many of the SEC’s 11 states, including Arkansas setting recent daily records for cases recorded, while Florida is deemed the current worldwide epicenter with Texas, South Carolina, Alabama, Mississippi and Louisiana all uncomfortably in the too contagious running.

The notion that summer heat would diminish the virus seems a myth given its ongoing run throughout the south and Arizona desert in the southwest.

It and other hopes dashed caused a pessimistic assessment from SEC Commissioner Greg Sankey during an ESPN interview last Saturday.

“We put a medical advisory group together in early April with the question, ‘What do we have to do to get back to activity?” Sankey said. 1188511 World Leagues News

Family members banned from community sport in virus crackdown

Riley Morgan

Sports Reporter

The New South Wales government is set to announce an immediate ban on certain family members attending community sport in an attempt to restrict a possible devastating outbreak of the coronavirus.

Grandparents and siblings attending a community game to show support will now be asked to stay away in order to reduce the numbers of those gathering, according to NSW Sports Minister Geoff Lee.

WOW: AFL to ban certain WAGs from Queensland quarantine hubs

“Today we’re announcing an updated COVID-19 safety plan for community sporting organisations, and it’s in a response to the rising number of cases in NSW,” Lee said on Thursday on Jim Wilson’s 2GB radio show.

“What we’re asking … is to restrict the number of sporting spectators to parents and carers where practical.

“That means there’s no aunties, no uncles, no grandmas, grandpas, no brothers, no sisters crowding on the sidelines.”

The exception is those who are carers for children.

The stricter measures follow a surge of coronavirus case in NSW linked to the outbreak at the Crossroads Hotel in Casula.

NSW recorded 10 new coronavirus cases in the state, in a 24 hour period, as the prospect of tight restrictions remains as health authorities continue to contain the virus.

Six of the new cases were locally acquired, while four are related to hotel quarantine, NSW Chief Medical Officer Dr Kerry Chant said Thursday.

And three cases are linked to the outbreak at the Crossroads Hotel in Casula.

“Those three cases that were associated with Crossroads are a child of a previously known case, a man in his 30s, a contact with a previously known case, and a man in his 80s who attended the Crossroads Hotel on 5 July,” Dr Chant said.

A further three cases are still under investigation.

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NASCAR hosts largest sporting event crowd since pandemic

By JENNA FRYER AP Auto Racing Writer

Updated Jul 15, 2020 | Posted on Jul 15, 2020 0

BRISTOL, Tenn. (AP) — Clint Bowyer hopped off his pit stand at Bristol Motor Speedway to learn he'd won the fan vote to advance into NASCAR's All-Star race — an announcement met by a roar from the grandstands.

It wasn't the raucous ovation typically heard in Thunder Valley, but after four months of near silence, it was better than nothing.

Up to 30,000 fans were allowed to attend Wednesday night's race, NASCAR’s largest with spectators since the coronavirus pandemic shut down sports in March. Attendance figures were not released, but it appeared at least 20,000 spectators were socially distanced throughout the grandstands — making it the largest sporting event in the United States since winter.

“It damn sure feels good to have the fans back at the track,” Bowyer said.

Chase Elliott, NASCAR's most popular driver, won the race and celebrated to chants of “USA! USA!” from the crowd.

IndyCar raced last weekend at Road America in Wisconsin and there was no limit on tickets sold to the event held on a 4-mile road course. Crowd estimates for that event have been around 10,000 spectators.

Driver introductions were held for the first time since racing resumed May 17, although the usual over-the-top festivities were toned down. Drivers for the All-Star event typically walked out on a stage with their team but on Wednesday night they stood next to their cars and waved to the crowd as they were introduced.

The All-Star Race was moved from Charlotte Motor Speedway for just the second time since its 1985 inception because Tennessee officials allowed Speedway Motorsports to sell a percentage of its seats. North Carolina, where the race was held at Charlotte Motor Speedway its first year and every year since 1987, would not authorize spectators.

Bristol, dubbed “The Last Great Colosseum,” can hold about 140,000 people, meaning it would be 79% empty even with a sellout crowd of 30,000. Masks were only required upon entrance. Fans were told they could remove them once in their seats.

Tickets were on sale through Tuesday evening and still available on Bristol’s website until the deadline. The speedway is privately owned and attendance figures are not required to be released.

Concession stands were open, but typical shopping opportunities were limited and independent street-side souvenir stands along Speedway Boulevard hawked driver items and even a few Confederate flags.

As fans arrived, they were greeted by a plane flying over the Tennessee track that was pulling a banner of the Confederate flag.

NASCAR in June banned the flag at its events, but protesters at Talladega Superspeedway in Alabama paraded past the main entrance waving them from their vehicles. A plane also flew over the speedway that day with a flag that read “Defund NASCAR,” a play on the “defund the police” slogan of some protesting racial injustice.

President Donald Trump has criticized NASCAR for banning the Confederate flag, blaming the decision for the sport's “low ratings,” although TV ratings for NASCAR have been up since racing resumed.

The Sons of Confederate Veterans of Columbia, Tennessee, claimed it had paid for the banner over Talladega. The one flying over Bristol Motor Speedway listed only the group's website.

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