SPORT-SCAN DAILY BRIEF NHL 05/30/19 Bruins cont'd 1145579 Ducks’ slow-moving coaching search appears to be 1145616 ‘I wasn’t good the last two games’: Brad Marchand and picking up steam linemates flame out in Game 2 1145580 What’s taking the Ducks so long to hire a ? It’s 1145617 Boston fans may see something familiar in St. Louis’ gritty, a ‘mystery’ says a league exec plucky, underdog comeback 1145618 The brotherly bond uniting Steve and grows as the Cup draws closer 1145581 to coach Oilers, but can he replicate his success with the Coyotes 1145582 Former Coyotes coach Dave Tippett named Oilers head 1145619 On a night of heavy hockey, a different No. 4 in Boston coach produces win No. 1 for Blues in Cup final 1145620 Wild journey for Bruins' Connor Clifton began at Sabres Prospect Challenge 1145583 Joakim Nordstrom’s best effort was impressive, but 1145621 Zdeno Chara on Ralph Krueger, evolving in his 40s and ... wasted in a loss Tom Brady 1145584 In the end, the Bruins had nothing left in the tank 1145622 Five Things to Know as Blues, Bruins meet in Game 2 of 1145585 The Bruins ‘didn’t have as much energy’ on offense, and it final cost them 1145623 What Ralph Krueger's player usage in Edmonton can tell 1145586 All of a sudden we’ve got a series between Bruins and us Blues 1145624 Putting the ‘tank’ on trial: How the Sabres’ last six years 1145587 Matt Grzelcyk leaves game after hit from behind compare to teams who went through a similar proces 1145588 Bruins rally towels for Game 2 include a Barstool Sports logo. Some fans are not happy about that Flames 1145589 Patriots coach Bill Belichick banner captain for Game 2 of 1145625 Analyzing the Flames cap: What needs to be cut and how Stanley Cup Final they can make additions 1145590 Sean Kuraly has a knack for scoring clutch goals 1145591 A Super 8 loss is motivating Charlie Coyle in the Stanley Cup Final 1145626 Blackhawks sign Czech forward Dominik Kubalik to a 1145592 Stanley Cup Today: Bruins look to extend their series lead 1-year, $925,000 deal in Game 2 1145627 Blackhawks sign Dominik Kubalik to one-year contract 1145593 Here’s how the Bruins’ defense shut down the Blues in 1145628 Blackhawks sign forward Kubalik to year deal Game 1 1145629 After signing entry-level contract, where does Dominik 1145594 Should Torey Krug be subject to discipline for that hit? Kubalik fit into Blackhawks lineup? 1145595 Bruins feeling black-and-Blue after tough Game 2 loss 1145596 Bruins need top line to wake up to regain control of Columbus Blue Jackets Stanley Cup Final 1145630 John Madden out as coach of Columbus Blue Jackets’ 1145597 ’s second-chance in overtime lifts affiliate in Blues past Bruins 1145598 Bruins loss extra painful as Blues take Game 2 of Stanley Cup Final in OT 1145631 Stars free agent winger Mats Zuccarello is going to get 1145599 Bruins notebook: Bruins defensemen emergence well paid – should it be by Dallas? timed 1145600 GAME REWIND: Bruins face Blues in Stanley Cup Final, Game 2 1145632 on how these 3 Worlds players can help 1145601 Bruins’ Jake DeBrusk blends old, new hockey Detroit Red Wings 1145602 Blues captain anticipates turnaround in 1145633 What Finnish MVP Oliwer Kaski brings to the Red Wings’ St. Louis blue line 1145603 Bruins’ Chris Wagner not throwing in the towel yet 1145604 Bruins pregame notes: B’s can take 2-0 lead in Stanley Cup 1145634 JONES: No plans for Dave Tippett to stifle Edmonton 1145605 Talking Points from the Bruins' Game 2 3-2 OT loss to the Oilers offence Blues 1145635 Lowetide: Analyzing the Oilers roster to see which players 1145606 Shorthanded Bruins ran out of gas in Game 2 overtime fit Dave Tippett’s ‘aggressive, fast team’ approach loss to Blues 1145607 Bruins' David Backes has strong reaction to hit that knocked Matt Grzelcyk out of Game 2 1145636 This is why the Panthers might pick up a goalie in the first 1145608 Matt Grzelcyk injury: Bruins D-man went to hospital, no round of the NHL Draft update on Game 3 status 1145609 Bruins showing they don't have any consistent weak spots in playoff win streak 1145637 Laval Rocket re-signs forward Nikita Jevpalovs to one- 1145610 Bruce Cassidy pays Torey Krug hilarious compliment after year AHL deal Game 1 win over Blues 1145611 Torey Krug: It's 'pretty ridiculous' hit is being compared to Flying 1145638 Islanders prospect Bode Wilde turned a rocky draft year 1145612 Vladimir Tarasenko insists Blues aren't phased by into a standout season and is ready for the ‘next step troubling Cup Final stat 1145613 Sean Kuraly shares Bruins' locker room message after sluggish Game 1 start 1145614 Matt Grzelcyk’s loss proves pivotal in Game 2, and maybe for the series 1145615 Stanley Cup final report card – Game 2 1145639 GARRIOCH: Anders Nilsson decides his best bet is to 1145678 Canucks Under the Microscope: stay with the Ottawa Senators 1145679 Patrick Johnston: Canucks prospects no-games plan an 1145640 Mike Condon's days with the Senators are numbered after outlier, or more penny pinching? Nilsson signing 1145641 Is the writing on the wall for Mike Condon after Senators re-sign Anders Nilsson? 1145673 Ryan Reaves pranks Golden Knights teammates 1145674 Las Vegas considering stadium for MLS soccer team 1145642 Flyers’ goalie pipeline, led by Carter Hart, has come to life Websites 1145643 Why James van Riemsdyk could be Flyers' most important 1145680 The Athletic / Why you shouldn’t underestimate prospect player in 2019-20 (and not for his goal-scoring) Cole Caufield 1145681 The Athletic / Down Goes Brown: The 2019 playoff disappointment index 1145644 Jeremy Roenick: Penguins star will accept 1145682 .ca / Unlikely hero delivers Blues a victory a trade to only one team half-century in the making 1145683 Sportsnet.ca / 'Big-boy hockey' alive and well in 2019 Stanley Cup Final 1145645 Ex-Sharks coach credited with Brent Burns’ breakout 1145684 Sportsnet.ca / 10 blockbuster NHL trade candidates you'll returns to San Jose bench hear about this summer 1145646 Sharks' Logan Couture rooting for Raptors vs. Warriors in 1145685 TSN.CA / Washroom prediction sets stage for NBA Finals Gunnarsson’s OT magic 1145647 Sharks offseason questions: What does free agency hold 1145686 TSN.CA / GM Benning: Canucks aim to shore up defence for Timo Meier? in off-season 1145648 Sharks bring back to coaching staff; Rob 1145687 TSN.CA / Boston’s own Golden Misfits getting job done on Zettler let go defence 1145649 Which Sharks will stay and which might have played their 1145688 USA TODAY / Stanley Cup Final: Carl Gunnarsson lifts last game in teal Blues past Bruins in overtime of Game 2 1145689 USA TODAY / Boston Bruins' Matt Grzelcyk leaves Game St Louis Blues 2 of Stanley Cup Final after hard hit 1145650 BenFred: Perron tells his side of play that sparked Krug’s big hit on Thomas 1145651 Thomas will miss Game 2 vs. Bruins; Dunn won't play 1145675 Jets’ Brossoit can help reduce workload: Rhythm 1145652 Hochman: In Game 2, can Blues' third line still hum with important, but Hellebuyck must stay fresh in for injured Robert Thomas? 1145676 WHA JETS REUNION: Encounter with goon Bilodeau in 1145653 Binnington showed no nerves under heavy pressure bar had Lindstrom running scared 1145654 Blues have been down before in these playoffs — and 1145677 From Hall of Fame linemates to winning five they're still here championships in 10 years, Jets great Willy Lindstrom 1145655 Sultan: Buried in a Blues jersey, a superfan said the team reflects on would win the Stanley Cup the year she died 1145656 BenFred: 7 numbers that could determine Blues' fate in best-of-seven Final SPORT-SCAN, INC. 941-284-4129 1145657 BenFred: Should Blues goad the Boston rat Marchand? 1145658 Hochman: Blues must use brains and bodies to rebound in Game 2 1145659 Blues notebook: Dunn might return in Game 2; Thomas OK after hit 1145660 St. Louis sets local hockey TV ratings record, is No. 1 market nationally for Game 1 1145661 One more chance: After hitting a post late in regulation, Carl Gunnarsson planned his OT winner in the ‘pisser 1145662 Buckley: Boston fans may see something familiar in St. Louis’ gritty, plucky, underdog comeback 1145663 Matt Grzelcyk’s loss proves pivotal in Game 2, and maybe for the series 1145664 Stanley Cup final report card – Game 2 1145665 ‘I wasn’t good the last two games’: Brad Marchand and linemates flame out in Game 2 1145666 Blues broadcaster Chris Kerber ‘respecting the booth’ with decision to continue Kelly family tradition 1145667 LeBrun: on the rare chance at Cup redemption and why this year will be different 1145668 Patience is running out for Blues’ after a long wait to win 1145669 How World Championship can be another springboard in speedy rise of Lightning’s Anthony Cirelli 1145670 Down East Leafs the Growlers close in on ECHL title 1145671 Trevor Moore’s impressive Marlies chapter has turned him into a ‘model’ for the franchise 1145672 A bandwagoner’s guide to the NBA Finals: What can the Maple Leafs learn from the Raptors’ incredible run? 1145579 Anaheim Ducks

Ducks’ slow-moving coaching search appears to be picking up steam

By Elliott Teaford | [email protected] | Orange County Register

PUBLISHED: May 29, 2019 at 6:46 pm | UPDATED: May 29, 2019 at 6:47 PM

Conventional wisdom suggested for many months that would be the preferred choice when General Manager Bob Murray selected the Ducks’ next coach. In fact, one NHL source said Eakins had been promised the job not long after was fired Feb. 10.

No question, Eakins would be a logical pick, having played a key role in the development of so many of the Ducks’ top prospects in his four seasons as coach of the San Diego Gulls, the franchise’s AHL team. Plus, Eakins guided the Gulls to their first Western Conference final appearance this spring.

It would be a little unusual if Eakins wasn’t hired to continue mentoring the Ducks’ stable of young players as they made their anticipated transitions to the NHL next season. Eakins knows players such as Max Jones, Kiefer Sherwood, Sam Steel and Troy Terry better than anyone.

However, Murray had no intention of hiring Eakins the moment the Gulls’ playoff run ended with their elimination Monday at the hands of the . Eakins might still be Murray’s top candidate, but he’s not the only one who will be granted an interview.

Several others have emerged as possible candidates to become the 10th coach in the Ducks’ 26-year history in the NHL. According to reports, Dallas Stars assistant coaches and and New York Islanders assistant Lane Lambert are set to be interviewed for the job.

Murray is attending the NHL draft combine in Buffalo, N.Y., this week, scouting players and rubbing elbows with other league executives. He had been scouting the Gulls’ playoff games, keeping a watchful eye on their top players while remaining mum on his coaching search.

Eakins also has declined to speak publicly about the possibility of coaching the Ducks.

Murray said last month he intended to wait until after his candidates’ seasons ended before seeking interviews in order to avoid distractions for prospective coaches. Presumably, that included Eakins, who had an ill-fated stint in the NHL in which he won only 36 of 113 games with Edmonton.

Eakins, 52, also spent four seasons as coach of the Toronto Maple Leafs’ AHL team.

Bowness, 64, has NHL head coaching experience with the Winnipeg Jets, Boston Bruins, Ottawa Senators, New York Islanders and Phoenix Coyotes. He spent last season as an assistant on Jim Montgomery’s staff with the Stars. He hasn’t been a head coach in the NHL since 2003-04.

Nelson, 50, coached the of the AHL for four seasons before joining Bowness on Montgomery’s staff last season. He had a three-game career in the NHL in the early 1990s, including two contests with the in 1993-94.

Lambert, 54, served as an assistant coach on ’s staff with the and then followed him to the Capital and then to the Islanders after Washington’s Stanley Cup win in 2017-18. He was a candidate for the job that went to in 2016.

Murray isn’t expected to complete his interviews and make a decision until next week at the earliest.

Orange County Register: LOADED: 05.30.2019 1145580 Anaheim Ducks obviously fits into that now. Lambert’s and Nelson’s teams were eliminated in the second round of the playoffs.

Lambert has not been an NHL head coach. A longtime aide to Barry What’s taking the Ducks so long to hire a head coach? It’s a ‘mystery’ Trotz with Nashville, Washington and the Islanders, Lambert last guided says a league exec his own team from 2007-11 when he helmed the AHL’s before being promoted to the Predators’ bench. Each of his four squads made the playoffs but never advanced beyond the second round. By Eric Stephens Roman Josi, Patric Hornqvist and Colin Wilson are among the most notable NHL veterans he coached with the Ads. May 29, 2019 Before joining the Dallas staff under first-year coach Jim Montgomery,

Nelson coached Detroit’s AHL team, the Grand Rapids Griffins, for three And then there was one. seasons and led them to a title in 2017. He also coached Edmonton’s AHL affiliate when it was in Oklahoma City and replaced the Edmonton has a new head coach. Ottawa presented its man five days fired Eakins as the Oilers’ interim coach in 2015, when he went 17-22-7 ago. Buffalo’s newest bench boss has been in place for two weeks. but got passed over for permanency. The Oilers he coached included Jordan Eberle, Ryan Nugent-Hopkins, , Justin Schultz and Anaheim? To steal from the late, great Ted Knight and his “Caddyshack” Oscar Klefbom. portrayal of Judge Elihu Smails: “Well … we’re waiting!” Nelson ran the power play in Dallas, where it was 11th in the NHL this Naming a new coach probably isn’t the area where the Ducks hoped to season with a 21 percent success rate. It did well despite having the be the Last Team Standing, but here we are. Dave Tippett, the ex-Dallas third-fewest chances – just two more than Anaheim for the season. His and Arizona coach, left the Seattle mix to take on ’s power plays in Grand Rapids were among the AHL’s best. Among the challenge of building a successful team in Edmonton around stars current Detroit Red Wings he guided are Anthony Mantha, Tyler Bertuzzi Connor McDavid and Leon Draisaitl. Tippett is a name, but not one and Andreas Athanasiou. Anaheim general manager Bob Murray would turn to. Big names really haven’t been part of Murray’s consideration in looking for the permanent Another AHL coach, Pascal Vincent, is a reported candidate, as noted by successor to, well, himself. Sportsnet’s Elliotte Friedman. Vincent, 47, has led the Moose for three seasons but the former longtime coach in the Quebec Major would have been a massive statement, but Murray Junior Hockey League also spent five years as a Winnipeg assistant already knew Florida GM Dale Tallon had the three-time Stanley Cup under Claude Noel and . winner under lock and key, with Panthers ownership on a mission to spend big. Quenneville reportedly signed for $6 million per season (with Given where the Ducks are, as a team in transition, the coaching job the potential for more in bonuses), and the Kings recently hired Todd seems lined up for Eakins. He has proven himself in San Diego since his McLellan at $5 million per season, but those price tags aren’t going to firing in Edmonton, going 154-95-23 with three playoff appearances in jibe with the amount Ducks owners Henry and Susan Samueli will pay for four seasons. He has been able to balance icing a competitive, winning the next main man blowing the whistle. team while developing Anaheim’s better prospects into full-fledged NHL players. His best job may have come this season, managing an ever- The next Ducks coach – who will be the 10th in their history – won’t have changing roster and guiding it to the AHL’s final four. a lengthy NHL track record like Bruce Boudreau or Randy Carlyle, the only two to preside behind the Anaheim bench since 2005. He’ll be One NHL executive wonders why it’s a “mystery” that the Ducks haven’t guiding a transforming roster once carried by aging stars that will be already hired Eakins. Another league source thinks they would be foolish injected with younger blood, and he will deal with the ups and downs that to not hire him at this , while another source believes Eakins will come with newcomers making their way in the NHL. He’ll also be asked ultimately get the job. to keep the franchise from plunging into a multiyear rebuild (shhh, don’t say that word too loudly within the team’s offices) and get it back in the The decision, of course, belongs to Murray and ownership. And they’re Stanley Cup tournament sooner than later. not rushing into one.

It could be Dallas Eakins. And it very well might not be.

Eakins’ San Diego Gulls were eliminated from the American Hockey The Athletic LOADED: 05.30.2019 League’s Western Conference final by the Chicago Wolves on Monday night. The Gulls’ Calder Cup dreams were dashed, but that gave the Ducks the opportunity to prepare a press conference to formally introduce the 52-year-old Eakins and usher in his second chance as an NHL head coach.

Except they’re not doing that.

Murray is at the NHL Scouting Combine in Buffalo, which runs through Saturday. He isn’t mirroring what Holland did, in breaking from the combine to fly to Edmonton for the Tippett introduction and then jetting back. It is believed Murray has cast a wide net and could meet with some candidates at the combine. A Ducks spokesman would only say that the GM is doing a thorough search and is not in a rush to make a hire. Most teams have their new head coach before the draft and there’s still three weeks left until this year’s gathering in Vancouver.

Eakins is certainly a candidate, but he isn’t the only one. Sportsnet’s John Shannon tweeted what has been bubbling under the surface – that Eakins isn’t the slam-dunk choice. The Samuelis want him, as Shannon noted, but Murray wants to keep others in play.

At least two others can be confirmed on Murray’s radar. New York Islanders assistant Lane Lambert is one. Multiple league sources have told The Athletic that Dallas assistant Todd Nelson is also in the mix.

Lambert, 54, has talked with the Ducks but not had a formal interview. It isn’t clear if Nelson, 50, will be interviewed but sources say there is legitimate interest. It isn’t known if Murray has asked the Stars for permission to speak to Nelson, but the GM said from the outset that he would not interview any candidates until their seasons ended. Eakins 1145581 Arizona Coyotes

Dave Tippett to coach Edmonton Oilers, but can he replicate his success with the Coyotes

Richard Morin, Arizona Republic

Published 2:58 p.m. MT May 29, 2019

Former Arizona Coyotes head coach Dave Tippett is back behind the bench, and he's got a tall task ahead of him.

In joining the Edmonton Oilers, Tippett is simultaneously signing up to coach some serious star power (Connor McDavid, Leon Draisaitl) as well as a pattern of dysfunction from the front office.

Ken Holland, who was named the Oilers' general manager on May 7, has been putting his mark on the storied franchise over the last few weeks. And Tippett just might be the hardest punch he throws.

Whether or not it lands is anyone's guess.

Tippett certainly has the résumé to make it work. While coaching the Coyotes and Dallas Stars, he won the and captured three division titles between 2002 and 2017. Tippett went from Dallas to Arizona in 2009 and parted ways with the Coyotes following the 2016-17 season. He has not coached since.

Are you a sports fan? Stay in the know. Subscribe to azcentral.com today.

During his time in Arizona, Tippett was regarded as a coach with an extraordinary ability to do a lot with very little. His Coyotes teams that made the playoffs (three straight seasons from 2009-12), made up for their lack in star-power with depth and a team-first mentality.

It will be a different situation with the Oilers, who boast two of the NHL's most-talented forwards in McDavid and Draisaitl but are at a shortage of lower-tier players.

“I come to a team that obviously has good pieces, lots of upside,” Tippett said at his introductory news conference Tuesday. “Everybody talks about Connor McDavid and Leon Draisaitl; there are more pieces than McDavid and Draisaitl. There is lots to build on.”

The Oilers were one of the worst defensive teams in hockey last season (25th in goals-against) and will require some changes if the team is expected to contend for a playoff spot next season.

But the on-ice product is not the only concerning aspect of the Oilers organization. Back in May, Oilers CEO Bob Nicholson called out forward Tobias Rieder and blamed him for the team not making the playoffs in 2018-19.

Rieder, who spent parts of four seasons with the Coyotes, played 67 games for the Oilers last season and did not score a goal. Nicholson said that if Rieder "would have scored 10 or 12 goals, we’d probably be in the playoffs."

Nicholson later walked back his comments, but the incident remained as evidence of the years of front office mismanagement.

Most of that blame is assigned to Peter Chiarelli, who was fired as the team's GM during last season. Chiarelli was the one who signed Milan Lucic to an impossible-to-explain contract (seven years, $42 million), traded Jordan Eberle for Ryan Strome, swapped Taylor Hall (2018 Hart Trophy winner) for Adam Larsson, and signed Mikko Koskinen to another impossible-to-explain contract (three years, $13.5 million).

Can Tippett help change the culture in Edmonton, or will the Oilers continue to waste the prime years of McDavid as they toil in mediocrity?

Arizona Republic LOADED: 05.30.2019 1145582 Arizona Coyotes

Former Coyotes coach Dave Tippett named Oilers head coach

Staff Report

BY ARIZONA SPORTS

MAY 28, 2019 AT 8:07 AM

UPDATED: MAY 28, 2019 AT 10:10 AM

Former Arizona Coyotes head coach Dave Tippett was named head coach of the Edmonton Oilers, the team announced Tuesday.

He was introduced at a press conference following a period of reports that Tippett would indeed replace Edmonton’s fired coach Todd McLellan and interim . SportsNet’s Mark Spector first reported Tuesday morning that the hire was made and would be announced the same day.

Tippett has agreed to a three-year deal, Elliotte Friedman reported, while TSN’s Pierre LeBrun added that he believes the deal is for just under $3 million per year.

Tippett has 14 years of NHL head-coaching experience and spent his last eight with the Coyotes (2009-17). Before his tenure with Arizona/Phoenix, Tippett coached the Dallas Stars.

After working as a senior adviser for the NHL’s Seattle franchise, he re- enters the coaching ranks after parting with the Coyotes in June 2017. He went 282-257-83 in his eight years in the Valley.

The Coyotes finished the 2016-17 season 30-42-10 before replacing Tippett with their former player, , who joined Arizona from the Pittsburgh Penguins staff.

The Tocchet-led Coyotes have posted 29-41-12 and 39-35-8 records in his first two seasons since Tippett’s departure.

In Edmonton, Tippett takes over a team that went 35-38-9 last year but features Connor McDavid and Leon Draisaitl, who respectively ranked second and fourth in points scored this past regular season.

Arizona Sports LOADED: 05.30.2019 1145583 Boston Bruins Coyle had provided the early 1-0 lead at 4:44 of the first, Robert Bortuzzo snuck one just inside Rask’s post at 9:37 to even it up. That tie lasted a mere 40 seconds, however, thanks to Nordstrom’s third goal of the Joakim Nordstrom’s best effort was impressive, but wasted in a loss postseason, when he forced a Blues turnover, passed to Sean Kuraly, and put the return pass into the net.

The wild period wasn’t over. St. Louis tied it again at 14:55 and sent Matt Adrian Walker Grzelcyk to the ice (and ultimately to the hospital for tests) at the wrong end of a questionable hit with 2:03 remaining, the

balance of power tilting the Blues’ way. This one could have belonged to Joakim Nordstrom. If there was justice Nordstrom did his best to push back, nowhere more than in that in the sports world and effort was all it took to earn results, this one would courageous second-period four-minute kill, throwing his body in front of have belonged to Joakim Nordstrom. the puck in a way that would be too easy to describe as reckless But in this particular theater of reality TV, justice doesn’t work that way. In abandon. When hockey players do what Nordstrom did, when they do sports, the hardest worker doesn’t always get to be the winner in the end, what Chris Wagner did in Game 2 of the Eastern Conference finals, left instead to wear the hollow cloak of pride for doing the best he could, suffering an arm injury that has kept him out of action since, when they even when it wasn’t enough. do what Campbell so memorably did in 2013, staying on the ice despite sustaining a broken leg while blocking a in the Eastern Conference Such was Nordstrom’s plight Wednesday night at TD Garden. A fourth- finals against Pittsburgh, they are fully conscious of the decision to line Bruin with a first-rate selfless game, Nordstrom was out there sacrifice body for team. throwing his body to the slap-shot gods, his willingness to suffer physical pain as strong a reminder of how much these Bruins want this Stanley Sometimes it’s enough for a win. On Wednesday, for Nordstrom, it Cup as anything we saw across three-plus periods of hockey. As if wasn’t. multiple blocked shots weren’t enough, Nordstrom scored a goal as well, a nifty move and backhand shot that snuck through the five hole of Blues’ goalie Jordan Binnington and, for a stretch, gave the Bruins a lead. Boston Globe LOADED: 05.30.2019 It wasn’t enough to win the game — the Bruins lost in overtime, 3-2 — but it was enough to break through the hushed tones of the losing locker room and earn high praise from teammates who hated to see such effort wasted.

“He’s laying it all on the line for his teammates, for the entire city,” third- year defenseman said. “He’s out there, he’s working hard, he wants to accomplish the main goal of what we have in mind of winning. He’s sacrificing everything he can. A lot of respect for the way that he blocks shots.”

Who wasn’t impressed? Nordstrom’s work in a four-minute kill across the final 4:21 of the second period channeled his best Gregory Campbell, parking himself in front of the goal, twice deflecting ’s heavy slap shot with parts of his own body, spinning around on one to get a leg on it, popping up from both as if he’d just swatted away a fly. With the Blues applying constant pressure and the Bruins unable to get a clear, Nordstrom was out there for 1:03 of penalty-killing time, exhausting himself until Tuukka Rask finally had a chance to smother the puck.

“That’s what he brings, he knows what he brings and he does it well,” third-line center Charlie Coyle said, understanding how important it is for teams to use every bit of depth they have for any advantage they can get. It was Coyle who scored the Bruins’ first goal, another third-line contribution while the B’s top two lines scuffle for production.

“That’s so huge to have that, to have a guy willing to do that,” Coyle said. “I don’t know if he had a bum skate or edge, or a lost edge, and he’s still blocking shots and getting in the way of the puck. That’s huge, going above and beyond, and you can tell that’s a guy who’s done it before and won a Cup. He knows what it takes.”

Nordstrom signed as a free agent with the Bruins this past offseason after a relatively quiet season in Carolina, but he was a Cup winner in Chicago in 2015. He does know what it takes, and with a game-high five blocked shots Wednesday (no one else had more than three), he’s presenting pretty good evidence he still has what it takes.

The tenor of this game was different than Game 1 from the outset, the Blues determined not to be run over and left behind the way they were in the final two periods of Lord Stanley’s first Cup game, casting the Bruins as unhappy chasers for most of the night. There were more than enough scrums, hits, and body blows to rate this one more of a boxing match than a track meet, and this time, the Bruins were left bruised.

“They came a little harder,” Coyle said. “I don’t think they thought they played their best the other game and we were in the same boat, but they elevated their play big time and got a good result because of it. We’ve got to look at some film and figure out a way to get some more chances, get some more pucks to the net.”

Nordstrom put a beautiful one in the net in the first period, a goal that at the time, felt like it would be all the momentum the Bruins needed. After 1145584 Boston Bruins “It feels huge,” said Carlo, asked about the disappointment of not heading to St. Louis with the 2-0 lead. “They pressed hard in overtime. If we had come out more on the top of our toes and gotten this one, it In the end, the Bruins had nothing left in the tank would have set us up well in the series — but we are back to Step One and continue to grind.”

The Blues, successful with a more assertive game, no doubt will look to Adrian Walker carry through on that MO in . They were at times too aggressive, caught twice for a pair of interference infractions. But even

with those penalties, the methodology worked. If this was going to be a 1970 redux, a final-round sweep of the Blues, “Especially when we went down a D, I guess they wanted to put more they would have to tap into an energy reserve that they began draining pressure on,’’ Rask said. “I think that is their game anyway. They late in the first period when Matt Grzelcyk (suspected concussion) left for forecheck well and try to keep the puck in there and grind it out. It is the hospital and the defensive corps was down to five. tough for the D. But you know, we just try to make that easy play, have In the end, empty tank. some support and break the puck out. That is the only medicine, I guess.” “Some of it was fatigue,” said Bruins coach Bruce Cassidy, noting the final sequence, in which an uncovered Carl Gunnarsson hammered None of which was the was the case on the winning goal. home the winning goal. “It’s a screen shot from the point — we didn’t get “Obviously,” said Cassidy, “we didn’t manage the puck well. We just in the shooting lane.” weren’t able to get it out, change the mentality, and it snowballed on us.” The closest Bruin defender, forward Marcus Johansson, was not in reasonable distance of getting in the way of Gunnarsson as the Blues defenseman unloaded on the diagonal feed from Ryan O’Reilly. Boston Globe LOADED: 05.30.2019 Parked midway down the slot, Blues defenseman Alex Pietrangelo set the screen, the Blues working with an extra man with a delayed penalty whistled seconds earlier on Brandon Carlo.

And in net, where he already had turned back three shots in overtime, Bruins tender Tuukka Rask (eight straight wins), was left with the goaltender’s tool of last resort — a guess where Gunnarsson’s shot might appear.

“You know, they had six guys on the ice, so he might have been the extra guy there,” said Rask. “It was a quick pass and a one-timer, so . . . I mean, you are trying to take away as much net as possible . . . and that’s a good shot, going cross-grain like that . . . tough to stop.”

Gunnarsson let go from high above the right-wing circle, with the 6-foot- 3-inch, 210-pound Pietrangelo acting as shooting mark/screen in the middle. A shot to the right of Pietrangelo would have meant trying to beat Rask on the short side. He opted to the far side, Rask’s blocker, and struck gold. Blues, 3-2, with 3:51 gone in overtime, and the series 1-1 en route to St. Louis.

“He hit the post in the third period, Gunny, and he said he needed one more shot,’’ said Blues coach , “He was jokin’ around a little bit. He played a hell of a game, made a great shot.”

Until that shot, the Blues were 0-13 in Cup Final games, dating back more than a half-century. And 49 years after Bobby Orr’s goal ran their streak to 0-12 with his OT Cup clincher in 1970, they finally put up a W.

The overtime was an exaggerated microcosm of the game plan the Blues prepped into Game 2. They wanted more pucks to the net, and above all, they wanted to grind, with a heavy forecheck. They wanted Boston blue liners turned around in their own end, facing the glass, taking a beating.

Exhibit A came at the 17:57 mark of the first when Grzelcyk turned to field a puck on the rear wall in his right defensive corner. Vulnerable to a big hit, he got it, his head slammed hard into the glass by a galloping Oskar Sundqvist. He was done for the night, helped off the ice by teammates Jake DeBrusk and David Krejci. Already under stress as drawn up by the Blues game plan, the Bruins would have to play man- down back there for the rest of the night — with the likes of Torey Krug, Zdeno Chara, and Charlie McAvoy all finishing the night with more than 25 minutes logged.

The Blues took full charge in the OT, worn down even more on the shift before the winning sequence, the Blues owning the zone via a series of turnovers. They were able to survive that first wave, got new bodies on the ice, only to have the Blues keep up the heat, ultimately forcing Carlo to haul down a Blues forward near Rask and set up the 6 on 5.

“I thought puck possession in the offensive zone was huge,” said Berube. “That was led from our forecheck, making good plays. We have to get pucks in deep and go get ’em.”

The loss, their first since Game 3 of the Blue Jackets series, prevented the Bruins from taking a commanding 2-0 lead in the series — a possible ticket to their second Cup in eight years. 1145585 Boston Bruins The Bruins started hot. On a power play 3:55 in after Sammy Blais ran Rask, Coyle made it 1-0 after snapping a one-timer from the high slot off a Jake DeBrusk feed. It came off a clean zone entry, one of few they had The Bruins ‘didn’t have as much energy’ on offense, and it cost them on the man-up.

“It’s on us to execute better and move more,” Cassidy said. “I thought our whole game was like that.” Adrian Walker The Blues evened it five minutes later, off a fluky bounce. Defenseman Robert Bortuzzo went short side off Grzelcyk’s knee 9:37 in.

In their 3-2 overtime loss in Game 2 of the Stanley Cup Final, Boston Grzelcyk’s night didn’t last much longer. With 2:03 left in the first, Blues converted once on five power plays and landed just three shots with the winger Oskar Sundqvist boarded him with a high hit. Grzelcyk went to extra man. The Bruins struggled to generate zone time at even strength. General Hospital for testing. The club did not reveal any They were outshot, 37-23, in regulation and, 4-0, in overtime. more information on his condition. His availability is unknown for Game 3 on Saturday. St. Louis was first on the puck and tighter in formation. Boston was a step slow and spread out. The Bruins had their pluck in the first. Forty seconds after Bortuzzo’s goal, Nordstrom regained the lead with another five-hole finish off The Bruins paid the final price at 3:59 of OT and 11:10 p.m. on another slick dish, this one from brother-in-grime Sean Kuraly. Nordstrom Wednesday, when veteran defenseman Carl Gunnarsson sent a one- later had a Gregory Campbell moment, remaining on the ice for 1:03 time slapper high blocker from the point, finishing off the Bruins on a while clearly hobbled after blocking a pair of heavy slappers. Brandon Carlo delayed tripping call. The Bruins were gassed, having moments before spent nearly a minute hemmed in their zone. Ryan But they gave it back with 5:05 left in the first, on a Vladimir Tarasenko O’Reilly sent the feed across for a 55-foot cannon. cleanup. Jaden Schwartz rushed the zone against Zdeno Chara, with Marchand and Charlie McAvoy caught up ice, and while the big man Gunnarsson’s goal gave the Blues their first Final win in franchise history. denied one Tarasenko bid after Rask stopped Schwartz’s initial shot, They are now 1-13, taking this one 49 years after Bobby Orr’s flight of Tarasenko made a skilled backhand chip for the tying goal. fancy swept them out of the Final for the third year running (1968-70). By the end of the second period, the Bruins were looking for answers. Charlie Coyle and Joakim Nordstrom scored in the first period for the With 1.2 seconds left in the period, they went six on five, hoping for a Bruins, who snapped their eight-game winning streak, the third-longest lucky bounce, something to turn the tide. It never came. playoff run in club history. They’ll be looking for their spirit in St. Louis. “We didn’t have as much energy, it seemed, with the puck to create offense,” coach Bruce Cassidy said, nothing the Blues “won a lot of “We need to step up our game, for sure,” Coyle said. races, had the puck more than we did . . . that was the tale of the game for me.

“We spent a lot of energy defending. It caught up to us in the end.” Boston Globe LOADED: 05.30.2019

Though the Bruins laid several good pops, they finished with a 49-31 deficit in the hits department. The Blues were committed to the physical game, and that, combined with their springier legs, shrank the Bruins’ space to operate.

“We’ve got to minimize their energy at points,” Carlo said. “They played physical. We had some pushback, but not completely. We can definitely do a better job.”

It hurt the Bruins that they were unable to make the Blues pay for two goaltender interference penalties. “That’s frustrating for a coach,” Cassidy noted. On the second, David Pastrnak had a golden chance from the slot with 47 seconds left in regulation. He took too long to load his wrister. Brad Marchand passed up a few good opportunities. was mostly silent. They combined for seven shots, but weren’t their usual deadly selves.

“Yeah, we need to be better,” Marchand said. “Personally, I wasn’t good the last two games, so we can’t be playing like that.”

The Bruins, who took the Blues out of their rhythm with five power plays in Game 1, had the same number (total time on the PP: 7:06), but didn’t fluster the visitors.

Boston lost the lead twice in the first, after beating St. Louis netminder Jordan Binnington twice on their first five shots. Both the goals went five- hole, and both likely made fans at TD Garden think Binnington could be had.

That might have been the case, anyway, but the Bruins couldn’t do much hammering at any cracks in the rookie goaltender.

Tuukka Rask, victimized by a goal off a bad bounce early, paddled aside a ripper with 3:42 remaining in regulation to keep the score tied. Jay Bouwmeester hit the post with two minutes to go. Rask, with plenty of traffic in front, said he didn’t see Gunnarsson’s blast. He made 34 saves on 37 shots.

The Bruins, forced to play with five defensemen for the final 42 minutes after Matt Grzelcyk departed with an apparent head injury, were down one of their fastest skaters. It was a game played mostly in the neutral zone; St. Louis didn’t often get deep into its heavy forecheck, but it kept Boston from getting much in its zone. 1145586 Boston Bruins The Bruins took a 1-0 lead on a power-play goal by Weymouth’s Charlie Coyle, off a nice feed from Jake DeBrusk. It was the Bruins’ fifth consecutive goal over two games.

All of a sudden we’ve got a series between Bruins and Blues The Blues broke the streak in the 10th minute when Robert Bortuzzo flipped a shot from the right circle and had it deflect off Grzelcyk and into the net. Adrian Walker Forty seconds after the Blues tied the game, Joakim Nordstrom put the Bruins back on top, 2-1, lifting a nifty backhand past Binnington after taking a pass from behind the net from Sean Kuraly. The Bruins had two “We are rooting against Boston,’’ wrote Mike Vaccaro of the New York goals on five shots. Both goals went through the five-hole. Post. “We are tired of Boston.’’ Related: Sullivan: Joakim Nordstrom’s best effort was impressive, but The Washington Post held that the duck boats are “joyous for New wasted in a loss Englanders and sickening for the other 44 states.’’ But Boston never scored again and the Bruins have to be wondering Boston haters had their fun Wednesday night as the Blues beat the about the sluggish play of their top line (minus-7 in the series). Wingers Bruins, 3-2, in overtime on a 55-foot one-timer by Carl Gunnarsson, Brad Marchand and David Pastrnak have struggled. capping 64 minutes of blood-and-thunder hockey. It was hard and heavy all night and the Bruins played the final two-plus periods with only five With two minutes left in the first, Sundqvist dropped Grzelcyk with an defenseman after Charlestown’s Matt Grzelcyk was drilled by Oskar elbow to the head and went off for boarding. Grzelcyk did not return and Sundqvist. it wore down the Bruins.

Grzelcyk was taken to the hospital and the Bruins were awaiting test The Patriot Way did not carry the Bruins in overtime. If it had, the Bruins results. “A hit from behind, which got called. His head got driven into the would have won a coin flip, taken possession, and scored without the glass,” said coach Bruce Cassidy. Blues ever touching the puck. It didn’t happen. St. Louis dominated the overtime, taking all four shots. The Blues had an extra skater on the ice The 1-1 series will resume in St. Louis Saturday night. (delayed penalty on the Bruins) when Gunnarsson finally beat Tuukka In the Patriot spirit of “they hate us cuz they ain’t us,’’ evil genius Bill Rask. Belichick served as a banner captain for Game 2. Coach Bill left the “Next man up,’’ pledged Cassidy. Hoodie at home and carried out his duties in a black parka. Belichick knows a thing or two about championships and also about beating teams Forget about the sweep, people. from St. Louis. It was Belichick’s Patriots who gave birth to New England’s Sports High Renaissance when they stunned the St. Louis We’re on to St. Louis. Rams in the Super Bowl in New Orleans in February 2002. That was the first of 12 duck boat parades in this century, and the Bruins are trying to make it a lucky 13 next month. Boston Globe LOADED: 05.30.2019

The Patriots have been everywhere in this series. Freedom fighter Bob Kraft was again seen on the videoboard waving his rally towel, and the recently embarrassed Patriots owner was cheered as a conquering hero. Amazing: Kraft + towel + video = ovation. Only in Boston.

The Blues were also serenaded to the tune of Bon Jovi’s “Living on a Prayer.’’ But unlike most Patriots opponents, the visitors did not cave in overtime. They won a Stanley Cup Final game for the first time in franchise history, stopping a 13-game losing streak that dated to 1968.

When the series returns to Boston next week, look for Tom Brady to serve as banner captain.

Poor St. Louis has not won a pro sports title since the Cardinals copped the World Series way back in 2011. Boston and St. Louis are the only two cities that have faced one another in a championship event in each of our four major sports, and the Heroes of the Hub are 7-3 vs. St. Louis teams. The only losses? The St. Louis Hawks beat the Celtics in the 1958 Finals, but only because Bill Russell sat out with a bum ankle. The Cardinals beat the Red Sox in two seven-game World Series: 1946 and 1967. The Red Sox beat the Cardinals in 2004, and ’13, the Patriots beat the Rams in 2002, and the Celtics won three NBA crowns at the expense of the Hawks.

There was lots of pregame buzz about Torey Krug’s memorable Game 1 run at St. Louis winger Robert Thomas. Boston fans of a certain age might have been reminded of Dave Cowens (frustrated by ticky-tack fouls induced by flopping opponents) intentionally blasting Houston guard Mike Newlin out of his sneakers, then telling the referee, “Now that’s a foul!’’ Thomas did not play Wednesday, but the Blues claim it had nothing to do with the Krug hit.

The Blues did the bulk of the hitting in Game 2.

“We’re a physical hockey team,’’ said St. Louis interim coach (when does he shed that title?) Craig Berube. “I don’t know what to tell you. We’re going to play physical . . . I knew we’d be a hard team to play against tonight and we were.’’

“We’re happy to be going back to St. Louis 1-1,’’ said Blues goalie Jordan Binnington.

“We let opportunities slip away,’’ countered Cassidy. “Shame on us . . . We’ve just got to play better . . . We spent a lot of energy defending and it caught up with us in the end.’’ 1145587 Boston Bruins

Matt Grzelcyk leaves game after hit from behind

Adrian Walker

Defenseman Matt Grzelcyk exited Game 2 of the Stanley Cup Final, after taking a nasty hit from behind from St. Louis Blues center Oskar Sundqvist.

With two minutes remaining in the first period, and the puck behind Boston’s net, Sundqvist sent an off-balance Grzelcyk crashing into the boards. Grzelcyk immediately grabbed his helmet before falling to the ice. Hunched over, he stayed down holding his head, while officials broke up an escalating scuffle between the two teams.

A trainer came out to tend to the 25-year-old Charlestown native, and teammates David Krejci and Jake DeBrusk also skated over to check in on the situation. The pair helped Grzelcyk off the ice, as he was then promptly escorted to the dressing room.

Sundqvist was sent to the penalty box for two minutes for boarding. The Bruins did not score on the power play, keeping the score 2-2.

Boston Globe LOADED: 05.30.2019 1145588 Boston Bruins

Bruins rally towels for Game 2 include a Barstool Sports logo. Some fans are not happy about that

Adrian Walker

When rally towels are handed out Wednesday night at Boston’s TD Garden for Game 2 of the Stanley Cup Final series, the Bruins logo will be joined by that of another — one for the popular but controversial media brand Barstool Sports.

The move has prompted an outcry among some hockey fans, as some have criticized Barstool as being misogynistic and demeaning to women.

The Bruins tweeted an image of the towel Tuesday morning, thanking the company and its founder, Swampscott native Dave Portnoy, for the sponsorship.

The tweet immediately led to backlash from some Bruins fans, as well as several columns on publications from USA Today’s “For The Win” vertical to Deadspin criticizing the move.

The Bruins did not immediately respond to a Globe request for comment. However, several other publications cited a representative as saying the team “will not be commenting on this activation.”

Barstool is no stranger to being in the spotlight for less than rosy-colored antics. In October 2017, a woman who was offered a job at Barstool tweeted that she turned the position down, citing a clause in her contract that required her to take no offense with the crass language used in the office.

Shortly after, ESPN abruptly canceled “Barstool Van Talk” amid internal backlash among ESPN employees regarding the association. (Portnoy, who launched Barstool more than a decade ago in Massachusetts, said at the time that ESPN was the loser in the breakup: “They need our voice,” he said. “They need our demographic. They’re losing it, and we have it.”)

And that’s just the beginning. There were paparazzi photos posted in 2011 of Tom Brady’s nude toddler son playing on a beach, accompanied by Portnoy’s crude remark about the child’s genitalia. The following year, picketers protested a Barstool “Blackout” party, incensed over what they said was an event that normalized campus rape culture. (A Barstool posting from Portnoy in response said the company did not condone rape, “However if a chick passes out, that’s a gray area though.’’)

“We’re a comedy brand that pokes fun at everybody,” Portnoy previously said. “If you want to pull things out of context, you can do that. This is the Internet. If you don’t like it, don’t read it.”

Portnoy sold a majority stake in the company to the Chernin Group in 2016 for more than $10 million, relocating the brand from Boston to New York City.

Boston Globe LOADED: 05.30.2019 1145589 Boston Bruins Fabbri, who was drafted four spots before Boston selected David Pastrnak 25th overall in 2014, has had an uneven, injury-prone start to his career. He missed the 2017-18 season after an ACL tear in his left Patriots coach Bill Belichick banner captain for Game 2 of Stanley Cup knee that September, after tearing up the same knee the previous Final February.

Fabbri has a 31-41—72 scoring line in 155 regular-season games, ranking 23rd in points among 2014 draftees. From a points-per-game Adrian Walker standpoint, he is slightly behind Danton Heinen, who was drafted in the fourth round (116th overall). Heinen has 81 points in 162 games.

The best value of that draft might have been Pastrnak. The Bruins sniper Following the festivities, Belichick quickly exited the lower bowl. On his has 284 points, ranking second behind third overall pick Leon Draisaitl way out, he took a moment to say hello to national anthem singer Todd (312) of Edmonton. Angilly. No changes Later in the night, midway through the second period, the jumbotron showed Belichick in a suite with his right-hand man Berj Najarian; his The Bruins went with the same lineup as in Game 1 . . . The Red Sox son, and Patriots assistant, Brian; offensive coordinator Josh McDaniels; showed support for the Bruins over at Fenway Park. Rick Porcello wore a and director of football research Ernie Adams. “Wrecking Krug” shirt for warm-ups before the Sox’ game Wednesday night against the Indians. Nathan Eovaldi and Brock Holt had on “Don’t Owner Robert Kraft, who also attended Game 1, was shown in a Poke the Bear” shirts. Porcello reportedly had a Krug jersey at his locker separate section of the Garden, proudly waving a yellow rally towel. . . . The Blues entered Game 2 with an 0-13 record all time in Stanley Matt Grzelcyk injurted Cup Finals, including Game 1, as well as their four-game sweeps in 1968, ’69, and ’70, the latter at the hands of the Bruins . . . Patrice Defenseman Matt Grzelcyk exited Game 2 of the Stanley Cup Final after Bergeron entered Game 2 with 99 playoff points, sixth among Black and taking a nasty hit from behind from St. Louis Blues center Oskar Gold skaters. David Krejci (101) was one point behind for Sundqvist. Bruins coach Bruce Cassidy said Grzelcyk was taken to the second in franchise history. (161) holds the franchise hospital. He did not play after taking the hit. record . . . Bruins goalie prospect Kyle Keyser, one of the team’s Black Aces, was named a second-team OHL All-Star. With two minutes remaining in the first period, and the puck behind Boston’s net, Sundqvist sent an off-balance Grzelcyk crashing into the boards. Grzelcyk immediately grabbed his helmet before falling to the ice. Hunched over, he stayed down holding his head, while officials broke Boston Globe LOADED: 05.30.2019 up an escalating scuffle between the two teams.

A trainer came out to tend to the 25-year-old Charlestown native, and teammates David Krejci and Jake DeBrusk also skated over to check in on the situation.

Down several long moments, Grzelcyk was helped to his feet and off the ice. He went to the room, likely to be checked for a concussion.

Sundqvist was sent to the penalty box for two minutes for boarding. The Bruins did not score on the power play, and the score remained 2-2.

Blues rookie center Robert Thomas was not available for Game 2 because of an undisclosed injury, coach Craig Berube announced on Wednesday morning.

“He’s hurt,” Berube said.

According to Berube, Thomas’s status had “nothing to do” with the hit he received in the third period of Game 1 from Bruins defenseman Torey Krug. After the hit, Thomas made his way to the bench, and he did not return for the final 10:19 of the game. Berube said he made the decision Tuesday to sideline Thomas.

Robby Fabbri took Thomas’s place on the third line, alongside Tyler Bozak and Patrick Maroon. Fabbri, selected 21st overall in the 2014 draft, had logged 66 minutes of ice time over eight games this postseason. He did not play in Game 1 against the Bruins, nor did he see action in the Western Conference finals against the San Jose Sharks.

In 32 regular-season games in 2018-19, Fabbri recorded two goals and four assists.

“He’s a tenacious player,” Berube said. “He’s quick, gets on the puck. He’s a competitive kid. He has the ability to score goals. We’ve seen that in the past from him. Those are the types of things we’ll look for if he’s in.”

Berube expressed confidence in Bozak and Maroon’s ability to adjust without Thomas.

“Obviously, it’s a change, for sure,” Berube said. “But these guys are veteran players that have been around for a long time. It’ll be fine. It’s going to be a different look for them, that’s all.”

Berube also confirmed that defenseman remained out with an upper-body injury. Dunn has not played since Game 3 of the conference finals.

Injury prone start 1145590 Boston Bruins

Sean Kuraly has a knack for scoring clutch goals

Adrian Walker

“I guess Jeremy Roenick on the NBC broadcast said that I made a nice play off my feet and stuff on the goal. I’ll have to look at it again, maybe a few times.”

Kuraly, 25, has played only two full NHL seasons, but he has developed a reputation for scoring important goals.

■ April 20, 2017, vs. the Ottawa Senators

The Bruins faced elimination in the first round of the 2017 playoffs against Ottawa. Boston trailed, 2-1, through much of the second period of Game 5 before Kuraly squeezed the puck between Craig Anderson’s pads and the goal post to tie the game. It was Kuraly’s first career goal in the playoffs.

He did not wait long to score his second. Game 5 went to two overtime periods until Kuraly fielded a rebound of a Charlie McAvoy shot and flipped it into the net, forcing a Game 6.

■ April 12, 2018, vs. the Toronto Maple Leafs

In the first game of the 2018 playoffs, Kuraly gave the Bruins an insurance goal in the third period to help ensure a Game 1 win over the Maple Leafs. He batted the puck out of the air after a David Pastrnak shot rang off the post to increase the Bruins’ lead to 4-1.

■ Dec. 29, 2018, vs. the Buffalo Sabres

Kuraly broke a 2-2 tie with just over a minute left in the three-on-three overtime period. Sabres goalie Robin Lehner made the initial save on Kuraly’s chance off the rush, but the energetic forward collected his own rebound and poked it past the goalie to win the game.

■ Jan. 1, 2019, vs. the Chicago Blackhawks

Kuraly scored the winner again in the next game. This time, he did it in front of 76,000 fans at Notre Dame Stadium in the Winter Classic. The goal was classic Kuraly, as he collected a rebound before an opposing defenseman could and found the back of the net.

■ April 23, 2019, vs. the Maple Leafs

In the first round of the playoffs, Kuraly extended the Bruins’ Game 7 lead to two goals with an impressive individual effort. He moved the puck through two Toronto players while entering the zone and released a shot from the top of the left circle, beating Frederik Andersen glove-high. Kuraly’s goal was part of a 5-1 victory by the Bruins to eliminate Toronto.

■ May 2, 2019, vs. the Columbus Blue Jackets

Kuraly scored another goal off a rebound in the Game 4 win over the Blue Jackets in the second round earlier this month, extending the Bruins’ lead in what ended as a 4-1 game. The Bruins eliminated the Blue Jackets in six games.

Boston Globe LOADED: 05.30.2019 1145591 Boston Bruins

A Super 8 loss is motivating Charlie Coyle in the Stanley Cup Final

Adrian Walker

Charlie Coyle played his first Stanley Cup Final game Monday when the Bruins faced the Blues at TD Garden.

Before all the Stanley Cup mania started, though, Coyle penned an article for The Players’ Tribune about his most notable accomplishment in hockey: playing in the Super 8 tournament as a Massachusetts high school freshman in 2007.

“If you’re asking, ‘What’s the Super 8?’ well then, you’re not from Mass.,” Coyle wrote. “And that’s fine, I guess — because nobody’s perfect.”

Coyle, who grew up in Weymouth, made Weymouth High’s varsity hockey team as a freshman. He scored 12 points during Weymouth’s 19- 1 season, which gave the team a place in the Massachusetts Division 1A tournament, commonly known as the Super 8, which features the best high school teams in the state.

Weymouth was ranked fifth out of 10 teams in the 2007 tournament and was just one of four public school teams to make it.

“We were out there going against basically these all-star teams that were hand-picked by these Catholic schools,” Coyle wrote. “Then on the other side was us: the Bad News Bears out of Weymouth – AKA Public Nuisance. Safe to say outside expectations for us were pretty low going in.”

A funny thing happened for the public school team with “pretty low” expectations. Weymouth beat Malden Catholic in the first round, 3-2. It met Catholic Memorial, the top-seeded team, in the second round, and won, 2-1.

Coyle and his teammates carried the town’s hockey hopes all the way to the state championship on the biggest stage in Massachusetts: TD Garden.

“We don’t talk about what happened next,” Coyle wrote. “It’s not important. Barely remember it.”

Weymouth lost the Super 8 final against BC High, 6-1.

The experience stayed with Coyle even as he made it to the NHL and played six seasons for the . When he was traded to the Bruins this February, a door opened for a new dream’s realization.

Coyle now plays for the team he grew up cheering for, alongside players such as Zdeno Chara and Patrice Bergeron, who were on the roster when Coyle was a high school freshman in 2007. He wrote that a Stanley Cup victory would create a new proudest accomplishment for him.

“I can’t go back in history and change that Super 8 final,” Coyle wrote. “But you better believe I’m going to give every ounce of effort I can to create a new favorite memory in the Garden for myself, my family and my boys who shocked the world back in ’07.”

Boston Globe LOADED: 05.30.2019 1145592 Boston Bruins

Stanley Cup Today: Bruins look to extend their series lead in Game 2

Adrian Walker

The Blues put the Bruins in a 2-0 hole Monday night in Game 1 at TD Garden, and the Black and Gold have a chance to return the favor in tonight’s Game 2.

After giving up those two goals, Bruce Cassidy’s team dug itself out, of course, with four unanswered scores en route to victory in the opener, but a 2-0 series deficit could prove much more problematic for St. Louis.

Since the Final went to the best-of-seven format in 1939, the team that has won Game 1 has gone on to win the Cup 77.2 percent of the time (61 of 79 series). The Bruins have a record of 37-17 when winning the opener in a best-of-seven playoff series, while St. Louis is 6-24 when trailing, 1-0. One of the Blues’ six series victories in that scenario came in this year’s Western Conference finals against San Jose.

Boston Globe LOADED: 05.30.2019 1145593 Boston Bruins and David Krejci to get him up to speed. He also rewatches most every game at home. Come playoff time, he felt like he arrived via I-95.

“It’s helped me to not get everything at once,” said Coyle, who is under Here’s how the Bruins’ defense shut down the Blues in Game 1 contract for next season. “It’s been smooth and natural.”

■ Heinen, explaining another source of the Bruins’ confidence: “We’ve Adrian Walker got a deep team and we pride ourselves on not chasing matchups. Everyone can play against kind of whoever. Guys take pride in that.”

When stuck in their own end, they often move the puck to a less dangerous area rather than try to fling it out. They are unafraid to hold it Boston Globe LOADED: 05.30.2019 along the boards so teammates can choke off other options, stifling the threat until they can win a battle. Their defensemen have their heads up, looking to create an odd-man situation, and are skilled and confident enough to make strong, smart outlets — or jump into the play, as did Connor Clifton Monday night, among others.

“That’s what you need now, because everyone’s so defensive,” center Charlie Coyle said. “You need your D to jump up and be that fourth guy, that third guy. The days where the D sits there and stays home are over. You need offensive guys jumping up, while being reliable.

“There are so many plays where it’s a three on two, you back them up, and if you get the late guy coming — like [Steven] Kampfer in Carolina. Like Cliffy [Monday] night. If he stays back, there’s no goal there, and maybe it’s a different game. It’s huge.”

The overarching factors are smarts, team speed, and netminder Tuukka Rask, who has convinced them he’ll make every save if they keep shooters to the outside, with clean lanes. The belief is reciprocated, after rocking-chair nights like he had Monday.

“It’s happened many times,” Rask said. “I’m kind of used to it . . . It’s nothing new.”

■ The Bruins are allowing 1.38 goals per game over their last eight, are humming along at 34.5 percent on the power play, have killed almost every penalty (96.2 percent), and Rask (.956 save percentage) has bailed them out if they’ve sagged. Several players pointed to the mental side of the streak, too. David Pastrnak’s turnover on the Tarasenko goal didn’t bother anyone.

“Not beating yourself,” coach Bruce Cassidy said. “The second goal was an example of something we haven’t done a lot of, and we were able to play through it.”

■ Now outscoring Columbus, Carolina, and St. Louis by a combined 32- 11 over the last eight games, this club has its third-longest postseason winning streak. Only the Big Bad Bruins of 1970 (10 games) and 1972 (nine) won more in a row.

You’re likely aware of how those seasons ended.

The Bruins, who host the Blues in Game 2 on Wednesday, are the first team since in 2012 to grab eight playoff wins in a row. If they boost their Stanley Cup Final lead to 2-0, they would be the 10th NHL team to win nine, and first since Detroit in 2008. Should they sweep St. Louis, they would tie the NHL single-playoffs record (11), accomplished by Chicago and Pittsburgh in 1992, and Montreal in 1993.

■ Continuity is a theme of this year’s Bruins, whose locker room has long been led by veterans such as Zdeno Chara and Patrice Bergeron. Several Bruins who traveled here via AHL Providence were taught the offensive and defensive systems by Cassidy (five years as Providence’s head coach) and his successor, current Bruins assistant . Call-ups, such as Clifton, Jake DeBrusk, Danton Heinen, Brandon Carlo, Matt Grzelcyk, and Charlie McAvoy, were mostly comfortable stepping into the lineup immediately.

“Awareness on the ice, staying on top of guys was the biggest thing I had to work on,” DeBrusk recalled of his year in Providence (2016-17). “And then always have good routes. There were some times in Providence where Deano [Dean] probably wanted to strangle me; I’d loop around all the time. I still do it a little bit here. But that goes back to junior. My coach used to yell, ‘You’ve got to stop, Jake!’ ”

Coyle, a seven-year veteran who arrived from Minnesota in February, said he picked up Cassidy’s system quickly, and it wasn’t an overwhelming process. In his first few weeks, he had a few extra meetings with Cassidy, when pointers in the team-wide film sessions needed further explanation, and the staff sent him video clips of Bergeron 1145594 Boston Bruins as a traveling violation in the NBA, where players now lug the ball for the equivalent of a first down without a whistle.

Critical, too, was the fact that Krug remained in his glide pattern for some Should Torey Krug be subject to discipline for that hit? 12-15 feet before contact. He did not accelerate into the hit (imagine if he had?!), and he did not launch, leap, or leave the ice prior to contact. He did not bury Thomas into the boards or into the red steel pipes that frame Adrian Walker the net.

It was a big, nasty, menacing, clean hit in open ice, and one that the NHL and its broadcast partners will use as a centerpiece of playoff marketing, Predictably, the Krug hit on Thomas instantly became a social media perhaps for years to come. brush fire, as if stoked by a steady wind from the building in the old West End. The video was posted on digital sites far and wide within moments No doubt that will offend some. But violence and predatory hits make for and was still going strong, mainstream media platforms included, into great TV, and great TV only translates to more dollars in the Hockey- Tuesday night. Related Revenue pot that owners and players split 50/50. In that sense, Krug and the unsuspecting Thomas partnered in putting some more The fight game is all but dead and buried in today’s NHL. These two money in the pot. squads have not logged a five-minute fighting major yet in the 2019 playoffs. But big hits are here to stay and often get glorified. They remain “Obviously, it is the Stanley Cup Final,” said Tyler Bozak, one of pure oxygen for a crowd that loves violent contact, as well as those who Thomas’s nonplussed teammates. “Teams are playing hard. There’s cling to the NHL’s past of bloodbaths and donnybrooks. Even in the days going to be big hits throughout the whole series. Not something to really of the Big Bad Bruins, no one delivered hits with the force that Krug put focus on.” into his hit midway through the third period. Krug, his helmet reclaimed, was stoic as he returned and sat on the His helmet lost in the Perron fracas, Krug made a beeline up ice, bench next to Jake DeBrusk, the building rocking. The proud son of resisting any temptation to smack Perron again in the neutral zone, and Louie DeBrusk, who built his NHL playing career on big hits and fights, steamed down the left wing on a developing collision course with was clearly impressed by his pal’s shift. Thomas. “The arena was buzzing, and it gives you that buzz emotionally, I guess,” Once across the blue line, his radar fixed on the 19-year-old rookie said DeBrusk. “He was sitting beside me. He was pretty serious. And I moving toward the puck near the wall, Krug stopped skating and locked was kind of laughing, ‘Oh my God, do you realize what you just did out into a glide pattern as he lined up Thomas. It played out a like a video there?’ He was in the game. He was dialed in.” game, absent only the sound effects (BANG!!), with the 5-foot-9-inch Krug hammering the 6-foot Thomas to the ground. Game 2 Wednesday night, 8:23 at the Garden. With the hits surely to keep on coming. The sellout Garden crowd of 17,565 roared, in that old familiar Big Bad Bruins red-meat-on-Causeway kind of way. With the Bruins already ahead on the scoreboard, 3-2, the hit served as the punctuation to a Boston Globe LOADED: 05.30.2019 night they would seal a 1-0 series lead, and perhaps more, take the starch out of whatever will the Blues might have to stage a pushback over the final 10 minutes. It was over with that Krug thump.

“A good hit,” said a smiling Noel Acciari, the Bruins’ rock-solid winger who is a connoisseur of smacks large and small. “I mean, no helmet and old-time hockey. Awesome to see.”

It then appeared that Krug and rookie Blues goaltender Jordan Binnington had a brief exchange of words.

“It was more of a stare,” Binnington said Tuesday. “His pupils were pretty big. I don’t know if he’s on something, but . . . he was pretty fired up.”

No telling how the NHL, the Bruins, or Krug himself might respond to Binnington opining over the mental and/or chemical state of the six-year veteran. If Krug were on anything, it appeared to be a mission statement, one he punctuated with an exclamation mark all but carved into Thomas’s No. 18 sweater.

“Obviously, I felt like I was taken advantage of in front of the net,” Krug recalled Tuesday. “Not very happy about it, getting up off the ice. And I was sprinting up the ice and I saw that Perron was going for a change. And I thought there would be a chance for an offensive opportunity and just being in the second wave of an attack.”

If Krug’s developing tour de force had been simply a revenge sprint, he had his chance for that in the neutral zone, with Perron’s back to him as he revved up his skates. Perron’s No. 57 was all but begging for a crosscheck. Krug passed on any temptation.

“Just take a number and try to get it later,” said Krug, asked if he pondered the retaliation hit. “I wasn’t going to do anything stupid and take a penalty and put our team in any sort of jeopardy.

“Luckily the puck went to a dead spot in the ice where you can make a hit like that. You are not able to do it unless you have the guys reloading and you have the proper support, and we did.”

Referees Kelly Sutherland and Steve Kozari kept their whistles on silent mode, maddening some, particularly a vocal Twitter crowd, who felt Krug was guilty of charging. Keep in mind, in the six-month regular season of 2018-19, only 16 charging infractions were whistled (followed by three more in the postseason). The penalty has become nearly as infrequent 1145595 Boston Bruins Cassidy didn’t do much lobbying other than to say, “His head got driven into the glass.” What seemed to bother him as much was that the B’s power play – with their first two lines of forwards again having ineffective Bruins feeling black-and-Blue after tough Game 2 loss nights – let Sundqvist off the hook on that penalty as well as one of the two goaltender interference penalties St. Louis took (Coyle scored on the other). They went 1-for-5 on the PP.

By STEVE CONROY | [email protected] | Boston Herald “The hit on Grizz, that’s one you want to score. You want to send a message,” Cassidy said. “And the hits on Tuukka (Rask), right? We let May 30, 2019 at 1:32 am opportunities slip away and that’s frustrating for a coach, when guys are paying the price to draw a penalty and then you don’t at least generate momentum. Shame on us on those.” The Bruins have an edge in speed in this Stanley Cup Final and they showed it in Monday’s Game 1. So now for the first time in a month, the B’s are the team that has to respond and adjust after a loss, their eight-game win streak up in smoke. In Wednesday’s Game 2, the St. Louis Blues showed what they can Dreams – and in some corners, expectations – of an easy series are out bring to the table. And it’s formidable. the window. They are now in the fight of their lives.

Shellacking the Bruins whenever and wherever they had a chance – and After Wednesday night, they’ve got the bruises to prove it. going well over the line of legality in one crucial sequence — the Blues pounded their way to a 3-2 overtime victory at the Garden. One of the most misleading stats in hockey is hits. A high number of hits often Boston Herald LOADED: 05.30.2019 means that team is chasing the puck most of the night. But the Blues’ 50- 31 hit advantage was a darn good reflection of who controlled this game.

Simply, the more deserving team won this game.

“We knew they were going to come out hard. That didn’t surprise us. But we needed to do a better job of being prepared for that and not letting that happen,” defenseman Brandon Carlo said. “We can bring energy and be assertive in our own end, offensively as well. We need to step up our game, for sure.”

It was Carlo who took a tripping penalty in overtime that created the 6-on- 5 situation in which Carl Gunnarsson scored the winner, a screen shot from the right side of the blue line. But it was the B’s inability to get the puck out of the defensive zone that led to Carlo taking the penalty, and it undoubtedly was the physical toll the Blues were exacting most of the night that surely led to the B’s inability to escape their zone on the final sequence.

The evening started out much like the last two periods of Game 1, with the B’s seeing little resistance in the offensive zone. Charlie Coyle put the B’s on the board with an early power play goal and Joakim Nordstrom scored on a pretty deke. But the Blues didn’t let the B’s get away too far ahead of them, answering each goal with one of their own.

Then the game, and perhaps the series, changed with 2:03 left in first. Matt Grzelcyk went back to play a puck in the right corner and Oskar Sundqvist, with Grzelcyk’s No. 48 staring at him, drilled the defenseman’s head into the glass. He was wobbled badly, eventually helped off the ice and taken to Mass. General for tests. There was no update on him.

Sundqvist was given a two-minute minor for boarding and easily could have been nailed for five minutes and a game. But officiating crews have seemed hesitant to hand out majors since one was called erroneously on Vegas’ Cody Eakin in Game 7 of the Sharks-Golden Knights series, which would change the outcome of that game and series.

Charlie McAvoy was the beneficiary of that reticence in Game 6 against Columbus, but the league caught up to him and suspended him for Game 1 of the Carolina series. Sundqvist probably should suffer the same consequences. But whether he does or not, it won’t change how the rest of the game went. The B’s not only were down to five defenseman in a grueling contest, they also were without a player who was pretty adept at skating the puck out of trouble and neutralizing the forecheck,

Needless to say, the B’s were not thrilled with the hit.

“You can say a lot of different things about that and I’d have to watch it over again but I definitely didn’t like it,” Carlo said. “I thought he might have left his feet a little bit and got his head pretty much for the primary contact. We’ll see where it goes from there.”

Said David Backes: “I don’t think that’s a hit we want in our game. It’s from behind, elevated, into his head, into the glass. If that’s a two-minute penalty, I think there’s going to be a shortage of defensemen in this series by the end of it. That’s in somebody else’s hands. That’s something I think if I’m making that hit, I’m probably watching from the bleachers for a few. But we’ll see what happens with their player.” 1145596 Boston Bruins And that’s what the Bruins will be in St. Louis.

Bruins need top line to wake up to regain control of Stanley Cup Final Boston Herald LOADED: 05.30.2019

By TOM KEEGAN | [email protected] | Boston Herald

May 30, 2019 at 1:18 am

It takes more than one loss at home to make the Bruins grow weak in the knees, sweaty in the palms, fearful in the soul.

The Bruins played a desperate Blues team and lost, 3-2, Wednesday night to a club that knew it couldn’t afford to fall behind 2-0 and expect to win a best-of-seven series against a team that rode an eight-game winning streak into the night.

The Bruins remain the favorites to win the Stanley Cup. They showed in coming back from 2-1 deficits against the Maple Leafs and Blue Jackets that they know how to dig out of a hole. And even though three of the remaining five games, should the series stretch to the limit, are scheduled to be played in St. Louis, the Bruins are not in a hole at the moment with the series tied.

“Obviously, you want to take care of business at home, but the better team wins and we weren’t the better team today,” goalie Tuukka Rask said after stopping 34 shots. “You go on the road and grind it out. That’s the only thing you can do, win or lose. You reset and you start from scratch every game.”

In the midst of a very productive postseason, third-line center Charlie Coyle said, “We have to refocus. I know we haven’t played our best yet, for whatever reason.”

The Bruins can’t play at anywhere near their best unless their top line, considered by many to be the best in hockey, makes its presence felt in a louder way than in the first two games.

“Yeah, we need to be better,” Brad Marchand said. “Personally, I wasn’t good the last two games.”

Marchand and Patrice Bergeron are -2 in the series, David Pastrnak, who split time between the first and second lines in Game 2, is -3. The three forwards have combined for two points, coming on a Marchand goal into an empty net in Game 1, and on a Pastrnak assist in Game 2.

“That’s a great line,” Blues coach Craig Berube said. “We all know that. I think (Jay) Bouwmeester and (Colton) Parayko were out there 90 percent of the time against them. They’ve done a great job. We’ve used different lines against them, whether it’s (Oskar) Sundqvist’s line, (Brayden) Schenn’s line, you know, (Ryan) O’Reilly at times.”

As is Bergeron, O’Reilly is one of three finalists for the Selke Trophy, awarded to the NHL’s best defensive forward.

“That line has got some great firepower and we tried to keep it close and try to make it as hard as we can on these guys and not give them momentum and be smart and disciplined with the pucks at the right time,” O’Reilly said.

The Bruins had the power play humming in the preliminary rounds but have cashed in on just 2-of-10 in the Stanley Cup Final.

“We let opportunities slip away,” Bruins coach Bruce Cassidy said. “That’s frustrating for a coach when guys are paying a price to draw a penalty and then you don’t at least generate momentum. So shame on us on those.”

Frustrating is a long way from fatal. The Blues’ big, brutish blueliners make scoring a tough puzzle to solve, but that’s what the Bruins’ top line does best, absorb the opponents’ best shots and ultimately figure it out. That very well could take seven games because the Blues are made of the same resilient fiber as the Bruins.

“I think for a long time now this has become a really become a good hockey team and a tight hockey team,” said Berube, who just as easily could have been talking about the Bruins. “They play for each other night in and night out. They care. We’ve always responded to not a very good game. Going into Game 2, I knew we would be a hard team to play against and we were.” 1145597 Boston Bruins

Carl Gunnarsson’s second-chance goal in overtime lifts Blues past Bruins

By RICH THOMPSON | [email protected] | Boston Herald

PUBLISHED: May 30, 2019 at 1:13 am | UPDATED: May 30, 2019 at 1:34 am

Getting a do-over on a missed scoring opportunity is a rare occurrence in the Stanley Cup Final.

For a stay-at-home defenseman like Carl Gunnarsson of the St. Louis Blues, the prospects for redemption on this stage virtually are nonexistent.

Gunnarsson defied the overwhelming odds by scoring the game-winner on a slap shot from just inside the blue line at 3:51 of overtime to lift the Blues to a 3-2 victory over the Bruins in Game 2 of the Stanley Cup final Wednesday night at the Garden.

Gunnarsson’s first playoff tally snapped the Bruins’ eight game win streak in the playoffs and secured the first victory in a Stanley Cup Final game in franchise history. The Blues evened the series 1-1 with Game 3 on Saturday night in St. Louis.

“After the first game we weren’t happy so we came out and played a game for 60-plus minutes,” Gunnarsson said. “For a team like us to never give up and come back and for me to put it in there to get the win was a great thing.”

Gunnarsson had the best chance of any player on either team to end the game in regulation. With 1:40 to play in the third, Gunnarsson fired an uncontested shot from the middle slot that bounced off the right post and ricocheted behind Bruins goalie Tuukka Rask to the opposite side of the crease.

The 6-foot-2, 198-pound Swede went into the break distraught about his missed scoring opportunity and hoping against all realistic hope of getting another chance.

“He hit the post there in the third period and he said he needed one more shot but he was joking around a little bit,” Blues coach Craig Berube said. “But he played a hell of a game today and he had a great shot.”

The Blues dominated from the start of the overtime to Gunnarsson’s tally, which accounted for the last of the 37 shots the Blues hurled at Rask.

The reason the Bruins were chasing the puck in the overtime was the partial result of a horrific play that occurred along the end boards in their end at 17:57 of the first period.

Blues fourth-line center Oskar Sundqvist came in elbow high and smashed Bruins defenseman Matt Grzelcyk’s face into the glass. Grzelcyk collapsed to the ice, needed help getting to the dressing room and never returned.

Bruins coach Bruce Cassidy had to rotate five defensemen for the remainder of the game with Zdeno Chara, Torey Krug and Charlie McAvoy all logging more than 25 minutes.

“I thought as the game went on, we progressed until we got better,” Blues center Ryan O’Reilly said. “Obviously with them down to five D we worked them and kind of broke them down and gave us an advantage and when we came out, we had a bit more gas.

“I thought we outplayed them in that overtime and got the big goal.”

Boston Herald LOADED: 05.30.2019 1145598 Boston Bruins The Bruins dodged a bullet with an early Blues power play going by the wayside, while the Bruins own man-up unit struggled to produce quality looks throughout the middle stanza.

Bruins loss extra painful as Blues take Game 2 of Stanley Cup Final in The Blues had a golden opportunity with 4:21 left in the second period, OT with Connor Clifton in the box for a high-sticking double minor, but Jaden Schwartz took a goaltender interference penalty halfway through it to finish the period 4-on-4. By MARISA INGEMI | [email protected] | Boston Herald Through the third, the Bruins were hesitant to shoot, and the Blues PUBLISHED: May 29, 2019 at 11:12 pm | UPDATED: May 30, 2019 at controlled the offensive zone time, though Rask bailed them out a couple 1:07 am of times.

The Bruins went 1-for-5 on the power play, never taking full advantage of the Blues’ lack of discipline. After struggling to create scoring chances following the first period, the Blues dominated possession time, and it came back to burn the Bruins in “We let opportunities slip away and that’s frustrating as a coach,” Cassidy overtime as St. Louis took Game 2 of the Stanley Cup Final 3-2 to tie the said. “When guys are paying a price to draw a penalty. … shame on us series at 1-1. on those.”

A flat opening to overtime did the Bruins in after they failed to clear the A late Brayden Schenn slash gave the B’s power play yet another puck out of their own end following multiple chances to do so. chance, but once more they couldn’t maintain the puck or generate chances. Their best chance came on a Backes pass to Patrice Bergeron The Blues dominated possession time in the extra session and took in front, denied by Binnington, right after Rask made a huge stop on the advantage of a delayed penalty call on the Bruins to earn a 3-2 win in other end of the ice. Wednesday night’s Game 2 at the Garden and even the Stanley Cup FInal at a game apiece. With a tick under two minutes left, Gunnarsson clanked a shot off the post, giving the Bruins life as the game went to overtime. With goalie Jordan Binnington on the bench for an extra skater, defenseman Carl Gunnarsson launched a shot from just inside the blue St. Louis led the charge to begin the extra frame, forcing Rask to swat line that beat Tuukka Rask clean at 3:51 of overtime. Gunnarsson’s goal away chances while the Bruins didn’t clear the zone. As a result, the was a heavy slapper that missed all of the traffic in front of the goalie and Bruins took a delayed penalty but played never stopped before found the top left corner of the cage. Gunnarsson sent the Blues to a Game 2 win.

“They seemed to play with more urgency,” Bruins coach Bruce Cassidy “I know we haven’t played our best yet,” Coyle said. “Our starts have said. “We played with less. They were on top of us, tighter, didn’t give us been off for whatever reason. So we just have to look at some things and space. We didn’t win as many races to pucks.” go over some things. … We have to be on time in this league.”

The series shifts to St. Louis for the next two games, beginning with Saturday night’s Game 3. Boston Herald LOADED: 05.30.2019 Unlike Game 1, Game 2 started off hot.

Just 49 seconds into their first power play of the night, Jake DeBrusk sauced a pass from the boards to a wide-open Charlie Coyle in the slot, who buried his first goal of the Stanley Cup Final for a 1-0 lead 4:44 into the game.

St. Louis responded in turn, with Robert Bortuzzo potting a no-angle goal that barely snuck past Rask to tie it at 1 with 10:23 to play in the first.

The Bruins’ next response was all the quicker, needing 40 seconds to retake the lead.

Sean Kuraly backhanded a pass from behind the cage to Joakim Nordstrom, who dangled for a moment before putting it through the 5- hole of Blues goalie Jordan Binnington to retake the lead.

The back-and-forth pace continued, as a defensive mishap from Brad Marchand resulted in a 2-on-1 from the Blues. After making two initial saves, Rask let up a rebound to Vladimir Tarasenko, and it was a 2-2 game with 5:05 left in the opening frame.

Late in the period, Oskar Sundqvist hit Matt Grzelcyk from behind and the Bruins defenseman went hard into the boards, earning a two-minute power play but sending Grzelcyk down to the ice. He needed assistance from teammates to skate off and go down the tunnel, and he didn’t return.

After the game, Cassidy confirmed Grzelcyk “went to the hospital to get some tests” after the hit.

“He never returned, obviously, so we’re still waiting for an update,” Cassidy said.

Bruins forward David Backes wasn’t pleased with the contact.

“I don’t think that’s a hit we want in our game,” Backes said, “I think it’s from behind, elevated into his head into the glass. If that’s a two-minute penalty, there’s going to be a shortage of defensemen in this series by the end of it. That’s in somebody else’s hands, that’s something I think that if I’m making that hit, I’m probably watching from the bleachers for a few, but we’ll see what happens with their player.” 1145599 Boston Bruins

Bruins notebook: Bruins defensemen emergence well timed

By MARISA INGEMI | [email protected] | Boston Herald

May 29, 2019 at 7:50 PM

For all the young defensemen on the Bruins blue line, they’re playing like a group of veterans.

Charlie McAvoy had some playoff experience coming into this postseason, but never went on a deep run. Brandon Carlo and Connor Clifton on the other hand had never participated in the until this season.

McAvoy’s development in particular has been noticeable, especially against teams like the Hurricanes and Blues who make life difficult on the forecheck, and he’s helped the Bruins push through it.

“I think he’s always been a good puck mover,” Bruins coach Bruce Cassidy said as his team prepared for Game 2 of the Stanley Cup Final against the St. Louis Blues Wednesday night. “He’ll jump up the ice, great in transition. I think he’s valued that part of it, credit to (Zdeno Chara) talking to him about the shut down role every night, you’re playing against good players you got to take care of business first in your own end. I think that’s where he’s shown the most maturity. It’s tough to get young guys to buy into that aspect of the game.”

His advances come from some semblance of experience as well, compared to the other two. Carlo just missed the playoffs the past two seasons with ill-timed injuries, while Clifton burst onto the scene after just 19 NHL games this season.

Carlo had a little more to fall back on with plenty of time playing with the Bruins prior, even if it wasn’t in the same intense atmosphere, but he’s come a long way since even the first playoff game this spring.

“I feel like I’ve grown a lot from this experience of playing in the playoffs,” said Carlo. “When it all started I didn’t really know what to expect so there were definitely nerves there. But overall I feel like I’ve started to understand my game and that I can play in this situation with the speed of the game and physicality. Overall just trying to not keep up, but thrive out there. I feel good on the defensive side of things and moving the puck, I feel fine too.”

Clifton’s success has been well documented, scoring in Game 1 of the Final and ascending to a regular in the lineup as a rookie, and he’s held his own.

The trio, along with Matt Grzelcyk succeeding in his first postseason, are a big reason the Bruins are competing for another Cup, whether it’s transition to offense or their stalwart defense.

Game 1 success

The team to win Game 1 of the Stanley Cup Final has gone on to win the Cup nearly 80 percent of the time, and 51 teams have taken a 2-0 series lead since the Final went to the best-of-seven format in 1939.

Additionally, the all-time record of home teams sweeping Games 1 and 2 in best-of-seven Stanley Cup Final is 35-3, giving home-ice advantage more of a meaning on the biggest stage.

“I think in anything you do you want to start out on the right foot,” said Chara. “Whether it’s a job or whatever, a good first impression, that goes for anything you do in your life. I’m happy, we want to start the game the right way and be on time, and open the series with the first win.”

Boston Herald LOADED: 05.30.2019 1145600 Boston Bruins :00: A brief (7-second) Bruins PP at the end of the frame goes for nothing other than cutting into the B’s PP percentage. The period ends whence it began, in a 2-2 deadlock. The Bruins were better in the second half of GAME REWIND: Bruins face Blues in Stanley Cup Final, Game 2 the period, but they didn’t have the shots to show for it. Just 15 shots for the Bs through two frames, with the Blues at 24. Yet we remain tied. Bruins 2, Blues 2.

By JUSTIN PELLETIER | [email protected] | Boston 1:18: Krug and Perron get tangled again, this time at center ice. Again, Herald Krug somehow loses his helmet.

PUBLISHED: May 29, 2019 at 7:49 pm | UPDATED: May 29, 2019 at 2:04: The Bruins get an amazing penalty kill shift from Nordstrom, who 11:17 PM blocks a shot with one ankle, drops, struggles to get back up, struggles at the top of the box formation, blocks another with his shin pad, gets a

standing ovation, and then manages to get to the bench after a whistle. Good evening once again and welcome back to the Herald’s continuing And there? Sits down like nothing happened. Meanwhile, Schwartz runs coverage of the Boston Bruins. We updated the action all night long while into Rask on the power play and negates the rest of it. We’ll skate 4-on-4 the B’s hosted the St. Louis Blues in Game 2. for a while.

Relive the game as it happened, in chronological order, here: 4:21: The Blues get a break after Clifton hits an attacker with a high stick. The contact drew blood. Automatic high-sticking double minor for a four- Overtime minute Blues PP.

16:09: And the Blues make the Bruins pay/ They suffocated them in the 4:53: The shots are looking almost like a reverse of Game 1, with the overtime, just could not get the puck out. And on a delayed penalty call in Blues currently holding a 21-12 edge. The Bruins have just not been able the OT, with a sixth skater on the ice, the Blues are going home with a 1- to maintain any offensive zone time, and it’s shown. The Blues haven’t 1 tie series. Final score: Blues 3, Bruins 2. Final. had much better, but it HAS been better. That the score is still 2-2 is about right, though with extra PP time, the Bruins should be more 16:59: The Blues have the Bruins completely hemmed in here in the OT. disappointed. Completely. The Bruins had three different shifts of players and all of them had trouble clearing the puck out. Blues had a couple of good looks 5:34: The Bruins’ power play looked awful. Again. They couldn’t enter the stopped by Rask. zone cleanly, and the passes were not on target. Another squandered opportunity in a game where they’re not generating enough 5-on-5 to 19:59: Here we go with OT. Next goal wins. squander chances. Third period 7:41: Joel Edmundson called for a leg trip against the Bruins, and the B’s :00: Annnd on to OT we go. First game of the Stanley Cup Final to go to will head back to the power play. The Bruins’ “4th” line has been the best OT this season, here in Game 2. The Bruins were much better in the line so far. Also, Cassidy seems to have gone back to Pasta-Krejci- third than in the first or second, but still had nothing to show for it, DeBrusk at 5×5 for the time being, with Backes skating with Bergy and including a 1-for-6 effort on the PP. The Blues also sent nine shots to the Marchand. But, not on the power play. cage, Rask stopped them all. Buckle up. Bruins 2, Blues 2. 9:42: The period overall has been nondescript. The Bruins have been :22.1: The Blues have a couple of Grade A chances in front, and McAvoy better, but not to Game 1 levels in terms of puck possession. The Blues’ was without a stick, but Rask finds the puck and holds on. heavier brand of hockey seems to be slowing them down a bit.

:50: The Blues appeared to maybe score a goal. Officials waved it off 10:19: Backes taking a shift with Marchand and Bergeron here. immediately as having hit the post/crossbar. Play continued for 1:30 after 13:15: The Bruins killed off the Blues’ power play. Also, an in-game or so. No signal from Toronto to stop, so the call must have been correct. update, Matt Grzelcyk has left the game for good. Seeing a report he was 2:33: The Bruins come as close to scoring as they have since the third headed for the hospital. That is as of yet UNCONFIRMED. Yikes. period, buzzing around Binnington. Forced the Blues to ice the puck — 16:26: Connor Clifton called for interference. The Garden faithful full-on barely. boos after the call is announced, after the video reply on the screens 3:30: The Blues kill off the Bruins PP and the B’s are now officially 1-for-6 show the Blues player ran into Clifton’s rear end and fell down. Win tonight. Annnd Tuukka makes a great save to stuff a Blues chance. some, lose some. Blues to the power play.

6:38: The Blues’ back to the penalty box here for a slash that broke a 18:54: Acciari whiffed on a puck that nearly sprung the Blues on an odd- player’s stick. Pretty blatant on that one. Blues will try to argue, but the man rush early in the period. The Blues have had far better in-zone time proof is in the broken composite in the slot. Bruins with a chance on the against Boston in this one. PP again. Fifth official PP, fourth of consequence. 19:59: And back to action here at the Garden after the two teams both 9:20: Rask gives the faithful what they want, with a good stop on a good fumbled through the opening frame Blues chance, their first real good attempt at the cage this period. First period 9:41: Halfway through the important third frame, the crowd here is just :00: The Bruins’ power play went back to looking anemic again at the waiting for an excuse to explode. The Bruins really are gaining a bit of wrong time, and the penalty expired as the period ended. The teams traction here, if only slightly. But the Blues, overall, playing much heavier, should both feel a bit fortunate not to be behind. Both teams had some and it’s showing. Very little room for the Bruins to move out there. solid chances, but both also had stretches of not-so-great play. 13:12: The “Let’s Go Bruins” chants have started here at the Garden as Consistent inconsistency, as they say. Whomever “they” are. the situation gets a bit more tense. Still 2-2, and the Bruins have a 3-2 2:03: The Bruins will go back to the power play after the Blues’ Oskar shots advantage in the third period, but only 3-2. Rask has had the Sundqvist hit Grzelcyk from behind and near the head behind Rask. The harder of the stops so far in the third. The Bruins still can’t generate a call wasn’t going to get made until Grzelcyk remained down on the ice , cycle or even a sustained forecheck. Most chances are off rushes, and obviously shaken. He went back to the room, Sundqvist went to the from the outside. penalty box for boarding, and the Bruins went on the PP again. 18:47: And the lines are back to “normal” again, with Pastrnak taking his 5:05: An awkward pinch left from Marchand, playing the right D after first shift of the third with Marchand and Bergeron. Backes out with Krejci McAvoy got caught deep in the Blues zone, left his lane open and and DeBrusk. created an odd-man rush for the the Blues. After a couple of whacks at 19:59: The puck is down and we are underway here from the Garden in a the puck in the low slot, Tarasenko poked the puck past Rask to score pivotal third period between the Bruins and Blues. St. Louis has been the equalizer. Rask made a solid stop on the first attempt, and would overall better, but the score is knotted at 2-2. have likely saved a second had Tarasenko’s stick not been lifted first. But with another crack at it, the shifty Blues forward put it in. Bruins 2, Blues Second period 2. 9:43: Joakim Nordstrom took a backhand feed from Kuraly in the low slot and backhanded the puck through Binnington’s wickets for a response to the Blues’ tally, putting the Bruins back in front. The fourth line was checking down low and Kuraly was craft in reversing flow behind the cage to find the trailing Nordstrom, who moved to his right and tucked the puck 5-hole. The Bruins needed a reply like that to mitigate the Blues’ apparent momentum shift, Bruins 2, Blues 1.

10:23: The Blues catch the Bruins on a very long shift with the Coyle line out there and they make the Bruins pay. With a little help from Grzelcyk screen and an apparent in front from Pat Maroon, the Blues got back to even and quieted the crowd. Bortuzzo was announced as the goal scorer. The game was tied. Momentarily. Bruins 1, Blues 1.

13:00: At the first media timeout, things have been pretty even. The Blues have paid for Blais’ mistake of losing control around Rask and running into the Bruins’ goalie, and the B’s have made the Blues pay. The Blues have been better tonight than Monday on keeping some pressure on the Bruins in the B’s zone, though.

15:15: Jake DeBrusk set up Charlie Coyle perfectly streaking into the low slot and Weynouth’s own pots his first of the Final on the PP to put the Bruins ahead 1-0. Great heads up play from DeBrusk! Bruins 1, Blues 0.

16:05: The Blues get a great chance on a drive to the cage and miss a chance to put the loose puck in at the top of the crease. And then, Sammy Blais lingers too long there and gets tangled up with Rask. Goalie interference the call, and the Bruins will get a power play early.

17:56: Pat Maroon tries to goad Backes into some post-whistle extracurriculars. No dice there, though it took a while to untangle everyone.

19:00: A couple of first-minutes plays from the Blues and Bruins, both content early to dump and chase.

19:59: Puck is down, and we have action here in Game 2 of the Stanley Cup Final

Pregame

In the pregame festivities, Canal Street was again awash in a sea of black and gold. Fans flocked up and down the area around Causeway Street, champing at the bit to get in the door.

Inside the Garden:

Just shy of 8:20, and we have an anthem, and we’re ready to go!

Just about 8:10, and the crowd is whipped into a frenzy. Bill Belichick… Yeah, really … Bill Belichick is tonight’s banner captain. In a side note, the big Bruins flag that circulates the crown is completely upside down in almost record time.

Just past the 8 p.m. hour and the crowd is looking for the banner captain tonight and is ready to explode as the ice machines make their final turns.

At 7:40 p.m. on the nose, boos greeted the St. Louis Blues as they took the ice for warmups. A few moments later, cheers as the B’s took their turn out the doors.

Boston Herald LOADED: 05.30.2019 1145601 Boston Bruins The father provided color of Blues games earlier in the playoffs, by the way, which just might come in handy for the son in search of a breakout game.

Bruins’ Jake DeBrusk blends old, new hockey

Boston Herald LOADED: 05.30.2019 By TOM KEEGAN | [email protected] | Boston Herald

PUBLISHED: May 29, 2019 at 7:13 pm | UPDATED: May 29, 2019 at 7:16 PM

The Bruins have that powerful blend of experience and youth, best illustrated by their top defensive pairing which features Zdeno Chara, who made his NHL debut for the New York Islanders 31 days before his partner, Charlie McAvoy, was born to a family living on Long Island.

But it’s more than the range of ages that makes the Bruins such a tough out. It’s their blend of old-style rough customers and modern-day speed skaters making plays on the fly.

They have had an answer for every opponent’s strength. The Maple Leafs had a hot goalie and flew up and down the ice. The tougher yet more composed Bruins fell behind 2-1 then defeated Toronto in seven games.

The rugged Blue Jackets had an even hotter goalie than the Leafs and enough speed and skill to keep pace with and sweep the Presidents’ Trophy-winning Lightning in the first round. They too jumped up on Bruins, 2-1, only to lose in six.

The Hurricanes were no match in any facet for the B’s and were swept out of the playoffs.

The Blues are Rock ‘Em Sock ‘Em Robots meets rod hockey, a throwback club packed with big, tough players. The Bruins matched their hits in Game 1 of the Stanley Cup Final and won 4-2. They were leading 3-2 by the time Torey Krug blasted Robert Thomas to the delight of the bloodthirsty Garden audience.

No B’s player better embodies the mixture of old and new hockey than second-line left winger Jake DeBrusk, a speed-skating son of a legendary NHL enforcer, goon, ruffian, bad boy. Louie DeBrusk, now a hockey analyst who does the late game on , didn’t have as smooth a game as his son.

To watch No. 74 make his way up the ice so swiftly and gracefully, and then to see him respond with the word “awesome” to a stranger introducing himself makes it difficult to imagine him bringing his father’s brutal edge to the ice. But look a little closer at that smile he flashes when saying, “Awesome!” Think about what a great response that is to someone introducing himself. It hints at his readiness for rough stuff.

The smile, as warm as it is jagged, screams two words: hockey player.

In the postseason, DeBrusk, 22, is not as hot as he was at times in the regular season, like when he scored a goal in seven of the final eight February games, but he hasn’t been a nonfactor either.

DeBrusk ranked fourth on the Bruins with 27 goals (in 68 games) in the regular season, and heading into Wednesday’s Game 2, he was tied for sixth in the postseason with three. Yet he made his mark early.

No telling how the Leafs series might have turned out had DeBrusk not pinned a legal, punishing slam into the boards on in Game 1. A vicious retaliatory cross-check to DeBrusk’s head earned Nazem Kadri not only a five-minute major but a suspension from the rest of the series.

See, Jake does have a little Louie in him.

“I think he understands me better as a player than anyone else,” Jake said of his father. “I talk to him daily. He’s very up to date with the times and tries to give me pointers. I wouldn’t be here if he wasn’t by my side. I take his comments very seriously. He doesn’t like to give me too much crap anymore, but sometimes I get it. I do appreciate the honesty, and I know it’s coming from a good place.”

Jake sometimes is able to return the favor.

“It’s usually early in the year when he’s calling games of a certain team and we played them,” Jake said. “He’ll ask me kind of how it felt to play against them, what I noticed about certain guys.” 1145602 Boston Bruins

Blues captain Alex Pietrangelo anticipates turnaround in St. Louis

By RICH THOMPSON | [email protected] | Boston Herald

May 29, 2019 at 7:00 PM

Blues captain Alex Pietrangelo considers bringing the Stanley Cup Final to St. Louis a civic duty.

The Bruins and Blues wrapped up this week’s business at the Garden with Game 2 Wednesday night. The Blues will enjoy significant home ice advantage when the teams face off in Game 3 Saturday night at the . Game 4 will take place there on Monday night.

The Blues haven’t been in the Stanley Cup Final since being swept by the Bruins in 1970, a 49-year drought that has featured a few close calls for the organization and a lot of heartbreak for the fans.

“I’ve played a lot of games for this organization and a few of us have and it’s been a long road getting here,” Pietrangelo said after the Blues’ Wednesday morning skate. “To reward the city for being patient for not only the last 49 years but what happened to us at the start of the year.

“It just shows you the character our city has.”

St. Louis no longer has an NFL franchise. The two that once called the Gateway City home decamped for the friendlier climes of Arizona and Los Angeles. The St. Louis Hawks of the NBA moved to Atlanta after the 1967-68 season.

The St. Louis Cardinals have been the city’s professional sports mainstay since 1882 and have won 19 National League pennants and 11 World Series including two (2006 and 2011) in this century.

By contrast, Boston has won six Super Bowls, four World Series and single NBA and NHL championships over the last 18 years. The incredible run began with the Patriots upset over the St. Louis Rams in Super Bowl XXXVI on Feb. 3, 2002. The Red Sox recorded World Series wins over the Cardinals in 2004 and 2013.

“It is such an underrated sports city and obviously we know the success that the Cardinals have had for years,” said Pietrangelo. “We all know the following they have in the city but I guess we don’t see a lot of it because we are so focused and so busy on what we have to do.

“It’s pretty much fun to have two teams like us and the Cardinals. We are close to them and they support us. The camaraderie we have within the city between the players and the fans is pretty special. “

The Blues are due and the fans can sense it. The Blues clinched their Western Conference series victories over the Winnipeg Jets, Dallas Stars and San Jose Sharks at the Enterprise Center.

“Everybody keeps telling us the buzz in the city is better than anybody has ever seen it,’ said Pietrangelo. “That’s a good feeling and yeah, it’s been 49 years and a lot of disappointment and close opportunities so to reward the city is pretty special.

“We are here for a reason and we feel we’ve earned the right to be here and our experience getting to this point hasn’t been an easy road. We faced some adversity and we’ve been down in series and played well in some series and found a way to win at home.“

Boston Herald LOADED: 05.30.2019 1145603 Boston Bruins “Yeah, that was pretty funny. It was tough timing because (St. Louis) had just scored,” Wagner said with a laugh. “But I went to eat with my parents in the North End (before Game 1) because it was my birthday and I’m Bruins’ Chris Wagner not throwing in the towel yet like, ‘Wow, this place is packed.’ It’s still weird to think that we’re actually here, maybe because I’m watching now. It might be easier for these guys because they’re playing. But watching isn’t fun.”

By STEVE CONROY | [email protected] | Boston Herald And if this series goes deep, Wagner still is hoping to rectify that. Would you expect anything less from him? PUBLISHED: May 29, 2019 at 2:31 pm | UPDATED: May 29, 2019 at 6:03 PM

Boston Herald LOADED: 05.30.2019 Fittingly for his makeup, Chris Wagner has not given up on playing for the Bruins this season.

When asked Wednesday if he suffered a broken bone in his right forearm/wrist area when he blocked a shot in Game 3 of the Eastern Conference Final, he responded, “Can’t say either way.”

When asked if he’d undergone any surgical procedure, he smiled and again replied, “Can’t say.”

Now, it may seem like a long shot for the Walpole native to suit up in this Stanley Cup Final, but those are not the responses of a player who already has pulled the plug on the season. While he hasn’t skated since, he did display some semblance of a range motion in the wrist during media interviews.

But even if Wagner doesn’t make it back to play a game in this Stanley Cup Final – a dream that would be dashed, to be sure – he can take some solace in the fact that he did his bit to get the Bruins to this stage. And the manner in which he did it has not gone unappreciated by the fans.

“It’s been great,” Wagner said of the response. “Obviously there are the people who have been there anyways. But even on social media, you get the negative stuff, but for me it’s been mainly positive and that means a lot. Because a lot of these guys will tell you. It can get to you sometimes. But for people to say “Thank you” and “We love the way you play,” it means a lot. I guess it is fitting with how I play to go out like that.”

While Wagner flashed enough skill this year to score a career-high 12 goals – to go along with 247 hits (11th in the NHL) – he knows his role. And being raised on black ‘n’ gold, Wagner would take little offense at being labeled a lunch pail kind of player. Those types always have been held in high regard in these parts.

And the romance – if you can call it that – of laying your body down in service of your teammates is not lost on Wagner.

“If there’s one way to go down, that’s probably it, especially with it being a sacrifice,” Wagner said. “Guys are going to get hurt and it’s not easy. I saw a commercial on Instagram about paying the price and sometimes you have to. I don’t think anyone in this room would get out of the way of a shot like that. It just happened to be bad luck where it hit. But it’s more abut the team anyway.”

Wagner appears to have made out better physically than Gregory Campbell did when the former fourth-line center made his indelible imprint on Bruins lore by blocking a shot in Game 3 of the 2013 Eastern Conference Final and breaking his leg. But he’s honored to be mentioned in the same breath as Campbell.

“Oh yeah, I was watching back then,” Wagner said. “His was a little more iconic because he had to stay on the ice, which was tough, and then had to go all the way to the other side of the ice (where the bench was) in the second period. But the comparisons are there, which is cool for me because I watched it and I’m from here, so it’s much appreciated how much support I’m getting.”

Like Campbell, he knew immediately this injury was not something he was going to be able to shake off.

“Right away, I knew it was clearly painful and it wasn’t like a stinger,” Wagner said. “I went right off the ice and I sat on the bench for a while. But it wasn’t like I was staying on the bench because I wanted to, it was because the tunnel was on the other side of ice. That was the most painful part of it.”

For now, Wagner is adjusting to being a spectator. He even was featured on the Jumbotron in Game 1 waving a rally towel. 1145604 Boston Bruins

Bruins pregame notes: B’s can take 2-0 lead in Stanley Cup

By MARISA INGEMI | [email protected] | Boston Herald

PUBLISHED: May 29, 2019 at 11:55 am | UPDATED: May 29, 2019 at 7:27 PM

In the Eastern Conference Final, the Bruins finally put their foot down.

The B’s split their first two home games in the two series prior, going on the road with pretty much a blank slate and a best-of-5 series to deal with. Against the Hurricanes, the Bruins took both Games 1 and 2 — rather handily — en route to a dominant sweep.

In Game 2 of the Stanley Cup, they have the opportunity to do just that once again after taking the first game of the series in comeback fashion.

While the opening frame of Game 1 felt like a feeling out period for both teams, the second period saw the Bruins defense come alive and hold the Blues to just three shots on goal, and a period of 12 minutes without a single shot.

That kind of dominance is tough to continue against anyone, not to mention in the Stanley Cup Final, but the Bruins have to feel pretty good about themselves with eight straight postseason wins.

They’re still looking for ways to improve, though, and not sitting back.

“Credit to St. Louis for doing a good job defending the blueline on our entries.” said Bruins head coach Bruce Cassidy. “We weren’t able to get in as efficiently as we’d like. I thought we made some plays in zone and missed some opportunities to finish plays. Part of that’s on our execution.”

It’s tough to find ways to nitpick when the Bruins have played as well as they have for the entire playoffs, but having that mentality is what can give the B’s an edge, not settling.

There’s plenty they can work on trying to trudge through the Blues forecheck, but there’s also times where the Bruins came close to accomplishing what they wanted to even before they found their legs.

They have them now, with all rust shaken off.

“When we did get in the zone, we got in (towards the net) a couple of times,” said Cassidy. “(Marcus) Johansson did get in, so we were around the net a little bit. But not in terms of our standards of what we can typically do in terms of executing. So that was what I saw, lack of execution.”

Game notes

The Bruins lineup consistency in the postseason continues, with the same lineup as they had in Game 1 on Monday night.

Zdeno Chara blocked a shot at the end of the game and his arm was bleeding, but he was fine and is ready to play. Chris Wagner is still out from blocking a shot in Game 4 against Carolina, and is yet to play in the postseason.

About the Blues

Robert Thomas didn’t skate ahead of Game 2, and would be the only change to the Blues lineup. He took the big hit from Torey Krug that took off on social media with Images of the helmet-less Bruins defender already becoming iconic.

Vince Dunn skated but isn’t expected to be ready to come back for Game 2.

Boston Herald LOADED: 05.30.2019 1145605 Boston Bruins

Talking Points from the Bruins' Game 2 3-2 OT loss to the Blues

By Joe Haggerty

May 30, 2019 1:35 AM

GOLD STAR: Vladimir Tarasenko and his linemates had an excellent night in Game 2 and showed everybody in the hockey world that the Blues aren’t in the Stanley Cup Final by accident. It was Tarasenko who scored the tying goal with about five minutes go in the second period on a nice individual play where Tuukka Rask made the initial save on him after stopping a Jaden Schwartz shot from a distance.

Tarasenko finished with four shots on net, eight shot attempts and three hits in his 15:50 of ice time and the top line along with Brayden Schenn and Schwartz got pretty much whatever they were looking for tonight. If that continues then the Bruins better watch out.

BLACK EYE: Brad Marchand really hasn’t been very good to start this series. He finished with four giveaways, just two shots on net, and was consistently throwing away pucks, turning the puck over to the Blues and attempting to make passes and plays that simply weren’t there.

He never really got all that much better as the went along, and for the second game in a row, the Bruins Perfection Line was shut out when it mattered most. Take away Marchand’s empty-net goal at the end of Game 1 and the B’s top trio hasn’t done much of anything in this series. The good news is that they finally figured it out after similarly struggling last round vs. Carolina, but they might not have as much time to figure it out this time around against a good Blues team.

TURNING POINT: It was overtime, baby. The Bruins simply had nothing left in the tank in OT after getting through two-plus periods with Matt Grzelcyk hurt and after the Blues had walloped the B’s with a total of 50 hits throughout a punishing, physical game. St. Louis outshot Boston 4-0 in OT with the B’s basically unable to get the puck out of their zone. Instead, Brandon Carlo dived out of desperation and a delayed penalty was called and Carl Gunnarsson scored the OT winner for the Blues on a rocket from the high point. The Blues had effectively sapped Boston of all their energy by the time the extra session got going and St. Louis was more than happy to extend the pressure and score less than four minutes into OT.

HONORABLE MENTION: Joakim Nordstrom was probably Boston’s best player and that’s usually a sign of a loss. Still, Nordstrom gave the Bruins a lead in the first period when he managed to tuck a puck through the five-hole of Jordan Binnington for Boston’s second goal of the game. It was Nordstrom’s third goal of the playoffs and he added an epic blocked shot of a Colton Parayko point blast in the second period when he took a searing slapper off his instep trying to kill off a four-minute power play. Nordstrom was successful there and led the Bruins with five blocked shots in a gritty effort for the versatile Swede. He also finished with four shots on net and a couple of hits in his 15:38 of highly effective ice time.

BY THE NUMBERS: 50 – The number of registered hits for the St. Louis Blues, who really rolled up their sleeves and punched the Bruins in the mouth with a physical, smashmouth effort that slowed down Boston’s attack significantly.

Comcast SportsNet.com LOADED: 05.30.2019 1145606 Boston Bruins

Shorthanded Bruins ran out of gas in Game 2 overtime loss to Blues

By Nick Goss

May 30, 2019 12:16 AM

BOSTON -- The Boston Bruins looked a step slow, lost too many puck battles and got stuck in their own zone way too often in Game 2 of the 2019 Stanley Cup Final, and being down to five defenseman late in the first period was a huge reason for those issues.

B's defenseman Matt Grzelcyk's head was driven into the boards on a scary hit by Blues forward Oskar Sundqvist with less than three minutes to go in the first period. Grzelcyk never returned to the game and went to the hospital for tests, and B's head coach Bruce Cassidy didn't have an update after Boston's 3-2 loss in overtime at TD Garden.

Being down a defenseman against a hungry, physical Blues team aiming to even the series really took its toll on the Bruins. The Blues had a 27-15 edge in shots on goal and a 25-11 advantage in scoring chances from the start of the second period through the end of overtime.

"We tried to not get over-exerted with our shifts and stay out there too long," Bruins defenseman Brandon Carlo said. "Tried to change fast and get all five guys moving, but there was definitely those times where you kind of get hemmed, and it becomes difficult at those points."

The B's were pretty much out of gas in the overtime period as the Blues kept the puck in Boston's zone for most of the frame, setting up Carl Gunnarsson's winning shot. Grzelcyk's absence forced the remaining Bruins defenseman to play a lot more ice time than normal.

"We still had energy. I think our team did a good job on wearing them down for the 60 minutes and we knew we had more energy than them going into the overtime," Blues defenseman Joel Edmundson said. "We just laid it all on the line and stuck to our game plan."

Here's a look at the ice time for Bruins defensemen in Game 2 compared with their time on ice per game averages entering Wednesday. Everyone except Carlo played at least two minutes more than their average for the 2019 playoffs.

Charlie McAvoy: 27:00 in G2, 24:10 TOI/G

Torey Krug: 26:00 in G2, 21:41 TOI/G

Zdeno Chara: 25:45 in G2, 22:21 TOI/G

Brandon Carlo: 22:58 in G2, 22:08

Connor Clifton: 16:47 in G2, 13:19 TOI/G

Not only were the Bruins forced to increase the ice time of their remaining D-men, they also lost valuable puck-moving skill, playmaking ability and speed that Grzelcyk brings to the lineup.

"Losing the 16 minutes of Grzelcyk's time, good puck mover, guy that can break down a forecheck when he's on, and that was clearly a strength of theirs tonight and a weakness of ours, breaking pucks out," Bruins head coach Bruce Cassidy said.

"So, that's where we missed him the most I felt like. Getting back on pucks, he's pretty good at quick skate move, a good clean pass. Getting our forwards going through the neutral zone is a strength of our game, so we lost some of that element and I think it showed."

The good news for the Bruins is they have extra time to rest because Game 3 in St. Louis isn't until Saturday. The B's certainly could use the additional time off after two very physical games to begin this Cup Final.

Comcast SportsNet.com LOADED: 05.30.2019 1145607 Boston Bruins

Bruins' David Backes has strong reaction to hit that knocked Matt Grzelcyk out of Game 2

By Nick Goss

May 30, 2019 12:44 AM

BOSTON -- Matt Grzelcyk didn't make it through the first period of Wednesday night's Stanley Cup Final matchup after St. Louis Blues forward Oskar Sundqvist hit the Boston Bruins defenseman from behind and knocked him out of Game 2.

Sundqvist received just a two-minute minor penalty for boarding despite there being contact to the head and the hit coming from behind. Grzelcyk went to the hospital for tests, and that was the only update B's head coach Bruce Cassidy provided after Boston's 3-2 overtime loss in Game 2.

One Bruins player who was not pleased at all with Sundqvist's hit was veteran forward David Backes.

“I don’t think that’s a hit we want in our game," Backes said. "I think it’s from behind, elevated in to his head into the glass. If that’s a two-minute penalty, there’s going to be a shortage of defensemen in this series by the end of it. That’s in somebody else’s hands, that’s something that I think that if I’m making that hit, I’m probably watching from the bleachers for a few. But we will see what happens with their player.”

The NHL's Department of Player Safety will "take a good look" at the hit, according to The Athletic's Pierre LeBrun. Game 3 of the series in St. Louis isn't until Saturday night, so the league has plenty of time to review the play.

The physicality and chippiness in Game 2 were more intense than what we saw in the series opener, and this probably is the new normal for the rest of the series.

"There were a lot more confrontations I thought, some of that might have had to do with guys trying to pull the pin on the puck before it explodes a litlte bit and trying to take a little bit of extra time with it," Backes said. "The quicker the puck moves the tougher it is to finish pucks."

It doesn't take much for teams to develop a strong dislike for each other in a playoff series, and we're starting to see that between these clubs after a few huge hits in each of the first two games of this Cup Final.

Comcast SportsNet.com LOADED: 05.30.2019 1145608 Boston Bruins

Matt Grzelcyk injury: Bruins D-man went to hospital, no update on Game 3 status

By Nick Goss

May 29, 2019 11:48 PM

BOSTON -- The Boston Bruins went down a defenseman in the first period of Game 2 of the Stanley Cup Final when Matt Grzelcyk took a hard hit along the end boards from St. Louis Blues forward Oskar Sundqvist.

Sundqvist's upper body made contact with Grzelcyk's head, forcing the Bruins defenseman to stay down on the ice for a bit before being helped up and aided to the B's bench by two teammates.

Grzelcyk never returned to the game, and Bruins head coach Bruce Cassidy didn't have much of an update following Boston's 3-2 loss in overtime at TD Garden.

"He got hit from behind, that's what was called," Cassidy said. "His head got driven into the glass, so he went to the hospital to get some tests and never returned, obviously. We're still waiting for an update."

If Grzelcyk is unable to play in Saturday night's Game 3 in St. Louis, John Moore is the best bet to take his place in the lineup. Moore, like Grzelcyk, is a left-shot defenseman, so from that perspective it would be a smooth transition. Moore replaced Chara in the B's lineup when the captain missed Game 4 of the Eastern Conference Final against the .

Comcast SportsNet.com LOADED: 05.30.2019 1145609 Boston Bruins

Bruins showing they don't have any consistent weak spots in playoff win streak

By Joe Haggerty

May 29, 2019 8:10 PM

BOSTON – The Bruins have shown quite a bit in this eight-game playoff winning streak that began in the middle of the second-round series against the Columbus Blue Jackets.

Obviously, it portends great things whenever you can rip off eight W’s in a row in the postseason and it’s little surprise that the Black and Gold have won the Cup in each of the other two postseasons (1970 and 1972) when they won this many playoff games consecutively. Still, it’s also the way that they’re winning that has been so impressive headed into Game 2 of the Stanley Cup Final against the St. Louis Blues.

“It’s a lot of fun, a lot of adrenaline. This time of year you don’t think, you just go out and play and I think that is when you play your best, too,” said Marcus Johansson. “There’s no time to second-guess out there you just go out and play. Whatever you can do to help the team, you’re going to do it and it’s a lot of fun.”

It’s been many different ways with dominant goaltending from Tuukka Rask, consistently strong defense, varied and deep scoring with forwards, led at times by off all trios their fourth line. They’ve simply overwhelmed teams with their depth and their puck-moving defensemen have kept them out of too much trouble in the defensive zone.

They’ve also had their stars step up whether it’s Rask, of course, or Patrice Bergeron, Brad Marchand and David Pastrnak doing enough scoring on the top line, or the third and fourth lines providing enough offensive support to out-gun Columbus and Carolina. Bruce Cassidy pointed to defense as the common thread in the eight-game winning streak, but he also ticked off a lot of different things.

“Team defense, for sure. I think once we’ve gotten the lead we’ve played the right way and played winning hockey,” said Cassidy. “I guess through most of this run we’ve held our discipline and not gotten ourselves into trouble. I think there was one game in Carolina where we took four penalties in the first period and that was kind of tough. Tuukka Rask had to bail us out. Timely scoring, secondary scoring and everybody contributing up and down the lineup. I don’t think you win that many in a row [otherwise] unless your goalie is standing on his head every night. Tuukka has been rock-solid, but I wouldn’t character [Game 1] as a game where he stole it. I think our team persevered and then played the right way once we tied it up. And we haven’t beaten ourselves.”

So what does it all mean for the Bruins at this point?

It means that there’s been no consistent weakness on this Bruins roster that other teams have been able to exploit in the postseason since Toronto’s speed gave them some obvious problems at points in the first- round series. The one area that the Blues might be able to exploit is a lack of size on Boston’s back end and some spots where the Bruins are young and undersized up front as well, but St. Louis is going to have to break through Boston’s defensive layers to do that.

That’s something teams have been experiencing considerable trouble doing since Boston starting taking off against the Blue Jackets in the second round when the win streak started to take root.

Comcast SportsNet.com LOADED: 05.30.2019 1145610 Boston Bruins

Bruce Cassidy pays Torey Krug hilarious compliment after Game 1 win over Blues

By Nick Goss

May 29, 2019 7:13 PM

Boston Bruins defenseman Torey Krug delivered the most memorable play from Game 1 of the 2019 Stanley Cup Final when he demolished St. Louis Blues forward Robert Thomas with a huge hit in the third period.

The hit came after Krug got tangled up at the other end of the ice with Blues forward David Perron, who took off the B's blueliner's helmet during the exchange. The hit would've made highlight reels regardless if Krug was helmetless or not, but the sight of his slick hair certainly made for a better photo.

Bruins head coach Bruce Cassidy, during his postgame talk to the team after its 4-2 win in Game 1, couldn't resist complimenting Krug for his toughness and tremendous hair.

You might remember Cassidy also called Bruins defenseman Matt Grzelcyk "a sexy, tough son of a [expletive]" earlier in the playoffs.

The Bruins were all smiles after Game 1, and they'll aim to keep the momentum of their eight-game playoff win streak going Wednesday night in Game 2 at TD Garden.

Comcast SportsNet.com LOADED: 05.30.2019 1145611 Boston Bruins

Torey Krug: It's 'pretty ridiculous' hit is being compared to Flying Bobby Orr

By Joe Haggerty

May 29, 2019 1:49 PM

BOSTON – Torey Krug is flattered at all of the positive chatter about his “Flying Torey” hit from Game 1 of the Stanley Cup Final, and the Bruins D-man certainly hopes it’s something that people will remember about this matchup between Boston and St. Louis.

But he also had a word for those comparing his helmet-less flying body check on Robert Thomas to the legendry Flying Bobby Orr goal scored to clinch the 1970 Stanley Cup Final for the Bruins: “Ridiculous.”

Will Blues seek payback on Krug for Game 1 hit?

“It’s pretty ridiculous,” said a laughing Krug. “I can’t even come up with words. I think it’s ridiculous. Hopefully it turns out to be something we remember for a long time.

“It’s taken off. I’m not on social media right now, but I have a lot of friends and family members that are on social media. It’s taken off and it’s pretty cool for sure. But it’s eyes on the prize right now.”

Certainly the sequence of David Perron sitting on Krug and ripping off his helmet behind the play leading up to Krug demolishing Thomas, after racing up the ice, will be an iconic play in the 2019 Stanley Cup Final no matter what happens. It’s sparked a debate about whether or not it was a charging penalty (hint: it wasn’t with Krug gliding the last 15 feet into the hit), and certainly it could be looked at as the early turning point to the entire series if the Bruins roll over the Blues in four or five games after decisively throwing the first proverbial punch.

But it also wasn’t a game-winning goal to clinch a Stanley Cup title like Orr’s flying heroics were in 1970, now immortalized in a statue right outside TD Garden. There has been plenty of revisiting the Orr moment given that both the Bruins and Blues are facing off again in the Stanley Cup Final, and that is still going to be the NHL’s most iconic image in the history of the game when it’s all said and done.

Krejci recruiting Brady for fan banner captain

“I would be lying if I said I watched that game. I was five I think. When I got traded here, obviously growing up watching in Canada you see a lot of Montreal, Toronto, Boston, New York,” said Cam Neely, when asked about it prior to the start of the Cup Final vs. St. Louis. “Those are the teams you generally watched, but coming here in ’86 was really the first time I was like ‘Wow this is quite an organization.’

“There are so many great players that have played here, and a lot of really good things have happened. Not necessarily all just in the playoffs, but a lot of really good things have happened by a lot of very talented players. I can’t count how many times we’ve all seen Bobby score that goal and fly through the air, but just to be a part of this organization is pretty special.”

Certainly the Flying Torey hit will have its place in both Bruins lore and Stanley Cup Final lore going forward, but it’s going to take something pretty damn special to match the Flying Bobby Orr moment that will live on forever.

Comcast SportsNet.com LOADED: 05.30.2019 1145612 Boston Bruins

Vladimir Tarasenko insists Blues aren't phased by troubling Cup Final stat

By Darren Hartwell

May 29, 2019 1:35 PM

According to the data, the St. Louis Blues are in a pretty rough spot. According to Vladimir Tarasenko, they're just fine.

The Blues star was informed Tuesday that teams that win Game 1 of the Stanley Cup Final, as the Boston Bruins did Monday night, go on to win the series 77.2 percent of the time.

Tarasenko's response: Who cares?

"That’s why you guys do the stats and we play on the ice," Tarasenko said Tuesday, via The Athletic's Jeremy Rutherford. "Cool stats but it’s not in our heads."

If Tarasenko, who scored in the Blues' 4-2 loss Monday night, wanted to make a counter-argument, he could point to St. Louis' loss to the San Jose Sharks in Game 1 of the Western Conference final. The Blues won four of the next five games to storm back and take the series.

Will Blues seek Game 2 payback for Krug hit?

This is also a club that ranked dead last in the NHL on Jan. 3, so the Blues know what it means to be counted out.

But if St. Louis isn't able to even the series Wednesday night in Game 2 at TD Garden, those "cool stats" may be too hard to ignore: Teams that take a 2-0 lead in the Cup Final are 46-5 (90.2 winning percentage) since it went to a best-of-seven format in 1939.

Comcast SportsNet.com LOADED: 05.30.2019 1145613 Boston Bruins

Sean Kuraly shares Bruins' locker room message after sluggish Game 1 start

By Darren Hartwell

May 29, 2019 8:15 AM

The concerns turned out to be well-founded.

The Boston Bruins' 10-day layoff did impact their game early in the Stanley Cup Final, as the St. Louis Blues took a one-goal lead in the first period of Game 1 on Monday night.

"I wasn't feeling it early in the game, my legs weren't there," Kuraly wrote. "I was definitely feeling the effects of the 10-day break between games."

Kuraly wasn't alone, as the B's looked sluggish as an entire unit. But they also didn't panic. Kuraly took fans inside the dressing room, where the club refocused on a new objective.

"After we didn't play a good first 20, we went in the locker room and just said, 'Hey its behind us now and let's see if we can play a good 40 minutes and start with a good first five minutes,' Kuraly wrote. "That's what we did. To come back in the game, that one felt good."

It got worse before it got better, as Vladimir Tarasenko put the Blues up 2-0 just a minute into the second period. But the Bruins played with noticeably more energy in the second, and it paid off: Connor Clifton scored the response goal 76 seconds after Tarasenko's on a great pass from Kuraly, and Charlie McAvoy tied things up on the power play 10 minutes later.

Boston never looked back, playing 40 minutes of dominant hockey that produced four straight goals and a 4-2 win at TD Garden.

The Bruins' emphatic response after a rough first period was a testament to the team's strong leadership, as Kuraly describes a unit that didn't flinch after the rust feared may hamper them in Game 1 did just that -- until the B's shook it off with authority.

Comcast SportsNet.com LOADED: 05.30.2019 1145614 Boston Bruins Cassidy said he’s not worried if either John Moore or Steven Kampfer needs to be thrust into the lineup for Game 3 because both have contributed at points during the playoffs.

Matt Grzelcyk’s loss proves pivotal in Game 2, and maybe for the series “They’ve helped us win games, but I’m more concerned with Grizz’s health right now,” Cassidy said. “We don’t have an update. Hopefully, he comes back and he’s fine and there are two days (off) before the next By Joe McDonald game. If not, we’ll look at Johnny vs. Kampfer. Moore is a left stick, so he keeps everyone on their appropriate side. We’ve been really good with May 29, 2019 the next-man-up (mentality), and we’ve done it a lot this year.”

Fatigue was a factor for the Bruins on the final defensive breakdown that When defenseman Matt Grzelcyk was lost to injury early in Game 2 of led to St. Louis’ game-winning goal. After Boston’s inability to clear the the Stanley Cup final Wednesday night at TD Garden, his absence puck, the Blues’ Carl Gunnarsson’s screen shot from the point beat proved to be a major factor in the Boston Bruins’ 3-2 overtime loss to the Tuukka Rask for a 3-2 final. St. Louis Blues, evening the series at one game apiece. “It’s a terrible feeling after you can’t clear the puck a couple of times you Grzelcyk went back to play a puck in the corner late in the first period start to get mentally exhausted in your own zone, and that’s when the when the Blues’ Oskar Sundqvist made direct contact to the mental mistakes come into play,” Carlo explained. “You try to make hard defenseman’s head and slammed him into the glass. Sundqvist was plays and sometimes it jumps over your stick. There are those times you given a two-minute penalty for boarding, while Grzelcyk remained on the get pinned and you try to eliminate the bleeding and the damage.” ice with his hands on his head. Trainer Don Del Negro tended to the But the damage was done in that moment, denying Boston the injured player, who needed the help of teammates David Krejci and Jake opportunity to gain a 2-0 advantage as the series heads to St. Louis for DeBrusk to get off the ice at 17:57. Games 3 and 4, and compounded by the potential loss of an important Grzelcyk was taken to the hospital for tests, but there was no update piece like Grzelcyk. after the game.

Bruins veteran forward David Backes, who has a history of concussions, The Athletic LOADED: 05.30.2019 wasn’t happy with the play.

“I don’t think that’s a hit we want in our game,” he said. “It’s from behind, elevated, into his head, into the glass. If that’s a two-minute penalty, there’s going to be a shortage of defensemen in this series by the end of it. That’s in somebody else’s hands. That’s something, I think, if I’m making that hit, I’m probably watching from the bleachers for a few, but we’ll see what happens with their player.”

Without Grzelcyk, the Bruins were forced to play with only five defensemen for the remainder of the game. It was especially challenging because the Blues played a more intense, physical game, especially on the forecheck, and wore down Boston’s back end. As a result of being a man down, Charlie McAvoy (27 minutes), Torey Krug (26 minutes) Zdeno Chara (25:45), Brandon Carlo (22:58) and Connor Clifton (16:47) were asked to do a little more than normal.

“It’s a lot of work, but nothing we can’t get through,” Carlo said. “We’ve had that happen throughout the year, so you’ve just got to adjust and continue to play on no matter the adversity you face, you’ve just got to keep going.”

Despite being an undersized D-man, Grzelcyk has been averaging 16 minutes of ice time per game in the playoffs and has the ability to retrieve the puck in the defensive end, and then make a quick play up-ice to help the breakout and transition game. Without his services, the Blues took advantage.

“That’s where we missed him the most, going back on pucks,” Bruins coach Bruce Cassidy said. “We lost some of that element and it showed.”

Not only has Grzelcyk been an important cog on the blue line, but the Charlestown native has been adding some timely goals offensively, giving the Bruins a major boost. He has three goals and four assists for seven points in 19 postseason games this spring.

“Grizz has been fantastic,” Carlo said. “He’s gotten some pucks in the net during the playoffs and brought that offensive presence and elevated his game. A lot of respect for the way he plays. He’s very responsible defensively. I’ve gotten the opportunity to be paired with him at times, and he makes the game a lot easier for his partner by the way he sees the ice and moves the puck.”

When asked what he thought of the hit on Grzelcyk, Carlo paused and carefully formed his answer.

“You can say a lot of different things about that,” he said. “I’d have to watch it over again, but definitely didn’t like it. I thought he might’ve left his feet a little bit and got his head for the primary contact. We’ll see where it goes from there.”

After the game, Sundqvist said he had “no comment” on the play. 1145615 Boston Bruins more from Bergeron if they’re going to win this series given that he’s the emotional conscience of this team. It’s not so much that Bergeron has played poorly, but the bar is set so high for the four-time Frank J. Selke Stanley Cup final report card – Game 2 Trophy winner and future Hall of Famer that, when he’s merely mortal, it stands out. And he’s been mortal through the first two games of this series, including a surprisingly mortal night on the draw in Game 2 where he won just five of 13 faceoffs. By Pierre LeBrun and Scott Burnside LeBrun: Boston’s Brad Marchand May 29, 2019 The entire Bruins’ top line has been quiet through two games at 5-on-5.

But Marchand is the superstar sniper on this team. This is the Cup final. BOSTON — History is made. The St. Louis Blues, by virtue of Carl He’s paid to score and hasn’t done it through two games. And he hasn’t Gunnarsson’s game-winner 3:51 into overtime, earned the first Stanley been great defensively, credited with a team-leading four giveaways Cup final victory in the franchise’s history. It couldn’t have come at a through 60 minutes. The critics were out against Marchand through the better time as the Blues’ win evens this compelling, at times nasty final first three games of the second round and then he stepped up big time series at one game apiece with Games 3 and 4 set for St. Louis on the rest of the way. I suspect we’ll see that here as well. Hard to keep Saturday and Monday. No. 63 under wraps for an entire series.

The loss marked the end of an incredible run by Boston that saw them LeBrun: St. Louis’ Joel Edmundson win eight straight games all in the month of May. I think he struggled in Game 1 and wasn’t much better in Game 2. He Here’s how it looked from Scott Burnside’s and Pierre LeBrun’s vantage was credited with three giveaways on the night and was on the ice for a points. Bruins goal. I just feel his decision-making has been shaky so far in this series. Much credit to the Bruins’ forecheck for that, but as a top-pair Players Who Impressed blueliner, he’s got to elevate his game the rest of this series.

Burnside: St. Louis’ Carl Gunnarsson Burnside: St. Louis’ Robby Fabbri

Yes, it’s easy to pick the guy who scored the overtime winner, but the Hey, we’re not picking on a guy that played in his first playoff game in best part of Gunnarsson coming up with arguably the most important almost a month (May 5 in the second round was his last appearance). goal in franchise history is that he very nearly ended the game late in the But this is more a function of the fact that the Blues were cooking most of third period with a blast that struck iron. But he struck pay dirt on a the night, and were the more dominant team in the last half of the game delayed penalty call, ripping home a shot that gave him a plus-2 rating on and into overtime when they outshot the Bruins 3-0. In short, there the night. It was Gunnarsson’s second career playoff goal. Beyond that, weren’t many passengers on the Blues bus on this night. With that said, on Wednesday morning it looked like Vince Dunn might return to the Fabbri is going to need to find his rhythm quickly if he’s going to stay in lineup, and while the Blues could have gone with seven defenseman in the lineup in place of the injured Robert Thomas. Fabbri played 10:14, that situation, they might also have made Gunnarsson, who was inserted the least amount of ice time of any Blue and had no shots on net. Look in the lineup when Dunn went down in the Western Conference final, a for him to be a more engaged now that he’s got his first Cup final game healthy scratch. Funny the way things work out, no? under his belt.

LeBrun: St. Louis’ Pat Maroon Goaltending Battle

There was second effort in every shift for this veteran power forward in LeBrun: Jordan Binnington just keeps impressing every step of the way. Game 2. He was going hard to the net and creating space for his So calm again in Game 2, excellent rebound control, tracking pucks linemates. His screen led to the Blues’ opening goal. And he was into the through traffic and looking like a veteran playing in his fifth Stanley Cup game on a real emotional level, barking at Bruins players and the refs all final. And so I would call this a draw through two games with Conn night long. Absolutely loved his game on this night. Smythe front-runner Tuukka Rask as far as the goalie battle goes. Clearly the Blues decided for Game 2 to crash the net harder and make LeBrun: Boston’s Torey Krug things more difficult for the Bruins’ star netminder after a rather easy time This guy’s level of intensity in the Cup final is through the roof. He’s in Game 1. Good calls both times by the officiating in handing the Blues a clearly got under the skin of the Blues, but what really impressed me pair of goalie interference penalties. Can’t let the standard drop on that again was his poise in the face of the Blues’ forecheck. He’s the guy on one, especially in the Stanley Cup final. that Bruins’ blue line that I want to be handling the puck under duress. Burnside: In some ways, this was a role reversal of Game 1 when For me, he’s been the Bruins’ top blueliner through two games of this Binnington was by far the busier of the two netminders. In Game 2, it was series. Rask who had the heavier workload, facing 37 shots compared to the 23 Burnside: Boston’s Joakim Nordstrom that Binnington faced. As Pierre noted, Rask was also under siege as the Blues followed through on a promise to get more traffic in front of the Once again the Bruins got valuable contributions from the World’s Bruins’ netminder. Twice St. Louis was whistled for goaltender Greatest Fourth Line (can I trademark that?). While Sean Kuraly was the interference. Hard to fault Rask on any of the goals, including the game- star of Game 1, Nordstrom was the fourth-line beast in Game 2, scoring winner, as the Bruins were exhausted trying to catch up with the puck on the Bruins’ second goal, which happened to come about 40 seconds the delayed penalty. The interesting part of the goaltending battle on this after the Blues got on the scoreboard. But Nordstrom’s biggest night, in spite of what my good friend says, is that Binnington looked contribution on the night might have come on the penalty kill, as the shaky in allowing two first period goals on just eight Boston shots. Both Bruins once again kept the Blues’ power play from cashing in. The Blues goals beat Binnington five-hole, and frankly it looked like it was going to were 0-for-3 and are 0-for-5 in the series. Late in the second period with be a long night for the young netminder. But he righted the ship and his Connor Clifton assessed a double-minor for high-sticking, Nordstrom save on a Pastrnak blast from the slot late in the third period was a came up with a big block of a Colton Parayko cannon that might have game-saver. saved a goal. Nordstrom led all Bruins forwards with 2:34 in shorthanded ice time, added four shots on goal and blocked five shots – more than Oskar Sundqvist Hit on Matt Grzelcyk any other player on the ice. LeBrun: I know there are many who were saying that Grzelcyk turned Burnside: Boston’s Patrice Bergeron into the hit, which made it worse, but I still think Sundqvist had time to see his numbers on the back and avoid the kind of head contact he It has been a rocky start to the final for the Bruins’ top line of Bergeron, produced on the hit. One Western Conference team executive I spoke Brad Marchand and David Pastrnak, as they have combined for zero with said it should have been a five-minute major and a game even strength goals (Marchand scored an empty-net goal in Game 1) misconduct. Because it was only a two-minute minor, the same executive and are a combined minus-7 in the series. The Bruins’ top line was such wonders now if Sundqvist will face a one-game suspension instead. NHL a non-factor in Game 2, as they were for the most part in Game 1, that Player Safety, as we know, looks at any borderline hit so they were coach Bruce Cassidy dropped Pastrnak from the unit and moved Danton definitely looking at this one. Whether or not it warrants a hearing Heinen up in the second half of the game, something Cassidy’s done periodically throughout the season. It’s clear the Bruins are going to need remains to be seen. The fact that it’s a head injury and that the Bruins’ player didn’t return may factor into what NHL Player Safety decides.

Burnside: Must admit I had to watch this one a bunch of times. Grzelcyk is already in an awkward position along the glass before Sundqvist makes contact, but the contact is concentrated on Grzelcyk’s head, which strikes the glass, leaving him crumpled on the ice. Very scary. Although I wouldn’t have been surprised if officials called a match penalty on the play given that Grzelcyk was clearly in distress (he didn’t return to the game and it’s unclear when he might return), at least a minor was called. And while there will be calls for supplemental discipline, I’ll be surprised if the Department of Player Safety steps in with a suspension. If they do, it would likely be a one-game penalty and Sundqvist would be missed given his strong play throughout the playoffs, leading the Blues’ own impressive fourth line.

Main Storyline Heading into Game 3

LeBrun: The Blues always respond. They got smoked in Game 1 of the Western Conference final by San Jose and bounced back with a big Game 2 win. It’s what they do. And so now the Bruins know this will be a long, grinding series. A big story line for the Bruins heading into Game 3 will be if they can rediscover offense from their top line. They can’t win the Cup without that. The Blues did a better job on the penalty kill in Game 2 and need to carry that over next game against that dangerous Bruins power play. The Blues are going to come out flying Saturday night behind a rabid home crowd seeing its first Cup final home game in 49 years.

Burnside: What is that old chestnut about how it’s not a playoff series until the road team wins a game? Well, this is on now. There have been punishing hits on both sides of the equation and the “hate factor” is already high as this series switches to St. Louis. The Bruins are going to need to rely on their experience in these kinds of situations – remember they lost the first two games of the 2011 Stanley Cup final in Vancouver before storming back to win in seven games – because it’s going to be zany in St. Louis. The Blues continued to take too many penalties; five more minors to go with the five they took in Game 1. They’ve lost the special teams battle in both games and that can’t continue. Or rather, if they continue to give the Bruins this many opportunities with their potent power play, the Blues’ chances of winning this series are greatly diminished. Given the emotion that will accompany them onto the ice in Game 3, it’ll be a good challenge for this Blues team.

The Athletic LOADED: 05.30.2019 1145616 Boston Bruins “They just competed hard,” Marchand said. “They won a lot of battles in our zone. They have really good sticks. So they turn a lot of pucks over and created some offense off that.”

‘I wasn’t good the last two games’: Brad Marchand and linemates flame Even on off nights, Marchand, Bergeron and Pastrnak can recover some out in Game 2 of their touch on the power play. They had five opportunities to do so. They never broke through. Charlie Coyle (three shots) was the only attacker to solve Binnington on the power play. By Fluto Shinzawa Nothing else worked — not Marchand from the half-wall, Bergeron from May 29, 2019 the bumper or Pastrnak on the left elbow. The Blues kept a tight formation on the penalty kill to deny east-west looks and sniffs from the

slot. The Bruins managed only three shots on the power play — a lousy Brad Marchand’s route toward Vladimir Tarasenko should have been sum for such a talented group. routine. Charlie McAvoy, who had led the previous rush, was deep in the “We didn’t have as much energy, it seemed, with the puck to create offensive zone. Zdeno Chara was the only man back. Jaden Schwartz offense, 5-on-5 and on the power play,” Cassidy said. “I know it sounds was driving wide, threatening to give the Blues an odd-man rush. odd on the power play. But you do have to open up some passing lanes Marchand should have gotten above Tarasenko. That way, he would if a team is going to play tight. If they’re going to play aggressive, you’ve have contained Tarasenko’s approach, slowed down the Blues’ sprint got to have good puck support. Those things weren’t there as much as and most likely limited the damage. they should have been. As a result, we lost some opportunities on the power play.” But instead of getting above Tarasenko, Marchand tried to check the puck carrier from the side. The play went downhill from there. Marchand Through two games, the Blues have scored four 5-on-5 goals. Marchand, did not prevent Tarasenko’s pass from getting through, nor did he slow Bergeron and Pastrnak have been on for three of them. Meanwhile, the down his opponent. So when Schwartz reeled in Tarasenko’s pass, the only goal to their name has been Marchand’s Game 1 empty-netter. Blues had a clear-cut two-on-one against a flailing Chara. This is no way for the Bruins’ best forwards to play. Tuukka Rask stopped Schwartz’s shot. Chara recovered to get a stick on

Schwartz’s second attempt. But Tarasenko, never disrupted by Marchand, zoomed in to tuck the rebound home, tying the game at 2-2 at The Athletic LOADED: 05.30.2019 14:55 of the first. Marchand had coasted into the slot, nowhere near Tarasenko to disrupt the sharpshooter’s arrival on the puck.

“We need to be better,” Marchand said of his line after the 3-2 Game 2 overtime loss. “Personally, I wasn’t good the last two games. We can’t be playing like that.”

Marchand had a rough Game 2. The left wing put two pucks on Jordan Binnington, both at even strength. Marchand was tagged with four giveaways, managing the puck like it belonged to the Blues. He did not record any shots during 5:05 of power-play time.

He had company.

Neither Patrice Bergeron nor David Pastrnak put a single puck on net during their five power plays. At 5-on-5, the No. 1 line combined for only six shots. The group did so little on offense that Bruce Cassidy had no choice but to hand some of the unit’s shifts to the No. 3 line, the most effective trio in Game 2.

Bergeron played only 10:55 at 5-on-5, third-least among team forwards. Marchand played 11:19. Pastrnak logged 12:55. They didn’t deserve any more than that.

“Taking care of the details,” Marchand said of areas they needed to improve on Game 3. “That’s the biggest thing. It’ll come. That’s the way it is.”

The top line’s biggest problem was how the threesome chased the puck all night. Instead of turning their usual tricks in the offensive zone, they burned too many matches pursuing the Blues in front of Rask. All three were underwater at 5-on-5, with Pastrnak bringing up the rear with a 39.39 Corsi For rating. The most creative offensive players cannot do much to generate scoring chances when they’re grinding into the ice at the wrong end under the duress of the Blues’ forecheck.

“You’ve got to get to pucks first,” Cassidy said. “They did that better than us tonight. That, I guess, was the tale of the game for me. They won a lot of races. Got more pucks. Had it more than we did. I don’t think that was necessarily the case in Game 1. We won a lot of races and had it more. We were able to make plays. You spend a lot of energy defending. That’s what we did tonight. We spent a lot of energy defending, and it caught up to us in the end.”

Every line runs into roadblocks during even-strength play, including the Bruins’ best unit. Colton Parayko and Jay Bouwmeester, St. Louis’ most thorough defensive pairing, played well against the No. 1 line. Parayko and Bouwmeester, however, didn’t have to churn through too many calories marking 63-37-88 in the Blues’ zone. The Blues controlled the puck for too many of the top line’s shifts. 1145617 Boston Bruins with the Red Sox and the whole “1918” thing, let’s at least try to look at things through the eyes of St. Louis sports fans.

In their early days, back when they and five other expansion teams were Boston fans may see something familiar in St. Louis’ gritty, plucky, locked away in the NHL’s lounge room “West Division,” the Blues made it underdog comeback to the Cup final three straight years and got swept every time. The last time was 1970, when, on May 10, Mother’s Day, they were finished off by Bobby Orr’s famous goal just 40 seconds into overtime of Game 4. By Steve Buckley Counting their loss to the Bruins in Game 1 of this series, the Blues were winless in 13 straight games in the Cup final. As in 0-for-forever. May 29, 2019 That’s all over now. They may not win the Cup, but these modern-day

Blues no longer have to answer for Orr’s goal. Reminds me of catcher Sports fans aren’t wired with the ability to take a step back and admire, or Jason Varitek saying, “I’ll never have to hear ‘1918’ again,” after the Red appreciate, or respect, the opposing team’s accomplishments. Sox beat the St.Louis Cardinals in the 2004 World Series.

Certainly not fans in such cranky, hard-boiled, winning-isn’t-everything- Lastly, there is this: The Blues’ answer to Krug’s crushing hit on Thomas it’s-the-only-thing sports towns as New York, Philly … and Boston. in Game 1 was Oskar Sundqvist boarding Bruins defenseman Matt Grzelcyk late in the first period of Game 2. Grzelcyk was helped off the Certainly not during the postseason. ice and did not return.

And especially not during any postseason series in which the T-shirts The difference is that Krug’s hit was widely saluted as good, old- being sold in the Pro Shop have the word “Finals” stenciled on them. (Or, fashioned hockey and fun for the whole family, whereas what Sundqvist this being the Stanley Cup we’re discussing, that would be “Final.”) did — shoulder meets head meets glass — is being called “questionable.” So let’s try something different. Let’s look at the St. Louis Blues’ 3-2 overtime victory against the Bruins in Game 2 of the Stanley Cup final Well, no, it was dirty. Wednesday night at TD Garden through the lens of Boston’s 12 (and counting) championships this century. You Bostonians may not much like But the message was clear: The Blues weren’t going to get pushed the Blues, and that’s fine; this is the playoffs, City of Champions, Do Your around. Job and all that. That’s what the 2001 Patriots made very clear to the St. Louis Rams very But consider: early on, and very succinctly, in Super Bowl XXXVI.

Given the manner in which they were humiliated in Game 1, from their paltry three shots on net in the second period to the third-period Torey The Athletic LOADED: 05.30.2019 Krug rearrangement of Robert Thomas that already is being attached to all kinds of Greatest Hits lists, the Blues showed the comebacking, don’t- give-up-the-ship spirit of the 2004 Red Sox.

Given that everyone on the planet other than people who live within 16 miles of the Enterprise Center in St. Louis predicted the Bruins would win this series, many of ‘em banking on a sweep, the Blues have shown the pluckiness of the underdog 2001 Patriots.

Given that the Blues have adopted the Bantu term “Ubuntu” as their philosophy, with its message that “I am because we are,” they have shown the soul and the spirit of the 2007-08 Celtics.

OK, so I totally made that last one up. I was on a roll, like when John Belushi was talking about the Germans bombing Pearl Harbor in “Animal House.” And yet there was so much the Blues did Wednesday that Boston fans have seen over the past 19 years that it’s easy to get carried away.

Take, for instance, the goofiness on display back in 2004 when it was learned that Red Sox players were taking pre-game shots of Jack Daniel’s as a means of taking the edge off and getting themselves in the proper frame of mind as they waged their historic comeback against the Yankees in the ALCS. You want to hear something just as goofy? Here you go: After the Blues’ Carl Gunnarsson clanged a shot off the post late in the third period Wednesday night, a shot that would have given the St. Louisians a 3-2 lead, the Swedish defenseman met with Blues coach Craig Berube at adjoining urinals during the pre-OT recess and guaranteed a win if he could get “one more chance” to take a shot.

With his one more chance, and with the Blues deploying an extra skater during a delayed penalty, Gunnarsson scored the game-winner 3:51 into overtime.

During the postgame news conferences, a reporter, seeking confirmation, asked if the One More Chance Summit took place “at the pisser.”

Gunnarsson replied, “I can’t deny that. That’s where it happened. That makes it even more fun, I guess.”

So there. Boston has “wicked pissah.” St. Louis has overtime goal guarantees that take place “at the pisser.”

There’s also the issue of history that connects these 2018-19 Blues with the 2004 Red Sox. While it’d be a stretch to put the Blues and their half- century-and-a-few-years pursuit of a Stanley Cup championship on a par 1145618 Boston Bruins “As Canadians, this is what you dream about, the opportunity to win the Cup,” Steve said. “It’s such a great opportunity for him, but it would be like a family legacy if it came true and to have our name on the Cup. It The brotherly bond uniting Steve and Bruce Cassidy grows as the Cup would be just awesome.” draws closer Bruce was a highly touted defensive prospect for the Chicago Blackhawks before knee injuries derailed his career. Steve witnessed the moment when Bruce suffered his first knee injury while playing ball By Joe McDonald hockey only a month after he was drafted as an 18-year-old.

May 29, 2019 It was July, and Bruce’s ball hockey game was scheduled at 5 p.m. and then he was supposed to be on the ice later that night. He contemplated

not playing ball hockey, but since it was the summer, many of his normal Steve Cassidy’s voice went low, and he dropped some interesting teammates weren’t available, so he made the decision to do both. hockey intel about his younger brother, Bruce. Steve was the team’s goalie and saw the play unfold. Bruce was on a Bruce didn’t only envision himself as an NHL player, or even as the breakaway when he was clipped from the side. He felt a pop in his left coach he would eventually become, the older brother revealed. Instead, knee but was still able to walk. He went to the bench for a bit and thought as a kid, when Bruce would watch his favorite team — the Boston Bruins, he was fine. There were 10 seconds remaining in the game and the of course — he would pretend to be the play-by-play announcer. He Cassidys’ team had an offensive-zone faceoff, so he returned for the final would keep a score sheet, too. play. He took a shot and immediately realized his knee wasn’t right.

Now, his announcing fantasies long behind him, Bruce is three wins shy Bruce’s mother took him to the hospital, and the original diagnosis was a of winning a Stanley Cup as coach of the organization, and sprain. However, when he woke up the next morning he couldn’t bend his Steve is along for the ride. Steve and his son, Andrew, attended Game 1 leg. He went to see a specialist in Ottawa and was told he tore his ACL. against the St. Louis Blues on Monday at TD Garden and were Since the Blackhawks drafted Cassidy only a month earlier, he visited understandably pleased with the end result, a 4-2 victory in Boston’s with the team doctor in Chicago and it was decided Cassidy would rehab favor. Afterward, the brothers Cassidy stood in the hallway outside the and not have surgery. Bruins locker room and talked hockey. “It was tough to see and it still bothers me to this day what happened,” “It was very exciting. I’m less nervous now because they got the win,” Steve said. “But, you’re just always pulling for him. He’s a smart guy and Steve said. “There was a lot of nervousness, but it was exciting and great a good coach. I’m glad now that he has this great opportunity and he to see they came out on top. It’s fun to be part of and it’s very exhilarating gets to show what he can do.” because it’s one step closer. They look good. The mistakes they made Today, Bruce Cassidy believes he should have had surgery right away, were self-inflicted, but they still look good in other ways. It was a good as he missed most of the next two seasons and never really returned to first look for the team. I’ve got some confidence they will do well.” form. His knees plagued him his entire playing career and he was forced Steve, 55, is a year-and-a-half older than his brother and they’ve been to retire as a mostly minor league player at age 30, with only 36 NHL involved in the game their entire lives. Their hockey journey began on the games on his résumé. At the time, he was devastated, but rebounded streets of Ottawa, with Steve playing the role of Islanders goalie Glenn when he understood coaching could keep him in the game. “Chico” Resch, and Bruce as Bruins defenseman Bobby Orr. “If I played (in the NHL) I probably wouldn’t be coaching,” Cassidy said “He used to shoot against me all the time. The nets we had back then as with a smile. “It’s funny how things work out.” kids were smaller than the regulation nets. I was pretty good so he really After the Bruins’ win in Game 1, Steve and Bruce were having a typical had to work hard to get it by me, so I think it helped his shot,” Steve said brotherly conversation. Steve wanted to drive back to Ottawa, but Bruce with a laugh. wanted his brother and nephew to stay the night. While the older brother Bruce is still surprised his brother chose Resch, and not legendary contemplated his decision, the younger one couldn’t wait too long; he Islanders goalie Billy Smith. had to return to his office and prepare for business. Game 2 was already right around the corner, and the always-mature Cassidy had a job to do. “Steve loved Chico’s mask,” Bruce said with a smile. “It’s funny because Steve looked at his brother, and saw that despite their age difference, my mom was born a Montreal Canadiens fan, my dad was Toronto little has changed. (Ottawa didn’t have a team then). I ended up a Bruins fan and Steve was the Islanders – go figure.” “Oh, I didn’t torment him as a kid, it was the other way around,” Steve said with a laugh. Hockey has always been a pillar of the Cassidy family. Unfortunately, their father passed away young, lost at age 52 to a brain aneurysm. Bruce was only 20. Their mother, Louise, passed away eight years ago The Athletic LOADED: 05.30.2019 when Cassidy was an assistant coach for the Providence Bruins.

Now that Cassidy has the chance to win a Stanley Cup, the importance of the moment is hitting home for his brother.

“We grew up a Canadian family where everything was hockey, hockey, hockey,” Steve said. “We played hockey all year round and it was a huge part of our family. It would be huge for (our parents) to see what Bruce has been able to accomplish. If in fact the Bruins do win the Cup, it would’ve been fantastic (for our parents).”

Numerous times this season, and during the playoffs, Steve has made the seven-hour trek from Ottawa to Boston to be with his brother through this journey.

“It’s great,” Bruce said. “Listen, there’s a lot of stuff going on and you want to stay focused but it’s still nice to have family. My kids and (wife) Julie will be here and they’ve been here all year, so that’s awesome. It’ll be good to have Steve here. Only he can answer how it is for him. I left home to play hockey a long time ago, but we’re close. We’ve lived in separate cities now for a long time. His kids are older and mine are younger.”

Steve is a quality control specialist in Ottawa, working to test government websites. He’s thrilled for the opportunity just to attend the Stanley Cup final, let alone under such special circumstances. 1145619 Buffalo Sabres "They seemed to play with more urgency than us. We played with less," said Boston coach Bruce Cassidy. "They were on top of us playing tighter, giving us less space."

On a night of heavy hockey, a different No. 4 in Boston produces win No. The goaltending was a huge story in this one. Rask was spectacular all 1 for Blues in Cup final night in making 34 saves while St. Louis rookie Jordan Binnington overcame a shaky beginning to hold the fort over the final 54 minutes.

By Mike Harrington "Life of a goaltender. Keep moving forward," Binnington said.

Published Wed, May 29, 2019|Updated Thu, May 30, 2019 Boston defenseman Matt Grzelcyk, the Boston University teammate of Jack Eichel, left in the first period after he was drilled from behind by St. Louis' Oskar Sundqvist. And that started a parade of hard hits that lasted all night. BOSTON -- Oh, Hockey Gods. You big jokesters. The Bruins' top line has been oddly absent in the series thus far. Virtually Imagine how bizarre it is to consider the finish of Wednesday's thriller in nothing doing offensively for Marchard, Bergeron and Pastrnak. TD Garden. The first Stanley Cup final win in the 52-year history of the St. Louis Blues came on an overtime goal. Marchand was particularly brutal in Game 2, leaving his position to clear the way for the odd-man rush that turned into Vladimir Tarasenko's goal In Boston. By a defenseman wearing No. 4. Seriously. that forged the 2-2 tie at 14:55 of the first period. Carl Gunnarsson is never going to be confused with Bobby Orr, whether Binnington, who wasn't happy with two of the goals he let in during Game you're pondering his offensive ability or any sort of photogenic dives 1, was openly upset with himself over both Boston goals in the first through the air. In fact, Gunnarsson never had scored a goal in his 56 period. And he should have been. previous postseason games. But the 32-year-old Swede made his first one count Wednesday night with a slapshot from the right point at 3:51 of Charlie Coyle's power-play goal that opened the scoring at 4:44 of the overtime. first was a minor whiff that snuck between Binnington's legs. So did Joakim Nordstrom's backhand at 10:17, which came 40 seconds after St. Louis 3, Boston 2. Series tied at 1-1 heading to the land of the Robert Bortuzzo's goal that had gotten the Blues even at 1-1. Gateway Arch and seemingly destined for the long haul. Nordstrom and the Bruins' fourth line continued to get the job done in this This was heavy, heavy, heavy hockey. With as many capital Hs as you one. In addition to his goal, Nordstrom blocked four shots in the game. can muster. In the end, the better team all night won. He got the crowd really revved with back-to-back blocks of Parayko Gunnarsson had blasted a puck flush off the left post behind Boston during a four-minute power play in the second period after Connor Clifton goalie Tuukka Rask with less than two minutes left in regulation. He was assessed a double minor for high sticking. didn't miss in OT, taking a Ryan O'Reilly pass from across the blue line The Blues kept pushing but Rask held firm. Overtime was all about the and driving a 55-foot one-timer home. visitors dominating play in the Boston zone. Until the defenseman It came with the Blues playing 6 on 5 while a delayed penalty was being wearing No. 4 produced victory No. 1 for his team. called on Boston's Brandon Carlo for taking down Alexander Steen.

After his near-miss near the end of regulation, Gunnarsson told coach Buffalo News LOADED: 05.30.2019 Craig Berube he had one more good shot in him. Pretty big bravado for a guy with no career playoff goals.

"I was close in the third and we had a little talk before that OT," said Gunnarsson, who had three goals in an injury-plagued season that saw him play only 25 games. "I just told him I needed one more chance."

"I liked hearing that," said Berube. "He had a helluva game, and I'm really happy he got that game-winner. He felt good about himself obviously, which he should have."

It's a GLORIA kind of night in St. Louis thanks to Carl Gunnarsson's overtime winner!

The goal ended two massive streaks. St. Louis had been 0-13 in its history in the Cup final, and Boston had won eight straight games in this year's playoffs.

"First game, we weren't happy. Today we came out flying," Gunnarsson said. "We played a great game for 60-plus minutes and that's just the team we are. We come back like that. For me to get that winner is a great feeling."

He made no mistake in OT, which was controlled by the Blues. The had the only four shots and the only five hits.

"It's a massive goal," O'Reilly said. "He's a big piece of this team. To see the puck go in and the celebration is inspiring for us all. As the game went on, we progressed and got better. It seemed we had a bit more gas and we outplayed them in the overtime."

The Blues were dramatically better than they were over the final 39 minutes of Game 1, as you would have expected. They had just 20 shots on goal in the opener. They had 21 with four minutes to go in the second period Wednesday.

In the end, the Blues had a 37-23 advantage in shots on goal, a 67-48 edge in attempts and outhit Boston, 50-31. Who's supposed to be the Big Bad team in this series? Well, the Bruins' top line isn't doing much because St. Louis' massive defense led by Colton Parayko and Alex Pietrangelo is stopping the likes of Brad Marchand, Patrice Bergeron and David Pastrnak in their tracks. 1145620 Buffalo Sabres • The Red Sox departed Fenway Park Wednesday night following their series finale against Cleveland, bound for their first series of the season in New York. The players' dress code for the trip? Bruins black and gold.

Wild journey for Bruins' Connor Clifton began at Sabres Prospect Challenge Buffalo News LOADED: 05.30.2019

By Mike Harrington

Published Wed, May 29, 2019|Updated Wed, May 29, 2019

BOSTON – It was 8 1/2 months ago, but it probably seems like eight years ago to Bruins defenseman Connor Clifton.

The rookie who scored Boston's first goal Monday in Game 1 of the Stanley Cup final started his season where no one else on the current Boston roster did: At the Sabres Prospect Challenge in Harborcenter.

Clifton, who played at Quinnipiac University and turned 24 on April 28, toiled in anonymity to most for those three days in September while rookies from the Devils and Penguins also took a back seat to the first game action for Sabres star Rasmus Dahlin.

But word around the Bruins is that their NHL and AHL coaching staffs noticed Clifton had some jump in his game even back then. He spent much of the year in Providence of the AHL but became a regular on the blueline after an injury to Kevan Miller.

"It's been a crazy year, a special journey to be here now," Clifton said Wednesday prior to Game 2 in TD Garden. "The guys have been great, really brought me up to speed pretty quickly, accepted me and let me just play my game. At that rookie tournament if you told me this, that I'd be sitting in front of you today, I wouldn't have believed you. But it is what it is and it happens."

Originally drafted by in the fifth round by Arizona in 2013, Clifton didn't sign with the Coyotes and inked an AHL deal with Providence for last season. The Bruins signed him to a two-year deal in May 2018.

Clifton had six goals and 21 assists in 53 games this year for Providence and one assist in 19 games for Boston. But he has picked up two goals and two assists in the playoffs. Monday's goal was easily the biggest of his career, as it cut a 2-0 deficit in half early in the second period. It came just over a minute after Vladimir Tarasenko staked the Blues to their two- goal lead.

"He’s certainly not afraid to get involved," Bruins coach Bruce Cassidy after Game 1. “He’s certainly a guy who can add some offense on the back end. A sneaky kind of guy. He’s not a guy you notice a lot. He’s not flashy, but he certainly can get up there."

Clifton said he saw a chance to help create a 3-on-2 break and broke to the net. Sean Kuraly's pass deflected off Clifton's foot and past Blues goalie Jordan Binnington.

“Honestly, I didn’t even see it go in,’’ Clifton said. “I felt it hit me, then it went up, and then I saw a guy yelling, so it was a good goal, I guess.

"He’s got a little bit of that — you call it, ‘Cliffy Hockey?’ ’’ Cassidy said. “He just plays. He plays on instinct and right now his instincts are good to him.’’

The Blues played Game 2 without rookie forward Robert Thomas, who has been nursing an undisclosed injury for three weeks and hasn't been practicing in that span. Thomas was the player drilled by Boston defenseman Torey Krug with the most dramatic hit of Game 1, but Blues coach Craig Berube said the hit was not a factor in Thomas' absence.

Robby Fabbri, who has missed the last eight games, took Thomas' spot on a line with Tyler Bozak and Patrick Maroon.

• Krug on comparisons of his helmetless hit on Thomas to Bobby Orr's Cup-winning overtime goal in 1970 against the Blues: "Pretty ridiculous. It turns out to be something people are talking about. It's taken off. I'm not on social media right now but I have a lot of friends and family who are. But I've received a lot of text messages. It's pretty cool for sure but eyes on the prize right now."

• The 34 saves by St. Louis' Binnington in Game 1 were the second-most by a rookie in the final since 1990. Pittsburgh's Matt Murray had 37 in Game 2 of the 2017 final against Nashville. 1145621 Buffalo Sabres "I want to use my size to my advantage, but it's pretty obvious the game got a lot faster than the late '90s. If you continue to work on your game, you can play for a long time."

Zdeno Chara on Ralph Krueger, evolving in his 40s and ... Tom Brady Blues coach Craig Berube was on that 1997-98 Islanders team when Chara made his debut and remembers the gangly Slovakian's entry into the league well. By Mike Harrington "He was a kid, a rookie, but his work ethic was unreal at that point," Published Wed, May 29, 2019|Updated Wed, May 29, 2019 Berube said. "A tremendous worker, great character, there's a lot of good things to say about him at his age. He's a determined guy. Obviously his

size, he plays the game on his brains a lot now. He's a smart guy, he's BOSTON – Boo Zdeno Chara all you want. Folks at KeyBank Center been around a long time, he uses that long reach and gets in the way. It's aren't the only ones who do it. just his determination more than anything and his work ethic. It's why he's still playing." When you're 6 feet, 9 inches – before adding skates – you're going to be a lightning rod for catcalls around the NHL. But for many years now, the For his part, Chara hates the word "rookie." He doesn't use it to describe boos also include a modicum of respect for a larger-than-life player. any Boston teammates, some of whom are half his age. Since he began his playoff career in 2002 with Ottawa, Chara has played nearly 1,000 Chara has been one of the biggest visiting villains in Buffalo for many more minutes in the postseason than any other NHL player, and he years. His dustup with Paul Gaustad at the final buzzer of Game 5 of the qualified in 15 of the last 18 seasons. 2010 playoffs was one of more electric moments in recent Sabres history. When he took the ice Monday in Game 1, he became the second-oldest defenseman in Cup final history behind only 43-year-old Doug Harvey of (It spawned this classic: "I liked the fact that we had one guy Montreal. The Hall of Famer's opponent in that series? Also St. Louis. grabbing around the knees, one guy grabbing around the waist and the other guy grabbing on the neck, and the big man went down.") In Game 4 of the first round at Toronto, Chara became the oldest defenseman in history to score a game-winning goal in the playoffs and But here's a message for Sabres fans from the Boston Bruins' captain the third-oldest player overall behind Mark Recchi and Teemu Selanne. and resident sage they they won't boo: In Ralph Krueger, Jason Botterill got this coach-hire thing right. In the twilight of his career, Chara knows not to take anything for granted. He's aiming to be just the fifth player to win the Cup at age 42 or older, Chara should know. He was a key member of Team Europe, the joining a list that includes former Sabres standout Dominik Hasek collection of players-without-a-country that Krueger led on a stunning run (Detroit, 2008, age 43). to the final against Team Canada at the 2016 World Cup of Hockey. "I appreciated things the same way as before and not just because of It was a textbook study of team building, and Krueger aced it. Botterill your age," he said. "It's because it's not something that happens every wasn't the only person in the hockey world who noticed. year. For some guys, it's happened more than the others. You have to appreciate how hard it is just make the playoffs. And then with the new "I think Ralph is a huge motivator and a great communicator. I think he's format, you'll face very good teams early on so you can't think it's going going to do an amazing job in Buffalo," Chara said this week when asked to happen every year." for a Krueger scouting report. "It was a pleasure to have him as a coach with Team Europe, and I really enjoyed that tournament and the time I Chara has even gotten with the times and made himself quite a presence spent together with him. I'm sure he's going to do well." on social media. His good friend there? Patriots quarterback Tom Brady, who narrated a one-minute hype video on Chara's Instagram page. Team Europe, remember, did not start that tournament well. It gave up nine of the first 10 goals in two exhibition games against Jack Eichel and The Bruins would like to see Brady be the pregame banner captain at Team North America. According to Chara, Krueger never panicked. He some point in these playoffs. simply told his team to remember the pride of representing their small nations and to stick to a game plan. "I think that would get 'Z' going, for sure. It looks like they've got a little bromance going," forward David Krejci joked Wednesday morning. "We had maybe one practice before those exhibition games and it's always easier to put nations together," Chara said. "A lot of times, those "We all admire Tom, what he's been able to accomplish, and the whole guys have played together on the same team or on national teams. Patriots organization," Chara said. "They've been doing this for a decade Ralph had to put together 25 guys from eight countries with hardly or more, being on top of their game. As far as Tom, it's no secret he's anyone playing or coaching together. We were all new to each other, and one of those athletes everyone looks up to." it took a few days. Lots of people look up to Chara. And not just because of his height. "Those first few games were not great but we established the way we Carolina coach Rod Brind'Amour couldn't say enough good things to him wanted to play and how we establish different situations. We were in the handshake line after the Eastern Conference final, an exchange patient. We improved each day. Ralph had us elevating our game the broadcast on NBC that has gone across social media. whole tournament. We bought into what he said about playing as a team Sabres fans have to hope Chara's words on their new coach prove in all situations, creating great chemistry. It was a lot of fun." prescient as well. Chara is having plenty of fun again playing in his third Stanley Cup final It's all about respect. with the Bruins in the last nine years. At age 42, maybe he has slowed done some, but he's still second on the Bruins in playoff minutes at 22:21 per game. And he already has signed for next year at a team-friendly cap hit of $2 million. Buffalo News LOADED: 05.30.2019

Chara's offensive numbers are well down (career-low five goals and 14 points this year) but he has managed to stay relevant through fitness and evolution. The game has changed quite a bit since he debuted for the New York Islanders as a 20-year-old in 1997.

"You have to be ahead of the game seeing the players coming into the game, how skilled and fast they are," he said. "You have to see systems, how guys are being coached. I sensed where the game was going and tried to work really hard in the offseason on the ability to read plays better and not be caught in the wrong position and on the wrong side of the puck. 1145622 Buffalo Sabres

Five Things to Know as Blues, Bruins meet in Game 2 of Stanley Cup final

By Mike Harrington|Published Wed, May 29, 2019|Updated Wed, May 29, 2019

BOSTON – Will the streaks continue? That's a big storyline for Game 2 of the Stanley Cup final between the Boston Bruins and St. Louis Blues Wednesday night in TD Garden.

Boston is red-hot in this year's playoffs and St. Louis is ice-cold in franchise history in the Cup final. Virtually no Bruins took the ice Wednesday morning while almost all of the Blues did.

Tonight's game is on NBC Sports Network with faceoff expected in the 8:20 range. Here are Five Things to Know about Game 2:

1. Long runs: The Bruins have won eight straight games in this year's postseason and have outscored their opposition, 32-11, in them. If they win tonight, it would be their first nine-game run in the postseason since 1972. The current run includes the final three games of their second- round win over Columbus, the four-game sweep of Carolina in the Eastern Conference final and the first game of this series. Boston is 9-0 lifetime in the playoffs against St. Louis (the '70 final and the '72 semifinals were sweeps). The goal count in those games is 52-17.

The Blues, meanwhile, extended their all-time run of futility to 0-13 in their history in Cup final games with the Game 1 defeat. St. Louis has been outscored, 47-19, over that stretch.

2. First big injury news: St. Louis rookie Robert Thomas will not play tonight, coach Craig Berube confirmed after the morning skate. Thomas has not been practicing due to an undisclosed injury since early in the Western Conference final against San Jose and Berube said he decided Tuesday that the rookie was no longer good to go. Berube insisted the injury was not related to the heavy hit Thomas took from Boston's Torey Krug in Game 1. Berube would not confirm if Robby Fabbri, who has not played since Game 5 of the second round vs. Dallas and skated on the line with Tyler Bozak and Patrick Maroon today, would return to the lineup.

3. Looking for a comeback key? The Blues lead the NHL in road wins during these playoffs while the Bruins are tied for the lead in home wins. Each team is 7-3 in those situations.

4. Special teams points: The Bruins were 7 for 15 on the power play in the Eastern Conference final but went just 1 for 5 in Game 1 with the goal coming by Charlie McAvoy in the second period. For their part, the Blues have to show better discipline to stay out of the penalty box – Boston is 6-1 this season with at least five power plays in a game – but at least they did a solid job on the penalty kill.

"Credit to St. Louis for doing a good job defending the blue line on our entries," Boston coach Bruce Cassidy said today. "We weren't able to get in as efficiently as we would like. ... Their defense does a good job. They're long, they protect the slot and they do a good job with their sticks."

Boston has scored a power-play goal in five straight games, going 8 for 20 in that span.

5. By the numbers: Boston goalie Tuukka Rask is 13-5/1.85/.940 in the playoffs. St. Louis' Jordan Binnington is 12-8, 2.40/.915. Binnington's 34 saves in Game 1 were the second-most by a rookie in the final since 1990 (Pittsburgh's Matt Murray had 37 in Game 2 of the 2017 final against Nashville). ... Boston's Brad Marchand is second among playoff scorers with 19 points (8-11-19), one behind the eliminated Logan Couture of San Jose (14-6-20). St. Louis' Jaden Schwartz is next at 12-5- 17.

Buffalo News LOADED: 05.30.2019 1145623 Buffalo Sabres Smid and a rotation of Nick Schultz and Ryan Whitney. At this point, Smid was losing his legs and was a nonfactor offensively, and Schultz ended up being emphatically miscast for his capabilities. (To Schultz’s What Ralph Krueger's player usage in Edmonton can tell us credit, he has turned out to be a fine depth option since leaving Edmonton.) Depth defenders in Corey Potter and Mark Fistric ended up having better seasons than their peers, but neither played much of anything at even strength that year. By Travis Yost Krueger gets a pretty ugly grade here, but I think there’s some Published Wed, May 29, 2019|Updated Wed, May 29, 2019 substantial context worth noting here – outside of Petry, none of these guys were top-four options at this point in their careers, so Krueger was really trying to make something out of nothing. It is fair to say that Buffalo Sabres coach Ralph Krueger has one of the more diverse résumés you can find as a coaching candidate in the This is but one way to assess or evaluate the impact a coach is having . Not only does he have previous head coaching on his team, and there is obviously a tremendous amount of nuance with experience with the Edmonton Oilers professionally and Team Europe this. Still, it does help us answer one question: With the talent each internationally, he also has worked in a front office role in the English coach had at his disposal, did he do his best to order the usage Premier League and has participated in the World Economic Forum. appropriately? That’s a worthy question to have answered, if only because it gives us insight into how a coach evaluates his roster, and That résumé is one of the big reasons why Krueger landed in Buffalo. how many wins he might be adding (or subtracting) from the way he Communication, leadership and relationship building are foundational manages his team. components of any successful leader, and Krueger has shown that he can use those attributes across different operating environments. As it pertains to Krueger, there’s no doubt he was dealt a terrible hand in Edmonton. And there’s enough here to be positive about. But I’m curious There’s no questioning Krueger’s background. But I did think it would be to see what he does defensively starting in 2019-20 – a data-driven interesting to circle back on what should be the most important and approach should yield considerable returns for the Sabres in particular, telling data point we have available – the work he did over one NHL as they have a couple of glaring problems on the blue line that could be season with the 2012-13 Edmonton Oilers. fixed in short order.

The 2012-13 Oilers were, like most Oilers teams of the last two decades, set up to fail. I don’t think there’s a more simplistic way to explain that then pointing out that their top six scorers were all 23 or younger. The Buffalo News LOADED: 05.30.2019 core talent – names like Taylor Hall, Jordan Eberle and Ryan Nugent- Hopkins – were building blocks towards a better tomorrow, but there was nothing surrounding or insulating Edmonton’s future core. The young players struggled against tough competition and the depth players struggled against just about everyone.

Krueger was unceremoniously fired at the end of the 45-point season (77 points over a full 82 games). When pressed about the firing, then- General Manager Craig MacTavish mentioned he was looking for a head coach "more aligned" with the way he wanted to run the team.

I wanted to dig into that season a bit more, especially from a perspective of evaluating Krueger’s impact. Evaluating head coaching performance is insanely difficult – perhaps one of the hardest things to accomplish, if only because so much of what makes a head coach great is what makes a front office great. (Hint: That’s having a lot of good hockey players.) Trying to apportion who is responsible for different components of success or failure, to that point, becomes quite tricky.

One measure I do believe is a great synopsis of coaching impact concerns lineup optimization. We know that head coaches are incentivized to win, and in order to win, your most talented and skilled players need to be sopping up most of the minutes. As certain players underperform or overperform, expectations are that coaches can appropriately flex around their lineup and preserve optimized deployment.

You can do this through a series of statistical measures but, for the sake of this piece, I utilized publicly available goals above replacement data which (a) tries to encapsulate both offensive and defensive player contributions; and thus (b) is all-encompassing. The table below shows the relationship between a player’s value added that season and the usage rates he carried over the season, all at even strength. (The higher the correlation, the better a coach was at getting his more valuable players into more minutes.) One thing of note: Nine of the top 14 teams here did reach the playoffs, so there is a good bit of directionality here.

Specific to Krueger, it’s clear he had the forward group mostly figured out. Most of his premium minutes went to the younger talent – the high- end, first-rounders that were already starting to blossom at the NHL level. That’s encouraging, because one of the key tenets of the modern era of hockey is that it really is a young man’s game, and older players look more and more exposed by the years. By forwards alone, Krueger had the ninth-most optimized lineup. The leaders here were Todd McLellan and ; Ken Hitchcock brought up the rear.

Defensively, it's a completely different story. Krueger had the most mismanaged blue line of any coach in the league. Looking at it further, you can start to see why. Again, not a lot of talent for Krueger to work with, but his top four was comprised of Jeff Petry, Justin Schultz, Ladislav 1145624 Buffalo Sabres Buffalo 2014-15 No No

Along with Buffalo, the only team on the list to openly tank was the Penguins of the mid-1980s. They finished last in 1984 and drafted Mario Putting the ‘tank’ on trial: How the Sabres’ last six years compare to Lemieux. As planned, he led them to the promised land. teams who went through a similar process But it wasn’t quick or easy.

Exhibit C: Patience required By John Vogl Pittsburgh fans hoping the arrival of Lemieux would lead to immediate May 29, 2019 success were severely let down. Like Eichel, the Hall of Famer missed the playoffs his first four seasons. After advancing to the second round during his fifth season, Lemieux and the Penguins missed the playoffs Ladies and gentlemen of the jury, welcome to the trial of The Tank. again.

It’s been six years since the Sabres unveiled their plan to win by losing. Finally, in Lemieux’s seventh season at age 25, he and the Pens fulfilled The plan … hasn’t gone as planned. their destiny with a title.

Or has it? “It really took quite some time,” said retired defenseman Randy Hillier, who arrived with Lemieux in 1984 and lived through the bumpy journey to Over the next 3,700 words, we will determine whether Buffalo’s much- the Cup in 1991. “It never comes fast enough. It just never comes fast debated blueprint has failed or succeeded. There will be expert testimony enough for anybody. The players, certainly, everyone wants to win. The by NHLers who have lived through similar situations. We will present fans who are paying top dollar for tickets these days, they want to see it evidence on how to build a winner and debunk myths about losing. happen sooner than later. Court is now in session. “If I can say anything to the Buffalo fans: be patient.” Exhibit A: The Tank worked The historical numbers match Hillier’s advice. Nearly every team that To define The Tank, we return to April 29, 2013. Darcy Regier, then drafted in the top two in back-to-back seasons had to wait for success. serving as general manager of the Sabres, laid out the plan. Here are the results of first seven teams, starting with the season after they acquired their second top pick. “It is going to be first and foremost about the draft,” Regier said. “It’s going to be the supplementation of the drafted players with free agents, The Jets, who drafted Dave Babych at No. 2 and Dale Hawerchuk at No. with trades, but the trades go back to the draft again. 1, had marginal success during their fourth season before running into and the Oilers. “So you need the top picks. You need the top players, which more often than not require the top picks. … We will do everything we can to acquire Year Record Playoffs those top players that are required to win a Stanley Cup.” 1981-82 33-33-14 Lost in first round In summation, The Tank was about acquiring top picks. 1982-83 33-39-8 Lost in first round The Sabres drafted second overall in 2014, selecting forward Sam 1983-84 31-38-11 Lost in first round Reinhart. He ranks fourth in his draft class with 205 points and 118 assists in 331 games. Since 2015, he is 71st in the NHL in goals (87), 1984-85 43-27-10 Lost in second round one behind Dylan Larkin, tied with Jonathan Huberdeau and one ahead of Nicklas Backstrom. 1985-86 26-47-7 Lost in first round

The Sabres, as promised, did everything they could to reach the bottom 1986-87 40-32-8 Lost in second round in 2015. They drafted center Jack Eichel with the No. 2 pick. Over the 1987-88 33-36-11 Lost in first round past three seasons, Eichel is 19th in the NHL at .99 points per game. He is one-tenth of a point behind Alex Ovechkin, tied with John Tavares and 1988-89 26-42-12 No ahead of . The North Stars had a great start with No. 2 pick Brian Bellows and No. 1 Neither Eichel nor Reinhart is a finished product. Continued development selection Brian Lawton, but it took eight seasons for the organization to is necessary for both to become the “top players that are required to win reach the Cup final. a Stanley Cup.” But, when Eichel and Reinhart are compared to their age group, the Sabres achieved the desired goal. Year Record Playoffs

Exhibit B: Built like a tank 1983-84 39-31-10 Lost in third round

Drafting in the top two in back-to-back years was a significant step for the 1984-85 25-43-12 Lost in second round Sabres. Since 1979, when the NHL expanded to 21 teams, only 10 non- 1985-86 38-33-9 Lost in first round expansion clubs have drafted in the top two in consecutive years. 1986-87 30-40-10 No Five have reached the . Three have won the Cup, combining for seven championships. 1987-88 19-48-13 No

Team Draft years Cup final Cup win 1988-89 27-37-16 Lost in first round

Winnipeg 1980-81 No No 1989-90 36-40-4 Lost in first round

Minnesota 1982-83 Yes No 1990-91 27-39-14 Lost in Cup final

Pittsburgh 1984-85 Yes Yes The Penguins followed the Lemieux selection with Craig Simpson at No. 2 in 1985. Quebec 1989-91 Yes Yes Year Record Playoffs San Jose 1996-97 No No 1985-86 34-38-8 No Pittsburgh 2003-06 Yes Yes 1986-87 30-38-12 No Tampa Bay 2008-09 Yes No 1987-88 36-35-9 No Edmonton 2010-12 No No 1988-89 40-33-7 Lost in second round Florida 2013-14 No No 1988-89 32-40-8 No 1990-91 41-33-6 Won Stanley Cup 2013-14 46-27-9 Lost in first round

1991-92 39-32-9 Won Stanley Cup 2014-15 50-24-8 Lost in Cup final

1992-93 56-21-7 Lost in second round 2015-16 46-31-5 Lost in third round

Quebec drafted first overall for three straight seasons, selecting Mats 2016-17 42-30-10 No Sundin in 1989 and following with Owen Nolan in 1990 and Eric Lindros in 1991. The organization finally broke through in 1995-96 after moving to Simply put, the arrival of two potential stars doesn’t mean immediate Colorado. success. Based on the previous teams, there is an eight-year window after making the picks. The Sabres are only in the fourth year, giving Year Record Playoffs them another four seasons to build around their top players.

1991-92 20-48-12 No Year Record Playoffs

1992-93 47-27-10 Lost in first round 2015-16 35-36-11 No

1993-94 34-42-8 No 2016-17 33-37-12 No

1994-95 30-13-5 Lost in first round 2017-18 25-45-12 No

1995-96 47-25-10 Won Stanley Cup 2018-19 33-39-10 No

1996-97 49-24-9 Lost in third round 2019-20 ? ?

1997-98 39-26-17 Lost in first round 2020-21 ? ?

1998-99 44-28-10 Lost in third round 2021-22 ? ?

San Jose used its back-to-back No. 2 picks on Andrei Zyuzin and Patrick 2022-23 ? ? Marleau. After finally advancing to the conference finals in the seventh season, the Sharks got shortchanged by the owners’ lockout of 2004-05. So the rebuild is hardly dead and has plenty of time before being proved a success or failure. Any burial is premature. Year Record Playoffs “You’ve got to have all the pieces,” said Bob Errey, who was a rookie on 1997-98 34-38-10 Lost in first round the Pens’ pre-Lemieux tank team and celebrated two Cups in Pittsburgh. “You have to go through that maturation process. Sometimes it’s a hard 1998-99 31-33-18 Lost in first round road. Sometimes you’ve got to learn how to win.”

1999-00 35-30-17 Lost in second round And what does it take to build a Cup contender? As you will see, it takes 2000-01 40-27-15 Lost in first round proper drafting, timely trades, the right coach and a little luck.

2001-02 44-27-11 Lost in second round Exhibit D: No need for continuity

2002-03 28-37-17 No Since The Tank rolled into Buffalo, there have been five coaches and three GMs. There was hand-wringing when it became clear Sabres 2003-04 43-21-18 Lost in third round coach Phil Housley was in trouble. How can a club go through so many executives and bench bosses and expect to find success? 2004-05 Season canceled Actually, it can do it quite easily. Pittsburgh owned the top of the draft for four straight years in the mid- 2000s. The Pens started with Marc-Andre Fleury at No. 1 in 2003, added Winning isn’t about sticking with a coach and hoping things click. It’s Evgeni Malkin at No. 2 in 2004, won a lottery to pick Sidney Crosby first about finding the right coach, as the previous clubs proved. Here are the overall in 2005 and added Jordan Staal at No. 2 in 2006. Even with number of coaches and GMs used by the teams during a 10-year span Crosby, Fleury and an aging Lemieux together in 2005-06, the Penguins (from the start of the draft process through the eight-year window for missed the postseason. success).

Year Record Playoffs Team Coaches GMs

2005-06 22-46-14 No Winnipeg 7 2

2006-07 47-24-11 Lost in first round Minnesota 9 3

2007-08 47-27-8 Lost Cup final Pittsburgh 7 3

2008-09 45-28-9 Won Stanley Cup Quebec 7 4

2009-10 49-25-8 Lost in first round San Jose 5 3

2010-11 49-25-8 Lost in first round Pittsburgh 4 2

2011-12 51-25-6 Lost in first round Tampa Bay 5 3

2012-13 36-12-0 Lost in third round The Penguins used coach Lou Angotti to get Lemieux, then burned through Bob Berry, Pierre Creamer, Gene Ubriaco and Craig Patrick Tampa Bay selected with the No. 1 pick in 2008 and got before winning a Cup under Bob Johnson. Victor Hedman at No. 2 the following year. The Lightning were a game away from the Cup final during their second season together, but it took “There was a new sheriff in town, if you will,” Hillier said. “A fresh face. A two misses and a first-round sweep before the Bolts made it to the 2015 new voice with a lot of enthusiasm. final, losing the Cup to Chicago. “I guess you can’t move 25 guys, and that old theory holds true to today. Year Record Playoffs But it is important to find the right guy. It is important to have the right guy who can push individuals to get the maximum out of them and ultimately 2009-10 34-36-12 No the team.” 2010-11 46-25-11 Lost in third round “Bob did,” Errey added. “He was the first guy I had been with that really 2011-12 38-36-8 No cared about your life off the ice. He asked you about your wife and your dog and what you had for dinner and did you make sure you had your 2012-13 18-26-4 No oatmeal in the morning? Did you walk the dog? Did you take the wife to the drive-in in your station wagon? That was Bob Johnson. He wanted to get the best out of everybody, and to do that he delved into them as a “A lot of us still look back and can’t believe we lost because we didn’t person, which was different. That was great. think we were going to,” Gagner said. “It was a lot of fun. It was something I’ll never forget.” “He was the final piece to that puzzle, for sure.” Exhibit F: Lemieux’s Penguins The North Stars went to the Cup final after replacing Pierre Page with Bob Gainey. It takes a lot to hit rock bottom. The Sabres used 34 skaters and five to secure Eichel. The Pens needed 44 skaters and four “Bob Gainey coming in was a calming influence for us,” retired forward goalies to lock up Lemieux. Dave Gagner said by phone. “We were pretty bad the year before Mario, I can tell you that,” Errey said Before the Nordiques moved to Colorado, they swapped Page for Marc by phone. “That can almost end a lot of players’ careers when you’re that Crawford. They won the Northeast Division in lockout-shortened 1994-95 bad. Quite honestly, it takes a lot of intestinal fortitude and commitment and won the Cup the next year. and longevity to battle through because everybody looks good on a “Pierre Page was coaching, and he was giving it everything he had, but it winning team and everybody looks bad on a losing team.” was probably time to bring someone in,” retired Nordiques/Avs forward Even with Lemieux arriving to win Rookie of the Year and record 100 Scott Young said. “Bringing in Crawford really kind of got everyone’s points, the Penguins were bad. Organizations that ship out assets in mind set. We got refocused, and everything went from there. order to get a big one can’t snap their fingers and have everything “We knew that we had talent. We had goal scoring. We had young legs. instantly return. You name it, we felt confident. But we definitely needed the right “Having come from a Bruin organization that was pretty established and guidance, a coach to push the right buttons, and when Crawford came in pretty deep, you come here, there just wasn’t a lot,” said Hillier, who still he really kept everybody accountable. He kind of put the hammer down lives in the Pittsburgh area after finishing his NHL career on the Sabres’ on us, and it’s what we needed at the time. We were a young group. blue line. “You could see certainly that you were drafting a franchise Sometimes, if you let young groups kind of stray a little bit, things can player, so given the time and the depth that you ultimately build around it, kind of go awry. you would have something. But what was it, six, seven, eight years later “He was the right guy for the job – the whole staff was, really – and things that you finally won a Cup? It just takes time. You’ve got to build a whole kind of shaped up from there.” system. You’ve got to draft well.

The Sabres have hired Ralph Krueger as Housley’s replacement, and “There’s no secret to it.” they hope he can have the same immediate success as Gainey, The pain grew as the Penguins repeatedly fell short. They started 7-0 Johnson, Crawford, Pittsburgh’s Dan Bylsma and Tampa’s . during Lemieux’s third season but missed the playoffs. They were last in There’s no guarantee Krueger is the right guy, but there was no reason the Patrick Division the following year. After advancing to the second to keep the status quo. Continuity leading to success is a myth. round in 1989, they fell one point short of the postseason in 1990.

Exhibit E: The North Stars “You could see glimpses of it,” said Errey, who is in his 15th season as Unlike the other clubs, who drafted in the top two by being terrible, the Penguins’ television analyst. “We could see glimpses of it like the Minnesota was a good team. It won the Norris Division in 1982 but Sabres are going to see glimpses of it.” drafted No. 2 because of a trade with Detroit. The North Stars finished It finally clicked in 1990-91. The Penguins brought in Johnson to coach. second in the Norris in 1983, but they got the top pick thanks to a deal Lemieux was surrounded by fellow draft pick Mark Recchi and holdovers with the Penguins. such as Errey, Hillier and Phil Bourque. The team connected with trades So advancing to the conference final with Bellows (age 19) and Lawton for Tom Barrasso, Kevin Stevens, Larry Murphy, Ron Francis, Ulf (18) wasn’t a surprise. They failed to sustain success, however, and by Samuelsson and Joey Mullen. The Penguins signed and 1987-88 they were last overall at 19-48-13. hit the draft jackpot when Jaromir Jagr fell to them at No. 5 in 1990.

“The identity they had in the early 80s and the guys that were there “I was on a third line with Bryan Trottier and Jaromir Jagr that year,” leading the team, some of them had moved out,” said Gagner, who was Errey said. acquired from the Rangers at the start of the last-place season. “The “Think about that,” Hillier said of the third line. “We had so much depth team was just trying to find a new identity. It was a good opportunity for and just really good balance. You could throw any line out there against some of our younger guys to get a chance to be a part of that new any opposition lines and feel like you were in a pretty good shape.” identity.” The Penguins dropped the North Stars in six games. The fans packed Like the Sabres, who added Rasmus Dahlin with a No. 1 pick a few years the riverfront for the Cup celebration seven years after they celebrated after selecting Reinhart and Eichel, Minnesota brought in another major the drafting of Lemieux. piece by drafting Mike Modano at No. 1 overall in 1988. To build for the 1991 run to the final, the North Stars had homegrown talent such as “I couldn’t believe it when we finally won,” Errey said. “It was a long time Bellows, Modano, Neal Broten and Bobby Smith. They traded Lawton for being drafted in ’83 and not winning till the ’90s. It was a little bit sweeter a package that included defenseman Mark Tinordi. They acquired Ulf for the guys who had been there that long, and that included Mario.” Dahlen. They signed free agents Brian Propp, Jon Casey and Basil McRae. They hired as GM and Gainey as coach. Exhibit G: Quebec/Colorado

“It took some time for everybody to figure things out,” said Gagner, who As Regier said during his infamous news conference, trades can center had back-to-back 40-goal seasons in Minnesota. “It just seemed to come around draft status. No team illustrates that more than the Nordiques. together for us as a group at the right time in that one magical run we One of the biggest blockbusters of all time came in 1992, when Quebec had.” drafted Lindros at No. 1 and shipped him to Philadelphia for a monstrous Minnesota was just 12-28-8 on Jan. 15, 1991, but it went on a 14-6-6 run package that included Peter Forsberg, Mike Ricci, Chris Simon, Ron that included an 11-0-2 record at home. The North Stars beat Chicago, Hextall (who was essentially exchanged for Adam Deadmarsh) and St. Louis and Edmonton in the playoffs to reach the Cup final. Steve Duchesne (who was eventually swapped out for Uwe Krupp).

“Similar to what you’re seeing with St. Louis this year, I think from “The Lindros trade, I think, really brought in so many good players to January on we were a pretty good team, but we had started so low that build around,” Young said by phone. “Never mind Forsberg, that’s a nobody really saw us coming,” Gagner said. “We just had a lot of great superstar that we ended up getting in that. There was a lot of good guys that knew their roles. Like I said, in the second half, we were a lot players in that trade that enabled us to make a good jump.” more confident than anybody else knew. We believed we could win, so Again, it didn’t happen right away. The Nordiques missed the playoffs in when we got in the playoffs, we weren’t surprising ourselves.” 1991-92 despite having Sundin, Nolan and Joe Sakic. They lost in the They set a playoff record that still stands with 35 power-play goals, but first round the following year, then missed the playoffs in 1993-94. the unit stalled against Lemieux and the Penguins. So did the dream of “It really shouldn’t have happened,” Young said. “It was kind of a hiccup hoisting the Cup, but they were one of the last two teams standing. in our development as a young group of players.” It was a hiccup that led to more blockbusters. Quebec sent Sundin to There is still hope for Victor Olofsson (2014) and Will Borgen (2015), but Toronto for a package that included Sylvain Lefebvre and Wendel Clark, the other 11 from those two drafts are out of the organization or are long who was later exchanged for Claude Lemieux. The organization sent shots to arrive in Buffalo. Nolan to San Jose for defenseman Sandis Ozolinsh. * They missed on big trades. In 1995-96, seven seasons after Quebec started its run of No. 1 selections, it all clicked in a new home. The franchise went to Colorado Nathan Beaulieu, Marco Scandella, Conor Sheary, Vladimir Sobotka, and added Patrick Roy to a core that included Forsberg, Sakic, Lemieux, Patrik Berglund, Danny O’Regan, Dmitry Kulikov and Robin Lehner Deadmarsh, Young, Ricci, Simon, Ozolinsh, Krupp and homegrown underwhelmed after being acquired – and in some cases Valeri Kamensky. “underwhelmed” is a major understatement.

The Avalanche rolled through Vancouver, Chicago, Detroit and Florida to Jeff Skinner was a hit, but Evander Kane and Ryan O’Reilly arrived win the Cup. before there were enough complementary pieces to make a difference. GM Tim Murray’s plan to speed up the rebuild failed. “It’s great that you have the stars and the talent,” Young said, “but you have to build around them also.” As everyone from the North Stars, Penguins, Avalanche, Sharks and Lightning can attest, finding success takes time. Exhibit H: Crosby’s Penguins “As you go through this, you realize you don’t win with just Eichel, The Penguins were a mess in the late 1990s and early 2000s, going Skinner and somebody else,” Errey said. “You have to have those role through bankruptcy, relocation concerns, empty seats and inferior players. You have to have the Randy Hilliers, the Ulf Samuelssons. You lineups. Hillier was one of the assistant coaches from 2001 to 2005, have to have those type of players, and we see that constantly. It did when the team missed the playoffs for four straight years. take a long time.

Adding Fleury, Malkin, Crosby and Staal changed everything – “I guess people think when you have great players it’s just going to eventually. happen. We see in Buffalo, Edmonton and in Pittsburgh when I was there, you can have the greatest player in the game, but it’s a great team “One of things with Crosby, certainly you knew he was going to be the game. It’s a team sport. Not always the best individuals win. It’s the best star that he’s become,” Hillier said. “But back when he first started, we team that wins.” didn’t have a lot. We were coming off the lockout year, and we had a bunch of older guys that were signed to contracts (16 players age 30 and When the team finally has success, the long, hard road feels like a minor above). Not only were they older, they had missed a year of hockey. We speed bump. kind of got caught.” “The payoff is worth it,” Hillier said. “You go through years where it’s The Penguins missed the playoffs during Crosby’s first season and won pretty rough to watch, but if you said to a fan that I’ll give you a Stanley just one game against Ottawa during the first round in 2007. But they Cup after every 10 years, I think they’d sign up for it today and keep reached the finals in 2008, losing to Detroit, and hoisted the Cup against coming back.” the Red Wings in 2009. So, ladies and gentlemen of the jury, what say you? Would you sign up That was six years after they drafted Fleury, five after Malkin and four for the suffering again knowing the history of teams who’ve had a similar after Crosby. The Pens’ scouting staff also struck gold elsewhere. They journey? And will the Sabres mimic Minnesota, Pittsburgh, Colorado and picked Kris Letang in the third round, Tyler Kennedy in the fourth and Tampa and reach the Cup final before 2023? Max Talbot in the eighth. Those players joined holdovers Ryan Whitney, Ryan Malone and Brooks Orpik. Pittsburgh traded for or signed Marian Hossa, Pascal Dupuis, Sergei Gonchar and Petr Sykora. The Athletic LOADED: 05.30.2019 “Even though you have the best player or the potential to be the best player, it’s more than one,” Hillier said.

Exhibit I: The Lightning

Stamkos is far and away the most productive player from the 2008 draft. He leads the class with 393 goals, 184 more than second-place Jordan Eberle. Stamkos is tops with 766 points, way ahead of Erik Karlsson (563) and Eberle (478).

He also missed the playoffs in four of his first five seasons. Tampa reached the Cup final in his seventh season and Hedman’s sixth.

Cooper came aboard as coach in March 2013. The Bolts’ key contributors included Nikita Kucherov (second-round pick), Alex Killorn (third), Ondrej Palat (seventh) and Tyler Johnson (undrafted free agent). They traded for Ryan Callahan and Braydon Coburn.

Tampa wasn’t ready to win until Stamkos and Hedman had a supporting cast.

Exhibit J: The Sabres

So far, Buffalo hasn’t had much in common with the teams that successfully rose from the bottom:

* The Sabres haven’t found the right coach, going through Ron Rolston, , Bylsma and Housley.

* They haven’t supplemented Eichel and Reinhart with other homegrown picks.

Going back 10 years, the Sabres have no one on the team from the 2009, 2010 or 2011 drafts. In terms of regular contributors, they have just one each from 2013 (Rasmus Ristolainen), 2014 (Reinhart), 2015 (Eichel) and 2017 (Mittelstadt). The only player to dress from 2016 is Alex Nylander. 1145625 As usual, the Flames are in an awkward position in net heading into the offseason. Mike Smith will likely walk as a free agent, leaving RFA David Rittich as the de facto starter (and RFA as the de facto Analyzing the Flames cap: What needs to be cut and how they can make backup). Rittich may move his way into “core” territory if he can prove to additions be a true NHL starter next season, but he may also prove that he’s no more than a decent No. 2.

This is not an insignificant issue for Calgary. They appear to be in the By Kent Wilson market for at least a “1b” option to share the starting duties with Rittich next year because even if Rittich proves he’s starter material, Gillies isn’t May 29, 2019 really ready for the show given he’s coming off his worst professional season.

After a disappointing postseason, there’s likely an appetite to make some As usual, there are way more question marks in the crease than changes amongst Calgary Flames management. Our recent look at answers. Calgary’s organizational depth also unearthed some clear gaps, including The Flames enter the summer with just over $14-million in cap space, right wing, right defense and goaltending. which is going to be enough to re-sign Tkachuk, Bennett and maybe the However, Brad Treliving’s primary challenge this summer will be rest of their cheap-ish RFA’s. That means Calgary is projected to bump wrangling the club’s difficult cap situation. With key restricted free agent up against the 2019-20 cap ceiling of $83-million, just to keep the gang signings pending and only a modest amount of cap space available, the together (around $83.797-million given our assumptions). Flames’ GM will have to make some moves in order to fit everyone under This would be acceptable had the team won the cup or made the the cap ceiling, to say nothing of making additions. conference finals, but as mentioned, there’s no doubt some internal Here’s a look at how Calgary’s cap situation is shaping up, with a focus perception that the team needs to get bigger, faster, or more … whatever on how things are structured and where the team will likely add or it was they were missing in the first round. subtract. Even if you give credence to the club’s “short sample” struggles this April, Much of the Flames core is currently locked up to relatively team friendly it’s pretty clear that their right side up front is in disrepair. With just a year deals, including Johnny Gaudreau ($6.75 million), Sean Monahan ($6.35 left on Frolik’s deal, Neal stepping off a cliff and Czarnik and Hathaway million) and Mark Giordano ($6.75 million). That’s the good news. The closer to fourth liners than anything else, you can bet the team would bad news is that, even with Treliving’s frugality in re-signing the big guns, love to add another top-six quality guy on the starboard side. The other the team is starting to run out of cap room. option, of course, is to shift one of the core (Gaudreau or Tkachuk) or quality support players (Bennett or Ryan) over to the right side and cross Up front, the Flames have four core-type players already locked-in, with your fingers. the contentious (and likely pricey) contract negotiation on the docket. The Tkachuk deal will go a long way to determining what In between the pipes, the Flames can choose to cheap out and hope else happen this offseason, but for now we’ll assume he lands their kids figure things out, or they will have to open up cap space and somewhere between his modelled $7.9-million cap hit and the presumed then spend it in net. Expect Treliving to take this option only if he can find $10-million per year he’s potentially asking for. a solid bet for an upgrade over Rittich. Otherwise, he’ll settle for a guy who is in the “Gillies cap space” price range. Once the Tkachuk contract is inked, he’ll join the ranks of the Flames forward core. After him, Sam Bennett, Andrew Mangiapane and Garnet Treliving has two main trade assets (Brodie and Frolik), and two Hathaway are left to re-sign, with Bennett the only guy likely to approach problematic toxic contracts, which represent his main opportunities to $3-million per year. make room. If one of Frolik or Brodie is moved for cheaper roster players or futures, it will free up north around $4-million (or less, depending on If we assume they stick around, Bennett, Derek Ryan and Mangiapane the return) for the club. form the second wave of quality, value support forwards. These are guys that could be traded, but will probably stick around given their contracts In addition, there’s also the chance the team somehow trades or buys out and upside. one of Neal or Stone. If they go the buy-out route, the cap savings this year would be $3.83-million and, as mentioned, $2.33-million Next, we have the three “expendable” deals that include Michael Frolik, respectively. Of course, the Flames would also incur unpalatable cap Mark Jankowski, and Hathaway if he is retained. An penalties moving forward with this option. In Neal’s case, it would mean expendable player is either a guy who falls outside of high-end or top absorbing more than $1.9-million in dead cap space until 2027 according quality support guys or is in the position where his trade value and role to Cap Friendly. on the team render him an asset. Fourth-liners like Czarnik, Jankowski and Hathaway fall into the former category, while Frolik falls into the The other option is to move some of the supporting expendables, though latter. the available cap savings from that option are limited. If Treliving decides to trade Jankowski (who is the most expensive “expendable” outside the Finally, there’s James Neal, who falls into the toxic asset category. This big trade assets) and then replace him with Dillon Dube next year, for means his cap hit is bad money that probably can’t be moved without a example, the Flames would save about $700,000 in cap space (or 0.9 significant expenditure (such as a buy out). percent of the $83-million cap ceiling).

Giordano, Travis Hamonic, Rasmus Andersson and Juuso Valimaki are All told, the team has $9.25-million in bad money and about $15-million the obvious core on the back end, with Noah Hanifin probably pretty invested in the expendables, which is about 29 percent of the total cap close to that designation as well. allotment. No doubt it’s in these areas where Treliving would prefer to shift the budget to find more quality support or core players. If the Flames re-sign Oscar Fantenberg, he’ll fall into the expendables list. If not, TJ Brodie is the lone member on the defence corps with that Conclusion designation and could be Calgary’s biggest trade chip this summer. With Esa Lindell recently being re-signed for $5.8-million per year, Brodie’s Calgary’s cap situation isn’t quite as complicated as either the Toronto cap hit of just $4.65 million starts to look pretty attractive. Not only can Maple Leafs or the Tampa Bay Lightning, but Treliving is nevertheless Brodie play both left and right sides, but he was also a regular on the staring down some very real challenges. The more he can save on Flames top pairing this past season and has scored 30+ points in each of contracts to guys like Bennett or Tkachuk, the more flexibility he grants the last six years. At just 28 years old and with one season left on his himself. That said, it seems he’ll have to make at least one big maneuver contract, Brodie is the right age and the right price for any NHL team on a involving either his expendable or toxic contracts in order to make any budget looking to add to their top-four rotation. real additions to the roster this summer.

After a season lost to injury and a roster spot lost to a rookie, Michael Stone’s deal drifts into toxic asset territory. If Treliving can’t move him, Calgary Sun: LOADED: 05.30.2019 Stone becomes an obvious buy-out candidate, a move that would save the Flames $2.33-million in space this year (while costing them $1.167- million in dead space for one more years after that). 1145626 Chicago Blackhawks

Blackhawks sign Czech forward Dominik Kubalik to a 1-year, $925,000 deal

Jimmy Greenfield

Chicago Tribune

Fresh off a stellar performance at the world championship, Czech forward Dominik Kubalik on Wednesday agreed to a one-year, $925,000 deal with the Blackhawks.

Kubalik was a Kings seventh-round pick in 2013 but never signed before the Hawks obtained him in a January trade for a 2019 fifth-round pick.

Kubalik, 23, played two seasons in the before spending the last five in the Switzerland’s National League, its top pro league. While playing for HC Ambrí-Piotta, he led the NLA in scoring last season with 57 points (25 goals, 32 assists) in 50 games.

At the recently concluded world championships in , Kubalik had 12 points (six goals, six assists) in 10 games to finish tied for eighth in scoring. His Czech Republic team finished fourth, falling to Russia in a shootout in the bronze-medal game.

Last month, Hawks general manager Stan Bowman made it clear he expected Kubalik to be on Hawks’ roster next season. It’s too early to know where he’ll slot into the lineup, but Kubalik, who is 6-foot-2, 179 pounds, could end up on a line with either Dominik Kahun or David Kampf.

Kubalik played with Kahun during both of his seasons in the OHL and has played with Kampf on the Czech national team. If he makes the Hawks roster, Kubalik would play his first NHL game an hour from his hometown of Plzen. The Hawks open the season Oct. 4 in Prague.

“I played with Dominik in the OHL for almost two years so we know each other pretty well,” Kubalik said. “I talked to him about Chicago and stuff and he had a great season. He show up pretty well, so it’s great for him and I played with David, too, especially on the national team.

“I’m real happy that they’re in Chicago and I can join them.”

Chicago Tribune LOADED: 05.30.2019 1145627 Chicago Blackhawks

Blackhawks sign Dominik Kubalik to one-year contract

By Ben Pope@BenPopeCST

May 29, 2019, 10:07am CDT

The Blackhawks announced they signed 23-year-old Czech winger Dominik Kubalik to a one-year contract Wednesday.

General manager Stan Bowman traded the Hawks’ fifth-round pick in the upcoming draft to the Kings in January to acquire Kubalik’s NHL rights. They said throughout the spring that they expected to sign Kubalik and bring him to North America for the 2019-20 season.

Kubalik has played the last two seasons in the NLA, the top hockey league in Switzerland, and led the league in scoring this past season with 57 points (25 goals, 32 assists) in 50 games. He said on a conference call Wednesday that his season took off after a midseason meeting led to increased playing time and a bigger power-play role.

He also stars on the Czech national team. He tallied 12 points in 10 games in the just-concluded world championships as the Czechs reached the semifinals.

“The world championships helped me a lot because I got to be in the locker room with Jake Voracek and some of those guys who have been already playing in the NHL for a couple years,” Kubalik said. “There’s always something to learn from them. I tried to show that I can play with them.”

The 6-foot forward joins Anton Wedin as the Hawks’ second European signing this month.

Kubalik’s situation differed from that of Wedin, David Kampf and Dominik Kahun (and other recent cross-continental Hawks pickups) in that the Hawks already owned his rights. Kubalik said he knows Kampf and Kahun well.

However, the signings of Wedin and Kubalik have put the Hawks into something of a contract conundrum. They now have 36 players under contract and another 10 pending restricted free agents, whose rights they maintain as long as they issue a qualifying offer next month.

Victor Ejdsell, one of those RFAs, recently signed in Sweden, so he can be crossed off the list. Nevertheless, re-signing the other nine RFAs would push the Hawks uncomfortably close to the 50-contact maximum, leaving little wiggle room for free-agent additions and trades in July and beyond. Expect at least a few RFAs to be left unqualified. Spencer Watson and Blake Hillman could be among the casualties.

Chicago Sun Times LOADED: 05.30.2019 1145628 Chicago Blackhawks

Blackhawks sign forward Kubalik to year deal

John Dietz

The Blackhawks signed forward Dominik Kubalik to a one-year, $925,000 contract Wednesday.

Kubalik, acquired from the in January for a fifth-round pick, is expected to have a similar impact to the one Dominik Kahun had last season for the Hawks.

"A dynamic offensive player," general manager Stan Bowman said in April of the 6-foot-1, 185-pounder. "He's got size and speed, can score. … We'll see where it plays out, but I expect him to be an offensive player for us."

Kubalik scored 25 goals in 50 games last season in the Swiss-A league. He also just played for the Czech Republic in the World Championships, scoring 6 goals and adding 6 assists in 10 games.

The 23-year-old was originally taken in the seventh round by the Kings in 2013. He was teammates with Kahun while playing for the OHL's Sudbery Wolves from 2012-14.

"He's a great player and he also definitely can play in this league," said Kahun, who had 13 goals and 24 assists last season with the Blackhawks. "It's up to him now. He asked me some stuff how it all works out here and I'm going to try to help him so he makes it."

Daily Herald Times LOADED: 05.30.2019 1145629 Chicago Blackhawks years when I was just an offensive guy, that's what I was trying to work on it."

The Kubalik signing comes a week after the Blackhawks also agreed to a After signing entry-level contract, where does Dominik Kubalik fit into one-year deal with 26-year-old Swedish forward Anton Wedin, another Blackhawks lineup? overseas product who could compete for a full-time roster spot.

One thing is for certain: the Blackhawks are going to have some heavy By Charlie Roumeliotis competition at training camp in September.

May 29, 2019 10:00 AM

Comcast SportsNet.com LOADED: 05.30.2019

After acquiring his rights from the Los Angeles Kings on Jan. 24 in exchange for a 2019 fifth-round draft pick, the Blackhawks have officially agreed to terms with 23-year-old forward prospect Dominik Kubalik on a one-year deal worth $925,000. He was originally selected by the Kings in the seventh round (No. 191 overall) of the 2013 NHL Draft but did not sign a contract.

"It's amazing," Kubalik said on a conference call Wednesday of signing with the Blackhawks organization. "I'm looking forward to play and really excited for whatever happens in the future. I'm excited to see Chicago and all the people there. I'm so excited, really, really happy."

A 6-foot-2, 190-pound winger, Kubalik had a breakout season in the National League — the top tier of the Swiss hockey league — by ranking first in points (57), second in assists (35) and third in goals (25). He also averaged more than a point-per-game in the playoffs with one goal and five assists in five contests for HC Ambrì-Piotta.

Kubalik carried that success to international competition. Representing the Czech Republic at the 2019 IIHF World Championship, he finished eighth among all skaters with 12 points (six goals, six assists) in 10 games and was tied for fourth with a plus-10 rating. Perhaps more importantly, Kubalik said he gained invaluable experience learning from teammates like Radko Gudas and Jakub Voracek, who have combined for more than 1,300 career NHL games.

Blackhawks GM Stan Bowman talked about Kubalik during exit interviews in April and envisions him being part of the roster next season. And they're hoping he could make a similar impact as Dominik Kahun, who played with Kubalik from 2012-14 in the Ontario Hockey League.

“A dynamic offensive player,” Bowman said of Kubalik. “He’s got size and speed and can score. We’re hoping he can come in and we’re expecting him to be on the team. Where he fits is going to be a question. We’ll see where it plays out, but I expect him to be an offensive player for us.”

Kubalik said he and Bowman did not talk about what his role may be with the Blackhawks, but it's clear Kubalik is planning on being on the 2019- 20 Opening Day roster.

"My goal is to make the team, for sure," Kubalik said. "And to play the way I did so far."

The Blackhawks are going to put Kubalik in the best possible position to flourish from the start, as they did with Kahun in his first NHL season when they put him on the top line with . They essentially want Kubalik to feel comfortable from the get-go, which the organization likes to do with its overseas signings because it's a tough transition — both on and off the ice.

Kubalik notes that the Swiss league is getting closer and closer to the NHL's style of play, and hopes that his OHL experience will help in his transition to a smaller ice surface.

"Obviously, there will be some difference," Kubalik said. "But I hope I'm ready for that, ready to take the step."

Kubalik, whose strengths include speed and a strong shot, has the offensive skill to contribute in the top-six — and even the second power- play unit — if needed but might be better suited providing secondary scoring on the third line if the Blackhawks follow through with their plans to have an aggressive summer via free agency, which should include shoring up their top-nine forward depth.

The biggest area for improvement is on the defensive side of things. But that's also where Kubalik felt he took the biggest stride.

"In the middle of the season we started to really work on it and I felt better and better obviously because when you can do both things like power play and penalty kill it's always great because you're on the ice," Kubalik said. "I think that was the biggest difference than the last couple 1145630 Columbus Blue Jackets

John Madden out as coach of Columbus Blue Jackets’ affiliate in American Hockey League

Brian Hedger The Columbus Dispatch @BrianHedger

May 29, 2019 at 10:52 AM

The Cleveland Monsters are looking for a new head coach.

After three seasons running the bench in Cleveland for the Blue Jackets’ affiliate in the American Hockey League, John Madden’s tenure ended Wednesday with a “mutual” decision.

The Blue Jackets issued a press release to announce the news, quoting associate general manager Bill Zito – who heads up hockey operations for the Monsters.

“We certainly appreciate all that John has done for our organization and his contributions to the development of the young professional players in our system,” Zito said. “We wish him well in the future as he pursues other opportunities.”

Monsters assistant coaches Steve McArthy and Trent Vogelhuber – who made the transition from Monsters player to coach this season – each remain under contract and will return next season.

Madden went 101-99-19-9 in three seasons as Cleveland’s head coach, including 37-29-8-2 this season (84 points). The Monsters also qualified for the AHL’s Calder Cup Playoffs this season, advancing to the second round before falling to the .

It was the Monsters’ lone postseason appearance under Madden, who was named head coach in Cleveland in August 2016. Madden followed the tenure of Jared Bednar, who coached the team – then known as the Lake Erie Monsters – to a Calder Cup championship in 2015-16 before being named head coach of the Colorado Avalanche.

Zito represented Madden as an agent, prior to starting his executive career with the Blue Jackets.

As a player, Madden won the Stanley Cup three times – twice with the (2000, 2003) and once with the Chicago Blackhawks (2010) – before retiring to end a 13-year playing career. Madden then got into scouting and coaching, spending three seasons as an assistant with the Florida Panthers prior to being hired for the Monsters job.

Columbus Dispatch LOADED: 05.30.2019 1145631 Dallas Stars Dallas Morning News LOADED: 05.30.2019

Stars free agent winger Mats Zuccarello is going to get paid – should it be by Dallas?

By Josh Lile Contact Josh Lileon Twitter:@JoshL1220

Jim Nill acquired Mats Zuccarello to be a difference-maker. Zuccarello breaking his wrist in his Dallas Stars debut limited how much of an on-ice impact he could make, but when he was on the ice, he usually made things happen.

His 14 points in 15 games are only part of the impact he made. He was obviously a great fit. The Stars have a large decision coming up with Zuccarello heading to free agency: do they re-sign him? And if they do, at what cost?

Re-signing him seems like a no-brainer, but the thorny issue of the remaining conditional first-round pick is one the Stars have to weigh. If the Stars and Zuccarello agree to a contract, the 2020 third-round pick they sent to the converts into their 2020 first-round pick. The Stars are committed to giving up their 2019 second-round pick for sure. Is re-signing Zuccarello worth flipping the third into a first? Almost certainly, but it is a barrier to re-signing him, in theory at least.

He fits with the Stars because of his extraordinary playmaking ability. Using the data tracked by Corey Sznajder and visualized by CJ Turtoro we can see how much he helped the Rangers generate offense the past three years. The chart to the left is 2016-2019 while the one on the right is 14 games from last season.

Given how good he was with the Stars with literally one arm I'm willing to shrug off the drop in production he had in 2019 while in New York. The Rangers were bad, so who was he going to set up? The evidence we saw when he was playing with talented offensive players in Dallas is that he still clearly has it. He creates space for himself and his teammates by being shifty with the puck, protecting it well and through precision passes. He's going to get paid somewhere.

How much he's going to get paid is another question. I went to Cap Friendly and pulled all the current forward contracts signed as players went into free agency at age 30 or older and their points per game heading into free agency.

Zuccarello is getting some kind of no movement or no trade protection. He's also likely to get more than $6 million per year and he'll probably get five or six years. What stands out is that none of these contracts that were reasonable at the time stand out as bad now. Frans Nielsen was never going to live up to that deal given his history and Patrick Eaves always had injury concerns. Marian Gaborik didn't work out, but injuries again. Overall, these deals have been fine.

It would make sense for the Stars to offer Zuccarello the Alexander Radulov deal. Five years at $6.25 million per feels reasonable. He may ultimately get more per year, but I wouldn't imagine significantly more unless the length is shorter. This is roughly how Zuccarello fits in the salary structure of the Stars going forward should he and the Stars agree to a contract on those terms.

The next three years are boxed in red. This is realistically the Stars' Stanley Cup window with this group before massive alterations need to be made to the core. John Klingberg will need an extension. Miro Heiskanen is going to get paid. Radulov will be off the books and Ben Bishop the next year with, ideally, Jake Oettinger ready to step in full time if he hasn't by then already. Given how much cap space they have, and how much more they can make by shuffling some guys around, it might make sense to attempt to money whip Zuccarello on a shorter term deal.

Losing Zuccarello wouldn't be ideal. He was such a great fit that keeping him around is a perfectly logical thing to do. If he isn't going to re-sign the Stars can probably flip his rights in a trade to recoup one of the picks they dealt to acquire him in the first place which gives them more ammunition to help build the 2020 roster. I think I've gotten attached to the little guy though so hopefully the two sides can come to an agreement.

1145632 Detroit Red Wings "I didn’t get a chance to see Fil as much because they were on the other side. I thought Fil did a really good job establishing himself as an NHL defenseman last year. I think he can be a top-four defenseman in the Jeff Blashill on how these 3 Worlds players can help Detroit Red Wings NHL. He’s got the skill set to be able to do that, the mental makeup to do that. One way he can get there is his point production. He had real good point production for the Czechs. It’s an opportunity for him to have a great springboard. Helene St. James, May 29, 2019 "In both cases, they have to have great summers to make that

springboard matter. But if they do that, I think they can both really In the glimpses he caught of defensemen Filip Hronek and Oliwer Kaski capitalize on great tournaments." at the 2019 IIHF World Championship, U.S. coach Jeff Blashill saw how You saw a bit of Kaski. How can he fit in Detroit? each could make the Detroit Red Wings better. "He’s going to compete for a job. He’s got real offensive ability. He’s got Hronek already has his foot in the door having played 46 games for the a real NHL shot. Knows how to get it off. Does a great job of one-timing Wings last season. But Hronek looks poised for a bigger role after a pucks, does a great job of getting a wrister off. Most importantly has a standout performance for the Czech Republics in May at the World shoot-first mentality, whether it’s on the power play or on the offensive tournament. Hronek produced three goals and eight assists in 10 games. blue line. As the tournament went along he became a little more Fellow Wings teammate Anthony Mantha likewise had a stellar showing, important on that team. They had eight defensemen dressed most nights as he helped Canada win silver, scoring eight goals and tying Mark and early on he didn’t play as much. But certainly he was a factor on their Stone for a team-leading 14 points. power play and that to me is the one area where he can make a real Anthony Mantha skates against France during the 2019 World statement that he can be a guy who can help us. Championship on May 16 in Kosice, Slovakia. "You have to find a way to make yourself important on a team, you have The Wings signed Kaski, who helped Finland win gold, after the to find a way to get a foot in the door, and the power play is an area tournament ended to a one-year deal. He has a great shot, shoots right, where he can do that. And then he has to be good enough at the other and starred last season in Finland’s top hockey league for the Lahti end - anytime you’ve only seen a player play on a big sheet of ice, then Pelicans, where he led the team with nine goals and 51 points in 59 you have to be cautious that you never know how the rest of their game games. The hope is he can translate his game to the NHL. The Wings is going to transfer. We’ll watch and see as he gets here how good he is tried to boost their defense last year with Czech free-agent signee Libor at breaking the puck out under pressure, how good he is defensively, Sulak, but Sulak wasn’t able to grasp how to play defense at the NHL how good he is at making reads, but certainly he’s got one absolutely level. transferrable skill and that’s his ability on the offensive blue line to make plays and shoot the puck." Hronek has earned himself a spot as a regular, but there is uncertainty about the defense as a whole. Injuries limited Jonathan Ericsson (back) Will Kronwall retire or return? to 52 games and Trevor Daley (foot, back) to 44 games. Both are 35. "I haven’t had a conversation since him since the season ended, and at Even if they are healthy to start the 2019-20 season, the Wings cannot that point he was not sure. I just told him he was one of our top-four D count on either to last. The expectation is Mike Green, 33, will be ready, most of the year, I want you back." but it’s unfamiliar territory having a player battle a viral infection. He was limited to 43 games last season. The Wings are awaiting word from Detroit Free Press LOADED: 05.30.2019 Niklas Kronwall on whether he will return or retire.

That could create opportunity for Kaski, as well as Dennis Cholowski, the Wings’ first-round pick from 2016.

I caught up with Blashill, who enters his fifth season as Wings coach with a contract extension in hand, to chat about standout Wings at Worlds, Kaski and more.

What did you see in Mantha that he was able to have so much success?

"He had a good tournament doing the things that are important for him to be really successful. He moved his feet on a consistent basis, he was super physical - he bumped guys off the puck, made physical contact to get the puck. He was skating on a consistent basis. When he does those things, he’s an effective player. I thought he carried forward a very, very good end of the season into the World Championship. He established himself in an important role early and really took off from there. He seemed to have really good chemistry with Kyle Turris. So I think in the end it was a great, great tournament for Anthony."

I’m struck by the similarity to Dylan Larkin two years ago — he had a good finish to the NHL season and parlayed that into being an important player for your U.S. team at Worlds, then came into his own in 2017-18.

"I hope it’s a great springboard for an excellent year. I thought Anthony had moments this year where he was playing excellent for us - like right before he got injured in the fight, he was playing excellent, and then again at the end of the year. It looks like Anthony is taking those steps in his maturation process as a player. He’s 24 years old - 24 is an age that, with the exception of guys who establish themselves as stars at a very young age, 24 is an age where a lot of players really come of age. So I’m hoping certainly Worlds can be a springboard for him. He’s been a really good player for us the last couple years, I hope this means he can take a step towards becoming that great player that he wants to be and we need him to be."

Hronek had a standout tournament for the Czechs. What can that do for him?

Red Wings defenseman Filip Hronek. 1145633 Detroit Red Wings Nieminen added that Kaski took big steps forward physically this season, which is important because despite standing 6-feet-3, eliteprospects.com lists him at just 187 pounds.

What Finnish MVP Oliwer Kaski brings to the Red Wings’ blue line His coach acknowledged that as he moves toward his next phase, Kaski will need to “play a little more defense closing gaps, (get) a little stronger in battles and (make) a little quicker decisions with the puck.” By Max Bultman May 29, 2019 “He will adapt to it,” Nieminen said.

Our Corey Pronman ranked Kaski sixth among his international, college Back in 2015, Western hockey coach took a and CHL free agents in March, higher than fellow Red Wings signees young Finnish defenseman out to dinner, as he did with all of his recruits. Taro Hirose and Ryan Kuffner. As you might have already guessed, Pronman highlighted his skating, puck movement and shot, as well as his Murray and his Broncos coaching staff had helped arrange for the player, power-play value. He cautioned, however, “I don’t think his skill is high- Oliwer Kaski, to come to the Muskegon Lumberjacks USHL camp. When end, nor do I think he’s that good a defender or all that physical, which they watched him, they decided he was good enough to play for the may limit his value if he goes to a tougher level.” Broncos that year. And, sure enough, he did. But it’s the memory of that dinner that still sticks in Murray’s mind four years later, with Kaski now For that reason, it wouldn’t be surprising to see Kaski start out in Grand officially signed to join the Red Wings organization this season. Rapids next season to get reacclimated to North American ice, though he’ll likely be given a chance to compete for a job in Detroit out of training Oliwer, how would you describe your defensive style? Murray remembers camp. asking. Kaski is also known as a gregarious, social personality who Murray says “And he said, ‘No coach, I’m offensive,’” Murray recalled. “I said, ‘OK, was one of the most popular players in Kalamazoo, and with whom many we’ll accept that.’ players still keep in touch. “He defends, and he knows to get ice time you’ve got to defend,” Murray That will serve him well as he adjusts to his new situation, with the Red added. “But it was kind of a cute answer from a young guy, and maybe a Wings shaping up to have a crowded blue-line competition entering the little bit with the language too.” season. That’s even before factoring in Kronwall, who is mulling Whether it was just a language slip or not, what Kaski said that night four retirement as a free agent but could also decide to come back for one years ago has not been wrong, either. This past season, playing in , more season. the top Finnish league, Kaski scored 19 goals and 51 points in 59 games Regardless, Kaski’s addition means another young defenseman in the as a defenseman for the , earning himself the Lasse picture for Detroit. That could be especially significant in a year, once the Oksanen Award as the league’s best regular-season player. He then contracts of Jonathan Ericsson, Mike Green and Trevor Daley are all up, played on Finland’s gold-medal-winning national team at the IIHF Men’s leaving the Red Wings with a sudden glut of available ice time. Top World Championship this month, where his coach chose him to take a prospects Filip Hronek and Dennis Cholowski each got about half a penalty shot in the gold-medal game against Canada. season in the NHL in 2018-19, and both should take another step That’s not exactly typical for a defenseman. But Kaski clearly showed forward this season. enough offensive acumen to persuade his coach, and while he didn’t Cholowski stuck in Detroit for 52 games until his blazing-hot offensive convert the shot, the fact that he was selected is telling either way. start cooled and the defensive challenges of pro hockey caught up to “He’s definitely a new-age-type defenseman, in the sense that he’s gifted him. Hronek spent some time in Grand Rapids early but ended up offensively and can move the puck,” said Murray, who has followed playing 46 games with the Red Wings and tallying 23 points — then, he Kaski’s career even after the defenseman left Kalamazoo to turn pro in followed it up by being named the top defenseman at this month’s World Finland early into his sophomore season. Championship.

“He just needed to get stronger, and I think he’s done that by just, age- As Kaski readjusts to the North American ice and play, especially wise, physically maturing. The big thing you’re gonna see with him, he’s defensively, it stands to reason that he may not get that level of NHL got a strong belief system in himself.” exposure in his first season, particularly with those two young players already battling for time. But he will be walking into camp with a Finnish The move for Detroit to bring in Kaski has been in the works for a while, MVP trophy and a summer of national team experience that ended with with director of player evaluation Jiri Fischer and now-former assistant gold. Those should at least serve as reminders of his ability. coach Pat Ferschweiler both reaching out to Murray during their research process. “Oliwer is a player,” Nieminen said.

In a phone call with The Athletic last week, Murray observed that Kaski Next, he’ll try to become one for the Red Wings. had matured physically from the slight kid he had recruited four years The Athletic LOADED: 05.30.2019 ago. He noted his on-ice presence, and the way he runs a power play — whether it’s from up top, ripping his “big time” shot from the point, or sliding down the left side for seam passes.

Detroit, whose leading defensive scorer last season was 38-year-old Niklas Kronwall with 27 points, could absolutely use that kind of boost in its system, especially from a right-handed shot.

“He visualizes (the) ice very well,” Pelicans coach Ville Nieminen wrote in a text message Tuesday. “He anticipates the game, knows what’s gonna happen next. Excellent passer, good shot. He has a lot of courage to play, and wants to play when the game is on the line.”

Kaski’s father, Olli, had a long pro career as a defenseman between the SHL, DEL and Liiga from the mid-1980s through 2000.

Oliwer, Nieminen says, is a “copy of him.”

“We knew his potential, and we knew he (was) gonna have a breakthrough season, but not like that,” Nieminen said.

Kaski more than tripled his point total this season, from 16 points the year before. 1145634 Edmonton Oilers When I threw that one out, Tippett wasn’t pretending otherwise.

“Ken and I have both talked about this. I think we both understand that there needs to be some added depth in there. We know there has to be JONES: No plans for Dave Tippett to stifle Edmonton Oilers offence some added scoring depth.

“If you look at the two fourth lines in the final right now, they play against Terry Jones other teams top lines and chip in goals when they’re needed.”

Tippett will begin to figure out his coaching staff. He’ll begin by interviewing the coaches Todd McLellan started the season with last year So Dave Tippett isn’t coming to Edmonton to turn Connor McDavid and who stayed on as Ken Hitchcock’s assistants. Leon Draisaitl into a couple of Selke Trophy candidates. Meanwhile, Holland is back on a plane to Buffalo for the NHL Combine And he didn’t sign on as the 16th head coach in Edmonton Oilers NHL and to settle into the next stages of his challenge, to make the changes history and the seventh of the still-young career of Ryan Nugent-Hopkins, that have to be made so Tippett can enjoy the stability of a seven or to come here and have his new team play kill-the-game hockey. eight-year run like he had in his previous two jobs and that Holland provided for his coaches over the years in Detroit. Indeed, he wants Connor McDavid and Leon Draisaitl to carry on being the Dynamic Duo. As much as Tippett won his day Tuesday, it’s still very much all about what Holland does in the next six weeks. And he’s hoping to direct a team that plays with a palpitating pace. In that way, Tippett and the Edmonton fans are all in the same boat. In It’s amazing how many fans managed to convince each other that Tippett Holland they must trust. was a strictly defensive coach who would somehow manage to neuter the brilliant offensive talents of the Oilers. Funny the way it worked out. Just over three weeks ago, employed by the Seattle expansion franchise, Tippett was looking into the idea of It was only three questions into his introductory press conference when I Holland for GM. Now he’s his coach in Edmonton. threw it out there and Tippett went out of his way to set everybody straight. Edmonton Sun: LOADED: 05.30.2019 “First of all, I know Connor from working with Todd McLellan at the World Cup,” Tippett said of the former Oilers coach. “I’ve watched a lot of video of them together and apart. I like to see them together and I’ll give you one example.

“When we went into the World Cup we had 13 forwards and Auston Matthews was our 13th forward. We tried some different lines with different people with McDavid. Finally we decided to look at Matthews up there.

“I went to Auston and said ‘You ever play any wing?’ He hadn’t even played a pro game yet. He hadn’t played in the NHL. But we put them together and it was an unbelievable combination. If you remember, the last couple games of that tournament, it was phenomenal the way they were.”

He said he’s seen the same thing with McDavid and Draisaitl and loves it.

“That being said, I’m not stuck on it. I want to see how the rest of the lineup looks by the time we get to training camp. But you watch those two together and they certainly feed off each other.

“As far as being a defensive coach, I kind of laugh about that. My first job in the NHL as a head coach was with in Dallas and he gave me the job because I was an offensive coach.

“I’d been an assistant coach in Los Angeles and ran the power play. We had a good power play. Doug hired me because I could bring more creativity and more offence. In Dallas, we had some good offensive teams. Then I went to Arizona and we had to figure out how to win without those offensive players. So we learned how to win with character and grit — good defense and good goaltending.

“I don’t look at myself as a good offensive coach or defensive coach, I see myself as a coach who finds a way to win with what I have.”

He said both he and Holland are on the same page with the way they want to go here.

“In talking with Ken, we were very much in alignment with the pace of play we want, how hard to have to compete and allowing players to make sure they maximize their talents,” added the coach who has a 553-414- 28-120 NHL record.

One of the reasons Tippett took the job, he admits, was to coach McDavid and Draisaitl. But he says he doesn’t believe it ends there.

“I come to a team here that obviously has good pieces and lots of upside. Everybody talks about McDavid and Draisaitl but there are more pieces here than McDavid and Draisaitl. There are good players here to build around.”

Yes, most fans believe that to be true. There’s half of a very good hockey club here. But there’s also half of a very, very bad hockey club. 1145635 Edmonton Oilers through the stats, one guy defends 75 percent of the time and the other guy defends 25 percent of the time. The guy who is defending 75 percent of the time, he’s going to get ka-bonged sooner or later.”

Lowetide: Analyzing the Oilers roster to see which players fit Dave If we apply those words to the current Oilers defence, and extend the Tippett’s ‘aggressive, fast team’ approach idea of an “aggressive, fast team” we can begin to cobble together the list of players who are likely heading out. Instead of pointing fingers based on visual, let’s honor Tippett’s devotion to analytics and list 5-on-5 By Allan Mitchell May 29, 2019 expected goals against per 60 over the last three seasons:

A three-year trend gives a better view, and of course, injuries have to be factored into the equation. There isn’t a massive gap 2018-19 from top to The media avail at in Edmonton on Tuesday had the air of bottom in 2018-19. Benning faced elite competition far less often deja vu for all involved. Since Craig MacTavish decided it had been too compared to others on the list in the past season. I’ll be interested to see long at the fair in 2009, all of Pat Quinn, Tom Renney, Ralph Krueger, how Tippett (and Ken Holland) evaluate this group, especially Dallas Eakins, Todd Nelson, Todd McLellan and Ken Hitchcock have considering Caleb Jones, Joel Persson and Evan Bouchard are going to filled the Oilers head coaching position. Little wonder the buzzwords at push for work beginning this fall. A guess would be Benning out for a the press conference introducing Dave Tippett included stability, winger (making room for Jones), possibly Russell as well but Tippett (like structure and experience. most coaches) will value a veteran presence. There was much to digest from the 30-minute chat with the local media, Forwards including comments from Tippett and new general manager Ken Holland. The general thrust of the presentation is that the two men are looking Most Oilers fans I spoke to on Tuesday were pumped about the verbiage forward to the challenge, one that could be the biggest hurdle of their coming from Tippett, who told TSN’s Gino Reda he thought Connor professional careers. McDavid is capable of delivering more offence in the season to come.

Tippett talked about his vision for the next Oilers team, saying “I like to For that to happen, Holland and Tippett must evaluate the current roster see players make plays, I want to see them play fast. And we (Holland forwards, youngsters in Bakersfield and possible procurement options and I) had that vision together. We want a very aggressive, fast team that from outside the organization. What might that look like, aside from can play with a real pace in today’s game.” aggressive and fast?

What would that look like? What are the priorities? How much can be Tippett’s first Dallas team (2002-03) was a nice landing spot for a rookie accomplished by September? coach. His even-strength time on ice leaders among forwards (Mike Modano, , Jere Lehtinen, Jason Arnott, Brenden Morrow) were Goaltending a veteran crew and outscored all. However, the range of this group Tippett’s Dallas Stars and Arizona Coyotes teams showed marked allowed him to run Lehtinen over three minutes a game on the penalty improvement in even-strength goals against upon his arrival. His first kill, meaning he could deploy Modano, Guerin and others heavily with the team (2002-03 Dallas Stars) improved by 25 goals from the previous man advantage. The great range of his top 9-forwards gave Tippett room season at 5-on-5, as the team allowed 101 goals against, good for No. 2 to wheel any way he wished: in the NHL. It remained a strength of his team until 2008-09, his final I often talk about balance and depth; this is what it looks like, 2002-03. campaign with the team. In Phoenix, his first team (2009-10 Coyotes) There’s so much roster clarity among these nine names, and the coach finished No. 1 in 5-on-5 goals against (130), a season after allowing 159 has four PK men and seven power-play contributors among his top-9 in the same discipline. forwards. That’s balance and a lot of options. Rob DiMaio and Manny It’s natural to assume that Tippett switched out goaltenders in both Malhotra were the fourth-line penalty killers that season. cases, thus elevating a new and more successful stopper. That’s partly If Tippett wants that kind of depth and quality in his top-9 forwards by this true, but has an explanation worth pursuing. fall, Ken Holland will need a magic wand and 32-hour days this summer. In 2001-02, the season before he arrived, the Dallas Stars deployed Ed One area that Tippett may look to exploit is the special teams time for the Belfour in 60 games (58 starts, even strength save percentage of .907) top players. Here are the Oilers forwards, same categories, in 2018-19: and Marty Turco in 31 games (24 starts, .940 even strength save More of the modern game is spent at even strength, but the contrast percentage). between the two teams and their quality is obvious even across two Belfour signed a lucrative free agent contract with the Toronto Maple decades and the salary cap. The Oilers have three men who can play Leafs in the summer of 2002 and Tippett moved Turco into the starting prominent roles in multiple game states, compared to the riches of that role (55 games, .940 even strength save percentage). Tippett used Turco Dallas team in 2002-03. If McDavid, Draisaitl, Nuge match Modano, as his No. 1 for the rest of his time in Texas. Guerin, Lehtinen, the gap that begins with Arnott versus Chiasson is a massive fracture. Even with the salary cap considered, Edmonton is When Tippett arrived in Phoenix, Ilya Bryzgalov was the starter and flagging at several forward slots. There’s plenty of work to do, and it everything worked like a charm. It’s interesting to see the spike for begins in the coming weeks. Bryzgalov before and after Tippett’s arrival: One area that Tippett may look to build on: The penalty kill. Kassian and Bryzgalov 2008-09, before Tippett’s arrival: 63 starts, .918 even-strength Khaira have shown promise, Draisaitl is growing into the role and save percentage Nugent-Hopkins is quality save for the faceoff circle. McDavid didn’t PK a lot, but there’s little doubt he could flourish based on his speed and Bryzgalov 2009-10, with Tippett as coach: 69 starts, .928 even-strength anticipation. We might see the captain in the rotation more in 2019-20. save percentage Tippett may also deploy more on the power play since he’ll Tippett may not be a goalie whisperer but he has elements of the gift. be familiar with his game. Therefore, when we examine Mikko Koskinen’s .913 even-strength save percentage from last year, it might be reasonable to expect a spike in The summer numbers based on Tippett’s own past. Tippett may find Mikko Koskinen to be a capable No. 1 but the smart Defence money has Ken Holland finding some insurance. Tippett’s review of the defence might see him recommending status quo, but Jones being NHL Tippett spent some time talking analytics (he’s been using numbers as a ready and adding a forward in exchange for Benning may be Holland’s tool since you’ve had the internet, probably before) and related one of his route. best stories at the end of the avail: Among the forwards, we might see a player from Bakersfield, a free “We had a defenceman, he was your typical old defenceman, hard, hack agent signed after the initial frenzy and a trade for a complementary and whack, just your greatest defender ever. We had this other, young winger who can penalty kill or help on the power play. defenceman who came out of college, he was a light guy, great skater, could really move the puck but he didn’t have the aura of a defensive All of the forwards added are likely to fit Tippett’s template of aggressive defenceman, so he didn’t play in those situations. As I started going players with speed and anticipation. He wants speedy wingers who can be effective and aggressive with or without the puck and that excludes at least a few current roster players.

Finally, fans who would like to see a bigger deal, bringing in the 2019-20 version of Jason Arnott, may have to wait. Edmonton will be in a better cap situation next summer, plus Holland and Tippett will have a more informed view of the roster 12 months from today. This is a fascinating period in Oilers history. There are no guarantees, but the press conference hit all the important notes and gave fans the idea Dave Tippett knows the way forward. Aggressive, and fast. We wait.

The Athletic LOADED: 05.30.2019 1145636 Florida Panthers ▪ Panthers forward Frank Vatrano played for Team USA, which lost to Russia 4-3 in the quarterfinals.

Miami Herald LOADED: 05.30.2019 This is why the Panthers might pick up a goalie in the first round of the NHL Draft

BY WALTER VILLA MIAMI HERALD WRITER

This could be the year the Florida Panthers finally draft a goalie in the first round.

It has never happened in club history, which dates back to 1993. But a few mock drafts have the Panthers selecting Spencer Knight, an 18-year- old goalie who is set to begin his career at Boston College this fall.

The Panthers have the 13th pick in this year’s draft, which will be held June 21-22 in Vancouver, and goalie is a position of need.

Only three teams allowed more goals than the Panthers this past season. Starting goalie Roberto Luongo is 40, and his 3.12 goals-against average was his highest in 19 years. Backup goalie James Reimer, 31, had a 3.09 GAA.

The Panthers are expected to make a run at two-time Vezina Trophy- winning goalie Sergei Bobrovsky, an impending free agent from the Columbus Blue Jackets. But drafting their goalie of the future might also be part of Florida’s plan in Vancouver.

It appears to be a lock that the two superstar prospects in this year’s draft — forwards Jack Hughes and Kaapo Kakko – will be selected by the New Jersey Devils and New York Rangers, respectively.

After that, however, the next 12 or so prospects are rated pretty evenly, and that includes Knight, who is considered the No. 1 goalie in the draft.

A native of Connecticut, the 6-3, 200-pound Knight’s style has been compared to Montreal Canadiens star Carey Price — high praise.

“Explosive side to side,” is how the Elite Prospects scouting report on Knight reads. “He plays with calmness, eats up rebounds. He keeps his movements tight – solid butterfly goalie … communicates well.”

Knight just led Team USA to a silver medal at the Under-18 World Championships. He posted a tournament-best .936 save percentage and a 1.51 GAA.

Goalies tend to develop later than forwards and defensemen, which explains why the Panthers have drafted just eight of them in the second or third rounds since ‘93. Of those eight, only Samuel Montembeault, drafted in the third round in 2015, is on the current NHL roster. Montembeault, 22, made his NHL debut last season (3.04 GAA in 11 games).

None of those seven other goalies made a significant impact with the Panthers. However, two of those goalies — 1993 second-rounder Kevin Weekes and 2008 second-rounder Jacob Markstrom — proved to be useful. Weekes was traded for Pavel Bure, who had two 50-plus-goal seasons for the Panthers; and Markstrom was sent to Vancouver in the deal that brought back Luongo.

As to whether first-round goalies work out or go bust … there’s evidence in each category.

Two of the past five Vezina winners were first-rounders — Price and Tuukka Rask. Cory Schneider, Marc-Andre Fleury, Semyon Varlamov and Cam Ward are among other first-round success stories.

There have also been numerous first-round-goalie busts — forgettable names such as Brent Kahn, Riku Helenius, Chet Pickard and Marek Schwarz.

THIS AND THAT

▪ Panthers winger Juho Lammikko, who made his NHL debut this past season with no goals and six assists in 40 games, won a gold medal while playing for Finland last week at the 2019 World Championships in Slovakia.

Finland beat Canada 3-1 in the title game. In the semifinals, Finland beat a loaded Russia squad 1-0. Russia featured Panthers winger Evgeni Dadonov as well as NHL superstars Alex Ovechkin, Evgeni Malkin and Nikita Kucherov. 1145637 Montreal Canadiens

Laval Rocket re-signs forward Nikita Jevpalovs to one-year AHL deal

Jevpalovs, 24, had an AHL career-high 25 points (13 goals) in 69 games for the Canadiens' top farm team last season.

DAVE PETERS, MONTREAL GAZETTE Updated: May 29, 2019

The Laval Rocket and forward Nikita Jevpalovs agreed agreed to terms on a one-year, one-way AHL contract, the club announced on Wednesday.

Jevpalovs, 24, had an AHL career-high 25 points (13 goals) in 69 games for the Canadiens’ top farm team last season.

The 6-foot-1, 210-pound, native of Riga, Latvia, made his professional debut with the San Jose Sharks organization, playing two seasons with the AHL’s San Jose Barracuda (2015-17), collecting 18 goals and 17 assists in 125 games. He also played one season with the KHL’s Riga Dynamo, where he had five goals and three assists in 46 games.

Montreal Gazette LOADED: 05.30.2019 1145638 New York Islanders “That’s the thing about guys like him — you want guys who stare you down on the bench, wanting to be out there in every big moment,” Lazary said. “He was never disrespectful. He also knew as the year went on he’d Islanders prospect Bode Wilde turned a rocky draft year into a standout be out there when we needed him.” season and is ready for the ‘next step’ He had seven goals in 16 playoff games as Saginaw fell in the conference final to eventual OHL champion Guelph in seven games. Once the dust settled on the season and Wilde made sure to keep an By Arthur Staple May 29, 2019 eye on Noah Dobson, his fellow 2018 Isles pick and defenseman who just won his second straight Memorial Cup — “I’d be lying if I said I

wasn’t a little jealous,” he said — thoughts turned to this summer and It wasn’t brash. The words didn’t come out as a dare. But Bode Wilde, what might happen. fresh off of one of the best seasons for any defenseman in Canadian His old pal Wahlstrom’s move from college to the pros didn’t go junior hockey, said it quite plainly: He’s ready for the Islanders and pro unnoticed. Wilde may have played in the OHL but he’s eligible to play pro hockey. hockey, in the NHL or AHL, as a teenager because he was drafted out of “Whatever the Islanders have in mind for me, wherever they feel I’ll fit in, the U.S. amateur program, not Canadian juniors; Dobson, even with two that’s what I’ll dive into with both feet,” Wilde said. “I’ve proved I can play Memorial Cups, doesn’t have that option. With Wahlstrom likely ticketed in the OHL and I’m ready for more of a challenge. I’m ready to take that for a developmental season in Bridgeport in 2019-20, would the Islanders next step.” do the same with Wilde?

Lou Lamoriello, Barry Trotz and the rest of the Islanders brain trust will “I talked to Ollie, sure,” Wilde said. “I was real curious about how all that have next month’s prospect camp and September’s training camp to went for him and it was great to see him do well once he got to make their full evaluation of Wilde, the rangy, right-shot defenseman who Bridgeport. It already seems like a better spot for him.” slipped to them at No. 41 last June. The 19-year-old had a tumultuous One thing is certain: Wilde put any lingering issues to bed with the run-up to that draft 11 months ago in Dallas, de-committing from season he had in Saginaw. Whether he spends another season there or Michigan earlier in the week and then not being picked until the second turns pro, his trajectory is not one of a sulking prospect. He’s legit and, round after most forecasters had him going earlier. according to his coach, pro ready. But he turned that frustration into a superb season in Saginaw. His 19 “I certainly think so,” Lazary said. “Whether he’s an NHL player next year goals and 70 points were second in the OHL among 2018 drafted is something for the Islanders to decide. But he moves well, he defensemen. And had Evan Bouchard, the 10th pick by the Oilers, not competes, he’s an elite player, top five in the OHL. Those guys are returned to London after a seven-game stint in Edmonton, Wilde would generally pros sooner than later.” have surely won the award for top defenseman in the O. The Athletic LOADED: 05.30.2019 Any baggage that might have caused his stock to fall on the draft floor wasn’t evident in his standout year.

“You hear all these stories, people said he’s un-coachable — listen, he was the most coachable kid we had,” said Chris Lazary, who began the season as the Saginaw Spirit’s assistant coach and took over as head coach in November. “He was such a treat to coach, he made my job easier all year.”

Wilde’s rocky draft year started to calm down almost immediately after the Islanders selected him. He arrived on Long Island two days later for prospect camp and saw a host of familiar faces — four of his fellow 2018 Isles picks were teammates on the U.S. National Development Under-17 team, including fifth-rounder Blade Jenkins, who was already playing in Saginaw. Oliver Wahlstrom was a U.S. U-17er as well.

There was a friendly face on the coaching staff, as well. Wilde and Jonny Gruden have played hockey together since they were 14; Jonny’s father just happens to coach the Islanders defensemen.

“There were plenty of sleepovers at Coach Gruden’s house,” Wilde said. “It was great to see him there. My one preseason game he was on the bench, and that kept me really together.”

Once he got to Saginaw after a brief stay at the Isles’ main camp, things clicked right away, even if the team struggled at the start. Wilde and his gift for offense blended in well, as he posted eight points in his first five OHL games. The harder part would be how to get the 6-foot-4, 190- pound defenseman to pay attention to the defensive side of things — at least that was the knock.

“He was always wanting to learn,” said , the Michigan State coach who was Wilde’s U-17 coach at the U.S. program. “He understands you’ve got to put the work in on the D side. He’s got real skills offensively. In that year with us, he just soaked up as much as he could.”

What he learned this past season, in addition to the 200-foot game, was the grind at the next level. Between the regular season and the playoffs, Wilde played 79 games this year; Lazary said Wilde was Saginaw’s ice time leader just about every game, especially in the postseason.

“It’s just about managing your body day-to-day,” Wilde said. “Early in the season it was just fun to play and not have any of the distractions to worry about. I learned a lot just through trial and error. But as the season went on, the games get bigger, there’s more of them. It’s a lot of adversity in a short amount of time. I really enjoyed it.” 1145639 Ottawa Senators Blomqvist. He has been working with her for the past three years and she’s helped develop his game.

“She’s doing a fantastic job and she’s a really good goalie coach,” GARRIOCH: Anders Nilsson decides his best bet is to stay with the Nilsson said. Ottawa Senators Naturally, the Senators are pleased to have Nilsson return.

“He’s a competitive, talented veteran who played very well after being Bruce Garrioch acquired,” Dorion said. “Anders is a great teammate and hard worker, which makes him an excellent fit with our growing team. This signing provides us with stability at the goaltending position, which is very Anders Nilsson decided there’s no place like home in his new home. important to our success as our team continues to develop.”

While the Ottawa Senators initially felt going into the off-season it may be Ottawa Sun LOADED: 05.30.2019 difficult to keep the newly acquired backup goaltender from testing unrestricted free agency on July 1, the 29-year-old signed a two-year extension worth an average of $2.6 million per season that will keep Nilsson with the club through the 2020-21 campaign.

Picked up in a trade with the Vancouver Canucks on Jan. 2, Nilsson finished with an impressive 11-11-0 record in 24 appearances with the Senators. He had a 2.90 goals-against average, a .914 save percentage and two shutouts. Speaking from his vacation home in Spain after the signing, Nilsson said there was no need to shop around.

“It’s good to be able to stay in Ottawa and get it done early,” Nilsson told two Ottawa reporters. “We had really good talks during the exit meeting and Ottawa has been really open to me and keeping me the loop on everything. It’s been a very smooth process and overall I’m just happy to sign a two-year deal to stay in Ottawa.

“It’s tough to put a finger on why I started to play better when I came to Ottawa, but overall I just felt like the guys in the locker room were really good to me and they treated me like one of the guys right away when I came in during the season. I liked the whole organization and I just got that home feeling pretty much right away.”

The Senators were concerned Nilsson might test free agency because he’d be able to get a three-year deal on the open market. The belief is the Montreal Canadiens, Toronto Maple Leafs and Edmonton Oilers will be among the teams looking for a backup in the summer, and they may have all shown interest in Nilsson.

But general manager Pierre Dorion kept the lines of communication open with Nilsson’s camp throughout his coaching search, and this decision wouldn’t have been made without input from new head coach D.J. Smith. According to Nilsson, he’s back partially because he feels comfortable with goalie coach Pierre Groulx and top goalie Craig Anderson.

“To be honest, I had never met (Anderson) before I came to Ottawa and I didn’t know what to expect. I have a lot of respect for him,” said Nilsson.”He’s an older guy and he’s got lot of experience in the NHL. As soon as I came to Ottawa, he’s a great person and a really good goalie. We got along super good.

“We sit beside each other in the locker room and we had some good laughs and jokes every day. It was fun to come to the rink every day and go out to work. Even though we had some tough stretches, we formed a good partnership, which made it more fun to come to the rink every day.”

Nilsson also had praise for Groulx “because he’s a really good person and a really good goalie coach. I’m happy he will stay in Ottawa and I’m super excited to work with him.”

There’s opportunity here for Nilsson to get more playing time. The 38- year-old Anderson, who is heading into the final year of his deal, isn’t going to carry as heavy a workload and there’s a chance Nilsson could see action in 30-plus games. The club also had to decide what to do with former backup Mike Condon, who is also under contract.

“Everyone … wants to be able to play as many games as possible,” Nilsson said. “My goal is to continue to develop my game, and continue to play better and continue to perform at the highest level every time I get the chance to be in the net.

“With that said, I’m going to work hard to compete with Anderson and Condon. It’s going to be a very hard competition. That pushes everyone to be better and, with that, you get better results in games, too.”

Nilsson has been doing off-ice training in Spain while on vacation. He will return to Sweden to resume skating in early August with a junior team in his hometown of Lulea and to work with the club’s goalie coach, Linda 1145640 Ottawa Senators

Mike Condon's days with the Senators are numbered after Nilsson signing

Bruce Garrioch

Suddenly, the Ottawa Senators have to do something about their crowded crease.

With backup Anders Nilsson agreeing to a two-year extension Wednesday, it would appear the club will likely either try to deal backup Mike Condon or buy him out of the final year of his contract. The 29-year- old has one year left on a deal that pays him $3 million in salary and he essentially didn’t play last season because of a hip issue.

According to Capfriendly, the Senators can buy out Condon for $1.4 million that will be payable over the next two seasons. The organization will make every effort to try to find Condon a job because there may be a team that’s looking for a veteran for its AHL affiliate in case they lose someone during the season.

The reality is there’s no room for Condon in Ottawa. The club already has veteran Craig Anderson for one more season and Nilsson to take more playing time. The club doesn’t want Condon in Belleville because the organization wants to develop its younger goalies and there’s simply no room for him there.

Top prospect Filip Gustavsson is under contract for next season and the Senators are trying to sign restricted free agent Marcus Hogberg, who did a great job down the stretch. Joey Daccord signed out of Arizona State University and he’s expected to battle for a job in Belleville with Gustavsson and Hogberg if Hogberg doesn’t go back to Europe.

Ottawa Sun LOADED: 05.30.2019 1145641 Ottawa Senators That would seem to indicate Condon is healthy and eligible to be bought out if the Senators choose to go that route. The buyout window is from June 15 (or 48 hours after the Stanley Cup final ends) to June 30.

Is the writing on the wall for Mike Condon after Senators re-sign Anders Condon has one year and $3 million remaining on the three-year, $7.2 Nilsson? million contract he signed after 2016-17 in which he helped save the regular season and led to the club’s unlikely run to the Eastern Conference final. By Chris Stevenson May 29, 2019 A buyout would cost the Senators $2 million over the next two years with cap hits of $400,000 and $1 million over the next two seasons, according to CapFriendly’s buyout calculator. After Anders Nilsson put ink to paper and signed a two-year contract with the Ottawa Senators on Wednesday, it looks like the writing is on the wall Condon’s run in 2016-17 is another one of those stories of an unlikely for Mike Condon. goaltending streak in Senators history. It wasn’t Andrew Hammond’s Hamburglar Run of 2015, but it was still a great story. In an organization that is flush with goaltenders at each level — not a bad problem to have given the quality of the prospects — the 29-year-old After Anderson took personal leave to be with his wife Nicholle during her Condon looks like the odd man out. cancer battle and Hammond was injured in late October 2016, Senators general manager Pierre Dorion made one of the best trades of his After Nilsson signed a two-year deal worth $5.2 million ($2.8 million next career, obtaining Condon from the Pittsburgh Penguins for a 2017 fifth- year and $2.4 million in 2020-21), the Senators depth chart looks like round pick (Jan Drozg). this: The Penguins had picked up Condon from the Montreal Canadiens on Craig Anderson, 38, 1 year left at AAV $4.75 million waivers when the Penguins had injury issues of their own. Anders Nilsson, 29, 2 years left at AAV $2.6 million Condon had a franchise-record 27 consecutive appearances after joining Marcus Hogberg, 24, RFA the Senators and wound up with a 19-14-6 record that season. He was a big reason why the Senators made the playoffs. Filip Gustavsson, 20, 2 years left a $761,666 The hip issues have dogged him for most of his career. He had surgery Joey Daccord, 22, 1 year left at $925,000 in 2011 when he was at Princeton University for a torn labrum and bone spurs. Mike Condon, 29, 1 year left at AAV $2.4 million After problems with his hip to start last season and giving up eight goals While there remains a chance the Senators could get some feelers on in two games, Condon tried a cortisone injection and was given the Anderson in the trade market this summer (there was some talk the opportunity to get his game back together in Belleville, but that didn’t Calgary Flames kicked around the idea at the past deadline), the club’s happen. first choice is to have the 38-year-old veteran around to help stabilize a rebuilding team. Come the trade deadline next February, however, that Condon underwent a stem cell treatment which helped and he returned could change. One director of player personnel speculated Wednesday to the ice near the end of the season. that Anderson could fetch the Senators a second- or third-round pick at next year’s trade deadline. In a touch of irony, Dorion had to make a trade for Nilsson because of Condon’s unavailability. The Senators acquired Nilsson, along with With Nilsson now signed, that brings us to Hogberg. The 24-year-old had forward Darren Archibald, from the Vancouver Canucks on Jan. 2 for a strong season in Belleville (21-11-6, 2.32 goals-against average, .917 goaltender Mike McKenna, forward Tom Pyatt and a sixth-round pick in save percentage) after a slow start because of injury. His play was a big this summer’s draft. reason the team went on the roll it did to get itself into contention for a playoff spot on the final weekend of the regular season. Playing behind the NHL’s worst defensive team, Nilsson was 11-11-0 with a 2.90 goals against average, a .914 save percentage and two He is poised to become a restricted free agent with arbitration rights. shutouts and made a couple of saves like this: There has been some speculation that without the guarantee of an NHL gig, he could go back to Sweden. But the Senators could pitch this The Senators just might have the lowest payroll in the NHL next season scenario to him: sit tight for one more season (a one-way deal that would and this is only a two-year deal, so the potential exposure for the pay him modest NHL money next season while playing in Belleville) and Senators on Nilsson’s deal is limited. it will be Hogberg and Nilsson with the NHL club a year from now. I know what you’re thinking: the Senators have had bad luck signing With Nilsson having one year left on his deal at that point, the Senators goaltenders that have had limited stretches of success like Hammond could pitch to Hogberg that if he earns it, he could share the job with and Condon, but in both cases injuries contributed to their decline. Nilsson in 2020-21 and then be the starting goaltender for a team on its The Senators need Nilsson to buck that trend and continue his modest way to five years of Unparalleled Success™ in 2021-22. success. He can be a reasonably-priced stopgap in the transition from Things change quickly, however, and you need look no farther than the Anderson era to the next generation of goaltenders with Hogberg, Condon’s story. Gustavsson and Daccord making their case to be the next No. 1.

A bad hip led to a miserable 2018-19 for Condon that limited him to three The Athletic LOADED: 05.30.2019 games, two in the NHL and one in the AHL and brought him to the point where a buyout looks like a real possibility.

For what he contributed to the franchise, it’s sad this could be the last goal he gave up as a Senator:

He was pulled after that goal and the next day was on waivers and shortly after that on his way to Belleville to try and sort out his game.

Since an injured player can’t be bought out unless he agrees, the options available to the Senators depend on the status of Condon’s health. Long term injured reserve might also be an option.

Condon finished last season practising with the Belleville Senators and there was some speculation that if the Senators playoff fate had been decided one way or the other before their final game of the regular season (it wasn’t), he would have got the start in the AHL finale. 1145642 Philadelphia Flyers Sandstrom, who was named the best goaltender in the World Junior Championships as he led Sweden to a silver medal in 2016-17, will have to make an adjustment to the smaller rinks of the AHL and the more Flyers’ goalie pipeline, led by Carter Hart, has come to life physical play in front of his net.

“Positionally, he’s sound,” Flahr said. “He’s competitive and a smart goaltender. He’s going to have to adjust to the North American game: the by Sam Carchidi, Updated: May 29, 2019- 8:51 AM traffic and getting bumped into and things like that. We’ll see where he goes. Goalies take time. There aren’t a lot of Carter Harts in the world.”

Ersson’s stock, meanwhile, has risen dramatically since he was selected Flyers’ goalie pipeline, led by Carter Hart, has come to life by the Flyers in the fifth round in 2018. Playing in Sweden’s top minor Once upon a time, Philadelphia was a goalie graveyard, a place where league, the 19-year-old had a 27-9 record, 1.95 goals-against average, careers seemingly slipped away. and .933 save percentage this season. He was named the league’s rookie of the year and starred in the World Junior Championships. If you were a Flyers goalie, there was a good chance you would not leave a lasting impression, and a better chance you would not wear Sandstrom and Ersson “are both solid prospects. They both have things orange and black for long. to work on, but both are competitive guys who have had some success,” Flahr said. “The way Ersson played at the World Juniors was obviously a For every Bernie Parent, Pelle Lindbergh (whose career was cut short by breakout, and he had a strong season. He’s in a good spot to grow.” his tragic death) or , there have been dozens of goalie disappointments since the Flyers started in 1967-68, and when they did Steven Ellis finally find another goaltender with elite potential, they traded him away in @StevenEllisTHN arguably the worst deal in franchise history. And at the other end, a couple of big point-blank stops by Samuel But the sting of the 2012 trade that sent Sergei Bobrovsky to Columbus Ersson. #WJC2019 might finally be subsiding, because the Flyers have an impressive goalie pipeline. 5

Carter Hart. Felix Sandstrom. Samuel Ersson. Kirill Ustimenko. 6:09 PM - Jan 2, 2019

Those four goalies — all drafted by former general manager Hextall and See Steven Ellis's other Tweets his sidekick, Chris Pryor — are young and talented and making impressive strides. Twitter Ads info and privacy

“I think goaltending was obviously a priority and a focus for the group a The 6-2, 176-pound Ersson will return to play in Sweden in 2019-20, but few years ago, and they did a really good job of drafting, from Carter Hart could be with the Phantoms the following season. down," said Brent Flahr, a first-year Flyers assistant general manager “He has a two-year deal there [in Sweden],” Flahr said, “but we could still and vice president, who oversees the organization’s player development. sign him after next year and bring him over if we want to. The important NBC Sports Philadelphia thing for all these guys is to make sure they play and get minutes.”

✔ Ustimenko, 20, is also on the rise. Chosen by the Flyers in the third round in 2017, he starred this season in Russia’s junior league (MHL), @NBCSPhilly compiling a 30-12-3 record, 1.78 GAA, and .927 save percentage, and setting a league record with 12 shutouts. Connor McDavid, meet Carter Hart  The 6-3, 187-pound Belarus native signed an entry-level deal with the 447 Flyers recently and is expected to play for their ECHL affiliate in Reading in 2019-20. 2:25 PM - Feb 2, 2019 “He’s a little raw, but he‘s very athletic. Quick and competitive,” said 86 people are talking about this Flahr, whose Flyers used an NHL-record eight goalies in 2018-19. “He’s Twitter Ads info and privacy talented, but technically he’s got some more work to do. He’s coming over this summer to work and he’s really focused, and our [scouts] over “Now we have a number of quality prospects, and each of them will take there are very happy with him. For the league he was playing in, he some time to develop. Maybe some won’t get there, but we’re pretty couldn’t do much more than he did.” confident one or a couple will make it and give us good depth and good goaltending moving forward.” Philadelphia Inquirer / Daily News LOADED: 05.30.2019

Hart, of course, is the most advanced of the quartet. He burst into the NHL last season and equaled a league record for most consecutive wins (eight) while younger than 21. He finished his rookie season with a 16- 13-1 record, a 2.83 goals-against record, and an impressive .917 save percentage.

The Alberta native, selected in the second round (48th overall) of the 2016 draft, will be counted upon to do the heavy lifting for the Flyers in 2019-20.

On paper, Hart has a great chance to become the first Flyers goalie to play in more than half their games for more than four straight seasons. (An injury prevented the great Parent from doing it.)

Down the road, Hart could have some competition. Sandstrom, 22, is ticketed to spend his first season with the AHL’s Lehigh Valley Phantoms in 2019-20. The 6-foot-2, 192-pound Swede, a third-round selection in the 2015 draft, had a 2.16 GAA and .910 save percentage while playing professionally last season in Sweden. He missed a good chunk of the season because of a hiatal hernia.

Felix Sandstrom is expected to play for the Lehigh Valley Phantoms next season. 1145643 Philadelphia Flyers "It's something you can't fake, you can't just come in and be a guy who's rah-rah, do it my way, do it this way," van Riemsdyk said. "You've got to live it every day. I love what I do and I love trying to be the best I can be, Why James van Riemsdyk could be Flyers' most important player in try to be a good professional, just find an edge to keep improving and 2019-20 (and not for his goal-scoring) improving every single year that I can. You can't really come in Day 1 and beat your chest and say stuff. You remember being in some of the shoes of the young players not so long ago."

By Jordan Hall May 29, 2019 2:30 PM What did he do in those shoes?

"I remember just being a sponge in those situations where you're kind of watching and listening probably twice as much as you're saying When James van Riemsdyk hit the free-agent market last summer, he anything," van Riemsdyk said. "Just kind of seeing the different things had just scored a career-high 36 goals and was considered the second- guys do to be successful and prepare to play at the best of their abilities biggest commodity to only John Tavares. every night. Signing with the Flyers presented a variety of selling points. "Just try to prepare the best I can. Be a good pro and set a good example Five years, $35 million certainly whet the appetite. in that respect. As you develop better relationships with guys — that just doesn't happen overnight — but as you develop those relationships with Returning to the organization that drafted him second overall in 2007 was guys, you develop that trust where we can all learn different things from intriguing. each other."

Being back near his hometown of Middletown, New Jersey, held special It could go a long way in the Flyers' 2019-20 aspirations. And it shouldn't meaning. require van Riemsdyk to beat his chest, either.

But just as important as all those factors was this: He loved the Flyers' Comcast SportsNet.com LOADED: 05.30.2019 youth.

And still does, despite Year 1 of the reunion falling well short of expectations with a season marred by another slow start, inconsistency and dramatic change.

"That's the beauty of having young guys, we have guys that haven't hit their best hockey yet," van Riemsdyk said April 6 following the Flyers' season-finale loss. "We have a lot of high-end players, too. Everyone's got to be hungry going into the summer. It's not just a time to put your feet up, that's when you make your big strides as a player. You identify things you want to work on and you attack them."

There's excitement about what a healthy and comfortable van Riemsdyk can do for the Flyers throughout a full season in 2019-20 (see story).

However, he may be the Flyers' biggest difference-maker for a separate reason.

The very same youngsters that attracted van Riemsdyk to Philadelphia should attract to the 30-year-old. A proper word to describe van Riemsdyk is professional. He's enjoyed consistent success because of a complete and workmanlike approach that translates into results.

In each of his last five full seasons, he's scored at least 27 goals. He's netted 30 or more twice. He scored 29 in 2016-17 and would have had over 30 this season if not for an injury that cost him 16 games. So he's awfully close to four 30-goal seasons by the age of 30 and he's played in 59 postseason games.

Sean Couturier is the only other Flyer with two 30-goal seasons and only Claude Giroux has appeared in more playoff games (69).

His young, impressionable teammates — Nolan Patrick (20 years old), Travis Konecny (22) and Oskar Lindblom (22), to name a few among the forwards — can learn from van Riemsdyk.

For the Flyers to have the bounce-back year they want next season, they'll need significant strides from their younger players — in other words, more consistency.

Carter Hart, who was lauded for his maturity entering the pros, took after van Riemsdyk to help with his NHL transition at 20 years old.

"JVR has been a real big help," Hart said in April. "He really pays attention to that side of the game and he's talked to me a little about his approach with the off-ice nutrition and sleep habits and all of his little things that he talks about. He's really helped me just open my eyes to his approach with the off-ice and nutrition and sleep habits, making sure that he's taking care of his body. He's always one of the first guys in the gym and he's always taking care of his body and doing the right thing. It's pretty cool for him to talk to me about that, and it has really opened my eyes."

Van Riemsdyk isn't the guy to get in your face and force-feed you tips on how to be better because he doesn't toot his own horn. But by watching him, by seeking him out, the Flyers can capitalize on more than just his goal production. 1145644 Pittsburgh Penguins

Jeremy Roenick: Penguins star Phil Kessel will accept trade to only one team

Jonathan Bombulie

Popular Pittsburgh Penguins winger Phil Kessel will accept a trade to one team and one team only, NBC Sports analyst Jeremy Roenick said in a radio interview on Wednesday.

“I know where he wants to go and we’ll see if he gets that option,” Roenick told 550 AM in Buffalo. “He does want to go west. There is one team that he does want to go play for, and I don’t think he’ll stand for anything less. He’ll stay in Pittsburgh and his contract now and be happy with it or not be happy with it or they’ll trade him to the team that he wants to go to.”

Roenick declined to specify Kessel’s preferred destination, hinting that it was a team in the southwest United States that didn’t make the playoffs this season.

It’s pretty clear Roenick was referring to the Arizona Coyotes. Kessel and Arizona coach Rick Tocchet were close friends when they were in Pittsburgh together. Roenick theoretically could have been referring to the Los Angeles Kings or Anaheim Ducks, but there are little to no known connections between Kessel and those clubs.

The Penguins are shopping Kessel, a proven offensive contributor who doesn’t fit into the team’s intention to become more defensively responsible next season.

Kessel has a limited no-trade clause in his contract that specifies eight teams he can be moved to without prior approval. According to multiple reports, he used his veto power to scrap a proposed traded between the Penguins and Minnesota Wild.

On the ice, Arizona would be a perfect fit for Kessel. The Coyotes had the fourth-worst offense in the league this season, averaging 2.55 goals per game, but missed the playoffs by only four points.

Off the ice, there are complications because Coyotes owner Andrew Barroway is reportedly in the process of selling his majority stake in the team. Kessel’s contract, which will carry a $6.8 million salary cap hit for the next three seasons, isn’t onerous for a point-per-game scorer by modern NHL standards, but it’s still a hefty expenditure for a team in the middle of a potential ownership change to take on.

Tribune Review LOADED: 05.30.2019 1145645 San Jose Sharks

Ex-Sharks coach credited with Brent Burns’ breakout returns to San Jose bench

Bob Boughner left for Florida Panthers in 2017; he will replace Rob Zettler

By Bay Area News Group

A familiar face is returning to the San Jose Sharks bench.

Former assistant coach Bob Boughner will be back in the same position on Pete DeBoer’s staff, the team announced Wednesday morning. In his prior stint with the Sharks, he coached the defensemen, his former position in his 10-year NHL career.

Boughner spent the last two seasons as the head coach of the Florida Panthers, who fired him in April after missing the playoffs for the second straight year. In 2017-18 the Panthers fell just one win point shy of the playoffs, but they dropped from 96 points that season to 86 last year, prompting the change.

In their announcement, the Sharks highlighted Boughner’s familiarity with the team’s players as a reason for his return. Sharks star defenseman Brent Burns credited Boughner for helping him become a Norris Trophy winner.

To make room for Boughner, the Sharks will remove Rob Zettler, an original Shark who was in his second stint on the San Jose coaching staff. Zettler was hired back to the team in 2017 to replace Boughner, but was moved off the bench earlier this season from coaching the defensemen to an “eye in the sky” position.

In that shakeup, assistant Steve Spott moved from the forwards to defensemen, and Dave Barr went down to the bench to handle the forwards.

If this means Boughner goes back to working with #SJSharks defensemen, I'm curious what Steve Spott's role is. In Dec. coaching shuffle, Dave Barr started working w/forwards, Spott w/d-men and Zettler became the 'eye in the sky.' We shall see

— Curtis Pashelka (@CurtisPashelka) May 29, 2019

Boughner played for six NHL teams in his 10 years, topping out at just three goals in his most productive offensive season. He was better known for his physicality, amassing 1,382 penalty minutes in his career.

Before coming to the Sharks initially, Boughner was an assistant on the Columbus Blue Jackets’ staff, and he came up through the ranks of major juniors, winning two championships as owner and coach of the Windsor Spitfires.

Welcome back Bougy!

Bob Boughner returns to the #SJSharks as an assistant coach. https://t.co/sJWsvEgA6f

— San Jose Sharks (@SanJoseSharks) May 29, 2019

San Jose Mercury News: LOADED: 05.30.2019 1145646 San Jose Sharks

Sharks' Logan Couture rooting for Raptors vs. Warriors in NBA Finals

By Marcus White May 29, 2019 2:48 PM

Logan Couture is sticking with the Raptors.

The Sharks center, who was born about 60 miles outside of Toronto in Guelph, Ontario, tweeted Wednesday that he will root for his hometown team against the Warriors in the NBA Finals.

...and yes for the record, my loyalty resides with the @Raptors. Sorry Bay Area, for the next couple weeks we are enemies.

— Logan Couture (@Logancouture) May 29, 2019

Next season, the 30-year-old will enter the first year of an eight-year extension he signed last summer. If the Warriors beat the Raptors as many are predicting, Couture could be in for a long summer of trash talk from Bay Area fans. NBC Sports California's Brodie Brazil got a head start Wednesday afternoon.

The Warriors sweep will take only days, not weeks. 粒🤷🏼♂️ https://t.co/4h89GqkVCH

— Brodie Brazil (@BrodieNBCS) May 29, 2019

This isn't the first time that Couture has had divided loyalties in this matchup. The Warriors and Raptors squared off at SAP Center -- the Sharks' home building -- in the preseason in 2015, and Couture tweeted at the time that he was "cheering a little for both teams."

@Raptors @warriors game tonight. Cheering a little for both teams...#WeTheNorth

— Logan Couture (@Logancouture) October 6, 2015

Of course, the NBA Finals stage is just a bit bigger. Game 1 tips off in Toronto on Thursday at 6 p.m. PT/9 p.m. PT.

Comcast SportsNet.com LOADED: 05.30.2019 1145647 San Jose Sharks

Sharks offseason questions: What does free agency hold for Timo Meier?

By Chelena Goldman May 29, 2019

SAN JOSE - One of the big positives that came out of the Sharks' 2018- 19 season was the evolution of some of their young players. Timo Meier is, of course, one of the most notable names of that bunch.

The 22-year-old forward just wrapped up a breakout season for Team Teal, just ahead of becoming a restricted free agent this summer. Even though the Sharks have many questions to answer this offseason about keeping all of last season's team together, the future looks to be bright for Meier.

"Keeping everyone together is a challenge of our cap system," Sharks general manager Doug Wilson explained at the team's practice facility last week. "But I think it’s one of the reasons why we’re so loyal to our own players and young guys who have come up through the system -- they know how we try to treat them."

Getting a second contract done for a young NHLer isn't always easy, as William Nylander's prolonged negotiation with the Toronto Maple Leafs early last season showed. Plus, this offseason is peppered with talented youngsters who can become restricted free agents -- Mitch Marner, Patrik Laine, and Brock Boeser, just to name a few -- and contract talks across the league can undoubtedly affect one another. But Wilson is hoping the Sharks' track record of working well with young players and working out multiple deals at once will keep contract talks streamlined.

"We historically have had players who have benefitted playing with really good players who understand to keep a group together, we’ve done bridge contracts," Wilson explained last week. "I’ve had conversations with his agent and Timo certainly understands how everybody’s been treated, and we’ll treat him well."

Meier, who the Sharks selected with the ninth overall pick in the 2015 NHL Draft, is coming off an impressive campaign where he nearly doubled his points total from the previous season. The Swiss product ranked fourth on the team with 66 points, and tied for third on the team with 30 goals. He established himself early in the season as a staple on Logan Couture's wing and made his mark by mixing both skill and strength to muscle around his opponents and score.

The perfect example of that combination? Meier's back-handed goal against the St. Louis Blues in Game 1 of the Western Conference final.

When asked about his next contract at last week's locker cleanout, Meier admitted he had tried to focus on his play while the Sharks were in the hunt for a Stanley Cup this past season. Now, with a reasonably healthy 30-goal season under his belt and the Sharks having a bit of wiggle room under the salary cap, Meier could be looking at a nice payday.

With San Jose's summer underway and moves already happening, Meier can look toward the future -- which isn't just about the contract.

"I'm going to talk with the coaches, but I know I can do a lot more," Meier said. "I'm going to try to push myself this summer and get to another level physically. Look over some stuff I did this season, analyze my game and things I know I need to do better -- and help me make the organization better and the team better. Because that's what it's all about, you want to help your team be successful and win a Stanley Cup. That's the main goal."

Comcast SportsNet.com LOADED: 05.30.2019 1145648 San Jose Sharks

Sharks bring back Bob Boughner to coaching staff; Rob Zettler let go

By Chelena Goldman May 29, 2019

SAN JOSE - The Sharks are welcoming a familiar face back to the South Bay which is sure to make players, coaches and fans alike happy.

Team Teal announced Wednesday morning that Bob Boughner will be returning to the team as an assistant coach. Boughner was previously on the Sharks' coaching staff before from 2015 to 2017 before serving as the Florida Panthers' bench boss for the last two seasons.

"Bob already has strong relationships with many of our key players and we expect that he will reintegrate himself into our organization seamlessly," Sharks general manager Doug Wilson said in a statement.

Boughner is a familiar presence with many Sharks on the current roster. He worked with the team's defensemen, and Brent Burns credited Boughner for his role in the blue liner's first career Norris Trophy win in 2016-17.

"I'm extremely excited that Bob has chosen to re-join our staff in San Jose," DeBoer said in a statement. "He and I have known each other for more than 20 years and we're very familiar with all the intangibles that he brings to our team."

In two seasons in south Florida, Boughner led the Panthers to an 80-62- 22 record. Florida missed the postseason by a point in 2018, but didn't have the same success in Boughner's second season. The Panthers fired Boughner in April, and replaced him with Joel Quenneville a day later.

Boughner's firing prompted a strong reaction from one notable Sharks player.

Lol ya totally his fault. Bring him back @SanJoseSharks https://t.co/uUccpFxjtR

— Logan Couture (@Logancouture) April 7, 2019

Not surprisingly, Boughner is excited to return to San Jose.

"I'm very happy and proud to be re-joining the Sharks family," he said in the team's press release. "I want to thank Hasso Plattner and the ownership group, Doug and Pete for their loyalty and I look forward to getting to work and building off a very successful season that saw the Sharks come within two wins of returning to the Stanley Cup Final."

In related news, the Sharks announced that Rob Zettler will not return to the team next season. Zettler was an assistant in San Jose this past year, and began the season working with the team's defensemen. In December, he became the team's "eye in the sky" in the press box as part of a shuffling of the coaching staff's responsibilities.

Comcast SportsNet.com LOADED: 05.30.2019 1145649 San Jose Sharks but the Sharks still need him to drive their offense — something that he did again this season as their leading scorer with 83 points in 82 games.

If you’re among those that tend to focus on his defense more than Which Sharks will stay and which might have played their last game in anything else, don’t ever forget how important he was to the Sharks teal finishing tied for second in the league in goals per game. My impression is that tends to get overlooked sometimes (and maybe I’m even a little guilty of it, as well). By Kevin Kurz Here’s Wilson last week on the now 34-year-old Burns: “I think Burnzie had a tremendous year. His best hockey’s ahead of him. … A lot of defensemen, look at (Mark) Giordano in Calgary, can get better as they Doug Wilson has a few balls in the air headed into the Sharks offseason. get older. They’re fitness people, they can see the game. When you’re as And to quote AC/DC, some of them are big balls, as we explored on gifted athletically as Burnzie is, and have a burning desire to become breakup day last Thursday. better every year, it’s a pleasure to have him.” Some key pieces and improving young players will surely return, but just Bob Boughner’s return as an assistant coach, replacing Rob Zettler, like every year, the roster will be different in October than it was when the should also benefit the Wookiee. Those two have a special relationship previous season ended. after Boughner helped Burns take his game to the next level in 2015-16. Wilson has some tricky weeks ahead. It’s possible the roster is similar to Martin Jones — Jones has five more years on his current contract, and the one that made it within two wins of the Stanley Cup final. It’s equally although he struggled in the regular season, he found his game just in possible that it’s much, much different. time in the playoffs. He’ll have to be better next season, but at least his Let’s take a deeper look at which 2018-19 Sharks will surely return, who recovery after a miserable stretch offers hope that he can still be the may or may not, and who has probably played his last game in a teal franchise goalie he’s supposed to be. He’ll be in net for the opener sweater. because even if the Sharks wanted to move him they wouldn’t be able to because of his contract and inconsistent 2018-19 campaign. Virtual locks to return Almost certainly returning Logan Couture — One of the best two-way centers in the league, a proven playoff performer, probably the future captain, and with an eight- Evander Kane — Kane just finished the first of a seven-year, $49 million year, $64 million contract kicking in next season, the 30-year-old Couture contract he signed last May. Even though he curiously slumped in the may very well be a Shark for life. playoffs, the Sharks have to be pleased with how he performed in the regular season with 30 goals. Tomas Hertl — No one took bigger steps in his development this season than Hertl, who led all Sharks forwards in scoring in the regular season Kevin Labanc — Just like Meier, Labanc is a restricted free agent who with 74 points and finally proved he could drive his own line at center. needs a new contract. I don’t see the Sharks letting go of him after the Along with Couture, Hertl gives the Sharks a nice 1-2 punch down the strides he made over the second half. middle for the foreseeable future. Radim Simek — The good news on Simek is that the rehab from his “I want to be even better next year,” Hertl said after the season. “I don’t devastating knee injury seems to be going well. Assuming he fully want to be a guy (who) one year has 70 points, the next year have 40. So recovers, he’ll be a bargain next season at $675,000 and will likely be I will push myself and be (a better) player (and) leader on the team. It’s a paired again with Burns again on the first day of camp. lot of work to do, but I proved this year I can play a lot of minutes and Dylan Gambrell — He couldn’t quite break through at the NHL level this (play) really good hockey.” season, but Gambrell is probably the front-runner for the fourth-line Timo Meier — Meier is a restricted free agent and Wilson made it very center position next season. As a restricted free agent he needs a new clear on breakup day that he’d like to work out a so-called bridge deal contract, but that shouldn’t be anything to worry about. In an organization with the forward who scored 30 goals in just his third NHL season. with only a few promising offensive prospects, the Sharks will have to hope Gambrell takes another step next season after he was their lone “We historically have had players who have benefitted playing with really goal scorer in Game 6 against the Blues in the Western Conference final. good players who understand to keep a group together, we’ve done bridge contracts,” Wilson said when asked about Meier’s next deal. “I’ve Likely to return, but could they be dangled in a potential trade? had conversations with his agent and Timo certainly understands how Marcus Sorensen — After signing a two-year, $3 million contract on Jan. everybody’s been treated, and we’ll treat him well. Keeping everyone 14, Sorensen will probably remain as a depth forward for next season. together is a challenge of our cap system. But I think it’s one of the But his playoff disappearance, with no goals in 18 games, was reasons why we’re so loyal to our own players and young guys who have concerning. come up through the system is they know how we try to treat them.” Melker Karlsson — Karlsson will be entering the final year of his contract. Couture and Hertl both signed two-year contracts coming out of their As part of a fourth line that really didn’t do much for the Sharks this entry-level deals for $5.75 million and $6 million, respectively, so history season, he could be a candidate to get moved, but an inflated $2 million suggests that could be the term that Wilson prefers. However, there salary probably means he’ll be back. could be a handful of teams out there that saw the way Meier progressed this season and are willing to throw something much more significant at Lukas Radil — Radil’s one-way contract for $700,000, signed on Jan. 6, him in the form of an offer sheet. makes it very likely he’ll be on the opening night roster next season. He should be a good fourth-line option. According to one projection by Evolving Wild, Meier could command something in the realm of a six-year deal at about $5.9 million annually. Brenden Dillon — Dillon might have been the most underrated player on That’s surely not something that Wilson wants to do. the Sharks this season. He has one year left on his contract.

Still, while the negotiation might be difficult, I just don’t see any way the Justin Braun — Braun had to adjust a bit after being split up from his Sharks let a guy who might score 30 goals for the next decade out of longtime partner Vlasic, but if Erik Karlsson doesn’t return, he could their grasp. Meier will be around for both the short and long term and still quickly be reunited with Vlasic next season. But even if Karlsson does has room to grow as a player. It might take a little time to get him locked return, Braun, with just one year left on his contract, is probably safe. up, and there might even be a little drama, but it will get done. There just aren’t any right-shot defensemen currently in the system who could immediately take his place. Marc-Edouard Vlasic — Vlasic has seven years left on his contract, a full no-movement clause, and he found his game down the stretch, Barclay Goodrow — The Sharks signed Goodrow to a two-year contract especially in the playoffs. extension in October in a deal that now looks questionable. Goodrow played in all 82 games this season and clearly had a fan in coach Pete Brent Burns — A Norris Trophy finalist once again, Burns has six years DeBoer, but with 17 points, he managed just three points more than he left on his current deal. He does have a three-team limited no-trade did in 47 games in 2017-18. clause and some of his defensive decisions still leave a lot to be desired, The Blues and Bruins fourth lines offer a good reminder that the Sharks with Patrick Marleau, that contract could very well be with another team. fourth line could be better. Now might be a good time to try and revamp Evolving Wild projects Pavelski’s next deal at three years and that line while swapping Goodrow for some sort of future asset or another approximately $7.5 million annually, and even that might be too low for a depth forward. There would be interest. player coming off of a 38-goal campaign — even one who turns 35 this summer. Toss-ups Don’t downplay, either, that Pavelski cemented his legacy as one of the Before we get to this group, a note regarding the salary cap, which will most popular Sharks in franchise history this postseason, battling through surely dictate whether some of the players listed from this point on will a leg injury, hand injury and concussion to remain on the ice as much as return. possible. If Karlsson moves on and Thornton retires and the Sharks don’t According to CapFriendly.com, the Sharks have approximately $58.926 bring back Pavelski, well … good luck selling tickets to that show. million committed to 15 players for next season. With an upper limit While I don’t believe the business side dictates how the Sharks run their projected to be approximately $83 million, that gives the team about $24 team from the hockey side, I’ll never believe it’s not at least somewhat of million to play with. a factor. There were many nights, during the week especially, where SAP Let’s assume, also, that it will cost approximately $9 million to re-sign Center looked much emptier than it has been over the years. Remove all restricted free agents Meier, Labanc and Gambrell. That leaves $15 three of Karlsson, Thornton and Pavelski, and you run the risk of million with 18 players on the roster. removing a good chunk of the fan base, too.

Erik Karlsson — Calling Karlsson a toss-up might be overly optimistic Aaron Dell — Dell’s regular season numbers (3.17 goals-against because he sure looked and sounded like a guy who was holding his average, .886 save percentage in 25 games) were among the worst in final media availability as a Shark last week, even if he didn’t expressly the league. Every time he was given an opportunity to get a longer look say so. Sportsnet’s Elliotte Friedman recently reported that “Karlsson in place of the struggling Jones, he couldn’t find any consistency. The made it clear he’s curious about the (free agent) process, which could fact that DeBoer left Dell on the bench and went to Jones in Game 5 of force the Sharks to change priorities. It is widely believed he’d like to see the Vegas series despite pulling Jones in two of three games is a pretty if Tampa Bay can make it work.” Logic simply dictates, too, that if both good indication that he didn’t think Dell would be able to turn that series parties were sold on one another at this point a deal would already be around. done. There will be a number of veteran goalies on the market this offseason That said, you can assume that the Sharks are interested in bringing him and if I’m the Sharks I’d consider bringing one of them in who can back after he played so well from mid-November through his first groin provide a better option than Dell did this season. The team could use injury in January, and then suffered another groin injury — possibly a tear someone to push Jones, who was probably a little too comfortable during — that affected him throughout the playoffs. The biggest chip they hold is the regular season and, frankly, should be put on notice a bit after he that they are still the only team that can offer Karlsson an eight-year never found his consistency during the regular season. contract, which means they can also offer him the most money. Dell has one year left on his contract at $1.9 million. Trading him is But is that something they want to do? Karlsson has now suffered a few probably not an option because I can’t imagine anyone would want him significant injuries in his career, needing Achilles and ankle surgeries at that number. A buy out, or perhaps just waiving him at the start of the while in Ottawa, and he didn’t look prepared to start this season from a regular season, could both be options. Either way, I’d consider it an error conditioning standpoint, which seemed to affect his performance for at in judgment if Dell is Jones’ only NHL-experienced backup in October. least the first month. If you’re going to commit to a player like that for the The bottom line for me is that when you’re the worst team in the NHL in long term, no matter his skill level, you want to know that he’s not injury save percentage you have to make some sort of change in net, and prone and that he’ll show up at training camp in prime shape. An eight- Jones isn’t going anywhere. year deal for Karlsson might be a risk the Sharks aren’t willing to take. Tim Heed — An unrestricted free agent, the right-handed Heed’s Their best play might be to wait and see if the market has cooled. chances to return improve if Karlsson moves on.

There’s a good chance this situation isn’t settled until July 1, the first day More likely to be playing somewhere else next season of free agency, at the earliest. Gus Nyquist — My impression is Nyquist, who had 60 points in 81 games — I genuinely believe that Thornton hasn’t yet made up his with the Sharks and Red Wings last season, would be genuinely mind for next season. As I wrote on breakup day, I got the sense that this interested in returning to the Sharks, especially when you consider he season was a grind for him with the October knee infection, infected had to waive his no-trade clause at the deadline and that the Sharks ankle, broken toe and pulled groin. At the same time, he was still among were his first choice. Nyquist turned down a trade to Winnipeg before the best third-line centers in the league during the regular season with 51 agreeing to go to San Jose. points in 73 games before he ran out of gas in the playoffs. “I have nothing but good things to say about everyone, the organization, Another observation after covering Thornton for the past eight years is first class how they treated me and all the guys in this room,” Nyquist that he just seemed more carefree throughout the course of the season said last week. “It’s been awesome playing with those guys and (to) — almost like he was trying to soak up every little moment, just in case come into a really impressive team. It’s been a great experience.” this season was his last. Still, that doesn’t assure any kind of a contract extension. Part of the My guess is that we’re not going to get an answer about this in the reason he was dealt from Detroit is that he wanted a five-year contract immediate future. Thornton can relax and let July 1 come and go, see while the Red Wings were offering just four, so my guess is his asking what kind of roster the Sharks have after the dust settles, and then make price would start somewhere in the five-year, $25 million range. Evolving his decision. Heck, maybe he even takes his time and returns midseason Wild has Nyquist’s next contract at six years and approximately $5.7 like Mike Fisher did with the Nashville Predators in 2018. million annually, which I think is a little too rich for the Sharks, especially Regardless, it’s clear that Thornton won’t ever wear another team’s if they end up extending Pavelski and/or keeping Karlsson. jersey, and if he wants to come back to the Sharks for one final run Joonas Donskoi — Speaking of Nyquist, he essentially pushed Donskoi Wilson will find a way to get him on the team. out of the lineup once the playoffs began, as Donskoi appeared in just 12 Joe Pavelski — There’s still no reason to think that the Sharks have had of the 20 games overall. After just one goal in a 46-game stretch in the extensive talks with Pavelski yet about an extension. Wilson could be regular season and playoffs, the 27-year-old unrestricted free agent looks reluctant to give the captain a three-year deal, and if that’s the case, like he might benefit from a change of scenery. Pavelski might want to see what his other options are. Whether you’re a It’s time for the Sharks to give someone else a look — perhaps a free- club looking for a veteran leader to show the young guys how to be a agent addition — in the top nine. Donskoi just didn’t get it done this professional, or a contending team that needs more offense at even season. strength and on the power play, Pavelski would be an attractive target. Joakim Ryan — A restricted free agent, Ryan was leapfrogged on the As much as Pavelski loves playing in San Jose and wants to remain with depth chart by Simek and it was clear in the postseason with his limited the Sharks, this is his last chance for another big contract. If the Sharks ice time that he never fully had DeBoer’s trust. My guess is Ryan will get aren’t willing to give him more than two years, like they didn’t want to do moved in the offseason for a mid-to-low round draft pick, either before or after the Sharks qualify him. Jacob Middleton, a lefty like Ryan, could potentially serve as seventh defenseman next season.

Probably on the way out

Micheal Haley — While I believe some of the vitriol directed towards the offensively challenged Haley is unfounded, I just don’t see the point in bringing the unrestricted free agent back next season. As previously mentioned, the Sharks need to find more effective players for their fourth line.

The Athletic LOADED: 05.30.2019 1145650 St Louis Blues

BenFred: Perron tells his side of play that sparked Krug’s big hit on Thomas

Ben Frederickson

BOSTON – Entering Wednesday’s Game 2 of the Stanley Cup Final, everyone important had shared his opinion of Bruins defenseman Torey Krug’s game-defining Game 1 hit on Blues’ rookie Robert Thomas.

Everyone except the guy who sparked it.

It was Blues forward David Perron who tangled with Krug in front of the Bruins’ net after the puck headed in the opposite direction around the halfway mark of the third period. You know what happened next. After being ridden like a mechanical bull, Krug got up, furious, and zoomed toward Perron, who had skated away, headed to the bench for a shift change while fully prepared to be engaged from behind. That hit didn’t come, as Krug smartly realized it would have led to a penalty. But Krug’s intention was clear. Someone was going to pay.

Bruins coach Bruce Cassidy said Krug was simply chasing the puck. Yeah, right.

Krug, without his helmet and out for retaliation, leveled Robert Thomas instead of Perron. The Bruins celebrated a clean, hard hit that energized all of TD Garden. The Blues wondered if Krug should be called for charging, considering he took a long sprint down the ice before rocking Thomas. That’s how this stuff goes. Regardless, the blow became The Moment of Game 1. And now there might be aftershocks.

Thomas, who has been nursing what is believed to be a wrist injury throughout the playoffs, is not playing in Game 2.

Blues coach Craig Berube said Krug's hit had nothing to do with that. Yeah, right.

I wondered how Perron felt about his wrestling match with Krug now that the Bruins seem to have gotten the best out of it. His explanation made a lot of sense. Here it is.

“At the time, we are obviously not playing a good game,” Perron said Wednesday. “We are down, 3-2. There are 10 or so minutes to go. The penalties are at 4-1, 5-1, 5-2, 4-2, whatever, right around there. (Perron is right here. The Blues had four penalties to the Bruins’ two at the time; NHL officials tend to keep things even.) I think I can push the envelope a little bit. At worst, I feel like I’m getting (my team ) a 4-on-4. If he gives me an extra slash or something, maybe we get on the power play. That was my perspective.”

The refs did not bite on the pushing and shoving between Perron and Krug. Perron eventually skated off, figuring Krug might chase him down and engage again. That would have been welcomed. Didn’t happen. Krug initially flew toward Perron’s back, thought better of it, then peeled off and crushed Thomas.

Blues stats, roster and schedule

“I was pretty exhausted, so I figured he was,” Perron said. “I only heard the crowd. I didn’t see the hit. I had to see it yesterday. You never want to see a teammate get hit like that, for sure. It was a good response by him, and momentum for them . . . It could have turned in many ways. Maybe he takes another penalty from that (hit on Thomas). It’s really tough to say. It didn’t work out for us. But, when you feel the game getting away from you, you are trying to do things to change that.”

Did Perron think the hit was dirty?

“I don’t really want to comment on this,” he said. “I agree with both sides of it. If you are playing for the Bruins, you are like, great hit. From our perspective, well, he took a lot of strides. I know he glided into it a little bit, but he’s coming with a lot of force, a little bit reckless. That’s all I can say. I can see both sides of it. I’m not the ref. I’ll let them decide.”

Time will tell if that hit becomes a deciding factor in this series, but it certainly feels like an important chapter right now.

St Louis Post Dispatch LOADED: 05.30.2019 1145651 St Louis Blues about it? It's a hit that happens a lot in a physical series, we saw that against Columbus probably 10 times at least, those big hits.

"It was a bit of an iconic moment because the hair's flying and the way he Thomas will miss Game 2 vs. Bruins; Dunn won't play fell. It's good for hockey I think if they're talked about positively, if they're not then well it goes the other way."

By Tom Timmermann St. Louis Post-Dispatch CHANGES

One thing the Blues learned from Game 1 is not to play the same game in Game 2. BOSTON — Blues rookie center Robert Thomas will miss Game 2 of the Stanley Cup Final with an injury, but coach Craig Berube said it wasn't "Manage the puck a lot better," Berube said. "We had a good first period. certain who would come in. We were tight, connected. Second period, we got loose, not supporting the puck enough, just turning it over in the wrong areas. It fueled their Robby Fabbri is the most likely candidate to replace him. Zach Sanford momentum and the penalties for sure too. We've got to clear up the would seem the only other possible alternative. Tyler Bozak said he didn't penalties. We can't take five penalties in a game." know who was coming in on his line; Jaden Schwartz said it was Fabbri. "Our support needs to be better, our neutral zone needs to be better," Thomas has been nursing an injury for the past two weeks, participating Schwartz said. "Our zone time wasn't very high so we need to do a better in games but not practices or morning skates. It's believed to be a wrist job of getting through the neutral zone and supporting the puck in the injury bothering Thomas, but the team has just referred to his time off as offensive zone. We just didn't do a good enough job and didn't get maintenance. Thomas hadn't missed any earlier games because of enough pucks to the net. whatever ailed him. "You've got to get on the inside. That's where you're going to score a lot "Tommer is going through some stuff," linemate Bozak said. "He's a of goals and that's where you make it tougher on their D and on their tough kid. Battling a lot of stuff. Still getting out there and playing hard. goalie. I don't know how many shots we had but I know we didn't have But we've got a lot of depth, so that's a good problem to have." enough Grade A scoring chances inside.'

Berube said Thomas' injury had nothing to do with the devastating hit he LINES took from Boston's Torey Krug in Game 1. The incident began with Krug in a wrestling match with David Perron at one end of the ice. After Perron Blues knocked off his helmet, the bare-headed Krug skated to the opposite end Forwards of the ice, unable to get to Perron before he got to the bench, and then taking aim at Thomas, who had just played the puck when Krug sent him Schwartz-Schenn-Tarasenko flying. Blais-O'Reilly-Perron Berube told the media on Tuesday that Thomas was OK after the hit, but that he made the decision Tuesday that Thomas wouldn't play in Game Maroon-Bozak-Fabbri 2. Blues stats, roster and schedule

Berube also said that defenseman Vince Dunn, coming back from taking Bruins stats, roster and schedule a puck to the face in the San Jose series, wouldn't be in the lineup tonight. He appears to be close to returning to action. Join the discussion in our Blues Talk forum

If Fabbri comes in, it will be his first game since Game 5 of the Dallas Barbashev-Sundqvist-Steen series. He has one goal, in Game 1 of the Dallas series, in eight games. Defensemen Fabbri skated in Thomas' spot in the morning skate, and has skated their before every game since Game 3 of the San Jose series. Sanford hasn't Bouwmeester-Parayko played since Game 3 of the Winnipeg series. Those two are the only other forwards the Blues have used in the postseason. Edmundson-Pietrangelo

"He's a tenacious player," Berube said. "He's quick, gets on the puck. Gunnarsson-Bortuzzo He's a competitive kid. He's got the ability to score goals. We've seen Goalie that in the past from him. Those are the types of things we'll look for if he's in." Binnington

"Maybe it would be Fabs coming in there," Bozak said, "and he's a The Bruins had an optional morning skate that almost no one was on the similar player to Thomas. Obviously different hands (Thomas is a right- ice for. Their lines are expected to be the same as in Game 1. handed shot, Fabbri a left-handed shot), but both a lot of speed, both really good with the puck and can make plays." NOTES

"He's worked and he's been ready to go," Jaden Schwartz said. "He's The referees for tonight's game are Gord Dwyer and Chris Rooney. The very excited so we're happy to have him in the lineup." alternate is Kelly Sutherland. Linesmen are Derek Amell and Scott Cherrey. ... Oskar Sundqvist took Thomas' spot on the second power-play unit. Alexander Steen will tie Al MacInnis for fourth on the all-time Blues Bruins coach Bruce Cassidy said he didn't think the Blues would target postseason appearance list at 82 tonight. ... Krug in the game. The Blues are 7-3 on the road this postseason. "No, they're a pretty honest team St. Louis," Cassidy said. "I think they'll finish all their checks whether it’s number 47 (Krug) or Grezlyk or Clifton, St Louis Post Dispatch LOADED: 05.30.2019 they're going to play hard, we expect that. I don't expect retaliation, if Torey's in a bad spot they're going to get him, I think that's what's going to happen.

"I thought it was a bit of a wrestling match at one end, they let it go which I agreed with, it didn't have a big effect on the play, two guys kind of going at it, it happens probably every series. They could ... blow the whistle and throw them both in the box, that's their call. He came up ice and stayed in the play and the hit basically presented itself. I think he was going up the ice to keep a puck alive from what I saw, all of the sudden he finds himself in a position to deliver a big hit, it just ends up being one of those moments that people are talking about, honestly, I think, because his helmet was off. If his helmet wasn't off, are we talking 1145652 St Louis Blues

Hochman: In Game 2, can Blues' third line still hum with Robby Fabbri in for injured Robert Thomas?

Benjamin Hochman

BOSTON – If the band Matchbox Twenty had to replace singer Rob Thomas, the other band members would still play music well, and the new singer, inevitably talented, would hit the right notes – but it wouldn't be Matchbox Twenty.

Such is the case with the Blues' third line without Robert Thomas.

This is a disturbing turn-of-events for Wednesday's Game 2 of the Stanley Cup Final, because in order to tie the series, the Blues must establish offensive zone time and cycle well. And for much of May, the line that has done that best has been Thomas' line. In fact, when coach Craig Berube shook up the lines earlier this postseason, that was the one line he didn't touch.

At TD Garden tonight, Patrick Maroon and Tyler Bozak will have a new linemate. Berube said Thomas is out. Was it because of the Torey Krug helmet-less hit? Berube said no. Thomas also has been dealing with a wrist injury. Then again, after the third-period Krug hit, Thomas didn't return to the ice. Regardless, the reality is – no Robert Thomas on Wednesday.

Can Robby Fabbri admirably fill in?

“Fabs is a guy who's ready to go – and he's played in big games before,” teammate Jaden Schwartz said of Fabbri, who was a key part of the 2016 run to the Western Conference Final, prior to multiple surgeries. “So we'll miss Thomas. ... But (Fabbri) is very excited so we're happy to have him in the lineup."

I'm not as confident. Sometimes, a line just work because of the specific three fellows. For whatever reason, Thomas-Bozak-Maroon worked (well, not in Game 1 here, but for much of the playoffs). They talk about their chemistry off ice. And during games, Thomas “drives the bus,” as Maroon has said, carrying the puck with confidence into any perilous situation – “ He can create plays out of nothing,” Bozak said on Wednesday. Bozak, the “Ferrari,” as Maroon joked, is the smooth veteran who scores clutch goals, wins faceoffs and is just so good at holding the puck down low behind the net. And then there's Maroon himself, the Blues' “Big Rig,” who is finds the front of the net, forechecks smartly, has some good stick work for a man his size … and scores the biggest of goals.

Berube, in his short media availability on Wednesday, said of Bozak and Maroon: “These guys are veteran players and have been around for a long time. They'll be fine. It'll just be a different look for them.”

But even with Thomas in Game 1, they struggled getting the puck in deep, getting the cycle spinning. Now, with little chemistry, Fabbri will be in the mix.

“He's a similar player to Thomas, obviously different hands, but both a lot of speed,” Bozak said. “Both really good with the puck and can make plays.”

One good omen is that Fabbri provided a jolt when he was inserted in the Dallas series. Even scored a Game 1 goal. He lost steam, but at least initially, his fresh legs made a positive contribution.

But Boston isn't Dallas.

St Louis Post Dispatch LOADED: 05.30.2019 1145653 St Louis Blues are going to go in and things are going to happen, you’ve just got to keep moving forward.”

So far in the playoffs, Binnington has beaten the goalie with the second- Binnington showed no nerves under heavy pressure best goals-against average, Ben Bishop, in the regular season (Binnington was No. 1) and now he faces the postseason leader in Tuukka Rask. In Dallas, they thought they had thrown Binnington off his By Tom Timmermann St. Louis Post-Dispatch game, but it turns out, that’s not possible. Or if it is, no one has figured it out yet. Boston may keep taking runs at Binnington, but that may be a

fool’s errand, an invitation for self-inflicted trouble more than anything. BOSTON – Jordan Binnington hasn’t been with the Blues all that long, “It’s not always going to be perfect,” Binnington said. “It’s Game 1. It’s a especially in the postseason, but already a pattern has emerged. The seven-game series. We’re going to regroup and come back at ’em.” Blues’ rookie goalie sits on a podium with his teammates at a news conference, and answers questions while his teammates roll their eyes As Binnington has proved, it is what it is. and laugh out loud. St Louis Post Dispatch LOADED: 05.30.2019 This is not standard practice. Vladimir Tarasenko did not snicker on Tuesday when Ryan O’Reilly was talking about how to make life tougher on Boston goalie Tuukka Rask. But when Binnington sat down behind a table in the interview room at TD Garden just a few minutes later with Tyler Bozak and Colton Parayko and was asked a question about what Boston’s Torey Krug said to him when the Bruins defenseman took a detour past him after Krug had leveled Blues forward Robert Thomas with a hit, the two couldn’t contain themselves.

“It was more of a stare,” Binnington said. “His pupils were pretty big — I don’t know if he’s on something — but he was pretty fired up. It was a big hit, big play and the rink was excited. It was loud. It’s a fun atmosphere to play in.”

If there haven’t been many goalies in NHL history who have had seasons like Binnington’s, there also haven’t been many players who handle news conferences and interview sessions like Binnington. He is both filtered and unfiltered, saying nothing and yet everything every athlete has probably dreamed of saying but has resisted the urge to do.

And one game into his Stanley Cup Final career, Binnington has showed the same resolve on the ice. He faced 37 shots on goal in Game 1, the busiest night he’s had since he faced 39 shots in Game 4 of the Winnipeg series in an overtime game. Binnington was challenged on some of them, and there was heavy traffic in front of the net that he had to deal with as he faced plenty of tips and screens. His 34 saves matched the second-highest single-game total by a rookie in the Final over the past 31 years. Cam Ward had 34 in Game 1 of the 2006 Final; both were three short of Matt Murray’s 37 saves in Game 2 of the 2017 Final.

“He was fine,” said coach Craig Berube, slightly underselling the situation. “He made a lot of great saves. They had a lot of shots, a lot of good opportunities. … I thought he was fine.”

From the start, Binnington was tested. Just over two minutes into the game, Jake DeBrusk had a breakaway and Binnington held his ground as DeBrusk shot wide. After that, it got hectic, especially in the second period, where he faced 18 shots.

Krug wasn’t the only visitor Binnington got. Brad Marchand bumped into him after the whistle – “Neh, it is what it is,” Binnington said – and he threw an elbow at former Blues captain David Backes in a post-whistle scrum which ended with Backes grabbing hold of Binnington’s knee in the pile.

“I don’t know,” Binnington said, smiling, when asked about Backes. “He’s an aggressive player and it happens. It is what it is. Just stay composed and dictate and he’s playing his game. And that’s what it is.”

That the Blues lost Game 1 was no reflection on Binnington. The first goal came on a puck deflecting off a skate and the second hit the stick of Alex Pietrangelo on the way in. On the go-ahead goal, Binnington felt he should have controlled Zdeno Chara’s initial shot, but Binnington also didn’t get a lot of help from his defense on that one.

“I kind of caught it halfway through,” Binnington said of the initial shot on the third goal. “I’ve got to be better. That’s my puck there. It happens and unfortunately we couldn’t get back tied up. It is what it is and we move on.”

After the second and third goals, Binnington was pumping himself up in the net.

“I don’t like letting in goals, I’m always frustrated with myself,” he said. “I want to make every save I can for the team, but at the same time, goals 1145654 St Louis Blues Starting in the second period, Boston’s quick, aggressive forechecking had a smothering effect on the Blues. And when merely getting the puck out of your zone becomes a chore, not much else works.

Blues have been down before in these playoffs — and they're still here “We turned too many pucks over, couldn’t get on the forecheck enough,” Berube said. “Never made them play in their end enough.”

By Jim Thomas | St. Louis Post-Dispatch The Blues were listed with a modest 10 turnovers in Game 1, but it sure seemed like a lot more. Keep in mind, the last time the Blue were in TD Garden this season, a 5-2 loss Jan. 17, they committed 25 turnovers — easily a season high. But they tidied things up five weeks later in a 2-1 BOSTON — This series is over. The Blues need luck to hang in there. shootout win in St. Louis. The Bruins are just too skilled. The Blues have overcome similar early-series playoff woes, particularly Those were just some of the hot takes late Monday night after Boston against Dallas and San Jose series. The key is better support from the defeated St. Louis 4-2 in Game 1 of the Stanley Cup Final. forwards in helping the defense clear the puck. As Berube puts it, more Maybe all of the above will be proven true by series’ end. But the Blues 10-foot passes instead of, say, the blueline-to-blueline attempts that have been down that road before in these playoffs and they’re still here. usually are less accurate and almost always give the opponent more time to react. Some very similar stuff was said after San Jose routed the Blues 6-3 in Game 1 of the Western Conference final. Less possession time resulted in only 20 shots on goal, the Blues’ second-lowest total in 20 playoff games and even 20 shots is a Things also looked bleak after the “Hand Pass” game, a controversial 5-4 deceptively high total considering six came in the final 3 ½ minutes of loss to the Sharks in Game 3 that put the Blues down 2-1 in the series. play. During the guts of the game, from midway through the second period through early in the third when Boston was taking control of the In Round 2 against Dallas, the Blues were down 3-2 in the series, had game, St. Louis went more than 16 minutes without a shot on goal. lost two in a row, and faced a Game 6 elimination contest at American Airlines Center in Dallas. “They really defend the middle of the ice very well,” Bozak said. “It’s hard to get inside, into those dirty areas around the net. ... To be more And then there was Game 5, Round 1 in Winnipeg. There is no louder successful we’re going to have to get into those areas, we’re going to playoff experience — none — than the “Whiteout” at Bell MTS Place. have to fight hard to get into those areas, we’re going to have to get to And there were the Blues, having lost the last two games in St. Louis, the front of the net and get in the slot and create opportunities in those down 2-0 midway through the second period and facing a four-minute areas.” penalty kill. Or else those instant hot takes will prove correct, and this series will be But throughout these playoffs, just when the Blues appeared on the over. verge of cracking, they found a way. St Louis Post Dispatch LOADED: 05.30.2019 “Honestly, I think it’s just what we’ve gone through this year as a group,” Tyler Bozak said. “We’ve all had a lot of adversity through the year. I think a lot of people have counted us out at a lot of different times.

“That’s usually when we come back and play our best hockey, so we’re excited for the challenge of the rest of this series and especially Game 2.”

With that in mind, Vladimir Tarasenko’s response was not surprising when informed that the Game 1 winner in the Cup Final has gone on to win the Cup nearly 77.2 percent of the time since the best-of-seven format was adopted in 1939.

“I think that’s why you guys are doing the stats and we just play on the ice,” a smiling Tarasenko told reporters Tuesday. “It don’t really matter this part of year. You never know what’s gonna happen.

“Yeah, stats is like this and it’s happened before. But there are teams like Washington last year — they proved it can be different way. Again, this is on your side to tell some cool stats and everything else. But that’s not in our heads.”

In all three prior series, you could make a reasonable case that the Blues were outplayed to a degree over the early games. But in every case, the Blues and rookie goalie Jordan Binnington improved as each series went along.

They won the last two contests in their six-game series against Winnipeg, the last two in the seven-game series against Dallas, and the last three in their six-game series win against San Jose.

“I just think it’s confidence more than anything,” coach Craig Berube said Tuesday. “I go off the last series against San Jose. It wasn’t our best game, we lost Game 1. But I thought Game 2 we were a lot better.

“I expect the same thing (against Boston). I think we’re going to get a much better game tomorrow. We’ve got to be a lot more desperate in our game, especially throughout the whole game. I thought the first period was a good period, but after that I didn’t feel like we did enough good things to win the hockey game.”

There is no guarantee that history repeats itself this time around for the Blues. They’ve got much to work on to avoid a repeat of Monday’s defeat, most notably better puck management/clearance in their zone, more offensive zone time, and — all together now — fewer penalties. 1145655 St Louis Blues "After he finished, I told her I loved her and it was OK to go. I know she heard me and acknowledged me with a faint squeeze of the hand.

Moments later, she slipped into a coma.” Sultan: Buried in a Blues jersey, a superfan said the team would win the Stanley Cup the year she died He slipped her wedding rings back on her finger.

Danette was 62 when she died on Feb. 2.

Aisha Sultan Danette Duckworth

Danette Duckworth at a Blues playoff game in 2016 against the Dallas Stars with her husband, Ken. She was recently buried in the jersey of her Danette Duckworth wasn’t going to let death stand in the way of her long- favorite Blues player. Her family has a special tribute planned for her at standing love for the St. Louis Blues. Saturday's game.

When she found out last fall that her cancer had come back and spread, Her beloved team was in next-to-last place in the Central Division. But she started telling her husband, Ken Duckworth, 61, her final wishes. She when she knew she was dying, she figured it was their year. wanted to be buried in the jersey of her favorite player. Chuck Lefley, a forward for the Blues in the '70s and early '80s, gave Danette a hockey “If they make it, you spend the money and go,” she told her husband a stick at a game when she was 18 years old. She cherished it her entire month before she died. life. Ken breaks down into tears when he talks about how much this Stanley Ken was determined to honor her dying wish. In November, the couple Cup final would have meant to her. got a special Lefley jersey made with the number 25 on it. “She’d be literally overjoyed,” he said. Their daughter, Sara Duckworth, Danette got to wear it once. 26, of Park Hills, says this is the first time she’s heard her father be optimistic about the Blues chances. He had heard his wife's prediction Ken and Danette both grew up in the small Missouri town of St. Clair, Mo. long before she ever got sick. They became friends in high school when she was 16 and he was 15. She was the only girl Ken knew who subscribed to the Hockey Digest, Once again, Ken is honoring his wife's final wishes. the Baseball Digest, the Hockey News and Sporting News. He would read the magazines with her in study hall. One day she came over to his “I'm spending the money and taking them,” he said. He and his daughters house and played table hockey with him. will be at the game on Saturday.

"Of course, I beat her," he says. Hills is making a big poster with her mother's picture and getting special T-shirts made with her mom’s name on them. The shirts say: “She waited Their friendship turned into something more following high school after 49 years for this, and now she has the best seat in the house.” Ken joined the Navy. They kept in touch through letters and saw each other on his visits home. On their first date, he took her to a Blues game. St Louis Post Dispatch LOADED: 05.30.2019

“That night I lay in bed, and I knew I was going to marry that girl,” Ken says.

He did marry her on Sept. 6, 1980. They spent all their wedding money on Blues season tickets. They moved to South County, then Imperial and raised two daughters there. The family never missed a game — every preseason, regular season and postseason game. If they couldn’t go watch it live, they watched on television.

Danette Duckworth

The games brought out a different side of Danette’s sweet demeanor.

“Shoot the dang puck!” she would scream at the top of her lungs at the TV.

“Pipe down,” Ken would tell her.

Their daughters laughed to see their sweet mom lose her cool and holler during the games. Jenni Hills, 28, of De Soto, said her earliest memories are of watching hockey with her mom. She remembers walking into the living room and seeing her mother sobbing when they imploded the St. Louis Arena, where the Blues used to play. Her mom had so many memories there.

For years, Danette made one prediction over and over: The Blues would win the Stanley Cup the year she died.

Two years ago, she was diagnosed with a rare and aggressive form of pancreatic cancer. She couldn’t go to many games after that because of the rounds of chemotherapy. But she never missed watching and yelling at the TV. Ken, her husband of 38 years, said the last few weeks of her life were extremely difficult.

“She was the most resilient, mentally strongest person I have ever known,” he said in a eulogy he delivered at her funeral. He described their last moments together.

“Last Friday, she was in much pain ... I sat with Danette all night, holding her hand and softly talked. We prayed for God to take her home. Sometime around midnight, she took off her wedding rings and handed them to me. I told her she wasn’t going to die without those rings on her finger.

"As the sun began to rise, with the fireplace softly glowing brightly, I played Alan Jackson singing ‘Softly and Tenderly’ on her phone. 1145656 St Louis Blues The number of days Blues defenseman Vince Dunn has gone without playing in a game since he was hit in the face by a puck in a Western Conference Final game on May 15. It’s just four games, but that’s a long BenFred: 7 numbers that could determine Blues' fate in best-of-seven layoff in calendar days. Remember, Boston had 10 days without a game Final between rounds, and everyone freaked about that. The Bruins’ rust certainly showed for the first period. Dunn has more rust, and he’s coming off a pretty drastic injury. If he can play, great. Amazing, honestly. The Blues could really use his speed and offensive upside, especially Ben Frederickson against Boston’s offensively skilled defensemen. Tempered expectations might be wise, though, if Dunn does return at some point in this series.

BOSTON — Blues coach Craig Berube and his players were not thrilled 20 to face a certain statistic on Tuesday. They were reminded multiple times Watching Game 1, it was clear the Blues needed to get more action that teams that win Game 1 of the Stanley Cup Final go on to win the toward Bruins goalie Tukkaa Rask. They mustered only 20 shots on goal series 77 percent of the time. For those who missed it, the Blues did not in Game 1. That’s their second-lowest shot total of any postseason win Game 1. game. They have only totaled 25 or fewer shots in a postseason game “I'm not really concerned with that stat, to be honest with you,” Berube six times. Wanna guess what their record is in those games? I was said. “It's one game, that's the way we look at it. We're beyond that game shocked. They’re 5-1, with the lone loss coming in Monday’s Game 1. It’s now, we're looking at Game 2.” not always the shot total that’s important. It’s the pressure and the stress of keeping the puck in the opponent’s zone. That creates quality Added Ryan O’Reilly: “Every series I've seen or been a part of has been opportunities. Stress leads to cracks. completely different. There are stats that you see all the time for different things, but we know what our best game looks like, and we're confident “I think we need to put the puck on the net more,” Tarasenko said. we can win.” “Obviously get more shots, but create some traffic, too. He's a good goalie, and we need to create some second chances and make his life Added Vladimir Tarasenko: “That's why you guys are doing the stats, and uncomfortable to go in hard areas, create some traffic. Obviously the we just play on the ice. It doesn't really matter this part of year. You never amount of shots we got last game was not enough.” know what's gonna happen.” The Bruins out-shot the Blues 30-12 after the first period. In the spirit of statistics, here are seven numbers that could define this best-of-seven series moving forward. Enjoy Game 2.

ZERO St Louis Post Dispatch LOADED: 05.30.2019

Number of statues constructed overnight of Torey Krug’s crushing hit on Blues’ rookie Robert Thomas. The way the Boston media types are treating it, I figured Bobby Orr’s bronzed leap might have company on the corner outside of TD Garden before Game 2. To Krug’s credit, he called the comparisons, “ridiculous.” This is not a serious stat, so consider it a swap for the 77 percent mentioned above. A more important number is unknown; how many games will Robert Thomas play after the devastating hit? We know he was hurting before it. There is speculation that he might not play in Game 2 after it. We'll see.

2.2

The Blues are averaging 2.2 five-on-five goals per game this postseason. High-scoring Boston averages just 1.9 at even strength. That speaks to the importance of the B’s lethal power play, and the importance of the Blues’ keeping their penalties down. The Blues’ best chance to win, on paper, is at even strength. Easier said than done, especially when you are falling in Boston’s penalty traps.

FOUR

The Blues kicked themselves after Game 1 for giving the Bruins’ red-hot power play five chances. NHL Network on Tuesday compared it to putting your hand in a bear’s cage. You can only get so many swipes before you get mauled. The Bruins scored just once on the power play, but it was the game-tying goal, and the unsuccessful power plays around it wore the Blues out and contributed to the Bruins’ dominant puck possession. Game 1 was the seventh time the baiting Bruins have been handed four or more power plays in a postseason game. Their record in those games: 6-1.

FIVE

The Bruins have lost five times this postseason. Their postseason record is 13-5. That adds some heft to the Blues’ challenge – beating them four times in one series, with one of seven (at the most) chances already off the board.

EIGHT

The Bruins have now won eight consecutive postseason games, outscoring Columbus, Carolina and St. Louis 32-11 during that span. Yikes. You might remember the Bruins in 1970 had a stretch of 10-0, with the last four coming against the Blues in the Stanley Cup Final. Boston’s Game 1 win might have been its most impressive during the run, considering it included the team’s first comeback from a multi-goal hole in a Stanley Cup Final game.

13 1145657 St Louis Blues Marchand didn’t miss it. He made sure Binnington lost the blocker and ate a shoulder.

“Nothing really,” Marchand said Tuesday. “Hockey play.” BenFred: Should Blues goad the Boston rat Marchand? The Blues said entering this series that their goal is to stick to hockey with Marchand. Just ignore him, Blues bruiser Pat Maroon said. The rat Ben Frederickson can’t live beneath your skin if it’s made of Teflon, right? But here’s something to ponder as Game 2 approaches. What if ignored Marchand is the best version of Marchand? What if the Bruins see this aspect of the Blues’ plan as a gift? BOSTON — Here came the meanest man in flip flops, his preferred footwear of choice when he’s not in a pair of skates that look surprisingly If Marchand is worried about instigating or retaliating more than he is small for a pro. concentrated on making great plays, might that be best for the Blues? Fine line, considering the Blues already are kicking themselves for being His sweaty hair was spilling from his hat, reaching down toward a baited into silly penalties in Game 1. But consider what former Blues bristling beard that grows in every direction. captain David Backes said about the player who, for him, has His eyes were bloodshot. His forearms held bulging veins. His words transitioned from obnoxious opponent to beloved teammate since the two shot from his mouth a mile a minute from the moment he began to cut a joined forces with the Bruins in 2016. swath in the crowd gathered around his locker. “He is becoming more focused as a hockey player, more than as a Bruins fans affectionately refer to the city’s logo-covered manhole shields shenanigans leader,” Backes said. “When he plays hockey, he’s very as his front door. His teammates gush about how they look up to the 31- tough to contain, very tough to beat, very tough to play against. And year-old winger who, according to the Bruins’ roster but perhaps not in when he’s focused, he’s the best Brad Marchand that we can ask for. real life, stands just 5 feet 9. He’s as short as his fuse. It’s not if he When he’s distracted, looking for other stuff, he can stop playing hockey erupts, but when. At least that’s how it used to be. for a while. And that’s what you want (as a foe). That’s what I would do as an opponent.” A sea of cameras and microphones parted for him in the Bruins’ TD Garden dressing room on Tuesday. Most players soar over these How the Blues contain Marchand and his dangerous top line will continue scrums. He burrows through them. to be a massive factor in this series, especially in what feels like a must- win Game 2 for them. “Excuse me,” Brad Marchand said. “Ugly guy coming through.” If the little ball of hate remains so happy, that’s bad news for the Blues. He’s the rat. A little ball of hate. And when a guy embraces nicknames like these, what mean things are you supposed to call him? He loves to St Louis Post Dispatch LOADED: 05.30.2019 be hated, and goodness, he’s so good at it.

In an era dominated by a crippling fear of becoming billboard material, Marchand, while short, stands up like a middle finger.

His unpredictability and refusal to play nice almost makes him likable — until he plays your team.

“I hear a lot of people say you either love him or hate him,” retired player Patrick Sharp said during Monday night’s TV broadcast. “I love him now, because I don’t have to play against him. Back in 2013, we had a little run-in. We weren’t even playing against each other, really. We weren’t matched up against each other. And he felt the need to skate by me and tell me my kids were ugly.”

One of Marchand’s more recent stunts was issuing one-word answers to reporters. That came about after he was asked a question about stomping on an opponent’s stick. New series, new rules. Marchand has been downright chipper since the Stanley Cup Final started.

On Tuesday, he referred to the Bruins’ preseason trip to China as a “(bleep) show.” He connected teammate Torey Krug’s big hit on Blues rookie Robert Thomas to Krug’s decision to wear one of Marchand’s workout shirts beneath his pads. He bemoaned social media and said the league’s backpedaling away from physicality promotes, “flag hockey.”

All of that should take a backseat to this Marchand quote: “We can be better,” he said in a matter-of-fact tone. “We were not great in the first period. We got through, which is expected. We had a long break. We knew there would be a little bit of rust. After that, we were better, in the second and third. But we can be better than what we were.”

Don’t make the mistake of viewing Marchand as just a pest.

Like dynamic disturber Theo Fleury, his eruptions come in many forms.

Yes, he might lick you, as he did to two players in last year’s playoffs. And yes, he might sucker punch you, as he did to Scott Harrington in this year’s playoffs.

But he might also hit his spin button and break your ankles, or send one of his southpaw shots into the back of the net in an instant, as he has done eight times this postseason. His latest goal came shortly after the Blues pulled goaltender Jordan Binnington from what became a 4-2 Boston victory in Game 1.

The Blues were lucky they limited Boston’s 100-point scorer to just that. His signature spin-cycle shot just missed earlier in the game. He hit a post at one point. On a wrap-around attempt, the officials missed Binnington slowing Marchand with his blocker. 1145658 St Louis Blues Game 2 is, for all intents and purposes, the biggest game the Blues franchise will ever play (until, of course, the next game in this series). An old NBA coach used to say that a series doesn’t start until the home Hochman: Blues must use brains and bodies to rebound in Game 2 team loses, and while the sentiment is appreciated, it’s also frightening to think what happens if Boston bosses St. Louis again, keeping the Blues from playing their game — while throwing around some weight, as well.

Benjamin Hochman “It’s critical for our success moving forward,” Krug said Tuesday, “for us to play on that edge, a very disciplined, physical style of hockey. That

way we don’t give them any momentum. . . . That’s been the swagger of BOSTON — If the Bruins win the Stanley Cup, Robert Thomas might this team for a long, long time — not just this playoff run, but a long time become this generation’s Noel Picard. before this. We’re comfortable playing any style of game. If you want to go up and down the ice like against Toronto, a heavy style of series They’ll show it forever — the helmet-less Torey Krug obliterating the against Columbus, or a combination of the two with Carolina, we’re Blues’ Thomas in Game 1 of the Stanley Cup Final. It was so scrappy. It comfortable playing any style of game. We like to bring it. And we know was so Boston. It was Matt Damon’s Will Hunting, attacking that guy on they do, too. ... the blacktop court in Southie. And, similar to Picard in the picture with soaring Bobby Orr — back when Boston last beat the Blues for the Cup “(Our defensemen) show up in critical moments. If the game needs a — Thomas will be Krug’s eternal viral victim. blocked shot, or a hit, or a good clean breakout pass — or you just need to ice the puck — we do whatever it takes. We just try to bring it. We What residual from the hit will carry into Game 2? understand that everyone has a great role back here. We don’t need any superheroes. If we’re playing good, solid hockey, our team has a chance. “I think it’s confidence and momentum,” said a new Noel in Blues-Bruins We set the pace.” history — Boston’s Noel Acciari, who assisted the winning goal in Game 1. “Just making sure we’re staying heavy on the puck and strong on the St Louis Post Dispatch LOADED: 05.30.2019 play. We know they’re physical and heavy and we want to try to match that. Torey throwing that big hit is huge. . . . It’s the Stanley Cup Final, so anything goes.”

Well, not anything. Five times the Blues tried to get physical but did so illegally and blatantly.

That said, numerous cloak-and-dagger daggers were thrown in the forms of elbows and blows. The anger is real. David Backes now is the St. Louis enemy. And while the Blues said all the right things Tuesday — “The hit didn’t bother me,” coach Craig Berube explained — they’ll surely recognize Krug out there on the ice, even in a helmet.

Whether the bruised Blues can tie this series will depend, in part, about how they utilize their bodies and their brains. Physical play, but not stupid play. Oh, actually executing passes to teammates in the offensive zone would help, too. And so would creating more than one “high-danger” scoring opportunity, as tallied by the NaturalStatTrick.com (the Bruins had six). But, yes, bodies and brains. Boston suffocated the Blues in so many aspects of that second and third period Monday.

Boston’s bullies occasionally cause teams to be baited into chirping and chippiness.

“We weren’t disciplined enough, we got away from our normal game,” Blues all-star Ryan O’Reilly said. “And yeah, they do a good job at that. They’re one of the best teams at that. You can see that we started well but they started finding their legs, and we got undisciplined and the game turned from there. I don’t know specifically how they do it, but it’s kind of the identity that they have that we have to avoid. We have to be stubborn in our structure.”

A stat was tossed around during Tuesday’s media availability by NHL.com — 77.2 percent of teams that win Game 1 of the Final have won the Stanley Cup. That percentage is higher than winners of Game 1s in all series (68.5). Naturally, the Blues pinata’ed that stat every time it was tossed their way, and understandably so.

They have pride, yes, but in addition, these are the 2019 Blues, darn it — impervious to trends and odds and that sort of conventional stuff. These guys find ways to make stuff happen, and they know better than anyone that they must to create offensive-zone time. Avoid gap closures. Get the puck deep in the zone and cycle, cycle, cycle. And try to rattle Rask inside that mask. Goalie Tuukka Rask is really, really good — but most goalies can fare well if the opposition only shoots 20 times, as the Blues did Monday.

“We have to get more shots, but create some traffic,” said the Blues’ Vladimir Tarasenko, who was so good in the early going of Game 1. “He’s a good goalie and we need to create some second chances and make his life uncomfortable to go in the hard areas. Obviously, the number of shots we got last game is not enough.”

The more one thinks back to Game 1, the more one wonders if the Blues blew their opportunity. Up 2-0 on the road in Game 1? Is Boston brewing up yet another championship, knowing that it survived St. Louis’ best spurt and still won? 1145659 St Louis Blues “As a group, none of us played the ideal game we wanted to,” center Ryan O’Reilly said. “But a big reason why were here is because of those three and the way they’ve been driving the bus for us. They can play in Blues notebook: Dunn might return in Game 2; Thomas OK after hit every situation and have given teams so much trouble with the way they work and how physical they are. They’re obviously a key to why we’re here.”

By Tom Timmermann St. Louis Post-Dispatch St Louis Post Dispatch LOADED: 05.30.2019

BOSTON – After being out for two weeks, defenseman Vince Dunn could be back in the Blues’ lineup on Wednesday night in Game 2.

Dunn hasn’t played since taking a puck to the face in Game 3 of the San Jose series and, among other things, losing some teeth. He has been skating with the team since Saturday, first inside essentially a plastic bubble around his head and, for the past two days, in his regular visor.

“There’s a chance,” Blues coach Craig Berube said Tuesday morning. “We’ll see how he does today.”

Dunn was one of a few Blues to take the ice on Tuesday for an optional practice. He was not made available to reporters after practice.

Among the Blues problems in Game 1 was an inability to get the puck up ice against the Bruins, which led to the Blues spending a lot of time in their own end. That led to a heavy workload for Jordan Binnington and a light night for Tuukka Rask in Boston’s goal. (Rask said after the game that for the final two periods, he was pretty much a spectator.) If Dunn is playing his best, he would solve some of the problems the team had.

“Dunner’s a good puck mover for sure,” Berube said. “He can skate and get up the ice, he does a lot of good things with the puck. We love him in there. He’s not available right now, maybe we’ll see after today.”

“Obviously (he has) a ton of skill,” center Tyler Bozak said. “Moves his feet well, skates very well and makes a good first pass, can play on the power play. Obviously it’s nice that we have the depth we do and guys can step in and play when guys get hurt. It’s inevitable this time of year that there’s going to be guys banged up and people are going to have to step in and play, but yeah, at the same time it will be nice when he’s able to play and we’ll see what happens. I’m not exactly sure who’s going to be in when everyone’s healthy, but it’s nice to have the depth that we do that guys can step in and play certain roles.”

When Dunn was hurt in Game 3, Carl Gunnarsson took his place for Game 4.

THOMAS CHECKS OUT

Berube said that Robert Thomas was fine after the hit by Torey Krug that send him crashing to the ice in the third period. Thomas didn’t return to action for the final 10-plus minutes.

Berube said he had no issues with the hit.

“The hit didn’t bother me,” he said Tuesday. “I’m not going to come up here and complain about the hit and penalties and things like that. It’s the Stanley Cup Final. It’s going to be hard hockey.”

None of the Blues who played in Game 1 skated in practice on Tuesday.

Sean Kuraly, the fourth-line center who had the game-winning goal in Game 1, is no stranger to that.

The last time the Bruins had a multi-goal comeback win in the postseason, in Game 5 of the 2017 first round vs. Ottawa, he had the tying goal and the double-overtime winner. This year, he had a goal and an assist in Game 7 of the first-round series with Toronto. In the regular season and playoffs, he has 21 goals and nine of them have either tied the game (three) or been the game-winner (six).

FOUR V. FOUR

While Boston’s fourth line figured in two of the team’s first three goals, the Blues’ fourth line of Oskar Sundqvist, Ivan Barbashev and Alexander Steen had just two shot attempts and just one shot on goal. The game snapped a five-game streak where the fourth line had scored a goal.

“I don’t think we played good enough yesterday,” Sundqvist said. “I thought that we weren’t connected. We weren’t tight enough. We didn’t play as we have been. We need to get back to that. We already talked about it and sorted some things out that we need to do better. And I’m sure that we will be better tomorrow.” 1145660 St Louis Blues

St. Louis sets local hockey TV ratings record, is No. 1 market nationally for Game 1

Dan Caesar

The local hockey team still hasn't won a Stanley Cup Final game, in 13 tries. But Blues Fever is at, well, a fever pitch.

Not only did the team sell out Enterprise Center on Monday night to watch the telecast of the club's first contest in the Final in 49 years, but the in-home TV audience watched at a record level.

According to Nielsen, which tracks viewership, 29 percent of homes in the market tuned to KSDK (Channel 5) to see NBC's telecast of Game 1 of this year's Final, from Boston, which the Bruins won 4-2. That is the best rating on record in the market for an NHL telecast. The previous high, 28.3, came for Game 7 of a first-round series against Detroit in 1991. That contest was shown on KPLR (Channel 11).

Nielsen began tabulating ratings on a daily basis in St. Louis in 1989, so numbers for the Blues’ three previous Stanley Cup Final appearances (1968, '69 and '70) are not readily available.

Nielsen's figure does not include viewership in public places, such as Enterprise Center, bars and restaurants. The local rating Monday peaked at 30.7, from 8:30-9 p.m., and the 29 rating for the telecast as a whole was the best in the nation. Boston (25.2) and nearby Providence, R.I., (18.8), were next in line and Buffalo — a hockey TV hotbed — was fourth (8.4). Blues fans in Kansas City helped generate a 5.2 rating there, which ranked fifth in the country.

Nationally, NBC reports that it drew 5.38 million viewers to the game. About 5.25 million tuned in on television and the rest saw it digitally via NBCSports.com or the NBC Sports app. That makes it the most-watched Final Game 1 in four years, and third-most watched opener in the 14 seasons NBC has been televising the title series. The only better-viewed Game 1s in that span: 6.32 million for Boston-Chicago in 2013 and 5.57 million for Chicago-Tampa Bay in 2015.

It wouldn't be surprising to see a bit of a ratings dip Wednesday night for Game 2. It's on cable's NBCSN, which is in fewer homes than KSDK, and it won't have the novelty of being the Blues' first Final game in nearly half a century.

BY THE NUMBERS

Viewership for recent Stanley Cup Final series openers:

(Source: Nielsen, Adobe Analytics)

Year Teams Viewers

2019 Blues-Boston 5.38 million

2018 Washington-Vegas 5.29 million

2017 Nashville-Pittsburgh 4.93 million

2016 San Jose-Pittsburgh 4.13 million

2015 Chicago-Tampa Bay 5.57 million

Sultan: Buried in a Blues jersey, a superfan said the team would win the Stanley Cup the year she died

St Louis Post Dispatch LOADED: 05.30.2019 1145661 St Louis Blues Reporter: “Carl, the word is that after the third period, before the overtime, you told the coach that you needed another chance. Can you shed any light on that?”

One more chance: After hitting a post late in regulation, Carl Gunnarsson Berube: “I was close in the third (period), hit the post there, and had a planned his OT winner in the ‘pisser’ little talk in the locker room between periods there, before the OT, and yeah, I just told him I needed one more.”

By Jeremy Rutherford May 30, 2019 Locker room? Nope, need a follow-up.

Reporter: “Carl, in the words of Oskar Sundqvist, your conversation with Craig happened ‘at the pisser.’ Could you just kind of clarify for us BOSTON — Minutes before Pat Maroon went out and scored the because this goes into Stanley Cup lore and kind of paint the picture for overtime in the Blues’ Game 7 win against Dallas earlier in the playoffs, us?” he told his teammates to “dream big.” Well, not all of it, please. So we asked Oskar Sundqvist if fellow Swede Carl Gunnarsson had a premonition before he ended Game 2 against Boston just 3:51 into OT Gunnarsson: “Yeah, I can’t deny that. That’s where it happened. It makes on Wednesday. it even more fun, I guess. It’s a good story.”

“Craig Berube came in and said that he used the pisser after the third The goal capped yet another night of resiliency by the Blues, who period, and Gunnarsson came and stood next to him,” Sundqvist said. responded from their 4-2 loss to the Bruins in Game 1 on Monday with a “And all Gunnarsson said to him was ‘I just need one more chance.’ It’s win that evens the best-of-seven series at one game apiece. Game 3 will true, apparently. It worked out.” be Saturday at Enterprise Center at 7 p.m.

Come again? Berube said what, and he was next to who, where? “I think that for a long time now this team has really become a really good hockey team and a tight hockey team,” Berube said. “They play for each Reporters scurried in a hallway outside the Blues’ locker room to verify other night in and night out and they care. We’ve always responded to the story with other players. Hey Alex Pietrangelo, “Um, Sundqvist just not a very good game, so you know, going into Game 2 I knew that we’d said … is that true?” be a hard team to play against tonight and we were.”

“I guess so,” Pietrangelo said. “I mean, I wasn’t in there watching. Let’s look at the top five areas where the Blues were most resilient (Berube) just came in (the locker room after the game) and said, ‘Good job,’ and told the story. That’s not a place to have a conversation, but I Keep bringing the physicality guess it works. It’s a good story. I don’t know if he’s making it up because The Blues were criticized for taking a couple of overly physical penalties that’s a great story.” in Game 1, such as Sundqvist’s cross-checking and Joel Edmundson’s It’s true, and here’s the video proof from the Blues. Well, video of Berube high-sticking. But they did not back off in Game 2, registering a season- telling the story, not video of, well, nevermind. high 50 hits, which included 14 players have two-plus.

CARL GUNNARSSON TOLD CHIEF HE NEEDED JUST "ONE MORE “It was a big part of our game tonight,” Blues center Ryan O’Reilly said. “I CHANCE" WHILE STANDING SIDE-BY-SIDE AT THE URINAL. think that’s our identity. As forwards, we want to be physical on them and #STLBLUES #WEALLBLEEDBLUE PIC.TWITTER.COM/L8ID419SNC frustrate and smother teams. When we do that, yeah, you can see it wears teams down and makes it difficult on them. It provides momentum — ST. LOUIS BLUES (@STLOUISBLUES) MAY 30, 2019 for us. We have four lines that can do that and a big reason why we won tonight.” At the end of Berube’s postgame comments with the team, he says: “Got a quick story here, after regulation, in there taking a piss … Gunny “I think we’ve been doing that all playoffs, no?” Sundqvist said. “It’s just comes up sitting beside me having a leak and (said), ‘All I need is one our style. That’s how we play and when we do it, we’re good.” more chance.'” Boston might tell you that the Blues did go over the line with a hit by Gunnarsson had said that to Berube because he hit the post with a shot Sundqvist that knocked Matt Grzelcyk out of the game. Here’s a look at with 1:57 remaining in regulation. Indeed, he got the chance, and, well, the hit, followed by some reaction … didn’t piss it away. His first career playoff goal gave the Blues their first- ever victory in the Stanley Cup final (1-13), and 49 years after Boston’s OSKAR SUNDQVIST ▶️▶️▶️ MATT GRZELCYK#HFHITS No. 4, Bobby Orr, scored the OT game-winner over St. Louis in 1970, it  PIC.TWITTER.COM/TYFRGHLGBZ was the Blues’ No. 4 this time.

PLAGER ON GUNNARSSON’S OT GOAL IN CUP FINAL 49 YEARS — HOCKEYFIGHTS (@HOCKEYFIGHTS) MAY 30, 2019 AFTER ORR’S: Sunqvist received a two-minute penalty for boarding. Boston coach “I DIDN’T EVEN THINK OF IT AT FIRST WHEN IT WENT IN. IT WAS Bruce Cassidy said after the game that Grzelcyk went to the hospital for JUST THE WIN. NOW YOU STOP AND THINK, IT WASN’T JUST THE tests. WIN, IT WAS NO. 4 SCORED FOR THEM IN THE OVERTIME AND “He got hit from behind,” Cassidy said. “That’s what was called. His head HERE OUR NO. 4 SCORED.” got driven into the glass. … He never returned obviously; so, we’re still — STEPHEN WHYNO (@SWHYNO) MAY 30, 2019 waiting for an update.”

Both Berube and Gunnarsson seemed to be surprised that the story had “I don’t think that’s a hit we want in our game,” former Blue David Backes leaked out when they spoke separately at the podium. said. “It’s from behind, elevated, into his head, into the glass. If that’s a two-minute penalty, I think there’s going to be a shortage of defensemen First up was Berube … in this series by the end of it. That’s in somebody else’s hands. That’s something I think if I’m making that hit, I’m probably watching from the Reporter: “We heard you ran into Gunnarsson in the restroom before bleachers for a few, but we’ll see what happens with their player.” overtime and he said he just needed one more (chance). What’s your version of that story?” After the game, The Athletic’s Pierre LeBrun reported that the NHL will be taking a look at the hit. Berube: “Yeah, well, he hit the post there in the third period, Gunny. He just said — you know, it was nothing much — he just said he needed one NHL PLAYER SAFETY TAKING A GOOD LOOK AT THE SUNDQVIST more shot … he was joking around a little bit. But he played a hell of a HIT AS EXPECTED. WHETHER OR NOT IT WARRANTS A HEARING game, Gunny, made a great shot.” WE WON’T KNOW UNTIL THURSDAY.

Reporter: “Did you believe Gunnarsson?” — PIERRE LEBRUN (@PIERREVLEBRUN) MAY 30, 2019

Berube: “I liked hearing it.” Asked about it after the game, Sundqvist said, “I’m not going to comment on that.” Then it was Gunnarsson’s turn … Whatever happens, the Blues, who used their physicality to their benefit seemed with the puck to create offense, 5-on-5 and on the power play. against San Jose, say they’re not going change their style. That’s frustrating for a coach when guys are paying a price to draw a penalty and then you don’t at least generate momentum. So shame on “We’re a physical hockey team,” Berube said. “I don’t know what to tell us on those.” you. I mean, we’re going to play physical.” Incredible OT shift “A lot of hits out there, and we’re talking the fourth round,” added Brayden Schenn, who had a team-high eight hits in Game 2. “That’s kind The Blues’ Jaden Schwartz carried the puck into the offensive zone with of the identity of both teams and you’re going to see that moving 16:45 remaining in the first overtime and it never came out. That’s forward.” because the Blues kept possession the entire time, claiming puck battles all over the ice. Holding down the Bergeron line “I think we did a good job of winning the pucks back and getting back According to Naturalstattrick.com, Boston’s top line of Brad Marchand, behind our net and just grinding like our game is,” Sundqvist said. Patrice Bergeron and David Pastrnak have played 14:46 of 5-on-5 ice time in this series, and have a ‘Corsi For’ percentage of 37.50. They have In the clip below, notice the check Pietrangelo finishes on Boston no goals for and three goals against. defenseman Brandon Carlo with about 16 1/2 minutes remaining. That forces Carlo, who played 22:58 in Game 2 as the Bruins compensated “Yeah, we need to be better,” Marchand admitted after Game 2. for the loss of Grzelcyk, to cough up the puck to Alexander Steen, and “Personally, I wasn’t good the last two games, so we can’t be playing like then trip Steen on his way to the net. that.” It became a delayed penalty, and after pulling Binnington for an extra Boston has the last change and has matched up the line against attacker, Gunnarson scored the 6-on-5 goal. Schenn’s line. They have played 7:04 against each other at 5-on-5, and the Blues have a 3-0 scoring advantage. “I thought as the game went on we progressed,” O’Reilly said. “I thought we got better and obviously with them having five ‘D’ we kind of worked “That’s a great line, we all know that,” Berube said. “We’ve used different them, kind of broke them down. I thought it gave us an advantage and lines against them. I think everybody’s just aware of when they’re out we came out and had a bit more gas. As you see I thought we outplayed there. Like that’s a dangerous line, so you’ve got to make sure you’re on them in that overtime and got the big goal.” the right side of things, managing the puck well, making them play in their own end.” Unlikely stars

O’Reilly’s line has seen the Bruins’ trio for 3:47, followed by Sundqvist’s If Vince Dunn (upper-body injury) would have played in Game 2, either line (2:40) and Tyler Bozak’s line (2:01). Gunnarsson or Robert Bortuzzo might have been a healthy scratch. But Dunn remained out of the lineup, and both Gunnarsson and Bortuzzo “As a group, when you track hard, it helps your ‘D’ with gaps and you scored goals for the Blues. keep them to the outside,” O’Reilly said. “Obviously they’re a dynamic line, they’ve got some great firepower, and we just try to make it as “Anybody can step up, for sure,” Berube said. “We use everybody. difficult as we can on these guys, not give them momentum. It’s just Everybody’s counted on, for sure. Our defense have done a great job all being smart, being disciplined with the puck at the right times. We have a year and in the playoffs is producing offensively for us, goals, getting lot of work left and we have to be ready for their adjustments.” points.”

Defensively, the Blues are deploying the Jay Bouwmeester-Colton Gunnarsson called Wednesday’s game-winner the biggest goal of his Parayko pairing against them. When they are on the ice, the trio has a life. 23.08 Corsi For percentage, and the Blues have outscored them 2-0. “Yeah, no doubt,” he said. “I don’t score too many but nothing comes “Bouwmeester and Parayko were out there 90 percent of the time against even close so it’s a pretty good feeling right now.” them,” Berube said. “They’ve done a great job.” His teammates were happy for him. “I don’t want to say there’s any specific,” Parayko said. “I just think that we continue to play tight against them as a five-man unit. (Goalie Jordan “He puts in the time,” Pietrangelo said. “He didn’t play there for a little bit, Binnington) is making the stops when he needs to, but us D-men, we’re comes in, didn’t miss a beat. That’s the type of pro he is.” trying to play tight on them, not allowing them to come into our zone and “He got a second chance at it and made the most of it,” Schenn said. generate opportunities. That’s the main thing.” And now the Blues are headed back to St. Louis with a split, and fans Binnington and penalty-kill who sold out Enterprise Center for another ‘Watch Party’ will get to see Once again, Binnington responded well after a defeat, making 21 saves them in person. in the Blues’ Game 2 victory. He is now 12-2 following a loss in his THE #STLBLUES SCORED IN OVERTIME AND career, including 6-2 in the playoffs. @ENTERPRISE_CNTR WENT WILD!!! #WEALLBLEEDBLUE “Life of a goaltender, just keep moving forward and regroup, just try to be PIC.TWITTER.COM/HMHBXAXSGX there and give your team a chance to win,” said Binnington, who is now — ST. LOUIS BLUES (@STLOUISBLUES) MAY 30, 2019 13-8 with a 2.37 goals-against average and a .915 save percentage in his first postseason. “I keep that mindset.” “It’s a great sports fanbase and a great sports city … they deserve it,” Binnington said. “We’re happy to play for them and we’re having fun Binnington and the Blues’ penalty-killing unit were phenomenal doing it, playing together. We’re happy to go home and perform in front of Wednesday. Boston’s power play went 1-for-5 with just three shots on them with them on our side.” goal, and the unit that ranks No. 1 in the playoffs is just 1-for-10 against the Blues. And that elusive first Stanley Cup victory is finally theirs.

“You know, win some draws and get it down and then really do a good “I guess that’s a little bonus,” Gunnarsson said. “That’s pretty cool if you job with our gaps on their entries from the breakouts,” Berube said. “I think about it that way and we’re pretty sure we’re not going to stop thought that we were really good there. We’re tight. We forced them to here.” turn pucks over in that area and got them down the ice, so that’s really The Athletic LOADED: 05.30.2019 important because when they get 0-zone time on their power play, they’re very dangerous for sure, so I thought that our gaps, and holding our blue line, and breaking plays up was huge.”

Cassidy said the Blues did a better job cutting off the top of the zone, so the Bruins were forced to play on the wall.

“Better clears, they had tonight,” Cassidy said. “That’s about it and it’s on us to actually get better at the end of the day and move a little more. I thought our whole game was like that. We didn’t have as much energy it 1145662 St Louis Blues In their early days, back when they and five other expansion teams were locked away in the NHL’s lounge room “West Division,” the Blues made it to the Cup final three straight years and got swept every time. The last Buckley: Boston fans may see something familiar in St. Louis’ gritty, time was 1970, when, on May 10, Mother’s Day, they were finished off by plucky, underdog comeback Bobby Orr’s famous goal just 40 seconds into overtime of Game 4. Counting their loss to the Bruins in Game 1 of this series, the Blues were winless in 13 straight games in the Cup final. As in 0-for-forever.

By Steve Buckley May 29, 2019 That’s all over now. They may not win the Cup, but these modern-day Blues no longer have to answer for Orr’s goal. Reminds me of catcher

Jason Varitek saying, “I’ll never have to hear ‘1918’ again,” after the Red Sports fans aren’t wired with the ability to take a step back and admire, or Sox beat the St.Louis Cardinals in the 2004 World Series. appreciate, or respect, the opposing team’s accomplishments. Lastly, there is this: The Blues’ answer to Krug’s crushing hit on Thomas Certainly not fans in such cranky, hard-boiled, winning-isn’t-everything- in Game 1 was Oskar Sundqvist boarding Bruins defenseman Matt it’s-the-only-thing sports towns as New York, Philly … and Boston. Grzelcyk late in the first period of Game 2. Grzelcyk was helped off the ice and did not return. Certainly not during the postseason. The difference is that Krug’s hit was widely saluted as good, old- And especially not during any postseason series in which the T-shirts fashioned hockey and fun for the whole family, whereas what Sundqvist being sold in the Pro Shop have the word “Finals” stenciled on them. (Or, did — shoulder meets head meets glass — is being called this being the Stanley Cup we’re discussing, that would be “Final.”) “questionable.”

So let’s try something different. Let’s look at the St. Louis Blues’ 3-2 Well, no, it was dirty. overtime victory against the Bruins in Game 2 of the Stanley Cup final Wednesday night at TD Garden through the lens of Boston’s 12 (and But the message was clear: The Blues weren’t going to get pushed counting) championships this century. You Bostonians may not much like around. the Blues, and that’s fine; this is the playoffs, City of Champions, Do Your That’s what the 2001 Patriots made very clear to the St. Louis Rams very Job and all that. early on, and very succinctly, in Super Bowl XXXVI. But consider: The Athletic LOADED: 05.30.2019 Given the manner in which they were humiliated in Game 1, from their paltry three shots on net in the second period to the third-period Torey Krug rearrangement of Robert Thomas that already is being attached to all kinds of Greatest Hits lists, the Blues showed the comebacking, don’t- give-up-the-ship spirit of the 2004 Red Sox.

Given that everyone on the planet other than people who live within 16 miles of the Enterprise Center in St. Louis predicted the Bruins would win this series, many of ‘em banking on a sweep, the Blues have shown the pluckiness of the underdog 2001 Patriots.

Given that the Blues have adopted the Bantu term “Ubuntu” as their philosophy, with its message that “I am because we are,” they have shown the soul and the spirit of the 2007-08 Celtics.

OK, so I totally made that last one up. I was on a roll, like when John Belushi was talking about the Germans bombing Pearl Harbor in “Animal House.” And yet there was so much the Blues did Wednesday that Boston fans have seen over the past 19 years that it’s easy to get carried away.

Take, for instance, the goofiness on display back in 2004 when it was learned that Red Sox players were taking pre-game shots of Jack Daniel’s as a means of taking the edge off and getting themselves in the proper frame of mind as they waged their historic comeback against the Yankees in the ALCS. You want to hear something just as goofy? Here you go: After the Blues’ Carl Gunnarsson clanged a shot off the post late in the third period Wednesday night, a shot that would have given the St. Louisians a 3-2 lead, the Swedish defenseman met with Blues coach Craig Berube at adjoining urinals during the pre-OT recess and guaranteed a win if he could get “one more chance” to take a shot.

With his one more chance, and with the Blues deploying an extra skater during a delayed penalty, Gunnarsson scored the game-winner 3:51 into overtime.

During the postgame news conferences, a reporter, seeking confirmation, asked if the One More Chance Summit took place “at the pisser.”

Gunnarsson replied, “I can’t deny that. That’s where it happened. That makes it even more fun, I guess.”

So there. Boston has “wicked pissah.” St. Louis has overtime goal guarantees that take place “at the pisser.”

There’s also the issue of history that connects these 2018-19 Blues with the 2004 Red Sox. While it’d be a stretch to put the Blues and their half- century-and-a-few-years pursuit of a Stanley Cup championship on a par with the Red Sox and the whole “1918” thing, let’s at least try to look at things through the eyes of St. Louis sports fans. 1145663 St Louis Blues “They’ve helped us win games, but I’m more concerned with Grizz’s health right now,” Cassidy said. “We don’t have an update. Hopefully, he comes back and he’s fine and there are two days (off) before the next Matt Grzelcyk’s loss proves pivotal in Game 2, and maybe for the series game. If not, we’ll look at Johnny vs. Kampfer. Moore is a left stick, so he keeps everyone on their appropriate side. We’ve been really good with the next-man-up (mentality), and we’ve done it a lot this year.”

By Joe McDonald May 29, 2019 Fatigue was a factor for the Bruins on the final defensive breakdown that led to St. Louis’ game-winning goal. After Boston’s inability to clear the

puck, the Blues’ Carl Gunnarsson’s screen shot from the point beat When defenseman Matt Grzelcyk was lost to injury early in Game 2 of Tuukka Rask for a 3-2 final. the Stanley Cup final Wednesday night at TD Garden, his absence “It’s a terrible feeling after you can’t clear the puck a couple of times you proved to be a major factor in the Boston Bruins’ 3-2 overtime loss to the start to get mentally exhausted in your own zone, and that’s when the St. Louis Blues, evening the series at one game apiece. mental mistakes come into play,” Carlo explained. “You try to make hard Grzelcyk went back to play a puck in the corner late in the first period plays and sometimes it jumps over your stick. There are those times you when the Blues’ Oskar Sundqvist made direct contact to the get pinned and you try to eliminate the bleeding and the damage.” defenseman’s head and slammed him into the glass. Sundqvist was But the damage was done in that moment, denying Boston the given a two-minute penalty for boarding, while Grzelcyk remained on the opportunity to gain a 2-0 advantage as the series heads to St. Louis for ice with his hands on his head. Trainer Don Del Negro tended to the Games 3 and 4, and compounded by the potential loss of an important injured player, who needed the help of teammates David Krejci and Jake piece like Grzelcyk. DeBrusk to get off the ice at 17:57. The Athletic LOADED: 05.30.2019 Grzelcyk was taken to the hospital for tests, but there was no update after the game.

Bruins veteran forward David Backes, who has a history of concussions, wasn’t happy with the play.

“I don’t think that’s a hit we want in our game,” he said. “It’s from behind, elevated, into his head, into the glass. If that’s a two-minute penalty, there’s going to be a shortage of defensemen in this series by the end of it. That’s in somebody else’s hands. That’s something, I think, if I’m making that hit, I’m probably watching from the bleachers for a few, but we’ll see what happens with their player.”

Without Grzelcyk, the Bruins were forced to play with only five defensemen for the remainder of the game. It was especially challenging because the Blues played a more intense, physical game, especially on the forecheck, and wore down Boston’s back end. As a result of being a man down, Charlie McAvoy (27 minutes), Torey Krug (26 minutes) Zdeno Chara (25:45), Brandon Carlo (22:58) and Connor Clifton (16:47) were asked to do a little more than normal.

“It’s a lot of work, but nothing we can’t get through,” Carlo said. “We’ve had that happen throughout the year, so you’ve just got to adjust and continue to play on no matter the adversity you face, you’ve just got to keep going.”

Despite being an undersized D-man, Grzelcyk has been averaging 16 minutes of ice time per game in the playoffs and has the ability to retrieve the puck in the defensive end, and then make a quick play up-ice to help the breakout and transition game. Without his services, the Blues took advantage.

“That’s where we missed him the most, going back on pucks,” Bruins coach Bruce Cassidy said. “We lost some of that element and it showed.”

Not only has Grzelcyk been an important cog on the blue line, but the Charlestown native has been adding some timely goals offensively, giving the Bruins a major boost. He has three goals and four assists for seven points in 19 postseason games this spring.

“Grizz has been fantastic,” Carlo said. “He’s gotten some pucks in the net during the playoffs and brought that offensive presence and elevated his game. A lot of respect for the way he plays. He’s very responsible defensively. I’ve gotten the opportunity to be paired with him at times, and he makes the game a lot easier for his partner by the way he sees the ice and moves the puck.”

When asked what he thought of the hit on Grzelcyk, Carlo paused and carefully formed his answer.

“You can say a lot of different things about that,” he said. “I’d have to watch it over again, but definitely didn’t like it. I thought he might’ve left his feet a little bit and got his head for the primary contact. We’ll see where it goes from there.”

After the game, Sundqvist said he had “no comment” on the play.

Cassidy said he’s not worried if either John Moore or Steven Kampfer needs to be thrust into the lineup for Game 3 because both have contributed at points during the playoffs. 1145664 St Louis Blues more from Bergeron if they’re going to win this series given that he’s the emotional conscience of this team. It’s not so much that Bergeron has played poorly, but the bar is set so high for the four-time Frank J. Selke Stanley Cup final report card – Game 2 Trophy winner and future Hall of Famer that, when he’s merely mortal, it stands out. And he’s been mortal through the first two games of this series, including a surprisingly mortal night on the draw in Game 2 where he won just five of 13 faceoffs. By Pierre LeBrun and Scott Burnside May 29, 2019 LeBrun: Boston’s Brad Marchand

The entire Bruins’ top line has been quiet through two games at 5-on-5. BOSTON — History is made. The St. Louis Blues, by virtue of Carl But Marchand is the superstar sniper on this team. This is the Cup final. Gunnarsson’s game-winner 3:51 into overtime, earned the first Stanley He’s paid to score and hasn’t done it through two games. And he hasn’t Cup final victory in the franchise’s history. It couldn’t have come at a been great defensively, credited with a team-leading four giveaways better time as the Blues’ win evens this compelling, at times nasty final through 60 minutes. The critics were out against Marchand through the series at one game apiece with Games 3 and 4 set for St. Louis on first three games of the second round and then he stepped up big time Saturday and Monday. the rest of the way. I suspect we’ll see that here as well. Hard to keep The loss marked the end of an incredible run by Boston that saw them No. 63 under wraps for an entire series. win eight straight games all in the month of May. LeBrun: St. Louis’ Joel Edmundson Here’s how it looked from Scott Burnside’s and Pierre LeBrun’s vantage I think he struggled in Game 1 and wasn’t much better in Game 2. He points. was credited with three giveaways on the night and was on the ice for a Players Who Impressed Bruins goal. I just feel his decision-making has been shaky so far in this series. Much credit to the Bruins’ forecheck for that, but as a top-pair Burnside: St. Louis’ Carl Gunnarsson blueliner, he’s got to elevate his game the rest of this series.

Yes, it’s easy to pick the guy who scored the overtime winner, but the Burnside: St. Louis’ Robby Fabbri best part of Gunnarsson coming up with arguably the most important goal in franchise history is that he very nearly ended the game late in the Hey, we’re not picking on a guy that played in his first playoff game in third period with a blast that struck iron. But he struck pay dirt on a almost a month (May 5 in the second round was his last appearance). delayed penalty call, ripping home a shot that gave him a plus-2 rating on But this is more a function of the fact that the Blues were cooking most of the night. It was Gunnarsson’s second career playoff goal. Beyond that, the night, and were the more dominant team in the last half of the game on Wednesday morning it looked like Vince Dunn might return to the and into overtime when they outshot the Bruins 3-0. In short, there lineup, and while the Blues could have gone with seven defenseman in weren’t many passengers on the Blues bus on this night. With that said, that situation, they might also have made Gunnarsson, who was inserted Fabbri is going to need to find his rhythm quickly if he’s going to stay in in the lineup when Dunn went down in the Western Conference final, a the lineup in place of the injured Robert Thomas. Fabbri played 10:14, healthy scratch. Funny the way things work out, no? the least amount of ice time of any Blue and had no shots on net. Look for him to be a more engaged now that he’s got his first Cup final game LeBrun: St. Louis’ Pat Maroon under his belt.

There was second effort in every shift for this veteran power forward in Goaltending Battle Game 2. He was going hard to the net and creating space for his linemates. His screen led to the Blues’ opening goal. And he was into the LeBrun: Jordan Binnington just keeps impressing every step of the way. game on a real emotional level, barking at Bruins players and the refs all So calm again in Game 2, excellent rebound control, tracking pucks night long. Absolutely loved his game on this night. through traffic and looking like a veteran playing in his fifth Stanley Cup final. And so I would call this a draw through two games with Conn LeBrun: Boston’s Torey Krug Smythe front-runner Tuukka Rask as far as the goalie battle goes. Clearly the Blues decided for Game 2 to crash the net harder and make This guy’s level of intensity in the Cup final is through the roof. He’s things more difficult for the Bruins’ star netminder after a rather easy time clearly got under the skin of the Blues, but what really impressed me in Game 1. Good calls both times by the officiating in handing the Blues a again was his poise in the face of the Blues’ forecheck. He’s the guy on pair of goalie interference penalties. Can’t let the standard drop on that that Bruins’ blue line that I want to be handling the puck under duress. one, especially in the Stanley Cup final. For me, he’s been the Bruins’ top blueliner through two games of this series. Burnside: In some ways, this was a role reversal of Game 1 when Binnington was by far the busier of the two netminders. In Game 2, it was Burnside: Boston’s Joakim Nordstrom Rask who had the heavier workload, facing 37 shots compared to the 23 Once again the Bruins got valuable contributions from the World’s that Binnington faced. As Pierre noted, Rask was also under siege as the Greatest Fourth Line (can I trademark that?). While Sean Kuraly was the Blues followed through on a promise to get more traffic in front of the star of Game 1, Nordstrom was the fourth-line beast in Game 2, scoring Bruins’ netminder. Twice St. Louis was whistled for goaltender the Bruins’ second goal, which happened to come about 40 seconds interference. Hard to fault Rask on any of the goals, including the game- after the Blues got on the scoreboard. But Nordstrom’s biggest winner, as the Bruins were exhausted trying to catch up with the puck on contribution on the night might have come on the penalty kill, as the the delayed penalty. The interesting part of the goaltending battle on this Bruins once again kept the Blues’ power play from cashing in. The Blues night, in spite of what my good friend says, is that Binnington looked were 0-for-3 and are 0-for-5 in the series. Late in the second period with shaky in allowing two first period goals on just eight Boston shots. Both Connor Clifton assessed a double-minor for high-sticking, Nordstrom goals beat Binnington five-hole, and frankly it looked like it was going to came up with a big block of a Colton Parayko cannon that might have be a long night for the young netminder. But he righted the ship and his saved a goal. Nordstrom led all Bruins forwards with 2:34 in shorthanded save on a Pastrnak blast from the slot late in the third period was a ice time, added four shots on goal and blocked five shots – more than game-saver. any other player on the ice. Oskar Sundqvist Hit on Matt Grzelcyk Players Who Need to be Better LeBrun: I know there are many who were saying that Grzelcyk turned Burnside: Boston’s Patrice Bergeron into the hit, which made it worse, but I still think Sundqvist had time to see his numbers on the back and avoid the kind of head contact he It has been a rocky start to the final for the Bruins’ top line of Bergeron, produced on the hit. One Western Conference team executive I spoke Brad Marchand and David Pastrnak, as they have combined for zero with said it should have been a five-minute major and a game even strength goals (Marchand scored an empty-net goal in Game 1) misconduct. Because it was only a two-minute minor, the same executive and are a combined minus-7 in the series. The Bruins’ top line was such wonders now if Sundqvist will face a one-game suspension instead. NHL a non-factor in Game 2, as they were for the most part in Game 1, that Player Safety, as we know, looks at any borderline hit so they were coach Bruce Cassidy dropped Pastrnak from the unit and moved Danton definitely looking at this one. Whether or not it warrants a hearing Heinen up in the second half of the game, something Cassidy’s done periodically throughout the season. It’s clear the Bruins are going to need remains to be seen. The fact that it’s a head injury and that the Bruins’ player didn’t return may factor into what NHL Player Safety decides.

Burnside: Must admit I had to watch this one a bunch of times. Grzelcyk is already in an awkward position along the glass before Sundqvist makes contact, but the contact is concentrated on Grzelcyk’s head, which strikes the glass, leaving him crumpled on the ice. Very scary. Although I wouldn’t have been surprised if officials called a match penalty on the play given that Grzelcyk was clearly in distress (he didn’t return to the game and it’s unclear when he might return), at least a minor was called. And while there will be calls for supplemental discipline, I’ll be surprised if the Department of Player Safety steps in with a suspension. If they do, it would likely be a one-game penalty and Sundqvist would be missed given his strong play throughout the playoffs, leading the Blues’ own impressive fourth line.

Main Storyline Heading into Game 3

LeBrun: The Blues always respond. They got smoked in Game 1 of the Western Conference final by San Jose and bounced back with a big Game 2 win. It’s what they do. And so now the Bruins know this will be a long, grinding series. A big story line for the Bruins heading into Game 3 will be if they can rediscover offense from their top line. They can’t win the Cup without that. The Blues did a better job on the penalty kill in Game 2 and need to carry that over next game against that dangerous Bruins power play. The Blues are going to come out flying Saturday night behind a rabid home crowd seeing its first Cup final home game in 49 years.

Burnside: What is that old chestnut about how it’s not a playoff series until the road team wins a game? Well, this is on now. There have been punishing hits on both sides of the equation and the “hate factor” is already high as this series switches to St. Louis. The Bruins are going to need to rely on their experience in these kinds of situations – remember they lost the first two games of the 2011 Stanley Cup final in Vancouver before storming back to win in seven games – because it’s going to be zany in St. Louis. The Blues continued to take too many penalties; five more minors to go with the five they took in Game 1. They’ve lost the special teams battle in both games and that can’t continue. Or rather, if they continue to give the Bruins this many opportunities with their potent power play, the Blues’ chances of winning this series are greatly diminished. Given the emotion that will accompany them onto the ice in Game 3, it’ll be a good challenge for this Blues team.

The Athletic LOADED: 05.30.2019 1145665 St Louis Blues Even on off nights, Marchand, Bergeron and Pastrnak can recover some of their touch on the power play. They had five opportunities to do so. They never broke through. Charlie Coyle (three shots) was the only ‘I wasn’t good the last two games’: Brad Marchand and linemates flame attacker to solve Binnington on the power play. out in Game 2 Nothing else worked — not Marchand from the half-wall, Bergeron from the bumper or Pastrnak on the left elbow. The Blues kept a tight formation on the penalty kill to deny east-west looks and sniffs from the By Fluto Shinzawa May 29, 2019 slot. The Bruins managed only three shots on the power play — a lousy sum for such a talented group.

“We didn’t have as much energy, it seemed, with the puck to create Brad Marchand’s route toward Vladimir Tarasenko should have been offense, 5-on-5 and on the power play,” Cassidy said. “I know it sounds routine. Charlie McAvoy, who had led the previous rush, was deep in the odd on the power play. But you do have to open up some passing lanes offensive zone. Zdeno Chara was the only man back. Jaden Schwartz if a team is going to play tight. If they’re going to play aggressive, you’ve was driving wide, threatening to give the Blues an odd-man rush. got to have good puck support. Those things weren’t there as much as Marchand should have gotten above Tarasenko. That way, he would they should have been. As a result, we lost some opportunities on the have contained Tarasenko’s approach, slowed down the Blues’ sprint power play.” and most likely limited the damage. Through two games, the Blues have scored four 5-on-5 goals. Marchand, But instead of getting above Tarasenko, Marchand tried to check the Bergeron and Pastrnak have been on for three of them. Meanwhile, the puck carrier from the side. The play went downhill from there. Marchand only goal to their name has been Marchand’s Game 1 empty-netter. did not prevent Tarasenko’s pass from getting through, nor did he slow This is no way for the Bruins’ best forwards to play. down his opponent. So when Schwartz reeled in Tarasenko’s pass, the Blues had a clear-cut two-on-one against a flailing Chara. The Athletic LOADED: 05.30.2019 Tuukka Rask stopped Schwartz’s shot. Chara recovered to get a stick on Schwartz’s second attempt. But Tarasenko, never disrupted by Marchand, zoomed in to tuck the rebound home, tying the game at 2-2 at 14:55 of the first. Marchand had coasted into the slot, nowhere near Tarasenko to disrupt the sharpshooter’s arrival on the puck.

“We need to be better,” Marchand said of his line after the 3-2 Game 2 overtime loss. “Personally, I wasn’t good the last two games. We can’t be playing like that.”

Marchand had a rough Game 2. The left wing put two pucks on Jordan Binnington, both at even strength. Marchand was tagged with four giveaways, managing the puck like it belonged to the Blues. He did not record any shots during 5:05 of power-play time.

He had company.

Neither Patrice Bergeron nor David Pastrnak put a single puck on net during their five power plays. At 5-on-5, the No. 1 line combined for only six shots. The group did so little on offense that Bruce Cassidy had no choice but to hand some of the unit’s shifts to the No. 3 line, the most effective trio in Game 2.

Bergeron played only 10:55 at 5-on-5, third-least among team forwards. Marchand played 11:19. Pastrnak logged 12:55. They didn’t deserve any more than that.

“Taking care of the details,” Marchand said of areas they needed to improve on Game 3. “That’s the biggest thing. It’ll come. That’s the way it is.”

The top line’s biggest problem was how the threesome chased the puck all night. Instead of turning their usual tricks in the offensive zone, they burned too many matches pursuing the Blues in front of Rask. All three were underwater at 5-on-5, with Pastrnak bringing up the rear with a 39.39 Corsi For rating. The most creative offensive players cannot do much to generate scoring chances when they’re grinding into the ice at the wrong end under the duress of the Blues’ forecheck.

“You’ve got to get to pucks first,” Cassidy said. “They did that better than us tonight. That, I guess, was the tale of the game for me. They won a lot of races. Got more pucks. Had it more than we did. I don’t think that was necessarily the case in Game 1. We won a lot of races and had it more. We were able to make plays. You spend a lot of energy defending. That’s what we did tonight. We spent a lot of energy defending, and it caught up to us in the end.”

Every line runs into roadblocks during even-strength play, including the Bruins’ best unit. Colton Parayko and Jay Bouwmeester, St. Louis’ most thorough defensive pairing, played well against the No. 1 line. Parayko and Bouwmeester, however, didn’t have to churn through too many calories marking 63-37-88 in the Blues’ zone. The Blues controlled the puck for too many of the top line’s shifts.

“They just competed hard,” Marchand said. “They won a lot of battles in our zone. They have really good sticks. So they turn a lot of pucks over and created some offense off that.” 1145666 St Louis Blues “I was shocked,” Kelly recalled. “I said that I didn’t want to do it because it’s not my place. It’s his booth and his job, but he insisted. He wasn’t letting it be an option.”

Blues broadcaster Chris Kerber ‘respecting the booth’ with decision to Upon the agreement with the Kerber and the appreciation from Kelly, the continue Kelly family tradition two shared the news with John’s wife Jennifer, son Patrick and daughter Grace in a room at Enterprise Center, where the family was celebrating the Western Conference championship by posing for pictures with the By Jeremy Rutherford May 29, 2019 Clarence Campbell trophy.

“I was really just shocked,” Jennifer Kelly said. “I think to have the Blues go through the first round and get this far, John has naturally been BOSTON — If you tune into KMOX radio during the Stanley Cup final, frustrated that he can’t do the games and it’s just hard. The Blues, they’re hear the voice of John Kelly and wonder what’s wrong with regular play- his life, and so when Chris told us, it was just so … I mean John was by-play voice Chris Kerber, the answer is nothing. speechless. He was just so excited.” In fact, as Blues legend Bobby Plager and many others will tell you, Kerber told the family about the story of his dad sending him the tape — everything is right. “I’ve still got it, by the way,” he said — and admitted that holding in his “I think what Chris Kerber has done,” Plager said, “it goes up there with own emotion was more difficult than he anticipated. one of the greatest things that has been done with the St. Louis Blues.” “I saw the look on their face and I wasn’t prepared for that, I really Thanks to a plan that had been in place well before this Blues’ wasn’t,” Kerber said. “They had an understanding of the appreciation for postseason, the 48-year-old Kerber, who’s in his 19th season, is turning what their grandpa, or in Jennifer’s case, father-in-law, meant, and it was the microphone over to Kelly for the entire second period of every game cool.” in the best-of-seven series. The Kelly family, left to right, John, Jennifer, Grace and Patrick. The greatest goodwill gesture one could give, some in the industry are (Courtesy of Jennifer Kelly). saying, has assured that a TV broadcaster who doesn’t have the option Kelly’s immediate family was aware of the news, but he hadn’t yet told to work after the first round because the networks take over, will be on his 82-year-old mother, Fran, when her name showed up on his cell the air in the playoffs. It also continues the Kelly tradition that began with phone. John’s father, Dan, who held the job in the radio booth from 1968, calling the 1970 Stanley Cup series against Boston, until he died from lung “I actually called him by mistake,” Fran Kelly said. “I meant to call his cancer in the late 1980s. house and talk to his wife, but John answered the phone and he told me what was going on. I was just stunned. John is just so pleased that he “This isn’t something that just hit this year,” Kerber told The Athletic. “This can have a small part in the final games. I thought Chris Kerber was very has been a long time in the back of my head, if this ever happens … like generous in letting John do the second period in these playoff games. I if we had made the finals in 2016, same thing, it was going to happen. couldn’t believe it when he did that. I thought it was great.” We just haven’t gone on a long enough playoff run to get to this point. Look, (local TV broadcasters) don’t get to do these games. They sacrifice The Blues arrived in Boston on Saturday and Kelly would have been their time, miss family stuff, and the icing on the cake is the playoffs, and coming anyway, handling pre- and post-game duties along with Bernie all of a sudden after the first round, these guys don’t get to do it. Federko for FOX Sports Midwest. But on Monday, John stepped into the KMOX booth for the start of the second period, and with the Blues “John has two Stanley Cups (broadcasting) with the Colorado Avalanche, leading the Boston Bruins 1-0, he took the headset from Kerber and sat but has never got to call a Stanley Cup final. I said, ‘Well this just makes next to radio analyst Joe Vitale. all the sense in the world.’ So take the mic for the second period of every game — not just one but every game, be a part of the whole series, be “I’ll tell you what, it was a moment that I will never, ever forget,” said vested in it, and do it.” Vitale, a native of St. Louis who is in his first season in the booth. “I have to be careful because I’m calling games with Chris Kerber, which is just For those who remember listening to the elder Kelly and watching John crazy and awesome because he’s been doing this for a long time, and follow in his footsteps, the father-son lineage would seem to make he’s got one of the best voices in the game. So I preface it with that, but Kerber’s idea an obvious one. But the decision runs much deeper for the to have John Kelly in there is pretty incredible. He put the headset on and St. Louis native, who recalls a personal story involving when he just hit the ground running with ‘and they drop the puck!’ Kerber was calling games for an American Hockey League affiliate. “With John, he looked to me to jump in a little more often, so to read off “It was my first pro gig, and during the 1994 lockout, KMOX did a 45- his body language was a little different than ‘Kerbs,’ but it was exciting. I minute show, a history of the St. Louis Blues and my dad (Lou) recorded remember listening back to Dan Kelly calls and I told John this, I really it on a cassette tape and sent it to me,” Kerber said. “In the minors, felt at times in his call that it was his dad. They sound so similar. I think you’re doing a whole bunch of things for the team — like one day I was in his dad has a bit of a deeper voice, but John the way he is abrupt and charge of ‘church night.’ I had 1,000 people coming from church groups says the players’ names with a little bravado in his voice, it really was and so five minutes before the game, I’m still in the lobby passing out special for all Blues’ fans, and to be sitting next to him was pretty tickets, and then you go right up to the booth and put the headset on. remarkable.” “So sometimes if I fell flat, I’d listen to this tape. I would listen over and The Bruins scored two goals in the middle period, tying the Blues’ 2-2, over and over again, and I would study Dan Kelly, Ken Wilson and Jack and as Kelly stepped out of the booth, we asked him how it went. Buck. Dan Kelly could move the puck from one side of the ice to the other in about seven words, and I just studied how they did and tried to “It was awesome,” he said. “I haven’t done radio in a while, but you know, work that stuff in. So here it is, I get the Blues’ job, I come home and get you get into the flow. But to do a final game was really exciting. It felt a lot to work with Ken Wilson and then he leaves and John Kelly comes in. different because we all know the magnitude of every game, and really The bond between the Blues and their fans, it’s deep, it’s special, and I more than that, every play, every kill, every power play — every play is knew what it would mean to John.” so magnified, and the Blues quite honestly were lucky to be tied after two periods. To me, it’s harder when there’s not a lot of action. There was a Dan Kelly broadcasted Blues games from 1968 until the late 1980s. lot of action, but unfortunately, it was at the Blues’ end of the ice. But we (Courtesy of St. Louis Blues) did our best and it was a big thrill.” Though the plan had been in place to bring Kelly into the fold for years, it The Blues’ radio booth; from left to right, statistician Dave Otto, Chris came as a surprise when Kerber approached him after the Blues Kerber and John Kelly. (Courtesy of Tim Pabst) defeated San Jose 5-1 in Game 6 of the Western Conference finals on May 21. Back in St. Louis, Fran was watching and listening to the Blues-Bruins game with Jennifer Kelly at their home. “I pulled him aside and said, ‘I’d be thrilled to have you work the series with me,'” Kerber said. “When I first mentioned it, he said, ‘No.’ I said, “I can’t say that I could sit and watch it the whole time,” Fran said. “I had ‘You don’t have a choice, you’re doing this for the finals with me.'” to get up and leave a few times. It’s hard to watch for me. But I enjoyed listening to him. He’s my son, right?” “She was just full of emotion,” Jennifer Kelly said. “She didn’t really say doing really well. He was so proud that he was starting to be a much, but you could see the smile on her face. The Blues are so near broadcaster. So for sure, he would be really proud.” and dear to their heart, and she wants John to be a part of this naturally.” The Athletic LOADED: 05.30.2019 Kelly walked into the press box at Boston’s TD Garden for the start of the third period and was greeted by Frank Cusumano, a sports anchor at NBC affiliate KSDK in St. Louis, who grew up listening to his father, Dan. Cusumano told Kelly that he had the broadcast on his headphones and he did a great job.

“I’m old enough to remember his father and there’s just something in the tone of their voice, the way they follow the action, it was really nostalgic,” Cusumano said. “I can’t say that I listened to all those games religiously in 1968, ’69 and ’70, but I felt I was listening to Dan for a split-second.”

The story of Kerber’s generosity has been making the rounds in the past week, particularly in broadcast circles, where colleagues locally and around the league have taken note.

“Not surprised whatsoever,” said , the Blues’ TV analyst on FOX Sports Midwest. “I just think that that’s the makeup of Chris Kerber, knowing the importance of broadcasting in St. Louis. It epitomizes, I think, what everything has been about with the St. Louis Blues. They’re a team first, and sure enough, here’s Chris Kerber stepping aside and allowing ‘JK’ to do it.”

Judd Sirott, the radio play-by-play man for the Boston Bruins, agreed.

“Awesome, absolutely awesome,” he said. “To have an opportunity for a voice like John to be able to call a moment that has never been seen in Blues history — think about how legendary that could be — Chris Kerber gets it. I think the biggest compliment you can pay someone is that he or she ‘gets it,’ and Chris gets it. He is a fabulous pro, and it’s just a tremendous gesture.”

Kerber has been blown away by the reaction.

“It’s just the right thing,” he said. “You just know when something feels right. I certainly didn’t do it to get accolades of being a good guy. It’s the respect of the booth. It’s respect everybody that came before you, and the price they paid to give you the chance. But it’s also respecting the people you’re working with now and what they’re going through. There are opportunities that present themselves, in every walk of life, not just this scenario, that allow you to make a moment better for somebody. You have to understand those moments.

“I’m still going to be doing the first period, I’m still going to be doing the third. I mean this: I’m excited as all hell to share this series with him, and if/when the Blues win this whole thing, that’s going to be part of the memory for me, having shared the booth with John and Joe, and whoever else wants to come in and be a part of it. I never looked at it like giving up a period or something like that, no. It’s just taking care of those that took care of you, I guess.”

Told of Plager’s praise, Kerber said, “I don’t even have a response for that. I truly don’t. I don’t even know what to say to that other than pretty cool.”

Plager wasn’t the only legend who felt that way.

“That’s great, such a wonderful gesture,” former Blues coach said. “That happens to a lot of the announcers with teams, whenever they get into subsequent rounds, it’s a tough thing on them. That’s great for John because it gives him so much nostalgia.”

Kelly thinks of his father often, especially now with the Blues back in the Stanley Cup final.

“He’s always on my mind, and with the Blues playing the Bruins, I’ve been asked so many times by so many people about his goal call and what it’s like to be able to work in the final like he did,” he said. “So yeah, he’s always on my mind. And my mother, she knows what the Blues mean to me and what it means to the Kelly family. To have another Kelly call a Stanley Cup final is special … it really is.”

Dan Kelly, however, never got the chance to be behind the microphone when the Blues won a Cup. Now his son might have that opportunity.

“You know he was a true Blues fan,” Fran Kelly said of her late husband. “He lived and died with the Blues. He did call some games in Canada for the broadcast up there, he did some national stuff, but he lived and died with the Blues. I remember one time, when he got sick, I think John was working up in New York. He just heard John and he just thought he was 1145667 St Louis Blues “I adore Gerard and love the entire Vegas organization,’’ Perron said.

That admiration is mutual.

LeBrun: David Perron on the rare chance at Cup redemption and why “Certainly from a Golden Knights perspective, we wish David well,” this year will be different Golden Knights GM Kelly McCrimmon told The Athletic this week. “We were really happy for him when he got a contract from St. Louis and even happier that he’s enjoyed success there and that he’s back in the Stanley By Pierre LeBrun May 29, 2019 Cup final. He’s held in high regard by our organization and was a very well-liked member of our team.’’

That Perron managed to score 23 goals in the regular season, coupled BOSTON — The chance at redemption has come quickly for David with a solid playoff performance (13 points in 20 games), is hardly Perron. surprising to McCrimmon.

While some players never get a second chance at a Cup final, Perron is “A lot of the things that you see in his game this year in terms of right back a year later and boy did he need it. playmaking ability, puck protection, a really good shot; he’s done all those same things in St. Louis,” McCrimmon said. “He found great It was on this stage a year ago that Perron received one of the gut chemistry in Las Vegas with (Erik) Haula and James (Neal). And I think in punches of his career, made a healthy scratch in the Cup final with his St. Louis I think he’s found great chemistry there. Guys that can make team’s season essentially on the line. plays are easy to play with and I think he’s shown that.’’ But heading into Game 4 in Washington — with zero goals in a playoff Vegas showed interest in re-signing Perron last summer. They made him run marred by health issues — Perron was taken out by Vegas Golden a few offers and while no one involved is willing to comment, my Knights head coach in what he called a very difficult understanding is the major stumbling block was term. The Knights were decision. not willing to go past three years and Perron, who has battled concussion “He played great with us last year, he’s a good person, I’m happy for him and other injuries in the past, needed to get as much security as possible this year that things are going well,” Gallant told The Athletic this week. at that juncture of his career. “But at that moment, I talked to him and said, `David, we’re going to The 31-year-old returned home again, signing a four-year, $16-million make the change.’ Tatar was going in, he played a few games and deal with the Blues and with it, a chance at playoff redemption. played well. I just didn’t think David was getting to the net enough and we talked about that. He was pretty disappointed. It was a tough thing to do. One of the reasons he’s a different player this spring? For starters, he’s He was one of our key players all year long. He had a tough playoffs. It healthy. was a tough thing to do at the time. But looking at it, I just needed more from him.’’ “There were many things that were different a year ago for me,” Perron said. “I got injured late in the regular season. I don’t think it was a Nobody questioned Gallant’s move. The Vegas head coach had proven concussion in the end but it was related, my neck. I came back for Game over the course of that magical expansion year that he had a great feel 3 against L.A. and I’m unable to get into any rhythm. We sweep them for his lineup. Roster decisions were based on merit and the players and get seven days off. Then we play against San Jose and things were bought in. going better for me, then suddenly I get a 103-degree fever for two games against Winnipeg. They sent me home. So once again I fall out of But for a guy like Perron, you have to understand his background to rhythm.’’ know how much this hurt. Here’s a guy who was still playing house league hockey in Sherbrooke, Quebec, at 17; made Lewiston of the Then came the Cup final and things weren’t any better. Quebec Major Junior Hockey League at 18 as a walk-on; was a first- round pick of the Blues at the age of 19 and then remarkably made the “I haven’t talked about this to many people but every morning during all Blues the following fall as colleague Scott Burnside so beautifully that time I’m walking up and I’m not feeling great,” he said. “It’s hard to recounted in his piece on Perron’s career. make an impact in games when you don’t feel your health is at the right level. This year I feel great ad it’s different.’’ To be left behind in Game 4 of the Cup final a year ago, given his background, given his career-best 66 points as a top-six forward in the The Cup final redemption is there for his taking. regular season, well, it hurt. The Athletic LOADED: 05.30.2019 “I love Gerard, he made a decision,” Perron said this week grudgingly recalling the event. “Would I have liked that decision to be different? Yes, because that moment as far as I’m concerned was the biggest game of our entire season and I would have liked for him to have gone with the players that got him there since the start of the year. Those are the type of conversations I was having with him. I have no issue sharing that with you because I respect his decision.’’

And you understand Gallant’s decision. After putting up 16 goals and 50 assists in 70 games in the regular season, Perron put up just one goal and eight assists in 15 playoff games; his goal coming in the last game for the Cup final after re-entering the lineup the night the Capitals clinched the Cup in Game 5.

“It was definitely a tough thing,” Gallant said. “It wasn’t just done like that. We had talked about it for a game or two and hoped he would be better. We didn’t get enough from him.

“I told him, `We need you going to the net hard and taking it to the net,’’’ Gallant added. “I think he’s proven it this year. He’s doing a really good job of that. The games I’ve watched he’s going hard to the net. He’s a veteran player, a character guy, I’m hoping for nothing but the best for him.’’

The thing about Gallant, and why he’s so popular with players, is that there’s no bullshit. His honesty in doling out both praise and criticism is unquestioned.

Even in what was a brutal moment for Perron, he still looks back fondly at playing that one season for Gallant. 1145668 St Louis Blues The Bears’ alumni group is a vibrant one and the alumni would often play some shinny before games on Friday afternoons.

Jay wasn’t very old when his father brought him along, tottering up and Patience is running out for Blues’ Jay Bouwmeester after a long wait to down along the boards when the play was at the other end or messing win around with a puck and stick before the session started.

“I swear that’s one of the reasons he always has his head up,” Dan By Scott Burnside May 29, 2019 recalled.

Fast forward to around age 12 and Jay was taking a regular shift in these scrimmages, leaving the older players agog at his graceful stride and his BOSTON – It was pretty early in this regular season that veteran hockey sense. defenseman Jay Bouwmeester called up St. Louis Blues general manager Doug Armstrong and asked for a meeting. “As I got older and could kind of keep up a little bit, I got to play a little bit. Which was cool,” Jay recalled. “So for me; everyone always talks like The team was in the dumper. Bouwmeester’s recovery from a significant they want to play in the NHL and do all that growing up; but for me, I hip surgery in the spring of 2018 was progressing more slowly than he’d thought the university was the NHL. I’d go to those games and it was hoped. He was in a contract year. He was wondering what his future with awesome because you actually got to know some of the guys. That was the Blues might hold. And frankly, he wanted to discuss if he had a future bigger than the Oilers ever were for me in Edmonton.” in the game at age 35. There is a picture taken at a Golden Bears alumni Christmas party with “Yeah. It definitely crossed my mind,” Bouwmeester recalled. “Early in former Golden Bear turned longtime junior coach and NHL scout Rick the year my wife and I had a lot of conversations about how the maybe Carriere dressed up as Santa, and a young Jay Bouwmeester is on his not too distant future was going to look.” lap getting a present.

At the time, the future was uncertain at best – and downright gloomy at A few years later, Carriere would have a 15-year-old Bouwmeester worst. patrolling the blue line for his WHL team.

But Bouwmeester and Armstrong cleared the air on a number of issues. “Anytime you go somewhere and there’s any sort of familiarity, especially Not long after, Craig Berube took over as coach, and it was about a junior hockey where you’re moving away when you’re 15, 16 years old, month later that Bouwmeester got back to being the player he was before it’s kind of beyond the kid,” Bouwmeester said. “The kid just wants to go the surgery. and play hockey, but for I guess our parents to know that they’re sending you somewhere where there’s someone there that at least they know and Now Bouwmeester has a one-year extension, signed on the eve of the maybe trust a little bit, is always big. playoffs, and the Blues are in the Stanley Cup final for the first time in 49 years. “I have kids now and you kind of see it from a different perspective,” added Bouwmeester, whose children are 6, 4 and 18 months. “I think after that I guess it kind of cleared my mind and just opened things up to where I knew that if I could get back to being healthy that Bouwmeester played eight games for Carriere and then three full there was going to be a spot here, and that I could help this team,” the seasons for the WHL team, establishing a pattern that would follow him Edmonton native said on Tuesday. for almost two decades of hockey: losing. The Tigers lost a total of 171 games during the four years Bouwmeester was connected to the team. Perhaps the measure of a man isn’t in having a plan unfold as expected but in having the patience and the perseverance to do what is needed “He’s played on some weak teams and I’m so happy for Jay right now,” even when there are more than a few wild turns. said Carriere, who works for the Oilers in their grassroots hockey and community outreach programs. “I’m so happy that he has the chance to “It’s been a crazy year in that respect just from No. 1, were you going to play for the Stanley Cup.” get healthy to keep playing?” Bouwmeester said. “No. 2, our team wasn’t doing good, so if you are going to keep playing, is it going to be here? To Adversity is a great teacher, he added, “and he’s seen enough of it. I signing an extension, which I’m very grateful for now because I’ve been think he’s persevered and he’s been strong through it all.” in St. Louis for seven years.” Carriere would observe, as most others have in coaching or playing with Certainly this isn’t how anyone expected this to turn out for Bouwmeester, that silence is often golden when it comes to the soft- Bouwmeester. spoken Bouwmeester.

Perhaps one of the greatest skating defenders of his generation, “He was very, very quiet and unassuming,” Carriere said. Bouwmeester went from can’t-miss prospect to years of playoff absences to a possibly career-ending injury to the understated heartbeat of a Blues Lots of high-end junior players get caught up in the constant praise from team just four wins from the franchise’s first Stanley Cup. people around them.

Here is a picture. “You see some players with an arrogant air about then,” Carriere said. “Jay was never like that. I think that’s his upbringing and his family.” The backyard rink at the Bouwmeester home in Edmonton. Bouwmeester is two or three years old and his father, Dan, an accomplished hockey The team’s lack of success certainly didn’t dissuade then Florida GM player in his own right, is guiding him around the ice until the youngster Rick Dudley, who scouted Bouwmeester heavily and was prepared to shakes him off. take him regardless of where the Panthers were picking. The Panthers ended up trading the first overall pick in the 2002 draft to Columbus, “I remember distinctly, he said, ‘Dad, let go I’m going to go here.’ So I knowing it would take Rick Nash and that Atlanta would take netminder did,” Dan Bouwmeester recalled. “He toddled off from there. That was Kari Lehtonen with the second pick. Dudley was more than pleased to good.” get his man.

Even before then, Jay was practicing in his sister’s roller skates in the “We were always going to take Jay Bouwmeester,” Dudley said. unfinished basement. Among the many attributes that impressed Dudley then and still do today “He always had a little mini-stick in his hands,” Dan said. “You knew the is Bouwmeester’s ability to cover ground while skating backward. kid liked it.” Not everyone can do it. One scout suggested that two-time Norris Trophy Here’s another picture. winner Erik Karlsson has to compensate for his lack of backward prowess by turning and closing on opponents while skating forward. Varsity Arena (now known as Clare Drake Arena) home of the University of Albert Golden Bears hockey team. Dan played for the Golden Bears in It’s a huge advantage if you have that backward range, Dudley said. the late 1960s and early 1970s, part of a Canadian university hockey legacy that for decades has been the envy of Canadian university sports “Jay’s backward range was staggering,” he said. “He could skate faster but specifically in hockey. backward than most players going forward. He could go from one side of the ice to the other side of the ice seemingly without any effort whatsoever. He has one of the most natural skating styles for a “It’s hard because you want to play. I mean I’m 35 years old, I don’t want defenseman that I’ve seen.” someone stealing my job. All those things go through your mind. So yeah, it was tough. And it was compounded by how our team started the If you think Bouwmeester is Zen about the long wait to get close to year.” winning a championship, you’d be wrong. Armstrong admitted he questioned if the end was near for Bouwmeester. “There was a lot of frustration or frustrating times I guess earlier in my career,” Bouwmeester said. “Everybody comes in and you just think well, “I think you hope. But he’s getting older and he’s had the surgery on the you’re going to win the Stanley Cup and you’re going to do all these great other leg before,” Armstrong said. “You’re hoping, but at a certain time things and it’s all just going to fall into line, and it’s not necessarily how it Father Time catches up to everybody. I knew he was going to train hard goes all the time.” and was going to give himself the best opportunity, and we weren’t really sure in October, November, it wasn’t coming as quick. Then all of a He played six seasons in Florida and then three-and-a-half more in sudden he turned the page and it tuned out perfect.” Calgary without once stepping into an NHL playoff game. There’s something more than a little karmic about how this has all The longer it went, the more the narrative weighed on Bouwmeester, the unfolded for both Bouwmeester and the Blues. top pick who had the dubious distinction of playing some 700 games without a sniff of the postseason. Hall of Famer Bernie Federko, a longtime St. Louis analyst, thinks the defensive pairing of Bouwmeester and Colton Parayko will be one of, if That was until the 2013 trade deadline when Armstrong brought not “the” key factor in whether the Blues can contain the Bruins’ Bouwmeester to the Blues. fearsome top line of Patrice Bergeron, Brad Marchand and David “It was exciting to be on a team that was on the way up and you could tell Pastrnak. there was some success coming in the next few years and that’s all I “I really believe that that is the main factor that we have defensively. ever wanted, all any player ever wants, is you want the opportunity to Those two guys have been shut-down guys right from the start,” Federko play in the playoffs and compete,” Bouwmeester said. “For me, it took said. like 700 games or something. It sucks because every year it piles on. It’s just like, well, this guy’s never going to get there.” He starts going down the list.

The only season since Bouwmeester was acquired by the Blues that the Mark Scheifele and Blake Wheeler of the Winnipeg Jets, whom the Blues team missed the playoffs was in 2018 when Bouwmeester was hurt and vanquished in six games. Jamie Benn, Tyler Seguin and Alexander the Blues lost Game 82 to Colorado to miss a playoff berth. Radulov of the Dallas Stars also held in check. The San Jose Sharks, banged up but still unable to get on track offensively, especially late in Bouwmeester’s first coach when he arrived in St. Louis was a man who’d the Western Conference final. known him literally since he was a boy growing up in Edmonton: Ken Hitchcock. “Jay’s a big part of that. The way they read off each other,” Federko said. “His transition from skating forward to backward is unbelievable.” Hitchcock went to school with Bouwmeester’s mother and watched Dan Bouwmeester when he was a star with the Albert Golden Bears. It’s no coincidence, Federko said, that when Bouwmeester finally Hitchcock always admired Jay Bouwmeester’s style of play. And as a regained his form the Blues began their climb from the bottom of the coach, Hitchcock came to understand how best to take advantage of standings. Bouwmeester’s hockey skills. Longtime NHL player and coach Martin Gelinas played with Give him a task and he completes it, Hitchcock said. Bouwmeester in Florida. And as a member of the Calgary Flames’ coaching staff, Gelinas has seen Bouwmeester’s renaissance in St. “There’s nobody better at defending people and shutting people down Louis. His personality now is no different than when he was a young man than Jay Bouwmeester,” Hitchcock said. “When it matters most, he was in South Florida. always at his best.” Gelinas joked that he wasn’t sure that Bouwmeester said a single word in It seems simple but tasking players with something very specific, like the dressing room the whole season. But, at the risk of employing a shutting down opposing teams’ top players, for instance, can be cliché, his talking was done on the ice with his positional play and all- daunting. world skating.

“Some guys can’t handle it and they fold,” Hitchcock said. “Some guys “He’s just happy to come and does his business and works hard and relish it and grow, that’s why I’ve always been a big fan of Jay’s. He’s does what he needs to do, and then he’s out,” Gelinas said. “But he took flourished in them. everything in, and on the ice you knew exactly what you were going to “He’s really a prideful hockey player. He really speaks when he’s one-on- get.” one with you. He prefers to sit in the background in a group setting. He It’s no surprise to Gelinas that Bouwmeester is a key part of the Blues’ sees the game a certain way and he has a very high value system, as Cup hopes. high as anyone in the game.” “This is where he’s got his chance to shine,” Gelinas said. “I think this is Late in the 2017-18 season, Bouwmeester, who’d had hip surgery on his why Craig Berube is really counting on him. He’s been around. He’s right hip a decade ago, knew he needed surgery on his left hip, but the always been a guy that can handle pressure and there’s a lot of pressure Blues were in the hunt for a playoff spot and Bouwmeester opted to gut it in the playoffs.” out as long as he could, taking injections to deal with the pain. Parayko is a decade younger than Bouwmeester and revels in playing In early March of 2018, he could go no further and had surgery that cost with one of his hometown heroes, both having grown up in the Edmonton the remarkably durable Bouwmeester the rest of the season. area.

As Bouwmeester described it, this surgery was nothing like the straight “Obviously everyone wants to be around him,” Parayko said. “He’s ahead, clean-up procedure he had on his hip the first time. extremely smart. The way he treats his body and handles himself is top- “This one was more involved,” he said. “Just a little bit longer recovery notch, if not the best. He’s always the first guy in the gym, last guy out, time, and I’m older.” just working on his body. … You watch this guy skate, he skates like the wind. He skates like he’s 19 still. Defending the top players in the world. As it turned out, a lot longer. He just continues to improve and improve and obviously getting to play alongside him, it’s good.” He returned for training camp last fall but knew he wasn’t fully recovered enough to skate with the same fluidity that marked his entire career. Like the rest of his teammates, Parayko understands what went into Bouwmeester getting to this point. Not just the amount of games – 1,184 “I was approaching that time frame and I should be feeling better than regular season games and counting – but to overcome the hip surgery what I am. But it was hard because I could do everything. There was and return to an elite level of play all without complaint made him an nothing that was holding me back. I wasn’t going to get hurt or do any important part of the team’s dynamic. damage or anything like that. But I just wasn’t back to where I had hoped I would be,” Bouwmeester recalled. “He’s definitely quiet, but at the same time, when he has something to say, … everyone is definitely paying attention. That’s a cool thing when you get to see it first-hand because he doesn’t say a lot, but when he does, it’s important. It means a lot,” Parayko said.

Defenseman Carl Gunnarsson saw up close what Bouwmeester went through to get back. The two were both coming off surgery and rehabbed together some during the summer.

They talked about what was ahead and the fight to get back in the lineup.

“I saw it up close for sure,” said Gunnarsson, who is playing in place of the injured Vince Dunn. “Then just seeing him take it step by step throughout the season just pushing the whole team, pushing the whole thing in the right direction, it’s been awesome.

“I’ve always loved him as a player. Being up close with him the last five years, it’s kind of tremendous how good of a player he is. And I love taking bits and parts out of how he’s moving the puck, how he’s moving his feet, how he defends. For him to come back after a thing like that, it just makes me happy. The kind of a guy he is, too, it’s amazing. So I’m super happy for him.”

There is something to be said for the patience needed for Bouwmeester to get to this stage of his career, and it is not lost on those around him.

“He’s a marathon guy,” Gunnarsson said. “No matter what it is, he’s got a lot of patience. He’s a machine. He can go forever. We’re talking about shifts out there he could be out there for three minutes, look as good as in the first 20 seconds. That’s the way he is. Whatever it might be, he never quits and he can keep going and going and going. And I think he’s showed that this year, too; nothing’s stopping him. Even if it takes him a thousand games plus to get here, he just keeps going.”

The Blues, as they did in the Western Conference final against San Jose, dropped the opening game of the final series against Boston. Bouwmeester and Parayko did an admirable job, though, keeping the Bruins’ big guns off the score sheet.

At some point, Bouwmeester will get a chance to consider all of this, the journey and the wide-ranging support for him, but there are other priorities to consider first.

“Like you said, it’s hard right now,” Bouwmeester said. “I think right now you just you don’t even really want to go there and think about that sort of stuff. But I know, as you get older you realize there’s less and less opportunities and it’s taken me a long time to get here, so you appreciate it and I think of the people around you and who have really supported you all the way along and probably more in low times than high times.”

The Athletic LOADED: 05.30.2019 1145669 Tampa Bay Lightning He still shakes his head at the idea that he’s an NHL regular.

“If you told me six to eight years ago I’d be in this position, I wouldn’t have believed it for sure,” Cirelli said. “It’s still surreal.” How World Championship can be another springboard in speedy rise of Lightning’s Anthony Cirelli This was the scrawny Woodbridge, Ontario-born kid who went unselected in back-to-back OHL drafts. That’s six hundred kids getting their names called. Not him. Twenty teams passed on the then-135- By Joe Smith May 29, 2019 pound late bloomer who didn’t get much exposure in the Toronto area because he wanted to play youth hockey with his buddies. Windsor GM Warren Rychel told me passing on Cirelli twice was “one of the dumbest things I’ve done.” After Brayden Point became an unexpected key cog for Team Canada at the 2017 World Championship, the Lightning’s then-rookie center got the How Cirelli’s photo ended up on the dressing room wall of Oshawa’s hockey world’s attention. General Motors Centre with legends like John Tavares, Bobby Orr and Eric Lindros is a crazy story. “I was surprised how good he was, honestly,” said Avalanche star Nathan MacKinnon, Point’s Canada teammate. Oshawa scout Joe Washkurak pushed to get Cirelli a walk-on tryout at Oshawa in August of 2014. Cirelli would end up getting cut and sent to Point, 23, said that tournament was an eye-opening and confidence- the Generals’ Tier II team. building experience for him. It served as a springboard for seasons in which he scored 32 goals and then 41, putting him in line for a sizable The next day, he was brought back, sparking a wild run that culminated extension this summer as a restricted free agent. in Cirelli scoring the game-winning goal in the Memorial Cup championship. See, Oshawa general manager Roger Hunt, after cutting Anthony Cirelli might be the latest Lightning forward to get that kind of Cirelli, had gone home that night and second-guessed himself while boost. pacing in his screened-in porch. Cirelli, 21, along with Lightning teammate Mathieu Joseph, helped lead He called then-assistant D.J. Smith, who was recently named head Canada to a silver medal at this spring’s World Championship in coach of the Ottawa Senators. Slovakia. Cirelli, coming off his first full NHL season, racked up three goals and an assist in the tournament while playing on a line with “I just have a bad feeling about this,” Hunt said. “Why did I do this?” Philadelphia’s and Buffalo’s Sam Reinhart. Hunt called his head scout, then the owner, before breaking the news to Hart Trophy frontrunner Nikita Kucherov lifted Russia to bronze with his Cirelli, telling him to “get your butt back to Oshawa.” six goals and 16 points, but everyone expected that from him. Same from goalie Andrei Vasilevskiy and his .945 save percentage and two “I never would have forecasted what was about to happen,” Hunt said. shutouts. “Thankfully, my gut was right.”

But Cirelli? Cirelli’s Memorial Cup-clinching OT goal came against the Erie Otters, another Canadian Hockey League powerhouse that included the likes of “I didn’t know much about him,” said Canada captain Kyle Turris, a future No. 1 pick Connor McDavid. At the trade deadline the next season, veteran forward with the Predators. “But, man, is he a player. So fast. So the Otters were looking for another piece, and GM David Brown made it smart. He makes plays, is really good in his own end. A really well- a point to acquire Cirelli. rounded player.” From afterthought to coveted championship piece in a year and a half. “He was always going 100 miles per hour,” said Couturier. “He makes it tough on opponents. I was impressed by him, a smart little player. Cirelli played a key role down the stretch, though Erie lost in the Memorial Cup final to Windsor. “I know he’s playing a bottom-six role in Tampa, but that kid can play hockey.” “What you see in (Cirelli) is what you get,” Brown said. “He is as honest a player as the day is old. He plays the game the right way, with the  SCORES!@HC_MEN WORKS IT DOWN LOW, AS SEAN attention to detail that coaches like. You can tell he understands the COUTURIER (@NHLFLYERS) FINDS ANTHONY CIRELLI game so well, he executes exactly what you’re trying to do. (@TBLIGHTNING) WITH A PRETTY BACK PASS, WHO TUCKS IT IN “And those guys become so valuable at every level when you’re putting a SHORT SIDE. game plan together for important games. That’s Tony in a nutshell.” 3-0  | #IIHFWORLDS PIC.TWITTER.COM/VP52CCM6VV Brown described Cirelli as charismatic, too. While former Otters — TSN (@TSN_SPORTS) MAY 16, 2019 defenseman Erik Cernak, now a big part of the Lightning blue line, was known for his fast driving, Cirelli earned marks for his quick wit. That’s not a surprise to anyone who watched the Lightning closely this past season. Cirelli was arguably the team’s best defensive forward and “His nickname was ‘Rusty,'” Brown said. “He tries to keep a low profile, was a top penalty killer, ranking among the league’s best in both but I guarantee if there were practical jokes or pranks, he was part of it.” categories. Months before Point became a scene-stealer for Canada at the 2017 Is Cirelli the next Patrice Bergeron, the gold standard for two-way World Championships, Cirelli was a dark-horse candidate to make the forwards? Not yet. country’s World Junior team.

But with Cirelli’s growth in the defensive end — and scoring 19 goals with He had been invited to the team’s selection camp, a solid major-junior little to no playing time (his average time on ice of 14:51 ranked 16th player who had beefed up to around 170 pounds. This was thought to be among Tampa Bay non-goalies this year) — it’s not hard to envision him and Mathew Barzal’s team, the first-rounders stealing the moving up into the 25-plus goal range next season and into legit Selke show. But then-Canada GM Joel Bouchard said Cirelli’s roster spot was Trophy consideration in the future. never in question — at least to him.

Coach Jon Cooper brought up Bergeron’s name when describing Cirelli “When you’re building a World Junior team, for me it has to have a core late in the season before the Lightning and Bruins faced each other. of what I call real hockey players,” Bouchard told The Athletic’s Sean Gordon. “Can I graft a couple of dudes around them that I don’t love as “Cirelli has quite a ways to go,” Cooper said, “but he starts rounding out much? Yes. But my core has to be made up of actual hockey players — the offensive side of his game, and the two names will be synonymous at it’s crucial. … There were guys at the World Junior who weren’t high draft some point.” picks, but in my mind it was, ‘That guy’s on the team, for sure’ (with) Cirelli! He’s a nobody, (third)-round draft pick, outside looking in. I was Cirelli put up 19 goals and 20 assists and was a plus-25 in 2018-19, his listening to all the experts and thinking, ‘Oh boy, he should sleep tight. first full season in the NHL. (Kim Klement / USA Today) He’s making this team.’ But he was a hockey player. It didn’t take long for Cirelli sat at his Lightning dressing room stall late this season and me to see it.” thought about his path. It didn’t take long for Ben Groulx, either. Groulx, the head coach of the Lightning’s AHL affiliate in Syracuse, was Cirelli said he took pride in being in a shutdown role, as he was often so impressed by Cirelli’s remarkable consistency each shift that he matched up against other team’s top lines (like the Alex Ovechkin/Tom inserted him right into the lineup during the 2017 Calder Cup Finals — as Wilson combo with the Capitals). He wasn’t afraid to mix it up physically. a first-year pro call-up straight from junior. A big part of that, Cirelli said, was learning from his experience during the 2018 Stanley Cup playoffs and knowing he had to get stronger so he Groulx still uses Cirelli as a model with his current Crunch team, showing wasn’t pushed off the puck in board battles as much. clips of the Lightning forward during team meetings. It was an example of Cirelli’s dogged puck pursuit to set up a Ryan Callahan goal against Cirelli added a few pounds of muscle heading into last season while Buffalo. continuing to work on his skating with coach Barb Underhill. Under the tutelage of new assistant Jeff Halpern, Cirelli also improved on his “He was our player, he’s there (in the NHL), relentless on the puck,” faceoffs, making a big jump from 44.9 percent during his 18-game call-up Groulx said. “What is it to be a second-effort hockey player? Well, look at in 2017-18 to 52.8 percent this year. That included 52.1 percent on a them. Joseph, (Yanni) Gourde, (Adam) Erne — when they’re hounding team-high 165 shorthanded draws. the puck, they’re for real. The way Cirelli is putting pressure on him, taking the puck away from him and creating the turnover. It’s a second- The Lightning coaches encouraged Cirelli to be more aggressive effort hockey player. It’s part of our culture and what we want. We know offensively, and he heeded their advice down the stretch, scoring eight of you need that to play in the NHL. his 19 goals from Feb. 25 on. Imagine what Cirelli could do with that approach over a full season, having boasted a 15.3 percent scoring rate “When you’re a good person, (if) you have talent, you’ll pan out. When over 123 shots (half as many as Kucherov). your head is in the right place. If your head is not in the right place, you can have the best coach in the world, can be the best player in the world. “Knowing what I had been through last year and being through the But if your head is not in the right place, it’s tough to perform.” playoffs, I knew I could play,” Cirelli said. “I just had a good summer, and the guys (on the training staff) helped me adjust. I’m still young. I’m still When Cirelli was taken in the third round of the 2015 NHL Draft, he learning a lot. It’s definitely not an easy league, but I’m ready to work and wasn’t present in Sunrise, Fla., for the dream-come-true moment. bring it every single night.” Instead, he celebrated at home with his family. But on the draft floor, then GM told Cooper of Cirelli: “You’re going to love this kid.” Cirelli grew comfortable off the ice, too, during his first full NHL season, settling into an apartment downtown. “It was my first time living on my Groulx had a similar feeling when he let Cirelli know he was getting his own,” he said. “It’s a little different cooking and cleaning. My mom is not first NHL call-up in late March of 2017. Cirelli never came back to here to do it for me.” Syracuse. Cirelli said his favorite hobby is video games, and he often played “You never know how those guys are going to react up there,” Groulx Fortnite with teammates like Kucherov, Tyler Johnson, Point and Joseph, says. “But one thing I knew, I knew Coop would love (Cirelli). And he his roommate during preseason. Cirelli and Joseph each added another did.” “first” to their lists by playing at the World Championship, where they both Cirelli defends against Islanders center Mathew Barzal in overtime of a endeared themselves to Team Canada’s coaching staff. game Feb. 1 at Nassau Veterans Memorial Coliseum. (Brad Penner / “(Cirelli) is a competitive player, the type of player a coach likes,” said USA Today) Canada head coach , who was hired by the Flyers in the Cirelli scored a goal in his first NHL game March 30 in Dallas, and his offseason. “You know you can put him in any situation on the ice and you role only expanded further in the Lightning’s playoff run to the Eastern can trust him. When a coach has that trust in a player, you get put in Conference final. those special moments that can be a game-changer. And that’s what Anthony has done.” As a rookie, Cirelli was often put over the boards on key penalty kills and late-game situations. If there was a high-leverage moment this past — The Athletic’s Corey Masisak contributed to this story from Slovakia season, too, you can bet Cirelli was out there to help protect a lead or kill The Athletic LOADED: 05.30.2019 a power play. Cooper said Cirelli is among the league’s top forecheckers.

“The word you used was trust — you have to earn that,” said associate coach Todd Richards. “I think if you look back to (the end of the 2017-18 season), Cirelli was a call-up guy. We weren’t really sure what type of player he was going to be. Now we have a really good feel for what type of player he’s going to be.

“He’s a great 200-foot player, a trustworthy guy. He got more ice time, more penalty kill, big moments, faceoffs — those are things he works at. He earned it. He watches video, he listens. For coaches, he’s someone you can trust in big moments. A guy that can throw his body in front.”

You look at Cirelli’s play in all situations, and he was one of the team’s most important pieces, behind only Brayden Point, Steven Stamkos, Nikita Kucherov and Victor Hedman in goals above replacement. This chart shows Cirelli is strong at even strength, shorthanded and drawing penalties. Note that among Tampa Bay’s top players on this list, Cirelli is the one with very limited power-play opportunities.

The below chart, via Sean Tierney’s tableau, shows Cirelli is even higher among Lightning players when it comes to being on the ice for good or bad shots. The table illustrates why he’s among the best in Corsi, both in terms of rate of shot attempts for or against. Coaches credited Cirelli for being a student of the game. Assistant coach Derek Lalonde was commonly seen in the dressing room poring over video with Cirelli, joking that if he didn’t have any, (Cirelli) “was literally down on me.”

There was a really good piece in April which broke down why Cirelli deserved Selke votes, and it included stats backing up his strengths in 5- on-5 and penalty killing, where he led all NHL forwards in shorthanded ice time (22:39) and was tied for second in shorthanded goals.

The Athletic’s Shayna Goldman helped put together a chart comparing where Cirelli stands on goals above replacement (keeping in mind that it includes both offensive and defensive impact). 1145670 Toronto Maple Leafs Scott Pooley, after practice in Toledo #StandPROUD pic.twitter.com/L8FwRSFpxO

— (@NLGrowlers) May 28, 2019 Down East Leafs the Growlers close in on ECHL title First things first, however, getting past the Walleye. Game 4 – and 5 if needed – are Friday and Saturday in Toledo. Not the easiest commute, Lance Hornby with the Growlers flying to Toronto and taking a bus the rest of the way to Ohio.

“Toledo’s been a good team for a long time, who’ve been in this (trailing) The Leafs exited early, the Marlies hung in very late, but the Growlers situation before,” O’Brien cautioned. “We have to make it tough on them, are the last Toronto-affiliated hockey team alive and kicking for a title. use our speed.”

The new ECHL franchise can be called the next-best Newfoundland box- Toronto Sun LOADED: 05.30.2019 office smash after Come From Away, exciting crowds in St. John’s, which never really abandoned its Leaf ties from the 1990s as their AHL farm club.

But in leaving their long-time ECHL Orlando, Fla., base for another run on The Rock, the Leafs also provided winning conditions for the Growlers. They were a division-best 94 points and have now fought four playoff series to hold a 2-0 lead on the for the title before Game 3 in Ohio Wednesday night.

“We knew it would be fun this year, but it’s much more to get this far,” said veteran winger Zach O’Brien, a St. John’s native and natural fan favourite. “We had a lot of rookies and no one knew how it would pan out. But we became a tight-knit group off the ice. It really helped that a lot of us were at Toronto’s camp. We got to be around players who wound up on all three teams, Leafs, Marlies and Growlers. Our fans (who sold out 6,200-seat Mile One Centre in Game 2 against Toledo) want to see some young Leafs develop.”

Late-round Leaf picks such as J.J. Piccinich, Semyon Der-Arguchintsev and a prospect group including O’Brien, Brady Ferguson, Scott Pooley, Hudson Elynuik, Alex Gudbranson, Sam Jardine, Adam Pardy and Kristians Rubins dot the roster. Some, such as O’Brien, spent time with the Marlies this year. Michael Garteig has been the primary goalie.

The Growlers also had to get by a difficult early season change behind the bench when former NHLer Ryane Clowe’s post-concussion symptoms returned, forcing the home grown coach to step aside in favour of John Snowden.

Their playoff mark is 14-5 to date, with O’Brien, Ferguson and Giorgio Estephan second, third and sixth respectively in playoff points.

“You have to give life to every level of your development program,” said Leaf assistant GM Laurence Gilman, who’ll be scouting the Growlers the rest of the way with the Marlies out. “It’s important they believe they can come up and play. Whether’s that’s O’Brien, Jardine, whoever, you have to have integrity at that level. They’ve pushed our players on the Marlies to get better.”

The famous Newfoundland dog breed logo that dominates the gold and black Growlers’ sweaters has been a hit, many popping up in Toronto this season.

“Anyone who wants to see an amazing hockey environment, go to St. John’s,” urged Gilman. “A game is a happening event there. The team has a Newfoundland flair with O’Brien, Pardy (and Marcus Power). But if they win the Kelly Cup, the rings will be no less shiny because others aren’t from there.”

WATCH: General manager Laurence Gilman speaks to the media at today’s end of season availability. #MarliesLive pic.twitter.com/fUfMOvwQpB

— Toronto Marlies (@TorontoMarlies) May 28, 2019

At the end of his 2011-12 grad year with Acadie-Bathurst of the QMJHL, O’Brien had a token game with the St. John’s IceCaps, Montreal’s short- lived farm team at Mile One.

“As years went by, I never thought I’d play at home again,” O’Brien said. “I grew up when the (junior) Fog Devils were here and wasn’t sure if any team would come back after the Caps. Now, it’s unbelievable I play for one (affiliated) with the Leafs. I was a big Mats Sundin fan.

“Everyone is talking about Leaf camp coming here next September. I know I’ve got to be ready for that.”

“We’re halfway there, but we have a long way to go” 1145671 Toronto Maple Leafs environment that you’re happy to be here. The way the staff is here and the coaching, I was excited to be back,” Moore said.

“(Keefe) has been huge for me. He has always been incredibly honest Trevor Moore’s impressive Marlies chapter has turned him into a ‘model’ with me and at the time it doesn’t feel like it’s a good thing and it feels like for the franchise he may not like you but you really appreciate it in the long run. From where I was to where I am now, I attribute a lot of that to Sheldon.”

By Scott Wheeler May 29, 2019 When the run was over, Moore didn’t have any regrets. He got to play with two of his best friends and linemates, Adam Brooks and Mason Marchment, maybe for the last time (at least with the Marlies).

Two days after playoff elimination, wanted to talk about “They’re unbelievable hockey players and people and just competitive as Trevor Moore as aspirational. all heck. I’m really proud to play with them,” he said in defeat.

Keefe has developed a lot of players over his now four seasons behind “I’m incredibly proud of this team. I mean, it just speaks to the leadership the Toronto Marlies’ bench, but the growth of Moore has been particularly in the room and the kind of character we have here. (Coming back) was nice to watch because of just how far he has come. When it comes to awesome. I know that people didn’t think much of us at the start of the first-round picks, organizations are invested in their success and the playoffs. When you have a coaching staff like this and a leadership expectations are high. Expectations for an undrafted prospect are group, it makes this place so special to play and we’re really fortunate.” different. Brooks and Marchment both called his return a huge personal boost, and In their exit meeting, Keefe told Moore that much: Moore’s path had an even bigger one for the team, pointing to the way he skates and become the model and Keefe wanted him to know that. retrieves loose pucks for them.

“You get players that are on different paths that end up here. When you “Trevor really grew his game, especially after he came back from the get players such as Trevor Moore, an undrafted free agent who comes in Leafs. He looked like he was on another level after already starting the and struggles in his first year and even in his second year is a healthy season off outstanding. When he came back I think it was similar to what scratch in the first half of the season a little bit, and you see him find his (Andreas Johnsson) and (Travis Dermott) did to us last year,” Brooks way and never look back, that’s a fun process to be a part of,” Keefe added. said. “A guy like Trevor, when you have a player in your lineup who can kill “The credit goes to Trevor for believing in himself and just deciding to penalties, block shots, does everything right really, it’s going to make come to work every single day and bring a level of consistency that really your team that much better. Having him back in our lineup was terrific.” becomes the model around here.” (Christian Bonin/Toronto Marlies) That support from the head coach down made Moore’s decision to join the Marlies for their playoff run that much easier after the Leafs were Moore plans on staying in Toronto for the second consecutive summer, eliminated. after feeling the results of progress made with Leafs staff heading into last year’s training camp. There’s saying you’re glad to be somewhere and then there’s actually being it. This season, he felt he became more aggressive with the puck in the neutral zone and felt he’d improved the little details of his game. And Most NHL players don’t want to be in the AHL, though countless have though he’s more confident now than ever before in his ability to stick surely paid lip service to the demotion. It’s easy to play pretend. Others with the Leafs, he’s not prepared to say his days with the Marlies are just say “no thanks” and call it a season when their NHL campaign wraps over. up. “I know that it’s very competitive around here and that competition breeds A year ago, after scoring a lone goal in the Leafs’ seven-game series good players and good people. Careers seem to come full circle so who against the Bruins, Kasperi Kapanen passed on a Calder Cup knows, maybe I’ll be a Marlie again and maybe next year, who knows,” championship in order to play for a Finnish world championship team that Moore said. would lose in the quarterfinals. “Confidence was big for me to start the year and the confidence that This year, after scoring a lone goal in another seven-game Leafs series Sheldon showed in me. (Keefe) does a good job of bridging the gap loss to those Bruins, Moore made a different choice. between the player and the coach while still maintaining that respect.”

“That’s just the type of player that he is. He’s glad to be down here. He’s From top to bottom, Moore seems to have earned that respect. an NHL player, he’s earned that right. But when he’s here he wants to win and we love when he’s down here. He’s a great player, he’s a The proof is in the tape competitor, he plays all aspects and he’s an even better person,” Chris If any more evidence were needed of Moore’s long-term NHL readiness Mueller said of Moore’s return to the Marlies. at this point, you wouldn’t even have to consider Keefe’s vote of In his return, Moore sparked the Marlies to a 5-2 win over the Cleveland confidence, or Moore’s emergence with the Marlies, or the 25 points he Monsters, laying down to block an early shot (to a big reaction from his scored in their 30 playoff games over the last two seasons. teammates on the bench) before later sealing the Game 1 victory with an Moore’s skills translate. That much was clear in his combined 32 games empty netter, his third point of the night. with the Leafs.

“The little things like that that he did at the NHL made him successful, to Chief among them is his ability to blend his plus-level skating with bring those details back here and then his ice-time triples at this level, constant energy on the forecheck. The result is a player who never stops and still be able to do all those details, is really good to see,” Keefe said. moving, wins races and keeps plays alive:

“Everything that he does, powerplay, penalty kill, the confidence that he Because Moore never stops shuffling his feet, he generates speed gives our team. It was really nice to have him back.” through propulsion and edge work rather than relying on pure power. (Christian Bonin/Toronto Marlies) That allows him to create retrievals or stop-and-start to change directions in pursuit of the puck: Throughout the Marlies’ improbable run to a Game 6 defeat in double overtime of the conference finals, Moore made it clear the Marlies were In some ways, Moore also has skills that the Leafs lack in many of their where he wanted to be, even after playing deep into June the previous players. His ability to create zone exits with control comes to mind summer. because that mindset to carry (and the foot speed to do it) is a learned mindset and one that was carefully crafted with the Marlies. Moore “If you are with an organization that doesn’t get treated the way we get doesn’t want to make the often-maligned stretch pass: treated here as an organization, you may not want to come down as much but here you get treated so well and it’s such a winning And because a lot of what Moore does starts with smart little plays in the defensive zone, he’s also a strong transition player. This play against the Blue Jackets jumps out to me in that way because Moore executes the little chip off of the wall under pressure perfectly:

He’s not a chip-reliant player, though. Moore’s preference to carry is a skill that, given his career will likely be spent in a depth role, makes him even more valuable on a line combination that may have otherwise lacked that tool.

Moore’s ability to hang onto the puck and draw attention away from his linemates was among the biggest factors in his emergence with the Marlies. Already boasting Dmytro Timashov and , Keefe and his staff needed another option to balance the lineup and he gave Brooks and Marchment that new dimension.

That quickly became evident with the likes of Par Lindholm and/or Frederik Gauthier too:

That ability to hang onto the puck, though it may not always result in positive outcomes on the scoresheets, does give the Leafs the potential for extended zone time, something that they struggled to maintain virtually all of last season, relying instead on a rush-heavy offence.

You can see it on many of Moore’s shifts in the way he controls or pursues the puck:

Though Moore is more of a scorer than a playmaker or passer, that handling ability does make him a patient player and someone who can effectively create entries and find the trailer:

It also makes him a rush threat if his linemates can match his speed and force the odd 2-on-1, as Connor Brown did here:

Plus, when they can’t, he can still drive the required lanes and create chances himself:

And any time a line can have a one-man exit and entry machine, the results tend to follow:

Because once you’re in the offensive zone, it’s often the little plays that result in goals and assists:

And that’s the essence of Trevor Moore. He’s the little guy who makes the little plays (with and without the puck) and does it all with speed. At the AHL level that made him a borderline star. At the NHL level, it’s enough to make him a versatile winger — and the kind of player that will willingly use.

He doesn’t have the talent of a Bracco or a Johnsson. He doesn’t have the heaviness of a Zach Hyman. He may not create a ton of goals at the next level (he would have produced more than he did at the AHL level if that were the case).

But Moore’s skills work in the NHL. They’re skills that win the puck and take it from the defensive zone to the offensive zone. And it’s clear his teammates and coaches respect him.

The sum of those three things should mean that his journey with the Marlies is over, even if he won’t say so.

The Athletic LOADED: 05.30.2019 1145672 Toronto Maple Leafs As for Siakam, I think Andreas Johnsson is a decent comp. True, Siakam was a first-round pick, but a late one, and late first rounders in the NBA typically don’t become stars or sometimes even rotation players. A bandwagoner’s guide to the NBA Finals: What can the Maple Leafs Johnsson isn’t a star yet for the Leafs, and may never be. But he looks learn from the Raptors’ incredible run? the part of something useful, and got there, at least in part, because of the development plan the Leafs sketched for him – which included a year and a half with the Marlies where, like Siakam for the 905, he ended up leading the team to a championship while capturing playoff MVP. By Jonas Siegel and James Mirtle May 29, 2019 And yes, Gasol is a bit like Muzzin, except that he was a top-end stud

back in the day. This guy was defensive player of the year at one point, a We haven’t used this format before, but with the Raptors on a historic run one-time cornerstone in Memphis who was actually traded there for his and the Maple Leafs eliminated long ago, we thought we’d try something brother. (Marc was an unknown at the time. Pau Gasol was a star, and completely different. the Grizzlies were widely mocked for the deal, but the younger Gasol eventually grew into a two-way star.) If it doesn’t work, I apologize in advance. But, like Muzzin, a big part of what Gasol brings to the Raps is that If you’re a Raptors diehard, this post might not be for you, as we’re not smart, veteran know-how. And, like Muzzin, he brings some defensive going to go for too deep of a dive into the matchup analysis. (I highly dependability. recommend all our other coverage here.) But if you’re one of the millions of hockey fans in Canada who’s jumped on the basketball bandwagon, Mirtle: The other thing that’s interesting about where the Raptors are at is welcome aboard. they’re kind of further ahead in their evolution than the Leafs. They’re a veteran team, one that needed that one big piece to come in (Kawhi), Here we go. with a bold move from the GM, to help put them over the top.

Mirtle: Jonas, my friend: I’ve lived in this city nearly 20 years now and It’s not hard to envision a scenario where Dubas gets to a similar place have never seen it like this. And we’ve both covered the Maple Leafs for as Ujiri, if they don’t have postseason success for a stretch. Where they a long time and never witnessed anything quite this. may need to add a high-end defenceman to fill the most glaring need. No? The Raptors have truly taken over – and the ratings are simply incredible, night after night. Siegel: Actually, I think that’s one of the big lessons for the Leafs to take from the Raptors: Be bold if the time is right. You and I talk basketball a lot when we’re together, but we basically never write about it. But with the Raptors in the NBA Finals – and the So, for the Raps, to start, that was firing Dwane Casey right before he sports story in the city (and country) – not addressing it feels silly. won coach of the year last May and right after his team got stomped – again – in the playoffs by LeBron. That always felt like the right move to For context: You’re a long-time NBA fan, and I’m more of a me; running it back, again, just seemed untenable. But the Raptors had bandwagoner. But I’ve been captivated by this particular team the deeper also just made history, setting a franchise record with 59 wins. Firing they’ve advanced. And I think there are a lot of Canadian hockey fans Casey was BOLD. But it was the right move. now in that boat, people who are being converted more and more with all of these phenomenal games. Sometimes the right move isn’t the easy one. It comes with friction and controversy. Adding to the drama was Masai Ujiri hiring Nick Nurse, an Let’s start here and we can jump around afterward: If you’re a Leafs fan, assistant coach from Casey’s staff, to replace him. Again: bold. watching this Raptors run unfold, what should the takeaway be? Is there anything they’ve done that’s applicable, given how different the leagues We could see something similar unfold with the Leafs next spring if Mike and sports are? Babcock doesn’t get his team to make tangible progress in the postseason. Sheldon Keefe could be promoted from the Marlies. Siegel: There’s lots that applicable. Let’s start with development. Pascal Siakam has become a stud. He’s going to win the Most Improved Player But the Kawhi trade looked more bold than it really was. Giving up a award in the NBA this year. He was a 27th overall pick. But two years good player (DeMar DeRozan) to get a great one (Kawhi), someone who ago, he was in the NBA development league. He took the Raptors 905 all ratchets up your ceiling a few notches, isn’t all that difficult. You make the way to a title and won the Finals MVP of the then D League. That’s that trade 100 times out of 100. Kawhi is that special. development. In all fairness though, it did require the Raptors to part with the most The Raptors used their minor league affiliate to help him grow. They did beloved player in franchise history. DeMar was that rare guy who wanted the same thing with Fred VanVleet, another 905 alum. VanVleet, mind to be here, and the guy who may, or may not, have been told he wasn’t you, wasn’t even drafted! getting traded. So yes, bold-ish.

Leafs GM Kyle Dubas mentioned wanting to learn more from the Raptors Maybe for Dubas that means trading William Nylander one day? Maybe it about development. And why not given that track record. means letting Mitch Marner go this summer if the offer sheet from another team is too rich? Maybe it’s really going for a home run on Mirtle: Because I track the Leafs organization so closely for a living, and defence? have been following the Raptors closely here as a sports fan, I’ve been thinking about some of those parallels in the two teams. Is VanVleet like You know the saying James, fortune favours the bold. Trevor Moore, as an undrafted success story? And that would make Siakam… who? Mirtle: Okay, but the fascinating thing about Kawhi and that deal that makes it less of a no-brainer is he’s probably here for just the one year. Are there other players who fit those designations? Like Marc Gasol as In no situation would it make sense for the Leafs to move a core piece the significant midseason pickup = Jake Muzzin? that’s locked in for someone who’s not committed (and seemingly unlikely to commit) to term at all. At least no situation in the near future. Siegel: Yeah, I think you’re on the right track. VanVleet is like what Moore could be for the Leafs in a year or two – a useful, undrafted piece The Raptors situation is so fascinating because they’re kind of all-in on found from nowhere. (Well, not nowhere. University of Denver in Moore’s this one team and one year and could be — correct me if I’m wrong — case and Wichita State for VanVleet, but you know what I mean.) Point is rebuilding as soon as this summer? It feels like in the NBA you’ve got to these guys blossomed – or are blossoming – internally. Like Siakam, be bold or you don’t have a chance. But you can’t be bold again and VanVleet did work with the 905 and then eventually unseated Delon again — you shoot your shot and then it’s over if it fails. Wright, a former first-round pick, as the Raptors backup point guard. That eventually made Wright expendable in the deal that netted Gasol. (Unless they can like go get Giannis when he’s a free agent or something?) Think about that for a second. The Raptors find this kinda pudgy, smallish guy from Rockford, Ill., help him develop to the point that they Then you look at the NHL playoffs and teams like the Bruins and Blues, can turn Wright, along with Jonas Valanciunas and C.J. Miles, into who have been consistently solid for a decade, are the ones that are something more useful in Gasol. That’s a master class in roster building. often rewarded. It’s interesting that you’ve got ownership, MLSE, with these two very different teams in very different leagues trying to find their paths to success, and it’s the basketball team that gets there (at least to Since this conversation is sort of aimed at Leafs fans who are jumping on the finals) first. the Raptors bandwagon and following what might be an unfamiliar team and sport — and yes there are a lot of you given not just the ratings but I often think something that hurts the NHL teams in this country is there’s the readership numbers we’re seeing here — what are some of the main this institutionalized inertia where those at the top feel like they “know” things those types of viewers should look for in this final? the sport and are either more meddlesome or less-inclined to pursue new avenues like analytics departments. (Look at some of the ownership The NBA has these juggernaut super teams that the NHL doesn’t; how situations around the league in Canada.) does that impact this series? Does Toronto even realistically have a chance? I wonder if something that has helped the Raptors is MLSE has been more hands off historically and has simply let people like Ujiri do their Siegel: A chance? Yes, but it’s not like these past two series though, jobs. where it was pretty close to 50-50. Not even close.

Siegel: Interesting point, though it seems that Brendan Shanahan has The Warriors are a historically great team — five straight Finals — with been allowed to shape the Leafs as he pleases without interference. In three of the best shooters ever and four of the top 25 players in the both cases though, Tim Leiweke installed strong personalities — first league at the moment, arguably. They’re unstoppable offensively. And Masai, then Shanahan — to oversee each operation, to come up with a really, what was so impressive about the Raptors against the Sixers and long-term vision, and then see it through. I’ve always thought Leiweke Bucks was their defence. They limited Joel Embiid and then mostly shut deserved a lot of credit for getting the Leafs and Raptors to start acting Giannis — the likely MVP — down. The problem is juggling Steph Curry, like Big Boy franchises, to spend and operate like powerhouses in the Klay Thompson, and potentially, Kevin Durant, who may be the best or same mold as the Yankees or Manchester United. second-best player on Earth when healthy.

Nothing was rushed either. Remember when Brian Burke said something How do you possibly contain all that firepower? to the effect of “Toronto wouldn’t wait on a five-year rebuild?” Truth is it’s just the opposite. Fans here are smart. And if they see a thoughtful, well- Kawhi can guard one of those guys (or maybe Golden State bulldozer executed plan being put into effect, they will wait happily. And that’s what Draymond Green). Maybe it’s Curry. And maybe all that strength and happened on both sides. those massive mitts keep him from cooking. Maybe it’s KD instead?

It’s easy to forget now, but Masai was ready to pull the plug on But how do you stop both? Can Gasol even stay on the floor? The everything Bryan Colangelo (remember him) built before him. Kyle Lowry Warriors whip the ball around like crazy and pick on plodding types just was getting dealt to the Knicks. It was happening. Then, James Dolan did like him. That may mean more Ibaka — aka Mafuzzy Chef — who has James Dolan things, the Raps traded Rudy Gay to Sacramento for a his own cooking show on YouTube. (It’s delightful.) bunch of spare parts, and those parts ended up working well with Lowry, Why do the Raptors have a chance, then? Kawhi, for one. As we’ve seen DeRozan and JV. in these playoffs already, The King of the North can get you 40 and lock Shanahan, of course, pulled the plug on a whole bunch of things after his down the other team’s top guy. But even that might not be enough first season in charge (the coach, GM, scouts, Phil Kessel), let the team against the Warriors — and can you really ask the “Fun Guy” to chase bottom out, and won the rights to get Auston Matthews. He had a vision around Curry and/or Durant and still get you everything you need on for building the franchise up slowly, finding skill through the draft and offence? then spending when the time was right. He wanted to create something Well, maybe. that lasted, and we’re starting to see that bear fruit today. Winning for the Raptors probably means more Kawhi madness, more To your other point, I think what we’ve seen for a few playoffs now in the clutch Lowry, more FVV bombs from deep, Siakam delivering 20-25 NHL is that the contention window lasts a while if you have the right points and using those long limbs as a defensive spider, and Danny cornerstones in place and talent coming up often enough around it. Look Green finally hitting a shot or two. Winning means Ibaka draining jumpers at the Penguins winning again (2009 and then 2016 and 2017) after all from the elbow and standing toe-to-toe with the other Green. those years of relative playoff futility, or the Capitals finally putting it all together last spring. What makes that possible? Long-term contracts, for A lot has to go right, but yeah, it’s possible. one. Sidney Crosby and Evgeni Malkin have been locked in forever. So One thing to bring this back to the Leafs. It’s a different sport and league, has Alex Ovechkin. but the Warriors are a fine example of why you horde as much top talent That can’t happen in the NBA because the contracts are shorter — four as you can and fill in around the edges. Which is why, if you’re the Leafs, and five years max. you do everything you possibly can to keep Matthews and Marner and Tavares and Rielly and Nylander together and then try to keep refreshing That means players — star players, in particular — move around what’s around them. constantly, which means your team is, potentially, changing every few years. Good teams can get bad fast (see: the Los Angeles Lakers). And The hard part is landing the good stuff, the top players. Find them, keep bad teams can get good fast (see: the Milwaukee Bucks). them, and you’ve got a shot. (Or in Golden State’s case, five shots.)

What’s interesting is the NHL could be shifting toward something like the Mirtle: Final question: This Finals run is giving us a taste of what Toronto NBA model (and I’m not even considering potential changes in the next is like with a team playing for a championship, and it’s been great to see CBA). Look at Matthews taking a five-year deal in February. He could, if for the first time (for me personally). he wanted, leave Toronto when it expires. That possibility hasn’t existed You’ve lived here basically all of your life: Just how much more of a with the elite of the elite during the cap era in the NHL, which, frankly, Raptors town is this becoming than a Leafs town? Is the balance finally kinda stinks. Star movement is fun. The best of the best in the NBA shifting, to a new, more diverse generation of fans? change teams constantly. LeBron. Durant. Kawhi. James Harden. Paul George. Siegel: Yes and no. I think the core Raptor fanbase has been strong for a long time, and growing. I think that’s probably in part the Leafs being Imagine if a day had come when Crosby was UFA on July 1? Or lacklustre for a while, with mercurial stars, and in part the NBA being McDavid? It would be fascinating, no? incredibly compelling all the time. And no, the Kawhi trade really was a no-brainer. Worst case, he leaves The Raps have gotten good along the way, too, and interesting — Drake! and the Raptors rebuild — which would have happened sooner rather — and now that they’re players on the biggest possible stage, with a than later given the contracts/ages of Lowry, DeRozan, and Mafuzzy gigantic star among stars, it’s hard for the broader population (and Chef Serge Ibaka. media) here to ignore as much as in the past. So the gap has probably Best case, the Raps break through the old ceiling, get to the Finals, win tilted in their direction a bit over the last decade. the Finals, and Kawhi stays. But make no mistake, this is still a Leafs town. Think about it: If the Leafs Or maybe, he leaves anyway. Either way, you’ve gotten closer to your were in the Stanley Cup final right now, at the same time the Raptors are goal — or maybe even attain it. in the Finals, which team is leading Sportscentre?

Mirtle: I’m going to pretend I get the Mafuzzy reference and move on. Mirtle: Let’s not get crazy, Jonas. We’ve covered this team for more than a decade and have yet to write about a game after the first round. But, yeah, if they both have a run, at the same time? This city might well explode. Toronto’s felt like the anti-Boston, without a team advancing this deep in a long, long time. I’m not even sure if some sports fans here know how to act in this situation, aside from the TFC and Argos diehards who actually have been through this in recent memory.

Hopefully, we’re around to see it because runs like this are what sports are all about, whether you’re in the media or the fan base. The big stage coming to Toronto, and seeing what this city is all about, is going to be pretty special.

The Athletic LOADED: 05.30.2019 1145673 Vegas Golden Knights

Ryan Reaves pranks Golden Knights teammates

Ben Gotz Las Vegas Review-Journal

The Golden Knights were ready to provide fans with some hump day laughs.

The team released a hidden-camera video Wednesday on Twitter featuring forward Ryan Reaves dressing up as a knight statue and scaring his teammates. Winger Brandon Pirri handled the prank the best, but defenseman Nate Schmidt’s reaction is worth staying until the end to see. when you hide Ryan Reaves and you hide a camera you get this  pic.twitter.com/ORS6608t2M

— Vegas Golden Knights (@GoldenKnights) May 29, 2019

LAS VEGAS REVIEW JOURNAL LOADED: 05.30.2019 1145674 Vegas Golden Knights

Las Vegas considering stadium for MLS soccer team

By Justin Emerson

Las Vegas is taking another stab at bringing Major League Soccer to the city.

The Las Vegas City Council will consider a proposal next week to enter into a negotiating agreement for a downtown stadium and to make a pitch to the MLS to turn the Las Vegas Lights FC into an expansion team, the city announced today.

The Lights play in the United Soccer League, the level right below MLS for American professional soccer.

If approved Wednesday, the city would enter into a 180-day negotiating period with Renaissance Companies Inc. to create a master plan for a mixed-use development with a stadium. It would be located on 62 acres where Cashman Field, the home of the Lights, is located.

The city described the proposed project as a "mixed-use live, work and play development."

Financial plans for the stadium would also need to be agreed upon.

Lights owner Brett Lashbrook, meanwhile, said he has entered into a sale agreement for the team, contingent upon the city and developers finalizing an agreement for the master plan. He did not disclose any details about the proposed sale, including the potential buyer.

Lashbrook said he expected the council to approve the agreement and was excited for the growth of soccer in Las Vegas. “This is amazing for not just our team and our fans but the neighborhood and the city,” he said.

Five years ago, Las Vegas attempted a bid for an MLS team. Developers proposed a $201 million stadium, of which the city of Las Vegas would pick up 76 percent of the cost and own the stadium. City officials said they expected the split to be closer to 50-50.

Las Vegas Mayor Carolyn Goodman and her predecessor and husband, Oscar Goodman, have been angling for a major league sports team for nearly two decades, though the last push for an MLS team came before the Golden Knights and Raiders were pegged for the area.

MLS has been expanding at a rapid rate since it began with 10 teams in 1996. There are now 24 teams, with plans to expand to 30 within the next few years. The league is adding two teams next season and another in 2021, with a 28th and 29th shortly thereafter.

Most of the cities have been decided upon, but not the 30th. MLS Commissioner Don Garber said last month Las Vegas would merit consideration.

“I don’t know that we have a firm handle yet on what the final number of teams in the league ought to be,” Garber said on April 19. “We of late have been in very positive discussions in Las Vegas and in Charlotte. We still believe Phoenix is a good market. We have been in discussions with Detroit. I will say that we are going to take our time on team 30.”

LAS VEGAS SUN LOADED: 05.30.2019 1145675 Winnipeg Jets The travel is too taxing and if a team has designs of going four rounds at the end of those 82 games in the regular season, keeping the starting goalie in the neighbourhood of 50-to-60 games is going to become the Jets’ Brossoit can help reduce workload: Rhythm important, but rule rather than the exception. Hellebuyck must stay fresh Only Devan Dubnyk of the Minnesota Wild (67 games, 66 starts) and Carey Price of the Montreal Canadiens (66 games, 64 starts) appeared in more regular season games than Hellebuyck in 2018-19. Ken Wiebe During his first three seasons as a full-time starter, Hellebuyck has appeared in 56, 67 and 63 games, making 53, 64 and 62 starts in those seasons. Not only did Laurent Brossoit earn a raise, he’s going to increase his workload in his second season with the Winnipeg Jets. This isn’t to suggest Hellebuyck was burned out this spring when the St. Louis Blues eliminated the Jets in six games. By signing a one-year deal that gave him a significant raise from $650,000 to $1.225 million, Brossoit should once again bring stability to But by getting that games played number closer to 52-to-57, Hellebuyck the backup job. would be in a more optimal position to be at his best when it matters most. And let’s be perfectly honest, going into last season there were some questions surrounding that position. There’s no doubt it’s a work in progress for both the player and coach to find that balance between staying in a rhythm and best managing the Brossoit ended up being a pleasant surprise, getting off to an outstanding ability to rest and recover between starts. start, recording his first NHL shutout in his home province and resurrecting his career just a few months after he was banished to the But with Brossoit emerging as a more-than-capable backup, Jets head minors by the Edmonton Oilers. coach Paul Maurice shouldn’t hesitate to get his No. 2 guy between 25- and-30 games this season. Obviously, the Jets believed in Brossoit’s abilities, otherwise they wouldn’t have given him a one-way contract last summer, but he It’s something that would benefit all parties. probably eclipsed their expectations by going 13-6-1 with a 2.52 goals against average and .925 save % in 21 games (including 19 starts). Plus, a little more internal competition might also help Hellebuyck get back to the numbers he posted during the 2017-18 season when he was There was plenty of talk about Brossoit coming in with a chip on his a Vezina Trophy finalist. shoulder from him and from others, but he always believed in his abilities and things simply came together for him before suffering a hamstring What about Comrie? Jets goalie prospect could be on the move injury in a game against the Vegas Golden Knights on Mar. 21. So where does the signing of Laurent Brossoit leave Eric Comrie?

Despite nearly doubling his salary, Brossoit won’t be lacking motivation It’s going to be an interesting summer ahead for Comrie, who was this season either. chosen in the second round, 59th overall, by the Winnipeg Jets at the He’s got plenty to play for and he can put himself in a prime position to 2013 NHL Draft. really cash in next summer by coming through with another successful After spending four full seasons in the organization, Comrie has only five season. NHL starts under his belt.

No, this isn’t a column about why Brossoit should take over the No. 1 job He’s put up very good numbers in the American Hockey League with the from Connor Hellebuyck. Manitoba Moose, but in a limited sample size, it hasn’t yet translated to That’s not likely going to happen and it’s part of the reason Brossoit the NHL level, where he’s 2-3 with a 4.00 goals-against average and an signed on for just one more year, at least for the time being. .870 save %.

You can be sure the Jets would have preferred to lock up Brossoit on a Comrie, who is a restricted free agent, is an incredibly hard worker and two or three-year deal, but since he was one year away from unrestricted he’s taken steps to improve every year. free agency, it’s no surprise the goalie opted for the one-year pact. But he won’t be waiver exempt next season and with Brossoit locked in At this time next year, the two sides can reassess the situation. as the backup, Comrie is a candidate to be moved in a trade this summer. If Brossoit has another solid season, he is likely to go to free agency and investigate some situations where he might be able to challenge for a Otherwise, he could be claimed by another organization next fall either starting job. during or after training camp.

If he’s comfortable sticking around the Jets in a supporting role, that The Jets have 2016 sixth rounder Mikhail Berdin ready to take on a option can certainly be revisited. larger role with the Moose after splitting his first professional season between the Moose and the Jacksonville Icemen of the ECHL. This season has once again shown how important it is for teams to carry two capable netminders and to have another in reserve in the minors just Ken Appleby signed a two-way contract with the Jets late last season in case of injury. and is a restricted free agent, so he could fill the backup role with the Moose if the Jets decide to trade Comrie. Look no further than the Stanley Cup final, where Boston Bruins goalie Tuukka Rask is playing some of the best hockey of his career after Busiest goalies in the NHL in 2018-19 playing 46 games — his lowest total in a full season since 2011-12, when Devan Dubnyk, Minnesota Wild, 67 GP, 66 starts, 31-28-6, 2.54 GAA, he was still serving as the backup to Tim Thomas. .913 save %, 2 SO

Vezina Trophy finalist Ben Bishop of the Dallas Stars also appeared in Carey Price, Montreal Canadiens, 66 GP, 64 starts, 35-24-6, 2.49, .914 only 46 games this season, though that was also heavily influenced by save %, 4 SO injury. Connor Hellebuyck, Winnipeg Jets, 64 GP, 63 starts, 34-23-3, 2.90 GAA, But in both of those situations, having Jaroslav Halak and Anton .913 save %, 2 SO Khudobin allowed the Bruins and Stars to stay in the playoff race. Sergei Bobrovsky, Columbus Blues Jackets, 62 GP, 61 starts, 37-24-1, Load management is a real thing and more and more teams are taking 2.58 GAA, .913 save %, 9 SO steps to reduce the number of starts made by their starters during the regular season. Martin Jones, San Jose Sharks, 62 GP, 62 starts, 36-19-5, 2.94 GAA, .896 save %, 3 SO It’s important to remember that injuries and other factors did play into some of the decisions, but the days of making 77 or even Marc-Andre Fleury, Vegas Golden Knights, 61 GP, 61 starts, 35-21-5, 78 starts appear to be a thing of the past. 2.51 GAA, .913 save %, 8 SO Frederik Andersen, Toronto Maple Leafs, 60 GP, 60 starts, 36-16-7, 2.77 GAA, .917 save %, 1 SO

Jacob Markstrom, Vancouver Canucks, 60 GP, 60 starts, 28-23-9, 2.77 GAA, .912 save %, 1 SO

Braden Holtby, Washington Capitals, 59 GP, 58 starts, 32-19-5, 2.82 GAA, .911 save %

John Gibson, Anaheim Ducks, 58 GP, 57 starts, 26-22-8, 2.84 GAA, .917 save %, 2 SO

Winnipeg Sun LOADED 05.30.2019 1145676 Winnipeg Jets

WHA JETS REUNION: Encounter with goon Bilodeau in bar had Lindstrom running scared

Ted Wyman

The Winnipeg Jets were a highly-skilled team in the WHA — likely the most skilled judging by their three Avco Cups in four years — but not every team played or liked their style.

It was a goon league and some of the biggest thugs in hockey history played for the Birmingham Bulls back in the late 1970s.

The Bulls tried to win games by intimidation and former Jets winger Willy Lindstrom can attest that it sometimes worked.

“We played in Birmingham and all those goons came out and they were just killing us,” Lindstrom said. “ said ‘Let them win. We can’t take any of our guys getting hurt by them.’”

One of Lindstrom’s most vivid NHL memories was lining up across from Bulls’ notorious goon Gilles Bilodeau.

“He’s standing there just yapping at me: ‘If you touch the puck, I’ll cut your head off.’ He was ugly to watch too. Big curly hair, no helmet and he was a big guy.

“I was scared but I figured ‘He can’t skate to catch me, so no problem.’”

Lindstrom survived the game, but after the Bulls won, the players from both teams went to a bar near the rink.

“There, I went to the toilet and I’m standing there and one guy hit me in the back,” Lindstrom said. “I looked up and there’s Bilodeau.

“I was so scared. I was kind of going all over the place. I thought he was going to take me and push me into the (urinal).”

Then a funny thing happened. It turned out Bilodeau, a monster on the ice who conjures Images of Ogie Oglethorpe in Slap Shot, was actually human.

“He said ‘Willy, come on, I’ll buy you a beer.’

“My heart was in my throat. I was so scared, I’m telling you. I thought he was gonna do something. But he was a good guy off the ice. I went and had a beer with him. He was just playing a role.”

Lindstrom is back in Winnipeg this week as part of a 40th anniversary reunion of the 1978-79 Jets team that won the Avco Cup. He and 18 others from that team will be part of a reunion dinner Saturday night at the Radisson Hotel (see eventbrite.ca and search Jets 1978-79 reunion, or call Geoff Kirbyson at 204 771-0973 for tickets).

Winnipeg Sun LOADED 05.30.2019 1145677 Winnipeg Jets Rangers and Hull retired — and found themselves in danger of missing the playoffs in early March, with a 28-29-6 record.

With the addition of new head coach Tom McVie and goalie Gary From Hall of Fame linemates to winning five championships in 10 years, (Suitcase) Smith at around that time, the Jets turned things around and Jets great Willy Lindstrom reflects on a charmed hockey career finished in third place before making their historic playoff run.

Players who came over from the Houston Aeros, like , Ted Wyman Morris Lukowich, Rich Preston and Scott Campbell, played huge roles but it took a while for them to fit in with the group of players who won a championship with the Jets the previous season.

Willy Lindstrom is pretty certain he has a claim to fame that no other “They played a really different style of hockey,” Lindstrom said. “Finally hockey player on Earth can put on his resume. we got together and we played good hockey, good enough to win.”

During a and National Hockey League career Lindstrom is one of only seven players who won three Avco Cups with that spanned 13 seasons, Lindstrom played on lines with four of the the Jets, along with Bill Lesuk, Joe Daley, Bobby Guindon, Lyle Moffatt, greatest players to ever wear skates — first-ballot Hall of Famers Bobby Peter Sullivan and Lars-Erik Sjoberg. Hull, Wayne Gretzky, Mark Messier and . Sjoberg passed away from cancer in 1987 and Guindon is not able to Who can possibly top that? make it to the reunion this week, but the rest will be in attendance.

“You know those guys?” Lindstrom said with a smile during a sit-down Some of the players haven’t seen each other in 40 years. Lindstrom’s interview at Winnipeg’s Radisson Hotel Wednesday. Swedish countryman Roland Eriksson is in Winnipeg for the first time since the day the team held that 1979 Avco Cup parade down Portage “That’s nice to be able to play with such big stars. I don’t think there’s Ave. anybody else who can say that.” The team was broken up after that season, with only a few players Lindstrom, who hails from Grums, Sweden, started his North American joining the Jets in the NHL and others dispersed to the NHL teams that pro hockey career in 1975 with the Winnipeg Jets of the WHA. held their rights. While he wasn’t a regular on the top line, he did spend some time skating Players like Ruskowksi, Nilsson and Preston — the 1979 WHA playoff with Hull between 1975 and 1979, when the Jets joined the NHL. MVP — are all back after making short but impactful stops in Winnipeg He stayed with the Jets as they changed leagues but was eventually 40 years ago. traded to the Edmonton Oilers for Laurie Boschman in 1983. “It’s really special,” Lindstrom said. “Roland, he wasn’t here that long and “The first month there I played with Jari (Kurri) and Gretzky,” Lindstrom he didn’t know much about Winnipeg, but when I called him up and said. “I had a lot of points but that’s what happens when you play with asked him if he’d like to come, he said ‘For sure Willy, I’d like to see the guys like that. guys again.’ He’s really pumped up for this thing.”

“Then (coach ) took me away and put me with (Glen) Lindstrom still thinks of Winnipeg as a second home. He lived here for Anderson and Mark Messier on the second line. That’s a pretty good line eight years and his daughter was born here. He once scored five goals in too.” a game against the Philadelphia Flyers, joining Alexei Zhamnov and Patrik Laine as the only players to do that for the Jets in the NHL. For the 1985-86 and 1986-87 seasons, Lindstrom moved on to play for the Pittsburgh Penguins, where he was on a line with teenaged Lemieux He never wanted to leave. and Dave Hannan for while. “I loved Winnipeg and I was really sad that I got traded. I was really Along the way, Lindstrom experienced remarkable team success, down. winning three Avco Cups with the Jets and two Stanley Cups with the “I was a Winnipeg guy.” Oilers. In his 13-year career, he played in seven league finals. ‘Suitcase’ Smith was big difference-maker for Jets “That’s a pretty good career,” Lindstrom said. “Borje Salming was never close to the Stanley Cup and he played 17 years in the league.” One of the pivotal moments of the Winnipeg Jets’ turnaround in 1978-79 came when a goaltender named Gary (Suitcase) Smith arrived in town in This week, Lindstrom is in Winnipeg to celebrate the 40th anniversary of mid-February. one of those championships. He played a big role as the Jets won the 1979 Avco Cup, capping it with a 7-3 win over Gretzky and the Oilers in Smith was a journeyman goalie who had an 0-10-1 record and a 5.51 the final game in WHA history at the Winnipeg Arena on May 20, 1979. goals against average that season with Indianapolis and hardly looked the part of a saviour for a Jets team that was in need of one. Lindstrom scored 10 goals in 10 playoff games that season as the Jets beat the 4-0 and topped the Oilers 4-2 to win their “I remember when the Suitcase came into the rink and I thought “Who is third championship in four years. this guy? He must be some friend of the coach,’” former Jets winger Willy Lindstrom said. “He was big and overweight. Lindstrom is one of 18 players (plus coach Tom McVie) who are in town this week for the reunion, which includes a commemorative dinner “He came in after the practice and he was all sweaty because he had Saturday night at the Radisson (see eventbrite.ca and search Jets 1978- been running around the rink and I said to the guys, ‘Who is this guy?’ 79 reunion, or call Geoff Kirbyson at 204 771-0973 for tickets). “They said ‘That’s our new goalie.’ Now 68, Lindstrom has a unique perspective on those Avco Cups because he’s one of only two players — Jets teammate Kent Nilsson was “I said ‘Our new goalie?’ the other — to win a championship in the NHL after winning in the WHA. “I was shocked. If you looked at his body you wouldn’t think he could play “When we won the Avco Cup it was a big thing for me and for hockey.” everybody,” he said. “It’s the same thing the first time winning the Stanley Smith, at age 35, quickly proved he could. Cup. They were very close to each other. We did the same thing. We had a parade and went to City Hall and all the people came out. It was almost He put up a 7-3 record and 2.97 goals against average down the stretch the same.” for the Jets and played every playoff game. He went 8-2 with a 3.73 goals against average in the post-season. Midway through that 1978-79 season, you never would have believed the Jets had the goods to be a championship team. “He played great,” Lindstrom said. “He was amazing some games.”

They were in disarray after losing many of their best players from the Winnipeg Sun LOADED 05.30.2019 previous season — Anders Hedberg and Ulf Nilsson joined the New York 1145678 Vancouver Canucks

Canucks Under the Microscope: Ryan Spooner

Ben Kuzma

Ryan Spooner of the Vancouver Canucks carries the puck with Arizona Coyote Alex Goligoski in pursuit during their Feb. 28, 2019 NHL game at Gila River Arena in Glendale, Ariz.

Where does well-travelled left-winger with self-doubt fit in next season in head coach 's scheme?

Name: Ryan Spooner

Age: 27.

Position: Left wing.

Career stats: GP: 325, G: 48, A: 119, Pts: 167, PIM 63.

Contract status: One year remaining on two-year, US $8-million extension with N.Y. Rangers in 2018 that carries a reduced salary cap hit of $3.1 million because New York is retaining $900,000 annually.

How 2018-19 went: Not as good as planned. When Spooner was acquired from Edmonton on Feb. 16 for Sam Gagner, it marked his fourth professional stop of the season. There were going to be mental or physical challenges to make an immediate impact and the 5-foot-11, 192- pound left-winger never found traction. He didn’t score in his first six games, despite being aligned with Elias Pettersson and Brock Boeser, and was then scratched for 11 consecutive games because coach Travis Green didn’t know what to make of the inconsistent new addition.

Spooner managed just four assists in 11 games here after three points (2-1) in 25 games with the Oilers and two points (1-1) in 16 games with the Rangers. He also had six points (2-4) in seven outings with Edmonton’s AHL affiliate in Bakersfield, Calif. However, the 16 points (4- 12) he amassed in 20 games with the Rangers in 2017-18 after being acquired from Boston — the Bruins selected him in the second round (45th overall) of the 2010 entry draft — is how he landed the extension and regained some lost confidence.

The problem was the book on Spooner didn’t translate to the ice. He had that spurt of quickness through the neutral zone to gain an advantage in the offensive end, but was too often spotted on the perimeter and playing a tepid game, rather than going to the dirty areas to increase his scoring opportunities.

And when the points didn’t come, self-doubt crept in, but at least Spooner owned it. He talked openly about a tough season and the stigma of being a player who has moved around too much and has even been waived to the minors.

Ryan Spooner has the speed to move pucks through the neutral zone. Gerry Kahrmann / PNG files

“A lot of things kind of run through the back of your mind,” he admitted. “One is: ‘Can I still play in the league?’ I know I can. I’ve always been a guy who could put up points, and for some reason this year it just hasn’t been there. I have the speed and the skill.

“For me, it’s more of a mental thing and believing in myself. I’m not a young kid anymore. In Boston, the ice time was there and I was playing 13 to 15 minutes a night and was on the power play, too. It’s just one of those things where a couple of fits just haven’t been there.

“And it’s on me, too. I don’t think I was ready at the beginning of the year mentally and I prepared the same way and tried to play the same way I have in the past. But it just hasn’t been there.”

Vancouver Province: LOADED: 05.30.2019 1145679 Vancouver Canucks hosts served up the right candied snack, that meant they’d read all the details in their large show production’s checklist.

As the story goes, the band was the first to take huge stage productions Patrick Johnston: Canucks prospects no-games plan an outlier, or more beyond just big-city venues; by including such a seemingly frivolous penny pinching? request, it was looking to see if the venue’s staff and management were paying attention.

Patrick Johnston More from Patrick Johnston In other words, if band members found a brown M&M, what else had the promoters missed?

The Canucks’ awards wall is something you’ve seen many times in the For the first time in at least a decade, the Vancouver Canucks' background of TV broadcasts, a listing of all the club’s award winners youngsters won't play a game as part of training camp through the years, featuring both the annual team awards as well as recognition for special moments, like the players who have won the Hart In a move that puts them in a very small group of outliers, the Vancouver Trophy (Henrik Sedin) or the Jack Adams Award (Alain Vigneault, Pat Canucks won’t put their prospects through a series of prospects-only Quinn) or the (Pavel Bure). games next September. It’s not a big thing, it’s not something the players habitually stop at and Instead, they’re going to host a couple dozen prospects for a rookie admire on their way into the team’s facilities. camp at Rogers Arena, Sept. 7 to 10; those prospects will work with the Canucks coaching staff in this extra ice time and then will progress to the But it still gives you pause; there’s no money to update that? main camp, venue TBA, later that month. So, were prospects games — and the Young Stars Classic as well — Every September from 2010 to 2018, the Canucks sent their future dropped because of hockey reasons, or money reasons? hopefuls to Penticton for a rookie camp, where they would play in the Young Stars Classic against other NHL squads. (To the disappointment Post-draft prospects camp of many fans, that event was put on hiatus earlier this year). The Canucks also announced Wednesday they will hold their 2019 And for many years before that, the Canucks would hold rookie camp summer prospects evaluation camp in the week following the draft. that would usually culminate with a game against the University of B.C.’s All on-ice sessions at UBC’s Father Bauer Arena will be open to the men’s hockey squad. public. The camp runs June 25 to 27.

It’s all a bit surprising, since a month ago all indications were that the The roster at the June camp will be made up of draft picks from the 2019 Canucks prospects would head to Alberta to face comparable squads NHL Entry Draft, which will have taken place at Rogers Arena just days from the Calgary Flames and Edmonton Oilers. Several members of the before, players selected in recent drafts, prospects signed as free agents local media, including yours truly, were told as much. like Jake Kielly, Brogan Rafferty and Josh Teves plus undrafted free #Canucks will not replace Young Stars this year. Will play rookie agents from the NCAA, the CHL and Europe. games vs Calgary and Edmonton in Alberta. Still to be determined Vancouver Province: LOADED: 05.30.2019 whether in one central location

— Jeff Paterson (@patersonjeff) April 30, 2019

Asked Wednesday about the change in plans for the Canucks’ prospects, general manager Jim Benning said the decision was down to the reality of how many prospects they’d actually be able to bring to Vancouver next fall to fill out a team.

“We’d have more invitees than prospects,” he said over the phone from Buffalo, N.Y., where he’s at the NHL draft combine.

“That’s because of many of our prospects playing in Europe or college,” he added.

But it’s still notable there was only one team in the NHL last September that did not ice a prospects team: the Florida Panthers.

Every other club had youngsters in action, at tournaments in places like Traverse City, Mich, Las Vegas and Laval, Que.

It’s not always wrong to be an outlier, but it is notable that teams that are spending big in the evaluation departments, like the Toronto Maple Leafs and Los Angeles Kings, are still all-in on prospects teams.

So while Benning’s case does make sense — and further, how much evaluative value do teams actually get out of these games, which often feel more like street hockey — you do wonder if the ongoing penny pinching by ownership is also at play.

As has been noted previously, the Canucks are running a very light front office these days. There was an audit of all team operations this past season, even on things like community programs which cost the team little, looking for savings.

It was notable, for instance, that even as the 2018-19 season wound to a close, the team’s awards board in the hallway outside the dressing room hadn’t been updated since 2017. Not a big deal for the players — Brock Boeser probably doesn’t care that his name isn’t on the wall in recognition of him winning the 2018 NHL All-Star Game MVP — but it does feel a little like the old story of Van Halen’s “no brown M&Ms in our dressing room” request on their concert rider.

It wasn’t about being absurd, or asking for things just-because, rather it was a leading indicator about the venue they were signing with: If their 1145680 Websites passes very well. Look at this play where he corrals a saucer pass in a perfect shooting position and launches it top shelf.

Or in this instance where Caufield catches the puck while breaking down The Athletic / Why you shouldn’t underestimate prospect Cole Caufield the wing, and without making a second touch and fending off a check, lets the puck roll up his stick into shooting position and then launches an absolute rocket off the crossbar from an awkward position. By Corey Pronman May 29, 2019 On this play, Caufield receives the puck and makes five incredibly quick touches with the intent to both evade a check and get the puck into shooting position. This is the type of play he made often. USNTDP winger Cole Caufield scored 72 goals in 64 games this season between the USHL, NCAA and international play, so he obviously merits In this instance, he must make at least a dozen touches on one rush, some consideration as a top prospect. while looking off a defender before firing a bullet off the iron. How quickly he handles the puck is very deceptive for a defender to read what he’s One of the best goal-scorers to become eligible for the draft in recent trying to do. years, Caufield is No. 5 on my draft board. This final play is a good summary of his puck skills. Caufield makes a The Shot dangle to get past a defender, doesn’t complete the play, recovers the You are going to be shocked by the assertion that I believe a 72 goal puck, makes two or three quick touches to move into a good spot past a scorer has a pretty good shot. checker and the puck into a shooting position, and away it goes.

Now that we’ve gotten past that drama, let’s delve into that part of his Vision game. Caufield’s shot is special because of his wrist shot. It’s easy to look at the 28 assists versus 72 goals for Caufield and come “My shot is quick. My release is very quick, it fools goalies at times,” to the lazy conclusion he’s not a great passer, but Caufield sees the ice Caufield said. “I also think it’s very accurate. I can put pucks in places very well. that nobody else can in my opinion.” He often executes seam passes like these, especially when he’s set up It’s hard to argue when you see the tape. Caufield scored some absurd on the flank on the power play. goals this season. Picking corners where he gave goalies no chance. But he’s also shown the ability to make creative plays where he finds The two goals he scored this season that always come back to my mind teammates: both came from the February U18 5 Nations tournament. I wouldn’t call his playmaking his biggest strength, but I think it’s a very This first one versus the Czech Republic is an incredible snipe. good part of his game.

It almost seems like the puck teleports from Caufield’s stick to the top left “I like to have the puck. I want to make plays,” Caufield said. corner. How quickly and accurately that puck comes off his blade is Often Caufield is the shooter on his line or on the power play. Plays are unique. It’s shots like this that led to Caufield getting an 80 grade on his developed to finish on his stick so he’s asked to make these kinds of shot. The goalie had no chance to make this save. plays often. With that said, he has it in him, and if he doesn’t have a Jack Then there was this shot versus Sweden. Caufield gets the puck in a Hughes on his line, he can be a driver with his vision. tight spot, with a large goalie blocking most of the net except for a few Skating inches in the top corner. His shot is so quick I can’t even see it go in. I had to ask him after if it went top corner (it did). Picking a corner isn’t Caufield is a good skater. He’s above-average and at times I’ve seen novel, but to do it at that angle, with that little space, and to have it go in flashes of high-end speed from him. It’s an area of debate about his as quickly as it did is another example of a special shot. game among scouts. Wroblewski pointed out how often Caufield gets breakaways and how well he pulls away from defenders with his speed. Goalies are never safe, as he can snipe a corner when they least expect it. At the end of the day, I gave Caufield’s skating a 55 grade, but it’s certainly a strength of his game. He’s probably not the most explosive 5- And he can snipe when in stride foot-7 forward you’ll ever see, but his speed doesn’t hold him back. Plus he can score in a variety of ways. He gets hard goals in the paint. The Inevitable Alex DeBrincat Comparison He’s good for regular breakaways. And he has a good one-timer. So the Alex DeBrincat comparison to Caufield is inevitable. I’ve had But his wrist shot is what makes him unique and is why Caufield is such dozens of conversation with hockey folks the past year about Caufield, a dangerous goal-scorer. and 95 percent of them had at least a passing mention of DeBrincat. Puck Skills When I asked Wroblewski if Caufield could be as good as DeBrincat, the Figuring out what to make of Caufield’s skill level was a two-year coach agreed, while mentioning he doesn’t know DeBrincat as well as endeavor for me. There were stretches where I didn’t see anything Caufield. particularly special about his puck game and touches, but I’ve grown to “I watched (DeBrincat) a lot when he was playing with Connor McDavid really appreciate that part of his game, giving his skill a 65 on the 20-80 in Erie and I fell in love with the type of player he is,” said Caufield. “I try scale, indicating I think it’s near elite level. to model my game a little bit after him. He’s a little more feisty.” “I’ve never seen purer hands coming through the NTDP. When he Caufield is a better skater than DeBrincat was at the same age and has catches a puck, it lays flat. Every pass or shot explodes off his stick. It’s more goals. The comparison is more interesting when you think of how not the flashy dangles, it’s pure, it’s clean,” said USNTDP coach John they are perceived. Wroblewski. There are some NHL scouts who are not enamored with Caufield. They Caufield has the flashy hands to make the cute plays. And despite his claim he doesn’t drive offense at an elite level, he’s the benefactor of reputation as a goal-scorer, he does have a lot of offensive creativity. Hughes and he’s not an elite skater for such a small player. These similar “His ability to create his own chances is a huge part of his game,” said claims were made about DeBrincat as he entered his draft season. Wroblewski. I was particularly high on DeBrincat when he was 18, ranking him 15th Here are examples of how he can dangle opponents: on my 2016 board, which in hindsight was still way too low and a clear error. I saw good feet but not elite, a high skill level but also nothing But what makes his hands stand out is, as Wroblewski specified, how special for 5-foot-7. I did like his elite sense, shot and tenacity. I didn’t pure his touches are. Caufield’s handles are so crisp. Every time he gets like how he played at the U20 level internationally. the puck he’s moving the puck back and forth very quickly to either confuse defenders or get it into shooting position. He catches tough The question then becomes does the fact Caufield is a highly skilled and mistake, I mentioned how an NHL executive who also missed on him quick 5-foot-7 forward but scores at an elite level circumvent any nitpicks said the lesson he learned was “don’t underrate goals.” about his game? I project Caufield to be a star NHL winger due to his world-class shot, his Maybe history isn’t repeating itself perfectly in this instance. They aren’t elite hands and his great hockey sense. He should be a regular on the 100 percent the same player, and their situations differed, but history is goal-scoring leaderboard in the NHL. rhyming here. Don’t underrate goals. Cole Caufield scored 72 goals. It’s a lot of goals. Production The Athletic LOADED: 05.30.2019 Caufield’s list of accolades is long. A 72-goal season for the USNTDP, destroying Auston Matthews’ record of 55 after scoring 54 in his U17 season. A six-goal game in the USHL. A 14-goal IIHF U18, tying Alex Ovechkin’s tournament record. Being named MVP of the U18s.

Caufield scored 29 goals in 28 USHL games. Only 25 U18 players have ever scored more goals in a USHL season. A USHL season is typically 60-plus games, which the NTDP 18s don’t come close to playing. He was arguably the best U18 goal scorer in the USHL since Thomas Vanek.

Did Hughes, his most frequent linemate, make Caufield? It’s hard to really do splits on how well they played apart because it was a rare occurrence this season.

“Does Cole need Jack on his line? No. Look at his production right after Jack got called up from the U17s to the U18s last December. Cole rattled off two or three hat trick in January,” argued Wroblewski.

Hughes is obviously a superior player, but there was certainly some give and take between the two players. It wasn’t like Hughes’ numbers were clearly better than Caufield’s indicating one player was lugging most of the weight. Caufield was only the fourth NTDP player to ever clear 100 points in a season, joining Hughes, Matthews and Clayton Keller.

Hockey World’s Impression

An NHL scout said: “Elite goal-scorer. I’ve seen him score every which way. He’s got quick hands, his knack for getting open is impressive. He’s got a bullet of a shot. He could play on an NHL power play right now.”

An NHL executive said: “He’s obviously a top goal scorer, but the most important point is that he scores goals in all different ways. He scores goals in the paint, off the half wall, off rushes, etc. The hardest thing to do in hockey is to score goals and he does that. Can’t teach that type of skill.”

An NHL scout said: “He’s the second best player on the NTDP this season. How many more did he need to score to prove to people how good he is?”

USNTDP U18 coach John Wroblewski said: “His shot is so accurate. He hits so many crossbars and elbows in practice it’s insane. He loves the game. He’s got a smile on his face all the time. Our goalies love stopping him, but they can’t do it.”

USNTDP teammate Jack Hughes said: “His shot can find the smallest openings. He can catch a pass, with no stick handle, and put it bar down. You give him two good looks, there’s a pretty good chance he’ll score on one. He has a drive to score every game. If he’s not scoring he’s pissed.”

And what will Hughes miss the most about playing with Caufield? “Easy points,” Hughes joked.

Cole Caufield said: “I try to find spots in the offensive zone that not many people can. I’m not the biggest guy, but I feel my shot and release are pretty elite. I don’t mean this in a cocky way, but I feel like I’m the best goal scorer in the draft.”

Projection

Caufield scored 72 goals this season. I’ve said it many times but it bears repeating. It bears repeating because it’s easy to pick apart his game. I’ve done it for two years. I’ve done it in conversations with scouts, coaches and fellow media members. And every time there’s a mention of the fact he doesn’t have the most elite speed or Johnny Gaudreau’s dangles, I would say to myself, “Yeah, but it’s a lot of goals.”

When he had that six-goal game against Green Bay, I wouldn’t have called any of them highlight reel goals. But it was still six goals. It’s a lot of goals.

Everyone makes mistakes. That’s a part of being human. You live and you learn. The learning being the key element in this discussion. You don’t want to make the same mistake twice. Caufield presents that opportunity. I underrated Alex DeBrincat. When I wrote about that 1145681 Websites straight feels like a missed opportunity. But in the bigger picture, this season was a massive win for a franchise that everyone was far too quick to count out.

The Athletic / Down Goes Brown: The 2019 playoff disappointment index #11: Dallas Stars

The Stars were right there. After earning a wild-card spot and then By Sean McIndoe May 29, 2019 upsetting the Predators, Dallas took the favored Blues to overtime of Game 7. Ben Bishop was having one of those goaltending performances for the ages, and it looked like everything was aligning for Dallas to steal a game and a series. Then Pat Maroon ended the dream, and the The Blues and Bruins continue the Stanley Cup final tonight and yay, season was over. wonderful, good for them. What about the rest of us? That’s a tough pill to swallow, especially while you watch the Blues play After all, it’s not easy to watch other teams (and fans) have all the fun. If in the final. But take a step back, and it’s hard to view the Stars’ your team didn’t make the playoffs at all, then there’s a chance you’ve postseason as any real kind of failure. If anything, given the chaos already checked out. It can be refreshingly stress-free to watch the around the team midway through the season, getting two rounds of postseason without having a horse in the race, but not many of us want playoff action feels like at least a minor victory. to hang around outside and stare into the window of a party we weren’t invited to. If you’ve spent the last six weeks ignoring the playoffs and just #10: Washington Capitals reloading Corey Pronman’s page instead, nobody could blame you. Any time you’re the defending champs, you expect to get out of the first And if you did have a team in the playoffs, you’re still furious over how round. Losing to a wild card – on home ice in a Game 7, no less – can’t they went out. I don’t even need to know what team you cheer for – I be anything but a disappointment. You only get so many opportunities to know that you think the refereeing was stacked against you, quite go back-to-back, and this one vanished quickly. possibly on the direct orders of Gary Bettman, and that the team that beat you are unworthy cretins who didn’t deserve a thing. We’re hockey So were Caps fans crushed? Maybe some were, sure. But most of them fans, sadness mixed with rage is what we do. are too busy smiling, because I just used the phrase “you’re the defending champs” to refer to their team, and it’s still true for at least a But not all exits are created equal, and some fans have a better claim at few more days. Winning a Cup doesn’t mean that you have to accept post-elimination misery than others. So today, let’s go through those 14 anything the hockey gods throw your way for the rest of your life. But less eliminated playoff teams and rank them from the least to the most than one year later? I’m guessing most Caps fans can roll with it. disappointment their fans should be feeling right now. We’ll start with the teams that might actually feel vaguely good about their playoff #9: Columbus Blue Jackets experience, and work our way down to the ones that should still be Man, this is a tough one. sobbing. On the one hand, the Blue Jackets just pulled off the best playoff run in It should be a real pick-me-up. Let’s get started. franchise history. Sure, that’s a low bar, but that’s the point – this team #14: Carolina Hurricanes had never won anything before, and after 18 seasons of misery you take what you can get. And they didn’t just win some random series, they Obviously, you want to win the Cup, and you’ll never be completely pulled off one of the greatest upsets of all-time. That’s amazing. satisfied with a season that ends any other way. But the Hurricanes did just about everything else they could have hoped for this year. They But on the other hand, the Blue Jackets went all-in at the trade deadline made it back to the postseason after a nine-year absence. They rebuilt a in a high-risk/high-reward gamble, and the reward they got wasn’t all that fan base in their market, and forged an identity beyond it. They knocked high. Sure, they made the playoffs and won a round, but they didn’t win off the defending Stanley Cup champions in a seven-game double- the Cup or come all that close. Ordinarily, that would be fine – you’re overtime thriller for the ages. And then they won another round on top of probably not going to win in any given season, and progress is progress. that. But they risked an awful lot for this one shot, and the results ended up being good but not great. It’s not a Cup, but for a franchise that had fallen on hard times over the last decade, it was the next best thing. The core is young, they’ve got Add it all up, and it feels like the Blue Jackets should be ranked either their coach, and their fans have been reminded how much fun hockey really high or really low on this list. I can’t figure out which it is, so I’m can be. Once the initial bitterness over a conference final loss fades, it slotting them in around the middle just to make sure nobody’s happy. will be hard to look back on this year and find all that much #8: Winnipeg Jets disappointment at all. There are two ways to look at the way the Jets playoff run quickly ended. #13: Colorado Avalanche The first is that the postseason was a disappointment, because this team The Avs were the only team that came into the playoffs having lost more was one year removed from 114 points and a trip to the conference final. games than they won. They weren’t even one of the top 16 teams in the The second is that it was the entire season that was the disappointment, regular season, having finished six points back of non-playoff Montreal. and that the actual playoffs went just about as we probably should have And they drew a first-round matchup against a Flames team that finished expected. Either way, the Jets head into the offseason facing some tough 17 points ahead of them. questions, and drained of much of the optimism that surrounded last year’s team. Given all of that, it’s hard to be too disappointed with how things worked out. The Avalanche didn’t just upset the Flames, they dominated Subsequently seeing the Blues go on a deep run suggests that the Jets stretches while knocking them off in five games. Then they took the star- may have lost to the best, which might help a little. But only a little. studded Sharks to seven before finally bowing out. #7: Nashville Predators

Sure, that seventh game included a waved-off goal on an offside review When I was making my rough draft for this list, I rattled off 13 teams and that was nit-picky and maybe even wrong, so there’s a decent dose of then realized I had forgotten that Nashville was even in the playoffs. what-might-have-been here. But ultimately, a young Avalanche team Does that make things better or worse? I’m guessing it’s worse. overachieved, setting the stage for future success. You’ll take that. Whichever way you look at it, 2018-19 was a step back for the Predators. #12: New York Islanders After a Cup final appearance in 2017 and a Presidents’ Trophy in 2018, Based on preseason expectations, the Islanders shouldn’t have been this year was just kind of … there. It wasn’t a bad season; they still anywhere near the playoffs, let alone the second round. But not only did finished first in the Central. But they never seemed to hit their stride, up they get there, they got to trounce one of their biggest rivals along the to and including a first-round matchup against the Stars that they should way. By the time the Islanders had sent the Penguins packing, anything have been heavy favorites in. It’s not quite panic time yet for Nashville, else they could do was going to seem like a bonus. but it’s getting there.

Unfortunately, that anything else ended up being not all that much. The #6: Toronto Maple Leafs Hurricanes seemed like a very winnable matchup, and falling in four When the Leafs made their third-straight first-round exit, a handful of the playoffs. Instead, the Penguins were swept aside by a team that viewpoints seemed to solidify within the fan base. Mike Babcock was a never beats anybody in April. bad coach. Kyle Dubas was an overmatched GM. William Nylander was a choker because he only had three points. Mitch Marner was a big- Needless to say, it’s all Phil Kessel’s fault. But those four games were a game warrior because he had, uh, four points. And pretty much the entire severe wakeup call for an aging team that still thought it had a few runs loss could all be blamed on Nazem Kadri, Jake Gardiner and, for reasons left in it. Ah well. At least they’re still alive for the other postseason title nobody is quite clear on, Garret Sparks. that matters.

None of it made all that much sense. So, business as usual in Toronto. #2: Tampa Bay Lightning

But six weeks later, the Bruins are leading the final, and nobody has I’m guessing at least a few of you were expecting to see the Lightning in given them as tough a series as the Leafs did. Does that change the top spot. anything? Should it? If you wanted to be an optimist, you could make the I’ll admit, their case is a strong one. No team went into the playoffs with case that this year’s Leafs were this close to going deep, and maybe higher expectations, and no team failed to reach them more even all the way. spectacularly. The Lightning’s first-round sweep at the hands of the Blue But here’s the thing: being this close might be encouraging for the front Jackets wasn’t just the most shocking result of this year’s playoffs, it’s in office, but for a fan base that’s waited 52 years and counting for a Cup the conversation for the most shocking result ever, from any postseason win, it kind of sucks. For all the talk of scary powerhouses like the in any sport. Lightning, Penguins and Capitals, it turns out that the path out of the East And just like that, in the span of a single week, the Lightning went from went through a pair of wild-card teams in Columbus and Carolina. The the league’s model franchise to a team in turmoil. Is the core Leafs just had to find a way to win one more game against a Bruins team fundamentally flawed? Is the Jack Adams nominee behind the bench that wasn’t firing on all cylinders yet. It was all there for the taking. And even a good coach? Should they just blow it all up and start over? It all then it wasn’t. made for a stunning reminder of how brutal the NHL playoffs can be.

Will it be there again? Maybe. This is a young team, and the Bruins So why not rank the Lightning first? You could certainly make the case. themselves are proof that windows can stay open longer than we might But the one (and only) benefit of being the first team out of the think. But nothing is guaranteed in this league, and it’s going to be hard postseason is that it gives you plenty of time to reflect. And if Lightning for Leafs fans not to spend the summer wondering what one more save fans have been doing that – as opposed to, say, curling up in the fetal from Frederik Andersen or a few more minutes of ice time for the stars or position under the couch until October – then they’d be able to find at one more iota of self-control from Kadri might have added up to. least a few positives to go forward with. The team is still young, most of #5: Vegas Golden Knights the key pieces are locked in, and they may be able to get even better. Unless they get silly and really do start trying to detonate this thing, the Well that was the worst playoff run in franchise history. Lightning are going to get another shot at a Cup. Probably several.

Granted, that’s not saying much. But after a 2018 run where just about That might feel like a mixed blessing for Lightning fans, many of whom everything seemed to go right until they reached the final, Golden might not mind if the team never made them live through another playoff Knights fans got a taste of how the other side lives this year. They drew a run again. But other teams have been through this sort of tough matchup, earned a 3-1 series lead, and then watched it all fall disappointment, stuck with the plan, and come out on the other side as apart. And of course, there was an epic collapse on home ice in Game 7, champions. There is hope to be found. one that was helped along by one of the worst calls in recent memory. The Lightning’s first-round exit was devastating, and hockey fans will be Knights fans don’t have the decades of built-up misery that other fan talking about it (and making fun of it) for years to come. There’s no bases have, and until a few weeks ago you could have made the case sugar-coating any of that. But at least the window is still wide open. And that they’d never had to endure any real hockey-related misery at all. But that’s enough, just barely, to keep the Lightning out of the top spot. they got a heaping dose in Round 1. Welcome to the club. #1: San Jose Sharks #4: Calgary Flames The Lightning will be back. Will the Sharks? If you’d gone up to a Flames fan in the offseason and offered them a first-round exit in the coming season, they’d have at least thought about That’s the question, and right now there are no easy answers. Their taking it. After all, they’d missed the playoffs in seven of the last nine captain, their big offseason acquisition, and their all-time greatest player years, including 2018. With a new coach in place and a young-ish roster, are all free agents, and right now we don’t know for sure if any of them just making the postseason at all could be the sort of baby steps that will return. And of the core players who are signed, most of them have fans could accept. got the kind of long-term deals that can make it difficult to rebuild on the fly. But this list isn’t based on how fans were feeling back in September. In April, Flames fans had just seen the team rack up 107 points and first So where do the Sharks go from here? The hockey world is generally too place in the Pacific, earning a first-round meeting with a 38-win team that quick to start talking about windows slamming shut, and we’ve jumped should have served as a warmup for tougher matchups down the road. the gun before. But this really does feel like the end of an era in San Jose. And if so, it’s an era that would end with an almost two-decade Instead, they managed to win just one game. That was one more than streak of regular season excellence, several long playoff runs, too many some other contenders in a first round that didn’t make any sense, but it heartbreaking short ones, and not a single Stanley Cup. was still a disastrous result for a team that looked like they could be a Cup contender. And to make it all the more painful, this year’s Sharks were right there. After surviving a pair of Game 7s, thanks in parts to some lucky breaks, Maybe this year is just the start for this team – the year that the core had there was a sense of destiny starting to develop. They were the favorites the kind of season they’re capable of, then learned a harsh but over the Blues. They might have been against the Bruins too. It was all necessary lesson about winning in the playoffs. Maybe we look back on it there for the taking. All those years of flukes and chokes and gut as a positive someday. Or maybe we see it as a giant missed opportunity punches were all going to add up to the ultimate finale, where the Sharks for a team that was never going to be in a better position, and still came and their fans could exorcise the ghosts and light that big beautiful away empty. bonfire and watch Joe Thornton finally get that lap with the Cup. This was the payoff, two decades in the making. If you’ve followed sports all your #3: Pittsburgh Penguins life, you can tell when the script is being written.

It’s one thing to lose. Fifteen out of 16 playoff teams do it eventually And then the last scene played out one act too early, and it was all over. every season, and the Penguins weren’t exactly heavy favorites to win it Hell, the 2018-19 Sharks didn’t even get a dramatic death scene. No all. But to win a game? Yeah, most of us were expecting that. seventh game. No overtime. Just a bunch of guys all getting hurt at the And if we’re being honest, most of us were expecting them to win a same time, and a depleted lineup losing three straight, outscored 10-1 in round. Even without home ice, the Penguins felt like a solid pick to knock Games 5 and 6. off the Islanders. After all, most of these guys have multiple Cup rings, Maybe that was all the part of the script, and they keep the band together and we’ve always been told that knowing how to win is what matters in for one more shot next year, and that’s when it all finally pays off. But maybe it just doesn’t, because it’s not a script at all, and that means that sometimes you force yourself to keep believing for years and even decades and then none of it turns out to have been worth it.

Depressing? Yeah. But they’re used to it in San Jose. They’ve been feeling some version of this for years. Now the question is whether this year’s loss was the exclamation mark that finally ends the story.

The Athletic LOADED: 05.30.2019 1145682 Websites For Plager, now a Blues ambassador, it feels like a chance to write a better ending. He thought back to the first three Stanley Cup Final appearances for the expansion-era Blues — his teams that failed to take Sportsnet.ca / Unlikely hero delivers Blues a victory a half-century in the even a game from powerhouses in Montreal (1968, 1969) and Boston making (1970), and were just happy to be there. This time it’s different.

The 76-year-old Original Blue gets so nervous that he usually paces around the press box rather than watching the games and was beaming Chris Johnston | May 29, 2019 in the excited aftermath outside the visiting dressing room.

This was a game St. Louis had to win and they erased two deficits to do it. Alex Pietrangelo, the Blues captain, approached Plager afterwards and BOSTON — Time folded on itself for Bob Plager. Back here in Boston, in said: “Sweatin’ or what?” the Garden, in the Stanley Cup Final. Back here for a game where a left- shot defenceman wearing No. 4 froze the clock in overtime. “My legs are gone,” Plager replied. “But it’s worth it.”

There aren’t many (any?) similarities between Carl Gunnarsson and Sportsnet.ca LOADED: 05.30.2019 Bobby Orr. At least there weren’t for the original St. Louis Blue until he saw Gunnarsson deliver a victory a half-century in the making.

“[Sweater] number,” said Plager. “And a winning goal in this building in overtime.”

Orr’s clinched the 1970 Stanley Cup for the Boston Bruins and produced an iconic celebration that is now commemorated with a statue outside TD Garden. Gunnarsson’s tied this championship series 1-1 on Wednesday and boosted the Blues’ chances of lifting that trophy for the first time ever.

It came after a physical, grinding Game 2 that nearly saw the unheralded Swedish defenceman score late in regulation. He beat Tuukka Rask clean with two minutes to play, but the Bruins goaltender was saved by his right goal post.

In the break before overtime, Gunnarsson and Blues head coach Craig Berube had an encounter that will go down in Stanley Cup lore. They ended up crossing paths in the washroom — of all places — when Gunnarsson called his shot.

“Berube came in and said that he used the pisser after the third period, and Gunnarsson came and stood next to him,” said Blues forward Oskar Sundqvist. “And all Gunnarsson said to him was ‘I just need one more chance.’

“It’s true, apparently. It worked out.”

“I can’t deny that,” said Gunnarsson. “That’s where it happened, so that makes it even more fun, I guess. It’s a good story.”

The 3-2 winner came with an extra attacker out and a delayed penalty about to be called. That produced chaos in the Bruins zone while Gunnarsson hammered a point shot over Rask’s glove and up under the bar at 3:51.

“It’s a shot that all of us defencemen, we practice every pre-game skate,” said Joel Edmundson. “So it was nice to see that go in and it couldn’t happen to a better guy.”

Gunnarsson had to be the least likely player to end it. He had never previously scored in 56 career playoff games and he’s only managed to put three pucks on net this entire spring.

Then you factor in that the 32-year-old was a healthy scratch as recently as the Western Conference Final and only appeared in 25 regular- season games during a season that started a month late because of surgery to repair a torn ACL in his left knee.

“No doubt,” said Gunnarsson, when asked if it was the biggest goal of his life. “I don’t score too many. Nothing comes even close, so it’s a pretty good feeling right now.”

Berube chuckled when asked if he even believed Gunnarsson when he told him he was one more chance away from tying the series. The veteran coach appreciated the expression of belief on a night where the native of Orebro, Sweden had been bumped into the Blues top-four because of Edmundson’s struggles.

“He had a hell of a game, I thought, and I’m really happy for him that he ended up getting that game-winner,” said Berube. “He hit the post in the third there and he felt good about himself obviously, which he should have.”

It’s a hell of a story — the kind these Blues have become accustomed to penning. They were at the bottom of the NHL standings on Jan. 3 and will now host a Stanley Cup Final game on June 1. 1145683 Websites Sure, skill is still very much on display — Vladimir Tarasenko’s second- effort backhand goal was a wow moment — but late May is no time for the faint of heart.

Sportsnet.ca / 'Big-boy hockey' alive and well in 2019 Stanley Cup Final Through three rounds, the average NHL playoff game featured 51.5 hits.

Game 1 of the final brought 65 of them.

Luke Fox | May 30, 2019, 1:57 AM Game 2? Eighty-one, 50 by an unapologetic, resilient St. Louis squad that forechecked with aggression and bullied to the net according to a top-down identity that starts with coach Craig Berube. BOSTON – The 2019 Stanley Cup Final is just two games old, and already two players have been checked with such force, they haven’t “We’re a physical hockey team,” Berube said. “We’re going to play returned. physical.”

Wednesday’s 3-2 St. Louis Blues overtime victory was a gritty, thrilling, Regardless of the legality of the Sundqvist hit, Grzelcyk’s early absence dangerous reminder that big-boy hockey is alive and well. gave the Blues a distinct advantage.

It will rip your helmet off, run your goalie, cut you open, mock you to your Down to five D-men, the Bruins copped to fatigue, mental and otherwise. face, and flirt with suspension. And it just might help you throw a 34.5- Zdeno Chara, at age 42, needed to log 25:45 of ice time. Krug played 26 pound hunk of silver into the air. minutes, and Charlie McAvoy 27.

“It was a man’s game. It was an in-your-face battle of the wills. And they “We’re a pretty conditioned group, but it does play a factor to not have his got the better of it,” said Boston banger David Backes. The former Blues presence on the bench. He’s a positive, upbeat guy. He moves the puck captain can now be seen shouldering his old teammates to the mat. really well,” Brandon Carlo said. “His presence is definitely missed.”

“If we were all friends smiling out there, then we wouldn’t be doing the Without Grzelcyk’s clean breakout passes and 16 minutes of work, game justice. This is the pinnacle of the game. This is for the ultimate Cassidy figures the Bruins fell into trouble in their own end. prize. I don’t think there’s anybody that’s enjoying anyone on the opposition at the moment. That’s the way the hockey game should be. I “Get our forwards going through the neutral zone is a strength of our think there should be an element of desperation on both teams’ part. It’s game, so we lost some of that element,” Cassidy said. “I think it showed.” the Stanley Cup Final.” The momentum has seesawed already, violently so. That it is, and with the Blues digging in something beautiful/ugly for the franchise’s first-ever Round 4 victory, the animosity is real. The combatants now have two days to lick their wounds and prepare for the next battle. On Monday, it was Torey Krug’s helmetless steamrolling of Blues teenager Robert Thomas that commanded the most replays. Game 3 goes Saturday in St. Louis. It will be loud and angry, mean and wonderful. On Wednesday — at least as far as the NHL’s department of player safety is concerned — it will be Oskar Sundqvist’s first-period smashing “That’s what makes the Stanley Cup Final fun,” Marchand said. “It’s of an awkwardly-twisting Matt Grzelcyk face-first into the glass. (No word exciting. It’s competitive.” on a hearing yet, but the DOPS is taking a close look.) Keep your head up.

After getting crumpled in the same corner where his father, John, a Sportsnet.ca LOADED: 05.30.2019 longtime member of the TD Garden’s ice crew, watches the games, Grzelcyk hit the deck and stayed down for a few minutes before leaving the match on his feet, with some assistance from a trainer. The defenceman was taken to the hospital for further evaluation.

Sundqvist was given a penalty for boarding on the play, one of 10(!) minors the Blues have committed in this series. He refused to comment on the check.

“I don’t think that’s a hit we want in our game. It’s from behind, elevated, into his head, into the glass. If that’s a two-minute penalty, I think there’s going to be a shortage of defencemen in this series by the end of it,” Backes said.

“If I’m making that hit, I’m probably watching from the bleachers for a few, but we’ll see what happens with their player.”

Added Brad Marchand: “The video shows. We’ll see which way the media spins it.”

Vowing to drive more bodies to the paint, the Blues also committed two goalie interference infractions in this one, as both Sammy Blais and Jordan Schwartz knocked Conn Smythe favourite Tuukka Rask on his rear end and into his cage.

Zdeno Chara’s left arm was bleeding something gruesome when he blocked a shot to hold the lead in Game 1.

In Game 2, Tyler Bozak’s face was opened up by a Connor Clifton blade, and Joakim Nordstrom summoned a standing ovation by fearlessly throwing his body in front of Colton Parayko slappers. The evening’s best centre, Brayden Schenn, threw a game-high eight hits himself, and Marchand was spotted mocking Patrick Maroon with a cry-me-a-river gesture.

We should probably expect this mix irreverent venom and smashmouthery when ruthless Patriots coach Bill Belichick waves the Spoked B flag in the stands before puck drop and NFL owner Robert Kraft gets off his seat and twirls a rally towel to rile the locals mid-game. 1145684 Websites JAMIE BENN

Unlike with Kessel, there doesn’t seem to be anything imminent here with Benn. And maybe this one isn’t likely at all. But if you think back to Sportsnet.ca / 10 blockbuster NHL trade candidates you'll hear about this December and CEO Jim Lites ripping into his star players — specifically summer Benn and Tyler Seguin — for a lack of scoring production, the roots may be there for a summer trade. The Athletic’s Sean Shapiro, who was present when Lites went off, suggested the primary target for those Rory Boylen | May 29, 2019, 12:53 PM remarks was Benn.

“Seguin may have been ripped, but his attempted public shaming was a side effect of the Scud missile aimed at Benn,” Shapiro wrote. “The Stars’ Once the Stanley Cup Final ends we’ll quickly find ourselves in the captain was the true target of Lites’ comments; it was just convenient to middle of the NHL’s “silly season.” include Seguin in the ripping, since he was recently signed to a similar Just after the draft passes the free agent negotiation window will open, contract.” during which time any player with an expiring contract can talk with other Benn’s contract would certainly be the catalyst to any move, but also teams to gauge what the market for their services will be, though no new what could thwart anything from happening. He has full no-trade deals can be signed until July 1. protection and will make $13 million in salary next season. That’s a lot of In the meantime, the trade rumour mill is already picking up steam. In the money for someone who’s not posting the same offensive totals he did off-season teams can go as much as 10 per cent over the salary cap as when he first signed. they adjust their rosters to make things work so it makes the possibility of The Program big player movement more likely than during the season. May 14: Jamie Benn controls his future in Dallas There is no shortage of player names being thrown around as potential summer trade candidates, whether for cap reasons or just because their May 14 2019 teams are seeking a new look for 2019-20. So today we wanted to focus on some of the biggest names you’ll hear in the rumour mill this summer Audio Player who, if they were moved, would constitute a blockbuster trade. Your browser does not support the audio element.

Ryan Dixon and Rory Boylen go deep on pucks with a mix of facts and He still has six years remaining on a deal that pays $9.5 million against fun, leaning on a varied group of hockey voices to give their take on the the cap and managed only 53 points this season — his lowest total in an country’s most beloved game. 82-game season since 2011-12. Benn signed this contract in July of PHIL KESSEL 2016, just after he put up 41 goals and 89 points and one season after he won the Art Ross Trophy with 87 points. But in the three years since he’s The door has already been opened for this trade. Heck, had Kessel scored 30 goals and 70 points once — reaching 36 and 79 in 2017-18. waived his partial no-trade clause to go back to the state in which he played college hockey, he’d already be a member of the Minnesota Wild. Benn will turn 30 this July so it’s reasonable to suspect his prime years But Kessel can supply the Penguins with a list of eight teams to which he are in the past. Right now he is the fourth-highest paid winger in the would accept a deal and the Wild were not on it. game, behind only , Alex Ovechkin and Nikita Kucherov, but while each of them are top 10 in scoring over the past three years, Benn “I’d heard things went badly last season between him and the comes in at 32nd. organization, and this confirms it,” Elliotte Friedman wrote in his most recent 31 Thoughts column. “He knows he will be traded because there’s From the moment of Lites’ comments through to the end of the regular no benefit to staying, but he’s going to make sure it is on his terms if the season, Seguin became better than a point per game player, but Benn Penguins want to send him anywhere other than his eight-team list.” managed just 23 points in 41 games. He did have a strong playoff run, which could cool any trade possibility, but if CEO Lites and owner Tom What would the Penguins be looking for in a potential return? The Gaglardi remain unimpressed with their second-highest paid player, they rumoured trade to Minnesota was Kessel and defenceman Jack Johnson may want to move on from him after 10 years and just two series wins. If for centre Victor Rask and winger Jason Zucker, so that would indicate it comes to that, it’d be Benn’s call whether or not that becomes a reality. the Pens are looking for scoring to compensate for the loss of their third- highest goal scorer and second-highest point getter from this season. “We are a stars-driven league, and our stars aren’t getting it done,” Lites said in December. “It’s embarrassing, and no one writes it.” But there may also end up being a need for a blueliner. Aside from Johnson’s name being attached in this potential deal, Olli Maatta has If the Stars do trade Benn, they’d have to bring back a return that would been mentioned in the rumour mill as well. Following Pittsburgh’s loss in somehow improve their offence. The Stars ranked 27th in goals this the first round of the playoffs, Kris Letang’s name was also out there season and have struggled to form a secondary line. Keeping pending (along with Evgeni Malkin) but those seem to have cooled. UFA Mats Zuccarello would go a long way to helping them achieve that and dealing Benn would just open up more questions. The Vancouver Cap space is also something GM Jim Rutherford needs to somehow get Canucks, Benn’s home team, have been linked to him in rumours, but this summer. Assuming the salary cap rises to $83 million, the Penguins what exactly would they be able to give up that would fill Dallas’ needs? have just $3.2 million in cap space with only 18 players signed. A year from now RFAs Matt Murray and Jared McCann will be seeking new The Playbook deals, as will UFA Justin Schultz. Trading Jamie Benn could be an option for the Dallas Stars this summer

But if Kessel isn’t open to going to Minnesota, where else might the May 14 2019 Penguins look to do business? The Arizona Coyotes are another potential fit. Their head coach, Rick Tocchet, connected very well with Audio Player Kessel when he was an assistant coach with the Penguins for the first two years Kessel was with the team. The only potential issue there is that Your browser does not support the audio element. the Coyotes are in the midst of finalizing an ownership change. P.K. SUBBAN

Kessel on Arizona Coach Rick Tocchet: "He's a good guy, we're The Predators’ window to win probably isn’t closed yet, but it’s obvious buddies. We get along well. We like the same kind of things." some change is needed. They finished with the 19th-ranked offence and — Pittsburgh Penguins (@penguins) November 6, 2017 a 12.9 per cent power play that was one of the worst units of the salary cap era. They have about $7.1 million in cap space with 21 players Whatever happens, it seems a near certainty Kessel will be moved at signed and no big, outstanding contracts this summer, but that picture some point this summer, possibly before next month’s draft. He has three becomes cloudier a year from now. more seasons left on his contract and would cost $6.8 million against the cap if Pittsburgh doesn’t retain any salary. Over the past four seasons, In the summer of 2020 the Preds will have three big-ticket contracts up. Kessel’s 110 goals are tied for the 28th most in the NHL. Captain Roman Josi will command a large raise up from his current team-friendly $4 million hit, while Craig Smith and Mikael Granlund, who already combine for $10 million against the cap, will both be UFA eligible. right through the arbitration process, which rarely happens in the league That Nashville didn’t look like the contender they had for a few years by because most of the time the player and team reach a new contract the end of the regular season is reason enough to take a long, hard look before going in front of the arbiter. They came out of that with a one year at the roster this summer. Their offensive struggles make it even more deal, which brings us to today. likely something will happen to bring change. The cap crunch a year from now is a great indicator that GM David Poile, who isn’t at all shy about So has anything changed from Trouba’s perspective? The time to commit making a blockbuster swing, will do something big again. is now, so would he be open to a multi-year extension this time?

The Playbook “Same answer as always,” he said at Winnipeg’s locker clean out. “We’ll figure it out once things get going in the summer, what’s best, and move Will the Canucks target P.K. Subban? forward from there. We gotta sit down, have a meeting and figure out what to do moving forward. I haven’t really thought about it. I tried to put May 21 2019 it in the back of my mind as much as I could this year.”

Audio Player Trouba is again arbitration eligible, but if there’s no deal to be had Your browser does not support the audio element. beyond one season Jets GM Kevin Cheveldayoff has to at least explore the possibility of trading him. But he won’t be an easy player to part with. “I’m not discouraged. I’m just disappointed,” Poile told Pierre LeBrun. Trouba’s coming off a career season in which he was the only Jets “And I’m ready to go on for next year. I don’t know what’s going to blueliner to play all 82 games, while his average ice time rose by a full happen exactly. Last year I pretty well said we weren’t going to make any minute over 2017-18. He was used heavily across all even strength, changes. I’m not saying that this year. I’m also not saying we’re going to power play and penalty kill situations and the 50 points he posted set a totally re-make our team.” new personal best.

With Josi, P.K. Subban, Mattias Ekholm and Ryan Ellis, plus 20-year-old As a player he holds tons of value. A right shot defenceman in the middle first-round pick Dante Fabbro knocking on the door, the Preds’ clearly of his prime, coming off his best season. But without a contract extension have a strength on the blue line, so it’s natural to assume they’d pull that value is stunted to some degree as he could walk away from anyone someone from there to make an addition up front. Poile did this exactly in in 2020. 2016 when he sent Seth Jones to Columbus for centre Ryan Johansen and it might be time to dust off that playbook. So the question becomes, will Cheveldayoff be able to find a trade partner willing to give up something the Jets need? Would he have to When looking for a trade candidate on Nashville it really could be any sweeten the pot to turn this into a bigger deal? Or will Winnipeg’s GM just number of players. But because Subban makes $9 million against the decide to keep Trouba for a year and use him as a sort of rental in cap and doesn’t have any trade protection he is their best trade chip. another push for the Cup — maybe hoping a solid run will convince him Maybe we have to wait until Josi signs his new deal — thus ensuring to stay? stability — before Subban or any other blueliner moves. Josi’s eligible to sign that extension on July 1. Winnipeg has $25.3 million in projected cap room, but with , Patrik Laine and Trouba all needing new deals that will vanish in a hurry. JONATHAN QUICK Something is going to happen to this roster over the summer and Trouba has the clearest route out. The Kings are in a transition period and when they return to the playoffs again, you can expect their lineup and style of play to be much different “Is the team going to be the same?” Cheveldayoff said after the Jets than it was when they were contending. were eliminated. “I could stand here last year, and tell you with greater certainty that there was going to be a lot of pieces that we were going to When you think clutch playoff performers Quick’s name will be one of the do our darndest to keep, and come back. And even then, you saw we first that comes to mind. The acrobatic netminder has a .922 playoff save couldn’t do it all. This year, certainly there is going to be some changes.” percentage since winning his first Stanley Cup in 2012 and his .946 save rate in that championship run is the best mark of the modern era. But DOUGIE HAMILTON/ JUSTIN FAULK with the Kings looking for a new identity, it may be time to move on from their No. 1. If the Hurricanes dive into the trade market this summer they have the same needs and strengths as usual. They are absolutely stacked on the Making this palatable is the fact 27-year-old Jack Campbell outplayed blue line already and have a couple more knocking on the door in Jake Quick this season. The 11th overall pick from the 2010 NHL Draft had a Bean and Haydn Fleury. Up front, their offence did start clicking in the .928 save percentage in 31 games compared to Quick’s .888 mark in 46 second half of the season and from Jan. 1 on only the Tampa Bay games. Cal Petersen, 24, even showed well with a .924 save rate in his Lightning scored more than Rod Brind’Amour’s charges. But in the 11 games, so without Quick Los Angeles could move forward with a playoffs their goals per game dropped to 2.6, which ranked 10th among couple of younger, cheaper and capable netminders. the 16 teams. Nino Niederreiter, who was acquired via trade and scored in bunches right away, scored just once in 15 post-season games. There may be some value to be had for an acquiring team, too. Quick counts for $5.8 million against the cap for another four seasons, but in Their offence definitely improved and Sebastian Aho (who needs a new the final three years of that deal his actual salary adds up to just $9 contract by the way) is still on the rise. But the Canes aren’t “there” yet in million. There are injury and age concerns — Quick will turn 34 next terms of their up-front weaponry. They’re not desperate to make a deal season — but if the Kings retain some salary it would be a risk worth this summer — and aren’t necessarily shopping these players — but if an taking. The Kings would also be able to get more in return. It’s just that opportunity arises GM Don Waddell also isn’t in position to turn down an acquiring team would want to already have a solid and proven goalie scorers. They just made it to the conference final in their first playoff in place to offset some of the performance/health risk. appearance in a decade — it’s time to build on that success.

“I don’t think we (will) concentrate as much on what we did in the past, as Hamilton’s name is no stranger to trade rumours. They followed him in much as what we’re going to be doing, going forward,” GM Boston and Calgary and earlier this season it again popped up — albeit told The Athletic following the Jake Muzzin trade to Toronto. “I can’t before the Hurricanes started to surge. speculate on how many (moves) or what. Like I said, every move that we will make will be for the future, to get better. We’ve got to find a way to “[A] name I’m curious about is Dougie Hamilton,” Sportsnet’s Elliotte get better.” Friedman said on Hockey Night in Canada in January. “They have four right-shot defencemen, they’ve been asked about Hamilton. If you’re willing to come back to them with a scorer I think that they would consider doing it.” It’s come to this. Trouba watch has been ongoing in Winnipeg for a few years and now that he’s 13 months away from being a 26-year-old Because of this log jam at the position something will have to give this eligible for unrestricted free agency, we’re nearing a conclusion. One way summer. Fleury, 22, is no longer waiver eligible so it may be as simple as or another. moving him in a deal, which would fall well below the level of “blockbuster.” But Faulk is one season away from being a UFA so when It really started in 2016 when Trouba and the Jets were engaged in a that extension can be signed on July 1, the team will have a good idea if contract dispute that wasn’t resolved until the defenceman inked a short, the cost fits with their structure. And Hamilton will be UFA eligible in two-year deal in November. When that lapsed, Trouba and the Jets went 2021. If everyone stays that blue line will suddenly become very expensive — very well could turn into a bargain at $6.9 million and just finished as the the better option may be to get out ahead of that conundrum and use a leading scorer at the World Championship. At least with Marner you’d be strength to acquire a need now. trading him while his value is in the stratosphere.

EVGENI MALKIN The point is, all options are on the table as the Leafs have to wrestle with the cap. And if other teams start negotiating with Marner this summer It’s tradition! and start setting his market, it may be in Toronto’s interest to explore OK so we won’t spend much time here on Malkin because this is the boy alternative outcomes. who cried wolf of trade rumours. Whenever the Penguins don’t win the Sportsnet.ca LOADED: 05.30.2019 Stanley Cup, it seems Malkin’s name is one of the first to hit the rumour mill in the summer and of course, he hasn’t been moved once yet.

But this time — this time is…different?

“I’m not at the point where I’m making any decision on that at this point,” GM Jim Rutherford told The Athletic when asked if Malkin was a part of the Penguins’ long-term plans. “I just can’t answer that kind of question right now.”

On the 31 Thoughts Podcast Elliotte Friedman noted this could all be an exercise to motivate Malkin for next season. But while he was disengaged at times this season and started trying to force things out of frustration, it’s easy to forget Malkin still managed 72 points in 68 games. He will turn 33 years old in July, though, and has three years left with a $9.5 million AAV that is a bargain.

This wouldn’t be a rebuild trade. If Malkin is moved the Penguins would only do it if they think they’re improving and re-arranging for another Cup run. That screams blockbuster.

A weekly deep dive into the biggest hockey news in the world with hosts Elliotte Friedman and Jeff Marek. New episodes every Thursday.

WILLIAM NYLANDER/ MITCH MARNER

Yes, yes we know. GM Kyle Dubas has made it clear he is confident about his ability to sign all of his best young players coming out of entry- level deals and keep the band together. And to be honest, we’d be surprised if one of these players moved on in the summer. But the question has to be asked, the possibilities explored. Because if Marner really will test the market as an RFA and shoot for a big-money contract at $11 million or more you have to legitimately wonder: a) if he’s worth that price point, especially on a team that will be capped out for a while. b) if the offer sheet compensation of four first round picks holds more value than whatever you’d get back in a trade. c) how the Leafs could work their cap magic to keep all their best players without hurting depth.

Assuming an $83 million salary cap, Toronto heads into the summer with $8.79 million in space. Another $5.3 million opens up if Nathan Horton gets put on LTIR (which he wasn’t in 2018-19) so now we’re up to $14.09 million. Marner can reasonably be expected to eat up $9-10 million, but at the high end will go another for one or two million. Andreas Johnsson and Kasperi Kapanen are also RFAs and there are only five signed defencemen on the roster.

The Leafs are facing a cap crunch, there’s no doubt about that. If they have to move out a player or two it may be someone like Johnsson or Kapanen who goes first, but again, it’s all about what that next contract for Marner looks like. Will he set a new benchmark for a winger and earn more than Patrick Kane’s league-high $10.5 million?

“Everything’s possible,” Chris Johnston said on the FAN 590, when asked if the Leafs could trade Marner. “I think if you get to a point where Mitch Marner missed camp and it’s clear there’s going to be no deal, the two sides are operating in different universes, I think at minimum you have to explore that possibility. Especially because the offer sheet seems to be something that there’s some interest in exploring from Mitch Marner’s side of things should he get to July 1, so I think it would only be due diligence to at least know what you might do.

“I just think that’s still, I have to stress, not the likely option here. But I don’t think it can be ruled out entirely because there’s only so much money to go around in the cap world.”

And if the Leafs explore moving out one of their higher-end wingers it doesn’t have to be Marner. Yes, Dubas told Nylander that he wouldn’t be traded when his contract impasse ended last November, but this is a business and Nylander doesn’t have any trade protection. The thing is, you’d be selling him low right now after a 27-point season, but Nylander 1145685 Websites of the game in the second period. Grzelcyk went to a local hospital for observation after his head bounced off the glass.

Sundqvist offered “no comment” on his hit, which was deemed worthy of TSN.CA / Washroom prediction sets stage for Gunnarsson’s OT magic a minor penalty for boarding.

This all-square series has all the makings now of a gruelling, Frank Seravalli heavyweight slugfest that many thought it would be.

“It was a man’s game, it was an in-your-face kind of battle of the wills and I think they got the better of it,” Bruins forward David Backes said. “There BOSTON — Carl Gunnarsson was in his full equipment when he saddled were a lot more confrontations, I thought. They carried the play a lot up next to coach Craig Berube at the urinal before overtime and pulled more. Now it’s a best of five. This is probably not going to be the last see- out his prediction. saw effect that goes on in this series.”

It was huge. Gunnarsson had just pinged the post in the final two minutes The Blues trailed two separate times in Game 2. They stared down a 2-0 of regulation, but hadn’t scored a single playoff goal in his first 56 career series deficit, and talk of a Bruins sweep, and they kept pushing in the contests. third period. They controlled the bulk of the play in the second half of the game, outshooting Boston by a 37-23 margin overall. “He said he just needed one more shot,” Berube said. “We weren’t happy with Game 1,” Sundqvist said. “I think we lost our The first-ever intermission urinal conversation etched in Stanley Cup lore game a little bit. We went into this game talking about playing our game. I set the stage for the first-ever St. Louis Blues win in the Final. think we did a pretty good job.” “Yeah, I can’t deny that. That’s where it happened,” Gunnarsson said. “It Rookie sensation Jordan Binnington rebounded from two five-hole goals makes it even more fun, I guess.” against to win for the 10th time (10-2) this season following a loss. He did Call it the washroom chat heard ‘round the hockey world. Or the Boston what Hall of Famers Glenn Hall and Jacques Plante could not, be the first Pee Party. Whatever you want. At this time of year, it’s only weird if it netminder to backstop the Blues to a Cup Final win. doesn’t work. St. Louisan Patrick Maroon said Blues fans have been waiting “a long Gunnarsson’s aim was perfect. The unassuming Swede played the time” for that win. It was 18,858 days to be exact, since the Blues played unlikely hero when he rifled a one-timer just under the crossbar 3:51 into the first game in franchise history in 1967. the extra session, earning the Blues a split in this best-of-seven Stanley We have ourselves a series now, all thanks to Gunnarsson’s confidence Cup Final in a 3-2 triumph Wednesday night. at the urinal. Guess you can say Gunnarsson didn’t have stage fright. “It’s a good story,” Gunnarsson said. “Pretty sure we’re not going to stop “I liked hearing it,” Berube said of Gunnarsson’s prediction. “He had a here.” hell of a game, I thought, and I’m really happy for him that he ended up TSN.CA LOADED: 05.30.2019 getting the game-winner. He hit the post in the third period there and he felt good about himself obviously, which he should have.”

For the resilient Blues, it was redemption after struggling in the series opener. For Gunnarsson, it was payback for the Bruins six years in the making, as a member of that Toronto Maple Leafs team that unraveled in Game 7 in 2013.

It was unquestionably the biggest goal of Gunnarsson’s life.

“No doubt,” he said. “I don’t score too many, but nothing even comes close, so it’s a pretty good feeling right now.”

The series shifts to St. Louis for Game 3 on Saturday night. Gone is the monkey on the Blues’ back of not having won in the Stanley Cup Final. They snapped that 0-for-13 skid, dating back 51 seasons, and derailed the Bruins’ bid for a perfect month of May – handing Boston its first loss since April 30 (8-1).

The Florida Panthers are now the only NHL team winless in the Stanley Cup Final (0-4).

The Blues and Bruins have now needed overtime twice in the Final’s history. Last time, an iconic photograph captured from Bobby Orr’s flying Cup-clinching goal – a memory seared on an entire generation’s mind in Boston.

“Both were scored by No. 4,” Blues legend Bob Plager said, noting Gunnarsson’s number.

This night will be remembered for a different reason. It isn’t abnormal for words to spark a team during an intermission; they just don’t normally come from inside the washroom.

“You don’t hear that story very often,” Blues captain Alex Pietrangelo said. “That’s not a place to have a conversation, but I guess it works. It’s a good story. I didn’t know if he was making it up, because it’s a good story.”

Pietrangelo took Berube’s word for it.

“I mean, I wasn’t in there watching,” Pietrangelo quipped.

The Blues played, well, full of piss and vinegar on Wednesday night. They brought their physical brand of hockey, which left the Bruins with just five defencemen when Oskar Sundqvist knocked Matt Grzelcyk out 1145686 Websites A: We start at nine and finish at four each day. We meet with 15 to 18 guys a day and I think we’ve got 70 total.

Q: I know you held organizational scouting meetings prior to the TSN.CA / GM Benning: Canucks aim to shore up defence in off-season combine. The team released a short video that took us inside that meeting room. How would you characterize what went on behind closed doors this year? Are you all on the same page as a scouting staff or are Jeff Paterson their dissenting views in those discussions?

A: We’re in a good place. Those are our amateur meetings. We’re talking about trying to figure out the players. There is always discussion on each TSN 1040 Canucks reporter Jeff Paterson caught up with Vancouver player and on some players there is heated discussion. We’re not always Canucks GM Jim Benning at the NHL scouting combine in Buffalo ahead going to get along on all the players. But as a group, we have a tight of what will surely be a busy month of June with the NHL Draft at Rogers group. Those guys know the types of players I want to draft. We work Arena and beyond that run-up to free agency starting on July 1. together to try to figure out which guy we want to take with that first pick. Q: Jim, let’s just start with the news of the day that you are moving your We work toward creating a good environment that will allow us to draft development camp up a week and holding it right after the draft this year good players and be successful for a long time. instead of in the first week of July. Is that simply because the draft is in Q: Have there been any off-season changes on your staff whether in Vancouver and all of your staff and scouts will already be in town? coaching, management, scouting or hockey ops? A: We’ve talked about it in the past. Lots of teams do it that week right A: No. No changes. after the draft. This is a year we decided to do that. That was the reasoning more than anything else. Q: You made it clear at the year-end media availability that you want a contract extension. Has there been any progress made on that front? Q: You’ll have a lot on your plate that week with development camp and the ability to court free agents A: I’m not going to comment on that right now. If something happens, that’s when it will come out. A: It will be fun to get out and watch the kids we’ve drafted and our young prospects and I’ll be available to talk to free agents. We’ll be bringing Q: Why doesn’t Alex Edler have a contract extension yet? some guys in, I’d imagine. It’s going to be a busy week, but it should be a fun week. A: I don’t comment contract negotiations. That’s just my philosophy. But we’re trying to work through it to get to a place where Alex feels good Q: What about the next month or so. It’s June 1st on Saturday and three about what the new deal looks like and it makes sense for us. We’ll weeks to the draft. Beyond that, it’s free agency. It’s a great time of year continue to talk to his agent and talk to Alex and hopefully we can find for fans. Is this an enjoyable time for a manager knowing that these next some common ground and get a deal done. four weeks can really give you a sense of what your hockey club is going to look like next season? Q: Are you confident you’ll get something done?

A: First of all, we’re really excited to have the draft in Vancouver. It’s A: I’m not going to comment on the negotiation. I know his side is going to be a fun time for our fans and the city. This has been a good working hard and we’re working hard from our side and as soon as we week so far talking to other general managers and to agents. I think there have any good news to announce, you’ll be the first to know. But we’re will be lots of talk between now and the draft. Picking at 10, I feel we’re continuing to work on it. going to get a really good player, but we’re also going to look to all of our Q: The organization definitely wants Edler back? options, too. We want to do what we can to improve our team, but if we hold on to the 10th pick I think we’re going to get a really good player. It’s A: Yeah, we want him back. I thought he had a good season for us last a fun time of the year. This is when a lot of things get done and it kind of year. He’s important to our young players and an important player in our shapes what your team is going to look like for next year. room. These things don’t happen overnight, so we’re going to continue work with his group and hopefully get something figured out. Q: You’ve assembled a core that has people excited. But obviously, it takes more than just a handful of players to get you where you want to go Q: Can Edler, at 33, and coming off a couple of significant injuries the as a hockey club. Do you anticipate significant roster turnover for next past few seasons still be the lead guy on your blueline? season or how different do you anticipate your roster looking when you get to training camp in September? A: He had a real good season for us last year. My goal is to improve our defence so we don’t have to rely on him as much as we have in the past. A: I think it’s too early to tell right now. I can answer that question better We want him to continue to be part of our group. But if I can make our as we get through these next three to four weeks. With the playoffs still group better and if we can stay healthy on the back end and we don’t going on, there hasn’t been a lot of talk between teams but I expect that have to rely on Edler and [Chris] Tanev to play crazy minutes for us, then to change over the next few weeks. We’re excited about our young it gives them a break and hopefully helps them with not getting injured, players. If there are things that we can to do continue to support them too. That’s my intention this summer is to make the back end better, so and their development and improve our quality of players, then we’re I’m working toward that and we’ll see what happens in these next three going to look to do that. I’m going to keep all my options open. If we can or four weeks. do some things to continue to get better and take that next step, then that’s what we want to do. Q: You’ve talked about changes on defence. There are reports that the club is moving on from Derrick Pouliot (and also Brendan Gaunce). Are Q: You’re at the combine now. As a group, what is the process once you you able to confirm that those players will not be back? leave Buffalo in terms of taking the information you gain this week and finalizing your draft list? A: I don’t know where the reports have come from. I’m not going to confirm that. They’re still our players until the end of June and we own A: I think the combine is an opportunity to spend some time with the kids their rights. So at this point I’m not going to comment on that. and to get to know them a little better. Then we take off on Friday and our strength and conditioning coaches come in over the week and they watch Q: I know as an organization you review each season and look for all the physical testing and we’ll get a report from them mid-to-end of next areas in which you feel you can improve. I don’t think the schedule did week. This is all gathering information for us to get to know the players you any favours last season with three separate six-game road trips and as well as we can going into the draft. We’ll continue to talk about our list. 17 of your first 26 games on the road. Did you learn anything from last There will be changes. There are always changes after we find out more year’s schedule that can and will be addressed whenever the new information about players. I guess our list isn’t officially for sure finished schedule is released? until that week before the draft when we meet again and tighten things A: What happened last season was that Edmonton started the season in up. Sweden so other teams didn’t want to do their West Coast swings until Q: What kind of hours do you keep at the combine and over the course of the Oilers got back home. So we started with an early road trip and then the week, now many prospects will you and the scouts meet with face to we also had the World Juniors in Vancouver and were forced out of our face? rink for close to two weeks. The league does the schedule and we can go back to them and ask to change a date here or a date there, but it’s a big master schedule they do. The way it happened we ended up playing 26 of our 41 road games by January 5th. By not having the World Juniors in Vancouver, I’m pretty sure our schedule will be more balanced this year than it was last season.

Q: And finally, you mentioned injuries at your year-end press conference and there is no doubt your team suffered a lot of them last season. Have you reviewed the injury situation and were you able to draw any conclusions that may help your players moving forward?

A: We really didn’t have a lot of soft tissue injuries. It was broken bones through either hits or blocked shots and there’s just not going to be any way to get around those kinds of injuries. We didn’t lose a whole lot of (man) games through pulled groins or pulled muscles, it was more contact injuries that are going to happen on a yearly basis. As I said as the year-end press conference, we want to get to a place where we have bigger, stronger players so that we can get through an 82-game schedule without having the injuries that we’ve had the last couple of years.

TSN.CA LOADED: 05.30.2019 1145687 Websites Cup Final (Doug Harvey was 43 in 1968). He has been in the NHL as many seasons (21) as McAvoy has years on Earth.

The conditioning king Chara said he’s had to adapt to stay relevant. TSN.CA / Boston’s own Golden Misfits getting job done on defence “You have to,” Chara said. “You have to make all of those adjustments. You want to be ahead of the game, seeing what’s happening with how Frank Seravalli skilled they are and how fast they are. If you’re not, you’re going to be way behind. You kind of sense how the game is going the last few years, and I try to work real hard in the summer on the ability to make players better, to not be caught out of position or on the wrong side of the puck, BOSTON — A 6-foot-9 Slovakian Adonis, four well-educated Americans but try to use my size still to my advantage.” and some kid named “Cliffy” walk into a bar. Chara is the glue for the group, Krug said. But when Chara missed 20 No, that’s not the beginning of a joke, it’s the Boston Bruins’ defence games this year, or the deciding game of the Eastern Conference Final, corps. And the joke is on those who undervalued the impact of Boston’s the rest of the group didn’t blink. defence in the Stanley Cup playoffs. At one point this season, the Bruins’ two most experienced defenders Last year, the Vegas Golden Knights styled themselves as the “Golden were Krug (26) and Gryzelcyk (25). Krug said it was “invaluable” to go Misfits.” These Bruins’ defencemen are a different type of black-and-gold through all of those injuries because it forced everyone to be comfortable misfits. in uncomfortable situations. Just look at them. Just further proof that whenever Chara decides to hang up his skates, There are two giants in Zdeno Chara (6-9) and Brandon Carlo (6-5), your this group of Golden Misfits will be in fine shape. average-sized NHL defencemen in Charlie McAvoy (6-0) and Connor “There’s a few things that we talk about before each game. One of them Clifton (5-11), then two mighty mites in Torey Krug (5-9) and Matt is just doing whatever the game needs,” Krug said. “A blocked shot, or a Grzelcyk (5-9). hit, or a good, clean breakout pass – we do whatever it takes. We just try “Yeah, it’s pretty funny when you look at them,” defenceman Steven to bring it. We understand everyone has a great role back there. We Kampfer said. don’t need any superheroes.”

Coach Bruce Cassidy admitted Tuesday he didn’t know what to expect TSN.CA LOADED: 05.30.2019 with this Bruins’ defence in the playoffs, with Carlo, Clifton and Gryzelcyk having no prior playoff experience. No one would’ve dreamt of mentioning the Bruins in the same breath on the backend as Calgary, Nashville, Tampa Bay or San Jose.

But what the Bruins’ defenders lack in star power or pedigree, they make up for in mobility and ability.

As individual parts, they are a hodgepodge, but as one – they have the true makings of a team. They shift pairings around, sometimes mid- game, and everyone can play with anyone.

“They’re great players, every one of them. They’re different in a way, but they all bring the same intense attitude and focus,” Charlie Coyle said. “It’s really special. It’s pretty cool playing with a ‘D’ corps that gets you the puck up the ice that quickly.”

Listen to Kampfer, a Game 1 scratch who scored in one of his only two playoff appearances this spring, tell the tale of this “exceptionally tight” group:

“Well, ‘Zee’ [Chara] is just ‘Zee’ … Brandon is probably the best pure athlete I’ve ever come across … Charlie is naturally gifted … Torey is an elite puck mover … Johnny Moore has maybe the best first two strides in the league … ‘Gryz’ can skate like the wind … And ‘Cliffy,’ well, he plays ‘Cliffy Hockey.’”

What the heck is Cliffy Hockey, you ask?

Ask the Bruins to define it. They laugh hysterically. It’s a catch-phrase, like “Johnny Hockey,” except it’s not a nickname. It’s a style. Clifton scored his second career NHL goal in Game 1 of the Stanley Cup Final on Monday night.

“He plays his own brand of hockey,” Kampfer said. “It’s reckless within himself. He’s just his own thing. You think he’s going to lose the puck and then somehow he’s got it on his stick. He plays off his instincts.”

“He just gets [bleep] done,” Coyle said.

McAvoy is the only first-round pick of the group. Krug is an undrafted free agent from Michigan State. Grzelcyk is a rink rat from Charlestown, Mass., whose father has been on the ice crew at TD Garden forever. Grzelcyk played at Boston U with McAvoy in 2015-16. Carlo is a Colorado kid, a second-round pick by way of the WHL. Clifton was a fifth- round find by the Arizona Coyotes, who let him walk away as a free agent and sign with the Bruins.

If you were to line them all up, from biggest to smallest, you can see the evolution of the NHL in their size.

The players will say it all starts with Chara, maybe the last of a dying breed. At 42, Chara is the second-oldest player ever to skate in a Stanley 1145688 Websites “It makes it even more fun,” Gunnarsson said. "It’s a good story.”

He said it was the biggest goal of his career.

USA TODAY / Stanley Cup Final: Carl Gunnarsson lifts Blues past Bruins ”No doubt,” Gunnarsson said. “I don’t score too many, but nothing comes in overtime of Game 2 even close so it’s a pretty good feeling right now.”

USA TODAY LOADED: 05.30.2019

Kevin Allen, USA TODAY Published 11:22 p.m. ET May 29, 2019 | Updated 1:42 a.m. ET May 30, 2019

Defenseman Carl Gunnarsson is no Bobby Orr and yet he will share a link to the Boston Bruins Hall of Famer that St. Louis Blues fans will never forget.

"(Same) Number (4) and a winning overtime goal in this building," said former Blues player Bob Plager.

Gunnarsson, not known for his offense, scored his first playoff goal with a perfect shot under the crossbar at 3:51 of overtime to give the Blues a 3- 2 triumph, the first Stanley Cup Final win in the franchise's 52-year history. He had called the shot during a pre-overtime conversation in the bathroom.

The Blues were 0-13 in the Final before Wednesday. The last Final overtime between the teams was in 1970, when Orr scored, a goal made famous by the photo of him flying across the crease like Superman, to complete a sweep.

"There are still fans from the first year who still go to games," said Plager, who played on the 1969-70 Blues. "They always say, 'Before I Die.' I hope we can do something for them."

Blues defenseman Carl Gunnarsson, right, celebrates with defenseman Alex Pietrangelo after scoring in overtime against the Bruins.

More: Bruins' Matt Grzelcyk leaves Game 2 after hard hit

The best-of-seven Final is now tied 1-1 heading to St. Louis for Games 3 and 4 on Saturday and Monday.

In Game 1, the Bruins took over the game in the second period. In Game 2, the Blues were the better team throughout the contest. They outshot the Bruins 37-20 and outhit them 50-31.

“(The Blues) came harder than last game,” Bruins center Charlie Coyle said. “They had pace, they hit and they were all over the puck.”

St. Louis coach Craig Berube expected the Blues to play better in Game 2.

“They play for each other and they care,” Berube said. “Going into Game 2, I knew we’d be a hard team to play against.”

The Bruins played most of the game without defenseman Matt Grzelcyk, who was injured on a hit by Oskar Sundqvist in the first period. He went to the hospital for evaluation.

“I don’t think that’s a hit we want in our game,” Boston forward David Backes said. “I think it’s from behind, elevated in to his head into the glass.”

In Game 2, the Blues proved they can match the Bruins’ ability to get goals from everyone in their lineup. Gunnarsson also had an assist in the game. He didn’t have a point in these playoffs before Wednesday. Defenseman Robert Bortuzzo scored for the Blues, and he’s not known for scoring either.

“Anybody can step up, for sure,” Berube said. “We use everybody.”

It's a GLORIA kind of night in St. Louis thanks to Carl Gunnarsson's overtime winner!

It's the goal that give the @stlouisblues their first #StanleyCup Final win in franchise history. pic.twitter.com/sALQKOuc36

— #StanleyCup on NBC (@NHLonNBCSports) May 30, 2019

Gunnarsson hit the post late in the third period and called his overtime shot in a bathroom conversation with Berube just before overtime began.

“He just said he needed one more shot,” Berube said. “He was joking around a little bit. He made a great shot.”

Gunnarsson confirmed Berube’s version of the conversation. 1145689 Websites

USA TODAY / Boston Bruins' Matt Grzelcyk leaves Game 2 of Stanley Cup Final after hard hit

Mike Brehm, USA TODAY Published 10:48 p.m. ET May 29, 2019 | Updated 1:42 a.m. ET May 30, 2019

The Boston Bruins were forced to play the remainder of Game 2 of the Stanley Cup Final short-handed on defense after Matt Grzelcyk was injured during the first period on a hard hit from behind.

He was taken to the hospital for evaluation, and the Bruins had no immediate update on his condition after the 3-2 overtime St. Louis Blues victory.

Grzelcyk was stopping the puck along the boards behind the Boston net when he began to lose his balance as Blues forward Oskar Sundqvist lined him up for a check.

Grzelcyk’s head slammed into the glass, and he grabbed his head, fell to the ice and stayed there as Bruins and Blues players scuffled.

The defenseman was checked out by a trainer and left the ice with assistance.

A look at the hit on by Oskar Sundqvist on Matt Grzelcyk. Didn't look good. pic.twitter.com/3yjlbhgkvs

— Conor Ryan (@ConorRyan_93) May 30, 2019

Sundqvist was given a two-minute penalty for boarding, which St. Louis killed.

The Bruins played with five defensemen for the rest of the game and later with four during one stretch in the second period when Connor Clifton received a four-minute penalty for high-sticking.

Blues center Oskar Sundqvist was penalized for boarding Bruins defenseman Matt Grzelcyk.

But key blocks by Joakim Nordstrom and a goaltending interference penalty to Jaden Schwartz helped the Bruins kill that penalty.

The Bruins were unable to control the puck during overtime and Carl Gunnarsson scored at 3:51 to tie the series. Game 3 is Saturday in St. Louis.

Grzelcyk has three goals and four assists in 18 playoff games and was averaging a little more than 17 minutes a night.

USA TODAY LOADED: 05.30.2019