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SPORT-SCAN DAILY BRIEF NHL 8/23/2021 Boston Bruins 1219600 Boston Bruins, NHL News Around The League 1219601 Inside the Sabres: Team must address void at center in any trade involving Jack Eichel Flames 1219602 Flames defenceman Valimaki focusing on positives as he prepares for sophomore season Columbus Blue Jackets 1219603 Michael Arace: As Coyotes face eviction, relocation talk heightens and Bettman stands firm Oilers 1219604 Lowetide: headlines new arrivals for in 2021-22 1219605 Brandon Montour: Returning to Florida Panthers a ‘no-brainer’Published 20 hours ago on August 22, 2021 1219606 Recently retired scouts Fugere, McEwen reflect back on their time with the Kings Canadiens 1219607 ' next home ought to be City 1219608 Rangers legend, Hall of Famer Rod Gilbert dies at 80 1219609 Rangers legend remembers Rod Gilbert: ‘No one better’ 1219610 Rod Gilbert, Mr. Ranger, dead at 80 1219611 Henrik Lundqvist ‘can’t wait’ for his jersey to hang in the Garden rafters 1219612 Rangers icon Rod Gilbert dies at 80 1219613 Dan’s Daily: Why Players Don’t Like Ohio, Rangers to Retire Lundqvist’s Number 1219614 Top-5 Players Who Were Supposed to Get TradedPublished 2 days ago on August 21, 2021By National Hockey Now Maple Leafs 1219615 The NHL doesn’t care about international hockey, Winter Olympics included. Star players expected better 1219616 How Golden Knights were built for 2021-22 NHL season Websites 1219617 USA TODAY / Three teenage hockey players die in car crash in British Columbia SPORT-SCAN, INC. 941-284-4129 1219600 Boston Bruins

Boston Bruins, NHL News Around The League

Published 16 hours ago on August 22, 2021By Joe Haggerty

With this being the 47th anniversary of my birth on this planet (thanks mom!), we’ll keep it low key with the Boston Bruins talk today. Instead this day is about celebrating that it’s a shared birthday with Boston Red Sox Hall of Famer Carl Yastrzemski, who once inscribed an autograph to this humble hockey writer with a “You have a Hall of Fame birthday!” above his signature.

It’s one of the few autographs that I’ve ever sought out over the years, and I was lucky enough to be at Fenway Park with my son the night this happened at the Fens a couple of years ago.

Yaz. I’m not crying. You’re crying.pic.twitter.com/Cz4BAH1S89

— Honest☘Larry (@HonestLarry1) August 22, 2021

Good stuff. So in lieu of any birthday wishes or gifts, how about clicking on a few of the links below and enjoying the rest of your weekend.

Now on to the BHN Puck Links:

*Did any of us think a proud guy like Zdeno Chara was ever going to actually play for the Boston Bruins after they said “thanks, but no thanks” to him last offseason by offering him a reduced role? Ummm, no. (Boston Hockey Now)

*Entertaining journey on the path of Jason Dickinson to the by FOH (Friend of Haggs) Rob Simpson and how it was inexorably linked to the Maple Leafs first round collapse to the Boston Bruins in 2013. (Vancouver Hockey Now)

*What is Kris Letang’s next contract going to look like? It’s a legitimate question given all the money getting thrown around at top NHL defenseman right now, but his age (he turns 35 next season) means it’s going to be manageable for the Penguins. (Pittsburgh Hockey Now)

* Assistant GM Pat Verbeek is also going to be the general manager for the Grand Rapids Griffins as they get all their ducks into place for this coming season. (Detroit Hockey Now)

*David Savard said the Canadiens are planning to return to the Final and win it this time after he’s changed from the Lightning to the Habs this offseason. (The Score)

*Larry Brooks has a tribute to King Henrik on the news of his retirement and looks at how he stacks up with other Rangers goaltending greats. (New York Post)

*For something completely different: Can’t wait to see this Larry David/Alan Dershowitz dust-up recreated on Curb Your Enthusiasm. (Boston.com)

Boston Hockey Now LOADED: 08.23.2021 1219601 Buffalo Sabres Murray, Sean Malone, Andrew Oglevie, Brandon Biro, Linus Weissbach, Lukas Rousek and Matej Pekar.

Quinn, a 19-year-old winger drafted eighth overall by Buffalo in October Inside the Sabres: Team must address void at center in any trade 2020, will need more time in the after playing involving Jack Eichel through a hernia in his 15 games with the Amerks last season. Quinn totaled two goals and nine points, and he received a brief audition at center before undergoing surgery. Lance Lysowski Peterka, another promising winger with an impressive left-handed shot, Aug 22, 2021 was drafted in the second round, No. 34 overall, last year and had a promising final season in Germany before signing his entry-level contract

with Buffalo in the spring. There have been no notable developments regarding the Buffalo Sabres’ While the Amerks will have an exciting forward group, there aren’t any plan for Jack Eichel since the star center’s agents released a statement solutions at center. As of now, the Sabres would likely need to move last month saying both sides agreed surgery is necessary. Girgensons back to the middle, a position he hasn’t played full-time since Eichel’s surgeon, Dr. Chad J. Prusmack, joined Elliotte Friedman and 2016-17. Eakin, meanwhile, is coming off a disappointing season, Jeff Marek on ’s 31 "Thoughts podcast" to detail why the totaling three goals and seven points in 46 games after signing a two- surgery not approved by Sabres doctors, an artificial disk replacement, year, $4.5 million contract. would benefit the disgruntled center in the short and long term. Asplund exceled on the wing under Granato, with six goals and 10 points It was complete silence on the Eichel front until two New York Rangers in 23 games, and Ruotsalainen hasn’t played center since his move to fans, Ryan Mead and Greg Kaplan, leased a digital billboard in Buffalo, North America at the start of last season. only a half-mile from KeyBank Center, urging the Sabres to complete the There aren’t many unsigned, free-agent centers, as the list includes Eric trade. Staal, Travis Zajac, Casey Cizikas, Valtteri Filppula, Carter Rowney, Alex Eichel, a 24-year-old with five 20- seasons, remains on the Sabres’ Galchenyuk and Derick Brassard. roster with approximately four weeks until the start of Don Granato’s first More depth is needed in the event of underperformance or injury, and the training camp as coach. General Manager Kevyn Adams insisted last Sabres could use someone to take pressure off Cozens and Mittelstadt, month that he would have no issue having Eichel with the club at that even if the plan is for those two to receive significant minutes and difficult time, yet it’s difficult to envision such a scenario when the franchise is matchups. intent on handing the reins over to a new young core, led by Rasmus Dahlin, Casey Mittelstadt and Dylan Cozens. “I've been consistent with this: We need to build around a young core of players,” Adams said last month. “We need to give these – not give. We Read the full analysis from Lance Lysowski need to provide an opportunity for these players to learn how to play in Ellen Przepasniak critical moments, grow up together. We need to identify players that want to be here. And we need to be excited about that. Until a trade is complete, it’s impossible to forecast what the roster will be at the start of camp, let alone when the season opens in Buffalo against “We need to get those group of core young players into the community, Montreal on Oct. 14. connecting with our fans. And then you're going to bring in that next tier of guys, like the Owen Powers and players we just drafted and have that With Eichel expected to be traded before the start of the season, and young nucleus that really grows up together. And there'll be guys that Sam Reinhart a member of the Florida Panthers following a draft-day take steps that are part of it moving forward. And there'll be guys that deal last month, the Sabres are thin at forward, particularly at center. The maybe they don't, and then we move on. But we have to know that.” roster, as presently constructed, has promising, albeit unproven, talent up front. Any Eichel trade is expected to address the glaring need. While the New York Rangers’ has a no-movement clause that would likely bar a trade to Buffalo, a three-team swap involving “We have a lot of potential in the form of talent that’s in place to make big Eichel could land the Sabres a younger center. Other teams reportedly steps in a very short span,” Granato said last month. “I’ve had a lot of interested in Eichel have notable players at that position, particularly experience and been fortunate enough to be around extremely talented Trevor Zegras (Anaheim) and Marco Rossi (Minnesota). hockey players, the Auston Matthews and Matthew Tkachuks and the Charlie McAvoys and (Zach) Werenskis and I saw those kids develop Proper evaluations of young wingers will be difficult if the Sabres don’t fast from 16, 17, 18 years old. Now I look at our player pool, it is really have adequate depth down the middle. Thompson, 23, had seven goals exciting for me with the hindsight I have and the experiences I’ve gone and 12 points in 25 games under Granato, leading the Sabres in through.” individual shot quality at 5-on-5 during that span, according to NaturalStatTrick.com. Bjork, a 25-year-old winger acquired in the Taylor Free-agent frenzy passed without the Sabres adding any high-priced free Hall trade, had three goals and six points in 15 games with Buffalo, but agents. Their most notable addition at forward was Vinnie Hinostroza, a he played on the perimeter too often, as illustrated by his poor shot fast, middle-six winger who totaled a career-high 16 goals with Arizona in quality. 2018-19. Rather than using the club’s significant cap space – CapFriendly.com projects Buffalo with $28.06 million to spend, including The Sabres will also likely give Asplund and Ruotsalainen an extended Eichel’s $10 million hit – Adams prioritized adding effective role players look in the NHL. And the club needs to figure out what it has in Olofsson, who bring value on the ice and in the dressing room without taking a 25-year-old who has scored 20 of his 35 career goals on the power opportunity away from Cozens, Mittelstadt and others. play. He’s owed $3.05 million this season and will likely require a raise as a restricted free agent next summer. In addition to Hinostroza, the Sabres signed forwards John Hayden and Ryan MacInnis, bottom-six types who played for Granato elsewhere, to The club’s depth on defense appears strong long term, led by Dahlin, two-way contracts. Otherwise, these mock lines, excluding an injured Jokiharju and Power, who is returning to the University of Michigan for Eichel, are like the ones used by Buffalo during the final weeks of last his sophomore season. But any trade involving Eichel must address all season: the club has lost offensively this summer.

Anders Bjork – Cozens – Victor Olofsson

Rasmus Asplund – Mittelstadt – Tage Thompson Buffalo News LOADED: 08.23.2021

Jeff Skinner – Cody Eakin – Arttu Ruotsalainen

Drake Caggiula – Zemgus Girgensons – Hinostroza/Kyle Okposo

The Sabres also have the following forwards under contract, though each will likely start the season in Rochester: Jack Quinn, JJ Peterka, Brett 1219602 He says he had “really good conversations with (Sutter), a couple times actually” before heading home to Finland and has been back-and- forthing with assistant coach Ryan Huska, who oversees the defence, as Flames defenceman Valimaki focusing on positives as he prepares for he prepares for his sophomore campaign. sophomore season “I know a lot gets made in the media about Darryl making comments,” said Flames general manager Brad Treliving after signing Valimaki — a restricted free agent for the first time after his entry-level deal expired — Wes Gilbertson to that two-year pact. “The comments were just being truthful. I don’t think it, at all, was ever disparaging. You know, it’s a hard league to play Publishing date:Aug 22, 2021 in. It’s a hard league to play defence in. I think we have always had faith in Juuso. And you also have to take into consideration if you go back in time and look at players that come off an injury like he’d come off of … The Calgary Flames’ incoming coach was, at times, hard on this up-and- And I don’t want to talk about that, that’s ancient history now, but it takes coming defenceman. a bit of time to get everything back up to speed.

Darryl Sutter is not one for sugar-coating and, as he settled in for a “The one thing with Juuso is he’s a very committed player. He wants to second stint as bench boss at the Saddledome, he raised eyebrows with be the very best that he can be. He’s committed to his training, a couple of blunt remarks about highly touted blue-liner Juuso Valimaki. committed to all parts of his development, and we have had lots of good conversations over the course of the summer. You can’t give a guy Valimaki was, at times, awfully hard on himself, too. confidence. A lot of people say, ‘build it up,’ but ultimately confidence After a few months to reflect on his rookie campaign, the 22-year-old comes from work you put in, preparation you put in, and I firmly believe realizes that now. you earn your confidence. You earn confidence by going out and doing all the things you can to prepare and then playing well. “To be honest, that’s kind of what I’ve always been and that has definitely helped me in my career — to be hard on myself, always wanting to be “So the more you put into it, the more confident you’re going to be at better, always wanting to play better and all that,” Valimaki said. “But you game time, and I feel really good that Juuso has put in the work over the can do a lot of harm in that, too. I think that’s definitely something that course of the summer.” I’ve learned a little bit at the end of the year and now try to deal with that a bit in the off-season so that next year, it could be a little bit easier for me. Calgary Sun: LOADED: 08.23.2021 “But I know that I’ve done that … I don’t know if it’s a mistake, but I know that I’ve done that mistake sometimes where I beat myself up too hard and then it’s a little harder to manage it and go into the next one.”

The next one is coming up quick.

The Flames report for training camp in just a month and Valimaki, re- upped late last week on a two-year contract with an annual cap hit of US$1.55 million, should be a staple on Calgary’s third pairing.

Valimaki’s final stat-line last winter showed two goals, 11 points and a minus-2 rating in 49 appearances during the shortened slate. He was scratched seven times after Sutter’s arrival, with the boss stressing that No. 6 needed to play with more pace and consistency and obviously including him when he suggested “one of the reasons that we are not in a playoff spot is there are three or four young defencemen that have not lived up to expectations this year.”

While Valimaki will be first to admit that the condensed campaign didn’t go exactly as he’d planned, his summertime reflections have reinforced that there was still a lot to feel good about.

“For me personally, the biggest thing — and I’ve said this many times — is that I was healthy to play,” said Valimaki, who missed all of the 2019- 20 season as he recovered from knee surgery. “Leaving out a couple of games, I was a regular in the NHL. I was in the lineup. I was able to play. And still looking at things, I was able to do some good out there too, not just survive.

“I’m really hard on myself as a player but now, after the games are done, it’s a little bit easier to look at it a little more positively and see all the good that there was. Because when you’re playing, you might not have the best night and it’s easy to kind of go on the negative note. But after the season, it’s a little easier to look at all the good and take that out of it and start looking and using that to your advantage for next year.

“To be able to look at the season a little differently and to see that there was a lot of good, it definitely helps your confidence. And I think going into next camp, that’s kind of all you can have — to have a good confidence, go in well trained and in a good peace of mind with yourself and with your last season. Yeah, take some of the learning. But at the same time, that’s last year. There’s nothing you can do about that anymore. I think that’s the focus from last year is not to focus on it too much, if you know what I mean. Just move forward. You can’t move back.”

Valimaki, remember, still has just 75 total nights of NHL know-how, a tally that includes a pair of playoff loggings. That’s several outings shy of one standard-length season, so this is far from a finished product. 1219603 Columbus Blue Jackets “I think they’re just negotiating. I’m not worried about the Coyotes. I think their future stays in the greater Phoenix area.”

In the past, Bettman has said that Glendale and its arena are no longer Michael Arace: As Coyotes face eviction, relocation talk heightens and viable. That is probably part truth and part negotiating gamesmanship. Bettman stands firm He’s a lawyer.

The Coyotes are a team with a lingering arena problem compounded by Michael Arace a history of messy management and poor decisions. In this century, such a franchise is an outlier.

Labor wars and collective bargaining brought revenue sharing to the As free-agency rules liberalized and salaries rose in the 1990s, smaller NHL, and revenue sharing has brought stability that did not exist in the NHL markets were squeezed to the point of asphyxiation. In cities where 1990s. That might be an overgeneralization, but there’s truth at the heart owners weren’t particularly civic-minded and/or local, mounting losses of it. made for quick getaways. It’s a credit to Bettman, now an established wrangler of billionaire Keep in mind that commissioner Gary Bettman serves at the pleasure of owners, and to the NHL Players' Association, which gained in strength. the Board of Governors (read: “billionaire owners”), and when he gets marching orders, he marches. Early in his career, before he had the There are bad commissioners (Don Garber, Rob Manfred, Don Garber cachet to act more “in the best interest of the league,” he marched much again). Bettman is often pilloried, sometimes deservedly. Yet, through 18 faster. months of a pandemic and major losses in revenues, he has managed to extend the collective bargaining agreement and broker new television- The had a happy-footed owner with an arena rights deals with ESPN and Turner. problem and gallons of red ink. They moved to Dallas in 1993. It was a criminal act on a certain level — how could Minnesota not have a hockey In situations where there is potential for a franchise relocation, the team team? — and it was later fixed through expansion. to root for is the fans. To Bettman’s credit, he has been, and remains, a staunch advocate for the Coyotes’ market and, by extension, their fan The had an absentee owner with an ice-cold heart who base. It’s almost like he’s trying to do the right thing. was bent on moving the team as soon as he got his hands on it (Anthony Precourt Sr., if you will). They moved to Raleigh in 1997.

Smaller-market Canadian teams had a particular problem. Players were Columbus Dispatch LOADED: 08.23.2021 being paid in American dollars, and it created a gap for teams with revenues in Canadian dollars. This was before the league came up with a Canadian assistance plan.

The moved to in 1995. (The Avalanche promptly won the Stanley Cup).

The original moved to Phoenix in 1996. Twelve years later, Winnipeg was able to poach the Thrashers because, as it turned out, Atlanta is not exactly a thriving hockey market. Plus, Thrashers owners were suing one another, which did not help.

It has been 25 years of drama in the desert. The Phoenix/Arizona Coyotes have had five different owners and/or ownership groups, the NHL among them; the league took the team into receivership after one of owners filed the team into bankruptcy in 2009.

The Coyotes have long had an arena problem. They were originally housed in a downtown arena. They wanted to build a complex in Scottsdale but the numbers didn’t work, not for Scottsdale. The solution was to build an arena, and a mall around it, in a field in Glendale.

The dream was that hockey fans on the other side of the valley would drive the highway loop to come for the games and stay for the outlet shopping, or something like that. Sales taxes were the bulwark of the plan. Did we mention that the owner put the team into bankruptcy in 2009?

Thursday, the city of Glendale announced that will not renew the Coyotes’ lease beyond the 2021-22 season and tweeted that Gila River Arena, which it owns, will shift its focus to “larger, more impactful events.”

The team said all of its efforts are aimed at keeping the Coyotes in Arizona.

There had been talk that the Coyotes might throw in with Arizona State and build a shared arena in Tempe, but the school backed out. The plan for a Tempe arena is not completely dead. Phoenix is another option. We’ll see what happens over the next month.

Meanwhile, the usual suspects are being rounded up. There is talk of Houston, which was feeling out expansion before the league put a team in Seattle. Houston has an arena at the ready. So does Quebec. Available franchises are a hot ticket. Even Hartford (via its mayor, Luke Bronin) is making noises.

“First of all, I don’t think the Coyotes franchise is going anywhere,” Bettman told New York radio station WFAN. “I think the city of Glendale is negotiating. It’s no secret that (Coyotes owner) Alex Meruelo is looking at his options to build a new arena somewhere else. And I think the city of Glendale basically said to the Coyotes, ‘You have to sign a 20-year lease or we’re not going to renew.’ 1219604 1

That doesn’t include men such as Ethan Bear and , who were second-year AHL players when Woodcroft arrived in 2018-19. The Lowetide: Dylan Holloway headlines new arrivals for Bakersfield Condors pipeline of talent from the AHL to Edmonton will be vital in the next four in 2021-22 years, as the roster will be near the cap each season and can’t afford to take on another big contract.

By Allan Mitchell The season to come

Aug 22, 2021 The 2020-21 AHL season was a short year with games against only the Pacific Division. In a real way, fans will be seeing two sets of rookies against the full AHL in 2021-22. Here are the 2020-21 Condors rookies, their numbers and their projected role for the coming season. For more than half a decade, Edmonton Oilers fans considered the annual entry draft in June the highlight of the hockey year. PLAYER TOTALS 2021-22 PROJECTED ROLE

From January 2010 through the selection of Connor McDavid in June Raphael Lavoie 2015, the draft represented hope for the organization and its fans. 19 games, 5-5-10 Beginning in 2010, Edmonton drafted first three times in a row (Taylor Hall, Ryan Nugent-Hopkins and ), followed by two top-10 Top-six winger, PP time picks (Darnell Nurse and Leon Draisaitl) and the McDavid pick. Ostap Safin

Fans believed the McDavid selection would secure instant 22 games, 4-2-6 competitiveness for the team and soon a Stanley Cup victory. Six years later, the team has won three postseason berths and one playoff round He'll battle for a top-nine role and has played in another wild seven-game series that resulted in a loss just short of making the final four in 2017. Mike Kesselring

The draft no longer offers the same appeal. It’s a case of “been there and 21 games, 1-2-3 done that,” and the club is drafting later in the first round (No. 22 in the Raw talent, third pair likely 2021 draft). Phil Kemp Replacing the excitement of the draft, over the past few seasons, has been the excellent progress of Edmonton’s prospects while playing in the 12 games, 0-1-1 AHL with the Bakersfield Condors. Since Jay Woodcroft arrived as the Shutdown D could be second pair club’s AHL coach, an impressive group of AHL rookies has spent time in the NHL: Olivier Rodrigue

Condors rookies who played in the NHL 11, 2.99 .894

PLAYER ROOKIE YEAR AHL BOXCARS Might land backup role NHL GAMES Oilers and Condors fans will see several new arrivals and first-time AHL Kailer Yamamoto players this year, and three in the group could be major contributors in Edmonton soon. 2018-19 Dylan Holloway is a perfect fit for the big club, with size (6-foot-1, 203 27, 10-8-18 pounds), speed and a rambunctious presence at centre or left wing. His 105 sophomore numbers at Wisconsin (Big Ten) were 11-24-35 in 23 games, making his closest college comparable Reilly Smith of the Vegas Golden Knights. Smith is a consistent goal scorer with a peak total of 27 in an 2019-20 NHL season, and he averages 20.6 goals and 49 points per 82 games.

54, 7-29-36 Under Rob Vollman’s NHL equivalencies, fans could expect Holloway to post substantially more than a point per game this coming season in the 21 AHL. If Holloway posts a point per game early in the schedule, he won’t see all 68 games in Bakersfield, but fans should expect offence from him Ryan McLeod early and often.

2019-20 The only big question with regard to Holloway is where he’ll play, and his 56, 5-18-23 deployment in Bakersfield may offer some clues about how the organization views his NHL future. If he lines up on the left wing, it could 10 be a tell. If he lines up at centre, it could be a position shortage (AHL teams are always struggling to find centres). Tyler Benson is another anticipated arrival, although many Oilers fans 2018-19 view him as being more suspect than prospect after an uneven 68, 15-51-66 performance in 2020-21. Based on math, he remains a promising two- way defender whose size (6-3, 205) and speed (he’s an outstanding 7 skater) make him stand out in any crowd.

Cooper Marody Broberg’s career so far has been similar to that of Oscar Klefbom, another Swedish defenceman drafted by Edmonton almost a decade 2018-19 before him. In each player’s final SHL season, deployment and offensive 58, 19-45-54 results were similar save for injury to Klefbom that robbed him of many games. The big difference is in on-ice results at even strength, with 6 Klefbom having tremendous success in 11 games (a small sample).

Stuart Skinner PLAYER TOI PER GAME PTS PER GAME EV GF- GA 2019-20 Philip Broberg 41, 3.31 .892 17:10 Nurse played few pro games in the AHL (9) after turning pro, but even in a small sample, he showed well. Klefbom’s AHL season at 20 gives us 0.295 an idea about the difficulty of coming to North America in order to adjust. 22-26 (-4) It seems reasonable to expect similar point totals and goal differentials for Broberg in his first season with the Condors. Oscar Klefbom Ilya Konovalov has an impressive resume, compiled in the world’s 17:28 second-best hockey league (KHL). He is not a big (5-11, 196) but has been quality since establishing himself in the league three years 0.273 ago. Here are his yearly save percentages and league rank among 8-0 (+8) regulars:

Klefbom’s Farjestad had an even-strength goal differential of +28 (107- YEAR SAVE PCT RANK 79), while the Broberg Skelleftea crew was +25 (117-92), so there was 2018-19 little (if any) gap in quality. Without Klefbom, the 2012-13 Farjestad team was +20, and Broberg’s Skelleftea was +29, so if there is an edge, the 0.93 math suggests that the 2020-21 team has it. Klefbom’s even-strength goal differential (11-12, -1) in 2011-12 suggests that he was running 10 some good luck in those 11 games during 2012-13. 2019-20

What does this tell us about Broberg? Defensively, we know he isn’t yet 0.912 what the Oilers project him to be. The math above confirms it, and we have visual proof. Mike Zanier, a former Oilers goaltender who is now 30 broadcasting SHL games for Swedish radio as a commentator, has been very positive about Broberg’s skating but felt he could use another year 2020-21 in the SHL to hone his craft defensively. 0.923

The Oilers are thinking AHL for the big defender in 2021-22, and it’s also 14 possible Broberg blows the doors off other hopefuls as he did in the bubble training camp at in the summer of 2020. Head Edmonton badly needs a solution in net, and a player drafted by the coach Dave Tippett was impressed, as was management, and Broberg Oilers who solves the problem would be headline news. It’s been a long might be one of those players who are better on the smaller North time since the situation at this position was stabilized internally for more American ice surface than the spacious European rinks. than a couple of seasons. Konovalov has the talent, but he’ll have to win the position from a fairly large group of candidates. That may include A good line in the sand for Broberg as a Bakersfield player this coming Alex Stalock, who has lots of NHL experience, Stuart Skinner and season will be Klefbom’s 20-year-old campaign in 2013-14 with the Rodrigue. . He didn’t get much power-play time (just one assist) and finished 1-9-10 in 48 games. His even-strength on-ice goal Nothing is certain for Konovalov, but he is the most promising goalie in differential was solid compared with other Oilers AHL rookies over the the group. HockeyProspecting.com considers him one of the best players past decade: in the Oilers system and charts him as a possible difference-maker at the highest level: AHL debuts at age 20 Konovalov will need to overcome bias (small goalies are rare in today’s PLAYER YEAR EV GF-GA NHL), but stopping the puck is something he’s done well for several Oscar Klefbom years now. He’s done it at a high level, and the AHL should be a league he can dominate from the start. 2013-14 What does it all mean? 31-37 (-6) The Oilers do not possess the strongest system in the NHL anymore; the Darnell Nurse organization hasn’t since Connor McDavid graduated to the NHL. What this year’s Bakersfield Condors should have are three quality newcomers 2015-16 ready to make a difference.

6-4 (+2) How long will each man play in the AHL? Holloway is a legitimate recall Ethan Bear prospect, anywhere from Halloween to after the trade deadline depending on how the season is going and injuries to the parent team. 2017-18 Broberg and Konovalov would seem to be a year away from the NHL, 19-27 (-8) both coming from Europe and likely needing time to adjust.

Caleb Jones For Condors and Oilers fans, this trio added to the young men viewed in the short 2020-21 season means a large group of interesting prospects 2017-18 will be pushing toward the NHL. For those who enjoy the prospect 30-54 (-24) development side of the game, the 2021-22 Bakersfield Condors will be must viewing this fall and winter. Evan Bouchard

2019-20 The Athletic LOADED: 08.23.2021 41-51 (-10)

Dmitri Samorukov

2019-20

28-34 (-6)

Mike Kesselring

2020-21

11-13 (-2) 1219605 Florida Panthers “Through this, Brandon was incredible,” Buffalo coach Don Granato said on the day of the the trade.

“He played hard last night. He kept this out of his mind when the puck Brandon Montour: Returning to Florida Panthers a ‘no-brainer’Published dropped. I say that even in practice and the meetings, he was a true pro, 20 hours ago on August 22, 2021 and is a true pro.”

And that may just be why Montour fit in so well with the Panthers.

By George Richards Regardless of the spot Florida put him in, he gave the team a complete effort.

When the Florida Panthers traded for Brandon Montour, he went from Montour obviously fit in and wanted to be in Florida. last place to a contender. Sam Reinhart says he wants to stay long-term with Florida Panthers

He liked the way that felt. Keeping the team together, one that Montour was a part of, was Playing meaningful games, everyone on the team pulling in the same important to general manager Bill Zito and players like Montour wanting direction with the same goal in mind. to remain a part of it helped facilitate that.

With Aaron Ekblad out of with a major injury, the Panthers sent a third- “It was important for some of the guys to come in and to give all that they round draft pick to the Sabres for Montour and he jumped right in. did for the organization, to be part of the team,” Zito said.

“I felt like i was one of the guys right away,” he said. “You can see the “Brandon was part of the team and was excited to come back. Sam team we have, the talent we have. That is another big thing. I wanted to (Reinhart) talked to guys and is excited to interact with them. I think these be on a winning team, a team that wants to win now. Obviously we’re at guys will come in and strive to help the collective. It is important to keep the point now where we want to take another step forward.” the core together and that’s what we’re trying to do.”

Mostly playing with Markus Nutivaara on the second defensive pairing, Montour put together a nice run in his limited time with Florida. Florida Hockey Now LOADED: 08.23.2021 Now, he’ll get even more time to show what he can do with the Panthers.

Just before the start of the free agency period, Montour and the Panthers came to an agreement on a three-year deal worth $3.5 million per season.

It is a bit of a pay cut from the one-year contract he got from Buffalo last year ($3.85 million) but Montour got some term and the chance to do something special with a Florida team on the rise.

Montour said that was his goal going into the free agent process.

“You obviously get to explore and see what’s out there,’’ Montour said after signing with Florida last month.

“My interest was never like that. I wanted to be a Panther. You know the business side, so you’ve got to work that through, but this is where I want to be.”

Joining the Panthers in April and jumping head-first into a playoff race was something Montour said he couldn’t wait to be part of.

“Obviously, these guys are having success and doing well this year,’’ Montour said after the trade.

“I just want to join that and keep the train rolling. The playoffs are around the corner and I have that itch to get back in.”

In 2019, Buffalo GM Jason Botterill’s team was six points out of the wild card spot and he sent a first-round pick to Anaheim for Montour.

Montour, who had a deep run in the playoffs with the Ducks in 2017, never did appear in a postseason game with the Sabres.

Although Buffalo was in the hunt for a playoff spot when he got there, the Sabres were not in the running for much longer.

The team ended up finishing the 2018-19 season 4-15-2 with two long losing streaks (one was seven, the other eight) sewn in.

The next two seasons weren’t much better.

“We had a couple tough seasons in Buffalo,’’ Montour said. “That is just the way it goes sometimes. I know the way I can play, I think Florida knows that as well.

“We had some success down the stretch, I hadn’t been to the playoffs … when you get to a winning team, things are flowing in the right direction. That makes it easier on everyone. I want to keep that moving along.”

Montour knew, like many in Buffalo, he would be traded to a contender at the deadline.

Still, in what turned out to be his final game with the Sabres, Montour blocked three shots. 1219606 Los Angeles Kings “When Rob Blake said that we are family, and because of that, Denis Fugere was to announce the first-round pick, wow, I didn’t expect that at all,” Fugere recalled. “That was a great moment. I had goosebumps in Recently retired scouts Fugere, McEwen reflect back on their time with the moment when I announced it. Even though I had made the Kings announcements at the junior level for many years, it was different.”

Fugere was responsible mainly for scouting the QMJHL, helping to evaluate the top players in Quebec during his time with the Kings, though By Zach Dooley as he was quick to mention, it’s a team effort across the board. Scouts will pound the table for the players they believed in from time to time,

though Fugere never viewed himself as an “ego guy”, someone who Late nights, cold rinks, miles upon miles in the car, working across the wanted to see players from his region selection more than any other. country from your employer, and an expectation to be bang on with your It was always about making sure that the best player available was the evaluations through it all. one that the Kings took, a statement that couldn’t be cut more directly That’s the life of an NHL scout, a job that has those challenges, but also from the cloth of hockey culture. its share of amazing rewards. “The player that is the best that I think of, that’s the guy we should draft,” Denis Fugere and Brent McEwen recently concluded their time in that Fugere said. “That’s the way I have always been. I’m not a strong ego profession with the LA Kings organization. McEwen retired after the 2020 guy, I’m a strong team guy. If you’re not a strong team guy, you’re in the NHL Draft in October, followed by Fugure after the 2021 edition back in wrong business.” July. As he went through his final draft as a member of the Kings organization, “I think that both of these guys should be very proud for the work they put Fugere noted the differences, as has been the case over the last two in, what they accomplished, it’s really incredible,” Nelson Emerson, Kings seasons due to COVID-19. The meetings moved from in-person to Director of Player Personnel, said. “The scouting world, it’s not an easy virtual, scouting became less of a defined thing and more of an enigma. one, it’s a lonely world at times and they were good at it for a long time. The QMJHL was the closest major-junior league in Canada to playing nearly a full season, with certain teams breaking the 40-game mark, still Both men spent the entirety of their NHL scouting careers with the LA well short of a normal schedule. Kings organization. McEwen joined the Kings back in 2004, followed by Fugere in 2007. Both had extensive experience in their respective Fugere called the entire process “sort of awkward”, between the Canadian junior leagues. combination of a fully virtual situation, interacting with his coworkers, and the knowledge that this would be his final draft. McEwen was responsible for the , where he had previously been the General Manager for the Saskatoon Blades. Fugere “In the Q, we were lucky enough to attend a few games live, but it was an was the expert on the QMJHL, joining the Kings from the awkward situation for the whole year, and the draft was quite awkward,” Voltigeurs, where he had been an Assistant General Manager. Both were he admitted. “Knowing that it was your last one, you want to push for embedded in their areas, as others are with the Kings in different areas guys, but you have to be careful, you have to think about the team rather and different leagues. Their stature and longevity helped to form a team than just push for a certain guy. Was it a good year though? Yes, it was that knew each other – and the process – well. still a very good year.”

“With the staff, where we are now, with the learning we’ve had with the As he reflects back, Fugere recalled several players he scouted over the guys that have been together so long — including our guys like Tony years that went on to be successful, both Kings draft picks and not, as Gasparini, Christian Ruuttu, Brent McEwen, Chris Byrne, and Denis memorable moments. His passion for Nicolas Deslauriers, a former Fugere — I think we recognize each other’s strengths and biases and Kings mid-round selection who is now approaching 500 NHL games, weaknesses,” Kings Director of Scouting Mark Yannetti said. “There is a stood out. Emerson recalled that Fugere knew that Deslauriers had “this respect and an intelligence that it bores itself out now in debate. I think heart of a lion in him”, which resonated. It was never about one player for we’ve come to the point now where the strength of the group is what all Fugere, but that 2010 draft, which also included J-F Berube, was one he of those guys bring to the table, that is what allows us and our model to remembered. evolve.” As he moves on, Fugere was a “one-team man” at the NHL level. He From the time they joined the organization, both men embarked on long said he never considered switching allegiances to another organization, journeys as scouts, contributing year-over-year in the NHL Draft. Both and now, as he moves on, he is at peace to enjoy a new chapter in his McEwen and Fugere spanned multiple regimes of management with the life. Kings, and through it all, remained loyal to the organization that gave “The Kings were the first team that gave me the opportunity to work at them their first NHL opportunity. the NHL level, the team won two Stanley Cups, so what could I expect “I think that’s the people they are,” Emerson added. “They’re down to more of?” Fugere said. “I’m at the point where I was sick for one full year, earth, small-town people and they believe in loyalty. That’s hockey at its I’m 67 now and I need to think about me. It was time for me to turn the forefront, that’s what hockey people [are about], it’s important and we page and time for me to move on to something else and enjoy life believe in that. I think those two, they definitely believe in that as well. I differently.” think it shows you what kind of people they are.” While one month ago marked Fugere’s final draft, for Brent McEwen, it For Denis Fugere, it didn’t take him long to answer when asked what his marked the first NHL Draft he hadn’t worked. proudest moment with the organization was. That first one away left some mixed feelings. McEwen said he didn’t “October 2016, when I was invited to LA with my wife after I had survived really miss being a part of it, but still found himself following along a bit cancer,” Fugere said, without hesitation. “That was the cancer night, I too. The draft-eligible players from 2021 were players he was somewhat was invited, first-class all the way around, with my wife and that was a familiar with, as they played during his final draft cycle, and he was special moment.” happy with how the Kings handled the draft, going after the players that they wanted. Fugure had been diagnosed with cancer – mantle cell lymphoma to be specific – in September of 2015. After he beat the disease, Fugere was As he reflected back though, McEwen knew it was the right time for him honored not only with a special presentation on Hockey Fights Cancer to step away. Night at STAPLES Center, but also by his peers within the hockey “When I retired, it was time for me to retire and do other things,” he said. operations staff. “I’ve got an interest in it, but it’s not something that I studied or watched, In the 2018 NHL Draft, with Fugere back on the grind with his cohorts, or looked at the guys. I sort of bumped in here and there, I kept track of General Manager Rob Blake announced at a staff dinner the night before who the Kings picked and how they got there. I didn’t miss it, when I left, the draft that Fugere would announce the team’s first-round selection the it was time for me to leave. When I left, I had been with the Kings for 15 next day. A moment that he did not expect, and a moment that has stuck years, I played, I coached from the time I left University. It was time to do with him to this day. something else.” McEwen had been a part of the Kings scouting staff since 2004, LA Kings Insider: LOADED: 08.23.2021 spanning several management regimes. McEwen’s primary responsibilities were in the WHL, where he scouted players ranging from the Northwest corner of the United States to the cold confines of Winnipeg.

For many years, McEwen was the only person responsible, on the ground at least, for that league. Emerson recalled he liked “size and big bodied players who were hard to play against” and that jived quite well with how the Kings were built for several years. See King, Dwight as a WHL selection who fit that bill.

Those years certainly added up for McEwen, who worked with many of the same scouts for a large chunk of that time with the organization. It was those relationships that he cherished the most, and when he finally decided to step away, it was the relationships he wound up missing the most.

“It wasn’t so much leaving the game as it was leaving the guys I’ve worked with for so long,” he said. “A lot of us had been together for 12, 13 years and we had a really good working relationship and personal relationship. That was probably the most difficult thing, giving that part up.”

Like Fugere, McEwen worked for just one NHL organization during his time as a scout.

Could there potentially have been opportunities to go somewhere else, during his fifteen-plus years in the profession? There probably would have been. For McEwen though, it wasn’t really on his radar.

He discussed the comradery amongst the scouts with the Kings as a huge sticking point of why he chose to remain with the Kings for so many years, and why he enjoyed working here so greatly.

“I don’t know what other teams are like, but I think this almost went beyond the game and work relationships,” McEwen said. “I think that everyone liked each other, really respected each other and their opinions, whether it be hockey or anything else. You have your arguments when your thoughts are different, which is what you want, but it was all very respectful, nothing was condescending. We had a real working relationship and a real personal relationship, we all liked each other, enjoyed each other’s company, respectful of everybody’s opinions, which was a real nice environment to work in.”

As he moves on to his next chapter, McEwen is enjoying his time on the lake, and the next chapter of his life seems to have that relaxing element to it. That’s not to say though that he didn’t appreciate and enjoy the exciting moments from his time with the Kings.

The Stanley Cups were naturally a high point from his time here, and that first on in 2012, after being a part of the rebuilding process that led to that moment, was certainly one he’ll recall fondly.

“It was really nice to see everybody sit back, the day they won the first cup, watch the elation of the players and the fans, it was like a religious experience for the fans,” he recalled. “It was unbelievable. To sit back and watch the emotions come from everybody, it was just to me, not sure if it was the proudest moment, but it was probably the most special moment, it was just an unreal experience.”

As both men move on to the next juncture of their lives and careers, they do so thankful for their time with the Kings. Fugere said he’ll be working with a couple of junior teams and organizations in Canada, but strictly on the business side.

“I’ll still be involved somehow in hockey, but not at the scouting level, or even specifically the hockey side, more on the administration level. No more pressure for me,” he joked.

McEwen was just thankful he could leave both on his own terms, and with the LA Kings.

“I was very fortunate that I went through three administrations and I was very fortunate to be able to stay on with all three,” he said. “I was happy to leave the game with Los Angeles. I thought they gave me so much, and I have a real affiliation and loyalty to the Kings. It was nice to be able to leave on my terms from the game and be with an organization that I really enjoyed being with.”

Best of luck to both Denis and Brent moving forward!

1219607 It’s a pity, because the only thing I’d welcome more than the return of the Nordiques would be the return of the Expos. But as long as Bettman’s Sun Belt obsession remains the driving force in the NHL, I don’t see it Arizona Coyotes' next home ought to be happening.

Instead, we’ll have to make do with replays of some of the more memorable brawls the league has ever seen and a Nordiques team that, Jack Todd on a per-game basis, arguably brought more excitement to the ice than any other. Publishing date:Aug 22, 2021 Speed bump in Calgary: The Alouettes did everything wrong against the

Stampeders Friday night. Shanked passes, dropped catches, endless To the hockey media of the mid-1990s (driven relentlessly, then as now, silly penalties — and at the end of it all, they fell a yard short of pulling it by their palates and their stomachs), Quebec City was the ultimate in out on the road. NHL cities. One more yard, or a few more seconds on the clock, and they win it. If The team was dazzling, the locals were friendly, the restaurants were anything, I’m more impressed than ever with Vernon Adams Jr., who excellent and the press dining room at Le Colisée was known for trotting gives the Alouettes a chance to win even on an off night. out lobster from time to time, a reflection of owner Marcel Aubut’s Heroes: Sarah Fillier, Jamie Lee Rattray, Marie-Philip Poulin, Erin culinary tastes. Ambrose, Brianne Jenner, Anna Nordqvist, Brooke Henderson, &&&& Among the media smitten by Quebec City and the go-go Nordiques of last but not least, the remarkable Ash Barty. Joe Sakic and , the one holdout was the late, great Red Zeros: Geoff Molson, Marc Bergevin, Trevor Timmins, the Blue Jays, Fisher, who would have turned 95 on Sunday. Red didn’t like the Quebec Claude Brochu, &&&& last but not least, . City trips, so it was left to Pat Hickey and me to cover a team whose Now and forever. practices were more fun than the Canadiens’ games — and the last, sad days of a great franchise.

Truth be told, Quebec City put up a pathetic fight in its attempt to hang Montreal Gazette LOADED: 08.23.2021 onto the team. A save-our-team demonstration drew only a few dozen people, many of them toting placards in support of a casino (one of the many ideas put forth to help support a franchise).

You know the rest. I was there for the last game at Le Colisée before the Nordiques became the . That autumn, with the Canadiens in complete disarray, canny Colorado GM Pierre Lacroix swooped in to snatch missing piece Patrick Roy, and fans in Montreal and Quebec City alike would weep as St. Patrick helped the loaded Avs win the Stanley Cup.

All of which matters today because of something that happened last week in Arizona, where the city of Glendale is terminating its lease with the Arizona Coyotes for the Gila River Arena after the 2021-2022 season.

The first statement from the Coyotes put the blame on the city as Coyotes president Xavier Gutierrez insisted the franchise is determined to stay in Arizona — but survival in the desert has been a 25-year struggle since the day the Winnipeg Jets packed up and moved to the desert.

The sole force keeping the Coyotes in place is and always has been the will of Gary Bettman, who happens to be commissioner of the . When Bettman introduced Alex Meruelo as majority owner of the Coyotes in 2019, Bettman said Meruelo was committed to getting a new arena in the right location — in Arizona.

If the Coyotes can hang on for three more seasons, they’re the betting favourites to win the services of local boy Auston Matthews, who can become Cactus Captain Underpants and the franchise star the Coyotes have never had, all in a market where his playoff failures won’t matter.

The Glendale decision, however, has rekindled hopes in Quebec City that Bettman may at last agree to transfer one of his struggling franchises back to this province, or whether the league prefers the heat of Houston or the one-time home of the City Scouts.

In hockey terms, of course, the destination ought to be Quebec City and the Videotron Centre — a state-of-the-art 18,259-seat venue that would become one of the poles in a perfect storm of hockey rivalries, along with Toronto, Ottawa, Boston and Montreal. No other nexus of teams could approach it for intensity, nor is this Quebec the one that lost the Nordiques in 1995. It’s bigger, it’s bustling, it’s almost as large as Winnipeg, and it has a significantly larger arena.

Unfortunately for the game, the NHL is now an American league. Whether NHL owners can stomach former Parti Québécois leader Pierre- Karl Péladeau is probably irrelevant. Péladeau may be erratic, but the NHL has far worse, beginning with Eugene Melnyk in Ottawa. What matters is that Bettman likes teams in hot places and if he’s going to give way at last and agree to move the Coyotes franchise from Arizona, the searing heat and humidity of Houston will do just fine. 1219608 New York Rangers

Rangers legend, Hall of Famer Rod Gilbert dies at 80

By DAVID MATTHEWS

AUG 22, 2021 AT 8:51 PM

Rod “Mr. Ranger” Gilbert, the Rangers’ all-time goals and scoring leader, has died. He was 80 years old.

Gilbert’s death was announced by the team Sunday evening. A cause of death was not disclosed.

“I am deeply saddened by the passing of Rod Gilbert — one of the greatest Rangers to ever play for our organization and one of the greatest ambassadors the game of hockey has ever had,” Rangers owner James Dolan said in a statement. “While his on-ice achievements rightly made him a Hall of Famer, it was his love for the Rangers and the people of New York that endeared him to generations of fans and forever earned him the title, ‘Mr. Ranger.’ Our thoughts are with Rod’s wife, Judy, and the entire Gilbert family during this difficult time. They will always be a part of the Rangers family.”

“Everyone in the Rangers organization mourns the loss of a true New York icon,” Rangers president and general manager Chris Drury added. “Rod’s remarkable talent and zest for life personified this city and endeared him to hockey fans and non-hockey fans alike. Growing up a young Rangers fan, one of the first names I ever heard about was Rod Gilbert – he was synonymous with Rangers hockey. It was an incredible privilege to get to know Rod. His passion and dedication to the Rangers will forever be a source of inspiration for me.”

Born July 1, 1941 in Montreal, Gilbert played with the Rangers from 1960 to 1978. Across parts of 18 seasons, Gilbert tallied 406 goals and 615 assists as a winger, for a total of 1,021 points in 1,065 games. Gilbert added 34 goals and 33 assists in 79 playoff appearances, including two trips to the Stanley Cup Finals.

At the time of Gilbert’s retirement, he had set or matched 20 team scoring records and was second only to Gordie Howe in points by a right winger in NHL history. He also appeared in eight NHL All-Star Games. In 1976, Gilbert received the Bill Masterton Trophy, which is awarded annually to the NHL player who “best exemplifies the qualities of perseverance, sportsmanship and dedication to hockey.”

His No. 7 jersey became the first number ever to be retired by the Rangers and was raised to the rafters in 1979. He was inducted into the in 1982.

Following his career, Gilbert became involved with a number of charitable organizations including the Garden of Dreams Foundation the Ronald McDonald House.

Gilbert is survived by his wife, Judy, his siblings, Jean Marie, André, and Pauline (sister-in-law), his children, Chantal, Justin, Holly, and Brooke, and his grandchildren, Arielle, Owen, Kaya, Jordyn, Lila, Logan, and Damon.

New York Daily News LOADED: 08.23.2021 1219609 New York Rangers

Rangers legend remembers Rod Gilbert: ‘No one better’

By Peter Botte

August 23, 2021

The first person to greet Ron Duguay and show him New York when he joined the Rangers in 1977 was Rod Gilbert.

This was Duguay’s rookie NHL campaign and turned out to be the last of Gilbert’s 18 seasons in New York, but that didn’t stop the future Hall of Famer and face of the franchise from welcoming the team’s first-round draft pick to the team.

Duguay, who now co-hosts The Post’s Rangers podcast “Up in the Blue Seats,” remembered his former teammate and longtime friend Sunday night after the Rangers announced news of Gilbert’s passing at 80 earlier in the evening.

“The first time I walked into Madison Square Garden to sign my contract, he was the first man to meet me,” Duguay recalled in a phone interview. “And he took me out that night, too, kind of a celebration, and that was the beginning of a long relationship.

“He was such a likable person that he left an immediate impression on you. So yes, he was my introduction to the New York Rangers. And that stayed with me through all my time as a player and my post-playing career.”

After Duguay retired from the NHL in 1989, he and Gilbert worked together as team ambassadors and in various charitable endeavors as part of the Garden of Dreams Foundation.

“There was no one better at representing the Garden, the franchise, the brand, and representing all of us [alumni]. Everyone turned to Rod, always,” Duguay said. “I saw firsthand how much he appreciated the fans. He gave so much of himself. Nothing was ever a bother to him.

“Every single game he was there, he was there because he enjoyed to be there. He enjoyed being him and having played for the New York Rangers. I would see what he meant to the fans, people meeting him for the first time. He was such a joy. Always laughing. Always a smile on his face. And the stories he’d tell.”

Rod Gilbert, Mr. Ranger, dead at 80

Earlier Sunday evening, Duguay posted a video of a goal scored in Game 7 of the 1994 Stanley Cup finals against Vancouver. The camera cut to the seats behind the box and showed Gilbert giving Duguay a high-five.

“I never even knew this footage existed until today,” Duguay said. “I had the pleasure of being with Rod Gilbert when the Rangers finally won the Cup. He had his chances in his career, but it obviously had been so long [since 1940], and we celebrated together. I got to experience that with him.

“The Cup really meant a lot to him, because he was such a part of the fabric of the organization for so long. To be with him when the Rangers finally won was an amazing experience.”

The two continued to work together through the ensuing years, and Duguay said he “would drop everything to do anything for that man” whenever asked to appear at a team event, especially one run by Gilbert.

“That title, Mr. Ranger, he took it seriously,” Duguay said. “You would see him in suite visits and walking in the aisles, he’d stop for everyone who wanted a picture or an autograph. He absolutely loved it, and the fans adored him. And he never got tired of any of it. That’s just who he was.”

New York Post LOADED: 08.23.2021 1219610 New York Rangers came back at 21 after my injuries and I stayed on ever since. I stayed here during the summers. … And I said, ‘Wow, I found my town.’

“I touched a lot of lives in New York. A lot of these Rangers fans that sent Rod Gilbert, Mr. Ranger, dead at 80 their kids to my camps, I felt like I had a personal relationship with them. And that’s what this was all about.”

By Peter Botte

August 22, 2021 8:27pm New York Post LOADED: 08.23.2021

Rod Gilbert, the Montreal-born Hall of Fame forward and adopted son of New York fondly known as Mr. Ranger, has died, the team announced Sunday. He was 80.

“I am deeply saddened by the passing of Rod Gilbert — one of the greatest Rangers to ever play for our organization and one of the greatest ambassadors the game of hockey has ever had,” Madison Square Garden executive chairman and Rangers owner James Dolan said in a statement. “While his on-ice achievements rightly made him a Hall of Famer, it was his love for the Rangers and the people of New York that endeared him to generations of fans and forever earned him the title, ‘Mr. Ranger.’ Our thoughts are with Rod’s wife, Judy, and the entire Gilbert family during this difficult time. They will always be a part of the Rangers family.”

Gilbert, the franchise’s all-time leader in goals (406) and points (1,021) and the first NHL player to have his jersey (No. 7) retired at Madison Square Garden, spent his entire 18-year career in a starring role for the Blueshirts from 1960-78.

Rangers legend Rod Gilbert died Sunday at the age of 80.

Paul J. Bereswill

The eight-time All-Star played right wing on the Rangers’ famed GAG line (Goal-a-Game) alongside left wing and center . That unit led the Rangers to an appearance in the 1972 Stanley Cup finals — with Gilbert posting a career-best 43 goals and 97 points during the regular season — but they lost to the Boston Bruins in six games as part of the 54-year championship drought that didn’t end until 1994.

“The beauty of it is every year we were sniffing at it and we were coming closer. It was always our hope,” Gilbert told The Post’s “Up in the Blue Seats” podcast last year. “We had everything in place. [Goalie] was a Hall of Famer. We had a solid defense. We had three lines. We had a complete team. I just don’t really know at the end what happened. Every playoffs, somebody put the sticks in the wheels and tripped us up.

“But I don’t have an empty feeling about [not winning the Cup]. I’m really proud of the way that team was formed and the togetherness of our team. When it comes to the playoffs, you know how hard it is to win this thing. I don’t think that much about it because I’m grateful what we accomplished in those years.

“But it would have been nice to win one or two. I see the boys from’94, how popular they are.”

The immensely popular Gilbert was born in Montreal in 1941 and grew up idolizing Bernie “Boom Boom” Geoffrion and the Canadiens before embarking on his hockey career with Guelph of the Hockey Association in 1957.

Gilbert’s career nearly was derailed in 1960 when he was temporarily paralyzed after breaking his back while slipping on debris thrown on the ice and crashing into the boards, undergoing the first of two spinal-fusion surgeries. The second operation occurred while with the Rangers during the 1965-66 season, and Gilbert was awarded the Masterton Trophy in 1976, given annually for perseverance and dedication to hockey. He was elected to the Hockey Hall of Fame in 1982.

The gregarious Gilbert remained a prominent face at the Garden and contributor to the franchise throughout his retirement, serving as an ambassador and community relations representative involved with the Garden of Dreams Foundation and as the team’s director of special projects.

He often joked there were still some Rangers fans he’d yet to meet, “so that’s why I keep coming back.”

“They’re my family, the Ranger fans,” Gilbert added in 2020 on The Post’s podcast. “I came here, my first game I was 18 years old and then I 1219611 New York Rangers

Henrik Lundqvist ‘can’t wait’ for his jersey to hang in the Garden rafters

By Peter Botte

August 22, 2021 4:32pm

Henrik Lundqvist is looking forward to be feted like a King.

The retiring goaltender responded Sunday to the Rangers’ announcement of plans to raise Lundqvist’s No. 30 to the rafters at Madison Square Garden at some point this season.

Referring to a Twitter post by the Blueshirts depicting his pending retired jersey banner, Lundqvist wrote: “I have probably looked at this 10 times now and I can’t believe it…I’m so happy, proud and extremely grateful. Can’t wait to see you guys back @TheGarden.”

The 39-year-old Lundqvist played 15 seasons with the Rangers from 2005-2020, posting a franchise record 459 wins. The five-time All-Star signed with the Capitals following a contract buyout, but he sat out the season and ultimately retired due to heart inflammation.

“I’m OK with this. I am. I feel like I’m at a very strong place mentally after going through all of the challenges of the last year, starting with when the Rangers bought me out,” Lundqvist said Friday in announcing his retirement. “For the last eight months or so, there has been so much waiting-and-seeing, and I have not been in the driver’s seat. I’ve been in the passenger’s seat. Now there was a decision to make.

“It’s all still fresh. I decided only a few days ago. But I am at peace. I look back at my career, and all I have is gratitude and pride. I am just so grateful.”

New York Post LOADED: 08.23.2021 1219612 New York Rangers In 1991, he was married to advertising executive Judith Christy, his second wife, by then-New York City mayor David Dinkins at the United Nations.

Rangers icon Rod Gilbert dies at 80 In a New Year’s Day interview in 2018 before the Rangers played in the NHL Winter Classic at Citi Field, Gilbert recalled outdoor games in his youth. By Neil Best "I did play, when I was young and vivacious," he said. "I grew up in Updated August 23, 2021 12:38 AM Montreal, and I just talked to my brother and he said it’s like 15 below zero there. I said, ‘Do you remember when we used to go out in that?’ He

said, ‘When you’re young, you don’t feel it.’ " Rod Gilbert never won a Stanley Cup in his 18 seasons as a Ranger, but "I am very privileged to play my entire career in New York," he said in the for a generation of fans who spanned the 1960s and ’70s, he was their 2017 Times interview. "I am one of the few. But I don’t feel like a legend. shining star, an offensive force who always gave the team a chance and I think the word is overused. I went from being a Ranger player to being fans some hope. the biggest Ranger fan. When I’m at the Garden, I’m home." Gilbert, 80, whose death was announced by the Rangers on Sunday night, retired in 1978 and decades later still is the team’s career leader in goals (406) and points (1,021), forever the right wing on the "G-A-G Line" Newsday LOADED: LOADED: 08.23.2021 — for goal-a-game — with Jean Ratelle (second with 336 goals) and Vic Hadfield (fifth with 262).

"I am deeply saddened by the passing of Rod Gilbert, one of the greatest Rangers to ever play for our organization and one of the greatest ambassadors the game of hockey has ever had," said James Dolan, executive chairman of Madison Square Garden Sports. "While his on-ice achievements rightly made him a Hall of Famer, it was his love for the Rangers and the people of New York that endeared him to generations of fans and forever earned him the title ‘Mr. Ranger.’ Our thoughts are with Rod’s wife, Judy, and the entire Gilbert family during this difficult time. They will always be a part of the Rangers family."

Rangers president and general manager Chris Drury said: "Rod’s remarkable talent and zest for life personified this city and endeared him to hockey fans and non-hockey fans alike. Growing up a young Rangers fan, one of the first names I ever heard about was Rod Gilbert. He was synonymous with Rangers hockey."

Gilbert’s family confirmed the death to the Rangers on Sunday. The team didn’t provide details.

Well into the 21st century, Gilbert remained a familiar figure around the Garden, working for the Rangers in community relations and as a goodwill ambassador of sorts, one always happy to chat up fans, sponsors or journalists in his distinctive French-Canadian accent, telling long-ago stories or reveling in modern-day NHL events.

Among his activities were dozens of appearances on behalf of the Garden of Dreams Foundation.

"Family, that’s what being at the Garden and being a Ranger means to me," he told The New York Times in 2017 while watching the Rangers play the Canadiens, his favorite childhood team. "Plus, there are still a few Ranger fans I haven’t met, so I have to keep coming back."

He had his No. 7 retired by the Rangers in 1979, the first such retirement in the team’s history, and was inducted into the Hockey Hall of Fame in 1982.

Gilbert was born on July 1, 1941, and grew up in Montreal.

He overcame two devastating (and related) injuries during his career, breaking a vertebra in his back after tripping on a piece of paper stuck in the ice during his junior hockey days.

In 1965, he needed a second spinal surgery that resulted in what he described as a near-death experience and cost him much of the 1965-66 season.

His highest goals total was 43 in 1971-72, when every member of the G- A-G line scored more than 40 and the Rangers advanced to their only Cup Final of his career. They lost to the Bruins in six games.

Also in 1972, Gilbert played for Canada’s winning side in the against the Soviet Union, contributing a goal and three assists in six games.

Gilbert held out early in the 1977-78 season, then returned to score two goals in 19 games in what became his final season.

Gilbert embraced the New York lifestyle, as did many Rangers of his era. In 1979, he was featured in a series of paintings of sports stars by Andy Warhol. 1219613 Pittsburgh Penguins

Dan’s Daily: Why Players Don’t Like Ohio, Rangers to Retire Lundqvist’s Number

Published 21 hours ago on August 22, 2021By Dan Kingerski

Do you think if we begged and pleaded or protested, we could get more Pittsburgh Penguins chatter? A Columbus morning host took a good poke at Russian players and why the Columbus Blue Jackets have had a tough time keeping players. The US and Canadian women’s teams opened the worlds with wins, and the New York Rangers will retire Henrik Lundqvist’s number.

Right now, Jay and Silent Bob of the NHL are just quietly hanging outside Quick Stop. No customers, no drama.

If you missed it, Pittsburgh Hockey Now put Kris Letang’s next contract on the lab table. With comparables, projections, and a hunch, here’s what Letang is worth.

Bryan Rust is up next.

NHL News & National Hockey Now

Honestly, if I had known the NHL was taking a vacation for the entire month of August, I would have sneaked in a little getaway of my own. The Pittsburgh Penguins rivals are making a bit of noise, at least.

TSN Video: Speaking on TSN radio, Columbus 97.1 morning host Bobby Carpenter took a good poke (in jest, kind of) at Russian players and discussed why the Columbus Blue Jackets struggle to keep young players.

If you watch the segment, Carpenter didn’t pull any punches, eh?

NBCsn: The New York Rangers will retire Henrik Lundqvist’s number this season.

His tailor should get a nod, too.

Sportsnet: Here’s the Women’s Worlds page if you want to follow the tournament. The US, Canada, and Russia opened with wins.

Philly: The last open arb case is no more. The and Travis Sanheim signed a nice little bridge deal worth a tidy $9.35 million.

Detroit: Steve Yzerman LOVES draft picks. He loves to use them. However, Yzerman explained to Detroit Hockey Now–sometimes you have to trade them, too. And that’s what the Detroit Red Wings did.

Here’s a wild story for ya;

Vancouver: The Canucks should be a LOT better this season. Our boy Rob Simpson chatted with GM Jim Nill about the new Canuck Jason Dickinson–get this–and how Dickinson’s path to Vancouver is tied to the 2013 ’ third-period collapse in Game 7 vs. Boston.

Sorry, that’s about all I could rustle up today. So that you get proper value for your clicks, I’ll ask for your help in the Bryan Rust Penguins contract piece with this poll question, and you may discuss in the comments.

Pittsburgh Hockey Now LOADED: 08.23.2021 1219614 San Jose Sharks It was a poorly kept secret the were getting irritated with Evgeny Kuznetsov’s immaturity. There was the infamous Las Vegas hotel photo with either a lot of Columbian bam-bam, or the boys bought a few dozen powdered sugar donuts but didn’t clean up the mess. There Top-5 Players Who Were Supposed to Get TradedPublished 2 days ago have been lackadaisical play and internal attitude issues, being late for on August 21, 2021By National Hockey Now meetings, and two–yes two–suspensions for violating COVID protocol.

We won’t even get into the rumors surrounding the Pittsburgh Penguins rival. This is a FOX Bet sponsored article. FOX Bet is currently offering up to a $500 welcome bonus if you sign up for a new account today. Sportsnet’s Elliotte Friedman reported the Capitals were out of patience. However, a few weeks ago, Washington Capitals GM Brian McClellan It’s that time of the offseason for the ANTI-trade rumor. walked that back, perhaps after the trade market was 10-ply soft. We’re in the dog days of August — who was supposed to be traded but “He’s a good player. We like the player,” MacLellan said regarding hasn’t moved? Kuznetsov. “We’ve never said we’re trading Kuznetsov. I said we’re open The number-one name on this chart is obviously Jack Eichel. to discussions on most of our players for the (NHL trade market). If it comes up, it comes up, and if it doesn’t make sense, same as always. It’s While Eichel is still attempting to force a trade out of Buffalo and get his never been ‘we’re moving Kuznetsov’ as it’s been portrayed in a few back surgery, the Buffalo Sabres GM Kevyn Adams is still holding up the places.” show. The last major NHL trade was more than three weeks ago when the Vegas Golden Knights sent Ryan Reaves to the New York Rangers It’s tough to move such a talented young player. Of course, it’s not tough so that Tom Wilson wouldn’t “ragdoll” the Rangers this season. to lose an irresponsible guy who thinks the NHL is party time. Which one is Kuznetsov? The dirty bird remains in DC. Teams don’t want the Full pun intended. distraction, nor are they willing to pay the price for his talent yet. If Kuznetsov spends a little while on the straight and narrow, suitors will be The NHL trade market has grown cold, even the Eichel chase. Between lined up around the block. the exorbitant cost for Eichel, GM ’s underhanded tactic of agreeing but not finalizing free agent contracts so Odds Kuznetsov remains in DC: 75%. he can negotiate harder on the trade front, or the unresolved Evander Kane situation, it’s a logjam. VLADIMIR TARASENKO

JACK EICHEL Another case of player wants out. The team wants the player out. No other team wants the player at his current salary. Tarasenko has a thrice Will somebody get the kid a Happy Meal?? Eichel’s agents firmly chided rebuilt shoulder, and at 29-years-old, he is a question mark. At $7.5 the Sabres for the process. Buffalo won’t let Eichel have the specific back million AAV for the next two seasons, he’s a question to which other procedure he thinks is necessary. And, as National Hockey Now’s Off the teams don’t want the answer. Record column was the first to report, Buffalo wants at least four assets in return. The New York Islanders and GM Lou Lamoriello are or were rumored to be interested, but the Sith lord of the NHL GMs has remained in the The Eichel grab was one of our best gets this summer. shadows. The secretive org may have the money. They may not. That’s the point of their game. The also kicked tires, but like others, pulled out of the running. But Tarasenko is still in St. Louis, and neither side is entirely pleased.

It’s a good old-fashioned stalemate. The Player wants out. The team Odds Tarasenko remains in St. Louis: 20%. The Blues will crack, and can’t get enough for the player. The player needs surgery. Boy meets Lou has his napkin tucked into his shirt, ready to feast. girl. Boy loses girl, country song is made. Eichel may have the Anchor Bar Blues soon. MATTHEW TKACHUK

Everybody’s so impatient for Eichel to get dealt, a tweet like this from the Everyone’s ears perked up when the young, gritty forward with a nose for man himself gets over 2,000 retweets: the net popped up in the NHL trade rumors. However, it was perhaps a false alarm. Odds Eichel plays for Sabres this season: Still hovering at 5% but might climb to 10% next week. The immediate rumor was Tkachuk wanted to play for the St. Louis Blues, where his father, , starred. And St. Louis would EVANDER KANE send Tarasenko to Calgary. Easy! However, it wasn’t long before Toronto wanted in on the fun. It’s obvious why the San Jose Sharks haven’t been able to move Evander Kane, despite another 20-goal season, his sixth straight. Alas, it was not to be. Calgary GM Brad Treveling publicly quelled the trade chatter with an appropriately firm statement on SiriusXM radio. He’s currently under investigation by the league for gambling on NHL games. We should’ve known: Why would Calgary take on a 29-year-old sniper with a bum shoulder for the much younger and healthier Tkachuk? That And yes — I get the irony of Kane’s inclusion in an article sponsored by a sounds like a St. Louis ask that was laughed out of the room. sports betting platform. 99.99% chance Tkachuk is in Calgary. He’s got four years left on his contract at a $7 million dollar AAV. — Reportedly, a number of his teammates don’t want him back. Just remember, trade talks are just that: Two sides talking. It’s not a trade He’s got a limited no-trade clause — he can only be moved to three report and certainly doesn’t mean anything is imminent. There are a teams of his choice. dozen more conversations that no one knows or doesn’t go anywhere for San Jose Sharks GM Doug Wilson may not be able to live with Kane and every bit of chatter we get. Everything can change in one phone call, for it might actually cost the Sharks to live without him. good or bad, and sometimes both.

Sources have suggested to San Jose Hockey Now that teams would San Jose Hockey Now Editor-in-Chief Sheng Peng contributed to this consider taking the 30-year-old winger on, pending the results of the NHL story. investigation, if San Jose were willing to add incentives. San Jose Hockey Now LOADED: 08.23.2021 Obviously, the Sharks are trying to avoid that. Time is running out if they want him out of the room by training camp.

50% odds that Kane remains with the San Jose Sharks.

EVGENY KUZNETSOV 1219615 Toronto Maple Leafs That deal, however, didn’t guarantee NHL players would be allowed to participate. It only said the league would try to negotiate a deal.

No deal has been reached. It’s hard to believe that NHLPA boss Don The NHL doesn’t care about international hockey, Winter Olympics Fehr has now been snookered on this issue a second time. First, he included. Star players expected better forgot to include the Olympics in 2013 CBA negotiations, and in so doing allowed the league to wiggle out of the 2018 Games.

Now Fehr and the union has been caught napping again. He still hasn’t Damien Cox learned that when you’re dealing with NHL owners, you better get things in writing. The players clearly believed last year’s extension got them

back into the Olympics. Somewhere over the past quarter-century, Gary Bettman and his bosses “As players, we were under the impression the league was going to do fell out of love with international hockey. everything in its power, and that we will be going,” Oilers star Connor Not sure exactly when it occurred. Few ever really know the precise McDavid said recently. moment romance dies. Now, players are learning that wasn’t necessarily the case at all. The We know in 1996, four years into Bettman’s first term as NHL owners still have the final say, and they really don’t want to go to China. commissioner, the NHL was all-in on the concept of the to We’re almost back to pre-1972 times now, when the Olympics and the point where the name was changed to the to international hockey really weren’t part of the NHL’s vision at all. NHL better reflect the global aspirations of the league. teams looked down on the international game as inferior and second- Two years later, Bettman and his administration spearheaded the rate. league’s decision to join the Olympic movement at the 1998 Winter That changed drastically from ’72 to ’98, and now the pendulum has Games in Nagano, Japan. The only way it could happen was to shut swung back again. Going to Nagano, it turns out, wasn’t a commitment. It down during the Olympics for the first time ever, and at that time the 26 was a short-term marriage of convenience, and now it’s no longer clubs decided it would be good for business to do so. convenient for 32 NHL owners. Full steam ahead, or so it seemed. The NHL couldn’t have been more The league has produced a schedule with an Olympic break, and it’s still enthusiastic. The belief was that the arrangement would go on for possible Bettman will cut a deal with Rene Fasel’s IIHF and the corrupt decades. bums who run the IOC. If that does happen, however, we know the In 2002, 2006 and particularly 2010, the NHL seemed thrilled to be a part NHL’s heart won’t be in it, and that this same process will occur again for of the Olympic movement. There was no sense that this was a temporary the 2026 Olympics and every Olympic hockey tournament after that. arrangement. This was to have and to hold, in sickness and in health, And the World Cup? Maybe in 2024, maybe not. Does anybody really forever and ever, amen. care any more? Somewhere between the 2010 Vancouver Olympics and the 2014 Bettman is now 69 years old. Soon he’ll pass Clarence Campbell’s Games in Sochi, however, NHL owners started to change their minds. record of 31 years running the NHL, which may be part of the legacy he The league had swollen to 30 teams and more grumbling could be heard wants to leave. When Bettman’s final record is examined, part of his about the necessity and benefits of NHL participation in the Olympics. legacy will also be that he allowed international hockey to die a slow, Slowly but surely, Bettman went from being an enthusiastic advocate of tortuous death on his watch. international hockey and the Olympics to a doubter, to a league executive who publicly questioned whether the NHL was being treated He became the ardent suitor who loved the pursuit, but lost interest once fairly by the International Federation and the International the chase was over. Olympic Committee. Damien Cox At the same time, the World Cup withered on the vine. After ’96, it was eight years before another tournament was held, then another 12 years Toronto Star LOADED: 08.23.2021 before another version emerged. After the Sochi Games, meanwhile, the NHL declined to make its players available for the 2018 Olympic tournament in Pyeongchang.

So the result of the past 25 years has been a steady deterioration of the NHL’s participation and interest in the international game.

There hasn’t been a noteworthy, best-on-best international men’s hockey moment since Sidney Crosby’s golden goal more than 11 years ago.

There hasn’t been a significant moment in international men’s hockey, best on best, since Sidney Crosby’s golden goal for Canada at the 2010 Vancouver Olympics, Damien Cox writes.

Today, with it still unclear whether the NHL will release players to compete in the 2022 Olympics in China less than six months from now, Bettman has made it abundantly clear he and his owners would rather not take a break in the 2021-22 season. If the players do go, teams will release players reluctantly, and only because the NHL Players’ Association has made it a priority.

The spark is gone, and this is now the NHL’s passive-aggressive approach.

When it comes to international hockey, you either believe it’s good for the game or you don’t. Bettman and his owners certainly believed it was good for the game in ’98. It’s not like they had to be dragged kicking and screaming to Nagano.

Now, they don’t. Bettman constantly hides behind the notion that “issues” have to be resolved, but he’s made it plain this is now a priority only for the players, and the league is only even considering it as a courtesy because it was part of the four-year extension of the collective bargaining agreement signed with the players last year. 1219616 Vegas Golden Knights The Knights’ trade and expansion-draft acquisitions have taken up enough of their cap space to prevent them from splashing cash in free agency.

How Golden Knights were built for 2021-22 NHL season That might be for the best, because the NHL’s open market results in more mistakes than success stories. The Knights instead have been selective regarding free agents. They’ve signed only four to multiyear, one-way deals in five offseasons in Brossoit, Holden, Pietrangelo and By Ben Gotz Las Vegas Review-Journal center . Stastny and Holden, who was later extended, since August 22, 2021 - 4:58 PM have been traded.

Brossoit was the only outside free agent signing this summer, as the Knights targeted a specific need for a veteran backup goaltender. The Golden Knights, for better or worse, never stand still. Not every team shows the same restraint. The Boston Bruins signed five The franchise is always pursuing upgrades in its quest for its first Stanley outside free agents to multiyear deals. Even the expansion Seattle Cup. No amount of success — which includes two semifinal appearances Kraken added three free agents in their first offseason in center and one trip to the Stanley Cup Final in four seasons — will prevent the Alexander Wennberg, left wing Jaden Schwartz and goaltender Philipp Knights from doing what they think is best for the following year’s team. Grubauer.

That was on full display this offseason when the team traded Hall of The Knights, again, for better or worse, are built different. They’re Fame goaltender Marc-Andre Fleury, fan favorite Ryan Reaves and its counting on that getting them over the hump next season. first-ever draft pick in center Cody Glass. The moves will give the Knights a new feel entering their fifth season, which is by design. “It’s one of the best teams in the NHL right now,” Dadonov said. “Every year they’re a competitive team. I’m very excited. I can’t wait for the The one thing the team never has been is stagnant. season to start.”

“Our job is to do the best things we can for the organization to help our LAS VEGAS REVIEW JOURNAL LOADED: 08.23.2021 team win,” general manager Kelly McCrimmon said after trading Reaves. “Our fans like winning hockey teams. We’ve done a lot of that in our four- year existence in Las Vegas. We do what we can to put the best team on the ice, make the best decisions with our personnel.”

Here’s how next year’s team was built:

1. Trading takes over

The Knights’ primary roster-building tool in their first four seasons was the 2017 expansion draft. No longer.

For the first time in franchise history, more players on the team (10) have been acquired in trades than any other method. The roster has evolved constantly over the years, and it primarily has been done via trades. The first line of left wing Max Pacioretty, center Chandler Stephenson and right wing Mark Stone arrived in trades, for example.

That evolution continued this offseason, as the Knights added right wing Evegenii Dadonov and centers Nolan Patrick and Brett Howden and let go of Fleury, Reaves, Glass and defenseman Nick Holden. The team hasn’t nailed every deal — losing center Nick Suzuki stung last postseason — but its overall track record is strong.

The proof is in the number of players who end up sticking around. Defenseman Alec Martinez and left wing Mattias Janmark were brought back this offseason, meaning seven of the 10 players on the roster that the Knights originally got in trades have signed a new contract with the team.

“I’ve touched on it a lot before about the special group that we have there,” Martinez said after re-signing. “It’s those things in the (locker) room and the quality of guys that I get to play with for three more years now that was kind of one of the main reasons that I wanted to be back.”

2. Misfits fading

The Knights still have seven players on the roster who came from the expansion draft. But their first line, top defensive pair of Martinez and Alex Pietrangelo and primary in Robin Lehner and Laurent Brossoit arrived after their inaugural season via trade or free agency.

The changing of the guard has been gradual, but moving Fleury — easily the face of the franchise for four years — will make the difference between this season’s roster and previous ones even more stark. More changes could be on the horizon because expansion-draft pickups Reilly Smith and Brayden McNabb are set to be free agents next summer.

The Knights’ original members still make up their entire second “Misfit” line of Smith, left wing Jonathan Marchessault and center William Karlsson, plus the second defensive pair of McNabb and Shea Theodore.

Their influence isn’t completely gone. It just isn’t as strong as it has been.

“It’s part of the game, and it happens every season, all the time,” Fleury said. “Guys come in and come out.”

3. Few free agents 1219617 Websites

USA TODAY / Three teenage hockey players die in car crash in British Columbia

Chris Bumbaca

USA TODAY

A car accident has left three junior hockey players dead in Canada.

Caleb Reimer, 16; Parker Magnuson, 17; and Ronin Sharma, 16, were killed when the vehicle they were in crashed into a tree early Saturday morning in British Columbia, according to the Vancouver Sun.

All three had played at the Delta Hockey Academy.

Reimer was a first-round draft selection of the of the Western Hockey League two years ago.

The NHL commented on the tragedy Sunday:

"The NHL sends its love and deepest condolences to the families of junior hockey players Caleb Reimer, Ronin Sharma and Parker Magnuson who tragically passed away in a car accident on Saturday," the league said in a statement. "Rest in peace boys."

USA TODAY LOADED: 08.23.2021