SPORT-SCAN DAILY BRIEF NHL 10/30/2020 1195547 Arizona Coyotes cut ties with controversial draft pick 1195571 Oil Kings' Matthew Robertson invited to world junior Mitchell Miller selection camp 1195548 Coyotes renounce draft pick Mitchell Miller after report of 1195572 Wrestling with Goodbyes: Joey Moss's locker-room alter bullying, racism ego the stuff of legend 1195573 Former Oilers defenceman jumps into the hockey equipment game 1195549 Bruce Cassidy, a U.S. citizen just in time, cherishes his 1195574 Lowetide: Jay Woodcroft oversees a spike in Oilers chance to vote prospect development 1195550 How the Sabres made the sales pitch that landed Taylor 1195575 Investigation clears former Panthers GM Dale Tallon of Hall accusation he used racial slur 1195551 Sabres' Sam Reinhart 'comfortable' playing on another 1195576 LeBrun: Mike Hoffman is no gamble if price is right short-term contract 1195552 Sabres, winger Victor Olofsson avoid arbitration with two-year contract 1195577 Quinton Byfield and the world juniors: ‘There’s going to be 1195553 Column: Linus Ullmark is a project Sabres are ready to expectations’ take on 1195578 CATCHING UP WITH KINGS ALUM ADAM 1195554 Sabres' Dylan Cozens, Jack Quinn to attend Canada's DEADMARSH camp for world juniors 1195555 How Victor Olofsson’s signing impacts the Sabres’ salary cap and current roster 1195579 Canadiens' cupboard is stocked, player development guru Ramage says 1195556 Flames prospect Connor Zary hoping for alternate ending Nashville Predators in return trip to Canada’s world junior selection camp 1195580 Predators prospect Luke Evangelista is on the rise. ‘He’s going to take off’ 1195557 Dundon’s option to sell Hurricanes isn’t news. But it is worth keeping an eye on. 1195581 Devils re-sign Colton White: How depth chart, cap space, reserve list looks 1195582 NJ Devils sign defenseman Colton White to one-year, 1195558 Chicago Blackhawks forward Kirby Dach joins Team two-way contract Canada on loan for the World Junior Championships 1195583 Devils projections: How much have they improved this 1195559 The Chicago Blackhawks’ 3-way goalie tryout mirrors a , and where? past competition — but they don’t plan to anoint one as 1195560 Blackhawks forward Kirby Dach added to Canadian junior team 1195584 Canada invites three Rangers prospects to World Juniors 1195561 Blackhawks loan Kirby Dach to Canadian junior team camp, but no Lafreniere 1195562 Rozner: Colliton says Blackhawks are done trying to sneak into playoffs. They're looking to build something bi 1195585 GARRIOCH: Give Drake Batherson a big assist for helping Sokolov adjust to North America 1195563 Former Avalanche Colin Wilson writes about his OCD, 1195586 GARRIOCH: Third time a charm for Egor Sokolov, who drug and alcohol abuse was thrilled to be drafted by Senators 1195564 Stars forward Tyler Seguin expected to have hip surgery 1195587 Penguins prospect Sam Poulin named to Canada’s next week, says GM National Junior Team selection camp 1195565 Stars hope to get new deal done with RFA Roope Hintz ‘in 1195588 Penguins mailbag: What are realistic expectations for the next week or two’ Tristan Jarry? 1195566 Stars officially name head coach: ‘We’ve got a little bit of unfinished business’ 1195567 Rick Bowness officially Stars’ head coach, has his best 1195589 Who is Adam Francilia, and can he help fix the Sharks’ to win goaltending problems? 1195568 Why Red Wings' Tyler Bertuzzi has 'loved' 's moves this offseason 1195569 Smooth-skating, gritty Red Wings’ pick Donovan Sebrango to vie for World Junior spot 1195570 William Wallinder has all the tools as he begins his journey to the Red Wings St Louis Blues 1195590 COVID chaos: Return to play is even more complicated for Blues prospects 1195591 GORDO: NHL may feature new look, same contenders amid pandemic Tampa Bay Lightning 1195592 Lightning officially re-sign Pat Maroon, Luke Schenn 1195593 Leafs forward stars need to shine, but balance sought by Dubas could be a benefit 1195594 How many goals will each member of the Maple Leafs score? Let’s project them all Vancouver Canucks 1195598 Ben Kuzma: Canucks ponder expanded taxi squads, Canadian AHL division due to COVID-19 1195595 Silver Knights’ Manny Viveiros adjusts to new surroundings 1195596 How the Silver Knights are preparing for uncertain inaugural AHL season Websites 1195599 Sportsnet.ca / A way-too-early look at Canada’s 2021 World Junior Championships roster 1195600 Sportsnet.ca / Senators depth chart: Galchenyuk's addition puts Ottawa's lineup in focus 1195601 Sportsnet.ca / Q&A: Willie O'Ree on NHL career, post- playing days, push for inclusion 1195602 Sportsnet.ca / Coyotes renounce rights to prospect Mitchell Miller 1195603 Redrawing the rest of the NHL around an all-Canadian division Winnipeg Jets 1195597 Niku glides back into Jets' fold SPORT-SCAN, INC. 941-284-4129 1195547 Arizona Coyotes Joni Meyer-Crothers said she was sick to her stomach when she found out Miller was cut, but he still has not personally apologized to her son or family.

Arizona Coyotes cut ties with controversial draft pick Mitchell Miller "It's a very sad situation all the way around," she said. "And now we are getting threats from hockey families in Sylvania."

Jose M. Romero Craig Harris A police report obtained by The Republic detailed incidents of bullying and harassment, and in an interview with The Republic, Meyer-Crothers relived the racist and physical abuse he suffered from Miller.

Mitchell Miller, a freshman at North Dakota, awaits word that the Arizona Miller was ordered by a judge to issue an apology to the family, which he Coyotes selected him in the 2020 NHL Draft. did, but the family said it never received it.

The Arizona Coyotes on Thursday renounced the rights to Mitchell Miller, "Prior to selecting Mitchell in the NHL Draft, we were aware that a their first draft pick of this month's NHL Draft, following an Arizona bullying incident took place in 2016. We do not condone this type of Republic examination into Miller's harassment of a developmentally behavior but embraced this as a teachable moment to work with Mitchell disabled African-American classmate four years ago. to make him accountable for his actions and provide him with an opportunity to be a leader on anti-bullying and anti-racism efforts," The selection of Miller, 18 and now playing hockey at the University of Gutierrez said in a statement from the Coyotes. North Dakota, was widely criticized after the Republic on Monday detailed Miller's bullying and racist taunting of Isaiah Meyer-Crothers He said the Coyotes had since further investigated the Miller situation. when the two were 14 years old in Sylvania, Ohio. "We have learned more about the entire matter, and more importantly, Meyer-Crothers on Thursday said he took no joy in seeing Miller cut. the impact it has had on Isaiah and the Meyer-Crothers family. What we learned does not align with the core values and vision for our "It's unfortunate. I'm sad it had to come down to it. I wish none of this had organization and leads to our decision to renounce our draft rights. On happened," Meyer-Crothers said in a phone interview. "There's nothing to behalf of the Arizona Coyotes ownership and our entire organization, I be happy about. He's a good player, and deserves to be in the NHL." would like to apologize to Isaiah and the Meyer-Crothers family. We are Efforts to reach Miller were unsuccessful. His father, John, said in a brief building a model franchise on and off the ice and will do the right thing for phone interview that the family had no comment at this time. Isaiah and the Meyer-Crothers family, our fans and our partners."

Meyer-Crothers and his mother, Joni, shared their story after The The renouncing of Miller's rights means the team has cut all ties with the Republic contacted them. player. Miller was never signed to a contract nor given a bonus of any kind. Isaiah Meyer-Crothers said all he ever wanted was an apology from Miller. He noted that had Miller not bullied him and tricked him into licking The Coyotes, in their statement announcing the Miller decision, pledged candy that Miller and another teen had placed in a urinal, his former to work with organizations such as Best Buddies, One Step Beyond and classmate would still be a NHL draft pick. the American Special Hockey Association to support people with intellectual and developmental disabilities. The Coyotes on Monday had doubled-down on picking Miller and issued a statement that said it was the team's "responsibility to be a part of the They also said they will partner with local non-profit organizations fighting solution in a real way — not just saying and doing the right things to bullying and racism. ourselves but ensuring that others are too." Arizona Republic LOADED: 10.30.2020 However, the team faced an avalanche of criticism on social media as well as media outlets across the United States and Canada.

The pick of Miller also came after the franchise, since late July, had their quit on the eve of the post season, were tardy in paying players bonuses and per diem, lost their last two games by a combined score of 14-2 and are late with their rent money at Gila River Arena. Further, the team lost its second-round pick in this year's draft for violating NHL rules.

Also, the team chose Miller one month after Coyotes President and CEO Xavier Gutierrez was named to the NHL's Executive Inclusion Council, a group the league said will focus on combating racism and fostering diversity in the sport.

And the choice came during a year when systemic racism has spurred national civil unrest, including protests across America following the death of George Floyd in May after a Minneapolis police officer kneeled on his neck.

Gutierrez and General Manager Bill Armstrong, who was not involved in drafting Miller, called Joni Meyer-Crothers on Thursday to apologize prior to cutting ties with the player.

"They just said they wanted to apologize and they said they didn't do their due diligence and wanted to know if there was anything they could do for our family," she said. "I said, 'No.' There is nothing they can do. … They said it was no excuse and they messed up."

Armstrong issued a statement through the Coyotes, saying the club was going through a transition in their scouting department right before Miller was selected. The Coyotes made several moves in that department after Armstrong was hired, and draft preparation had largely been completed at that point.

"Mitchell is a good hockey player, but we need to do the right thing as an organization and not just as a hockey team. I'd like to apologize to Isaiah and the Meyer-Crothers family for everything they have dealt with the past few months. I wish them all the best in the future," Armstrong said. 1195548 Arizona Coyotes “We were aware of an unfortunate incident that occurred with Mitchell in eighth grade,” The school said in a statement Monday. “We made a decision that our program could provide him the necessary infrastructure Coyotes renounce draft pick Mitchell Miller after report of bullying, racism and culture to hone not only his hockey abilities but most importantly, assist him in his continuing growth as a human being which will last him the remainder of his life.”

BY ARIZONA SPORTS | OCTOBER 29, 2020 AT 11:18 AM UPDATED: Arizona Sports LOADED: 10.30.2020 OCTOBER 29, 2020 AT 8:23 PM

The Arizona Coyotes are renouncing the rights of 2020 fourth-round draft pick Mitchell Miller, the team announced Thursday.

Arizona Sports’ John Gambadoro was the first to learn of the decision.

The decision comes after a report from The Arizona Republic surfaced that the defenseman had bullied an African-American classmate with developmental disabilities four years ago.

Four years ago, Miller admitted in an Ohio juvenile court to bullying Isaiah Meyer-Crothers, who was tricked into licking a candy push pop that Miller and another boy had wiped in a bathroom urinal. Meyer- Crothers had to be tested for hepatitis, HIV and STDs, but the tests came back negative, according to a police report.

Meyer-Crothers, also 18 and who now lives in Detroit, said Miller had taunted him for years, constantly calling him “brownie” and the “N-word,” while repeatedly hitting him while growing up in the Toledo suburb. Other students at their junior high confirmed to police that Miller repeatedly used the “N-word” in referring to Meyer-Crothers.

Mitchell represented the team’s first selection in the 2020 NFL Draft after Arizona traded its first- and third-round picks and lost its second-rounder due to violating draft scouting rules.

“We have decided to renounce the rights to Mitchell Miller, effective immediately,” Coyotes president and CEO Xavier Gutierrez said in a statement Thursday. “Prior to selecting Mitchell in the NHL Draft, we were aware that a bullying incident took place in 2016. We do not condone this type of behavior but embraced this as a teachable moment to work with Mitchell to make him accountable for his actions and provide him with an opportunity to be a leader on anti-bullying and anti-racism efforts.

“We have learned more about the entire matter, and more importantly, the impact it has had on Isaiah and the Meyer-Crothers family. What we learned does not align with the core values and vision for our organization and leads to our decision to renounce our draft rights. On behalf of the Arizona Coyotes ownership and our entire organization, I would like to apologize to Isaiah and the Meyer-Crothers family. We are building a model franchise on and off the ice and will do the right thing for Isaiah and the Meyer-Crothers family, our fans and our partners. Mr. Miller is now a free agent and can pursue his dream of becoming an NHL player elsewhere.”

Miller was the first draft pick made under new Coyotes general manager Bill Armstrong’s regime, though Armstrong was not working the draft due to an agreement with his former team, the St. Louis Blues.

“I fully support our decision to renounce Mitchell Miller’s draft rights,” Armstrong said in a statement Thursday. “It was a unique situation for me not being able to participate in this year’s Draft and we were going through a transition with our scouting department. Mitchell is a good hockey player, but we need to do the right thing as an organization and not just as a hockey team.

“I’d like to apologize to Isaiah and the Meyer-Crothers family for everything they have dealt with the past few months. I wish them all the best in the future.”

Miller, 18, played for the Tri-City Storm in the United States Hockey League (USHL) and scored eight goals with 25 assists in 44 games in 2019-20.

Miller has played in the USHL since 2017, when he was drafted 17th overall in that junior league futures draft. He has experience playing for Team USA at the World Junior “A” Hockey Challenge the past two seasons. Over six games in the last event, he scored two goals to go with four assists as the United States won the silver medal.

At the time of his draft selection, the 5-foot-11 and 194-pounder from Sylvania, Ohio, was committed to playing for North Dakota next season. 1195549 Boston Bruins Cassidy had applied for his green card through his American employment, specifically because of what the Department of Homeland Security classifies as extraordinary ability in athletics. He had the backup Bruce Cassidy, a U.S. citizen just in time, cherishes his chance to vote option of reapplying through his marriage to an American citizen.

Even so, Cassidy would have had to deal with bureaucracy. These days, immigration is a flashpoint. Laws are always subject to change. By Fluto Shinzawa Oct 29, 2020 So, in fall 2019, Cassidy applied for citizenship. Cassidy’s attorney believed his application would sail through.

On the morning of Oct. 22, I asked Bruce Cassidy how it would feel to Then the pandemic happened. vote for the first time as an American citizen. A vote in question “That’ll be something I’ll remember — your first voting in the United States,” Cassidy predicted. “That, of this whole process, will probably be Of all the privileges of American citizenship, the one that appealed to the biggest part if I look back five years from now.” Cassidy the most was the right to vote. Through his years of stateside immersion, Cassidy has become learned in American history. He can By then, Cassidy had decided he would participate in early voting. But he name more presidents, vice presidents and speakers chronologically hadn’t figured out when he’d go to his local town hall and fill out his than their Canadian equivalents. ballot. Cassidy wanted to participate in the process. After our conversation, I told Cassidy I had gone through the same thing. In January 2005, I became a naturalized U.S. citizen, 25 years after I first “I think it’s every citizen’s obligation to take an interest and vote, emigrated to America from Japan at the age of 2. I shared with Cassidy whatever your party affiliation is,” Cassidy said. “I think that’s one of the how it has felt like a privilege and a pleasure to check in each time at my greatest rights a person can have. There’s people in a lot of other voting precinct. countries that say it’s a privilege. People have fought through different voting laws for years.” Later that day, I received a message. It was a picture of Cassidy’s ballot envelope about to drop into a box. The monkey wrench of the pandemic put Cassidy’s pre-election approval in doubt. Cassidy’s lawyer noted that it could be 2021 until his application “It’s official!” Cassidy wrote. “Empowering feeling.” was approved. If so, Cassidy would have been ineligible to vote in the presidential election. It would have been a major disappointment. Becoming American That concern was addressed earlier in October, when he was approved Cassidy, 55, was born in Ottawa. His mother, Louise, was at home to for citizenship. With Julie, Shannon and Cole in attendance, Cassidy was raise Bruce and his older brother, Steve. His father, Leonard, was a sworn in as an American citizen in a judge’s backyard in Weston. The foreman at a paper plant. Cassidys hustled their kids back to school and went out for lunch. The Cassidy played for Team Canada in the 1984 World Junior next day, Cassidy reported to Warrior Ice Arena for the draft. Championship and on the 1987 national team. Cassidy lived in in “Maybe you look at a person who comes from a country of oppression 2007, when he coached Kingston of the OHL. Former Bruins general where life isn’t very good. Then I could see where they are looking at it manager Peter Chiarelli, a fellow Ottawa native, hired him as an assistant as a completely life-changing event,” Cassidy said of the naturalization in Providence. ceremony. “Whereas I’ve been here so long. I don’t want to downplay it, “I loved it,” Cassidy said of pulling on Canada’s maple leaf. “That’s why but I’m not in the position of those people. I’ve been fortunate to be here I’ve always said I’d love the opportunity to do it as a coach now. It’s just a a long time and live this way of life. But still, it’s a day you’re always little different feel.” going to remember.”

Professionally, though, most of Cassidy’s opportunities took place Power of the vote outside of Canada. He was drafted by Chicago. Cassidy played in Italy. Cassidy felt the country’s political and social turbulence well before he He concluded his playing career in Indianapolis. became an American. He pledged to initiate awareness and education As a coach, Cassidy’s first NHL job was in Washington. It was a 107- with his family when it comes to racial inequality. Cassidy cannot game run that ended with his ouster. Cassidy regularly jokes that the understand why the Emmett Till Antilynching Act has yet to become law. best thing that happened to him in Washington was meeting his wife, In that way, Cassidy knows his new country is blemished. Julie, a New Jersey native. His daughter, Shannon, and son, Cole, are Acquaintances, in fact, have jokingly inquired if he’d be willing to sell American, too. them his Canadian passport. So when it came to his family, residence and the taxes he’s paid to the America’s shortcomings, however, do not blur Cassidy’s vision about its Treasury Department, Cassidy has flown the Stars and Stripes for a long opportunities for accomplishment. time. He first worked in the U.S. under a visa. He applied for his green card when he coached in Washington. But it wasn’t until years later, “I’ve been fortunate enough to make a living here. A good living,” Cassidy when Cassidy settled in Providence, that his application for permanent said. “Met Julie. The kids are raised in a great environment in terms of residence was approved. the schooling here and what they’ve been given here compared to other countries. As bad as the divisions are that need to be corrected, it’s still “It got caught up in the system,” Cassidy said. “They mistyped a number. the greatest country in the world when it comes to opportunity and I think the last letter in my application was a C. They made it a zero or different cultures.” something. So finally, in Providence, the green card came in. I said, ‘Why’d it take so long? I’ve been told it takes a year or two. I did the Cassidy is an optimist. Perhaps, he thinks, the visibility of the country’s interview.’ There was a clerical error.” bruises will encourage its citizens to take corrective measures. Change begins by voting. Cassidy later saw more signals that ownership of an American green card did not guarantee smooth sailing. Once he was promoted to Boston, “There’s a lot of different ways you can participate,” Cassidy said. “The Cassidy learned through an attorney that a change in employment could most important one to me is to have a voice. Vote if you’re of age. You affect his residency. For an NHL coach, there is no such thing as job never want that taken away. The more people that vote, then maybe 90 security. percent of the country has taken advantage of this right you’ve got as a citizen. I think that’s important. The most important thing is the fact that “So you’re a Canadian and you’re working for Boston,” Cassidy said, you’re participating in a process that a lot of other countries don’t have. recalling the scenario the attorney sketched out. “Let’s say you get let go That’s the first thing. Step one is to get out there and say your piece no by Boston. Your next job is with the Winnipeg Jets. So you go back to matter where you are.” Canada. Well, depending on the length of your time there, you may have to surrender your green card at some point. Then, if you get let go by The Athletic LOADED: 10.30.2020 Winnipeg and your next job is in Minnesota, now you’re starting the process over.” 1195550 Buffalo Sabres said another agent told him that the Sabres were likely not high on Hall’s list.

“I just can’t get a read on this situation,” Adams said to Krueger. “We How the Sabres made the sales pitch that landed Taylor Hall can’t sit around and not make our team better if we’re not in the mix seriously. It puts us in a challenging spot.”

Lance Lysowski Oct 29, 2020 News sports reporter Lance Lysowski answers questions submitted by readers through email or Twitter.

Later in the afternoon, Ferris called Adams to discuss the Sabres’ Moments after Ralph Krueger delivered the initial part of a sales pitch on potential contract offer. Adams again stated a refusal to sign Hall long- a conference call that ultimately helped the Sabres sign former Hart term because of the financial uncertainty related to the coronavirus Trophy winner Taylor Hall, owner and team president Kim Pegula pandemic, and owner asked Ferris if Hall’s objective was to addressed the top free agent on the market. sign a shorter deal.

First, Pegula, sitting alongside her husband, Terry, validated the “No, but he’s not closing the door on it,” answered Ferris. credentials of General Manager Kevyn Adams, whom Hall was not familiar with, by explaining why Adams was hired to replace Jason Adams then explained to Ferris why Hall would fit with the Sabres. Botterill. Following the call, the team signed Rieder and defenseman Matt Irwin to one-year contracts. When Adams was done detailing how he planned to include veterans such as Hall in future decision-making, Kim Pegula then reaffirmed The waiting then continued until Sunday, when Hall made his decision to ownership’s commitment to Buffalo. try to help the Sabres snap their nine-year playoff drought.

“As you know by our actions, we’re very committed to Buffalo, this “Taylor was open-minded to doing something he felt was the best thing community, Western New York,” Pegula said during the call, which was for him in his career at that time, with the people he wanted to be featured in the Sabres’ latest episode of "Embedded." “We are firmly around,” Adams said. rooted here in our community and plan on doing so for a long time.” Buffalo News LOADED: 10.30.2020 Following a video call with Krueger two days later, Hall sent shockwaves through the hockey world by signing a one-year, $8 million contract with the Sabres. During his conference call with reporters the following day, Hall explained that Krueger – whom he worked with in Edmonton from 2010-13 – and were the most notable reasons why he chose to sign with Buffalo.

In addition to his 20 goals, Olofsson had 22 assists for 42 points and a minus-1 rating during his first full season in the NHL.

All along, though, the Sabres were among Hall’s preferred destinations. The behind-the-scenes episode of "Embedded" began with Adams preparing to call Hall’s agent, Darren Ferris, when free agency opened at noon Oct. 9.

Adams told his staff that the plan was to also make contract offers to center Cody Eakin and winger Tobias Rieder, and added that the team was going to move on if the latter declined the Sabres’ initial overture.

When free agency began, Adams called Ferris to express formal interest in Hall and explain that the Sabres were not interested in a long-term contract. The two sides then scheduled a conference call for 1 p.m. Adams called Krueger to tell him the news, adding: “This is where you’ll need to carry the day.”

Adams gathered in a conference room with the Pegulas and Mark Jakubowski, the team’s Vice President of Hockey Administration. Krueger was not in the room, but he was on the phone line. The call began with Adams introducing himself to Hall, a 28-year-old winger with a resume that includes six 20- seasons, before handing it over to Krueger.

“The first thing is that clearly the base of trust that we have would allow us to go right back to work. There have only been two players that I’ve coached that have the combination of elite skill and competitive level that is world elite, and that is you and that’s Jack Eichel,” Krueger said to Hall. “Just the thought of the two of you together is phenomenal and the power in that would be amazing. The team, in general, is much, much closer and better positioned to be successful than it might look at from the outside.

Reinhart acknowledged that his new one-year, $5.2 million contract is the byproduct of these uncertain times in the .

“They are missing the tipping point, the big one. The big one would be you. You added to that mix makes us an elite team immediately. The town of Buffalo, Taylor, has blown me away. It’s like a Canadian market, a historical market. Walking in like you could here and being the tipping point would be just an exciting opportunity. “

After Kim Pegula and Adams added to the sales pitch, the two sides ended the call and the Sabres waited for an answer.

Krueger and Adams spoke again, and the latter acknowledged there was significant risk involved in waiting to hear back from Hall. Adams also 1195551 Buffalo Sabres to their on-ice impact, Reinhart also noted that Hall and Staal bring invaluable experience to the dressing room.

”I think it’s important to use those experiences, whether they’re positive Sabres' Sam Reinhart 'comfortable' playing on another short-term or negative ones,” Reinhart said when asked about the run of nonplayoff contract seasons. “As you get older and you play more years, you try to use those to your advantage. With that being said, there are a lot of new faces in the locker room and we know firsthand every year is different. We’ve Lance Lysowski Oct 29, 2020 been in different positions at certain parts of the year and it’s just a matter of putting that together.”

Reinhart is setting himself up for a big payday in the future. Since the One year ago Thursday, Sam Reinhart was coming off a game in which start of the 2017-18 season, Reinhart's 165 points are 65th among all he assisted on a Jack Eichel power-play goal that ignited a collective roar NHL forwards — more than Nashville's Filip Forsberg, Vancouver's Bo from the 15,358 fans inside KeyBank Center. Horvat, San Jose's Evander Kane and Winnipeg's Nikolaj Ehlers. Theses days, Reinhart is at home in Vancouver, taken aback by the sight Reinhart hasn’t missed a game since the 2016-17 season, and his of leaves changing – he hasn’t spent a fall at home in almost a decade – increase in ice time under coach Ralph Krueger did not result in a drop in and waiting to hear when he can return to Buffalo to train with the production. He scored 17 even-strength goals in 2019-20 and could be in Sabres. The 24-year-old right wing called the long offseason, which could line for better numbers if Krueger fixes the power play. stretch into February, “bizarre” and acknowledged that his new one-year, $5.2 million contract is the byproduct of these uncertain times in the Reinhart has scored only seven goals on the man-advantage across the National Hockey League. past two seasons after totaling a career-high 12 in 2017-18. His focus now is on training in Vancouver until the NHL determines a start date for “I think every player in the times right now would be open to a long-term training camp. deal,” said Reinhart during a conference call Thursday. “Unfortunately, that’s not always the case and it’s not always available. I’m certainly “I think everyone's kind of looking forward to the conversations over the comfortable playing on short-term deals like I always have so this is just next few weeks of trying to get this back on track, and trying to get back another one.” into our cities, and get on the ice with our teammates once again,” Reinhart said. This is unlike Reinhart’s previous contract, though. He has one more arbitration-eligible offseason before reaching unrestricted free agency in Buffalo News LOADED: 10.30.2020 2022. The former second overall draft pick received a significant raise from the $3.75 million he made the previous two seasons, but his new salary is less than market value for a player with his track record.

Reinhart totaled 22 goals, three off his previous best, and 28 assists for 50 points in 69 games while averaging a career-high 20:38 of ice time during the coronavirus-shortened season. He has scored 20 or more goals in four of his five NHL seasons, establishing himself as a legitimate top-line winger in the NHL. Yet, for all Reinhart has accomplished, he did not express frustration for what amounts to another prove-it contract.

“I think I’ve done a lot that I want to be recognized for and be here long- term, for sure,” added Reinhart. “There’s no question about it. Do I think I’ve proven everything? No, absolutely not. I don’t think anyone can say that with the level or lack of success we’ve really had as a team.”

A long-term contract would provide Reinhart with financial stability, but he might have needed to settle for less money as a result of the NHL’s flat $81.5 million salary cap. Given Reinhart’s production, and contracts signed by comparable players, he should account for approximately 8% of the Sabres’ salary-cap ceiling, or $6.52 million.

Rather than arguing his case through a scheduled arbitration hearing Tuesday, Reinhart completed his contract with the Sabres last Sunday. The team was unlikely in a position to commit to Reinhart long-term given their financial situation. According to CapFriendly.com, the Sabres currently have $3.495 million to spend, not including a contract for Casey Mittelstadt, who is the team’s lone unsigned restricted free agent.

General Manager Kevyn Adams made a flurry of moves on the opening weekend of free agency, capped by the signing of former Hart Trophy winner Taylor Hall, who joined the Sabres’ on a one-year, $8 million contract.

Although there’s reason to wonder if the Sabres can afford Hall long term, the 28-year-old left wing expressed a desire to stay with the team beyond 2021 if this proves to be a good fit for both sides. Such a scenario would make it challenging for Adams to keep Hall, Reinhart, Victor Olofsson and Rasmus Dahlin, who is eligible to become a restricted free agent next offseason.

According to CapFriendly.com, the Sabres’ combined cap hit for their three-highest paid players – Hall, Eichel and Jeff Skinner – is $27 million, or 34.4%, which is tied for fifth in the NHL. Their salaries are the seventh- highest total.

Reinhart expressed excitement for the Sabres’ offseason additions, including Eric Staal, a former Stanley Cup champion with six 30-goal seasons on his resume.

Reinhart might skate alongside Eichel and Hall at 5 on 5, providing the Sabres with possibly one of the top forward lines in the NHL. In addition 1195552 Buffalo Sabres

Sabres, winger Victor Olofsson avoid arbitration with two-year contract

Lance Lysowski Oct 29, 2020

General Manager Kevyn Adams managed to avoid arbitration with each of the Buffalo Sabres’ three prominent restricted free agents.

Winger Victor Olofsson, a 25-year-old restricted free agent, signed a two- year contract with an average annual value of $3.05 million, the Sabres announced Thursday. The NHL all-rookie selection had an arbitration hearing scheduled for Nov. 4 and was in line for a significant raise after a season in which he totaled 20 goals in 54 games.

The former seventh-round draft pick will be paid $2.85 million and $3.25 million in the 2020-21 and 2021-22 seasons, respectively. Olofsson, who was paid a salary of $792,500 last season, will still be a restricted free agent at the conclusion of the contract.

During an offseason in which players across the league, including Sam Reinhart, have settled for one-year contracts, the Sabres chose to give Olofsson a two-year term after only one full year in the NHL. The right wing spent most of the 2019-20 season on the top line alongside Reinhart and Jack Eichel.

Olofsson’s 20 goals were tied for second among all NHL rookies, and he became the 16th Sabres rookie to reach the milestone. His 11 power- play goals were tied for 11th in the NHL, and he became the first player in league history to score each of his first seven career goals on the power play.

Prior to suffering a lower-body injury that forced him to miss 15 games from Jan. 4 through Feb. 11, Olofsson was on pace for the most goals by a Sabres rookie (32) since Ray Sheppard’s 38 in 1987-88 and the third- most points (68), trailing only Rick Martin (74 in 1971-72) and Gilbert Perreault (72 in 1970-71).

Olofsson scored twice in his return to the lineup Feb. 13 and had two goals over the Sabres’ final 11 games, including one at even strength in what became the last game of their season. He totaled 22 assists for 42 points and a minus-1 rating while averaging 18:23 of ice time.

An undersized forward when the Sabres selected him No. 181 overall in 2014, Olofsson became a dynamic scorer during his final season in the , totaling 27 goals as a teammate of Rasmus Dahlin with Frolunda in 2017-18.

Olofsson then made the move to North America, where he established himself as one of the team’s top prospects. His left-handed shot produced a team-high 30 goals with the in 2018-19 and earned him a spot on the Sabres’ roster late in the season.

It’s unclear if Olofsson will be back on the Sabres’ top line next season after the team signed Taylor Hall. Olofsson may move down the lineup or can shift to right wing.

Buffalo News LOADED: 10.30.2020 1195553 Buffalo Sabres He said he's just looking to read and react plays in a more natural manner.

"Experience builds up on itself. It makes a huge difference for a Column: Linus Ullmark is a project Sabres are ready to take on goaltender," he said. "The repetition, the movements, everything I do every day is helping me to take the next step. Doing that in full speed against better and better players is certainly helping me to act in a natural Mike Harrington way."

"I think Linus has really taken strides over the last couple seasons," Adams said on a recent media call. "When I first started in this role, one A News staffer since 1987, I'm a Hall of Fame voter, a 2013 of the most important first conversations I had with the coaching staff was inductee into the Buffalo Baseball HOF and the Buffalo chapter chair of where are we in net and the feeling. Everybody feels really good about the Professional Hockey Writers Association. And I insist only Chicago & the steps Linus took last year and we're excited about him." New York can come close to Buffalo pizza. One point that Ullmark brought up Thursday that was easy to forget is the When Linus Ullmark was talking on a video call with Buffalo reporters impact acquisitions like Taylor Hall and Eric Staal can have on the Thursday from Sweden, one topic that came up was how he was filling all Sabres in practice. this idle time. The Sabres, remember, could be looking at 11 months between games if the NHL season doesn't get going until February. Think back to Dominik Hasek and Ryan Miller and you remember how Sabres workouts were highly competitive, with the goalies getting Sure, there's hockey work going on. But Ullmark also said he was busy enraged at times when they were getting beat by shooters. Nothing with projects. Building a couch. Going "full throttle" to remodel a kitchen. wrong with that. "There's a lot of obstacles that you don't see at the beginning when you "It's going to help me to play against these guys every single day," start the projects," Ullmark said. "As you continue on, you try to solve Ullmark said. "We have some great snipers. ... (Hall) had the MVP of the them as quick and as perfectly as possible." season for a reason. It's certainly going to help us take the next step as a Ullmark didn't intend his words to be a metaphor for his hockey career. team to put up numbers at all times and not have those stretches where But they definitely fit. we found it difficult to score goals."

As a goaltender, Ullmark is a project the Sabres have made clear they're With most observers wondering if the Sabres were going to upgrade in willing to take on. He earned a one-year, $2.6 million contract this week, goal during the offseason, Krueger and Adams are taking a leap of faith nearly doubling his salary as the club avoided arbitration. here. The hope is that Ullmark continues to improve and Hutton bounces back from a campaign that saw him struggle with vision problems. Now he needs to keep putting his career together. "It's pretty obvious that you as a goalie need the support from everyone. Last season was a mixed bag for Ullmark, even as he clearly took over If the coach and the GM don't like you, you're not going to stay on the the No. 1 role from Carter Hutton in the Buffalo net. Coach Ralph team," Ullmark said. "I'm very fortunate and very happy to continue on Krueger and new General Manager Kevyn Adams have largely plowed my journey here with the Sabres. ahead with the 27-year-old on the way he finished, winning six of his final nine starts while posting a 2.13 goals-against average and .930 save "To prove every doubter wrong is probably the most satisfying thing as a percentage. goaltender, except for saving all the shots in a single game. It's going to be my goal to take my game to the next level and prove myself." Things weren't nearly as rosy in November and December. Ullmark combined to go 8-10-2 in those months, with a 2.96 GAA and .902 save Buffalo News LOADED: 10.30.2020 percentage not putting his play in a good light. For the season, he was 17-14-3, 2.69/.915.

"It's always a time to prove myself," Ullmark said. "It doesn't matter if I'm on a one-(year), two, three or long-time deal. It doesn't take away the things that I need to do every day to prove myself as being a starting goaltender in this league."

Ullmark got his first taste of the NHL with the Sabres in 2015-16 in the wake of Robin Lehner's ankle injury but it's easy to forget where he is in his career. He's still only played 97 NHL games, and goaltenders notoriously take longer to develop.

"The more experience you get, the easier everything else gets," he said. "I've only played my second (full) season now with the Sabres after last year. I'm fairly new to this NHL hockey. For every game that goes by, it's not going to be easier but some things are going to fall into place, both mentally and physically, how to read the game and act in the game."

The Sabres have a quality goalie coach in Mike Bales, who won two Stanley Cups in Pittsburgh and did wonders with the Carolina tandem of Petr Mrazek and Curtis McElhinney before he came to Buffalo. Bales may not have had immediate impact on the stat sheet last year with Ullmark and Hutton, but Ullmark said their foundation is strong.

That's good news for all concerned.

"I could really trust his voice and his way of seeing things," Ullmark said. "When you put together a lot of games in a row and play a lot of games, everything just kind of happens naturally because you're in the flow of it all. There's no thought process behind every save, which is one of the reason it's so hard being a backup or being a guy that gets one every fifth game or so."

Bales clearly got Ullmark's game to become more controlled last season. Much less flopping around the crease than we've seen in the past. And while Ullmark did a good job on routine plays, the Sabres are going to need a lot more from him on high-danger chances (just a .771 save percentage) and on the kill (.838). 1195554 Buffalo Sabres

Sabres' Dylan Cozens, Jack Quinn to attend Canada's camp for world juniors

Lance Lysowski Oct 29, 2020

Buffalo Sabres prospects Dylan Cozens and Jack Quinn were among 46 players chosen by Hockey Canada to attend a 28-day selection camp for the IIHF World Junior Championship.

Cozens and Quinn, who were drafted seventh and eighth overall in their respective draft years, will attend the camp from Nov. 16 through Dec. 13 in Red Deer, Alberta. The tournament, which will be held in a bubble around Edmonton's Rogers Place, is scheduled for Dec. 25 through Jan. 5.

Cozens, a 19-year-old center expected to make the Sabres' roster this season, is one of six players returning from Canada's gold-medal win at the tournament last year. He also totaled 38 goals with 47 assists for 85 points with the Lethbridge Hurricanes of the Western Hockey League.

Quinn, meanwhile, might have a more difficult road to making the roster. In addition to Cozens, the group of returning players also includes Quinton Byfield, who was drafted second overall by the Los Angeles Kings this month. Byfield is expected to make the jump to the NHL, but the league's later start date will allow him to compete in the tournament.

Canada's selection camp roster features 19 forwards who were first- round draft picks. The team's preparation will include practices and three intrasquad games, as well as six games against a team of U SPORTS all-stars.

Quinn scored 52 goals last season for the Ottawa 67's of the . His coach, Andre Tourigny, will be behind the bench for Canada at world juniors.

Quinn's versatility might give him an advantage over other camp attendees. The 19-year-old right wing can play on both special teams units, and his defensive game would allow him to have success in a bottom-six role.

Buffalo News LOADED: 10.30.2020 1195555 Buffalo Sabres Victor Olofsson

$3.05 million

How Victor Olofsson’s signing impacts the Sabres’ salary cap and current Jake McCabe roster $2.85 million

Carter Hutton By John Vogl Oct 29, 2020 $2.75 million

Linus Ullmark The Sabres’ internal salary structure is better than envisioned. $2.6 million The salary cap, however, might need massaging. Cody Eakin The signing of Victor Olofsson to a two-year, $6.1 million deal has essentially closed the book on Buffalo’s offseason. The only contract still $2.25 million to be negotiated belongs to Casey Mittelstadt, and the restricted free Zemgus Girgensons agent is technically a member of the Rochester Americans. While Mittelstadt will get every opportunity to return to the NHL, the Sabres’ $2.2 million offseason roster is set. Tage Thompson It makes them a cap team again. $1.4 million Olofsson’s deal brings the Sabres’ salary cap to $78,898,334, just $2.6 Rasmus Dahlin million under the $81.5 million limit. As Buffalo learned last season, that’s not enough space. Performance bonuses from entry-level contracts could $925,000 push them through the ceiling. Henri Jokiharju Let’s break it down to see what the Sabres are spending and what’s actually coming out of the pockets of Terry and Kim Pegula. $925,000

The roster Dylan Cozens

The Sabres will likely carry 13 forwards, seven defensemen and two $894,167 goaltenders. There’s room for one more player under the NHL’s 23-man Curtis Lazar limit, but we’ll work with 22 to accommodate one nightly scratch at forward and defense. $800,000

Forwards: centers Jack Eichel, Eric Staal, Cody Eakin and Curtis Lazar; Tobias Rieder left wings Taylor Hall, Jeff Skinner, Zemgus Girgensons, Tage Thompson and Tobias Rieder; and right wings Sam Reinhart, Olofsson, Dylan $700,000 Cozens and Kyle Okposo. Matt Irwin Defense: Rasmus Dahlin, Rasmus Ristolainen, Henri Jokiharju, Colin $700,000 Miller, Brandon Montour, Jake McCabe and Matt Irwin. The add-ons Goalies: Linus Ullmark and Carter Hutton. The Sabres went over the 2019-20 cap by $1,487,500, according to Their cap hit is $76,619,167 million, leaving the Sabres $4.88 million CapFriendly. That total will be subtracted from the team’s cap ceiling this under the limit. season, giving the Sabres an upper limit of just more than $80 million. Sabres 2020-21 cap numbers But to keep our numbers equal with other NHL teams, we’ll treat the overage like a salary or buyout and keep working with an $81.5 million Jack Eichel cap figure.

$10 million Speaking of buyouts, the Sabres have three seasons remaining on the 2015 termination of center Cody Hodgson. He counts as $791,667 Jeff Skinner toward the cap. $9 million The add-on total is $2,279,167, bringing the Sabres’ cap to $78,898,334, Taylor Hall just $2.6 million under the $81.5 million limit.

$8 million Entry-level bonuses

Kyle Okposo Dahlin, Cozens and Jokiharju have the potential to total $4,337,500 in bonuses next season. While it’s unlikely they’ll reach the maximum, the $6 million Sabres should operate as if they will.

Rasmus Ristolainen Some mileposts for Dahlin won’t be difficult to hit. He can get a bonus of $212,500 for ranking among the Sabres’ top four defensemen in ice time. $5.4 million Cha-ching. He can earn another $212,500 for 25 assists, a total he’s Sam Reinhart reached during his first two seasons. Cha-ching. He can pocket $212,500 for 40 points, which he’s also reached every year of his career. Cha- $5.2 million ching.

Colin Miller There’s money to be earned in everything from blocked shots to a top- $3.875 million five finish in Norris Trophy voting.

Brandon Montour There are fewer bonus dollars available for Cozens and Jokiharju since they weren’t No. 1 overall picks, but they can still earn a nice pay raise. $3.85 million Entry-level bonus potential Eric Staal Rasmus Dahlin $3.25 million $2.85 million Dylan Cozens $6 million

$850,000 Rasmus Ristolainen

Henri Jokiharju $5.4 million

$637,500 Sam Reinhart

Adding in the bonus possibilities brings the Sabres’ potential cap hit to $5.2 million $83,235,834 – $1,735,834 over the limit. Colin Miller The Sabres have options to lower the number. $3.875 million Buyouts are on the table for a very limited time. Because Buffalo had players file for arbitration (Reinhart, Ullmark and Olofsson), it opened a Brandon Montour second buyout window. According to CapFriendly, the Sabres have 24 $3.85 million hours beginning on the second day after the last salary arbitration award or settlement. Eric Staal

Since Olofsson signed Thursday, the Sabres can buy out a contract $3 million Saturday. Victor Olofsson OLOFSSON WAS THE SABRES LAST ARBITRATION CASE $2.85 million (OLOFSSON, REINHART, ULLMARK) Jake McCabe THEIR 2ND BUYOUT WINDOW WILL THEREFORE OPEN IN 2 DAYS FOR 24 HOURS. $2.8 million

ELIGIBLE BUYOUT PLAYERS MUST HAVE: Carter Hutton

1. CAP HIT >= $4M $2.75 million

2. BEEN ON THE RESERVE LIST AT THE TRADE Linus Ullmark DEADLINEHTTPS://T.CO/38Y2OWGQNP HTTPS://T.CO/ZWQR7NBPEU $2.6 million

— CAPFRIENDLY (@CAPFRIENDLY) OCTOBER 29, 2020 Cody Eakin

With those guidelines, it’s highly unlikely they’ll go the buyout route. $2 million CapFriendly says the player being bought out must earn at least $4 Zemgus Girgensons million and must have been on the team at the trade deadline. That leaves Eichel, Skinner, Okposo, Ristolainen and Reinhart. The savings in $2 million cap space and dollars would not be worth it for any of them, plus those are the team’s core players. Tage Thompson

The Sabres could send a veteran to Rochester. If, for example, goalie $1.2 million Jonas Johansson or Ukko-Pekka Luukkonen beats out Hutton, shipping Rasmus Dahlin Hutton to the Amerks would shave $1,075,000 of his $2.75 million hit off the cap. (Teams do not receive full cap relief when players on one-way $925,000 deals are sent to the minors.) Henri Jokiharju The most obvious cap-changing option, of course, is a trade. While moves around the NHL have slowed to a trickle, they could heat back up $925,000 once the league determines a timetable for returning to play. Dylan Cozens

Technically, the Sabres don’t have to do a thing. They’re under the cap. $925,000 But a few injury recalls or good years by Dahlin, Cozens and Jokiharju will push them over the limit in a hurry. Curtis Lazar

Real money $800,000

In a COVID-19 world, money matters, especially to the owners. Reports Tobias Rieder said the Pegulas planned to work with an internal salary cap in the $70 million to $75 million range. While general manager Kevyn Adams has $700,000 repeatedly refused to confirm that, he’s also repeatedly declined to deny Matt Irwin it. $700,000 Either way, the Pegulas are in their sweet spot with temporary changes to the collective bargaining agreement. The add-ons

First, here are the Sabres’ salaries. They total $76.5 million, less than the The overage is just a penalty, not actual money. But the buyout cap hit of $76.6 million because of differences for Skinner, Staal, payments to Hodgson are real. That $791,667 brings the Sabres’ salaries Olofsson, McCabe, Eakin, Girgensons, Thompson and Cozens. to $77,291,667.

Sabres 2020-21 salaries The CBA

Jack Eichel The league and its players’ association amended the CBA in July while extending it to 2026. The sides had the coronavirus in mind by deferring $10 million a portion of the players’ pay for the 2020-21 season.

Jeff Skinner Ten percent of each player’s salary and signing bonus will be deferred $10 million without interest and repaid in three equal payments on Oct. 15 of the 2022-23, 2023-24 and 2024-25 seasons. The owners save money during Taylor Hall a time without games and ticket sales while pushing the payments toward what everyone hopes will be a normal world. $8 million

Kyle Okposo The Sabres owed $20,277,500 in signing bonuses. With the 10 percent deferral, they actually paid $18,249,750, a savings of more than $2 million.

Subtracting the signing bonuses from the players’ salaries leaves the Pegulas with $56,222,500 in wage payments. The CBA amendment saves them $5,622,250.

The NHL and NHLPA have also agreed to put 20 percent of the players’ 2020-21 pay in an escrow account. There’s $50,600,250 remaining after the 10 percent deductions. The Pegulas will send $10,120,050 to the escrow account. While it still comes out of their pocket, they can get some (or all) of it back after the hockey-related revenue is totaled next year.

Add up the numbers and the Sabres’ $78.9 million cap hit is scheduled to put about $58.7 million of actual money into the players’ bank accounts. That’s well under the internal cap figure that’s been discussed. Even ignoring escrow puts the salary payments at $69.56 million, which is still under the reported figures.

But Buffalo will have to look hard at its cap hit. The team isn’t over the cap, but it’s in a dicey spot.

The Athletic LOADED: 10.30.2020 1195556 Calgary Flames Zary, who hails from Saskatoon, does have some international experience on his resume.

He represented Canada at the World Under-18s in 2019, although he Flames prospect Connor Zary hoping for alternate ending in return trip to returned home empty-handed after a loss to Team USA in the bronze- Canada’s world junior selection camp medal matchup.

“We’re such a big hockey country, a hockey superpower, so it’s just Wes Gilbertson always so special and such an honour to put on that jersey,” Zary said. “If I get the opportunity to play on this team, it would mean the world to me. The world juniors is something I’ve always dreamed of growing up. Obviously, it will be a little bit different in a bubble this year because of When he was among the final cuts last year, the bad news was delivered everything going on in the world. But no matter what, it will still be such a with a reassuring reminder — Connor Zary would get another shot at cool moment and such a special thing. You know, a lot of people might cracking Team Canada’s roster for the world junior tournament. be kind of upset they miss Christmas. But I’m not even thinking about This is it. that — I just want to play hockey and do whatever I can to be there.”

The Calgary Flames’ first-round pick in the 2020 NHL Draft, Zary was WATCH AND LEARN included Thursday on the lengthy list of invitees to the upcoming Connor Zary was a special guest at the Saddledome earlier this month. selection camp in Red Deer. The Flames’ first-rounder spent a few days in Calgary, meeting many of “That’s something that (coach) Dale Hunter said to me last year — you the organizational higher-ups and hitting the weights with future impressed us a lot, you got your name out there and obviously you didn’t teammates like Mark Giordano, Milan Lucic, Rasmus Andersson and make the team, but there’s going to be a really good chance for you to be Dillon Dube. on the team next year,” Zary recalled. “That meant a lot. It doesn’t really soften the blow at the time, but it’s something to look forward to. “Watching them work out and seeing how hard they work and just being able to be in that environment and see what those guys do every day, “So I’m really honoured and excited to get the opportunity to go to camp, that was pretty cool,” said Zary, the No. 24 selection in the 2020 NHL but that’s not all I want. I want to be on that team and I want to be a Draft. “Just look at a guy like Giordano — he’s a Norris Trophy winner difference-maker.” and one of the best defencemen in the league year-in and year-out, a Hunter isn’t the skipper for this bubbled edition of the annual international pretty consistent guy, but to see how hard he still works and how much showdown, but current coach Andre Tourigny was an assistant a year he still puts into his game even though he has made a name for himself ago, so he knows what the Kamloops Blazers centre can offer. …

Plus, the 19-year-old Zary will have plenty of time to remind him. “I think when you look at that, it puts it into perspective that you have to keep working and there is a long road to go. For me, I enjoy that part — Hockey Canada’s final auditions are usually a whirlwind, but with many of working out and trying to be in good shape and working hard. I think these talented teens still waiting out the pandemic pause in the Western that’s something to look forward to and those are guys for me to look up Hockey League, Ontario Hockey League and NCAA ranks, the selection to.” camp for the 2021 IIHF World Junior Hockey Championship will instead stretch almost a month. ICE CHIPS

The hopefuls arrive in Red Deer on Nov. 16. The team won’t enter the Among the local lads invited to Canada’s selection camp are goaltender bubble in Edmonton until Dec. 13. Taylor Gauthier (Prince George Cougars) and forwards Dylan Holloway (University of Wisconsin Badgers) and Peyton Krebs (Winnipeg Ice). Before then, their evaluation schedule includes three intrasquad games and six tune-ups against a crew of U Sports all-stars. Calgary Sun: LOADED: 10.30.2020

“I was there for four days, I think, last year. And this camp is four weeks,” Zary said. “So if you do have a bad day or you have a really good day, you can’t get too high or too low. You have to stay even-keel, because it’s a long process. It’s going to be just like the tournament. It’s not one game — ‘Ok, I had a couple goals, I’m on the top of the world.’ It’s going to be a grind.”

In preparations for a home-ice title defence, Hockey Canada invited 47 players to this larger-than-usual camp — nearly enough to stock two full teams. (If the New York Rangers give their blessing, Alexis Lafreniere could still be a late addition.)

Joining Zary in Red Deer will be fellow Flames forward prospect Jakob Pelletier. The 19-year-old buzz-saw was shortlisted last winter but suffered a concussion just before camp. In fact, Zary was his injury replacement.

Pelletier, now captain of the Val-d’Or Foreurs, has notched six points in four outings so far this fall in the QMJHL, the only major-junior loop that has started back up.

“At camps like this with Team Canada, everyone is a skilled player and everyone can make good plays,” said Zary, who finished fifth in the WHL scoring race in 2019-20 with 38 goals and 48 assists. “It kind of comes down to how adaptable and versatile you can be to playing different positions and playing where you’re not comfortable and doing what it takes to grind out a game or just work as hard as you can to get the puck out of your end or forecheck or do what you do best and make those skill plays.

“For me, I think that works in my favour just being the type of player that is very adaptable and can play anywhere on the ice. But I think a lot of guys are so good at this level that they can do the same thing. So it’s going to come down to who wants it more.” 1195557 Carolina Hurricanes

Dundon’s option to sell Hurricanes isn’t news. But it is worth keeping an eye on.

BY LUKE DECOCK

One of the persistently frustrating things about the hockey world paying little attention to the Carolina Hurricanes is the hubbub when old news gets repackaged as new news by talking heads who should know better.

A prominent national hockey analyst who shall remain nameless made a splash on social media Wednesday when, during a radio interview in Canada, he revealed that Tom Dundon has an option to throw the Hurricanes back to Peter Karmanos in January.

Readers of this newspaper will already have read about that in some detail. Almost three years ago. In 2018.

Additionally, we landed on the moon. (No way! That’s great!)

But it has been known — around here, anyway — that Dundon demanded a put option in the deal that allows him to sell his majority share of the team back to Karmanos after three years for an unknown but specified price. Which, given Karmanos’ financial status, would likely put the team back on the NHL dole awaiting a sale.

Dundon said at the end of the 2017-18 season the option had turned out to be “unnecessary” but the coronavirus is the wild card here: Only Dundon knows how much that alters the equation.

“Obviously it changes the economics,” Dundon said Thursday, “but it really doesn’t change anything. I’m still going to own the team and all that. I don’t think anything is going to change. I don’t have any intention of not owning the team.”

In Dundon’s world, the option was a standard safety valve in any acquisition, even if it’s uncommon in pro sports franchise sales. It was there in case he hated owning a pro sports team (he doesn’t) or there were issues with the arena (one of the last hurdles in front of the new lease extension was cleared Thursday when the arena authority approved its new funding agreement with Raleigh and Wake County) or there was something completely unexpected and unprecedented … like a global pandemic that throws the NHL’s business model out the window.

Which may explain why Dundon isn’t quite speaking in absolutes.

Dundon has been deeply invested in the emotional swings and technical details of owning and running a hockey team — for better or for worse — but if he decides the economics don’t work he does have an escape hatch coming open in the next few months.

So perhaps it was merely coincidence, perhaps it was an olive branch, perhaps it was something else when Dundon invited Karmanos to join the brain trust in the locker room for the first round of the draft earlier this month. Notably, they put him somewhere he wouldn’t show up on the television feed.

Karmanos hasn’t been around much if at all since he sold the team to Dundon — not that he was ever around that much when he owned the team — but he’s still a minority partner. He’s not out of the picture. Not yet, anyway: Dundon has another option to buy Karmanos out entirely.

Given the amount of time, effort and emotion Dundon has put into running the team, he has every reason to stick it out. He’s also not speaking in absolutes, either. Nor, probably, would that be prudent, given the circumstances. A lot could change about the NHL as we know it over the next few months.

But nothing has changed with Dundon’s option. It was there in 2018 and it’s still hanging out there now.

News Observer LOADED: 10.30.2020 1195558 Chicago Blackhawks

Chicago Blackhawks forward Kirby Dach joins Team Canada on loan for the World Junior Championships

By PHIL THOMPSON CHICAGO TRIBUNE | OCT 29, 2020 AT 6:35 PM

Kirby Dach’s work in Edmonton is not done.

The Chicago Blackhawks have loaned its young star center to Team Canada for the 2021 IIHF World Junior Championship.

Red Deer, Alberta, will host selection camp from Nov. 16 to Dec. 13, then Edmonton hosts the tournament from Dec. 26 to Jan. 5. Dach grew up in suburban Fort Saskatchewan.

He will join 46 other invitees, including top prospects such as the Los Angeles Kings' Quinton Byfield and Colorado Avalanche’s Bowen Byram.

Dach’s run with Hockey Canada depends on when the NHL starts the next season. The league has targeted Jan. 1, which would conflict with the tournament schedule, but if preparations around the COVID-19 pandemic delays that timetable, Dach would stay.

The Hawks' loan also means a return to the Edmonton bubble for Dach, who had eight goals and 15 assists and capped his rookie season with his playoff debut.

In nine postseason games in August, Dach had a goal and five assists and averaged the second-most time on ice (19:24). “In some games he played more minutes than any other forward,” general manager said earlier this month.

In 2018, Dach helped Canada win gold at the Hlinka Gretzky Cup.

Chicago Tribune LOADED: 10.30.2020 1195559 Chicago Blackhawks Bowman’s take: “He was about to break through, and then he gets to Vegas. They have (Marc-Andre) Fleury, who’s a great goalie. Fleury got the run of it for a couple of years. (Subban) hasn’t had a really big The Chicago Blackhawks’ 3-way goalie tryout mirrors a past competition opportunity. He’s got 60-70 NHL games, so he’s certainly the most — but they don’t plan to anoint one as ‘the guy’ experienced of the three that we have.”

Collin Delia

By PHIL THOMPSON CHICAGO TRIBUNE |OCT 29, 2020 AT 8:00 AM Blackhawks goaltender Collin Delia prepares for play to resume in the second period against the Avalanche on Feb. 22, 2019, at the United Center.

Corey Crawford’s beginnings as a starting NHL goaltender has parallels Last season: Had a 2.66 goals-against average and .912 save to the current crop of goalies the Chicago Blackhawks have in the fold. percentage in 32 games for the AHL’s Rockford IceHogs.

At the start of the 2009-10 season, Crawford waged a tight camp battle Career: Has a 3.65 GAA and .906 save percentage in 18 NHL games (16 with Antti Niemi. Niemi got the nod and ultimately won the Stanley Cup starts), the bulk coming from the 2018-19 season (3.61 and .908 in 16 while Crawford was sent down to Rockford. games, 14 starts).

But Crawford got his chance in December 2010 — early into the fifth Background: Delia has been with the Hawks since signing as a free season since his NHL debut — after veteran free agent Marty Turco agent in July 2017. He shined during the 2018 Calder Cup playoffs, struggled, and Crawford went on a seven-game winning streak. helping engineer series shutouts of the Chicago Wolves and Manitoba Moose. Jeremy Colliton coached Delia with the IceHogs from 2017-18 to Earlier this month, the Hawks opted not to re-sign Crawford, 35 — a two- the early part of the following season before Colliton was promoted to time Cup winner — to give a shot to one of three young goaltenders: Hawks coach in November 2018. Delia, who was called up for two Malcolm Subban, 26, Collin Delia, 26, and Kevin Lankinen, 25. games in March 2018, got tapped again in December of that year as an Only this time, the battle won’t be decided during the preseason. emergency loan when Corey Crawford suffered a concussion. Delia split starts with Cam Ward until Crawford’s return in late February 2019. “Let’s not forget that I still consider these guys young goalies; they’re in their mid-20s,” general manager Stan Bowman said. "I don’t know that Bowman’s take: “(Delia) came in when we had a couple of injuries. We we’re going to make a determination and then anoint one person as ‘the had no choice but to let him roll with it and he was pretty effective. But guy’ and then he’s just the guy all year long. It’s OK to have both of these then goalies get healthy and then they (the prospects) go back to the or all three to get opportunities to play. minors. I know Jeremy had a pretty good run with Collin his first year here. … Collin really took over that second half of that year.” “Over time, we need one of them to take a step forward. It might not happen the first 10 games of the year, though. It may not be just a Colliton’s take: “He had a tough start (in 2017). It was a three-goalie straight line of progress for one of them. The opportunity is going to be situation, similarly (to this). He kind of was pushed down. He ended up in there.” Indianapolis with the (ECHL) Fuel and went through some adversity. But he got his opportunity midseason and he ran with it. He’s tremendously Coach Jeremy Colliton said the approach of splitting starts also is critical gifted athletically. His lateral movement is outstanding. He makes the to building depth. saves you don’t think he should make.”

“We don’t want to handicap it beforehand and say, 'OK, we’re going to go Kevin Lankinen with this guy first, and then if it doesn’t work out, we’re going to try the other guys," he said. "That’s not to our benefit.” Finland goaltender Kevin Lankinen celebrates with the trophy after his team beat Canada 3-1 in the Hockey World Championships gold medal Someone has to be the opening-night starter, though Colliton insists match on May 26, 2019, in Bratislava, Slovakia. none of the three has an edge. Finland goaltender Kevin Lankinen celebrates with the trophy after his “It’s important to not pick a winner beforehand,” he told the Tribune. team beat Canada 3-1 in the Hockey World Championships gold medal "We’ve got to let it play out. match on May 26, 2019, in Bratislava, Slovakia. (Petr David Josek / AP)

“We feel that all three of them have the opportunity to be what we need, Last season: Had a 3.03 goals-against average and a .909 save and hopefully more than one. It would be great if all three of them percentage in 21 games for the IceHogs. showed that they’re NHL goalies and capable of playing the lion’s share of the games.” Career: Has no NHL experience but had a 2.77 GAA and .909 save percentage over 40 games the last two seasons in Rockford. In their own ways, Subban and Delia have been in Crawford’s shoes. Background: He signed with the Hawks as a free agent in May 2018. He Bowman said all three have the potential to be a starter. Now there’s no split the 2018-19 season between Rockford and Indy (mostly with established veteran to “block” their path, so they need to turn potential Rockford), then backstopped Finland to a gold medal at the 2019 IIHF into performance. World Championship. Lankinen made the AHL All-Star team in 2020, as did Delia the season before him. “They’re never going to get a better chance than this to prove they’re the No. 1 guy,” Bowman said. Colliton’s take: “He’s won a world championship as a starting goaltender. He played very well. He’s got a lot of confidence. He’s also very athletic.” Here’s how Bowman and Colliton assess the contenders. Chicago Tribune LOADED: 10.30.2020 Malcolm Subban

Blackhawks goaltender Malcolm Subban protects the net from Patrick Kane during practice July 13, 2020, at Fifth Third Arena.

Last season: Had a 3.18 goals-against average and .890 save percentage in 20 games for the Vegas Golden Knights.

Career: Has a 2.97 GAA and .899 save percentage in 66 NHL games (60 starts).

Background: The Boston Bruins' 2012 first-round pick spent parts of three seasons with the Golden Knights before he was traded to the Hawks in February as part of the Robin Lehner deal. He played for about a minute in relief of Corey Crawford during a game against the Anaheim Ducks in March. The Hawks chose not to qualify Subban as a restricted free agent but reached a two-year deal through 2021-22 earlier this month. Subban’s contract carries a $850,000 cap hit. 1195560 Chicago Blackhawks

Blackhawks forward Kirby Dach added to Canadian junior team

Dach will be loaned to Team Canada for the 2021 World Junior Championships, scheduled to take place Dec. 26 to Jan. 5 in Alberta.

By Ben Pope@BenPopeCST Oct 29, 2020, 11:42pm CDT

Kirby Dach will return to the Hawks if training camp starts before the World Junior Championships. 

The Blackhawks announced that Kirby Dach will be loaned to Team Canada for the 2021 World Junior Championships, scheduled to take place Dec. 26 to Jan. 5 in Alberta.

The move allows the Hawks’ top young center to play some high-stakes hockey if the team hasn’t started training camp by then.

The loan is contingent on the start of the 2020-21 NHL season, currently estimated for around Jan. 1. Dach would be recalled or held back if any Hawks games conflict with the team’s schedule.

The Hawks elected not to loan Dach for the 2020 championships because it would’ve taken him away from the NHL for several weeks in the middle of his rookie season.

Other top young NHL players and prospects on the Canadian team include 2019 fourth overall pick Bowen Byram, 2020 second overall pick Quinton Byfield and projected 2021 top-three pick Owen Power.

Chicago Sun Times LOADED: 10.30.2020 1195561 Chicago Blackhawks

Blackhawks loan Kirby Dach to Canadian junior team

Associated Press

CALGARY, Alberta -- The Chicago Blackhawks loaned center Kirby Dach to the Canadian junior hockey team Thursday.

Hockey Canada said if the NHL season starts before the world junior championship in Edmonton ends Jan. 5, Dach will return to the Blackhawks.

Dach will be part of the 47-player selection camp Nov. 16-Dec. 13 in Red Deer. Picked third overall by Chicago last year, he had eight goals and 15 assists in 64 games for the Blackhawks.

Daily Herald Times LOADED: 10.30.2020 1195562 Chicago Blackhawks If you look at the final 16 teams this summer, the Hawks could have taken down perhaps one or two of those teams, and not one of the last eight.

Rozner: Colliton says Blackhawks are done trying to sneak into playoffs. That's a prayer, not a plan. They're looking to build something bigger. "The goal is to win the Stanley Cup," Colliton said. "The goal is to be a "The goal is to be a Top 10 team that's always in the mix, always in the Top 10 team that's always in the mix, always in the playoffs, and you feel playoffs, and you feel like you have a chance," says Blackhawks coach like you have a chance. Jeremy Colliton. "To get there we have to have more depth throughout the lineup. We talk a lot about skating and competitiveness and the ability to make plays. If Barry Rozner we have that up and down the lineup then it's going to allow us to be more flexible tactically.

"We need to give the young guys the opportunity and the more guys we • First of three parts with Blackhawks coach Jeremy Colliton. have ready to play at a high level, it's a lot easier to execute the things you want to execute." There is considerable angst in Blackhawks Nation. The best teams are getting bigger, heavier and tougher to play against. It's understandable given a decade that delivered a reasoned sense of Pretty is fine when you have considerably more skill than the opposition, entitlement, a belief that there should be a parade every year. but those days are over for the Hawks, the natural result of cap But it's been five years since the last Grant Park festival and to pretend casualties and the aging process. that the Hawks are good enough to win now -- or were good enough to Those are my words, not Colliton's, but it's apparent what is occurring win in August -- does not further the process. around the game. It might help the remaining veterans prepare for a season, or help some "Vegas, Tampa, Boston, Dallas. They make plays. It's not that they're not fans get through an off-season, but it doesn't help the Hawks get closer allowed to make plays, but they have to do it safely. It's a risk-reward," to another Stanley Cup. Colliton said. "The harder you play without the puck, the more you In a wide-ranging interview with the Daily Herald, Hawks coach Jeremy compete without the puck, the more you force turnovers and you control Colliton explained the lens through which he views what the team is the territorial game, that opens up the opportunity to make those special expecting over the next year or two. offensive plays that everyone sees on the highlights."

"I'm trying to win every game," Colliton said with a smile over Zoom. The Hawks' recent acquisitions were designed with that in mind. "That doesn't change. But I'm doing it while trying to make sure we can "Especially when the games are bigger, one doesn't happen without the win Game 70, as well as Game 5, next year and the year after. I can do other. You have to have that push without the puck to get the puck back both at the same time." when the opposition is exposed, so then you can make your plays," That means young players will go from minor roles to meaningful Colliton said. "The other side of it is, if you turn the puck over in critical minutes. It's something of a rebuild without the teardown, as many key areas, you're exposed defensively and it's really hard to recover. veterans remain in place. "When you have your structure and you have five guys on the right side "It's a bit of risk putting a young guy in a situation that you're not sure of the puck, it's a lot easier to defend. We know that. We have to he's ready for, but how will he get better if we don't try it?" Colliton asked. improve." "Depending on how they respond, that dictates where you go from there. If the Hawks had brought everyone back and stayed right up against the Do you give him more? Next time is he going out there? cap, they might have been a fringe team again. "That's something we're trying to normalize. Last year, a guy would go So then what? out of the lineup and the media thought it was the end of the world. Sometimes they're gonna play a little more than people on the outside Maybe get in. Maybe not. But did the Vegas series suggest the Hawks may expect, and sometimes they're coming out (of the lineup) because were close? You already know the answer. that's what they need in the moment to take a leap forward." It would have been easier and without controversy to continue along the The Hawks have been trying -- a little at a time -- to get younger for two same tired path, trying to grab that last spot in the tourney, making years. The big change now -- after moving on from Corey Crawford and veteran players and fans happy in the short term. Brandon Saad -- is that they're giving the fan base a peek behind the scenes. But outside of the Kings, who did not have a low-seeded roster in 2012 and won twice in three years, it's not a formula for long-term success. "You could probably see what we were doing, based on how many young guys we were playing and the situations they were getting into," Colliton "Teams do catch lightning in a bottle. There have been low seeds that said. "We know we're not good enough yet and we need to develop more have gone to the Final, but it's not sustainable. Those teams haven't NHL players. We need to develop more difference-makers and we need been back," Colliton said. "We want to be a team that's always in the mix to do it with young guys. We were doing it last year. for the Final Four, but it takes time. I don't know how much time.

"We got the playoff opportunity. We beat Edmonton, but Vegas was "But as an organization, our goal is to do everything we can to get there. better than us and we have to continue the process and develop guys To me, that's the right approach." who can help us win." • Next: What the Blackhawks learned from the series against Vegas, how The NHL is not a development league so the temptation is to always try they want to play the game and how they intend to get back to the top. to win that shift or that game with a veteran, and when you're only one Daily Herald Times LOADED: 10.30.2020 piece away, you can forever be up against the cap and use those last few dollars for a final piece.

It would be irresponsible, however, to pretend you're one piece away when that is far from the truth.

The Hawks need young players to arrive in Chicago and perform here before entry-level contracts expire and decisions have to be made. That's the way the league works today. There is no time for pretending or hoping.

There's also the perpetual dream of sneaking into the tournament and winning it all, but this is mostly myth, a happy cliché that anything can happen once the playoffs begin. 1195563 Colorado Avalanche

Former Avalanche Colin Wilson writes about his OCD, drug and alcohol abuse

A healthy scratch in the 2019-20 season opener after coming off offseason shoulder surgery, Wilson left practice early last fall and never played again.

By MIKE CHAMBERS | PUBLISHED: October 29, 2020 at 5:14 p.m. | UPDATED: October 29, 2020 at 5:23 p.m.

Former Avalanche forward Colin Wilson, an NHL free agent who played only nine games last season, wrote an autobiographical account in The Players’ Tribune of his personal struggles with obsessive-compulsive disorder and drug and alcohol abuse that may have ended his career at age 31.

“The combination of those pills, mixed with alcohol, and years of untreated OCD … I found rock bottom.” Wilson said of his use of prescription pills and the use of alcohol during his playing career.

“There is simply no way to overstate the impact it’s had on my career, and on my life,” Wilson wrote of OCD. “It controlled me, it almost broke me for good. And there were times when I thought I might never be able to tell a story like this. But I’m here, and I am.”

Wilson, selected by Nashville with the seventh pick of the 2008 draft, played the last three seasons for the Avalanche, which acquired him via trade in the summer of 2017. Colorado re-signed him as an unrestricted free agent July 1, 2019, to a one-year contract worth $2.6 million.

A healthy scratch in the 2019-20 season opener after coming off offseason shoulder surgery, Wilson left practice early last fall and never played again. The Greenwich, Conn., native, who played two years at Boston University, said he is back living in New England.

“I’ve done a lot to prepare for my next step in life. I’m completely sober,” Wilson wrote. “I’m back at school in Boston working on a psychology major. The last few years I’ve been working with a new, more traditional talk therapist who has been one of the pillars that I lean on as I transition toward life after hockey. They’ve helped me think through everything and see the next chapter of my life in a positive light.”

Denver Post: LOADED: 10.30.2020 1195564 Dallas Stars

Stars forward Tyler Seguin expected to have hip surgery next week, says GM Jim Nill

The surgery carries a four-month recovery, meaning Seguin could be out until the beginning of March.

Matthew DeFranks 4:49 PM on Oct 29, 2020 CDT

Stars forward Tyler Seguin is expected to have hip surgery to repair a torn labrum next week, general manager Jim Nill said Thursday afternoon.

Seguin, the team’s No. 1 center and highest-paid player, played through the injury throughout the team’s run to the Stanley Cup Final. Despite the torn labrum and a lingering knee injury, Seguin did not miss a game in the playoffs, though he was goalless in the final 15 games for Dallas.

The surgery carries a four-month recovery, meaning Seguin could be out until the beginning of March should he go under the knife next week. The NHL is aiming to begin next season on Jan. 1, but have not announced a concrete start date or format for the season.

Nill said Seguin’s surgery has been pushed back because of restrictions due to the coronavirus pandemic.

“Because of the pandemic, where he’s having the surgery, there are certain restrictions so we have to work around some of those things,” Nill said. “Some surgeries have been cancelled. We haven’t had it yet, we anticipate having it next week.”

In touch with Johns: Nill said he talked with Stephen Johns about three weeks ago, with the Stars defenseman’s future unknown going forward. Johns, who has a history of head injuries that forced him to miss 22 months of action, did not play in the team’s last 23 playoff games because he did not feel comfortable doing so.

“He’s working with his therapist and we just keep in touch with them,” Nill said. “I know he’s back home in Pennsylvania, last time I talked with his family. We’ll monitor that as we go. He’s in good hands with his therapist and with the medical people. We’ll see as things go.”

In the offseason, the Stars re-signed Andrej Sekera and brought in Mark Pysyk on the blue line and could promote prospect Thomas Harley to the NHL.

Dallas Morning News LOADED: 10.30.2020 1195565 Dallas Stars

Stars hope to get new deal done with RFA Roope Hintz ‘in the next week or two’

Hintz, 23, posted 19 goals and 14 assists during the 2019-20 regular season.

By Matthew DeFranks

With Radek Faksa and Denis Gurianov signed, and Rick Bowness coming back as the head coach, the Stars have one piece of business remaining this offseason: re-signing forward Roope Hintz.

Hintz, 23, is a restricted free agent for the first time after posting 19 goals and 14 assists during the 2019-20 regular season. In the playoffs, he had 13 points in 25 games before missing the final two games of the Stanley Cup Final with an injured hip.

“We’ve had great discussions,” Nill said. “His representative has been very fair. I just hope we can get something in the next week or two, but we’ll see where it goes.”

The Stars have about $4 million in cap space remaining, and Hintz’s deal should carry a cap hit of $2.5 million to $3 million if it is a short-term deal (like Gurianov signed).

Prospect news: The last two Stars first-round picks were invited to Canada’s selection camp for the World Juniors: defenseman Thomas Harley (No. 18 in 2019) and Mavrik Bourque (No. 30 in 2020). They are part of a 46-man roster that will participate in the camp from Nov. 16- Dec. 13 in Red Deer, Alberta.

-- Nill said the Stars are still looking at potentially sending prospects to play games in Europe, but may not because European teams have been asking for a full-year commitment, meaning players couldn’t return to the NHL once training camp and games began.

Prospects like Harley, Ty Dellandrea and Jason Robertson did not play in any playoff series, but were with the Stars throughout their time in the Edmonton bubble. On Wednesday, the AHL announced its target date for a season was Feb. 5. On Thursday, the OHL announced it was targeting Feb. 4 to begin its season.

Dallas Morning News LOADED: 10.30.2020 1195566 Dallas Stars Bowness' return means the Stars group that won the West will largely remain in Victory Green. Anton Khudobin and Andrej Sekera were unrestricted free agents who re-signed in Dallas. Radek Faksa was a Stars officially name Rick Bowness head coach: ‘We’ve got a little bit of restricted free agent who inked a long-term deal, and Denis Gurianov unfinished business’ signed a two-year pact. The team should only lose Mattias Janmark and Corey Perry this offseason. Bowness was the interim coach since Dec. 10, when the Stars fired Jim Montgomery due to unprofessional conduct. Dallas Morning News LOADED: 10.30.2020

By Matthew DeFranks

Bones is back.

The Stars officially announced Thursday that Rick Bowness will return as head coach, after he led the team to the Stanley Cup Final for the first time since 2000. Bowness was the interim coach since Dec. 10, when the Stars fired Jim Montgomery due to unprofessional conduct. Stars general manager Jim Nill said the contract was a two-year deal.

Thursday’s announcement was an expected one after both Nill and owner Tom Gaglardi expressed during the playoffs that the organization wanted Bowness back. After the season, Nill said the team was moving forward as if Bowness was going to be the head coach. The two sides simply needed to agree to a deal, and that was announced Thursday.

Throughout the season and postseason, Bowness deflected questions about his future by saying that he and Nill would talk about his status at the end of the year. But around January, Bowness felt he had adjusted to being a head coach again, and the postseason run amplified his desire to remain with the Stars.

“There came a point where I don’t want someone else to come in here and take this team over,” Bowness said.

Bowness went 20-13-5 in the regular season as the Stars finished fourth in the Western Conference. After the coronavirus pandemic-induced break from March to July, Bowness tweaked the offense to involve the defensemen more in the rush and the offensive zone, resulting in added offensive punch during the postseason.

The Stars averaged 3.5 goals in a series win over Calgary, and 4.0 per game against Colorado after scoring just 2.58 goals per game in the regular season. Dallas lost in the Cup Final to Tampa Bay in six games.

“We’ve got a little bit of unfinished business,” Nill said. “We were two games short, and that’s something Rick and I talked about. That is what burns inside of him: to win that Stanley Cup. Rick knows that we have a team that can do that, and he knows that he wants to be the one that’s going to guide this team the rest of the way.”

Bowness, 65, is the most experienced coach in NHL history. He has been behind the bench for more games (either as an assistant coach or the head coach) than anyone else in league history. He is one of three coaches to be a head coach in five different decades.

Bowness has never won a Stanley Cup, and losing the Cup Final against Tampa Bay was his third close call. With Vancouver in 2011, Bowness lost to Boston in the Cup Final as an assistant. With Tampa Bay in 2015, Bowness lost to Chicago as an assistant.

“Somebody asked about passion,” Nill said. “That’s his middle name. Rick Bowness will never be short of passion. You’ll never meet a more passionate person.”

He will turn 66 in January, and said there are two things important to him at this stage of his career: a chance to win the Stanley Cup, and the opportunity to work with good people. Bowness said he found both in Dallas, and will be the head coach across the next two seasons.

“The term is not a big issue,” Bowness said. “I still love the game. I know I still have lots of energy and passion for the game, and I know that’s going to continue for a while longer. We’re not ready to go yet. … The desire has always been for a long time: I just want to win the Stanley Cup. The job description is secondary.”

The entire coaching staff will return for Dallas next season, which includes John Stevens, Todd Nelson, Derek Laxdal, Jeff Reese and Kelly Forbes. Laxdal was promoted from the AHL when Montgomery was fired and Bowness took the reins. 1195567 Dallas Stars scorers, namely Denis Gurianov and Roope Hintz, the ice time their production warrants. For much of Bowness’ tenure as the interim coach, they remained in the basement of forwards in terms of ice time yet still Rick Bowness officially Stars’ head coach, has his best shot to win managed to finish as the top two goal scorers on the team. Bowness’ Stanley Cup explanation usually involved shifts vs. ice time or pointing to the players’ inexperience, but that all rings hollow in the big picture. If the offense is going to improve, especially in Seguin’s absence to begin the season as he rehabs from his torn hip labrum, it’s going to be because Gurianov By Saad Yousuf Oct 29, 2020 and Hintz are a big part of it and moving towards realizing their full potential. Asking the old guard of Benn, Alexander Radulov and Pavelski to carry the load is unreasonable and frankly, unfair to them, and to the When Rick Bowness was asked to take the reins for the Dallas Stars 11 young snipers. months ago, nobody was happy with the circumstances — the team’s previous head coach, Jim Montgomery, had been abruptly let go. Now, The penalty kill also regressed considerably after Bowness, who was in coming off a Stanley Cup Final run, his interim tag has been shed in charge of the Stars’ penalty kill as an assistant to Montgomery, passed happier circumstances, with the Stars officially naming him the eighth those responsibilities to Stevens. The Stars ended up missing a lot of key head coach in franchise history on a two-year deal running through the penalty killers to injury late in the postseason run, but even at decent 2021-22 season. health, the unit was not as sharp as it needed to be. That must be addressed. “It’s certainly a big honor for me. A couple of years ago, I came here for two reasons,” Bowness said. “First of all, you want to go to a team with Now in his fifth decade coaching in the NHL, nobody has spent more an opportunity to win the Stanley Cup. We certainly showed we have that time behind an NHL bench than Bowness. Skeptics may point to his 143- capability. The second reason is, at this stage in my career, it’s important 310-48 record as a head coach, but context should be considered. His to work with really good people. The organization, with Jim (Nill) in first shot came in Winnipeg, taking over for a fired Dan Maloney. He led charge of bringing in good people. You win with good people and we Boston to the playoffs but was not retained and went on to become the believe we have all of the ingredients here to take that next step and first coach for an atrocious expansion Ottawa Senators team. His next finally win the Stanley Cup.” chance was taking over for a struggles Islanders team and then the same story again with the Phoenix Coyotes. Things didn’t always seem they were trending in this direction. Goals were hard to come by early in 2020 and the team was on a six-game Bowness has acknowledged in the past that, at 65 years old, his chances losing streak prior to the NHL stoppage that seemed indicative of another to lead an NHL franchise are dwindling. This very well may be his final March collapse. At that point, chances of Bowness returning as head shot. It’s also the best shot he’s ever had. coach seemed slim. But Bowness was able to use the four-month season The Athletic LOADED: 10.30.2020 stoppage to take a step back and really put his stamp on the team.

“In the end, it was probably a blessing for us because it gave (Bowness) and his coaching staff a great chance to sit down, analyze our team, analyze themselves, “Stars GM Jim Nill said. “From there, we went into the bubble and that’s where we reaped the rewards of what Rick did.”

Now the Stars are banking on Bowness to bring some stability to the head coaching position, which hasn’t had the same man in charge in consecutive seasons since Lindy Ruff in 2016 and 2017. Dallas finished 2018 with Ken Hitchcock, 2019 with Montgomery and 2020 with Bowness. That continuity is especially important given the uncertainty of the league’s start date (the NHL announced months ago that the target date to start next season was going to be Jan. 1, but that date remains a moving target). Additionally, there is no clarity yet of when training camp would start, how long it would run and what kind of protocols would need to be adhered to for the safety of everybody involved.

The Stars front office wanted to retain the roster that was crowned Western Conference champs. That much was clear by the offseason re- signings of Radek Faksa, Anton Khudobin and Denis Gurianov, as well as a likely agreement with restricted free agent Roope Hintz. A depth signing of Mark Pysyk is the lone new blood injected into this roster. Now the coaching staff will all be the same as well, from Bowness on down to his staff of John Stevens, Jeff Reese, Derek Laxdal and Todd Nelson.

It only follows that Bowness would be back to lead them. Bowness also garners an unusual amount of respect, from the NHL family at large but especially in his own locker room. Time and time again throughout the bubble, leaders would make a point to say how players wanted to win for Bowness. Being a nice guy doesn’t automatically qualify one to lead an NHL franchise, but it certainly helps make a case stronger.“He’s a coach you just want to do everything for, lay your body on the line for,” Stars captain Jamie Benn said.

But this extension isn’t merely about convenience. The more Bowness got acclimated, the better Dallas played. That held especially true during the run to the Stanley Cup, when their style of play evolved, too. All in all, the Stars — who preached winning “2-1 games” and were defined by their goaltending — scored 2.85 goals per game in the playoffs (up from 2.58 GS/PG in the regular season) while allowing 3.04 goals per game (up from 2.52 GA/PG). The scoring has shown more than a few flashes of improvement and the goaltending is nothing to worry about with a superb defensive core and Ben Bishop returning healthy to form a lethal duo with Khudobin.

This isn’t to say Bowness is flawless and doesn’t have things to improve. First and foremost, he must find a way to get his talented young goal- 1195568 Detroit Red Wings

Why Red Wings' Tyler Bertuzzi has 'loved' Steve Yzerman's moves this offseason

Helene St. James

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Tyler Bertuzzi doesn’t know when the Detroit Red Wings will play again — it’s already been half a year since their last game — but he’s convinced that when they do, they will be more competitive than last season.

It would be hard not to, considering the 2019-20 Wings won only 17 games (and four of them were against one team, the Montreal Canadiens) when the NHL season shut down March 12 because of the novel coronavirus pandemic. But Bertuzzi’s optimism is stoked by the moves made over the past month by general manager Steve Yzerman.

Yzerman has, to sum up recent doings, add defensemen Marc Staal, Troy Stecher and Jon Merrill, forwards Bobby Ryan and Vladislav Namestnikov, and goaltender Thomas Greiss. Yzerman also re-signed forward Sam Gagner, who, like Ryan, shoots right and should liven up a power play that chugged along at 14.9%.

[18 thoughts on Steve Yzerman's first 18 months running the Detroit Red Wings ]

“I loved the moves,” Bertuzzi said during a call to discuss his $3.5 million arbitration award. “I played with Stecher at the World Championship in the Czech Republic, so I know he’s a good player, good defenseman, two-way guy. Bobby Ryan, he’s a veteran guy that’s going to bring a lot of offense. We signed Gags and we know what he brings. I don’t know much about Merrill.

“Our team is looking a lot better, I think, than last year and we’re excited to get back.”

Yzerman also cut ties with underperforming veterans including Justin Abdelkader, Jimmy Howard, Trevor Daley and Jonathan Ericsson.

Since taking control of the Wings on April 19, 2019, Yzerman has been steadfast in only giving out short-term deals. Forward Anthony Mantha, who is restricted, could be the guy to break that pattern because he’s 26 and has proven himself to be a consistent scoring threat, but he could also wind up with a one-year deal, which is what Bertuzzi ended up with after filing for arbitration.

Bertuzzi, 25, said the sides had “done a lot of talking,” and that he’s not bothered by being a restricted free agent again next year.

[ Detroit Red Wings' Tyler Bertuzzi: 'Nothing personal at all' after arbitration ]

“Whether I sign five, four, six years, every year you need to perform and you need to work hard and contribute,” Bertuzzi said. “So even if signed a six-year deal, I’ll play every game like I’m on a one-year deal. I need to prove every year that I’m a good player and I want to contribute to this team.”

When he’ll get to contribute is uncertain, since the pandemic has pushed the start of the 2020-21 season at least into January. The AHL announced this week it is targeting a Feb. 5 start date.

The Wings favor allowing the seven teams that weren’t part of the playoff bubble to meet earlier than the 24 playoff teams that got to play in August. The Wings have not played since March 10.

“We’re all on board with that, get back in it with the coaching staff,” Bertuzzi said. “I think that’s going to be a crucial two weeks for us to dig deep and get things done.”

Detroit Free Press LOADED: 10.30.2020 1195569 Detroit Red Wings

Smooth-skating, gritty Red Wings’ pick Donovan Sebrango to vie for World Junior spot

By Ansar Khan

Donovan Sebrango, with his combination of skating and physicality, considers himself a throwback and a new-age defenseman rolled into one.

“I think I’m a bit of an old-school defenseman with a little bit of new school,” Sebrango said. “I think I’m a pretty tough, gritty kind of guy, but I think I add offense, so I got a little bit of the old-age hockey in me and a kind of new-era offensive defenseman.”

The Detroit Red Wings selected Sebrango, from the OHL Kitchener Rangers, with the first pick in the third round of this year’s draft (63rd overall).

Sebrango (6-1, 184) was among 46 players named Thursday to Canada’s World Junior Championship evaluation camp, which runs from Nov. 16 to Dec. 13 in Red Deer, Alberta. The World Junior Championship takes place Dec. 25-Jan. 5 in Edmonton.

The Red Wings drafted Sebrango mainly because of mobility.

“If you see clips of me, I think the skating is the one thing that really pops out,” Sebrango said. "I think it’s jumping in the rush, late man, and moving pucks quick and hopping in where there’s an open lane, not overextending plays or going out of my comfort zone. That’s when you have to find more offensive chances.

“But I always kind of relate to just the simple play, simple passes, tape- to-tape, and that’s where the offense will lead from.”

Kitchener coach Mike McKenzie called Sebrango a well-rounded player who blends skating, puck-moving and physicality.

“There’s not a lot of major weaknesses to his game,” McKenzie said. "He’s a pretty smooth skater. He gets around the ice very well. His puck- moving ability is good. I think at our level he’s able to provide some offense and jump into the rush.

“Looking ahead to pro, the three things that stand out are his skating ability, his puck-moving ability and there’s also a grit, toughness, compete element to his game, which is probably one of his major strengths. He’s not scared to play a physical game.”

The OHL is planning to start its season Feb. 4. McKenzie said Sebrango must focus on making slightly quicker decisions with the puck in the offensive zone.

“At our level you have an extra split-second to make a play, but I think he’ll realize when you move to the pro level everything is going to happen that much quicker and plays are going to have to be made that much quicker,” McKenzie said. “The line between making a play and getting a scoring chance for you or your teammate is razor-thin at that level. I think he can work on that release where he’s getting it off quicker or even one- timing pucks.”

Sebrango’s father, Eduardo, is a former professional soccer player who played for Cuba’s national team as well a couple of MLS clubs, including the Montreal Impact.

Sebrango watched the draft on a bit of a delay and figured something was up when Kitchener’s trainer texted him.

“He texted me saying congrats and I asked him what was happening and then the TV came on saying I was going to Detroit,” Sebrango said. “To be drafted by them is such an honor. I just hope one day I can make them proud and be on their team.”

Congrats to #RedWings 3rd round draft pick, Donovan Sebrango, on his invitation to the 2021 @HockeyCanada World Juniors selection camp! pic.twitter.com/GcRuSBAqTx

— Detroit Red Wings (@DetroitRedWings) October 29, 2020

Michigan Live LOADED: 10.30.2020 1195570 Detroit Red Wings Glader also mentioned that Wallinder sits next to Mikkelson in the locker room, allowing him to see how a pro prepares for games. Mikkelson can easily talk to him, sharing experience, or support him.

William Wallinder has all the tools as he begins his journey to the Red And the Red Wings have their own longtime pro who will be there for Wings Wallinder this year and beyond.

“I think a big benefit for him is going to be the fact that Niklas Kronwall is By Max Bultman Oct 29, 2020 back in Sweden, living there,” Horcoff said. “And to have, really, one of the better Red Wing defensemen of all time in your corner. We’re going to really promote that relationship.”

It was around Christmas last season that William Wallinder began Part of the path to becoming a well-rounded player, Styf said, is learning regularly practicing with men. At the time, he was 17 years old — big and to manage risks — when it’s worth it to take a chance, and when it’s fast, but with so much to learn. better to just play it safe, and focus on possession of the puck. There’s a balance to be struck there, which requires enough reps to be comfortable Pär Styf, one of the assistant coaches for MODO in the Allsvenskan, had in those situations during games. It’s about knowing he does not need to known Wallinder for a while already by then. Styf’s son, Hugo, is the chase offense to find it. same age, so he’s seen Wallinder’s game since he was young. But Styf noticed something from Wallinder’s early practices with the men’s team, “Because since he’s so skilled also,” Styf said, “he’s going to create it at a level well above what he was accustomed. anyway during the game.”

“He did stuff that the other (defensemen) didn’t dare to do,” Styf said. Glader said Wallinder’s skating drives a lot of the offense he creates, “Because for him, it was all natural. He didn’t have to think, he just read whether that means going coast-to-coast or just with subtler impacts of the situation.” his mobility, creating space on the ice. He has also seen Wallinder get “more comfortable” running the power play in the last year. Styf made As tends to be the case, trying things other players wouldn’t can have its note that Wallinder’s physical play has taken steps too. drawbacks, too. Sometimes, if he would deke a player, there was a tendency to try to do it again — more than he really needed to. That’s an Wallinder has split his time so far this season between MODO’s area Styf has been working on with Wallinder since those early days. But Allsvenskan and J20 teams, where he has gotten predictably different the mere fact that Wallinder, at that young age, was both willing to play offensive results. In the J20 Nationell, he has been an offensive force, his own game, and able to pull it off, speaks to the raw natural ability the with six points in four games. In the Allsvenskan, he has one assist in his Red Wings’ 2020 second-round pick possesses. first five games.

“He can create from pretty much nothing,” Styf said. “It doesn’t matter if Part of the logic in playing him in both leagues has been simple math. If he’s against the same age. … I would say, if he played in (the) SHL Wallinder gets 12 minutes in a game in the Allsvenskan, but the J20 today, just one game, he would do exactly the same things, and manage team also plays that week, why not get him an extra 20 there, for 32 to do the same things.” minutes overall of game reps? That way, he gets the challenge of having to play more on the defensive side in the Allsvenskan, but also the This is the allure of Wallinder, the 6-foot-4, 191-pound defenseman opportunity to play more situations that suit his strengths in the J20. Detroit picked 32nd overall. His tool kit speaks for itself. As Red Wings director of player development Shawn Horcoff put it last week, “He’s big, “If he goes under-20, he’s going to be running the power play like pretty he’s raw, he moves well, he can pass well. He has a lot of upside.” much almost a minute and a half,” Styf said. “He’s going to (get) even more work on his offensive skills. Because on the men’s team, he does The flip side is what Horcoff described as a lack of polish, which makes the same thing, but not as much as he can do in the J20s. … So we want sense given that Wallinder is still, despite now being on the path to pro to have him doing the things we think (are going to take him to the) NHL hockey, in school. level.” In the draft process, teams asked Styf how moldable Wallinder was, and The journey from this point to the NHL, for Wallinder, is not likely to be a about his development. Would he accept and apply coaching, or merely quick one. For all the tools he has, it will take time to assemble them. play by those instincts that have gotten him to this point? But the payoff, if he can polish the skill set he already possesses, then “(Growing up), because of his capacity, he could play exactly like he add to it to become more well-rounded, could be significant for the Red wanted,” Styf said. “So he didn’t really have to listen and develop. But Wings. now, the last year, he has (had) to do it. So he’s starting to realize it, and … over the summer and spring, I see that he’s really taken it in and (is) “I would say for sure he’s going to be a great offensive player,” Styf said. understanding it.” “He’s got a good shot, and he moves well on the blue line, so power play for sure. He needs to work on his timing, though, on the one-timers, but MODO general manager Fredrik Glader sees a willingness from when he gets the timing right he’s got a great shot. So I would say he’s Wallinder to learn about the defensive side of the puck, which will be going to be a more offensive player who can run the play, control the important as he continues to progress. For as much as those instinctive, play, and control the puck.” offensive plays give him “really high potential” in Glader’s mind, the allure of a big, rangy, potential two-way defenseman is what stood out to the The Athletic LOADED: 10.30.2020 Red Wings.

GET TO KNOW WILLIAM WALLINDER, OUR 32ND PICK IN THE 2020 NHL DRAFT. #DRWDRAFT X @LABATTUSA

FULL : HTTPS://T.CO/Y5EIQMCT0I PIC.TWITTER.COM/5MNNLILXJX

— DETROIT RED WINGS (@DETROITREDWINGS) OCTOBER 7, 2020

In fact, Yzerman said on draft night the team sees his potential to be that coveted two-way defender. But that will inevitably require Wallinder to first become more comfortable in his own end.

“Absolutely he is interested to learn,” Glader said. He pointed out Wallinder’s experience on the men’s team playing with former NHL players Brendan Mikkelson and Frankie Corrado, who “know what it takes to get there, and they help him a lot. You see that he is learning and he is interested to take experience from other guys and teammates. I think he is really (on the right path) to develop right now.” 1195571 Edmonton Oilers “It will be different for us, but I think it will be a good opportunity to prove ourselves and kind of get back in mid-season game shape,” Robertson said. “And we’ll no doubt become closer with each other in this extended Oil Kings' Matthew Robertson invited to world junior selection camp camp.”

Robertson will look to draw from his experiences donning the Maple Leaf at the World Under-17 Hockey Challenge, the IIHF under-18 world Gerry Moddejonge championships and on the way to a gold medal on his home ice at the 2018 Hlinka-Gretzky Cup.

“I was fortunate enough to win gold with Canada at the U-18s and a lot of Twelve months ago, Matthew Robertson was signing an entry-level guys that were there are at the selection camp,” Robertson said. “So, it contract with the New York Rangers. definitely helps with the process and feeling more comfortable and And over the next month, he will be looking to earn himself the privilege confident going into camp kind of knowing Hockey Canada’s process and of wearing the Maple Leaf at the International Federation what they’re looking for.” World Junior Championship at the end of the year. Of course, it doesn’t hurt having a preview of the next level with a But the 12 months in between have been about as up and down as Rangers prospects camp and main camp under his belt already. things could possibly get for the talented Edmonton Oil Kings “No, it definitely doesn’t hurt at all,” said Robertson, who was drafted in defenceman. the second round (49th overall) in 2019. “I think that helped me a lot with “It’s been a long off-season,” said the six-foot-three, 203-pound my game and knowing what I have to improve on to go to the next level Sherwood Park product heading into his fourth Western Hockey League and really play with the big boys. season. “A lot of off-season workouts, a lot of skates and skill sessions to “I’ve actually been contacted by their player-development team kind of prepare us for an unknown date. throughout the summer, usually a couple times a month. It’s been good.” “I think the hardest part was not knowing when to be at your prime, with Edmonton Sun: LOADED: 10.30.2020 specific dates and knowing when to prepare for. Now, with a date to prepare for, I’m really looking forward to it.”

Assuming the WHL will be able to go ahead with its delayed start to the season in January, it will finally allow Robertson and the Oil Kings to look ahead, instead of what could have been in the season behind them.

After all, they were leading the Eastern Conference and had their sights set on a nice, long playoff run when the season got pulled out from underneath them by COVID-19.

“I try not to think about it too much, it was definitely pretty tough,” Robertson recalled. ‘We had a really good team last year and I think we had the potential to go all the way. It’s pretty saddening that we didn’t get the chance to do that.

“But there were other important things at hand with the health and safety of others right now. It’s big motivation coming into camp just not knowing what we could have accomplished last year at the end of the season. We have another good team coming into this year, and that’s definitely the goal, going all the way again.”

But before picking things up where he left off with the Oil Kings, Robertson is looking to get picked up by Team Canada with the world juniors taking place on hometown ice beginning Christmas Day.

“It’s big motivation coming up now with the world junior selection camp coming up in November, that’s a huge bonus for me and I’m looking forward to the opportunity I get to try and make that team,” Robertson said of the immensity of the chance to represent his country in junior hockey’s biggest stage. “When my agent first told me, I was super stoked and really excited, especially just having gone through the summer (development) virtual camp with them.

“It’s a huge opportunity and it’s something you dream of as a kid, is playing for Team Canada at the world juniors and playing for gold. I’ve looked forward to hopefully getting the opportunity to play for them throughout my whole life. I’m finally getting it now and I’m just really looking forward to it and thankful for everyone who’s helped me get to this point.”

With the WHL out of action so far, the selection process has had to evolve.

“I don’t know if that helps or makes it worse, but I think it will definitely be a lot different this year not having any (WHL) games played in seven months now,” he said. “But I think it will be good going into a competitive environment again to kind of get the juices flowing and getting to compete against the best players from across Canada at our age.

“It is a different process this year, it’s a lot longer camp, but I think it will be good.”

The 25 players who end up getting selected out of the 46 invitees to the Red Deer camp won’t have any time to celebrate, considering they’ll be facing teams from Europe and Russia that haven’t been nearly as idle throughout the COVID-19 pandemic. 1195572 Edmonton Oilers “I think I’m 0-3 against him,” grinned Gagner.

From Dave Semenko to Laraque, Moss would take on all comers. Kevin Lowe remembers the famous trilogy with Moss and Penner, who, as Wrestling with Goodbyes: Joey Moss's locker-room alter ego the stuff of Oilers fans remember, often had trouble making weight. legend “On his best day, Dustin had about 100 pounds on Joey,” chuckled Lowe. “They had a best-of-three for the title. It was great. Dustin did a great job. Robert Tychkowski He made it look as authentic as possible and allowed Joey to win the match.

“It resonated how important wrestling was to him,. How the entire team Anyone who didn’t know the history or understand the relationship would stayed around, cheered and made him feel so good about that time in his likely be aghast if they saw an NHL team booing a mentally challenged life.” dressing room attendant while he wrestled their 250-pound enforcer. They say in sports you have to keep an even keel, but that wasn’t so But Joey Moss, possibly the biggest World Wrestling Entertainment fan much the case with Moss and wrestling. When he won, he would strut the world has ever known, wouldn’t have had it any other way. He lived around and soak up the glory like a champion. for those legendary matches in the Edmonton Oilers locker-room, challenging the likes of Georges Laraque and Dustin Penner to epic And when he lost … let’s just say if the players hated losing hockey showdowns that far overshadowed anything happening on the ice that games as much as Moss hated losing his matches, the last 20 years day. might have been much different.

Nobody outside of the Oilers inner circle ever got to witness those “Every time he would lose, he would fake an injury,” laughed Gagner. “He underground bouts, but they remain an essential chapter in Moss’s 35- would go limping out of the room to the trainer’s table and say, ‘It was my year relationship with the team. As former Oiler after former Oiler leg, that’s the only reason I didn’t win.’ And 10 minutes later he would be stepped forward to pay tribute to their friend, who died Monday, they completely fine. couldn’t help but laugh out loud at the memories. “Those memories, talking to some of the guys, those are things you will “He had this championship belt that he would wear around the dressing remember forever. He could really put a smile on your face. It was such a room,” said Laraque, recalling how Moss loved to showboat and trash fun time in our lives.” talk. “I would challenge him for it and if I ever beat him and took the belt Edmonton Sun: LOADED: 10.30.2020 he would demand a rematch so he could win it back. We had so much fun.”

On a match day, you would show up at the rink in the morning and feel a genuine buzz in the air. “Mosser’s putting his title on the line after practice.” It would be the talk of the day.

Moss would be zoned in, too, his usual cheer replaced by a steely focus. He was all business. There was no time for idle chat when a championship is up for grabs right after these towels are folded.

“Ready, Joey?”

“Yup.”

Ready? You have no idea.

“When he had a chance to fight for that belt, boy, was he fired up,” said former Oiler Sam Gagner. “He would prepare for it the whole week. You would see him warming up in the gym — he would be on the bike, doing his calisthenics, getting ready. That faded as time went on, but those were great times.”

While Moss was the beloved friend and teammate outside the ‘ring,’ he was far from a good guy in it. He loved being the villain, the heel, playing the character with everything he had.

The Oilers did their part, booing him loudly as he made his ring walk, and Moss would revel in it, extending his arms wide open, as if to soak up the jeers, flipping the occasional bird and letting everyone know that this was his world.

Newcomers on the team couldn’t believe what they were watching.

“I remember the first time,” said Gagner. “He had his own walk-in music, Kid Rock or whatever, and he walked in and the whole room booed him. I couldn’t believe it, everyone is booing Joey! But he loved it. He loved being the villain in the wrestling matches. He relished that.”

Like the bad guys in wrestling? As if Moss couldn’t be any cooler.

He enjoyed psychological warfare, too. One time, Moss snuck into the laundry and grabbed Gagner’s prized shorts, then wore them into the ring for their match to mess with Gagner’s head.

“One of the billet moms gave me these London Knights boxers that had my number and a Knights logo on them,” said Gagner.

“I thought they were cool. So Joe comes out for our wrestling match and he’s wearing my boxers. I’m like, ‘Are you kidding me?’ He loved it. He thought it the funniest thing ever. He was laughing at me. It was a great time.”

It must have worked. 1195573 Edmonton Oilers forefront of innovation, which includes the launch of a new lightweight customized helmet created by a three-dimensional printer.

“I want everything to be high-end because I want to be able to put my Former Oilers defenceman jumps into the hockey equipment game name and my reputation behind it and I want people to understand that it’s stuff that I would use in the NHL, stuff that maybe surpasses what I used in the NHL, which I feel is very true in a lot of the things that we put Derek Van Diest forth,” Sutton said. “That innovation and that development is never going to stop for us and I’ll always have my hand in it to make sure that it’s stuff

that we can be proud of and it is stuff that we can connect with the Andy Sutton absorbed plenty of punishment in a 14-year NHL career, customer directly on. which forced him to become innovative with his hockey equipment. “Verbero’s tagline is to be different, and we’re going to be different in By Sutton’s count, the former Edmonton Oilers defenceman had 14 every way. We are never going to stop trying to be different. That’s what surgeries and upwards of 20 fractures during his playing days, spending the industry needs today, it needs someone who is different.” as much time in an air cast as a dress shoe. Edmonton Sun: LOADED: 10.30.2020 The experiences have guided Sutton in his latest post-playing venture, launching his own hockey equipment brand, Verbero Hockey.

“I studied engineering at school and I’ve always had a really analytical mind,” Sutton said. “While I was playing, and the nature of the way I played being physical and blocking all kinds of shots, I was always working with the trainers and equipment managers to alter my gear so that I could be more protected and still play the way I needed to play. So, I was conceptualizing and re-conceptualizing things all the time.”

Sutton, 45, has taken his engineering background from four years at Michigan Tech and applied it to his equipment brand, brought to market through an on-demand web-based, team-store platform (Verbero.com).

Sutton’s company specializes in high-end products at affordable prices by dealing directly with customers. Making hockey equipment more affordable is one of the fundamental principles of his company.

“We feel like the system is broken,” Sutton said. “We don’t mark up through wholesale like the other brands do. We’re not trying to sell 11 different types of skates that look identical just to flood the market. We have one amazing skate, one amazing stick, one amazing glove, and on, down the line.

“People need to understand that when they go and buy a $1,200 skate, what they’re paying for is CEO bonuses, they’re paying for all the NHL players being paid to be ambassadors and to wear the product, they’re paying for all the high-level marketing, they’re paying for all the employees they have to support. Really, the customer shouldn’t have to pay for that.”

According to Sutton, who has worked in marketing and manufacturing since retiring in 2012, there is not a lot of difference between tiers of equipment.

“If you’re going to go from a $99 retail skate to a $1,200 retail skate, the cost at manufacturing is maybe $50 or $60,” he said. “So why should the customer have to pay $1,100 more? We put a minimal margin as we can on our product to allow us to stay in our business, but we want to make our equipment as affordable as possible. We call it player direct.”

Vebero’s line of equipment includes a state-of-the-art stick, which Sutton had tested himself. The Mercury V350 was launched earlier this spring and is being marketed as the lightest hockey stick on the market.

“Essentially it has a vertical rib through the shaft that gives it a lot strength,” Sutton said. “We’ve been able to fit the profile on the carbon fiber, making it lighter and it’s incredibly balanced. It’s a solid carbon-fiber blade, so it has really incredible response and feel when the puck hits the blade, and really explosive shot. Despite its weight at 350 grams, it’s incredibly durable.”

Verbero is also producing a high-end skate along with other protective gear, which includes goaltender equipment. Sutton’s company will also create custom apparel for teams and associations.

“We’re going to be up and running fully in Canada in time for the Christmas rush by Dec. 1,” Sutton said. “We’ve secured a distributer in Switzerland and we have a Slovakian distributer that’s debuting shortly as well, and they’re going to be pushing it to the Czech Republic, Hungry, Poland and Slovenia. We’re feel excited about how much we’re able to do in a short period of time.”

Despite launching during a global pandemic, which has forced a number of leagues to go on hiatus, reception to the Sutton’s line of products has been positive. He continues to expand the brand and wants to be at the 1195574 Edmonton Oilers Jarret Stoll, Marc-Andre Bergeron, Ty Conklin and Alexei Semenov all played under Julien in his three AHL seasons with Hamilton, and all exceeded 200 NHL games. In three years coaching Edmonton’s top Lowetide: Jay Woodcroft oversees a spike in Oilers prospect minor league team, Julien delivered seven players who qualify using the development 20-200 rule.

Todd Nelson

By Allan Mitchell Oct 29, 2020 Nelson was an assistant coach with the Atlanta Thrashers when he agreed to coach the . It was a new farm club for Edmonton. The Barons previously spent several seasons in a shared team that ended in misery, disappointment and stalled One of the key elements of a successful pipeline of talent is a strong farm prospects. team. That doesn’t mean winning a lot of games, although the home team fans are appreciative. The real measure of a productive system is Edmonton’s general manager at the time, Steve Tambellini, prioritized finding useful NHL players who find their way up the depth chart and fill cultivating prospects who could be part of a winning team. Nelson roles as needed by the organization. brought his team in with a strong record (40-29-11) and even sent a few prospects to the NHL. Here are the Barons players from 2010-11 who Before becoming the head coach of the ahead of played in the NHL: the 2018-19 season, Jay Woodcroft had a long coaching resume in a supporting or assistant role. His record as head coach is 63-48-13, but In his first season in the Oilers organization, Nelson and assistants more important to the organization is the pipeline looks stronger now Rocky Thompson and Gerry Fleming helped Petry for a half a season than it has in some time. and VandeVelde for what turned out to be three minor-league seasons before he excelled. Arcobello was an interesting find and Omark was a Can we measure AHL coaching success by counting successful truly unique talent. prospect-to-NHL-player transitions? What is a good promotion rate? How should we measure progress and success? In Nelson’s five seasons with the Barons, he helped uncover Petry, VandeVelde, Justin Schultz, Oscar Klefbom, Tyler Pitlick, Anton Lander, For the past several seasons, I’ve been counting successful promotions Jordan Oesterle, Jujhar Khaira and Martin Marincin. That’s nine players as prospects who play 20 or more games in an AHL season while still on over five years. their entry deals. If those prospects go on to play 200-plus games in the NHL, that’s a success. What does it all mean?

Evaluating Woodcroft under those parameters is going to take some time Not every rookie crop is identical, and career NHL games is a flawed way since 200 NHL games would require at least three seasons after to measure career value. For our purposes, trying to find a reasonable promotion from the minors. We can track progress though, and it’s in this graduate rate and measuring success, it works as a wide brush over area Woodcroft appears to be trending well. several years of prospect canvas.

Here’s how Woodcroft stacks up against Edmonton’s best AHL coaches Not every player who played at least 200 games has the same value, but since 2000. it’s also true the player with the most NHL games (Chimera) isn’t the best in the three groups (Horcoff or Petry, eventually perhaps someone on the Woodcroft’s prospects Condors). It appears Woodcroft and his assistant coaches (Dave Manson and We’re trying to identify a reasonable number of prospects graduating Jean-Francois Houle) are a dynamite team when it comes to developing from an AHL team in a single season. Julien graduated seven players in defencemen. When the trio arrived in 2018-19, there was an immediate three years, an average of 2.33 a season, and Nelson delivered nine in spike in performance from young defensive prospects Ethan Bear and five seasons, an average of 1.8. Together, they developed 16 players in Caleb Jones, and strong first-year performances from rookie pro eight years. forwards Tyler Benson and Cooper Marody. Here are the 2018-19 prominent Condors prospects and their numbers during that season: In 2018-19, his first season, Woodcroft and his coaching staff helped five players (Bear, Jones, Yamamoto, Lagesson and Benson) to the point Last season, several prospects from the Condors had developed enough where they played some NHL games in the following season. Bear, to help the Oilers: Bear played in 71 games, Jones 43, Yamamoto 27, Jones and Yamamoto would seem to be good bets for 200 games. Lagesson eight and Benson seven. Not all of them will make the 200- game cutoff, but that’s a fine season for the coaching staff and prospects The current AHL coaching staff won’t get its final report card for several involved. years, but the group is trending in a good direction. The AHL season is scheduled to get underway in early February, and the next NHL season Also, Woodcroft and staff helped to develop Evan Bouchard, Dmitri will give Woodcroft an additional report card. Samorukov, Ryan McLeod and others. We’ll see how many play NHL games in 2020-21 when the league returns. With Bear, Jones and Yamamoto already in the NHL, Woodcroft might be ahead of what we’ve identified as reasonable when it comes to As his coaching career continues in Bakersfield, it will be interesting to graduating talent to the NHL. see how many prospects land in the NHL and exceed 200 games. The two men who coached Oilers prospects for a significant number of The Athletic LOADED: 10.30.2020 seasons earlier this century are Claude Julien and Todd Nelson.

How many players did each of those coaches help develop in their first season coaching the Oilers?

Claude Julien

Julien went 28-41-11 in his first season, 2000-01 with the Hamilton Bulldogs, and finished out of the playoffs. Along with assistant coach Morey Gare, Julien helped develop a large group of players who would make it to the NHL.

Here’s the list of prospects who played in at least 20 AHL games and went on to play in 200-plus NHL games from that season:

Chimera doubled his AHL point total under Julien and had another strong season in Hamilton before embarking on a long and productive NHL career. Horcoff impressed during NHL camp and didn’t need much more time to settle in. Pisani needed to improve his scoring, or at least needed a feature role to prove himself, and Julien provided it 20 years ago. That’s a fantastic success ratio for an NHL team. 1195575 Florida Panthers

Investigation clears former Panthers GM Dale Tallon of accusation he used racial slur

BY DAVID WILSON

An investigation into Dale Tallon regarding the use inappropriate racial comments cleared the former Florida Panthers general manager of any wrongdoing Thursday.

An “anonymous report” alleged Tallon used racially or ethnically derogatory language in August while with the Panthers in the NHL’s Toronto secure zone for the expanded 2020 Stanley Cup playoffs.

The accusation also suggested Tallon had used similar language in the past. The same day the NHL received its anonymous tip, the league retained an outside firm to investigate the claim, ultimately clearing Tallon after a months-long investigation.

“The allegations were neither corroborated nor substantiated, and are inconsistent with Tallon’s past actions and his affirmative efforts in support of diversity and inclusion initiatives,” the NHL said in a statement. “As a result, based on the investigation, the NHL has further concluded that there has been no established violation of NHL policy or protocols.”

The investigation was carried out by law firm Seyfarth Shaw, which interviewed more than a dozen people across the Florida organization and “reviewed all information made available from representatives of the source through which the anonymous report was made.”

The Panthers parted ways with Tallon mere days after the alleged incident occurred, opting not to renew the executive’s contract after Florida once again failed to qualify for the traditional 16-team postseason. Tallon took the Panthers to the traditional postseason just three times in his 10 years in Florida and guided the Panthers to only won series win in the Cup playoffs. The team hired general manager as Tallon’s replacement in September.

Florida did not respond to a request for comment on the investigation at the time it began and has not commented since.

Tallon has not landed a job since leaving the Panthers, although multiple reports have linked the former GM to the Pittsburgh Penguins.

Miami Herald LOADED: 10.30.2020 1195576 Florida Panthers “Pure, dangerous shooter — count on 25-30 a year,’’ texted one head coach who had no issues with him.

“One-dimensional ability may limit his options, especially in this market,’’ LeBrun: Mike Hoffman is no gamble if price is right mused another head coach via text. “Excellent power-play skills should attract teams, but his 5 vs. 5 stats will not support his ask (I assume).’’

By Pierre LeBrun Oct 29, 2020 “He’s one-dimensional, he’s a great scorer, he’s got a heck of a one- timer, but he’s really bad defensively,’’ offered another coach. “To me, he’s a specialist.’’

Three weeks ago Friday, free agency opened. So, mixed response from three coaches.

Mike Hoffman stood atop the 300-plus UFAs in terms of goal scoring this And it might be that the original ask was too high for this market. This past season. isn’t confirmed, but I did hear Hoffman’s camp wanted north of $6.5 million a year when the market opened Oct. 9, although to be fair, I might Three weeks later, Hoffman, the perennial 30-goal scorer, still sits have asked for the same based on other goal scorers around the league without an NHL job. and what they’re making. And he’s coming off a four-year deal which paid What gives? him just north of $5.1 million per season.

At first, the sense was top UFA forward Taylor Hall playing out his But this is 2020. The market has clearly shifted with the pandemic. situation over three days into free agency affected Hoffman to some Our stats guru Dom Luszczyszyn was not a fan in his free agent preview degree, with some of the same teams overlapping on both UFA scorers. of any team going high and long on a deal for Hoffman, most notably And by the time Hall signed in Buffalo, the first wave of free agency had pointing out his potential age regression and defensive weaknesses. passed. But on a one-year deal in the $5 million to $5.75 million range, his Teams have continued to call about Hoffman. Try a dozen or so, five or modelling changes its tune on Hoffman. six seriously, another six or seven more on the periphery. They’ve all checked in with Hoffman’s camp led by agent Rob Hooper of Octagon, The value Luszcyszyn had for Hoffman was $5.7 million, $5.2 million, but the offers so far have been bargain city. $4.6 million, $4.1 million over the next four years.

Which is why it would make sense for the Hoffman camp to sit back and “Despite the defensive liabilities, 30 goals is 30 goals and he’s still a be patient. decent top-six forward because of that, something teams normally would have to pay $5-6 million for,’’ Luszcyszyn shared this week. Just how patient? Listen, nobody is pretending that Hoffman is going to channel Bob “Very patient,’’ Hooper said Thursday. “Mike has been one of the most Gainey or Jere Lehtinen anytime soon. But he scores goals. consistent goal scorers the last six seasons and the last two were his Consistently. He also hasn’t missed a game in the last three years. best. More importantly, Mike, like every great scorer is willing to be patient and look for the right opportunity.’’ It’s hard to routinely score goals in the NHL.

It’s not like it’s a small sample size. He has scored 169 goals in the last I understand the imperfections in Hoffman’s game — they are obvious. 464 regular season games over the past six seasons. That’s an average of 29.87 goals per 82 games. But the team that gets this guy on a one-year deal late in the offseason this year is hardly taking a gamble. But teams so far have tried to get him at a reduced value. The Athletic LOADED: 10.30.2020 Whatever offers are there now, one-year deals varying I think from $3.5 million to $4.5 million, they will be there again closer to puck drop in the New Year. They’re not going away I wouldn’t imagine.

And I think the reason to be patient has to do with some contending teams perhaps finding cap room for Hoffman later in the offseason depending on LTIR situations. Think of Boston with its injuries to David Pastrnak and Brad Marchand, St. Louis with Vladimir Tarasenko and Edmonton with Oscar Klefbom. I think those teams have all been viewed by the Hoffman camp as potential landing spots depending on where those teams are roster-wise and LTIR-wise closer to puck drop.

In the meantime, if teams like Florida and/or Nashville, clubs that I believe have kept the channels of communication open with Hoffman’s camp, decide to step up financially, maybe Hoffman bites. But if the offers stay where they are now, I think Hoffman, who turns 31 on Nov. 24, is ready to sit back and see how the offseason unfolds.

No question there are some teams right now who have taken a pause in their offseason and want to see when NHL commissioner Gary Bettman announces plans for the season before they continue in their roster building and tweaking. Which makes sense.

So I think there’s a chance we see more moves, trades or free agent signings, in December when the NHL landscape for 2020-21 becomes clearer.

As for Hoffman, while the pandemic pricing of the unique 2020 offseason market has hurt him, I also wonder if some of it also hasn’t been his reputation as a selfish player. That he cheats to score goals.

“Name me a pure goal scorer who doesn’t cheat,’’ chuckled one NHL team executive this week when we were discussing Hoffman.

I reached out to a couple of NHL head coaches who have faced Hoffman to get their read on him, their anonymity granted in exchange for their honest take: 1195577 Los Angeles Kings and day difference for Byfield. This time, he’ll be expected to assume a much more significant role.

“There’s definitely a history of players (doing well) in that second year Quinton Byfield and the world juniors: ‘There’s going to be expectations’ back,” Emerson said. “The first year is such a learning experience. There’s going to be expectations and we expect him to go into this training camp and have confidence but also realize he’s got to go By Lisa Dillman Oct 29, 2020 perform. Just a step for him and his path and hopefully it’ll be real exciting year.”

Big picture: It could be a lot like the tournament in 1995 in Red Deer Andre Tourigny, the head coach of Canada’s world junior team, was when international junior hockey became a focal point of the hockey hearing excitement, not apprehension. world because the NHL was in the midst of a lockout. Or the 2005 event The possibility of spending 27 days in Red Deer, Alberta, in a cohort in Grand Forks, N.D., when the NHL was in another lockout. bubble for Team Canada’s selection camp, starting Nov. 16, followed by Then, as now, the appetite for hockey was so great because there hadn’t an extended stay in a bubble in Edmonton for the World Junior been any in a long time. Certainly, the scrutiny will be more normal and Championships was met with positive emotion from players. it’s still pretty significant especially if you happen to be in Canada during “Yesterday, the reaction when we called them, they were so relieved to the holidays. have a chance to go,” said Tourigny. “If I would have told them, it’s 150 “Normally, our guys are captains, assistant captains of their own team days, I think they would have danced. They are excited. They want to go. and they play a big big role in their team,” Tourigny said. “Other than the They want to play hockey.” Q players right now, they are missing that. In all, 47 players were invited to the selection camp, including Los “It’s a great opportunity and the chance to build a unique team. It’s never Angeles Kings prospects, forward Quinton Byfield and defenseman happened in the past where Team Canada had a chance to be together Jordan Spence and Anaheim Ducks prospect, defenseman Jamie for that long.” Drysdale. Byfield and Drysdale helped Canada win gold at the 2020 world juniors. The Athletic LOADED: 10.30.2020 The initial release listed 46 players, but forward Kirby Dach of the Chicago Blackhawks was added just before the Zoom video call started Thursday with Tourigny and Team Canada executives. The tournament runs Dec. 26-Jan. 5.

Should the NHL season start on or around Jan. 1, Dach would return to the Blackhawks. But the plan with Byfield, who was the No. 2 pick in this month’s draft, is to have him stay with Team Canada throughout the world juniors, said Kings general manager , via text message.

The unprecedented length of the selection camp will give OHL players like Byfield and Drysdale the opportunity to get caught up after months without any meaningful competition. Byfield’s season ended abruptly on March 12 when his team traveled to Peterborough for a game that would not take place.

The OHL is hoping to start its season in February. But Drysdale plays for one of the league’s three-U.S. based teams, the Erie Otters, and cross- border travel is an issue and could still be in 2021.

“They train for six, seventh months,” Tourigny said. “They just train. Kirby Dach played hockey for a month in the last seven months. It’s the same thing for everybody. In a normal year, it would be way more challenging, I totally agree.

“When you don’t have a chance to do what you love every day, you realize how much you miss it.”

Nelson Emerson, the Kings’ director of player personnel, concurred. He stressed the importance of the return to a regular routine for Byfield and the other prospects in what will be an unprecedented selection camp.

“It’s just a great step for everybody, really,” he said.

The longer camp, three intra-squad games and six games against a team of U Sports all-stars will work toward scraping off the rust for many of the players. Spence has a bit of an edge, having been playing in the Major Junior Hockey League with the Moncton Wildcats. Spence, a fourth-round draft choice (No. 95) in 2019, already has appeared in five regular season games with the Wildcats.

Internally, the Kings are excited about the progress Spence has made since they drafted him 16 months ago.

“What is perfect about him is that he just goes out and plays the game the way a lot of successful defensemen do,” said Emerson.

“He doesn’t try to do too much, but he does enough. He’s always in the correct position. He’s able to make players around him better by making little simple plays. There’s no surprise at all he’s in this camp. We expect big things from him.”

In addition to Dach, Drysdale and Byfield, there are four other players from the gold-medal team in 2020. The odds are this year will be a night 1195578 Los Angeles Kings A: Being traded to the Kings with Millsey was great for me, from a selfish standpoint, as I had the opportunity to go with a friend. Friends always make new situations like adjusting to a new locker room a lot easier. CATCHING UP WITH KINGS ALUM ADAM DEADMARSH Aaron is an amazing guy, and as you said, he has a great sense of humor that makes everyone around him laugh. He is a guy that anyone would cherish to have on their team. Millsey was also an incredible competitor on the ice and was excellent at what he did. Therefore, the BY JEFF MOELLER FOR LAKINGS INSIDER.COMOCTOBER 29, 2020 comfort level he brought on the defense side of things was a huge deal for our team.

Adam Deadmarsh’s tenure with the LA Kings was brief. But very Q: What did you like best about playing with Ziggy Palffy and Jason memorable. Allison?

Acquired by the Kings from Colorado in 2001 along with defenseman A: Playing with Ziggy and Ali were certainly some of the best times I ever Aaron Miller in the blockbuster deal that sent Rob Blake to the Avs, had playing hockey, and there was something special about the Deadmarsh played in 114 games – and 17 more intense postseason chemistry we had as a line. I think we all brought a certain dimension to contests – with the Kings before concussion issues unfortunately ended the game that blended well, and it was my job to try and create loose his playing career maturity. pucks and get them back to those guys. Once Ali had the puck, he could do amazing things with it. Someone just had to get open, and he would A power forward and 1996 Stanley Cup winner, Deadmarsh also of find you. I’ve not seen many guys that were better with the puck around course scored two of the most famous goals in Kings history. He played the opposing team’s goal line than Ali was, and he was a force to be a key role in the Kings beating the heavily favored Detroit Red Wings in reckoned with for sure. As far as Ziggy is concerned, he’s probably one the 2001 Western Conference Quarterfinal, the highlight being Game 6 of the most talented guys I’ve ever played with. There were times I would as Deadmarsh scored both the game-tying and game-winning goals to find myself being a bit of a spectator while I was on the ice and watching clinch the series. him in amazement because of what he can do. I then realized I better get involved and start helping. All in all, our line had a lot of success, and It may have been the loudest STAPLES Center has ever been prior to every time we stepped on the ice, we felt that we could make something 2012 it was the first series win for Los Angeles since 1993. happen. After hanging up his skates (he played his last NHL game as a King Q: You also repped the U.S. in international competition on six during the 2002-03 season when the hard-nosed winger was limited to occasions. Was the World Cup in 1996 the clear highlight? 20 contests) the native of British Columbia has coached both at the NHL level with Colorado (2009-12) and with the Spokane Chiefs of the A: Winning the World Cup in 1996 was certainly a highlight. Anytime you Western Hockey League starting in 2017. have the opportunity to win an international competition like that, it has to stand at the top. However, having said that, getting the opportunity to A veteran of nine NHL seasons and 373 points, Adam recently answered play in the Olympics was also an amazing experience, and it was not just these questions from his home in Idaho for LAKingsInsider. from a hockey standpoint. It was also getting to see other athletes at the Q: How do you look back at your time in LA? top of their game. These athletes are people that I watched on TV and seen excel in their sport; to see them in person was really neat. A: I’m so thankful and honored to have been a part of the LA Kings Furthermore, when you grow up watching the Olympics, it is a definite organization. When I think back on my career, I am so grateful that I was highlight when, finally, one day you have the opportunity to play in them. able to play in LA. The LA Kings are a wonderful organization to play for, the city was awesome, and the fans were amazing. The teammates I had Q: It is probably the most obvious question but what is keeping you busy were also incredible. I walked into a locker room with so many these days? phenomenal people, and from the very first day, everyone made me feel A: As far as keeping busy these days, I have twin 19-year-old girls that like part of the team. certainly keep me on my toes. I’m also grateful to have the opportunity to Q: What are some of your favorite memories with the Kings? be an assistant coach with the Spokane Chiefs (WHL) that I enjoy. Getting to work with these kids and seeing them achieve their goals is A: I have so many fond memories of my playing days in LA, but something that I thoroughly enjoy. Other than that, I love the outdoors obviously, the playoffs always brought out the most emotion and and I try to get out as much as I can. excitement; therefore, I would have to say our playoff runs bring back some of my favorite memories. Upsetting Detroit in the first round was Q: What is day to day life like in Idaho for you and your family? certainly a highlight for us, and I know that my teammates and I will A: My day-to-day life is not overly exciting. I try to stay as involved as cherish those moments forever. However, simply having the opportunity possible in my kids’ life without annoying them too much. My wife tries to to play in front of the LA fans on a nightly basis was also very special. As drag me out for daily walks, which she’s not always successful in doing, players, we were so fortunate to play in front of such a loyal and exciting and of course, there’s always a long ‘honey-do’ list that I try to chip away fan base. at. Other than that, I just try to enjoy every day to the best I can and Q: How loud was STAPLES Center during some of those playoff spend as much time with my family as possible to create new and special moments? memories.

A: It was pretty wild at times at the STAPLES Center. There are a lot of LA Kings Insider: LOADED: 10.30.2020 amazing places to play in the NHL with some pretty rowdy atmospheres, but I’d have to say the fans in the STAPLES Center throughout the playoffs were probably the loudest I’ve ever heard in a building. ] It felt like the building was shaking from excitement, and it created a pretty special setting to play in.

Q: How surreal was it to play your former club, the Avalanche, in back to back playoff series – both which reached Game 7 (2001 and 2002)?

A: Given that I was traded pretty recently before that, it was a little bit of a weird experience the first time we played them. However, there was no love lost between the two teams, and I certainly enjoyed the competitive nature of those games. Unfortunately, ending up on the wrong end of both series is something that still upsets me a bit to this day, but I’m thankful to have been part of those kinds of competitive atmospheres. I’ve said many times that it’s an honor to play in the NHL and being in a playoff mix is always something I’ll be grateful for.

Q: You came to LA with Aaron Miller who is a pretty funny dude. What do like most about Millsey? 1195579 MontrealCanadiens fairway. Turn that into all the things you’re doing. Try to ingrain that (competition).”

Montreal Gazette LOADED: 10.30.2020 Canadiens' cupboard is stocked, player development guru Ramage says

The Habs have drafted 29 players during the past three years, but monitoring and finding them a place to play has been exacerbated by the pandemic.

Pat Hickey• Montreal Gazette

Rob Ramage is itching to get on the road to watch hockey games.

It’s a sentiment shared by his wife Dawn.

“My wife is looking at me and saying: ‘I need to miss you,’ ” Ramage said Thursday during a video conference call from his home in St. Louis.

Ramage is the Canadiens’ director of player development and he and Francis Bouillon oversee the team’s prospects, from recent draft choices to minor-leaguers. It’s a task that has been more difficult this year because there are a lot of players to look after and COVID-19 restrictions have limited their ability to play games.

“I remember when Ron Caron came to St. Louis as the general manager and he said the cupboard was bare (but) our cupboard in Montreal is full,” said Ramage.

The Canadiens have drafted 29 players during the past three years and Ramage keeps tabs on about 50 players. He said he checks in with the players and their coaches on a regular basis and there is also communication between the players and the team’s strength coaches, medical staff and team psychologist David Scott.

Many of the prospects haven’t played in games since the sport shut down in March and most of them have had limited opportunities to skate. This situation is not limited to prospects — there was a report this week that Canadiens wingers Paul Byron and Jonathan Drouin are among the NHL players unable to find ice because the Quebec government has shut rinks.

Ramage said he’s cautiously optimistic that players will be able to catch up quickly.

“If you look at the summer, in the playoffs, the level of play (was high),” said Ramage. “Obviously those guys are all professionals, but these young guys train like pros.”

Ramage noted that things are starting to open up in North America and he hopes to see some college and USHL games next month. Cole Caufield, the Canadiens’ first-round choice (No. 15 overall) in 2019, will make his season debut on Nov. 13 when the University of Wisconsin is slated to open a home-and-away series against Minnesota.

On Dec. 1, he hopes to be in Omaha, Neb., where National Collegiate Hockey Conference teams will gather in a bubble. It’s a chance to see Denver forward Brett Stapley, a player who has been progressing under the radar. Stapley was the Canadiens’ 2018 seventh-round pick, No. 190 overall, and Stapley noted that Montreal has had good luck with seventh- round picks Jake Evans and Cayden Primeau.

“I hope I get in to see some of these games; I may have to sneak in as the Zamboni driver,” said Ramage.

He said the Canadiens were fortunate to be able to place several players, including Jesperi Kotkaniemi, with their former teams in Europe.

“It’s important (for Kotkaniemi) to keep the momentum he had this summer,” said Ramage. “Those guys that are over there are fortunate because they’re with good programs … and they’re doing something they love and not stuck in gyms.”

Ramage noted that the prospects have their own coaches and he said the one thing he and Bouillon try to impress upon the players is the need to compete.

“They all play golf in the summer and I always say to them, ‘Do you play for anything?’ I’m not talking big dollars but when you play with your buddies, play for something. I don’t care if it’s a milkshake, put some pressure on yourself when you try to make a putt or you have to hit the 1195580 Nashville Predators “At the start, it was really tough,” Evangelista said. “I was getting down on myself at the start in that first month or so there and it was getting pretty frustrating.”

Predators prospect Luke Evangelista is on the rise. ‘He’s going to take Jackson and his partner Dave Gagner spent much of the 2018-2019 off’ season trying to help Evangelista — and his parents, who run the Toronto law firm Evangelista Barrister & Solicitors — through it. They’d been through a similar situation with previous Knights clients like Oilers By Scott Wheeler Oct 29, 2020 prospect Evan Bouchard, who’d had to play a waiting game of his own (though not quite as long of one). Gagner’s relationship with the Hunters

dated back to when his son, NHLer Sam, played in London. By the time Day 2 of the draft started, Luke Evangelista was already “It was a difficult year because all of these kids go in as high picks and settled back into the couch in his basement in Oakville, Ont., flanked by they run into the same thing. It’s upsetting for parents too and they don’t his two sisters and his parents, Margaret and Andrew, ready to wait. know how to help their kid when they’re not playing. And his parents are He didn’t really know what to expect, with no real indication from teams. very realistic, they’re awesome, but when your kid has been such a star His young career to that point hadn’t travelled the same linear path of the player as a youth player, it’s hard. So we just said ‘hang in there because kids taken before him in the first round on Day 1. Dale really likes you and that’s a big hurdle’” Jackson said.

But something prompted him to put his phone down just before the The Hunters told Evangelista to be patient and to work to get stronger. If Nashville Predators made their second-round selection. he could do that, the opportunity, they promised, would eventually come.

While he’d had a couple of conversations with the Predators over the “We told him, ‘this is actually part of your development that you become course of the year, he had no idea if they would use their pick on him. resilient and you’re able to get through some hardship because you’re And he didn’t have any warning. They didn’t call him to inform him that he going to have to get through this stuff as a pro.’ You have to be able to was about to be their selection, like teams did with many other players. figure things out and not panic,” Jackson said. “Lots of players get to pro He just felt, for whatever reason, like he should pay attention when it was and they find themselves not playing in the AHL. And a lot of them don’t the Predators’ turn. make it out of that vortex. So (Evangelista’s) already going through that and this will be a tool that (he’ll) have. He’ll understand that if you’re When his shock preceded his joy, part of it was the surprise that comes patient and you do your thing that you’ll get an opportunity and take with not knowing. But most of it was a shock for a kid who, two years advantage of it. If you’re only playing one of every three games, use the earlier, was just trying to get into games for his London Knights, let alone extra time to be in the gym. That has to be the message.” get drafted — more often a healthy scratch than a top prospect. Connor McMichael, who is also Evagenlista’s billet brother, provided a Growing up, Evangelista did look like he had a chance to make it. second layer of guidance.

He was always the best player on the AAA Oakville Rangers, from the “We clicked from the first week that I was living with (McMichael). And Quebec International Pee-Wee Hockey Tournament into his minor he’s not much older than me but he did go through that rookie year midget OHL draft year, where his 39 goals, 51 assists and 90 points in 36 before I did, so he had lots of advice and tips for me. He was really, really games all led his circuit in scoring. helpful,” Evangelista.

After a point-per-game showing at the year-end OHL Cup, he was He also found comfort with his billets, Kevin and Angela McGonigal, already represented by agent Jeff Jackson, he knew he’d be a high pick who’d previously billeted St. Louis Blues Stanley Cup champion Robert in the 2018 OHL draft, and he had several scholarship offers from NCAA Thomas. Even Thomas, who comes to visit the McGonigals each year programs. before he goes back to St. Louis, offered his own words of wisdom. As did Margaret’s cousin, Maple Leafs president Brendan Shanahan, who Jackson and his team were drawn to a kid who had a little bit of has sent pointers on playing in London (where he also played in junior) everything. and wished Evangelista luck before the draft. “The thing that impressed the most is he (was) not just an offensive But the McGonigal’s only son, Owen, who has muscular dystrophy, player. He had that skill set but he was a really conscious player became Evangelista’s biggest source of inspiration and encouragement. defensively, he had a great stick. And he was quiet but he was also very personable. He’s a really good kid,” Jackson said. “(Owen’s) actually got a really great hockey mind. He comes to basically every home game and he understands the game really well so it’s always Whether Evangelista went the college route depended on where he was been super easy to talk hockey with him,” Evangelista said. “When times picked. Then the dynastic Knights selected him 14th overall. were tough my rookie year and I was thinking, ‘this is awful’ and I’m “In his OHL draft year, he showed a ton of skill to make plays. His getting down on myself, and here’s Owen beside me, stuck in a passing ability and hockey sense shined through all the time. Even from wheelchair with limited movement, enjoying life every day. It really does an analytics standpoint that year, he was among the leaders in that age make you think bigger picture and appreciate what you do have. Me and group as far as plays created, and his points that year were massive. He (Capitals prospect) Connor (McMichael) have been really good for him I had that combination of playmaking and skill and confidence that we like think, but he has had a really big impact on us as well.” here in puck possession,” said Knights associate general manager Rob After getting down on himself for much of the first half of the season, Simpson. Evangelista finally began to take a more positive outlook after his return Though Evangelista and Jackson knew that the Knights, led by Hunter home to Oakville for the Christmas break. brothers Mark and Dale, were preparing for another contending season “I realized I just wasn’t going to be a go-to guy in the lineup and that if I and his opportunity could be limited, the decision was still a relatively wasn’t going to be playing that I was just going to put my head down, I easy one. wasn’t going to complain, and I was just going to prove to the staff that I “It’s the mecca of junior hockey and it’s a place where they know how to wanted to get better, that I was going to deal with this and persevere produce NHL players and that was the end-goal for me, so ultimately I through it,” Evangelista said. decided London was the right place for me. And I knew that the history in After returning to London, Evangelista, who’d entered the OHL around London was that you don’t play a lot as a rookie,” Evangelista said, 150 pounds, dedicated himself to getting stronger. chuckling as if that were an understatement, “But I had hopes that I would go in and prove people wrong and be an impact player right away.” “When he came in, he was maybe a little bit more underdeveloped than some of the other players. He hadn’t really hit his peak yet where he Evangelista’s 16-year-old season with the Knights didn’t go anything like started to be able to put on muscle and started to turn that corner where he expected it would, though. he was becoming a man and he was built out with a little more power in He rarely played. And when he did get into the lineup, he played little. His his stride,” Simpson said. “That’s ultimately what we took our time with in results paled relative to his top peers. And when the games did begin to his first year, was a lot of the off-ice stuff, the training, the power that come, he didn’t appear on the scoresheet. It was almost December needed to be there. And then eventually the genetics started to take over before he picked up his first point. and he started to fill into his frame.” In the second half of the season, even when the points and the games then he came back and his body had changed and he’d got stronger and never really came, Evangelista was in the gym almost every day. taller as well, so that started his season off right,” Simpson said.

“Keeping on weight and getting bigger and stronger has always been a The playing time — and the results — followed. By the time Evangelista little tougher for me. My rookie year, I noticed I wasn’t able to win as scored his first OHL goal, in the ninth game of his second OHL season, it many battles as I would have liked and I was getting pushed off the puck spilled into a hat trick that night. too much — and that was a big thing for them,” Evangelista said. From there, Simpson said Evangelista’s confidence improved. When the year was over, though, Evangelista had played only 27 games, with just two assists to show for his work. In the Knights’ 11-game playoff “All of a sudden you see yourself getting back to what you were and what run, he didn’t play in any of their games. you can be. But a lot of it goes to the work that he put in to get his physique and his body ready for the season,” Simpson said. “He gets all So as he entered the summer before his NHL draft year, he had yet to the credit because he was very strong mentally despite having some score his first OHL goal. struggles as a 16-year-old and like that’s not very old. He was a very mature 16-year-old. It was very nice to see that he could work through all Dedicated, still, to prove he could get back on track, Evangelista got to of those difficulties in his first year on his own.” work in the gym and on the ice. It was then, in the summer of 2019, that Evangelista began working with Josh Wrobel, a Toronto-area skills coach But even for his staunchest believers, the sudden success, and the steep (though he doesn’t like to call himself that). trajectory, came as a bit of a surprise.

Wrobel works in small on-ice groups of no more than three clients at a “I was expecting an improvement, I wasn’t expecting what he did,” time, tailoring his approach to each student’s mechanics and tweaking as Wrobel said. “I figured we might have to wait for him a little longer and he far as the shape of a player’s blade, or the length of their stick. really shocked a lot of people with what he did with the opportunity that he got.” Among the first things Wrobel noticed in reviewing Evangelista’s rookie season, was that he was trying to do too much. Playing predominantly with McMichael, his roommate and the team’s top scorer, Evangelista began to thrive as a sophomore. “He was a guy who liked to dangle and that’s not going to work, especially in London where if you try that fancy stuff and it doesn’t work, After starting the year with a ‘C’ grade from NHL Central Scouting, which you’re not going to play. So the stuff we worked on was ‘can you simplify “indicates a 4th/5th/6th round candidate,” Evangelista worked his way up your game so you’re not always fast, can you slow down?’ I felt watching to 58th in North America on their midterm list. By year’s end, he’d some video of him before we started working together that he would climbed even further, finishing at No. 39. sometimes skate himself into trouble,” Wrobel said. “And video doesn’t lie. So I can watch Luke and identify his good and bad habits and then His production had come almost entirely at even strength, too. Despite those simple details add up over the course of a game.” his sophomore re-emergence, Evangelista didn’t play on the power play in his draft year. So when he produced like he did, picking up 61 points in The next thing he picked up on was that Evangelista’s shot needed some 62 games in a bounce-back year for the ages, just two of those points correction. had come on the man-advantage.

“Shooting was a big thing with him because there wasn’t a lot of power in Without that power-play time, Evangelista found other ways to impress his shot. So we worked on new techniques and I tweaked his stick to try NHL scouts, becoming a reliable penalty killer and standout defensive to find something that makes his life easier,” Wrobel said. forward for Dale Hunter.

Then they broke down how he could get open to use that new stick, and “A lot of the scouts said that my five-on-five production was really good, that new shot, working to identify where he’d failed and how he could so it was nice that people recognized that,” Evangelista said. “This year I succeed. want to be one of those go-to guys for Dale on the power play. I think those minutes will help improve my production again. I’m really excited to “One of the things we talked about was, ‘You being open doesn’t matter if get a chance to do that again.” you’re not open at the right times. Can you be open when your teammate is ready to see you because you just being open in the slot while he’s Today, when Simpson looks back at just how quickly Evangelista engaged in a corner battle, that doesn’t matter. Can you pop into spots at progressed, he scoffs. the right time rather than waiting for things to just come to you?’” Wrobel said. “It was a tough year with his playing time and production, but he had a positive attitude and showed his character and we’re all so happy that it Evangelista latched on to Wrobel’s teachings. paid off and he came back to have such a big year,” Simpson said. “He wants to do well himself but he’s not going to put that ahead of the team. “He saw my stats and saw that there was some room for improvement. He has captain abilities — just his presence and how he affects and He has taught me some things that honestly I’d never heard of before or treats people. And then he has the work ethic that goes behind it. He’s never really seen. He has been huge in my development,” Evangelista going to hold himself accountable and he knows what he needs to work said. “He taught me that I didn’t have to put as much weight on my stick on. He takes those things seriously and he commits. Everyone’s to get a good shot off and just let the stick do the work. He taught me character is good in easy times but I think what Luke showed in his first what to do with my feet while I’m shooting. And the cool thing with him is year is his character is exceptional in the tough times too.” that he doesn’t use any pylons or props out there. He works on in-game situations and from spots where you’re going to get your opportunities. I And while questions about Evangelista’s difficult first year and his usage love that about him.” still lingered with some NHL teams into the draft, nobody in London shares any of those doubts anymore. Wrobel’s group, which also included top 2020, 2021 and 2022 prospects Jack Quinn (another would-be breakout star after a quiet rookie season), “I think some scouts were like, ‘OK, is he what he was in his second year Brandt Clarke and Shane Wright, quickly developed a close bond and or somewhere in between?’ And I really believe you’re going to see a big camaraderie, labelling themselves the “toe curve club.” And Evangelista, year from Luke, even if it’s a shortened season. He’s going to take off Wrobel insists, may have been his most diligent student. and just go to another level. And I know a lot of people spoke about his two-way game but I think there’s another level that people are going to “He skated with me last summer more than anybody. He was the see of his offensive ability, passing angles, scoring in tight. We’re excited clubhouse leader. We always joke about that,” Wrobel said. “He’s one of for a big year from him. He’s going to help drive our offence,” Simpson the best kids. Hard worker. And at this age, they have so many said. distractions but he does a really good job managing that.” This offseason, Evangelista has re-dedicated himself to a second Though Evangelista was admittedly “pretty small” he first arrived in summer of progress. In the early days, after the pandemic shut down the London, by the time he returned to the Knights for his sophomore 2019-2020 season in March, and a prolonged offseason first set in, he season, he’d put on a bunch of muscle. pulled a net out of his garage, rummaged together some plastic tiles, and In London, as promised, they noticed. dragged them to a nearby school to practice his shot.

“His offseason training, his program that he had, he took what he’d worked on here all of last season with his skating and his strength and When rinks and gyms slowly began to re-open, he got back into them, skating and working out five days a week in recent months, hopeful that the OHL will return for a partial season in the new year.

“I still have some room for improvement. I’ve been working really hard this summer again to get my strength up, add some weight, be stronger on the puck out there, and just look a little more dangerous,” said Evangelista, who is now closer to 175-180 pounds.

He has reset his expectations for himself, too, setting them much higher than he could have a year and a half ago. These days, he’s poring over the tape of Thomas, Mitch Marner, and Nick Suzuki, players his size who he says are “really good with the puck and play a complete game.”

He’ll continue to work with Wrobel on the ice until hockey does return. Off the ice, Wrobel appreciates Evangelista as a special kid.

“For an 18-year-old kid being drafted to the NHL, you wouldn’t really be able to tell when you’re around him, which I love. That’s the type of guys I like to work with, where it’s, ‘Hey, we know you’re a talented player and you don’t have to act like that because you know who you are,'” Wrobel said.

On the ice, Wrobel has lofty hopes for his clubhouse leader.

“I’ve talked with him about how we can’t have the word ‘fluke’ hanging around. We need to prove and take another step forward and make sure people know. I expect very big things from Luke this year, based off the fact that he’s had this extended offseason that he has used to progress with his size, and strength, and quickness,” Wrobel said. “He’s doing everything with a lot more power in his skating, in his movement, in his shot. I don’t like putting numbers out there but he’s going to pick up where he left off and then some. It could be scary what this kid could do with some power-play time, because he’s a power-play player. I don’t even know what he might get to.”

To Simpson, it’s simple: “Nashville has found someone of such high character.”

The Athletic LOADED: 10.30.2020 1195581 New Jersey Devils LD Will Butcher ($3.73M), RD P.K. Subban ($9M)

3RD PAIR

Devils re-sign Colton White: How depth chart, cap space, reserve list LD Ty Smith ($863,000 | $70,000), RD Dmitry Kulikov ($1.15M) looks GOALTENDERS

Mackenzie Blackwood (RFA). By Randy Miller Corey Crawford ($3.9M).

EXTRA SKATERS Now with more cap space than anyone, the Devils are staying patient while waiting for a chance to nab an impact free agent at a bargain rate C Michael McLeod ($836,000 | $70,000) and/or cash-strapped teams to make a can’t-refuse trade offer. F Nathan Bastian ($714,166 | $70,000)

Meantime, GM Tom Fitzgerald took care of some business Thursday by D Connor Carrick ($1.5M) re-signing restricted free agent defenseman Colton White to a two-way, one-year contract that will pay $700,000 at the NHL level and $70,000 in Note: First figure is cap hit if player is in NHL, second is salary if player is the minors. in minors. Players with salaries not exceeding $1.075M can be reassigned to AHL with no money counting towards cap. NHL minimum White, 23, played his first nine NHL games over the past two seasons, salary for 2020-21 is $700,000. six of them coming in 2019-20. The 2015 fifth-round draft pick spent most of his time last season in the AHL, scoring one goal and 12 points in 45 * * * games with the . FARM SYSTEM Because White is not on the NHL roster — only 16 of 23 spots are filled FORWARDS (9) — the Devils' cap space remained at $17,195,001. The Devils' two remaining RFAs — goalie Mackenzie Blackwood and winger LW Nolan Foote ($894,167 | $70,000) — along with non-roster players will take up a big chunk of the remaining $17.195M, but they probably would have room to sign star free agent C/LW Brandon Gignac ($714,166 | $67,500) Mike Hoffman (with some cap space leftover) if the winger’s price drops LW Mikhail Maltsev ($809,167 | $70,000) to around $4 million for a one-year deal. LW Brett Seney ($700,000 | $250,000) Sign up for Devils Insider: Get exclusive news, behind-the-scenes observations and the ability to text message directly with beat writers C Nate Schnarr ($750,000 | $70,000)

Here’s our best guess at the current Devils' depth chart with forward C Yegor Sharangovich (775,833 | $70,000) lines, defense pairings and extra players if the season began today along with salary-cap info plus lists of signed and unsigned players in their farm C/LW Ben Street ($750,000 | $425,000) system: RW Marian Studenic ($775,833 | $65,000) UPDATED SALARY CAP DATA RW Fabian Zetterlund ($809,167 | $70,000) 2020-21 cap: $81.5 million. DEFENSEMEN (9) Devils' projected cap hit: $64,304,999 Kevin Bahl ($795,000 | $70,000) Devils' projected cap space: $17,195,001 Jeremy Groleau ($746,667 | $55,000) Restricted free agents to sign: F Jesper Bratt; G Mackenzie Blackwood. Josh Jacobs ($700,000 | $130,000) Buyout penalties: Mike Cammalleri ($1.67M), Cory Schneider ($2M) Nikita Okhotyuk ($795,000 | $70,000) Recapture penalty: Ilya Kovalchuk ($250,000). David Quenneville ($775,833 | $70,000) --Source: capfriendly.com Colby Sissons ($696,111 | $60,000) * * * Matt Tennyson ($700,000 | $350,000) DEVILS DEPTH CHART Reilly Walsh ($925,000 | $70,000) 1ST LINE Colton White ($700,000 | $70,000) LW Jesper Bratt (RFA), C Nico Hischier ($7.25M), RW Nikita Gusev GOALIES (3) ($4.5M) Evan Cormier ($718,33 | $60,000) 2ND LINE Gilles Senn ($817,500 | $70,000) LW Andreas Johnsson ($3.4M), C Jack Hughes ($925,000 | $70,000), RW Kyle Palmieri ($4.65M) Scott Wedgewood ($700,000 | $200,000)

3RD LINE * * *

LW Janne Kuokkanen ($811,166), C Travis Zajac ($5.75M), RW Nick RESERVE LIST (UNSIGNED PLAYERS) Merkley ($874,125 | 70,000) FORWARDS (15) 4TH LINE RW Alexander Holtz (2020 draft, 1st round, rights until 6/1/24) LW Miles Wood ($2.75M), C Pavel Zacha ($2.25M), RW Jesper Boqvist ($925,000 | $70,000) C/RW Dawson Mercer (2020, 1st, 6/1/22)

DEFENSEMEN C Jaromir Pytlik (2020, 4th, 6/1/22)

1ST PAIR C Artem Shlaine (2020, 5th, 8/15/24)

LD Ryan Murray ($4.6M), RD Damon Severson ($4.17M) C Benjamin Baumgartner (2020, 6th, 6/1/22)

2ND PAIR RW Graeme Clarke (2019, 3rd, 6/1/21) C Tyce Thompson (2019, 4th, 8/15/22)

LW Arseny Gritsyuk (2019, 5th, indefinite rights)

C Patrick Moynihan (2019, 6th, 8/15/23)

C/LW Nikola Pasic (2019, 7th, 6/1/23)

LW Eutu Pakkila (2018, 7th. 6/1/22)

RW Nikita Popugaev (2017, 4th, 6/1/21)

C/LW Aarne Talvitie (2017, 6th, 8/15/22)

C/LW Artur Gavrus (2012, 6th, indefinite rights)

C Christoph Bertschy 2012, 6th, Wild, 4/5/21, 27th birthday)

DEFENSEMEN (7)

Shakir Mukhamadullin (2020, 1st, indefinite rights)

Ethan Edwards (2020, 4th, 8/15/25)

Daniil Misyul (2019, 3rd, indefinite rights)

Michael Vukojevic (2019, 3rd, 6/1/21)

Case McCarthy (2019, 4th, 8/15/23)

Matthew Hellickson (2017, 7th, 8/15/21)

Yegor Zaitsev (2017, 7th, indefinite rights)

GOALTENDERS (3)

Nico Daws (2020, 3rd, 6/1/22)

Cole Brady (2019, 5th, 8/15/24)

Akira Schmid (2018, 5th, 6/1/22)

Buy Corey Crawford Devils gear: Fanatics, NHL.com, Lids

NHL DRAFTING RIGHTS RULES

1. NHL teams have 2 years to sign Canadian Hockey League drafted players (OHL, WHL & QMJHL) to entry-level contracts.

2. NHL teams have rights to drafted college players or drafted players headed to college until their college eligibility has expired.

3. Drafted European players rights are determined by age and whether their country’s hockey federation has a transfer agreement with the NHL.

4. Rights to players drafted out of Russia are indefinite because the Russian Hockey Federation and NHL have no transfer agreement. Drafted Russians can sign with an NHL team once their contract in Russia has expired or via an early release.

5. NHL teams have rights for four years for 18-year-olds drafted out of European Leagues (excluding Russia).

Star Ledger LOADED: 10.30.2020 1195582 New Jersey Devils

NJ Devils sign defenseman Colton White to one-year, two-way contract

Staff Report

The New Jersey Devils signed defenseman Colton White on Thursday to a one-year, two-way contract.

The deal is worth $700,000 at the NHL level and $90,000 at the AHL level, the team announced.

The 23-year-old White was the Devils' fourth-round pick in the 2015 NHL Draft. He had one goal and 11 assists in 45 games for Binghamton in 2019-20.

White made his NHL debut during the 2018-19 season, playing in three games. He appeared in six NHL games this past season.

Bergen Record LOADED: 10.30.2020 1195583 New Jersey Devils Gusev hasn’t played much with Nico Hischier yet, but it would make sense to put them together (along with Jesper Bratt, who had a lot of success playing with him) and let Kyle Palmieri help Hughes settle in as Devils projections: How much have they improved this season, and a top-two center in the NHL. The goaltending situation must also be where? adjusted after the Devils decided to buy out Cory Schneider’s contract.

The spots that would be up for grabs at training camp here include the second- and third-line left wings, the third- and fourth-line right wings and By Corey Masisak Oct 29, 2020 at least one spot on the third pairing of the defense corps. The extras not listed in this projection are Brett Seney and John Hayden at forward and

Matt Tennyson on defense. There are quite a few similarities with what the Devils have done to OK, so what does the new and improved projected lineup look like? improve the roster in each of the past two offseasons. Choosing between Johnsson and Bratt is somewhat of a coin flip, but it General manager Tom Fitzgerald still has time to accomplish more in his would make sense if the former Toronto wing’s game meshes well with first offseason in charge, but consider: Hischier. Murray and Damon Severson seem like a natural fit together, a The Devils made three big moves in late June/July 2019. They made partnership Severson thought of immediately after Murray called him three big moves this month. about the trade.

New Jersey landed a potential franchise player at the 2019 NHL Draft, The addition of Crawford should give the Devils more of an even split in and did the same at the 2020 draft. net, assuming he and Blackwood stay healthy. Both have the ability to handle a No. 1 starter’s workload for a while if needed. The extras not Two of the three big moves were trades in June/July 2019, just like they listed here are Seney, Tennyson and Connor Carrick. were in October 2020. Forwards (+1.3 GSVA) The similarities end there, in part because nearly all of their 2019 offseason additions came with higher profiles. When former general First line: 4.7 GSVA (+0.2) manager Ray Shero added Jack Hughes, P.K. Subban, Wayne Johnsson’s GSVA was 1.32 in 2018-19, when he had 20 goals and 43 Simmonds and Nikita Gusev, the Devils were the darlings of the points in his first full NHL season. Luszczyszyn’s model projects a offseason. bounce-back to that level of play after an injury-plagued 2019-20. It wasn’t just a narrative-based euphoria, either. The Athletic’s Dom Hischier was at 1.99 two years ago and 0.99 in 2019-20, and a bounce- Luszczyszyn projected the Devils to finish with 93 points, good for fourth back beyond his work in 2018-19 is plausible. in the ultra-competitive Metropolitan Division and 15th overall in the NHL. Second line: 3.7 GSVA (+1.0) Here is how Luszczyszyn detailed the realm of possibilities for the Devils This is where the added depth with Johnsson shows up. Hughes was in 2019-20 based on his projection model: projected at 1.9 heading into his rookie season, which was in line with Doomed by a terrible start to the 2019-20 season, the Devils finished last what an average No. 1 pick has produced. His projection for next season in the Metro and 26th in the league standings. is an improvement from his actual 2019-20 output (-0.27), but it could also be a reminder that his progress might require more patience. All Fitzgerald’s first foray into offseason roster building has earned plenty of three of these forwards could outperform their projections, depending on praise, as well. He selected Alexander Holtz near the top of the 2020 where they play in the lineup and how successful the Devils’ power play draft, then added Ryan Murray, Corey Crawford and Andreas Johnsson is. in consecutive days in free agency. Third line: -0.2 GSVA (-0.1) No one is claiming the Devils have “won the offseason,” though Luszczyszyn did call them one of the most improved teams last week. Luszczyszyn’s model likes Anderson in 2020-21 more than it does Janne Kuokkanen and Jesper Boqvist, which is fair considering Anderson’s A summer ago, the Devils were still just one year removed from Taylor improved play last year and that neither of the others have proven they Hall winning the Hart Trophy and the team returning to the Stanley Cup can succeed at the NHL level yet. Zajac was at a 1.12 two years ago Playoffs for the first time since 2012. There was reason to believe that before slipping into the red last season. It will be worth watching if adding a few talented players to the foundation of that 2018 team could Hughes and/or Pavel Zacha eat into some of his minutes, and if Hischier help the Devils push back into playoff contention. absorbs more of the toughest assignments.

It didn’t happen, and now the expectations have been reset in northern Fourth line: 0.0 GSVA (+0.2) New Jersey. There is clearly a more cautious approach, both from the organization and people outside it. Optimism is OK, as long as it comes In 2019-20, Wood had the second-least valuable season by a Devils with a measure of control. forward in the past three years (GSVA of -0.66, ahead of Drew Stafford in 2018-19). He was a plus contributor the two prior years, and a bounce- So how much better are the Devils today than they were a month ago? back season in Lindy Ruff’s up-tempo system could save him from Precisely where in the projected lineup are they better, and are there still getting passed over by younger players. Zacha could also end up on the areas for potential improvement? wing next to Zajac if Ruff wants more defensive stability on a true “checking” line. I discussed why Michael McLeod might have a better We have enlisted the help of Luszczyszyn to find out. His Game Score chance of making the opening-night roster with Anderson off to Toronto projection model gives us Game Score Value Added, an all- in the latest edition of our Devils mailbag. encompassing player value stat, which he can use to project what level of production each player will provide (elite, first-line caliber, second line, Luszczyszyn’s model does like McLeod a little better than Nathan etc.). Bastian, but an overall theme here is that the Devils need some of their younger players to play like NHL regulars this season. Otherwise, they’re Luszczyszyn’s model predicts the Devils to improve by 4.8 wins, which more likely to get overwhelmed by better, deeper teams — much like would be the second biggest jump in the NHL behind the Red Wings they have in the past two seasons. based on his projections. Collecting eight to 10 more points next year could get the Devils to the fringes of the playoff race in the final weeks of Defensemen (+1.3 GSVA) the season. It’s reason for cautious optimism, with plenty of young players who could outperform their projections. First pair: 1.7 GSVA (+1.6)

A quick caveat about the projected lineups you’re about to see: Please It might not have been fair to put Mirco Mueller on the top pairing, but remember the Devils haven’t played a game in seven and a half months that underscored the need for Fitzgerald to add a player who could and have a new coach who will be guiding a bunch of young players, handle that responsibility. This projection for Murray essentially splits the whose offseason progress is unclear until training camp gets underway. difference between his career-best 2018-19 season (1.51) and last Translation: This is my educated guess at what the lineup could look like. season (0.49). Severson is a player who could benefit from the coaching change the most. Here is what the projected lineup looked like before the 2020 draft: Second pair: 1.2 GSVA (no change)

It makes sense to start camp with this second pairing — they played together more last year than Butcher and Severson did. Ruff could flip these top two pairs, as well, to see if Subban playing with Murray helps him rebound from a down season (-0.86) — the first year of his career below 0.94 GSVA.

Third pair: -0.1 GSVA (-0.3)

The dip here indicates that Luszczyszyn’s model likes Carrick more than Dmitry Kulikov (but also clearly likes Ty Smith to grab a regular spot in the lineup as a rookie). It’s certainly not a given that Kulikov will be ahead of Carrick on the depth chart, especially if Carrick can avoid the injuries that have derailed his quest for a regular NHL role.

Goaltenders (+1.5 GSVA)

Projecting a 41-41 game split for Crawford and Blackwood is worth 2.6 GSVA, which would be a significant upgrade from what the Devils have had at the position in the past two years. It is interesting that Luszczyszyn’s model likes Crawford more than Blackwood by a pretty significant margin. It is probably a better bet that the two goalies will take turns as the de-facto No. 1 based on performance and injuries.

The Athletic LOADED: 10.30.2020 1195584 New York Rangers

Canada invites three Rangers prospects to World Juniors camp, but no Lafreniere

By Rick Carpiniello Oct 29, 2020

Three Rangers prospects were chosen to participate in Hockey Canada’s selection camp for the 2021 IIHF World Junior championships team, and that doesn’t include the biggest fish in the Rangers’ pond.

Alexis Lafreniere is not on the list of invitees, but Tom Renney – the former Rangers coach who is now Hockey Canada’s chief executive officer – told multiple outlets that the Rangers and GM Jeff Gorton will “circle back” to the possibility of the No. 1 overall pick from the 2020 draft joining the team.

Lafreniere is a two-time performer for Canada at the World Juniors, including the gold-medal winning team in 2020, when he was named the tournament’s MVP.

Lafreniere, who turned 19 earlier this month, signed his first pro contract on Oct. 12. It’s very possible, if not probable, that the Rangers would consider loaning him to Team Canada depending on the likelihood of the NHL season opening on time. NHL commissioner Gary Bettman has said that the target date for reopening is Jan. 1, but that appears wishful thinking at best. It would mean an early-to-mid December opening of training camps, which would keep Lafreniere unavailable to Team Canada.

Under normal circumstances, had the NHL season opened on time (this month) for ’20-21, it would have been possible for the Rangers to have loaned Lafreniere to Team Canada, though Lafreniere had said earlier that he doubted he would interrupt his NHL season to do so.

The World Junior championships are scheduled for Dec. 25-Jan. 5 in Edmonton. The select team’s training camp, in Red Deer, Alberta, is set for Nov. 16-Dec. 13.

Three other Rangers prospects were chosen for Team Canada – defenseman Matthew Robertson (drafted in 2019) and goalie Dylan Garand and defenseman Braden Schneider (both drafted in 2020). All are expected to return to their junior teams for the 2021 season.

At least two other Rangers prospects could warrant invitations – 2019 draft picks Karl Henriksson (Sweden), a center, and defenseman Hunter Skinner (USA). Forward Brett Berard, the Rangers’ fifth-round pick in the ’20 draft, was invited to Team USA’s junior evaluation camp earlier this month.

Interestingly, Rangers winger Kaapo Kakko, 19, has junior eligibility remaining, and starred for Finland in both the 2019 World Juniors and ’19 World championships. But he is unlikely to participate, already having a full NHL season under his belt. If, however, the Rangers determine that the NHL season is not close to opening and that Kakko would benefit from playing meaningful games, perhaps he could participate for Finland.

The Athletic LOADED: 10.30.2020 1195585 Ottawa Senators

GARRIOCH: Give Drake Batherson a big assist for helping Sokolov adjust to North America

Bruce Garrioch

Publishing date: Oct 29, 2020

It’s well documented Drake Batherson has a strong chance to have a successful National Hockey League career.

Down the road, he might be the kind of guy who will wear a letter for the Ottawa Senators.

When winger Egor Sokolov arrived in Sydney, N.S., to join the Cape Breton Eagles of the Quebec Major Junior Hockey League in August 2017, he and Batherson were staying with the same billet family, and they were also roommates on road trips, so one of the Senators’ top prospects took the young Russian under his wing, helping him learn English and the North American lifestyle.

At first, if they had to leave the house for practice at 9 a.m., Batherson would put that message in his phone, translate to Russian and show it Sokolov.

“I’ve been through it all with him,” said the now 22-year-old Batherson, a fourth-round draft pick in 2017 and now on the cusp of making the NHL after strong showings with Belleville of the for the past two seasons. “He came over, he lived with me and he didn’t know one word of English. I kind of had to teach him everywhere I went. Whether it I was going for a coffee or anything like that, I’d bring him along just to get him used to the environment in Cape Breton because it’s a lot different than Russia.

“He loves it here. It helped him last year because he’d been here for two years. He knew all the guys and he spoke the language. That helped him a lot to have success.”

Not only were they friends, but also linemates, and that helped the relationship to grow even more. It’s no wonder Sokolov credits Batherson for helping him make a mark and speaks highly of their relationship.

“That kind of built the chemistry between us,” Batherson said from his home near Halifax on Thursday. “He’s a guy who I always say has some of the best hands and shot I’ve ever seen. If you watch him, even in practice, he scores more goals anyone out there every single day. He’s got that natural scoring touch and he’ll tell you he shot pucks all the time growing up.

“He’s got that big body and he’s tough to get off the puck. He’s going to be a force every time he gets the puck. Every time he gets the puck, he’s dangerous if he gets that shot off.”

Sokolov said before the 2020 draft that Batherson kept telling him, “Ottawa is going to take you.” There was some inside knowledge involved because the Senators organization had been asking Batherson a lot of questions about Sokolov.

“I had gotten a few phone calls,” Batherson said with a laugh. “I’ve known him since he first came to Canada, so they were just asking me a few questions. He had a tremendous year last year, and, the questions I was being asked, I just felt Ottawa would take him i just wasn’t sure when or where. I just had a little itch they were going to grab him.

“I’m glad they did. I’m super-pumped for him.”

Ottawa Sun LOADED: 10.30.2020 1195586 Ottawa Senators Unable to return to Russia when the junior leagues in Canada shut down in March, Sokolov decided to do volunteer work in his community. He delivered groceries to people in need in Cape Breton to help fill the time.

GARRIOCH: Third time a charm for Egor Sokolov, who was thrilled to be There was no one stopping him from getting on a flight, but Sokolov drafted by Senators didn’t feel like it was a good idea to travel halfway across the world through four or five airports in the middle of a pandemic.

His billet family, Ashley and Kyle Ryan, own a grocery store in the area Bruce Garrioch and the bags were delivered to people who couldn’t leave their residences because they were immune-compromised. Publishing date: Oct 30, 2020 The Senators want to bring in young players with character and Sokolov

is someone who fits the bill. Perseverance and dedication has paid off for Egor Sokolov. “It was just easier for me,” said Sokolov. “I thought it wasn’t worth it to Now, he’s getting ready to make the next step. risk it. My parents agreed, they didn’t want me to be stuck back home in Russia and not able to train as much. Those joyful cheers you may have heard on Oct. 7, when Senators chief scout Trent Mann announced Sokolov’s name in the second round of the “I had the opportunity to deliver groceries around and it was pretty NHL entry draft, 61st overall, came from the Cape Breton Eagles winger special and fun for me to be able to give back to my billets and the and his billet parents. community of Cape Breton and the Eagles organization. There were some people who couldn’t even risk going to grocery stores because Twice the 20-year-old Sokolov had been passed over in the draft, but this they had children with immune system problems, so it wasn’t worth it for time the scouts couldn’t look past his 46 goals and 92 points in 52 games them to try to get out to the grocery store.” with Cape of the Quebec Major Junior Hockey League last season. No, Sokolov hasn’t signed a contract with Ottawa, but he will get an The 6-foot-4, 223-pound native of Yekatarinburg, Russia has come a entry-level deal in the next couple of months and he should push for a long way after three seasons in the Q and the video of the celebration is spot with the club’s AHL affiliate in Belleville. priceless. “I have a good work ethic,” he said. “I didn’t give up on hockey last year “Getting picked meant a lot to me and I was really happy that it was or the two years ago when I didn’t get drafted. I pulled myself together Ottawa,” Sokolov said in a telephone interview with Postmedia from and I had the right mindset. For me, yes, I wanted to prove everybody Halifax on Thursday. “It’s one of those things that when you work hard for wrong around me, but I wanted to prove to myself that I can do better, something, it pays off and I was pretty happy that it happened. that I can make a name for myself and get back on the scouts list and be on the radar again. “It’s tough because I couldn’t really see my family back home. We had them on a Zoom call, but my billet family was here with me and trying to “I’ve worked hard, I’ve kept going and I’ve never stopped.” support me. My parents have been giving me a lot of support and it was a special moment to share with all of them. It felt so good.” One day, Sokolov hopes his next step will be the NHL.

If the Senators hadn’t taken Sokolov when they did, there’s a good It’s well-documented that Drake Batherson has a strong chance for a chance he would have been gone by the time the club’s next pick came successful NHL career. around. He had twice been to the development camp of the Columbus Down the road, he might even be the kind of guy who will wear a letter Blue Jackets and that organization liked what it saw the second time for the Ottawa Senators. around. A year earlier, he attended the Toronto Maple Leafs development camp. When winger Egor Sokolov arrived to join the Cape Breton Eagles in August, 2017 at Sydney, N.S., he and Batherson were staying with the Speaking after the draft wrapped up, Mann noted that Sokolov had same billet family and were roommates on the road so the Senators’ top shown constant improvement and the ability to score goals. prospect took the young Russian under his wing to help him learn the “I realize he’s older, but over three years, he’s scored almost 100 goals language and lifestyle in North America. at the major-junior level,” Mann said. “He’s a kid that’s been committed to At first, if the two had to leave the house for practice at 9 a.m., Batherson improving his game on and off the ice over the last three years. We’ve would put that message in his phone, translate to Russian on Google and seen a lot of growth in his game and we just feel that scoring from the show it to Sokolov. The 22-year-old Batherson, a fourth-round pick in right side is something we wanted to address. He fits that need.” 2017, is on the cusp of making the NHL after strong showings the past Mann said the biggest area of improvement was Sokolov’s overall fitness two years in Belleville. and his maturity. He’s worked hard since he arrived in North America “I’ve been through it all with him,” said Batherson from his home near before the 2017-18 season to work on losing weight, gaining muscle and Halifax on Thursday. “He came over, he lived with me and he didn’t know improving his foot speed. He’s had to adjust over here. one word of English. I kind of had to teach him everywhere I went. Just before Sokolov talked to this newspaper on Thursday, he and close Whether it I was going for a coffee or anything like that, I’d bring him friend Drake Batherson — one of Ottawa’s top prospects — had lunch along just to get him used to the environment in Cape Breton because it’s with Mann in Halifax. He was in town to scout on Thursday night, so a lot different than Russia. Mann sat down with the duo after they went for a skate with other local “He loves it here. It helped him last year because he’d been here for two pros at the Centennial Arena. years, he knew all the guys and he spoke the language. That helped him Sokolov makes the four-hour drive from Cape Breton to Halifax every a lot to have success.” Monday to do skills and power skating before heading home Thursday Not only were they friends, they were linemates and that helped to grow night to skate on his own Friday. He won’t be satisfied with the fact that the relationship more. he’s finally been drafted and wants to show he can play at the NHL level someday. “That kind of built the chemistry between us,” Batherson said. “He’s a guy who I always say has some of the best hands and shot I’ve ever seen. If “I’m pretty motivated to keep working hard because it’s just my first step, you watch him, even in practice, he scores more goals than anyone out to get drafted,” Sokolov said. “That’s one step closer to my dream of there every single day. making it to the NHL. I’m committed to be an NHL player and I’ve worked hard off the ice and in the gym. “He’s got that natural scoring touch and he’ll tell you he shot pucks all the time growing up. “I’m a big guy and I’ve been working on my legs. It wasn’t easy for me for two years when I didn’t get picked. I had the right mindset for this off- “He’s got that big body and he’s tough to get off the puck. Every time he season training. I’ve worked hard on my conditioning and my skating and gets the puck, he’s dangerous if he gets that shot off.” I was lucky to have a great season. It paid off. I’m just looking forward to what’s next for me and reaching my goal.” Sokolov, 20, who was selected in the second round of the NHL entry draft earlier this month, said Batherson kept telling him: “Ottawa is going to take you.” Yes, he had some inside knowledge because the organization had been asking Batherson questions about Sokolov.

“I had gotten a few phone calls,” Batherson said with a laugh. “I’ve known him since he first came to Canada so they were just asking me a few questions. He had a tremendous year last year and with the questions I was being asked, I just felt Ottawa would take him. I just wasn’t sure when or where. I just had a little itch they were going to grab him.

“I’m glad they did. I’m super-pumped for him.”

Ottawa Sun LOADED: 10.30.2020 1195587 Pittsburgh Penguins

Penguins prospect Sam Poulin named to Canada’s National Junior Team selection camp

SETH RORABAUGH

Thursday, October 29, 2020 11:42 a.m.

Penguins forward prospect Sam Poulin is one of 46 players who are scheduled to attend Canada’s National Junior Team selection camp.

The camp is scheduled to be staged in Red Deer, Alberta beginning Nov. 16.

Players from this camp will ultimately be members of Canada’s entry into the International Ice Hockey Federation (IIHF) World Junior Championship tournament which is scheduled to be held in Edmonton beginning on Dec. 25.

Poulin, 19, was the Penguins’ first-round selection (No. 21 overall) in the 2019 draft. This season, as a member of the Sherbrooke Phoenix of the Quebec Major Junior Hockey League (QMJHL), Poulin, a native of Blaineville, Quebec, has three points (two goals, one assist) in two games.

Tribune Review LOADED: 10.30.2020 1195588 Pittsburgh Penguins So does that mean the league believes Jan. 1 is unrealistic? Maybe. Or does it mean the league plans to start on Jan. 1 in some unique format, like bubbles? Maybe that. It appears a number of options are on the table, but nothing has been officially decided yet. Penguins mailbag: What are realistic expectations for Tristan Jarry? Every sports league faces challenges when playing during the COVID-19 pandemic. But there are three in particular to remember with the NHL: geography, money and the Olympics. October 29, 2020 2:24 PM Geography — If the SEC wants to play college football, it just needs By Mike DeFabo/ Pittsburgh Post-Gazette Florida and Georgia and Alabama to say, ‘OK cool, let’s do it.’ But because the NHL spans two countries, the border creates a unique hurdle. Canada has been much stricter with the way it has handled the Welcome back to Mike’s Mailbag. The dust is beginning to settle after a virus. The Canadian government granted a one-time exception to hockey busy Penguins offseason. It’s time to start looking ahead to 2021. This players to enter the two hub cities in Toronto and Edmonton. However, it week, we talk goalies, the most significant offseason departure, a did not allow MLB players to cross the border at will to play in Toronto possible 2021 season format and Halloween candy. Let’s jump right into and has thus far shown no signs that it will allow NHL players to regularly your question. cross. The league is reportedly considering an all-Canadian division to work around this obstacle. Five Nights at Teddy’s: What are some reasonable expectations for Jarry’s first full season [as the No. 1 goalie]? Money — The NFL can remain profitable without fans thanks to its lucrative TV deals. That can’t necessarily be said for the NHL. The Mike: Tristan Jarry’s 2019-20 season can be easily separated into two league needs to sell tickets and $12 beers to pay the bills. Some teams sections, with New Year’s Day as the dividing line. may be reluctant to restart if it means playing in empty arenas. In 2019, he posted a 13-5-0 record, with a spectacular .938 save Olympics — Starting the season is one obstacle. Finishing it is another. percentage and three shutouts. He was an All-Star, set a Penguins NBC holds broadcasting rights to the Olympics in July. So while the NHL record with a shutout streak of 177 minutes, 15 seconds and was, was able to push this year’s Stanley Cup into October, they’ll either need arguably, the biggest reason the club posted the league’s best record in to award the Cup before the Olympic flame is lit, or pause the season for Sidney Crosby’s absence. several weeks. In 2020, he went 7-7-1 with a mediocre .901 save percentage. Jarry’s Drama: Is Erik Haula a possibility? numbers were actually worse than Murray after the New Year, he failed to prove to the coaching staff that he should start in Game 1 of the Mike: I guess any player is a possibility when you’re talking about a win- playoffs and finished the regular season with four consecutive losses now organization and an aggressive general manger. But I wouldn’t during which he gave up 4.5 goals per game. consider this free agent forward to be a likely addition by any means. The Penguins have just $1.32 million in cap space. Haula made $2.75 million The answer probably lies somewhere in the middle. I’d expect Jarry to last year. The only way this works is if the Penguins move a player to play like a solid NHL goalie, steal some games and also weather some create a spot on the roster and free up salary cap space. slumps. Lisa: Now that free agency has slowed down and most teams’ rosters Katie: Which player that has left this offseason is the biggest loss for the seem to be set, how do you think on paper the Pens stack up against the team? And for more positive vibes, which new player do you think will rest of the metro? Are they still a playoff team or will they be fighting for a have the greatest impact when the season starts up? wild card spot? Mike: While the Penguins will miss Patric Hornqvist’s tenacity in front of Mike: The Penguins addressed virtually every piece of the organization the net and positive attitude in the dressing room, Matt Murray is this offseason. The top six got a winger in Kapanen. The coaching staff definitely the biggest loss on the ice. Sure, he slumped in November and was overhauled with two new assistants. The third line was remade with December. Sure, he played poorly in his final playoff game as a Penguin. the additions of Mark Jankowski and Evan Rodrigues. The third But Murray also gave the club a known commodity in net. Even as a “1b” defensive pair got a makeover with the Mike Matheson trade and the option, he would have been a valuable piece to the team, especially Cody Ceci signing. Even the front office had a surprise shakeup this during a condensed schedule when most organizations anticipate they’ll week when the club fired assistant general manager Jason Karmanos. be using a second goalie even more. The salary cap dictated the decision-making process. But there’s a lot of faith in Jarry and Casey But one thing Jim Rutherford didn’t touch was the core. The Penguins DeSmith to get the job done next year. chose to keep Crosby, Malkin and Kris Letang together. Those three players account for more than 31% of the $81.5 million salary cap. To answer the second part of your question, Kasperi Kapanen has the Rutherford believes there’s still some prime left in that trio. Considering potential to have the greatest impact, mostly because of where the they made the playoffs with so many injuries last year, I’d expect them to Penguins plan to play him. Skating in the top six, he’ll probably be on a be in the tournament again this year. Once they get there, it’s up to the line with Sidney Crosby and Jake Guentzel. If Kapanen can find stars to take them any further. chemistry with two elite playmakers, he could be in line for a career year. Lisa: What was your favorite Halloween candy you got when you went Five Nights at Teddy’s: Which rookies could you see jumping in the trick or treating as a young lad? lineup if injuries arrive? Mike: Reese’s are without question the best Halloween candy — and Mike: The two most-obvious answers are defenseman Pierre-Olivier really just the best candy in general for any occasion. Kit Kat, Snickers, Joseph and forward prospect Samuel Poulin. Joseph’s name gets Butterfingers and Twix get honorable mention. When I was a kid, we brought up every time you ask someone in the Penguins organization used to fill pillow cases with candy and then take it all into school the next about their prospects. And after a standout season in the QMJHL last week. I’d be wheeling and dealing 3 Musketeers and Necco Wafers in year, Poulin can’t be far from the league, either. exchange for Reese’s Pieces and Peanut M&M’s. I was like the GMJR of I’ll also give you a dark-horse candidate: Drew O’Connor. The Dartmouth the lunch table. product earned the Ivy League Player of the Year last season and was among the top undrafted college free agents this spring. At 6-foot-3, he brings great size to go along with good speed. He’ll be an intriguing Post Gazette LOADED: 10.30.2020 player to watch in camp.

Yankees fan: Do you think the season will start on January 1st?

Mike: Last week, the NHL put out a mixed message on this topic. They canceled the Winter Classic scheduled for Jan. 1. Yet, in the same press release, the league said Jan. 1 is still the target date to start the season. 1195589 San Jose Sharks sports, and strength and conditioning.” Nutrition is also a key facet of Francilia’s program.

His first NHL client was forward Andrew Ladd, when the future fourth Who is Adam Francilia, and can he help fix the Sharks’ goaltending overall pick in the 2004 draft was just 14 years old. The now 34-year-old problems? has played 950 career NHL games with four different organizations.

In goal, Francilia’s first real success story is probably Dubnyk, whom the Sharks acquired from Minnesota earlier this month. Dubnyk will compete By Kevin Kurz with Jones for playing time in 2020-21.

Oct 29, 2020 After coming off of a difficult 2013-14 season in which he was traded twice and ended up in the AHL, Dubnyk contacted Francilia. Just a few

months later, his career took off. Dubnyk signed a one-year contract with Sometimes, when he thinks about his clientele in the NHL, Adam Arizona for the 2014-15 season, and after he was traded to Minnesota, Francilia can’t help but laugh a little. was dominant in leading the Wild to the Stanley Cup playoffs that season. He posted a 27-9-2 record, 1.78 goals-against average and .936 “Just the amount of NHL clients, and NHL goaltending clients that I’m save percentage in 39 games with Minnesota, and finished third in voting able to work with is really tremendous. It’s cool because to have that for the Vezina Trophy. many guys that are at that level, it’s also a phenomenal education for me,” Francilia said in a phone interview Tuesday. “It was just a bad time. We met the summer (of 2014) after all that happened. He was a really captive audience and obviously knew that he While Francilia does have some skaters that he works with, including needed to kind of trust in (the program),” Francilia said. “We Justin Schultz and Tyler Myers, he has come to be known primarily for accomplished a great deal that summer, and that was the year he ended his work with netminders. It began with James Reimer more than 10 up going to Minnesota. That timing was nice when that all came years ago, and continued with Thomas Greiss and Devan Dubnyk. Two- together.” time Stanley Cup winner Matt Murray is a client of Francilia’s, as is 2020 Vezina Trophy winner Connor Hellebuyck, who began training with him Dubnyk went on to have a strong run with the Wild, cementing himself as two years ago. the No. 1 there through the 2018-19 season. But with that responsibility came playing time. Lots of it. While he’s free to train and consult anyone that hires him, Francilia is particularly focused on what’s going on between the pipes in San Jose. In fact, that’s something Dubnyk and Jones have in common. While both That’s because the Sharks are the only team that has Francilia listed in will enter next season attempting to resurrect their careers after difficult their staff directory, officially hiring him as a goaltending consultant 2019-20 campaigns, each of them has been among the busiest NHL before the start of last season. goaltenders in recent years.

“There’s no financial relationship with any other team,” Francilia said. “My From 2014-15 through 2018-19, no NHL goaltender played more minutes loyalty as far as an organization and team is 100 percent the San Jose than Dubnyk in the regular season. Jones, meanwhile, played more Sharks.” combined regular season and playoff games than any other goalie from 2015-16, when he first arrived in San Jose, through 2018-19. Last season, Francilia’s services were needed in San Jose. According to Francilia, that takes a toll in more ways than one. At the top of the list of the 2019-20 Sharks’ myriad problems was they just couldn’t get enough saves from the Martin Jones-Aaron Dell tandem. “A ton. A ton. It’s cumulative,” he said. “That’s what people have to While the play in front of the goalies was much to be desired, neither understand. From the day ‘Doobs’ went into Minnesota it was basically Jones nor Dell was able to provide that last line of defense necessary for sink or swim with however he played for the next three or four years. But the team to win consistently, either. For the second straight season, the the amount and accumulation of volume is very, very difficult on a Sharks finished dead last in the league in even-strength save goaltender, not just physically, but also neurologically. Goaltending, percentage. Only the historically bad Red Wings had a worse overall especially these days more than ever, is a position of perfection. It’s save percentage in 2019-20. much different than the other positions out there, where there’s a tremendously longer leash and much bigger (margin) for error.” Francilia hadn’t worked with Jones prior to last season, spending more of his time on the AHL Barracuda side of the practice facility when he was “The neurological demand on that type of volume is much more difficult in town. But after the Sharks’ miserable October set the tone for their to recover from than the physiological.” disappointing season, Francilia began spending more time with the No. 1 That’s where the whole brain-body connection that is among Francilia’s goalie in the organization, in conjunction with goalie coach Evgeni areas of expertise comes in. He’ll watch a goaltender go through his Nabokov. movements while not wearing all of the bulky gear, which, he says, can “Slowly started to introduce concepts, and some of the concepts were hide “a multitude of sins.” He can spot what he calls “neurological quite different,” Francilia said. “There’s always quite a bit of a learning hiccups” in those movement patterns. curve.” “A lot of mistakes in goaltending aren’t made at the moment of the shot Nabokov is familiar with Francilia’s methodology. He first contacted the that ended up beating them, it’s one to two decisions or movements trainer after seeing an article online about his work with other before that shooting opportunity,” Francilia said. “So when you look at goaltenders, and figured that then-Sharks prospect Troy Grosenick could how the goaltender, in his pre or his preparatory movement, or what I call use some extra guidance. instantaneous reaction — when you look at those instances, you can see faults. You can see things that are not turned on in their body. You can Nabokov flew to Kelowna, British Columbia, where Francilia is based, see a disconnect neurologically. You can see those deficiencies.” and the pair hit it off immediately. Nabokov, of course, plays a key role too when it comes to the Sharks’ “Pretty much right away (I thought), that’s a guy who I think all goalies goalies. The 14-year NHL veteran, who retired in 2015, is able to spot need, or want,” Nabokov said. something he might not like in a goalie’s game and relay that information to Francilia, who will attempt to come up with an off-ice solution. He only wished he had met someone like Francilia when he was still strapping on the pads. “I could go to Adam and say, ‘Hey, this goalie, his leg doesn’t go (quickly enough) on the push-across,'” Nabokov said. “Sometimes you tell the “I told Adam: ‘Dude, I would have played until I was 45 (instead of goalie, and he would say, ‘yeah, yeah, yeah,’ but he cannot do it. So the retiring) at 39,’” Nabokov said with a chuckle. minute you see that they cannot do it on the ice, you know that the fix Francilia, 48, has had his own business for more than two decades now, has got to be off the ice. Adam is the type of guy who’s been learning concentrating on high-end sports performance. He describes his goaltending for a while, and he knows the specifics. He knows the body approach with his clients as “understanding the biomechanics of really well.” movement, and the brain-body connection. A functional approach to Francilia said: “And I can look at it, break it down, and at this point now I can kind of see through the gear, so I can see what the body is doing under the gear. … It’s a really neat, collaborative joint venture where (Nabokov will) identify something through his eyes, and then I’ll take that and I’ll try to problem solve from there.”

After getting a taste of Francilia’s program last season, Jones has been working hard with him throughout this never-ending offseason. Kelowna is about a four-hour drive from Jones’ Vancouver residence, and since May, he’s been spending one week a month in person with Francilia. When they aren’t together in person, there are Zoom chats at least once a week.

Getting Jones right could be the key to the Sharks’ season, or even their next several, as the 30-year-old is signed for four more seasons with a salary cap hit of $5.75 million. For Jones personally, he might not be able to survive a third consecutive difficult campaign.

There were, though, some positive signs in Jones’ play prior to the shutdown. In his last eight games, from Feb. 14 through mid-March, Jones was 4-4-0 with a 2.02 goals-against average, .927 save percentage and two shutouts. He worked at times with Nabokov and Francilia in January, as Dell received the bulk of the starts in net leading up to the All-Star break at the end of that month.

Whether that uptick in his play was momentary or a sign that he was getting his game back in order after working with Francilia and Nabokov will be determined in due time. Francilia, though, believes it was no fluke. Jones is ready to reclaim his position as one of the league’s steadier starters, in his view.

“Without a doubt,” he said. “One of our very first discussions we had when we kicked off in the spring was, he was so excited and motivated to be able to have a proper offseason, as far as length. Now, little did we know, it may be a year. But for him to have a long enough offseason to build in all these multiple phases that we’ve built in …

“When you’re constantly going deep into the playoffs, and you’re playing such a tremendously high percentage of regular season and playoff games, you barely get a chance to feel like you’ve recovered from it to get any work in that really helps you take steps forward, especially as a goaltender. You’re just basically trying to get yourself ready to play again. So I think for him, he’s been motivated off the hop, and I’ve got to tell ya, we’re going to see some noticeable changes in that guy. Already have.”

The Athletic LOADED: 10.30.2020 1195590 St Louis Blues Although of Russian descent, he grew up in Germany, and has been training in Germany and trying to hook up with a pro team there. Like Kostin and Toropchenko, he will report to Blues camp once it starts and try to make the “varsity” roster, and play for Springfield if he doesn’t. COVID chaos: Return to play is even more complicated for Blues prospects Minor leagueThe AHL announced Wednesday that it is pushing back its planned return to play to Feb. 5. Springfield, which replaces San Antonio as the Blues’ farm team, must wait a little longer to welcome the organization’s top prospects to town. Jim Thomas “We’re really excited to start with them, but obviously were dealing with

something that we never would have imagined back in February,” If you think getting the 2020-21 NHL season underway is a complicated Springfield Thunderbirds president Nathan Costa said. “We got this deal proposition for the Blues, take a look at the organizational picture in (with the Blues) done right before this COVID thing happened.” terms of younger players and prospects. So the Thunderbirds’ website lists an admittedly speculative roster — Even in normal times, it’s a crazy quilt of players participating in junior giving its fans at least some potential names to look it. It includes the hockey, college, overseas leagues, and minor leagues. Blues prospects aforementioned Kostin, Toropchenko and Alexandrov. Some returning always are spread out all over the place. Now add into that mix the members of the are listed, such as Austin ongoing coronavirus pandemic, and you have a situation just short of Poganski, Mitch Reinke, Nathan Walker and Jake Walman. And there chaotic. are some up-and-coming prospects such as Nikko Mikkola, Scott Perunovich, Joel Hofer and Tyler Tucker. The result, Blues general manager said, is a “unique and scattered approach by different leagues. Like, they’re playing in Of course, neither Costa nor Armstrong knows exactly when — or where Europe, but they’re shutting down in some areas of Europe. — any of those names will be back on the ice.

“They’re battling through in the KHL. Quebec is up and running, and I “The hardest part for the prospects is there’s no uniform approach where hear they might need to slow down.” you can bring them in and train them and have an (offseason) program,” Armstrong said. “So Tim Taylor and his staff have done a great job of There’s a different approach for just about each league and level, making sure that they have conditioning programs they can do at a gym affecting Blues prospects every step of the way: or at home.”

JuniorAs Armstrong mentioned, the Quebec Major Junior Hockey League Taylor is the Blues’ director of player development. is playing games. Goalie prospect Colten Ellis, a third-round draft pick by the Blues in 2019, is off to a strong start for the Charlottetown Islanders “Our coaches are trying to send them a little bit of video on things to work with a 5-0-0 record, a 2.00 goals-against average and .919 save on, whether it’s our NHL players Val-d’Or Foreurs — (Robert) Thomas percentage. and (Jordan) Kyrou — or some of our younger guys.

Elsewhere in the league, seventh-round 2019 pick Jeremy Michel, a In a normal year, you have a month of training camp and whether it was forward, is playing for the Val-d’Or Foreurs and has a goal and an assist a Robby Fabbri a couple years ago or a Robert Thomas — you allow in four games. training camp to play itself out,” Armstrong said.

Canada’s two other main junior leagues haven’t begun playing. Meaning there can be surprises on who makes the opening-day roster. But that will be tougher this year because of the COVID chaos. Blues prospects in the Ontario Hockey League are forward Keenan Washkurak (fifth round, 2019), forward Tanner Dickinson (fourth round, “All players are gonna have less of an opportunity to make an impact on 2020) and goalie Will Cranley (sixth round, 2020). The OHL announced the coaches,” Armstrong said. Thursday that it plans to resume play Feb. 4 with a reduced 40-game Starting with the fact that there was no post-draft development camp schedule. following the 2020 draft early this month. The Western Hockey League, where first-round 2020 pick Jake Instead, Armstrong said: “We had a Zoom call with everybody. Tim Neighbours, a forward, will play again for the Edmonton Oil Kings, Taylor organized it. Our strength coaches and our staff introduced announced a Jan. 8 start date this month. But it now looks like the WHL ourselves (to the draft picks). And sort of walked through it.” start also will be pushed back to early February although there has been no official announcement. Not quite the same as being in St. Louis, practicing at Enterprise Center, and looking up and seeing a Stanley Cup championship banner. CollegeCollege hockey announced in September that it was delaying the start of its season, but has yet to come up with a new start date. That “It’s not the 45 minutes they’re on the ice; it’s the other five or six hours affects three picks from the Blues’ 2020 draft: third-round forward Dylan you spend where you get a chance to bump into them in the hallway,” Peterson (Boston U.), fifth-round defenseman Matthew Kessel Armstrong said. “When you come to a training camp and you’re bumping (Massachusetts) and seventh-round defenseman Noah Beck (Clarkson). into Ryan O‘Reilly for the first time, or a Colton Parayko, it’s different.” All three prospects are practicing with their teams, but again, no games are scheduled yet. Different, but all part of the landscape in these pandemic times.

OverseasDefenseman Leo Loof, a 2020 third-round pick, is staying with the Farjestad BK program in his home country of Sweden. Loof has been St Louis Post Dispatch LOADED: 10.30.2020 sidelined with a concussion, but the expectation is he will play for both Farjestad’s Under 20 team and men’s elite pro team this season.

Two forward prospects on the fringe of the main Blues roster — Klim Kostin and Alexei Toropchenko — are on loan to the Kontinental Hockey League. Kostin has no goals and two assists in 10 games for ; Toropchenko has two goals and no assists in six games playing for Kunlun Red Star.

Kostin and Toropchenko both will be back with the Blues once training camp starts with a chance to make the opening-day roster. Failing that, they will play for the Springfield (Mass.) Thunderbirds, the Blues’ new affiliate in the American Hockey League.

Lastly, forward Nikita Alexandrov is kind of in European limbo. The 2019 second-round draft pick, who was one of the top performers for Russia in the 2019 World Juniors, has completed his time in junior hockey (having played for Charlottetown in the Quebec League). 1195591 St Louis Blues The Golden Knights earned headlines by landing Pietrangelo in free agency, but they had to jettison No. 2 center Paul Stastny and offensive defenseman Nate Schmidt to fit him under their salary cap.

GORDO: NHL may feature new look, same contenders amid pandemic They needed more firepower up front, but now they have less. They also failed to move Marc Andre-Fleury after re-signing Robin Lehner, so they have $12 million in cap dollars allocated on goaltenders.

Jeff Gordon The Vancouver Canucks added Schmidt to their blue line, but they failed to re-sign winger Tyler Toffoli. They lost goaltender Jacob Markstrom, but

they gained former Stanley Cup winner Braden Holtby to mentor the up- The NHL may realign its divisions for next season due to the pandemic, and-coming Thatcher Demko. but the overall competitive landscape will look largely the same. None of this would concern the Blues if they end up in the East. They The favorites will still be favorites, especially the Colorado Avalanche and would also have fewer tough battles with the Dallas Stars, the defending defending champion Tampa Bay Lightning. Western Conference champions who lost veteran winger Corey Perry walk but kept goaltender Anton Khudobin. The contenders, like the Blues, will remain the contenders regardless of which side of the league they land in. Many other teams made “yeah, but” moves this offseason without moving the competitive needle. The pretenders will still pretenders, especially the Arizona Coyotes and Chicago Blackhawks as they commit to painful rebuilds. The Calgary Flames upgraded from goaltender Cam Talbot to Markstrom, but they lost T.J. Brodie, Travis Hamonic and Erik The two most improved teams are last year’s worst teams, the Detroit Gustafsson from their defense while only adding the overpriced and Red Wings and Ottawa Senators. And both should still be irrelevant. injury-prone Chris Tanev.

This offseason has not produced seismic shifts in talent. Thanks to the The lost key defenseman Matt Niskanen to flat salary cap, most teams remained largely the same. retirement, but they added Gustafsson on a bargain free-agent contract.

But where will the teams play this season? This we do not know, also The Winnipeg Jets regained Stastny to replace injured center Bryan due to ongoing battle against COVID-19. Little, but they did not upgrade their substandard defense.

Will the regular season open in regional hubs in late winter and finish in The Nashville Predators added a potential cornerstone piece with Our home arenas during the late spring? That’s a maybe. Town’s Luke Kunin, but they subtracted forwards Nick Bonino, Craig Smith and Kyle Turris from their depth in scoring. All ideas could be on the table when NHL owners and players start hashing this out through their return-to-play committee. The added centers Max Domi and Mikko Koivu, but they subtracted power forward Josh Anderson, center Alexander Normally we would start forecasting the divisional playoff races, but the Wennberg and defensemen Ryan Murray and Markus Nutivaara. NHL may scramble the groupings. Most other teams have experienced offsetting gains and losses under the The NHL could form a Canadian Division for one year, at least, since the tight cap. So don’t expect the NHL’s power rankings to change much Great White North and the Lower 48 are in different places with the regardless of how the league aligns this season. coronavirus. “We’re studying everything and this is one of the potential solutions,” Montreal Canadiens owner Geoff Molson told La Presse.

If Vancouver, Calgary, Edmonton, Winnipeg, Toronto, Ottawa and St Louis Post Dispatch LOADED: 10.30.2020 Montreal make up one division, then the U.S.-based teams would likely divide up into three groups.

When you ponder what that might look like, you quickly see that teams in the middle of the country (Minnesota, Chicago, St. Louis, Nashville) and the Southeast (Carolina, Tampa Bay, Florida) are tricky to place.

Avs are loaded

The Blues could very well end up on the eastern side of the league, since they and the Predators are the most logical fit with teams in the Southeast.

If it plays out that way, the Blues wouldn’t miss seeing Colorado. Stan Kroenke’s icemen were loaded last season and they should be even better in 2021 after a stellar offseason.

Avalanche general manager had ample cap space and he used it well. Rather than throwing money at a top free agent, he dealt third-pairing defenseman Nikita Zadorov to Chicago for perennial 20-goal scorer Brandon Saad.

He also upgraded his blue line by landing defenseman Devon Toews, who quarterbacked the top power-play unit last season.

Sakic, like Blues general manager Doug Armstrong, likes having many good players at the expense of adding another big contract. Rather than bid high on the explosive Taylor Hall, he upgraded two roster spots instead.

Well-played sir.

On one hand, the Blues slipped a bit with the Alex Pietrangelo/Torey Krug tradeoff. On the other hand, Vladimir Tarasenko could miss fewer games after shoulder surgery if the season doesn’t start until the New Year. 1195592 Tampa Bay Lightning

Lightning officially re-sign Pat Maroon, Luke Schenn

By Mari Faiello

Published Yesterday

Updated Yesterday

The Lightning officially announced the re-signings of forward Pat Maroon and defenseman Luke Schenn on Thursday afternoon.

Maroon, a back-to-back Stanley Cup champion, signed a two-year deal with an annual average value of $900,000 while Schenn signed a one- year deal with an AAV of $800,000.

The signings were first reported earlier this month, along with the news of defenseman Kevin Shattenkirk leaving for Anaheim on a three-year, $11.7 million deal with the Ducks.

In addition to Shattenkirk, the Lightning lost forward Carter Verhaeghe, who agreed to a two-year, $2 million deal with Florida. Tampa Bay re- signed Mitchell Stephens to a two-year, one-way deal of $737,500 earlier this month.

The Lightning still aim to re-sign forward Anthony Cirelli and defensemen Erik Cernak and Mikhail Sergachev.

Tampa Bay Times LOADED: 10.30.2020 1195593 Toronto Maple Leafs Leafs forward to play in every game) when the regular season officially came to an end.

Matthews has shown growth in his quest to become among the best, if Leafs forward stars need to shine, but balance sought by Dubas could be not the best, two-way centres in the NHL. Which is what one should a benefit expect, considering there are four years remaining on a contract that carries a salary-cap hit of $11.6-million US.

Marner set a career-high with 94 points in 2018-19 and with 67 in 59 Terry Koshan games last season, was on pace for 93 in full year. Marner has established himself as a premiere playmaker in the NHL — since his first Publishing date: Oct 30, 2020 game in 2016-17, only eight NHLers have more than his 208 assists.

Tavares’ points pace fell off a bit last season, and while no one can With the Maple Leafs’ off-season moves complete, or so we can assume, safely say the captain will be a force by the time his contract ends in the Toronto Sun, in a four-part series this week, breaks down the roster 2025, there’s an example set with his effort and leadership. It’s just and what can be expected from the team once the 2020-21 season unfortunate it costs the Leafs $11 million a year to get that. starts. Today, we look at the forward group. Nylander had a career-high with 31 goals last seasons and some When sat down to pick through his roster piece by piece wondered, strangely, why he wasn’t traded. following the qualifying round against the Columbus Blue Jackets — and Still, the exploits of the Leafs’ best added up to nothing in the post- knowing him, that process likely started in the minutes after the 3-0 loss season, and coach Sheldon Keefe has acknowledged that all of the in Game 5 on Aug. 9, eliminating Toronto — the Maple Leafs general returning players have to be better. That, of course, includes those manager probably didn’t spend much time on his top group of forwards. pulling in the big money. While Dubas would have pondered how those players, including Auston “They’re the ones that pull you through,” Sportsnet analyst Greg Millen Matthews, Mitch Marner, captain John Tavares and William Nylander said. “That’s why they are paid what they are, that’s why, at the end of might have made more of an impact against a Blue Jackets team that the day, the best team normally wins, is because of them. couldn’t match the Leafs’ skill, he knew the core was going to remain untouched in the off-season. Ditto for tone-setting winger Zach Hyman “I would think the core has to be better, and let’s just say in the playoffs. and Ilya Mikheyev, who eventually would be signed to a two-year They are pretty damn good in the regular season. But in the playoffs, are contract. you going to win that extra battle, are you going to win that extra minute? Are you going to sacrifice, perhaps, personal goals in the playoffs and sit No such luck for the majority of the bottom six. on the bench when you think you should be on the ice because another Kasperi Kapanen was the first to go, traded to the Pittsburgh Penguins in player the coach thought might be a better player is in that situation, a money-saving transaction. Kyle Clifford hit the open market and signed given the time of the game? All of those things matter.” with St. Louis. Frederik Gauthier was not given a qualifying offer and There’s another way to look at it. remains on a job hunt. Andreas Johnsson was traded to the New Jersey Devils, again so Dubas could save some cash in the flat-cap landscape “Marner and Matthews and Tavares get their points,” said Nick Kypreos, created by the coronavirus pandemic. now playing host to his podcast, Real Kyper at Noon.

Jason Spezza survived, having no interest in moving from his home town “And they will get their points again when the season starts and they will after one season with the Leafs. Signing another one-year contract for be amongst the top scorers in the league. That’s not where it’s at for the the National Hockey League’s minimum wage was what Spezza wanted, Leafs. What (effect) is the bottom six going to have?” and the Leafs, in a wise move, were happy to oblige. Hello, Wayne and Joe As much as some in Leafs Nation would have preferred that Alex Kerfoot be jettisoned after an up-and-down initial season with Toronto, that hasn’t Rumours were heavy for days that the Leafs were going to sign occurred, and we don’t expect it to happen. Kerfoot could be better- Simmonds, and sure enough, that became fact minutes after free agency suited to playing the wing, but once one gets past Matthews and opened on Oct. 9 for $1.5-million. Thornton came a week later for Tavares, Kerfoot remains the best option to play centre on the third line. $700,000.

Pierre Engvall had a job when the season ended. He’s going to have to Both are past their prime, we know what. But both can bring vital battle hard to keep it. Nick Robertson, fresh from junior, is not eligible to elements — Simmonds sandpaper and leadership, Thornton playmaking play in the American Hockey League but proved he could play in the NHL and leadership. in the series against Columbus. Then there’s Alexander Barabanov, who “I have not come across anybody who said anything about Simmonds or signed with the Leafs in April so he could play for them, not the Toronto Thornton other than, yeah, I love having that guy on my team,” TSN Marlies. Joey Anderson, acquired in the Johnsson deal, needs a analyst Ray Ferraro said. “They are respected, loved guys in the locker contract. room. Simmonds and Thornton are big voices, and they are effective And hey, did anyone happen to take notice how Dubas went about voices.” adding to the bottom six? Vesey still is bothered he managed to score just nine goals in 64 games Wayne Simmonds. Joe Thornton. Jimmy Vesey. Travis Boyd. All signed for the Buffalo Sabres last season; Boyd spent the majority of the past to one-year contracts. Nothing guaranteed beyond next season. How can two seasons with the Washington Capitals, with a couple of stints with they not leave everything on the ice? Hershey of the American Hockey League tossed in.

The Leafs haven’t replaced the secondary scoring that Kapanen and Spezza, Robertson, Barabanov, Engvall. Perhaps Egor Korshkov and Johnsson provided. Filip Hallander. The competition to secure jobs on the third and fourth lines will be akin to the battle that Leafs defencemen will have for the But there is the potential for several new elements to be in play with the third pairing. additions. We’ll get to that in a minute. But first: “You can’t win without the big four guys, but you’re going to need more,” The stars must be the stars Ferraro said. “It’s not the NBA where one guy can determine the whole flow of your offence. That’s why the people they brought in, they can’t Matthews and top-six pals won’t be budged from the driver’s seat in just be there to fill out the sweater. They have to make a meaningful leading a high-powered offence. commitment. If the Leafs advance past the first round of the post-season for the first “If Simmonds can give you 10-12 minutes and if Thornton can give you time since 2004, Matthews, Marner, Tavares and the others will have left 12-14 minutes and Vesey can give you 14 minutes and Barabanov many fingerprints. proves to be a player and Robertson — I think you can forget he is 19 — Matthews would have scored 50 goals for the first time had the NHL not can give you something meaningful, well all of a sudden, doesn’t that gone on pause on March 12, finishing with 47 in 70 games (the only look a little different? That’s what they are betting on. “They brought in Clifford (last February). That didn’t matter, because Kyle was one guy amongst 12 forwards. Toronto has brought in three or four guys that are bigger. That helps change the way you look.”

The additions of Thornton and Simmonds shouldn’t lead one to question the leadership qualities of players such as Tavares, Hyman, Jake Muzzin and Morgan Rielly.

“Simmonds brings depth offence and grit and tenacity, and any time you get a Toronto guy coming back to Toronto who is super-motivated like he will be, that helps you out,” NBC analyst Pierre McGuire said. “I’m a big Joe fan — how passionate he is about the game, he gets to the rink really early every day, practises hard, does a really good job with his younger teammates, I think he can help the power play. It’s great for a player like Joe, if this his last year, to go out with a team that has a chance to compete.”

Question of balance

The Leafs aren’t going to stray from a puck-possession, dominate-on- offence philosophy.

Dubas, though, recognized the need for some balance in his forward group, and with the departures of Kapanen and Johnsson, sacrificed some speed and skill.

“They (made changes at forward) without dropping a grenade into the middle of the locker room,” Ferraro said. “I’ve felt there has been, to this point, a little bit of stubbornness with the way Toronto has approached things, and I like that Kyle and the staff has opened their view a little bit to chasing some balance. More than anything else, balance is critical. When you look back at most of the teams that have won, there has been a balance to their lineup.”

Are the Leafs going to be tougher to play against with the new looks at forward? We think Simmonds will make a greater impact than Clifford did. To what point that extends to the rest of the group can’t be known until games are played.

“You can’t be the Harlem Globetrotters every night,” Millen said. “Teams can shut you down. So you have to find different ways to win and different times throughout the game and throughout a season and throughout the playoffs. Often, they don’t look the same.”

Toronto Sun LOADED: 10.30.2020 1195594 Toronto Maple Leafs games (0.28). Mikheyev popped eight in his first 39 NHL games as a top- nine guy. But I’ll assume Barabanov is only a fourth-liner who kills the odd penalty. Projection: 5 goals

How many goals will each member of the Maple Leafs score? Let’s Mirtle: Frankly I’m not even sure Barabanov is in the lineup every night, project them all which will make it tough to produce much. Definitely a wild card, though. Projection: 4 goals

Dom’s Over/Under: 11.5 By Jonas Siegel and James Mirtle Alexander Kerfoot Oct 29, 2020 Last season: 9 goals in 65 games

Siegel: Kerfoot’s 5-on-5 scoring per 60 minutes last season was almost Former Maple Leafs coach Mike Babcock used to talk about an exercise identical from the year before. He’s more passer than shooter — his 19- he would complete before every season with his then-boss in Detroit, goal rookie season was fuelled by hot shooting — and if he gets more . run with John Tavares it’s the assists, not goals, that will tick up. Kerfoot scored one goal when he played with Tavares, but stacked up 10 assists. Coach and GM would go through the entire Red Wings roster and project Projection: 12 goals how many goals they had in their lineup, making sure that it added up to enough. (If it didn’t, they had a problem they needed to address.) Mirtle: He’s definitely got more to give. But I think his minutes come down with the new centre options they’ve added, which probably keeps the After an offseason of substantial change in Toronto, we decided to do the ceiling pretty low. And they might use him on the PK and in defensive same with the 2020-21 Leafs. Since we don’t know how long next season situations a little more. Projection: 13 goals will be at this point, we’re going to assume something close to 82 games (even if that number is likely far too high given the season will likely start Dom’s Over/Under: 14.0 in January). Mitch Marner Last year, the Leafs scored 237 goals, or about 3.4 per game. That put them third in the NHL behind only Tampa Bay and Washington. Last season: 16 goals in 59 games

They were first after Sheldon Keefe replaced Babcock as head coach Siegel: Here’s a bold-ish prediction: Marner will score 30 goals at some (3.5 per game) and instituted a more offence-friendly system. point in his NHL career. He may even get close next season. We rightly think of Marner as a passer, but he scored 26 goals two years ago and How will they do in the season ahead? had 22 the year before that. Even last year, he was on pace for 22 in an 82-game season despite a dip in 5-on-5 production. I wonder if the drop The forwards was tied even a little to all that time with Auston Matthews, and the Zach Hyman opportunities he was trying to set up and not score. Projection: 27 goals

Last season: 21 goals in 51 games (34-goal pace) Mirtle: Marner gets cast as a pure playmaker, but if you look at his numbers the past three seasons, he shoots just as much as Nylander Jonas Siegel: Hyman shot a scorching 19.8 percent last season. And and converts on a similar percentage of those shots. Given he plays while I don’t think the pace he managed is repeatable, a third straight 20- more minutes, that pushes him slightly ahead of Nylander in my goal season feels possible. Why? It’s where he’s doing all that scoring: calculations — by half a goal. Projection: 25 goals around the net. Over the past two seasons, Hyman ranks fourth in the league in high danger shot attempts per 60 minutes at even strength. Dom’s Over/Under: 26.8 More loose change deposits! Projection: 22 goals Jason Spezza James Mirtle: Hyman took a lot of heat when, as a 24-year-old rookie, he Last season: 9 goals in 58 games produced just 10 goals in 82 games while playing with good linemates. But that should be considered the anomaly, given the fact he has Siegel: Joe Thornton being around — along with Simmonds and Kerfoot improved his skill level considerably since that point. He plays huge and Jimmy Vesey — means it’s unlikely Spezza gets much opportunity minutes and is a solid bet for 20 goals, every year, at this point. (I’ll beyond the fourth line and power play. And last season looks like an explain my methodology for how I came up with my projections at the outlier from Spezza’s recent history — 12 percent shooting after bottom of this post.) Projection: 23 goals consecutive years around 6 percent. That while shooting it less and less. A drop-off is coming. Projection: 7 goals Dom Luszczyszyn’s Over/Under: 25.9 Mirtle: He’s just not going to get as many games in or as many minutes. Wayne Simmonds Won’t be an everyday player, at age 37. Projection: 5 goals Last season: 8 goals in 68 games Dom’s Over/Under: 7.8 Siegel: These were Simmonds’ shooting percentages in the five seasons William Nylander before last: 14.9, 14.0, 13.8, 13.6, 10.8. Last season? 6.7 percent. Some regression to the mean feels likely, especially since he will be surrounded Last season: 31 goals in 68 games by more talent. Two seasons ago, Simmonds scored 17 goals in 79 games. I like something just shy of that since he’s unlikely to play as Siegel: There’s reason to think Nylander won’t repeat last year’s 37-goal much with the Leafs as he did then (almost 16 minutes a game). pace: He shot a career-best 16 percent and buried nine power play Projection: 12 goals goals. But there was something real about it too, a shift in tactics with Nylander attacking the net more than ever before. The PP opportunity Mirtle: Yeah, I mean, if you drop Simmonds’ minutes into the 12 or 13 isn’t going anywhere. Something in the ballpark of 30 feels likely. range, and he plays every game, he is likely going to be under 15 no Projection: 30 goals matter what. I doubt he’s healthy for the full season, so I’ve got him even lower than that. Projection: 10 goals Mirtle: I’m leaning more on his last three years in coming up with my total, so perhaps I’ll be a little low. But his breakout last season was Dom’s Over/Under: 9.4 heavily percentage driven and I don’t think I can project him for 30 every year quite yet. Projection: 25 goals Alexander Barabanov Dom’s Over/Under: 29.9 Last season: 11 goals in 43 games (KHL) John Tavares Siegel: Err, this one feels like a total wild card. How much will he even play, let alone score? What about the transition to the NHL? For what it’s Last season: 26 goals in 63 games worth, Ilya Mikheyev scored 42 goals in 116 games (0.36 per game) in his last two KHL seasons. Barabanov checked in at 28 goals in 101 Siegel: Tavares went from scoring 33 goals 5-on-5 (1.6 per 60) to 13 last Siegel: I just don’t know how much Boyd will play for the Leafs. He’s season (0.8). His shooting percentage in those spots plummeted to 9 competing with Robertson, Barabanov, Pierre Engvall and Joey percent, a career low, from 17 percent, a career best. Tavares didn’t Anderson for the 12th forward spot. Boyd has eight goals in 85 career generate as many opportunities around the blue paint and yet, the Leafs games. Projection: 3 goals captain was still scoring at a 34-goal pace. I’ll go a little higher than that with improved shooting and no injury (an oblique issue last summer) Mirtle: Boyd’s opportunity comes down to how many injuries they have, dogging his offseason. Projection: 37 goals especially at centre. If the Leafs are healthy, it’s hard to see him playing a ton of games. And these projections are based on relatively good Mirtle: Can’t quibble with Dom or Jonas here at all. Tavares has health for most of the roster. Projection: 2 goals established pretty well what he is and, barring a surprising age-related decline, he should flirt with 40 goals again. Projection: 38 goals Dom’s Over/Under: 9.3

Dom’s Over/Under: 38.0 Ilya Mikheyev

Auston Matthews Last season: 8 goals in 39 games

Last season: 47 goals in 70 games Siegel: The tough thing for Mikheyev as a scorer is that he gets no power play time. But he does get a lot of shots — second on the team to only Siegel: Matthews would’ve needed eight goals in the final 12 games last Matthews in 5-on-5 shots per 60. None of his scoring last year felt fluky; year to break Rick Vaive’s franchise mark of 54. The pandemic crushed he shot only 8 percent. Opportunity will remain, too, at 5-on-5 anyway. his chances. I don’t feel all that bold suggesting he gets there next Projection: 13 goals season if the Leafs play 82, especially if the huge minutes continue. Matthews scored at a 58-goal pace, playing 21.5 minutes a game, after Mirtle: It makes sense that he’ll get time with Matthews or Tavares on a Keefe took over, shooting a reasonable 16 percent. Projection: 55 goals top-six line, which should make it easy to come close to doubling where he was at in a half season last year. Mikheyev does not have a great Mirtle: I’ve baked in a few missed games for most of the Leafs in my shot, but his speed allows him to get plenty of opportunities, especially calculations, which drops some of them lower than the other projections on odd-man rushes. Projection: 14 goals here. Matthews has 60-goal potential, though, if he gets on a shooting percentage heater. Projection: 50 goals Dom’s Over/Under: 16.1

Dom’s Over/Under: 51.4 Joey Anderson

Jimmy Vesey Last season: 4 goals in 18 games

Last season: 9 goals in 64 games Siegel: The Leafs’ return on Andreas Johnsson does have eight goals in 52 career NHL games. But that was playing 13 minutes a night on Siegel: I’m betting that Vesey gets a pretty good opportunity with the mediocre New Jersey teams. A similar opportunity is unlikely in Toronto. Leafs. Maybe that’s with Thornton or even Tavares. Either way, I see a He’ll be fighting just to play every night. Projection: 5 goals goal total more in line with his first three seasons (16, 17, 17) when Vesey did a fair bit of damage at even strength. Projection: 17 goals Mirtle: Like Boyd, I’m not certain how much Anderson will play in the NHL if everyone is healthy. But the Leafs like him and feel he’s young enough Mirtle: I think his minutes are going to come down from what he received that he’ll push his way into their lineup over time. That just might not be on some weaker teams, which is why I’m low. There’s just no way I can next season. Projection: 3 goals see him getting 15-plus minutes a game on this team, barring a large number of injuries. I’m not even certain he’ll be in the lineup every night. Dom’s Over/Under: 13.8 Projection: 12 goals Pierre Engvall

Dom’s Over/Under: 12.9 Last season: 8 goals in 48 games

Nick Robertson Siegel: The ridiculously hot shooting should’ve been the sustainability Last season: 55 goals in 46 games (OHL) clue: Engvall had seven goals in his first 22 NHL games while shooting 21 percent. He had one the rest of the way. If he cracks the lineup more Siegel: It’s possible Robertson shines at camp and earns a nine-game often than not, Engvall will get the odd goal every now and again audition with the Leafs. I don’t see him sticking, though — not with all the because of his wheels. But that’s about it. Projection: 8 goals NHL-calibre players on hand. The Leafs aren’t burning a year of Robertson’s ELC for him to average 10 minutes on the fourth line. Mirtle: Because he’s waiver exempt to start the year, and there’s a lot Projection: 3 goals more competition for forward spots, I can see him splitting his season between the Marlies and Leafs. That’s why I’m low here. Projection: 5 Mirtle: I’m a bit torn on what will happen here. At the moment, I have goals Robertson penciled in for 60 games with the Leafs and 12 minutes a game, but I’ll certainly buy the argument that’s not enough to justify Dom’s Over/Under: 11.8 keeping him. Projection: 11 goals Denis Malgin

Dom Over/Under: 18.0 Last season: 4 goals in 44 games

Joe Thornton Siegel: Malgin got a chance last year when the Leafs were depleted with Last season: 7 goals in 70 games injuries. I just don’t see that opportunity materializing again with all the additions up front. Projection: 1 goal Siegel: He’s known best for passing and doesn’t shoot it much. But Thornton has still been good for double-digit goals just about every Mirtle: Is he 17th on the forward depth chart? Hard to produce much from season while shooting a high percentage. Last season was only the third that slot. Projection: 1 goal time in a full season that he’s been held under 10. He is 41, though. Dom’s Over/Under: 10.2 Projection: 12 goals Siegel: Brodie is pretty much the anti-Tyson Barrie in terms of shooting Mirtle: I foresee a little bit of load management here, with Thornton not the puck. In fact, among the 144 defencemen to play at least 800 5-on-5 playing every game. And I’m also basing my projection on his minutes minutes last year, Brodie ranked 138th in shots per 60 (Barrie was 12th). dropping from the 15 he’s used to down to more like 13 and change. That Even on the power play, he hit the net only three times in almost 45 makes it tough for him to get to much of a goal total. Projection: 10 goals minutes. He’s still managed around one or two handfuls of goals every Dom’s Over/Under: 7.7 season — about six a year on average the past seven seasons. That was with PP time, though, which he may not get much of in Toronto. Travis Boyd Projection: 4 goals

Last season: 3 goals in 24 games Mirtle: Over the last three years, including time on the man advantage, Brodie has produced just 3.6 shots per 60 minutes of play. That’s last among all Leafs — and half of what likely partner Morgan Rielly duty and is likely to man the point of PP2 when he plays. Projection: 5 produces. But he’ll likely get plenty of minutes alongside good players, goals which could elevate his totals. And when he does decide to shoot, he’s more accurate than most defencemen. Projection: 6 goals Mirtle: If he ends up getting some more minutes in the top four, I’ll be way wrong here. But hard to project him into the lineup every night at this Dom’s Over/Under: 6.8 point. Projection: 3 goals

Jake Muzzin Dom’s Over/Under: 7.4

Last season: 6 goals in 53 games Zach Bogosian

Siegel: It may surprise you to learn that Muzzin is 28th in goals (50) by Last season: 1 goal in 27 games defencemen since the start of the 2014-15 season and has a knack for getting shots through. What could derail his scoring next season? Muzzin Siegel: I was surprised to see Bogosian has scored as much as he has may get buried in the D-zone, and won’t see much action, if any at all, on over the years (53 goals in 644 games). But playing big minutes and the PP. Projection: 7 goals shooting the puck a fair bit explains it. Bogosian is unlikely to get that kind of opportunity with the Leafs, and it’s probable that he even gets Mirtle: Muzzin has a good shot. As long as he’s healthy, he’ll get enough swapped out for offensive zone draws. Projection: 2 goals minutes to produce the way he often did in LA, in the 8-10 range. In games where Lehtonen doesn’t play, I could see Keefe using Muzzin’s Mirtle: Largely third-pair minutes, a lot of time on the PK and not playing shot on PP2. Projection: 8 goals every game? He’s the new Marincin. Projection: 2 goals

Dom’s Over/Under: 7.9 Dom’s Over/Under: 2.9

Morgan Rielly Rasmus Sandin

Last season: 3 goals in 47 games Last season: 1 goal in 28 games

Siegel: A few reasons to think Rielly’s goal total will tick up next season. Siegel: Even if they mix Sandin into the lineup from time to time, I don’t 1. He’ll be back manning the point of PP1 (which may just lead to an expect him to play enough to make much of an impact here. The one increase in assists, not goals) 2. He’ll be healthy after playing hurt last caveat: He forces his way into the top six at camp and makes a minor year. 3. He’ll have a more reliable partner in Brodie (in all likelihood), free dent offensively. Projection: 1 goal to take more chances without the burden of facing top lines. Projection: 9 Mirtle: He hardly generated any shots on goal in his audition last year, goals which is odd given he seems to have a knack for filtering a shot through (John E. Sokolowski / USA Today) seams from the point. Given he’s firmly in eighth on the depth chart, I have a hard time seeing him getting enough games or minutes to Mirtle: He had 20 the year before, so he’s got the gift. It wouldn’t surprise produce much. Projection: 1 goal me to see a revamped PP1 that calls on more different shooters to diversify their attack, and that should benefit Rielly’s totals. The Leafs When Jonas brought up this idea for a story, I wanted to try and find an scored a lot last year, but they were bottom five in goals from the blue objective way to predict how much players were going to score. line; getting Rielly back scoring will be a big part of correcting that. We know that the key base components that go into goal production, Projection: 11 goals from a statistical standpoint, are shots and shooting percentage. How Dom’s Over/Under: 11.2 much volume does a player produce? And how much of that volume goes in? Justin Holl So for every Leafs player, I took their shots per 60 minutes and shooting Last season: 2 goals in 68 games percentage average from the past three years. I then guesstimated how many games played and how many minutes per game they were going to Siegel: Holl had two goals in his first two NHL games. Since then? Two in play and came up with a rough projection using those benchmarks. 79 games. More top line checking with Muzzin will mean few starts in the offensive zone, and fewer opportunities to shoot the puck, which he did (For players like Robertson, Barabanov and Lehtonen, who don’t have infrequently anyway (1.3 per game). Projection: 2 goals historical NHL data, the projections were made without the use of that information.) Mirtle: I really need to use the “Holl in one” tweet a few more times so I hope I’m wrong. Holl is going to have a lot more competition for games The weakness of this analysis will likely be with players like Nylander, and minutes so that’ll limit what he can produce. Projection: 3 goals who had one poor year pulling down his shooting percentage. And some players may elevate their S/60 or shooting percentage in more Dom’s Over/Under: 3.5 favourable usage in 2020-21. But I think this type of calculation lands us Travis Dermott in the right ballpark.

Last season: 4 goals in 56 games This analysis is based on relatively good health throughout the lineup, which may inflate the Leafs overall goal total. Siegel: This total will depend a lot on whether Dermott can beat out Holl, and the two guys below (Mikko Lehtonen and Zach Bogosian) for regular playing time. If he does, Dermott should provide the odd pop from the The Athletic LOADED: 10.30.2020 back end. Projection: 5 goals

Mirtle: I’m going into the season under the assumption that Dermott, Holl, Bogosian and Lehtonen will all rotate in and out of the lineup, with each playing 60-65 games. That puts Dermott right in this slot, given he won’t get PP time. Projection: 4 goals

Dom’s Over/Under: 5.0

Mikko Lehtonen

Last season: 17 goals in 60 games (KHL)

Siegel: He’s been a scoring machine in the KHL, and scored a fair bit everywhere before that. And he seems to love shooting the puck. How will that translate to the NHL, where there’s a lot less time and space to do so? Who can say, though Lehtonen will be set up for scoring success. He’s sure to see plenty of offensive zone starts in sheltered third pair 1195595 Vegas Golden Knights “That’s really nice to know,” Quinney said. “I think Roy was wishing that was last year.”

Food drive Silver Knights’ Manny Viveiros adjusts to new surroundings The Knights will hold a canned food drive from Monday through Nov. 13 at City National Arena to benefit Three Square Food Bank. Canned food can be dropped off at donation bins around City National Arena. The first By Ben Gotz Las Vegas Review-Journal 150 participants will receive a free poster.

October 29, 2020 - 2:37 PM

LAS VEGAS REVIEW JOURNAL LOADED: 10.30.2020 Manny Viveiros has been in Henderson for three weeks, has settled in and is ready to begin the newest chapter of his career.

The problem is, the Silver Knights coach doesn’t know exactly when it will begin.

The American Hockey League announced a tentative start date of Feb. 5 on Wednesday, but Viveiros knows that could change again because of the coronavirus pandemic. So he’s trying to stay busy, adjust to his new surroundings and be ready whenever hockey starts again.

“There’s always something to do,” Viveiros said Wednesday at the construction site of the Silver Knights’ arena. “It gives us time to prepare. We don’t have to rush. We’ll slowly get going together as a staff and working together. For me, like everybody else, we’re (used to) playing regular-season hockey right now. Now we’re waiting another couple of months. There’s nothing we can do about that.”

What’s keeping Viveiros busy is putting together a staff, which he expects to finalize in the coming weeks, and watching tape of his potential future players. He’s trying to familiarize himself with the Golden Knights’ prospects so he knows how to fit them into his up-tempo system that’s expected to be similar to the one coach Pete DeBoer will run in the NHL.

Viveiros also is getting used to his surroundings as much as possible. He’s visited the Silver Knights’ future practice facility, Lifeguard Arena, several times and plans to go to Orleans Arena, where the team will play its first two seasons.

He’s hoping before long he’ll get to be on the bench with his team.

“There’s more important things in life than just sports,” Viveiros said. “People, we have to be able to protect their health. We have to protect everybody else. … We will get through this eventually, but it’s going to take a little time.”

Prospects invited to camp

Golden Knights prospects Peyton Krebs, Kaedan Korczak and Lukas Cormier were invited to Canada’s 2021 World Junior Championship selection camp in Red Deer, Alberta. The camp will take place from Nov. 16 to Dec. 13, during which a pool of 46 players will be cut to a 23-man roster.

The competition begins Christmas Day in Edmonton. Canada is the defending champion.

Krebs, 19, is the Knights’ top prospect and was the 17th overall pick in the 2019 draft. The center had 60 points in 38 games for his junior team, the Western Hockey League’s Winnipeg Ice, last season and was part of the Knights’ postseason roster.

Korczak, 19, was a second-round pick in 2019. The right-shot defenseman had 49 points in 60 games for the WHL’s Kelowna Rockets last season.

Cormier, 18, joined the organization in October after he was selected in the third round of the draft. The left-shot defenseman is already playing this season for the Quebec Major Junior Hockey League and has 11 points in seven games.

Closer to home

Asked Wednesday about how nice it will be to have the Knights’ NHL and AHL teams in the same area, forward Gage Quinney couldn’t help but poke a little fun at teammate Nicolas Roy.

Roy was involved in 31 transactions between Las Vegas and Chicago last season to save the Knights salary cap space. Now, those trips will often require a car instead of a plane. 1195596 Vegas Golden Knights entering what most expect to be an abbreviated training camp prior to the start of the season.

“I’ve got my computer system set up and I’ve been watching some of the How the Silver Knights are preparing for uncertain inaugural AHL season games from last year in Chicago, just to kind of get an idea and put a face to a style and a name and those types of things, and look at the special teams,” Viveiros said. “Once Peter DeBoer and his staff are all here, that’s when we’ll get together as a staff and start going over how By Jesse Granger we’re going to play a very similar style as (the Golden Knights). That’s so Oct 29, 2020 important for these kids so when they get called up they know exactly the verbiage, the systems and everything else. Once they’re here we’ll get a more concrete plan in place.”

Two players expected to be major contributors on the Henderson Silver The players are in an equally awkward holding pattern in terms of the Knights — Reid Duke and Gage Quinney — met their new AHL head uncertainty of a start date for the season. coach for the first time Wednesday afternoon. “Honestly at this point, you kind of have to take it week by week,” Duke The meeting didn’t take place in a hockey rink or a team office. Instead, said. “It’s a weird situation that nobody has really gone through so you Duke and Quinney strapped on hard hats, glowing orange construction just have to stay ready, stay busy and stay in shape. You don’t know how vests and met coach Manny Viveiros at the site of the future home of the to time things this summer. Having the time in the bubble was great. You Silver Knights in Henderson. get to stay in shape, be in it and have a little bit of a season there. You take a little bit of time off, but you never know when it’s going to start so Now just a giant, dusty construction site, the location just off the 215 you have to stay ready.” Beltway will be home to a 6,000-seat arena that is expected to be ready for the 2022-23 season. Wednesday marked a construction milestone as Duke and Quinney both had the luxury of being invited to practice with the crews poured concrete footings, and it was commemorated with a the Golden Knights in the bubble in Edmonton during the postseason. ceremonial puck drop by Henderson mayor Debra March. Neither appeared in a game, but they were practicing nearly every day, whereas some of their AHL counterparts haven’t skated in an organized It’s been a long offseason for most AHL players, and the road ahead is practice since March. far from certain. “You just stick to your normal routine,” Quinney said of the strange AHL president and CEO Scott Howson announced Wednesday morning offseason. “I haven’t changed anything. Obviously, the date keeps that the league’s board of governors approved moving the anticipated changing so you have to adapt and keep going.” start date of the 2020-21 season to Feb. 5, 2021, due to the ongoing COVID-19 public health crisis, but even that date isn’t concrete. And while Duke and Quinney said they are excited for the AHL affiliate to be located in town, they still have their sights set higher entering training “The AHL continues to work with its member clubs to monitor camp — whenever that may be. developments and local guidelines in all 31 league cities,” the league stated in a press release. “Further details regarding the 2020-21 “Obviously you want to make the Golden Knights,” Duke said. “It’s a bit of American Hockey League season are still to be determined.” a weird year, and I think they’re ready to give some opportunities to some new guys, some younger players, so that’s definitely a goal of mine.” Viveiros is entering his first season as an AHL head coach. How much information has he been given about when the season will start and what Duke received a call-up to the NHL last season but didn’t appear in a it will look like when it does? game. He played 39 games for the Chicago Wolves, recording eight goals and seven assists. Quinney, on the other hand, made his NHL “Very little,” he said. “Everything is so fluid right now. There are different debut and played in three games for the Golden Knights. As the first scenarios as far as what possibly could happen, and I think a lot has to Nevada-born player to appear in an NHL game, he hopes that’s a more do with what the NHL is doing. That’s a huge thing too. Right now we’re regular occurrence this season. hoping for that February start but who knows.” “Obviously to make the team out of camp is the main goal, but most of all And while the AHL is its own separate entity, their operations are so you just want to be a better player every year,” Quinney said. “That’s all closely tied to the NHL that they’re highly dependent on what the NHL you can control, and hopefully it works out.” decides.

“I don’t think (the AHL) is doing anything on their own,” Viveiros said. “I know for a fact that they’re in close communication. Everything the NHL The Athletic LOADED: 10.30.2020 does directly affects all the AHL teams, so they’re constantly talking on everything and working hand in hand.”

Viveiros and his wife, Laurie, just finished moving to Southern Nevada a few weeks ago and are still getting settled in Henderson. He has visited the nearly finished practice facility for the Silver Knights multiple times and plans on driving over to the Orleans Arena — where the team will play its games for the next two seasons — in the coming days.

When he was hired in August, Viveiros began the process of putting together a coaching staff, a process he says is nearing its conclusion.

“I would think the timeline is within two weeks probably, having something done as far as my coaching staff, possibly earlier,” he said. “We’re pretty far down the line on that.

“It’s been excellent,” Viveros said of the coaching search. “There have been a lot of really good people that have wanted to come here for obvious reasons. First and foremost because of the Golden Knights organization and wanting to be a part of that. We’re going to have a pretty good staff that I’m familiar with, that I’m looking forward to.”

So we can expect two major AHL news items over the next two weeks. Not only the announcement of Viveiros’ staff, but also the unveiling of the Silver Knights uniforms, according to Golden Knights president Kerry Bubolz.

In the meantime, Viveiros is watching film on his new players, attempting to get as good of a grasp as possible on their style of play before 1195597 Winnipeg Jets

Niku glides back into Jets' fold

Paul Friesen

Publishing date: Oct 30, 2020

The Winnipeg Jets have locked up another restricted free agent in defenceman Sami Niku.

Reports late Thursday indicated the smooth-skating Finn has inked a new two-year deal worth an average of $725,000 per season.

The 24-year-old suffered through an injury plagued 2019-20 season, suiting up for just 35 games — 17 with the Jets and 18 in the American League.

With Winnipeg he posted five assists. With the Manitoba Moose, where in 2018 he was named the AHL’s top defenceman, he scored three goals and chipped in 11 assists.

The subject of trade rumours of late, Niku was Winnipeg’s seventh-round pick in the 2015 draft.

His bad injury luck began at the start of training camp last year, when he got into a car accident on the way to the arena.

He later suffered a groin injury and went down again during the Jets’ pre- game tomfoolery with a soccer ball.

Niku also had a clash with assistant coach Charlie Huddy early in the season, and acknowledged later he can get emotional and needs to rein in his temper at times.

His re-signing leaves forward Jack Roslovic as the Jets’ only restricted free agent without a deal.

Winnipeg Sun LOADED 10.30.2020 1195598 Vancouver Canucks “It’s a venue that we can utilize and it doesn’t cost us any money. But no team wants to lose a year of developing and there might be some financial challenges, but you really want to make sure your young players are getting games and growth. And Utica is close to its opponents and Ben Kuzma: Canucks ponder expanded taxi squads, Canadian AHL it’s always been a plus for them and us because it’s a good place for division due to COVID-19 development. They’re not spending a lot of time travelling or waiting in airports.

“Ideally, we can come up with a solution and that keeps our and Rob’s Ben Kuzma costs down and allows both organizations to do what they have to do. Publishing date: Oct 30, 2020 For us, that’s the taxi-squad idea and allowing Rob to continue with socially distanced fans at some point.”

In the interim, is a Jan. 1 start for the NHL and Feb. 5 for the AHL to Imagine an expanded taxi squad of Canucks’ roster recall targets create a buffer if COVID-19 intensifies? training, practising and housed in Vancouver next season. “The AHL is going to take its cues from the NHL and regardless of putting Imagine the AHL affiliate Utica Comets calling Rogers Arena home. the (AHL) date out there, it will still be fluid,” said Gear. “Is the NHL going to start playing Jan. 1 or bring guys back to camp then? We really need They’re not imaginary scenarios. They could play out if the novel to see for that (AHL) announcement to have any teeth. coronavirus pandemic escalates and keeps the Canada-U. S. border closed — and especially if rapid tests at airports fail to significantly “We’ve at least got a handle on what our roster could look like. We’ve still reduce the self-isolation period from 14 days for those entering Canada. got a couple of RFAs to sign who could wind up in the AHL (Justin Bailey, Guillaume Brisebois), so we’ll have a roster sketched out and All the uncertainty has forced hockey operations departments to form we’ve looked at different scenarios the NHL has talked about. contingency plans. “It’s still good to have a target date rather than this everlasting unknown.” While the NHL and AHL have targeted dates to start their respective 2020-21 schedules, what the leagues don’t have is autonomy. Health officials in Canada and the U.S. hold that hammer and it’s why a Jan. 1 season launch for the NHL and Feb. 5 for the AHL are considered best- Vancouver Province: LOADED: 10.30.2020 case scenarios.

If the border remains closed and the isolation period can only be reduced from 14 to seven days with rapid tests, it’s going to be problematic. For the Canucks, what good is recalling a player from the Comets knowing he has a one- or two-week wait to play? Recalls are usually immediately inserted into the lineup.

“We discussed broadening the taxi squad, instead of just your three extra players,” Chris Gear, a Canucks assistant general manager and AHL governor, said Thursday, knowing that the plan would first require league approval. “Could you have five or six extra players because then the need to shuttle players back and forth across the border isn’t there?

“You could still have a team playing in Utica with guys who are longer- term prospects than guys you expect to get in your lineup who are here practising with us. That’s probably our ideal scenario and it’s fair to say that Calgary and Edmonton feel the same way.”

If the border remains closed and the isolation issue isn’t solved, a division comprised of the Comets and two California-based franchises — (Flames) and Bakersfield Condors (Oilers) — has been broached.

The state of New York doesn’t allow fans at pro sporting events, even though virus numbers vary drastically from New York City — 2,029 cases Thursday, 505,000 total cases and 33,107 deaths — to Utica that had 37 cases on the same day, 2,746 total cases and 129 deaths.

The AHL, which averages 5,000 in attendance and relies heavily on ticket revenue, doesn’t have a lucrative television agreement to boost revenues. The Comets have approximately 3,000 season-ticket holders and club president Rob Esche believes he could even salvage a shortened season.

“Utica not being the same as New York with COVID cases is Rob’s biggest frustration because he can pull off a season with socially- distanced fans, but the state won’t allow it,” said Gear. “That’s a concern for him.”

The Comets would obviously need a Lower Mainland arena in a Canadian division scenario and Rogers Arena would be the financial and logistical choice. But moving the Comets here is not the desired route the franchise wants to travel.

“It’s not something that’s at the top of our agenda,” said Gear. “We think it’s the least preferable with the cost of bringing all our Utica staff and housing and working on immigration and then travelling to play in Winnipeg, Belleville (Ont.), Toronto and Laval (Que.). Those costs are going to be prohibitive when you can’t generate any revenue, but if it was mandated and we were compelled to do that, then Rogers Arena makes the most sense. 1195599 Websites Synopsis: The strength of this team is up front. If Dach plays and Lafreniere is added before the Dec. 13 cutoff date, Canada will possess the deepest group of forwards in the tournament.

Sportsnet.ca / A way-too-early look at Canada’s 2021 World Junior There’s plenty of size down the middle with Dach, Byfield and Cozens. It Championships roster will be a dogfight for the 4C position. Lafreniere would solidify the top left wing position, while an abundance of options remain, with many natural centres being forced to the wing.

Sam Cosentino McMichael snipes and Cozens can use his size and speed, while I expect big things from Byfield in an elevated role. Mercer can play October 29, 2020, 9:38 PM anywhere in the lineup. The competition for forward spots will be intense.

Beckman led the WHL in scoring last season. Newhook was one of the Hockey Canada announced a list of 47 players expected to participate in best players at camp last year. Wright will not only have earned his way a 51-day evaluation camp en route to the 2021 World Junior on the team, but he will be able to carry this experience forward. Pelletier Championships in Edmonton. Canada will put its title defence on the line, is super slick and the long layoff has served him well. There will also be playing in Group A alongside Germany, Slovakia, Switzerland and plenty of options for the power forward type in Greig, Holloway and Finland. Poulin.

Canada will open the tournament on Dec. 26 against Germany, with the Perfetti used last year’s snub as motivation and he’s poised to make the marquee preliminary round match-up against Finland on New Year’s eve. team this year. Goncalves had a breakout year in Everett last year, while Krebs spent time in the Vegas bubble. Tomasino has speed to burn and At first glance, this roster is extremely deep. There are 26 first round he’s a right shot. picks and seven returnees from last year’s gold medal winning team. The list of 26 includes Kirby Dach, whom Hockey Canada learned it was getting on loan from the Chicago Blackhawks on Thursday. Sportsnet.ca LOADED: 10.30.2020 Remaining Time -1:06

One notable name not on the list was Alexis Lafreniere, the top pick by the New York Rangers in the 2020 draft. According to Hockey Canada president Tom Renney, talks are ongoing with Rangers general manager Jeff Gorton as to the participation of Lafreniere in either the camp or once Team Canada enters the bubble. We should know more in the next 10 days.

This camp will be challenging in that most of the players haven’t played a game since March. Nine players named to the camp from the QMJHL have played a varying number of games, as the only one of three CHL leagues currently on the ice.

In making things as safe as possible, each player and staff member will be tested for COVID-19 prior to leaving for camp, then tested regularly once camp begins. The evaluation camp will start on Nov. 16 in Red Deer, Alta. It is expected that the final roster of 25 players will enter the Edmonton bubble on Dec. 13.

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The IIHF has made for an allowance of two extra players on the roster due to the pandemic. Canada will be allowed to carry 3 goalies and 22 skaters into the Edmonton bubble.

Discussion is ongoing with U Sports to play six exhibition games — with two pre-tournament games vs. Sweden and Russia — once Canada gets into the bubble.

Synopsis: Goaltending is the biggest concern for this team. The position is wide open with no returnees from last year, as Joel Hofer, Nico Daws and Olivier Rodrigue have all aged-out.

Gauthier is the elder statesman of the group. He’s a right-catch tender who is extremely athletic and he’s a Hlinka-Gretzky gold medalist. If Gauthier can make the saves he’s supposed to make, he should be the starter. Garand has been brilliant for upstart Kamloops. He’s a monster competitor, who is technically sound. He is also very good at playing the puck. The third goalie is anyone’s guess. Lennox has the size, Brett Brochu has come out of nowhere and Devon Levi is extremely confident and has put up remarkable numbers at every level.

Synopsis: The defence corps provides a nice mix of experience, size and grit. Byram and Drysdale should anchor each of the top-two pairings, with both of them likely to see significant time on the power play.

Schneider, a Rangers’ first-rounder, was close to making it last year. He skates well, moves pucks efficiently and has great physical presence. The makeup of this group allows there to be a puck-mover paired with a complimentary or more of a stay-at-home type. O’Rourke, Guhle, and Korczak are all big and nasty, while Spence is a blend of Byram and Drysdale. This group is also split evenly between left and right shots.

Remaining Time -3:36 1195600 Websites According to the Senators’ long-term plan (112 pages!), the 2020-21 season is one in which the club threatens for a playoff spot, but builds toward true contention from 2021-25.

Sportsnet.ca / Senators depth chart: Galchenyuk's addition puts Ottawa's That makes the year ahead critical for developing all of the future core lineup in focus players -- make them earn their spots, sure, and play in a suitable league -- but don’t let them get discouraged by a lack of opportunity. It is a tricky balancing act.

Wayne Scanlan Here’s a rundown of the some of the roster changes and the depth chart rounding into view: October 29, 2020, 3:53 PM With the chips settling on Ottawa’s roster for the upcoming NHL season,

Dorion has spent more than US$26 million on 2020-21 salaries alone With their reputation as a low-budget team in a rebuild, the Ottawa since Sept. 25, to bump the Senators' expenditures to $68.2 million from Senators weren’t expected to make a lot of noise during the free agency $41.9 million. period. While Ottawa carried a payroll of $73.6 million last season, nearly $16 Hold the phone. Week by week, general manager has million of it was allotted to injured reserve players who never saw a been adding veteran players to supplement his young prospects, as well minute of action. as to replace a wealth of experience that has departed since March. Ottawa has just one player left on LTIR (Marian Gaborik, $4.8 million) Alex Galchenyuk, very familiar to Ottawa fans and the Senators pro plus the buyouts of Ryan ($3.5M) and Dion Phaneuf ($1.3M). scouts from his days with the Montreal Canadiens, is the latest to sign Dorion has been busy for a reason. Gone from the opening night lineup with the Senators -- a manageable, prove-yourself, one-year contract for that faced the Toronto Maple Leafs on Oct. 2, 2019 are forwards Ryan, $1.05 million. Pageau, Duclair, Tyler Ennis and Scott Sabourin, plus defencemen Dylan The reaction on social media was swift -- Galchenyuk? Really? DeMelo, Ron Hainsey, Mark Borowiecki and goaltender Craig Anderson.

What about those forward spots the Senators were supposed to be Added to the roster over the past month: forwards Dadonov and rugged preserving for rising talent like Drake Batherson, Alex Formenton and winger Austin Watson, defencemen Josh Brown and Erik Gudbranson, Josh Norris, etc.? plus goaltender Matt Murray. For now, that leaves two to three spots for prospects, such as centres Norris and Logan Brown, and wingers It’s worth taking stock of Ottawa’s depth chart to see where Galchenyuk, Batherson, Formenton and Stuetzle to try to establish themselves in the still just 26, might fit and how it could impact the talent in the system. NHL.

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Connor Brown believes Senators are doing things the right way Dadonov sees Senators in race for the Cup for next few years

Like everything else, the Senators' off-season game plan has to be Without presuming we know how the lines will shake out weeks before considered with the pandemic in mind. What if it becomes more prudent Ottawa will be able to start a training camp, here is at least a list of how to keep some or all of their European talent overseas and bypass what is the Senators stack up at each position. sure to be an abbreviated NHL season with restricted travel and quarantine issues? Centre: Galchenyuk, Stuetzle, Chris Tierney, Josh Norris, Colin White, Logan Brown. Something has to give here, obviously. Logan Brown or Bringing in a veteran like Galchenyuk, cheap, gives Dorion and head Galchenyuk could revert to the wing, although both are more natural coach D.J. Smith options, including another experienced forward in case centres. Stuetzle could be overseas, or here as a C or winger. Norris is one or more of the prospects aren’t ready, or if a decision is made to still on his entry-level deal and could be in Belleville, although he keep newly drafted centre/winger Tim Stuezle in Germany a while longer deserves every chance to make the senior club after a standout 2019-20 for logistical reasons. AHL season.

There isn’t much doubt Ottawa bought low on Galchenyuk. He had a Left-wing: Tkachuk, Formenton, Anisimov, Nick Paul. Paul has pretty dreadful 2019-20 season split between the Arizona Coyotes and experience at centre, too, and could be a fourth line C. Pittsburgh Penguins, scoring a combined eight goals and 16 assists in 59 games. Dorion is hoping to find a semblance of the player who scored 30 Right-wing: Dadonov, C. Brown, Batherson, Watson. goals for the Habs in 2015-16 and was a third-overall draft choice in Forwards in the mix: Rudolfs Balcers (currently on loan to the Stavanger 2012. Oilers of the Norwegian League), Vitaly Abramov, Filip Chlapik. “Alex’s signing represents another good addition for us at forward,” Defence: Thomas Chabot, Nikita Zaitsev, Mike Reilly, Josh Brown, Erik Dorion said, in a statement after the deal was announced. “He’s versatile Gudbranson, Christian Wolanin. in that he can play both left-wing and centre. He’s gifted offensively, has been a solid power-play contributor and is a proven goal scorer in this Defencemen in the mix: Erik Brannstrom, Christian Jaros, Max Lajoie, league.” Artem Zub.

After winger Connor Brown signed a three-year, $10.8-million deal to Jaros, a restricted free agent, has yet to sign a new deal. He has an avoid arbitration last week, he joined the chorus of Senators who say arbitration date of Nov. 7. they really like the direction of the Senators. Goalie: Matt Murray, Marcus Hogberg. “I think we’ll be a tough team to play against, it’s going to be about scoring enough goals,” Brown said. Goalies in the mix: Anders Nilsson, Joey Daccord, Filip Gustavsson. Nilsson is still recovering from a concussion suffered in December, which Suddenly, with the addition of Galchenyuk, the Senators now have five was a factor in Dorion trading for Murray as his starter and then players who have been 20-plus goal scorers in the NHL: Connor Brown, extending him on a four-year, $25-million contract. Brady Tkachuk, Evgenii Dadonov, Artem Anisimov and Galchenyuk.

Remaining Time -5:00 Sportsnet.ca LOADED: 10.30.2020 It’s safe to say Ottawa has effectively replaced the departed offence represented by Anthony Duclair, Jean-Gabriel Pageau and Bobby Ryan. The bigger question is how this season sets up the years to come, which are far more important. At least a few of the Senators' veteran pieces look to be placeholders for the upcoming talent at forward and, especially, on defence, where Ottawa has three excellent prospects at the University of North Dakota alone. 1195601 Websites I’m [standing] in front of the net for the deflection, and Kent Douglas — one of my defencemen who was noted for his heavy slapshot — he slapped the puck and it ricocheted off a stick, and the puck comes up and strikes me in the right eye. It broke my nose. I had a big gash on my Sportsnet.ca / Q&A: Willie O'Ree on NHL career, post-playing days, push eye, cracked my cheek. The puck completely shattered the retina. The for inclusion doctor said, “Mr. O’Ree, you’re going to be blind in your right eye — you’ll never play hockey again.” I was 19. I slumped back into my hospital bed.

The goals and dreams I had set for myself were gone. Ryan Dixon@dixononsports Within the next five weeks I was back on the ice practising. The season October 29, 2020, 11:50 AM ends, I go back to my hometown. My parents thought I had recovered because I was back [practising], but I was totally blind. The only person I told was my younger sis. I said, “Sis, don’t say anything, because if they find out I’m blind, I won’t be able to play pro hockey, and I definitely won’t Willie O’Ree broke the NHL’s colour barrier on Jan. 18, 1958, but that be able to play in the National Hockey League.” was far from the beginning of his story. A few seasons prior, he lost sight in his right eye thanks to a teammate’s slapshot. And when his decades- [Later in the off-season] I get a call from , the coach and long career as a pro player ended, O’Ree toiled for years in numerous general manager of the Quebec Aces, inviting me to training camp. I jobs — from construction, to car sales, to private security — before being make the team, but I don’t tell them I’m blind in my right eye. They didn’t welcomed back into the NHL family. [do eye exams], so I just thought, “If you’re good enough to make the team with one eye, just don’t say anything.” I played left wing. I scored The past decade in particular has seen the Fredericton, N.B. native feted [22] goals that year and we won the league. That’s when I told myself, for his historical accomplishments, which did not make huge waves in the “Willie, you can do anything you set your mind to.” moment. The next year I got a nice letter from the Boston Bruins inviting me to O’Ree’s autobiography, Willie: The Game-Changing Story of NHL’s First their training camp. On January 18 [1958], the Bruins called the Aces and Black Player, details his family’s slave origins, how he pushed through said, “We want O’Ree to meet the Bruins in Montreal to play two games prejudice to become one of the most important figures in hockey history, against the Montreal Canadiens.” It was a Saturday night in the Montreal and the long wait to re-join the league he always wanted to be a part of in Forum. When I stepped on the ice, I became the first Black player to play retirement. in the NHL. It didn’t dawn on me until the next day. I read it in the paper. I The 85-year-old O’Ree, a longtime San Diego resident, spoke with was just so happy about being called up. Sportsnet about his journey. Everyone knows about those watershed two games in 1958, but I SPORTSNET: We all know you for breaking hockey’s colour barrier, but imagine fewer people are aware you played more than half the 1960–61 you write that the first time you really felt skin colour come into play in a season with Boston. You were 25 and it appeared your dream of sporting context was when you received an overture from a Major becoming a full-time NHLer was coming to fruition. League Baseball team in the mid-1950s? After the season, the Bruins said, “Go home, have a good summer, look WILLIE O’REE: I was playing baseball in my hometown. I was forward to coming back to the Bruins.” I was overjoyed, told my mom and considered a pretty good ball player. I played shortstop and second base. dad I was going back to the Bruins. I was home about six weeks, the Two scouts came from the Milwaukee Braves’ minor league operation phone rings, my mom hands the phone to me and says, “It’s a and wanted to offer me a contract to go down to training camp in sportswriter.” He said, “Well, what do you think about the trade?” I said, Waycross, Georgia (roughly 380 kilometres south-east of Atlanta). Right “What trade are you referring to?” He said, “You’ve been traded to the out of the blue I said, “No, I’m not interested. I’m just going to play Montreal Canadiens.” baseball here.” They said, “You’re giving up a fantastic opportunity; there I didn’t get any notification from the Bruins, but I did get a nice letter from are not too many Black players in this area that get this tryout. Why don’t the Montreal Canadiens saying, “You’re to report to the Hull-Ottawa you give it some thought? We’re going to be in this area for two or three Canadiens.” I go [there] and I’m having a pretty good season, then I got days.” traded to the Los Angeles Blades of the Western Hockey League. I went I told my parents about it and they said, “Oh no, Willie; going down in the out to Los Angeles on Nov. 12, 1961, and played with the Blades for six deep south, there are so many problems. We wouldn’t want you to go.” years. Then I talked to my brother — who was not only my brother and friend, After playing in L.A., you spent the rest of the ’60s and a huge portion of he was my mentor — [and he said], “How do you feel inside?” I said, “I’d the 1970s playing minor-pro in San Diego. What were your post-playing really like to go down for the experience.” And he said, “If you feel that days like? way, why don’t you go?” After I retired, I had several jobs. But my goal that I had set in the back of So I flied into Atlanta, stepped off the plane, went into the terminal and my mind was to get back into the National Hockey League in some the first thing I saw was the restrooms with “White Only” and “Coloured capacity where I could give back, not only to the sport, but to the Only.” I contacted a Black cab driver and explained my situation — I had community. A door would open and close; open and close. But I felt to stay in Atlanta overnight, could you recommend a hotel? So he took strongly I was going to get back into hockey. me to an all-Black neighbourhood. I stayed there and the next morning I got on the bus [to] Waycross. I was issued a dorm with eight other [Then in 1996], Bryant McBride, who was the newly appointed vice players of colour, issued a uniform and started working out the next president of the [NHL’s] diversity program, was in a meeting with Lou morning. Vairo from USA Hockey. They were planning to open hockey up to every girl and boy and let them know, “Here’s a sport — if you want to play it, My heart really wasn’t in it. I said, “God, why did I make this decision to you have the opportunity.” Jackie Robinson’s name came up during the come down?” Going into the third week [I got cut]. They said, “Mr. O’Ree, meeting and just out of the blue Vairo says, “We have our own Jackie we were impressed with your play, but we think you need a little more Robinson in hockey,” and the room went silent. They said, “Who is it?” seasoning.” Outwardly I was looking like I was real sad about being cut, Lou said, “Willie O’Ree. I watched him play with the Boston Bruins in the but inwardly I [thought], “Thank God, I’m going back home,” because I old Madison Square Gardens.” had four or five experiences at camp with the racist remarks. Bryant said, “Well, I’m going to try and get ahold of him.” He [couldn’t get] I was on the bus for five days. Blacks in the south had to sit at the back my number. He knew a couple FBI agents in the San Diego area, and he of the bus, which I wasn’t used to. As [we travelled] north I started called them and explained what he wanted. Within a few hours, the FBI moving up on the bus; when I got to Bangor, Maine, I was sitting right in gentleman called back and said, “Mr. O’Ree is working [security at the the front. When I stepped off the bus [in Fredericton] I said, “Willie, forget Hotel del Coronado].” about baseball; concentrate on hockey.” Bryant called me and introduced himself. I was a little hesitant. I said, Your pro hockey career could have been derailed before it really began “Why are you calling me?” He said, “I’m the new vice president of the when, as a member of the Kitchener Canucks, you sustained a NHL’s diversity program involving kids playing hockey. I was just devastating eye injury. What happened and how did you make it wondering if you’d be interested?” I said, “I don’t know. I live here in San through? Diego, and there’s no way I could move to New York.” Bryant said, “You can live in San Diego and commute from there.” So that’s how it all started.

You’ve been in this position more than 20 years now. What have you learned about diversity and inclusion yourself, and do you feel the NHL is moving fast enough today to make hockey a completely inclusive sport?

We still have problems. I’ve even had racial remarks directed toward me, still today, from people I’ve never met. Maybe they’ve met me, but I’ve never known it. We’re working in the right direction. It’s not going to stop overnight, unfortunately. You have those people out there who are prejudiced, and they’re bigots and racists. But overall I think the National Hockey League has come a long way from 20 or 30 years ago. I really feel we’re working in the right direction.

The Black players and players of colour who are in the league now, they’re there because they have the skills and the ability to be there; they’ve worked hard. I’m sure some of them still get racial remarks, [but] I really feel things are getting better. As I mentioned, things are not going to happen overnight [in hockey or the world in general].

It took a long time, but you’ve finally gotten your proper due, being elected to the Hockey Hall of Fame in 2018, the same year the league established the Willie O’Ree Community Hero Award. What has this chapter of your life been like?

I was invited to Jarome Iginla’s hockey school in Calgary [a couple years after beginning work with the NHL]. I met a lot of the kids up there, parents, a lot of the fans. We’re on the ice and Jarome took me aside and said, “Willie, I can’t imagine what you had to go through to make it possible for players like myself to play in the National Hockey League.” When you hear that from [a guy like Iginla], that’s a nice feeling.

A lot of people thanked me for the things I’ve accomplished. I get [phone calls, emails, letters] from boys and girls I met six, seven years ago thanking me for coming to their school and talking about goal-setting, believing in yourself, liking yourself. I feel I’m a much better person [for that]. If these boys and girls take one thing from my presentation and use it in their daily life, I’m a happy camper.

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Sportsnet.ca / Coyotes renounce rights to prospect Mitchell Miller

Sportsnet Staff @Sportsnet

October 29, 2020, 2:32 PM

The Arizona Coyotes have renounced the rights for 2020 draft pick Mitchell Miller, the team announced Thursday.

The move comes after it was revealed earlier this week that Miller was charged with assault and violating the Ohio Safe Schools Act in February of 2016 after he and another student admitted to bullying Isaiah Meyer- Crothers, a classmate who is Black and has a learning disability.

“We have decided to renounce the rights to Mitchell Miller, effective immediately,” Coyotes president and CEO Xavier Gutierrez said, via a team statement issued Thursday. “Prior to selecting Mitchell in the NHL Draft, we were aware that a bullying incident took place in 2016. We do not condone this type of behavior but embraced this as a teachable moment to work with Mitchell to make him accountable for his actions and provide him with an opportunity to be a leader on anti-bullying and anti-racism efforts.

"We have learned more about the entire matter, and more importantly, the impact it has had on Isaiah and the Meyer-Crothers family. What we learned does not align with the core values and vision for our organization and leads to our decision to renounce our draft rights. On behalf of the Arizona Coyotes ownership and our entire organization, I would like to apologize to Isaiah and the Meyer-Crothers family. We are building a model franchise on and off the ice and will do the right thing for Isaiah and the Meyer-Crothers family, our fans and our partners. Mr. Miller is now a free agent and can pursue his dream of becoming an NHL player elsewhere.”

Coyotes general manager Bill Armstrong also provided a statement:

“I fully support our decision to renounce Mitchell Miller’s draft rights,” Armstrong said. “It was a unique situation for me not being able to participate in this year’s Draft and we were going through a transition with our scouting department. Mitchell is a good hockey player, but we need to do the right thing as an organization and not just as a hockey team. I’d like to apologize to Isaiah and the Meyer-Crothers family for everything they have dealt with the past few months. I wish them all the best in the future.”

Armstrong, as he noted, was not permitted to be at the helm of the Coyotes' draft this year per an agreement with his former club, the St. Louis Blues. The Coyotes selected Miller in the fourth round (111th overall) of the 2020 NHL Draft.

News of Mitchell's conviction was first brought to the surface by the Arizona Republic, whose article included quotes from Meyer-Crothers and his mother, Joni.

"Put yourself in our position. Would you be okay with it?" Joni Meyer- Crothers said. "It's a joke that a sports team, especially with all the stuff going on with Black Lives Matter, would do this."

Isaiah Meyer-Crothers, who is now 18, told the Republic that Miller had taunted him for years growing up and called him names like "brownie" and used the "N-word" while repeatedly hitting him. He said it "hurt my heart" when he saw the news that Miller had been drafted by the Coyotes.

In the days since The Republic's report, The Hockey Diversity Alliance -- a group founded earlier this year by current and former hockey players whose stated goal is to eradicate systemic racism and intolerance in hockey -- issued a statement urging the NHL and the Coyotes to act.

Sportsnet.ca LOADED: 10.30.2020 1195603 Websites importance to the league), while creating real travel and logistical flexibility for the players and support staff.

This is one hypothetical solution of many, and the league is surely Redrawing the rest of the NHL around an all-Canadian division exploring all avenues right now. But if I know one thing, it’s that the usual boundaries the league has held onto dearly have dissipated into thin air.

By Travis Yost Anything goes in 2020. And probably in 2021, too.

With free agency slowing down (some might question if it ever picked TSN.CA LOADED: 10.30.2020 up), attention has turned towards the National Hockey League’s next regular season. We know few details at this time – the raging coronavirus pandemic has predictably created deep uncertainty for the planners within the league.

That said, we can draw reasonable inference as to what the NHL will plan for if we understand the issues at play. The most obvious constraint concerns the international border between Canada and the United States. Should it remain closed, an all-Canadian division would be an option.

Creating that division is easy. The hard part is figuring out how to redraw the remaining divisions, especially if the appetite to enter virus-proof bubbles for a regular season isn’t there.

There are a few ways the league can draw these divisions; much of it will depend on whether or not the league considers regional bubbles (or similar controls of that nature) in order to minimize the risk of virus transmission. If we believe that geographic proximity will be something that dictates the redraw of divisions, we can figure out how to segment the remaining 24 teams.

To create this sort of regionality, I grabbed every airport’s latitude and longitude and created nautical mile distances between every possible American city pair. The below table shows the estimated time between pairs:

There is a lot of data in there, but this is the launch point for what will end up being our solve – an attempt to create regionality in the most optimal format knowing that seven Canadian teams, spread from coast to coast, will be unable to participate in those divisions.

That is an important restrictor for teams like Buffalo, who in every scenario would be logically paired with their geographic rival in Toronto – a current divisional foe found through a short drive (or a ridiculously short flight) up the QEW.

What we need to do now is strike any possible Canadian team and create only American team versus American opponent scenarios. The table below shows every team’s seven closest opponents – their optimal region, so to speak:

For most teams, you can create regional divisions that make all of the sense in the world. In our Buffalo example earlier, losing Toronto as a division rival doesn’t mean all that much – there are more than seven possible opponents in and around that region, and a team like Columbus (which currently occupies a slot in the Metropolitan Division) is barely a 40-minute flight away.

This example, of course, hits on another issue: the NHL has a swath of teams in close proximity to one another in the northeastern United States, whereas other teams – think the Minnesota Wild and Dallas Stars – really are standalone franchises. This naturally creates inefficiency in creating the regions. Time to get creative.

If we break away from the current format of 8-8-8-7 (number of teams respective to each division), we can come up with five regions carrying an average travel time of an hour or less:

Do I anticipate a fully functioning regular season, flush with teams travelling week after week to NHL destination cities? No. But I do think this is the NHL’s best opportunity at redrawing divisions that can be managed on the fly.

If the league is reticent to employ a tightly controlled bubble format (in which case you can draw the divisions up however you see fit), something like the above five-division format with an intra-division schedule is probably the most sensible way to bracket the teams.

It allows the league to consider things like “playing weeks” and “rest weeks” as well – a way to not only control the testing and isolation that’s going to be required for the regular season (which will be of high