SPORT-SCAN DAILY BRIEF NHL 03/23/19 1137021 Ducks’ recent surge continues in 4-3 OT win over Sharks 1137053 Avalanche hosts the in referee Brad 1137022 Jakob Silfverberg, Ducks work overtime to defeat Sharks Watson’s swan song 1137023 Ducks and Ryan Kesler set to discuss his hockey future 1137054 What you need to know about the Blackhawks-Avalanche 1137024 Poor injury reports mean Kesler, Eaves should consider weekend series retiring as Ducks 1137055 Grubauer, defense help Avalanche beat Stars 3-1 1137056 Avalanche await word on Mikko Rantanen’s health 1137025 In trying to promote rivalries, NHL's playoff structure is neglecting its top teams 1137057 Frustrations fester after loss to Oilers 1137026 Return of short-handed specialist Michael Grabner 1137058 Pierre-Luc Dubois working on his face-offs helps Arizona Coyotes' playoff chase 1137059 Oilers 4, Blue Jackets 1 | Five takeaways 1137027 NHL Western Conference Wild Card tracker: Coyotes making playoff push 1137028 Coyotes PK guru Scott Allen has more than earned his 1137060 Stars 2019 playoff tracker: Where Dallas sits in the stripes Western Conference standings (updated daily) 1137061 Despite being a healthy scratch for the majority of recent games, Jamie Oleksiak's chance could come in an ins 1137029 Can Sean Kuraly climb higher in the Bruins lineup? 1137030 Bruins’ Brad Marchand is on a roll 1137031 Boston Bruins assign winger Paul Carey to Providence 1137062 Red Wings' Taro Hirose earns high praise from Thomas 1137032 What we learned in Bruins' 5-1 win over Devils: Bruins' top Vanek. Here's why line at its peak 1137063 Taro Hirose shows ‘poise, vision’ in early going with Red 1137033 Talking Points from the Bruins' 5-1 win over the Devils: Wings Bergeron at his best 1137064 Former Red Wing John Chabot to broadcast first NHL 1137034 Are teams that enter the playoffs on a cold streak doomed game in Cree to failure? 1137065 Matt Puempel, one of Griffins’ top scorers, recalled by Red 1137035 Contractual hardball with Charlie McAvoy is not in the Wings Bruins’ future. The past says so. 1137066 Taro Hirose makes favorable impression two games into Red Wings career 1137067 Vanek scores twice, Blues beat Red Wings 5-2 1137036 Mike Harrington's NHL Power Rankings 1137037 After enduring slump, Conor Sheary using his speed to make impact for Sabres 1137068 Too soon for Boot Hill, says Oilers coach Hitchcock 1137069 JONES: Oilers boss Nicholson, while apologetic, wasn't BuffaloSabres wrong about Rieder 1137038 As the Sabres’ regular season dims, goaltending prospect 1137070 Oilers forward Draisaitl hoping for, but not obsessing over Ukko-Pekka Luukkonen could be a light on the horizon 50-goal plateau 1137071 Shots Fired: Tobias Rieder responds to Edmonton Oilers Flames brass 1137039 Giordano strengthens his case for NHL's top defenceman 1137072 WATCH: Tobias Rieder said he was offended by award Nicholson comments 1137040 Detail-oriented Hathaway carves out regular role with 1137073 'It is a little odd': Despite setbacks, the Edmonton Oilers Flames are still in the playoff hunt 1137041 GameDay: Flames at Canucks — 5 storylines 1137074 JONES: Nicholson calls out Tobias Rieder and Edmonton 1137042 Youngster leads Flames past Senators Oilers win 1137043 From NHL debuts to clinchers, Flames 1137075 Duhatschek Notebook: Sorting through the organizational players share the biggest games they’ve played in problems in Ottawa and Edmonton 1137076 After a year of despair, Oilers prospect Cameron Hebig grateful for latest chapter with the Condors 1137044 Sibling rivalries? The Carolina Hurricanes have a few, 1137077 Willis: Bob Nicholson’s misguided Tobias Rieder brother comments reveal deeper problems within Oilers management Chicago Blackhawks 1137045 Playoffs? Yes, playoffs. Blackhawks are down but aren't out with huge weekend games ahead. 1137078 Preview: Boston Bruins at Florida Panthers, 7 p.m., 1137046 Former Rockford IceHogs coach Ted Dent arrested on Saturday domestic battery charges 1137079 ‘He has opened our eyes’: Sam Montembeault making 1137047 All or nothing for Blackhawks in weekend back-to-back most of his chance with the Panthers with Avalanche 1137080 Recognized as one of the NHL’s top players, Sasha 1137048 Perlini relishes Chicago Blackhawks' role of playing the Barkov is hardly recognized in South Florida hunter 1137049 'It can go one of two ways': Blackhawks mindset going into home-and-home series with Avalanche 1137050 Four takeaways: Blackhawks can't crack Carter Hart as offense hits bump in the road 1137051 What you need to know about the Blackhawks-Avalanche weekend series 1137052 ‘You can see the light at the end of the tunnel’: Blackhawks core reinvigorated by a playoff push they never e 1137081 Kings' Ilya Kovalchuk feels like he didn't 'have a chance' 1137116 Rangers’ Chris Kreider will sit versus Maple Leafs, is day after Willie Desjardins took over to day 1137082 Takeaways from the Kings' 4-2 win over 1137117 Alexandar Georgiev’s Rangers classic in mind ahead of 1137083 Bishop High hockey reaches JV championship game of Leafs rematch Kings high school league 1137118 Alexandar Georgiev hoping to see fewer shots in Rangers' 1137084 Kings’ Dustin Brown says remaining games should be ‘fun’ rematch vs. Leafs 1137085 Ilya Kovalchuk opens up on ‘horrible’ healthy scratch, 1137119 Projecting pending restricted free agent Pavel disastrous first season with Kings Buchnevich’s next contract 1137086 FINAL – 5, BAKERSFIELD (SO) 1137120 ‘There’s a lot of big things for me to do here’: Kevin 1137087 LEIPSIC OUT “A FEW DAYS;” BRODZINSKI’S USAGE; Shattenkirk reflects on his up-and-down Rangers tenure AIDEN ROSE; BROWN’S MILESTONE 1137088 WAKING UP WITH THE KINGS: MARCH 22 NHL 1137089 PREVIEW – ONTARIO VS. BAKERSFIELD, 3/22 1137121 Holtby says he won’t go with Capitals to White House 1137090 Wild notes: Victor Rask to face Hurricanes for first time 1137122 SNAPSHOTS: Chabot and White return as Senators since trade prepare to face Oilers 1137091 Wild-Carolina gameday preview 1137123 Eugene Melnyk confident the Senators' rebuild will pay 1137092 Wild's rookies lead the way in win over Capitals dividends down the road 1137093 Wild-Washington game recap 1137124 Eugene Melnyk delivers verbal bombs and some muddled 1137094 Wild edge Capitals 2-1 to move into playoff position messaging about keeping the Senators’ stars 1137095 Wild stays hot away from home, topping Capitals 2-1 1137125 Duhatschek Notebook: Sorting through the organizational 1137096 Wild still in a position to control its own destiny when it problems in Ottawa and Edmonton faces the Capitals 1137126 Thoughts in Bold: Eugene Melnyk on LeBreton Flats and 1137097 Wild back in playoff position after win over defending why organization’s focus is on the ‘real fans’ Stanley Cup champions 1137098 After weeks of back-and-forth, Wild winger Matt Read gets another chance 1137127 If Johnny Boychuk plays in rematch against Jake Voracek, 1137099 Wild waltz into Washington and top the champs because Flyers’ interim coach Scott Gordon doesn’t expect fir the world is an enigma 1137128 Flyers legend Bernie Parent on Carter Hart: ‘I see nothing but sunshine for this kid’ | Sam Carchidi Canadiens 1137129 Flyers-Blackhawks observations: Corban Knight gets first 1137100 Canadiens' Andrew Shaw has grown a longer fuse with NHL goal in three years, and a gash on his nose maturity 1137130 Carter Hart makes impressive saves as Philadelphia 1137101 Canadiens Notebook: Habs' chances of making playoffs at Flyers beat Chicago Blackhawks 50.9 per cent 1137131 Blackhawks expect Joel Quenneville to coach next season 1137102 Stu Cowan: Lots of smiles on team photo day for the 1137132 NHL playoff picture: Flyers still knocking on the door Canadiens 1137133 Flyers 3, Blackhawks 1: 10 things we learned as team 1137103 Hickey on Hockey: Les Canadiennes, Inferno renew fierce tries to ‘make sure we end the right way’ title rivalry 1137104 The Art of Deception: How Canadiens prospect Nick Suzuki tricks defenders to rack up points 1137134 Goals are only thing missing for promising Penguins 3rd 1137105 Melnick’s GBU: Springtime in Montreal is fun again line 1137135 Bryan Rust’s goal helps Penguins avoid potentially frustrating loss 1137106 Former Predator Mike Fisher says he's now an American 1137136 Jamie Oleksiak reflects on his short time with the citizen Penguins 1137107 Catfish Corner newsletter: Pekka Rinne's puppy, Austin 1137137 Jim Rutherford: At long last, Penguins 'playing the way we Watson's return, Kyle Turris' frustration should' 1137138 The Penguins stumble again late, but author a different ending: ‘We earned this one’ 1137108 The art of the chirp, according to the NJ Devils 1137109 NJ Devils' Mirco Mueller and Nico Hischier eying returns San Jose Sharks against Coyotes 1137139 Takeaways: DeBoer speaks honestly about the Sharks 1137110 Takeaways: NJ Devils showing character in late-season goaltending issues losses 1137140 Sharks lose fifth straight game in Anaheim 1137111 Tri-state pros bring in big money for New Jersey charity 1137141 If you thought Ron Burgundy was a hoot as a TV anchor, game wait til you hear him call hockey 1137142 Sharks’ fifth consecutive loss comes in OT 1137143 Tomas Hertl has become the player the Sharks always 1137112 Playoff obstacle Islanders will face as season comes to hoped he would be close 1137113 Mat Barzal’s flagging play comes at worst possible time for St Louis Blues Islanders 1137144 Blues are facing a pair of very tough games 1137114 Islanders mired in a slump at the worst possible time 1137145 Steen finds new home on Blues' fourth line 1137115 With the Islanders entering a crucial stretch after two- 1137146 Blues take it easy as they prepare for battles with Tampa straight ugly losses, four fixes they should consider Bay and Vegas Websites 1137147 Lightning is never satisfied, and that’s a good thing 1137190 The Athletic / The story of HockeyDB: ‘It sort of changed 1137148 Lightning signs prospect Ryan Lohin from UMass-Lowell the world’ 1137149 Hurricanes coach Rod Brind’Amour on the Lightning: 1137191 The Athletic / Are teams that enter the playoffs on a cold ‘They’re too good’ streak doomed to failure? 1137150 Yanni Gourde suspended two games for hit to Jordan 1137192 The Athletic / LeBrun: Q&A with Mike Gillis, who travelled Staal’s head the world to find out what sets elite organizations 1137151 Lightning-Capitals: Observations from Tampa Bay’s 1137193 .ca / Eugene Melnyk's radio appearances leave overtime win expected trail of carnage 1137194 Sportsnet.ca / 15 late-season NHL call-ups making a case Maple Leafs for 2019-20 roster spots 1137152 There are many differences between the 1967 champions 1137195 Sportsnet.ca / Kings' Kovalchuk: 'I don’t have a chance' and today’s Maple Leafs playing under coach Desjardins 1137153 Saturday NHL preview: New York Rangers at Toronto 1137196 Sportsnet.ca / Maple Leafs respond to Senators owner Maple Leafs | The Star Eugene Melnyk ripping their rebuild 1137154 Patrick Marleau’s contract will be a problem for the Maple 1137197 Sportsnet.ca / Rieder 'offended' by Oilers CEO's criticism: Leafs this off-season | The Star 'It's disappointing' 1137155 Leaf-baiting Sens owner tops standings in bush league | 1137198 Sportsnet.ca / Blue Jackets' deadline moves on brink of The Star falling through 1137156 Leafs’ Babcock says he and GM Dubas are on the same 1137199 Sportsnet.ca / Jay Beagle loves Canucks' compete level, page | The Star optimistic about future 1137158 Game Day: Rangers at Maple Leafs 1137200 Sportsnet.ca / Deadline pickups have helped Julien bring 1137159 Babcock deals with ‘s–t storm’ after string of losses balance to Canadiens 1137160 Babcock responds to rumours of rift with Dubas 1137201 Sportsnet.ca / Leafs' Babcock, Dubas still growing their 1137161 Are teams that enter the playoffs on a cold streak doomed relationship to failure? 1137202 TSN.CA / Babcock addresses rumours of rift with Dubas 1137162 Coping with losses, playing for ‘all the marbles’ and four 1137203 USA TODAY / star Braden Holtby meals a day: A week in the life of Andreas Johnsson won't visit Donald Trump, White House with team 1137189 LeBrun: Q&A with Mike Gillis, who travelled the world to 1137180 Jets' first-round playoff foes likely Stars or Blues find out what sets elite organizations apart 1137181 Odds are Vegas hangover will be a short one for Jets 1137182 California dreamy, Sin City a bust 1137183 Byfuglien a key power-play ingredient, but Jets find ways 1137163 Golden Knights’ Reilly Smith set to play 500th career NHL to cope while he's out game 1137184 Jets, Preds in Saturday night showdown for first place 1137164 Golden Knights forward Max Pacioretty ‘day-to-day’ after 1137185 GAMEDAY: Jets vs. Predators injury 1137186 Patrick Johnston: Canucks’ Baertschi battles back from ‘scary’ concussion complications Washington Capitals 1137187 Ed Willes: The Canucks’ cup (not the Stanley) is half full 1137165 Kunin’s goal helps Wild edge Capitals, move into wild-card with hope to build on 1137166 Capitals are off the mark in 2-1 loss to Wild 1137188 Patrick Johnston: Quinn Hughes expected to skate with 1137167 Wild edge Capitals 2-1 to move into playoff position Canucks once bone bruise heals 1137168 Capitals defenseman Michal Kempny out indefinitely 1137169 Defenseman Michal Kempny out indefinitely with left leg injury SPORT-SCAN, INC. 941-284-4129 1137170 Goaltender Braden Holtby says he won’t visit White House with Capitals on Monday 1137171 Capitals defenseman Michal Kempny out indefinitely with lower-body injury 1137172 Braden Holtby will not visit White House with Capitals 1137173 Wild tame the Caps as Washington fails to add to their division lead 1137174 Playoff Push: Games to watch this weekend for the 1137175 How Tom Wilson's first game back from suspension against Minnesota sparked the Caps 1137176 With Kempny out indefinitely, Djoos set to play for Capitals tonight vs. Minnesota 1137177 Braden Holtby says he will ‘respectfully decline’ invitation to the White House 1137178 Coveted Capitals prospect Chase Priskie still pondering his NHL future: 'I'm kind of in the dark as well' 1137179 Capitals on opposite sides of White House decision vow to stick together as a team 1137021 Anaheim Ducks

Ducks’ recent surge continues in 4-3 OT win over Sharks

By MIKE COPPINGER

Curtis Zupke contributed to this report

MAR 22, 2019 | 10:55 PM

Bob Murray is left to wonder what could have been?

What if the Ducks’ general manager made the decision earlier to fire Randy Carlyle and assume coaching duties himself? Just maybe, the Ducks would be in playoff position with six games remaining in the season. With Murray behind the bench, the Ducks’ long-stagnant offense has come alive, and the attack was again on display Friday at Honda Center against a postseason-bound squad.

The Ducks topped the division-rival San Jose Sharks 4-3, with a Jakob Silfverberg wrist-shot over Aaron Dell’s right shoulder just 38 seconds into the extra period. The victory was the Ducks’ seventh in their last 11 games, and pushed the Sharks’ losing streak to five.

Silfverberg collected a backhanded pass from Rickard Rakell off the rush, then the winger slid over to the right, pulling the Sharks goalie along with him, before firing the puck into the space Dell just vacated. The overtime goal ensured three-point nights for both Swedes in the Ducks’ fourth four-goal game in the 11-game span.

Rakell’s two-goal performance was a rare bright spot in a disappointing campaign for the team’s lone All-Star from a season ago, when he led the Ducks with 34 goals.

“He’s been having chances throughout the whole year but especially of late too,” said Silfverberg, who scored his 23rd goal of the season. “Maybe he hasn’t been getting the bounces so it’s good seeing him get two big goals tonight and it was two nice shots, too. Wasn’t just a lucky bounce here or there. You can tell he — and the rest of the team — is starting to get the confidence in these last few games here.”

Too little, too late for any realistic shot at the playoffs — the Ducks sit eight points out with 12 more standings points up for grabs — but they can take solace in the foundation they’re building (and the example they’re setting for the young players) heading into the summer.

Rakell opened the game’s scoring with a snap-shot that whipped past Dell with Adam Henrique providing the screen almost eight minutes into the contest. He made it 13 on the season with a power-play goal late in the third that gave the Ducks another lead they squandered.

Kesler, Eaves updates

Murray told reporters that Ryan Kesler would meet with doctors Friday night to evaluate a career-threatening hip injury.

“Kes has to get everything in his life in order as to what he has to do in order to play,” Murray said. “It’s not exactly good for his body, the things he puts himself through. We need to take full inventory of where he is in his life and go forward from there. The agent and I have talked a bunch.”

Murray cast doubt that Kesler, 34, would play again this season, and Murray did not have encouraging news about Patrick Eaves when he said the 34-year-old suffered an unknown setback. Eaves played just two games last season because of post-viral syndrome.

“There is no new diagnosis or anything,” Murray said. “This is a very troubling situation, and everybody is doing the best they can with it. There is no diagnosis, and he’s just struggling again with everything.”

LA Times: LOADED: 03.23.2019 1137022 Anaheim Ducks

Jakob Silfverberg, Ducks work overtime to defeat Sharks

By Elliott Teaford | PUBLISHED: March 22, 2019 at 9:59 pm | UPDATED: March 23, 2019 at 12:20 am

ANAHEIM — Jakob Silfverberg skated purposefully down the center of the ice in the opening seconds of overtime Friday at Honda Center. He accepted a pass from Ducks teammate Rickard Rakell and kept going, drawing ever closer to Aaron Dell’s net as the San Jose Sharks failed to close in on him.

Finally, Silfverberg wound up and unleashed a laser-like shot from the high slot, beating Dell to the stick side for the game-winning goal 38 seconds into the five-minute extra period and giving the Ducks a hard- earned 4-3 victory over the playoff-bound Sharks.

Silfverberg’s goal was his team-leading 23rd of the season, tying his career high. It also was his third point of the game, following assists on goals by Rakell and Adam Henrique in a back-and-forth game. Rakell also had three points, recording two goals and one assist.

Silfverberg and Rakell led, and the rest of the Ducks followed Friday, all the way to their third victory in four games and their seventh in their last 11 games, a late-season surge that has kept them mathematically alive in the playoff race with two weeks left in the regular season.

“He pulls a lot of weight,” Ducks assistant coach Marty Wilford said of Silfverberg, who signed a five-year, $26.25-million contract extension March 2. “He leads by example every day. He’s driven. He’s everything you want in an Anaheim Duck. He’s a great role model.

“He’s been very vocal in speaking up.”

That’s something new for Silfverberg, who more often lets his play speak for itself. But as the Ducks’ season has wound down to its conclusion, with only six games remaining after Friday’s victory over the Sharks, he has stepped up his leadership role.

Rakell’s production hasn’t been what it was last season, when he scored a career-best 34 goals. His goals Friday were only his 12th and 13th of the season and marked his first multi-goal game of 2018-19. He also ended a six-game goal drought.

“The last month he’s been outstanding,” Wilford said. “He’s been really committed to his own end and that’s why he’s been playing on the -kill, too, and it seems like he’s had the puck more. I think that goes hand-in-hand with (playing better). He’s carrying us along with ‘Silfvy.’ ”

Rakell gave the Ducks a 1-0 lead in the first period, but San Jose’s Kevin Labanc tied it in the second. Henrique put the Ducks in front 2-1 with a power-play goal in the third, but Timo Meier countered with a power-play goal for the Sharks.

Rakell put the Ducks back in front 3-2 with a power-play goal with 4:55 remaining in regulation, but Justin Braun tied it for the Sharks with 2:40 to play in the third period. The Ducks went to OT for the first time since a Jan. 13 loss to the Winnipeg Jets.

Silfverberg then scored the OT winner, sending the Sharks to their fifth consecutive loss.

“Ricky made a great play at the (blue) line,” Silfverberg said. “I was just crossing behind him and he had them looking at him. I got my skates moving toward the net. I figured I might as well try. I put a lot on it and it went in. It was a good feeling, but Ricky was the one who made the initial play.”

Said Rakell: “It feels good when you score pretty early in the game. We created scoring chances and put pressure on them. We took a few too many penalties in this game, but at the same time, most of the time, our (penalty-killing) units weren’t giving them anything.

Orange County Register: LOADED: 03.23.2019 1137023 Anaheim Ducks

Ducks and Ryan Kesler set to discuss his hockey future

By Elliott Teaford | PUBLISHED: March 22, 2019 at 1:30 pm | UPDATED: March 22, 2019 at 1:30 PM

ANAHEIM — Bob Murray, the Ducks’ general manager and interim coach, said Friday he planned to meet later in the day with Ryan Kesler and the team’s medical personnel to discuss the 34-year-old center’s ailing hip and his future in hockey. Murray expected it to be a difficult but necessary conversation.

Kesler hasn’t played since the Ducks’ loss March 6 to the St. Louis Blues, sitting out for the eighth consecutive game Friday against the San Jose Sharks at Honda Center. With two weeks remaining in the season, it’s likely Kesler has played his final game in 2018-19.

It’s also possible he could have played his final game, period.

“I’m concerned with his quality of life going forward,” Murray said. “I’m not worried about hockey whatsoever right now. Can we all understand that? I’m concerned with his quality of life. … We’ve got to get him to get control of everything he’s doing in order to play.

“Sometimes it may not be the best thing going forward. I think he’s there (shutting it down for the season). The agent and I both have agreed to have a sit-down. It’s hard. He’s a competitor. You’ve got to convince some of these guys that there is life after hockey.

“Some (conversations) are a lot tougher than others.”

Kesler underwent major hip surgery during the offseason after the 2016- 17 season, then sat out all but 44 games in 2017-18. After an offseason build-up, he played 60 games this season, reaching his goal of playing in his 1,000th career game March 5 against the Arizona Coyotes.

He played again the next night against the Blues, but hasn’t played or practiced with the team since. Officially, the Ducks have listed him as day to day, but his chances to return to the lineup would seem limited before the season ends April 5.

Kesler went through a grueling daily routine just to reach his 1,000th game, one that involved daily stretching and warmup exercises before and after he skated. He had to learn to walk again after surgery, then to skate, then to play at something close to a competitive level in the NHL.

He has five goals and eight points this season, down from eight goals and 14 points last season, which was down from 22 goals and 58 points in 2016-17, when he helped the Ducks reach the Western Conference final for the second time in three seasons.

Kesler is a five-time finalist for the Selke Trophy, winning the award that goes to the forward who best excels in the defensive aspects of the game in 2010-11 while with the Vancouver Canucks. Murray acquired him from the Canucks following the 2013-14 season.

“’Kes’ has to get everything in his life in order here as to what he’s doing,” Murray said. “What he has to do to get himself ready to play is not exactly good for his body, the things he puts himself through. We’ve got to take full inventory of where he is in his life and go forward from there.

“I doubt strongly you’ll see him again this year.”

EAVES UPDATE

Right wing Patrick Eaves visited the Mayo Clinic in Rochester, Minnesota, recently in order to determine why he’s been too weak to play with the of the AHL. He’s experienced symptoms similar to the illness that sidelined him for the first part of 2017-18.

“There’s no new diagnosis or anything,” Murray said of the exam. “This is a very troubling situation and everybody’s doing the best they can with it. He’s struggling again with everything. It’s a little bit like ‘Kes.’ We hope he gets better so he has a normal life.”

Orange County Register: LOADED: 03.23.2019 1137024 Anaheim Ducks Time works against them as well as the bodies that are in a state of betrayal, the toll being collected for playing a hard game and often doing the kind of dirty work others aren’t as willing to do. The number of Poor injury reports mean Kesler, Eaves should consider retiring as Ducks surgeries that both have had to undergo can make a beer leaguer blush. And they’re only getting older.

I’m not one to question the will of an athlete, especially a hockey player. By Eric Stephens 3h ago And that will is often fueled by intense desire, a long-standing craving of the game they’ve loved and excelled at. It has kept Kesler and Eaves

coming back for more. Who can fault the player who doesn’t want to ANAHEIM, Calif. – Back on March 6, Ryan Kesler was feted for reaching hang up his or her skates, even when the high level of play they once the milestone 1,000-game mark in regular-season NHL duty and displayed is no longer reachable? Who has the right to tell them to stop? received the customary silver stick that accompanies such an honor. He Never have I been in their position and never will I. Most of us won’t. hit that number the night before. He played that evening at Honda Center But in this case, I’m saying that maybe it is time to stop. and hasn’t dressed since. It isn’t being said in a flippant manner. Eaves and Kesler have earned all Back on Nov. 1, Patrick Eaves didn’t get anything to commemorate an sorts of respect for the careers they’ve had. Admiration as well, achievement but the night for him was one itself. He played in an NHL particularly for their persistence and ability to repeatedly come back from game for the first time in more than a year. He has appeared in only six injuries virtually covering head to toe. But a degenerative hip for one and more since, putting him at 633. It is hard to say that it’s a mortal lock he a strength-sapping muscle problem for the other, which make the act of won’t see 1,000, but this is where he is at. walking far more difficult than it should be, are different. The two no Those were impressive feats for the two on those very different longer have many years to return to a point where they’re completely occasions, considering all they’ve gone through over the course of their healthy and able to be impact players. careers to stay on the ice and battle. As it stands now, they might not There is a cold financial element to this. There must be in a salary-cap play another NHL game. The time has come for them to take a serious world. Kesler has three years and $20 million left on a contract that’s look at that option. taken the form of an anchor. Eaves has one more year and $3 million still The updates on the health of the pair delivered by Bob Murray on Friday owed. Between them, there’s about $10 million of cap space eaten up for morning were sobering. Following up on what he told The Orange County 2019-20. The Ducks, a club that remains cost-conscious even as it’s Register and other assembled media during a morning address last week been up against the cap ceiling this season, would surely benefit from the in Denver, Murray doesn’t see Kesler returning for any of Anaheim’s final kind of flexibility that would materialize if either opted to retire. six games. And it is plainly evident that Eaves will not play for the Ducks And if they were to not leave that kind of cash on the table, there is the or the AHL’s San Diego Gulls, the team’s minor-league affiliate that he possibility that both could be stashed on long-term injured reserve. had been assigned to on Feb. 20. Murray has always expressed concern over putting players on LTIR as It is recurring issues for both. Kesler willed his way through a surgically their salaries have to be accounted for when they return to action. But if repaired right hip to 1,000 games (and one more) but it impairs him on either Kesler or Eaves physically can’t, then that is a worry they won’t and off the ice, and the pain may never cease until it is replaced with an have to consider. Teams are still cutting checks for players such as Dave artificial one. Eaves pushed his way past a mysterious muscle- Bolland, David Clarkson, Marian Gaborik and Nathan Horton, who are weakening disorder, but Murray said he is now dealing with similar effectively done. symptoms that first afflicted him 18 months ago. The Ducks would not be hit with a cap recapture penalty, as Kesler’s deal The outlook, for now, does not look good for either. isn’t one where he makes substantially less in his final years. The club didn’t structure his six-year extension to where it would get a much lower Murray, the Ducks’ longtime general manager and current interim head cap number. coach, said he expected to have a conversation with the 34-year-old Kesler and the Ducks’ medical staff Friday night. It could be a heart-to- And the Ducks would certainly like to avoid the prospect of a buyout. For heart talk with the feisty center who has played 15 hard seasons. instance, Eaves would be paid $2 million over two seasons and Anaheim would have a cap hit of $1.15 million for 2019-20 and $1 million for 2020- “Kes has to get everything in his life in order here,” Murray said. “What he 21 instead of the $3.15 million that’s in place for next season. Kesler is a has to do in order to play is not exactly good for his body. The things he much bigger deal, of course. His cap hit could fall from $6.875 million to puts himself through. We’ve got to take full inventory of where he is in his $2.425 million for three years and $2.225 million for another three on top life and go forward from there. of that. (Hat tip to the good folks at CapFriendly.com.)

“The agent (Kurt Overhardt) and I have talked a bunch. We’ll work on out That’s cap savings for sure, but that is also paying someone for the next from there. I doubt strongly you’ll see him again this year.” six years who won’t play for you. Maybe Kesler doesn’t play at all. You wouldn’t think he could for six years even if he did make it back to the Murray also revealed that Eaves, who’s also 34, has visited the Mayo ice. But what if he does come back and play for another team, Clinic in Rochester, Minn. He spent time there in early 2018 to particularly one that could be a rival? I’ll say retirement should be unsuccessfully reach a diagnosis for the ailment that originally landed strongly considered, but I won’t bet against his will. And having dealt with him in an intensive care unit after being in a severely weakened state buying out Todd Bertuzzi and watching him return as an effective player following two games played for Anaheim during October 2017. with Detroit, Ducks owner Henry Samueli would not like to see a repeat The winger, whose wide assortment of injuries have made his 14 of that. Nor would Murray, who was fond of Kesler long before he got him seasons physically challenging, has not seen game action since Feb. 23 from Vancouver. for the Gulls. Between Anaheim and San Diego, Eaves has appeared in General managers have to be cold-hearted at times. Or at least make only 14 contests. decisions in a dispassionate manner. Tough conversations will be had in “He’s had a setback,” Murray said. “Texted with him yesterday. There’s Anaheim and tough choices could be made. But this was no occasion to no new diagnosis or anything. Again, this is a very troubling situation. become a stone. Everybody’s doing the best they can with it. There’s no diagnosis and To Kesler and his future, Murray said, “I’m concerned with his quality of he’s just struggling again. With everything. life going forward. I’m not worried about hockey whatsoever right now. “Just a little bit like Kes, we hope he gets better so he has a normal life. OK? Can we all understand that? I’m worried about his quality of life and And right now, he feels weak all the – I don’t want to speak for him. He’s what he’s going to go through in the next little while. just struggling. … Just say that he’s experiencing some of the same “We got to get control of everything he’s doing in order to play. issues as last year. Let’s just leave it at that.” Everything he’s doing – sometimes it just may not be the best thing for Different issues to deal with for both, but things that have made the past him going forward.” two seasons among the most difficult they’ve ever faced. Kesler has There hasn’t been an official announcement that he’ll be shut down, but been able to play much more often (104) than Eaves (9), but neither has the GM said, “I think he’s there.” been anywhere close to the productive forwards they once were. “It’s hard,” Murray continued. “He’s a competitor. You got to convince some of these guys that there is life after hockey. Some are a lot tougher than others.”

Shutting it down forever is hardly an easy decision. It figures to be that for Kesler and Eaves when that day comes, and who knows what they will ultimately decide. But it needs to be part of the conversations they have with the ones who are most important to them.

Notes

Defenseman Brendan Guhle has an oblique strain that kept him out of action for a ninth consecutive game Friday night when the Ducks beat San Jose, 4-3, on Jakob Silfverberg’s overtime goal. Guhle played in five contests with Anaheim following his acquisition from Buffalo before getting hurt on March 5 in Arizona. Murray is hopeful that he will play again this season, whether for the Ducks or Gulls.

Jacob Larsson missed his second straight game because of a charley horse. Murray said he hasn’t regained a full range of motion, but it is possible that he resumes skating early next week. Chad Johnson remains on injured reserve after dealing with injuries related to taking two heavy shots off his mask over a three-day span in early February. He is working out off-ice and has occasionally taken shots in goal but is not near availability.

The Athletic LOADED: 03.23.2019 1137025 Arizona Coyotes The Coyotes announced Wednesday they had terminated seven amateur scouts: Mike Sands, Glen Zacharias, Jim Hammett, Thomas Carlsson, Max Kolu, Martin Bakula and Rick Beckfield.

In trying to promote rivalries, NHL's playoff structure is neglecting its top It’s not secret the Coyotes have struggled in terms of getting several of teams their recent draft picks to pan out they way they had hoped. Max Domi, Brendan Perlini and Dylan Strome were all first-round picks in successive years from 2013-15 and all three have been traded in the last calendar Richard Morin, Arizona Republic Published 11:18 a.m. MT March 22, year. 2019 | Updated 11:25 a.m. MT March 22, 2019 The departures of the seven scouts is likely related to the recent hiring of Lindsay Hofford to his current position of assistant general manager and director of scouting. Prior to being hired by the Coyotes in July, Hofford When players start feeling bad for other teams in their own division due had worked as an amateur scout with the . to the NHL’s playoff structure, it might be time to take a deeper look. “I believe the most important part of my role is to recruit talented people,” That’s exactly what Tampa Bay Lightning captain Steven Stamkos did Coyotes President of Hockey Operations and General Manager John earlier this month, telling TSN that “I don’t think it’s the most fair” Chayka said in a release when Hofford was hired. “Lindsay is a best-in- approach to playoff seeding, citing how the Boston Bruins and Toronto class talent evaluator that will be an asset to our entire organization and Maple Leafs have been getting and will likely continue getting the short complementing the existing infrastructure we have in place.” end of the stick. Most NHL teams have about 14-20 scouts underemployment. The guess The NHL’s current playoff format, introduced in 2014, pits the No. 2 and here is that Hofford and the Coyotes are looking to retool their No. 3 teams in each division against one another in the first round. department with new scouts as teams approach the upcoming offseason Meanwhile, the first-place finishers take on one of the conference’s two and beyond. wild-card teams. The division winner with the best record takes on the second wild card, leaving the first wild card to the other division winner. Arizona Republic LOADED: 03.23.2019 On paper, it really doesn’t sound so bad. But the glaring weakness in the structure is that it does not account for one division being significantly stronger than the other as it relates to the conference or the rest of the league.

This is especially the case this season. In all likelihood, the Bruins and Maple Leafs will meet each other in the the first round as second and third-place finishers in the Atlantic Division, although which receives home-ice advantage has yet to be determined.

Entering play Thursday, the Bruins were tied for second in the NHL with 97 points but were guaranteed not to face a wild-card team. This is because the Lightning (118 points) have already clinched the Presidents’ Trophy, guaranteeing that they will finish with the best record in the NHL and therefore also in the Atlantic.

Meanwhile in the Metropolitan Division, the first-place Washington Capitals (94 points) have just one more point than the Maple Leafs (93 points) and yet would face a wild-card team if playoffs were to begin Thursday. And if we wanted to open it up to the rest of the NHL, the Central-Division leading Winnipeg Jets have just 92 points and would also receive a wild-card matchup.

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This is where the structure shows its gross underbelly. In terms of competitive balance, it is not the most effective way to treat the playoffs. However, it does make for excellent TV ratings, which is likely the prime reason the NHL has stuck with it.

Let’s face it: The Bruins and Maple Leafs in the first round would be an excellent and entertaining series. Both are teams with loads of history against one another. It would be a win for the NHL, but not the teams.

The NHL wants to promote its core rivalries with intra-division matchups in the first round, but in doing so they are failing these teams by not giving them the same opportunities as other teams with equal or lesser claim to them.

Both the Bruins and the Maple Leafs are in the league’s top-six in terms of points (top-four in the Eastern Conference), and yet if the playoffs were to start Thursday, at least one of them would be guaranteed to miss the second round, which features eight teams league-wide.

If the playoffs were seeded one-through-eight in each conference, which is the system the NHL used from 1993 until 2014, the Bruins and Maple Leafs would not meet until the conference final.

Instead of receiving standings-appropriate matchups in the first two rounds prior to that meeting, one of them will receive an early exit due to the NHL’s current and ineffective playoff structure. But, hey, at least the ratings will be good.

Coyotes retooling scouting department 1137026 Arizona Coyotes Still teetering between playing in their homestand and staying out of their playoff race, Grabner texted the team's head trainer his decision to play his first game back in three months. He realized that his teammates Return of short-handed goal specialist Michael Grabner helps Arizona needed him on the ice instead of in the background. Coyotes' playoff chase In his return against the Flames on March 7, Grabner logged 17:40 of ice time, registered five shots and held little hesitation with a season-high three hits. Jenna Ortiz, Arizona Republic Published 7:15 a.m. MT March 22, 2019 | Updated 2:53 p.m. MT March 22, 2019 “Twenty-four hours later, he not so much changed his mind, I think he just knew, ‘Hey, I got to try it,’" Tocchet said. "And I give him a lot of respect for that.”

Given what Michael Grabner has gone through over the past few months, Pushing the "liability" talk aside, Grabner's presence has helped the "chipper" wouldn’t be the first word that comes to mind when talking Coyotes even more in their final stretch of the season. about someone recovering from a nasty eye injury. Since returning from his injury, the left winger notched a multi-goal game However, that is precisely how center Brad Richardson described his against the Kings on March 9, and clicked with Richardson and right wing linemate and penalty-kill partner after a high stick from St. Louis Blues Vinnie Hinostroza to create a speedy, effective line for Tocchet. forward Sammy Blais sidelined him for three months. Grabner has not lost his touch on the penalty kill and leads the Coyotes “He was honestly super positive the whole time,” Richardson said of in short-handed goals and points. In fact, Grabner scored a short-handed Grabner. “Obviously, the first few weeks were tough because he was in goal during the first period against the Florida Panthers on Thursday, lots of pain and all that, but he definitely kept it real positive.” which helped deliver the Coyotes a new franchise record of 16 short- handed goals. Richardson saw how happy Grabner was to be around the guys when he would be at the rink during practices. Even with his positive attitude, Despite missing 41 games this season, Grabner still leads the NHL with Grabner still itched to get back on the ice with them. That became a road six short-handed goals. to recovery unlike the ones his injured teammates had. "He’s a huge addition, and then he’s still not 100 percent (with his vision). The first month was an abrupt change of pace for Grabner, someone But he’s playing through it, he’s doing really well," Richardson said. known to be active on and off the ice. The severity of the injury caused him to spend the first week relying on his wife to take care of him while Up next vision slowly returned to his right eye. Coyotes at Devils, Saturday, 10 a.m., Prudential Center, Newark, N.J., Spending more time at home became his every day. Aside from trips to FSAZ/KTAR-AM (620) — The Coyotes (36-32-6) look to snap a three- the rink for rehab skates, Grabner focused time watching the other game losing skid (0-2-1) when they visit the New Jersey Devils (27-39-9) hockey player in the family: his son, Aidan. His schedule usually does not for the first game of a back-to-back set on the road. give him the opportunity for that bonding experience, and that helped him Arizona Republic LOADED: 03.23.2019 through those long three months.

While Grabner said seeing his two children more was great for him, he missed playing with his teammates. Especially because his daughter, Olivia, was too young to understand why he was not currently playing with the team and questioned why he was home so often.

“You kind of feel like you’re not very a part of the team because you come in early, skate, workout and then be gone for the time the guys usually are here,” Grabner said.

The seemingly unending laundry list of injuries to the Coyotes midway through the season created a new team for Grabner away from the NHL limelight. He skated alongside Richardson, defenseman Jason Demers and center Christian Dvorak during their respective rehab processes.

Instead of watching the Coyotes between shifts, Grabner was relegated to watching them at home or in the press box.

"I watched a lot of hockey over the three months and after awhile you get a little sick of it," Grabner said. "So it’s just nice to be back out there now."

For the usually upbeat forward, he saw the games as an opportunity to improve. The fresh perspective added something new to his game.

“It makes it a little easier when you come back,” Grabner said. “Just to pick up on certain things you may not see when you’re playing.”

The uncertainty of Grabner's injury also caused a different problem that the others did not face. Eye injuries are unlike bone injuries that have a typical timetable for return. Grabner knew the process could go any way for him and did not want to be rushed back on the ice. Vision isn't something taken lightly, especially in hockey where good vision keeps players safe.

When he was near to returning, he told head coach Rick Tocchet that he did not want to be a “liability” to the team. His vision was mostly intact, but his right pupil remained dilated. The team had won four of their previous five home games and was trying to cling to the last wild-card spot in the Western Conference.

“Well, just worry about practice,” Tocchet said when asked about his message to Grabner. “One practice at a time, we’ll talk about it as it goes.” 1137027 Arizona Coyotes

NHL Western Conference Wild Card tracker: Coyotes making playoff push

BY ARIZONA SPORTS | MARCH 21, 2019 AT 8:12 PM

UPDATED: MARCH 22, 2019 AT 11:21 AM

The Arizona Coyotes are in the hunt for the playoffs.

Their best chance at it will be via the Western Conference Wild Card race, which includes a group of teams that have stuck fairly close together in the standings for quite a while. The race was wide open even well after the new year.

The top two teams will earn Wild Card spots in the NHL Stanley Cup Playoffs, so the Coyotes must finish second or better to qualify.

Here are where things stand in the Western Conference:

Place Team Record Points Last Game Up Next Games left

1 stars100 38-30-6 82 3-1 L vs. COL March 23 vs. PIT 8

2 avalanche100 33-29-12 78 3-1 W at DAL March 23 vs. CHI 8

3 coyotes100 36-32-6 78 4-2 L at FLA March 23 at NJD 8

4 wild100 34-31-9 77 3-1 L vs. COL March 22 at WAS 8

5 blackhawks100 32-31-10 74 3-1 L vs. PHI March 23 at COL 9

Arizona Sports LOADED: 03.23.2019 1137028 Arizona Coyotes “He just has a simple system that when executed the right way — his way — it works,” said Demers, who also played for Allen in Florida. “He is literally detailed down to the degree where he will see if your stick Coyotes PK guru Scott Allen has more than earned his stripes position is one inch off where it should be. He’ll show you that if you moved it this much it can make a difference; it can break up a play. He is a drill sergeant on that stuff, but in a good way in that he’s very calm in the way he explains it. He’s always prepared so we know we’re getting By Craig Morgan Mar 22, 2019 his best every night and he expects the same from us.”

Coyotes center Derek Stepan is a hockey junkie – a guy who watches a It was late on March 15, 1996, when Scott Allen’s phone rang in ton of games, a guy who can break down plays and a guy would make a northeast Texas. Allen was three weeks away from turning 30, and he terrific broadcast analyst if he ever chose that path. That affinity for was just completing his 10th pro season as a player – this one with the analysis gives Stepan a deep appreciation for what Allen brings to the PK Fort Worth Fire of the Central Hockey League. meetings.

The guy on the other end of the phone had a proposal. “He goes over a lot of stuff so you can understand when a player likes to make a certain play so you can sit on it and make him do something he’s “Scawttie Allen!” the voice said in a thick, Boston-area accent. not comfortable with,” Stepan said. “For example, on the power play, (Toronto’s Mitch) Marner likes to show like he’s going to take a slapper “Toby O’Brien!” Allen responded with equal inflection. “Head coach and and then he kind of slap-passes it to (Auston) Matthews. general manager of the Granite State Staahs (translation: Stars)!” “In the game (a 4-2 win in Toronto on Jan. 20), we were just sitting on it It had been at least six years since the boyhood friends had spoken; so he couldn’t do it. That’s the kind of stuff Scottie sees and prepares us eight years since they had been teammates with the Carolina for. He has tons of details just like that.” Thunderbirds of the All-. O’Brien had an update. In spite of the volume of information, Allen has a way of distilling the data to their simplest form. “Toby O’Brien, the former general manager and coach of the Granite State Stars and the new general manager of the Johnstown “I’ve been on teams where they give you like 10 options that somebody’s (Pennsylvania) Chiefs,” he said. power play is doing and you kind of get your mind in a pretzel thinking, ‘OK, what’s coming next?’” Grabner said. “He doesn’t try to “I said, ‘Here’s the deal, Scottie. I went to college and you didn’t so let’s overcomplicate things. We try to keep it the same. Obviously, we try to pretend I’m smarter than you. Congratulations on playing 10 years of pro adjust to certain situations or players, but we try to play to our strengths hockey, but Scottie, the NHL dream is gone. You ain’t gonna get there. and that’s what he keeps emphasizing.” We always talked about you being a coach. I need help and you’re the guy. I want you to coach here as an assistant at the start and we’ll see Allen didn’t have the advantages that some hockey lifers enjoy. He never where it goes from there.’” had the size, he never had the pedigree, he never had the connections, and he never had the money, growing up in Acushnet, Massachusetts, Johnstown was O’Brien’s first pro job and the ECHL’s Chiefs were just north of New Bedford. alarmingly similar to the fictitious Chiefs from the movie “Slapshot,” which was filmed in Johnstown. “He’d say they were the street kids,” O’Brien said, laughing. “I grew up on Cape Cod and went to Tabor Academy so he called me a cake eater.” “I had done a lot of background research but as soon as I got there I looked around and I said, ‘Oh, dear God. This place is a disaster. I need Allen’s dad, George, was a union construction worker who “hustled” on help,’” O’Brien said. “No lie. It was everything you see in the movie the weekends to pick up freelance jobs and make extra money. His mom, ‘Slapshot.’ That is my claim to fame. I lived the movie.” Janice, was a pediatrics receptionist who knew everybody in town and was charged with taking Scott to all his practices and games. Allen was in a pickle. He had just promised his wife, Traci, that the nomadic couple would remain in Fort Worth for the summer, rather than Initially, that meant one house league practice and one house league returning to Massachusetts. “She’s going to kill me,” he thought, so he game per week at Moby Dick Arena in New Bedford, a rink with a whale turned O’Brien down. logo at center ice to commemorate the town where Herman Melville’s famous protagonist, Ishmael, begins his whaling adventure. In 1976, the “He came at me pretty hard,” Allen said. “He said, ‘Are you crazy? Do arena changed names to Stephen Hetland Memorial Skating Rink to you understand the opportunity I am giving you here?’ He was right and I honor a local, 12-year-old boy who was killed when hit by a car while knew I was going to coach. I just didn’t think it was then.” sledding. At the time, Hetland was the goalie for the Fairhaven Savings O’Brien gave Allen a week to decide if he was ready to don a whistle. Bank team.

“That was Friday night,” O’Brien said. “He called me Sunday morning and “It happened on Christmas Eve,” Allen said solemnly. “He had a brand said, ‘Hey, I’ll be there Wednesday, but let’s talk about that $2,500 new pair of goalie skates waiting for him under the tree.” moving allowance. If I rent a U-Haul and move myself, can I keep the Allen was always small for his age, so he relied on other assets to tip the difference?’ scales in his favor; assets that New Bedford High coach John Rolli “I said, ‘We’ve got a deal’ and he drove straight through because he noticed immediately. didn’t want to pay for a hotel. Three days later, at 1 a.m., Scottie Allen “He was on the varsity from the time he came as a sophomore – a big- came driving into town in a big, old orange U-Haul to begin his pro time player right from the get-go,” Rolli said. “Left-shot center, wore No. 7 hockey coaching career.” and just a scrappy son of a gun. It’s no surprise to anyone who has followed Allen’s coaching career that “He was Brad Marchand and Patrice Bergeron put together. He played the Coyotes penalty-killing unit is elite. In 2015-16, his from end board to end board. He was one of those guys when you (AHL) PK unit set a franchise record for shorthanded goals. It took just needed to win a face-off it was, ‘Scottie, get on the ice.’ You needed a one season with the New York Islanders to turn one of the league’s worst key penalty kill, he was already over the boards once the ref put his arm units into one that produced a league-high 15 shorthanded goals in 2010- up. If we needed a power-play goal, he might not have scored it but he 11 — led by Frans Nielsen’s seven and current Coyote Michael would have an assist. He worked his ass off and he just knew how to Grabner’s six. In his only season as an assistant with the Florida play the game.” Panthers (2016-17), Allen’s penalty killing unit ranked second in the league with an 85.3 percent success rate. While O’Brien went off to college, Allen went to play junior hockey in Seattle. That decision sparked a 35-year playing and coaching odyssey. This season, entering Saturday, the Coyotes penalty-killing unit ranks Allen played for 12 junior or pro teams, and he has coached with 11. He second in the NHL with an 85.1 percent success rate, and second in spent his last junior season (1985-86) with the Waterloo (Iowa) Black shorthanded goals with 16, despite playing long stretches without three Hawks, where he met Traci. members of their first-unit personnel: Grabner (41 games missed), Brad Richardson (16 games) and Jason Demers (48 games). In 28 years of marriage, Scott has had 24 addresses; Tracy has had 20. “I have had guys come up to me over the years and say, ‘Hey, I want to say it was OK, you need to do this, he wasn’t going to take the job. I was coach. What should I do?’ I’ll say something like, ‘OK, there’s a job getting ready to coach the team!” opening in Muskegon,’” Allen said. “They’ll say, ‘Oh no, I don’t want to go to Muskegon,’ and I’ll say, ‘Let me get this straight. You want to coach Fortunately for O’Brien, Fotiu signed off on the decision. but you want to coach on your terms?’ “I still remember the conversation,” Allen said. “He said, ‘You have to do “If you want to coach and get to the highest level, you’re probably going it. There’s absolutely no way you don’t take this job.’ It was Christmas to move. That’s the cold, harsh reality of this business for most guys. I time and I’m taking this guy’s job from him. You always expect your first moved three times in five years in the organization coaching job to be a great situation but it didn’t feel like that.” because they moved their AHL franchise three times. It’s just something By Allen’s final season in Johnstown (2001-02), the Chiefs were one of you have to accept.” the ECHL’s better teams, going 39-31-2 and falling in the third round of As Allen noted, however, it was something Traci also had to accept or it the playoffs. While Allen was building lifelong relationships and building a never would have worked. coaching resume that landed him the job with San Antonio the following year, he was also building and constantly refining his database. He “I’m fairly laid back but there were times I found myself not liking him too wasn’t the first one to break down video and draw data from it, but he much,” Traci said, laughing. “It was during the times of packing, deciding approached it with more gusto than most. where we were going to go, flying to look for a house and then after we had kids, it was even worse. As the years have gone on, he has learned “He takes about seven hours to break a game down,” Coyotes coach that when moving time comes, he should tread lightly.” Rick Tocchet chuckled. “That’s up to him. I can’t. He can. I’m glad he’s doing it. He’s all all-in guy.” In all those moves, Scott never openly shared his NHL dream with Traci. Such devotion requires long hours. When Allen coached in Lowell with “Maybe he kept it to himself as a pipe dream but I don’t think we ever former Florida Panthers coach and GM , he took that work discussed if this could someday lead us to the NHL,” she said. “We have ethic to the extreme. always been fairly content with what we had. Even when he was in the lower leagues, we were fine with that. We have never had even close to “His apartment was the training room at the rink,” Rolli said. “He actually that expectation as a couple.” lived at the rink in Lowell.

Throughout his 17 years as a minor-league coach with Johnstown, the “I remember talking to him and he said, ‘I always wanted to have a rink in (AHL), the Lowell Lock Monsters (AHL), the my backyard. Now I have a bedroom in the rink. It’s even better!’” Omaha Ak-Sar-Ben Knights (AHL), the Quad City Flames (AHL), the Allen said not a single season has passed in his 23-year coaching career Peoria Rivermen (AHL), the Chicago Wolves (AHL) and Portland, Allen in which he has not spent nights at the rink – even now with the Coyotes. earned a reputation as a voracious consumer of video, a tireless worker and a guy who always put his players before himself. “It’s all true,” Rowe said, laughing. “He’d get there early in the morning and stay there later — work 12-, 13-, 14-hour days. I’d be home and One of those players was Jody Shelley, who played two seasons for Scott would still be there. That’s just the way he did his job and I’m sure Allen in Johnstown, before working his way to the AHL and then a 627- he still sleeps at the rink. game NHL career with Columbus, San Jose, the New York Rangers and Philadelphia. “He is an animal when it comes to video. He’ll watch five or six previous games of the team we’re going up against to make sure he sees every “I was part of a team in Johnstown that had second-round picks and guys little thing they’re doing and then he puts it into the simplest form for his that should not have been down at that level but I was the guy that was meetings with the players. I would go into those meetings. It was so easy never going to make it to the NHL from where I was,” Shelley said. “I just to understand when he gave it to them but I knew it was anything but wanted to make it to the American Hockey League, but this guy would simple when he started the process. The guy is just incredibly detailed spend hours with me or whoever else, working after practice. and so good at teaching. He’s got a great reputation in that regard, but “He’s not the biggest guy but he’s got a presence and an honesty about he has earned it.” him that is so rare. When he would look me in the eye and tell me When Allen landed his first NHL gig as an assistant with the Islanders in something from his heart, it really resonated with me. He would say, ‘You 2009, he didn’t tell Traci or his daughters, Mackenzie and Camryn. They do have a chance. Don’t think you’re that far away. They ask about you.’ were returning to their home in Bettendorf, Iowa (Quad City Flames), And when he said it, I knew he meant it. It wasn’t the typical lip service of after visiting family in Waterloo. professional sports. “We came home to the house and each one of us had a rose with a card “He helped me in more ways than I probably even know by working on on it,” Traci said. “Mine said: ‘We made it to the show.’ my skill set, my skating, my shooting, my passing, putting me in good situations but also showing me the fire and the pride that I needed to be “I was sick to my stomach with happiness and nervousness. It was such a pro.” a big step. We just teared up and started to cry.”

Shelley said that self-sacrificing approach extended to every person with The Islanders had named O’Brien their minor league coordinator and a whom Allen came in contact. scout in 2006. While he was having lunch with New York coach Scott Gordon and scout Dave Hymovitz before the 2009 NHL Draft in Montreal, “I’m in the back of the bus on one of our trips (from Johnstown to Peoria, Gordon said he was looking for a loyal, hard-working assistant who Ill.), the bus is moving and all of the sudden, the bus driver is standing in would stay up late and cut video. O’Brien suggested Allen. front of me and he is going into the bathroom. I said, ‘Frank! What are you doing back here?’ He said, ‘I’m taking a break. Scottie is driving the “They flew Scottie into Long Island during development camp in July,” bus.’ O’Brien said. “My wife and I drove to the airport to pick him up, drove him to Nassau (Coliseum) for the interview with Scott and (GM) Garth Snow. “Sure enough, I go up front and there’s Scott driving the bus. I’m in the As soon as they interviewed him, it was a done deal.” East Coast Hockey League, a million miles away from the and this guy cares so much about doing something for When word spread that Allen had landed the gig, the well wishes poured everybody. It was infectious how much he cared and how he handled in from every corner of his universe, from the scores of people he had himself. He showed us how it was supposed to be done and there were touched. Alan May, a teammate with the of the times where I honestly thought, ‘Where do you go from here? How can it Atlantic Coast Hockey League, thought of the time Allen attended May’s get better?’” first preseason game in the Bruins organization in 1987.

When Johnstown opted to part ways with then-coach before “I spent a long weekend before training camp with him and his family and Allen’s second season with the club, O’Brien offered Allen the job and we played a preseason game in Providence (Rhode Island),” said May, was stunned to hear him hesitate. who played 393 NHL games with Boston, Edmonton, Washington, Dallas and Calgary. “He brought all his buddies to the game. I don’t know how “He wouldn’t accept the job,” said O’Brien, still incredulous 23 years later. many guys got arrested after the game because somebody said “He’s this unbelievably loyal and honorable guy. They just don’t make something about me, but Scottie didn’t get arrested. He’s always been on ’em like him. He had to meet with Nick over lunch first and if Nick didn’t the right side of the law. He was just there like a proud brother, kind of living the dream through me because I’m sure he wanted to play for the Bruins his entire life.”

May nicknamed Allen “Pee-Wee” because of his stature and his habit of perpetual motion. Even after the two had parted ways, May would get up at 5 a.m. just to send Allen messages because he knew Allen was already on his mountain bike, riding to the rink in frigid Johnstown to plan the day.

“If you want to make it to the NHL you have to be a little bit delusional and he has always wanted to get a Stanley Cup ring, one way or another,” May said. “He might be mad at me for saying this, but I know he made $18,000 as an assistant coach in Johnstown and that was about three times as much as he ever made as a player. I saw so many people get hired as coaches who I felt were not up to par with him and then weren’t successful, and I wondered, ‘When is this guy going to get his chance?’

“When he finally did it was amazing and it was long overdue because of the amount of work he put in and the network of people he was willing to help. Some guys have done anything they could to get a job but this guy has not backstabbed one guy to get where he is. It has all been done with integrity and loyalty and hard work. A lot of teams screwed up not hiring him. Arizona did themselves a big favor.”

When the Coyotes played the Panthers in Sunrise, Fla., on Thursday, Tocchet joked that it was just another stop on Allen’s nationwide reunion tour.

“Every trip, every team we play, after the game he has to go say hi to somebody,” Tocchet said. “He’ll say, ‘I played with this guy 30 years ago in the East Coast League.’ He knows a lot of people. Every game, he talks to somebody and I don’t know who he’s talking to, whether it’s Darryl Sutter, Glen Gulutzan and all his buddies like that, or it’s some guy that had 700 minutes in Johnstown.”

This four-game road trip for Allen has been special, however, because it includes his other two NHL stops, Florida and the Islanders, whom the Coyotes will play at Nassau Coliseum on Sunday.

“It’s fun to retrace your steps,” Allen said.

O’Brien calls Allen the best and hardest working U.S.-born hockey coach that nobody knows because most of those steps were made in relative obscurity. Tocchet raves about the job Allen has done, both with the PK and the team’s vastly underrated blue line. Allen just calls himself fortunate to have worked so long in the game he loves. His only regret is that his mother never got to see the path his life has taken. She had a brain aneurysm and died on May 8, 2001, while Allen was still coaching in Johnstown, and three days before he was inducted into the New Bedford High School Hall of Fame.

“We laid her to rest that morning, I got inducted that night. That was a tough one,” Allen said, pausing to choke back tears. “My mom was such a giving, compassionate, generous person. We didn’t have much money but she gave of herself and her time.

“Truly the saddest thing in all of this is not that she didn’t get to see me make it to the NHL. She didn’t get to see her granddaughters — my daughters — grow up. She would’ve loved that.”

There may be another step for Allen down the road if somebody wants to take a chance on a head-coaching chance on a guy without NHL-playing pedigree, but when the possibility is posed to Allen, his face stiffens and it feels as if you have insulted him to the very core.

“I concentrate on the job I have to do,” he said. “I have seen so many guys chasing that next job or worrying about that next job. I can honestly say not once have I done that. If you focus on the job you have to do, hopefully you’ll do a good enough job and get rewarded.

“I know the profession I am in. It doesn’t always work that way, but that doesn’t even matter because it’s not about the next pot of gold at the end of the rainbow. It’s about the here and now. I’m extremely happy in the role that I am in. I got hired to do a job here and I love the job I have, love the organization and I love Toc. I want to see this succeed. That’s all that matters.”

The Athletic LOADED: 03.23.2019 1137029 Boston Bruins “So, yeah, he has that ability where the sky is the limit. It’s about how hard you want to work and push and take advantage of that opportunity.”

Kuraly, on the books for two more seasons at a budget-friendly $1.275 Can Sean Kuraly climb higher in the Bruins lineup? million, clearly enjoys his role. And if a bigger role came along?

“I mean, would you like to move up?” contemplated Kuraly. “I want to By Kevin Paul Dupont play the best and the most and the most I can do to help the team. If that means me moving up, it means me moving up. If it means me playing in GLOBE STAFF MARCH 22, 2019 a different place . . . you know what, I get moved around and try to play the best I can.

“It’s kind of been nice. I just come in, see where I am, and see if I can NEWARK — Normally all legs and energy, an uncorked geyser of make the most of it. It’s kind of a cool little challenge that I take upon youthful forechecking enthusiasm, Sean Kuraly left the Prudential Center myself. When I come to the rink tomorrow, whatever spot I am in, I’m here Thursday night with his right hand curled around a small bottle — going to just do it best, see where they need me, see where they can use what appeared to be a power drink — and a somber look on his face. me. It’s been fun.” The hand took the full force of a Steven Santini slapper early in the third Boston Globe LOADED: 03.23.2019 period of the Bruins’ 5-1 win over the Devils. Word will come soon as to how much time, if any, the 6-foot-2-inch, 213-pound puck hound will need to recuperate as the playoffs approach.

Kuraly, who potted a pair of goals in Tuesday’s 5-0 whitewashing of the Islanders, is an important piece of the Boston attack, though not typically counted on for his point production. Coach Bruce Cassidy prefers to start the night with whatever line Kuraly inhabits — riding left wing with Noel Acciari and Chris Wagner is a favorite — because first impressions are important. Kuraly has impact.

“Absolutely, he has to be one of the lead sled dogs, in terms of playing north-south hockey,” said Cassidy, who gave his 45-20-9 squad a day off skates Friday in Florida. “Chris Wagner is very good at that, too.

“They’ve been a good pair, whether they’ve been wings with Noel or whoever gets thrown in there. Or if Sean goes to [center]. I think they both play the same way. They want to get after it. Hard to play against, because of their ability to possess the puck, but also to get it behind you and make you earn your way back up the ice.”

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For all that, including his 8 goals and 21 points (both career highs), Kuraly remains cast as a bottom-sixer. Cassidy values his skill set as a tone-setter rather than a point-getter — not that any coach dismisses whatever offensive gifts the guys “lower in the order” are able to create. One truism of hockey today and throughout the ages: All points welcome.

To make his way up to the top six, which would mean as one of David Krejci’s wingers on the second line, Kuraly would need to prove he has more finish, according to Cassidy. Other than in-game adjustments, on a rare night when Cassidy is searching to shake the offense’s doldrums, Kuraly has not had a chance to prove he can or cannot fill that role.

“Given the way [Kuraly] plays, I think Krejci likes more of a give-and-go player,” mused Cassidy. “Someone who thinks the game exactly like him.

“Could he be the winger on there that Jake [DeBrusk] has become? Sort of has the foot speed. I don’t know that he has the finish yet that Jake does. I believe the speed part of it on the wing — as long as he had one he could play with in terms of give-and-goes — I don’t know if we are going to find out this year.”

Not to make a direct comparison here, because Kuraly is not Brad Marchand, but Bruins fans with some memory might recall that today’s 90-point Marchand once was slotted as a likely career bottom-sixer. Cassidy had him as a rookie in Providence and figured his upside might be that of a 20-20—40 or 25-25—50 producer. Marchand has seven games remaining to bundle up another 10 points to hit the 100 mark this season.

From Marchand’s 5-foot-9-inch point of view, Kuraly has the skill set to move up in the order.

“It’s about the opportunity,” said Marchand, who needed years on the job to convince then-coach Claude Julien he had the goods to be employed on the power play. “When you get that opportunity, you need to seize it. You need to perform when you are put in those situations, right?”

Kuraly, said Marchand, has the “attributes” to get there.

“He’s got the speed. He’s got the work ethic,” said Marchand. “He is strong. Competes hard. He cares about his game. I mean, you watch him in practice, and he is always trying new things after practice, working on his game. 1137030 Boston Bruins position. And once the playoffs come around, it doesn’t matter what you’ve done in the regular season. So at the end of the day, it’s all about getting to the playoffs. But yeah, it’s been fun.”

Bruins’ Brad Marchand is on a roll Boston Herald LOADED: 03.23.2019

By STEVE CONROY | March 22, 2019 at 3:00 PM

Trashtalking may be what Brad Marchand is most known for around the league right now after his fellow NHLers dubbed him the best/worst in the business earlier this week.

But his verbal eviscerations of opponents would be empty if he didn’t have any skills to back it up.

And in Thursday’s 5-1 victory over the New Jersey Devils in Newark, he demonstrated again what everyone in Boston has come to understand and appreciate — there is a lot more to Marchand than his mouth.

The Bruin left wing notched three assists — the last of which gave his long-time centerman Patrice Bergeron his 30th goal — to become the first Bruin to notch 90 points in a season season Marc Savard had 96 in 2006-07. He’s climbed into the top 10 in scoring, coming in at the eighth spot right behind Nathan MacKinnon. His 59 assists are a career high. With eight games left, hitting the even more magical mark of 100 is not out of the question for Marchand. He’d be the first Bruin to hit the mark since Joe Thornton did it in 2002-03.

Coach Bruce Cassidy had Marchand when he first turned pro in Providence a decade ago and Cassidy admitted he never saw this coming.

“I didn’t see him as a big point-getter,” said Cassidy after the win in Jersey. “I saw him as an NHL player that would help, more of a similar goal-assist, similar numbers, but he’s managed to grow his game in terms of making plays. He’s playing with players now that finish plays probably more than when he first started. So now the plays he’s making are going in the back of the net. I’m proud of the guy. He works hard at ever aspect of the game, he’s grown his game. His power-play skills have really grown, that’s where you distribute pucks. So good for him. I’m sure in the back of his mind, and people want to start talking about 100. And why not? It’s a nice number to get so who knows, maybe he’ll get there.”

But even more than the spurt in production, and beyond his humor and showmanship (his Conor McGregor-inspired celebration has to be one of the highlights of the season), Marchand’s personal growth this season has cemented his status as one of the leaders of this Bruins’ team. That was evident from opening night in Washington, when did some hot-dogging after scoring a late third period goal that completed the 7-0 blowout and Marchand did not let him get away with it. It showed up in Columbus last week when the B’s were experiencing their predictable letdown after having their 19-game point streak snapped the game before in Pittsburgh. They were down 5-1 and it would have been easy to mentally turn the page on that one, but Marchand spearheaded a comeback attempt that made the Blue Jackets work for their victory.

And despite past declarations of lessons learned after delivering a bad hit or other indiscretions that had some rolling their eyes when he discussed his extracurricular behavior, evidence thus far shows that Marchand has made an honest, earnest effort to stay on the good side of the Department of Player Safety.

While his barbs may be the first thing that come to mind of people in other cities when Marchand’s name comes up, the fact that he’s become one of the very best in the league is undeniable.

“He just keeps getting better,” said Bergeron. “He’s an elite player in this league, one of the best left wingers in the league. He’s proving that from one year to another. Obviously, those numbers don’t lie but also just the work that he puts in every day. He’s a big part of our team on and off the ice. He’s a leader now. It’s not just about points, it’s also about the details, the penalty kill and everything. It goes to all the hard work he’s been putting in.”

If hitting 90 points was a big milestone for Marchand, he hid it well.

“It’s nice, but at the end of the day, it doesn’t really mean anything,” said Marchand, in full leadership mode. “At the end of the day, our goal isn’t to get individual points, it’s to get wins and continue to climb up in playoff 1137031 Boston Bruins

Boston Bruins assign winger Paul Carey to Providence

By NBC Sports Boston Staff March 22, 2019 9:22 PM

The Boston Bruins are making another minor roster change that could have some significance for the squad.

The team has assigned winger Paul Carey to their AHL affiliate, the Providence Bruins, according to the team's official Twitter. Carey skated in two games for the Bruins and didn't log a point.

Carey was called up amid a slew of injuries to the team's depth on the wing. But with David Pastrnak and Jake DeBrusk returning to the lineup, Carey was pushed back into a reserve role. He did fairly well when on the ice, but the Bruins still elected to send him down.

It's unclear exactly why the team sent Carey down, but it could be related to Sean Kuraly's injury. Kuraly blocked a shot with his hand against the New Jersey Devils on Thursday, and he couldn't continue on in the game. His status moving forward is unclear.

Kuraly had been centering the Bruins' third line in recent games, so it's possible the Bruins could call up Trent Frederic to take on that role if Kuraly is out. However, it seems more likely that Charlie Coyle would move from second-line wing to third-line center to occupy that role. It doesn't mean Frederic won't be called up, but the team could just bring up another winger that they think fits better than Carey at this point in time.

Karson Kuhlman, Lee Stempniak, and Peter Cehlarik have all spent time with the team this season. They remain call-up candidates in Carey's place and have all spent time on the second line with David Krejci at times this season.

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What we learned in Bruins' 5-1 win over Devils: Bruins' top line at its peak

By NBC Sports Boston Staff March 22, 2019 4:55 PM

Here’s What We Learned in the Bruins 5-1 win over the New Jersey Devils on Thursday night at the Prudential Center.

1) The Bruins have their chemistry back on the Perfection Line. Certainly, the two goals for Patrice Bergeron and the three-assist night for Brad Marchand would be proof positive of that, but it was the second-period goal where each of the three forwards touched the puck that really showed them back at full force. Patrice Bergeron won the offensive zone face-off and pushed the puck down low to Brad Marchand, who found David Pastrnak cutting right to the net for the tap-in goal that gave the B’s a 2-0 lead. New Jersey would cut into that lead before the period was over, but three goals in the final period — including an empty-netter for Bergeron — capped off a great night for Boston’s high-powered top line. It also included Pastrnak’s first goal since returning from his thumb injury. In all. the line totaled three goals and eight points to go along with eight shots on net.

2) David Backes had himself a great night and really seems to have settled into a secondary contributing role with the playoffs around the corner. He was really good throughout the game with a team-high five shots on net and nine shot attempts overall, and was consistently putting pressure around the front of the New Jersey net. He was then rewarded for his efforts with an empty net goal in the third period and might even have an outside chance at 10 goals for the season if he goes on a hot streak at the end. As it is, Backes is at least showing that he’s going to be a factor at some points during the playoffs even if it’s not every night and that is exactly what the Black and Gold are looking for.

3) Three wins in a row and the Bruins have allowed just two goals in those three games while playing shutdown hockey against Columbus, the Islanders and New Jersey. Certainly, that’s not that much of a big deal against an Isles team that’s been dreadful offensively this season, but they still held them to just 13 shots on net for the game. That’s pretty darn impressive, and they allowed just 22 shots on net and no more than a couple of scoring chances to the Devils on Thursday night. Once again, it was an airtight defensive effort with no Torey Krug and no Matt Grzelcyk in the lineup, and Connor Clifton once again played strong all- around hockey with a plus-3 in 18:50 of ice time to go along with three shot attempts and four registered hits for his efforts.

Plus

--Patrice Bergeron finished with a pair of goals, three points and a plus-4 and made a great play winning an offensive zone face-off that set up the game-winning goal in the second period.

--Three assists for Brad Marchand in the game, which puts him up to 90 points for the season and could make him the first 100-point player for the Bruins in a long time if he finishes with a flurry.

--David Pastrnak scored his first goal since coming back from his thumb injury, had five shot attempts and once again looks like he’s ready to return to form.

Minus

--Stefan Noesen had no shots on net and a minus-4 for the game. I’m not even mad. I’m just impressed by how bad he was.

--It looked like Sean Kuraly suffered an injury in the third period when he blocked a shot with his hand that immediately went the other way for a Danton Heinen breakaway goal. It would be a big blow to the B’s if Kuraly is gone for any period of time.

--Damon Severson was a minus-3 with four giveaways in 23:29 of ice time for the Devils, and was a mistake waiting to happen against a Bruins team that he’s had pretty tough luck against in the past.

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Talking Points from the Bruins' 5-1 win over the Devils: Bergeron at his best

By Joe Haggerty March 21, 2019 11:25 PM

GOLD STAR: Patrice Bergeron is Boston’s best player on most nights and the 5-1 win over the Devils on Thursday night was no different. Bergeron scored a pair of goals to get him 30 on the season and that now makes it all three members of the Perfection Line that have scored 30 or more for the second season in a row. Bergeron finished with the two goals, three points and a plus-4 rating in 17:10 of ice time and finished with four shots on net and won 9 of 19 on face-offs. It was Bergeron who got the Bruins on the board first and it was Bergeron who won the face-off in the offensive zone that led to the game-winning goal for David Pastrnak. Truthfully, he was all over the place and the best player on the ice.

BLACK EYE: Damon Severson has enjoyed some pretty good games against the Bruins as a New Jersey defenseman, but Thursday night was not one of them. Instead, Severson was on the ice for three Bruins goals, turned over four pucks in his more than 23 minutes of ice time and really didn’t make many positive plays. Certainly, Severson wasn’t the only one who struggled in a 5-1 loss where things really caved in for the Devils in the third period, but he was one of the worst offenders for a New Jersey team just struggling to get to the finish line.

TURNING POINT: The Bruins were already in the driver’s seat, leading 2-1 after two periods. But New Jersey had scored in the second half of the second period to halve the lead and it appeared that there would be a competitive game in the third period. But the Bruins picked up the pace in the third while outshooting the Devils 11-7 and scored three unanswered goals that blew the Devils right out of the water. The first was a big Danton Heinen goal that started with a Sean Kuraly blocked shot and then Bergeron and Backes kicked in two more goals to close things out.

HONORABLE MENTION: David Pastrnak looked a tiny bit rusty in his Tuesday night return to the Bruins lineup after missing the last month- plus with a thumb injury, but that was gone Thursday night. It was Pastrnak who fed Bergeron for the Bruins first goal, and then Pastrnak scored a tap-in for the game-winner in the second period after a Bergeron face-off win in the offensive zone set everything up. In all, Pastrnak finished with a goal, two points and a plus-2 in 15:51 of ice time, along with five shot attempts and a couple of hits. Even better, it looked as if Pastrnak’s game was pretty much back to normal with no complications from the splint on his left hand.

BY THE NUMBERS: 90 – the number of points for Brad Marchand after collecting three more assists. There's an outside chance of his first 100- point season if he can avoid any late-season disciplinary trouble.

QUOTE TO NOTE: "A lot of good read-and-react plays. We could have had a few more [goals]. The chemistry was definitely back.” –Bergeron, to reporters in New Jersey about things beginning to click with Brad Marchand and David Pastrnak in their second game back together again.

Comcast SportsNet.com LOADED: 03.23.2019 1137034 Boston Bruins There is no doubt that the Leafs’ current play is concerning, especially considering their first round opponent, a Bruins team that can’t lose, is basically set in stone. Toronto has not played to its full potential of late, Are teams that enter the playoffs on a cold streak doomed to failure? losing four of its last six games in mostly embarrassing fashion, and while it is crucial that the team figures it out sooner rather than later, it’s not completely indicative of how the team will fare come playoff time. In other words, it’s not the end of the world and a first round exit is far from a By Dom Luszczyszyn Mar 22, 2019 foregone conclusion.

For starters, while Yost’s article is often cited, it’s important to note that it Boston and Toronto. Two teams whose paths are simultaneously is now four years old and things have changed since then. Yost himself converging and diverging in the days leading up to the playoffs. The two surmised the possibility that score-adjusted Fenwick was “running a bit Atlantic behemoths are once again expected to square off in the opening hot over the past seven seasons” while the opposite might have been round of the postseason but are trending in opposite directions on their true for goal differential — a sample size of 105 series really isn’t that way there. large. As it turns out, that seems to have been exactly the case as the team with the better score-adjusted Fenwick over the last 25 games has The Bruins have been a buzzsaw over the season’s second half, earning won only 43 percent of its series since, while the team with a better goal the league’s second-best record at 23-6-5, a 123-point pace and differential has won 58 percent. Over the full sample of 165 playoff outscoring opponents by 31 goals over that time. The Leafs have been series, the two have now “called” the exact same number of series, which anything but, letting the chance at home-ice advantage slip through their suggests that while stretch drive performance still matters, so does a fingers by playing at a pedestrian 91-point pace while posting a modest team’s full-season standing. It means the previous 57 games don’t need plus-seven goal differential. to be tossed in the trash in consideration of potential playoff outcomes.

Naturally, the temperature in both cities couldn’t be more different, with Priors matter and shouldn’t be abandoned. That’s part of the reason the Bruins looking nearly unstoppable and the Leafs looking very many are concerned about Toronto’s play to begin with: the Leafs have beatable. What was once looking like a hotly contested series is now shown they can be better than their last month of hockey. They may not being treated closer to a foregone conclusion for the team that’s going look like the team that appeared to be one of the league’s best earlier into the playoffs at its best over the team that’s playing its worst hockey this year, but the play that established those expectations shouldn’t be of the season. completely forgotten, either.

There’s obviously a long-standing precedent for that as ideally a team Digging deeper, I attempted to quantify how hot or cold a team was going should be playing its best hockey leading up to the playoffs; it’s better to into the playoffs by comparing its play (using win percentage, goal come in firing on all cylinders rather than hoping to flip a switch when the differential, Corsi and scoring chance rate) in the season’s first 57 games games start to matter. against the final 25. The goal was to figure out whether a team was peaking around playoff time and how that related to its playoff success Recent examples paint the exact same picture, as it’s easy to recall rate, specifically in the first round, as that’s when something like this is dominant stretch drives from previous Stanley Cup champions, like last most important. year’s Capitals ramping up their possession game significantly and winning 64 percent of their contests in their final 25 games. There are the As it turns out, there is truth to the notion that coming in hot matters. Of 2009 and 2016 Penguins, who turned into juggernauts under new the 80 first-round series to happen since 2008, the “hotter” team was coaching, going 18-3-4 with a 54 percent Corsi under Dan Bylsma and expected to win 52 percent of its series based on the market price of 33-16-5 with a 55 percent Corsi under Mike Sullivan — both huge each and won 59 percent instead. It’s a very small sample, but it signals improvements from floundering numbers early in the season. And, of that a team at its best might deserve extra consideration when it is facing course, there are the surprising 2012 Kings, the eight-seed analytics a club that is struggling prior to the postseason. When the gap between darlings that crushed opponents on the shot clock to the tune of a 60 hot or not gets wider, the difference gets larger, too, as the top half of the percent Corsi after acquiring Jeff Carter, going 13-5-3 in the process. hot teams won 60 percent of their series when they were only expected to win 48 percent of the time. Washington rode a late-season surge en route to winning the Cup. (Stephen R. Sylvanie / USA Sports) That paints a harsh reality for Toronto, but it’s not a death sentence. Whether it feels like it or not, the Leafs do have a very good team and a There are teams on the other side of the coin, too, who came in cold and date with Boston can be won, even if it’s a little less than expected based struggled to live up to their hype, like all three of the Presidents’ Trophy- on how the teams are trending. The Leafs came within one game last winning teams in Washington that took their foot off the gas and coasted season and added and Jake Muzzin to the mix, though the down the stretch in each season. The 2014 Blues were on their way to Bruins have perked up their own depth. The Leafs may not be favourites the top of the West but lost six straight to finish the season and got anymore, but the series should still be significantly closer than the team’s ousted in the first round. The 2012 Red Wings were first in the league in recent play might suggest where a 55-win team (based on Boston’s mid-February, went 7-11-4 to drop to ninth and then lost in the first round record since Jan. 1) facing a 42-win team would win over 80 percent of in five games. the time. It’s simply not that bleak, or even close to it. Those teams that came in hot played extended that excellence all the Going through the data shows the hot-and-cold debate is far from a hard- way to June on their way to hoisting the Stanley Cup. The teams that and-fast rule, and there have been plenty of exceptions the Leafs can came in cold fell flat on their face. They’re all crucial examples on the find solace in. virtue of peaking at the right time, an old adage that those examples strengthen. In a short two-month tournament fuelled by randomness, Just last year, the league’s “coldest” team swept its first-round matchup that’s exactly what a team needs to win it all — finding that stride in the decisively and went to the Stanley Cup Final. In their first 57 games, the weeks leading up to the postseason is critical to that. Vegas Golden Knights played at a 115-point pace, outscoring teams by 0.72 goals-per-game and earning a 52 percent Corsi. In their final 25 One of the more intriguing analytics findings over the past decade only games, the Golden Knights limped to the finish with a 95-point pace, a bolsters that theory. In 2015, TSN’s Travis Yost wrote about the merits of 0.08 goal differential per game and a sub-50 percent Corsi. Far from a team’s score-adjusted Fenwick in its final 25 regular season games dominant, but no team looked more potent in the opening round and leading up to the playoffs and its predictive power. At the time, nearly 70 Vegas parlayed that into a Cup final berth. It’s funny to note now that the percent of series were won by the team that was stronger in that single second-coldest team was actually the Bruins, whose scoring chance rate metric — over eight percent higher than using a team’s full-season goal dropped by nearly four percent and goal rate by nearly half a goal-per- differential. In that sense, playing well down the stretch — specifically a game. team’s process at 5-on-5 — mattered more than its full-season play. The year before? It was the Stanley Cup-winning Penguins who There is a lot of evidence that coming in hot matters, but perhaps it’s struggled in the final stretch of the season relative to how they started, being pushed too far in one direction, especially as it pertains to the getting outshot after being a dominant possession team at the beginning centre of the hockey universe imploding, where every second of every of the season. In 2016, there were some who figured the Flyers could game is under intense scrutiny at all times. upset the Presidents’ Trophy-winning Capitals in the first round because the former was red hot and the latter was ice cold. In 2015, the hottest team was the Andrew Hammond-led Ottawa Senators, who needed to go 21-3-3 just to improbably make the playoffs before bowing out in six games. That year, the Blackhawks and Lightning were far from hot en route to a Stanley Cup final clash, with both seeing a massive drop in their scoring chance share. Lastly, there’s the team that earned Mike Babcock his lone Stanley Cup, the 2007-08 Detroit Red Wings — one of the most dominant teams of the salary cap era — whose win rate dropped from 72 to 52 percent and whose goal differential dropped by nearly a full goal per game.

For every team that’s championed as a hot team that kept the momentum going through the postseason, there’s another that imploded come playoff time. For every team whose struggles continued come playoff time, there’s another that figured things out or flipped a switch once April hit. Hotter teams generally do perform better than colder teams, but there are exceptions to the rule on both sides that can easily be cherry-picked.

Toronto can be that exception this year or it can start figuring things out in the season’s final eight games, with Wednesday’s game against Buffalo being a good start. Figuring it out early is the more appealing option to be sure, but it doesn’t mean the Leafs are doomed if they don’t.

The Leafs have a good team with a decent chance. When considering those chances, it’s important to remember what they’ve shown all season and prior, and not just the past month or so, even if their recent play does have more merit. More important, though, is the team itself remembering what kind of team it can be. Whether that starts now or Game 1 (at the latest) doesn’t really matter, but the clock is ticking. It’s time to flip the switch.

The Athletic LOADED: 03.23.2019 1137035 Boston Bruins Like McAvoy did at Boston University, Werenski signed after his sophomore year at Michigan. Werenski finished out 2015-16 with Cleveland, Columbus’ AHL affiliate. The clock on his ELC started running Contractual hardball with Charlie McAvoy is not in the Bruins’ future. The in 2016-17. Werenski’s ELC will expire at the end of this season, the past says so. same time as McAvoy’s. Werenski, however, will have three years of NHL experience.

McAvoy’s plan went sideways when blue-line bodies started falling By Fluto Shinzawa Mar 22, 2019 among that year’s Bruins squad. So instead of serving an AHL apprenticeship and starting his ELC clock in 2017-18, McAvoy reported

to Boston for the first round of the 2016-17 playoffs against Ottawa. He When Charlie McAvoy’s entry-level contract expires at the conclusion of burned the first year of his deal but played in only six games, falling four this season, he will not be eligible to sign an offer sheet with another short of the minimum threshold. club. He will be two years removed from having arbitration rights. The sides have already talked about an extension. McAvoy turned down Technically, McAvoy will not even be a traditional restricted free agent. a long-term deal before the season. Michael Curran, McAvoy’s agent, Because of his six playoff games against Ottawa in 2016, the Bruins and general manager Don Sweeney will most likely resume talks in the defenseman will be categorized as a 10.2 (c) player: one who does not offseason. have three years of professional experience even after the expiration of “It’s not like a phone call happened and it was, ‘We’re done talking,’” his three-year ELC. Curran said. “Talks were consistent. But then Charlie gets hurt and the The cohort of 10.2 (c) players is spare but high-powered. They are focus changed. Our focus changed on getting him healthy.” typically NCAA players fished from school partly with the promise of McAvoy will have 10.2 (c) company. Former BU teammate Jakob instantly burning the first year of their ELCs. Torey Krug (Michigan State) Forsbacka Karlsson, Hanover native Colin White (BC) and Brock Boeser and ex-Bruin Reilly Smith (Miami) were previous examples. So were (North Dakota) will belong in this category. Next year, Braintree’s Adam former Boston College phenom Johnny Gaudreau, Jaden Schwartz Gaudette (Northeastern), Troy Terry (Denver), Henrik Borgstrom (Colorado College) and Jason Zucker (Denver). (Denver) and Casey Mittelstadt (Minnesota) will be black-hole players. At a bare minimum, an employer of a 10.2 (c) player needs only to qualify This year, with some college programs already finished for 2018-19 and him to retain his services. In McAvoy’s case, it would be a one-year, others soon to wrap, more are coming. If Quinn Hughes (Michigan) plays $971,250 qualifying offer for 2019-20 — take it or leave it. one game for Vancouver this season, he will be a 10.2 (c) player in 2021. The chances of this happening are nil. Ditto for UMass Amherst prodigy Cale Makar, although Colorado’s season could be over before the Minutemen bow out. Even if clubs have most of the bargaining power in such cases, they rarely flex their muscles to this degree. It would not be in the Bruins’ best Gaudreau set the standard with a six-year, $40.5 million second contract. long-term interest to irk McAvoy for a short-term advantage. Schwartz did not do poorly with his two-year, $4.7 million extension. Only the Bruins’ tightness against the cap in 2014-15 limited Krug and Smith History proves it. to identical one-year, $1.4 million deals.

Last September, while Miles Wood’s New Jersey teammates had In that way, McAvoy has no need to worry. He will get paid well. It’s just reported for training camp and played two preseason games, he was out not yet clear how much. of contract and skating on his own in Boston. Like McAvoy, Wood fell into the 10.2 (c) classification, known informally as a black-hole player. The Athletic LOADED: 03.23.2019

On April 8, 2016, Wood signed his ELC following his freshman season at BC. One day later, Wood made his NHL debut in the Devils’ season finale: a 5-1 win over Toronto. The 13:06 Wood played was good enough to burn the first year of his ELC. But Wood’s one appearance was nine short of the 10-game minimum to qualify as a year of NHL experience.

In the final year of his ELC, Wood scored 19 goals and 13 assists in 76 games. The left wing also recorded 84 penalty minutes, indicating his willingness to play hard and drop the gloves.

But when his contract expired following 2017-18, the sides could not initially agree on an extension. In September, Wood exercised his only alternative: He withheld his services.

This did not change how the Devils felt about Wood. They thought highly enough to lure him out of BC with the incentive of burning his first year. They never intended to play hardball, even if all they had to do was qualify him at 105 percent of his previous $925,000 annual salary.

“In Miles’ case, having come right out of college and burning that year, he was a player that could step in and play,” said Peter Fish, Wood’s agent. “He’s an important prospect for the future. When his entry-level contract was up, you have a good idea of how good a player he is and what he’s going to bring to the team in forthcoming years. Usually, you look at some of the deals out there, how important the player is and you come to some type of mutual agreement — unless one side is being unreasonable.”

On Sept. 22, 2018, Wood agreed to a four-year, $11 million extension.

“You remind them that their talent is what typically will win out,” Fish said of advising clients who withhold services. “In some of these cases, like Miles or Charlie, they’re making a big impact on the team. People will want to see these players in the lineup. The team knows that.”

McAvoy did not expect to be in this situation when he signed his deal on April 10, 2016. McAvoy and the Bruins planned to follow the path Columbus and Zach Werenski took the previous season. 1137036 Buffalo Sabres 25. Buffalo Sabres. Utterly embarrassing to lose every game in a season to Leafs for first time in franchise history. (24)

26. New York Rangers. Will spend a second straight year out of the Mike Harrington's NHL Power Rankings playoffs for first time since 2004. (26)

27. Anaheim Ducks. Will finish seventh in Pacific for first time in By Mike Harrington|Published Fri, Mar 22, 2019 franchise history. (27)

28. New Jersey Devils. Palmieri gets 50th point, team's first player there this season. (28) Through Friday's games. Last week's rankings in parentheses. 29. Detroit Red Wings. Major yawners coming: Still have to watch Sabres 1. Tampa Bay Lightning. Cooper clips Caps to get 300th NHL coaching play them twice. (29) victory in 500th game, push team to 120 points. (1) 30. Los Angeles Kings. Phaneuf has two more years at $7 million per. 2. Calgary Flames. Will wear "Retro red" sweaters for all playoff home Awfully expensive for a healthy scratch. (30) games. (2) 31. Ottawa Senators. Owner Melnyk specializes in turning Canadian Retro jerseys. Playoffs. A match made in heaven. capitla into Dysfunction Junction. (31) pic.twitter.com/4iG21c5CFY Buffalo News LOADED: 03.23.2019 — x - Calgary Flames (@NHLFlames) March 22, 2019

3. Boston Bruins. Fifth 30-goal season for Bergeron. (4)

4. Washington Capitals. Loss to Wild was first at home in regulation in nine games (7-0-2). (5)

5. San Jose Sharks. Shark Tank was site of three double-digits seeds winning in first round of NCAA hoops tourney. (3)

6. Toronto Maple Leafs. Fan base fretting as playoff showdown looms with Bruins. (6)

7. Winnipeg Jets. Had four-game winning streak before blanking in Vegas. (9)

8. Pittsburgh Penguins. Went 1-0-2 as three straight went OT or shootout. (8)

9. New York Islanders. Reality setting in as Metro race becomes a struggle. (7)

10. Nashville Predators. Looking to hold off Blues to maintain home-ice edge in first round. (10)

11. Vegas Golden Knights. Subban posts first career shutout in grounding of Jets. (11)

12. Carolina Hurricanes. Face rugged home-and-home this week vs. Caps. (13)

13. St. Louis Blues. Rebounded from loss to Sabres with 12 goals in two home wins. (15)

14. . Possible playoff showdown Thursday in Columbus. (14)

15. Columbus Blue Jackets. Expected them to take charge in wild-card race. Still waiting. (12)

16. Dallas Stars. Unveiled Western belt buckle logo for 2020 Winter Classic vs. Preds in Cotton Bowl. (16)

17. Minnesota Wild. Huge statement in wild-card race to win in Washington and end eight-game skid vs. Caps. (19)

18. Philadelphia Flyers. Only East team left who can catch Habs or Blue Jackets. (20)

19. Arizona Coyotes. Might get Stepan back, a huge veteran add for run to the finish. (17)

20. Florida Panthers. Barkov wins NHLPA player poll for league's most underrated player (18)

21. Colorado Avalanche. Quite a race for West wild-card with Coyotes and Wild. (21)

22. Vancouver Canucks. Surprised Pettersson-led 1970 expansion cousins won't be Sabres' opponent in Sweden. (25)

23. Chicago Blackhawks. Last-chance time with weekend back-to-back vs. Avs. (22)

24. Edmonton Oilers. McDavid at 37-70-107, Draisaitl at 43-51-94. (23) 1137037 Buffalo Sabres attempt differential of more than 50 percent and generated more scoring chances than their opponents.

"I’m going to approach it the same," Sheary said of playing with Eichel. After enduring slump, Conor Sheary using his speed to make impact for "A few instinct things will be a little bit different, especially in the offensive Sabres zone and off the rush. He obviously has the ability to find you in places that sometimes you wouldn’t even expect the puck. Try to get open and find that soft area for him." By Lance Lysowski|Published Fri, Mar 22, 2019|Updated Fri, Mar 22, 2019 With the Sabres 14 points out of a playoff spot entering Friday's games, they hope to simply build momentum over their final nine games. Nylander and Casey Mittelstadt are being given prominent roles. As important, Botterill is evaluating who can be part of the solution for next For all Conor Sheary has experienced during four NHL seasons, from season. winning back-to-back Stanley Cups in Pittsburgh to playing alongside Sidney Crosby, even the 26-year-old Buffalo Sabres winger has trouble Sheary will be an unrestricted free agent next summer and will count $3 ignoring the score sheet following games. million against the cap in 2019-20. His playoff experience and leadership can be valuable for a team that is in need of both. This is the first time in There have been many nights this season where he hasn't liked the his short NHL career that he is not playing meaningful games in late outcome. Sheary scored only four goals over a 43-game span during the March, but Sheary does not think those struggles will last for long. Sabres' winter slide, and the angst of failing to produce crept into the rest of his game. He believes the best is yet to come in Buffalo.

Finally, under the self-induced pressure of needing to score, Sheary had "I think we know we have a good core group of guys in there," he said. two goals against his former team March 1, and has four goals and three "As far as the end of the season, we want to make sure we’re striding in assists over his last 11 games,while being a menace defensively. When the right direction and building towards the future. I think we’re a team the Sabres begin a three-game road trip Saturday night in Montreal, that’s going to be around for a little while and not just make a splash, so Sheary will skate on a new-look top line with Jack Eichel and Alex this is a big learning process for us and hopefully we can build off that." Nylander. Hunwick day-to-day "Personally, I feel like I’m playing a little bit better," Sheary said following practice Friday. "I’m starting to use my speed a little bit more, and I’m While defenseman Zach Bogosian returned to practice Friday, the creating a lot more turnovers than I was maybe earlier in the season. Sabres will be without Matt Hunwick in Montreal. Hunwick, 33, is day-to- That’s the way I’m going to be effective. I may not show up on the score day with an upper-body injury, Housley said. sheet every night, but if I can help my team win in other ways, that’s Hunwick has been a healthy scratch the past two games and has two going to be a good thing." assists with a minus-7 rating in 48 games this season.

Sheary scored 41 regular-season goals over his final two seasons in Buffalo News LOADED: 03.23.2019 Pittsburgh before he was dealt to the Sabres last June. He ranks sixth on the team with 32 points in 69 games, surpassing his total of 30 in 79 games last season with the Penguins.

However, Sheary has fallen short of his own expectations. Six of his 13 goals were scored during the Sabres' first 16 games, as he was initially given the opportunity to play on Eichel's left wing. Jeff Skinner was elevated to the first line and scored 10 goals during the Sabres' 10-game winning streak, while Sheary failed to produce in a lesser role.

As Sheary's struggles worsened, he wasn't using his speed to strip pucks from unsuspecting opposing forwards and was not forechecking with the type of tenacity that helped him during that fast start.

Though Sheary has 19 points in 47 career playoff games, including two Cup runs, his confidence wavered. Even the sport's elite players can't fend off the frustration of failing to score.

"I don’t know the reason," he recalled. "Maybe I was a little bit stressed out about not scoring. Once I got through the fact that I don’t need to do that every game, I think it freshened my mindset and I’m approaching each game with a little bit better mindset than I was before."

Sheary is not unfamiliar with such slumps. He had only four goals during a 44-game span last season with the Penguins and did not break out until he was reunited with Crosby and Jake Guentzel. Sheary didn't need a similar assignment to spark change.

Since Feb. 26, he leads all Sabres forwards with a 52.40 percent on-ice 5-on-5 shot-attempt differential and has shown why General Manager Jason Botterill thought he could be a solution to the team's need for secondary scoring.

"It’s always good to score and you get more confidence," coach Phil Housley said of Sheary. "You can see it in his strides. He’s using his speed to get in on the forecheck. He’s turning over pucks and it’s good to see him finally contribute offensively."

Housley broke up his top line during a 4-2 loss against Toronto on Wednesday night and has separated Eichel, Skinner and Sam Reinhart. The hope is Sheary's recent play and chemistry with Eichel can help spark the offense.

Eichel has no goals in his last five games, while Skinner has one in his last 16 and Reinhart is goalless in his last 11. Sheary and Eichel have played only 115 minutes, 19 seconds together at 5-on-5 but had a shot- 1137038 BuffaloSabres to the pros, it’s the same thing when you get drafted. It just gives you that motivation to be that much closer to playing in the NHL.”

For goalies, it’s never a sure thing they’ll get to the NHL. The Sabres As the Sabres’ regular season dims, goaltending prospect Ukko-Pekka have drafted 45 goalies since 1970. Out of those 45, 20 went on to play Luukkonen could be a light on the horizon at least one game in the NHL. Out of those 20, 14 played more than 20 NHL games. Goalies are unpredictable, but Luukkonen has already shown plenty of signs he could be the real deal. By Joe Yerdon Mar 22, 2019 “When he’s gone in after a different goalie and started the second period or earlier, you can see the shoulders, the heads of all our team rise and right then it’s like, ‘They’re not going to score any more goals — we’re The evolution of a goaltender can be a mysterious process. A goalie coming back,’” Stillman said. “And he’s giving the confidence and the generally takes a lot of time to round into form if they’re going to become belief in the 18 skaters that we skate every night that we’re going to win a NHL-caliber player, making the prediction of who will become an elite- hockey games … You can afford to make a mistake. We can afford to level goalie a potentially Sisyphean task. That’s part of what makes take the odd chance here early in the game or late in a period because watching the progress of 20-year-old Buffalo Sabres prospect Ukko- you know he’s going to make the big save at the right time.” Pekka Luukkonen so interesting. It was at the 2019 World Junior Championships in Vancouver in January Luukkonen was drafted in the second round of the 2017 NHL Draft out of that Luukkonen seized everyone’s attention when he helped lead Finland Finland, where he played for HPK in Liiga. Last year he played for LeKi in to the gold medal. Although many in his position might’ve sagged after Mestis, Finland’s second league. As a teenager he was playing in men’s such an emotional high, Luukkonen powered ahead upon his return to hockey leagues. Sure, forwards and defensemen do that often in Europe, Sudbury after the tournament. but a goalie? That’s difficult to pull off unless the player has great talent. “I think he had the ability to take it game-by-game and day-by-day and This season he came to North America, joining the Sudbury Wolves of once he went to the tournament his main focus was the World Juniors the OHL to get acclimated to the smaller ice and faster game here and to and as soon as he came back from World Juniors he was ready to come keep him within reach of the watchful eyes of the Sabres organization. back and that was in the past,” Valiquette said. “He turned that switch off Next season he’ll be a pro once again, this time with the Rochester and he was back in the dressing room with the guys and our team, doing Americans in the AHL. what he could to give our team the best chance to win. He did that since “I think he just wanted to come over and prove that he is the best and to the beginning of the year. He’s obviously a huge part of our team and he me, right now, he is the best 19-year-old goalie in the world (Luukkonen gives us the best chance to win night in and night out.” just turned 20 on March 9th) and now it’s for him to continue to hold that The effect Luukkonen has had on Sudbury is profound. Their 43 wins this reign,” Sudbury coach Cory Stillman said. “He did it at the World Junior season, 38 of which belonged to Luukkonen, were the most they’ve had Championships in Vancouver (in 2018) and now we’re hoping for him to since 1994-1995. Although a future in Rochester and Buffalo awaits if his do it here in the OHL. We believe when he’s in net we can beat every play continues to improve, the task at hand keeps him going. Of course, hockey team in our league.” mentioning a future in the pros brought a big smile to the big Finn’s face. This season has been an awakening for Luukkonen. He led the Wolves “Every kid who starts to play hockey and any kid who gets drafted, their to home ice in the first round of the OHL Playoffs by leading the league dream is to play in the NHL and making pros next year will be one step with a .920 save percentage. He set the Sudbury record for shutouts in a closer to that,” Luukkonen said. season with six and tied the franchise record for shutouts in a career. He had 38 out of Sudbury’s 43 wins and went 38-11-2 while playing in 53 Although Sudbury is having their best season in years with Luukkonen games, tied for fourth-most in the OHL. saving the day, he’s done it under duress. He’s faced the seventh-most shots among OHL goalies and sees an average of 30.1 shots per game. “His dedication on and off the ice and his desire to get better each and He’s had 17 games in which he’s faced 35 or more shots on goal and every day made that adjustment easier for himself. Not that it was easy, has had five games with 40 or more saves, including a 47-save effort in a but he put in that work so he could do it in a timely fashion,” Sudbury 5-4 win on the road against Niagara in mid-February and a 41-save Wolves goalie coach Alain Valiquette said. “As soon as he came in after shutout on his 20th birthday in Hamilton. training camp, he was a huge difference maker for our team immediately. So that adjustment period for him was really small if there was any.” Even with highlights like those, it was the third game of the season — a 3-2 win on the road against Niagara in which Luukkonen made 46 Preseason was an instant turning point for Luukkonen. In September, he saves — when Stillman knew he had a goalie destined for bigger things. took part in Sabres camp before he was sent to join Sudbury. There, it was during an exhibition game that Luukkonen found out how different “He stole us a game and I think the next night he was the first star again,” things were going to be in North America. Stillman said. “As a coaching staff you know you have a special goalie and you have an NHL goalie and you know you have a guy that’s going “The first game we had him play, it was an exhibition game, and he to win. looked really shaky and I think it was with angles and how quickly pucks got to him,” Stillman said. “Now, the goalie he is and the level he has, “We’ve gone from a team that was in last place and now we’re in a within a week he was back to normal and I think his routine often now is playoff spot, we have home ice. Him coming in sets the standard for what when we go into rinks he tries to pick up on the new angles. The we want for goaltending. You’re not always going to get his level, but now Olympic-sized ice is much bigger, but he has no problem playing in the we realize as an organization what a goalie can do throughout a 68- NHL-sized rink and I think that’s why Buffalo wanted him over here is to game schedule.” make the step quicker. The Athletic LOADED: 03.23.2019 “To me, next year I see him playing in the American Hockey League and getting a chance to play in the NHL. I think this year was the biggest learning curve he could have.”

Luukkonen went from being a prospect with a lot of tools and talent to being an absolute No. 1 stud goaltender in junior hockey. Part of his drive isn’t just to improve himself and get better each day but to also show teams that passed on him that they made a mistake.

“Of course you want to prove everybody, how do you say, right or wrong, but you want to prove to yourself it was the right decision to draft you and I think every kid thinks like that when they get drafted,” Luukkonen said.

“I think when you get drafted it shows they see something special in you and it gives you that extra motivation and gives you, as I said about going 1137039 Calgary Flames of the best team in the Western Conference and is putting up points at an elite clip.

At mid-season, Professional Hockey Writers Association voted Giordano Giordano strengthens his case for NHL's top defenceman award as the leader for the Norris Trophy. While that shouldn’t be taken as gospel by any means, it’s a pretty good indicator of the perception of Giordano around the hockey world — and the PHWA does vote on end- Daniel Austin of-season awards, too.

Published:March 22, 2019 If he’s gone a little under-the-radar in years past, people are now well aware of what Giordano brings to the table. Updated:March 22, 2019 6:13 PM MDT At the time, the Toronto Maple Leafs’ Morgan Rielly was voted as No. 2,

while the Sharks’ Brent Burns was No. 3. Mark Giordano was leading the pack for the Norris Trophy at mid- They’re probably still the three leading candidates for an award that season. typically rewards defencemen’s offensive contributions. A few months later, he’s only pulled further ahead of the competition. Burns is currently leading the way in that regard with 76 points, while As the Calgary Flames have come down the National Hockey League Giordano is second with 69 points and Rielly is third, with 68. stretch and started pulling away from the San Jose Sharks at the top of “He’s always in the rush,” said Flames forward Matthew Tkachuk. “I think the Pacific Division, their captain been his usual steady presence on the in the zone, he’s great at sniffing out time to jump and he does a great blue-line while producing at nearly a point-per-game pace. job holding the blue-line and keeping pucks in. He’s a great passer, but Currently, Giordano’s on a six-game point-streak, and with 11 points in what a shot he has, too.” his last 12 games, he’s been a key part of a potent offence that has There’s little question where Giordano’s teammates in the Flames scored 30 goals in its past six while winning five of those games at a dressing room believe this year’s Norris Trophy should go. It’s not exactly pivotal juncture in the season. surprising that they believe their captain should get rewarded at the end The numbers sort of speak for themselves in the conversation as the of the season, of course. NHL’s top defenceman, but his coaches and teammates don’t mind But with the team surging towards finishing first in the Pacific Division making a case for him, either. while the Sharks stumble, it seems impossible that the rest of the hockey “In my opinion, he’s the best d-man in the league and he’s proved it world hasn’t taken notice. every night,” said Flames defenceman Travis Hamonic. “Probably the If they’re paying attention — and the mid-season poll suggests everyone most underrated player in the league, as well. He’s a tremendous person, is — then it’s becoming ever-more-likely that Giordano will become the he’s our leader and our heartbeat and (Thursday night in a 5-1 win over first player in Flames franchise history to win the Norris Trophy. the Ottawa Senators) just proved it. “Obviously I’m a little biased, but I’ve known he’s been that type of player “We were kind of slow and sluggish, and he goes out and steals a play pretty much since I’ve been here,” said Giordano’s defensive partner, TJ on a (penalty-kill), and that’s got to be his fourth shorthanded goal or Brodie. “I don’t know that he got the recognition, maybe, but it’s nice to something.” see him get the recognition he deserves. Hamonic did his research, clearly. “He does everything out there. He’s physical, he’s defensive, he breaks When Giordano scored on a shorthanded breakaway — he took a few plays up and the offensive stuff speaks for itself.” couple whacks at the rebound before the puck went in, but we’re still Calgary Sun: LOADED: 03.23.2019 counting it as a breakaway — he became the first NHL defenceman to score four shorthanded goals in a season since Detroit Red Wings great Nicklas Lidstrom back in 1999-2000.

It was an important goal, too.

While the 5-1 scoreline on Thursday night suggested the game was a blowout, the Flames got off to a slow start and were down 1-0 to the worst team in the league when Giordano intercepted the puck in the neutral zone and took off on his breakaway.

It’s not really what you expect from a defenceman on a penalty kill, as head coach Bill Peters acknowledged afterwards.

“A defenceman scoring a shorthanded goal on a breakaway, seriously?” Peters said.

On the surface, the specifics of the goal were obviously a little surprising.

But it was also exactly the sort of play the Flames have come to expect from their captain.

The way Giordano’s teammates and coaches see it, big plays at big moments are just what he does.

“We’ve had to rely on that a lot this year,” said Flames assistant coach Ryan Huska. “When we need a good, hard-grind shift, you’ll find him in the offensive zone. (If) we need a good block on a penalty kill, he’ll be the guy who blocks it. A hit somewhere? He’s involved in every facet of the game for us.

“He’s done it all … all year. It’s funny, coming in as someone who didn’t really know him all that well, there’s not a lot of change in his demeanour from the way he practises to the way he plays the game. Honestly, it would be hard to go back and try to find a game where he hasn’t been at the standard where we expect him to be at.”

That high-level consistency will likely be the key to Giordano’s Norris Trophy candidacy, along with the fact that he’s the defensive centrepiece 1137040 Calgary Flames “Hath is a real good pro, a real good teammate, and he’s one of those guys that can function in limited icetime and still be effective,” Peters praised recently. “He can sit for long stretches of time and still go out and Detail-oriented Hathaway carves out regular role with Flames play. That’s a hard thing to do, and coaches appreciate that. We know it’s not easy and not everyone can do it. Examples are, he’s sat for 12 or 14 minutes at a time and all of a sudden went out to kill a penalty and probably blocked two or three shots and gets it 200 feet and then gets off Wes Gilbertson and lets the next set of two go. Published:March 22, 2019 “So I like the way he goes about his business.” Updated:March 22, 2019 5:57 PM MDT Sitting for 12 or 14 minutes is never ideal.

Sure beats sitting all night, though. Garnet Hathaway needed a translator. “It’s meant a lot because it’s something I’ve been working towards,” The Calgary Flames’ grinder was itching for an opportunity to impress his Hathaway said of his usage this winter, his first full campaign without a new boss and, after sitting the first four games of the season as a healthy minor-league assignment. “I’ve had a lot of people help me to where I am scratch, had received word he would finally be in Bill Peters’ lineup for a right now — family, friends, coaches, teammates. And it’s one of those mid-October matchup in the Mile High City. that it’s not going to stop there.

Hathaway doesn’t often dazzle with goals and assists. He figured if he “I wish those two (healthy scratches) never happened. I wish the four at didn’t ace the finer points, he would probably wind up back in the press the start of the season never happened. That’s the goal now is just to box. keep playing and trying to help the guys win. Because big picture, that’s what it’s all about — winning.” “I remember that game in Colorado, I went up to ‘Doc’ and said, ‘Hey, you’ve gotta explain everything he just said,’ ” Hathaway recalled, Calgary Sun: LOADED: 03.23.2019 referring to centre Derek Ryan, an expert-of-sorts on Peters’ gameplan thanks to previous connections in both the major junior and pro ranks.

“We’re so detail-oriented that we have papers up — pieces of paper that you guys don’t see — that tell us exactly what the other team is doing on every draw, won or lost, penalty kill, power play, where guys are, who is on the units … I remember, I took Doc and I walked over and I said, ‘Explain the whole thing.’ I went over to the board, over to the papers …

“Because I hadn’t played a regular-season game yet and I didn’t play a couple of pre-season games before that, too, so it had been a while for me. And you have to excel at what you’re good at, right? So if I’m detail- oriented, I had to know the details and had to be prepared for that.”

Peters must have been suitably impressed, because the hard-nosed Hathaway has since emerged as an everyday, leave-him-in-the-lineup sort for a squad with more forward depth than any edition in recent memory around the Saddledome.

Fellow right-winger James Neal could return to action for Saturday’s hook-up with the Vancouver Canucks at Rogers Arena (8 p.m., CBC/Sportsnet 960 The Fan), but Hathaway probably shouldn’t fret about being the odd man out — and not simply because he and fourth-line pals Ryan and Andrew Mangiapane combined for two goals and six points in a 5-1 rout of the Ottawa Senators in their last outing.

Because, as Peters put it, “that line is doing everything right.”

Hathaway has been credited with 176 hits this season, tops on the team by a country mile.

The 27-year-old has become a valuable piece of the penalty-kill unit. He has blocked 31 shots, the third-highest total among Flames forwards.

His career-best nine goals — four of those have counted as winners — are gravy.

In Hathaway’s case, perhaps the most telling stat is games played. After sitting four in a row in the fall, he has munched popcorn just twice and not since Jan. 11.

“I think on great teams, roles are figured out a little more. It’s a little more defined, and I think you also realize that all roles are not point-specific,” Hathaway reasoned. “What our coaching staff focuses on is the details, so I think that has helped guys create roles for themselves and find positive stuff that may not be the most noticeable otherwise — on the score-sheet or in the media. The away-from-the-puck moments, right positioning, good battles … It’s stuff like that you can build off of and that helps to become an everyday player, too.

“If you don’t do that stuff, you’re not going to stay in this league.”

Hathaway averages only 10:14 per night — including 1:45 in shorthanded situations — but that sort of deployment can bring challenges that first-liners like Johnny Gaudreau and Sean Monahan rarely have to worry about. 1137041 Calgary Flames FLAMES LINEUP

Forwards

GameDay: Flames at Canucks — 5 storylines Johnny Gaudreau – Sean Monahan – Elias Lindholm

Matthew Tkachuk – Mikael Backlund – Michael Frolik

Daniel Austin Alan Quine – Mark Jankowski – Austin Czarnik

Published:March 22, 2019 Andrew Mangiapane – Derek Ryan – Garnet Hathaway

Updated:March 22, 2019 5:46 PM MDT Defence

TJ Brodie – Mark Giordano

SATURDAY Noah Hanifin – Travis Hamonic

Calgary Flames (46-21-7) at Vancouver Canucks (32-32-10) Oscar Fantenberg – Rasmus Andersson

8 p.m., Rogers Arena, Sportnet West/Sportsnet 960 The Fan Goaltenders

THE BIG MATCHUP David Rittich

Canucks C Elias Pettersson vs. Flames LW Andrew Mangiapane Mike Smith

Nobody’s saying we should be comparing the rookie seasons these two CANUCKS LINEUP are having. Petterson is the runaway leader for the Calder Memorial Trophy as the NHL’s rookie of the year. He’s been a revelation since Day Forwards 1 and has ‘superstar’ written all over him. Mangiapane’s rookie season Josh Leivo – Elias Pettersson – Brock Boeser hasn’t been anywhere near that level, but he’s coming off his first career multi-point game on Thursday against the Ottawa Senators and has Tanner Pearson — Bo Horvat — Loui Eriksson people in Calgary pretty excited. Sven Baertschi – Adam Gaudette – Jake Virtanen FIVE STORYLINES Markus Granlund — Jay Beagle — Tyler Motte WHAT’S UP WITH SAM Defence Sam Bennett exited Thursday’s game against the Ottawa Senators after Alexander Edler – Alex Biega the second period due to what the Flames are calling an upper-body injury. He’d missed the teams two previous games because he was Guillaume Brisebois – Troy Stecher dealing with what he called “maintenance issues,” but there has been no indication that he was nursing a serious injury. As of Friday afternoon, his Ashton Sautner — Luke Schenn status for Saturday’s game in Vancouver was unknown, but if he’s out it Goaltenders will likely be recent call-up from the Alan Quine who slots in at left wing on the third line. James Neal could be back for the Flames, Jacob Markstrom too, after being sidelined since Feb. 14 with an upper body injury. Thatcher Demko BAERTSCHI BACK? INJURIES Sven Baertschi completed a full practice with the Canucks on Friday and declared himself ready to play this weekend after being sidelined since Flames — LW Sam Bennett (upper body), RW James Neal (upper body) Feb. 2 with post-concussion symptoms. The Canucks certainly won’t play Canucks — Brandon Sutter (hernia) Ben Hutton (foot), Antoine Roussel him if there’s even the slightest bit of risk involved, but he would provide (knee), Quinn Hughes (ankle), Ryan Spooner (groin), Chris Tanev (foot) a boost if he does return. Baertschi has eight goals in 22 games this season and has been a key part of the powerplay when he’s been SPECIAL TEAMS healthy. Power play GET IT DONE Flames: 21.1% (52-for-247, 11th) The Flames have opened up a five-point gap with eight games remaining in the season at the top of the Pacific Division, although the second-place Canucks: 15.9$ (37-for-232, 26th) San Jose Sharks could cut into that when they face off against the Penalty Kill Anaheim Ducks on Friday night. One way or another, the Flames’ destiny is in their hands and with each win they’re chances of finishing the Flames: 80.0% (20th) season in first place grow better and better. They’ve done a good job of beating up on lesser teams recently, and they’ll want to keep that going Canucks: 80.4% (18th) against the Canucks. Calgary Sun: LOADED: 03.23.2019 LAST TIME OUT

If it feels like just yesterday that these two teams were squaring off in the exact same arena, that’s understandable. The Flames and Canucks last met in Vancouver on Feb. 9, with the hosts winning that game 4-3 in a shootout. The most memorable highlight from that game might have been James Neal losing eight teeth, but Jacob Markstrom was also a monster in net for the Canucks, stopping 44 shots. With the Canucks playing a back-to-back this weekend, expect Markstrom in net again against the Flames.

FINDING CHEMISTRY

It sort of seems like Bo Horvat has played on a line with just about everyone on the Canucks roster this season, but he seems to have found some chemistry with Tanner Pearson and Loui Eriksson. The trio combined for five goals on Wednesday against the Senators. 1137042 Calgary Flames With no more bagels on his stat-sheet, he has six lamp-lightings and nine points in 23 twirls since the start of February. Not bad, kid.

“Mangi, even if he didn’t score as much as he’s projected to, is a good Youngster leads Flames past Senators player because of his pace,” said Flames head coach Bill Peters. “He gives whatever line he’s on pace. He’s good defensively. He’s not a liability. He cares. He comes to the rink every day with a smile on his Wes Gilbertson face and, to me, is getting better all the time.”

Published:March 21, 2019 Senators defenceman Dylan DeMelo capitalized on a two-on-one to give the guests an early lead Thursday, but the Flames captain equalized with Updated:March 21, 2019 11:31 PM MDT a shorthanded strike.

Giordano pick-pocketed Bobby Ryan — one of few recognizable names If Calgary Flames call-up Andrew Mangiapane has been ignoring your e- on Ottawa’s depleted roster — in the neutral zone and raced the opposite mails, forgive him. direction on the breakaway. Although the 35-year-old was denied on his first attempt, he was rewarded for his dogged determination when he The rookie speedster left a few belongings — including his laptop pushed his third whack at the loose puck across the goal-line during a computer — in Stockton, Calif., home of the Flames’ farm club. chaotic scramble in Anderson’s crease.

And he won’t be back there anytime soon. After the pair of pottings by the fourth line, Backlund and Tkachuk rounded out the scoring with third-period cash-ins. That was clear even before Thursday’s first-star performance at the Saddledome, with the 22-year-old winger providing both a top-shelf snipe The Flames will now pack their carry-ons for Saturday’s clash with the and a highlight-reel assist to spur the Flames to a 5-1 victory over the Vancouver Canucks at Rogers Arena (8 p.m., CBC/Sportsnet 960 The rebuilding Ottawa Senators. Fan), one of eight remaining regular-season dates for a squad that has already clinched a playoff spot. “Yeah, I got a few things (in Stockton) … My laptop is down there still,” Mangiapane grinned after his first career multi-point performance. It seems like a lock now that Mangiapane will be in the lineup when the “Maybe I’ll need to get (Josh) Healey to ship it up or something like that.” post-season opens.

Or, maybe, it’s time for a trip to Best Buy? Perhaps, in the meantime, he should finally replace his laptop.

“I could probably afford one, yeah,” Mangiapane chuckled. “My other one He won’t be headed back to California anytime soon to retrieve the old is kind of running slow, too. It’s an Acer or something like that.” one.

After a bit of slow boot-up, Mangiapane is now proving he can contribute “We’re gearing up for playoffs now, so I think every game, you’re trying to at the big-league level. improve yourself so you’re ready for playoffs, so you’re at your maximum potential,” Mangiapane said. “You don’t want to take your foot off the gas For a squad that could already fill the net, the offensive emergence of the in any way.” soft-spoken speed-demon is yet another reason for optimism as Calgary’s crew readies for a playoff quest. The Flames also received some good news Thursday on the out-of-town scoreboard. Mangiapane has now scored three times during a six-game span. Those aren’t all-star stats, by any stretch, but that’s impressive pop from a With the San Jose Sharks suffering a fourth straight defeat, this time to fourth-liner. the Los Angeles Kings, Calgary’s club now has a five-point cushion in the battle for first seed in both the Western Conference and Pacific Division. “He’s playing his best right now,” praised linemate Garnet Hathaway. “It’s not anything we didn’t expect, and it’s not going to stop here.” SMILING SIBLINGS

No, this kid is just getting started. It’s not often an NHLer will admit to grinning ear-to-ear after the opposing team scores. Nearing the midway mark of Thursday’s second period against the cellar- dwelling Senators, Mangiapane accepted a pass from centre Derek Ryan In this particular case, the offending party — Flames rising-star Matthew in the high slot, quickly settled down a wobbly puck and then rifled a Tkachuk — can certainly be forgiven. wrist-shot just inside the post — and just under the cross-bar — on Craig Anderson’s glove-side. With the Senators paying a visit Thursday for the second career clash between the Tkachuk Bros., Matthew was reminiscing prior to puck-drop Earlier in the evening, Mangiapane dazzled with a no-look pass on an about what it was like to see his younger brother, Brady, light the lamp offensive rush, setting up Hathaway for a no-doubter. when these snarky siblings faced off for the first time at the big-league level last month. Hathaway later returned the favour, forcing the turnover that led to Mangiapane’s marker. “Honestly, I was smiling on the bench. I thought it was awesome,” Matthew admitted. “The place went nuts and looking up at the two suites With Ryan collecting a pair of helpers, the Flames’ fourth unit combined (full of family and friends) to the right of our bench, you saw everybody for six points in Thursday’s snoozer. going crazy. You can’t help but smile. I mean, it kind of puts you in a “Just every game, I’m gaining more confidence, and it helps when you’re tough spot, but I was smiling … playing with two great guys and building our chemistry,” Mangiapane “Right when the puck dropped at centre-ice to start the next shift, I said. “Every day, you just have to keep proving yourself. I think I belong definitely wanted to get one and wanted to win that game. But there was here, but it’s still a day-to-day job. So work hard in practice, work hard in definitely a sense of excitement from me. I was smiling and very, very the games and good things will happen.” happy for him.” Mark Giordano, Mikael Backlund and Matthew Tkachuk also scored On Thursday, when Matthew scored with just 87 seconds remaining as against the Senators as the locals won their fifth straight at the the Flames cruised to a 5-1 win, it seemed that Brady was also struggling Saddledome, a streak that was interrupted by a road loss in Winnipeg. to conceal a grin. This night, though, belonged to the up-and-comer in No. 88. “I’m his biggest fan but it’s a different scenario when we play against A sixth-round shot in the 2015 NHL Draft, Mangiapane has averaged each other,” Brady told reporters afterward. “It was a mixed feeling when upwards of a point per game during his minor-league stints over the past he scored.” two winters, but that scoring punch didn’t immediately translate to the top For fans of either Tkachuk brother, there has been plenty to smile about level. this season. He waited 18 games — including 10 last season — for his first assist. He Already wearing a letter despite being the youngest regular on Calgary’s waited eight more to notch a goal. roster, Matthew is averaging north of a point-per-game. The fan favourite in No. 19 has already racked up 34 goals this winter, Canucks is uncertain … Up on emergency recall, Flames centre Curtis the fourth-highest total in Flames’ franchise lore by a sharpshooter 21 or Lazar was returned to AHL Stockton … With his first-period helper, under. (Only Joe Nieuwendyk, Robert Reichel and Eric Vail tickled more Flames fourth-liner and feel-good story Derek Ryan hit triple digits in twine at such a young age.) career points at the highest level. Ryan, who logged his NHL debut at 29, reached that milestone in 226 total games. Matthew also assisted Thursday on Mikael Backlund’s bury. Calgary Sun: LOADED: 03.23.2019 Brady, the fourth-overall pick in the 2018 NHL Draft and a franchise building block for the rebuilding Senators, has a team-leading 17 snipes as a rookie, including that Feb. 24 tally against the Flames.

He was blanked in the rematch against his brother, while Matthew collected a goal, assist and the W.

“I was really impressed with him the last time we played him,” Matthew said earlier in the day of his 19-year-old brother. “He’s gotten a lot bigger since I even saw him over the summer or little spurts throughout the year. Like, he’s a man now, and he is really strong on the puck. His offence, the way he is making plays now, it’s something I have seen a huge improvement in, as well. And he’s still scoring goals … He’s doing a good job to put the puck in the net.”

Even better, at least for Brady’s older brother, is that the stats don’t tell the whole story.

“Off the ice, I’m very happy with hearing the type of guy he is in the locker-room,” Matthew beamed. “Everybody that he’s ever played with, it’s like they’re best friends with Brady. The way he is able to really get together with his teammates, the way he was able to come right into a new team as an 18- or 19-year-old and be the guy that everybody wants to hang out with him … Everybody loves him and I’ve heard nothing but great things from the rest of his teammates, so I think that’s what I’m the most proud of.”

DUB DAYS

The playoffs open Friday, perfect timing for a trip down memory lane with Flames bench boss Bill Peters.

Now 54 and prepping for his first crack at the Stanley Cup as a head coach, Peters guided the to a WHL title and crown in 2008.

That squad, including Calgary-raised captain Chris Bruton and current NHL mainstays Tyler Johnson and Jared Spurgeon, survived a seven- game slugfest with the Tri-City Americans in the semifinal before sweeping the Lethbridge Hurricanes in the championship series to hoist the Ed Chynoweth Cup.

The Chiefs were undefeated at the Memorial Cup, besting the host in the final and then famously busting the historic trophy during their post-game celebration.

That championship run was, no doubt, a biggie in Peters’ progression as a coach. He’s been working in the pro ranks ever since.

“It’s being steady on the rudder, and you have to appreciate what your guys go through,” Peters said. “I know what those young guys went through at that time. That’s a lot of hockey for those guys. It was 100 games that year, and some guys were playing through some stuff at the end, no different than what happens in the National Hockey League.

“You grow a lot of respect for your players when they go through that war of attrition.”

The other Saddledome tenants — the Calgary Hitmen — claimed the third seed in the WHL’s Central Division and open their playoff quest Friday on the road against the Hurricanes.

AROUND THE BOARDS

Proud parents Keith and Chantal Tkachuk weren’t going to miss the opportunity Thursday to see both of their boys on the same sheet. “Whether it’s our first time playing against each other or second time or 50th time, I think they’re still going to get really excited,” Matthew said. “They’re still going to get really excited for every one of ’em, I’m sure” … Flames heart-and-soul Mark Giordano climbed into sole possession of second on Calgary’s all-time games played list, leapfrogging longtime teammate Robyn Regehr by suiting up for his 827th career contest. Jarome Iginla is the runaway record-holder, with 1,219 appearances in the Flaming C … Thursday’s hosts welcomed back forwards Sean Monahan and Sam Bennett after each missed a pair of outings. Bennett, however, exited after the second period due to an upper-body injury and did not return. His status for Saturday’s meeting with the Vancouver 1137043 Calgary Flames big ones that stick out to me. It helps (going forward), but we haven’t played in enough of them. I need more experience in the playoffs. You definitely feel as you get older and you experience it more, it is a different From NHL debuts to Stanley Cup clinchers, Flames players share the game, a different type of atmosphere. But, at the end of the day, biggest games they’ve played in everything settles down and you play the same way and try to do the same things.”

No. 6 Dalton Prout By Scott Cruickshank Mar 22, 2019 “For me, it was the 2012-13 season when I was in Columbus. The last 10 games, it never went outside of one point for the playoff spot. It came down to the last regular season game against Nashville. We were going Eric Godard, in the midst of a rowdy winter in which he would fight eight head to head with Minnesota and we both won — but they won the times in the AHL and six more times in the NHL, is asked about his most tiebreaker. So it was 10 games of … like you’re tiptoeing the cliff. You memorable game. lose a game and you’re done. The way it played out, the last seven or The Calgary Flames’ heavyweight nose-bender doesn’t hesitate. eight were do or die. To have that atmosphere in the rink, to have that excitement of chasing something …” “One moment really sticks out — my first year of peewee,” starts the Vernon, B.C., native. “It’s not a good story — we lost in triple overtime in No. 7 T.J. Brodie the provincial finals. I still think about that from time to time.” “My first NHL game (Oct. 7, 2010, at Edmonton) was big. And the first In the re-telling, Godard, a soft-spoken man off the ice but a brute on it, playoff game (April 15, 2015, at Vancouver) — and the first one here gets a little upset. For real. The 6-foot-4, 227-pounder steams. (four nights later), seeing the atmosphere and just how loud the fans were and how the city was buzzing. That was cool. But as players we try Current Flames players were asked to name the single biggest game to approach every game the same. Obviously the more energy in the they’ve ever experienced. Defining biggest well, that was left to them.His building, the easier it is to get up for games and find that energy primary sticking point? A goal against Cowichan Valley that would have yourself.” earned Godard’s squad the championship and bragging rights in B.C. was disallowed. No. 10 Derek Ryan

“We won,” Godard insists, “but the puck went in, went out, the ref didn’t “National championship games from my time at the U of (Alberta, 2007- see it.” 11). Those were probably your biggest in terms of your will to win. You want to win those games more than basically anything in your life at that That the conversation with the Flames winger takes place in January time — those kinds of games have that mentality. That’s how I envision 2007 — meaning the controversial contest had been decided 15 years NHL playoffs being every game.” earlier (when he was 11) — doesn’t seem to have eased his disappointment. — “Once you settle down through the emotions of the first part of the game, you realize that it’s just another hockey game, and you settle into Proving that significance is in the eye of the beholder, that degrees of the same routine that you’ve done countless times before. It’s just that importance vary, that hockey on all stages matters. everything’s amplified — all the little details. If you make mistakes, everything’s amplified, and that’s the case in all those big games.” With that in mind — especially with what’s right around the corner — the Flames’ dressing room was surveyed. Current players were asked to No. 11 Mikael Backlund name the single biggest game they’ve ever experienced. Defining “biggest,” well, that was left to them. “A lot of finals — Memorial Cup final and WHL final (with 2008-09 Kelowna). World junior, two finals. World championships, two finals. It’s No. 3 Oscar Fantenberg hard to compare — they’re all big games. Relegation games back in Sweden. When I was 18 we played games to go up (a division) — those “When I won the championship back in Sweden (in 2016 with Frolunda). are big games as well. I mean, winning the WHL and the gold medal at That’s one of the biggest things — that feeling when you win. It’s a the world championships definitely stands out (because of) the results. special feeling. It’s one of the biggest games I ever played. I think we But before the game, they’re all equally as big. Playoffs in the NHL, there won in Game 6. You’re the best team in the league, right there at that are some big games that we’ve played. What also stands out is that L.A. moment. You celebrate with your teammates. You spend all year game at home to clinch playoffs (and eliminate the Kings, April 9, 2015) knowing you’re the best team in the league. You’re just drained from all — it was an awesome game. It’s hard to rank them. But, even if you win the games. You’re tired, but, as the same time, so happy, too. It’s a weird or lose, you learn something from it.” feeling, but a fun feeling. No. 13 Johnny Gaudreau “When you play games when everything is on the line — win or lose, you’re out and your season is done or you’re going to the next round — “Probably my first NHL playoff game (April 15, 2015, at Vancouver). it’s kind of nerve-racking, but fun, too. Season’s over or you’re still There’s a lot of emotions and you’re excited to be a part of that. playing? That’s the most fun part of the season — playoff time. And it’s Obviously, it’s great to experience that. You’ve got it out of the way and coming up here soon.” you can just focus on playing some more playoff hockey.”

No. 4 Rasmus Andersson No. 18 James Neal

“Back home (in Sweden for Malmö) we won the series and we basically “I’ve played in lots of big games (in 100 playoff appearances). Defining played the team in the division above us for a spot in the top division. ‘big game’ is sometimes different. Obviously, Game 7s in the playoffs, do Those games are probably the biggest ones I’ve played. Five teams, 10 or die, winning those games is something you never forget. First games games. Relegation.” at the start of playoffs are some of the biggest games you’ll ever play in. Game 6 in the Stanley Cup final is probably the biggest game you can — A lot of pressure? “Yeah, it’s sold out almost every night. If you win, play in, beside Game 7. I’ve had a few of those. A big game was our first you go up to the top division where everyone wants to play. Those are game last year, Vegas at Dallas (Oct. 6) — that was a huge game for our the biggest games I’ve played so far.” team. If you don’t win that game, I think things definitely turn out — Takeaway? “Stay cool, really. It’s a playoff game, but you’ve just got to differently. So, lots of different types of big games.” keep your nerves in control. You can’t be afraid to play. You’ve got to go — “I think experience goes a very long way. You learn a lot about out and play your game, no matter what. Just handle the pressure, really. yourself. You learn a lot about yourself as a player on how you have to That’s what it comes down to.” deal with adversity, on how you have to deal with different things in No. 5 Mark Giordano games. I definitely react a lot differently in situations now than maybe I did in my first year going into playoffs with Pittsburgh. Whether it’s “I would say NHL playoff games. Playing against Detroit in Game 6 (April knowing when to say something, knowing when to stay more disciplined, 22, 2007) in double overtime here — that was the biggest one. The first not letting things faze you, all types of different things you have to learn.” one in my career (less than a week earlier) was pretty nerve-racking. Playoffs just have a different feel, a different atmosphere. Those are the No. 19 Matthew Tkachuk “I would say (2015) U-18 world championship against Finland in “I don’t know. Hopefully I will play my biggest game (in the future). But for Switzerland — we ended up winning 2-1 in overtime — or the (2016) now, I don’t know. Maybe my first NHL game (April 8, 2017, at San Memorial Cup final game (with OHL London beating QMJHL Rouyn- Jose). Or maybe my first NHL shutout (Nov. 10, 2018, at Los Angeles). Noranda on Tkachuk’s overtime goal). Those are the types of games Things like that, you’re going to remember for all your life. At that point where it’s a one-game elimination, right? It’s full pressure-packed, kind of for sure, it does give you confidence.” like a Game 7. If I ever get to a moment like that or an elimination game where your back’s against the wall, I’ve had those experiences a couple No. 41 Mike Smith years ago. But not in the NHL playoffs — it’s a different beast.” “Biggest game? Probably just playing in the playoffs. Back in (2012 with No. 21 Garnet Hathaway Arizona), that was the first taste of being the starting goalie going into playoffs, got my first taste of being the guy, and (seeing) just how much “It was my junior year in college” — 2012-13 at Brown University — “and more emotion and pace of play and atmosphere — it all elevates at that we were playing at RPI. Best-of-three series and it’s Game 3 in the time of year. That year we ended up going to the (Western) Conference second round of our ECAC playoffs. So it was Friday, Saturday, Sunday final. It was real fun to be a part of.” on the road. Won Game 1. Lost Game 2. And Game 3 was a battle. We were blocking shots left and right. Overcoming the odds. It went down to — “My first year (in the playoffs), I was in Dallas and didn’t play. In the wire and we ended up winning. That was the guttiest game, I think, Tampa, I’ll never forget Marty St. Louis telling me after we got beat out in I’ve ever seen by a team. And to be a part of it? That one sticks with me the (2011) conference finals by Boston — they ended up winning the and we still talk about it with the guys.” Stanley Cup — and we were sitting around after, just chatting, and he said, ‘It sucks. It takes 82 more games to get back to the level of play that No. 23 Sean Monahan comes with playing in the playoffs.’ And it’s true. Once you’ve played in a playoff game? There’s nothing like it. Just the importance of every game, “I think maybe my first playoff game (April 15, 2015, at Vancouver). That every play, every shift, every save. It elevates in playoffs and you want to was a huge game, kind of welcome to the NHL. It’s a whole different play in those big games.” look, a whole different feel. It’s a game that I’ll always remember. Once you’re there and you know what it feels like to play in those kinds of No. 55 Noah Hanifin games — it takes everyone. So, to be a part of that, it’s pretty special. I remember one game from that series, if we win the game we win the “I’ve never been in the playoffs in the NHL, and those are the most series. I think we were down (3-0 in Game 6) and we came back and we important games for most guys, so I would say my first NHL game. That won that game. That was big.” was a big step for me. A big milestone. That was my goal my whole life — to play in the NHL. I think when I did that (Oct. 8, 2015), that was No. 24 Travis Hamonic really important for me. It’s something you visualize your whole life. That first game, I remember, we played in Nashville — their opening night, “For me, it was probably world juniors (loss in the 2010 gold medal final), sold out crowd. It was loud, kind of my welcome to the NHL moment. the U-18 (win in the 2008 gold medal final). Any of the playoff games. I Something I’ll never forget. I played with James Wisniewski, but he don’t think there’s really one. I’ve been in some double-overtime series ended up getting hurt 46 seconds into the game, so we had five D. I clinchers with the Islanders (April 24, 2016, over Florida) and things like played with everybody.” that. There’s a lot of different moments. Still chasing that one big game, I guess.” No. 58 Oliver Kylington

— “You never can have too much experience in any job or career path “Hard question. I think maybe playing as a 16-year-old (pro for Farjestad) that you choose, right? Experience, it seems, is something that in the (2014) finals in Sweden — that was a pretty cool feeling. And I everyone’s always looking for. The funny thing about experience is you would also say playing in my first (2017) world junior semis in Canada have to go through it to get it, right? You can’t just go to the store and against Canada (at the in Montreal) — that was a cool buy it. You’ve got to go through those wars, you’ve got to go through feeling. I would say those games are the biggest.” those games, you’ve got to go through the hard times and the good times.” — “Every (big) game is good in one way. You don’t want to overcomplicate it in your head, right? You need to know what’s on the No. 26 Michael Stone line,. But when it’s a big game like that, I’m trying to be calm, focused, and think, ‘It’s just a game.’ But when it’s important, you get that “(With Arizona) I got thrown into the (2012 Western Conference) final — adrenaline rush.” so my first-ever playoff game was in the third round against the Kings, the year they won their first (Stanley Cup). I don’t remember a whole lot No. 67 Michael Frolik about it, but I do remember that it was a big deal. I had been called up in February, played a dozen games or so, then watched the first three “Obviously, the finals in the (2013) Stanley Cup. It was the sixth game (to rounds. Then we had Adrian Aucoin get hurt, and I had to play Games 2 clinch against Boston) — every game in the finals is huge. That was the and 3. I also played a bunch of big games in junior (with WHL Calgary). first time I went that deep in the playoffs. I don’t remember being We went to the (2010) Memorial Cup, lost in the semifinal. Those games nervous. But we played seven games (in the second round) against were big, for sure.” Detroit. We were down three games to one in that series and we came back. Game 7 was huge and we won that game (2-1 in overtime). But No. 27 Austin Czarnik when you’re in it, when you’re in the playoffs, you don’t really think about it. You just play the games. But when you look back, when you’ve gone “A USA one … when the U-18s won (the 2010 world championship) all the way, those games are huge and important. But you don’t want to against Sweden. Or the (2015) NCHC championship with Miami. think too much when you’re going into those games. It’s experience. Honestly, I think the Miami one is more special to me because the year When you’re in the situation again, you know what to expect, (more) than before we were picked to finish first and we finished last. So there were the first time. One little mistake can cost the whole team the whole run. no expectations of us to have a good year. And that was the reason I You need to be aware of what’s going on and make sure you don’t do came back to college for my senior year — I didn’t want to leave the anything stupid.” program as a failure. We came in second in the conference and then we won the conference championship tournament. We played St. Cloud (in No. 77 Mark Jankowski the final). For us, that was fun. A cool thing.” “I’d say the biggest or most important game of my life was probably that No. 28 Elias Lindholm national championship game in college (April 11, 2015, between his Providence squad and Boston University). It was both nervousness and “Yeah, my first NHL game (Oct. 4, 2013, against Detroit) is obviously excitement leading up to it. The day of the game, you have your morning huge. And when we won the (2017) world championships, the final game skate — everything is the usual — and then right when you wind down to (against Canada) was kind of cool to play in. So either of those two. You take your nap you start thinking about things. That’s when you’re not get experience and confidence as well when you play in the big games. really doing anything (so) you’re thinking about what could happen and That’s what we’re all fighting for. It’s a tough sport, it’s tough to win in this stuff like that. But when I woke up from my nap, it was (a typical) game sport. So when you’re playing games like that, you have to enjoy it as day from there. You play the game like any game. When we took the well.” lead (at 13:43 of) the third, that’s when things were like, ‘All right, this No. 33 David Rittich could happen. We have to buckle down.'” — “When you get to play a big game like that — even if you don’t come out successful — experience in important games like that can help you in important games in the future, for sure.”

No. 88 Andrew Mangiapane

“It would have to be my first NHL game (Dec. 31, 2017, against Chicago). I never really went too far (in the OHL playoffs), so it was definitely my (first) NHL game. That was a special moment, something I’ll remember forever. Biggest game of my career so far. Just the whole night, right? I did the (warmup) lap by myself out there — the rookie lap — and everything else leading up to it. All the interviews, all the texts from family and friends. All the support you’re getting is just crazy. It was always my dream to play in the NHL, and when it’s actually happening you’re just kind of amazed and shocked. It’s definitely a huge accomplishment. Growing up, especially in Toronto, all your friends and family and everybody is trying to make the NHL. Your dream’s coming true when you’re playing your first NHL game.”

No. 89 Alan Quine

“Double-overtime when I was lucky to score (as a member of the Islanders against Florida, April 22, 2016, in Game 5), that was the biggest one for me, for sure. It was right at the end of double-overtime, so you’re (potentially) heading into a third overtime — that’s the most hockey I’ve ever played, the most important hockey. To be able to finish it was probably the coolest moment I’ve ever had. I remember it pretty vividly. I think I remember the whole night. I didn’t get much sleep after the game, so much adrenaline, so much excitement. That one I’ll have in my memory bank forever.”

No. 93 Sam Bennett

“Honestly, for me, the biggest game was probably my first playoff game (April 15, 2015) — it was only my second-ever NHL game. It was in Vancouver and it was the first real look into the NHL. It was probably the game I was most nervous for and the most excited for, at the same time.”

The Athletic LOADED: 03.23.2019 1137044 Carolina Hurricanes scoring on his first shift. By then, Jamie McGinn, with some big brotherly pride, had said Brock would be the best of the three, noting little brother also “hits like a Mack truck.”

Sibling rivalries? The Carolina Hurricanes have a few, brother “We shoot texts every day,” Brock said of his brothers. “Our bond is something special.”

BY CHIP ALEXANDER The McGinn brothers have joined their dad, Bob, in owning the Roanoke Rail Yard Dawgs of the Southern Professional Hockey League. That’s MARCH 22, 2019 12:05 PM something different that Brock said has helped him learn about the business side of things.

Jordan, Eric and Marc Staal all were first-rounders and Jordan and Eric A lot of kids have big brothers who prod and push them, fight them, have Stanley Cup rings -- Eric with the Canes in 2006 and Jordan with compete against them, toughen them up and make them better. the Pittsburgh Penguins in 2009. Jordan was traded to the Canes in June Not all become NHL players whose big brothers also happen to be in the 2012, determined to join Eric in making Carolina a Cup contender again, NHL, but the Carolina Hurricanes have a bunch. but it didn’t happen and Eric was traded late in the 2015-16 season.

Jordan Staal had two older brothers pushing him. The oldest, center Eric The two will be on opposite sides again Saturday night at PNC Arena, Staal of the Minnesota Wild, will be in PNC Arena on Saturday as the two brothers but both trying to drive their teams to a needed victory. teams play a game with playoff implications. News Observer LOADED: 03.23.2019 Canes forward Brock McGinn also has two older brothers who made it to the NHL. Defenseman Trevor van Riemsdyk is the younger brother of forward James van Riemsdyk of the Philadelphia Flyers and will go up against him twice in the last nine games of the season, with much at stake.

Andrei Svechnikov’s older brother, Evgeny, is a former first-round pick of the Detroit Red Wings and defenseman Dougie Hamilton has an older brother, Freddie, who has been with four NHL teams.

“It’s neat thing that we all get to do the same job and all can relate the same way,” Jordan Staal said, speaking about the Staal siblings but also summing it up for the group. “We all have something in common, that we can share, a true passion for hockey.”

The competition in Thunder Bay, Ontario, at the Staal sod farm was legendary. Eric and Marc, a veteran defenseman for the New York Rangers, were the two oldest but Jordan grew into the biggest and the youngest brother, Jared, wasn’t little, either.

“We had our scuffles,” Jordan Staal said. “There were a few elbows ‘by accident.’ There was some of the ‘I wish I wasn’t your brother’ said at times.”

It was much the same at the van Riemsdyk house in New Jersey, Trevor said, where it was often all hockey all the time.

“We’d play in the basement with these little cut-down sticks, play in the driveway,” he said. “We’d have our friends over and have two-on-two games until the wee hours of the morning, until Mom told us to call it a night and go to bed.

“We’d have some pretty intense games. There might be sticks flying across the room by the end of it. Some tears were shed. But it was definitely fun.”

James van Riemsdyk was a first-round draft pick of the Flyers. Trevor was not drafted, playing college hockey at New Hampshire -- the Canes’ Brett Pesce once was his teammate and roommate -- before signing with the Chicago Blackhawks in 2014. A younger brother, Brendan, is a forward and has followed his two brothers to New Hampshire.

Brock McGinn is the youngest of the McGinn boys, who battled it out in a backyard rink in Fergus, Ont. Jamie and Tye tested Brock, and not just in hockey.

“We were competitive in everything,” Brock said. “That was in our blood in everything we did. We were always challenging each other, never wanted to lose in anything. We all wanted to have the first spoonful of food.”

Like Jordan Staal, Tye McGinn was the biggest and strongest of the brothers. “We were always beating on Tye,” Brock said. “Or we’d beat on him until Mom came in and said, “It’s time to stop.’”

Jamie McGinn, 30, was a second-round NHL draft pick of the San Jose Sharks in 2006, has played more than 600 games for six NHL teams and now is with the Florida Panthers. Tye, 28, was a fourth-round pick in 2010 and has spent much of his career in the American Hockey League while getting in nearly 100 NHL games with four teams.

Brock, 25, was drafted in the second round by the Hurricanes in 2012 and made his NHL debut against the Detroit Red Wings in October 2015, 1137045 Chicago Blackhawks

Playoffs? Yes, playoffs. Blackhawks are down but aren't out with huge weekend games ahead.

Jimmy Greenfield

Declaring the Blackhawks' playoff hopes done this season is a popular pastime these days.

You've done it and I've done it, and who can blame us?

It was supposed to be a fait accompli that the postseason was out of the question in December when the Hawks concluded a brutal 4-17-4 stretch by losing to the Sharks 7-3.

You might recall that was the game in which Corey Crawford suffered a concussion and his replacement, Cam Ward, allowed five unanswered goals over the final two periods.

Weird thing, though. Immediately after that the Hawks started to string solid wins together.

They beat the Predators at home, and then went on the road and downed the Stars and an Avalanche team that, at the time, was playing like a strong Stanley Cup contender.

For the first time in nearly two months, the Hawks had a pulse.

Until they lost five in a row in January and looked dead in the water again.

The back and forth has continued over the last three months with a seven-game winning streak, a very disappointing West Coast trip that included a loss to a terrible Kings team, followed by a terrific two-game road swing in which they swept the Maple Leafs and Canadiens.

Almost on cue, the Hawks returned home and dropped a pair to the Canucks and Flyers, a couple of teams whose postseason chances are worse than the Hawks.

Those recent losses have led many to once again say the Hawks are finished. But they're not. The Hawks have shown they are as resilient as any team in the league, and this weekend they have two enormous opportunities to prove it once again.

The Hawks visit the Avalanche on Saturday and play them again Sunday at the United Center. The Avs shouldn't scare anybody — just like the Hawks aren't going to leave any opponent trembling. There's no reason the Hawks can't win both games. Or lose both.

But a pair of Hawks victories would tie them with the Avalanche with a game in hand and send them to Arizona to face the slumping Coyotes, who are tied with the Avs with 78 points but have dropped three straight.

It's far from a Herculean task to go 3-0 against two fairly mediocre teams. This isn't over.

None of this would be possible if the Western Conference weren't having a down year. The Avalanche needed 95 points to take the final wild-card spot last season. It's likely the team that takes it this year will finish with 88 points.

Almost everyone who follows the Hawks has at one point or another decided the postseason just wasn't going to happen — possibly even some of the Hawks.

“There's been multiple points during the year where people on the outside and maybe even within the room thought we're in trouble here and we found a way to get through it," coach Jeremy Colliton said after practice Friday at MB Ice Arena. "I think that says a lot about the character we have in our group, and I think (Saturday) is another situation where we can rise above and get through it and maybe we look back at that as a turning point for us.”

The Hawks have had so many turning points already, what's one more?

Chicago Tribune LOADED: 03.23.2019 1137046 Chicago Blackhawks

Former Rockford IceHogs coach Ted Dent arrested on domestic battery charges

Georgette Braun

Ted Dent, a former Rockford IceHogs head coach, was arrested on domestic battery charges on Sunday by Loves Park police. He appeared in Boone County court in Belvidere on Tuesday.

Loves Park Police Chief Chuck Lynde said police were called at 12:35 a.m. to a home on Callanish Lane, Loves Park. He said it was a "911 hangup call." When officers arrived, he said they used a battering ram to gain entry "in response to what they were hearing."

Dent, 39, was charged with domestic battery/bodily harm and domestic battery/physical contact. He was ordered not to have contact with two people.

On Tuesday, after appearing before a judge, Dent was released on a recognizance bond. He is set to appear next in court on April 16.

Dent was the IceHogs coach for six years until he was fired in 2017 after a losing year. He compiled a 221-179-33-21 record in Rockford. He was also an assistant with the IceHogs from 2007 to 2011 and with the Hawks' previous AHL affiliate, the Norfolk Admirals, in 2006-07.

Chicago Tribune LOADED: 03.23.2019 1137047 Chicago Blackhawks DeBrincat and Jonathan Toews, and those three have a combined eight goals in the last 10 games.

The slump comes as Corey Crawford is peaking. After riding out a rough All or nothing for Blackhawks in weekend back-to-back with Avalanche start in his return from a concussion, he has a .961 save percentage and 1.33 goals-against average in his last six starts.

By Jason Lieser He has been so good that Colliton is considering deviating from his usual approach and playing him in both games of the back-to-back.

It has reached that level of desperation. It’s time to unleash everything DENVER — The Blackhawks could be playing for the fate of the known they have left. universe, and pretty much all coach Jeremy Colliton would say about it is, “Let’s get the two points.” “We can tighten up even more, and that’s probably what’s required to win,” Colliton said. “We can be better. We’re gonna need to be better.” He is unwavering — in his plan and tone of voice — and his temperament won’t be jostled by the Hawks’ season being on the line in Chicago Sun Times LOADED: 03.23.2019 this weekend’s back-to-back with the Avalanche. He has a clinical, almost robotic approach, and it has served him well.

So don’t expect any rousing speech in the visiting locker room before the Hawks take on the Avalanche on Saturday afternoon or leading up to the rematch in Chicago the next night.

“We’ll prepare them as we usually do,” Colliton said. “We just need to look at the standings and we know it’s an important game, but you can’t necessarily change your preparation. You do things right and perform at a high level, and it’s gonna be fun.”

Slow down on the fun. It’ll only be fun for the Hawks if they win.

They played reasonably well Thursday against the Flyers but fell 3-1, and no one considered that a fun evening. Winger Brendan Perlini described the postgame atmosphere as “pretty sour.”

The Hawks whiffed on a chance to close to two points on the Coyotes and Avalanche, compounding the frustration of an overtime loss to the Canucks a few days earlier.

As has been the case all season, though, the Hawks (74 points) caught a break and are still very much alive in the wild-card race. They’re five points out of the second spot with nine games left. The Wild (79 points) jumped the Avalanche (78) for the spot with a victory against the Capitals on Friday. The Coyotes also have 78 points.

Nonetheless, the Hawks are thrilled to be this close after sitting at the bottom of the NHL a few months ago.

“Who would have thought in November and December that we’d even be talking about this?” veteran forward Chris Kunitz said. “It’s awesome that we’ve been able to have the winning streaks that we did to claw ourselves back into this.

“But right now, we’ve got to take those best games that we’ve played, figure out what we did well and go out and win our next game.”

The stakes are so high that a split with the Avalanche might be insufficient. That’s probably the worst outcome the Hawks can survive and still have any realistic shot.

If the Hawks sweep both games, though, they could take control of the race heading into the game at Arizona on Tuesday.

Each step is treacherous from there, and it would still take a dominant home stretch for the Hawks to get to the playoffs. They play the last nine games over 15 days, and, after visits to the Sharks and Kings, they close the regular season with four straight playoff-bound foes.

But first, as Colliton is quick to point out, they have to deal with the Avalanche. The Hawks pulled off two one-goal wins in Denver in late December, then lost a hard-fought game at the United Center last month.

The keys this weekend will be getting the game to a fast pace and rediscovering their offense.

“We’re OK with a track meet, but on our terms,” Colliton said. “We want to be the one with the puck and catching them before they’re ready to defend.”

The Hawks’ offense, especially their power-play attack, has kept them afloat for months, but they’ve hit a rut at an inopportune moment and have scored six goals in their last 11 periods.

They struggled to get quality shots against the Flyers, frequently turned the puck over and came up empty on the power play again. The best thing this team has going for it is the scoring threat of Patrick Kane, Alex 1137048 Chicago Blackhawks Nobody can take a shift off or make a critical mistake against the fast- moving, highly-skilled Avs.

Defensemen -- and some forwards -- must be willing to lay out and Perlini relishes Chicago Blackhawks' role of playing the hunter sacrifice their bodies by blocking shots. Pay the price because one goal could mean the season.

John Dietz It's playoff time. Play like it or start making tee times.

Updated 3/22/2019 10:33 PM "We let it slip away last game," Kunitz said. "We could see it on the bench a little. We had jump and we were doing things, but we weren't committed to that … playoff style, win-or-go-home type of mentality.

A couple of hours before jetting off to Denver for the biggest game of the "That's something we have to bring back. We did it a few games in a row Blackhawks season, a chilled-out Brendan Perlini was enjoying some there and felt really good about ourselves. … We've got to get back to Chobani yogurt at his locker stall inside MB Ice Arena. playing the right way if we're going to give ourselves a chance to get in the playoffs." As a small group of reporters approached, Perlini displayed his carton for the lone camera on hand and offered up his services to the company. Daily Herald Times LOADED: 03.23.2019 His asking price? A cool $1 million.

Clearly the pressure of this playoff race is really eating at Perlini.

The thing is, he likes that the Hawks are nipping at the heels of Colorado, Arizona and Minnesota for the final wild-card spot in the West. Perlini even drew a golf analogy to explain himself: Think of the Hawks as the third-place guy at the Masters on Sunday.

Sure, there's still pressure.

But it's nothing like what the leader feels while sleeping on that lead.

"Everyone's watching him," said Perlini, who has 8 goals in the last nine games. "Some guys, they run with it and they go and win.

"But a lot of those guys, the pressure gets to them and you always see the guy in second or third make a few birdies, get hot -- boom -- he's rolling.

"If you compare that to where we are, I'd rather be (chasing). Obviously you want to be in, but if you're right there, there's pressure on those teams. "We're like the lion on its prey right now."

If that's the case, then the Hawks had better devour Colorado on Saturday and then again Sunday at the United Center. And they'd better keep on rolling on a three-game trip that begins Tuesday at Arizona.

The Hawks, who are 5 points behind Minnesota for the second wild-card spot, just blew two huge chances to tighten the race by falling in overtime to Vancouver and in regulation to Philadelphia.

Perlini and Chris Kunitz admitted the mood in the locker room after the loss to the Flyers Thursday was a bit more down than it should have been.

Dominant Hawks teams of the recent past would have brushed off a loss or two because they knew the dangers of getting too high or too low at this time of year.

This, of course, is not one of those teams. It's filled with inexperienced players who are looking for leaders like Jonathan Toews, Patrick Kane, Duncan Keith, Brent Seabrook and Corey Crawford to lead by example.

Kunitz said that's exactly what is happening behind closed doors, but Knute Rockne-like speeches don't go very far when you don't execute in crunchtime.

"Guys understand the importance, and coaches put that out there for us and let us know the other team is scratching and clawing to keep their playoff picture alive too," Kunitz said. "I just don't know if we're showing the right urgency on the ice, (and) doing the right thing at the right time every single shift that's going to contribute to being a team that's going to be in the playoffs."

Tough words for sure, but what else should we expect from a 39-year-old who has won four Stanley Cups?

Now it's up to all of the Hawks to prove they belong in the postseason.

Kane needs to get hot again, as does the power play. Crawford must continue his stellar play in net.

Brandon Saad, Artem Anisimov and others need to be an annoying presence in the crease. 1137049 Chicago Blackhawks

'It can go one of two ways': Blackhawks mindset going into home-and- home series with Avalanche

By Charlie Roumeliotis March 22, 2019 12:30 PM

The last time the Blackhawks and Avalanche met, it was viewed as the most important regular season game to date for the Blackhawks because it was a chance to finally pull inside the playoff picture and push the Avalanche out of it. That was Feb. 22.

Fast forward one month and the Blackhawks are approaching a home- and-home weekend series with the Avalanche, who are currently sitting in the second wildcard spot with 78 points. The Blackhawks are at 74 with a game in hand. They have an opportunity to make things real interesting with exactly two weeks left in the season.

“It can go one of two ways,” Jonathan Toews said. “So obviously we want to play our best hockey and make sure we’re in control of who gets the points in these next two.”

The Blackhawks were encouraged with how they played in that Feb. 22 against Colorado. They led in shot attempts (73-47), shots on goal (44- 31), scoring chances (40-23) and high-danger chances (20-13), according to naturalstattrick.com, except the category that mattered most and that's the scoreboard (5-3 loss).

"It's one of our better efforts of the year," coach Jeremy Colliton said after the game. "Sometimes the results don't go your way, but the challenge is to reproduce [at] that level and I think if we do, we'll get our fair share of points."

The Blackhawks are hoping a similar performance will lead to the desire result this time around. These are a pair of four-point swings that mean so much at this time of year. Colliton even acknowledged on Friday that Corey Crawford could start in both games, which would be his first back- to-back action since Nov. 4 and 5 in 2017.

The Avalanche have won three in a row, and have outscored their opponents 9-2 in that span. They're coming in hot. The Blackhawks have scored only five goals in their past three games, so they're looking to end that offensive dry spell.

The good news? The Blackhawks are 8-3-0 in their last 11 road games and have a plus-6 goal differential over that stretch. They clearly have been feeling more comfortable on the road as of late. And maybe it'll help set the tone in an all-important series.

"We’re OK with a track meet, but on our terms," Colliton said. "We want to be the one with the puck and catching them before they’re ready to defend. But they’ve got some good players and we’ve gotta be aware of them when they’re on the ice and try to keep the puck out of their hands. Hopefully — we’re coming off a loss and we know the stakes here — we’ll be really good tomorrow.”

Comcast SportsNet.com LOADED: 03.23.2019 1137050 Chicago Blackhawks The playoff race is really just beginning. Every team in the NHL is now in the single digits in the games remaining department. It's now or never.

"We're right in there," coach Jeremy Colliton said. "That's kind of how it Four takeaways: Blackhawks can't crack Carter Hart as offense hits is. People think we're out and we find a way to climb back in. That's bump in the road good. That's good that we've showed that resilience for sure. We'd like to take that next step."

By Charlie Roumeliotis March 21, 2019 10:30 PM Comcast SportsNet.com LOADED: 03.23.2019

Here are four takeaways from the Blackhawks' 3-1 loss to the Philadelphia Flyers at the United Center on Thursday:

1. Offense drying up

The Blackhawks are going through a dry spell. They tried sprucing up the lines mid-game on Monday against Vancouver, and reunited Patrick Kane and Jonathan Toews on the top line on Thursday to help change their fortunes. But no luck.

For the third straight game, the Blackhawks scored two goals or fewer after scoring at least three goals in 23 of their previous 27 games. The power play hasn't been nearly as effective, which has played a big part in that.

The Blackhawks had their chances at 5-on-5, though. They led in shot attempts (64-34), shots on goal (35-20) and scoring chances (31-17) but lit the lamp only once.

"I think we played pretty good at times and maybe just couldn't find the back of the net," Jonathan Toews said. "Still pretty frustrating that it's another huge opportunity at home and it's two in a row that we fall short. Still wouldn't say we played as good in our own building as we have on the road as of late. So we have to find a way to be better here. Can't allow ourselves to fall short and not get any points anymore."

2. A goaltending duel

Going into Thursday's game, two-time Stanley Cup winner Corey Crawford was 5-0-1 with a 1.74 goals against average and .948 save percentage in his past six starts. And 20-year-old rising star Carter Hart had a .961 save percentage in his past two starts. Both of them picked up where they left off.

Crawford turned aside 25 of 27 shots for a save percentage of .926. Hart one-upped him, denying 40 of 41 shots for a save percentage of .976. It was the first time since Nov. 16 that the Blackhawks were held to only one goal, a span of 52 games.

"They locked it down pretty good," Dylan Strome said. "I think we had a decent amount of shots, but not a lot from the slot, but their goalie played good and made some big saves and we couldn’t capitalize. We hit a post. Hit a couple posts. Had some good chances. But unfortunately that didn’t go our way tonight.”

3. Breakout season for No. 56 continues

When Erik Gustafsson signed a two-year extension last March with the Blackhawks worth $1.2 million per year, it didn't sit well with some fans who believed he hadn't done enough to earn that just yet. But looking back on it, it's turned out to be one of the best bargains on the Blackhawks.

After scoring his 15th goal of the season, Gustafsson became the first Blackhawks defenseman to hit that mark since Dustin Byfuglien scored 17 goals during the 2009-10 campaign. And that was a season in which Byfuglien alternated as a defenseman and forward. It's been an impressive year for Gustafsson, and there are still nine games left to add to that total.

4. Controlling your own destiny

Western Conference bubble teams were licking their chops once again on Thursday night. After the Coyotes lost for the third straight time, it opened the door for the Blackhawks to ultimately control their own destiny. And they do.

A victory would've pulled the Blackhawks within two points of the final wildcard spot with a game in hand. This going into a weekend in which the Blackhawks will have a home-and-home against Colorado before heading to Arizona, which makes the upcoming three-game slate even more important. 1137051 Chicago Blackhawks last six games and have outscored teams 17-7 in 5-on-5 play during that span.

This is also the best stretch of Crawford’s season. He was pretty much What you need to know about the Blackhawks-Avalanche weekend up and down most of the season. He also sustained another concussion series and missed more time. He just wasn’t playing like you were used to seeing in recent years. But he’s rediscovered his game as of late. Over that six-game stretch, he’s stopped 171-of-179 shots for a .955 save By Scott Powers and Ryan S. Clark Mar 22, 2019 percentage. With him playing so well and Cam Ward having played only once in March, I fully expect Crawford to get both of these games against

the Avalanche. Scott Powers: The NHL schedule-makers have to be rubbing their hands Do you think Grubauer gets both games for the Avalanche? Varlamov together in delight. In less than a 48-hour span, the Chicago Blackhawks has had the Blackhawks’ number throughout his career. He’s nearly and Colorado Avalanche will meet twice, home and away, and battle it invincible against them. They probably feel safe giving a game to each, out for vital playoff points. The race for that final Western Conference right? wild-card spot could look a lot different once the weekend is complete. Clark: All eyes are on Jared Bednar to see exactly how he will handle the Heading into the home-and-home series, here’s a reminder of how things goaltending decision. He’s typically tried to give Varlamov rest, but that stand: The Avalanche are currently in the second wild-card spot with 78 was at a point in the season when Varlamov was the clear No. 1. Right points in 74 games, and the Blackhawks have 74 points in 73 games. now? One would think he uses Grubauer at the Pepsi Center and turns The Arizona Coyotes (78 points in 74 games), Minnesota Wild (77 in 74) to Varlamov when they travel Sunday to the United Center. and Vancouver Canucks (74 in 74) are all in the mix too. There was only one time this season when Bednar used the same This weekend can play out so many different ways. The Blackhawks can goaltender in a back-to-back set and that was when Varlamov played fully immerse themselves back into the race with two wins. The consecutive games against the Islanders and Bruins on a three-game Avalanche can crush the Blackhawks’ hopes and increase their own trip. Varlamov was playing well to get them into overtime and Bednar chances with two wins. At the same time, little might happen. A win for wanted to keep that going. each team would be anticlimactic. Overtimes and shootouts could play a factor too with how points are dispersed. Grubauer, however, is enjoying the best sequence any Avalanche goaltender has had this season. It could be hard for Bednar to go away These are two teams that have proven this season there’s little from him, especially with what is at stake in these next two games separating them. All three of their previous games were basically one- against the Blackhawks. goal affairs. In Denver, the Blackhawks won 2-1 on Dec. 21 and 3-2 in overtime on Dec. 29. In Chicago, the Avalanche sealed a 5-3 win with an Powers: It would be something if we saw the same goaltenders in both empty-net goal in the final minute while the Blackhawks were on a power games. For the Blackhawks, they need Crawford to play well, but they play. Considering how close they’ve played and what’s on the line, it also need to score some goals again if they’re going to finish the season could be a fun hockey weekend. strong. They were held to one against the Philadelphia Flyers on Thursday and haven’t scored more than two in their last three games. Ryan, what do you see as some of the keys this weekend? It seems like They’ve been playing with more of a balanced lineup, which has helped the Avalanche are clicking at the right time. What’s been going right for the possession and limited opponents’ chances, but they aren’t scoring. them lately? If they could continue to play the same 5-on-5 game and get their power Clark: Let’s just say the Avalanche’s present run, much like their actual play going again, that’s probably the recipe for sustained success for season, has been a bit bizarre. Gabriel Landeskog’s regular-season- them. The power play drove their offense for some time, and it’s dried up ending upper-body injury created a discussion regarding how they would lately. They’re 1-of-21 on the power play over the last nine games. be at an even greater loss when it comes to offensive production beyond Patrick Kane’s production has been impacted by that. He had 21 points Nathan MacKinnon and Mikko Rantanen. Tyson Barrie went from in January and 23 points in February. He has one goal and seven points recording five total points in February to having five goals this month, and in nine games in March. four in his last three games. Two players I’d watch this weekend to make contributions are Dylan Philipp Grubauer, however, has become the most notable performer Sikura and Brendan Perlini. Neither was much of a factor in early games when it comes to how the Avalanche are in a wild-card spot. His “Will he? against the Avalanche. Perlini has come on with eight goals in March. Won’t he?” season really started turning around in a 5-0 shutout against Sikura is still looking for his first NHL goal, but he’s been playing top-6 the Predators in late February. From there, he is 5-2 with a 0.87 goals- minutes and creating opportunities. He and the Blackhawks would against average and a .971 save percentage. Grubauer also has three obviously love to see him notch that first goal this weekend. Otherwise, shutouts in that span. That’s more than what Semyon Varlamov has all Erik Gustafsson has been keeping up his offense from the blue line. He season. now has 15 goals this season. He and Duncan Keith have been solid as Perhaps the biggest achievement — aside from winning — would be the a top pairing lately. Gustav Forsling is coming off one of his best games, Avalanche’s ability to take early leads. They have scored the first goal in too. three straight games and have done it five times in the last six contests I’m fully expecting the teams to split the weekend. It would only be fitting, altogether. That’s big for a team that has failed to score first nearly 54 considering how this race has gone in recent months. There would be all percent of the time this season. this hype and then the points are divided equally. I do think the Exactly how have the Blackhawks gone about being in the race again? Blackhawks need these games more than the Avalanche do. The One minute, it appeared they were done and now they’re trying to crawl Blackhawks have squandered some opportunities over this stretch to out of the grave. gain ground, and this opportunity is massive. Time is running out. Any final thoughts, sir? See you in Denver. Powers: It’s hard to keep track at this point. They were playing better and it seemed like all of the Western Conference teams ahead of them were Clark: Predicting a split is a reasonable outcome. These games are too sinking, so that’s how they first got back into it. And then, the Blackhawks valuable for either team to get swept or blown away. Ian Cole made that started coming back down to earth and others started rising again. point earlier this week. He shared a story about how the team met after Finally, the Blackhawks went on a recent five-game winning streak to they lost to the Ducks at the Pepsi Center. Bednar told them every game make it interesting again. is going to be hard and not to expect any six- or seven-goal wins going forward. The biggest differences lately have been Corey Crawford and the team defense. The only way the Blackhawks stayed in games for a few months The only thing really left to mention is seeing how MacKinnon and was to outscore teams. In the past few weeks, they’ve been playing Rantanen perform. MacKinnon had 10 points through the team’s first mostly low-scoring, tight games. The Blackhawks have been rolling four eight games in March. He has not recorded a point in the past two lines pretty consistently and winning the possession game on most contests. That’s tied for the “longest” stretch of games he’s had without nights. They’ve had a Corsi percentage of greater than 50 in five of the getting a goal or an assist this season. As for Rantanen, he left the 3-1 win over Dallas late in the third period with an unspecified injury. Bednar told reporters after an optional practice Friday that Rantanen would be re-evaluated ahead of Saturday. That said, Rantanen was seen in the hallway after the win Thursday talking to the Stars’ Finnish contingent of Miro Heiskanen, Julius Honka, Esa Lindell and Roope Hintz. It appeared to be a friendly talk and not the type of thing that would happen if Rantanen was in serious pain. Or at least, that is what one would assume.

Other than that? Have a safe flight to the West Kansas International Airport, err, the Denver International Airport.

The Athletic LOADED: 03.23.2019 1137052 Chicago Blackhawks things around with a cathartic 6-3 win over Pittsburgh on Dec. 12. And they’ve played it at a 102-point pace, even with the disappointing two- game homestand during which the Blackhawks got one point against the ‘You can see the light at the end of the tunnel’: Blackhawks core Canucks and Flyers. reinvigorated by a playoff push they never expected And while we’ve spent much of the past month or two talking about how beneficial it is for the young guys — many of whom have never even played a playoff game in their careers — to experience high-stakes By Mark Lazerus Mar 22, 2019 hockey, it turns out it means the world to the core guys who spent years on the game’s biggest stages, too. After all, Keith and Seabrook are the

longest-tenured Blackhawks, the only remaining links to the true dark Brent Seabrook woke up Wednesday morning in a near panic. He had ages of the franchise, when every spring was like last spring. They both diligently checked the scores around the league the night before, but legitimately wondered if that’s where they were headed again. Yet here apparently at too late an hour and too sleepy a state for them to lodge in they are, in the thick of it. his brain. So yeah, even crusty ol’ Brent Seabrook is giddily checking the scores on “I woke up this morning and I’m like, ‘WHAT HAPPENED LAST NIGHT his phone every few minutes on off nights. It’s fun to be a Blackhawk IN THE GAMES?!’” Seabrook said, raising his voice and drawing a again. couple of perplexed looks from a couple of nearby teammates in the MB “We were last place in the league, half the season was over, and it was Ice Arena dressing room. “I’m finding myself looking at that stuff and looking pretty tough,” Seabrook said. “Then we got on a run and we seeing what’s going on in the league night to night. I think I know the started winning a bit, and then all of a sudden talk of the playoffs was standings pretty good now, because I’m looking at it every day. I’ve never coming back into it. And some teams in the West had faltered a little bit, done that before. I’ve never really looked at the standings or watched and it sort of gave us a chance to get back into it. It’s just been a weird scoreboards or anything like that. We’ve never really had to with the season, a wild season. I still find myself thinking, ‘Man, we’re in a playoff team we had.” race. This is crazy.’” Indeed, it’s been eight years since the Blackhawks had a March this Had the second-half surge not happened, maybe Keith seriously thinks tense, this meaningful. They backed into the playoffs on the last day of about waiving his no-movement clause so he could go to a contender the 2010-11 season when the Minnesota Wild — dressing much of their and not waste any of the handful of seasons he has left in his remarkable AHL roster in a game that meant nothing to them — upset the Dallas career. Instead, he’s all-in on Jeremy Colliton and the revamped Stars after the Blackhawks seemingly had thrown away their season Blackhawks’ chances, both this season and beyond. hours earlier in a home loss to Detroit. “We’ve made some new additions that have really helped the team, and (A fun little aside from that game: The Wild, who missed the playoffs, had it’s taken some time to get the system down and we still have a long way their end-of-season party a day or two later at Andrew Brunette’s house. to go, but there’s definitely visible improvement from when we first The next morning, as he was picking up discarded beer cans and nursing started to now,” Keith said. “It’s exciting. You can see the light at the end a hangover, Brunette saw a Bud Light truck back up his driveway. The of the tunnel.” driver left 12 cases of beer on his doorstep with a note that read, “Thanks, Joel Quenneville.”) This is unfamiliar territory for the Blackhawks — for all of the Blackhawks. Connor Murphy is in his sixth season and has never been in a real In the years since, March hasn’t been very stressful for the Blackhawks. playoff race, let alone a playoff game. Neither have Alex DeBrincat, In their halcyon days, they were always in cruise control, safely Dylan Strome, Dominik Kahun and so many other Blackhawks now in ensconced in a playoff spot and not terribly concerned about their key roles. And for the battle-tested core, for Keith and Seabrook and seeding or their matchup, because they were just that confident. Then Patrick Kane and Jonathan Toews, it’s been eight long years since came the nightmarish death march of last spring, when the bottom fell regular-season battles mattered as much as the upcoming home-and- out of the season and despair and meaninglessness crept into their home against Colorado, and the ensuing game in Arizona. psyche. Every night felt like a chore, an obligation, a necessarily evil. It’s harrowing. It’s educational. And it’s fun as hell. And frankly, that’s what the Blackhawks veterans were bracing for again, just a few months ago. They can admit it now, now that the games hold “For any team, I think it’s good to go through the ups and downs,” meaning, and the playoffs are within reach, and the United Center is Seabrook said. “Even when we won Stanley Cups, our seasons weren’t buzzing, and every shift feels like it’s a life-or-death proposition. all rosy. They were talking (on TV) about our season in 2013 the other day, and we had zero problems the whole year. And then Detroit Oh, back in November and December, they put on a brave face after happened. We were up against it, down 3-1, and that was our adversity every loss and talked about a good 40 minutes here, a solid comeback moment. And getting through that, I think, was big. In 2015, we had a attempt there, but the truth is, they were borderline despondent. When losing streak which was tough. In 2010, we sort of struggled toward the they got home from Winnipeg in the wee hours of Dec. 12, there was no end of the season here and there. Going through that adversity is good reason to check the scoreboard. No reason to memorize the standings. for a team. I think it helps you get out of things (down the road) when They were dead last in the league. They had lost eight in a row for the you’re down and in tough situations. This season, if we can break in, second time in less than two months and the third time in the calendar anything can happen.” year. They had lost a mind-numbing 19 of 22 games. They had lost their beloved coach, a casualty of their on-ice failures. And if not? Well, they’re light-years ahead of where they were a year ago. Three months ago, even. And they had lost hope — for the present, for the immediate future, maybe even for the distant future. They can admit that now. In the standings, and in their psyches.

“There are definitely times when you kind of wonder what direction we’re “This is what we play for, to play meaningful games, whether it’s to get headed,” Duncan Keith said. “(Last season) was probably the toughest, into the playoffs or actually in the playoffs,” Keith said. “We’re excited in or one of the toughest, stretches of hockey we’ve played in a long time, if here. We’ve got a long way to go, but we’ve already come a long way.” not ever. Because at that point, we’d been a great team, and we knew what it was like not be on a competitive team.” The Athletic LOADED: 03.23.2019

Well, the current incarnation of the Blackhawks is not a great team. Certainly not yet, at least. But they are competitive. More so than anyone could have dreamed a few months ago. In the 41 games since that Winnipeg game on Dec. 11, including Thursday’s untimely 3-1 loss to the Flyers, the Blackhawks have gone 23-13-5. Sure, some of it is smoke and mirrors — they have a PDO of 101.6 (per Natural Stat Trick) in that span, which implies a modest amount of luck is involved. They’re still defensively porous, and give up way too many shots and high-danger scoring chances per game. But the fact is, they’ve played 41 games — half an NHL season, a decent sample size — since they started to turn 1137053 Colorado Avalanche

Avalanche hosts the Chicago Blackhawks in referee Brad Watson’s swan song

By MIKE CHAMBERS | March 22, 2019 at 5:47 PM

NHL referee Brad Watson has lived a charmed life, but one he’s ready to leave. The longtime Highlands Ranch resident from Regina, Saskatchewan, is saying goodbye to hockey’s premier stage Saturday when he works his last NHL game at the Pepsi Center.

Watson, 57, is retiring from a 22-year NHL career after the Avalanche hosts Chicago in a game with huge playoff implications for both teams. He planned his final game in front of family and friends.

The Avs, who are riding a three-game winning streak and back in a playoff position after sweeping a two-game road trip at Minnesota and Dallas, will honor Watson during Saturday’s sold-out game.

“I’ve been in the playoffs every year I’ve been on staff. And I’ve had some nice runs,” Watson said. “So you get to this time of year and your adrenaline gets going. You get pumped up. And all of a sudden this year I’m like, ‘Yeah, I’m not doing that.’ It’s just weird. You’re just doing the games, knowing you’re not going to work past a certain date. I’m never experienced that before. You’ve always competed to the end — you don’t always make the end — but I have an end-point right away. It’s almost like a slow death.”

Watson, who will work his 1,393rd NHL game Saturday, has seen all the modern-day greats come and go since his first career game in 1996. He is first among active referees with 214 playoff games, including eight Stanley Cup Finals.

“You get to this stage of leaving the game, and it’s this close now, you realize how lucky, how privileged you were to be on the ice with players like (Mario) Lemieux and (Wayne) Gretzky, (Ray) Bourque, Joe Sakic, and seen (Sidney) Crosby and (Alex) Ovechkin come in,” Watson said. “And now (Connor) McDavid. I’m fortunate I got three years with him. It’s just a cool experience to be on the ice with those guys and see the game change so much. I came in in the 1990s and the speed and the skill of the game now — it’s amazing.

“When you digest it all, it’s a privilege to be part of that, and also have success in the playoffs and see the emotion of the players and fans — just being around watching teams win the Stanley Cup.”

Watson has a novel-size memory of hockey moments, including one about former Detroit Red Wings coach Mike Babcock, now with the Toronto Maple Leafs. According to Watson, Babcock stirred the pot when there was nothing to stir.

“Babcock says to me as I was skating by their bench, ‘Wats, there’s a lot of hooking and holding going on.’ This comment caught me off-guard because there were less than seven minutes left and the Wings were winning 4-1 and we only had three penalty minutes all game,” Watson said. “So on the next faceoff (Red Wings all-star defenseman) Nick Lindstrom ever-so-lightly puts his stick on the opponent’s thigh and I signal a penalty and assess him a minor for hooking. There’s a timeout at the stoppage and I look across at the Wings’ bench and I see Babcock’s hands in the air, wondering what was going on. I shout across the ice and point toward the Chicago bench and say, ‘Oh, you meant on them?’ He proceeded to yell obscenities at me. It was quite funny.”

Footnotes. The Avalanche had an optional practice Friday. Right winger Mikko Rantanen did not participate after leaving Thursday’s game with an injury to his midsection, from being checked against the bench boards at Dallas. Coach Jared Bednar did not know the extent of Rantanen’s injury. … Colorado has nine remaining games, including Sunday at Chicago to conclude a home-and-home series against the Blackhawks.

Denver Post: LOADED: 03.23.2019 1137054 Colorado Avalanche last six games and have outscored teams 17-7 in 5-on-5 play during that span.

This is also the best stretch of Crawford’s season. He was pretty much What you need to know about the Blackhawks-Avalanche weekend up and down most of the season. He also sustained another concussion series and missed more time. He just wasn’t playing like you were used to seeing in recent years. But he’s rediscovered his game as of late. Over that six-game stretch, he’s stopped 171-of-179 shots for a .955 save By Scott Powers and Ryan S. Clark Mar 22, 2019 percentage. With him playing so well and Cam Ward having played only once in March, I fully expect Crawford to get both of these games against

the Avalanche. Scott Powers: The NHL schedule-makers have to be rubbing their hands Do you think Grubauer gets both games for the Avalanche? Varlamov together in delight. In less than a 48-hour span, the Chicago Blackhawks has had the Blackhawks’ number throughout his career. He’s nearly and Colorado Avalanche will meet twice, home and away, and battle it invincible against them. They probably feel safe giving a game to each, out for vital playoff points. The race for that final Western Conference right? wild-card spot could look a lot different once the weekend is complete. Clark: All eyes are on Jared Bednar to see exactly how he will handle the Heading into the home-and-home series, here’s a reminder of how things goaltending decision. He’s typically tried to give Varlamov rest, but that stand: The Avalanche are currently in the second wild-card spot with 78 was at a point in the season when Varlamov was the clear No. 1. Right points in 74 games, and the Blackhawks have 74 points in 73 games. now? One would think he uses Grubauer at the Pepsi Center and turns The Arizona Coyotes (78 points in 74 games), Minnesota Wild (77 in 74) to Varlamov when they travel Sunday to the United Center. and Vancouver Canucks (74 in 74) are all in the mix too. There was only one time this season when Bednar used the same This weekend can play out so many different ways. The Blackhawks can goaltender in a back-to-back set and that was when Varlamov played fully immerse themselves back into the race with two wins. The consecutive games against the Islanders and Bruins on a three-game Avalanche can crush the Blackhawks’ hopes and increase their own trip. Varlamov was playing well to get them into overtime and Bednar chances with two wins. At the same time, little might happen. A win for wanted to keep that going. each team would be anticlimactic. Overtimes and shootouts could play a factor too with how points are dispersed. Grubauer, however, is enjoying the best sequence any Avalanche goaltender has had this season. It could be hard for Bednar to go away These are two teams that have proven this season there’s little from him, especially with what is at stake in these next two games separating them. All three of their previous games were basically one- against the Blackhawks. goal affairs. In Denver, the Blackhawks won 2-1 on Dec. 21 and 3-2 in overtime on Dec. 29. In Chicago, the Avalanche sealed a 5-3 win with an Corey Crawford could start both games against the Avalanche. (Jerome empty-net goal in the final minute while the Blackhawks were on a power Miron / USA Today) play. Considering how close they’ve played and what’s on the line, it could be a fun hockey weekend. Powers: It would be something if we saw the same goaltenders in both games. For the Blackhawks, they need Crawford to play well, but they Ryan, what do you see as some of the keys this weekend? It seems like also need to score some goals again if they’re going to finish the season the Avalanche are clicking at the right time. What’s been going right for strong. They were held to one against the Philadelphia Flyers on them lately? Thursday and haven’t scored more than two in their last three games. They’ve been playing with more of a balanced lineup, which has helped Clark: Let’s just say the Avalanche’s present run, much like their actual the possession and limited opponents’ chances, but they aren’t scoring. season, has been a bit bizarre. Gabriel Landeskog’s regular-season- ending upper-body injury created a discussion regarding how they would If they could continue to play the same 5-on-5 game and get their power be at an even greater loss when it comes to offensive production beyond play going again, that’s probably the recipe for sustained success for Nathan MacKinnon and Mikko Rantanen. Tyson Barrie went from them. The power play drove their offense for some time, and it’s dried up recording five total points in February to having five goals this month, and lately. They’re 1-of-21 on the power play over the last nine games. four in his last three games. Patrick Kane’s production has been impacted by that. He had 21 points in January and 23 points in February. He has one goal and seven points Philipp Grubauer, however, has become the most notable performer in nine games in March. when it comes to how the Avalanche are in a wild-card spot. His “Will he? Won’t he?” season really started turning around in a 5-0 shutout against Two players I’d watch this weekend to make contributions are Dylan the Predators in late February. From there, he is 5-2 with a 0.87 goals- Sikura and Brendan Perlini. Neither was much of a factor in early games against average and a .971 save percentage. Grubauer also has three against the Avalanche. Perlini has come on with eight goals in March. shutouts in that span. That’s more than what Semyon Varlamov has all Sikura is still looking for his first NHL goal, but he’s been playing top-6 season. minutes and creating opportunities. He and the Blackhawks would obviously love to see him notch that first goal this weekend. Otherwise, Perhaps the biggest achievement — aside from winning — would be the Erik Gustafsson has been keeping up his offense from the blue line. He Avalanche’s ability to take early leads. They have scored the first goal in now has 15 goals this season. He and Duncan Keith have been solid as three straight games and have done it five times in the last six contests a top pairing lately. Gustav Forsling is coming off one of his best games, altogether. That’s big for a team that has failed to score first nearly 54 too. percent of the time this season. I’m fully expecting the teams to split the weekend. It would only be fitting, Exactly how have the Blackhawks gone about being in the race again? considering how this race has gone in recent months. There would be all One minute, it appeared they were done and now they’re trying to crawl this hype and then the points are divided equally. I do think the out of the grave. Blackhawks need these games more than the Avalanche do. The Powers: It’s hard to keep track at this point. They were playing better and Blackhawks have squandered some opportunities over this stretch to it seemed like all of the Western Conference teams ahead of them were gain ground, and this opportunity is massive. Time is running out. Any sinking, so that’s how they first got back into it. And then, the Blackhawks final thoughts, sir? See you in Denver. started coming back down to earth and others started rising again. Clark: Predicting a split is a reasonable outcome. These games are too Finally, the Blackhawks went on a recent five-game winning streak to valuable for either team to get swept or blown away. Ian Cole made that make it interesting again. point earlier this week. He shared a story about how the team met after The biggest differences lately have been Corey Crawford and the team they lost to the Ducks at the Pepsi Center. Bednar told them every game defense. The only way the Blackhawks stayed in games for a few months is going to be hard and not to expect any six- or seven-goal wins going was to outscore teams. In the past few weeks, they’ve been playing forward. mostly low-scoring, tight games. The Blackhawks have been rolling four The only thing really left to mention is seeing how MacKinnon and lines pretty consistently and winning the possession game on most Rantanen perform. MacKinnon had 10 points through the team’s first nights. They’ve had a Corsi percentage of greater than 50 in five of the eight games in March. He has not recorded a point in the past two contests. That’s tied for the “longest” stretch of games he’s had without getting a goal or an assist this season. As for Rantanen, he left the 3-1 win over Dallas late in the third period with an unspecified injury. Bednar told reporters after an optional practice Friday that Rantanen would be re-evaluated ahead of Saturday. That said, Rantanen was seen in the hallway after the win Thursday talking to the Stars’ Finnish contingent of Miro Heiskanen, Julius Honka, Esa Lindell and Roope Hintz. It appeared to be a friendly talk and not the type of thing that would happen if Rantanen was in serious pain. Or at least, that is what one would assume.

Other than that? Have a safe flight to the West Kansas International Airport, err, the Denver International Airport.

The Athletic LOADED: 03.23.2019 1137055 Colorado Avalanche

Grubauer, defense help Avalanche beat Stars 3-1

By DJ Stanec - March 22, 2019

Phillip Grubauer. Credit: Jerome Miron, USA Today Sports.

Yet again, the Avalanche played on the road, needing a win.

The playoffs were in sight after the win on Tuesday, and Colorado continued their push to the postseason against the Dallas Stars. Knowing a win might put them in the playoffs, the resilient Colorado Avalanche outfought the Dallas Stars to a 3-1 win.

The Avalanche got help with goals from Erik Johnson, Tyson Barrie and Carl Soderberg who netted the empty net goal to seal the victory. Philipp Grubauer made 44 saves to cap off an all-around hard fought night for the Avalanche.

What did we learn from this huge win?

1. Tyson Barrie continues to put the puck in the net. Barrie gave Colorado the important two-goal lead early in the second period. In the last four games, Barrie has 12 shots on net, four goals and one assist. Tonight’s goal was Barrie’s 300th point, making him the first in franchise history to reach the 300 point mark.

2. Defense continues to step up. Not only did Erik Johnson get Colorado’s first goal, but Sam Girard had assists on two of the goals tonight giving him a two-point night and the defensive core four points total. With Colorado’s captain, Gabe Landeskog, out with an injury, the Avalanche needed additional help from somewhere else and the defensive group has stepped up.

3. Philipp Grubauer continues to shine, ensuring Colorado left with the win. Yes, that was a team win, but Grubauer made sure several times that Dallas didn’t put the puck in the back of the net. It took a perfect tipped shot from Tyer Seguin to beat the Colorado netminder tonight. Most importantly, Grubauser stood tall when Dallas threw everything they had at Colorado. He faced 24 shots in the third and only allowed one to get passed him. Most likely he will continue to be the goalie we see in net down the stretch.

4. Back in the playoffs. With the win, Colorado moved back into the last playoff spot with 78 points. Arizona, who also has 78 points lost to Florida Thursday night. Because they have a -10 goal differential, and Colorado has a +10, Colorado holds the final playoff spot with 8 games to play.

The Avalanche look to extend the win streak to four games when they return home for a very important matinee game against the Chicago Blackhawks. Puck drop is set for 1:00 p.m. MT from Pepsi Center. milehighsports.com LOADED: 03.23.2019 1137056 Colorado Avalanche

Avalanche await word on Mikko Rantanen’s health

BY AJ HAEFELE MARCH 22, 2019

It’s a good thing the Avalanche are likely done playing in Dallas for the season. Last time they were there, Ben Bishop collided with Gabe Landeskog and ended Landeskog’s regular season. Last night, Mikko Rantanen took a hard hit along the benches and left the ice and did not return to the game. Following the game, head coach Jared Bednar predictably was without an update on Rantanen’s status yet as he simply needed more testing to be done.

Fast forward to today’s optional practice at Family Sports Center, which the majority of the Avalanche did not participate in. Among those not on the ice was Rantanen, who was seen walking around the rink in street clothes while those who chose to practice were doing work.

Following the on-ice session, Bednar met with the assembled media and provided very little in the way of an update on his star forward’s health, saying Rantanen would be re-evaluted this afternoon and his status was questionable for tomorrow afternoon.

While Bednar conceded it was a good thing they have not definitively ruled Rantanen out, it’s certainly not a good thing he has to go for additional testing and has not been cleared to play. Regardless of his he ends up playing or not, it’s obvious something legitimately wrong happened on the hard hit last night and he is feeling it.

Moving on from Rantanen, I caught up with one Avs player in the locker room and we talked briefly about goaltender scouting reports. He mentioned the report on Ben Bishop was a bit different than other goaltenders and that the usual weakness of high glove was absent. In its place was a weakness on the mid-blocker for Bishop, which I found interesting. Go back and watch where both Erik Johnson and Tyson Barrie scored their goals last night and keep that scouting report in mind.

Looking ahead, I caught up with Ryan Graves for a minute as he was one of the small handful of players to take part in the on-ice session. With the Avs having a home-and-home against the Chicago Blackhawks this weekend and being four points up on them, Colorado has a chance to essentially eliminate one of their competitors from playoff contention.

“It’s all about us,” Graves said. “I didn’t even know we could do that to them. That would be nice but our focus is solely on us. We get those wins and what does that do for us? That’s what we’re looking at and focusing on.”

This past week was just the launching off point they were looking for, especially given the competition.

“Playing those teams, the ones in front of us was huge,” Graves told BSN Denver. “To have those guys on the schedule and be the teams we’re fighting for spots with was good luck for us. We took advantage but we have to put it behind us and continue to get the job done. There’s a lot of work left.”

While it’s tough to get a read on a locker room when only six players are in it, there was still an obvious level of excitement from those present about being back in the playoff race after being left for dead a week ago.

“It feels a lot better, that’s for sure,” Graves said. “To be in the race, this is what it’s all about at this time of year. All you want as a player is for these games to matter. This time of year is all about winning, getting into the playoffs, and seeing what happens from there.”

While Graves has been relegated to seventh defensemen duty the last few games, he continues to be a positive overall influence on the group. He has been a revelation for the Avalanche this year and is one of many guys making a case not just for playing time on this roster but for a future roster spot as well.

BSN DENVER LOADED: 03.23.2019 1137057 Columbus Blue Jackets

Frustrations fester after loss to Oilers

Brian Hedger

Posted Mar 22, 2019 at 11:56 PM Updated Mar 22, 2019 at 11:56 PM

VANCOUVER, British Columbia — Coach hung around longer than usual, willing to engage in a frank discussion Thursday afternoon about the Blue Jackets.

At the time, after their morning skate, they owned the second wild-card spot in the Eastern Conference by a point over the Montreal Canadiens and had nine games left to secure that spot or a better one for the playoffs.

“Even though I think we’re a very good team, we’re still a young team,” Tortorella said. “And I think some guys are trying to feel their way, as far as, ‘How much can I push my buddy over here that I’m going to have dinner with tonight,’ and say, ‘It’s not acceptable what’s going on?’”

His words seemed almost prophetic Thursday night, after the Edmonton Oilers outworked and outclassed the Blue Jackets for the second time this month to sweep the season series with a 4-1 victory.

Emotions among the Blue Jackets were raw afterward, as players postulated about increased expectations causing them to “freeze up” with fear of making a mistake and Tortorella bluntly calling them out for a lack of effort.

The loss bumped them out of the second wild-card spot, where Montreal now resides, and it felt like one of those times that Tortorella had talked about in the morning, when leaders within the locker room might have to address some issues in unpleasant ways.

It’s something that all coaches hope to see from their teams eventually, the moment when a team goes from good to great simply by its players getting sick of being just “good.”

Tortorella saw it happen with some of his previous teams, and he’s hoping the Blue Jackets will soon follow suit. He sees it as a next step for a burgeoning franchise looking to accomplish things like consistent playoff appearances and success.

“That’s when you get to the next level of winning and winning consistently — especially in the prime time of the playoffs,” Tortorella said. ”(It’s when) the room takes over itself. I think we’re in the process of trying to give that to them.”

Looking at what happened Monday in Calgary, that process might have included the business dinner that was arranged for the top line of Artemi Panarin, Pierre-Luc Dubois and Cam Atkinson.

They “cleared the air” about some issues, addressed them head-on and played better in the Jackets’ 4-2 loss Tuesday to the Flames.

You might say they broke bread to help “Bread” — Panarin — and his line, which was then broken up by Tortorella midway through the Oilers game.

That was another gut-check game for the Jackets, who have one game left Sunday against the Vancouver Canucks to salvage something positive from an otherwise forgettable western Canada trip.

Tortorella and defenseman Seth Jones, an alternate captain, each called for more action and less talk after losing to the Oilers, but that doesn’t mean silence will prevail.

Are the Jackets ready to call each other out, if needed?

“I think so,” Jones said. “We’ve gone through a lot this year, whether it’s (questions about) unrestricted free agents or whatever the case is. But at the end of the day we have one common goal, and that’s all that matters. If a guy’s not playing his part, then it’s no problem telling him.”

Columbus Dispatch LOADED: 03.23.2019 1137058 Columbus Blue Jackets

Pierre-Luc Dubois working on his face-offs

Brian Hedger

Posted Mar 22, 2019 at 11:55 PM Updated Mar 22, 2019 at 11:55 PM

VANCOUVER, British Columbia — Shortly after the team portion of the Blue Jackets’ morning skate ended Thursday, three guys headed over to one of the face-off circles.

Pierre-Luc Dubois was one of them. Brandon Dubinsky was another. The third was coach John Tortorella, who glided over to watch closely as one of the league’s best face-off winning veterans, Dubinsky, imparted a few trade secrets to Dubois, one of the NHL’s top young centers.

“It’s difficult now for centers learning how to take face-offs because of the new rules,” Tortorella said. “You can’t cheat. And you better be careful if you cheat, because it could cost your team a penalty. So it’s a difficult situation, but that’s where we’re at with ‘Luc’ right now.”

Dubois, 20, is built like a tank, has a powerful skating stride and has hands that are nimble. Where he needs the most work is exactly where he and Dubinsky stood after that practice.

After finishing his rookie season with a 43.8 percent winning percentage on draws, Dubois is right around that number again. He has won just 43.2 percent of his 960 face-offs this season and wants to elevate that percentage.

“You saw what I did in Calgary in the third period,” Tortorella said, referring to his usage of Matt Duchene for key draws against the Flames. ”(Dubois) is aggravated, but I have to get the puck in that offensive zone when we’re chasing the game.”

Duchene, Dubinsky and Boone Jenner all have win percentages over 50 percent, which gives Tortorella options. He spots them in all situations and locations but said it tends to disrupt the Jackets’ offensive flow. It would be better if Dubois can get to the point where he earns more trust at the dots from his coach.

“I give him the first half of the game and if we’re chasing it (later), I’m going to use someone else,” Tortorella said. “So it’s good to see that he’s working at it.”

Bumps, bruises and bugs

The Blue Jackets didn’t practice Friday, which was probably good from a health standpoint. They’ve had some sort of illness making its way through the team, and staying off the ice allowed those who might be fighting it to rest.

They’re without defenseman Ryan Murray (upper body), who has missed 16 games, captain Nick Foligno (personal issue) and goalie Sergei Bobrovsky, who sat out Thursday in Edmonton because of an undisclosed injury.

“Nick’s not injured, but everyone’s playing with injuries,” defenseman Seth Jones said. “We’re at Game (75) here, and everyone’s got something they’re playing through.”

The Fix was in

Trey Fix-Wolansky, a Blue Jackets forward prospect who’s from Edmonton and plays with the Edmonton Oil Kings of the Western Hockey League, attended the game Thursday at Rogers Place.

Fix-Wolansky, who was selected by the Blue Jackets in the seventh round (No. 204) of the 2018 NHL draft, had a group of friends with him. He rooted for his new favorite team, the Blue Jackets, against the Oilers, whom he cheered growing up.

“They were my team,” Fix-Wolansky said of the Oilers, one of 30 teams to pass him over in the 2017 and ’18 drafts. “They missed their shot, so I’m proud to be part of Columbus now.”

Columbus Dispatch LOADED: 03.23.2019 1137059 Columbus Blue Jackets Around this time a year ago, with the Blue Jackets in a similar predicament, Tortorella said a couple players might not want to qualify for the playoffs after having rough seasons. Asked if that might be the case Oilers 4, Blue Jackets 1 | Five takeaways now, he shook his head.

“No,” Tortorella said. “I just don’t think we understand the level that we have to play at right now.” Brian Hedger 3) ‘Sloppy’ start

It was eerily reminiscent of the game the Blue Jackets won in a shootout EDMONTON – The on-and-off Columbus Blue Jackets were off again. March 5 in New Jersey.

Just as they’ve done all season, the Blue Jackets zigged on Thursday The teams combined for only six shots and 20 attempted shots in the first night at Rogers Center when everybody expected them to zag. 20 minutes, with the Blue Jackets holding a 4-2 edge in shots and the Oilers launching more attempts (12-8). Rather than earning their first win of a nine-day, four-game road trip, the Jackets were routed by the Edmonton Oilers, 4-1, for the second time Rather than flying all over the ice with aggression, the Blue Jackets this season. tiptoed into the game. They allowed a boring, uninspired start for Edmonton morph into their own boring, uninspired start. The Oilers are out of serious contention for a playoff spot in the Western Conference and mostly playing out the string, but they had more than That might be understandable if both teams were out of the postseason enough to hand Columbus another embarrassing gut punch. Now, it’s hunt, but it was mind-boggling to see it happen to the Blue Jackets – who gut-check time, again, for Columbus – with the trip’s conclusion Sunday knew the result of the Canadiens’ game well before their game was over. in Vancouver. Jones called it “sloppy hockey,” but refused to buy the excuse that one Thus far, the Jackets have earned one out of six possible points on the team’s sloppiness dragged the other one down. journey, after losing 2-1 in overtime on Saturday in Boston, then 4-2 on Tuesday in Calgary and now this. “No, there’s no room for that right now,” he said. “You can’t play sloppy hockey right now. (The Oilers) can play sloppy hockey. They’re not The Jackets aren’t exactly providing reasons to believe they’re headed playing for anything and that’s different in this room. We all want for brighter days, but there are still eight games remaining and things can something in here.” change quickly. He quickly couched his comments, probably thinking of how it might play They have to act soon, though, because time is also running out. in the Oilers’ locker room, but then continued to make his point.

“We’ve got to find energy somewhere, and enough with the meetings, “Not that they don’t (care), don’t get me wrong, but we’re in position to do enough with the talk,” defenseman Seth Jones said. “We’ve got to find a something and make the playoffs and make some noise,” Jones said. way to motivate ourselves and motivate ourselves individually (to) be the “Something’s got to change here and we’ve got another opportunity best player you can be every night and the best player for this team.” (Sunday) in Vancouver to get a win.”

Here are five takeaways from the Blue Jackets’ loss in Edmonton: 4) Hitch’s switch

1) Playoff glance Oilers coach Ken Hitchcock started the game with his two best players, Connor McDavid and Leon Draisaitl split apart as the centers of his top Just like Tuesday, things couldn’t have gone much worse for the Blue two lines. Jackets in the playoff chase. That was a change from how they were arranged in Edmonton’s 4-0 rout Not only did they lose in regulation, failing to gain a point, but the of Columbus on March 2 at Nationwide Arena, when Draisaitl joined Montreal Canadiens defeated the New York Islanders 4-0 to bump McDavid’s line as the left wing in a dominant performance. Columbus from the second wild-card spot. Ryan Nugent-Hopkins played that role to start out Thursday, skating with The Canadiens (85 points) and Blue Jackets (84 points) each have eight McDavid and Zack Kassian, while Draisaitl centered Milan Lucic and Alex games left, including a head-to-head matchup March 28 in Columbus. Chiasson. Columbus also failed to keep pace with the Pittsburgh Penguins, who After two periods, Hitchcock had seen enough. Neither of his top lines moved to 91 points with a shootout win in Nashville, and couldn’t gain had done much, so he reunited Draisaitl and McDavid to start the third. ground on the Carolina Hurricanes (87 points) – who lost 6-3 to the Tampa Bay Lightning. They picked up right where they left off in Columbus, with Kassian scoring 45 seconds into the third to break a 1-1 tie and McDavid following The Philadelphia Flyers are now looming behind the Jackets too, suit with 5:38 left. Nugent-Hopkins scored the game’s final goal on a late reaching 80 points on Thursday with a 3-1 win against the Chicago power play, and it was Draisaitl who gave him the puck – his third straight Blackhawks. assist. “We’ve talked enough,” Tortorella said. “We’ve talked about a lot of Combined, the trio of Draisaitl, McDavid and Kassian accounted for four different things here and it’s not rhetoric, it’s not panic, it’s not ... we just goals, nine assists and 13 points in the Oilers’ two-game sweep of the have to have some sort of sense of urgency to try to get back into this season series. here or we have no chance.” Including McDavid’s two goals, five assists and seven points in two 2) What happened? games last season, the Oilers’ captain has contributed 12 points on three Matt Duchene said it feels like the Blue Jackets’ desperation level is goals and nine assists in his past four games against Columbus – causing them to “freeze” under the heightened pressure of increased helping Edmonton win three (3-1-0). expectations. Draisaitl has eight points on a goal and seven assists in the past four “I don’t even think desperation’s the right word, because we are games against the Blue Jackets, while Kassian has scored goals in three desperate right now, but it’s freezing us,” he said. “I think we’ve got to be of the contests. a little looser and more excited about what’s at stake here, rather than 5) Lost identity feeling the weight of it.” The Blue Jackets didn’t have three pieces of their lineup against the Jones agreed, saying the Jackets played “a little stiff,” against the Oilers. Oilers. Tortorella disagreed. --Defenseman Ryan Murray missed his 16th straight game with an “I wish there was panic in the game, because that would show some undisclosed upper-body injury that could be related to a back injury that desperation,” he said. “So, I don’t agree with that.” cost him more than two months last season. --Captain Nick Foligno, who wasn’t on the trip as of Thursday, missed his third straight game while dealing with an undisclosed personal matter.

--Sergei Bobrovsky was scratched with an undisclosed injury after making 27 saves in a 4-2 loss Tuesday at the Calgary Flames.

All three play key roles for the Blue Jackets, who have yet to deploy a full, healthy roster since adding Matt Duchene, Ryan Dzingel, Adam McQuaid and goalie Keith Kinkaid in trades prior to the Feb. 25 trade deadline.

Murray was in the midst of a career-best season, playing his way onto the top pairing with Jones. Bobrovsky, a two-time winner of the Vezina Trophy, had played more like himself the past six weeks. Foligno adds a fiery disposition, leadership, grit on the forecheck and underrated skill.

During previous stretches when the Blue Jackets have needed to relocate their top form, Tortorella has used a forechecking line of Foligno, Boone Jenner and Josh Anderson to set a strong, physical tone.

Foligno’s now absent, Anderson is in the top six trying to help Duchene and Dzingel and Jenner’s effectiveness has waned with a variety of linemates.

He played with Alexander Wennberg and Oliver Bjorkstrand on Thursday and it was a slog for all three. According to Naturalstattrick.com, Bjorkstrand and Wennberg each finished with even-strength shot-attempt rates (Corsi) under 30 percent, while Jenner’s was 16.1 percent.

During 15:51 of even-strength play, starting 66.7 percent of his shifts in the offensive zone, Jenner was on the ice for just five Blue Jackets attempts and 26 for Edmonton.

As a team, the Oilers had the lion’s share of Corsi, Fenwick (unblocked shot attempts), shots on goal, scoring chances and high-dangers scoring chances.

“I just feel like we’ve got a piano on our back right now as a group and everyone’s kind of feeling it,” Duchene said. “And the hardest thing is we’re not scoring, so we don’t have that confidence that we can outscore teams and come back in games. We’ve got to find that somewhere. I don’t know how we do it, but we’ve got to find it and it’s got to come ASAP. I mean, we don’t have any time to mess around.”

Columbus Dispatch LOADED: 03.23.2019 1137060 Dallas Stars

Stars 2019 playoff tracker: Where Dallas sits in the Western Conference standings (updated daily)

By SportsDayDFW.com

The Stars need to finish in the top three of the Central Division or in the top two in the wild-card race to qualify for the Stanley Cup playoffs. ROW -- regulation and overtime wins -- is the first tiebreaker for teams deadlocked in points with equal games played. Teams play 82 games.

Here's the latest look at where the team sits in the standings.

[Updated March 21]

Central Division

Wildcard

Odds

Making the playoffs: 93.4 percent (as of 3/21)

Winning the Stanley Cup: 1.1 percent

Odds via sportsclubstats.com.

Sign up for our FREE Stars newsletter!

Dallas' last 10 games

Mar. 21 -- Loss, 3-1 to Colorado (Home)

Mar. 19 -- Win, 4-2 over Florida (Home)

Mar. 17 -- Loss, 3-2 (SO) to Vancouver (Home)

Mar. 15 -- Loss, 2-1 to Vegas (Home)

Mar. 14 -- Win, 4-1 over Minnesota (Away)

Mar. 12 -- Win, 2-0 over Buffalo (Away)

Mar. 9 -- Loss, 2-1 to Chicago (Home)

Mar. 7 -- Win, 4-0 over Colorado (Home)

Mar. 5 -- Win, 1-0 over NY Rangers (Home)

Mar. 2 -- Win, 4-1 over St. Louis (Away)

Record: 6-3-1

Stars games this week

Saturday -- vs. Pittsburgh Penguins (40-24-11, 91 points)

Stars' record vs. the Penguins this season: 0-1-0

Dallas Morning News LOADED: 03.23.2019 1137061 Dallas Stars

Despite being a healthy scratch for the majority of recent games, Jamie Oleksiak's chance could come in an instant

Matthew DeFranks

FRISCO -- The Stars will close a five-game homestand against Pittsburgh on Saturday night, but former Penguin defenseman Jamie Oleksiak might not play against his ex-teammates.

Oleksiak has been a healthy scratch in seven of the last 11 games, drawing into the lineup mostly because of suspension (Alexander Radulov), rest (Roman Polak) or bereavement (Taylor Fedun).

Since the Stars re-acquired Oleksiak on Jan. 28 for the same fourth- round pick Dallas originally shipped him to Pittsburgh for last season, the 2011 first-round pick has averaged 12:31 of ice time in 18 games.

"We have a lot of good d-men here," Oleksiak said. "We have a lot of guys that can play in different situations. That's kind of the nature of the beast. I've just been coming in every day, staying ready.

"I think playoffs, that's one thing I've learned from my experience last year, it takes everybody, no matter if you're in or out of the lineup. You never know when you're going to get your shot."

Oleksiak has lost his spot to Fedun and trade acquisition Ben Lovejoy, and he hasn't played consecutive games since the end of February. On Friday morning, Oleksiak skated with the fourth defensive pairing alongside fellow frequent healthy scratch Julius Honka.

"We want consistency in effort and emotion," Stars coach Jim Montgomery said. "He's a player, when he plays with purpose, he's a real effective hockey player for our team.

"Drawing emotion out of someone is a hard thing to do. You can do it occasionally as a coach when a certain situation arises within a game, but it has to arise. It's very infrequent. The fire inside your belly has to come from within."

Oleksiak played 83 regular-season games with Pittsburgh, along with 12 postseason ones. When the Stars traded for him two months ago, general manager Jim Nill said it was, in part, because of an added maturity he gained in Pittsburgh, where the Penguins won two of the last three Stanley Cups.

Khudobin to start: Montgomery said goaltender Anton Khudobin would start Saturday against Pittsburgh after Ben Bishop started the last two games, against Florida and Colorado.

Dallas Morning News LOADED: 03.23.2019 1137062 Detroit Red Wings These final games are a chance for some players to make a case for a job next season. Two guys used the Blues game to emphasize the value of having a high hockey IQ.

Red Wings' Taro Hirose earns high praise from Thomas Vanek. Here's “Smarts are hard to teach,” Blashill said. “I’ve said this lots, I think why Thomas is one of the smartest hockey players in the NHL. As he gets older, he’s still real, real, real smart. Taro would be same thing — he’s a really smart player. That’s what the word was with him coming in, that he Helene St. James, Detroit Free Press Published 6:01 a.m. ET March 22, seemed to be a step ahead of the play. When you’re a little guy, 2019 | Updated 8:37 a.m. ET March 22, 2019 especially, you have to be one step ahead.”

Detroit Free Press LOADED: 03.23.2019 ST. LOUIS — Taro Hirose has made himself noticeable in his first two NHL games, demonstrating the importance of smarts.

Hirose is turning in a nice little audition for the Detroit Red Wings, finding ways to stand out even as he is getting a crash course in his journey from college hockey to the game’s top level. He has two assists, both showcasing why he might be a part of the Wings’ future.

“He’s a smart player,” Thomas Vanek said. “Playing with him is actually really easy. The poise he has — it’s fun. It’s fun to play with a guy like that who thinks the game at a high level. He’s not afraid to make plays. He can hold onto pucks. I’m really impressed so far with him.”

Vanek knows something about the value of thinking the game at a high level: he’s got one of the highest hockey IQs in the league, adept at scoring down low and making dazzling passes. He scored twice in Thursday’s 5-2 loss to the St. Louis Blues at Enterprise Center, putting him at 16 goals with eight games to go.

“So much of it nowadays is back and forth, up and down, skate, skate, skate,” Vanek said. “But I think the talent he has, the hockey IQ, that’s something you can’t teach. I’ll take that any time.

“You could see on the power play even the poise he has — he goes behind the back, finds the tip plays in front — those are tough things to teach. You either have it or you don’t and he so far certainly shows he’s got it at a high level.”

Hirose set up Vanek’s first goal Thursday when he fired the puck on net, got it back, and fired another shot knowing Vanek was by the crease. That is what has been notable about Hirose already: he knows where his teammates are.

“I try to study the game and create offense and before you get the puck, just to know where guys like to be,” Hirose said. “Talk with my linemates and figure out the areas of the ice they like to go. It’s sort of like second nature when you get the puck, you know where they’ll be, and you can make those no-look, nice passes.”

The Wings signed Hirose, 22, to a two-year entry level deal last week, after he’d finished his third season playing for Michigan State. He came in with a reputation of being a playmaker, but has impressed with how capable he seems, especially for a guy who’s 5 feet 10 and 160 pounds.

“He looks like he wants to make a play every time he has the puck,” coach Jeff Blashill said. “Seems to be fairly slippery. Early in the first he got squeezed off in the corner in the o-zone and we made a comment to him about spreading the zone and right away the next shift, he goes out and he spreads the zone. He seems to be pretty smart. So far I think he’s done a real good job.”

Hirose made his debut Tuesday at Madison Square Garden, and set up Frans Nielsen’s goal

“The puck seems to follow him,” Niklas Kronwall said of Hirose. “Excellent vision. Made some really nice plays.”

Vanek banked his second goal of the night when he fired a shot while Tyler Bertuzzi mettled in the crease. Vanek, 35, has 17 points since Jan. 12, tied with Anthony Mantha and trailing only Dylan Larkin (21) and Andreas Athanasiou (19).

“Vannie is a true pro,” Kronwall said. “Extremely smart player, one of the smartest players I’ve played with over the course of my career. Good in the room. It’s good to see him get rewarded. He means a lot to the team, not just on the ice but off the ice.”

Blashill said Vanek, “was one of our best forwards, him and Taro probably. Sometimes (Vanek) turns too many pucks over but that’s part of his positives and negatives — he wants to make lots of plays. But I think he’s had a real good second half here, since he’s come back, and done a real good job, “ 1137063 Detroit Red Wings TV/radio: FSD/97.1 FM

Outlook: The Golden Knights (42-27-5) have been on a terror since the trade deadline. The acquisition of RW Mark Stone from Ottawa (eight Taro Hirose shows ‘poise, vision’ in early going with Red Wings points in 11 games with Vegas) strengthened what was already a competitive lineup. ... The Wings won last year in Vegas. The Golden Knights have won the two games at Little Caesars Arena. Ted Kulfan, The Detroit News Published 4:24 p.m. ET March 22, 2019 | Updated 8:20 p.m. ET March 22, 2019 Detroit News LOADED: 03.23.2019

Detroit – It’s far too early to make any bold predictions about new Red Wings forward Taro Hirose. The undrafted free agent out from Michigan State has played in just two NHL games.

But he has already made a nice impression on teammates and Detroit’s coaching staff.

Hirose earned an assist in both games, saw time on the power play, and didn’t look out of place on a line with veterans Thomas Vanek and Frans Nielsen.

“Poise, vision, it looks like he wants to make a play every time he has the puck,” coach Jeff Blashill told reporters after Thursday’s 5-2 loss in St. Louis. “We made a comment to him about spreading the zone and right away the next shift, he goes out and he spreads the zone.”

Hirose played just over 16 minutes in St. Louis (16:12), on 18 shifts, and registered his first two shots on net.

Blashill has compared Hirose’s style of play, somewhat, to former Red Wing Gustav Nyquist. Both are crafty players who aren’t particularly big or fast, but are capable of creating time and space for themselves.

Hirose has looked like that sort of player at the NHL level in this small sample size.

“He’s a smart player; playing with him is actually real easy,” Vanek said in St. Louis. “He’s had what, two games? The poise he has, it’s fun to play with a guy like that who thinks the game at a high level.

“You can tell right away he’s not afraid to make plays, cut to the middle, and hold on to pucks.

“(I’m) really impressed so far with him.”

Hirose was named one of 10 finalists for this year’s Hobey Baker Award, given to the country’s best college hockey player.

Hirose led the NCAA with 50 points (15 goals, 35 assists) at Michigan State and was also named Big Ten player of the year.

The three finalists for the award will be announced April 4. The winner will be named April 12 in Buffalo at the Frozen Four.

“So far, he’s done a real good job,” Blashill said.

Ice chips

Blashill said forward Jacob de la Rose, who left Tuesday's game in New York because of an accelerated heartbeat, has seen one specialist this week and will see another Wednesday. Having had a similar episode during the exhibition season while de la Rose was with Montreal, the Wings and de la Rose want to find the root cause for the issue.

... Defenseman Libor Sulak was recalled from Grand Rapids earlier in the week because of the rash of injuries on the Wings' defense. But Sulak fell ill before the Blues' game and didn't play. Sulak and defenseman Jonathan Ericsson (lower body) are expected to enter the lineup in one of the next two games – Saturday in Vegas or Monday in San Jose.

... Former Red Wing Tomas Nosek, lost in the expansion draft to Vegas before last season, continues to be a steady contributor on the Golden Knights. Nosek has 17 points (eight goals, nine assists) in 61 games this season, after being a key contributor on last season's run to the Stanley Cup Finals.

... The Wings Friday recalled forward Matt Puempel from Grand Rapids. Puempel, 26, had 50 points (24 goals, 26 assists) in 59 games for the Griffins. He was acquired in 2017 from the New York Rangers in exchange for Ryan Sproul.

Red Wings at Golden Knights

Faceoff: 10 p.m. Saturday, at T-Mobile Arena, Paradise, Nev. 1137064 Detroit Red Wings

Former Red Wing John Chabot to broadcast first NHL game in Cree

Ted Kulfan, The Detroit News Published 1:34 p.m. ET March 22, 2019

Detroit – There have been a lot of NHL players from First Nations people – and more on the way – and there are numerous fans.

But no game has ever been broadcast in an Indigenous language – until Sunday, when the Montreal-Carolina game will be called in the Plains Cree language on the SportsNet/Aboriginal Peoples Television Network (APTN) at 7 p.m.

Former Red Wings forward John Chabot (1987-91) – an Algonquin from the community of Kitigan Zibi – will be an analyst on the broadcast.

“For many people, it’ll be the first time they’ll totally, 100 percent, understand parts of the game they’ve never been able to,” Chabot said. “This is huge. It’s pretty cool that it is happening, and hopefully it’s a start and can grow into more.”

Chabot, 56, also played with Montreal and Pittsburgh in his NHL, and spent the final 10 seasons of his career playing in European leagues before returning and coaching junior hockey.

These days, Chabot travels northern Canada, coaching and teaching First Nations teenagers.

“I go to the kids and use hockey as a tool,” Chabot said. “I enjoy it. It’s what I want to do.”

Sunday’s game between the Canadiens and Hurricanes will be special for Montreal goaltender Carey Price and Carolina forward Micheal Ferland. They are First Nations players, and Ferland is the only Cree player in the NHL. Ferland recently credited former NHL forward Jordin Tootoo – who played 723 NHL games with four organizations, including the Red Wings – for Tootoo’s support when Ferland was originally drafted.

Tootoo was the NHL’s first Inuit player.

Chabot hopes Sunday’s game will serve as an inspiration to young people watching.

“You have two teams that are fighting for playoff spots, you have Price, who is one of the top goaltenders in the game, and the kid Ferland is having a great season, it couldn’t have worked out to be a better game for this to happen,” Chabot said.

Detroit News LOADED: 03.23.2019 1137065 Detroit Red Wings

Matt Puempel, one of Griffins’ top scorers, recalled by Red Wings

Today 8:03 PM

By Peter J. Wallner

Matt Puempel, the second-leading scorer with the , was recalled Friday by the Detroit Red Wings.

Puempel, 26, has 50 points with 24 goals in 59 games this season with the Griffins. He has also been hot with 14 points (7-7-14) his past 14 games with a three-game point streak.

Puempel was acquired by the Red Wings from the New York Rangers in exchange for Ryan Sproul on Oct. 21, 2017. Since arriving, he has 104 points (46-58-104), a plus-12 rating and 59 penalty minutes in 116 games and was named to the 2018 AHL All-Star Classic.

Since making his AHL debut with the Binghamton Senators near the end of the 2011-12 season, the 6-foot-1, 205-pound winger has 218 points (107-111-218) and 201 PIM in 291 career games between Binghamton (2011-16), Hartford (2017-18) and Grand Rapids. Puempel, drafted 24th overall by the Ottawa Senators in the 2011 NHL Entry Draft, has logged 79 career NHL games between Ottawa (2014-17) and New York (2016- 17) and posted 15 points (10-5-15) and 28 PIM.

He spent the entire 2016-17 campaign in the NHL, with no points in 13 games with Ottawa before being claimed off waivers by New York and going on to tally nine points (6-3-9) in 27 appearances. The Griffins continue their season-high six-game road trip Saturday against the Texas Stars.

Michigan Live LOADED: 03.23.2019 1137066 Detroit Red Wings

Taro Hirose makes favorable impression two games into Red Wings career

Updated Mar 22, 3:24 PM; Posted Mar 22, 1:54 PM

By Ansar Khan

For Taro Hirose and other young, waiver-exempt forwards in the Detroit Red Wings organization, the battle for a regular roster spot in 2019-20 begins in earnest in training camp.

But Hirose, just two games into his NHL career, has made a favorable impression.

The free-agent left wing from Michigan State, signed just 10 days ago, has picked up an assist in each of his first two games and earned praise from teammates and coach Jeff Blashill.

“Poise, vision. It looks like he wants to make a play every time he has the puck,” Blashill told media following Thursday’s 5-2 loss at St. Louis. “Seems to be fairly slippery. Early in the first he got squeezed off right away in the corner in the O-zone. We made a comment to him about spreading the zone and right away the next shift, he goes out and he spreads the zone. He seems to be pretty smart. So far I think he’s done a real good job.”

Hirose isn’t big (5-10, 160) but is considered a cerebral player who likes to control the puck and facilitate teammates. He’s played on a line with Frans Nielsen and Thomas Vanek.

“Those guys make it so easy to play out there,” Hirose said on DetroitRedWings.com. “We’re always talking on the bench, just trying to pick their brains and get as much information as I can and I felt like I was able to hold onto the puck a little longer and maybe not as nervous the entire game, to not make mistakes, go out there and play my game. In that sense a little bit more comfortable.”

After logging 13:44 in his debut Tuesday against the New York Rangers, Hirose played 16:12 at St. Louis.

The Red Wings continue the road swing Saturday at Vegas (10 p.m., Fox Sports Detroit). The Golden Knights (42-27-5) are 10-1 in their past 11, have outscored their past three opponents 18-6 and are likely to make the playoffs for the second year in a row.

Hirose, 22, will be among a group of forwards competing for roster spots next season, a list that likely will include first-round picks Evgeny Svechnikov, Michael Rasmussen, Filip Zadina, Joe Veleno and whoever they select with their top pick this year, as well as Christoffer Ehn and fellow free-agent signee Ryan Kuffner.

Hirose led the NCAA in points (50, including 15 goals), was Big Ten player of the year and is among 10 initial finalists for the Hobey Baker Award. The final three will be announced on April 4 and the winner revealed April 12 during the Frozen Four in Buffalo.

“He’s a smart player. Playing with him is actually real easy,” Vanek said. “The poise he has, it’s fun to play with a guy like that who thinks the game at a high level. You can tell right away, and he’s not afraid to make plays, cut to the middle and hold on to pucks. Really impressed so far with him.”

Michigan Live LOADED: 03.23.2019 1137067 Detroit Red Wings

Vanek scores twice, Blues beat Red Wings 5-2

By JOE HARRIS Associated Press Mar 21, 2019 Updated 12 hrs ago

ST. LOUIS (AP) — Ivan Barbashev recorded his first career NHL hat trick to lead the St. Louis Blues to a 5-2 win over the Detroit Red Wings on Thursday night.

Oskar Sundqvist and Pat Maroon also scored for the Blues, who have points in their last four games. Rookie Jordan Binnington made 20 saves, improving to 19-4-1.

Thomas Vanek scored twice and Jonathan Bernier made 19 saves for the Red Wings, who had their two-game winning streak snapped.

Barbashev gave the Blues a 2-1 lead, poking home a loose puck amid a scramble in front of the Red Wings' net, at the 3:22 mark of the second period.

Barbashev made it 3-1 less than two minutes later, starting the play with a hit on the Red Wings' Michael Rasmussen that jarred the puck to Alexander Steen. The Blues forward gave it right back to Barbashev, who punched in a rebound off of his initial shot.

Vanek's 15th of the season got Detroit back to within one, but Maroon's goal midway through the third period gave St. Louis a two-goal lead again. Maroon has scored in four straight games.

Barbashev completed the hat trick with an empty-netter with 48 seconds left.

Vanek gave the Red Wings a 1-0 lead at the 2:05 mark of the first period, banging in his own rebound off of Binnington's pad. It was his first goal in five games.

Sundqvist evened the game for the Blues with 8:14 remaining in the opening period, scoring on a quick shot from the slot after being set up by a no-look pass from Michael Del Zotto from the corner. Del Zotto, acquired from Anaheim at the trade deadline, has assists in three straight games.

NOTES

Blues LW David Perron had an assist on Sundqvist's goal to extend his streak to 17 consecutive appearances with a point, becoming the first Blues player to do it since in the 1991-92 season (25 games). ... Red Wings F Jacob de la Rose (accerated heartbeat) returned to Detroit and is expected to miss the rest of the team's five-game road trip. ... Steen had two assists to give him 600 career points. ... Red Wings D Trevor Daley (back) will likely miss the rest of the season.

UP NEXT

Detroit: travels to Las Vegas on Saturday.

St. Louis: hosts Tampa Bay on Saturday.

Macomb Daily LOADED: 03.23.2019 1137068 Edmonton Oilers

Too soon for Boot Hill, says Oilers coach Hitchcock

Robert Tychkowski

Published:March 22, 2019

Updated:March 22, 2019 10:53 PM MDT

Somebody pointed out Friday a lot of people have written the Edmonton Oilers off this year, which Ken Hitchcock doesn’t think is necessarily accurate.

Written them off? He says it more like they’re waiting for them at the grave site with shovels and hymnals.

“They haven’t counted us out,” said the head coach. “We’re in the hearse and we’re going up to the cemetery. Let’s cut the BS. We’re now in the hearse and entering Boot Hill. So we’re somewhere on that road from Yuma to Boot Hill.”

So you’re sayin’ there’s a chance?

“It’s up to us in the locker-room,” said Hitchcock. “We keep popping our head up and keep staying alive. We’re hoping they pull us out of the hearse.”

Edmonton Sun: LOADED: 03.23.2019 1137069 Edmonton Oilers Oilers Entertainment Group has the first batch of the 2,000 premium ticket accounts involving suites, club seating and loge seating from the staggered three, five and seven-year plans up for renewal. The big JONES: Oilers boss Nicholson, while apologetic, wasn't wrong about concern is the 15,000 season tickets. Rieder “It’s pretty clear where it is. It’s team performance today. It’s where the team is going in the future. The economy is really coming into it much more than it has in the past. We’re listening to that very carefully. We Terry Jones know our fan base is made up of individuals, many of whom share tickets. They put other things aside to buy season tickets for Oilers Published:March 22, 2019 games. We certainly have to measure that.” Updated:March 22, 2019 11:06 PM MDT Understand, first of all, these breakfasts this week are not trivial undertakings and Nicholson has had to walk the line between being up front and forthright with the most important people in hockey in Edmonton Tobias Rieder will go away. — the ones who have managed to keep the seats sold for 542 consecutive games despite an entire decade of darkness. Rieder has eight games to play. “One thing that has really come out is the need to give the fans and The more important story is what caused the flash furor involving the season ticket holders better guest experiences. We’d started working on goalless Edmonton Oilers forward Thursday. it and now we’re going to do a deeper dive,” said Nicholson. “We have a Breakfast Bob Nicholson knew the season ticket holders wanted some bucket load of them. We’ve identified about 50 of them now. Some are meat with their eggs and has been trying to provide as much of it as really small and some are really big. We really need to evaluate and then possible throughout a week of critical engagements with the customers. to show that we’ve listened to them and that we care about them being our passionate fans and that we are reacting. The result was Nicholson having to eat his honest and entirely accurate words perceived by most to be throwing the poster boy for Oilers “We need to do everything we can think of in every area of the Oilers ineptitude under the bus. organization to earn their business, and that’s what we heard loud and clear this week. Nine times this week, Nicholson has hosted his Breakfast Club to face and embrace the season subscribers. At Event No. 6 Thursday at Studio “I appreciated the messages they delivered, the passion they showed 99 at Rogers Place, the Rieder quotes spilled out. and the way they asked hard questions.”

“Toby Rieder will not be signed by the Edmonton Oilers at the end of this It was out of the passionate exchanges that the Rieder response was year.” produced.

Duh. “I felt bad about that,” said Nicholson. “What I said was not right. I owned it. I phoned Toby right after and talked to him. I talked to him face to face “Toby Rieder was a player that other teams wanted. He came here for because I’ve never been caught on something like that and I shouldn’t one year because he wanted to play with Leon Draisaitl who he plays be. with on the German National Team. He thought if he wasn’t playing with Leon, he’d be playing with Connor, he’d score 25 or 16 goals and instead “I wanted to own it and I wanted him to hear that from me.” of making two million he’d sign a four-year deal at three and a half Edmonton Sun: LOADED: 03.23.2019 million.”

Truth.

“Toby Rieder hasn’t scored a goal. Toby Rieder has missed so many breakaways.”

Fact.

“If Toby Rieder had scored 12-14 goals, we’d have probably made the playoffs.”

Hyperbole.

Sorry if I can’t get my shorts in a knot about that.

Calling out Nicholson for calling out Rieder became something of a sport Friday. Nicholson admitted he misspoke and twice apologized to the player, once on the phone Thursday and again in person Friday between speaking to two final gatherings of season ticket holders.

Again, Rieder is going away. The crisis Nicholson has been dealing with this week at locations around the arena, the city and in Sherwood Park and Leduc isn’t going away.

After the final gathering Friday, I asked the CEO for his up close and personal assessment of the mood and attitude of the customers he engaged.

“They’re passionate, certainly unhappy, disgruntled and they want to hear the plans for the future. We’ve been in this for going on 14 years. How can we reassure them going forward? That was the reason for doing this.”

The Oilers have several interactions with their season ticket holders throughout the season but this one was critical with season ticket renewal season about to begin.

The stakes were high at Nicholson’s breakfasts with the season ticket holders. With the economy, the Oilers decidedly disappointing season on the heels of an equally disappointing season coming off the playoff year two years ago, the timing couldn’t be worse. 1137070 Edmonton Oilers “I want to be (expected to score 40),” he said. “I want to be a complete player. I want to be able to be dangerous in whatever way I can. So for me it’s just a matter of playing that way.”

Oilers forward Draisaitl hoping for, but not obsessing over 50-goal THE BEST OF TIMES plateau Where is Oprah when you need her? A quick scan of the Oilers stats sheet calls for her own unique commentary: YOU’VE got a personal best! Robert Tychkowski And YOU’VE got a personal best! And YOU’VE got a personal best!

Published:March 22, 2019 You’d never know it from the standings, but the top of the Oilers line up is killing it this year. Five players have or are about to set career highs. Updated:March 22, 2019 11:07 PM MDT Connor McDavid: Two points away from breaking his career high of 108, five goals away from a career high of 42.

Most hockey players can only dream of a season in which coming a few Draisaitl: Already set career highs with 43 goals, 51 assists and 94 goals shy of 50 is considered a bit of a disappointment. points.

So Leon Draisaitl, sitting at 43 with eight games left to play, isn’t going to Ryan Nugent-Hopkins: Just set a new best for 25 goals and 61 points, mope about it if he doesn’t join the exclusive club this year. and needs two more assists for a career high 38.

“It would be unbelievable to hit that, but I’m also a realistic guy and I Darnell Nurse: New highs for eight goals, 28 assists and 36 points . know where I’m at,” he said, adding he’s well aware time is running out, but with the Oilers’ season still legally alive, hitting 50 isn’t his primary Kassian: Tied career high 14 goals. focus anyway. Alex Chiasson: Scored a career high 20 goals, needs three more points “I know it will be hard now for me to get to that, but I don’t really think for a career high 36. about it too much. I’m not really the type of person to put too much That all of this happened in a losing season is difficult to swallow on a lot pressure on myself about statistics. Whatever number I finish with I’m of different fronts. happy with that. “It’s tough,” said Kassian. “But we don’t think I look at it that way because “It would be amazing to get it, but if not I’m not going to lose any sleep the season isn’t done. We’re still fighting for the playoffs, we’re still in the over it.” thick of things.

Nor should he. Not when he’s scored more times that everyone in the “It’s do-or-die from here on out. So I’m not thinking about it that way.” NHL except Alex Ovechkin. Whatever number he ends up with, Draisaitl has proven beyond a doubt players can re-invent themselves if they put Edmonton Sun: LOADED: 03.23.2019 in the time.

He came to the Oilers as a passer and playmaker, and while he still has those qualities, he’s also blossomed into the second best goal scorer in the league. It didn’t happen by accident.

“I think I’ve developed my goal scoring over the course of this year and I’m happy with how I’ve been producing,” said the 23-year-old, who put in a lot of time in the summer and after practice during the season to get to this point.

“I try to be unpredictable, try to make my wheelhouse bigger than it used to be, working on different scenarios. Even in practice, I’m trying to shoot the puck from different types of angles and positions.”

Hitting 40, with an outside shot at 50 and almost certainly making it to 100 points (he’s currently at 94) is pretty heady stuff. This begs the question: Can you properly enjoy accomplishments like these when the team is poised to miss the playoffs for the third time in your four years here?

“I’m aware of the position I’m in and that the team is in,” he said. “I’d rather give up some of my points to make the playoffs, but we still have a goal as a team and I’m trying to focus on that more than anything.

“We’re still in it. We know the chances are slim, but we’re aware of the position we’re in and we know what we have to do.”

Draisaitl’s teammates are following the quest for 50, something that hasn’t been done since Jari Kurri and Wayne Gretzky in 1987, and are all pulling for him.

“You definitely know where he sits,” said occasional line mate Zack Kassian. “I don’t know if he’s eyeing it down, but he’s having a hell of a year. He’s putting a lot of pucks in the back of the net. It’s good to see.

“In today’s era in the NHL, if you’re scoring 50 it’s not a fluke. It really shows what type of player he is.”

This brings to memory the old quote from years ago by an underachieving middle-six forward about reaching a goal-scoring plateau for the first time: Don’t score 20 because then they’ll expect you to do it every year.

It’s kind of true. There are different pressures and expectations that accompany a player who scored 40 once. There are also an elite handful of players who accepted it and delivered – which is the more important club that Draisaitl wants to be a part of. 1137071 Edmonton Oilers He does a lot of things. He hasn’t scored like he normally does, which has probably put a lot of pressure on him, but he’s a good teammate.

“As a coach, you learn to live through lack of scoring. There’s a lot of Shots Fired: Tobias Rieder responds to Edmonton Oilers brass players who go through that. But, as long as they’re doing the right things, you feel it’s going to turn in the right direction for him. And he’s done the right things all year.” Robert Tychkowski Nicholson has apologized twice. He called Rieder Thursday afternoon Published:March 22, 2019 before the Columbus game, but at that time the player didn’t have a sense of how quickly the firestorm was spreading. Updated:March 22, 2019 4:48 PM MDT “I woke up from my pre-game nap and at that point I didn’t know what

was going on,” said Rieder. “He apologized for what he was saying and Tobias Rieder hasn’t hit a target all season, but he made no mistake with at that point I didn’t really know to what extent this was going to be. the shots fired Friday morning after practice. “Then my phone blew up and it was all over the news. He apologized and Responding publicly for the first time since Thursday’s comments from I know he feels bad about it.” Edmonton Oilers CEO Bob Nicholson, Rieder quickly erased any notion Nicholson spoke with him in person again on Friday, once everyone had that he’s OK with being singled out as a root cause of the club missing a better handle on the scope of the thing. Rieder said he accepted both the playoffs. apologies and would like to move on. “You look at (the comments) and you kind of can’t believe it,” he said. “I “I did. That’s the grownup thing to do. You don’t want it dragging on think it’s kind of disappointing and I’m offended by it. forever.” “I’m the first one to admit I’m not having a good year. It has not been an Edmonton Sun: LOADED: 03.23.2019 easy season for me. It’s been hard. But I’m still going out there and giving 100 per cent every time I’m on the ice.

“It was tough to read that somebody got singled out like that and kind of thrown under the bus.”

The comments from Nicholson came at a Q & A session with season ticket holders, during which Nicholson made specific reference to Rieder’s 60-game scoring slump. He said the team won’t be bringing him back next season and if he’d scored 10 or 12 goals, Edmonton’s might be in a playoff spot.

The last thing the Oilers need right now is a spat between an embattled CEO who brought in the worst GM in franchise history and an underachieving top-six forward who has somehow become a sympathetic figure despite not scoring a single goal all season. It’s another embarrassment in a season (decade?) full of them.

Classic Oilers.

“I thought the timing was a bit weird,” said Rieder, who scored 13, 14, 16 and 12 goals in the four years before the faucet dried up in Edmonton. “We’re still in the race for the playoffs and I’m still going to go out there and play my heart out and play for the guys and friends in the locker- room.

“We’ve been talking all year about going through adversity and the guys in the room have to stick together. I just don’t think it’s right to single somebody out in a team sport.”

Rieder knows he’s having a bad year, but didn’t like that the season was thrown at his feet. Even if that’s not what Nicholson meant, that’s how it came out and Rieder is the one who had to deal with much of the fallout (although Nicholson might want to argue that point).

“I get where he’s coming from,” said Rieder. “I’m not having a good year. I’m not proud of the season I’m having and I’m the first one to admit I’m not playing to my capabilities. But I think (Nicholson’s comments) went a little too far. And I think Bob knows that, too.”

Rieder’s teammates bristled a little at the controversy, as well.

“Everybody read it, so as soon as I came into the dressing room before the game, guys were coming up to me,” said Rieder. “They don’t think it was right, either. It’s good to know that everyone has my back in this locker-room.”

They do.

“Toby is a full professional and he knows sometimes things get said and they maybe get blown out of proportion a little bit,” said countryman Leon Draisaitl. “But he’s a professional and he knows how to handle it.”

When asked about Rieder on Friday, Head coach Ken Hitchcock described him as a hard-working player who is still finding ways to contribute despite the woeful lack of offensive production.

“We don’t have to worry about whether he’s prepared or not, or whether he’s going to do the right thing on the ice. He’s a very good penalty killer. 1137072 Edmonton Oilers

WATCH: Tobias Rieder said he was offended by Nicholson comments

Shaughn Butts, Edmonton Journal

Published:March 22, 2019

Updated:March 22, 2019 1:04 PM MDT

Tobias Rieder responded to comments from Oilers Entertainment Group CEO Bob Nicholson after the morning skate at the Community Rink at Rogers Place.

Rieder said has was initially offended by the comments from Nicholson at a season ticket holder breakfast on Thursday morning, but he was awoken during his pre-game nap by Nicholson offering an apology.

Nicholson responded to fan question about Rider’s goal production – which is zero- and Nicholson told the audience that Reider would not be returning next season.

Rieder has accepted the apology and he said he is focused on hockey and the remaining eight games left in the Oilers regular season.

Edmonton Sun: LOADED: 03.23.2019 1137073 Edmonton Oilers It’s one thing to get chewed out by your boss in private, but another entirely to get thrown under the bus in public.

Would 10 or 12 goals from Tobias Rieder this season translate into three 'It is a little odd': Despite setbacks, the Edmonton Oilers are still in the or four wins, which would have the Oilers in a playoff spot? Perhaps. playoff hunt But despite CEO Bob Nicholson’s assertions regarding the complete lack of goal production from Rieder, Hitchcock was quick to defend the Derek Van Diest forward in his post-game press conference.

Published:March 22, 2019 “He’s an honest, hard-working, determined hockey player,” Hitchcock said. “If you want to play the right way all you have to do is show clips of Updated:March 22, 2019 10:17 AM MDT him. He hasn’t scored, he’s missed a number of opportunities and that pressure probably mounts a little bit. But as far as being a player on our

team, he’s very valuable, because he carries the conscious of our team. How are the Edmonton Oilers still in the playoff race? “You never have to coach him. I don’t think I’ve said five words to him How after all the setbacks, frustration, humiliating losses and lack of from a teaching standpoint because he does the right stuff all the time. secondary scoring, are the Oilers waking up Friday five points out of the From our standpoint, you want to see a guy score and have success second wild card in the Western Conference with eight games to play? offensively because it makes him feel good. But if he’s not doing that he helps us in a number of other areas and that’s what teammate does. And All things considered, five points could have easily been two if the Oilers for me, he’s a really good teammate.” didn’t trip over the New Jersey Devils and kept the Arizona Coyotes from earning a loser point in their head-to-head encounter last Saturday. Edmonton Sun: LOADED: 03.23.2019

“It is a little odd,” said Leon Draisaitl after his three-assist performance in a 4-1 win against the Columbus Blue Jackets on Thursday. “Sometimes you seem so far out of it and then the next day you’re right there it seems like. So staying even keel and just going out and working is key in this situation, and I think we’ve been doing a good job of that.”

The odds of the Oilers actually jumping over five teams and snatching the second wild card spot are still astronomical. And to this point, they’ve failed to put a run together that will lift them a significant distance above .500.

But they are proving to be tough out.

At this rate, it appears six-games over the break-even point would be enough and the Oilers are currently a game under. But if they swept their five-game homestand, which continues against the Ottawa Senators on Saturday afternoon, things might get really interesting. And who wouldn’t be up for some meaningful games in April?

“We’re not going to stop pushing here,” said Ryan Nugent-Hopkins. “Regardless of how it looks when you look at the standings, we’re going to keep pushing and keep picking up points and see what happens.”

What is happening lately is that no one in the bottom half of the Western Conference seems to want to take ownership of that final playoff spot.

The Coyotes had control of it and then lost three straight, including an overtime game to the Oilers. The Colorado Avalanche won three straight and now they own the spot.

To their credit, the Oilers picked themselves off the canvas after an embarrassing 7-2 loss to the St. Louis Blues and defeated a Blue Jackets’ team who went all in at the trade deadline, loading up for a playoff run, which may never come.

“The key is not getting too down when things don’t go well and too high when things are going well,” said goaltender Mikko Koskinen, who had a nice bounce-back game after two tough outings. “It’s exciting, this is why we play. These are the biggest games of the year and all the excitement is here and as a long as we have a chance we’re going to fight until the end.”

After the Senators, the Oilers host the Los Angeles Kings, Dallas Stars and Anaheim Ducks. Then they conclude the year at the Vegas Golden Knights, Colorado Avalanche, home to the San Jose Sharks and at the Calgary Flames.

They way the door keeps opening, at some point they need to step through it. They did Thursday with Arizona losing to the Florida Panthers.

“We knew exactly what was going on and we told the players and they responded,” said Oilers head coach Ken Hitchcock. “I know everybody around here talks about next year, but that’s not the focus in that locker room. Somebody has got to get in and a lot of these teams start playing each other. We just have keep playing and winning hockey games. If we play the way we did (Thursday), we’re going to win a lot of hockey games. And that’s got to be our focus.”

ROUGH DAY FOR RIEDER 1137074 Edmonton Oilers seemed to not notice that he had eight goals two years ago and four goals last year.

Thursday night, the problem for the Oilers wasn’t so much scoring goals JONES: Nicholson calls out Tobias Rieder and Edmonton Oilers win as getting shots on goal against the Columbus Blue Jackets.

The Oilers managed two (2) in the entire first period, neither by Rieder Terry Jones who was limited to 3:13 of ice time in the first frame.

Published:March 22, 2019 In the second period he had an actual shot on net as his ice time hit 7:57 through two. In the third he managed another shot and ended up with Updated:March 22, 2019 10:16 AM MDT 12:07 of ice time.

With the Oilers saving $3-million on the salary cap by moving goaltender Cam Talbot, now $2-million by announcing that Rieder won’t be back, There was breaking news prior to the Edmonton Oilers game Thursday. maybe Nicholson has struck on an idea here. “Toby Rieder will not be signed by the Edmonton Oilers at the end of this That’s now $5-million in cap space cleared for next season. year,” Oilers Entertainment Group CEO Bob Nicholson declared. Eight games remain. Thursday morning, Nicholson was doing one of a series of season ticket holder breakfasts when a fan asked him his thoughts on the acquisition If Nicholson were to announce one player prior to each game who of Rieder. wouldn’t be back the following season, optimism for next year might build with each game. The Nicholson transcript, provided by Journal ‘Cult of Hockey’ correspondent Bruce McCurdy, did not mince words on the player who Edmonton Sun: LOADED: 03.23.2019 has had one of the most disappointing seasons in all of the 40-year Oilers NHL history.

“Toby Rieder was a player that other teams wanted. He came here for one year because he wanted to play with Leon Draisaitl who he plays with on the German National Team,” Nicholson continued.

“He thought if he wasn’t playing with Leon, he’d be playing with Connor, he’d score 15 or 16 goals and instead of making two million he’d sign a four-year deal at three and a half million.

“Toby Rieder hasn’t scored a goal.

“Toby Rieder has missed so many breakaways.

“If Toby Rieder had scored 12-14 goals, we’d have probably made the playoffs.”

Nicholson apologized to Rieder for his comments prior to last night’s somewhat surprising 4-1 win over the Columbus Blue Jackets who fell out of a playoff position in the Eastern Conference with the loss.

Maybe we’ve been looking at this all wrong.

Maybe, instead of coming to praise Connor McDavid, Leon Draisaitl and Ryan Nugent-Hopkins most every night, we should have been looking at one piece of evidence staring us in the face.

How marvelous is McDavid, how dynamic is Draisaitl and how nifty is Nugent-Hopkins if the Oilers keep playing Tobias Rieder on one of their lines and he hasn’t been able to score one single, solitary goal?

Last night Reider played his 60th game of the season. He still has scored zero goals.

None. Nada. Nil.

There’s a story that when a rookie showed up with the Detroit Red Wings and was placed on the same line as Gordie Howe, the kid asked Mr. Hockey how he envisioned his role.

“Kid,” said Gordie, “Go stand in front of the net and I’ll bounce 20 in off you.”

Well, McDavid hasn’t been able to do that. Not once.

Fellow German Draisaitl has had no success at it. Zippo.

And Nugent-Hopkins wasn’t about to turn the trick either. Zilch.

Actually, it works the other way, doesn’t it?

How brutal would you have to be to have performed for 60 games, playing many of them on the top two lines with players like McDavid, Draisaitl and The Nuge?

Rieder has only been a healthy scratch for one game!

In 372 NHL games, Rieder has managed to score 55 goals.

He had 13, 24 and 15 in his first three seasons in the league playing for the Arizona Coyotes but the Oilers general manager and the pro scouts 1137075 Edmonton Oilers Now I’m going to temper that a little by cautioning that, in a fairly extensive interview, Melnyk said a number of things that made complete sense.

Duhatschek Notebook: Sorting through the organizational problems in For example, Melnyk correctly pointed out that most teams which Ottawa and Edmonton announce they’re into a difficult but necessary rebuild, generally don’t fully commit to it.

By Eric Duhatschek Mar 22, 2019 Sure, they warn fans that there’ll be pain. They do everything within their power to lessen expectations, thus lowering the temperature on the GM and the coach which buys them time.

Let’s review the mood in two Canadian NHL hot spots – Ottawa and But the reality is, few teams that nominally rebuild are prepared to endure Edmonton – through the prism of social media, which was alive with more than one or two tough years. Deep down, they don’t even want venom and vitriol these past few days. that. They’re hoping to be back in the playoffs the next year.

Where else but Canada could one poorly considered comment about an Do these half-in, half-out strategies ever work? underachieving bottom-six forward (the Oilers’ Tobias Rieder) – which was made by the team’s chief executive officer (Bob Nicholson) – result The answer is they rarely do, so that observation by Melnyk represented in three separate trending topics on Twitter? fair comment. So did his assertion that selling tickets in Ottawa was far more challenging than it is in a bigger market. And though Melnyk didn’t As Nicholson was doing damage control over his critique of Rieder – specify Toronto, you knew that’s who he was referring to – a team that made at a breakfast with season ticket holders – the topics #BlameToby opens its doors and automatically sells out. That’s an accurate #Rieder (spelled correctly) and #Reider (spelled incorrectly) were all assessment of the NHL’s reality but it is also why the league has revenue trending in Edmonton for a while. sharing and a salary cap. He even took a couple of sly shots at the Leafs’ own rebuild – “somebody forgot about defence” – which proves, if Crazy. Presumably, the good news is that fans still cared enough to be nothing else, he’s tapped into the Toronto zeitgeist and isn’t above outraged. The worst thing that can happen to an organization is when the delivering a zinger or two. fans emotionally check out. If they become indifferent instead of angry, then you’ve got a problem. Suddenly, it isn’t going to matter what you say But what got Melnyk into hot water was his suggestion the day before on or do, because no one’s paying attention anyway. the Toronto airwaves – that the Senators care more about the “real fans” in the market, the ones that support the team financially and stick with All of which is a long preamble into sorting out the season-long gong them through thick and thin. shows that have unfolded in Ottawa and Edmonton, both of which were exacerbated even further this week. Oops. Melnyk forgot the cardinal rule here. Never, ever say anything that could be construed as being remotely critical of your fan base, whether The Senators are long gone from playoff contention, while the Oilers’ it’s the suite holders, the season ticket holders or the ones that just chances are hanging by a thread. But that’s only a symptom of what got consume your product on television. everybody riled up. Years ago, , when he was Oilers’ GM, made a similar blunder In Edmonton, Nicholson was guilty of an unexpectedly poor choice of when he spoke about different tiers of fans – and how the organization words when asked about the team’s depth issues. Nicholson singled out put far greater weight on what the fans who made a financial investment Rieder and then piled it on. He advised fans that Rieder wouldn’t be back into the team cared about. Lowe eventually had to do some serious with the Oilers next year and that if he’d scored the way they projected damage control of his own – and assured the fans that they were all he would (instead of being stuck at zero), the Oilers would probably be in loved. the playoffs. But how important is it to hear from ownership? In cities such as Montreal Well, no. or Calgary, you rarely ever hear from Geoff Molson or Murray Edwards – The Oilers’ problems run far deeper than one underachieving free-agent which usually means there is one less fire for the managerial team to put miss. Even if Rieder had produced a modestly productive season, it still out. wouldn’t overcome the team’s goaltending inconsistencies, mediocre The fact is, it doesn’t matter what an owner says or promises. They can defensive play, overall lack of secondary scoring or lousy penalty killing. take a vow of silence or gas on endlessly when a microphone is thrust in Now, it would have been fine for Nicholson to say that the Oilers were their faces. disappointed in Rieder’s production. It’s their actions that matter. They speak louder than words. It would have been fine for Nicholson to say that the next general Above all else, what people want to see is professionalism. manager, when hired, would ultimately decide which players will return next season and who won’t. It might even have been fine to darkly hint They want to see professional conduct; evidence of long-term planning; what will happen with Rieder, since Oilers fans are shrewd enough to and reasons to believe that the people running the show know what figure that out for themselves. they’re doing.

Instead, Nicholson’s words suggested that internally, the decision has In Edmonton, it was clear that former general manager Peter Chiarelli – already been made. That, in turn, implied that the next GM might not Nicholson’s personal choice – didn’t. exactly have a free hand in making his own choices. Chiarelli made an enormous philosophical miscalculation back when he And since getting chain-of-command right should be one of the took over in April of 2015, completely misreading the direction in which organization’s biggest priorities right now, the optics were terrible. the NHL was heading. As everyone else figured out that the game was Thanks to all those years at Hockey Canada, Nicholson is usually pretty trending towards smaller, skilled players, Chiarelli put his first focus on good at navigating turbulent, political waters. big and lumbering.

This was a bad gaffe. And he did so in the misguided notion that his two bright young stars, Connor McDavid and Leon Draisaitl, needed protecting. In the old days, Over in Ottawa, meanwhile, fans were up in arms because owner maybe. Not anymore. Both McDavid and Draisaitl are strong enough to Eugene Melnyk opted to discuss the state of the team on a Toronto radio fight their own battles and by the way, they prefer to do that too. But the station, instead of appearing on a local Ottawa show. The next morning, Oilers went out and addressed a problem that didn’t exist. They traded perhaps realizing how bad the optics of that looked, Melnyk then spent for Patrick Maroon and signed Milan Lucic. Later, they sacrificed a 26-plus minutes on the air with an Ottawa station, 580 CFRA. productive modern-day point-a-game player in for a useful, Here’s what gave me pause. but not exactly agile, defensive piece in Adam Larsson.

As fans in Edmonton were clamoring to hear from owner Darryl Katz No point in weighing in on all the other miscalculations Chiarelli made. about the organization’s plans for the future, Melnyk was providing all When the Oilers belatedly got to the point where they realized they kinds of good reasons for why an owner should adopt a vow of silence. needed more speed and went out and signed Rieder, it was just about Sundin was eventually moved for Wendel Clark and when Patrick Roy patching one hole after another. came aboard, the Avs created a powerhouse that won nine consecutive division titles – though by the time Colorado won again in 2001, Bob Accordingly, the goal in Edmonton is to find someone with a plan and Hartley had replaced Crawford as the team’s head coach. then the temperament to put the plan in place and stick with it, no matter what sort of external pressure might exist. Ottawa is lights years away from assembling that sort of talented corp. Still, one of the charms of the NHL’s salary-cap era is that you can go In the search, Nicholson said he was planning to sift through 30 resumes from laughing stock to a competitive squad in relatively short order. or more. Most people think Kelly McCrimmon, the assistant GM of the Vegas Golden Knights, is the front runner for the job, but I wonder if GM Pierre Dorion promised Crawford the job if he could run the table Nicholson settles on a former Oiler nemesis Ron Hextall. Hextall has with the current group and everyone had the good grace to laugh. But it some previous GM experience, which is useful. But even more valuable might not be the worst idea they ever had either. is the fact that Hextall, in Philadelphia, painstakingly committed to a draft- and-develop strategy. It might have even got him fired in the end, not The problem with hiring someone without NHL coaching experience is recognizing that ownership’s sense of urgency was greater than his own. that the first time around, they often find the job overwhelming because there’s a lot more to coaching in the NHL than just Xs and Os. The Publicly, Nicholson’s acknowledged that he’s learned from his mistakes number of Jon Coopers that come along – who just figure it out right and that hiring Chiarelli on the basis of a previous personal relationship, away – are few and far between. From where Ottawa is to where Ottawa rather than spreading a broad net to see who else might be available, thinks they’re going, they likely need a coach whose primary strength is was indeed shortsighted. patience. Assistants can do the heavy technical lifting. They need a front man, someone who can find that right balance between always wanting By contrast, this time around, there’ll be a parade of hockey people more – because that’s what coaches do – and realizing when the group visiting Edmonton to interview for the vacant position. It’ll give the Oilers has given all it can give. Now 58, Crawford strikes me as someone a chance to potentially tap a lot of pretty smart people for a lot of pretty whose has smoothed out the rough edges and at this stage in his career, good ideas under the guise of a job interview. could manage that. Overall, until assuming helm in Ottawa, Crawford had Only one person will eventually get the job, but if the hiring committee 1,151 games, 549 wins, 421 losses and 181 ties or OTL on his NHL pays close enough attention, it should be able to mine all sorts of creative coaching resume after previous stops with Vancouver, Los Angeles and new information about how the outside hockey world views the state of Dallas. their franchise. The unconventional Blue Jackets experiment

You only hope that internally, the Oilers realize this courtship is just like Now that the trade deadline dust has settled, the Blue Jackets have courtship in real life. In any relationship, if the focus is strictly on the become a fascinating test case of how to operate an NHL team wedding day – and not the marriage and every day that comes after the unconventionally in the salary-cap era. wedding – then it’s not going to work. Most teams subscribe to a standard draft-and-develop blueprint, which is Similarly, the Oilers cannot hire a candidate just because they’ll play well what Ottawa is publicly espousing. in the market for a single day and charm people at the first get- acquainted press conference. Then there is how Blue Jackets’ GM Jarmo Kekalainen decided to go – adopting a counterintuitive approach that involved retaining their own It has to be someone with a plan and the conviction to stick with it. And if potential unrestricted free agents and then adding two from Ottawa and the Oilers fail there, it’ll be just one more misstep in a seemingly never- one each from the New York Rangers and the New Jersey Devils. ending series of them that has characterized the Katz/Nicholson era. Essentially, the 2018-19 Blue Jackets are posing this question to the Marc Crawford and the Ottawa coaching search larger NHL family: If everyone does things in a certain cookie-cutter way, Seeing the Senators (both old and new) pass through Calgary was a little is there any material advantage to forging a different path? like watching Dickens’ “A Christmas Carol.” First, you saw the ghosts of Well, we’ll see. There is always risk involved in pro sport and so, if you’re Senators-past parade through town – Mark Stone one night with Vegas, not prepared to take risks, you usually land somewhere in the soft middle and Matt Duchene and Ryan Dzingel a few nights later with the – not bad, but not good enough either. Columbus Blue Jackets. And then finally came the impoverished Senators who are gamely playing out the string. Auditions for jobs next But so far, the Columbus experiment isn’t working. season are underway and Marc Crawford, who is overseeing the whole traveling circus, is hoping that whatever signs of life Ottawa has Following Thursday night’s loss to the Oilers, the Blue Jackets have just occasionally shown in the home stretch gives him a chance to become eight games remaining in the season and have slipped to ninth place in more than just the interim coach of the team. the Eastern Conference standings. If the playoffs started today, they’d be out – which would be a disaster, given how much of their future they Back when the Senators fired Guy Boucher, they outlined exactly they mortgaged for what was supposed to be one bold championship run. wanted in the new man. Essentially, they were looking for Sidney Poitier in “To Sir With Love” – a teacher, a confidante, a psychologist, a mentor. The Blue Jackets wrap up their swing through Western Canada with a Really what they are looking for is a miracle worker. It read like a post on Sunday outing against the Vancouver Canucks and then return home for a job site and the subtext seemed to be, they wanted someone young, two critical games next week – against divisional rival the New York innovative, ambitious and confident enough in their abilities that the size Islanders and then a date with the Montreal Canadiens. It isn’t stretching of the task at hand wouldn’t deter them. the boundaries of arithmetic to think that a single game against the Canadiens could, in large measure, decide their playoff fate. The East is Well, once upon a time, Crawford was that guy – apprenticing in the down to nine teams competing for eight spots, so it’s a bit like a game of Toronto Maple Leafs’ system for three years before getting hired by musical chairs. Someone is going to be on the outside looking in. Right general manager Pierre Lacroix to take over the Nordiques from now, it’s Columbus. Pierre Page in July of 1994. Crawford was just 33 then and considered one of the bright rising stars on the coaching horizon. Duchene will acknowledge that it has been a challenge, moving from Ottawa to Columbus. People may forget that in his one-and-only year in Quebec, the lockout- shortened 1994-95 season, Crawford oversaw a dramatic regular-season “There’s always a transition when you get traded, but I was much more turnaround. The Nordiques went from 11th to first in the Eastern prepared this time around in terms of what to expect,” Duchene said in Conference but had the poor luck of drawing the defending Stanley Cup an interview this past week. champion New York Rangers in the first round. But after losing there, the “There’s such a feeling-out process. Coaches have to feel you out and Nordiques relocated to Denver and won a Stanley Cup championship in you have to feel them out. You have to feel out your teammates and they their inaugural season as the Avalanche. Admittedly, there were a few have to feel you out. You bring in two guys like (Ryan) Dzingel and I up differences in terms of personnel. Before Lacroix started moving out front – two brand new pieces that you just insert into the lineup – it takes bodies, the Nords had a centre ice core that consisted of a young Mats a little bit of time to tinker around and find the right combos.” Sundin, a young Joe Sakic and a young Peter Forsberg. We all know how that turned out – last stop, . The key is to not run out of time. Part of the adjustment issue is that the system under John Tortorella in Columbus is far different from how Boucher coached in Ottawa, according to Duchene, which presumably means that there’s still too much thinking going on and not enough playing on instinct. Only time can really fix that.

“Defence is defence,” Duchene explained. “This team is a more veteran defensive team, so obviously, a little stingier. We had a young team in Ottawa that was learning to play that style. This team is more mature in the defensive game.

“The biggest thing in Ottawa, I found we were very good on the rush, very good at getting pucks going north. We were a fast, get-up-and-go team. This team is more of a play-in-five-man-units-all-over-the-ice team. If there’s one area where we’re trying to improve, it’s getting more speed and getting more off the rush game.

“But in the offensive zone, it’s really tough to take the puck off a lot of guys on this team. We can really wear teams down. I played against Columbus so many times and I hated playing against them because it was a grind every game – just no room. So, it’s definitely a little different style, and it’s been something you try to adjust to. But I think it’s something that’s going to complement well in the playoffs – if we do our job and get in.”

The Athletic LOADED: 03.23.2019 1137076 Edmonton Oilers “I just wasn’t myself,” he said. “I wasn’t feeling right.”

When Blades GM Colin Priestner saw him, his heart sank.

After a year of despair, Oilers prospect Cameron Hebig grateful for latest “It was almost like a subconscious thing where he didn’t want to take his chapter with the Condors gear off because he knew he wasn’t gonna put it back on again if he did,” Priestner said. “I think he knew something was really wrong. He’d had a few head injuries the previous year. None of them seemed major at the By Daniel Nugent-Bowman Mar 22, 2019 time. He’d missed some time with them.

“I remember going back to our scouts, managers and coaches’ dinner that we have on the first Saturday night of camp. There was a real flat, Although the two-hour time difference between Saskatoon, Sask., and upsetting feeling.” Bakersfield, Calif., in the winter isn’t ideal, Diana Hebig seldom misses the chance to watch her son suit up for the AHL’s Condors. What happened next were weeks of trying to pinpoint what, exactly, was wrong. Staying up a little later than usual and skipping an extra hour or two of sleep might sound typical of a loving parent with a vested interest in a Hebig suffered from balance issues and dizziness. By his mother’s child’s career. description, Hebig saw “countless” doctors and physiotherapists in Saskatoon leading up to Canadian Thanksgiving. No one could put a Given all that Condors winger Cameron Hebig has endured, however, finger on what ailed him. One therapist told him he’d get worse before the late-night viewings are especially important to his mother. he’d get better.

“At one point, we thought he’d never play competitively again,” Diana Several doctors diagnosed him with a concussion, but that was ruled out said. after seeing a neurologist. Diana said her son had good grades in his university classes and was cognitively fine. Diana pauses, choking up, remembering the dark days when her son’s hockey career was derailed because of a vestibular injury that took so “It was just the way he was feeling. He could never really express it, long to diagnose and even longer to properly heal. either,” Diana said.

An injury, first incorrectly thought to be a concussion, that cost Hebig his “When you see your kid every day, you can tell when they’re right and entire 19-year-old season — a year he was hoping to use to gain interest when they’re not.” from NHL teams as an undrafted player. It wasn’t until Hebig’s agents, Jason Davidson and Blake Evans, After his return to the ice, the last two seasons have mostly been connected him with a physiotherapist in Abbotsford, B.C., in mid-October excellent for Hebig. that there were any real signs for optimism.

He earned an entry-level contract with the Oilers as an over-ager in the “He basically took one look at Cam and he knew without Cam even WHL and then got off to a great start in his first pro campaign with the describing symptoms or anything,” Diana said. “He sent Cam home with Condors. a bunch of visual exercises. We really believe that put Cam on the track to healing and getting better. Don’t get me wrong; it was a lot of work.” As much as he wants to focus on continuing his progress, Hebig can’t forget about the painstaking past that almost put a halt to his dreams. And a lot of time.

“Some days were a lot worse than others,” Hebig said. “You grow up It wasn’t like Hebig did a few exercises, snapped his fingers and was playing the game and you want to play so bad, and then the rug’s pulled ready to lace up his skates again. out from underneath you. You don’t even know if you’re going to play again. The message from his Abbotsford-based doctor was that this wasn’t going to be a quick fix. He told Hebig to stick with the program, never “That was tough — those dark nights and long days.” give up hope and — in time — his issues would be resolved.

Undersized and criticized for being a wonky skater who expended extra Upon returning to Saskatoon, Hebig began seeking support from Kregg energy by bobbing his head, Hebig was far from a hotshot prospect Ochitwa, a physical therapist who specializes in assisting patients with entering the WHL. He did benefit from being with the right organization at balance and dizziness disorders, as well as athletic therapist and the right time, though. exercise physiologist Blaine Whyte.

A third-round bantam pick, Hebig cracked the roster of his hometown Whyte and Ochitwa began to work together to support Hebig in his Saskatoon Blades as a 16-year-old rookie in 2013-14 in part because the recovery starting in November. team was left with little after it had loaded up to host the Memorial Cup that spring. According to Whyte, Hebig also had a shoulder injury, so they were really limited on the types of physical exercises they could do at first. Until Still, he endeared himself to his coaches as a younger player. Christmas, it was basically stretching and rehab movements to help his rotator cuff. “He got the puck all the time,” said Dave Struch, Hebig’s first WHL bench boss. “He was hungry for everything.” In January, Whyte began to ramp up the cardio on Hebig. Free weights followed. “He’s such an individual talent that he could make things happen,” said Bob Woods, now a Minnesota Wild assistant, who coached him in “If he was tolerating it, we just kept on going,” Whyte said. “Once we Seasons 2 and 3. knew it was vestibular, we were able to challenge him as far as how active he was. Then we kept progressing him and progressing him.” No NHL team picked Hebig in the 2015 draft after he posted 40 points, but his play piqued the Pittsburgh Penguins’ interest. They invited him to Hebig skated by himself and rode the stationary bike when he was at the their development camp. rink. His mother began to see a shift in his mood.

A 69-point season wasn’t enough to entice a team to select him in his “He saw the light,” Diana said. “You could tell the way he looked. His second go-around, but the Penguins remained intrigued. Hebig was on posture, his demeanour; everything was just coming back to the Cam we their radar for rookie camp in the fall of 2016. knew.”

That’s when disaster struck. The clock was ticking on a possible return for the 2016-17 season.

It was the first day of training camp and the players were scrimmaging Hebig felt he was nearly ready to play in early March. However, the when Hebig took a seemingly innocuous hit. No one thought much of it. Blades were out of playoff contention and there were only a handful of Hebig even scored a couple goals that day. games left. Everyone involved determined it was better to wait until the fall to give him a few extra months. Afterward, Hebig just sat in his dressing-room stall in full equipment, long after his teammates had left the building. “The process was long, and you thought you’d be back,” Hebig said. “It wasn’t the right time. That was tough when you think you can come back, but it took so long to get to that point. I just trusted in the process. There Woodcroft said he still counts Hebig as a versatile and trusted player. were no setbacks. I kept working at it and tried to keep getting better.” “He’s tracking really nicely and has been a solid addition to the franchise The extra months did Hebig a world of good. Whyte said it was late June through that free-agency signing. He’s someone who gives himself a or early July when Hebig started to look like his old self. chance to succeed by doing it right every day,” Woodcroft said.

“I could measure him against other players that were beside him,” he “He’s a student of the game. He’s trying to do whatever it takes to get to said. “You could tell he was feeling better and able to exert and not the next level.” having symptoms.” Hebig is still a long way away from reaching the NHL. He’s a 21-year-old Hebig was finally set to rejoin the Blades for the start of the 2017-18 undrafted AHL rookie after all. season. The only problem was he was 20 years old and CHL teams can keep only three players of that age on their roster. That he’s come this far, however, shouldn’t be overlooked.

Priestner was faced with a dilemma. When asked what he would have thought to be in this position two or three years ago, Hebig paused to think. Other WHL managers weren’t willing to offer much in a trade for Hebig, a player who’d been out of action for 18 months when two offseasons were “It would have been crazy,” he finally said. “I’m here now. I’m trying to considered. keep taking advantage of that and never take a day for granted here.”

On the other hand, Priestner wondered, could Hebig be durable? Would “I don’t think a lot of people believed he was going to play again,” Whyte a check or a graze to the neck set him back? said. “But Cameron Hebig believed he was going to play again. My hat’s off to that guy, just putting in that amount of time and effort into it. “It came down to: We wanted to see what he was like at camp,” Priestner said. “He really focused in on getting stronger when he was able to. He works extremely hard. When he stepped back onto that ice, he was in great The result? shape. He was very dedicated to getting back.”

“He was the best player,” Priestner said. “It was pretty clear he hadn’t His mom saw that determination, too. She saw his attention to detail and missed a beat.” the care he put into the recovery from his injury. She saw the hours he worked out in the basement of their home after he was symptom-free. “It was a no-brainer (to keep him). He could be one of the best players in the league,” added Dean Brockman, who moved to head coach from an “You don’t battle back for a year without being serious about it,” she said. assistant for the 2016-17 season. “How do ignore all that? “His hard work and long days paid off.”

“As he played in the exhibition season, he separated himself from It wasn’t easy. During one of the darker periods, Diana remembers everyone else on our team.” someone suggesting to her son that he should just walk away from hockey. Hebig’s play caught the eye of the Oilers once the regular season commenced. Senior vice-president of hockey operations Craig Hebig relayed that pessimistic view to his mom and then told her MacTavish had been watching Hebig closely and checked up with something she’d never forgot. Priestner about his progress. “I don’t think I know how to quit,” he said. Hebig had 51 points in 34 games when the Oilers signed him on Dec. 28, 2017. “In one way it broke my heart,” Diana said. “In another way it was like, ‘Wow. This kid is determined.’” But despite Hebig’s individual success, the Blades were stuck in a division with powerhouses like Swift Current and Moose Jaw, plus the That’s why Diana chokes up thinking about how far her son has come Regina Pats — the Memorial Cup hosts. and about all the people who helped him get better.

Hebig was dealt to Regina two weeks after signing his contract with the It’s also why she was elated to see him play his first AHL game and why Oilers. The move reunited him with Struch, his first junior coach, who was she and her husband, Trevor, cried tears of joy when he scored in his an assistant with the Pats. Hebig finished the season with 90 points in 66 debut. games. Hebig is more stoic than his parents, but there’s no question being a pro The Pats lost in the first round of the WHL playoffs to Swift Current, the hockey player after months when it didn’t look possible means something eventual league champions, but Hebig excelled in the Canadian special. championship. He had six points in five games playing on the team’s top “I’m grateful to be back and grateful to be playing this game,” Hebig said. line as the Pats reached the tournament final. The Athletic LOADED: 03.23.2019 “When we had him last year for the Memorial Cup run, he was a pure pro hockey person, pure professional,” said Struch, now the head coach in Regina. “What he did at the Memorial Cup was miraculous.”

Within weeks, Hebig was on to his first development camp as a signed prospect of the Oilers.

Condors coach Jay Woodcroft didn’t know much about Hebig before he took the ice. But Hebig quickly made an impression.

“What impressed me about him was his skating and positional awareness,” Woodcroft said. “From Day 1 in rookie camp, we kept seeing him on the positive coaching clips where No. 21 just seemed to be in the right spot most times.”

Hebig’s strong positional play translated into offence into the early part of his rookie season in Bakersfield. He had nine and 15 points in his first 15 games as he focused on finding clear lanes to get his shot away quickly.

His production has dried up significantly since then as Hebig’s totals stand at 11 goals and 25 points in 56 games. He went 19 contests without a point as the Condors went on their recent tear.

His pointless drought ended with a goal March 2, and he’s since picked up assists in back-to-back games, the latest coming in a 7-0 home win against the last Saturday. 1137077 Edmonton Oilers 61 percent of their one-goal games while losing 67 percent of games decided by more than one goal.

Edmonton is the third-worst team in the West by goal differential. If Willis: Bob Nicholson’s misguided Tobias Rieder comments reveal Rieder had scored 11 times and nothing else changed, they would still be deeper problems within Oilers management the third-worst team.

If there is a real belief in the Oilers’ front office that their team had a By Jonathan Willis Mar 22, 2019 playoff-caliber season except for Rieder’s shortcomings, I would suggest that belief is mistaken and that the executives in question have an overly rosy view of the season-to-date.

Tobias Rieder is not having a good season. After scoring between 12 The second related item in this vein is that 10-12 goals isn’t a lot over an and 16 goals in four previous NHL seasons, he has zero on 80 shots in entire NHL season. Rieder is an odd target for blame when Edmonton’s 60 games this year. management has made so many decisions which may be seen as more or equally responsible for the deficit. His year got a little tougher on Thursday when Oilers Entertainment Group CEO Bob Nicholson singled Rieder out for criticism in a meeting After all, if Rieder’s 10-12 hypothetical goals are enough to get the Oilers with season ticket holders. The Edmonton Journal’s Bruce McCurdy was into the playoffs in this fantasy scenario, we might talk about the 13 goals at the event and wrote about it at length. He also tweeted a transcript of Ryan Strome has scored for the New York Rangers and the four Drake Nicholson’s comments: Caggiula has scored in Chicago. Their trade replacements have combined for seven goals total and 17 minus seven produces the same HERE'S A TRANSCRIPT OF BOB NICHOLSON'S COMMENTS ON 10 goals that Nicholson wants from Rieder. TOBY RIEDER AT THIS MORNING'S STH BREAKFAST. PIC.TWITTER.COM/JFB8MUJNUB Or, if we must confine our view to players on the current roster, what makes Rieder a more worthy target than Milan Lucic, who has shrunk — BRUCE MCCURDY (@BRUCEMCCURDY) MARCH 21, 2019 from 23 goals to 10 goals to 5 goals over the last three seasons? Lucic is The first issue with the comments is the one that has commanded the paid three times as much and will still be on the books with a buyout- most online reaction: they were mean and they were aimed at a player proof contract for four years after Rieder’s deal expires. who is still part of the team. It doesn’t look good for the CEO to take This isn’t meant as pointless shot-taking. An organization’s process only potshots at a player publicly and it looks worse for him to basically admit improves if leadership recognizes its mistakes and is willing to learn from that the team is done with a guy but still expect him to go out and play them. Piling blame on Rieder isn’t just pointless, but it is actually the remainder of the season. counterproductive. Blaming a bit player who takes up 2.5 percent of the Nicholson has since apologized, as reported by TSN’s Darren Dreger. team’s cap space might feel better than personal accountability, but it’s far less likely to result in improvement. On one level it’s just a gaffe. Nicholson isn’t the first executive to get himself into trouble talking to ticket-holders. Joe Thornton famously said There is one other smaller point but it is still worth making. that “Doug just needs to shut his mouth,” in reference to San Jose GM Nicholson spoke as though the decision to part ways with Rieder had Doug Wilson’s comments at a similar event. Wilson’s remarks were already been made. Surely that decision should fall to the next GM. That sensitive, but not cutting in the way Nicholson’s were. person might reason that a 26-year-old who has been a reliable He’s also far from the first executive to publicly criticize a player. We’re goalscorer for four years stands a good chance of bouncing back. only three months removed from Dallas Stars CEO specifically It’s not like there isn’t precedent. seeking out media for the express purpose of describing Jamie Benn and Tyler Seguin as “fucking horse-shit.” Nicholson’s comments were neither Riley Sheahan scored 27 goals over two years, but in 2016-17 he went calculated nor profane in that manner. through a baffling 2-for-109 run with Detroit when he was 25. Sheahan was traded the next year and promptly scored 11 for Pittsburgh. Marcel What Nicholson said may have been amateurish, or mean and it might Goc, a less accomplished shooter, went 2-for-104 at age 25 in 2008-09, even cause free agents to pause and think twice before agreeing to a but scored between nine and 12 for five straight years afterward. Rieder-like one-year deal with Edmonton. Bill Muckalt, perhaps most famously of all, went 0-for-73 in 2001-02 at None of those points are the most interesting thing about his statement. age 27. He’d averaged 12 goals per year the three previous seasons. The most interesting thing is the way Nicholson’s comments shine a light Even though he would play just eight games the next season before an on his thought process and perhaps that of the Oilers’ front office. injury ended his NHL career, he managed to find the back of the net five A belief that 10 or 12 goals from Toby Rieder is what kept the Oilers out times. of the playoffs this year runs into a couple of different problems which are It’s just possible that whoever Nicholson hires as Edmonton’s next GM worth detailing. might look at Rieder – a player Ken Hitchcock described on Thursday The first item is whether a dozen goals would be enough to move the night by saying, “if you want to play the game the right way, all you’ve got needle. Win percentage tracks, more or less evenly, with team goal to do is show clips of him” – and think that he’s a good buy-low candidate differential. Bill James introduced the Pythagorean Theorem of Baseball for a cap-strapped team. After all, if he rebounds the way so many other in the early 1980s, and it has been used in hockey since at least Alan players have, going back to his established level, there’s a good chance Ryder’s paper on the subject in 2004. And while it’s relatively simple we some NHL team is going to get a 12-goal scorer on a $900,000 contract. don’t need anything even that complicated. We can just look at the It’s not ideal that Nicholson took a shot at a player. It’s worse that it was a standings. current Oiler. It’s also not great that he made a point of mentioning the Here’s what the Western wild-card race looks like at of the close of action one-year “show me” contract, along with the motivation of playing with on Thursday, after the Oilers 4-1 win over Columbus. Note the goal McDavid or Leon Draisaitl, since the new Edmonton GM is probably differential in particular: going to go to market hoping to lure someone in on a similar deal and with similar reasoning. The Oilers are a minus-35 team. That’s probably a truer reflection of their performance this year than standings points. If we carefully select the Yet all of those issues seem less important to the team’s long-term health games and moments in which Rieder’s 10-12 hypothetical goals were than the three listed here. If Edmonton’s management is overrating their scored, we could certainly improve the Oilers by the required amount of team, underrating its contribution to that team’s problems, and unaware standings points, but real life doesn’t work that way. or disbelieving of a concept as basic as shooting percentage regression, then it seems likely to make the same mistakes it usually makes. It’s also important to note that Edmonton is already rocking all those close games. The Oilers are 19-5-7 in games decided by a single goal; The Athletic LOADED: 03.23.2019 only Tampa Bay (23) and Boston (21) have more one-goal wins and they’re considerably better teams. In games decided by more than one goal, the Oilers are a wretched 14-29-0. Very few teams manage to win 1137078 Florida Panthers

Preview: Boston Bruins at Florida Panthers, 7 p.m., Saturday

Brett Shweky

Bruins at Panthers

When/where: 7 p.m., Saturday/BB&T Center, Sunrise

TV: Fox Sports Florida; Radio: 560-AM, 640-AM (Palm Beach)

Scouting report: Following their four-game trip, the Florida Panthers returned to the BB&T Center on Thursday as they snapped a two-game skid with a 4-2 win over the Arizona Coyotes. … Behind Aleksander Barkov's two goals and Jonathan Huberdeau's three assists, the Panthers kept the Coyotes from completing the season sweep . … Boston enters Saturday's contest on a three-game winning streak after earning wins against New Jersey, the New York Islanders and Columbus. … The Bruins hold a six-point lead over Toronto for second place in the Atlantic Division and are 16-3-1 in their past 20 outings. … The season series between the squads is tied at 1-1 with the Bruins having taken the most recent matchup 4-3 on March 7.

Sun Sentinel LOADED: 03.23.2019 1137079 Florida Panthers “I have to be ready when it is my turn to play just like I did (Thursday) night,” Luongo said. “It has been a tough year mentally. This has been challenging. First, there was the injury, then somewhere in the middle of ‘He has opened our eyes’: Sam Montembeault making most of his the year, I lost confidence in myself and it hurt my performances for a chance with the Panthers while. But for the past couple of months, I feel like I am back to where I need to be and want to finish the year off strong. That’s my goal right now.

By George Richards Mar 22, 2019 “It is important for me to make that decision once this season is over — after we are removed from everything. We have to see where everyone

is at. This is not just up to me. I think the team has something to say SUNRISE, Fla. — There was a time not too long ago when the Panthers about it as well. We will come to that when the time comes. There are still avoided using Sam Montembeault. some games left here, and I want to keep my focus set on that.”

Now, they seemingly cannot get enough of him. Tallon said Thursday the Panthers will “aggressively look at every position” this summer including their goaltending situation. He added that On Thursday night, Roberto Luongo started in net for the Panthers, but it their play in goal has not been the team’s only problem this season. was just the first start in two weeks for the future Hall of Famer, who stopped 32 shots in a 4-2 win over the Coyotes. One thing we do know about the Panthers and their goalies is that things have changed at least a little bit over the course of the past few weeks, In the previous six games, it was the 22-year-old rookie who got the call and that is due to Montembeault’s play. for Florida — and Montembeault is expected to be in goal again Saturday against the visiting Bruins. The Panthers were not certain of what they had in Montembeault — and perhaps still aren’t completely clear. With eight games remaining this season, Montembeault should get the majority of the starts. The Panthers really want to see how the Quebec Obviously, they want to play him some more and are watching his native handles himself when asked to carry the load in the NHL. development closely.

So far, Montembeault has won four of seven starts, posting a .903 save “He has opened our eyes,” Tallon said. percentage and a goals-against average of 2.58 since coming back from Yet, regardless of how well he plays in this final stretch, do not expect Florida’s AHL affiliate in Springfield, Mass. him to be the starter next season. “I want to play him a lot in the next couple of weeks,” Florida coach Bob Montembeault could be Florida’s No. 1 goalie down the road, of course. Boughner said Thursday morning. “He is a good goalie and he deserves But next season, he could start in Springfield again or be the backup in it. … He has given us a chance to win every game he has been in there.” Florida. Tallon isn’t ruling anything out. Goaltending was one of the problems that helped derail Florida’s playoff “He has been impressive, and if he has another good summer, continues aspirations early this season. to get stronger, why not?” Tallon said. “He has come a long way even in Luongo hurt his right knee in the second period of the opener, and James one year. From last year to today, his improvement mentally, physically Reimer and Michael Hutchinson led the Panthers to just two wins in their and emotionally has been incredible. first 11 games. “Physically, I think he is ready to take on the challenge. But he’s not When Luongo came back Nov. 2 in Finland, he led the Panthers to wins going to play 75 games next year. He is going to fight for a job, earn the in five consecutive games. But the 19-year veteran has struggled at right to play. But we are confident in his abilities.” times and currently has the lowest save percentage of his career and Montembeault earned his first NHL road win on Mar. 14 in San Jose carries his highest GAA since his rookie season with the Islanders. against the Sharks. (Stan Szeto / USA Today) General manager said there was some discussion about What is next? bringing up Montembeault earlier than they did, but he stresses the team is looking out for the youngster’s long-term development and did not want Montembeault has been happy that the Panthers have given him the to rush him into a tough situation. opportunity to play, yet he understands if he is back in Springfield next season if the team thinks it will be best for his development. “We have to be careful that we put him in at the right time,” Tallon said Thursday. “That position takes time. Look at the history of the top goalies All Montembeault knows is that right now he is getting the chance to play in the league, and they got there at 25, 26 years old. NHL hockey against the best teams around. Just last week, he picked up a win in San Jose and next week is expected to play either in Montreal or “You don’t want to put a guy in too soon and destroy their confidence. Toronto after facing the Bruins on Saturday. Last year, (Montembeault) had a good start, and the second half was tough on him physically. We just wanted to make sure. Hindsight is “I think by playing in those last six games I am really getting a lot more 20/20, but we are in it for the long haul with him. It’s not a short-term comfortable,” he said. “Everything has been good for me so far. I am not deal.” thinking about next year. I just want to stick around here as long as possible. If I have to go back, it will be a little tough because I know I can Decision time for Luongo, Panthers play here. But at the same time, it’s part of my development, and if I work When it comes to their goalie situation, the Panthers — and Luongo — hard there, there will be a spot here for me in the future. have some decisions to make this offseason. “There are only two spots at my position here, and we have two veteran Sources close to the team have made it clear that Florida plans on guys. If I have to go back, I will work hard there. I’m comfortable in finding a new starting goalie next season, and the futures of both Luongo Springfield (and) like our guys there.” and Reimer with the franchise are unclear. Montembeault said he has felt welcome in the Panthers locker room and Luongo, who turns 40 next month, has three years left on the 12-year is especially grateful for the help both Luongo and Reimer have given deal he signed while in Vancouver; Reimer has two years remaining on him. his contract. Luongo, whose younger brother, Leo, is Montembeault’s goalie coach in The Panthers also are thought to be targeting Columbus goalie Sergei Springfield, said he remembers the nervous feeling of breaking into the Bobrovsky once he becomes a free agent this summer. Luongo could NHL as a youngster and having a more experienced teammate show him return as the backup next season as could Reimer or Montembeault. the ropes.

On Friday, Luongo said he has not made a decision on his future, “I have been in the league a long time, have seen just about everything,” although he has said in the past he plans on playing after this season. He Luongo said. “I want to see him succeed. He has worked so closely with says he is trying to keep his mind set on preparing and playing the best my brother that it is just as important to me that he has success for my he can when the Panthers call on him. brother’s sake as well.” Reimer said he has been impressed with Montembeault’s work ethic and The Athletic LOADED: 03.23.2019 understanding of the game. He, too, says he is here if the rookie needs anything, just as Jean-Sebastien Giguere was for him when he was breaking through with Toronto.

The Panthers called up Montembeault once last season when both of their veteran goalies were hurt, but he did not see any action in a game. The same happened earlier this year.

Yet when Reimer was hurt late last month in Arizona and Florida called Montembeault up on an emergency basis, they made sure he knew things would be different this time.

With the Panthers’ playoff hopes fading — and Montembeault playing well in the minors — he was going to get his chance.

“When you are given the opportunity, you want to play well, and he has done that,” Reimer said. “When the coach gives you the nod, get after it. Sometimes when you’re young, you don’t have too many expectations. You just want to show what you can do. I think he has done that. You don’t get here by chance. He is a very talented goalie.”

After an OK debut against Carolina, Montembeault sat behind Luongo for the next three games. He got his second start Mar. 8 against Minnesota and picked up the win.

Then Boughner and the Panthers kept going to him. Montembeault won four consecutive games before losing in Anaheim last Sunday.

“He has really impressed me with his demeanor,” Luongo said. “He seems calm, cool and collected in the net. He does not get rattled and it can be pretty intimidating to be playing in the NHL for the first time. That goes a long way for a goaltender, being able to keep an even keel and not letting things rattle him. That is huge.”

Getting to carry the load in Springfield this season after Hutchinson was called up to Florida (he was eventually traded) gave him great experience.

So, too, is the experience he is getting now at the NHL level.

“It has been nice being able to go on the road, see new buildings and new teams,” Montembeault said. “It has been real good for me. Every game is a new experience for me. I’m learning how to deal with playing four games in six days, how to get rest, take care of yourself.”

Yandle sets records

Keith Yandle set two franchise records with his secondary assist on Mike Hoffman’s power-play goal in the second period Thursday.

The assist gave Yandle 58 points this season, the most ever by a Florida defenseman, as he surpassed the 57 Robert Svehla had in 1995-96.

Yandle is now one back of Svehla and Brian Campbell (2011-12) for the most assists by a Florida defenseman in a single season.

“It’s obviously special, especially when you see the guys that have played here,” Yandle said. “Guys I have looked up to: (Bryan McCabe), (Ed Jovanovski) really helped me out in the beginning of my career. Brian Campbell, Robert Svehla, the guy that had the record, and it’s one of those things where you take pride in it, and obviously it’s nice getting the win, too.”

Yandle also set the franchise mark for most power-play points with 38.

‘’Obviously, you know the way that those guys can shoot the puck and score goals — I think I have the easiest job out there,’’ he said. “It’s just about distributing it to those guys and letting them do their magic. It’s definitely a lot of fun to be a part of that group and going to work with them every night.”

— Although Sasha Barkov’s hot play of late has been getting much of the attention, linemate Jonathan Huberdeau has been on fire as well. Huberdeau, the NHL’s top star of the week earlier this month, had three assists on Thursday to put him over the 80-point mark for a season for the first time in his career.

Huberdeau’s previous career high was 69 points set last season. He also set the franchise record with 59 assists this season, and Barkov is second with 53.

“Playing with Barky makes it much easier,” Huberdeau said. “I feel like this year I’ve been a little bit better consistently. That’s what I’ve been working on every game. The points are coming, we’re playing well. Obviously, you want to get the win when you get some points.” 1137080 Florida Panthers “I feel great right now. Everyone is back in the lineup and I have started feeling good again,” Barkov said. “It is exciting to play. I am not blaming anyone for what happened. I just try to learn from it. What could I have Recognized as one of the NHL’s top players, Sasha Barkov is hardly done better? recognized in South Florida “Looking back, maybe I extended my shifts or tried to do too much. It is a good experience; you have to be smart if you’re going to play a lot. I could have done a better job managing things.’’ By George Richards Mar 22, 2019 Barkov, almost certainly, will be a factor when it comes to season-ending voting for such awards as the Selke (best defensive forward) and Lady Byng (most gentlemanly — he has been called for just four penalties all SUNRISE, Fla. — Within the South Florida hockey community, Sasha season while drawing 34). Barkov is well-known, well-respected and immediately recognizable. “He is the heart and soul of the franchise,” owner Vinnie Viola said of When he leaves that small bubble, however, the captain of the Florida Barkov’s importance to the Panthers. “He is the everything you want to Panthers goes about his business without much fanfare or aggravation build a Stanley Cup champion around.” from the masses. D-Wade drives through Sasha Though his likeness is plastered on the front of the arena in which he has made his name and he is one of the central pieces of the team’s When Dwyane Wade officially retires from the Heat in a few weeks, marketing efforts, he is a relative unknown. Barkov should become the most high-profile athlete in his market.

“If he played in another market,” has become a familiar refrain when one Saying that does not actually make that the case. asks about Barkov and his lack of recognizability within his own market. His teammates and coaches all but apologize to him for that being the On Thursday afternoon, a few hours before the Panthers were to play case. host to Arizona, a popular afternoon-drive sports talk show in Miami broached this same subject. Sasha Barkov is one NHL player who might be more popular around the league than he is at home. After Wade, they asked, who is the biggest name among South Florida athletes? And that might be OK. Both Marc Hochman and Channing Crowder eventually came to the “He could have the fame and the spotlight, but I do not think he wants conclusion it was Barkov, but it took some time. Both said the Panthers’ that,” teammate Vincent Trocheck said. “He doesn’t care for attention but lack of popularity within their own market keeps Barkov from being he does care about this game, this team and about winning games. The recognized and kind of takes him out of that conversation. rest of it, he does not need. As a player, yes, Barkov is the best pro athlete in South Florida; as a “He is one of the best hockey players in the world, but all he wants to do marketable entity, the Panthers’ captain is unknown to most casual fans. is help out his team.” “If Barkov walked into this Hooters right now, I do not think anyone would Barkov, right now, is the best player in his sport among South Florida’s know who he was,” Hochman said during a remote on 560-WQAM — four professional teams. which happens to be the flagship station for the Panthers.

The star center scored two more goals Tuesday in Dallas and then Even some among the local sports media do not know what Barkov looks picked up his 33rd and 34th goals of the year Thursday in a 4-2 victory like. over Arizona. Earlier this season, Barkov drove to Miami on an off night to take in a Somewhat quietly, Barkov is having one of the best offensive seasons in Heat game. franchise history. Barkov is a big basketball fan who adopted the Heat as his favorite team His teammates have noticed. and Wade as his favorite player. Barkov got great seats right behind one of the baskets. Too good, it seemed. “He amazes us,” goalie Roberto Luongo said. During the game, Wade took off to break up a pass and went flying into In his sixth NHL season, Barkov has already put up career highs in goals the crowd — barreling over Barkov in the process. (34), assists (53) and points (87). His 34 goals are tied for the team lead with Mike Hoffman. HERE’S @DWYANEWADE GOING INTO THE CROWD SUNDAY NIGHT – AND CATCHING #FLAPANTHERS STAR Barkov is just the third Florida player to hit 80 points in a season (Pavel @BARKOVSASHA95 WITH A KNEE TO THE HEAD. BARKOV IS FINE, Bure and Olli Jokinen both did it twice) and, with eight games left, he is STILL LOVES WADE AND THE #HEAT HTTPS://T.CO/QRAWSUX41X seven points away from tying Bure for the most points (94) in a season. — GEORGE RICHARDS (@GEORGERICHARDS) DECEMBER 3, 2018 In his sixth NHL season, Barkov already has career highs in goals (34), assists (53) and points (87) and is seven points away from tying Pavel The play was replayed over and over on Fox’s Sun Sports broadcast as Bure’s team record for the most points in a season. (George Richards / well as local sportscasts mainly because it displayed that even at his age The Athletic) and in his final NBA season, Wade still had the drive that defined his Hall of Fame career. Being all but out of the playoff race with a few weeks remaining is not the way he wants to remember this season — although it may push him even Only no one seemed to notice it was the star center of the Panthers who harder. was on the business end of Wade’s hustle until the following day when Barkov talked about it to The Athletic. “I have set my goals here and the first one is to win the Stanley Cup,” Barkov said. “I want to win it here and I am going to do everything I can South Florida stars collide: Dwyane Wade crashes into Sasha Barkov to get us there.” Wade, who says he is a fan of Barkov as well, issued a lighthearted With Trocheck out of the lineup with a broken ankle earlier this year, the apology through social media as both had fun with it all. Panthers relied on Barkov a little too much, and coach Bob Boughner admitting the minutes his star player logged were over the top. Yet it is hard to fathom a star NBA player colliding with a star NHL player from the same city going completely unnoticed anywhere else but in In the first 45 games of the season, Barkov scored 17 goals with 44 South Florida. points — an average of .98 points per game. So how does Barkov become a bigger deal in his own city? Since Trocheck came back and allowed Barkov a little room to breathe, he has 17 goals and 43 points in 29 games — 1.48 points per night. The obvious answer is his team needs to become more popular. Winning would definitely help in that regard. The Panthers have been to the playoffs just once during Barkov’s time Barkov is not a guy who says a whole lot, but teammates and coaches with the team. say his leadership is by example.

Barkov is still very young at 23 and just now entering the prime of his Some questioned whether the quiet and unassuming Barkov would be a career. The Panthers feel they are close to competing at a high level for good fit for team captain when it was first rumored Derek MacKenzie was a long time and Barkov is the centerpiece. When Florida goes shopping going to relinquish the position this summer. for free agents this summer, selling Barkov as a potential teammate is one of its best attributes. “You can see this is his team,” Viola said recently. “He has an unyielding dedication and superior athleticism and a humility of spirit. He is the “He is elite,” coach Bob Boughner said. “He plays with confidence and standard that everyone in our room looks up to.” guys feed off of that. When he is going with that much confidence, you can only feel good about his game.’’ Trocheck, some said, is much more vocal and has no problem speaking his mind. Veteran defenseman Keith Yandle was mentioned for the same Mr. Underrated reasons.

Outside of South Florida, Barkov is definitely being recognized as one of “He is a natural leader,” Trocheck said of Barkov. “That is what he does.’’ the league’s top players. Luongo, himself one of the biggest names in South Florida sports and Both The Athletic and the NHLPA polled hundreds of players from headed to the Hall of Fame when his career is over, said the Panthers around the league on a variety of topics. are “lucky to have him on our team.”

Not only did Barkov overwhelmingly win the title as the most underrated “He is an unbelievable talent and the leader of our locker room,” Luongo player in the NHL in both polls, but he also finished in the top five as one added. “When you look at his talent, his work ethic, his leadership skills of the top overall players. … he is everything you could ask for in a player.”

In The Athletic poll, which involved 198 players, Barkov received 4 The Athletic LOADED: 03.23.2019 percent of the vote for best player and 26 percent for most underrated.

“I think he is starting to be recognized for the player he is, but I still do not think it has been enough,” Panthers wing Jonathan Huberdeau said. “He is such a special talent, and I think South Florida is lucky to have him here.”

In the NHLPA poll, which took the vote of more than 500 players and came out this past week, Barkov got 1.7 percent of the vote as best forward and 21.5 percent for most underrated.

When Trocheck compared Barkov with the likes of Sidney Crosby and Connor McDavid before this season began it raised some eyebrows.

Turns out Trocheck was not alone in that assessment. Barkov’s peers around the league seem to feel the same way.

“It is nice to hear that. It is nice to be recognized, especially among guys you play against, compete against,” Barkov said. “At the same time, I cannot stop. I have to get better every day, every season.”

Putting in the work

As all but a handful of his teammates departed the arena for their hotel Tuesday afternoon in Dallas, Barkov was not going anywhere. His workout was just getting started.

Although many of the Panthers showered and dressed after the morning skate, Barkov changed and got after it.

Part of his workout included tying a thick resistance band to a pair of pull- up bars 10 feet in the air. He then wrapped his hockey stick in the band and began ripping off imaginary shots, sometimes balancing on one foot.

According to Florida strength coach Tommy Powers, it’s an exercise Jaromir Jagr came up with one night after another player knocked the stick out of his hand while battling for a puck in the corner. It strengthens the core, but also works the forearms, the shoulders and the chest.

Like many of Jagr’s habits, Barkov adopted this strengthening mechanism as part of his routine. At home, Jagr rigged up a stick to a cable workout machine which Barkov inherited and uses almost daily.

“He works so hard he makes the games look easy,” Huberdeau said.

Florida goalie James Reimer said he has never seen any teammate work harder than Jagr, although Barkov comes close. Jagr was known for his incredible off-ice workout regimen. Barkov paid close attention, saw the results Jagr got out of it and continued it.

Natural skill helped Barkov become the second overall selection of the Panthers at the 2013 NHL Draft, but it is his work ethic and desire to be great, his teammates say, that have helped Barkov transform into one of the best players in hockey.

“Practice or games, he works his butt off every day,” Trocheck said. “When guys see that, especially the younger ones, seeing the best player on the team working like that, it makes you realize you need to do that as well.”

Hello, Captain 1137081 Los Angeles Kings Ducks general manager Bob Murray told reporters that Ryan Kesler would meet with doctors Friday night to evaluate a career-threatening hip injury.

Kings' Ilya Kovalchuk feels like he didn't 'have a chance' after Willie “Kes has to get everything in his life in order as to what he has to do in Desjardins took over order to play,” Murray said. “It’s not exactly good for his body, the things he puts himself through. We need to take full inventory of where he is in his life and go forward from there. The agent and I have talked a bunch.” By CURTIS ZUPKE Murray cast doubt that Kesler, 34, would play again this season, and MAR 22, 2019 | 6:05 PM Murray did not have encouraging news about Patrick Eaves when he said the 34-year-old suffered an unknown setback. Eaves played just two

games last season because of post-viral syndrome. Ilya Kovalchuk looked sharp in a dark blue suit and loafers without socks “There is no new diagnosis or anything,” Murray said. “This is a very when he appeared outside of the Kings’ locker room after a recent game. troubling situation, and everybody is doing the best they can with it. The Kings played the Florida Panthers, a team that Kovalchuk feasted on There is no diagnosis, and he’s just struggling again with everything.” early in his career with 35 goals, his second-most against any opponent. UP NEXT VS. DUCKS But Kovalchuk didn’t play that night, and it wasn’t because of injury. When: Saturday, 7:30 p.m. Kovalchuk has not played in two of the past three games because of a coach’s decision by Willie Desjardins, and Kovalchuk’s short response to On the air: TV: FSW, Prime; Radio: 830, iHeartRadio (LA Kings Audio that Friday summed up a long season. Network)

“It’s horrible,” he said. Update: The Kings can win the season series for the first time since they went 2-1-1 against the Ducks in 2012-13. Dustin Brown and Kyle Clifford Kovalchuk would rather wear his uniform rather than a suit, a feeling scored in each of the first two games. Ducks winger Jakob Silfverberg echoed by Jonny Brodzinski, another forward that Desjardins has went into Friday one goal short of his career-best 23 from two seasons benched to mix things up and play younger players. ago. “But they’re not playing young guys,” Kovalchuk said. “They’re playing LA Times: LOADED: 03.23.2019 seven D.”

Desjardins has employed an 11-forward, seven-defensemen lineup three times in the past five games, and the Kings are 2-1 in that split. But it creates an awkward situation to bench a prideful Kovalchuk.

“I think it’s a tough thing for him,” Desjardins said. “We’re at a time now where we need to look at some young players as well. That’s just a hard spot for the other players. It puts them in a bad spot. But I have a lot of respect for him, and his love for the game.”

Kovalchuk is an example of a Kings’ season that started with potential, then nosedived. Kovalchuk started out with Anze Kopitar on the top line but gradually fell down the depth chart. The Kings lost six of their first nine games under Desjardins and Kovalchuk barely saw the ice in a late November stretch.

“After Willie came here, I don’t have a chance,” Kovalchuk said. “I play five, six minutes a game. A few games I play with Kopi. We did well. We score all five games, but then he decided to change and I never play again much. That’s the way he sees the situation. He’s the head coach and he’s responsible for results.”

Kovalchuk hasn’t changed his thinking about staying with the team that signed him to a three-year, $18.75 million contract. “No, I’m not like that,” he said. His wife and four children have settled in the area and he’s willing to persevere.

“It’s another challenge for me,” Kovalchuk said. “I’m even more motivated now because [this has happened] … like, it’s not fair to me but I’m not going to cry in the pillow. The sun’s up and the kids are in school and they’re happy and that’s most important thing. I will find a way to go through this, for sure.”

Brodzinski is frustrated, too, especially since he returned from a major shoulder injury to play eight games, only to be sat the past four.

“That was the one thing keeping me motivated, really, throughout the whole process of being hurt, was coming back and getting my chances,” Brodzinski said. “[The idea] at the beginning of the year, was continue to play with [Adrian Kempe] and [Alex Iafallo], really trying to catch my stride here. I feel like I haven’t really done that. It’s kind of frustrating, but I’ve got to keep my head down and just keep plugging away.”

Brodzinski could go back into the lineup by default Saturday because Brendan Leipsic looks to be a “few days” from returning from a lower- body injury, Desjardins said. In the larger construct, it’s already a lost season for Brodzinski, who needed to hit the career 80-game mark this season in order to avoid being an unrestricted, Group 6 free agent.

“It was definitely the worst possible moment to get hurt in my career, for sure,” Brodzinski said.

Kesler, Eaves updates 1137082 Los Angeles Kings

Takeaways from the Kings' 4-2 win over San Jose Sharks

By CURTIS ZUPKE

MAR 22, 2019 | 9:45 AM

In years past, when the Kings and San Jose Sharks met this late in the season, the stakes were high.

Not Thursday.

The Kings are in spoiler mode, and they delivered a big blow to San Jose’s playoff positioning with a 4-2 win at Staples Center.

There was enough intensity, at the start and late when the Kings erased a 2-1 deficit, to conjure up the past heavyweight divisional tilts between the teams, who have played five playoff series in the past eight years. Some of the names — Dustin Brown, Anze Kopitar — were familiar, while others — Matt Roy — were new. But it ended up as something not seen lately: a happy Kings’ locker room.

Here’s what we learned:

Roy got rewarded. It’s a well-used phrase in hockey, but Roy put in the work, rising from the minors to having a regular spot in the Kings’ lineup. He’s started 16 straight games since his recall on Feb.16.

Kings rally in third period to defeat Sharks 4-2

That’s saying something, considering the back-end rotation of interim coach Willie Desjardins that has put Paul LaDue, Sean Walker and Dion Phaneuf in the press box.

Roy’s game is one of simplicity, and that’s not a bad thing. His first NHL goal was a point shot that is probably stopped eight times out of 10, but Roy has earned the opportunity for it to go in.

“I was told good things about him when he was in the minors,” Desjardins said. “I was told that he could defend and he was a good skater. He defended well. And that’s what we saw.”

Grundstrom is finding his legs. And his hands, hips and anything else that applies to a 21-year-old who is six games into his NHL career.

Carl Grundstrom wasn’t going to maintain the goal-per-game pace of his first two NHL games and he predicted his own fall back to earth shortly afterward. He registered one shot on goal in his three previous games, but he was noticeable early with two chances that were stopped by goalie Martin Jones.

Grundstrom took a good hit from Brent Burns in the same shift as one of those chances. It’s all part of getting welcomed to the NHL.

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“I think, as a young guy, he’ll learn the league as he goes,” Desjardins said. “I’ve been happy with his play. He’s a good two-way player. I think that he can score. I think he plays hard in front of the net. Lots of good things I see in his game.”

The Kings needed this. As much as they’ve conceded the season, the Kings still carry pride, and that had taken a big hit with 16 losses in their previous 18 games. In the larger picture, their struggles translate to better odds of getting the top draft pick in June. But, for one night, it meant something to step off the ice after the final horn with more goals than their hated rival.

The Kings established some forecheck and, in a rarity, owned the opening period in the form of a 12-3 shot advantage in the first 17 minutes.

“I think the guys were real focused,” Desjardins said. “I think they wanted this game and they played hard to get it.”

LA Times: LOADED: 03.23.2019 1137083 Los Angeles Kings

Bishop High hockey reaches JV championship game of Kings high school league

By HELENE ELLIOTT

MAR 22, 2019 | 3:05 PM

The Bishop High School hockey team. (Shana Villar)

The odds are stacked against the Bishop (Calif.) Broncos High School hockey team in many ways. The nearest hockey rink is an uncovered outdoor rink in Mammoth Lakes, and it’s often unusable because of snow or the glare of the sun on the ice. To practice on an indoor rink the Broncos must travel three hours north to Lake Tahoe or three hours south to Valencia. The school is small, and travel hockey is an expensive and time-consuming sport.

Yet this high school with an enrollment of about 550 has put together a team that Saturday at Staples Center will play for the JV championship of the Kings’ High School Hockey League. The Broncos will face the JV South County Panthers, who are a district team. That means players come from throughout Ventura County, from Camarillo to Calabasas. The game will start at 1:45 p.m., and admission will be free. “We have a really committed bunch,” coach Cronus Dillard said in a phone conversation.

The hockey program began with an inline hockey league with 300 kids, Dillard said. Eventually, there was enough interest to take to the ice. “After two years, we found people in Tahoe who would scrimmage with us,” he said. The team joined the Ducks’ high school hockey league and spent one year in the developmental division but switched to the Kings’ league the last two seasons for geographic reasons. There are 17 players on the team; this season’s roster is all boys, but girls have played for the team in past seasons. “It would really be something if we’d have enough kids for two teams,” Dillard said.

The Broncos were 11-4-1-0 (wins-losses-overtime wins-overtime losses) and were the No. 2 seed for the playoffs behind the South County Panthers (11-3-1-1). The Broncos made eight trips of two games each, typically traveling and playing Friday and playing again Saturday afternoon before traveling back home. Games start in September with practices in Lake Tahoe. “The kids get up Saturday morning. We drive a little over three hours, practice for an hour and a half, and then drive back,” Dillard said. “Sometimes, I’m just amazed. It’s hard to get teenagers out of bed for anything, but these kids get up for these practices.”

NHL glory is an extremely long shot for any of these kids, but that’s not why they play. “It really is just for fun. There’s a lot of good things they can experience from the program,” Dillard said. “The great thing is it’s the same group of kids. They’re all friends or have known each other since they were young.” And now they’ll share the experience of playing at Staples Center. “This is really awesome, especially for the younger kids,” Dillard said.

LA Times: LOADED: 03.23.2019 1137084 Los Angeles Kings Where: Staples Center

Records: Ducks 30-36-9 (69 points), Kings 26-39-8 (60 points)

Kings’ Dustin Brown says remaining games should be ‘fun’ TV: Fox Sports West

Radio: Kings Audio Network (iHeartRadio)

By Robert Morales | PUBLISHED: March 22, 2019 at 5:31 pm | Orange County Register: LOADED: 03.23.2019 UPDATED: March 22, 2019 at 5:33 PM

EL SEGUNDO — Kings rookie defenseman Matt Roy said after Thursday night’s 4-2 victory over San Jose that it was “a lot of fun” to be able to notch his first career goal in a game like that because it came against one of his team’s rivals.

The Kings have nine games remaining in this bummer of a season, which will see them miss the playoffs for the third time in the past five seasons. But it’s their goal to play hard down the stretch. And have more fun.

Two of those games will be against the Ducks, the Kings’ biggest rival. The first of those is Saturday night at 7:30 at Staples Center. There is also a season-ending game against Vegas, which swept the Kings in the first round of the playoffs last season, on April 6 at Staples Center, as well as two games against Calgary and one against Arizona.

Calgary is trying to maintain its grasp on first place in the Pacific Division, and Arizona is trying to make the playoffs; the Coyotes were tied with Colorado for the second wild-card spot in the Western Conference ahead of Friday’s slate of games.

Veteran Kings forward Dustin Brown scored a goal in Thursday’s victory over playoff-bound San Jose, and he said he likes what these final few weeks might bring.

“These should be fun games for guys to play in,” he said. “We have guys that get an opportunity to play at this level and most of the teams we’re playing are not in this position that we’re in, so … they need points, they’re getting ready to go into playoffs.

“I think it’s a good challenge for, not only young guys, but our whole team to compete against teams whose intensity levels are high. It forces us to play well.”

Forward Adrian Kempe is in his third season with the Kings, but at just 22 he is one of those younger guys. He said he enjoys any rivalry game, but especially those coming against Pacific Division rivals.

The Ducks, Calgary, Arizona and Vegas are all in the Pacific Division. As are Edmonton and Vancouver, teams the Kings will play next week on the road.

“Obviously, you want to end the season strong here,” Kempe said Friday after practice. “We play these guys a lot more than the other teams and usually the division teams are the most important games of the year. Obviously, it’s been a tough year for us, but I think this last nine games we have left, we need a big push.

“Both last time we played Anaheim and yesterday against San Jose we played heavy and strong games and we didn’t give up too much. But I think we played a good team game and that’s what we need from everybody now this late in the year, and especially against teams like that.”

The Kings’ only game left against a team outside their own division is March 30 against Chicago at Staples Center.

SCOUTING THE DUCKS

The Kings (26-39-8, 60 points) and Ducks last met March 10 at Honda Center, with the Kings coming away with a 3-2 victory.

The Ducks are not having a good season, either, as they took a record of 30-36-9 (69 points) into their Friday home game against the Sharks.

The Ducks are led offensively by forward Ryan Getzlaf, who has 46 points (13 goals, 33 assists).

The Kings and Ducks are the two lowest-scoring teams in the league. The Ducks average a league-low 2.27 goals, while the Kings are at 2.36.

KINGS VS DUCKS

When: Saturday, 7:30 p.m. 1137085 Los Angeles Kings “Still we were winning games, we were right there. After Willie came here, I don’t have a chance. I play five, six minutes a game.”

There was a brief uptick after the holidays when he was put back on the Ilya Kovalchuk opens up on ‘horrible’ healthy scratch, disastrous first top line with Anze Kopitar and Dustin Brown. season with Kings “A few games I play with Kopi,” Kovalchuk said. “We did well. We score all five games and then he (Desjardins) decide to change and I never By Lisa Dillman Mar 22, 2019 play again, much. That’s the way he sees the situation.

“Like I said, he’s the head coach and he’s responsible for result.”

EL SEGUNDO – It would have been one thing to come out of the lineup The time for carefully choosing words left the station long ago, long for Jonny Brodzinski or another promising Kings forward. before the Kings were mathematically eliminated from the playoffs (Monday) and well before the trade deadline (Feb. 25). Of course Ilya Kovalchuk wouldn’t have been happy – who would be? But the exile might have been easier to accept if Kings interim coach I asked Kovalchuk if the whole experience made him reluctant to return Willie Desjardins was trying to see what young forwards could do. to Los Angeles next season. This is his first season back in the NHL after five seasons in the KHL. Instead, Desjardins went with a lineup featuring 11 forwards and seven defensemen Thursday night in the Kings’ 4-2 win against the San Jose “No, I’m not like that,” he said. “It’s another challenge for me. I’m even Sharks. It is the third time in the past five games he has gone with that going to be more motivated now. It happens. I don’t think it’s true. Like setup. it’s not fair to me but I’m not going to cry on the pillow.

Kovalchuk has been a healthy scratch in two of the past three Kings “The sun’s up. The kids are in school. They’re happy. That’s the most games, including Thursday. On Friday, he spoke about what it has been important thing. I will find a way to go through it, that’s for sure.” like looking in from the outside. Kovalchuk was right. The rain was gone on Friday.

“It’s horrible,” said Kovalchuk. “That’s the worst. But he (Desjardins) “That’s what is good about California,” he said. “Every day, almost every didn’t play young guys. He plays 7 D. That’s his new strategy. day, the sun’s up. It’s easier to go through those kind of stretches in your “What you can do? That’s his decision and he’s the head coach – 10 career. When you’re in some city when it’s raining, snowing every second more games. What else we can do. Just practice hard and show the day, then it’s pretty tough. young kids that that thing can happen to anybody. You just have to keep “You get depressed and it’s not that easy. The guys are around the going.” locker room. They support me and say good things.”

In fact, there are nine games, not 10, remaining in the Kings’ regular The Athletic LOADED: 03.23.2019 season. But it’s easy to get confused with the way things have gone for the last-place team in the Western Conference, starting with Desjardins’ curious lineup decisions.

Really, was it so vital to give seven-plus minutes of playing time on Thursday to the seventh defenseman, Kurtis MacDermid?

Brodzinski, who will be an unrestricted free agent July 1, is baffled by his lack of playing time. He worked hard to get back in shape and rehabilitate after requiring shoulder surgery in the preseason, only to be underutilized when he returned.

Of late, Brodzinski has been a healthy scratch the past four games and is frustrated because he wanted to be part of the effort to salvage something from the season.

“The one thing that was keeping me motivated throughout the whole process of being hurt was coming back in and getting my chance,” he said.

Desjardins said there was a chance Brodzinski would play on Saturday against the Ducks. But he offered no such assurance about Kovalchuk.

Kovalchuk was the centerpiece of the Kings’ free-agent recruiting campaign in the summer as they believed he still had ability in some part of his game. His family came with him to Southern California and the transition has been a positive one for his wife and four children.

On the ice, it has been problematic. He turns 36 on April 15 and is finishing the first season of a three-year, $18.75-million contract, a big financial commitment allocated to a player not in the lineup.

“He has lot of really great qualities,” Desjardins said on Friday. “He loves the game. I think he puts a lot into the game. I have a lot of respect for him and what he’s done. It’s a tough time for him.

“We’re at a time now where we need to look at some young players as well. That’s just a hard spot for veteran players. It puts him in a bad spot.”

Kovalchuk had 14 points in the first 14 games, but his production went cold, and right now he sits at 31 points (14 goals, 17 assists) in 60 games. Four of his goals have come on the power play. His playing time dwindled after Desjardins replaced John Stevens, who was fired on Nov. 4.

“I think the start was good,” Kovalchuk said. “It was really slow … the (first) few home games we didn’t play the way we wanted to. But our training camp, I think, was really bad with the schedule. Split squad and everything. 1137086 Los Angeles Kings It has been a roller coaster ride, definitely. Physically, emotionally, family, hockey, everything. It’s a great organization, they’ve supported me the entire way. It’s cool, I guess, to say, to look back like a year ago I was FINAL – ONTARIO 5, BAKERSFIELD (SO) first signing, or it’s coming up, I signed on my birthday. Time flies and I don’t really take it for granted.

On if he’s staying in touch with the college hockey playoffs ZACH DOOLEYMARCH 22, 2019 I’m keeping a close eye on Mankato. They play tomorrow against Bowling Green, they’ve had a really good year the past couple of years. I’ve been trying to keep a good eye on them. The coach there, he keeps The Reign wanted a response tonight, after a 7-0 defeat in their last time them in line, it’s fun to watch. out, and they got it, in a 5-4 shootout victory over Bakersfield, the same team that defeated them last time out. In typical Ontario fashion, a late There’s some things that people think are funny, that our players do, and goal forced the extra session, as the Reign got their desired bounceback some times, I don’t find them as amusing. There were a couple that performance against the Condors. made me chuckle. Brad Morrison put the puck into the bench and hit me in the arm, and the other arm, I had already slammed against the glass Defenseman Chaz Reddekopp scored his first career professional goal, for a play that Mo had done earlier. Dead arms on both sides, so if you while forward Philippe Maillet scored twice, including the game-tying goal wanted to fight me, tonight would be a good night. inside five minutes to play. After regulation and overtime ended knotted at four, forwards Sheldon Rempal and Mike Amadio each scored in the On Daniel Brickley’s shooting quantity tonight shootout, as the Reign. We put a strong emphasis on a shot mentality tonight. We got our lunch The Reign didn’t score at even strength all night, with three power-play handed to us last game against these guys, we had nothing, we wanted goals and one while shorthanded. to have a better response and obviously we did. I’m really proud of the guys. You asked, after the game, what did we expect from our players After the Condors struck first, with the lone goal of the opening period, and I told you, they’ll be ready to go. That’s what they are, they’re good the Reign overturned the 1-0 deficit through 20 minutes with a pair of character guys. There was some good pushback tonight, it was a lot of power-play talliers, just over three minutes apart. First, forward Philippe entertainment. Some goals, some dust ups, not enough dustups but we’ll Maillet redirected home a Daniel Brickley point shot 4:37 into the second still keep working on that, and the end result. Cal made some great period to tie the game at one. Forward Nikita Scherbak got his fifth AHL saves for us, guys were blocking shots, I thought it was a fun game, tally of the season, which put Ontario ahead, converting from the bottom entertaining. of the right-hand circle to put the hosts on top 2-1. On Chaz Reddekopp’s breakaway goal After the Condors equalized, Reddekopp blew the roof off the place with his first career professional goal, a shorthanded breakaway tally, to put You know what’s amazing about that? In drills in practice, we let that run the Reign back ahead. Reddekopp forced a turnover in his own end, out all the time, so if there’s a turnover and the D gets the puck, he goes went the length of the ice and went top shelf on Bakersfield netminder down and on those breakaways, he scores almost every time and he Shane Starrett to re-gain the Ontario advantage, while drawing one of the does exactly what he did, just over the shoulder, just underneath the bar. loudest roars of the season from the crowd. When he was going, the guys on the bench were going, “we’re going to see it, we’re going to see it” and sure enough, that’s his first goal too. I’ve Bakersfield, however, answered with a pair of goals 37 seconds apart in got the puck, I forgot to give it to him! the latter stages of the third period. Forwards Mitch Callahan and Evan Polei each scored, with Polei’s tally coming directly off a faceoff, just On whether Reddekopp would’ve been next up in the shootout narrowly squeaking through Petersen, for his ninth goal of the season, putting the Condors ahead 4-3 at the second intermission. No…actually, I told Luffer if we needed him he was going to be going and then, we would’ve went through quite a few bodies before we got to him. Maillet knotted the game at four late in the third period, as he scored on [Reporter – Wasn’t sure if you were feeling the hot hand]. Stothers – No, the backhand for his second goal of the evening and 16th tally of the because he needs somebody chasing him from behind. season. Maillet’s tally came on the power play, his team’s third goal on the man advantage throughout the evening. LA Kings Insider: LOADED: 03.23.2019

After overtime came and went, with plenty of chances but no goals, the teams headed for the shootout, where the Reign struck twice, while goaltender Cal Petersen stopped each of the two shots he faced to earn his tenth victory of the season.

Ontario won for the first time on home ice in the season series against Bakersfield, while they evened their record at 2-2 in shootouts this season. The Reign are back in action tomorrow evening, as they head to San Diego to take on the Gulls.

Post-Game Quotes

Daniel Brickley on his high quantity of shots (team-high nine tonight)

You know, earlier this week, when we were having practice and whatnot, Bellsy was saying we didn’t produce enough from the backend shooting the puck. Through practice, we kind of focused on just getting pucks through, not getting them blocked, just getting it right to the net and letting our forwards do the work. Any chance I had, if I had an opening, I was just shooting it.

On whether getting more time on the top PP unit had anything to do with the increased shooting opportunities

Yeah, of course…I don’t really know how to answer that. The puck, it seemed to come up to me, but I have to give credit to the forwards, on the power play and even 5-on-5, puck recovery was key. They got it, went low-to-high really quick and I think it caught Bako off guard. Like I said, lanes were open and I just kept shooting it.

On his overview of his last 12 months since joining the Kings organization 1137087 Los Angeles Kings Adam Pantozzi/NHLI

— 14-year-old Aiden Rose and his brother, Collin, were back at Toyota Sports Center one day after the defenseman was signed by General LEIPSIC OUT “A FEW DAYS;” BRODZINSKI’S USAGE; AIDEN ROSE; Manager Rob Blake to an honorary one-day contract and took the ice for BROWN’S MILESTONE warm-ups prior to the Kings’ 4-2 win over San Jose.

Rose, a Charleston native who practiced Wednesday in a South Carolina JON ROSENMARCH 22, 2019 Stingrays jersey, became a Kings fan around the age of seven or eight.

“It was actually the first [hockey] game that I watched, and I was too young to understand sports, so I thought, ‘do I like the color black more, COMMUNITYINJURIESPRACTICE NOTES or do I like the color red more?’” he said. “I chose black and have been a Kings fan ever since.” INSIDERS. And those of you who are not insiders. Outsiders. In- betweeners. Sorry, getting paid by the letter here. A fine Friday to you. Through the Make-A-Wish foundation, Rose, who was diagnosed with The LA Kings held an optional skate at 11:00 a.m. in advance of their Adenoid Carcinoma but has been cancer-free for over a year, was able home stand finale against Anaheim on Saturday, and Brendan Leipsic to live out his fantasy of being an LA King for a day while his family was was not among those to skate. feted by the organization. “I figured I was just going to say ‘hi, what’s up?’ and then be gone,” he said. “When I skated out for warm-ups, I was like, Notes! ‘whoa.’” — Leipsic, who suffered a lower-body injury and didn’t return to It turned into a multi-day visit in which he and his brother had full run of Thursday’s game after a late second period shift, will miss some time. the team facilities and became close with Anze Kopitar and Drew “He’ll be a few days, I think,” Willie Desjardins said. “It depends how he Doughty, his two favorite players. “I learned that most of them are just responds for tomorrow, but I think he’s a few days.” mostly pretty down to earth guys. I was expecting these really In his absence, “there’s a chance” Jonny Brodzinski will return to the professional guys, but they’re really down to earth.” lineup. “He’s worked hard, he deserves the chance. It’s his opportunity to "It was mind-blowing" show what he can do,” Desjardins said. Now cancer-free for a year and half, Aiden Rose walks us through a day Indeed, the 25-year-old has worked hard. There were months at a time in he will never forget ❤@LAKings | @makeawishla which he was the solo skater working alone in an attempt to return from a pic.twitter.com/f5ddZGcB63 preseason shoulder injury that required surgery. He scored an important goal at Tampa Bay in his first game back, and through eight games has — FOX Sports West (@FoxSportsWest) March 22, 2019 two points, a minus-one rating and through 83 minutes has respectable possession rates but the lowest scoring chance rates on the team. The warm-up might have been stressful – “I think 90% of the sweat was just stress sweat,” he said – but he was still able to grip the stick and let a And that begs a question – is his ability to create scoring chances and few pucks rip. offense limited because he’s lacking a consistent opportunity? “I shot on Quick a few times, and I made one in, and I asked him if that Brodzinski has been held out of four consecutive games, the last two of was an actual goal, and he said yes,” Rose said. “I was proud of that.” which followed Desjardins’ March 15 edict that he’d like to “get young guys in and playing, too.” Yet Brodzinski, who will become a Group VI — Dustin Brown has played 1,108 NHL games. The franchise record is UFA because he didn’t have the requisite 80 games over the three years 1,111 games, set by Dave Taylor from 1977-94. after signing his entry-level contract, sits at eight games played with only Which means that barring calamity, Brown will tie the franchise mark in nine remaining on the Kings schedule. Edmonton next Tuesday and set the mark in Vancouver next Thursday. That’s a tough situation for Brodzinski, who hasn’t showed any visible (Anze Kopitar, it should also be noted, played his 994th career game on frustration. “Just to keep my head down and keep plugging away in Thursday and, barring anything unforeseeable, will have an opportunity practice and try and get better every day,” he said. “Also, when I get back to reach 1,000 games on April 1 against Calgary.) out there, I’ve just got to be better – play better in both zones.” Not a Brown began answering questions about the milestone late this week great deal on how he’d be used has been communicated, but an and will be a popular figure on the trip through Western Canada. With 20 intricately mapped out playing schedule isn’t often shared with players. goals and 44 points in 63 games this season, he’s maintained his raised “It was just, ‘stay ready,’” Brodzinski said. scoring pace from earlier seasons, even if he won’t equal last year’s career-high of 61 points. Desjardins has gone with a balance of 11 forwards and seven defenseman three times in the last two weeks, with Kurtis MacDermid “The only way to beat him is to go through him. He won’t give you entering into the games as an extra defenseman. He’s averaged less anything, he never will,” Desjardins said. “If he’s fresh or tired, he will than nine minutes on the blue line in his six games to date, though he always give you what he has.” does provide a physical deterrent that Desjardins values. Desjardins has only worked with Brown since November but speaks “He’s a big guy, he gives you a presence out there,” Desjardins said. “I glowingly about the second-longest tenured LA King of all-time. “I never think he just settles things down and he works hard. He sets a good liked him very much when I was in Vancouver,” he said, before waiting a example on how hard he works. His teammates like him.” beat. “I certainly appreciate him a lot now that I’m here.”

And that’s not a knock Brodzinski, another well put together figure in the Lots more on Brown will come over the upcoming week. team’s room. But MacDermid has another year on his contract and Having turned 19 one month into his rookie season, Brown was such a passed through waivers earlier this year, whereas Brodzinski has nine young figure during his 2003-04 debut season. “I was a closer age to games to put his best foot forward towards earning an NHL contract for Luc’s son than I was to Luc,” he joked. next season. Taylor, the general manager who selected Brown during the renowned Meanwhile, Ilya Kovalchuk, who skated on Friday and is healthy, will sit first round of the 2003 NHL Draft, wasn’t among the most familial and for the third time in four games Saturday night against the Ducks as the influential figures in the dawn of the power forward’s career. “As a Kings focus on finding additional opportunities for less tenured skaters. younger guy, it’s a little different. You don’t have as many conversations That’s not easy for Desjardins, who has frequently responded to with the GM,” Brown said. questions about his handling of Kovalchuk with appreciation for the star “Again, I was young, so I just put my head down and tried to work my ass forward’s temperament. off. The one thing I think they did, they found me a billet family out here, “It’s a tough thing for him where it’s time now where we need to look at because I was so young and it was such a big change for where I grew some young players, as well. That’s just a hard spot for veteran players. up, being out here all the way across the country. So, I lived with a family It puts him in a bad spot, but I certainly have a lot of respect for him and for maybe the first couple months of the year, just to get situated and his love for the game.” comfortable. I think he set that up.” It was during that time that he became more familiar with Taylor, whose travails as a power forward and team leader were similar to Brown’s – minus the two Stanley Cups, of course.

“It wasn’t a thing I knew coming in, but it’s something you definitely learned. Just the way he carried himself – he had the respect of everybody of, ‘OK, I’m there for you,’ and that was something that kind of stood out, even to me as an 18-year-old.”

— More to come tomorrow morning, Insiders. Enjoy your Friday night. Let’s talk soon, and may your brackets be perfectly intact.

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WAKING UP WITH THE KINGS: MARCH 22

JON ROSENMARCH 22, 2019

GAME STORY

The LA Kings and San Jose Sharks picked up their participation trophies with identical .625 points percentages in the season series, which concluded with a well-earned and tightly focused 4-2 Kings win bookended by a pair of strong periods to open and close out only their third win in the last 19 games. Los Angeles has fared best in rivalry games this season (perhaps this should read “Los Angeles has fared best in games against teams that were largely better earlier this decade”), going 15-8-2 against former playoff foes New York, New Jersey, Arizona, San Jose, St. Louis, Chicago, Anaheim, Vancouver and Vegas, and 11-31-6 against everyone else. I’m not sure how much extra juice is sparked in these rivalry games, but the team did produce some of their best efforts and structured performances in recent wins over the Ducks and Sharks. San Jose was missing three key actors, including zone-exiting ace Erik Karlsson, but credit Los Angeles for opening the game with an excellent pace and establishing a forecheck during long stretches that disrupted what in recent seasons had been excellent center ice management and defensive zone coverage.

Will Navarro/NHLI

The 2015 NHL Draft will serve as a haunting reminder of what can happen when assets and prospects are liberally spent, and though the impact from the Milan Lucic trade was compounded by the inclusion of Erik Cernak in the Ben Bishop trade, that’s not at all the fault of the team’s scouting staff. Had the Kings held on to their first round pick, they’d be looking at a theoretical haul of Kyle Connor, Cernak, Austin Wagner and Matt Roy, two potential high-impact players and two valuable role players who as rookies have emerged as positive stories during an otherwise calamitous season. That Roy has now played 16 games with the big club, has one goal, three points and a plus-two rating during a period in which the team has been outscored by 17 goals in even strength play is an encouraging sign. Also encouraging is that Roy has the type of temperament and approach that seems to easily mesh with a National Hockey League room, and while those intangibles might not be as important as his skating and ability to play a balanced game with pace, it helps others play comfortably and confidently alongside him and aids his integration into a more senior group. He’s a player, according to one team source, who if he didn’t make it to the NHL, would “die trying.”

Adam Pantozzi/NHLI

Roy’s late emergence is interesting. Tony Gasparini was largely responsible for his scouting, Mike Donnelly for spending tremendous amounts of time with Roy and building a relationship, and Mark Yannetti for heeding the advice of his scouts and getting him onto the Kings’ list late in 2015 pre-draft discussion. After being passed over the first year he was draft-eligible, he suffered an injury that limited him to just 24 games in his 19-year-old USHL season. He was never listed on an NHL Central Scouting final list. Roy finished with nine assists at Michigan Tech his freshman year and hadn’t yet developed his conditioning regimen and approach when finally drafted after his 20-year-old season, 194th overall. At that time, the defenseman had all of 34 USHL and 36 NCAA games to his name, so Gasparini relied heavily on his AAA U-18 seasons in the Detroit suburbs with Victory Honda before catching several games during his freshman season in the remote WCHA hamlet of Houghton. Say “yah” to scouting da U.P., eh?

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PREVIEW – ONTARIO VS. BAKERSFIELD, 3/22

ZACH DOOLEYMARCH 22, 2019

GAME PREVIEWONTARIO REIGNUNCATEGORIZED

WHO: Ontario Reign (21-28-6-2) vs. (37-17-3-1)

WHAT: AHL REGULAR SEASON GAME

WHEN: Friday, March 22, @ 7:00 PM

WHERE: Citizens Business Bank Arena – Ontario, CA

HOW TO FOLLOW: Video: AHLTV – AUDIO – Mixlr – TWITTER: @ontarioreign & @reigninsider

TONIGHT’S MATCHUP: The Ontario Reign are finally back on home ice, returning to the Inland Empire after a five-game road trip ended last Saturday. The Reign host Bakersfield tonight, the final meeting of the season between the two teams in Ontario.

WHAT TO WATCH FOR: The Reign and Condors are back at it for the second time in seven days, following last Saturday’s Bakersfield victory on home ice. The two teams will meet twice more after tonight, including Wednesday in Bakersfield. The Condors are 4-0-0 to date this season in Ontario and the visiting team is 5-1-1 overall in the season series, with the Reign at just 1-5-1 in the season series overall. Goaltender Cal Petersen was first off this morning for Ontario, while forward Jamie Devane and defenseman Justin Baudry were on late after morning skate.

SEVENTH NOT SO HEAVEN: The Reign suffered their largest defeat of the season on Saturday, as they fell 7-0 in Bakersfield on the back end of their trip. The seven goals conceded were a season-high for the Reign on the road, falling one short of their overall season high for goals allowed, while the five goals allowed during the first period tied an overall season high. The Reign were also shutout for the third time on the season.

EASY BAKE OVEN: Since seeing its 17-game winning streak come to an end earlier this month, the Condors have continued their hot play, posting a 4-1-1 record, extended with Saturday’s win over the Reign. The Condors sit atop the Pacific Division, with a seven-point advantage over San Diego, and hold the Western Conference’s best magic number at 6, the third best mark in the AHL. Bakersfield could clinch a playoff berth as early as Sunday, depending on other results.

TIED AT THE TOP: Since tying the Reign’s single-season franchise scoring record on March 8, Ontario forward Matt Moulson has gone scoreless in his last four games, keeping him even with his brother-in- law, Sean Backman, who collected 55 points during the 2015-16 season. Moulson’s 25 goals find him two shy of Jonny Brodzinski’s single-season goal record (27), set during the 2016-17 season.

FOR PETE’S SAKE: Since the All-Star Break, Reign goaltender Peter Budaj has posted a 3-1-2 record from eight appearances, with his lone regulation loss coming in a relief appearance. Budaj has amassed a .932 save percentage and a 2.25 goals against average across the eight games, including a 47-save shutout on February 23 in Ontario. Budaj has also won each of his last three starts in Ontario, with a .937 save percentage across the three starts.

SLIGHTLY SLUMPING: While forwards Matt Luff (2 assists from his last six games played) and Mike Amadio (1 goal from his last four games played) have struggled to find the net as of late, they continue to lead the way offensively. Despite the recent slow spell, Amadio still ranks tied for ninth in the AHL with ten points this month, while Luff leads the Reign with a 1.04 points-per-game scoring clip on the season.

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Wild notes: Victor Rask to face Hurricanes for first time since trade

By Sarah McLellan Star Tribune MARCH 23, 2019 — 12:07AM

WASHINGTON – Suiting up for his first NHL game is among the memories Wild center Victor Rask cherishes the most from his five seasons with the Hurricanes.

And he’ll experience an-other highlight Saturday when he returns to Carolina for the first time since he was traded to the Wild two months ago.

“It’s going to be a special night, for sure,” Rask said.

Until he was moved out in exchange for winger Nino Niederreiter on Jan. 17, Rask had only ever played for the Hurricanes.

They drafted him 42nd overall in 2011 and after he made his debut in 2014, Rask exited the franchise having played 339 games and racking up 63 goals and 163 points.

“It’s always emotional when you go back to your other team that you last played for,” coach Bruce Boudreau said. “I hope he puts on a good show, and we play good for him.”

While Niederreiter has soared since the trade, totaling 12 goals and 24 points in 27 games, Rask has had a bumpier transition.

He chipped in a goal and assist in his first 10 games before getting hurt and missing 12 contests because of a lower-body injury. And while the 26-year-old remained without a point, Boudreau felt Rask has been better in recent games.

“With Victor, it’s going to be a lot about confidence,” Boudreau said. “If he ever gets to scoring regular again like he did a few years ago in Carolina, I think he’ll be fine.”

That type of production would help the Wild up the middle, especially with Rask under contract for three more seasons.

“I really like it here,” he said, “and I’m looking forward to staying for a while.”

Read plays

Although he was called up under emergency conditions Thursday, winger Matt Read slotted into the lineup Friday as the Wild’s fourth and final recall from the American Hockey League.

That’s because winger Pontus Aberg was a healthy scratch against the Capitals, the first time that’s happened since he was acquired in a trade with the Anaheim Ducks on Jan. 16.

Read filled out a line with Rask and winger Jason Zucker.

This was only Read’s third appearance this month despite repeatedly getting called up in recent weeks as insurance for the Wild.

“It’s been kind of a whirlwind,” he said. “Obviously, it’s not ideal. Just excited to go up and down and get an opportunity to play back in the NHL and prove myself again. You never know what’s going to happen. You just kind of live in the moment and enjoy every second of it.”

Sheehy lands ATO

The Iowa Wild signed former Gophers forward Tyler Sheehy to an amateur tryout agreement Friday.

Sheehy joins the organization after finishing his senior season at the University of Minnesota; the Burnsville native tallied 12 goals and 29 assists in 38 games, leading the Gophers in assists and ranking second in points.

Star Tribune LOADED: 03.23.2019 1137091 Minnesota Wild

Wild-Carolina gameday preview

MARCH 23, 2019 — 12:04AM

SARAH MCLELLAN

6 p.m. at Carolina • FSN, 100.3-FM

Back-to-back is last of season

Preview: The Wild wraps up a quick two-game road trip with its final back-to-back of the season. Carolina took the first matchup this season 5-4 in overtime Oct. 13. The Hurricanes are coming off a 6-3 loss to the Tampa Bay Lightning Thursday.

Players to WATCH: Former Wild F Nino Niederreiter has a goal and two assists in his past three games. F Sebastian Aho leads the Hurricanes in goals (30) and points (79). D Jaccob Slavin averages a team-high 22 minutes, 56 seconds in ice time.

Numbers: Carolina is 25-9-2 in its past 36 games. Aho had four points vs. the Wild earlier this season. The Wild is 6-5-3 in the second half of back- to-backs.

Injuries: Wild Fs Joel Eriksson Ek (lower body) and Mikko Koivu (torn ACL and meniscus) and D Matt Dumba (torn pectoral) are out.

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Wild's rookies lead the way in win over Capitals

By Sarah McLellan MARCH 22, 2019 — 10:26PM

WASHINGTON, D.C. – Center Luke Kunin hasn’t played this deep into an NHL season before in his career, while winger Jordan Greenway has made only one previous push to the playoffs.

Same with fellow winger Ryan Donato.

But the lack of experience with pressure-packed games that have a postseason berth on the line doesn’t seem to be fazing the Wild’s rookies, not after the three led the team to an impressive 2-1 win over the Capitals Friday at Capital One Arena to swing the Wild back into the second and final wild card spot in the Western Conference.

VideoVideo (00:55): Sarah McLellan recaps the 2-1 win over the Capitals in her Wild wrap-up.

“It's great to kind of feed off each other for the young guys and maybe create something, a great line,” Donato said. “Hopefully we can kind of build off what we did tonight.”

The three were superb against Washington, contributing both goals and combining for four points.

Greenway had the first, a workmanlike-effort in which he swooped into the Capitals’ zone, shrugged off winger Tom Wilson and cut to the middle before wiring the puck by goalie Braden Holtby.

“It was good effort by Donny,” Greenway said. “He made a great play on the wall, and I saw a lane to the net and put my head down and put my knee out and just kind of put it in.”

In the third, Kunin scored another highlight-reel goal – a blistering wrist shot that went top-shelf on Holtby to break a 1-1 tie.

Donato assisted on both goals, his sixth multi-point game with the Wild, and he has 15 points in 15 games with the team since coming over in a trade with the Boston Bruins last month.

“Keeping things simple,” Kunin said about his line’s mojo. “Getting pucks in on the forecheck, having a third guy high, playing with a guy like Greener down low. Not many people can get it from him so if you get in the right spots, those guys are going to find you.”

The effort by the rookies, however, wasn’t the only catalyst.

Goalie Devan Dubnyk was solid, making 21 saves and chipping in an assist on Greenway’s goal. And with the Wild still in desperation mode, he’ll be back in net Saturday when the team concludes this back-to-back in Carolina against the Hurricanes.

“It’s at that crunch time,” coach Bruce Boudreau said. “You gotta play your best all the time.”

At a spotless 3-for-3, the penalty kill was clutch – especially against Washington’s top-10 power play.

Even more impressive was the unit’s ability to shut down shooting lanes, as the Capitals got off only one shot with the man advantage. And it didn’t belong to superstar Alex Ovechkin.

“We’re having to use so many different combinations with [Joel Eriksson] Ek out and [Mikael] Granlund and [Charlie] Coyle gone,” Boudreau said. “So tonight I thought [Jason] Zucker was really good on the PK, and Matt Read did his job on the PK. So all of those things were really good.”

Overall, the Wild’s defensive posture against the Capitals was stout.

Washington racked up an eyepopping 58 shots in its previous game but was limited to 22 Friday.

“We spent a lot of time in their zone,” winger Zach Parise said. “We broke them down a lot below the goal line. We didn’t want to give them rushes because we know how good they are off the rush and how they can make plays off the rush. We wanted to slow them down in the neutral zone, and I thought for the most part we did a pretty good job at that.”

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Wild-Washington game recap

MARCH 23, 2019 — 12:03AM

SARAH MCLELLAN

GAME RECAP

STAR TRIBUNE’S THREE STARS

1. Luke Kunin, Wild: The center scored the game-winning goal in the third period.

2. Ryan Donato, Wild: The winger recorded two assists.

3. Devan Dubnyk, Wild: The goalie made 21 saves.

BY THE NUMBERS

4 Points for the Jordan Greenway-Kunin-Donato line.

20 Road wins for the Wild.

24 Goals by Wild rookies this season, tied for fifth in the NHL.

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Wild edge Capitals 2-1 to move into playoff position

By STEPHEN WHYNO Associated Press MARCH 22, 2019 — 8:45PM

WASHINGTON — Luke Kunin scored the go-ahead goal with 7:35 left, Devan Dubnyk made 21 saves and the Minnesota Wild moved into playoff position by beating the Washington Capitals 2-1 on Friday night.

Jordan Greenway also scored for Minnesota, which snapped a two-game skid and leapfrogged the Arizona Coyotes and Colorado Avalanche to move into the second wild-card spot in a competitive Western Conference race. Ryan Donato assisted on the goals by Kunin and Greenway and was the Wild's best forward in a game dominated by that second line.

Dubnyk did not have to make too many high-danger saves, but was dependable in Minnesota's net. A sliding pad save on a one-timer by John Carlson on a Capitals power play in the second period was his most impressive stop.

Brett Connolly scored his 21st goal of the season and Braden Holtby made 25 saves for Washington, which has lost four of six. The defending Stanley Cup champion Capitals missed an opportunity to add to their lead atop the Metropolitan Division and still lead the New York Islanders and Pittsburgh Penguins by four points.

It wasn't a masterpiece, but Minnesota needed two points in any way possible. Returning to face the team that gave him his start in the NHL, coach Bruce Boudreau knew full well that with only two games Friday night the Wild were the only ones who could gain ground after getting some help from a Coyotes loss on Thursday.

Despite losing seven of their previous nine games, the Wild remain in control of their playoff hopes with seven games remaining.

NOTES: Minnesota improved to 20-15-2 on the road. ... Donato's primary assist on Greenway's goal was the 10,000th point in Wild franchise history. ... Connolly has 13 points in his past 16 games. ... Washington's power play went 0 for 3 with just one shot in those six minutes. ... Capitals D Christian Djoos returned to the lineup to replace Michal Kempny, who's out indefinitely with a lower-body injury. ... LW Carl Hagelin was a late scratch with an illness and was replaced by Chandler Stephenson. ... Alex Ovechkin remained two goals away from his eighth career 50-goal season.

UP NEXT

Wild: Visit the Carolina Hurricanes on Saturday in Victor Rask's first game against his former team since being traded for Nino Niederreiter.

Capitals: Look to end their brief losing streak Sunday when they host the Metropolitan Division-rival Philadelphia Flyers.

Star Tribune LOADED: 03.23.2019 1137095 Minnesota Wild “It just shows the character in the group we have,” Kunin said. “We know we can do it in this room.”

Star Tribune LOADED: 03.23.2019 Wild stays hot away from home, topping Capitals 2-1

By Sarah McLellan Star Tribune MARCH 23, 2019 — 1:55AM

WASHINGTON – How the Wild’s season will end is still up in the air, uncertainty that should make the final two weeks of the schedule intriguing if not outright entertaining.

But what’s already a given is that the 2018-19 version will be remembered for its impressive, and perhaps uncanny, knack for knocking off the NHL’s best teams. That habit continued Friday when the Wild waltzed into Capital One Arena and blitzed the defending Stanley Cup champion Capitals 2-1 and jumped over Arizona and Colorado to reclaim the second wild card spot in the Western Conference with 79 points.

VideoVideo (00:41): Coach Bruce Boudreau discusses the 2-1 win over the Capitals Friday.

Not only could this trend help decide the Wild’s fate, but it may also give the club an edge in this three-team race for that final berth since all its remaining opponents are ahead of it in the standings.

“With our schedule, it’s going to have to be the same for every game from here on out,” goalie Devan Dubnyk said. “If we play like that, even though we might not go 7-0, it’s going to give us a really good chance.”

What would also improve its outlook is if its class of youngsters continue to dazzle like it did against Washington.

The all-rookie line of wingers Jordan Greenway and Ryan Donato and center Luke Kunin was responsible for both goals, with Kunin delivering the clincher 12 minutes, 25 seconds into the third period. Overall, the three combined for four points; Donato had two assists.

VideoVideo (00:55): Sarah McLellan recaps the 2-1 win over the Capitals in her Wild wrap-up.

“They deserve it,” coach Bruce Boudreau said. “They’re playing well, especially at this time of year. It’s great for now, but it’s 10 times better for the future.”

While the Wild has struggled at home this season, especially against lesser opponents, it’s been remarkedly better on the road. And that switch flipped again Friday.

Greenway opened the scoring 16:33 into the first on a jaw-dropping individual effort in which he cut around winger Tom Wilson and bulldozed to the middle ,where he deked before wiring the puck past goalie Braden Holtby.

The goal was Greenway’s first in 13 games and marked the team’s first 5-on-5 tally in three games.

Donato’s assist on the play notched the franchise’s 10,000th point, and Dubnyk recorded a rare second assist to go along with 21 saves. He’ll be back in action Saturday against the Hurricanes.

In the second, the Wild was even more aggressive and had the Capitals scrambling at times amid 15 shots. The lone blemish on the period was Washington’s tying goal, a deflection by winger Brett Connolly at 10:42.

But that didn’t slow the Wild. The team continued to test Holtby, who totaled 25 saves.

“My goal at that point was get through the next five minutes because if we could get through the next five minutes, everything sort of slows to our pace again and it did,” Boudreau said.

Kunin’s go-ahead goal in the third, a top-shelf wrister off the rush for his first tally in 11 games, was the 24th by a Wild rookie, tied for the fifth- most in the NHL. It sealed the Wild’s 20th road win — just the fourth time in franchise history it’s reached that mark — and grew the team’s stash of signature performances.

And because of those previous victories over Tampa Bay, Calgary, Winnipeg, Vegas and Toronto, the Wild had the confidence to persevere against the reigning champions in their building. 1137096 Minnesota Wild

Wild still in a position to control its own destiny when it faces the Capitals

By Sarah McLellan MARCH 22, 2019 — 11:59AM

WASHINGTON, D.C. – The race for the second and final wild card berth in the Western Conference got more complicated while the Wild was idle this week, with the Colorado Avalanche taking possession after tying the Arizona Coyotes at 78 points.

But the Wild can still jump both teams Friday to regain a playoff spot with a win Friday over the Capitals at Capital One Arena.

“We gotta take advantage of it,” coach Bruce Boudreau said. “It’s up to us. It’s up to the boys in the room. If they play the right way like we did against Tampa, good things are going to happen.”

That the Wild still can control its destiny with just eight games left after falling behind the playoff pace may seem surprising, but this is exactly the position Boudreau expected the team to be in at this juncture of the season.

“The bottom line is at some point, when you’re under 10 games to go in the season, you have to do it for yourself and you can’t hope for somebody else,” he explained, “because eventually, especially with the amount of teams that are playing, somebody’s going to win.”

A look at the NHL standings by division, conference and wild card races.

Forward Matt Read joined the Wild on the ice Friday after getting recalled Thursday under emergency conditions. It’s possible, though, his recall becomes the fourth and final recall if he plays and someone is a healthy scratch. Winger Pontus Aberg skated late Friday, along with defenseman Nick Seeler.

“That’s a decision in the afternoon,” Boudreau said. “I’ll talk to [General Manager] Paul [Fenton] when he gets here and see what the situation is.”

Projected lineup:

Zach Parise-Eric Staal-Kevin Fiala

Jordan Greenway-Luke Kunin-Ryan Donato

Jason Zucker-Victor Rask-Matt Read

Marcus Foligno-Eric Fehr-J.T. Brown

Ryan Suter-Jared Spurgeon

Jonas Brodin-Greg Pateryn

Anthony Bitetto-Brad Hunt

Devan Dubnyk

Key numbers:

8-3-2: Record for the Wild in its last 13 road games.

33: Points for winger Zach Parise on the road, tops on the Wild.

12-4-2: Record for goalie Devan Dubnyk in his last 18 road starts.

74: Points for center Eric Staal in 77 career games vs. the Capitals.

2: Goals and an assist for Washington defenseman Dmitry Orlov in a 5-2 Capitals win over the Wild Nov.13.

About the Capitals:

Washington is leading the Metropolitan Division with 94 points, three ahead of the New York Islanders. The Capitals are coming off an overtime loss to the Tampa Bay Lightning Wednesday. They’ve won eight in a row against the Wild. Captain Alex Ovechkin leads the NHL in goals with 48. He’s two shy of 50, the eighth time in his career he’s reach that plateau.

Star Tribune LOADED: 03.23.2019 1137097 Minnesota Wild That simply set the stage for the third period, though, and the Wild battled to secure a hard-fought win heading into Saturday’s tilt against the Carolina Hurricanes.

Wild back in playoff position after win over defending Stanley Cup “With our schedule it’s going to have to be the same (effort) for every champions game from here on out,” Dubnyk said. “If we play like that, even though we might not go 7-0, it’s going to give us a really good chance.”

By Dane Mizutani PUBLISHED: March 22, 2019 at 8:32 pm | UPDATED: Pioneer Press LOADED: 03.23.2019 March 22, 2019 at 9:56 PM

WASHINGTON — As inconsistent as the Wild have been, especially over the past couple of weeks, as many times as the critics have written them off, especially over the past couple of weeks, they somehow entered Friday’s matchup with the Washington Capitals only one point out of a playoff spot.

That was enough to keep coach Bruce Boudreau optimistic. Or at least enough to keep him feigning optimism for the time being.

“It’s like a team that’s getting outplayed,” Boudreau said. “If you let them hang around until the third period and all of a sudden they get it going, then that team usually ends up winning the game, and you get mad because (it’s like), ‘How did that team win?'”

That analogy only works, though, if the Wild find a way to get it going down the stretch. They entered Friday’s contest nothing more than a team that’s getting outplayed.

“We have to do it for ourselves,” Boudreau said. “We can’t hope for somebody else (to lose), because eventually, especially with the amount of teams that are playing, somebody is going to win.”

For the Wild, perhaps a 2-1 road win over the defending Stanley Cup champion Capitals can serve as a start.

After Friday’s impressive win, the Wild are back in a playoff position, one point clear of the Colorado Avalanche and Arizona Coyotes, both of which have a game in hand.

“It means temporarily we’re in a playoff spot,” Boudreau said. “That’s what that means.”

He placed tons of emphasis on the word “temporarily” and for good reason. After all, the Wild have made a habit of looking like Stanley Cup contenders from time to time, only to follow it up with a wretched performance akin to that of a Pee Wee game.

“I think we’re trying to figure it out, too,” Zach Parise said, trying to explain the Jekyll and Hyde charade to no avail. “Just like we’ve been doing for a little while, we got ourselves right back in the mix, so it was a good win.”

Luke Kunin scored the game-winner late in the third period with a top- shelf snipe off a rush into the offensive zone. He was sent in alone thanks to a perfect lead pass from Parise.

That saved the Wild from potential disaster as they appeared to be letting the game slip away in the final frame.

After an incredible effort for 40 minutes, the Wild came out discombobulated to start the the final 20 minutes of play. They coughed up pucks with regularity as the Capitals applied relentless pressure.

“It’s not like we’re not playing the Mighty Ducks from movie fame out there,” Boudreau said, praising his team for responding to the push. “That’s the Stanley Cup champions. There’s going to get shifts where we’re hemmed in our own zone. It’s about how we handle that. I thought we did a good job.”

Nobody did a better job than Devan Dubnyk in those hairy situations. He made a handful of clutch denials before Kunin took the edge off.

Those late-game heroics from Kunin didn’t seem like they’d be necessary early on.

No doubt motivated by the playoff chase, the Wild raced out of the starting blocks and were rewarded when Jordan Greenway gave them the lead late in the first period with an incredible individual effort.

Still, the Capitals hung around and hung around before striking midway through the second period when winger Brett Connolly deflected a puck into the back of the net. 1137098 Minnesota Wild

After weeks of back-and-forth, Wild winger Matt Read gets another chance

By Dane Mizutani | PUBLISHED: March 22, 2019 at 5:58 pm | UPDATED: March 22, 2019 at 7:54 PM

Matt Read woke up in Tucson, Ariz. Thursday ready for a game as a member of the Iowa Wild later that night. Then his phone rang.

Just like that, Read was headed to the airport to meet up with the Minnesota Wild in the nation’s capital. He had been recalled under emergency conditions in advance of Friday night’s game against the Washington Capitals.

“I was at the airport at 8:15 in the morning and just caught flights all day,” said Read, who has navigated the less-than-glamorous role of emergency call up for the past month. “I got here (around 10:30 at night) and then went to bed.”

As the emergency call up, Read is only allowed to play in place of someone suffering from injury or illness. If neither of those circumstances is met, he must either be recalled under regular conditions or reassigned to the minors.

Because teams are only allowed four recalls under regular conditions after the trade deadline, and the Wild had already used three, Read has been called up and sent down several times over the past month.

It’s become commonplace for Read to wake up, catch a commercial flight to meet the Minnesota Wild where they are, participate in a morning skate, watch the game from the press box, and catch a commercial flight back to rendezvous with the Iowa Wild.

Sometimes in a span of less than 24 hours.

“It’s been kind of a whirlwind,” Read said. “Obviously, it’s not ideal. You never know what’s going to happen. You just kind of live in the moment and try to enjoy every second of it.”

Perhaps understanding how it sounded to be complaining about travel as someone currently playing in the NHL, Read quickly backtracked on his original statement.

“Oh, it could be worse,” he added. “This is what we do: Just strap them on and help the team perform.”

Read’s patience was rewarded Friday. He was recalled under regular conditions and set to skate in place of Pontus Aberg, a healthy scratch for the first time since he was acquired in a deal that sent prospect Justin Kloos to Anaheim.

The Wild have eight regular-season games to move into the eighth and final playoff spot in the Western Conference. They started Friday, a point behind Colorado and Arizona.

Read, 32, has played two games this month for the Wild. Before that, he hadn’t played since October.

“Just excited to go up and down and get an opportunity to play back in the NHL and prove myself again,” Read said before the game. “This is my favorite time of the year to play. You basically put your life on the line and go out there and do whatever you need to do to help the team succeed.”

BRIEFLY

The Iowa Wild signed two-time Gophers captain Tyler Sheehy to an amateur tryout on Friday afternoon. He finished with 12 goals and 29 assists in 39 games in his senior year with the program.

#iawild has signed two-time @GopherHockey captain forward Tyler Sheehy to an ATO. #TheHuntIsOn

 : https://t.co/EBfUVURUcU pic.twitter.com/nzy7kgwXJK

— Iowa Wild (@IAWild) March 22, 2019

Pioneer Press LOADED: 03.23.2019 1137099 Minnesota Wild great save on Brad Hunt, Parise slid a bad-angle tap-in through the crease and Kunin hit the crossbar.

But the Wild had an outstanding response to being scored on. Wild waltz into Washington and top the champs because the world is an enigma Their next three shifts by the Eric Staal, Kunin and Victor Rask lines, the Wild pressured hard and buzzed with tremendous chances and zone time.

By Michael Russo 4h ago “I think we liked how we played the second (period),” Parise said. “We spent a lot of time in their zone. We broke them down a lot below the goal line.” WASHINGTON — OK, OK, we all know by now that this edition of the Minnesota Wild makes absolutely zero sense. In Boudreau’s mind, those successive shifts demonstrated the Wild weren’t going to sprint for the exit. Nothing this maddening team does anymore should shock any of us, yet it still always does when the Wild do unexplainable stuff like somehow “Coming at them and not taking a backseat and letting them come at us,” strolling into the home barn of the defending Stanley Cup champs and he said. “My goal at that point was get through the next five minutes outplaying the Washington Capitals for a huge 2-1 victory Friday night. because if we could get through the next five minutes, everything sort of slows to our pace again, and it did.” How the heck does a team that has lost SEVENTEEN of its past TWENTY-TWO home games (!?!?!) keep storming into enemy arenas Donato played another fabulous game. and pulling out such impressive road wins? He hustles every shift and assisted on both goals by making strong plays Of the Wild’s 20 road wins — which, incidentally, is five more than they in the neutral zone. The pass to his Olympic team linemate, Greenway, have in 38 mostly lousy home games, the Wild have won in difficult was capped by Greenway using his big reach to fly by a flat-footed places like Toronto, Vegas, Winnipeg, Calgary, Tampa Bay and now … Brooks Orpik outside the blueline. Greenway then drove by Tom Wilson Washington. and cut to the net before scoring a gorgeous goal, his first in 13 games.

How is this humanly possible? “It was good effort by Donny,” Greenway said. “He made a great play on the wall and I saw a lane to the net and put my head down and put my “I think we’re trying to figure it out, too,” Zach Parise said, laughing, after knee out and just kind of put it in.” assisting on Luke Kunin’s game-winning goal with 7:35 left. “I guess, just like we’ve been doing for a little while, we get ourselves right back in the In the third period, Donato forced a turnover and pushed the puck up to mix, so it was a good win. It was a hard game, a hard-fought game for Parise, who skated down the left-wing boards before centering for Kunin. us.” Without a goal in his past 10 games, Kunin let her rip from the outside edge of the right circle. His celebration was cool as he lifted his arms, That it was. turned toward the crowd and pumped his left leg.

Fittingly, in Our Nation’s Capital, the Wild’s young Americans — Kunin Kunin said it was sweet justice after the second-period iron he hit. (21), Jordan Greenway (22), and, of course, Ryan “The Revelation” Donato (22) — led the way for a Wild team that at least temporarily “Big moment. Nice to get that one,” Kunin said. hopped back into the top eight in the Western Conference. It was nice to see Donato, Greenway and Kunin playing so well in such a Besides Kunin’s mammoth third-period goal where he went bar-down huge game. Remember, Donato and Greenway were in the Olympics 13 from between the circles, Greenway scored a highlight-reel goal off a months ago and Kunin captained the United States to a gold medal in the power move to the net and Donato assisted on both. Since his Feb. 21 world junior championships two years ago. debut with the Wild, Donato leads all NHL rookies with 15 points. “They are two great players,” Greenway said. “Donny has a ton of skill. “They’re playing well, especially at this time of year,” coach Bruce Kunin plays a real responsible game. I think I do a little bit more work in Boudreau said. “It’s great for now, but it’s 10 times better for the future.” the corners and behind the net. We really complement each other well. We played with a lot of confidence tonight. I think everyone helped with The Wild held the Capitals to 22 shots on goal, limited Washington to one that, which is huge. If we keep playing like that, I think we’ll continue to shot (it was a Devan Dubnyk robbery on John Carlson) on three do a lot of good things.” scoreless power plays and handed them their first regulation home loss since Feb. 3 (7-0-2). In fact, it was Minnesota’s first win in Washington Added Donato, who has six multi-point games with the Wild, “I think since March 5, 2015, snapping an eight-game overall losing streak we’re learning from each other. I think we’re starting to get each other’s against the Capitals (0-7-1). habits, where we’re going to be on the ice, where the other guys are going to be, where they like to pass to. Being able to learn with each “We didn’t want to give them rushes,” Parise said. “We know how good other, it makes you feel comfortable on the ice. You don’t feel like you’re they are off the rush and how they can make plays off the rush. We doing anything wrong. You’ve got to make sure you’re passing to each wanted to slow them down in the neutral zone. And for the most part, we other and kind of playing and feeding off each other.” did a pretty good job of that.” It’s also cool watching Kunin continue to thrive in the middle since the Alex Ovechkin usually lights up the Wild for fun. His 2.09 points per game injuries to Mikko Koivu and Joel Eriksson Ek and departure of Charlie against the Wild since 2011-12 is the most by any Wild opponent. In 15 Coyle. Kunin is willing to be that responsible third guy high in the previous games against Minnesota, the future Hall of Famer had only offensive zone, and it has led to a lot of chances. been shut out once. But on this night, even with the flirtation of another 50-goal season inches away, Ovechkin was held to one shot on goal and Asked his ceiling, Boudreau said, “I just think he’s going to be a really had another six attempts blocked. good player. I don’t want to put too much pressure on him. He’s getting better all the time. He’s been in big games before and it was a great shot “I think we didn’t play our game at all,” Ovechkin said. “We knew they for a guy who hasn’t scored in a while.” were going to play desperate — they need points, as we do — but I think the sense of urgency was on their side, not on our side.” So, big, big win.

You could tell that right from the outset. But Boudreau’s not getting ahead of himself.

The Wild played fast, with energy, got pucks deep and spent a lot of time Earlier this month, he watched the Wild convincingly walk into Tampa in Washington’s end in the first two periods. In the second period, they and blank the NHL-best Lightning. The next night, they laid a giant egg in out-attempted the Capitals 35-17. South Florida.

It could have been a deflating thing to play so well in the second period So, he will do one thing very differently Saturday morning in Raleigh. yet see your 1-0 lead turn into a 1-1 game on a Brett Connolly deflection. He won’t let his team sleep in. The goal came a shift after a 4-on-4 in which Braden Holtby made a He’ll get them out of bed and down to the rink in the morning. “We’ve got to do it again (Saturday),” Boudreau said. “Quite frankly, the thing I think of is playing a great game in Tampa and then having nothing left for Florida. So we can’t afford that. We gotta be ready again.”

Added Dubnyk, who is expected to start against the Canes, “With the way our schedule is, we’re going to have to do that for seven more games here. That was a start tonight. We have to have that same emotion against a very, very good team (Saturday) night.”

The Wild hit the 20-win mark on the road for the fourth time in franchise history. Another big road win in Raleigh would be just what the doctor ordered.

“I think they believe they can win on the road right now, and at home they’re holding their sticks really way too tight because they want to win so badly at home,” Boudreau said. “But here, it’s amazing what the mind can do and the belief is there that they can win on the road.”

Boudreau looking for more from Fiala

In 12 games with the Wild, Kevin Fiala has scored two goals and three assists.

“He’s shown spurts of great skill that you can sit there and say, ‘Man, this guy could be really good,’” Boudreau said. “I’d like to see it on a more consistent basis. But, I think that’s going to come. Everything’s fresher when you start it in training camp. But he’s going to be a good player.”

One thing Boudreau wants him to get rid of is the persistent turnovers.

“I think he’s got to figure it out,” Boudreau said. “I think he’s one of those guys that is so skilled he thinks he can make every play. I’ve been around guys here in (Washington) in their younger days that thought the same thing. Sometimes the simpler way is an awful lot better than trying to force things or think you can bank it off nets and have something good happen to it.”

Rask returns to Raleigh

Rask, who has scored one goal and one assist in 16 games with the Wild, returns to Raleigh on Saturday for the first time since the Jan. 17 trade for Nino Niederreiter.

“It’s going to be a special night, for sure,” said Rask, who scored 63 goals and 163 points in 339 games for the Hurricanes. “It’s definitely going to be fun.”

Rask’s Wild career hasn’t gotten off to the stellar start that Niederreiter’s has for the Hurricanes. Niederreiter has already scored 12 goals and 24 points in 27 games.

Rask has played better the past four games, but he hasn’t produced.

“Just a matter of time to put the puck in the net. Hopefully I can do so,” Rask said.

Said Boudreau, “I think at the beginning he struggled. You’re starting to see more of what he can do, especially last game (against Colorado) I thought he had his legs underneath him. He was skating and creating chances. The game before (against the Islanders), he had two good chances to score.

“I think with Victor, it’s going to be a lot about confidence. If he ever gets to scoring regular again like he did a few years ago in Carolina, I think he’ll be fine.”

Rask only has 19 shots with the Wild.

“I think it’s him not being around the puck and his line not being around the net a lot,” said Boudreau, who changed things up and had Rask center Jason Zucker and Matt Read against the Capitals. “I think if you look at his career, he’s more of a passer. He’s not a shoot-first. Like (Ryan) Donato is a shoot-first guy. Victor’s definitely not a shoot-first guy.”

Rask has three more years left on his contract.

“I really like it here and I’m looking forward to staying for awhile,” he said. “We’ve got an important push here the last couple games here, so it’s going to be fun to see how we end up doing here. … Everyone is really excited about this time (of) the year, so hopefully we can get a good push here and make it into the playoffs.”

The Athletic LOADED: 03.23.2019 1137100 Montreal Canadiens

Canadiens' Andrew Shaw has grown a longer fuse with maturity

STU COWAN, Updated: March 22, 2019

The Canadiens’ Andrew Shaw is known for having a short fuse on the ice and doesn’t think he would have made it to the NHL if he didn’t.

“Probably not,” Shaw said Friday after the Canadiens held an optional practice at the Bell Centre. “We were talking about it today, actually.”

Shaw was talking about the night eight years ago that Canadiens GM — then the director of player personnel with the Chicago Blackhawks — attended an OHL playoff game in London when the Knights were playing Shaw’s Owen Sound Attack team. Bergevin was there to scout Knights centre Vladislav Namestnikov.

“I ended up fighting (Jarred) Tinordi that night and (Bergevin) said that’s when he recognized who I was,” Shaw said. “So I don’t think without that (short fuse) in my play, I don’t think I would have been in the NHL.”

Namestnikov ended up being selected by the Tampa Bay Lightning in the first round (27th overall) of the 2011 NHL Draft, while the Blackhawks took Shaw in the fifth round (139th overall).

Did Shaw win his fight with the 6-foot-6 Tinordi?

“That one, no,” Shaw said with a grin. “But I fought him again and I made sure I got the upper hand early. He was a big boy.”

Shaw has always played bigger than his size, listed at 5-foot-11 and 182 pounds, and his short fuse has got him in trouble at times. During his first season with the Canadiens after being acquired from the Blackhawks in the summer of 2016, Shaw had 110 penalty minutes. This season, he has 65 penalty minutes and with 17-21-38 totals is one point away from matching his career high — set in 2013-14 with the Blackhawks — despite having missed 19 games.

Shaw took an interference penalty in the third period of Thursday’s 4-0 win over the New York Islanders at the Bell Centre and had a few words for the referee while skating to the penalty box. But with a little longer fuse now, he didn’t blow up.

“Normally, I would have lost it maybe a little bit,” Shaw said. “Maturity, I think, takes over a bit.”

Said coach Claude Julien about Shaw: “There’s still times where you got to reel him in. But, having said that, that’s what makes Andrew Shaw Andrew Shaw. He’s a fiery little guy. I always say the same thing: I’d rather pull a guy back a little bit than have to kick him to get him going. With Andrew, that’s usually the case. You got to reel him back in once in a while, but his emotions … and he’s always there every game. He’s ready to play, he wants to win, and those are all good traits that he has. But with good things there’s always a little challenge that comes along the way and we just have to manage that.”

That fuse is a little longer now — but it’s still there.

Montreal Gazette LOADED: 03.23.2019 1137101 Montreal Canadiens Team effort

Gallagher also spoke about the total team effort the Canadiens need in order to win games. Canadiens Notebook: Habs' chances of making playoffs at 50.9 per cent “The last couple of games have been good for us,” Gallagher said. “They’ve been pretty complete efforts and I think that’s important for us STU COWAN, Updated: March 22, 2019 right now. The margin for error, I guess, is as small as it’s ever been. So I think with everyone showing up and everyone contributing right now, it’s nice.

The Canadiens were basically given the day off Friday with only a “The last couple of games have been a pretty good example of that,” he handful of players taking part in an optional practice after the official team added. “Everyone’s done their job and it’s a good feeling at the end and photo was taken at the Bell Centre. then we got rewarded with a couple of wins. The situation that we’re in, can’t really enjoy it for too long. Get ready for the next game. But “I think we’ve done enough practising and we’ve all skated enough this hopefully the style of play and the way that everyone’s coming prepared year that you got to do what you need to to be ready to play,” Brendan to play is going to stay the same.” Gallagher said. “I think we’ve done a good job of that. The coaches reward us with some days off, which as players we always like. But I Annual team picture ⚪️ @Nicdeslauriers4 think we got to reward them back with some good efforts. I think the last pic.twitter.com/19WdOy1rW3— Joanie Deslauriers (@Joadeslauriers4) couple of games we’ve done that. We’ve come ready to play, prepared to March 22, 2019 play. That obviously can’t change.” Lehkonen’s slump continues The Canadiens are coming off back-to-back wins over the Philadelphia Flyers and New York Islanders that moved them into the second wild- Arturri Lehkonen is pointless in the last six games and is also pointless in card playoff spot in the Eastern Conference, one point ahead of the 21 of the last 22 games. Lehkonen, who is now playing on a line with Columbus Blue Jackets with both teams having eight game remaining in Max Domi and Andrew Shaw, has 1-4-5 totals in the last 36 games. the regular season. The Canadiens are two points behind the Carolina Julien said after Thursday’s game that Lehkonen has been snakebit and Hurricanes, who hold the first wild-card spot and have nine games left. he has been hitting a lot of goalposts recently. The Canadiens will play the Buffalo Sabres Saturday night at the Bell “Four games in a row,” Lehkonen said. “It is what it is. I don’t really care if Centre (7 p.m., SNE, CITY, TVA Sports, TSN 690 Radio), while the I score if we win. We just got to keep winning games. Of course I’m trying Hurricanes play host to the Minnesota Wild. The Canadiens will play the to score, but we just got to focus on the next game. I know it’s going to Hurricanes Sunday night in Carolina (7 p.m., SN, RDS, TSN 690 Radio), come.” while the Blue Jackets visit the Vancouver Canucks (10 p.m., SNP). As for playing with Domi and Shaw, Lehkonen said: “It’s a lot of fun. Both “This is really the first time that we’ve been in this position,” Gallagher of those guys are really competitive. They’re really aggressive playing said about the playoff race. “When we’ve made the playoffs (in the past) types. They’re all over the park. Both guys are fierce battlers out there. I we’ve kind of been in first (place in the division) or competing for a top enjoy it for sure.” spot. And when we miss, we’ve been out of it pretty early. This is the first time in my career, anyways, that we’ve kind of been fighting for a playoff Shaw said he enjoys playing with Lehkonen. spot right to the end and it’s a unique experience.” “I think we play well together,” Shaw said. “I think we read each other The sportsclubstats.com website had the Canadiens’ chances of making well. He knows if I’m getting in on the forecheck he’s going to be right in the playoffs listed at 50.9 per cent heading into the weekend. behind me to pick up pucks or bodies as well. I do the same for him. One of us is always going to be around the net, which is always a good thing. Price expected to play back-to-back He competes. He works hard.” You can expect to see Carey Price in goal for the Canadiens Saturday Shaw also thinks Lehkonen will break out of his scoring slump. against the Sabres and Sunday against the Hurricanes, although coach Claude Julien wouldn’t confirm it on Friday. “I do,” he said. “I think he’s got an amazing shot. He puts himself in good positions. A bounce is going to go his way here and then things are going “Even though it’s cliché, I don’t know what’s going to happen after to open up for him.” tomorrow night so I can’t answer you for Sunday,” Julien said Friday at the Bell Centre. “That’s why I don’t like to predict because very often we Ce gant est maintenant à Flambo. change ideas or because of something there are changes. So we’ll go with tomorrow night and there’s a big chance you’ll see Carey tomorrow.” That's Flambo's glove now.#GoHabsGo #NationalPuppyDay@taikinajalka @chcfondation @fondationmira Price has played in 21 of the last 22 games, starting 20 of them. He has pic.twitter.com/nIPpG8Jtnb— Canadiens Montréal (@CanadiensMTL) won the last two games while allowing one goal on 61 shots, beating the March 22, 2019 Flyers 3-1 and the Islanders 4-0. For the season, Price has a 31-22-5 record with a 2.50 goals-against average, a .917 save percentage and What’s next? four shutouts. The Canadiens will have a morning skate at 10:30 a.m. Saturday in Rolling the lines Brossard before facing the Sabres at the Bell Centre (7 p.m., CITY, SNE, TVA Sports, TSN 690 Radio), followed by a rare Sunday night game Julien pretty much rolled four lines during the last two games and plans against the Hurricanes in Carolina (7 p.m., SN, RDS, TSN 690 Radio). to continue doing that. Artturi Lehkonen led all forwards in ice time against the Islanders with 18:18 — including 3:30 short-handed — while After that, the Florida Panthers will visit the Bell Centre Tuesday (7:30 Jonathan Drouin had the least ice time with 12:15. p.m., TSN2, RDS, TSN 690 Radio) before the Canadiens hit the road for games against the Blue Jackets in Columbus on Thursday (7 p.m., “I think we’ve said all year, in order for us to have success we need TSN2, RDS, TSN 690 Radio) and the Jets in Winnipeg on Saturday (7 everybody going,” Julien said. “We’re not a team that can lean on three, p.m., SNE, SN360, CITY, TVA Sports, TSN 690 Radio). four players and say they’ll carry us. We don’t have that. We’re all aware of that, we all know that, we all respect that part of it. It doesn’t make us a Montreal Gazette LOADED: 03.23.2019 bad hockey club and it doesn’t make them bad hockey players. But that’s how we’re getting success. Just like the team that we played last night’s had success basically the same way.

“So by having balance, it’s allowed us in the last couple of games to really play well both sides of the puck. We’ve been able to score, we’ve been able to keep the puck out of our own net. So right now that’s working and when it stops working then I got to make some adjustments. But right now it’s working well for us.” 1137102 Montreal Canadiens Annual team picture ⚪️ @Nicdeslauriers4 pic.twitter.com/19WdOy1rW3— Joanie Deslauriers (@Joadeslauriers4)

March 22, 2019 Stu Cowan: Lots of smiles on team photo day for the Canadiens This is Gallagher’s seventh season with the Canadiens, and he doesn’t remember much about the day he posed for his first team photo. He does remember that Carey Price is the only other player in that photo from the STU COWAN, Updated: March 22, 2019 2012-13 season who is still with the Canadiens.

“I think the picture day is pretty cool,” Gallagher said. “You get to see the families and everyone that’s kind of involved get involved. You get The Canadiens’ Andrew Shaw has posed for a lot of team photos as a together for a picture and then kind of on with business after that. hockey player — including two with the Stanley Cup when he was with the Chicago Blackhawks — but one of the photos taken Friday morning “I think it’s exciting,” he added. “It kind of brings a smile to your face. It’s at the Bell Centre was extra special. a pretty unique experience that those kids have and it’s something that they’ll obviously remember. You kind of look at Doms (Max Domi) and The Canadiens take two official team photos each season, one early in that’s what Doms was doing (when his father, Tie, played with the the year and one after the NHL trade deadline passes. On both Toronto Maple Leafs) and he ends up playing in the NHL. It’s probably occasions, they take a photo of all the players, coaches and hockey staff something that can motivate you and it’s probably pretty cool for those together and a second unofficial one that includes wives and children. kids.” The second photo taken Friday included Shaw, his wife, Chaunette It’s also pretty cool for the parents. Boulerice, and their first child, nine-month-old daughter Andy. Montreal Gazette LOADED: 03.23.2019 “First team picture with her,” Shaw said in the Canadiens’ dressing room afterwards. “It was fun. She was well behaved, just I think in awe just looking at everything, staring at everyone. Bright colours on the ice. I think she enjoyed it.

“It’s special,” Shaw added. “It’s all for the kids, really, to be a part of it. I think they love it and it seems like they enjoy it a lot. I’ve wanted to have a kid for a while. I was ready. The timing worked well for us. We’re planning on having more.”

The Canadiens’ kids were running around outside the dressing room and in the family room at the Bell Centre Friday morning wearing tiny team sweaters with their fathers’ names and numbers on the back. Youppi! was there, too. There were lots of smiling faces.

There are also a lot of new faces in this year’s final team photo, including Max Domi, Tomas Tatar, Jesperi Kotkaniemi, Brett Kulak, Nate Thompson, Dale Weise, Christian Folin, Joel Armia, Jordan Weal and Matthew Peca. They weren’t around last season, when the Canadiens were already out of the playoff race by the time the second official team photo was taken.

Now, with eight games left in the regular season, the Canadiens hold the second wild-card playoff spot in the Eastern Conference following Thursday night’s 4-0 win over the New York Islanders. The Canadiens are one point ahead of the Columbus Blue Jackets and trail the Carolina Hurricanes, who hold the first wild-card spot, by two points. Their chances of making the playoffs are now 50.9 per cent, according to sportsclubstats.com.

“It’s just a good group of guys,” coach Claude Julien said about this year’s team. “Things have gone better and so the mood is better than it was last year and a lot of things are coming into play. But we’ve had a good group of players here that believe in playing together and working hard as a unit and just doing the job right. From there, you get a little bit more success than you did last year and right now you’re in the playoff hunt where last year we were probably done by this time. So there’s a lot of differences that creates probably a better atmosphere this year.”

The Canadiens are back in action Saturday when the Buffalo Sabres visit the Bell Centre (7 p.m., SNE, Citytv, TVA Sports, TSN 690 Radio) and then they travel to Carolina to play the Hurricanes on Sunday (7 p.m., SN, RDS, TSN 690 Radio).

Had a great time at team picture day! ❤️ https://t.co/RAjy9F01BI— Andrew Shaw (@shawz15er) March 22, 2019

“This is a big weekend for us,” said. “Obviously, we have a game here at home … you got to take advantage of your home games. And then we’re not going to look past that one. And then after that, obviously, we know who we’re playing. It’s a critical time for us.

“I think what makes our group good is (that) for us to win everyone needs to play well,” Gallagher added. “We can’t have guys take off-nights and it’s kind of an accountability factor that our group has that kind of makes it special. Everyone feels like you got a job to do and when you do it you get rewarded. It’s a good group to be around.” 1137103 Montreal Canadiens “Unacceptable” peewee decision: While the Clarkson Cup will be celebrating the accomplishments of female hockey players, the folks who run minor hockey in the Mauricie region took a step back.

Hickey on Hockey: Les Canadiennes, Inferno renew fierce title rivalry Les Rafales, an all-girls peewee team that competes in a boys’ league, qualified for the Dodge Cup inter-regional competition. But Hockey Mauricie decided that it would not send the girls on to a competition for PAT HICKEY, Updated: March 22, 2019 which they qualified because, well, they’re not boys.

“It’s completely unacceptable,” said Les Canadiennes’ Ambrose, who was the captain of a boys’ AAA team when she was 12. There will be no need for introductions Sunday when Les Canadiennes play the for the Clarkson Cup (Noon, SN, TVA Sports). Ouellette, who competed with boys from age 9 to 17 — “I’m old and there wasn’t any girls’ hockey in those days” — said the decision sent the This is the fiercest rivalry in the Canadian Women’s Hockey League and wrong message to the girls as well as to the boys. the teams will be meeting in the final for third time in four years. Calgary won it in 2016, while Les Canadiennes were victorious a year later. “Even though the girls are going to the Dodge Cup for girls, they earned the right to play in the boys’ competition,” said Ouellette, who is a The top players on both teams are accustomed to playing together — longtime advocate for girls’ hockey. against each other — in international competitions and the two rosters are stocked with Olympic medallists from Canada and the United States. Primeau among Richter finalists: For the second consecutive year, Canadiens prospect Cayden Primeau is among the 10 finalists for the “These teams match up well,” said Les Canadiennes rookie coach Mike Richter Award, which goes to the best goaltender in U.S. college Caroline Ouellette, who was on the ice for the last two Clarkson Cup hockey. meetings. “Both teams have world-class goaltenders and skilled players who can score. We have to play well defensively and use our speed to The sophomore assured Boston’s Northeastern University a place in the turn that into offensive chances. They have a tremendous amount of 16-team NCAA tournament last weekend when he stopped 74 of 76 depth and experience.” shots in a pair of 2-1 victories over Maine in the best-of-three Hockey East quarter-finals. He was particularly impressive in the first game in There’s one huge question mark for Les Canadiennes and that’s the which he made 42 saves, including five in overtime. health of Marie-Philip Poulin, who is, arguably, the best player in the women’s game. The CWHL’s leading scorer with 50 points in 26 games, Montreal Gazette LOADED: 03.23.2019 Poulin suffered a lower-body injury in the final game of the regular season and Ouellette described her status as day-to-day.

“She has been skating in practice and she’s working hard to get in the lineup,” said Ouellette.

Even without Poulin, Les Canadiennes have a formidable offence. Ann- Sophie Bettez finished second in the scoring race with 48 points and U.S. Olympian Hilary Knight had four goals and four assists in the three-game semifinal series win over Markham. Erin Ambrose, a finalist for defender of the year, led all CWHL blue-liners with 24 points.

Calgary also has top-end snipers in former CWHL most valuable player Rebecca Johnston, Blayre Turnbull, Brianne Jenner and , the U.S. Olympic star who wowed fans with her skills in a guest appearance at the NHL All-Star Game festivities.

The interest in the goaltending matchup goes beyond the fact Emerance Maschmeyer of Les Canadiennes and Alex Rigsby of the Inferno finished 1-2 in the CWHL. Maschmeyer, who led the league with a 1.45 goals- against average and a .935 save percentage, previously played for the Inferno. She was replaced this season by Rigsby, who led the U.S. to a gold medal at the 21018 Winter Olympics. Rigsby has a 2.04 GAA and a .916 save percentage. The Inferno won four of the six regular-season games against Les Canadiennes, but Maschmeyer shut out Calgary 3-0 in their final regular-season meeting.

The rosters of the rival teams reflect the growing stature of the CWHL and the respective teams.

Ambrose, who played for the Toronto Furies after graduating from Clarkson University, said coming to Montreal was one of the best decisions of her life. In addition to playing for Les Canadiennes, she’s also working as an assistant coach for Concordia University’s women’s team.

U.S. Olympic gold medallist Knight said she came to Montreal because she wanted to play against the best female players. Rigsby, Decker and Kacey Bellamy are the U.S. Olympians on the Calgary roster, which also includes players from Finland and Japan.

Ouellette said the next logical step is a merger with the U.S.-based National Women’s Hockey League. She said the major stumbling block was a difference in philosophy. The NWHL was established as a for-profit operation, while the CWHL teams are run on a non-profit basis.

The Clarkson Cup has turned into a weekend affair with an awards night on Friday. The game will be televised in Canada and on the NHL Network in the U.S. with an all-female broadcasting crew featuring Olympic gold medallists Cassie Campbell, and Natalie Spooner. 1137104 Montreal Canadiens speed. Of course, the average NHL player is much further ahead in terms of skating than the the average CHLer. What pace really is about is how quickly gaps close in the NHL. To get around the ever shrinking The Art of Deception: How Canadiens prospect Nick Suzuki tricks amount of space in the NHL, players have to think and play fast. Find defenders to rack up points space, perfectly time movement into space, and keep your feet moving. Gliding through the neutral zone with possession is dangerous.

Until this season, Suzuki was often a glider through the neutral zone; he By Mitch Brown Mar 22, 2019 lacked pace. He’d slow down immediately after gaining the zone and wait for options to emerge. In junior, high-skill players can get away with that.

The NHL isn’t as forgiving. Every season, a handful of the NHL’s most promising prospects are With stick skills and deception as good as Suzuki’s, attacking with more trapped in a tug-of-war between the CHL and the NHL. Although the pace ramps up his ability to walk through defenders. It looks like this, tides might change soon, the CHL won the battle in its agreement with where Suzuki accelerates through the neutral zone, shoulder fakes one the NHL, which precludes players drafted out of the OHL, QMJHL, and way, then goes the other, which enables him to stickhandle right through WHL from playing in the AHL full-time until their 20-year-old season. without trouble and set up a goal: As a result, players like Canadiens prospect Nick Suzuki return to junior The most skilled puckhandlers don’t just attack at one speed. They for their 18-year-old and 19-year-old seasons, despite already having deceive by slowing down to make it look like the defender has a chance illustrious scoring records in the CHL. Proponents of the NHL-CHL to stop them, then they speed up as soon as the defender reaches in. Agreement argue that stars, like Suzuki, put fans in the seats, which Suzuki’s doing that a lot more this season. It looks like this: means a stream of revenue to keep Canada’s great junior hockey institutions afloat. Critics argue that an extra year or two in junior stalls Building on that, the best don’t enter a deke with just one option. They their development, and they would be better served honing their skills in have to use creativity and problem-solving to turn a bobbling puck or the AHL. unforeseen error into a chance. In these examples, Suzuki enters the zone with pace, but loses the handle. For many players, it’s over here. When Suzuki failed to make Vegas out of camp in 2017-18, it looked like Just whack the puck in and chase it down. But since Suzuki attacked with he was following the path of stagnation. He was essentially the same pace and he’s so talented, he turns the effort into a flashy deke. Then, he player that he was the season before. Since the trade to the Canadiens, puts the puck in his own feet to beat a defender, fishes it out, and rings a Suzuki’s improved, and lately, he’s making plays in the OHL that most shot off the post. An almost-goal of the year candidate. players – top scorers included – can’t. As striking as his increased pace this season has been, there’s still work To highlight these improvements and skills, I’ve selected a number of to be done. He could attack in the middle or across the dot line, rather impressive plays from all facets of Suzuki’s game. The goal of this piece than parallel to it, with more regularity. He still comes down the right wing isn’t to cherry pick the flashiest, most highlight-reel worthy clips, although and immediately stops striding to pass or dangle relatively often. many clips will qualify. If Suzuki makes the NHL, especially in a top-six Integrating his shooting, passing, or stickhandling into his stride will allow role, it won’t be because of the dazzling plays. He’ll make it for the him to keep the pace up in the offensive zone and attack with more diversity of details that make him effective. The goal is to identify the diversity. plays that best describe Suzuki’s many high-level skills, defence included, and then relate those patterns of play to his progression and The improved pace doesn’t just create different looks for Suzuki, it NHL future. increases the volume and efficiency of his touches. This matters because NHL players get fewer touches and fewer opportunities than they do in If there’s a word to describe Suzuki’s skill, it’s deceptive. the CHL. There are so many junior players every season who rack up Every element of Suzuki’s game has some form of deception in it. It’s points because of the volume of touches they have. They’re a bit challenging to talk about Suzuki’s shooting without his passing and vice- stronger, faster, and more experienced than everyone else, so they get versa, because Suzuki conceals his shots with the threat of a pass and the big minutes and points. his passes with the threat of a shot. He does this as well as anyone in the But not every big junior scorer is created equal. While many are high-end CHL, and it allows him to pile up points. prospects, others don’t even get an NHL look. So, what separates the Earlier this season, I wrote about Suzuki’s drawback and delay wrister. high-end prospects from the high-end junior scorers? The skills play a He pulls the puck back, shows the goaltender shot, and then he doesn’t huge role. The Suzukis of the CHL are more skilled, which they show at a shoot. Sometimes Suzuki’s delay is to pick his spot, maximize power and younger age, and they have more creativity and pace in the way they keep the goaltender guessing where he’s shooting. attack. The skills required to separate in the NHL are much greater than those in the CHL. Other times, that delay is to mask a pass. Off the rush, Suzuki makes heavy usage of this deceptive move. In this particular sequence, he runs The more difficult to identify skills matter, too, such as problem-solving over a player, which he’ll do every now and then. On a 2-on-1, Suzuki and decision making, particularly making the right play at the right time. slows down, shows the goaltender and defender that he’s shooting, and These traits allow players, especially those without notable speed or then fires a hard pass across the ice. The opposition’s convinced a shot strength, to separate and execute at the higher levels of hockey. is coming, so it’s an easy goal for Suzuki’s teammate. Admittedly, identifying these requires off-ice considerations, but they manifest themselves in on-ice plays. On the power play, Suzuki uses the threat of the shot to shred the penalty kill. It’s impressive to watch. He gets set for a shot, the penalty Let’s start with an obvious example of problem-solving: Defence. On the kill shifts, then he makes a powerful cross-ice pass to create a better look penalty kill, Suzuki has just gotten beaten with a no-look backhand pass on the other side. on the point. The passer gets the puck back, and tees up a shot. Suzuki waves his stick in front to deceive the passer into thinking he’s taking Since being traded to the Guelph Storm, Suzuki’s using more shooting away the shot, then immediately blocks the passing lane. A good play tricks. The most prominent one is the angle change. Suzuki will set up for there would’ve just been to take the pass away; a great play is to force a shot, then curl and drag around a defender and fire. He usually the player into turning the puck over. combines it with a delay to draw a defender between the puck and the goaltender, making the shot even harder for the goaltender to stop. Forechecking, backchecking, and off-the-puck routes are also good examples of problem-solving. Suzuki’s a strong backchecker, as we see Now, watch this setup by Suzuki. On a 2-on-1, Suzuki pulls the puck in this next example. After stealing possession, he cuts across and towards his skates like he’s going to curl, drag, and shoot, but turns it into passes. Then, he immediately drives down the middle to make himself an a cross-ice pass. option and open up the cross-ice pass. Suzuki realizes that he can’t handle the pass, so he simply sticklifts the defender, and the puck goes The deceptive tricks that Suzuki pulls on defenders have become even right to an open teammate. more dangerous, and projectable to the NHL, thanks to an increase of pace. When it comes to making the right play at the right time, Suzuki’s definitely positive. The results are just incredible: 121 goals and 169 One of the greatest hurdles that CHL players have to overcome while assists in 188 games over the past three seasons. That’s a dual threat transitioning to the NHL is pace. Pace isn’t just about physical skating right there. The diversity of plays that Suzuki can make really benefits him. You just never know what Suzuki’s going to do, and it can be hard to discern patterns because he’s just so good at making plays of all kinds.

I do think there’s room for improvement with his play selection, however, notably with his shooting-passing balance. Suzuki will pass when shooting is the best option. Sometimes, it results in a ridiculous set up like this:

Others, it results in nothing. And weeding out those plays that result in nothing will be important for Suzuki going forward. There’s reason to believe that he will. Through his four seasons in the OHL, Suzuki has always adapted to the players around him. With Owen Sound separating Kevin Hancock and Suzuki, Suzuki took on more of a shooter role. Traded to Guelph, Suzuki has been more of a playmaker alongside 50- goal scorer Isaac Ratcliffe; his goals per game has jumped from 0.69 to 0.87 playing alongside Suzuki.

Then, there’s that Suzuki can make subtle expressions of high-end skill and awareness in any given situation. We’ve seen many of them, from the way that he rushes the puck up the ice, to the deceptive passing. But here’s one more.

Suzuki’s in position for a sharp angle, low percentage shot. He’s moving, and he’s on his off-wing – this isn’t a look that players get every game. Suzuki assumes a stance that readies him to both receive a pass and shoot. He takes the weight of the pass to essentially scoop the puck onto his blade. A foot off the ice, he releases the puck and shovels it top corner. It’s basically an angle change, but a vertical one.

If he does what just about every other player does from that situation, that’s just another sharp angle shot that gets saved.

Now that’s maximizing your opportunity.

The improvements that Suzuki’s made pace-wise are really impressive. After all, many high-skill players never improve their pace; it’s hard to change habits that have previously led to success. The added pace has allowed Suzuki’s deception and creativity to shine even brighter than before.

Of course, Suzuki’s still a prospect. And while he might be one of the best prospects in the world, there’s still work be done. He could get to the middle more, both off the rush and in the offensive zone. The generic need to get stronger and faster applies, too. And of course, luck.

But before the NHL, Suzuki’s got important matters to attend to – winning an OHL title.

The Athletic LOADED: 03.23.2019 1137105 Montreal Canadiens Anyway, it was a perfect night for the Habs. But just as quickly as they moved back into a playoff spot three days after Claude Julien had to say “We’re not dead” is how sudden the playoff positioning can change Melnick’s GBU: Springtime in Montreal is fun again again. But with just eight games left the Habs know that it’s up to them and nobody else to get it done, especially with upcoming games in Carolina and Columbus.

By Mitch Melnick Mar 22, 2019 Isn’t this fun?

Play Ball!

Happy days are here again. THE GOOD

It’s springtime in Montreal. The snow is melting (yeah it’s coming back · : If he’s played a better game this season, I might have but won’t stay much longer), the Boys of Summer, led by Felipe Alou, missed it. He fired the puck, he blocked shots, he fired the puck, he hit, Larry Walker, Dennis Martinez and Steve Rogers, are about to hit town, he fired the puck again, he roughed up a couple of opponents, and he and the Canadiens are in a playoff spot. scored. He had a real presence, even as he hooked Nick Leddy after the Islanders’ defenceman blew by him through the middle of the ice inside Who could ask for anything more? the Montreal zone that briefly put the Habs down by two men. Leddy’s Ok, maybe a fast-forward button to April 7, but the tide sure shifted in a speed victimizes a lot of opposing players. Weber’s laser of a shot in the hurry. first minute of the second period went in and out the net faster than a falcon moves in on its prey. It was his 13th goal of the season. Only One week after a dismal effort in unfamiliar surroundings (for most of the seven defencemen have scored more. All but one of them ( in Habs) at Nassau Coliseum in Uniondale, after which they were called out 62 games) have played at least 20 more games than Weber’s 50. The by their coach, their goaltender and their two-time Stanley Cup winning Habs captain led all players with six shots on goal while firing a total of winger, Andrew Shaw, for not being playoff ready, the Canadiens have 12 shots in the direction of Thomas Greiss. Or more than enough to rattle bounced back. and hum. Whether it’s by design or out of necessity, Weber has eclipsed the 25-minute mark in just five of Montreal’s 33 games in 2019. And not They fired nearly 50 shots on goal in a shutout loss on home ice to once since a Feb. 25 loss in New Jersey. This is proving to be a wise Chicago but played a near-perfect road game for their first win (over a decision. more desperate team) in Philadelphia in five years and followed that up with a major edition of payback time against the Islanders, who are now · Special Teams: It’s been a long time coming since both units clicked on suddenly scuffling, losing their last two games by a combined score of 9- the same night. It was an early test for the penalty killers when their two 0. busiest skaters, Jeff Petry and Weber, took overlapping penalties. But Nate Thompson literally took control of the puck and wouldn’t let it go, The schedule said it was game 74 of the 2018-19 season. But once the just missing a shorty for what would have been his first goal as a Hab. puck was dropped at 7:38 PM between Nate Thompson and Casey Thompson played like a man possessed, not a 34-year old role player. Cizikas, it was a playoff game. At least it was for the home team. And it must have been so gratifying to watch Armia’s shot from the slot The Islanders, already dealing with injuries to Johnny Boychuk and trickle through Greiss for his first career power play goal. As of this Valtteri Filppula, and with several others who are playing through moment, perhaps the most important goal of the season. There was so significant ailments, were battered by the Habs, who played like their much to like about it. Weber casually tapping the puck out of the air to playoff lives depended on it, even if it was a week late. keep it in the zone. Drouin working down low, an area the coaches just moved him to. An outstanding, tight, no-look pass by Jordan Weal (he Watching everybody from their 33-year old captain to their 18-year old was looking at Drouin) to set up Armia. And with just six seconds left on rookie centre throw their bodies around in the first period, there was no the clock before the first intermission. mistaking the Canadiens’ will and desire. It seemed like on every second shift there was an Islander down on the ice, slowly trying to get up, from · Carey Price: It might not have been a game-saver, but Price’s save on Cizikas, who was hit by a fire hydrant named Max Domi, to Mathew five and a half minutes into the second period was beyond Barzal, who surely woke up back home with a deep bruise on his lower timely. Thirty seconds later Montreal increased its lead to 3-0. Eberle is back, to Brock Nelson and Andrew Ladd and even Matt Martin, all with not having a productive season and you can see why. Alone with the hits that were delivered with the purpose and accuracy of a tenderizer. puck to Price’s right and with so much of the net to shoot at, he hesitated just long enough to allow a desperate Price to get the tip of his left pad Montreal opened the scoring after a dumb decision by Leo Komarov, who on the puck. It was such a surreal moment, almost like Price was frozen was trying to respond to the physical punishment by seemingly in time, waiting for the puck to hit him. But that’s what he does, huh? Two attempting to dislodge Brendan Gallagher’s left knee from the rest of his days after the NHLPA named him the best goalie in the NHL in their leg. But it was the manner in which they did it, with a struggling Jonathan annual player poll, Price recorded career shutout number 44, as he Drouin helping to set up a goal on a power play that was struggling just moves into new milestone territory trailing Ken Dryden by two. He’ll as badly at the very end of the opening period, they at least were able to eventually get to number two on the list (Jacques Plante at 58) but the do something they couldn’t do in their last home game – take the early top spot, even for Price, is out of reach. George Hainsworth racked up 75 lead and run with it. shutouts, most of them, including 22 in one season, during the dead puck era of the late 1920s. Since surrendering eight goals to the Ducks in One week after they “cracked” and played without any “bite” on Long Anaheim on March 8, Price has stopped 138 of 144 shots for a save Island, the Habs kept buzzing and made the Islanders look like the team percentage of .958. And what do NHL players know about goaltending searching for its playoff mojo. anyway? Meanwhile, in Carolina the Hurricanes blew a lead against Tampa Bay MY LATEST FOR @INGOALMEDIA LOOKS AT THE @NHLPA while in Edmonton, the post-game vibe out of the Columbus room kind of PLAYERS POLL. THEIR CHOICE OF CAREY PRICE FOR BEST echoed what we heard from Julien and some of his players after the late GOALIE WAS SOMEWHAT SURPRISING, BUT NUMBERS FROM goal by Anders Lee gave the Islanders that 2-1 win over Montreal a week @CSAHOCKEY SUPPORT THEIR DECISION. earlier. HTTPS://T.CO/F6KD9B3ICB “We’ve talked enough,” said Blue Jackets coach John Tortorella after his — PAUL CAMPBELL (@WAYTOGOPAUL) MARCH 20, 2019 team went down, without much fight, to the Oilers. “We just have to have some sort of urgency to try to get back into this or we have no chance. I · Phillip Danault: Went head to head with Mathew Barzal and dominated just don’t think we understand the level that we need to play at right the speedy Islanders centre. Maybe Barzal had been softened up a bit by now.” an early Petry cross-check to his lower back. But by the time he was stripped of the puck by Drouin inside the Montreal zone that led to Even more bizarre than their play since the trade deadline acquisitions of Drouin’s first goal in 18 games (a beauty of a three-way passing play with Matt Duchene and Ryan Dzingel is the state of Sergei Bobrovsky. The Drouin starting and finishing with Armia and Jesperi Kotkaniemi) Barzal multiple Vezina-winner didn’t play in Edmonton after Tortorella stated looked almost disinterested. Earlier in the day when asked about the earlier in the day that he was “nicked up.” challenge of stopping Barzal’s speed, Danault almost shrugged while Isn’t that what Carey Price has been since 2016? pointing out that it was more a case of Montreal working a lot harder than they did in Uniondale. Or, as Claude Julien put it, “We have to be ready and bring our game and impose our game on them.” Mission accomplished. Danault won 9-of-12 faceoffs, including a perfect 5-for-5 against Barzal. Danault was also a force on the penalty kill and had to feel especially good at the end of the night when he looked at the score sheet and saw that Barzal did not get a single shot on goal.

· Artturi Lehkonen: Lehkonen was also a big part of the penalty kill while he continued to amp up his intensity level playing alongside Max Domi and Andrew Shaw. There was his (seemingly) nightly hit goalpost on an impressive wraparound that ultimately saw the puck slide out to Weber for the all-important second Montreal goal. Now that Drouin finally ended a long scoring drought what happens next: a goal by Lehkonen (one goal in 36 games) or the first career goal by Victor Mete, who had another strong night and actually whizzed a couple of shots that handcuffed both Islanders netminders?

· Jordan Weal: How’s this for good hands? First the high-quality pass to Armia for the power play goal; a perfect deflection of a Jordie Benn shot for his second goal as a Hab (and first two-point game); and 6-for-7 on faceoffs, or 81 percent. “Relax your hands,” said Weal after the morning skate. We’re back to the Zen of hockey. Or as John Lennon might have added, “Turn off your mind, relax and float downstream.”

THE BAD

· Matt Martin: Spent the last five minutes looking for a dance partner before he was finally tossed from the game with less than a minute to play. The line of Martin, Cizikas and Clutterbuck is a classic shit- disturbing trio and usually effective. One week ago in Uniondale they set the tone early and had the Habs totally disrupted. But there was no case of rinse and repeat in this game. They were held to a total of one shot on goal and badly outplayed by Montreal’s fourth line. By the end of it they, especially Martin, looked like something out of a time warp.

THE UGLY

· Leo Komarov: Dirty and dangerous take out of Brendan Gallagher led to the game-winning goal by Armia late in the first period. It was called a trip but Komarov used his knee to hit the back of Gallagher’s knee to knock the Habs winger off his feet. It was a lonely skate back to the Islanders bench for Komarov, whose stupidity more or less handed the game to the Canadiens. The only thing missing was a thank you lick from Brad Marchand.

The Athletic LOADED: 03.23.2019 1137106 Nashville Predators

Former Predator Mike Fisher says he's now an American citizen

Nashville Tennessean Published 11:39 a.m. CT March 22, 2019 | Updated 3:58 p.m. CT March 22, 2019

Mike Fisher may be retired, but the former Nashville Predator is still making big life moves in 2019.

The hockey player, who hails from Canada, posted to Instagram on Thursday that he is now officially an American.

A post to his Instagram story shows him in a courtroom waving an American flag.

Also in 2019, Fisher welcomed a baby boy with wife Carrie Underwood. Jacob Bryan Fisher was born in January and is their second son. They also have a 4-year-old, Isaiah.

In February, the Predators honored their former captain during "Mike Fisher Night" at Bridgestone Arena.

Tennessean LOADED: 03.23.2019 1137107 Nashville Predators

Catfish Corner newsletter: Pekka Rinne's puppy, Austin Watson's return, Kyle Turris' frustration

Paul Skrbina, Nashville Tennessean Published 6:30 a.m. CT March 22, 2019 | Updated 7:07 a.m. CT March 22, 2019

Move over Lord Banner of Smashville, there's a new puppy in town.

Predators goalie Pekka Rinne brought his 12-week-old Bernedoodle, Pabla, to practice Wednesday, and the girl was quite a hit.

A familiar face was back at practice this week, too.

Forward Austin Watson was reinstated from his indefinite suspension for alcohol abuse Tuesday.

He practiced with the team for the first time in six-plus weeks Wednesday and said he'll handle his comeback the same as he's handling his struggles with alcohol: one day at a time.

What does it mean?

General manager said the hope is to have Watson back on the ice before the end of the regular season, which is April 6.

Watson said he'll see how things go.

Pernell-Karl Subban

Lindsey Vonn, girlfriend of Predators defenseman P.K. Subban, did a Q&A on Twitter and answered some questions about her boyfriend, the goat cake and the Predators.

Mr. Clutch

Colton Sissons added some punch to the offense for the Predators.

Oklahoma!

Defenseman Matt Donovan is used to being scratched. The rare player from Oklahoma is OK with that as long as he's in the NHL.

RV!

Viktor Arvidsson is having a career year offensively, despite being injured a lot. He thinks he knows why.

The other Catfish Corner

We talk Austin Watson and more on the latest episode of the Catfish Corner podcast.

Quote of the week

"I don’t think there's anything gained."I just want to help the team win any way I can, just get into a rhythm here. It’s a coach's decision." Kyle Turris on being a healthy scratch for two games in a row.

Tennessean LOADED: 03.23.2019 1137108 New Jersey Devils “I say some dumb stuff out there sometimes,” Gabriel said. “And it’s funny when you go to say something and you stutter and then everyone hears you stutter. So you have to have your lines ready and you have to The art of the chirp, according to the NJ Devils execute it. If you stutter halfway through it sounds stupid.”

It even extends to the benches every once in a while with the coaches jarring at one another from opposite sides of the plexiglass. Abbey Mastracco, NHL writer Published 5:25 p.m. ET March 22, 2019 | Updated 8:04 p.m. ET March 22, 2019 The notoriously fiery John Hynes said it’s not uncommon for coaches to engage at lower levels, especially in junior leagues. Though he can’t remember an instance in which a coach has gone at him in the NHL, it does happen. Patrick Roy infamously tried to tear the partition down in an NEWARK — Way back in September as the Devils were taking the ice attempt to get to former Anaheim Ducks coach Bruce Boudreau in the for training camp, I posed a question to several players on the Devils: 2013 season-opener and John Tortorella is an equal-opportunity trash Who is the best trash talker on the team? talker, be it with the coaches, media or officials. Well, many of those players aren’t with the team anymore. Brian Boyle is “Usually you kind of go back-and-forth but it rarely escalates,” Hynes in Nashville with the Predators and Ben Lovejoy is in Dallas with the said. “At least in the NHL.” Stars. But this is hockey, and if you’re not chirping you’re not trying. Some players, like noted Ducks’ pest Corey Perry, cross the line by “When there’s competitive stuff going back and forth, that’s when hockey going beyond insults to antics. Perry has stolen sticks while skating past is at its best,” Devils forward Kurtis Gabriel said. “That’s why we play the benches and squired water into gloves, among other things. Elsewhere in game because it’s competitive.” Southern California, Jonathan Quick has been known for similar moves, Gabriel is admittedly loquacious. The fourth-line enforcer is a talker in though it’s usually out of anger and the sticks end up broken instead of hockey and outside of it. just dropped on the ice.

New Jersey Devils right wing Kurtis Gabriel (39) and St. Louis Blues left As speed and skill have taken over the game, things like fighting and on- wing Pat Maroon (7) and defenseman Colton Parayko (55) are separated ice pranks have gone by the wayside. But trash talk is here to stay, no by referees as they attempt to fight during the second period at matter what your role is in any sport. It’s part of what keeps the game Enterprise Center in a February meeting. exciting for the players and for the fans.

“I’m probably the only guy who never shuts up on the bench because I “I hate the games that are boring,” Gabriel said. “I don’t want to be in a spend the most time on the bench,” Gabriel said. league like that. I want to be in a league where it’s hard and guys are going after each other every night.” So it’s only natural the talkativeness extends to the ice, but once he climbs over the boards, the conviviality gives way to adrenaline. And Bergen Record LOADED: 03.23.2019 when the adrenaline takes over, the chirping takes on a life of his own.

Trash talk is a part of sports at any level. Whether it’s Gabriel, who may be trying to instigate a fight or simply bring energy to a game, a pitcher daring a hitter to run on him or a hulking center celebrating after a big swat under the basket in crunch time, it gets athletes, fans and even coaches into the game.

It’s the reason networks put a microphone on players for marquee broadcasts and one of the many reasons why Boston Bruins forward Brad Marchand is, well, Brad Marchand.

Feb 9, 2019; Newark, NJ, USA; Minnesota Wild left wing Marcus Foligno (17) and New Jersey Devils right wing Kurtis Gabriel (39) fight during the second period at Prudential Center.

Gabriel isn’t putting on any airs here. He knows his role as a fourth-liner so he's going to try and goad the other fourth-liner on the ice. He’s not going to try to get under the skin of a top-line forward like Marchand, unless, by some weird twist of ill-fated lineups they end up on the ice at the same time. But even then, there's a level of respect.

“He’s a top player in this league and he’s won a (Stanley) Cup, so you can’t really chirp him,” Gabriel said. “Unless it’s about his big nose or that he’s kind of a dirty, cheat of a player. He’s known for that.”

There’s an art form to trash talking.

“The best are the guys who are funny and kind of cut you,” Blake Coleman said. “I enjoy a little comedy in it.”

So many NHL players are familiar with one another, whether it’s from off- season training in Toronto or Michigan or from having crossed paths in the minor leagues, so they know how to push each other’s buttons and get under someone’s skin.

New Jersey Devils right wing Kurtis Gabriel (39) has something to say to Philadelphia Flyers center Scott Laughton (21) during the third period at Prudential Center on March 1, 2019. .

Flyers' forward Travis Konecny recently threw a barb at Gabriel about his hockey skills, or as Konecny was implying, lack thereof. Gabriel, who trains with him in the offseason, had a quick response.

"I told him I scored the game-winner last night," he said. "It's good to use facts."

But just make sure you’re ready with those facts when the opportunity presents itself to joust. 1137109 New Jersey Devils

NJ Devils' Mirco Mueller and Nico Hischier eying returns against Coyotes

Abbey Mastracco, NHL writer Published 3:13 p.m. ET March 22, 2019

NEWARK — The Devils welcomed back two key players in practice Friday at RWJBarnabas Health Hockey House with defenseman Mirco Mueller and center Nico Hischier taking line rushes, engaging in battle drills and participating in full.

Nico Hischier, who has been struggling with an upper-body injury that knocked him out of a game in Boston on March 2, would provide the offense-starved Devils with some much-needed playmaking.

Mar 2, 2019; Boston, MA, USA; New Jersey Devils center Nico Hischier (13) controls the puck in front of Boston Bruins defenseman Zdeno Chara (33) during the first period at TD Garden.

But there was little concern for whether or not Hischier would return this season. The greater concern surrounded his good friend and fellow Swiss countryman Mueller, who has been out since Feb. 27 with a left shoulder injury that was the result of a scary collision.

Mueller collided with the end boards in the Devils’ 2-1 loss to the Calgary Flames last month and was carted off the ice after laying motionless for several minutes. As it turned out, the incident looked worse than it was in reality and Mueller ended up with a left shoulder injury. It was the same shoulder he injured last season, but he thinks the plate in his collarbone may have been beneficial.

NEWARK, NEW JERSEY - FEBRUARY 27: Mirco Mueller #25 of the New Jersey Devils is taken off the ice after a third period injury against the Calgary Flames at the Prudential Center on February 27, 2019 in Newark, New Jersey. The Flames defeated the devils 2-1.

“It was kind of tough to figure out initially, I just lost an edge and the next thing I knew I was just laying there trying to think about what was going on,” Mueller said. “As soon as I was able to move my arms and legs I figured it could have been much worse, so it was almost a relief in that sense.

“But at the impact, I really don’t remember how it went. I just remember pulling my head to the side and just laying there.”

Hischier and Mueller are both possibilities for Saturday’s game against the Arizona Coyotes, but lineup decisions won’t be finalized until Saturday when the trainers see how both players responded to their practice workloads.

NEWARK, NEW JERSEY - FEBRUARY 27: Mirco Mueller #25 of the New Jersey Devils is taken off the ice after a third period injury against the Calgary Flames at the Prudential Center on February 27, 2019 in Newark, New Jersey. The Flames defeated the devils 2-1.

“It was important for them to be able to get in a full team practice like that where it was competitive,” coach John Hynes said. “It was nice to see those two guys back out there.”

Bergen Record LOADED: 03.23.2019 1137110 New Jersey Devils It was a shot on goal in the first period that had Jacobs feeling calm once again. The Devils were pleased with what they saw in their big, right-shot defenseman. It was a solid debut but there’s plenty to build from.

Takeaways: NJ Devils showing character in late-season losses “He skates well, he’s got good size and he’s a physical guy that’s difficult to play against,” Hynes said. “The next step is now, we see those attributes but there are other things that come into it like puck-moving, Abbey Mastracco, NHL writer Published 6:52 a.m. ET March 22, 2019 decision-making, readiness to play.”

Bergen Record LOADED: 03.23.2019 NEWARK — The Devils have played some clunkers this season but now, as the season is winding down and the team is without most of its star players they’re playing… Well, not half bad, actually.

New Jersey has lost nine of its last 12 games but other than a bad loss in Calgary they haven’t been blown out. Playing with a roster full of players who probably belong in the American Hockey League, they’ve somehow managed to hang around nearly every night and even stole a couple wins on the road.

How has this been possible? It’s no secret really, they’re just playing exceptionally hard. Some are playing for pride, some are playing for future jobs but all are playing together as a unit.

“That’s what we are as a team,” Devils captain Andy Greene said. “That’s how we have to play, how we have to compete. We stay in games because of how hard we work and how hard we compete. It’s not going to be because of our skill.”

The Devils may currently be comprised of mostly role players but the group is quickly finding out what those role players are made of.

“The mark of a man is how he fights through adversity,” coach John Hynes said. “Things haven’t gone well for us. It’s easy to jump off board, it’s easy to get criticized, it’s easy to criticize, but for everyone in the room, on our coaching staff and our management staff, we have to say, things haven’t been good enough but what can we extract from what we have here?”

Here are three things to extract from the Devils’ latest loss, a 5-1 downing by the Boston Bruins on Thursday night at Prudential Center.

Puck management

The Devils were outshooting the Bruins until midway through the second period. Even after that, when they had sustained pressure they couldn’t create anything offensively. The Bruins are an excellent defensive team but there were times when plays could have been made and instead skaters threw the puck away.

“That’s where we need to do a little better job of managing the puck,” Greene said. “When we do get our offensive zone time we have a habit of sometimes when we’ve got good sustained pressure we throw it away a little bit. We let them off then we regroup and work just as hard to get it back and sort of start it all over again.”

New Jersey had eight high-danger scoring chances and the Bruins only had seven, but the visitors buried their chances when they had them and were able to capitalize on sustained offensive zone time by getting to the net.

Return of the Zach(a)

Pavel Zacha returned after a 16-game absence with a concussion and set up Drew Stafford for New Jersey’s lone goal. Zacha’s impact was felt right from the start with his third line generating the bulk of the offense early. The center wants to use these last few games to continue forging an identity and it seems as though he’s on the right track.

“I thought he skated well and made a nice play on Stafford’s goal,” Hynes said. “I know he’s worked extremely hard and he’s gone through a rigorous process to be able to get back.”

Into the swing of things

Joshua Jacobs, a 23-year-old defenseman who made his NHL debut against the Bruins, felt the game speed up on him immediately. A veteran AHL player, he had always heard the speed of the game was faster at the NHL level but quickly discovered it was something he needed to experience himself to understand.

“The speed was a little different,” Jacobs said. “But as soon as I settled in it felt right and I got my confidence to keep playing.” 1137111 New Jersey Devils

Tri-state pros bring in big money for New Jersey charity game

By Michael Blinn March 22, 2019 | 2:22PM

If there’s one thing that could bring Rangers, Islanders and Devils together, it’s Mikey Nichols’ charity hockey game.

Nichols fractured his C5 vertebrae during a varsity hockey game in 2014, leading the community to rally around him. Friday will mark the fifth straight year alumni from local pro teams will skate in the Mikey Strong Charity Hockey Game at the Prudential Center, benefiting Nichols Family Trust as well as the Christopher & Dana Reeve Foundation.

Among the 21 ex-tri-state NHLers who expect to raise over $100,000 this year are Ken Daneyko, Rick DiPietro, Scott Clemmensen, Bryce Salvador and Alexei Kovalev, as well as Kelsey Koelzer and Shelly Picard of the NWHL’s Riveters.

“My family and I look forward to this game each year because it represents the generosity and warmth of two communities who have been by my side during our toughest times,” Nichols said. “I am in awe of how it has grown over the years and the endless support we’ve received. This game has brought so much awareness to the cause. It’s been overwhelming.”

Throughout its existence, the charity game has brought in over $300,000 to help treat spinal cord injuries. Its reach has not been lost on those who get to take part, like WFAN host Boomer Esiason.

“Mikey Strong is one of the most emotionally powerful events that I have ever been a part of,” Esiason said. “When we began this partnership five years ago, I couldn’t have imagined that it would evolve into the success that it has become, due in large part to the heroic inspiration that Mikey Nichols is.”

New York Post LOADED: 03.23.2019 1137112 New York Islanders

Playoff obstacle Islanders will face as season comes to close

By Brett Cyrgalis March 23, 2019 | 1:16am

PHILADELPHIA — Just two of the eight teams remaining on the Islanders’ regular-season schedule have given up hope for the playoffs.

So, no, the Islanders are not going to walk into the postseason for the first time in three years despite having a nice cushion with their 91 points against the 84 the Blue Jackets have as the team right outside the second wild-card spot.

The Capitals lost to the Wild on Friday and still own a three-point cushion over the Isles atop the Metropolitan Division.

Point is, the Islanders still are going to need to win a few games to get in, and it starts with a Saturday matinee against a desperate Flyers team that, at 80 points, can’t afford another loss.

“It’s a tough time to win hockey games right now, because you have teams that are on the fringe that are all-in, and you need to find a way to just be patient and battle,” coach Barry Trotz said after Thursday 4-0 loss in Montreal, the second straight shutout following Tuesday’s 5-0 drubbing at the hands of the Bruins at the Coliseum.

“Right now, we’re not patient and things are ending up in the back of our net.”

After Saturday, the second leg of a back-to-back is Sunday afternoon on Long Island against the Coyotes, currently tied in points for the second wild-card spot in the West. Then it’s a two-game trip to Columbus and then Winnipeg, the Jets being one of the best teams in the league. The only opponents remaining not in the playoff hunt are the Sabres (March 30) and the Panthers (April 4).

Not a good time for the Islanders to go cold.

“During the season, you’re going to go through some flat spots,” Trotz said. “We’re playing some good teams, some desperate teams. You just have to battle through it.”

It seems likely Trotz would strongly consider a lineup change, with the fresh legs of 22-year-old winger Michael Dal Colle in street clothes for six straight games. With recent call-up Tanner Fritz taking some of the penalty-killing responsibilities, it could make sense for Dal Colle to draw back in.

“I think once we get our health back, especially at center ice, then I think you’ll see Michael back in full,” Trotz said recently. “Michael has played well.”

It would make sense that struggling veteran Andrew Ladd is a candidate to come out, having been one of the main culprits to watch and not react as Scott Mayfield was nailed by Andrew Shaw on Thursday night. That lack of response irked Trotz.

Trotz canceled a planned practice at the University of Pennsylvania on Friday, instead opting for meetings and a workout at the team hotel.

There was no update on the status of Mayfield, but if he can’t go, it would be logical that Johnny Boychuk would return after he had been out the previous six games, the past five as a healthy scratch.

New York Post LOADED: 03.23.2019 1137113 New York Islanders For them to get back on track, it can start with Barzal. He is young, and that’s a lot of pressure. But if he truly is going to be a superstar, this is a good time to show it.

Mat Barzal’s flagging play comes at worst possible time for Islanders New York Post LOADED: 03.23.2019

By Brett Cyrgalis March 22, 2019 | 5:23PM

PHILADELPHIA — Having to hear these difficult statements is the plight of the superstar. This is what Mat Barzal is going to deal with for as long as he retains that description, especially in this town.

The Islanders’ 21-year-old wunderkind hasn’t been good enough.

As the games for the Islanders start to really matter for the first time in a while, Barzal has reverted back to playing reckless and immature. Of course, the horrid two-game losing streak with a combined score of 9-0 that the team brings down for Saturday’s matinee against the Flyers is hardly all his fault. But if he wants to be the face of the franchise, if he wants to have one of those careers built on stepping up in big games and, above all, winning, then he has to be better.

Everybody is allowed a lull, especially players with 158 games of NHL experience. Every kid who has just reached the legal drinking age is allowed to have mental lapses.

But Barzal is on a different plane, one built by his own elite-level talent and the expectations that come with that. He wants to be great, and he’s well on his way to getting there. The guidance of first-year coach Barry Trotz should accelerate that process.

Yet in Montreal on Thursday, Barzal tried to make hope plays around Shea Weber, and often ended up turning the puck over — just like he did in the second period before he loafed back on defense and watched as Jonathan Drouin scored an unbothered goal to make it 3-0. Tuesday on Long Island, Barzal couldn’t crack Patrice Bergeron, unable to create enough room to register a shot on goal in almost 20 minutes of ice time while his team lost 5-0.

Of course, this is elite competition. The best of the best. It’s a group that Barzal wants to join, but one where he doesn’t belong just yet.

It brings us back to one of the bedrock statements made about Barzal’s sophomore campaign, coming from Trotz right after Barzal was terrific in matching up against villainous former captain John Tavares during that epic night on Feb. 28 at the Coliseum: “What I want Mathew to be able to do is, night in and night out, ‘OK, here’s the top guy from the other team. Do you want go against him? Go against him.’ That’s where you want to get those top players to be.”

The other statement that has defined Barzal’s growth as a player came from him in January, just before the reigning Calder Trophy winner left for San Jose to be the team’s lone representative at the All-Star Game: “I just want to get to the playoffs. You can have all those individual [awards], but at the end of the day, I don’t want to be a guy that goes to play 15 years and makes the playoffs three times, you know? I want to be in there consistently.”

Ah, the playoffs. Barzal knows that is where legacies are made — good and bad, fair and unfair.

The Islanders wouldn’t be in the position they are, still ostensibly fighting the Capitals for first place in the Metropolitan Division with eight games to play, if it wasn’t for Barzal. Specifically, Barzal buying into Trotz’s system has been a galvanizing force.

When Tavares left, Anders Lee was named the captain. But it was Barzal who took the spotlight.

“Last year, a lot of the focus was on John as the No. 1 center, and Barzy got secondary duty. No one really paid attention [to him] other than he could fly around and skate,” Trotz said. “Now, he’s elevated and he’s more of a target. One of the things that people don’t understand in this game, the true superstars that are consistent, night in and night out, they are the guys that are willing to fight for their inches, because they’re up against the best every night.”

It’s only going to get tougher from here on out, not just for Barzal, but for the Islanders as a whole. Their strength all season has been in the collective effort, which has dipped recently in lockstep with Barzal’s individual meandering. 1137114 New York Islanders

Islanders mired in a slump at the worst possible time

By Andrew Gross

Updated March 23, 2019 1:10 AM

The issue is the timing more than the slump itself. All NHL teams go through ups and downs in an 82-game season. But the Islanders are trending downward at the exact wrong time.

When they begin a weekend back-to-back set in Philadelphia at 1 p.m. Saturday, they will be coming off the franchise’s first back-to-back shutout losses since Nov. 19-21, 2011. They played marginally better in Thursday night’s 4-0 loss in Montreal — limiting most of the damage to a three-goal letdown in the first 8:19 of the second period — than they did in a 5-0 loss to the Bruins on Tuesday night at NYCB Live’s Nassau Coliseum.

The Isles, who did not practice Friday, also looked bad in a pair of losses to the Flyers at the Coliseum earlier this month: 4-1 on March 3 and 5-2 six days later.

“You talk about how important the next game is after a loss,” defenseman Thomas Hickey said. “Thankfully, there’s a lot of hockey left here. We get another chance in Philadelphia. We’re disappointed in ourselves. We’ve got to turn it around quick.”

The Islanders, who will face the Coyotes at the Coliseum at 3 p.m. Sunday, have lost three of four and didn’t play particularly well in Sunday’s 3-2 win in Minnesota.

They have gone 7-8-1 in their last 16 games and have scored 10 goals in their last seven. The power play has produced one goal in 31 opportunities in the last 14 games.

“You’re going to go through stretches like that and have adversity throughout the year,” forward Andrew Ladd said. “We’ve got to stick together and find a way out of it. I think we’re confident as a group we can get it going the other way.”

The Islanders, who have eight games left in the regular season and are seeking their first playoff berth since 2016, are jockeying with the Penguins for second place in the Metropolitan Division and home-ice advantage in the first round. Both have 91 points. The Penguins, who have played one extra game, will play the Stars in Dallas on Saturday.

“It’s not ideal,” center Casey Cizikas said. “But you can do a lot in eight games.”

Not with the forwards struggling to produce and depth at center an issue with Valtteri Filppula (left shoulder) out for four weeks.

Jordan Eberle has one goal in 20 games. Josh Bailey has gone 12 games without a goal and eight games without a point. Mathew Barzal has gone 16 games without a goal.

Newsday LOADED: LOADED: 03.23.2019 1137115 New York Islanders They can’t all come out, of course. The Islanders don’t have the sort of depth for wholesale changes. But Dal Colle spending time in press boxes is a real waste of a reemerging prospect, and the Isles could use a With the Islanders entering a crucial stretch after two-straight ugly losses, different look. four fixes they should consider 2. A new off-wing shooter for PP1. Bailey and Nelson both had their cracks at being the trigger man opposite Barzal in the Isles’ 1-3-1 power- play setup. Neither has worked because neither is a quick-trigger shooter By Arthur Staple Mar 22, 2019 — the Isles really don’t have any lefties who fit that description.

Devon Toews has shown an ability to get his shot through and move it quickly. Why not try him in that spot? Nick Leddy goes back to the point PHILADELPHIA — We’ve asked the question here a couple of times to be the distributor, Barzal and Jordan Eberle work the two-man game during the post-All Star malaise that now has crept into the stretch run: on the opposite side and Anders Lee patrols the front. Toews doesn’t Can a team without much skill raise its level? have a devastating shot, but he can get it off quickly and that’s the main After the last two games — 120 minutes worth of being beaten with a bag weapon there. of oranges to the tune of 9-0, the first time in eight seasons the Isles Another power-play option is to use a “bumper,” which is basically a have been shut out in consecutive games — there’s a new, more urgent player stationed in the slot away from the net to facilitate passes or get question: off quick shots. Cal Clutterbuck does that on PP2 and he’s actually not Can this Islanders team get its mojo back? bad at it, since he has a real shooter’s mentality. It’s when he starts trying to track down pucks or weave around that the group gets into trouble. We’re not talking a high-flying offense or even a moderately functional power play. These Isles are who they are; Barry Trotz said as much to So Lee could move away from the net, as he’s done a few times in recent MSG Network’s AJ Mleczko postgame on Thursday night, repeating the weeks, allowing Eberle to be more ready for net-front work. Or Nelson old saw about how “the answer has to come from the room.” He means it could slot in there. — even calling up Josh Ho-Sang wouldn’t make a big difference right The Isles are working with what they’ve got on the power play, which isn’t now. much. But there’s still room for improvement. The Islanders became a top-10 squad in the NHL by outworking 3. Break up the fourth line. It would have (rightly) been sacrilege to opponents, getting timely first saves from their goalies and capitalizing on suggest this a month or two ago, but with Martin, Clutterbuck and Casey mistakes. They still don’t give up much beyond a first chance, but those Cizikas having all missed time with injuries and illness since then, the first chances have been doozies of late. Again on Thursday, it was the group has had a hard time regaining its special chemistry. middle period that savaged the Isles after a disappointing, but still tight, first period. It’d be interesting to see what Cizikas could do with more minutes down the middle while playing alongside Bailey, say, or even Lee. Clutterbuck’s With a day off to recover from another beatdown and the Flyers looming effectiveness has translated well to different lines without the other two on Saturday afternoon — Philly has administered two of the Isles’ eight this season, so perhaps a turn with Nelson would work as an effective defeats in what is now a 7-8-1 slide since Feb. 16 — it’s sure that Barry line against opposing top scorers. Trotz will make some adjustments before the back-to-backs with Philly here and the Coyotes on Long Island. We’re not sold on this one, simply because as this fourth line goes, so go the Isles. We’ve got four ideas to offer for the time being: 4. Bring Boychuk back. What’s really hurt the Islanders — and what was 1. Time to sit some veterans. Trotz pointed out on the MSG postgame hurting them even before Boychuk went down with a shoulder injury, got show that he had a couple players “on their own program” in that fateful healthy and ended up a scratch for the past week — has been their net- second period on Thursday and it was clear Mathew Barzal was one of front in the defensive zone. That’s an area where a healthy Boychuk has them. Barzal turned a puck over and didn’t get back at the end of a long greatly helped this season, at least until the two weeks or so before his shift to do anything to break up Jonathan Drouin’s 3-0 goal. He was injury, when he and Nick Leddy became a real liability. skipped the next time through in the forward rotation. But Boychuk’s been ready for a bit now. The Isles may need him Yet there was no similar punishment for Leo Komarov, whose regardless, with Scott Mayfield having left Thursday’s game late following unnecessary attempt to hit Brendan Gallagher in open ice in the final Andrew Shaw’s big hit. Even if Mayfield is ready to go, Boychuk should minute of the first period resulted in a clear tripping minor. It came just be in and possibly reunited with Leddy to get that pair in order and give after the Isles killed off a Canadiens power play and seemed content to the Adam Pelech-Ryan Pulock pair a lighter load. get to the first intermission all square. Notice none of these minor fixes involve Ho-Sang, Otto Koivula or Instead, the Canadiens scored with 5.2 seconds left in the period, then anyone else at Bridgeport. There’s a reason for that — what’s ailing the again in the opening 70 seconds of the second. Komarov’s play changed Islanders isn’t one new guy away from being fixed. They are truly a team the game, but he didn’t miss a 5-on-5 shift. that can win only when they’re gelling together, usually in 2-1 or 3-2 Without the injured Valtteri Filppula until the end of a potential first-round fashion. This is the team you’ve got and it’s up to them to solve their playoff series, there’s no natural center to fit with Komarov. He does kill problems, starting Saturday in Philadelphia. penalties and that’s a key for Trotz — any replacement in the lineup The Athletic LOADED: 03.23.2019 would cause some roles to adjust. But Komarov is hovering around 41 percent in Corsi-for percentage and scoring chance-for percentage in the last month. He’s got company there, with the likes of Matt Martin, Tom Kuhnhackl and Filppula all on the ice for 60 percent or more of the shots and chances.

But Komarov’s season-long shot share is 43.9 percent. He seems like the leading candidate to take a rest in favor of Michael Dal Colle’s younger legs. Tanner Fritz jumped into Filppula’s skates on Thursday at 3C and on the PK, so surely Brock Nelson or Josh Bailey could pick up Komarov’s PK slack for a few nights.

It’s not just Komarov. Andrew Ladd has been laboring ever since he returned from knee surgery — the mind is clearly able, but the body is not. With so many other regular forwards playing through bumps and bruises, Ladd’s ineffectiveness can’t be ignored. Bailey, without a point in eight straight, is another candidate. 1137116 New York Rangers

Rangers’ Chris Kreider will sit versus Maple Leafs, is day to day

By Peter Botte March 23, 2019 | 1:28am

One day after he acknowledged the Rangers were leaning toward shutting down Jesper Fast for the rest of the season, coach David Quinn will be without another regular forward Saturday against the Maple Leafs.

Chris Kreider didn’t make the trip to Toronto, and Quinn said the winger was sent for an MRI exam Friday to determine the status of the lower- body injury that has kept him out of the past two practices.

“Day to day right now, he’s gonna get an MRI and we’ll know more,” Quinn said before the Rangers departed.

Marc Staal returned to practice after sitting out Thursday’s session, also with a lower-body injury. He has been listed as questionable to face the Maple Leafs.

“He felt better [Friday], we’ll see how he feels [Saturday],” Quinn said.

Asked how he liked having three straight practice days after Tuesday’s loss to the Red Wings, Quinn quipped: “I’ll let you know tomorrow at about 9:30.”

“Listen, any time you can have real practices now, I’m sure they’re not tickled pink about it, but that’s life,” the first-year coach continued. “It just gives you a chance to kind of readdress some things that you need to reiterate, things that can get lost over the course of a season when you don’t have a chance to practice. So it’s stuff that we just can get better at.”

Defenseman Brady Skjei believes the added practice time has been “huge to try to get back on track” after the Rangers fell to 1-6-5 in their past 12 games following the loss to Detroit.

“We’re always trying to improve here, especially with our group of guys — we have a lot of young guys that are trying to learn this league and establish themselves,” Skjei said. “We’re working hard for these last nine games and also working for the offseason and going into next year.”

New York Post LOADED: 03.23.2019 1137117 New York Rangers

Alexandar Georgiev’s Rangers classic in mind ahead of Leafs rematch

By Peter Botte March 23, 2019 | 1:01am

Alexandar Georgiev isn’t expecting or even hoping to stare down another 56-shot barrage Saturday for the Rangers, but the backup goalie vows to be ready if that many pucks once again are fired his way.

Georgiev stopped a career-high 55 of 56 shots from the high-powered Maple Leafs in a 4-1 victory at the Garden on Feb. 10 — his 23rd birthday. And he will be between the pipes against the Maple Leafs again Saturday night, according to Rangers coach David Quinn.

“It was one of the games that went pretty well for me, you could say that,” Georgiev said with a smile after practice Friday. “It was special because I had my birthday, so I got congratulations from all my relatives before. I was focused for the game and it went pretty well. Lots of shots, we played good and got a win.”

Quinn agreed that he believed the Rangers actually played well defensively in that game, at least 5-on-5, despite the lofty shot disparity.

The Bulgarian-born backup recorded the second-most saves in a regular- season game in franchise history, behind only Mike Richter’s 59 stops in an overtime tie against the Canucks in 1991.

“It’s funny. I don’t ever want to take anything away from [Georgiev], because he did play great, don’t get me wrong. But [Toronto] had 25 shots on the power play and we have to clean that up, obviously,” Quinn said. “I was talking to [former Rangers winger Mats Zuccarello] about a week before he got traded, we talked about that particular game and he said, ‘You know, Georgie played well, but 5-on-5, it never felt that way.’

David Quinn

“They were shooting pucks and getting a lot on net, which I’m trying not to take anything away from them, but 5-on-5 we actually played pretty well that game. Hopefully, we can do some things better on the penalty kill to not allow them to get 25 shots on the power play. That certainly would help our cause.”

Quinn referred to the Leafs as “one of the most-skilled and talented teams in the league, so they’re probably going to get some chances, you just have to minimize them.”

Led by leading scorer Mitch Marner, young stud Auston Matthews and former Islanders captain John Tavares, Toronto entered Friday’s action tied for third in the NHL in goals with 263.

“Every game is different. I don’t think they will get 56 shots again. I hope not. Anything can happen, I try to [look at] this game as a new game and not think about the last time,” said Georgiev, who added he received a souvenir puck from starter Henrik Lundqvist following his birthday masterpiece.

Georgiev added he’s looking forward to the playoff “atmosphere” at , but Quinn said he doesn’t need to see the rookie netminder under that spotlight to believe in him. Georgiev has gone 10- 12-3 with a 3.10 goals-against average and a .905 save percentage in 27 appearances this season.

“I’m beyond that. He’s proven what he’s capable of handling, he’s been in some big-pressure games against some really good teams and he’s done very well,” Quinn said. “So it’s just another opportunity for him to continue to grow and develop and get better.”

New York Post LOADED: 03.23.2019 1137118 New York Rangers

Alexandar Georgiev hoping to see fewer shots in Rangers' rematch vs. Leafs

By Anthony Rieber

Updated March 22, 2019 6:13 PM

GREENBURGH, N.Y. — Alexandar Georgiev has visited the Basketball Hall of Fame in Springfield, Massachusetts, but he has never been to the Hockey Hall of Fame. Georgiev will be a short walk away from his own sport's Hall on Saturday when he starts in goal for the Rangers against the Maple Leafs.

The last time Georgiev saw the Leafs . . . well, he saw too much of them and still put together a Hall of Fame-worthy performance.

Toronto fired 56 shots at Georgiev on his 23rd birthday on Feb. 10. Georgiev stopped 55 of them in a 4-1 victory at Madison Square Garden that still stands as one of the highlights of this Rangers season.

Georgiev set Rangers records for saves in a regulation game and saves at the Garden. On Saturday, the rookie will face the same team, but this time at the Air Canada Centre in Toronto.

“It’s a special building,” Georgiev said on Friday after practice. “The last time I played there, it was a lot of fun. A really great crowd. It’s going to be a very fun game to play in.”

Georgiev faced the Leafs in Toronto on Dec. 22 and made 31 saves in a 4-1 loss. That was before the 23-year-old Bulgarian began sharing time with future Hall of Famer Henrik Lundqvist down the stretch and started showing the Rangers a glimpse of his future.

“I think he’s proven what he's capable of handling,” coach David Quinn said. “He’s been in some big pressure games against some very good teams and he’s done well."

Having the experience of the Feb. 10 game should help. But, as Georgiev said: "At the same time every game is different. I don’t think they will get 56 shots again. I hope not.”

So does Quinn.

“It’s funny,” Quinn said. “And I don’t ever want to take anything away from him. He played great. But they had 25 shots on the power play. We’ve got to clean that up, obviously. I was talking to [Mats Zuccarello] probably a week before he got traded and we were talking about that particular game. He said, 'You know, Georgie played well, but 5-on-5 it never felt that way [that the Rangers were being badly outplayed].' They were shooting pucks, they had a lot of great chances. Again, I’m not trying to take anything away from him, but 5-on-5 we actually played pretty well that game. Hopefully, we can do some things better on the penalty kill to not allow them to get 25 shots on the power play.”

Notes & quotes: Marc Staal (lower body injury) returned to practice and may play Saturday, Quinn said. Chris Kreider (lower body injury) and Jesper Fast (shoulder) did not practice and did not make the trip. The Rangers haven’t announced if they are shutting down Fest for the rest of the season, but Quinn said on Thursday they were “certainly leaning in that direction.”

Newsday LOADED: LOADED: 03.23.2019 1137119 New York Rangers Two years of a “show me” deal can burn a team because the prices can get pretty steep from there — and the Rangers should have that fairly fresh in their memory. It increased the cost of Derek Stepan, Kevin Projecting pending restricted free agent Pavel Buchnevich’s next contract Hayes, and J.T. Miller’s next contracts that could have been avoided with long-term contracts sooner.

Also, signing a player for two seasons before committing long-term can By Shayna Goldman Mar 22, 2019 lead to contracts extending into years past their prime. A bridge-deal for a 21-year-old may not be a concern, but for a 24-year-old like

Buchnevich, it could be since their third contract could trail into their 30s The offseason could go two very different ways for the Rangers. It could at a high cost. General managers should be trying to pay for future be a repeat of last year, which was very quiet after the draft and focused performance, not past performance. on low-risk free agent signings and contract extensions. Or the Rangers That’s not to say all contracts after a bridge-deal are bad. After Jason could be the team most expect and make a major splash in the offseason Zucker’s third contract – the two-year bridge deal noted in the above to accelerate their rebuild. chart – expired, he extended with the Wild for five years with an average Once they move in either direction, there will be a clearer picture of the annual value of $5.5 million. Teuvo Teräväinen’s third contract (starting salary cap. Will there be a lengthy contract handed to a big name free next season) carries a $5.4 million cap hit for five years. Ryan Strome, as agent that will leave little room to maneuver? Or will there be oodles of the Rangers are obviously familiar with, signed on for two years at $3.1 space and few long-term commitments? million on average after a two-year deal.

The answer to that will help decide how to proceed with their pending Again, there’s the player’s perspective to consider. A two-year contract restricted free agents, including Pavel Buchnevich. should give Buchnevich enough time to solidify his place in the top-six of the lineup consistently. If he can thrive there, he’d more than likely earn a The Rangers have options with the 23-year-old winger (who will be 24 lucrative third contract. next month) once his entry-level contract expires in July. Based on his first 171 NHL regular season games (180 by season’s end if he plays in The group of players in the above chart are closer to Buchnevich in terms every game), there really isn’t much pressure or urgency to sign of experience than those featured in the one-year comparisons, but his Buchnevich long-term. He hasn’t been an elite scorer in that time by any production is slightly ahead all of these examples, which is why he may means or even had a breakthrough season that would make a significant be able to ask for more. That would take him closer to the $3 million second contract a necessity. range.

If the team were to be aggressive this offseason and fill their salary cap Whether or not the Rangers have the space for that though, depends on with free agent contracts, Buchnevich could be signed to an inexpensive their offseason. But let’s say the Rangers do have the space, what could extension to give them more flexibility. If that’s the case, they have a few a contract look like with a cap hit of at least $3 million? options when it comes to going with a short-term contract. At that price — whether it’s closer to André Burakovsky’s $3 million a The shortest-term solution would be a one-year contract. It would season or Sam Reinhart’s $3.65 million — a two-year contract is essentially buy management time to decide what’s next in their future possible. But they could also go for a third year. With that extra season with Buchnevich — whether it would be another short-term deal or long- added, the average annual value could be on the lower side, like Oliver term contract. From the player’s perspective, it would give Buchnevich Bjorkstrand’s $2.5 million a year or up closer to Tyler Johnson’s $3.3 the chance to push for a more significant contract next summer. million. By adding that third year though, it takes Buchnevich until he’s 27, which would make him an unrestricted free agent at its expiration. A one-year deal would likely be the Rangers’ best option to keep costs as low as possible for the time being. To gauge what that could cost, we’ll There really aren’t too many examples of players with Buchnevich’s look at comparable deals from around the league. For a one-year deal, it production signing longer contracts. There’s Miles Wood’s four-year would likely fall between $1 million and $2 million, so we’ll start with $1.5 contract with New Jersey, but the differences in their production set them million as our starting point. apart.

*Buchnevich’s career numbers were paced out to finish this season, Just because it isn’t common doesn’t mean it isn’t worth exploring. bringing him up to 180 games played and 99 points. It seems like an unlikely option considering general manager Jeff If we look at the scoring pace of all of these players though, Buchnevich Gorton’s history with players on their second contracts — almost always is ahead of each one, and he’s more experienced than all but one of the opting for a short-term deal first. above players (besides Markus Granlund who had scored his 75 points While his tenure can’t be defined just yet, he has developed tendencies, in 224 games at a rate of .335 per game at the time of his contract and one is opting for the safer, more predictable approach. The rebuild signing, compared to Buchnevich’s .550), so this may be too low of a does require some creativity to both maintain the talent they have and projection. With the salary cap changing each season, cap hit percentage add to it while keeping costs down, so Gorton should be assessing which also should be kept in mind for perspective too. With all of that in mind, calculated risks to take. A long-term Buchnevich extension could be one. $1.5 million would likely be the starting cost of a one-year contract. At this point, his 94 points in 171 games likely isn’t what the Rangers Still, this may be one of the lowest risk contracts for both player and envisioned for him. But usage and deployment decisions stunted his team, because it gives the Rangers more time to evaluate him without production in his first two years, as did injuries. But when digging below committing or putting their future cap situation in jeopardy. Even if he has the surface of his career scoring line, or even his 31 points in 56 games a breakout year, the team would still have leverage since it’s just one of this season, there may be enough to inspire the Rangers to take the risk, four years of NHL experience at that point and he’d still have to prove he including his scoring rates over the years and underlying numbers. This could sustain that production. As for Buchnevich, it would give him a year when weighing ice time, which is important to level the playing field chance to show why he should be earning more — and earning it sooner. for a player like Buchnevich who spent much of the first-half in the More commonly though, players are signed to two-year bridge-deals. For bottom-six, he’s scored at rate of 2.24 points per 60, which trails Mika Buchnevich, considering his production to this point, it would likely put Zibanejad, Chris Kreider, and Brendan Lemieux in the 11 games he’s him somewhere in the $2 million per season range. played with the Rangers.

Teams often view this as a safer bet because it gives them two more Recency bias also works in his favor, as he’s received top-nine minutes years to learn about a player and their value, which sometimes they more consistently since February 1. Since then, he’s second on the team genuinely need before making a commitment. It extends the window for a with 15 points in 23 games behind only Zibanejad, managing that despite player to have a breakout year and prove himself or a year to breakout the depleted lineup that’s struggled since the deadline. If that’s an and another to show it wasn’t a fluke. indication of what’s to come in that role next season, it could be cost- effective for the Rangers, who would be buying low and eliminating the But it’s not a foolproof strategy; in many cases, it’s a short-sighted chance of an expensive contract in two years or trade clauses that would approach. limit their flexibility. It would also ensure that they’re paying for his future performance. Another factor to add into the mix is their other pending free agents this summer, which include Lemieux, Tony DeAngelo, and Neal Pionk. If DeAngelo and Pionk receive bridge-deals, adding Buchnevich to that list only adds to their costs in two years when they’ll ideally be closer to contention. It also may coincide with their next crop of expiring entry-level contracts.

While the Rangers have the cap space right now, they’ll soon even be in the position where they’ll need every inch they can get as they rebuild into a contender — which is why those future costs have to come in mind with each and every transaction, including what may seem like a fairly standard route with a restricted free agent.

The Athletic LOADED: 03.23.2019 1137120 New York Rangers continue to get better and guys need to continue to get better, no matter how old you are. I know we’ve all touched on his injury and, you know, when you’re coming back from a knee injury sometimes it takes a little bit ‘There’s a lot of big things for me to do here’: Kevin Shattenkirk reflects longer to fully get back. I mean, if you’re 98 percent back, then that two on his up-and-down Rangers tenure so far percent is a big difference in this league. If some guys were two percent better than they are, they’d be in the league instead of the minor leagues. So it’s a big difference and I think he’s still creeping back to 100 percent. I’m not making an excuse for him, I just think it’s reality. I think his better By Rick Carpiniello Mar 22, 2019 play has been better lately.”

The torn meniscus really wrecked Shattenkirk’s first season in New York. Kevin Shattenkirk didn’t see this coming. Any of this. That’s been well-documented. But for a guy who relies on his legs, on moving the puck quickly, or lugging out of the defensive zone himself, On July 1, 2017, he signed as a free agent with the Rangers and took a healing from surgery wasn’t the only step. There was a mental one, too. bit of a discount to play for the team which he rooted for as a kid in New Actually two mental steps. Last year, when he couldn’t get back on the Rochelle, N.Y. He wanted to wear the uniform worn by his idol, Brian ice late in the season, then was simply shut down because the Rangers Leetch. were going nowhere, he felt disconnected from the team as it struggled and rebuilt. He signed to play for a team that had made the playoffs in 11 of the previous 12 seasons and had played 16 playoff rounds in the previous This season, though the knee was healed, it took a while to trust the seven. He was thinking he might be paired on defense with Ryan healing. McDonagh and that the whole thing would be a dream. “I really feel like, since I came back from my shoulder injury (after missing Hardly. seven games in December), I feel like my game has really come back,” Shattenkirk said. “The thing that irks me a lot about my game is the A knee injury during his first preseason wrecked the first half of his power-play performance. I’d like to see that improve. But I feel like with season, and eventually turned into a lost season for Shattenkirk, one in work, with (assistant coach) Lindy (Ruff) especially, we’ve been working which McDonagh would be shipped out in a trade deadline sell-off during on one-on-one battles and being harder to play against, and that’s an the first year of a down-to-the-studs rebuilding. The injury had a carry- area that I’m trying to focus on now. Offensively, I feel like I’ve been over effect into this season, his second on Broadway, another step- chipping in, especially 5-on-5. backward, non-playoff year for the Rangers. “I feel like, at that point of the season, around December-January, was Shattenkirk’s game has also been, to put it kindly, up and down. He was where I kind of made that hurdle over my (knee) injury, where things twice, as recently as March 11, a healthy scratch under his new coach started to feel really good. Mentally it went out of my mind. I think that David Quinn, who was his old coach as an assistant at Boston University. was a pretty comforting thing for me, to feel like I didn’t really have to Some of his power-play time — the bread-and-butter of his career — was worry about it any more. I had kind of gone through all of the bumps and lost to a 23-year-old just figuring it out in Tony DeAngelo. knocks along the way that I needed to feel in my mind, that was “I think, you know, you look back at it and it’s obviously changed a lot something I needed to get over that hurdle. I think for that reason, it’s just from what probably we all thought the landscape was going to look like bled into my game and helped me push to get back to the player I can on July 1, 2017,” Shattenkirk said Thursday. “I think that’s something you be.” can’t predict, something you can never plan for. But it’s just been a His skating has improved, even if his offense has only done so chance to assume a different role and a different responsibility. I think incrementally. He has assists in four of his last six games and had a four- you, no matter what, throughout it all — playing for winning teams for game assist streak to close out February, but his numbers are only so-so most of my career — it’s just kind of what’s engrained in me now. (two goals, 24 assists in 64 games; whereas DeAngelo is 4-23-27 in 53 “I think this year it’s just been something that I’ve tried to carry into the games). He’s healthy, and confident in his health, for the first time as a team and into our identity, that regardless of what our plan for the future Ranger. is here, we want to establish that culture that we’re a winning team. It’s “I don’t have any sort of hesitancy in my game,” Shattenkirk said. “I don’t been a little bit of a test of patience on my end but in a good way. feel like that at all. I feel like I have the quickness and the quick response Sometimes after you’ve played for so long you forget what it was to be a that I need when I need to respond. Again, I think everything was young guy coming into the league and how hard it really is. So it’s been probably all the same from Sept. 1 to Jan. 1, but it was my mind, the fun to work with these guys and try to help them along.” mental hurdle I needed to get over. It took a while, but I finally got there.” Shattenkirk is just 30, though an elder (he played in his 600th NHL game Now what? Only nine games remain in this season, then another long Tuesday) in an ever-younger, faster league. He has two years remaining summer. Shattenkirk is obviously a leader type, a smart, vocal, outgoing after this one on his deal at a $6.65 million annual cap hit. A buyout after veteran who is willing to help along a young teammate. And the Rangers this season remains a possibility, though not probable. surely will need a few veterans as they welcome even more young So you have to wonder what he has left and how he helps the rebuild. players next season. Can a career-long offensive defenseman and puck mover, who was But can a one-way defenseman become a two-way? Or at least never confused with a shutdown, top-pair defender, redefine himself? Is respectable enough defensively to be an important part? Especially if the there more? offensive numbers aren’t what they were when he played in college, or in Quinn and Shattenkirk had breakfast together one day this week. Their Colorado or St. Louis, or even for his short rental in Washington, the relationship is unique in that they are and always will be friends, but season before the Capitals won the Stanley Cup. Shattenkirk — as he said before this season began — is certainly not “I think that’s one thing in my mind, if I’m not performing (offensively) and Quinn’s Teacher’s Pet. not producing, then I better be doing something else,” Shattenkirk said. “He and I … talked about this and I think he’s played better (recently),” “Otherwise you’re going to be out of the lineup and you have no one to Quinn said about their breakfast together. “I think he feels this way too, blame, really, than yourself. I think that’s always been an area in my mind that there needs to be more consistency in his game. But his ‘good’ has that I felt needs the improvement. It’s always been to me, ‘Don’t worry been better. His good play has been better than it has in the past. He about the offensive side of things, just be better defensively and you’ll wants to minimize some of the mistakes and the (in)consistency piece to become a more complete player.’ I think I kind of lost sight of what I do it. Obviously he’s being more productive offensively, which we all love. I so well offensively. So I think I need to kind of get that balance back and loved what he did on that last power play — our last power play against realize, too, that the way I play defense isn’t always going to be knocking Detroit, where we scored, that’s the best our power play’s looked in three guys off the puck. It’s got to be a little bit more cerebral and better stick weeks. And he was a big piece of that. He played with a pace, there was position and better feet movement, and little things like that that help me an attack mentality from his end of it and I think that kind of fueled the stay in better position against guys. So for sure, if one side of my game is rest of the power play. not where it (should be) then I’d better be sure that I’m taking care of other things.” “So I think, for sure, there’s another level for him to continue to improve on and get to and he’s made progress. He’s gotten better. Guys can Does he have that in him? After all these years, can he change his stripes as a defenseman?

“I think so,” Shattenkirk said. “I think the one thing this year that I’ve had a little bit of chance to work on is penalty kill, and I think it’s been kind of a bright spot for me, getting a chance to go in if a defenseman takes a penalty, or whatever it might be. In your mind it helps you because it’s just straight lines, and you’re obviously working strictly on defense. But I feel like it can kind of be a catalyst for my game sometimes, to get me out of the ‘sitting back on my heels’ mode and getting back on my toes.

“So I think that’s been an area that, for me, has been a bit of a confidence builder, to know that I can do that and really try to put that into my 5-on-5 play, as well.”

He has Quinn pushing him, hollering at him as if he were a rookie, at times, scratching him now and again but also encouraging him and teaching him, as the coach does with all of his players. But he also has Quinn, the buddy, talking to him over breakfast, and, yes, holding out the confidence that Shattenkirk can and will help the Rangers more than he has.

“It’s been good,” Shattenkirk said of the relationship. “It’s funny, the two of us even joke about it now. We’ve known each other for so long, we know how our relationship is. We may not have had the player-coach relationship in a long time, but we’ve always, maybe, had certain views in different areas of the game and I think it comes to a head at some point.

“But we’ve always had respect for each other and I think, even still today, nothing has changed. I know what he expects out of me and, really, I think I feel like I want to get to the highest point of play in my game that I can to make him proud and make him happy. That’s kind of a different relationship than most guys have with their coaches. But he’s a guy who developed me from a young age, so you want to prove that you learned a lot of those things that he taught you and hopefully it’s going in the right direction in his mind.”

Almost two years later, Shattenkirk has no regrets. He still hopes his time as a Ranger to be the dream he conceived. It may not ever be that way. That opportunity for him beyond this season remains an unknown. But if he’s here, Shattenkirk remains sure that there is more for him ahead.

“Yeah, I think there’s a lot of big things for me to do here,” Shattenkirk said. “When I look back at this year, as frustrating as it is, I think it was and has been a step in the right direction for me. I know it’s a hard place to play and not everyone is patient here. But I just have to remain patient with myself and realize that there are some good things happening.

“But I definitely think there’s a higher ceiling for me, for sure, and it’s a chance for me to really raise my game and become the player that everyone wants me to be here. I think as soon as I can get to that, it’s only going to make our team better. So I think it’s something that I hold myself to that standard, and I obviously want to be better more than anyone else. That’s something that I strive for every year.”

He is dreaming again. Maybe not the same one he began July 2017 with, but a dream nonetheless.

The Athletic LOADED: 03.23.2019 1137121 NHL

Holtby says he won’t go with Capitals to White House

March 22, 2019 at 11:10 am Updated March 22, 2019 at 11:11 am

By The Associated Press

ARLINGTON, Va. (AP) — Washington Capitals goaltender Braden Holtby said Friday he will not join his teammates next week for a White House celebration of their Stanley Cup championship.

Holtby is the second player on the Capitals’ active roster to decline, joining fellow Canadian Brett Connolly.

“It’s one of those things that we have to think about, but with me, I’ve got to stay true to my values, and I’m going respectfully decline the offer,” Holtby said. “For me, it’s just a personal thing. I believe in what I believe in, and in order to stick to those values, I think I have to do what I feel is right, but that doesn’t make a difference on everyone else’s decision.”

President Donald Trump has occasionally been at odds with pro athletes, from NFL players protesting racial injustices during the national anthem to NBA players including LeBron James and Stephen Curry.

The defending Stanley Cup champions will hold a private tour of the White House and meet Trump on Monday . The event will not include a public ceremony.

Russian captain Alex Ovechkin, Americans John Carlson and T.J. Oshie and coach Todd Reirden have said they will attend.

Seattle Times LOADED: 03.23.2019 1137122 Ottawa Senators “The last one he jumped on the ice and ate the last one so you kind of feel sorry for him,” Crawford said. “I loved (Abramov’s) dash, he’s got a lot of dash in his game and he’s strong on his skates. You could see SNAPSHOTS: Chabot and White return as Senators prepare to face where he’s going to be a decent player. He’s really strong on the puck, Oilers strong on his skates, he’s got quickness, he’s hungry to get on there.”

THE LAST WORDS

Bruce Garrioch Pageau will be happy to be back after he was suspended for a hit on Vancouver’s Ashton Sautner. “The suspension wasn’t fun,” Pageau said Published:March 22, 2019 on Friday. “I have to move forward, I’ve paid the price and I had to miss a game. I’m glad the other player is okay and returned to the game. I don’t Updated:March 22, 2019 8:33 PM EDT think it’s going to change my mindset, every game I’ll try to compete and play hard.” … Expect to see Craig Anderson make the start against the Oilers and he’ll be looking for his first victory since Dec. 17 against the EDMONTON – The Ottawa Senators had a couple of familiar faces Nashville Predators. The 37-year-old Anderson has lost 14 straight, but waiting for them when they arrived at their downtown hotel in the wee he can’t faulted for that record because many nights he’s given his team hours of Friday morning. a chance to win. “It’s what it is,” said a frustrated Anderson after the club’s loss to the Flames Thursday. “All I can do is give the team a Top defenceman Thomas Chabot, who has been out with a broken toe, chance to win. I understand the situation that I’m in and it’s one of those and centre Colin White, sidelined with a neck injury, both made the trek things where guys go through struggles and it doesn’t matter what here from Ottawa, went for a skate Friday and have been declared position it is and it just so happens mine gets magnified. There’s been healthy enough to suit up against the Edmonton Oilers at Rogers Place numerous games down this stretch where we could have easily gotten a at 4 p.m. point and we didn’t get the win. All I can do is focus on my own game, As the Senators prepare to wrap up this three-game trip against Connor give the guys a chance to win and, for the most part, over the last McDavid and the Oilers, the club will also have centre Jean-Gabriel whatever number of games it’s been, I feel like I’ve been able to do that.” Pageau back from his one-game suspension and centre Chris Tierney, Ottawa Sun LOADED: 03.23.2019 who has been battling a flu bug running through the team, will suit up as well.

Coming off a 5-1 loss to the Calgary Flames on Thursday and a 7-4 decision to the Vancouver Canucks on Wednesday to start this trip, the Senators can use the help and everybody will be welcomed back with open arms.

“We’ll be healthier for sure,” said coach Marc Crawford on Friday. “The fact we’re going to have a better lineup bodes well for us. We’re playing against a team in Edmonton that’s very much like Vancouver, they’re in the last gasps of it right now and they desperately need wins.

“We’re going to have an urgent team playing against us and those things are all positive because we’ve got to take the environment of the game and try to get our level of play up to match that to give ourselves a chance to have a positive result and have an impact.

“These are impactful games for everybody. I know it sounds a bit like a broken record, but it’s true. You’ve got to grab on to what you can because somewhere along the line it helps you.”

A COUPLE OF KEY ADDITIONS

Of course, having Chabot and White back helps because they’ve been two of the club’s most consistent players all season.

Some wondered if Chabot was going to play again this year when he suffered the broken toe blocking a shot March 11 against the Philadelphia Flyers and here he is ready to return. He skated in Ottawa for three days before flying to Western Canada and is feeling good.

“It’s been a long week sitting and watching the guys play,” Chabot said. “We took care of (the injury), we made sure it was fine. I started skating again so I’m excited to get back here.

“There’s always going to be a chance of further damage whether your toe is fully recovered or not, but in the skate I have no pain with anything. That was the main thing we were going to focus on before skating harder. I felt confident enough to come here and join the team.”

As for White, he started feeling better this week and is ready to go.

“I’m 100%. I felt good back in Ottawa the last couple of days and I’m good after the skate so I’m excited to play (Saturday),” said White. “It was pretty annoying. It was nagging me and giving me some bad headaches, but I’m feeling 100% now and good to go.”

BACK TO BELLEVILLE

With Chabot and White here along with Pageau’s return, forwards Vitaly Abramov and Filip Chlapik were sent back to the club’s AHL affiliate in Belleville in the morning because they were both on emergency recalls.

Abramov made his NHL debut against the Flames and finished minus-3 with 13:52 of ice time, but Crawford had no issue with what he saw. 1137123 Ottawa Senators “If you think about it, they’re all looking for seven- or eight-year contracts at the age of 27 and anywhere from $8 million to $10 million per year,” said Melnyk. “You think about it, five or six years from now they’re all Eugene Melnyk confident the Senators' rebuild will pay dividends down going to be in their mid-30s. the road “We’re going to have all these kids coming up and we’ve got 10 potential stars sitting in Belleville. We’re hoping out of that group that three or four of them will be stars.” Bruce Garrioch The Senators believe that by allowing the young players to develop over Published:March 22, 2019 the course of the next couple of years this team will be in a position to compete down the road. Melnyk said he had to do this. Updated:March 22, 2019 7:05 PM EDT He said if he ever gets fitted for a Stanley Cup ring it would complete the

journey. EDMONTON — Eugene Melnyk spoke out Friday morning, and he’s “To win a Stanley Cup, at that point, God can take me, I’m done,” Melnyk bullish on the Ottawa Senators’ rebuild. said. “Honest to God, it’s that important. I don’t put up with this kind of Speaking to CFRA’s Bill Carroll during a wide-ranging interview, Melnyk stuff unless it was important.” indicated the rebuild is at a pivotal stage and, in the process, he took a Ottawa Sun LOADED: 03.23.2019 shot at the arch-rival Toronto Maple Leafs. He also doesn’t believe the departure of Mark Stone, Matt Duchene and Ryan Dzingel is necessarily a bad thing.

“Some people say they’re going to rebuild and it’s more show than substance,” Melnyk said. “In our case, it’s extremely rare for a team to say everybody’s out. We need a team that is consistently young, we need a handful of veterans to take them through some of the rough patches as they grow into being NHL players.

“Our average in two years from now is going to be 23 or 24, it’s going to be a young team, and I’m hoping to have a five- or six-year run with these players because a lot of people were really upset about trading away the three in the end, which is Duchene, Stone and Dzingel.”

While Melnyk knows the fan base isn’t happy with him or where the club is sitting, he’s confident the Senators are doing it the right way by picking up prospects and draft picks, but he did put some pressure on general manager Pierre Dorion to make the right moves.

Melnyk believes that, with the possibility of 17 picks in the first three rounds of the next three drafts, the club will be able to use those assets to get out of last place and into contention. He doesn’t like the direction the Leafs took and made some pointed remarks.

“You don’t do a rebuild with a short-term view. You’ve got to have, and it’s tough in sports, a five-year outlook, and if you don’t all you’re doing is patching up. I know a team that you know that’s done it for 53 years,” said Melnyk. “They’ve been selling out, but all they do is they’ve been patching up. Finally, they collapsed the team, said, ‘We’ve got to a rebuild,’ but mistakes were made and somebody forgot about defence.

“This next six months is going to be critical for Pierre and his team, and the whole hockey operations to get their act together in a big, big way to be able to use these assets. This core group that’s sitting in Belleville and playing up already are going to stay. And, yes, they’re all going to need those big contracts and I’m prepared to step up for that.

“And whether we get support at the attendance or not, I’m going to do this because it’s something I’m committed to and we intend to win a Stanley Cup, and I don’t have another 50 years to do it.”

And Melnyk said he’s going to spend what it takes to keep the likes of young stars Thomas Chabot, Brady Tkachuk and Colin White in the fold.

“I’m not in this to be a participant,” Melnyk said. “I’m in this to win, and to win we know what you have to do. You have to have a young, vibrant team, you have to have the superstars and you have to pay them.

“If you don’t pay them, somebody else will. In this case, what was really criticized was that we wouldn’t pay up. We’re not going to spend stupid money and then spend all this time unnecessarily trying to unload these terrible contracts that other teams are stuck with.

“Players were lucky to be able to move, otherwise, we would have been stuck and not being able to pay some of these other players.”

Of course Melnyk is referring to the club’s decision to trade Stone, Duchene and Dzingel at the Feb. 25 deadline. All three were offered long-term contracts to stay, but chose to move on.

He said all three wanted big-money, long-term contracts, and down the road they won’t deliver for what they’re being paid because they’ll be aging players, and that’s not what this rebuild is about. 1137124 Ottawa Senators “In this case, what was really criticized a lot was somebody said we wouldn’t pay up. We’re not going to pay stupid prices, stupid money and then spend all this time unnecessarily trying to unload these terrible Eugene Melnyk delivers verbal bombs and some muddled messaging contracts that other teams are stuck with. There were certain players we about keeping the Senators’ stars were lucky to be able to move, otherwise we would have been stuck and not being able to pay some of these other players.”

None of that actually levels up with what we were told was going on with By Chris Stevenson Mar 22, 2019 Stone. The Senators did want to sign him. Dorion said that a few times, as he did about the other free agents.

As late as three days before the trade deadline, an executive with a After about a 15-month absence, the Eugene Melnyk Unplugged Tour Western Conference team that was trying to trade for Stone told The once again came to a radio station near you (not so fast, TSN 1200). Athletic that contract negotiations between Stone and the Senators were The Senators owner did sports radio in Toronto and news talk radio in ongoing. The interested team was looking at other options because it Ottawa (he is boycotting TSN 1200, which holds his local radio rights and seemed like a deal between the Senators and Stone was possible. pays him millions for the privilege, calling it out for being “bush league”). The Senators and Stone had agreed on the total package (about $9.5 He pretty much picked up where he left off the last time we heard him million per season, which is what he got from the Vegas Golden Knights). speak unscripted, which was the infamous rant on Parliament Hill the The deal fell apart when the Senators wouldn’t give Stone signing bonus weekend of the NHL 100 Classic in December 2017. money or a no-trade clause (he got both from the Knights). Melnyk trashed Senators fans in that riff and has apparently learned to In light of Melnyk’s comments, the stumbling block with the no-trade avoid going down that road with all its potholes. He’s avoiding criticizing clause makes a lot of sense. The Senators wanted the wiggle room to the “real fans.” He had plenty of other targets. unload a Stone deal if it came to that. Before getting into what he had to say about the hockey stuff, Melnyk Melnyk made reference to “hoping to have a five- or six-year run with had some pretty good drive-bys: these players,” which makes me believe he’ll keep them around until they On his own organization: “I think we did a terrible job in communicating are ready to become unrestricted free agents. Maybe the Senators will exactly what the plan is in a rebuild.” buy a year or two of unrestricted years, but for the most part they are going to work with players over whom they have the maximum contract On the Toronto Maple Leafs: “They are going to have a tough time leverage. winning a Stanley Cup without defence because they are hitting the cap. They can’t bring anybody new in, so they are stuck. That’s where you The first test will come this summer when defenceman Thomas Chabot have to be extremely careful. can be signed to an extension as he enters the final year of his entry- level contract. “It’s tough in sports, but you have to have a five-year outlook. If you don’t, all you’re doing is patching up. I know a team that’s done it for 53 years. Does Melnyk not think Chabot will be in a position to demand “stupid They’ve been selling out, but all they do is they’ve been patching up. money” on a long-term deal that will have to buy him out of some of his Finally they collapse the team and say we’ve got to do a rebuild, but unrestricted-free-agency years? Especially after how both the owner and mistakes were made and somebody forgot about defence.” the general manager have guaranteed that they are going to sign their next generation of stars? On Ottawa Mayor Jim Watson, who expressed his frustration dealing with Melnyk on LeBreton Flats: “He is so lucky that I keep my mouth shut. He How much leverage have Melnyk’s comments Friday and by Dorion should keep his (shut). I have a lot to say, but I don’t say it. You now when he fired coach Guy Boucher given to the likes of Chabot and what? I’d be very careful if I was him walking around mouthing off forward Brady Tkachuk and the rest of players in the wings for future because it’s very, very counterproductive. I’m trying to do everything for negotiations? the city. There are two sides in any negotiation. What if Chabot, for instance, has “The NHL offices look at (the mayor’s comments) and say, ‘Do we want seen what’s been going on here and decides he doesn’t want a long-term to bring more events to this city?’ Right in the middle of him opening up, deal? His options are limited because he will be a restricted free agent we just put a submission in to the NHL to please give us another All-Star without arbitration rights. That doesn’t mean he can’t hold out like Maple Game.” Leafs forward William Nylander did last fall.

On the Ottawa media: “Everybody has an opinion, but sometimes it’s an Chabot’s camp knows how the optics of a young star, in the first test of ill-informed opinion.” Just a thought, but maybe if the opinion was indeed this commitment to a rebuild and in a messy contract negotiation, are ill-informed it is because the Senators did a “terrible” job communicating going to look for the team. After all the promises the Senators have made what they are doing? to their fans? Not good.

Tossing just one of those grenades would have been enough to get Buckle up. It’s going to get interesting sooner rather than later. Melnyk headlines. What has deeper and more interesting implications Melnyk, again casting an eye down the 401, is banking on wins bringing are the owner’s comments on the Senators’ rebuild. He put general the fans back. manager Pierre Dorion on notice that things need to be looking on the right track by the start of next season. He then doubled down on his “Do you remember two years ago in Leaf Land? They were throwing commitment to spend whatever it takes to keep this next generation of pizzas and jerseys on the ice. They were wearing bags over their heads,” players in Senators uniforms. he said. “I think the tide turns. We have to perform on the ice. We bring a Stanley Cup contender as we plan to, then I think the narrative will turn In doing so, he shed more light on what apparently is his longer-term around very, very quickly.” approach to contracts, though at times it seemed as though his thoughts were contradictory. I think it was waffles they were throwing in Toronto, but whatever.

On one hand, he said he’s willing to pay what it costs to keep his up-and- The Athletic LOADED: 03.23.2019 coming stars to bring the franchise the Unparalleled Success™ he has promised beginning in 2021. On the other, he said it would have been foolish to pay what it would have taken to keep such former stars as Mark Stone, Matt Duchene and Ryan Dzingel.

“I’m not in this to be a participant. I don’t want the participation medal that people give out. I’m in this to win. To win, we know what you have to do,” he told 580 CFRA. “You have to have a young, vibrant team. You have to have the superstars, and you’re going to have to pay them. If you don’t pay them, somebody else will. 1137125 Ottawa Senators Now I’m going to temper that a little by cautioning that, in a fairly extensive interview, Melnyk said a number of things that made complete sense.

Duhatschek Notebook: Sorting through the organizational problems in For example, Melnyk correctly pointed out that most teams which Ottawa and Edmonton announce they’re into a difficult but necessary rebuild, generally don’t fully commit to it.

By Eric Duhatschek Mar 22, 2019 Sure, they warn fans that there’ll be pain. They do everything within their power to lessen expectations, thus lowering the temperature on the GM and the coach which buys them time.

Let’s review the mood in two Canadian NHL hot spots – Ottawa and But the reality is, few teams that nominally rebuild are prepared to endure Edmonton – through the prism of social media, which was alive with more than one or two tough years. Deep down, they don’t even want venom and vitriol these past few days. that. They’re hoping to be back in the playoffs the next year.

Where else but Canada could one poorly considered comment about an Do these half-in, half-out strategies ever work? underachieving bottom-six forward (the Oilers’ Tobias Rieder) – which was made by the team’s chief executive officer (Bob Nicholson) – result The answer is they rarely do, so that observation by Melnyk represented in three separate trending topics on Twitter? fair comment. So did his assertion that selling tickets in Ottawa was far more challenging than it is in a bigger market. And though Melnyk didn’t As Nicholson was doing damage control over his critique of Rieder – specify Toronto, you knew that’s who he was referring to – a team that made at a breakfast with season ticket holders – the topics #BlameToby opens its doors and automatically sells out. That’s an accurate #Rieder (spelled correctly) and #Reider (spelled incorrectly) were all assessment of the NHL’s reality but it is also why the league has revenue trending in Edmonton for a while. sharing and a salary cap. He even took a couple of sly shots at the Leafs’ own rebuild – “somebody forgot about defence” – which proves, if Crazy. Presumably, the good news is that fans still cared enough to be nothing else, he’s tapped into the Toronto zeitgeist and isn’t above outraged. The worst thing that can happen to an organization is when the delivering a zinger or two. fans emotionally check out. If they become indifferent instead of angry, then you’ve got a problem. Suddenly, it isn’t going to matter what you say But what got Melnyk into hot water was his suggestion the day before on or do, because no one’s paying attention anyway. the Toronto airwaves – that the Senators care more about the “real fans” in the market, the ones that support the team financially and stick with All of which is a long preamble into sorting out the season-long gong them through thick and thin. shows that have unfolded in Ottawa and Edmonton, both of which were exacerbated even further this week. Oops. Melnyk forgot the cardinal rule here. Never, ever say anything that could be construed as being remotely critical of your fan base, whether The Senators are long gone from playoff contention, while the Oilers’ it’s the suite holders, the season ticket holders or the ones that just chances are hanging by a thread. But that’s only a symptom of what got consume your product on television. everybody riled up. Years ago, Kevin Lowe, when he was Oilers’ GM, made a similar blunder In Edmonton, Nicholson was guilty of an unexpectedly poor choice of when he spoke about different tiers of fans – and how the organization words when asked about the team’s depth issues. Nicholson singled out put far greater weight on what the fans who made a financial investment Rieder and then piled it on. He advised fans that Rieder wouldn’t be back into the team cared about. Lowe eventually had to do some serious with the Oilers next year and that if he’d scored the way they projected damage control of his own – and assured the fans that they were all he would (instead of being stuck at zero), the Oilers would probably be in loved. the playoffs. But how important is it to hear from ownership? In cities such as Montreal Well, no. or Calgary, you rarely ever hear from Geoff Molson or Murray Edwards – The Oilers’ problems run far deeper than one underachieving free-agent which usually means there is one less fire for the managerial team to put miss. Even if Rieder had produced a modestly productive season, it still out. wouldn’t overcome the team’s goaltending inconsistencies, mediocre The fact is, it doesn’t matter what an owner says or promises. They can defensive play, overall lack of secondary scoring or lousy penalty killing. take a vow of silence or gas on endlessly when a microphone is thrust in Now, it would have been fine for Nicholson to say that the Oilers were their faces. disappointed in Rieder’s production. It’s their actions that matter. They speak louder than words. It would have been fine for Nicholson to say that the next general Above all else, what people want to see is professionalism. manager, when hired, would ultimately decide which players will return next season and who won’t. It might even have been fine to darkly hint They want to see professional conduct; evidence of long-term planning; what will happen with Rieder, since Oilers fans are shrewd enough to and reasons to believe that the people running the show know what figure that out for themselves. they’re doing.

Instead, Nicholson’s words suggested that internally, the decision has In Edmonton, it was clear that former general manager Peter Chiarelli – already been made. That, in turn, implied that the next GM might not Nicholson’s personal choice – didn’t. exactly have a free hand in making his own choices. Chiarelli made an enormous philosophical miscalculation back when he And since getting chain-of-command right should be one of the took over in April of 2015, completely misreading the direction in which organization’s biggest priorities right now, the optics were terrible. the NHL was heading. As everyone else figured out that the game was Thanks to all those years at Hockey Canada, Nicholson is usually pretty trending towards smaller, skilled players, Chiarelli put his first focus on good at navigating turbulent, political waters. big and lumbering.

This was a bad gaffe. And he did so in the misguided notion that his two bright young stars, Connor McDavid and Leon Draisaitl, needed protecting. In the old days, Over in Ottawa, meanwhile, fans were up in arms because owner maybe. Not anymore. Both McDavid and Draisaitl are strong enough to Eugene Melnyk opted to discuss the state of the team on a Toronto radio fight their own battles and by the way, they prefer to do that too. But the station, instead of appearing on a local Ottawa show. The next morning, Oilers went out and addressed a problem that didn’t exist. They traded perhaps realizing how bad the optics of that looked, Melnyk then spent for Patrick Maroon and signed Milan Lucic. Later, they sacrificed a 26-plus minutes on the air with an Ottawa station, 580 CFRA. productive modern-day point-a-game player in Taylor Hall for a useful, Here’s what gave me pause. but not exactly agile, defensive piece in Adam Larsson.

As fans in Edmonton were clamoring to hear from owner Darryl Katz No point in weighing in on all the other miscalculations Chiarelli made. about the organization’s plans for the future, Melnyk was providing all When the Oilers belatedly got to the point where they realized they kinds of good reasons for why an owner should adopt a vow of silence. needed more speed and went out and signed Rieder, it was just about Sundin was eventually moved for Wendel Clark and when Patrick Roy patching one hole after another. came aboard, the Avs created a powerhouse that won nine consecutive division titles – though by the time Colorado won again in 2001, Bob Accordingly, the goal in Edmonton is to find someone with a plan and Hartley had replaced Crawford as the team’s head coach. then the temperament to put the plan in place and stick with it, no matter what sort of external pressure might exist. Ottawa is lights years away from assembling that sort of talented corp. Still, one of the charms of the NHL’s salary-cap era is that you can go In the search, Nicholson said he was planning to sift through 30 resumes from laughing stock to a competitive squad in relatively short order. or more. Most people think Kelly McCrimmon, the assistant GM of the Vegas Golden Knights, is the front runner for the job, but I wonder if GM Pierre Dorion promised Crawford the job if he could run the table Nicholson settles on a former Oiler nemesis Ron Hextall. Hextall has with the current group and everyone had the good grace to laugh. But it some previous GM experience, which is useful. But even more valuable might not be the worst idea they ever had either. is the fact that Hextall, in Philadelphia, painstakingly committed to a draft- and-develop strategy. It might have even got him fired in the end, not The problem with hiring someone without NHL coaching experience is recognizing that ownership’s sense of urgency was greater than his own. that the first time around, they often find the job overwhelming because there’s a lot more to coaching in the NHL than just Xs and Os. The Publicly, Nicholson’s acknowledged that he’s learned from his mistakes number of Jon Coopers that come along – who just figure it out right and that hiring Chiarelli on the basis of a previous personal relationship, away – are few and far between. From where Ottawa is to where Ottawa rather than spreading a broad net to see who else might be available, thinks they’re going, they likely need a coach whose primary strength is was indeed shortsighted. patience. Assistants can do the heavy technical lifting. They need a front man, someone who can find that right balance between always wanting By contrast, this time around, there’ll be a parade of hockey people more – because that’s what coaches do – and realizing when the group visiting Edmonton to interview for the vacant position. It’ll give the Oilers has given all it can give. Now 58, Crawford strikes me as someone a chance to potentially tap a lot of pretty smart people for a lot of pretty whose has smoothed out the rough edges and at this stage in his career, good ideas under the guise of a job interview. could manage that. Overall, until assuming helm in Ottawa, Crawford had Only one person will eventually get the job, but if the hiring committee 1,151 games, 549 wins, 421 losses and 181 ties or OTL on his NHL pays close enough attention, it should be able to mine all sorts of creative coaching resume after previous stops with Vancouver, Los Angeles and new information about how the outside hockey world views the state of Dallas. their franchise. The unconventional Blue Jackets experiment

You only hope that internally, the Oilers realize this courtship is just like Now that the trade deadline dust has settled, the Blue Jackets have courtship in real life. In any relationship, if the focus is strictly on the become a fascinating test case of how to operate an NHL team wedding day – and not the marriage and every day that comes after the unconventionally in the salary-cap era. wedding – then it’s not going to work. Most teams subscribe to a standard draft-and-develop blueprint, which is Similarly, the Oilers cannot hire a candidate just because they’ll play well what Ottawa is publicly espousing. in the market for a single day and charm people at the first get- acquainted press conference. Then there is how Blue Jackets’ GM Jarmo Kekalainen decided to go – adopting a counterintuitive approach that involved retaining their own It has to be someone with a plan and the conviction to stick with it. And if potential unrestricted free agents and then adding two from Ottawa and the Oilers fail there, it’ll be just one more misstep in a seemingly never- one each from the New York Rangers and the New Jersey Devils. ending series of them that has characterized the Katz/Nicholson era. Essentially, the 2018-19 Blue Jackets are posing this question to the Marc Crawford and the Ottawa coaching search larger NHL family: If everyone does things in a certain cookie-cutter way, Seeing the Senators (both old and new) pass through Calgary was a little is there any material advantage to forging a different path? like watching Dickens’ “A Christmas Carol.” First, you saw the ghosts of Well, we’ll see. There is always risk involved in pro sport and so, if you’re Senators-past parade through town – Mark Stone one night with Vegas, not prepared to take risks, you usually land somewhere in the soft middle and Matt Duchene and Ryan Dzingel a few nights later with the – not bad, but not good enough either. Columbus Blue Jackets. And then finally came the impoverished Senators who are gamely playing out the string. Auditions for jobs next But so far, the Columbus experiment isn’t working. season are underway and Marc Crawford, who is overseeing the whole traveling circus, is hoping that whatever signs of life Ottawa has Following Thursday night’s loss to the Oilers, the Blue Jackets have just occasionally shown in the home stretch gives him a chance to become eight games remaining in the season and have slipped to ninth place in more than just the interim coach of the team. the Eastern Conference standings. If the playoffs started today, they’d be out – which would be a disaster, given how much of their future they Back when the Senators fired Guy Boucher, they outlined exactly they mortgaged for what was supposed to be one bold championship run. wanted in the new man. Essentially, they were looking for Sidney Poitier in “To Sir With Love” – a teacher, a confidante, a psychologist, a mentor. The Blue Jackets wrap up their swing through Western Canada with a Really what they are looking for is a miracle worker. It read like a post on Sunday outing against the Vancouver Canucks and then return home for a job site and the subtext seemed to be, they wanted someone young, two critical games next week – against divisional rival the New York innovative, ambitious and confident enough in their abilities that the size Islanders and then a date with the Montreal Canadiens. It isn’t stretching of the task at hand wouldn’t deter them. the boundaries of arithmetic to think that a single game against the Canadiens could, in large measure, decide their playoff fate. The East is Well, once upon a time, Crawford was that guy – apprenticing in the down to nine teams competing for eight spots, so it’s a bit like a game of Toronto Maple Leafs’ system for three years before getting hired by musical chairs. Someone is going to be on the outside looking in. Right general manager Pierre Lacroix to take over the from now, it’s Columbus. Pierre Page in July of 1994. Crawford was just 33 then and considered one of the bright rising stars on the coaching horizon. Duchene will acknowledge that it has been a challenge, moving from Ottawa to Columbus. People may forget that in his one-and-only year in Quebec, the lockout- shortened 1994-95 season, Crawford oversaw a dramatic regular-season “There’s always a transition when you get traded, but I was much more turnaround. The Nordiques went from 11th to first in the Eastern prepared this time around in terms of what to expect,” Duchene said in Conference but had the poor luck of drawing the defending Stanley Cup an interview this past week. champion New York Rangers in the first round. But after losing there, the “There’s such a feeling-out process. Coaches have to feel you out and Nordiques relocated to Denver and won a Stanley Cup championship in you have to feel them out. You have to feel out your teammates and they their inaugural season as the Avalanche. Admittedly, there were a few have to feel you out. You bring in two guys like (Ryan) Dzingel and I up differences in terms of personnel. Before Lacroix started moving out front – two brand new pieces that you just insert into the lineup – it takes bodies, the Nords had a centre ice core that consisted of a young Mats a little bit of time to tinker around and find the right combos.” Sundin, a young Joe Sakic and a young Peter Forsberg. We all know how that turned out – last stop, Hockey Hall of Fame. The key is to not run out of time. Part of the adjustment issue is that the system under John Tortorella in Columbus is far different from how Boucher coached in Ottawa, according to Duchene, which presumably means that there’s still too much thinking going on and not enough playing on instinct. Only time can really fix that.

“Defence is defence,” Duchene explained. “This team is a more veteran defensive team, so obviously, a little stingier. We had a young team in Ottawa that was learning to play that style. This team is more mature in the defensive game.

“The biggest thing in Ottawa, I found we were very good on the rush, very good at getting pucks going north. We were a fast, get-up-and-go team. This team is more of a play-in-five-man-units-all-over-the-ice team. If there’s one area where we’re trying to improve, it’s getting more speed and getting more off the rush game.

“But in the offensive zone, it’s really tough to take the puck off a lot of guys on this team. We can really wear teams down. I played against Columbus so many times and I hated playing against them because it was a grind every game – just no room. So, it’s definitely a little different style, and it’s been something you try to adjust to. But I think it’s something that’s going to complement well in the playoffs – if we do our job and get in.”

The Athletic LOADED: 03.23.2019 1137126 Ottawa Senators likely move away from using a single imposing vision to instead break up the development of the site into many smaller chunks.

I drove by LeBreton this afternoon and it was hard not to look at the Thoughts in Bold: Eugene Melnyk on LeBreton Flats and why sprawling site and reflect on the lost opportunity created by the organization’s focus is on the ‘real fans’ RendezVous LeBreton Group’s inability to work together. It’s profoundly disappointing to recognize that the opportunity to provide the Senators with a centralized arena in what would have ideally become a vibrant By Graeme Nichols Mar 22, 2019 area connected to the rest of the city by light-rail was there for the taking, but now the process has been set back years or perhaps even

indefinitely. It has been a long, long time since Eugene Melnyk has made any On why the partnership with John Ruddy broke down … significant public comments. “I think it’s all laid out in a pretty substantial lawsuit, so I have to keep Don’t believe me? referring to that and be careful what I say. At the end of the day, the Just ask John Rodenburg, TSN 1200’s station manager and co-host of economics just didn’t work. I mean, you had your own partner proposing the station’s morning show ‘TGOR.’ to build some kind of 60-storey monstrosity. That may work in New York City or even barely would work in Toronto, never mind in Ottawa. I THE OWNER OF THE SENS MAKES HIS FIRST NON SCRIPTED thought it was crazy and it sucked out any opportunity for LeBreton, the PUBLIC COMMENTS IN 15 MONTHS TODAY AND DOES IT ON project, to be able to sell any real estate in there and I’m not a real estate TORONTO RADIO BUT WE ARE TOLD THERE ISN’T A DISCONNECT person. (Trinity) came to me and said, ‘Hey, this is a great idea. Why BETWEEN THE TEAM AND THIS COMMUNITY. IT BOGGLES THE don’t you look at this?’ At the end, (the deal) was so twisted and turned, it MIND turned it into … it was almost like a corrupted process. The whole thing stunk and I said, ‘Get me out of here. This is not going to work. The next — JOHN RODENBURG (@TSNJR) MARCH 21, 2019 time we do this, we’re going to do it our way.’ The management that WE HAVE BEEN TOLD THAT EUGENE MELNYK WILL NOT BE MADE brought this on, they’re no longer with the company, so we’ll do it in a AVAILABLE TO SPEAK ON TSN 1200 much more structured way with the right partners. And I think we can make a success out of a new arena in Ottawa, it’s just a matter of getting — JOHN RODENBURG (@TSNJR) MARCH 21, 2019 the right people working with us to do it.”

Since Melnyk’s infamous scrum during the alumni game portion of the Melnyk’s point of contention lies in Ruddy’s plan to build towers at the NHL 100 Classic weekend, the outspoken Ottawa Senators’ owner has 900 Albert Street address that is adjacent to LeBreton Flats. The uncharacteristically shied away from the microphones and cameras of approved plan calls for a three-tower complex of 65, 56 and 27-storeys late. There is speculation that Melnyk’s conspicuous absence from the and Melnyk believes that this kind of residential development would public realm is a designed PR strategy orchestrated at the request of undercut the viability of the residential projects that were slated to be part Gary Bettman. Others, like TSN’s Ian Mendes, have suggested that this of the RendezVous LeBreton Group’s bid. absenteeism can be explained by the owner’s “complete lack of trust with local reporters.” It’s a moot point now that RendezVous’ bid has gone by the wayside, but some individual or some entity was going to own and eventually profit off Whatever the case, it’s not often that Melnyk makes unscripted public of the land that is adjacent to LeBreton. It was not exactly some state statements anymore, so when the owner decided to make an secret that the NCC had designs to eventually redevelop the land at appearance on Toronto’s Fan 590 radio station, it raised some eyebrows LeBreton. around the nation’s capital. Even if Melnyk is earnest when he says he’s still interested in the For the purpose of this piece, I’ve transcribed Melnyk’s comments below. possibility of developing a rink at LeBreton, with his reputation for being After each of Melnyk’s answers, I’ve included my own thoughts which are volatile and difficult to work with, who would want to work with him on highlighted in bold. such a massive project after he has burned bridges with not only many of the key players within this city, but burned through the Senators’ If you wish to listen to the interview, you can use the embedded audio executives – Cyril Leeder and Tom Anselmi – responsible for overseeing player at the bottom of this post. the LeBreton Flats portfolio. Without further ado … On whether there will be a new RFP process for LeBreton … On the LeBreton Flats deal and whether Melnyk believes the deal is dead “We just hear what they come out publicly with. What I’ve heard publicly … is that there is going to be some new RFP process, but it will come in “Well, it’s dead as far as the process is concerned. They’re now talking some different form. Right now, we don’t know anything about it. We’re about bids for all sorts of different machinations of things. They’re looking more focused on rebuilding the hockey-side of our business.” at dividing it up into six little projects. I guess it’s very fluid right now, The hockey-side of the business definitely does require some attention. especially in an election year. I don’t believe that they’ll be doing anything of significance for at least post-election. If there’s an opportunity there, On his willingness to pursue an arena at LeBreton Flats with a new we’ll listen to (the NCC), but at this point, we’re not in any hurry. I’m still partnership group … trying to pursue it, but if it doesn’t happen, I’m just as happy to stay out in Kanata and do what we’re doing out there. And actually, expand upon “Yes.” what we’re doing or what we have. We have a significant amount of land Ultimately, I believe the Senators will eventually find a way to LeBreton. I around the arena that, if we wanted to, we could develop. LeBreton was just don’t believe it’s going to happen with Melnyk continuing to own the an opportunity that we tried to do something with the City (of Ottawa) and team. with the NCC and it just didn’t work out. So we just have to continue to move on to something that we can showcase our team of the future.” On whether any progress has been made towards joining up with new partners to pursue LeBreton … Melnyk appeared on the Fan 590 to principally discuss his new business venture that uses goggles and clinical eye-tracking technology to “Yeah, I’ve had a few people come forward – developers – come forward diagnose and assess the severity of concussions. over the past year and ask me to partner up with them because (an arena) is a huge attractor. When you put an arena somewhere, you have The first portion of the live interview focused on this endeavour, but it all the opportunities to build all around it and that’s very appealing to any was only a matter of time before the conversation quickly shifted to focus decent developers. But, you have to have the right partner and you have on Melnyk’s hockey team. to have somebody that is substantially bigger and somebody that is much After the attempt at mediation between John Ruddy and Melnyk failed to better organized. That’s the only way I would do it going forward.” resolve their differences and allow the NCC to move forward with a Ignoring the digs at Ruddy and Trinity, playing up the importance of an retailored proposal, the NCC terminated their agreement with the arena as a pillar for any prospective development reminded me that the preferred bid and will now move forward with their ‘Concept Plan’ that will major point of contention that John Ruddy explained in his counterclaim to Melnyk’s lawsuit was that Melnyk and Capital Sports Management Inc. “To win a Stanley Cup, I believe you need four or five superstar types – were looking for someone else – whether it be Trinity or through all around the same young age in the mid-20’s at the most – and a very, taxpayers’ money – to cover the construction costs of a new arena. very hot top-flight goalie. You need the veterans and we have, we have several of them left and will continue to have. In our case, most of our If Melnyk is looking for new partners to build him a rink, it only makes future, they’re under the ages of 24 right now. I mean, you go through sense for him to continue to play up an arena as a huge attractor. the list, I’ve got nine players (who) all could be top NHL players right now On how you win Senators fans back who have lost faith in him as an and they’re just either on the team – in their rookie years or one-year in – owner … and the balance of them are in Belleville. There we have nine players that are NHL-quality (top-six forward potential). Then we have 17 (draft) “Well, I think the key for us, first of all, is to identify who is a Senators fan picks in the first three rounds for the next three years. Seventeen picks or not. We tripped up one of these guys or somebody did and it turns out and those can be traded up for all sorts of things, including other it was a little 12-year old in Toronto that was upset with the Senators in prospects. So the whole objective is three years out that we have a true general. I’m a high-profile person that is an easy target, so let them do Stanley Cup contender and that we don’t have the gaps that some teams what they want to do. I’m best to ignore 99 percent of it and for our fans have and we that stay within the (salary) cap. We know what the cap’s that are real fans, it means we’re doing the best we can.” going to be, but my worry is that you’re going to be bumping into that if you have five or six real stars that you’re going to be paying $10-million Alright, I’m cutting Eugene off here. to. It’s a matter of looking forward to do that.” Unconditional support is not some definitive characteristic for being a Fans can genuinely get behind the idea of a well-conceived and “real fan.” If anything, there’s a greater chance that unconditional support executed rebuild. What troubles Senators fans are the motives behind for the Senators means you’re a Twitter bot. this rebuild and the possibility that after the organization failed to come to PIC.TWITTER.COM/KITONEPZDA terms with a generational talent like Erik Karlsson or an elite two-way winger in Mark Stone, if the organization cannot find the means to sign — JAMES GORDON (@JAMES_J_GORDON) MARCH 21, 2019 these players to long-term deals, what hope is there for that pattern to change moving forward? Whether it was chief operating officer Nic Ruszkowski’s conference call with season seat holders or this interview with Melnyk, the steadfast When fans hear the organization say that these players received fair refusal to acknowledge the importance of the fans who are frustrated and offers, but decided to move on, fans want to know why? With a player or demand better from this organization. two, maybe it’s a coincidence that they are leaving, but when many of the team’s best players are leaving despite fair offers reportedly being put on In that conference call with season seat holders, Ruszkowski referred to the table, there is a larger pattern at work here. And amazingly, Melnyk these ticket holders as the most important fans the organization has. concludes his answer by referring to how hard it could be to keep its They are not and that’s not a slight to those fans who continue to invest roster together moving forward because of the financial concerns. their hard-earned money into this team because they love hockey, have On the decision to fire Guy Boucher and why the decision was made so been doing it for years and want to support the team. shortly after the team gave indications that they were not going to go But, they are not the most important fans. down that route …

With a season ticket base that was reportedly 3,500 to 4,500 at the “I did not (say that a decision on Boucher would be made after the beginning of the season, the erosion of these fans is very real. They are season). That was Pierre (Dorion). I only found out about the firing an a dwindling group. hour before he had made that decision. We knew that (Guy) was not going to be re-signed into next year and to keep him there, you put him The number of disenchanted fans who continue to follow this team, but … right now, he’s got an opportunity (to start looking for jobs). We did it refuse to renew their tickets or invest as much money into this product as for him, as well as us and the players. It’s very difficult for him to coach they once did, continues to grow. knowing that he’s there for a very short period of time. And for the players, they want to be able to start believing in a coach or just basically Dismissing their passion or motives simply because they are say, ‘Hey, we’ve got a guy who’s going to take us through the end of the disappointed in how the organization operates and is being run is year, but there’s no ill will anywhere around.’ The other thing for the foolhardy. People are critical because they care and apathy will be this coach is that it allows him now to be on the market rather than waiting organization’s worst enemy if they continue down this tone-deaf path. until mid-April. Right now, people may have plans to be talking to him as For Melnyk to convey the belief that he bears no responsibility for his soon as the season is over. So that’s what Pierre told me was the best team placing 30th last season and being 31st in the league right now and way to go about it and a decision was made. We made the decision and having traded away five of its best prime-aged players during the last we’re moving forward.” nine months, it is just so out of touch. Notice how Melnyk indicates that the comment on Boucher’s job security Carry on, Eugene. came from Dorion and that he had no input into the decision and only learned of the decision one hour before it was announced publicly. “And all you can do is keep doing what we’ve been doing. We’ve had a great record for the past 15 or 16 years that I’ve owned it. We’ve gone to So why would Dorion change his mind and elect to fire Boucher before the Stanley Cup Final, we’ve gone to Conference finals, we’ve had All- the end of the season? Star Games, we’ve had drafts, we’ve had outdoor games … I mean, The easiest explanation probably lies in the possibility that management we’re doing everything more than most franchises as far as what we do grew tired of Boucher’s lineup decisions. In Boucher’s last game, a 4-2 for our fans. What we need to do now … people get upset because decision to the Oilers that handed the Senators their sixth-straight loss, usually they get upset with a general manager with the kind of record that defenceman Christian Wolanin was a healthy scratch. we had or coaches. But, in what we did as far as calling for a full rebuild is highly unusual in any sport – because a general manager would not Dating back to Guy Boucher’s introductory press conference, one of the necessarily do that. He can’t. He has to come to his owner and say, ‘By important things that Dorion mentioned was his proclamation and the way, what I’ve been doing for the past five years, I’ve wasted all this promise that the coaching staff would have full autonomy over the lineup money trying to build something that did not succeed and we have to do decisions. Even at that time, it seemed like an antiquated approach. In an a complete rebuild.’ Now, imagine an owner listening to that and saying, era where data and information is streamlined and the coach is ‘What have you been doing for five years?’ In his case, it’s the best thing responsible for optimizing the lineup of players that the general manager for us to do. We had a good team, but it’s not a … you don’t get put in place, why is there not a healthy dialogue and discussion within the participation badges in the NHL. You either win or you don’t.” organization to make more informed decisions?

I am cutting in again. With that said, the Senators can explain the decision as an opportunity to give Guy Boucher more time to find his next job, but if you told me that After playing up all the accomplishments of the organization under the Senators canned Boucher as a mechanism to spark the players and Melnyk’s stewardship that did not include winning a Stanley Cup, Melnyk hopefully give the team a performance bump to try and eclipse Los ironically downplayed the teardown of the Ottawa Senators over the past Angeles and Detroit in the standings, I would believe it. few months because the team did not win a championship. It does not matter that the first round pick that was moved to Colorado in the Matt Duchene deal is a sunk cost. The idea that the Senators are looking to avoid gift-wrapping the Avalanche the best draft lottery odds and the negative publicity that would come should the Avalanche win the lottery.

The Athletic LOADED: 03.23.2019 1137127 Philadelphia Flyers Philadelphia Inquirer / Daily News LOADED: 03.23.2019

If Johnny Boychuk plays in rematch against Jake Voracek, Flyers’ interim coach Scott Gordon doesn’t expect fireworks

by Sam Carchidi,

The last time Jake Voracek and the Islanders’ Johnny Boychuk met, they sounded like Donald Trump and George Conway going at each other on Twitter.

The Flyers and Islanders will have a rematch Saturday afternoon at the Wells Fargo Center, but there are no guarantees Voracek and Boychuk will resume their dislike for one another.

Since he was injured by a Voracek hit to his head on March 9, Boychuk has missed six straight games – five as a healthy scratch.

In that game in Uniondale, Boychuk absorbed a reverse hit from Voracek and went down hard. After getting up woozily and being helped off the ice, the 6-foot-2, 227-pound defenseman pointed at Voracek, who was sitting in the penalty box, and appeared to proclaim: “I’m going to get you.”

Can’t wait to see Part 2 of this unfold. Boychuk is coming for you Voracek 👊🏻 pic.twitter.com/BDbl2f3UcG

— Hockeys Heaven™ (@HockeysHeaven) March 10, 2019

After that 5-2 Flyers win, Voracek mocked Boychuk. “He’s pointing at me like it’s WrestleMania or something,” he said. “Come on. It’s a hockey game. This is a guy who was sucker-punching 19-year-old Nolan Patrick last year at the end of the game, and he’s going to do that. Give me a break.”

Voracek was suspended for two games because of the hit.

Boychuk, 35, is minus-three in each of the last two games against the Flyers, who won those matchups, 4-1 and 5-2, respectively.

If Boychuk returns to the lineup Saturday, Flyers interim coach Scott Gordon doesn’t want Voracek or any of his teammates to makie the defenseman their focus.

“There’s more at stake than the hit for both teams,” Gordon said. “… I think there was an element of [Voracek] trying to protect himself as a guy was coming in hard on him. The contact was the end result, but I don’t think Jake had evil intentions on that play, and with what’s at stake for both teams, I’d be very surprised if anything will come of it.”

Saturday’s game is critical to both teams, especially the Flyers, whose playoff hopes are hanging by a thread. The Flyers are five points out of the last playoff spot (six points if the tie-breaker has to be used) with eight games left.

The Islanders, who have been shut out and beaten by a combined 9-0 in their last two games, are in second place in the Metropolitan, but are just four points ahead of Carolina, the top wild-card team.

“You look at the last six periods, we’ve been badly outplayed,” said Islanders defenseman Thomas Hickey, who has taken Boychuk’s place in the lineup, after Thursday’s 4-0 loss in Montreal. “I think we’ve got to find a little more juice.”

The Flyers did not have much “juice” in the first period of their last home game, a devastating 3-1 defeat Tuesday to Montreal, the team that holds the last wild-card spot. The Flyers rebounded Thursday and won in Chicago, 3-1, as Carter Hart made 40 saves.

“He’s won a lot of games for us by himself,” said Sean Couturier after icing the win with an empty-net goal, his 31st tally, which matched his career high. “You look at good teams, they all have that goalie who can steal a game here and there and make it hard on opponents, even when you’re struggling. [Thursday] was a great example of that.”

Hart (15-10-1), who has a 2.66 goals-against average and .922 save percentage, will start again on Saturday. Gordon said he is undecided on which goalie will get the start Sunday afternoon, when his team’s Must- Win Tour continues in Washington. 1137128 Philadelphia Flyers yourself, ‘What’s the next step to reach the next plateau?’ I believe he has that [makeup], which is very important.”

Parent, still fit at 73, said it’s good to have another goalie as a role model. Flyers legend Bernie Parent on Carter Hart: ‘I see nothing but sunshine For him, it was Jacques Plante. Parent’s career with the Flyers took off in for this kid’ | Sam Carchidi his second stint with the club, after he had spent two years as Plante’s teammate in Toronto. Many think the tutelage he received from his boyhood idol was the difference. by Sam Carchidi, Since he was a kid, Hart has idolized Montreal’s Carey Price. Like Hart, Price reached the NHL at 20. Price had a rookie year (2.56 GAA, .920 save percentage in 41 games) similar to Hart’s. The greatest goaltender ever to play for the Flyers, Bernie Parent, brought up the name of arguably the best player in NHL history, Wayne “It’s important to watch somebody who’s been around the league and to Gretzky, when discussing Carter Hart the other day. pay attention to what made him successful — and try to bring some of his things into your system,” Parent said. “Not everything, but things you add Parent, a Hockey Hall of Famer, likes a lot of things about the cerebral on can help you.” rookie goalie. Parent said that he doesn’t want to interfere with Hart’s routine, but that “No. 1 would be his anticipation, which is a God-given talent,” Parent he plans to meet him for the first time after the season. said. “He seems to be like Gretzky used to be, anticipating not to go where the puck was, but where he thought the puck was going to be. He “I’ll tell him I’m proud of him and to keep working on what got him there anticipates where the play is going to go, and it helps him be at the right and keep improving,” Parent said. “With a goalie, there’s always room for place at the right time. You can’t teach that.” improvement.”

Entering the weekend, Hart has a 15-10-1 record with a 2.66 goals- Even a 20-year-old rookie who has taken the league by storm. against average and .922 save percentage. The Flyers’ three-decade search for en elite goaltender appears to be over. Philadelphia Inquirer / Daily News LOADED: 03.23.2019

“He’s won a lot of games for us by himself," center Sean Couturier said.

And he’s only 20 years old.

Dallas’ Ben Bishop takes a league-best .932 save percentage and a 2.05 GAA into the weekend. At 20, he was still in college, playing for the University of Maine.

Vegas goalie Marc-Andre Fleury, who has a good chance to reach the Hockey Hall of Fame, had a cup of coffee with the Penguins when he was 19 — he struggled mightily in a 22-game stint — and was back in the AHL for parts of three seasons before reaching the NHL for good.

St. Louis’ Jordan Binnington, the hotshot 25-year-old rookie who has a league-best 1.79 GAA and .929 save percentage entering the weekend, played mostly in the ECHL when he was 20.

The point is, Hart is much more advanced than most of this year’s hotshot goalies at a similar age.

Even Parent, who led the Flyers to Stanley Cup championships in 1974 and 1975, was still trying to find himself when he was 20 and in his first NHL season. Playing as a rookie for the Boston Bruins in 1965-66, Parent had a 3.69 GAA and .898 save percentage. It’s not fair, of course, to compare stats from that era to today, when goalie equipment is much larger.

“Different game now,” the always-jovial Parent said.

Parent said his first year “was a little bit scary, but it was exciting. You’re performing in front of 20,000 people and you can feel the vibration, and it brings you to a different level when you play.”

Hart’s instincts, Parent said, would be impressive in any era.

“He will drop to his knees sometimes to make a save, but if you watch him, he’s right back up in position to get a rebound,” Parent said. “I see nothing but sunshine for this kid — that’s for sure.”

The Flyers are giving up too many shots and too many quality chances in front of Hart. But as time goes on, Hart’s teammates will feed off his strong play, Parent said.

“When a goalie plays like he does, the defense and the forwards have great confidence in what he’s doing, and it allows them to take chances sometimes because they have the goaltender behind them,” Parent said.

Parent was asked if Hart reminded him of any goaltenders he has seen through the years.

“Well, when he plays well, he reminds me of me,” he said.

After a long pause, Parent broke into laughter.

“No, just kidding,” he said in his thick French-Canadian accent. “He hasn’t been around long enough for me to compare him to anybody. When I played, and I’m sure he feels the same way, the secret in goal is you don’t compare yourself. You reach a plateau and then you say to 1137129 Philadelphia Flyers

Flyers-Blackhawks observations: Corban Knight gets first NHL goal in three years, and a gash on his nose

by Sam Donnellon,

With Columbus’ loss to Edmonton and Montreal’s victory over the Islanders on Thursday, the wild-card race tightened ever so slightly for the Flyers. They are now five points behind the Canadiens, who jumped over Columbus, for that last playoff spot.

The Flyers have eight games remaining. With the victory, their chance to make the playoffs went up a whopping .9 percent, from .7 percent before the game to 1.6 percent afterward, according to Sportsclubstats.com.

A lanced Knight

Corban Knight is the kind of man you hope your daughter brings home. The man own an eternal smile to accompany his pleasant disposition, even when sporting a fresh gash over his nose — compliments of his visor crashing down on it amid a scrum after a faceoff.

"So what happened to your nose?" he was asked.

“What’s wrong with my nose?" he deadpanned, again with a smile. ”I didn’t think it was that noticeable."

Knight scored his first NHL goal since potting one as a Florida Panther three Januaries ago when he tied Thursday’s game in the first period with a wrist shot from the slot.

It’s been a trying journey for him, spending all of last season with the Phantoms, where he was continually described by then-coach Scott Gordon as “one of my glue guys.” And always with a smile. He nearly had a second goal later.

"I’ve had my chances," he said. "It was nice to see one go in."

The vets have stepped up

They’ve taken a ton of criticism throughout the inconsistent, up-and-down seasons that have marked their Flyers careers. But beyond Claude Giroux, several of the Flyers most grizzled veterans have stepped up big time during their run to relevancy over the last two months.

Sean Couturier had a goal and an assist in Thursday’s victory. He has 40 points (15G, 25A) since Jan. 9, a span of 31 games. He is plus-24 since then.

James van Riemsdyk has 20 goals over his last 31 games and is a plus- 22 during that time. He’s so hot right now that he scores even when he’s not really intending to, like when he flipped a backhander on net midway through the third period Thursday and it ended up providing the game- winning margin.

“I just tried to throw it on net, and I thought there was some traffic,” van Riemsdyk said. “I guess it hit a good spot. I wasn’t necessarily aiming there. But I’ll definitely take it. … I saw everyone stop playing, so that’s how I knew it went in. I was going for a change.”

Not to be overlooked, of course, is what Giroux and Jake Voracek have done over that span, too. Both players assisted on goals Thursday. Voracek passed to Couturier through the neutral zone as he headed to the bench for a chance set up JVR’s game-winner. Giroux, the team’s leader and among its most unselfish, drew two defenders and laced the pass that Couturier guided into an empty net for the third goal.

The improved penalty kill

A lot has been made about the Flyers’ improved penalty kill under Scott Gordon. But one reason for it is they haven’t taken as many penalties since Jan. 9.

Including Thursday, they have been shorthanded 73 times since then, and they entered that Blackhawks game tied for fourth fewest in the league over that stretch. Before that, they had been shorthanded 137 times, which put them among the 10 most penalized (ninth).

Philadelphia Inquirer / Daily News LOADED: 03.23.2019 1137130 Philadelphia Flyers Flyers: Host the New York Islanders on Saturday.

Burlington County Times LOADED: 03.23.2019

Carter Hart makes impressive saves as Philadelphia Flyers beat Chicago Blackhawks

By Jay Cohen / The Associated Press

Posted Mar 22, 2019 at 12:01 AM

Updated Mar 22, 2019 at 12:30 AM

CHICAGO — Carter Hart is looking to help the Philadelphia Flyers rally into a playoff spot.

If the 20-year-old rookie is feeling any pressure, it’s hard to tell.

Hart made 40 saves and James van Reimsdyk snapped a tie in the third period, helping the Flyers beat the Chicago Blackhawks 3-1 on Thursday night.

Corban Knight also scored as Philadelphia picked up a sorely needed victory after dropping three of four. The Flyers (36-30-8) moved within five points of the second wild card in the Eastern Conference.

“It’s crunch time right now, but we’re just coming to the rink every day and just worrying about our group and everything that’s going on in here,” Hart said. “All that excess noise, we can’t control any of that. We can’t control how other teams are playing or any of that.”

Hart made his fourth start since returning from a lower-body injury. He has stopped 114 of 118 shots in his last three games.

“He’s been great. He’s won a lot of games for us by himself,” forward Sean Couturier said.

Chicago (32-31-10) missed out on a chance to gain ground in the race for the second wild card out West. Erik Gustafsson scored, and Corey Crawford made 25 stops.

“I’m aware of the standings, I’m aware we need points, but it’s how we play that matters,” coach Jeremy Colliton said. “That’s where we’re at.”

Van Reimsdyk picked up his sixth goal in the last five games on a long backhand at 9:50. Couturier had a hand in van Reimsdyk’s 26th goal with a well-placed screen in front of Crawford.

“I think it hit a good spot,” van Reimsdyk said. “I wasn’t necessarily aiming there, but I’ll take it.”

Philadelphia forward Ryan Hartman was whistled for holding at 11:08, but the Flyers didn’t allow a shot on goal on the ensuing power play. Couturier then put it away with an empty-netter with 1:14 left.

Chicago got one shot on its only other power play in the second period. It has one power-play goal in its last nine games.

“If we score or not, we’ve got to get some momentum off it,” captain Jonathan Toews said. “We’ve got to find that poise in moving the puck, getting open for each other. When things were going really well for us, we had four guys playing well without the puck, being available, moving it quick.”

The Blackhawks scored first when Gustafsson made a move in the right circle and beat Hart on the glove side 10:39 into the first period. It was the 15th goal of the season for the defenseman, who also scored during Monday’s 3-2 overtime loss to Vancouver.

Knight responded for the Flyers, skating up the slot and beating Crawford on the stick side at 15:43. It was the first goal for Knight since Jan. 5, 2016, for Florida at Buffalo and No. 4 for his career.

NOTES

Flyers: F Michael Raffl was scratched due to an illness. D Philippe Myers returned to the lineup after he missed Tuesday night’s 3-1 loss to Montreal with an illness. The NHL announced Thursday that the Flyers and Blackhawks will open next season in Prague on Oct. 4 as part of the league’s Global Series. It’s the third consecutive year the NHL is staging regular-season games in Europe and eighth overall.

UP NEXT 1137131 Philadelphia Flyers

Blackhawks expect Joel Quenneville to coach next season

By John Boruk March 22, 2019 1:05 PM

It won’t be long before Joel Quenneville is trending on Twitter, and not just in Philadelphia.

Hockey Hall of Famer Chris Chelios was in Chicago for Thursday night’s Flyers-Blackhawks game, but it was his appearance earlier in the week on WGN Morning News where he opened up about the 60-year-old head coach.

Chelios is hoping the Maple Leafs get bounced in the first round of the playoffs, and with that, the organization elects to part ways with Mike Babcock, currently the league’s highest-paid coach after signing an eight- year, $50 million contract in the summer of 2015.

Chris Chelios is not a fan of Babcock. pic.twitter.com/9yCLvxcvTL

— Toronto Bag Head (@torontobaghead) March 22, 2019

Chelios and others in Chicago see growing tension between Babcock and the Leafs organization, and the former Blackhawks defenseman prefers to see Quenneville land in Toronto or with the future expansion team in Seattle that doesn’t start play until the 2021-22 season.

Unquestionably, Babcock’s style can wear on players, and with the probability of facing the Boston Bruins again in the first round, Babcock and the Leafs are looking at the possibility of another first-round exit.

As for Quenneville, even his former players believe the three-time Stanley Cup-winning coach is ready to jump at another chance, whether that’s in Philadelphia or somewhere else.

“It would be pretty weird if he’s coaching somewhere else next season and not with the Blackhawks,” Patrick Kane said. “I think we all know that Joel has a big passion for hockey and a fire and a desire to win. I wouldn’t be surprised if he’s coaching somewhere else next season.”

“I would be surprised if he’s not coaching,” Duncan Keith. “He never really changed [this season]. I think it’s just that competitive nature inside him. That’s what made him a great coach. The competition of winning games. There’s never anybody who loves winning more than him.”

Even Quenneville recently admitted during his first television interview since his firing, “There’s an appetite to get back into the game.” Quenneville spoke to Chicago’s WGN-TV on St. Patrick’s Day and said that he’s in “no hurry right now” to accept a head coaching position while also adding, “We’ll see how things transpire in the offseason. We’ll have to think about it, and we’ll see.”

Several Blackhawks insiders believe Quenneville’s relationship with the general manager and input regarding personnel decisions will go a long way toward determining where he eventually coaches again, pointing to the trades of defenseman Niklas Hjalmarsson and forward Artemi Panarin, which created organizational strife the past few years in Chicago, and eventually led to Quenneville’s firing in early November.

There could be as many as nine teams looking for a permanent head coach heading into the 2019-20 season.

Quenneville admitted he still watches a lot of NHL games, but not as many Blackhawks games.

Perhaps he’s evaluating what he sees on the ice and which organization might be a good fit.

When it comes to the Flyers, there’s a lot to like.

Comcast SportsNet.com LOADED: 03.23.2019 1137132 Philadelphia Flyers Canadiens: 10th

Hurricanes: 21st

NHL playoff picture: Flyers still knocking on the door Interestingly, the Flyers can pull within a tie of the Blue Jackets with a weekend sweep of the Islanders and Capitals before the Jackets' next game in Vancouver Sunday night.

By John Boruk March 22, 2019 10:40 AM Comcast SportsNet.com LOADED: 03.23.2019

The Flyers aren’t riding on the rims just yet. They pumped a little air in their tires Thursday night after completing a season sweep of the Chicago Blackhawks.

Despite earning two points, the Flyers actually gained a point on the second wild-card team as the Canadiens leapfrogged the Columbus Blue Jackets, who have lost three straight games.

Wild-card standings

Carolina: 40-26-7, 87 pts, 9 GR

Montreal: 39-28-7, 85 pts, 8 GR

Columbus: 40-30-4, 84 pts, 8 GR

Philadelphia: 35-29-8, 80 pts, 8 GR

Thursday’s games

PHI: W 3-1 at Chicago

CAR: L 6-3 vs. Tampa Bay

MTL: W 4-0 vs. NY Islanders

CBJ: L 4-1 at Edmonton

• James van Riemsdyk continued his red-hot play with the go-ahead goal midway through the third period to lift the Flyers over the Blackhawks. Van Riemsdyk is tied with Edmonton’s Leon Draisaitl with the most goals (20) in the NHL since Jan. 7. It was also his fourth game-winner over that span.

• The storm surge in Carolina was the Lightning’s high-powered offense as Tampa Bay scored four unanswered third-period goals. Forward Nikita Kucherov became the first player since Pittsburgh’s Sidney Crosby in 2006-07 to top 120 points in a single season.

• Goaltender Carey Price stopped all 28 Islanders shots for his 44th career shutout while former Flyer Jordan Weal added a goal and an assist as the Canadiens blanked the Islanders. Montreal now sits in the playoff driver’s seat.

• The Oilers broke open a 1-1 game in the third period with three unanswered goals as the NHL’s hottest player, Draisaitl, continued his torrid pace with his 300th career point, adding three assists.

What are the odds?

According to Sports Club Stats, the Flyers saw a slight climb in their playoff percentage up to 1.6 percent. The closer they inch to Montreal, the greater that number will jump as the Canadiens moved up 20 percentage points after overtaking Columbus in the standings.

The website Money Puck has the Flyers' odds at 1.7 percent.

What lies ahead?

The Flyers have the first of two weekend back-to-backs as they host the New York Islanders Saturday afternoon, looking to beat the Isles for the third time this month, with another meeting against the Washington Capitals Sunday afternoon in D.C.

The Canadiens have a back-to-back as well, hosting the Sabres Saturday with a game at Carolina on Sunday.

On the verge of being swept, the Blue Jackets can’t wait to wrap up their Western Canadian road swing with two full days off between games.

Strength of schedule

According to PlayoffStatus.com, with eight games remaining, the Flyers' schedule isn’t nearly as grinding. The Flyers now have the 13th-toughest schedule but will play five games over the final nine days in March.

Blue Jackets: 9th 1137133 Philadelphia Flyers Chicago isn’t what it once was, but they still have Patrick Kane (101 points), Jonathan Toews, Alex DeBrincat and a number of other offensive weapons. Yes, they give back that advantage on the defensive side, but Flyers 3, Blackhawks 1: 10 things we learned as team tries to ‘make sure it’s still a tiring task to face that much firepower. “It’s mentally exhausting we end the right way’ because you’re always thinking, OK, who’s on the ice, who’s got the puck, so you’ve definitely got to be aware whenever you’re on the ice,” Knight admitted. But at the same time, it’s a fun challenge.”

By Charlie O'Connor Mar 22, 2019 Head coach Scott Gordon also acknowledged the difficulty, even if the score didn’t show it. “It’s a tough offensive team to play against, and we

knew that going in,” he said. “We at least didn’t give up a ton of CHICAGO — When the Flyers fell to the Canadiens on Tuesday, the breakaways and 2-on-1s, which I’ve seen in their previous games mantra from inside the locker room was clear: Either we win all nine of happen quite frequently, so that part of it was good.” They may have our remaining games, or we really don’t have much of a chance of avoided a true run-and-gun contest, but Chicago still finished with a sneaking into the last playoff spot in the Eastern Conference. whopping 41 shots on goal and led 2.66 to 2.47 in all-situations Expected Goals. They had their chances. It’s a daunting road, but the Flyers found a way on Thursday to take the first step without stumbling. 3: Rope-a-dope style works, but it’s not ideal

Shaking off an early 1-0 deficit, Philadelphia was boosted by goals from The bulk of Chicago’s territorial advantage came in the second half of the James van Riemsdyk, Corban Knight and Sean Couturier, and rolled to a game, as this shot-attempt differential chart from Natural Stat Trick 3-1 victory over the Blackhawks at the United Center. Carter Hart was illuminates. Until the midway point of the second period, the Flyers were the hero in goal, stopping 40 shots to earn his 15th win of the season. hovering around the break-even point, and even held a slight edge in Corey Crawford took the loss, making 25 saves of his own in defeat. scoring-chance creation. Then, a deluge of Chicago shots occurred, with little response from Philadelphia. Note: This article will reference advanced hockey stats. If you’re looking to better understand any of the referenced metrics, please read this In fact, in the final 30 minutes, the Flyers managed just 13 shot attempts primer, which explains the concepts behind them. — yet scored on two of them. At least at first glance, that would appear to be an example of a team that got particularly lucky in driving its desired 1: Flyers stay alive, even if chances remain slim outcome, and surely good fortune played a role. But after the game, the Flyers held that despite the territorial disadvantage, they had successfully Hockey players aren’t going to quit, even in the face of overwhelming kept Chicago to the outside, making the Blackhawks’ inability to score odds. As long as the Flyers have a mathematical chance at the playoffs, less of a fluke. both the coaches and the men on the ice will try to do everything they can to pull off the seemingly impossible. But don’t think they don’t realize “They were buzzing, they controlled the play a lot in our zone,” Couturier that outcome isn’t likely. said. “But I thought we did a good job protecting the house, the middle of the ice. They got a lot of cycling going, on the perimeter. But like I said, “Guys are gonna work until the end,” Sean Couturier said after the 3-1 we did a good job giving up a lot of those shots from the outside.” Other win on Thursday night. “(They’ll) give their all, and hopefully we can pull players echoed the sentiment, and they had a point. Only five of off a few wins together here, maybe get some help from other teams and Chicago’s 72 shot attempts on the night qualified as “high-danger.” squeak in, but guys still are gonna work hard and do whatever we can to win some games, and make sure we end the right way.” And yet, ideally, a team doesn’t want to get bludgeoned in the shot- attempt battle. When asked to break down why the ice was so tilted in “Make sure we end the right way.” That’s a comment that seems focused their opponent’s favor over the second half of the contest, Gordon was just as much on setting the table for next year with a strong finish as his typical descriptive self. “(In) the second period, for whatever reason, pinning hopes on a miracle sprint to the postseason. As Couturier hinted, we just started backing off, especially with our forward tracking back into and Jakub Voracek articulated before the game as well — the Flyers’ our zone,” he said. “As a result, they had some really easy entries that chances now depend on other clubs faltering. probably should have been dump-ins, that we’d been pretty good on. So “You’re kind of hoping that some teams right in front of us aren’t going to we lost some momentum off of that.” It didn’t burn them, though. have a very good finish, which you’ve still got to hope for, to make the 4: Flyers have a play-driving problem playoffs,” Voracek said. “But obviously we put ourselves in this situation. We were 16 points out.” The turning point of the Flyers’ season is commonly viewed as the Jan. 14 game against the Wild, when they exploded for seven goals in a 7-4 So, self-awareness does exist in the Flyers’ locker room. In order to get triumph. Since then, they are 20-7-2, and while they likely will come up to 96 points and about a 75 percent chance at earning a playoff spot, short in their attempt to secure a playoff spot, their 72.41% points they’ll have to win each of their remaining games, an incredibly difficult percentage since that date would trail only the Lightning over a full task. They remain five points behind Montreal, so they’d need the season. The results have been there. Canadiens to lose at least three times in addition to the Flyers staying perfect. Possible? Sure, and last night’s victory kept the door open a But Philadelphia’s underlying numbers, particularly at 5-on-5, have crack. But just a crack. shown serious cracks. Since the Flyers’ run of “stellar” play began, they’ve posted a ghastly 44.43% score-adjusted Corsi For Percentage, 2: Score fails to reflect firepower and a 44.17% rate when limiting the sample to only shots that qualify as A quick glance at the final score — a 3-1 result that included an empty- scoring chances. In both categories, only the Devils — a team that net tally — might lead one to believe that this was a relatively calm, tight- certainly has not posted a strong close to the season, and a front office checking contest. In reality, however, it played out similarly to the way seemingly making decisions with the goal of putting a worse team on the most games involving the Blackhawks have this season — slugfests with ice to aid in future draft position — are in the Flyers’ ballpark. both teams trading chances as if they were prizefighters in the middle of Perhaps some will look at these numbers and decide that they serve as the ring exchanging blows. On this particular occasion, the boxers had final evidence that advanced metrics are useless. But it seems fairly rock-solid jaws and proved capable of taking the relentless punishment. uncontroversial to argue that outshooting and outchancing the opposition The Flyers and Blackhawks combined for 69 shots and 106 attempts, is helpful when it comes to winning games. In fact, it’s much easier to win necessitating stellar performances from both Hart and Crawford to keep when a team is controlling play — which the Flyers haven’t done very the score manageable. Particularly in the first half of the game, both often over the past three months. The win/loss results might be there, but clubs were prone to allowing the other to attack in waves: Chicago’s this doesn’t feel like a sustainable, long-term path to relevancy. shorthanded flurry in the first period and Philadelphia’s 60-second burst Whomever the Flyers go with as their next coach — whether that’s a new of offense that concluded with Corban Knight’s first goal as a Flyer were face or Gordon returns — it’s important to acknowledge the issue and classic examples. It really shouldn’t have been a surprise — entering the work to address it in the offseason. game, the Blackhawks ranked a solid eighth in Goals For compared to a 5: Hart saves the Flyers … again horrid 30th in Goals Against. If the Flyers truly are getting outshot and outchanced on a regular basis yet still winning games, there has to be a reason for the discrepancy. For starters, they’re finishing on their chances — their 10.00% shooting sticking exclusively to certain duos, he became a bit more flexible in his percentage at 5-on-5 is second in the league over that span, and their combos. 11.44% all-situations rate ranks third. In addition, they’ve both scored goals on the power play and prevented goals on the penalty kill at a top- 8: Hartman moves up in Raffl’s absence 10 rate. But the biggest reason for their success has been dramatically As the Flyers try and pull off their long-shot run at the playoffs, a flu improved goaltending play, led by 20-year-old Carter Hart. Last night was continues to work its way through the roster. Phil Myers was a recent Exhibit A in showcasing the impact goaltending can have on a game. casualty, though he returned to the lineup on Thursday. But Philadelphia For the third straight game, Hart was on point. He stopped 40 of 41 shots remained at less than full strength: Michael Raffl, who had settled in as a on the evening, and now has a 0.966 save percentage since shaking off third-line wing over the past few weeks, didn’t even make the trip to the rush of a three-week layoff. Per usual, he received the expected Chicago, leading to Justin Bailey rejoining the lineup and allowing for praise from those in the Flyers locker room. “He’s pretty special,” Knight Ryan Hartman to jump up into Raffl’s vacated spot. noted. “Obviously he was a key part of it, right from the get-go,” Gordon Hartman’s work with the Flyers has been something of a mixed bag. On acknowledged. “He’s won a lot of games for us by himself,” Couturier one hand, he’s generally been active in games, flashing plus speed and said. “That’s what you want — you look at good teams, they all have that tenacity in addition to an ability to be involved in the creation of scoring goalie that can steal a game here and there and make it hard on chances. Finishing those chances has been a problem, however, as has (opposing) teams even when the team’s struggling. Tonight’s a great been his play-driving at 5-on-5. Even on a team struggling in that regard, example.” Hartman’s 37.19% Corsi For Percentage has been ugly.

Couturier wasn’t wrong, in that great teams tend to have goalies who can Hartman’s work on Thursday was more of the same. He looked useful, carry the load when the skaters aren’t firing on all cylinders. Even the getting involved in multiple dangerous offensive zone shifts with new juggernaut Lightning have Andrei Vasilevskiy after all. But the Flyers are linemates Scott Laughton and Travis Konecny, in addition to breaking up currently taking it a bit too far, when it comes to the territorial a few high-quality chances for the Blackhawks. But the numbers — 30% disadvantage that Hart is having to face on a nightly basis. Might Hart Corsi, 32.83% xG rate — told a different tale. My eyes lead me to believe actually be this good — he now holds a full-season 0.922 save that Hartman’s numbers will eventually improve. But at some point, they percentage — and be capable of erasing a consistent shot deficit simply actually have to do so for him to be taken seriously as a high-end bottom- via his play? Absolutely. But the preference would be to build a team in sixer for Philadelphia moving forward. front of Hart that can outplay the opposition, and then add in an above- average goaltender to the mix as well. That’s what separates Tampa Bay 9: JvR’s hot streak continues and the like from the Henrik Lundqvist-in-his-prime Rangers. After James van Riemsdyk missed six weeks early in the season with a 6: Hard truth: a battle between two teams who should be out of it knee injury, one thing seemed certain: Even if JvR produced at his usual pace, the fact that he missed such a significant amount of time would In the end, last night’s battle between the Flyers and Blackhawks proved make it impossible for him to hit the target 30-goal plateau that fans to be an entertaining game. Lots of offense (though not many goals), a hoped he would achieve when his signing was announced last summer. close score and great goaltending made for an enjoyable watch. But it He just wouldn’t have enough time. also highlighted the weaknesses of both clubs. Yet here he is, sitting at 26 tallies with nine games to go after scoring yet The Flyers, as noted above, can’t seem to drive play at 5-on-5 anymore, another goal on Thursday — this one a game-winner. A ridiculous run of and are increasingly dependent upon the heroics of a goalie who can’t 11 goals in 13 games has moved JvR into position to potentially hit that yet drink alcohol legally in the United States. Chicago, on the other hand, 30-goal mark despite missing 16 contests. And now, he’s even getting is one of the worst defensive clubs in hockey and has a serious lack of good luck, too: Last night’s goal came on a lazy backhander that van skater depth behind its big-name stars. Neither of these teams played Riemsdyk sent toward the net in anticipation of making a line change. In especially impressive games. fact, he was on his way to the bench when he realized that he scored. Technically, both are still alive in their respective playoff races. The When you’re hot, you’re hot, I guess,” Gordon cracked afterward. Flyers are five points out with eight games to play, while the Blackhawks JvR still lacks strong underlying metrics this season, but with Toronto, he are four points out with nine left. Neither should expect the kind of luck generally graded out quite well in that regard. Most likely, he’ll benefit that would propel them into the postseason, but the possibility can’t be from some positive regression in that statistical area in 2019-20. And he’s ruled out. Still, these aren’t clubs who really should still be in the running. certainly shown that his goal-scoring ability hasn’t left him. Both basically punted the first half, both made high-profile firings to non- player personnel (Chicago parted ways with Joel Quenneville, the Flyers 10: Knight gets the goal, and a beat-up nose dumped both Ron Hextall and Dave Hakstol) and both continue to have Regardless of whether one believes Corban Knight should be up with the serious roster flaws. Neither truly looks or feels like a playoff team right big club, it doesn’t change the fact that his ability to stick with the Flyers now. is a worthwhile accomplishment. After all, we’re talking about a player 7: Couturier-Giroux briefly reunited whose last extended time at the NHL level was back in 2015-16, and whose last NHL goal was on Jan. 5, 2016 — more than three years ago. There was little sign in the lead-up to puck drop that Gordon was Twenty-eight-year-olds who were parked in the minors for multiple prime considering line changes, but when the starting lineups were announced years tend not to get a second chance. just minutes before the game, there was the group of Oskar Lindblom, Nolan Patrick and Jakub Voracek back together. In recent games, Yet Knight is with the Flyers, and likely would have been a lineup regular Gordon has used Couturier between those two wingers, but last night he staple had he not missed four months with an upper-body injury. That brought back an old faithful: the Couturier-Giroux duo that has proved so injury required him to wait until the end of the season to pick up his first dangerous over the past two seasons. goal since 2016, and last night proved to be that special night. It didn’t come without the hockey gods taking their pound of flesh, of course — a Or at the very least, he brought it back for a bit. After the new lines failed visor mishap resulted in an ugly-looking cut on his nose after the game. to light the lamp over the first 20 minutes, Gordon returned to the regular trios, putting Patrick back with Giroux and James van Riemsdyk, and FIRST GOAL AND A BATTLE WOUND FOR CORBAN KNIGHT! returning Couturier to his spot between Lindblom and Voracek, and CONGRATS! #PHIVSCHI PIC.TWITTER.COM/PN6VOV4055 swapped back-and-forth between the Couturier-Giroux and Patrick- — PHILADELPHIA FLYERS (@NHLFLYERS) MARCH 22, 2019 Giroux pairs over the rest of the game. Was he dissatisfied with the work of the old 14-28 duo? Gordon said that it was more the result of his lack “Just off a faceoff, the visor came down and kind of sliced it a little bit,” of awareness of Chicago head coach Jeremy Colliton’s preferred Knight said after the win. “I didn’t think it was that noticeable, but a lot of matchup strategies. people were coming up to me,” he laughed.

“Having not played them, I didn’t know how he was going to roll his lines,” Knight certainly hasn’t been a point producer — Thursday’s goal actually Gordon explained. “There was a lot of jumping around, so after the first was his first point as a Flyer in 15 games with the team. But his period, I just decided to make sure I got what I wanted on the ice, at the advanced metrics have been OK, as he comes in just above break-even very least against Kane and Toews.” It appears that Gordon’s primary by both even-strength Corsi Regularized-Adjusted Plus Minus and xG goal was to get Giroux and Couturier out as much as possible against RAPM. Knight isn’t the kind of player the Flyers should ideally look to Toews and Kane, and once he determined that could be done without have on their fourth line moving forward. But he’s still a nice story, and he’s not a true liability on the ice, either. Nothing wrong with a player like that getting his moment in the sun before a season concludes.

The Athletic LOADED: 03.23.2019 1137134 Pittsburgh Penguins defensively. They’ve shown an ability to score. They control territory. That line has been very good for us for a number of games.”

Tribune Review LOADED: 03.23.2019 Goals are only thing missing for promising Penguins 3rd line

JONATHAN BOMBULIE | Friday, March 22, 2019 2:33 p.m

The recent postseason history of the Pittsburgh Penguins is littered with third lines that made a championship difference.

In 2009, Matt Cooke, Jordan Staal and Tyler Kennedy were known as the best third line in hockey. In 2016, the HBK Line featuring Carl Hagelin, Nick Bonino and Phil Kessel set the hockey world on fire.

The third-line combination the Penguins are using these days — Dominik Simon, Nick Bjugstad and Patric Hornqvist — is making its case to join the list.

They’ve relentlessly driven possession for the better part of a month, playing good defense and hanging onto the puck down low in the offensive zone.

All they need to do to earn a nickname and get people to start printing T- shirts with their likenesses is to start scoring some goals.

“I think we’ve been playing good,” Hornqvist said. “We’re playing both sides of the puck. We’ve created a lot of chances. We haven’t scored that many goals, though, but if we keep playing the same way, we’re going to get goals.”

The numbers paint a pretty good picture of the promise the line possesses. When they’ve been on the ice together at even strength, the Penguins have had a 53-36 advantage in shots and a 3-0 edge in goals.

The individual talents of the players on the line make those numbers possible.

One proven way for a team to retain possession is to carry the puck into the zone rather than dumping and chasing. The shifty Simon does that well.

The gritty Hornqvist, meanwhile, is one of the best players in the league at retrieving pucks in the corners and below the goal line, which is another way for a line to rack up offensive-zone time.

Finally, the lanky Bjugstad knows how to use his 6-foot-6 frame to ward off defenders and keep the puck on his stick.

“I think we all support each other pretty well and kind of play that same style of game,” Bjugstad said. “We want to go get the puck. Even with me, when I’m playing well, I’m holding onto the puck down low. That’s kind of what I’ve got to focus on. I can keep getting better at that here.

“Playing with those two, you know they’re going to be supporting you. If you’ve got two guys on you, they’re going to be open and they’re going to be in the right spot. They’re fun to play with.”

While the line passes both the stat test and the eye test, it has managed a goal in just three of the 10 games it has played together.

Needless to say, that’s the hole in the resume.

There has been a great deal of hand-wringing over the fact the Penguins have surrendered one-goal leads late in regulation in five of their past 14 games, and justifiably so. The best way to protect a one-goal lead is to turn it into a two-goal lead, of course, and the Penguins haven’t done enough of that lately.

The Penguins can’t count on second-line stalwarts Evgeni Malkin and Phil Kessel to fix the problem like they normally would. Malkin is out on a week-to-week basis with an upper-body injury, and Kessel hasn’t scored an even-strength goal in 25 games.

It’s important, therefore, for the third line to start to turn some of its 23-8 advantage in high-danger scoring chances into tangible results on the scoreboard.

Coach Mike Sullivan is confident it will.

“I think Nick’s line has been really good for a number of games now,” Sullivan said. “They’re a real good 200-foot line. They’re conscientious 1137135 Pittsburgh Penguins

Bryan Rust’s goal helps Penguins avoid potentially frustrating loss

JONATHAN BOMBULIE | Friday, March 22, 2019 5:30 a.m

NASHVILLE, Tenn. – In the first period of Thursday night’s game against the Nashville Predators, Pittsburgh Penguins winger Bryan Rust had a handful of scoring chances, including one shot that rang off the post behind goalie Pekka Riine.

Was he starting to grow frustrated?

“I was about to break my stick over the boards if I didn’t get one,” Rust said.

He got one, all right.

Rust’s second-period goal was enough to get the Penguins a point in the standings. When Sidney Crosby converted his shootout attempt and Matt Murray stopped all three Nashville shooters, the Penguins picked up another point with a 2-1 win.

“First period, I think I had four, five chances,” Rust said. “We stuck with it. We were working well together. We were skating. We were getting in the open space. We were good to get one there and I think we could have had a few more.”

After blowing one-goal leads late in the third period and losing in overtime or the shootout in three of their previous 13 games, the extra shootout point was warmly welcomed in the Penguins locker room.

“It’s a whole heck of a lot better,” Rust said. “That’s a good non- conference two points. If it’s in our own conference, I think we’re a little upset giving up that one point. But anytime you’re playing a team from a different conference, you try to get two any way you can.”

Rust’s goal came when he stopped a Kris Letang shot-pass from the right point and steered it around Rinne with a backhand shot. It was Rust’s 18th goal of the season and his first in three games since returning from a lower-body injury that sidelined him for seven games.

He also was part of a penalty killing effort that stopped shut down three Nashville power plays.

“He’s such an important player for us,” Rust said. “We utilize him in so many different capacities. His speed is so important, both on the penalty kill and when he plays up on Sid’s line. He creates a lot. He creates space for those guys, and he’s shown the ability to finish. He’s scoring goals this year, which is great for him. I’m happy for him.”

Tribune Review LOADED: 03.23.2019 1137136 Pittsburgh Penguins “That was a shock,” Oleksiak said. “That was a lot to take in.”

Once he reflected a little more, though, Oleksiak started to think about how his experiences in Pittsburgh shaped him. Overall, as he said, the Jamie Oleksiak reflects on his short time with the Penguins culture was a big thing. But he also appreciated the time spent working with assistant coaches Jacques Martin and Sergei Gonchar and the on- ice opportunities Oleksiak received, the various roles coach Mike Sullivan JASON MACKEY cast him in.

MAR 22, 2019 4:46 PM “Playing in different situations, getting some comfortability and familiarity with that was huge for me,” Oleksiak said. “It developed my game and

helped me recognize certain situations within the game. It got me to not DALLAS — While many people in Jamie Oleksiak’s position might’ve worry about making mistakes and playing to win, playing your hardest. I grown frustrated or gotten discouraged, the former Penguins think that’s kind of a big thing I learned from my time in Pittsburgh.” defenseman is actively charting a different path. If Oleksiak plays Saturday, he insisted it won’t be weird. Recently he saw Traded between two organizations twice in 13 months, Oleksiak has Colorado and Florida — Derick Brassard and Riley Sheahan — and two been trying to pluck the positives out of the whole thing, as strange as games before that he was in Buffalo, against Conor Sheary’s Sabres. the past few months have been for the 26-year-old Toronto native. Plus, the Penguins have experienced an unusual amount of turnover this “I like to think they thought enough of me to bring me back,” Oleksiak season. There are already a few guys he’s never met. But Oleksiak will said of the Dallas Stars, who on Jan. 28 re-acquired Oleksiak from the always appreciate his time with the Penguins and what they did for his Penguins for a fourth-round draft pick in this summer’s NHL Draft. “It career. wasn’t like they traded me away and said, ‘OK, see ya later.’ “I feel fortunate to have played with those guys there,” Oleksiak said. “It’s “It’s how I try to carry myself. I want to look at the positives.” a good group. I wish them success … although maybe not so much [Saturday]. It was a lot of fun.” Jim Rutherford speaks with the media at UPMC Lemieux Sports Complex on Feb. 25. Jason Mackey

Oleksiak, whose Stars will play host to the Penguins on Saturday at Post Gazette LOADED: 03.23.2019 American Airlines Center, really enjoyed his 13 months in Pittsburgh. Not only because it gave Oleksiak his first taste of playoff hockey but also for the organizational culture he was exposed to.

From that, Oleksiak said he learned how to prepare each day and about the many elements that go into winning hockey games.

“The success they’ve had through playoffs and stuff, going through that, you’re going to have a lot of ups and downs,” Oleksiak said. “You learn to deal with things as they come, and that’s one thing they do a really good job of. They don’t get too low or too high. Here in Dallas, we’re getting a little bit more of that mentality as well.”

Oleksiak may be underselling his current club a bit. The Stars currently occupy the second wild card spot in the Western Conference — entering Friday’s games — and allow the second-fewest goals per game in the entire NHL.

The 6-foot-7, 255-pound Oleksiak, who opened the season with four goals and eight points in his first 12 games, has been in and out of the lineup, a healthy scratch in six of the past 10.

It’s entirely likely Oleksiak could make it seven of 11 Saturday, although he said he’s not worrying too much about that.

The biggest reason why is something that also traces back to his time in Pittsburgh.

Bryan Rust scores a goal against Predators goaltender Pekka Rinne on Thursday, March 21, 2019.

“I think we have a lot of good defensemen here,” Oleksiak said. “We have a lot guys who can play in different situations — just kind of the nature of the beast. I’ve been coming in every day, staying ready.

“One thing I learned from my experience last year is that it takes everybody. No matter if you’re in or out of the lineup, you never know when you’re going to get your shot. I’m just staying ready, keeping that mentality and helping the boys in the grind here.”

Oleksiak said he wasn’t terribly shocked that he was traded. With Justin Schultz coming back, Oleksiak and everyone else knew Penguins general manager Jim Rutherford would probably deal a defenseman. With a couple years on his contract at a reasonable rate, Oleksiak figured he was a prime candidate.

At the same time, Oleksiak insisted he didn’t dwell on anything.

“There’s always rumors and that stuff, right?” Oleksiak said. “But if you think too much on that, you’re going to go crazy.”

Even so, when Oleksiak learned he was going back to Dallas — the team that drafted him 14th overall in 2011 — he almost thought it was some sort of joke. 1137137 Pittsburgh Penguins Rutherford wants Kessel to keep using his shot, and he thinks that eventually — sort of like Bryan Rust earlier this season — things will even out.

Jim Rutherford: At long last, Penguins 'playing the way we should' “Those pucks will go in eventually,” Rutherford said. “It’s just a confidence thing. He’s still shooting the puck the same way. It’ll come. I’m not concerned about him at all.” JASON MACKEY Stiff competition MAR 22, 2019 3:10 PM It won’t be long before Olli Maatta returns from his shoulder injury, perhaps as soon as Saturday against the Stars at American Airlines Center. DALLAS — A few hours after the NHL trade deadline had passed on Monday, Feb. 25, Penguins general manager Jim Rutherford walked into That will give the Penguins eight healthy NHL-caliber defensemen plus the media room at UPMC Lemieux Sports Complex to discuss a few another in Juuso Riikola who’s being stashed in the minors. It’s also deals he had made and openly admitted he was “nervous” whether his conceivable that Chad Ruhwedel (upper body) could return, although team would make the playoffs. he’s currently out “longer term.”

Suffice to say, Rutherford feels differently now. Bottom line, the Penguins are about to have a surplus of defensemen, and there’s no longer a way to trade one of them like Rutherford did with Since that date, the Penguins have gone 8-2-3 while allowing an average Jamie Oleksiak. At least not until the summer, anyway. of just 2.2 goals per game, nudging their way into the battle for second or third place in the Metropolitan Division instead of occasionally finding “I’m not concerned about it,” Rutherford said. “You’re concerned when themselves outside of the playoff picture altogether. you don’t have enough. It’ll play itself out.”

“We’re playing the way we should and the way we have to,” Rutherford There are two things about this that Rutherford likes, and they’re related. said Friday. It’s going to force coach Mike Sullivan and his staff into some very difficult lineup decisions on who plays against a given opponent. It should Stars defenseman Jamie Oleksiak fires a shot against the Florida also force players to be at their best every night. Panthers on March 19, 2019. Oleksiak had eight goals and 25 points in 83 games as a Penguin. Some uncomfortable discussions might occur along the way, but Rutherford thinks that’s a good thing. The uptick — only Tampa and Vegas have more points since the deadline — has Rutherford feeling good, although it hasn’t been enough “It’ll certainly make it tougher on the coaches to make decisions,” to allow him to breathe a sign of relief. Rutherford said. “I’m sure at certain points some players won’t be comfortable with it. It’s a competition within a team that wants to be at its “You don’t get to that point until you’re officially in,” Rutherford said. “I’m best every night. We have enough defensemen to give us a chance to do encouraged with how our team is playing. That’s the most important that.” thing. When we officially make it, then we’ll be comfortable for a minute. Then we’ll start thinking about the next step.” Praising Teddy

The current issue with the Penguins involves all of these late goals With Evgeni Malkin hurt — there’s been no indication he’s in danger of allowed. Since Feb. 23, they’ve surrendered eight in the final 3:01 of potentially missing postseason action — Rutherford has been impressed overtime or regulation, including one Thursday in Nashville to send the with what rookie Teddy Blueger has done, stepping up to center the game into overtime. Penguins’ second line.

Matt Murray has allowed all eight. But at the same time, he’s also played Jared McCann has shifted to wing, and Kessel has certainly had to a 2.35 goals-against average and .928 save percentage during that opportunities to score. stretch while ranking tied for third in the NHL in wins. “He’s done a good job,” Rutherford said of Blueger. “He’s a very Over his past 10 games, Murray has been even better, with a 2.07 goals- responsible player. Ideally, at this point in his career, it’s not where he against average and .939 save percentage. would be for a long time. But since Geno has been out, he’s done a good job there. That line has been good defensively, and they’ve created some “How about dwelling on the saves that he’s made and how he’s playing?” good scoring chances. They just haven’t had any luck around the net.” Rutherford wondered aloud when asked about his goaltender. Post Gazette LOADED: 03.23.2019 Penguins players and coach Mike Sullivan had similar things to say after they pulled out a 2-1 shootout victory over the Predators at Bridgestone Arena, defending well and creating plenty of chances.

Bryan Rust scores a goal against Predators goaltender Pekka Rinne on Thursday, March 21, 2019.

They’re behind Murray and not the least bit worried about the number of late goals allowed, the same as Rutherford.

“I don’t know what his numbers are,” Rutherford said. “I just go by what I see. I see a very good goalie playing extremely well, making big saves when he has to and someone who’s been a big part of the run we’ve been on.”

Kessel ‘pressing’

Another topic of conversation around the Penguins recently has been the play of Phil Kessel, who’s a minus-20 on the season with three goals in his past 25 games, none of them coming at even-strength.

Rutherford believes Kessel will turn it around, but right now he thinks the winger is trying too hard to score goals.

“His work ethic has been good. He’s working at it,” Rutherford said. “He’s playing fine, but he’s pressing now to score. He’s getting the chances, which is a good thing. If he’s not getting any chances, that’s different.”

Against the Predators, Kessel had a whole bunch. It was almost as if the puck was following him all night, although Kessel couldn’t finish. 1137138 Pittsburgh Penguins at the Nashville blue line. Murray bailed the Penguins out on that occasion.

Still, there is clearly a different look to the Penguins these days. Their The Penguins stumble again late, but author a different ending: ‘We firepower isn’t at its customary level without Malkin in the lineup. Thus, earned this one’ they are being forced to win in other ways, the kind of ways that teams must deploy when the playoffs arrive.

By Josh Yohe Mar 21, 2019 Good habits are being developed, and the Penguins were finally rewarded. Instead of yet another heartbreaking loss, they beat one of the NHL’s best teams.

NASHVILLE, Tenn. — The Penguins allowed another goal late in the “Felt good,” Schultz said. “Felt really good. We’re playing such good third period. It’s a disappointing trend and one that needs to stop. hockey. We just need to keep going now.”

Of course, they did something else, also. They had the better of the play, Ten postgame observations in a hostile environment, against a Stanley Cup contender. Penguins goaltender Matt Murray makes a save during the second Matt Murray’s late mistake aside, the Penguins produced a strong effort period of Thursday’s game against the Predators at Bridgestone Arena in throughout and earned points in a third consecutive game without Evgeni Nashville, Tenn. (Christopher Hanewinckel / USA Today) Malkin, claiming a 2-1 shootout victory at Bridgestone Arena. • Sometimes I wonder about great players and things they notice during The Penguins aren’t acquiring points with their dazzling talent at the games. Take, say, Crosby, who won the game in a shootout by blistering moment. Rather, they are playing workmanlike, playoff -style hockey. a wrist shot, five hole, to beat Pekka Rinne. And they’re doing it so effectively. Crosby told me he didn’t necessarily have going five hole in mind before “We really are,” Brian Dumoulin said. “I see the change in how we’re the shootout attempt. However, as he skated toward Rinne, some playing. We earned this one.” flashbacks entered his mind. On Nov. 11, 2017, the Penguins and Predators played to a shootout in Nashville, and Crosby beat Rinne with Dumoulin’s recent absence from the lineup partially triggered that a move to the backhand. A few months earlier, Crosby scored on a change. The Penguins had to play a smarter, safer style of hockey when breakaway in Nashville in Game 3 of the Stanley Cup Final, also beating Dumoulin and Kris Letang were injured in Philadelphia last month. Since him to the backhand. Crosby said that he recalled those particular goals then, while their efforts to play prudent hockey haven’t been without and sensed that Rinne — understandably so — was anticipating that imperfections, the substance in their game has been noteworthy. Crosby was going to the backhand one more time. So, instead, Crosby “It’s the way we need to play,” Justin Schultz said. “And everyone is whistled a shot with an especially quick release, beating Rinne pretty playing a part in it. I feel like we’re playing really good hockey right now, easily. Crosby entered the game with an 0-for-4 mark for the season in to be honest. Everybody is chipping in and playing the right way.” shootouts, which is pretty uncharacteristic for him. Out-thinking a goaltender, however, is second nature. It’s interesting to me, though, that Above all else, one thing has become abundantly clear: The Penguins Crosby doesn’t really plan out where he’s going to go before the shot. care. They care a lot. Perhaps their effort could be questioned at times in Rather, he allows his instincts to take over. the season’s first half. Even Mike Sullivan ripped his team on a couple of occasions following uninspiring setbacks. • Let’s keep in mind the Penguins are playing without Malkin. He hasn’t been himself for much of the season’s second half, but still, the Penguins This team is currently playing differently, and the only evidence required are not the Penguins without him and have been a one-line team for of that occurred less than four minutes into the third period. The large chunks without him in the lineup. Teams play the Penguins so Penguins were protecting a 1-0 lead when the Predators were surging for differently when Malkin is out of the lineup, intensifying the pressure on the tying goal. Murray was down. Letang, Dumoulin and Jake Guentzel Crosby and the top line to provide an unfair amount of offense. Yes, the were all in the blue paint, sprawling to aid Murray. Sidney Crosby lunged Penguins need to improve their scoring depth. That goes without saying. toward the puck, attempting to clear it while diving to the ice. Dumoulin But give them credit. That’s four points in three games without Malkin, and Bryan Rust blocked shots. and they were two late goals allowed from being a perfect 3-0 in that span. I was chatting with Jim Rutherford about his team on Wednesday, It was a free-for-all, and it wasn’t pretty. It also left absolutely no question and he noted two things: The Penguins are playing very well at the about this team’s desire. moment, and they can’t be properly judged until Malkin returns to the “It was street hockey,” Crosby said, grinning when asked about the play. lineup. It’s hard to disagree with either of those points. “Desperation.” • The Penguins’ third line is an interesting one at the moment. Nick Dumoulin registered a key block during the sequence. Bjugstad, Patric Hornqvist and Dominik Simon “Corsi’d” the heck out of the Predators during most of this game. Bjugstad and Hornqvist “I just think it showed how much we all care,” he said. “We were doing produced five shots apiece. Simon was outstanding in the first period and everything to keep the puck out of the net, and that’s a really good team enjoyed one of his better games of the season. This isn’t a line that is we were playing tonight.” going to score on the rush very often, but when these three attain possession in the offensive zone, they’re doing some really good things. Sullivan has long enjoyed a reputation for being perfectly blunt with his Bjugstad, Hornqvist and Simon all shield the puck very well and can wear team. It’s why players almost invariably like him. If they’re playing poorly, down the opposition. I don’t know if this line is going to stick, but it’s an he’ll let them know. If they’re playing well, he’ll let them know. intriguing unit, one that could be effective in playoff style games such as The effort on that sequence left the coach feeling proud. this. Also, if you’re going to keep this third line intact, think about the possibilities. The Penguins could do something like this: “It’s an indication of the commitment level of the players,” Sullivan said. “They’re playing hard. They know the stakes are high and they’re doing In this arrangement, the Penguins have a player in Aston-Reese, who everything they can to try to help this team win. We have great has played better than “fourth-line level,” most of this season participating leadership in our room.” on the fourth line. That’s how you develop a good fourth line. Just a thought. Earlier in the day, Matt Cullen commented that he has recently witnessed a change in the Penguins’ approach. It’s one he believes will pay • Talk about the same old story with Murray. He was really, really good in dividends down the stretch. this game, stopping a barrage of shots in the third period and looking quite effective throughout. Then, in the closing minutes, he allows a very “We’ve changed the way we’re playing,” he said, referencing the outdoor bad goal to Ryan Ellis. game as the starting point. “We’ve been so much better defensively as a team. People call it playing the game the right way, and I’d say that’s Gauging Murray is difficult right now. He’s clearly playing well, as the exactly what we’re doing right now.” numbers back it up. Murray is aggressively taking away angles, and he’s always at his best when he plays with such aggression. That said, he is The Penguins still have their moments. They gave up a shorthanded permitting some truly questionable goals late in games. This was a bad breakaway to Viktor Arvidsson, of all people, thanks to a Crosby turnover goal. The rebound of the Dougie Hamilton shot, which led to Justin Williams’ goal on Tuesday, was a bad rebound. Philadelphia’s game- tying goal on Sunday night was a bad look for the Penguins because you can’t allow odd-man rushes in that situation, but still, Murray could have made that save. Then there was the Jakub Voracek goal at the end of the outdoor game last month in Philadelphia. Awful goal. So, yes, Murray has been outstanding recently and appears to have overcome all that troubled him in October and November. But these bad goals at the end of games need to stop.

• It’s going to be very interesting to see what happens when the Olli Maatta is ready to return to the lineup. And you’ll be happy to know that he’s about ready to return. Maatta has been cleared for contact and is now skating daily with the Penguins. I’d imagine he could be ready to play in a game as early as Saturday in Dallas, and certainly within the next week. Who leaves the lineup? My guess is Marcus Pettersson, but it should be noted that he has played quite well with the Penguins. He and Erik Gudbranson have been a fine pair and Pettersson was especially good against the Predators on Thursday. Some will automatically call for Jack Johnson’s removal from the lineup, but that’s not going to happen, nor should it. He’s been terrific during the last month and is forming a strong relationship with Schultz. Those two shouldn’t be separated, nor do I believe they will. The right side of Letang, Schultz and Gudbranson won’t be touched. It’s Pettersson or Maatta. My guess is Maatta will get the first crack and, given his body of work, this is sensible. But it’s still interesting.

• Let us not ignore Letang’s impact on these Penguins. He has been back for two games and has been outstanding in both. Simply put, the Penguins are an entirely different hockey team with him in the lineup. He is aiding their transition game, he set up Bryan Rust’s goal, and his defensive work has been rock solid. When a player misses that much time, and when that player has been dealing with an injury to a sensitive part of the body — a neck injury is always serious, especially when you’ve had surgery in that area — you never know how he will respond. Letang, it appears, has picked up precisely where he left off. This is a very big deal.

• One day earlier, Rutherford said he isn’t worried about Kessel and that he expects him to start scoring more goals soon. The general manager almost got his wish against the Predators. Kessel didn’t score, but he wasn’t lacking for chances. He nearly buried one of his patented wrist shots while skating down the right wing in the first period, but Rinne just barely got a piece of the shot. Kessel had two other golden opportunities, missing the net on one chance and getting stopped on the other. The effort is there with Kessel. The decision-making and execution isn’t. Stay tuned.

• Adam Johnson only played 3:59 in his NHL debut, but one thing was made very clear: This guy can skate. And his teammates know it. Late in a shift, Cullen could have simply sent the puck toward Nashville territory and departed for the bench. Instead, he flipped a pass down the left wing, knowing full well that Johnson would out-race the Nashville defense. And he did. It’s an exceptionally small sample size, but I noticed Johnson more in those four minutes of action than I noticed Joseph Blandisi for multiple games this season. I’d like to see a little more of Johnson. That kind of speed is a good, good thing.

• That’s 18 goals for Rust. I’ll remind you that he recently missed 10 games with an injury and that, entering the game in Chicago on Dec. 12, he had precisely one goal. What he has done is pretty incredible and, while playing with Crosby will augment anyone’s offensive game, what I notice most is what a thoughtful player he has become. He made a beautiful pass to set up Letang’s goal in Carolina on Tuesday. Three years ago, I guarantee you Rust takes that shot. He was such a shoot- first player in his early days with the Penguins that he would drive certain future Hall of Fame centers nuts. Now, they both want him on their line.

• This was a gutsy win for the Penguins and also an important one in the standings. They’ve caught the Islanders and, while Barry Trotz’s team has a game in hand, it also has a considerably more difficult remaining schedule than do the Penguins, who have a great chance to open the postseason at home. Also, Carolina and Columbus lost in regulation on Thursday. The Penguins, who play the Red Wings twice and Rangers twice down the stretch, have a comparatively easy schedule and should be able to reach second place by season’s end.

The Athletic LOADED: 03.23.2019 1137139 San Jose Sharks percentage. You know? You can’t. So we’ve got to find a way to get an extra save.”

2. Special teams are playing a role in the Sharks struggles. Takeaways: DeBoer speaks honestly about the Sharks goaltending issues Throughout most of the season, special teams have been a bedrock of the Sharks success. Right now, both the power play and penalty kill are struggling, contributing toward the Sharks losing skid.

By Paul Gackle | PUBLISHED: March 22, 2019 at 11:34 pm | UPDATED: The power play finally broke out of a 2-for-23 funk at 6:29 of the third March 22, 2019 at 11:36 PM when Timo Meier tapped in a Joe Thornton shot that squeaked through John Gibson’s pads. Yes, the guy who’s most guilty of overpassing reminded his teammates of the rewards that can come from simply ANAHEIM, Calif. — Logan Couture gave Sharks territory a crash course putting the puck on net. on how tough he is on Friday. Unfortunately for the Sharks, his will power fell short of earning the team two crucial points in the standings. The #SJSharks tie it up ON THE POWER PLAY! Timo cleans up Jumbo's shot. pic.twitter.com/QH3O3posbV After missing Thursday’s game with flu-like symptoms, Couture rejoined the Sharks lineup in Orange County, logging 20:36 while battling illness — Teal Town USA (@TealTownUSA) March 23, 2019 to lead the team’s forward group in ice time. Despite his dogged effort, The Sharks are struggling with the extra man at a time when the penalty the Sharks lost in overtime, extending their season-high losing streak to kill is suddenly losing its identity, as well. By going 1 for 3 on Friday, the five games. penalty kill is now just 15 for 23 (65.2) percent over its last eight games, Couture decided to play shortly after he arrived at the Honda Center. dropping it from 10th to 21st in the league rankings.

“I was feeling a little energy, so I decided to give it a go,” Couture said as Though the penalty kill is guilty of letting its structure slip in recent weeks, he struggled to amplify his words through a scratchy voice. the recent slump is also tied to the larger problem: goaltending.

Though Couture returned to the ice, Joe Pavelski missed his third “Attention to detail, we’ve lost a little bit of that,” DeBoer said. “Your straight game with a lower-body injury and Erik Karlsson was sidelined goalie’s your best penalty killer, too, so we need the big save at the right for his 11th consecutive game with a groin ailment. The single point time.” moved the Sharks to within four points of the Calgary Flames for the top 3. The loss spoils a historic night. spot in the Western Conference. On a team loaded with scorers, Braun ended up netting the goal that Here’s what we learned in the Sharks 4-3 overtime loss to the Anaheim made the 2018-19 Sharks the most offensively-prolific team in franchise Ducks: history.

1. Pete DeBoer speaks honestly about the Sharks goaltending issues. With his second goal of the season, Braun recorded the Sharks 266th Different game, same problem. tally, allowing the team to surpass the 265 goals scored by the 2005-06 squad, Thornton’s first with the organization. Keep in mind, this is a One night after DeBoer called out Martin Jones for failing to come up with Sharks team that features two 30-goal scorers, five 20-goal scorers and a big save in the Sharks 3-2 loss to the Los Angeles Kings, he watched a 12 10-goal scorers. similar narrative unfold just 30 miles down Interstate 5 in Anaheim. The Sharks controlled possession throughout the game, limiting the Ducks to Braun ties it up in his 600th NHL game!!! #SJSharks just 20 regulation shots, nine of the high-danger variety (Natural Stat pic.twitter.com/HXYC4I2yAK Trick). — Teal Town USA (@TealTownUSA) March 23, 2019

But backup goalie Aaron Dell failed to come up with those key-timely Braun, who suited up for his 600th NHL game on Friday, chuckled when saves as the Sharks continue to look for answers in the goal crease with he learned about his historic goal. just seven games left on the schedule. “There’s been a ton of good players through (the years), but this is one of Let’s be clear: the Sharks didn’t lose because Dell was cooking up the more-talented groups I’ve been around,” the Sharks defenseman marshmallows over an open fire all night. He just struggled to make the said. big save that Stanley Cup contenders seem to get when they’re tilting the ice against lesser opponents. The Sharks really needed Dell to squeeze Brent Burns also set a franchise record by earning the secondary assist the five hole when Adam Henrique blasted a one timer through his legs on Meier’s power play goal in the third. With his 77th point, Burns set a at 2:41 of the third, breaking a 1-1 tie after a near-perfect penalty kill. new career-scoring high while breaking his own franchise record for single-season points by a defenseman, beating the 76 points that he Likewise, if Dell had flashed one of his signature glove saves on Rickard amassed during his Norris Trophy campaign back in 2016-17. Rakell’s second goal, a 37-foot shot from above the left circle at 15:05 of the third, the Sharks might have rallied for a late win instead of needing San Jose Mercury News: LOADED: 03.23.2019 Justin Braun’s goal at 17:20 to reach the extra session. In fairness, Dell didn’t have much of a chance on Jakob Silfverberg’s game winner at the 38-second mark of overtime.

Henrique scores on the power play. #SJSharks down 2-1. pic.twitter.com/cFubzXVf41

— Teal Town USA (@TealTownUSA) March 23, 2019

Now, as the Sharks head toward a likely opening-round series with the Vegas Golden Knights, DeBoer might be hanging up a Barack Obama campaign poster on his bedroom wall because he now finds himself in the hope business. He’s hoping that a team with the NHL’s 31st ranked save percentage (89.14 percent) will finally get some goaltending in the spring.

After he defended his netminding throughout most of the season, DeBoer spoke honestly about the problem in front of him after Friday’s loss.

“I don’t want to sugarcoat it. We had them for maybe six (grade-A) chances and they scored four goals,” DeBoer said. “You can’t lay it at one guy’s feet, but you can’t win in this league with an .800 to .900 save 1137140 San Jose Sharks

Sharks lose fifth straight game in Anaheim

By Paul Gackle | March 22, 2019 at 9:32 PM

ANAHEIM, Calif. — Jakob Silfverberg scored just 38 seconds into overtime to extend the Sharks losing streak to five games.

Logan Couture returned from flu-like symptoms on Friday, but it wasn’t enough to get the Sharks back in the win column as they completed a two-game road trip to Southern California with a winless record, dropping a 4-3 decision to the Anaheim Ducks.

By earning a single point, the Sharks moved to within four points of the Calgary Flames for first place in the Western Conference.

The Ducks opened the scoring at 7:58 of the first, capitalizing on a Brent Burns turnover in the neutral zone. Ryan Getzlaf stripped the puck from Burns as he attempted to dance through the Ducks defense, leading to an odd-man rush and a goal from Rickard Rakell, who ripped a 30-foot shot into the top-left corner.

The Sharks tied it up at 2:29 of the second when Kevin Labanc scored his 14th of the season by picking the top-right corner from the lower-left circle. Marc-Edouard Vlasic and Marcus Sorensen picked up assists on the play.

The interstate rivals traded power play goals in the third. First, Adam Henrique snuck a one timer from Troy Terry through Aaron Dell’s five hole at 2:41. The Sharks tied it at 6:29, scoring just their third power play goal in 24 tries over a 10-game span. Timo Meier scored the equalizer, tapping in a Joe Thornton shot that squeaked through John Gibson’s pads.

With the secondary assists, Burns earned his 77th point of the season, setting a single-season franchise record for points by a defenseman.

The Ducks took a 3-2 lead at 15:05 of the third when Rackell scored his second of the game by firing in a shot from above the left circle on a Sharks power play. But Justin Braun made his 600th NHL game extra special, tying it up with 2:40 left in regulation, blasting in a rebound off the end boards for his second goal of the season.

The goal also marked the Sharks 266th of the season, setting a new franchise record.

The Sharks will return to action at SAP Center on Monday, opening up a four-game homestand against the Detroit Red Wings.

— Joe Pavelski missed his third straight game with a lower-body injury.

San Jose Mercury News: LOADED: 03.23.2019 1137141 San Jose Sharks

If you thought Ron Burgundy was a hoot as a TV anchor, wait til you hear him call hockey

By Gary Peterson | PUBLISHED: March 22, 2019 at 10:27 am | UPDATED: March 22, 2019 at 3:04 PM

In the most inspired innovation to hit televised hockey since Fox slapped cartoon comet tails on the puck, Ron Burgundy served as a celebrity analyst on Thursday night’s clash between the Los Angeles Kings and San Jose Sharks.

Burgundy, for the uninitiated, is a movie character — to be more precise, a witless TV anchorman — portrayed by Will Ferrell.

Burgundy/Ferrell (it’s difficult to know where the actor leaves off and the character takes over) joined Kings broadcasters and Jim Fox for the second period. If your boss is taking an extended lunch break, you might consider watching the jocularity in its entirety. If you don’t have that kind of freedom, here is a bite-sized sample of Ferrell/Burgundy’s wit and wisdom:

The 5 highlights of Ron Burgundy’s stint in the Kings broadcast booth.

1. “I apologize for being late. I thought you guys still played at The Forum. I was there for half an hour at what I thought was a Kings game. It was a Sade concert.”

2. “Just shoot the puck! Oh, they don’t have the puck.”

3. “I’m going to attempt to do a little play-by-play here. I used to do some with the San Diego Gulls of the IHL. Of course they were horrible. Most of the team didn’t actually have skates. They’d just run around in their gym shoes on slippery ice. OK, here we are, controlling the puck, passing over to … who’s that guy?

4. “I used to date Diana Ross. She dumped me.”

5. “For those of you watching at home, we’ve had to stop action on the ice several times. Feral cats have run onto the ice.”

OK, just one more. Asked what his goal call would be, Burgundy said, “It’d be something like this: ‘Kopitar with the puck. He dribbles, he skates on the ice. Shot on goal! He scores! He puts that baby to bed without a diaper.'”

This wasn’t the first time that Faust and Fox opened their booth to a celebrity. Snoop Dogg paid a visit in January. And the Kings haven’t cornered the market on celebrity analysts. Way back in 1987, Bill Murray sat on in a Chicago Cubs game.

San Jose Mercury News: LOADED: 03.23.2019 1137142 San Jose Sharks

Sharks’ fifth consecutive loss comes in OT

Associated Press Updated 11:31 pm PDT, Friday, March 22, 2019

That the Sharks crept one point closer to Pacific Division leader Calgary was likely of little comfort. San Jose is in a five-game tailspin and hasn’t yet figured a way out.

Jakob Silfverberg scored the winning goal 38 seconds into overtime to give the Ducks a 4-3 victory over the Sharks on Friday night in Anaheim.

Silfverberg, who had a goal and two assists, had his fifth multi-point game of the season and second against the Sharks. The goal, which beat San Jose’s Aaron Dell on his stick side, was his 23rd of the season.

Rickard Rakell scored two goals and assisted on the game-winner. Adam Henrique also scored a goal and Troy Terry had two assists. John Gibson stopped 23 shots.

Kevin Labanc, Timo Meier and Justin Braun scored for San Jose, which has lost five straight. Dell made 16 saves.

The Ducks opened the scoring at 7:58 of the first period when Rakell went top shelf on a snap shot just outside of the right faceoff circle.

Labanc evened it 2:29 into the second period with a wrist shot from just inside the left faceoff circle that Gibson was unable to get his glove on. The goal was Labanc’s 14th, and his 50th point of the season.

The teams then traded power-play goals in the third. Anaheim took a 2-1 lead at 2:41 when Henrique took Troy Terry’s pass and tipped the puck through the legs of Dell. Meier gave San Jose only its second power-play goal in the past seven games when at 6:29 he tipped in Joe Thornton’s wrist shot. It was Meier’s 28th of the season and second in the past four games. Burns extended his point streak to four straight games with an assist.

Rakell gave the Ducks multiple power-play goals for only the sixth time this season at 15:05 with another snap shot that found the top left corner for his 13th.

Sharks defenseman Justin Braun, who appeared in his 600th NHL game, sent it to overtime on a wrist shot with 2:40 remaining for his second.

Wild 2, Capitals 1: Luke Kunin scored the go-ahead goal with 7:35 left, Devan Dubnyk made 21 saves and visiting Minnesota moved into playoff position, leapfrogging Arizona and Colorado to move into the second wild-card spot in the West. Defending Stanley Cup champion Washington has lost four of six, but still leads the Metropolitan Division by four points. Before the game, the Capitals said top-four defenseman Michal Kempny is out indefinitely with a lower-body injury.

San Francisco Chronicle LOADED: 03.23.2019 1137143 San Jose Sharks When the team reconvened after the three-day break for Christmas, Hertl found himself centering Evander Kane and Kevin Labanc on Dec. 27 against Anaheim. That was partly due to Thornton’s injury issues, as he Tomas Hertl has become the player the Sharks always hoped he would battled through an infected ankle and then a broken toe, but since that be change Hertl leads the Sharks with 20 goals and a plus-11 rating. His 35 points are second on the team only to Brent Burns’ 42.

“I’ve been talking, I think for a couple years, that I felt he could be a top- By Kevin Kurz Mar 22, 2019 two centerman in the league,” DeBoer said on Thursday. “We’ve tried him there and then we’ve gone back away from it for different reasons.

Not because he wasn’t doing the job, but more because he was having LOS ANGELES — It was midway through the 2015-16 season, and success with other guys, whether it was Couture or Jumbo. I’m not Tomas Hertl couldn’t buy a goal. surprised that he’s doing what he is, because I always saw this potential. But when you see it every night firsthand, it’s obviously good to see, Hertl, who had burst onto the scene two years earlier as a 19-year-old because he’s been through a lot. He’s a great player.” rookie and immediately endeared himself to the fan base with a combination of skill, youthful exuberance and that ‘fun must be always’ Not only is Hertl having a standout season individually, but he’s made the innocence, was sitting on just four goals after 37 games. The production players around him better, too. The Sharks’ best line through the early was a far cry from when he tallied 15 goals in his first 32 career games in part of the season was Hertl with Couture and Timo Meier, which 2013 — including that memorable four-goal performance in just his third combined for 13 goals in 23 games, according to leftwinglock.com. career game — before an unfortunate collision with the Kings’ Dustin When the Sharks were flying high from Christmas through mid-February, Brown resulted in torn MCL and PCL ligaments in his right knee. posting a 15-4-0 record, it was Hertl’s line with Kane and Joonas Donskoi Hertl’s confidence was at a low point early in his third career season, at leading the way offensively. Those three players scored 18 even-strength one time scoring just a single goal in a 30-game span. So Joe Pavelski, goals together in 26 games they’ve played as linemates, just one fewer who, along with Joe Thornton, was one of Hertl’s linemates at the time, than the output of the Thornton-Marcus Sorensen-Kevin Labanc line, pulled him aside. which has combined for 19 goals in 38 games together.

“I (was) a little bit struggling, like, can’t score,” Hertl said on Thursday. While DeBoer agreed that Hertl has made other players around him more “But (Pavelski) actually sat down with me (and said), you play with me effective — “I think that’s probably where the growth has been,” he said and Jumbo. We know you’re a great player, so just keep going.” — he’s also managed to find a winger in Kane who seems to complement Hertl. The speedy power forward was sitting on 18 even- Pavelski recalled that moment on Thursday morning. strength points in 38 games at Christmas but has 21 even-strength points in the 30 games he’s been slotted alongside Hertl. “I do remember that. The only thing that we really probably shared with him is that he is a good player — and maybe a couple little habits that As for Donskoi, the streaky winger has averaged 2.34 points per 60 you could see that he could work into his game, whether it was pregame, minutes when playing with Hertl, and 1.87 without. or preparing for games. But, a lot of credit to him for really finding it, and getting it on track,” Pavelski said. “I think a good centerman is an indication of two very good wingers,” Kane said through a chuckle before the Sharks-Ducks game in Anaheim Hertl did get on track, quickly. He posted two goals, one assist and a on Friday night. “I think we complement each other well. We open up plus-4 rating on Jan. 9 against Toronto, and ended up with 17 more goals some room on the ice for each other. He’s a big body who can hold on to the rest of the way after that midseason pep talk from the current Sharks the puck, and it opens up some space for me, he draws attention to captain. A few months later, the Sharks found themselves in the Stanley himself and vice versa. I think we had that instant chemistry and gained a Cup Final against the Pittsburgh Penguins. lot of confidence with that, especially early.”

“I scored (17) goals and we got to the Finals, so it was really fun,” Hertl It’s that confidence that Hertl pointed to first when asked the biggest said. difference between himself as a player now as compared to earlier. It’s easy to see, too, as Hertl has frequently danced through defenders on Unfortunately for Hertl, he sustained another right knee injury in Game 1 the rush to generate a scoring chance, or won a board battle and then against the Penguins, and the Sharks dearly missed him in a six-game had the patience to make a play to an open teammate. defeat. From an individual standpoint, though, his performance over the second half and during that long playoff run reminded everyone of his That mental part of the game was something that Hertl, who signed what long-term potential. could end up being a very team-friendly four-year, $22.5 million contract in the offseason, put an emphasis on beginning in the 2017 offseason as Now, in his sixth NHL season, Hertl appears to be the player the Sharks we explored in September. hoped he would become when they made him the 17th overall selection of the 2012 NHL Entry Draft. Hertl has reached career highs in goals “I don’t know if it’s maybe like (my) second season just playing a full year, (32), assists (32) and points (64), and, more importantly, is centering one just getting used to (the) game,” Hertl said, referring to the frequent knee of the Sharks’ top two lines on a nightly basis. injuries that set him back through his first few seasons. “I get a lot of ice time. It’s nice, Pete believes (in) you, trusts you all the time on (the) ice, “I’m for sure happy with my stats,” Hertl said before he scored his 32nd you play against (the other team’s) big guys, you play PK, power play (on goal of the season Thursday night against the Kings at Staples Center. “I the) first unit. The confidence helps me because before, every time I don’t know if I (thought) this year I’d have that many points, but I (saw) (had) a couple bad games, you kind of shake your head. Now, if I have a the potential because I think I can be a really good player, and I think I’ve bad game, nothing happens — I have to be better and score next game. proved it this year. That’s my plan that is working, and I’m happy it’s like (that) this year.” “For sure I’m really happy with that, but I just try and keep going because Pavelski said: “It’s a funny thing how confidence works. It’s just handling I think I can still even be better, you know?” the things that you can handle as far as your work ethic, competing, and Prior to December, any conversation about Hertl’s future revolved around being strong on pucks and playing. He’s done a good job. That’s partly whether he would ever be able to center his own line. That’s where the maturing into his game, and into the role.” front office envisioned Hertl eventually playing when they drafted him, but There’s reason to believe Hertl’s best hockey is ahead of him this he never really got a long look there under Todd McLellan or, after the season, too, now that the Sharks have officially qualified for the playoffs. coaching change in the 2015 offseason, Pete DeBoer, who kept him He’s been able to raise his level in each of his first four appearances, mostly on the left wing of Thornton and then Logan Couture in his first going from 0.52 points-per-game in the regular season to 0.63 in the three seasons behind the Sharks’ bench. playoffs. In 43 career playoff games, Hertl has 14 goals and 13 assists On Dec. 23, though, DeBoer moved Hertl to the middle for the third for 27 points and led the Sharks with six goals in 10 games last year as period of a home game with Arizona, and Hertl promptly scored two they advanced to the second round. goals as the Sharks erased a 2-1 deficit after the second period to claim “I think I’ve proved it almost every year, in playoffs I always kind of raise a point in the standings in a 4-3 shootout loss. another step,” he said. “I really enjoy it, it’s my favorite time. I feel like I’m always a little stronger and heavier and I can help the team. Hopefully, I can prove it even the next playoff, and it helps for another good run.”

The Athletic LOADED: 03.23.2019 1137144 St Louis Blues before the season is over. Carl Gunnarsson is making progress, though. “It’s getting close for him for sure,” Berube said. “He had a real good day today, so we’ll see. If he has another real good day tomorrow, that’s real Blues are facing a pair of very tough games good progress for him and good news for us.” … The Blues signed goalie Joel Hofer, their fourth-round pick in the 2018 draft, to an entry-level contract. He split the season between two teams in the Western Hockey League this season, going 6-21-1 with a .904 save percentage for Swift Tom Timmermann Current and then 9-8 with a .911 save percentage for Portland.

St Louis Post Dispatch LOADED: 03.23.2019 The flip side of the Blues’ struggles against teams at the bottom of the NHL standings is how well they have played against teams at the top. Look no further than the last trip, when they beat Pittsburgh while losing to Ottawa.

While the Blues have shown a knack for making things hard on themselves, their next two games will be their toughest of the regular season’s closing stretch, at least in terms of the level of play of the opponents. On Saturday at Enterprise Center, the Blues face Tampa Bay, whose 120 points are 21 more than anyone else in the league and which has already clinched the Presidents’ Trophy for having the league’s best record. And then on Monday, the Blues host Vegas, which is the hottest team in the league right now, winning 10 of its past 11 going into a game Saturday vs. Detroit.

“That’s been our season in a nutshell,” forward Robert Thomas said. “All the top-end teams we’ve been playing really well. We haven’t been playing well against the other teams. I think it will be a great test for us. These are really important points for us.”

Tampa Bay scored four goals in the third period Thursday to beat Carolina 6-3. That win allowed them to join the 1983-84 Edmonton Oilers as the only NHL teams to have four separate win streaks of seven or more games in a season. The Lightning need five wins in their final seven games to set the NHL record for wins in a season. If they win their final five road games, they will set an NHL record for road wins in a season.

“That team’s focused, for sure,” coach Craig Berube said. “Their coach does a good job of doing that and keeping them focused. They’ve got good veterans on that team that have been around. They’ve won a lot of games. They know they have to stay playing and stay focused, so it’s going to be a tough game.”

The Blues know they can beat them. They won the meeting in Florida on Feb. 7, a 1-0 win in overtime on a goal by Brayden Schenn that was the fourth win in their 11-game streak.

“I thought we were extremely competitive in that game,” Berube said. “We knew it was going to be a hard game. We were heavy in our puck battles, we did all the little things right, and you have to get good goaltending, too. They’re going to get chances. I thought we did a real good job. I thought our puck checking and our penalty kill did a good job. I’m sure it gave us quite a bit of confidence. You go up against the best team in the league and you beat them in their building in a game like that, that’s a good game.”

HAT TRICK MANIA

The Blues have had five players record hat tricks this season: in order, David Perron, Ryan O’Reilly, Vladimir Tarasenko, Jaden Schwartz and Ivan Barbashev. That matches the most the Blues have had in one season since the 1984-85 team had eight players with hat tricks. The Blues also had five players record hat tricks in 2014-15: Tarasenko, Schwartz, David Backes, T.J. Oshie and Jori Lehtera.

In addition to having a hat trick Thursday, Barbashev was credited with six hits in the game. That’s the second most hits in a game this season for a player scoring three or more goals. Brian Boyle of New Jersey had eight hits in his hat trick vs. Pittsburgh on Nov. 5. Nobody else who has scored three or more goals in a game this season has had more than three hits.

Curiously, of the five Blues to have hat tricks this season, it was the first for O’Reilly and Barbashev and the fourth for Perron, Tarasenko and Schwartz.

BLUENOTES

Zach Sanford was a career-high plus-3 against Detroit. … Joel Edmundson didn’t take part in the Blues’ optional skate Friday, and Berube said the defenseman felt some discomfort after skating Thursday morning and decided to take a day off. Berube still expects him back 1137145 St Louis Blues chemistry so far, which is good. There is skill out there in the fourth line, for sure. All three guys have skill.”

And by putting Steen on the fourth line, Berube feels the group has Steen finds new home on Blues' fourth line stability and an identity.

“He’s a 200-foot player,” Berube said. “I just wanted a little more identity Tom Timmermann with that line and what they should be. So far, we’re seeing it. Two games, and they’re producing, too, and they’re doing a good job, just forechecking, being physical, just hounding pucks and being hard to play against.” In the past week, the Blues have gotten two of their top six forwards back into action from injuries in David Perron and Vladimir Tarasenko. Those “It’s not your typical grind away and hammer fourth line,” said Sanford, returns have inevitably led to the movement of some players down in the “and we’re just trying to play our game and play the right way.” lineup to make room for the team’s high-end offensive talent. “I think (it’s a fourth line),” Steen said. “I don’t know if I label it. That’s our Welcome to the fourth line, Alexander Steen. line.”

In a season of ups and downs and sideways moves for the Blues, Steen It is their line, and it’s likely to stay together as the Blues come down the has been a full participant in all of that. He missed games after a stretch as long as everyone stays healthy. Pat Maroon has found a place concussion, missed games with a shoulder injury, missed games when on the line with Tyler Bozak and Robert Thomas, scoring goals in four he became a father — he was taking pictures of baby-sized pink hockey straight games. The top six seems anchored in place. gloves in his dressing room stall earlier this week — and missed a game with the flu. He has gone long stretches without a goal, scoring just one Steen was having a productive offensive season, with five goals in the since the beginning of December, but coach Craig Berube uses him on first 14 games, before the injuries started to take their toll on him this the power play and the penalty kill, and he wears the A as an alternate season, but beyond scoring Berube likes what Steen brings to the team. captain. As recently as early January he was on the team’s top line with Having young guys learn from Steen is no small part of it. Ryan O’Reilly and Perron. “He’s a veteran guy that’s had a great career, been around a long time, Now, he’s on the fourth line, playing alongside Ivan Barbashev and Zach real good leader,” Berube said. “Why wouldn’t you look up to him?” Sanford, two guys who weren’t even teenagers yet when Steen broke St Louis Post Dispatch LOADED: 03.23.2019 into the league in 2005. And judging by Steen’s smile after Thursday’s win over Detroit, in which that line accounted for three of the five goals, he’s enjoying it.

“It’s always worthwhile,” Steen said. “The team is playing well, there’s good mojo, our goaltending has been awesome, so just keep it rolling.”

It’s a different role, and one Berube thinks Steen has accepted.

“It’s not easy but he understands the situation,” he said. “And he’s the type of player that is gonna be up and down the lineup and used in a lot of different roles. … I try to talk to players as much as possible beforehand and tell them the situation and what we need.”

The reality is, it’s tough to find any other place for Steen right now. The Blues’ top three lines are well-stocked, so well-stocked that in the past two games, the Blues have scored 12 goals and the top line of O’Reilly, Tarasenko and Brayden Schenn has provided just one assist (by Schenn, on a power play) in that time. The Blues have not only been getting secondary scoring, but tertiary and quaternary scoring as well.

After the Detroit game, Barbashev, who had a hat trick, was asked if it was an honor to play with Steen. He took the question very seriously. “Oh yeah, for sure,” he said. “He’s a veteran. It’s actually great to play with him. He’s been in the league for a long time. He just makes it it easy to play with him. He helps me and Sanny; it’s just awesome. He got his 600th point tonight in the league and it’s a pretty cool moment.”

“It’s great,” said Sanford. “To hear different things from him on and off the ice, how he sees the game and how he thinks it, it’s pretty cool for a young guy to be able to take that in. … He’s a pretty vocal linemate, he’s always saying what he thinks and what he sees and asking what we see, too. It’s pretty easy and fun to play with a guy like that.”

Steen returned the praise.

“It’s been an honor to play with (those two),” he said. “They’ve been lights out hard workers. … I think our conversation on our line has been good. I think right off the hop when they put us together we chatted about how we wanted to play and how we wanted to be effective for our group.”

Being on the fourth line may be the best thing for Steen down the stretch. It will keep his minutes down, which will keep the 35-year-old fresher and more effective. He played 12:12 against Detroit, three minutes less than he played two games before when he was on the third line with Jaden Schwartz and Oskar Sundqvist and seven minutes less than he was playing in some games early in the season.

It’s also a fourth line that isn’t like classic fourth lines. While all three players can be physical, it’s more than just a pound-’em, energy group.

“I think that line can do a lot of things,” Berube said. “It showed last night with the goals. They’re all working hard together, they’ve had some 1137146 St Louis Blues

Blues take it easy as they prepare for battles with Tampa Bay and Vegas

Tom Timmermann

Friday was the calm before the storm for the Blues. On the heels of a 5-2 win over Detroit and with runaway league leader Tampa Bay coming in on Saturday and then red-hot Vegas coming in on Monday, the team took it easy.

The two games mark the end of a run of eight games in 14 days for the Blues, a hectic stretch in which so far they have gone 3-2-1 and held on to third place in the Central Division. The Blues had an optional skate on Friday at the IceZone, and it was one of the more optional skates they've had. Among players who saw action on Thursday vs. Detroit, only Alexander Steen, Robert Bortuzzo, Robert Thomas and Zach Sanford were on the ice. The rest were either scratches or players coming back from injuries (and goalie Jake Allen).

Among the rehabbing players, defenseman Joel Edmundson didn't skate.

"He needs a little bit of maintenance today and he stayed off the ice to rest a little bit," coach Craig Berube said. "He skated yesterday and later on that day he wasn't feeling great."

Carl Gunnarsson and Sammy Blais did skate. Berube said Blais wasn't closer but Gunnarsson was and sounds like, if the Blues wanted to play him, the Vegas game or beyond could be possible.

"Gunnarsson had a real good day today," Berube said. "So that's really good news. Really good news. It's getting close for him for sure. He had a real good day today, so we'll see. If he has another real good day tomorrow, that's real good progress for him and good news for us."

On Thursday, Berube said it was too soon to say what the Blues would do once they got either Gunnarsson or Edmundson back. Michael Del Zotto has been filling in and has had an assist in each of the past three games. Berube is the type not to mix things up if the team is winning, so if the team got good results against Tampa Bay and/or Vegas, he might stick with the status quo.

As for Del Zotto, he's liked the offensive side but acknowledged that the defensive side could use some work, in part because of the absence of practices.

"Not too bad," Berube said. "I think he's still trying to find his way a little bit, how we play. We haven't had a lot of practice time so he's not getting the reps in practice. It's a little bit tough at times with some of the decision making."

St Louis Post Dispatch LOADED: 03.23.2019 1137147 Tampa Bay Lightning and backhanded the pass around Jaccob Slavin. Cirelli had to get the shot off with Teuvo Teravainen’s leg between his stick and the puck. It was a hard-working play.

Lightning is never satisfied, and that’s a good thing That’s the point. The Lightning is still putting in the hard work.

Anthony Cirelli’s 17th goal of the season gave the Lightning some hope By Diana C. Nearhos and helped to spark its four-goal third period. #TBLvsCAR #TBLightning #GoBolts #Canes @faiello_mari @TB_Times https://t.co/ikFWnOw6Ve Published Yesterday — TampaBayTimesSports (@TBTimes_Sports) March 22, 2019 Updated Yesterday “We know the real season starts in two weeks here,” Callahan said. “And that’s what we’re focused on, trying to get better, trying to keep getting wins and make sure we’re playing our best hockey in two weeks.” ST. LOUIS — Carolina seemed to be in a pretty good position after 40 minutes on Thursday. The Hurricanes had a lead, even if it was a one- What stands out to Stamkos about the Lightning is the lack of goal lead, going into the third period against a team playing the second satisfaction. No matter what this team does right now, the individual or half of a back-to-back. team records, the crazy runs, Tampa Bay has done a good job this year of staying focused on a larger prize. But no, the Lightning turned it on, playing with a short bench after a match penalty to Yanni Gourde, scored four unanswered goals in its final “The last couple of years, we’ve had some good regular seasons and 20 minutes of hockey in the span of 26 hours, and won the game. nobody talks about it,” Callahan. It’s what you do in the playoffs that matters, so we’re trying to ramp up our game for that.” [ Join our Lightning Strikes! Facebook group for conversation, polls, story links and more ] Up next

The Lightning locked up everything last week — Presidents’ Trophy, thus At Blues, 7 p.m. Saturday, Enterprise Center top seed and home-ice advantage throughout the playoffs — and doesn’t seem to have much to play for in the final nine games of the regular TV/radio: Fox Sports Sun; 970-AM season. Tampa Bay Times LOADED: 03.23.2019 That doesn’t matter to this team.

“Realistically, things have probably been wrapped up for a while,” said Steven Stamkos, referring to the Lightning’s 21-point lead over the rest of the league. “Just because we’ve clinched doesn’t mean we mail it in and then press the button. It’s not that easy.”

The Lightning signs forward Ryan Lohin of UMass Lowell to a two-year, entry-level contract. #TBLightning #GoBolts @TBLightning @dianacnearhos @TB_Times @RiverHawkHockey @TheRealLohin https://t.co/QzbAbIpi15 pic.twitter.com/iKY2zUn9CA

— TampaBayTimesSports (@TBTimes_Sports) March 22, 2019

Jon Cooper has been asked for weeks about how he keeps his team motivated. For the most part, his answer has been the players do it themselves.

Look at the quality of games the Lightning has played since clinching the Presidents’ Trophy on Monday. Tampa Bay beat Washington 5-4 in overtime Wednesday, then Carolina 6-3 the next night.

Neither was the game the Lightning wanted to play: Tampa Bay gave up 58 shots to the Capitals and needed a third-period comeback to beat the Hurricanes. A team without much on the line might not find ways to win a game that didn’t go its way.

The Lightning has. Emotions may have been a factor against Washington, the team that embarrassed Tampa Bay in last year’s Eastern Cup Finals, but not against Carolina.

Good teams find ways to win, Ryan Callahan said Thursday. That game was a good test of what is to come in the playoffs, having to come back from a one-goal lead late on the road.

That comeback didn’t just happen. It wasn’t the case of Carolina falling apart and giving up the lead.

A sobering reality for the rest of the NHL. #TBLightning #GoBolts @TBLightning #Canes #TBLvsCAR @newsobserver @ice_chip @tb_times @FrankPastor66 https://t.co/tuY10TpaHf

— TampaBayTimesSports (@TBTimes_Sports) March 22, 2019

Coaches are rarely in the position to praise the third-period effort of a team in the second half of a back-to-back, but that’s what Cooper did Thursday night.

“We played a really good third period, pretty gritty effort especially playing against an extremely desperate team that’s trying to fight for the playoffs,” he said. “So really happy with how we finished.”

Stamkos and Anthony Cirelli both made good plays on the tying goal. Stamkos fended off three Hurricanes. He stopped and started to beat Dougie Hamilton at the top of the zone, then skated past Jordan Staal 1137148 Tampa Bay Lightning

Lightning signs prospect Ryan Lohin from UMass-Lowell

By Diana C. Nearhos

Published Yesterday

Updated Yesterday

It’s that time of year when junior and college seasons end and players begin signing their first NHL deals. The Lightning signed forward Ryan Lohin to a two-year, entry-level contract.

Lohin finished his junior year at UMass-Lowell, where he served as captain, with 27 points in 33 games to lead the River Hawks. He also had 12 goals and three assists.

The 22-year-old will finish out the season on an amateur tryout contract with Syracuse before his entry-level contract begins next season.

The 6-foot, 192-pound forward is known as a strong skater who moves the puck well. He’s expected to develop in the AHL before competing for a spot with the Lightning.

Lohin was originally drafted by Tampa Bay in the seventh round, in 2016.

Tampa Bay Times LOADED: 03.23.2019 1137149 Tampa Bay Lightning

Hurricanes coach Rod Brind’Amour on the Lightning: ‘They’re too good’

By Frank Pastor

Published Yesterday

Carolina Hurricanes captain Justin Williams was spitting mad after his team squandered a third-period lead in a 6-3 loss to the Lightning Thursday night in Raleigh.

“We (expletive) it away, and it’s unacceptable,” Williams is quoted as saying in a story in The News & Observer.

True, the Lightning scored four third-period goals to overcome a 3-2 deficit.

But there might have been a better explanation for the Lightning’s seventh consecutive win — the fourth time this season it has had a streak of seven or more games.

"They’re too good,” Carolina head coach Rod Brind’Amour said.

As the Lightning, with 58 victories, closes in on the 1995-96 Detroit Red Wings’ NHL single-season record of 62 with seven still to play, teams like the Hurricanes are learning what others already have.

The Lightning doesn’t have off nights.

And when it does, it usually wins, anyway.

“They’re too good to not be good, if you know what I mean," Brind’Amour said. "So that’s a double whammy. We kind of got what we deserved, really, at the end of the day, because they were the better team.”

Tampa Bay Times LOADED: 03.23.2019 1137150 Tampa Bay Lightning

Yanni Gourde suspended two games for hit to Jordan Staal’s head

By Diana C. Nearhos

Published Yesterday

ST. LOUIS — Yanni Gourde has been suspended two games for his illegal check to Jordan Staal’s head during Thursday’s game against Carolina.

Gourde was given a match penalty in-game, which carries an automatic indefinite suspension until the play has been reviewed. The Department of Player Safety ruled on the suspension after a hearing with Gourde on Friday.

According to the explanation video, Gourde’s angle of approach was the issue, making “clear and forceful hit” in which Staal’s head was the main point of contact but was avoidable.

Gourde argued that Staal was stumbling as he played the puck, but the video explains Staal’s head does not “materially change position.” Gourde had time to change his angle and avoid Staal’s head on the play.

Gourde will forfeit $10,752.68, or about one percent of his average annual value.

This is Gourde’s first suspension or fine. He will miss Saturday’s game in St. Louis and Monday’s game at home against Boston.

Tampa Bay Times LOADED: 03.23.2019 1137151 Tampa Bay Lightning For closed captioning, look up. Capital One Arena offers closed captioning right on the video board. There’s a strip across the bottom of the screen, easy for those who need it not obtrusive to those who don’t.

Lightning-Capitals: Observations from Tampa Bay’s overtime win Tampa Bay Times LOADED: 03.23.2019

By Diana C. Nearhos

Published Yesterday

WASHINGTON — If there are seven games like Wednesday’s to be played in late May, sign me up.

Steven Stamkos is in, too.

“I’m sure both of us would be very happy to see each other again if it’s in the Eastern Conference Finals,” he said after the 5-4 win over the Capitals. “There’s a long way to go to get to that point. We’ll hopefully see them.”

Included in that long way is one more regular-season game between these two teams: the regular-season home finale on May 30. If it has anything in common with the two games Washington and Tampa Bay played Saturday and Wednesday, fans are in for a good time.

The second period on Wednesday had just about everything a hockey fan could want: here were just six goals and 10 total penalties, including a major scrum and a fight.

“It’s two really good hockey teams with some very good players and some great goalies and some good special teams, so it’s going to be a good game,” Stamkos said. “They’re the defending champs, so we have to raise our level to eventually follow in their footsteps in that regard.”

Carl Hagelin is getting his first taste of this budding rivalry as a new addition to the Capitals at the trade deadline.

“I felt it the first game,” he said. “you can definitely feel the intensity and the aggression in the game and those are fun games to play.”

Here are some odds and ends from the game:

More records. The Lightning set franchise records for road wins (26) and road points (54). Both of those records were only set last year. Additionally, Tampa Bay is now the eighth team in NHL history to post four separate win streaks of six or more games. The Lightning allowed 58 shots, the most ever in franchise history. Oh, and then there’s Andrei Vasilevskiy’s new record of 54 saves. For more on that one read this story from the game.

Special teams for the win. 14:31 of the game was played on special teams and the Lightning dominated that battle. Five-on-five, play swung in Washington’s favor, but special teams made the difference. Tampa Bay was 3-for-3 on the power play and 4-for-6 on the kill.

Kucherov scored two of those power-play goals. First, he landed a wrist shot, which he held just long enough for Braden Holtby to commit to one side of the net. Then, he added a one-timer from below the circle. Kucherov now has 47 power-play points this season, good for a new Lightning mark (that makes five franchise records set in this game, four of them positive ones).

Stamkos assisted both of those goals and scored the third. His passes showed off the dangerous play-making instincts that match his natural goal-scorer’s touch. On the goal, he carried the puck into the slot, finding a lane, and wristed it past Holtby.

Sometimes you need little luck. Anthony Cirelli had some luck on his side a few minutes later. Mathieu Joseph freed the puck up with a good play on the forecheck and took a shot. It bounced out to Cirelli who spun and threw the puck on net. It bounced off John Carlson into the net.

Melee on the ice. An obviously physical, emotional matchup flared late in the second period, when a scrum turned into a fight and seven total penalties.

Cedric Paquette checked Michal Kempny, which the latter took exception to. Kempny checked Paquette up high and Paquette came back hard. A scrum ensued. Yanni Gourde and Jakob Vrana dropped the gloves.

It took so long to sort out the penalties that even once play resumed, the resulting Capitals power play was over by the time the PA announcer had listed them all. 1137152 Toronto Maple Leafs There were discussions with team owner Stafford Smythe about the best replacement for Imlach. Toronto Marlboros coach Jim Gregory, later the Leafs’ GM, and farm-team coach Joe Crozier were considered. But There are many differences between the 1967 champions and today’s Clancy, Imlach’s best friend at the time and the Leafs’ assistant GM, was Maple Leafs given the job. While he had coached the Leafs a bit in the mid-1950s, even Clancy would admit he was not a master tactician. But that was not what the Leafs needed.

DAVID SHOALTS “King was kind of like the good uncle,” said Pete Stemkowski, another rookie on the team, one whose career would pick up under Clancy. PUBLISHED MARCH 22, 2019 Stemkowski said the players realized at Clancy’s first practice life was UPDATED MARCH 22, 2019 about to change for the better.

“Usually with Punch our practices were about an hour,” Stemkowski said. “Maybe 10 minutes with the puck and about 40 minutes of up-and-down For fans of a certain age, the hullabaloo over the Toronto Maple Leafs’ sprints. If [Imlach] didn’t like a line rush, when a pass went awry, he recent slide has a familiar ring. would say, ‘Put the pucks in the net and let’s start skating around the ice.’

Fifty-two years ago the Leafs went on an even worse bender, losing 10 “The first practice we had [with Clancy], we did our line rushes for about consecutive games between Jan. 15, 1967, and Feb. 12. Head coach half an hour and he goes ‘okay, everybody line up at the end of the ice.’ and general manager Punch Imlach, considered the most exacting We went down to the other end and back, next line down and back. Then taskmaster of his day, threatened player demotions and trades. The fans Clancy says, ‘Okay, [Dave] Keon your line up and back once.’ They go were outraged, although they had no social-media outlets to really up and back. He said, ‘Stemkowski, your line up and back once.’ Up and ratchet up the panic level. back once.

The 1966-67 Leafs, of course, wound up winning the franchise’s last “Then he blew the whistle and said, ‘That’s it.’ We go what? What? We Stanley Cup. Several of the players from that team agree the turnaround had half-hour practices and a big cloud seemed to lift from us. Guys got actually came three games after the losing streak ended when Imlach looser, more energetic.” was forced into hospital because of heart problems. He was replaced by the team’s court jester, King Clancy, and the Leafs blossomed under his Clancy did one other thing that would also have a great impact on the far more player-friendly approach, during which there was also a key line Leafs’ fortunes. He threw together some lines, including one with change. Stemkowski between Jim Pappin, who did not get a lot of ice time under Imlach, and the veteran Pulford. “Imlach was a very oppressive coach,” said Brian Conacher, a member of the famous hockey family who was a 25-year-old rookie at the time. “He said ‘Stemkowski you go to centre’, he goes ‘Pappin you go right “Some of the games we were losing, we weren’t losing by much but the side and Pully why don’t you go left side over there?’ ” Stemkowski said. team was just at a point where I think they had – quit is the wrong word – “There it was, Pulford, me and Pappin. We happened to click.” but they just basically stopped playing for him. With Pulford digging pucks out of the corners, Stemkowski winning “Historically, the life of a coach is three to five [years] no matter how faceoffs and Pappin serving as the sniper, the line resurrected the Leafs’ great you are. You just sort of run out of the motivation. I think Punch had offence. The return of Sawchuk was the other major boost to the lineup. pushed this team as far as he could.” He earned his 100th career shutout on March 4, 1967, the day Imlach was released from the hospital. There are many differences between the 1967 champions and today’s Maple Leafs. The biggest one is their age and experience – the ’67 Leafs The Leafs went undefeated in the 10 games following the losing streak. had eight regulars over the age of 35, topped by a pair of 41-year-olds in When Imlach returned to the bench on March 12, Clancy had a 7-1-2 goaltender Johnny Bower and defenceman Allan Stanley. Those Leafs record as head coach. But he refused to take any credit. won with their defensive game, a sore point with today’s Leafs, which “I haven’t done a damned thing,” Clancy told reporters. “Our goaltending was based on two Hockey-Hall-of-Fame goaltenders in Bower and Terry got good when Bower and Sawchuk got healthy and everything began to Sawchuk, a relative spring chicken at 37. click. This is Imlach’s team. It’d gone three games without losing when I However, there are also some similarities between the two teams. took over and I’m certain it’d have gone right on winning, regardless.”

Depth on the roster, which drew some criticism from current Leafs head The players thought otherwise. coach Mike Babcock earlier this week, is an issue with his team just as it “When [Imlach] came back, everything was in place,” Stemkowski said. was in 1967. One of the reasons the 1967 Leafs hit the skids was injuries “We got confidence. If you’ve got it from the head up, things are going to and one of the reasons they recovered was a few of the youngsters start working from the shoulders down. We believed in ourselves, Imlach stepped up. came back and basically all he did was just the line changes [during While Babcock is not a “screamer” as more than one Leaf player games] and we went on and won the Stanley Cup. described Imlach, he is the modern version of a taskmaster. The Leafs “There’s no question King Clancy taking over was huge.” head coach is relentless in his demands and doesn’t mind describing himself as a grinder who is not sympathetic to anyone prone to coasting The Leafs did not charge to the top of the standing in the NHL’s last now and again. season as a six-team league – they finished third – and few considered them a Stanley Cup contender because of their mix of age and But even Babcock has not been known to single out players for withering inexperience. But with the Stemkowski line leading the way in scoring criticism like Imlach could dish out. When the Leafs made it seven losses (Pappin had 15 points in 12 playoff games with Stemkowski adding 12 in a row on Feb. 1, 1967, scoring just 11 goals in those games, Imlach and Pulford 11), several stars on defence and two Hall-of-Famers in goal, told reporters his team had no leadership because Red Kelly was injured. the Leafs knocked off the flashy Chicago Blackhawks in the first round. He said Dave Keon, Frank Mahovlich, Bob Pulford and Eddie Shack Then they outlasted the Montreal Canadiens over six games in the final. were not pulling their weight. When he looks back, Conacher sees a lesson for today’s team in how The fact the Leafs were without some of their best players did not cut any the ’67 Leafs won. ice with Imlach. Aside from Kelly, the Leafs were also missing Sawchuk and Mahovlich for long periods during the losing streak. Even Bruce “I think every player on that team was as surprised when we won the Gamble, who was called up to back up Bower while Sawchuk battled a Stanley Cup as the next person,” he said. “I think historically, and I think back injury for two months, could not escape the injury bug. we were an example of it, it’s not always the best team that wins the Stanley Cup, it’s the team that plays the best in the Stanley Cup playoffs. The Leafs ended the streak with a tie and then posted a couple of wins It really doesn’t matter what you did during the season, it’s that whole by mid-February but they were still a tired and hurting group. That is new season.” when Imlach, 48, was hospitalized with chest pains – the first signs of heart trouble that would plague him the rest of his life. Globe And Mail LOADED: 03.23.2019 1137153 Toronto Maple Leafs

Saturday NHL preview: New York Rangers at Toronto Maple Leafs | The Star

By Mark Zwolinski

TV: CBC/Sportsnet

RADIO: Sportsnet 590 The FAN

KEY PLAYERS

Lundqvist/Andersen

Rangers goalie Henrik Lundqvist notched his 404th career win against Florida on Tuesday and moved into ninth on the NHL list, three behind Glenn Hall. Lundqvist is a living legend and one of the NHL’s true ambassadors. He recently passed 50,000 career minutes. Leaf Frederik Andersen’s sub-.900 save percentage this month is a concern. He’ll be looking for a solid performance against a Rangers team that won’t make the playoffs.

NEED TO KNOW

The rebuild is on in New York, with three young centres worth keeping an eye on: Brett Howden, Filip Chytil and Boo Nieves. A fourth, Lias Andersson, is still trying to get on track after the Rangers made him the No. 7 pick in the 2017 draft. He has appeared in 40 games over the last two seasons, with two goals and five assists … The Rangers have called up forward Vinni Lettieri, their leading scorer with Hartford of the AHL, and John Gilmour, who leads AHL defencemen in scoring with 53 points … The future is the story for the Rangers, who will miss the post-season in consecutive seasons for the first time since 2003-04.

UP NEXT

Monday vs. Florida, 7 p.m.

Toronto Star LOADED: 03.23.2019 1137154 Toronto Maple Leafs was exerted on the Muskoka Five when Mats Sundin and four teammates declined to wave their no-trade clauses. They were criticized by some for not being willing to help the team.

Patrick Marleau’s contract will be a problem for the Maple Leafs this off- Marleau could find himself in a similarly awkward situation next fall if he season | The Star is determined to play out the final year of his contract as a Leaf, particularly if it forces the Leafs to move another player to create cap space or to loses a player to free agency they might otherwise have been By Damien Cox able to keep.

Lamoriello had the ability and willingness to make players like Joffrey Lupul and Stephane Robidas vanish off the roster. The veteran GM didn’t They say growing old is not for the faint of heart. For an aging hockey much care whether the players liked his decisions and didn’t feel the player, even a very wealthy one, it can also be very unkind. need to explain them. He was solely focused on team improvement and The Leafs’ Patrick Marleau, now 39, is a classy veteran player in his 21st willing to do whatever was necessary. season in the NHL. In the old days, pre-salary cap and pre-analytics, Dubas, a rookie GM, has yet to face one of these uncomfortable veteran players could age gracefully, be recognized for “intangibles” they decisions. He succeeded in getting Tavares and Nylander signed, and in brought to the game, things that couldn’t be quantified or challenged. pulling off a trade to add Jake Muzzin. But dealing with the Marleau As long as their goals and assists were decent and their plus-minus conundrum is an entirely different type of challenge. wasn’t embarrassing, veterans could be shielded from more intense Right now, it’s difficult to envision an ending that’s a happy one for both scrutiny. Pre-1993, media and fans didn’t even know what an individual Marleau and the Leafs. player was earning. Team executives could simply say they were “good in the room” and there wasn’t much you could say to challenge that. Toronto Star LOADED: 03.23.2019 Well, those days are gone. There’s nowhere to hide in the NHL anymore. If you can’t produce at a rate commensurate with your salary cap number, you’re mercilessly reported far and wide as a liability.

Intangibles, meanwhile, just don’t mean very much in an NHL world in which virtually everything a hockey player does can be measured and compared to other players. For Marleau, the numbers, particularly those that detail his effectiveness at even strength and his ability to play a strong possession game, aren’t flattering.

He is playing about the same minutes (16:59 last season with the Leafs, 16:31 this year), but his points are down (47 in 82 games last season, 36 through 74 games this year), his plus-minus is worse than every Leaf save Justin Holl — though few care about plus-minus any more — and those who take deep dives into analytics would argue he’s actually even worse than he appears.

Still, the team hasn’t regressed this season and is headed for a second straight 100-point campaign. That’s never happened before in Leafs history. Marleau, beloved by his teammates and heralded as an important father figure on a young team, deserves a share of the credit for being part of that success.

His salary isn’t blocking anything that could be done. And if his game craters, he could still be moved down the lineup by head coach Mike Babcock. So Marleau’s presence isn’t a problem right now.

But no matter what, it’s going to become a major problem as soon as this Leafs season is over.

Then, we’re going to see whether general manager , seemingly a nice guy who kindly promised William Nylander he would never be traded when the young Swede re-signed with the team in December, has the ability to be a mean guy if necessary. Maybe even a heartless guy.

If he’s going to put the needs of the team first, Dubas will need to get Marleau off his payroll. There are just too many other players to sign. Better players. Younger players. Even if Marleau were to suddenly play like he was 25 again in the post-season, it wouldn’t be enough.

That doesn’t mean signing Marleau was a bad decision. He clearly did help the club last year with 27 goals, and he was viewed as a necessary addition to a very young Leaf team with few accomplished veterans. It was the massive contract awarded to John Tavares last summer, followed up by the big deals signed by Nylander and Auston Matthews, that turned Marleau from an expensive $6.25-million luxury item into a problematic salary-cap headache.

Dubas has a little personal wiggle room here. He didn’t sign Marleau. did. Contractually, however, the Leafs have a complex problem. Marleau has a total no-movement clause, and even if he retired, the cap hit remains for the final year of his contract in 2019-20. Ditto if the Leafs buy him out. Giving him that third year was how the Leafs convinced him to sign, so we can assume it is of substantial value to him.

So this is going to be an impossible problem to solve without Marleau’s co-operation, and even with it, not easy. We remember the pressure that 1137155 Toronto Maple Leafs Ottawa is indeed a G7 capital whose mayor the owner seemed to vaguely threaten on Friday. Look, there are a lot of hockey problems in the country. The Oilers CEO who fired the GM he had hired and who ran Leaf-baiting Sens owner tops standings in bush league | The Star the team further into the ground had to apologize to an Oilers player for blaming him for the team missing the playoffs this year. The Leafs are still in a bit of a slump and coach Mike Babcock had to clarify that all his recent passive-aggressive jibes at rookie general manager Kyle Dubas By Bruce Arthur have been inadvertent, which is a little like saying whoops, I toilet- papered your house, total accident, could have happened to anyone.

If one had to guess, the hardest part of being Eugene Melnyk is probably But there’s nothing like Ottawa. Some might think that any organization all the enemies. There are so many people out to mischaracterize you, that has seen its best players flee despite loving the city, that has seen slander you, label you, even though you own the Ottawa Senators! Oh, legal battles as arena plans disintegrate, that has produced faceplant the labels they employ: shortsighted, absurd, embarrassing, humiliating, after faceplant as fan anger surges and attendance goes down and the intolerable, delusional, paranoid, cheap. I mean, really. Is it paranoia owner is widely mocked and derided every time he opens his mouth … when everyone is out to get you? well, some people might say the owner is the problem.

It must be a relief to get to break through the smokescreen of the But then, that’s just what you’d expect enemies, rather than supportive mainstream media and tell the truth. Or as people in Ottawa are saying a Twitter bots or exhausted employees, to say. In Toronto, Babcock said, lot these days, to tell your truth. Thank goodness Eugene got on the “There’s going to be a s--tstorm every once in a while, there just is,” and radio a couple times this week to fight back against the misconceptions, it’s true. And some places, it’s just the weather. the media and the Toronto Maple Leafs. Toronto Star LOADED: 03.23.2019 Senators owner Eugene Melnyk has spent the last several years fighting with the media, the fans, the city, his former business partners and his staff ... among others.

“You don’t do a rebuild with a short-term view, and it’s tough in sports, but you have to have a five-year outlook,” Melnyk told Ottawa radio host Bill Carroll on CFRA 580. “And if you don’t, all you’re doing is patching up. And I know a team that you know, that’s done it for 53 years. They’ve been selling out but all they do is, they’ve been patching up. Finally they collapse their team, say we need to do a rebuild, but mistakes were made and somebody forgot about defence.”

His next words were literally “so this next six months is going to be critical for (general manager) Pierre (Dorion) and his team and the whole hockey operations to get their act together in a bigwig big way,” but thank goodness someone finally said something about the Leafs’ D. Really, despite the fact the Senators traded away three of their best players at the deadline because they couldn’t sign them, and are dead last in the NHL without a first-round pick this season, it’s not an entirely unfair point.

Also, Eugene’s history of the Leafs is pretty spot on, if you include the shortsighted, absurd, embarrassing, humiliating, intolerable, delusional, paranoid and cheap ownership Toronto had for so many of those years. But then, he wouldn’t know anything about that.

In fairness, Harold Ballard was a legitimate monster, and Eugene Melnyk is just a deluded and impossible goof, if you listen to his enemies. There are almost too many to keep track of, and it is good he is vigilant. Melnyk has spent the last several years fighting with the media, the fans, the city, his former business partners, his staff, Uber and Matt Cooke. He even picked a fight with Ottawa radio host and writer Ian Mendes on Friday, calling the TSN 1200 host “bush league.”

(Ian is thoughtful and fair and big-hearted and handsome, an advocate for charity, responsible masculinity and quality parenting, and doesn’t need me to defend him. But his response to Melnyk — tweeting out a picture of the gift basket Melnyk sent when Mendes’ eldest daughter Elissa was in hospital for brain surgery — was so classy that even the months-long spate of pro-Melnyk Twitter shadow puppet accounts that wouldn’t fool a 10-year-old would admit Ian was a good guy.)

Look, some people might call Melnyk’s Between Two Sens video with defenceman slash human shield Mark Borowiecki “bush league,” or the team’s pre-game media meal which is almost literally leftovers “bush league,” or the team marketing a baby onesie that was recalled as a choking hazard “bush league.”

But that’s just like the media! Those guys.

“You know what? Everybody has an opinion, but sometimes it’s an ill- informed opinion,” said the owner who said in late 2017 that he would consider moving the team if it becomes a disaster, and then criticized the media for reporting he would consider moving the team if it became a disaster. “And I don’t like some of the tactics that are used by a couple of your colleagues, so I just won’t talk to them anymore … I mean, that’s bush-league stuff. You do that in little towns in the middle of nowhere, not in a G7 capital.” 1137156 Toronto Maple Leafs healthy to have a difference of opinions at the management level, something Babcock concurred with.

“I think it’s important to have that. You have people thinking different Leafs’ Babcock says he and GM Dubas are on the same page | The Star ways, but I also think publicly that’s not the idea (discuss team details),” Babcock said.

By Mark Zwolinski “I go on media twice a day, sometimes three times a day … and you know what, there’s gonna be a s--tstorm — there just is. And you’d like to say everything perfect, but sometimes you don’t. But the intent … you know, Duby and my relationship isn’t as good now as it’s going to be four They’re fine. years from now. My relationship with (Murray) wasn’t as good the first Maple Leafs coach Mike Babcock says he and general manager Kyle year as it was in the third. My relationship with (Detroit GM) Ken Holland Dubas are on the same page, regardless of recent reports that suggest wasn’t as good as it was in my 12th year … their relationship is tense when it comes to player personnel. “It takes time to build your relationship, but this (opportunity to discuss Leafs head coach Mike Babcock says he and general manager Kyle the issue) will just make us better.” Dubas cleared the air after reports of a rift in their relationship surfaced. Toronto Star LOADED: 03.23.2019 The issue sprung up after a Babcock quote last week, where he suggested the Leafs don’t do as good a job as other teams at building player depth. They were in the midst of losing four of five games, a slide precipitated by their worst defensive performance of the season. At the same time, the Leafs were without two key defencemen, Jake Gardiner (back) and Travis Dermott (shoulder). Dermott practised with the team Friday, while Gardiner is also back on the ice, skating with skills coaches.

The reports ignited belief that the Leafs’ perceived lack of depth — especially with two key blue-liners injured — was the result of an inability, between Babcock and Dubas, to decide on how to build a roster.

On Friday, Babcock said he didn’t attend to offend anyone.

“You know, it’s interesting,” the coach said after Friday’s practice. “My first GM in the NHL was a gentleman by the name of Bryan Murray, and one of the first things he told me as a coach, and as a GM: Don’t let anyone get in between you, and if you do you’re in bigger trouble. So that relationship has always been important. So whatever people speculate or think, I don’t believe it’s the case.

“Duby and I talk all the time. We’ve talked since this has happened and — how would I say it — if any of my comments in any way … hurt anybody — and we talked about this with players, and you — if anyone’s wife reads the comments the next day and they feel hurt, you (media) have done the wrong thing. That’s not my intent.

“One of my comments was depth, depth in the organization. And again, we keep improving our depth. We all know it. Duby is trying to do it, (player evaluation director) Jim Paliafito, our scouts. We’re all trying to do it, to be like these teams. I mean, Tampa to me is just the model of what depth is. If there was any slap at anyone, it sure wasn’t intended.”

Babcock was buoyed Friday after Dermott, who has been sidelined almost a month with a shoulder injury, skated in his first full practice. Dermott wore a red jersey, signifying no contact. He’ll have to clear a full- contact practice before he plays, but said that should mean he’ll miss only “a couple of more games.” Dermott also felt that Gardiner wasn’t far behind that timetable.

The return of two key defencemen would be an obvious boost for the team with eight games remaining before the playoffs. Babcock also had centre Frederik Gauthier (foot) practising Friday after missing the last two games. And forward Kasperi Kapanen, the team’s fastest skater, returned last week after a concussion, which means the roster is returning to full health.

It also deflects any concerns about roster depth.

“Obviously, it’s a huge deal for us,” Babcock said about the injured players returning.

“For a while there we didn’t have the four of them. That was different. It’s better now with just the two of them out (Dermott and Gardiner). But the back end, no question, both those guys are good puck movers and good players and we miss them. In the NHL, you can talk about all those positions all you want, but you need D.”

Babcock also said he expects William Nylander to be available for Saturday’s game against the New York Rangers, after missing Friday’s practice with the flu.

The coach seemed relieved to have an opportunity to clear the air about his depth comments. Leafs president has said it’s 1137157 Toronto Maple Leafs

Saturday NHL preview: New York Rangers at Toronto Maple Leafs | The Star

By Mark Zwolinski

TV: CBC/Sportsnet

RADIO: Sportsnet 590 The FAN

KEY PLAYERS

Lundqvist/Andersen

Rangers goalie Henrik Lundqvist notched his 404th career win against Florida on Tuesday and moved into ninth on the NHL list, three behind Glenn Hall. Lundqvist is a living legend and one of the NHL’s true ambassadors. He recently passed 50,000 career minutes. Leaf Frederik Andersen’s sub-.900 save percentage this month is a concern. He’ll be looking for a solid performance against a Rangers team that won’t make the playoffs.

NEED TO KNOW

The rebuild is on in New York, with three young centres worth keeping an eye on: Brett Howden, Filip Chytil and Boo Nieves. A fourth, Lias Andersson, is still trying to get on track after the Rangers made him the No. 7 pick in the 2017 draft. He has appeared in 40 games over the last two seasons, with two goals and five assists … The Rangers have called up forward Vinni Lettieri, their leading scorer with Hartford of the AHL, and John Gilmour, who leads AHL defencemen in scoring with 53 points … The future is the story for the Rangers, who will miss the post-season in consecutive seasons for the first time since 2003-04.

UP NEXT

Monday vs. Florida, 7 p.m.

Toronto Star LOADED: 03.23.2019 1137158 Toronto Maple Leafs Frederik Andersen

Garret Sparks

Game Day: Rangers at Maple Leafs RANGERS GAME DAY LINES

LWCRW

Lance Hornby Filip Chytil Mika Zibanejad Ryan Strome

Vladislav Namestnikov Brett Howden Pavel Buchnevich

NEW YORK RANGERS (28-32-13) at TORONTO MAPLE LEAFS (44- Jimmy Vesey Lias Andersson Brendan Lemieux 25-5) Connor Brickley Boo Nieves Vinni Lettieri Saturday, 7 P.M., Scotiabank Arena DEFENCE PAIRINGS TV: CBC, Sportsnet; RADIO: FAN 590 Marc Staal Anthony DeAngelo THE BIG MATCHUP Brady Skjei Neal Pionk G Frederik Andersen vs. G Alexandar Georgiev John Gilmour Kevin Shattenkirk The Rangers have had three days off to rest veteran Henrik Lundqvist, but coach Dave Quinn likely will lean on his rookie after Georgiev’s 55- GOALIES save effort in a 3-1 win against Toronto at home last month. But Alexandar Georgiev Andersen is looking to bounce back at Scotiabank Arena after a terrible string of games in which he was pulled in back-to-back starts for the first Henrik Lundqvist time in his career. SICK BAY FIVE KEYS TO THE GAME Toronto: D Jake Gardiner (back), D Travis Dermott (shoulder) Shot clock N.Y. Rangers: D Libor Hajek (shoulder), F Chris Kreider (lower body) Nazem Kadri was one of the Leafs’ most frustrated players last time the SPECIAL TEAMS clubs met, a career-high 12 shots with nothing to show, three shots off the club record in a game, held by Dave Andreychuk. “Seemed like I was POWER PLAY getting lots of opportunities and I might have even hit a post, too,” Kadri recalled. Toronto 22.4% (7th)

Cut down to size NY Rangers 19.1% (16th)

Big Chris Kreider, who has 14 points in 16 games against Toronto, is not PENALTY KILLING going to play because of a lower-body injury, says coach Dave Quinn. Toronto 80.7% (14th) The Rangers are already on the verge of official playoff elimination.. NY Rangers 78.5% (26th) Momentum Toronto Sun LOADED: 03.23.2019 With their win in Buffalo on Wednesday, the Leafs began five straight contests against non-playoff teams. They haven’t won consecutive games since the start of the month. “That was about as solid a game as we’ve played in a long time,” Kadri said of beating the Sabres. “It’s something we can build off. We’ve had under 25 shots against (recently) which is pretty exceptional compared to the offence that’s in the league. If we can continue that and put up three or four a game, we’ll be all right.”

Big Zee

Rangers leading scorer Mika Zibanejad has established career highs in offence and is now one of five centres in franchise history to have registered 65 or more points in a season when 25 years old or younger (Walt Tkaczuk, Mark Pavelich, Mike Ridley, and Darren Turcotte).

Get it out

Despite their glaring defensive issues of late, the Leafs are tied with Tampa Bay for fifth in most defensive zone faceoffs won with 807. The Rangers, meanwhile, are 30th with 660.

LEAFS GAME DAY LINES

LW C RW

Zach Hyman John Tavares Mitch Marner

Andreas Johnsson Auston Matthews W. Nylander/T. Moore

Patrick Marleau Nazem Kadri Kasperi Kapanen

Tyler Ennis Frederik Gauthier Connor Brown

DEFENCE PAIRINGS

Morgan Rielly Ron Hainsey

Jake Muzzin Nikita Zaitsev

Igor Ozhiganov Justin Holl

GOALIES 1137159 Toronto Maple Leafs He was in a red non-contact jersey, but after an exhausting series of rehab sessions with the club out of town, was able to stay out for the duration. Dermott, who hurt his shoulder almost a month ago after Babcock deals with ‘s–t storm’ after string of losses bumping with Edmonton’s Brad Malone, predicts two more practices and he should be back.

“I’ve been on the ice a few times a week, still working hard on my therapy Lance Hornby and making sure it’s nice and strong.”

A year ago, losing Dermott for a month wouldn’t have been considered a big deal, but not after he’s proven himself and with the Leafs breakouts This was one of those minefields Mike Babcock has tried to avoid broken. walking — or talking — his way into since signing his eight-year deal with the Maple Leafs. “The boys are going through a little tough patch, but whether or not I was in, I don’t know how much effect that would have,” Dermott said. “Teams A string of losses, the sky-is-falling alarm from many fans as playoffs go through ups and downs. It does give me more incentive to come back near and recent injuries, fuelled by Babcock’s own comments about the and help.” state of the team, led to speculation of a rift with first-year general manager Kyle Dubas. Babcock said getting a couple of players healthy for the remaining eight games would be “a really huge deal for us”. “I go to the media twice a day, sometimes three, and there’s gonna be a s–t storm once in a while,” Babcock said Friday. “You’d like to say “For awhile we didn’t have four of them (Dermott, Gardiner, Nazem Kadri everything perfectly, but you don’t. If there was any slap at anyone, it and Kasperi Kapanen), but the back end, no question, those two guys sure wasn’t intended.” are both good puck movers and we miss them. In the NHL, you can talk about all the positions you want, but you need the goalie and you need Babcock’s answers in recent days about the roster challenges of losing D.” defencemen Jake Gardiner, Travis Dermott, poor outings against Cup contenders Tampa Bay and Nashville and the depth of other clubs were Gardiner is working out with Leaf coaches, but with his back injury, isn’t seen by some as laying the blame on Dubas’s doorstep should the Leafs expected to practice until early April. falter in April. Thus their future relationship became a hot topic after Tuesday in Tennessee made it four losses in five games. Centre Frederik Gauthier is back after taking a shot off the foot in Ottawa last Saturday. Winger William Nylander was sick on Friday, but should “Whatever people speculate or believe, that’s not the case,” the coach play against New York. said. LOOSE LEAFS “We talk all the time, we’ve talked about this rumour since it happened. I read (some of his own quotes) and I don’t (negatively interpret) it like that Petan, who signed a two-year deal at $775,000 US a season on at all. We talked about this the other day with our players. If anybody’s Thursday, called it a relief after his full-time status with the Winnipeg Jets wife is reading the next day and they feel hurt, then you’ve done the was up in the air. “It’s been a tough year, but its a vote of confidence, wrong thing.” good to know you’re wanted” … Friday was the great Dave Keon’s 79th birthday … The Marlies have activated NCAA signing Joe Duszak on Dubas added Jake Muzzin as the long-awaited addition on defence, only defence and on Friday signed forward Colton Conrad to a two-year AHL to have Gardiner and Dermott get hurt. Nic Petan was added to the deal that begins next autumn. Conrad, a Western Michigan student, fourth line where other clubs went with bigger “name” players, albeit at a played on Canada’s Spengler Cup team and will be on an ATO with the heavy price. Marlies for now.

“We have to keep improving our depth, we all know that,” argued Toronto Sun LOADED: 03.23.2019 Babcock.

“That’s what Dubie’s trying to do, what Jimmy Paliafito (senior director of player evaluation) is trying to do, myself, (farm coach) , what we’re all trying to do. So we can be like these teams. Tampa is a model of depth where it doesn’t matter if you get guys hurt.”

Babcock has three 40-win seasons under his belt, the first coach since Pat Quinn, though it’s how he fares against Boston in the projected first- round match-up that matters. But it’s a stretch to think he won’t survive a series loss.

“My first GM was (Anaheim’s) Bryan Murray and one of the first things he told me was as a coach and GM, never let anyone get between you.

“Dubie and my relationship isn’t as good as it will be four years from now. Mine with (Detroit’s) Ken Holland wasn’t as good in my first as my 10th or Bryan in my first as in my third. It takes a while to build.”

MELNYK ON THE LEAFS

Babcock was also asked about Ottawa Senators boss Eugene Melnyk’s comments on radio Friday morning that included a swipe at how Toronto’s defence was not deep enough to win a Stanley Cup.

“We have people questioning everything we do,” said Babcock, trying to ignore the owner of a rival team weighing in on such a matter.

“We have an unbelievable owner here in and we’re blessed to have him. How’s that?”

The Leafs are in Ottawa a week Saturday to try and avenge a humiliating 6-2 loss on March 16.

RELIEF IN SIGHT

As for on-ice news, Friday’s practice featured a Dermott sighting. 1137160 Toronto Maple Leafs

Babcock responds to rumours of rift with Dubas

Lance Hornby

It was one of those wacky weeks Mike Babcock was likely warned about when he signed on with the Leafs.

A few losses, a dip in fan confidence, injuries, media speculation ranging from a rift with general manager Kyle Dubas to his relationship with younger Leafs and his own future with the team.

Throw in some incendiary outside commentary from Senators’ maverick owner Eugene Melnyk about the Leaf defence being thin, and the result was predictable.

“Every year, I go to the media twice a day, sometimes three and there’s gonna be a shitstorm once in awhile,” Babcock said Friday.

“You’d like to say everything perfect, but you don’t.”

Babcock’s answers in recent days about the roster challenges of losing defencemen Jake Gardiner, Travis Dermott, poor outings against Cup contenders Tampa Bay and Nashville, a bad game by back-up Garret Sparks in Ottawa were seen by some as laying the blame on Dubas’s doorstep which Babcock vehemently denied.

“We have to keep improving our depth, we all know that. That’s what Dubie’s trying to do, what Jimmy Paliafito (senior director of player evaluation) is trying to do, myself, (farm coach) Sheldon Keefe, what we’re all trying to do. So we can be like Tampa, just a model of depth where it doesn’t matter if you get guys hurt.

“If there was any slap at anyone, it sure wasn’t intended and that’s not what I meant to say. If anyone’s wife reading it the next day and they’re hurt, then you’ve done the wrong thing. That’s not my intent.

“Dubie and my relationship isn’t as good as it will be four years from now. Mine with (Detroit’s) Ken Holland wasn’t as good in my first as in my 10th or Bryan Murray in my first (in Anaheim) as in my third. It takes a while to build.”

Babcock was also asked about Melnyk’s comments on Ottawa radio station CFRA a few hours earlier that included a swipe at how Toronto’s defence was not deep enough to win a Cup.

“We have an unbelievable owner here in Larry Tanenbaum and we’re blessed to have him. How’s that?”

As for on-ice news, Friday’s practice ahead of Saturday’s game against the Rangers saw the return of Dermott, albeit in a red no-contact jersey.

He hurt his shoulder almost a month ago after colliding with Edmonton’s Brad Malone. Gardiner is working out with Leaf coaches, but not expected back until some time in April.

Centre Frederik Gauthier is back after taking a shot off the foot in Ottawa last Saturday. William Nylander was sick, but should play against New York.

The Leafs have lost four of their past six, but beat Buffalo with a strong game from Sparks. The well-rested Rangers are another non-playoff team, who could throw rookie Alexandar Georgiev against the Leafs again, after me made 55 saves in a 3-1 win at MSG in February.

Toronto Sun LOADED: 03.23.2019 1137161 Toronto Maple Leafs it is crucial that the team figures it out sooner rather than later, it’s not completely indicative of how the team will fare come playoff time. In other words, it’s not the end of the world and a first round exit is far from a Are teams that enter the playoffs on a cold streak doomed to failure? foregone conclusion.

For starters, while Yost’s article is often cited, it’s important to note that it is now four years old and things have changed since then. Yost himself By Dom Luszczyszyn Mar 22, 2019 surmised the possibility that score-adjusted Fenwick was “running a bit hot over the past seven seasons” while the opposite might have been

true for goal differential — a sample size of 105 series really isn’t that Boston and Toronto. Two teams whose paths are simultaneously large. As it turns out, that seems to have been exactly the case as the converging and diverging in the days leading up to the playoffs. The two team with the better score-adjusted Fenwick over the last 25 games has Atlantic behemoths are once again expected to square off in the opening won only 43 percent of its series since, while the team with a better goal round of the postseason but are trending in opposite directions on their differential has won 58 percent. Over the full sample of 165 playoff way there. series, the two have now “called” the exact same number of series, which suggests that while stretch drive performance still matters, so does a The Bruins have been a buzzsaw over the season’s second half, earning team’s full-season standing. It means the previous 57 games don’t need the league’s second-best record at 23-6-5, a 123-point pace and to be tossed in the trash in consideration of potential playoff outcomes. outscoring opponents by 31 goals over that time. The Leafs have been anything but, letting the chance at home-ice advantage slip through their Priors matter and shouldn’t be abandoned. That’s part of the reason fingers by playing at a pedestrian 91-point pace while posting a modest many are concerned about Toronto’s play to begin with: the Leafs have plus-seven goal differential. shown they can be better than their last month of hockey. They may not look like the team that appeared to be one of the league’s best earlier Naturally, the temperature in both cities couldn’t be more different, with this year, but the play that established those expectations shouldn’t be the Bruins looking nearly unstoppable and the Leafs looking very completely forgotten, either. beatable. What was once looking like a hotly contested series is now being treated closer to a foregone conclusion for the team that’s going Digging deeper, I attempted to quantify how hot or cold a team was going into the playoffs at its best over the team that’s playing its worst hockey into the playoffs by comparing its play (using win percentage, goal of the season. differential, Corsi and scoring chance rate) in the season’s first 57 games against the final 25. The goal was to figure out whether a team was There’s obviously a long-standing precedent for that as ideally a team peaking around playoff time and how that related to its playoff success should be playing its best hockey leading up to the playoffs; it’s better to rate, specifically in the first round, as that’s when something like this is come in firing on all cylinders rather than hoping to flip a switch when the most important. games start to matter. As it turns out, there is truth to the notion that coming in hot matters. Of Recent examples paint the exact same picture, as it’s easy to recall the 80 first-round series to happen since 2008, the “hotter” team was dominant stretch drives from previous Stanley Cup champions, like last expected to win 52 percent of its series based on the market price of year’s Capitals ramping up their possession game significantly and each and won 59 percent instead. It’s a very small sample, but it signals winning 64 percent of their contests in their final 25 games. There are the that a team at its best might deserve extra consideration when it is facing 2009 and 2016 Penguins, who turned into juggernauts under new a club that is struggling prior to the postseason. When the gap between coaching, going 18-3-4 with a 54 percent Corsi under Dan Bylsma and hot or not gets wider, the difference gets larger, too, as the top half of the 33-16-5 with a 55 percent Corsi under Mike Sullivan — both huge hot teams won 60 percent of their series when they were only expected improvements from floundering numbers early in the season. And, of to win 48 percent of the time. course, there are the surprising 2012 Kings, the eight-seed analytics darlings that crushed opponents on the shot clock to the tune of a 60 That paints a harsh reality for Toronto, but it’s not a death sentence. percent Corsi after acquiring Jeff Carter, going 13-5-3 in the process. Whether it feels like it or not, the Leafs do have a very good team and a date with Boston can be won, even if it’s a little less than expected based There are teams on the other side of the coin, too, who came in cold and on how the teams are trending. The Leafs came within one game last struggled to live up to their hype, like all three of the Presidents’ Trophy- season and added John Tavares and Jake Muzzin to the mix, though the winning teams in Washington that took their foot off the gas and coasted Bruins have perked up their own depth. The Leafs may not be favourites down the stretch in each season. The 2014 Blues were on their way to anymore, but the series should still be significantly closer than the team’s the top of the West but lost six straight to finish the season and got recent play might suggest where a 55-win team (based on Boston’s ousted in the first round. The 2012 Red Wings were first in the league in record since Jan. 1) facing a 42-win team would win over 80 percent of mid-February, went 7-11-4 to drop to ninth and then lost in the first round the time. It’s simply not that bleak, or even close to it. in five games. Going through the data shows the hot-and-cold debate is far from a hard- Those teams that came in hot played extended that excellence all the and-fast rule, and there have been plenty of exceptions the Leafs can way to June on their way to hoisting the Stanley Cup. The teams that find solace in. came in cold fell flat on their face. They’re all crucial examples on the virtue of peaking at the right time, an old adage that those examples Just last year, the league’s “coldest” team swept its first-round matchup strengthen. In a short two-month tournament fuelled by randomness, decisively and went to the Stanley Cup Final. In their first 57 games, the that’s exactly what a team needs to win it all — finding that stride in the Vegas Golden Knights played at a 115-point pace, outscoring teams by weeks leading up to the postseason is critical to that. 0.72 goals-per-game and earning a 52 percent Corsi. In their final 25 games, the Golden Knights limped to the finish with a 95-point pace, a One of the more intriguing analytics findings over the past decade only 0.08 goal differential per game and a sub-50 percent Corsi. Far from bolsters that theory. In 2015, TSN’s Travis Yost wrote about the merits of dominant, but no team looked more potent in the opening round and a team’s score-adjusted Fenwick in its final 25 regular season games Vegas parlayed that into a Cup final berth. It’s funny to note now that the leading up to the playoffs and its predictive power. At the time, nearly 70 second-coldest team was actually the Bruins, whose scoring chance rate percent of series were won by the team that was stronger in that single dropped by nearly four percent and goal rate by nearly half a goal-per- metric — over eight percent higher than using a team’s full-season goal game. differential. In that sense, playing well down the stretch — specifically a team’s process at 5-on-5 — mattered more than its full-season play. The year before? It was the Stanley Cup-winning Penguins who struggled in the final stretch of the season relative to how they started, There is a lot of evidence that coming in hot matters, but perhaps it’s getting outshot after being a dominant possession team at the beginning being pushed too far in one direction, especially as it pertains to the of the season. In 2016, there were some who figured the Flyers could centre of the hockey universe imploding, where every second of every upset the Presidents’ Trophy-winning Capitals in the first round because game is under intense scrutiny at all times. the former was red hot and the latter was ice cold. In 2015, the hottest team was the Andrew Hammond-led Ottawa Senators, who needed to go There is no doubt that the Leafs’ current play is concerning, especially 21-3-3 just to improbably make the playoffs before bowing out in six considering their first round opponent, a Bruins team that can’t lose, is games. That year, the Blackhawks and Lightning were far from hot en basically set in stone. Toronto has not played to its full potential of late, route to a Stanley Cup final clash, with both seeing a massive drop in losing four of its last six games in mostly embarrassing fashion, and while their scoring chance share. Lastly, there’s the team that earned Mike Babcock his lone Stanley Cup, the 2007-08 Detroit Red Wings — one of the most dominant teams of the salary cap era — whose win rate dropped from 72 to 52 percent and whose goal differential dropped by nearly a full goal per game.

For every team that’s championed as a hot team that kept the momentum going through the postseason, there’s another that imploded come playoff time. For every team whose struggles continued come playoff time, there’s another that figured things out or flipped a switch once April hit. Hotter teams generally do perform better than colder teams, but there are exceptions to the rule on both sides that can easily be cherry-picked.

Toronto can be that exception this year or it can start figuring things out in the season’s final eight games, with Wednesday’s game against Buffalo being a good start. Figuring it out early is the more appealing option to be sure, but it doesn’t mean the Leafs are doomed if they don’t.

The Leafs have a good team with a decent chance. When considering those chances, it’s important to remember what they’ve shown all season and prior, and not just the past month or so, even if their recent play does have more merit. More important, though, is the team itself remembering what kind of team it can be. Whether that starts now or Game 1 (at the latest) doesn’t really matter, but the clock is ticking. It’s time to flip the switch.

The Athletic LOADED: 03.23.2019 1137162 Toronto Maple Leafs thick, Nordic beard. Johnsson’s goatee is becoming equally noticeable this season as his profile increases.

After winning three of their last four, this game could serve as a Coping with losses, playing for ‘all the marbles’ and four meals a day: A measuring stick for the Leafs. week in the life of Andreas Johnsson “Obviously any team you play against, especially one in a playoff spot, you want to make a good impact,” Johnsson says. “Even if you lose, you By Joshua Kloke Mar 22, 2019 just want to play hard and get that feeling like, ‘Fuck, it’s tough to play these guys.’ So you’re preparing for what it’s going to be like in the playoffs.”

As the Stanley Cup playoffs inch closer, a long regular season has begun Johnsson spent the early season bouncing around lines in the middle of to weigh heavily on the Maple Leafs. The team’s depth will be tested. the Leafs rotation but has since solidified his spot on the team’s top line Players like Andreas Johnsson, who has emerged as one of the club’s with Auston Matthews. most reliable offensive producers in his first full NHL season, will be relied upon more than ever. For one week, The Athletic was granted a It was Johnsson’s goal all season to play with the club’s most talented glimpse into the life of the Maple Leafs’ dynamic forward. skaters. Doing so has changed Johnsson’s game in ways that he believes can help him. Sunday, March 10 “To see (Matthews), (John Tavares) and (Mitch Marner) every day, that The Maple Leafs are thousands of feet in the air, finally headed home helps me to find something in my own game,” Johnsson said. “Everybody after a western Canada road swing, capped off by a 3-2 win over the is different, everyone has their own game. But I try to take small things Edmonton Oilers the previous evening. from them every day and try to develop that into my own game too.”

Andreas Johnsson is playing a heated game of Mario Party on his Things don’t go according to plan for Johnsson and the Leafs. After a Nintendo Switch with teammates Justin Holl, Trevor Moore and Martin successful road trip, the Leafs are brought crashing down to Earth with a Marincin. 6-2 loss to the Lightning.

The simple game offers different board games and minigames to keep If this game is a measuring stick, the Leafs can barely support the small Johnsson and his teammates engaged in playful competition without piece of wood with their own strength. requiring too much mental exertion. “I feel like everyone knew they didn’t play a great game,” Johnsson says. “So for these longer trips it’s perfect, it’s more like a children’s game,” Johnsson says. “It’s simple. You just press buttons as fast as you can. He spends an hour or so after each game reflecting on his own It’s all about your movement, but you don’t really have to pay attention.” performance, always considering both sides of the coin: What he did well and what he could improve upon. On Monday, he’s reminded of how he The aim is to collect stars from games won, and on this flight, Holl is has to protect his defencemen in the Leafs own zone more, and also how victorious. he has to be more assertive and carry the puck more.

After landing, Johnsson returns to his downtown Toronto condominium at After an hour, he lets it go. 3:30 p.m. Technically, the Leafs have a day off, even if that descriptor doesn’t fit for Johnsson. “There’s a new day after.”

“When it’s that long of a trip, it doesn’t feel like a day off,” he says. “It After games, Johnsson prefers to find an activity to get his mind off the feels like a working day.” game. His agent, Patrik Aronsson, is currently in town from Sweden for a few days. They’ve worked together as long as Johnsson has been The days are starting to blend together for Johnsson. Playing nine of the allowed to have an agent after his father, Jonas, recommended him. last 14 games on the road in various time zones over the last month has hit the 24-year-old especially hard. He feels far more tired today than he The two dart off to The Keg for what is a mainstay in Johnsson’s life: His normally does after a road trip. fourth big meal of the day.

After a lengthy nap, Johnsson throws his clothes from the road trip in the He starts with baked garlic shrimp, then orders a filet mignon, cooked laundry and pops over to his local Rabba, a small 24-hour grocery store, medium rare, with mashed potatoes. for some water, milk and coffee. While many are curling up in bed, these late evening meals are part of When he returns, he’s too exhausted to cook. His favourite curry dish, what keep Johnsson moving. Thai Elephant’s Massaman Curry, is only a few clicks away via Uber But is he always hungry enough at 11 p.m. to demolish a steak? Eats. “Oh yeah,” Johnsson says, smiling. “I haven’t cooked for a long time, honestly,” Johnsson said. Tuesday, March 12 Johnsson is not impervious to a lazy Sunday. He’s normally a Will Ferrell fan, but this evening he throws on Ken Jeong’s Netflix stand-up special It’s flu season and the bug has hit the Leafs dressing room hard. ‘You Complete Me, Ho.’ Combined with the poor performance on Monday night, the team opts not to have an expected practice and give players some time away from the “A lot of fun,” Johnsson says. rink.

Monday, March 11 Johnsson was able to ward off any sickness this time around. He’s added The Leafs have a morning skate at 10:30 a.m. on Monday. After the 20- a new routine to his day as of late: Washing his hands frequently. minute skate ends, the team’s dressing room opens to the hordes of “As soon as I touch something new I’m like, ‘No, fuck, I’ve got to wash media. The Lightning are in town and this evening’s matchup between my hands,’” Johnsson says. two of the most entertaining teams in the NHL has reporters salivating and crowding Johnsson’s path to his dressing room stall. Johnsson leaves his house early in the afternoon. The winter weather is starting to turn, so he walks to the Hockey Hall of Fame to meet with a When he finally makes it to his stall, tucked in the southeast corner of the reporter from his old Swedish team, Frolunda HC. The reporter is touring room between Jake Muzzin and Kasperi Kapanen, he sheds his gear and around North America checking in on former Frolunda players for a sits, surveying the dozens of conversations happening around him. series of videos to be shown on the club’s social media channels.

Johnsson wears black flip flops with white socks hiked up to his knees. Lunch at Marche Movenpick, a market-style restaurant attached to the His navy blue Adidas t-shirt is crumbled and heavy with sweat. He Hall of Fame, follows. Johnsson opts for ravioli with alfredo sauce. pushes back his messed blond hair and rubs his goatee, which has grown in well enough to look playoff ready. Various Leafs have their own His chat with the reporter allows Johnsson time to reflect. In Europe, as signature facial hair, from Muzzin’s lengthy beard to William Nylander’s is the case with soccer, professional players can often rise through the junior ranks of the club team closest to where they grow up. It creates a bond with this team that isn’t always experienced in North America with Johnsson grabs his third shower of the day at 3:45, chooses his suit and drafts acting as the preferred way to select players. makes his way back to the arena. If the weather is inclement, he’ll grab an Uber, but more often than not, he opts to walk. Johnsson may be playing with more maturity this season than one might expect from a player in his first full NHL season, but his transition from He’s lived in Toronto long enough to echo the disdain many locals have Sweden to North America is still ongoing. for the city’s roadways.

“Obviously for me, my dad played for that team. I grew up cheering for “There’s too much traffic,” he says. “It messes with my routine.” that team. I got there at 15 and played there for seven or eight years,” Johnsson said. “Of course, I gave a lot of heart when I was there.” Johnsson walks through between 4:30 and 4:45. Inside the arena, he makes a beeline for the dinner table. There’s more The sun is out after lunch, so Johnsson takes his time walking home. of the same pasta on the menu, and you won’t hear Johnsson complain.

He grabs another nap in the afternoon, before meeting his agent again After dinner, Johnsson tapes his sticks and pores over highlights from for dinner. around the league. As he watches, he’s reminded of one of the biggest surprises he’s faced in his first full NHL season: How much teams simply Johnsson considers himself something of a foodie. One of the upsides of dump the puck deep into the offensive zone. playing in Toronto is being able to experience the many restaurants the city has to offer. “When you watch highlights, you see superstars do incredible things,” says Johnsson, “but instead it’s a series of small positional plays that “I’m young, I don’t have a girlfriend so it’s easy for me to go out,” eventually lead to big plays.” Johnsson says. “I don’t want to cook my pasta alone, because it’s the only thing I can cook. I’d rather have a nice meal. Now that my agent’s Growing up watching highlights from the NHL, Johnsson was led to here, I want to show him a nice time too.” believe the league’s best offensive players succeed all the time. What he’s learned, however, is that when trying to make a certain play six At Marbl, a new upscale eatery, Johnsson starts with scallop soup before times in a row, it’s possible to fail those first five times. another steak for his main course. “But then, the sixth time,” says Johnsson, “you explode.” Johnsson is a restricted free agent at the end of this season. He’s surprised many with his offensive production this season, sitting sixth in Johnsson will limber up with a game of soccer keep-up, as has become a team scoring. It is inevitable, therefore, that the subject of his next tradition among the Leafs. contract will come up. The only infallible part of his game-day routine occurs before he hits the For now, he’d rather let his play do the talking and keep discussions to a ice: He’ll grab a stick with weights on it and stand in the dressing room minimum. hallway, trying to stickhandle.

“Obviously it comes up a lot with family, agent and friends,” Johnsson During the game, Johnsson skates and backchecks well, even as the says. “But I don’t really think about it. I just want to play as good as Leafs give up four unanswered goals in the first period. His persistence possible. Then when the season is done, things get a little more exact. I pays off late in the second period when he scores his 20th goal of the just want to see what I have and go from there.” season with an impressive tip-in. Johnsson never expected to score 20 goals in his first full NHL season. Wednesday, March 13 “Because I didn’t know what to expect,” he says. Game days always begin at 8:20 a.m. for Johnsson. He’s guilty of hitting the snooze button every so often because his mornings are quite short: The goal sparks the beginning of a Leafs comeback. They score three Two coffees, a quick shower before dressing and driving to Scotiabank more in the third period but fall 5-4 to the Blackhawks. They’ve now Arena. He arrives by 9 a.m. and sits down for his standard game day allowed 11 goals over their last two games. breakfast: An omelette with bacon, ham, pepper, onion, cheese and ketchup on the side. More coffee with milk gives him a bit more energy. Johnsson travels to injured teammate and friend Travis Dermott’s apartment for his late night meal. Dermott’s girlfriend has prepared slow Johnsson then tapes his sticks and brushes his teeth. He’ll stretch at braised lamb shank and mashed potatoes. 9:50 and take part in the power play meeting at 10. In the meeting, Leafs assistant coach Andrew Brewer runs through how the opposition will set Though the Leafs are now mired in a losing streak, Johnsson is up their box on the penalty kill, whether they like to run a defenceman up committed to an optimistic outlook. When he was younger, he’d let losses the flank and where on the ice the Leafs can get their best chances from. fester for far longer. Though he is technically a rookie and eligible for the The meeting doesn’t last longer than five minutes. Calder Trophy, a by-product of Johnsson’s extended time playing professionally in Sweden and in the AHL is that he’s learned to look Then, even if the morning skate is optional, Johnsson will always hit the forward. ice. “Don’t overthink it,” says Johnsson. “Take what’s good from it and try to “It’s just something to prepare me, or fool my mind a bit in the morning to do that more.” think you’ve done something. Even if I’m out there for two minutes, it’s just the feeling,” says Johnsson. He prefers it if there are some drills in a Thursday, March 14 full morning skate. Johnsson starts practice days with the same breakfast he has on game Today, Johnsson starts his morning skate by skating laps and flipping days. He’ll need all the energy he can get as Leafs head coach Mike pucks into the air and catching them like eggs. Babcock puts the team through their paces with a spirited and instruction-heavy noon practice. Near the end of the skate, as a whistle blows to end a drill, Johnsson bangs in a Marner rebound on a 2-on-0. They cross each other as they After the practice, Johnsson’s stall mate in the practice facility, Tyler skate behind the net, bump fists, and smile. Ennis, overhears him discussing the previous night’s meal, and techniques to cooking steaks. He’s surprised to learn that Johnsson While some players eat their lunch in the nearby Platinum Club, considers himself a foodie, and doesn’t hesitate to offer his surefire Johnsson grabs another shower and takes his lunch to go. He’s not technique for cooking steaks. hungry just yet after the omelette but knows he will be. “The play is to cook the steak in the oven,” says Ennis. “You just broil it When he does arrive home, Johnsson sits in a cold tub for 15 minutes for about five minutes a side. That’s it. A lot of people finish it on the grill, and catches up on the news of the day on his phone. He then tucks into but just leave it. It’s unbelievable. You put it on a cookie sheet with tin his boxed salad and pasta with chicken and rosé sauce. foil. Coconut oil, a little turmeric, heavy on the Montreal steak spice. Costco ribeye. It’s the greatest steak you will ever have.” After his lunch most dinners are finished in Sweden, so for 30 minutes, he’ll dial up whoever is free to take his call, be it family or friends. “We’ve gotta try that,” says Johnsson.

His belly full and feeling slightly more connected to his home, Johnsson That afternoon, Johnsson watches his brother Jonathan playing for Modo will scroll through Netflix, choosing something to help him fall asleep for a in the Allsvenskan qualification playoffs. The club is in the second two-hour nap. division in Sweden’s hockey pyramid and are fighting for promotion. The slightly reserved Swede breaks character and cheers when “Yeah,” says Sparks. Jonathan hits the ice. The flight to Ottawa late Friday evening is short, but still long enough for The two brothers differ in playing style, with Jonathan being more of a Johnsson to get an English lesson. playmaker. Johnsson teams up with Marincin for a doubles Mario Party match “He’s all about the sauce,” says Johnsson. against Moore and Holl. Johnsson and Marincin are winning every single game, until the flight begins to descend. Johnsson believes they’ll land Jonathan Johnsson lives up to his billing and grabs two assists in the 6-0 victorious until Holl makes a proposition: “One more for all the marbles.” win. Johnsson will usually call his brother after his games and today is no different. He tends to offer advice or constructive criticism, but today, he Johnsson is, unfortunately, unaware of the meaning behind the phrase. displayed an intensity level that doesn’t exactly beget any advice. He agrees to play, and the duo drops the final match.

“Just keep up the intensity,” Johnsson tells his brother. “So apparently they won everything,” says Johnsson. “Then they had all my marbles all weekend.” Intensity is a common trait between the brothers. Growing up in Gävle, the two competed against each other in every sport imaginable though Saturday, March 16 the mini-stick games in the family home were particularly heated. On Saturday morning, Johnsson wakes in the team’s Ottawa hotel, has “It was full war,” says Johnsson. his standard breakfast and takes part in the team stretch at 10:45. There is no morning skate, but there are team meetings and video sessions at After the game, Johnsson makes another Rabba run for some kitchen the hotel. essentials. There are a few things you’re guaranteed to find in Johnsson’s fridge, and he’s not going to go without them: Milk, eggs, two Lunch follows around 1 p.m. The menu is slightly different on the road: types of pasta sauce (tomato and alfredo), and yogurt. The pasta has a meat sauce, but Johnsson breaks with tradition even further by adding ketchup to his pasta. There’s two more quick stops: The bank and to pick up his dry cleaning. Another order of curry from Thai Elephant is then on the way for an early “It’s a European thing,” Johnsson says, unaware of how many Italian dinner at 5 p.m. food purists might recoil in horror.

Johnsson finishes his day with a screening of romantic thriller “You Get Back in his hotel room he’ll call home once again and have a nap. The Me” on Netflix. daily phone calls back home are starting to add up.

“It wasn’t very good,” says Johnsson. “Sometimes I do feel lonely, obviously,” says Johnsson. “In the first year, I was way more lonely. I know a few more people. We’ve come together He won’t go to bed upset though. Death, taxes, and Johnsson eating four as a good group. I couldn’t really speak English then but now I can speak large meals a day. His body is in the habit of eating in the evening, so much better. The first year was way tougher.” sometime around 11, Johnsson boils up a pot of pasta. Being around his teammates long enough throughout the season has For a young player living on his own, food is not only a necessity but an helped him form a natural bond with many of them. Still, with many of his activity to fill the long hours often spent alone. teammates married, and some with families, he knows to be single in the Friday, March 15 NHL can be both a blessing and a curse.

A film crew has asked to film Johnsson’s arrival at Scotiabank Arena “Some people have families,” says Johnsson. “To leave them, after being around 4:40. This media request makes him slightly more nervous than gone before for a few days, you’d feel like you want to do stuff with them, others: He might have to work on his strut. show them your care, show them that you love them, I feel like that would be hard.” “Maybe I can get my hair blowing back,” says Johnsson, smiling. But maybe being single and constantly taking off for yet another road trip It’s another rough start for Johnsson and the Leafs. Midway through the is just as hard. second period, they’re down 5-2 to the Flyers. Leafs fans sit and stare silently. The lightning in a bottle that’s been evident all season has “When it’s these long days, game after game, and you don’t get to hang seemingly dissipated. out with your family, yeah…” says Johnsson, his voice trailing off.

Two quick Leafs goals to end the period make things interesting. In the “Obviously sometimes it would be nice to have someone.” second intermission, the Leafs feel like they’re on the verge of righting Johnsson catches the 4:30 team bus from the hotel out to the Canadian the ship. Tire Centre in Kanata.

In the third period, the Leafs score three goals in a row, culminating with The Leafs have the opportunity to capitalize on a rare Bruins loss this Matthews’s 34th goal of the season. Johnsson broke down the right wing week and jump up the standings, but the exact opposite transpires. and fired a shot off Brian Elliott’s pads. The rebound bounced right to Against the worst team in the league, the Leafs put up a dismal effort and Matthews, who buried the puck. lose 6-2.

Johnsson claims he didn’t mean to pass the puck off Elliott’s pads. After the loss, Johnsson stays quiet in the dressing room. He’s trying to “I was gassed, the crowd was cheering,” says Johnsson, “and apparently become more vocal, but on Saturday night, he had no reason to be. He Matty was screaming his ass off for the puck and I didn’t hear him.” was minus-2 with just one shot on goal.

The Leafs win 7-6 and Johnsson has a three-game point streak. “If you’re not going to show it yourself,” says Johnsson, “you can’t really Johnsson celebrates after the game by snapping his towel at an say anything.” escaping Moore and Marner. By 9:58, the Leafs dressing room has been The following morning, Johnsson looks for a fresh start and shaves off emptied with all of their bags packed and loaded. his goatee.

Johnsson munches on sushi and drinks a can of apple juice to refuel. The Athletic LOADED: 03.23.2019 “Crazy game, eh?” he says. There is a small piece of rice stuck to his goatee.

The Leafs flight to Ottawa is set to depart just after 11 p.m and Johnsson needs to get to the airport.

“Hey,” Johnsson says as he pokes his head out of an adjacent room. He motions to Garret Sparks sitting at his stall. “You drive?”

“Yeah,” says Sparks.

“Can I get a ride?” asks Johnsson. 1137163 Vegas Golden Knights now. It’s been a couple weeks that we know we’re back, we’re playing some good hockey. We just have to keep going. I think it’s a good time of the year for us to heat up.”

Golden Knights’ Reilly Smith set to play 500th career NHL game LAS VEGAS REVIEW JOURNAL LOADED: 03.23.2019

By David Schoen

Considering Reilly Smith’s current hot streak — eight points in his past three games — this may be difficult to believe.

But there was a time this season when pucks weren’t going in for the Golden Knights right wing.

“I feel like if you do something enough times, it’s going to start to pan out and work,” Smith said.

After producing four goals in the first two months of the season, Smith nearly equaled that output in his past two games.

He is coming off a two-goal performance Thursday in a 5-0 victory over Winnipeg and will play his 500th NHL game Saturday against the Detroit Red Wings at T-Mobile Arena.

“When Reilly shoots the puck, he’s got a pretty good shot, and he’s done a real good job of that lately,” coach Gerard Gallant said. “I just think it’s confidence.

”He’s in a groove and he’s playing really well and and he’s shooting the puck more now. Before he was looking to make too many passes, and now he’s shooting it and he’s getting the results.”

After posting a career high with 60 points last season, Smith got off to a modest start with three goals in the opening 12 games. He then managed one goal over the next 17 games, and the Knights offense seemed to struggle along with him.

Smith started to break out of his slump in December, but he suffered an undisclosed injury late in the second period against New Jersey on Jan. 6 and missed seven games.

“Even when I wasn’t scoring, I still try to have the same approach showing up every day,” Smith said. “That doesn’t change if the puck’s going in or if it isn’t.”

When Smith returned following the All-Star break, he was briefly placed on the third line, as Valentin Zykov was given a look with center William Karlsson and left wing Jonathan Marchessault.

Since he rejoined Karlsson and Marchessault for the start of the second period in Detroit on Feb. 7, Smith leads the Knights with eight goals and 15 assists (23 points) and owns a plus-11 rating in 19 games.

“He’s looking like he’s having a lot of fun out on the ice,” Karlsson said. “He’s confident and he does what he does. It’s working. It’s pretty great to play with a guy like that when everything is clicking.”

Smith is third on the Knights — excluding recently acquired Mark Stone — with 50 points (17 goals, 33 assists) and tallied one of the prettiest goals of the season in the first period against the Jets.

He danced around sliding defenseman Joe Morrow and roofed a shot under the crossbar to the short side of Winnipeg goaltender Laurent Brossoit.

“(Paul Stastny) made a great play just being able to shag the puck out of the air and create a turnover,” Smith said. “And then I felt like the defenseman dove pretty early, so he gave me a little bit of time to step around him. That was all.

“I tried (the same shot) a few different times this year and is hasn’t worked, but it’s nice that it did (Thursday) night.”

Smith has 115 goals and 182 assists in his career with Dallas, Boston, Florida and the Knights.

He’s produced at least one point in 11 of his past 13 games and helped spark the first line’s resurgence after the trade deadline.

Karlsson, Marchessault and Smith combined for 15 goals and 24 assists in 11 games since the Knights acquired Stone on Feb. 25.

“When you’re on a high, you’ve got to surf the wave. And when you’re in a low, you’ve just got to get out of it,” Marchessault said. “We know right 1137164 Vegas Golden Knights “When you see him practice with the team, he’s probably a week or two away,” Gallant said. “I’m not putting any pressure on him, but he’s not ready.”

Golden Knights forward Max Pacioretty ‘day-to-day’ after injury LAS VEGAS REVIEW JOURNAL LOADED: 03.23.2019

By Adam Hill

Golden Knights coach Gerard Gallant may be sleeping a bit easier Friday night after getting a favorable diagnosis on forward Max Pacioretty’s lower-body injury.

“He’s day-to-day,” Gallant said. “It wasn’t as bad as I thought it was last night.”

Pacioretty grimaced when he went down along the boards during the first period of Thursday night’s 5-0 win over Winnipeg with what appeared to be a leg injury. He did not return.

Gallant said it’s unlikely Pacioretty will be available Saturday when the Knights host Detroit in a 7 p.m. game at T-Mobile Arena.

Alex Tuch took Pacioretty’s spot on the second line in practice alongside Paul Stastny and Mark Stone.

“You never want to see a teammate get hurt, ever,” Tuch said. “That’s for sure. We realize it’s part of the game, but it’s tough to see it.

“For us though, it’s always about ‘next man up.’ We all have to step our game up. You have to dig down a little deeper and grind it out.”

Tuch joked that at this point he’s played with just about all of his teammates at one point or another with all the line movement that has been mostly precipitated by injuries.

He’s played plenty with Stastny, but figures to get an extended look alongside Mark Stone.

“I think our forecheck is going to be really good, obviously,” Tuch said. “His stick is unbelievable. If we’re causing turnovers like that, we’re going to get a lot of chances.

“You’re just playing with different guys. Some guys may do things a little differently or be in different places on the ice, but I have to play the same type of game no matter I’m playing with. I have to skate hard, forecheck hard and just make plays. Those are some really talented guys so they’re going to find me out there, I just have to bury my chances.”

Hands of Stone

Stone got in his first fight with the Knights when he mixed it up with Blake Wheeler in the first minute of Thursday’s game.

“I just finished my check,” Stone said of what triggered the fisticuffs. “I thought I made a good hit and he didn’t like it. I just had to answer the bell. Hopefully I got the guys going, and overall it was a pretty good win for us.”

Stone there was no previous bad blood with Wheeler that would have ignited the emotions.

“Especially to start the game, you’re just trying to gain momentum,” he said. “I don’t know if it did. I hope it did. We scored on the next shift.

”I’m just looking to do anything I can to help this team win. Obviously, I wasn’t on the scoresheet for goals or assists, so you have to do something to help your team win.”

Injury report

— William Carrier skated at practice and looks like he might return to the lineup for the Knights on Saturday.

“He’s doing real good,” Gallant said. “He had a good practice today and we’ll make a decision tomorrow.”

Gallant also indicated goaltender Marc-Andre Fleury is doing “much better” after missing the last three games with a lower-body injury, though he has not been on the ice.

— Forward Erik Haula, who has been out since he was injured in early October, skated once again on his surgically repaired knee after practice Friday. 1137165 Washington Capitals

Kunin’s goal helps Wild edge Capitals, move into wild-card

By Associated Press March 23 at 12:58 AM

Luke Kunin scored the go-ahead goal with 7:35 left, Devan Dubnyk made 21 saves and the Minnesota Wild moved into playoff position by beating the Washington Capitals 2-1 on Friday night.

Jordan Greenway also scored for Minnesota, which snapped a two-game skid and leapfrogged the Arizona Coyotes and Colorado Avalanche to move into the second wild-card spot in a competitive Western Conference race. Ryan Donato assisted on the goals by Kunin and Greenway and was the Wild’s best forward in a game dominated by that second line.

Brett Connolly scored his 21st goal of the season and Braden Holtby made 25 saves for Washington, which has lost four of six. The defending Stanley Cup champion Capitals missed an opportunity to add to their lead atop the Metropolitan Division and still lead the New York Islanders and Pittsburgh Penguins by four points.

DUCKS 4, SHARKS 3, OT

ANAHEIM, Calif. — Jakob Silfverberg scored the winning goal 38 seconds into overtime to give the Ducks the victory over San Jose.

Silfverberg, who had a goal and two assists, had his fifth multi-point game of the season and second against the Sharks. The goal, which beat San Jose’s Aaron Dell on his stick side, was his 23rd of the season.

Rickard Rakell scored two goals and assisted on the game-winner. Adam Henrique also scored a goal and Troy Terry had two assists. John Gibson stopped 23 shots.

Kevin Labanc, Timo Meier and Justin Braun scored for San Jose, which has lost five straight.

Washington Post LOADED: 03.23.2019 1137166 Washington Capitals second period. But with how well the Wild played defensively, Washington wasn’t able to get another puck past Dubnyk.

“It goes with how well we played in the neutral zone, not giving them a lot Capitals are off the mark in 2-1 loss to Wild of speed, not giving them a lot of time, and we were breaking up plays pretty quickly in the [defensive] zone, which was probably frustrating for them,” Minnesota’s Zach Parise said. By Isabelle Khurshudyan March 22 at 10:25 PM “Everybody needs points right now,” Ovechkin said. “It doesn’t matter who you play against; it’s not going to be an easy one, especially a team who fights for a playoff spot. It’s playoff hockey. I don’t think we were The Washington Capitals’ best opportunities were the ones that never ready tonight, and the blame’s on us.” reached Minnesota goaltender Devan Dubnyk. Two nights after the Capitals recorded a franchise-record shot total, their offense was stunted Washington Post LOADED: 03.23.2019 by the Wild, which stuffed lanes to the net and blocked as many shots as the team was able to put on Dubnyk.

In a grinding game Friday night, the Capitals lost to the Wild, 2-1, and missed an opportunity to extend their lead in the Metropolitan Division. Washington has a three-point cushion but has lost its past two games. Goaltender Braden Holtby finished with 25 saves in the loss. Dubnyk needed to make just 21 saves; his teammates blocked 22 of the Capitals’ attempts.

“We didn’t play our game at all,” said captain Alex Ovechkin, who had six shot attempts blocked. “We knew they were going to play desperate — they need points, as we do — but I think the sense of urgency was on their side, not on our side.”

The teams started the third period tied at 1. For 12 minutes neither club was able to sustain much offensively before the Wild capitalized on a neutral-zone turnover by defenseman Matt Niskanen. Center Luke Kunin scored with a wrist shot off the rush, placing the puck just over Holtby’s blocker-side shoulder. It was Minnesota’s 26th shot of the game and just its fourth of the period, though Washington had also tallied just four shots for the frame and 19 for the game. Two nights earlier, the Capitals had recorded a whopping 58 shots in an overtime loss to Tampa Bay.

“They don’t give up much; they’re pretty stingy defensively,” Holtby said. “After coming off some emotional games lately, we didn’t ramp it up enough for this one, for their situation, how they were playing. It was a close game. It was one that we’d like to play a bit better, but we still did a lot of good things.”

After an intense, playoff-like game against the league-best Lightning on Wednesday, there was a noticeable letdown to start Friday’s game against the Wild. Minnesota entered this meeting fighting for a postseason berth, just one point out of the second wild-card spot in the Western Conference. The Wild got on the board first, with forward Jordan Greenway poking the puck away from defenseman Brooks Orpik and fending off Tom Wilson before drawing Holtby out of his crease and scoring around him 16:33 in.

Washington enjoyed roughly six weeks with a fully healthy lineup before it lost defenseman Michal Kempny indefinitely. He appeared to injure his left leg late in the second period Wednesday night, falling on it awkwardly during a tussle with Tampa Bay’s Cedric Paquette. With Kempny out, second-year blue-liner Christian Djoos took his spot on the top pairing beside John Carlson, and Djoos finished with more than 16 minutes of ice time, two shots and three attempts blocked. The Capitals were also without forward Carl Hagelin against the Wild; the team announced that he was ill.

“We missed his energy tonight,” Coach Todd Reirden said. “You see the type of impact that this guy has on our team. He brings the speed and the pace to our lineup and allows us to move people down and kind of build four lines of an attacking style of team. We needed that tonight. We didn’t have it.”

Washington’s power play was fully staffed with its usual personnel, and it sucked the momentum away from the team with three failed tries through the first two periods. The Capitals got three man-advantage opportunities before the Wild was awarded one, but Washington managed just one shot on goal in those six minutes, equaling Minnesota’s one shorthanded.

“We start doing some bad things, maybe a little casual,” Ovechkin said. “But I think we just have to simplify our game and just play smarter. I think we’re better than that, all of us.”

The Capitals scored the equalizing tally at even strength when Brett Connolly deflected defenseman Nick Jensen’s point shot 10:42 into the 1137167 Washington Capitals Capitals D Christian Djoos returned to the lineup to replace Michal Kempny, who’s out indefinitely with a lower-body injury. ... LW Carl Hagelin was a late scratch with an illness and was replaced by Chandler Wild edge Capitals 2-1 to move into playoff position Stephenson. ... Ovechkin remained two goals away from his eighth career 50-goal season.

UP NEXT By Stephen Whyno | AP March 22 at 10:43 PM Wild: Visit the Carolina Hurricanes on Saturday in Victor Rask’s first game against his former team since being traded for Nino Niederreiter.

WASHINGTON — Jordan Greenway pumped his fist, and Luke Kunin Capitals: Look to end their brief losing streak Sunday when they host the held out his arms waiting for teammates to join him. Metropolitan Division-rival Philadelphia Flyers.

They celebrated like kids after performing like seasoned veterans. Washington Post LOADED: 03.23.2019 With the Minnesota Wild outside a playoff position with little margin for error, the kid line of Kunin, Greenway and Ryan Donato pumped in two crucial goals to beat the defending Stanley Cup champion Washington Capitals 2-1 on Friday night. Minnesota snapped a two-game skid and leapfrogged the Arizona Coyotes and Colorado Avalanche to move into the second wild-card spot in a competitive Western Conference race.

“When we have the focus that we did tonight, the confidence, the commitment, I think we can do a lot of good things, and we can beat anyone,” Greenway said. “Whether it’s Washington or whoever, I think we can beat them.”

Minnesota fed off the confidence of the second line of 21- and 22-year- olds to hand the Capitals their second consecutive loss. Devan Dubnyk made 21 saves, but more impressive was the Wild holding Washington to 22 shots a game after it put up 58 on NHL-leading Tampa Bay.

“That was just a playoff game,” Dubnyk said. “The focus was there.”

Donato — acquired from Boston in February — was the best player on the ice for much of the night and assisted on the Greenway’s goal in the first period and Kunin’s go-ahead goal with 7:35 left in the third. Coach Bruce Boudreau believes having three young players on a line together gets rid of the expectation to pass to a veteran, and this mix is working lately.

“We’re learning from each other,” Donato said. “I think we’re starting to get each other’s habits, where we’re going to be on the ice, where the other guys are going to be, where they like to pass to. Being able to learn with each other, it makes you feel comfortable on the ice. You don’t feel like you’re doing anything wrong.”

It wasn’t a masterpiece, but Minnesota needed two points in any way possible. Returning to face the team that gave him his start in the NHL, Boudreau knew full well that with only two games Friday night, the Wild were the only ones who could gain ground after getting some help from a Coyotes loss on Thursday.

Remembering his team’s recent roller-coaster play, Boudreau said the victory only “means temporarily we’re in a playoff spot.”

The Capitals are in a good spot atop the Metropolitan Division, but have now lost four of six. They missed an opportunity to add to their division lead and still lead the New York Islanders and Pittsburgh Penguins by four points.

“We didn’t play our game at all,” captain Alex Ovechkin said. “We knew they were going to play desperate — they need points as we do — but I think the sense of urgency was on their side, not on our side.”

Brett Connolly scored his 21st goal of the season and Braden Holtby made 25 saves for Washington, which didn’t have the same intensity as its showdown against the Lightning two days earlier.

“After coming off some emotional games lately, I think we didn’t ramp it up enough for this one, for their situation, how they were playing,” Holtby said.

Despite losing seven of their previous nine games, the Wild remain in control of their playoff hopes with seven games remaining.

“It’s never easy when it’s out of your control, so for us having it in our control and getting a win like that, it’s definitely a feel-good win,” Donato said.

NOTES: Minnesota improved to 20-15-2 on the road. ... Donato’s primary assist on Greenway’s goal was the 10,000th point in Wild franchise history. ... Connolly has 13 points in his past 16 games. ... Washington’s power play went 0 for 3 with just one shot in those six minutes. ... 1137168 Washington Capitals

Capitals defenseman Michal Kempny out indefinitely

By Stephen Whyno | AP March 22 at 1:18 PM

WASHINGTON — The defending Stanley Cup champion Capitals have lost top-four defenseman Michal Kempny to an injury.

Coach Todd Reirden said Friday that Kempny is out indefinitely with a lower-body injury. Kempny appeared to injure his left leg in an overtime loss to Tampa Bay on Wednesday, when he needed helped getting to the locker room.

Reirden said the 28-year-old from the Czech Republic is still undergoing tests and he didn’t want to rule out Kempny for the rest of the regular season.

“I don’t feel comfortable saying that until I get a little bit more medical advice on that one, and so we go through all the proper testing we need to know so we can set that proper timetable,” Reirden said. “But right now, I just plan on not having him for an indefinite amount of time.”

Kempny was a significant piece of the championship run last spring after being acquired ahead of the trade deadline. He has remained an important player for the Capitals this season on a pairing with All-Star John Carlson, recording six goals and 19 assists and averaging 19:11 of ice time in 71 games.

“He’s a good defender, he’s got great speed and a good attacker, I would say, on defense,” Carlson said. “He takes away time and space really well. A guy that’s really stepped it up in the offensive department too this year. We’re surely going to miss him.”

With Kempny out and the Capitals up against the salary cap, 24-year-old Christian Djoos goes into the lineup alongside Carlson. Djoos played on Washington’s third pairing in the playoffs last year with veteran Brooks Orpik.

“He adds different dimensions of the game than say Kemps does,” Carlson said. “We get to see that more now. I’ve played with him before. I’m looking forward to it again. I think we have depth ... I think the talent and how everyone can work together that we’ve proven in the past, in this year alone, guys have been out of the lineup and other people have stepped up and filled voids.”

Washington is trying to finish first in the Metropolitan Division for the fourth consecutive year.

Washington Post LOADED: 03.23.2019 1137169 Washington Capitals

Defenseman Michal Kempny out indefinitely with left leg injury

By Isabelle Khurshudyan March 22 at 12:47 PM

Washington Capitals defenseman Michal Kempny is out indefinitely after he appeared to injure his left leg during Wednesday’s overtime loss to the Tampa Bay Lightning. Kempny won’t play against the Minnesota Wild on Friday, and it’s unclear whether he’ll be back in time for the playoffs, which start April 10.

“I’d say we’re going to have to be without him for an indefinite amount of time right now,” Coach Todd Reirden said Friday. “We’re just getting some more tests before we can make an official time statement on that, but I would just say right now that indefinitely he’s out of our lineup.”

As Kempny wrestled Tampa Bay forward Cedric Paquette by the Capitals’ bench late in the second period Wednesday night, his leg got awkwardly caught under him as he fell to the ice. Asked whether Kempny could be out for the rest of the season, Reirden said: “I don’t feel comfortable saying that until I get a little bit more medical advice on that one and we go through all the proper testing we need to know so we can set that proper timetable. But right now, I just plan on not having him for an indefinite amount of time.”

With Kempny out, second-year blue-liner Christian Djoos is expected to take his place beside John Carlson on the team’s top pairing. In more than 600 minutes Djoos and Carlson have been on the ice together at five-on-five this season and last, the Capitals have taken 53.45 percent of the shot attempts, according to Natural Stat Trick. Kempny has skated an average of 19 minutes per game this season, and he has scored a career-high six goals with 19 assists.

Djoos has been largely out of the lineup for the past month, after the Capitals acquired defenseman Nick Jensen from the Detroit Red Wings. He played Tuesday night against the New Jersey Devils, skating 16:26 and tallying a primary assist. Carlson said Djoos “could be the smartest hockey player in this room altogether.”

“It’s a great opportunity,” Reirden said. “I’ve seen those two play together before, and I thought he had a strong game the other day against New Jersey. This is why we have the depth we do. We’ll put him in that situation tonight, but it’s going to be probably a little bit of a committee as you move forward, depending on the game. You know, a lot of times during the game the number of penalties helps sway things in a certain way one way or the other. Obviously we’ll miss Michal; he’s been a really good player for us in the playoffs last year. He’s had a strong regular season push his numbers to career highs and stuff. Hopefully we can get some better news on that, but for now Christian will be starting there and expect to see some movement in those spots as well.”

The Capitals acquired Kempny before the trade deadline last year, and adding his mobility to the blue line helped Washington solidify its defensive play en route to a Stanley Cup championship. According to CapFriendly.com, the Capitals’ current cap space is $807,333, so the organization could recall an extra defenseman, likely rookie Jonas Siegenthaler, but Reirden said the team will stick with six blue liners through at least Friday’s game.

“He’s a big piece of this team and we’re going to have to all step up,” Carlson said of Kempny.

Washington Post LOADED: 03.23.2019 1137170 Washington Capitals “Once the first team doesn’t go, it puts the onus on every other player in professional sports to be forced into making a decision, if you’re political or not,” Holtby said. “That’s why I think our team, we’re trying to take the Goaltender Braden Holtby says he won’t visit White House with Capitals most professional way we can with the every player has a right to choose on Monday and stand by each and every one of us regardless of what you decide. Obviously, I’ve been a little more outspoken on my views than everyone else, so I feel like it’s important for me to stand by that. But in the long run it’s not going to affect our team at all. We’re a close-knit group in By Isabelle Khurshudyan March 22 at 12:20 PM here, and those things don’t affect us as a team.”

Most Capitals, including Russian captain Alex Ovechkin, have said they Canadian goaltender Braden Holtby said he will not visit the White House will participate in the visit. with his Washington Capitals teammates, joining forwards Brett Connolly “I’m obviously going to go,” American defenseman John Carlson said and Devante Smith-Pelly as players who have declined the invitation to Friday. “It’s an experience that I want to be a part of and see through. It’s honor the team’s Stanley Cup victory Monday. something that you dream about, getting honored as the champions, and “I’ve got to stay true to my values, and I’m going to respectfully decline something that we worked really hard for. That’s what I’m thinking.” the offer,” Holtby said Friday morning. “In saying that, it’s a tough Said Coach Todd Reirden: “I speak personally on this one to start with. I situation for everyone to be in, to be forced to make a decision of that think it’s an amazing opportunity. Something for the last five years you standing. You’re a team and you want to stick together no matter what, drive to the rink, you see this, you hear about it, you think about it. I was so I hope everyone kind of blows it away and that we don’t worry about really excited about the invitation and will be going and be happy to be who goes and who doesn’t. going. In that respect, I get it. I understand our players and their “For me, it’s just a personal thing. I believe in what I believe in, and in decisions, and I respect it. They’re allowed to make their own decisions. order to stick to those values, I think I have to do what I feel is right, but It’s important that we support them in whatever decision that they make.” that doesn’t make a difference on everyone else’s decision. We stick by Asked whether he struggled with the decision to decline the invitation, every single teammate we have and their decision. That’s about it.” Holtby said it wasn’t a hard choice. Holtby has marched in D.C.’s Pride Parade and served as the Capitals’ “In the end, I never really came up with a situation where I’d feel designated “You Can Play” ambassador, and in September, he spoke at comfortable going,” he said. “But the toughest part is I’ve always tried to the Human Rights Campaign national dinner. Asked specifically about his live my life and my career that the team sticks together. So, that’s involvement with the LGBTQ community, Holtby said it factored into his probably the toughest part, but that’s just the way the world is. decision. Sometimes you’re forced into situations where you have to stick by what “My family and myself, we believe in a world where humans are treated you believe. But in the end, I think there’s more important things I can do with respect regardless of your stature, what you’re born into,” Holtby in the future. Trying to make a stand this way, I don’t think it does the said. “You’re asked to choose what side you’re on, and I think it’s pretty most in terms of creating change. In the future, I just want to stick by clear what side I’m on. I believe that this is the right decision for myself what I believe in and try to push toward a world where people are created and my family.” equal.”

The Capitals announced Thursday there will be no official ceremony or Washington Post LOADED: 03.23.2019 media availability while they are in the White House. The team will take part in a private tour and will meet President Trump in the Oval Office. Smith-Pelly, who is black and Canadian, was the first to say he would not want to be part of a White House ceremony because “the things that [Trump] spews are straight-up racist and sexist,” he told Canada’s Postmedia.

Smith-Pelly was waived in February and sent down to the American Hockey League in a salary cap-clearing move, so he is no longer with the Capitals, but all members of the 2018 team are invited and will have the option to attend. Players and coaches new to the team this season will not be part of the visit.

Connolly joined Smith-Pelly last year in saying he would skip a White House visit, and he stood by that decision when asked Tuesday night, referencing his support for Smith-Pelly.

“I respectfully decline,” said Connolly, who is Canadian. “That’s all I’ll say about it. Everyone is entitled to their opinion. It’s obviously a big deal, and it gains a lot of attention. I’ve been in full support of an old teammate that I’m really good friends with who I agreed with and a guy who will be back here, I’m sure, at the end of the year. That’s all I’ll say.”

Unlike Connolly and Smith-Pelly, Holtby is among the highest-profile members of the team. He won the Vezina Trophy in 2016 as the best goaltender in the league that season, and this month he became the second-fastest goaltender in NHL history to record his 250th win.

Trump canceled the 2018 Super Bowl champion Philadelphia Eagles’ visit to the White House after some players said they would skip the ceremony to protest the president and his rhetoric. When the Golden State Warriors won the 2017 NBA championship, multiple players, including superstar guard Stephen Curry, said they were not in favor of a visit to the White House. They were later disinvited by Trump. The Warriors won another title last year and, rather than visit the White House during their trip to Washington in late January, they met with former president Barack Obama. The team visited the National Museum of African American History and Culture during its trip to Washington the previous February. 1137171 Washington Capitals

Capitals defenseman Michal Kempny out indefinitely with lower-body injury

By Adam Zielonka - The Washington Times - Friday, March 22, 2019

Washington Capitals defenseman Michal Kempny will miss an indefinite amount of time with the lower-body injury he suffered this week, coach Todd Reirden said Friday.

Kempny was injured in Wednesday’s loss to the Tampa Bay Lightning during a second-period fight with Cedric Paquette. After Paquette and Kempny traded blows, Kempny’s leg bent awkwardly and Paquette rained down several more punches on him while he was on the ground. Kempny needed the help of Capitals trainers to limp to the dressing room.

Reirden wouldn’t say whether there was a possibility Kempny could miss the rest of the season.

“We’re just getting some more tests before we can make an official time statement on that,” Reirden said. “I would just say for now, indefinitely he’s out of our lineup.”

Washington did not recall any defensemen from the AHL on Friday and will dress their remaining six defensemen for Friday’s home game against the Minnesota Wild.

Christian Djoos skated in Kempny’s spot on the top pairing with John Carlson at Friday’s morning skate. Djoos was a healthy scratch for 11 of the last 12 games as Washington’s seventh defenseman.

The other pairings, Dmitry Orlov-Matt Niskanen and Brooks Orpik-Nick Jensen, remained intact.

Carlson said Djoos “adds different dimensions of the game” than Kempny does.

“Fortunately for me I think Djoos, he could be the smartest hockey player in this room altogether. That’s everyone,” Carlson said. “We’ve had stints. When Nisky went down beginning, middle of last year, we played a lot together. Always kind of sneak in shifts here and there with him this year. I feel comfortable with him.”

The Capitals acquired Kempny before last season’s trade deadline from the Chicago Blackhawks, and soon the blueliner became a regular in Washington’s top four defensemen. In 71 games this year, he led the team in plus/minus with a plus-24 rating and tallied six goals and 19 assists.

Washington Times LOADED: 03.23.2019 1137172 Washington Capitals

Braden Holtby will not visit White House with Capitals

By Adam Zielonka - The Washington Times - Friday, March 22, 2019

Washington Capitals goaltender Braden Holtby announced Friday that he will not join the team in visiting President Donald Trump at the White House.

Holtby said he had to stay true to his values and “respectfully decline the offer.”

“It’s a tough situation for everyone to be in, to be forced to make a decision of that standing,” said Holtby, a 29-year-old Canadian. “You’re a team. You want to stick together no matter what. I hope everyone kind of blows it away and don’t worry about who goes, who doesn’t.”

Holtby joins Brett Connolly in declining to attend the visit, but the majority of Capitals players have said they will go. President Trump will host the team March 25 to honor their 2018 Stanley Cup victory.

The goalie said he wasn’t surprised by the controversy surrounding the Capitals’ visit. Since Trump won office, teams like the Golden State Warriors and the Philadelphia Eagles have been “disinvited” from championship celebrations at the White House because some of their players criticized Trump.

“Once the first team doesn’t go it puts the onus on every other player in professional sports to be forced into making a decision, if you’re political or not,” Holtby said. “That’s why I think our team we’re trying to take the most professional way we can with the ‘every player has a right to choose’ and stand by each and every one of us, regardless of what you decide.”

A supporter of LGBTQ rights, Holtby has participated in activism both with the NHL and the Human Rights Campaign, the country’s largest gay rights advocacy group.

“My family and myself, we believe in a world where humans are treated with respect, regardless of your stature, what you’re born into,” Holtby said. “That’s just where it’s at, in terms of this decision. You’re asked to choose which side you’re on and I think it’s pretty clear what side I’m on.”

John Carlson and T.J. Oshie, both Americans, confirmed to reporters Friday that they will be part of the visit.

“It’s an experience that I want to be a part of and see through,” Carlson said. “Something that you dream about, getting honored as the champions, and something that we worked really hard for.”

Coach Todd Reirden told reporters he personally considered the White House invitation “an amazing opportunity,” but he’s also expressed support for his players who chose not to go.

“I support whatever our players’ choices and decisions are,” Reirden said Friday. “I’m backing them. That’s their individual choice to attend or not attend and I’ll always support our players.”

Washington Times LOADED: 03.23.2019 1137173 Washington Capitals none covering Kunin. Parise found him with the pass and Kunin buried the puck into the top corner for the game-winning goal.

Comcast SportsNet.com LOADED: 03.23.2019 Wild tame the Caps as Washington fails to add to their division lead

By J.J. Regan March 22, 2019 9:12 PM

WASHINGTON – After the Caps and Tampa Bay Lightning treated fans to one of the best games of the season, the Minnesota Wild came to Washington and did just enough to walk away with a 2-1 win on Friday.

The Caps were able to fire 58 shots on goal against the Lightning, but managed only 22 against Minnesota, easy pickings for Wild goaltender Devan Dubnyk. With the loss, Washington was unable to add to its three- point lead atop the Metropolitan Division.

Here are four reasons the Caps lost.

An emotional letdown

Wednesday’s game between the Caps and Tampa Bay Lightning was one of the best, most intense, well-played game of the regular season in the NHL. Friday’s game was…not.

One reason the playoffs are such a grind is because of how much each game takes out of the players emotionally. Washington looked like a team that was still trying to recover from Wednesday’s playoff preview and the emotional letdown led to some pretty rough hockey. Passes were hard to connect, shots were not on target, the puck management was poor, nothing seemed to come easy for the Caps at all.

Perhaps the epitome of the type of night it was for Washington came early in the third period. With the game tied at 1, Tom Wilson came out of the penalty box and was fed an alley-oop breakaway pass by Nicklas Backstrom. The puck, however, never settled for Wilson and when he tried to move to the backhand it simply rolled off his stick. Wilson had a golden opportunity to give Washington the lead, but walked away without so much as a shot on goal.

The power play

The first three power plays of the game all were awarded to Washington, but the Caps failed to convert on any of them. Getting the puck into the zone was a struggle and even when they did get it in, it usually was taken right back after one bad pass and sent in the other direction. The threat of Alex Ovechkin is usually enough to open space on the power play, but that was not the case on Friday. The pass just was not there all night and still Washington tried to force the puck to him at times rather than take advantage of the room that opened up on the right side of the ice.

The Caps managed just as man shots on goal (one) in those three power plays as the Wild’s penalty kill.

Getting caught in the neutral zone

With the puck loose in the neutral zone, Brooks Orpik stepped up to try to get possession. Jordan Greenway swept the puck away from him and then just kept his feet moving to turn the corner around a trailing Tom Wilson. Braden Holtby went down to the butterfly, but Greenway deked around him and buried it into the net. He had plenty of room because Orpik was trailing the play after losing it in the neutral zone and Luke Kunin boxed out Nick Jensen.

Getting caught in the trap

Washington managed to battle back and tie the game at 1 in the second period, but the Wild retook the lead in the third period thanks to a neutral zone trap.

Matt Niskanen had control of the puck and was looking for the breakout. He thought he had Ovechkin open, but Zach Parise stepped up and swept his stick into the passing lane at the last second. Ryan Donato fed it back to Parise and Washington’s breakout was suddenly a 2-on-1 in the other direction.

Neutral zone turnovers are so dangerous because you instantly have gone from offense to defense with no time to get into position. Sure enough, the Wild caught the Caps completely out of position with one defenseman challenging Parise and three red jerseys trailing him meaning there were four Caps players on the right side of the ice and 1137174 Washington Capitals Comcast SportsNet.com LOADED: 03.23.2019

Playoff Push: Games to watch this weekend for the Metropolitan Division

By NBC Sports Washington Staff March 22, 2019 5:25 PM

With seven games and coutning remaining in the regular season for Washington, the Capitals are looking for all the points they can get to hold onto their lead over the Metro. But with the road ahead getting tougher, each result will have massive implications for playoff seeding.

After falling 5-4 in overtime to the Tampa Bay Lightning Wednesday, Washington has a three-point lead over the Metro. From there, the New York Islanders and Pittsburgh Penguins each have a four-point lead over the Hurricanes, who are sitting in the first wild-card spot, and the Blue Jackets are one point out of a playoff spot.

As the postseason looms, the current race is a close one, and the games this weekend could ultimately decide who faces who in the first round of the 2019 Stanley Cup Playoffs, and if the regular season ended today, the Caps would play host to the Carolina Hurricanes. Still, there's plenty of time left and things can always change; here are the games to keep an eye on heading into the weekend.

New York Islanders (42-25-7, 91 points) vs. Philadelphia Flyers (36-30-8, 80 points)

Though the Isles are currently tied with the Penguins for second in the Metro, they hold the tiebreaker with fewer games played. Recently, they were shutout by the Montreal Canadiens 4-0. Carey Price made 28 saves, and the Canadiens moved into the second wild-card spot with the win.

They'll take on the Philadelphia Flyers, who are still fighting for a playoff spot and are 6-4 in their last 10 games, in a Saturday afternoon matchup. The Islanders will have a chance to diminish Philadelphia's last gasp at a playoff spot, while also moving ahead of the Penguins and staying in the fight for first.

Pittsburgh Penguins (40-24-11, 91 points) vs. New York Rangers (28-32- 13, 69 points)

The Penguins still have a shot at taking the Metro lead away from Washington, but they've played 75 games and have lost their first chance at a tiebreaker. Pittsburgh slugged out a 2-1 win over the Nashville Predators Thursday and have gone 6-2-2 in their last 10.

After taking on the Dallas Stars, also in a heated playoff race in the West, Saturday, Pittsburgh will face a cellar-dwelling New York Rangers team that has lost four straight, but is still looking to spoil their division rivals' season finishes.

Carolina Hurricanes (40-26-7, 87 points)

The Hurricanes have snuck into the first wild-card position, nd it's looking more likely than not that is the team the Caps will face in the first round. Riding goalie Petr Mrazek's improved play in net, the Canes have managed a 6-3-1 record in their last 10 games.

After falling to the Tampa Bay Lightning Thursday, the Hurricanes will look to redeem themselves against the Minnesota Wild Sunday, who are fighting for one of the coveted wild-card spots in the Weest and face the Capitals Friday. With a victory, they can extend their lead and maintain their hold on that first wild-card spot.

Columbus Blue Jackets (40-30-4, 84 points)

The Jackets are on the cusp of the playoffs this season, just one point out. Even after making a push to sign Matt Duchene, Ryan Dzingel and Keith Kinkaid at the trade deadline, they've had trouble racking up much- needed wins. They could not crack even in their last 10 games, with a 4- 5-1 record, including a loss to Connor McDavid and the Edmonton Oilers 4-1.

With time flying fast, Columbus needs to scrounge as many points as possible, starting with a must-win against the Vancouver Canucks Sunday. However, the victory won't come easy; Vancouver has won three straight and is still very much in the running for a shot at the playoffs. 1137175 Washington Capitals The Capitals have won eight games in a row against Minnesota, led by former Washington coach Bruce Boudreau.

Expect a good push from the Wild, however, who are still in the playoff How Tom Wilson's first game back from suspension against Minnesota chase in the Western Conference. At 34-31-9, they have 77 points and sparked the Caps are one point behind the Colorado Avalanche for the second and final wild card spot.

By Brian McNally March 22, 2019 1:53 PM Expected lineup

Alex Ovechkin – Nicklas Backstrom – Tom Wilson

WASHINGTON -– Capitals forward Tom Wilson did not miss a beat. Jakub Vrana – Evgeny Kuznetsov – T.J. Oshie That’s what happens when a player sits the first 14 games of a season Carl Hagelin – Lars Eller – Brett Connolly because of an NHL-mandated suspension for a hit to the head of St. Louis Blues forward Oskar Sundqvist in a preseason game. Andre Burakovsky – Nic Dowd – Travis Boyd

With his suspension reduced from 20 games to 16, Wilson was suddenly Christian Djoos – John Carlson eligible to play Nov. 13 when Washington played a game against the Minnesota Wild. Dmitry Orlov – Matt Niskanen

Wilson scored a goal in the first period – and ironically was penalized on Brooks Orpik – Nick Jensen the same play for running into the goalie. Braden Holtby

He later had a fight with Wild forward Marcus Foligno. He also helped the Pheonix Copley penalty kill strop five of six chances. That pretty much summed it up. Scratches: Chandler Stephenson, Dmitrij Jaskin Wilson sees Minnesota again tonight when the Capitals host the Wild at Capital One Arena (7 p.m., NBC Sports Washington). That first game in Injured: Michal Kempny St. Paul sparked a turnaround for the Capitals, who were lethargic early Comcast SportsNet.com LOADED: 03.23.2019 in the season as they tried to stay emotionally engaged after last spring’s dramatic championship run through the Stanley Cup playoffs.

Wilson’s return against the Wild had a visceral effect. The players had a jump not seen often in a 7-6-3 start to the season that included back-to- back home losses to the Columbus Blue Jackets and Arizona Coyotes.

The Capitals won 5-2 that night against the Wild and went on an 8-2-0 run in Wilson’s first 10 games. He had eight goals and seven assists in those games before sustaining a concussion during a fight in a Dec. 4 loss at the Vegas Golden Knights.

Wilson missed three more games and has only played 55 total. But he’s had a major impact on the top line with Alex Ovechkin and either center Evgeny Kuznetsov or Nicklas Backstrom. Wilson has 21 goals and 16 assists. Those are both career highs. His 37 points are also a career best. And that’s all in 23 fewer games than the 78 he played last season. There are eight games left for Wilson to top 40 points for the first time.

Djoos returns

The lower-body injury to Michal Kempny sustained Wednesday means Christian Djoos is back in the lineup. He will be on the top pair with John Carlson. Djoos is playing just his second game since Feb. 23. The Capitals will be experimenting here down the stretch thinking Kempny will be out for a while. It’s a good opportunity for Djoos, who has played with Carlson before.

Washington will not recall a defensemen from AHL Hershey for now. They will stick with six unless another player is needed during the remaining three games of this four-game homestand.

50

Alex Ovechkin couldn’t find the back of the net in Wednesday’s 5-4 overtime loss to Tampa Bay, but he is still just two goals shy of 50 for his career. That would be his eighth 50-goal season. Ovechkin finished last year with 49. Only Wayne Gretzky and Mike Bossy have had more (nine each).

Ovechkin always torches Minnesota with 26 points (15 goals, 11 assists) in just 15 career games.

That’s his highest goals-per-game average against any franchise.

Holtby goes

No surprise here as the Capitals don’t have any more back-to-back games and will ride Holtby down the stretch until they possibly clinch the Metropolitan Division. They lead by three points over the New York Islanders and Pittsburgh Penguins and have eight games to go.

Holtby is 8-2-0 in his career against Minnesota with one shutout and a .922 save percentage.

Going streaking 1137176 Washington Capitals Comcast SportsNet.com LOADED: 03.23.2019

With Kempny out indefinitely, Djoos set to play for Capitals tonight vs. Minnesota

By Brian McNally March 22, 2019 1:08 PM

ARLINGTON, Va. – Capitals defenseman Michal Kempny will be out “an indefinite” amount of time, according to coach Todd Reirden.

Kempny sustained a lower-body injury in Wednesday’s 5-4 overtime loss to the Tampa Bay Lightning when he fell to the ice during a scrap with forward Cedric Paquette. He had to be helped off the ice and could not put any weight on one leg. He did not return to the game.

“I'd say we're going to have to be without him for an indefinite amount of time right now,” Reirden said. “We're just getting some more tests before we can make an official time statement on that, but I would just say right now that indefinitely he's out of our lineup.”

Christian Djoos will take Kempny’s place on the top pairing next to John Carlson. Djoos was bumped from the lineup on Feb. 23 after Washington acquired Nick Jensen in a trade with the Detroit Red Wings. Djoos finally returned to the lineup on Tuesday in a 4-1 win against the New Jersey Devils when the team rested 38-year-old veteran Brooks Orpik.

Djoos and Carlson played together last season when Matt Niskanen missed 13 games with a left thumb injury. They have some history, which should help with on-ice communication. The duo have played together 600 minutes, 15 seconds since last season. Their Corsi-for percentage (53.45) is above water. That’s lots of shots directed at their own net, though that sample size is reasonably small over the course of a full season. With Kempny, Carlson has played 1150:19 and they are at 51.11 percent in 92 games.

"I don't know about communication. I think just not having to communicate is the big thing, and fortunately for me I think Djoos, he could be the smartest hockey player in this room altogether,” Carlson said. “That's everyone. We've had stints. When [Niskanen] went down beginning, middle of last year, we played a lot together. Always kind of sneak in shifts here and there with him this year. I feel comfortable with him. That's not an issue for me.”

Losing Kempny is a blow, however.

The Feb. 19, 2018 trade for Kempny helped stabilize a blue line that was constantly in flux and relying on rookies in key spots last season. His addition helped balance Washington’s pairs, gave them another strong skater and was a big part of their 15-7-0 finish in the regular season and their Stanley Cup title run.

Djoos is also a fine skater and makes for an interesting match with Carlson. But he’s also undersized at 6-foot, 169 pounds. He did play the final 22 playoff games last season on the right side next to Orpik on the third pair. Djoos is more comfortable on the left side, where he will be with Carlson. For now.

“That opportunity for Christian is first and foremost tonight for him,” Reirden said. “It's a great opportunity, I've seen those two play together before and I thought he had a strong game the other day against New Jersey. This is why we have the depth we do. We'll put him in that situation tonight, but it's going to be probably a little bit of a committee as you move forward depending on the game.”

Reirden was not ready to say Kempny will miss the rest of the season. It’s too soon for that.

“Obviously we'll miss Michal, he's been a really good player for us in the playoffs last year,” Reirden said. “He's had a strong regular season push his numbers to career highs and stuff. Hopefully we can get some better news on that, but for now Christian will be starting there and expect to see some movement in those spots as well.”

Added Carlson: “I think I'm a little bit more aggressive at the line and keeping guys out of the zone, and in-zone [Kempny is] a little more aggressive in terms of down below the goal line. We obviously know each other's games and work off each other pretty well. He's a big piece of this team and we're gonna have to all step up." 1137177 Washington Capitals

Braden Holtby says he will ‘respectfully decline’ invitation to the White House

By J.J. Regan March 22, 2019 12:24 PM

ARLINGTON, Va. – When the Capitals visit the White House on Monday to celebrate winning the 2018 Stanley Cup, Braden Holtby will not be among them. Citing his values, the Canadian netminder said Friday that he would “respectfully decline” the invitation.

“It’s one of those things that we have to think about, but with me, I’ve got to stay true to my values, and I’m going respectfully decline the offer,” Holtby said.

“In saying that, it’s a tough situation for everyone to be in, to be forced to make a decision of that standing. You’re a team and you want to stick together no matter what, so I hope everyone kind of blows it away and that we don’t worry about who goes and who doesn’t. For me, it’s just a personal thing. I believe in what I believe in, and in order to stick to those values, I think I have to do what I feel is right, but that doesn’t make a difference on everyone else’s decision. We stick by every single teammate we have and their decision.”

The news that the Caps would be making the traditional White House visit broke on Tuesday. As one of the team’s most outspoken political activists, it was not known whether Holtby would accept the invitation or not.

Citing his support of the LGBTQ community as “one of the factors” in his decision, Holtby said it ultimately was not difficult to reach the conclusion to decline the invitation.

“Obviously, I’ve been a little more out-spoken on my views than everyone else so I feel like it’s important for me to stand by that.”

“In the end, I never really came up with a situation where I’d feel comfortable going,” he added. “But the toughest part is I’ve always tried to live my life and my career that the team sticks together. So, that’s probably the toughest part, but that’s just the way the world is. Sometimes you’re forced into situations where you have to stick by what you believe. But in the end, I think there’s more important things I can do in the future. Trying to make a stand this way, I don’t think it does the most in terms of creating change. In the future, I just want to stick by what I believe in and trying to push towards a world where people are created equal.”

Holtby now joins teammates Brett Connolly and Devante Smith-Pelly who had previously declared they would not accept a White House invitation.

Comcast SportsNet.com LOADED: 03.23.2019 1137178 Washington Capitals and anything to be hindering myself from being able to put the best product on the ice come next Friday in the tournament.”

Comcast SportsNet.com LOADED: 03.23.2019 Coveted Capitals prospect Chase Priskie still pondering his NHL future: 'I'm kind of in the dark as well'

By J.J. Regan March 22, 2019 6:00 AM

Chase Priskie has had one heck of a season. In his senior season at Quinnipiac, Priskie leads all NCAA defensemen with 17 goals. He has 39 total points in 34 games and has been named one of 10 finalists for the Hobey Baker award, awarded annually to the top NCAA men’s hockey player in the nation.

As a second-year captain, he is the unquestioned leader of Quinnipiac. The Bobcats are ranked seventh in the nation after a 25-9-2 season and will vie for a national championship.

Despite what he has managed to accomplish this season, however, it is what he plans to do afterward that everyone wants to know.

Priskie was drafted by the Capitals in the sixth round of the 2016 draft. After competing in college for four years, he has a choice to make after the season. As the Caps drafted him, they are the only team that can sign him until Aug. 15 when he becomes a free agent and can sign with whatever team he chooses.

But while everyone else is thinking about his NHL future, Priskie may be the only one who is not.

“Honestly, I've told my family advisor that I don't want to have to worry about any of that right now,” Priskie told NBC Sports Washington. “Right now, I'm focused on the 26 guys we have in our locker room and coming out next Friday and winning that game and trying to string together four consecutive wins and bring home a national title for our school. And I'm a big believer of everything happens for a reason so I haven't thought about that yet and I'll address it when the time comes, but until then I'm really just focused on playing my best hockey for Quinnipiac.”

The choice will ultimately not be an easy one to make.

Washington took a chance on Priskie drafting him in the sixth round. The team also tried to sign him after last season, and while he originally intended to sign, he ultimately elected to stay in school in order to leave “more of a legacy at this program.”

Having said that, Washington has a logjam of defensive prospects with Jonas Siegenthaler, Lucas Johansen, Connor Hobbs, Tobias Geisser, Alex Alexeyev and Martin Fehervary, among others. Other teams could offer Priskie a clearer path to the NHL.

The Caps also have already reached their limit of 50 contracts. They can still sign Priskie to an entry-level deal before Aug. 15, but it would have to be for the 2019-20 season, similar to what they did with the newly signed Joe Snively out of Yale. That means he could not be a late addition to the roster for this year’s playoff run as we saw with Shane Gersich last season.

But it does not appear that making the NHL immediately out of college is a major goal for Priskie, and he is willing to wait to compete for a spot next season.

“My dream is to play in the NHL and I feel like I've given myself every advantage to achieve that goal,” he said. “I think with the right motivation this summer, having a good summer, good training, I'm going to go into training camp and try to earn a roster spot.”

It is easy to jump to the conclusion that if Priskie is not sure what he intends to do by this point, then at the very least he must be considering spurning the Caps and going to free agency. But Priskie does not sound like someone who has made up his mind. He sounds like a 23-year-old who does not know what he wants to do beyond winning a national title at Quinnipiac.

And so here we stand with Aug. 15 looming and still no closer to a decision.

“I really told [my family advisors] just to not have it worry me because we've got enough going on with Quinnipiac right now and just trying to win a National Championship and I'm going to cross that bridge when I get there. I'm kind of in the dark as well, I don't want anything to do with it 1137179 Washington Capitals indicated they would skip it. The Pittsburgh Penguins, winners of the Cup in 2016 and ’17, visited the White House following each title.

“Once the first team doesn’t go it puts the onus on every other player in Capitals on opposite sides of White House decision vow to stick together professional sports to be forced into making a decision, if you’re political as a team or not,” Holtby said. “That’s why I think our team, we’re trying to take the most professional way we can with the every player has a right to choose and stand by each and every one of us regardless of what you decide. By Chris Kuc Mar 22, 2019 Obviously, I’ve been a little more out-spoken on my views than everyone else so I feel like it’s important for me to stand by that. But in the long run it’s not going to affect our team at all. We’re a close-knit group in here After battling through waves of adversity en route to capturing the 2018 and those things don’t affect us as a team.” Stanley Cup followed by very little turnover to the roster this season, the Capitals are about as close-knit as a team can be. Holtby addressed the media following the morning skate and said the decision not to go to the White House went beyond hockey for him but he A scheduled visit to the White House on Monday to celebrate the doesn’t believe it will promote much change. franchise’s first championship has suddenly put some teammates on opposite sides of each other on the issue of whether to attend. “In the end, I never really came up with a situation where I’d feel comfortable going,” Holtby said. “Sometimes you’re forced into situations Braden Holtby became the second Capitals player to announce that he where you have to stick by what you believe. But in the end, I think will not attend Monday’s event, saying following Friday’s morning skate there’s more important things I can do in the future. Trying to make a that, “I’ve got to stay true to my values and I’m going to respectfully stand this way, I don’t think it does the most in terms of creating change. decline the offer.” In the future, I just want to stick by what I believe in and trying to push The goaltender will join Brett Connolly, who earlier this week said he will towards a world where people are created equal. not attend the event to support former teammate Devante Smith-Pelly, “My family and myself, we believe in a world where humans are treated who has been critical of President Donald Trump. with respect regardless of your stature, what you’re born into,” Holtby While their views on whether to meet with Trump in the Oval Office may continued. “You’re asked to choose what side you’re on, and I think it’s differ, the Capitals are vowing that it won’t affect the bond the group pretty clear what side I’m on. I believe that this is the right decision for shares or become a distraction as the team gets set to embark on its myself and my family. defense of the Cup. “The more important thing is we’re just gearing up for a playoff run, and “We’re such a close group of guys that I lose no respect for ‘Holts’ not that’s not going to team unity. It’s just another thing that that’s going to be going and I can’t imagine him losing any respect for me for going,” said exciting, especially for the American guys, because there’s more to it T.J. Oshie, who was born in Washington state and grew up in Minnesota. than politics and that. For a lot of guys, there’s a lot of history and pride “We’re so close and we have such a close bond and throughout the they take in their nation and it’s one of those really cool things that’s been whole team that would never come between us.” a thing for a long time. So that’s why I think we really respect either way if you choose to go or not. I hope they have a good experience there and Oshie joined many of the high-profile Capitals players in saying he will then we can get back to hockey.” attend the event, including Alex Ovechkin, Nicklas Backstrom, John Carlson and Tom Wilson, among others. As of now, Connolly and Holtby The Athletic LOADED: 03.23.2019 — and likely Smith-Pelly, who is currently playing for AHL Hershey — are the only Capitals players from the ’18 team who have said they won’t attend.

“It’s everyone’s choice,” Oshie said. “Me personally, I’ll be going. As an American you grow up learning about the White House and the history, it’s a dream come true for me to go. To be in the White House … I think it’s just a real cool opportunity for me. I’m not out to make a statement politically one way or another.

“I respect ‘Holts’ and the guys that don’t want to go but I’m excited to do it.”

Said Carlson, who was born in Natick, Mass.: “I’m obviously going to go. It’s an experience that I want to be a part of and see through. (It’s) something that you dream about, getting honored as the champions, and something that we worked really hard for. That’s what I’m thinking.

“But everyone can make assumptions or decisions on their own. We support each other in the room and past that, it doesn’t really matter.”

Holtby, who is from Lloydminster, Saskatchewan, is one of the more out- spoken Capitals players, including with his support of the LGBTQ community. Holtby said the decision to skip the event was not a difficult one.

“It’s a tough situation for everyone to be in, to be forced to make a decision of that standing,” Holtby said. “You’re a team and you want to stick together no matter what, so I hope everyone kind of blows it away and that we don’t worry about who goes and who doesn’t. For me, it’s just a personal thing. I believe in what I believe in, and in order to stick to those values, I think I have to do what I feel is right. But that doesn’t make a difference on everyone else’s decision. We stick by every single teammate we have and their decision.”

Since Trump has been in office, controversy has surrounded the traditional visits of championship teams to the White House. After winning the NBA title in 2017, the Golden State Warriors were disinvited by Trump after several players said they were reluctant to make the visit.

The 2018 Super Bowl champion Philadelphia Eagles were set to visit the White House but the event was canceled by Trump after some players 1137180 Winnipeg Jets This one gets an edge as the most likely matchup given the state of the standings now and over the past few weeks. On Monday night, the Jets and visiting Stars meet for the last time this regular season.

Jets' first-round playoff foes likely Stars or Blues Dallas has a four-point cushion on the Colorado Avalanche for the first wild-card spot in the West and just happens to be playing its finest hockey in some time, winning seven of its last 11. By: Jason Bell | Posted: 03/22/2019 7:00 PM | There’s usually fireworks when these club collide, like Byfuglien stepping in to restore order when Dallas forward Jamie Benn tries to impose his will, or Stars centre Tyler Seguin picking corners and ripping rockets, as LAS VEGAS — All is not lost with the Winnipeg Jets, despite a serious he tends to do with relative ease against the Jets. beatdown suffered Thursday night at the hands of the suddenly mighty Vegas Golden Knights. Stars head coach Jim Montgomery has only recently reunited the top line of the Benn-Seguin-Alexander Radulov. When on, it’s a lethal trio. The Jets were soundly outplayed in a 5-0 defeat to the Golden Knights, However, there’s not much offence up front after that, and the obvious who totally look the part of a bona fide Stanley Cup contender. shortage of scoring depth will be an issue. The Stars average only 2.51 Winnipeg missed a chance to officially lock up a playoff spot but will goals per game and that ranks 29th in the NHL. undoubtedly do so, possibly as early as Saturday when the Nashville But the club is surprisingly good defensively. It’s in the middle of the pack Predators pay a visit. The Jets (44-26-4) have accumulated 92 points in terms of shots allowed per game, allowing the eighth-fewest high- and occupy top spot in the Central Division, two points up on the danger chances in the league. The Stars' top goaltender, Ben Bishop, Predators (42-27-6) with a game in hand. has been brilliant. His workload has been carefully managed, and he’s The Preds' visit marks the start of a four-game stretch at Bell MTS Place, 25-15-2 in 43 appearances with a 2.05 GAA and .932 S%. the Jets' final homestand of the 2018-19 season. The Dallas Stars, New Dallas has a sound penalty kill (82.5, ninth) but is just 17th in the league York Islanders and Montreal Canadiens all hit town next week. on the power play (19.4). Here's something to chew on: is a Monday night rendezvous between This series could come down to the Jets’ ability to shut down, or at least Winnipeg and Dallas simply an appetizer before a more elaborate main limit, the explosive No. 1 forward unit. Do that and Winnipeg moves on to course? The way the NHL standings are shaping up, there's a clear the second round, likely against Nashville — again. possibility they'll meet in the opening round of the playoffs — and that series could be a delicacy. Winnipeg finishes 2nd in Central

The table will be set in less than three weeks. Granted, the post-season Jets host St. Louis Blues (39-27-8) guest list hasn’t been penned in indelible ink but that doesn’t preclude contemplating the Jets' likely first-round opponent. Regular-season series (Jets 3-1-0)

When the 82-game regular season ends April 6, head coach Paul These clubs were well acquainted by early December but barely know Maurice’s squad will have either wrapped up top spot in the Central and each other now. The Jets racked up three straight victories against the set up a meeting with the first wild-card team (currently Dallas) in the Blues by Nov. 25 before getting blanked 1-0 Dec. 7 by goalie Jake Allen. Western Conference, or will have finished as the division runners-up and Remember when St. Louis missing the post-season was a foregone will meet the third-place team (currently the St. Louis Blues) in the conclusion? Remember when head coach Mike Yeo was fired with the Central. team at 7-9-3 and replaced on an interim basis by Craig Berube?

Before doing some head-to-head analyses, there are a few things to That was then, this is now. The Blues are 32-18-5 under Berube, remember about the Jets. bolstered significantly by an amazing franchise-record 11-game winning Bell MTS Place remains a hornet’s nest for the opposition. The Jets have streak earlier in 2019. one of the best home records (24-9-4) in the NHL, and only five teams This wasn’t a team known for its defensive prowess. However, St. Louis have fewer losses in their own barn. is currently limiting the shots against while ensuring the ones that do get There’s nothing discreet about Winnipeg’s penchant for putting the puck through come from those low-grade areas. A solid blue-line corps in the net. The team is seventh in the league in goals for per game includes veterans Alex Pietrangelo, Robert Bortuzzo and Colton Parayko (3.36), boasts a 35-goal scorer in centre Mark Scheifele, a couple of and talented youngster Vince Dunn. youngsters, Patrik Laine and Kyle Connor, sitting on 29 goals, and a The Blues have given up the sixth-fewest goals against (202). Rookie captain (Blake Wheeler) with 20. Winnipeg also has five others with at netminder Jordan Binnington is playing a prominent role in the team's least a dozen goals. dramatic turnaround. He has won 19 of 24 starts and has a 1.79 GAA Only three other teams allow more shots per game (33.4) than Winnipeg, and 929 S%. and the Jets also give up more high-danger chances than they create. Up front, Vladimir Tarasenko leads the way with 28 goals, while Ryan Yet, the team is still in the middle of the pack in terms of goals against O’Reilly, a free agency acquisition last summer, has 26 goals and 69 per game (2.94). After a slow start, goalie Connor Hellebuyck’s stock has points. St. Louis also has seven others with at least 10 goals. been on the rise since the Jets’ league-mandated week off in mid- January. His save percentage was .908 before that point, and is .915 Winnipeg would do well to steer clear of the surging Blues. since. Want to get a head start on your day? The power play continues to shine and is currently fourth in the NHL (25.5 per cent efficiency) but the penalty kill is a major problem area. Get the day’s breaking stories, weather forecast, and more sent straight Prior to the all-star game, the Jets were fourth in the league (81.2 per to your inbox every morning. cent) but since then the kill has been running at 76.9 per cent, or 26th. Other potential opponents

Two huge pieces to the overall puzzle are currently busted. The return of Indeed, additional scenarios do exist for the Jets in the opening round of either Dustin Byfuglien (lower body) or Josh Morrissey (upper body) — or the playoffs. better still, both — on the blue line can’t come soon enough for the organization. What if the Jets finish ahead of the pack in the Central but Dallas — with its 82 points — has a late-season meltdown? If that happens, any one of Jets win Central the Colorado Avalanche (78), Arizona Coyotes (78) or Minnesota Wild Winnipeg hosts Dallas (38-30-6) (77) that goes on a hot streak could grab that first wild-card spot.

Regular-season series (Stars 2-1-0) What if the Jets drop to second in the Central and the Blues (86) falter? Well, the Stars have the only real chance of overtaking St. Louis, so that just sets up a Dallas-Winnipeg matchup.

Winnipeg Free Press LOADED 03.23.2019 1137181 Winnipeg Jets Sense a theme here?

Odds are Vegas hangover will be a short one for Jets Coaches and players on the Jets have been talking for a few weeks now about getting their game playoff-ready, and there's no better way to whet the appetite than a meeting with your arch enemy. Especially when Mike McIntyre there's a good chance they may together for a few laughs in the sequel to last-year's post-season warfare. Posted: 03/22/2019 5:17 PM And while Winnipeg didn't have any luck on the Vegas strip, they'll hope their fortunes can quickly turn on the injury front. Both Dustin Byfuglien (ankle) and Josh Morrissey (shoulder) should soon join teammates on In a way, the Winnipeg Jets left Las Vegas not unlike a lot of visitors: the ice, with coach Paul Maurice hopeful that his two top defencemen Tired. Beaten. Perhaps a bit embarrassed. Not really wanting to talk could get in a couple regular-season games as a pre-playoff tuneup. about what went down. That would be welcome news, indeed, for a battered blue line that has at We get it. Stuff happens. And Thursday night's uninspired 5-0 loss in Sin least managed to stay above water in their extended absences. City is one they'll want to wipe from the memory banks as soon as possible, hoping there's no hangover effect. I mean, it could have been However, it may be a case of two steps forward, one step back, as goalie worse, right? As far as we know, nobody went missing or woke up in a Laurent Brossoit came up lame in the second period Thursday in Vegas hotel room with a baby or a tiger or an unexplained face tattoo. and took himself out of the game with a lower-body injury. With the Jets travelling back from the desert Friday, there was no media availability on It was just the fourth loss in 11 games this month and certainly no reason his status; however, the team recalled goalie Eric Comrie from the to panic for the first-place Jets, who were playing for a second straight on an emergency basis, a sign they'll be without night in enemy territory against perhaps the league's hottest team outside Brossoit for a time. of Tampa Bay. Considering goalie Connor Hellebuyck has been one of the busiest Sure, the result will leave a bit of a bad taste in the mouth, but the overall netminders in the league and was likely due for a bit of rest down the body of work has been mostly solid of late, and Winnipeg is still standing stretch — I figured he'd start five of these last eight games — any time tall with a 44-26-4 record that has them on pace for the second-best without the reliable Brossoit could prove costly. Perhaps the silver lining regular-season in franchise history. is they'll get another chance to see what they have in Comrie, who's It's easy to forget that sometimes, isn't it? been one of the top goalies in the AHL this season but only has four NHL games on his pro resumé so far. Onwards and upwards. There's no time to wallow, not with the Nashville Predators in town for a juicy Saturday-night matchup at Bell MTS Place. Regardless, overcoming adversity is the name of the game in pro sports, As late-season games go, this one has several noteworthy storylines and the Jets have done a solid job so far stickhandling their way around going for it. various obstacles.

The Jets lead the Predators by two points with eight games left; Nashville There's every reason to believe that what happened in Vegas is likely to has seven. A win and the Jets not only clinch a playoff spot, but would stay there. also be in the driver's seat of the Central Division race and the Winnipeg Free Press LOADED 03.23.2019 guaranteed home-ice advantage through at least the first two rounds of the playoffs that comes with raising a banner.

That's no small thing, considering Winnipeg has one of the NHL's best home records at 24-9-4 (and one of those home losses was a defeat to Florida in Finland), but are just 20-17-0 on the road. If it comes down to a winner-take-all Game 7 in a series, where do you think the Jets would like to play it?

A loss Saturday and you might want to buckle up, with the quest for first likely coming down to the final days of the season.

Aside from that, there may be a few scores to settle in their final meeting of the regular-season. Not exactly breaking news here, but these two teams genuinely dislike each other, no doubt a product of last spring's epic seven-game playoff series.

I'm talking about Ottawa-owner-Eugene-Melnyk-towards-the-media level of contempt. Or Edmonton-CEO-Bob-Nicholson-towards-Tobias-Rieder level of disdain. (Two things: first, if you're not sure what I'm talking about here, grab some popcorn and Google it; and second, what is going on in those two markets? Are the Oilers and Senators trying to outduel each other in a bizarre game to see who can be the most incompetent?)

You'll recall the last time Winnipeg and Nashville faced off on March 1, Adam Lowry was trying to re-arrange Filip Forsberg's face with his stick. The Jets' shut-down centre got a pair of games for that reckless infraction, and I'm guessing the Predators might have a thing or two to say about it. Winnipeg also got its pound of flesh on the scoreboard, winning 5-3 before a raucous hometown crowd.

In their previous meeting before that one on Jan. 17 in "Smashville," Ryan Johansen basically pitch-forked Mark Scheifele in the mug, also earning himself a two-game banishment to the press box to think about what he did wrong. The Jets also got the last laugh that night, playing maybe their most complete road game of the season in a 5-1 victory.

And in their first meeting of the year way back on Oct. 11, all heck broke loose as the Jets lost their collective minds in a parade to the penalty box, giving the Predators eight straight power plays in the first 40 minutes of the game in what turned into a 3-0 defeat. 1137182 Winnipeg Jets following his first game back with the Moose last Sunday, where it appears any hard feelings are now water under the bridge.

Two nights later, Vesalainen had a lot of Jets fans shaking their heads California dreamy, Sin City a bust again — this time in disbelief as he scored a wonderful overtime winner against the San Diego Gulls.

By: Mike McIntyre and Jason Bell Vesalainen, still just 19, showed off some impressive power moves as he won a puck battle, beat a defender and cut hard to the net to give his Posted: 03/22/2019 3:24 PM team a much-needed victory as they try to stay alive in the playoff race.

Manitoba Moose

So, it was starting to look really easy for the Winnipeg Jets this week. Speaking of the Moose, there was a series of strange events in Sunday's game against the San Diego Gulls that Mike witnessed. Turns out it was just some California dreaming, and they got a rude awakening Thursday in Vegas. A bit of background is required: Jake Dotchin had his contract terminated by Tampa last fall for reportedly coming into camp out of shape. He later Jay (a.k.a. Chase) was perched high above all the action at T-Mobile signed with Anaheim, and is now playing for their AHL team in San Arena Thursday, and once the pre-game theatrics were finally over, got Diego. to witness one of the worst performances by the Jets from this season or last. Moose forward Ryan White scored a goal with Dotchin on the ice, and the two players nearly came to blows seconds later as White clearly Granted, they were on the second half of a back to back after shutting mimed having a big fat stomach to Dotchin. Both were penalized for out the Anaheim Ducks just 24 hours before, but this one was a unsportsmanlike conduct. mismatch not quite from the very start (Blake Wheeler got the better of Mark Stone in a short tussle 30 seconds into the game), but almost. But wait, there was more.

Wow, the Sin City squad has power and speed. Since Stone’s arrival In the final moments of the game, Dotchin scored an empty-net goal to they’re almost unbeatable, going 10 of 11, and the Golden Knights might clinch a 4-1 victory for his team. Dotchin then did a fly-by the Manitoba just be the toast of the Western Conference for the second straight bench, rubbing his stomach the whole way. Touche. season. Following the game, Mike spoke to White about went what down. And the The post-season chase for the Stanley Cup begins in just over two veteran forward didn't disappoint with his explanation. weeks, and while the Jets will be at the spring dance, their first-round partner is still TBD. Mike McIntyre

Dump and Chase will be front and centre at the downtown Winnipeg rink Second period and wherever that opponent hangs its hat for as long as the Jets stay in There's no question hockey coaches often take issue with the officiating. the air. They'll yell and scream and rant and rave until they're blue in the face, Mike (a.k.a. Dump) likes the thought of Dallas or St. Louis because the always to no avail. Central time zone doesn’t complicate things from a deadline perspective, Not exactly breaking news there, right? but Phoenix does offer the fun-in-the-sun factor, and Jay figures a golf game in April once the work is done doesn’t sound too bad at all. Well, one bench boss took things to new heights this week when, upset with how things were playing out in front of him, whipped out his We’ll know soon enough. cellphone and called up the league supervisor to complain about the For now, settle in and enjoy the latest edition of our weekly interactive refereeing. hockey almanac. The 23rd edition of this season, if you're keeping score Miroslav Frycer, a former NHLer now coaching HC Orli Znojmo in the at home. Austrian League, claims he was just taking advantage of what the Pre-game warmup supervisor told him prior to the playoff game, which his team ultimately lost 5-2. It's always good to stretch properly before a big game or practice, and the St. Louis Blues, one of the hottest teams in the NHL over the past "He said to me, I can call him anytime, if something does not suit me. few months, have it down pat. Pun very much intended. And at that moment, that did not suit me at all and that's why I tried to reach him," said Frycer, who may have taken things in a way they likely Now that is one very good boy right there. weren't intended.

From pets to pests: Can someone give Brad Marchand his own reality Much to his chagrin, his in-game plea went unanswered. show? "I know he was there, but apparently, he just talks nice and when it We can't get enough of the bad boy Boston forward, who has been comes to something, he is not reachable. He just did not lift off," he said. setting his sights lately on various teammates with a series of hilarious quips on social media. Go figure — the coach still isn't getting any calls.

Last week, Torey Krug was his focus as they traded barbs about each Our favourite bunch of jerks are at it again. other's size; this week, it was David Pastrnak, who just returned to the Following their shootout victory over the Pittsburgh Penguins earlier this lineup (and Marchand's line) following an extended injury absence. week, the Carolina Hurricanes went retro with their latest Storm Surge As always seems to be the case, Marchand took the first shot. And it was celebration. a pretty good one. And this one really quacked us up.

Back came Pastrnak, who clearly didn't get his nose out of joint. Ahem. Expect Don Cherry to be flapping his gums — and maybe his arms — First Period again on Saturday night.

Kristian Vesalainen had a lot of Jets fans shaking their heads when he Third period left the organization in November and headed back home to play in the We've already seen what one grassroots movement can do when it came KHL. He had an "out" clause in his contract and took full advantage, not to getting noted enforcer John Scott voted into the NHL All-Star game a wanting to continue spending time playing in the AHL with the Manitoba few years back. Moose. Well, another such campaign is underway, this time to get New York With his Helsinki team now eliminated from the playoffs, Vesalainen Islanders depth defenceman Adam Pelech on the cover of the next returned to North American soil last week. Mike caught up with him edition of the popular EA Sports NHL video game franchise. "Adam Pelech is a beast, yet somehow he has never made the cover of an NHL game. He's been present in the franchise for years, but EA has never given him the respect he deserves. Pelech is a future Norris- winner and his #3 and #50 will surely see the rafters of Adam Pelech Arena at Belmont Park. EA has chosen to completely ignore this fact, and it's completely unacceptable. Sign this petition to give Adam the justice he deserves," the online plea reads.

Pelech, 24, has 11 goals and 37 assists in 201 career games.

"I have a mild panic attack every time I touch the puck, so I see myself in Pelech. Put him on the box," one supporter wrote on the petition.

Great moment at Bell MTS Place last week when a father and son in the crowd held up a copy of an old Free Press newspaper featuring a younger version of themselves, on the front page, at a Jets game.

Talk about a blast from the past!

Overtime

We've seen plenty of examples over the years where two players who are otherwise friendly off the ice get into a scrap during a game.

Hey, it happens. Tempers flare, emotions get the best of everyone and the gloves can come off.

But this may be one of the wildest ones we've seen. Turns out Patrick Maroon of the St. Louis Blues and Zack Kassian of the Edmonton Oilers are still the best of buddies and had dinner together before their teams faced-off the following night.

And then, in an apparent attempt to fire up their respective benches, they went at it.

Is it just our imagination, or do the Jets not play very well when wearing their alternate Aviator jerseys this season?

Turns out the numbers back this up, as Mike discovered prior to Saturday's game against Calgary.

Mike McIntyre

Of course, the Jets went on to beat the Flames, improving their record to 7-5-1 in the other duds. They'll wear them one more time, on Monday against Dallas.

Finding your way around an NHL rink for the first time can be a challenging experience. Both Mike and Jay have discovered that over the last few years as they became regulars on the Free Press Jets beat.

Sara Civian, a first-year beat reporter covering the Carolina Hurricanes, got a funny conversation started the other day when she Tweeted about her experiences.

I somehow set off an audible alarm at Capital One Arena in Washington last weekend after pulling at a locked “media entrance” door a bit too aggressively. Was still ringing 30 minutes later as we did player interviews and weekend security scrambled to shut it off.

Sara Civ

Shootout

There's no question Mathieu Perreault is one of the bigger personalities on the Jets. He's usually a great interview and often has plenty to say about his play, his teammates and other subjects under the sun.

Not surprisingly, he's a pretty good chirper on the ice as well, as we discovered last week when he was mic'd up for a game against the Boston Bruins.

Speaking of good on-ice talkers, remember the father who mic'd up his four-year-old son during a recent Timbits practice?

The result was comedy gold, of course. And there's plenty of good new material to work with after he did it again during a recent game, while also attaching a Go-Pro to his boy's helmet.

Enjoy!

Winnipeg Free Press LOADED 03.23.2019 1137183 Winnipeg Jets The rest of the forwards are more of a mixed bag, with Little’s shooting falling off slightly, but for the most part they’re doing what you want to see.

Byfuglien a key power-play ingredient, but Jets find ways to cope while Because Wheeler is primarily a playmaker looking to make a pass, his he's out shooting numbers take a back seat. However, of the chances he's been getting of late, a greater number are from closer range than earlier in the season, which has increased their danger level. Andrew Berkshire Mathieu Perreault excels at digging for pucks near the net on the second Posted: 03/22/2019 3:31 PM unit, and he’s getting more shots from the most dangerous area.

Nikolaj Ehlers — in a small sample — is getting more scoring chances as well, but like Laine, he’s not pinching too deep, which makes sense since If one thing about the Winnipeg Jets has stayed consistent from last he’s more of a high-slot shooter anyway. season it has been that their power play is one of the most dangerous in the league. Losing Byfuglien seems to have forced the Jets to become more efficient shooters, and while they’ve lost some of the playmaking element that A lot of the focus is usually on the three-headed beast that is Blake made their power play special, the lessons learned in his absence might Wheeler, Mark Scheifele and Patrik Laine. It makes sense to focus on be to their benefit when he’s back in the lineup and the passing game that trio: Wheeler is one of the best playmakers in the NHL with the man ratchets back up. advantage; Scheifele is, arguably, the most talented player to play in the bumper spot in the slot on any power play; and Laine is one of the most Winnipeg Free Press LOADED 03.23.2019 dangerous shooters in the NHL from the faceoff circle.

Most of the scoring chances created on the Jets’ power play, especially on the top unit, will find its way through those players.

However, one player who has an enormous impact on the power play who doesn’t get as much love is the currently injured Dustin Byfuglien.

Byfuglien’s presence gives the power play more fuel, producing scoring chances at a 28 per cent higher rate than when he’s off the ice, and passes to the slot increase by nearly 46 per cent.

The difference Byfuglien makes isn’t just in making passes or taking shots, but his skill in managing the blue line and drawing checkers out of position. He is a daring one-on-one attacker, third on the Jets in attempting dekes on the power play and succeeding on 75 per cent of them, which allows him to beat checks and pinch lower into the zone with the puck to either shoot or make a play after breaking the opposing defensive scheme.

While being a risk-taker with the puck, and not generally acknowledged as the most agile player, Byfuglien excels at holding the blue line against clearing attempts more than any other Jet, stopping more clearing attempts overall than anyone else, and is second only to Jacob Trouba in the percentage of clearing attempts that he’s able to stop at 85.7 per cent.

Byfuglien’s presence creates better, more high-quality chances and increases the frequency of those chances because he keeps plays alive at the line, cutting the time spent outside the offensive zone.

Now, here’s the weird part: Since Byfuglien was hurt way back on Feb. 14, the Jets’ power play has been humming along at a 27.5 per cent conversion rate, which is slightly better than the 25 per cent rate they carried into this stretch of the season. So have other players stepped up in his absence?

Since Byfuglien went down to injury, the Jets have started to shoot more on the power play, and from closer to the net, going from 4.1 high-danger scoring chances per 20 minutes of ice time as a team to 4.7, while they’ve lost a full pass to the slot per 20 minutes, going from 14.5 to 13.5.

So the power play is a little bit more aggressive with shooting, but also a little bit more static. The question that has to be asked is whether the Jets and their coaching staff have brilliantly managed the loss of a key player on the man advantage, or if this version of the power play is a bit of a glass cannon they hope holds up until No. 33 is healthy enough to return to the lineup.

The answer to that likely depends on who is taking those extra shots.

Overall, I like what I’m seeing here from the forwards. Kyle Connor has been more aggressive at the net front, getting more high-danger chances than before by a significant margin, with Scheifele getting more shots from the middle of the slot and roughly the same number of high-danger chances.

Laine is pinching into the inner-slot less often, but getting more scoring chances overall, so that whole top unit of shooters is doing exactly what you want it to do. 1137184 Winnipeg Jets But if you’re going to fly alongside that goose, you have to be willing to listen to the honk of the gander, too: Calgary and San Jose were playing on back-to-back nights in Winnipeg last week, and the Jets didn’t Jets, Preds in Saturday night showdown for first place dominate either. In fact, they lost to the Sharks.

Here’s another nugget that may or may not be significant going into Saturday’s tilt. Paul Friesen The Jets have lost by at least four goals on three previous occasions this season: 7-1 in Colorado, Feb. 20, 4-0 in Pittsburgh, Jan. 4, and 5-1 in Dallas, Oct. 6. To paraphrase Sir Elton John, Saturday night’s alright for fighting – for first place in the Central Division. Each time, they’ve come back to win two nights later.

This Winnipeg-Nashville tilt isn’t quite a winner-take-all, one-game The most recent example came in Vegas last month, after that 7-1 showdown for the Division title, but it’s close. pasting in Denver. The Jets cruised, 6-3, that night.

With nearly six months of frequently bumpy brick road behind them, and So it appears the psychological effects of a beat-down haven’t lingered a sense they’ve been grinding their gears looking for overdrive a good previously, even on so many young minds. part of that time, the Winnipeg Jets can go a long way to making this regular season a success against the Predators on Saturday night. “Last time we were in here,” Bryan Little said, post-game in Vegas. “We were coming off a pretty embarrassing loss. That definitely changes the A clean win, and the Jets double their lead to four points, still with a circumstances.” game in hand and seven more to play, getting one firm hand on the top spot and home-ice advantage through the first two rounds of the playoffs. Maybe, just maybe, that makes Thursday’s shellacking the best thing that could have happened to the Jets going into Saturday. A clean loss, and the Predators draw even, making that game in hand critical. Then again, it’s Nashville.

A win would also give Winnipeg the season series, 3-1, but that’s a They shouldn’t need it. secondary tiebreaker to ROW (regulation and overtime wins), a category “We always get up for those games,” Chiarot said. “Those are fun games the Jets lead Nashville by four. to be part of, especially in our rink on a Saturday night.”

So the Jets still have the edge, but it’s tight. It appears Winnipeg Jets goalie Laurent Brossoit will miss at least one A loss Saturday, and it could quickly become suffocating. game after he was hurt in Thursday’s 5-0 loss in Vegas.

How you view the state of the team going into this one depends on your The Jets on Friday called up Eric Comrie on emergency recall from the perspective. AHL Manitoba Moose, who were playing in Colorado on Friday night.

Fear the worst, and Thursday’s 5-0 flattening at the hands of the Vegas Comrie is expected to back up starter Connor Hellebuyck when the Jets Golden Knights was an ominous sign of how the Jets aren’t built to host Nashville in a critical home game, Saturday. handle the heavy-going of the looming post-season. Brossoit wasn’t sharp, Thursday, especially on the Golden Knights’ first Vegas was faster, heavier and hungrier, and Winnipeg had no answers goal. for it. He was also shaken up when Vegas forward Cody Eakin crashed his net “It’s going to look like we’re not doing a good job defensively, but really late in the first period. it’s just them,” defenceman Ben Chiarot said, post-game. “They’re quick When Vegas made it 3-0 in the second, Brossoit’s night was over, Jets and they’ve got good skill, so it’s going to look ugly sometimes.” coach Paul Maurice saying later he pulled himself from the game.

That it did. That forced Hellebuyck, who’d played the night before, back in.

Prefer the bright side, and the mini win streak before Vegas – two of Maurice will update Brossoit’s status Saturday morning. them against bottom-feeders L.A. and Anaheim, two against contenders Calgary and Boston – is a soothing salve for the scorching they just took Winnipeg leads Nashville by two points, with one game in hand on the in the desert. Predators and eight left in the regular season.

Blake Wheeler was slathering the stuff on after the Jets emerged from In other Moose news, the team signed forward Cole Maier and U of M the woodshed. Bisons goalie Byron Spriggs to amateur tryout contracts.

“We just won four straight, we’re in first place in our division, have Maier, who attended Jets development camp last year, just finished his Nashville coming into our building – a lot to be excited about,” is how the final season at Union College in New York State, where he recorded 32 captain summed things up. points in 39 games and was a finalist for the award as best defensive forward of the year in his conference. Seems to me there’s plenty to wonder about, too. Spriggs just completed his career with the Bisons, playing 93 games over The way Vegas played Thursday’s game, and the way Nashville five seasons and recording a .905 saves percentage. prepared for the playoffs by adding grinder Wayne Simmonds and 6-foot- 6, 245-pound Brian Boyle in recent moves, makes one wonder if Winnipeg Sun LOADED 03.23.2019 opponents have determined the best way to beat the Jets is to get physical.

The Knights sure looked the part the other day, from Mark Stone’s demolition of Wheeler on the first shift to the many times Patrik Laine was knocked on his keester.

“Generally, if you’re quicker to pucks and defensively, you’re going to be more physical, so that’s probably why it looked that way,” Chiarot said. “I like the way we played (on the trip), especially coming off last week, three top teams in the league come into our rink, we play well and bring that on the road, take two of the three – we’re in a good place coming home.”

If you need to lean on one, there is an extenuating circumstance to Thursday’s thrashing, as the Jets had played the night before. 1137185 Winnipeg Jets Brendan Tanev-Adam Lowry-Bryan Little

Mathieu Perreault-Andrew Copp-Jack Roslovic

GAMEDAY: Jets vs. Predators Defence

Joe Morrow-Jacob Trouba

Paul Friesen Dmitry Kulikov-Tyler Myers

Ben Chiarot-Sami Niku

Winnipeg Jets vs Nashville Predators Goalies

6 p.m., Bell MTS Place. TV: Sportsnet. Radio: TSN 1290 Connor Hellebuyck

THE BIG MATCHUP Eric Comrie

The blue lines Nashville Predators

Even with P.K. Subban having an off year, offensively, Nashville has one Forwards of the NHL’s elite defence corps, with three players – Roman Josi, Mattias Ekholm and Ryan Ellis – among the team’s top six in scoring. Filip Forsberg-Ryan Johansen-Viktor Arvidsson Meanwhile, the Jets’ blue line is banged up, still without Dustin Byfuglien Mikael Granlund-Nick Bonino-Wayne Simmonds and Josh Morrissey and likely Nathan Beaulieu. Winnipeg’s forwards should be able to handle Nashville’s, and if Connor Hellebuyck can Calle Jarnkrok-Colton Sissons-Craig Smith match Pekka Rinne in goal, performance on the back end could prove to Brian Boyle-Kyle Turris-Rocco Grimaldi be the difference. Defence 5 KEYS TO THE GAME Roman Josi-Ryan Ellis What happens in Vegas… Mattias Ekholm-P.K. Subban The Jets were dominated in Sin City, physically and on the scoresheet, and they’ll have to forget Thursday’s 5-0 manhandling at the hands of the Matt Irwin-Yannick Weber Golden Knights in a hurry. Given how young they are, that’ll be easier said than done, although the three other times they’ve lost by at least Goalies four goals this season they have bounced back to win the next game. Pekka Rinne Show any shell shock against the Preds and it could be another long night. Juuse Saros

Seize the moment Injuries

This is no time to forget what’s at stake on Saturday: first place in the Jets: G Laurent Brossoit, D Josh Morrissey, D Dustin Byfuglien, D Central is very much up for grabs, with the Preds able to grab a share of Nathan Beaulieu it with a regulation victory. The Jets still have one game in hand, but they don’t want to have to rely on that. Ideally, they’d be able to rest a few Predators: F Miikka Salomaki, F Zac Rinaldo, D Dan Hamhuis players over their last seven games, not have to grind all the way to Special Teams Game 82 to seal top spot in the division and home-ice advantage through the first two rounds of the playoffs. POWER PLAY

Patrik Laine Winnipeg: 25.5% (4th)

While a stint on the top line with Mark Scheifele and Blake Wheeler got Nashville: 12.8% (30th) Laine’s all-around game going in the right direction, that vaunted scoring touch has vanished. Laine finished the Vegas game back on the No. 2 PENALTY KILLING line, with centre Kevin Hayes and buddy Nik Ehlers. But he hasn’t scored Winnipeg: 79.7% (21st) in 11 games, and is not far removed from a 15-game drought. Bigger picture: Laine has just four goals in his last 29 games and six in his last Nashville: 81.3% (11th) 42. The Jets need him to regain the feeling. Winnipeg Sun LOADED 03.23.2019 Get physical

Vegas had its way with the Jets on Thursday, from Mark Stone’s thundering early hit on captain Blake Wheeler to Ryan Reaves’ abuse of Laine. No doubt Winnipeg misses the physical presence of Byfuglien, but they’ve always preferred the all-for-one and one-for-all approach to toughness, and now’s the time to lean on it, or teams like Nashville might spot a weakness.

Power-play edge

If there’s one area that’s stacked in the Jets’ favour it’s with the extra man, where Winnipeg is ranked fourth in the league, Nashville a surprising 30th. The Preds’ ineffective power play should allow the Jets to play with a little more edge to their game, not fearing a trip to the penalty box the way they might against powerhouse power plays like Tampa Bay’s or Boston’s.

GAME DAY LINEUPS

Winnipeg Jets

Forwards

Kyle Connor-Mark Scheifele-Blake Wheeler

Patrik Laine-Kevin Hayes-Nik Ehlers 1137186 Winnipeg Jets It’s not often that a player admits he changed his game because of an injury, but in this case Baertschi said he realized he had after returning to the lineup in late December.

Patrick Johnston: Canucks’ Baertschi battles back from ‘scary’ “The first few games, it took me a while, looking back at the tape, I was concussion complications playing pretty hard but … at times I was avoiding certain hits,” he said. “What happened after, it wasn’t in my control, it was my body telling me ‘I’m not quite ready for this yet.’” Patrick Johnston He said he’s feeling “fully fit” and ready to play at “full power,” that it’s all been his decision, that the Canucks supported him every step of the way in his recovery. Sven Baertschi has only played 22 games this season because of a concussion suffered in October. He says he's now healthy and is raring Baertschi’s return has clearly given his teammates an emotional lift. He’s to play again. known for playing with a smile on his face and his spirit is one that inspires all around him. The term post-concussion syndrome isn’t as simple as it sounds. Bo Horvat, who’s often skated on the same line with Baertschi, was Just ask Sven Baertschi. thrilled for his friend. After missing six weeks of NHL action because of post-concussion “You couldn’t imagine what he was trying to go through. I’ve never, knock syndrome, the Swiss winger appears set for a return to the Canucks’ on wood, had to go through what he’s been through. It can’t be easy and lineup on Saturday when Vancouver hosts the Calgary Flames. it’s got to be frustrating,” he said. There was no one hit or defining moment that forced him out of the “For him to keep plugging away, and keep trying to get better and come lineup. The last game he played was Feb. 2 against the Colorado back this year, says a lot about him.” Avalanche, but there wasn’t anything that happened in that game that triggered his symptoms. The Athletic LOADED: 03.23.2019 “I just didn’t feel good. I didn’t feel right,” he said Friday after he practised with teammates at the University of B.C. “I had a really rough night (afterward).”

His teammates flew on to Philadelphia, he flew home from Denver.

Baertschi had originally suffered a concussion Oct. 24 against the Vegas Golden Knights. It was the fifth of his career and it took him two months to return to the lineup.

The diagnosis by medical specialists was that he was dealing with post- concussion syndrome related to that October concussion, that he hadn’t suffered a new injury.

“Hard to explain,” he said of the symptoms he was feeling. “Just off.”

• LISTEN: Ed Willes joins Paul Chapman to talk about Canucks’ general manager Jim Benning’s job security. Has Benning done enough to be given the mandate to go forward or are there some big names out there who may spur the team into a move? Ed gives insight on the job Benning has done and what other factors may play into the decision:

The symptoms he was feeling were not about the brain itself, doctors explained to him, but elsewhere in his body. Along with rest, he had acupuncture to help find physical relief.

“It was a matter of understanding what was happening, but also understanding that everything is fine, there’s nothing wrong with my brain,” he said.

“It’s other things that are happening, it doesn’t just affect your brain, it affects the rest of your body, there are a lot of connections that go around your body that at times that aren’t quite functioning right, but you’ve got to give yourself time.”

The re-emergence of symptoms, after playing and feeling healthy for more than a month was scary, he admitted. He began worrying about his long-term health and viability of his hockey career.

“There’d be days where I was worried at times but I had to be reassured by people, smart people, specialists who told me that ‘you’re fine, there’s nothing wrong with you, it’s just part of a change that’s happening, part of recovery. Just battle through it and you’ll be fine.’”

It was a few weeks before he started feeling like he was getting better.

“It was a rough patch, didn’t feel great at all,” he said. “It wasn’t any fun, but once I started feeling better and better I just had to wait and be patient with it.

“When I started feeling better, I was getting optimistic again and I was looking forward to getting 100 per cent again and recovering but I knew I had to give myself time. I’m not really patient when it comes to that, but in this case I really had to learn to be patient.

“I learned a lot, I really educated myself,” he said. “Every day was something new that I learned.” 1137187 Winnipeg Jets person can look up and down the Canucks’ roster and start to believe there are more answers than questions.

Is this an overreaction to a five-game unbeaten streak against mostly Ed Willes: The Canucks’ cup (not the Stanley) is half full with hope to substandard competition? build on Maybe. But when you take out the wide-angle lens and look at the width and breadth of this season, there are legitimate reasons for optimism.

Ed Willes Like this: The Canucks have played 32 games since Jan. 1 while encountering a sizable number of injuries. They are currently playing with three defencemen who’ve spent the bulk of the season in Utica, N.Y. Yet, Is this an over-reaction to a five-game unbeaten streak against mostly over those 32 games, you can count five where they weren’t competitive. substandard competition? When you take out the wide-angle lens and look at the width and breadth of this season, there are legitimate reasons Again, they’re trying to build something here. That doesn’t mean for optimism. everything will evolve smoothly and without interruption from this point. It just means they’ve set down a foundation on which they can build. For most of the last four seasons, the most compelling storylines around the Vancouver Canucks have involved everything but their won-loss They’ve also got a couple of games this weekend — Calgary on record. Saturday, Columbus on Sunday — that offer something other than two more dates until the draft lottery. Both the Flames and Blue Jackets are Think about it. At this point in the NHL season, the faithful are generally miles ahead of the Canucks in their development. Both occupy territory consumed with the Canucks’ draft lottery odds, the development of the the Canucks hope to occupy, when? Another season? Another two organization’s prospects, the deployment of certain players who offer seasons? Sooner? Never? some promise but, in the expert view of the fan base, are being hopelessly mismanaged. But here’s a concept: these games represent something to look forward to, games in March that actually have meaning. We can argue about the Depending on the year, this category can include Nikolay Goldobin, Jake precise nature of that meaning. But there will be atmosphere and Virtanen or Frank Corrado. But it’s not to be confused with another old emotion and excitement in The Rog both those nights which, if memory favourite, the angst over the season’s offbeat free-agent signing — Philip serves, is the way things are supposed to be. Larsen, Anton Rodin, Alexander Burmistrov are examples here. The trade-off? Well, if the Canucks finish the season 23rd overall, they’ll So it’s not like the faithful haven’t had intrigues to occupy themselves. have a five per cent chance of winning the lottery. If they fall three places But, for the last three seasons and stretches of this one, they’ve seldom to 26th, they’ll have a 7.5 per cent chance. invested much thought to the Canucks’ actual on-ice performance, mostly because it’s been too damn depressing. You can decide for yourself what’s more important.

Now, to a large extent, those aforementioned issues are still in play this The Athletic LOADED: 03.23.2019 season. But, for the moment, let’s disentangle ourselves from the Canucks’ draft position, Goldobin’s ice time or any of the other stories that tend to distract and examine what’s transpiring with the local heroes.

This season the Canucks have:

• Found a 20-year-old who projects as a No. 1 centre. In time, Elias Pettersson might be more than that. But you have to go back 28 years to Pavel Bure’s first year to find a rookie who’s made a comparable impact to the slender Swede.

• A goalie, Jacob Markstrom, who’s tied for ninth in the NHL in wins on a 23rd-place team.

• A one-two punch at centre ice with Pettersson and Bo Horvat, who’s just about to turn 24. Given their ages and production, is there another centre-ice tandem in the NHL you’d trade for Pettersson and Horvat?

That’s a longer conversation, but the point is you can ask that question without sounding like a moron.

• A head coach in Travis Green who’s squeezed every last drop out of his lineup.

• A third-year defenceman in Troy Stecher who’s emerged as a top-four blue-liner.

• The signing of Quinn Hughes who means a lot of things to the Canucks, most of which are exciting.

And that’s the stuff we know. This isn’t watching Nick Jensen or Zack Kassian have a good two-week run and thinking, you know, the Canucks might have something here. These are things we’ve seen over the course of this season — demonstrable certainties.

The next question is, what do they mean? Just wish we could tell you, but it’s not nothing.

Look, we’re not going to insult your intelligence and declare the Canucks have turned a corner this season. Nor are we going to tell you they’re in the thick of a playoff race and their last eight games are going to reveal something profound about this team.

But, given everything this fan base has endured over the last four seasons, the progress of this season should be acknowledged. It’s big things like Pettersson and Horvat. It’s smaller things like Adam Gaudette and Josh Leivo. But, for the first time in four seasons, a reasonable 1137188 Winnipeg Jets

Patrick Johnston: Quinn Hughes expected to skate with Canucks once bone bruise heals

Patrick Johnston

The odds that Quinn Hughes suits up before the Vancouver Canucks finish this season are now back to “good.”

Head coach Travis Green told reporters after a Friday morning practice at the University of B.C.’s Doug Mitchell Sports Centre that a CT scan performed on Hughes’ injured ankle revealed the rookie is not dealing with a fracture.

“It’s what we originally thought. He’s been dealing with a pretty bad bone bruise and he’ll skate when he can,” Green said.

Hughes suffered the injury in an NCAA playoff game with the University of Michigan Wolverines earlier this month.

An MRI scan taken 1½ weeks ago, after he signed his first NHL contract with the Canucks, showed the damage. The team reported at the time that Hughes would be out of action for at least a week, which is the minimum recovery prognosis for a bone bruise.

LISTEN: Ed Willes joins Paul Chapman to talk about Canucks general manager Jim Benning’s job security. Has Benning done enough to be given the mandate to go forward or are there some big names out there that may spur the team into a move? Ed gives insight on the job Benning has done and what other factors may play into the decision.

And although Hughes hasn’t skated with the team, Green said he was hopeful the defenceman would still play in games before the season ends in just over two weeks.

“I’ve said from Day 1 I’d like to play him,” Green said. “But he’s going to have to skate for a bit and feel comfortable before we get him into the lineup.”

Hughes is expected to begin skating in the next couple of days.

The Canucks have eight games remaining in their regular-season schedule, with two this weekend against Calgary and Columbus.

The Athletic LOADED: 03.23.2019 1137189 Vancouver Canucks implementing plans and implementing a strategy that constantly drives leadership and culture. As a result, they take players that may not be successful somewhere else and they become successful there. There’s LeBrun: Q&A with Mike Gillis, who travelled the world to find out what only so many top players to go around. But if you get the highest utility sets elite organizations apart out of every one of them that’s on your team because you’re communicating properly, they’re training properly, but they’re also learning about how to be better. That was definitely the biggest takeaway I’ve had. By Pierre LeBrun Mar 22, 2019 Is there another area where you feel you’ve learned more about and

would apply that on a hockey team? Mike Gillis certainly hasn’t sat on his hands in the five years since he was One thing I’ve learned over the last few years is that there’s so much fired from his position as GM of the Vancouver Canucks, and his good science out there that can drive performance, provided you passport would certainly testify to that. understand it and are prepared to apply it. When I look at organizations, The former NHL player and longtime player agent has travelled to they’re just so unwilling to go into that space. This place, the Biotech Australia, New Zealand, Spain, Belgium, Holland, Germany, Italy, Campus in Geneva, it’s unbelievable, like unreal. In terms of vision and England, Switzerland, China and France. We will get into his travels in cognitive awareness analysis and hormonal changes that occur naturally just a bit. in high-stress, high-performance situations. If you don’t know your own players, you can’t communicate with them properly. Once you know them It remains to be seen if the 60-year-old will get another chance to run an well enough, you can communicate well enough where you can help NHL team, but should the right fit come along, it’s clear that Gillis is ready drive performance. When these guys were doing hormonal tests about to bring a drastically different management approach to a sport that he cortisone and testosterone, if you say the wrong thing or view the wrong feels needs some modernization from the top down. visual, cortisone is going up, testosterone is going down, you drop 20 percent in performance. Stuff like that is doable. It’s just you have to have There were rumours that the Ottawa Senators approached him last the right organization to do it. summer, but obviously nothing came of that. There are currently GM openings in Edmonton, where much work lies ahead, and of course for If and when you get a chance again to run a hockey team, how do you the expansion Seattle team, where it’s believed Gillis has already had a think you would try to integrate some of these things? conversation with ownership and could end up being among the long list of candidates. Well, I made up my mind that if I ever did this again, and was fortunate enough to get back to a Game 7, that we would have everything done as Gillis wasn’t everyone’s cup of tea when he was GM in Vancouver. Some perfectly as we possibly could to make sure we won that Game 7. And it people found him arrogant. I’m fairly confident that if he gets another shot begins far earlier than people presume. You look at Tampa Bay this year, to run an NHL club, Mike Gillis 2.0 will have a softer approach with both they’re having a season that resembled ours in 2010-11. It doesn’t the fans and media. But what won’t change is his never-ending desire to happen overnight, it takes a long period of time of things going very well change the way things are done at the NHL level. From analytics to for you to get into that position. But bearing in mind, if you took the top sports science, Gillis is eager to apply new ways of conducting business. teams in the NHL, they win the Stanley Cup one out of five times, so the more things you have on the plus side of the ledger, the more opportunity We caught up this week over the phone: you have to win it. And that’s part of the journey. I wanted to go and look I can’t think of a better way to start this conversation than for you to let at these other successful teams and see how they built these processes the world know what exactly you’ve been up to since you left the into their daily training environment and be prepared to build something Canucks. like that if the right opportunity comes along.

I went back to school, Pierre. I travelled around the world learning best You certainly came close to winning it all in Vancouver, but it always practices, looking at the best sports organizations I could find and finding stinks when the job ends. Because it rarely ends nicely. So what would out what was working and in some cases what wasn’t working. And why you say now, looking back with time on your side, and with less emotion, you had consistently strong performances out of certain teams and that you would like to learn from the Vancouver experience? consistently weak performances out of other teams. So I’ve had a great The biggest thing for me was to take responsibility for the things I should few years meeting and speaking to lots of people and understanding the have done better, I should have thought of a little differently. I had really environment for really strong human performance. good people that worked with me in Vancouver. But in hindsight, we What kind of places have you been to? should have made some changes earlier in certain areas and we should have done things differently. And we didn’t do those things and I have to I spent a lot of time in Australia with the Aussie Rules Football guys. I take responsibility for that. Part of the process is coming clean with what spent a lot of time in California at Stanford. I spent a lot of time in your shortcomings are and trying to get better. I think now, I’ve learned a Switzerland in Geneva at a place called the Biotech Campus, which is a lot from that experience, it was the first time in my life I had ever had that cutting edge, a philanthropic place where they’re doing extraordinary experience. Sure, there’s a lot of anger that goes with it, but then in the things helping people who are disabled or having physical struggles. I clear light of day, you need to take a look back and see what you are went to China. I spent a lot of time in Spain, you know, really just going responsible for and how you might have done things differently. I think around and looking at what other people were up to and how they were I’ve got a fairly good handle now on how I would approach it. But it approaching high-level performance in sports. It didn’t matter what the wouldn’t lend itself to some of the issues that we faced. sport was, it just mattered how they were driving performance, how they were communicating, their daily training environment and talking to a lot And obviously, under the right circumstances, you’re hoping to get that of smart people. chance again. What kind of opportunity do you think would make sense for you? I know you can’t get into a specific team but in terms of the If you had one key takeaway from all those experiences, what would you environment which would allow you to bring a lot to the table? say that you now know that you didn’t know before that has really left a deep impression on you? I sit on this think tank at the Ross School of Business at the University of Michigan about organizational science with a guy named Richard Wolfe. I think the one thing that has made probably the biggest impression on We talk an awful lot about how successful organizations are designed me is the emphasis that really high-end, high-functioning organizations and what they resemble. One of the very key elements is alignment. I have on leadership and culture. Which is a daily part of their training have talked to some (NHL) people in the past little bit, but for me, there environment. So it isn’t like you decide to focus on that for a short period has to be alignment in the vision of what you are and where you’re trying of time and hope that it’s going to work out. They drive leadership, they to go. If you don’t have that alignment, you’re just sort of … I’m not going drive culture every day that the players are there. It’s totally aligned from to say mailing it in, but you’re not all pulling on the same rope in the the top of the organization to the bottom of the organization that they’re same direction and that just causes friction and your likelihood of always in a teaching mode, they’re always teaching about how to be success is remote. So for me, I made up my mind when I left Vancouver proper leaders, and how to maintain the culture and what culture is that I would only go into a situation where I felt that there was going to be defined as. It’s clearly one of the biggest differences that I saw. The top alignment from top to bottom where you could do a lot of interesting organizations are removing hope from the equation. They’re things and people weren’t going to criticize you because you weren’t doing it the old way. They would, in fact, embrace the idea that you were finding new ways to be successful. If that kind of environment is there, then I’m absolutely interested. But if it’s not, then I’m not. So, we’ll see. Maybe it will present itself, maybe it won’t.

The Athletic LOADED: 03.23.2019 1137190 Websites professional baseball player from family stories, those numbers were a mystery.

Harry Slate died on January 29, 1958. The Athletic / The story of HockeyDB: ‘It sort of changed the world’ His grandson Ralph was born in 1969. Those innings pitched and strikeouts accumulated in the 1920s were already fading from baseball’s By Craig Custance Mar 22, 2019 memory.

For most of time, that’s how it worked with the stats generated by athletes playing on the lower rungs of professional sports. They didn’t It was like walking into sports collectibles heaven. For Scott Coates, who exist in one place. They only existed in yellowing newspapers, in game made the trip from Quebec to White Plains, New York, this was the programs sitting in attics. Or in some cases, the collection of a ultimate experience. He’d read about it in hobby magazines but to see it passionate fan drawn to gathering them all in one place, in an attempt to in person, well, this was something else altogether. centralize these numbers before they’re lost in time.

“I was just floating,” Coates said. “This was the big leagues.” But mostly, they disappeared.

There were over 300 tables of sports collectibles. Baseball cards. Hockey Ralph Slate remembers sitting in his dorm room with friends at cards. Autographs. Jerseys. Figures. Anything you can imagine. He Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute in the early 1990s, and they would talk walked up and down the rows, in complete awe. One vendor let him try about old players from the hockey program, curious as to what happened on an authentic Oakland A’s sleeveless jersey from the 1960s. Later, he to them when they left. Guys like Tony Hejna, Derek DeCosty, Ryan discovered Parkhurst hockey cards from the early 1950s. Those came Kummu and Brian Ferreira – they loved watching them play for RPI. home with him. Then they found it really hard to track what happened next in their hockey careers. On later trips to White Plains he was on the other side of the aisle. A friend let him rent half of his table and he started selling from his An idea was sparked. collection. There had to be a better way to share sports history than late night This is where he often ran into Ralph Slate. conversations in the dorms or in media guides impossible to find.

Slate was the guy always looking for hockey stats. The more obscure the Slate started to kick around the idea in his head that he could gather this better. Like some collectors try to complete a set of baseball cards from a data into one place. Maybe it was a book but that didn’t seem right. certain year, Ralph was always looking to complete the set of stats from Especially in a time when the internet was just starting to launch. a certain league. The most effective route was to discover old programs or media guides from leagues all over the hockey ladder – the Central At the time, there was an underground world of hockey stats collecting Hockey League, the USHL, the AHL, the IHL – anything that wasn’t but it was still a very closed group. If you wanted obscure hockey stats, covered in the NHL’s annual guide and record book. you had to offer something back. Verified statistics were mailed back and forth in negotiated deals. Coates remembers finding programs from the Eastern Amateur Hockey league from the 1930s and knowing he’d have a buyer in Slate. James Karkoski, who now lives in Japan, was a part of that world. He’d get frustrated when the big stats collectors wouldn’t trade with him. He It was part hobby, part obsession. And now, Slate’s passion and was reliant on the kindness of collectors who weren’t so stingy with the dedication is a complete necessity. data. To help build out his collection, he’d write the NHL a letter asking for stats from specific seasons. They would photocopy the numbers and “It sort of changed the world,” said a friend of Slate’s and fellow stat mail it back. collector James Karkoski. Karkoski connected with Slate, who was looking for RPI stats, and still Ralph Slate is the creator of the Internet Hockey Database. Or as we all remembers getting an email from him announcing his intentions of know it, HockeyDB.com. It’s a website so ubiquitous in the world of changing the way this stats underworld operated. “He said, ‘I’m going to hockey that it took Slate recently joining Twitter to remind people that put my database online,’” Karkoski said from Japan. “He wanted to there was an actual human being behind it, that it wasn’t just some collect data on players who went to RPI. When he told me he was going automated entity gathering statistics from the clouds and into a search to put stuff up I said, ‘This is going to be different.’” box. He was completely on board. Trading wasn’t going to be necessary. He Now, more than ever, we’re realizing just how important that human was going to send anything he had to Slate to help build this public element is. That someone with an obsession for accuracy, for database. confirmation, for detecting bullshit is pulling the levers on a website everybody from NHL GMs to the newest fans uses daily. “Open on the internet is better,” Karkoski said.

The human behind the data, as it turns out, is everything. In 1997, nearly 40 years after Harry Slate died, HockeyDB was born.

It can be hard to pin down the origins of a life-long passion. Why do we With a steno pad yellow background and a picture of a goalie taken from love what we love? What drove Slate to travel throughout the northeast an RPI program in the 1950s at the top, HockeyDB.com was launched to find a program from a minor league hockey game four decades ago? with enthusiasm. Or to retrace the steps of a stats pioneer like Charles L. Coleman, who was commissioned by the NHL in the 1960s to write a book called The If you want historical information on hockey players or teams, you’ve Trail of the Stanley Cup, detailing stats and data from the earliest days of come to the right place! the league? It wasn’t just stats. There were old hockey team logos, scanned in Sometimes it’s a family connection, an attempt to reach up the branches manually by Slate. There were hockey card checklists. It was early of an ancestral story to connect with the past. Slate’s grandfather was a internet at its absolute best. ballplayer. A relief pitcher named Harry Slate. In the 1920s, he bounced The NHL stats came from the annual guides. Slate would drive to the around in a B-league called the New England League, playing for teams Night Owl News convenience store in Troy, New York, on Wednesdays like the Albany Senators, Nashua Millionaires and Brockton Shoemakers. when the latest issue of The Hockey News came out to look for more He was once called the strikeout king of the New England league by the obscure stats. There were trips to White Plains, Toronto and Burlington, Van Wert Daily Bulletin. He pitched for Springfield Technical High Massachusetts, for big collectibles shows to find obscure programs. School, where he graduated in 1923. There were trips to the library to search old newspapers on microfiche.

A few years later, chasing his baseball dream, he’d allow 22 earned runs “It’s a lot of research, a lot of investigating, trying to make contacts,” Slate in 180 innings in the Eastern League. said. “People would email me and say, ‘I have this program,’ and I would scan it.” All this statistical history is now easily available with a 30-second search on the internet. But to a kid who only knew that his grandfather was a For something that didn’t exist at any other point in history, the reception was exactly what you think it might be. People loved it. He’d get emails from hockey fans saying it was the best thing they’d ever They were close to the truth but didn’t mesh with the documentation seen. Each day, there would be a new batch of emails waiting. Five or six Slate gathered in his research. emails each day early on. Much more as the word spread. The ratio of people who visited the website and then reached out personally was “The guy said, ‘Hey, I lived it. This is definitely the truth,’” Slate said. remarkably high. “Sorry, I need more than that.”

They also contributed to it. The database grew and Slate focused both on He’s become a guardian for accuracy. A protector of the data. More and filling it out and zeroing in on data to find even the most minute more, that seems like such a necessity. discrepancy. But the result is an ironclad trust between HockeyDB.com and the “For the first couple of years, we had to recreate the early NHL stuff. hockey world. There’s no second thought when any of us go to the There were researchers out there but people don’t realize the early website and type in a name for a quick stat. Or look for a draft result or information wasn’t kept well by the NHL then,” Slate said. “When they award result. It’s a resource used by everyone. published their guys, if a player didn’t score or get a penalty, he didn’t get But it’s not the only result of his work. included in the list. It would say, ‘Here are the Bruins in 1935’ and it wasn’t a complete list … there are six missing players, guys who played Now, because of the same statistical progression in other sports, his two or three games and didn’t take any penalties.” grandfather’s legacy is recorded for posterity. Click a link on Harry Slate’s baseball-reference page and it takes you to a page with an old black and Finding those players, and adding them back into hockey history, white photo. became part of the fun. In recent years, the NHL has undergone a massive statistical overhaul in digitizing old scoresheets that updated There he is, posing in what looks like a high school team picture from the their public database. 1920s. He sits on a folding chair, stockings pulled to the knee, a baseball glove no bigger than a small oven mitt covering his left hand resting on It also changed stats that data collectors found on their own through his lap. His small brimmed hat pulled down just above his eyes. independent research. Harry Slate’s spot in baseball history is safe, staring back through time “They’ve made it all electronically available, the data,” Slate said. “This is on a screen. Uploaded by a grandson he’d never meet. a really interesting thing, they’ve changed a lot of the numbers. Now, you come into the question – who is right? For 75 years, they were saying The Athletic LOADED: 03.23.2019 this player had this many assists. What’s right? I suppose the NHL is right because it’s their information. They’re going through a flux. It’s still all up in the air.”

That’s one of the challenges that has evolved. Another has been attempts by outsiders to change the numbers in the HockeyDB database. Sometimes it’s a simple correction in the bio. Slate once got an email from Zach Hyman’s father while Hyman was playing for the Hamilton Red Wings. The father wanted to share a more accurate height or weight. This happens all the time, especially when it comes to prospects who want to be drafted.

Sometimes, the attempts at changing the database aren’t as innocent.

He’s had people print out a hockey team’s webpage, change a name on the printout and mail it to him in order to try and get themselves included in the database. He’s had people Photoshop themselves into other statistical listings.

One time, someone sent a notarized letter from the State of Illinois saying that he had officially changed his name. He asked Slate to make the adjustment to his HockeyDB page, one that included stats from playing days at Western Michigan, to reflect his new name.

It all looked very official and legitimate. So the name was swapped out.

“A couple weeks later, I got an email from the original person – ‘How come my stuff is under a different name?’” Slate said.

He reached out to the first guy, who fessed up. He was going through a divorce and he wanted to coach his kid’s hockey team and they wouldn’t let him do it unless he could prove that he had playing experience. He knew a page on HockeyDB would do it.

“People go through amazing lengths,” Slate said. “That was one of the key moments.”

SO, ANOTHER FATHER JUST TRIED TO GET US TO MANIPULATE HIS SON’S STATS.

1) HE BOUGHT A DOMAIN

2) CREATED A FAKE WEBSITE, TRYING TO MAKE IT LOOK OFFICIAL

3) ENTERED HIS SON’S (FAKE) STATS UNDER THE “STATS” MENU OPTION

4) CONTACTED US CLAIMING OUR OFFICIAL STATS WERE OFF

1/2

— ELITEPROSPECTS (@ELITEPROSPECTS) MARCH 20, 2019

It’s not just hockey dads trying to change the data. Slate said a team executive reached out with inflated stats he wanted included on his page. 1137191 Websites There is no doubt that the Leafs’ current play is concerning, especially considering their first round opponent, a Bruins team that can’t lose, is basically set in stone. Toronto has not played to its full potential of late, The Athletic / Are teams that enter the playoffs on a cold streak doomed losing four of its last six games in mostly embarrassing fashion, and while to failure? it is crucial that the team figures it out sooner rather than later, it’s not completely indicative of how the team will fare come playoff time. In other words, it’s not the end of the world and a first round exit is far from a foregone conclusion. By Dom Luszczyszyn Mar 22, 2019 For starters, while Yost’s article is often cited, it’s important to note that it

is now four years old and things have changed since then. Yost himself Boston and Toronto. Two teams whose paths are simultaneously surmised the possibility that score-adjusted Fenwick was “running a bit converging and diverging in the days leading up to the playoffs. The two hot over the past seven seasons” while the opposite might have been Atlantic behemoths are once again expected to square off in the opening true for goal differential — a sample size of 105 series really isn’t that round of the postseason but are trending in opposite directions on their large. As it turns out, that seems to have been exactly the case as the way there. team with the better score-adjusted Fenwick over the last 25 games has won only 43 percent of its series since, while the team with a better goal The Bruins have been a buzzsaw over the season’s second half, earning differential has won 58 percent. Over the full sample of 165 playoff the league’s second-best record at 23-6-5, a 123-point pace and series, the two have now “called” the exact same number of series, which outscoring opponents by 31 goals over that time. The Leafs have been suggests that while stretch drive performance still matters, so does a anything but, letting the chance at home-ice advantage slip through their team’s full-season standing. It means the previous 57 games don’t need fingers by playing at a pedestrian 91-point pace while posting a modest to be tossed in the trash in consideration of potential playoff outcomes. plus-seven goal differential. Priors matter and shouldn’t be abandoned. That’s part of the reason Naturally, the temperature in both cities couldn’t be more different, with many are concerned about Toronto’s play to begin with: the Leafs have the Bruins looking nearly unstoppable and the Leafs looking very shown they can be better than their last month of hockey. They may not beatable. What was once looking like a hotly contested series is now look like the team that appeared to be one of the league’s best earlier being treated closer to a foregone conclusion for the team that’s going this year, but the play that established those expectations shouldn’t be into the playoffs at its best over the team that’s playing its worst hockey completely forgotten, either. of the season. Digging deeper, I attempted to quantify how hot or cold a team was going There’s obviously a long-standing precedent for that as ideally a team into the playoffs by comparing its play (using win percentage, goal should be playing its best hockey leading up to the playoffs; it’s better to differential, Corsi and scoring chance rate) in the season’s first 57 games come in firing on all cylinders rather than hoping to flip a switch when the against the final 25. The goal was to figure out whether a team was games start to matter. peaking around playoff time and how that related to its playoff success rate, specifically in the first round, as that’s when something like this is Recent examples paint the exact same picture, as it’s easy to recall most important. dominant stretch drives from previous Stanley Cup champions, like last year’s Capitals ramping up their possession game significantly and As it turns out, there is truth to the notion that coming in hot matters. Of winning 64 percent of their contests in their final 25 games. There are the the 80 first-round series to happen since 2008, the “hotter” team was 2009 and 2016 Penguins, who turned into juggernauts under new expected to win 52 percent of its series based on the market price of coaching, going 18-3-4 with a 54 percent Corsi under Dan Bylsma and each and won 59 percent instead. It’s a very small sample, but it signals 33-16-5 with a 55 percent Corsi under Mike Sullivan — both huge that a team at its best might deserve extra consideration when it is facing improvements from floundering numbers early in the season. And, of a club that is struggling prior to the postseason. When the gap between course, there are the surprising 2012 Kings, the eight-seed analytics hot or not gets wider, the difference gets larger, too, as the top half of the darlings that crushed opponents on the shot clock to the tune of a 60 hot teams won 60 percent of their series when they were only expected percent Corsi after acquiring Jeff Carter, going 13-5-3 in the process. to win 48 percent of the time.

Washington rode a late-season surge en route to winning the Cup. That paints a harsh reality for Toronto, but it’s not a death sentence. (Stephen R. Sylvanie / USA Sports) Whether it feels like it or not, the Leafs do have a very good team and a date with Boston can be won, even if it’s a little less than expected based There are teams on the other side of the coin, too, who came in cold and on how the teams are trending. The Leafs came within one game last struggled to live up to their hype, like all three of the Presidents’ Trophy- season and added John Tavares and Jake Muzzin to the mix, though the winning teams in Washington that took their foot off the gas and coasted Bruins have perked up their own depth. The Leafs may not be favourites down the stretch in each season. The 2014 Blues were on their way to anymore, but the series should still be significantly closer than the team’s the top of the West but lost six straight to finish the season and got recent play might suggest where a 55-win team (based on Boston’s ousted in the first round. The 2012 Red Wings were first in the league in record since Jan. 1) facing a 42-win team would win over 80 percent of mid-February, went 7-11-4 to drop to ninth and then lost in the first round the time. It’s simply not that bleak, or even close to it. in five games. Going through the data shows the hot-and-cold debate is far from a hard- Those teams that came in hot played extended that excellence all the and-fast rule, and there have been plenty of exceptions the Leafs can way to June on their way to hoisting the Stanley Cup. The teams that find solace in. came in cold fell flat on their face. They’re all crucial examples on the virtue of peaking at the right time, an old adage that those examples Just last year, the league’s “coldest” team swept its first-round matchup strengthen. In a short two-month tournament fuelled by randomness, decisively and went to the Stanley Cup Final. In their first 57 games, the that’s exactly what a team needs to win it all — finding that stride in the Vegas Golden Knights played at a 115-point pace, outscoring teams by weeks leading up to the postseason is critical to that. 0.72 goals-per-game and earning a 52 percent Corsi. In their final 25 games, the Golden Knights limped to the finish with a 95-point pace, a One of the more intriguing analytics findings over the past decade only 0.08 goal differential per game and a sub-50 percent Corsi. Far from bolsters that theory. In 2015, TSN’s Travis Yost wrote about the merits of dominant, but no team looked more potent in the opening round and a team’s score-adjusted Fenwick in its final 25 regular season games Vegas parlayed that into a Cup final berth. It’s funny to note now that the leading up to the playoffs and its predictive power. At the time, nearly 70 second-coldest team was actually the Bruins, whose scoring chance rate percent of series were won by the team that was stronger in that single dropped by nearly four percent and goal rate by nearly half a goal-per- metric — over eight percent higher than using a team’s full-season goal game. differential. In that sense, playing well down the stretch — specifically a team’s process at 5-on-5 — mattered more than its full-season play. The year before? It was the Stanley Cup-winning Penguins who struggled in the final stretch of the season relative to how they started, There is a lot of evidence that coming in hot matters, but perhaps it’s getting outshot after being a dominant possession team at the beginning being pushed too far in one direction, especially as it pertains to the of the season. In 2016, there were some who figured the Flyers could centre of the hockey universe imploding, where every second of every upset the Presidents’ Trophy-winning Capitals in the first round because game is under intense scrutiny at all times. the former was red hot and the latter was ice cold. In 2015, the hottest team was the Andrew Hammond-led Ottawa Senators, who needed to go 21-3-3 just to improbably make the playoffs before bowing out in six games. That year, the Blackhawks and Lightning were far from hot en route to a Stanley Cup final clash, with both seeing a massive drop in their scoring chance share. Lastly, there’s the team that earned Mike Babcock his lone Stanley Cup, the 2007-08 Detroit Red Wings — one of the most dominant teams of the salary cap era — whose win rate dropped from 72 to 52 percent and whose goal differential dropped by nearly a full goal per game.

For every team that’s championed as a hot team that kept the momentum going through the postseason, there’s another that imploded come playoff time. For every team whose struggles continued come playoff time, there’s another that figured things out or flipped a switch once April hit. Hotter teams generally do perform better than colder teams, but there are exceptions to the rule on both sides that can easily be cherry-picked.

Toronto can be that exception this year or it can start figuring things out in the season’s final eight games, with Wednesday’s game against Buffalo being a good start. Figuring it out early is the more appealing option to be sure, but it doesn’t mean the Leafs are doomed if they don’t.

The Leafs have a good team with a decent chance. When considering those chances, it’s important to remember what they’ve shown all season and prior, and not just the past month or so, even if their recent play does have more merit. More important, though, is the team itself remembering what kind of team it can be. Whether that starts now or Game 1 (at the latest) doesn’t really matter, but the clock is ticking. It’s time to flip the switch.

The Athletic LOADED: 03.23.2019 1137192 Websites implementing plans and implementing a strategy that constantly drives leadership and culture. As a result, they take players that may not be successful somewhere else and they become successful there. There’s The Athletic / LeBrun: Q&A with Mike Gillis, who travelled the world to only so many top players to go around. But if you get the highest utility find out what sets elite organizations apart out of every one of them that’s on your team because you’re communicating properly, they’re training properly, but they’re also learning about how to be better. That was definitely the biggest takeaway I’ve had. By Pierre LeBrun Mar 22, 2019 Is there another area where you feel you’ve learned more about and

would apply that on a hockey team? Mike Gillis certainly hasn’t sat on his hands in the five years since he was One thing I’ve learned over the last few years is that there’s so much fired from his position as GM of the Vancouver Canucks, and his good science out there that can drive performance, provided you passport would certainly testify to that. understand it and are prepared to apply it. When I look at organizations, The former NHL player and longtime player agent has travelled to they’re just so unwilling to go into that space. This place, the Biotech Australia, New Zealand, Spain, Belgium, Holland, Germany, Italy, Campus in Geneva, it’s unbelievable, like unreal. In terms of vision and England, Switzerland, China and France. We will get into his travels in cognitive awareness analysis and hormonal changes that occur naturally just a bit. in high-stress, high-performance situations. If you don’t know your own players, you can’t communicate with them properly. Once you know them It remains to be seen if the 60-year-old will get another chance to run an well enough, you can communicate well enough where you can help NHL team, but should the right fit come along, it’s clear that Gillis is ready drive performance. When these guys were doing hormonal tests about to bring a drastically different management approach to a sport that he cortisone and testosterone, if you say the wrong thing or view the wrong feels needs some modernization from the top down. visual, cortisone is going up, testosterone is going down, you drop 20 percent in performance. Stuff like that is doable. It’s just you have to have There were rumours that the Ottawa Senators approached him last the right organization to do it. summer, but obviously nothing came of that. There are currently GM openings in Edmonton, where much work lies ahead, and of course for If and when you get a chance again to run a hockey team, how do you the expansion Seattle team, where it’s believed Gillis has already had a think you would try to integrate some of these things? conversation with ownership and could end up being among the long list of candidates. Well, I made up my mind that if I ever did this again, and was fortunate enough to get back to a Game 7, that we would have everything done as Gillis wasn’t everyone’s cup of tea when he was GM in Vancouver. Some perfectly as we possibly could to make sure we won that Game 7. And it people found him arrogant. I’m fairly confident that if he gets another shot begins far earlier than people presume. You look at Tampa Bay this year, to run an NHL club, Mike Gillis 2.0 will have a softer approach with both they’re having a season that resembled ours in 2010-11. It doesn’t the fans and media. But what won’t change is his never-ending desire to happen overnight, it takes a long period of time of things going very well change the way things are done at the NHL level. From analytics to for you to get into that position. But bearing in mind, if you took the top sports science, Gillis is eager to apply new ways of conducting business. teams in the NHL, they win the Stanley Cup one out of five times, so the more things you have on the plus side of the ledger, the more opportunity We caught up this week over the phone: you have to win it. And that’s part of the journey. I wanted to go and look I can’t think of a better way to start this conversation than for you to let at these other successful teams and see how they built these processes the world know what exactly you’ve been up to since you left the into their daily training environment and be prepared to build something Canucks. like that if the right opportunity comes along.

I went back to school, Pierre. I travelled around the world learning best You certainly came close to winning it all in Vancouver, but it always practices, looking at the best sports organizations I could find and finding stinks when the job ends. Because it rarely ends nicely. So what would out what was working and in some cases what wasn’t working. And why you say now, looking back with time on your side, and with less emotion, you had consistently strong performances out of certain teams and that you would like to learn from the Vancouver experience? consistently weak performances out of other teams. So I’ve had a great The biggest thing for me was to take responsibility for the things I should few years meeting and speaking to lots of people and understanding the have done better, I should have thought of a little differently. I had really environment for really strong human performance. good people that worked with me in Vancouver. But in hindsight, we What kind of places have you been to? should have made some changes earlier in certain areas and we should have done things differently. And we didn’t do those things and I have to I spent a lot of time in Australia with the Aussie Rules Football guys. I take responsibility for that. Part of the process is coming clean with what spent a lot of time in California at Stanford. I spent a lot of time in your shortcomings are and trying to get better. I think now, I’ve learned a Switzerland in Geneva at a place called the Biotech Campus, which is a lot from that experience, it was the first time in my life I had ever had that cutting edge, a philanthropic place where they’re doing extraordinary experience. Sure, there’s a lot of anger that goes with it, but then in the things helping people who are disabled or having physical struggles. I clear light of day, you need to take a look back and see what you are went to China. I spent a lot of time in Spain, you know, really just going responsible for and how you might have done things differently. I think around and looking at what other people were up to and how they were I’ve got a fairly good handle now on how I would approach it. But it approaching high-level performance in sports. It didn’t matter what the wouldn’t lend itself to some of the issues that we faced. sport was, it just mattered how they were driving performance, how they were communicating, their daily training environment and talking to a lot And obviously, under the right circumstances, you’re hoping to get that of smart people. chance again. What kind of opportunity do you think would make sense for you? I know you can’t get into a specific team but in terms of the If you had one key takeaway from all those experiences, what would you environment which would allow you to bring a lot to the table? say that you now know that you didn’t know before that has really left a deep impression on you? I sit on this think tank at the Ross School of Business at the University of Michigan about organizational science with a guy named Richard Wolfe. I think the one thing that has made probably the biggest impression on We talk an awful lot about how successful organizations are designed me is the emphasis that really high-end, high-functioning organizations and what they resemble. One of the very key elements is alignment. I have on leadership and culture. Which is a daily part of their training have talked to some (NHL) people in the past little bit, but for me, there environment. So it isn’t like you decide to focus on that for a short period has to be alignment in the vision of what you are and where you’re trying of time and hope that it’s going to work out. They drive leadership, they to go. If you don’t have that alignment, you’re just sort of … I’m not going drive culture every day that the players are there. It’s totally aligned from to say mailing it in, but you’re not all pulling on the same rope in the the top of the organization to the bottom of the organization that they’re same direction and that just causes friction and your likelihood of always in a teaching mode, they’re always teaching about how to be success is remote. So for me, I made up my mind when I left Vancouver proper leaders, and how to maintain the culture and what culture is that I would only go into a situation where I felt that there was going to be defined as. It’s clearly one of the biggest differences that I saw. The top alignment from top to bottom where you could do a lot of interesting organizations are removing hope from the equation. They’re things and people weren’t going to criticize you because you weren’t doing it the old way. They would, in fact, embrace the idea that you were finding new ways to be successful. If that kind of environment is there, then I’m absolutely interested. But if it’s not, then I’m not. So, we’ll see. Maybe it will present itself, maybe it won’t.

The Athletic LOADED: 03.23.2019 1137193 Websites deals were not a good fit for the rebuild. They would be in their early-to- mid-30s when the rebuild blossoms in about five years, Melnyk said.

“We’re not going to pay stupid money and then spend all this time trying Sportsnet.ca / Eugene Melnyk's radio appearances leave expected trail to unload all these stupid contracts that other teams are stuck with,” of carnage Melnyk said.

Again, the owner vowed he was committed to spending to the cap in a Wayne Scanlan March 22, 2019, 12:29 PM few years time and ultimately winning a Cup in Ottawa.

“I’m not in this to be a participant . . . I’m in this to win. And to win, we know what you have to do. You have to have a young, vibrant team. You When Eugene Melnyk speaks, the punch lines tend to write themselves. have to have the superstars and you’re going to have to pay them. If you don’t pay them, somebody else will.” For the first time in months, the owner of the Ottawa Senators spoke on radio shows in Toronto and Ottawa Thursday and Friday, and the It’s a fine line between “paying the superstars” and not getting stuck with interviews left the expected trail of carnage. “stupid contracts.” A lot of fans and media believe Stone was the ideal future captain around which to build. On 580 CFRA in Ottawa Friday morning, Melnyk said that Ottawa mayor Jim Watson should keep his mouth shut, in the aftermath of the collapse “These next six months are going to be critical for Pierre and his team of a plan that would have created a new downtown NHL arena for the and the whole hockey operations to get their act together in a big way to Senators. Melnyk ripped the Toronto Maple Leafs rebuild — “somebody be able to use these assets . . . This core group we have sitting in forgot about defence.” He also called the Ottawa sports station that Belleville are all going to stay, and yes they’re going to need big broadcasts Senators hockey “bush league” for asking general manager contracts and I’m prepared to step up for that,” Melnyk said. Pierre Dorion to listen to a taped call from a concerned fan. “Whether we get support in attendance or not, I’m going to do this, On social media, the “bush league” remark went viral as popular Ottawa because it’s something I’m committed to. We intend to win a Stanley Cup radio host Ian Mendes tweeted, “So, Eugene Melnyk just called me “bush and I don’t have another 50 years to do it.” league” on the air. So there’s that…” Melnyk said he believes the negative narrative can change quickly, if the Dozens of sports personalities, journalists and fans rallied to the defence team starts to perform better on the ice, as the prospects grow and of Mendes, who has a reputation for being fair and decent in his improve. approach to a hockey team that has been at or near the basement of the NHL standings the past two seasons. Here’s a sampling of Melnyk’s ‘He Said It’ moments:

Just when hockey had forgotten about the Eastern Conference cellar- • On whether NHL commissioner Gary Bettman is OK with the Senators dwellers, the Senators again became the butt of national jokes. staying in Kanata, in their 23-year-old arena: “Yes, I think he is. He lets his owners do as they — not as they please — but try to do the best they Melnyk started his mini-blitz on Sportsnet 590 The Fan in Toronto can for the franchise. They don’t want the laggards. And currently we are Thursday evening, agreeing to speak with Prime Time Sports host Bob a revenue laggard for the rest of the league. Whatever it takes to do McCown, on the understanding Melnyk would get a chance to promote better on the revenue side is important to him and the other owners and his newly-acquired company involved with eye-tracking for concussion to us, of course.” victims, Neuro Kinetics. • On the rebuild of the Toronto Maple Leafs: “look they’re stuck. OK, I From there, Melnyk addressed a variety of hockey and state-of-the-arena better not say what I was going to say, but they’re going to have a very type questions, implying that there was now little chance the hockey club hard time winning a Stanley Cup without defence. Because they are would be involved in the LeBreton Flats project near downtown Ottawa. hitting the cap. They can’t bring anybody new in. They’re stuck. And Melnyk did say he has heard from developers interested in creating a that’s where you have to be extremely careful . . . mistakes were made. downtown arena, and may have interest at some point. Somebody forgot about defence.”

“I’m still trying to pursue it, but if it doesn’t happen, I’m just as happy to • On his commitment to the Senators: “I’ve invested more than $100 stay in Kanata and do what we’re doing out there and actually expand up million, on top of buying the team, just in operating losses.” what we’re doing and what we have.” • On Ottawa’s mayor, who criticized Melnyk for being difficult to work Melnyk told McCown and co-host Richard Deitsch he ignores “99 per with: “He is so lucky I keep my mouth shut, he should keep his (shut). cent” of the fan vitriol on social media, saying that the Senators tripped You know, I have a lot to say, but I don’t say it. I’d be very careful if I was up one such fan, who turned out to be “some 12-year-old in Toronto.” him, walking around and mouthing off. It’s also very counter-productive. The NHL offices, say, ‘do we really want to bring more events to the This is just the kind of comment that further alienates the fan base in city?’” (Melnyk says he was bidding for another All-Star Game for Ottawa Ottawa. At least, during the CFRA interview Friday, Melnyk admitted that at the time Watson spoke out on Melnyk). even his season ticket holders who take part in marketing focus groups are outraged with the organization. • On why he dislikes Ottawa media: “Everybody has an opinion, but sometimes it’s an ill-informed opinion. I don’t like some of the tactics of a “There’s no question, they are pissed,” Melnyk said of his team’s fans. “I couple of your colleagues. I just won’t talk to them anymore. To try to think we did a terrible job communicating exactly what the plan is on a ambush Pierre Dorion, in an interview, and say, I’m going to show you — rebuild.” the guy was going to play some irate fan’s recording on the show. And just what is that plan? “I mean that’s bush league stuff. You do that in little towns in the middle “We need a team that is consistently young,” Melnyk told CFRA host Bill of nowhere. Not in a G7 capital.” Carroll. “We need a handful of veterans to take them through some of the And with that, Melnyk rode off, the latest in a long line of hit-and-run rough patches . . . but our average age two years from now is going to be audio performances from the owner of the Senators. 23, 24. It’s going to be the youngest team. In Ottawa, this will tear off a lot of scabs that had been healing in the “And I’m hoping to have a five- or six-year run with these players.” relative quiet after the trade deadline, while future stars like Brady Melnyk alluded to 10 outstanding prospects on the the AHL Belleville Tkachuk, Drake Batherson and Erik Brannstrom have been thriving in Senators, plus 17 draft picks coming in the first three rounds of the next Ottawa and Belleville. three drafts. However, Ottawa doesn’t own its own lottery pick this Sportsnet.ca LOADED: 03.23.2019 summer, having traded it to Colorado for Matt Duchene.

To Ottawa fans disheartened that the team lost its top three scorers at the trade deadline, Mark Stone, Duchene and Ryan Dzingel, Melnyk argued that these 27- and 28-year-olds seeking seven- or eight-year 1137194 Websites “I really like his shot mentality last game. Coming off the wing, he was thinking about shot entering the offensive zone. He’s got to continue to shoot pucks.”

Sportsnet.ca / 15 late-season NHL call-ups making a case for 2019-20 Nylander has topped out at 12 goals in 49 AHL games this season and roster spots got his first NHL tally in 2018-19 five games into his call-up and against brother William Nylander’s Maple Leafs. Alex has three points now in his past two games. Rory Boylen | March 22, 2019, 1:52 PM Given the Sabres are struggling on offence just as much as they have in recent seasons, it’ll be hard for them to not at least give Nylander a look in October. Since the Sabres had a 10-game winning streak end Nov. 29, Everybody has a different motivation at this point in the NHL season. they rank 27th in the NHL in goals. He’ll likely return to Rochester for the Some teams are playing for a playoff spot, while others who are long out Calder Cup Playoffs. of it are playing for pride. Some are playing for home-ice advantage, whereas the Presidents’ Trophy-winning Tampa Bay Lightning are still Alexander Nylander with a to bring the #Sabres within one. within reach of history. pic.twitter.com/UJ0HMSrtcj

From a player’s perspective there are other considerations. An ageing — Sportsnet (@Sportsnet) March 21, 2019 veteran could be giving it his all before retiring, or trying to play at a level that will make someone want to keep him around for another season. JOEL L’ESPERANCE, DALLAS STARS Other players may be playing for a contract, trying to hit a bonus or set a An undrafted signing out of Michigan Tech, L’Esperance earned this call- new career high. up by torching the AHL in his first full season as a pro. In 50 games he Others, mostly younger players, are still just trying to get their foot in the scored 29 goals, which is still just two off the league lead even though he door. This time of season brings lots of player call-ups either due to injury hasn’t played a game there since Feb. 24. or because the team wants to give an up-and-comer a chance to show Dallas has been in a desperate search for secondary scoring all season just where they are in their development. This is a chance for a player to and split up Jamie Benn from Tyler Seguin and Alexander Radulov to try make a name for themselves in the organization and get a leg up on the and get it. Even that hasn’t completely solved the problem. The hope was competition they’ll see in next fall’s training camp. In many cases, this is that L’Esperance would complement the proven pro, but he’s only an opportunity to show you belong in the NHL full-time next October. managed one goal (and no assists) in 15 games, mostly from the second With that, we go around the league and highlight how some of these line. young late-season call-ups are doing. Other young Stars such as Valeri Nichushkin (0 goals) and Denis CONNOR CLIFTON, BOSTON BRUINS Gurianov (four points in 21 games) haven’t done much to solidify their spots, so the opportunity is there for L’Esperance. Injuries have opened the door for Clifton to get a look in Boston, but it’ll be hard for him to stick with the team next season unless someone is TARO HIROSE, DETROIT RED WINGS moved out or is forced to miss time again. Right now Clifton is in the Never drafted, 22-year-old Hirose just wrapped up his college career with lineup with Torey Krug, Matt Grzelcyk and Kevan Miller out, but they’re Michigan State by scoring 50 points in 36 games, which tied him as the each signed through next season. Zdeno Chara has the only expiring top scorer in all of the NCAA. He was one of the 10 finalists for the contract on Boston’s blue line and it’s expected he’ll re-up again. Hobey Baker Award, and then signed with the Red Wings when his Clifton had a nine-game call-up earlier in the season, but since returning season came to a close. in March he’s played four games and his ice time has risen to above 18 At this point in the rebuild, Detroit is still looking for as many young and minutes his past two outings. Coach Bruce Cassidy wasted no time skilled players as they can get, so Hirose was put right into the lineup to challenging the player, matching him against Matt Duchene’s line on his show what he’s got. In two games his ice time went from 13:44 to 16:12 off-side last Saturday. and he’s recorded a couple of primary assists already.

“The conversation was, ‘Can you play left defence? If you want to play in “He’s a smart player,” linemate Thomas Vanek told the Detroit Free the National Hockey League you’re going to have to, basically tonight.’ Press. “Playing with him is actually really easy. The poise he has — it’s And he nodded his head, and off he went, so I give him credit,” Cassidy fun. It’s fun to play with a guy like that who thinks the game at a high told WEEI. “It’s not easy. You know, you’re playing against Duchene’s level. He’s not afraid to make plays. He can hold onto pucks. I’m really line. It’s a good line, and you’re playing on your off-side, and you haven’t impressed so far with him.” played a lot of games. So, he’s going to earn some trust with the coaches, and I think he’s going to earn some respect from the players.” JOSH CURRIE AND JOSEPH GAMBARDELLA, EDMONTON OILERS

A fifth-round pick in 2013, this is just Clifton’s second season of pro There’s a big feeling out process going on in Edmonton these days, from hockey out of Quinnipiac University. The five-foot-11, 174-pound finding their next GM all the way to figuring out which cheap players with defenceman scored 13 points in 54 AHL games last season and has enough skill should stick on next year’s team. doubled that point total in 2018-19. Neither Currie (26) nor Gambardella (25) are as young as most others on Top three in Corsi differential for defensemen. this list, but both have low-level contracts and are still controllable next season. While Currie is carrying a $687,500 cap hit through 2019-20, You know, the usuals: Erik Karlsson, Dougie Hamilton, Connor Gambardella is a pending RFA coming off a $725,500 cap hit. And Clifton. pic.twitter.com/sscxcFtfX2 though they are close in age and would both be considered late- — Sean Tierney (@ChartingHockey) March 16, 2019 bloomers if they ever stuck in the NHL, their roads to this point are very different. ALEXANDER NYLANDER, BUFFALO SABRES Currie was never drafted, but left the QMJHL in 2013 and spent the This is the third year in a row Nylander has got a late-season call-up, but following two-plus seasons in the ECHL. His past four have been in the this is the first time it’s happened before April. His points per game have AHL, where he’s been about a 20-goal scorer. With 24 goals and 37 risen each year in the AHL, from 0.43 as a rookie in 2016-17 to 0.63 this points in 49 games, he was having his best AHL season to date before season. He’s not among the best at his age in the AHL, but this progress getting called up in February. He scored his first goal in his third NHL is at least pointing the 21-year-old in the right direction. game, and has added another plus three assists in the 12 games since.

“He’s taking advantage of the opportunity,” Sabres head coach Phil “I love to chip in offensively, everyone wants to,” he told the Edmonton Housley told the Times-Herald’s Bill Hoppe. “Each and every game he Sun. “But I need to be responsible on the walls, good in all three zones seems to get better. His linemates are helping him out, they play a fast and I think I’ve done that so far. game. He’s just getting more confident down low, in the corner. He’s driving on cycles, he’s making plays up ice and he’s using his speed. “You have to be good in your own zone in this league if you want to stay. If you’re a bottom six guy you have to be responsible. I kind of pride myself in being good in the defensive zone, but I love being in on the The more urgent of the two might be Quenneville, who was the 30th offence as well.” overall pick in the 2014 draft and had already seen 14 NHL games in second-half call-ups the past two seasons. By per game averages, his Gambardella is only in his second pro season after moving on from AHL production has been pretty good and he approached a point per UMass-Lowell and went from 19 points in 50 AHL games last season to game this season, but that hasn’t yet translated into NHL numbers. He’s 27 goals and 45 points in 48 games this season. He’s been called up a actually had three different call-ups this season for a combined 18 games couple of times to the Oilers, seeing four games in March, but the most and finally scored his first of the season Wednesday in his hometown of he’s played in one game is 8:46. Edmonton.

Neither player will be a big producer or the missing link if they do stick McLeod is the more highly touted prospect, going 12th overall in 2016, around next season, but both have the potential to be hungry, do- but so far the reviews have been mixed. Mostly used in the bottom-six, anything players to help fill out the bottom six. McLeod’s on-ice numbers haven’t been all that impressive, as the Devils SAMUEL MONTEMBEAULT, FLORIDA PANTHERS have gotten just 40.5 per cent of the 5-on-5 scoring chances when he’s on the ice, per Natural Stat Trick. But he has also been a little unlucky as Goaltending has been the Panthers’ biggest issue this season — even his team has converted on only 1.54 per cent of their shots when he’s on with average netminding they may have been able to make the playoffs. the ice. This is a factor as to why he’s been quiet on the score sheet, with And though they won’t head into next season with Montembeault as the just one assist posted in his 18 games so far. No. 1 if they really expect to get back into the mix, his late-season play is making it more likely that James Reimer is a goner. The Devils are absolutely hammered by injuries right now, which has opened up room for McLeod to get a look. If the team wants only to use A third-round pick in 2015, Montembeault got his NHL break on March 2 him as a centre it might be hard for him to crack next season’s roster that and got his first win six nights later in a 25-save victory over the should feature Nico Hischier, Pavel Zacha and Travis Zajac down the Minnesota Wild. He played six games in a row for Florida, winning four of middle. It might be better to keep McLeod in the AHL for a second full them and allowing more than three goals in none. Montembeault wasn’t season first. an AHL standout, posting .896 and .901 save percentages the past two seasons. He was never an award winner in the QMJHL and only once Michael McLeod's first eight games: finished in the top five in save percentage. • 42.4 Corsi For% (5v5)

But he’s showing why he might be a decent candidate to be a No. 3 • four shots on goal goalie next season. If the Panthers do go big into the goalie market this summer and explore signing UFA Sergei Bobrovsky, they’ll have to do • four chances (two high-danger) something with Reimer or Roberto Luongo. It’s always possible the latter would retire, either due to injury or outright, but if he doesn’t, Reimer McLeod's last 6 games: becomes a buyout candidate. He has a $3.2 million cap hit for another • 47.4 Corsi For% (5v5) two seasons which, if bought out, would give the Panthers an extra $2.4 million in cap space for next season. They’d get a $191,667 credit the • 11 shots on goal year after, but would lose $658,333 in space for the following two • 10 chances (seven high-danger) seasons. Results aren't there yet but he seems to be progressing. MATT ROY AND CARL GRUNDSTROM, LOS ANGELES KINGS — Todd Cordell (@ToddCordell) March 22, 2019 It can be hard to get a read on a young defenceman like the 24-year-old Roy when the team around him has been so thoroughly outplayed all ERIK BRANNSTROM AND VITALI ABRAMOV, OTTAWA SENATORS season. He’s been a minus player three of the past four games and his 46.8 CF% is dreadful, though similar to what Drew Doughty is at for the These were the two big prospects picked up by the Senators at the season — albeit against top competition. Roy has earned more ice time deadline and though Abramov is more of a project with a good base of as his call-up has gone on, seeing more than 19 minutes in three March skills they hope will lead to NHL production, Brannstrom is the blue chip, games and getting paired with Alec Martinez. can’t-miss player. If he whiffs, Ottawa’s whole rebuild plan will take a big hit. A seventh-rounder from 2015, Roy’s 29 points in 45 games and 0.64 points per game rate is 17th-best among all AHL defencemen who’ve “To win a Stanley Cup, I believe you have to have four or five superstar played at least half the season. He’ll be an RFA this summer, though not types all around the same young age — in their mid-20s, at the most — an expensive re-sign, and there could be two or three blue-line spots up and a very, very hot top-flight goalie,” owner Eugene Melnyk said for grabs in 2019-20, depending on how things unfold this summer. Thursday on the FAN 590 in Toronto.

“It’s good that they’re getting NHL games in, but to come to a team that’s The Senators are banking on Brannstrom being one of those four or five in last place, (there’s) no direction right now,” Doughty told the Los players and, along with Thomas Chabot, is a good start to what looks like Angeles Times of the youngsters who’re getting a late-season look. a dynamic top of the defence corps down the road. Brannstrom’s been “Obviously we’re playing for something, but we’re playing for nothing, and up and down twice with the Senators already, but doesn’t have a point it’s tough for these guys.” yet in two games. The 15th overall pick in the 2017 draft, Brannstrom may be a top 10 pick if it was conducted again. Grundstrom is one of the pieces returned to Los Angeles in the Jake Muzzin trade and he’s getting his shot on the west coast far quicker than Abramov had a very successful junior career in the QMJHL, winning he would have in Toronto. We broke down what the Kings were getting in rookie of the year in his first season and being named MVP in his Grundstrom at the time of the deal: his strong-on-the-corners style fits second. But there’s a reason he slipped to the third round of the NHL into the Kings’ mold, while also giving them some goal scoring upside. Draft. Not only is he on the small side at five-foot-nine, 172 pounds, his skating has been a bit of a weakness at the pro level and something that So far we’re seeing that come to fruition as Grundstrom has two goals in needs to improve. But since he played most of his junior career right in his first six NHL games. He’s earned a little time on the power play, is on Ottawa’s backyard in Gatineau, GM Pierre Dorion should know the player the second line, and though the sample size is still very small, Los rather well. He got into his first game Thursday night and was minus-3 Angeles is getting a whopping 76.6 per cent of the high danger chances against Calgary in 13:52 of ice. when he’s on the ice, per Natural Stat Trick. Things are happening offensively for Los Angeles when Grundstrom is out there and he’s Myers was never drafted and actually went to Calgary for a tryout, but provided a bit of a shot in the arm. Only two full-time Kings forwards are was let go by the team without a contract. The Philadelphia Flyers saw above 50 per cent in high danger chances this season. something worth investing in, though, and he became mainstream among Canadian hockey fans in 2016 when he cracked the WJC roster. MICHAEL MCLEOD AND JOHN QUENNEVILLE, NEW JERSEY A big, lanky defenceman, Myers could be yet another exciting young DEVILS blue-liner on a team that already boasts Shayne Gostisbehere, Ivan Provorov and Travis Sanheim, who himself has taken a critical step up in A couple of recent Devils first-round picks are trying to show why they 2018-19. should be full-timers next October with some late-season opportunity for the injury-riddled team. Flyers interim coach Scott Gordon knows Myers well because the two were together in AHL Lehigh before Dave Hakstol was fired earlier in the season and Gordon was moved up. It’s yet to be determined if Gordon will return to the same NHL job next season, but he’s seen the growth in Myers’ game.

“I would say, by the middle of November, I felt like Phil was ready to play up here in Philly and would do a good job,” Gordon told NHL.com. “He just had to wait for his opportunity, but I felt pretty confident. The consistency in terms of the things we worked on his first year was definitely at that next level to where I thought he’d be ready when the call came.”

TEDDY BLUEGER, PITTSBURGH PENGUINS

The Penguins are always looking for cheap contributors to complement their big players, and GM Jim Rutherford has made various attempts over the past two years to acquire a third line centre — from Riley Sheahan and Derick Brassard last season, to Jared McCann this season. The latest to get a shot in that role is Blueger, a second-rounder from the 2012 draft who’s just now getting his opportunity.

He’s had a couple call-ups this season and has shown well across 21 games, recording four goals and seven points. The Penguins have scored 61 per cent of the 5-on-5 goals when he’s been on the ice and he seems to have some chemistry with Phil Kessel over the brief period they’ve shared a line. If that continues, Blueger would be a good bet to crack the team out of camp next fall.

Sportsnet.ca LOADED: 03.23.2019 1137195 Websites

Sportsnet.ca / Kings' Kovalchuk: 'I don’t have a chance' playing under coach Desjardins

Emily Sadler | March 23, 2019, 1:31 AM

After being left out of the Los Angeles Kings‘ lineup for the second time in three games, Ilya Kovalchuk has spoken — and he didn’t mince words.

The veteran forward, listed as a healthy scratch under interim head coach Willie Desjardins last Saturday against the Florida Panthers and again Thursday versus the San Jose Sharks, openly questioned his coach’s strategy and wasn’t afraid to voice his displeasure about sitting out.

“It’s horrible,” Kovalchuk told The Athletic‘s Lisa Dillman on Friday (subscription required). “That’s the worst. But [Desjardins] didn’t play young guys. He plays seven D. That’s his new strategy.”

Desjardins’ decision to ice an extra defenceman in place of Kovalchuk was a bit of a head-scratcher, considering the usual motivation for scratching veterans at the end of a lost season typically centres around wanting to get a closer look at some AHL call-ups.

“What you can do? That’s his decision and he’s the head coach – 10 more games. What else we can do. Just practice hard and show the young kids that that thing can happen to anybody. You just have to keep going,” said Kovalchuk.

Hello from Staples Center.

The scratches : Phaneuf, Kovalchuk and Brodzinski.

Still can't understand the latter one …

— lisa dillman (@reallisa) March 22, 2019

The Kings have struggled from the start of the season and with the exception of a few hot streaks — for both Kovalchuk individually and the team as a whole — the 2018-19 campaign has seen the Pacific club spend most of its time in the league’s basement. A strong start for Kovalchuk quickly petered out, as has his ice time — a trend especially noticeable since Desjardins took the helm after the firing of John Stevens just a month into the season.

“Still we were winning games, we were right there,” Kovalchuk, who has 14 goals and 17 assists through 60 games this year, told Dillman. “After Willie came here, I don’t have a chance. I play five, six minutes a game.”

Now with a record sitting at 26-39-8 with nine games to go and no playoff hopes in sight, the Kings’ disappointing season is essentially in the books.

The 36-year-old, who returned to the NHL last summer when he signed a lucrative three-year deal with the Kings worth $18.75 million, was expected to play alongside Anze Kopitar — and while he did get some time on his captain’s wing, it didn’t last.

“A few games I play with Kopi,” Kovalchuk said. “We did well. We score all five games and then [Desjardins] decide to change and I never play again, much. That’s the way he sees the situation.

“Like I said, he’s the head coach and he’s responsible for result.”

Sportsnet.ca LOADED: 03.23.2019 1137196 Websites Kapanen and Andreas Johnsson, all of whom are enjoying career seasons and will be due significant raises.

“I’m in this to win, and to win, you know what you have to do,” said Sportsnet.ca / Maple Leafs respond to Senators owner Eugene Melnyk Melnyk, referring to his own franchise. “You have to have a young, ripping their rebuild vibrant team, you have to have the superstars, and you’re gonna have to pay them. If you don’t pay them, somebody else will.”

Luke Fox | March 22, 2019, 2:24 PM With top-four defenders Jake Gardiner and Ron Hainsey both scheduled to walk, there is widely accepted sense that something has to give.

“We’ve got people questioning everything we do,” said Leafs coach Mike TORONTO – There is a saying going around regarding people in glass Babcock, when asked about Melnyk’s commentary. houses, but forgive Eugene Melnyk if he can’t hear it over the clatter of all the stones he’s been stuffing in his pockets. “The great thing about our organization is, we’ve got so much fan support because we’ve got all you guys questioning everything we do. I think you During a news-talk radio appearance on Ottawa’s CFRA 580 Friday get paid to question everything we do. And you [the media] get paid to morning (Listen in full here), the Ottawa Senators owner shifted focus sell — I think that’s what your jobs are. So, whatever you gotta do, I don’t from the topic of his own club’s rebuild to offer a not-so-friendly critique of spend much time worrying about it. a divisional rival. “We’ve got an unbelievable owner here in Larry Tanenbaum, and we’re “I’m from Toronto originally as well,” Melnyk told host Bill Carroll, an blessed to have him. How’s that?” admitted Leafs fan. “I’ve spent the past 15, 16 years now owning the Sens, and I dropped that affiliation very quickly. The Maple Leafs will travel to Ottawa on March 30 to play Melynk’s rebuilding Senators. “Look, they’re stuck. They cannot — OK, I better not say what I was gonna say. They’re going to have a tough time winning a Stanley Cup Sportsnet.ca LOADED: 03.23.2019 without defence, because they’re hitting the cap. They can’t bring anybody new in. So, they’re stuck. And that’s where you have to be extremely careful.

“Mistakes were made. Somebody forgot about defence.”

What was he going to say but decided better?

As Melnyk seeks to construct his own championship-calibre roster through drafting and developing, his public criticism of his financially stout provincial rival — a highly unusual, ill-advised play — touched a nerve and may have thrown a tank of gasoline on the rather quiet fire that has become the , with one team ranked sixth overall and the other mired in last place.

“That’s funny,” said Leafs top defenceman Morgan Rielly, when a reporter relayed Melnyk’s comments. “I don’t really have any comment on that except it’s pretty funny.”

The Senators, it feels relevant to note, rank 31st overall in goals allowed (3.7 per game) and 31st in shots allowed (36.1 per game). They traded away two-time Norris winner Erik Karlsson, arguably the best defenceman in hockey, at training camp.

The Maple Leafs, for comparison, rank 16th in goals allowed (2.99) and 23rd in shots allowed (33).

The Sens did, however, trounce Toronto Saturday 6-2.

A weekly deep dive into the biggest hockey news in the world with hosts Elliotte Friedman and Jeff Marek. New episodes every Thursday.

Toronto’s blue-line depth has fallen under increased scrutiny since last week when the Leafs surrendered 23 goals over an ugly four-game span as core D-men Travis Dermott (shoulder) and Jake Gardiner (back) rehabilitate their injuries.

“That’s just what [Melnyk] thinks. I don’t necessarily agree with that,” said long-serving Leaf Nazem Kadri, part of the NHL’s third-most productive offence.

“You’ve got to work with the people you have. We’ve been given the privilege to have that offence, to have that excitement. I think we’ve been pretty solid defensively except in that last little stretch we had — it was pretty brutal — but in the bigger picture, I think we can dial in on both ends of the ice.”

Kadri noted Dermott’s return to practice Friday (albeit in a red, non- contact sweater) and that in Tuesday’s loss to Nashville (20 shots allowed) and Wednesday’s victory in Buffalo (24 shots allowed), Toronto limited its opposition to fewer than 25 shots per game.

“Which is pretty exceptional compared to the offence that’s in the league,” Kadri said. “If we can continue that and put up three or four goals a game, I think we’ll be alright.”

To Melnyk’s point, the Maple Leafs have already committed $46.92 million (or a projected 57 per cent) in salary cap space to its forwards for 2019-20 — and that’s prior to signing RFAs Mitch Marner, Kasperi 1137197 Websites

Sportsnet.ca / Rieder 'offended' by Oilers CEO's criticism: 'It's disappointing'

Emily Sadler | March 22, 2019, 8:55 PM

The 2018-19 season has not been kind to Tobias Rieder. Already mired in a season-long scoring drought on a struggling team, the Edmonton Oilers forward now finds himself facing questions about the public criticism aimed his way by the team’s CEO, Bob Nicholson.

“You look at it and you kind of can’t believe it,” Rieder said of his reaction to reading Nicholson’s comments. “I feel like it’s disappointing and I’m offended by it. I’m the first one to admit that I [haven’t had] a good year and it has not been an easy season for me. It’s been hard but I’m still going out there and giving 100 per cent every time I’m on the ice every game and try to help the team win.”

Nicholson was openly critical of Rieder’s performance this year during a season-ticket holders’ event in Edmonton Thursday morning, telling those in attendance that the club would not be re-signing Rieder and even going so far as to say that, “if Toby Rieder would have scored 10 or 12 goals we’d probably be in the playoffs.”

He apologized to Rieder later Thursday — which was accepted by his player — and admitted to Sportsnet’s Mark Spector that he “screwed up.”

“I promised I’d talk until all the questions were done. I don’t look back on that in a negative way,” Nicholson told Spector Thursday night ahead of the Oilers’ game against the Columbus Blue Jackets. “But where I got offside in my comment is that Toby wouldn’t be here next year. That, if he would have scored 12 or 15 goals, we’d be in the playoffs. That’s wrong for me to say that.”

Bob Nicholson reached out to Toby Rieder again today. Apologized in person. Also apologized to the Oilers’ leadership group to admit his fault.

— John Shannon (@JSportsnet) March 22, 2019

Rieder, 26, signed a one-year, $2-million deal with Edmonton last summer. The German-born winger was coming off a 12-goal campaign at the time, split between the Arizona Coyotes and Los Angeles Kings, and his deal with the Oilers was deemed a smart signing for a team looking to complement its stars with scoring depth. Rieder registered a career-high 16 goals with the Coyotes in 2016-17. He’ll be an unrestricted free agent on July 1.

“It was tough to read that somebody got singled out like that and kind of thrown under the bus but it is what it is now,” Rieder said. “I’m not proud of the season I’m having and like I said, I’m the first one to admit that I’m not playing to my capabilities. I think it went a little too far and I think Bob knows that too.”

Of course, it’s not just Rieder who has been struggling offensively this year. The Oilers as a whole have not lived up to expectations. The club ranks 20th in goals scored this season and have a goal differential of minus-35. Though not yet ruled out of the playoffs with a current record of 33-34-7, the Oilers have a tough road ahead if they’re to sneak into the picture.

“I thought the timing was a bit weird, we’re still in the race for the playoffs,” Rieder said of Nicholson’s comments. “I’m still going to go out there and play my heart out and play for the guys and my friends in the locker room and do my best to help the team win.”

Sportsnet.ca LOADED: 03.23.2019 1137198 Websites The Blue Jackets have been a playoff team in each of the past two seasons, but dropped a point behind Montreal with eight games to play heading into the weekend. From above, Kekalainen must be looking Sportsnet.ca / Blue Jackets' deadline moves on brink of falling through down at the roster he showed such faith in, and wondering.

• How can Panarin have just one goal since the deadline?

Mark Spector March 22, 2019, 5:02 PM • How can Duchene have only three goals and six points since being acquired from Ottawa 15 games ago?

• How can 64-point man Cam Atkinson go dry now, with just one assist EDMONTON — The reality is, Jarmo Kekalainen’s big gamble is already and no goals in his past six games? halfway in the ditch. Because only making the playoffs — then getting steam-rolled by Tampa — isn’t enough, in a town that has not seen the Maybe Kekalainen wasn’t just showing faith in his roster by making those second round of the playoffs since it came into the league in 2000. deadline moves? Perhaps, by adding Ryan Dzingel, Duchene and defenceman Adam McQuaid, he fixed something that wasn’t broken? So, with apologies to the Montreal Canadiens and their fans, we are a little disappointed at how poorly Kekalainen’s coach and players have Maybe, he simply messed up the chemistry? rewarded the Blue Jackets GM for the courage he showed at the recent “I just feel like we’ve got a piano on our back right now as a group and trading deadline, convincing ownership to push all of their chips into the everyone’s kind of feeling it,” said Duchene, who has made the playoffs middle of the table. twice in his nine seasons while not scoring a post-season goal. “And the It would have been an easy out, with goalie Sergei Bobrovsky and hardest thing is we’re not scoring, so we don’t have that confidence that superstar winger Artemi Panarin having signaled they will test we can outscore teams and come back in games. We’ve got to find that unrestricted free agency at season’s end, to deal them both off at the somewhere. I don’t know how we do it, but we’ve got to find it and it’s got deadline for draft picks and prospects, and cash in another season in a to come ASAP. city that will turn its attention to Buckeyes football any week now. “I mean, we don’t have any time to mess around.”

But that’s the misnomer here. Sportsnet.ca LOADED: 03.23.2019 This isn’t one of those organizations that has taken the easy way out, and it’s not a fan base that would accept that. The Blue Jackets have built a good hockey culture in Ohio, and fuelled with blockbuster deals like Seth Jones for Ryan Johansen. Columbus, which will always be an Ohio State Buckeyes town and Jack Nicklaus’ hometown first, has found ample room in its sporting soul for its hockey team.

Now, it’s time for John Tortorella, Matt Duchene, and the rest of the millionaires to give back.

“We’ve talked enough,” Tortorella said after a 4-1 loss in Edmonton on Thursday. “We’ve talked about a lot of different things here and it’s not rhetoric, it’s not panic, it’s not… We just have to have some sort of sense of urgency to try to get back into this (race) here or we have no chance.”

A general manager’s work is complete after the deadline, and we can’t remember the last time a team made such an overt investment on its current roster, when the opportunity existed to opt for the long-term play. Since the Feb. 25 deadline, Kekalainen’s reward has been a 5-7-1 record — including 4-0 and 4-1 losses to Edmonton.

“We’ve just got to play better,” Blue Jackets defenseman Seth Jones told the Columbus Dispatch after the latest loss. “I mean, you look at the game tonight, (the Oilers) are playing for nothing and we’re playing for something – and that’s not what it looks like.

“Something’s got to change here.”

Kekalainen has assembled what appears to be an elite roster of players. But are they players ready to be an elite team?

Tortorella, speaking before the loss in Edmonton, belied a sense that the moment Kekalainen has presented might be too much for some of these players.

“It’s been a funky time since the deadline, as far as losing ourselves a little bit,” Tortorella admitted. “Integration of the new players, I don’t think that’s been a problem. I think some guys have added pressure on themselves, when it’s said that now they’re supposed to win some rounds.”

It’s not often that a coach will plant that seed of doubt, when it comes to how much game his key players have. But Tortorella was right: The Jackets choked in Edmonton, putting up just 20 shots on net and showing themselves unable to handle the Connor McDavid-Leon Draisaitl entry, which overwhelmed the Jackets in both losses to Edmonton.

“It’s a strange dynamic with athletes. No matter how strong-minded they need to be to play at this level, playing (under) different expectations for some guys, it sometimes affects their game,” Tortorella said. “They’re good players. These are good players. We’re down to short strokes now, with (now eight) games left. We can talk about scoring chances… We have to find a way to will ourselves to results here.” 1137199 Websites As of Friday’s practice at the University of B.C., the Canucks were four points out with eight games remaining and four teams to pass for the final playoff spot. And they don’t hold the tie-breaker on anyone.

Sportsnet.ca / Jay Beagle loves Canucks' compete level, optimistic about But what Beagle loves, what he said he saw from the first month of the future season, is how his team competes.

"I love that we have a real will to win," he said. "We’re still learning how to Iain MacIntyre March 22, 2019, 4:34 PM win and what it takes to win, especially in hard moments and at hard times. But the will is there. That’s a hard thing to have. It is. I’ve been on great teams that were still learning about that. But with this team, we have that will to win. So it’s a matter of finding out how to win. That VANCOUVER – This time a year ago, veteran centre Jay Beagle was comes with experience." preparing for the Washington Capitals’ long march to the Stanley Cup. Now, he’s getting ready for another one with the Vancouver Canucks. The Canucks are getting that, too.

Insert punchline here. "Jay’s been really good for us," Benning said. "He’s done a lot of stuff nobody sees, working with our young players and setting an example in No, the 33-year-old has not lost his mind over the Canucks’ surprising 4- the dressing room. Our team hasn’t quit all year. We went through a 0-1 winning streak that has made making next month’s Stanley Cup couple of bad stretches. But there weren’t many games where I could playoffs only slightly less impossible for the NHL team. say our players didn’t work hard and compete." Beagle knew what he was getting into when he left the champion Sportsnet.ca LOADED: 03.23.2019 Capitals to sign a free-agent contract last July with the rebuilding Canucks. Through the jarring ups and downs of his first season in Vancouver, amid the blowtorch scrutiny of a desperate Canadian market that can be equally angry and adoring, Beagle hasn’t lost sight of the big picture and why he came.

"Just making the playoffs should never be the goal, never be the mindset," Beagle told Sportsnet. "This is about winning a Stanley Cup. And whether it’s two, three, four, six years down the road with this team, that’s the goal. That’s what you have to stay focussed on.

"You never want to look too far in the future, but that’s what you’re building towards – this team winning a Stanley Cup. Down the stretch here, that’s what has to continue to be the message: build our game as a group and as individuals for the future."

There’s an old joke on the West Coast that the only Stanley Cup the Canucks will ever see is the athletic supporter worn by former player Stan Smyl, now a senior advisor to general manager Jim Benning.

Until last week, the Canucks were as near to last place in the Western Conference as the final wild-card playoff spot and had one regulation win in 17 games. Stanley Cup? How about they play .500 hockey first?

But you can sort of understand Beagle’s optimism.

With Elias Pettersson, Bo Horvat and Brock Boeser, the Canucks have three foundational forwards who are driving the attack now and should continue to get better. Another potential cornerstone, dynamic defenceman Quinn Hughes, has been medically cleared to start skating after arriving last week from the University of Michigan with a bone bruise in his foot.

Goalie Jacob Markstrom has been one of the NHL’s best the last 3 ½ months and looks capable of one day taking the Canucks on a playoff run. But there are still missing pieces, especially on defence and the wings.

"It’s not like I was coming into this unprepared," Beagle said of joining the Canucks, who have soldiered through slumps of 1-10-2 and 4-10-3. "I knew that. Management and coaching staff were very honest with me when I was meeting with them (last summer) about where this team is at. To tell you the truth, I’ve had a lot of fun. It’s been a great year with the guys and the way we compete every game.

"The results of this year were nothing I was really looking at. Obviously, I want to win every game I can. We’re all competitors, all want to win every single game. It’s hard to fall asleep after a loss. It’s not easy, but what I’ve learned throughout my career is that it’s in those difficult moments when you can go either one way or the other. You let it get you down and your game deteriorates, or you grow from it and continue to build your game from that adversity."

Ryan Dixon and Rory Boylen go deep on pucks with a mix of facts and fun, leaning on a varied group of hockey voices to give their take on the country’s most beloved game.

Based on the last five games, the Canucks are still growing. If they can extend their points streak this weekend, through difficult back-to-back home games against the Calgary Flames and Columbus Blue Jackets, there can be a more serious discussion about the playoffs. 1137200 Websites “I need to be in a position to use all my players,” said Julien. “I think over the last couple of games the team played well as a whole and I didn’t have much reason to cut down on anyone’s ice time. It helps us to be Sportsnet.ca / Deadline pickups have helped Julien bring balance to able to use all four lines and all six defenceman — especially when we Canadiens have three games in four nights. By the third game that’s where it becomes that much more important.”

That third game, against a Hurricanes team that’s only two points ahead Eric Engels March 22, 2019, 3:35 PM of the Canadiens and resting in the first wild-card position in the Eastern Conference, is the most monumental of Montreal’s season. It’s one they

seem better-suited to compete in with the depth they acquired in the lead MONTREAL — It wasn’t immediately obvious in the aftermath of the up to the deadline and the balance they’ve achieved of late. NHL’s trade deadline what the value was in adding a few fourth-liners to Sportsnet.ca LOADED: 03.23.2019 a Montreal Canadiens team that was lacking in premiere talent, but it’s abundantly clear now it was about achieving balance.

Canadiens coach Claude Julien has had an easier time finding it with Nate Thompson and Jordan Weal than he did before they arrived in Montreal. And though it took some time for that to be the case, both players settling onto a line with two-time, 20-goal scorer Paul Byron has helped Julien spread the minutes around on offence over the team’s last three games.

On Friday, the coach explained why that approach has led to two convincing wins over the Philadelphia Flyers and the New York Islanders after a hard-fought loss to the Chicago Blackhawks.

“I think we’ve said all year [that] in order for us to have success, we need everybody going,” Julien said. “We’re not a team that can lean on three, four players and say, ‘They’ll carry us.’ We don’t have that. We’re all aware of that. We all know that. We all respect that part of it. That doesn’t make us a bad hockey club and it doesn’t make them bad hockey players.

“By having balance, it’s allowed us, the last couple of games, to really play well on both sides of the puck. And we’ve been able to score, we’ve been able to keep the puck out of our own net, so right now that’s working.”

The versatility both Weal and Thompson have brought to the table has helped make it possible. The former has shown he can contribute on the power play, the latter has been dynamic on the penalty kill, and both players are well above 50 per cent in the faceoff circle this season.

A weekly deep dive into the biggest hockey news in the world with hosts Elliotte Friedman and Jeff Marek. New episodes every Thursday.

Weal has managed two goals and four points in eight games since coming over from the Arizona Coyotes on deadline day, while Thompson has recorded four assists and helped the Canadiens kill off 41 of 48 penalties since being traded from the Los Angeles Kings for a 2019 fourth-round pick 18 games ago.

With Byron, they form a line Julien can trust at even strength against just about anyone.

“There’s a little bit of everything there,” said Julien after the Canadiens beat the Islanders 4-0 on Thursday. “There’s experience, there’s speed, there’s skill and on faceoffs, you have a righty and a lefty.”

On Friday, Julien expanded on the thought and said, “They’re giving us good performances. They have good scoring chances every game. They’re spending a lot of time in the offensive zone. Those players — one of them is on the power play, the others are on the penalty kill — all three of those players are very useful. They’re a good fourth line, if you want to call them that. For me, I give them more credit than being just a fourth line. When you see the ice time, you can see we have good balance on offence.”

Looking at the breakdown from Thursday’s game, there was very little variance in even-strength ice time among Canadiens forwards. The line of Jonathan Drouin, Jesperi Kotkaniemi and Joel Armia, which produced two of the team’s goals, was used the least — with Drouin and Armia playing 10:51 and 10:57, respectively, and Kotkaniemi playing 11:51 — and the line of Artturi Lehkonen, Max Domi and Andrew Shaw topped out at roughly 14:30. Meanwhile, there was less than a minute’s difference in usage of the Canadiens’ top line of Tomas Tatar, Phillip Danault and Brendan Gallagher, and their fourth line.

The hope, as Julien explained it, is that it translates into the team being able to maintain its speed-game and its energy as it attempts to close out back-to-back weekend games against the Buffalo Sabres and Carolina Hurricanes with wins. 1137201 Websites Sportsnet NOW gives you access to over 500 NHL games this season, blackout-free, including Hockey Night in Canada, Rogers Hometown Hockey, Scotiabank Wednesday Night Hockey, the entire 2019 Stanley Sportsnet.ca / Leafs' Babcock, Dubas still growing their relationship Cup Playoffs and more.

However, Babcock also remembers an important lesson imparted on him while coaching the Anaheim Mighty Ducks more than 15 years ago. Chris Johnston | March 22, 2019, 3:56 PM “My first general manager in the National Hockey League was a gentleman named Bryan Murray and one of the first things he told me is, he says: ‘As a coach and a general manager, never let anyone get in TORONTO — Mike Babcock could watch a tornado rip through his between you and if you do you’re going to be in trouble,”’ said Babcock. neighbourhood and see it as a chance to build something better and “So that relationship’s so important.” stronger in its place. In order to build more trust with a boss 22 years his junior, it might be Metaphorically, at least, that’s how the veteran head coach of the best to keep some of the internal debates internal. The path to smoothing Toronto Maple Leafs is approaching the sudden interest in the state of over any suspected cracks in the Leafs’ foundation starts with a more his relationship with rookie general manager Kyle Dubas. unified front from the daily voice of the team. The cyclone started with a series of Babcock’s recent comments to “I think [internal debate is] real important to have,” said Babcock. “I think reporters — some that could be interpreted as public shots at Dubas — people got to think different ways. But I also think publicly that’s not the and developed into a fierce media storm after my colleague Elliotte idea. Publicly, you know what, every year — or a couple times a year — I Friedman delved into the topic in his popular “31 Thoughts” blog this go to the media, I don’t know, twice a day, sometimes three times a day it week, asking: “…is anyone else wondering if this marriage is in trouble?” seems like. Babcock met the issue head-on following Friday’s practice, not entirely “There’s going to be a shit storm once and awhile, there just is.” pouring cold water on the premise that he and Dubas could have a better working relationship, but also clarifying that he wasn’t second-guessing This one, too, shall pass. his boss when discussing the organization’s need for better depth or a more balanced set of right- and left-shot defencemen. But what gets left in its wake is what’s truly important here.

“You’d like to say everything perfect and sometimes maybe you don’t. Sportsnet.ca LOADED: 03.23.2019 But the intent,” said Babcock, trailing off. “You know, Dubie and my relationship isn’t as good now as it’s going to be four years from now. Mine with Ken Holland wasn’t as good in my first year as it was in my 10th year, or Bryan Murray my first wasn’t as [good as] my third, or Lou [Lamoriello].

“It takes awhile just to keep building your relationship. This right here, this little opportunity has been provided for me and it will just make us better.”

Now Babcock is no dummy.

He arrived in Toronto on the richest coaching contract in NHL history, but he knows it will be up to Dubas to determine how much of the remaining four years after this one he gets to continue pulling the levers from behind the Leafs bench.

The team’s growth and performance, first and foremost, will inform that decision. But intangibles, such as his willingness to execute the front office’s vision, could ultimately come in to play as well.

On “Wednesday Night Hockey,” my colleague Brian Burke asserted that Babcock’s comment about a lack of organizational depth bordered on insubordination. The coach insists he meant nothing more than to point out that the Leafs have a ways to go before catching up with Tampa, the “model” franchise in that regard.

“I know Dubie and I talk all the time, we’ve talked about this since this happened,” said Babcock. “If any of my comments in any way — because then I read the article and I don’t read it like that, at all — but if any of my comments in any way hurt anybody [it wasn’t intended].

“We talked about this the other day with our players, when I come to talk to you people, if anybody’s wife’s reading it the next day and they feel hurt then you’ve done the wrong thing. That’s not my intent.”

Babcock speaks to reporters about 250 times each season — twice on game days, and again after each practice — producing roughly 50 hours of recorded answers in the process.

During his Friday afternoon session, there seemed to be some acknowledgement that he occasionally wades into territory beyond his purview. This is nothing new, of course. He was famous for poking his head in to player personnel decisions during his days with Holland in Detroit and, while working under Lamoriello last season, he’d repeatedly point out when opposing teams had more centre depth than the Leafs.

To some degree, it’s all part and parcel with employing one of the game’s top coaches. The man is hard-wired to push and push and push everyone around him. Even though his objectives aren’t any different than those of Dubas or Brendan Shanahan or other key members of the front office, he won’t always share a vision for how they can be best achieved. 1137202 Websites Dermott had been training for over a week on his own and with skating consultant Barb Underhill before getting clearance to return to practice. He was wearing a red non-contact sweater throughout on Friday, but TSN.CA / Babcock addresses rumours of rift with Dubas didn’t shy away from getting involved along the boards and taking a few bumps.

He said afterwards that, at least conditioning-wise, he couldn’t ask to feel Kristen Shilton much better than he does now.

“I feel really good,” he said. “The trainers here have been working me pretty hard in the gym. I was out there skating and felt a lot better than I TSN Toronto reporter Kristen Shilton checks in daily with news and notes would in a regular practice, so I don’t know if I’m in better shape or just on the Maple Leafs. The team held an 11 a.m. practice at MasterCard excited to be back with the guys, but I feel good.” Centre on Friday. The 23-year-old declined to get into the specifics of what occurred when Maple Leafs head coach Mike Babcock didn’t know there were theories Edmonton Oilers’ forward Brad Malone flattened him with the injury- mounting in the media about a rift between him and general manager causing hit back in February, but said he isn’t harbouring any ill will. Kyle Dubas until someone else alerted him to the news earlier this week. “It was just kind of an awkward play where I fell on my shoulder kind of That's how Babcock discovered that his comments from last week about weird. It was just a hockey play,” he explained. “I got all these messages the Leafs’ lack of depth compared to the NHL’s top teams like Tampa saying, ‘[Malone] should have been suspended’ and all this stuff. I don’t helped fuel the speculation. He did his best to diffuse the perceived issue know. It was a weird play. I’m not going to hold any grudges on anyone. on Friday I’ve been hit way more awkwardly and nothing has happened.” “Whatever people speculate or think, I don’t think that’s the case,” Dermott said he’ll need a couple more practices before he’s ready to get Babcock said after the Leafs practice. “I know Dubie and I talk all the back in a game, perhaps in time for next Saturday’s tilt in Ottawa. And if time. We’ve talked about this since this happened. That relationship is so all goes well, Dermott hopes Gardiner isn’t too far behind him. important. There’s going to be a [expletive] storm once in a while. There just is. You’d like to say everything perfect and maybe sometimes you “He’s moving really well,” Dermott said. “I’ve seen him progress don’t, but the intent [matters].” exponentially. I’m excited to hopefully have him back not much longer after I come back.” Babcock never expressly denied tension with Dubas over the course of lengthy answers on the topic, but wanted to be clear he wasn’t trying to Frederik Gauthier (foot) also returned to practice after missing the Leafs' attack any one person in his reflection on the Leafs’ personnel. last two games.

“If there was any slap at anyone [in what I said], it sure wasn’t intended. Leafs Ice Chips: Gardiner, Dermott on the road to recovery That’s not what I meant to say,” Babcock said. “We have to keep improving our depth. That’s what Dubie is trying to do, that’s what [senior Injured Maple Leafs defenceman Jake Gardiner was back on the ice on director of player evaluation] Jimmy Paliafito is doing, our pro scouts, Friday morning ahead of practice and was joined by fellow defenceman myself, [’ head coach] Sheldon [Keefe] developing Travis Dermott. Kristen Shilton has more. players [in the AHL]; we’re all trying to do it so we can get to be like these On Friday morning, Ottawa Senators owner Eugene Melnyk told radio [other] teams.” station CFRA in Ottawa that through Toronto’s recent rebuild, “mistakes This is the first season Babcock and Dubas have worked together in their were made, because someone forgot about defence” and opined that the current roles, since Dubas took over for Lou Lamoriello in May. Babcock team will have a tough time winning a championship with their current hasn’t always eased the first-time NHL GM into the fire. blueline.

When Dubas acquired left-shot defenceman Jake Muzzin from the Los Member of said Leafs’ blueline aren’t sweating Melnyk’s opinion, though. Angeles Kings in January, at a time when the Leafs already had five left- “That’s kind of funny, actually,” said Morgan Rielly. “I don’t know. I don’t shot defencemen and really needed a right-handed shooter, Babcock have much comment on it, except that it’s pretty funny.” said, “It’s not perfect. It’s what we got. It’s what was available and we’re going to make it work.” Forward Zach Hyman was similarly nonplused, realizing such targeting comes with the territory of playing in Toronto. It takes time, according to Babcock, before a coach and GM get into a good rhythm. While the Leafs’ tandem may not be there yet, the coach “I didn’t even hear about it. It’s just white noise in the background,” he isn’t letting this blip distract from building a better rapport for the future. said. “We don’t really think about what other people say about our team. We just go out there and play our game and keep going.” “Dubie and my relationship isn’t as good now as it’s going to be four years from now,” Babcock explained. “Mine with [Detroit GM] Ken Also declining to comment was Babcock, other than to point out that, “We Holland wasn’t as good my first year as it was in my 10th year, [Anaheim have an unbelievable owner here in Larry Tanenbaum and we’re blessed GM] Bryan Murray in the first as it was in my third. It’ll just make [Dubas to have him." and I] better.” William Nylander and Martin Marincin were both absent from Friday’s Babcock addresses his relationship with Dubas practice, battling the flu. While Marincin’s status for Saturday’s game against the New York Rangers wasn’t commented upon by Babcock, the As the Maple Leafs try to emerge from a low point, rumours have coach did say he expects Nylander to play. emerged of a rift between head coach Mike Babcock and general manager Kyle Dubas. Babcock addressed those rumours on Friday. “He wasn’t feeling good, hadn’t been feeling good in the previous games, Kristen Shilton has more. he played anyway,” Babcock said. “And we just felt it was best to give him the day today.” Slowly but surely, the Leafs’ most important injured bodies are getting closer to a return. Maple Leafs lines at practice:

Travis Dermott participated in his first practice on Friday since injuring his Hyman-Tavares-Marner shoulder on Feb. 27, while Jake Gardiner took part in an on-ice session with Leafs’ skills coach Darryl Belfry. Joined by Dermott for the first half Johnsson-Matthews-Moore of that workout prior to the Leafs’ team practice, it was the first time the Marleau-Kadri-Kapanen media had seen Gardiner go through a lengthy 40-minute session since being ruled out with a back injury, also on Feb. 27. Ennis-Gauthier-Brown

“That’s a huge deal for us,” Babcock said of their progress. “On the Petan backend, there’s no question, those guys are both good puck movers, Rielly-Hainsey good players, and we miss them. In the National Hockey League, we talk about all these positions we want, you need a goalie, but you need a D.” Muzzin-Zaitsev Ozhiganov-Holl

Dermott

Andersen

Sparks

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USA TODAY / Washington Capitals star Braden Holtby won't visit Donald Trump, White House with team

Kevin Allen, USA TODAY Published 12:58 p.m. ET March 22, 2019 | Updated 3:33 p.m. ET March 22, 2019

Goalie Braden Holtby said Friday he will not join his Washington Capitals teammates when they visit President Trump at the White House on Monday to observe last June’s Stanley Cup championship.

“I have to stay true to my values,” Holtby told reporters.

The Capitals told players that the decision on whether to attend the White House event was up to them.

Capitals forward Brett Connolly, has said publicly that he “respectfully declined” the opportunity for a tour of the White House and a private meeting with President Trump. No formal ceremony is planned.

He is skipping the event because friend and former teammate Devante Smith-Pelly, now in the American Hockey League in a salary cap move, was opposed to going.

The two Capitals are not the first NHL players to decline White House invitations. In 2012, championship Boston Bruins goalie Tim Thomas did not accompany his team to the White House to meet President Obama.

Holtby, a Canadian, has been an active supporter of LGBT rights.

“My family and myself, we believe in a world where humans are treated with respect regardless of your stature, what you’re born into. ... You’re asked to choose what side you’re on, and I think it’s pretty clear what side I’m on," he said.

Multiple professional championship teams haven't been invited to the White House during the Trump administration after players said they wouldn't go. The 2017 Pittsburgh Penguins did accept Trump’s invitation.

In the week after winning the Cup, most players told The Washington Post they would visit the White House if invited.

"In the long run, it's not going to affect our team at all," Holtby said about his decision not to go. "We're a close-knit group in here and those things don't affect us a team."

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