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Winnipeg Free Press Olympics-Tournament-467969523.Html

Winnipeg Free Press https://www.winnipegfreepress.com/sports/hockey/jets/slater-to-suit-up-for-team-usa-at- olympics-tournament-467969523.html

Slater to suit up for Team USA at Olympics tournament

By: Mike McIntyre

HE was ready to hang up his skates last summer, figuring his best hockey was behind him. He was homesick, the contract offers from North America had vanished and he questioned just how many miles his now 35-year-old body had left.

But then came the decision from the not to allow players to participate in the 2018 Winter Olympics. decided retirement could wait as he chased an opportunity, however slim it might have seemed.

He stepped up his training. He paid meticulous attention to his diet. He added an offensive flair to his already stellar defensive game. This week, it paid off in an incredible way when Slater was named to the United States men’s hockey team that will compete next month in Pyeongchang, South Korea.

"It was a great call. I was just overjoyed to hear those words. It was a pretty special moment I was able to share with my family," Slater told the Free Press on Wednesday during a telephone interview from Switzerland, where he’s playing with HC Fribourg-Gottéron in that country’s national league. "Just putting on the jersey for the first time and skating on the Olympic ice, that’s going to be the ultimate."

Slater spent the four seasons in a uniform upon the team’s return to the city in 2011. The gritty centre, drafted in the first round by the in 2002, was part of the memorable "GST" line that first year with and . He also embedded himself in the community through his volunteer and charity work.

Slater’s NHL career ended at 584 games following the 2014-15 season, when the unrestricted free agent wasn’t re-signed by the Jets or any other organization. He headed overseas, playing two seasons as an import with Genève-Servette HC while his wife and young daughter remained home in Michigan.

He wasn’t prepared to extend his stay to a third season, but then everything changed.

"I’m over in Switzerland by myself, my family’s back home. It’s just hard being over here and not having them," said Slater. "But then the announcement came that the NHL’s guys weren’t going to go. I talked to my wife, and she’s like ‘You gotta go, give it a chance.’ That’s when you start getting excited about it, that this really could be a possibility. And here we are."

It certainly wasn’t easy to get here. Slater, with 11 goals and 14 assists through 32 games with his new team in the Swiss league this season, was having a strong season after scoring eight times and adding 15 assists in 44 games last campaign.

He was among a large number of potential players identified by U.S.A. Hockey and saw his odds improve in November when he was invited to play on the American team in the Deutschland Cup. The U.S. finished fourth.

He’s been a nervous wreck for much of the past month waiting to see if his leap of faith paid off.

"Obviously getting drafted in the NHL is big. The other thing off the top of my head is scoring my first NHL ," Slater said of where this ranks in his career.

He said being in Michigan on a holiday break last week and watching his three-year-old daughter, Wyn, call his parents on FaceTime to break the news might just be the best moment of all.

"Daddy’s going to be an Olympian," she said repeatedly, according to Slater.

As a hockey lifer, Slater admits he was initially disappointed the world’s best players wouldn’t be competing in the Olympics — even if it would have denied him a dream opportunity.

"It’d be great to see the best on the best. That’s what the Olympics are all about. But that’s not going to happen," said Slater.

However, he believes the level of hockey is going to open many eyes.

"Every nation has a chance. It’s a mystery. There isn’t a clear-cut favourite. Every game is going to be a battle. We feel we have just as good a chance as every one else to win gold, or win a medal. I think it’s going to be great hockey, and great hockey watching for fans," said Slater. "These are real good hockey players over here. A lot of these guys could play in the NHL, or have played in the NHL."

Slater said he’s been overwhelmed with warm wishes from former teammates and fans on social media, including many in Winnipeg. He knows he’ll have a cheering section of sorts from north of the border.

"Winnipeg was absolutely a fantastic place, not only for hockey but for quality of life, for living. I loved it there. It was my type of city. I still have some really close friendships and people that I care for tremendously who live in the community," said Slater, who has continued to keep tabs on his former team as they make noise in the NHL this season.

"I’m excited that they’re doing so well and the fans are getting a taste of this. I think it’s going to be like that for a long time," said Slater. "I’m just excited for everybody in Winnipeg."

The feeling from many Winnipeggers towards Slater is no doubt mutual. https://www.winnipegfreepress.com/sports/hockey/jets/dano-matthias-ready-for-next-return-to- action-467966433.html

The waiting game: Dano, Matthias get rewarded for their patience

By: Jeff Hamilton

As he skated onto the ice for warm-up ahead of Sunday’s match against the Oilers for what would be his first game in more than two months, Marko Dano worried less about how he’d perform and more about how his body would feel.

The root of the worry for Dano, a 23-year-old winger in his third season with the Winnipeg Jets, was how his body might react to the speed and intensity of the game after missing the last 30 as a healthy scratch. The last time he had played was on Oct. 27, so it was only natural Dano wondered whether his body would fail him.

So when the pre-game workout didn’t go as planned — his legs felt heavy and his hands a bit off — Dano feared the worst. He had worked hard to get back into the lineup, often spending hours with the coaching staff after practices to ensure that when he did get his chance to play he’d make the most of it.

Any concern he had soon faded when he opened the scoring on his first shift, scoring his first goal of the season two minutes and 34 seconds into the game, what proved to be the deciding marker in a 5-0 win over the Oilers.

"I’ve been waiting for a chance to play for a long time," he told reporters. "It was a great feeling, and now hopefully I’ll get some more ice time and be able to help the team out."

Just two nights before, in a 4-2 home win over the on Dec. 29, Shawn Matthias, having missed the last 10 games — and playing just one in the previous 21 — had identical luck as Dano. He, too, scored on his first shift, lifting the Jets to a 1-0 lead.

Like his teammate, the goal provided a brief escape from what had been a tough few weeks on the outside looking in.

"Obviously, the last little while has been a different experience for me," said Matthias, 29, whose career has spanned 545 games over five teams, including four in the last five years. "To finish last season with having shoulder surgery, you work hard all summer, and to not have a great start… that goal felt good."

While both hoped their goals would lead to more playing time, each knew nothing was promised. While centre (upper body) and winger Brandon Tanev (lower body) have created holes in the lineup for the foreseeable future, others are knocking on the door, including a number of prospects currently with the .

Matthias and Dano are part of a unique group on the Jets: fringe players that must wait for the worst (an injury) for their own personal best-case scenario (a chance to play). Matthias, who signed with the Jets as a free agent ahead of the 2016-17 season, spent much of his first year battling injuries. In total, he played just 45 games for Winnipeg, scoring eight goals and four assists.

He said there is a difference when it comes to missing time due to injury versus sitting out because of numbers, even if both tend to weigh heavily on the psyche.

"When you have an injury you’re rehabbing something and there’s extra work there, but both are pretty tough on you," he said. "When you’re healthy, you’re constantly just trying to get back in by being a good pro and working hard, being a good teammate."

In this case, being a good teammate doesn’t just mean supporting your fellow skaters. It involves treating the daily grind as if you were contributing on a nightly basis. It includes extra workouts after practice and doing conditioning drills while the others head home. It doesn’t allow you to feel sorry for yourself because no one has sympathy for people making the money professional athletes do.

When your absence extends for weeks, the rink can be a lonely place.

"That’s about as difficult of a situation that you can put a professional athlete in," Jets head coach Paul Maurice said.

Maurice has daily talks with the coaching staff to find out where each player is as far as their attitude and work ethic, and said Matthias, Dano and rookie defenceman Tucker Poolman have been exemplary teammates.

Maurice said there’s a difference between being sidelined due to injury and being a healthy scratch. He’s seen the effects of both over his 17-year NHL coaching career.

When you’re a healthy scratch "there’s a frustration there, whether you agree with the coach or not," Maurice said. "But off an injury it’s a different kind of — and I want to be careful with the word — but a depression."

Maurice added: "But once you can get them into the gym and they can start pushing the muscles, or you get them on the ice… their mood lifts and you start to see them progress even faster."

For Matthias and Dano, what has made their current situations easier, oddly enough, is the fact the Jets have proven to be just fine without them. Heading into Wednesday’s games they sit atop the Central Division with a record of 23-11-7. If the Jets were struggling, it would be much tougher to swallow.

"Team was doing great so I understand that coach didn’t want to make any changes," said Dano. "So now a couple of guys got hurt and that’s why we were working hard, to be ready for a chance when we get it." https://www.winnipegfreepress.com/sports/hockey/manitoba-moose/comrie-back-hungry-for- action-467969643.html?k=Anxyms

Comrie back, hungry for action Hutchinson sensational in his absence, but Moose want to develop young goalie

By: Mike McIntyre

Eric Comrie is ready to take back his crease — and it appears the Manitoba Moose will give him plenty of opportunity, even if it means pushing the AHL’s hottest goalie to the bench.

Comrie, 22, is considered a big part of the future of the Winnipeg Jets. The second-round pick from the 2013 NHL draft is in his third pro season and got an extended stay with the big club earlier this season, backing up Connor Hellebuyck when Steve Mason was felled by a concussion.

Comrie made one start in his three weeks with the Jets, a tough 6-4 loss to the Panthers in Florida. But the future remains bright, and that means giving him plenty of opportunity to shine with the Moose, where he is 9-4-1 with a 2.35 goals-against average and .925 save percentage. Comrie returned to the AHL last month, but suffered a lower-body injury in his first game back, leading to nearly three weeks on the shelf.

Add it all up and veteran netminder Michael Hutchinson has had the bulk of the work over the past six weeks and has been nothing short of sensational. Hutchinson, 27, was recently named the AHL’s goalie of the month for December after earning the same award in November. He’s 14-2-2 this season with a 1.77 GAA and .947 SV% in 18 starts with the Moose, who are on top of the league standings with an overall record of 24-6-3.

However, Hutchinson is on an expiring contract and likely not part of the organization’s future. That means his workload is likely going to be lightened in the coming weeks with Comrie’s return to full health.

"Keep your eyes on the process here. We’re here to develop. Obviously Michael has been playing extremely well and the results are there. So he did earn the right to play a lot. But we still need to develop and play our guy," Moose head coach Pascal Vincent said Wednesday following practice.

Manitoba plays in Chicago on Friday night, then visits Iowa on Saturday. Vincent said the goalies will split those games.

"We’re going to work in blocks, and the next block is those next two games and we’ll go from there," Vincent said.

He admitted Hutchinson has played more than planned with Comrie’s call-up and then injury.

"There’s no way he would have been playing those minutes if Eric was there. It would have been more 50-50," Vincent said.

"But he took advantage of the situation. And that’s what you expect from those players."

Vincent said he’s happy to have Comrie back not only for what he brings in games, but also how he drives teammates to be better.

"He’s a hard-working guy. He pushes the pace in practices, just in the way he does work. To have him ready to go is just a great option that we have," Vincent said.

Comrie said he’s eager to get into some action after only playing twice over a nearly six-week span.

"It’s unfortunate to get hurt and not be able to play, of course. I would have wished to be playing every single game. But at the end of the day, I have to take care of my body and let it rest. But I’ve had some good practices here and feel ready to go whenever called upon," Comrie said.

He wouldn’t reveal specifics of his injury, only to say it’s something that had been bothering him and then tightened up and got worse, leading to the decision for "a little break."

Comrie marvelled at the play of Hutchinson, along with all of the players in front of him. It’s a refreshing change for a player who was often under siege during the past two seasons as the Moose were one of the worst teams in the league.

"I feel like our team has really grown," Comrie said.

"We have a very, very different-looking team than we did the last two years. A lot older, a lot more mature. I just feel like it’s just a really good atmosphere around the rink, and that helps us play better as well."

Comrie said his time with the Jets has left him even more hungry for a return. Watching close friend Hellebuyck excel at that level this year has been rewarding and motivating.

"I knew how good of a he was," Comrie said.

"At the end of the day, my goal is to play in the National Hockey League. I want to do that." https://www.winnipegfreepress.com/sports/hockey/manitoba-moose/rookie-harkins-sent-to-- for-seasoning-467980503.html

Rookie Harkins sent to ECHL for seasoning

By: Mike McIntyre

Jansen Harkins is taking a detour to Florida as he navigates the waters in his first pro hockey season.

The Manitoba Moose sent the rookie forward to their ECHL affiliate on Wednesday as part of a plan to get him more playing time. Harkins, 20, has dressed for 26 games this season, scoring two goals and adding six assists while mostly in a fourth-line role. He’s been a healthy scratch for a handful of recent games with the Moose as the club enjoys both good health and solid depth.

Moose head coach Pascal Vincent said going down to the is not a demotion, but rather an opportunity.

"This is not unusual. We want him to play minutes, we want him to develop. And to be able to use our East Coast hockey team and for him to be able to play minutes, important minutes, is crucial in his development," he said. "We want him to feel good about himself, we want him to go out there, to be put on the ice when it really matters."

Harkins knows he’s coming back to the Moose soon regardless of what he does in the ECHL, meaning there’s no pressure on him to find instant offensive success.

"He’s going there to play a certain amount of games and we’re going to call him back up — he knows all about it," said Vincent, without revealing how many. "It’s anything but a , a reassignment where the player is not performing. He’s a big piece of our organization, and to us, it’s just being smart about the development of our players."

Harkins was selected in the second round, 47th overall, in the 2015 NHL draft. He turned pro this fall following four seasons with the of the .

Several other players from that draft are having big years in the organization — Kyle Connor and Jack Roslovic are with the Winnipeg Jets right now, while Sami Niku, Mason Appleton and Michael Spacek are with the Moose.

● ● ●

The Moose have welcomed back a big piece of their blue line.

Julian Melchiori, 26, was returned to the club Wednesday after being called up by the Jets on Dec. 14. He didn’t dress for any games with the big club, but was an extra body following an injury to defenceman Dustin Byfuglien, who returned to the lineup this week.

Melchiori is having a stellar offensive season with the Moose, with four goals and eight assists through 26 games. The goals and points are both career highs for Melchiori, who is in his sixth season with the AHL club. He also dressed in 30 games with the Jets during that span, putting up two assists.

Winnipeg Sun http://winnipegsun.com/sports/hockey/nhl/winnipeg-jets/dream-comes-true-for-35-year-old-slater

Dream comes true for 35-year-old Slater

By Paul Friesen

Jim Slater is on the phone from Switzerland, but the miles do nothing to diminish the excitement in his voice.

The former Winnipeg Jet has been on Cloud 9 for a week, when he found out a dream he’d long ago given up on is about to come true.

A wild combination of events, some way beyond his control, and his own dedication to the game have landed Slater a coveted spot on the U.S. Olympic team.

“I am 35, and you get to that point where it’s a foregone conclusion – it’s not going to happen,” Slater was saying, Wednesday. “And then it does. It’s amazing.”

Slater’s unlikely road to Pyeongchang, South Korea, began when the Jets didn’t re-sign him following the 2014-15 season. Of course, he didn’t know that at the time.

That was a tough summer for Slater and other NHL vets. Contract offers were hard to come by.

Some players settled for professional tryout offers.

Not Slater.

“For whatever reason my mindset was, ‘I’m not going on a PTO. I’m a 10-year vet,’ ” he recalled.

As the summer dragged on, he was beginning to regret his decision.

Finally he signed to play in the Swiss league.

“You look back… and it was the best thing for me to come to Europe,” Slater said. “It’s just weird how things work out.”

He didn’t know just how weird until this past summer.

After two seasons in the Swiss league, he’d decided to retire, lamenting how much time he was forced to spend away from his wife and daughter, who stayed home in Michigan during the bulk of his seasons in Switzerland.

Then it became apparent the NHL wasn’t going to allow its players to participate in the Olympics.

Slater had mixed feelings. As a hockey fan, he was disappointed. But he also saw a potential opportunity.

“I thought I had a good chance to make it, with my experience and what I bring to a team,” he said. “I had to give it a chance. Or else I would have regretted it.”

Luck, or maybe it was fate, was on Slater’s side.

His old team in Geneva, knowing he was probably done playing, had signed other imports. But he landed a deal with the Swiss team in Fribourg.

From there he took over, playing some of his best hockey and getting an invite to play for the U.S. in the Deutschland Cup in November.

The next six weeks, waiting to find out if he’d make the Olympic roster, was pure agony.

“A lot of uncertainty, a lot of sleepless nights,” is how Slater put it. “It comes down to that final week, and you’re really not getting any sleep. When you finally get that news, it’s an unbelievable feeling, not only for me but for my whole family, for the people that have got me to this point.”

Slater was home in Michigan for a short Christmas break when he found out.

He had his Winnipeg-born daughter, Wyn, who’s three years old, immediately call his parents, resulting in the words he’ll probably never forget hearing her say.

“My daddy’s going to be on the Olympic team,” he repeated. “She actually had to say it five times before my parents picked up on it.”

Slater probably needed to hear it that many times to believe it himself.

“How many people can actually say they’ve played in the Olympics? It’s just a dream.”

Simply being named to the team is a career highlight, right up there with being drafted and scoring his first NHL goal.

And all those days wondering why he wasn’t still in the NHL, while players like Tanner Glass and Chris Thorburn, his former linemates on the Jets’ G-S-T line, were – Slater now has his answer.

“You feel like in the NHL,” he said. “To this day I still think I could. But for whatever reason, things happen. You don’t see it at the time, but you look back now… and I couldn’t be happier.

“It was the best thing that could happen.”

What happens in Pyeongchang, well, that’s anybody’s guess.

“The great thing about the Olympics this year is it really is a mystery,” Slater said. “Anybody has a chance to win. We have just as good a chance as anybody in this tournament. We’re going in with the mindset we can win this gold medal.

“It’s a crap-shoot. That’s the kind of fun this Olympics is going to bring.” http://winnipegsun.com/sports/hockey/nhl/winnipeg-jets/consistency-key-as-jets-continue-to-roll- still-in-top-spot-in-central-at-midway-point

Consistency key as Jets continue to roll: Still in top spot in Central at midway point

By Ken Wiebe

Halfway home.

The Winnipeg Jets hit the midway point of the NHL season on Tuesday in Denver, falling 3-2 in to the .

Overcoming a 2-0 deficit softened the sting of losing for the sixth consecutive time in overtime somewhat, but more importantly, it was another example of the Jets finding a way to put points in the bank – even during a game were things weren’t coming easily.

That’s been a fairly common theme for the Jets, who sit in top spot in the Central Division standings through 41 games with a record of 23-16-7 (53 points).

At this time last season, the Jets were sixth in the Central at 19-19-3 (41 points) and it’s easy to identify how they’ve produced the 12-point improvement.

Improved goaltending from Connor Hellebuyck is at the top of the list, but it’s far from the only area the Jets have tidied up.

The Jets have constructed a roster that’s much deeper than at any point in the seven seasons since the Atlanta Thrashers relocated.

The competition for jobs and ice time has been evident since the start of training camp and there’s a push from below from players with the Manitoba Moose of the American Hockey League as well.

Consistency – or a lack thereof – has plagued the Jets during the past two non-playoff seasons, as long losing streaks have been prevalent.

Not this season.

Just once have the Jets dropped three consecutive games – and that third game was in overtime against the league-leading .

The Jets have stressed that there’s plenty of hockey left to be played and improvements to be made, but they’re learning on the fly what it’s like to play winning hockey on a regular basis.

Goal scoring didn’t figure to be an issue, given their scoring talent, but the Jets have found a way to continue to produce offensively while not sacrificing nearly as much on the defensive side of the ledger.

The Jets are fourth in goals per game and tied for ninth in goals-against per game, a stark contrast from last season.

After getting outscored 13-5 in the first two games, the Jets have found a way to rise to fifth in goal differential (plus-23).

The Jets have been dominant on home ice, posting a 14-3-1 record at Bell MTS Place that is among the best in the NHL.

And the Jets have continued to play tough against Central Division opponents, going 7-3-2 so far.

The heavy lifting is still to come and there are sure to be several potholes to navigate, but the Jets have positioned themselves to play meaningful games well into April – and perhaps even beyond.

With that in mind, here are the positional grades for the Jets through the first 41 games of the regular season:

Goalies (A)

Connor Hellebuyck has been a rock for the Jets between the pipes this season. By starting 16 of the past 21 games, he’s up to 33 appearances and 31 starts and his numbers have been tremendous as he sits among the league leaders in wins (21) and is in the top-10 in save % (.922) and goals-against average (2.38). There were some bumps for Hellebuyck in early December as he gave up four or five goals five times in a span of eight starts, but he also allowed two goals or fewer nine times in 16 starts during the second quarter of the campaign and recorded three shutouts.

Steve Mason suffered a concussion on Nov. 25 and was limited to four games during the past 21 but was strong in two of the three games he finished. Hellebuyck is currently tracking to appear in roughly 60 games, which is a higher workload than what was anticipated for him. But he’s taken his game to the next level and is a big reason the Jets remain at the top of the Central Division standings at the midway point.

Defence (B)

The depth on the blue line has been tested with injuries to Toby Enstrom (out for the past 22 games) and Dustin Byfuglien (who returned to the lineup in Tuesday’s 3-2 overtime loss after a 10-game layoff), but the eight players who have appeared in games on the back end for the Jets have held up pretty well. The young shutdown pairing of Jacob Trouba and Josh Morrissey continues to take strides forward and mostly fairing well while embracing the challenge of going up against the top offensive players most nights. Morrissey showcased his offensive skills a bit more during the past 21 games, chipping in three goals and 10 points during the past 21 games, while Trouba did a nice job running the top power play in Byfuglien’s absence.

Tyler Myers has five goals and 19 points while appearing in all 41 games during the first half, a significant event when you consider he was limited to only 11 games last season because of injuries. It’s been a similar situation for free-agent signing Dmitry Kulikov, who missed only two games coming off an injury-plagued season with the . Kulikov has two goals and 10 points in 39 games and has helped the Jets penalty kill. Rookie Tucker Poolman and Ben Chiarot have been mostly steady when called upon.

Forwards (A)

One of the most recent storylines is the suspected shoulder injury to Jets top centre Mark Scheifele, who is expected to miss six-to-eight weeks after what was a fantastic start to the season. Since Scheifele’s injury, the Jets have gone 3-0-1 so far, so it seems likely they’re not going to wilt without him – though it’s obviously a tough blow. Jets Blake Wheeler is having an outstanding campaign and is among the leaders in assists (34) and points (47) and his play hasn’t dropped off at all since shifting over to centre.

The ability to run four lines has helped give the Jets more balance and allowed the top offensive weapons to stay a bit fresher. The Jets already have six forwards hit double digits in goals, including Wheeler (13), Scheifele (15), Kyle Connor (13), Nikolaj Ehlers (17), Patrik Laine (18) and Mathieu Perreault (10) – with Adam Lowry (8) and Bryan Little (7) both closing in on the mark.

Coaching/management (A-)

It’s tough to find fault with the job general manager Kevin Cheveldayoff and head coach Paul Maurice are doing through the midway point of the season. The Jets have tackled most of their biggest challenges head-on. While there is still plenty of work to be done with regards to discipline and defending, the Jets are vastly improved in both departments. Special teams was an area of concern for several years as well and the Jets went into Wednesday’s action with the fourth-ranked power play and were tied for 16th in penalty kill.

While injuries are part of the game, Cheveldayoff and his staff are responsible for supplying the depth that’s been called upon to help try and fill the void while several key cogs have been out of the lineup. With the trade deadline of Feb. 26 fast approaching, it will be interesting to see if the Jets make any minor moves to bolster their depth or if they’ll look to add a bigger piece.

Winnipeg Jets: by the numbers through 41 games (league rank as of Jan. 3, 2018)

Record: 23-11-7 (T3) Points: 53 (T3) Home record: 14-3-1 Road record: 9-8-6 Record vs Central Division: 7-3-2 ROW (Regulation and overtime wins): 22 (T3) Goals for: 136 (3) Goals for per game: 3.29 (4) Goals against: 112 (T13) Goals against per game: 2.73 (T9) Goal differential: plus-23 (5) Power play %: 24.2 (4) Penalty killing %: 81.0 (T16) Shots on goal/game: 32.2 (13) Shots against/game: 31.8 (16) Team save %: .914 (11) Penalty minutes: 358 (16) Penalty minutes/game: 8.73 (19) Minor penalties: 82 (T10) Major penalties: 4 (T27) Individual leaders

Points: Blake Wheeler 47 Goals: Patrik Laine 18 Assists: Blake Wheeler 34 Game-winning goals: Nikolaj Ehlers 5 Power-play points: Blake Wheeler 18 Power play goals: Patrik Laine 10 Power play assists: Blake Wheeler 15 Shots on goal: Blake Wheeler 128 Shooting %: Mathieu Perreault 22.2% Faceoff % (among regular centres): Bryan Little 56.4% Time On Ice: Dustin Byfuglien 23:43 Plus-minus: Mark Scheifele/Andrew Copp plus-8 Wins: Connor Hellebuyck 21 Losses: Steve Mason 6 GAA: Connor Hellebuyck 2.38 Save %: Connor Hellebuyck .922 Shots faced: Connor Hellebuyck 980 Saves made: Connor Hellebuyck 904 Goals allowed: Connor Hellebuyck 76 Minutes played: Connor Hellebuyck 1,915

ESPN.com http://www.espn.com/nhl/story/_/id/21942999/nhl-2018-olympic-teams-look-nhlers-were-playing

What could have been: Here's what Olympic hockey rosters would look like with NHL players

By ESPN

The NHL has prohibited its players from participating in the 2018 Winter Olympic men's hockey tournament -- meaning that the league will not send anyone to the Winter Games for the first time since 1998. What could have been if the top pros had been allowed to compete? Senior writer Greg Wyshynski and national NHL reporter Emily Kaplan came up with their ideal rosters and predicted finish for each of the teams that would have contended for medals at the 2018 Winter Olympics ... if the world's best players were present.

United States Forwards Line 1 Auston Matthews Patrick Kane Line 2 James van Riemsdyk Phil Kessel Line 3 Max Pacioretty Joe Pavelski Blake Wheeler Line 4 Brandon Saad Ryan Kesler T.J. Oshie Defensemen Pairing 1 Ryan Suter Jacob Trouba Pairing 2 Zach Werenski Seth Jones Pairing 3 Cam Fowler Ryan McDonagh Goalies Starter Cory Schneider Backup Connor Hellebuyck Backup Jonathan Quick

Extras: Dylan Larkin, J.T. Miller, Shayne Gostisbehere, Kevin Shattenkirk Just missed: John Carlson, Justin Faulk, John Gibson, Vincent Trocheck, Anders Lee, Chris Kreider, Jason Zucker, Charlie McAvoy, Dustin Byfuglien, Brock Boeser

It's arguably the most talented Team USA roster ever. The Americans have remarkable depth, especially on defense -- which led to some tough cuts. Byfuglien, Carlson and Faulk are close misses, while rookie McAvoy would make a strong roster case, especially after shouldering hefty minutes for the Bruins this season.

A theme in building this roster is blending veteran experience with the next wave of stars. For example, while Suter is a mainstay at manning the blue line, four of the eight defenseman are younger than 24. This sets the U.S. up for Olympic cycles to come.

Team USA beefed up its center position with Eichel and Matthews. Miller makes the cut for his versatility. And while the Americans could infuse even more youth -- inviting rookie of the year candidates Boeser and Clayton Keller -- the forward group is mostly filled with recognizable faces like Kane, Kessel and Pavelski. Anything less than than a silver would be considered a disappointment for this stacked roster. --E.K.

Canada Forwards Line 1 Brad Marchand Sidney Crosby Patrice Bergeron Line 2 Taylor Hall Connor McDavid Mark Scheifele Line 3 Steven Stamkos John Tavares Nathan MacKinnon Line 4 Jamie Benn Jonathan Toews Tyler Seguin Defensemen Pairing 1 Duncan Keith Shea Weber Pairing 2 Marc-Edouard Vlasic Drew Doughty Pairing 3 Morgan Rielly Goalies Starter Carey Price Backup Braden Holtby Backup Matt Murray

Extras: Logan Couture, , P.K. Subban, Brent Burns Just missed: Mark Giordano, Dougie Hamilton, Jake Muzzin, Sean Monahan, Corey Crawford, Jaden Schwartz, Jonathan Huberdeau, Ryan Getzlaf, Claude Giroux.

There isn't an area of concern on this team. Those Crosby and Toews lines could lead Canada in scoring or play a shutdown role, and it would be fine either way. Price could falter, and Holtby could win gold. It's frankly unfair to the rest of the world that the Canadians are this good.

As usual, Team Canada has enough talent in its pool to fill about three Olympic squads, but some players had to be left off the "A" team. At the forward spot, I added two players who are having outstanding seasons in the NHL, under the assumption that they would get in on that merit: the Flyers' Couturier, a terrific potential shutdown guy if Canada needs one; and Hall, simply for the salt-in-the-Edmontonian-wound of watching him score a goal-per-game with McDavid.

I assume Mike Babcock would coach Team Canada if the NHL had decided to go; and so, on defense, I figured Babcock would go with familiarity and bring on Rielly -- his Leafs workhorse -- which meant leaving a worthy Giordano off. Finally, as much as Crawford has earned a , Team Canada has to start grooming Murray (who's only 23) for a potential 2020 gig. --G.W.

Russia Forwards Line 1 Alex Ovechkin Evgeny Kuznetsov Line 2 Vladislav Namestnikov Evgeni Malkin Nikita Kucherov Line 3 Artemi Panarin Artem Anisimov Alexander Radulov Line 4 Ilya Kovalchuk Pavel Datsyuk Evgenii Dadonov Defensemen Pairing 1 Ivan Provorov Nikita Zaitsev Pairing 2 Slava Voynov Dmitry Orlov Pairing 3 Alexei Emelin Dmitry Kulikov Goalies Starter Sergei Bobrovsky Backup Backup Semyon Varlamov

Extras: Pavel Buchnevich, Vadim Shipachyov, Andrei Markov, Alexey Marchenko Just missed: Nikita Gusev, Valeri Nichushkin, Ivan Telegin.

It's a familiar situation for Team Russia: The group is stacked at forward and has elite goaltending, but defensive depth is once again a problem. Bobrovsky is the likely No. 1 goaltender, despite his recent struggles in Columbus. The 23-year-old Vasilevskiy will make a strong push for ice time, however. He's having a terrific season for the Lightning.

If you think Kucherov has talented linemates in Tampa Bay -- well, there won't be much of a drop-off for him in this tournament. Perhaps he'll stay with Namestnikov for chemistry's sake, and be paired with a center like Malkin. As usual, the Russians boast some of the NHL's best snipers in Ovechkin and Tarasenko, and Panarin will get to shine on an international stage. As usual, a podium finish is the expectation for Russia, though it might not have what it takes to compete with Canada or the U.S. -- E.K.

Sweden Forwards Line 1 Filip Forsberg Nicklas Backstrom Viktor Arvidsson Line 2 Daniel Sedin Henrik Sedin Rickard Rakell Line 3 Jakob Silfverberg Alexander Steen Mika Zibanejad Line 4 Gabriel Landeskog Henrik Zetterberg William Karlsson Defensemen Pairing 1 Mattias Ekholm Erik Karlsson Pairing 2 Victor Hedman Anton Stralman Pairing 3 Oliver Ekman-Larsson John Klingberg Goalies Starter Henrik Lundqvist Backup Robin Lehner Backup Jacob Markstrom

Extras: Mikael Backlund, Jesper Bratt, Niklas Hjalmarsson, Hampus Lindholm Just missed: Patric Hornqvist, Loui Eriksson, Alexander Wennberg

The most difficult decision here was trying to figure out if Sweden would take the Sedins at their advanced age for another Olympic run. Since both appear to still be breathing in and out, I think the answer would be "yes." Leaving Honrqvist and Eriksson off might come as a shock to some; but -- assuming the Sedins are there -- Sweden has to make room for the newbies, like the Devils' dynamic Bratt and William Karlsson, the ace sniper for the , whom one presumes would have played his way onto the team. (Backlund, meanwhile, gets the call over Wennberg as a versatile, bottom-six talent.)

With an offensively dynamic blue line -- assuming Erik Karlsson finds his smile again after escaping Ottawa for a while -- and one of the best big-game goalies in hockey history, in Lundqvist, all Sweden would need is for Backstrom's line to click and one more year of Twin Magic to win another medal after taking silver in Sochi. --G.W.

Finland Forwards Line 1 Teuvo Teravainen Patrik Laine Line 2 Mikael Granlund Mikko Koivu Joonas Donskoi Line 3 Sebastian Aho Valtteri Filppula Mikko Rantanen Line 4 Joel Armia Erik Haula Leo Komarov Defensemen Pairing 1 Olli Maatta Rasmus Ristolainen Pairing 2 Markus Nutivaara Sami Vatanen Pairing 3 Esa Lindell Julius Honka Goalies Starter Backup Backup Antti Raanta

Extras: Markus Granlund, Artturi Lehkonen, Ville Pokka, Miro Heiskanen Just missed: Jesse Puljujarvi, Henrik Haapala, Lauri Korpikoski

The word "transition" comes to mind when looking at the Team Finland roster, four years after its win over the United States for Olympic bronze. Are brilliant young offensive players like Laine, Barkov and Aho ready to lead the first post-Teemu Selanne group to a medal? Or would the Finns have to rely their usual recipe of great goaltending and peerless tenacity rather than offensive flourish?

As for the snubs, Puljujarvi might be the most notable. But at 19 years old and now just getting his sea legs in the NHL, he has time. --G.W.

Sportsnet.ca http://www.sportsnet.ca/hockey/nhl/31-thoughts-nhls-trade-market-cracking-open/

31 Thoughts: NHL’s trade market cracking open

By Elliotte Friedman

2. As we try to piece together next year’s European schedule, add the possibility of Carolina versus Winnipeg in Finland. Sebastian Aho, Patrik Laine, Teuvo Teravainen. Makes sense. But no guarantees at this time.

10. As of Jan. 1, teams can sign players on one-year deals to new contracts. The guy who jumped out at me was Winnipeg’s Connor Hellebuyck, but doesn’t sound like there’s been much conversation yet. He’s been terrific.

21. All good things have to come to an end, and it did for Patrice Bergeron, Brad Marchand and David Pastrnak against the Islanders. New York’s lone goal in a 5-1 loss to the Bruins was with them on the ice, the first time all season someone scored five-on-five against that trio.

Boston outscores opponents 12-1 with them in that situation. Some comparables: Viktor Arvidsson/Filip Forsberg/Ryan Johansen are 14-6; Josh Bailey/Anders Lee/John Tavares are 22-19; Sean Couturier/Claude Giroux/Jakub Voracek are 23-11; Brayden Schenn/Jaden Schwartz/Vladimir Tarasenko are 17-4; Kyle Connor/Mark Scheifele/Blake Wheeler are 16-15; Nikita Kucherov/Vladislav Namestnikov/Steven Stamkos are 25-14. (I verified the numbers at naturalstattrick.com.)

Ryan Spooner had a great quote last Friday about his teammates: “I’m not surprised by that stat because that’s who I practise against, and I can’t get a shot.” www.winnipegjets.com https://www.nhl.com/jets/video/c-56378303

Lowry, Kulikov in 'Nutcracker'

Adam Lowry and Dmitry Kulikov had walk-on roles in the Royal Winnipeg Ballet's 'Nutcracker'

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