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SPORT-SCAN DAILY BRIEF NHL 8/16/2021 Arizona Coyotes 1219439 Coyotes sign second-round pick Janis Moser to entry-level contract 1219440 BHN Puck Links: Boston Bruins Frederic Says Ovie Spear ‘Didn’t Hurt’ 1219441 How might the Blackhawks looks this fall? Columbus Blue Jackets 1219442 Staying centered: Jack Roslovic looks to prove himself in Columbus Red Wings 1219443 , Adam Erne settle before arbitration, agree to new two-year deal 1219444 Adam Erne, Red Wings agree on new two-year contract 1219445 Red Wings avoid arbitration with Adam Erne, sign 15th overall pick Sebastian Cossa Florida Panthers 1219446 FHN Today: Florida Panthers announce game start times 1219447 FHN+FHN+ | Predicting the Florida Panthers Opening Night lineup 1219448 Metro Teams Add Goons to Stop Tom Wilson…But Not the Penguins San Jose Sharks 1219449 Sheng’s Weekend: Eklund’s Swedish Club Surprised He’s Attending Sharks Dev Camp Maple Leafs 1219450 SIMMONS SAYS: Much ado about 'All or Nothing' 1219451 Capitals depth chart: How the projected lineup looks after a quiet offseason Websites 1219452 The Athletic / NHLPA ‘strongly encourages’ players to get vaccinated, warns of potential loss of pay 1219453 TSN.CA / Team Canada player profile: Laura Stacey SPORT-SCAN, INC. 941-284-4129 1219439 Arizona Coyotes

Coyotes sign second-round pick Janis Moser to entry-level contract

BY SAM GRAVELINE

Arizona Sports

The Arizona Coyotes signed No. 60 overall pick in the 2021 NHL Entry Draft Janis Moser to a three year entry-level contract, the team announced on Saturday.

Moser, a 21-year-old left-hand defenseman, played for EHC Biel-Bienne in his home country of Switzerland.

In 2020-21, he played 58 games for his club and country, tallying nine goals and 24 assists.

He was named to the NL Media Swiss All-Star team last season in the EHC and also played for team Switzerland in the 2021 IIHF World Championship.

In 2020, he was part of the Swiss team that made it to the quarterfinals of the World Junior Championship, where he had four assists in five games.

An offensive-minded defenseman, Moser was the No. 25-rated European skater according to EliteProspects.com among draft eligible prospects.

Per team policy, the terms of the contract were not disclosed.

Arizona Sports LOADED: 08.16.2021 1219440 Boston Bruins

BHN Puck Links: Boston Bruins Frederic Says Ovie Spear ‘Didn’t Hurt’

Published 12 hours ago on August 15, 2021

By Joe Haggerty

Boston Bruins forward Trent Frederic had a solid first full NHL season last year even if it ended with him largely sitting on the pine at the tail end of the season. He had skirmishes with PK Subban, and he threw down with Claude Lemieux’s kid in a battle with the while also scoring a few goals along the way, and the way is paved for him to be an important piece of the bottom-6 for the Black and Gold.

Frederic also got into it with Tom Wilson and the Washington Capitals, including an exchange with Alex Ovechkin where the Russian sniper speared the Bruins in the groin while tempers flared through a contentious Boston Bruins/Capitals game. Not to worry, though, as Frederic assured on the Cam & Strick podcast that he didn’t even feel the disrespectful spear meant to assault his family jewels.

“Sounds weird but it didn’t hurt,” Frederic said on the podcast. “No lie. Shock Doctor Cup.

“We played them five or six times at that point and he’s the best player,” Frederic continued. “Obviously, I’m going to hit him every chance I get. He didn’t like that. I think earlier in the game, I went to go hit him and he fell. He thought I like tripped him or something. I thought he was going to drop them on me (fists) or something. I didn’t know. So I dropped my gloves. I thought he was going to throw. I’m not going to get jumped by him. He might drop me on my knees.”

The Washington Capitals did end up lambasting the Boston Bruins rookie with some chirps on the ice that were wide-ranging, even if they weren’t quite as eloquent as Penguins forward Brandon Tanev ripping into Frederic last season.

“They had some good lines,” Frederic said laughing. “‘He’s got more goals than you’ve got shifts.’ I was like, ‘That’s probably right.’ No one chirped my red hair maybe because it’s not so red anymore. I make sure I put water in it before every game.”

Let’s hope Frederic has even more rough and rowdy stuff in mind next season for the Bruins where they will need that swagger with the toughness of both Kevan Miller and Nick Ritchie subtracted from the Black and Gold roster. Now on to the BHN Puck Links:

*The Metro Division has teams loading up on tough guys to combat Tom Wilson, but the Pittsburgh Penguins are not one of them. (Pittsburgh Hockey Now)

*There are still plenty of questions lingering about the Boston Bruins that have been answered in this week’s Hagg Bag mailbag. (Boston Hockey Now)

*The Golden Knights need a revival, or maybe even an initial appearance more than a revival, of the player that the Flyers thought they were getting in Nolan Patrick. We’ll see if that actually happens. (Vegas Hockey Now)

*Bummer for Flyers prospect Zayde Wisdom, who is out indefinitely after injuring his shoulder this summer. (Philly Hockey Now)

*Looking to buy a David Krejci jersey for the Czech team that he’s going to be playing for this season, complete with a rooster on the crest? Well, look no further.

*Steve Simmons wonders if the Florida Panthers have a scouting staff, and if they actually watched any Maple Leafs games last season after signing free agent to a one-year contract. Ouch, babe. (Toronto Sun)

*For something completely different: It sounds like Pete Campbell is acting like his Mad Men character a bit these days while on other television shows. (Entertainment Tonight)

Boston Hockey Now LOADED: 08.16.2021 1219441 Chicago Blackhawks • Jake McCabe and Connor Murphy

• Calvin de Haan and Ian Mitchell

How might the Blackhawks looks this fall? With apologies to Duncan Keith, the Hawks' blue line should be much improved thanks to the additions of Jones and McCabe. That assumes Jones shakes off a couple of down seasons and McCabe -- who injured John Dietz the ACL, MCL and meniscus in his right knee in February -- stays healthy.

I like the versatile Kalynuk on the top pair with Jones. The 24-year-old While NHL training camps are six weeks away, it hardly means players proved to be an excellent passer -- especially exiting the defensive zone are sitting back and enjoying these lazy summer days. -- and he has some offensive pop. There will be hiccups against the best skaters, but Jones should minimize the damage most of the time. Fifth Third Arena, the Blackhawks' practice facility, is abuzz with activity with Jonathan Toews, Connor Murphy and others working out on a The third pairing is where things get interesting. De Haan was rumored to regular basis. Seeing how Toews progresses after a season away from be on the trade block, but it may be difficult to move an underperforming the NHL will be the biggest story heading into the season opener Oct. 13 veteran who carries a $4.4 million cap hit and is also injury prone. at Colorado. Keeping him makes sense because he can mentor younger guys like Mitchell, Nicolas Beaudin, Alec Regula and even Caleb Jones and Riley Will he be the same? Or better because he's fresher? Or worse because Stillman. he's rusty and/or still suffering affects of the illness that kept him away? The last pairing should change a lot over the first month or two, with most In the meantime, let's take a look at how the Hawks might look in the of the players getting a chance. Beaudin and Regula could earn the role early going: by December, especially if de Haan is traded or injured. Forward lines Daily Herald Times LOADED: 08.16.2021 • Alex DeBrincat-Tyler Johnson-Patrick Kane

• Adam Gaudette-Jonathan Toews-Dominik Kubalik

• Brett Connolly or Alex Nylander-Kirby Dach-Brandon Hagel

• Ryan Carpenter-Jujhar Khaira or Henrik Borgstrom-Dylan Strome or Philipp Kurashev

Tyler Johnson, then of the , moves the puck against the on Thursday, Jan. 28, 2021, in Raleigh, N.C. Now a Blackhawk, Johnson has nearly 600 games of experience and has won 50.9% of his draws over the last five seasons.

Tyler Johnson, then of the Tampa Bay Lightning, moves the puck against the Carolina Hurricanes on Thursday, Jan. 28, 2021, in Raleigh, N.C. Now a Blackhawk, Johnson has nearly 600 games of experience and has won 50.9% of his draws over the last five seasons. -

Johnson, who boasts nearly 600 games of experience, is an ideal center for Kane and DeBrincat. As a proven scorer, he'll free up more ice for two of the Hawks' deadliest weapons. He's also solid in the faceoff dot, winning 50.9% of his draws over the last five seasons. You want Kane and DeBrincat to start with the puck as often as possible, so this is the way to go until Dach improves to at least a 45% clip.

It's a no-brainer to reunite Kubalik and Toews, as they played some fantastic hockey for a long stretch in 2019-20. Gaudette's a bit of a wild card, but he has the offensive potential to thrive here. If it isn't panning out, then putting the hard-nosed Hagel on his off side works as well. He has an uncanny ability to steal the puck or pick off passes, which will have Toews heaping plenty of praise on the second-year forward.

The third line offers a little of everything, with Connolly here to provide veteran leadership at the outset. This is a good spot for Dach, too, as he continues to develop. He'll provide solid net-front presence to pound home rebounds as well as to screen shots coming from the elusive Hagel or from the D-men at the point.

The fourth line should be centered by the 6-foot-4, 212-pound Khaira, who signed a two-year deal when free agency opened. Carpenter has been a staple on this line for two years, but he will face stiff competition because Strome, Kurashev and perhaps Connolly could be in this role as well. Borgstrom will have a chance to prove himself as well, but it's highly debatable whether or not he can handle a bottom six checking role.

Strome seems to have fallen out of favor and could be traded if the Hawks can find a taker. Nylander's another interesting case. Now healthy, the 23-year-old needs to prove his hockey IQ has caught up to his talent level. If that's the case, he could win a spot on the third line. Lackadaisical play or poor ice awareness will likely ticket him for the bench.

Defense pairings

• Wyatt Kalynuk and Seth Jones 1219442 Columbus Blue Jackets flowing offensively, just striving to not only help the team win defensively but help us win offensively when we need it as well.”

Columbus Dispatch LOADED: 08.16.2021 Staying centered: Jack Roslovic looks to prove himself in Columbus

Brian Hedger

The Columbus Dispatch

Columbus' Jack Roslovic is already comfortable offensively playing center. He tied his NHL high with 12 goals and set career marks with 22 assists and 34 points last season.

It’s getting to be repetitive.

Jack Roslovic is growing weary of hearing, “Yeah, but don’t forget about playing defense,” whenever the idea of him becoming a top center for the Blue Jackets is the topic. It’s getting a little old, honestly, but the 24-year old forward also gets why it’s said so much.

Despite playing the position almost exclusively until breaking into the NHL in 2017 with the Jets, who moved him to wing because they were a team brimming with centers, Roslovic is still in the early stages of proving himself at the position while playing among the world’s best players.

“I don’t like saying it, but it’s a little bit reality,” said Roslovic.

Roslovic requested a trade from Winnipeg because he wasn't playing as much as he would have liked for the Jets. He then signed a two-year contract with the Blue Jackets after being acquired, along with star forward Patrik Laine, in a major trade Jan. 23 that sent center Pierre-Luc Dubois the other way.

The offensively-gifted forward opened eyes with his high level of skill and production as a top-six center in Columbus. Playing two minutes per game longer than he did the season prior with Winnipeg (2019-20), Roslovic tied his NHL high with 12 goals and set career marks with 22 assists and 34 points.

Defense was a different story, and so was taking faceoffs against some of the NHL’s top centers. Roslovic showed improvement by the end of the season, particularly in his faceoff win percentage, but a lot of honing is still needed in those areas for him to become a dependable two-way center who anchors a line with skilled top-six wingers.

Belief that he can do this relatively soon is based on three things: work ethic, a familiar face from Winnipeg hired as one of the Jackets’ new assistant coaches and the hope that coach Brad Larsen’s systems will be better suited for a center with his talents than the one former coach John Tortorella deployed.

Larsen was Tortorella’s top offensive assistant, but is looking to instill a more “progressive” system for a team filled with young, skilled players. Part of the plan included bringing aboard Pascal Vincent as an assistant. He was hired away from his post as head coach of the Moose and will be reunited with Roslovic in Columbus.

Vincent worked with Roslovic for almost two full seasons with the Jets’ top affiliate in the . Roslovic was used as a center in that stint, which turned out to be his only professional experience playing the position until joining the Blue Jackets.

“Looking back on it, I’m not going to take anything back but it definitely would’ve been nice to play center (in Winnipeg) and help me grow my game,” Roslovic said. “But I had a really good step this year and a lot of the teaching was from (Vincent) and the coaching I got in the (AHL). Center has always been my natural position and he trusted me with it, and hopefully when he comes here, we’ll continue on.”

Looking at the Blue Jackets’ depth chart at center ice, that’s almost a certainty. What remains a question mark is the one thing he’s getting tired of hearing.

Will his defensive game close the gap on his offensive skills?

“I think it’s going to be interesting,” Roslovic said. “I’m going to start, hopefully, learning new reads that you’re going to have to make and the system adjustments that are going to be in place with new coaches. That’s just the nature of it. And then it’s keeping my creative juices 1219443 Detroit Red Wings

Detroit Red Wings, Adam Erne settle before arbitration, agree to new two-year deal

Kirkland Crawford

Detroit Free Press

The Detroit Red Wings announced on Sunday they have come to terms on a two-year deal with forward Adam Erne.

The team did not release terms of the deal, but sportsnet.ca reports the contract is worth $4.2 million, with an average annual value of $2.1 million.

Erne, 26, filed for arbitration as a restricted free agent after tying for the team lead with 11 goals (a career high) and three power play goals in 45 games last season. He also had nine assists and a plus-minus rating of minus-1.

Red Wings general manager drafted Erne when he was running the Tampa Bay organization with the No. 33 overall pick in 2013. Yzerman then brought Erne to the Wings in August 2019 via trade.

The 6-foot-1, 212-pound left-handed shooter fits on the Wings' roster as a fourth-line player who can be physical and win puck battles along the boards. He tied for third on the Wings last season with 26 minutes

The Wings avoided an arbitration hearing with forward Jakub Vrana last week, inking him to a three-year deal worth a reported $15.75 million.

It has been a busy offseason for Yzerman, who late last month re-signed forward Tyler Bertuzzi for two years and $9.5 million. Yzerman also extended forward Sam Gagner and defenseman Marc Staal, and added forward Pius Suter, defenseman Jordan Oesterle and traded for defenseman Nick Leddy and goalie Alex Nedeljkovic.

Detroit Free Press LOADED: 08.16.2021 1219444 Detroit Red Wings Detroit News LOADED: 08.16.2021

Adam Erne, Red Wings agree on new two-year contract

Ted Kulfan

The Detroit News

Detroit — Adam Erne had a career-best season, and Sunday he was rewarded for it.

Erne, a restricted free agent, agreed to a two-year contact worth $4.2 million ($2.1 million salary cap hit) with the Red Wings.

By agreeing to the contract, the two sides avoided salary arbitration later this week.

The Wings also worked out a contracts with Tyler Bertuzzi (two years, $9.5 million/$4.75 million cap hit) and Jakub Vrana (three years, $15.75 million/$5.25 million cap hit) within the last several weeks, avoiding salary arbitration cases.

Erne, 26, led the Wings with 11 goals, and had nine assists, good for 20 points in 45 games. The 20 points tied Erne's career-high set in 2018-19 with Tampa Bay over 65 games.

Erne's three power-play goals tied for the Wings' team lead. He led the Wings with 82 credited hits, and posted the Wings' longest point streak of the season, spanning eight games (from April 1-15).

Erne only had five points during the 2019-20 season, his first with the Wings, after being obtained for a 2020 fourth-round draft pick.

General manager Steve Yzerman felt Erne's progress and development was "encouraging" for the Wings' organization.

" I feel good for Adam," Yzerman said at his season-ending press conference. "I was there in Tampa when we drafted him, I have gotten to know him since he was 18 years of age. I have watched him work through his final years as a junior, go to the American Hockey League, follow me to Detroit, he is really driven. He really wants to be a good player in the NHL.

"He puts the time and work in and it was good for him to earn a bigger role on the team and to thrive in it. We have a real good player who is a different dimension for us. A big, thick kid who has good hands and can play in a lot of different situations. There is a lot more there. I really like Adam's determination and drive.

"We all feel good for him, because I know he has put a lot of work into it and I know he has really wanted it. He has been waiting for his opportunity, he got a good opportunity and made the most of it."

Erne wasn't even sure how much of a role he'd have this season. Coach Jeff Blashill did not envision big things in the preseason.

But Erne earned an opportunity on the power play and produced offense, then flourished on a checking line with Luke Glendening and Darren Helm (both of whom have left via free agency).

"I just tried to stick with it and earn more opportunities," Erne said during a season-ending Zoom call. "Luckily, I was able to do something with those opportunities when they came. For me personally, I was happy with my season."

Erne became a piece the Wings wanted to keep as they rebuild, and it's an organization which which Erne wanted to stay.

"We're taking steps in the right direction, every practice, every game," Erne said. "We put the work boots on and work hard in practice, work hard in the games and just get better. That's what we're trying to do.

"We know Steve is going to make moves he wants to make to make the team better. We're a young team with some really good veteran presence in the room. As these young guys and everybody starts gaining confidence, you're going to see us start to gain some traction like we did this season."

The Wings' last two restricted free agents to sign are defenseman Filip Hronek and forward Givani Smith. They do not have arbitration rights. 1219445 Detroit Red Wings

Red Wings avoid arbitration with Adam Erne, sign 15th overall pick Sebastian Cossa

By Lauren Williams | [email protected]

The Detroit Red Wings made a couple of moves over the weekend. They agreed to a two-year deal with Adam Erne and signed goaltender Sebastian Cossa to an entry-level contract.

According to Elliotte Friedman, the 26-year-old forward and Detroit settled on a deal worth $4.2 million. The deal allowed the to sides to avoid arbitration, which was set to start on Aug. 21.

Erne had a solid season last year, leading Detroit with 11 goals and had nine assists, for 20 points in 45 games. He tied a career-high set in 2018- 19 with Tampa Bay Lightning over 65 games.

He also had three power-play goals, which tied for the Wings’ team lead.

Detroit acquired Erne from the Lightning, general manager Steve Yzerman’s former team, for a fourth-round pick in August of 2019. He was originally drafted with the 33rd pick overall in the 2013 NHL Entry Draft.

In addition to agreeing to terms with Erne, Yzerman signed Cossa to a three-year entry-level contract. Detroit selected the 18-year-old after trading three picks to the Dallas Stars -- No. 23 overall, a second-round pick (48th overall) and a fifth-round pick (138th overall).

Cossa had a .941 save percentage through 19 games played this past season with the Oil Kings of Canada’s Western Hockey League (WHL). During the 2019-20 season, Cossa a .921 save percentage with four shutouts.

Michigan Live LOADED: 08.16.2021

1219446 Florida Panthers

FHN Today: Florida Panthers announce game start times

Published 18 hours ago on August 15, 2021

By George Richards

The NHL released the 2021-22 schedule a few weeks ago but many wondered what time those games would start. Well, the Florida Panthers released their game start times for the upcoming season and it really isn’t earth shattering.

As has been the case for the past few seasons, most weeknight home games will start at 7 p.m. — unless national television were to force a move.

Florida will play most Saturday games at 6 p.m. although there are some afternoon games thrown in there (Jan. 1 against the Canadiens, for instance, will start at 1).

One of Florida’s final home games comes on April 23 and it’s on a Saturday. That game, against the , will start at 7 to accommodate Hockey Night in Canada.

For an ad-free reading experience, sign into your Florida Hockey Now account — or sign up for one today!

The Panthers’ final regular home game of the 2021-22 season is scheduled for April 24 against the Tampa Bay Lightning at 6 p.m.

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Now, this schedule is not set in stone. Since the league created a big gap in scheduling for the Olympics (and may not go) there is a possibility games in the second half of the season could shift a bit.

Stay tuned.

FLORIDA PANTHERS LINKS

The Florida Panthers were already going to have a battle for their final roster spots and the addition of Joe Thornton on Friday only adds to that.

How will the Panthers line up when the 2021-22 season opens up two months from now?

I look at the potential lines Florida could roll out when the Penguins come to town on Oct. 14. (FHN)

AROUND THE NHL

The announced that they will be honoring late Hall of Famer Dale Hawerchuk with a statue outside their arena.

Hawerchuk, who spent nine seasons with the original Jets, died last summer at the age of 57. (TSN)

— Jaromir Jagr planning to play on his 50th birthday is amazing, but also shows how incredible was. (DHN)

— Speaking of the Avs, Adrian Dater opened up the mailbag and answered a bunch of questions. (CHN)

— Sammi Silber also opened up the Capitals mailbag. (WHN)

— The Penguins schedule now has times attached to it. (PHN)

— So do the Bruins. (BHN)

— Brent Burns is still pretty darned good. (SJHN)

Florida Hockey Now LOADED: 08.16.2021 1219447 Florida Panthers

FHN+FHN+ | Predicting the Florida Panthers Opening Night lineup

Published 21 hours ago on August 15, 2021

By George Richards

The Florida Panthers will open their 2021-22 season in two months and rarely have expectations been this high in South Florida. With the Panthers signing future Hall of Famer Joe Thornton on Friday, what will their lineup look like come Oct. 14 when the Pittsburgh Penguins come to town?

There are not many questions as to who will play within the top six — although that will become much clearer when training camp starts next month.

But there are a few.

Will Sam Reinhart play center or on the right side? Is Anthony Duclair on the top line, the second or third? Where does up-and-coming forward Owen Tippett slot in?

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When it comes to the overall structure of the roster, there are not many spots remaining.

It already looked like there was going to be a real battle for positioning before Thornton signed on with a one-year, league-minimum contract.

For the purpose of this exercise, we’re going with the current roster.

General manager Bill Zito may have a trade or two coming to clear up some space and, based on what the Panthers did during camp last season, they will have their eye on the waiver wire as well.

FLORIDA PANTHERS FORWARDS

The Panthers are likely going to carry 14 forwards on the 23-man roster so looking at who is currently signed, there is not much room.

Who gets those final two spots?

Florida Hockey Now LOADED: 08.16.2021 1219448 Pittsburgh Penguins Tinordi essentially ended Penguins center Evgeni Malkin’s season with a solid open-ice hit. He, too, knows how to throw mitts. Sean Kuraly will be a third or fourth-line grinder in Columbus. Before he was called up to the Metro Teams Add Goons to Stop Tom Wilson…But Not the Penguins Boston Bruins, he had a string of AHL fights. He struggled to crack the Bruins lineup, but there is no question he’s a tough player.

The Flyers also took a step back towards the Broad Street Bullies with Published 20 hours ago on August 15, 2021 multiple acquisitions of bruising players.

By Dan Kingerski Pittsburgh Penguins Offseason

The Penguins lost tenacious grinder Brandon Tanev and replaced him with Brock McGinn via free agency. However. McGinn had four fights in The 2021-22 Metropolitan Division and Pittsburgh Penguins rivals may the last five years. That’s not a knock, but that’s an acknowledgment that look like the Adams or Norris Division of the 1980s. The teams with McGinn won’t be a player to answer the bell. salary-cap space and playoff aspirations took note of Washington Capitals tough guy Tom Wilson. While fans went bonkers over Wilson The Penguins have about $1.6 million of salary-cap space if future essentially bullying other teams last season, it was effective. He pounded transactions and demotions are factored. GM Ron Hextall safely has what seemed like the entire New York Rangers, who had no response enough for one more free-agent signing or player acquisition with a bit of and he even roughed up the Boston Bruins. a salary, too. But the Penguins lineup has taken a step back in talent and toughness. Teams are responding, but not the Penguins. The Metro Division is taking steps to improve. And teams in the Metro It’s all about defending against Wilson, who singlehandedly took down are getting tougher. the Rangers last season. As much as teams deny it affects them, as much as fans say it shouldn’t, it does. We live in a world of zero- You don’t think the other Metro teams will go easy on the Penguins tolerance schools and helicopter parents because bullying and fighting because the Penguins have been nice guys, do you? The Penguins have have an effect. about six weeks.

It matters as much in team sports. Finger-wagging against bullying has Pittsburgh Hockey Now LOADED: 08.16.2021 no effect, and there are only rewards for winning.

General managers across the Metro Division are putting in anti-Wilson safeguards, and it’s not a coincidence many of the Metro Division teams have added tough players, some known for pugilistic skills and not hockey–formerly known as goons.

*The Rangers hit the NHL trade market for Ryan Reaves and signed defenseman to a two-year deal.

*The Columbus Blue Jackets signed Sean Kuraly to a four-year deal and just inked Zac Rinaldo to a two-way deal.

*Philadelphia re-upped Samuel Morin for one more year, then traded for Rasmus Ristolainen (heavy physicality) and Cam Atkinson (tenacious, not a fighter).

*No one knows what the Islanders have done or will do, but Casey Czikas, Matt Martin, and Cal Clutterbuck will likely return.

And, the Carolina Hurricanes added defenseman Brendan Smith who became the resident fighter for the Rangers last season. Smith had five fights last season, including one with Wilson.

I suppose the Pittsburgh Penguins will score on the power play, one in every five times on average. Perhaps Erik Gudbranson’s fighting lessons to Brian Dumoulin in the spring of 2019 made an impression?

The NHL evolution away from fighting and towards a skating game hit hyperdrive with the Penguins 2016, and 2017 wins. Teams had to keep up, and seemingly overnight, young players who could skate replaced older players who couldn’t. Most teams got quicker and a lot quicker.

But then what?

Then toughness made a comeback, especially on defense. The Tampa Bay Lightning and Canadiens had big defensemen, and they played for the Stanley Cup.

And the New York Rangers still stinging from Tom Wilson’s Rowdy Roddy Piper impersonation grabbed the biggest “sheriff” available, who is willing to deal frontier justice.

Look, I can already hear Penguins fans. But they can’t play hockey! But score on the power play, that will show them! But hockey shouldn’t be goons and fighting! But, but…but…

The Metro Division is undergoing another transformation. The Washington Capitals have the premier player in this new evolution. Wilson is an exceptional penalty killer. He has hands capable of scoring 20-plus goals and denting cheekbones. The Washington Capitals bad boy served his suspension for putting Boston defenseman in the hospital with a vicious charging or boarding pop. 1219449 San Jose Sharks Flyers prospect Zayde Wisdom out indefinitely after successful shoulder surgery

Dan’s Daily: NHL Requires Vaccinations, RMU Students Push to Oust Sheng’s Weekend: Eklund’s Swedish Club Surprised He’s Attending President Sharks Dev Camp San Jose Hockey NowLOADED: 08.16.2021

Published 19 hours ago on August 15, 2021

By Sheng Peng

William Eklund signed an entry-level contract with the San Jose Sharks — and he’s willing to try the AHL next year too:

BREAKING: Eklund Signs with Sharks, Willing to Play in AHL

Earlier in the week, we highlighted Brent Burns’s still-present skills — but what’s declined in his overall game?

Where Has Brent Burns Declined? | SJHN+

A couple observations about the San Jose Sharks’ development camp roster:

Observations About Sharks’ 2021 Development Camp Roster

What if…the Sharks had signed John Tavares in the summer of 2018?

What If…Sharks Had Signed John Tavares?

IN OTHER SAN JOSE SHARKS NEWS…

Apparently, Djurgårdens was surprised by William Eklund’s decision to attend Sharks development camp. (Aftonbladet)

It’s worth mentioning — San Jose Hockey Now reported that Eklund was coming to dev camp two weeks ago:

CONFIRMED: Eklund Will Attend Sharks Development Camp

Andrew Cogliano joins the DFO Rundown:

NEW EPISODE OF THE DFO RUNDOWN IS OUT NOW!@JasonGregor & @frank_seravalli were joined by #Sharks forward Andrew Cogliano!

APPLE: https://t.co/TLP29yBywD

SPOTIFY: https://t.co/o5jyuExOn8 pic.twitter.com/VPNNN3q6uP

— DailyFaceoff.com Hockey (@DFOHockey) August 13, 2021

The San Jose Sharks release start times for their regular season schedule:

Scheduled start times for 2021-22 #SJSharks regular season: pic.twitter.com/JESmjxlCMF

— Sheng Peng (@Sheng_Peng) August 13, 2021

AROUND THE NHL…

Florida Panthers sign Joe Thornton to one-year deal

Jagr can’t touch Gordie Howe for post 50-year-old offensive production

Bill Daly say over 85 percent of NHL players are vaccinated right now. (The Athletic)

Golden Knights Need Nolan Patrick Revival; What to Expect

Hagg Bag: Some Boston Bruins Talk In The Summer Break

WHN Mailbag: Will Capitals Make Another Move; Plans For McMichael, Vanecek

The NHLPA is advising players to not to play in Olympic qualifiers. (Sportsnet)

Return of Anders Lee Will Pay Major Dividends for Islanders This Season

Avalanche Mailbag: Where in lineup will Alex Newhook play this year?

Canucks sign Jason Dickinson

Auston Matthews has wrist surgery and will probably miss the start of training camp. (Pension Plan Puppets) 1219450 Toronto Maple Leafs sensational slugger? Or maybe, just maybe, this is some kind of slump after four months of looking impenetrable at the plate. He has just two homers this month after hitting 33 in April, May, June and July combined. SIMMONS SAYS: Much ado about 'All or Nothing' He has just three extra-base hits. He’s batting .200 for the month. And with all that said, Guerrero remains fourth in the AL in batting, second in homers, first in RBI, first in OBP, first in OPS and second in slugging. Which under the circumstances remains rather astounding … Also Steve Simmons remarkable, the Canadian, Joey Votto. He turns 38 next month and is Publishing date:Aug 15, 2021 • 21 hours ago • 10 minute read • currently third in the National League in OPS, second in slugging and second in home runs … Blue Jays are 29-19 in games in which has played. That’s .604 ball, or a 97-win pace, worth all those millions … Alex Anthopoulos’ Atlanta Braves remain in the race in the Toronto Maple Leafs forward Auston Matthews (34) and teammates National League East — which is almost impossible to believe. They are Mitchell Marner (16) and Jack Campbell (36) skate off in dejection at the playing without sluggers Ronald Acuna Jr. and Marcell Ozuna and end of third period NHL Stanley Cup hockey action against the Montreal without three starting , Mike Soroka, the flutist Ian Anderson and Canadiens, in Toronto, Monday, May 31, 2021. (Nathan Denette, The Huascar Ynoa. For those keeping track, Anthopoulos has been in ) post-season every year since 2015 with the Blue Jays … Call me crazy, Toronto Maple Leafs forward Auston Matthews (34) and teammates but if the Blue Jays somehow make it to the wild-card game, they could Mitchell Marner (16) and Jack Campbell (36) skate off in dejection at the end up challenging for the World Series. They could. Their starting end of third period NHL Stanley Cup hockey action against the Montreal pitching, suddenly, is that deep … Rookie Alek Manoah has made 11 Canadiens, in Toronto, Monday, May 31, 2021. (Nathan Denette, The starts for the Blue Jays: Toronto is 8-3 in those games … The Jays won Canadian Press) ’s first four starts in his first season with Toronto. Since then, they’re 5-11 in games in which Matz has started. He wouldn’t be part of The series is called All or Nothing and the suspicion early on is there will any playoff rotation. be a whole lot more nothing than all about the Toronto Maple Leafs 2021 season in docu-drama. SCENE AND HEARD

The thought process going in was rather elementary: Spend a season Bianca Andreescu is starting to remind me of , the 2001 with the Maple Leafs and film just about everything — the way HBO has version who went to the minor leagues to reinvent himself. It is two years done in the past with its terrific football series, Hard Knocks. since she won the Rogers Cup and the U.S. Open. Since then, so many injuries, but more than that, an inability to find her way. She needs to The Leafs, from a management perspective, were thrilled to be hosts of rebuild herself now and her game, to get anywhere close to where she the series, with the assumption being that the past season was going to was 24 months ago. She’s still a kid, like Halladay was, and has the kind be a great one. of doggedness he had. It’s still too soon to say she can’t do it anymore … How many athletes in pro sports are more fun to watch than tennis player That was before the Leafs lost to Montreal in the playoffs. And that was Gael Monfils? … I coached more than 10 years of boys’ house league before COVID-19 became the centre point of so much of the National hockey and in many of those seasons had girls on my teams. It was Hockey League season. And that was at a time when optimism never a problem, never a distraction, never anything but a pleasure. I surrounded the Leafs in an all-Canadian division when they had nothing can’t for the life of me comprehend what has happened in to hide and everything to gain from having a series of episodes giving the with one girl wanting to play and the non-sensical controversy it has largest fan base in the game a true inside look at life with a big-time NHL become … The new math: Toronto FC is second in Major League Soccer team. in payroll, but tied for last among 27 MLS teams in wins … It is alive: No one is saying exactly how much has been sliced from the original Masai Ujiri will finally hold a news conference Wednesday to talk for the series, but it’s clear from talk around hockey that the NHL, the Leafs and first time since being re-upped by the Raptors with a fancy new title … the NHL Players’ Association all played a part in watering down the Mike Keenan is putting his pen to paper and, if it’s as honest as I suspect original footage. Some of it has been done to protect players. Some of it it to be, it will be a fascinating read. The writing has been done by Scott has been done to protect relationships. Morrison and the late Jay Greenberg … The best Blue Jay nobody talks enough about Teoscar Hernandez … An NHL coach on the Leafs signing The show may still be great. of Ondrej Kase: “If his head is good (meaning concussion issues from the It just won’t be what we hoped it would be. And what they hoped it could past) and he’s healthy, I think he can score 25 goals. He has that much be. And that really was the gamble going in. talent.”

THIS AND THAT AND ANOTHER THING

What do old Canadians around retirement age do when winter hits? They Great baseball theatre: The Field of Dreams game between the Yankees go to Florida. Just like Joe Thornton has … For somewhat similar money, and White Sox in an Iowa cornfield. Terrible baseball theatre: Way too the Stanley Cup champion Tampa Bay Lightning signed Corey Perry. many Major League games are blacked out on MLB-TV in Iowa, where The Florida Panthers signed Thornton. One of these is a good signing … they have no big-league teams … The late Canadian, Bill Kinsella, wrote And I wonder: Do the Panthers have pro scouts and were they, in fact, the novel Shoeless Joe, which was later made into the movie Field of watching the Leafs last season? … Say this much for Thornton: The Dreams … No pre-season games means not a lot of offence early in the Leafs players adored having him around last season. If he wasn’t the Canadian Football League season. Through six games, the average most popular player on the team, he was right up there … Thornton is the score of the winning team is 21 points. Teams have won scoring 20, 19, sixth Leaf to leave since the playoff disappointment versus Montreal. 16, and 15 so far … Still looking for work: Tyler Bozak. Also unsigned, Gone from last season: Zach Hyman, Thornton, Nick Foligno, Frederik Eric Staal … My favourite Olympian, non-Canadian division: Tunisian Andersen, Zach Bogosian and Alex Galchenyuk, who has yet to catch on swimmer, Ahmed Hafnaoui. My favourite event, non-Canadians: The anywhere in free agency. The Leafs never informed Thornton they had men’s 400-metre hurdles. What a race that was in Tokyo. Kept thinking any intention of bringing him back … The off-seasons of Auston of Edwin Moses … When the Chicago Blackhawks played the Boston Matthews are never short on drama it seems: 2019, getting caught with Bruins in the Stanley Cup final in 2013, I made it a point to phone disorderly conduct at his Scottsdale condo; 2020, testing positive for brothers Tony Esposito and before the series began for a COVID-19 before so many athletes and fellow citizens followed suit; story. Tony had played most of his career in Chicago. Phil had been 2021, having wrist surgery, albeit late, so he won’t be fully ready for traded by both Chicago and Boston. When I called Tony, who passed training camp. And before that, two summer visits from then coach Mike away this week, he was quiet and soft-spoken. When I called Phil, he Babcock, just to make sure everything between them was right. And in answered the phone by saying: “What took you so long?” And he then between, the young man scored more goals than just about anyone else went on to rip the Blackhawks and the Bruins … My Argos season tickets in the world. are just $57 apiece for really good seats. In today’s overpriced world, that’s value … Happy birthday to Magic Johnson (62), Shea Weber (36), HEAR AND THERE Craig MacTavish (63), Bob Backlund (72), Tim Tebow (34), Marty Biron (44), (31), Mike Mayock (63), John Brodie (86), Carter Is Vladimir Guerrero Jr. tired midway through August or are teams in the Verhaeghe (26) and Jakub Voracek (32) … And hey, whatever became American League just figuring out how best to pitch to the Blue Jays’ of Dustin McGowan? TOUGH FOR JAYS TO PLAY CATCH UP But that’s not all when it comes to De Grasse and friends.

For as well as the Blue Jays have played since returning home to Now there has been a story out of England that has questioned the gold Toronto on July 30 — winning 10-of-15 in that time — the frustration of medal won in the by little-known Italian sprinter, Lamont the wild-card race is apparent with six weeks remaining in the Major Marcell-Jacobs. So far, there have been no rulings on any of Marcell- League season. Jacobs’ samples post-Olympics, which must be an indication that Jacobs is aligned with a well-known nutritionist, which is code-word at times for The Jays have played .667 baseball since coming home heading into use of illegal substances. Saturday night’s game in Seattle and have barely made a dent in the standings. Should Jacobs be found guilty in any way, his 100-metre medal would be stripped, moving DeGrasse’s bronze to a silver and, with the Italians As they’ve gone 10-5, the have gone 9-4. As they’ve winning the 4 X 100, and the Brits finishing second, a disqualification of won two-thirds of their games, the Oakland A’s have won eight of 11 — the Italians would move the Canadians from bronze to silver to gold. that’s .727 baseball. If any of that makes sense. Only the Red Sox, getting the freebie home games against Baltimore this weekend, have faltered considerably in that time period, going 4-9 De Grasse is six for six at the Olympics to date — six races, six medals. themselves. Toronto has picked up five games on the Red Sox in a very The question now is what colours will the medals be when the dust clears short period of time, but in the same schedule, the Tampa Bay Rays on whatever the apparent drug violations happen to be. have gone 9-3 themselves and moved into first place in the American League East. Toronto Sun LOADED: 08.16.2021

Make no mistake, this is a wild-card race for Toronto and nothing more. They don’t play Boston anymore. They can’t catch Tampa. They play Oakland three times at the Rogers Centre and have seven games remaining with the Yankees.

The season ends with three games at home against the Yankees. But with the Yanks finishing with series against Baltimore, Cleveland, Texas and Boston, there may not be enough time for the Jays to play catch up.

JAY GREENBERG WAS ONE OF A KIND

When I was a young sports writer, going to Philadelphia for the very first time, I found myself rather mesmerized by the Philadelphia Daily News’ hockey writer, Jay Greenberg.

In almost every piece he wrote about the Flyers, he made me laugh, he made me smile, he made he take notice of a turn of phrase, or some kind of clever nuance. Almost immediately, I wanted to be like him. And almost immediately, I knew I couldn’t.

Instead of writing like him, or being like him, which I knew wasn’t possible, I made it a point to try and get to know him. And that year, the that I covered played the that he covered in the second round of the .

I made it a point to try and watch him, see how he worked, talked to him during practices or media-room dinners, and tried to get a sense of how best to cover an NHL team.

He did it differently than almost anyone else did — he wrote for one of the last afternoon newspapers in the business. His stories were longer and more detailed. The more I read them, the more I got to know him, the more impressed I was with his work, and frankly, the more impressed I was with him.

We even had a chance to work together for a short time at the Toronto Sun, where he arrived in town to see the Blue Jays win a World Series, the Maple Leafs have a playoff run and to understand what Oskee Wee Wee was, before returning home to the U.S.

Little more than a year ago, after a wonderful career working in Kansas City, Philadelphia, New York and Toronto, Greenberg wound up contracting the dreadful West Nile Virus. The last year has been test and then some for his family, his wife, Mona and his two daughters.

Jay Greenberg passed away on Thursday at the age of 71.

I wish I had his words to fully explain what he meant to me.

DE GRASSE IN LINE FOR A MEDAL UPGRADE?

Andre De Grasse left the Olympics in Tokyo with a gold medal from his 200-metre victory and two bronze medals, one from the 4 X 100 relay and one from the 100-metre race early in the schedule.

That’s now.

All that could change rather quickly.

The bronze medal from the 4 X 100 could well turn to silver after Great Britain sprinter CJ Ujah tested positive for a banned substance in Tokyo. Should Ujah’s B-sample show a similar result, the British team would be disqualified and the Canadian medal would turn from bronze to silver. 1219451 Washington Capitals 32

With a five-year, $47.5 million extension in hand, Ovechkin has healed up from the injuries that hampered him late last season and will look to Capitals depth chart: How the projected lineup looks after a quiet continue his ascent up the all-time goals list. The Caps’ captain, who offseason turns 36 next month, currently sits in sixth place with 730 goals and will need to average 33 per season over the life of his new contract to pass ’s record of 894. This season, Ovechkin will be a league- By Tarik El-Bashir Aug 15, 2021 7 wide subplot as he takes aim at (731 goals), Brett Hull (741) and Jaromir Jagr (766). If Ovechkin passes Jagr, he’ll have only

Gordie Howe (801) and Gretzky ahead of him. With the expansion draft, the entry draft and the busy first few days of As for the other left wings, it’s important to point out that Mantha is free agency disappearing in the rear view, the Washington Capitals’ comfortable lining up on either side, giving Coach Peter Laviolette plenty 2021-22 depth chart is coming into focus. of flexibility when constructing his forward combos. Sheary seems to So is the opening-night lineup — provided, of course, that GM Brian have found a home on the left side of Eller, while Hagelin was one-third MacLellan is done tinkering. of the team’s steadiest forward line last season and anchors the penalty kill, which ranked fifth. With that caveat in mind, now feels like a good time to take stock of who’s in, who’s out and what it all might look like when the puck is The big storyline: Mantha scored in each of his first four games after dropped on Oct. 13 vs. the New York Rangers at Capital One Arena. being acquired in the trade-deadline deal that sent Jakub Vrana to Detroit. But the 6 foot 5, 234-pounder did not score again, going the final Spoiler alert: it’s probably going to look kinda familiar. 15 regular-season and playoff games without a . The Caps will need more production from him, obviously. The hope internally is that he’ll Who's in and who's out? benefit from having a full training camp and preseason to get completely In comfortable in his new surroundings.

D Matt Irwin (signed UFA)* Right wing

D Dylan McIlrath (signed UFA)* PLAYER AGE

F Michael Vecchione (signed UFA)* T.J. Oshie

G Hunter Shepard (signed UFA)* 34

G Vitek Vanecek (re-acquired via trade from Seattle) Tom Wilson

Out 27

D Zdeno Chara (unsigned UFA) Daniel Sprong

D Brenden Dillon (traded to Winnipeg) 24

F Daniel Carr (Switzerland's NL) Garnet Hathaway

F Philippe Maillet (KHL) 29

F Michael Raffl (signed with Dallas) There are no surprises – or openings — to be found on the right side, as the same players seem set to return. No significant concerns, either, so G Craig Anderson (signed with Buffalo) long as Oshie, who turns 35 in December, remains productive, Wilson stays out of the crosshairs of the Department of Player Safety and G Henrik Lundqvist (unsigned UFA) Hathaway continues to do his thing on the dependable fourth line. *indicates two-way contract The big storyline: Is this the year Sprong puts it all together and The most intriguing move of a mostly quiet offseason for the Caps was establishes himself as a full-time player in the NHL? It seems he’s going the reacquisition of Vitek Vanecek just one week after Seattle selected to get that opportunity, potentially as the right wing on Eller’s line. Last the second-year goalie in the expansion draft. Vanecek led all rookies in season, Sprong was one of the NHL’s most efficient scorers, ranking wins last season with 21 and figures to keep the heat on presumptive No. second (1.70) in goals per 60 minutes of five-on-five play. He’ll be plenty 1 Ilya Samsonov. motivated, as well; he’s in the last year of a contract that pays him $725,000, or $25,000 less than this year’s minimum, and will be a The biggest names moving on, meantime, were left-side defensemen restricted free agent with arbitration rights at season’s end. Brenden Dillon and Zdeno Chara. In terms of time on ice, they were the Caps’ No. 4 and No. 5 defensemen last season. In fact, Dillon and Chara Center are the only players who appeared in Game 5 vs. Boston not currently on PLAYER AGE the roster. (Craig Anderson, who backed up Samsonov, did not play.) Nicklas Backstrom (Note: For the purposes of this exercise, players are listed once and at their natural or most frequent position. Many players can — and often will 33 — get shifted to other positions based on need and/or matchup.) Left wing 29 PLAYER AGE Lars Eller Alex Ovechkin 32 35 Nic Dowd Anthony Mantha 31 26 Last season was a mixed bag for this position group, which figures to Conor Sheary return unchanged, as well.

29 Backstrom was arguably the Caps’ MVP before a hip injury slowed him down the stretch and into the playoffs, where he notched only a single Carl Hagelin point — an assist — in five games. Evgeny Kuznetsov contracted COVID-19 twice, limiting his availability Nick Jensen and impact, and was scratched once for disciplinary reasons. Eller ran into injury trouble, too. 30

One of the biggest surprises of the season was Dowd’s emergence as a Trevor van Riemsdyk key performer under Laviolette. He not only scored a career-high 11 30 goals but emerged as one of the Caps’ most trusted players, particularly on defensive-zone draws, and became a league-leader in the faceoff Like many of the position groups, this one has remained unchanged. circle. MacLellan acknowledged last month that Carlson had a minor procedure What about 2019 first-round pick Connor McMichael? I’ll answer this one to repair the knee injury that slowed him in the playoffs but added that the before it comes up in the comments. He’s the Caps’ top prospect and, in No. 1 blueliner will be ready for camp. his first pro season, led the AHL in goals and points. But The hope internally is that Schultz can stay healthy after an injury- if there are no changes or major injuries, however, I’m having a difficult plagued first season in D.C. and that Jensen will continue his upward time finding a veteran that he’s ready to displace. We’ll see what trajectory, even if he’s paired with someone other than Chara. happens in training camp, but it wouldn’t surprise me to see McMichael get a full year of seasoning in the minors before challenging for a spot in The big storyline: Will Laviolette and McCarthy consider swapping a 2022. right- defenseman to the left? As things stand right now, there are four NHL defensemen on the right. Sure, McCarthy prefers blueliners to The big storyline: The trade speculation swirling around Kuznetsov play on their strong side. But with a surplus on the right, would it make earlier this offseason has all but disappeared. If that’s indeed a sign that sense to swap someone — like van Riemsdyk — to the left? Van No. 92 is going to remain in D.C., then the onus shifts to Laviolette and Riemsdyk has said in the past that he’s comfortable on either side, and his ability to coax more consistency and attention to detail from he’s too good to sit out as scratch. Kuznetsov, and the player’s willingness to rise to the challenge. It’s absolutely critical that this happens. Earlier this offseason MacLellan Goaltender articulated the Kuznetsov conundrum as succinctly anyone has to this point when he said of the $7.8 million a year pivot: “We need him to play PLAYER AGE at his highest ability, and if he can’t play at his highest ability, we’re not Ilya Samsonov going to be a good team…” 24 Left defense Vitek Vanecek PLAYER AGE 25 Dmitry Orlov Pheonix Copley 30 29 Michal Kempny After a sophomore season fraught with well-documented challenges on 30 and off the ice, the Caps aren’t sure Samsonov is “The Guy.” Not yet Martin Fehervary anyway, and the one-year, $2 million contract he signed last week is an indication of that. 21 The 2015 first-round pick will indeed have plenty to prove in 2021-22. Matt Irwin He’ll also have Vanecek, whom the Caps aggressively pursued after he was selected by Kraken, peering over his shoulder. Could a competition 33 push each of them to new heights? That’s the hope. With Dillon off to Winnipeg and Chara unsigned, there are question The big storyline: The Caps’ future in net figures to be shaped by how marks on the left side of the blue line. Big ones, such as: things play out this season, as Samsonov and Vanecek each will be Where is Michal Kempny health-wise? He suffered a pair of serious leg restricted free agents with arbitration rights at season’s end. The injuries (a torn hamstring and ruptured Achilles tendon) over the past two decision-makers want Samsonov to seize the starter’s role. They also years and hasn’t appeared in an NHL game since Game 2 vs. the want Vanecek to prove he can be a reliable 1b. It’s now up to the young Islanders on Aug. 14, 2020. goalies to show that they can be cornerstones at the game’s most important position. Is Fehervary ready for a full-time role? The hope is that the 2018 second- rounder is ready to make the jump, but his track record is a short one, as Projecting the opening night lineup he’s appeared in just six NHL games, all in 2019-20. He’s also waivers- LEFT WING CENTER RIGHT WING exempt. Alex Ovechkin Does recently signed veteran Matt Irwin factor into the equation? The 33- year-old has 383 NHL games on his resume and has a ton of familiarity Evgeny Kuznetsov with Laviolette and defensive coach Kevin McCarthy, having spent four seasons in Nashville. Tom Wilson

This is the position to watch in training camp and the preseason. Anthony Mantha

The big storyline: Kempny has been working hard — really hard, per his Nicklas Backstrom Instagram account — as he prepares for the season. And that’s great T.J. Oshie news. But it’s impossible to know exactly what can be expected from him until he’s back on the ice; wheels are the key to his game. He’s entering Conor Sheary the final season of a four-year contract that carries a $2.5 million cap hit. Lars Eller Right defense Daniel Sprong PLAYER AGE Carl Hagelin John Carlson Nic Dowd 31 Garnet Hathaway Justin Schultz LEFT DEFENSE RIGHT DEFENSE 31 Dmitry Orlov

John Carlson

Michal Kempny

Justin Schultz

Trevor van Riesmdyk

Nick Jensen

Might Mantha and Sprong swap sides?

Could Kuznetsov and Backstrom flip flop lines?

Can van Riemsdyk secure a full-time role?

Is it possible Fehervary squeezes Kempny out of the lineup?

Will Vanecek pull even with Samsonov?

Although the big pieces appear to be in place, there are still questions as to who fits where and how the playing time will be divvied up. Laviolette and his staff, with input from MacLellan, will make those decisions during training camp, and then continue to tweak things throughout the season.

One thing to keep in mind as you contemplate how you would line up everyone is the salary cap. If there are no significant changes, it could be uncomfortably tight once again.

With 12 forwards, six defensemen and two goalies, there’s only $1.4 million in space left over, per Cap Friendly. Add a spare forward, and there’s not enough room for an extra defenseman. Add an extra defenseman, and there’s not enough room for a spare forward.

Could it mean another move is coming? Perhaps but not necessarily. Time is on MacLellan’s side right now. Injuries happen. Trade talks come up (and get revisited) once managers get a firmer grasp on what they’ve got and what they still need.

The Athletic LOADED: 08.16.2021 1219452 Websites levels and with our own membership, discussing frequently both with the executive board as an entity and with individual players who have questions and comments,” NHLPA executive director Don Fehr said.

The Athletic / NHLPA ‘strongly encourages’ players to get vaccinated, Though NHL player vaccination rates are high, there were some players warns of potential loss of pay on last week’s call who voiced concerns about potential financial implications for those who wish to remain unvaccinated.

By Michael Russo and Katie Strang Aug 14, 2021 732 “It’s about 80 percent of guys think we should all be vaccinated then the 20 percent that are like, ‘No, this is stupid, we shouldn’t have to,’ which I guess we are all entitled to our own opinion,” one player on a Canadian team said. “But when guys start being told they may miss pay, they are During a call that lasted more than an hour last week, NHL players were starting to change their tune.” “strongly encouraged” by the NHL Players’ Association to get fully vaccinated and warned about potential loss of pay during the upcoming At least one player on the call broached the idea of national interest season if they do not do so. The NHLPA discussed the potential for exemptions for entry into Canada for NHL players; national interest teams to withhold paychecks should an unvaccinated player contract exemptions are modifications of rules and protocols (these national COVID-19 or if an unvaccinated player can’t accompany his team on exemptions were required for both the 2020 postseason hub city setup road trips where local or federal authorities require vaccinations to enter. and for last season). But the NHLPA did not express confidence that such an exemption would be granted, particularly because Canada is On Monday, the Canadian government opened the border to Americans becoming more stringent about border travel, not less. In fact, amongst a or Canadians living in the United States as long as they’ve been fully series of tweets Friday, Canada’s prime minister, Justin Trudeau, said by vaccinated for 14 days and show proof of a negative test result within 72 the end of October Canada will require commercial air travelers to be hours of their arrival. vaccinated. Unvaccinated individuals who arrive in Canada – whether a resident or Even though NHL teams fly into Canada on chartered aircraft, the not – still must quarantine for 14 days. NHLPA is preparing its unvaccinated players for the potential that they The NHLPA and NHL have been engaged in constant discussions about may not be permitted to accompany their team into the country if the policies and procedures for next season that will satisfy both safety and government won’t allow them in. And, if that’s eventually the case, it’s compliance measures and provide the best chance at being able to likely they would have their salaries withheld for the time they’re away complete a full season without any major shutdowns or scheduling from their teams. snafus. Unlike last season, when the schedule was constructed with Multiple NHL player agents told The Athletic they have counseled their some flexibility should outbreaks occur, this season has significantly less clients to comply with vaccination advisories and warned about the maneuverability. Part of that is due to a potentially compressed schedule potential implications should they fail to do so. as a result of the 2022 Winter Olympics in (a decision on NHL participation is expected to come down later this month), and part of that Though the majority of their clients are already vaccinated, some NHL is due to the desire to play a full NHL schedule to stave off the adverse agents said they have had to broach discussions with players who have economic impact COVID has wrought on the league and teams. expressed concerns with vaccines. Those concerns have run the gamut, prompting conversations about health, politics and sources of information When those protocols and policies are agreed upon, they will then be about vaccines. One agent said he strongly encouraged his clients to submitted to federal and local governments for consideration. It is not get vaccinated and asked that those who had reservations speak with immediately clear whether these protocols and provisions will include any their personal doctors for medical advice. explicit provisions on unvaccinated players and potential loss of pay, but the union informed its members of the possibility last week so as to Most feel players will take the plunge (or jab) once it starts impacting provide adequate time and information to make plans for the upcoming their ability to operate as usual in a team setting. season. Once hockey resumes, unvaccinated players may be subjected to stricter “It sort of puts the pressure on everyone,” said one player. “You don’t protocol and compliance measures similar to the NFL and may be asked want to be the reason your team plays shorthanded or is forced to be to test, practice, dine and convene in different settings than their stuck inside your hotel like last season.” vaccinated teammates. Once the season begins and teams start traveling, that can make logistics even more complicated, particularly NHL deputy commissioner Billy Daly confirmed north of 85 percent of with Canada’s governmental regulations. NHL players are vaccinated. The WNBA boasts a 99 percent vaccination rate. The NFL is pushing 90 percent, according to a report in Even the NHL’s offseason protocols have been very different for the Washington Post last month. As of June 23, MLB teams had reached vaccinated and unvaccinated players. a vaccination threshold of 85 percent. On July 20, NBPA executive director Michele Roberts said NBA players were 90 percent vaccinated. Fully vaccinated individuals are essentially given carte blanche to come and go as they please when training at any club’s facility. Individuals who On Wednesday, the Winnipeg Jets became the first team to announce all are not fully vaccinated must attend offseason training sessions employees, event staff and fans, including children between the ages of separately and are subject to myriad protocol provisions. 12-17, must provide proof of full vaccination and wear masks next season. As of now, the league seems to be allowing individual teams to Two weeks ago, the league sent a memo to all clubs to instruct them that set their own policies based on a number of factors, including with COVID-19 cases on the rise, all clubs are prohibited from allowing government restrictions. Former NHLer Sean Avery tweeted he’s been their players to be part of all organized corporate, community and told the NHL has asked its -headquartered employees to charitable interactions with fans (handshake lines, fist bumps, autograph be fully vaccinated by Sept. 13 or they’ll be placed on unpaid leave. sessions, speaking engagements, etc.). The memo said “the NHL and NHLPA will continue to monitor the vaccination rates and surge in the Multiple sources believe it’s unlikely the NHL will mandate that players variants as the offseason progresses to determine if a modification to this receive a vaccine; those sources indicated it’s more realistic that both the approach for the start of training camp or the regular season is NHL and NHLPA will abide by governmental guidance and public health warranted.” recommendations and put certain guard rails in place that make unvaccinated players subject to stricter policies and protocols. WITH COVID-19 CASES ON THE RISE, THE NHL SENT A MEMO TO ALL CLUBS THIS WEEK PROHIBITING ALL ORGANIZED Daly said he couldn’t speak to the substance of the union’s call with CORPORATE, COMMUNITY AND CHARITABLE INTERACTIONS players, but feels it’s premature to discuss protocols for next season. WITH FANS (HANDSHAKE LINES, FIST BUMPS, AUTOGRAPH SESSIONS, SPEAKING ENGAGEMENTS, ETC.) “There’s still lots of back and forth and lots of things still on the table,” Daly said in an email. — MICHAEL RUSSO (@RUSSOHOCKEY) AUGUST 6, 2021

“We are working with the NHL on a constant basis to try to resolve all The memo also said all media and broadcast personnel (both in-house outstanding issues related to COVID and protocols in place for the and third party) who are interacting with players or hockey operations (upcoming) season. We’ve been in constant contact with the NHL at all personnel must be fully vaccinated and masked at all times during such interactions. That could be an indication that the league plans to allow fully vaccinated and masked media to have face-to-face interactions with vaccinated players and coaches this upcoming season rather than to conduct interviews virtually.

The Athletic confirmed Sportsnet’s Elliotte Friedman’s report that the league further specified in a memo this week that “any person whose job, role, position or access entails or entitles them to have personal interactions (within 12 feet) with Club Hockey Operations personnel” and players must be fully vaccinated.

The NHLPA, according to one agent, has tried to paint a realistic picture for players about potential barriers should they decide not to get vaccinated.

In essence, the message imparted to players was that they have the right to decide whether they get vaccinated or not, but private employers also have the right to put protocols in place. If a player is not willing to adhere to those protocols and it impacts his work duties, it could impact his ability to collect his full salary.

One NHL team executive believes that a potential loss of pay will be the biggest impetus to vaccinating those who remain on the fence.

“When you hit them in the wallet, people tend to come around,” he said.

One prominent player, who has strong opinions when it comes to COVID-19 and didn’t want to get the vaccine, said he decided to get vaccinated so he wouldn’t be bothered by any future repercussions.

Another player who had COVID-19 last season but is not yet vaccinated returned home to Canada this offseason. Because he was unvaccinated, he was required to submit one negative test before arriving and then another negative test upon landing in his Canadian province. He then quarantined for 14 days and had to test once more during Day 8 of his quarantine.

“So, basically three tests in 16 days,” the player said.

That player told The Athletic he plans to get the vaccine when he returns to the United States. Though he feels he already has immunity built up from having it, he’s going to get vaccinated out of consideration for his teammates.

“Now, I’ll definitely get the vaccine because I don’t want to be the cause of anybody on my team getting sick or, to be honest, not get paid.”

One unvaccinated player The Athletic talked to said he didn’t want to get the vaccine during the hockey season because he was told the side effects of the vaccine were more severe for individuals who previously had the virus.

This player was one of dozens of NHLers who entered the NHL’s COVID-19 protocol during a season that saw 53 games rescheduled.

“Like for myself, I was more worried about getting the vaccine during the year because I heard stories about people feeling like crap for two weeks if you had COVID and then got vaccinated,” he said. “Then we got into the playoffs, and I didn’t want to risk the vaccine because if you had COVID last season, you didn’t have to get tested the 90 days after having it anyways.”

Now, with the NHL and NHLPA huddling to try to pull off a season that represents some modicum of normalcy, safety and comfort for players, and an increased incentive to vaccinate, more players are likely to jump on board, including this unvaccinated player.

“If there’s a chance you’re not getting paid or suspended from your team, it definitely makes you think differently,” the player said. “My gut? Everybody – or almost everybody – is going to get the vaccine now.”

The Athletic LOADED: 08.16.2021 1219453 Websites The following year, Stacey missed most of the season while being away for Canada’s Olympic centralization camp in Calgary. She represented her country at the 2018 Olympics in PyeongChang and, at 23, was one of TSN.CA / Team Canada player profile: Laura Stacey the youngest members of the team.

After winning silver at the PyeongChang Games, Stacey returned to her club (now relocated to Markham, Ont.) and scored the game-winning By Meaghen Johnson goal in overtime to give the Thunder its first-ever Clarkson Cup victory.

She was once again named an all-star in 2018-19 with 25 points in 24 games. It would be her final season with the team after the CWHL Laura Stacey ceased operations in 2019. Position: Forward After the league folded, Stacey and many of her Canadian teammates Hometown: Kleinburg, Ont. joined the PWHPA in an effort to form a viable professional women’s hockey league in North America. She currently plays for Team Bauer in Age: 27 Montreal.

Laura Stacey has an impressive resume on her own, with two world In this year’s Dream Gap Tour showcase in Calgary, Stacey finished with championship medals and an Olympic silver, but it also doesn’t hurt that two goals and two assists in five games, helping lead her team to a win in she has a hockey pedigree as the great-granddaughter of Hall of Famer the championship game. King Clancy. At 5-foot-10, Stacey is tied with as the tallest player on She wears No. 7 in honour of Clancy, whose number hangs in the rafters the Canadian team, and she has always tried to use her physical at Scotiabank Arena in Toronto. attributes to her advantage.

"Growing up with a role model like him to look up to definitely gives you “My size and my speed are things I’ve been fortunate to be given,” she motivation," Stacey told CBC in 2017. "I want to continue his legacy." told in 2019. “Having that longer reach and that bigger frame for driving the net and creating chaos – I do try my best to use that Stacey started playing hockey at the age of four, featuring for various to my advantage.” teams in the Greater Toronto Area. She won several Esso Medals of Achievement with Vaughan in 1999-00, 2000-01 and 2002-03. In 2018, Stacey started the LS7 Sticks in for Charity Road Hockey Tournament. In its inaugural year, all proceeds went to support Our Lady In 2007, she took home a silver medal with the Toronto Redwings at the of Sorrows, an elementary school in Stacey’s family neighbourhood, in Women’s Hockey Association (OWHA) provincials (Bantam A). an effort to have more children active in sports. Two years later, she was named to the OWHA all-star team for a game against Canada’s women’s under-18 team. When the COVID-19 pandemic forced the tournament to be cancelled in 2020, the charity instead donated over 500 medical masks to Toronto’s Stacey continued to enjoy success leading up to her collegiate career. In Sick Kids Hospital. her 2009-10 season with the Aurora Panthers (Intermediate AA), she was second in team scoring and was named to the Provincial Women’s TSN.CA LOADED: 08.16.2021 Hockey League (PWHL) all-star team. She also won a silver medal with Ontario Blue at the 2009 National Women’s Under-18 Championship.

The following season, Stacey was second in scoring for her Toronto club and helped lead the team to gold at the PWHL championship as well as silver at the OWHA provincials (Intermediate AA). She also featured for Ontario at the 2011 Canada Winter Games, where the team finished second.

In 2011-12, Stacey brought home more hardware with the : a silver at both OWHA provincials (Intermediate AA) and the PWHL championship, as well as the PWHL regular season crown. She led her team in scoring that year, second overall in the PWHL, and also captured gold with Ontario Red at the 2011 National Women’s Under-18 Championship.

It was during this time that Stacey first caught the eye of . She won both a silver and gold medal at the IIHF Under-18 Women’s World Championship in 2011 and 2012, respectively. In the 2012 tournament, Stacey was tied for the team lead with seven points in five games.

She played for four seasons at Dartmouth from 2012 to 2016. In her rookie year, she led all Dartmouth freshmen in scoring with 22 points and was named to the ECAC All-Rookie Team. As the team’s captain in 2015-16, Stacey led the Big Green in scoring with 23 points and was named to the Ivy League First All-Star Team.

During her collegiate career, Stacey also spent time with Canada’s under-22 and development teams, winning two golds and a silver at the Nations Cup from 2015 to 2017.

She was cut from the senior team for four consecutive years before finally making her women’s worlds debut at the 2017 IIHF Women’s World Championship, where the team took home silver. Stacey also earned a bronze medal at the 2019 world championship, recording a goal in the quarter-final win over Germany.

Following her tenure at Dartmouth, Stacey was selected third overall by the Brampton Thunder in the 2016 CWHL Draft. In her first season, she was named CWHL Rookie of the Year and an all-star after finishing with 24 points in 20 games.