SPORT-SCAN DAILY BRIEF NHL 7/25/2019 Boston Bruins New York Rangers 1107546 Marc Savard Joining St

SPORT-SCAN DAILY BRIEF NHL 7/25/2019 Boston Bruins New York Rangers 1107546 Marc Savard joining St. Louis Blues as assistant coach 1107571 Rangers re-sign Vinni Lettieri with heavy lifting still to 1107547 Bruins announce prospects challenge schedule come 1107548 St. Louis Blues sign former Bruins star Marc Savard as an 1107572 Kaapo Kakko fans take hero worship to a new level NHL coach 1107573 Rangers, restricted free agent Vinni Lettieri agree to one-year deal Buffalo Sabres 1107574 Q&A: Neal Pionk on his long road to the NHL, unique 1107549 Sabres Mailbag: What are trade options for Rasmus development path and his opportunity in Winnipeg Ristolainen? 1107550 Ex-Sabres forward Matt Moulson signs with Hershey Philadelphia Flyers 1107551 Sabres to host New Jersey, Pittsburgh, Boston for 1107575 NHL power rankings: Are Flyers better than 20th after prospects challenge offseason? 1107552 Amerks sign Amherst native Frank Hora, forward Shaw 1107576 For our subscribers: Digging deep on the changes the Boomhower Flyers have made 1107577 Flyers Mailbag: Will the change translate to the ice? Calgary Flames 1107553 Sam Bennett signs two-year deal, anxious to grow role Pittsburgh Penguins with Flames 1107578 Penguins Prediction Rewind: Derick Brassard spent some 1107555 Assessing Calgary’s tentative arena deal to see what’s time on wing before departure different from previous proposals 1107579 Former Penguins forward Billy Tibbetts back in jail 1107580 Maple Leafs sign former Penguins winger Garrett Wilson Chicago Blackhawks 1107581 Ex-Penguin Phil Kessel puts Pittsburgh-area house on 1107556 Blackhawks goalie Corey Crawford marries longtime market for $2.1 million girlfriend Kristy Muscolino 1107582 Former Pittsburgh Penguins Forward Phil Kessel Puts 1107557 Corey Crawford married fiancée Kristy Muscolino, and lots Area House On The Market For $2.1 Million of Hawks were there 1107583 Watch Sidney Crosby's skating transform into artwork 1107558 Dylan Strome on being reunited with Alex DeBrincat last Peter Diana/Post-Gazette season: 'If there was one team I wanted to get traded 1107584 Penguins' draft picks Samuel Poulin and Nathan Legare take friendly competition to next level Colorado Avalanche 1107585 Mailbag: The Penguins’ best prospect, and Pittsburgh’s 1107559 The Gifted: How Avalanche super-prospect Cale Makar’s best toilet intricate skating skills layer into one another San Jose Sharks Columbus Blue Jackets 1107586 NHL expansion draft: Sharks could protect, expose 1107560 Blue Jackets offseason homework: How each player can superstar defensemen improve this summer St Louis Blues Dallas Stars 1107587 ‘Last on the list’: NHL agents go inside restricted free 1107561 19 in ’19 — #5: Mike Modano and his complicated legacy agency negotiations Detroit Red Wings Toronto Maple Leafs 1107562 Hockey enthusiast hopes new league boosts sport's 1107588 Maple Leafs dip into free-agent pool, sign six forwards and culture in Michigan one defenceman 1107589 Maple Leafs roll a seven on free agents Edmonton Oilers 1107590 Maple Leafs make seven signings, including Pontus Aberg 1107563 Lowetide: Finding the best candidates for the final two spots on the Oilers skill lines in 2019-20 Vancouver Canucks 1107601 Patrick Johnston: Leafs’ cap stickhandling a cruel Los Angeles Kings reminder of Canucks moves gone by 1107564 Kings’ Matt Millar gets to work with his idols while 1107602 Yes, the Canucks can still trade Loui Eriksson and here’s coaching future star goalies how they can do it 1107565 STEVENS SPEAKS HIGHLY OF LA TENURE; MOVERARE LOANED; COMMUNITY CALENDAR Vegas Golden Knights 1107591 Golden Knights’ Deryk Engelland isn’t ready for retirement MontrealCanadiens 1107592 What it takes to be a Golden Knights Golden Ace 1107566 Brown: Offseason ranking of the Canadiens’ top-20 prospects – 15-11 Washington Capitals 1107593 Arbitration ruling awards Capitals defenseman Christian Nashville Predators Djoos one-year, $1.25 million contract 1107567 Q&A: WWE wrestler Eric Young on his Predators fandom 1107594 Capitals defenseman Christian Djoos earns $1.25 million and why Matt Duchene could be the team’s leading scorer contract in arbitration 1107595 Don't count on Ovechkin to the Vegas Golden Knights New Jersey Devils 1107596 Arbitration award for defenseman Christian Djoos leaves 1107568 When Devils will play in 2019 Prospects Challenge against Caps with tricky salary-cap decisions Sabres, Bruins, Penguins 1107597 Caps re-sign Christian Djoos to one-year deal after 1107569 With or without Taylor Hall, projecting two paths to Stanley arbitration hearing Cup contention for the Devils in 2022-23 1107598 20 Burning Capitals Questions: Do the Caps have the depth to withstand any major injuries? New York Islanders 1107599 It’s July, and Lars Eller is on the ice at the Capitals’ facility 1107570 Inside the travels and training regimens of Noah Dobson searching for more speed and Oliver Wahlstrom as they prepare for Isles camp Websites 1107603 The Athletic / Using the best contracts in hockey to create the optimal NHL team 1107604 The Athletic / Inside the secret lives of the NHL Insiders and how they unwind for the summer 1107605 The Athletic / Down Goes Brown: Who was the worst player to ever be traded one-for-one for a future Hall of Fa 1107606 Sportsnet.ca / Calgary Flames' Bennett hoping to complement physical game 1107607 Sportsnet.ca / Laine, Connor in focus as Winnipeg Jets' salary cap picture becomes clear Winnipeg Jets 1107600 Q&A: Neal Pionk on his long road to the NHL, unique development path and his opportunity in Winnipeg SPORT-SCAN, INC. 941-284-4129 1107546 Boston Bruins

Marc Savard joining St. Louis Blues as assistant coach

By Andrew Mahoney Globe Staff,July 24, 2019, 3:33 p.m.

In the Bruins’ run to the Stanley Cup Final, Marc Savard served as the banner captain for Game 5 of the first-round series against the Toronto Maple Leafs. The next time Savard is at TD Garden, it will be as a member of the St. Louis Blues’ coaching staff.

Blues president of hockey operations and general manager Doug Armstrong announced Wednesday that the team has named Savard an assistant coach.

“I was fortunate to play with Marc during my career and I’m very familiar with his passion and acumen for the game,” said Blues coach Craig Berube in a statement. “He was a tremendous player and possesses an elite offensive mind. His addition to our staff will be a great benefit to our players and the organization.”

Savard played 13 years in the NHL, the last five with the Bruins, before suffering his sixth concussion on a hit against the Colorado Avalanche on Jan. 22, 2011. It came just 10 months after taking a hit blind-side hit to the head by Pittsburgh’s Matt Cooke.

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A closer look at the hit by Matt Cooke that concussed Bruins center Marc Savard in 2010. (Video by Emily Zendt)

Originally selected by the New York Rangers in the fourth round of the 1995 NHL Draft, Savard amassed 706 points across 807 regular-season games. In 304 games with the Bruins, he had 74 goals and 231 assists.

Up for challenge

The Bruins announced that the team will participate in the Prospects Challenge for the fifth straight year. Bruins rookies will compete against those of the Sabres, Penguins, and Devils in the round-robin challenge Sept. 6-9 at HarborCenter in Buffalo.

The roster will be announced at a later date.

Here is the schedule:

Friday, Sept. 6

■ Pittsburgh vs. Boston, 3:30 p.m.

■ Buffalo vs. New Jersey, 7 p.m.

Saturday, Sept. 7

■ New Jersey vs. Pittsburgh, 3:30 p.m.

■ Buffalo vs. Boston, 7 p.m.

Sunday, Sept. 8

■ Bruins practice, TBD

Monday, Sept. 9

■ Boston vs. New Jersey, 9:30 a.m.

■ Buffalo vs. Pittsburgh, 12:30 p.m.

Bruins prospects who participated in last year’s tournament and also played in at least one regular-season game with Boston in 2018-19 include forwards Anders Bjork, Trent Frederic, Karson Kuhlman, Zach Senyshyn, and defensemen Connor Clifton, Jeremy Lauzon, Urho Vaakanainen, and Jakub Zboril.

Boston Globe LOADED: 07.25.2019 1107547 Boston Bruins

Bruins announce prospects challenge schedule

By MARISA INGEMI | [email protected] | Boston Herald

For the fifth straight season, the Bruins will hit the ice for the first time in Buffalo.

The Bruins will be one of four teams, along with the Sabres, Devils and Penguins, to participate in the annual Prospects Challenge tournament Sept. 6-9.

Last season’s tournament included forwards Anders Bjork, Trent Frederic, Karson Kuhlman, Zach Senyshyn, and defensemen Connor Clifton, Jeremy Lauzon, Urho Vaakanainen and Jakub Zboril, all of whom played at least one NHL regular-season game in 2018-19.

Each team will play three contests at the Harborcenter, the Sabres’ practice rink.

The Bruins full roster will be announced at a later date, but it should include several of the players who took part in June’s development camp.

The schedule for games is the following:

Friday, Sept. 6

Pittsburgh vs. Boston, 3:30 p.m.

Buffalo vs. New Jersey, 7 p.m.

Saturday, Sept. 7

New Jersey vs. Pittsburgh, 3:30 p.m.

Buffalo vs. Boston, 7 p.m.

Monday, Sept. 9

Boston vs. New Jersey, 9:30 a.m.

Buffalo vs. Pittsburgh, 12:30 p.m.

Savard hired

Former Bruins center Marc Savard is back in the NHL and he ventures into enemy territory.

Savard was hired Tuesday by the Stanley Cup champion Blues, being named an assistant on NHL coach of the year Craig Berube‘s staff.

“I was fortunate to play with Marc during my career and I’m very familiar with his passion and acumen for the game,” Berube said in a statement. “He was a tremendous player and possesses an elite offensive mind. His addition to our staff will be a great benefit to our players and the organization.”

Savard, whose career essentially ended after being on the receiving end of a head hit from Penguins forward Matt Cooke, hasn’t been involved in the NHL since suffering his sixth concussion against the Avalanche in 2011.

Savard played 304 games with the Bruins from 2006 to 2011, scoring 74 goals with 231 assists.

Boston Herald LOADED: 07.25.2019 1107548 Boston Bruins

St. Louis Blues sign former Bruins star Marc Savard as an NHL coach

By Joe Haggerty July 24, 2019 2:25 PM

The St. Louis Blues found another way to raid the toy chest of the Boston Bruins in the middle of the summer offseason.

After beating the B’s in a seven-game Stanley Cup Final series and forcing Patrice Bergeron to watch Ryan O’Reilly pick up all the hardware at the NHL Awards show last month, the Blues announced on Wednesday they had hired former Bruins center Marc Savard as a member of their NHL coaching staff for next season.

What’s next?

Are the Blues going to try and sign Ray Bourque to a one-day contract or create a photo shop campaign with Brad Marchand decked out in Blues gear on their Twitter account?

In all seriousness, the Blues could use some help in the skill department after finishing 15th in the NHL in goals scored (2.98 goals per game) and 10th on the power play (21.1 percent success rate), despite eventually hoisting the Stanley Cup.

Blues head coach Craig Berube touted his experience playing with Savard during his 13-year NHL career where he posted 706 points in 807 regular-season games with the Rangers, Flames, Thrashers and Bruins.

“I was fortunate to play with Marc during my career and I'm very familiar with his passion and acumen for the game," said Berube. "He was a tremendous player and possesses an elite offensive mind. His addition to our staff will be a great benefit to our players and the organization.”

Certainly the Blues could be looking to boost their offense and their power-play strength with the addition of Savard, who always flashed a keen playmaking mind and flair for the creative during his time with the Black and Gold. Savard’s career was tragically cut short when he suffered a major concussion at the hands of a Matt Cooke cheap shot late in the 2009-10 regular season, and then never truly, fully recovered to be the player he was prior to that head injury.

The 42-year-old Savard had been working as a skills coach with the Peterborough Petes over the last few years as well as in the hockey media as an analyst for Hockey Night in Canada as well as Fan 590 in Toronto. Savard was at TD Garden just a couple of months ago when he returned to Boston as the B’s banner captain for Game 5 of the first- round playoff series against the Toronto Maple Leafs that they eventually won in seven games.

Comcast SportsNet.com LOADED: 07.25.2019 1107549 Buffalo Sabres John Jarzynski: The Sabres need one of last season's Atlantic Division playoff teams to take a step back in 2019-20. Which do you think is most likely to miss the postseason?

Sabres Mailbag: What are trade options for Rasmus Ristolainen? LL: If I had to pick an Atlantic Division team to miss the playoffs, Boston would be my choice. Age has to catch up to that team at some point, right? I also haven't been a big fan of what they've done this offseason, By Lance Lysowski|Published Wed, Jul 24, 2019|Updated Wed, Jul 24, particularly letting Johansson walk. That said, the Bruins aren't missing 2019 the playoffs. The more realistic scenario is either Columbus or the New York Islanders take a step back.

The Blue Jackets lost Artemi Panarin, Sergei Bobrovsky and Ryan The big trade we have all been waiting for has yet to occur. Dzingel in free agency, and their only noteworthy addition has been Buffalo Sabres General Manager Jason Botterill has built a surplus of Gustav Nyquist. New York, meanwhile, did not add enough offensively right-shot defensemen this offseason, intensifying the trade speculation and made the odd decision to let Robin Lehner go. surrounding Rasmus Ristolainen. Dealing Ristolainen could help the The Sabres should be considered a playoff contender after what Botterill Sabres acquire a top-six forward, but is there a chance he could return? has done, however, they will face stiff competition for a wild-card spot. Let's start there with this edition of my Sabres mailbag, where I answer Florida, New Jersey and the New York Rangers have significantly questions submitted by readers via Twitter: improved. Plus, Montreal should be considered a potential playoff team.

Jimmy Spoon: If the Sabres trade defenseman Rasmus Ristolainen to In my opinion, Buffalo now has the roster to compete with those teams. the Winnipeg Jets, would you prefer Buffalo receive Nikolaj Ehlers or a The question is whether the coaching staff can take this team to the next package of Jack Roslovic and Mathieu Perreault? level.

Lance Lysowski: In an ideal world, the Sabres would acquire Ehlers in a Scott Ferguson: Is Tampa Bay center Anthony Cirelli worth adding at a trade with Winnipeg, and the Jets are in desperate need of a right-shot high acquisition cost when the Sabres have Casey Mittelstadt and Dylan defenseman. The 23-year-old has scored at least 21 goals in each of the Cozens? past three seasons – he had a career-high 29 in 2017-18 – and is under LL: Absolutely. It's important for the Sabres to not trade their best contract for six more years at an average annual value of $6 million. prospects, but they should be more than willing to part with Ristolainen Aside from the Jets being stuck in a salary-cap crunch, it's a mystery why and draft picks if it meant acquiring Cirelli. Neither Mittelstadt nor Cozens the Jets have reportedly shopped Ehlers. has proved he can play center at an elite level in the National Hockey The potential trade obstacle with Ehlers is fit. He's a left wing, and the League. Sabres are well-stocked there with Jeff Skinner, Marcus Johansson, Cirelli, who is only 22, scored 19 goals among 39 points during his first Jimmy Vesey, Victor Olofsson and Conor Sheary, among others. Ehlers full NHL season in 2018-19. He was exceptional at 5-on-5 and performed hasn't played much on the right side, and it's never wise to use a player well in the defensive zone. There's no such thing as having too much out of position when the acquisition cost is so high. It's important to note depth down the middle. Load up at center now and figure out the that new coach Ralph Krueger could, and likely will, move Johansson, potential surplus later. Olofsson or Sheary to the right side. However, in addition to the high acquisition cost, Cirelli will be an offer- Roslovic is intriguing. He's 22 and was chosen with the first-round draft sheet candidate when he's a restricted free agent next offseason, and the pick Buffalo sent to Winnipeg in the Evander Kane trade in February Sabres would likely not be in position to give him a lucrative long-term 2015. Roslovic is also a right wing, which could be an area of need for extension. the Sabres. Nathan Kawalerski: Is it remotely possible the Sabres keep all of their My issue with Roslovic is the risk involved. He averaged just 9:45 of ice right-shot defensemen? time over 77 games last season, scoring nine goals among 24 points. Would Roslovic thrive in a top-six role in Buffalo? That's possible and I do LL: Sure, there is a remote possibility in which they enter camp with all of like his game, but he's far from a sure thing. them. Bogosian will miss the start of the season, and Henri Jokiharju is not guaranteed to be in the NHL. Yes, Jokiharju is ready for that jump, Perreault has at least 13 goals in six of the past eight seasons, but he's a but the Sabres could choose to send him to Rochester until they sort out left wing and is owed $4 million in each of the next two seasons. I'd the logjam on the blue line. prefer him to most of the Sabres' other bottom-six forwards, but acquiring him seems unrealistic since it appears Botterill is hoping Krueger can That would leave the Sabres with Miller, Montour and Ristolainen, with coax more out of players such as Zemgus Girgensons and Vladimir Casey Nelson serving as the seventh or eighth defenseman. Bogosian is Sobotka. expected to make a full recovery from hip surgery, and there would be a market for him if he is made available to other teams. Possible trade targets for the Sabres after signing Marcus Johansson Botterill isn't going to part with Ristolainen unless the price is right, and Tim Cook Apple: Who do you expect to take on a leadership role behind it's fair to wonder if other teams value Ristolainen as much as the Jack Eichel? Sabres. LL: The leadership void on this team needs to be filled through the Keeping Ristolainen would come with a significant amount of risk. What if aggregate. Stanley Cup-contending teams don't rely on only one or two his performance is worse under Krueger? That could severely impact the players to lead on and off the ice. Sabres' return in a trade. With that in mind, I believe Ristolainen will be Botterill has done an exceptional job adding players with playoff dealt before training camp. experience, including Johansson, Sheary, Colin Miller and Brandon After all, the Sabres would benefit from creating cap space – hey, it's Montour. That's important because much of the Sabres' roster either important to have enough room in the event they are in position to add at hasn't played in the playoffs or doesn't know what it takes to contend in the trade deadline – and Ristolainen is likely their only way of adding a March and April. top-six forward via trade. In addition to the aforementioned players, don't forget that Kyle Okposo Buffalo News LOADED: 07.25.2019 is outstanding from a leadership standpoint. The same can be said for Carter Hutton, who isn't afraid to hold himself or others accountable. Both will be invaluable assets to Eichel during his second season as captain. Leadership can come in different forms.

For example, I've been told Jeff Skinner was exceptional with young players on the team last season, serving as a resource on and off the ice to Casey Mittelstadt and Tage Thompson. Skinner isn't a rah-rah leader, but his teammates have said that his work ethic is infectious. 1107550 Buffalo Sabres

Ex-Sabres forward Matt Moulson signs with Hershey

By Staff|Published Wed, Jul 24, 2019|Updated Wed, Jul 24, 2019

Matt Moulson, whose disappointing tenure with the Buffalo Sabres formally ended with the start of free agency, has signed a one-year American Hockey League contract with the Hershey Bears.

Moulson's five-year, $25 million contract with the Sabres agreed to before the 2014-15 season turned out to be a misfire, and he spent much of the last two seasons with the Ontario Reign, the AHL affiliate of the Los Angeles Kings.

The Sabres were on the hook for $3.975 million in each of the last two seasons.

Moulson was waived after not collecting a point in 14 games in the 2017- 18 season. After going unclaimed, Buffalo loaned him to Ontario and he was a big contributor with 18 goals and 28 assists in 49 games.

He was put on waivers again before last season, went unclaimed and was loaned to Ontario. He finished 28 goals among 62 points in 68 games last season, his final year under contract to the Sabres.

Buffalo News LOADED: 07.25.2019 1107551 Buffalo Sabres

Sabres to host New Jersey, Pittsburgh, Boston for prospects challenge

By Lance Lysowski|Published Wed, Jul 24, 2019|Updated Wed, Jul 24, 2019

Sabres fans won't have to wait until the regular season to see center Jack Hughes in action.

Hughes, the first overall pick in the most recent NHL draft, and the New Jersey Devils will face Buffalo in the opening game of the Sabres' fifth annual prospects challenge Sept. 6 in Harborcenter. The four-team round-robin tournament — which also includes Pittsburgh and Boston — will be held Sept. 6-9, with each playing three games.

Opening day of the challenge begins with a 3:30 p.m. faceoff between the Penguins and Bruins, followed by the Sabres facing the Devils at 7 p.m. All games will be held in Harborcenter.

The second day of the tournament, Sept. 7, will begin with the Devils playing the Penguins at 3:30 p.m., followed by Buffalo versus Boston at 7 p.m. There are no games scheduled for Sept. 8.

On Sept. 9, the Bruins will face the Devils at 9:30 a.m., and the Sabres finish the tournament with a 12:30 p.m. game against Pittsburgh.

Tickets for the games are $10 and season-ticket holders and "My One Buffalo" members can buy tickets before they go on sale to the general public at 10 a.m. Aug. 2. Fans can purchase tickets in person at the KeyBank Center box office, by phone at 1-888-223-6000 or online at Sabres.com.

Buffalo News LOADED: 07.25.2019 1107552 Buffalo Sabres

Amerks sign Amherst native Frank Hora, forward Shaw Boomhower

By Lance Lysowski|Published Wed, Jul 24, 2019

The Rochester Americans announced Wednesday they signed defenseman Frank Hora and forward Shaw Boomhower to one-year, American Hockey League contracts for the 2019-20 season.

Hora, 23, is an Amherst native and spent most of the past two seasons with the Reading Royals of the ECHL, posting two goals among 17 points in 70 games in 2018-19. Boomhower, 20, played 26 games for the Buffalo Sabres' ECHL affiliate, the Cincinnati Cyclones, as a rookie and scored three goals among seven points with 82 penalty minutes in 27 games.

Hora played for the Buffalo Jr. Sabres prior to a four-year stint with the Ontario Hockey League's Kitchener Rangers, where he had 11 goals among 91 points in 241 games from 2013-17. The right-shot defenseman was not drafted in the National Hockey League and signed a professional tryout agreement with the AHL's Cleveland Monsters in October 2016.

Hora appeared in only three games with Cleveland and signed consecutive one-year contracts with the AHL's Lehigh Phantoms over the past two summers. However, he would appear in only nine games with the team. He had three goals among 31 points in 132 games with Reading over the past two seasons.

Boomhower, a native of Belleville, Ontario, played two seasons in the Ontario Hockey League and participated in the Chicago Blackhawks' training camp last fall after a strong performance in the team's prospect tournament. He was on the Cyclones' protected list for next season.

Buffalo News LOADED: 07.25.2019 1107553 Calgary Flames Needless to say, they’re hoping their next spring stay last a whole lot longer. The belief is Bennett can be a big part of that.

“He has shown that when it’s important and usually when it’s tight and Sam Bennett signs two-year deal, anxious to grow role with Flames when it’s hard, he has been really good,” Treliving said. “Now, the challenge for Sam — as it is a lot of players — is stringing that consistency together. You want to keep the highs but you want to flatten Wes Gilbertson out the lows and keep a consistent level where you’re not going stretches of trying to re-capture your game. I thought he did a better job of that last

year. I don’t look at it just strictly from the numbers. I think his competitive Sam Bennett has shown the sandpaper and snark, has proven he can level is always there, but I thought his consistency level in terms of his play as prickly as that moustache that he often sports. impact on games was better. That’s another sign of growth and maturity.”

Thing is, the Calgary Flames’ forward — re-upped Wednesday to a two- Now inked for two more winters, still anxious to prove his production can year deal worth US$2.55 million per winter— remains determined to match his prickle, Bennett is bullish on what lies ahead. emerge as an offensive difference-maker. “We showed it last year — we have the pieces to be one of the top teams “I think that at a young age, everybody wants to be the next superstar,” in this league,” he said. “It was a huge disappointment (in the playoffs) said Bennett, a restricted free-agent who had been scheduled for an last year with all the success we were having, and I know everyone still arbitration faceoff this weekend. “But sometimes it takes some time, and I has a little bit of bitter taste in their mouth. It’s going to be a fun year — I still think that I have tons to prove. definitely know that.”

“There is a lot I think I can bring. With my competitive edge, I think I’m With Bennett signed, netminder David Rittich is the Flames’ lone going to be able to play that hard-nosed hockey. I still want to be a guy remaining arbitration case. (Their top priority among restricted free- that puts up numbers and is offensive but can be relied on to play that agents is Tkachuk, but he does not have arbitration rights.) two-way game. I don’t see there being any reason why I can’t reach that, The Flames have roughly US$7.4 million in projected cap-space, but and I’m really looking forward to this season and proving that I can.” Treliving has two-plus months to manoeuvre. Bennett hasn’t been the scoring standout that most had in mind when he Calgary Sun: LOADED: 07.25.2019 was selected with the fourth-overall pick in the 2014 NHL Draft, but that hasn’t stopped No. 93 from becoming a fan favourite at the Saddledome.

Last winter, the third-line winger racked up 121 hits — he was among a hat-trick of Flames in triple-digits — and dropped his mitts for a team- high five fights. He chipped in 13 goals and 14 assists in 71 regular- season appearances and was on the oh-so-short list of guys to elevate their games during a first-round playoff flop, leading the charge with five points.

Thanks especially to his solid spring showing, it feels like you can’t find a sports bar, grocery-store check-out or practice green where an armchair skipper isn’t preaching that the Flames should give Bennett a look in a first- or second-line role.

That is precisely what the 23-year-old is shooting for.

“I think when you are in the top-six, you do get a little more opportunity and icetime and everything. I think if you ask anyone, they want that,“ Bennett said. “But that doesn’t mean I’d change my game. I would still play a hard-nosed, physical type of game, no matter what position or what role I’m playing.”

Bennett is a more important piece for the Flames than the numbers would suggest — a guy more than willing to crash and bang on a team that doesn’t have a lot of that.

He is never going to leapfrog Johnny Gaudreau and Matthew Tkachuk on the depth chart at left wing, but his ability to play all three forward positions could open alternate routes to an expanded role.

Flames head coach Bill Peters loves to use the blender, and Bennett is an obvious candidate for in-game promotion because of the spark he can provide.

“To me, what Sam did last year is he is sort of, with each year that goes by, carving out a real role for himself,” praised Flames general manager Brad Treliving. “In Sam’s case, you come in as a fourth-overall pick and there is lots of pressure, lots of expectations, lots of this, lots of that … To me, what I keep seeing is a guy who is just learning and maturing and helping a team win and finding ways to help a team win.

“Hey, you always hope that every player continues to find another level of offence and I think, like I said, when you have the peg of fourth-overall, the immediate expectation is all the offensive numbers and offensive production, and I think Sam put a lot of pressure on himself to do that. Now, he’s matured with experience, with time in the league, with each year getting a little older, of finding different ways — sometimes it’s offence, sometimes it’s other ways — of just being a good player on a team that can win.”

The Flames won gobs of regular-season games during the 2018-19 campaign, claiming the top seed in the Western Conference.

They won just one playoff date. 1107554 Calgary Flames Needless to say, they’re hoping their next spring stay last a whole lot longer. The belief is Bennett can be a big part of that.

That is precisely what the 23-year-old is shooting for.

Bennett is a more important piece for the Flames than the numbers would suggest — a guy more than willing to crash and bang on a team that doesn’t have a lot of that.

He is never going to leapfrog Johnny Gaudreau and Matthew Tkachuk on the depth chart at left wing, but his ability to play all three forward positions could open alternate routes to an expanded role.

Flames head coach Bill Peters loves to use the blender, and Bennett is an obvious candidate for in-game promotion because of the spark he can provide.

The Flames won gobs of regular-season games during the 2018-19 campaign, claiming the top seed in the Western Conference.

They won just one playoff date. 1107555 Calgary Flames First, the public will “own” the building, but grant the operating rights to CSEC. The Flames will garner the majority of operating revenues from the facility, however there are some wrinkles:

Assessing Calgary’s tentative arena deal to see what’s different from CSEC is responsible for upkeep and maintenance costs of the arena, previous proposals except major structural issues (i.e.; if it floods again, the city will be responsible for fixing things).

By Kent Wilson Jul 24, 2019 23 While the arena itself won’t accrue municipal property taxes, any street- facing retail will pay property tax to the city.

The City of Calgary will get a small cut of the building’s naming rights for After years of contentious negotiations, the Calgary arena saga took the first 10 years, to the tune of $250,000 per year (or $2.5 million total). another step forward this week when the city administration and Calgary Sports Entertainment Corporation (CSEC) put forward the latest proposal The city will collect a “facility fee” equating to two percent of all event to finally replace the Saddledome. ticket revenue every year for 35 years, capped at $3 million per year for the first five years. In other words, this is a ticket tax/user pay Back in March, while the two sides were still circling each pensively, I mechanism. looked at four key questions the next proposal would have to answer in order to be worthwhile: CSEC, through the Calgary Flames Foundation, is required to invest $1.5 million per year into community sports in Calgary (escalating at two 1) What is the actual cost of the arena? percent inflation). They will also need to “create a community engagement program” which enables special access to CSEC events 2) What is the deal/relationship between CSEC and the city? every year, to the tune of $200,000 per year. 3) What happens at the arena’s end of life? The city and the Stampede Association will be granted use of the facility 4) How credible are the economic benefit claims? for 22 days of the year (five for the city, 17 for the Stampede). The city will also be granted another 20 days access to a “potential secondary With details of the new proposal emerging, we can revisit these facility” (not clear what this means). questions to see how well the new deal answers them. The Stampede and CSEC will share parking fees from CSEC events. 1. What is the actual cost of the new arena? The facility must include an adjacent “community space” to be We’ve been told that the cost to construct a new arena should fall constructed by CMLC (Calgary Municipal Land Corporation). somewhere between $500 and $600 million. It’s worthwhile to remember, though, that building the arena is just a part of the total cost associated The deal will include a 35-year lease with the Flames, committing the with the project. team to the city for that length of time.

Again, much of this will depend on how the final deal shakes out, but the In short, the newest proposal extracts some revenues and concessions formula for understanding the true cost of the arena is something like: from the team, including maintenance costs (absent a catastrophe), a fee construction + demolition of Saddledome + cost of land + loss of revenue for using the facility, plus some nominal revenue from parking and or property taxes. naming rights. This at least creates some mechanism for the public to recoup some portion of the subsidy it would be committing to deal. The projected cost of construction for the new rink is $550 million, with each party (the city and the Flames) contributing $275 million to the As noted, sports owners often look for “bonus” opportunities tied to arena project. The demolition of the Saddledome is forecast to cost about $15 deals, and this proposal is no exception. The CSEC land option clause million, with the city on the hook for 90 percent of the demolition cost. states that: CSEC’s 10 percent contribution to demolition is capped at $1.5 million by “CSEC will be granted an option by CMLC to acquire certain lands in the the terms of the deal (meaning cost overruns flow to the public). Rivers District based on their value immediately prior to formation of the The cost and value of the land in question is not quantified in the deal, Event Centre Assessment Committee. This option shall expire on beyond the fact that “The City will on a non-cash basis exchange the CSEC’s occupancy of the Event Centre. CSEC will be granted an option Saddledome lands and certain other City-owned lands on Stampede by The City to acquire certain lands in the Rivers District should they Park with the Stampede for the Event Centre lands that are currently become available for development; with an exercise price equal to the owned by Stampede.” It is therefore difficult to determine the net benefit fair market value of the lands at the time of exercise of the option. This or loss on the part of the city. option shall expire within 10 years of CSEC’s occupancy of the Event Centre. The City is under no obligation to make this land available for The asset being owned by the city means no municipal property taxes development.” will be incurred by CSEC, meaning somewhere in the range of $5-10 million in foregone tax revenue per year, depending on the assessment The noteworthy devil in the details here is the land value assessment, of the building in question. Of course, this does necessarily account for given that it is frozen, in the first instance, at the value at the time of the the opportunity cost of building an arena on the property in question, as even Centre Assessment Committee formation (roughly: present value). opposed to, say, hotels, apartments, retail, etc. However, it’s the best we Meaning, CSEC is given priority acquisition rights over “certain” areas in can do for now. the Rivers District at will likely constitute discounted value.

Let’s assume the low-end of $5 million in exempted property tax per 3. What happens at the arena’s end of life? annum, but give some latitude for value depreciation. But the real question is what happens at the end of the arena’s life – if 2. What exactly is the deal/relationship with CSEC? this cycle repeats itself in 20 or 30 years, it means Calgary will have built a new district around an anchor building that will be moved/demolished at The question of the relationship between the city, the arena and CSEC is some point in the future. a vital one. Who gets the primary (ticket, concessions) and ancillary (naming rights, parking) revenue from the arena? Who absorbs the As such, for the arena to be realistically integrated into the area’s plans, operating costs? Who “owns” the building for property taxes purposes? there has to be some measure of assurance that it won’t be used up and Who is responsible for future renovations or upgrades if needed? Are tossed aside in two or three decades. they any riders or clauses that CSEC is demanding on top of the arena To assuage some concerns on this front, the latest proposal extended deal? ie; ability to direct design of arena, first rights to property the lease agreement to 35 years, with a specific provision that CSEC will surrounding arena, free transit for fans and security etc. not relocate the team during that term. This was never much of a While many of these details were murky in previous proposals, the concern, but at least it was a risk ameliorated in writing. In addition, the newest report is much clearer on who gets what with regards to the proposal notes that CSEC will be given certain “incentives” to extend the public and CSEC. lease beyond the initial 35-year time frame. Much of the document also stresses the fact that the arena will be designed so that it integrates with the surrounding river district/entertainment corridor development. As is common to arena deals not including the opportunity cost of lost property taxes) represents a involving public subsidies, they note that: very small rate of return. Nevertheless, it’s not negative.

“… an event centre integrated into Calgary’s Culture & Entertainment Unless, of course, we look at this through the lens of net present value District would be a development catalyst in the area. An event centre is a which is “the difference between the present value of cash inflows and facility with the potential to be activated up to 365 days a year with a wide the present value of cash outflows over a period of time. NPV is used in variety of programming options. CMLC concluded that the vibrancy capital budgeting and investment planning to analyze the profitability of a generated by a very active building would assist in drawing new residents projected investment or project.” and businesses to the District.” According to economist Trevor Tombe, NPV moves this project firmly into There is no note on whether an area developed around an anchor tenant the red: like a sports stadium will continue to thrive (granting these assumptions validity for the moment) if this cycle is renewed at the end of the lease’s Carla Male, the city’s acting chief financial officer, told councillors late on term. Meaning, because the city owns the building, there is nothing Monday night that the “net present value” — a measure commonly used stopping future CSEC owners and operators from asking for another new to evaluate investment decisions over long periods of time — was arena, somewhere else, in 35 years time. projected to be negative.

4. How credible are the claims of economic benefits? This figure, which does factor in things like inflation and opportunity costs, is estimated at –$47 million, she said. The challenge from the public perspective is that the economic impact side of arena building is basically playing the long game and is And this is the figure that Tombe believes is more relevant, when looking complicated by numerous, interrelated factors. Invariably, the at the project in strictly financial terms. stakeholders on the side of the team and pro-arena groups always get … what they want – the new arena funded by the public – whereas the taxpayers hope the big gamble they’re taking pays off. Often in the face “Bottom line: these (numbers) are clearly saying that the city will not be of academic research which shows it’s usually a bad bet, no less. making money from the investment,” Tombe said in an interview on Tuesday. Of course, the ostensible reason for the public to subsidize pro sports arenas is that they represent an investment. Even if one grants that the “The whole project is equivalent to losing $47 million today.” intangibles of sports ownership and event centres “pay off” in terms of Keep in mind, the NPV of minus-$47 million is based on the proposal’s culture, civic pride, etc, it behooves the voting public and city own projected “return” of $400 million over 35 years and may not even administration to ensure deals like this will at least cover the spread in include the opportunity cost of lost property tax revenue from the arena. If terms of costs and risk. In no small part because the city, even at the the projections turn out to be overly optimistic, or if the assumptions did best of times, only has some much money and borrowing capacity at its not include lost property tax, it drives the NPV much deeper into the red. disposal. “Investing” in capital projects with poor (or negative) return rates represents an opportunity cost that will limit the city’s ability to Lingering questions spend or invest elsewhere. WHERE THE PROPOSED BUDGET CUTS WOULD LAND. #YYCCC Here is the City of Calgary’s projected return on investment with the PIC.TWITTER.COM/9WY5YUOBW6 proposal at hand: — SCOTT DIPPEL (@CBCSCOTT) JULY 23, 2019 All told, the city expects to projects some $400.3 million in value from the deal, over the full 35-year term. For now we’ll skip complicated issues The timing and optics of this proposal are poor given the general state of like net present value (NPV) and look at the projections on their face. the city’s budget and affairs. With a 25-30 percent vacancy rate in downtown office buildings and billions in lost property value, Calgary is The facility fee revenue of $155.1 million assumes the city will net an currently scrambling to find ways to not only pay its bills, but also readjust average of $4.67 million per year as their two percent cut of event ticket residential and commercial tax rates. There is currently about $60 million sales, granting the $3 million per year cap over the first five years. That in cuts from the city’s budget, for example, though this is only a small equates to expecting $233,500,000 in event ticket sales per annum, for portion of the revenue/budget gap. There is also more than a little irony in 30 years. That’s maybe not impossible for an organization that owns the Flames owners dodging property tax with this proposal, only weeks three sports teams plus concert and event rights, but it strikes me as after sky-high property assessment and tax rates caused local small aggressive. businesses to erupt in anger.

For context, even with an average ticket price of $95 and a full season The city’s precarious financial position gives rise to some lingering (41 games) of sellouts, CSEC would collect just over $74 million per year questions as the city races through its (curiously truncated) one-week in ticket revenue from the Flames. That leaves potential Flames playoff public engagement phase: dates, the WHL’S Hitmen, the NLL’s Roughnecks, concerts and other assorted events to make up the additional $159.5 million in projected What happens if there are cost overruns on the project? The proposal ticket revenue. Per year. notes that construction costs will be shared 50/50 while “the city’s share of costs is up to $275 million.” The wording of this proviso cuts both On the other hand, if ticket sales only come out to, say, $150 million per ways, with unclear implications should construction go over budget. year for 30 years, the city’s $3 million in fees per year, or $105 million during the entire length of the lease, or about $50 million less than What is the opportunity cost of lost property tax plus the potential value of projected. “certain lands” that are to be made available to CSEC in the Rivers District? The other two big contributors to the pie are incremental rivers district property tax increase ($138.7 million) and street-facing retail property tax What happens to the “entertainment corridor” and the Victoria ($19.4 million). According to the report, the incremental property tax Park/Rivers District community if CSEC asks for another new arena, in a amount comes from CMLC, which expects a 10 percent tax bump in the different location, in the future? area thanks to the redevelopment/the addition of the arena. Of course, How does committing to this capital project impact other projects in and both numbers “best guesses” currently and don’t necessarily reflect real around the city? How will it impact budgeting and borrowing capacity, world effects. Particularly since other factors (like broad, economic given Calgary’s significant gap in tax revenues? trends) tend to impact property assessments and tax revenues. How much will the city have to invest in peripheral and supplementary As for the community engagement programming and local support for issues like infrastructure to service the new arena? This was a significant sports programs, some of that will come through “in-kind” contributions, impediment to the ill-fated CalgaryNEXT proposal, but may not be as big like access to the arena, and not actually cash. While they can be an issue in the much more accessible and already developed area of included as “value” provided to the community, the accounting should downtown. probably be separated from direct cash contributions. Positives and negatives Even if we accept all of the projections as accurate, however, the $400.3 million on a $275+ million investment (construction and demolition, and In the grand sweep and swell of stadium public financing schemes, there have been worse deals than this. The city extracted a handful of concessions from the team, including methods to recoup at least some of their subsidy (er, investment). Any sort of public revenue sharing or recapture was absent or actively scoffed at by CSEC during prior rounds of negotiations. The deal also guarantees the Flames will remain in Calgary for another 35 years and provides further impetus to develop an entertainment corridor in the somewhat neglected Rivers District in downtown Calgary.

The bad news is the ROI for the public still relies on some fanciful accounting on the city’s part, and even then the likely result is the public finishing underwater once all is said and done. The risk/reward profile still greatly favours CSEC and the Flames owners, at the public’s expense, particularly since the team was able to talk the city into nominally “owning” the building, but turning all operations (and most of the profits) over. The city also has no guarantee that it won’t go through all of this again 35 years down the road, even if they tie the new district development to the arena. The public also bears the risk of another flood or natural disaster damaging the building, although CSEC is on the hook for the day-to-day maintenance repairs to the building.

All told, the most accurate appraisal of this proposal is “it could be worse.” If we anchor our expectations according to bad deals and disastrous asks like CalgaryNEXT, this is a relative “win.” If, however, you hoped that Calgary would buck the trend of cities giving sports teams big subsidies while bearing a lot of future risk, you are likely to come away from this one disappointed.

The Athletic LOADED: 07.25.2019 1107556 Chicago Blackhawks

Blackhawks goalie Corey Crawford marries longtime girlfriend Kristy Muscolino

By CHICAGO TRIBUNE STAFF

Two-time Stanley Cup-winning goalkeeper Corey Crawford added some bling to his collection over the weekend: a wedding ring.

The Blackhawks veteran married his longtime girlfriend, Kristy Muscolino, on Saturday in Chicago. And plenty of his teammates — past and present — helped the two celebrate.

Amanda Bickell, wife of former Hawks forward Bryan Bickell, posted photos of the ceremony and reception to her Instagram account Tuesday.

Among other current and former Hawks who attended were Jonathan Toews, Patrick Kane, Niklas Hjalmarsson, Daniel Carcillo and Andrew Desjardins. In one photo, Kristy is holding the couple’s 1-year-old son, Cooper, while it appears they are exchanging vows.

Oh, and according to the newlyweds’ wedding registry at theknot.com, the Crawfords still need a toaster.

Crawford, 34, is not listed among the attendees for the team’s 12th fan convention Friday to Sunday at the Hilton Chicago. Toews, Kane and 2019 first-round draft pick Kirby Dach are expected to attend.

Chicago Tribune LOADED: 07.25.2019 1107557 Chicago Blackhawks

Corey Crawford married fiancée Kristy Muscolino, and lots of Hawks were there

By Satchel Price@SatchelPrice Jul 24, 2019, 2:48pm CDT

A whole bunch of Blackhawks past and present came together last weekend for a very good reason: Corey Crawford got married to his longtime girlfriend, Kristy Muscolino, on Saturday in Chicago.

Amanda Bickell, the wife of former Blackhawks forward Bryan, posted several pictures of the gorgeous reception and wedding on Instagram. In the one below, Kristy is holding their son, Cooper, during the ceremony.

“Beyond happy for this wonderful couple and so grateful to be apart of it,” Bickell wrote in the caption. “Love is in the air.”

Lots of Crawford’s current and former teammates were on hand for the moment. Here’s a photo including (from left to right) Bickell, Jonathan Toews, Niklas Hjalmarsson, Crawford, Daniel Carcillo, Patrick Kane and Andrew Desjardins. All of them played together in 2015 when the Hawks won their last Stanley Cup.

The Blackhawks’ annual convention starts Thursday at the Chicago Hilton, but Crawford won’t be attendance as he continues celebrating a major life event. Kane, Toews, Alex DeBrincat, Andrew Shaw and many others will be on hand.

Chicago Sun Times LOADED: 07.25.2019 1107558 Chicago Blackhawks

Dylan Strome on being reunited with Alex DeBrincat last season: 'If there was one team I wanted to get traded to it was probably Chicago'

By Dan Santaromita July 24, 2019 7:18 PM

Dylan Strome and Alex DeBrincat became teammates on the Blackhawks last season, but have a shared history going back to 2014.

That’s the first year the two played together on the Erie Otters of the Ontario Hockey League. They played there together for three seasons, including when they helped the Otters win the OHL in the 2016-17 season.

When Strome was traded from the Arizona Coyotes to the Blackhawks in the middle of last season, he was reunited with DeBrincat.

Strome stayed in Chicago to train this offseason and was a guest on SportsTalk Live on Wednesday to promote Blackhawks Convention, which starts on Friday. One of the things he talked about was his connection to DeBrincat.

“Obviously coming back to play with Alex, those are a few of the best years of my life when I played with him,” Strome said. “We won a championship in junior together. Obviously I think if there was one team I wanted to get traded to it was probably Chicago. It’s kind of crazy how things work out.”

When the duo helped Erie win the OHL, DeBrincat had a starring role with 65 goals and 62 assists in 63 games. Strome racked up 22 goals and 53 assists in 35 games that season, having made his NHL debut that same season with the Coyotes. The next year DeBrincat scored 28 goals for the Blackhawks in his rookie season.

DeBrincat upped his numbers in his second year with the Blackhawks. He had 41 goals and 35 assists. Strome tallied 17 goals and 34 assists in 58 games after joining the Blackhawks.

“I hope we’re just getting started,” Strome said. “This is our fifth year (together) coming up. I think we have so much fun off the ice. We connect really well. I guess we’re kind of opposite. I feel like I’m pretty loud and he’s pretty quiet, but I think I bring out the best in him. We joke around a lot. We have a lot of fun off the ice. If there’s a guy I want to hang out with off the ice, it’s him. He’s a pretty funny guy.

“We joke around a lot. I think it just adds to our on ice chemistry. It’s a lot of fun to play with him. Obviously, you get to play with a lot of special players here and he’s one of them. 40 goals or 41 goals at 21 is pretty impressive. Hopefully the best is yet to come. I think it is.”

Comcast SportsNet.com LOADED: 07.25.2019 1107559 Colorado Avalanche the offensive-zone goal line and still be the first man back to the front of his team’s net almost 200 feet away:

That speed allows him to recover a rebound and drive out of his zone The Gifted: How Avalanche super-prospect Cale Makar’s intricate skating and into the Sharks’ to create an exit and entry: skills layer into one another It helps him drive for a controlled entry:

And he can activate from behind the play and get open in the neutral By Scott Wheeler Jul 24, 2019 35 zone to create another one:

But there’s way more to skating than that elite straight-line speed. There Editor’s note: In hockey, as in life, there are archetypes built on are players who can skate north-south like Makar but who don’t have the hyperbole and buzzwords that are designed to fit every player into a pre- requisite skills to complement that talent and use it to take over games. defined box. Scouts and evaluators often fall prey to lazily characterizing When evaluating a player who can really fly, I often force myself to young prospects in this way: the power forward, the two-way centre, the answer the following questions: speedy winger, the one-dimensional scorer, the stay-at-home defenceman. But sometimes, just sometimes, there’s a player who is so What other skills can layer with straight-line speed to create an impactful different from everyone else in approach or in ability that he is able to package? distinguish himself through his uniqueness. These players have turned one skill into the body of their game, and they illustrate the varied ways Does the player have enough of those skills to merit the allure that hockey can be played at the highest levels. “The Gifted” is a 10-part comes with being faster than everyone else? series that examines, through video, the NHL’s most fascinating The answer to the first question has several parts — and Makar ticks all prospects and the unique skill sets that define them. By popular demand, of the boxes. “The Gifted” is back for a third year at The Athletic. It runs every Wednesday from July 24 to Sept. 25. The other skating skills

The Gifted (2017 series): Part 1: Carl Grundstrom | Part 2: Jordan Kyrou | The first layer I look for is the player’s ability to: Part 3: Vitaly Abramov | Part 4: Juuso Valimaki | Part 5: Vili Saarijarvi | Slow down. You can laugh, but this takes a conscious effort when the Part 6: Filip Chlapik | Part 7: Travis Sanheim | Part 8: Timo Meier | Part 9: tendency is there to burn wide — even if it’s not the right play. Players Kirill Kaprizov | Part 10: Elias Pettersson with speed can often back off defenders without ever using it. Those are The Gifted (2018 series): Part 1: Miro Heiskanen | Part 2: Casey the players who dictate pace most effectively. Patience is a skill. Mittelstadt | Part 3: Dylan Strome | Part 4: Oliver Wahlstrom | Part 5: Move east-west at as high (or close to as high) a level as he does north- Gabe Vilardi | Part 6: Adam Boqvist | Part 7: Evan Bouchard | Part 8: south. Kristian Vesalainen | Part 9: Jonathan Dahlen | Part 10: Morgan Frost Integrate the rest of the body into the legs. Some players are fast in The Gifted (2019 series): Part 1: Cale Makar | Part 2: Nick Robertson | straight lines, or even laterally, but they lack a deceptive element to their Part 3: Jason Robertson | Part 4: Aleksi Heponiemi | Part 5: Adam Fox | skating. Part 6: Dante Fabbro | Part 7: Emil Bemstrom | Part 8: Cody Glass | Part 9: Martin Necas | Part 10: Bode Wilde Watch the way Makar feigns as if he’s going to push tempo and attack. When he does and the Sharks forward turns his back to him, he’s already It’s not all that difficult to produce a glowing video analysis of Cale Makar. got him beat without ever having to accelerate. He just won the Hobey Baker as a sophomore and followed it up by having an immediate impact across two Stanley Cup playoff rounds in his The second point — the east-west skating — is driven primarily by a first NHL games. He ranked No. 4 on my annual top 50 drafted prospects player’s footwork. For defencemen, this is most noticeable in their ability ranking, which was released Monday; I nearly ranked him No. 3. to control and manage the offensive-zone blue line, which is an absolute necessity to be among the game’s best. It would be easy to run back his highlights I clipped throughout the year and move on to some of the less proven prospects who make up the Sometimes it looks like a quick lateral shuffle to get open and open up for other nine weeks of this year’s series. a shot. This is an almost unnoticeable skill, but it’s something a lot of defenders who struggle offensively don’t have the instincts or the skill to But that feels thin and disingenuous. Plus, Makar has NHL experience. execute as quickly as someone like Makar does. As soon as an And it’s the challenging kind that gives us real insight into what he’s offensive-zone faceoff is won, he’s crossing over onto his heels and into going to look like in the NHL, the kind of insight we lack in most players space (see below). Others would stand still. evaluated in this series. East-west skating talent can also be on display in a player’s ability to Ultimately, I settled on using that experience as the launchpad for the move and remain in control and in balance while on those heels. analysis. Makar’s play against the Calgary Flames and San Jose Sharks, two of the better teams in the NHL last season, tells us more than Some subtle edge work and directional change force a forechecking Joe anything he did in the NCAA. And because I prefer to use entire games Pavelski to change course. If Makar were a lesser skater, you could and the entirety of a player’s sequences within them, Makar’s more than probably bet on Pavelski pursuing him: 240 shifts across all 10 games would have been overwhelming. Instead, the analysis here is built around the last 52 shifts of that stretch, covering It’s that third dimension that takes a great skater and makes him a truly all of the 35:37 he played in Games 6 and 7 against the Sharks. dynamic puck-carrying threat. There’s more to skating than how the feet move. Once a player layers his shoulders or his eyes into his skating, he Though “The Gifted” is meant to focus on players who’ve mastered one becomes deceptive. He can look one way and move his feet the other skill set and Makar could still feature solely for the way he skates, a way. His shoulders can face one direction while his feet push off in nuanced analysis of Makar’s game reveals that what has separated him another direction. over the course of time hasn’t simply been his brilliant stride (though it definitely starts there). That’s where Makar has evolved the most (he’s been an excellent skater in straight lines since he was 16, but the rest has been a slow build). It’s Makar’s straight-line speed looks effortless, and it makes him one of a a joy to watch because even when it doesn’t result in a clear beat on a handful of defencemen who can reliably forecheck in the offensive zone defender or a shot through traffic, it’s helping his cause. without ever having to really worry about his ability to recover and get back if the play goes the other way. Like here, where Makar’s shoulders and feet fake their way across the blue line to force down the defending forwards: Watch, after pushing in the offensive zone, the way Makar gets back, closes the gap with his speed and finishes his check to help break up the Ultimately, that first shot gets blocked. But Makar is giving himself a play in the defensive zone: better opportunity to create a lane when he forces defenders to bite in that way. That level of straight-line speed allows Makar to play with an ease and confidence that’s rare for most defencemen. He can drive into space at Watch his shoulders and feet, rather than the puck, again below. And then watch the sequence back with a focus on how it forces Timo Meier to lunge:

When you put it all together and blend the speed with the ability to change edges, alter his direction and execute on fakes with his shoulders while his feet are getting him into space, you’ve got a dangerous package that allows Makar to attack space and create his own chances:

It doesn’t just impact a defenceman’s ability to create shooting lanes, either. Makar is cognizant that he can use his feet and shoulders to force defenders to bite and open up passing lanes for scoring chances as well:

While all of the above is enough to make an excellent transition defenceman, you’d also hope that a true No. 1 D-man can execute once his skating ability has created that space.

They also need to be able to regularly complete passes when space isn’t there and to finish. Those are the players who take over games. And while the results of goals and assists are less important to me for defencemen than they are for forwards, execution takes a good defenceman and makes him a great one.

With Makar, it’s clear his comfort level as a playmaker is there.

He wants to try things. And when they don’t work, like the entry below, he’s willing to try something else and work to get back open as a shooter instead of a carrier:

That’s true of Makar’s game as a passer, too. If a streaking forward hits the space and gets open before he can as a handler, Makar has the ability to execute the required pass.

Even if this play was narrowly offside, you see it in the way Makar hits his seam:

It’s also true here, when, after creating an initial entry with his feet, Makar creates a second with a cross-ice pass:

And believe it or not, a third just seconds after that with another pass (though technically this would have been the proverbial secondary assist on the entry):

He rarely tries to do too much or overextend himself. If real pressure is there, he’s not going to try to overutilize his lateral footwork to find space that isn’t there. Instead, he often makes the right play.

On his one assist in the final two games, his decision to shoot instead of carry created Gabriel Landeskog’s game-winning goal:

If the lane isn’t there for the shot, he’ll make the easy pass to someone with a better look at the net:

The result

If all of the sequences above are the demonstration of one layer at work, then what happens when you put them all together?

Defensively, you get a player whose skating allows him to be disruptive, create steals and move the puck:

You get won races:

Offensively, the answer is relatively simple: You get wow sequences in which Makar is in complete control of what’s happening on the ice.

You get the speed to activate, the lateral quickness to create the entry, and the shiftiness to keep the play alive, as seen here:

You get a player who can pivot and turn on chipped pucks in the defensive zone and then be the first player to the chip at the other end:

You get a one-man exit machine:

And a one-man entry machine:

You get a 20-year-old so talented that his team is willing to move the league’s sixth-most productive defenceman from 2017 to 2019 (Tyson Barrie’s 0.79 points per game) in order to create offensive opportunities for him and upgrade the roster elsewhere.

The Athletic LOADED: 07.25.2019 1107560 Columbus Blue Jackets The charge is simple and clear for Dubinsky going into his 13th NHL season: He needs to find a way to buy back a bigger chunk of ice time from the younger players on the team. Dubinsky did show that he can Blue Jackets offseason homework: How each player can improve this play a limited role last year, but with a cap hit of $5.8 million, Columbus summer needs more from the veteran.

Pierre-Luc Dubois

By Alison Lukan Jul 24, 2019 25 Projected role: First-line center

Dubois no longer has Panarin on his wing, and the 21-year-old’s biggest task is going to be proving he can continue to score goals and create When the puck drops on the 2019-20 Blue Jackets season, there will be space for his linemates without the Russian to his left. Expect Dubois to a lot of familiar faces who take to the ice, but the team’s composition will be asked to do more defensively and also carry a heavier load in terms of be decidedly different. After the organization went “all-in” at the trade transitioning the puck — a job once primarily belonging to Panarin. deadline, the free-agency talent Columbus had on its roster has left for Dubois was a part of the regular overtime units last season, and that’s different destinations, and for the first time in seven years, the question of time that will likely only increase. who owns the goaltender’s net is to be determined. Nick Foligno So much is unknown about what the exact lineup might be for the coming season, but what is assuredly present is the opportunity for many players Projected role: First-line forward to take on a more significant role than they have in the past. What also Foligno has held a top-six role for five years now, and next year might be comes with that is the increased responsibility of a bigger role — more one of his biggest opportunities to seize a spot on the first line. The 31- minutes come with higher expectations and levels of competition. year-old is good defensively and has shown no signs of rust, putting up With that in mind, we decided to look at the current Blue Jackets roster the second-best goal-scoring production of his career (.9 goals per 60) (in alphabetical order by position) to see what ask or challenge might lie last season. Foligno has also answered his coach’s challenge from four ahead for each player going into next year’s campaign. years ago, proving he can serve as the leader of this club, and for a player who likes to speak to his team through his play, the challenge to The Forwards play big minutes in all situations might be the perfect fit for the captain.

Josh Anderson Markus Hannikainen

Projected role: Third-line forward Projected role: Fourth-line forward

Third line here is less an indication of Anderson’s abilities and more a Hannikainen is the prototypical player you want in your bottom six. He reflection of the logjam on the right side. After all, what a force Anderson plays an energetic game while being surprisingly effective at getting is proving to be. The power forward has the size, speed and hands to traffic to the net. In just over 400 minutes of five-on-five ice time, likely be a reliable 30-point-plus producer every year. What to work on? Hannikainen came in third among all Jackets players in high-danger shot Anderson can improve his ability to drive play. If he can hold on to pucks share (56.20 percent). But this season, the forward will need to find ways a bit more to help create for his teammates while also improving his to convert those opportunities while maintaining his defensive edge. If defensive prowess, Anderson will be a real terror. Other areas of focus Bemstrom can earn a spot, Hannikainen might be one of a few for the 25-year-old: increase his shot quality and finish more consistently. candidates to be on the outside looking in. As Anderson continues to put the pieces together, could he also play a bigger role in overtime? Boone Jenner

Cam Atkinson Projected role: Third-line center

Projected role: First-line forward Don’t let Jenner’s place in this projected lineup fool you. He has shown how potent he can be regardless of where he plays. Jenner will likely For the entirety of his NHL career, Atkinson has scored 20-plus goals provide needed stability down the middle next year after switching back and 40-plus points in every season, save for the lockout-shortened 2012- to center for the latter half of last season. The challenge for Jenner now 13. But with the departure of Artemi Panarin, the assistant captain will be is to show he can consistently play that position and provide secondary tasked with reminding people he can still score on his own. Given the scoring. Jenner had the fourth-highest five-on-five shot quality among all consistency with which Atkinson has played throughout his career, that Jackets forwards last season but came in seventh in goals. Next year he shouldn’t be a problem (he was a goal-per-60 performer the year before needs to put at least 15 to 20 pucks in the net for his team. Panarin joined the Jackets), but there’s no wiggle room on the subject, either. Where can Atkinson bring more? The power play remains a work- Sonny Milano in-progress, and off the ice, the Riverside, Conn., native must continue Projected role: Competing for a full-time spot his growth as a core part of the club’s leadership group. It’s no secret Milano is on borrowed time and has been for about a year. Emil Bemstrom He’ll require waivers to move between the NHL and AHL next season, Projected role: Contending for a roster spot and this coming campaign might be his last chance to stick with Columbus. There’s a lot of “prove it” on the table for him. Perhaps one of the most compelling questions going into next season will be if Emil Bemstrom can deliver on the hype his career has generated to Riley Nash date. Known as a fearless player, he might still need to round out his Projected role: Fourth line center overall game, but scoring prowess like his would certainly be an asset for Columbus if Bemstrom can make the leap to the NHL. Nash didn’t have the season anyone wanted him to have last year, but he showed in the final half of the campaign and into the playoffs what he Oliver Bjorkstrand can add to the team. It’s also worth noting that while Nash’s shooting Projected role: Second-line forward percentage plummeted last year to a career-low 2.6, he didn’t see a significant drop in the number of individual chances he was creating There’s too much at stake this season for the Jackets offensively for (9.01 per 60) or shots he was taking (5.73 per 60). Nash needs to Bjorkstrand not to finally find a way to start a season strong. The dynamic rediscover consistency in his play and push for a spot higher in the scorer can’t wade into this coming campaign, and he’s going to have to lineup. Staying as just a seven- to 10-minute-per-night player isn’t going do all the little things to contribute 20 to 25 goals (shoot more, stay hard to be enough for what Columbus needs next year. on pucks, maintain the evolution in his two-way play). If Bjorkstrand can’t defend his spot in the lineup, Anderson and Bemstrom are going to be Gustav Nyquist right there trying to grab more ice time. Projected role: Second-line forward

Brandon Dubinsky The ask of the newest Jackets player is easy — keep doing what drew Projected role: Fourth-line center Columbus’ interest in the first place: reliably produce 20 goals and stay in the ballpark of 50 points while playing a responsible all-around game. Nutivaara has good puck skills, an offensive mind and the confidence to Nyquist might flirt with a top-line spot, but he’s shown to be most jump in the play. That will earn him a second-pair spot. What he needs to productive playing second-line minutes. Another possible bright spot? continue to work on is his ability to convert and generate more offense. Nyquist excels when playing the bumper role on the power play — that’s His feet often help keep him out of trouble, but rounding out his game will something the Blue Jackets haven’t had since Sam Gagner. be important.

Alexandre Texier David Savard

Projected role: Third-line forward Projected role: Third pair

The 19-year-old from France commanded attention when he exploded on What really improved for Savard last year was his defensive North American ice and earned his way into 10 NHL games, including performance. He put up the best shot-suppression numbers of his career eight in the postseason. But Texier also saw what challenges await as he and never shied away from what some coaches call “the ugly stuff”: struggled in the second round against Boston and lost a spot in the blocking shots, playing harder minutes and solidifying one of the best lineup. This coming year, Texier needs to show he learned his lessons. penalty kills in the league. Add on a career campaign offensively (highest Columbus needs him to be ready physically and mentally to play goals per 60, second-highest assists per 60) and Savard looks to be consistently in the top nine (and perhaps on the power play) while no coming into a prime part of his career when the Jackets will surely need longer having the advantage of being a surprise to opponents. Texier will him to. Given his expected spot in the lineup, Savard will be a core also need to show he has the ability to follow a similar path to Dubois: anchor to whichever young defenseman earns the final spot on the blue playing on the wing or at center if asked to fill such a role. line.

Alexander Wennberg Zach Werenski

Projected role: Second-line center Projected role: Top pair

Much has been written about Wennberg’s struggles, and at this point, the Werenski found his defensive game last season and will enjoy an answers lie within the player himself. He’s a talented skater who has elite offseason at full health, and the next step is to continue to grow as the vision and expert passing skills, but the Swede has to find a way to play complete player he’s always promised to be. The asks will be significant less tentatively and return to executing in a way that drives play. on both ends of the ice for Werenski. Solid defense will be key in front of Wennberg has all the tools to be a top-six forward, but he has to find a younger goaltenders, and the rover can always shoot more; after all, the way to overcome whatever has been blocking his ability to execute and Michigan native has the best shot quality of all Columbus defensemen show his skill once again on the ice. (.27 individual expected goals per 60).

The Defense Vladislav Gavrikov

Scott Harrington Projected role: Competing for the third pair

Projected role: Competing for the third pair It’s a “show me” season coming up for Gavrikov, not because he’s not fully capable of assuming a regular spot in the lineup but because he’s With eight NHL defensemen projected to be on the Jackets’ roster, played in just two NHL games in his career. The big Russian, who is Harrington is one player who will be fighting to retain a spot in the lineup. billed as primarily defensive-minded, certainly didn’t look out of place in The blueliner has been able to make the most of the third-pairing role he the playoffs, but he’ll need to help the organization understand where he earned last season, and the secret for him going into next year is to lean should fit. A big training camp awaits. into exactly what that role requires: Keep play simple, limit mistakes, play responsibly. The goaltenders

Seth Jones Joonas Korpisalo

Projected role: Top pair Projected role: Goaltender 1a

There’s no denying it: Seth Jones is quickly becoming one of the top five Of all positions in the Blue Jackets lineup, no other presents more to 10 defensemen in the NHL. Jones can carry the puck, transition play opportunity, nor a smaller margin for error, than goaltending. Joonas to the forwards, suppress opponents’ attacks, score and lead the team Korpisalo enters the season with the chance to seize the starting role. on and off the ice. So much of what the assistant captain does drives the He’s shown bursts of potential but also inconsistencies. In Korpisalo’s way the Jackets play, and so the challenge now becomes performing at four NHL seasons, he has seen the most shots per 60 (31.51) and that level night in and night out and being a player you notice every highest shot quality against (2.59) of any Columbus goaltender during his single night. tenure, but that’s not an excuse for falling below his expected save percentage (-.23 goals saved above average per 60). Korpisalo needs to Dean Kukan seize the opening in front of him while also managing the pressure of Projected role: Competing for the third pair knowing a young, promising goaltender is breathing down his neck in Elvis Merzlikins. Of the three candidates likely vying for the final spot on the Jackets’ blue line, Kukan is the best skater and most offensive of the group, but he will Elvis Merzlikins need to exploit both and his defensive game to stay in the lineup. In a Projected role: Goaltender 1a limited 330 minutes of five-on-five play, Kukan pushed his team to the best shot share, goal share and shot quality of any Jackets defenseman, Merzlikins comes into the NHL full of potential but also full of unanswered but he has to become even more aggressive individually and must look questions. How will the Latvian adjust to a faster game on smaller ice? to create more individually. That bomb of a goal in the Boston series How will he adjust to the gravity of knowing the season could rest on the needs to be the start of what’s to come, not just a flash. shoulders of his performance? It is worth noting that Merzlikins chose the biggest stage for his North American debut, opting out of signing a Ryan Murray contract that would have given him exposure at the AHL level.

Projected role: Second pair The coach

When Ryan Murray is in the lineup, the Blue Jackets have one of the John Tortorella more dynamic groups of young, top-four defensemen in the league. He is key to the team’s transitional play and has elite vision and passing skill. After managing a season full of off-ice drama, you have to think What does he need to do more? Murray is tremendous at feeding his Tortorella will relish the opportunity to return to the motivation of a teammates’ offense, but it’s time for Murray to unleash the offensive side proverbial chip on his team’s shoulder. No more need to focus purely on of his individual game — he ranked in the bottom three of all Jackets a message of “letting it get too good to you,” instead the coach has players in shot and scoring-chance volume last season. another opportunity to lift up a team that has been the subject of battered expectations, something Tortorella has shown as a strength. But the Markus Nutivaara bench boss will have pressure, too — a strong start by this squad will be Projected role: Second pair important, as will the need not to overthink goaltending as that balance of power sorts itself out.

— Data via Natural Stat Trick and Evolving-Hockey.com. All numbers represent five-on-five play unless otherwise stated. This post uses shot- based metrics. Here is a good primer on these numbers.

The Athletic LOADED: 07.25.2019 1107561 Dallas Stars couldn’t have done something like that if he wanted to move the family to Michigan.

This led to a greater perceived schism between Modano and the Stars. 19 in ’19 — #5: Mike Modano and his complicated legacy He left Dallas, and therefore something must be broken – when, in reality, he made a decision that family was more important than a bond to an employer. The Stars, meanwhile, rightfully assessed that it’s hard to By Sean Shapiro Jul 24, 2019 39 have an employee who is more retiree and stay-at-home dad than anything else.

Modano remained on good terms with the franchise after the move to 19 in ’19 highlights the 19 most impactful Cowboys, Rangers, Mavericks Arizona. When Dallas hosted the NHL draft last June, he joined Jamie and Stars throughout the history of each franchise. Our staff voted on the Benn to announce the Stars’ first-round pick to loud applause. Allison’s top 19 from all four combined lists to create these overall rankings. You golf career was wrapping up, and he indicated he was ready to get back can find all of our team lists and profiles here. into the hockey business. Mike Modano hasn’t done anything wrong since he played his final game Fans held out hope that would be with the Stars, but earlier this year, with the Dallas Stars on April 10, 2010. Modano took a job with the Minnesota Wild. Some took it as a slap in the He went out and pursued another job. His family has grown and he made face, thanks to general online pettiness over who owns the history of the decisions that reflected that. Like any retiree, he took some time away. It Minnesota North Stars. In a town where few pay enough attention to the was well deserved, and once he was ready to come back, he found an Stars, local radio hosts wondered aloud about how Dallas could mess NHL team that was willing to hire him. this up and let Modano work for another franchise. Roger or Dirk would never do this. These are all reasonable developments; Modano is free to live his life however he wishes. But when it comes to long-term legacy, those But Minnesota offered Modano a job the Stars didn’t have: He’s going to decisions – particularly in the age of social media – have slightly work in their community and advise the general manager on hockey tarnished what he built while wearing No. 9 for the Dallas Stars. operations. While the Stars gladly would have had Modano back to glad- hand fans, his playing resume didn’t convince them enough to Modano was supposed to be like Roger Staubach and Dirk Nowitzki. immediately grant him some sway over roster-making decisions. Neither man left the franchise they defined as a player, and Dallas became their home. Eventually, the franchise and the player went hand- It’s easy to be outraged online. All it takes is a simple tweet or post. in-hand. It’s also easy to find a way to be upset in the moment. But it’s probably Staubach never would have tried to extend his career to play for the best to stop and ask if we should really should be. Pittsburgh Steelers. Nowitzki played his 21st and final season with the Any outrage about Modano is actually a testament to his greatness as a Mavericks. He didn’t try to sign with the Miami Heat. Neither of them player. If he weren’t so spectacular on the ice, no one would have cared would have showed up to a pro-am tournament – not that they have about what happened once he retired. He could have been good and those in football or hoops – still wearing the gear of a former rival, gone to play for the Red Wings, and it would have mattered less. creating an odd clash of Christmas colors when Modano should only be Brenden Morrow moved on to Tampa Bay, after all. But Modano was wearing green. great, and so it was a cardinal sin. Revisionist history paints Mondano as the favorite son who fled Dallas for Modano put the Stars franchise on the map. While Shane Churla was in Detroit for one last swan song with the Detroit Red Wings during the the initial advertisements when the team moved to Dallas – simply a 2010-11 season. If he really loved this franchise, like fans want to think convenience of him being around at the time – the franchise needed to players do, he wouldn’t have played anywhere else. Much less there. win to avoid what happened in Atlanta, as franchises twice left the But Modano wanted to keep playing. He’s one of the greatest American sunbelt for Canada. Modano was the primary reason to watch the Stars players in NHL history and he was 41 games away from 1,500 played in in the early years. He was the reason the team was able to start building his career. Even at 40 years old, he had earned the right to choose when a championship. All of that was crucial for the Stars actually sticking – and where – he retired from this game. around in a town where hockey easily could have become a flash in the pan. And he would have stayed in Dallas, too. But the Stars were done with him. It was time to move onto the next era of the franchise, and hockey He stewarded hockey into the state, and if you were building a Mount isn’t a game where a franchise hero can play a bench role. You can’t Rushmore of DFW athletes, he’d be right alongside Nowiztki, Staubach sacrifice a regular shift for pleasantries in the NHL. and Ivan Rodriguez. I’d argue he’d be higher on this list of impactful athletes if he had followed the Staubach model. But Modano did his part, That time in Detroit looked clunky and awkward. Modano wore No. 90, and then some. Even tarnished gold still shines. and he wore red. That 1,500-game mark he was after? He missed it by one game after, as some claim, Mike Babcock unnecessarily healthy- The Athletic LOADED: 07.25.2019 scratched him.

A 40-game stint in Detroit made Modano look like a fool to many Stars fans. Why would he leave Dallas? In reality, the Stars forced him to find another place to play in the first place.

Modano was welcomed back upon retirement. Stars owner Tom Gaglardi felt it was an important gesture to make. All of the pleasantries and post- playing opportunities Mark Cuban publicly offered to Nowitzki the night of his final game? Modano had that opportunity, too.

And Modano liked his new gig: He did a little bit of everything and played golf with big wigs. Mike Modano, the brand, held value, if you were trying to close a corporate account or invite a free agent to Dallas. It was nice to have No. 9 at the table.

But Modano, the person, wanted something different – or, better put, the Modano family wanted something different. It was better for his wife’s professional golf career if the family moved to Arizona. Mike had his time in the sun. Now, it was time for him to do what he could to make sure Allison had hers.

Modano offered to keep working with the Stars, but it’s hard to work for Dallas if you don’t live in Texas. Look at the role Marty Turco has taken on as the president of the Stars foundation after his playing days: He 1107562 Detroit Red Wings MacKenzie was also a referee for a scrimmage at the tryouts and has been putting out fires along the way. For instance, his home rink in Lapeer, the Polar Palace, recently closed down. There’s also been Hockey enthusiast hopes new league boosts sport's culture in Michigan tension from the existing Federal Prospects Hockey League, which had a team in Port Huron last year and announced a new team in Battle Creek on Tuesday.

By Matt Schoch, The Detroit News Published 1:23 p.m. ET July 24, 2019 But MacKenzie said it’ll all be worth it when he steps onto the Fraser ice | Updated 8:40 p.m. ET July 24, 2019 for his hometown Hadley Nepessings this fall, a player in the semi-pro hockey league he started.

“I’ve been working my butt off for the past five years and I’m certainly Fraser — Drake MacKenzie thinks hockey culture stinks throughout going to take the opportunity to play professional hockey,” he said. Michigan. The commish So the brash 24-year-old Hadley native is trying build it from the ground up. But to lace up without being involved in more in-season controversy, MacKenzie needed an impartial ally to oversee the league as “We have to build that foundation,” MacKenzie said. “Minnesota didn’t commissioner. wake up one day and have 1,000 hockey rinks, people filling the barn every day. It started from somewhere and we have to figure out where While working as a project manager at Fraser Hockeyland where that somewhere is and we have to start that here.” MacKenzie and his staff have set up operations, Blum was keeping tabs on a group of fresh-faced kids with a dream. If MacKenzie has his way, it starts with his 12-team, single-A, semi-pro Interstate Hockey League starting this fall throughout Michigan. It's an “I love the enthusiasm,” Blum said. “I’m the cat that swallowed the owner-free league with players earning a revenue share. canary. They have dreams, these kids. I’m lucky I fulfilled my dreams. They want to fulfill theirs. They want to chase it, they want to have some The word is getting out to minor league hockey players across the region, fun with it. a group used to driving long miles across several states, often for disappointment. “It seems I’ve walked into something where my experience can help a bunch of kids.” “You’ve got a lot of players and you have limited spots,” said Josh Cicurillo, 36, who drove 10 hours from New Jersey for the tryouts. After growing up in Warren, Blum walked on to the University of Michigan “What’s great about what they’re doing is putting a show together, and hockey team where he quickly impressed. leaving the (stuff) to the side. Only three defensemen in Michigan history have registered 50-point “Hopefully these guys will prosper.” seasons, but Blum is the only one to do it twice. He played 250 NHL games with Edmonton, Boston, Washington, and Detroit, where he About 150 players came to Fraser Hockeyland earlier this month for one played six games in 1988-89. of the tryouts, with representatives from each of the 12 teams evaluating players, many which crossed state lines or the Canadian border. After an NHL career that saw him share blue lines with Paul Coffey, Ray Bourque and Scott Stevens, Blum served as a player, coach and Players paid $150, but if they make the league, they have the potential to administrator with several minor league organizations: the Daytona earn money based on a revenue share with the IHL from gate receipts. Beach Sun Devils, Detroit Falcons, Detroit Vipers, Saginaw Lumber When the teams open their 32-game schedules in November, Fraser will Kings, Toledo Storm, Motor City Mechanics and Port Huron Border Cats. host four teams — the Hadley Nepessings, Macomb Stags, Oakland Through all those teams and leagues, Blum — or “Blummer” as he’s Vipers and St. Clair Gulls — while the league’s other eight teams, from known — has seen all that can go wrong. St. Ignace to Alpena to Holland, each have their own rink. “One of the biggest failures is a lack of communication, egos get in the So many leagues and teams have come through the state that it might be way: I’m better than you,” said Blum, 59. “This is different. All these kids, a leap to put faith in the IHL, its green founder and staff. But a former they’re young. They’re young GMs, they’re young presidents, it’s really NHLer has added his name to the league this month as commissioner. cool. Most of them are half my age.” “I like the concept,” said John Blum, who played 15 years of pro hockey An approachable guy with connections, Blum sees himself as a mentor, at all levels, including eight NHL seasons. “I like that the players own the and that he’s paying back the game by paying his experience forward. league, there’s no owners, there’s no dictators. Everyone is in this together for a lot of fun, good entertainment.” “There are smiles on their faces, they’re like sponges,” Blum said. “Blummer is the teacher, the big brother, whatever you want to call me. Hockey leagues and franchises come and go, but MacKenzie wants to It’s great to be around positive, enthusiastic people.” build a product that stays. The vision “If you run into a brick wall over and over again, it’s not going to move,” he said. “That’s what we’ve done with hockey. We think every kid is How the league does remains to be seen, but the belief is there. going to the NHL and that’s not the case. A lot of guys want to just play hockey.” But is the money?

The founder While the players will earn as they go, MacKenzie said the league still needs somewhere from $750,000 to $2 million to operate. Growing up as a Flint Generals season-ticket holder, MacKenzie was quickly drawn to minor league hockey — maybe the moment was He said Budweiser has signed on for a six-figure sponsorship and the meeting some players at his grandparents’ house for regular card games, IHL is chasing other huge companies like the Big Three automakers — or the time his dad got into a fight with longtime Generals player Bobby General Motors, Ford and Fiat Chrysler. Reynolds. Kyle Kabacinski of Dearborn Heights heard about the league while “To see those guys, they were part of the community,” MacKenzie said. driving home from Mentor, Ohio, and a second failed attempt last season “Nothing against the Red Wings, but they’re kind of this big, global at playing in the Federal Hockey League. company. With the Flint Generals, that was our team, our town. And you Kabacinski has bought in huge, and was at the tryout in Fraser scouting were proud of that.” potential teammates for the Nepessings, where he is a player and With no college degree and just seven years working at McDonald’s general manager. under his belt, MacKenzie said he has a natural talent for organizing. “One thing led to another and next thing I know, it’s turned out to be A 2014 Lapeer West High graduate, he organized sports games between something I didn’t expect to be as big as it is,” Kabacinski said. “It’s quite his friends in his original hometown of Hadley in Lapeer County with new amazing. friends from his next home of Goodrich. “For this league to work, it’s going to take a combination of the right people doing exactly the right things at exactly the right moments.

“Right now, we have all those puzzle pieces that are coming together. I’m super excited for it. There’s a lot of promise. Heads are being turned left and right. People are coming on board that we didn’t expect.”

Low-level minor league hockey is a world filled with skeptical fans and players who have been burned by leagues and teams short of funding, a world New Jersey’s Cicurillo said he knows well.

“I wouldn’t recommend this life to my worst nightmare,” he said. “The American dream? I’ve lived the American nightmare. Literally when every door you knock on, not only do they shut the door, but they have a poke hole and they use a water gun in there and just Super Soaker you.”

MacKenzie said the rinks are largely wary of the startup, but he plans the league will fund about $1 million of upgrades at each over the first few years. At Fraser’s main rink, for instance, a new video board, sound system and on-ice projector are planned.

Down the road, MacKenzie hopes to fund free youth leagues across the state and for players to be active members of the community.

MacKenzie said he believes minor league hockey falls well short of minor league baseball when considering the fan experience. Blum and MacKenzie both likened the IHL’s potential as similar to the United Shore Professional Baseball League at Jimmy John’s Field in Utica.

On the ice, the IHL will feature some old-school hockey — “I saw more hitting in the first 10 minutes of a scrimmage than in a whole Red Wings game,” Blum said — but searches to find it without being gimmicky.

“If you’re here to hurt people or to mess people up, we don’t want you here,” MacKenzie said. “I think there needs to be a good balance of good hockey and physical hockey because these guys have to get up and go to work on Monday.”

Interstate Hockey League

► Who: 12 team semi-pro hockey league in Michigan (Alpena North Stars, Battle Creek Cavalry, Bay City Americans, Flint Wolfpack, Hadley Nepessings, Holland Beacons, Lansing Capitals, Macomb Stags, Muskegon Voyagers, Oakland Vipers, St. Clair Gulls and St. Ignace Grizzlies)

► When: Play is set to begin in November

► Where: Hadley, Macomb, Oakland and St. Clair play in Fraser; other eight teams have their own rink

► More info: Visit Interstate Hockey League page on Facebook and website at www.interstateprohockeyleague.com

Detroit News LOADED: 07.25.2019 1107563 Edmonton Oilers total. Nuge and Gagner spent 126 minutes together, keeping a 43.70 CF% at 5-on-5 and a disastrous goal differential (5-12).

Top two lines based on possession: Draisaitl-McDavid-Kassian; Khaira- Lowetide: Finding the best candidates for the final two spots on the Oilers Nuge-Neal. skill lines in 2019-20 Puck IQ

Finally we arrive at the Puck IQ numbers, designed to tell us who By Allan Mitchell Jul 24, 2019 performs best against elite competition. All numbers from 2018-19 except for Sam Gagner:

Ken Holland added the fourth player to a six-piece puzzle last week when Khaira: 168 minutes, 25.9 percent of overall TOI, 49.30 DFF and 8.60 the Oilers acquired winger James Neal. The volume shooter will join DFF% RC Connor McDavid, Leon Draisaitl and Ryan Nugent-Hopkins on what the Granlund: 218 minutes, 26.6 percent of overall TOI, 47.00 DFF and 5.00 team hopes will be two outstanding offensive units. The reaction from DFF% RC fans was overwhelmingly positive, followed immediately by a passionate conversation about the two players who will be playing complementary Kassian: 326 minutes, 31.1 percent of overall TOI, 42.60 DFF and -0.60 roles. DFF% RC

Zack Kassian? Alex Chiasson? Sam Gagner? Markus Granlund can Puljujarvi: 163 minutes, 31.2 percent of overall TOI, 42.50 DFF and -1.20 score goals and Joakim Nygard had a strong year in the SHL. Who are DFF% RC the two best options on the current 50-man roster for the two jobs available? Archibald: 261 minutes, 33.2 percent of overall TOI, 49.60 DFF and -2.60 DFF% RC Offence Gagner (’17-18): 292 minutes, 31.6 percent of overall TOI, 44.20 DFF Edmonton needs players who can score goals and keep the puck moving and -2.70 DFF% RC in a good direction. There’s nothing more frustrating than a third wheel who lets the play die on his stick after all the hard work of getting Chiasson: 326 minutes, 33.9 percent of overall TOI, 39.60 DFF and -4.30 possession and gaining the zone. Using 5-on-5 offence and the pool of DFF% RC NHL regulars (400 or more minutes) from 2018-19, we can rank the NHL Puck IQ’s glossary explains each category, but suffice to say Chiasson Oilers who qualify for the position: played a lot against elite competition a year ago and didn’t win the battle. Sam Gagner: 1.62 points per 60 (No. 197, second-line production) On the other end, Khaira played significantly fewer against elites but flourished compared to his teammates (DFF% RC is Dangerous Fenwick Jujhar Khaira: 1.38 points per 60 (No. 255, third-line production) relative to team). Math is suggesting strongly that Khaira is a strong internal option for sustained usage against elites. Zack Kassian: 1.32 points per 60 (No. 270, third-line production) What is the ideal top six for 2019-20? Josh Archibald: 1.30 points per 60 (No. 275, third-line production) When running numbers like this, one hopes math discovers one or two Alex Chiasson: 1.25 points per 60 (No. 289, fourth-line production) gems and comes to a grand (and reasonable) conclusion. There is no Markus Granlund: 1.09 points per 60 (No. 321, fourth-line production) perfect choice, but we do have three interesting if flawed candidates.

Gagner and Khaira are the best of a decidedly pedestrian group in terms Gagner is the best offensive option, but his play without the puck (and of 5-on-5 offence, and in both cases the points came away from poor possession performance with Nugent-Hopkins in a smaller sample McDavid. Gagner scored zero points in 35:27 with the captain, meaning size) make him a flawed candidate. his offence away from McDavid was close to 2.00 points per 60. Khaira Kassian has shown chemistry with McDavid but is well shy of delivering scored one point in 64:34 with McDavid, making his points per 60 total enough offence to be considered a substantial answer. without him (1.43) slightly better than his overall number. Meanwhile, Kassian away from McDavid (0.87 points per 60 at 5-on-5) and Chiasson Khaira shows well everywhere but offence and that’s a key element in without the captain (1.15) are lower than their overall number, with finding the final two linemates for the top two lines. He doesn’t shoot the Kassian getting zoomed the most by time with McDavid. puck enough and his resume suggests bottom-six usage for his NHL career. Top two lines based on math: Draisaitl-McDavid-Gagner; Khaira-Nuge- Neal. Conclusion

Lines from last year There is no happy ending. I have my top six forwards based on the current roster; it’s a lock Tippett won’t land on this group as his opening Edmonton’s No. 1 line in terms of usage one year ago (via night option: Corsica.Hockey) saw McDavid centre Draisaitl and Kassian. The trio spent 284 minutes together and won the possession battle (51.4 CF% at Draisaitl-McDavid-Kassian 5-on-5) plus goal differential (23-19). Kassian’s worth with the 97-29 duo makes him the obvious candidate based on possession and goal Khaira-Nugent-Hopkins-Neal differential. Math tells no lies. A reasonable conclusion from this exercise: The Oilers Nugent-Hopkins didn’t play on any one line for more than 100 minutes, need two more pieces of the puzzle and they’re not currently on the making it difficult to identify worthy partners. If we use Natural Stat Trick, roster unless it is a player who spent last season outside the NHL. we can identify RNH’s best partners from 2018-19 sorted by CF% at 5- Maybe it’s Tyler Benson, who had a strong finish to his AHL rookie on-5: season, or Nygard who is a bullet and scored a bunch of goals in Sweden. Nuge-Khaira (177 minutes): 49.12 CF%; 7-8 goal differential It’s likely we’ll see all of Kassian, Khaira, Gagner and the rest at one Nuge-Lucic (212 minutes): 44.77 CF%; 13-6 goal differential point or another, and that suggests we’re miles from an answer. Holland has gathered a group of forwards from across the hockey world and Nuge-Chiasson (289 minutes): 44.76 CF%; 8-9 goal differential those men will arrive in Edmonton this September.

Nuge-Puljujarvi (241 minutes): 43.6 CF% 11-15 goal differential Finally, an observation. I’m impressed with the showing of Khaira, math Nuge-Kassian (185 minutes): 42.90 CF%; 10-7 goal differential loves him in a year in which all agree he struggled. He did well away from McDavid, he held possession with Nuge and he was quality against Khaira shines again in this look, showing well in possession, with a elites. But he does not deliver enough offence, doesn’t shoot the puck reasonable goal differential. Among the right wingers presented, near enough and that likely means he is destined for bottom-six duty. Chiasson has the edge but it’s a wobbly argument with that possession There’s still a lot to like about him: He has a value contract, can play an enforcer role, is a willing fighter and can play centre or wing. Perhaps he’s worth considering for a more prominent role.

The Athletic LOADED: 07.25.2019 1107564 Los Angeles Kings Coyotes. He has worked with goalies who have been cut from other teams or seek to get to the next level.

Throughout it all, he hasn’t forgotten that poster on his wall. Kings’ Matt Millar gets to work with his idols while coaching future star goalies “To have Bill, with that kind of pedigree, to believe in you … is a really big confidence booster,” he said. “For me, it really encourages me to work harder and grow.”

By CURTIS ZUPKESTAFF WRITER LA Times: LOADED: 07.25.2019

As a kid aspiring to be a goalie, Matt Millar drew inspiration from the posters on his wall. It was 1990, and Millar saw fit to hang a picture of Edmonton Oilers goalie Bill Ranford, among others.

Ranford set the hockey world on fire that spring on his way to the Conn Smythe Trophy. Millar was in elementary school, and he could have never imagined that he would eventually work with Ranford as a goalie coach for the Kings.

The thought “wasn’t in the same realm or universe,” Millar said. “[Now], working alongside those guys, Bill and [former Kings goalie coach] Dusty [Imoo], I think you look up to those guys. It wasn’t shocking, but an eye- opener that you’ve got to show up and you’ve got to work.”

Millar, 37, officially became part of the Kings’ staff last week when he was hired as a goaltending development coach, a position previously held by Imoo to work with the organization’s goalie prospects. Ranford remains the team’s primary goalie coach.

It’s a significant hire, not only because goaltending is a franchise strength, but because Millar is tasked with filling Imoo’s shoes. Imoo, who left this summer to coach in the Kontinental Hockey League, helped develop Jack Campbell and Cal Petersen. Campbell turned his career around and finished third in the NHL with a .928 save percentage and fifth with a 2.30 goals-against average. Petersen showed he is the goalie of the future even as he backstopped the last-place Ontario Reign last season.

The hiring also makes Millar a homegrown story. He grew up in El Segundo, where the Kings currently practice, and his father, Peter, was the Kings’ equipment manager from 1989 to 2006. Much of his childhood took place at NHL rinks around NHL players.

“I spent a lot of time in the Great Western Forum,” Millar said. “Culver City Ice Arena. The Iceoplex [in the San Fernando Valley]. I spent a lot of my time missing school days.”

Millar wanted to be a goalie because he liked the colorful equipment. His mask featured an eagle design modeled after that of former NHL goalie Ed Belfour. Millar landed at Bethel College in Minnesota, and he is the first to say his playing career was modest. He became an assistant coach at Bethel and later an assistant coach for the Dubuque Fighting Saints of the U.S. Hockey League.

For the better part of the past five years, Millar has coached at Kings’ development camps, under Ranford and Imoo, who have provided an example for how to balance the technical and psychological aspects of being a trusted goalie coach.

“Being around Bill and Dusty, one of the things I’ve learned is that they know their technical stuff, but the way they present that info and how they get the goaltender to believe in themselves — they’re all completely different but they step in the crease and love what they’re doing,” Millar said. “Having passion for being the best goalie they can be is what Bill and Dusty are about.”

Millar recently met up with Petersen, mostly just to talk, and there was a small-world-twist because Petersen’s father, Eric, was also a goalie at Bethel.

Their relationship will likely lead to a starting goalie job for the 24-year- old Petersen, who showed he could be NHL ready with an 11-game look last season. But he must bide his time behind Campbell and Jonathan Quick.

“He knows himself and knows his game really well, and he’s really mature about how he wants to go about making hockey a long career,” Millar said of Petersen.

If there’s one aspect that Petersen and Millar share, it’s that both know about paying dues in the goalie ranks. Millar has stood behind the bench for the U.S. in international events, and also as a scout for the Arizona 1107565 Los Angeles Kings “Can’t say he is the sexiest player out there but players like to play with him because he moves the puck and he moves it effectively,” the scout said.

STEVENS SPEAKS HIGHLY OF LA TENURE; MOVERARE LOANED; Similar to the jump to North American pro game, it’s always a challenge COMMUNITY CALENDAR for 20-year-olds to make the jump from major junior hockey to the SHL, and accounts are that once Moverare gained the pro repetitions on the larger ice sheet and improved his conditioning, his game became JON ROSENJULY 24, 2019 steadier.

“The biggest things that stood out in his play this season were his ability to find a way to play a pro game in a bigger rink, trust to stand up both on COMMUNITYPROSPECTS AND SCOUTING the offensive zone and defensive zone blue defending the rush, [play INSIDERS. Thanks for the patience. Took a few days off last week. Had with] tighter gaps and the loss of body fat and being in better condition. some meetings. Planned, plotted, planned to plot some more. It’s the low Now he knows what it takes to play pro and even more what it will take to season, so thanks for your understanding when LAKI slows down for a play pro at the next level.” short period. Frolunda operates a heavy, aggressive forecheck, and once he became SAINT STEVENS. Among the topics regularly raised when media are acclimated to such systems while improving his professional regimen, his congregating or waiting in team areas – we do a lot of that – is which game improved. It’s not out of line with what many 20-year-olds go figures are Good Media Guys. Who always has time for you? Who cares through after making the jump from junior hockey, as has been shared on and makes the effort to get to know you and your background? Who these pages many times. He’ll again team with Samuel Fagemo to explains things well and doesn’t get curt when they’re asked the same defend Frolunda’s title and is eligible to become a restricted free agent exact question every other day for two months straight? (As a two summers from now. counterpoint, there should be a documentary on how Darryl Sutter LA Kings Insider: LOADED: 07.25.2019 ultimately tired of the questions about how he planned on using Milan Lucic.)

Stevens was a great diplomat when the team traveled to China, a trip during which those of us in the Good Media Guys panel noted his patience and willingness without cynicism or vacancy to go beyond the usual media and promotional requirements of an NHL coach some two weeks before the season. He sold the game well. He treats those around him well. And like Daryl Evans, he’s got a terrific attitude, God Bless Ya. There’s not a vindictive or petty bone in his body, which has come off in emails and check-ins since his departure from the team, and now, an interview with Sean Shapiro of The Athletic ($) in which he expresses appreciation for his tenure in L.A.

The Athletic: How do you look back at time with Kings?

Stevens: I look at my time with the Kings as a very successful, enjoyable part of my life for a lot of reasons. I think Mr. Anschutz is as good an owner (as) you’re going to find in pro sports. He’s just a wonderful man and gives that team every resource it needs to try and win. I worked with some wonderful people there, got a chance to work with some great players that are good people – so, very fortunate. And the quality of life in Los Angeles is outstanding. The weather’s great but it’s just a great community to live in. I didn’t mind the travel at all. For me, that was kind of overblown out west. You travel on a nice plane and you had four big trips a year, but I loved everything about being in Los Angeles.

We had all kinds of young players come through there that weren’t NHL players when they came to us that became stars in the league, and I’m really proud of that. I was part of a group that came together and won two championships and did it two totally different ways. I’ve got some just wonderful relationships with a lot of the players I’ve coached over the years that are special to me – that goes for support staff and coaches and everybody else. My time in L.A. was terrific. All good things come to an end, one way or another, and that seems like such a small piece of it, to me. I love my time in L.A.; the success we had there was unreal. Those teams, they were as good as any teams I think that have ever played in the league. Those runs we had were special. I’ll look back at my time in L.A. and always have a really good feeling about the time we spent there.

JAKE MAKES A BREAK. Jacob Moverare is Gothenburg-bound again, having been loaned to defending Swedish and Champions Hockey League champions Frolunda. A fourth rounder in 2016, Moverare’s game relies on hard defending, astute positioning and “lack of bail-out” rather than impressive footspeed, though his mobility improved in concert with his conditioning as a 20-year-old, first-year pro last season. He posted nearly as many points in Frolunda’s SHL title run as he did in his 42 regular season games, though he doesn’t profile as a point producer. From LAKI, shortly after his SHL title:

There is no surprise or tremendous intrigue in his skill set beyond his feel and understanding of the game; this is a player with a clear stay-at-home bent who “cleans up after others and finds ways to move the puck” and used his stick to get touches and defend well. 1107566 MontrealCanadiens Age: 18 | Drafted No. 131 in 2019

Stats: 25 GP, 28G, 33A, 61 Pts, 2.44 P/GP

Brown: Offseason ranking of the Canadiens’ top-20 prospects – 15-11 The more I watch Pitlick, the more captivated I become by his high-flying game. His game has shades of a discounted version of Jesse Ylönen (the Canadiens’ second-round pick in 2018), a turbocharged dual-threat By Mitch Brown Jul 24, 2019 attacker with an endless motor.

With deep knee bend and rapid-fire stride recovery, Pitlick’s stride resembles the Road Runner more than the long stride that features so Last week, I unveiled positions 20 to 16 in my annual offseason heavily in the top levels of hockey today. While speed is helpful, the main Canadiens prospect rankings, along with the honourable mentions. This selling point with Pitlick is that he’s able to do everything – shoot, pass, week, we’re picking up where we left off, with prospects ranked 15 to 11. transition, and defend – with speed.

As usual, these rankings reflect my views on their upside, not their Pitlick maximizes his speed by adding lane deception, pass receptions in likelihood of making the NHL. The goal of the ranking is to identify stride and a high-grip stickhandling style. He prefers sliding the puck just potential top-of-the-lineup prospects in the organization. You can read out of defenders’ reach and using trickery over dangling through sticks more about the guidelines of my ranking in last week’s post. and skates, keeping his transition success rate high. His brilliantly timed full-body-tensioned cutbacks and edge work give him separation in tight, Here are the next five on my list. opening up space for him to operate in the offensive zone. 15) Jordan Harris – LD – Northeastern University (HE-NCAA) The clip above includes a pass of high-end difficulty: a one-handed Age: 19 | Drafted no. 71 in 2018 backhand pass into the slot. For many players, that’s their best pass of the season. For Pitlick? Maybe top-10. I mean, check this cross-slot pass Stats: 39 GP, 1G, 12A, 13 Pts, 0.33 P/GP through a defender with pace. He pulled off that kind of pass in just about every viewing I had. Jordan Harris debuted in Northeastern’s top-four and never once lost that role throughout his freshman season. Harris is the quintessential type of A dual-threat, Pitlick is a capable finisher with the ability to convert from defender the Canadiens have targeted in the past three drafts, with range. He can shoot out of the handle and change the angle in release. strengths in transition and rush defence outweighing perhaps limited More than the average player, his shooting proficiency drops while offensive upside or other warts. pressured and a quick release comes with notable erraticism. That said, his shooting base is better than I initially thought, and I wouldn’t be There aren’t many players in college hockey who make rushes look this surprised if he blossoms into a legitimate scoring threat. easy: In addition to a diverse offensive tool kit, Pitlick is a high-pressure off-the- Crossover-heavy skating builds the majority of Harris’ speed, which puck player, using his speed to antagonize the opposition in all three masks the occasional clunkiness in his stride. Pivots and cuts also zones. While his timing and reads could be more consistent, having the contribute to Harris’ acceleration, making him a tricky player to catch in motor in place is an excellent starting point. tight quarters. While a capable puckhandler, he’s more dangerous because of the routes he takes; blocking out defenders by using the net There are two main concerns with Pitlick. First, he’s an inefficient as a pick or jumping into tiny pockets of space. attacker; he relies on a higher number of puck touches to generate the same amount of offence as similarly-skilled prospects on this list. He The second way that Harris epitomizes the type of defender the forces so many plays that I occasionally wonder if some of those high- Canadiens have drafted in recent years is in neutral zone (or rush) end passes were more luck than skill. defence. Harris has all the fundamentals; his feet provide range, his stick is middle-protective and robust, and he drives attackers outside the dot Second, the low level of hockey Pitlick played produces greater lines before pouncing. He has a strong foundation of habits, such as uncertainty in projecting his upside. While most players on this list have always folding back into the centre of the ice first while defending a rush, already proven themselves in the AHL, NCAA, or major junior, Pitlick angle gapping, and non-committal footwork (i.e., use of crossovers only hasn’t. The best players find ways to adapt to the next level, and while when the attacker has committed to a lane). When a turnover in the I’m a believer in Pitlick, there’s no guarantee he does. Next season, neutral zone occurs, Harris’ always-in-the-rush mentality means he’s just Pitlick will be able to prove himself in junior, joining the USHL’s Omaha a stride away from closing the gap and breaking up the play. Lancers full-time. I anticipate him being one of the league’s top scorers.

The next step in Harris’ development is making passes in transition Ranking Explanation: While I feel reasonably confident in my without breaking stride. Making plays in stride is a crucial skill for NHL assessments in this ranking (within reason, there’s only so much one can defenders given the speed of the game. Harris tends to enter a glide or watch, analyze, and predict), my various Pitlick projections have way slow to a standstill when making decisions, allowing opponents to catch more variance. Sometimes, I see Pitlick’s tools (handling, playmaking, up. shooting) as top-six level – the first prospect on this list I see with that upside so far. Other times I think those tools are third-line level or lower. Although Harris hasn’t been a high scorer at any level, he often looks like If he performs like expected in the USHL, I could see him leap-frogging one. He’s patient and composed, often waltzing from side-to-side looking several players currently ranked above him in the midseason ranking. for an opening. However, rarely does the dance result in slot penetration, or even, well, anything. His shot is average. His passes to the slot are 13) Joni Ikonen – C – KalPa (Liiga) often behind their target, indicating he’s passing to where his target is, not to where they are going. The flash rarely comes with substance, Age: 20 | Drafted No. 58 in 2017 which I noted in his Kimball Union Academy days, too. Stats: 13 GP, 5G, 5A, 10 Pts, 0.77 P/GP This season was a strong one for Harris, but he’s still years away from After an underwhelming 2017-18 campaign, Ikonen tore his ACL during the professional level. Decision-making in transition, offensive zone offseason training. He returned in January, but then a minor knee injury reads and defensive zone risk mitigation are vital areas for Harris to turned into a season-ending one. In between the injuries, Ikonen played improve. His upside is a tad limited, perhaps a bottom-pairing defender just 13 games; but they were 13 quite good games. (or fringe top-four) who could play some special teams if necessary. A crafty offensive creator, Ikonen can grab points in several ways. His Ranking Explanation: I battled between ranking Harris at the top of this step-in wrister is his preferred weapon, which generates duck-for-cover grouping (Nos. 14 to 21) because of the flash and near the bottom power but can be neutralized at 5-on-5 with an alert defender or clear because of a lack of execution. Ultimately, I’m a believer in his skill set look for the goaltender due to its predictable nature. (offensive production notwithstanding), in part because his skating affords him more room for error. I see Olofsson (No. 16) and Harris being That shot isn’t Ikonen’s only weapon, however, and in his 13 games this relatively comparable in their issues, but Harris owning slightly more year, he used his one-timer more and flashed some cheeky deceptive positional value. My first thought after submitting Nos. 20-16 was: Crap, moves. In this clip, notice how Ikonen taps the puck across the ice maybe I should’ve flipped Olofsson and Harris. It’s close. horizontally. The goaltender has to move across the crease to respect 14) Rhett Pitlick – LW – Chaska High (High School-MN) the shot to the glove, and then Ikonen subtly slides the puck through the Ranking Explanation: Evans versus Ikonen is an interesting debate. opened five-hole. Ikonen’s more skilled from a raw tools standpoint, no doubt. I project both as possible third-line scorers, with Evans’ superior skating, additional Although the shooting drives Ikonen’s offensive value, he’s a capable, layers to his offensive skills and stronger track record being the deciding but occasionally reluctant, passer. His light edges and soft-touch confuse factors. I could be swayed, with prospects No. 10 to Ikonen being so defenders in tight, which he routinely combines with a dangerous pass. tightly grouped. He often weaponizes his improved off-the-puck play with his playmaking, turning takeaways into scoring chances for his teammates. 11) Cale Fleury – RD – Laval Rocket (AHL)

There’s plenty of work to be done with Ikonen’s game. He lacks Age: 20 | Drafted No. 87 in 2017 separation tools, especially skating ability. His clumsy, ankle-shaking stride was strengthened, but his stride cuts short, decreasing power and Stats: 60 GP, 9G, 14A, 23 Pts, 0.38 P/GP speed generation. He also sometimes makes unstable, aircraft-carrier- Much like Noah Juulsen two seasons ago, Cale Fleury stepped into the like turns, which is a bit strange given his ability to cut in tight. AHL and was a top defender on Laval immediately. His game isn’t as It’s not do-or-die time with Ikonen yet, but I think it’s fair to expect a high- advanced at Juulsen’s at the same age, but he has the same strengths: scoring season in Liiga. If his skating improves, and he continues to defence and transition. diversify his shooting and playmaking, I’d expect to see him quite a bit To borrow from basketball, Fleury’s a highly switchable defender, higher come midseason rankings. proactively jumping between assignments and supporting positions to Ranking Explanation: Ikonen’s injury wasn’t considered in this ranking. minimize the threat of a shot. His small-area quickness and stickwork Ikonen’s downgrade in the ranking (he was No. 6 at midseason) does not made him Laval’s most reliable support defender, jumping into tricky come from his performance, but rather changing how I weigh situations to erase poor decisions by his teammates. Fleury, the 20-year- components. Ikonen is skilled, no doubt, but he lacks the layers that I old rookie, was Laval’s janitor. His janitorial skill set is evident in emphasize more-and-more these days. His skating is also weaker than transition defence. that of the prospects above him. I like Pitlick’s skill set more, but his A high-pressure defender, Fleury prevents plays before they begin. In projection is more challenging because of the level he played. Therefore, this example, Fleury departs the net-front and stays on the only Ikonen gets the edge. Ask me tomorrow, and I might have a different opposition player in the slot. While many players would sag towards their answer. net, Fleury’s positioned to reach in and prevent the shot entirely. Also 12) Jake Evans – C – Laval Rocket (AHL) notice what Fleury does before the play, using non-committal footwork (he doesn’t let his feet get set) to stop a 1-on-1 situation with the attacker Age: 23 | Drafted No. 207 in 2014 coming with speed.

Stats: 67 GP, 13G, 32A, 45 Pts, 0.67 P/GP I could go on-and-on about Fleury’s attention to detail defensively, from the way he wedges himself between the puck and puckcarrier along the At first glance, there’s not much reason to be excited about Jake Evans. boards (aka, cutting off the hands), to his arc-routes along the boards to He’s an average skater, shooter, and handler, packed into a 6-foot frame funnel plays up the boards, or the way he pinballs himself off attackers with a fine, but not exceptional scoring résumé. At 23 years old, he’s standing around the goal. likely nearing the end of his development. But Evans’ value isn’t based on skill or strength; it’s based on consistency and offensive feel. Fleury primarily drives his value through the interaction between defence and transition. He supports the rush by activating up the dot line, ready to That means Evans is just about always in the right place at the right time, quickly fold back into the middle of the ice in the event of a turnover. If making him Laval’s primary manufacturer of offensive pressure. The leading the rush, he commits to driving the attack past the red line and sequence below stands out, not because it’s the flashiest, but because into the offensive zone, which limits confusion for his forwards and it’s what Evans does regularly. The attack starts with Evans intercepting maximizes time spent away from his net. a breakout pass and immediately setting up a scoring chance. Evans then cuts into the slot to get open (probably wishful thinking given Laval’s Pass or carry, it doesn’t matter; Fleury easily jumpstarts the transition lack of playmaking talent other than himself). He sneaks toward the net with an injection of pace with his always-up-the-ice mentality. In my 14- just as the puck is sent down low, giving him a step on the defence. game tracking sample, he was Laval’s top defender in controlled exit Evans one-times the rimmed puck into the slot for a scoring chance from percentage (with pressure) by 36 percent. behind the net, the spot where he did so much damage while at the University of Notre Dame. Here’s an example of where defensive and transitional habits meet. Fleury prevents a shot by keeping a tight gap off the puck, which he The consistency is the frequency of these passing sequences from maintains after switching assignments when the puck comes back Evans (every single game); the offensive feel is the awareness to convert around the goal. With the gap closed, Fleury throws his body into the an interception directly into a chance and sneak away to track the puck attacker for a box out, then immediately burns up the ice with a series of and create another. buttery crossovers. He commits to the rush, staying involved to support it, even at the end of his shift. Evans adds layers on top of those two key traits; notably deception and versatility. He can make the cross-slot pass from the corner or the half- The details in Fleury’s game are less noteworthy in the offensive zone, wall, under pressure or in open ice. Although a tad limited on his no doubt. His one-timer is his primary weapon, which he can fire from backhand, Evans thrives at making small-area passes with defenders awkward positions, but isn’t all that dangerous otherwise. Sneaking off trying to pull him down. To top it off, he adds in look-offs and fakes to the point for a backdoor pass became an important tool for Fleury this create just that tiny extra space for his recipient. season. Expanding his offensive pallete (more aggressive passing, more shot diversity) will give him a little extra point-producing punch, but Evans’ approach in the defensive zone is just as consistent as his there’s enough here to be NHL average. playmaking, with a disciplined, alert support game and a high level of switchability. He looks just as comfortable backpedalling to defend a rush I was cautious about Fleury last year, but now I see a defender who like a defender as he does backchecking, which is a rare quality in a could play in the NHL as soon as next season. Ultimately, I question the forward. A significant area of growth throughout the season was the way upside. I don’t think he’s a clear-cut potential top-four defender, perhaps Evans enters puck battles by attacking the puck carrier’s feet and then a fringe top-four defender (i.e., the right situation/partner could allow him escaping by widening his stance and extending his reach in lieu of small- to float in top-four minutes, play second PP). I expect Fleury to be a dark- area quickness. horse candidate for a spot come training camp. If not, Fleury will return to Laval for his sophomore season, where he should feature even higher in While the lack of small-area quickness, or quickness in general, hasn’t the lineup. hampered Evans’ performance too much, I think his skating and puck skills are likely to prevent Evans from scoring at a top-six rate in the NHL. Ranking Explanation: Do I think there are ten prospects on this list who Instead, I think Evans could become a versatile third-line centre with will have better NHL careers than Fleury? Nope. But this list focuses special teams ability. I remain skeptical of Evans’ real transition ability in solely on upside; I prefer to gamble on top-of-the-lineup potential over the NHL; however, no Rocket forward made a higher percentage of surer bets (there are no sure bets). I don’t see enough in terms of skill transition plays with control in my 14-game tracking sample. I wouldn’t be and offensive awareness, and projecting/grading defensive ability carries surprised to see Evans in the NHL next season. more uncertainty than offence (which carries plenty unto itself). I choose Fleury over Evans because I see similar skill and success relative to their position, but Fleury’s younger by two years and a better skater. Those two points give me the slightest more confidence in the accuracy of my projection.

Mitch Brown’s Canadiens prospect ranking will continue next Wednesday, July 31, with Nos. 10-6 on his top-20 list.

The Athletic LOADED: 07.25.2019 1107567 Nashville Predators never shoots the puck. I think Duchene could outscore him overall this year.

Do you think the Predators are better now than they were at the end of Q&A: WWE wrestler Eric Young on his Predators fandom and why Matt last season? Duchene could be the team’s leading scorer I don’t think better or worse. When you lose a defenseman of P.K.’s caliber, it’s hard to say you got better. I think that they’re different. The By Adam Vingan Jul 24, 2019 way the team was set up, especially the power play, they were one of maybe two or three teams in the whole league where the power play ran through the defense and shooting from the point. I think running a power play through the defense is a mistake in today’s NHL. I think setting it up The Predators’ fan base is filled with celebrity supporters. Performers of on the half boards and rotating it like that and keeping people moving all kinds have shown their love for the team, so why not hear what they and trying to pull people out of their structure is the only way to score on have to say about how things are going in Nashville? the power play. Shooting it from the point and hoping the puck bounces Eric Young is a professional wrestler currently performing in WWE. to somebody standing in front of the net or deflects off someone and Young, a native of Florence, Ontario, is a 20-year veteran of the wrestling goes in obviously isn’t working. I think five years ago, it was fine, but that industry who has resided in Nashville since 2004. He was a mainstay of doesn’t work anymore. Total Nonstop Action Wrestling (now Impact Wrestling), which originated I feel like they’re different. To me, being a fan of the team, I feel satisfied. here in 2002, before joining WWE’s NXT promotion in 2016. They made moves. They did things. I don’t imagine that (David Poile’s) This interview has been edited for clarity. done. I think a couple more things will change before the season starts again. It’s different, but they’re more set up to play today’s hockey. How were you feeling about the Predators in the immediate aftermath of their elimination from the playoffs? Which member of the team is facing the most pressure entering next season? The first thing to me that comes to mind is disappointment. On paper, they looked maybe the most dangerous they’ve ever been. Really good I think it just starts at the top. There will be nobody under more pressure down the middle of ice, I think arguably the best overall defensive corps, than (Peter) Laviolette. I think he’s a great coach, and I think he’s done a (Dante) Fabbro even being called up near the end looked like he really great job. But everything starts at the top. And that goes for Poile as well. belonged, Pekka (Rinne) having a really good season. It just seemed like He’s tied to that, hiring the right coaches and getting the right power-play everything was kind of in place. The (first-round) series was OK, but I coach and getting the right assistants and practicing the way they need thought they would handle Dallas pretty easily. If you’re being honest as to and setting things up like that. The pressure is on Laviolette, but Poile a fan, it pretty much went the other way. They manhandled us for the as well. He’s the winningest GM in NHL history, but still hasn’t won a most part. Stanley Cup. He’s the Dan Marino of general managers. And I wouldn’t trade him. He turned Martin Erat into Filip Forsberg. But if we’re looking What are your thoughts on the P.K. Subban trade? at the organization, it’s those two guys.

Subban fit in great, I think even endearing people who maybe weren’t The Predators appear to be a popular team among wrestlers. Is that as hockey fans. He was a portal to the fan that wasn’t a hockey fan because true as it seems from the outside? he’s a larger-than-life character, one of the very few in the NHL. Most guys are very quiet. I know a lot of them. I’ve met several of them. There are way more hockey fans in wrestling than you would imagine. They’re all cool guys and have millions of hilarious stories, but when they Sami Zayn is a massive hockey guy. He’s a Montreal fan, but I don’t hold get put in front of a recorder or put in front of a camera, they’re very, very that against him. He’s very good at fantasy hockey. We talk hockey every quiet. He was sort of the anti-hockey player. For me, I still think he’s a week pretty much, even this time of year. We play in the same fantasy good player, but he was overpaid at $9 million. It was a necessary thing league. Me and him played for the championship this year. He beat me, to bring in some new players because what they were doing obviously so I’m out for blood this year. wasn’t working. Getting rid of a $9 million salary is a good move, no Jeff Jarrett is obviously a massive Predators fan, and he owes that to me. matter how good the player is. I just think he was overpaid, if I’m being I called him one day and said, “What are you doing? I’m on the way to honest. your place. We’re going to a Predators game.” He’s a basketball guy and What do you expect from Matt Duchene next season? would always make fun of me for how terrible hockey was. He’d say it was stupid and that the only good part is fighting. I drove all the way over To me, he’s been a top 15, maybe top 20 center for the last three or four to (his house), made him get in my car and we went to a game. He’s a years. I thought he would be better in Colorado. There were times when been a diehard fan ever since. He probably goes to more games than I he would be dominant. This is a guy that can skate, that can pass, that do. can shoot, that thinks the game well, that plays all areas of the ice. And having him as your No. 2 center is only going to make the team better The Athletic LOADED: 07.25.2019 and give us depth scoring, which I think is the biggest problem that the Preds had last year.

You’re a fantasy sports buff, so who will be the Predators’ top player next season from that perspective?

In fantasy hockey, it’s just all about points. Being a good hockey player isn’t enough. You need to be somebody that scores points. I think Duchene playing with the right guys has the ability to be a top 20 point producer in the league overall. I don’t know that he’s been near the top before, but I think he looked really good (with the Columbus Blue Jackets), even though he didn’t really know the structure and how they’re coached and how they play. That’s a big deal in today’s hockey. I think 10 or 15 years ago, you could go into a place, and everybody kind of played the same way. And now, it’s all about positioning and systems. If he has the whole summer to figure that out, I think he’ll be ready to go come the first puck drop of the season. He could be the top point- producing center on the team.

Over Ryan Johansen?

I believe so, yeah. I don’t know what happened to Ryan Johansen. He was a goal scorer in Columbus. He gets piles of assists, but he doesn’t score the goals. I think he’s kind of a pass-first guy now, even though he can shoot the puck. When he decides to shoot it, it’s unreal, but he just 1107568 New Jersey Devils

When Devils will play in 2019 Prospects Challenge against Sabres, Bruins, Penguins

By Chris Ryan

The Devils will again send a team of prospects to participate in the 2019 Prospects Challenge from Sept. 6-9 in Buffalo, just before the start of NHL training camp.

The event will feature three games for Devils prospects, played against prospects from the Buffalo Sabres, Pittsburgh Penguins and Boston Bruins. The four teams have all participated in the tournament in the past few years.

Here’s the full schedule for the weekend:

Friday, Sept. 6

Pittsburgh vs. Boston, 3:30 p.m.

Buffalo vs. New Jersey, 7 p.m.

Saturday, Sept. 7

New Jersey vs. Pittsburgh, 3:30 p.m.

Buffalo vs. Boston, 7 p.m.

Monday, Sept. 9

Boston vs. New Jersey, 9:30 a.m.

Buffalo vs. Pittsburgh, 12:30 p.m.

The Devils’ roster for the Prospects Challenge won’t be released until closer to the date of the tournament, but it won’t be too difficult to point out some obvious players who will likely attend.

They sent 26 players to the challenge last year, so it’s never the full roster from development camp, and it’s usually limited to players who will attend NHL training camp (though Fabian Zetterlund played last year before returning to Sweden afterward).

No. 1 pick Jack Hughes will likely headline the group, much like Nico Hischier did in 2017 following his first overall selection. Defenseman Ty Smith, the team’s 2018 first-round pick, should also be at the challenge.

Players such as Jesper Boqvist, Zetterlund, Blake Speers, Michael McLeod, Nathan Bastian and Brandon Gignac, plus some other members of the 2019 NHL Draft class, should be in attendance.

Star Ledger LOADED: 07.25.2019 1107569 New Jersey Devils The Athletic’s Corey Pronman has Amirov ranked as the No. 12 prospect for the 2020 draft. If the Devils stay healthy, they’ll likely either make the playoffs or just miss this year. Either way, Amirov could fall to the Devils With or without Taylor Hall, projecting two paths to Stanley Cup in the Nos. 12-18 range of the draft. Overall, New Jersey has drafted contention for the Devils in 2022-23 eight players who were either born in Russia or developed in the KHL youth system.

Hischier also needs a new contract before next season, and it’s not likely By Corey Masisak Jul 24, 2019 to come cheap. Palmieri has two years left on his contract, which is one of the better values in the NHL. He’ll be 30 at the end of the deal, and

with New Jersey moving fully into contention mode by 2021-22, the The Devils have had a big offseason, and look poised to take a step Devils will try to save a little on the cap hit by signing Palmieri to a six- towards being a consistent playoff contender and eventually competing year, $33 million contract. for the Stanley Cup. There’s still one decision looming that will have a big Third line impact on that timeline. Jesper Bratt (24) – Pavel Zacha (25) – Joey Anderson (24) If Taylor Hall is in the opening night lineup 15 months from now, the path to contention for the Devils is relatively clear. If he is not, then more These three players can be key components of the next great New uncertainty beckons. With Hall, the Devils could squeeze into the upper Jersey team, but not overpaying for players who end up in secondary echelon of the Eastern Conference as soon as the 2020-21 season. roles will play a large role in whether this core makes any championship runs. Without Hall, winning the 2019 draft lottery and landing Jack Hughes will have been even more critical in the coming years. The next couple of Bratt needs a contract after next season, and the Devils will try to avoid a seasons might not be as successful, but the potential to begin the 2022- bridge deal, so he’ll be two seasons into a five-year, $23.75 million deal 23 campaign with a Cup Contender in New Jersey is still plausible. that makes him a good value as either a solid second-line wing or an above-average producer on the third line. Zacha’s an interesting case So, we’re going to take on the daunting task of projecting what the lineup because he still profiles as the future No. 3 center behind Hischier and might look like in October 2022. Here is what the Devils’ lineup looked Hughes, but he could spend a lot of time on the wing over the next two like on opening night in 2016-17: seasons (or more) depending on how long Travis Zajac keeps playing. Nico Hischier, Will Butcher and Ty Smith, among others, weren’t in the Anderson could be a key depth player this season, either at the start of organization yet. Predicting the Devils could end up with the No. 1 pick in the campaign or later once injuries occur. 2017 wasn’t much of a stretch, but making the playoffs and then reverting This third line has real potential three years from now if the Devils can to lottery territory in the next two seasons? There couldn’t have been too keep them all healthy and happy on reasonable deals. many people who saw that coming in July 2016. Fourth line First, a reminder of what the lineup could look like in three months, and then we’ll get to three years after that. Aarne Talvitie (23) – Mikhail Maltsev (24) – Patrick Moynihan (21)

Smith should earn a place in the lineup during training camp, and Jesper Kevin Rooney (29) Boqvist certainly could. It might be tougher for the collection of other young forwards, which includes Michael McLeod, Nathan Bastian, Joey Talvitie might spend only one more year at Penn State. Assuming he Anderson and Brett Seney. doesn’t sign near the end of this season to burn a year on his ELC, he’ll still be on a rookie deal in 2022 and likely pushing for a bigger role — if Trades and free agents from other clubs weren’t allowed during the first he’s not part of a trade like some of the other young players who are edition of this exercise a year ago. That’s not going to be a rule this year. missing from this projection. We’re going to be wheeling, dealing and spending, just as Devils fans should expect the next couple of summers. Money is also going to matter Maltsev and Rooney could battle for the No. 4 center role in the coming this time around. seasons. It might be tough to keep Maltsev from going back to Russia if he’s slotted into that role, but paying a little more for him than a typical First up, here’s what the Devils could look like in 2022-23 if Hall signs a fourth-liner could help. new contract with the club. (NOTE: Ages reflect what they will be on Oct. 1, 2022) Moynihan could spend three years at Providence and be ready for an NHL trial at the start of the 2022-23 season. He’d certainly be a cost- First line effective choice (we are projecting the league minimum to be bumped up to $850,000 by then, though it could easily reach $1 million in the next Taylor Hall (30) – Jack Hughes (21) – Timo Meier (25) CBA negotiations). Hall will be entering the third season of an eight-year, $84 million contract First defense pairing in this scenario. Hughes is going to be coming off his entry-level deal. Thomas Chabot (25) – Damon Severson (28) If Hughes meets expectations, he’ll be one of the best players in the league by Year Three. The economics of the league have started to shift Look, it’s easy to pick on Ottawa right now because of the owner’s, uh, so that young, elite players are earning big paydays in their second frugal ways. Chabot needs a new contract after next season. But in this contracts. The contract we’re projecting here is just shy of Auston scenario, he signs a two-year bridge deal and then a breakdown in Matthews’ ($11.634 million per season), but would make Hughes the negotiations heading into the summer of 2022 leads to a trade. highest-paid player in franchise history (surpassing Hall’s record). The Devils will need to include Jesper Boqvist, their 2021 first-round pick, The Sharks already have nearly $59 million committed to seven players their first-rounder in 2022 and a third-round selection in 2023 to get the for the 2022-23 season. While San Jose goes for it every year, it’s deal done. Then they’ll sign Chabot, still an RFA at the time, to a five- entirely possible that its aging core will be unable to remain a contender year, $42.5 million contract. for that long. As we’ve seen with teams like Chicago and Los Angeles, when that happens the big-name, high-priced, older players are pretty Severson is the only player on the current roster under contract for the tough to move, so any sort of rebuild involves trading younger, high- 2022-23 season, and could be a great value at that point if he ends up as priced players who still have value. a No. 2 defenseman on a contending club.

That’s where the Devils will swoop in to land to Meier, who will be in the Second defense pairing final year of a four-year, $24 million contract. It’s going to cost them Ty Smith (22) – P.K. Subban (33) Fabian Zetterlund, their 2020 third-round pick and 2022 second-round pick to make it happen. Smith will be coming off his ELC and a great showing in the 2022 playoffs will only enhance his value. Given the other offseason additions, Second line the Devils aren’t going to be able to buy extra UFA years and offer a Rodion Amirov (20) – Nico Hischier (23) – Kyle Palmieri (31) mega-contract to Smith, so he signs a five-year, $25 million pact that will make him a free agent at 27. Subban acknowledged that this might be a three-year commitment for organization thinks it still has a good chance to sign him before July 1. In both parties after the Devils traded for him last month. Three straight this scenario, the Devils do trade him just before the deadline, for a 2020 playoff appearances with New Jersey, including a trip to the conference first-round pick and a 2021 third-rounder that becomes a second if he re- finals in 2022, might make it seem like more of the same for Subban, signs with his new club, or converts to a 2022 first if he re-signs and the after his time in Nashville also ended without a Cup. It will look like he’s club reaches the Stanley Cup Final in either 2020 or 2021. headed for free agency, and rumors will swirl about a big offer waiting for him from Seattle, but the additions of Meier and Chabot sway him to stick A quick synopsis of the next three years: The Devils miss the playoffs in around on a three-year, $21 million contract. 2019-20, dropping from the middle of the pack after dealing Hall, Simmonds and Vatanen before the deadline, and end up with the No. 9 Third defense pairing pick in the draft. New Jersey just misses the postseason the following season, but after Hall re-signs with his new team and wins the Cup in Will Butcher (27) – Reilly Walsh (23) 2021, the Devils have an extra first-round pick at their disposal. They use Colton White (25) – Michael Vukojevic (21) it, and a top prospect from the 2020 draft, to trade up from No. 13 to No. 5 in 2021. After signing a two-year, $6 million deal to avoid arbitration in late July 2019, Butcher and the Devils will commit to each other for the long haul The post-Hall group breaks through in 2021-22, qualifying for the with a six-year, $27 million contract in the summer of 2021. Walsh will postseason and reaching Game 7 of a second-round series. They enter spend one more season at Harvard, and most of the 2020-21 campaign 2022-23 as a candidate to take the next step and become a true Cup with Binghamton before moving into the lineup full-time the following contender. year. Here is what the 2022-23 Devils could look like without Hall:

White proves to be a valuable depth defenseman and New Jersey First line commits to him with a three-year, $4.5 million deal after the 2020-21 campaign. Vukojevic will likely spend most of the 2022-23 campaign with Filip Forsberg (28) – Jack Hughes (21) – Jesper Bratt (24) Binghamton, but a strong training camp earns him the chance to be with the NHL club at the start of the year. Having extra cap space to work with and a desire to put some young stars around Hughes and Hischier, the Devils are able to add Forsberg Goaltenders after the 2020-21 season when he has one season left on his contract and the Predators are fading from their Cup contention window. The Mackenzie Blackwood (25) Devils quickly sign him to an eight-year, $76 million contract as a long- Akira Schmid (22) term replacement for Hall.

While Cory Schneider plays well enough to earn an average of 47 starts Moving Simmonds (and Kyle Palmieri in the offseason after 2019-20) in 2019-20 and 2020-21, Blackwood becomes one of the league’s top means Bratt is going to be a top-six player for the foreseeable future, and No. 1B options. The Devils work out a deal with Seattle so that Schneider that contract looks even better now. becomes the first selection in the 2021 expansion draft. Second line

Blackwood’s second year as the starter is the second of a two-year, $8 Dylan Holloway (21) – Nico Hischier (23) – Nikolaj Ehlers (26) million contract, and he’ll be playing for a bigger deal in 2022-23. Akira Schmid and Gilles Senn both play at Binghamton, but the Devils move The Devils select Holloway with the No. 9 pick in the 2020 draft. After Senn in a 2022 deadline deal for pending free agent Reilly Smith. one more year at Wisconsin, his strong rookie season in 2021-22 earns him a place on the second line by the postseason. When Hall decides not Senn becomes an option for Vegas to replace the retiring Marc-Andre to stay, it costs a little more to convince Hischier to ink a long-term pact, Fleury. Smith helps New Jersey reach the conference finals, but hits the so he gets eight years and $68 million instead of the eight years and $60 market and signs as a free agent elsewhere after the Devils trade for million from the first version. Meier and Chabot and sign Subban. Schmid looks good in a small sample backing up Blackwood after the deadline, so the Devils commit to Ehlers becomes the last addition up front when New Jersey acquires him him as the No. 2 for 2022-23. from Winnipeg in a trade at the 2022 draft. The two prospects are the ones the Devils received for Palmieri, which keeps a fun trade tree going This team is loaded as the 2022-23 campaign approaches, but it’s also (New Jersey used the draft picks it acquired from Florida for Jaromir Jagr very expensive. It would cost nearly $96 million ($95.742 million to be to land Palmieri from Anaheim in 2015). more precise). Putting Vukojevic in Binghamton gets the bill below $95 million, but what about the salary cap? Third line

The upper limit of the salary cap is $81.5 million this season. It has Jesper Boqvist (23) – Anthony Cirelli (25) – Aarne Talvitie (23) increased by 12.4 percent since 2015-16. If the cap rises another 12.4 percent over the next three offseasons, it’ll reach $91.6 million. The delayed timeline without Hall means the Devils do not trade Boqvist and Talvitie has a chance to earn a larger role by the start of the 2022-23 So this team is too expensive, right? Well, two big events between now season. Cirelli signs a one-year deal with the Lightning in 2020-21 to and 2022-23 could affect it. One is a CBA negotiation, and that could extend the team’s title window, but when it is time for a longer contract, mean any number of changes — shorter contracts, more (or less) money the Devils are able to swoop in and acquire him. They then sign him to a allocated to the players, etc. That one is almost impossible to predict at five-year, $27.5 million deal to give New Jersey one of the best 1-2-3 this point. punches at center in the NHL.

The other critical moment will come when the NHL signs a new contract Fourth line for its television rights in the United States. Other leagues have signed massive TV deals in recent years, as live sports have been television’s Eetu Pakkila (22) – Mikhail Maltsev (24) – Patrick Moynihan (21) most valuable product. When the NBA signed its new TV deal, the cap Tyce Thompson (23) went up 25.5 percent the following year. While guys like McLeod, Anderson and Bastian end up in trades to The addition of the Seattle franchise, a new TV deal and increased upgrade the roster, Pakkila, Moynihan and Thompson all benefit from revenues from other sources like gambling and eSports should bump the their development timelines. Pakkila spends two seasons in the top NHL’s salary cap beyond $95 million by 2022-23. We’ll take a guess and division in Finland before arriving in 2021-22 and showing he is NHL say it’s at $97.5 million that year. If so, that would leave the Devils a little ready during training camp. The plan is to rotate Pakkila, Moynihan and wiggle room to either add another player at the trade deadline or pay off Thompson on a young, versatile fourth line. any bonuses that Amirov, Talvitie, Moynihan and Walsh might earn. First defense pairing So, that’s a great team with a strong window of contention, provided Hall and Subban play well enough during the declining phase of their careers. Hampus Lindholm (28) – Damon Severson (28) But what happens if Hall does not sign a contract with the Devils? The Devils have not been major players in the free agent market. In both The Devils are not likely to trade him this summer, and might not do so of these scenarios, they stick to general manager Ray Shero’s formula of before the trade deadline if the team is in playoff contention and the making big moves with trades. That changes when Lindholm reaches the market in the summer of 2022, and the Devils are able to reel him in with a seven-year, $56 million contract, effectively having him replace Subban (who does not return after just one playoff appearance in this alternate universe).

Second defense pairing

Ty Smith (22) – Matt Dumba (28)

The first big move of the post-Hall era is to send Butcher and Anderson to the Wild for Dumba after the 2019-20 season ends, and he’ll be in the final year of his contract in 2022-23. He and Smith find instant chemistry and become one of the best second pairings in the league.

Third defense pairing

Luke Hughes (19) – Reilly Walsh (23)

Colton White (25) – Michael Vukojevic (21)

Why do the Devils trade two valuable assets to move up eight spots in the 2021 draft? To add the youngest Hughes brother. Like his oldest brother, Quinn, Luke goes to the University of Michigan, but for only one year and signs with the Devils to start the 2022-23 campaign. If you’re wondering at this point, Quinn can’t be an unrestricted free agent until 2025.

Goaltenders

Thatcher Demko (26)

Akira Schmid (22)

Hall leaving alters the timeline for the goaltenders. New Jersey trades Schneider after the 2019-20 season, with two seasons left on his contract, to give him a better chance of competing for the Cup. With several teams trying to figure out their long-term goaltending plans and the expansion draft looming, the Devils expose Blackwood and he ends up in Seattle.

The next day, they swing a trade with Vancouver for RFA goaltender Thatcher Demko, who flirts with being a Vezina Trophy finalist in 2020-21 but asks for a contract the Canucks aren’t ready to sign, given their depth at the position. The Devils oblige, and he signs a five-year, $32.5 million pact.

This version of the Devils still isn’t cheap, even without Hall. The bill comes in at $91.192 million, which would leave the club with extra room to maneuver if the cap ceiling really is at $97.5 million.

Version 2.0 of the Devils is missing a lot of familiar faces. It would include only four players who were on the team last season, and probably only six regulars from 2019-20.

It doesn’t have Hall, Subban or Palmieri, but there are younger, similarly talented replacements. Dare we say it might even be a better team? It’s certainly positioned to be a contender for longer, with no players on the roster older than 28.

The Devils have some work to do during the next three seasons and offseasons to be considered legitimate Stanley Cup contenders by the time the 2022-23 season begins. If the organization has the willingness to spend and the flexibility to pounce as other teams fade from contention, there should be ample opportunities for them to keep getting better — even if it means losing some familiar faces on the road to contention.

The Athletic LOADED: 07.25.2019 1107570 New York Islanders After winning the Guy Lafleur Trophy as QMJHL playoff MVP and being named a Memorial Cup All-Star for a second year in a row, Dobson has done all there is to do at the amateur level. Wahlstrom’s path forward is a Inside the travels and training regimens of Noah Dobson and Oliver bit murkier, given he immediately made the decision to turn pro after Wahlstrom as they prepare for Isles camp posting 8-11-19 in 36 games with BC.

Wahlstrom looked fresh in his brief stint with Bridgeport at the end of last season. But now comes the prospect of playing 70-plus games against By Arthur Staple Jul 24, 2019 8 older players, so conditioning is key. That’s a big reason why Wahlstrom spent most of May and June in his father’s native Sweden, training with

Frolunda of the Swedish League. When the Islanders selected Oliver Wahlstrom and Noah Dobson with “They just have world-class training,” he said. “They train a lot harder the 11th and 12th picks in the NHL Draft 13 months ago, their hope was over there than we do here, in my mind — they do a lot of running, a lot to have both players vying for spots by the 2019-20 season. more activities, we played different sports. It was a lot of other stuff It’s been quite a year for the two of them, and it’s debatable whether besides hockey, so that made it fun. I didn’t skate much at all. Played a either will impact the team this coming season. Wahlstrom is committed lot of soccer for conditioning, a lot of running, outside agility for distance.” to pro hockey after a so-so year at Boston College, though it seems Does it work? Matt Donovan thinks so. The 2008 Islanders draft pick certain he’ll start in Bridgeport; Dobson is far more NHL-ready, but since spent the 2016-17 and 2017-18 seasons with Frolunda and, after five pro he was drafted out of the major junior ranks, it’s either the Islanders or seasons in North America, got a real eye-opener when he arrived in back to the QMJHL (or Europe) for him. Goteborg to begin his European career. Still, this is a big training camp for Wahlstrom and Dobson. Which means “It’s insane,” Donovan said. “I signed right before their camp began in it’s been a big summer for them as they prepare for a chance to make an 2016 and those were the hardest two weeks I’ve ever worked in hockey. NHL roster, and what their training regimens are like as they approach It’s almost 9-to-5 training. Everyone here wants to work on their on-ice September is compelling. skills before camp and during camp, so you get your hands, your feet, Wahlstrom will be at the World Junior Summer Showcase in Plymouth, your rhythm down. Mich., starting tomorrow. It’s most of the under-20 crowd’s first time back “Over there they do that, but they also work harder off the ice. Agility on the ice in a serious way, with teams from the U.S., Canada, Finland drills, sprints — so much running. And it’s two-a-days most times. and Sweden participating. They’re in incredible shape, but it took a lot of getting used to coming “You get some games in, get yourself geared up for the on-ice stuff after from here.” it’s done and before camp,” said Wahlstrom, who is assured a spot on Donovan played alongside a skinny teenager named Rasmus Dahlin, the U.S. World Junior squad in December if he’s available. who was already in the highest level of Swedish hockey as a 16-year-old. Dobson, who like Wahlstrom would be a two-time World Junior “I saw him grow from a kid to a man, and it had a lot to do with how they participant for Canada, is not attending the showcase. That seems to be trained,” Donovan said. “I used to hate running and our position coach part of a plan to ease him back onto the ice after two remarkable would run with me even outside the usual training period. Long runs, too. seasons in which the 19-year-old won back-to-back Memorial Cups. The Swedish summers are beautiful so they love to do as much stuff outside as they can.” “I think he’s played 170 or so (163 to be exact) major junior games the last two seasons, and that doesn’t include Hockey Canada camps, Donovan posted a couple of solid seasons for Frolunda and returned to Islanders camp or preseason games,” said Kris MacPhee, Dobson’s the States last season after signing a two-way deal with the Predators. trainer who runs a fitness facility in Charlottetown, P.E.I. “I’m not privy to He was an AHL All-Star and earned another two-way deal for this coming those decisions (regarding the showcase), but there’s definitely a season at age 29; he credits some of that grueling offseason work conscientious effort on Noah’s part and our part to keep him off the ice a overseas for helping him catch back on here. little longer than in years past. We just want him feeling rested and robust “Over here you’re only allowed to be at the rink working out for three when the Islanders camp comes.” hours a day in camp, so it’s a huge difference,” he said. “I was down 10- MacPhee has worked with Dobson since the defenseman was an 11- 12 pounds from when I’d been here before Sweden and now I’ve year-old just starting out in the hockey world from his small hometown of incorporated a lot of running into my own offseason workouts. It was Summerside, a 45-minute drive from Charlottetown. Part of Dobson’s intense, but it was great for me. I can imagine for a young guy like Oliver, incredible appeal as a player is his maturity. At 15, he left his small with 20-30 guys all working out together over there, it’s a great corner of Canada to go to the Red Bull Akadamie in Austria and later experience and one that can kind of set you up for success over here.” spent time in San Diego on his own to work with Chris Munford of EGO August is a quiet month around the NHL, with veterans slipping back to Performance, a popular training ground for pro football and basketball the Island to get kids set up for school and informal skates with growing players. numbers as the days flip towards September. It’s quiet for news, but it So, planning offseason workouts for Dobson is not about commands. won’t be quiet for Dobson or Wahlstrom. The latter won’t go back to “With maybe some other major junior players it’s, ‘Here’s what you need Sweden — the European season starts earlier than the NHL, so Frolunda to do this summer to get your body ready.’ With Noah, it’s far more give is already in full team training camp — but will likely skate up near and take. I trust him,” MacPhee said. “If he needed a day to recover or Boston for the remainder of the offseason. not go all out after the last two years he’s had, he would tell me and we And Dobson will be in sleepy Charlottetown, training with good friend would make it work. Jeremy McKenna, a winger who traveled to Austria with Dobson four “Now, having said that, since we got started last month he’s been full- years ago and just signed a free-agent AHL deal with the Flames after bore every day. He sees what he needs to do to keep growing and he three QMJHL seasons in Moncton. does it.” “It’s not a big group here, but those two have known each other a long One of the mandates from Dobson’s camp and the Islanders was getting time and they push each other,” MacPhee said. stronger. No surprise there, since the “faster, bigger, stronger” cliches Once Islanders camp comes, Wahlstrom and Dobson have the come spilling out of every NHLer who’s working out in preparation for opportunity they’ve hoped for. another season, but it’s not as simple as weights and an extra protein shake or two. “Everything I’m going to do the rest of the summer is working towards being ready in September,” Dobson said. “You want to make sure you “The NHL has changed, of course,” MacPhee said. “Ten years ago you come in rested but also where you feel strong, so it’s important to could just add 10-20 pounds of muscle and you’d be ready. Now, you manage it all.” have to maintain your speed while also getting stronger, so we’re trying to work on those things while also making sure Noah has the energy and The Athletic LOADED: 07.25.2019 the recovery time he needs.” 1107571 New York Rangers

Rangers re-sign Vinni Lettieri with heavy lifting still to come

By Dani Mohr

The Rangers still have some major maneuvering to do, but on Wednesday they handled a small piece of business.

The club announced it re-signed restricted free agent Vinni Lettieri to a one-year deal.

The 24-year-old right wing, whom the Rangers signed as a free agent in 2017, has split time between the NHL and AHL. Last season, Lettieri had one goal and two assists in 27 NHL games while recording 23 goals and 25 assists in 48 games with the Hartford Wolf Pack.

On Friday, the Rangers signed restricted free agent Jacob Trouba, the star defenseman they acquired from Winnipeg, to a seven-year, $56 million deal. That, along with the signing of Artemi Panarin to a seven- year, $81.5 million deal, has put the Rangers in a salary-cap bind.

The terms of Lettieri’s deal were not disclosed.

New York Post LOADED: 07.25.2019 1107572 New York Rangers Mead also said the podcast’s listener numbers have grown by the thousands, including an extra 3,000 listeners when the Church of Kakko was announced.

Kaapo Kakko fans take hero worship to a new level “I knew it would pick up steam, but I had no idea it was going to do what it’s done,” said Kaplan, 30, a TV producer in the Albany area. “The Rangers haven’t had this kind of guy before and that excitement around By Laura Amato your own prospect is next level. Ryan was smart enough to dig into that.”

“I thought maybe 10 diehard fans would think it was hilarious and then some people, would be like, ‘Why are you making fun?’” added DePalo, It’s not hard to pick out Ryan Mead at a New York Rangers event. He’s 29, a Staten Island native. “I don’t have words to describe the reaction.” the one in robes and bishop’s headgear. There have been critics and missteps along the way — the original As the self-proclaimed pope of the “Church of Kakko,” he lords over the merchandise showed Kakko shooting with the wrong hand — but, for the Rangers’ faithful who are certain that first-round draft pick Kaapo Kakko most part, the response has been positive, with several Finnish can help turn things around for a franchise that announced its official newspapers picking up the story, Mead said. His goal, he said, wasn’t to rebuild in 2018. offend anyone, but “to do something fun before the season.” Mead, a 29-year-old Bay Shore native, wants people to know that he is Mead has big plans for his so-called church. He’s working on getting respectful of people’s beliefs and that his website dedicated to the robes in Rangers colors, is planning a rally outside Madison Square Finnish phenom is based on absurdity. Garden when the Rangers open the season against Winnipeg on Oct. 3 “We’ve had the Henrik Lundqvist era and now we’re going to the Kaapo and said his goal is to have fans shout “Praise Be” after every Kakko Kakko era,” Mead said, referring first to the goalie who has been the face goal. of the Rangers for over a decade. “What better way to transition into “This is a very hopeful and great time for the Rangers,” Mead said. “It’s a that?” fun time to enjoy. That was the reason I did it. Let’s have a good time, Mead, who spends his days selling software in Patchogue and, for the let’s all get a little ridiculous.” last four years, has cohosted the weekly Rangers podcast “Blueshirts Newsday LOADED: LOADED: 07.25.2019 Breakaway,” likes to say the idea for the Church came to him in a dream, but the truth is he, simply, thought it would be fun.

“I thought this would be one of the most ridiculous and fun things I could do to celebrate getting the second overall pick,” he said.

Kakko, 18, appears happy to go along with it.

When Mead appeared dressed in full “church” regalia at a Rangers season-ticketholder event in June, he introduced himself to Kakko, posed for photos and got an autograph on his ornate headgear.

“He doesn’t smile for anybody in any picture, but this picture with me, he’s smiling the biggest he’s ever smiled,” Mead said. “If he wanted me to stop, like I got an email that said, ‘I’d really prefer you didn’t do this anymore,’ we’d stop, but we do a lot of stuff like this. It’s fun and I don’t have any shame in that.”

Mead said he was aware of Kakko before he was drafted, when he played in Liiga, the Finnish Elite League, and at the 2019 IIHF World Championships in May. Kakko scored six goals and dished out an assist in 10 games at the tournament, helping Finland capture a gold medal. It was Kakko’s third gold in a 13-month span after also skating for Finland at the 2018 IIHF U18 World Championship and the 2019 IIHF World Junior Championship.

The performance sparked plenty of buzz, particularly among Rangers fans after the Blueshirts drew the No. 2 pick in the NHL Draft Lottery in April. Suddenly, Mead said fans who had resigned themselves to a multi- year rebuild were looking to Kakko as a light, a generational talent who could jump-start the squad as soon as he laced up his skates.

Mead brought up the idea for the Church of Kakko on an episode of Blueshirts Breakaway, without telling his cohost Greg Kaplan beforehand, and reached out to longtime listeners Bob Kawa for a website and Nick DePalo for merchandise. The group spent about two- and-a half weeks working on the website and merchandise design and everything went live a week before the Draft.

“[Ryan] sent me the idea and I thought it was ridiculous,” said Kawa, 31, a website designer in upstate Oneonta. “But it sounded fun and I don’t get the opportunity to design things for fields that I’m super passionate about at work.”

The Church of Kakko is far from traditional hero worship, but Mead said that was the point. He’s relished in the humor of it, quick to point out that this isn’t out of character for him or the podcast, and it didn’t take long for the site to become a hit.

Fans started adding #PraiseBe to any tweet about Kakko and Mead said his personal Twitter account recorded 1.5 million impressions in the two weeks after the Church went live, gaining over 1,600 followers. 1107573 New York Rangers

Rangers, restricted free agent Vinni Lettieri agree to one-year deal

By Colin Stephenson

The Rangers locked up a second restricted free agent on Wednesday when they reached agreement on a one-year contract with forward Vinni Lettieri.

Lettieri, 24, is a 5-11, 194-pound right wing who will be entering his third pro season, having split time with the Rangers and their AHL Hartford farm team in each of the first two. He made the parent club last year out of training camp, but struggled to score from a fourth-line role and eventually was sent down. He went up and down all season and ended up playing 27 games with the Rangers, scoring one goal with two assists and 14 penalty minutes. He scored 23 goals with 25 assists in 48 games for Hartford.

On Friday, the Rangers agreed with RFA defenseman Jacob Trouba on a seven-year contract worth $56 million. They have three remaining RFAs: forwards Pavel Buchnevich and Brendan Lemieux and defenseman Tony DeAngelo.

The Rangers are over the $81.5 million salary cap at the moment, per CapFriendly. They have an arbitration hearing with Buchnevich scheduled for July 29. Whenever that contract is finalized, either by the arbitrator’s decision or by a negotiated settlement, a 48-hour buyout window will open, during which the Rangers can buy out a player or two if they decide they need to do that in order to get under the salary cap.

Newsday LOADED: LOADED: 07.25.2019 1107574 New York Rangers Samberg. He must have grown six inches because that’s not the same kid I remember. And obviously he’s the player he is now. But yeah — we’ve known each other for a while.

Q&A: Neal Pionk on his long road to the NHL, unique development path With Hermantown being a hockey hotbed, did that make it your sport by and his opportunity in Winnipeg default?

For me, it was hockey and baseball. I think I started playing organized By Murat Ates Jul 24, 2019 hockey when I was five and I didn’t start playing organized baseball until later. My dad actually played college baseball, so me and all my brothers played baseball growing up. I actually played it until I was 21 but hockey has taken over from there. There are two major landmarks outside of Neal Pionk’s family home. How did you balance multiple sports? First, there is a little league baseball diamond, built and maintained by his father Scott — a collegiate baseball player turned landscaping I tried to get a good balance. My dad’s a big advocate of not playing one professional. sport all year round. He actually wouldn’t let us touch our gear for June and July — he said you’re not even allowed to look at your hockey bag. The diamond is regulation size, outfitted with a pitching machine donated We’d put on the baseball cleats and throw around a baseball all summer. by Pionk’s grandfather and is where all five Pionk brothers learned to It was a good balance, I thought. throw, catch and hit. For Neal, a competitive baseball player until he turned 21, friends would come over from Hermantown to play so often You mentioned four brothers. How did you fit into the family tree? that his house became the official practice diamond for his childhood team. I’m the second of five. There’s five of us and I’m the second oldest. My older brother (Corbin) is actually seven years older than I am. My brother Pionk’s idyllic sporting childhood gets better. Nate is 14 months younger than I am, Joe’s about three years younger than I am and then my youngest brother (Aaron) is about six years The Pionk family hockey rink isn’t regulation size — instead, it’s closer to younger than I am. one-third or one-quarter of an NHL sized ice surface — but it is the site of some of Pionk’s finest work as a boy. Corbin played college baseball. My brother Nate plays Division-III at St. Scholastica-Duluth. My brother Joe played youth hockey and now he’s It’s where he learned to skate like this: the equipment manager for the Omaha Lancers of the USHL. And Aaron Despite his obvious skill, the road from the rink his father built to the NHL will be a junior on the high school team. There were a lot of practices that hasn’t been an easy one for Pionk, a self-described late bloomer. my parents had to get to.

He says he was never one of the best high school players in Minnesota. Did you have the luxury of a backyard rink or enough space to throw and It took time for him to grow into the 6-foot defenceman he is today. It also hit a ball? took hard work, a commitment to learning and a sophomore season with So this is the unique part. I grew up on 10 acres of land. My dad owns a the University of Minnesota-Duluth where 34 points in 42 games ranked landscaping business and he played college baseball so he actually put a Pionk fifth among all NCAA defencemen. little-league sized regulation field in our front yard. And we always had a This week, eight days before his 24th birthday, Pionk signed a two-year, hockey rink — not a regulation size but probably about a third or maybe a $3-million AAV contract extension with Winnipeg, a team whose fourth of an actual rink. We always had a rink off to the side. defensive depth chart has sustained serious losses this offseason. Pionk What did that look like when your friends came over? took time this week to talk to The Athletic about all of it — the long road from his backyard rink to Bell MTS Place, his biggest on-ice focus for I’d say all of my friends were about 10 minutes away — not too far at all. development and the opportunity he won’t take for granted in Winnipeg. Actually, it was funny. My grandpa bought us a pitching machine so when I played baseball, my dad was the coach and we had practice at our “I went from being passed over in the draft three years in a row to signing house. We had a pitching machine and a little league field. We’d play as a free agent and now, here I am,” Pionk said. baseball and have wide-open fields. Winnipeg, here is Neal Pionk. (Courtesy of Neal Pionk) Tell me about growing up in Hermantown, Minnesota. Growing up in that context, when did you realize that hockey could be a Hermantown is a suburb of Duluth, Minnesota. It’s a town of 10,000 viable path for you? people and it’s really been an up-and-coming hockey community. We Let me see. Not in youth hockey. I was pretty good but I didn’t think I’d only have 10,000 people but we have five outdoor rinks and obviously an play pro until my last year of junior. I thought I’d have a chance at pro indoor rink too. If you do a little digging, you’ll see that our high school hockey but I didn’t realize that I would have a legit chance at the NHL team has been really successful in the last, I’d say 10 years. until the sophomore year in college. I got off to a good start and rode the (Courtesy of Neal Pionk) wave from there. I guess you could say I was a late bloomer.

What’s driving that success? How do you feel about being labeled that way?

I think you have to go back to when they first made the state tournament It’s fine with me. I kind of use it as a chip on my shoulder. It’s kind of the in 1998 and then when they first won the state tournament, I think that’s way I was. I would get cut from these select teams and these AAA teams when it really took off. Hermantown first won the single-A tournament in sometimes and I would look at it like, “I’ll just prove to them that I’m better 2007. You’d probably have to ask someone older than I am but I think than this guy and I’m better than this guy.” I carried that all of the way that’s really when it started escalating. And it’s just taken off from there. through high school, even junior and like I said it probably wasn’t until my There’s been a lot of good players to come out of there and, actually, freshman year in college or the start of my sophomore year when I Winnipeg’s own draft pick Dylan Samberg is also a graduate of realized I had a legit shot. Hermantown High School. What changes around you when people start noticing you’re on the way Do you know Dylan pretty well? up?

Yeah. So I have four brothers — three younger brothers — and Dylan’s a I got off to a really good start in my sophomore year and I had a lot of little younger than I am. I knew who Dylan was growing up but I never confidence after that. Then phone calls started trickling into my agent played with him just because he was always probably two levels behind from NHL teams. I was a little surprised at that but then, once I started me. But a couple of my brothers played with him. proving I could dominate the college game, more and more names kept calling. It was funny because watching Dylan grow up, he was always a heck of a player but he was tiny. And then I came back from junior for the alumni What changed? How did you get to that level? high school game and I see this big, rangy, 6-foot-4, mobile defenceman For one, I got bigger. I was similar to Dylan in the sense that I was and I hit my brother — I said, “Who the heck is that?” He said it’s Dylan probably in the bottom half of size. I didn’t sprout to 6’4” like he did — I was on pace to be about 5-foot-9 and then ended up being 6-feet so that How does that affect your emotions? You’d dominated as recently as certainly helped. I obviously got stronger, too, but along with that, when I college. build confidence that early in the year, it just escalates throughout the year and helps me out. It’s a bit of a whirlwind. You’ve got to learn how to deal with it though because very rarely do guys go through 20-year professional careers and The size stigma has changed a little recently but are we still too critical of they’re always the guy. I mean there’s only a couple of guys on each small defencemen? team that do that. It’s all about how you deal with that and how you adjust to that. And you’ve got to stay as level headed as possible. No, I don’t think so. I think people look past that with me and I can name a ton of small defencemen that I think are really good players — and Looking forward, it sincerely looks to me that Winnipeg needs you to play they’re proving it every day. I think it’s changed completely. in the top four for the team to have success. Is that what you’re looking for and do you see it the same way in terms of how much opportunity A possible partner of yours, Josh Morrissey is not a huge guy but he’s an there will be? excellent defenceman. I imagine the timing of an offseason trade is a little bit awkward — how much do you know about roles, systems, etc.? The way I look at it is yes, of course there’s opportunity in Winnipeg but I’ve got to come to training camp ready to go from day one. Like I said, Not a whole lot. That’s a little different in the sense of in New York, I had it’s pro hockey. If you don’t show up or you take a day off, there’s a handle of the coach, how he wants to play, the other players I was someone that’s going to pass you. Whether it’s on the depth chart, playing with and competing against and their tendencies. Then you’re whether it’s on your team or whether it’s a guy from the minors, walking into a new team — of course I’ve met everybody as far as something will happen. The way I look at it is, day one at training camp, coaches and front office staff go — and I’ve played against the players, I’m looking to prove to them that I can be the player that they want me to last year, when we played against Winnipeg twice. I’m sure it will get fast- be. tracked when I report for training camp. The Athletic LOADED: 07.25.2019 (Courtesy of Neal Pionk)

There’s a video from New York where Chris Kreider calls you “mean” in kind of a joking way. True or false?

I’ve had a few mean streaks. I have that competitive edge in me. It’s nowhere to be found off the ice but, when I’m on the ice, there’s a switch that turns on.

The other thing that I found from New York is your video coach commending your attitude — that your disposition was “well, I made a good choice but was it the best choice?” What are your thoughts on video?

I care a ton about video. I think it’s the best teaching tool. You can draw all the X’s and O’s on the board that you want but, in reality, hockey’s a fluid game and it’s unique in that sense.

Like you said, there could be four plays you could have made. Was the play that you made necessarily the worst? No. Was it the best? Sometimes, maybe not. But I think that’s why it’s good to see video. You can see three different angles and three different ways you can make the play and try to keep that in mind for the next time.

How hard is it to translate that to the on-ice situation as you develop?

Sometimes it’s a bit of a challenge. It’s not necessarily like football where you run routes and everybody goes in a certain way. Hockey is really fluid and guys can go anywhere they want. There’s a little bit of structure but, compared to other sports, it’s really fluid.

You can’t Watch video and say, “OK, I’m going to do exactly this next time” — well maybe it’s not there so you have to change your mind on the fly. I think that’s what makes the best players the best. They’re able to change their mind on the fly and no one knows what they’re doing — in a good way. They can do a few different things.

I’m no professional athlete but that strikes me as a sign of how the brain works, what you guys are able to see and how you react?

Yeah, you said it right. A lot of it’s the flow of the game. A lot of it’s confidence, too. If you’re a player that’s riding a wave of confidence then the game seems really easy. I’ve been on the other side, too, where bounces aren’t going your way and you start losing confidence. That’s a hard hump to come over but I think the best players in the league can overcome those humps.

Can we talk a little bit about that? Last season seems like a bit of a roller coaster, with huge minutes on the top pairing with Marc Staal and then less as the year went along.

Yeah, they gave me a ton of opportunity — which, as a player, is all you can ask for at the start of the year. I rolled with that opportunity for quite some time but the reality was we weren’t winning games, either. So in pro hockey, things have to change — whether it’s shifting forward units, changing a D’s minutes, making a trade, calling somebody up — something’s got to change. That was part of it — we weren’t winning and that cut back.

But I’ll be honest, too. I wasn’t playing my best hockey either. That combination cut my minutes a little bit. 1107575 Philadelphia Flyers jump, if Travis Konecny can be more consistent, if Oskar Lindblom and Sanheim can keep improving, if Provorov and Gostisbehere can return to form, the Flyers will be better than 20th in the NHL.

NHL power rankings: Are Flyers better than 20th after offseason? On July 1, Fletcher said: "You look at our team, we counted today, there are eight players on that NHL roster that haven't come close to hitting their peak and to having their career seasons. That's the exciting thing. By Jordan Hall July 24, 2019 6:20 PM That's our growth."

And that's how they'll climb.

It took a span of only 11 days for Chuck Fletcher to show his bias for Comcast SportsNet.com LOADED: 07.25.2019 action. The general manager revamped the Flyers with a series of moves a week before free agency even commenced. He also brought in a new head coach and two new assistants, all three with Stanley Cup Final experience.

There's no denying the Flyers are different; but how much better are they?

That will be debated up until the Oct. 4 season opener in Prague, Czech Republic.

The ESPN hockey editorial staff published its post-free agency NHL power rankings Tuesday and doesn't seem overly impressed with the Flyers' offseason. The Flyers are ranked 20th after being No. 19 in the way-too-early rankings following the Stanley Cup Final.

Last season, the Flyers finished sixth in the eight-team Metropolitan Division. They had the 22nd-most points in the NHL with 82. In these power rankings, the Flyers are ahead of only two Metro teams — the Blue Jackets (No. 22) and Devils (No. 23).

So ESPN sees slight improvement from the Flyers in 2019-20, but not much. Obviously, a team's positioning in power rankings is dictated by what other teams did or didn't do in the offseason, as well. The Rangers saw a major jump from 25th to 14th after adding Artemi Panarin, Jacob Trouba and No. 2 overall pick Kaapo Kakko.

The Flyers certainly expect to be better than No. 20. They should be better, too. Fletcher has undoubtedly made the team better since the end of 2018-19. Maybe the acquisitions don't jump off the page, but they are strong support moves. The Flyers also believe Kevin Hayes is just starting to touch the prime years of his career.

Look at the Flyers down the middle. For much of last season, it was Sean Couturier, Nolan Patrick, Jordan Weal and Scott Laughton. They finished the season with Couturier, Patrick, Laughton and Corban Knight. Now, the Flyers are more formidable at center with Couturier, Hayes, Patrick and Laughton. That's more scoring, size and skill.

Defensively, it seems many aren't abuzz over the acquisitions of Matt Niskanen and Justin Braun. But before that, it was Radko Gudas and Andrew MacDonald.

Niskanen is an experienced puck mover who has won a Stanley Cup and has played 125 playoff games. Over the past six seasons, his plus-91 rating is fifth best among all NHL defensemen, behind only Ryan McDonagh (plus-126), Zdeno Chara (plus-99), Victor Hedman (plus-97) and Ryan Ellis (plus-94).

Braun comes from the Sharks, for whom he played 84 postseason games. He's been a plus-32 over the past six seasons. Both Niskanen and Braun have track records of playing consistent minutes and preventing goals. Their impact on the Flyers' young defensemen will be just as important.

Last season, Robert Hagg and Gudas made up a pair at times. Hagg played all 82 games and Gudas appeared in 77. MacDonald played 47. The Flyers are now deeper.

In 2019-20, the defensive pairings could look like this:

Ivan Provorov-Matt Niskanen

Travis Sanheim-Justin Braun

Shayne Gostisbehere-Philippe Myers

A few other important notes for 2019-20: the Flyers will have Carter Hart and James van Riemsdyk, barring injury, for full seasons, while a touted prospect could jump into the bottom six.

At the end of the day, though, it still comes down to the Flyers' youth. That remains their foundation and it needs to further support the core in place. If Hart can continue to meet expectations, if Patrick can take a 1107576 Philadelphia Flyers

For our subscribers: Digging deep on the changes the Flyers have made

Dave Isaac, NHL writer Published 2:30 p.m. ET July 24, 2019 | Updated 2:46 p.m. ET July 24, 2019

Our coverage of the Flyers has always been a bit non-traditional. Now we're adding a new layer for loyal subscribers.

Before each of the past few seasons, I’ve made a point to start my coverage with a general call to action: help me keep my job.

That’s not solely up to Flyers fans, of course (thankfully or thankfully not depending on the day; there’s others that get to make that call.) In journalism, the audience does play a part. If there isn’t engagement or readership, why bother having another person on payroll in an industry that has largely been in the news for cutting costs?

Original reporting is important. This is true mostly to keep politicians and corporations in check. Sports are the sandbox. It’s fun and for most of the readership it’s an escape from life, not life itself. It’s so fun that, unlike any other profession, there’s people willing to show up and do my job for free. Could you imagine showing up to a hospital in a white lab coat and expecting someone to hand you a scalpel? Or reporting to a construction site and expecting someone to hand over the keys to a forklift with no prior experience?

There’s tons of options these days to read about sports and many of them are just regurgitating someone else’s reporting. The only way that original sports reporting can win is if there’s money behind it to help keep reporters employed and close to the teams they cover.

That’s where you come in.

No one is asking for some kind of good-faith donation where there is no return on investment. Our coverage has always been high quality and a bit non-traditional and now there’s another layer to it for those who are willing to subscribe. We will begin rewarding loyal readers with some content specifically for subscribers, stuff you won’t be able to find elsewhere.

That special content begins with a three-part series that offers an in- depth look at how the Flyers have overhauled the roster this summer. It’s a look at the forwards, defense and goaltending, how it differs from last season and what might happen this fall. The first piece is available now to subscribers and the next two pieces will be published over the course of the next two days.

This is only the beginning. We’re working on further rewarding our subscribers with exclusive content as the Flyers head into the upcoming season and beyond.

If you’re already a loyal subscriber, thank you. Your loyalty is appreciated and we want to keep the conversation going about getting you the level of coverage you’re paying for.

If you’ve checked in periodically or been on the fence about subscribing, hopefully this pushes you over the edge to help keep our coverage alive. We’re currently running our best special of the summer, unlimited digital access for $29 for one year.

Courier-Post LOADED: 07.25.2019 1107577 Philadelphia Flyers conversion for a team that couldn’t offer that perk would only make that number higher.

If Hayes produces well and can be an effective penalty killer for the Flyers Mailbag: Will the change translate to the ice? Flyers, maybe he’s worth every penny. He got some trade protection, but it’s a 12-team no-trade list, which leaves 19 teams the Flyers could trade him to (once Seattle comes on the scene). Dave Isaac, NHL writer Published 11:43 a.m. ET July 17, 2019 @shy_autumn: Have they made any more progress with Travis Konecny and Ivan Provorov? And if so what kind of contract do you think they could both get? #FlyersMailbag Alain Vigneault signed on to coach the Flyers and since he did, the team has given him more tools on the roster. They’re closer with Konecny than they are with Provorov. As Fletcher has said a few times this offseason, RFAs are playing a waiting game more Since the end of last season the Flyers have a new coaching staff, a new this summer than ever before. Teams and players are both waiting to see No. 2 center, a pair of veteran defensemen on an otherwise green back what other comparables look like. Provorov’s best comps are Columbus’ end and general manager Chuck Fletcher, who has all of seven months Zach Werenski and Boston’s Charlie McAvoy and neither have signed. on the job, is also now the team president. It’s also been widely reported that Provorov’s agent, Mark Gandler, is Yes, the Flyers made good on a promise of change. Now the question is playing some serious hardball. I can’t see it getting to a nuclear option of how far it will take them. a trade or Provorov going back to Russia or anything like that. I think it will get done eventually, before training camp. Just a guess, but I’ll say It’s been seven seasons and counting since they even won a playoff four years at $7 million. That would walk him right to unrestricted free round so that will be the first goal. Ultimately, of course, they want to do agency. something that hasn’t happened since 1975 and hoist the Stanley Cup. It may not happen quickly, but now there’s reason to at least expect the As for Konecny, I could see a deal getting done within the next few Flyers won’t be more of the same because they’ve altered the roster, weeks. More of his comparables have found deals like San Jose’s Timo who’s running the bench and the management staff. Meier (four years at $6 million per), Kevin Labanc (one year at $1 million) and Washington’s Jakub Vrana (two years at $3.35 million per). The “You can wish for things and want to win a Stanley Cup right away. Labanc deal is an outlier, for sure, a player that most pundits see on the There’s a process for everything,” Fletcher said last week. “I don’t think verge of exploding in the goal column because he has an excellent shot I’ve had to pump the brakes on anything. I just think the expectation is and will get more ice time with Joe Pavelski having departed to Dallas. we’ve got to find a way to get better and, as I’ve mentioned a few times, Konecny figures to land somewhere between Meier and Vrana. He gets we give up way too many goals to win hockey games. It’s that simple. top-six minutes and power play time and has produced multiple 20-goal Until we learn to play the right way and have better details and have seasons. I could see him taking a deal like Travis Sanheim did, a two- better habits — we tweaked the personnel to cut down the goals against year deal at a moderate raise (say, $4 million?) and re-evaluating at a — until we do that, we’re not gonna win games. We’re not gonna win time when most of the hockey world expects the salary cap to rise quite a consistently and we have no chance. That’s the focus and continuing to bit. draft and develop and continuing to augment the roster with trades or free agency as needed.” @paolo7503: Obviously we have to wait ‘til camp starts, but if camp finished today, who makes the team for 3rd line RW. Frost or Farabee? While the Flyers haven’t made the biggest splashes like some of their #FlyersMailbag division opponents, they’ve seemingly improved their roster without giving up any prospects and while keeping most of their draft picks. While I think Morgan Frost does move to the wing eventually to crack the NHL lineup, I also think Joel Farabee is ahead of him right now. It could That’s where we start with the mailbag. As always, participate using all change in training camp depending on both players’ performances but #FlyersMailbag on Twitter. playing against collegiate talent for a year sets Farabee up better and considering the likely other forwards on that line would be Oskar The Flyers opted to replenish defense in the prospect pool and took Cam Lindblom and Nolan Patrick, I think Farabee is the better fit. He brings a York, the top blueliner of the USA Hockey National Team Development little more speed than Frost does and his play without the puck is a little Program. Dave Isaac, @davegisaac above Frost’s level right now as well. @rugbyscrum99: Is there evidence for or against “importing” leadership? @LarryOtt70: Will the Flyers make the playoffs this year? Win a playoff Has this worked for NHL teams in the past? Will it work for Flyers? series? #FlyersMailbag The Flyers are in an interesting spot here because the leadership they That’s what it’s all about, right? The Flyers haven’t won a playoff round brought in was intended mainly for the defensemen. Matt Niskanen and since 2012 and that’s why all this change (from the general manager to Justin Braun have both been on teams that were successful in the the coaching staff to the additions to the playing roster) was made. postseason and that’s something the Flyers’ young D corps lacked. The more established veterans were Andrew MacDonald and Radko Gudas. Let’s first look at the Metropolitan Division and see how the Flyers may Both have since departed and had a combined 38 games of playoff stack up there. experience. Niskanen (125) and Braun (84) each have more than double that. The Pittsburgh Penguins didn’t get markedly better and their defense is still a big question mark. Losing Phil Kessel’s 27 goals from last year will Has it worked for other teams? Justin Williams returned to the Carolina hurt even with the additions of Alex Galchenyuk and Brandon Tanev. The Hurricanes and in his second year helped them get to the third round of Rangers and Devils both got better on paper but were also the bottom the playoffs and absolutely his captaincy had a huge effect on that two teams in the division last year. Did they do enough to contend? Who squad. The reason why it has a good chance to work in Philadelphia is knows which Cory Schneider will show up in goal for the Devils? Who’s that Braun and Niskanen (who may very well be wearing an ‘A’ on his going to lead the Rangers, who on paper are mostly potential? Losing jersey alongside Sean Couturier) are both in somewhat secondary roles. both Sergei Bobrovsky and Artemi Panarin has got to hurt the Blue It’s still Claude Giroux’s team. The Flyers just needed more of a voice Jackets, who went for it big time last season. The Carolina Hurricanes and someone who’s performed at a high level on a successful team on seem like a team on the upswing and probably won’t be just a wild card the back end. Niskanen in particular fills that. team anymore. The Islanders could be good again and the Washington Capitals almost surely will be. @hellokyle: What year of the Hayes contract will all of Philadelphia be clamoring for Fletcher’s job? #FlyersMailbag On paper, which is all you can really look at in July, the Flyers look like a bubble team again. They should be better than last year after solidifying Well, depending on what faction of social media you look at, the their defense, adding a No. 2 center and getting a full season of Carter clamoring has already started. Hart in net. They might not be able to beat a Boston or a Tampa Bay in No doubt the Flyers paid a lot for Kevin Hayes, but he probably would the playoffs, but if they find themselves up against any division team or have gotten at least close to that, if not more, on the open market. Matt even a Toronto or a Florida, I could certainly believe them winning a Duchene, the other top center and one that has a longer pedigree than seven-game series. Hayes, got a salary cap hit of $8 million in a tax-free state. The salary Courier-Post LOADED: 07.25.2019 1107578 Pittsburgh Penguins to create a dangerous scoring line. Moves made with that rationale behind them rarely work for long.

LESSONS LEARNED Penguins Prediction Rewind: Derick Brassard spent some time on wing before departure • Sometimes first impressions are very accurate. When the Penguins traded for Brassard , it immediately looked like a bad fit for a declining player. It was easy to come up with reasons why Brassard might bounce JONATHAN BOMBULIE | Wednesday, July 24, 2019 4:19 p.m. back at the start of last season, but that was just a product of thinking too hard.

Tribune Review LOADED: 07.25.2019 Last summer, beat writer Jonathan Bombulie made a series of predictions leading up to the start of the 2018-19 season. Some were OK. Some were hilariously off the mark. In this series, Bombulie will explain what he was thinking and where his logic went off course.

THE QUESTION

How much will Derick Brassard play on the wing this season?

A. Not at all

B. A little

C. A lot

THE PREDICTION

B. A little

THE RIGHT ANSWER

B. A little

THE RATIONALE

• The Penguins entered last season with a lack of high-end offensive options on the left side. Moving Brassard to Sidney Crosby’s wing at times would allow coach Mike Sullivan to load up his top six with his best scoring talent.

• At the end of the previous season, Brassard had a six-game scoring streak before he suffered a lower-body injury. If a long summer allowed him to heal up, he could provide a boost to a scoring line.

• Brassard would play on the wing a little, not a lot, because the possibility of him clicking with Phil Kessel as the third-line center still existed.

READER REACTION

A sample of Facebook comments:

• “It will be interesting to see how Brassard plays once he goes through a training camp and begins to gel better with his teammates. Unfortunately for Brassard, Kessel, who may have been injured, played poorly after Brassard arrived, which hurt his game because he is an excellent passer and set-up man.”

• “I hope he plays better than he did last season with the Pens. Who knows?? If he plays good, we will know in the first 20 games of this season. Or another bust.”

WHAT ACTUALLY HAPPENED

• Brassard played 517 five-on-five minutes with the Penguins before being mercifully traded to Florida in February. He about spent 84 of those minutes on the wing with Crosby.

• It wasn’t a complete disaster. The Penguins outscored their opponents 3-1 when Brassard, Crosby and Jake Guentzel were on the ice together. And there was one memorable highlight with Brassard on the wing: A Dec. 10 game on Long Island where he scored in the third period to force overtime and the Penguins won 2-1 on Guentzel’s shootout winner. But it was far, far from a success, and there were loads of better options for the first-line left wing spot.

THE FLAWS IN THE LOGIC

• It didn’t really matter where Brassard was slotted on the lineup card. His caliber of play nosedived pretty much from the moment the Penguins acquired him, and mediocre stops in Florida and Colorado late in the season only provided more evidence of that. He remains an unsigned free agent.

• On the occasions where Sullivan put Brassard on the wing, the move was designed to jump-start a struggling player more than it was designed 1107579 Pittsburgh Penguins

Former Penguins forward Billy Tibbetts back in jail

JONATHAN BOMBULIE | Wednesday, July 24, 2019 1:37 p.m.

Former Pittsburgh Penguins forward Billy Tibbetts is back behind bars.

According to a report in the Patriot-Ledger in Quincy, Mass., Tibbetts was taken into custody after a courtroom outburst Tuesday and was ordered to undergo a mental health evaluation. The earliest he could be released is Oct. 23.

Tibbetts was arrested last month on two counts of criminal harassment after posting videos about Scituate, Mass. police chief Michael Stewart and his sister on social media. Tibbetts was released on $2,000 cash bond and ordered not to make any further posts regarding the situation.

Prosecutors said Tibbetts continued to post videos on Instagram, violating the conditions of his release.

An assistant district attorney said Tibbetts posted videos accusing Stewart of breaking into his home and using drugs.

Tibbetts, 44, signed with the Penguins in 2000 after spending 39 months in prison for violating his probation after pleading guilty to statutory rape in a 1992 case. He had two goals, nine points and 188 penalty minutes in 62 games over parts of two seasons with the team before being traded to the Philadelphia Flyers in 2002.

Tribune Review LOADED: 07.25.2019 1107580 Pittsburgh Penguins

Maple Leafs sign former Penguins winger Garrett Wilson

JONATHAN BOMBULIE | Wednesday, July 24, 2019 12:46 p.m.

Garrett Wilson, who played 50 games as a fourth-line winger for the Pittsburgh Penguins last season, has signed a one-year deal with the Toronto Maple Leafs.

The 28-year-old Wilson started last season as Wilkes-Barre/Scranton’s captain in the AHL before working his way into the NHL lineup and recording two goals, six assists and two fighting majors. He played in all four of the team’s playoff games as well, scoring a goal in Game 3 against the Islanders.

The Penguins have added in depth at forward in the offseason, signing free agent Brandon Tanev and acquiring Dominik Kahun in a trade with Chicago, making the team a less desirable destination for wingers hoping to claim a fourth-line role.

Wilson’s contract with Toronto is a one-way deal worth $725,000. Wilson played for the Penguins on a two-year, two-way deal worth $650,000 in the NHL and $250,000 in the AHL.

There were nine players on the Penguins roster last season set to hit unrestricted free agency on July 1.

Four never made it that far. Defenseman Zach Trotman and Chad Ruhwedel re-signed with the Penguins, winger Carl Hagelin re-upped with Washington and center Derek Grant stayed with Anaheim.

Matt Cullen retired earlier this month. Jean-Sebastien Dea signed with Buffalo. Derick Brassard and Riley Sheahan remain unsigned.

Key minor league free agents who have left the Penguins this summer include AHL all-star defenseman Ethan Prow, who signed with Florida, and veteran defenseman Chris Summers, who signed in Germany.

Tribune Review LOADED: 07.25.2019 1107581 Pittsburgh Penguins

Ex-Penguin Phil Kessel puts Pittsburgh-area house on market for $2.1 million

JONATHAN BOMBULIE | Wednesday, July 24, 2019 6:00 a.m.

Phil Kessel became a popular player with Pittsburgh Penguins fans over the past four years in large part because of his everyman appeal.

Not just anyone could afford his house.

Now that he’s been traded to the Arizona Coyotes, Kessel has put his Marshall Township home up for sale with an asking price of $2.1 million, according to a listing at realtor.com.

The 8,000 square foot home has five bedrooms, seven-and-a-half baths and a four-car garage on a 3-acre lot.

It has a billiard room, ping pong room, theater with a 120-inch screen, a workout room and climate-controlled wine closet.

Kessel is entering the sixth year of an eight-year deal with an average annual salary of $8 million. He’s made more than $81 million in his career. He was traded to Arizona late last month.

Tribune Review LOADED: 07.25.2019 1107582 Pittsburgh Penguins See Shannon Proudfoot's other Tweets

Veruca Salt

Former Pittsburgh Penguins Forward Phil Kessel Puts Area House On @jetski85 The Market For $2.1 Million Looking for 100 friends to split buying Phil Kessel’s house with me

2 ADAM BITTNER 12:00 PM - Jul 24, 2019

Twitter Ads info and privacy Phil Kessel is apparently selling his home in Marshall. He doesn’t have much use for it following the trade that sent him from the Penguins to the See Veruca Salt's other Tweets Arizona Coyotes last month. Connor Hill

He does, however, seem to have use for some very quirky things that @ConnorHill28 appear in the house’s Realtor.com listing. The world needs more Phil Kessel house pics  • A home theater with exactly one lonely seat and four movie posters for “The Godfather,” “Wedding Crashers,” “Glitter” and “Rounders” — an 1:39 PM - Jul 24, 2019 interesting mix indeed. Twitter Ads info and privacy • A Barack Obama “Hope”-style painting of himself. See Connor Hill's other Tweets Penguins' draft picks Samuel Poulin and Nathan Legare take friendly competition to next level Matt Porter

• Mannequins donning his Team USA uniforms from his two Olympics ✔ appearances. @mattyports • A mostly empty wine cellar with only three bottles of Bailey's whiskey There’s a chance Phil Kessel removed some of good stuff before those and assortment of other spirits left over. photos were taken, but his wine cellar was *definitely* all-Baileys. Who knows what else appeared in those rooms before he started moving 8 out? 2:15 PM - Jul 24, 2019 The stuff he left quickly became social media gold for Kessel’s many fans who love him for his “everyman” persona. Twitter Ads info and privacy

Ailish Forfar See Matt Porter's other Tweets

✔ The asking price in the listing is a cool $2.1 million. That money will get you five bedrooms, 7.5 bathrooms and 3.05 acres. No word on whether @ailishforfar any of Kessel’s odd stuff is included.

Phil Kessel's 3D house tour = mood when my grade 6 boyfriend and I You can see all the photos at the listing and by taking the 3D tour of the broke up via MSN messenger home.

View image on TwitterView image on Twitter Adam Bittner

25 Post Gazette LOADED: 07.25.2019 1:46 PM - Jul 24, 2019

Twitter Ads info and privacy

See Ailish Forfar's other Tweets

Shannon Proudfoot

✔

@sproudfoot

My brain: Bah ha ha! Of COURSE that's Phil Kessel's sad, weird cinema for one.

My brain, .7 seconds later: If I was rich, that is exactly how I would choose to watch everything. https://deadspin.com/phil-kessels-pittsburgh- house-is-for-sale-and-it-has-t- 1836665742?utm_campaign=socialflow_deadspin_facebook&utm_sourc e=deadspin_facebook&utm_medium=socialflow&fbclid=IwAR3cTz65- Lc7bW3SqZoKvmHInhuKJJtbGMge1jpS2Glviu0_P64Qt5ybMYA …

Phil Kessel's Pittsburgh House Is For Sale, And It Has The Loneliest Home Theater In The World

Former Penguins winger Phil Kessel was traded to the Coyotes earlier this summer, which means that he’s put his Pittsburgh-area house on the market. For a mere $2.1 million, you can enjoy any film... deadspin.com

2:16 PM - Jul 24, 2019

Twitter Ads info and privacy 1107583 Pittsburgh Penguins

Watch Sidney Crosby's skating transform into artwork Peter Diana/Post- Gazette

Adam Bittner

Sidney Crosby’s skating technique is elegant. Precise. Some might say artistic.

Included in that latter group is hockey equipment company CCM, which recently invited the Penguins captain to put his brilliance on canvas by tracking his skating and having a machine plot his course with paint. The result is decidedly abstract, but you could certainly imagine it hanging in a museum.

Pittsburgh Penguins

✔

@penguins

Sidney Crosby is an artist on his edges.

Want to win his autographed masterpiece, courtesy of @CCMHockey?

Show us what you've got! Upload your own Penguins-themed design for a chance to win his signed painting: https://pens.pe/2JHa4La

Embedded video

885

9:53 AM - Jul 24, 2019

Twitter Ads info and privacy

124 people are talking about this

Sidney Crosby is an artist on his edges.

Want to win his autographed masterpiece, courtesy of @CCMHockey?

Show us what you've got! Upload your own Penguins-themed design for a chance to win his signed painting: https://t.co/Dxm4vXmSoP pic.twitter.com/PZ7APGGm9W

— Pittsburgh Penguins (@penguins) July 24, 2019

The painting will be the prize in a fan art contest. Fans can submit Penguins-themed designs to the team through noon Aug. 2. A panel of judges will select finalists, and fellow fans will then be able to vote on a winner.

You can get the full details on the Penguins’ website.

Post Gazette LOADED: 07.25.2019 1107584 Pittsburgh Penguins It didn’t take them long to warm to each other, and their bond strengthened through feisty practice drills, team pool parties, hotly contested games of “mini sticks” in hotel rooms and trips to the Poulin Penguins' draft picks Samuel Poulin and Nathan Legare take friendly family cottage. Plus, a lot of big wins. competition to next level Patrick Poulin took the squad to four to six tournaments a year. And with Samuel and Nathan leading the charge, they often came home happy.

Matt Vensel Samuel recalls Nathan being a heck of a scorer and “a really good skater, like he is still today.” Legare says Poulin, the captain of that Wild team, was “pretty big,” with slick hands and a great shot, and he “dominated.” If Samuel Poulin and Nathan Legare are as competitive together as they swear to be, it certainly didn’t show a few weeks ago in Cranberry. Patrick Poulin, who played in the NHL from 1991 to 2001, said the two always pushed each other on and off the ice. Sometimes literally. During prospect development camp, the 18-year-old Penguins picks had several opportunities to claim superiority. Instead, the longtime buddies “That’s just the way they are. They love winning and they compete on the from Quebec took it easy on each other. ice. … During practices, there were a lot of battles, good battles,” their coach recently recalled. “They had a lot of fun and enjoyed each other.” As they lounged in a team meeting room at UPMC Lemieux Sports Complex, they couldn’t stop agreeing when asked who was the better For several years, Poulin and Legare battled as opponents during the passer, snazzier dresser, steadier defender, funnier friend. winter while skating for teams in their respective towns, then teamed up when the weather warmed up. When they were 14, they stopped skating Heck, a consensus was even reached on who was most competitive. for Poulin’s dad. Both had made Team Quebec. Phil Kessel was traded to Arizona late last month. They kept growing into standout wingers in the Quebec Major Junior Adam Bittner Hockey League. Legare, 6-foot with a booming right-handed shot, buried 45 goals last season for Baie-Comeau Drakkar. Poulin, an inch taller and Phil Kessel's house features some pretty quirky stuff a few pounds heavier, dished out 47 assists for Sherbrooke Phoenix.

“We’re pretty similar,” Poulin said as Legare, two seats over, nodded. They continued to keep tabs on each other from afar, texting or shooting a message via social media after seeing the latest highlight online. Poulin’s dad, who coached their summer team, vouched for that. The Penguins, looking for size and a little sassiness, treated both “Two very good kids that want to improve all the time, and they’re a great prospects to dinner before June’s draft. They had no idea they were this addition for the Penguins,” said Patrick Poulin, the former NHLer. close. Sam Poulin They picked Poulin in the first round, and he returned to Rogers Arena ✔ the following day to see friends have lifelong dreams realized, too.

@poulin_sam Then, midway through the third round, his new team was on the clock after trading three picks to Arizona to acquire the 74th selection.

“When they announced the timeout and the Penguins made the trade, we Unreal. Proud of you frero had some doubt that Nathan would go there,” Patrick Poulin said. https://twitter.com/Nathan_Legare/status/1142937210104274944 … When Nathan’s name boomed over the loudspeakers, Samuel, perched Nathan Légaré in the stands, roared. On his way to the stage, Legare spotted him, grinning as he gave him a quick salute. When Legare was done with ✔ interviews, Poulin marched up to the Penguins’ suite and wrapped Legare in a bear hug. @Nathan_Legare

I guess it was ment to be !!! Proud to be a @penguins @poulin_sam “You appreciate it [as a general manager],” Hall of Fame GM Jim Rutherford said. “You see both families there talking and see the friends View image on TwitterView image on Twitter in the suite after [Legare] gets drafted and watch not only how much they appreciate being together, but how much support they had from their 1,279 families and friends.”

7:31 PM - Jun 23, 2019 Legare and Poulin jet ski

Twitter Ads info and privacy Nathan Legare, left, Samuel Poulin, right, and another friend have some 61 people are talking about this fun on a jet ski in summer 2017.

Before becoming teammates at 7, the two, as Samuel put it, were (Courtesy Annick Corbeil-Poulin) “rivals.” A few days after the Penguins drafted them 53 picks apart, the two sat in They had previously faced off on the ice and on the pitch. Poulin’s first the team's practice facility, still shaking their heads. What were the odds memory of Legare was beating his soccer team, clad in white and green. of that? Legare, understandably, remembers another showdown quite well. “It would be really special if we both make the team at one point and play “I think it was the first time I met Sam,” he said. “Me and my other friends together at the pro level,” Poulin said. “It would just be awesome.” were playing on the street. They invited us over. When we arrived in the You better believe Legare agreed with that assessment, too. backyard, all of their [hockey] team threw water balloons at us.” While both wingers impressed during the three-day prospect The boys grew up about 15 minutes apart and were among the region’s development camp, it seems unlikely either will be ready to crack the best hockey players, which is how they ended up summertime NHL within the next couple of seasons. But they’re going to try like hell teammates. anyway.

Penguins captain Sidney Crosby partnered with hockey equipment This summer, they’re training at the same facility for the first time. It’s run, company CCM to produce artwork based off his skating. coincidentally, by ex-Penguins strength and conditioning coach Stephane Adam Bittner Dube. Most mornings they are side by side there, putting in work.

Watch Sidney Crosby's skating transform into artwork “I think that’s the reason we’re friends. We compete,” Legare said. “We challenge ourselves against each other, especially this summer. We’re going to push each other for sure and be better at the end of the summer.”

If they are cut from training camp and sent back to juniors, they plan to keep battling in the QMJHL while also racing to see who gets to the NHL first.

“For sure it’s going to be a [friendly] competition,” Poulin said. “It will be good to have each other around and see what the other guy is doing.”

Post Gazette LOADED: 07.25.2019 1107585 Pittsburgh Penguins I’ll tackle the full question at some point, but for now: Don’t buy the “Black and Gold” Arnold Palmer-style drink buy itself. Get one normal iced tea and one lemonade, and combine them to your preferred proportions. I go Mailbag: The Penguins’ best prospect, and Pittsburgh’s best toilet with 3/4 tea, 1/4 lemonade.

If Pittsburgh got an NBA team, what would you name it?

By Sean Gentille Jul 24, 2019 Ben Wright/@BenWrightATL

Ah yes, a question I’ll never stop thinking about. Pipers is the obvious answer. More people remember the Condors, probably, but what were So I asked for mailbag questions a few days ago, when it was a billion they if not the Zombie Pipers? So you’ve got positive history, alliteration degrees. Nothing pairs better with weather that horrendous than, and another bird name that begins with ‘P.’ essentially, asking someone else to do your job. Really though, long as it wasn’t a weird collective noun like “Power” or Now it’s nice again — go figure — but the point stands. It’s summer. Let’s “Furnace,” I’d be good. Also, I generally don’t need any more references hang out for a little. to the steel industry unless you call them the Barons in honor of Andrew Carnegie. “Pinkertons” would be too on-the-nose. In your experience, where is the best public restroom in Pittsburgh? How many bloomin’ onions can you eat in one sitting? Sam W. @ErikBlevins I started with this one for a reason: If there’s one thing to know in life, it’s that virtually every hotel lobby has a good bathroom that you can use, no A classic B.O. has a little less than 2,000 calories. I could put down three. questions asked. Hotel toilets — one of our nation’s great untapped resources. Please put together a playlist of walk-up music for as many Pgh athletes as you see fit (not limited to Pirates). 1. Walk in with a purpose. Bill West/@Just_BWest 2. Don’t unnecessarily talk to anyone. You don’t need a backstory. Another thing I think about all the time. Back in 2009, I got it in my head 3. Give a “head nod” or “hello” to the desk attendant, if the situation that Mellon Arena should’ve played “Hair of the Dog” by Nazareth dictates it. whenever Bill Guerin scored. It made almost too much sense.

4. Look for the signs. You probably won’t need to ask. Also, the fact that Josh Bell moved away from “Keep Their Heads Ringin'” still boggles my mind. 5. Take care of business. What happened to the Eat N Park cookie? Did they cheap out on it or did That applies in, like, a Holiday Inn Express. It’s even more hassle-free at we just grow up? your nicer hotels. That’s why my pick — and by proxy, the official stance of The Athletic — is the William Penn. Such luxury! Nick Case/@Nick422

Also, the Red Lobster on McKnight Road has a pretty nice setup. The overall point is that stuff you like as a kid doesn’t carry over to adulthood as your preferences change. Which, yeah — try eating a Fruit Which current penguins prospect are you most looking forward to seeing Roll-Up or something. It won’t be the same. Same goes for Milwaukee’s get a shot in the NHL and why? Let’s take Poulin off the table just for the Best. sake of discussion. That said, Smiley Cookies stay trash. The right move was always to just Gliz/@frank_gliz eat the eyes then throw it away. Stale is stale. Personally, I’d like to see Zachary Lauzon if only because of how rough how come everyone hates on phil kessel? the last couple years have been for him. He seems like a nice kid, and it’d be cool to see things work out for him. @WebstarVanCity

Beyond that, how about Calen Addison? Maybe I’ve got a soft spot for Where are all these people that hate Phil Kessel? I sincerely haven’t small-ish defenseman with that sort of offensive ability. He’s a great come across anyone here who hates the dude. Lots of people love him, skater, by all accounts, who has averaged nearly a point per game for and a much smaller amount of people — important ones, in some cases two straight seasons. Great skating, maybe more than anything else in — got sort of sick of him. But honestly, he’s largely a hero in these parts, hockey, is fun to watch. Same goes for high upside. He fits both as he should be. Were there some people who, maybe, appreciated him descriptions. I know it’s been more than a year, but Jesse Marshall’s less than they should’ve? I guess. Did anyone hate him? I honestly didn’t post-draft write-up is a great starting point. see it.

One of my favorite fluff things you wrote was the story of the rogue Now, “hating on” is a little bit of a different set of qualifications. The root catfish-tosser in the 2017 Stanley Cup playoffs. Do you have a favorite of that: He’s been a great player unlike, really, any we’ve seen in a while. weird happening you’ve written about or witnessed? It’s a question of optics. He could pass for a dude at a bus stop, and I think that can break peoples’ brains. Sheryl/@Serenade_az Favorite arena in Pittsburgh? Other than your pick, probably the 2012-13 lockout. It wasn’t a fluffy topic overall, obviously, but the sheer length of it combined with the daily need Michael Pegula/@MikeyBlueEyez86 to actually, y’know, report and write stuff led to people losing their marbles. The peak was probably in November, when one of the federal For sheer aesthetics, we don’t really have a choice here, do we? Pound mediators assigned to the situation was removed because he had a for pound, I’d still rather spend a day in the sun at PNC than any of the bunch of weird tweets, including one that involved the hashtag other places. I still really like going to the Pete, and I’m glad the games “#assmode.” are on track to be fun again at some point.

Mind you, my only job back then was covering hockey, so waking up Beyond the obvious ones, everyone should go see a game at the every morning and knowing that you had to cover hockey when there Wolvarena in Turtle Creek. To me, that’s what high school football is all was no hockey — for months — was, at times, surreal. about. Also, CMU’s football stadium does something for me. Might be because my track team practiced there in high school, but I still run over Also, the Penguins’ 2017 parade. there pretty regularly.

Please provide a taste test and definitive ranking of all Turner’s Tea Is it ok to buy a caps or flyers jersey if its, like, Jagr, Tocchet, or another products. pens legend?

Ryan/@euromicitisus Surm/@RickNebraska You’re an adult. You can do what you want. I haven’t bought a jersey since college, but that’s just because I started thinking I looked dumb in them, then got a job where wearing jerseys around would be sort of weird. Do whatever.

That said, I don’t see how wearing a Flyers or Caps or Rod Woodson Ravens jersey or basically anything like that would be worth it. You’re gonna get hassled no matter who is on the back. Constantly. The closest thing that’d be worth trying to pull off: an Andrew McCutchen Phillies jersey. That rivalry isn’t the same as the ones you’re talking about, though.

Will the Penguins make the playoffs?

John Zivkovic/@Zippy587

Yeah, I think so. Even if you think the Islanders, Caps and Hurricanes can pull off similar seasons, the Rangers are a lot better — as they should be, given that they added Artemi Panarin, Jacob Trouba and Kaapo Kakko — and the Blue Jackets are a lot worse.

Beyond that, the Devils improved, but not 25 points’ worth. The Flyers will benefit from a full season of Carter Hart, but … are you really going to pencil them into a wild-card spot? Because I’m not. I think the Penguins are still solidly somewhere in the Metro’s top four, and beyond that, I think the division is more likely than not to get five of the eight playoff spots, anyway.

What PS4 games have you been into lately?

Kelly W.

I was basically a year late getting into “Spider-Man,” and I feel stupid about it. It’s got an MCU-caliber story, definitely the best I’ve seen in a comic book game. If it were the plot of a movie, I’d be A-OK. The melee combat is a blast, and the best part of the whole deal is just swinging around Manhattan. That sounds like a complaint; it isn’t. I’m going to hit 100 percent completion on it and play all the downloadable content, and I don’t know the last time I did that.

Any chance Jaylen Samuels gets work almost like a pass catching TE or is he strictly a back?

Joel S.

Yeah, I think so. Eddie Faulkner, the Steelers’ new RBs coach, was Samuels’ coach at N.C. State, and they used him that way a whole bunch. Plus, the Steelers’ backup tight-end situation isn’t great. Whatever you think of Xavier Grimble as a No. 2, the third-stringer is going to be someone wholly unproven, and Vance McDonald isn’t the most injury- proof guy on Earth. I don’t think it’s going to be a 50/50 split for Samuels or anything like that, but why draft a guy with that sort of versatility and not use it? Faulker certainly didn’t sound opposed to it at minicamp.

Favorite mid-Atlantic City to visit?

Jack G.

Last fall, my answer would’ve been Ocean City, N.J. solely because of the Golden Nugget sports book. Lost most of a weekend there. I can do that down the street now, though.

I’m looking for a spot with good shows, great food and cool neighborhoods — so I’m going Philly, baby. The Tommy DiNic’s roast pork/Dalessandro’s steak double-header is something I’ve done before and will do again. Also, I want to eat at Zahav. Mix all that in with a great music scene and a really good NBA team, and I’m good to go.

Which Pittsburgh sports owner would be the most likely to get fooled by Lyle Lanley and build a shoddy monorail to their respective stadium?

Michael S.

I almost fell in an obvious trap here, then realized the odds of any Pittsburgh sports owner willingly paying for something like that themselves is true madness. Also, all three are already are served by a shoddy monorail. Checkmate, my good man.

The Athletic LOADED: 07.25.2019 1107586 San Jose Sharks Of course, that doesn't mean he would be Seattle-bound. The NHL's 32nd team would need to take on enough salary to reach at least 60 percent of the 2020-21 salary-cap ceiling, but general manager Ron NHL expansion draft: Sharks could protect, expose superstar Francis might turn to Vegas Golden Knights GM George McPhee's defensemen playbook and take on shorter-term contracts.

Plenty can change between now and the 2021 expansion draft, and the Sharks' lack of salary commitments outside of their big three on the blue By Marcus White July 24, 2019 7:00 AM line creates plenty of possibilities. We know which defensemen the Seattle franchise won't be able to choose, but the ones it can are up in

the air. Editor's note: This week, NBC Sports California will look ahead to the Comcast SportsNet.com LOADED: 07.25.2019 2021 NHL Expansion Draft, at which time the Seattle franchise officially will join the league as its 32nd team. Every team in the league will be affected, as players from (nearly) every roster will be made available to Seattle for its inaugural roster. We continue with an examination of which defensemen the Sharks likely are to protect and expose.

If one of the Sharks' position groups drives home the uncertainty of the 2021 NHL Expansion Draft, it's their defense.

San Jose currently has three blue liners under contract for the 2021-22 season, which will be Seattle's first in the NHL: Erik Karlsson, Brent Burns and Marc-Edouard Vlasic. Whether the Sharks opt to protect 11 players (seven forwards, three defensemen and a goalie) or nine (eight skaters and a goaltender), Karlsson and Vlasic likely are going to have their names on the protected lists.

That's because both players' contracts contain no-movement clauses. Unless they opt to waive those clauses, Sharks general manager Doug Wilson will have to protect both players ahead of the expansion draft. Burns, who will be 36 at the time of the draft and is under contract until 2025, would not have to be protected.

Could the Norris Trophy winner -- and three-time finalist -- be available for the Metropolitans Sasquatch Salmon Unnamed Seattle Franchise when the team joins the league in 2021? Much of that will depend upon Burns' performance, and just what San Jose's defense looks like in two years.

According to the league's rules, the Sharks will have to expose a defenseman who is under contract for Seattle's first season (2021-22) and has played in either 40 games in 2020-21 or 70 total games in the 2019-20 and 2020-21 seasons. Defensive prospects Mario Ferraro and Ryan Merkley could reach those totals if they're on the NHL roster, but both players automatically are protected since neither would have played more than two professional seasons at that point.

Brenden Dillon, Tim Heed and Radim Simek all can hit unrestricted free agency in 2020, when the Sharks would have $62 million in salary commitments and 11 players under contract, according to Cap Friendly. That probably won't cause a salary-cap crunch that resulted in forwards Joe Pavelski, Joonas Donskoi and Gustav Nyquist departing as unrestricted free agents while San Jose worked out an eight-year deal with Erik Karlsson and a four-year deal with Timo Meier.

But Kevin Labanc's new contract and/or Ferraro, Merkley or another prospect being ready for a bigger role could make the Sharks let Dillon, Heed or Simek test the market.

As a result, the 2020 offseason should be instructive of the Sharks' plans for the expansion draft the following summer. Retaining any of the aforementioned three players likely would give the Sharks at least one defenseman who they are able to expose other than Burns, assuming they hit the games requirement. A prospect who already has made their pro debut, such as Nick DeSimone or Jacob Middleton, emerging as an NHL option could add another eligible unprotected player, as would signing a defenseman from a large free-agent class next summer.

If Burns, who just scored a career-high 83 points and has played 82 games each of the last five seasons, continues to perform at an elite level into his mid-30s, the Sharks conceivably could protect him in an expansion draft for the second time in five years. As it stands right now, they would need to retain some of their pending free agents or have a younger internal candidate replace one of them.

If Burns begins to decline, San Jose conceivably could choose to expose him in the draft. They have parted ways with two of the four longest- tenured players in franchise history (Pavelski and Patrick Marleau) in two of the last three offseasons, and exposing Burns would clear an $8 million cap hit. 1107587 St Louis Blues have completed a season when they play in 10 or more NHL games. Those 20 or older have accrued a year when they’ve played 10 games in a professional league, which includes the minors.

‘Last on the list’: NHL agents go inside restricted free agency 18-20: four years negotiations 21: three years

22-23: two years By Jeremy Rutherford Jul 24, 2019 24 and older: one year

Just like your parents and teachers would make you do, let’s apply the Exactly one year ago, Blues defenseman Joel Edmundson signed a one- scale to a couple of the Blues’ RFAs — one with arbitration rights and year contract worth $3 million with the idea that he’d be signing a long- one without — and then you can use the handy chart below from term extension this summer. CapFriendly to check out the rest. We’ll use Binnington as our arb player Yet 24 days after the start of NHL free agency, the restricted free agent and Barbashev as our non-arb player. remains unsigned; his case has been scheduled for arbitration on Aug. 4. Binnington, a third-round pick in 2011, was 19 when he signed his entry- The 26-year-old and the club could come to terms prior to that date, but level contract (ELC) and required four years of experience. He played the no deal appears imminent. 2013-14 season in the ECHL, then ’14-15, ’15-16 and ’16-17 in the AHL, This is the process when you’re an “RFA” in the NHL, patiently waiting earning his rights after that season. until the league has determined the salary cap, allowing clubs to figure Barbashev, a second-round pick in 2014, was 18 and also needed four out how much they have to spend and then negotiating a deal that’s years. He played ’15-16 and ’16-17 in the AHL, but that didn’t count vastly based on whether the player has arbitration rights. Then, if the two toward pro experience because he was 18 and 19 years old. So his pro sides can’t come to an agreement, they take it to an arbitrator. experience amounts to ’16-17, ’17-18 and ’18-19 with the Blues, leaving “You’re always the last on the list,” Edmundson said. “Your agent is him one season short. talking to (Blues general manager Doug Armstrong) as much as he can The formula can be a little complicated for some, but GMs and agents, of and trying to fill you in, so you kind of have an idea going into arbitration. course, have a strong handle on it. Some cases, you can solve it before arbitration, like last year; I flew to Toronto and saw the briefs that both my agent and the Blues had, and “It’s our job,” Overhardt said. “Everything that we do is dictated by the we came to terms the day before the hearing. So we went right down to terms of the collective bargaining agreement. It’s very systemic to us, so the wire.” it’s all based on age of signing and years of experience and the games experience. There’s a lot of variables based on those three things, but it The Blues had 10 RFAs in the organization going into the summer and is very straightforward.” have signed eight of them: Jordan Binnington, Zach Sanford, Oskar Sundqvist, Sammy Blais, Robby Fabbri, Mitch Reinke, Nolan Stevens “In essence, the younger you are, the longer you have to wait,” Bartlett and Ville Husso. The two left unsigned are Edmundson and Ivan said. “My son (Brian) is kind of our chief arbitrator these days, and he has Barbashev. it on the back of his hand. I always have to go back and double-check myself, but by and large, it usually means you have four seasons of play Binnington’s two-year, $8.8 million contract has been the most intriguing for most guys and less if you sign later.” in that he and the Blues elected for the shorter term and not to “buy” any unrestricted free-agent years. What that means is Binnington has two In fact, agents will negotiate a client’s ELC, keeping in mind the more seasons left as an RFA, and if the club wanted to go longer on the circumstances it will create for their second contract. With Sanford, for term than two years, the average annual value (AAV) would have been example, Washington’s second-round pick in 2013 played two seasons steeper than $4.4 million. But Binnington’s extension wasn’t the only at Boston University, so he knew when agreeing to his original deal with interesting one in the group, as Sanford’s two-year, $3 million deal and the Capitals at age 21 that he would need just three years of experience Sundqvist’s four-year, $11 million pact also illustrated aspects of to acquire arb rights when he became an RFA in 2019. restricted free-agent negotiations. “Yeah, we talked about how at the end of his entry-level deal that he’d HOW QUICK NEGOTIATIONS LED BINNINGTON AND THE BLUES TO have them,” Buckley said. “You’re always preparing short-term, long- A SHORT-TERM SOLUTION. #STLBLUES term, so when you do a contract, you’re already looking to see how it HTTPS://T.CO/Z54KBN7S6V affects the next one. Is he going to be restricted? Is he going to have arbitration rights? How many years until he’s unrestricted? There’s a — JEREMY RUTHERFORD (@JPRUTHERFORD) JULY 15, 2019 whole lot of different components that go into that.”

In order to get a better insight into the parameters, The Athletic In early July, just a few days after the start of free agency, players can interviewed six NHL agents, including Stephen Bartlett, Kurt Overhardt, elect for arbitration and schedule their case to be heard by an Neil Sheehy, Jordan Neumann, Jerry Buckley (Sanford’s agent) and independent arbitrator. This year, the Blues had four players file — Daniel Milstein (who represents Barbashev). They explained the Binnington, Edmundson, Sanford and Sundqvist — and there were 40 importance of arbitration rights, the tactics taken by many general players league-wide who asked for hearings. managers and keeping their clients well-informed, especially in the event of a holdout. FOUR BLUES PLAYERS ARE AMONG 40 RESTRICTED FREE AGENTS WHO HAVE OPTED FOR SALARY ARBITRATION: “Traditionally, the guys that really seem to face the effect of that is frankly BINNINGTON, EDMUNDSON, SANFORD AND SUNDQVIST. not your star players,” Bartlett said. “Your star players, the teams are #STLBLUES always looking at two elements: arbitration rights and unrestricted free agency, both of which are elements that on a longer-term contract, the — JEREMY RUTHERFORD (@JPRUTHERFORD) JULY 5, 2019 teams are trying to get themselves away from. The filing date doesn’t create a deadline for a deal. It’s a formality, but “They mostly play out similarly, whether it’s implied or implicit that the not doing so can lead to a loss of leverage. player doesn’t have arb rights. (But) you can nudge, you can cajole us as best as you can to get what you think he’s worth, and at the end of the “The filing for arbitration is just a mechanism to protect the player’s rights, day, if we don’t want to do it, we don’t do it. It’s all part of the dynamic so in most cases, you file and hope to negotiate a fair result without the that goes into negotiating and hopefully ending up with a result that process,” Neumann wrote in an email to The Athletic. “If you fail to file, it everybody can live with.” sometimes makes it hard for the ‘comps’ you want to use in the negotiation to be relevant.” With players typically not becoming UFA-eligible until age 27, qualifying for arbitration rights is the first step in having some control over their Comps are comparable players whose performance can lead to a similar contracts. The league uses a sliding scale to determine who meets the contract for someone who’s close in age and experience. GMs are more criteria that are based on entry-level signing age (as of Sept. 15 of the apt to negotiate with an agent whose client has arb rights and point year they signed) and seasons of pro experience. Players 18 and 19 production that helps paint the picture of what the contract could look like if the case goes to an arbitrator. “It’s almost two different marketplaces: the arb-eligible market and the “We take a very intelligent approach with our clients because our clients non-eligible market,” Bartlett said. “Arbitration is really comp-driven, so are intelligent young men, and we treat them like they’re the president or the stronger your comparable group, the more you can find your Siamese CEO of their own company,” Overhardt said. “We explain it like we’re twins, so to speak, the stronger your case is. If you’ve got your average, their general counsel. We’re very explicit, and we outline the process so run-of-the-mill kid who doesn’t have that kind of leverage, it’s very hard to they’re even able to explain it to other people. I think you always have to exert any kind of direct pressure on the team without at least a threat of weigh your client’s strengths and you have to weigh your client’s arbitration and make your case that they’re being artificially restrictive in convictions. You’ve got to educate your client about holding out. You’ve terms of what the player should be earning at that stage of his career.” got to see if that’s something that’s in the player’s constitution, their willingness to hold out, because it takes a lot of courage to do that. It’s For example, Sanford had a base salary of $782,500 on his expiring ELC done on a case-by-case situation based on the player and based on the and finished with eight goals and 20 points in the final year of the deal player’s situation with the team.” last season. The 24-year-old might not have sniffed a $1.5 million AAV without arb rights, but a close comp to him is Arizona’s Vinnie “Whenever you’re dealing with any player, you know what the trigger Hinostroza, who after posting seven goals and 25 points as a 23-year-old points are and what his rights are,” Sheehy added. “That’s the key to an with Chicago in 2017-18 signed an identical two-year, $3 million deal. agent’s job: knowing what the player’s rights are and making sure the player understands what his rights are. Then what happens, based on Sundqvist, meanwhile, made $700,000 on his most recent contract and what the negotiation is with the team, you have choices to make. Do we set career highs with 14 goals and 31 points in 74 games. He certainly sign a deal, or do we not sign a deal? It’s always based on what your would have seen a substantial raise, but without arb rights and buying rights are, and teams are looking at the same thing. I think everything out two UFA years, perhaps not $2.75 million annually. Just four days with players is prep. The player, ultimately it’s his career, he’s the one before Sundqvist signed, Colorado’s J.T. Compher, a 24-year-old RFA who has to make the ultimate decision. But he can only make the right with arb rights who had 16 goals and 32 points in 66 games last season, decision for him if he has all the information.” agreed to a four-year, $14 million deal ($3.5 million AAV). Edmundson likes to stay informed. Oskar Sundqvist, who had a career-high 14 goals last season, was a restricted free agent this summer. (Jeff Curry/USA Today) “I just want to talk to my agent when he’s got something to tell me that I should know,” he said. “But when it comes down closer to arbitration, I’m “A lot of teams try to look at team discounts, they try to look at their on the phone with him once or twice a week now. I just want to know market situation, which is ironic because we’re in a cap world and what’s going on, if there’s any news.” everything is supposed to be parity, according to the people that run the league,” Overhardt said. “I think what arbitration does is it’s gauged to Edmundson’s case on Aug. 4 is the last of the Blues’ hearings, and it’s pay a player on his performance the previous season and in his career no coincidence that he’s the last of the arb-eligible players who remains based on league criteria, not just a team’s payroll structure.” unsigned.

“When you have the arbitration rights,” Buckley added, “it kind of pulls “One-hundred percent (not a coincidence),” Buckley said. “Once you hit a everyone to the table to act fairly and work on a deal because, at the end certain date, the teams kind of have a rhythm on how they handle their of the day, an arbitrator is going to award what the player deserves.” offseason.”

There are reasons for players with arbitration rights not to file. One is if a Edmundson’s points and ice time were down a bit last season, and he player has more skill or is deemed more valuable to a team than his was a healthy scratch in the playoffs, but he still believes he’s worth more statistics would suggest to an arbitrator. than what the Blues are offering.

“The team knows that, but what will an arbitrator see?” Buckley said. “Those scratches knock you down,” he said. “I would have loved to play “Those are the kinds of players who may decide not to go to arbitration every game, but when we have seven or eight healthy defensemen who because they feel like they’re going to get grouped in with guys who have are all good enough to play, if you have one or two bad games, you’re similar numbers, but my numbers don’t accurately reflect my market going to be the odd guy out. But for the most part, I thought I had a solid value.” season. I would have liked to have put up more numbers, but that’s not really my game. But at the end of the day, I’ve got a Stanley Cup, so I’m The other is the fact that when a player elects arbitration, the club has pretty happy.” the choice of either a one- or two-year term. ON MON BETWEEN 1 AND 5 PM BRANDON AAA WK ALUMNI JOEL “The big reason to not file,” Neumann wrote, “is if you don’t think you’re EDMUNDSON WILL HAVE A PUBIC VIEWING OF THE STANLEY CUP going to get a favorable result; you don’t want the team to elect two AT THE UCT PAVILION IN THE KEYSONE CENTRE. YOU CAN HAVE years, and then the player is stuck on a bad contract for two years.” YOUR PHOTO TAKEN WITH THE CUP AND EDMUNDSON. THERE But it’s better than the alternative: not having arbitration rights, like Fabbri WILL ALSO A FREE SKATE AT ONE OF THE ARENAS SO BRING and Barbashev. Obviously, Fabbri’s injury history — back-to-back knee YOUR SKATES PIC.TWITTER.COM/DCD9FDAPFL injuries that cost him the ’17-18 season — has taken away his chance to — MIDGETWHEATKINGS (@3AWHEATKINGS) JULY 7, 2019 accrue enough years of pro experience. But in Barbashev’s case, he has played 163 NHL games and still doesn’t possess arb rights, while Being a winner helps to a degree, the agents say. Binnington got his despite playing just part of one NHL game prior to this season. “Oftentimes you’ll hear from a general manager, ‘Well, the guy hasn’t won anything,’” Sheehy said. “Some people, if you talk to (New York Barbashev, 23, will still get a spike in his $832,000 salary after netting a Islanders GM) Lou Lamoriello, it means winning Stanley Cups. If you career-high 14 goals and 26 points in 80 games last season, but nothing haven’t won a Cup, you haven’t won anything yet. Someone else, you compared to Calgary’s Sam Bennett, 23, who had 13 goals and 27 points haven’t won anything if you haven’t made the playoffs. So what’s the in 71 games last season. Bennett, who had arb rights, signed a two-year, definition of winning? Certainly winning the Cup helps, but then there’s a $5.1 million contract Wednesday. whole system of what other arbitrators have said.”

“One comment is guys with no arbitration rights frequently are not treated Arbitration has changed drastically over the years. One agent, who didn’t the same as the guys with arbitration rights,” Milstein, Barbashev’s agent, want his name associated with this story, said he remembers an wrote in an email. arbitrator thinking a plus-minus rating of minus-2 was better than a plus- 8. The Blues’ Ivan Barbashev and Zach Sanford were two of the team’s restricted free agents going into the season, and only Sanford has Bartlett, who began in the business in the late 1980s, said: “I remember signed. (Billy Hurst / USA Today) sitting at a coffee table in a courthouse in Toronto, literally myself, Bob Pulford, who was the GM of the Blackhawks at the time, and the Seven weeks away from the start of training camp in September, arbitrator. Bob had a couple little notes on a little notepad, and I maybe Barbashev has no leverage, except potentially holding out if he remains had two pages of an outline. I remember making my case and saying that unsigned. Milstein didn’t have time for additional questions, but other I really thought my guy was worth whatever it was, and Pulford just kind agents said keeping their clients informed and updated is the key in of cleared his throat and grumbled. He didn’t really make much of a these situations. counterargument other than to say, ‘I don’t give a fuck … he’s not worth that much!’” Bartlett estimates that agents and teams can spend as many as 100 hours in preparation for one case now and, “off the top of my head, $50- 60,000” in legal fees.

“I think back now and I die laughing at the complete lack of sophistication frankly on all our parts compared to what it is today, where we literally spend weeks writing these legal briefs and creating documents and analytics and everything else to make our case,” he said. “We’re in a very formal setting, and there’s six or seven people on either side of the table: the league’s lawyers, the general manager, the team’s general counsel, the player, the player agent, the NHLPA lawyer … it’s multimillion-dollar litigation is what it boils down to.”

Edmundson knows all too well, having gotten to the point last year of reading a 40-page briefing by his agent, Craig Oster, and another 40- page briefing by the Blues before finally settling the case.

“I read about two pages of St. Louis’ brief, and that’s all I needed to see,” he said. “I tossed the paper away and said, ‘I don’t want to read the rest.’ It was definitely an eye-opening experience. I wasn’t really ready for it at the time, but going into this year, I know exactly what to expect.”

Restricted free agency can be a painful and painstaking process, but negotiation and even arbitration are part of the game.

“I think the preference for teams, agents and players is, ‘Hey, let’s factor in the numbers, let’s factor in the value of the player, let’s factor in everything and let’s work on a fair deal,'” Buckley said. “But the fallback is knowing that if we can’t, we’re going to have an arbitrator do it so that the player is under contract and ready for training camp.”

“I do everything I can to get my player the best deal,” Sheehy said. “If you’re being offered a deal that you feel is fair, then you sign the deal. And if you don’t feel it’s fair, then you have to proceed, and if it goes to arbitration, it goes to arbitration. I always think you have to be 100 percent prepared for arbitration, but you always have to be realistic on what you believe an arbitrator would award based on the market. If a team doesn’t get close to that number, then you arbitrate. And if the team gets close to the number, then you settle. But I don’t go in saying we have to settle. I say, ‘What we have to do is get a fair deal.'”

And oftentimes, the wait for that fair deal is a long one for someone such as Edmundson, who has to hear how little salary-cap space the Blues have — approximately $5.75 million — and that he might be traded.

“I see everything on Twitter,” Edmundson said. “I know what everyone is gossiping about, but honestly, there’s nothing I can do about it now. I try not to think about it. It’s a business, it’s part of the job, and I stay positive through times like this. Whatever happens happens, but I definitely want to be back in St. Louis. I love it there.”

The Athletic LOADED: 07.25.2019 1107588 Toronto Maple Leafs

Maple Leafs dip into free-agent pool, sign six forwards and one defenceman

The Canadian Press

The Toronto Maple Leafs have signed free-agent forwards Pontus Aberg, Kenny Agostino, Tyler Gaudet, Kalle Kossila, Nick Shore and Garrett Wilson, and defenceman Kevin Gravel.

Aberg and Gravel signed one-year contracts worth $700,000 U.S. each; Gaudet’s one-year, two-way contract carries an NHL salary of $700,000; Kossila’s two-year, two-way contract carries an NHL annual average value of $700,000; Shore signed a one-year deal for $750,000; Wilson signed for one year at $725,000; and Agostino agreed to a two-year contract worth $1.475 million.

The 25-year-old Aberg has 17 goals and 26 assists in 127 career regular- season NHL games with Nashville, Edmonton, Anaheim and Minnesota.

Agostino, 27, has skated in 85 NHL games with New Jersey, Montreal, Boston, St. Louis and Calgary, scoring eight goals and adding 22 assists.

The 26-year-old Gaudet had eight goals and 17 assists in 50 games with the American Hockey League’s Milwaukee Admirals in 2018-19.

Kossila, also 26, split his 2018-19 season between the Anaheim Ducks and the AHL’s San Diego Gulls. Kossila recorded a goal in eight games with Anaheim and 35 points (14 goals, 21 assists) in 44 games with San Diego.

Shore, 26, has 53 points (15 goals, 38 assists) in 236 NHL games with Calgary, Ottawa and Los Angeles.

Wilson, 28, has recorded eight points (two goals, six assists) in 84 career NHL games with Pittsburgh and Florida.

Gravel, 27, has 13 points (one goal, 12 assists) in 106 career NHL games with Edmonton and Los Angeles.

Toronto Star LOADED: 07.25.2019 1107589 Toronto Maple Leafs NHL Teams: New Jersey, Montreal, Boston, St. Louis, Calgary,

Did You Know: Majored in political science at Yale as the course load was most conducive to his NCAA hockey schedule. Maple Leafs roll a seven on free agents LW Kalle Kossila

Age/Birthplace: 26, Neuilly-sur-Seine, France Lance Hornby Drafted: Free agent signed with Anaheim 2016

Contract: Two years, two-way AAV $700,000 US You can’t call really them the Magnificent Seven, so how about the Cost Efficient Seven? NHL Numbers: 19 GP, 2-1-3

In one of the biggest mass-signing days in recent memory (some deals NHL Teams: Anaheim were previously reported), the Maple Leafs confirmed Wednesday that six unrestricted free-agent forwards and one defenceman were coming Did You Know: Holds Finnish and French citizenship. The Paris suburb aboard to help at the NHL and AHL level. where he was born was home to ex-pats Quincy Jones, Bette Davis and the Duke of Windsor. Aware of how tight they are to the NHL salary cap and with Mitch Marner not yet in the fold, the signings were at or just above the NHL’s minimum wage of $700,000 US a season, and none of the deals for more than two C Tyler Gaudet years. Age/Birthplace 26, Hamilton, Ont. Fourth-line energy forward Kenny Agostino, who reportedly agreed to terms back on July 1, officially crossed over from the rival Montreal Drafted: Free agent signed with Arizona in 2013. Canadiens. Left winger Garrett Wilson, who was with Pittsburgh, will also Contract: One year, two-way AAV $700,000 US contend for a bottom-six forward role. NHL Numbers: 20 GP, 1-3-4 The Leafs also scooped a former second-round draft pick in Pontus Aberg, hoping to get the version of the Swedish winger who scored 19 NHL Teams: Arizona points in 37 games for Anaheim last year before a trade to Minnesota. Finnish winger Kalle Kossila, who excited with a 21-goal year on the farm Did You Know: Played on the 2011-12 Pembroke Lumber Kings, for the Ducks, will also be coming in, famous for a lacrosse-style back- coached by current Marlie boss Sheldon Keefe. door goal move.

Usually, North American players go to the KHL as a last resort, but LW Garrett Wilson forward Nick Shore’s 21 points in 43 games with Magnitogorsk has him pumped to try the NHL again. Age/Birthplace 28/Barrie, Ont.

The only defenceman of the septet is a big one, 6-foot-4 Kevin Gravel, Drafted: 2009, 4th Rd., 107th overall by Florida who spent the equivalent of a half season with the Oilers last year. On Tuesday, when they announced the trade of back-up goalie Garret Contract: One year AAV $725,000 US Sparks to Vegas, the Leafs signed veteran Michal Neuvirth to a PTO NHL Numbers: 84 GP, 2-6-8 contract. NHL Teams: Pittsburgh, Florida A look at the new Leafs: Did You Know: Has captained the OHL’s Owen Sound Attack and AHL’s RW/LW Pontus Aberg Wilkes-Barre/ Scranton Penguins. Age/Birthplace: 25, Stockholm Sweden D Kevin Gravel Drafted: 2012, 2nd Rd., 37th overall by Nashville Age/Birthplace: 27/Kingsford, Mich. Contract: One year, AAV $700,000 US Drafted: 2010, 5th Rd., 148th overall by Los Angeles NHL Numbers: 127 regular season games, 17 goals, 26 assists, 43 Contract: One year AAV $700,000 US points NHL Numbers: 106 GP, 1-12-13 NHL Teams: Minnesota, Anaheim, Edmonton, Nashville NHL Teams: Edmonton, Los Angeles Did You Know?: Teammates have used a twist on his first name to dub him ‘The Pope’. Did you know: Selected right after the Canadiens picked F Brendan Gallagher and in the same round as new teammate Agostino. C Nick Shore Toronto Sun LOADED: 07.25.2019 Age/Birthplace: 26, Denver, Col.

Drafted: 2011, 3rd Rd., 82nd overall by Los Angeles

Contract: One year, AAV $750,000 US

NHL Numbers: 236 GP, 15-38-53

NHL Teams: Calgary, Ottawa, Los Angeles

Did You Know: Nick and brothers Drew and Quentin all played at the University of Denver where current Leaf Trevor Moore attended.

LW Kenny Agostino

Age/Birthplace: 27, Morristown N.J.

Drafted: 2010, 5th Rd., 140th overall by Pittsburgh

Contract: Two years, AAV $737,500 US

NHL Numbers: 85 GP, 8-22-30, 1107590 Toronto Maple Leafs

Maple Leafs make seven signings, including Pontus Aberg

Lance Hornby

The Maple Leafs confirmed some long rumoured bargain free-agent signings Wednesday – and added some unexpected newcomers.

The club brought in forwards Pontus Aberg, Kenny Agostino, Tyler Gaudet, Kalle Kossila, Nick Shore and Garrett Wilson, and defenceman Kevin Gravel.

Aberg was not on the radar in past weeks. The 25-year-old had 25 points in 59 games, splitting the season between Anaheim and Minnesota.

Stockholm native Aberg has 17 goals and 26 assists in 127 career regular season NHL games with Nashville, Edmonton, Anaheim and Minnesota, as well as two goals and three assists in 18 career playoff games.

He was a second round pick of the Preds in 2012 and has a one-year contract worth US$700,000.

Agostino was said to have agreed to terms July 1. At 27, he has been in 85 career games with New Jersey, Montreal, Boston, St. Louis and Calgary, scoring eight goals with 22 assists. The Morristown, N.J.,native has also recorded 246 points (82 goals, 164 assists) in 273 regular season AHL games. In 2016-17, he won the Les Cunningham Award as the AHL’s Most Valuable Player and the John B. Sollenberger Trophy as the league’s top scorer.

Agostino was originally selected by Pittsburgh in the fifth round (140th overall) in 2010. His two-year contract carries an annual average value of $737,500.

Gaudet, 26, appeared in 50 games for the AHL’s Milwaukee Admirals in 2018-19, with 25 points. From Hamilton, he has 20 games experience with Arizona. In 298 career regular season AHL games, he has 108 points.

The undrafted Gaudet gets a one-year, two-way contract carries an NHL salary of $700,000.

Kossila, 26, split 2018-19 with Anaheim and its farm team in San Diego. In 19 career NHL games the Finn has two goals and one assist.

Also undrafted, he has a two-year, two-way contract with an AAV of $700,000.

Shore, 26, had 16 points in 37 KHL games with Metallurg Magnitogorsk, The Denver-born Shore spent four seasons in the NHL with 53 points in 236 games between Calgary, Ottawa and Los Angeles.

Getting Clarkson’s contract could solve Leafs’ Marner dilemma

Leafs sign Wilson, Neuvirth says he’s camp-bound on tryout basis

Hard to imagine Marner not a Leaf

Shore was selected by Los Angeles in the third round of the 2011 draft. He gets a one-year contract worth $750,000.

Wilson, 28, was with the Penguins last year, netting eight points. The Barrie native has eight points in 84 NHL games after being a fourth round (107th overall) choice in ’09. His one-year contract is worth $725,000.

Gravel, 27, played in 36 games with Edmonton. In 106 regular season games with the Oilers and Kings, the Kingsford, Mich., native has registered 13 points (one goal, 12 assists).

Gravel was picked by L.A. in the fifth round of 2010 and gets a one-year contract worth $700,000.

Toronto Sun LOADED: 07.25.2019 1107591 Vegas Golden Knights

Golden Knights’ Deryk Engelland isn’t ready for retirement

By Ben Gotz / Las Vegas Review-Journal

Don't miss the big stories. Like us on Facebook. Deryk Engelland didn’t return for a victory lap. The 37-year-old defenseman made that clear Wednesday at City National Arena, a day after signing a one-year, $700,000 contract with the Golden Knights that can reach up to $1.5 million with incentives. He’s not thinking about retirement; he believes he has “a few good years left” and wants to spend them with the organization he thinks “rejuvenated” his career. “You talk to a lot of guys that have retired after long careers, they wish they played longer,” Engelland said. “They just tell you, ‘Play as long as you can.’ I think the body is holding up well, so I’ll keep going and try to help the team to achieve our ultimate goal of winning in any way that we can.” Engelland was a key part of the Knights’ successful first two NHL seasons with his play on the blue line and penalty kill, locker room leadership (he’s an assistant captain) and community service. The former Las Vegas Wrangler thinks he still has more to give, and incoming president of hockey operations George McPhee felt the same way. Engelland said conversations during the season between the two made him feel like there was mutual interest in staying together, and he was confident a deal would get done. He said he received one-year offers from other teams but wanted to stay in Las Vegas. “Ultimately, this is home,” said Engelland, who has played for 10 teams in four leagues during a nomadic professional career. “This is where my heart is. We started such a great culture here, I wanted to see it through to the end.” What Engelland, who will be 38 at the start of next season’s postseason, still can offer the team remains to be seen. His right-hand shot (the only one on the Knights’ blue line) and penalty-killing prowess fill needs, but he didn’t play as well 5-on-5 last season as he had in the past. Plus, the organization has a stable of young defensemen ready to make the jump to the NHL, so Engelland will have plenty of competition. “I think I’m very motivated,” he said. “The first year (with the Knights) I thought was obviously my best year as a player, and last year was a little down. But there’s always room to improve and get better even at this age. If I want to keep playing, I’ve got to come in form and in great shape and do all the things I need to do.” Engelland wants to hit the ground running in training camp and said the rest of his offseason will consist of “training, skating and family time.” He thinks that will give him the best chance to play well enough to continue his career, because Wednesday he didn’t sound like a man ready to hang up his skates. “That was the first goal: To stay here and play as long as I can,” Engelland said. LAS VEGAS REVIEW JOURNAL LOADED: 07.25.2019 1107592 Vegas Golden Knights

What it takes to be a Golden Knights Golden Ace

By Rochelle Richards / Las Vegas Review-Journal

Don't miss the big stories. Like us on Facebook. Do you know what it takes to become a member of the Vegas Golden Aces? The Golden Knights recently held auditions for the 2019-20 season. On Wednesday, the team tweeted a video that highlights the process of becoming a Golden Ace. VGK Cast Manager, Jonas Shumpert, said the girls were put through a fitness activity with one of the team’s personal trainers, Sarah. “She taught the girls about working together in groups. About self-worth, about appearance, about how to hold yourself. Strength. Stability. And everything like that.” Then the girls were put through a rigorous training course on choreography. They had to learn the movements at home from the VGK Cast Instagram page and then demonstrate their skills during the audition. “They each had to come up, introduce themselves, and tell us why they wanted to be a Golden Ace. And also articulate in the best form possible what it means to be a Vegas Golden Ace,” Shumpert said. Following two hours of deliberation, the team announced the members of the 2019-2020 Golden Aces. CONGRATS to the 2019-20 Golden Aces!!!!!! #VegasBorn pic.twitter.com/GCa91N5rp0 — Vegas Golden Knights (@GoldenKnights) July 17, 2019 “I’m so grateful, so overwhelmed, excited, to have the opportunity to come back for a second year with the best fans in the NHL, and be apart of the VGK family for another year,” Golden Ace Amber B said. “I just can’t even put it into words.” LAS VEGAS REVIEW JOURNAL LOADED: 07.25.2019 1107593 Washington Capitals

Arbitration ruling awards Capitals defenseman Christian Djoos one-year, $1.25 million contract

By Samantha Pell July 24 at 8:06 PM

Washington Capitals defenseman Christian Djoos was awarded a one- year, $1.25 million contract by an arbitrator on Wednesday. A key contributor in the Capitals’ 2018 Stanley Cup run, Djoos was previously on a two-year deal with an average annual value of $650,000 before it expired. He was extended a $715,000 qualifying offer from the team in June but declined. For arbitration, the Capitals requested $800,000, while Djoos’s representation filed for $1.9 million, according to a person with knowledge of the situation. The arbitrator opted for a number that was close to the $1.35 million midpoint of those two asks. Djoos, who struggled last season and missed two months with compartment syndrome in his thigh, is expected to be the Capitals’ sixth or seventh defenseman on a roster that had 13 forwards, six defensemen and two goalies under contract before the team re-signed Djoos on Wednesday. Djoos, 24, is only the second player to earn an arbitration ruling this offseason. An arbitrator awarded Winnipeg Jets forward Andrew Copp a two-year, $4.56 million contract on Tuesday. The Capitals had to accept the arbitrator’s decision on Djoos because the annual average value was less than $4,397,832 — the “walk away” minimum for arbitration in 2019 — according to CapFriendly. However, Djoos’s ruling puts the Capitals in a bind. With only $935,000 in salary cap space after they re-signed top-six forward Jakub Vrana to a two-year, $6.7 million deal, the Capitals will be pushed over the salary cap by the arbitration ruling and will have to make a change in their projected roster for the upcoming season to fit under the cap. Teams are allowed to go 10 percent over the salary cap until the last day of training camp, so no changes will have to be made immediately. Even if forward Chandler Stephenson — who is scheduled to have his arbitration hearing on Aug. 1 — does not make the team during training camp and gets sent to the American Hockey League, the Capitals would still be over the salary cap with Djoos’s ruling. Stephenson was on a two- year contract with an annual average value of $650,000. Some possibilities to fit under the cap could include the Capitals looking to trade Djoos, or another player, since they have a strong pool of young defensemen. Another could include squeezing out defenseman Jonas Siegenthaler — who replaced Djoos in the playoffs last season after Djoos was unable to skate up to his abilities after his injury. Siegenthaler, 22, is waivers- exempt so the team could send him down to the minors without any risk of losing him in favor of someone cheaper on the roster, such as defenseman Tyler Lewington, who carries a $675,000 salary. Or, if Stephenson and forward Travis Boyd don’t make the roster in favor of forward Liam O’Brien or Shane Gersich, the team would be able to save money since both O’Brien and Gersich make the league minimum of $700,000. Another scenario, although unlikely, could be to swap goaltender Pheonix Copley with Vitek Vanecek or Ilya Samsonov, but that would leave the Capitals’ backup to goaltender Braden Holtby exposed on the waivers. Washington Post LOADED: 07.25.2019 1107594 Washington Capitals

Capitals defenseman Christian Djoos earns $1.25 million contract in arbitration

By Adam Zielonka - The Washington Times - Wednesday, July 24, 2019

Washington Capitals defenseman Christian Djoos signed a one-year, $1.25 million contract for the 2019-20 season Wednesday. The value was decided by an independent arbitrator, who heard Djoos‘ case Monday. The Capitals had less than $1 million in cap room entering Wednesday, so the arbitrator’s decision pushed the team over the limit of $81,500,000. NHL teams’ payrolls can be as much as 10% above the cap until the first day of the regular season, Oct. 2. Nonetheless, Washington will have to shuffle some pieces around to keep everyone under contract. Forward Chandler Stephenson is also headed to arbitration this summer, but he or Djoos might need to be traded away for the Capitals to get under the cap. Another option could be for the team to stash a forward like Stephenson in the minor leagues to open the season and call up a forward with a lesser cap hit. Djoos missed much of the 2018-19 season after needing surgery to address compartment syndrome in his left leg. He played 45 games, averaging 13:34 of time on ice, and collected one goal and nine assists. He only played in three of Washington’s seven playoff games in April and was surpassed in performance by then-rookie Jonas Siegenthaler, who is more likely than Djoos to start in the Capitals‘ top six defensemen next year. Washington Times LOADED: 07.25.2019 1107595 Washington Capitals

Don't count on Ovechkin to the Vegas Golden Knights

By Julia Karron July 24, 2019 2:36 PM

Alex Ovechkin is the face of the Washington Capitals. But with his contract up at the end of the 2020-2021, is there reason to believe Ovechkin could play with another team? The Athletic's Jesse Granger seems to think that the Vegas Golden Knights could be prime contenders for the Caps captain. In a recent article, Granger explained that Ovechkin could be a fit on the Knights second line next to Cody Glass and Alex Tuch. The reasons are a multitude. Former Vegas GM George McPhee drafted Ovechkin and the two see each other as family. The Knights are in win- now mode and will have some cap flexibility. Vegas won't have to give up an asset in the Seattle expansion draft. The Caps will need to find a way to re-sign Braden Holtby and Nicklas Backstrom next offseason. And Ovi has expressed an interest in the city of Las Vegas. But the key here is that, at the end of arguing why Ovechkin could make a valuable Vegas Golden Knight, Granger makes a clear distinction. "This is just for fun. [T]here’s no inside information telling me Ovechkin is an option for Vegas outside the connection between he and McPhee, combined with Vegas’ ability to lure free agents, and the timing of the expansion draft, make it a good fit," Granger states. "If Ovechkin retires a Capital, as is the most plausible scenario, this spot will likely be filled with another top free-agent winger." In 2018, owner Ted Leonsis clarified that he doesn't believe Ovechkin would chase money or "hang on" if he wasn't playing at an elite level. Earlier this year, Ovechkin told Sport-Express that he "didn't like too much to change teams," and that the only two teams he had played for professionally were Dynamo Moscow and the Capitals. So while speculation runs rampant with the Caps impending salary cap crunch, the Seattle expansion draft and Ovechkin's contract running out, it looks like the captain will stay with Washington until the end. Comcast SportsNet.com LOADED: 07.25.2019 1107596 Washington Capitals

Arbitration award for defenseman Christian Djoos leaves Caps with tricky salary-cap decisions

By Brian McNally July 24, 2019 3:05 PM

The number came in and Capitals general manager Brian MacLellan could be forgiven if it gave him heartburn. An independent arbitrator on Wednesday awarded defenseman Christian Djoos a one-year, $1.25 million contract. According to the web site CapFriendly.com, that puts Washington over the $81.5 million salary cap by $314,294. That’s not a devastating amount and the Capitals really only need to clear enough space for a No. 6/7 defenseman – Djoos or a cheaper version. They can always play with just one extra forward instead of two. The rest of the roster is set barring a surprising trade of an established player. That isn’t going to happen just to fit Christian Djoos onto the roster. Djoos, 24, had a nice start to the 2018-19 season, winning the job on the right side of the third pair skating with veteran Brooks Orpik. But he was limited to 45 games after sustaining a serious contusion in a Dec. 11 game against Detroit that led to compartment syndrome, where the muscle fills with blood and pressure builds. It requires immediate surgery. Djoos eventually returned to the lineup and was lucky to just miss 24 games, but it was clear he wasn’t totally right in his first eight games back. Djoos then sat for 11 of the next 12 before jumping back into the lineup for eight of the final nine games and the first three of the Stanley Cup playoffs. But Djoos was finally benched for rookie Jonas Siegenthaler after Game 3 of the first-round series against Carolina and didn’t play again. It was disappointing after a rookie year where Djoos played in 63 games and 22 of 24 in the Stanley Cup playoffs. He looks to be the No. 7 defenseman behind Siegenthaler and Radko Gudas. Djoos’ skating ability, if healthy, and ability to play on the left or right side should give him the chance to play ahead of Siegenthaler some nights. Maybe he even wins the job outright in camp. But it’s hard to tell how much he improved last season given the compartment syndrome, which leaves a muscle weak and takes months to truly recover from. With three prominent prospects at AHL Hershey this year – 2018 first- round draft pick Alex Alexeyev and 2016 first-rounder Lucas Johansen plus 2018 second-round pick Martin Fehervary - time is short for Djoos. Those players are coming for his roster spot sooner than later. Hard to see how the Capitals can get themselves under the salary cap just by tweaking the money assigned to their depth players. They just signed fourth-line forward Garnet Hathaway to a four-year contract worth $1.5 million per year. He isn’t going anywhere. They also signed fourth-liner Brendan Leipsic to a one-year deal worth $700,000. Travis Boyd makes $800,00. Any replacement player for either of them would save the same money as Leipsic or less. It wouldn’t make a difference. Meanwhile, the top five spots on the blueline are accounted for. Jonas Siegenthaler would appear to have a leg up on Djoos for the No. 6 spot given how their seasons ended. He makes $714,166. One obvious solution: Trade Djoos and hand that No. 7 spot to Tyler Lewington, 24, who earned two NHL games last season and memorably had a Gordie Howe hat trick his second game against Ottawa on Dec. 29. But the Capitals have time to make that call – or another one. Teams can exceed the cap by 10 percent until the end of training camp and, of course, any injury in September can change things quickly. This could apply to Stephenson, too. He could win his own arbitration case and still compete in camp for a job and, if that fails, get waived or traded before the deadline. These moves aren’t imminent. They are tricky as the Capitals hope to keep as much depth on the roster as possible and leave themselves enough cap room to make moves during the season. Comcast SportsNet.com LOADED: 07.25.2019 1107597 Washington Capitals

Caps re-sign Christian Djoos to one-year deal after arbitration hearing

By Julia Karron July 24, 2019 2:03 PM

After undergoing independent arbitration this offseason, restricted free agent Christian Djoos is back with the Capitals. The defenseman signed a one-year, $1.25 million deal with the team based on the award of an independent arbitrator. Djoos's arbitration hearing was July 22. Djoos tallied 10 points in 45 games last season, and primarily played on the third defensive pairing with the now-retired Brooks Orpik. According to the website CapFriendly, this puts the Caps over the $81.5 million salary cap established at the beginning of the offseason. However, during the offseason, teams can go up to 10 percent over the set salary cap so long as the number is reduced to the hard-cap limit by the start of the 2019-2020 season. This move also leaves Chandler Stephenson as the last remaining RFA the Caps would need to sign. Comcast SportsNet.com LOADED: 07.25.2019 1107598 Washington Capitals While those players are still developing and it may not be ideal to call them up so soon, there are potential candidates the team can turn to in Hershey if they really need to. Offense is the much greater concern. 20 Burning Capitals Questions: Do the Caps have the depth to withstand In addition to the offensive dropoff between the top-six and bottom-six, any major injuries? there are fewer prospects the Caps can turn to if needed. Nathan Walker and Riley Barber, two of the team’s better offensive prospects, departed as free agents. Liam O’Brien has played NHL games in the past, but his By J.J. Regan July 24, 2019 10:00 AM playing style is quickly being left behind in today’s NHL. Axel Jonsson- Fjallby and Shane Gersich are the other players who appear to be the closest to being ready. Jonsson-Fjallby has only 16 games of North American experience after leaving Hershey for Sweden last season. The long, endless summer is only halfway done. The Capitals last played Gersich looked in the Calder Cup Playoffs like he really needed another a game on April 24 and will not play another one until Oct. 2. season in the AHL to adjust to the pros and does not yet look ready to be But with free agency and the NHL Draft behind them now, the 2019-2020 a full-time NHL player. Depth then is a concern not only in terms of roster is almost set and it won’t be long until players begin trickling back plugging players into the top-six but also the trickle-down effect through onto the ice in Arlington for informal workouts. the rest of the team. With that in mind, and given the roasting temperatures outside, for the Yes, the Capitals arguably got better this offseason, but it came at a cost. next three weeks NBC Sports Washington will look at 20 burning That cost is depth. questions facing the Capitals as they look to rebound from an early exit Comcast SportsNet.com LOADED: 07.25.2019 from the Stanley Cup playoffs, keep alive their Metropolitan Division title streak and get back to their championship form of 2018. The list will look at potential individual milestones, roster questions, prospects who might help and star players with uncertain futures. Today we look at the team’s depth. Do the Caps have the depth to withstand an injury to their top-six on offense or their top-four on defense? Championships are not just won by the teams with the best high-end talent, you also need depth to ensure that when injuries inevitably happen, the team can replace those players without taking a major step back. One of the biggest strengths of the Caps the past few years has been its incredible depth, but salary cap constraints have seen that depth take a hit this offseason. As frustrating a player as Andre Burakovsky has been the past few years, having a player of his caliber in the bottom-six is a luxury few teams can afford. Now he is gone, as is 20-goal scorer Brett Connolly, playoff hero Devante Smith-Pelly and veteran blueliners Matt Niskanen and Brooks Orpik. Brian MacLellan focused on improving the team defensively while cutting salary in the offseason. It certainly seems he did both and there is a case to be made that the team is actually better with the addition of Richard Panik, Garnet Hathaway Brendan Leipsic and Radko Gudas. But what happens if there’s an injury? If there was an injury to the top-six, the Caps had two players in Burakovsky and Connolly they could plug in as replacements. Now, who does the team turn to? Carl Hagelin and Panik would be the two most likely candidates. Hagelin is a versatile player who would fit in well on just about every offensive line, but his offensive upside is extremely limited. Panik is an unknown as a free agent. The team’s offensive depth has undeniably taken a step back this offseason in favor of more defensively responsible players. That’s fine in theory -- you can afford to score fewer goals if you allow fewer as a team -- but this may also make the team more reliant on the top-six for their offense. That means an injury to the top-six will be much harder to overcome. Defensive depth is also a concern for the simple fact that you do not know what the top-four will look like. Michal Kempny will be coming off a torn hamstring, Dmitry Orlov had a tough season and Niskanen will be replaced by Nick Jensen. Jensen struggled with the Caps after getting acquired at the trade deadline. He showed good defensive instincts and with an offseason and training camp to prepare, he should be more adjusted to his new team. There is no question, however, that the Caps are taking a gamble. Look what happened to the team when Kempny went down an injury last season. The Caps struggled tremendously to replace him in the top pair and he isn’t even the team’s best defenseman! The good news defensively, however, is that the Caps have high-end defensive talent in the pipeline. Jonas Siegenthaler should be a full-time NHL player this year and played on the top-pair in the playoffs last season. Christian Djoos is entering his third NHL season and played a big role on the team’s 2018 Cup run. In Hershey, Tyler Lewington showed he can be serviceable as a call-up for a short period of time, plus Lucas Johansen is trying to prove he can be an NHL player and Alex Alexeyev and Martin Fehervary, two players considered to be the future of the team’s top-four, will be in their first professional seasons. 1107599 Washington Capitals “It’s enough time to change the big things, the macro things,” Marco said. “It’s enough time to create a new kinetic memory, as long as they do the homework. It’s July, and Lars Eller is on the ice at the Capitals’ facility searching for “Lars is such a thinker. Right now, his brain is like, ‘I don’t really get this.’ more speed But once his brain gets it, he’ll be able to get his body to do it.” Next week, Eller said, he and his family would head home to Denmark, By Tarik El-Bashir Jul 24, 2019 12 where he’ll practice on his own. When he returns in August, he intends to book another half-dozen lessons with Marco to reinforce things as training camp approaches. ARLINGTON, Va. — Lars Eller was analyzing game video several If there’s one thing Eller has picked up during his 10 years in the NHL, it’s months ago — his skating, in particular — when he zeroed in on area he this: The players who stay at the top of their game never stop working at wanted to improve. it. But the middle of a hectic NHL season was no time to tinker with one’s “You get to the NHL and you think you’ve reached the goal,” he said. stride. So he had to put it off. “And it’s like, ‘No, you still have to try to get better.’ I’m at a point where I’m not going to get a lot stronger or grow more, but my experience is Late July, however, is the perfect time to take up such projects. So this going to grow. And I can still improve technical details to gain an edge.” week, the veteran rented the ice at MedStar Capitals Iceplex, pulled on his pads, laced up his skates and got to work. The Athletic LOADED: 07.25.2019 “Whenever I’ve had the opportunity, I’ve tried to work with a skating coach when I first get back on the ice in the summer,” Eller told The Athletic, “because that’s when you can build new habits and work on tiny things that can make you a little bit better. “You build those habits from the beginning of the summer. If you wait until a week before training camp, I don’t think it will have enough time to (alter) your moving patterns and thinking. So this is the time of the year to work on those individual things that you don’t really have time to do during the season.” To help accomplish his goal, Eller reached out to local skating guru Wendy Marco of ColdRush Hockey. Marco has taught power skating in the Washington area for more than 25 years and has coached players from AAA to the pros and everywhere in between. Over the years, she’s worked with a handful of Caps, including Jeff Halpern, Jay Beagle, Jason Chimera, John Carlson, Taylor Chorney and Dmitry Orlov, as well as prospect Joe Snively. Eller came to Marco with a specific area that he wanted to improve: increasing his explosiveness, particularly when he changes directions. “I do a lot of video and I always try to identify areas where can I improve,” the third-line center explained. “Where do I tend to get stopped a little bit? Where can I add some pace to my game? “I want to be more dynamic in my crossovers and carrying more speed coming out of tight turns.” The NHL is indeed getting quicker. And Eller wants to make sure that, at age 30, he stays ahead of the curve. “I feel like, yeah, the game has gotten faster and, yes, there are some young players that are coming in that are faster,” Eller said. “But it’s really the ability to change direction quickly. It’s not necessarily straight, forward speed that’s going to give you the edge, it’s the ability to change direction — with the puck — at high speed, coming out of tight turns fast. “For me, I’m just eager to improve a little bit every year,” he added. “And I think there are some things I think I can improve with my skating.” Eller’s first lesson with Marco was Monday morning. The first few sessions will focus on the basics like skating position and creating a more efficient stride. Much of it has been new to Eller, and he had some early struggles. But it didn’t take long for him to realize some tangible gains. “We measured his stride at first, and it was a-stick-and-a-blade-length long,” Marco said. “Then I taught him the recovery — whatever you get on the inside (edge), you should get on the outside. He has not mastered it yet. It got better, though. I measured his stride after 10 minutes of working on it, and it went from a stick and a blade to a stick and a half. “We did a stride autopsy,” she said with a laugh. “Getting more for less is what we’re after.” On Tuesday, Eller was joined on the ice by a couple of surprise guests, Capitals teammates T.J. Oshie and Carlson. Marco’s focus this week, however, will be on Eller and helping him get quicker in tight. Eller said he anticipates working with Marco nearly a dozen times this summer, which should be enough time for the veteran to learn the new movements and, just as important, why they are essential. But, as Marco said, the player also must commit to working on it daily to ensure the repetition becomes automatic. 1107600 Winnipeg Jets With Hermantown being a hockey hotbed, did that make it your sport by default?

For me, it was hockey and baseball. I think I started playing organized Q&A: Neal Pionk on his long road to the NHL, unique development path hockey when I was five and I didn’t start playing organized baseball until and his opportunity in Winnipeg later. My dad actually played college baseball, so me and all my brothers played baseball growing up. I actually played it until I was 21 but hockey has taken over from there. By Murat Ates Jul 24, 2019 22 How did you balance multiple sports?

I tried to get a good balance. My dad’s a big advocate of not playing one There are two major landmarks outside of Neal Pionk’s family home. sport all year round. He actually wouldn’t let us touch our gear for June and July — he said you’re not even allowed to look at your hockey bag. First, there is a little league baseball diamond, built and maintained by his We’d put on the baseball cleats and throw around a baseball all summer. father Scott — a collegiate baseball player turned landscaping It was a good balance, I thought. professional. You mentioned four brothers. How did you fit into the family tree? The diamond is regulation size, outfitted with a pitching machine donated by Pionk’s grandfather and is where all five Pionk brothers learned to I’m the second of five. There’s five of us and I’m the second oldest. My throw, catch and hit. For Neal, a competitive baseball player until he older brother (Corbin) is actually seven years older than I am. My brother turned 21, friends would come over from Hermantown to play so often Nate is 14 months younger than I am, Joe’s about three years younger that his house became the official practice diamond for his childhood than I am and then my youngest brother (Aaron) is about six years team. younger than I am. Pionk’s idyllic sporting childhood gets better. Corbin played college baseball. My brother Nate plays Division-III at St. Scholastica-Duluth. My brother Joe played youth hockey and now he’s The Pionk family hockey rink isn’t regulation size — instead, it’s closer to the equipment manager for the Omaha Lancers of the USHL. And Aaron one-third or one-quarter of an NHL sized ice surface — but it is the site of will be a junior on the high school team. There were a lot of practices that some of Pionk’s finest work as a boy. my parents had to get to. It’s where he learned to skate like this: Did you have the luxury of a backyard rink or enough space to throw and hit a ball? Despite his obvious skill, the road from the rink his father built to the NHL hasn’t been an easy one for Pionk, a self-described late bloomer. So this is the unique part. I grew up on 10 acres of land. My dad owns a landscaping business and he played college baseball so he actually put a He says he was never one of the best high school players in Minnesota. little-league sized regulation field in our front yard. And we always had a It took time for him to grow into the 6-foot defenceman he is today. It also hockey rink — not a regulation size but probably about a third or maybe a took hard work, a commitment to learning and a sophomore season with fourth of an actual rink. We always had a rink off to the side. the University of Minnesota-Duluth where 34 points in 42 games ranked Pionk fifth among all NCAA defencemen. What did that look like when your friends came over? This week, eight days before his 24th birthday, Pionk signed a two-year, I’d say all of my friends were about 10 minutes away — not too far at all. $3-million AAV contract extension with Winnipeg, a team whose Actually, it was funny. My grandpa bought us a pitching machine so when defensive depth chart has sustained serious losses this offseason. Pionk I played baseball, my dad was the coach and we had practice at our took time this week to talk to The Athletic about all of it — the long road house. We had a pitching machine and a little league field. We’d play from his backyard rink to Bell MTS Place, his biggest on-ice focus for baseball and have wide-open fields. development and the opportunity he won’t take for granted in Winnipeg. (Courtesy of Neal Pionk) “I went from being passed over in the draft three years in a row to signing as a free agent and now, here I am,” Pionk said. Growing up in that context, when did you realize that hockey could be a viable path for you? Winnipeg, here is Neal Pionk. Let me see. Not in youth hockey. I was pretty good but I didn’t think I’d Tell me about growing up in Hermantown, Minnesota. play pro until my last year of junior. I thought I’d have a chance at pro hockey but I didn’t realize that I would have a legit chance at the NHL Hermantown is a suburb of Duluth, Minnesota. It’s a town of 10,000 until the sophomore year in college. I got off to a good start and rode the people and it’s really been an up-and-coming hockey community. We wave from there. I guess you could say I was a late bloomer. only have 10,000 people but we have five outdoor rinks and obviously an indoor rink too. If you do a little digging, you’ll see that our high school How do you feel about being labeled that way? team has been really successful in the last, I’d say 10 years. It’s fine with me. I kind of use it as a chip on my shoulder. It’s kind of the (Courtesy of Neal Pionk) way I was. I would get cut from these select teams and these AAA teams sometimes and I would look at it like, “I’ll just prove to them that I’m better What’s driving that success? than this guy and I’m better than this guy.” I carried that all of the way I think you have to go back to when they first made the state tournament through high school, even junior and like I said it probably wasn’t until my in 1998 and then when they first won the state tournament, I think that’s freshman year in college or the start of my sophomore year when I when it really took off. Hermantown first won the single-A tournament in realized I had a legit shot. 2007. You’d probably have to ask someone older than I am but I think What changes around you when people start noticing you’re on the way that’s really when it started escalating. And it’s just taken off from there. up? There’s been a lot of good players to come out of there and, actually, Winnipeg’s own draft pick Dylan Samberg is also a graduate of I got off to a really good start in my sophomore year and I had a lot of Hermantown High School. confidence after that. Then phone calls started trickling into my agent from NHL teams. I was a little surprised at that but then, once I started Do you know Dylan pretty well? proving I could dominate the college game, more and more names kept Yeah. So I have four brothers — three younger brothers — and Dylan’s a calling. little younger than I am. I knew who Dylan was growing up but I never What changed? How did you get to that level? played with him just because he was always probably two levels behind me. But a couple of my brothers played with him. For one, I got bigger. I was similar to Dylan in the sense that I was probably in the bottom half of size. I didn’t sprout to 6’4” like he did — I It was funny because watching Dylan grow up, he was always a heck of was on pace to be about 5-foot-9 and then ended up being 6-feet so that a player but he was tiny. And then I came back from junior for the alumni certainly helped. I obviously got stronger, too, but along with that, when I high school game and I see this big, rangy, 6-foot-4, mobile defenceman build confidence that early in the year, it just escalates throughout the and I hit my brother — I said, “Who the heck is that?” He said it’s Dylan year and helps me out. Samberg. He must have grown six inches because that’s not the same kid I remember. And obviously he’s the player he is now. But yeah — The size stigma has changed a little recently but are we still too critical of we’ve known each other for a while. small defencemen? No, I don’t think so. I think people look past that with me and I can name for and do you see it the same way in terms of how much opportunity a ton of small defencemen that I think are really good players — and there will be? they’re proving it every day. I think it’s changed completely. The way I look at it is yes, of course there’s opportunity in Winnipeg but A possible partner of yours, Josh Morrissey is not a huge guy but he’s an I’ve got to come to training camp ready to go from day one. Like I said, excellent defenceman. I imagine the timing of an offseason trade is a it’s pro hockey. If you don’t show up or you take a day off, there’s little bit awkward — how much do you know about roles, systems, etc.? someone that’s going to pass you. Whether it’s on the depth chart, whether it’s on your team or whether it’s a guy from the minors, Not a whole lot. That’s a little different in the sense of in New York, I had something will happen. The way I look at it is, day one at training camp, a handle of the coach, how he wants to play, the other players I was I’m looking to prove to them that I can be the player that they want me to playing with and competing against and their tendencies. Then you’re be. walking into a new team — of course I’ve met everybody as far as coaches and front office staff go — and I’ve played against the players, The Athletic LOADED: 07.25.2019 last year, when we played against Winnipeg twice. I’m sure it will get fast- tracked when I report for training camp. (Courtesy of Neal Pionk) There’s a video from New York where Chris Kreider calls you “mean” in kind of a joking way. True or false? I’ve had a few mean streaks. I have that competitive edge in me. It’s nowhere to be found off the ice but, when I’m on the ice, there’s a switch that turns on. The other thing that I found from New York is your video coach commending your attitude — that your disposition was “well, I made a good choice but was it the best choice?” What are your thoughts on video? I care a ton about video. I think it’s the best teaching tool. You can draw all the X’s and O’s on the board that you want but, in reality, hockey’s a fluid game and it’s unique in that sense. Like you said, there could be four plays you could have made. Was the play that you made necessarily the worst? No. Was it the best? Sometimes, maybe not. But I think that’s why it’s good to see video. You can see three different angles and three different ways you can make the play and try to keep that in mind for the next time. How hard is it to translate that to the on-ice situation as you develop? Sometimes it’s a bit of a challenge. It’s not necessarily like football where you run routes and everybody goes in a certain way. Hockey is really fluid and guys can go anywhere they want. There’s a little bit of structure but, compared to other sports, it’s really fluid. You can’t Watch video and say, “OK, I’m going to do exactly this next time” — well maybe it’s not there so you have to change your mind on the fly. I think that’s what makes the best players the best. They’re able to change their mind on the fly and no one knows what they’re doing — in a good way. They can do a few different things. I’m no professional athlete but that strikes me as a sign of how the brain works, what you guys are able to see and how you react? Yeah, you said it right. A lot of it’s the flow of the game. A lot of it’s confidence, too. If you’re a player that’s riding a wave of confidence then the game seems really easy. I’ve been on the other side, too, where bounces aren’t going your way and you start losing confidence. That’s a hard hump to come over but I think the best players in the league can overcome those humps. Can we talk a little bit about that? Last season seems like a bit of a roller coaster, with huge minutes on the top pairing with Marc Staal and then less as the year went along. Yeah, they gave me a ton of opportunity — which, as a player, is all you can ask for at the start of the year. I rolled with that opportunity for quite some time but the reality was we weren’t winning games, either. So in pro hockey, things have to change — whether it’s shifting forward units, changing a D’s minutes, making a trade, calling somebody up — something’s got to change. That was part of it — we weren’t winning and that cut back. But I’ll be honest, too. I wasn’t playing my best hockey either. That combination cut my minutes a little bit. How does that affect your emotions? You’d dominated as recently as college. It’s a bit of a whirlwind. You’ve got to learn how to deal with it though because very rarely do guys go through 20-year professional careers and they’re always the guy. I mean there’s only a couple of guys on each team that do that. It’s all about how you deal with that and how you adjust to that. And you’ve got to stay as level headed as possible. Looking forward, it sincerely looks to me that Winnipeg needs you to play in the top four for the team to have success. Is that what you’re looking 1107601 Vancouver Canucks Instead of being seen as a creative solution to salary-cap roster building, so-called back-diving contracts like Luongo’s were deemed illegal under the most recent iteration of the salary cap — and those contracts were Patrick Johnston: Leafs’ cap stickhandling a cruel reminder of Canucks also declared subject to a new penalty. moves gone by The move the Leafs pulled off this week is yet another reminder of the amazing things that can happen when players don’t “retire” when they stop playing. Patrick Johnston More from Patrick Johnston Spirit of the rules, you say? What’s that?

Vancouver Province: LOADED: 07.25.2019 The Leafs made a smart trade this week, but one wonders about the so- called "spirit of the rules" when it comes to retired players not officially retiring. Working within the “spirit of the rules” remains an intriguing exercise in the NHL. Sign a player to a contract with a few “cheaper” years at the end of the deal so the average annual value is decreased — achieving salary cap flexibility — and you’ll anger the commissioner and there will be accusations of teams going against the “spirit of the rules.” But use the salary cap to keep a couple of unofficially retired players around — so they can keep earning their big-ticket salaries even if they aren’t playing — while also signing a high-profile player to his own huge deal, well that’s just “smart accounting.” The Maple Leafs completed a trade Tuesday, setting up a future scenario that has whiffs of past roster juggling efforts by Toronto’s co-assistant general managers Laurence Gilman and Brandon Pridham, the latter who once ran the NHL’s central contracts registry. In helping their boss — general manager Kyle Dubas — flip a goalie the Leafs didn’t want in Garret Sparks for a forward who won’t ever play for them (a broken-down David Clarkson, in the final year of a sweet contract he signed with the Leafs in 2013), Gilman and Pridham used the team’s financial advantages to also create a stronger negotiating position in dealing with Mitch Marner. Alex Edler of the Vancouver Canucks skates against David Clarkson of the Toronto Maple Leafs during an NHL game at the Air Canada Centre on December 6, 2014 in Toronto. Clarkson, whose bad back will prevent him from playing again, has one year remaining on the contract he signed with ex-Leafs GM Dave Nonis. There’s just $1 million left in real dollars to be paid — 80 per cent of that is covered by insurance — but there’s a cap hit of $5.25 million. The Leafs already have Nathan Horton on their salary list, who also won’t ever play in the NHL again because of his own back problems. His deal also has one year left, with a cap hit of $5.3 million. Thanks to the “funny math” of the NHL salary cap, where long-term injury reserve can buy a 10 per cent bonus if deployed carefully, the Leafs can carry both players and not worry about the financial challenges. The Leafs, who had earlier managed their way out of a salary cap mess by trading away Nikita Zaitsev and Patrick Marleau, had two motivations in building this cap space: simple prudence — it allows a cushion to keep paying broken players that other teams don’t have the means to do — plus the practical reality that the Leafs still have to sign Mitch Marner. Where the wunderkind’s camp once believed he’d attract an outside offer in the range of $14 million per season — no one outside his circle was surprised when that didn’t materialize — most now expect that Marner’s new deal will come in somewhere just over $10 million. That amount just happens to coincide with the amount of LTIR relief they can apply on the Clarkson and Horton deals. Of course, they wouldn’t need to do any of this if Clarkson or Horton declared themselves to be officially retired. Dale Weise and Nathan Horton (left) exchange blows in 2012. A month ago the Canucks felt the hammer blow of head office because former Canuck goaltender Roberto Luongo didn’t set himself up for LTIR and instead retired officially, leaving Vancouver to pay the largest NHL recapture penalty of $3.03 million per year for the next three seasons. Luongo’s choice opened up a short-term advantage for the Florida Panthers, who were hoping to sign both Sergei Bobrovsky and Artemi Panarin. They didn’t sign both the Russians in the end, as Panarin signed in New York — and the Panthers have pushed back against the notion they pushed Luongo into official retirement — but the fact is the Canucks found themselves punished by a penalty that was born out of a belief the NHL needed to protect “the spirit of the rules.” 1107602 Vancouver Canucks Eriksson, meanwhile, has $9 million in total salary left on his contract. If the Canucks retain 50 percent of his deal and traded him to Anaheim for Kesler, the Ducks would be on the hook for just $4.5-million total with Yes, the Canucks can still trade Loui Eriksson and here’s how they can Eriksson. Just like with Columbus, they’d go from wasting cash on do it someone who wouldn’t play for them to virtually spending the same money on someone who’ll at least suit up and contribute in the bottom six. For their part, the Canucks would create $3-million per year in cap space after retaining half the contract. Vancouver benefits more than By Harman Dayal Jul 24, 2019 78 Anaheim here considering that the Ducks would be taking on Eriksson’s reduced $3-million cap hit for three years, meaning the Canucks would

likely need to add a sweetener, but I can’t imagine it being too high given It’s safe to say that things haven’t worked between Loui Eriksson and the the mutual benefit. Vancouver Canucks. But it doesn’t stop there. If the Canucks are willing to get extra creative, The now 34-year-old has averaged just 11 goals per season while failing they could try crafting a proposal that would be even more attractive to to hit 30 points in a single year since signing a mammoth six-year, $36- the Ducks and thus might not require a sweetener. I inquired about the million contract in the summer of 2016. Adding further tension to the scenario with Hart of the cap site PuckPedia and he was actually able to situation is the controversial comments Eriksson made regarding his derive the framework of a three-way trade that would be beneficial to all relationship with head coach Travis Green. teams involved. With that in mind, it would be best for both sides to search for exit This is a complex deal, so let me walk you through it to show how it options. However, finding a solution will prove difficult since he’s still got would benefit each team. Starting with the Canucks, they’d immediately another three years left at a $6-million cap hit. A buyout wouldn’t really throw Kesler on LTIR which clears his cap hit. This would leave the help because Eriksson’s contract is laden with signing bonuses and low Canucks with just Eriksson’s retained $3 million. Vancouver takes on the base salary — buyout savings only factor in base salary. final year of Mike Condon’s contract as a favour to Ottawa as opposed to adding a sweetener. As such, for this year the Canucks would create (Image from CapFriendly) $1.67-million in cap space. For the second and third years, they would save $3-million in cap compared to having Eriksson’s full contract. Had the Canucks bought Eriksson out this summer, they would have still been on the hook for more than $5.5 million in cap space per year for two The Senators benefit from this because while Condon’s cap hit is low if seasons. Vancouver would get more cap relief simply by sending him to buried, he’s owed $3-million in cash. With Ottawa notorious for pinching the minors. pennies, they’d be spending just $1.8-million total in cash for retaining 20 percent of Eriksson’s contract — thereby saving $1.2 million for Eugene With a buyout off the table, the Canucks’ only option to move Eriksson’s Melnyk. contract off of the books is via the trade route. The problem with this avenue is, of course, the fact that there isn’t much reason for other teams Anaheim, meanwhile, would absorb Eriksson at just 30 percent value to be interested. At this point, Eriksson is a replacement-level player with after salary retentions from both Vancouver and Ottawa. They’d be on little to offer beyond penalty-killing utility. Sure, he could be serviceable in the hook for $2.7 million in cash — a savings of $1.3 million compared to bottom-six minutes, but most teams would prefer their role players to add keeping Kesler if his contract is insured at 80 percent. Eriksson would be size, physicality and intangibles similar to the recently traded Milan Lucic. a lot more palatable for Anaheim cap wise as he’d only be on the books for $1.8 million annually. Bad contracts aren’t always unmoveable though and in Eriksson’s case, there’s hope in the fact that most of the money due on his contract has All told, here’s the benefit for each team. already been paid out (he’s only owed $9-million total despite carrying the $6-million cap hit). It would require creativity in retentions, taking Canucks create $1.67 million in cap space for 2019-20 and $3-million salary back and jumping through some hoops, but there could be an each for 2020-21 and 2021-22. They don’t have to give up any significant Eriksson trade to be had that would put the Canucks in a better cap sweeteners to move the Eriksson contract situation moving forward. Senators save $1.2 million in cash by shedding Mike Condon Trading Eriksson for an LTIR contract Ducks save $1.3 million in cash and get Eriksson for a reduced $1.8- Conventional wisdom won’t be enough if the Canucks want to move million cap hit for which he’ll actually suit up and contribute in the bottom- Eriksson. One creative path to pursue is looking for a swap that would six as opposed to not playing at all in Kesler’s situation see the Canucks take on a rich contract that’s on long-term injured It’d be very strange optics wise for Kesler to be Canuck property again, reserve (LTIR). Such a move would require a budget-conscious team but assuming this is it for his career, it shouldn’t matter. that has an LTIR contract to shed as well as cap space. There aren’t a ton of alternative LTIR contracts that the Canucks could How would this work for both teams? Players that get placed on LTIR pull a trade like this off with, but you can see that there is a potential don’t get counted against the salary cap so by acquiring someone who solution to be had if they’re willing to get creative. won’t suit up, Vancouver would create much-needed cap space. For the other team, it’s about the actual cash. The best way to explain what I Why the Canucks’ current cap crunch makes moving Eriksson harder mean is by giving an example. For whatever reason, let’s assume the Canucks can’t move Eriksson for In 2015, the Toronto Maple Leafs were able to shed David Clarkson’s an LTIR contract like Kesler’s. What else can they pursue? albatross contract by swapping it for Nathan Horton who was on LTIR. Given that Horton was on injured reserve, the Leafs opened up a ton of If the LTIR option is out, it’s important to reevaluate what the Canucks cap space. For a budget-conscious team like Columbus, meanwhile, they would be trying to accomplish by moving Eriksson’s contract. On the one were paying cash for Horton’s salary regardless of whether he suited up hand, getting immediate cap relief would be ideal given that Vancouver or not. Rather than pay for a player who wouldn’t be in the lineup for currently projects to have just over $5-million in space with Brock Boeser them, they thought it’d be better to spend that money on Clarkson who’d unsigned. Quite frankly, at this point in the offseason, it’s tough to see an at least play, even if it was just on their fourth-line. (And Toronto’s recent Eriksson trade that brings immediate cap relief. reacquisition of Clarkson is another example of how LTIR can be used in tight cap situations.) The fact that he’s owed very little cash despite his high cap hit would make him desirable depending on the sweetener to budget teams looking Toronto essentially wanted Horton because he couldn’t play and could be to reach the cap floor, but I don’t see many suitors right now. Every put on LTIR to create cap space. Columbus wanted Clarkson because single NHL team has cleared the minimum $60.2 million threshold which they were spending money either way and at least they’d get an NHL gives clubs like Ottawa no real incentive to trade for Eriksson beyond any player who could suit up for them. potential sweetener (and it would have to be a significant one that Vancouver likely wouldn’t want to trade). Other budget-conscious teams The options are pretty slim in this vein, but the Canucks can still try like Carolina, Arizona and New Jersey are either close to having no cap applying a similar approach. Enter the Anaheim Ducks with Ryan Kesler. space or are in an accelerated phase of their rebuild where they want to Kesler’s already announced that he’ll miss all of next season with injury compete and wouldn’t want to be dragged down by a bad contract. and it’s very unlikely he’ll ever play in the NHL again. Most big contracts nowadays are insured by 80 percent if they get put on LTIR which means Long story short, unless you’re willing to let go of coveted assets (which teams only have to pay 20 percent of the salary. This means that the Canucks can’t afford to do), you’re not going to be able to trade insurance will cover $16 of the $20-million left on Kesler’s contract — Eriksson and end up with short-term cap relief. At this point, one might leaving the Ducks to pay $4-million out of their own pocket for Kesler to ask what the point of trading him away would be if it’s not for immediate sit on the sidelines. benefits. In my mind, getting out of the third year of Eriksson’s $6-million cap hit is almost equally, if not more important, than short-term relief. If If it’s the last year of term the Canucks are worried about, they might as the Canucks can use some combination of retentions, take a bad well wait for next summer contract with two years back and adding minimal sweeteners, a move could be well worth it. Should a trade for an LTIR contract like Kesler’s be impossible, it’s very unlikely that any trade for Eriksson solves the Canucks’ immediate cap Earlier this summer I talked about why two years was the magic term crunch. If that’s the case, the point of any move would be to address the with any contracts they add to the books, the reason being that’s the final year of term and in this scenario, there’s honestly no rush to deal window during which Elias Pettersson and Quinn Hughes are still on their Eriksson if the right fit isn’t available. entry-level contracts. The third year of Eriksson’s contract (2021-22) is when both young guns will be on their second deals which could Not only do the Canucks have two years until they’d be on the hook for conceivably add $16-18 million to Vancouver’s cap expenditure. Signing that commitment, but next summer, he’ll only be owed $5-million total in Pettersson and Hughes won’t be a problem, but with the likes of Jay cash after July’s signing bonus is paid — making it an easier contract to Beagle, Antoine Roussel, Tyler Myers and the aforementioned Eriksson trade then given how cheap his actual salary would be. In a worst-case still on the books at a combined $18-million, there’d be very little flexibility scenario, a buyout actually becomes palatable during the summer of to add around Vancouver’s young stars. That’d spell big trouble for an 2021 as it’d clear $2-million in space for the third year when Pettersson organization that should be looking to make further improvements to turn and Hughes will be earning top dollar (they’d also be on the hook for $1- the corner towards Cup contention. million in 2022-23). The unfortunate thing is that if the Canucks had some wiggle room to Under this scenario where the Canucks stall on moving Eriksson, the retain salary while also taking another team’s bad contract (the contract next question everyone would ask is what they should do with him this they’d take on would have to be for just two years), there could have year. I’m not sure how repairable the relationship between him and been ways out of Eriksson’s deal. Green would be after the former’s comments on how they don’t see eye to eye, so if he’s not going to be in Vancouver and he’s not traded, the Take Brandon Dubinsky with the Columbus Blue Jackets for example. only options would be burying him in the minors or loaning him The 33-year-old Dubinsky saw his ice-time plummet to just 12:21 per someplace else — both of which would save a fraction over $1-million night and registered just 14 points in 61 games. With two years left at a per year in cap room. cap hit of $5.85 million, it’s a bad deal that Columbus would surely love to get rid of. Swapping that for Eriksson’s contract wouldn’t be enough on Banishing Eriksson to Utica might seem justifiable for some, but many its own given the extra year of term on the latter’s deal, but by retaining have expressed that the Canucks will need to be more accommodative of part of the contract, the Canucks could create a really tempting scenario his situation so as to not damage their perception for future free-agents. for the Blue Jackets. Loaning him to an AHL affiliate of his choice like the Canucks did with Sam Gagner is an option. Alternatively, if Eriksson’s contract includes a Let’s say Vancouver retained 25 percent of Eriksson’s contract. This European assignment clause, they could loan him to an SHL team of his would save the Blue Jackets $1.35 million in cap space for the next two choice as per the CBA. years, but more importantly, because most of Eriksson’s contract has already been paid, it’d help Columbus save $4.95 million in cash Again, a loan outside North America wouldn’t provide any extra cap relief compared to Dubinsky. The Blue Jackets might not be regarded as a relative to burying him in the AHL, so sending him to Europe as opposed typical budget team, but it’s clear that spending fewer actual dollars to the minors would be just about accommodating his situation. In either would matter a lot to their organization. case, the Canucks could loan or bury Eriksson until they’re ready to trade him closer to the final year of his deal. #CBJ GM JARMO KEKALAINEN, ASKED IF HE WAS CLOSE TO TAKING ON BAD CONTRACTS – SAY, PATRICK MARLEAU, WHO Conclusion WAS TRADED FROM TORONTO TO CAROLINA FOR A FIRST- With no teams below the cap floor at this point in the offseason, a ROUND PICK IN 2020: traditional cap dump won’t work for getting rid of Eriksson’s contract “$3.8 MILLION FOR A FIRST-ROUND PICK? NO THANK YOU.” unless the Canucks pay a pretty penny with the sweetener (something they can’t afford to do). As such, management will need to think outside THAT HAPPENS TO BE MARLEAU’S BUYOUT SUM. of the box if they want an exit strategy this year and in that case, trading for a rich LTIR contract like Kesler’s could make sense for all parties. It’d — AARON PORTZLINE (@APORTZLINE) JUNE 22, 2019 essentially be following the framework of the Clarkson for Horton swap Columbus — starved with just three picks total at the 2019 draft and and while Kesler’s contract is likely insured up to 80 percent unlike didn’t select until the fourth round — wasn’t willing to pay $3.8 million in Horton’s, there’s still a cash saving to be had if the Canucks get another cash to essentially buy a first-round pick for 2020. That should tell you team like Ottawa to retain further salary. something about the value of cash within the Blue Jackets organization. A retained salary deal for someone like Dubinsky or Backes (two years In this trade scenario, the Canucks would lose $1.35 million in cap space left for each) would have made quite a bit of sense if the Canucks had for the next two years, but it’d come at the benefit of $4.5 million in space cap flexibility right now as well. The other teams would’ve gained cap during the third year when they’d need the cap flexibility the most. space and cash while Vancouver would’ve solved the issue of having the final year of Eriksson’s contract hurt the Canucks. Theoretically, the Canucks could go as high as 50 percent on retention to sweeten the pot (which would create $2.85 million in cap space for All told, Vancouver should explore all possible options with completely Columbus for two years and save them $7.2 million in cash), but I’m not open minds regarding an Eriksson trade. Assuming an ideal trade isn’t sure if that’d be necessary. Either way, I don’t think it’s unrealistic to available this offseason, they should stay patient and wait for next July believe that there could have been a fair deal for both sides to be had if after his signing bonus is paid, making him easier to move with just $5 the Canucks retained between 25-50 percent of Eriksson’s contract million in salary left. (perhaps on the lower end of that if the Canucks included a small The Athletic LOADED: 07.25.2019 sweetener). The problem, of course, is that the Canucks can’t afford to take on extra cap hits for the immediate future given their cap crunch. It’s quite unfortunate when considering how they’ve needlessly blown cap space on bottom-six forwards like Beagle, Brandon Sutter and Tim Schaller. There’s nothing barring the Canucks from being able to work out a swap without retention and a sweetener, but I have a hard time believing the Blue Jackets would be willing to take the extra year of term on with Eriksson at full value. If he came unretained, the $2.7 million cash savings for Columbus doesn’t seem like a whole lot when they could have bought Dubinsky out this summer for $7.8 million ($1.2 million cheaper relative to taking Eriksson’s full contract on). Any trade for Dubinsky would likely see the retained money so that the cash savings is higher than what they would have claimed from a June buyout (eg: Eriksson at 25 percent retained is just over $1-million cheaper than a summer buyout plus the sweetener Columbus would get). Alas, this option and any other bad contract swap (eg: David Backes in Boston who has a $6-million cap hit for two years) that would save the Canucks in Year 2 is likely off the table because of their current cap constraints. 1107603 Websites Gallagher: 2.35 For whatever reason, teams have had a lot of success signing young defensemen to extended, often team-friendly, deals coming out of entry- The Athletic / Using the best contracts in hockey to create the optimal level. But typically, forwards seem to get a bridge before getting their NHL team long term contract. In Arvidsson’s case, Nashville did well to get him locked in on a seven-year contract coming out of his entry-level contract with an AAV that looks better each year. There was a bit of risk involved By Craig Custance Jul 24, 2019 88 — Arvidsson had just the one 30-goal season but again it was a bet on skill and it’s paying off. He has averaged over 30 goals per season since signing it. Also, man, that Couturier contract is great. There’s not a lot of Selke-level centers who score 30-goals making under $5 million. Three It was a conversation centered around how the Blues were built for a more years left on that one too. The reality is that having contracts like story to be published in a couple weeks and, as things tend to do in the that on the books give teams the luxury to overspend in free agency as salary cap world, the talk shifted to salary structure. The St. Louis Blues the Flyers occasionally do. The Josh Anderson contract was the classic are a fascinating study because they’re an elite team without having case of a team using their leverage when a player doesn’t have players with exorbitant salaries. Unlike other league powers, they’re not arbitration rights. He’ll cash in soon enough. top heavy. Ryan O’Reilly and Vladimir Tarasenko have the highest cap hit at $7.5 million and there’s money spread throughout the roster. GSVA “We’d love to keep it where we’re making lots of guys wealthy and not Arvidsson: 2.57 two or three guys ultra rich,” Blues GM Doug Armstrong said during a Tuesday morning phone conversation. Couturier: 3.32 It’s not always possible. But when you have, say, a Norris-caliber Anderson: 1.61 defenseman like Alex Pietrangelo coming in at $6.5 million annually, it’s a huge competitive advantage. Labanc at $1 million might be the best contract signed in the last year. Like Anderson, this was a case of a team being able to take advantage of Some of the most interesting summer reading on The Athletic has been their leverage. He didn’t have arbitration rights. He didn’t want to go the work done by Dom Luszczyszyn breaking down the best and worst anywhere. The Sharks are squeezed against the cap. So he had to do salaries across the league. He even graded out every contract in a piece the deal and hope to make it up in the next deal when he has more that should be required summer reading material. leverage. In a story by Kevin Kurz, Labanc’s agent, Mike Curran, said the Sharks track record of taking care of their players down the line made Since this is Lineup Week here at The Athletic, the idea was presented to them more comfortable to make this deal: “You’ve got to look at their past try and maximize every dollar under the cap by using the best contracts to understand the reasoning behind some of the deals and why they’re in hockey to build a team, without cheating by using a bunch of entry- doing things. They’re a (team that spends to the cap). The proof is in the level deals. pudding when you see what they give some of their older guys, and guys that have been there a while they’re rewarded with some good money.” Before leaving for a vacation Dom left behind a spreadsheet that had the team he thought was the most efficient along with each player’s GSVA GSVA (Game Score Value Added). The GSVA is for their projected ice time on their actual teams. In reality, players lower in this lineup would have less Guentzel: 3.21 value with less playing time on this team. The goalies GSVA is per 60 starts. So here it is, our teamwork effort to produce the best possible Staal: 2.74 lineup that would fit under the 2019-20 $81.5 million cap ceiling: Labanc: 1.04 Forwards Defense The fact that we can build a top line out of three great contracts on the The Predators get one more season out of Roman Josi with his same team goes to show you just how much a competitive advantage the incredible cap hit of just $4 million. He’s not on this list, but the Bruins have with this trio locked up at such reasonable numbers. None of combination of Mattias Ekholm and Josi for under $8 million combined is these three players crack $7 million annually, a number Kevin Hayes pretty ridiculous… The John Klingberg contract was a great one from the eclipsed this year before hitting the UFA market. Not only are these great moment the ink dried but it’s also another good lesson. The Stars offered contracts for great players, it also led to David Pastrnak being asked him a seven-year contract just 65 games into his NHL career. They about his contract during the playoffs which led to this fantastic quote (via definitely took a risk there. “It’s pretty hard to say no to that,” Klingberg Mark Masters) to put it all in perspective: “If you (told) me when I was 15, said when I asked him about it a couple years ago. “I was having that I’d be playing for $6m a year (at) 22, I’d be like, ‘I don’t think you’re conversation with my agent – I felt, when you sign, you have to be happy saying the truth.’ Just a dream come true. I’m happy for what I’m getting. with what you’re doing. Right then and there, I might regret it long term if I could be playing in Czech for a couple hundred a month.” I didn’t sign it… the financial part covered your whole life.”… Morrissey GSVA and Spurgeon are in the final years of their contract so those deals are about to jump. Marchand: 4.06 GSVA Bergeron: 4.95 Josi: 2.31 Pastrnak: 4.28 Klingberg: 2.83 Any time you can put the two guys who had the most Hart Trophy votes a couple years ago on the same line, you should do it. MacKinnon’s Morrissey: 1.72 contract is a famously great contract and it’s a good lesson. His contract Spurgeon: 2.80 runs through 2022-23 at the very reasonable $6.3 million per season. So let’s talk about that one for a moment. Yes, it’s an incredible deal for the Grzelcyk: 0.93 Avalanche. It’s also a reminder of the value that can be derived from betting on young skill when doing contracts. When he signed, he was Pulock: 2.08 coming off a 52-point season. That’s when he locked in for seven years. Goaltenders He followed it up with a 53-point season, with just 16 goals. The contract didn’t become a steal until he blew up the last couple seasons where There are quite a few Predators on this list, a big reason they had the he’s been pushing 100 points. Was it inevitable that he would get to this flexibility to hit the free-agent market and sign Matt Duchene to a contract point? Maybe. But it wasn’t the lock it looks like now to be such a steal worth $8 million per season. Saros has two more years on a contract that from the moment he signed it. As for Hall, the Devils should try to averages $1.5 million per season. It’s a great deal, especially when you maximize getting him on the cheap this year because his price tag is consider there are backup goalies around the league making twice that about to jump considerably. salary. The turnaround of Jack Campbell’s career has quietly been one of hockey’s more remarkable stories. He now has a .925 save percentage GSVA in 38 NHL games after nearly flaming out. It’s a huge credit to his Hall: 3.95 resilience and we’re thrilled to have him on this roster at such a cheap price. MacKinnon: 3.92 GSVA Saros: 2.84 Campbell: 2.33 TOTAL IN SALARIES: $78.6 million The Athletic LOADED: 07.25.2019 1107604 Websites Marek is not an insider, per se, but he has to stay connected to all of the stories for his work on air. He is on the radio and on television. He anchored Sportsnet’s marathon trade deadline coverage. The Athletic / Inside the secret lives of the NHL Insiders and how they He said he refused to miss even a night or two of hockey during the unwind for the summer season. If he did, Marek said he would “feel like a fraud going on the air.” “It’s one of the easiest jobs you can imagine: Watch hockey games, and By Sean Fitz-Gerald Jul 24, 2019 42 then go talk about them,” he said with a laugh. “If I can’t pull my own personal act together to watch hockey games every single night, then something’s really wrong.” Darren Dreger sent 45 text messages on a recent flight to Vancouver Simpson watches a lot of games for a living, too, except hers are almost from Toronto. He is not proud to admit that he often looks at his phone always in person. She has to be in a city the day before a game, and she when he is inside a movie theatre. His charger is never far from reach leaves the day after. Every one-off game means she is away for three and he usually carries an external battery. days. She estimated she ended up with more than 30 games this season. “I’ll shut my phone off at funerals,” he said. “I won’t shut it off at weddings. I’ll put it on vibrate.” “I have a suitcase that is perpetually packed all winter,” she said with a laugh. As one of the main NHL news-breakers at TSN, the married father of two is essentially on call 24 hours a day from the start of training camp Miller, a play-by-play voice for hockey at TSN, figured he takes more through the first few days of free agency. There are hirings, firings and than 110 flights a year. He said he spent 65 days working in the United trades. Rules are debated, teams are sold and, in between all of that, States alone last year, not including travel days. Many of those travel actual games are played. days are spent with Ferraro, his long-time broadcast partner. Dreger is part of a relatively exclusive group where members are “We’ve been on the road for, I think, a dozen years together,” Miller said. expected to not only be fluent in each of those issues but to also lead the “I don’t know that we’ve ever had a fight. I can’t think of one.” conversation. Their words — on TSN or Sportsnet platforms — are shared widely and are parsed for further meaning on social media. Ferraro estimated he logs 150,000 miles with Air Canada a year. In addition to his work during games, the retired NHL forward said he does Many spend their winters on the road, following the news and games 15 radio interviews every week, which adds up to more than 500 a until their airline and hotel status reward cards are preceded by words season. such as super or elite. Now, with the draft and the awards and the opening of free agency having been dutifully covered, the on-air He had a plan for summer. personalities are working on the final piece of their schedule: Vacation Ferraro planned to golf three or four times a week. He was going to catch season. up on his reading, and he was going to spend as much time as he could “At 8 p.m., my flight leaves Toronto after the free agency show,” said with his children and grandchildren. He was also going to renew an TSN analyst Ray Ferraro. “When the nose of the plane starts going unexpected summer tradition: He was taking his family camping. upward, my season is over.” “I couldn’t be more useless setting up a tent or anything,” he said. “I’m Media has become a volatile industry, with cutbacks and layoffs and job just the pack mule, basically. But I just love it.” losses across all sectors, including sports. None of the personalities Simpson said she planned to reconnect with friends and family. She has contacted for this story complained about their jobs or the conditions taken big trips over the last two summers — to India and Kenya — and under which they work. Ferraro, for example, said the relief he feels was going to start planning another one. She was also planning to finally watching the nose of that airplane go skyward is not tied to getting away get around to some renovations on her home. from the job — it is more about the chance to exhale after running a marathon all winter. Miller enjoys tennis and cycling around Toronto. Marek has two sons in competitive baseball and was planning to spend a large chunk of his Gord Miller, the TSN personality, estimated he spends more than 160 summer around diamonds in Kitchener and Windsor and Guelph and days away from home during the season. Christine Simpson, from other stops around Ontario. Sportsnet, estimated she was gone for more than 120 days. Jeff Marek said he could never go without watching hockey, even for a little break Dreger said he has gotten better at turning off the switch over the years. from this Sportsnet job, without feeling guilty about it. It used to take him 10 days before he could stop monitoring his phone to check with sources, or to see what stories fellow insiders such as Elliotte “We’re not surgeons, and we’re not doing brain surgery in the middle of Friedman, Chris Johnston or Pierre LeBrun (who also works at The the night,” said TSN insider Bob McKenzie. “It doesn’t stop us from going Athletic) might have broken. out and drinking too much sometimes, or whatever.” He conceded that McKenzie, his long-time co-worker, was also a role McKenzie helped to revolutionize what it meant to be a hockey insider. model. Along his path to becoming the “Bobfather,” he had to develop shorthand with his family. It was difficult to make plans to do just about anything IT IS WITH GREAT PLEASURE THAT I ANNOUNCE THE TIME HAS during the hockey season, so if he was ever asked to commit to COME. HE HAS RETURNED. BOBBY MARGARITA IS BACK. attending a function, he would say yes, but offer the caveat “all things @TSNBOBMCKENZIE PIC.TWITTER.COM/LKN2CDAH3Y being equal.” — SHAWN MCKENZIE (@SHAWNMCKENZIESN) JULY 3, 2017 The translation: Sure, unless someone calls with news. “I aspire to be Bobby Margarita,” Dreger said with a laugh. “I want You cannot be an insider Monday to Friday. It is seven days a week. And nothing more than to be able to fire up the mixed drink machine on July the result, as McKenzie said: “We’re at family functions and they get sick 2. Unfortunately, Bob has seniority, and I don’t have such luxuries. of us looking at our phone, or having to duck out to take a call, or send a text or be late for something.” “So while he heads off to his compound — and it’s no longer just a cottage, it’s literally a compound — some of us do have to hang in there Dreger said that when the Florida Panthers fired coach Mike Keenan and mind the shop.” early in the 2003 season, he got a phone call at 3 a.m. He has gotten story tips when he has been out with friends, and he has gotten calls McKenzie has indeed developed a tradition on July 1. He is usually the when he has been out with family. And yes, he has gotten tips at church, last one out the door on the big day, sticking around just to clear out the during weddings. odds and ends of the initial frenzy of news items. He might be in his car by 8 p.m., and then he will roll down his windows and open the sunroof. “Pretty much every member of my family — both kids and my wife — has broken news via Twitter while I am driving,” he said with a chuckle. He will point the car toward his cottage and put a 45-year-old Lynyrd “Obviously, I can’t type, so I am dictating to them what they need to Skynyrd song on the stereo: “Call Me The Breeze.” tweet. They’re my alias in the moment.” “For that first day or two it’s hard, because there’s still usually a fair That has happened more times than he can count. amount of activity, and the people you talk to are sending you stuff,” he said. “You know what? It’s vacation time. All year long, we’ve taken time “I’ve kind of made it my mantra that there’s no such thing as a small trade away from our families, so you’ve just got to bite the bullet and say ‘that’s or a small signing,” he said. “So as long as that information comes my it.’” way, I’m going to make sure that I get it out.” The Athletic LOADED: 07.25.2019 1107605 Websites waivers, leaving Montreal with nothing to show for trading away their captain.

Montgomery would spend parts of two seasons in Philadelphia and The Athletic / Down Goes Brown: Who was the worst player to ever be several more in the minors before resurfacing in the NHL with the Sharks traded one-for-one for a future Hall of Famer? and later Stars. In all, from the day he was traded straight up for Carbonneau he’d play just 55 NHL games, scoring three goals and 14 points. By Sean McIndoe Jul 24, 2019 82 So no, Jim Montgomery didn’t end up being much of an NHL player, despite once being traded for a Hall of Famer. But if the name sounds familiar, it’s because he’s back in the league now, having slightly more While there hasn’t been a ton of big news over the last few weeks, we success as the head coach of the Dallas Stars. have seen a handful of trades. The Hawks made two of them, sending Artem Anisimov to Ottawa for Zack Smith and Henri Jokiharju to Buffalo Yan Golubovsky for Alexander Nylander. And then there was the big one, last week’s Milan Lucic for James Neal swap. Golubovsky was a Russian defenseman who’d been a first-round pick by the Red Wings in 1994. He didn’t debut until 1997, playing a dozen That one led to Bob McKenzie getting a little bit cheeky on Twitter. games for the Wings over a one-month stretch before being sent back down. He bounced up and down for three seasons, playing a total of 50 I DO FEEL OBLIGED TO SAY THIS: THE LUCIC-NEAL CGY-EDM games and scoring one goal while mostly holding down AHL duties. TRADE IS ONE FOR ONE.  When he didn’t make the NHL roster out of camp in 2000, the team &MDASH; BOBBY MARGARITA (@TSNBOBMCKENZIE) JULY 19, finally cut bait. And they did it by reacquiring a recent Wing. Igor Larionov 2019 had spent five years in Detroit before heading to Florida as a free agent in the 2000 offseason, presumably to center countryman Pavel Bure. That’s a callback to this all-timer about the Taylor Hall deal, but it That move had been a bust for everyone involved, with Larionov playing highlights something neat about the last few weeks of deals: They were poorly, feuding with the coaching and staff and generally making a all classic one-for-ones. nuisance of himself. When the Wings came calling and Larionov agreed I’ve always loved the humble one-for-one trade. I can appreciate the to waive his no-trade clause, the Panthers jumped at the chance to fold a occasional nine-player blockbuster as much as the next guy, but there’s bad hand, and a Larionov-for-Golubovsky trade was born. just something about the simplicity of one player going each way in a Larionov played three more solid seasons for the Wings, including a deal. It’s the sports equivalent of buying something with exact change. 2002 Cup run in which he scored a massive goal. As for Florida, the deal No draft picks, no prospects, no list of depth guys or fringe minor was overshadowed by bigger news, as the Panthers fired GM Bryan leaguers to balance out the ledger. Just two players switching teams, and Murray and coach Terry Murray on the same day. But they promised two GMs betting that their new guy will be better than their old one. their fans that Golubovsky would play for the Panthers one day. He did – The Lucic-for-Neal trade might not stay a one-for-one, thanks to the six games, to be exact. They’d be the last of his NHL career, as he’d inclusion of a truly spectacular conditional third-round pick. But for now, it head back to Russia after the season. can be included in a category with a rich if uneven history. Crack open Ken Block the NHL record books, and you’ll find one-for-one trades that include multiple Hall of Famers (Pronger-for-Shanahan, Sawchuk-for-Bucyk), This one’s a bit of a weird one. It involves Red Kelly, a legend who spent very good players (Middleton-for-Hodge) and current-day stars (Weber- 20 years in the NHL, was an all-star eight times and who won eight Cups for-Subban). Some of them worked out great for both teams (Jones-for- while playing a key role in dynasties in Detroit and Toronto. Also, he was Johansen). Some of them very much did not (Hall-for-Larsson, Rask-for- once traded straight up for Ken Block, who you have never heard of. Raycroft, Naslund-for-Stojanov). It all happened in 1967, after Kelly had just captured his final Cup with But today, I want to go in a slightly different direction, with what might the Maple Leafs. He announced his retirement, and agreed to become seem like a weird question: Who’s the least successful player to ever be the head coach of the expansion Los Angeles Kings. But Leafs GM traded straight up in a one-for-one deal for a future Hall of Famer? Punch Imlach insisted that the Kings had to obtain Kelly’s rights first, and would have to use one of their expansion selections to take him. The At first glance, you’d think the list would be a pretty short one. After all, Kings refused, leading to a standoff that was only resolved when the two future Hall of Famers tend to be pretty good. You’d figure that if you were teams agreed to a trade. Heading to Toronto was Ken Block, a minor- going to be traded for one, you’d have to be pretty good too. And usually, league blueliner who you have to admit had a pretty good name for a yeah, that turns out to be the case. But not always, because this is the defenseman. NHL. Sometimes circumstances get weird and stuff happens. After all of that, Block never played for the Leafs. He spent three more So, let’s look at five players who it might surprise you to learn can claim years in the minors before ending up in the system of the Vancouver to have been traded one-for-one for a future Hall of Famer. (All trade Canucks for their expansion 1970-71 season. He finally cracked the NHL details are from hockey-reference.com.) there, making his debut and playing the game of his life. Literally. He Jim Montgomery played one game, went back down to the minors, and never saw the ice in the NHL again. Technically, Guy Carbonneau isn’t a Hall of Famer yet; that will have to wait for the induction ceremony in November. But he’s now officially a Block would go on to a decent WHA career, and Kelly coached in the future Hall of Famer, so we can use him to build our list. And as it turns NHL for 10 seasons, so maybe this one worked out well for everyone out, he offers us two possibilities. Carbonneau was traded twice in his involved. But it’s probably the only one-for-one trade involving a Hall of career, and both were underwhelming one-for-one deals. In 1995, he Famer that saw the two players involved combine to play exactly one went from St. Louis to Dallas for Paul Broten, who wasn’t a superstar but NHL game after it was made. at least put together a solid career. So instead, let’s use Carbonneau’s Hey, what about … other trade, which came in 1994 and saw him dealt from Montreal to St. Louis for 25-year-old sophomore (and Montreal native) Jim Montgomery. Only because I know it’s going to come up in the comment sections, let’s flag a few trades you might be expecting to see mentioned. If you’re like The trade was a big deal in Montreal, where Carbonneau had played 13 me, you probably have a few trades filed away that you think were one- seasons, winning three Selkes and two Cups, including one in 1993 as for-one deals that actually turn out not to be. captain. One year after that championship, and just days after the team was eliminated from the playoffs, a Montreal newspaper ran a front-page For example, the infamous trade that sent Dominik Hasek from Chicago cover of Carbonneau giving the finger to a photographer at a golf course. to Buffalo for Stephane Beauregard wasn’t a one-for-one — it also The team claimed that the trade had nothing to do with the controversy, included a fourth-round pick (that the Hawks turned into a pretty decent although it’s fair to say that not everyone believed them. Either way, player in Eric Daze). The same is true for the Cam Neely for Barry Carbonneau was himself stunned by the trade, as were many fans. Pederson deal, although in that case it’s even worse because the Canucks gave up the Hall of Famer and the pick. In exchange, the Canadiens received a young center who’d been a college star and was coming off a 20-point rookie season. He made the There was also a pick involved in deals like Murphy-for-Mironov as well Habs to start the lockout-shortened season, appearing in five games as in Gartner-for-Dahlen. (And no, a trade where a player is dealt for a without recording a point. That would spell the end of his career as a single draft pick isn’t a one-for-one, at least not in the spirit of what we’re Canadien; just two weeks into the season, the Flyers claimed him on going for here.) I didn’t include cases of Hall of Famers being traded for guys who were But he was traded for a Hall of Famer. It happened in 1991, and the deal still pretty good, like Zubov-for-Hatcher, Vachon-for-Gilbert, Coffey-for- was indeed one for one. And Haworth was definitely a bad NHL player at Emerson or Ciccarelli-for-Miller. That’s also the category where you’d the time, in the sense that he hadn’t played in the league for over three have to slot in Anson Carter, a solid middle-six winger who scored 200 years. goals in the NHL and was once traded straight up for one of the greatest players in league history who was still in his prime. That trade was more But I don’t think he can be on this list, based on a technicality. We said about salary and cost-cutting, but it still stands out as one of the we were looking for guys who were traded for future Hall of Famers. strangest one-for-one swaps in NHL history. Three years after his career ended, in one of the strangest trades in NHL history, Haworth was traded straight up for a guy who was already in the OK, let’s take it home with a few more … Hall of Fame. Lou Fontinato Yeah, this one gets weird. I’ll explain. It’s one thing to be traded straight up for a very good player, or even a The Hall of Famer in question is Guy Lafleur, the legendary Canadiens no-doubt-about-it future Hall of Famer. It’s another thing entirely to be sniper who racked up 514 goals in 14 years in Montreal. He stunned the traded for the greatest defenseman to that point in the history of the hockey world in 1984 by retiring during the season, partly due to disputes sport. with the organization, and was inducted into the Hall of Fame in his first year of eligibility in 1988. Then he made a comeback, joining the That’s what happened to Fontinato, a hard-nosed Rangers defenseman Rangers for the 1988-89 season and becoming the league’s second in the 1950s who’s probably best remembered for his nose not quite active Hall of Famer after Gordie Howe. (Mario Lemieux would later being hard enough to withstand a fight with Gordie Howe. Despite that become another.) one-sided loss, Fontinato continued to make his name as one of the toughest players in the NHL, and could arguably be called one of the So far, so good. But things get really odd after Lafleur plays two seasons league’s first true enforcers. with Quebec. That brings us to 1991, when the Nordiques are terrible. At this point Lafleur is 39 and ready to retire for good and join the team’s While Fontinato was slugging his way through the league, Montreal’s front office. But first comes that weird expansion draft involving the Doug Harvey was rewriting the record book. In 10 seasons between Sharks and North Stars, in which every other NHL team had to lose one 1951 and 1961, Harvey won six Norris Trophies and was named to the player. Nobody wanted anyone from the last-place Nordiques, and the first all-star team nine times. (In the other season, he was named to the rules said you couldn’t pass, so Stars GM Bobby Clarke used his last second team. That qualified as an off year for Harvey.) He was also pick on Lafleur, knowing he’d never play. heavily involved in efforts to organize players into a union and fight for better rights and contracts. That didn’t win him many friends among NHL It was meant to be a harmless bit of paperwork, but it ended up creating owners and is widely considered to have led to the Canadiens’ decision a problem with echoes of the Red Kelly situation: Because his rights to trade him in 1961. were now owned by another team, Lafleur couldn’t take that front-office job with the Nordiques. So the two teams hooked up on a trade that The deal ended up sending Harvey to the Rangers, where he became would send Lafleur back to Quebec in exchange for Haworth, who was one of the last men in NHL history to serve double duty as player and playing in the Swiss league with no intention of ever returning to the NHL. head coach. He’d win his seventh Norris in that first season, finishing as It was the only trade of Lafleur’s career. runner-up in Hart voting in the process. He played another full season in New York, then bounced between the NHL and AHL for much of the So there you have it. One of the strangest trades in NHL history, and one 1960s before playing one last year for the Blues in 1968-69 at the age of that makes Alan Haworth the undisputed titleholder as the worst player to 44. ever be traded for a player who was already in the Hall of Fame. As for Fontinato, he lasted two seasons in Montreal, scoring four goals The Athletic LOADED: 07.25.2019 before suffering a career-ending neck injury in 1963 in a game against his former team. He passed away a few years ago, and was remembered as “the toughest NHL player of his time.” Theo Ruth We’ll close with the story of Ruth, a defenseman who was picked in the second round of the 2007 draft by the Capitals, just three picks after Montreal snagged a fellow blueliner named P.K. Subban. Ruth was more of a defensive defenseman and had spent the last two years with the U.S. Development Program’s under-18 team. He committed to Notre Dame, where he’d spend three years before turning pro. He wouldn’t get the chance to do it with the Capitals, thanks to a 2008 trade deadline deal that sent him to the Blue Jackets for Sergei Fedorov. (I’ll pause here so we can all collectively realize that we’re vaguely aware of the Fedorov-in-Columbus era.) It wasn’t exactly a blockbuster, since Fedorov was 38 years old and well-removed from his days as one of the league’s best two-way players. But the deal still created some excitement, since it suggested that Fedorov might get to play with fellow Russian legend Alexander Ovechkin. Federov was decent in Washington, scoring 13 points in 18 regular season games and adding five more in a first-round playoff loss. He returned the following year, adding 33 points to his career total in what would be his final NHL season. He remained active in the KHL until 2012 and didn’t hang up his skates until an appearance in the Spengler Cup in 2013. That creates some nice symmetry with Ruth, who also retired in 2013. He played for Team USA at the 2009 world juniors and spent four years in the AHL and ECHL, but never did make the NHL, as the league slowly moved away from the type of hard-working stay-at-home style that he excelled at. That makes him one of the rare players – and maybe even the only one – who can say he was traded straight up for a Hall of Famer without ever actually playing in the NHL. Honorable mention: Alan Haworth Yeah, we’re going to need a ruling on this one. Haworth was a center who played about 500 games during the ’80s for the Sabres, Capitals and Nordiques. He was fine, but didn’t exactly rack up the accolades; he received one second-place vote for the 1986 Selke, and that’s it. 1107606 Websites “I thought I played a lot more like myself – a lot more confident,” said Bennett, who has battled confidence issues throughout his four full seasons in the NHL. Sportsnet.ca / Calgary Flames' Bennett hoping to complement physical “I want to be that aggressive and effective player to start the season and game roll from there.” Pinder and Steinberg Eric Francis | @EricFrancis July 24, 2019, 11:51 PM Jul. 24: Bennett Signs July 24 2019 For a player as fearless as Sam Bennett, the prospect of heading to Audio Player arbitration Saturday was no more daunting than a dental appointment. Your browser does not support the audio element. “I wouldn’t say I was worried about it – I was actually kind of curious about what it was like,” said the Calgary Flames winger of the boardroom Bennett’s signing leaves the club with $7.42 million left to sign RFAs bloodbath most players pray to avoid. Matthew Tkachuk, Andrew Mangiapane and starting netminder David Rittich, who has an arbitration hearing scheduled for Monday. “But I’m happy it’s all done.” Even with an inevitable buyout of Michael Stone’s final season, saving The restricted free agent agreed to a two-year deal with the Flames at $2.33 million in cap space, GM Brad Treliving will almost certainly have $2.55 million annually on Wednesday. to shed salary by way of trade to make the finances work. His curiosity now matches that of his fan base, wondering if he’ll be on Sportsnet.ca LOADED: 07.25.2019 the third line with Milan Lucic and Mark Jankowski as part of a decidedly unpleasant trio to play against. “For sure I think that’s a possibility,” said Bennett, a left-shot winger who said he’d be comfortable switching to right wing to accommodate the Flames high-priced trade acquisition. “I think he’s one of the scariest guys to play against in the league. Anytime you get to add a guy like that to your team or especially your line it makes you feel a lot taller. “He’s one of the most intimidating players I’ve ever played against. That’s something we did need a little bit, and I’m sure he’ll be a good addition. I talked to a few guys and everyone is excited. A couple of guys that know him said he’s a great guy and a great guy in the room.” A weekly deep dive into the biggest hockey news in the world with hosts Elliotte Friedman and Jeff Marek. New episodes every Thursday. Last season the six-foot-one, 195-pound Bennett became a fan favourite by assuming a relative tough-guy role, leading the team with a career- high 93 penalty minutes, which included five fights. He finished second on the squad in hits, stood up for teammates whenever it was called for and became an aggressive menace many nights. Credit to the 23-year-old, it was a role he was never asked to play – he simply figured it out. “That was never discussed – it kind of just came into its own,” said Bennett, whose mindset behind taking the evolved role speaks to maturity and experience that betrays his age. “At times during the year, you have to do things to help the team win if you’re not producing or getting a chance that way. You’ve got to help the team or you’re really not going to get the opportunity.” “I think this year I took a lot more physical and aggressive role. I was sticking up for my teammates if the situation presented itself and I was comfortable with that role. Every team needs that. “I’m definitely not going to change my game – I was happy with the physical play and the aggression this year – that’s part of my game. But I hope to add a little more offensive upside.” Drafted fourth overall in 2014, the expectation was certainly for Bennett to score at a much higher clip than the 13 goals and 27 points he had last season. He hasn’t given up on regaining the scoring touch he had in junior, and the team is certainly betting on him to improve in that vein. “I don’t want to be known as just a physical, aggressive player – I still believe in myself and I can add a lot more offensively,” said the versatile Bennett, who will be an RFA once again when his deal concludes. Bennett further endeared himself to fans this spring when he led the team in playoff scoring (one goal, four helpers) in a five-game dismissal by Colorado. He was arguably the Flames best skater, much like four years earlier in the playoffs against Vancouver when he and Micheal Ferland first made names for themselves. 1107607 Websites buyout window will open which would allow the Jets an opportunity to increase their cap space in 2019-20.

Common wisdom suggests defenceman Dmitry Kulikov could be a Sportsnet.ca / Laine, Connor in focus as Winnipeg Jets' salary cap candidate for a buyout, should it come to that. With one year left on his picture becomes clear contract at $4.33 million, Kulikov hasn’t provided good value in the third pairing role he’s occupied. Buying him out would save the Jets some cash, but more importantly free up an extra $2.88 million in cap space. Sean Reynolds July 23, 2019, 6:45 PM If that’s still not enough, Cheveldayoff could also shed salary via trade, although making moves while backed into a corner hardly allows him to deal from a position of strength. With the signing of Neal Pionk and Andrew Copp’s arbitration decision rendered, you can ring the bell to begin the main event of the Winnipeg In all it means the Jets still have some flexibility in this situation, though Jets‘ off-season. probably not as much as Cheveldayoff would like. Allowing other GMs to do your negotiating for you is a good way to lose control over salary Frustrated fans who don’t understand why one established Jet after structure and that issue would be compounded should an offer sheet another left the team this summer should know those decisions came walk Laine or Connor to early unrestricted free agency. down to one thing: leaving enough money on the table to re-sign restricted free agents Patrik Laine and Kyle Connor. Both players are set One thing is certain: if a team is searching for a dynamic young talent for massive pay raises so allowing the likes of Tyler Myers, Brandon with the ability to fill the net, Winnipeg is a good place to look right now. Tanev, Ben Chiarot and Jacob Trouba to leave was a must to free up the kind of money it will take to lock those two players down. Sportsnet.ca LOADED: 07.25.2019 So with Connor and Laine now the last two Jets remaining at the bargaining table, the waters surrounding Winnipeg’s cap space have become quite clear. Unfortunately for the Jets there are sharks circling in those waters, threatening to turn this situation into a feeding frenzy. We know other teams have contacted Connor’s agent with interest in his client. Those calls started on the opening day of the RFA speaking period back on June 26 and Sportsnet has learned that contact has continued past July 1. Those teams interested in Connor now have a solid handle on the financial constraints Jets GM Kevin Cheveldayoff is facing and how that situation could be used against him. It’s bad enough having one highly attractive RFA left to sign with defined cap space. Having two is double trouble. Let’s use Connor as the example. Should a rival GM produce an offer sheet, every dollar it takes to keep Connor is a dollar taken away from re- signing Laine. So overpaying for one through an offer sheet simply makes it easier to follow up with an offer sheet on the other (should the Jets match). Call it the San Jose Sharks blueprint. Back in 2010 the Chicago Blackhawks came off winning the Stanley Cup only to be greeted with an off-season cap crunch that included RFAs Niklas Hjalmarsson and Antti Niemi. The San Jose Sharks recognized the pinch Chicago was in and extended an offer sheet to Hjalmarsson. The Hawks matched and it looked like Sharks GM Doug Wilson’s strategy had failed. But it didn’t. The Hjalmarsson contract Wilson orchestrated ran the Hawks out of the money they needed to re-sign Niemi. So when Niemi was awarded a one-year, $2.75 million contract in arbitration that the Hawks couldn’t fit under the cap, they walked away from the ruling and made Niemi a UFA. Shortly after, the goalie signed with San Jose. Fast forward to the present and any GM looking to add a high-powered scorer could use a similar blueprint against the Jets. Neither Laine or Connor are heading to arbitration this summer, but a big offer sheet on either could force Winnipeg’s hand and put them in a one-or-the-other position. Ryan Dixon and Rory Boylen go deep on pucks with a mix of facts and fun, leaning on a varied group of hockey voices to give their take on the country’s most beloved game. BY THE NUMBERS With the potential for that strategy hanging in the air, the numbers become vitally important. After Copp’s arbitration award the Jets now find themselves with $17,592,503 remaining in cap space, accounting for 10 forwards, seven defencemen and two goalies, per CapFriendly. Should they fill out their roster with 13 forwards (and they don’t have to, which gives them some cap flexibility) the three players the Jets would use to do that would probably cost roughly $750,000 per man. That leaves about $15.25 million to re-sign both Connor and Laine. That’s not a small number, but it does leave rival GMs with plenty of room to apply the San Jose Sharks blueprint. A WAY OUT While the numbers do make the Jets look vulnerable, they have options. Three days following the resolution of Copp’s arbitration a 48-hour