SPORT-SCAN DAILY BRIEF NHL 6/13/2021 Bruins Penguins 1215689 Bruins have the most identifiable roster in town, but will it 1215717 Mark Madden's Hot Take: Marc-Andre Fleury's story last? keeps getting better ... just not in Pittsburgh 1215690 For Kevan Miller, the timing of Bruins’ playoff elimination 1215718 Penguins A to Z: Kasper Bjorkqvist still has plenty to prove was a cruel twist of fate 1215719 Penguins Changes: How NHL Semi-Finals Should Affect 1215691 David Krejci On Future With Bruins: ‘I Just Don’t Know Pens Thinking Right Now. 1215692 DeBrusk: ‘My Haters Had A Lot To Say This Year’ 1215720 Which UFA Centers Should Sharks Target? Seattle Kraken 1215693 Seth Jones isn’t the solution to Blackhawks’ defensive 1215721 Projecting the protected list: Who’s staying with the woes, but Dougie Hamilton could be Jets and who could be picked by the Seattle Kra St Louis Blues 1215694 Jared Bednar isn’t to blame. Avalanche players blew it 1215722 Cardinals notebook: Kim faces last test before return this with turnovers week to rotation; Gorman slugs three homers 1215695 Seven playoff losses. Eight days of heartbreak. Why does 1215723 Leading by example: Hard-working O’Reilly has enjoyed loving the Avs and Nuggets have to hurt so much? captaining the Blues 1215696 Grading the Week: All hail Ethan Horvath, restorer of sanity to Empower Field and USMNT soccer 1215697 Colorado Avalanche protected list: Who’s staying and who 1215724 Lightning GM Julien BriseBois on cap maneuvering: could be picked in the Seattle Kraken expansion draft ‘Sometimes the stars align for you’ 1215698 Leftover thoughts from an Avalanche season gone too 1215725 Lightning-Islanders: Familiar foes expect another tight soon… series 1215699 Scott Takes: There’s always next year…again. 1215726 Lightning’s Nikita Kucherov: ‘Missing a whole year ... you don’t want to be that guy’ Stars 1215727 NHL playoff predictions for the semifinals: Will the Golden 1215700 The experiment with Jamie Benn at center paid off. What Knights and Lightning battle for the ? does that mean for the Stars next season? 1215728 Film session: Breaking down Lightning’s ‘big-game player,’ Brayden 1215701 Red Wings’ Troy Stecher wins gold with at Maple Leafs Worlds; U.S. takes bronze 1215729 HORNBY: was a hero in the air and on 1215702 Two online passion projects help fans track the Red the ice Wings’ top prospects in 1215741 'How come we were able to make the right choice and 1215703 OILERS NOTES: Is Jake DeBrusk a trade target for everybody else was not?' Edmonton? 1215704 Lowetide: How close to NHL-ready is Oilers prospect Dmitri Samorukov? 1215730 Golden Knights eager to play outside division in semifinals 1215731 Golden Knights, Canadiens own far different histories Canadiens 1215732 Marc-Andre Fleury ready to face hometown team in 1215705 'I believed in this team from the start': Habs GM Marc semifinals Bergevin happy to see his moves pay off 1215733 Evans traveling to Vegas with Canadiens for Golden Knights Islanders 1215734 Previewing the Golden Knights’ semifinal matchup vs. the 1215706 Islanders’ Casey Cizikas motivated by 2020 playoff injury Canadiens setback 1215735 NHL playoff predictions for the semifinals: Will the Golden 1215707 Lightning’s controversial Nikita Kucherov move draws Knights and Lightning battle for the Stanley Cup? more ire before Islanders series 1215736 Next Week: Vegas Golden Knights vs 1215708 Islanders finally giving this generation taste of past and Las Vegas 117-Degree Weather vs T-Mobile Arena euphoria Ice S 1215709 How Islanders stack up against Lightning in 2021 NHL 1215737 Las Vegas Bouncing Back From COVID: Sellout Of 9,568 semifinals At Las Vegas Ballpark Friday Evening 1215710 Islanders GM 's moniker for team's 1215738 Pete DeBoer’s Game One Gamble Paid Off For Vegas turnaround: Transformer Golden Knights 1215711 Oliver Wahlstrom close to return, but no guarantee to get back in Islanders' lineup against Lightning 1215712 Casey Cizikas feeling the love, wants to return it to 1215739 Oshie's son shows off budding hockey skills Islanders fans in 1215713 After Missing ’20 ECF, Czikas Itching for a Crack at Lightning 1215714 Head-to-Head: Islanders in Familiar Role, Eager Underdog 1215715 ‘Finish the Job,’ Islanders Martin Expected Semis, Wants More Flyers 1215716 As Laperriere's time arrives, more to come for Flyers and Phantoms Websites 1215742 The Athletic / NHL power rankings: Our fresh 1-4 rankings, plus remembering some ’90s goalies 1215743 The Athletic / NHL business notebook: The growth of custom skates, ESPN and Turner broadcaster updates 1215744 .ca / Canadiens’ Bergevin appears reinvigorated after challenging 2021 season 1215745 Sportsnet.ca / Quick Shifts: Why Bruins could be in for some major changes 1215746 TSN.CA / McTavish doesn't want to change much ahead of NHL Draft 1215747 USA TODAY / NHL playoff predictions: Who wins semifinal series to advance to Stanley Cup Final? 1215740 Projecting the protected list: Who’s staying with the Winnipeg Jets and who could be picked by the Seattle Kra

SPORT-SCAN, INC. 941-284-4129 1215689 Boston Bruins To make it all the worse, offense from the Bruins’ third and fourth lines was nonexistent. The bottom-six forwards also failed to muster enough of the defensive pluck that so often can spark offense from the scoring Bruins have the most identifiable roster in town, but will it last? lines.

Third-line pivot Charlie Coyle finished the postseason 2-1—3 in 11 games and was a team-worst minus-8. That’s a long summer. By Kevin Paul Dupont Globe Staff,Updated June 12, 2021, 12:55 p.m. The muckers didn’t muck. Too few of the scorers scored.

Finally, the crusher came when defenseman Brandon Carlo exited Game Their postseason disappointment still palpable, Bruins management any No. 3 with yet another concussion, drilled into the rear wall on a clean, hour now will offer preliminary indication what their roster will look like stiff check by the Islanders’ Cal Clutterbuck. The Bruins already were when they next convene on the ice in Brighton for the start of training without Kevan Miller on the right side, not to mention the earlier losses of camp in September. depth guys John Moore and Steven Kampfer (both to surgery).

Time changes everything, of course, and time mixed with playoff regret The Bruins chiseled out a 2-1 overtime win the night Carlo exited, and typically means a deeper cut. Last season’s dismissal by the Lightning then were outscored, 15-7, over the next three losses. Rush after rush, led to waving goodbye to Torey Krug and Zdeno Chara. In the weeks Islanders forwards blitzed into the Boston end, rarely, if ever, suffering ahead, we could see unrestricted free agents Tuukka Rask and David the rude awakenings they might have been dealt had Carlo and Miller Krejci (29 years of combined Spoked-B service), both members of the been on duty. The backline turned soft and porous, a bad combination in 2011 Stanley Cup team, likewise headed for the door. February, and lethal in the spring.

Granted, this is open to debate, but the Bruins, even in the hours No telling now if , after allowing Chara following their most recent loss, have the most identifiable roster among and Krug to leave town, will retain Rask and/or Krejci. The two are pricey, the town’s four major sports. Remarkable. Even though it has been 10 aging, and their performances at times can be, shall we say, frustrating years since their last championship. and uneven.

Roster identity alone clearly does not equate to championships, or even Undeniable, though, is the fact that Rask and Krejci have logged long, solid playoff runs, but it keeps the customers engaged. If the time has valuable, and distinguished service here, very much contributing to a come for Rask and/or Krejci to move on, no matter by whose decision, positive team identity that the other three major pro teams now find the franchise’s valuable, fragile “Q” factor will take a significant hit. themselves, to varying degrees, unable or unwilling to match.

Unfortunately, we’re getting used to that drill around here. Fail though they have yet again, the Bruins overall have succeeded in constructing an engaging and entertaining product full of very The Red Sox, not even three years past their most recent World Series recognizable roster faces. Not long ago, all the rosters were like that here win, have since bought full boat into the MLB “parts is parts” theory of in the city of champions. Not so anymore. roster building. We’ve gone from the big-name mind-set of Pedro Martinez, David Ortiz, Manny Ramirez, Mookie Betts, et al, to a mulligan We’ve learned upon seeing some of these guys leave, even those far stew lineup cooked up in a hardball analytics lab. At Fenway, the motto is from perfect, that their equals aren’t walking through that door to pick up “numbers super nominibus” (numbers above names). where they left off.

Out in Foxborough, they’re telling us the Brady-less, Gronkowski-less, SEASON OF SETBACKS Edelman-less Patriots could be back on the path to Super Bowl glory in no time. Trust the process. That’s the same process that told us a year DeBrusk looking to turn the page ago to trust Cam Newton to run the offense, saw where that went, and It was a difficult season for Jake DeBrusk, whose future in Boston is in then brought him back for seconds this fall. doubt.

And the Celtics, well, what’s to say other than, who are those guys? The The best to be said about Jake DeBrusk’s season is that it’s over. After Green’s last title was in 2008. Kemba Walker is the lone guy on today’s three promising seasons on his entry-level deal, with flashes of brilliance roster (check website for trade updates) to have turned 18 when the Doc and promise that earned him a two-year extension with a $3.675 million Rivers Celtics beat the Phil Jackson Lakers. They lack star power. They cap hit, the amiable Bruins left winger came up empty in the top- or lack all power. Remember Cooz and Russ? Come on, some of these bottom-six roles. guys would be challenged to remember Paul Pierce once wore green. Now it’s up to GM Don Sweeney to decide if there’s realistic path to What the Bruins do have in common with all their Boston pro sports recovery here, or if he’ll shop DeBrusk in the days leading to the July 21 brethren right now is the need to be better. That 2011 title, as much fun expansion draft. Even with his poor season, he still has trade value, as it was to witness, now stands as the lone Cup win here in the last 49 albeit not for a return equal to where he was chosen (No. 14 overall) in years. No one needs to school Black and Gold fans in the pain of the 2015 draft. unfulfilled playoff runs. Is it too soon to mention too many men on the ice? A couple of significant mitigating factors when assessing DeBrusk’s performance: 1. He had a two-week tour on the COVID-19 “unavailable” The Bruins won five Cups in the first 47 years of the franchise. Now it’s list, a protracted, isolating interruption that factored largely in his playing one over the last 49 years, albeit with seven failed trips to the Cup Final only 41 of 56 games; 2. Because of an abundance of lefthanded shots up mixed in as significant connective tissue. front, he was often bumped to his off wing, his game looking especially The slight twist to this spring’s short-circuited run was that the Bruins wrong on the right side. entered the postseason with two scoring lines. Forever their playoff Both factors, in concert with his diminished market value, likely convince Achilles’ heel, scoring depth finally, and convincingly, appeared a non- Sweeney et al to give the 24-year-old a do-over in 2021-22, with the issue. The long familiar cry of, “When are you going to get us a sniper, hope that he can produce again in the 40-50-point range. Harry?!” moved to the deep background, mainly because Taylor Hall, underperforming and disgruntled in Buffalo, jumped into their hands at “A couple of setbacks this year, for sure,” DeBrusk acknowledged Friday, the April 12 trade deadline. saying that he needs “to revamp some stuff” to get his game back on track. Hall, Krejci, and Craig Smith instantly formed a formidable line and produced nearly in lockstep with the Brad Marchand-Patrice Bergeron- After noting that there were elements of the season he could and could David Pastrnak No. 1 trio for the month leading to the playoffs. The not control, DeBrusk added, “I dealt with a lot of negativity as well ... one Bruins, especially five on five, looked like an unstoppable force. of those things that, you know, you sign up, and I’m a big boy and I can handle that, some of it is [I] just became an easy target, so … my haters Until they didn’t. The second-liners put up 8 points, only 5 fewer than the had a lot to say this year.” top guns, in the Round 1 win over Washington. But they faded vs. the Islanders, cobbling together but 11 points in six games while the big boys DeBrusk’s aim going into next season, he said, will be proving “a lot of put up more than double (11-12—23). Hall was minus-5 and went 0-0—0 people wrong.” over the final three games, all losses. DeBrusk was asked by your faithful puck chronicler to identify the source David Krejci, soon able to sign with anyone in the Original 32, was oddly of negativity, be it from fans, media or coaching staff. evasive, or uncomfortably uncertain, when asked Friday about his future plans. “I’m going to need a few weeks,” he said, “think about lots of “I don’t really know … if that makes any sense,” he said. “I just felt like things, talk to lots of people. I love Boston, see what happens.” After there was a lot. Just one of those things, you can just feel it … not really inking contracts in Boston valued at just over $70 million, he says his pointing out anyone. The one thing that I did learn was that you obviously next deal won’t be about money. Other than that, he wasn’t ready to say play for your teammates and for people in this room — and that’s all that what it will be about … A few statistical leftovers from Bruins-Islanders I really look for, doing it for the guy beside you.” Round 2: The Bruins held a lead in all but the last game, while the No certainty where this goes. Anders Bjork, Danton Heinen, Ryan Islanders logged 00:00 of lead time in only Game 3. For the series, the Donato, and DeBrusk were positioned not long ago as prized “push- Islanders finished with a tiny edge in lead time: 110:15 vs. 108:07. The through” candidates among the kiddie corps of forward prospects. All but Bruins went a hefty 7 for 14 on the power play while the Islanders DeBrusk have been dealt. None has fulfilled his promise. delivered at 6 for 16 (37.5 percent). Uncharacteristically weak on the draw in Games, 2, 3 and 4, Patrice Bergeron clicked in Games 5 and 6, To this point, either the promise was false or misguided or miscalculated, winning 26 of 43 drops (60.5 percent). Tuukka Rask allowed eight goals or there’s a missing link in the chain of player development. Whatever the on 43 shots over his last two appearance (five periods) for a lowly .814 answer, it needs fixing. save percentage. The Bruins squeezed off 414 shot attempts across the six games to only 312 by the Islanders … The Blue Jackets on Friday ETC. named ex-winger Brad Larsen to replace John Tortorella as coach. An Habs continue Cinderella story assistant the last seven years, first under Todd Richards and then Tortorella, Larsen played his four junior seasons at WHL Swift Current, Few expected to see the Canadiens in the Stanley Cup semis, but the three of those under now Kings coach Todd McLellan … Stung by an Habs will take on the Golden Knights in Game 1 Monday. unpenalized high hit by Kyle Palmieri on the opening shift of the second period Wednesday, Bruins defenseman Charlie McAvoy was ordered to Those Cinderella Canadiens (take a drink, Bruins fans) take on the the room for what amounted to some six minutes of playing time. On Vegas Golden Knights Monday night in Game 1 of their Stanley Cup Friday, he sounded more disgruntled about being ordered off (suspected semifinal. concussion) than the hit. “Mandatory. I had to take a concussion test, or As hard as CH success is on the eyes of Black and Gold nation, imagine whatever it’s called. I didn’t think it was necessary, to be honest it was how Maple Leafs fans feel, their Blue and White darlings making it already over.” As for the non-call, he added, “It is what it is. It’s over.” … beyond the first round but once since 2002. They lost to the Habs in Gotta love Brandon Carlo’s spunk, when asked about the Cal Round 1 this year. More striking, in three-plus postseasons, the newbie Cluttlerbuck hit that left him in concussed in Game 3 of the Islanders Knights already have 36 playoff victories, one more than the Leafs have series: “Great hit, I had no issues with it whatsoever. He went right accumulated since the spring of 2001. through my chest, I can respect that any day of the week.” It was at least the third concussion Carlo has endured in his time with the Bruins, the The Habs, though underdogs entering the matchup with the Knights, other two delivered by Alex Ovechkin and Tom Wilson. Asked if he is edged the Leafs in seven, then went on to jumble the Jets with a 4-0 worried about the number of concussions and the potential impact on the sweep. Karma dressed as a 19th skater on the Habs’ bench after the longevity of his career, Carlo added, “No, not at this point, not at all. I outrageous, predatory slam Mark Scheifele delivered as the punctuation think this year was obviously a struggle through these injuries. It’s no fun, mark to Game 1 of the series. The Habs then ran the table, outscoring but I am not going to sit here and get discouraged, thinking my career is the Jets, 9-3, over the final three games with Scheifele suspended. headed down the wrong path because of a couple of concussions. I hope this is my last one and I can play for as long as possible. From how I’ve “I thought I was going to be tried to be shut down by Phillip Danault,” the recovered from these, I don’t think there’s any issue there.” tone-deaf Scheifele said on Jets pack-up day. “Instead, it was the Department of Player Safety that shut me down. So that definitely sucks.” Boston Globe LOADED: 06.13.2021 Some of these guys, and their enablers, won’t ever get it.

Meanwhile, the Habs roll on, first and foremost because Carey Price has returned to playing like a goalie with a $10.5 million price tag (of whom he is the only one, of course). Headed into the semis, the reborn stopper owned the best save percentage (.934) and second-best goals-against average (1.97) of the four remaining No. 1 netminders.

Part of Price’s recovery can be traced to the hiring of Sean Burke as the club’s director of goaltending. A pro scout with the Canadiens the last four seasons, Burke took on the new gig after Stephane Waite was moved off the job.

Waite initially survived the purge following Claude Julien’s abrupt dismissal as coach after 32 games. Perhaps a move to Burke earlier, to help counsel Price, would have Julien still behind the bench.

Through their 11 games leading to the semis, the Habs had no one contributing a point per game to the offense. The closest was ex-King right winger Tyler Toffoli (4-6—10), who came aboard as a free agent in the offseason after a successful though brief tour with Vancouver following his trade there in February 2020.

Headed into the series against the Knights, the Habs’ most dynamic line has veteran Eric Staal, a deadline pickup from Buffalo, centering fellow older Corey Perry and Joel Armia (once a Sabres draftee, by the way). Size, experience, and grit.

The Habs probably don’t have enough to prevent the Knights from reaching their second Cup Final in four seasons of existence (take another drink, the bar’s open), but both the Leafs — who had a 3-1 series lead — and Jets have paid the price of underestimating the distant sons of Vincent Damphousse.

Loose pucks

David Krejci was evasive in fielding questions about his future. 1215690 Boston Bruins When Miller played this year’s season opener Jan. 14 against the Devils, it marked 651 days between NHL games. While working all season to protect and prepare his body for the rigors of the playoffs, he still For Kevan Miller, the timing of Bruins’ playoff elimination was a cruel averaged 19:04 on ice in 27 games, the second-highest mark of his twist of fate career. It was no surprise the Bruins elected him their nominee for the Bill Masterton Memorial Trophy, given to the player who best exemplifies the qualities of perseverance, sportsmanship, and dedication to hockey.

By Tara Sullivan Globe Columnist,Updated June 12, 2021, 9:54 a.m. And still, cruel fate intervened. “A tough pill to swallow,” Miller called it.

“It weighs on you,” he acknowledged. “It’s not easy. You want to be out there with the guys helping, help them win. I think I could have helped. For two teammates already bonded by hockey, two close friends further Just get one more game. That’s the way it goes sometimes. That’s drawn together by their faith, this was not the way they wanted to be hockey, that’s life. Just turn the page.” connected at season’s end. Together, off the ice, watching from afar while the rest of the Bruins competed on it, prevented by injury from If only it were that easy. joining a postseason run that everyone in black and gold believed would last far longer than it did. “With Kevan it seemed like it’s the same old story every year,” Rask said. “He can’t get a bounce. It seems like he’s had every single injury there is But if it was tough for Brandon Carlo to watch the Bruins lose their final to have. Everyone knows him, he leaves it all out there every night he three games of the playoffs after he was slammed into the boards by the plays. His style is much appreciated by teammates. He’s a great warrior. Islanders’ Cal Clutterbuck, fate was even crueler to Kevan Miller. As It’s just sometimes you get in these injury cycles and you never seem to Miller revealed Friday during a marathon series of wrap-up Zoom calls get out of it. I feel bad for him. He’s been a great teammate. Great player. from the Bruins’ locker room, he had been cleared to return for a Who knows what the future holds for him, but he set a very high standard potential Game 7 against the Islanders, and “most likely” would have here.” been back to his usual bruising spot on defense. Boston Globe LOADED: 06.13.2021 “I was super close to being back, and most likely would have played Game 7,” Miller said. “That just makes it even worse to be honest with you.”

Carlo will surely get another chance. Miller? Who knows?

This is a man who had already battled back from a devastating knee injury, not once but twice. This is a man who understands better than anyone that the opportunity to play should be treasured. This is a man who wanted nothing more than to get back out there and fight for his guys, to take his 6-foot-2-inch, 210-pound body and go hit for hit with the bruising Islanders, to revel in the chance to do what he loves before his 33-year-old body finally says enough.

“Whether it’s winning or losing, you just want to be a part of it,” Carlo said. “I feel terrible about the way things have gone the past couple years for [Kevan]. It hasn’t been easy. When you’re away from the team it’s a bit of a disconnect. I’m thankful that during that time we’ve only grown closer. That speaks to Kevan and who he is. Especially a righthanded- shot guy, never hesitant to share advice with me, help me along the way. I feel bad obviously, it’s not the way you wanted to see his season end.”

But end it did. The Bruins didn’t make it to Game 7, bounced from their second-round series by Wednesday night’s 6-2 loss in Game 6, left with a hockey equipment-sized bag of what-ifs for a season of such promise.

What if Tuukka Rask hadn’t been playing through a torn labrum in his hip? What if David Pastrnak hadn’t missed that wide-open net? What if Taylor Hall hadn’t gone so cold or Jeremy Lauzon hadn’t looked so young?

What if Miller had been able to play?

“We missed him a lot,” Charlie McAvoy said. It was McAvoy who bore the brunt of his teammates’ injuries, clearly targeted by the Islanders as the last best Bruins defenseman standing.

“A lot,” he added. “He’s a big part of our team, the way he plays, the way he carries himself. Tons of respect for him. It would have been nice to have him.”

To retell Miller’s last few years is to channel one of sports’ great equalizers, that injuries know nothing of character or reputation. They can strike anyone, any time no matter how important the player is to a game plan or how beloved he is in a locker room.

And there is no doubt about how the Bruins feel about Kevan Miller. Since being sidelined by a Round 1, Game 4 hit from Washington defenseman Dmitry Orlov that was bad enough to send him into concussion protocol and off to Massachusetts General Hospital for a night, every Bruin hoped Miller could fight his way back just as he had from the fractured kneecap that has framed his entire Bruins existence since it happened 39 games into his 2018-19 season. He would nearly return in time for that year’s playoff run (think he might have helped in that Game 7 Cup Final loss to the Blues?), only to reinjure it so seriously that he missed the 2019-20 season. 1215691 Boston Bruins

David Krejci On Future With Bruins: ‘I Just Don’t Know Right Now.

By Jimmy Murphy

Give longtime Boston Bruins center David Krejci credit; while his media scrums can be vague at times, they’re always honest.

Speaking in his end of the season media Zoom session recently, a clearly pensive and yet conflicted David Krejci laid it on the line when it comes to his future with the only NHL team he’s known since being drafted by the Boston Bruins 33rd overall at the 2004 NHL Entry Draft in Raleigh, North Carolina.

“I talked to my parents, and they asked me. I can’t even give them a straight answer,” Krejci said Friday afternoon. “I just don’t know right now. I just don’t know.”

For the first time in his NHL career, David Krejci can become an unrestricted free agent. He just finished his 15th NHL season. He is coming off a six-year, $43.5 million extension he signed back in 2014. Krejci is seventh in assists (515) and games played (962) in Bruins franchise history. His 730 career points are the eighth-most in franchise history. As David Krejci pointed out, what he does from here with regards to his hockey career will not be based on money. Krejci, 35, also made it clear that if his NHL career is to continue, it will only do so with the Boston Bruins.

“It’s not about money,” he said. “I guess that’s all I can tell you: My next deal is not going to be based on money. Today, I can tell you, it’s not going to be about money. And at the same time, I just can’t see myself playing for a different team. We’ll see what happens I guess. I don’t even know. I talked to my parents, and they asked me, I can’t even give them a straight answer.”

Earlier in his career, David Krejci had hinted that he may consider finishing his career in his native and while his reasoning for that has changed, Krejci made it clear that is still an option should he and the Bruins decide to part ways.

“You guys write a lot that I wanted to finish my career in Czech, which has not changed,” Krejci admitted. “But when I said that, I was younger. I’m a husband. I’m a dad, I have two kids. They’re getting older. So yes, I still, at one point, would like to finish my career in Czech [but] for different reasons now than when I first said it. I would like my kids to speak my language because my parents don’t speak any English. My kids don’t speak Czech. I would like them to learn the language.

But again, when that’s going to happen, or if that’s going to happen, we’ll see. I’m going to try to get away from the game a little bit now and think about lots of things. Spend some time with my family and just go from there.”

The Bruins already waved goodbye to longtime captain Zdeno Chara last offseason and went with a youth movement on the blue line this past season. With a projected $30 million in salary-cap space this offseason, will they try and get younger up front too? They have enough money to do so externally and internally and will have to decide if Krejci still fits into their plans going forward. Unrestricted free agency starts July 28.

Boston Hockey Now LOADED: 06.13.2021 1215692 Boston Bruins with you. It was difficult, I wasn’t able to see my family. It was one of those things where it was just hockey all the time.

“[It] wasn’t that great of a year. Like I said, I learned a lot and how to deal Boston Bruins DeBrusk: ‘My Haters Had A Lot To Say This Year’ with that. It was just starting to get open and going [in Boston], so it was disappointing that we ended around this time. It’s exciting and still a positive side to see that life’s getting a little bit normal here.” By Joe Haggerty All that being said, DeBrusk was having issues with healthy scratches and being a consistent impact player even before COVID came on the scene a couple of seasons ago. It wouldn’t surprise anybody if DeBrusk BOSTON – There’s little doubt it’s going to be an eventful offseason for is playing for a different team next season based on all circumstances, Boston Bruins winger Jake DeBrusk after a season he even admits was but either way he’s going to need to be a lot better next season if he “disappointing.” wants to stick around the league. The 24-year-old DeBrusk finished with five goals and 14 points in 41 It certainly doesn’t take a “hater” to see that, and it sounds like DeBrusk games as he was dropped from his second line left wing spot and knows it to be true as well. eventually replaced by Taylor Hall, and he was bounced all around the lineup while also being a healthy scratch at times during the regular Boston Hockey Now LOADED: 06.13.2021 season and the playoffs. DeBrusk had a strong start to the playoffs with goals in each of his first two games against the Capitals, but then he managed just a single point the rest of the way while sinking back into play that had little impact in any way on the ice.

It was a sharp contrast to Mat Barzal, the player selected directly after him by the Islanders in the 2015 NHL draft that had a major impact on the playoff series win over the Black and Gold. It’s the same story with DeBrusk, who really doesn’t contribute much as a one-dimensional winger when the scoring runs dry.

Certainly, it was a trying season both on and off the ice for a young player that endured his worst NHL season just a few years removed from scoring 27 goals and had to push through league COVID restrictions that kept him, a single guy in his 20’s with no family to come home to after hockey, on lockdown pretty much all season.

DeBrusk admitted all of the above when chatting with the Bruins media via zoom on Friday and vowed that things will be different next season.

“I need to revamp some stuff. There were a lot of factors that went into this year. Things that I could control and [things that I] couldn’t control. I dealt with a lot of negativity as well. It’s one of those things that it’s something you have to learn, as you sign up. I’m a big boy, I can handle that, just became a little bit of an easy target,” said DeBrusk, who has dipped from 27 goals to 19 goals two seasons ago and then to five goals last season. “My haters had a lot to say this year. It’s one of those things where, like I said, just have to revamp some things with training and different mindset.

“My mindset is an interesting place right now. Every year it’s obviously different, disappointing obviously while hopes were high. I’ve disappointed myself, and my team. I’m looking forward to this [coming] year, I’ve got to prove a lot of people wrong.”

It remains to be seen, though, if it’s going to be with the Bruins. DeBrusk is part of a middle tier group of Bruins players that didn’t do enough in the postseason behind Brad Marchand, David Pastrnak and Patrice Bergeron firing on all cylinders during both playoff rounds. It’s clear the Boston Bruins still need to improve their forward depth beyond their top line and DeBrusk is one of those guys that simply hasn’t been a difference-maker nearly enough.

There’s an upcoming NHL expansion draft for the Seattle Kraken where the Bruins could leave DeBrusk unprotected. He’s really become a man without a position in Boston where the Bruins seem comfortable having Brad Marchand, Taylor Hall and Nick Ritchie as the top three wings on the left. DeBrusk was forced to play right wing most of the time this season as a result, but that isn’t really a natural fit for a player that seems more comfortable on his strong side.

There’s also going to be an incredibly active trade market once things get moving in the offseason, and DeBrusk could be a chip for the Boston Bruins. He’s still a former first round pick with speed, skill and strong NHL bloodlines, so there will be organizations looking at DeBrusk as a prime candidate for a fresh start elsewhere. There’s really no telling how much of a factor the stringent NHL protocols were in the struggles for a young guy like DeBrusk.

“This year was difficult. Obviously learned a lot, how to deal with COVID and all the things that come with it. I feel like everyone in the world can say the same thing. Coming home after road trips and stuff like that, day to day. I mean, isolation is the cute word everyone likes to use,” said DeBrusk. “I think I talked about a little bit earlier in the year, to be honest 1215693 Chicago Blackhawks He remains very talented, with the poise, vision, passing ability and rangy, adept stick usage needed to excel as a two-way defenseman in the modern NHL. He has a perfect 6-4, 213-pound frame. He’s in the Seth Jones isn’t the solution to Blackhawks’ defensive woes, but Dougie prime years of his career, set to turn 27 in early October. Hamilton could be But considering how inflated Jones’ reputation has become in relation to Blue Jackets star Seth Jones is suddenly available via trade, but he’s not his skates-on-the-ice performance, any trade to acquire him — even with actually the game-changing No. 1 defenseman the Hawks need. Pending Kekalainen now in a sticky situation with relatively little leverage — would free agent Dougie Hamilton, however, would fill that hole. be a massive overpay. For the Hawks, it would likely require a package including the 11th overall pick, one of their two second-round picks and an upper-tier prospect like Adam Boqvist or Ian Mitchell.

By Ben Pope Jun 12, 2021, 6:30am CDT Bowman, if he paid that, would describe it as the necessary price to pay for a proven-but-still-young No. 1 defenseman, the kind he’s currently

praying Boqvist or Mitchell can eventually become. There’s a No. 1 defenseman available this summer with the kind of Bowman would be right about the Hawks’ dire need for that defensive game-changing abilities the Blackhawks desperately need. star power. Duncan Keith would be better off as a second-pair guy at this It’s Dougie Hamilton, the Hurricanes star staring down unrestricted free stage of his career; Connor Murphy has become a bonafide first-pair agency. option but can’t carry the Hawks’ whole unit. The Hawks might be best served staying patient with their youth movement, but there’s an It’s not Seth Jones, the Blue Jackets star suddenly becoming one of the argument for filling that gaping hole right now. NHL offseason’s biggest trade chips. Bowman would be wrong in that hypothetical scenario, though, about But the Hawks have already been tied to Jones, who reportedly recently who he chose to pursue to fill it. informed Jackets GM Jarmo Kekalainen he won’t re-sign when his contract expires next summer. The Athletic’s Aaron Portzline named the Hamilton, if somehow convinced to sign with the Hawks, would not only Hawks as well as the Kings and Canadiens as “major players” in early live up to that billing as a proven-but-still-young No. 1 defenseman but Jones trade talks in Columbus. The Oilers and Maple Leafs are also also possibly fix the whole unit. expected to poke around. A fairly successful but polarizing figure earlier in his career in Boston and On the surface, Jones makes perfect sense for Hawks general manager , Hamilton has ascended into the highest echelon of elite . Jones’ agent is Pat Brisson, who also represents Patrick defensemen during his past three seasons in Carolina. Kane, Jonathan Toews, Andrew Shaw and Nicolas Beaudin and is close At even strength during that time period, he ranks first among 224 NHL with Hawks brass. Jones’ reputation, fairly earned earlier in his career, is defensemen in shot-attempt ratio (57.4%), third in scoring-chance ratio that of an elite defenseman and franchise cornerstone. (57.8%) and third in expected-goals ratio (57.3%). The Hurricanes have The Jackets are about to start a rebuild and will be looking to acquire the outscored opponents 178-129 during his ice time. And he has contributed picks and prospects of which the Hawks are building a surplus. And significantly to that -scoring, too, averaging 2.19 points per 60 trades provide the certainty that free agency negotiations lack, and minutes last season and 2.02 this season. Bowman would surely only complete such a trade if Jones agreed to sign Hamilton’s recent playoff performances (including this year) haven’t been a long-term extension in Chicago. quite as consistent or spectacular, but that shouldn’t undermine his stock The logic begins to crumble, however, when digging into how elite Jones too much. The Hurricanes understandably hope to keep him but will has actually been lately — and how he, as the top defenseman in the struggle to do so, with limited cap space and a multitude of other free trade market, contrasts with Hamilton, the top defenseman in the free- agents — including high-profile RFAs Andrei Svechnikov and Alex agent market. Nedeljkovic — to also re-sign.

Jones’ performance has indeed declined steadily for years, both So Hamilton will, more likely than not, become fair game when the offensively and defensively. market opens July 28.

His points-per-60-minutes rate peaked at 1.78 in 2017-18 but fell to 1.43 He’ll instantly receive the affections of many of the NHL’s now-32 in 2018-19, 1.27 in 2019-20 and 1.19 this past season — his lowest rate franchises, especially since this year’s UFA defensemen pool is shallow since he was traded from the Predators to Jackets in January 2016. beyond Hamilton, Tyson Barrie and Alec Martinez. The Hawks will be one of many suitors, and the odds will be low for them to win the His even-strength scoring chance ratio, meanwhile, peaked at 52.4% in sweepstakes. 2016-17 but has now fallen in four consecutive years. It dipped into the red in 2019-20 (at 48.7%) before plummeting to 46.8% this season, If they somehow could, though, Hamilton would be everything they need ranking 152nd among 211 defensemen league-wide. His expected-goals — and wouldn’t set back the youth movement by taking away picks and ratio was even uglier — 42.8%, ranking 201st of the 211 — and the prospects. The same can’t be said about Jones. Jackets were accordingly outscored 61-45 during his even-strength ice Chicago Sun Times LOADED: 06.13.2021 time.

To be fair, the Jackets’ overall team performance also fell off a cliff this season, but Jones was part of the problem rather than a victim of it.

That can be seen through Jones’ stats alongside Zach Werenski, the Jackets’ other elite defenseman. In 2017-18 and 2018-19, Jones and Werenski made each other better. Their even-strength scoring-chance ratio during 2,200 minutes together was 52.8%; their individual ratios without the other were both below 50%.

But the past two seasons, their results together worsened (48.4% scoring-chance ratio) and Jones struggled even more without Werenski (46.8%) — yet Werenski thrived without Jones (52.4%).

Hearing a lot of "Jones' numbers were only bad this year because the Blue Jackets were bad." It's an understandable assumption but it doesn't really hold up. #CBJ pic.twitter.com/nv0uwgoGI2

— JFresh (@JFreshHockey) May 30, 2021

Changes of scenery and system will almost certainly improve Jones’ numbers and effectiveness. 1215694 Colorado Avalanche

Jared Bednar isn’t to blame. Avalanche players blew it with turnovers

Bednar is 24-19 in the playoffs with the Avs, including 22-15 over the last three years. The window to win is still open.

By MIKE CHAMBERS

A hockey coach can only do so much. He can’t prevent his players from making costly turnovers on basic plays.

Avalanche coach Jared Bednar is not to blame for the club’s 0-4 exit and third consecutive failure to advance past the second round of the Stanley Cup Playoffs. He’s not to blame for the Vegas Golden Knights becoming just the fourth team in NHL history to defeat the No. 1 overall seed in a series after losing the first two games.

Blame it on the guys who made the turnovers that directly led to Vegas goals in Games 5 and 6. Make no mistake, Vegas crept inside the Avs’ heads late in Game 2 — a game the Knights deserved to win — and stayed there through much of Game 4.

But Bednar and his staff helped the players regain their poise, and the Avs played well enough to win Games 5 and 6 if it weren’t for a combination of sloppy turnovers and Vegas’ lethal transition game.

The Knights deserve credit for storming back from an 0-2 series deficit and dominating Games 3 and 4 at highly electric T-Mobile Arena.

The Avs blew the series, not even forcing a Game 7, and fans might want Bednar gone. My guess is general manager is not going to do it. He has too much invested in this club, including Bednar and his staff, and he is not going to blow it up as a knee-jerk reaction to losing four consecutive games for the first time all season.

Sakic is far more likely to move on from unrestricted free agents Gabe Landeskog and Philipp Grubauer than fire Bednar. Sakic has publicly said the Avs must tighten their belt for the 2021-22 season to afford one- of-a-kind star defenseman Cale Makar as well as fellow restricted free agents Tyson Jost, a forward, and defenseman Conor Timmins, plus prepare to extend Nathan MacKinnon after his team-friendly $6.3 million cap hit ends after 2022-23.

At the time he said that, Sakic mentioned making room for Landeskog and Grubauer, too. Perhaps that’s still the plan.

But Sakic is not going to waste non-cap money by doubling up on head- coaching salaries. Bednar is under contract through next season and ownership probably sees this situation just like me, that Bednar deserves to see it through.

Bednar is 184-149-39 in five seasons with the Avs, including 166-93-35 after that horrific first season of 2016-17 in which he inherited the discombobulated old-and-slow roster Sakic and Patrick Roy put together with no previous front-office experience. Since then, Sakic and assistant general managers Chris MacFarland and Craig Billington have done an exceptional job in the draft, free agency and trades, and Bednar has done an excellent job of coaching what he has been given.

Bednar is 24-19 in the playoffs with the Avs, including 22-15 over the last three years. The window to win is still open.

Sakic and his staff are partners with Bednar and, while almost every NHL head coach is eventually fired or not re-signed, that time has not arrived for Bednar.

Look at coach Jon Cooper of the Tampa Bay Lightning. A year after winning the 2019 Presidents’ Trophy and getting swept by the No. 8 seed , the Bolts stayed with Cooper and they won the Stanley Cup in 2020.

As Wayne Gretzky once said, you have to lose before you can win. I thought the Avs’ two previous second-round series losses (both in Game 7) were enough to help push Colorado over the top this year.

I was wrong. But it wasn’t all Bednar’s fault and he should be given a chance to coach another year.

Denver Post: LOADED: 06.13.2021 1215695 Colorado Avalanche playoff game. With the Nuggets in an impossible 3-0 hole in this best-of- seven series, however, Joker sat down late Friday night to answer questions from the media, looking as sad as a kid who had dropped his Seven playoff losses. Eight days of heartbreak. Why does loving the Avs ice cream cone on the sidewalk. and Nuggets have to hurt so much? At the very end of the interview, Jokic offered a confession. He Every sports fan in Colorado feels pain of Nathan MacKinnon and Nikola volunteered words exchanged privately in Denver’s locker room after the Jokic as championship dreams die too quickly for even a proper defeat. “I said to the guys, ‘It was my bad, I really needed to be better,’” goodbye. Jokic admitted.

C’mon now. How could Jokic have possibly been significantly better than 32/20/10? But the MVP was disconsolate, because his best wasn’t good By MARK KISZLA | June 12, 2021 at 5:00 p.m. enough.

Let go of the pain, Joker.

Hey, we all know love hurts. But why do the Avalanche and Nuggets After seven playoff losses in eight excruciating days, maybe it’s time to have to do us like this? throw a party dedicated to burying shared tears.

Seven playoff losses. Eight days of heartbreak. The championship “The last thing I want to see is the Phoenix Suns pushing a broom across dreams for our local NHL and NBA teams? Dead. And gone. Gone too our court after Game 4,” said Nuggets coach Michael Malone, vowing to quickly to even say a proper goodbye. battle with every ounce of his fiber against a sweep when his team takes the floor Sunday. Don’t know about you, but I can’t get the anguished words from Avalanche center Nathan MacKinnon out of my head. “I’m going into my Suns take 3-0 lead, push Nuggets to the brink despite Nikola Jokic’s ninth year and I haven’t won (bleep),” MacKinnon said Thursday night, triple-double baring the ache deep in his soul after Colorado was unceremoniously dumped by Vegas from the playoffs. With feeling, Malone added: “The one thing I don’t want is for us to go out just quietly into that good night. I hope we show some real fight and Let the pain out, brother. resolve and force that series to go back to Phoenix for Game 5.”

Seven losses. Eight excruciating days. Every Avs and Nuggets jersey in So here’s a toast to raising the roof one more time in Ball Arena before the city now doubles as a crying towel. they turn out the lights for the summer.

There isn’t enough Gorilla Glue in all of Colorado to mend the collateral OK, maybe one victory celebration cannot prevent a long summer of emotional damage from the worst run of bum sports luck anyone around difficult reflection for Joe Sakic and Tim Connelly, as they try to find here has ever seen. I know I haven’t ever witnessed such unrelenting missing pieces of championship puzzles for the Avalanche and Nuggets. agony. And I’m old enough to remember Joe Montana 55, Broncos 10, way back in January 1990. But it’s you — the Denver sports fan who has endured the gut punch of eight excruciating days and still steadfastly refuses to love the Avs and That Super Bowl blowout was a terrible, horrible, no good, very bad day. Nuggets any less — who deserves one more chance to share a smile But it was only one awful Sunday. The seven consecutive playoff losses with a big, goofy Joker who has won this city’s heart. by the Avalanche and Nuggets during eight excruciating days and hope- sapping nights this June have made time stand still in a place no Denver Denver Post: LOADED: 06.13.2021 sports fan wants to be. Ever. And certainly not ever again.

How unfair is it that just when Ball Arena swung its doors wide open after 15 months of dealing with the blasted pandemic, the joint was transformed into a house of pain for the Avs, Nuggets and fans whose only sin is loving hockey and basketball too much?

“My family didn’t understand why I was yelling in the restaurant, when we were watching the Avs game on Thursday,” said Jenny Kapelke, a dedicated fan of Denver sports, whose loyalty to MacKinnon and Nuggets center Nikola Jokic remains fierce, even after relocating to Snohomish, Wash. “I was talking with a friend from Colorado and we said we were hungover the whole week with a hurt heart.”

We feel your pain, sister.

As the Avalanche blew a 2-0 lead in the third period of Game 5 at home, making a Vegas victory seem like a cruel inevitability, the pain of spectators in the arena was so real and palpable to be nearly unspeakable. When Mark Stone of the Golden Knights beat Colorado goalie Philipp Grubauer with the game-winning score a scant 50 seconds into overtime, the crowd in Ball Arena no longer had the emotional bandwidth to do anything except turn together and walk away in respectful silence, as mourners do when exiting single file from the pews at a funeral service.

We waded through the muck of 2020 for this sports misery?

“It could be worse,” eternally optimistic fan Travis Taylor noted, allowing a trace of snark to invade his naturally sunny demeanor. “The Rockies aren’t in last place … yet.”

From Denver to Vegas to Phoenix and back to Colorado, my employer generously allowed me the opportunity to follow the misadventures of the Avs and Nuggets, chronicling every calliope note of an unexpectedly sad traveling circus.

The capper for me? After scoring 32 points, grabbing 20 rebounds and dishing 10 assists on a sprained ankle during a 116-102 loss to Phoenix late Friday, Jokic joined Kareem Abdul-Jabbar and Wilt Chamberlain as only the third player in NBA history to record a 30/20/10 stat line in a 1215696 Colorado Avalanche Grading the Week: Where does Avalanche GM Joe Sakic get all these wonderful toys?

Almost none of the Nuggets’ struggles against the Suns can be laid at Grading the Week: All hail Ethan Horvath, restorer of sanity to Empower the feet of Joker, who averaged a double-double (23.0 ppg, 11.0 rpg, 4.5 Field and USMNT soccer apg) in the first two games of the series, and added a triple-double in Plus, a quibble with Jared Bednar Game 3. The team’s myriad backcourt injuries are what’s coming home to roost — not to mention sudden back issues for No. 2 option MPJ.

It’s a bitter pill to swallow for those of us who saw what this team was By MATT SCHUBERT | PUBLISHED: June 12, 2021 at 6:00 a.m. | capable of in the weeks preceding Jamal Murray’s season-ending knee UPDATED: June 12, 2021 at 9:27 a.m. injury.

The West is wide open, and the Nuggets very well could’ve been the team to make it to the Finals. Talk about a week to forget. Denver Post: LOADED: 06.13.2021 Remember seven days ago? When the Avalanche was on a collision course with the Stanley Cup Final; the Nuggets were fresh off a thrilling first-round playoff series victory that included star turns from Michael Porter Jr., Austin Rivers and Monte Morris; and the Rockies … were playing games at Coors Field?

Oh, what a time to be alive.

Alas, those Colorado sports salad days have come and gone, and it isn’t too hard to look in the distance and see a future in which all we have left are the Rockies — who will still have to play (and lose) many more games away from Coors Field this season.

Ethan Horvath — A+

Even in a week that featured six playoff losses for Colorado teams (and more Rockies road weariness), nothing came close to approaching the international incident that transpired Sunday at Empower Field in the final 30 minutes of the CONCACAF Nations League Final.

The men’s soccer match between the United States and Mexico had a little bit of everything.

Offensive chants that halted play. Controversial video replays. Bottles hurled onto the field and at players’ skulls. A fan running onto the pitch in all his unathletic glory.

Yes, it was a raging dumpster fire.

And the only reason it was mercifully extinguished was the brilliance of Arapahoe High School alum Ethan Horvath, whose miraculous kick save in extra time preserved a 3-2 USMNT victory and allowed the crowd to disperse and sanity to be restored.

For that, we all owe Mr. Horvath a debt of gratitude.

Jared Bednar — C-

The Grading the Week staff won’t pretend to be hockey tacticians on par with the Presidents’ Trophy-winning head coach of the Avalanche.

We will, however, quibble with Bednar’s seeming inability to turn around a series vs. Vegas that went south after the first period of Game 2.

Is it possible the Golden Knights were just better and Bednar’s hands were tied? No doubt.

But, for the first time in the past three seasons, we’re at least considering the possibility that he could’ve done more to get this team past the second round.

Of course, there is a world that exists in which COVID never happened, the NHL schedule is played as normal and the Avs don’t have to see the Golden Knights until the Western Conference finals.

In that world, Colorado may very well have won consecutive Stanley Cup Playoffs series for the first time in 19 years. And we’re all probably looking at this series loss quite a bit differently than a third straight second-round exit.

Nikola Jokic — A

Take a bow, Big Honey.

It isn’t every year a Colorado athlete gets named Most Valuable Player of one of the four major sports leagues — barely even every decade.

There might be some who grouse at the MVP starring for a team that just started 0-3 against Phoenix in the Western Conference semifinals. Pay them no mind. 1215697 Colorado Avalanche Adam Werner (RFA)

Mikko Rantanen

Colorado Avalanche protected list: Who’s staying and who could be Bowen Byram picked in the Seattle Kraken expansion draft?

Justus Annunen By Peter Baugh Jun 12, 2021 Joonas Donskoi

Dan Renouf (UFA) An Avalanche season that was supposed to end differently petered out Thursday night in familiar fashion: a second-round loss. And season- Nathan MacKinnon ending losses like this one hurt not only due to the lack of Patrik Nemeth (UFA) accomplishment but also because the team will not look the same again. Players will leave in free agency. The front office will make trades. And J.T. Compher this year, for the first time since 2017, there will be an expansion draft. At Kyle Burroughs (UFA) least one player who played for the Avalanche in 2020-21 will suit up for the Seattle Kraken in 2021-22. Brandon Saad (UFA)

Colorado built its team to be entertaining. The Avalanche have speedy, Erik Johnson (NMC) skilled players who, at their best, move the puck well and cut through defenses. But the team is facing tough decisions. Star defenseman Cale Logan O'Connor Makar will hit restricted free agency and get a major pay bump from his Dennis Gilbert (RFA) sub-$1 million cap hit. The team will also need to re-sign or move on from captain Gabriel Landeskog and starting goalie Philipp Grubauer, both Matt Calvert (UFA) unrestricted free agents. Keaton Middleton So, with limited cap space, one player going to Seattle and pending free agent Brandon Saad likely to attract sizable outside offers, Colorado is Kiefer Sherwood (RFA) set to lose high-level veterans rather than add them. Liam O'Brien (UFA) The Avalanche must submit their protection list for the July 21 expansion Carl Soderberg (UFA) draft by July 17. They can either protect seven forwards, three defensemen and one , or eight skaters and one goaltender. Jayson Megna (UFA)

Whom will they choose to protect? This list has the Avalanche going the Alex Newhook 7-3-1 route. It also assumes the Avalanche either re-sign Landeskog and Grubauer or protect them so Seattle doesn’t have an exclusive Martin Kaut bargaining window — and that defenseman Erik Johnson agrees to Sheldon Dries (UFA) waive his no-movement clause, which makes sense considering he’s not a logical option for Seattle. He’s 33, played only four games this season Sampo Ranta and has an injury history and a sizable cap hit ($6 million). If Johnson chooses not to waive the no-movement clause, the Avalanche will have Available to protect him, which could lead to them protecting eight total skaters so T.J. Tynan (UFA) as not to leave a defenseman like Makar, Devon Toews or Samuel Girard exposed. Protected

If those assumptions are correct, this is how it could shake out: Miikka Salomaki (UFA)

Colorado Avalanche protected list Exempt

FORWARDS DEFENSEMEN GOALIES (Note: Roster sorted by games played in 2020-21 and exemptions via CapFriendly.) Here’s a look at how those decisions were reached: Ryan Graves Forwards Philipp Grubauer (UFA) Nathan MacKinnon: Sorry, Seattle, but MacKinnon isn’t going anywhere Valeri Nichushkin near an unprotected list. He’s one of the best players in the world and the Devon Toews face of the team.

Jonas Johansson (UFA) Mikko Rantanen: Much like MacKinnon, Rantanen is a franchise cornerstone, and the Avalanche have him signed through 2024-2025. Tyson Jost (RFA) Landeskog: Landeskog’s situation is interesting. If the Avalanche sign Samuel Girard him before the expansion draft, he’ll easily be on the protected list. He’s the team captain and averaged nearly a point per game this past season. Devan Dubnyk (UFA) But the team hasn’t had contract talks with him this season, and with the Gabriel Landeskog (UFA) Avalanche’s tight cap situation, they will have to make roster tweaks to afford him, fellow pending UFA Grubauer and RFA Makar. Cale Makar (RFA) Nazem Kadri: The Avalanche missed Kadri’s toughness and scoring Hunter Miska ability against Vegas. He had to serve an eight-game suspension in the playoffs for a Round 1 hit on Justin Faulk. The discipline marked the third Andre Burakovsky costly suspension for Kadri in the past four playoffs, and it puts the Jacob MacDonald Avalanche in an interesting situation when it comes to his expansion draft status. They will have to decide if his postseason suspension history Pavel Francouz impacts how much they can rely on him in big moments. Getting $4.5 million off the books would help save money for the Avalanche’s pending Pierre-Edouard Bellemare (UFA) free agents, but the team’s final four losses against Vegas also show Conor Timmins (RFA) how much it needs physical, hardworking players like Kadri. Losing him for nothing would hurt. Protecting him makes sense.

Andre Burakovsky: Though he’s somewhat hot and cold, Burakovsky goes through stretches in which he looks like a top-line player, and he scored 19 goals in 53 games this regular season. Colorado needs his secondary scoring.

Valeri Nichushkin: Nichushkin is a top-notch forechecker who has rejuvenated his career in Colorado. He makes $2.5 million for another year: a good deal for such a useful player.

Tyson Jost: Jost might have played his way onto the protected list after a strong end to his 2020-21 regular season. He had only 17 points but was important on Colorado’s penalty kill and built good chemistry with Nichushkin. He’s a restricted free agent but should still be relatively cheap for Colorado to keep, considering he had only an $874,125 salary this past season and didn’t put up gaudy numbers.

Defensemen

Makar: When a team has a generational defenseman in his early 20s, it doesn’t leave him unprotected.

Toews: Colorado general manager Joe Sakic made a great move acquiring Toews from the Islanders this past offseason. Analytically, he was one of the best defensemen in the league. Colorado could have a defensive corps of Makar, Toews and Girard for years to come. Sakic won’t mess that up by leaving one exposed, even if it means protecting eight skaters instead of the 7-3-1 route.

Girard: Girard emerged as a first-pairing level defenseman this season and, though he struggled against Vegas, is still only 23. He’s also signed to a manageable $5 million average annual value through 2026-2027 and likely won’t be leaving Colorado anytime soon. Neither will Toews, for that matter. He’s signed through 2023-2024.

Goaltender

Grubauer: Grubauer, an unrestricted free agent, will be on the Avalanche’s protected list if he signs before the expansion draft. He’s coming off a career year in which he posted a 30-9-1 record and a .922 save percentage. His efforts led to league general managers voting him a Vezina Trophy finalist.

So who does that leave exposed? Some notable names:

Forwards

Saad: If the Avalanche can somehow find the cap space to re-sign Saad, he’d go on the protected list. But unless he takes a team-friendly deal or the Avalanche trade other players to make room for his salary, it’s going to be tough to keep him.

Joonas Donskoi: Donskoi had a strong year with Colorado, scoring a career-high 17 goals despite the shortened season. But with the Avalanche needing cap space, losing a player with a $3.9 million salary would serve a purpose, even if the team would miss him.

J.T. Compher: Compher’s situation is similar to Donskoi’s. He’s a contributing player with a cap hit ($3.5 million) that could clear up space.

Defensemen

Johnson: Johnson, the longest-tenured player on the Avalanche, has a no-movement clause. But, as previously discussed, he played only four games this regular season and is an aging defenseman with a history of injury, so he makes next to no sense for the Kraken to draft. There’s reason to believe he will waive his no-movement clause.

Ryan Graves: Graves could be a good option for the Kraken. He’s a big- bodied, capable defenseman who led the league in plus-minus in 2019- 2020. On most teams, he’d be protected, but unless the Avalanche elect to protect eight total skaters rather than seven forwards and three defensemen, he’ll be exposed. That’s the cost of the Avalanche having three stud defensemen in Toews, Makar and Girard.

The Athletic LOADED: 06.13.2021 1215698 Colorado Avalanche

Leftover thoughts from an Avalanche season gone too soon…

By Adrian Dater

Like most of you who frequent this site, I’m still trying to process just what in the heck happened in the past few days with the Colorado Avalanche.

Some stream-of-consciousness thoughts:

My hunch is that Jared Bednar will be back, but in no way am I overconfident on that. But I don’t see Joe Sakic just arbitrarily sacking him. I do think that he’ll take some time to think some things over, but Bednar led a team to a President’s Trophy that had 311 man-games lost to injury. It was still a very good season.

The expansion draft for the Kraken is July 21. Teams have to have their protected/exposed lists in by July 17.

The biggest decision Sakic and Co. have to make is “do we protect four defensemen or just three?”

Conventional wisdom has always held it’s smarter to just protect seven forwards, 3 D and one goalie. But if you have four real good D men, as the Avs do, you can protect four of them and four forwards, along with a goalie.

I think the Avs will do a 7-3-1 list, but that probably means losing Ryan Graves to the Kraken. Yeah, there are youngsters coming who can fill his spot, including Bo Byram, Justin Barron and Drew Helleson.

I think Erik Johnson had a chance to come back in the next series, which makes the loss even tougher to swallow. It would have been nice to see EJ out there.

Everyone assumes EJ will waive his no-move clause, thereby allowing the Avs to expose him to Seattle. But until that happens…

Remember, EJ has earned the right to say no to the Avs on this topic.

But I don’t think he’d want to put the Avs in a bind like that. And besides, I would think the odds the Kraken would take EJ would be fairly low.

With Nazem Kadri still having one year left on his deal, I think the Avs will protect him, keep him and, depending how his and the team’s season goes, think about maybe moving him at the trade deadline. If he’s playing great? Great, he stays.

Again, I’m sorry for letting an F word slip in my question to MacKinnon the other night. I was trying to ask something along the lines of “Hey Nate, if this team is guilty of thinking too much out there, do you ever think the mindset should just be screw it, we’re not gonna get up in our heads so much?” Instead, I mangled the question entirely, used a worse word and got rightly mocked for it. I guess, in my stupid head, I was thinking it was just a couple people in the conversation, and not subject to being streamed everywhere. My apologies, won’t happen again.

Colorado hockey now LOADED: 06.13.2021 1215699 Colorado Avalanche dedicated to this team,” he said after the Game-6 loss. Others, however, are not so sure he’s the man for the job.

The easy way out is to blame the coach and the staff, and, hey, maybe Scott Takes: There’s always next year…again. that is the problem. But blame almost never rests squarely on the shoulders of one member of the team, whether it’s the coach or the captain or the general manager. That’s not what the definition of a team By Scott MacDonald is.

This is an organizational issue. We can point fingers at the coach and his inability to make the proper adjustments. We can question Joe Sakic on “Sure, there’s always next year. It’s all we talk about, I feel like.” his trade-deadline minimalistic moves, both of which severely A defeated—and deflated—Nathan MacKinnon took to the podium underperformed in the postseason. We can blame the team’s stars and following the Avs Game 6, series-losing loss to the Vegas Golden leadership, like Nathan MacKinnon, who couldn’t seem to breakthrough Knights, slumping behind the microphone. against Vegas.

“I’m going into my ninth year and I haven’t won shit,” he said, clearly You can’t fire the whole team. So, do you can fire the coach, who has exasperated and exhausted—more so emotionally than physically. one year remaining on his contract? You can shake things up in any number of ways. In what ways is that? I don’t know, and I’m glad I’m not It’s been nine years for MacKinnon. It’s been 20 years for the city. the one calling those shots.

But this year was supposed to be different, though. Colorado had been I can tell you, from my perspective, there’s an issue with toughness, both the Stanley Cup favorites for the better part of the last six months. This mental and physical. The Avs aren’t built like a playoff team, and they was supposed to be the best roster the Avalanche has had since ‘01. don’t have the confidence to be a playoff team that makes it the distance. This was supposed to be the year. They proved it in the regular season. When the going gets tough, they can’t rise to the occasion. Vegas, on the They faltered when it mattered most. other hand, got molly-wopped in Game 1 and got a game stolen from them in Game 2 to go down in an 0-2 hole, and ufabet had the series “I thought we fought real hard and battled and played our asses off,” Avs over. But they made the mental adjustments necessary to rise to the captain Gabe Landeskog said, as the sounds of the Vegas Golden occasion, though. Knights locker room celebration echoed through the halls of T-Mobile Arena and through the speakers of the post-game Zoom conference. The Avs don’t quite have that. At least not yet.

“I’m real proud of that group in there. I’m proud of the season we had. Maybe coach Bednar has taken this team as far as he can. The Avs stoic You’re never gonna be satisfied until you win that final game of the bench boss forged an identity and a culture that has irrefutably worked season. It sucks.” on his players…to a certain degree. But maybe that culture and way of thinking just isn’t ideal for playoff hockey. Maybe a new head coach, Indeed it does, and for the third straight year, there won’t be a party at someone like Gerard Gallant or a John Tortorella or a Bruce Boudreau, Civic Center Park. Instead, the Avs find themselves hitting the links and could instill some toughness and grittiness on the soft-around-the-edges checking into their summer homes earlier than they’d like. Sans Stanley Avalanche team. I don’t know. Cup. I would be willing to give Jared Bednar the final season of his contract, We can try and look at all of the positives all we want. Sure, there’s been banking on him coaching the hell out of his team while he’s in a contract steady progress since that atrocious 2016-17 season. The following year, year. But I’m also willing to hear out arguments that he’s taken this team the Avs shocked the world and snuck into the postseason. That was a as far as he can. It’s a fair point. Will Joe Sakic be having a serious big moral victory. It was a turning of the tide. conversation with coach Bednar in the coming days? Absolutely. In ‘18-’19, they fought to the second round, improving over their past The whole team will be having some serious conversations. Start with the season. man in the mirror. Last year, in the Edmonton bubble, they fought back from a 3-1 deficit Go back to the drawing board. against Dallas and were minutes away from punching their ticket to the Western Conference Final, despite playing two-thirds of a healthy roster It’s all you can do now. and relying on a third-string goalie. We can cut ‘em some slack on that, though it was disappointing nonetheless. And, remember, there’s always next year.

This year, well, there really are no excuses. Colorado hockey now LOADED: 06.13.2021

The fact is, the Avalanche failed. They still haven’t made it out of the second round since 2002.

What more can the Avs do?

That’s a question that’s pretty hard to answer, whether you’re MacKinnon or Landeskog, or fifth-year head coach Jared Bednar, or general manager Joe Sakic.

Still, it’s a question that needs to be answered, and it needs to be answered quickly.

The window’s been wide open for the past three seasons. It still could be open for another year or two. Maybe more. But with so many large contracts expected to get doled out between captain Gabe Landeskog, your Calder Trophy-winner and Norris finalist Cale Makar, and your Vezina Finalist Philipp Grubauer, Sakic will likely be hamstrung by cap space moving forward.

The Avs will have to get younger and play their entry-level, cheap- contract guys next season, while parting ways with some veteran leadership, like Pierre-Edouard Bellemare, Matt Calvert, and potentially Erik Johnson and Brandon Saad. Indeed, the Avs will be young next season. And with youth comes inexperience, and inexperience is what has been the insurmountable hump in the postseason for Colorado.

Do you point at leadership as the issue? Can Jared Bednar lead this Avalanche team to Cup glory? “I’m confident I can guide this team. I’m 1215700 the roster? Or maybe the Stars sign free agents such as Mike Hoffman or Blake Coleman?

For three years, Benn’s production has hovered around a 52-point mark, The experiment with Jamie Benn at center paid off. What does that mean an output not commensurate with a top-line winger. But a tertiary option for the Stars next season? as a center? That may do.

“We liked it, and he liked it,” Bowness said. “He enjoyed playing center. By Matthew DeFranks1:39 PM on Jun 12, 2021 CDT As I’ve said many times, it’s the best I’ve seen him skate in the three years I’ve been here.”

Dallas Morning News LOADED: 06.13.2021 In order to receive vintage production from Jamie Benn, the Stars will try a vintage tactic: keeping the left wing at center.

Dallas and coach experimented with the position change late in the 2020-21 season, playing the captain in the middle for the year’s final 19 games. The production ticked up for Benn, who had 10 5- on-5 points as a winger (1.34 points per 60 minutes) and nine as a center (2.11 per 60).

The plan going into next season is to keep Benn as a center.

“We love big, strong, physical centermen, and he certainly fits that build,” Bowness said during exit interviews last month. “I talked to him almost every day about it, and he enjoyed playing center. We certainly liked the look we got from him playing center. Absolutely, we’ll be looking at that for next year.”

The experiment sat well with Benn, too, who filled a void down the middle as the Stars missed Tyler Seguin (for all but three games) and Roope Hintz (who had surgery to repair a groin injury). He anchored the second line with Denis Gurianov on his right wing and Jason Dickinson and Tanner Kero rotating on his left wing.

“You feel like you can control the game a little better, have the puck a lot coming through the middle of the ice,” Benn said. “You’re able to make plays, and that’s really what I liked about it the most.”

Former Stars GM moved Benn to center from 2011-13 as a way to shore up depth in the middle of the ice. A decade ago, Benn struggled with faceoffs (46.2% in those two seasons) and returned to left wing once arrived in 2013.

He was named the league’s first-team left wing in two of the next three seasons and won the Trophy in the year he was the NHL’s second-team left wing. So he remained at left wing as Nill acquired Seguin and Jason Spezza to play center.

“They tried to play me at center, wasn’t really a big fan,” Benn said. “I think it’s different to play center in this league at a young age. I played wing my whole life, the transition was a little hard for me, probably. After a few years, obviously know the game a little more so I was more comfortable this time.”

Benn was one of the league’s best in faceoffs this season, and his 56.1% mark was 12th among players with at least 450 faceoffs taken. He was one of the league’s best defensive forwards at 5 on 5, as opponents scored 1.02 goals per 60 minutes while Benn was on the ice, fifth-fewest in the league.

The next question is how does Benn’s placement at center affect the rest of the Stars’ lineup?

The Stars like playing Benn and Seguin together, which would mean one of them is playing wing. But if Dallas split them up, it could potentially put together three scoring lines centered by Hintz, Seguin and Benn, filled in by some assortment of wingers such as Jason Robertson, Joe Pavelski, Alexander Radulov, Denis Gurianov and either prospects or acquisitions.

“I told him he looked better at center, but I know, as he always said ‘It’s a lot more work at center,’ so I don’t know if he’s going to want to do that for an 82-game season,” Seguin said with a laugh. “But I might push for him to stay at center for a bit and let me take two nights off on the wing and just cruise around some shifts.”

A third scoring line is something the Stars have lacked in recent seasons, missing due to roster management or untimely injuries. But Dallas will have a chance next year with Radulov and Pavelski in the final years of their contracts, plus the emergences of Hintz and Robertson.

The Stars may need an injection of skill on the edges, but Benn’s move to center would give them some versatility, just as Pavelski’s ability to move between center and right wing seamlessly does. Perhaps prospects Riley Damiani or Adam Mascherin can make the jump to fill out 1215701 Detroit Red Wings

Red Wings’ Troy Stecher wins gold with Canada at Worlds; U.S. takes bronze

By Ansar Khan

Detroit Red Wings defenseman Troy Stecher will return home from the World Championship with a gold medal after Canada defeated 3- 2 in overtime Sunday in the championship game in Riga, Latvia.

Nick Paul (Ottawa) scored at 6:26 of OT. Adam Henrique (Anaheim) scored the tying goal with 7:23 remaining in regulation.

Stecher registered four shots in a game-high 27:46 of ice time.

Former Red Wing Gerard Gallant was Canada’s head coach.

Meanwhile, the United States defeated Germany 6-1 in the bronze medal game.

Conor Garland (Arizona) picked up a goal and two assists while Tage Thompson (Buffalo) collected three assists for the U.S. Cal Petersen (Los Angeles) made 33 saves.

Former Red Wing Justin Abdelkader served as team captain before suffering a leg injury that kept him out of the final four games.

Moritz Seider, Detroit’s top 2019 pick, had no points, three shots and a minus-2 rating in 19:32, leading German defensemen in ice time.

Michigan Live LOADED: 06.13.2021 1215702 Detroit Red Wings And when he did, he found an atmosphere that hooked him. “I think it is very similar to European soccer as well,” he said. “Where

there’s just a constant chorus of singing and chanting. Every arena has Two online passion projects help fans track the Red Wings’ top prospects like a cheering section for the most hardcore fans that kind of lead the in Sweden entire arena in song and dance and all this jubilation.”

He estimates that by the end of his study abroad, he had taken “almost everyone on the program” to a game. By Max Bultman Jun 12, 2021 When he returned home, he brought that fandom with him, getting up early on Saturdays to watch games back in Sweden, or putting them on when he was at the school library. Once he had followed long enough to Last September, shortly before the start of the 2020-21 Swedish Hockey have a lay of the land, he started a separate Twitter account League season, Zach Ellenthal went live with a new project — an (@zellenthal_swe) just to start sharing his Swedish hockey thoughts advanced hockey stats website called Svengelska Hockey, dedicated to without annoying his main account’s followers. Sweden’s top professional league. Growing up in Connecticut, he still roots for his childhood team, the The site was the result of the 26-year-old Ellenthal’s love affair with the Rangers. But over time, he’s found his affinity for Swedish hockey having SHL, stemming from a study abroad semester in Stockholm in fall 2014. more pull than his NHL fandom. He had grown up a lifelong hockey fan with a taste for analytics, so as he began learning to code about two years ago, he sought to replicate some “There’s something more pure about Swedish hockey to me,” said of the NHL-based work and visualizations he had followed. Ellenthal, who can read and watch broadcasts in Swedish. “It’s more about rooting for your team to win, and there’s not considerations about Ellenthal wanted Svengelska Hockey to be a resource for a primarily tanking for draft position, or evaluating players through the lens of their Swedish and SHL audience — and it was. But as he tracked the user contract. People don’t complain endlessly on Twitter. Like if someone base over the course of the season, he also observed another trend: turns the puck over on your NHL team, you can do a Twitter search for about 40 percent of the site’s users were in the U.S. and Canada, with them and they’ll say, ‘Get this guy off my team, he’s a bum, I want him nearly 40 percent of the U.S. traffic coming specifically from Michigan. traded.’ There’s none of that in Swedish hockey.” “I didn’t really set out to have the site be a prospect resource,” Ellenthal That, and he was drawn to the smaller business emphasis in SHL acknowledged recently. But thanks to the Red Wings’ massive contingent fandom. of prospects in Sweden, Ellenthal’s fledgling website had indeed turned into a vital tool for fans (and media) in Detroit to follow along with the “It just reminds me of watching sports as a kid,” Ellenthal said. “Before franchise’s future lifeblood. you kind of view the game through a more adult, businesslike lens.”

With hockey seasons delayed in , the Red Wings had That doesn’t mean he didn’t like numbers, though. Ellenthal has kept up arguably their five top prospects all playing in the SHL. That included with hockey analytics for the better part of the last decade, used several their last two top-10 picks in Moritz Seider and Lucas Raymond, 2018 different advanced stats sites as they’ve popped up, and has thought, first-round pick Joe Veleno, as well as Jonatan Berggren and Albert over the years, that running one would be a fun project. He’s also been Johansson — second-round picks from the 2018 and 2019 drafts. working in a quantitative-heavy job (he’s a digital marketing and product Raymond, Berggren and Johansson are all Swedes and would have analyst), and two years ago began learning to code. He’s picked up little likely been there regardless, but the COVID-19 pandemic’s impact on the tidbits he’s seen hockey analysts share on Twitter, or from hockey AHL and NHL was enough to lead Veleno (who is Canadian) and Seider analytics conferences, and then discovered a textbook about baseball (a German) to the league on loans, where they could play full seasons stats with the programming language “R.” against high-level competition. Between those two loves, his site was born, with him trying to replicate Seider, in particular, tore through the league, eventually receiving the visualizations he’d seen elsewhere and translate them onto the Swedish league’s defenseman of the year honors after playing most of the season league. at age 19. And Ellenthal’s free website was one of the sites best equipped to illustrate his dominance along the way. (Full disclosure: I “Those player cards that I do, is really just me trying to do as verbatim a was an early adopter of the site and used it to track the Detroit contingent copy as possible of Micah Blake McCurdy’s work that he does on his all year.) HockeyViz site,” Ellenthal said.

THE SHL REGULAR SEASON IS STARTING TO END FOR SOME The name, Svengelska Hockey, is derived from the Swedish equivalent PLAYERS AND TEAMS, INCLUDING MORITZ SEIDER. HERE'S HIS of “Spanglish,” an amalgamation of the Swedish words for Swedish COMPLETE GAME-BY-GAME PLAYER CARD, ONE OF THE MOST (Svenska) and English (Engelska). It’s a fitting name for an American MEMORABLE SHL SEASONS IN RECENT MEMORY: digging deeper into the Swedish hockey scene. PIC.TWITTER.COM/WSDZKVMRLD Zach Ellenthal’s study abroad semester in Sweden led him to found the — SVENGELSKA HOCKEY (@SVENGELSKAHKY) MARCH 27, 2021 website Svengelska Hockey. (Courtesy of Zach Ellenthal)

But though the allures of easily tracking prospects’ trends in possession As our conversation went on though, one curiosity popped up. Ellenthal’s stats (and more) are surely what put the website onto the radar in Detroit description of Swedish hockey culture was an endorphin rush to listen to — with NHL futures in mind — the site’s origins actually stem from the — the purity of just riding the highs and lows of winning and losing, not contrasts the site’s creator found between the SHL and NHL. sweating contract terms or having to bury someone for a bad play. Hockey analytics certainly doesn’t preclude those outlooks on the game, Ellenthal attended Colby College, a small liberal arts school in Maine, as especially ones as simple as shot share and points per 60. But if the a global studies major. Studying abroad, of course, was part of the Swedish league’s charm was in part because of its apparent liberation program. from business-driven micro-quibbles with players’ performance, was there any chance proliferating the league’s publicly available advanced Thinking back, he says hockey wasn’t the reason he went to Sweden, but stats could dent that quality? grants that the fan in him may have been subconsciously attracted to one of the world’s great hockey nations. He can even remember sitting in “I’m someone who craves this type of data,” Ellenthal said. “And I want to class the previous spring, refreshing a box score, following along to see understand better how players are performing and trying to kind of whether Stockholm’s local club, Djurgårdens IF, would receive promotion increase the profile of how we can do analysis with Swedish hockey from the second-division HockeyAllsvenskan to the SHL — bringing the players and the league. But I really only bring a positive attitude to it. I’m top league back to the city. not setting out to figure out who’s the most overrated player and who is the most overpaid player. That’s not really my goal with this. “I was just hoping and praying that they would go up to the SHL so I’d have easy access to SHL games,” Ellenthal said. “And fortunately they “I think my goal is to make certain data and certain visualizations did win that game, and I got the chance to go to 10 or 11 SHL games that accessible, kind of try and get to parity as much as possible with some of fall.” the NHL analysis that is out there. But I’m not setting out, at least personally, to use it as a tool to say, ‘All right this team sucks, or this player is on a huge scoring drought, or this guy’s not worth the Being as far north as he is, the lack of daylight certainly gave him some investment this team made.’ … I think there is much more of a positive time to kill — Robert said during the winter it’s dark for 20 hours, and attitude that the entire culture and fan base kind of approaches Swedish certainly cold out. Add in the extra incentive to stay home during the hockey with.” pandemic, and it gets easier to understand how he found the time to keep Detroiters apprised of the latest must-see moments in Sweden. And because of the success Detroit’s prospects had this year, there wasn’t much to be negative about when it came to Seider, Raymond and Robert estimates he watched at least 200 SHL games this season, company. Ellenthal cited the Red Wings fan base finding the site as “one keeping up especially closely with Seider, Berggren, Johansson and of the first real bumps in traffic” for Svengelska Hockey. Raymond.

Now that Veleno has returned to North America, and with Seider, “It’s never been more fun to watch the SHL either,” he said. Raymond and Berggren poised to come stateside as well, many of those players will be much easier for Detroiters to keep up with. But the extra The Athletic LOADED: 06.13.2021 lens through which to view them from afar only added to the hype for the unique contingent.

“I’ve certainly never seen anything like the collection of Red Wings prospects that were playing in the SHL this year, or all across Sweden,” Ellenthal said. “Like truly an unprecedented batch — not in terms of number of prospects but just the elite, high-end quality of them … all playing in the same league at one time in a 14-team league. So really unprecedented, never seen anything like it.”

It also opened some doors for Ellenthal himself: Friday, SHL club Rögle (where Seider played) announced it had hired Ellenthal as a hockey analyst.

RÖGLE FÖRSTÄRKER ORGANISATIONEN MED HOCKEYANALYTIKERN @ZELLENTHAL. VÄLKOMMEN, ZACH! #ROGLEBKHTTPS://T.CO/C0PJSS2ZVO

— RÖGLE BK (@ROGLE_BK) JUNE 11, 2021

If Ellenthal’s site was the best way to contextualize Detroit’s prospects, though, another newly created online resource filled in the gap on the other crucial element: actually seeing them play.

Speaking from experience, finding real-time video feeds from Sweden was not always easy.

One source that could be consistently counted upon for near-live highlights, though, was another 2020-21 season pop-up: a Twitter account launched in October called @IcehockeyG. The page follows no one, serving only to post video highlights of Detroit’s SHL prospects, as well as the occasional stat or chart. As of Thursday, it had more than 2,300 followers — not an overwhelming number, but one that includes the Red Wings’ official team account, allowing the page to reach large parts of the fan base in moments.

“I remember seeing on some of the forums and stuff, it would take like two seconds from posting to the links being shared around,” said the account’s founder, who asked to be identified only by his first name, Robert. “And then of course I saw the official Red Wings channel shared some clips, and then I started realizing, OK, this is not just a small subsection of fans that are seeing this. It’s a big part of the fan base.”

And though Ellenthal’s Swedish hockey project was based in the U.S., Robert’s originated in Sweden — in one of the northernmost parts of the country, above the Arctic Circle.

“I’m about as far north as you can get,” he said.

Robert, it turns out, has been a longtime Red Wings fan, dating back to his childhood in the 1990s — a product of the franchise’s heyday teams filling up the highlight reel.

For the last couple of years, he’d had the idea to do a blog or a YouTube channel, but the wheels really started turning for him this season, when the Red Wings chose Raymond with the fourth pick in the amateur draft. Then Detroit loaned Seider to the league as well.

“That’s when I kind of felt, ‘OK, I have to do something about this, to give some more spotlight to what these kids are doing over here in Sweden,’” Robert said. “I knew there would be some interest, of course, because they’re top prospects. But it kind of blew up, and I think it’s because so many of these young players have really exceeded expectations.”

That meant his hobby grew, too. With so many players in the league, there were sometimes as many as four or five different games going at once he needed to pay attention to, to see (and clip) highlight-worthy moments promptly. That meant having one game on TV, one on his computer and another on his phone — with some extra work during intermissions to get caught up. 1215703 Edmonton Oilers Sometime in the next two to three weeks, Oilers GM will have a chat with Klefbom about how his major shoulder surgery is coming along. Klefbom, back in Sweden, will probably tell him one of two things: “It’s not good Ken, it’s not coming along. I don’t think I can play OILERS NOTES: Is Jake DeBrusk a trade target for Edmonton? anymore,” or “I’ll give it a shot in October at training camp and we’ll see then. Have no idea until exhibition games how it will hold up.” With the Bruins in a cash-crunch, trying to find money to resign David Krejci, Tuukka Rask and Hall, something has to give and maybe that’s RELATIONSHIP IS OVER DeBrusk, although when you’re coming off a 14-point season, you’re selling low Gaetan Haas won’t make nearly the yearly money in Switzerland he made here ($915,000), but with a five-year contract in Biel, “it’s great security for him in his home country” admits Holland. Haas has an out- clause until August 15 to listen to other NHL teams’ offers to stay in North Jim Matheson Edmonton Journal America but it wasn’t working here. His major problem: while willing to go into battles for pucks he didn’t have NHL strength and was often knocked down. Should the Edmonton Oilers make a trade play for Jake DeBrusk? Or are they set on looking for another element on left-wing, like Brandon Saad This ‘n that: Oilers farm coach Jay Woodcroft, who has done a bang-up or Zach Hyman, older more costly, as free-agents? job in Bakersfield, hasn’t interviewed in Arizona, which is a mistake because he’s well-qualified to be an NHL head coach … The Oilers have It’s a quixotic question about DeBrusk because Jake is from here and his to qualify restricted free-agent centre Jujhar Khaira at $1.2-million to dad Louie does the TV commentary with Jack Michaels, which might be keep his rights. No guarantee they will do so. In the closing playoff game a little dicey, although it’s not like playing for your dad like Adam Lowry in against Winnipeg, he played 11 minutes of a triple OT game (5:40 on the Winnipeg where his pop Dave is the Jets assistant coach. penalty-kill), which is a tell. Ryan McLeod looks like the 4C right now … Tampa’s UFA forward Barclay Goodrow is definitely on their radar. He’s The only reason we’re even talking about a trade is because DeBrusk playing wing with Yanni Gourde but he can be a third-line centre too. seems to have lost his way in Boston, tumbling to 14 points in 41 games (five goals) this year — vacillating between second and third line, more Edmonton Sun: LOADED: 06.13.2021 time on right-wing than his normal left after they traded for Taylor Hall. It was a season where he got Covid and was out for a few weeks; as a single guy, a lonely existence in lockdown mode. He was often playing on his off-side because Brad Marchand, Hall and Nick Ritchie were ahead of him on left-wing. He is not comfortable on the right. He was a healthy scratch in Game 5 of the Bruins series with the .

With the Bruins in a cash-crunch, trying to find money to resign David Krejci, Tuukka Rask and Hall, something has to give and maybe that’s DeBrusk, although when you’re coming off a 14-point season, you’re selling low.

DeBrusk, with a $3.65-million cap hit has speed and normally good hands and would be manageable for the Oilers if he’s on the second line. But his salary is $4.85 million this upcoming season. That seems too big to swallow, unless they can find a $3 million player to deal. Would Bruins be interested in Zack Kassian?

DeBrusk has gone from 43 points as a rookie to 27 goals and 42 in his second season, to 35 and now 14. Something’s wrong; the Bruins once had a group of kids at wing they liked (Danton Heinen, Ryan Donato, Anders Bjork, all but DeBrusk traded).

DeBrusk wouldn’t be the first, first-round pick to maybe need a change of address. Some players want to play at home, while with others it’s a bad fit. Mike Comrie didn’t like it the first go-round. Joffrey Lupul struggled in his one year here. All we know is the Oilers seriously need help on left- wing.

“My haters had a lot to say this year … I’ve got to prove a lot of people wrong,” said DeBrusk, still only 24, at the Bruins’ break-up day after their playoff ouster to the Islanders, acknowledging he didn’t play well. “I have to revamp my game. I dealt with a lot of negativity this year. I’m a big boy, I can handle that. I became a bit of an easy target.”

At this time, DeBrusk figures to be protected as one of Boston’s seven forwards in the Seattle expansion draft because Hall and Krejci are unrestricted free-agents, with Patrice Bergeron, Marchand, David Pastrnak, Charlie Coyle and Craig Smith the top five. Maybe Ritchie or Trent Frederic and DeBrusk are the last two protected forwards, but that doesn’t mean they couldn’t still trade DeBrusk before the draft to a team for a player they could also protect.

WHERE ART THOU?

If Seattle wants to swing for the fences and take defenceman Oscar Klefbom, who will almost surely not be protected by the Oilers in the expansion draft because of his major shoulder concerns, the 32nd NHL team has probably done their homework on his contract. Reports suggest the contract is not insured. If taken and he goes on long-term injury if his shoulder isn’t healed after surgery, they’re on the hook for $8.2-million over two years not an outside party. So, a gamble for them. 1215704 Edmonton Oilers At the end of the 2019-20 season, most observers agreed that Samorukov needed at least one more AHL season before being NHL- ready.

Lowetide: How close to NHL-ready is Oilers prospect Dmitri Samorukov? Rocket to Russia

In mid-July 2020, the Oilers announced Samorukov would be loaned to the CSKA Moscow franchise in the KHL. It was perfect timing, with the By Allan Mitchell Jun 12, 2021 NHL and AHL season in North America uncertain of a start date, for Samorukov to get plenty of playing time in a strong league — vital at this

point in his career. The left side of the Edmonton Oilers defence is in a period of transition. The young defender emerged as a first-class addition to the Moscow An area that previously enjoyed great stability, led by Oscar Klefbom and team, playing big minutes at even strength and getting impressive Darnell Nurse, now faces the future with a great deal of uncertainty. results. Here are the even-strength goal differential numbers for all CSKA One of the major questions on the left side pertains to Klefbom’s ability to Moscow regulars during the 2020-21 season: return to full health and play this fall or winter. Right behind that question PLAYER GAMES TOI PER GAME EV GF-GA comes a litany of questions best summed up as “Who will land behind DIFFERENCE Nurse on the depth chart?” Mat Robinson One of those questions involves young Russian defenceman Dmitri Samorukov. When we last saw him in North America, he was struggling 52 with the pace and grueling schedule of the AHL, but his 2020-21 season spent in the KHL was a real eye-opener. 20:11

How close is Samorukov? Can he help Edmonton during the 2021-22 39-24 season? Should the answer to that question inform general manager Ken 15 Holland’s path forward this summer? Let’s have a look, starting with Samorukov’s AHL season in 2019-20. Bogdan Kiselevich

Bakersfield Condors 2019-20 defence 48

The Condors had a tough year in 2019-20, with injuries and recalls 18:48 affecting every part of the roster. The loss of veteran starting goalie Shane Starrett to injury was especially difficult for the team and is 35-27 reflected in the even-strength goal differentials for the blueliners: 8

PLAYER EV GF-GA DIFFERENCE Dmitri Samorukov

William Lagesson 48

25-23 17:29

2 38-14

Joel Persson 24

24-26 Klas Dahlbeck

-2 53

Caleb Jones 17:10

11-16 45-17

-5 28

Dmitri Samorukov Artem Blazhiyevsky

28-34 46

-6 15:41

Keegan Lowe 21-16

39-48 5

-9 Yegor Rykov

Evan Bouchard 49

41-51 15:16

-10 32-21

Logan Day 11

25-41 From this information, we can see Samorukov flourished on the second -16 pairing in 2020-21 with CSKA Moscow, helped by former Chicago Blackhawks and defenceman Klas Dahlbeck. Samorukov finished in the middle of the defensive group at even-strength goal differential, but that’s a little deceiving. He received sheltered CSKA Moscow was a strong team in 2020-21, outscoring opponents at minutes, especially in the first half of the year (15-17 goal differential in even strength by 53 goals (139-86). Samorukov, who played his off his first 26 games), before moving up the depth chart and struggling (right) side during the season, was on a pairing that tore a hole through more (13-17 in his final 21 games). the opposition at even strength. It’s an extreme positive for Samorukov and the Oilers organization.

Injury Samorukov suffered a shoulder injury during practice later in the KHL Samorukov is intriguing, and I believe there’s plenty of evidence that he season, meaning he was unable to return and play for the Bakersfield is closer to the NHL than fellow prospect Philip Broberg. His ability to Condors when the AHL season got underway. It was an opportunity play his off side gives him extra utility, and there’s a chance coach Dave missed, as a strong run in the AHL would have further confirmed a major Tippett will deploy him and his giant wingspan on the penalty kill in short step forward for the defenceman. order.

Samorukov last played on Feb. 7, so there will be a seven-month gap How close is Samorukov to the NHL? No one should be shocked if he between his injury and training camp. His shoulder issue shouldn’t affect plays NHL games in 2021-22, but an opening-night assignment is too his availability for deployment in the fall, but it is one more consideration aggressive to be realistic. as management plans the NHL and AHL rosters for 2021-22. The Athletic LOADED: 06.13.2021 Current status

Ordinarily, we could cobble together an accurate depth chart and estimate Samorukov’s starting position for opening night 2021-22. The problem with drawing any strong conclusions this far out is the large number of factors at play. The expansion draft, Klefbom’s injury, the organization’s assessment of Caleb Jones’ ability to make the next step to top-four minutes, and other factors affecting players who could occupy the Oilers’ second and third pairings in the NHL.

It’s impossible to estimate with any degree of accuracy now.

What we can do is create a depth chart assuming everyone on the current roster returns — Klefbom emerges healthy, the Seattle Kraken take a forward (or goalie), and the Edmonton left side defensively remains the same.

Fall depth chart (NHL and AHL)

The Oilers averaged 51:35 minutes per game at even strength during the 2020-21 season, 5:53 on the power play and 5:42 on the penalty kill. With a young player like Samorukov, it’s a safe bet he’ll see only even- strength minutes early in his NHL career.

Nurse played 21:45 at even strength in 2021-22, about 42 percent of the total playing time in that game state. That’s about 90 seconds more than his previous season, when Klefbom was healthy, so that average could see a reduction if the smooth Swedish defender returns.

Assuming Nurse and Klefbom (18:58 at even strength in 2019-20) are fully charged, the third-pairing defenceman on the left-hand side for Edmonton will be dealing with about 11 minutes a night at even strength. It might range to 15 some nights, but that’s the NHL opening in the fall if Nurse and Klefbom are present and accounted for in training camp.

Players signed for next season who met that 11-minute requirement a year ago include Kris Russell (16:12), Jones (12:55) and William Lagesson (12:49). Dmitry Kulikov and Slater Koekkoek, unrestricted free agents this summer, also played more than 11 even-strength minutes.

Conclusion: Absent a defenceman lost to injury (Klefbom), expansion or trade, the depth chart in Edmonton this fall would be: Nurse, Klefbom, Russell, Jones and Lagesson.

Samorukov’s 2021-22 season

When Samorukov left Bakersfield in 2020, he would have safely been described as a third-pair AHL defenceman with impressive potential.

The KHL is a quality league, so his performance in that league on a second pair suggests that he has progressed significantly.

Now, let’s answer those earlier questions.

How close is Samorukov? A good guess has him at least half a season of AHL action away from being ready to push for NHL employment. He would not be a strong candidate to audition for Klefbom’s minutes (should the veteran be unable to play), and there are multiple options for third-pair defencemen who are under contract and more likely to start the season in Edmonton.

Can he help Edmonton during the 2021-22 season? Samorukov has size (6-foot-2, 198 pounds), speed, a mean streak and the ability to win battles along the wall. He is not an offensive defenceman, despite scoring the first goal of the KHL season one year ago. His role in the NHL, at least initially, will be as a third-pairing option.

Should Samorukov’s status inform general manager Ken Holland’s path forward this summer? It’s a stretch to suggest Samorukov should be a factor for a roster spot in training camp this fall. If Klefbom can’t play, Holland may re-sign Kulikov or another veteran to fill in until Klefbom is ready (if he plays). 1215705 Montreal Canadiens Montreal Gazette LOADED: 06.13.2021

'I believed in this team from the start': Habs GM happy to see his moves pay off

The Canadiens were the last team to qualify for the playoffs but Bergevin said he never lost confidence in the team he assembled.

Pat Hickey Montreal Gazette

As the Canadiens departed for Las Vegas and a date with the Golden Knights in the Stanley Cup semifinal, general manager Marc Bergevin paused to say: “I told you so.”

The Canadiens were the last team to qualify for the playoffs but Bergevin said he never lost confidence in the team he assembled.

“I believed in this team from the start,” Bergevin said Saturday after the team held a final practice in Brossard before boarding a charter flight to Sin City. “Even in January when I said I was building a playoff team, that’s what I thought. There are always obstacles. There are two kinds of hockey, one for the season and one for the playoffs. You can’t build a team one way and change the staff for the playoffs. There are always risks to be taken, but it is paying off today. ”

“There were tough times during the year,” Bergevin added. “I think of our 25 games in 44 days. That period hurt both us physically and mentally. We also played in the Canadian division where there was a lot of travel between East and West. It all goes into the mix.”

But Bergevin said his faith never wavered, even when Toronto took a 3-1 series lead in the first round.

“For Toronto, I was calm when I woke up,” he said. “I knew the veterans had spoken, that the players had had good discussions. Perry, Staal, Allen, Eddy (Edmundson) and Weber have said some important things. It also takes luck. But it seems to be going well. I am very proud of our team. ”

Canadiens Notebook: GM Marc Bergevin's lucky suit seems to be working

Bergevin doesn’t like the term rebuild but there’s no other word to describe what he has accomplished. Ten of the players who have dressed for these playoffs weren’t with the team last season. The wisdom of some of those acquisitions has been questioned but it’s difficult to argue with the results — a comeback win over Toronto and a sweep of the Winnipeg Jets in the North Division

There is also an ongoing debate over the wisdom of the 2017 decision to give goaltender Carey Price an eight-year deal with an annual cap hit of $10.5 million U.S. but, faced with the possibility of having Price test the free-agent market, Bergevin said signing Price was a no-brainer.

“As you see in the playoffs, the teams that go far have goalies who play well,” said Bergevin. “To be successful, it takes a goaltender who’s up to the task. We had Price in Montreal and there was no reason to let him go and see him be successful elsewhere. It was a thoughtful decision, but still the best one we made.”

Head coach Dominique Ducharme also addressed the media Saturday and expressed thanks to Bergevin for having confidence in him. Bergevin also thanked Ducharme because, when the players embraced Ducharme’s system, the results most likely guaranteed that coach and general manager will return next season.

The team’s final practice in Brossard was a high-energy affair and featured some furious one-on-one battles in front of the net.

Jake Evans, who is recovering from a concussion, skated on the secondary rink with a member of the training staff. When he crossed the main rink to reach the dressing room, his teammates saluted him by tapping their sticks. Ducharme said Evans was three or four days away from being cleared to play but he won’t see action until he’s 100 per cent.

Evans, Jeff Petry and Jon Merrill all accompanied the team to Vegas but they are all doubtful for Game 1 Monday (9 p.m., CBC, SN, TVA Sports, TSN-690 Radio, 98.5 FM). 1215706 New York Islanders

Islanders’ Casey Cizikas motivated by 2020 playoff injury setback

By Mollie Walker June 13, 2021 | 12:06am

TAMPA — The Islanders had to play a majority of the 2020 Eastern Conference finals without center Casey Cizikas, who suffered a detached retina and was ruled out of last season’s playoffs after Game 2 against the Lightning.

Cizikas, the middle man on the Islanders’ fourth “Identity” line, is ready to make up for the lost time.

“It was frustrating,” Cizikas said Saturday ahead of Sunday’s Game 1 of the Stanley Cup semifinals at 3 p.m. at Tampa Bay. “I took it hard. You get so far and to kind of have to go out like that, it wasn’t easy. But here we are again, and I’m excited. I think everybody’s excited and we’re ready to go.”

Without Cizikas, the Islanders were missing an element to their physicality and suddenly weren’t as deep down the middle as they usually are. Who knows if he would’ve made a legitimate difference, considering he had just two assists last postseason prior to his injury, but he was certainly a player the Islanders missed. Michael Dal Colle, who hasn’t played a single game these playoffs, replaced Cizikas in the lineup.

Cizikas was healthy by the start of this season and competed in all 56 games. The 30-year-old finished with seven goals and seven assists. Through 12 playoff games this season, Cizikas has two goals and two assists — including the overtime winner in Game 2 against the Bruins in the second round.

“I think he left a huge hole,” coach said. “Casey brings penalty killing, he gives grit, he gives you all the late-game situations, he gives you faceoffs. Casey went out early and later on [defenseman Adam] Pelech went out, so those are two pretty big ingredients to what we do.”

Oliver Wahlstrom is still classified as “day-to-day” with a lower-body injury he suffered at the end of the first-round series against the Penguins, according to Trotz, but is “getting very close to being available.”

However, even if Wahlstrom becomes an option, Trotz said there’s no guarantee the rookie will get back into the lineup right away.

“It may be based on play, based on what Tampa is trying to match up and the results that we get,” he said. “Right now, I’m pretty happy with our group, Wally included. It will be a tough decision. But we’ll walk through every situation that we would use a player, how valuable they would be in those situations and how much ice time they may get to do what they do.”

Veteran , who was acquired from the Devils at the trade deadline along with Kyle Palmieri, has skated in Wahlstrom’s place on the third line. He has a goal and an assist in seven playoff games this season.

New York Post LOADED: 06.13.2021 1215707 New York Islanders was on for the entire season, which surmounted to $2,896,551. But both players will not return this postseason.

Teams routinely use LTIR, but the waters become murky when players Lightning’s controversial Nikita Kucherov move draws more ire before are brought back just in time for the playoffs. The question is, could Islanders series Kucherov have returned at the end of the regular season? That’s something we’ll never know.

“I didn’t make the rules, whether it’s cap space or something like that,” By Mollie Walker June 12, 2021 | 3:50pm | Updated Kucherov said Friday. “It’s not me, I didn’t do it on purpose. I had to do the surgery.”

New York Post LOADED: 06.13.2021 So, let’s address the cap maneuvering in the room, shall we?

The Islanders are about to take on a Lightning team that has a 20-man lineup nearly $8 million over the cap — at $89,329,116 — in the Stanley Cup semifinals. How does that happen?

Cap loopholes? Yes. Cap exploitation? Yes. Is it legal? Also, yes.

It’s a situation that has already drawn the ire of the Lightning’s opponents through the first two rounds of the playoffs. During the Hurricanes’ breakout day after the Lightning eliminated them in five games in the second round, veteran defenseman Dougie Hamilton couldn’t help but acknowledge the outside factors that led to his team’s early departure from the postseason.

“We lost to a team that’s $18 million over the cap or whatever they are,” he told reporters.

Long Term Injury Reserve is designed to ensure that teams aren’t penalized for losing top players to major injuries, and it played into Tampa Bay’s favor when Nikita Kucherov had to miss the entire 2020-21 regular season after he had hip surgery in December.

The Lightning were able to have the relief of his $9.5 million cap hit.

Nikita Kucherov

With the salary cap not enforced during the postseason, Kucherov was able to jump back into the lineup and is now leading the league with 18 points in 11 games (5 goals, 13 assists).

Essentially, the Lightning have been able to dress a lineup in the playoffs that would have been illegal to use in the regular season.

Asked about how the Lightning worked the cap regulations, neither Islanders head coach Barry Trotz nor general manager Lou Lamoriello took the bait.

“I’m not a capologist, I’m a coach,” Trotz said Friday ahead of Game 1 of the semifinals series, which is set for 3 p.m. Sunday in Tampa, Fla. “But I can tell you that Kucherov is a tremendous player. His skill-set is off the charts. He’s got a lot of deception, his release — there’s so many dangerous aspects and he’s one of the superstars in the league.”

Added Lamoriello: “I echo what Barry said: He’s a tremendous hockey player. I don’t think you need to say anymore. Certainly his past and his success speaks for itself.”

NHL deputy commissioner Bill Daly told The Athletic’s Pierre LeBrun last month that the league did investigate the Kucherov situation, as well as a few other team’s LTIR uses. Considering Kucherov followed a similar recovery timeline to many other players who underwent a similar procedure, it was ruled that the Lightning were operating within the CBA rules.

“I know [the NHL] investigated the Nikita Kucherov one, and we have to be able to justify the surgery, the rehab time, the return to play clearance to make sure that everything was done according to the rules and according to the circumstances, and those were the cards we were dealt. And that’s how we handled it,” Lightning GM Julien BriseBois told reporters Saturday.

The only way the Lightning could’ve gotten in trouble is if they were hiding healthy players on LTIR, a scenario for which there is no evidence. However, it was peculiar how BriseBois said the organization’s “realistic hope” was that Kucherov would be ready for the 2020-21 playoffs the day the 27-year-old winger’s surgery was announced in December.

It’s worth mentioning that the Islanders are also technically over the cap, with captain and Johnny Boychuk on LTIR. With Lee ruled out in March to have ACL surgery, he spent 56 days on LTIR, which saved the Islanders approximately $3,379,310 against the cap. Boychuk 1215708 New York Islanders “I was 12 and went to Bobby Nystrom’s number retirement, and that’s when it really hit me how much history happened there,” Taglia says.

“I always heard about Potvin and Bossy, always knew the names,” Islanders finally giving this generation taste of past euphoria McMahon says. “But I never saw the games.”

They have their own Potvins and Bossys now, their own games. And they are halfway home to a Cup. Whether that happens is almost By Mike Vaccaro June 12, 2021 | 2:59pm | Updated irrelevant. This is a quintessential journey far more important and enjoyable than the destination.

Vac’s Whacks For those of us of a certain age, watching the Islanders renaissance has been a splendid reminder of what we had — what, sadly, we took for I was hoping to choose the new Liam Neeson flick. Overruled by the wife, granted — all those many years ago. Long Islanders are parochial and who went with “The Courier,” and I can’t tell you how terrific a choice that proud of it. Billy Joel is one of us, always. Jerry Seinfeld? One of us. Billy was. Liam will have to wait for next week. Crystal? Eddie Burns? A shout-out to my old earth science teacher at Chaminade High, Mike One of us. Always. Pienkos, who this week won CHSAA baseball championship No. 14. This was his 40th year at the helm; his teams have made it at That was the Isles of 1980-83. They not only made us proud, they made least as far as the finals 35 times and he has 617 career victories. If us champions. Islanders fans have other rooting interests in other sports, Brian Cashman wants his number … but the Isles were ours. Maybe it seems silly. Believe me, it was real. I still miss June 15 as the trade deadline. Donn Clendenon. Keith The best part of this new Isles Mania is all the faces of folks under 45 Hernandez. Heck, even if the Tom Seaver trade ended my baseball years old. For them, this was a different franchise, cast adrift for years by childhood, you always had a profound respect for June 15. lousy management and awful teams. Yet they stuck around. It was easy for guys like me: J.P. Parise scored his famous goal against the Rangers Yes, I can officially report that Tom Thibodeau sent the acolytes of a when I was 8. From then through college the Isles were a given. certain western New York college into a tizzy when he mentioned his dad’s alma mater the other night on TNT while discussing his Coach of “As a kid, I remember Pierre Turgeon getting clocked by Dale Hunter,” the Year award. School apparently called “St. Bonaventure.” I hope I got says Joe Taglia, 38, a coach and teacher at Syosset High School who the spelling right. lives in Merrick. “After that it’s been kind of … lean. To say the least.” @MikeVacc: I’ve said it (and written it) many times before: if I bought a “This is so much sweeter,” says 42-year-old Neil McMahon of Lake franchise — any sport, not just hockey — my first call would be Lou Ronkonkoma, “after two decades of … well, not much.” Lamoriello, bearing a blank check. There are so many of them, raised on terrible trades, reared Whack Back at Vac on the slapstick of John Spano. It’s been easy to get caught up in the nostalgia of the Old Barn with raucous crowds elevating the good guys, George Corchia: I’d love to hire Kevin Durant’s bodyguard. Here’s a dude singing along to the national anthem, generating a din only sports can that will protect his client at all costs and doesn’t care about arena rules, achieve. NBA guidelines or sports traditions. Too bad Mike Piazza didn’t have his services when he got beaned by Roger Clemens. Of course that’s bogus. There were so many nights the past 30 years when the Coliseum was empty, when the banners up above felt so Vac: They say you see something new in sports every day. That was detached from what was on the ice. Thursday’s edition.

“Sixteen-dollar tickets, 300 level,” Taglia says. “It was always pretty easy Howie Siegel: It’s so refreshing to see a coach win Coach of the Year to move down.” honors and not necessarily go deep into the playoffs. This was more than just being at the right place at the right time for Thibs. He breathed life This is better. Taglia watched the Bruins clincher at home with his wife, into a franchise on life support. Will talent now be attracted to MSG? I Amanda, and four kids — the oldest, 8-year-old Joseph, plays goalie for say yes. the Junior Islanders. He’s all-in. He made it halfway Wednesday night so father and son enjoyed this exchange the next morning: Vac: It does seem like the Phoenix Suns are on a mission to make voters second-guess their preference for Tom Thibodeau over Monty Williams, “Dad, did they win?” though. “They did,” and Joseph exploded. “Who do we play next?” he asked. Joe @biranmoran: Lou Lamoriello is a master at getting buy-in from the entire told him Tampa. team. It’s a good time to be someone who grew up on Long Island in the “We got ’em,” Joseph said. “We’re good!” ’70s/’80s with the Mets, Nets and Islanders playing so well.

They are, again, and maybe it will be kids of Joseph Taglia’s generation Roland Chapdelain: After hearing Gerrit Cole’s double-talk, I expected who will once again be allowed to feel as my generation did once: Mickey Mantle to come up behind him, saying, “My views are just about confident, at all times. Because we’re good. the same as Gerrit’s!”

McMahon’s daughters have learned to live with their dad’s exuberance. Vac: Trust me, if you know the reference, that’s the funniest thing you’ll Soon-to-be-8-year-old Emma has become an Islanders fan herself. see all day. Sixteen-month-old Gracie forced her old man to execute a tricky New York Post LOADED: 06.13.2021 maneuver during Game 6 of Isles-Bruins.

“They’re playing great,” he says, “but it’s still 1-1 and I have her in my arms, and then Brock [Nelson] scores and we’re up but I have Gracie and her bottle and she’s asleep and I have to scream without using my voice.”

You suspect that from Hempstead to the Hamptons, from Oyster Bay to Orient Point and dozens of places in between, there have been a lot of scenes like that. Great as The Barn is, just 12,000 can be there. Everywhere else, families have tried to build their own Barns in living rooms and dens and man caves.

Feeling what we once felt, what they’ve only known through highlight videos. 1215709 New York Islanders Victor Hedman, Tampa Bay’s No. 1 defenseman, is a Norris Trophy finalist and has been one of the top defenders in the league in recent seasons. Further down the left-hand side is former Rangers captain Ryan McDonagh, who plays a good chunk of minutes, similar to Hedman. How Islanders stack up against Lightning in 2021 NHL semifinals The Islanders’ D contributes far more on offense than the Lightning’s defense does. Plus, the Islanders’ top defensive pair of Adam Pelech and Ryan Pulock have survived two of the best top lines in the NHL from the By Mollie Walker June 12, 2021 | 11:17am | Updated Penguins and Bruins. They’ve been skating against elite scorers all postseason and have continuously risen to the occasion.

The Islanders and Lightning meet again, this time during another season Defense is the Islanders’ bread-and-butter, and that shouldn’t change unlike any other. Their Stanley Cup semifinals series, which begins this upcoming series. Sunday in Tampa, Fla., will be a rematch of the playoff battle in the Edge: Islanders Edmonton bubble last September, in which the Lightning defeated the Islanders in six games on the way to their first Stanley Cup title in 16 Forwards years. Head coach Barry Trotz memorably said at the start of this season that he’d have visions of that loss to Tampa Bay on his deathbed, but Similar to the Islanders, the Lightning are a well-balanced four-line team. now he and the Islanders have earned an opportunity to rewrite the Tampa Bay, however, undoubtedly brings more star power, with a script. scoring threat on each line. The Lightning have Nikita Kucherov, Alex Killorn, Yanni Gourde and Pat Maroon — and also Brayden Point, Steven “I think we feel like we still have some unfinished business,” Josh Bailey Stamkos and Blake Coleman. said stoically after the Islanders’ series-clinching win over the Bruins in Game 6 Wednesday night. The Islanders’ Mathew Barzal has just started finding the back of the net, while players like Brock Nelson, Kyle Palmieri and Josh Bailey continue Let’s not forget, the Lightning soundly defeated the Bruins in five games to do so. After facing the high-scoring Penguins and Bruins, the Islanders in Round 2 last postseason, which gave them ample time to rest up as will likely need even more to outscore the Lightning. the Islanders were forced into a Game 7 by the Flyers. The Isles had just one day in between Game 7 against Philadelphia and Game 1 against Kyle Palmieri the Lightning to travel to Edmonton. Corey Sipkin If we’re piling on the excuses, fourth-line center Casey Cizikas at the time Edge: Lightning was ruled out for the remainder of the postseason after Game 2 due to a detached retina. They also were without top-pair defenseman Adam Special Teams Pelech, who played through a broken wrist in the Isles’ overtime win in Game 5, in their season-ending Game 6 loss. While the Islanders’ power play got hot during their second-round series against the Bruins, their usually top-notch penalty kill was picked apart by Mathew Barzal (r) and Steven Stamkos will surely clash during this Boston. They gave up seven power-play goals to the Bruins. And if playoff series. Boston was a lofty task, the Lightning will be an even more difficult challenge. Paul J. Bereswill The Lightning has scored on 15 of their 36 man-advantage opportunities This time around, the Islanders are bringing reinforcements. Trade this postseason, which amounts to a league-leading 41.7 percentage. deadline acquisition Travis Zajac has already had to fill in for rookie They average 3.27 power-plays per game, which is also the best in the sharpshooter Oliver Wahlstrom. Barring any major injuries, depth NHL among teams that are still active. shouldn’t be a deciding factor for the Islanders. Edge: Lightning The Post’s Mollie Walker takes a look at how the teams matchup. Coaching Goaltending Jon Cooper may be the reigning Stanley Cup-winning head coach, but Trotz may feel that Semyon Varlamov was snubbed by not being a Barry Trotz also knows what it takes to win a championship series. He finalist for the Vezina Trophy, but he acknowledged that the three finalists did it with the Capitals just three years ago. were more than deserving of the top goalie award. And one of those three was the Lightning’s Andrei Vasilevskiy. Trotz has made sure the Islanders have kept their eyes on the prize this entire postseason, while also encouraging them to enjoy each victory. Vasilevskiy was remarkable during the regular season, proving to be one His demeanor is something the players look to, and his determination is of the Lightning’s most valuable players as he faced an average of nearly contagious. 30 shots a game. He led the NHL in wins (31) and garnered a .925 save percentage in 42 starts out of 56 games. Edge: Islanders

This postseason, Vasilevskiy is leading the league in saves (352), has Prediction allowed the second-fewest goals (25) and has posted a 2.24 goals- against average. The Islanders have waited all season to take that next step from the point at which their playoff run ended last year, and it’s pretty poetic that they’ll The Islanders are the first team to have one goalie record all four wins in get a chance to do it against the Lightning. one series and another record all four wins in the next since the Canadiens did it in 1987 with Patrick Roy and Brian Hayward. Though But Tampa Bay is a loaded team with star power that rivals both squads Varlamov has seemingly rebounded from his shaky performances in the Islanders had to defeat to get back to this point. It will take a top-tier Games 2 and 3 of the first-round series against the Penguins, which effort every game for the Islanders to combat the Lightning. prompted Trotz to turn to rookie Ilya Sorokin, Varmalov allowed a few Lightning in seven questionable goals to the Bruins. New York Post LOADED: 06.13.2021 Edge: Lightning

Andrei Vasilevskiy

Defense

The Islanders averaged the second-fewest goals against per game with 2.23 during the regular season, while the Lighting weren’t too far behind with 2.59. Compared to the rest of the Islanders’ opponents this postseason, the Lightning should have the most equally defensively savvy squad. 1215710 New York Islanders With Trotz’s help, Lamoriello has succeeded in creating a team in his own image, one built for the playoffs.

The Bruins are a big, tough, physical team, but after six games they Islanders GM Lou Lamoriello's moniker for team's turnaround: appeared worn down and no longer in the mood to engage with the Transformer Islanders’ on-ice bullies.

That often is what works this time of year. Consider the NHL final four of the Islanders, Lightning, Canadiens and Golden Knights. Staff What happened to all the fancy stars, from current ones such as Connor McDavid, and Nathan MacKinnon to perennials such as Sidney Crosby and Alex Ovechkin? They called "the Architect," which fit the guy who built the Islanders from scratch into a dynasty in less than a decade. They are gone, along with the Bruins’ famous No. 1 line, taken out by the Islanders in the second round, just as they took care of Crosby in 2019, So what about Lou Lamoriello? Ovechkin in 2020 and Crosby again in 2021. He cannot be the "architect" of the Islanders’ current three-year run of Of the top 10 NHL players entering the season on lists compiled by playoff series victories because much of the core was assembled by NHL.com, NBC.com and TSN, the only ones still playing all represent the . Plus, that moniker is taken. Lightning. But he deserves one for all that he has done since being hired in 2018 – On paper, that is a daunting task for the Islanders. But Lamoriello does three weeks after Torrey died – to run the franchise’s hockey operations. not build rosters on paper. Islanders general manager Lou Lamoriello speaks with the media at "I love listening and talking with Lou," Trotz said. "We talk daily. He Northwell Health Ice Center on May 6. Credit: Kathleen Malone-Van understands building a roster. Dyke "There will be a Player A and Player B and the values that a lot of people "Renovator" is not quite right. "Alchemist" is accurate, but a little too might put on a certain player because it’s the sexy thing to do. He artsy. "Inscrutable Genius Feared by Most of the League" is too wordy. understands the intrinsic value of a player in tough games and in the Let’s go with "Transformer," even if Lamoriello does not seem like the locker room and as a teammate and as a pro, all the stuff that you really comic book action figure type. don’t put a lot of numbers to.

The culture change he has orchestrated has been shocking – or maybe "Everything he does is very thorough and has substance to it. It’s not not so much to those who paid attention during his three-Stanley Cups lacy, fancy stuff. It’s real stuff, and he puts a lot of value into that." run with the Devils. Newsday LOADED: LOADED: 06.13.2021 Mathew Barzal spoke at length on Friday about the professionalism that Lamoriello and coach Barry Trotz have instilled.

"Whether that’s having short hair and clean facial hair throughout the regular season or details on the ice like changing hard coming out of the bench, practicing hard, just being a pro," said Barzal, whose maturation Trotz has spoken of regularly.

"Whether you’re going out for dinner on the road or coming to the airplane, you have to be a pro 24/7."

It started for Lamoriello with bringing in a perfect complement in Trotz, as Torrey did with before him.

Shortly thereafter, the team’s best player of this century, , left via free agency. Ever since, Lamoriello methodically has gone about re-signing his veteran base and adding essential pieces, to great effect.

His most recent big move was forced by the severe knee injury Anders Lee suffered on March 11. It prompted him to trade for Devils veterans Kyle Palmieri and Travis Zajac.

The former leads the team in playoff goals with seven; the latter stepped in when Oliver Wahlstrom was injured and scored the first goal in Wednesday’s second-round clincher against the Bruins.

Last year, Jean-Gabriel Pageau and , another Devils refugee, were late-season pickups.

Pageau might be the most useful all-around player on the team and has become a fan favorite. He also leads the Islanders with 13 points in the playoffs.

Lamoriello signed on the day that Tavares left, which at the time only made Tavares’ departure seem worse. Now the longtime hockey pest is the left wing on the first line of a Stanley Cup semifinalist.

He signed Matt Martin for the Maple Leafs when he was in charge there, then left Toronto and brought Martin back with him.

He signed Semyon Varlamov in 2019 when Robin Lehner left in free agency. Varlamov was the MVP of the 2020-21 team.

Lamoriello spoke to reporters on Friday about all of the above players, noting like he often does their character on and off the ice, and their team-first approach. 1215711 New York Islanders

Oliver Wahlstrom close to return, but no guarantee to get back in Islanders' lineup against Lightning

By Colin Stephenson

Rookie forward Oliver Wahlstrom skated with the Islanders at practice Saturday and is "getting very close to be available,’’ according to Islanders coach Barry Trotz, but he added that Wahlstrom may not step right back into the lineup as soon as he is ready.

Travis Zajac, the veteran former Devil who took Wahlstrom’s place after Wahlstrom was injured in Game 5 of the Isles’ first round series against Pittsburgh, has played well. Zajac takes some faceoffs, and scored the game’s first goal in the Islanders’ second-round series- clinching, 6-2 win over Boston in Game 6 Wednesday.

"Right now, if Wally were healthy, there's no guarantee he gets back in the lineup right away,’’ Trotz said. "It may be based on play, and based on what Tampa is trying to match up, and the results that we get.

"Right now, I'm pretty happy with our group, and Wally included,’’ he said. "It will be a tough decision.’’

Trotz said everyone on the current roster made the trip to Tampa.

Kucherov move defended

Tampa Bay GM Julien BriseBois on Saturday defended the move to place star forward Nikita Kucherov and his $9.5 million cap hit on long term injured reserve for the entire regular season — allowing the Lightning to be salary cap compliant — and get him back just in time for Game 1 of the playoffs.

"When all of the decisions were made to know that Nikita needed [hip] surgery… I didn’t know how things would unfold,’’ BriseBois told reporters in Tampa. "Luckily for me and our organization, I don’t think they could have unfolded any better.’’

Kucherov enters the series against the Islanders as the leading scorer in the playoffs, with five goals and 13 assists in 11 games. After the Lightning ousted the Carolina Hurricanes in the second round, Hurricanes D Dougie Hamilton said, "We lost to a team that’s $18 million over the salary cap, or whatever they are.’’

Island Ice Ep. 97: Isles go marching on from Boston to Tampa

Andrew, Colin and Neil discuss the Isles' Game 6 win over the Bruins with Boston Globe columnist Tara Sullivan at , then look ahead to the Tampa Bay Lightning series.

"I didn’t do it on purpose, obviously,’’ Kucherov said. "I had to do the surgery. I had to go through the whole five months of rehabilitation. And when the time came [that] I was ready to play, it was the playoffs.’’

Newsday LOADED: LOADED: 06.13.2021 1215712 New York Islanders Newsday LOADED: LOADED: 06.13.2021

Casey Cizikas feeling the love, wants to return it to Islanders fans in Stanley Cup playoffs

By Colin Stephenson

Casey Cizikas, one of the guys who has been on this team for a while, finds himself really enjoying watching people hitching rides on the Islanders bandwagon as the team has extended its playoff run to the NHL semifinals.

"It's exciting,’’ Cizikas said Saturday, on the eve of Game 1 of the best- of-seven semifinal series against the Lightning which begins in Tampa Sunday afternoon. "You see them at the games, they're cheering, they're going nuts, and that's what you want. You want to you want to build this, this team, and you want fans to be supportive.

"You see the love from everywhere, and people are starting to believe in us,’’ he said. "As a group, that changes everything. You want to go out there, you want to compete for them, and you want to do whatever you can to keep them coming.’’

Cizikas, 30, a fourth-round pick by the Islanders in 2009 who’s been a regular since the 2012-13 season, especially wants to compete against the Lightning, the defending Stanley Cup champions.

Island Ice Ep. 97: Isles go marching on from Boston to Tampa

Andrew, Colin and Neil discuss the Isles' Game 6 win over the Bruins with Boston Globe columnist Tara Sullivan at Nassau Coliseum, then look ahead to the Tampa Bay Lightning series.

A year ago, he was forced out of the lineup, and out of the Edmonton bubble after Game 2 of the Eastern Conference final series between the Isles and Lightning, because of a detached retina in his eye. The Islanders lost to the Lightning in six games before Tampa Bay went on to beat the Dallas Stars in the final and win the Cup.

"It was frustrating,’’ Cizikas said Saturday of his early departure last year. "I took it hard. You get so far and to kinda have to go out like that, it wasn't easy. But here we are again, And I'm excited. I think everybody's excited. And we're ready to go.’’

As the center of the Isles’ valuable fourth line, between Matt Martin and Cal Clutterbuck, coach Barry Trotz said the loss of Cizikas last year was a major blow to the Islanders.

"I think he left a huge hole,’’ Trotz said. "Casey brings penalty killing; he gives you grit; he gives you all the late game situations, he gives you faceoffs. And … later on, [defenseman Adam] Pelech went out, so those are two pretty big ingredients to what we do.’’

The 5-11, 195-pound Cizikas led all players in faceoff percentage through the first two rounds, winning 61.4 percent (97-of-158) of his draws. And he is one of the Isles’ most important penalty killers, though the Isles’ PK will need to be much better in this series than it was against Boston, when it allowed seven goals in 14 times shorthanded.

With Tampa Bay’s power play clicking at 41.7 percent in the first two rounds (15-for-36) it will be crucial for the Islanders to limit the number of penalties they take. But they still will need to be better when they do find themselves a man down.

"They’ve got threats from everywhere,’’ Cizikas said of Tampa Bay. "So as a PK, we’ve got to be disciplined. We can do that — know our routes, and not give them second opportunities. When the puck's on our stick, we've got to get it down [to the opposite end of the ice]. And we’ve just got to battle. We’ve got to make it hard on them, we’ve got to make it uncomfortable for them.’’

Cizikas knows the Islanders are an underdog going into the series. He’s not intimidated.

"We're a confident group right now, and our game is where it has to be,’’ he said. "We're going to play hard. We're going to play our style and they're going to have to beat us. We're not going to beat ourselves. We're going to play straight line hockey, we're going to get pucks in deep, and we're just going to play as hard as we can.’’ 1215713 New York Islanders

After Missing ’20 ECF, Czikas Itching for a Crack at Lightning

By Christian Arnold

When the New York Islanders were in the thick of some of their toughest battles against the Tampa Bay Lightning last year in the Eastern Conference Finals, Casey Cizikas was stuck watching from afar.

Cizikas called it frustrating when he was asked to look back on that moment as the Islanders get ready to face Tampa once again in the semifinals. He left Game 2 in the Eastern Conference Finals with a detached retina and underwent successful surgery in the offseason to fix it.

Less than a year later with his team back in a familiar spot, the Islanders fourth-liner is relishing the chance to make an impact this time around.

“I took it hard. You get so far and to have to go out like that wasn’t easy, but here we are again and I’m excited,” Casey Cizikas said. “I think everybody is excited and we’re ready to go.”

Head-to-Head: Who has Edge in New York Islanders-Tampa Series?

As part of the Islanders’ “identity line,” Casey Cizikas has helped make an impact during the team’s run back to the semifinals for the second consecutive year. Cizikas’ physical play has helped generate chances for the Islanders’ offense and his work in the faceoff circle has made him one of the best in the league during the postseason.

Cizikas has had a 61.1 percent success rate through the first two rounds, which has seen him win 97 of the 158 draws that he as taken in the playoffs. And on the penalty kill, he has been another important asset.

When Cizikas went out in the early part of the conference finals last year, the Islanders felt it. So much so that when they reached the trade deadline this year, they made sure to add someone who gives them depth at center.

“He left a huge hole,” Islanders head coach Barry Trotz said. “Casey brings penalty killing, he gives you grit. He gives you all late-game situations, he can do faceoffs.”

Knowing just how well Tampa can play, the Islanders will need all the help they can get to defeat them and move on to the Stanley Cup Final. Tampa has been one of the highest-scoring teams in the playoffs and their power play has been lethal.

Cizikas & Mayfield Practice Availability pic.twitter.com/4c7ynPwiGq

— x – New York Islanders (@NYIslanders) June 12, 2021

Disrupting both will fall on Casey Cizikas along with the rest of the Isles’ roster. However, if Tampa wants to beat the Islanders, it won’t be because New York didn’t come to play, Cizikas stated.

“Our game is where it has to be, so going into this we’re going to play hard,” Cizikas said. “We’re going to play our style and they’re going to have to beat us. We’re not going to beat ourselves. We’re going to play straight-line hockey. We’re going to get pucks in deep and we’re just going to play as hard as we can.”

NYI Hockey Now LOADED: 06.13.2021 1215714 New York Islanders has recorded two in the playoffs and is carrying a 2.24 goals- against average and .934 save percentage into the series against the Islanders. His save percentage is only behind Carey Price in the playoffs. Vasilevskiy has also had success against the Islanders, where he is 7-4 Head-to-Head: Islanders in Familiar Role, Eager Underdog with a .930 save percentage and a 2.33 goals-against average in 12 career meetings.

The Islanders have had success so far utilizing both Semyon Varlamov By Christian Arnold and Ilya Sorokin during their playoff run. They actually became the first team since the 1987 Montreal Canadiens to have one goaltender win all four games of one series and the other win all four games of the next The New York Islanders will face the Tampa Bay Lightning for the fourth series. Sorokin also has a .934 save percentage in the playoffs, but he time in franchise history in the playoffs and the second consecutive year has played six fewer games than Vasilevskiy. Varlamov has had some in a row in the Stanley Cup Semifinals. Tampa knocked out the Islanders crucial saves during the postseason, as has Sorokin, but he has also in six games last year in a spirited series in the playoff bubble in been known to surrender soft goals early in games. Edmonton. Advantage Tampa Bay History hasn’t been too kind to New York when it has come to postseason meetings between the two clubs. Tampa Bay has defeated SPECIAL TEAMS the Islanders in all three previous series and they have gone on to win The Islanders’ power play found some steam in the Second Round the Cup in two of three instances. against Boston and they’ll need that again against Tampa Bay and the The Islanders will try to curb that trend after coming pretty close last penalty kill will need to clamp down. Tampa enters the series with a 41.7 season, but the challenge will remain the same. So how do the Islanders percent success rate on the man-advantage converting on 15 of their 36 match up with Tampa Bay heading into the Stanley Cup Semifinals? opportunities. Even with their success on the man-advantage last round they have only converted on nine of their 32 chances. Let’s take a deeper look: Advantage Tampa Bay FORWARDS NYI Hockey Now LOADED: 06.13.2021 The Tampa Bay core of forwards is a venerable whos who of the league’s top performers in the playoffs. Nikita Kucherov’s 18 points and 13 assists in the playoffs lead the league as the postseason gets widdled down to four teams. Steven Stamkos’ 13 points (five goals eight assists) is also among the league-best. Brayden Point has eight goals through 11 games, which is the most of any skater in the postseason. And that is just scratching the surface of the weapons that Tampa has. Alex Killorn, Blake Coleman, Pat Maroon and Yanni Gourde also make Tampa Bay a team that can roll four lines, similar to the Islanders.

For their part, the Islanders have found some weapons of their own in the postseason. Jean-Gabriel Pageau has put up 13 points in 12 games and is also among the points leaders in the NHL during the playoffs. His linemate, Kyle Palmieri, leads the New York Islanders in goals with seven and Brock Nelson is right behind him with six. Star forward Mathew Barzal has turned it on of late as well for the Islanders with three goals in his last five playoff games.

Advantage Tampa Bay

DEFENSE

There’s nothing easy about going up against a Norris Trophy finalist and that’s what the Islanders will be doing in the semifinals. Victor Hedman is again the team’s No. 1 defenseman who leads Tampa in time on ice with 24:48 during the postseason and 11 points to boot in 11 games. Tampa Bay has given up the second-fewest goals per game among the four remaining playoff teams and they have plenty of talent among their blue line.

Where Tampa Bay has lacked, however, has been getting offensive contributions from their defenders. So far they haven’t had a single defenseman put the puck in the back of the net. The Islanders on the other hand have had three of their defenders cash in on scoring chances, with Ryan Pulock leading the charge with three.

The New York Islanders haven’t been too shabby with keeping the puck out of the net either, allowing only 2.75 goals against per game during their playoff run. That is still fourth among the four teams still in the playoffs. Pulock and Adam Pelech have anchored the D core during the postseason matching up well against the best players on opposing teams. has looked more confident on the ice as the playoffs have gone on and Nick Leddy and Scott Mayfield have been steady since their regular season struggles.

No Advantage

‘We Expected to be Back Here,’ Islanders Matt Martin Unsurprised to be Back in Semis

GOALTENDING

There’s no sugarcoating which team is carrying the better goaltender(s) in so far in the playoffs. Andrei Vasilevskiy is a Vezina Trophy finalist, 1215715 New York Islanders “We just don’t really think about it,” Martin said. “You guys pick your winners and decide who the underdog is and whatnot. We believe we’re a good team and we expected to be here. … We’re proud and happy with what we accomplished to this point, but the job is still not done.” ‘Finish the Job,’ Islanders Martin Expected Semis, Wants More NYI Hockey Now LOADED: 06.13.2021

By Christian Arnold

The rest of the NHL may be surprised that the New York Islanders are back in the Stanley Cup Semi-Final but Matt Martin, part of “the best fourth line in hockey,” is not surprised his team got this far and has a chance to go further.

The Islanders begin their NHL Semi-Final matchup with the Tampa Bay Lightning on Sunday afternoon, a rematch from last year’s Eastern Conference Final. It is the first time since 1983 and 1984, when the Islanders won the Stanley Cup then gave way to the Edmonton Oilers dynasty, that the Islanders have made it to back-to-back semi-finals.

But the Semi-Final is not the Islanders’ aspiration.

“Coming into this season we expected to be back here,” Martin said on Friday. “As much as everyone has made us underdogs or thought last year was fluky, in our minds we always thought from the beginning we were going to have another shot at this.

Now with four teams left our job is to go out there and finish the job.

“Our goal is to win a Stanley Cup and anything short of that is going to be disappointing,” Martin said flatly.

The New York Islanders have steadily improved over the course of the three years that Lou Lamoriello and Barry Trotz have been at the helm on Long Island. The Islanders have won five playoff rounds in that span, snapping a stretch that saw New York win just one since 1993 prior to their arrival.

“The energy that this fanbase brings is just something special. If you haven’t experienced it, I think you should try to be there live.”

More from Barry Trotz and Lou Lamoriello during their Media Availability today ahead of the #StanleyCup Semifinals: https://t.co/B1ot7pFYBI pic.twitter.com/IOPjiYq2O3

— x – New York Islanders (@NYIslanders) June 11, 2021

Lamoriello did try to give a more tempered response when he was asked about Martin’s comments Friday afternoon.

“I think expectations for every team each and every year is to be where we are today,” Lamoriello said. “It’s how you approach it throughout the year and the experience that our players had last year certainly puts that focus in just a little higher direction than the year before. I’m not surprised by that expectation and would be disappointed if that expectation wasn’t there.”

Because of the pandemic schedule and exclusive division matchups, Game 1 will be the first time either Tampa Bay and the Islanders faces a team outside of their division this season.

Of course, the last time either team saw a non-divisional opponent was Game 6 of last year’s ECF when Tampa Bay ended the Islanders season.

“If there’s a team that we played most recent that we haven’t played in our own division it would be them, which it helps a little bit with the pre- scout,” Barry Trotz said. “Most of our players played in that series so they understand when we’re talking about certain trends or the way they play. … The first game you’ll have an understanding, but you’ll get a feel for the tone of how they’re playing and the feel of playing against a Tampa Bay Lightning team versus a Boston Bruins team.”

Three Things the New York Islanders Need to Beat Tampa Bay

The New York Islanders have faced Tampa Bay three times in the postseason, with Tampa going on to win the Stanley Cup in two of those years. Tampa Bay’s success and the Islanders’ history against them have made Tampa the favorite heading into the series.

It’s a familiar feeling for the Islanders and one that Martin paid no mind. 1215716 takes over in Allentown, Pennsylvania, Fletcher said the Flyers will replace his role with the big club.

"We're looking at all of our staffing right now to make sure we're properly As Laperriere's time arrives, more to come for Flyers and Phantoms positioned," Fletcher said, a day before the Flyers started their pro- scouting meetings. "That's been ongoing and it will continue to be ongoing for the next few weeks."

BY JORDAN HALL That will include Phantoms assistant coaches to flank Laperriere, who said he's likely eyeing a somewhat younger staff for the purpose of

hands-on development. Laperriere said he hasn't talked to the 70-year- Ian Laperriere's corner was crowded when it came down to the Flyers' old Terry Murray about being an assistant coach. As we noted last decision to name the 47-year-old the head coach of the Phantoms. month, it wouldn't be surprising if the Flyers promoted Nick Schultz in some capacity. The 38-year-old is a player development coach, a former General manager said the Flyers' assistant coach had defenseman and well-respected within the organization. the support of senior advisors , Bob Clarke and Dean Lombardi, while the vote of confidence from head coach Alain Vigneault "I'm in the process right now but we feel like if I went into July, there was "very strong." would more candidates, like top-notch candidates out there," Laperriere said. "I do have names in my head. For me, a perfect staff would be a D "I spoke with a lot of people," Fletcher said Monday. "I don't know that coach who played the position before and does have AHL experience, you'll find many people that don't have a lot of respect for Lappy. There and a forward, more like a skill player, who does have AHL experience. will be a lot of people cheering him on here." "I’m in a tough position to hire a guy who never coached. I want guys that And working closely with him, too. The communication and coordination are better than me in certain areas just to make everybody better. I'm not between an NHL team and its AHL affiliate is pivotal toward the progress afraid of hiring strong people and people with more knowledge than me. I of the big club. After all, AHL teams have to blend winning and believe that's what makes a good staff, when you have people with developing with the hope of constantly benefiting its NHL affiliate. There different opinions around you. That's my goal. is a symbiotic relationship between the two and it's clear why the Flyers have faith in Laperriere to be a quality liaison at Lehigh Valley. "I know there will be head coaching jobs available around the league and some of those coaches are going to go for those jobs. I feel like at the "A.V. has a tremendous amount of respect for Lappy," Fletcher said. end of June or beginning July, there'll be big names out there and we'll "Lappy's paid his dues. He's 47, he's spent a lot of time working in this see." game, playing in this game — he's earned the right to have this opportunity. A.V. was very supportive. It's a tough job coaching, it's really Comcast SportsNet.com LOADED: 06.13.2021 tough, and he's done everything we've asked of him as an organization and this was his opportunity now to get in the big chair down here and take a stab at it. He'll bring a lot to the table."

Laperriere had been an assistant coach with the Flyers over the last eight seasons. He joined the club's staff in June 2012 as director of player development and became an assistant coach in October 2013. After working alongside the fellow French Canadian Vigneault over the last two seasons, Laperriere has a good feel for the head coach's system.

The former Flyer Laperriere will replace Scott Gordon, who had spent the last six years in the organization. The Flyers and Gordon mutually agreed to part ways last month. Fletcher called Gordon "one of the most successful coaches in American League history," but obviously having greater shared philosophies was important.

"That certainly was a part of it; I don't want to oversell that," Fletcher said. "I thought Scott Gordon worked hard with A.V., as well. I wouldn't say the systems were identical, but there were certainly a lot of dialogue and a lot of effort on everyone's part to sync things up.

"It even goes beyond the relationship with A.V. Obviously Lappy and A.V. have spoken several times over the last few days about next year, about systems and they have a very strong relationship. But Lappy also has a very strong relationship with our player development staff. I think this move allows us not just to integrate our AHL coaching staff with our NHL coaching staff, but as importantly, to integrate our coaching at the level with our player development model that we've been working hard on for the last year, to continue to have it evolve. The American League is a big part of that development."

Zack Hill/Philadelphia Flyers

Laperriere expressed his gratitude for the opportunity and those that helped pave the way, like Holmgren and Craig Berube. Laperriere has a mix of personableness and stick-to-itiveness. At Lehigh Valley, he will stress professionalism, physical fitness and playing structurally.

"I will bring positive energy and positive feedback," he said. "I don't believe in putting people down deeper when they're down already. I'm a big believer in staying positive. Coming to the rink should be fun. I’ve been in the game for 27 years in the NHL level, I love coming to the rink and it's contagious — I know that and I'm going to make sure our players feel the same."

With the Flyers' hiring of Vigneault, Mike Yeo and Michel Therrien before the summer of 2019, Laperriere's focus shifted to pre-scouting and various other responsibilities over the past two seasons. As Laperriere 1215717

Mark Madden's Hot Take: Marc-Andre Fleury's story keeps getting better ... just not in Pittsburgh

MARK MADDEN | Saturday, June 12, 2021 12:44 p.m.

Marc-Andre Fleury got Vegas past Colorado in the NHL playoffs’ second round. The Golden Knights face Montreal next. Fleury goes home. He very likely will eliminate the Canadiens.

The story gets better and better.

Just not in Pittsburgh.

The Pittsburgh Penguins’ goaltending has gotten worse since the day Fleury went to Vegas in the 2017 expansion draft. But let’s place blame where it’s due.

It’s not on then-GM Jim Rutherford, who did what any GM would have done.

Rutherford kept the younger, cheaper goaltender who had just won his second straight Stanley Cup by posting shutouts vs. Nashville in the last two games of the 2017 final.

Most of the culpability falls on said younger, cheaper goaltender. Matt Murray’s decline started instantly and was reflected clearly by both stats and eye test. He got hurt a lot, too.

It was tough to ditch Fleury in 2017. It was easy to trade Murray to Ottawa in 2020.

Tristan Jarry must also be accountable. Perhaps Jarry is still salvageable. But this year’s playoff performance was horrific. He has yet to establish consistency.

Throw Mike Buckley into the mix. Buckley was appointed goaltending coach upon Fleury’s departure in 2017 because he had worked with Murray at the minor league level. Murray disintegrated on Buckley’s watch. Jarry imploded in this year’s playoffs. Murray and Jarry have developed similar flaws: too often beaten over the glove, too deep in the net.

Abstractly, coach Mike Sullivan absorbs some heat. Fleury stole the Penguins’ second-round series against Washington in ’17, then allowed just two goals in the first two games of the Eastern Conference final against Ottawa. But the second Fleury faltered in Game 3, Murray went back in and stayed in. Murray was Sullivan’s guy.

No complaints: The Penguins won the Stanley Cup. But what if Fleury keeps playing, and the Penguins win that Cup? That’s a likely scenario. Everything would be different now.

Fleury is missed because those since responsible for the Penguins’ netminding have soiled the blue paint. And if Fleury hadn’t since played so well, the topic would be less toxic.

Vegas is a good bet to get to the Stanley Cup Final. That would be Fleury’s sixth.

He has three Stanley Cups and could get a fourth. He’s third all-time in regular-season wins with 492. Fleury has the highest winning percentage (.557) of any goalie with 300 wins or more.

Fleury is already a lock to make the .

Can Fleury yet be regarded as one of hockey’s top 10 ever? Top five, even?

Perhaps he will be. That’s why Rutherford tried to get Fleury back before this season. That was a lot closer to happening than people know.

Tribune Review LOADED: 06.13.2021 1215718 Pittsburgh Penguins admittedly by default due to the Penguins’ long-standing practice of dealing away future assets in the pursuit of winning in the immediate sense.

Penguins A to Z: Kasper Bjorkqvist still has plenty to prove There’s a lot to like in what he can offer. He’s a strong, physical player with a fair amount of skill. Ideally, he’s a third-liner in the NHL who can create some havoc on the forecheck, mix things up with the opposition and chip in some offense. SETH RORABAUGH | Saturday, June 12, 2021 8:01 a.m. But he has yet to play anything remotely close to a full professional

season in North America. Heck, he hasn’t even played a full month With the Penguins in the midst of their offseason, the Tribune-Review is professionally on this continent. looking at all 49 players currently under NHL contracts to the Bjorkqvist got some badly needed playing time this past season. But he organization in alphabetical order, from mid-level prospect Niclas Almari still has plenty to prove. to top-six winger Jason Zucker. Tribune Review LOADED: 06.13.2021 Kasper Bjorkqvist

Position: Right winger

Shoots: Left

Age: 22

Height: 6-foot-1

Weight: 198 pounds

2020-21 AHL statistics: 44 games, 26 points (11 goals, 15 assists).

2020-21 Liiga statistics: FIve games, one point (one goal, zero assists).

Contract: Second year of a two-year entry-level contract with a salary cap hit of $792,500. Pending restricted free agent this offseason.

Acquired: Second-round draft pick (No. 61 overall), June 25, 2016.

2020-21 season: Perhaps no one embodied the rush for NHL teams to loan their prospects to teams in Europe this past fall — while most North American leagues were on hiatus — in the pursuit of much-needed development more so than Kasper Bjorkqvist.

Well before everyone’s 2019-20 season came to an end in the spring of 2020 due to the pandemic, Bjorkqvist’s 2019-20 season came to an end in November of 2019 due to a knee injury.

So, by the time Bjorkqvist, a native of Finland, was loaned to KooKoo of the Liiga, the top-tier league in that country, in August of 2020, he had gone roughly 10 months between games or much in the way of on-ice training.

Early on in the Liiga season, Bjorkqvist looked every bit like a player who was worthy of a second-round pick in the NHL, as he had nine points (five goals, four assists) in his first 11 games while primarily serving as a left wing on the second line.

After going scoreless for Finland in the Karjala Tournament during early November, Bjorkqvist had a difficult time finding any offense in Liiga play as he was limited to one goal in seven games.

The Liiga shut down for roughly two weeks in early December due to covid-19 concerns. Once back on the ice, Bjorkqvist began to generate offense again with eight points (one goal, seven assists) in his next 12 games.

Bjorkqvist’s season was interrupted again in early January. After joining Finland’s national team for another tournament, Bjorkqvist and his teammates were quarantined for nearly a month after 12 unidentified members of the squad tested positive for covid-19.

By March, Bjorkqvist was cleared to play and finished the season with nine points (four goals, five assists) in his final 14 games of the regular season and finished fifth on KooKoo in scoring.

During the Liiga postseason, Bjorkqvist was scoreless in two games after KooKoo fell in the first round.

In late April, Bjorkqvist’s loan was terminated and he returned to Wilkes- Barre/Scranton. Appearing in five American Hockey League games, he had one goal, a game-winner in a 2-1 road win against the Lehigh Valley Phantoms on May 15.

After Wilkes-Barre/Scranton’s season concluded, Bjorkqvist was recalled to the NHL roster as a “Black Ace” for the playoffs.

The future: Bjorkqvist enters this offseason as a restricted free agent and will likely re-sign as he is one of the organization’s top-10 prospects, 1215719 Pittsburgh Penguins Stanley Cup winner since the 2017 Penguins has possessed size, weight, and toughness.

More specifically, those Capitals, Islanders, and Montreal Canadiens also Penguins Changes: How NHL Semi-Finals Should Affect Pens Thinking eliminated the Penguins along the way. Those teams physically asserted themselves to varying degrees, frustrated the Penguins by limiting offensive options, won net-front battles, and beat the Penguins.

By Dan Kingerski Though we stand by any assertion that the Penguins outplayed the New York Islanders in 2021, even with solid goaltending, could the Penguins

have beaten the Islanders, Bruins, Montreal, AND Vegas/Tampa Bay in The phrase “copycat league” is used, abused, and has reached cliche succession? status. It’s akin to saying, “it’s tough to win in this league.” As if there’s a Would there have been anything left of the Penguins by the semi-finals? league where wins come easy. But the roster construction of the final four teams in the NHL playoffs can and should send a clear message to The fast, talented teams with the top NHL scorers all lost; the bigger and the Pittsburgh Penguins. more physical teams with defensive structure (and goaltending) are still playing. In addition to losing the goaltending battle in a significant way, if It’s a message the Penguins new hockey ops managers, president of the Penguins won a few more net-front battles–as defenseman Marcus hockey operations and general manager , Pettersson alluded in his locker clean-out day interview–the series could already know, but now they have loud and clear confirmation. The have been different, too. message is more affirmation than a revelation: Size and toughness, beyond grittiness, are required. With some irony, the Penguins need some jam and physicality on their blue line, and Pettersson’s spot is a prime place to start. It’s no longer optional to have big players with some ill-intent who use their size in the dirty areas. They are now 100% necessary. Yes, Hextall’s stated goal is to add some beef, but based on the playoffs’ progression, it’s no longer optional or an “if,” but “how much.” In addition to speed, skill, and a structured system, teams need a few big bodies—preferably big bodies who also have offensive talent, skating Now that the big teams can skate, too, they lessen the Penguins’ biggest ability and a willingness to follow instructions. advantage. At the same time, the Penguins’ size deficiency simultaneously enhances their opponent’s advantages (good gosh, I’ve The New York Islanders are a heavy team with a little bit of talent, a bit of been writing that sentence every summer since 2018 and taking piles of speed, and lots of structure. The Vegas Golden Knights are a thundering criticism for it. I suspect it is less controversial now). herd with speed, snarl, and structure. Montreal has lots of structure and size to fulfill its structure. Just in case Hextall was hedging his bet with size and physicality, the NHL message from the playoffs should arrive loud and clear: MORE. A Stick tap to 93-7 the Fan’s Andrew Filliponi for looking this up. Quick LOT MORE. research shows the Pittsburgh Penguins are the second lightest team in the NHL. Vegas, Tampa Bay, and the New York Islanders are the first, Pittsburgh Hockey Now LOADED: 06.13.2021 second, and third heaviest teams, respectively.

If one person calls you a horse, ignore it. If two people call you a horse, consider it. If three people call you a horse, buy a saddle.

One heavy team is a coincidence. When the top three heavy teams are still playing, it’s a trend with which the Pittsburgh Penguins must deal.

The Montreal Canadiens are the seventh heaviest team in the NHL.

“(Physicality) is something to think about right now as the standard (for obstruction penalties) has gone up, in terms of what is and what isn’t a penalty since the playoffs started,” Penguins GM Ron Hextall said in his media availability after the Penguins season. “And it’s something that you can’t just ignore. But I think the biggest thing in the playoffs is you’ve got to have a team that’s willing to play through it…”

Of course, the Tampa Bay Lightning checks all of the boxes. They are fast, skilled, and don’t sleep on their size, too. Blake Coleman, Patrick Maroon, and Barclay Goodrow dot their bottom-six. They are three players who enjoy inflicting bruises on their opponents and chipping in a few goals.

They are also three players for whom the Pittsburgh Penguins would not have an answer, just as the Penguins have struggled to answer the New York Islanders’ fourth line with Matt Martin, Casey Czikas, and Cal Clutterbuck, who were probably the Islanders’ best line against the Penguins in the Round One series.

If the Islanders’ fourth line wasn’t the best, then it was the second line led by Brock Nelson–another big body with talent. Nelson rolls at 6-foot-4, 212 pounds. Goodrow is 6-foot-2, 215 pounds. Maroon checks in at a svelte 6-foot-3, 225 pounds of jam.

The Penguins have 6-foot-3 Jeff Carter, who knows how to use his size, but Carter is not a physical player. The most physical Penguins forwards are Brandon Tanev, who fits the mold but is small at just 180-pounds, and Jason Zucker, 5-foot-11 and 192 pounds, is also slight in the context of physical players.

In other words, yes, the Penguins have grit. They lack size. And adding a bit of snarl wouldn’t hurt, either.

Each of the four remaining teams possesses those qualities. From the Washington Capitals, St. Louis Blues, and Tampa Bay Lightning, each 1215720 San Jose Sharks Sutter and Wennberg tied for best in this group with a +8 Penalty Differential. Goodrow was worst at -10.

Bozak, Zajac, Sutter, Haula, Stastny, Krejci, Danault, Bonino, Getzlaf, Which UFA Centers Should Sharks Target? Brassard, Soderberg, and Granlund all won more than 50% of their faceoffs last year.

Krejci, Zajac, Getzlaf, Bozak, Stepan, and Sutter are the righties in this By Sheng Peng group.

Danault, Sutter, and Goodrow earned little power play time this year; on the other hand, Getzlaf, Brassard, Krejci, and Stastny saw little penalty couldn’t have been clearer in his exit interview. kill time. “The 3C spot,” Wilson said last month, “certainly we have to look at and So who should the San Jose Sharks target? The scouts will offer their explore.” two cents next week. It’s a good off-season for the San Jose Sharks to do that: There’s a Based on Wilson’s exit interview, it sounds like they’d love someone relatively-deep class of middle-six centermen in free agency this more defensively-oriented to take the load off of Logan Couture. summer. For now, check out Evolving Hockey’s contract predictions for this cadre San Jose Hockey Now spoke with three NHL scouts and identified 17 of centers: potential UFAs — some more likely than others — who might be able to play third-line center for the Sharks next year. Player Projected Term Projected Cap Hit

David Krejci and Ryan Nugent-Hopkins will likely be too expensive (and Alex Wennberg 5 $4,933,000 too good) for a 3C role in San Jose. Barclay Goodrow 4 $3,150,000 Phillip Danault, Mikael Granlund, Alex Wennberg, Nick Foligno, Tyler Bozak, Nick Bonino, and Barclay Goodrow might be more realistic Brandon Sutter 1 $990,100 targets to skate 3C with the San Jose Sharks — though the cost will vary. Carl Soderberg 1 $1,188,000 Paul Stastny and Ryan Getzlaf are fading stars who can still help a team David Krejci 2 $4,688,000 in a top-nine role. Derek Stepan 1 $1,113,000 Carl Soderberg, Derick Brassard, Derek Stepan, Travis Zajac, and Brandon Sutter appear to be reaches for this high-leverage job. Derick Brassard 1 $1,124,000

Before we get to what the scouts think — we’ll hear more from them next Erik Haula 4 $3,827,000 week — let’s look at some interesting numbers from this group of centers. Mikael Granlund 3 $5,036,000

Per Evolving Hockey, Bonino, Sutter, Zajac (in New Jersey), Foligno (in Nick Bonino 2 $2,552,000 Columbus), and Bozak experienced the highest percentage of Defensive Nick Foligno 2 $2,918,000 Zone Faceoffs at 5-on-5. Danault and Haula were also up there. On the flip side, Krejci, Zajac (in New York), Nugent-Hopkins, Granlund, and Paul Stastny 1 $2,076,000 Stastny benefitted from the highest percentage of Offensive Zone Faceoffs. Phillip Danault 7 $6,236,000

Seven centers here averaged more than 13 minutes a night at 5-on-5: Ryan Getzlaf 1 $2,182,000 Nugent-Hopkins, Stastny, Krejci, Foligno, Granlund, Getzlaf, and Ryan Nugent-Hopkins 7 $8,121,000 Danault. Travis Zajac 1 $1,433,000 Buyer beware on the 27-year-old Nugent-Hopkins? He averaged just 1.06 Points Per 60 at 5-on-5. This was the second-lowest mark among all Tyler Bozak 1 $1,268,000 eligible centers. This, despite Connor McDavid being Nugent-Hopkins’s most common teammate at 5-on-5. 57% of Nugent Hopkins’s 35 points San Jose Hockey NowLOADED: 06.13.2021 came off the power play, where he played mostly with McDavid and Leon Draisaitl. 1.06, by the way, is considered fourth-line production. For what it’s worth, from 2017-20, Nugent-Hopkins averaged a healthy 1.96 Points Per 60 at 5-on-5.

Foligno (in Columbus) was last in this group with a dismal 0.85 Points Per 60 at 5-on-5.

Only two of these pivots averaged one or more Primary Assists Per 60 at 5-on-5: Krejci (1.22) and Danault (1.1). Danault had a tough offensive season, on the balance, but that’s a promising figure.

Zajac, Krejci, Bonino, Danault, Granlund, Bozak, Wennberg, and Stastny are the only centermen in this group to average 1.5 or more Points Per 60 at 5-on-5.

Brassard is the only center here who averaged less than one shot block Per 60 at 5-on-5: That probably won’t play in San Jose.

Nugent-Hopkins, Stepan, Stastny, Foligno (in Columbus), and Haula led this group in Individual Expected Goals Per 60. This speaks to the quality of chances they were earning, even if the finish wasn’t always there.

Zajac and Wennberg both scored well above expectation: They topped this group with a +0.54 and +0.44 Actual Goals over Expected Goals at 5-on-5. Wennberg is especially tempting — he’s just 26 — but his 20.7 Shooting % is more than double his previous career average of 8.0 %. 1215721 Seattle Kraken There are also rules about the quality of player Winnipeg will be forced to make available to the Kraken.

The Jets will be forced to expose: Projecting the protected list: Who’s staying with the Winnipeg Jets and • Two forwards who are under contract in 2021-22 and who played at who could be picked by the Seattle Kraken? least 27 NHL games in 2020-21 or played in at least 54 NHL games combined in 2019-20 and 2020-21.

By Murat Ates Jun 12, 2021 • One defenceman who is under contract in 2021-22 and who played in at least 27 NHL games in 2020-21 or played in at least 54 NHL games combined in 2019-20 and 2020-21.

The Winnipeg Jets have an ever-evolving situation to handle on their way • One goalie who is under contract in 2021-22 or who will be a restricted to the July 17 deadline to submit their Seattle protection list. free agent at the end of the season. If Winnipeg elects to make a restricted-free-agent goalie available to meet this requirement, that goalie When Winnipeg dealt Patrik Laine and Jack Roslovic in an early-season must have received his qualifying offer. trade for Pierre-Luc Dubois and a third-round draft pick, it redefined its expansion-draft landscape. These criteria are the league’s way of ensuring that each team makes legitimate, established NHL talent available. No longer were the Jets forced to say a Kraken goodbye to one of Roslovic, Andrew Copp and Adam Lowry. Note that Bryan Little’s potentially career-ending injury and the fact he’s missed more than 60 consecutive games mean he does not meet With just seven forward slots to work with, Winnipeg’s two-for-one exposure requirements and may be exempt from the draft altogether, as blockbuster meant it could protect Blake Wheeler, Kyle Connor, Mark per Cap Friendly. Scheifele, and Nikolaj Ehlers along with Dubois, Copp and Lowry. Then Lowry signed his five-year contract extension in April and made these Ville Heinola. (Anne-Marie Sorvin / USA Today) seven forwards seem all the more obvious. There are some very important young players whom Seattle will not be But Roslovic’s departure did more than clear space; it provided an able to take: those with only one or two years of professional experience. opportunity for 25-year-old power forward Mason Appleton. The definition of “professional experience” is important. Appleton seized that opportunity, embracing his role alongside Lowry in a way Roslovic never did, grinding his way to a career-high 25 points in 56 According to the current collective bargaining agreement, players gain a games (a 37-point pace over a standard season). Roslovic did even year of pro experience by appearing in 10 or more NHL games before better in Columbus, but that’s beside the point. Appleton’s emergence as their 20-year-old season or by dressing in at least 10 professional games a net-driving, crease-crashing right wing was a midseason blessing that — AHL included this time — in any season afterward. is transforming, now, into an offseason curse. What does this really mean? Winnipeg can protect Copp and Lowry but lose Appleton’s unique, net- Key prospects like Cole Perfetti, Ville Heinola, Dylan Samberg, driving instincts. The Jets can make a side deal with Seattle to keep Vesalainen and David Gustafsson are exempt from this draft. The same Appleton safe but lose whatever assets they pay for that favour. applies to promising AHL defencemen Leon Gawanke, Johnny Recall that trading first-round draft picks with Vegas to keep Toby Kovacevic and Declan Chisholm and goaltender Arvid Holm. Enstrom safe in 2017 worked brilliantly for one season. Now Nick Suzuki, Stanley has met the pro-experience threshold and therefore does need to whom Vegas took with the 13th pick, is tearing it up for Montreal after be protected. being traded as part of a package for Max Pacioretty. (Kristian Vesalainen, whom the Jets took at No. 24 with the pick they got from Finally, the Jets are a forward-heavy organization and will almost Vegas, has two assists in 21 NHL games with Winnipeg.) certainly protect seven forwards, three defencemen and one goaltender. The other option — eight skaters and one goaltender — seems highly Even if Seattle promises to leave Appleton alone, what are the Jets unlikely. supposed to do on defence? Consider the list of eligible players below: Neal Pionk and Josh Morrissey are the obvious choices to protect, but Dylan DeMelo suddenly finds competition from Logan Stanley, a 23-year- (Note: * — denotes Wheeler must be protected because of the full NMC old rookie who wasn’t supposed to be able to make the Jets roster as in his contract; ** — 2021 unrestricted free agents, players Seattle can recently as last fall. select and then will be free to sign (or not) before free agency begins.)

But Stanley’s great training camp, which we detailed here and reiterated Eligible forwards: Blake Wheeler*, Mark Scheifele, Kyle Connor, Pierre- here after the Jets’ intersquad scrimmage, earned him an NHL Luc Dubois, Nikolaj Ehlers, Andrew Copp, Adam Lowry, Mason Appleton, opportunity. Jansen Harkins, Paul Stastny**, Mathieu Perreault**, Nate Thompson**, Marko Dano, Dominic Toninato**, C.J. Suess, Skyler McKenzie He seized it, carving out a third-pairing job for himself seemingly out of nowhere. Now, some observers drool at the possibility of even higher Eligible defencemen: Josh Morrissey, Dylan DeMelo, Neal Pionk, Logan heights in the years to come. Stanley, Nathan Beaulieu, Tucker Poolman**, Jordie Benn**, Sami Niku, Nelson Nogier, Luke Green So do the Jets protect DeMelo, the veteran whose work with Morrissey helped Winnipeg win Round 1 — and whom they signed to a four-year Eligible goaltenders: Connor Hellebuyck, Laurent Brossoit**, Mikhail contract extension last fall — or Stanley, the 6-foot-7, third-pairing upstart Berdin, Eric Comrie** who scored Winnipeg’s two biggest goals of Round 2? The Kraken also have an exclusive window from 10 a.m. ET July 18 to Oh, to be a fly on the wall of Jets management meetings as Kevin 10 a.m. ET July 21 to speak with (and potentially sign) any restricted free Cheveldayoff and his staff prepare their protection list. agents or unrestricted free agents left unprotected for the expansion draft. If Seattle signs one of Winnipeg’s pending free agents during this Let’s dig into the Jets’ biggest decisions … time, it counts as the Kraken’s expansion draft pick from the Jets. The rules: Why Ville Heinola and Cole Perfetti are exempt but Logan One final, mind-bending note for the sticklers: It is possible for a player to Stanley is not have enough pro experience to require a protection slot but not enough Wheeler’s full no-movement clause (NMC) means Winnipeg will be pro experience to meet the quality-of-player exposure requirements listed forced to protect him unless he agrees to waive it. above. One Jets example is Sami Niku: If he were a realistic target for Seattle, the Jets would need to use a protection slot to keep him. That Scheifele and DeMelo have limited no-trade clauses. The Jets will not be said, he has not played enough games over the past two seasons to forced to protect these players (but certainly can if they like). satisfy exposure requirements. Even if the Jets don’t protect him (and they won’t), they’ll still need to expose another defenceman who is under contract in 2021-22 and has played in at least 27 NHL games in 2020-21 Ivan Telegin or played in at least 54 NHL games combined in 2019-20 and 2020-21. Cole Perfetti That’s more than enough discussion of the rules. Kristian Reichel Whom will the Jets actually risk losing to Seattle? And who are the Kraken’s best options? Available

Projecting the Winnipeg Jets' protected list Joona Luoto

Mark Scheifele Protected

Josh Morrissey Jeff Malott

Connor Hellebuyck Exempt

Kyle Connor (Note: The roster is sorted by games played in 2020-21.)

Derek Forbort (UFA) The Athletic’s 7-forward, 3-defenseman, 1-goalie protection list

Laurent Brossoit (UFA) Forwards: Blake Wheeler, Mark Scheifele, Nikolaj Ehlers, Kyle Connor, Pierre-Luc Dubois, Adam Lowry, Andrew Copp Paul Stastny (UFA) Defence: Neal Pionk, Josh Morrissey, Dylan DeMelo Neal Pionk Goalie: Connor Hellebuyck Eric Comrie (UFA) The most intriguing options for Seattle Mason Appleton Mason Appleton (2022 RFA): Appleton is a 25-year-old power forward Dylan DeMelo who will outperform his $900,000 contract in 2021-22 no matter where he plays. The Kraken project to have more options on defence than up front Mikhail Berdin so, all else being equal, Appleton appears to be Seattle’s best value play.

Mathieu Perreault (UFA) Logan Stanley (2021 RFA): I realize Zdeno Chara took a long time to Tucker Poolman (UFA) become Zdeno Chara, but we realize Chara is the exception to the rule, right? Arvid Holm With that out of the way: Don’t panic. My belief is that the Jets will find a Trevor Lewis (UFA) way to keep DeMelo and Stanley. Neither has Toby Enstrom’s track record or Appleton’s scoring prowess; I don’t think the cost will be the Logan Stanley same as it was to Vegas in 2017. If Stanley is exposed, then the Kraken Cole Kehler might see a 23-year-old player with his size and ability and make a bet on his long-term development. Andrew Copp Jansen Harkins (2022 RFA): Harkins has become a bit of an afterthought Nathan Beaulieu in these circles after a disappointing two-point, 26-game season. That said, I think he is in exactly the spot Appleton was one year ago — he’s a Adam Lowry skilled player who can grind (as opposed to a grinder who sometimes Jordie Benn (UFA) scores) who would benefit from a bigger opportunity.

Blake Wheeler I’m not sure he’s shiny enough for the Kraken to take over Appleton or Stanley, but Seattle is close to his British Columbia roots. Maybe there’s Sami Niku something there.

Nikolaj Ehlers Mikhail Berdin (2023 RFA): Hellebuyck is such an obvious protection choice that we spend very little time discussing the fate of Berdin. At 23 Ville Heinola years old, Berdin is already a good AHL goaltender who might have a Nate Thompson (UFA) route to a quality backup/1B career in the NHL.

Nelson Nogier Is Berdin’s potential (or his charisma) enough for Seattle to overlook the other goalies available and rob Winnipeg of its homegrown talent? Pierre-Luc Dubois One last thought Luke Green Winnipeg’s two biggest concerns are obviously the possibility of losing Jansen Harkins Appleton up front or DeMelo or Stanley on the back end.

Dylan Samberg There are workarounds to be had — side deals with the Kraken or even Kristian Vesalainen some kind of pre-emptive trade of a roster player for assets in the 2021 entry draft. Declan Chisholm But consider what happened when Vegas came into the league in 2017. David Gustafsson A lot of teams will be looking at the Golden Knights’ accomplishments — Leon Gawanke three final-four playoff appearances in four seasons, including one trip to the Stanley Cup Final — and the sheer volume of side deals Vegas Dominic Toninato (UFA) pulled off in 2017 and has leveraged since.

Johnny Kovacevic Vegas acquired so much draft capital from teams nervous about losing Bryan Little their homegrown talent — and took players who were good enough to win anyway — that the Golden Knights have immediately become a long- Simon Lundmark term NHL power.

Skyler McKenzie A lot of teams might look back on 2017 with trepidation. Given what happened with Enstrom, Suzuki and Vesalainen, the Jets might be one of C.J. Suess them. Marko Dano As much as I expect the Jets to find a way to protect Stanley and DeMelo, it’s entirely possible Winnipeg just makes its protection decisions and accepts a single inevitable goodbye.

The Athletic LOADED: 06.13.2021 1215722 St Louis Blues Arenado said it was his fault as he missed the catch by “trying to do everything at once there.”

Shildt praised the play after the game — and, he said, during it. Urging Cardinals notebook: Kim faces last test before return this week to his two Gold Glove-winning infielders to use that pickoff as Molina has rotation; Gorman slugs three homers before, once to win a game.

“I loved it. I thought it was great. I thought it was a baseball play,” Shildt said. “These are two talented guys and we’ll take our shot. Guy’s at third, Derrick Goold young guy, getting a little too much, fantastic awareness and baseball IQ. Sometimes it doesn’t work. I’ll encourage them to do that as often as it’s

there.” CHICAGO — As the need for innings and reliability from their starting Williams rehab; Hudson update rotation intensifies for the Cardinals, some of the most important pitches of the coming week will happen Sunday afternoon, hours before the Justin Williams (neck) was assigned to Class AAA Memphis on Saturday game, and likely off a mound under the Wrigley Field bleachers. to begin a rehab assignment and also accumulate at-bats he has not been getting at the big-league level. Williams had difficulty moving his Kwang Hyun Kim, nine days removed from back stiffness forcing him neck without pain after the team’s recent trip to the West Coast. from a game, will throw a “full-steam ahead, no-holds barred” bullpen session, manager Mike Shildt said. The goal will be for the lefty to • Dakota Hudson (elbow surgery) has continued a throwing program in complete the aggressive workout without issue, recover and return to the Jupiter, Fla., as he rebuilds arm strength after Tommy John surgery late rotation at some point in the next week. last season. The north star of Hudson’s recovery plan has been for the righthander to contribute at some point this season — and the team has “That’s the hope,” Shildt said. encouraged that mindset without expecting him to throw in the majors Kim had no difficulty completing a light bullpen workout Friday and that before 2022. prompted the team’s move to ready him for a start in the coming two It’s possible Hudson will see some competition on a rehab assignment, series. For the lefty, he’s missed time twice because of lower back depending on his progress through July. stiffness — first in spring training and then this current turn on the 10-day injury list — but he said one experience informed the next. He felt the “He is optimistic about something happening for us by the end of the twinge in his back running to first base June 4 against Cincinnati, and year,” Shildt said. “I don’t want him to get the cart before the horse. He’s promptly opted not to make it worse. on a good path.”

“It was kind of a precaution,” said Kim, leaning against the visitors’ Minor notes dugout Saturday. Craig Choi translated. “I listened to my body.” First-round draft pick Jordan Walker, a third baseman, returned to Palm That, he added, made it possible to miss one start. Beach’s active roster after missing weeks because of a wrist injury.

Kim said the back soreness was in his mind for two or three starts • The Cardinals made two moves official Saturday to add depth to the coming out of spring and that it would be when he returned to the mound minors, signing righthander Cory Thompson, 26, and lefty Kevin again, but he described how it hasn’t contributed to some of his McGovern, 32. McGovern was assigned to Class AA, Thompson to High- inconsistency on the mound. He smiled and said it’s all the time he’s A Peoria. spent pitching with runners on base. The Cardinals have lost Kim’s past four starts, and the veteran from the KBO has yet to finish a sixth inning. St Louis Post Dispatch LOADED: 06.13.2021

At his best in 2020, Kim worked briskly, his athleticism loose and innings efficient. He has often described how he measures his outings by giving the team innings, and that’s what they crave in the immediate future.

“We were first in the division and now we’re third right now,” Kim said. “I know that some of the starters among us have injuries. I know I have to do my best when I’m starting and the most important thing is helping the team win. I still have to do my best.”

Gorman’s mashing

Nolan Gorman, the Cardinals’ top position player prospect, hit three home runs Saturday night for Class AA Springfield in its 9-2 victory at home over Arkansas, and he had two the previous night. He is the first S- Card since the affiliate began to have three homers in a game.

The trio of homers Saturday, in which he had four RBIs and drew a walk, gives him seven in his five games for the S-Cards this past week and nine for the season. After a slow start that saw him reach mid-May with a .189 average, Gorman’s power has perked and he brought a .315 average with a .899 OPS into Saturday’s game.

Gorman has been starting at third base, his natural position, and second base for Springfield to expand his versatility. That will continue when he rises this summer to Class AAA.

Brady Whalen, a switch-hitter at High-A Peoria, hit three home runs earlier this month in a game at Wisconsin. Tyler O’Neill, the Cardinals’ left fielder, hit three for Class AAA Memphis in July 2018.

Two Gold Gloves, one tricky play

Yadier Molina and Nolan Arenado have attempted a daring picking at third base a few times already this season, and when it works there’s a chance to erase a runner dramatically, 90 feet from home. The risk is what happened Friday — the runner, retreating hastily to third to avoid Molina’s pickoff throw, gets to turn around and score as that throw sails into left field. 1215723 St Louis Blues “I look at it and reflect on it, and a lot of things I have to grow . . . if we want to go win again. There’s a lot of things I have to do better.”

The restrictions on what teams and players could do away from the rink Leading by example: Hard-working O’Reilly has enjoyed captaining the because of NHL COVID protocols made it tougher for O’Reilly as captain. Blues Armstrong provided an example.

“I wasn’t allowed to get the leadership group together to take them out for Jim Thomas dinner, to do the things that I’ve done in the past with that group,” Armstrong said. “Craig and I, or any coach and I, would take those guys out maybe once every month, once every couple of months.”

The freshest memory of Ryan O’Reilly and the Blues’ 2020-21 season But not this year. isn’t a pleasant one. Playing without linemate David Perron against Colorado, O’Reilly was overwhelmed along with his line and the rest of “Everything was just, it was awkward,” Armstrong said. the team in a four-game-sweep by the Avalanche. Even given those restrictions, Armstrong liked what he saw from his But the lasting snapshot of the year should be the one that took place captain. April 24, against the same Avalanche. Floundering at 19-19-6 and out of “I’m excited for his leadership style and leadership skills,” he said. “I playoff position in the West Division, the Blues fell behind 2-0 early. know he takes a lot of pride in it. I know he’s gonna work very hard this Enough was enough for O’Reilly. He stole the puck from Nathan summer to make sure that we come back as a 100% committed team. MacKinnon behind the Colorado net, passed the puck to himself between “It wasn’t the easiest task, coming in under this environment, and I the legs of Avs defenseman Cale Makar then sent a pass in front of the thought he did a good job.” net toward teammate Jordan Kyrou. One thing O’Reilly doesn’t regret as the Blues head deeper into their Before the puck reached Kyrou, it deflected off another Colorado offseason is saying the Blues would beat the Avalanche in the first-round defender, Devon Toews, and into the net for a St. Louis goal playoff series. Zero regrets, even if Colorado captain Gabriel Landeskog It was the first of three O’Reilly goals that night in a 5-3 victory that said after the series that it fired up the Avalanche. propelled the Blues to an 8-1-3 finish and a playoff berth. You could “I think I had the belief there,” O’Reilly said. “I thought we could. We make the case that the Blues don’t make the postseason without that didn’t, which is disappointing. I don’t think it was a crazy comment. I O’Reilly play — a play that perfectly illustrated what coach Craig Berube believed in this group. And I don’t think we got a lot of bounces and it wants in a team captain. was tough, and it just started steamrolling and such. “First and foremost, what I look for in a captain is just lead by example on “I believed. I stepped on that ice and I was there to beat them. It just the ice,” Berube said after the season. wasn’t good enough. It didn’t happen. But I will never question my belief Doing so, Berube continued, “is the No. 1 most important thing, and it’s in trying to win. Ever.” hard to find the guy that works harder and competes harder than Ryan St Louis Post Dispatch LOADED: 06.13.2021 O’Reilly.”

Even factoring in all the injuries and COVID 19-related issues, the Blues underachieved in their recently completed season. And when that happens in hockey, all eyes usually are on the captain.

When the Blues lagged near the bottom of the NHL standings over the first half of their 2018-19 Stanley Cup championship season, a consistent topic for fans and some media members was whether captain Alex Pietrangelo was the right man for the job.

So it goes with the territory. But in the case of O’Reilly, Berube and general manager have no issues with how O’Reilly handled his first year wearing the “C.”

“I thought he did a great job,” Berube said. “I thought he got better as he went along the year, and did a tremendous job down the stretch and in the playoffs in my opinion.

“I know that we got beat four straight, but from a captain standpoint, he worked and he led by example on the ice. I thought that he did a great job in the locker room and on the bench of becoming more vocal and preaching the right things and all the stuff that captains do.”

In terms of leading by example, it’s hard to argue with anything O’Reilly did during the regular season. He led the team in goals (24) and game- winning goals (four). Over a normal 82-game regular season, O’Reilly was on pace for 35 goals. That would have been a career high.

His plus-minus differential of plus-26 was a career high and tied for fifth- best among all NHL forwards this season. He won 58.9% of his faceoffs, the second-best success rate of his career and fifth-best in the NHL this season.

And he was always there: O’Reilly and alternate captain Brayden Schenn were the only Blues to play in all 60 regular-season and postseason games.

When asked if the captainship was what he expected or more than he expected, O’Reilly replied:

“Honestly, I think it’s both. I had some expectations, and also still a lot of learning that needs to be done. It’s a tough job but it’s a fun job, too. I like having those responsibilities. 1215724 Tampa Bay Lightning “I think we’ve done well on the road (winning five of six away from home this postseason),” forward Alex Killorn said. “I don’t really know what to attribute that to, I think maybe there’s not as many distractions when you’re away from the rink — just kind of all hockey focused.” Lightning GM Julien BriseBois on cap maneuvering: ‘Sometimes the stars align for you’ The potential for distractions has ramped up somewhat with arenas getting closer to capacity. Last season, the Lightning went 65 days Notebook | The team had to justify Nikita Kucherov’s surgery, the rehab without playing in front of fans on their way to winning the Stanley Cup. schedule and the timetable for return to the league. The Islanders’ Nassau Coliseum, which hosts Games 3 and 4, will permit Lightning general manager Julien BriseBois emphasized Saturday that at least 12,000 fans. The Lightning can host up to 14,800 (78 percent) the league investigated their long-term injury requests, and the team had during the semifinals, up from the 13,500 they allowed for Round 2. to justify Nikita Kucherov's surgery, the rehab schedule and the timetable for return. “You can feel (the momentum swings) when you’re on the road or even at home here when we’re feeling good about our game and the crowd is behind us,” defenseman Ryan McDonagh said.

By Eduardo A. Encina and Mari Faiello “You want to try to capitalize on that and ... at the end of the day, we’re playing in front of great crowds whether at home or on the road, I think

our group is feeding off the energy a little bit, too, and the intensity picks TAMPA — The Lightning’s move to place Nikita Kucherov on long-term up — you want to play in those kinds of games.” injured reserve — which helped the team become compliant with the Chemistry on the power play league’s $81.5 million salary cap — has unquestionably worked out well. The Lightning made the postseason without Kucherov, and their best Lightning center Brayden Point, left, beats Hurricanes goaltender Alex player returned from December hip labrum surgery in time for the Nedeljkovic and center Jordan Staal to score in the decisive Game 5 last beginning of the playoffs. round.

Seeing how successful the process was — Kucherov leads the league in It’s well known throughout the league how dangerous the Lightning’s postseason points and the Lightning are back among the final four teams power play can be. And it’s proven especially lethal this postseason. — has drawn renewed scrutiny on the Lightning and the way they have maneuvered the cap, but general manager Julian BriseBois said Through 11 playoff games, the Lightning have scored at least one power- Saturday that there were several risks involved. play goal in all but three contests (Games 2 and 5 at Florida, Game 2 at Carolina). Tampa Bay leads the league in power-play production at 41.7 “That’s just how it played itself out, and sometimes the stars align for percent (scoring on 15 of 36 opportunities). The second-place Islanders you,” BriseBois said in media availability a day before the the semifinals are operating at 28.1 percent (scoring on nine of 32 chances). start against the Islanders. “Today I know that we made the playoffs, we qualified for the playoffs, we’ve been able to win two rounds so far, Nikita Kucherov sees the ice like no one else and can slow the plays down. has been able to come back and perform at a high level. Point speeds it up and finds holes in the gritty areas. Victor Hedman acts like a quarterback at the point and still makes those offensive efforts from “When all of the decisions were made to know that Nikita needed surgery the blue line. Steven Stamkos’ one-timer is a force to be reckoned with and then we had to decide whether to place him on long-term exemption from the left faceoff circle. And Killorn has a heavy net-front presence or not for the season, I didn’t know how things would unfold.” around the goalie’s crease with an ability to make the low plays.

The Lightning were able to save $9.5 million of cap space with “You can’t cover (us) all,” Hedman said. “And I think our power play’s Kucherov’s move, and combined with acquiring the contracts of injured done a good job of adjusting on the fly, making reads, making plays. You players Marian Gaborik and Anders Nilsson, they were able to use long- can have as many set plays as you want, but sometimes you have to term injured reserve to meet the cap restraints. As BriseBois emphasized take what’s there.” Saturday, the league investigated the long-term injury requests, and the team had to justify the surgery, the rehab schedule and the timetable for Tampa Bay Times LOADED: 06.13.2021 return.

“Those were the cards that we were dealt and that’s how we handled it,” BriseBois said. “We had a player who was injured, who needed surgery with about a five-month expected rehabilitation time. It just so happened that this season, because of the extraordinary circumstances, this regular season was only lasting four months. So he was able to have surgery, miss the entire season, we got some cap relief during the season, and he was able to come back a little sooner than expected and it so happened that that coincided with Game 1 of the playoffs.”

The team’s initial timetable had Kucherov returning for the second round of the postseason, and Kucherov’s recovery was the quickest BriseBois has seen from that surgery, and he’s seen a lot. Brayden Point, Yanni Gourde, Ryan Callahan and Ben Thomas all had similar procedures that took longer.

Ultimately, the Lightning still had to make the postseason without their best player, but BriseBois said that was by far a better option than having to move one or two core pieces.

“Luckily for me and for our organization, I don’t think they could have unfolded any better,” BriseBois said. “But at the time, when I was looking at all the possible scenarios and all the possible outcomes, none of them were as good as this one, and there were a lot of ones that weren’t very good. That’s all I can say.”

Boos, cheers welcomed

Fans are back in arenas this postseason, giving an extra energy boost to teams.

For the first time this postseason, Tampa Bay has home-ice advantage. But how much of an advantage is it, really? 1215725 Tampa Bay Lightning excited to play a great team and we’re probably looking forward to playing another team too that we haven’t seen in a long time.”

After coming off a series against a Carolina team that pressures the puck Lightning-Islanders: Familiar foes expect another tight series relentlessly, the Islanders are also a defensive-minded group that will try to take away time and space from the Lightning’s skill players, but they’ll Not a lot has changed for either team since last year’s Eastern do so with a more physical brand than Tampa Bay saw with Carolina. Conference Final. “When we’re at our best, we’re playing physical and we’re in your face, we’re getting pucks in and we’re trying to wear you down over the course of the game and capitalize on your mistakes,” Islanders forward Matt By Eduardo A. Encina Martin said. “As much as the focus is to be physical with whoever we’re playing, it’s just kind of our identity as a group and where we’re the most successful. It starts on Sunday in setting a physical tone and being hard TAMPA — The Lightning enter their Stanley Cup semifinal with the on them right from the get-go is going to be important.” Islanders having not played them all season, but Tampa Bay is far from unfamiliar with its next opponent. Tampa Bay Times LOADED: 06.13.2021

Because of this year’s regional realignment that had teams play their entire regular-season schedule and first two playoff rounds in their division, the Islanders will be the first team the Lightning face outside the Central Division.

But these teams saw each other nine months ago in the Eastern Conference Final, a series the Lightning won in six games en route to the Stanley Cup.

For the most part, the personnel is very much the same. Their systems are the same, the goaltenders are the same and the coaches have met in this round three of the past four seasons (Islanders coach Barry Trotz led the Capitals team that three seasons ago beat Tampa Bay in the conference final).

“Whether we played each other last week or last month or three months ago, it doesn’t really matter,” Lightning coach Jon Cooper said. “We know what to expect from them and they know what to expect from us.”

The Lightning's Victor Hedman scores on Islanders goalie Semyon Varlamov during Game 6 last year.

Take away the Lightning’s 8-2 win in Game 1 and the rest of last year’s series — which was played in front of no fans inside the Edmonton bubble — was tightly contested. Four of the six games were decided by two goals or fewer — the Lightning won Game 4 by three only after a late empty-net goal — and the final two games went to overtime.

Portrait of a Maker: Loria Stern

Both teams will take time breaking down film to get a fresh look at their opponent, but they know how much of a challenge emerging from this series will be.

“I think the one thing we just draw on, just starting to look at them as our opponent, is how hard fought that series was, how close that series was and how important every play is against this team,” Lightning defenseman Ryan McDonagh said. “It’s going to be a huge challenge, and our group has been through those challenges before, but this is another step towards where we want to go and what we’re trying to do in accomplishing our goal.

“I just know how hard of a series it was last time and I’m expecting it to be even more of a challenge, especially going into an environment like their building and their crowd behind them and the pride that they play with.”

The Islanders — the last team out of the East Division to qualify for the postseason who beat the Penguins and Bruins to get here — are relishing the rematch. Islanders forward Brett Nelson said their loss to Tampa Bay was followed by “the hardest offseason we’ve been a part of because of how close we were to our goal.”

Alex Killorn, Victor Hedman, Steven Stamkos and Ryan McDonagh, along with deputy commissioner Bill Daly, pose with the Prince of Wales Trophy.

From the “We want Tampa” chant that permeated through Nassau Coliseum in the waning moments of the Islanders’ series-clinching Game 6 win over Boston, their fans also are looking forward to getting another shot at the Lightning.

“They’re a great team,” Lightning defenseman Victor Hedman said. “They play with a lot of speed, got some physical D that can skate and good goaltending. When it comes down to four teams left, it’s the best of the best that are still here and you expect a tough matchup. We’re super 1215726 Tampa Bay Lightning I think I got a lot stronger mentally, and I understand what it takes to go through it.”

Those close to Kucherov constantly talk about his hockey IQ, his knack Lightning’s Nikita Kucherov: ‘Missing a whole year ... you don’t want to for slowing the game and anticipating the next move. Lightning forward be that guy’ Brayden Point is a dart; he creates opportunities with his speed. Steven Stamkos snipes from his office in the left circle. But Kucherov is the As questions about the Lightning’s cap-maneuvering re-emerge, the engine that makes the offense run. Tampa Bay wing reveals how difficult it was to sit out the entire regular season. Coach Jon Cooper said he saw Kucherov, who turns 28 on Thursday, develop mental strength before the injury.

Cooper said Kucherov took his biggest step following the Lightning’s By Eduardo A. Encina abrupt first-round playoff loss to the Blue Jackets in 2019. The following season, Cooper said, he noticed that Kucherov wouldn’t get rattled when

things didn’t go his way. When teams tried to get physical with him, he TAMPA — For those quick to accuse the Lightning of shady dealings in didn’t fall for the bait. Instead, Kucherov channeled his energy into putting their best player on long-term injured reserve to become salary- making opponents pay on the ice. And when Tampa Bay needed cap compliant before the season, know that this process wasn’t fun for Kucherov to carry it during the playoffs, he did it with calm and Nikita Kucherov, either. composure.

In his final media availability before the offseason Thursday, Carolina “That’s the huge mental growth, but it’s tough,” Cooper said. “Hockey defenseman Dougie Hamilton threw a match on the fire of the cap players, their shelf life is their 20s, and if they’re lucky, you get to play controversy that has followed the Lightning all season, wondering into your early 30s now. And if you lose a whole year, that has to be whether the Hurricanes would have had a better shot at unseating the tough. I understand players are getting paid and stuff like that, but there’s Lightning in the second round of the playoffs if they had used long-term so much more to it. It’s your job, and you don’t get to play it forever, and injured reserve as Tampa Bay did. to have one of those years taken away, that has to be tough on your mind. The Lightning put nearly $18 million of salaries, including Kucherov’s $9.5 million paycheck for this season, on the list to comply with the “I’m so glad that he’s getting to play now in the playoffs, because it’s had league’s $81.5 million cap. The move was made for Kucherov because of to be a grueling time to sit out in rehab and not having any control hip surgery in late December that the Lightning said would keep him out whether your team is going to make the playoffs, because that’s the only for the regular season. The usual recovery time for surgery like Kucherov way you get to play. And the guys, one of the big things was, let’s make had is five to six months, a time period that covered this coronavirus- the playoffs so that Kucherov has some semblance of a year, and it’s abbreviated regular season that started in January. paying off for him.”

So the Lightning was able to avoid some difficulties restructuring a roster Tampa Bay Times LOADED: 06.13.2021 that likely would have left them as something less than the team that stands eight wins from winning a second straight Stanley Cup.

Kucherov was back for the first game of the playoffs May 16 against the Panthers and had two goals and an assist in a 5-4 win. Now the Lightning are back in the league’s final four, and Kucherov leads the league with 18 postseason points. He has added a spark to Tampa Bay’s top-ranked postseason power play and is making everyone around him better, which has brought the Lightning’s use of long-term injured reserve back into the spotlight.

Speaking Friday in advance of the semifinal series against the Islanders, which starts Sunday, Kucherov said he didn’t make the rules and talked about his recovery process.

“Missing a whole year, you ask any player, you don’t want to be that guy,” Kucherov said. “It’s been tough to watch the game from my house or from the stands, or through the treatments, working out, skating by myself.

“I didn’t do it on purpose, obviously. I had to do the surgery. I had to go through the whole five months of rehabilitation, and when the time came (when) I was ready to play, it was the playoffs.”

While he was out, Kucherov watched games at Amalie Arena from above the ice, where he could see action develop, and broke down plays in his mind, anticipating how he’d react if he had been on the ice with his teammates.

“It’s just mentally tough,” Kucherov said. “But I had to go through it, and I think I got better at it looking at the game from a different standpoint, like on power plays, how the team plays, how the team defends, how much time I would have if I was there.”

Kucherov said he grew frustrated by the monotony of his rehabilitation and hated going to the gym every day for the same routine while his teammates were chasing a postseason spot.

“It’s really annoying, and you get down on yourself sometimes,” Kucherov said. “You want to go out there and play, and instead you go to the gym and do the rehab stuff. It was tough. You get home from the game and guys are feeling good, and I’m like, ‘Tomorrow is the same thing.’

“So I was trying to find a way to stay positive and to be with my family a little bit, too, see my son grow. That helped me a lot, getting away from the game a little bit and not thinking too much about it. It wasn’t easy, but 1215727 Tampa Bay Lightning 7 Games 7.90%

84.20% NHL playoff predictions for the semifinals: Will the Golden Knights and Lightning battle for the Stanley Cup? 15.80%

Vegas Golden Knights vs. Montreal Canadiens

By The Athletic NHL Staff 2.60%

4 Games

Well, no use delaying the inevitable. Our picks were bad in the second 0% round of the NHL playoffs. The Tampa Bay Lightning were the only team we correctly projected to advance to the semifinals. To the fans of the 44.70% Montreal Canadiens, New York Islanders and Vegas Golden Knights: We 5 Games were wrong. 5.30% The good news is, we get to do it again and we obviously have a new team and new MVP candidate leading the way. 26.30%

The Athletic’s Dom Luszczyszyn currently gives the Golden Knights a 43 6 Games percent chance to win the Cup, followed by the Lightning at 39 percent. 0% He gives Vegas a 76 percent chance of beating Montreal and Tampa Bay a 70 percent chance of beating New York. 13.20%

Here is what The Athletic’s 38 voters predicted for the NHL’s final four 7 Games and the rest of the Stanley Cup playoffs. 7.90%

Stanley Cup winner? 86.80%

Vegas Golden Knights 13.20%

52.60% The Athletic LOADED: 06.13.2021 Tampa Bay Lightning

44.70%

New York Islanders

2.60%

Montreal Canadiens

0%

Conn Smythe winner?

Mark Stone

36.80%

Andrei Vasilevskiy

26.30%

Marc-Andre Fleury

15.80%

Nikita Kucherov

10.50%

Victor Hedman, Brock Nelson, Brayden Point and Carey Price also received votes.

Tampa Bay Lightning vs. New York Islanders

0%

4 Games

0%

13.20%

5 Games

0%

55.30%

6 Games

7.90%

15.80% 1215728 Tampa Bay Lightning “His ability to bring the puck across the blue line is off-the-charts good,” an NHL scout said.

(Via Corey Sznajder) Film session: Breaking down Lightning’s ‘big-game player,’ Brayden There’s risk to every play — hockey is played on a slippery ice surface, Point after all. Attempting to be shifty, especially with a small frame, runs the risk of getting burned. But it pays off more often than not for Point when carrying the puck over the blue line; he has very few failed attempts. By Joe Smith and Shayna Goldman Jun 12, 2021 “You just can’t get the puck off of him,” the scout added. “He’s got his head up, so if you send one or two guys after him, that leaves someone open until he finds them.” When Brayden Point arrived in Lightning camp in the fall of 2016, the quiet Western Canada kid was just a few months removed from playing Offensive creation juniors in Moose Jaw. Point’s skating ability is a key part of how he generates offense. But teammates quickly noticed an old-school-type vibe, from his love of naps to still using a flip phone. The rookie was so unassuming, as Ryan “I think there’s only a handful of guys you can compare him to in terms of Callahan put it, that if you saw him on the street, you’d have no idea he elite explosiveness,” said retired NHL center Dominic Moore, now an was an NHL player. NBCSN analyst. “His ability to go from zero to 60 is up there with very top guys. The agility is a huge part, where he can turn on a dime, change On the ice? That was a completely different story. direction and move laterally.”

“I just remember thinking to myself, ‘Wow, where did this kid come The center’s explosiveness is essential to his transitional play. His speed, from?'” Callahan said. “It was eye-opening for sure, how comfortable he along with his evasiveness around defenders, helps him get to the quality was from day one. He always had that veteran presence to him — the areas of the ice. And that skill adds to the threat of the Lightning’s demeanor, the way he walked around the room. It was a quiet confidence dangerous power play; his role includes bringing the puck into the you don’t see out of a first-year player, almost like he’s been in the offensive zone and quickly getting into formation in his slot position. league for 10 years.” At five-on-five, he creates a high rate of rush shots — a rate of 12.03 per Point is 25 years old, and he’s already one of the league’s most dynamic 60 — which, according to Sznajder’s tracking, is among the best in the talents — “A top-10 player,” said one NHL scout. league. His opponent in the next round, Islanders star Mathew Barzal, ranks very closely in that regard, and both can credit their skating abilities More importantly, he’s one of the most clutch players. Nobody has for that. scored more playoff goals the past four seasons than Point (30) — not Nathan MacKinnon, not Alex Ovechkin, not David Pastrnak. His .55 goals “He’s probably the dartiest player in the NHL in terms of moving his feet per game for his career in the postseason at age 25 trails mostly Hall of and jumping into holes,” Barzal said. “He’s one of those guys where I Famers like Wayne Gretzky, Mike Bossy and Jari Kurri. watch and try to take things for my own game. I don’t think there’s anything in his game you can’t like.” It’s no fluke, as Point has done it at every level since bantam, with the 2014 third-rounder outperforming all but one of the 78 picks ahead of Red Wings forward Luke Glendening, who saw quite a bit of Point this him. But as the Lightning prepare to face the Islanders in the Stanley Cup year in the Central Division, echoed Barzal. semifinals Sunday, Point’s eight goals, his play-driving, his all-around play are largely why. “You think you’re with him and he’s got another gear he can turn to,” Glendening said. “The way he can slow down and speed up and cut “He’s up there with some of the best players in the National Hockey back, it’s such an asset to his game. He can make plays at full speed but League,” said Islanders coach Barry Trotz. “He’s underrated, in my can also slow the game down to his pace.” opinion. Brayden is one of those players that thrives (in big moments). He’s a big-game player that doesn’t get enough credit.” Frequent plays off the rush are factored into expected goal models, as is whether a shot was a rebound or a second chance. So those rush plays How does Point do it? What makes him so special? We spoke to those contributed to Point leading the team in individual expected goal who have played with him and those who have tried to stop him. generation in all situations and at five-on-five but aren’t all that boosted his numbers. Shot type, location and angle are also weighed, and the The skating right-handed shooter often gets himself to the quality areas while the Most would be surprised that Point wasn’t a strong skater when he was team’s cycling the puck in the offensive zone. drafted, which is one reason — beyond his size — he fell to the third Point’s shooting talent only increases the likelihood of a shot becoming a round before the Lightning moved up one spot in a slick trade to snag goal. him. How do you defend that? “His skating went from acceptable to exceptional,” said Tim Hunter, Point’s junior coach in Moose Jaw. “I don’t know if there’s a perfect way to do it,” Glendening said. “You do your best to keep him in front of you. He’s so good at finding open ice, How? Point worked at it consistently, spending countless sessions with finding players. That’s what makes him such an elite player. You’ve got skating coach Barb Underhill, who targeted the center’s ankle flexion. to try to slow him down as early as you can to give yourself a chance.” Point was always on his heels but learned that by bending his ankle more, he was able to be on the better part of his blade, allowing him to But even when trying to slow down Point, he’s still dangerous. As an NHL glide better and push off at any moment. scout explained, he excels at “holding the puck in tight spaces.”

“I’ve been doing this for well over 10 years, and I have to say, I don’t That was put on display with this goal against the Hurricanes: know if I’ve ever worked with an athlete that has the kind of self- motivation and drive of Brayden Point,” Underhill said. “The improvement “(Point) shows tremendous patience in a tight space, which most players he’s made, as fast as he’s made it, I’ve never seen anything like it.” can’t do. He can do this because he has the skill, agility and confidence to know that he can still make a play with defenders inches away,” Moore How does that show on the ice? analyzed.

It’s helped him become one of the leading puck-movers up the ice; Corey Another element that makes him tricky to defend is defenders don’t only Sznajder’s manually tracked microstats help quantify his transitional play. have to be aware of his straight line speed; they also have to anticipate his ability to pivot quickly through defenders. Point doesn’t have the highest rate of zone exits on the Bolts but does have some of the best possession rates of 80 percent at five-on-five. “If you get on him too quickly, he changes direction and he’s gone,” Where he really shines, in terms of frequency and effectiveness, is Callahan said. “One of the big things he does is anticipates plays. He skating the puck into the offensive zone. sees plays happening before they happen. When you’ve got a guy like that, you give him more time and space and he’ll make you pay.” And he knows how to best use his energy on a shift. Moore pointed to his “There was no change in demeanor,” Callahan said. “I remember him coasting speed on the goal scored below. The result is a dangerous shot telling Coop, ‘I don’t want to switch off that line.'” that gets past Spencer Knight. According to HockeyViz, a wrist shot from this location at even strength (not scored on the rush or a rebound, with So far this postseason, he hasn’t been shifted away from those tough the scoring team already in the lead), has a goal probability of 24.7 matchups either. He’s going head-to-head against some of the best. percent coming from Point’s stick specifically against an average goalie. Point’s line often faced off against Aleksander Barkov’s in Round 1 and “He never stops his momentum and keeps his coast speed up, which Sebastian Aho’s in Round 2. allows him to conserve energy for when he needs it while still being If Cooper deploys Point against the Islanders’ best while he controls the everywhere he needs to be on the ice,” Moore said. matchup with home ice, that should make Barzal’s line their next The Kucherov factor challenge. If anyone can keep up with the Islanders’ leading pivot, it’s Point. Point wasn’t weighed down by his Stanley Cup ring this year, as he netted 23 goals and 48 points in 56 games. He was even more impactful But that line will have to push the pace of play more to get through the than last year on both ends of the ice at five-on-five when accounting for Islanders’ defensive structure. zone starts, competition and coaching, as the heat maps show. “You’ve got to play fast, and you can’t let him carry the puck through the (Via HockeyViz) neutral zone,” said former NHL coach Bruce Boudreau. “That’s the Isles’ forte — the same thing that Vegas did to Colorado. After Game 1, they But something was missing throughout the regular season: his frequent didn’t let MacKinnon skate with the puck through the neutral zone. That’s linemate, Nikita Kucherov, with whom he spent 80 percent of his five-on- because he creates everything, draws everything to him and dishes. But five ice time last year. if he doesn’t have the puck, the other guys aren’t as good at that.”

The fact Point was still stellar is a testament to his ability to carry a line. Point and his linemates all saw a dip in five-on-five scoring through the But now that the sniping winger is back — and they’ve already spent 90 first two rounds. As The Athletic’s Dom Luszczyszyn noted in his series percent of their five-on-five minutes together this postseason — he’s preview, they had a 58.6 percent expected goals rate, but their actual even more difficult to contain. scoring rate (53.7 percent) fell short. If the Islanders maintain their discipline, the Lightning won’t have their power play to lean on. But as Kucherov has one of the game’s elite hockey IQs, and Point is right there long as they can at least maintain the level of play from their last two too, which is a big reason they’re such a dynamic duo. The two can be series, the results should come as their actual scoring regresses closer seen on the bench throughout games, staring at an iPad to go over their to the expected numbers they’re earning. shifts and talk strategy. The Islanders attempted to get Point off his game in their last postseason “I think we understand the game the same way,” Kucherov said. “We’re meeting with their physical play; Point missed Game 3 because of an trying to talk to each other a lot, help each other, support each other on injury. They’re once again one of the most frequent hitters, besting the ice.” Tampa by a rate of 5.67 per 60 in all situations in the playoffs. But the Steven Stamkos points out that Point is the opposite of Kucherov, who Lightning’s center was able to skate right through it last year, as he went likes to slow the game. “Pointer just pushes the pace as good as anyone on to score seven points in four games, including this slick stop-and-go in the league.” move around Ryan Pulock in Game 1:

While the playoffs are a much smaller and more intense sample than the “When you’re playing against the best D-pair every night, I’m sure they’re regular season, there’s already a difference in the team’s offensive trying to be physical,” Glendening said. “You see him stand up for generation now that Point and Kucherov have been reunited. himself. He battles. He competes. He’s not afraid. That goes a long way.”

During the regular season, as shown below on the left in red, the “He can handle himself; he has that bite to his game,” Callahan said. Lightning often created shots from the scoring areas and closer to the “He’s not the type of guy who is easily intimidated or run out the building,” point with their leading center on the ice at five-on-five, and many of Callahan added. “It’s not something the Islanders can try in this series. those net-front shots came from Point. But in the postseason, as the right It’ll make him play even better; he’s a guy that rises to that.” reflects, those net-front shots have increased, as has the volume in the Plus, his skating helps him avoid contact, which could put defenders out left circle. of position and a step behind if they fail. He was one of the least-hit (Via HockeyViz) forwards on the Lightning last postseason despite frequently possessing the puck. Point’s still skating alongside Ondrej Palat, as he did through much of the season. The key difference is having Kucherov back, as the center The big moments explained. It’s not surprising that some of the biggest goals on the Lightning’s Cup “(Kucherov) is really good at drawing players to him, and he’s able to put run last summer came from Point. the puck in such good spots for guys that we’re able to capitalize,” Point There was Point’s winner in the five-overtime marathon against the Blue said. “The thing with Kuch is he doesn’t really miss an open lane. If Jackets in Game 1 of the first round, a victory Cooper believes propelled you’re open, you get the puck. And it’s his hockey IQ and the way he them mentally on their championship journey. sees the ice.” He scored the series clincher against Columbus, too. He has five career Lightning color analyst Brian Engblom noted that nobody was impacted game-winning goals in the playoffs, including two this year, with Point more by Kucherov’s return than Point. scoring the first goal on a slick backhand in Game 5 against Carolina.

“When Kuch comes back, it changes everything,” Engblom said. “Point is “He loves those big moments,” Boudreau said. “Some guys cower at that. a combination of a running back who can also be a receiver. If he doesn’t He embraces it, embraces the pressure. If it’s overtime, I’m betting on have it all the time, he gives it to Kuch; now Brayden can dart in and out, Point.” get the puck at key times because Kucherov can do that better than anyone else in the league. It’s been a breath of fresh air for him.” Point has scored clutch goals his entire life, including getting put on his Moose Jaw teammates shoulders as a 15-year-old when he scored an The matchup OT winner in the playoffs in junior.

Jon Cooper will always remember pulling Point into his office during What about those moments brings out the best in Point? Game 1 of the 2018 Eastern Conference semifinals against the Bruins. “The thing I think players enjoy is the competition,” Point said. “The Point’s line was getting dominated by Boston’s “Perfection Line” of stakes are raised; it’s why we play the game, to be in those situations, Patrice Bergeron, Brad Marchand and Pastrnak. It was embarrassing where your shift could mean the difference between a win or a loss, or a and humbling for the then-22-year-old center, who finished the game a simple backcheck or forecheck can swing the momentum in the game.” minus-5. Cooper had a “stern heart-to-heart,” telling Point he wasn’t pulling him from the matchup. Point doesn’t do this all on his own, with the Lightning boasting the kind of depth in all areas that makes them capable of a historic repeat. But Point wouldn’t have it any other way. one NHL scout said even with Kucherov, Stamkos and Victor Hedman, Point is their most valuable skater.

“There are certain guys that have that it factor,” Cooper said. “And Point is one of those guys.”

— Data via HockeyViz, Evolving-Hockey and Corey Sznajder. This story relies on shot-based metrics; here are primers (part 1, part 2) on these numbers.

The Athletic LOADED: 06.13.2021 1215729 commendation from King George V and a pass from his commanding officer allowing him to play hockey. HOCKEY HALL OF FAME

“To think (Smith) wanted the clock and these were throw-ins, like a future HORNBY: Frank Fredrickson was a hero in the air and on the ice draft pick.”

Fredrickson was a staunch member of his church and community, working through his early life to ease ethnic tensions between Icelandics Lance Hornby and other multicultural groups in Winnipeg. Born in 1895, he learned to skate on the family backyard rink and captained the University of

Manitoba Law School team, playing violin in a dance orchestra to help Frank Fredrickson, who once scored 39 goals in 30 games for the finance his education. in 1922-23, is seen here in his Detroit Cougars uniform Still in his teens, he was wearing the ‘C’ for the Falcons in 1916 when the during the 1926-27 season. Inset: While still in his teens, the Winnipeg war intensified. He enlisted in the 223rd Battalion of mostly Nordic native enlisted in the 223rd Battalion made up of soldiers mostly of heritage with several teammates. They were allowed to play together in Nordic heritage during World War I. the city’s “Patriotic League” before shipping overseas. Frank Fredrickson led a double life as hockey star and Canadian war Reaching England, Fredrickson transferred to the new Royal Flying hero. Corps, where he completed his officer’s training and joined close friend The first part is an open book that earned him Hall of Fame honours as Konrad “Konnie” Johannesson in Egypt. the first man to win the Stanley Cup, the Olympic gold medal and the After some close calls in the sky locating enemy positions, Fredrickson . He initially made his name as a centre and captain of the was recalled to serve in England, but the transport he sailed on was famed , a team of all-Icelandic ancestry. torpedoed in the Mediterranean. Fredrickson and others were adrift on a Yet only now — by a most circuitous route — are his exploits from First lifeboat a few days — Frank was able to save his violin — before being World War truly coming to light. rescued.

We take you to St. Louis, Mo., more than 40 years ago, where a military He eventually made it back to “Blighty” — as he called Great Britain in his antiques collector (call him Mr. Smith, as he wishes to remain diary — and became an instructor and test pilot. En route to Canada in anonymous) was alerted to a unique memento from the 1914-18 conflict. 1919, he made an emotional stop in Iceland, where he became the first Advertised on a community bulletin board was a wooden plane propeller pilot of native blood to take off from Icelandic soil. shaft with a clock built into its centre being offered by Fredrickson’s He returned to the European continent the next year, this time holding a daughter-in-law, Alix. different kind of stick. He’d helped reform the Falcons, who won the Allan Wanting to make this unique addition to his trove of guns, swords, Cup senior title to represent Canada at the 1920 Olympics, the first to duelling pistols, navy diving suits and army surgical equipment, Smith feature . On the liner to the Games in Antwerp, Belgium, he travelled to her home to retrieve it. She told him the clock was fashioned fell out of his bunk and cut his head, but still led the team in scoring en from one of the scout planes Fredrickson flew for the Royal Air Force in route to the gold, topped by seven goals in a 12-1 win over Sweden. Egypt in the war’s Middle East theatre and later on the Western front. The letter of commendation signed by King George V that Frank Part of the story was that Fredrickson had been shot down at least once. Fredrickson received when he was named a lieutenant. HOCKEY HALL While still in his teens, the Winnipeg native enlisted in the 223rd Battalion OF FAME made up of soldiers mostly of Nordic heritage during World War I. Now a well-known athlete (also a 1920 national shot put champ), he was HOCKEY HALL OF FAME enticed from the Falcons by , along with Haldor “Slim” “In the same closet as the clock, on the upper shelf, I noticed a box of Halderson, to join Patrick’s Victoria Cougars, a Western League rival of other stuff,” Smith recalled to the Sun. “She said, ‘Take it, I need to clear the NHL. Their six-year stay included Fredrickson’s 39 goals in 30 games this out, too.’ ” in 1922-23 and the 1925 Stanley Cup triumph over the Montreal Canadiens. Later, Fredrickson played in the NHL for Detroit, Boston and It was only recently that Smith took a good look at the box’s contents: the short-lived , while Halderson spent a year for the Two dozen artifacts that fully laid out Fredrickson’s dedication to duty and newly named Maple Leafs in 1927. his hockey career before, during and after the war. Time as a husband, father and behind the bench was Fredrickson’s next They included 10 of Fredrickson’s carefully written or typed war diaries, a calling. He coached the Falcons, Princeton University and the University commendation from King George V when he was named lieutenant, a of British Columbia. But the outbreak of war again in 1939 saw him re- tactics handbook for “Fighting In The Air,” pictures, notebooks and enlist to train pilots, finding time to coach RCAF teams in Vancouver, hockey newspaper clippings. There was also a signal honour of his Calgary and St. Catharines, Ont. prowess on the ice — a pass by his commanding officer granting him a week’s leave to play hockey. “Allan Cup gold-medallist, Stanley Cup champion, coach, war hero … what did this guy do in his spare time?” marvelled Pritchard. Smith knows nothing about hockey, but discerned Fredrickson was from Winnipeg and a Hall member and thus these items rightfully belonged in After 1945, Fredrickson continued in aircraft-related businesses, was an Canada. He got in touch with Hall vice-president/curator and “Keeper of Alderman in Vancouver, coached soccer and lacrosse, occasionally sat the Cup” Phil Pritchard and shipped the artifacts north. in with the Winnipeg Orchestra and wrote a newspaper sports column in that city. He passed away in Toronto’s Riverdale Hospital in 1979. Such information and personal objects on players from more than 100 years ago are rare finds for the Hall. Once the Hall re-opens later this summer, Pritchard will see what Fredrickson artifacts might lend themselves to display, perhaps linked to “This is incredible,” said Pritchard as he laid out Fredrickson’s documents Team Canada at the coming 2022 Winter Games, with Johannesson’s at the Hall’s Toronto resource centre. “We think of how great a player he 1920 sweater. was and it’s great he has a plaque in the Hall, but this is another life entirely that he dedicated to his country. Fredrickson suited up in a similar Winnipeg Falcons jersey to the one worn by his teammate Konrad “Konnie” Johannesson, now in the Hockey A colector calling himself Mr. Smith donated this treasure trove of Hall of Fame. HOCKEY HALL OF FAME priceless letters and documents once belonging to Frank Fredrickson to the Hockey Hall of Fame, including diary entries, a letter of Fredrickson suited up in a similar Winnipeg Falcons jersey to the one commendation from King George V and a pass from his commanding worn by his teammate Konrad “Konnie” Johannesson, now in the Hockey officer allowing him to play hockey. HOCKEY HALL OF FAME Hall of Fame. HOCKEY HALL OF FAME

A colector calling himself Mr. Smith donated this treasure trove of After Hall staff gets a chance to examine all of the Fredrickson material priceless letters and documents once belonging to Frank Fredrickson to for its hockey connections, Pritchard says he’ll likely forward some items the Hockey Hall of Fame, including diary entries, a letter of to the Canadian War Museum, as he’s sure Smith would approve. “We get a lot of anonymous donations and it’s great to have historians out there. As few and far between as they are around the world, they all stick together, they all believe in their cause, whether it’s war, hockey or whatever. They want to preserve, they don’t want money or recognition. When we get stuff that’s not hockey-related, we try and find a home for it.”

Toronto Sun LOADED: 06.13.2021

1215730 Vegas Golden Knights

Golden Knights eager to play outside division in semifinals

By David Schoen Las Vegas Review-Journal

Golden Knights coach Pete DeBoer showed video of the Canadiens on Saturday hoping there would be some level of familiarity with the opponent in the Stanley Cup semifinals.

Not everyone was up to speed, however.

The Knights are using the extra days ahead of Monday’s Game 1 against Montreal to prepare for a new opponent after facing exclusively West Division foes during the regular season and playoffs.

“It was funny when we presented to the players because I think in their down time they’re not watching as much hockey as we are as coaches,” DeBoer said. “For a lot of them, having not played them and for a lot of them not having even seen them this year, it was definitely interesting to see some of the responses.”

The Knights and Canadiens haven’t played since Jan. 18, 2020, when host Montreal won 5-4 in a shootout after Reilly Smith tied the game with eight seconds remaining in regulation. That was DeBoer’s second game after he was hired to replace Gerard Gallant.

Because of COVID-19 restrictions, teams haven’t played outside of their division this season. The Knights last met an Eastern Conference club March 3, 2020 (New Jersey).

Montreal hasn’t faced a team from the U.S. this season and played the six other teams in the North Division nine or 10 times each in the regular season. The extensive scouting reports that were developed helped the Canadiens, the lowest-ranked team entering the playoffs, pull off upsets over Toronto and Winnipeg.

“Montreal’s going to come here with kind of a fresh slate,” Smith said. “You can Watch video, but sometimes it takes those first couple of shifts to really hone in on what they’re doing on the ice to get your timing right against a team you haven’t seen all year. We’ll prep as best we can, and we’ll be ready to play our game.”

Montreal updates

Coach Dominique Ducharme said injured players Jeff Petry, former Knight Jon Merrill and Jake Evans will travel to Las Vegas for the first two games of the series.

Petry, who was tied for seventh among defensemen in the regular season with 42 points, is not expected to be available for Game 1. Neither is Merrill, the ex-Knights defenseman.

Ducharme said Evans could be ready in three or four days after he was injured on a heavy hit from Winnipeg’s Mark Scheifele late in Game 1 of Montreal’s second-round series against the Jets. Scheifele was suspended four games for charging.

LAS VEGAS REVIEW JOURNAL LOADED: 06.13.2021 1215731 Vegas Golden Knights The Canadiens are hockey’s history. The Knights are trying to make more of their own.

Yet when things begin for real, all emotion is put aside. Even for those Golden Knights, Canadiens own far different histories who know the narrative well.

“I was always a big Montreal fan growing up,” said Fleury, one of four players from in the Knights’ starting lineup. “Even through my By Ed Graney Las Vegas Review-Journal career, I always kept track of them. They have such a huge history and won many times. But the game is still played on the ice. It doesn’t matter

if you have 24 Cups or not — you play the game in the moment, in the Before the Golden Knights and Canadiens open a best-of-seven Stanley present. You have to be ready for that moment and to win that game. Cup semifinal series Monday night at T-Mobile Arena, it’s instructive to “Not think about the future, not think about the past.” consider the history of the two franchises. Fair enough. But can we at least think more about the time Youppi! was They could not be more different. tossed from a baseball game for taking a running leap atop an opposing Here in Las Vegas, pregame theatrics over four seasons have included a team’s dugout, landing hard and noisily on its roof, and then sneaking conquering hero in the Golden Knight, swords and shields and battles into a front row seat? and a concocted Fortress. Now that’s some history. In Montreal, they actually played hockey during Medieval times. LAS VEGAS REVIEW JOURNAL LOADED: 06.13.2021 Or maybe it just seems that long ago.

Another difference: Montreal’s motto, taken from the poem “In Flanders Fields,” is the following: To you from failing hands we throw the torch. Be yours to hold it high.

Instead of throwing torches, the Golden Knights have had archers shoot arrows with fire at opposing team logos.

Youppi! vs. Chance

In Montreal, Youppi! is the first mascot in professional sports to switch leagues (baseball to hockey), the first from a Canadian-based club to be inducted into The Mascot Hall of Fame and the first to be thrown out of a game.

The Knights have Chance the gila monster.

Huge advantage, Canadiens.

In Montreal, opened in 1996 and is both the largest hockey arena in the world (seating capacity 21,288) and one of the busiest venues globally based on ticket sales for non-sporting events.

T-Mobile Arena is Disneyland on a massive caffeine rush.

Huge advantage Part II, Fortress.

But once the puck drops Monday, all which happened before means nothing in regard to who ultimately advances to the Stanley Cup final. And yet the dichotomy between the franchises is striking.

Of course, that pretty much defines any side when contrasted against the archives of the world’s longest operating professional hockey team.

Montreal won its first of a record 24 Stanley Cups in 1916, when a loaf of bread cost 7 cents and some fellow named Monet was doing fascinating things with watercolors.

The Knights hadn’t played a game five years ago.

“I think before the series begins, you look at those things a little bit,” said Knights general manager Kelly McCrimmon. “They’ve been in existence over 100 years longer than we have. The Montreal Canadiens are the Montreal Canadiens. It’s an franchise.

“I’m from Western Canada. You grow up and there are the Toronto Maple Leafs and Montreal Canadiens in that country at that time. It’s a storied franchise, certainly. A fabulous city that we won’t have the opportunity to enjoy much because of the (COVID-19) protocols of the times. But it’s always special. When you play in that building, it’s always special.”

Live in moment

None of it will determine which of two future Hall of Fame goaltenders — Marc-Andre Fleury of the Knights or Carey Price of the Canadiens — gets the better of an opponent.

Or matter that one team (Knights) had a regular season goal-differential of plus-67 and the other (Montreal) minus-9. Or influence which proves more physical — a Knights’ roster that led the NHL in blocks or a Montreal side that did so in hits. 1215732 Vegas Golden Knights It wouldn’t be a bad milestone for Fleury to hit against the team he grew up rooting for, or against an opponent as respected as Price.

“Obviously we won’t be able to see family or friends, nothing like that,” Marc-Andre Fleury ready to face hometown team in semifinals Fleury said. “But I’m still looking forward to it. I think it’s going to be a great series. It’s going to be intense. It should be a lot of fun.”

LAS VEGAS REVIEW JOURNAL LOADED: 06.13.2021 By Ben Gotz Las Vegas Review-Journal

Vegas Golden Knights goaltender Marc-Andre Fleury (29) drinks water during a break in the second period of Game 3 of a second-round NHL hockey Stanley Cup playoff series at T-Mobile Arena on Friday, June 4, 2021 in Las Vegas. (Erik Verduzco / Las Vegas Review-Journal) @Erik_Verduzco

The only thing standing between Marc-Andre Fleury and a sixth trip to the Stanley Cup Final is his childhood team.

Fleury, who was born about 85 kilometers (53 miles) from Montreal, grew up as a Canadiens fan and admitted Saturday he’s kept following the team throughout his career.

That’ll all get wiped away once the Golden Knights goaltender steps into the crease. Fleury has far loftier goals than just putting on a good show back home.

“We’re all hungry to win it,” Fleury said. “Vegas has been so fun to play here. The fan base and the atmosphere we get from the building makes it a lot of fun. I want to bring a winning season here to Vegas.”

Fleury, who ranks fourth all-time in playoff wins with 89, has pretty much seen it all in his postseason career.

He’s even faced Montreal once before. In 2010, he had an .892 save percentage that series as the Canadiens defeated his Pittsburgh Penguins in seven games.

Fleury is a much different goaltender than he was back then at 25-years- old. He has experience dealing with the punches the playoffs can bring.

He made a mistake on a goal in Game 5 of the Knights’ last series against the Colorado Avalanche and bounced back to stop 19 of the next 20 shots he faced.

He admitted postgame he probably would have handled the situation differently earlier in his career. The same could be said for facing his hometown team.

“A young goaltender just getting into the league or early in his career, for sure, that situation can be overwhelming,” coach Pete DeBoer said. “You’ve got an experienced guy that’s got multiple Stanley Cups. He’s been in these situations before. For me, that’s not a concern. He’s more than prepared to deal with all that.”

The Knights will have to hope Fleury brings his best game to the NHL semifinal because they know their opponent’s goaltender likely will.

The series pits Fleury against Carey Price. The two are among the most decorated goaltenders in the NHL. Fleury has won three Stanley Cups and finished in the top-10 of the Vezina Trophy voting five times, including this year when he’s a finalist. Price has won a Vezina — in 2015, the same year he won the Hart Trophy for league MVP — and finished in the top 10 of the voting an additional six times.

Having the two together in the same series should lead to a master class in goaltending. Price leads the NHL in save percentage in the playoffs at .935. Fleury ranks second in goals-against average at 1.91.

DeBoer called Price a “world-class” goaltender. Right wing Reilly Smith put Fleury in that same conversation by calling him a “Hall of Fame player.”

“He’s out there all the time working as hard as everyone in practice. He’s competitive every time he steps on the ice,” Smith said. “I think it was shocking for me the first year to see that from a veteran goalie … but since then (I’ve learned) it’s just how he is.”

Those habits are why Fleury ranks third all-time in regular season wins and is three wins away from tying Grant Fuhr for the third-most in playoff history. That means tying and breaking Fuhr’s mark is in play this series against Montreal. 1215733 Vegas Golden Knights

Evans traveling to Vegas with Canadiens for Golden Knights

By Associated Press

MONTREAL — Montreal forward Jake Evans, who has not played since sustaining a concussion on a hit by Winnipeg's Mark Scheifele on June 2, will accompany the Canadiens to Las Vegas for their Stanley Cup semifinal series against the Golden Knights.

Interim Canadiens coach Dominque Ducharme said Saturday that Evans, defensemen Jeff Petry (hand) and Jon Merrill (lower-body injury) are traveling with the team.

Ducharme had said Friday he wasn't very confident they would dress for Game 1 on Monday night.

Evans has been out of the lineup since the final moments of Montreal’s 5-3 win over Winnipeg in the second-round series opener against the Jets. The crushing blow left Evans facedown on the ice and he was taken off the ice on a stretcher. The NHL’s Department of Player Safety handed Scheifele a four-game suspension.

The Habs swept the Jets in four games. Vegas beat the Colorado Avalanche in six.

Evans is getting back to game shape, working out in the gym and skating, Ducharme said.

“He’s got a couple more steps to go, but he’s heading in the right direction,” Ducharme said.

The Canadiens believe Evans could make his return in three or four days but are being cautious.

“With that kind of injury you never know, there could be setbacks at any time. We’re not taking anything for granted," Ducharme said. "The most important thing is for him to be 100 percent.”

Evans has one goal in four playoff games this season. The 25-year-old from Toronto had three goals and 10 assists in 47 regular-season games this year.

LAS VEGAS SUN LOADED: 06.13.2021 1215734 Vegas Golden Knights STAT VEGAS MONTREAL Goals/60

2.96 Previewing the Golden Knights’ semifinal matchup vs. the Canadiens 2.32

Goals allowed/60 By Jesse Granger Jun 13, 2021 2.13

2.26 The Vegas Golden Knights and Montreal Canadiens are both hockey teams. And that’s where the comparisons end. Corsi %

This unusual playoff format has led us to the most unlikely of semifinal 53.37 matchups, pitting the NHL’s oldest team against its youngest. The Canadiens are searching for their 25th Stanley Cup, while the Golden 54.5 Knights are playing their fourth season. The clubs do have the two Shot share highest winning percentages in the history of the league, but Montreal’s is over 6,787 games, while Vegas’ is over 291. The Canadiens have 57 53.29 former players inducted into the Hockey Hall of Fame, while the Golden Knights have barely been around long enough to have a retired player 54.24 eligible. Scoring chance share

Even setting aside the differences in history, the paths to this point have 54.36 been very different for each team. After sneaking into the postseason with the league’s 18th best record, Montreal surprised Canada with its 54.78 upset of Toronto in the first round, then doubled down with a second- High danger chance % round sweep over Winnipeg. Meanwhile, the Golden Knights have been a Cup favorite since January and tied Colorado atop the league 53.47 standings. But despite the 23-point gap in the points column, Vegas coach Peter DeBoer knows better than to take the red-hot Canadiens 51.88 lightly. xGoal share “You’re foolish if you look at their record and make a judgment on them,” 53.29 he said. “They’ve beaten two really good teams. They’ve been lights out, they’ve gone to another level. We have a lot of respect for their game. 52.93 They’re playing with a lot of confidence, they have a world-class goalie and they’re going to be a good test.” Goal share

And while I joke that the teams have nothing in common — because of 58.19 their opposite positions on the NHL history continuum — they are both 50.72 backstopped by tremendous goaltenders. Power play % “Great goaltending with Carey Price,” Vegas GM Kelly McCrimmon replied when asked what stands out about Montreal’s roster. “You look at 17.8 the four teams left playing and there are great goaltenders all the way around. Carey Price has certainly been a real strength for their team this 19.2 year, and for many years.” Penalty kill % This season was a down-year for Price in terms of his statistics. He had a 86.8 save percentage of only .901 and minus-1.5 goals saved above expected. But the veteran netminder has bounced back in the 78.5 postseason with spectacular performances in both rounds. Price has carried the Canadiens with the third-highest goals saved above expected Save % in the playoffs and a 30-save in Game 3 against Winnipeg. .920

On the other end of the ice, Marc-Andre Fleury is having the best .896 statistical season of his career. He is a Vezina Trophy finalist for the first time, and he’s maintained his elite level of play into the playoffs. Despite These stat comparisons aren’t as relevant as they were in past series facing the league’s most potent offense in the second round, Fleury still previews against Minnesota and Colorado because they aren’t coming has the third-highest save percentage (.923) and fourth-highest goals against common opposition. But it’s all we have and still shows the saved above average (4.7). general strengths and weaknesses of each club.

The strangest part about this matchup is it comes without a prior contest Montreal doesn’t possess a high-octane offense like the Golden Knights’ between the teams this year. It’s been 522 days since the last time the last opponent. The Canadiens ranked 18th in goals per 60 minutes at Golden Knights and Canadiens played one another, and both sides have even strength and relied more on their goaltending and defense to win changed since. close games. That’s obvious by looking at the Canadiens’ goal share (50.72), where they scored three more goals than they allowed. “As coaches, we still watch a lot of hockey, and obviously tuned into the Toronto series, so I had seen Montreal,” DeBoer said. “It was funny when Meanwhile, Vegas outscored the opposition by 38 goals this year, for an we presented to the players today because I think in their downtime impressive 58.19 goal share. It shows the differences in styles between they’re not watching as much hockey as we are as coaches, so for a lot the teams, and while the numbers look great for Vegas, it’s an interesting of them having not played them and a lot of them not even having seen stylistic matchup that could lead to a closer series than the teams’ them this year, it was definitely interesting to hear some of the records suggest. responses. It’s such an abnormality that you wouldn’t have tape on a team at some point in the year where you’re playing them.” “They play a pretty stingy defensive style and wait for their opportunities,” Reilly Smith said. “You have to be patient, you have to be diligent with So let’s familiarize ourselves with the Canadiens a bit, starting with a the puck and they have a good goaltender over there so you have to comparison of how Vegas and Montreal stacked up during the regular make sure you make life difficult on him and capitalize on opportunities.” season. Montreal plays a style much more similar to that of Minnesota, which Season stats gave the Golden Knights fits at times in the first round. “I compare them a little bit to Minnesota when you look at the quality of 90.3 those top four defensemen that Montreal have,” McCrimmon said. “Minnesota was similar that way. They are big, heavy, play big minutes Save % and are hard to get inside (of).” .920

Like Minnesota, the Canadiens rely heavily on their talented top four .943 defensemen. Jeff Petry is banged up to start this series and may not be available right away, but and Ben Chiarot are still a The Canadiens’ strong defensive core, combined with forwards like formidable top pair, and Joel Edmundson provides another big body to Phillip Danault and Brendan Gallagher, allows them to create a strong keep the Golden Knights out of the slot. defensive shell around Price, force shots to the outside and counterattack when given the opportunity. Also similarly to the Wild, Montreal lacks superpower at the forward position but makes up for it with depth. Rather than loading up one or two It’s a strategy similar to the one the Dallas Stars employed last season, top lines, the Canadiens have opted to spread their forward talent more eliminating the Golden Knights in five games in the Western Conference evenly over the four lines. Veterans such as Corey Perry and Eric Staal finals. In those games, despite Vegas outshooting Dallas 166-118, the give the fourth line reliability, grit and postseason experience. Golden Knights managed to score only eight total goals. Perry played for that Dallas team and believes Montreal can play a similar game. Meanwhile, a young, talented second line built around Nick Suzuki and Cole Caufield continues to improve. “(The Golden Knights) are going to get their shots, they’re going to get their opportunities, but it’s a matter of limiting their quality scoring “Nick has great hockey sense,” said McCrimmon, who drafted Suzuki in chances,” he said. “I believe in this room, that we can do the same thing the first round of the 2017 draft. “That’s what our scouts saw in Nick and frustrate them and just be on the right side of the puck most of the Suzuki. The other thing with Nick when you watch him play, the puck time.” really comes off his stick. He can wrist shot the puck, or snap shot the puck, and it really comes off his stick, but it’s also that way when he But the Golden Knights believe they’ve improved at scoring goals against passes the puck. Those are what I call special hands.” that stingy, inside-out defense.

Montreal’s defense has risen to another level in the playoffs, allowing the “I’ve always believed that to win in the playoffs, as you go along you have fewest goals per 60 minutes of any team remaining. to keep getting better,” McCrimmon said. “You have to be a better team at the end of round one and the end of round two and hopefully round Playoff stats three and into the finals. And Minnesota made us better. I said that STAT VEGAS MONTREAL during the series. There are different challenges that you need to face at playoff time to be battle-tested and hardened up for the challenges that Goals/60 undoubtedly you’re going to face as you go along.”

2.81 Vegas improved its scoring drastically this season, from 2.6 goals per 60 minutes at even strength in 2019-20 (14th in the NHL) to 2.96 in 2020-21 1.75 (2nd in the NHL). The Golden Knights have found ways to fight for inside Goals allowed/60 positioning and score goals from in tight this postseason and are better prepared for the challenge against Montreal than they were against 1.99 Dallas a year ago.

1.75 “When you speak of Dallas being hard to get inside, Minnesota was tremendous at that,” McCrimmon said. “Not just in our seven-game Corsi % playoffs, but all year when we played them that has been the DNA of 54.32 their team. Montreal is similar in that way. There are things that we did differently this year based on what happened to us in the playoffs last 49.59 year that were talked about right from the offset of training camp, that were implemented over the course of the season, that I think helped us Shot share when we played Minnesota this year. Those are the things that you have 55.50 to pick up as you go through the playoffs and hopefully it prepares you for the next challenge.” 48.81 The Athletic LOADED: 06.13.2021 Scoring chance share

52.95

49.46

High danger chance %

54.95

50.57 xGoal share

56.78

50.01

Goal share

58.49

50.00

Power play %

14.3

18.8

Penalty kill %

71.4 1215735 Vegas Golden Knights 6 Games 7.90%

15.80% NHL playoff predictions for the semifinals: Will the Golden Knights and Lightning battle for the Stanley Cup? 7 Games

7.90%

By The Athletic NHL Staff Jun 12, 2021 84.20%

15.80%

Well, no use delaying the inevitable. Our picks were bad in the second Vegas Golden Knights vs. Montreal Canadiens round of the NHL playoffs. The Tampa Bay Lightning were the only team we correctly projected to advance to the semifinals. To the fans of the VEGAS GOLDEN KNIGHTS MONTREAL CANADIENS Montreal Canadiens, New York Islanders and Vegas Golden Knights: We 2.60% were wrong. 4 Games The good news is, we get to do it again and we obviously have a new team and new MVP candidate leading the way. 0%

The Athletic’s Dom Luszczyszyn currently gives the Golden Knights a 43 44.70% percent chance to win the Cup, followed by the Lightning at 39 percent. 5 Games He gives Vegas a 76 percent chance of beating Montreal and Tampa Bay a 70 percent chance of beating New York. 5.30%

Here is what The Athletic’s 38 voters predicted for the NHL’s final four 26.30% and the rest of the Stanley Cup playoffs. 6 Games

Stanley Cup winner? 0%

TEAM PERCENT OF VOTE 13.20%

Vegas Golden Knights 7 Games

52.60% 7.90%

Tampa Bay Lightning 86.80%

44.70% 13.20%

New York Islanders The Athletic LOADED: 06.13.2021 2.60%

Montreal Canadiens

0%

Conn Smythe winner?

PLAYER PERCENT OF VOTE

Mark Stone

36.80%

Andrei Vasilevskiy

26.30%

Marc-Andre Fleury

15.80%

Nikita Kucherov

10.50%

Victor Hedman, Brock Nelson, Brayden Point and Carey Price also received votes.

Tampa Bay Lightning vs. New York Islanders

TAMPA BAY LIGHTNING NEW YORK ISLANDERS

0%

4 Games

0%

13.20%

5 Games

0%

55.30% 1215736 Vegas Golden Knights

Next Week: Vegas Golden Knights vs Montreal Canadiens and Las Vegas 117-Degree Weather vs T-Mobile Arena Ice Surface

By Alan Snel of LVSportsBiz.com

It’s a good thing Schneider Electric is a major sponsor of T-Mobile Arena. Technically speaking, Schneider Electric was the first founding partner of the arena, which turned five years old in April.

The folks who run T-Mobile Arena, which houses the home ice rink for the Vegas Golden Knights, will know who to call if there are any power or energy issues inside the venue on Monday when the temperature is forecast to soar to 112 degrees for VGK vs Montreal Game 1 Monday in Las Vegas and to an even more sizzling 117 for VGK vs Canadiens Game 2 Wednesday.

Add the fact that the arena doors will be open during the hottest times of the day to allow more than 18,000 warm-blooded fans into the building and you have yourself a situation where arena workers will be paying close attention to the thermometer to make sure it’s cold enough to have an ice rink playing surface that’s up to icy NHL standards. There are the temperatures of the building interior and the ice to monitor, plus the humidity level.

The spike in temperatures might end up shattering records for Las Vegas next week. There is an excessive heat warning from 10AM Monday to 8PM Friday — the entire week.

You might recall the ice conditions surfaced as an issue in the 2018 Stanley Cup Final when the Golden Knights hosted the Washington Capitals in Games 1 and 2 at T-Mobile Arena. Some Capitals players complained about the ice surface after Washington lost, 6-4, in Game 1. The Caps went on to take the next four games against the Golden Knights, including clinching the Stanley Cup in Game 5 on the ice that they complained had problems during Game 1.

The ice temperature before warm-up could be 18 degrees and it could warm to 24 degrees, though the NHL wants the ice to be no warmer than 24 at the end of the game.

LVSportsBiz.com asked VGK and MGM Resorts PR (MGM Resorts is part-owner of the arena) about the ice topic in an email and if we hear back we will share their responses.

Monday’s Game 1 start is 6 PM and game tickets went on sale Friday.

The same issue of ice surface quality could surface for the Tampa Bay Lightning’s arena in downtown Tampa in Florida, where the humidity and high temps are a challenge. The Lightning play the New York Islanders in the other semifinal.

It’s likely the Golden Knights will stick with Carnell “Golden Pipes” Johnson to sing the U.S. national anthem Monday. With Montreal as the opponent, the Canadian national anthem will have to be sung and that assignment will likely go to Lynnae Meyers.

Take a look at Johnson’s anthem when the word, “night,” is sung.

Former Vegas Golden Knights players who are now on the Canadiens, Nick Suzuki, Tomas Tatar and Jon Merrill, will be visiting Las Vegas next week.

LVSportsBiz.com LOADED: 06.13.2021 1215737 Vegas Golden Knights

Las Vegas Bouncing Back From COVID: Sellout Of 9,568 At Las Vegas Ballpark Friday Evening

By Alan Snel of LVSportsBiz.com

Las Vegas came back this week.

More than 18,000 fans crammed into T-Mobile Arena to watch Vegas Golden Knights clinch a second round series against the Colorado Avalanche.

Thousands at the World of Concrete trade show walked the Las Vegas Convention Center new west hall and checked out the free underground Tesla car rides from hall to hall at the convention center just east of the Strip.

It was the first major trade show in Las Vegas in 16 month since the COVID-19 pandemic shut down this convention city in the desert in March 2020.

LVSportsBiz.com LOADED: 06.13.2021 1215738 Vegas Golden Knights had quite the same effect if Marc-Andre Fleury played out of his mind once again and they “only” lost 3-1, 4-1? We will never know. But getting shellacked 7-1 woke up the sleeping giant. And from that point on, Vegas was back on track thanks in part to Pete DeBoer’s Game One Gamble. Pete DeBoer’s Game One Gamble Paid Off For Vegas Golden Knights Vegas Hockey Now LOADED: 06.13.2021

By Tom Callahan

One of the awesome things about being a fan, writer, or broadcaster of any sport is that we can speculate until the cows come home but our thoughts don’t in any way affect the outcome of a game. That’s also why they pay those other guys and gals the big bucks. What they decide matters a lot. So when Vegas Golden Knights head coach Pete DeBoer decided to start Robin Lehner for Game One against the Colorado Avalanche, I definitely had some thoughts.

Honestly, I didn’t even go as far as my brain did. I wondered to myself if it was series suicide to essentially cede Game One and then decide you were good enough to win four of the next six against the powerhouse Avalanche. Even as someone who from the beginning had not bought into the Avs for a lot of reasons (unproven goaltending, one-line team, no real scoring depth, etc.) they still scared me plenty.

Plus, consider Lehner hadn’t played in weeks and was traditionally slow out of the gate. He also had a pretty down year overall and rarely looked good or comfortable in net this season. So when DeBoer came out with Lehner over Marc-Andre Fleury, to me it was essentially a massive gamble because your odds of winning Game One sank to new lows.

We now know a few things about Game One. First, it didn’t matter if the love child of and Vladislav Tretiak started that game, the Golden Knights would have lost. Second, DeBoer said the reason he started Lehner was two-fold. One was to get him a game, which makes sense. The other was to rest Fleury, which also makes sense… if that’s really the reason. I think DeBoer’s trust in Fleury is way higher than when he first got to Vegas when he almost couldn’t wait to show him the door. Now the realization has set in who the better goaltender is, contract status and age be damned.

So DeBoer saying he was resting Fleury was put to the test in Game One. Was it just something to say to see if he could get Lehner going? As more and more goals went in the Vegas net, the cameras showed an uncomfortable DeBoer. They showed a squirming Fleury. They showed a despondent Lehner.

But what they never showed was Marc-Andre Fleury grabbing his mask and getting into the game. He stayed on the bench, and DeBoer did indeed follow through as he should have with Game One for Robin Lehner. If you want to get him playing time, you leave him in to get playing time. Allowing Lehner to try and work out the rust accumulated from sitting was the right thing to do, and DeBoer did it.

It also put the Vegas Golden Knights in a 1-0 hole and saw them endure a severe beatdown, the likes of which they really hadn’t seen in a long time.

“Game One was almost good for us,” said Alex Pietrangelo after the Golden Knights eliminated the Avalanche in Game Six Friday night. “It was a bit of a wake-up call, knowing that they were coming for us full- speed.”

Interestingly, Vegas also dropped Game Two but played infinitely better.

“We felt like that (Game One) wasn’t good enough. We owed it to our goaltenders to play better than that, and I think after Game One we did.”

Indeed, that game could have gone either way and even though the Golden Knights lost that one, they had found their game again. After that, the VGK won four straight to take out the pre-season darlings in six.

So DeBoer’s calculated gamble, one where the odds of not outright handing the first game of the series to the Avalanche in a series where I thought they couldn’t afford to give one away… worked. In fact, it might be what actually sparked and woke up the team after a tough Minnesota series that was a complete grind. Where the Wild play a solid all-around game, the Avs were speed. Hot, nasty, bad-ass speed.

The Vegas Golden Knights were not sharp in Game One. They were overwhelmed. But they buckled their chin strap tighter for the rest of the series and took care of business. Would the opening game of the series 1215739 Washington Capitals

Oshie's son shows off budding hockey skills

BY MAE WHITESIDES

You’ve seen Sergei Ovechkin on the ice; now get ready for Campbell Oshie, the latest Capitals kid to show off his hockey prowess.

The one-year-old didn’t have to run or skate, scooting around the living room on his hands and knees with a stick while his dad passed him the ball.

TJ Oshie showed off Campbell’s skills in his Instagram stories, complete with enough “hustle” advice to make any coach proud.

Campbell is the third child of Oshie and his wife, Lauren, but their first boy. He was born during the sports hiatus last year due to the pandemic. Their daughters, Lila and Leni, frequently feature on their Instagram stories as well.

Campbell is also fitting in with another Oshie tradition: great hair. He already has a very impressive mullet.

Comcast SportsNet.com LOADED: 06.13.2021 1215740 Winnipeg Jets There are also rules about the quality of player Winnipeg will be forced to make available to the Kraken.

The Jets will be forced to expose: Projecting the protected list: Who’s staying with the Winnipeg Jets and • Two forwards who are under contract in 2021-22 and who played at who could be picked by the Seattle Kraken? least 27 NHL games in 2020-21 or played in at least 54 NHL games combined in 2019-20 and 2020-21.

By Murat Ates Jun 12, 2021 • One defenceman who is under contract in 2021-22 and who played in at least 27 NHL games in 2020-21 or played in at least 54 NHL games combined in 2019-20 and 2020-21.

The Winnipeg Jets have an ever-evolving situation to handle on their way • One goalie who is under contract in 2021-22 or who will be a restricted to the July 17 deadline to submit their Seattle protection list. free agent at the end of the season. If Winnipeg elects to make a restricted-free-agent goalie available to meet this requirement, that goalie When Winnipeg dealt Patrik Laine and Jack Roslovic in an early-season must have received his qualifying offer. trade for Pierre-Luc Dubois and a third-round draft pick, it redefined its expansion-draft landscape. These criteria are the league’s way of ensuring that each team makes legitimate, established NHL talent available. No longer were the Jets forced to say a Kraken goodbye to one of Roslovic, Andrew Copp and Adam Lowry. Note that Bryan Little’s potentially career-ending injury and the fact he’s missed more than 60 consecutive games mean he does not meet With just seven forward slots to work with, Winnipeg’s two-for-one exposure requirements and may be exempt from the draft altogether, as blockbuster meant it could protect Blake Wheeler, Kyle Connor, Mark per Cap Friendly. Scheifele, and Nikolaj Ehlers along with Dubois, Copp and Lowry. Then Lowry signed his five-year contract extension in April and made these Ville Heinola. (Anne-Marie Sorvin / USA Today) seven forwards seem all the more obvious. There are some very important young players whom Seattle will not be But Roslovic’s departure did more than clear space; it provided an able to take: those with only one or two years of professional experience. opportunity for 25-year-old power forward Mason Appleton. The definition of “professional experience” is important. Appleton seized that opportunity, embracing his role alongside Lowry in a way Roslovic never did, grinding his way to a career-high 25 points in 56 According to the current collective bargaining agreement, players gain a games (a 37-point pace over a standard season). Roslovic did even year of pro experience by appearing in 10 or more NHL games before better in Columbus, but that’s beside the point. Appleton’s emergence as their 20-year-old season or by dressing in at least 10 professional games a net-driving, crease-crashing right wing was a midseason blessing that — AHL included this time — in any season afterward. is transforming, now, into an offseason curse. What does this really mean? Winnipeg can protect Copp and Lowry but lose Appleton’s unique, net- Key prospects like Cole Perfetti, Ville Heinola, Dylan Samberg, driving instincts. The Jets can make a side deal with Seattle to keep Vesalainen and David Gustafsson are exempt from this draft. The same Appleton safe but lose whatever assets they pay for that favour. applies to promising AHL defencemen Leon Gawanke, Johnny Recall that trading first-round draft picks with Vegas to keep Toby Kovacevic and Declan Chisholm and goaltender Arvid Holm. Enstrom safe in 2017 worked brilliantly for one season. Now Nick Suzuki, Stanley has met the pro-experience threshold and therefore does need to whom Vegas took with the 13th pick, is tearing it up for Montreal after be protected. being traded as part of a package for Max Pacioretty. (Kristian Vesalainen, whom the Jets took at No. 24 with the pick they got from Finally, the Jets are a forward-heavy organization and will almost Vegas, has two assists in 21 NHL games with Winnipeg.) certainly protect seven forwards, three defencemen and one goaltender. The other option — eight skaters and one goaltender — seems highly Even if Seattle promises to leave Appleton alone, what are the Jets unlikely. supposed to do on defence? Consider the list of eligible players below: Neal Pionk and Josh Morrissey are the obvious choices to protect, but Dylan DeMelo suddenly finds competition from Logan Stanley, a 23-year- (Note: * — denotes Wheeler must be protected because of the full NMC old rookie who wasn’t supposed to be able to make the Jets roster as in his contract; ** — 2021 unrestricted free agents, players Seattle can recently as last fall. select and then will be free to sign (or not) before free agency begins.)

But Stanley’s great training camp, which we detailed here and reiterated Eligible forwards: Blake Wheeler*, Mark Scheifele, Kyle Connor, Pierre- here after the Jets’ intersquad scrimmage, earned him an NHL Luc Dubois, Nikolaj Ehlers, Andrew Copp, Adam Lowry, Mason Appleton, opportunity. Jansen Harkins, Paul Stastny**, Mathieu Perreault**, Nate Thompson**, Marko Dano, Dominic Toninato**, C.J. Suess, Skyler McKenzie He seized it, carving out a third-pairing job for himself seemingly out of nowhere. Now, some observers drool at the possibility of even higher Eligible defencemen: Josh Morrissey, Dylan DeMelo, Neal Pionk, Logan heights in the years to come. Stanley, Nathan Beaulieu, Tucker Poolman**, Jordie Benn**, Sami Niku, Nelson Nogier, Luke Green So do the Jets protect DeMelo, the veteran whose work with Morrissey helped Winnipeg win Round 1 — and whom they signed to a four-year Eligible goaltenders: Connor Hellebuyck, Laurent Brossoit**, Mikhail contract extension last fall — or Stanley, the 6-foot-7, third-pairing upstart Berdin, Eric Comrie** who scored Winnipeg’s two biggest goals of Round 2? The Kraken also have an exclusive window from 10 a.m. ET July 18 to Oh, to be a fly on the wall of Jets management meetings as Kevin 10 a.m. ET July 21 to speak with (and potentially sign) any restricted free Cheveldayoff and his staff prepare their protection list. agents or unrestricted free agents left unprotected for the expansion draft. If Seattle signs one of Winnipeg’s pending free agents during this Let’s dig into the Jets’ biggest decisions … time, it counts as the Kraken’s expansion draft pick from the Jets. The rules: Why Ville Heinola and Cole Perfetti are exempt but Logan One final, mind-bending note for the sticklers: It is possible for a player to Stanley is not have enough pro experience to require a protection slot but not enough Wheeler’s full no-movement clause (NMC) means Winnipeg will be pro experience to meet the quality-of-player exposure requirements listed forced to protect him unless he agrees to waive it. above. One Jets example is Sami Niku: If he were a realistic target for Seattle, the Jets would need to use a protection slot to keep him. That Scheifele and DeMelo have limited no-trade clauses. The Jets will not be said, he has not played enough games over the past two seasons to forced to protect these players (but certainly can if they like). satisfy exposure requirements. Even if the Jets don’t protect him (and they won’t), they’ll still need to expose another defenceman who is under contract in 2021-22 and has played in at least 27 NHL games in 2020-21 Marko Dano or played in at least 54 NHL games combined in 2019-20 and 2020-21. Ivan Telegin That’s more than enough discussion of the rules. Cole Perfetti Whom will the Jets actually risk losing to Seattle? And who are the Kraken’s best options? Kristian Reichel

Projecting the Winnipeg Jets' protected list Available

FORWARDS DEFENCE GOALTENDERS Joona Luoto

Mark Scheifele Protected

Josh Morrissey Jeff Malott

Connor Hellebuyck Exempt

Kyle Connor (Note: The roster is sorted by games played in 2020-21.)

Derek Forbort (UFA) The Athletic’s 7-forward, 3-defenseman, 1-goalie protection list

Laurent Brossoit (UFA) Forwards: Blake Wheeler, Mark Scheifele, Nikolaj Ehlers, Kyle Connor, Pierre-Luc Dubois, Adam Lowry, Andrew Copp Paul Stastny (UFA) Defence: Neal Pionk, Josh Morrissey, Dylan DeMelo Neal Pionk Goalie: Connor Hellebuyck Eric Comrie (UFA) The most intriguing options for Seattle Mason Appleton Mason Appleton (2022 RFA): Appleton is a 25-year-old power forward Dylan DeMelo who will outperform his $900,000 contract in 2021-22 no matter where he plays. The Kraken project to have more options on defence than up front Mikhail Berdin so, all else being equal, Appleton appears to be Seattle’s best value play.

Mathieu Perreault (UFA) Logan Stanley (2021 RFA): I realize Zdeno Chara took a long time to Tucker Poolman (UFA) become Zdeno Chara, but we realize Chara is the exception to the rule, right? Arvid Holm With that out of the way: Don’t panic. My belief is that the Jets will find a Trevor Lewis (UFA) way to keep DeMelo and Stanley. Neither has Toby Enstrom’s track record or Appleton’s scoring prowess; I don’t think the cost will be the Logan Stanley same as it was to Vegas in 2017. If Stanley is exposed, then the Kraken Cole Kehler might see a 23-year-old player with his size and ability and make a bet on his long-term development. Andrew Copp Jansen Harkins (2022 RFA): Harkins has become a bit of an afterthought Nathan Beaulieu in these circles after a disappointing two-point, 26-game season. That said, I think he is in exactly the spot Appleton was one year ago — he’s a Adam Lowry skilled player who can grind (as opposed to a grinder who sometimes Jordie Benn (UFA) scores) who would benefit from a bigger opportunity.

Blake Wheeler I’m not sure he’s shiny enough for the Kraken to take over Appleton or Stanley, but Seattle is close to his British Columbia roots. Maybe there’s Sami Niku something there.

Nikolaj Ehlers Mikhail Berdin (2023 RFA): Hellebuyck is such an obvious protection choice that we spend very little time discussing the fate of Berdin. At 23 Ville Heinola years old, Berdin is already a good AHL goaltender who might have a Nate Thompson (UFA) route to a quality backup/1B career in the NHL.

Nelson Nogier Is Berdin’s potential (or his charisma) enough for Seattle to overlook the other goalies available and rob Winnipeg of its homegrown talent? Pierre-Luc Dubois One last thought Luke Green Winnipeg’s two biggest concerns are obviously the possibility of losing Jansen Harkins Appleton up front or DeMelo or Stanley on the back end.

Dylan Samberg There are workarounds to be had — side deals with the Kraken or even Kristian Vesalainen some kind of pre-emptive trade of a roster player for assets in the 2021 entry draft. Declan Chisholm But consider what happened when Vegas came into the league in 2017. David Gustafsson A lot of teams will be looking at the Golden Knights’ accomplishments — Leon Gawanke three final-four playoff appearances in four seasons, including one trip to the Stanley Cup Final — and the sheer volume of side deals Vegas Dominic Toninato (UFA) pulled off in 2017 and has leveraged since.

Johnny Kovacevic Vegas acquired so much draft capital from teams nervous about losing Bryan Little their homegrown talent — and took players who were good enough to win anyway — that the Golden Knights have immediately become a long- Simon Lundmark term NHL power.

Skyler McKenzie

C.J. Suess A lot of teams might look back on 2017 with trepidation. Given what happened with Enstrom, Suzuki and Vesalainen, the Jets might be one of them.

As much as I expect the Jets to find a way to protect Stanley and DeMelo, it’s entirely possible Winnipeg just makes its protection decisions and accepts a single inevitable goodbye.

The Athletic LOADED: 06.13.2021 1215741 Vancouver Canucks “I just have a different awareness (than Rob),” she said recently, chuckling. “I don’t gleefully skip towards the chaos.”

Mackay found himself in front of The Bay, where a crowd had shattered 'How come we were able to make the right choice and everybody else the plate-glass windows covering the displays and were now smashing was not?' mannequins and looting. He reacted instinctively — pushing people back and yelling, “What are you doing? This is my f—ing city!” One rioter The Bay heroes look back at the Vancouver Riot, 10 years later grabbed a pole and hit Mackay, who grabbed it and pushed him back into the crowd.

It was then that he was swarmed by the mob, with 14 people punching J.J. Adams and kicking him, taking him to the ground, where one rioter hit him in the face with a blast of mace.

Tammy Dewar walked across the Granville Street Bridge, her boyfriend The Athletic LOADED: 06.13.2021 Rob Mackay shuffling slowly beside her, and looked back at the downtown core.

Plumes of acrid black smoke drifted skywards, swirling after the police helicopters circling the city like buzzards as the echoes of sirens echoed off the glass-sided skyscrapers.

As a teacher, Dewar had travelled the world — even living in Colombia when bombs rocked the country on election weekend — but nothing had prepared her for this: her city’s downtown being destroyed by its own citizens. It was, in her words, a war zone.

The sight couldn’t faze Mackay — he couldn’t see anything at all. His eyes were tiny, red and puffy, swollen shut from the blast of bear spray he’d taken to his face an hour before. Blinded and bruised, he needed Dewar’s help to make it home to Fairview.

It was June 15, 2011, and the Vancouver Canucks had just lost 4-0 to the Boston Bruins in the decisive Game 7 of the .

A headline on the front page of The Vancouver Sun the next day blared “Noble in defeat,” but the denizens in downtown didn’t respond in the same stoic manner as their hockey team.

They rioted.

More than 140 people were hurt, including nine police officers. Four people were stabbed, 101 people were arrested. There was millions of dollars in property damage.

“All this over a hockey game,” Dewar said this week, looking back at that night 10 years ago.

“And this was when the Arab Spring, Tahrir Square, was happening, when people were fighting for democracy. Libya and Tunisia are falling, all these big things are happening, people are protesting all over the world for the right to vote, for human rights … and then a bunch of people are destroying our city over a hockey game? It made me sad.”

The Bay hero

Mackay, now 56, had headed downtown that night for the party atmosphere, like the other 155,000 people who had crowded into the city’s core. An Ontario native, he grew up as a Maple Leafs fan, so while he wasn’t usually a Canucks fan, he did share the fan distaste for Boston.

Everyone was still riding high off the memory of Sidney Crosby winning the gold medal for Canada in the Winter Olympics the year before. Earlier game nights during the Canucks’ playoff run were an extension of that epic, joyous time, when the Olympic parties were part of the city’s social scene.

“Leading up to the Stanley Cup and throughout the Stanley Cup, it was a fantastic time out,” Mackay said. “As they went deeper and deeper into the playoffs, people would gather somewhere, either at a pub or someone’s house or whatever. It was just off the fantastic Olympics that we went through, so everything leading up to it was just such an awesome scene.”

When Game 7 ended in defeat for the Canucks, the crowds at the organized viewing areas dispersed. But the happy vibes that had surrounded game nights till then soon soured. A a wave of humanity rolled up Georgia Street towards the centre of downtown. Trees and cars were lit on fire, windows were smashed, all to cheers from onlookers.

Mackay decided to take a look at what was going on, leaving Dewar several times, just to “see what was going on.” She chose to continue walking home, her gut telling her something bad was going to happen. 1215742 Websites goals against the Avs. Also, I feel like he’s coming off one of the quieter point-per-game seasons a guy with that resume can have. What a player. Also one of those guys who make me feel like I’m 100. He’s been in the league since 2008. Put me on an ice floe. The Athletic / NHL power rankings: Our fresh 1-4 rankings, plus remembering some ’90s goalies Dom: In 2008, I was still playing minor hockey, so it has indeed been a while. After Pacioretty’s first season in Vegas, I really wasn’t sure about his future as he looked like a player in decline. Turns out all he needed was literally one elite linemate for the first time in his career and, wow, By Dom Luszczyszyn and Sean Gentille Jun 12, 2021 look at that — he’s a point-per-game player. Pretty wild to think about, and he was a definite key to Vegas’ Game 7 win in Round 1 and its strong second-round performance over the Avalanche. Jesse Granger We said we’d never change the intro to The Athletic’s NHL power wrote a great piece on Mark Stone’s effect on Nathan MacKinnon, but it’s rankings. We lied. Dom lied, actually. not just Stone who makes that top line go. Pacioretty is a big part of it.

Now, tweaks are necessary. You can thank the Stanley Cup playoffs for Vegas has the “easier” third-round matchup, so the Golden Knights do that. We ranked the surviving playoff teams from 1 to 4, based on how have an actual better chance of winning the Cup, but in a head-to-head good we believe their Cup chances are. If there was a tie, personal bias matchup I can’t pick against the Lightning, who have just a bit more to won out. We’re not sorry. work with. That’s why I had Vegas second.

That is it. It’s that simple. First team? Best shot. Fourth team? Worst 3. New York Islanders shot. We saved some stuff for the eliminated teams, too. Last week: 6 1. Tampa Bay Lightning Series record: Won 4-2 against Boston Last week: 2 Dom rank: 3 Series record: Won 4-2 against Carolina Sean rank: 3 Dom rank: 1 Sean: For two series, I’ve picked against the Islanders, knowing full well Sean rank: 2 they’d end up clowning me. For two series, that’s been true. Might as well make it a third; we’ve settled into a nice rhythm, really. I can’t bring Dom: Four teams left, two of which go into the semifinals as heavy myself to, like, bet money on them or anything, but I love watching them favorites to win their series and advance to the Stanley Cup Final. I feel somehow make it work. I’ve been wrong about them, and I don’t care. like deciding between Tampa Bay and Vegas is really hard at this Now, would it be intellectually honest to say I think they’re going to beat juncture, like we’re splitting hairs between two great teams. There’s the Lightning? No. plenty of merit for both, and the two of us are split here, with my vote going to the defending Stanley Cup champions. Tampa Bay has the best Nothing but respect to #TeamCockroach. I just … I just can’t do it. The goalie in the world, the most depth throughout the roster and the penalty kill has been too brutal. Vasilevskiy is too good. If I’m wrong, I’ll strongest group of top-end talent. Whether you believe hockey is a be happy, but that’s where I am. strong- or weak-link sport come playoff time, it doesn’t matter with the Lightning as the team has both covered. There are no holes here, and Dom: I picked them in Round 1 and felt really good for finally being on the Lightning showed that in disposing of two elite teams rather easily on the right side of history. I then said “that’s enough” and expected the the way. If there’s any concern, it’s in how healthy Victor Hedman is, but Bruins to roll the Islanders, losing so, so, so much money in the process. he’s earned some much-needed rest between series, and it feels likely When you roll a cockroach, it just springs back up and continues living. I we’ll see him at his best from here. don’t know what it will take for #TeamCockroach to be exterminated, and I’ve already resigned myself to an Islanders Cup win. It’s going to Sean: Yeah, this is a coin flip. My order is reversed at least partially for happen. Am I picking them to beat the Lightning? Of course not. Did I bet argument’s sake, but not all the way. We’ll get to that in a second. As for against them again? Absolutely. But this time I am prepared to get hurt the Lightning, the champs are still the champs. What we saw out of them again while knowing full well the universe wants an Islanders Stanley against Carolina might not have been the easiest five-game series, as far Cup. It’s destiny. as those things go, but … it was still a five-game series. And the Hurricanes, last I checked, are still pretty good. I’d be stupid to dog all Sean: The universe, and me. Let’s see, like, six more games at Nassau that much happening here. Andrei Vasilevskiy is a world-beater, and that Coliseum. power play is terrifying. That alone could be enough. 4. Montreal Canadiens In some spots, it might have to be. At five-on-five, they’ve been … fine, I Last week: 7 guess. Expected goals are just over 50 percent, which is seventh among the eight teams that have played at least 10 playoff games. They’re Series record: Won 4-0 against Winnipeg finishing better than in the regular season, and they have that power play and that goalie, so maybe it’s moot … but goalies are weird, and Dom rank: 4 officiating is horrific. When you’re talking about No. 1 vs. No. 2, they lean Sean rank: 4 on both a bit much for my taste. That’s what I’m telling myself, at least. Dom: The Canadiens absolutely dismantled the Jets, winning four Dom: Considering how strong Florida and Carolina were analytically this straight in a rather decisive fashion. I don’t recall the last time I saw a season, I think being just above 50 percent is plenty good. Tampa Bay less close series, and it’ll be interesting to see whether the Canadiens’ should have ample opportunity to bring that number up against the play there gives them a swagger boost here against Vegas. Montreal Islanders. came out of the gates hot and looked like a potential contender but fell off Sean: I’m not talking about the Islanders! the rails soon after that. The Canadiens are peaking again, but will it matter against a team as strong as Vegas? That probably depends on 2. Vegas Golden Knights how much credit you give to Montreal for being good and how much you give to Winnipeg for being bad. Last week: 5 Sean: I definitely give the Jets credit for being bad. As for the Canadiens, Series record: Won 4-2 against Colorado whatever happens to them, they’ve been fun, and they’ve been Dom rank: 2 necessary. Maybe not for Dom. Maybe not for most of Ontario or . If half the league starts trying to replicate whatever they’re Sean rank: 1 doing — certainly possible — I’ll regret saying all this. But … the Canadiens are one of the last four teams alive in the Stanley Cup Sean: If Max Pacioretty had been a little worse over the past seven playoffs. Nobody knows anything! It’s great! games, I’m not sure I’d have been able to put Vegas at No. 1. Something is going on there; he scored or assisted on all four of the game-winning Dom: Not sure what you’re talking about. I’m having a lot of fun as the Sean rank: 7 No. 1 Montreal Canadiens fan. As for the “nobody knows anything” part, yeah, no lies there. Sean: Part of me wants to be mad at the Hurricanes. At some point, the kid gloves have to come off, right? It’s not just that they went out more 5. Colorado Avalanche quietly than a church procession; it’s that it happened, early, again. The Sabres have won a third-round game more recently. The Sabres! Good Last week: 1 try, good effort, all of that — but come on.

Series record: Lost 4-2 to Vegas And then the more rational part of my brain takes over and reminds me Dom rank: 5 they played Tampa Bay pretty well at five-on-five; they won the shot share and basically played them even on expected goals. Beyond that, Sean rank: 5 it’s tough to get all that mad at anyone for getting hacked up by that power play or by Vasilevskiy. I’m not sure where that leaves me. Maybe Dom: OK, so, this one’s my bad. In last week’s rankings under the Jets it’d take another exit-with-a-whimper before the knives come out. But blurb, I penciled in an Avalanche victory, forgetting to also put Vegas, they’re running short on goodwill. which still obviously had a chance even though the Golden Knights were down 2-0. Oops. Dom: It’s kind of amazing how much deserved hype the team’s power kill received, only to get absolutely eviscerated against Tampa Bay. With the That’s a frustrating loss for the Avalanche, who were only a few minutes age of the other contenders in the , Carolina should away from being up 3-0 and blew it on the way to losing four straight. be the team to beat for the foreseeable future. The Hurricanes don’t Vegas deserves an incredible amount of credit for figuring the Avalanche seem that far away from getting there, but I’m with you in thinking they out, and though Colorado eventually got its groove back with strong would’ve put up a bigger fight. Three consecutive measuring-stick series performances in games 5 and 6, it was too little, too late. It’s a massive — against Boston twice and now Tampa Bay — and each one ended in missed opportunity for the Avalanche, who have now lost three five games or fewer. consecutive times in the second round, but I really don’t think there’s anything wrong here. Vegas is another elite team, and Colorado is well 8. Winnipeg Jets positioned to continue contending for years to come. Last week: 8 The Avalanche were one of the most fun teams I’ve ever watched. It was sad to see them go so suddenly. Series record: Lost 4-0 to Montreal

Sean: On one hand, horrible luck and some brutal play from Philipp Dom rank: 8 Grubauer sunk them in Game 6. On the other, it all counts, and the Avs Sean rank: 8 were in an elimination game for a reason. But, yeah, I’m bummed, too. I watched the first game of that series with a few non-hockey fans, and Dom: This hasn’t been a banner postseason for #analytics and models they were pretty enraptured by our beloved robot emoji. If it held, it felt (or, you know, the standings, in light of how the lower seed has won nine like it had a shot at breaking through to the large U.S. sports fan of 12 series), but the Jets getting absolutely carved by Montreal counts populace. I want more of that. as a win. An absolute fraud playoff team if I’ve ever seen one.

And I dunno — I think I’m a little less bullish on the future than you are. Sean: For next week, we should dig up all the brutal takes we’ve had Do I think the clock is striking midnight? Of course not. Too many smart here over the past few months — I guarantee there’s been at least one people, too many good players. But with Gabriel Landeskog’s pending per team — but I feel like we should take solace in having the Jets unrestricted-free-agent status, Cale Makar’s pending megadeal pegged from the start. Someone should’ve cut their mics on Exit extension and the organization’s own open “this needs to happen now” Interview Day. Mark Scheifele got most of the pub for being saltier than a vibes … this is an opportunity missed. bag of chips, but Connor Hellebuyck gave him a run for his money.

Dom: I have a lot of faith in the team’s brain trust to find a solution and "WE'RE VERY CLOSE TO BEING ABLE TO MAKE RUNS AND BEING keep the window as open as possible for as long as possible. This was A DYNASTY," SAYS CONNOR HELLEBUYCK AT THE END OF A probably the Avs’ best shot, but there’s a fair bit of leeway with the talent LONGER ANSWER. on the roster and it wouldn’t be surprising to see Colorado enter next year’s playoffs as the team to beat once again. Sometimes it takes a few JUST IN CASE YOU'VE BEEN MISSING THE POSITIVITY LEADING, cracks to turn that into a Cup. Just look at Tampa. GREATNESS MANIFESTING HELLEBUYCK QUOTES OF YORE.

6. Boston Bruins — MURAT ATES (@WPGMURAT) JUNE 9, 2021

Last week: 3 Imagine what he’d have said if the Jets hadn’t been swept.

Series record: Lost 4-2 to the New York Islanders Dom: Next week on the power rankings: “The dumbest things we said about each team” sounds like an amazing theme. In the Jets’ case, I Dom rank: 6 think at one point we conceded they might be good.

Sean rank: 6 Sean: Sounds pretty dumb.

Sean: Imagine being Tuukka Rask. Your choice coming into Game 6 was 9. (35-16-5, 75 points) playing on a torn labrum — labrums, I’m told, are important for goaltenders — or sitting out what could be your final game in Boston and Dom: It took Vegas seven games to beat Minnesota and six games to opening yourself up to getting slagged, yet again, by a chunk of the fan beat Colorado. Seven is greater than six, meaning Minnesota is greater base that never has properly appreciated you in the first place. than Colorado. Math.

Beyond that, imagine being Bruce Cassidy. The “New York Saints” thing 10. (37-14-5, 79 points) blows up in your face and costs you 25 grand, then you decide to play a Sean: When it’s all said and done, Lightning-Panthers Game 1 might still (clearly laboring) goalie on a torn labrum. What a disaster. wind up as the peak of the postseason. Feels like it was six months ago. Dom: How on earth do you allow a goalie to play an elimination game on Now we’re back to hearing the Panthers mentioned only in conjunction a torn labrum? How? That has to be one of the worst roster decisions I with expansion draft catastrophes. Life isn’t fair. have ever seen, built entirely on the hockey culture bullshit of “playing 11. Pittsburgh Penguins (37-16-3, 77 points) through it.” The Bruins deserve this. Dom: After we saw the second round unfold: Did the Penguins really 7. Carolina Hurricanes have bad goaltending or are the Islanders simply secret offensive Last week: 4 juggernauts? That Tuukka Rask did better with a torn labrum than Tristan Jarry did should answer that question. Series record: Lost 4-1 to Tampa Bay Sean: The Penguins flat-out should leave Jarry exposed, hope Seattle Dom rank: 7 bites and use that $3.5 million on Petr Mrazek or something. 12. Washington Capitals (32-17-7, 71 points) SEAN BURKE UPPER DECK VICTORY PHOENIX COYOTES CARD @ARIZONACOYOTES #YOTES #NHL @SBURKIE1 Sean: Tarik El-Bashir has the Caps protecting Evgeny Kuznetsov in the PIC.TWITTER.COM/KWPEGPEF5A expansion draft. Trading him would certainly be a better option. But if the Capitals can’t? Potentially dumping a $7.8 million hit through 2025 — NHL HOCKEY CARDS (@NHLHOCKEYCARDS) NOVEMBER 26, doesn’t sound bad. 2018

13. (31-23-2, 64 points) And to think, a couple of years ago, this would’ve been the only way to see players wearing the kachina jerseys. Sean: Speaking of players who should probably end up in Seattle … hello, Matt Duchene. 22. (26-27-3, 55 points)

Dom: I low-key do not hate that for Seattle. I think he can bounce back. TREVOR KIDD CALGARY FLAMES TOPPS CARD @NHLFLAMES #NHL #FLAMES PIC.TWITTER.COM/OHPSRYNITS Sean: Buddy shot 8.2 percent this past season. The bounce back is in play. — NHL HOCKEY CARDS (@NHLHOCKEYCARDS) DECEMBER 3, 2017 Dom: Double digits every year until he got to Nashville. Maybe Nashville is the problem. “Whose equipment is that?”

14. Edmonton Oilers (35-19-2, 72 points) “Brian’s.”

Dom: Getting swept by a team that got swept. Two more sweeps and 23. San Jose Sharks (21-28-7, 49 points) Edmonton might have the unfortunate distinction of being the ultimate playoff loser. ARTURS IRBE SAN JOSE SHARKS PINNACLE CARD @SANJOSESHARKS #SJSHARKS #NHL Sean: You’re correct, and I will not fact-check you. PIC.TWITTER.COM/SPK15MLNZM

15. St. Louis Blues (27-20-9, 63 points) — NHL HOCKEY CARDS (@NHLHOCKEYCARDS) JANUARY 2, 2021

Sean: You know who I miss? Vladimir Tarasenko. He’s basically lost two Choosing one Arturs Irbe card bordered on impossible. seasons. 24. (21-28-7, 49 points) 16. Toronto Maple Leafs (35-14-7, 77 points) KELLY HRUDEY PRO SET LOS ANGELES KINGS CARD @LAKINGS Dom: We had some fun last week at Toronto’s expense, and as the @KELLYHRUDEY #NHL #GOKINGSGO Maple Leafs sit and stew on yet another failure, it’s time to ponder the PIC.TWITTER.COM/ISOEJSAFKQ future. As an outside observer: What do you even do here? — NHL HOCKEY CARDS (@NHLHOCKEYCARDS) APRIL 18, 2020 Sean: Buy a Vladimir Guerrero Jr. jersey. Everyone needs to stop talking about these dudes for a while. Everything about this is perfect. The guy famous for the “Hollywood” mask is wearing gear he found lying around somewhere. Gotta be Dom: You’re right. Toronto is finally reopening. Time to go wait in line for leftover pads from the Islanders. a patio. 25. (23-28-5, 51 points) Time to remember some ’90s goalies. Thanks, @NHLHockeyCards. DAMIAN RHODES UPPER DECK OTTAWA SENATORS CARD 17. Dallas Stars (23-19-14, 60 points) @SENATORS #NHL #GOSENSGO PIC.TWITTER.COM/6OWLOGGVPR EDDIE BELFOUR DALLAS STARS DONRUSS CARD @DALLASSTARS #GOSTARS #NHL — NHL HOCKEY CARDS (@NHLHOCKEYCARDS) APRIL 2, 2019 PIC.TWITTER.COM/2DO4DN8CPC Do you think Damian Rhodes still bleaches his hair? — NHL HOCKEY CARDS (@NHLHOCKEYCARDS) JUNE 5, 2021 26. Vancouver Canucks (23-29-4, 50 points) An Ed Belfour glamor shot is the best possible way to start this. KIRK MCLEAN VANCOUVER CANUCKS UPPER DECK CARD 18. (27-23-6, 60 points) @CANUCKS @1KIRKMCLEAN #CANUCKS #NHL PIC.TWITTER.COM/NTWZVKYORJ MIKE RICHTER NEW YORK RANGERS UPPER DECK CARD @NYRANGERS #NYR #NHL PIC.TWITTER.COM/2XEPEFDIVG — NHL HOCKEY CARDS (@NHLHOCKEYCARDS) MAY 2, 2020

— NHL HOCKEY CARDS (@NHLHOCKEYCARDS) MARCH 26, 2021 That appears to be Jay Miller crashing the net.

Mike Richter without the Statue of Liberty mask doesn’t look right. 27. Detroit Red Wings (19-27-10, 48 points)

19. Chicago Blackhawks (25-25-7, 55 points) GLEN HANLON DETROIT RED WINGS UPPER DECK CARD @DETROITREDWINGS #LGRW #NHL DOMINIK HASEK CHICAGO BLACKHAWKS UPPER DECK CARD PIC.TWITTER.COM/MTH3DWWAKU @NHLBLACKHAWKS #NHL #BLACKHAWKS PIC.TWITTER.COM/Z7MMUUV6GQ — NHL HOCKEY CARDS (@NHLHOCKEYCARDS) FEBRUARY 28, 2021 — NHL HOCKEY CARDS (@NHLHOCKEYCARDS) MAY 10, 2020 “Glen, your five-hole is exposed.” Not sure what happened to this Blackhawks backup. 28. (19-30-7, 45 points) 20. Philadelphia Flyers (25-23-8, 58 points) CHRIS TERRERI NEW JERSEY DEVILS PRO SET CARD @NJDEVILS STEPH BEAUREGARD PHILADELPHIA FLYERS O-PEE-CHEE CARD #NHL #NJDEVILS PIC.TWITTER.COM/33B5YHLBX9 @NHLFLYERS #NOWORNEVER #NHL PIC.TWITTER.COM/MWIEX0R09J — NHL HOCKEY CARDS (@NHLHOCKEYCARDS) OCTOBER 21, 2020 — NHL HOCKEY CARDS (@NHLHOCKEYCARDS) MARCH 2, 2020 A nice reminder that it was illegal for goalies to be over 6 feet tall until How many couches had to die to make those pads? 2005.

21. (24-26-6, 54 points) 29. Columbus Blue Jackets (18-26-12, 48 points)

RON TUGNUTT COLUMBUS BLUE JACKETS PREMIER CARD @BLUEJACKETSNHL #NHL #CBJ PIC.TWITTER.COM/TG4WJW0JAW — NHL HOCKEY CARDS (@NHLHOCKEYCARDS) DECEMBER 18, 2020

The Blue Jackets never should’ve taken Stinger off their jerseys.

30. (17-30-9, 43 points)

GUY HEBERT MIGHTY DUCKS OF ANAHEIM UPPER DECK CARD @ANAHEIMDUCKS @GUY_HEBERT #MIGHTYDUCKS #NHL #FLYTOGETHER PIC.TWITTER.COM/J0P4QZZ8OO

— NHL HOCKEY CARDS (@NHLHOCKEYCARDS) FEBRUARY 25, 2021

“Hebert — G Guy”

31. (15-34-7, 37 points)

GRANT FUHR BUFFALO SABRES PARKHURST CARD @BUFFALOSABRES @GRANTFUHR #NHL #SABRES50 PIC.TWITTER.COM/0OHQDUTUIT

— NHL HOCKEY CARDS (@NHLHOCKEYCARDS) DECEMBER 20, 2019

That blocker is the size of a small end table.

The Athletic LOADED: 06.13.2021 1215743 Websites TV rumblings It was a busy week for NHL television free agency as ESPN and Turner

Sports continue to build their lineup of on-air talent for next season. The Athletic / NHL business notebook: The growth of custom skates, and Ryan Callahan have both signed on with ESPN to ESPN and Turner broadcaster updates serve as analysts. Weekes will work as both an in-game and studio analyst for ESPN, while his contract is also drawn up to allow him to continue to work as a studio analyst with NHL Network, one of his current By Sean Shapiro Jun 12, 2021 employers.

ESPN is also having serious talks with A.J. Mleczko, according to multiple sources, but has yet to finalize a deal for an in-game analyst Roughly a year ago, Peter Gubernator was displaced by flooding in Fort role. Mleczko is working for NBC Sports, while also doing local broadcast McMurray, Alberta. For him, the summer of 2020 was about trying to find coverage for the New York Islanders. a consistent housing solution for himself and his two dogs. Turner is adding Anson Carter to its broadcast team, likely in a studio “Because of the dogs, I couldn’t go to some of the camps they set up,” role. Gubernator said. “Luckily, I had a friend set something up for me in his home with a mattress on the floor. Of course, all of this was also New Jersey Devils defenseman PK Subban recently joined ESPN as a happening while things were going crazy with COVID.” guest analyst on “SportsCenter” and is expected to do occasional guest spots during the postseason. It’s a development the league is extremely Now living in Montreal, this summer is about continuing to grow a excited about, according to a source, as it wants to normalize players custom-skate business, Guby Customs, that’s gotten the attention of picking up broadcast work after their respective seasons are over. NHL clients and seems poised to take a major leap within the hockey industry. ESPN was also keen on the idea as a soft launch into more in-depth hockey coverage as it preps to take over as the full A package carrier, Gubernator has been designing and customizing skates since he was a starting with the 2021 NHL Draft and the Seattle expansion draft. 10-year-old. He would take a marker and add different colors to his skates. While on-air talent has been often publicly discussed, building the back end of the show is also dominating the conversation for both networks “It typically wouldn’t hold more than a game, so I got to do something and how to approach it. ESPN is believed to be looking at production new every game, it became a passion,” Gubernator said. “I had a hobby solutions in-house. Turner Sports is more likely to look outside when it for 27 years and then it became a business when NHLers started comes to hockey solutions, which seems to be a necessity with less calling.” overall staffing than ESPN on the sports side. Gubernator first started working with professionals to customize skates Television insiders who have spoken to The Athletic have been adamant last year, around the time he was looking for housing. He first connected that finding the right fit on the production side will be key to Turner’s with Anthony Duclair, who wore three different Bauer Vapor 2X Pro success, particularly with Wayne Gretzky. Gretzky is the greatest player skates this season that Gubernator customized, including a pair in the of all time, but as one TV source said, “Turner needs someone in the postseason that had red-and-yellow trim with the Hockey Diversity producer and host chairs that know how to work with him and can protect Alliance logo in black. his legacy. They can’t let him be bad at TV after all the build-up his hire Gubernator did a custom pair for Jonathan Drouin, “not flashy, he wanted got.” his own take on all-black,” and he also did the customization of Kurtis The Athletic LOADED: 06.13.2021 Gabriel’s TRUE Skates, one pair with the rainbow flag to promote inclusion of LGBTQ+ community in hockey and the other featuring the Black Lives Matter logo.

“I’d been thinking about designing skates in my own way and he popped up at the right time,” Gabriel said. “He was passionate about what he does, I saw that very clearly through his Instagram, and I felt this was a person who would work well with me to deliver on what I was trying to do.”

Gubernator’s entire business is based on Instagram. The social media platform is how he’s promoted his business and takes commission requests, and throughout this season his direct messages have started to populate with requests from NHL players.

“Right now I would say it’s about 15 NHL players that have reached out during the season after seeing the skates I did for the other guys,” Gubernator said. “A bunch of the guys I spoke to said they didn’t want to mess with anything during the season, but wanted to talk about getting something done in the summer and maybe for the following season.”

Custom graphics on skates are slowly becoming a common sight in the NHL. Auston Matthews, for example, debuted a custom CCM JetSpeed FT4 Pro with the Toronto Skyline this past season. There is potential for the equipment companies to do it directly, like with Matthews’ skates, but Gubernator looks at skate customization as a potential artist’s market similar to the goalie mask market, where independent artists are able to work with equipment as a canvas.

“I think it’ll be more subtle at first, couple players now, then more and I think it won’t be a huge thing right away,” Gubernator said. “But it’s something that I think will slowly pick up speed and as players see what you are able to do, what you can share of yourself with your skates, I think it’ll become something that becomes a bigger deal. I’m just pretty lucky my hobby turned into something that NHLers started to really care about.”

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A POST SHARED BY GUBY™ (@GUBY_CUSTOMS) 1215744 Websites contract had begun, with Bergevin under term for just one more season after this one, it hardly came across as a surprise.

And since sources recently informed me a lucrative, three-year deal was Sportsnet.ca / Canadiens’ Bergevin appears reinvigorated after on offer — something neither Bergevin nor Molson will confirm — I’ve challenging 2021 season started to shift from believing the soon-to-be 56-year-old might not want to continue that long to wondering if he’ll push for more time and more money.

Eric Engels If we’re to take Bergevin at his word, he didn’t quite suffer through the peaks and valleys of this season the way some — including yours truly

— thought he might have. MONTREAL — I can’t be the only one who’s been wondering what this “I believed in this team since the beginning, and even in January I said year has been like for Montreal Canadiens general manager Marc we had built a team for the playoffs,” he said on Saturday, just hours Bergevin. before the Canadiens departed for Las Vegas to take on the Golden It promised a unique experience for everyone, but he couldn’t have Knights come Monday. possibly envisioned how complicated and trying it would be — especially “But during the season, there were ups and downs, and I won’t hide from after a highly successful off-season he came out of feeling like he had the fact that the schedule of 25 games over 44 days did a lot of damage addressed every need his team had. physically, but also mentally,” Bergevin added. “In the Canadian Division, Bergevin picked up Jake Allen to give Carey Price the rest he’d need to we were the division with the most travel between east and west, too, perform the way he’s performing right now, he signed Joel Edmundson to and that factored in for the players. Personally, I stayed calm. We were further offer his defence a nastiness that has helped carry it to the final aware of certain veterans who stood up in our room. I think the Corey four of the Stanley Cup Playoffs, he brought in Tyler Toffoli, Josh Perrys and Eric Staals, Jake Allen and Eddie and (Shea Weber) Weby Anderson and Corey Perry to diversify the dimension of his offence and had things to say that were important. It also takes some luck, and we offer a balance that could mitigate its lack of superstar presence, and won’t deny that, but everything seemed to go alright. And with the way then he asserted that the Canadiens are “here to win,” that they “mean we’re performing right now, I’m very proud of our team.” business,” and that they “can play any way you want.” Remaining Time -4:09 The GM had eight years of experience on the job prior. He had gone Canadiens and Golden Knights 2018 trade has come full circle through every high and low, lived the excitement of guiding a team deep into the playoffs and suffered through the pain that comes with resetting Bergevin’s confidence in his work, too, has been reinforced on this run. the roster and not witnessing a post-season game at the Bell Centre since 2017. But nothing could have prepared him for what he’d have to “The guys we brought in — sometimes it does work, sometimes it doesn’t endure during this unprecedented season. work,” he said, “but we knew we were bringing guys with character, and like I mentioned to our team in our first meeting in Toronto before the Bergevin watched the team he believed so much in, and the team he season started, these guys who won Stanley Cups, they were not invested so much in, set fire to a 7-1-2 start. He relieved Claude Julien brought in by accident but by design. And I think it’s paying off now.” and of their coaching duties with the Canadiens sitting on a 9- 5-4 record and he appointed Dominique Ducharme head coach and Bergevin reminded the Canadiens are only halfway to where they want to promoted Alex Burrows as an assistant to extinguish the flames be, but he also said they have no intention of stopping here. immediately. When they weren’t able to, he fired goaltending coach “Our team, regardless of all the trials we went through, we were able to Stephane Waite and promoted scout Sean Burke to get Price back to overcome them,” he said. “Today, and over the last few months, I’ve where he was expected to be. sensed a team that’s together, a team that been strengthened and a Right as the Canadiens appeared to be straightening out, COVID-19 hit, team that’s really enjoying playing with each other. The enthusiasm in the shut the team down for a week and forced them to close out the season room really feels special between our veterans and our youngsters.” with 25 games in 44 days. If Bergevin had hoped they’d show their true It’s there in the front office, too, in spite of all the different ways 2021 has colours then, they failed him — losing 14 of their final 21 games and challenged Bergevin. backing into the playoffs with the worst record of any team participating. Sportsnet.ca LOADED: 06.13.2021 And as they appeared to be bowing out meekly, down 3-1 in their first- round series against the Toronto Maple Leafs, I had an impossible time envisioning him wanting to continue on in a job that would even test the Dalai Lama’s unshakeable Zen.

But seeing the passion and enthusiasm with which Bergevin met his players after they won their seventh consecutive game of these playoffs to eliminate the Winnipeg Jets and stamp their ticket to the semifinal, I’m having an even harder time seeing him relinquish his role.

“It’s great to see,” said Ducharme on Friday. “He’s working hard… he’s heart-and-soul about the Canadiens and having success. We’re all in this together — players, coaches, management — we all want the same thing. To see him as happy as us… he’s maybe a little bit more expressive, but we’re all in this together. I think he was known as a player to be a team guy, to be a player that you want to have on your side in any fight. And he’s the same in the management as a GM, he’s the same way. He’s there on your side, too, as a coach to help me out, to support me if I need anything. So, it’s great to see.”

Remaining Time -1:27

Bergevin happy offseason veteran acquisitions paying off for Canadiens

Canadiens owner recognized it long ago and stood by Bergevin after his worst stint as GM, in 2018. When I spoke with Molson prior to this season, his excitement about the work Bergevin had done in the years since — and particularly in the months before the puck dropped in January — came through loud and clear over the phone. So, when Elliotte Friedman reported in early May that discussions on a new 1215745 Websites “I’ve obviously thought about it a lot, not just the last couple of days but the whole season, pretty much,” said Krejci, 35. “I’m not going to give you an answer right now. I’m going to need a few weeks, think about lots of things. Talk to lots of people. I love Boston. We’ll see what happens. See Sportsnet.ca / Quick Shifts: Why Bruins could be in for some major what happens.” changes 2. Has the Winnipeg Jets’ championship window closed?

It certainly feels that way, that their best shot to go the distance went Luke Fox June 12, 2021, 9:20 AM unseized in 2018. Thanks in no small part to Marc-Andre Fleury. (Sound familiar, Colorado Avalanche?)

In the following three post-seasons, the Jets have won a grand total of A quick mix of the things we gleaned from the week of hockey, serious seven playoff games. Certainly, the sudden absence of No. 1 centre and less so, and rolling four lines deep. Thinking about hiring Barry Trotz Mark Scheifele in deciding series in 2020 and 2021 is no small influence to be my life coach. on disappointing results. 1. Patrice Bergeron will be on the other side of 35 and in the final year of But when you look back at the D corps of ’18 — loaded with impact his deal in 2021-22. players like Dustin Byfuglien, Jacob Trouba and Tyler Myers — you have The resilient and refashioned Brad Marchand could begin declining at to wonder if the Jets are capable of building a more balanced team age 33, no? around their Vezina-wining goalie.

Neither Tuukka Rask nor David Krejci spoke of re-signing in Boston with Winger Blake Wheeler, the club’s highest cap hit, will be 35 when the much certainty. puck drops on 2021-22. Paul Stastny might walk, and unless he’s willing to take a discount, his salary would be better allocated to the blue line. Yes, meaningful chunks of the Boston Bruins core were removed last summer, with longstanding captain Zdeno Chara and masterful power- Once RFAs Neal Pionk, Andrew Copp and Logan Stanley are all given a play quarterback Torey Krug signing as free agents elsewhere. well-earned raises, will there be enough cap space remaining for GM to build a roster as strong as the one that reached But more turnover feels inevitable, as those sturdy pillars of the 2011 the semifinals in 2018? champs and 2013 and 2019 Cup finalists gradually get removed. It’s a heck of a challenge. “Every year, as you don’t achieve your goal and the further you go in your career, you get to realize it’s a year closer to retirement,” captain 3. If the Jets have any hope of coming back as a stronger version of Patrice Bergeron said Friday. themselves, Pierre-Luc Dubois (RFA 2022) must start looking like a steal at $5 million. The dangling carrot is the same one his trade foil, Patrick “About changes, I’m not sure. It’s not up to me. You always want to keep Laine, faced entering 2020-21: restricted free agency with the leverage of the same group, and I feel like we have a great group here.” arbitration rights.

That group includes the ailing 34-year-old UFA Rask, whom the Dubois said Wednesday that one bad season will not define him. organization turned to in its most important games despite a torn labrum in his needing surgery and despite having a promising young goalie in “I’m someone who expects a lot out of myself. I’ll be the first guy to say I Jeremy Swayman ready to go. didn’t play how I should have,” Dubois said. “It was a disappointing year for me. If he plays again anywhere, Rask says it will be following surgery and recovery, sometime in January or February. And it will be in Boston. “The only person to blame is me.”

“I’m not going to play for anyone else than the Bruins,” Rask stated. “This We foresaw a scenario where the Dubois-Laine blockbuster could’ve is our home. We have three kids. The kids enjoy it here. They have been a win-win deal for both the Jets and Blue Jackets. Thus far, it’s friends in school. We have friends. At this point of my life and my career, been lose-lose. I don’t see any reason to go anywhere else.” Despite both star forwards being in their prime, they both stumbled By the time Rask is ready to make his decision, will Swayman have run through the worst seasons of their careers. Laine had 12 goals, 24 points away with the crease? Will GM Don Sweeney have hired another veteran and a minus-29 rating. Dubois had nine goals, 21 points, a minus-eight for his tandem (loyal backup Jaroslav Halak is also a pending UFA)? rating, and failed to score in the playoffs. These are extraordinary plummets for 22-year-old talents. And what will the skating roster look like? Makes you wonder if John Tortorella and Paul Maurice knew the right On the back end, Brandon Carlo is due a hefty raise. Contracts for Mike buttons to push with their former charges. Reilly and Kevan Miller are due. In the case of Dubois, there is some precedent in the team getting the Middle-class forwards Jake DeBrusk and Charlie Coyle failed to match best offensive years from a young stud centre and dealing him. the middle of the New York Islanders’ lineup in Round 2. UFA Sean Kuraly, regarded as one of the better bottom-six checkers in hockey, will Columbus traded an unhappy top-five draft pick in Ryan Johansen. And surely get offered a raise above his $1.275 million elsewhere. despite making his millions in Nashville, Johansen’s most prolific years as a goal scorer were in Ohio, where he scored 33 and 26 in the two And then there is deadline prize Taylor Hall, in danger of switching seasons that preceded the Seth Jones trade. sweaters for a fourth time in under three years. Hall was fantastic down the stretch for the B’s, scoring eight goals in 16 regular-season games, 4. Even though the Carolina Hurricanes have the cap space to but was limited to one goal and one assist in the Isles series, going accommodate a fair extension, it certainly feels like Dougie Hamilton has minus-three. stormed his final surge (surged his final storm?).

“I don’t even know what my value is at this point,” said Hall, who wants to On the assumption that Alex Ovechkin will re-up in Washington, Hamilton stay put. “I feel like I had two different seasons. I’m not looking to will become this summer’s most in-demand unrestricted free agent. absolutely maximize my value at this point in my career.” The open-market rate for stud right-shot D-men in a flat cap world was The highest-paid Bruin, Krejci, comes off the books. His $7.25 million set last summer by Alex Pietrangelo, who signed in Vegas for seven share of the cap, combined with Rask’s $7 million, could go a very long years at $8.8 million. Lefty Torey Krug got a $6.5-million AAV from St. way to remoulding around what might be the Marchand-Bergeron- Louis. Pastrnak line’s final hurrah. Hamilton, 27, doesn’t come with the ring or gold medals, but he is three Should he so choose, Sweeney could bid for Dougie Hamilton or Jack years younger than Pietrangelo was in 2020. In theory, he should provide Eichel or whoever else hits the market. better value in the final years of his big deal.

Does Krejci himself want a (considerably reduced) chunk of that money and remain in the fold for what might be the last kick at perfection? Budget-conscious Hurricanes owner Tom Dundon has only once signed 11. Very cool milestone tracked by the irreplaceable CapFriendly.com. off on a contract worth more than $5.5 million annually, and his hand was forced into that by the Montreal Canadiens’ offer sheet of Sebastien Aho. Sidney Crosby has now surpassed Jaromir Jagr as the NHL’s greatest career salary earner. Maybe we’re wrong. Maybe Dundon opens to the coffers. Maybe Jack Adams-finalist head coach Rod Brind’Amour, must-keep RFAs Andrei The site estimates that Crosby is up to $129.34 million in earnings. Jagr Svechnikov and Alex Nedeljkovic, and Hamilton all cash in this summer. topped out at $128.14 million.

But it says here Hamilton hits the market and signs the richest deal of the Rounding out the top 10 — in descending order — are Alex Ovechkin, 2021 off-season. Shea Weber, Vincent Lecavalier, Chris Pronger, Joe Thornton, Evgeni Malkin, Zach Parise and . 5. Here’s a Silicon Valley story. Weber crushes everyone in career signing bonuses with $68 million. As far as the San Jose Sharks are concerned, Bitcoin is a perfectly acceptable method of payment. 12. Will the captain of the new Stanley Cup favourites please stand up?

“Actually, we support payment in Bitcoin (BTC), Bitcoin Cash (BCH), Sportsnet.ca LOADED: 06.13.2021 Ethereum (ETH), Wrapped Bitcoin (WBTC), Dogecoin (DOGE), and 5 USD-pegged stablecoins (GUSD, USDC, PAX, DAI, and BUSD),” Sharks president Jonathan Becher said.

The Sharks partnered with -based payment processor BitPay and became the first NHL franchise ready to accept cryptocurrency for season tickets, suite leases, and partnerships. Single-game tickets, food and beverage and merchandise will be evaluated over time.

The Sharks are following the lead of NBA clubs like the Dallas Mavericks and Sacramento Kings, who were quick to welcome cryptos. Yet Becher doesn’t see it as a big leap.

“We’re accepting PayPal, so then by definition, we’re accepting cryptocurrency,” Becher told the Sports Business Journal. “Why not embrace it and make it more visible as opposed to just doing it through a third party?”

6. Sacrilegious? Perhaps.

But as far as marketing schemes go, the limited-edition batch of Molson Canadian “kissed” by the Stanley Cup is a pretty good one. Mmm… tastes like victory and the bottom of ’s swimming pool.

7. Easily one of my favourite under-the-radar moments from Round 2 was Golden Knights backup Robin Lehner tossing his own cap on the ice when teammate Jonathan Marchessault completed a hat trick on home ice in Game 4:

8. Hats off to Islanders coach Barry Trotz for delivering this elite masterclass in referee manipulation between games 4 and 5 of the Bruins series:

Trotz calmly calls out Boston captain Patrice Bergeron as a cheater, but he couches his criticisms in so many compliments and sprinkles them with so many smiles that he can slips out of the Zoom undetected like a hockey Keyser Söze.

Next game, it’s Bergeron getting tossed out of faceoff circles. Next presser, it’s Boston’s Bruce Cassidy getting fined $25,000 for badmouthing the officials.

“I think he said it was a veteran play,” Bergeron said in response to Trotz’s Jedi mind tricks. “I think it’s a veteran play by him, as a coach, to go into media talk to try to get the officiating to think about it.”

You ain’t cheatin’, you ain’t tryin’.

9. The Toronto Maple Leafs are the most tattooed North American sports team logo, according to an unofficial study by Gambling.com.

Analyzing Instragram hashtag data to match fan-posted tattoo photographs, Leafs tats came back as easily the most prevalent, leading a top five filled with NFL franchises (Denver Broncos, Philadelphia Eagles, San Francisco 49ers, New England Patriots).

The Pittsburgh Penguins (sixth), Chicago Blackhawks (ninth), Boston Bruins (15th), San Jose Sharks (16th), Tampa Bay Lightning (17th), New Jersey Devils (18th), Buffalo Sabres (20th) and Ottawa Senators (25th) are the other NHL teams that rated in the top 25.

10. Quote of the Week.

“I came from a team where if you weren’t under 25, you didn’t fit in. Here, it’s a little different. It’s a veteran team. They play with structure. They play with commitments. And it’s an easy group to come in and insert yourself because they’re all smart hockey players, they’ve been around, and they have experience.” —Travis Zajac, forever New Jersey Devil turned New York Islander 1215746 Websites "Just to have fun. He always touches on that. That's why we started to play the game. It's a fun game so he always makes sure I'm having fun. I can see how much fun he had and the passion he had for the game."

TSN.CA / McTavish doesn't want to change much ahead of NHL Draft 2019 #OHLDraft 1st round, 5th overall pick Mason McTavish (@masonmctavish27) has committed to the Peterborough Petes! The Peterborough Petes centre kept his beard through a strong run in Switzerland and the IIHF Under-18 World Championship where Canada DETAILS >> https://t.co/YHj90kYtff pic.twitter.com/LgzteqWZXH went undefeated. McTavish spoke to TSN about his experience in — Peterborough Petes (@PetesOHLhockey) May 30, 2019 Switzerland, going at it with Philadelphia Flyers captain Claude Giroux during summer skates, and more. What did you take from the experience at the under-18 championship?

"It was awesome. Any time you can wear that Canadian jersey is super humbling and obviously we won gold too so that made it even better." By Mark Masters When Team Canada captain Shane Wright was hurt and missed a game,

you wore the 'C' in his absence. What was your reaction? Peterborough Petes centre Mason McTavish started growing a beard. "I didn't even know until I walked in and I saw the 'C' on my jersey and And then he couldn't stop. that was super cool. Obviously, Shane was our captain, but when I saw "We swept a playoff round in Switzerland and then I had to come back [to that it was a pretty special moment for me and I cherish that quite a bit. Canada] and we were undefeated so I couldn't shave it," he explained. Shane was our captain, but it was nice to fill in for a game." "We didn't lose a game at the U18s. I would've shaved it if we had lost a How would you describe your leadership approach? game." "I'm more of a vocal leader. If someone chips the puck out on the penalty With the Ontario Hockey League season suspended due to the kill, the coach probably isn't going to go out of his way to tell him, 'Great pandemic, McTavish played in the second-tier Swiss League, scoring chip on the penalty kill.' So, that's where I like to just stay super positive nine goals and 11 points in 13 regular season games with EHC Olten. on the bench. And, obviously, you need to lead by example too. You got Then, after putting up seven points in four playoff games, McTavish to go out and do the same things you're telling the other guys to do." returned home to prepare for the IIHF Under-18 World Championship. Mason McTavish scores a dagger late to put Canada up 4-2. McTavish, a product of the Ottawa Valley Titans program, is a bit #U18Worlds pic.twitter.com/dJPyD5bd1M superstitious, so the facial hair remained untouched, giving the 18-year- old a more mature look at the tournament in Texas. Were any of his — TSN (@TSN_Sports) April 29, 2021 teenaged teammates jealous? You roomed with Connor Bedard at the tournament. What did you learn "I know [Regina Pats phenom] Connor Bedard was a little bit, but he's about him? only 15 so I'm sure it will come soon," McTavish said. "Honestly, he's a great player and even better person too. He got more After recording five goals and 11 points in seven games while helping confident each and every game. You saw him at the gold medal game, I Canada win the gold medal, McTavish finally dusted off his razor. think he was at his best. When your youngest player is one of your best players, it says a lot about him. He can step up in big games. He's going "I've trimmed it a lot recently so it's more tame now, but I'm sure it could to have a great career in the NHL." use another trim," he said with a grin.

LADIES AND GENTLEMEN, CONNOR BEDARD. �� #U18Worlds You can understand why McTavish doesn't want to change much pic.twitter.com/75WLJo1KHx considering how well he's played. He finished No. 2 on NHL Central Scouting's final list of North American skaters. — TSN (@TSN_Sports) May 7, 2021

"Super humbling to be that high on a draft list but, I mean, it's not an NHL How would you describe your game? team selecting you so just going to have to wait until July 23." "I'm a power forward, who takes a lot of pride in his defensive zone and McTavish spoke to TSN about his experience in Switzerland, going at it two-way ability. Obviously, I love to score goals too." with Philadelphia Flyers captain Claude Giroux during summer skates, and where his game has grown during this strange season. The following You also play with an edge. In an article in The Athletic, skills coach Pat is an edited transcript of the interview. Malloy mentioned you actually got into it with Claude Giroux at a summer skate last year. What happened? Where do you feel your game has improved the most this year? "It was nothing too crazy. We didn't fight or anything. We're both super "My speed. I worked a lot at it in the summer doing explosive workouts: competitive guys and he was on the other team and we were doing five- jumps and squats and some deadlifts." on-five [work]. It was a close game, next goal wins or something, and there was a couple slashes or something. Nothing crazy. Yeah, I think we Is there a certain area of the game where you felt that really benefited won that game, actually, so I guess I got the last laugh." you? Did you guys talk about it after? "Yeah, neutral zone with transitions and getting up ice faster. The game's so fast nowadays and everybody can work on their speed so that's what I "No, but we skate together quite a bit and we're obviously fine now. I'm keyed in on." sure he loves it. He's an intense guy and it's the closest thing to playing in the NHL in the summer. I'm sure he loved it." How do you feel you held up against older guys in a professional environment in Switzerland? MICHIGAN MOCK: @CraigJButton has Owen Power to Sabres; Matty Beniers to Seattle and Kent Johnson with the #Canucks in his "I did pretty well. It's always a culture shock going over to a new country, post-lottery Mock Draft - https://t.co/7cOwKwooLQ#TSNHockey especially during a global pandemic, but I thought I got really comfortable pic.twitter.com/BRZNPl1c1r right away and gained confidence each and every game." — TSN Hockey (@TSNHockey) June 3, 2021 You were born in Zurich when your dad, Dale McTavish, was playing in the National League but, that said, was there a welcome-to-Switzerland TSN's Director of Scouting Craig Button sees a lot of Ryan O'Reilly in moment for you this season? you. Who do you consider your NHL role model?

"Nothing too crazy. I lived there until I was 10 so it wasn't too bad. We "I like the way Brayden Schenn plays. I like watching him play and see couldn't go many places with COVID and stuff so it was pretty normal." little things he does and try and add them to my game."

You also followed in your father's footsteps by playing for the Petes. Can you give us an example of a little thing you've seen in his game that What's the No. 1 thing you learned from your dad? you've tried to incorporate into yours? "Just how hard he works. He works super hard. He's always there on the back check and forechecking super hard and he wins a lot of face-offs. I take a lot of pride in face-offs too so just little things like that."

What are you focused on this off-season?

"Working on my acceleration and speed again like last year. The same sort of stuff in the gym and on the ice. Just duplicating what I did last year."

What does your average day look like?

"I work out with Sean Young, who's the [Ottawa] 67s and REDBLACKS strength coach. I work with him from 9-11 and then I skate from 1-2 and then I try to golf at the end, but sometimes I'm pretty tired."

What's something, other than the beard, that you'd stick with if things are going well?

"I never tape my stick in intermissions. Even if it's super messed up, I'll leave it. And normally I'll go black tape too. Simple stuff like that. I find it helps me dial up for the game."

TSN.CA LOADED: 06.13.2021 1215747 Websites Jace Evans Vegas vs. Montreal: Golden Knights in 5. With the caveat that I have

been wrong about the Canadiens every step of the way this postseason USA TODAY / NHL playoff predictions: Who wins semifinal series to ... I just don't see the magic continuing. The Golden Knights were mighty advance to Stanley Cup Final? impressive in winning four straight against the Presidents' Trophy- winning Colorado Avalanche, who are a class of competition the Habs frankly haven't faced this year. It's a great accomplishment for this plucky Canadiens team to be in the final four, but I think Vegas is too deep JACE EVANS , JIMMY HASCUP , MIKE BREHM | USA TODAY offensively and too sound defensively to be denied.

Tampa Bay vs. New York Islanders: Lightning in 6. These two teams met The semifinals of the Stanley Cup Playoffs will present a sight we have in last year's final four and I'm expecting the exact same result. Even not seen this NHL season: teams playing squads outside their division. without stalwart captain Anders Lee, the defense-first Islanders have been methodical in taking down talented teams in the Penguins and Play has exclusively occurred within the four divisions through 56 Bruins. Unfortunately for the Isles, this Lightning team might be even regular-season games and the first two rounds of playoffs. Now, though, better than their 2020 championship squad. Tampa has five players the champions of the North, East, Central and West have been reseeded averaging at least a point per game these playoffs, with Nikita Kucherov for the semifinals based on regular-season points. and captain Steven Stamkos – who missed nearly all of the 2020 playoffs – leading the way. And in the net, Andrei Vasilevskiy is having his best The No. 1 seed is the Vegas Golden Knights. The West champs will be playoffs yet with a .934 save percentage and two shutouts, which came taking on the North champs, the No. 4 Montreal Canadiens. The No. 2 in Tampa's series-clinching victories against the Panthers and vs. No. 3 showdown is actually a rematch of last year's Eastern Hurricanes. Conference final as the defending Stanley Cup champion Tampa Bay Lightning, the Central winners, take on the East champion New York USA TODAY LOADED: 06.13.2021 Islanders.

NHL playoff schedule: Dates, times, television and results for semifinal series

Who will advance to the Stanley Cup Final? USA TODAY Sports' NHL staffers make their predictions for the semifinal series:

Jimmy Hascup

Vegas vs. Montreal: Golden Knights in 6. As much as the Canadiens have coalesced into a strong team in the playoffs, the Golden Knights are on a different level than Montreal’s previous opponents. Vegas is a more complete and more experienced playoff team than the Maple Leafs, and it is simply more dangerous in all facets compared to Winnipeg. It leads all current playoff teams with a 56.8 expected goals-for percentage, per Natural Stat Trick. Max Pacioretty’s return (four goals, eight points in seven games) has opened the offense, and he is the Golden Knights’ best scorer, with three game-winners in the playoffs. While Canadiens goalie Carey Price has been nearly unbeatable in the playoffs (.935 save percentage), Vezina Trophy finalist Marc-Andre Fleury has carried over his stellar stellar play into the postseason (.923 save percentage). I guess what I’m trying to say is there are limited weaknesses for Vegas in this matchup.

Tampa Bay vs. New York Islanders: Lightning in 6. You have to tip your hat to the job Barry Trotz has done coaching the Islanders. What this team lacks in game-breaking talent, it makes up for through a ferocious, full-team commitment to structure. It doesn’t always look good, but it gets results and they are a series away from the Stanley Cup Final. The Lightning are simply too good, though, with dangerous offensive players such as Nikita Kucherov (five goals, 18 points in 11 playoff games). But they also have the ability to clamp down and win with defense … or with goalie Andrei Vasilevskiy (.934 save SV%). While the Islanders (nine of 43 goals; 20%) and Tampa Bay (15 of 38 goals; 39%) have leaned on the power play, the biggest issue here is that New York has shown little on the penalty kill, giving up 10 power-play goals in the 26 times it was shorthanded these playoffs. This series could be short if the Islanders are playing a man down too often.

Mike Brehm

Vegas vs. Montreal: Golden Knights in 7. The Canadiens advanced behind the solid play of Carey Price, who allowed Montreal to take chances on offense. But Vegas' Marc-Andre Fleury can match Price save for save, negating that advantage. The Golden Knights used their speed to win puck battles against the Avalanche and will do the same against Montreal, which could be without defenseman Jeff Petry early in the series.

Tampa Bay vs. New York Islanders: Lightning in 7. The Islanders' offense is a threat, especially with Mathew Barzal finding his goal-scoring touch again. Adam Pelech and Ryan Pulock are an impressive shutdown defensive pair and goalie Semyon Varlamov is playing well. But the Lightning have more firepower on their top lines and defenseman Victor Hedman and goalie Andrei Vasilevskiy are awards finalists. The games will be close and entertaining, but the Lightning will make a second consecutive trip to the Stanley Cup Final.