SPORT-SCAN DAILY BRIEF NHL 8/7/2021 1219123 Ducks centers Isac Lundestrom, Sam Steel agree to 1219151 Kings sign defenseman Kale Clague to 1-year contract 1-year qualifying offers extension 1219124 Stephens: With a lack of offseason moves and clear 1219152 Kings breakout candidates, Byfield or Turcotte in the top communication, what message are the Ducks sending to six, and Petersen’s next contract: Mailbag, part 1 fans? 1219153 All The Kings Men – Thomas Drance of The Athletic profiles Alex Edler Arizona 1219154 LA Kings re-sign defenseman Kale Clague to one-year, 1219125 Coyotes name former NHL player and executive Larry two-way contract, $761,250 AAV Pleau as senior advisor to GM Armstrong 1219126 Arizona Coyotes sign Conor Timmins, Bokondji Imama to Canadiens contracts 1219155 Goaltender McNiven avoids arbitration with one-year deal 1219127 Coyotes name Larry Pleau as special advisor to GM Bill 1219156 Tomas Tatar signs with Devils Armstrong 1219157 coming to West Island, thanks to homegrown Alex Killorn 1219128 Bruins keeping an open door for Patrice Bergeron as enters final year of contract 1219158 Islanders’ Adam Pelech signs eight-year contract 1219129 Bruins GM Don Sweeney took a hard look at the system’s extension young talent 1219159 Islanders' Adam Pelech on signing eight-year deal: 'This is 1219130 Sweeney: Krejci's return to Bruins 'open-ended' where I want to be' 1219131 Door Open For Krejci Return To Bruins; Bergeron 1219160 Adam Pelech signs, marking the first official move for the Contract Talks Begin Islanders this offseason 1219132 The door remains open for David Krejci to return to the 1219161 HERE TO STAY! Adam Pelech, Islanders Agree on New Bruins, and why that matters Contract 1219133 Sabres offseason depth chart: Where will Buffalo’s veteran 1219162 Rangers sign restricted free agents Adam Huska, Tim free-agent additions slot in? Gettinger and Ty Ronning 1219163 Rangers offseason depth chart 3.0: How will Chris Drury further shake up the roster? 1219134 Flames re-up pair of forwards in Philp, Phillips 1219135 Flames offseason depth chart 2.0: Where the lineup NHL stands after expansion, free agency moves 1219164 The Mascot Whisperer Carolina Hurricanes 1219136 Who are the Carolina Hurricanes’ new players? Here’s a 1219165 Who are the Penguins' best 1-year players? look at the incoming group 1219166 Hextall Admits He’ll Have to ‘Get Creative’ to Upgrade; Cap Could Push Friedman IntoLineup Blackhawks 1219137 Brandon Hagel signs a 3-year deal with the Chicago Blackhawks following a strong rookie 1219167 EXPLAINER: How leagues investigate gambling 1219138 Blackhawks re-sign Brandon Hagel to 3-year contract allegations 1219139 Blackhawks reward hard-working Hagel with three-year 1219168 SAN JOSE SHARKSHow Can Bonino Help Sharks Power deal Play? 1219140 Marc-Andre Fleury opens up about trade to Blackhawks 1219169 SAN JOSE SHARKSKnyzhov Talks Surgery Recovery, 1219141 Traded for Marc-André Fleury and unwanted by the Junk Food Diet, Learning from Karlsson Golden Knights, Mikael Hakkarainen is in a strange situation Seattle Kraken 1219170 Kraken mailbag: Answering your questions about center Colorado Avalanche depth, playoff aspirations, vaccine requirements and mor 1219142 Avalanche signs first-round pick Oskar Olausson to entry level contract St Louis Blues 1219143 Avalanche sign 2021 first-round draft pick Oskar Olausson 1219171 Pleau leaving Blues to be advisor with Arizona to entry-level contract 1219172 Blues need to be more physical in front of net, theirs and 1219144 Oskar Olausson signs contract with Colorado Avalanche their opponent’s, next season Red Wings 1219145 Red Wings 2025-26 lineup projection: What pieces does 1219175 Alex Edler admits facing Canucks in Vancouver will be Detroit have in place? "some kind of weird feeling" 1219146 Oilers sign Darnell Nurse to eight-year, $74M contract 1219173 Traded for Marc-André Fleury and unwanted by the extension Golden Knights, Mikael Hakkarainen is in a strange 1219147 Lowetide: Oilers sign Darnell Nurse to a massive 8-year situation contract extension 1219148 Lowetide: How many goals will Jesse Puljujarvi score for the Oilers next season? Florida Panthers 1219149 Panthers re-sign Pembroke Pines defenseman to one- year deal 1219150 Top Tips To Bet On The NHL Washington Capitals 1219174 Why a Kuznetsov trade is not as simple as you may think Websites 1219176 The Athletic / NHL executives fret over season ticket sales as players’ payroll deficit hits $1 billion, signa 1219177 The Athletic / NHL power rankings: Our brand new, offseason-friendly 1-32 list 1219178 Sportsnet.ca / NHL’s Top 10 UFAs remaining: Latest rumours, reports 1219179 TSN.CA / Giordano embracing life as member of NHL’s newest franchise 1219180 TSN.CA / Lawyer asks U.S. Center for SafeSport to investigate Blackhawks GM

SPORT-SCAN, INC. 941-284-4129 1219123 Anaheim Ducks

Ducks centers Isac Lundestrom, Sam Steel agree to 1-year qualifying offers

By ELLIOTT TEAFORD | [email protected]

Orange County Register

PUBLISHED: August 6, 2021 at 6:17 p.m. | UPDATED: August 6, 2021 at 6:19 p.m.

Ducks centers Isac Lundestrom and Sam Steel accepted their one-year, two-way qualifying offers on Friday, which will pay each of them $874,125 for 2021-22 if they make the NHL team’s roster or $70,000 if they play for the Gulls of the AHL.

Lundestrom, 21, set career highs with six goals, nine points and 41 games last season after he had six goals and 21 points in 43 games with the Gulls in 2019-20. He recorded his first NHL hat trick in the Ducks’ loss to the St. Louis Blues on March 1.

Steel, 23, had six goals for the third consecutive season and also had six assists in 42 games in 2020-21. Overall, he has 18 goals and 27 assists in 129 games over three seasons in the NHL, all with the Ducks.

Lundestrom was the Ducks’ first-round pick in 2018 (23rd overall). Steel was a first-round selection in 2016 (30th overall).

Lundestrom, Steel, Max Comtois, and Josh Mahura were each given qualifying offers before the July 26 deadline, preventing them from becoming unrestricted free agents. Comtois and Jones, who are left wings, and Mahura, a defenseman, can still sign new contracts or accept their qualifying offers.

Orange County Register: LOADED: 08.07.2021 1219124 Anaheim Ducks Flushed with significant salary-cap space for the first time in years, the Ducks thus far are keeping it stashed under their mattress. Some of the $19 million left after the re-upping of Getzlaf will go to new contracts for Stephens: With a lack of offseason moves and clear communication, Max Comtois, Isac Lundestrom, Sam Steel, Max Jones and Josh what message are the Ducks sending to fans? Mahura. But even if $7 million to $8 million annually will be spent on those five players, and even if you take into account an internal budget coming in a few million under the cap, it still means there is likely $7 million of flexibility to use toward upgrading the roster. By Eric Stephens It doesn’t mean the Ducks are limited to that. Murray clearly prefers the Aug 6, 2021 trade route, in which money can be sent out, and he’s got new cap guru Jeff Solomon to make any math work. Except there has been no trade. No move to signal that they’re out to improve. No move to signal that Twin shockwaves were felt around the Southern California sports they’re out to cut from a core that’s become older and unable to carry the landscape last week. weight of the franchise.

On the same day, the Lakers traded for nine-time All-Star and former No move to get you hyped about the 2021-22 Ducks. MVP Russell Westbrook, while the Dodgers acquired three-time Cy Young Award winner Max Scherzer and All-Star shortstop Trea Turner. When asked by The Athletic how much re-shaping of the roster he’d like to get done before training camp opens next month and what areas he A day earlier, the Kings made a splash in NHL free agency by signing was trying to target either through trade or free agency, Murray former Montreal center Phillip Danault and then adding former Vancouver responded with a general overview of his vision. defenseman Alexander Edler. The two additions cost more than $36 million and were part of a league-wide spending spree of more than $760 “Our plan is to continue our focus on the development of our young million on that day alone. players, while also exploring strategic hockey deals that add to our current group,” Murray said. “The is to build a consistent playoff Fan bases here, there and nearly everywhere were engaged, debating team that can compete for the Stanley Cup over an extended time. We how their teams made out after executives got busy. Excitement was will look at any and all opportunities that are consistent with these real. Palpable. objectives and help us achieve our goal.”

The Ducks were content to stay in the shadows. It has become a Not much in the way of specifics, huh? comfortable place. The only attention they drew was by re-signing Ryan Getzlaf, the 36-year-old captain who didn’t really want to leave (and by This much is known. In this rebuild – and it’s an unmitigated rebuild losing Haydn Fleury to the expansion draft after trading for him). And, if focused around Trevor Zegras and Jamie Drysdale – Murray is eyeing an you include retaining three depth players and signing four more who early-20s player who can be an impact performer to ride along with his don’t figure to play much, that has been it for the Ducks. two youngsters of great promise and the rest of the kids who need to start playing like veterans. Troy Terry is now 23. Steel, Jones and Frankly, it would have been much bigger news if Getzlaf opted to join Mahura are 23. Comtois is 22 and Lundestrom is 21. If you will, throw in another team. Almost three months into their offseason, the Ducks’ 24-year-old Alexander Volkov. biggest moves have been to replace two assistant coaches. At the headquarters in Irvine, there is no needle to move. It is why the Ducks continue to monitor the Jack Eichel situation, and why they had a real interest in Pierre-Luc Dubois. But in either case, there Let’s be real for a moment here. In terms of fan interest, the Dodgers and has been no willingness to part with Zegras or Drysdale. And that’s Lakers dwarf every other SoCal franchise. USC football once rivaled the perfectly fine. Neither of those two bright lights may become among the two, until the NFL rolled back into Los Angeles with one, then two teams. best in the league at their positions. But they might. The Angels, Clippers, Galaxy, LAFC and Sparks fill in with their pockets of supporters, some larger than others. UCLA basketball, after its Final Refraining from wild spending in a market devoid of young star players is Four appearance, may again be a hot ticket. fine as well. Murray could look quite good for not using up his cap room on more middle-of-the-lineup players he already has enough of. Consider And then there are the Kings and Ducks. But in this vast landscape, it guaranteed that regret will follow some of the pricey long-term deals hockey doesn’t compare to , football or basketball. That’s just inked on July 28. Call it a lesson learned after last fall’s signings of Kevin how it is. Narrow it down to just the realm of hockey, and the Kings have Shattenkirk and Derek Grant to three-year deals failed to measure up last more than two decades on the Ducks. There are Kings fans who became season. Ducks faithful when the NHL planted its stakes in Orange County during the 1990s expansion explosion, but there are also many transplants who Just don’t call this a playoff team, or one that is ready to take large steps still hold their hometown team closest to their hearts. That’s just how it is. toward the postseason, a mission statement made in January that proved to be a huge miscalculation. Nothing of consequence has been done to This isn’t about whose moves create bigger waves between the Ducks, make this team any better. Nothing that will juice up those Ducks faithful Lakers and Dodgers. It isn’t apples and oranges; it’s apples and who will be invited back to Honda Center after capacity was limited to cantaloupes. There is no comparison. They’re only mentioned to show only 10 percent over five home dates last season. where the Ducks operate from in terms of carving out their place in a region where there are countless things to do and follow. Honestly, what have Murray and his cohorts done to sell someone wavering on keeping their season tickets, or to entice new followers to This column is about a franchise creating excitement for its fan base, plunk down their dough? giving the folks who spend a lot of money on tickets, concessions and apparel something to get fueled up over. Elsewhere, the Kings have filled out their lineup with more proven players. San Jose may not be much better, but it brought in seasoned The Kings decided that this was the time to start emerging from their and respected pros who should help bond a fractured room. Edmonton rebuild with two veterans in Danault and Edler who will fortify a lineup still and Vancouver made significant changes and expectations, in turn, have powered by Anze Kopitar and Drew Doughty while a cast of youngsters heightened. Seattle looks like it already has a better roster than Anaheim. continues to grow behind them. They’ve determined that within a Pacific Vegas may as well be the 1998 compared to the Division that should have playoff spots up for grabs behind the presumed Ducks. Even Calgary decided it needed to add Blake Coleman, one of heavy favorite Vegas, now is the time to start competing with others that the top free agents in this year’s class. have positioned themselves with notable trades and signings. Perhaps Murray still has something up his sleeve over these next four or The Ducks? Well, the captain’s back. five weeks. It would do something for fans who crave significant change and often see inertia. While Getzlaf’s return for a 17th season is a nice The only changes general manager Bob Murray has made to a team that story, the 2021-22 season really is about what’s next for Zegras and went 17-30-9 last season are letting restricted free agent Danton Heinen Drysdale and whether any of the other youngsters can take the kind of move on and watching organizational players Chase De Leo, Andrew step forward Comtois did last season. Unless you’re a John Gibson Agozzino and Andy Welinski sign elsewhere. Basically, no changes. disciple or are the No. 1 fans of Cam Fowler, Josh Manson, Rickard Yeah, baby. Rakell or Hampus Lindholm, what else is there? The franchise needs to pick a lane. Perhaps it has, but that hasn’t been clearly communicated to its loyal customers. If adding to this group isn’t part of the blueprint, then lean all the way into this rebuild and let its most knowledgeable supporters know that a path toward building a “consistent playoff team” is being forged. Decide which of the threesome of Lindholm, Manson and Rakell — all of whom can hit UFA status next summer — is worth re-signing and build the value of the others to get the best return at the trade deadline. If this is another sideways season – can you be confident it won’t be? – then maybe revisit with Getzlaf in the spring if he is open to waiving his no-move clause again to join a contender.

The present doesn’t look good. And it isn’t being addressed, even as Getzlaf asked for a little outside help when he expressed his hope and belief that the Ducks can take a step forward next season. “Hopefully Bob can do a little bit more and fill a few holes for us,” the center said in his meeting with reporters following the news of his one-year, $4.5-million contract.

So far, it’s been … well, nothing. Not even much ado. Murray said owners Henry and Susan Samueli gave him a budget for 2021-22 that he was pleasantly surprised with following a year in which revenue took a monstrous hit. Taking on a bad contract to get a good draft pick or prospect, as they did with David Backes, wasn’t an option. Taking on salary in the form of a productive player to help the club hasn’t been achieved. But, hey, there’s a ton of cap space for 2022-23.

If you’re Gibson and you’ve opened a window into your frustration, do you wonder if this is what you signed up for when you made an eight- year commitment?

Buffalo is a raging mess. But at least the Sabres have made it clear to long-suffering fans that a complete do-over is needed, having dealt away an unhappy Sam Reinhart and Rasmus Ristolainen while seeking to trade an unhappy Eichel on their terms. Maybe those fans will have to wait a year for top pick Owen Power. There will be more pain ahead. Their GM, Kevyn Adams, may not be the answer to getting them back on track. Still, those fans have seen him get something done.

No, the Ducks aren’t the Lakers or Dodgers. Decidedly not.

The Athletic LOADED: 08.07.2021 1219125 Arizona Coyotes

Coyotes name former NHL player and executive Larry Pleau as senior advisor to GM Armstrong

JOSÉ M. ROMERO

Arizona Republic

Bill Armstrong goes back a long way with many on his Arizona Coyotes front office staff, from those in scouting to the head coach.

His new senior advisor, Larry Pleau, also has a history with Armstrong. Pleau, 74, was named to his position on Friday.

Pleau essentially fills a void in the front office left when Brian Daccord, the Coyotes' former Special Assistant to the General Manager and Director of Goaltending Operations, resigned in May to focus more on his goaltending development company and family.

"We are thrilled to add Larry to the Coyotes organization," Armstrong said in a statement from the team. "Larry brings a wealth of hockey knowledge and front office experience to our team and he will be a valuable addition to our management group. He will play an important role in helping us build a long-term winning team here in the Valley."

Pleau, a native of Lynn, Mass., was the St. Louis Blues senior vice president and general manager when Armstrong was an amateur scout with the organization. Pleau spent 13 years as the Blues' GM, the longest-tenured general manager in franchise history and at the time he stepped down in 2010, the third-longest tenured GM in the NHL.

Pleau was inducted into the United States Hockey Hall of Fame in 2000 and also received the for outstanding service to hockey in the United States in 2002. He was the assistant general manager of the 2002 U.S. Olympic team, and was general manager of Team USA at the 2003 and 2004 IIHF World Championships and the 2004 .

After his time as Blues GM, Pleau continued to work in the team's scouting department. He was part of the team's front office when St. Louis won the 2019 Stanley Cup.

Before St. Louis, Pleau spent eight seasons with the New York Rangers, and was vice president of player personnel when the Rangers won the Stanley Cup in 1993-94.

Pleau spent 17 seasons with the organization as a player, assistant coach, head coach, general manager and minor league general manager and head coach.

As a player, Pleau played three NHL seasons with the , and won a Stanley Cup with them in 1971. He became the first player signed by the Whalers of the former , and totaled 372 points in 468 career WHA games with the Whalers.

A former center, Pleau played for the U.S. in the 1968 Olympics.

Coyotes sign pair

The Coyotes on Friday announced the signings of defenseman Conor Timmins and forward Bokondji Imama. Both were restricted free agents.

Timmins, 22, came in the trade the Coyotes made with the Colorado Avalanche for former goalie Darcy Kuemper. He's already been talked about as a player who can contribute at the NHL level immediately, and got a two-year, $1.7 million contract, according to Sportnet's Elliotte Friedman.

Imama, whom the Coyotes received in a trade with the Los Angeles Kings involving AHL players on both sides last month, signed a one-year, two-way contract after he was tendered a qualifying offer from Arizona.

Arizona Republic LOADED: 08.07.2021 1219126 Arizona Coyotes

Arizona Coyotes sign Conor Timmins, Bokondji Imama to contracts

BY SAM GRAVELINE

Arizona Sports

After acquiring him a week ago via trade, the Arizona Coyotes signed defenseman Conor Timmins to a two-year deal on Friday.

The organization sent goaltender Darcy Kuemper to the Colorado Avalanche in exchange for Timmins, a 2022 first round pick and a conditional third round pick in 2024.

“We are very pleased to sign Conor to a two-year contract,” said Coyotes general manager Bill Armstrong in a statement following the signing. “Conor is a talented young defenseman and we look forward to having him on our blueline this season.”

The native was drafted No. 32 overall by the Avalanche in the 2017 NHL Entry Draft.

Timmins, 22, played in 31 regular season games for Colorado in 2020- 21, as well as seeing action in 10 playoff games. He registered seven points last season, all being assists.

In 2018, he was a member on Team for the IIHF World Junior Championships, where he helped the team win gold after registering five points in seven games.

The team announced another move on Friday, signing forward Bokondji Imama to a one-year, two-way deal.

In 2020-21, Imama registered 9-5-14 with 56 minutes in 31 games with the AHL’s .

In 153 career games with the Reign, Imama tallied 35 points and spent 320 minutes in the penalty box.

Imama was originally drafted by the No. 180 overall in the 2015 NHL Entry Draft.

As per club policy, terms of the contracts were not disclosed.

Arizona Sports LOADED: 08.07.2021 1219127 Arizona Coyotes

Coyotes name Larry Pleau as special advisor to GM Bill Armstrong

BY SAM GRAVELINE

Arizona Sports

An offseason of front office turnover for the Arizona Coyotes continued on Friday, as the team named Larry Pleau as special advisor to the general manager, Bill Armstrong.

Pleau has an extensive history in the game of hockey, being a three-time Stanley Cup champion as well as being inducted into the United States Hockey Hall of Fame in 2000.

He played three seasons in the NHL for the Montreal Canadiens, where he was part of the 1971 Stanley Cup winning team.

His other two championships were from the front office, as vice president of player personnel with the New York Rangers in 1993-94 and in 2019- 20, as a member of the St. Louis Blues scouting department.

After helping the Rangers lift the Stanley Cup, he was hired by the Blues to be their general manager in 1997. He held that position until 2010 to be the longest tenured general manager in franchise history, helping the Blues win the Presidents Trophy in 1999-2000.

Armstrong and Pleau worked together in St. Louis, where Armstrong was hired as an amateur scout in 2004.

In his involvement with USA Hockey, Pleau was the assistant general manager of the 2002 U.S. Olympic team that won a silver medal. He served as the general manager for the 2003 and 2004 IIHF World Championships, as well as the .

Pleau played an instrumental part to the Hartford Whalers. Before the team became the Carolina Hurricanes, Pleau spent 17 total seasons with the Whalers organization in a variety of roles.

He was a player, assistant coach, head coach and general manager, where he drafted Hall of Famer Ron Francis to the organization in 1981.

“We are thrilled to add Larry to the Coyotes organization,” Armstrong said in a statement following the hire. “Larry brings a wealth of hockey knowledge and front office experience to our team and he will be a valuable addition to our management group. He will play an important role in helping us build a long-term winning team here in the Valley.”

Arizona Sports LOADED: 08.07.2021 1219128 Boston Bruins challenged Lohrei to be a tougher defender this week, making better use of his length and skating. They liked the response.

“He took that to heart,” Sweeney said. “Our coaches were trying to get Bruins keeping an open door for Patrice Bergeron as captain enters final him to understand how much harder it is, how much more competitive year of contract you have to be on pucks in the defensive zone, but without taking away his creativity moving pucks and getting into the offensive flow.”

By Matt Porter Lyle right in position to contribute

Globe Staff Like Connor Clifton and Kevan Miller, Brady Lyle is an undrafted right- shot defender who started on AHL contracts and earned an NHL deal. Updated August 6, 2021, 7:09 p.m. The Bruins signed him to a two-way NHL deal in April, after he led Providence defenders in scoring (7-7—14 in 25 games).

With Miller retired, Clifton is solidly third on the right-side defensive depth The Bruins parted ways with their last captain, Zdeno Chara, because of chart. Lyle, 22, could be fourth. The only other right-shot defenders under a disagreement on the strongman’s role. It does not appear Patrice Boston employ are 2017 seventh-rounder Victor Berglund, who played Bergeron and the club will have a similar impasse. with Lulea in the Swedish Hockey League last year, and free agent In a Zoom chat with reporters wrapping up a summer prospect camp in signee Tyler Lewington, a 26-year-old from Washington’s system. Brighton, Bruins general manager Don Sweeney said he has had Lyle has puck-moving ability and a large frame (6-3, 212), both of which discussions with Bergeron, a pending unrestricted free agent, and agent were apparent during development camp this week. Kent Hughes about “where he’s at,” but he declined to reveal any specifics. “Brady’s made a year-over-year progression that’s great to see,” Sweeney said. Bergeron, who turned 36 on July 24, is entering the final year of an eight- year, $55 million deal that costs $6.875 million against the salary cap. He Unlike collegians Clifton and Miller, Lyle came from Canadian junior. In will begin his 19th season as a Bruin on Oct. 16 against Dallas. 2019-20, he was a -per-game blueliner (22-43—65 in 62 games) as an overager (20-year-old) with Owen Sound. “We’ll keep it private as we do the others and let him decide what path he wants to take,” Sweeney said. “Obviously, it’s a completely open door for Not a lot of pro experience in camp how long Patrice wants to play the game for us, and we’ll leave it at that.” Besides Lyle, the only pros among 28 attendees were right winger Alex- Last month the Bruins saw David Krejci step away and sign with HC Olivier Voyer and center Curtis Hall, both of whom played for Providence Olomouc of the Czech Extraliga, a decision he made so his two Boston- last year. Goalie Kyle Keyser (11 games for Providence the last two raised children could experience life in their father’s native country. In his seasons) was the only third-year pro . . . Boston College winger Trevor chat, Sweeney twice reiterated that the Bruins would welcome Krejci Kuntar made a highlight play in a Friday scrimmage, converting a steal back. and mini-breakaway with a hard, low-glove snapshot . . . Sweeney said defenseman John Moore, limited to 29 games the last two seasons, will “We’re wondering if he may return at some point in time, but that’s open- be full-go for training camp. Moore, who played through a badly torn ended,” Sweeney said, when asked if the Bruins would be satisfied with shoulder in the 2019 run to the Stanley Cup Final, appeared in five the roster entering September training camp. games last year because of a hip injury that required another surgery. “We’re constantly exploring options and conversations,” he said. “You The left-shot defender has two years remaining at a $2.75 million salary know the trade situations sort of died down after free agency. Everybody cap hit . . . Bergeron enters the season 83 points shy of 1,000, a mark sort of reevaluates where they’re at, but there has been some ongoing reached before by Ray Bourque, Johnny Bucyk and Phil Esposito among prior to that, we’ll continue to explore. If we can improve our roster, we’re former Bruins. With 25 goals, Bergeron would be the fourth Bruin to going to. But we certainly addressed some of the needs and we have reach 400. some younger players that want to continue to vie for spots and Boston Globe LOADED: 08.07.2021 opportunity. I don’t think any team thinks they’re a finished product sitting here in August.”

As it stands, Bergeron, Charlie Coyle and Erik Haula appear to be the top three centers on the roster, with 22-year-old Jack Studnicka an outside candidate for middle-six duty.

Lohrei gets gold star on line

The Bruins look like they’ve got a keeper in Mason Lohrei, their second- round pick (58th overall) from 2020. The left-shot defenseman stood out from a size (6 feet 4 inches, 200 pounds) and skating perspective at development camp. He was arguably the most skilled mover of the puck.

Lohrei, 20, who reports for his freshman year at Ohio State on Aug. 16, will be challenged by the NCAA route. College players were granted an extra year of eligibility because of the pandemic. Some of Lohrei’s opponents will be 25 years old.

The Bruins will be watching him closely. Director of player development Jamie Langenbrunner arrived at USHL Green Bay early last season to remind Lohrei to focus on his defense. That increased focus, and the keys to the Gamblers’ power play, led to a jump from 8-29—37 totals to 19-40—59 (both in 48 games). He was USHL Defenseman of the Year.

“I’d like to give our scouts all the accolades in terms of recognizing he had a longer path of development,” Sweeney said. “He was obviously growing. He hadn’t played the position. There’s a bunch of things that you put into context of where he is today, and how much room he still has. We’re excited. There’s a long way to go for Mason. It’ll be a nice challenge for him to go to Ohio State and play against bigger, stronger players, faster.

Pleased with Lohrei’s best attributes — patience with the puck, confidence at the offensive blue line, power-play acumen — the Bruins 1219129 Boston Bruins “He has a long way to go but it’s a nice challenge to go to Ohio State and play against bigger, stronger, faster players. I think he took to heart what our coaches wanted him to understand — how much harder he has to be Bruins GM Don Sweeney took a hard look at the system’s young talent on the puck in the defensive zone without taking away his creativity offensively and getting pucks in the offensive zone.”

Affairs of state By RICH THOMPSON Sweeney didn’t limit his comments to the developmental aspects of the Boston Herald organization. He weighed in on coach Bruce Cassidy’s decision to upgrade center Charlie Coyle to the second line. Coyle will replace the PUBLISHED: August 6, 2021 at 4:51 p.m. | UPDATED: August 6, 2021 Bruins designated rainmaker David Krejci, who elected to leave the NHL at 4:52 p.m. and finish his career in the Czech Republic.

Sweeney also touched on the free-agent acquisitions he brought in to The Boston Bruins’ 14th annual Developmental Camp was a discovery compete for roster spots. That included signing goaltender Linus Ullmark process that went both ways. and trading Providence goalie Dan Vladar to the Calgary Flames for a third-round pick in 2022. With starting goalie ’s uncertain That is how Bruins’ General Manager Don Sweeney described the five status as a free agent and with hip surgery that will keep him off the ice days of player evaluations conducted by the team’s staff that wrapped on until January, Sweeney expressed confidence that Jeremy Swayman can Friday at Warrior Ice Arena in Brighton. step up. Sweeney said he is working with center Patrice Bergeron on a new contract. “I do believe that what we tried to accomplish this week is us learning about the players on an individual level and where they are skills-wise Boston Herald LOADED: 08.07.2021 and where they are off the ice and how they fit,” said Sweeney.

“But it also goes vice-versa and how they feel about our organization, whether they have just been drafted or are returning. There’s how much they have grown as a person and how much they continue to evolve and what the opportunities are for them.”

The Bruins’ developmental roster consisted of 28 players that was broken down to 15 forwards, 10 defenseman and three goalies. The list included 15 players from within the Bruins organization that featured 12 draft picks and 13 who attended on an invite basis. The majority of them had to cover their own expenses in order to participate.

“This isn’t a week where we necessarily find out if anybody is ready to play in the NHL,” said Sweeney. “But we sure as heck find out what their habits are like and how much they are willing to work and what type of teammate they are going to be.”

The sessions provided each player a general sense of what would be expected of them in the future. But Sweeney was more interested in what each individual learned from the process and how it’s applied when they return to their respective junior leagues or college programs. There were 16 collegiate players in camp, ranging from Boston College to Arizona State. Sweeney cited defensemen Connor Clifton (Quinnipiac) and Kevan Miller (Vermont) as examples of college players who signed AHL contracts and worked their way up through the system.

“Everybody is a little unique from where they are in their own trajectory, whether this is the first time they have been to this camp or whether they have been to several camps and where they are with their own teams,” said Sweeney.

“Then you have the college players and what their opportunities are when they decide to leave college. We have had several of those players take that path. I think the college players and free agents that come into these camps are evaluating how the organization treats them.

“We try not to treat any player any differently whether they are a first- round pick. We make sure from the early going that you are as welcome as anybody. Our staff is here to help them and everybody is on an equal footing.”

Buckeye-bound

Sweeney was encouraged that Bruins’ 2020 second-round draft pick (58th overall) Mason Lohrei will make the transition from juniors to the rough and tumble of the Big 10.

Lohrei spent the last three seasons with the of the USHL, where he was named the 2021 Defensive player of the Year. Lohrei was the top-scoring defenseman in the USHL with 19 goals and 40 assists in 48 games, but the 6-foot-4, 200-pound, blueliner has elected to resume his career at Ohio State.

“I would like to give our scouts all the accolades in terms of recognizing that he had a longer path in development,” said Sweeney. “He was obviously growing and he hadn’t played the position and there’s a bunch of things in the context of where he is today and how much room he still has. 1219130 Boston Bruins

Sweeney: Krejci's return to Bruins 'open-ended'

BY JUSTIN LEGER

Perhaps when it comes to David Krejci and the Boston Bruins, it isn't "goodbye." It's "see you later."

The longtime Bruins center announced last week he's leaving the team to play in his native Czech Republic. He didn't retire from the NHL, however, which leaves room for an eventual return to Boston.

Ranking Bruins' top 10 prospects after 2021 NHL Draft

B's general manager Don Sweeney certainly isn't ruling it out.

"Ultimately, with David [Krejci] making his decision, we're wondering whether or not he may return at some point in time, but that's an open- ended [situation]," he told reporters Friday.

So you're saying there's a chance?

For now at least, Charlie Coyle is expected to step up and assume Krejci's role as Boston's second-line center. Forwards Erik Haula, Nick Foligno, and Tomas Nosek were signed in free agency for additional depth, but should we expect more roster changes before the regular season begins Oct. 16?

"We're constantly exploring options and conversations," Sweeney said. "You know the trade situations sort of die down a little bit after free agency and everyone sort of reevaluates where they're at, but there has been some ongoing prior to that that we'll continue to explore.

"If we can improve our roster, we're going to. We certainly addressed some of the needs, and we have some younger players that want to continue to vie for spots and opportunity. I don't think any team thinks they're a finished product sitting here in August."

Coyle -- or whoever ends up taking Krejci's place -- will have some big shoes to fill. During his 15-year career in Boston, Krejci totaled 730 points (215 goals, 515 assists) in 962 career games. The 35-year-old also was one of the best players in Bruins playoff history. In 156 postseason games, Krejci tallied 124 points (42 goal, 82 assists), the fifth-most of any player since 2006-07.

That's a player you leave the door open for.

Comcast SportsNet.com LOADED: 08.07.2021 1219131 Boston Bruins the NHL Draft and heading into NHL free agency. Sweeney intends to keep monitoring the market as the 2021-22 season grows closer but for now, he and the team will see how the current product pans out.

Door Open For Krejci Return To Bruins; Bergeron Contract Talks Begin “We’re constantly exploring options in conversations,” Sweeney said. “You know the trade situation sort of died down a little bit after free agency. Everybody sort of evaluates where there at but there had been By Jimmy Murphy some ongoing prior to that and we’ll continue to explore and if we can improve our roster, we’re going to. But we certainly addressed some Published 13 hours ago on August 6, 2021 needs and we have some younger players that want to continue to vie for spots and opportunity. I don’t think any team thinks they’re a finished product sitting here in August.” Boston Bruins General Manager Don Sweeney told the media Friday that the door is still open for David Krejci to return and play for the Boston Boston Hockey Now LOADED: 08.07.2021 Bruins again.

“I think we addressed some areas that we wanted to,” Sweeney said. “Ultimately, with David making the decision. …We’re wondering whether or not he may return at some point in time, but that’s open-ended.”

Sweeney also addressed the future of captain Patrice Bergeron, who is entering the final season of an eight-year contract that carries a $6.8 million contract.

“Patrice and Kent Hughes, his representative, and I have discussions about where he’s at and we’ll keep those private as we do with all the others, and let him decide what path he wants to take,” Sweeney replied when asked if contract talks had begun yet. “Obviously it’s completely open-door on how long Patrice wants to play the game for us and we’ll leave it at that.”

Just a week ago, Krejci, 35, announced that he would not be re-signing with the Boston Bruins and would not continue to play in the NHL. Citing family reasons, Krejci decided to return home to play in the Czech Republic.

“Since the end of the season, as I have thought about my future, it has become clear that I need to make a difficult decision for my family and I,” Krejci said in a press release on July 30. At this point in my career and life I need to return to the Czech Republic and play in front of my family who sacrificed so much to help me achieve my NHL dreams.”

The Krejci departure left a gigantic hole up the middle as the Boston Bruins now need to fill their 2C slot that Krejci has occupied for so long. Sweeney addressed that committee style in NHL Free Agency on July 28 signing forwards Erik Haula, Nick Foligno, and Tomas Nosek.

“Ultimately you’re going to face it at some point in time when players do age out and move on and in David’s case, he chose to address the family situation,” Sweeney said. “So, yeah there’s always a little level of exposure and fear that you might not be deep enough. Again, we tried to address it in free agency and bringing in players that can play several positions and the guys are excited because ultimately that’s the route we had to take and the results will dictate whether or not we’re going to do it well enough.”

Sweeney addressed the lack of center depth organizationally more than once Friday.

“Well fortunately we still have a No.1 center in Patrice and the level that he upholds,” Sweeney replied. “Then it’s gotta be by committee and growth. Obviously, we got Jack [Studnicka] there and if we can’t do it internally then obviously we’re gonna have to look externally. It’s an important position and we even identified through the draft with [Brett] Harrison and you have to have strength up the middle of the ice. A lot of professional sports teams will identify that and we’re no different in that regard. You’re never comfortable unless you just have a wealth of talent and drafted extremely well.”

On Thursday, Boston Bruins head coach Bruce Cassidy told reporters that for now, center Charlie Coyle is Krejci’s heir apparent.

“The obvious choice is Charlie Coyle. He’s the most familiar with our guys and I’m the most familiar with him, and that would allow the other guys to fall into place. I know [Erik] Haula and [Tomas] Nosek prefer to play in the middle,” Cassidy said. “Nick Foligno is a little more of a guy that will move around, so that’s probably how it will play out for him. So, it’s Charlie and Taylor Hall [on the second line], and [Craig] Smith was on that line last year. So, if Coyle can bring some of what [David Krejci] did then that’s going to be a really good line.

As reported here on Thursday, the NHL trade market has died down over the last week. The Boston Bruins were heavily engaged in trade talks at 1219132 Boston Bruins Is Brandon Carlo, comfortable with the security of a six-year deal, able to incorporate offensive production into his game?

Will Jake DeBrusk shake off a rotten 2020-21 and the waning confidence The door remains open for David Krejci to return to the Bruins, and why of his coach and regress into an offensive threat? that matters Can Ullmark, the 12th-highest-paid goalie in the game, place himself among other $5 million goalies (credit CapFriendly) like Thatcher Demko, By Fluto Shinzawa Robin Lehner and Semyon Varlamov?

Aug 6, 2021 And, can Coyle distinguish himself from Studnicka, Haula, Foligno or Trent Frederic as the definitive No. 2 center?

The Bruins hope the Coyle answer is clear. The 29-year-old is recovering On July 28, Don Sweeney trained his microscope on the 2021-22 roster from knee surgery. With more pop in his legs, Coyle should be a good by adding Linus Ullmark, Nick Foligno, Erik Haula and Tomas Nosek. complement to Hall.

For this past week, the Bruins general manager peered through his “He just didn’t have the same jump and level of acceleration for the entire binoculars at the team’s development camp for a glimpse of what season last year,” Sweeney said. “Went through surgery this year. His tomorrow may hold. Whether head-turners like Riley Duran, Parker Ford, knee’s back healthy and ready to go. Hopefully, we see an energized Trevor Kuntar, Mason Lohrei, Brady Lyle or Ben Meyers turn NHL Charlie Coyle with the excitement level of playing with Taylor and Smitty, dreams into employment is a matter of development, opportunity and a in all likelihood.” whole lot of luck. The rest of the centers, today and tomorrow, do not represent as much Sweeney’s job is to overlap the two views, present and future, to optimize clarity. John Beecher, the 2019 first-rounder, will be a junior at Michigan organizational robustness. The outlook is not as crisp as ones he’s coming off major shoulder surgery. Brett Harrison, the 2021 third- glimpsed before. rounder, is 18 years old and desperate for games with Oshawa after appearing in only eight games in Finland in 2020-21 because of the OHL Center, the franchise’s position of dominance through the Patrice shutdown. Bergeron and David Krejci era, is compromised. It will leave the Bruins monitoring Krejci’s upcoming season. The ace presence of Tuukka Rask, reinforced by the reliability of Jaroslav Halak (1,110 combined games of NHL experience), has given “You’re never comfortable,” Sweeney said of depth at center. “Unless way to Jeremy Swayman and Linus Ullmark (127). you just have a wealth of talent or drafted extremely well. Ultimately, you’re going to face at some point in time when players do age out or Following Swayman’s graduation, Jack Studnicka, 22, is now the closest move on. In David’s case, he chose to address a family situation. There’s thing to a door-knocking prospect who could help in 2021-22. always a little level of exposure and fear that you might not be deep Prospective top-of-the-lineup difference-makers, be they Lohrei (20) or enough. But we tried to address it in free agency and bringing in players Philip Svedeback (19) or Fabian Lysell (18), are years away from that play several positions. The guys are excited. Ultimately, that’s the searching for housing in the Seaport, the current NHL neighborhood of path we had to take. The results will dictate whether or not we’re going to choice in town. do it well enough.”

It’s why Sweeney, on Friday, mentioned the option of Krejci returning The Athletic LOADED: 08.07.2021 Stateside in 2022 once his Czech Republic adventure concludes. Who knows where Krejci’s body and mind will be after a season with HC Olomouc. For now, the Bruins would not have the cap space to accommodate a Krejci reunion.

But the re-entry of the once and possibly future No. 2 center represents the closest resemblance to an NHL sure thing for a GM contemplating a roster in transition.

“We addressed some areas we wanted to, ultimately, with David making a decision,” Sweeney said of free agency. “We’re wondering whether or not he may return at some point in time. That’s open-ended. We’re constantly exploring options and conversations. You know the trade situations sort of die down a little bit after free agency. Everybody sort of reevaluates where they’re at. There has been some ongoing prior to that we’ll continue to explore. If we can improve our roster, we’re going to. We certainly addressed some of the needs, and we have some younger players that want to continue to vie for spots and opportunity.”

This is somewhat familiar territory for Sweeney. He was in charge of an on-the-fly rebuild after the 2014-15 and 2015-16 postseason no-shows. The GM made his shrewdest moves by trading Dougie Hamilton and Milan Lucic, drafting Charlie McAvoy and Swayman, acquiring Charlie Coyle and Taylor Hall, signing Halak and Craig Smith and promoting Bruce Cassidy.

All of these transactions, however, came with the luxury of ring-winners like Bergeron, Krejci, Rask, Zdeno Chara and Brad Marchand playing chain-pulling roles. This time around, that degree of comfort is diminished following the exits of Chara, Rask and Krejci and the pending goodbye of Bergeron, although the latter’s commitment to excellence may defer that farewell.

McAvoy and David Pastrnak are foundational pieces. Swayman projects to join that company. They will complement Marchand, who is a fine candidate to assume the captaincy from Bergeron. But the next Stanley Cup Swayman, McAvoy and Pastrnak hoist will be their first. Their support system, meanwhile, features just as many questions as answers.

Can Studnicka, muted in 20 games last year, break through as a second- or third-line NHL center? 1219133 Buffalo Sabres Lukas Rousek

While Brett Murray has a chance to make the team with a good training camp, the real competition will be for line placement. Jeff Skinner, Sabres offseason depth chart: Where will Buffalo’s veteran free-agent Anders Bjork and Rasmus Asplund will seek chemistry with Mittelstadt additions slot in? and Cozens. The players who have it will get top-six minutes.

Zemgus Girgensons, who missed last season with a hamstring tear, will By John Vogl return to his checking line role.

Aug 6, 2021 RIGHT WINGERS

Victor Olofsson

Craig Anderson was sitting with his wife, discussing the next steps in Tage Thompson their lives. He’d spent 18 years living his dream as an NHL goalie, so Arttu Ruotsalainen maybe it was time for the family to move on. Kyle Okposo Nicholle Anderson had a stronger message. Vinnie Hinostroza “Keep chasing it,” she said. Drake Caggiula Once that call was made, Anderson accepted another from Buffalo. Jack Quinn “There’s a good opportunity there to kind of share some wisdom with the group,” the 40-year-old said. “I feel like I can still give back to the game John Hayden and give back to an organization.” J-J Peterka Anderson and fellow free-agent signees Mark Pysyk and Vinnie Hinostroza know they’re joining a young team in need of guidance. Brandon Biro They’re ready to lend it. Arttu Ruotsalainen showed he can score during his 17-game audition. He But they’re going to play, too. Based on the Sabres’ depth chart, they may have to show he can play center. The 23-year-old was an elite might play a lot. middle man in Finland, and the Sabres’ lack of depth could lead to a return to center. Ruotsalainen skated on the wing as a rookie, a move “This is a good chance to sort of re-establish myself as a full-time that helped him acclimate to the North American game. defenseman,” said Pysyk, who’s bounced from the blue line to the press box to forward during the past few seasons with Florida and Dallas. Much like the left side, the right wingers will jockey for line placement. Victor Olofsson has the inside track for the top job, but Tage Thompson While there’s still one big move coming for the Sabres — captain Jack and Hinostroza will make their cases for a scoring line. Hinostroza hopes Eichel, of course — the lineup looks different following the arrival of to carry momentum from his season-ending 17-game run in Chicago, Anderson, Pysyk and others. Here’s a breakdown of every position. The which featured four goals and 12 points. players are shaded in their likelihood of skating in Buffalo on opening night, with the lighter tint penciled in for Rochester. “I’m a hardworking forward that likes to play on the second, third line,” said Hinostroza, who also skated for the Blackhawks in 2017-18 while CENTERS Sabres coach Don Granato was a Chicago assistant. “We talked for about 40 minutes about the way the team’s going and the way they want to play. I think I fit perfectly there: hard work and relentless with some Dylan Cozens speed.”

Cody Eakin Drake Caggiula finished the season on the fourth line after Kyle Okposo suffered a broken cheekbone. They’ll compete for the role in camp, Andrew Oglevie though Okposo is favored based on his $6 million cap hit.

Ryan MacInnis Jack Quinn, the first-round pick in 2020, would develop better on the top line in Rochester. Though John Hayden is lower on the depth chart, the Sean Malone 6-foot-3, 223-pounder has a better shot at playing in Buffalo because the This group looks immeasurably different without Eichel and Reinhart. Sabres lack size and toughness. (Yes, Eichel is still on the team, but he will not skate in a Sabres uniform LEFT DEFENSE again.) There have been few signs Casey Mittelstadt and Dylan Cozens are ready to carry Buffalo down the middle, but that’s not stopping the Rasmus Dahlin organization from trying it. Will Butcher Cody Eakin ended last season as a healthy scratch, but a lack of bodies and his $2.5 million salary makes his return to the lineup a lock. Jacob Bryson

Free-agent additions Ryan MacInnis and Sean Malone will compete with Robert Hagg Andrew Oglevie for top-line minutes in Rochester and a shot at being an Mattias Samuelsson NHL recall. The fourth center spot on opening night is more likely to be a winger moving to the middle. Brandon Davidson

LEFT WINGERS

Jeff Skinner The additions of Will Butcher and Robert Hagg via trade have made this position more intriguing. Rasmus Dahlin is the unquestioned top-pair Anders Bjork blueliner. The Nos. 2 and 3 jobs will likely feature Butcher and Jacob Rasmus Asplund Bryson. Butcher averaged 19 minutes, 2 seconds per night for the Devils, recording 10 assists and 11 points in 23 games. Bryson skated 19:03 for Zemgus Girgensons the Sabres, putting up eight assists and nine points in 38 games.

Brett Murray Hagg has one edge on Butcher and Bryson: size. The 6-foot-2, 204- pounder can handle net-front battles better than the 5-foot-9, 175-pound Matej Pekar Bryson and 5-foot-10, 190-pound Butcher. Linus Weissbach Mattias Samuelsson got a 12-game run with the Sabres as a first-year pro, so he can’t be ruled out. But the 21-year-old is more likely to anchor the Amerks’ defense and get plenty of minutes as a go-to guy.

RIGHT DEFENSE

Henri Jokiharju

Colin Miller

Mark Pysyk

Oskari Laaksonen

Casey Fitzgerald

Ethan Prow

While Pysyk, Henri Jokiharju and Colin Miller will all make the roster, they’ll determine who gets the minutes. Jokiharju helped Dahlin enjoy a second-half resurgence. Miller finished the year as a scratch, but the Sabres may want to boost the trade stock of the pending unrestricted free agent with prime roles and minutes.

The 29-year-old Pysyk is back with the organization that drafted him in the first round in 2010. He aims to pass on what he learned from former Sabres teammates Tyler Myers and Tyler Ennis.

“We’ve got a lot of great young talent that took some steps last year at the end of the year,” Pysyk said. “Some of the younger guys were stepping up into bigger roles, and that’ll be fun to be a part of and see their growth.”

GOALTENDERS

Craig Anderson

Dustin Tokarski

Ukko-Pekka Luukkonen

Aaron Dell

Anderson didn’t skip retirement and easy living to play in the AHL. He’ll be either the Sabres’ starter or backup. Anderson was the Capitals’ No. 3 goalie last season, but he was No. 1 in Ottawa just two seasons ago.

“My job now is to prove to Buffalo and everyone else the reason why they offered the contract,” Anderson said. “The goal is to go in, earn your ice time.”

That’s the goal for Dustin Tokarski, Ukko-Pekka Luukkonen and Aaron Dell, too. Any one of them could make a home in Buffalo’s crease. Any two could report to Rochester.

Anderson plans to help them compete by passing along his wisdom. During his first five seasons, he bounced between the NHL and AHL, got claimed on waivers three times and was traded once.

“I don’t want to see these other guys make the same mistake,” Anderson said. “The reason why those things happened, it was practice habits, it was mindset, it was just being satisfied.”

He said once a player is satisfied to simply be in the NHL, he’ll quickly be out of the league. The Sabres have a legion of young players who need to learn that lesson.

“My main lesson in my career was never be satisfied, and it took me a while to figure that out,” Anderson said. “There’s a great opportunity for a lot of young guys to come in and grab hold of a job here. If I can instill that mentality of never, never be satisfied, hopefully they’ll have long careers.”

While Anderson, Pysyk and Hinostroza may not have been the NHL’s marquee names on free agent day, they’ll have important roles in Buffalo — on and off the ice.

“You can play hockey for the rest of your life making money or you can play in the minors and then have to go get a job when you’re done,” Anderson said. “I love the game enough to say I’m willing to put myself through the off-ice work to be able to play the game at the highest level.”

The Athletic LOADED: 08.07.2021 1219134 Calgary Flames

Flames re-up pair of forwards in Philp, Phillips

POSTMEDIA NETWORK

Publishing date: Aug 06, 2021 • 6 hours ago

Forwards Matthew Phillips and Luke Philp are back with the Calgary Flames.

Both signed one year, two-way contracts at $750,000.

Phillips tied the team lead in scoring during his third season with the AHL’s . The Calgary native recorded eight goals and 13 assists for 21 points in 30 games. The diminutive talent, standing 5-foot-7 and weighing in at just 155 lb., also made his NHL debut with the Flames on May 19 versus the Vancouver Canucks.

Before that, the 23-year-old centre played three seasons with the Victoria Royals of the WHL, leading the team in scoring his final two campaigns. His star power in junior hockey helped make him a Flames’ pick — 166th overall in the sixth round — of the 2016 NHL Draft.

“I think a big thing is being confident in yourself and believing in yourself because it can be pretty intimidating,” said Phillips ahead of Flames’ training camp in September 2019. “So it’s definitely important to just focus on yourself and, as cliche as it is, day-by-day is a big thing. If you keep trying to get better, then you’re going to see those improvements and you’re going to gain your confidence.”

Philp, a native of Canmore, Alta., just finished his second season with the Stockton Heat and recorded eight goals and nine assists for 17 points in 30 games for third on the team in scoring. The 25-year-old is the former winner of the 2019 Senator Joseph A. Sullivan Trophy as the U SPORTS men’s hockey player of the year with the University of Alberta Golden Bears. Philp also played five seasons in the WHL with the Kootenay Ice and the .

Philp stands 5-foot-10 and weighs 185 lb. and originally signed with the Flames as a free agent on March 19, 2019.

“I want to make a lasting impression, and I want to eventually make the team,” Philp said during the 2019-20 pre-season. “It’s something that you can’t think about just one thing at a time. You have to think about how you approach every day and be a professional about it.

“I’m excited about the transition to pro and I’m excited about the opportunity ahead.”

Calgary Sun: LOADED: 08.07.2021 1219135 Calgary Flames LEFT WING

Johnny Gaudreau

Flames offseason depth chart 2.0: Where the lineup stands after Matthew Tkachuk expansion, free agency moves Andrew Mangiapane

Milan Lucic By Hailey Salvian Vying for spots: n/a Aug 6, 2021 In the system: Emilio Pettersen, Justin Kirkland, Martin Pospisil

The breakdown After a hectic stretch of the offseason that included the expansion draft, the entry draft and the start of free agency packed into eight days, it’s As was the case two months ago when we last did this exercise, left wing been a quiet week for the Calgary Flames. is arguably the strongest position for the Flames in terms of the depth and quality of players at their natural position. Technically, Dillon Dube (a The team made some moves during that stretch, including signing Blake left-shot winger) also could be here, but he has spent a lot of time in the Coleman and trading for Tyler Pitlick among other acquisitions (and NHL on the right wing, and will be placed there for now. losses). But there is reason to believe the Flames may not be done. And frankly, they shouldn’t be. We still haven’t seen the oft-discussed, and Likely knowing that this is a position of strength, the Flames didn’t make likely needed, shakeup to the core, and the No. 1 name on most fans’ any major additions or subtractions here. In fact, the losses are quite wish lists — ahem, Jack Eichel — has yet to be traded. minimal. Dominik Simon is gone, signing back in Pittsburgh, and Zac Rinaldo remains a UFA who could still return on another two-way While there may still be more player movement, now feels like a good contract. time to analyze where the Flames’ roster currently stands, now that the initial dust has settled on free agency. To start, here are all the Flames’ At this position, the Flames have three players who have shown they can offseason moves as of Friday morning. be top-six, even top-line, players in the NHL: Johnny Gaudreau, Matthew Tkachuk and Andrew Mangiapane. Last season, the trio scored 53 goals Who's in and who's out? and 124 points and all ranked within the top four on the team in goals and points. As a result of that depth, we’ve typically seen Tkachuk move IN OUT to the right wing, either with Gaudreau or Mangiapane (the 3M line) on Blake Coleman (UFA) the left side.

Mark Giordano (SEA) That said, moving on from someone like Gaudreau or Tkachuk this offseason or next would create a hole on the Flames’ depth chart — Tyler Pitlick (Trade) depending on who the Flames got in return — in terms of top-end talent. Because even though this position is particularly strong at the NHL level, Josh Leivo (CAR) it’s not the strongest in terms of organizational depth. Nikita Zadorov (Trade) Milan Lucic sits as the No. 4, and there are some prospects in the Derek Ryan (EDM) pipeline who could eventually push for NHL spots, headlined by Pettersen. Trevor Lewis (UFA) CENTRE Dominik Simon (PIT) Elias Lindholm Daniel Vladar (Trade) Sean Monahan Buddy Robinson (ANA) Mikael Backlund Andy Welinski (UFA) Glenn Gawdin Nikita Nesterov (KHL) Adam Ruzicka Nick DeSimone (UFA) Byron Froese Joakim Nordstrom (KHL) Vying for spots: Glenn Gawdin, Adam Ruzicka Kevin Gravel (UFA) In the system: Connor Zary, Jakob Pelletier, Luke Philp Alexander Petrovic (DAL) The breakdown Adam Werner (UFA) The Flames have a solid number of centre options here for 2021-22. Alexander Yelesin (KHL)* Elias Lindholm, Sean Monahan and Mikael Backlund are the obvious Carl-Johan Lerby (SHL)* locks for the NHL roster, while Glenn Gawdin and Adam Ruzicka are prospects who could be vying for the 4C spot. Pelletier could be a wild Artyom Zagidulin (Not qualified) card out of training camp, but I’m always tentative to project a 20-year- *Lerby and Yelesin have reportedly signed in the SHL and KHL, old to play centre in the NHL as a rookie, especially the 4C role for a respectively, but were extended qualifying offers last week. coach like Darryl Sutter.

It’s not the massive overhaul, and maybe not even the retool, some fans Calgary’s weakness at centre is the lack of a clear-cut, superstar 1C. And were clamouring for. But it’s a start. And as the calendar turns to August, to be fair, it’s not an easy box to check. You either draft and develop one our attention starts to shift to questions about where everyone fits. What or acquire one via trade, which is easier said than done. If the Flames will the 2021-22 Flames look like? make no further moves, we can assume that Lindholm will once again be the Flames’ No. 1 centre. And to his credit, last season Lindholm proved To kick it all off, it’s time for an updated version of Calgary’s he could centre a top line. He’s an all-situations player who has either organizational depth chart, evaluating where the Flames stand at each scored or been on pace for at least 25 goals and 60 points during his position — knowing things could still change. three years in Calgary.

(Note: Restricted free agents are shaded blue in the tables below. Many Monahan and Backlund could be interchangeable in the middle six, players can fill multiple positions. But, for the purpose of this exercise, depending on the line combinations Sutter is looking for. And the big wild each player is listed only once, at his most natural or most frequent card is Monahan’s health and potential return to form. Monahan was position.) once the Flames’ 20-to-30-goal guarantee and top-line centre, always playing with Gaudreau. But after multiple surgeries over the last few Oliver Kylington years, including hip surgery that shut him down with four games remaining, we are starting to see some regression in his game. Will he Vying for spots: Connor Mackey, Oliver Kylington come back healthy and bounce back? Or will he be traded in the weeks In the system: Kevin Gravel, Colton Poolman, Yan Kuznetsov before puck drop? That remains to be seen. But if Monahan has a decent comeback, the Flames should look OK up the middle, despite the lack of The breakdown a without-a-doubt star at the position. This is a tough position for the Flames heading into next season, with Losing Derek Ryan is a bit of a hit to the Flames’centre depth for next several questions, and one massive hole left by Mark Giordano’s season, as he was a consistently reliable and player in all three zones for selection by the Seattle Kraken. three years in Calgary, with a high-level defensive impact on the game. Noah Hanifin had a great 2020-21 campaign, forming one of the best The question now is, will it be one of the above young players who defence pairs in the league with Chris Tanev before his season ended replace him? Or perhaps it’s Trevor Lewis, who has played right wing the early because of shoulder surgery. But even Hanifin comes with his own last few seasons but previously spent time as the 4C with the Kings unknown: Can he recreate last year’s performance? under Sutter. I could see this happening if Gawdin or Ruzicka don’t win a spot out of camp. Let’s keep moving down the list…

RIGHT WING Who will take on Giordano’s minutes and matchups? Can Nikita Zadorov have a better year in Calgary after some tough stretches in Chicago, Blake Coleman without breaking the bank? (He is an RFA, with an arbitration hearing on Dillon Dube Aug. 26.) Can Juuso Valimaki take the proper steps forward after a less than stellar 2020-21? And what exactly do the Flames have in Connor Tyler Pitlick Mackey and Oliver Kylington?

Trevor Lewis It’s not a great spot for a blue line that had some success last season, at Brett Ritchie least in terms of Tanev’s partners. And it could be a pivotal, for better or worse, position for this team next year. In his analysis on which teams Matthew Phillips have improved the most (and least) this offseason, The Athletic’s Dom Luszczyszyn estimated the Flames lost 1.3 wins in value, despite some Vying for spots: Brett Ritchie, Matthew Phillips additions that should make their forward group better, such as Coleman.

In the system: Matthew Coronato, Dmitri Zavgorodny, Walker Duehr, As he wrote: “The Flames are not a better team this offseason because Eetu Tuulola they haven’t been able to replace what they lost in expansion: captain The breakdown Mark Giordano. That’s a huge hole to fill on the blue line and Nikita Zadorov isn’t the guy to fill it. Giordano was still a No. 1 calibre Heading into the offseason, this was without a doubt the weakest spot on last year, creating a void on the team’s blue line.” the Flames’ roster. It was always going to be difficult to replace someone like Giordano, but With the exception of Dube, last year’s group of right wingers was without him here, this depth chart has way more questions than answers. extremely light on skill and goal-scoring. Only Dube recorded double-digit And unfortunately, all we can do now is wait and see how guys show up goal and point totals, and his 11 goals were more than Josh Leivo (6), to camp and look once Sutter starts working with his pairs. Brett Ritchie (4), and Buddy Robinson (0) combined. RIGHT DEFENCE General manager Brad Treliving and the front office did well to improve this deficiency, as most of the offseason additions are likely to slot in on Chris Tanev the right wing. Rasmus Andersson

New faces Coleman (14), Pitlick (6) and Lewis (5), more than doubled Andy Welinski the amount of goals Leivo, Ritchie and Robinson scored last season. So while it’s not a star-studded group, it’s certainly a step up. And now, the Vying for spots: Everyone in the system… Flames should have four NHL-calibre players on the right side in Dube, Coleman, Lewis, and Pitlick. In the system: Johannes Kinnvall, Andy Welinksi, Nick DeSimone

Coleman, who signed a six-year, $29.4 million deal on Day 1 of free The breakdown agency, is a left-shot winger, but mostly played RW in Tampa Bay, where Most NHL teams are relatively thin on right defence, but the Flames’ he won the Stanley Cup in back-to-back seasons. It’s a safe bet he will depth chart is pretty bleak. On a positive note, the top two spots at the play that position in Calgary, too, and likely in the middle six. Pitlick, NHL level are locked in with Tanev and Rasmus Andersson. acquired from Seattle, had been on the Flames’ radar for some time, according to Treliving, as the organization looked to “strengthen and It’s been well-documented how great Tanev looked last season and how deepen the right wing position.” Andersson left something to be desired, though the latter is still young and it’s probably too soon to hit the panic button. Beyond those two, Pitlick can play up and down the lineup and will bring a hard, straight-line however, there isn’t much. brand of hockey —he can forecheck, kill penalties, and is reliable in his own zone — to the bottom six. Welinksi was signed to a one-year, two-way contract last week. Welinksi, 28, has spent most of his professional career in the AHL (191 games) As mentioned, Lewis has played on the wing the last few seasons in with 46 career NHL games played over four seasons. DeSimone is Winnipeg and Los Angeles, although he could realistically be the Flames’ another depth signing who has yet to play an NHL game. One interesting 4C next year. On the wing, he’d likely be on the fourth line, too. Finally, name is Kinnvall, who signed a two-year entry-level deal last spring and Dube is versatile and, depending on combinations, could end up on his spent last season on loan in the SHL with HV71. He is expected to come natural left side, especially if the team opts to keep Tkachuk on the right to this season. He could be a dark-horse candidate to side and Lewis on the wing. If that’s the case, Dube could slide to the left, fight for a spot on this thin right side. and someone like Ritchie could slot in as a bottom-six winger. One of the Flames’ forward prospects, like Matthew Phillips, could also push for a Presumably, given the quantity of LHD, one player could slide over to spot here. play their off side. Zadorov, for example, can play both left and right defence. Perhaps Kylington will get a shot on his off side if he can’t steal LEFT DEFENCE a spot from Valimaki.

Noah Hanifin Another course of action would be to try to sign another RHD. And that Nikita Zadorov could prove difficult given the shrinking pool of UFA defenceman. Currently, Jason Demers, Erik Gudbranson and Michael Stone are Juuso Valimaki among those available on the open market.

Connor Mackey GOALTENDERS Jacob Markstrom I’ve kept the top line from down the stretch last year intact, due to their production. The second and third lines are interchangeable, in my Daniel Vladar opinion, and what I’ve really tried to strike is recreating the kind of line Adam Werner that Coleman played on in Tampa Bay.

Tyler Parsons The third line of Coleman, Yanni Gourde and Barclay Goodrow was, in many ways, the guts of the Lightning, a critical trio that complemented Dustin Wolf the top-end talent. A line with Coleman, Backlund and Mangiapane could potentially play a similar style and be just as important in Calgary. It Vying for spots: n/a would be a solid two-way line that could forecheck and still contribute on In the system: Adam Werner, Tyler Parsons, Dustin Wolf offence. That line would likely take on the bigger defensive matchups, which would leave Monahan sheltered and let him be deployed in a more The breakdown offence-first role.

Spoiler alert: Jacob Markstrom was always going to be the starter this The exact line combinations in the middle six could certainly be shuffled season, regardless of whatever dips in performance we saw last season. around. Putting Mangiapane with Monahan and Dube could work, as it He’s the guy in the Calgary crease, and will surely be motivated to come did occasionally last year. That would mean Pitlick could play on a line back better in 2021-22. The question was always going to be who backs with Coleman and Backlund, though Coleman would likely need to move up Markstrom. to left wing. On the fourth line, we have Gawdin or Ruzicka grabbing a roster spot and Lewis playing on the wing. That could change with Lewis For now, the Flames have landed on Daniel Vladar, acquired via trade as the 4C and Ritchie on the right wing. with the Boston Bruins for a 2022 third-round pick. It’s a risk, going with a 23-year-old with only five NHL games under his belt, especially when so On the blue line, I’ve reunited the Hanifin-Tanev pairing, and put Zadorov many experienced backups were on the market (and ultimately got and Andersson together to strike a balance with a defensive defender snatched by other teams). But the Flames’ goalie crew has seen (Zadorov) paired with a more offensive-minded puck-moving guy something in Vladar, and according to Treliving, believes he’s ready to (Andersson). The spot next to Valimaki remains open. take the next step. This is just a starting point, and we will be able to get into more exact line And to be fair, Vladar was among the top goalies in the American Hockey projections and more options in the coming weeks. league the last two seasons, posting .936 and .923 save percentages, which ranked No. 1 and No. 3 in the league, respectively. So, he comes The Athletic LOADED: 08.07.2021 with some pedigree, even if it is in the minors.

Then there’s the fact that the Flames don’t really have anyone else to fall back on. Werner was signed as depth. Parsons played one AHL game last season after a 13-month layoff due to injury and the COVID-19 pandemic. Wolf is only 20, and expecting him to be an NHL backup is a lot to ask, regardless of his CHL goalie of the year hardware and WHL records.

Opting for a young, cheap backup isn’t the worst thing for the Flames, given how many games Markstrom is likely to start next season. But with Vladar, only time will tell if he can get the job done as the Flames’ No. 2.

Projecting the lineup

2021-22 Flames

Johnny Gaudreau

Elias Lindholm

Matthew Tkachuk

Andrew Mangiapane

Mikael Backlund

Blake Coleman

Dillon Dube

Sean Monahan

Tyler Pitlick

Milan Lucic

Glenn Gawdin/Adam Ruzicka

Trevor Lewis

Noah Hanifin

Chris Tanev

Nikita Zadorov

Rasmus Andersson

Juuso Valimaki

(open spot)

Jacob Markstrom

Daniel Vladar

There’s potential for a lot of flexibility in this lineup. 1219136 Carolina Hurricanes Minus: At 32, the NHL miles are starting to add up for Cole. Being a shutdown defenseman involves a lot of heavy-lifting, and he’s headed back into an 82-game season,

Who are the Carolina Hurricanes’ new players? Here’s a look at the Fun fact: Cole got in a flight with the US Navy’s famed Blue Angels in incoming group Minnesota in June, going up in an F-18 fighter jet. “It was so cool,” he told NHL.com.

BY CHIP ALEXANDER Quotable: “Playing against the Canes, especially in Raleigh, the first 10 minutes of the first period were an absolute fire drill trying to keep up with AUGUST 06, 2021 02:40 PM them. I always thought they were one of the best teams we played every year.”

Ethan Bear The Carolina Hurricanes have often put up a “New Guy” nameplate in the locker room when someone joins the team. Cap hit: $2 million

Do that this season and they might need a seating chart with so many PLUS: He’s young (24), he’s strong and calls himself a “pretty well new names and faces. rounded two-way defenseman.” His right shot adds value.

Gone are Dougie Hamilton, Brock McGinn, Warren Foegele, Morgan Minus: Traded from Edmonton, he’s leaving Western Canada to move to Geekie, Jake Bean, Petr Mrazek, Alex Nedeljkovic and James Reimer. the Southeast in the U.S. and to a new team and teammates. The transition will take time. Incoming are Ian Cole, Tony DeAngelo, Ethan Bear, Derek Stepan, , Antti Raanta, Brendan Smith and Josh Leivo. All but Fun fact: Bear says he has two dogs, a Yorkie and a miniature Bear, who was traded to Carolina from Edmonton, signed as free agents. Dachshund. “Easy to travel with,” he said.

That’s a lot of turnover. Are the Canes, the Central Division champions Quotable: “I wanted to come to a winning organization with a young core. last season, improved? That remains to be seen as the NHL reverts to It kind of gives me butterflies. It’s something I’ve always wanted and it’s the old divisions and an 82-game regular season, which starts for the something that I needed right now.” Canes on Oct. 14 against the New York Islanders at PNC Arena. Tony DeAngelo Here’s a look at the Canes’ new crew, with comments made during their respective Zoom interviews. Cap hit: $1 million

FORWARDS PLUS: DeAngelo, if focused and on his game, can give the Canes the kind of offense from the blue line that Dougie Hamilton supplied and Derek Stepan could replace Hamilton as the quarterback the first power-play unit.

Cap hit: $1.35 million Minus: DeAngelo’s work in the defensive zone can be spotty. There’s also his spotty past. He says he’s a changed man. As Canes GM Don PLUS: The veteran, 31, has served as an alternate captain on two Waddell said after signing DeAngelo, “The proof’s in the pudding.” teams, gives the Canes added strength up the middle and is a right-shot center. Fun fact: DeAngelo had 25 goals and 89 points in 55 games in junior in the in 2014-15, when he was named D-man of Minus: A torn left labrum limited him to 20 games with Ottawa last the year. He also had 115 penalty minutes. season. He had shoulder surgery and says he has rehabbed and recovered. “I was 100 percent a month ago,” he said. Quotable: “I’ve made some mistakes along the way, obviously stuff I regretted. I tried to improve on it. Now I just have to prove it to the Fun fact: The family dog, Sochi Jake, was brought back from the Sochi Hurricanes.” Olympics in 2014. The breed? “Souchi street dog,” he said. Officially, a Lab/Shepherd mix. Brendan Smith

Quotable: “I wanted to be part of a team that is already well-oiled, ready Cap hit: $800,00 to go, has been in the playoffs, knows what they’re doing and how to compete each night.” PLUS: Smith, 32, believes toughness is a big part of his game and is willing to provide it. His aggressive style forces opponents into penalties Josh Leivo — he drew 25 last season, fifth in the NHL and the most among defensemen. Cap hit: $750,000 Minus: Smith took 25 penalties of his own, including five majors, to finish PLUS: The right-shot winger, 28, brings energy to his play and can be second in the league to Washington’s Tom WIlson, who had 26 used on the power play if needed. Had 33 hits in 38 games last season. penalties. Minus: Leivo will be playing for his fourth team in four years and has Fun fact: Smith was able to make his NHL debut for the Detroit Red another new system to learn. Wings in November 2011 after the Wings traded former Canes D-man Fun fact: No. 17 has been Leivo’s favorite number, but Rod Brind’Amour Mike Commodore. retired that one with the Canes. Leivo will wear No. 41, saying he used Quotable: “I think I play a tough-nosed game, being physical and hard. I the ages of his two sons, who are 4 and 1. think when you watch the playoffs, those are the kind of teams that go Quotable: “I’ve had some up and down years but I’m looking to getting on deep.” a team where I’m appreciated fully and can show what I’ve got. I think GOALTENDERS this is a good group for that.” Frederik Andersen DEFENSEMEN Cap hit: $4.5 million Ian Cole PLUS: Andersen, 31, has won 226 games in his career with Anaheim Cap hit: $2.9 million and and averaged 61 starts and 34 wins in the four seasons for PLUS: Start with his two Stanley Cup rings. Add in almost 700 games of the Maple Leafs before last season. regular-season and playoff experience. Cole blocked 92 shots in 52 Minus: A knee injury limited Andersen to 23 starts in the 2020-21 season, games last season and had a plus-21 plus/minus rating with Colorado leading to the worst goals-against average (2.96) and save percentage and Minnesota. (.895) of his career.

Fun fact: Andersen was born in Herning, Denmark, which also produced NHL forward Frans Nielsen. Quotable: “The culture from the coaching staff on down I think is really good and they’ve had good years previously and are building to keep reaching toward something that can compete for a Cup. I think that’s really important.”

Antti Raanta

Cap hit: $2 million

PLUS: Derek Stepan, a former Raanta teammate, said the goalie is very competitive, noting, “When he’s going it’s like there’s a calming presence behind you.”

Minus: Because of injuries Raanta, 32, has played more than 40 games in a season just once in his career — 47 with Arizona in 2017-18.

Fun fact: Raanta was traded by the New York Rangers, along with Stepan, to the Arizona Coyotes for defenseman Tony DeAngelo in June 2017.

Quotable: “If you think about injuries all the time you’ll get hurt for sure, because that’s in your mind. I’ll just try to block those memories and get a fresh new start now.”

News Observer LOADED: 08.07.2021 1219137

Brandon Hagel signs a 3-year deal with the Chicago Blackhawks following a strong rookie season

By PHIL THOMPSON

CHICAGO TRIBUNE |

AUG 06, 2021 AT 10:28 AM

Brandon Hagel will get an opportunity to build on his splash rookie season with the Chicago Blackhawks.

The 22-year-old winger agreed to teams on a three-year contract, the team announced Friday. He’ll have a $1.5 million annual cap hit in the deal that runs through 2023-24, a boost from $880,833.

“Brandon’s ascension to a regular role last season provided a huge boost to our team,” Stan Bowman, president of hockey operations and general manager said in a statement. “We were quite pleased with the growth he showed in his game and ability to handle tougher assignments.

“His continued development at this level will allow him to be a valuable contributor to our offense moving forward.”

Hagel had nine goals and 15 assists and averaged about 14 minutes ice time in 52 games last season. His 24 points ranked ninth among rookies.

He had a strong April in which he notched four goals and four assists with a 19% shooting percentage in 12 games.

Hagel saw early success working with Dominik Kubalik. When Kirby Dach returned from wrist surgery, he and Hagel combined on six goals in April and May.

Hagel will have to find his place among a markedly different forwards group next season.

If all goes well and Jonathan Toews returns from the immune system condition that cost him last season, he and Alex Nylander will rejoin the lineup that also likely will include Jujhar Khaira, Henrik Borgström and Adam Gaudette.

Dylan Strome also played some wing last season, potentially adding to the competition at the position next season, though several of their skaters can play center or wing.

Chicago Tribune LOADED: 08.07.2021 1219138 Chicago Blackhawks

Blackhawks re-sign Brandon Hagel to 3-year contract

Even after a breakout rookie season, the Hawks winger will carry an affordable $1.5 million cap hit.

By Ben Pope@BenPopeCST

Aug 6, 2021, 9:12am CDT

One of the Blackhawks’ biggest 2020 pleasant surprises has received a new contract.

The Hawks re-signed forward Brandon Hagel to a three-year extension with a $1.5 million cap hit Friday.

Hagel received a qualifying offer July 26 that kept him a restricted free agent without arbitration rights, making it essentially guaranteed the Hawks would eventually re-sign him this summer but removing any urgency in doing so.

Hagel’s $1.5 million price point is extremely affordable for the Hawks, making it more plausible — as general manager Stan Bowman insisted last week — they can land below the $81.5 million salary cap without moving out any salary. They currently sit about $2.2 million over the cap with RFA forward Alex Nylander still to re-sign, but moving Andrew Shaw’s $3.9 million contract onto long-term injured reserve should make it work.

Hagel, who turns 23 on August 27, used his speed, forechecking and work ethic to break out as an NHL rookie last season and prove his value to the team.

He finished fifth on the team with 24 points (including nine goals and 15 assists) in 52 games. He improved as the season progressed, too: after tallying seven points and averaging 13:11 ice time over his first 24 games, he accumulated 17 points and averaged 14:41 ice time over his final 28 games.

“Brandon’s ascension to a regular role last season provided a huge boost to our team,” Bowman said in a statement. “We were quite pleased with the growth he showed in his game and ability to handle tougher assignments. His continued development at this level will allow him to be a valuable contributor to our offense moving forward.”

Hagel will compete in a crowded forward group to keep his top-nine wing role next season.

Chicago Sun Times LOADED: 08.07.2021 1219139 Chicago Blackhawks

Blackhawks reward hard-working Hagel with three-year deal

John Dietz

Updated

8/6/2021 5:59 PM

Brandon Hagel sat out the first three Blackhawks game last season, passed over for veterans like Matthew Highmore, Lucas Wallmark and Brandon Pirri.

But when Hagel made his season debut in Game 4, he seized the opportunity and never let it go.

The energy, grit, determination and fiery attitude that the undersized native brought to the lineup made it impossible for coach Jeremy Colliton to take him out the rest of the way.

And on Friday, the former sixth-round pick was rewarded with a three- year, $4.5 million contract that runs through the 2023-24 season.

"Brandon's ascension to a regular role last season provided a huge boost to our team," said president of hockey operations and general manager Stan Bowman in a statement. "We were quite pleased with the growth he showed in his game and ability to handle tougher assignments."

Hagel, who missed just one other game after that opening stretch due to a positive COVID test, finished with 9 goals and 15 assists in 52 games. He was particularly impressive over a 31-game run that began in late February, racking up 8 goals and 11 assists.

During an interview last season, Hagel credited his hardworking parents for his tenacious attitude.

"My No. 1 goal is to give everything I got for them and bring it every night for them," Hagel said. "They helped me so much to get to this point. They sacrificed tons of things.

"If they're gonna do that, I need to pay it right back to them, just by giving them everything I've got every single night because I know they still do that. ... It's just something that comes close to home for me."

Hagel's relentlessness proved particularly useful in 3-on-3 overtimes. He notched a gorgeous assist on Pius Suter's game-winning goal in Dallas on February 9, then won games with OT goals at Columbus on April 10 and against Nashville two weeks later.

All season, Colliton loved how Hagel's effort was so contagious.

"That's what we're trying to build here," Colliton said. "Because that's the standard for how you're going to carry yourself.

"When you're on the ice, you have the responsibility for the team in your hands, and I just love how committed he is to doing the hard stuff every shift. The more of our guys we have doing that, the more success we're going to have."

Daily Herald Times LOADED: 08.07.2021 1219140 Chicago Blackhawks me all the time, right? Everybody was good with me playing again, and the kids are excited to go, wife’s excited to go."

Comcast SportsNet.com LOADED: 08.07.2021 Marc-Andre Fleury opens up about trade to Blackhawks

BY CHARLIE ROUMELIOTIS

PRESENTED BY NATIONWIDE INSURANCE AGENT JEFF VUKOVICH

Marc-Andre Fleury is a three-time Stanley Cup champion, the third- winningest goaltender of all time and a future first-ballot Hall of Famer. He's coming off a season in which he won the Vezina Trophy as the league's top netminder, at age 36.

So when word leaked on social media that he was traded from the Vegas Golden Knights to the Chicago Blackhawks for practically nothing, you can imagine the reaction.

"A little bit," Fleury said when asked if he was surprised. "It’s summer, it was that time. That’s scary, you don’t what’s going to happen. Been traded before, right? I guess so, right? It is, yeah, it is a little surprising."

Fleury technically wasn't traded to the Vegas Golden Knights in 2017, but the Pittsburgh Penguins did, however, trade a second-round pick in 2020 to ensure Vegas would select him in the expansion draft. So he knows what it feels like to be moved from one team to another.

While his heart may have still been in Pittsburgh, Fleury became the face of the NHL's 31st franchise and Vegas quickly became home for him and his family. He had spent the last four years there and wanted to finish his NHL career as a Golden Knight.

When he was traded to the Blackhawks, Fleury was caught off guard and needed some time to reassess things. He had a wife and three kids to think about, and uprooting his family isn't something he was expecting to do at this stage of his career.

"I never had anything against Chicago, the organization," Fleury said. "I think it was just me personally what I wanted to do. ... Obviously, there’s a lot that goes into it. I’m very fortunate, Stan [Bowman] gave me some time to reflect on what I wanted to do, what was best for me and my family."

Once he came around and made the decision that he was, indeed, going to play for the Blackhawks, Fleury said there was "a lot" to be excited about.

"I’ve talked to guys, and I keep hearing so many great things about the team and how they treat the players and the families," Fleury said. "I thought Stan [Bowman] did a great job too of getting some players over the summer, trying to make this team competitive right away. That’s also very appealing."

Fleury mentioned that he talked to former Blackhawks goaltenders Robin Lehner and Cam Ward about the city of Chicago and the organization after the trade, along with former Penguins teammates Craig Adams and Chris Kunitz, who's on the Blackhawks' coaching staff as a player development adviser.

The thought of playing with Patrick Kane and Jonathan Toews also got him excited.

"Kane’s one of the guys who gave me the most trouble in shootouts during my career," Fleury said smiling. "Looking forward to getting to practice with him every day and having some good battles with him. I think Toews looks pretty good and hopefully he goes again, another guy I got to know over the years. It’ll be fun. They’ve been around a long time, had a lot of success, hopefully I can just do my part to help the team win some games."

With one year left on his contract, it's unclear what the future holds for Fleury beyond this season, not because he might not want to play but because it's no longer about him. It's about what's best for he and his family.

"I felt pretty lucky I didn’t have to move so many times like a lot of guys have to do," Fleury said. "It’s not an easy thing, right? It’s OK. It’s stressful, right? It’s a process to find somewhere comfortable for your family to be in, or a good school. There’s lots in there for them and I’ve been lucky to play for a long time and have won, too. I can’t think about 1219141 Chicago Blackhawks Hakkarainen isn’t giving up his NHL dream. It may be off course, but he’s still hopeful. He’s worked as much on his mind as his body in the last few years, and that’s been key to him moving forward in hockey.

Traded for Marc-André Fleury and unwanted by the Golden Knights, “At the moment right now, I’m in a great headspace,” Hakkarainen said. Mikael Hakkarainen is in a strange situation “When I got the injury after (being on) the taxi squad (last season), it was tough because I felt like I could have had a chance to play games last year if I didn’t get injured. That’s how I felt in my head. It was a huge By Scott Powers crush of my dreams.

Aug 6, 2021 “I had a conversation with a psychologist and they’ve helped a lot. It’s not always easy to love the game because as much as we put in, I put a lot

of hours, like everyone else, but sometimes it feels like it hasn’t given me Mikael Hakkarainen was watching TV on his couch at home in Finland much lately.” when he received a text. Ultimately, Hakkarainen doesn’t want to be a trivia answer to a Down The text from a friend read “Vegas.” Goes Brown trivia question. When the trade is looked back on, he wants people to know his name as well as Fleury’s. Hakkarainen texted back with a question mark. Before he received an answer, he opened his Instagram app and discovered he had been “I feel like there’s a lot of people who don’t believe in me right now traded from the Chicago Blackhawks to the Vegas Golden Knights for because of what happened the last two years,” Hakkarainen said. “I can’t Marc-André Fleury. wait for the day that I prove them wrong.”

In that respect, his trade experience mirrored that of Fleury, who found The Athletic LOADED: 08.07.2021 out about the deal via Twitter. In every other, it definitely did not.

“He asked who else was included,” Hakkarainen’s agent Jeff Boston said. “I told him it was one for one. It’s not often you get traded one for one for a Hall of Famer.”

Hakkarainen, a 23-year-old forward, was blown away by that piece of info, but there were still more unusual aspects of the trade to learn. As he processed he was leaving the Blackhawks, the team that had drafted and signed him, and began looking forward to a new chapter with the Golden Knights, he discovered Vegas wasn’t actually planning on him playing in its organization. He was being loaned back to the Blackhawks for the upcoming season.

“He will remain in Chicago’s organization,” Golden Knights general manager Kelly McCrimmon said on the day of the trade. “This is more of a situation where NHL teams have a certain number of contracts that they’re allowed, and this keeps that equal in this transaction. He’s going to remain with the Chicago organization and likely play in the American League with Rockford. It will be our contract but he’ll remain a part of their organization.”

The Golden Knights have used a similar process before, but it isn’t that common and certainly was new to Hakkarainen.

“It’s still a little confusing,” said Hakkarainen, a 2018 fifth-round draft choice. “I don’t think I’ve heard of this kind of situation before.”

Hakkarainen understands the trade from a business perspective. The Blackhawks were looking to move out a contract, which has one year remaining on it, and the Golden Knights didn’t envision him playing for their AHL team.

Hakkarainen also understood his play over the last few years wouldn’t make him too attractive. He signed with the Blackhawks out of the USHL, played just 11 games in the AHL and ECHL in his first pro season due to a concussion and a neck injury and then played just 12 games last season due to a foot injury.

Still, there is a human element to it all, and that’s often forgotten.

“This a kid who left Europe at a young age with NHL aspirations,” Boston said. “There were those who advised against it, and he followed his dream. He earned that NHL contract. From a human aspect, not a business one, I want to see him get a chance to play a year healthy and see what he can do.”

It’s all Hakkarainen desires, too. He’ll be fine with wherever he plays this upcoming season. He just wants an opportunity to prove himself. As of now, he’s still not sure what team he’ll play for. He said the Blackhawks said he could play for their ECHL affiliate, the Indy Fuel, and he has some potential European options.

“It’s a weird situation where Chicago has their own players that they want to develop in Rockford, and I’m not with Chicago anymore,” Hakkarainen said. “I feel like they don’t want a player there that’s not theirs. It’s a weird situation because I’ve never had this situation before. It’s crazy. I’m all for going to Indy and developing the best I can and hopefully stay healthy.” 1219142 Colorado Avalanche

Avalanche signs first-round pick Oskar Olausson to entry level contract

By MATT SCHUBERT | [email protected]

The Post

PUBLISHED: August 6, 2021 at 4:20 p.m. | UPDATED: August 6, 2021 at 4:21 p.m.

The Avalanche signed Swedish forward Oskar Olausson to a three-year entry level contract two weeks after selecting him in the first round of the NHL draft, the team announced Friday.

The 18-year-old native of Stockholm, Sweden, was taken with the 28th overall pick of last month’s draft.

Olausson made his debut in the Swedish Hockey League this past season, notching four points (three goals and one assist) in 16 games for HV71 in the country’s top league. He started the year with the club’s junior team and had 27 points (14 goals, 13 assists) in 13 games before joining the senior team. He finished out the season in Sweden’s second tier league after being loaned out to Södertälje for 11 contests (three goals and three assists).

The 6-foot-1, 180-pound right wing also played for the Swedish national team at the 2021 IIHF World Junior Championship and appeared in four games.

“He fits our identity. We’re a team that obviously speed and skating is a big piece for us,” Avalanche director of amateur scouting Wade Klippenstein said last month. “He’s a very good skater, a big body. He can score and shoot the puck. Just a lot of check marks with Oskar.”

“He’s a big, real mobile, good-skating winger who has a great shot and a knack for scoring goals,” Avalanche general manager Joe Sakic said after the draft. “He’s hard on the puck, takes pucks to the net, and we’re excited for that skillset.”

Denver Post: LOADED: 08.07.2021 1219143 Colorado Avalanche

Avalanche sign 2021 first-round draft pick Oskar Olausson to entry-level contract

By Aarif Deen

August 6, 2021

The Avalanche have signed their 2021 first-round draft pick.

Oskar Olausson, who was selected 28th overall two weeks ago, signed his three-year entry-level deal Friday. Olausson is just the third player in the 2021 draft to sign a professional contract joining Danila Klimovich (Vancouver, 41st overall) and Zachary L’Heureux (Nashville, 27th overall).

Listen to “Depth Chart” on Spreaker.

Olausson, 18, played in the Swedish Hockey League during the 2020-21 season, recording three goals and four points in 16 games for HV71. Prior to his promotion, Olausson appeared in 16 games for the club’s J20 Nationell team where he had 14 goals and 27 points.

“He fits our identity. We’re a team that obviously speed and skating is a big piece for us,” Avs director of amateur scouting Wade Klippenstein said following the selection. “He’s a very good skater, a big body. He can score and shoot the puck. Just a lot of checkmarks with Oskar.”

Olausson is expected to remain in Sweden for the upcoming season.

“He’s a big, real mobile, good-skating winger who has a great shot and a knack for scoring goals,” general manager Joe Sakic said of Olausson. “He’s hard on the puck, takes pucks to the net, and we’re excited for that skillset.

Olausson represented his country at the 2021 IIHF World Junior Championship, appearing in four games in his first time at the tournament. He is expected to play for Sweden in the upcoming tournament in January. milehighsports.com LOADED: 08.07.2021 1219144 Colorado Avalanche

Oskar Olausson signs contract with Colorado Avalanche

By Adrian Dater

Published 13 hours ago on August 6, 2021

Oskar Olausson, the first-round pick of the Colorado Avalanche this year, has signed his three-year, entry-level contract with the club.

Olausson is expected to play again in Sweden this coming season. Here’s more, from the Avs’ release:

Olausson made his debut in the Swedish Hockey League, the top professional hockey league in Sweden, during the 2020-21 campaign and recorded four points (3g/1a) in 16 games for HV71. He began the year with HV71’s team in J20 Nationell, Sweden’s junior league, and collected 27 points (14g/13a) in 16 games before joining the senior team. The 6-foot-1, 180-pound right wing was loaned to Södertälje in Allsvenskan, Sweden’s second-tier league to finish the campaign, recording six points (3g/3a) in 11 outings. Olausson has totaled 47 points (22g/25a) in 48 career games in J20 Nationell, all with the HV71 organization.

“He fits our identity. We’re a team that obviously speed and skating is a big piece for us,” said Avalanche Director of Amateur Scouting Wade Klippenstein following the selection of Oskar Olausson on July 23. “He’s a very good skater, a big body. He can score and shoot the puck. Just a lot of check marks with Oskar.”

“He’s a big, real mobile, good-skating winger who has a great shot and a knack for scoring goals,” said Avalanche Executive Vice President / General Manager Joe Sakic of Olausson following the 2021 NHL Draft. “He’s hard on the puck, takes pucks to the net, and we’re excited for that skillset.”

The Stockholm, Sweden, native represented his country at the 2021 IIHF World Junior Championship, appearing in four games in his first time at the tournament. He also helped Sweden to a bronze medal at the 2019 , recording a point (1g/0a) in five tournament contests.

Olausson was the third player the Avalanche selected from a Swedish league in the first round of the NHL Draft in franchise history and the first since drafting Jonas Johansson, also from HV71, at No. 28 in 2002.

Colorado hockey now LOADED: 08.07.2021 1219145 Detroit Red Wings Filip Zadina (25)

Elmer Soderblom (24)

Red Wings 2025-26 lineup projection: What pieces does Detroit have in Michael Rasmussen (26) place? Jonatan Berggren (25)

Adam Erne (30) By Max Bultman and Corey Pronman Note: Red indicates a “blank” in the system, orange indicates a player Aug 6, 2021 who will reach UFA status prior to October 2025 and blue indicates a current RFA.

Analysis: The glaring hole, in both of these projections, leaps off the Once a year, after the draft and free agency have settled, we take a look page. Detroit, at some point in the coming years, is going to need to find into our crystal ball to track the progress of the Red Wings’ rebuild. a No. 1 center.

The premise is simple enough: because of the development road even That is not an indictment of Dylan Larkin, but rather an acknowledgement top prospects must travel, it can be hard to see the future of a rebuilding of the reality of aging. Right now, at 25, Larkin may very well be a top-line team take shape when the NHL roster isn’t reflecting some of the major pivot — Montreal and Vegas both made the NHL’s final four last season, moves an organization is making. By looking years down the line, it’s and there’s at least a case to be made he could have been the top center much easier to see how all the pieces might fit together in time. for either of them. But four years from now, he’ll be 29, and whether he’s And after a draft that saw the Red Wings make two picks in the top 15 a No. 1 or a No. 2 at that point, the conventional wisdom still holds that and a third in the top 40, there have been some significant potential strength down the middle is a must for building a top-tier team. So the additions to the team’s future since we last broke out the crystal ball in blank spot at 1C represents what seems like an inevitability: the Red November. Wings have to draft a top-of-the-lineup center, and they have to do it soon in order to take advantage of Larkin’s prime years. This year, we’ve also tweaked the methodology in a number of ways. First, we’ve brought in prospect writer Corey Pronman, so there will be The best case scenario, of course, would be landing Shane Wright at the two lineup projections here to illustrate some different opinions on certain very top of next year’s draft. But that outcome is a significant long shot players and on roster-building. Second, we’ve moved the projection and not something the Red Wings can count on to bail them out. There range back a year, from three years in the future to four, to better capture are four other prospects currently listed at center in Corey’s early 2022 the timeline on which prospects can realistically become established draft ranking, but those are still very early projections — one of the four, NHLers, rather than simply playing some games. Brad Lambert, was already playing on the wing at the World Junior summer showcase — and the odds of them becoming true No. 1 centers Third, whereas in past versions I filled every single spot in the lineup, this is obviously less comfortable. year we’ve decided to leave glaring needs blank on the lineup card. That (hopefully) serves to illustrate where the biggest missing pieces remain. For me, the other blank (at 4C) does not mean I think the Red Wings That doesn’t mean there won’t be some players stretched a bit above don’t have a fourth-line caliber center in the organization. I’m just not their realistic projections (spoiler: there are a couple), but on the whole sure, four years from now, who it will be. It wouldn’t shock me to see there needed to be a better way to indicate major needs as opposed to Chase Pearson get a look this season. I liked the glimpse I saw from Red just what would be ideal. Savage at the end of the World Junior summer showcase. Both of those players project to be able to do what this lineup would need from a 4C, And fourth, we’ve scrapped the tradition of adding a top draft prospect to too, which is kill penalties. The team also traded for Mitchell Stephens the lineup — that may have been needlessly obscuring the current last week. outlook, which is the opposite of the intent of this feature. But as for projecting any of them confidently in the lineup four years from With that said, here’s how Corey and I each would project the 2025-26 now, it’s tough to know if Savage (who will be 22) would be ready or have Red Wings four years out. “hit” or if Pearson or Stephens (who will be 28) will have stuck in the league. That explains the blank, but one would expect Detroit should be Forwards able to either develop a 4C by then or sign one in free agency. Max’s projection The differences between Corey’s forward lineup and mine are minor: I LW C RW have Tyler Bertuzzi projected to be in Detroit for his age-30 season while Corey does not. If he’s not, that could conceivably mean a trade, in which Lucas Raymond (23) case maybe there’s another interesting piece that would plug into this picture as a result. But regardless, Bertuzzi will be an unrestricted free Jakub Vrana (29) agent in two years, so it’s perfectly plausible he’s not in the fold come Tyler Bertuzzi (30) 2025.

Dylan Larkin (29) It’s the opposite with Adam Erne, who Corey has on his fourth line, whereas I went younger there with Carter Mazur. Admittedly, it’s Filip Zadina (25) ambitious to project a third-rounder drafted less than two weeks ago into the picture this quickly. But Mazur’s a year older than most picks as a re- Joe Veleno (25) entry prospect, and I liked what he showed in Plymouth and how it would Michael Rasmussen (26) project to the penalty-killing role this construction would need.

Jonatan Berggren (25) We both had Joe Veleno flexed to the wing, which is an effect of Larkin and Michael Rasmussen being the second- and third-line centers here. Elmer Soderblom (24) Veleno did play some wing in Sweden this year, too. As a result of Carter Mazur (23) Bertuzzi not being in Corey’s projection, he has Veleno bumped up to second-line left wing, but ideally, you’d like another legit top-six forward Corey’s projection in that spot.

LW C RW I have Veleno projected on the third line, where I could see some fairly complementary skills between him, Rasmussen and Jonatan Berggren. Lucas Raymond (23) Berggren and Veleno can both carry the puck well and create entries. Jakub Vrana (29) Veleno and Rasmussen should be able to take on a lot of the work in the corners and defensively. Berggren’s playmaking could set up the other Joe Veleno (25) two well offensively. Corey likewise has Rasmussen and Berggren together on the third line, but instead of Veleno, he has Elmer Dylan Larkin (29) Söderblom, who I plugged onto the fourth line. Not listed in the lineup are a bevy of forward prospects from which a full- a bit more of Seider (and of Albert Johansson, who would be playing time NHLer could emerge in this span: Pearson, Savage, Givani Smith, above his realistic projection), but it also allows Detroit to play one of its Robert Mastrosimone, Theodor Niederbach, Cross Hanas, Ethan Phillips, top defensemen on each of its top-two pairs. That means one would be Sam Stange and Liam Dower Nilsson. Prospects can pop at any time, on the ice at any given time for about 75 percent of the game. Corey’s, but whether it was about role, projection, timeline or some combination of meanwhile, has Edvinsson with Seider, which would give the Red Wings the three, we held off on them at this time. a No. 6 pick on each side of their top pair.

If the Red Wings fill those two holes at center, this could conceivably be However, both configurations are more something you could live with a playoff team’s forward corps — maybe even before this point in time. than the ideal scenario, which would be adding another strong top-four D Detroit needs more than just one top center prospect, though — they to the core with Seider, Hronek and Edvinsson. ideally need several good centers, because otherwise, one player busting could derail the whole plan. And even beyond that, more The other difference is a minor one on the third pair. Corey went with questions linger because the projection is so laden with unproven Donovan Sebrango alongside Shai Buium, whereas I put Antti Tuomisto prospects: how close can Lucas Raymond get to his ceiling? Can Filip in that spot. I’ve liked what I’ve heard out of Denver about Tuomisto Zadina be north of a 50-point player? And for that matter, how will Larkin, lately, but certainly, Sebrango has shown well since being drafted last Jakub Vrana and Bertuzzi age — and how many of the three will still be fall. I put Sebrango as my seventh defenseman while Corey put Jared in Detroit in four years time, with Larkin and Bertuzzi set to become free McIsaac. Both projections leave out some of the other recent early picks agents in 2023 and Vrana currently an RFA? who could in time compete for jobs, including Eemil Viro and William Wallinder. If the need at center is the most urgent one highlighted by this projection, then turning the corner while Detroit’s current core is still in its prime may As with the forwards, you can see the potential for a playoff-caliber be a close second — otherwise, multiple new blank spots may be hiding defense corps here, with a couple of caveats. First, not all of these in the top six, and frankly might be already. players are going to pan out as envisioned. Some might pop and be a bit better than expected, but some are likely to fall short of expectations, too. Defense/Goalie And even if they defy the odds with an unusual success rate on these defense prospects, this would still be a rather young group — once again Max’s projection underscoring the need for a bit more veteran presence.

LD RD G Second, there’s still not an obvious true No. 1 power-play quarterback Albert Johansson (24) here. Many of these defensemen could capably play on a power play, though, so it’s entirely possible Detroit opts to go without that piece, Moritz Seider (24) letting forwards like Raymond run the man advantage instead.

Sebastian Cossa (22) In net, there’s not much to analyze. Once Detroit drafted Cossa at No. 15, he became the obvious heir in net, and the four-year timeline here Simon Edvinsson (22) was chosen in part because it was a realistic one for him to take over in Filip Hronek (27) net in the NHL, assuming he hits. Four years falls into the range it took players like John Gibson, Robin Lehner, Carter Hart and (it seems) Alex Nedeljkovic (29) Spencer Knight to become established NHL netminders, with the latter two on the earlier end of that range. Alex Nedeljkovic, meanwhile, will be Shai Buium (22) a free agent prior to this point, but at 29 projects as a solid partner for Antti Tuomisto (24) Cossa if he sticks around.

Donovan Sebrango (23) The natural question following all of this: if Detroit does land a top-line pivot early in the 2022 draft, is that the final piece to building a Corey’s projection champion? I’d still argue that the answer is no. The rest of the projections still have far too much uncertainty attached to them to believe every LD RD G single one will blossom to their ceiling. Even the Red Wings’ brightest Simon Edvinsson (22) prospects still haven’t played a game in the NHL, and Detroit will need many of them to become better than the average first-line or first-pair Moritz Seider (24) player to truly contend. And, again, it’s going to take more than one new Sebastian Cossa (22) center prospect to feel good about Detroit’s overall system down the middle. Albert Johansson (24) It’s possible one or two such players are already in the system. And that Filip Hronek (27) the Red Wings can now project to check off some of these crucial lineup boxes represents progress. There are still plenty of questions that need Alex Nedeljkovic (29) to be answered in the next four years, though. Even as new pieces slot Shai Buium (22) neatly into place, others could suddenly become misfits — whether due to age, regression or something else entirely. Donovan Sebrango (23) Two years into Steve Yzerman’s tenure, a vision is coming into view. But Jared McIsaac (25) the work of realizing that vision is still just beginning.

Analysis: The blue line is where the Red Wings have invested the lion’s The Athletic LOADED: 08.07.2021 share of their early draft capital under Yzerman, and both of these projections show the potential upside of that decision: four years from now, Detroit could plausibly have a defense corps entirely composed of early-round picks in their mid-20s.

Some veteran presence may be needed here, but Filip Hronek will be a seasoned pro by this point and Moritz Seider should have four full years of NHL experience as well. There’s a nice structure to this group, with all of these players having the potential to play on at least one special team and a few with the potential to play on both. There are limited spots on the power play, though, which could be a factor, especially down the lineup.

The main difference between my projection and Corey’s is how to slot Simon Edvinsson. I certainly would consider him the Red Wings’ top left- shot defense prospect, but I opted to slot him on the second pair with Hronek to spread out the minutes between Edvinsson and Seider. It asks 1219146 Edmonton Oilers He’s also a tireless workhorse. In his final game of the season, he logged 62 minutes and seven seconds in a triple-overtime loss to the .

Oilers sign Darnell Nurse to eight-year, $74M contract extension Players like him are hard to replace, which is why they’re pulling down $9-million deals. He’s a big part of what the Oilers are and what they hope to become. His salary pushes the ceiling on where he ranks among Robert Tychkowski the best defencemen in the game, but he played himself into a strong bargaining position and took advantage. Publishing date: Aug 06, 2021 • 7 hours ago If Nurse left as a UFA next year, there would’ve been no Plan ‘B’ on

Edmonton’s horizon. Darnell Nurse bet on himself during his last two contract negotiations, He now has to live up to the contract for the next nine years. It won’t be agreeing to a short-term bridge deal when he could have easily ground easy, but being a top-pairing defenceman in the NHL never is. the Edmonton Oilers for more money and a longer term. “I want to implement better tendencies or build off of things that have Well, the gamble just paid off. Big time. gone well,” he said. “I’m going through that process. I’ve been working on Nurse, who would have been eligible for unrestricted free agency next a little bit of everything — skating, working with my skills coach and trying summer, and coming off the best season of his career, turned his to come in even more complete next year. bargaining power into a massive eight-year, $74-million contract that “Last year was great, there were things to look back on and say I makes him one of the highest-paid defenceman in the National Hockey improved on, but for me, there is no sense of being content or happy with League. how it went. I want to move on and be better and better because there “As a young player coming into the league, I had a lot of belief in the are more levels to get to.” player I could become and the player I wanted to be in the future, and Edmonton Sun: LOADED: 08.07.2021 sometimes (contract offers) didn’t always reflect the same belief I had in myself,” said the 26-year-old.

“I don’t know if it was frustrating, it was more of a motivating factor. Maybe they don’t believe in me the way I believe in myself.”

The numbers on that contract suggest that they do now.

“For the team to make the commitment to me, I’m so appreciative in that belief in myself as a player and a person and a leader on the team.

“It’s an awesome day for my family and myself. I’ve always been very confident in my abilities. To have that reciprocated is a great feeling.”

The $9.25-million annual salary is a substantial bump from the $5.6 million he’ll make this season in the final year of his existing two-year pact. It’s a big ticket, no question about it, but Nurse held all the cards in this hand and, after biding his time with short-term deals, pushed the Oilers all in.

He was expecting a raise, but the entire landscape changed and the money skyrocketed when Seth Jones and Zach Werenski signed $9.5- million contracts with the Chicago Blackhawks and the Columbus Blue Jackets, respectively, while Cale Makar and Dougie Hamilton signed $9- million deals — Makar with the Colorado Avalanche and Hamilton with the .

“That’s all a part of it,” he said. “There were a couple of guys who went out and set the market for UFAs, defencemen who are playing the role I play. They’re directly in comparison.

“From the business side of things, that’s how it shakes out. The numbers came out, guys were signing deals and, through what I’ve done on the ice and my belief in myself and the organization’s belief in me as a player, it put me in the position to have this conversation.”

Tampa Bay’s Victor Hedman, the best D-man in the league, comes in at $8 million a year, but he signed his eight-year deal in 2017.

Sometimes, timing is everything. And for Nurse, the timing was perfect.

“Going through the whole extension process, things kind of shift on an almost week-to-week basis,” said the seventh overall draft pick from 2017, who is set to begin his seventh season with the Oilers.

“I’m very happy. I’m in a position where this sets up my family for a long, long time. I’m very fortunate to be in the position I’m in. I just want to get back to work.”

Whether he belongs in the same tax bracket as those players who signed ahead of him will be debated, but his value to the Oilers cannot be.

He is a pillar on their blue line, playing long, hard minutes against the toughest competition, with the defensively challenged Tyson Barrie as his partner much of the time, while still generating offence (fourth among NHL defencemen in even-strength points). He also brings a physical element that few other top-end blueliners in today’s NHL possess. 1219147 Edmonton Oilers 59

2.51

Lowetide: Oilers sign Darnell Nurse to a massive 8-year contract Kris Russell extension 195

5:28 By Allan Mitchell 52.5 Aug 6, 2021 6

Nurse’s minutes and minutes per game against elites tower over the rest Darnell Nurse has a chance to be the rarest of all things in Edmonton of the group, with his possession rates (DFF is smart Corsi, giving extra Oilers history: a defenceman drafted and developed by the team who importance to dangerous and close-in shots) less than 50 percent and also plays his entire career in the city. below par relative to his teammates.

It’s never been done. The big reason for it comes via the drag that Tyson Barrie brings to the top pairing. When Nurse was partnered with Ethan Bear, his DFF Legendary Oilers like Kevin Lowe, Paul Coffey, Charlie Huddy, Randy percentage (61.5 percent) and DFF Rel (10.35) shone like a diamond. Gregg and Steve Smith started their careers in Edmonton, but all were These numbers suggest that though the plan might be Nurse-Barrie, a dealt away or left via free agency. less chaotic partner for the big man may become necessary. Bear will be On Friday, Nurse signed a massive eight-year deal for $74 million ($9.25 missed. million annual cap hit). He is the team’s best defenceman and just Edmonton can rely on Nurse to play big minutes in all game states and completed his career season. To deliver on the contract, he’ll need to defend well. play at that level or better for most of it. Here’s a look at the player, how he got here and what may come. The offence

The defence Over the last three seasons, Nurse has been improving on his outlet passes. As a young man, his passes were either errant, had too much The first scouting report I read on Nurse came from Kyle Dubas, who pace or both as they arrived at their target. Since 2018-19, he has been was the general manager of the Soo Greyhounds of the OHL. Dubas making better passes, and this past season Nurse became a consistent said “his underlying numbers are excellent. Relative to the competition he exit passer (he has always transported well) and helped the offence. plays (against), he does extremely well. Far greater than 50 percent of the time, the puck is not in our end. If we’re taking the other team’s best Nurse has also applied some calm feet to his shooting game, taking his players and forcing them to play in their end and away from the puck, time to pick corners and using a quick, heavy wrist shot to go shelf on that’s a successful day. The quality of competition he’s faced is higher goaltenders. The days of ‘grip it and rip it’ are gone for Nurse, and his than anyone else in our league, especially among defencemen.” scoring totals reflect it. Here are his five-on-five scoring numbers and rank among NHL defencemen, by year: That was a cutting-edge answer at the time. Analytics remained out of the media spotlight, certainly when a general manager of any hockey YEAR GOALS-60 PTS-60 NHL PTS-60 RANK team was talking about his player. Dubas’ words about Nurse are still useful in describing Nurse today, as defending against elite opponents is 2015-16 his specialty. Using PuckIQ, we get an idea about just how much Oilers 0.15 coach Dave Tippett relied on Nurse in 2020-21, and will in the seasons to come. 0.3

Oilers 2020-21 defence at five-on-five 184

PLAYER MINUTES V ELITES MINUTES PER 2016-17 GAME DFF PCT DFF%REL 0.44 Darnell Nurse 0.8 429 72 7:40 2017-18 48.7 0.19 -1.7 0.93 Tyson Barrie 58 314 2018-19 5:36 0.31 43.2 1.04 -11.1 40 Adam Larsson 2019-20 305 0.18 5:26 1.14 53.7 33 5.8 2020-21 Ethan Bear 0.62 214 1.19 4:59 26 One of the main reasons for the big contract surrounds offence. Nurse Here’s the reality: If this team wins the Stanley Cup, all involved will plays the game with an edge and has real defensive value. All of those consider it worthwhile. things considered, without the offence, Nurse would have signed a contract similar to Adam Pelech’s (eight years, $5.75 million via Elliotte The Athletic LOADED: 08.07.2021 Friedman) on Friday.

Nurse delivers his offence at five-on-five, so these aren’t empty-calorie power-play points. He is also consistent in his offensive output.

Fans will point to Nurse playing with Connor McDavid as being a big reason for the offence, and that’s absolutely true. However, once Oscar Klefbom was injured, Nurse emerged as the obvious candidate for those minutes and Edmonton was unable to find a productive alternative. Such a player, housed on the second line and taking some minutes from Nurse, may have made the contract more palatable for the team. He never arrived.

The money

Nurse’s contract history shows two bridge deals, one negotiated by Peter Chiarelli in September 2018 (AAV: $3.2 million) and the second by Oilers general manager Ken Holland in February 2020 (AAV: $5.6 million).

If Chiarelli had signed Nurse in 2018 to an eight-year deal, four of those seasons would have been RFA. Even two years ago, there would have been some relief (two RFA, six UFA) on a long-term deal.

Each time, the organization had short-term goals in mind and kicked the contract down the road. No RFA seasons meant the AAV on a long-term deal was going to be a large number. Recent contracts signed by Seth Jones (Chicago Blackhawks) and Zach Werenski (Columbus Blue Jackets) for $9.5 million or more AAV made Nurse’s final number possible.

For the player, this represents a massive payday built on betting on himself, betting his value would be higher down the line and winning twice.

The conclusion

I believe Nurse will hold his value to an NHL team over the course of the deal. He won’t always play with McDavid and he may never post a shooting percentage close to last season, but he’s fast as lightning, big, strong, tough and can defend. Unless NHL general managers are hired from an alien gene pool sometime in the next eight years, Nurse will be an attractive target in trade should a situation arise that makes it possible and necessary.

For Nurse, this is a day that has been many years coming. He was drafted a year before and two years before McDavid; both men received their big paydays in summer 2017, four years before Nurse. Though his two bridge deals weren’t ‘prove it’ contracts, it was clear management felt it could afford the risk and not pay full price on the day of reckoning.

Turns out, the Oilers paid more than full price as the summer activity on defencemen turned nuclear because of the Seattle Kraken expansion draft. Prices soared for UFAs, RFAs and fringe talents as (now) 32 teams tried to find men brave enough and talented enough to play the position.

For the organization, despite the enormous cap hit, I don’t see a tremendous amount of risk. Holland is focused on winning a Stanley Cup before Draisaitl reaches free agency in summer 2025. Every ounce of money and talent is being focused on the next four seasons.

If things don’t work out, and Draisaitl exits, followed by McDavid the next year, Nurse should hold enough value for the club to receive assets in exchange for what will likely be a complete rebuild.

The Oilers are all in on winning the Stanley Cup. The organization spent heavily on Nurse because he is a vital member of the Edmonton roster and central to the goal of a Stanley Cup. The next four years matter, the names who will be restricted next year and the year after will be fit into the cap or traded for cost-certain options.

Skill replacements will come through the system, as there will be no money for another free-agent frenzy.

Taken as an individual transaction, isolated from all around it, this contract is an overpay and the organization should have reduced risk years ago and bought some UFA seasons along with the remaining RFA years. 1219148 Edmonton Oilers line next season) we can assume Puljujarvi will spend over 66 percent of his five-on-five minutes with the captain.

What will that look like? Let’s begin to put together goal-scoring Lowetide: How many goals will Jesse Puljujarvi score for the Oilers next expectations for Puljujarvi’s 2021-22 season. season? 5-on-5 scoring

Puljujarvi spent about 10 minutes a game with McDavid at five-on-five; if By Allan Mitchell he played 82 games that would be 820 minutes. His shooting percentage Aug 6, 2021 with McDavid (13.5 percent) was much higher than away from the top line (4 percent). He’s also young enough to improve a little, so might score more goals with and away from the feature role on the No. 1 line.

Projecting Jesse Puljujarvi’s career by season has been a challenge. In I think it’s reasonable to project Puljujarvi, in an 82-game season where his draft year, his scoring numbers in Finland’s top league (50 games, he averages 10 minutes a night five-on-five with McDavid, to post 114 13-15-28 in Liiga) suggested a possible future as a two-way winger. The shots and a shooting percentage of 14 percent. That’s 16 goals. Add following season he scored on his first NHL shot and then couldn’t find three more away from McDavid, and it’s reasonable to project him to 19 the range for 27 games before being sent to the minors. five-on-five in 82 games for 2021-22. He scored 11 in 55 games a year ago, this represents a projected increase of three goals compared to his In his second year after the draft, he scored 12 goals in the NHL and his 2020-21 trajectory (if the Oilers had played a full season). trajectory seemed to be headed in a good direction. The team struggled (as did Puljujarvi, just four goals) in the final year of his entry-level deal. I didn’t increase his playing time per game, increased his shot rate Puljujarvi spent 2019-20 outside the NHL, scoring 24 times back home in marginally and his shooting percentage improves (remember he isn’t at Liiga. his peak age) by half of 1 percent.

Last season, Puljujarvi’s fourth in the NHL, he scored 15 goals in 55 I did project him to score more goals away from McDavid (three in 200 games at 22. minutes) due to an improved team and his own comfort level in the league. Since peak seasons offensively arrive around 24-25, there’s still some room for growth for the big winger. It’s also true he scores well with A season of 19 five-on-five goals in an 82-game season would mean a Connor McDavid, and if he ever spends 82 games with the captain (and major jump in Puljujarvi’s next contract, a contract that will be negotiated getting power-play time) the goal total could be over 30 during his peak after the coming season. I’m not going to project how much the increase seasons. might be, and don’t believe Edmonton would move him from a successful line to save on a future contract (God knows they could have, perhaps Will the Oilers deploy Puljujarvi in this way during a contract year? Does should have in the past with other players) because it doesn’t match the the organization have a suitable replacement for him should the decision organization’s established priorities. be made to play the winger on a lesser line? Let’s have a look. Power-play goals With and without McDavid In 61 power-play minutes in 2020-21, Puljujarvi scored twice. His goal- Puljujari posted 1.00 goals per 60 at five-on-five (in 960 minutes) while scoring is actually more efficient than 1.96 per 60, because his time on with McDavid since he arrived in the NHL in the fall of 2016. It’s an the top power play (44:30) delivered both goals and gave him a 2.7 per impressive total and NHL teams pay handsomely for that kind of 60 scoring rate with the man advantage while playing with the McDavid production. crew. Without McDavid, in 1,412 minutes, he has scored 0.38 goals per 60 There are miles of power-play minutes available this fall, as Alex during his NHL time. That’s a massive drop. But how does he compare to Chiasson and James Neal are no longer on the club. Both men served as the rest of Edmonton’s right wingers? Let’s look at last year’s goals per a net-front presence, as did Puljujarvi during his time in 2020-21. Here 60 totals at five-on-five, with and without the captain. are their scoring rates. PLAYER GOALS-60 W/97 GOALS-60 W/O 97 Oilers 'net front' power play forwards Kailer Yamamoto PLAYER MINUTES GOALS GOALS-60 1.4 Alex Chiasson 0.31 134 Jesse Puljujarvi 5 1.09 2.23 0.31 Jesse Puljujarvi Josh Archibald 61 0.84 2 0.36 1.96 Zack Kassian James Neal 0 53 0.57 1 The two most skilled forwards shine with McDavid, no surprise to see 1.13 who is cashing more of their chances. Coach Dave Tippett picked Puljujarvi to run with McDavid, while the Draisaitl-Yamamoto pairing has Newcomer Hyman played about the same number of minutes as been money since January 2020. McDavid and Yamamoto were effective Puljujarvi (66) and scored three goals for a 2.73 goals per 60 total when together but played a mere 171 five-on-five minutes in 2020-21, via his team had the power play. Warren Foegele played five minutes all Natural Stat Trick, often with Draisaitl on a stacked line. season on the power play and Edmonton’s internal options were deployed in the role one year ago. Centre Derek Ryan has spent time on Puljujarvi spent 74 percent of his five-on-five minutes playing on the top the power play, but is unlikely to serve in the net-front role. line one year ago. Assuming Tippett leaves Zach Hyman at left wing (and it’s absolutely possible Hyman will play some right wing on McDavid’s If we increase Puljujarvi’s ice time with the man advantage to 90 minutes (small increase) and anticipate slight year-over-year improvement, we reach a goal total of four and 2.67 goals per 60. That’s aggressive, but the Oilers power play is a juggernaut and all who spend time on the top unit flourish.

Penalty kill

I’ve always thought Puljujarvi would be an excellent penalty killer, but Tippett invested very little time to the idea. Shorthanded goals are random as it is, so no expectations in this area.

Empty nets

Empty nets account for two goals. One was scored into an empty net on April 8 against Ottawa and another late in a game against Montreal on April 21 with Edmonton having pulled the goalie for an extra attacker.

There’s a randomness to the empty net goal, and Josh Archibald seems to be the trusted right winger with the Oilers up a goal, so counting on goals here is unwise.

Late in the game, down a goal? I think Puljujarvi will be in the mix as an option, so we’ll project another goal in this game state next season.

Puljujarvi’s projection

In reading comments from Oilers fans since the end of the season, there’s a growing worry over Puljujarvi’s spot in the lineup. Conjecture about veterans moving up the depth chart and challenging Yamamoto (who struggled in the second half of the season to score) and Puljujarvi can be seen across the universe of Oilers fans online this summer.

The one scenario I could see is chemistry between Foegele-McDavid that forces Hyman to right wing on what would become the de facto top line with two new wingers. It seems a stretch from here.

The next pressure point for the Oilers as it pertains to Puljujarvi will come next summer. His new contract will see a sizeable increase, and general manager Ken Holland will have to make a decision about him.

I believe Puljujarvi will play much of his season on the No. 1 line with McDavid, turning over pucks, creating havoc that the captain can turn into scoring chances after turnovers.

I count 24 goals in a full season for the big right winger. But if his ice time with McDavid is reduced, expect a much lower total.

Based on the competition, and Yamamoto’s second half, Puljujarvi is a good bet to maintain his position as the top goal-scorer among right wingers on the Oilers roster.

The Athletic LOADED: 08.07.2021 1219149 Florida Panthers

Panthers re-sign Pembroke Pines defenseman to one-year deal

By MALLORY SCHNELL

SOUTH FLORIDA SUN SENTINEL |

AUG 06, 2021 AT 4:58 PM

Chase Priskie will get to remain part of his hometown team for another year.

The Florida Panthers re-signed the defenseman to a one-year, two way contract on Thursday.

Priskie, 25, played in 15 games with the of the AHL in the 2020-21 season, recording three goals and four assists.

The Pembroke Pines native grew up going to Panthers games with his parents, inspiring him to play the sport of hockey. He was born in March of 1996, less than three months before the Panthers beat the Pittsburgh Penguins to reach the Stanley Cup Finals.

“We may not sell out every game like in Montreal or something, but the Panthers have helped grow this game exponentially since they came here in 1993,” Priskie told The Athletic. “It has impacted so many people’s lives. Just look at my life. It is hard to express. This team is so valuable to our community. People who aren’t from here may not understand that. A lot of us kids grew up trying to emulate those Panthers players over the years.”

Priskie was originally selected by the Washington Capitals with the 177th pick of the 2016 NHL Draft. He was acquired from the Carolina Hurricanes with Erik Haula, Lucas Wallmark and Eetu Luostarinen in exchange for Vincent Trocheck on Feb. 24, 2020.

“Hearing I got traded to Florida, to my hometown team, I was just ecstatic,” Priskie said after the trade.

Sun Sentinel LOADED: 08.07.2021 1219150 Florida Panthers Parlays: If you can’t decide on what type of bet you want to place, you can always choose a parlay to combine bets over multiple games, although each selection will need to be correct.

Top Tips To Bet On The NHL 5. DON’T GET CARRIED AWAY TOO SOON

After reading up on some of the best tips for betting on the NHL, it might By National Hockey Now be tempting to go in with a big bet that could see you blow all or most of your budget on just one or two games. Published 17 hours ago on August 6, 2021 Instead of getting carried away and making bets that are too big for your beginner’s NHL betting boots too soon, our final top tip would be to stick to lower stakes while you are starting out until you have come up with a The NHL receives global attention every season and has remained one winning strategy and are feeling more confident. of the top sports to watch in countries all over the world, including the US, Canada, Scandinavia, Germany, and many, many more. Because of Florida Hockey Now LOADED: 08.07.2021 this, it is also one of the best sports to put your money on.

When you are first starting out with sports betting, however, it can be tricky to know what you are doing and what sort of bets you should be placing. That is where this article comes in.

Not only will we explain some of the key factors you should pay attention to if you are thinking of betting on the NHL, but we will also provide you with some of our top betting tips!

Check out these great tips from Fanduel to learn more about how you can place successful bets on the NHL games this season.

1. CREATE A BUDGET

Starting with the first thing you should do with any form of gambling, let’s talk about how to create a budget. This is important as it will prevent you from overspending accidentally, which will save you money and increase any eventual profits whilst reducing the risk of debt.

To work out what budget you should be betting with, take a look at your overall financial situation, including any and all ingoing and outgoing payments. Once you know how much money you have to play with that isn’t already accounted for, you can decide what you are willing to spend on your NHL sports betting hobby. Then, all you need to do is just stick to it.

2. DO YOUR RESEARCH

It might sound boring, but trust us when we say that researching the teams and players that are competing in a game means you will be much more informed about any bets you place.

For example, if you know that the teams competing have had games against each other in the past and that one team consistently comes out on top, it is probably unwise to bet on the underdog, although there is big money to be made if they manage to come out on top!

3. KNOW WHAT ODDS ARE BEING OFFERED

If you go into any betting shop and place a wager without first looking at the odds, you will be making a huge mistake. The odds are what tell you the likelihood of a certain team winning as well as the amount of money you will receive as a return if your bet comes in.

Sometimes the odds will show you that a bet isn’t really worth placing as there is not a good enough risk/reward ratio. If you have to put $100 on to win $110, for example, it is not really worth the risk you will be taking for such a small reward, although this will be up to you.

4. CHOOSE THE RIGHT TYPES OF BETS

With so many different bets available for you to choose from when it comes to the NHL, it can be difficult to know what type of bets you should be placing on the different games.

Some of the main types of bets that are often placed on NHL games include the following:

Moneyline: This is when you bet on the winning team.

Overs and Unders: These types of bets are based on the total number of points at the end of the game, combining the scores of both teams.

Puck line: This is a point spread bet of -1.5 on the favorite team to win and +1.5 on the underdogs.

Point spread: In addition to standard puck line bets, point spread bets can offer 2.5 and 3.5 as well. 1219151 Los Angeles Kings

Kings sign defenseman Kale Clague to 1-year contract extension

The two-way agreement comes after the 23-year-old recorded six points in 18 games with the Kings last season

By ANDREW KNOLL |

PUBLISHED: August 6, 2021 at 1:13 p.m. | UPDATED: August 6, 2021 at 4:08 p.m.

The Kings retained defenseman Kale Clague, signing the restricted free agent to a one-year, two-way contract extension worth up to $761,250, the team announced Friday.

Clague, 23, has dressed in 22 games for the Kings, with 18 of those and all six of his NHL points coming last season. He has also amassed 66 points in 124 games in the . In his final junior season in the , he had a staggering 47 points in 28 games before being traded, and then turned in a point-per-game playoff performance.

He played a stretch of NHL games in January and February of 2021, and then another in April after further seasoning in the minors. His second stint was more productive and he played a bit more reliably in his own zone.

“His sense of where he is on the ice and his reads of when to go and when not to go are much better now than they were when he left, so he’s done some real good things down there,” Kings Coach Todd McLellan said in April.

Clague’s offensive capability, skating, range and ability to play either side of the defense have made him an intriguing player five years beyond his draft year, despite his not yet cementing himself in the NHL. Kings defenseman Drew Doughty once said Clague could “skate like the wind” and said he was well-suited for the modern game.

Clague was a near-consensus pick for the Seattle Kraken among expansion draft prognosticators. Instead, the Kraken selected another left-shooting Kings defenseman, Kurtis MacDermid, whom they traded to the Colorado Avalanche.

Clague now returns to the Kings hoping to stick full time. He will most likely compete with veteran Olli Maatta, among others, to be the team’s seventh roster defenseman. Clague’s ability to fill a void at left or right defense, as well as his mobility and his potential to add another adept passer to the second power-play unit, could bolster his cause.

While his puck-moving and creativity are assets, developing a more dangerous shot and progressing on the defensive end will be paramount. Clague compiled an unimpressive minus-41 rating over three campaigns at the AHL level.

Though not averse to throwing a big check, at 6 foot and 177 pounds, he will need to become a strong positional defender with with a savvy stick to thrive at the highest level.

Orange County Register: LOADED: 08.07.2021 1219152 Los Angeles Kings After watching the playoffs, big-boy hockey still exists. You need skill and size to win now in the league. With MacDermid gone and a bunch of 5- foot-nothing guys on the roster, what do the Kings have for a physical Kings breakout candidates, Byfield or Turcotte in the top six, and presence? — Chris M. Petersen’s next contract: Mailbag, part 1 Probably not enough. I agree with your starting point. Even a team as skilled as Tampa Bay demonstrated that if you can’t win the battles in the trenches, when the refereeing becomes a little looser, you have little By Lisa Dillman chance of winning. MacDermid was a Seattle Kraken for about five minutes before he was flipped in a trade to Colorado. Why? Because the Aug 6, 2021 Avalanche also recognized the need and value for size and physical pushback. None of the Kings’ three most significant newcomers — Danault, Viktor Arvidsson and Alex Edler — are going to be pushed The NHL Draft is in the books, the Seattle Kraken helped themselves to around, but, in general, they are not going to force the issue either. But 30 players in the expansion draft, including the Kings’ Kurtis MacDermid one thing about toughness — it’s a quality that’s almost always available (who was promptly traded to Colorado) and free agency is winding down. on the waiver wire before the season starts. If the Kings get pushed around in the preseason, it’s an area that can be addressed relatively In short, it’s the offseason, a time when weary team executives try to get easily and at a minimal cost. in a little rest and relaxation before rookie camps open in less than six weeks. In short, it’s the perfect time to reflect in another Kings mailbag. With Kopitar and Danault down the middle, it would seem there is only room for one of Byfield or Turcotte to grow into a top-six center role. How Before jumping in, I’d like to use this space to mention that two important does the organization mold this or let it play out? — Zach D. longtime members of the organization are moving on. Mike O’Connell, who had been with the Kings since 2006-07, was named senior advisor Most NHL GMs will tell you that they are never concerned about having to the GM for player development of the Flyers, a position too much depth down the middle, because it’s easy enough to switch a which he held in Los Angeles. It’s a shift that allows him to work closer to center to the wing but much harder to switch a wing to center. Just look his family on the East Coast. at the makeup of the U.S and Canadian Olympic teams historically — most have about seven natural centers shoehorned into four center-ice Amateur scout Denis Fugere, who is based in Quebec and has been with spots, and they usually manage OK. In the Kings’ case, the key figure is the Kings since 2007, announced after the draft that he will be retiring. Byfield because with his size and upside, he could and probably should “Denis has pride. That’s one of the things that is immediately evident,” be able to play as a No. 1 center. All of the other first-rounders — Mark Yannetti, the Kings’ director of amateur scouting, said this week. Turcotte, Kupari, Vilardi, even Jaret Anderson-Dolan (a second-rounder) “Pride, there’s the seven deadly sins version of pride, but he’s the good — should be versatile enough to switch to the wings if necessary. Trevor version of pride. He takes pride in everything he does. There is an air of Moore likely projects as a winger in the Kings’ organization, but the 2021 respect about him. He’s diligent. It’s easy to have Denis in a position World Championships proved he could play in the middle as well. because you know his pride won’t allow him to short-change the job. He Lisa, do you think the Kings did enough during free agency with the holds himself to a standard.” addition of a defensive-minded two-way center (who might not be a Yannetti relayed a story that then-Kings GM Dean Lombardi told him legitimate 2C on a contending team), a top-six winger whose scoring about a visit that Lombardi, Michael Futa and Fugere made to Quebec to touch seems to have deserted him, and a 35-year-old defenseman? We check in with Patrick Roy, who then was coaching the Remparts of the were all told that the issue with the team was scoring and we’ve just QMJHL. spent to the salary ceiling and we don’t seem to have fixed that issue. Is Rob Blake hoping to sneak in as a wild card or are we destined for yet “Quebec had a terrible loss and they (Lombardi, Futa and Fugere) were another season where all we’ve got to show for it is another lottery pick waiting outside the room, and Dean can get impatient,” Yannetti said. and the mantra of “patience”? Sorry to be so negative but free agency “Patrick was yelling at the team so much you could hear him through the didn’t exactly blow me away and I think we all expected more from the doors. Then Denis said, ‘OK.’ He walked in, mid-rant, said hi to Patrick. front office. — Craig H. Patrick stopped what he was doing, talked to Denis, gave him the stuff and thanked him. Denis walked out and Patrick continued his rant. Yes, I do, and I say that based on conversations with scouts and other league personnel before free agency opened, especially as it related to “That tells you a lot. If Patrick Roy stops what he is doing … that tells you Danault and what he could bring to whichever team he ultimately signed the respect people have for Denis.” with. The reviews were ultra-positive, that in addition to what he brought on the ice, his professionalism and the way he conducted himself would With that, on to your questions. So many came in this week that we will make him a positive role model for the younger centers in the split the mailbag into two parts, with the conclusion early next week. Let’s organization. Danault will make Kopitar better, if it means Kopitar gets dive in. (Some questions have been lightly edited for length and clarity.) more offensive zone starts because he isn’t constantly being sent out to One of the youngsters needs to have a breakout season. The rebuild win faceoffs in the Kings’ zone. If you look at what was available in terms depends on one or more of them finding their groove this season. Who is of goal-scoring, it was predictably a thin group. Any team that had a (are) the most realistic candidates? — Steven N. scorer on a reasonable contract either wanted to keep him or was asking for an exorbitant return in trade. This should be easy, but it isn’t, and it’s because of the time frame you outline — this season. If you were asking about 24 months from now, I liked Jaden Schwartz as an option — he ultimately landed in Seattle — Quinton Byfield’s name would top the list. But the Kings made a but even with Schwartz, there’s concern about an accumulation of commitment to Byfield to not rush his development, and while there’s a injuries, and at what point will he/has he peaked? Arvidsson sounds decent chance he’ll play in the NHL next season, he will be playing motivated to prove that he’s still a productive player and at 28, playing in protected minutes behind Anze Kopitar and newcomer Phillip Danault. In the right role, is perfectly capable of getting to 30 goals again. Edler, time, the Kings expect Byfield to hit all the right notes. To expect him to meanwhile, is a short-term fix, designed to buy time for a lot of talent on fully find his NHL groove next season? That’s probably unrealistic. the left side that’s in the organization but needs time to develop. Now, would I have liked to have seen them land Jack Eichel? Sure. And who Based on the normal progression that developing players make, the best knows, maybe it still happens in time. But the Kings weren’t the only hope for a genuine breakthrough is probably Gabriel Vilardi. Vilardi turns team to make inquiries only to be scared off by the Sabres’ asking price 22 on Aug. 16. He has now had one full (albeit COVID-19 shortened) and the ongoing concerns about Eichel’s health. season under his belt. Apart from the usual bumps and bruises, he was mostly injury-free. Vilardi’s size and finishing ability suggest he could Even though he was the Kings’ first addition this offseason, Vladimir eventually be a 25-goal scorer (or more), provided his foot speed doesn’t (Tkachyov) was notably absent from any projections on your roster depth hold him back. He came up as a center, but in the crowded middle — article. Do you think we might be sleeping on him a bit? I understand he and because his faceoff percentage isn’t great, Vilardi probably will play has said he would be willing to play in the AHL before earning a spot, but on the wing. Three others who will get NHL cameos this season — Alex he was a very productive player in the second-best league in the world, Turcotte, Rasmus Kupari and Samuel Fagemo — are all works in particularly when judged by their advanced metrics. His highlight reels progress, worth monitoring. I’m especially keen to see if a healthy really demonstrate the kind of skill that is absent from the rest of the Fagemo can take the next step. Kings’ roster. How is he viewed at the moment? Is he someone they are taking a flier on, or a guy they plan on being a big part of the team going Bowen Byram isn’t available under any circumstance. Colorado is in its forward? — Carlos F. championship window, he’s cost-controlled for two more years and he will be an important young inexpensive piece for the Avalanche as they It all depends on him. And that’s not meant to be a trite deflection of your try to get in the winners’ circle. I think Boris gave you a hint at the question. The history of players leaving the KHL and coming to the NHL answer. If you look at what Cale Makar signed for — or Zach Werenski or is all over the map, in terms of their adjustment period. It can be so Miro Heiskanen — in terms of those high, high-end players, a) you random, and success often has as much to do with how they adjust off couldn’t afford them, and b) the teams aren’t trading them. If you look at the ice – to the language, culture and community — as it does on the ice, the player pipeline, especially on defense, it is quite deep. Bjornfot and where they need to adjust to a different style of play and a smaller ice Mikey Anderson are already in the NHL, with players such as Brandt surface. For every who comes along and dazzles, there’s Clarke, Brock Faber and Helge Grans in the prospect pipeline. You can a Vadim Shipachyov (signed by Vegas in its inaugural season) who fill in the gaps usually in goal and on the wing, but centers and arrives with sparkling credentials and simply cannot find his stride in defensemen are hard to come by unless you develop them internally. North America. The fact that a player is willing to put in the time in the minors is usually a good sign. To expect him to come in and make an Hi Lisa, any information on a (Cal) Petersen contract extension? He is a impact right away, without having seen him play a single minute? That UFA next summer and Kings have no depth in goal. Also, any idea why feels like a tall order, probably too tall in the beginning. the Kings did not trade a second(-round pick) for Jake Bean? — Boris O.

Hi, Lisa. What are you most looking forward to with everybody returning The Petersen extension is going to be interesting because so many to Staples Center this fall? Least looking forward to? — Scott V. goaltenders hit UFA status this summer, which made the prices for some – even established NHL starters, such as Petr Mrazek and Freddie From a strictly personal perspective, what I missed the most with the Andersen — seem reasonable compared to what position players arms-length way we had to cover hockey the last 18 months is the received. In Petersen’s case, he’s shown he’s capable of playing in the personal interaction — with players, coaches, managers, fellow members NHL in a tandem but has yet to fully assert himself as a starter. If that’s of the media and agents such as Pat Brisson and Allan Walsh that you’d ultimately his goal, then there’s value on betting on yourself, playing bump into postgame in the corridors of the arena. Zoom felt sterile. another full year to show what you can do, and then seeing if the contract Getting a chance to make eye contact with the people you interview — in number is higher once the season ends. an actual conversation — you don’t realize how important that is to how you do your job until you can’t do it that way. It wasn’t fun. This upcoming Of course, in any risk/reward sort of negotiation, it can go the other way if season should be better and I’m looking forward to putting on my ski he plateaus or slips. But I’m not worried. The Kings have shown faith in jacket in the chilly pressbox again. What won’t I miss? Traffic heading him ever since he joined the organization. I doubt they are trying to into the arena and the long commute from the home bunker in Orange lowball him, and so — unlike some negotiations — I think they will find County. common ground in time. As for Jake Bean, the answer obviously is that they liked him a lot less than I did. The Kings easily could have met Lisa, it seems like this was our one chance to add talent. We are now at Carolina’s asking price — a second-rounder — the way Columbus did, the cap, and will only have cap room again as contracts expire – (Dustin) and they had the assets to do so. The fact that they didn’t suggests that Brown first, then (Jonathan) Quick, then Kopitar/(Viktor) Arvidsson. Do they wanted to add a more experienced body on the left side (Edler) and you think we missed the opportunity to add a star? If so, who would it then wait for their prospects to come through the pipeline. have been? — Andrew C. Is (Jacob) Moverare considered to be a real depth prospect at LHD after There were a few interesting names on the move this offseason, but a good little season last year in the AHL on a desperately young team? realistically, other than Sam Reinhart there probably wasn’t anyone who Any idea what the plan for that guy might be beyond another year in might have made a difference in the slow-but-steady building plan the Ontario? Seems like the Kings will let those LHD depth guys like (Olli) Kings put in place. If you’re going to make a splash, a big Olympic-sized Maatta, (Kale) Clague, and (Christian) Wolanin battle it out for that splash, then it has to be for the right player at the right dollars for the right seventh D spot, and possibly lose one to waivers at the beginning of the return. Reinhart, as noted in previous mailbags, would have been season. — Will H. intriguing, and I’ll be very interested to see what he eventually signs for in Florida. The Panthers had a lot of offseason business to conduct and got It’s tricky when it comes to making comparisons but the name Mikey a lot of it done quickly and efficiently. As of this morning, Reinhart was Anderson came up in a recent discussion about Moverare — a steady still a pending RFA, coming off a $5.2 million contractual AAV. Eichel defenseman who just gets the job done quietly and with little fuss. My would have been interesting, and still could be. But in terms of finding a sense is that he is still a few years away, but scouts and coaches like way to add Reinhart to the mix, in my role as shadow GM, I would have certain elements of his game. Said one coach: “He doesn’t make a lot pressed harder there. of mistakes for a young guy and his skating doesn’t hinder him. He’s very smart in his positioning and the way he plays off the rush and down low. Hey Lisa, we all know the team’s last big priority is finding an LHD who He doesn’t blow anybody up but he just breaks up plays.” can play first-pairing minutes moving into the next era. Someone in a very specific age range who can play alongside (Drew) Doughty, easing The Athletic LOADED: 08.07.2021 the burden on (Mikey) Anderson and (Tobias) Bjornfot, and then (Brandt) Clarke later on as our own Great 8 ages out. They’ve been pretty clear on this so — with all due respect to Jake Bean who is probably a wonderful person — who are the top-end, early-20s, lefty defensemen they can realistically target and afford? Are we talking Bowen Byram swapped for Turcotte and a pick, or are they zeroing in on more of a known quantity already cutting his teeth in the league? I’m sure they feel they have to get this part of the rebuild right because it’ll cost plenty of assets and money. Thanks for doing these mailbags! — Andrew C.

Great question and I wish we had the budget for it but it seems all the top-two early-20s D-men are pulling down $8 million to $9 million AAV, which we just don’t have because of contracts like Doughty’s and Brown’s. That being said, I think Bjornfot is going to be a top pairing guy in the next three years. — Josh P.

Drafting Clarke and signing Edler for one year were great moves. However, it appears we still might have a hole long-term in our 1LD spot. Given that Jake Bean and Zach Werenski were recently re-signed, what targets are still out there in the next 12 to 18 months? Is this still a viable route, or do you think the Kings are happy with Doughty-Clarke as the dynamic elements in the top four of the future, whereas players like Bjornfot, Anderson, (Brock) Faber, and Grans can fill in the rest of the spots? Thanks as always! — Travis B. 1219153 Los Angeles Kings

All The Kings Men – Thomas Drance of The Athletic profiles Alex Edler

By All The Kings Men

10 hours ago

Thomas Drance of The Athletic (Vancouver) joins host All The Kings Men host Jesse Cohen to talk about the veteran defenseman and what his signing will mean for the Kings.

The addition of the veteran left-handed Edler worked out to be a one- year, $3.5 million-dollar deal. The 35-year-old defenseman, who has spent all 15 years of his career with a division foe, the Vancouver Canucks, leaves the organization leaves with plenty left in the tank according Drance, and should be a solid add for the Kings, both in terms of his intelligence on the ice and his skillset.

Drance on the evolution of Edler’s career

As Edler matured in the league, he became a hard-nosed, mistake free defensive defender. He’s now a nightmare to go up against in front of the net and has become the smartest player on the ice.

Drance on what Edler brings to the Kings

In both ends of the rink, his game still plays. His shot is still heavy and lethal, his passing plays and is as bright as they come. In the defensive end, he’s still physical and exacts a price to any forward that dines to go to the front of his net. He’s still so hard. His two-way intelligence is something the [Vancouver Canucks] will likely severely miss.

Drance on the legacy Edler leaves in Vancouver

Edler is without a doubt the greatest in the defenseman in franchise history. He will have a banner in Rogers Arena when he decides to hang up the skates.

Drance on if the Kings got better by signing Edler

They certainly got smarter. There is a two-way intelligence that Edler will bring that is only merged by Drew Doughty on the roster, and you really do need that. Cal Petersen and Jonathan Quick will be happy to have him. He blocks a ton of shots and tries to play goalie a lot, so much so that it’s become a meme in Vancouver. But I do think the Kings got better with a player and a person like Edler joining LA, no question. At $3.5M, I think he’s a decent bet to live up to that contact and even exceed it.

Edler himself recorded an episode of All The Kings Men earlier today with Jesse Cohen and Zach Dooley. Highlights from the newest Kings defenseman’s first interview with the organization will be posted here on LA Kings Insider, as well as across Kings content channels.

LA Kings Insider: LOADED: 08.07.2021 1219154 Los Angeles Kings

LA Kings re-sign defenseman Kale Clague to one-year, two-way contract, $761,250 AAV

By Zach Dooley

15 hours ago

The LA Kings have signed defenseman Kale Clague to a one-year, two- way contract extension with an average annual value (AAV) of $761,250 at the NHL level.

Clague, 23, made his NHL debut with the Kings during the 2019-20 season and has appeared in 22 games in his young NHL career. Clague tallied six points (0-6-6) from 18 games played this past season, including his first career NHL point, an assist on January 24 against St. Louis.

The pros on Clague during his time in the NHL were generally what you knew about him coming in. He’s a smooth skater and a strong puck- handler, with the ability to move the puck both up ice by both passing it and skating it. We saw those traits shine during the 2019-20 AHL season, and saw them come out especially in his second stint with the Kings in the second half of 2021. Clague has worked since entering the professional ranks on improving the defensive side of his game, the area usually stated as improvement, and we saw some strides throughout the season.

“Since he’s come back up, he’s played quite well, both offensively and defensively,” McLellan said of Clague in early-April. “His sense of where he is on the ice and his reads of when to go and when not to go are much better now than they were when he left, so he’s done some real good things down there.”

Clague also brings versatility to the Kings, with an ability to play both the left and right sides. Clague played predominantly on the right during his two (mostly) full seasons in the AHL, partnering typically with one of the complement of left-shot blueliners in Ontario at the time. We saw that versatility this season in the NHL as well, with Clague able to step in on either side, depending on the situation, an asset that should give him additional opportunities in the fall.

Generally speaking, possession metrics were solid for Clague, with the Kings controlling greater than 50 percent of shot attempts with Clague on the ice this past season. His scoring chance and high danger metrics were lower, but compared to his teammates, he was nearly three percent better in terms of SCF% and right around two percent lower in high- danger metrics. In many ways, Clague profiled on defense as Andreas Athanasiou does at forward, to a lesser extent. Higher chances both for and against, relative to his teammates, in all categories.

Clague also skated in 23 AHL games this past season with the Ontario Reign, where he was a part of the team’s leadership group, one of a few players to serve as an assistant captain under John Wroblewski. Clague had 12 points (1-12-13) from 23 games played in the American Hockey League and also tallied an assist in the team’s lone postseason game. In 124 regular-season AHL games, all with Ontario, Clague has totaled 66 points (16-50-66), including a team-high 29 amongst defensemen during the 2018-19 season. The Regina, Saskatchewan native ranked second amongst Ontario blueliners in goals, assists and points during the 2019- 20 season, and was selected to participate in the 2020 AHL All-Star Classic in Ontario.

Internationally, Clague skated for Canada in two IIHF World Junior Championships, serving as an assistant captain on the gold medal- winning squad in 2018 and helping his country to a silver medal in 2017, as he tied for the tournament lead in assists by a defenseman with six.

JUUUUUUUICE

Adrian Kempe keepin' the @LAKings alive #GoKingsGo pic.twitter.com/lTOBee682l

— Bally Sports West (@BallySportWest) April 8, 2021

LA Kings Insider: LOADED: 08.07.2021

1219155 Montreal Canadiens

Goaltender McNiven avoids arbitration with one-year deal

Michael McNiven is expected to serve as the backup to Cayden Primeau on the Laval Rocket.

Pat Hickey

Montreal Gazette

Publishing date:Aug 06, 2021 • 10 hours ago

The Canadiens and Michael McNiven avoided an Aug. 11 arbitration hearing when the goaltender agreed to a one-year, two-way contract Friday.

The deal will pay McNiven $750,000 in the NHL and $100,000 in the AHL, with a guaranteed annual salary of $110,000.

McNiven played 13 games in the AHL with the Laval Rocket in 2020-21, posting a 7-3-3 record while earning one shutout. The 24-year-old had a 2.59 goals-against average and an .895 save percentage in his fourth season with Laval.

McNiven is expected to serve as the backup to Cayden Primeau. They are the only goaltenders on the Laval roster depth chart after free agent Charlie Lindgren signed a two-way deal with the St. Louis Blues and Vasily Demchenko returned to the KHL with Avangard Omsk.

Montreal Gazette LOADED: 08.07.2021 1219156 Montreal Canadiens

Tomas Tatar signs with Devils

Tomas Tatar, who watched most of the Canadiens' playoff run as a healthy scratch, has signed a two-year, $9-million contract.

Pat Hickey

Montreal Gazette

Publishing date:Aug 06, 2021 • 19 hours ago

Tomas Tatar, who watched most of the Canadiens’ playoff run as a healthy scratch, has signed a two-year, $9-million contract with the New Jersey Devils.

Any thought of the free agent winger re-signing with the Canadiens ended when he lost his spot in the lineup in the playoffs. He played only five games and collected one assist.

Tatar, Phil Danault and Brendan Gallagher formed the Canadiens’ top line for most of the past three seasons. Tatar produced 25 goals in 2018- 19 and led the Canadiens in scoring with 61 points in the COVID- shortened 2019-20 season. He had 22 goals that season, topping the 20- goal mark for the sixth consecutive season.

But Tatar’s regular-season performances didn’t translate into success in the postseason. He had two goals in 10 gams in the Toronto bubble last summer and had six goals and six assists in 40 playoff games with Detroit, Las Vegas and Montreal.

Montreal Gazette LOADED: 08.07.2021 1219157 Montreal Canadiens

Stanley Cup coming to West Island, thanks to homegrown Alex Killorn

Killlorn, a two-time Cup winner, grew up in Beaconsfield and played his minor hockey in the West Island.

John Meagher

Montreal Gazette

Publishing date: Aug 06, 2021 • 17 hours ago

The Stanley Cup is coming to the West Island.

Tampa Bay Lighting forward Alex Killorn is bringing the Cup to Centennial Park in Beaconsfield on Friday, Aug 13. The Cup will be on public display from 10 a.m. to 1 p.m.

Killlorn, a two-time Cup winner, grew up in Beaconsfield and played his minor hockey in the West Island.

The Lakeshore hockey product starred for the Lac St. Louis Lions in 2005-’06, before attending Deerfield Academy, a New England prep school.

Killorn then played Ivy League hockey at Harvard University while earning a bachelor of arts degree in government/political science. He joined the NHL Lightning during the 2012-13 season.

He missed most of this year’s Stanley Cup final against the Montreal Canadiens after suffering a broken leg in Game 1.

After the series ended, the 31-year-old Killorn revealed he had suffered a broken fibula after blocking a Jeff Petry slapshot. A rod was surgically inserted into the broken bone, but that didn’t prevent Killorn from joining his teammates on the ice and hoisting the Cup during post-game celebrations at Amalie Arena.

Beaconsfield Mayor Georges Bourelle said the city is delighted Killorn is sharing his time with the Stanley Cup with local citizens.

“We were really excited to hear Alex was able to do this in Beaconsfield,” said the mayor who once served as head of Lakeshore hockey in the late 1970s.

Bourelle said Killorn has help put Beaconsfield on the hockey map, and also pointed to the recent drafting of 17-year-old Bobby Orr by the Carolina Hurricanes. Another local, Arnaud Durandeau, is a 2017 draft pick of the New York Islanders.

Due to COVID-19 pandemic, the mayor said that health and safety measures will be in place for the event.

A civic ceremony with Killorn and the Stanley Cup is planned for 10 a.m. at Centennial Park. The waterfront park is located on Beaconsfield Blvd., across from Beaconsfield Arena at 1974 City Lane.

Montreal Gazette LOADED: 08.07.2021 1219158 New York Islanders

Islanders’ Adam Pelech signs eight-year contract extension

By David Lazar

August 6, 2021 | 12:49pm | Updated

The Islanders have locked up the pillar of their defense to a long-term deal.

Adam Pelech signed an eight-year, $46 million contract, the team announced Friday.

The 26-year-old defenseman has emerged as a stalwart on the backend for head coach Barry Trotz, quickly becoming one of the most important players on the team. He is a top stay-at-home defenseman — arguably the best in the NHL — on a team that has given up the fewest goals in the league (506) over the past three seasons.

“This is where I want to be,” Pelech told reporters after his extension was announced. “I think all the guys feel the same way. They know there’s something special here.”

Analytically, Pelech is in the 97th percentile in Wins Above Replacement and the 99th percentile in even-strength defensive WAR since the 2018- 19 season, according to TopDownHockey. His long stick, timely pinches and penalty-killing prowess are a big reason the Islanders have played in 49 postseason games over the last three seasons.

In those contests, the Toronto native ranked second on the team in total ice-time. Last year, he notched one goal and four assists as the Islanders advanced to the Stanley Cup semifinals against the Lightning for the second consecutive season. The Islanders fell in seven games.

During the regular season, the 2012 third-round pick scored four goals — including an end-to-end short-handed tally against the Capitals — 10 assists and 14 points in 56 games. He formed a shutdown pair with fellow defenseman Ryan Pulock, and both players received a fifth-place vote in the Norris Trophy voting earlier this summer.

Pelech’s contract was announced one day after his arbitration hearing was scheduled for Aug. 11, the first day a hearing could take place.

Now, Lamoriello will direct his focus to re-signing the team’s other notable restricted free agents, including forward Anthony Beauvillier and goalie Ilya Sorokin. Unrestricted free agent forwards Casey Cizikas, Kyle Palmieri and Zach Parise (who was bought out by the Wild on July 13) also are targets expected to sign with the team.

New York Post LOADED: 08.07.2021 1219159 New York Islanders "You want to keep this group together,’’ Pelech said. "We’re a tight group and we know that together we can do something special.’’

Rangers sign 3 RFAs. The Rangers announced they have signed three Islanders' Adam Pelech on signing eight-year deal: 'This is where I want restricted free agents to one-year contracts: goaltender Adam Huska and to be' forwards Tim Gettinger and Ty Ronning. Gettinger, 23,has played eight games with the Blueshirts over the past three seasons.

Newsday LOADED: LOADED: 08.07.2021 By Colin Stephenson [email protected] @ColinSNewsday

Updated August 6, 2021 8:05 PM

Defenseman Adam Pelech has signed an eight-year deal with the Islanders, the club announced Friday. An NHL source confirmed that the contract carries an average value of $5.75 million per season. According to the source, it does not include any signing bonus money and is all salary.

"Without a doubt, this is where I want to be,’’ Pelech, the Islanders’ first free-agent signing of the offseason, said from a golf course on his Zoom call with the media. "I couldn’t be happier with the term. And you know, I think all the guys here feel the same way. They know there’s something special going on here and everyone’s really excited to be a part of it moving forward.’’

Pelech, a restricted free agent with arbitration rights, had been scheduled for an arbitration hearing this coming Wednesday. But he said he never expected it to get that far.

"We weren’t really worried about going to ‘arb,’ ’’ he said. "That date ended up creeping up on us a little bit, but I don’t think we were ever heading there.’’

Pelech, who will turn 27 on Aug. 16, is the left-side partner of Ryan Pulock on the Islanders’ top defensive pairing. The 6-3, 218-pounder, a third-round pick in the 2012 draft, played all 56 games in the regular season and totaled four goals and 10 assists while matching up against opponents’ top lines. He had a goal and four assists in 19 playoff games. In his career, Pelech has 75 points (16 goals) in 303 games and 12 points (two goals) in 48 playoff games.

Several defensemen around the league signed bigger contracts this offseason. Chicago signed Seth Jones to an eight-year, $76 million deal after acquiring him from Columbus, and the Blue Jackets then locked up 24-year-old Zach Werenski to a six-year, $57.5 million deal. Cale Makar, 22, signed a six-year, $54 million contract extension with the Colorado Avalanche and the Devils signed unrestricted free agent Dougie Hamilton to a seven-year, $63 million contract. On Friday, Edmonton signed Darnell Nurse to an eight-year, $74 million deal.

But Pelech said those deals had no impact on his own negotiations.

"I think at the end of the day, I wanted to be here for a long time, and I’m glad the team wanted me here,’’ he said. "And I think it was just about finding a number that worked for both sides. So those other deals really didn’t come into play at all for us.’’

What was more important, he said, was the Islanders keeping their group together to try and make another deep run in the playoffs.

The Islanders traded defenseman Nick Leddy to Detroit to clear some cap space and lost right wing Jordan Eberle in the expansion draft. But they are believed to have deals in place to bring back free-agent forwards Kyle Palmieri, Casey Cizikas and Travis Zajac and also are thought to have an agreement with forward Zach Parise, who was bought out by the .

The team also has brought back defenseman Andy Greene on a one- year deal at a cap charge of $750,000, though that hasn’t been announced yet.

After signing Pelech, the team has approximately $11.9 million available under the salary cap, plus another $6 million that will become available when Johnny Boychuk goes on long term injured reserve. They still need to sign restricted free agents Anthony Beauvillier and Ilya Sorokin.

"Without a doubt, a big emphasis on the offseason was to keep this group together as much as we could,’’ Pelech said. "And it’s really tough losing those two guys [Leddy and Eberle]. They’re great players and great teammates. But unfortunately, that’s just the business. 1219160 New York Islanders One name on the list of potential defense trades may have come off the board Friday, when the Kraken signed Vince Dunn to a two-year deal worth $4-million per. The Isles may have inquired about Dunn when he was with the Blues and then after Seattle took him in the expansion draft, Adam Pelech signs, marking the first official move for the Islanders this but he’s seemingly part of a crowded Seattle defense corps now. offseason Flexibility was key for Lamoriello this offseason. It’s why he dealt Leddy away first, without an immediate replacement. And why he gave up several assets to be free of Andrew Ladd’s contract and let Seattle take By Arthur Staple Jordan Eberle. Pelech’s deal maintains that flexibility and sets a decent Aug 6, 2021 rate for Pulock, who is eligible for a new deal already with a year at $5- million remaining on his bridge deal. Pulock will cost more than Pelech given that Pulock plays more and in all situations, but if “we’re trying to keep the band together” is this group’s rallying cry, Pulock might now be Adam Pelech wasn’t going anywhere, but now he’s sure to be an tempted to shave some off his ask to make that happen. Islander for a long time. He’s also sure that others want that too. Pelech is in for the long haul, but his deal allows the Islanders to keep “Without a doubt, this is where I want to be,’’ Pelech said after his eight- pressing the win-now button. And maybe, just maybe, will start the year deal worth $5.75-million per was announced on Friday. “I couldn’t process towards revealing just what else Lamoriello has up his sleeve. be happier with the term. I think all the guys here feel the same way. They know there’s something special going on here and everyone’s The Athletic LOADED: 08.07.2021 really excited to be a part of it moving forward.’’

With Pelech trading some money per year for the security of the maximum-length deal allowed by the league, perhaps the Islanders can keep more of their core around for longer. Pelech’s was the first new contract of the Islander offseason announced even though unrestricted free agents Kyle Palmieri, Zach Parise, Travis Zajac and Casey Cizikas are believed to be signed, along with Michael Dal Colle and AnatoliiGolyshev. With Pelech’s arbitration hearing scheduled for Wednesday, there was a clear deadline to get something done.

So now, the floodgates will open! Lou Lamoriello will announce all the deals — the ones in his desk drawer, the ones still to come and maybe a trade or two to round out the roster that’s in a bit of flux despite Lamoriello’s desire to keep the group together that went to back-to-back playoff semifinals.

Pelech’s deal comes in well below some of the other whoppers signed by top-pair defensemen this offseason, including one that broke just after Pelech’s on Friday: Darnell Nurse signed an eight-year extension with the Oilers that starts in 2022-23 for $9.25-million. That’s just ahead of Dougie Hamilton’s deal (7x$9-million) with the Devils and behind Seth Jones (8x$9.5-million) and Zach Werenski (6x$9.58-million).

Pelech isn’t the same sort of defenseman as any of those four, but he is an Islander top-pair D-man and will be for the long haul. Of the 33 defense pairs who played at least 500 minutes together this past season, Pelech and Ryan Pulock had 64.6 percent of the high-danger chances when on the ice. The second-best percentage was 61.4 from Calgary’s Noah Hanifin and Chris Tanev.

The only thing missing from Pelech’s game is offense. He plays almost exclusively at even strength and on the penalty kill, which limits his opportunities for points, but he still has just 16 goals in 303 NHL games — Hamilton’s beaten that total in two different seasons. So Pelech is not a $9-million defenseman. But for what he does do, his initial $7-million ask in negotiations with the Islanders wasn’t out of line. Had this deal been five or six years it would have certainly been around $6.5-million per.

And Pelech doesn’t plan on changing too much, even if the Islanders don’t bring in another offense-minded second-pair lefty to replace Nick Leddy. “At the end of the day, I’m a defensive player and it pays dividends to stick within your own game,” he said. “I don’t think there’s any reason to force anything. You have to stay within yourself and do what you know is best for the team.”

The Islanders have $11.9-million in cap space right now, with another $6- million coming when Johnny Boychuk’s contract goes back on long-term injured reserve at the start of the season. There will be at least $3-4 million more in available space when various one-way contracts go through waivers and get buried in the minors or dealt away, given that the Isles presumably have as many as 17 forwards under contract right now.

Let’s ballpark the cost of Parise, Palmieri, Zajac and Cizikas at between $9-10 million against the cap. Anthony Beauvillier and Ilya Sorokin will add on perhaps $7-8 million more. Even if those are underestimates, the Islanders are well-positioned to add a decent-sized contract in a trade for a second-pair defenseman — or move out a little more salary to add a big-scoring winger. Perhaps one from St. Louis whose options are dwindling, with the Devils signing Tomas Tatar on Thursday. 1219161 New York Islanders

HERE TO STAY! Adam Pelech, Islanders Agree on New Contract

By Christian Arnold

Published 15 hours ago on August 6, 2021

The New York Islanders locked up their star defenseman Adam Pelech to an eight-year contract five days before the two were scheduled to go to arbitration.

The new deal carries an annual average value of $5.75 million, according to Elliotte Friedman, which is a lower AAV than many would have expected the contract to come in at. It is likely the trade-off for the extended length of the contract.

Adam Pelech had just finished the final year of a four-year, $6.4 million contract he had signed back in 2017.

Pelech headlined a group of key restricted free agents that the Islanders needed to re-sign for next season. Anthony Beauvillier and Ilya Sorokin are also among that group.

Adam Pelech was expected to get the biggest raise of the three considering his importance to the team. Pelech has been pair of the Islanders’ top defensive pair along with Ryan Pulock, who have both logged big minutes.

#Isles News: The New York Islanders announced today that Adam Pelech has agreed to terms on an eight-year contract.https://t.co/JqiJEWnM38

— New York Islanders (@NYIslanders) August 6, 2021

Pelech finished second on the Islanders in total ice-time during the playoffs this past season. He averaged 23:18 during the postseason and 21:03 during the regular season.

Adam Pelech’s strong suit is no his offensive skills, but the 26-year-old defenseman did have 14 points (four goals and 10 assists) in 56 regular- season games. He added another goal and five points during the playoffs.

It’s his defensive prowess that has made the most waves when he is out on the ice. Pelech’s ability to make the smart play in the defensive end of the ice has helped the Islanders on more than one occasion and his ability to use his size and reach have come in handy plenty.

Pelech finished 17th in Norris Trophy voting last season as well.

The new deal ensures that Pelech will remain an Islander through the 2028-29 NHL season. Adam Pelech was drafted by the Islanders in the third round of the 2012 NHL Draft and began his pro career with the then Bridgeport Sound Tigers.

Staying in the family.

Congratulations to Adam Pelech on his new deal to stay with the @NYIslanders! #AHLGrad pic.twitter.com/ISqDScFphr

— Bridgeport Islanders (@AHLIslanders) August 6, 2021

NYI Hockey Now LOADED: 08.07.2021 1219162 New York Rangers

Rangers sign restricted free agents Adam Huska, Tim Gettinger and Ty Ronning

By Colin Stephenson [email protected] @ColinSNewsday

Updated August 6, 2021 2:30 PM

The Rangers announced Friday they have signed three restricted free agents to one-year contracts. Goaltender Adam Huska and forwards Tim Gettinger and Ty Ronning all spent last season with the Rangers’ Hartford Wolf Pack farm team, though Gettinger, 23, played two games with the Rangers and has played eight games with the Blueshirts over the past three seasons.

Huska, 24, played college hockey for UConn before signing with the Rangers in 2019. He played in 13 games for Hartford last season, going 9-4 with a 2.70 goals-against average and .890 save percentage. He also played in three games with HKM Zvolen in and played for Slovakia in the World Championships.

Gettinger, a 6-6, 218-pound left wing, scored nine goals with 10 assists in 23 games for Hartford last season.

Ronning, 23, had 10 goals and eight assists in 18 games for Hartford. He is the son of former NHLer Cliff Ronning.

Newsday LOADED: LOADED: 08.07.2021 1219163 New York Rangers Defensemen Ryan Lindgren-Adam Fox

K’Andre Miller-Jacob Trouba Rangers offseason depth chart 3.0: How will Chris Drury further shake up the roster? Patrik Nemeth-Nils Lundkvist

Extras: Jarred Tinordi, Libor Hájek

By Rick Carpiniello Goalies

Aug 6, 2021 Igor Shesterkin, Alexandar Georgiev, Keith Kinkaid

Starting with the keepers, there’s no way the Rangers are carrying three goalies into the season. That was a disaster the year before last for Predicting the Rangers’ opening-night roster is like rapid-fire skeet David Quinn, and it would be for any coach. Not happening. So unless shooting. You’re always trying to hit quickly moving targets. Georgiev is traded (possible, indeed), Kinkaid starts in Hartford. And the Rangers’ 2021-22 roster is moving in many ways. It will change The defense is pretty simple, and there shouldn’t be a need to keep more again, perhaps dramatically so, by the time training camp opens in mid- than seven around. The additions of Nemeth, a big-bodied, reliable September — which isn’t far off. defender and penalty killer; Tinordi, a bigger, much tougher customer So we get to roster projection 3.0, just a few weeks removed from 2.0 who can’t be in the top six regularly; and the skilled rookie Lundkvist pre-free agency, which was drastically different than 1.0 would have almost surely mean minor-league seasoning for Jones, Hájek, Braden been pre-draft/pre-expansion draft. We’ll certainly be doing 4.0 soon. Schneider, Robertson and all the rest of the stable of young defensemen from which to deal. I firmly believe that team president/GM Chris Drury wants more. He wants different. Each of his next moves, or move in the event it’s a If Lundkvist is beaten out by Jones or by Schneider (it would be a long blockbuster (Jack Eichel) will trickle down, will cost current players off the shot), so be it. Of course, some could be in Buffalo when camp begins. It roster, will create changes in roles, and methinks we’ll be using the makes zero sense for a kid like Jones or Schneider to stick around as an virtual eraser, the electronic version of Wite-Out, and reshuffling the deck extra defenseman. None. They’d be much better served playing top again. minutes with the Wolf Pack.

Right off the bat, let’s get to Eichel — and yes, I am getting tired of going But the rest of the regular defense pairs, if healthy, are quite set in stone through this episode. If he comes, the Rangers will very likely be trading and simple. Ryan Strome and losing some of their top young players/prospects Up front is where it gets trickiest. (some combo of Filip Chytil, maybe Vitali Kravtsov, Nils Lundkvist, Matthew Robertson, Zac Jones, Alexandar Georgiev). Strome’s name has been out there in rumors all summer, but I don’t see him going anywhere at all unless Drury does indeed get Eichel or another Then coach Gerard Gallant will have to scoop up the pieces and figure top center. Strome is better than a lot of the other centers that could be out which goes where, while Drury figures out how the hell he’s going to available, though, and he has such good mojo with Panarin that Panarin deal with Mika Zibanejad, who can’t possibly fit under the cap after this would be extra upset if Strome is dealt in a somewhat lateral move. season when his contract is up … and then how the hell does he replace Remember, Panarin is already ticked off about the booting of Pavel Zibanejad? Buchnevich to St. Louis. But that’s a question for another time … and I’m certainly on record with I’m going to say this right from the jump: If the additions of Hunt, McKegg my thought that Eichel (with his bad neck and $10 million cap hit) minus or even Blais, means no regular spot for Morgan Barron, or worse a start Zibanejad minus a bunch of prospects equals a downgrade. in Hartford, then that’s just a shame. Because this big kid is ready to play Let’s operate pre-Eichel, and keep in mind that if the Eichel thing never a heavy game in the NHL and provide some offense, more than any of works out, Drury may look elsewhere for an upgrade in his top six those guys. On the other hand, the beefing-up gives Will Cuylle, 19, a forwards, still willing to deal from the organization’s strength — the power forward of the future, a chance to start in the minors where he cupboard of young players it has built up since the rebuild began in 2018. probably belongs … for now. And it certainly keeps first-round pick That collection cannot possibly fit on the same roster all at once anyway, Brennan Othmann in junior (he played last season in Switzerland due to so it’s almost incumbent upon Drury to deal some of them. the OHL’s COVID-19 shutdown). There probably won’t be a need to keep more than one extra forward on the roster unless Reaves is not going to We also have to deal with all the new muscle and straight-ahead players be an every-night player. Drury has brought in — Barclay Goodrow, Sammy Blais, Ryan Reaves, Dryden Hunt, Greg McKegg — guys who are going to kick a lot of I do believe all the changes also mean a start in the Connecticut capital forwards out of the bottom six. And with Artemi Panarin, Alexis Lafrenière for Julien Gauthier, who just doesn’t fit the bottom-six role at all, and who and Chris Kreider all left wingers, the assumption is that somebody will isn’t nearly good enough to break into the top six. Maybe Gallant and have to switch to the right. To me, that’s Kreider (unless he slots down to Drury’s reshaped front office see this differently. I don’t. the third line, which is not out of the question in my mind). Panarin’s not The Rangers haven’t found a suitable right winger for Panarin and switching, and I think it would be better for the kid Lafrenière to remain on Strome since Jesper Fast was let go (big mistake, it turns out, for surely his natural side as he still learns to play the 200-foot game (and he will) even if not a top-sixer, Fast greatly would fit what Drury is trying to collect at this level. Kreider, I think, would also benefit from shooting from his off- now). wing, his stick blade and the puck toward the middle of the ice, rather than toward the left wall. I’ve always felt that playing your off-wing can be So that brings us to Kakko and Kravtsov, one of whom has to fit there a great weapon. Panarin, a righty playing the left, sure seems to do OK right away or fit on Zibanejad’s right if Kreider slides up or down in the that way, no? lineup. When I say “up” I mean in Fast’s old slot on the Panarin-Strome line. I think he’d be a terrific fit there, too. So let’s take some shots here, knowing full well that some of these are going to be wrong, and some of these names are going to be gone: Buchnevich doesn’t live here anymore, and so the Rangers have to plug that hole in the top six. That all said, there’s no reason Kakko and Forwards Kravtsov can’t be projected onto the top two lines. Alexis Lafrenière-Mika Zibanejad-Chris Kreider The third line is where it gets tricky, again, because Chytil sure doesn’t Artemi Panarin-Ryan Strome-Kaapo Kakko seem to fit there anymore, either as a center or a winger, not with Goodrow, who can play either position, and not with Kravtsov or Kakko. Barclay Goodrow-Filip Chytil-Vitali Kravtsov Nope, Gallant and Drury are going to want a lot more “punish” in that line, and that might mean one finesse player. It might mean none. To repeat Morgan Barron/Sammy Blais-Kevin Rooney-Ryan Reaves once more, if Eichel arrives, some of those guys (but not Kakko) will be Extras: Julien Gauthier, Dryden Hunt, Greg McKegg gone. I suggested last time that if both Kravtsov and Kakko can grab the right sides of the top two lines, having Kreider slot down with Goodrow and another of the newcomers (or Barron) would give the Rangers some serious forecheck and size on that third line.

On the fourth, Reaves is going to be a necessary evil most nights (especially opening night), and you can fill in the blanks as to which new grit players, and Rooney, fit on that trio. It ought to be much better, and better devised, and more prototypical, than the fourth line was at any point last season.

So now that I’ve thrown all of that against the proverbial wall, let’s sit back and wait for Drury to make the move(s) that will force us to attempt this exercise again. Because it sure seems that’s going to happen.

The Athletic LOADED: 08.07.2021 1219164 NHL your answer. The one that the Flyers came up with was about a monster that they discovered beneath their stadium while doing renovations. Upon finding his lair, the team invited him up for a game. Not a polished tale, not a polished character, but polish is not what the Flyers wanted. The Mascot Whisperer The biggest question, of course, was what this creature would look like. It Dave Raymond practically invented the modern sports mascot. And over had to convey the brand’s image, Raymond explained, but more four decades, he has built a career on helping pro teams bring them to important, it had to look unlike any other mascot out there. The ones with life. the most distinct appearances are the ones that make the most memorable impressions. That’s Principle No. 3. The Flyers, Raymond

says, are the personification of hockey itself: “plodding and big and hulky By Max Rubin and weird.” So the team’s designers gave their monster a massive, bulging body and a severe underbite. They gave him an excessive Aug. 6, 2021 orange neck beard and swinging, deranged eyeballs. They gave him a bellybutton that could change colors. And then they gave him a name —

a name that might have been a bit too on the nose, had they given him a In America’s four major sports leagues, about nine out of every 10 teams nose. They named him Gritty. have a mascot. As for the holdouts, they seem to believe that inanity has When Gritty debuted on Sept. 24, 2018, he looked so unrepentantly no place in their brands. The New York Yankees, who take corporate- strange, so unlike what we have been conditioned to expect a mascot to management levels of pride in policing their players’ facial hair, are too be, that he instantly became a viral subject of derision. Then, just as self-consciously dignified for a mascot. The Los Angeles Lakers are too suddenly, he became the subject of deep, intense adulation — the Hollywood for one, to the extent that they use Jack Nicholson instead. unofficial mascot of the internet itself, and then, incredibly, the adopted And until 2018, this was very much the case for the Philadelphia Flyers. mascot of the political far left, who saw in him an irascible oversize While the Yankees are too august for a mascot and the Lakers are too orange oaf they could claim as their own. So breathless was the public’s slick, the Flyers were too brutish. They made their reputation with a reaction to Gritty that it ran Raymond’s three-month gantlet, from brawling, bruising style of hockey, playing what is seen as America’s backlash to acceptance, in 24 hours. most hardscrabble sport in a place that sees itself as America’s most Like no mascot before him, Gritty demonstrated an uncanny ability to hardscrabble city; a mascot would simply be incongruous with the team’s capture the zeitgeist. He harnessed all the standard mascot tropes and image. That’s the stance the Flyers took for decades, regardless of how redirected them toward chaos: streaking across the ice, firing his T-shirt much it was losing them in merchandise revenue and earned media and cannon at point-blank range, warning the Pittsburgh Penguins’ mascot to community outreach. “sleep with one eye open.” Much of the credit here belongs to the But when the Philadelphia Eagles finally won their first Super Bowl three performer who brings Gritty to life. The Flyers refuse to reveal their years ago, the welcome-home celebration was led by the city’s pro- performer’s identity, but they at least admit such a person exists. Many sports mascots. Only the Flyers had no representation. This, the front organizations won’t even go that far; to maintain the illusion that their office resolved, was the kind of thing they could no longer afford to miss mascots move sentiently among us, the person on the payroll is out on. Their first call was obvious. sometimes known as the mascot’s “best friend.” And as Raymond demonstrated with the Phanatic, you don’t become a great mascot For the first 17 years of his career, a man named Dave Raymond worked without a great best friend. That’s his fourth and final principle: Find the just across the street, for the . There, Raymond right performer. portrayed a mascot. You could say he portrayed the mascot — in the pantheon of America’s furry avatars, none is more iconic than the Phillie A mascot as sensational as Gritty comes along once in a generation — Phanatic, a lumpy, waddling, bright green birdlike creature with a big, once in a career, if you’re lucky. Raymond has known it twice, with 40 trumpeting snout and a red tongue that unfurls like a party blower. years of steady success in between. At 65, he is far and away the most Raymond taught the Phanatic what became his signature moves: how to influential person in the mascot world: Not only does he consult with whomp his paunch, how to suction a plunger to the head of a bald man, teams and agencies to create new mascots (and update old, offensive how to stand at a distance and land rings on the plunger. His work was ones), he also runs a boot camp for performers out of the Mascot Hall of such a revelation that it not only established the industry standard, it Fame, which he founded, in Indiana. Raymond’s career is so singular basically established the industry — before 1978, when the Phillies that it offers its own sort of answer to the most puzzling question about introduced the Phanatic, pro-sports mascots were still quite rare. this whole enterprise: How has this inherently ludicrous marketing gimmick endeared itself so thoroughly and lucratively to American sports In the years after he stopped performing, Raymond reverse-engineered culture? Indeed, the reach of Raymond’s influence is so wide that it’s the Phanatic’s success and distilled it into a four-step process for almost hard to be an American without having come into contact with his developing mascots from scratch. He has since used this process to help work in some form or another, even if you probably never knew it. create more than 130 characters. Teams in Major League Baseball, the N.B.A., the N.H.L., minor-league affiliates, university athletics programs, Not that Raymond needs the credit. On the contrary. Once you’ve looked pharmaceutical companies, health care networks and banks — they pay through a mascot’s eyes, success means getting people to forget you’re Raymond good money to materialize their institutional ideals into furry even there. form. The Flyers were already familiar with Raymond’s work because he It is easy to see mascots as simple, goofy entertainment. That’s how had recently helped create a mascot for one of their minor-league teams. Raymond saw it when he first stepped inside the Phanatic 43 years ago. So they asked him to perform his trademark consultation, the Mascot But with every grown man who would approach him and ask for a hug, Intervention, in which he guides clients through his four steps. It was with every child who would smile for the first time in days when he visited particularly important that the Flyers followed it too, because anytime a her at the hospital, it became increasingly clear: More than storied franchise with a committed fan base introduces a mascot, the entertainment, mascots are about emotional connection. They are about initial response is always backlash. trust — between fan and team, between audience and institution. “All of Raymond told the Flyers this at the outset. It was the very first thing he that emotion that is built up in your team gets funneled right down to that said: “You guys know we’re going to get creamed, right?” He said they symbol,” Raymond says. “They’re inviting you to come in and hug and could roll out the next Phanatic, and it wouldn’t make any difference — a interact physically with a piece of the team.” team like theirs needed to prepare for a reaction that could last up to This, of course, made much of the last year and a half rather tricky for the three months. But Joe Heller, then the Flyers’ vice president for industry, since the very thing that makes mascots work was rendered marketing, said the team was ready for it, and Raymond knew right then effectively illicit. So now that stadiums and arenas are again operating at that it was going to work, because the only projects he has worked on full capacity, mascots all across the country are finding themselves the that have ever failed, he says, are the ones that didn’t have the full focus of a heightened degree of exuberance. support of their organizations. That’s his first principle: complete commitment to the initiative. This was plainly evident in early June, when Raymond attended his first Phillies game since the start of the pandemic. Citizens Bank Park, where The second is building a back story. That’s the best way to combat the the team plays, had opened to full capacity only two days earlier, so the criticism you’re going to get. “It will always be Why,” Raymond says. “We crowd was unusually large. Yet spotting the Phanatic in the stands was hate it. It looks terrible. Why did you make it look like that?” Your story is quite simple — you just had to locate the section that was looking she and her partner also offered the copyright to the costume, which the somewhere other than the field. All through the evening the Phanatic was front office quickly declined. (The copyright is currently the subject of a encircled in a practical halo of humanity, like a politician in a campaign legal dispute between the two parties.) Then she asked them to send her scrum. He couldn’t make it five feet without a young woman jumping up their performer for a fitting. and down at the sight of him or a father thrusting his baby out to be held for a photo. “This is really what the Phanatic has always done and what a The Phillies were momentarily stumped. They hadn’t even thought to hire good character does: He laser-points,” Raymond said from his seat just anyone for the job. They did, however, have that intern over in behind the Phillies dugout. “Very rarely do you not see someone looking promotions — the one who seemed comfortable in just about any up and watching when the Phanatic is there.” situation, the one who was kind of a wiseass, the one who talked too much. What Raymond’s bosses didn’t know is that he had already spent Of all of Raymond’s personal qualities that have been absorbed into the a lifetime in training for the role. His mother was deaf, and though a template for a good mascot, this ability to attract attention is the most hearing aid provided some help, with a son like hers, help wasn’t always pronounced. The Phillies first noticed it in 1976, when, as a sophomore in what she wanted; to tune him out in his teenage years, she’d often just college, he got an internship in the team’s promotions department. He felt turn the hearing aid off. And it was in these moments, gesticulating wildly immediately at home in the organization, because Raymond is the sort of to make his point by any means possible, that Raymond developed a guy who feels at home wherever he goes. The reason for this is the rather emphatic nonverbal vocabulary. same as the reason he got the internship in the first place: His father was Tubby Raymond, the legendary football coach for the University of Indeed, the Phillies could not have found a better best friend for the Delaware. Tubby led Delaware’s football program for 36 years, from Phanatic had they put out a casting call. The moment Raymond inhabited 1966 to 2002, a tenure of staggering longevity and equally staggering the character he had a natural understanding of exactly what to do. The success: 300 wins, three national championships and induction into the fans loved his wiseass pantomime. It was like watching a jester in court. College Football Hall of Fame. When Dave was young, his father was the Only it was more than that. It was vicarious. The Phanatic got to do all most revered man in Newark, Del., an institution unto himself. All the the things any fan would want to. He stood atop the dugout and taunted bigwigs — the university president, the mayor, Joe Biden — they all opposing players. He rode around the infield on an A.T.V. He was a knew who to stand beside when they needed a favorablephoto op. Dave conduit of spectator desire. grew up as the prince of the town, the kid who was welcomed wherever This made the Phanatic something new in American sports. He was not he went, granted privilege to bend the norms that other children were only a living embodiment of the Phillies; he was a living embodiment of bound by. He knew it, too. “I was always a little bit of a wiseass,” he says. Phillies fandom too. It was through him that the two took form, “I was disruptive. Teachers were always writing notes: Dave talks too commingled, became one. Fully team and fully supporter. Fully squad much.” and fully fan. As soon as other teams saw the impact this had on When Tubby got his son an internship in the Philadelphia Phillies’ attendance and merchandise sales, it wasn’t long before Muppet-looking promotions department, it was that same disruptive wiseass who started mascots were ubiquitous, using the precise template Raymond provided: showing up to meetings. The Phillies were a force in those years — Mike one part silence, one part scalawag; one shake mother, one shake Schmidt in his prime, Steve Carlton and Tug McGraw on the mound — father. For the Phillies, it was clear that this idea had a value they’d never but the front office was concerned about flagging youth attendance imagined. Unfortunately for them, it was clear to Bonnie Erickson too. numbers. So the team told promotions to get creative. When they eventually bought the copyright in 1984, the new price was $215,000. Out in San Diego, a minor celebrity had recently been made of another college kid, one named Ted Giannoulas. A local radio station called KGB In his 16 years as the Phanatic, Raymond developed an entire had recently run an Easter promotion at the San Diego Zoo, and it hired profession’s worth of best practices for himself. But as more and more Giannoulas to dress up as a chicken and distribute eggs. It was teams began introducing characters of their own, he noticed that they supposed to be a one-off gig, but Giannoulas began scheming about how mostly had no idea what they were doing, and he watched as the annals he could leverage the costume to get things he wanted. What he wanted of mascotry filled with failed characters and ill-advised antics. There was was free baseball. Crazy Crab of the San Francisco Giants, with its flaccid pleopods and heinous crustache. There was Souki of the , who Giannoulas approached the radio station with a proposition: If they got resembled nothing so much as a Pez dispenser hexed into him into Padres games, he’d put on the chicken costume and work the consciousness. And every few years another mascot seemed to make crowd. At the time, the Padres were suffering through historically bad headlines for shoving a security guard or discharging a fire extinguisher play, and no one was coming to games anyway. Giannoulas’s proposal into the chest of a sheriff’s deputy, laser-pointing for all the wrong was so low-risk that they didn’t say yes so much as they said sure, fine, reasons. whatever. And at the next home game there he was, a giant chicken roaming the stands. Whenever someone shouted, “Lay one on me,” the So one day in 1994, not long after he retired from performing, Raymond chicken would produce a plastic egg from his underside and present it to sat at his computer, opened a document and began writing down the fan, who would crack the egg open to find a promotional prize from everything he knew about being a good best friend. When he was done, the radio station. Soon, the Padres began inviting Giannoulas to perform the file was 87 pages long, a comprehensive handbook covering all on the field, and it wasn’t long before people started coming to games fronts of mascot performance. He titled it “The Mascot Bible.” And for the just to see him. By the end of the season, attendance had nearly doubled last 25 years, it has served as the primary text for his Mascot Boot Camp, year over year, and the KGB Chicken had become a local phenomenon. where best friends come to become better best friends.

Back in Philadelphia, the Phillies took note. What would happen, they Raymond draws about a dozen students to his biannual trainings, and it wondered, if we had a chicken, too? Only what if it wasn’t a chicken, but was a leaky, prepandemic afternoon when his most recent batch of something original and eccentric and, above all, actually ours? What if students arrived. For years Raymond taught itinerantly, borrowing a the character was not an ambassador from a radio station, but a Phillies college gymnasium or minor-league ballpark for the weekend. But in fan? Not just a fan, but the fan. The consummate fan. The Phanatic. 2013 he got a call from a man who introduced himself as a representative of the mayor of Whiting, Ind., a small industrial town just They wanted a character that was nothing like the mascots already in over the state line from Chicago. The mayor had just discovered a existence, which tended to be literal, unimaginative translations of team website that Raymond had created years before, an online compendium logos into wearable papier-mâché casts. Mr. Met, for example — who of the greatest mascots in sports history, and he told Raymond he had been operational since 1964 — was just a guy who had a baseball wanted to bring the website to life, right there in Whiting. Three years for a head. By comparison, the Phillies wound up with something ago, that’s exactly what happened — in 2018, Raymond and the mayor practically absurdist: green and lumpy and birdlike, six and a half feet tall opened the Mascot Hall of Fame, a gleaming, three-story, 25,000- and, according to its stat sheet, 300 pounds. It looked a little like square-foot, $18 million, unabashedly ridiculous children’s museum Quetzalcoatl and a lot like a Muppet. Indeed, the year that Raymond dedicated to America’s greatest mascots, with a space on the top floor started with the Phillies was the year “The Muppet Show” premiered on for the new, permanent home of Mascot Boot Camp. TV, and to build the Phanatic the team called Jim Henson himself. As Raymond tells it, the Phillies explained their vision to Henson, and at the After Raymond ran his new students through a series of warm-up drills, end of the call he sent them over to Bonnie Erickson, erstwhile head of he instructed them to suit up, and a moment later a chicken, a grizzly the Muppet Workshop, who had been responsible for designing Miss bear, two aliens, a tiger, the sun and some sort of human-wave hybrid Piggy. Erickson and her creative partner fiddled with the concept, and named Crimson Joe were all standing at the ready. Only that wasn’t quite when the team signed off, she built the suit. For an extra grand or two, right. As Raymond quickly pointed out, a cardinal rule of the job is that mascots must never stand still. Their expressions are static and their voices are mute, so motion is their one true tool.

They tried again: Raymond instructed his students to suit up, and a moment later a chicken, a grizzly bear, two aliens, a tiger, the sun and Crimson Joe were all pumping their fists and doing the worm. “Next thing we’re going to do is we’ll sample a few emotions with our heads on,” Raymond said, and he summoned the mascots forward one by one. “Oscar,” Raymond called out, and the tiger stepped forth. “Oscar, I want you to show me happy.” On cue, Oscar sprang into the air. He swung his hands up to his mouth and wriggled his toes, bouncing up and down, his feet aflutter. Raymond laughed in delight. The aliens applauded. Crimson Joe nodded his massive, cresting head. Raymond continued calling out emotions. “You’re frustrated,” he prompted next, and Oscar swiped a paw at Crimson Joe. Then Raymond said, “Now show me cocky,” and Oscar grabbed his tail, slid it between his legs and let it dangle out front.

According to Raymond, enough people possess the skills to do this job well that there are always more candidates for top-tier mascot positions than positions available. He will be the first to tell you this. He isn’t trying to con aspiring best friends into the false promise of a career. Most of his students don’t even have ambitions to go pro. By and large they are performers for their high schools and colleges. For those students who do harbor larger ambitions, though, attending Raymond’s boot camp is a sound networking move, because most of the professional teams that hire him to help build their mascots also task him with finding their performer. When he was working with the Flyers, Raymond was so confident that he knew the right person for the job that he gave the team only one name. Though the Flyers keep the identity of Gritty’s inhabitant a closely guarded secret, this much can be said: Whoever is in there holds a certificate of graduation from America’s pre-eminent mascot- training program.

When a performer is that good, when the costume is unique and the back story built and the organization committed, a mascot becomes more than the sum of its parts. Not only does it embody both fan and team, it reconciles one with the other. “The Christlike thing,” Raymond has called it. He’s joking, but only a little. Through their mascots, organizations take bodily form, so that we may better know them. They provide a bridge between our carnal nature and their incorporeal institutions. There is nothing so grand as existential salvation taking place, of course, but it’s undeniable that mascots bring forth from us a more fervent devotion, a deeper emotional connection.

At Citizens Bank Park in June, I could see it in the widening eyes of the young woman who turned around to see the Phanatic right in front of her, and in the way she almost instinctively started bouncing in place. I could see it in the father’s eagerness as he shoved his baby over for a photo, and then in his heaving red cheeks when the Phanatic lifted the child’s rear up to his snout and quickly jerked his head away in mock disgust. I could see it in the throng of desire that simply wanted to reach out and touch its team after a long plague of isolation.

But I could also see it just behind the Phillies dugout, where Dave Raymond was sitting. Before the game, while out on the field, the Phanatic looked over and located his old best friend. Raymond pointed a finger at the Phanatic. The Phanatic pointed one back. Then, almost in unison, the two looked over at the portly home plate umpire, hunched down and popped their guts out. Back and forth they mimed, as if concocting a plan, one that became clear when Raymond gestured a hand in the ump’s direction. The Phanatic waddled up from behind and extended his hand just like Raymond’s. Then he paused, lifted it slightly, and clenched, giving the ump a quick squeeze, low and inside.

New York Times LOADED: 08.07.2021 1219165 Pittsburgh Penguins that season on the power play. That season, the Penguins — at the onset of the NHL’s so-called “dead puck era” — set a franchise mark for power-play conversions at 26.0%.

Who are the Penguins' best 1-year players? 3. Bryan Smolinski, center, 1995-96

“Smoke” was brought to Pittsburgh during that 1995 offseason, motivated by finances. Veteran forwards and Shawn McEachern SETH RORABAUGH were sent to the Boston Bruins for younger forwards Smolinski and . Friday, Aug. 6, 2021 8:01 a.m. Taking on a secondary role to the likes of superstars such as Lemieux,

Jaromir Jagr and Ron Francis, Smolinski benefited from the Penguins’ Cody Ceci’s tenure with the Penguins pretty much went to script. aggressive approach, setting career-highs for assists (40) and points (64) that season while helping the Penguins reach the Eastern Conference He arrived needing a course correction to his sagging career, figured final. things out, played some solid hockey as a steady right-handed defenseman and cashed in as a free agent. After the season, Smolinski, a restricted free agent, held out for a bigger contract than the Penguins were willing to offer (or were capable of Last week, Ceci joined the Edmonton Oilers by signing a lucrative four- offering). year contract worth $13 million. Just before the start of the 1996-97 season, Smolinski’s signing rights There won’t be a touching video tribute for Ceci when he returns to PPG were dealt to the New York Islanders. Paints Arena as a visitor on April 26, 2022. But he handled his business in a respectable fashion during his sole season with the Penguins. 4. Zigmund Palffy, left winger, 2005-06

Where does he rank among members of the Penguins who spent only The inclusion of Palffy on this list probably will elicit a number of one season in Pittsburgh? reactions, none of them positive.

There’s been a handful of Hockey Hall of Famers and a few All-Stars Coming out of the 2004-05 lockout, the Penguins, aided by the benefit of who had one tour of duty with the Penguins. a salary cap, splurged on a number of star players in free agency, including Palffy, a slick, skilled All-Star winger. This exercise ranks them through no specific criteria except one: They had to spend a full season with the Penguins, even if it was shortened by While the Penguins largely flopped in the standings, Palffy was one of the occasional lockout or pandemic. So, no rental players such as Marian their more productive players. In addition to scoring the 10,000th goal in Hossa or Jarome Iginla are eligible for inclusion. franchise history, Palffy, who often lined up next to rookie center Sidney Crosby, put up 42 points (11 goals, 31 assists) in his first 42 games of (Note: In the interest of good taste, center Michel Briere, who died the season. following his rookie season of 1969-70, was omitted.) The only problem was those were his only 42 games of the season. Here are the Penguins’ all-time best “one-timers:” Midseason, Palffy abruptly “retired” and left the Penguins. He eventually 1. Luc Robitaille, left winger, 1994-95 returned to his native Slovakia to play professionally and even participated in the 2010 Olympics. During the 1994 offseason, the Kings — more specifically Kings great Wayne Gretzky — really wanted to acquire power forward Rick Tocchet. Palffy was universally reviled for quitting on the Penguins by fans and So the Penguins dealt him to the West Coast, but not without a heavy critics but in reality, he returned home to deal with a family emergency price. and to rest his chronically injured shoulder.

That was Robitaille, who by the time he was inducted into the Hockey Sure, Palffy doesn’t quite meet the “whole season” criteria for this list, but Hall of Fame in 2009, was the most prolific left winger in NHL history. his season was pretty good despite its brevity. The hope was Robitaille would mesh with the non-pareil talents of Mario Lemieux, but the Penguins icon sat out the lockout-shortened 1994-95 5. Ab McDonald, left winger, 1967-68 season for health-related reasons. The NHL’s decision to expand and double to 12 teams provided a Regardless, Robitaille, who had a speaking role in the infamous “Sudden chance for McDonald to extend his career. Death” action movie, fared well during his one season with the Penguins. Having helped the Montreal Canadiens and Chicago Black Hawks win He had 23 goals and 42 points in 46 games that season. In 12 the Stanley Cup in the late 1950s and early 1960s, McDonald bounced postseason games, Robitaille recorded 11 points, including seven goals. between the NHL and minor leagues during the mid-1960s. Two of his goals were game-winners, including a crucial score in a 6-5 overtime win against the rival Washington Capitals in Game 5 of an The Penguins claimed the 31-year-old McDonald from the Detroit Red Eastern Conference quarterfinal series. The Penguins entered that game Wings in the 1967 expansion draft and installed him as the first captain in down 3-1 in the series, and that victory spurred them to claim it in seven franchise history. games. Appearing in all 74 games of the Penguins’ inaugural campaign of 1967- After the season, general manager Craig Patrick, motivated by the 68, McDonald led the team in goals with 22 while putting up 59 points. Penguins’ dwindling finances, dealt Robitaille to the deep-pocketed New York Rangers. Part of the return was the next man on this list. After the season, the Penguins, wanting to boost their center depth, dealt McDonald to the St. Louis Blues for Lou Angotti. 2. Sergei Zubov, defenseman, 1995-96 6. Ty Conklin, goaltender, 2007-08 There are a lot of urban legends about Zubov’s tenure with the Penguins. Specifically, why it was so short. When starting goaltender Marc-Andre Fleury suffered a high-ankle sprain in December of 2007, Conklin wasn’t the first person they turned to in Zubov was said to have run afoul of Lemieux and his preferences with hopes of replacing him. regards to the power play. But Zubov long ago dismissed that suggestion. The two even had a chummy moment during Zubov’s Dany Sabourin took over initially but never seemed to nail down the job. induction into the Hockey Hall of Fame in 2019. Joining the team as free agent in the 2007 offseason with the intention of Regardless of the motivation, the Penguins’ decision to move Zubov to serving as the organization’s third goaltender, Conklin largely salvaged the for veteran defenseman Kevin Hatcher during the 1996 the Penguins’ season. By the time he started his first game on Dec. 20, offseason remains one of the worst trades in franchise history. the Penguins were two games over .500 and struggling to maintain a playoff-caliber position in the standings. Injuries limited Zubov to 66 games in 1995-96, but he put up nearly a point per game with 64 points (11 goals, 55 assists). Blessed with a slick set of skates and a blistering slap shot, Zubov collected half of his points Conklin won his first nine starts for the Penguins, including a 2-1 A waterbug of a skater, Sullivan primarily played on the third line but also shootout victory in the snow against the Buffalo Sabres in the first Winter manned the point on the top power-play unit. Appearing in 79 of 82 Classic at Orchard Park. N.Y. on New Year’s Day. games, Sullivan put up a solid 48 points (17 goals, 31 assists).

In all, Conklin played in 33 games that season and posted an 18-8-5 After the season, Sullivan joined the Phoenix Coyotes as an unrestricted record as well as a 2.51 goals against average, a .923 save percentage free agent. and two shutouts. Honorable mention: Lou Angotti, center (1968-69); Tim Horton, By the time Fleury recovered and returned to the lineup, Conklin’s stable defenseman (1971-72); Bob Leiter, center (1971-72); Miroslav Satan, play helped the Penguins win the Atlantic Division and eventually reach winger (2008-09); Dave Tippett, center (1992-93) the Stanley Cup Final for the third time in franchise history. Tribune Review LOADED: 08.07.2021 A few weeks after losing to the Red Wings in the Final, Conklin and Hossa went to Detroit as free agents.

7. Charlie Burns, center, 1968-69

A native of Detroit, Burns was one of the relatively few American-born players in the NHL during the so-called “original six” era. In fact, he was the first Detroiter to play for the Red Wings.

The 1967 expansion provided him a greater opportunity to play. A member of the Oakland Seals during that franchise’s inaugural season of 1967-68, Burns, a strong skater and a steady penalty killer, was acquired by the Penguins the following offseason in the intra-league draft.

One of the first players in NHL history to wear a helmet — during his junior career, he suffered a head injury that required the insertion of a metal plate — Burns enjoyed the most prolific season of his NHL career in Pittsburgh. Playing in all 76 games, Burns scored 51 points (13 goals, 38 assists), one short of right-winger Ken Schinkel’s team-leading 52 points.

Burns was on the move again in the 1969 offseason as the claimed him in another intra-league draft.

8. Cody Ceci, defenseman, 2020-21

Struggling in one season with the in 2019-20, Ceci faced an uncertain future during the 2020 offseason due to the pandemic.

The Penguins took a chance on him, signing him to a one-year contract. Giving him fewer minutes than he typically saw with the Maple Leafs and with the , Ceci thrived as a second-pairing defenseman.

Appearing in 53 games, Ceci scored 17 points (four goals, 13 assists), second-most among the team’s defensemen. Most importantly, he brought stability on the right side of the Penguins’ defense and was a staple on the penalty kill.

Last week, Ceci joined the Oilers as a free agent.

9. Doug Brown, right winger, 1993-94

After struggling to stay in the lineup for the unremarkable New Jersey Devils in 1992-93, Brown was without a home for most of the 1993 offseason until the Penguins invited him to training camp in early September.

With Lemieux and Stevens each limited in training camp due to health concerns, Brown took advantage of extra ice time in the preseason and earned a contract by Sept. 28.

While the Penguins won the Northeast Division in 1993-94, they did so with the likes of Lemieux, Stevens and Tocchetsidelined for much of the campaign. Brown took advantage of an elevated role and established a career-best 55 points (18 goals, 37 assists) in 77 games while playing with his brother, defenseman Greg Brown.

After the 1994-95 lockout ended, Brown was claimed by the Red Wings in a waiver draft.

10. Steve Sullivan, left winger, 2011-12

When he signed with the Penguins in July of 2011, Sullivan was basically a consolation prize.

The Penguins, for weeks, had been courting Jaromir Jagr for a potential reunion, only to be spurned as he balked at their contract offer. With Jagr ultimately joining the rival Philadelphia Flyers, Penguins general manager Ray Shero signed Sullivan, a player he was familiar with from their days as members of the . 1219166 Pittsburgh Penguins “You look at guys like (Pettersson) and John Marino. We think there’s there’s more there. They’re both young players,” Hextall said. “There’s more there than they gave us last year and both–talk to them (last) year– and feel like there’s more there. So we feel in some ways like there’s Hextall Admits He’ll Have to ‘Get Creative’ to Upgrade; Cap Could Push upside in those two players, which could really help solidify our defense.” Friedman IntoLineup But that still leaves a spot.

Friedman had an electric beginning to his Penguins career. It came in a By Dan Kingerski few against his former team, the Philadelphia Flyers, and it sure seemed like at least one side had an ax to grind. The Flyers roughed up Published 17 hours ago on August 6, 2021 Friedman, including Nolan Patrick’s blatant boarding penalty, Shayne Gostisbehere’s late cross-check for which he was suspended, and a fight with Joel Farabee. When given a chance to confirm the Pittsburgh Penguins blue line, general manager Ron Hextall deferred. Right-side defenseman Cody After all that over a few games, Friedman had to be helped off the ice Ceci signed a four-year deal with the Edmonton Oilers at the outset of when he got the worst of his own attempted open-ice hit. Friedman NHL free agency, and the Penguins salary cap crunch has otherwise suffered an upper-body injury, likely a concussion, and missed the next limited their ability to go shopping on the NHL trade front. several weeks.

The Penguins probably have about $871k of salary cap space, though However, Friedman also scored a pretty goal, added an assist. He PuckPedia shows them with 14 forwards and $121k in salary cap space. scored three points (2-1-3) in the five games he played for the Penguins The Penguins will likely demote a forward to the AHL, possibly depth and can play both sides. He’s an intriguing asset but has not yet forward Sam Lafferty, and recoup that $750,000, and keep 13 forwards established himself as an every-game player in the NHL at 25-years-old. on the roster. Ruhwedel is another solid defenseman in shorter bursts. It looked like he An offseason ago, the Penguins and former GM Jim Rutherford postured would get a shot to be an everyday blueliner. He’s played at least 41 that depth defenseman Chad Ruhwedel could fill the third-pair role before games twice in his NHL career, both with the Penguins and within the later signing Cody Ceci to a one-year bargain deal. Pittsburgh Hockey last four seasons. Now gave Hextall the same chance on Thursday, but Hextall went in a Creativity hasn’t yet been part of Hextall’s regular operating procedure different direction. with the Pittsburgh Penguins. Perhaps Hextall closes up shop and lets He went immediately to upgrading but also admitted it might not be the offseason play out to see if someone falls to them. Or another team possible without getting creative. realizes they can’t do better than Pettersson and picks up his full salary.

“As I’ve said (to the media) numerous times, we’ll look to upgrade at any Or Friedman plays for the Pittsburgh Penguins on opening night, right position. If we can upgrade on defense, we’ll certainly look at it. We don’t beside Pettersson. It sure seems like things are headed that have much wiggle room in terms of cap space, so we’d have to get way…unless Hextall gets creative. creative,” Hextall said. “But I think Freedy (Mark Friedman) and Chad Pittsburgh Hockey Now LOADED: 08.07.2021 (Ruhwedel) are both guys that we feel can certainly playing in the league along with a guy like Juuso (Riikola) and P.O. (Joseph).”

We’re in the infancy of dealing with Hextall. When we handed him softball (intentionally) to put Friedman into the lineup, we noticed the GM first went to a desire to upgrade it but acknowledged they’d have to get creative or not do it at all.

Earlier this week, PHN confirmed the Penguins’ lack of interest in several RHD free agents, including former Penguins d-man Erik Gudbranson.

Any UFA the Penguins bring in will have to be better than Friedman, or at least Ruhwedel, both of whom are career seventh defensemen.

Actual Salary Cap Space and Upgrades?

Hextall has a bit more than just 850k to spend. Any new defenseman would likely cost the Pittsburgh Penguins Chad Ruhwedel or Mark Friedman via waivers, or the team would recoup their full salary as buried in the AHL. So, add another 750k onto the pile, and the Penguins have about $1.6 million to work with.

No, that’s not usually enough to attract a defenseman truly capable of top-four minutes, but who thought Cody Ceci was that d-man, either? Last October, the Penguins signed Ceci to a one-year “show-me” deal worth $1.25 million. Those results were pretty good, and Ceci will make $3.5 million with Edmonton for the next four years.

A couple of free agents still floating on the market could have that type of rebound in the right situation, including Sam Vatanen, who made just $2 million last season. Maybe, just maybe, the Penguins could squeeze him under the cap.

But Vatanen has every reason to resist taking even less money than he made last season, too.

Hextall also seemed to indicate they expect a step forward from a couple of defensemen. Marcus Pettersson, whose name recently popped up in NHL trade chatter, and John Marino, who had a bit of a sophomore slump.

Hextall seemed hopeful their progression could enhance the backend of the Penguins blue line–even if Marino is called upon to balance Mike Matheson on the second pair. 1219167 San Jose Sharks “Part of the price of being a professional athlete should be: You're not allowed to gamble,” Hill said, referring to any sport and casino wagering. “That’s going to be immensely difficult but, it’s one of those things that have to be done because I’ve seen the credibility of sports destroyed EXPLAINER: How leagues investigate gambling allegations around the world.”

Q: WHAT GOES INTO AN INVESTIGATION?

STEPHEN WHYNO The first step, Hill said, is finding out where a player is placing bets.

AP Hockey Writer “Most of the action is handled by illegal sportsbooks,” he said. "Get into that and get them knowing that and make sure that the player produces Aug. 6, 2021 his phone records and his payments, so you can see where the money is Updated: Aug. 6, 2021 5:33 p.m. going in and out and you can see where the payments are coming from.”

That's easier said than done, but leagues are not alone in conducting these types of investigations. FILE - In this March 26, 2021, file photo, San Jose Sharks left wing Evander Kane moves the puck during the team's NHL hockey game NFL spokesman Brian McCarthy, while declining to detail the league's against the Arizona Coyotes in Glendale, Ariz.T he NHL says it will playbook on investigating, said, “We have a robust monitoring and investigate an allegation made by Kane's wife that he bets on his own information network with multiple sources of information and substantial games and has intentionally tried to lose for gambling profit. resources to ensure compliance with our policies and to detect and investigate improper activity.” That has included security representatives Allegations from his estranged wife that Evander Kane bet on hockey in Nevada for decades and now nationwide. games, including his own, and tried to lose for profit have sparked an NHL investigation into the San Jose Sharks forward's gambling activities. Q: WHO DOES THE ACTUAL INVESTIGATING?

Just what the league will find and how quickly is anyone's guess. Deputy Commissioner Bill Daly said NHL officials “have a number of third-party resources that we regularly employ to monitor betting activities If the investigation reveals Kane bet against his own team, those are on our games. I expect those resources will be utilized as part and parcel uncharted waters for a league that has signed more than a half dozen of the overall investigation” of Kane. partnerships with sportsbooks, data providers and other gambling-related entities since the Supreme Court cleared the way for legalized sports SportRadar is the NHL's “integrity services provider," and there are other betting in 2018. companies in that space, including Genius Sports and US Integrity. In tennis, where match-fixing and betting irregularities came to light in the Q: WHAT HAPPENED IN THIS CASE? past two decades, an independent integrity unit was formed to flag suspicious patterns and dole out punishments. On social media, Anna Kane wrote: “How does the NHL let a compulsive gambling addict still play when he’s obviously throwing games to win Like the International Tennis Integrity Agency, the NHL has agreements money?" and "Can someone ask (Commissioner) Gary Bettman how that in selling data to legal sportsbooks, there could be an obligation to they let a player gamble on his own games? Bet and win with bookies on cooperate with investigations and hand over records beyond privacy laws his own games?” Kane vehemently denied the allegations and said he that are stricter in Europe than North America. would be cleared of any wrongdoing. Several experts said if an athlete does all of their betting illegally or with Q: WHAT IS THE POTENTIAL PUNISHMENT? an off-shore outlet, it could be significantly more difficult to find proof. A whistleblower could help in that department, and integrity companies The gambling case familiar to most U.S. sports fans is that of Pete Rose, often have contacts at so-called “gray market" betting outlets who could who was banned from Major League Baseball for life. The NHL does provide information. have gambling scandals in its history, though it has been a while. Q: HOW OFTEN ARE INVESTIGATIONS ONGOING? NHL coach Rick Tocchet in May 2007 pleaded guilty to conspiracy and promoting gambling and was put on probation for two years for his role in Probably more often than you think. an illegal gambling ring caught by the “Operation Slapshot” undercover police operation while working as an Arizona Coyotes assistant. He was Seth Palansky, vice president of corporate and social responsibility at allowed to return to the NHL the following February on the condition he Conscious Gaming who also has worked for the NFL and Caesars refrained from gambling. Entertainment, said there are currently three insider betting investigations going on in three different jurisdictions — nothing to do with Kane. Boston players Don Gallinger and Billy Taylor were banned in 1948 for betting on the Bruins and reinstated in 1970. Walter Pratt was banned for As recently as this year, Russian tennis player Yana Sizikova was nine games for betting on games, but he wound up in the Hall of Fame. arrested in Paris on suspicion of match-fixing at the 2020 French Open. The NFL investigated and punished Shaw in 2019. Q: WHAT IS THE NHL POLICY ON GAMBLING? NBA referee Tim Donaghy pleaded guilty in 2008 to wire fraud and The collective bargaining agreement includes this sentence: “Gambling transmitting betting information for taking thousands of dollars from a on any NHL Game is prohibited.” This is a fairly common stance for gambler for inside tips on games, including games he worked. He was professional leagues, including the NFL, which suspended Josh Shaw for sentenced to 15 months behind bars. the rest of 2019 and all of 2020 for betting on other games around the league. NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell at the time said: "If you work Q: WHAT MORE CAN BE DONE? in the NFL in any capacity, you may not bet on NFL football.” McCarthy said preventative measures are the start of the NFL’s efforts NHL teams can go as far as prohibiting employees from hockey and Joe Bertolone, executive director of the International Center for operations to the business side from even joining fantasy leagues for Gaming Regulation at UNLV, believes education is the biggest key. money. There is the question of what falls under gambling, given the “Making sure that athletes understand what it is that’s really going on in variety of full-season and daily fantasy gaming options. sport betting is hugely critical,” Bertolone said. “Is it 50% of the puzzle? Is "It absolutely has to be expanded beyond this one line," US Bets sports it 75% of the puzzle? I don’t know. But what I do know is that when betting analyst Chris Altruda said of the NHL policy. “There’s a wide someone is smarter about something, they’re going to be able to prevent latitude of what a player conceivably can and cannot do to that end.” a lot of problems down the road.”

Altruda and other experts wondered if leagues will expand to preventing Palansky's Conscious Gaming wants to take monitoring and enforcement players from betting on any sport. Declan Hill, a professor at the to another level. If a league contracts with the company, it can provide University of New Haven who has written extensively about match fixing the names and information of anyone who should be prevented from and corruption, takes it one step further. gambling on a given sport from placing any bets with the sportsbooks that also opt in. “Our technology works to follow the policies of the league,” Palansky said. “In Evander Kane’s case, he would be able to log on. And if he wants to place a bet on Olympic track and field, he could do that. But if he tries to make a bet on hockey, he couldn’t.”

San Francisco Chronicle LOADED: 08.07.2021 1219168 San Jose Sharks

SAN JOSE SHARKSHow Can Bonino Help Sharks Power Play?

Published 3 hours ago on August 6, 2021By Sheng Peng

Nick Bonino might bring a perhaps surprising element to the San Jose Sharks next year.

Everybody knows about Bonino’s defensive ability: Since 2013, he’s fifth in the NHL in total short-handed minutes, trailing only Luke Glendening, Travis Zajac, Sean Couturier, and Anze Kopitar.

Everybody knows about his faceoff prowess: He’s won 52.8 % of his draws since 2017.

Everybody knows he’s a winner: He won back-to-back Stanley Cups with the Pittsburgh Penguins in 2016 and 2017.

But you should also expect Bonino to help the San Jose Sharks’ power play.

And boy, do the Sharks need it. Over the last two seasons, San Jose has sported the fourth-worst PP in the league.

On the surface, however, Bonino seems ill-suited to help any man advantage out. Over the last four years, he hasn’t been productive at all on the power play: His 0.98 Individual Goals Per 60 is 155th of 192 qualified forwards (350+ 5-on-4 minutes), while his 0.16 Primary Assists and 1.46 Points Per 60 are dead last in ths group.

Is this your king?

Bonino, however, might be just what San Jose Sharks head coach Bob Boughner ordered.

San Jose Hockey Now LOADED: 08.07.2021 1219169 San Jose Sharks

SAN JOSE SHARKSKnyzhov Talks Surgery Recovery, Junk Food Diet, Learning from Karlsson

Published 1 day ago on August 5, 2021By Sheng Peng

Nikolai Knyzhov has been back on the ice for a few weeks now.

At the end of last season, Knyzhov revealed he had been playing with a sports hernia that would require surgery. This surgery would also keep him from representing Team Russia at the World Championships.

“I’ve been working out for a [couple months] now and been feeling great,” Knyzhov told San Jose Hockey Now from Arizona in mid-July.

The 23-year-old defenseman also revealed a second minor surgery besides his sports hernia: “I also had my ankle done. They just basically took away scar tissue from it.”

Knyzhov says he’s fully recovered from both surgeries, good news for a San Jose Sharks squad that’s counting on him to soak up top-four minutes again after a surprising rookie campaign.

So what’s Knyzhov doing in Arizona? The gregarious youngster — who also happens to be a great storyteller — talked about that, while sharing some of the highs and lows in a hockey career that’s already taken him from Siberia to Arizona to Regina to San Jose.

Knyzhov also was an open book about the junk food diet that held him back in his first season in the AHL, when he realized he could really hang at an NHL level, and the most important thing that he’s learned from defensive partner Erik Karlsson.

San Jose Hockey Now LOADED: 08.07.2021 1219170 Seattle Kraken NHL level. So, it depends on what the Kraken prioritizes, but there is flexibility.

That said, flexibility only goes so far. Does the Kraken have four centers Kraken mailbag: Answering your questions about center depth, playoff for four lines that have done it regularly in the NHL? Right now, the team aspirations, vaccine requirements and more appears at least a man short.

I’d expect the Kraken either leapfrogs Beniers to the NHL, or trades for a center in training camp as other teams strive for cap compliance. There’s Aug. 6, 2021 at 6:00 am Updated Aug. 6, 2021 at 9:28 am nothing in free agency the Kraken doesn’t already have.

By Geoff Baker I think it has a chance, but right now I am not penciling the Kraken in for a playoff spot. The goaltending tandem of Philipp Grubauer and Chris

Driedger might be the league’s best while top-four defensemen Adam With the Kraken now inside six weeks until training camp, the team Larsson, Jamie Oleksiak, Mark Giordano and Vince Dunn also look solid. continues seeking roster upgrades with about $16 million in salary cap The two-way play of the forwards brings an added goal prevention space. element important for playoff teams. Offensively, I recently wrote about the number of potential 20-goal scorers the team has and it’s impressive It made depth and routine contractual moves this week, on Thursday – concerns about center depth aside. signing restricted free agent defenseman Will Borgen, 24, to a two-year deal averaging $900,000 annually after selecting the right-handed So, I don’t think the team is far off in a relatively weak Pacific Division. shooter from Buffalo in last month’s expansion draft. Borgen appeared in But importing another proven 25-or-30-goal scorer would ease my 14 games with the Sabres over parts of two seasons and the Kraken concerns substantially. Even if it’s a two-year flyer on Vladimir Tarasenko likes his upside and the fact he’s a right-handed shot on a team needing if the St. Louis Blues ate some money to reduce his annual cap hit to $4 such blueline depth. million or $5 million. Right now, with the offense, there’s an issue with center depth and elite-level goal production, and it was already going to On Wednesday, the Kraken signed former Seattle Thunderbirds center take time for an unfamiliar team to mesh. Plus, the Kraken is asking quite Alex True, 24, taken from San Jose in the same draft, and unrestricted a few players to take on added role responsibility and it’s doubtful they all free-agent defenseman Connor Carrick, 27, each to one-year, two-way succeed. contracts with both likely ticketed for the American Hockey League. True, 24, would earn $750,000 if he plays in the NHL, while Carrick, 27, Some of that lack of proven scoring can be made up for with tenacious, another right-handed blueline shot who spent the past three years with energetic forechecking. We saw how well that worked for teams in the New Jersey, would get $800,000, though both will receive significantly recent playoffs. It’s just tough to play that intensely over 82 games less if assigned to the AHL affiliate. without injuries and burnout. I’d like more scoring added before calling this a playoff team. The team will probably take a long look at True in training camp given the thin roster at his center position. Unlike True, who’s played only 19 The Kraken hired former Buffalo Sabres goalie coach Andrew Allen as a games in the NHL, the older Carrick has appeared in 241 with four teams pro scout a while back and I assumed he’d have the goalie coach job over parts of seven seasons and could frequently help the Kraken with once it presented itself. injury depth. Allen was just in town for recent team meetings and I’m told was quite In fact, some of you have questions about the Kraken’s depth, centers positive about the goalies the team wound up with. Who wouldn’t be, and other stuff. So, let’s get to them. right? Kraken GM Ron Francis told me Allen is definitely in the coaching mix and he expects to announce something within a week. You asked two questions for the price of one but given the importance of vaccinations, I’ll answer both. The Penguins just fired goaltending coach Mike Buckley and he has Kraken front-office ties from assistant GM Jason Botterill’s time with Yes, the team is at least considering a vaccination proof requirement and Pittsburgh. Also, Francis is very close with former Penguins GM Jim holding internal meetings this week and next about such pandemic Rutherford, himself a onetime NHL goalie and a big Buckley backer. And protocols. It’s a very fluid situation, obviously, and the team will be Stephane Waite lost his job in Montreal mid-season, so there are looking for additional state guidance related to its home arena of 17,000- prominent names out there if searching beyond Allen. plus seats and the Community Iceplex practice facility holding 1,000 spectators. Right now, everyone is in a holding pattern waiting to see I’ve told folks the recent playoffs felt like a last hurrah as a Montreal how serious the new Delta variant caseloads become and whether health Canadiens fan. It was great watching them make the final, reconnecting authorities begin shutting things down again. But yes, the Kraken is with longtime friends during games and seeing how happy they made aware it must address vaccinations very soon. people in my native city. But there can’t be outright fandom in any one team when you cover a sport professionally. On your question about centers, no, I don’t think the team is comfortable short-term. It would be different if Yanni Gourde was starting the season I liken it somewhat to the Quebec-born players involved in big plays healthy, but post-surgery, he’ll have minimal on-ice impact before against Montreal in the playoffs for Vegas and Tampa Bay. Though he December or January. grew up cheering for Montreal, I doubt Marc-Andre Fleury was happy for the Canadiens when his mishandling of the puck late in Game 3 cost the The Kraken is essentially banking on Florida’s former third-line center Golden Knights the game and probably a Stanley Cup Finals Alex Wennberg jumping to the top line. That’s a big ask, even coming off appearance. a career-high 17 goals in a shortened season. And I doubt Gourde felt sentimental about Montreal’s first Cup final since Gourde will also be asked to similarly take on a greater top-line role, so 1993 when scoring a key Game 1 goal for the Lightning. Both Fleury and that’s a lot of finger-crossing at one position already. Gourde had personal stakes in different teams that trumped prior Canadiens fandom. Still, plenty of NHL teams lack a true No. 1 centerman. And the Kraken just drafted a potential future one in Matty Beniers from the University of Likewise, I feel a personal stake in the Kraken, even though my job Michigan. There’s still a chance Beniers begins with the Kraken this fall doesn’t permit rooting for them. I’ve spent years chronicling the team’s and helps bridge the gap until Gourde’s anticipated return. birth, and will be paid to critique it closely for a brand new fan base. There’s no room left to cheer for the Canadiens. My life revolves around As an NCAA prospect, Beniers is eligible for the AHL even as a a different NHL team. teenager. So, the Kraken could keep him a month or two and then, if needed, ship him to the AHL for more seasoning once Gourde returns. It Seattle Times LOADED: 08.07.2021 could also keep centerman True out of training camp as that bridge to Gourde if Beniers returns to school.

As you mention, the Kraken also has multiple wingers that can play center. Some are more experienced at key tasks like taking faceoffs, which Mason Appleton and Morgan Geekie haven’t done much at the 1219171 St Louis Blues

Pleau leaving Blues to be advisor with Arizona

Tom Timmermann 15 hrs ago

Larry Pleau, who has been part of the Blues organization since 1997 when he became general manager, is leaving to work with the Arizona Coyotes.

Pleau was named senior advisor to general manager Bill Armstrong, who had been with the Blues prior to joining Arizona before last season. Pleau, 74, was general manager of the Blues for 13 seasons, the longest run in franchise history, until he stepped down in 2010 as took over. After that, Pleau stayed on with the Blues, working in the scouting department. He had been senior advisor of amateur scouting, working closely with Bill Armstrong who oversaw the scouting department, and living in the Boston area. Last season, he had the title of amateur scouting consultant.

“We are thrilled to add Larry to the Coyotes organization,” Bill Armstrong said. “Larry brings a wealth of hockey knowledge and front office experience to our team and he will be a valuable addition to our management group. He will play an important role in helping us build a long-term winning team here in the Valley.”

"We would like to thank Larry Pleau for the 24 years he spent with the Blues organization, both as general manager and as a senior advisor," Doug Armstrong said. "We wish him all the best in his new role with the Arizona Coyotes.”

Pleau won Stanley Cups with three different organizations. He was a player on the Montreal team that won in 1970-71, was in the front office of the New York Rangers when they won in 1993-94 and then was with the Blues for their 2018-19 win.

St Louis Post Dispatch LOADED: 08.07.2021 1219172 St Louis Blues Thomas and Hoffman are in on the forecheck, battling Colorado’s Nathan MacKinnon. Hoffman wins possession and carries the puck back toward the point. As he is doing that, Thomas sets up on the left side of the net, while Tyler Bozak stands off to the right. Blues need to be more physical in front of net, theirs and their opponent’s, next season Hoffman curls at the top of the faceoff circle, and as he eyes up a shot, he has MacKinnon, Sam Girard and Cale Makar standing between him and Grubauer. There are no Blues, however. In fact, defensemen Marco Scandella and Justin Faulk are on the complete opposite side of the ice, By Jeremy Rutherford Aug 6, 2021 uninvolved in the play.

Grubauer has a clear line on Hoffman’s halfhearted shot and turns it If it wasn’t clear to the Blues during the 2020-21 regular season, it was aside with no problem. after they were swept by Colorado in the first round of the playoffs. Jordan Kyrou sets up the offensive zone entry and then hustles to the The offseason was just days old when general manager Doug net. As that’s happening, Ryan O’Reilly puts a cross-ice pass off the wall, Armstrong, coach Craig Berube and assorted players conducted video which becomes the perfect bounce for Colton Parayko’s one-timer. conference interviews with reporters in May. The Athletic asked each one The play is actually developing well. The Blues have to like their chances of them about the lack of physical play in front of the net at both ends of when the 6-foot-6 defenseman is leaning into one. The problem is the ice, and they all agreed it had to be better. Grubauer gets a really good look and makes the initial save. Kyrou does Colorado dominated the four-game series, outscoring the Blues 20-7, so a terrific job of positioning himself for a rebound and getting off a second perhaps the Avalanche would have found a number of ways to win. But shot, though Grubauer makes that save, too. the way they did it, outmuscling and outwilling the Blues in the crease, But look at the pressure from the Avs at the net front: Ryan Graves and was a difference that’s difficult to accept. Tyson Jost are collapsing on Kyrou, while Girard and Mikko Rantanen “You have to go to that area to score goals in the NHL, there’s no are watching the backside. The Blues didn’t have a lot of time to set up question,” Berube said at the time. “You have to go into the paint to shop before Parayko’s one-timer, but on Kyrou’s rebound attempt, there score. I think one of the areas where we need to improve is our desire to are three Avs players between the two Blues (O’Reilly and Barbashev) go in there and not be half-committed. and the net.

“I thought Colorado made it a lot more difficult on (Blues goalie Jordan) The play below happens 100 times in a game, but it’s further evidence of Binnington to see pucks than we made it on the Avalanche goaltenders. what is happening with the Blues. That’s an area that we’re going to have to improve.” The puck comes out to the point, where it’s gathered by Scandella. You In last season’s playoffs, Tampa Bay led the NHL with 14 goals that were can make a case that Jaden Schwartz and Brayden Schenn are creating tipped in. Colorado and Vegas were tied for second with five apiece. The some traffic, and if they get a stick on the puck, it could sneak past Blues had none. Grubauer. Even so, they’re quite a ways from the net, and they’re being defended well by Makar and Toews. The regular season wasn’t much different, with the Blues’ 11 tipped goals ranking 23rd in the league. Scandella’s wrist shot couldn’t have been any easier to handle for Grubauer, and Rantanen is able to flick a backhanded clearing pass out “If you look at the top three teams in (the West) division, they all have a of the Avs’ defensive zone. good net-front presence,” Binnington said. “It’s not easy to do, but it’s part of the game and it’s something we’re going to focus on going O’Reilly wins the faceoff in the offensive zone, and seconds later Vladimir forward and even me personally with screens, handling them better, and Tarasenko is holding the puck at the point. He takes a shot that doesn’t just finding a way to find the puck. We’re all looking to always improve really have a chance of going in, so it’s no surprise when it flutters into and keep growing, so that’s something that’s going to be taken into Grubauer’s glove. consideration.” But look as Tarasenko lines up the ill-advised shot: O’Reilly and This week, I went back and watched the four playoff games between the Barbashev are backing out of the shooting the lane, giving Grubauer a Blues and Avalanche to look for examples at both ends, and there were great look. Once again, the Avs have position, too, with Girard sticking on plenty. Barbashev. Yeah, O’Reilly is there for a rebound opportunity, but on a routine save like this, him being open is pretty meaningless. Now, it’s easy in an exercise like this to cherry-pick possessions — find the ones in which the Blues struggled. In nearly 200 minutes of five-on- This is yet another case of a low-percentage shot from the outside that five ice time in the series, there were times when they did have someone ends with a lost possession. And what makes this one even more working hard in front of the net. disturbing is the fact that the Blues are trailing 3-2 in Game 4, and there are only 10 minutes left in regulation before Colorado completes the But with Colorado carrying a Corsi advantage of 58-42 percent in the four sweep. games, the Avs spent more time in the offensive zone and scored a lot more goals as a result of their net-front presence. Conversely, the Blues Defensive end took a lot of soft shots from the perimeter with no traffic in front, and This was one of the plays we broke down with ex-NHL defenseman goalie Philipp Grubauer rarely tested. Kurtis Foster back in May, but it’s worth looking at again. It’s more a lack Let’s take a look at the video. of coverage than a lack of physicality, but with Scandella and Parayko both being drawn to Rantanen behind the net, MacKinnon is somehow Offensive end left wide open behind the net.

The Blues’ Robert Thomas loses the faceoff in the offensive zone, but The takeaway from this play should be that defensemen aren’t the only Ivan Barbashev is strong on the forecheck and wins the puck back to the ones who need to be assertive in front of the net. Realizing at the last point, where Robert Bortuzzo takes control. Bortuzzo sends it along the second that MacKinnon is slipping into scoring position, O’Reilly pokes blueline to defensive partner Niko Mikkola. his stick in the play, but it’s not nearly enough.

With the puck on Mikkola’s stick, Thomas drifts to the left faceoff circle So between the defensemen being distracted and the forwards looking and Barbashev slips into the slot, but well off Grubauer. Mikkola puts an unaware, the Blues are making it too easy for MacKinnon and too difficult innocent attempt on net, which the goalie sees cleanly. The Avs have two on Binnington. players — Devon Toews and Pierre-Edouard Bellemare — in front of the net in case of any danger. This looks like the Avs’ potent power play, but it’s actually five-on-five. With three zippy passes, they move the puck from behind the Blues’ net The Blues get a friendly bounce on the rebound as the puck ricochets to to the point, setting up MacKinnon for the one-timer. But our focus is the Barbashev. But after Barbashev takes a quick peek and thinks he’s got net front, so let’s look there. Mike Hoffman open, his cross-ice pass is picked off by Toews and the Avs are off the other way. Faulk does give Colorado captain Gabriel Landeskog a shove, but On the defensive end, Berube acknowledged what he thought the issues Landeskog quickly recovers and re-positions himself a possible were last season. deflection. It’s a bang-bang play being made by two all-world players in MacKinnon and Landeskog, so it’s an incredible challenge for Faulk. But “We took up space, but didn’t take up sticks,” he said. “You saw that after his initial contact with Landeskog, he’s left watching the puck sail through that whole Colorado series, the number of deflections. So (Blues into the net. assistant coach Mike) Van Ryn and the defensemen have to come up with a plan — either front those and block those more, or tie up sticks, Let’s keep in mind the big picture here, too. While this is difficult to because those are impossible saves for the goalie when you do neither.” defend, the Avs know after playing the Blues eight times during the regular season that they can go to this area of the ice and get away with That sounds fine, but the Blues still need to use their bodies in their own it. end, and it seems like a mystery as to who will provide that. A healthier Parayko? An up-and-coming Mikkola? Zdeno Chara, anyone? This shot from the point by Graves isn’t all that different from the innocent ones taken by the Blues. But it goes in because of what the Avs are The problem isn’t going away. doing around the net prior to the shot — and what the Blues are not The Athletic LOADED: 08.07.2021 doing.

Landeskog is laying on top of O’Reilly behind the net, and after he gets up, he heads straight to the net. Scandella is caught watching that situation and is then flat-footed when he finally gets to the front of the net. Meanwhile, Joonas Donskoi is also establishing position and runs into little resistance from Parayko.

So when Graves releases the shot, Donskoi is able to get a stick on the puck, and if that deflection doesn’t go in, then Landeskog is between the Blues’ defense and Binnington for a gimme rebound goal.

Once again, the Avalanche are working the puck around like it’s a man advantage, and the Blues are chasing. That happens to a lot of teams against the Avs, but that’s the first problem before the shot is even taken.

Scandella has Rantanen pinned behind the net briefly, but then Rantanen beats him to the front of the net. Then Landeskog, after passing the puck to the point, heads to the crease himself. Now, there are four players — Rantanen, Landeskog, Scandella and O’Reilly — standing within a few feet of Binnington, and when MacKinnon’s shot comes, the goaltender is heavily screened.

So in this case, the Blues have bodies in position, but they’re not doing anything so it’s actually doing more harm than good.

Rantanen carries the puck into the offensive zone, curls, and feeds it back to Girard for a fairly open look. As Girard is eyeing up his shot, Parayko is riding Landeskog out of the play, but Landeskog puts on the brakes and cuts back to the front of the net.

Once again, the Avalanche are showing purpose with their play, and the Blues are not responding with any strength.

Yes, Landeskog’s deflection is another one of brilliance, but with this highlight happening in Game 4, the Blues know what the Avs are doing at this point in the series, and either can’t or won’t doing anything about it.

As I watched the video from this playoff series, it was really glaring how much of an issue the play in front of both nets was for the Blues last season.

In the offensive zone, the player who stuck out to me the most as being willing to go to the front was Schwartz, who, of course, is now gone after signing a five-year, $27.5 million free-agent deal in Seattle.

The Blues have added Pavel Buchnevich in a trade with the New York Rangers and signed Brandon Saad to a five-year, $22.5 million contract. Can they bring the Blues more of a presence in that area? I asked former Rangers coach David Quinn and TV color analyst Eddie Olczyk, who have watched both players up close for many years, that question.

On Buchnevich, Quinn said, “You talk to any coach in the league, and I bet they want every player to go to the net a little bit more, but he will go there.”

Regarding Saad, Olczyk replied, “He does go to the front of the net, he does.”

Perhaps Blues prospect Klim Kostin can play physical in front, too, assuming he can find his way into the lineup this season. Either way, the club can’t just count on the newcomers. Like we saw with Landeskog and Rantanen, it’s incumbent on the veterans who see a lot of ice time.

“It’s just a mindset,” Schenn said in May. “It’s really nothing more than that. You have to want to go to the front of the net to score goals and that’s how goals are scored, especially (in the playoffs). So it’s nothing more than a mindset, I don’t think.” 1219173 Vegas Golden Knights Hakkarainen isn’t giving up his NHL dream. It may be off course, but he’s still hopeful. He’s worked as much on his mind as his body in the last few years, and that’s been key to him moving forward in hockey.

Traded for Marc-André Fleury and unwanted by the Golden Knights, “At the moment right now, I’m in a great headspace,” Hakkarainen said. Mikael Hakkarainen is in a strange situation “When I got the injury after (being on) the taxi squad (last season), it was tough because I felt like I could have had a chance to play games last year if I didn’t get injured. That’s how I felt in my head. It was a huge crush of my dreams. By Scott Powers Aug 6, 2021 “I had a conversation with a psychologist and they’ve helped a lot. It’s not

always easy to love the game because as much as we put in, I put a lot Mikael Hakkarainen was watching TV on his couch at home in Finland of hours, like everyone else, but sometimes it feels like it hasn’t given me when he received a text. much lately.”

The text from a friend read “Vegas.” Ultimately, Hakkarainen doesn’t want to be a trivia answer to a Down Goes Brown trivia question. When the trade is looked back on, he wants Hakkarainen texted back with a question mark. Before he received an people to know his name as well as Fleury’s. answer, he opened his Instagram app and discovered he had been traded from the Chicago Blackhawks to the Vegas Golden Knights for “I feel like there’s a lot of people who don’t believe in me right now Marc-André Fleury. because of what happened the last two years,” Hakkarainen said. “I can’t wait for the day that I prove them wrong.” In that respect, his trade experience mirrored that of Fleury, who found out about the deal via Twitter. In every other, it definitely did not. The Athletic LOADED: 08.07.2021

“He asked who else was included,” Hakkarainen’s agent Jeff Boston said. “I told him it was one for one. It’s not often you get traded one for one for a Hall of Famer.”

Hakkarainen, a 23-year-old forward, was blown away by that piece of info, but there were still more unusual aspects of the trade to learn. As he processed he was leaving the Blackhawks, the team that had drafted and signed him, and began looking forward to a new chapter with the Golden Knights, he discovered Vegas wasn’t actually planning on him playing in its organization. He was being loaned back to the Blackhawks for the upcoming season.

“He will remain in Chicago’s organization,” Golden Knights general manager Kelly McCrimmon said on the day of the trade. “This is more of a situation where NHL teams have a certain number of contracts that they’re allowed, and this keeps that equal in this transaction. He’s going to remain with the Chicago organization and likely play in the American League with Rockford. It will be our contract but he’ll remain a part of their organization.”

The Golden Knights have used a similar process before, but it isn’t that common and certainly was new to Hakkarainen.

“It’s still a little confusing,” said Hakkarainen, a 2018 fifth-round draft choice. “I don’t think I’ve heard of this kind of situation before.”

Hakkarainen understands the trade from a business perspective. The Blackhawks were looking to move out a contract, which has one year remaining on it, and the Golden Knights didn’t envision him playing for their AHL team.

Hakkarainen also understood his play over the last few years wouldn’t make him too attractive. He signed with the Blackhawks out of the USHL, played just 11 games in the AHL and ECHL in his first pro season due to a concussion and a neck injury and then played just 12 games last season due to a foot injury.

Still, there is a human element to it all, and that’s often forgotten.

“This a kid who left Europe at a young age with NHL aspirations,” Boston said. “There were those who advised against it, and he followed his dream. He earned that NHL contract. From a human aspect, not a business one, I want to see him get a chance to play a year healthy and see what he can do.”

It’s all Hakkarainen desires, too. He’ll be fine with wherever he plays this upcoming season. He just wants an opportunity to prove himself. As of now, he’s still not sure what team he’ll play for. He said the Blackhawks said he could play for their ECHL affiliate, the Indy Fuel, and he has some potential European options.

“It’s a weird situation where Chicago has their own players that they want to develop in Rockford, and I’m not with Chicago anymore,” Hakkarainen said. “I feel like they don’t want a player there that’s not theirs. It’s a weird situation because I’ve never had this situation before. It’s crazy. I’m all for going to Indy and developing the best I can and hopefully stay healthy.” 1219174 Washington Capitals Could the Caps retain salary to make a trade more likely? Sure, up to $3.9 million but that's just dead money against the salary cap for the next four years. Washington has been a cap team in its search for a second Stanley Cup so it is shortsighted to view four years of dead cap space as Why a Kuznetsov trade is not as simple as you may think somehow a positive because it would provide momentary cap relief.

Trading away Kuznetsov also means replacing him.

BY J.J. REGAN Kuznetsov is a top-line center. Those don't grow on trees. Nicklas Backstrom continues to play at a high level and can play on the top line,

but that still leaves a hole in the top six that the Caps can't fill internally. When the Capitals fell to the Boston Bruins in five games to end the 2021 Lars Eller is a great player, but he has established himself as a great season, major changes seemed inevitable. The name many people third-line center and that's where he should stay. Eller is not a top-six began to focus on was Evgeny Kuznetsov. But while you may think center on a championship roster and the Caps are not a Stanley Cup trading away a top-line center should be an easy and profitable decision, contender if their top two centers go from Kuznetsov and Backstrom to it is actually far more complicated than many realize and that is why Backstrom and Eller. Prospect Connor McMichael certainly projects to be Kuznetsov looks poised for another year in Washington in 2021-22. a top-six center eventually, but, for now, he has just one game of NHL Kuznetsov had another inconsistent season, scoring just nine goals and experience and one season of AHL experience. He is not ready to step registering 20 assists in 41 games and going without a point in three into a top-six role on a team with Cup aspirations. postseason games. But it's important to remember Kuznetsov twice had The bottom line is that the Caps are in a position where they can only COVID-19 and just how much that impacted his play cannot be trade away Kuznetsov if they get a top-six center as part of the deal or at overstated. However, Kuznetsov's issues in 2021 were not limited to on least have another trade in place or a free agent ready to sign to fill that the ice as he violated the league's health and safety protocols and was role. also benched for a game after being late for a team function. Of course, all of this does not completely rule out a Kuznetsov trade. After the season, general manager Brian MacLellan said of Kuznetsov's History shows that no player is impossible to trade, but trading away an performance, "I think it's been inconsistent for a few years here, and it's inconsistent player with a high cap hit for the next four years while the hurt our team." league has a flat salary cap and somehow getting a top-six center as part "We need [Kuznetsov] to play at his highest ability, and if he can't play at of the deal is a tall order. Don't be surprised if it doesn't happen. his highest ability, we're not going to be a good team and we'd have to Comcast SportsNet.com LOADED: 08.07.2021 make some other decisions," MacLellan added.

On July 25, however, MacLellan clarified his stance on Kuznetsov.

"[Kuznetsov]’s a good player," MacLellan said. "We like the player. I don’t know. We’ve never said we’re trading Kuznetsov. I said we were open to discussions on most of our players on the trade market and if it comes up, it comes up and if it doesn’t make sense, same as always."

Now in early August, the possibility of a Kuznetsov trade appears more and more remote and that's not a huge surprise. Really, this was always going to be a hard one to pull off.

While it seems a player of Kuznetsov's caliber would net the Caps a big return, but it's actually more complicated than that.

First off, every team in the NHL knows about Kuznetsov's inconsistencies and about the off-ice incidents. They also know about the Caps' salary cap constraints. It is not a general manager's job to do anyone any favors and the fact that Washington needed to shed cap space lowers Kuznetsov's trade value. No one is going to offer a motivated seller full value in a trade.

The flat salary cap has also squeezed teams across the NHL and made moving contracts like Kuznetsov's incredibly difficult.

Kuznetsov still has four years remaining on his contract with a $7.8 million cap hit. That ranks among the top 50 cap hits in the league.

Remember Richard Panik? It cost the Caps a first-round pick, a second- round pick and Jakub Vrana to shed Panik's contract and acquire Anthony Mantha and Panik's cap hit is just $2.75 million for the next two years.

Yeah, but Kuznetsov is a top-line center! Surely, that has value, you may be thinking. Not this year.

Look at what it cost teams to shed salary this offseason. Tampa Bay had to trade a second-round draft pick and take on the contract of Brent Seabrook -- a player who will remain on LTIR for the remainder of his contract -- from the Chicago Blackhawks in order to trade away Tyler Johnson who was a key piece in their two Stanley Cup wins. Vegas traded away Marc-Andre Fleury, the reigning Vezina Trophy winner, for a prospect who is unlikely to ever make it to the NHL. That's two prominent players traded away for literally nothing but cap relief.

In today's NHL, acquiring cap space is a major asset. Trading a player like Kuznetsov is not going to net a high return because the Caps would already be getting $7.8 million of cap relief as part of the deal. To opposing general managers, that is the return for Washington. 1219175 Vancouver Canucks Asked to look back on his time in Vancouver, Edler said that he has “so many good memories.”

“It’s been a long time. I’ve been so fortunate to play and to play an Alex Edler admits facing Canucks in Vancouver will be "some kind of important role in the Canucks organization. I’m forever thankful for weird feeling" everything the organization has done for me, Edler said.

“The city has been a great home to me. I’ve started a family there. There are so many things, so many memories, so many players and coaches Steve Ewen and staff who meant so much to me. When I look back at my time with Vancouver Canucks and in Vancouver, it’s a great experience. I couldn’t Publishing date:Aug 06, 2021 • 8 hours ago have asked for more from the city and the organization.”

Vancouver Province: LOADED: 08.07.2021 Combining regular season and playoffs, Alex Edler played 1,007 regular season and playoff games with the Vancouver Canucks.

The 35-year-old defenceman ended his 15-year run with the club by signing a one-year deal as an unrestricted free agent with the Los Angeles Kings last week. He’s slated to play his first game against the Canucks at Rogers Arena on Dec. 6 and on Friday he tried to describe what his emotional state will be that evening in an interview on Sportsnet 650 with hosts Karen Surman and Joey Kenward.

“I don’t know what it’s going to feel like to be honest with you. It’s going to have some kind of weird feeling,” Edler said from his off-season home in Sweden. “I don’t know if I’ll look forward to it. We’ll see when that day comes. It’s going to be a different feeling.”

Only Henrik Sedin (1,330), Daniel Sedin (1,306) and Trevor Linden (1,140) have played more regular season games in Vancouver colours than Edler (925), who was Vancouver’s third-round pick in the 2004 NHL Draft, the same one that brought Canuck fans Cory Schneider and Jannik Hansen.

Edler’s agent Mark Stowe announced on July 16 that his client was going to hit the open market. The premise that Edler might circle back to Vancouver took a considerable hit when the Canucks acquired another left-handed, veteran defenceman with a substantial cap hit (US$7.25 million) in Oliver Ekman-Larsson in a trade with the Arizona Coyotes five days before free agency.

Edler said Friday that he had received a contract offer from the Canucks but he didn’t get into particulars. He’s a US$3.5 million cap hit with the Kings.

Edler had declined to waive his no-trade clause to move from the Canucks in the past, most notably in 2019.

“I think it was time for me to consider doing something else,” Edler said. “I wanted to see if there was anything out there. It was a very different experience. It was a little bit stressful, as I’m sure everyone feels when they go into that.

“I had a conversation with Vancouver. I had an offer from there. I think I knew what the offer would be before (he received it), but I told them that I wanted to see what was out there.”

Edler admitted this past season with the Canucks played a role in him looking at free agency.

The Canucks lost Tyler Toffoli, Chris Tanev and Jacob Markstrom to free agency. They had all been key to the team’s playoff run the previous season. Vancouver went through a COVID-19 outbreak during the campaign. They struggled in the standings.

“For me and our team, I don’t think anyone was happy with last year,” Edler said. “I think it was just a weird year. I didn’t have as much fun as I’ve had before playing hockey.

“I know last year was a different year. But I don’t know … maybe that had something to do with the decision, too.”

Edler didn’t have a timeline on Friday for how much longer he wanted to keep playing after this season. Edler is closing in on milestones. He has 99 career regular season goals and another healthy season could see him eclipse 1,000 regular season games.

“Being 35, it’s hard for me to look too many years forward,” Edler said. “As long as my body feels good, I want to keep playing. I still love the game and I like the competing and winning.

“I’m looking a year at a time right now. Then you divide that year into taking a day at a time.” 1219176 Websites After 2021-22, the escrow debt for the remainder of the current CBA is capped. Players will have a 10 percent escrow debt during the 2022-23 season and then a 6 percent rate for the next three years of the CBA, which can end in 2026 if the escrow balance is paid off. The Athletic / NHL executives fret over season ticket sales as players’ payroll deficit hits $1 billion, signalling flat-cap future If the debt isn’t paid off by 2026, the current CBA will be extended for another season with a higher escrow rate.

Increasing revenue is the key to both eliminating the players’ debt and to By Sean Shapiro Aug 6, 2021 seeing the salary cap resume meaningful growth.

With the books closed on the 2020-21 season, The Athletic spoke to eight team executives — four from each conference — about the The prospect of a full NHL season with fans in the stands is buoying challenges they face and potential solutions for financial recovery in the hopes for a significant — and needed — financial boost next year, but years to come. league executives are raising concerns over a vital driver of revenue: season tickets. The rise of gambling

Despite a new national TV deal in the U.S. and increased sponsorship Team executives list sports gambling as the most important sector to opportunities thanks to the widespread legalization of sports gambling, watch for potential growth. the NHL remains heavily dependent on the box office, which is why ticket sales — particularly of season packages — are a focus heading into “If anyone is thinking seriously about the future of this league or sports in 2021-22. general, that’s where it starts,” one team executive said.

“I think you’ll see everyone selling out to start the season. There’s an For teams in locales where sports gambling is already legal, it’s about appetite and want for live sports, live events — sports and concerts — so finding ways to leverage and build new revenue streams within the in October and November, it’ll be easy to sell. People have been cooped space. One NHL executive, who recently signed a seven-figure up for two seasons; they want to see games,” one team executive said. sponsorship deal with a gambling company, said his team will be back to “But I am worried, frankly, about the December (numbers) and after that. pre-COVID revenues for the 2021-22 season because of the money People missed live events, but I also think people started to notice they brought in by sports gaming companies. didn’t miss going to 41 live events in a season.” NHL teams aren’t generating money from bets themselves. But the Executives of several teams interviewed by The Athletic said they have higher the hockey handle (number of bets placed) can be boosted, the seen a dip in sales of full-season packages. While the overall appetite for higher the valuation will be for deals with gaming companies, which may tickets hasn’t dropped dramatically, they said, the types of packages in pour sponsorship dollars into NHL teams. demand have changed. Meanwhile, in states where sports gambling isn’t legal, teams are Multiple teams have had a higher percentage of partial season-ticket devoting resources to lobbying governments, backing groups that are plans sold — 10- or 20-game packages for example — as opposed to working to legalize betting. full-season tickets. “If you are a team president in a state with legal gambling right now, your “I’ve noticed we have people that were a longtime full-season ticket job is much, much easier over the next couple years after COVID,” one holder that have opted to go to a smaller plan,” another executive said. executive said. “You have a base and a launching pad to actually get “It’s still a customer. It’s still captured dollars, but it’s concerning to me.” back to those pre-COVID numbers — and maybe beyond sooner than later. When we talk around the industry, those who aren’t in legal Attendance will be one financial metric in the spotlight in the coming gambling states are really jealous.” months as the league looks to recover after back-to-back seasons in which the COVID-19 pandemic rocked the NHL and its teams. The league itself is also betting big on sports gambling and hasn’t been shy about working with sportsbooks on official partnerships. That single- By not having anywhere close to the regular number of fans in the stands game sports betting appears to be in the imminent future in Canada is an while playing a partial schedule, the league missed out on more than enticing development for the league. Once legalized, it will open up $3.5 billion in revenue in 2020-21. “thousands of opportunities,” according to a source.

It’s a reality that has led to many teams cutting staff. It’s also having an From a league and team perspective, any uneasiness about perceived effect on the ice as roster construction has been affected by a flat salary seediness in the sports gambling space appears to be gone. cap. And if revenues don’t make a dramatic improvement, the cap might not rise substantially for four or five seasons. What remains a concern, though, is finding a way to make gaming more inclusive in attracting new bettors. There’s an intimidation factor about The players, according to multiple sources, owe the league sports gambling, which mobile betting has dulled a bit. There’s also been approximately $1 billion. Until that $1 billion in salaries is paid back, the a deep dive into the impact “bro culture,” as one team executive put it, cap can only rise by $1 million per year. Even that modest increase can has on marketing materials. only happen if hockey-related revenue for the prior season surpasses $4.8 billion per the agreement the league and players signed in the “A lot of women feel like they’re entering a frat house to participate,” they summer of 2020. That is likely to happen in the coming season, said. “Every commercial from DraftKings or FanDuel seems to according to a report this week by the Daily Faceoff’s Frank Seravalli. accentuate bro culture, which is drawing in lots of money, of course, but also may be limiting or gatekeeping out others that would probably For a quick CBA refresher: Players and owners have agreed to a 50-50 actually give it a try and maybe watch more games if it wasn’t marketed split of hockey-related revenue (HRR). Since player contracts are signed that way.” before HRR is determined, a portion of player contracts is held in escrow. At season’s end, portions of this money are returned to owners and The promise of jersey ads players depending on the final HRR tally to satisfy the 50-50 ratio. Whenever anyone connected to the league discusses the introduction of The financial effects of the pandemic, however, created a considerably jerseys advertisements, it is inevitably followed by an outpouring on deeper deficit than the players have faced in the past. As a result, social media against the concept. escrow, which has typically been set at around 11 percent, was collected The NHL executives interviewed for this article are not concerned about at 20 percent during the 2020-21 season (thus, a $1 million contract was a potential backlash. actually worth $800,000). “Anyone that’s actually going to stop watching the sport or not buy a For the coming season, the escrow rate will be between 14 and 18 jersey because of advertisement is either lying or didn’t really watch it in percent depending on the final HRR total for 2020-21, which is still to be the first place,” one team executive said. “It happened with the helmet finalized. Multiple agents told The Athletic they are telling their clients to sponsorship: We heard about it on social media for a couple of days, and prepare for an escrow rate closer to 18 percent in 2021-22. then, guess what, after two days, no one cared.” One NHL team source said they were expecting it to land at 17.5 percent. There is a difference between ads on a helmet and a jersey, but another sharing a network, Bally Sports Detroit, with MLB’s Tigers and the NBA’s team executive pointed to the NBA and international soccer, where Pistons. jersey sales haven’t been hindered by advertisement patches. “That’s the deal I want to see play out because that’ll tell us a lot of where Jersey advertisement in the NHL will likely start small, with patches this is going,” one team executive said. “Detroit is going to be sort of the similar to those on NBA jerseys, and the league is going to be careful guinea pig for teams that have deals up in the coming years. If you have about which sponsors are eligible for that space. Right now, for example, three to four years left on your TV deal, you are in the right place.” teams aren’t allowed to sell helmet sponsorships to gambling companies. The NFT experiment The valuation of a jersey patch is going to depend greatly on market and what other activations are attached. For a team in a major market, the Non-fungible tokens are still a different space for NHL teams. Executives patch itself could carry close to a $3 million valuation per season; with who spoke to The Athletic for this story had varying opinions on where other activations, it could flirt with as much as $10 million per season, NFTs fit as a viable revenue-driving opportunity for teams. sources said. Some viewed it as a fad and noted that most of the NFT projects, in their “I think that’s the key with jersey patches,” one team executive said. “You view, are just digital art attached to other real-world experiences, like need to make it the centerpiece of a larger deal. You need to be able to season tickets or meet-and-greets. offer more than just a small patch because that’s how you are going to be “Things that you could just sell without the crypto piece,” one executive able to bring in a more lucrative deal and beat out some competition.” said. “I wonder how much the NFT space from teams like that is actually In the longer term, there are mixed forecasts as to how far jersey an interest in the NFT.” advertisement will go. Carolina Hurricanes owner Tom Dundon has Others were more hopeful on the space, noting that it could become publicly said he’d be willing to sell every inch of the jersey, embracing the more prevalent and fill some of the desire for memorabilia. Another noted NASCAR mentality. Others are more reserved. it could be an ideal avenue to create exclusive content from individual “Is it 10 years or 15 years? I’m not sure, but at some point doing games, with ticket stubs all but extinct. something more and covering multiple parts of the jersey and the The Athletic LOADED: 08.07.2021 financial boost it will cause will outweigh the conservative thoughts on keeping the jersey clean,” one team executive said. “I think we’d want to avoid going full European soccer, with the team logo just a small patch and a larger advertisement. I think that’s the line that would be too far.”

The next TV deals

The NHL’s national TV deal in the U.S. was hammered out earlier this year, the league landing with ESPN for the A package and Turner Sports for the B package. Those deals carry a combined value of $3.85 billion over seven seasons.

That deal has generated some excitement for NHL teams and executives who hope that ESPN and Turner will help raise the game’s profile in the U.S.

The streaming element of the ESPN deal continues to be what executives talk most about.

“The ESPN+ side, getting out of (an) out-of-market streaming package that was only sold for hockey fans to one for all sports fans is huge,” one executive said. “I think that’s the part that everyone else isn’t talking enough about. That, to me, will make the ESPN deal a success.”

On a local level, a handful of NHL teams are also in the midst of negotiations with regional sports networks (RSNs) with contracts set to expire. Many teams are coming off long-term deals, some more than 10 years in length, and having them expire during a global financial downturn is concerning for team executives.

It’s an evolving time for the industry. RSNs have been losing money due to cord-cutting and without those local team rights to broadcast live games, RSNs hold little value, according to an industry source.

But teams typically don’t have much leverage in negotiations, unless they are located in a market with multiple RSNs, which is a rarity. RSNs also have had their own complications the past two years, with many not being carried by streaming services, such as YouTubeTV or Hulu, which has frustrated teams.

A straight-to-consumer option by the teams is an idea that often gets kicked around in these conversations but isn’t realistic financially. NHL teams can make approximately $20 million annually on RSN deals, depending on the market. Going straight to the consumer to try to recuperate that much would likely come at a price point that wouldn’t be consumer friendly.

Add in the complications from the pandemic, and it’s one of the most unique times in NHL history to negotiate a local TV deal. Teams that still have term on their deal are breathing a sigh of relief that they aren’t the guinea pigs in this. Meanwhile, Detroit and Columbus are among the organizations whose contracts are up this summer and those negotiations will be closely watched by other teams.

The Detroit deal will draw the most attention around the league, according to executives. It could set the early standard for NHL teams. The Red Wings share a market with three other major teams, while also 1219177 Websites mackinnon took everyone’s snacks away which is a personal offence to me

but they did look like a juggernaut for much of last year, one of the best The Athletic / NHL power rankings: Our brand new, offseason-friendly 1- teams i’ve ever witnessed. winning this whole thing is hard but it feels like 32 list their time will come

i think this is where things get spicy

By Sean Gentille and Dom Luszczyszyn Aug 6, 2021 Sean 11:47 AM

before we do that — have you ever had chickpea pasta? did all that make you buy chickpea pasta? i’m in Group 2 If you thought The Athletic’s NHL Power Rankings had gone dormant for the offseason, you thought wrong. The Rankings are eternal. The Dom 11:49 AM Rankings are forever. i am the least healthy person i know. i operate on an uber eats diet Also, a bunch of stuff has happened over the last month. Probably should subsisting of burgers, pizza, wings, burritos, sushi, tacos, and fried address that. chicken. there is no chance i’m trying chickpea pasta

So, with both drafts and the first couple waves of free agency out of the Sean 11:52 AM way, we alternated picks from No. 1 to No. 32. All individual decisions you’ll have a choice to make in a couple years, my boy. i also just bought were final, so things went off the rails early. This is copy-and-paste, a blender. no clue how it’s come to this. anyway, hockey players should peek-behind-the-curtain stuff. See you in September. be allowed to have real pasta. Dom Luszczyszyn 10:49 AM Dom 11:52 AM should we do a slack chat rankings not looking forward to that day Sean Gentille 10:56 AM agreed on the pasta. pasta is delicious, that shouldn’t be taken away i think we can do whatever we want from anyone

1. Tampa Bay Lightning Sean 11:59 AM

Sean 11:29 AM stuff gets really stupid at 3, huh i get the urge to go off-book immediately. that’s what any troll/nerd worth Dom 12:01 PM his salt would do, really. i’m going to resist, though. the Lightning are still yes No. 1. our rubric here is (somewhat notoriously) stupid, and “They just won the Stanley Cup” should be more than enough to keep them on top. but i think division strength helps one team out a lot

Dom 11:32 AM 3. Vegas Golden Knights wow one team in and we’re already fighting Sean 12:02 PM

Sean 11:32 AM yeah it’s got to be them, right? i’m trying to find a way to avoid it and i don’t think i can. troll/nerd Dom 12:03 PM Dom 11:32 AM don’t really love their offseason, but they didn’t lose anything in they lost their entire second line!! expansion, still have an elite team, and their top competition is edmonton the one no one would shut up about in the pacific kind of a big deal! Sean 12:07 PM

Sean 11:36 AM i get dumping fleury to create space. i do not get using that space on evgenii dadonov. i dunno, man. they got worse and made weird this is a transitional set of rankings. what they did in the playoffs still decisions, and the vibes are way off, but … i still think i’d pick them over matters to me. it won’t for long, but they deserve the honor. they also teams 4-32. they still should coast to first place in that division, if nothing mitigated some of the losses fairly well with cheap, situational guys. I just else. read this somewhere: “The team didn’t end up losing all that much value given the circumstances. Eight other teams did worse and didn’t save i think that’s going to be a theme here; the good teams got worse, but no nearly as much.” also, none of this matters! let them have this! teams leveled up enough to scramble things at the top.

Dom 11:38 AM Dom 12:11 PM

“sean uses dom’s own words against him” is my favourite and least yeah it feels that way for sure. i’ve already Ran The Numbers for next favourite bit season and the top is pretty much the same as usual. with that being said… but i’ll let you have this one. they won back-to-back cups, the last team that did that famously won the cup again the next season Sean 12:12 PM

Sean 11:38 AM i think i know what’s coming. do it. they’re not gonna do it again, and that’s fine Dom 12:12 PM

2. Colorado Avalanche (don’t say it, don’t say it, don’t say it, don’t say it, don’t say it)

Dom 11:46 AM 4. Toronto Maple Leafs that’s who i would’ve had number one, with tampa number two, so i’m not Dom 12:17 PM that mad about it. colorado deserves to be knocked down a peg for a few i hate them with every fibre of my being right now. i don’t think they reasons; they didn’t make it past the second round deserve this until they prove something in the playoffs because there is they lost a bunch of talent as well in grubauer, donskoi, saad, graves Clearly something between the ears. but the more montreal won in the playoffs, the less monumental the upset felt. don’t get me wrong, it’s still the worst in franchise history (they were up 3-1!) but seeing montreal beat vegas and march all the way to the final alleviated some of that. Sean 12:36 PM toronto lost hyman, but didn’t technically lose anyone to expansion, and arguably improved their goaltending. with the age of the leafs core, with watch the movies, bud. the knowledge that this season might be it for them, with everyone else Dom 12:36 PM at the top getting worse… it feels like this is where they sit. wow Sean 12:19 PM 7. Winnipeg Jets that is pure, unfiltered Toronto Man. “they’re shit and possibly broken. makes me sick. fourth-best team in the league though.” Sean 12:42 PM

Dom 12:21 PM we spent a decent chunk of the spring making fun of the winnipeg jets. spring is over. what was their biggest issue? defense. what did they do? i hate it here added defensemen. schmidt and dillon are good enough on their own. but i hate it elsewhere a lil bit more when you factor for opportunity cost, that becomes an even bigger deal. there’s still a lot to dislike about them — not sure what’s going to happen Sean 12:22 PM to the bottom six — but here we are. i’d rather have mrazek than andersen. nothing bad happened from a cap Dom 12:42 PM standpoint. on paper — if you ignore everything else about them — the placement makes sense. why do i only like three teams more than them? oh NOOOO what is wrong with me? Sean 12:43 PM

5. New York Islanders who goes ahead of them??

Sean 12:25 PM Dom 12:43 PM since we don’t have to pretend that signed contracts for kyle palmieri, i have so many teams ahead zach parise and casey cizikas aren’t sitting in a drawer somewhere, hello Long Island? sell me on this shit

Dom 12:27 PM Sean 12:46 PM honestly not that spicy. i think islanders fans might be mad they’re finally the metro big boys took backwards steps. the pacific division is terrible. getting respect because they prefer the underdog role, but once they we have the top two teams in the atlantic in the top six. the jets took a think to themselves “wait these morons still put the leafs ahead” i think team that succeeded in spite of itself and actually improved. any team they’ll be okay. once i ran my model with those three, the islanders were that i tried to drop in their place has some glaring issue over the last few the top team in the metro — and that’s without accounting for the fact the weeks that gives me pause. maybe this is a reward for low expectations, team is magic but i honestly don’t think it’s far off from reality.

Sean 12:27 PM hellebuyck also helps. do i think they’re going to be the seventh-best team in the league? not really, but i’m struggling to find someone to put in i’m done not picking them to win the Metro, I’ll say that much. Eberle is a their place. loss that they can offset. Dom 12:48 PM Dom 12:28 PM i still just think this is a hellebuyck team. i liked the additions of dillon and they’re a well-oiled machine. that is a winning culture i can get behind schmidt, but those are still probably second pairing guys.

Sean 12:30 PM i don’t think they have a number one or even number two back there. and healthy anders lee + an acclimated (if aging) palmieri + a low-cost, low- i’m still of the mind their forward group is mad overrated. expectation version of parise, who did some stuff well last season … I Sean 12:48 PM dunno. They’re my No. 4 by virtue of not being the Maple Leafs, but this general space is where they belong. and am i going to harshly penalize teams based on unquantifiable factors? of course i am. this is only about numbers when i want it to be. 6. Boston Bruins Dom 12:50 PM Dom 12:31 PM that’s fair this is a ballpark where you can go a few different directions. i think next team i would go with boston, but again, i’m not happy about it i think i know what team you’re talking about, but i don’t even think the jets are the second best team in canada. before getting to those guys… are we really doing Second Line Center charlie coyle? 8. Florida Panthers Sean 12:33 PM Dom 12:51 PM we’re agreeing too much here. i hate the fact that they lost krejci. hate it. none of the forward additions do anything for me. but … who else would do we really like the jets more than florida? is it a division thing here? you pick? until that top line (famously without a nickname) really starts to or maybe it’s a “sergei bobrovsky and spencer knight” tandem thing age out, i think the tiebreakers go to them. Sean 12:53 PM Dom 12:33 PM they’re my No. 8 team, and the first half of that timeshare vs. hellebuyck that bottom six stinks and goaltending could be a downgrade, but the was what broke the tie, yes. i like their offseason, neutral as it’s been. i defence at least looks somewhat better if mike reilly can keep it up like that they didn’t get played into giving alex wennberg that deal. i like not a fan of The Ratatouille Line? sam bennett, in spite of a decent chunk of evidence.

(pixar power rankings coming soon) i also think we’re in the middle of, like, an eight-team chunk, so i picked the funniest option. Sean 12:34 PM Dom 12:56 PM “the model likes The Good Dinosaur a little more than I expected.” florida feels a lot deeper to me and i have so much more faith in their top Dom 12:35 PM end. barkov, huberdeau, reinhart, ekblad, weegar or scheifele, ehlers, one of the few pixar movies i haven’t seen! connor, dubois and… uhh… i guess morrissey? hellebuyck is the great equalizer here obviously, but florida looks real good. and you succeeded because i almost spit out my drink Sean 1:48 PM

Sean 12:58 PM be that as it may, i think we’ve both got the wild down for a backwards step, yeah? i don’t think they quite replaced what they’re losing in ryan “good.” — nathan mackinnon suter and carson soucy along the blue line, and i’m surprised to have Dom 12:58 PM nick bonino penciled in as a key loss in 2021, but … i think he might be. they’re probably better than 14th (go jets), but the whole offseason just i’m going to go make a sandwich. a normal sandwich, nathan kinda feels like a dud. probably inevitable when you go from “look out, they want jack eichel” to where they’re currently at, but it counts for 9. Edmonton Oilers something. Dom 1:16 PM Dom 1:52 PM just wait until you see where my stupid model has them yeah they won’t be the same. i think even carson soucy is an underrated Sean 1:19 PM loss on the blue line, and there’s still the whole “maybe they trade kevin fiala” thing, for some reason. for the record i basically have them tied with my overriding belief that ken holland will manage to screw up connor the jets and i was just being pedantic, but right around here is a good mcdavid’s prime can only drop the oilers so far. too often lost in the Zach spot for them. the middle: the home of minnesota. feels good to be back! Hyman Discourse — and the deal is crazy, we all get that — is the fact that he’s a really good player. Warren Foegele, also pretty good. throw in Sean 1:53 PM derek ryan, consider the pre-existing talent at forward, and you’ve got a tried hard to get them to 16, couldn’t pull it off lot to like about edmonton. there’s also a lot to dislike. 15. Dallas Stars Dom 1:22 PM Dom 1:54 PM that’s true of every team, but edmonton is really a love hate team. this is the best their forwards have looked in a while, but also the worst the we may have honestly underrated them a bit with our metro dogpile bit. defence has looked. still, they have two top five players in the world and one of them is a human cheat code, the absolute very best and that is they nearly made the playoffs last year despite so many injuries, they’ll worth a whole lot. have to be better with tyler seguin and alex radulov healthy, maybe even ben bishop. 1:23 Sean 2:00 PM #mymodel has edmonton sixth by the way. which feels insane maybe ben bishop, but probably braden holtby. eh. i get why they’re 1:24 banking on their top guys coming back healthy, but … luke glendening? another weird year of goaltending? they’re perfectly rated (as is every i think we have to go back to the metro here and honestly, there’s an team). argument to be made for four different teams. Dom 2:00 PM should we try to split hairs or should we just say “here’s a blob of four teams” who cares right, i forgot the first rule of the power rankings is that we are never wrong 10. Pittsburgh Penguins who is the team right in the middle at 16 11. Carolina Hurricanes Sean 2:01 PM 12. Washington Capitals who’d be funniest 13. New York Rangers 16. Seattle Kraken Dom 1:34 PM Sean 2:02 PM pittsburgh, i refuse to be the guy always screaming for their demise. happens every offseason, never actually comes to fruition. i would rather Team Weaponized Cap Space could’ve chosen to be anything, and they be late to the party there. it’s been the opposite for washington, but that went with “mediocre.” i’m already bored. can we try that again? should still be a playoff team despite the age. carolina… well… that’s been one interesting offseason. i’ve hated basically everything they’ve Dom 2:06 PM done, but the core is still strong. same with the rangers actually. they’re they saw montreal make it to the cup final and were inspired. almost still a team on the rise, but also shot themselves in the foot because of enough to take carey price in the expansion draft Tom Wilson brain Sean 2:08 PM Sean 1:35 PM honestly dude, i feel like they blew it. i get that GMs smartened up (if only pittsburgh’s problems are pretty simple; it’s a tough division, and they’re through addition by subtraction) since the Vegas debacle, but how did tracking to be without evgeni malkin for a while. if tristan jarry is as bad they come out of the draft without any draft pick war chest to speak of? as he looked last season — forget the playoffs — they could end up in a why load up on cromulent guys like alex wennberg? i don’t get it, and i hole. quickly. but yeah, i’m not going to predict they’re done until they’re certainly don’t like it. done. Dom 2:10 PM the caps get the edge over carolina because their offseason wasn’t nearly as bad, or as baffling. the rangers’ starting point is the lowest of honestly yeah, me neither. seems like they overplayed their hand there the four — impressive as they were in spurts last season, they’ve got and the lack of draft pick capital likely means their peak upside doesn’t less built-up cred. certainly not enough to weather Chris Drury’s come close to vegas. the golden knights were able to turn those assets Gritapalooza 2021. into max pacioretty and mark stone. sticking all four of them together a couple spots behind the isles just feels the inspiration though, on a serious note, is the importance of depth and right. it’ll be the most interesting regular-season division. glad to have it seattle does have that. maybe hockey isn’t a strong link game come back. playoff time, maybe it’s a weak link game and after pillaging every team for their most average players, seattle should be a very deep team in 14. Minnesota Wild year one. no superstars, but one without many flaws. plus, that Dom 1:45 PM goaltending tandem looks like it might be one of the best in the league minnesota “better than winnipeg” wild Sean 2:11 PM yes absolutely, it is their time “load up on guys” is certainly a tactic. 17. Chicago Blackhawks Dom 2:32 PM

Dom 2:13 PM i feel like they’re better off rebuilding, but if they’re not… sell the farm for eichel. why not as a Seth Jones skeptic, i’m going to go ahead and say chicago. Sean 2:33 PM i have the blackhawks in this range and if we factor in that jones is going to have a monster season to make me look stupid, oh, they absolutely would be better off rebuilding, but rebuilding teams don’t sign Blake Coleman to 25-year-deals. just do it, it’ll be entertaining that gets them to about this place in the league. for the rest of us.

Sean 2:15 PM 22. Los Angeles Kings yeah, they’re better. MAF and Lankinen accomplishes something, as Sean 2:37 PM does a full season of kirby dach. we like Jake McCabe. Toews is back. they’ll be back in the playoff discussion. congrats on a job well done to all i feel like #yourmodel doesn’t like the kings, but I’m putting them here those gutless freaks in that organization. allegedly. because we’ve basically run out of mediocre teams, and the kings have the best vibes of the rest. they added where they needed to add — Jordan Binnington, David Perron and Ryan O’Reilly (Jeff Curry /USA kopitar, byfield, danault and turcotte is a good (if mismatched) group of Today) centers. i think calvin petersen could be fine. they’re still a couple years 18. St. Louis Blues away, but they’re at least going to be interesting in the meantime.

Sean 2:16 Dom 2:39 PM

DOM’S MODEL HATES THE BLUES that is absolutely correct, it doesn’t. but personally i like the idea of the kings for all the reasons you mentioned. byfield and turcotte can change i do like what they did at forward; saad and a basically free buchnevich the game here for them and they have a bunch of other intriguing are a net win. gotta wonder if they’re going to be left holding the bag on prospects. they also added arvidsson who gives them some top six tarasenko, though. that has not gone according to plan, and now we’re punch along with danault. not even hearing potential landing spots. i can see them making a big leap, but like the penguins, i would rather be Dom 2:18 PM late to the party. this is about where i have the blues. buchnevich is a nice add and saad Cole Caufield and Jeff Petry (Douglas DeFelice / USA Today) adds depth, but this is an old team with a lot of meh on it. 23. Montreal Canadiens Sean 2:19 PM Dom 2:43 PM we’re almost in the bottom third of the league. these teams aren’t supposed to be good. i think it is time for the stanley cup finalists

19. New Jersey Devils Sean 2:43 PM

Dom 2:19 PM Hahaha. I totally forgot, just put them at 23 i think the flyers are better on paper right now, but if hughes and/or Dom 2:44 PM hischier take a leap next year that changes quickly. hamilton, tatar, i mean graves, bernier — some really good additions here. is this that far away from where they belong? Sean 2:22 PM Sean 2:44 PM yep, i like what they’ve done. it hinges on hughes continuing to climb the ladder, but they’re doing a good job of trying to be good and staying on absolutely not, but i straight up forgot about them, i was about to say “is the correct timeline. they went out and got good players. novel concept. this the canucks”

20. Philadelphia Flyers Dom 2:44 PM

Sean 2:24 PM no danault, weber, tatar and they already struggled to make the playoffs last year IN CANADA might as well use this spot to talk about philly. i loved the ryan ellis deal. i did not love the rasmus ristolainen deal. i did not care about the jake it’s going to be even tougher in the atlantic voracek-for-cam atkinson deal. it feels like they got a little bit better, but to no real end. lots of action for a minimal upward gain. i wish i could forget about them but they live in my head rent free

Dom 2:28 PM Sean 2:46 PM after years of being wrong about them thanks to their even year magic, tie goes to the team that didn’t just draft a player convicted of sex crimes. i’m glad we have them in mediocre-ville right now. it’s about where they but yeah, they lost most of their top line and a top-pair defenseman. belong. they’re going to be bad. just leave them here. i know we’re in the bottom third, but mediocre-ville stretches down before 24. Vancouver Canucks we get to the truly decrepit teams Sean 2:52

21. Calgary Flames so Ian Mendes came close to convincing me on Monday’s podcast that Dom 2:30 PM the Canucks had a better chance at sneaking in the playoffs than the Blackhawks. it didn’t quite work, and the future in Vancouver is don’t think they were as bad as they looked last year and the blake supremely screwed up, but parts of that roster aren’t … terrible. do i like coleman signing should help their forwards. where they’re going? no. do i think they’re on track to be legitimately good at any foreseeable point? i do not. i also don’t think they’re one of but that’s a huge giordano-sized hole on their blue line the five worst teams in the league, and like we’ve said before, the Pacific Sean 2:31 PM is junk, so whatever. yep. we’ve said it a couple times, but that division sucks, so i expect 2:53 them to be relevant. also desperately trying to manifest “jack eichel to the right side of their defense is legit hilarious, though. calgary.” they’re clearly trying to win now, damn the torpedos, so why not sell all the way out? make it happen, brad treliving. Dom 2:54 PM yeah i can’t get that far either, but i don’t hate the argument. hughes Sean 3:26 PM won’t be as bad next year, hopefully, and conor garland is a really good addition to that forward group is it because they dumped martin jones

25. Nashville Predators Dom 3:27 PM

Dom 2:55 yeah hill + reimer is an improvement nashville is all in on a rebuild, but there’s still a bit too much to make couture will be healthy them truly awful. they might trade a lot of pieces in the offseason. and they’ve got nick bonino who one analytics account once called then again last time we had them rated this low they decided to be the “better than patrick kane” league’s best team for a few weeks so Sean 3:27 PM

Sean 3:01 PM yeah, i don’t have much to say about the sharks other than “they depress yeah, i’d internalized the idea that the Preds were rebuilding, to the point me.” this is not what i wanted for erik karlsson. at least he’s rich as hell. where I just looked at their roster and was a little dismayed at how many 30. Arizona Coyotes guys are still hanging around. ah that’s right, they still have matt duchene. Giving Mikael Granlund $20 million is … who knows what, and Sean 3:31 PM I won’t believe that David Poile is tearing it down to the studs until I i’m morbidly fascinated with how the actual games play out on Retained actually see it. weird era for a weird roster. Salary Island, but on another level, I don’t hate what the Coyotes did. 26. Detroit Red Wings stuff wasn’t working, so they blew it up, and the explosion was efficient. five draft picks in the first two rounds next year is nice. the org’s future is Sean 3:06 PM still a mystery box, but I can appreciate a nice teardown. do I think it’ll for the first time in a while, the red wings are going to start a season pay off to any real end? no, but that’s OK. they’re in 30th place. without one of the bottom two spots in the league on lock. i’m not sure Dom 3:34 PM they fully deserve to be in this spot, but I like the fact that Steve Yzerman went out and added a couple legit pieces (in alex nedeljkovic and nick they get to move up ever since slightly only because their future outlook leddy), if only for the team’s emotional well-being. there’s a plan, and has some promise after this tear down. but my god that roster stinks. they should be rewarded a bit for it. they legit could be the worst team in the league next season. my poor girlfriend, bless her heart, is a coyotes fan for some reason and i just feel Dom 3:06 PM bad… for myself that i’ll have to watch those games with her instead of a i can see it team that’s actually interesting. i think we’re in another very tight cluster of terrible teams and with the red 31. Anaheim Ducks wings it’s at least easy to see a path forward Sean 3:37 PM which is why i’m going with the senators next it’s the ducks, who cares

27. Ottawa Senators Dom 3:37 PM

Dom 3:09 absolutely terrible team did absolutely nothing this offseason to improve they were scrappy last year and somehow didn’t finish last in canada that. trevor zegras is nice tho despite a horrific start. down the stretch they were legitimately good, we’re contractually obligated not to discuss them until they deserve it underlying numbers and all. young core that has promise is worth betting on Rasmus Dahlin (Charles LeClaire / USA Today)

Sean 3:11 PM 32. Buffalo Sabres plus in the atlantic, they still have the canadiens to beat up on Sean 3:41 PM

Dom 3:11 PM the beauty of this spot is that it belongs to the sabres whether they trade eichel in five minutes or let this whole deal drag on until october. they’ve hahahahhahaha already gotten measurably worse from last season, and that’s before you 28. Columbus Blue Jackets can factor in whatever comes next. they suck, they’re about to suck even worse and everyone involved is miserable. the worst tangibles in the Sean 3:19 PM league, the worst intangibles in the league and their owners just asked for a billion dollars in taxpayer money to build a football stadium. we’re in the dregs now — all of these teams are terrible, and all of their futures seem bleak — so i’ll go with columbus. i like their draft (kent Dom 3:41 PM johnson and cole sillinger seem like they could be good complements down the middle in a few years). i like the return on seth jones. i like that i’m really excited to run my playoff probabilities for next season. i’ve at least someone, in the form of Zach Werenski, decided to commit to the never had a team at 0% before city, even though the timeframe doesn’t seem like it works. they’re still The Athletic LOADED: 08.07.2021 gonna be terrible, but what can you do?

Dom 3:19 PM blue jackets won’t be good next year, but i like the bets they made (aside from werenski) and the jones trade was incredible for them. i think boqvist can be a player for them.

29. San Jose Sharks

Dom 3:26 PM my model actually doesn’t hate san jose somehow? like has them close to vancouver i don’t trust it but that’s what it says 1219178 Websites Rental piece Palmieri’s two goals in 17 regular-season games for the Islanders underwhelmed, but he exploded for seven more in the post- season.

Sportsnet.ca / NHL’s Top 10 UFAs remaining: Latest rumours, reports All reports point to Palmieri staying put on the Island. The belief is that a long-term deal has already been agreed to… but GM Lou Lamoriello hasn’t announced a thing. (Mike Hoffman, Blake Coleman, Jaden Schwartz and Boone Jenner could serve as comparables.) Luke Fox Lamoriello must also compensate key RFAs Anthony Beauvillier and August 6, 2021, 5:08 PM Adam Pelech this summer, and he may be exploring a Vladimir Tarasenko trade as well. Perhaps he doesn’t want agents to know how much cap space he has left. A whopping 243 players have scribbled their autograph on contracts worth a silly $988,121,625 through the first five days of the NHL’s open With Jordan Eberle now a Kraken, New York needs some dependability season on free agents. on its wing.

And yet, more than few notable athletes remain without employment for 3. Casey Cizikas the 2021-22 season. Age: 30 General managers will need to bargain harder, and jobless players may Position: Centre need to lower their asking prices, but there are still gems — or at least worthy gambles and depth additions — to be unearthed from 2021’s UFA 2020-21 salary cap hit: $3.35 million class after the July 28’s frenzy. The pivot of the New York Islanders’ crash-and-bang identity line drew a We round up the rumours and assess the value of the free agents who healthy amount of interest from the competition, with the Toronto Maple are taking a more patient approach this summer (in some cases, that’s Leafs, Seattle Kraken, Buffalo Sabres and San Jose Sharks all reportedly even by choice) and are still up for grabs in August. exploring a signing.

1. Tuukka Rask A career-long Islander, Cizikas has apparently shook hands on a multi- year deal to remain on the Islander. Like Palmieri, we’re still awaiting an Age: 34 announcement. Position: Goaltender There is also speculation that Lamoriello will sign sudden UFA Zach 2020-21 salary cap hit: $7 million Parise, whose price should be more modest.

The question isn’t whether Rask — a Vezina-winning, Cup-winning, 4. Jason Demers Jennings-winning stud — is deserving of a rich, new short-term contract. Age: 33 The question is whether his body is up for one. Position: Defence Rask openly pondered 2021 retirement this past season and drew criticism in some (unkind) circles for departing the playoff bubble early to 2020-21 salary cap hit: $4.5 million attend to a family matter. Right-shot defencemen were scooped up fast and furious on July 28, but He underwent surgery on a torn hip labrum in late July and won’t be this former Coyotes blueliner and steady, stay-at-home veteran is still ready to play until January or February. If and/or when he straps on the available. pads again, Rask only sees it being in Boston. Demers only registered four assists in 2021, but he’s still logging more "I'm not going to play for anyone else than the Bruins. This is our home," than 17 minutes a night and driving play north despite starting the Rask said on June 11. majority of his shifts in the D-zone.

“At this point of my life and my career, I don't see any reason to go Another $4.5-million payday is unlikely, but some team will scoop him up. anywhere else, especially with the health I'm looking at now and a recovery time of five or six months. Hopefully it works out that I recover 5. Nikita Gusev well, and we can talk about contracts when the time is right for that.” Age: 29 The Bruins’ crease is already in overhaul mode, with Jaroslav Halak Position: Right wing / Left wing (Vancouver) and Dan Vladar (Calgary) moving on. 2020-21 salary cap hit: $1 million Expect Rask’s situation to simmer on the back burner, as the B’s roll into 2021-22 with a young, fresh tandem of Linus Ullmark and Jeremy A right shot capable of playing either wing, Gusev made some noise in Swayman. 2019-20 when he finally left the KHL, scoring 13 goals and 44 points in 66 games for a bad Devils squad. “We needed to be prepared and allow Tuukka all the time he needs to get healthy. He just had surgery, spoke to him this morning, doing very The Russian's '21 campaign was split between New Jersey and Florida. well,” GM Don Sweeney said after signing Ullmark in free agency. His shooting percentage dropped, and he failed to find his groove in either lineup. “We’ve always left the door open for Tuukka to return. And I think it just allows Jeremy to continue to progress at a natural rate but also give him Gusev is only 29. He should have some game left, and he's garnered the opportunity to be at the NHL level. some interest on the market. Does he give the NHL another shot, or return to the KHL? “When you’re trying to be a competitive team, you have to have depth. We felt that the last two playoffs, and we came up short. Now we’re trying 6. Travis Zajac to make sure that we’ve got the most competitive team we can, and identify if we have some needs going forward that we may have to have Age: 36 some changes as well.” Position: Centre

2. Kyle Palmieri 2020-21 salary cap hit: $5.75 million

Age: 30 Like so many other veteran Islanders who are technically unrestricted Position: Right wing / Left wing free agents, there is a quiet assumption that bottom-six centreman Zajac may have a deal in principle to return to the Eastern Conference finalists. 2020-21 salary cap hit: $4.65 million At this stage in a career, Zajac should be signing a one-year contract near the league minimum. Despite seeing his 1,000th game drift in the rear-view mirror, the durable 2020-21 salary cap hit: $1.05 million Zajac can still play. Feeling as if his NHL career was on the line, the determined winger He’ll kill penalties, chip in a bit of offence (20 points in 46 games in certainly showed flashes in Toronto alongside John Tavares and William 2021), and remains an excellent faceoff asset, with a career 53.8 per Nylander. cent success rate in the dot. He’s exploring his options. Toronto has yet to close the door (at least 7. Sami Vatanen publicly) on a return, and even the team that drafted Galchenyuk (Montreal) is said to have some level of interest in a reunion. Age: 30 His last contract was one year at $1.05 million. Would he take that Position: Defence again?

2020-21 salary cap hit: $2 million More notable UFAs still on the market: Eric Staal, Zach Parise, Bobby My how Vatanen’s stock has fallen since his days as an emerging Ryan, Tyler Bozak, Jordie Benn, Joe Thornton, Devan Dubnyk, Jake Anaheim Duck. The right-shot D-man still has some offensive upside and Virtanen, James Neal, Erik Gudbranson, Erik Gustafsson, Valtteri could thrive in third-pairing minutes. Filppula, Christian Djoos, Derick Brassard, Dominik Kahun, Jimmy Vesey, Brian Boyle, Henrik Lundqvist, Alex Chiasson, Tyler Ennis, Bouncing from Anaheim to New Jersey to Carolina to New Jersey to Tobias Rieder, Artem Anisimov, Mark Jankowski, Colton Sceviour, Lucas Dallas over the past four seasons, there is still belief that if Vatanen finds Wallmark, Marcus Hogberg, Curtis McElhinney, Riley Sheahan, Ben the proper fit, he could resurrect his career and celebrate his 500th game Hutton this upcoming season. Sportsnet.ca LOADED: 08.07.2021 Righties are tough to come by.

8. Zdeno Chara

Age: 44

Position: Defence

2020-21 salary cap hit: $795,000

The oldest and tallest man in the NHL hasn't retired yet, so it remains unknown if his career ended in a handshake line against the Boston Bruins or if he'll give it another go on a one-year, team-friendly contract.

“Z is in Slovakia spending time with family. He is working out hard and leaving all of his options open. There is no rush on anything with him," Chara's agent, Matt Keator, told Pierre LeBrun of The Athletic.

Last season, Chara didn't sign with the Washington Capitals until about a week before training camp. If he's interested, we're certain a few GMs will kick tires at a third-pairing leader and excellent penalty killer.

During Chara's season-ending Zoom call, he was unsure if he’d play a 24th season.

“This season didn’t end the way we wanted, but that’s life,” Chara said.

“You have to move on. As far as myself and my future, I’m probably going to take a few days to talk to my family and make decisions after. I think that, obviously, it’s not always a decision I can make myself. Sometimes there are things in life you have to realize. I have to have those conversations with my wife and my children and see where we’re going to be in the next two days or weeks. After those conversations, I’ll probably let those emotions settle in and see where I’m at.”

9. Ryan Donato

Age: 25

Position: Centre / Left wing

2018-19 salary cap hit: $1.9 million

Rare that 25-year-old NHL centres appear on the open market. But with the San Jose Sharks trading for Donato in 2020 and not deeming the forward worth a qualifying offer in 2021, here we are.

The Boston native is coming off back-to-back 20-point seasons in shortened campaigns are should be able to find a bottom-six niche in the league.

But with a non-playoff club like the Sharks taking a pass, Donato's bargaining power has taken a hit. A short-term, low-money gamble could help Donato rejuvenate his career and wouldn't be a bad gamble for clubs looking for depth up the middle.

Donato was drafted by his hometown Bruins back in 2014 and is already looking to join his fourth franchise.

10. Alex Galchenyuk

Age: 27

Position: Centre / Wing 1219179 Websites “I have, I really have. I think initially when you’ve played somewhere your whole career, there’s going to be a little shock factor for the first couple of days, but I’ve turned the page. I’m back visiting family in Toronto and looking forward to the upcoming season and having a good year. When I TSN.CA / Giordano embracing life as member of NHL’s newest franchise think about Calgary, there’s so many different memories that come to mind. I just think about so many different relationships I’ve developed in

that city. I’ve played with guys who have grown into my best friends over By Salim Valji the years. I think of guys like Matt Stajan, Sean Monahan, TJ Brodie, Milan Lucic who have become great friends. I should be mentioning a lot more because there are a lot more, just the relationships I’ve developed in that city over the years.” It’s been a couple of weeks since the Seattle Kraken chose Calgary Flames blueliner Mark Giordano in the Expansion Draft. The longtime Q: Your legacy. I know you and your family have done a lot for the defenceman spent nearly two decades as a Flame, including the last community over the years. Have you started to think about how you’ll be eight years as the team’s captain. remembered by the fans and organization?

TSN caught up with the 37-year-old Giordano on Friday to talk about his “I don’t know. I’m just looking forward to playing in that game December new team and the legacy he leaves behind in Calgary. 23 (against the Flames in Calgary). I just appreciate everything the city has done for me, so I’m not really thinking about legacies or anything like Q: You alluded to it when you made your first remarks as a member of that, but I do take a lot of pride. I think I laid it out there every night for the the Seattle Kraken. It took you a bit longer to get drafted than perhaps Flames. I’m looking forward to something that’s going to be a little bit you had thought in your hockey career. Can you walk us through that day different but something that is exciting as well. I will say though, I am and the whirlwind of the Expansion Draft and that fact you’re now a looking forward to playing in front of the Calgary fans once again when member of the Seattle Kraken. we head there in December.” “Obviously, it was a pretty crazy 24 hours. I found out that Seattle had Q: And lastly, what’s the thing you’ll miss the most about the Calgary selected me the night before so I got on a plane that morning. Obviously Flames or the city of Calgary? a lot of emotions, a lot of feelings going through my head, thinking of the great times that I had in Calgary and then heading to Seattle and the “Just going to the rink and spending time with the guys. That’s the thing I draft and seeing the city. It was a cool experience down there, too. It was don’t take for granted. Especially as you get older, you realize that you a fast-paced, pretty crazy 24 hours but I’m happy I went down and don’t have as many years left. Sometimes it’s tough to think about not checked out the city and facilities and all that in Seattle. Now I’ve gotten being able to walk into the rink and hang out with the guys, going to around that and am looking forward to a new experience and a new dinners and stuff with guys on the road. That’s something that a lot of us season.” enjoy and that’s the part I’ll miss the most in Calgary. I don’t take any of that for granted. Q: Brad Treliving, the Calgary Flames general manager, said that at times it was you consoling him during this process. What were those TSN.CA LOADED: 08.07.2021 conversations like with the Flames, both in the leadup to the Expansion Draft and then after you had been officially chosen by the Kraken?

“Me and Tre obviously have a great relationship and we’ve been working together for obviously a long time. We just had some honest conversations both ways. Up until you are selected, I was a Calgary Flame and trying to talk about what was going on with me and things with our team. After you’ve played somewhere for as long as I did and you get selected to an expansion team in Seattle, it was a lot of different feelings going through your mind at the time. But I got down to Seattle, met the great ownership group, management, coaches and some of the players. Now, like I said, I got my head around that and am looking forward to a great year in Seattle. It seems like a great opportunity for all of us.”

Q: It seems like you’ve done a lot there already. What have your first couple of weeks with the Kraken been like?

“Yeah. I think the main thing for all us players going to Seattle is that it’s obviously a new city in the NHL and we’re all in the same boat. We’re all trying to find a place to live. For myself, trying to set my family up in the city. After all that’s done, head out there for the season. I’m really looking forward to focusing on game one against Vegas and going from there. A lot of different emotions over the past couple of weeks but a really exciting time and a new chapter for my family. I’ve got to look at all the positives now and move forward.”

Q: At the Seattle Mariners game, (Kracken teammate) Brandon Tanev called you the team’s leader. Have you thought about being a part of a new NHL franchise and does that get you excited, knowing that you could play such a pivotal role for a new team?

“Yeah, I think myself, obviously being the oldest guy on the team, you go in and you want to embrace those leadership qualities. You want to help out the young guys as much as you can, but with the NHL today, most of the superstars are in [their] low- to mid-twenties, to be honest. So we’re looking forward to being around the young guys on our team and having good leaders, guys like Jordan Eberle are there, and a bunch of different guys I should mention but will leave it for later. I’m just looking forward to being around a good, solid, young core group who’s going to provide a lot of energy for me. I’m looking forward to that, just as much as guys I hope are looking forward to playing with me.”

Q: Looking back on your run in Calgary, you’re going to be considered one of this franchise’s best players. Have you wrapped your head around Calgary and can you talk about some of the memories you had playing as long as you did for this franchise? 1219180 Websites The former Blackhawks player alleges he was sexually assaulted by Aldrich during the 2009-10 postseason and that after team executives were told about the incident, they refused a request to fire Aldrich and go to police to file a report. TSN.CA / Lawyer asks U.S. Center for SafeSport to investigate Blackhawks GM After Aldrich left his job with the Blackhawks in the summer of 2010, he worked as a volunteer coach with a high school hockey team in Houghton, Mich. He was convicted of sexually assaulting a then-16-year- old player on that team in 2013 and sentenced to nine months in prison By Rick Westhead and 60 months of probation.

The former high school player alleges that the Blackhawks provided A lawyer for a former Chicago Blackhawks player has asked the U.S. Aldrich with a positive job reference when he left the NHL team. Center for SafeSport to investigate Blackhawks and U.S. Olympic men’s In an interview with TSN, former Blackhawks skills coach Paul Vincent hockey team general manager Stan Bowman for allegedly covering up said that in May 2010, the two Chicago players who were allegedly the sexual abuse of two former Blackhawks players. assaulted by Aldrich asked him to request that the team fire Aldrich and Chicago lawyer Susan Loggans requested an investigation of Bowman’s report the incident to police. alleged actions in an email on Thursday to Dennis Lovatto, an intake Vincent said he made that request during a meeting with Bowman, team coordinator with SafeSport. president John McDonough, vice-president of hockey operations Al “As you know,” Loggans wrote in her email, “I represent two sexual MacIsaac and team sports psychologist James Gary. Vincent said his assault victims who were attacked by [former Blackhawks video coach] request was denied. Brad Aldrich. I am officially requesting an investigation into a coverup of Loggans also pointed out that Aldrich, a registered sex offender, is not these sexual assaults by Stan Bowman, an NHL team official who also listed on the center’s public database of sanctioned coaches. holds a position of major influence with USA Hockey.” “How is it that the Center still has not added Aldrich's name to the list of The Blackhawks and U.S. Center for SafeSport did not respond to emails sanctioned/banned coaches?” Loggans wrote. “I understand that in 2013 requesting comment. Aldrich was not a member of USA Hockey. I guess high school hockey Lovatto contacted Loggans by email on June 29 to inform her that the teams operate apart from that organization. But still, knowing he's a centre had received a report concerning Bowman’s alleged misconduct convicted sex offender, you're not going to add him to that database?” that her client, the former Blackhawks player, may have witnessed, or The center lists 140 suspended hockey coaches, including nine personally experienced. suspensions since June 1. The U.S. Olympic Committee created the U.S. Center for SafeSport in Hockey coaches have been sanctioned for offences such as “sexual 2012 and the centre became an independent organization in March misconduct involving a minor; social media and electronic 2017. Based in Denver with its own staff and a $10 million annual communication,” “Physical and emotional misconduct,” “Bullying; Abuse budget, the centre has exclusive jurisdiction in the U.S. to investigate and of process,” and “Criminal disposition. pass judgment on accusations of misconduct in Olympic and Paralympic sports. According to the database, three people have been suspended and placed on probation for failure to report sexual abuse, including two According to the centre’s Code, “the privilege of participation in the individuals affiliated with the U.S. Equestrian Federation and one with Olympic and Paralympic movement may be limited, conditioned, USA Boxing. suspended, terminated or denied if a participant’s conduct is or was inconsistent with this Code or the best interest of sport and those who In a June 12 email to TSN, USA Hockey spokesman Dave Fischer wrote participate in it.” that Aldrich is permanently banned by the organization but isn’t on the centre’s database because when he was convicted in 2013, he was not The Code lists nine forms of prohibited conduct, including misconduct affiliated with USA Hockey. related to reporting. (Aldrich was a video coach on the 2010 U.S. Olympic team. On his “An adult participant who fails to report actual or suspended sexual resume, a copy of which was obtained by TSN from Miami University via misconduct or child abuse to the Center and, when appropriate, to law a Freedom of Information request, Aldrich wrote that he also worked with enforcement may be subject to disciplinary action under the Center’s the U.S. Women’s national hockey program in Colorado Springs resolution procedures and may also be subject to federal or state beginning in November 2010 after he left his job with the Blackhawks.) penalties,” the Code says. “We were aware of the Aldrich arrest in 2013,” Fischer wrote. “At the time “I believe the Center has an obligation and the purview to investigate he was not a member of USA Hockey and the abuse occurred in a non- these allegations of serious wrongdoing because of its connection to the USA Hockey program, which we had no jurisdiction over. We have never U.S. Olympic Committee, and federal funding of USA Hockey,” Loggans had any reports of abuse or misconduct regarding Aldrich. Had he wrote in her email to Lovatto, adding that according to the U.S. Olympic attempted to become involved after his conviction in any USA Hockey Committee’s tax return, USA Hockey received $1,649,251 worth of grant programs involving minors, he would have been required to complete a money from the U.S. federal government in 2019. background check, and a sexual offender registration would have “Have you considered whether Mr. Bowman should be placed on prohibited his registration or involvement.” administrative leave from USA Hockey unless and until he's cleared by a Fischer wrote that USA Hockey has submitted Aldrich’s name to be truly independent investigation as opposed to not one commissioned and added to the U.S. Center for SafeSport’s database. paid for by the Blackhawks?” Loggans wrote. TSN.CA LOADED: 08.07.2021 Bowman has been the Blackhawks' general manager since 2009. In March 2021, he was appointed general manager of the 2022 U.S. Olympic men’s hockey team.

The Blackhawks have hired Chicago law firm Jenner & Block to investigate the allegations, even though the team in legal documents said it already investigated and found the claims to be without merit. The team’s chief executive, Danny Wirtz, has promised in a memo to Blackhawks employees to make Jenner & Block’s investigation findings public, The Athletic reported on Aug. 2.

Loggans represents a former Blackhawks player, unnamed in court documents and referred to as John Doe 1, and a former Michigan high school hockey player, referred to as John Doe 2, who are suing the NHL team.