SPORT-SCAN DAILY BRIEF NHL 11/23/18 Anaheim Ducks Minnesota Wild 1117042 What we learned from the Ducks' 4-3 victory over the 1117074 Wild-Winnipeg preview Canucks 1117075 Wild defenseman Matt Dumba embraces his side gig as a 1117043 The Ducks don’t do anything easily. But they know how to goal scorer survive, which matters in the moribund Pacific Divisi 1117076 Wild shuffle lines with brawny Jets coming to town 1117077 The Zuckers give thanks with a special night in the suites Arizona Coyotes at Xcel Energy Center 1117044 Arizona Coyotes assign Mario Kempe to Tucson Roadrunners Montreal Canadiens 1117078 Canadiens target Hurricanes for return of captain Shea Boston Bruins Weber 1117045 Injuries make Bruins difficult to assess right now 1117079 Analyze This: Cracks in Habs' D run deeper than Weber 1117046 Cassidy: Bruins need better communication alone can fix 1117047 B’s Bjork earns his chance 1117080 Melnick’s GBU: The Canadiens defence hits a low point 1117048 Chara makes the rounds with Thanksgiving pies and it’s difficult to see a way back up 1117081 Joël Bouchard’s job title might be head coach, but Buffalo Sabres everything about him screams future GM 1117049 Defenseman Lawrence Pilut hoping to help Sabres extend winning streak Nashville Predators 1117050 Sabres vs. Canadiens: Five Things to Know 1117082 Catfish Corner: Rocco Grimaldi and the curious case of 1117051 Buffalo Sabres get huge local TV rating for win over the black Prius Philadelphia Flyers New York Islanders Calgary Flames 1117083 Anders Lee Tries to Fill the Islanders’ John Tavares-Size 1117052 Game Day: Flames at Golden Knights Hole 1117053 Flames defenceman Stone diagnosed with blood clot 1117084 Islanders need to clean up sloppy play 1117054 Good sign: Flames sitting atop Pacific Division on 1117085 Evaluating the Isles at 20 games: The flaws holding back American Thanksgiving a team that’s defying most expectations 1117055 Q&A: Travis Hamonic on finding his form in Calgary, the usefulness of analytics and eating a little more slowl New York Rangers 1117086 Neal Pionk’s dad cut him once but now he’s living the Chicago Blackhawks dream 1117056 From tanking to using salary cap space, the Blackhawks 1117087 Mats Zuccarello hoping he’s set to go after coming back have tough decisions to make too soon 1117057 Blackhawks’ nagging flaws give talk of winning, playoffs 1117088 Rangers for real? A surprising response from around the an empty feeling NHL 1117058 Five things Blackhawks fans should be thankful for 1117089 Tied for first place is nice, but Chris Kreider is more focused on the big picture Colorado Avalanche 1117060 Five things to know as the Avalanche finish three-city road Ottawa Senators trip against the Coyotes 1117090 What could be the issues between Melnyk and Ruddy? 1117061 J.T. Compher: back in the saddle again 1117091 Senators deal Chris Wideman to Edmonton Oilers for 1117062 The Colorado Avalanche are growing up sixth-round pick in 2020 1117092 Ben Harpur looks like he’s ready to return against Dallas Columbus Blue Jackets Stars 1117063 Size, speed and skill: Josh Anderson is a big part of the 1117093 It’s defence, defence, defence for the Ottawa Senators Blue Jackets’ offense 1117094 Onus falls on Eugene Melnyk, Senators to figure way forward — and fast — on LeBreton Flats project Detroit Red Wings 1117064 Why it's good to talk trash to Detroit Red Wings' Andreas Philadelphia Flyers Athanasiou 1117095 Flyers will try to end four-game skid against Rangers 1117065 Chirping is working for Red Wings' Tyler Bertuzzi, Andreas 1117096 What the Flyers shouldn't be thankful for on Thanksgiving Athanasiou 1117097 What the Flyers should be thankful for on Thanksgiving 1117066 Red Wings' Andreas Athanasiou, Tyler Bertuzzi push each 1117098 Flyers are woefully in need of change other to perform 1117099 Sabres 5, Flyers 2: 10 things we learned from a horrendous start that could not be overcome Edmonton Oilers 1117067 No mistaking identity of Edmonton Oilers newest line Pittsburgh Penguins 1117068 Edmonton Oilers acquire defenceman Chris Wideman 1117100 Win over Dallas provides defensive blueprint for Penguins from Ottawa Senators 1117101 Penguins place Matt Murray on injured reserve, call up 1117069 A shot in the dark: What are the Oilers getting in Chris Tristan Jarry Wideman? 1117102 Casey DeSmith stands tall as Penguins juggle goalie situation Florida Panthers 1117070 Preview: Panthers at Hurricanes, 7:30 p.m., Friday Los Angeles Kings 1117071 What we learned from the Kings' 7-3 loss to the Colorado Avalanche 1117072 Kings' standing on Thanksgiving doesn't bode well for their playoff chances 1117073 WAKING UP WITH THE KINGS: NOVEMBER 22 St Louis Blues Winnipeg Jets 1117103 Physical presence is something new for Blues' Blais 1117121 Vesalainen activates out clause in contract, jets off to 1117104 Coming up: Blues vs. Predators Jokerit of KHL 1117105 Blues melt on home ice but get two chances to rebound 1117122 What in the blazes...? this weekend 1117123 GAMEDAY: Winnipeg Jets at Minnesota Wild 1117124 FIRST QUARTER REFLECTIONS: Jets managing Tampa Bay Lightning expectations with steady play and room to grow 1117106 Marty St. Louis meets the woman behind the sign 1117107 Who are the Lightning players thankful for? SPORT-SCAN, INC. 941-284-4129 Toronto Maple Leafs 1117108 Four Canadian teams sitting pretty as of the U.S. Thanksgiving 1117109 The NHL’s Thanksgiving deadline is meaningless, so why all the fired coaches? 1117110 Leading NHL in icings a byproduct of Leafs’ game plan 1117111 GAMEDAY: Maple Leafs at Blue Jackets 1117112 LEAFS SNAPSHOTS: Leafs star Matthews not quite ready for contact ... Did Babcock drop Nylander hint? 1117113 AUSTON AMAZING: Missing Matthews? Here are his top shots! 1117114 Which Leafs should play with Auston Matthews when he returns from injury? Vancouver Canucks 1117125 Patrick Johnston: Frustrated Markstrom battling pucks, fatigue in Canucks’ losing skid 1117126 As Baertschi struggles with concussion, Canucks call up Boucher, re-assign Gaunce 1117127 Why the decision to chase Sergei Bobrovsky isn’t an open and shut case for the Canucks 1117128 The Athletties: Golden Dekes, Gagner’s Redemption Tour and Pouliot’s terrible, horrible, no good, very bad gam Vegas Golden Knights 1117115 Revenge on Golden Knights’ minds as Flames come to Vegas 1117116 NHL video replay has not been kind to Golden Knights 1117117 VGK Rolling Out Inaugural Season Book, New Merchandise, Collector Cup Series for Holiday Shopping Washington Capitals 1117118 For foreign-born NHL players, Thanksgiving can be a little awkward 1117119 NHL contenders beware: Being in a playoff spot on Thanksgiving is critical 1117120 Capitals defenseman Michal Kempny helps take down former team in 4-2 win over Blackhawks Websites 1117129 The Athletic / The 10 types of mid-season coaching changes (and how they usually work out) 1117130 Sportsnet.ca / Oilers players looking to run with Hitchcock's new roles 1117131 Sportsnet.ca / Maple Leafs all smiles with impact returns potentially looming 1117132 Sportsnet.ca / 6 NHL coaches who could be on the hot seat 1117133 Sportsnet.ca / Road to 100: The top-10 goals of Connor McDavid's career 1117134 Sportsnet.ca / Senators trade Wideman to Oilers for draft pick 1117135 Sportsnet.ca / Senators future threatened by latest self-inflicted arena delays 1117136 TSN.CA / Matthews expected to miss at least three more games 1117137 TSN.CA / Rebuilt Broncos one of the best stories in hockey 1117138 TSN.CA / Hitchcock: ‘Sense of responsibility’ to Oilers fans and ‘their team’ runs deep 1117042 Anaheim Ducks

What we learned from the Ducks' 4-3 victory over the Canucks

By MIKE COPPINGER

NOV 22, 2018 | 11:55 AM

The Ducks snapped a three-game losing streak with a 4-3 victory over the Vancouver Canucks on Wednesday at Honda Center. They've now collected points in three consecutive games and are showing signs of life.

Here's what we learned:

The captain hasn't eclipsed 15 goals in any of the last three campaigns, but he's already up to six in 17 games after an unassisted goal on Wednesday.

The All-Star center has always been capable of scoring goals in bunches, but instead usually elects to create plays for others; his vision is among the best in the game. This season, he's shooting the puck more, something fans have begged to see for years.

"You need your big guys to step up," coach Randy Carlyle said. "We need more people taking that mantra on. Getzy is our captain. You see on the stat sheet, he’s leading our offense night in, night out by scoring.

"He’s not really been known over the [years] as a big scorer – more of a point guy who can create. But right now he’s doing what we ask of him, and we’re looking for some other people to join that wagon train."

Adam Henrique is another center the Ducks are looking for more scoring from, and he delivered with a dazzling short-side, top shelf goal in the third period

He scored 20 goals in 57 games with the Ducks last season after coming over in a trade from the New Jersey Devils.

The 28-year-old notched his fifth goal of the season against the Canucks; the Ducks need more where that from to lift their 30th-ranked offense out of the doldrums (only the Kings have fewer goals scored per game).

"It’s getting there," Henrique said of the offense.

The Ducks are averaging just 2.17 goals per game, but have now scored three or more in two straight.

"Over the past little while, we’ve been getting opportunities,” Henrique said. “Just hasn’t gone our way. We did a good job sticking with it."

Andrew Cogliano can't bury his breakaway opportunities

The 31-year-old winger is good at creating those chances, especially on the penalty kill, but more often than not, the puck is shot right at the goalie's leg pads.

That same scenario played out again Wednesday after Cogliano broke loose one-on-one against Jacob Markstrom, only for the Canucks goalie to easily swat the puck away.

It's those kind of opportunities this offensive-starved team must finish. There were other missed chances. Ondrej Kase stole the puck in the offensive zone and fed Jakob Silfverberg, whose shot hit the post.

Later on, Rickard Rakell was alone in the left circle staring at a wide- open net, and instead of pulling the trigger on the shot, he hesitated, corralled the puck and elected for a wrist shot that was gobbled up.

LA Times: LOADED: 11.23.2018 1117043 Anaheim Ducks to just kind of be around, be one or two points out, that’s good for our group right now.

“We could be worse. Put it that way. We definitely could be worse.” The Ducks don’t do anything easily. But they know how to survive, which matters in the moribund Pacific Division Tempting as it might be to make a push for Jack Hughes instead of the postseason, Getzlaf isn’t letting the Ducks fade away. The center isn’t going to rack up 100 points and surely won’t do that at this stage of his By Eric Stephens long and productive career. But the 33-year-old is showing that he can still lead. Nov 22, 2018 The game’s first goal was a study of him tracking back in his zone to give Marcus Pettersson a passing lane and helping the Ducks make a clean exit. And then when linemate Rickard Rakell pushed to the net to draw ANAHEIM, Calif. – Eight more days are needed before Adam Henrique defenders and leave the Canucks scrambling to clear the puck, Getzlaf can celebrate a calendar year spent as a member of the Ducks, but that picked off Derrick Pouliot’s failed attempt and made a highlight-reel move has been plenty of time for him to see what make them, well, them. to his backhand that allowed him to lift it over goalie Jacob Markstrom. As in the latest defining example being how Wednesday night played out. It was his sixth goal, tying him with Pontus Aberg for the team lead. You How his team twice grabbed two-goal leads in the third period over a never think of Ryan Getzlaf leading the team in goal scoring. Assists? Of Vancouver club running aground with six straight losses – the last five course. Not goals. The only time he has topped 30 in his career is 2013- going pointless in regulation – and then finding itself throwing every 14 when he was the Hart Trophy runner-up to Sidney Crosby. The last available body in front of the net at the end to keep the suddenly time he got to 20 was the following season. rudderless Canucks from tying the game. How Ryan Getzlaf scrambled to tie up Sam Gagner long enough on a faceoff for the final two seconds “You need your big guys to step up,” Ducks coach Randy Carlyle said, to tick off and escape with a 4-3 home win. How what should have been “but we need more people taking that mantra on. Getzy is our captain. a routine, clinical victory became a messy act of survival. You see it on the stat sheet. He’s leading our offense night in, night out by scoring, and he’s not really been known over the last couple of years But that’s just what they do. as a big scorer. More of a point guy that can create. “It’s Ducks hockey,” Henrique said, cheekily. “But right now, he’s doing what we ask of him, and we’re looking for There were quite a few things that the Ducks did well, things that make some other people to join that wagon train, as per se.” you think there’s something to look forward to this season if they can get Carlyle then said that he’s putting pressure on those guys “because to the point of doing them consistently for lengthy stretches. They got we’re starving for offense.” Only Getzlaf and Aberg are on 20-goal paces. scoring from more than one line. They had multiple lines creating high- Going on goal-per-game ratio, Jakob Silfverberg might get there, but he’s danger offensive chances. The power play delivered for the second stuck on five. Henrique got his fifth Wednesday, but that was his second straight game. They racked up 37 shots on goal and didn’t allow the in 15 games. Rakell, their best goal scorer, has three and none since Canucks to reach 30. Nov. 1. But they still couldn’t coast to the finish line. The Ducks rarely do. Of their The encouraging thing is that the Ducks have evolved into a group that nine victories, the opening night victory in San Jose and a home win over can actually create quality chances beyond the one-and-done attack – the New York Islanders are the closest to anything you could call a and we use the word attack in the loosest way possible – that was the breeze. And those games weren’t that, with them being outshot season’s opening weeks. Against the Canucks, there were stretches of decisively by the Sharks and Islanders. They don’t do anything like what more sustained offensive zone time and periods in which they put strong occurred in downtown Los Angeles, with Colorado strutting out of Staples shifts together and their forechecking game created multiple scoring Center after hanging seven goals on the Kings. opportunities. The scoring-challenged Ducks can only wish for something like that. But For instance, their ultimately necessary fourth goal was the result of Nick the two points are worth the same in each game, no matter how they’re Ritchie creating a Vancouver turnover that led to Brian Gibbons finding attained. Kalle Kossila for a conversion in front. It gave Gibbons his first point with “It certainly wasn’t the prettiest win,” Henrique said, “but we found a way the Ducks and Kossila his second NHL goal. to get that extra point. The last few games, we’ve almost been a little bit “It’s how you want to play,” Getzlaf said. “We call it coming in waves. You snake bitten. We did a good job sticking to our game plan and finding a want to just continue to come and come and come. And everyone’s way to win.” playing the same way and everybody’s doing the same thing. And that’s Wednesday’s win represented a scoring overload if you look at the where you got to get to on a consistent basis. Ducks’ season. The four goals produced are the third time the NHL’s “We’re taking small steps right now. Yeah. We’re getting better and second-worst offensive team has reached that total, with the other two better. We’re going to continue to build and try and get this group times mentioned above. When the term “it’s a 3-2 league” gets tossed pushing the right way every night and every shift.” around, it might as be a direct reference to the Ducks. That is when a team knows its members are all on the same page. That And with that, Anaheim has to win more than its share to work its way is when true momentum is created. into the playoffs for a seventh consecutive season. But as it has seen, the Pacific Division is a heaping pile of mediocrity. With a smudge-laden “It’s big,” Henrique said. “It gets everybody in the game. Gets everybody 9-9-5 record, the Ducks awoke on American Thanksgiving stunningly in rolling. We found offense from a few different lines tonight, and that was third place. huge for us. That’s going to be something we’re looking for throughout the season. Eventually, Calgary and San Jose figure to pull away. The two talented teams are just starting to stretch out their arms. But beyond that, the “It’s been there. We’ve been close. We have had opportunities. They just division has five others that might be a mosh pit until one breaks free and haven’t gone in for us. But we just have to keep sticking with it and keep grabs the other automatic playoff spot. Only L.A. looks out of it unless it pushing.” pulls off a dramatic turnaround. Said Carlyle: “These are talented players. For whatever reason, we’ve There’s a lot of season left to play, but the odds of the Pacific snatching been snake bit a little bit offensively. Hopefully, that’s just a good sign of one of the two wild-card berths lean toward the slim side. Even though things to come for our group.” players often profess that they don’t look at the standings that are printed out by public relations staffs every day, Getzlaf admitted that he eyes Beating a struggling Vancouver team that’s had a difficult early road them “once in a while.” schedule and come down from the high of playing over its head is no great feat. But it was still important in that the Canucks are among the Even in November. four other divisional teams the Ducks will have to move past before they can look at seriously challenging the Flames and Sharks. “We check them, obviously,” Getzlaf said. “It’s hard not to at this point, with social media and everything else going on. The fact that we’re able To do that, the Ducks must get to a place where they prove their best efforts aren’t singular in nature. Let’s remember that this win was just their fourth in the last 16 games. They’ve got to prove it Friday when they’ve got their annual Black Friday matinee, this one against Edmonton in the first of four meetings against the Oilers.

The Oilers, who are among four teams in the West that have already made the coaching switch. Ken Hitchcock is behind their bench instead of the fired Todd McLellan. The Ducks have stuck with Carlyle, with general manager Bob Murray not following his colleagues and resisting that move to shake his injury-plagued team out of its repetitive pattern.

Perhaps that is because of the knowledge that the Ducks do what has become natural. October and November have been about survival. December is when the groundwork for a second-half push is set. And then, when January arrives, it is time to slam themselves into gear.

It was like this in the final year of the Bruce Boudreau era. It has been like this during Carlyle 2.0. As Getzlaf was talking during his postgame media scrum, I said, “You’ve dealt with this before.”

“You’ve seen this before,” Getzlaf said, snickering.

“I have seen this before,” I responded.

“Me, too,” he added.

There is small comfort in that.

“You can draw back on things all the time when you have that opportunity – where you get in tough times, it’s nice to be able to look back and understand that it’s a long season and there is time to turn it around,” Getzlaf said. “Luckily enough, our division hasn’t pulled away from us at the start of the year here. We’re getting points. We’re scrapping and clawing, and we’ll just keep going.”

On this night, the Ducks repaid John Gibson in scoring enough to offset a rare off night for their goalie. The third-period Vancouver goal that made the score 3-2 might have been the worst one he’s allowed this season. (Nikolay Goldobin would get the goal when Jake Virtanen’s shot struck his foot). Carlyle said Gibson could be forgiven for not being razor sharp as usual, given that he had missed Sunday’s game because of the flu. Or that he has saved them on too many other occasions.

But unless you are a newcomer to who they really are, you know that nothing ever comes easy for the Ducks. They wouldn’t be them if that was ever the case.

“It’d be awesome,” Getzlaf said, thinking of the concept of enjoying a blowout. “I’ll take any win.”

The Athletic LOADED: 11.23.2018 1117044 Arizona Coyotes

Arizona Coyotes assign Mario Kempe to Tucson Roadrunners

Staff Report BY ARIZONA SPORTS

NOVEMBER 22, 2018 AT 11:23 AM

The Arizona Coyotes announced they have assigned forward Mario Kempe to the Tucson Roadrunners on Thursday.

Kempe, 30, has played in four games with the Coyotes this season and eight games with the Roadrunners.

He has three goals and six assists for a total of nine points with the Coyotes’ AHL affiliate in Tucson.

Kempe has 22 career NHL games played and has logged two goals and two assists with 24 shots on goal.

The Coyotes take on the visiting Colorado Avalanche in Glendale on Friday.

Arizona Sports LOADED: 11.23.2018 1117045 Boston Bruins ■ Allowing five goals in three road games, as the Bruins just did, is a good result. Doing it with a group of defensemen that hits between Nos. 4 and 12 in the batting order (Torey Krug, Kevan Miller, Matt Grzelcyk, Injuries make Bruins difficult to assess right now Steven Kampfer, Jeremy Lauzon, Connor Clifton, Jakub Zboril) should boost their confidence.

They allowed too many high-slot chances, but the netminding mostly By Matt Porter bailed them out. Rask, after his layoff last weekend, had two strong games. NOVEMBER 22, 2018 “Rock solid,” said coach Bruce Cassidy.

Jaroslav Halak, despite taking the loss at Colorado, was excellent in DETROIT — Offering a loaded leftover sandwich of Bruins thoughts, best Arizona (32 saves on 33 shots). He’s a good bet to go against Pittsburgh consumed after a post-Thanksgiving meal snooze (but still plenty tasty in Friday. the days after): ■ The Penguins, waddling along at 8-8-4, are feeling better now that ■ So where are the Bruins right now? Yes, in fourth place in the Atlantic Sidney Crosby is once again Sidney Crosby. He produced a 1-2–3 line in Division, but . . . a 5-1 win over Dallas Wednesday, and has 8 points in his last four Trending up? Treading water? Trending down? games (17 in his last 11), though he missed three with an upper-body injury. Assessing this team over the next month, when the line between contenders and pretenders is usually drawn, will be a challenge. The But the Penguins got bad news Thursday when goalie Matt Murray was defense may not be whole until January, and Patrice Bergeron’s long- put on injured reserve because of a lower-body injury. Murray is 4-5-1 term status is unknown; a four-week checkup could — could — reveal with a 4.08 goals-against average and .877 save percentage in 11 surgery to be his best option. games.

In the here and now, they’re swimming along. Plucking 4 points from the Pittsburgh recalled Tristan Jarry from Wilkes-Barre/Scranton of the AHL. recent road trip is a palatable result, given the tryptophan effect injuries The absence of Bergeron, to say nothing of Chara and the rest of the can have on a club. But a point-per-game pace the rest of the way would defense, looms large in this game — and in the next two against have the Bruins couch-bound, slumbering with the rest of the DNQs. Montreal and Toronto. By the new year, Bergeron, Zdeno Chara, Charlie McAvoy, Brandon ■ Kampfer has done a fine job as a fill-in, and Cassidy, who coached him Carlo, and John Moore could be back in the lineup. But this is a contend- in Providence, has a level of trust there. But the coach wasn’t happy now club. They can’t wait that long for results. about Kampfer’s risky pinch against Detroit Wednesday, which saw the So, they need a wake-up — from within preferably, or from the trade defenseman overextend himself while protecting a one-goal lead in the market. More of what? Not goaltending. Other than the Predators, Jets, third period. Detroit scored on the resulting two-on-one break to tie the and Maple Leafs, it’s hard to find teams that wouldn’t trade the game. performances of their goalies for those of Boston’s, even though some “Unacceptable,” Cassidy said. “It’s a poor decision.” here would blame Tuukka Rask for their turkey being too dry. He committed a similar blunder last week at Colorado, helping the We have not seen this collection of forwards produce in a way that Avalanche break away for the 3-3 goal in a 6-3 win. makes us think the Bruins shouldn’t add before the holidays are over. Some of the inconsistency is due to injuries and the resulting shuffle of ■ Good news: McAvoy went 2 for 2 this week, practicing Tuesday and centers and wingers learning each other. But having grinders such as morning-skating Wednesday, neither of which involved much more Noel Acciari and Joakim Nordstrom in the top six is not a winning recipe. contact than the playful shoves he received from his happy-to-see-ya teammates. The summertime prices were too high (Ilya Kovalchuk is 5-9—14). Would a veteran scorer be available now, at reasonable cost? When will Chuckie check in for game duty? TBD. Cassidy, a straight shooter with reporters on most topics, said he wishes he could say more. The Bruins have intriguing young wingers, and other teams may want The club is usually tight-lipped about those concussed. youth and promise. Perhaps the Bruins could dangle some of that (in the person of Anders Bjork, Jake DeBrusk, Ryan Donato, or Danton Heinen) Cassidy also keeps it zipped about Urho Vaakanainen, who went 1 for 2 for a change-of-scenery candidate. Think: Los Angeles, last in the NHL in on-ice attendance the last two days. The word on him, from Cassidy: (7-13-1 for 15 points) and one of the league’s older teams. “Not even close to playing.”

Los Angeles general manager Rob Blake, on the job since April 2017, has not dealt with Don Sweeney before, but he was assistant to Dean Lombardi for the Milan Lucic trade. Would he move a mid-ager such as Boston Globe LOADED: 11.23.2018 Tyler Toffoli (5-7—12), a right-shot, second-line winger? Worth considering, given Toffoli’s age (26) and production (approximately a goal every three games, with a season high of 31 in 2015-16). He makes $4.6 million each of the next two years, not a small slice of pie.

What about an impending RFA like Adrian Kempe (2-3—5, but a Heinen/DeBrusk-like 16-21—37 last year)? Enticing combination of speed, skill, and jam. A wrinkle here: Kempe, a left winger by trade, is playing center for the Kings, and they just acquired fellow Swede Carl Hagelin to play on his left side.

If Blake has a particular interest in a Boston prospect, maybe he and Sweeney could talk turkey.

Why not poll Columbus about a Riley Nash return? It would at least solve the third-line center issue. Nash, who can play on any line, could let Nordstrom (or Jakob Forsbacka Karlsson) shift to the wing when Bergeron returns.

Nash, off to a dismal 0-2—2 start, is due $2.75 million each of the next three years, and could, in theory, be taken off Columbus’s cap for a scoop of stuffing and some green bean casserole (in real terms: a pick and a Providence player). Familiar faces and expectations probably would help him. 1117046 Boston Bruins

Cassidy: Bruins need better communication

Marisa Ingemi

Thursday, November 22, 2018

It didn’t go the Bruins’ way in overtime yet again on Wednesday night.

For the fourth time this season, the Bruins dropped a contest in the extra period with their 3-2 loss in Detroit on the night before Thanksgiving. It wasn’t the first time they were handed a defeat after being outworked on a play in overtime.

After winning the faceoff, the Bruins turned the puck over and allowed Andreas Athanasiu a quality look on net, which he buried.

Mistakes like that burnt the B’s more than once on the road trip.

“Him (Brad Marchand) and Jake (DeBrusk) had some issues in the slot, they need to stop and bear down when they’re circling away,” sBruins head coach Bruce Cassidy said. “If they’re misreading each other, whatever the case, again a new center iceman with JFK (Jakob Forsbacka Karlsson) or even (Joakim) Nordstrom, there needs to be better communication obviously so I don’t put it all on the wingers. But there were good looks in the slot that we need to tighten.”

On the second Red Wings goal, Detroit rushed up ice on a two-on-one and beat Tuukka Rask off a rebound, but Cassidy also attested that to mistakes from his skaters.

“I don’t fault him (Rask) on that goal,” said Cassidy. “That was a bad decision off the rush from Bjork not to shoot the puck and force it in there. When you have a lead that might be a play you make in the first period but not the third when you have a lead. That’s just learning to play winning hockey.”

Beyond the forward corps, the inexperienced defense group -- manned by two rookies and two defenders without a full season of NHL experience -- allowed plenty of chances right in front of Rask and allowed some chances up ice starting in their offensive zone.

“Our D pinched on another mistake and they have to learn to play winning hockey,” Cassidy said. “Mistakes get compounded, and that one cost us and it was pretty unfortunate.”

For all the line shuffling, the fourth line of all things has found a way to stay intact.

They were rewarded for that effort in Detroit on Chris Wagner’s second goal of the season.

“It always helps, even in practices too,” he said. “I think we’re starting to build a little more chemistry, we’re starting to make more plays coming over the blueline instead of just dumping it in every time and chasing it. We had a little more puck possession tonight and finally got rewarded.”

Karlsson had to go off the ice at the end of the second period and missed the start of the third frame on Wednesday due to getting stitches on his lower lip after he blocked a shot.

Of his six games in the NHL, he was having one of his strongest contests before hehad to go to the locker room.

“I got the legs going a little bit there, it’s too bad I had to step off for a little bit to take care of that,” he said. “It’s tough when you’re up in the third period and they tie it up.”

JFK got in the way of a shot from Detroit’s Dylan Larkin, which forced him to come off the ice and have it dealt with.

“We had a little momentum going with the goal, so it was too bad I had to step off,” he said.

Boston Herald LOADED: 11.23.2018 1117047 Boston Bruins

B’s Bjork earns his chance

Marisa Ingemi

Thursday, November 22, 2018

DETROIT — Anders Bjork finally is being rewarded, but there’s a caveat.

The 22-year-old is getting a chance to play top-line minutes, but given the Bruins’ penchant for shuffling the deck at a moment’s notice, he must prove each shift he can play at that level.

“I think it’s just about being consistent and playing hard every shift,” Bjork said before last night’s game against the Red Wings. “It’s part of playing with guys like that, to be ready for the plays they make. A lot of things happen, and to capitalize on that, you have to be ready and on your toes.”

Patrice Bergeron’s injury and departure from the lineup for at least four weeks has changed the entire dynamic of the forward lines. Bjork skated with the top unit last night after playing primarily with the third line all season.

Bjork scored his only goal of the season Oct. 13 and is stuck in a long drought, but he’s still doing things to help the team. He had a goal called back against Dallas at home this month, and he’s getting to the net more and creating more opportunities. That’s why the B’s are hopeful he will break out.

“He’s earned it, in terms of his effort,” head coach Bruce Cassidy said. “Hopefully he’s able to cash in for his own personal self. He was a scorer coming out of Notre Dame, and he’d like to contribute there. He’s done a nice job away from the puck, but hopefully his offense does get a spark.”

Bjork has played with several centers this season, ranging from Sean Kuraly to Joakim Nordstrom to Jakob Forsbacka Karlsson and now David Krejci.

It’s a lot of bouncing around for a young player, but he’s focused on finding ways to score no matter who is to his right.

“All the players are so skilled and smart that it’s pretty easy to switch between lines,” Bjork said. “Before and during the game, the transition can be pretty smooth.”

While he played with David Backes and Kuraly, he had a goal called back that seemed like it was the start of some chemistry. A few games later, he assisted Danton Heinen’s first 5-on-5 goal of the season.

He’s seen time on the power play as well but still hasn’t found the back of the net. He’s taken all the right steps to improve, so the production should follow.

“Just focusing on attacking and trying to get to the net,” he said. “Whether that be me taking the puck there or getting my body around there when the puck is there. When you’re in a slump, you try to find ways to score goals in different ways.”

With a shorthanded lineup, the B’s need someone to step up. If Bjork responds to his minutes increase in a positive way, it solves part of the problem. They are desperate for a scoring boost while Bergeron is out.

“Someone has to go up there at the end of the day with (Bergeron) out. We have to move pieces around,” Cassidy said. “He’s a guy who’s been close. I think his game’s better. He’s attacking the net, he’s around the net. It hasn’t gone in for him, so it’s an opportunity for him to play with guys who lead the team.”

Boston Herald LOADED: 11.23.2018 1117048 Boston Bruins

Chara makes the rounds with Thanksgiving pies

Staff Report By NBC Sports Boston Report

November 22, 2018 7:57 PM

Bruins captain Zdeno Chara may be out for a few weeks with a knee injury, but that didn't stop him from getting around Boston to spread a little Thanksgiving spirit.

If you noticed a 6-foot-9 guy in a Pilgrim hat around Boston this week, it was the B's defenseman delivering pies from Mike's Pastry in the North End to shelters around the city.

"At this time of the year, it's giving season. I'm just cherishing the Thanksgiving memories."

Comcast SportsNet.com LOADED: 11.23.2018 1117049 Buffalo Sabres Canadiens coach Claude Julien told reporters that backup Antti Niemi will start in goal Friday against the Sabres. Niemi allowed four goals on 42 shots in a 4-2 loss to Buffalo last month.

Defenseman Lawrence Pilut hoping to help Sabres extend winning streak Berglund was not present during the Sabres' skate. Beaulieu, Nelson, Rasmus Dahlin, Evan Rodrigues, Casey Mittelstadt, Jeff Skinner, Linus Ullmark and Remi Elie also participated. By Lance Lysowski

Published Thu, Nov 22, 2018 | Updated Thu, Nov 22, 2018 Buffalo News LOADED: 11.23.2018

Lawrence Pilut had just stepped off the ice at Bill Gray's Iceplex, the practice rink for the Rochester Americans, when he was pulled aside by his coach, Chris Taylor.

Pilut, a 22-year-old rookie defenseman, wasn't sure what to expect. Then, Taylor said that Pilut had been recalled by the Buffalo Sabres and he would need to be at KeyBank Center in time for Wednesday night's game against the Philadelphia Flyers.

Pilut participated in warmups and headed to the press box, where he watched as a sold-out crowd cheered on a 5-2 victory, the Sabres' first seven-game win streak since 2006-07. Now, he's hoping for a chance to play in front of those fans, sooner rather than later.

"Here is where I want to be," Pilut said after an informal skate Thanksgiving morning at KeyBank Center. "Here is where I want to play. I’m just happy right now to be up here. Now I just want to get into the action."

It's unclear when he will get the opportunity. Pilut was recalled when Patrik Berglund was placed on injured reserve with an upper body injury, leaving the Sabres with 13 forwards and eight defensemen. Marco Scandella was scratched Wednesday night and remains day-to-day with a lower body injury suffered Monday in Pittsburgh, though he was one of 10 Sabres to participate in an informal skate Thanksgiving morning.

Nathan Beaulieu took Scandella's place in the lineup, skating alongside Casey Nelson on Phil Housley's third defensive pairing. Those two received the least amount of ice time among the Sabres' six active defensemen against the Flyers. If Scandella is unable to play, Housley could choose to see how Pilut fares against NHL competition either Friday afternoon at home against Montreal or Saturday in Detroit.

Pilut's skill set is an ideal fit for Housley's system, where defensemen need to join the offensive rush. Pilut was tied for the AHL lead with 22 points, including 19 assists, with a plus-16 rating in 15 games. He played in almost every situation, paired with Zach Redmond.

Pilut signed a two-year entry-level contract with the Sabres in May after spending nearly five seasons with HV71 of the Swedish Hockey League, and he was named the league's top defenseman last season. He impressed the Sabres in training camp but was sent to Rochester to adapt to the North American game.

Sabres prospect Lawrence Pilut emerging as 'new age defenseman'

"I felt good," Pilut said of his time in the Sabres' camp. "I had a good feeling coming into the season. It feels like I’ve been playing good down in Rochester. Everybody’s been so good to me down there. They’ve really been helping me a lot. … It’s been a good feeling so far."

Housley wasn't available to the media Thanksgiving morning, so it's unclear when or if he plans to put Pilut into the lineup. Nelson and Beaulieu didn't play poorly against the Flyers. Perhaps Pilut was recalled as insurance in the event of another injury.

While adapting to the AHL, Pilut kept a close eye on the Sabres' resurgence. Buffalo, now 14-6-2 and tied for second in the Atlantic Division with 30 points, owns the NHL's longest win streak of the season despite playing six games in nine nights.

"They’ve been rolling pretty good up here," Pilut said. "It’s a good feeling in the group, it feels like for these two days I’ve been here for so far. I want to try to be a part of it."

Defenseman Shea Weber, the Canadiens' captain, participated in the team's practice Thursday afternoon at KeyBank Center. Weber has yet to play this season as he recovers from ankle surgery, and he isn't expected to return until next month. 1117050 Buffalo Sabres "I think it’s a big lesson we have to learn," Sabres winger Evan Rodrigues said. "We’ll continue to grow, continue to build as a team. Learn how to have good puck possession when we have a lead."

Sabres vs. Canadiens: Five Things to Know 5. Home ice advantage: The Sabres experienced two of the more difficult road arenas when they escaped with victories at Winnipeg and Minnesota. Prior to puck drop Wednesday, players spoke of wanting a By Lance Lysowski similar advantage when in front of their fans at KeyBank Center.

Published Thu, Nov 22, 2018 | Updated Thu, Nov 22, 2018 That's exactly what they received during the annual Thanksgiving eve game, when 19,070 watched Buffalo beat Philadelphia. The Sabres are

7-2-1 at home, their best 10-game start to the home schedule since The sold-out crowd had yet to leave KeyBank Center late Wednesday 2009-10, after winning only 11 games at home last season. night when Jack Eichel was already looking ahead to the Buffalo Sabres' next opponent. Buffalo News LOADED: 11.23.2018 He and his teammates planned to savor their accomplishments on Thanksgiving, most notably the franchise's first seven-game winning streak since 2006-07. They also woke up Thursday morning tied with the Toronto Maple Leafs for the second-most points in the Eastern Conference.

That 5-2 victory over the Philadelphia Flyers was the Sabres' 14th of the season. Remember, they didn't achieve win No. 14 until Jan. 25 last season. But Eichel made it clear their focus had already turned to the Montreal Canadiens, whom they'll host at 4 p.m. Friday.

The Canadiens, tied for fourth in the Atlantic Division with 26 points, were the first team to fall to the Sabres during this winning streak, a 6-5 overtime win for Buffalo at the Bell Centre.

"A big test for us," Eichel said.

Your five things to know about the game

1. Lineup update: Defenseman Marco Scandella (lower body) was among 10 Sabres to participate in an informal skate Thanksgiving morning at KeyBank Center. Scandella remains day to day, and it's unlikely he'll return to face the Canadiens.

That could lead to Lawrence Pilut making his NHL debut either Friday or Saturday. Pilut, a 22-year-old defenseman signed to an entry-level contract in May, was tied for the AHL lead in scoring with 22 points in 15 games, capped by a seven-game point streak.

He was called up Wednesday when Patrik Berglund was placed on injured reserve and also skated with the team Thanksgiving morning. With Scandella out, Nathan Beaulieu skated alongside Casey Nelson on Phil Housley's third defensive pairing.

Sabres recall defenseman Pilut, place Berglund on injured reserve

2. Hutton likely in goal: Though backup Linus Ullmark was on the ice for the skate, it's unlikely he'll start Friday against the Canadiens. Ullmark allowed five goals on 32 shots before being pulled against Montreal on Nov. 8. Also, Carter Hutton's on a remarkable run. He's now won six straight starts while posting a .933 save percentage and 1.99 goals- against average during that span.

3. Special teams: While the Canadiens have skilled players such as Max Domi and Jonathan Drouin, their power play ranks 28th in the league at 13.8 percent, scoring only four times in their last 46 opportunities. Meanwhile, the Sabres have killed off 19 of their last 20 penalties. Montreal isn't doing much better on the penalty kill, either. It ranks 19th at 78.9 percent and has allowed a power play goal in each of its last four games.

4. Another difficult test: Montreal is 7-3-3 this season when scoring first and 5-1 in one-goal games. It's been outstanding in the first period, outscoring opponents by 30 goals in the first 20 minutes of its 22 games. However, the Canadiens have been terrible late in games. Though they've won three times when trailing after two periods, they've been outscored by 27 goals in the third.

These two teams combined for six first-period goals earlier this month, but the Sabres were the far better team in the third period of both wins over Montreal this season. Phil Housley will urge his players to start fast again. After all, the Canadiens have enough talent to take advantage of silly mistakes.

Domi has 11 goals and 15 assists; Drouin's second on the team with 19 points; and Tomas Tatar and Jeff Petry both have 17. The Sabres are still searching for consistency. They had only nine shots on goal after the first period Wednesday. 1117051 Buffalo Sabres

Buffalo Sabres get huge local TV rating for win over Philadelphia Flyers

By Alan Pergament

Published Thu, Nov 22, 2018 | Updated Thu, Nov 22, 2018

The Buffalo Sabres’ 5-2 victory over the Philadelphia Flyers Wednesday night had a local rating on cable’s NBCSN that very few prime-time broadcast network programs get in Western New York these days.

The Sabres' seventh straight victory had a 13.8 rating in Buffalo, which was more than 40 percent higher than the 9.7 rating for the Sabres’ exciting, come-from-behind 5-4 overtime win over the Pittsburgh Penguins on Monday that had tied the team’s season-high rating up to that point.

The rating Wednesday was almost double the Sabres’ season average rating of 7.0 before the Flyers' game.

Wednesday’s game also was the higher-rated regular season game ever on NBCSN in Buffalo. However, Versus only became rebranded as NBCSN in 2012 and the Sabres have been pretty bad in most of the seasons since then.

In the days of streaming and DVRs, very few entertainment programs get a double-digit live household rating.

Of course, Buffalo Bills games are the highest-rated programs in the Buffalo market, generally getting ratings in the high 20s to the mid-30s this season.

Buffalo News LOADED: 11.23.2018 1117052 Calgary Flames

Game Day: Flames at Golden Knights

Kristen Anderson, Postmedia

November 22, 2018 9:26 PM MST

This is Neal’s first game in Las Vegas since joining the Flames this off- season. Featured in this space on Monday, the 31-year-old winger was not part of his new club’s scoring spree that saw them score five goals in the first period of an eventual 7-2 win. He played 15:30 that night, but on Wednesday, his minutes dropped again to 9:08 — and he only had three shifts in the third period. We don’t mean to alarm you, but Neal’s pointless slump has now hit eight games.

Big Save Dave

While Flames head coach Bill Peters said they would discuss on the plane to Sin City which goalie would start on Friday, you would have to think they are going with G David Rittich again. With an 8-1-0 record, 2.04 goals against average and .930 save percentage, he finds himself in good company among the top goalies in the NHL. He’s currently second in GAA behind Pekka Rinne (.164), fourth in save percentage, and the only goalie — among those who have played 10 or more games — to only have one loss on his stat-line.

You guys again?!

Long time no see. The Flames laid a 7-2 beatdown on the Golden Knights on Monday and, in a weird scheduling quirk, they meet each other in less than a week. This is one of two visits to Las Vegas for the Flames this season. Their next one comes on March 6 which, oddly enough, features a rematch at the Saddledome on March 10. Vegas had Calgary’s number last season, beating them three times before the Flames won 7-1 on April 7 — a game which meant nothing to either team.

Making their skates count

Two back-to-back matinees over the U.S. Thanksgiving weekend means no morning skates for the Flames on either day. On Friday it’s a 3 p.m. PT start in Las Vegas, while they will hit the ice at 1 p.m. MT on Sunday at Glendale’s Gila River Arena. It’s a quick, two-game business trip which means there is no time for taking advantage of the Black Friday weekend deals. The Flames will practise in the afternoon on Saturday in Arizona.

Big win

The Flames became the first team to score five first-period goals in back- to-back games since the St. Louis Blues did so on Nov. 21 and Nov. 23, 1989 … With the victory, the Flames have now scored at least six goals on home ice four times, this season which is a league-best … Calgary also became the fourth team in NHL history to score five or more goals in the opening frame in consecutive games.

This n’ that

Winger Sam Bennett missed practice on Thursday after taking a Dustin Byfuglien shot to the forearm on Wednesday … D Michael Stone is out with a blood clot … RW Michael Frolik was placed on the IR with a lower body injury and won’t be with the Flames on this two-game roadie … LW Matthew Tkachuk was one of six different goal scorers for the Flames on Wednesday and boosted his season totals to 12 goals and 15 assists. Only five players have more points than him this season.

Calgary Sun: LOADED: 11.23.2018 1117053 Calgary Flames

Flames defenceman Stone diagnosed with blood clot

Wes Gilbertson

November 22, 2018 5:43 PM MST

Calgary Flames defenceman Michael Stone will be sidelined indefinitely due to a blood clot in his arm.

The 28-year-old complained Wednesday night that he was feeling some discomfort, and the Flames’ medical staff made the scary discovery the next morning.

“It’s serious, obviously, and it’s going to be treated in that regard,” said Flames head coach Bill Peters. “I’m glad it’s an early catch. That’s what you want.”

Stone has been serving as the Flames’ seventh defenceman, a healthy scratch for 11 of their past dozen dates.

He didn’t travel with the team on their two-game getaway to the desert — Friday’s clash with the Vegas Golden Knights and then a showdown with the Arizona Coyotes on Grey Cup Sunday.

“He’s under great care,” said Flames general manager Brad Treliving after revealing the diagnosis Thursday. “We’ll have more to share once we know more. The timeline right now is unknown.”

Flames forward Michael Frolik also stayed behind as his teammates departed for their two-game roadie. The 30-year-old is dealing with a lower-body ailment, but the team is optimistic his absence will be short- term.

Both Frolik and Stone have been placed on injured reserve.

Calgary Sun: LOADED: 11.23.2018 1117054 Calgary Flames legitimately deep blue-line brigade. (Their seventh defenceman, Michael Stone, will be out indefinitely after being diagnosed Thursday with a blood clot in his arm.)

Good sign: Flames sitting atop Pacific Division on American Both the biggest concern and most pleasant surprise this fall has been Thanksgiving between the pipes. An all-star last season, Mike Smith has struggled mightily, but backup David Rittich has been splendid en route to an 8-1 record in nine starts so far. Wes Gilbertson These Flames have shown a whole lot of resilience en route to six third- November 22, 2018 5:43 PM MST period comebacks, although those rewrite specials shouldn’t be necessary with their new habit of scoring five goals in the opening

stanza. For the Saddledome supporters, that must have a nice ring to it. They rebounded from that 9-1 pummelling from the Pittsburgh Penguins American Thanksgiving is one of those take-stock moments on the NHL’s — or, as Peters put it, “rock bottom.” They’re 8-3-1 since then. annual calendar and as our friends south of the border filled up on turkey “I really like how, as a group, we’re confident,” Giordano said. “We and football Thursday, the Flames were perched atop the Pacific Division haven’t changed the way we’ve played in a long time now. Wins, losses, standings. being up, being down … We’re bringing that same style of play every There’s a buzz building in this city. night. Good teams are consistent, and we feel like we’re a good team.

There’s a belief building in the locker-room. “When you pile up some wins, that belief gets stronger and gets stronger. But also those few comebacks in the third, when you’re down a couple “When we’re playing fast, when we’re playing our game, I think we’re one and you get back into those ones, then it becomes a dangerous group. of the best teams in the league,” said Flames centre Mark Jankowski. “I Because now, no matter what the score, the style of game, we feel like think we just have to keep our foot on the gas. We can’t get complacent. we can get the win.” It’s a long season, obviously.” They should be feeling confident — they’re the first-place Calgary Indeed, we’re barely past the quarter-point of the 82-game slate. A whole Flames. lot can happen between now and when the post-season invites are stamped in April. The key now is to continue to hang around there.

Still, statistics show that it’s not especially easy to change your fate after “We believe that we have some really good players in here and a team to U.S. Thanksgiving. ultimately be a team that can go up against any team in the NHL and feel good about ourselves going into the game,” Tkachuk said. “So that’s a Of the 16 teams that marked the holiday in a playoff spot last fall, 11 good feeling.” remained there — and that was the lowest percentage in several seasons.

Over the past five campaigns, 62 of 80 teams in a playoff pegging on Calgary Sun: LOADED: 11.23.2018 American Thanksgiving have ultimately qualified for the spring dance.

“It’s talked about a lot, and it has proven over time to hold some water,” said Flames head coach Bill Peters. “But it’s not fool-proof. It’s the quarter mark, and you get an idea of where you’re at.”

Where they’re at — after three straight victories, including Wednesday’s 6-3 doubling of the Winnipeg Jets — is the top slot in the Pacific Division and third in the Western Conference with a 13-8-1 mark.

A good place to be, no doubt.

“I think we’re pretty upbeat, happy with the way we’ve been playing,” said centre Derek Ryan, one of a handful of off-season additions for the Flames. “But I’ve been talking with a couple guys and I feel like we haven’t quite reached our potential at the same time, which is a good thing.”

Heading into Friday’s matchup with the Vegas Golden Knights in Sin City (4 p.m., Sportsnet One/Sportsnet 960 The Fan), there is a lot to like.

Summer trade acquisition Elias Lindholm has been a dandy fit on both the top line — Johnny Gaudreau, Sean Monahan and the new guy in No. 28 are all averaging upwards of a point-per-game — and first power-play unit, while the soon-to-be-very-rich Matthew Tkachuk has managed to pile up a team-leading 27 scoresheet mentions all while working in a shutdown role and cementing his status as Public Enemy No. 1 among Edmonton Oilers fans.

When they boarded Thursday’s flight to Las Vegas, the Flames ranked as the second-highest scoring team in the Western Conference, and that’s without much contribution from prized free-agent signing James Neal, who has mustered just three tallies and one assist so far.

Not to be overlooked, Sam Bennett is suddenly thriving as a sparkplug, tops on the team with 52 hits and having tussled with a pair of very tough customers — Josh Manson of the Anaheim Ducks and Darnell Nurse of the Oil.

On Calgary’s back-end, 35-year-old captain Mark Giordano is playing some of the best hockey of his career, while a more comfortable Travis Hamonic has provided the sort of stability the Flames figured they were getting last summer and the arrival/emergence of youngsters Rasmus Andersson, Noah Hanifin and Juuso Valimaki has transformed this into a 1117055 Calgary Flames Q: Nowadays, there are people in the hockey world who believe analytics can help forecast chemistry and others who think you really never know until players get on the ice together. Where do you stand on that?

Q&A: Travis Hamonic on finding his form in Calgary, the usefulness of As a hockey community as a whole, everyone’s still learning what the analytics and eating a little more slowly numbers mean. Some of them work and some don’t. At the end of the day, you can make the numbers work whichever way you want to work, right? There’s a component of our game that happens extremely fast on By Eric Duhatschek the ice; and there are a lot of intangibles involved. Someone blows a skate blade in the D-zone and you get peppered for 10 shots in a shift Nov 22, 2018 because you’re down a guy, and that’s an intangible that’s hard to measure. So yeah, numbers serve a purpose, they tell some of the story, but it’s never the whole story. For me, when I watch my games, I watch For NHL players, opening night is a highlight of any season, a chance to my shifts and try to get a read on how I’m playing visually. Some nights, put the drudgery of training camps behind them and generate the you might have a tough match-up and you are kind of getting buried (by adrenaline flow that meaningful games produce. But this year, opening the analytics), but then all of a sudden you watch the game back and you night was an entirely forgettable experience for Calgary Flames think, “man, I was moving the puck good, I was not giving up Grade-A defenceman Travis Hamonic. The Flames were getting crushed by chances, that was a pretty good night.” So, there’s a whole whack of Vancouver on the road, and to make matters worse, Hamonic suffered a information available. You’ve got to decipher it, but you’ve got to watch facial fracture in a fight with Canucks’ defenceman Erik Gudbranson after your game as well. coming to the defence of rookie teammate Dillon Dube, who’d been on the receiving end of a questionable hit. And while his teammates heaped Q: For a long time, I’ve put a premium on quiet, invisible minutes. In the praise on Hamonic for the way he stood up for a young teammate who same way that if you don’t notice a referee, he’s usually doing a good was making his NHL debut, this was a serious injury. It forced Hamonic job; in the past, you might say the same for a stay-at-home defencemen; to miss eight games in total and he’s been wearing a facial shield for if you’re not noticing them; they’re probably doing a good job. But protection since his return. nowadays, with the way the game is played and everyone’s up on the rush, is there even such a thing anymore as playing quiet, invisible Considering how difficult Hamonic’s first season with the Flames went in minutes? Doesn’t everybody have to be in the play, all the time? 2017-18 (11 points in 74 games, a minus-9 rating), this was not how he imagined his second year would start. For the way I play, I still have that old-school mentality, where less is more. If you’re getting noticed, make sure it’s for the good reasons and But a funny thing happened once Hamonic got back into the lineup. not for the bad ones. For me, if I go out there and know I’m breaking the Almost right away, he started to play at a higher overall level. The puck out well and defending well and generally playing solidly, that’s me chemistry that was missing from his partnership with TJ Brodie a year helping the team win. We’ve got a lot of guys that can put up big ago seemed to develop quickly with newcomer Noah Hanifin. To acquire numbers – and that’s part of their responsibility. That’s the neat thing Hamonic back in June 2017, the Flames surrendered one first and two about teams – you’ve got all sorts of different people. You can’t have second-round picks to the New York Islanders (the Islanders also sent a everyone the same. You have 20 guys on the ice and everyone brings fourth-rounder back to Calgary in the deal). It was a pricey transaction, something a little different – but that’s what makes a good team. Good but it looks as if their investment in him may be paying off. Hamonic is a teams jell and make that work. popular figure in the dressing room; and immersed in many commendable charitable endeavors. The NHL Foundation player of the Q: Speaking of teams, yours is off to a roughly comparable start to a year year in 2016-17, Hamonic and his wife Stephanie launched a new ago. The records are the virtually the same – 13-8-1 after 22 games last charitable program just this past week called Charlie’s Children (named season; 12-9-1 this year – though the goals-for ratio of plus-9 as after their daughter). The Hamonics partnered with Women In Need opposed to minus-4 is vastly improved. Also, last season, Mike Smith’s Society (WINS) and West Coast Kids to assist low-income families and goaltending propped up the team in the first quarter; this year, there is a single parents defray the cost of baby supplies and equipment. better overall balance and greater contributions throughout the lineup. The win over Jets puts your team in top spot in the Pacific Division at As the Flames started the second quarter of the 2018-19 season, American Thanksgiving, which historically, is significant. Still in all, the Hamonic is playing an increasingly larger role – and on Wednesday league seems tighter than ever, the difference between being just in a night, in a 6-3 win over the Winnipeg Jets, led the team in ice time with playoff spot and just outside a playoff spot pretty negligible, right? 24 minutes and 51 seconds played, a clear sign he’s earned the trust of new coach Bill Peters. Hamonic spoke about his season to date with The It’s crazy. I’m nine years in the league right now. My first couple of years, Athletic. it was never this tight this early. You look at the standings and everyone’s just jammed in there, so you really have to keep up the pace. The way Q: So, you are living proof that sometimes it can take a player far longer they have the schedule now, it seems as if you play in your division a lot than anyone might anticipate to get comfortable on a new team. Can you at the end of the year. It seems like teams are always getting points and explain why that is? going to overtime come the end of the season, and so if you fall behind early, it’s tough. To be somewhere for eight years, with the same coach (Jack Capuano), the same group of players and the same core – things become second Q: How long do you need to wear facial protection? nature. It’s like brushing your teeth, you just get up and do it. When things weren’t like that anymore, it took a little getting used to. I’ll admit it. Probably until February, or the end of January. Honestly, I’m pretty used I knew I had a lot better play in me – and I thought I got better as last to it now. It’s probably more of an eyesore for everyone else watching year went along. It was just a tough season for everybody – and I knew I me. It’s keeping me pretty well protected, which I kind of need right now. I wanted to have a big start, so it sucked that I got hurt right away. But I keep getting shots up in the face. I took one in San Jose, gashed my lip. think the partnership with Noah has been good and I also think the way The scrum the other night (with the Canadiens’ Max Domi), yeah, I was coach has us playing plays to my strengths. So far, it’s been good. not too thrilled about that. I wouldn’t do that, but …

Q: Those of us in the analysis game often focus on the chemistry of The first two weeks, it was tough. It’s funny, I joke about it now. I’m forward lines, and sometimes overlook the fact that it can be equally fortunate that my (four middle upper) teeth are out, because I was able to important for defence pairs to develop chemistry. How does good get the straw through my teeth. I was all swollen; I could barely chemistry develop in a defensive partnership? pronounce my words properly, but it’s gotten better – and now I take it slower and I eat with a little more patience and I’m not just jamming food It’s a good question and it’s one of those things where you can’t really in my mouth anymore. Maybe I’m eating like I’m supposed to be now. predict the answer. It’s like – some couples hit it off and some don’t. Sometimes, you can have all the right attributes and think your games Q: Will you wait until the end of your playing career before getting your line up, and for whatever reason, it doesn’t work. Then it works and then teeth permanently fixed? it stops working and it works again. It can really be a hit and miss thing, Yeah. My teeth have been in and out so many times, I know the day I get so you try to ride it when it’s good and push through when it’s not as them all done and go back to play, that’ll be the game when I lose 12. It good. If anyone in the hockey world can figure out what makes it work kills my mom. She paid for my braces all those years ago. She was upset between a line or a D-pair, they would be rich people. the first time they came out in junior. She said, “do you know how much money I paid for have your teeth fixed?” There’s nothing worse than when your mouth is sore. You can be sore anywhere else in your body, but if your mouth is sore, it drives you nuts. But it’s getting better now. I don’t even notice it, it doesn’t bother me at all.

The Athletic LOADED: 11.23.2018 1117056 Chicago Blackhawks Point: Putting Kane, Toews, Brandon Saad on the same line was a really smart move.

Counterpoint: No, it wasn’t. From tanking to using salary cap space, the Blackhawks have tough decisions to make The trend in the NHL seems to be taking three of your best players to create one super line and guarantee one or two goals per game. The Kane-Toews-Saad line scored a few goals in its first five games together Jimmy Greenfield but the output wasn’t extraordinary. The question is whether it’s worth it when scoring from the other lines is practically nil. Chicago Tribune Maybe it’s necessary because beyond Kane, Toews and Saad — as well as Alex DeBrincat earlier in the season — there just isn’t anybody who has been a scoring threat. Brent Seabrook is fifth on the Hawks with It has been a wild first seven weeks for the Blackhawks this season. three goals, followed by seven players who have two apiece. They got off to a 6-2-2 start, then lost eight in a row and dumped a The two players who really have to get going — DeBrincat and Nick legendary coach along the way in favor of a 33-year-old rookie coach Schmaltz — are the ones who need a boost. DeBrincat has one goal who doesn't even have a mustache. since Oct. 25 and Schmaltz, who has two goals the entire season, has just one since Oct. 21. Yeah, it has been wild. And there are a lot of opinions out there about what the Hawks need to do over the course of the season and beyond. Point: Speaking of Schmaltz, the Hawks need to trade him. Let’s explore some of those topics with our latest point/counterpoint. Counterpoint: That would be a really dumb thing to do. Point: The Hawks should tank. The Hawks can’t move on from every player who doesn’t turn out to be Counterpoint: The Hawks should not tank. an All-Star. Schmaltz had six goals as a rookie, 21 last season and this year he’s on pace for eight . Chances are he’s closer to being a 20-goal To be clear, the Hawks won’t tank. Hawks Chairman Rocky Wirtz and scorer than a 10-goal scorer and the Hawks should be able to live with President John McDonough can’t risk what an embarrassingly bad that. season might do to fan morale, not to mention the season-ticket base. Memories of the franchise being irrelevant are still far too fresh. What they can’t do is pay him based on what he may produce one day. Schmaltz is a restricted free agent after this season and he's not going to Now, should they tank? Call it what you want but this team needs top five be able to demand anywhere near the $5 million to $6 million per season picks in the draft and that’s not going to happen is they sneak into or lurk some thought he would get. The Hawks really might benefit if they can around the playoff picture. They have done strong work to rebuild — sign Schmaltz to a bargain deal and then see him figure out how to score sorry, "restructure" — with terrific defensive prospects but they need to consistently. focus on the offense now. Final point: Despite all that has gone wrong, the Hawks still could make Jonathan Toews was the third overall pick in 2006. Patrick Kane was the the playoffs. top pick in 2007. Those franchise-altering picks never will be forgotten. There’s no guarantee with the draft, of course, but top five picks in the Final counterpoint: Keep dreaming. NHL usually pay off handsomely.

Tank or no tank, the Hawks likely will need one or two top five picks to avoid getting stuck in a post-dynasty rut. Chicago Tribune LOADED: 11.23.2018 Point: The Hawks have salary cap space. Counterpoint: It doesn’t matter, at least not this year. When the Hawks traded Marian Hossa's contract to the Coyotes, birds sang, rainbows appeared and all the Hawks problems were solved. Yeah, not so fast. It’s one thing to have salary-cap space and another thing to be able to do something with it. The deal with the Coyotes came too late for the Hawks to have it pay off during free agency so to take advantage of it now they will have to explore the trade market. There will be good players available, there always are. But the Hawks will need to be willing to trade prospects or draft picks to acquire players and general manager Stan Bowman may not want to do that. There may not even be a need if the playoffs aren't realistic. If it is realistic, mortgaging part of the future for a short-term asset may not be the best decision for the franchise. Point: The Hawks were right to fire likely Hall of Fame coach Joel Quenneville. Counterpoint: They should have fired Bowman instead. This seems to be the big bar argument of the early part of the season. The consensus is somebody had to go. Should it have been Quenneville or Bowman? The Hawks may have underestimated what the public's reaction would be to firing Quenneville. If social media is any indication — and when have people on Twitter and Facebook ever been wrong — fans wanted Bowman gone. Or at least they wanted him gone if one of them had to go. It’s remarkable that these same fans who point out Quenneville led the Hawks to three Stanley Cups conveniently forget it was Bowman who shrewdly navigated the salary cap to give the Hawks the depth they would need to compete for the Cups in the first place. No, he wasn't general manager when the Hawks drafted Duncan Keith, Kane or Toews and he didn’t sign Hossa. But he has made difficult decisions that largely have paid off. It’s not just that Bowman deserves a chance to fix the team again — he does — but keeping him is important for the stability of the franchise. 1117057 Chicago Blackhawks

Blackhawks’ nagging flaws give talk of winning, playoffs an empty feeling

By Steve Greenberg @SLGreenberg

In an early season of considerable darkness, of dispiriting twists and irreversible turns, there was a rock-bottom. In hindsight, it sure seems so, anyway. What could have been worse than the second period of the first meeting between the Blackhawks and Lightning on Oct. 21? Thirty-three shots on goal. No, not for both teams combined (though that would have been a lot). No, definitely not for the Hawks. The Lightning pummeled goalie Cam Ward with 33 shots — only three of which found the back of the net, miraculously — in a historic case of pathetic play by the home team at the United Center. Indeed, the monstrous total of 33 was the most by any team since the NHL began tracking shots by period as an official stat during the 1997-98 season. The Lightning took a 5-1 lead in that game and won 6-3. The Hawks somehow will look to produce a completely different result — against the top team in the Eastern Conference and despite not having won on the road in more than a month — Friday at Amalie Arena. We should point out that things aren’t quite as bleak as they appeared for a while there. The Hawks have begun to play better in the last handful of games under new coach Jeremy Colliton, whose predecessor, the fired Joel Quenneville, wasn’t exactly helped by the aforementioned first game against the Lightning. To a man, the Hawks are speaking in terms of winning. Even the word ‘‘playoffs’’ is being uttered unironically. ‘‘Good teams,’’ defenseman Duncan Keith said after the Hawks’ 4-2 loss Wednesday to the defending Stanley Cup champion Capitals. ‘‘But we have to be a good team, too, if we’re going to be in the playoffs.’’ But nagging flaws cropped back up in Washington. Take, for example, the Hawks’ special teams. (Please.) They were 0-for-3 on the power play, falling to 29th in the league with a puny success rate of 13.4 percent, and the first attempt — which generated zero shots — was comically inept. The penalty kill, also ranked 29th at 74.2 percent, was dinged with a Capitals goal. Particularly troubling was the even-strength goal by Michal Kempny that gave the Capitals a 3-0 lead. Forwards Brett Connolly and Lars Eller planted themselves in front of goalie Corey Crawford with no resistance. Crawford never saw Kempny’s blast — the sort of easy goal the Hawks continue to be unable to come up with themselves. The Hawks still are getting next to nothing from their third and fourth lines, and they can be maddeningly inefficient (or is it unlucky?). Witness defenseman Brent Seabrook’s nine shots on goal — one off his career high — against the Capitals, none of which got by goalie Braden Holtby. ‘‘We played hard,’’ Colliton told reporters. ‘‘I thought the effort was there, and we looked like we were going to climb back into it multiple times during the game. Just some self-inflicted wounds there that made it difficult against a Cup winner.’’ And that’s where Colliton — justifiably or not — turned up the positivity. ‘‘We’re good enough,’’ he said. ‘‘We have a good-enough team. We’ve just got to tighten up a little bit. These are things we can control.’’ But this is only the start of a brutal stretch of the schedule. And the road certainly has been no friend to this team. Even if the darkness has lifted, the talk of winning — let alone of the playoffs — seems somewhat empty.

Chicago Sun Times LOADED: 11.23.2018 1117058 Chicago Blackhawks Comcast SportsNet.com LOADED: 11.23.2018

Five things Blackhawks fans should be thankful for

By Charlie Roumeliotis November 21, 2018 11:40 PM

Here are five things Blackhawks fans should be thankful for this Thanksgiving: 1. Corey Crawford is healthy When Crawford went down with a concussion last December, things went sideways for the Blackhawks. That was the start of their spiral. And then in the offseason, there was uncertainty whether Crawford would be ready for training camp this year and whether a return was even possible. The Blackhawks are so dependent on what he brings to the table that it was hard for Chicago to go through hockey life without him. But, more importantly, Blackhawks fans should be thankful that he’s healthy and looks like his old self again. It's been a great comeback story. 2. The top guys are performing like it It’s weird to see Patrick Kane and Jonathan Toews reach the age of 30. Time is flying by from the time they were both considered rising superstars in Chicago. But they're not on the downslide just yet. Kane and Toews are both off to terrific starts, and it's encouraging to see because it was an important year for the Blackhawks' top guys to prove that they are still capable of handling the load. To go along with that, Brandon Saad looks better than he ever has since being traded back to Chicago and Alex DeBrincat has put himself in the conversation as a top player on this team. 3. The pipeline is replenished After being aggressive at the trade deadline for a decade chasing three Stanley Cups, the Blackhawks have spent the past couple seasons replenishing their pipeline and it’s starting to look exciting for Chicago. Henri Jokiharju is here and playing top-four minutes. Adam Boqvist could be next, and has a higher ceiling. Nicolas Beaudin and Ian Mitchell might not be far away, either. The second wave will soon be arriving. 4. Cap space and a loaded 2019 free agent class The Blackhawks have an opportunity to make some noise this summer and bridge the gap between their younger players and core veterans. They had a chance to do so last summer, but the class wasn't nearly as deep, so they elected to make depth signings for the second year in a row. It's hard to imagine this one playing out the same way. Just look at the firepower and depth of the 2019 unrestricted free agent class: Matt Duchene. Jordan Eberle. Jake Gardiner. Carl Hagelin. Kevin Hayes. Erik Karlsson. Anders Lee. Brock Nelson. Gustav Nyquist. Artemi Panarin. Joe Pavelski. Wayne Simmonds. Jeff Skinner. Eric Staal. Mark Stone. And yes, the Blackhawks will have cap space to work with: Marian Hossa's $5.275 million cap hit is off the books and Cam Ward ($3 million), Marcus Kruger ($2.775 million), Jan Rutta ($2.25 million) and Chris Kunitz ($1 million) are among the players whose contracts expire at the end of the season. With the salary cap expected to increase and the Blackhawks already having more than $4 million in unused money, there's a chance to make a splash. 5. A high standard In the early 2000s, nobody cared about the Blackhawks. And apathy is the worst. But nobody has been more driven to turn the ship around than John McDonough, and Rocky Wirtz won’t settle for mediocrity either. This is an organization that is losing sleep over how it can get the Blackhawks back to the promised land because that’s the standard they’ve set for themselves. Appreciate that. Be thankful for it. Because they care just as much as the fans do, which means they won't be satisfied until they get it right.

1117059 Chicago Blackhawks

Blackhawks Talk Podcast: Giving Thanks to the Blackhawks

Staff Report By NBC Sports Chicago November 22, 2018 12:10 AM

On a special Thanksgiving Day edition, Pat Boyle and Slavko Bekovic give thanks for the last 11 seasons of Blackhawks hockey. From the way the city of Chicago embraced the franchise (7:00), to the evolution of Patrick Kane from 18-year-old talent to 30-year-old superstar (11:30), they touch on everything that has happened since the Blackhawks franchise was “rejuvenated and reinvigorated” in 2007. Blackhawks fans have been spoiled by success over the last 11 seasons and there is much to be thankful for! However, the Blackhawks success has also proven costly (3:30) in the salary cap era because winning Stanley Cups means you have to pay players, and that makes longevity difficult in today’s NHL. We asked the listeners of the Hawks Talk Podcast to tell us what they were thankful for and the resounding response was the return of Corey Crawford (14:25). Other responses were the return of Jonathan Toews to top form (17:00), the prominsing start to Henri Jokiharju’s career (21:00), and the health of Eddie Olczyk (25:45) allowing him to return to the broadcast booth. As a bonus, Hawks fans are also thankful for the challenge the St. Louis Blues have had winning a Stanley Cup…but could there be a reunion with Joel Quenneville in St. Louis? The guys discuss the fit (23:30) and where Joel Quenneville might eventually end up.

Comcast SportsNet.com LOADED: 11.23.2018 1117060 Colorado Avalanche

Five things to know as the Avalanche finish three-city road trip against the Coyotes

By KYLE NEWMAN | [email protected] | The Denver Post PUBLISHED: November 22, 2018 at 8:46 am | UPDATED: November 22, 2018 at 3:34 pm

Where do Colorado Republicans go from here? Following the Avalanche’s 7-3 win over the Kings on Wednesday night in Los Angeles, Colorado completes its three-city road trip with a showdown against the Coyotes on Friday night. Here are five story lines to watch heading into the game in Arizona.

Offense explodes in L.A. Colorado (11-6-4, 3rd in Central) posted a season-high seven goals in the blowout victory over the lowly Kings at the Staples Center, with defensemen Tyson Barrie, Patrik Nemeth and Nikita Zadorov all providing secondary scoring as the Avalanche is one of two teams in the Western Conference with at least seven road wins.

Power play effectiveness. With three power play goals against Los Angeles, the Avalanche continues to perform well on special teams. Vladislav Kamenev and Nathan MacKinnon had extra-strength goals in the first and Colin Wilson added another in the second, and Colorado leads the NHL with 23 goals in 70 power play chances (32.9 percent) in 2018.

The return of Wilson. After missing Wednesday’s victory in Anaheim due to a lower body injury, Wilson returned and made his presence felt beyond his goal. The 29-year-old’s play alongside Tyson Jost (two assists against Kings) and Alex Kerfoot (three assists) continues to emerge as a potent second line behind Mikko Rantanen, Gabriel Landeskog and MacKinnon.

Coyotes’ two top guns. Colorado won two of its three games against Arizona last season, including a 6-2 win in the teams’ lone showdown at Gila River Arena. Clayton Keller will be Colorado’s primary concern, as the center leads Arizona with 13 points (five goals, eight assists) while Oliver Ekman-Larsson (12 points) is the Coyotes’ other main offensive threat.

Large homestand looms. After playing the Coyotes (9-9-2), Colorado returns to the Pepsi Center to take on Dallas on Saturday, then plays at Nashville on the 27th before closing November with home games against Pittsburgh and St. Louis. The Avalanche will then be at home for seven of December’s 15 games, including a rematch with the Stars on Dec. 15. Denver Post: LOADED: 11.23.2018 1117061 Colorado Avalanche

J.T. Compher: back in the saddle againAdrian Dater

By Adrian Dater Posted on November 22, 2018

Good news from Avalanche medical room today: J.T. Compher is good to go. Compher, out since Oct. 13 with concussion symptoms following a hit from Calgary’s Sam Bennett, will return to the Avs lineup Friday night against the Arizona Coyotes. Compher practiced in a non-contact jersey Thursday at practice in California, before the team boarded a flight to Phoenix. What line partners Compher will have hasn’t been decided yet, at least not publicly. Jared Bednar will likely reveal that after the morning skate Friday. Someone who has been in the lineup of late probably will have to come out. Rookie Sheldon Dries is probably the most likely candidate. Although the Avs have been scoring lots of goals lately, including seven in a win over Los Angeles Wednesday night, they missed Compher when he was gone. He adds speed and versatility to the lineup and helps out on the penalty kill. Philipp Grubauer will start in goal for the Avs, who hope to complete a three-game sweep of their current road trip that started Sunday in Anaheim.

BSN DENVER LOADED: 11.23.2018 1117062 Colorado Avalanche Coyotes team would be huge for an Avalanche squad that is still finding their way through the ups and downs of confidence swings.

In recent years, tasting a little success left the Avalanche self-satisfied, The Colorado Avalanche are growing up AJ Haefele leading to complacency and the predictable losing that followed. It became a self-fulfilling prophecy of failure as they found success, got on their high horse, got knocked back down, found their hunger, and Staff Report repeated the cycle. But this year’s group feels different. It all comes back to the vibe you feel when you walk into a locker room. Instead of carrying on as they’d just LOS ANGELES, Calif. – Every locker room has a certain vibe when you won something big, Colorado’s biggest stars were talking about breakfast walk into it immediately following a game. After losses, you can expect to choices. hear the ripping of velcro as the definitive noise in the room. It’s like that moment we all experience in life when we find ourselves in But last night, after the Colorado Avalanche dispatched the Los Angeles the store eschewing the pull of the marshmallow gun in favor of the deal Kings with relative ease, there was just the occasional small talk…about on kitchen trash bags. Maybe you end up with both, but you’re definitely breakfast food? walking out of there with the trash bags. Maturity gets to most of us eventually. As Nathan MacKinnon and Gabriel Landeskog argued about whether or not pancakes were a “superfood” (they most definitely are), the crux of It looks like that moment might finally be here for the Colorado the issue seemed to come down to the inclusion of syrup or not. Avalanche. That kind of postgame conversation goes to show how casually the Avalanche had just taken care of the team currently inhabiting last place in the league. The 7-3 beatdown in Los Angeles came just days after the BSN DENVER LOADED: 11.23.2018 Avalanche had come back from a two-goal deficit to beat the Anaheim Ducks in overtime, a game in which the score was deceiving relative to the dominance the Avalanche displayed on the ice. Wednesday night at Staples Center, there was nothing deceiving about the score. These are two franchises headed in vastly different directions as the Kings, who have already fired their head coach, look to find an identity amidst their unexpected struggles. Colorado, on the other hand, is a team with legitimate aspirations for the first time in years. They were a surprise playoff team last season and that success raised the bar on what this year’s team should be able to accomplish. A strong start was betrayed by a five-game losing streak and it looked like Colorado was on the verge of sinking back to the depths of being a pretender. And then instead of allowing the hole to get deeper, this Avalanche group climbed out. They responded to their skid by winning four of five, their only loss coming in overtime against the defending Stanley Cup champion Washington Capitals (albeit one missing three key players). The Avalanche welcomed in a Boston Bruins team that regularly gets talked about as a team with the best top line alongside Colorado’s. The big guns for the Avalanche didn’t say anything leading up to the game but walked the walk come game night. They dropped six points on the Bruins as they came back from a two-goal deficit and blew them away in a dominant third period, winning 6-3. Comebacks have been a theme of this team’s success since ending their losing streak. Their only wire-to-wire victories were against Edmonton and Los Angeles, both road victories against weaker teams but in venues the Avalanche have badly struggled in recent years. And that’s part of what makes this stretch as impressive as it has been. The Avalanche have won three consecutive road games and have seven already this year. Consider they had 15 road wins all of last year and they’ve played just eight of 21 games in the Pepsi Center and you see a team that’s beginning to grow up right in front of us. Last year was considered purely a development year where results didn’t matter much and the maturation of young players was all anyone was concerned with. Because that scrappy forced their way into the postseason with a beatdown of the St. Louis Blues in game 82, there was a temptation to try to fast track this group and go spend money on external improvements. Instead, the Avalanche stayed the course. They played the patient card and said they wanted to see another year of what they had in the young guys. So far, the response has been very positive. Alexander Kerfoot is on pace for a 66-point season. Sam Girard has been elevated to playing on Colorado’s top pairing and has responded by putting up a 35-point pace while quarterbacking arguably the league’s most prolific second power-play unit. Tyson Jost had a slow start but has five points in the six games since he returned from injury. J.T. Compher had four points in five games before suffering a concussion that it looks like he’s finally ready to return from. Even Vladislav Kamenev has found his way to five points despite averaging under 10 minutes of ice time. All of this is to say Colorado’s youth movement is still working. It wasn’t just about last year’s team but the continued growth and maturation of the key young pieces on this team. This road trip has already been successful but a win tomorrow night in Arizona against a similarly upstart 1117063 Columbus Blue Jackets But it’s not just individual offense Anderson is creating. When Anderson is on the ice, his team gets 52.63 of all shots taken going their way. Further, he’s posting a team-best 56.43 scoring chance Size, speed and skill: Josh Anderson is a big part of the Blue Jackets’ percentage for. Those who watch Anderson play credit not just his offense aforementioned speed, but also his ability to find the perfect balance among his speed, size and skill. He is learning to lead with his size and speed to create the space he needs to make something good happen. By Alison Lukan “The physicality and speed he has, a lot of people don’t want to mess Nov 22, 2018 with that or don’t know how to play with that,” Foligno said. “He’s using it to our advantage. I think Andy’s taken it upon himself to be more offensive, not just to drive down, take a shot. He’s looking for plays, he’s looking for ways to try to create something coming out of the corners.” COLUMBUS, Ohio — It would be easy to look at the 6-foot-3, 221-pound Josh Anderson and presume you’re seeing a prototypical checking When it comes to setting up his teammates and passes that lead to a forward. However, if you allowed your analysis to end there, you’d be shot, again using Sznajder’s data, Anderson is second only to Panarin in wrong. total shot contributions per 60 minutes (30.3). And he is behind only Panarin and Pierre-Luc Dubois when it comes to primary shot Anderson is tied for second-most goals scored by Jackets skaters (8). contributions per 60 (25.2). He leads the team in behind the net passes He’s earning the best goals per 60 minutes (1.31), points per 60 (1.75) of per 60, and in high danger passes per 60. his career and, when Anderson is on the ice, the Jackets expected goals per 60 (4.71) is also a career-best. The 24-year-old is becoming a As the season rounds the quarter mark, Anderson is showing himself to significant part of the Blue Jackets offense in more ways than you might be an asset not just in terms of getting on the scoresheet, but also in the expect. way he is playing. This looks to be a player on an overall positive trajectory in terms of his ability to influence his team’s offensive What is Anderson doing that makes him so effective? production. Let’s take a look, starting with his transitional play. “He’s so fast and he seems faster this year,” Jenner said. “He’s so good Offense begins with getting the puck moving toward your opponent’s at getting in on the forecheck, chasing down pucks, that he seems to get goal. When it comes to getting from the neutral zone into the offensive to first every time. You know he’s going to be flying down that wing, on zone successfully, Anderson is one of the Jackets’ leaders. the forecheck coming back, he’s making great plays out there. “I think my first year (in the NHL), I was just trying to get the puck in (the “His game is growing, you can see it.” zone) as much as I could by dumping it in,” Anderson said. “Then, the GIFs via The Athletic’s Shayna Goldman; visuals via HockeyViz.com; second year I got more confidence, and this year a lot more confidence. data via NaturalStatTrick.com and Corsica.hockey. All numbers Going over the blue line (with the puck) and trying to make more plays represent five-on-five play, unless otherwise stated. This post relies out of it definitely helps my game.” heavily on shot-based metrics. Here is a good primer on these numbers. Using data tracked by The Athletic’s Corey Sznajder from the first 12 games, Anderson has performed remarkably well in moving the puck into the offensive zone. He is second only to Artemi Panarin in total zone The Athletic LOADED: 11.23.2018 entries, zone entries per 60 minutes and carrying the puck in with control. Anderson is also third in total dump-ins, and third in recovered dump-ins, so even when he isn’t getting the puck in on his stick, he’s putting it in the right places for the Jackets to retain possession. “If it’s dumped in, we want to chase it down,” said Boone Jenner, Anderson’s most frequent linemate this season. “But if we have that speed through the neutral zone off the rush, you can back (the opponent) off — that’s when you gain the line. “It’s good for (Anderson) that he can back him off with that speed he has.” Once you have the puck in the zone, the next step, of course, is to keep it there and generate quality offensive looks. Anderson is proving to be quite adept at doing this all on his own. In five- on-five play, no other Jackets player is shooting the puck more than he is (91 attempts). In all situations, he is second only to Cam Atkinson in the same measure. Anderson is also shooting from the right places. He has the highest total of high-danger shot attempts (25) among all Columbus skaters. “Our shots have to come from the crease and 10 feet out max, and that’s where we’re going to get success,” linemate Nick Foligno said. “It’s a sign we’re doing the right things, we’ll start to get rewarded as we go here, that’s where we have to play.” The chart below from Hockeyviz.com shows every shot Anderson has taken this season in five-on-five play. The shots that became goals are marked in red. Each shape represents a type of shot taken by the player (see the legend at the bottom). Shown another way, converting the attempts to a heat map, it becomes quite clear how actively Anderson is taking shots from the dangerous areas. Of course, it’s paying off. The Burlington, Ontario, native says this success is coming, in part, from offseason work he did at a Power Edge Pro training camp that improved his ability to work in tight areas, including right in front of the net. “I think (it’s helped my release) for sure, just getting pucks off quicker,” Anderson said. “As soon as you make that first or second move, it’s right there to put in, and you’re so close and tight to the net, so (the work at camp) helps that.” 1117064 Detroit Red Wings say, ‘show me something,’ and he’ll say ‘do something out there.’ It’s a good way to get us going and try to help the team.”

Why it's good to talk trash to Detroit Red Wings' Andreas Athanasiou Detroit Free Press LOADED: 11.23.2018

Helene St. James, Detroit Free Press

Published 11:53 p.m. ET Nov. 21, 2018 | Updated 10:21 a.m. ET Nov. 22, 2018

Tyler Bertuzzi had needled his teammate, had been on him to make something happen. The response was laughter — and another celebration for the Detroit Red Wings.

They take a 9-2 stretch on the road Friday at Washington (4 p.m., Fox Sports Detroit), stoked by rallying to win in overtime, 3-2, against the Boston Bruins Wednesday at Little Caesars Arena. Andreas Athanasiou did the honors on a turnaround shot from the slot, his second goal of the game. Bertuzzi might have been his happiest teammate.

“The last two games I was telling him to do something out there,” Bertuzzi said, smiling. “Just to get under his nerves. He laughed it off.”

The Wings have much to laugh about as the 2018-19 season hits the quarter mark: they’ve distanced themselves from a 1-7-2 start by winning nine of their last 11 games.

“It means a lot to all of us,” Jimmy Howard said. “American Thanksgiving, you want to be hovering right around the playoffs, or in, and we are. It could have been very easy for all of us after seven games to just hang it up, but there’s a lot of character in this room. It’s a very close-knit group in this dressing room, everyone gets along with everyone and we enjoy each others company. So it’s no shock to anyone in this room that we were able to turn it around.”

More: Detroit Red Wings mailbag: Is the mentality playoffs or bust?

Howard denied David Pastrnak on a tip-in attempt in overtime, part of a 34 save performance. Howard had to come up big in the first period, when he made 12 saves while his teammates got four shots on net.

“Our starts aren’t very good and we know that and it’s something we need to work on,” Bertuzzi said. “But it shows what we have in this room to bounce back from being down.”

Bertuzzi was in front of Boston’s net when he deflected a shot to make it 1-1 I the second period. In the third period, Athanasiou drove the net and poked in Gustav Nyquist’s shot. Since returning from injury Nov. 9, Athanasiou has four two-point games.

“He’s a go-to guy in this dressing room,” Howard said. “He’s been tenacious on the puck, he can use his speed to make plays and he’s been very valuable to us.”

The goals were Athanasiou’s eighth and ninth of the season. His .82 points-per-game average is second on the team. He’s on pace for a 30- goal season.

“Every year you grow in this league, you want to become more responsible and more mature and be a bigger role player for the team,” Athanasiou said. “I just try to take steps forward and do as much as I can to help.”

Most encouragingly for the Wings is how consistent Athanasiou, 24, has been this season. Even during the first three weeks of the season, when the points weren’t coming, he was noticeable because he was creating scoring chances.

“Early in the season he wasn’t getting points but he deserved more,” coach Jeff Blashill said. “From Day 1, he’s been very engaged – his first practice at training camp was excellent and I think he’s carried that forward. He’s done a real good job.

“The nights when he hasn’t been at his best, the one thing he can still do is find a way to score and find a way to make a play. His ‘B’ game has been better and then his ‘A’ game is always good.”

His ‘C’ game — as in chirping — is apparently also good. Asked about Bertuzzi’s comments, Athanasiou laughed.

“We kind of just joke around, try to get each other pumped up,” he said. “We bicker at each other a little bit. Every time he goes out for a shift, I’ll 1117065 Detroit Red Wings we kept playing the right way we could be a pretty good hockey team. We’re finally proving that.”

Said Blashill: “We’re a lot happier now than we were at the start of the Chirping is working for Red Wings' Tyler Bertuzzi, Andreas Athanasiou year. But we can’t be satisfied with being one game over .500. We’ve got to keep finding ways to win games. We have to get better at playing 60 good minutes.” Ted Kulfan, The Detroit News Ice chips Published 1:40 p.m. ET Nov. 22, 2018 | Updated 1:44 p.m. ET Nov. 22, 2018 Goaltender Jimmy Howard is 6-1-0 in his last seven starts, with a 2.10 goals-against average and .936 save percentage.

… Including Wednesday, the Wings have had to rally in five of their last Detroit – Tyler Bertuzzi and Andreas Athanasiou have begun a routine seven victories. “There’s a great feeling in this room right now because before every game. we know we’re always capable of coming from behind,” Howard said.

To get each other pumped up and motivated, they’ll get on each other … The Wings recalled forward Christoffer Ehn from Grand Rapids. about making an impact on the game, to be a factor. … The Wings are tied with Anaheim and Chicago for an NHL-high with On Wednesday night it worked for both of them. eight overtime games – including five of their last seven games.

Both of them scored – Athanasiou actually had two goals, including the Red Wings at Capitals game-winner in overtime – as the Red Wings defeated Boston 3-2. Faceoff: 4 p.m. Friday, Verizon Center, Washington “The last few games I always tell him to do something out there,” Bertuzzi said. “Just get on his nerves. He laughs it off, then he scores two, so it Outlook: The defending Stanley Cup champion Capitals (11-7-3, 25 works.” points) have won four of their last five, and three straight. ... LW Alex Ovechkin (15 goals) and C Nicklas Backstrom (18 assists) continue to Athanasiou explained the pregame routine as simply trying to push each headline a strong offensive attack. other.

“We kind of joke around with each other, trying to get each other pumped up,” Athanasiou said. “Any time he goes out for a shift I’ll say, ‘Show me Detroit News LOADED: 11.23.2018 something’, and he’ll say, ‘Do something out there.’

“It’s a good way to kind of get us going and help the team.”

Andreas Athanasiou of the Detroit Red Wings celebrates his third-period goal with teammates on Wednesday night.

Athanasiou’s two goals gave him a team-high nine for the season. Bertuzzi’s goal gave him six, and he was singled out by coach Jeff Blashill as one of the better Wings on the ice against the Bruins.

“Bert was real good almost the whole night, not without mistake, but he was real good almost the whole night,” said Blashill, who also mentioned the impact of the line with Bertuzzi, Luke Glendening and Michael Rasmussen. “They did what they can do. They hung on to the puck, came up with turnovers, hounded the puck.”

Bertuzzi said the line had good chemistry against Boston.

“We played pretty well,” Bertuzzi said. “We got it deep when we could, grinded it and we had a couple of good opportunities. If we keep doing the right things, they’ll start going in for us.”

Athanasiou seems to be having a breakout season. Consistency has been an issue in Athanasiou’s young career, but not so far this season.

“Early in the season he wasn’t getting points, he probably felt he deserved more,” Blashill said. “(But) from Day 1 he’s been engaged. His first practice in training camp was excellent. He hasn’t been perfect every day, none of us are, but he’s really carried that forward and he’s done a real good job.

“The nights when he hasn’t been at his best, the one thing he can still do is find a way to score, or to make a play. His B game has been better, and his A game is always good.”

'We can't be satisfied'

Thanksgiving in the NHL season is similar to Memorial Day in MLB. It's a good measuring stick for which teams are likely to make the playoffs.

The Wings are have 22 points (10-9-2) and are four points behind Boston and Montreal in the wild-card standings.

Then again, the Wings are only three points from the very bottom of the Eastern Conference (Florida, 19 points) in the bunched-up standings.

Considering the Wings’ terrible start – they were 1-7-2 after 10 games – they will gladly take this current spot, thanks to an impressive 9-2-0 run.

“We obviously got off to a slow start but we were having a lot of bad bounces, a lot of things didn’t go our way,” Athanasiou said. “We knew if 1117066 Detroit Red Wings Bertuzzi also has been valuable. He scored his sixth goal at 9:48 of the second period to tie it at 1-1. He deflected in a shot by Nick Jensen.

Shortly after, Bertuzzi blocked two shots during a sequence when the Red Wings' Andreas Athanasiou, Tyler Bertuzzi push each other to Bruins had the Red Wings scrambling in their own zone. perform "A great deflection there in the second period and then he's sacrificing when we got hemmed in there late in the second," Howard said. "I don't Posted November 22, 2018 at 6:05 AM know where he blocked that. It looked like he took it in the face. I was glad to see that he was all right." By Ansar Khan [email protected] Blashill said Bertuzzi's line, with Luke Glendening and Michael Rasmussen, was good the whole night.

DETROIT - Andreas Athanasiou and Tyler Bertuzzi needle each other "They really hung to the puck hard, came up with turnovers," Blashill during the course of a game. said. "Bert's got a long stick, Ras has a long stick, Glenny works. They hounded the puck and were able to come up with lots of turnovers. They "We kind of joke around with each other, trying to get each other pumped leaned on guys and were heavy in the O-zone. That's been a good line up," Athanasiou said. "Any time he goes out for a shift I'll say, 'Show me for us." something' and he'll say, 'Do something out there,' so it's a good way to kind of get us going and help the team."

Their game of one-upmanship helped the Detroit Red Wings continue Michigan Live LOADED: 11.23.2018 their winning ways Wednesday while solving a nemesis.

Athanasiou scored his second goal of the game 49 seconds into overtime in a 3-2 victory over the Boston Bruins at Little Caesars Arena.

Bertuzzi scored a goal and had a strong all-around game, blocking shots and making his presence felt on the forecheck.

The Red Wings (10-9-2) are 9-2 in their last 11 and have come from behind in the third period to win in five of their past seven. They recorded a rare victory against the Bruins (11-6-4), who were 15-1-1 in their past 17 vs. Detroit.

Athanasiou made it possible. He scored the tying goal at 8:59 of the third period, knocking in the rebound of a Gustav Nyquist shot that bounced off Tuukka Rask's glove.

Then, shortly after an offensive-zone faceoff in OT, Athanasiou stole the puck from Brad Marchand in front of the net, spun and whipped a shot into the top corner of the net. It was his team-leading ninth goal, his fifth in six games since returning from an injury.

"The last few games I always tell him to do something out there and he does. ... Just to get on his nerves," Bertuzzi said. "He laughs it off and then he had two tonight, so it worked."

Said Athanasiou: "It was kind of just a scrum and the puck was just bouncing and I just turned and shot it. I don't know where it went, but (I'm) happy it went in."

It wouldn't have happened if Jimmy Howard (34 saves) hadn't robbed David Pastrnak from point-blank range early in OT.

"It was a huge save and it gave us an opportunity to go the other way and get one," Bertuzzi said.

David Krejci had an opportunity to shoot from the slot but passed to Pastrnak, who has 17 goals.

"Krejci's more of a passer," Howard said. "I figured there's no way in hell that he's not going to pass to Pastrnak on the back side, so I just loaded up the right leg and pushed across and I was fortunate enough to come up with the save."

Consistency has been an issue for Athanasiou during his young career, but he has been engaged from the start of camp, earning praise, not criticism from his coach.

"Early in the season he wasn't getting points, but he probably deserved more," Jeff Blashill said. "I think from Day 1, he's been very engaged. I thought his first practice in training camp was excellent. He hasn't been perfect every day. None of us are, but I think he's really carried that forward and I think he's done a real good job. The nights when he hasn't been at his best the one thing he can still do is find a way score, find a way to make a play. His B game has been better, and his A game is always good."

Howard called Athanasiou a "go-to guy."

"He's a playmaker," Howard said. "He's been tenacious on the puck, he can use his speed to make plays. He's been very valuable to us." 1117067 Edmonton Oilers “It didn’t feel like I was a guy who was cheating for offence all over the ice. I always consciously tried to be a two-way player, but sometimes mistakes happen.

No mistaking identity of Edmonton Oilers newest line “It’s not like just because Hitch is back there now I want to play defence. I always wanted to play defence. It’s part of the game and you want to be good at it.” Robert Tychkowski

November 22, 2018 7:30 PM MST Edmonton Sun: LOADED: 11.23.2018

ANAHEIM — A team doesn’t fire its coach and expect everything to be the same when the new guy comes in and takes over.

They fired the old guy because they wanted things to be different. Just how different the Edmonton Oilers will be under Ken Hitchcock remains to be seen, but after just three days, we are already starting to see some of the ideas he has for fixing this team begin to take shape.

For starters, Milan Lucic is now being deployed with Zack Kassian and Kyle Brodziak to form an Identity Line, as Hitchcock calls it, a heavy, hard-working trio that he hopes can pound and wear down opponents on the forecheck, create emotion and help shift momentum.

The days of Lucic scoring 20 goals a season appear to be over, but if this third-line combination does what Hitchcock believes it can do, it will make its presence felt on a team that needs a lot more presence.

“Is it going to show up on the score sheet every night? Maybe not,” said Kassian, who loves the makeup of the line and what it’s being asked to provide. “Eat up minutes playing physically, wearing teams down, setting up the next line.

“We’re going to be hard to play against. We’re going to get pucks behind D and make it hard for them. We’re going to grind down, we’re going to cycle, we’re going to be around the paint all game long, we’re going to get pucks to the net.

“Through the neutral zone it’s not going to be fancy. It’s going to be chip and chase. It’s going to be hard work but if we’re all on the same page with that, we can be very effective.”

It’s been shown in the past that a hard, grinding line that’s aggressive on the forecheck can be contagious, which is kind of what Hitchcock wants.

Instead of his players trying to follow in McDavid’s footsteps, which is next to impossible, he’d like them to roll up their sleeves and pick up where Kassian, Brodziak and Lucic leave off.

“When you see someone of (McDavid’s) stature and he’s playing the way he is and having the success that he is, it’s almost human nature to copy that,” said Lucic. “But it almost works against you because there’s only one guy, almost ever, who’s had the skill set to play that way.

“You don’t take anything away from him, you let him go and continue to do his thing, but the other 10 or 11 guys need to realize they are what they are and playing a certain way can give your team success.”

That certain way will be what the Identity Line hopes to provide.

“Get it in there and crash and bang, and you can set the tone for the next line,” said Lucic, adding they aren’t totally without skill and should be able to kick in a few goals here and there, too.

“It’s not just meat and potatoes and it doesn’t matter what curve your stick is, but you have to find a way to keep the straight-line game the most important.

“We’re excited to be a line together because we know every time we step on the ice what we’re going to do.”

Hitchcock has also made clear his plans for McDavid, saying he wants to help make his captain a more complete player by having him be more aggressive in the defensive zone, coming back a little father and pressuring a little more.

McDavid, who has always back checked as hard as any forward on the team, says he embraces anything that can make him or the Oilers better. He bristled, though, when asked if he’s receptive to becoming more of a two-way player.

“I’m always trying to be a two-way player,” he said. “I always tried to be a two-way player when Todd was the coach. Just because it’s a different guy back there doesn’t mean I’m changing my game. 1117068 Edmonton Oilers

Edmonton Oilers acquire defenceman Chris Wideman from Ottawa Senators

Robert Tychkowski

November 22, 2018 7:36 PM MST

The Edmonton Oilers are looking for help on the bottom end of their defence and Chris Wideman is looking for a new start.

So the hope is the trade that brought him from Ottawa to Edmonton for a sixth round pick works out for both sides.

“It’s a fresh start and a new opportunity,” said the 28-year-old. “I have the chance to play with the best player in the game in Connor McDavid and some other great players.”

Wideman, of course, was one of the Senators players criticizing assistant coach Martin Raymond in the Uber video that created such a major media storm in Ottawa, but the decision to trade him was more hockey related.

He was a healthy scratch in Ottawa’s last two games and was sliding toward a seventh defenceman’s role in Ottawa. The five-foot-10, 183 pounder has three points and was minus nine in 19 games this season.

But he sees a niche for himself on a team that can use a right-shot defenceman with an offensive upside.

“I’m a guy that moves the puck and is defensively responsible, but I think moving the puck is definitely a strong suit of my game, in making sure I’m getting pucks to the net,” he said. “It’s something I’ve had success doing in my career and something that I’m looking to bring to the blue line in Edmonton.”

The Oilers have been rotating Kevin Gravel and Jason Garrison on the third paring with Matt Benning, who’s had some difficult starts lately. This gives head coach Ken Hitchcock another option.

Todd McLellan is out, Ken Hitchcock is in as the head coach of the Edmonton Oilers.

The move on Tuesday, Nov. 20, 2018, comes after the team lost six of its last seven games heading into a road trip to California, sitting a game below .500 and sitting outside the NHL playoff picture.

Host Craig Ellingson talks to hockey beat writers Jim Matheson and Derek Van Diest about the coaching change, why it happens now and what we might expect from Hitchcock, an Edmonton native and one of the winningest head coaches in NHL history.

Edmonton Sun: LOADED: 11.23.2018 1117069 Edmonton Oilers to the Nurse pairing while Kris Russell establishes himself as Wideman’s partner on the third pair.

Wideman’s 2:30 on the power play is a fairly big number. Oscar Klefbom A shot in the dark: What are the Oilers getting in Chris Wideman? leads Oilers defencemen in power-play minutes (3:48) with Evan Bouchard (1:27, now in junior) and Jason Garrison (1:09) following in time per game. Benning has averaged just 28 seconds on the man By Allan Mitchell advantage this year.

Nov 22, 2018 How will this play out?

A cynic might suggest this is a setup trade, with Wideman coming in to get comfortable while Chiarelli uses Benning as a trade piece. Although a The Edmonton Oilers acquired defenceman Chris Wideman from the second pairing of Nurse-Benning and a third duo of Russell-Wideman Ottawa Senators on Thursday, in another attempt to address an area of gives the team a perfect lefty-righty balance (with Oscar Klefbom and need. The club’s pursuit of right-handed defenders in the Peter Chiarelli Adam Larsson as the top pair), I’d guess Hitchcock would prefer Russell era has been a constant, with Adam Larsson, Eric Gryba, Matt Benning, over Benning in the top four at this point. Ethan Bear and Evan Bouchard among the long list of men procured since spring 2015. The position should be covered long term, but the Either way, it’s an interesting addition and clearly a case of the Oilers badly need to shore things up until Bouchard and Bear arrive as organization admitting they have run out of patience with the available bona fide NHL blue. options. It’s also worth noting that Andrej Sekera’s return date has not yet been established; adding help now may imply the veteran’s return isn’t The timing of the trade — in the days immediately following the arrival of likely before the end of the calendar year. new coach Ken Hitchcock — suggests the coach either expressed the current depth chart badly needed an upgrade, general manager Chiarelli Wideman’s contract is a $1 million hit and he is a UFA at the end of the reached a point where the roster options were no longer acceptable or year, so the contract itself is easily absorbed depending on who is both. moving out to make room for him on the 23-man roster.

I’m going to refrain from making Uber comments and talk about the player, the ways he can help the Oilers (if effective) and who he might replace in the everyday lineup. Let’s begin with a quick overview of The Athletic LOADED: 11.23.2018 Wideman in the last three NHL seasons, via Natural Stat Trick:

Wideman’s performances during these three seasons vary widely, starting with games played. He was healthy in 2016-17, then played just 16 games in 2017-18. He missed the final 65 games that season due to a ‘freak’ hamstring injury that wiped away a fabulous start to his campaign. He was on pace for a career season at the time.

The 2017-18 season appears as an outlier when placed alongside the other two years, suggesting the real Wideman appears in the bookend campaigns. He is an effective puck mover, can skate well and is a plus passer. Although undersized (5-foot-10, 183 pounds) he has shown an ability to be productive in the NHL. Wideman’s possession numbers are down this season but his 5-on-5 Rel numbers (5.51, 6.63, 2.88 Corsi by year) are in the black all three years: He’s outperforming several Senators defencemen in possession.

The Senators are a team (like Edmonton) with many flaws, so the math on most of the roster isn’t likely to shine. Wideman’s 2018-19 season is representative of his established abilities, with the major 5-on-5 concern (goals-for percentage) having an answer (on-ice save percentage) for which Wideman is not directly responsible.

How can he help the Oilers?

One interesting aspect of Wideman’s NHL career so far is in his usage by Senators coaches. At 5-on-5, his most prominent season was as a rookie (12:49 a night) under Dave Cameron, followed by 11:52, 8:58 and 10:44 by season under Guy Boucher.

On the power play, however, it was the opposite: 31 seconds, then 1:31, up to 2:07 last year and 2:30 so far in 2018-19. Boucher arrived in the second year of Wideman’s career, so his 5-on-5 time on ice was being reduced each year by the coach while his power-play time increased. This dovetails somewhat with Bruce Garrioch’s thoughts in the hours after the trade was announced.

The Senators information gives us a clue about what Edmonton might be looking for with this player: Third-pairing defence at even strength and a substantial (2:30 is substantial) power-play role.

Who could he replace?

Wideman’s 10:44 at 5-on-5 is in the range with several Oilers defencemen so far this year: Matt Benning (12:04), Kevin Gravel (11:12) and Jason Garrison (10:27). Gravel and Garrison are left-handed and are used in a classic No. 7 role.

It’s an easy guess that Wideman’s 5-on-5 time may come at the expense of fellow righty Benning, who occupies the third spot right side on the current Oilers (although he did play with Darnell Nurse at times this season on the second duo). You can also present solid evidence Edmonton needed a power-play quarterback and Benning could move up 1117070 Florida Panthers

Preview: Panthers at Hurricanes, 7:30 p.m., Friday

Wells Dusenbury

South Florida Sun Sentinel

Panthers at Hurricanes

When/where: 7:30 p.m./PNC Arena, Raliegh

Scouting report: Florida (8-8-3) is coming off a 7-3 road loss against the Tampa Bay Lightning. … The Panthers are 2-3 on a six-game road trip. They return home on Saturday against the Blackhawks. ... Panthers left wing Mike Hoffman has a 17-game points streak (10 goals, 20 points). … With 19 points, the Panthers are in last place in the Eastern Conference. … Carolina is 10-8-3 on the season. … The Hurricanes are coming off a 5-2 win over the Maple Leafs. … Sebastian Aho leads the team with 24 points.

Sun Sentinel LOADED: 11.23.2018 1117071 Los Angeles Kings

What we learned from the Kings' 7-3 loss to the Colorado Avalanche

By HELENE ELLIOTT

NOV 22, 2018 | 11:00 AM

What we learned from the Kings' 7-3 loss to the Colorado Avalanche

Whatever modest progress the Kings believed they made by winning two of three games in their recent trip to Chicago, Nashville and St. Louis vanished on Wednesday beneath a barrage of Colorado power-play goals and the Kings’ inability to capitalize on their own power plays.

They lost forward Adrian Kempe to a lower-body injury late in the first period and coach Willie Desjardins said he didn’t think it would be a long- term injury but more would be known in the coming days.

Here’s what we learned from the Kings’ 7-3 loss — their worst goal- against total of the season — to the Colorado Avalanche on Wednesday:

Colorado converted its first three power-play chances and three of four overall; the Kings were 0 for 3 and have gone seven games without scoring a power-play goal. “You know how big a momentum swing is if you can kill a penalty or if you can score on the power play. In the second period we had so many chances to get it close again and we didn’t do it,” Kings center Anze Kopitar said. “At the end of the day, the score is obviously 7-3, but in the second period when the score is somewhat tight, you get power-play opportunities, you’ve got to cash in. that’s just the bottom line.”

Desjardins agreed about the special-team failures being a key factor. “They’ve been a problem for us the last probably three or four games for sure. That was the big difference,” he said. “They just scored on the power play so they got lots of momentum off it and we didn’t score on ours. When it was 2-1 we had a chance and didn’t capitalize. I thought the power play was better. I thought it looked better than it has in the past, but it was pretty well the same story. We lost the special teams battle, and when you lose that you don’t win many games.”

Jonathan Quick won the Jennings Trophy last season as the goaltender who played on the team that allowed the fewest goals, but the Kings now rank 23rd in the NHL with a 3.23 goals-against average (and they’re last in goals scored at 2.05). “Defense is pride. That’s all it is,” defenseman Drew Doughty said. “And if you’re not playing with pride you’re going to lose every single hockey game.

“It’s not what we ever envisioned,” Doughty said of the erosion of their defensive foundation. “We still really focus on defense and we never want to lose that part of our game. And I don’t have a reason as to why it’s happening right now. Our goalies are playing well, so you can’t ever blame it on a goalie. Can’t blame it on Jonathan Quick being out, as much as he helps. Our goalies have been amazing, so it’s not on them. It’s on us. It’s on us in front of them, right from the defense all the way up to the forwards. We need to play as a five-man unit out there and we’re not doing that and that’s why we’re letting in so many goals.”

The Kings have fired their coach and traded an important player, Tanner Pearson, who has two goals for Pittsburgh since being dealt for Carl Hagelin. What do they do now? “I don’t even know what to say really to that. It’s just a frustrating time,” Doughty said. “I take it all personal because I’m the guy that needs to get us out of this and I’m doing everything, or I’m trying to do everything I can, and maybe sometimes that’s too much and it’s going backward on me. It’s a frustrating time and we need to get out of it and we need to get out of it now. We’ve said that for weeks. But I don’t know what to say anymore, honestly. Sorry.”

Kopitar thought the Kings had taken a step forward during their trip but they took a big step backward on Wednesday. “Coming here tonight, it’s just, I don’t know what to say what happened, really,” he said. “No emotion, no desperation, no energy, no nothing, and it’s unacceptable.”

LA Times: LOADED: 11.23.2018 1117072 Los Angeles Kings wide compared to the same point last season but the Kings haven’t participated in the spree. Their average of two goals per game ranks last in the NHL and is down from the 2.15 goals they averaged before John Kings' standing on Thanksgiving doesn't bode well for their playoff Stevens was fired as coach. chances Slick passing with a man advantage allowed Colorado to sandwich tic- tac-toe goals by Vladislav Kamenev at 11:25 of the first period and Nathan MacKinnon at 16:16 around Clifford’s third goal of the season. In By HELENE ELLIOTT the second period, PatrikNemeth’s long shot appeared to deflect off someone in the slot before eluding Kings goaltender Cal Petersen at NOV 21, 2018 | 10:50 PM 11:33 of the second period to give Colorado a 3-1 lead. Colin Wilson, in the slot, made it 4-1 during a late power play in the second period. Mercifully, Petersen was pulled after Colorado added even-strength In an odd but undeniable pattern that began with the 2005-06 season, goals by Tyson Barrie and Nikita Zadorov. This was a team failure and more than 75 percent of NHL teams that have held playoff positions at not in any way goaltending failure. Thanksgiving have gone on to make the playoffs. The percentage dipped a bit last season when several teams faded out of the picture — including The Kings made a small trade before Wednesday’s game, acquiring 22- the then-West-leading St. Louis Blues — but in some seasons 13 of the year-old forward Pavel Jenys from Minnesota for defenseman Stephan 16 teams that were in playoff position in their respective conferences at Falkovsky, who was playing for Manchester (N.H.) of the ECHL. Jenys, Thanksgiving qualified for postseason play. who’s listed at 6-foot-2, had four goals in nine games for Allen (Texas) of the ECHL. The deal might boost their minor-league depth but won’t help The difficulty of moving up doesn’t bode well for the Kings, who were last them buck the Thanksgiving curse. “It’s a tough hole. And I think it’s in the league in points even before they were badly outplayed in a 7-3 tough because when it comes down to those last 20 games everyone’s loss to the Colorado Avalanche on Wednesday at Staples Center. To gearing up for the playoffs and getting ready so it’s even tougher to get complicate their woes, forward Adrian Kempe left the game late in the points,” defenseman Jake Muzzin said. “That’s why you want to get as first period because of a lower-body injury and did not return. With the many as you can early, and obviously we haven’t done that.” NHL schedule past the one-quarter mark, the Kings have a lot of holes to fill and a lot of ground to make up. With Thanksgiving upon them, their chances of recovering and qualifying for the playoffs are slim. LA Times: LOADED: 11.23.2018 “That’s something that’s been around a long time, a stat that’s been unofficially kept,” said defenseman Dion Phaneuf, who was honored in a pregame ceremony for having played 1,000 games. “I think everyone is aware of that statistic. For us, we want to be a team that tries to prove that stat wrong. That’s all you can do about it. Right now we’re in the position we’re in. That’s the reality we’re in and we’ve got to find a way to claw our way back into it.”

That’s looking unlikely. They allowed three power-play goals on Wednesday to the high-powered Avalanche and fell to 3-5 under interim coach Willie Desjardins, who’s still trying to find effective line combinations and defense pairs. Desjardins managed to get the team to accelerate its tempo in winning two of three games during a trip to Chicago, Nashville and St. Louis, but that hasn’t led to an uptick in scoring.

“I thought when the game was on the line, they took it away from us,” Desjardins said.

Colorado Avalanche left wing Matt Calvert, left, tries to shoot past Kings goaltender Cal Petersen, right, as center Jeff Carter reaches in during the first period.

It’s interesting that Desjardins chose to bench team scoring leader Ilya Kovalchuk for most of the third period on Monday at St. Louis; Desjardins said he wanted to protect a one-goal lead and called Kovalchuk “more of an offensive guy.” But Kovalchuk isn’t helping much on that end, and Wednesday he took a penalty in the offensive zone that allowed Colorado to take a 2-1 lead 50 seconds after the Kings had tied it on an opportunistic goal by Kyle Clifford.

The Kings’ other goals came from rookies Matt Luff and Austin Wagner in the third period after Colorado had taken a 7-1 lead. Luff has scored in two straight games. Wagner’s goal was his first in the NHL.

“I dont know what to say, really,” the Kings’ Anze Kopitar said. ” There’s no emotion, desperation, energy, no nothing.”

Kovalchuk shares the team lead in power-play points with six, but the Kings don’t get many power plays and they’re not doing enough with the few they get: they squandered three power plays on Wednesday and have gone seven straight games without scoring a man-advantage goal. Kovalchuk has a personal seven-game point drought and his ability to contribute is becoming an issue.

General manager Rob Blake took a big risk when he signed the 35-year- old winger to a three-year, $18.75-million free-agent contract last summer and it has become problematic. If Desjardins continues to sit Kovalchuk late in close games, that means other forwards will have to play more minutes, possibly tiring them and hampering their ability to play the uptempo pace Desjardins wants. And sitting for long stretches won’t help Kovalchuk during power plays. Scoring is up slightly league- 1117073 Los Angeles Kings and for upvoting my Jake Muzzin musings. Have a wonderful day, Insiders. Happy Thanksgiving.

WAKING UP WITH THE KINGS: NOVEMBER 22 LA Kings Insider: LOADED: 11.23.2018

JON ROSEN

NOVEMBER 22, 2018

GAME STORY

How many rock bottoms can there be? How is this even a sentence on November 22? A team losing by four goals every four or five games is an reflection of a number of entrenched issues, schematically and emotionally, personnel-based and managerial. Despite recent glimmers of confidence and harbingers of a trend towards their constitutionally defensive ways, the Colorado Avalanche put up a seven on Wednesday and the Kings have now been outscored 16-5 during a four-game home losing streak. There are critical moments of games in first and second periods, and Los Angeles lost those. They allowed a goal to Colorado’s top line 50 seconds after tying the game in the first period, and, while trailing by one in the second, couldn’t turn consecutive power plays into offense as their 31st ranked unit showed little more than perimeter passivity, especially during the first of Nikita Zadorov’s two minors. This was amidst a stream of six consecutive Colorado goals that turned a competitive game into another rout. There are two teams on the ice, of course, and the Avalanche as of today boast what’s probably the best line in hockey. But eight months ago today in Denver, amidst a wildly different set of circumstances, Anze Kopitar scored four goals on seven shots, and the Kings won by six.

Fun things! Austin Wagner made five hits in 8:36 and scored his first career goal, and Matt Luff now leads the team in individual G/60 and also grades well in Sh/60 over a basically meaningless sample size. Second Line Kyle Clifford came through – that was actually a really nice play by Tyler Toffoli to force a turnover, and a quick up-ice transition before Clifford capitalized on Varlamov’s bobble – but wouldn’t it be interesting if Luff got an opportunity up there at some point in a game? (He’s averaging 9:57 per game, so he might still be a little bit away from that.) If a younger player wants to rise up in the lineup, it’s an obvious prerequisite that it will have to come with consistent work and detail – that it will be earned – in addition to whatever prospective scoring that’s there. Luff had been challenged by Willie Desjardins to really dig in and work harder in his second recall, and over the last two games, it’s paid off. It will be interesting to see if he can build a wave of confidence, because he’s a player that already has a natural intuition to get to the softer spots on the ice and get pucks on net. There are potential returns from Luff, the first of the rookies to show signs of demanding a spot in the lineup.

On the other end of the spectrum from Luff and Wagner’s performances last night is the malady affecting the top players. Anze Kopitar isn’t at half a point per game at the quarter pole and as a casualty of the tide of a languid offense is having trouble making plays, both at five-on-five and on the power play. He has one even strength assist through 20 games but is far from the only struggling individual. “I don’t know what to say,” Drew Doughty said. “I take it all personal because I’m the guy that needs to get us out of this and … I’m trying to do everything I can, and maybe sometimes too much and it’s going backwards on me, but it’s a frustrating time.” Ilya Kovalchuk, who owns the next highest cap hit, has gone cold after a hot start and is scoreless since his three-point night in Willie Desjardins’ debut. After another home calamity, and with this team showing little from the stimulus of a GM visit, a coaching change and a player trade, they’re raising the likelihood of additional figures being removed from the room and further change that would throw off their previously comfortable surroundings.

And yet, it’s still a game. That’s awfully easy for someone who’s not paying money to see whatever it is we saw last night, but amidst the shock and scope of the natural and man-made disasters that have affected our community and our state this month, the importance of family, unity and friendship conquers all. (Hopefully, the heights of sports fandom can also provide a nice respite, as well.) This is, of course, a very hokey way for me to wish you a Happy Thanksgiving, wherever you may be today. May you spend it in comfort and with those you love. Thank you for carrying on this conversation with Rich and me for 10 seasons, 1117074 Minnesota Wild

Wild-Winnipeg preview

SARAH MCLELLAN NOVEMBER 22, 2018 — 8:38PM

Preview: The Wild is back in action after a hectic 6-4 victory Wednesday over the Senators. After blowing a three-goal lead in the third period, the Wild scored a pair of goals late to end a two-game losing streak. That result gave the Wild 28 points, two more than the Jets. Winnipeg is coming off a 6-3 loss to Calgary on Wednesday. Players to WATCH: Captain Blake Wheeler has a team-high 25 points. Winger Patrik Laine has five goals in the past two games. Goalie Connor Hellebuyck is 9-5-1. Numbers: The Wild has scored seven power-play goals in the past five games. Forwards Jason Zucker, Eric Staal and Mikael Granlund combined for six points Wednesday. Winnipeg is 5-2-1 in November. The Jets are 4-4 on the road. Injuries: Jets D Dmitry Kulikov (lower body) is out.

Star Tribune LOADED: 11.23.2018 1117075 Minnesota Wild

Wild defenseman Matt Dumba embraces his side gig as a goal scorer His 10 goals for the Wild rank first in the league among defensemen.

By Sarah McLellan Star Tribune NOVEMBER 22, 2018 — 8:24PM

Wild defenseman Matt Dumba hasn’t shared all of his personal expectations for the season, but after maintaining his hold on second place in NHL scoring among defensemen last Thursday with another tally, he revealed he’d like to pace the pack. And a week later, that’s exactly what Dumba is doing — a swift ascent amid a torrid start to the season that has underscored just how much of a dynamic presence Dumba is becoming for the Wild in the offensive zone. “It’s fun,” Dumba said. “I think it’s sustainable if I just keep looking ahead and not try to do anything too tricked up or too special. Guys are kind of getting it to me more often and finding my wheelhouse.” After scoring twice in the 6-4 win over the Senators on Wednesday, Dumba had 10 goals — which is not only tied for the most on the Wild but is more than any defenseman in the league has contributed so far. He became just the sixth blue-liner since 1989-90 to bury 10 or more goals through his team’s first 22 games, a rhythm that puts him within reach of a few Wild franchise records for a defenseman. With 54 career goals, the 24-year-old is just one away from tying Brent Burns for the most in team history and seven shy of matching the 17 Burns put up in 2010-11 for the best single-season output. And there are 60 games remaining on the regular-season schedule. “He’s going to score as long as he keeps shooting the puck and hitting the net,” coach Bruce Boudreau said, “because his shot is that good.” Dumba wired in a one-timer in the first period Wednesday for his fourth power-play goal of the season — also most among NHL defenders — before unleashing a wrist shot in the second. He flashed an elusiveness with his shot in 2017-18, when he established a career high in goals with 14, but better accuracy has headlined his attempts this season. This improvement has culminated in a 13.9 shooting percentage, which is second among defensemen who have scored at least five goals and higher than Dumba’s 8.6 percent career average. But a conversion rate like that is also indicative of astute shot selection, another area of Dumba’s approach that seems to have evolved. “Everybody knows he’s always had that shot,” center Eric Staal said. “He’s becoming smarter about where he sets himself up to give himself those looks. You need guys to make the plays, too, but you put yourself in position to let it go, and I think he’s becoming smarter with decisionmaking as far as when to hammer it and when to not.” The left side seems to be a fruitful area for the righthanded Dumba, especially on the power play. And even though it’s becoming a predictable setup, he keeps converting — like he did on his first goal Wednesday and last Saturday against the Sabres. Overall, Dumba has scored five times during a five-game point streak that’s tied for the longest of his career — a run he’ll have the opportunity to extend Friday when the Wild hosts the Winnipeg Jets at Xcel Energy Center for a matinee game. “They find their spots,” Boudreau said. “They get their shots down and as long as they hit the net, with the way it comes off the stick, it’s very hard for goalies to pick it up. If he can continue that, he’ll continue to have success.” And doing that would make this season a meaningful one for Dumba, more than it already is. “If I can get it to the net, usually it’ll create something,” Dumba said. “If it’s a goal, great. But if it’s an assist for other guys going to the net, that’s pretty good, too.”

Star Tribune LOADED: 11.23.2018 1117076 Minnesota Wild

Wild shuffle lines with brawny Jets coming to town

By BRIAN MURPHY | [email protected] | Pioneer Press PUBLISHED: November 22, 2018 at 10:33 am | UPDATED: November 22, 2018 at 2:14 PM

Thursday morning brought the Wild together for a brief practice at Xcel Energy Center before players scattered for Thanksgiving, Coach Bruce Boudreau shuffled his line combinations in advance of Minnesota’s first game against Winnipeg, at 3 p.m. Friday at Xcel Energy Center, since the Jets blew the Wild out of the 2018 postseason. His top line remained intact with Eric Staal centering Jason Zucker and Mikael Granlund. But right wing Nino Niederreiter was demoted to the fourth line while Charlie Coyle was elevated to the second unit with Mikko Koivu and Zach Parise. Marcus Foligno also moved up to left wing with Jonathan Eriksson Ek and Jordan Greenway. Niederreiter found himself sharing left wing with reserve Matt Hendricks alongside Eric Fehr and J.T. Brown. Niederreiter finished minus-3 with not shots in Minnesota’s 6-4 victory Wednesday night over the Ottawa Senators. The Wild narrowly escaped with the win after Ottawa rallied for three goals in the third period to tie the game 4-4. “The second period I thought once it got to three-nothing, it was like pond hockey, run and gun,” Boudreau said after the game. “And we talked about it between periods, so I thought the guys played, or tried to play, the right way. But once they made it 4-2 and then that goal that made it 4-3, I knew we were going to be on our heels.” Staal netted the game-winner with six minutes remaining, his second goal of the game, to relieve the pressure. “It was big to turn it back in our favor, gut it out and get the job done,” Staal said. “That’s all you’re after.” Meanwhile, the Jets come to town in the middle of a four-game road trip having lost 6-3 Wednesday at Calgary. The Wild (28) are two points ahead of Winnipeg (26) behind Central Division-leading Nashville (33 points). The Wild’s first game against the Jets since being eliminated by Winnipeg in five games of their first-round series last season is a Friday matinee at the X. Winnipeg outscored Minnesota 16-9 in that series, including shutouts in Games 4 and 5. Not much has changed with the Jets, who are big, fast and lethal in transition. “It can be a frustrating game against them if you keep allowing yourself to get stopped in the neutral zone,” Parise said. “If we can get in with possession, that’ll be the best thing. Otherwise, remember to keep getting it behind their defense to make them go the whole length of the ice.”

Pioneer Press LOADED: 11.23.2018 1117077 Minnesota Wild Three days after Tucker died, Zucker had Tucker’s exact signature and the inscription, “SHOOT MORE,” tattooed to the back of his left wrist.

Kids take in Wednesday night’s Wild as part of the Zuckers’ #GIVE16 The Zuckers give thanks with a special night in the suites at Xcel Energy night. Center Two years ago, Zucker organized a number of fundraisers and auctions to create “Team Tucker’s Locker” inside the Kyle Rudolph End Zone at Michael Russo Masonic. The #GIVE16 campaign then began last season in an effort to build the Zucker Family Suite and Broadcast Studio at the hospital. The Nov 22, 2018 idea is to provide something to the hospitals that adjoins both of their careers — Carly, as a local broadcaster, and Jason, as a hockey player.

People were asked to donate in denominations of 16 — whether it was A half hour after assisting on the winning goal Wednesday night against 16 cents, $1.60, $16, $160, whatever. Then, in December, the Zuckers the Ottawa Senators, Jason Zucker, wearing a spiffy suit with the did a “16 days of giving” campaign. #GIVE16 logo stitched on the inside of a sparkling sports coat, walked into Suite 25. Wednesday’s event at Xcel Energy Center was the precursor to Monday’s much-anticipated ribbon cutting of that suite and broadcast “How’s everyone doing?” Zucker asked. studio at the hospital. Silence overtook the suite up until an excited 12-year-old sprinted up to After the game and after his pregnant wife spent the night visiting each of Zucker’s feet and asked why he has to be so tall. the 16 suites to deliver t-shirts, sweatshirts, hats and signed items from her husband and her husband’s teammates, Zucker did meet-and-greets. “That’s a first,” the 5-foot-10 Zucker said, laughing, to Rafael Flores, a DinoMights peewee hockey player. He was fresh off visiting the suite that hosted Minnesota Special Hockey, an organization that’s near and dear to Zucker’s heart because it Then, the fun began. includes his teenage nephew, Caden, when he arrived at the DinoMights’ “Why did Nordy cross the road?” Flores asked Zucker of the Wild’s suite. mascot, staring skyward at the real-life NHL player. And all it took to break the ice was some cuteness from bubbly Rafael. “Why?” responded the Wild forward, waiting for the punchline. The boy told a joke, and suddenly a lively party erupted with enthusiastic “Because it was too Wild,” said Flores, drawing laughter from Zucker, all kids surrounding Zucker, posing for pictures, getting autographs and of Rafael’s friends and a number of adults who were enormously asking him to bend down so they could rub his beard. appreciative of the gesture made on this special evening by Zucker, his “I love kids,” Carly Zucker said, laughing. wife, Carly, and several companies and individuals who donated 16 suites to local nonprofits and charities to enjoy an exciting Wild victory This particular suite the Zuckers were in was purchased by Mike and a night of giving back to the community. Melnychuk, owner of HR Simplified. His daughter, Nichole, happens to be the Zuckers’ nanny, so he was touched when he learned how Jason Jason Zucker and Carly wanted to conduct a special night of giving back. He The Zuckers purchased three suites and Carly’s parents, Richard and purchased a suite and donated it to his favorite charity, DinoMights. The Carol Aplin, bought one. The others were purchased by Marco, HR organization helps at-risk youth in the Twin Cities by providing academic Simplified, Papa John’s, Cambria, Northwestern Mutual, Choice Bank, support, mentoring, the chance to do service projects and the opportunity HSW Advisors, Ray J’s American Grill, Woodchuck USA, SportsEngine, to play hockey. Morrie’s Luxury Auto, Shakopee Chevrolet and Pinnacle Team — Realty “This is really special,” DinoMights executive director Scott Harman said Group. as he watched Zucker sign his own 7-year-old son Caleb’s gray “GIVE16 The companies and individuals then donated the suites to patients and JASON ZUCKER” t-shirt. “Charity and being involved with good causes staff at University of Minnesota Masonic Children’s Hospital and isn’t only about the money. It’s also about the experiences and the Children’s Minnesota, and members of DinoMights, ACES, Zuckers really gave our kids a special night. This is something these kids Play.Laugh.Love, Arthritis Foundation, CentraCare, MN Special Hockey normally wouldn’t get to do: watch a Wild game, let alone from a suite.” and Smoke Signals. Each company also had special things planned for the kids invited into How’d this all come about? their suites. For instance, Carly’s parents donated their suite to some of the nurses and staff of Masonic Hospital and some patients, then held a “We wanted to do a big #GIVE16 night to thank some charity partners mini toy drive for the kids. that have helped make Give 16 happen and also invite the people that we’re trying to support through our charity efforts to have a great night on It was the perfect appetizer for what will be a very special day for the behalf of us and also just to thank everybody because we’re so grateful Zuckers on Monday at University of Minnesota Masonic Children’s for all the support we get,” said Carly Zucker. “Plus, it’s Thanksgiving, so Hospital. it’s the perfect time to show thanks to people. The biggest thing with this “We walked through for a tour just to see where it’s at last week,” Carly whole Give 16 campaign was the fact that it wasn’t just us. It’s been such Zucker said. “It honestly brings tears to my eyes to see because I can’t a community effort on every level that we felt we wanted to do something believe that this is actually happening. The most exciting part is that to really show appreciation for that.” we’re going to see kids use this space soon. For them to have something By now, you may well be familiar with the Zuckers’ #Give16 campaign. like this, it warms my heart.” It’s the big reason Zucker last season was a finalist for the NHL’s King There really is nothing like this in the country when it comes to this level Clancy Trophy, which is given to the player who best exemplifies of technology and everything that will be done in this space. leadership qualities on and off the ice and has made a noteworthy humanitarian contribution to his community. “We’ve talked to a lot of families and people at the hospital here saying how unique this is and how cool it’s going to be for them to do something #GIVE16 is a philanthropic endeavor that was spurred after Zucker like this, and that’s pretty exciting,” said Jason Zucker, who signed a new befriended an 8-year-old boy named Tucker Helstrom during a team visit five-year contract with the Wild in July. “It’s something that I don’t think to University of Minnesota Masonic Children’s Hospital in the winter of anyone’s ever seen been done before and that’s really cool, but mostly 2015. it’s just any time we can get the kids to have a little bit of fun and get out Zucker’s eyes were so opened by Tucker, he visited Tucker often in the of their hospital rooms, it’s going to be nice.” hospital to talk and play Xbox. They affectionately became known as Ninety percent of the time, it will be a broadcast studio with cameras and “Tuck and Zuck.” Every time Zucker would leave the hospital, Tucker a green screen. Carly, a contributor on KFAN who has done lots of would advise him to “shoot more.” television work as well, plans to book local TV and radio broadcasters to Tragically, Tucker died from bone cancer the following summer. Zucker periodically come to the hospital and teach children how to broadcast. hustled from his home in Las Vegas back to the Twin Cities to see “That’s where my role will transition now … helping them provide content Tucker one final time. At his bedside, Tucker gave Zucker his Hopkins and people to come in,” Carly said. “I’m excited for that because now we hockey trading card and signed his autograph on the back with the jersey get to do the fun part. Now we get to use the space.” number of his favorite player — Zucker’s No. 16. The space will also be used for music therapy and, even though it’s difficult to consider, end-of-life opportunities “where kids can go in to record videos for their families at the end of their life,” Carly said. “That’s something you can’t even put a price tag on.” At night, for Wild, Vikings, Twins, Wolves, Gophers and Lynx games, the broadcast studio equipment rolls out and couches and a big screen theater rolls in so the space can turn into an authentic-looking arena suite for children to watch games. Children will get replica game tickets that they scan at the door. There will be food. There will be a scoreboard. There will be a goal horn for whenever their favorite team scores. “The whole thing is to basically replicate what would happen if they were truly coming to one of our games,” Jason said. The ceiling is made out of more than 100 hockey sticks donated by area youth hockey players. “To know that this will be happening and it’s actually going to be used, it’s just really humbling and unbelievable to see,” Zucker said. “I’m pretty proud.” He has reason to be.

The Athletic LOADED: 11.23.2018 1117078 Montreal Canadiens

Canadiens target Hurricanes for return of captain Shea Weber

PAT HICKEY MONTREAL GAZETTE Updated: November 22, 2018

BUFFALO — The highlight of the Canadiens’ practice at KeyBank Area Thursday was a routine power-play drill. Jesperi Kotkaniemi, the precocious rookie, established position in front of the net and, as he waited for the shot from the point, a hand grabbed him from behind and tossed him aside. Jesperi Kotkaniemi meet Shea Weber. The confrontation was the latest evidence that Weber is close to returning to the Montreal lineup after nearly of year of inactivity because of foot and knee injuries that required surgery. But, while Weber is ahead of schedule in his recovery, he will not be on the ice when the Canadiens play the Sabres Friday (4 p.m., TSN2, RDS, TSN 690 Radio). And he won’t play Saturday when the Boston Bruins visit the Bell Centre. “We’ve been talking to the medical staff and everyone feels that Tuesday (against Carolina at the Bell Centre) could be a possibility for Shea to come back,” said head coach Claude Julien. “This has been his first week with contact and, after being out a whole year, he needs to spend that week doing certain things. “There’s no doubt guys are getting excited to see his presence getting closer and closer,” said Julien. “He’s the captain of this hockey team. He’s the leader on and off the ice. Whenever you miss a guy like that, it makes a difference. He’s not going to be our saviour, but he’s certainly going to be a big answer to some of the things we’re trying to solve right now. We’re looking forward to getting him back, but we have a few games before that becomes a possibility.” The weekend games are crucial because they pit Montreal against divisional rivals ahead of them in the standings. The Sabres have been a bigger surprise than the Canadiens after finishing last in the NHL last season. Buffalo has won seven consecutive games and holds down third place in the Atlantic Division with 30 points. The Bruins, who are dealing with injuries to key players like Patrice Bergeron and Zdeno Chara, are tied with the Canadiens at 26 points, but Boston holds the first wild-card spot because it has a game in hand. The Canadiens’ defence hasn’t been good in November. The Canadiens rank 27th in defence in the NHL, allowing 3.41 goals a game. They were able to get away with miscues early in the season because the offence was producing. But the Canadiens are coming off a 5-2 loss in New Jersey on Wednesday and they have lost five of their last eight games. During that span, they have been outscored 35-27 and have allowed 3.37 goals a game. There was a lot of talk about commitment and communication after Thursday’s practice and goaltender Carey Price said the seeds of a turnaround were planted Wednesday in New Jersey. Price, who said he was focused on finishing the game after giving up five goals on 22 shots during the first two periods, said the Canadiens were determined to “win” the third period, which they did when Max Domi scored the period’s only goal. Unfortunately, there are no points awarded for winning a period, but the Canadiens hope they can carry some momentum into the weekend games. Antti Niemi will start in goal, with Price getting the call Saturday. There’s one minor tweak up front, where Charles Hudon will join Artturi Lehkonen and Kotkaniemi on the third line, while Kenny Agostino drops down to the fourth line with Michael Chaput and Nicolas Deslauriers.

Montreal Gazette LOADED: 11.23.2018 1117079 Montreal Canadiens Weber’s impending return to play will definitely help, but it will take more than Weber to rectify the many defensive issues.

Analyze This: Cracks in Habs' D run deeper than Weber alone can fix Montreal Gazette LOADED: 11.23.2018

MARC DUMONT, SPECIAL TO THE GAZETTE Updated: November 22, 2018

After an incredibly strong start to the season, clear deficiencies are starting to become evident in the Canadiens’ defence. And while most of the focus has been on Carey Price’s play in nets, which has been subpar, it’s the blue line that has struggled the most in recent weeks. Noah Juulsen’s recent injury hasn’t helped, nor has the absence of top defenceman Shea Weber, and the team has had to deal with a heavy workload — Saturday’s home game against Boston will mark the Canadiens’ seventh game in 12 days — but these are factors every NHL team eventually faces. The Canadiens went from one of the better defensive teams in the league during the first month of the season to one of the worst. In October, the Canadiens were allowing 52.6 shot attempts and 27.7 shots on net against per game. That has ballooned to almost 60 shot attempts and 34 shots against per game. To put the downtick in performance in context, the Canadiens allowed the sixth-fewest shot attempts and the sixth-fewest shots against in the NHL in October. In November, they’ve allowed the ninth-most shot attempts and fifth-most shots against in the NHL. That staggering discrepancy has resulted in an influx of goals against as well as a rise in high-danger goals against. In October, the Canadiens allowed the sixth-fewest goals against and high-danger goals against, which correlates directly with how many shots they allowed. In November, the team has surrendered the second-most goals against and the most high-danger goals against in the league, which is a staggering decline in defensive efficiency. Consequently, the Canadiens went from having the sixth-best team save percentage to the worst in the NHL in November. Beyond the statistics, the last few weeks have seen a deluge of odd-man rushes allowed by the defence. In every game, there have been a half- dozen or more two-on-one rushes caused by either poor defensive positioning, weak gap control, or a lack of support from the forwards. The defence is getting caught up the ice quite often, while the forwards have failed to cover for pinches. Because the Canadiens’ offensive strategy counts on a quick transition game, the forwards need to do a much better job when it comes to analyzing the situation and contributing defensively. However, we shouldn’t be particularly surprised by the results so far in November. The fact is the Canadiens overachieved in October, while the results this month are a little closer to what most experts projected. And that’s fine. The Canadiens aren’t ready to compete for a Stanley Cup yet. Despite their early-season success, they are in a transitional phase. The Habs are still earning points, thanks to an unexpected increase in offence, but it’s not enough to mask the defensive problems. Those defensive issues have occurred because of poor play coupled with a lack of established talent on the blue line. As was the case last season, defenders are being asked to play roles that aren’t conducive to their success. It’s reasonable to expect one or two defenders to exceed projections, but it’s unreasonable to expect every blue-liner to perform at a level that they’ve never achieved in the NHL. Until defence prospects like Cale Fleury, Josh Brook, Scott Walford and Alexander Romanov are ready to join the team, the Canadiens are likely to continue to allow a plethora of goals, regardless of who is guarding their net. The team, and the defence in particular, is a work-in-progress. The hot start elevated the expectations for the Canadiens from an all-time low, to much higher than they should be. That the Canadiens are still involved in the playoff race at the quarter mark of the season is impressive, but we shouldn’t lose sight of the big picture. This is a team that has clear problems on defence, particularly on the left side. If every pairing contains one player who is asked to overachieve on a nightly basis, you’re bound to see an increase in defensive miscues. 1117080 Montreal Canadiens · Faceoffs: The Habs are the worst faceoff team in the NHL but managed to win 60 percent of the draws. It didn’t help. Chaput at centre was 8-for- 12. Melnick’s GBU: The Canadiens defence hits a low point and it’s difficult THE BAD to see a way back up · Phillip Danault-Brendan Gallagher-Tomas Tatar: You know the Habs are in trouble when even Gallagher is invisible. And not just on the Taylor By Mitch Melnick Hall goal that was the backbreaker that gave New Jersey a 3-1 lead. Danault was so ineffective he was dropped to the third line to centre Nov 22, 2018 Artturi Lehkonen and Charles Hudon. Typical of his offensive outage was a play in the third period when he had plenty of ice to work with inside New Jersey territory. Lehkonen was wide open to his left with only one defender between them. But the best Danault could do was offer up a In downtown Newark, they are used to cleaning up a lot of garbage. But I lazy backhand pass that was easily intercepted. Danault hasn’t scored a don’t think they found a scraper big enough to fully remove the giant goal since October 20 in Ottawa. That’s 15 games ago. Unless you’re a piece of turd the Canadiens left on the ice at the Prudential Centre. future Hall of Famer named Thornton, you can’t be a top six center in the If Claude Julien wants to keep using fatigue as an issue (“…11 games in, NHL while sitting on one goal after 22 games. But Gallagher and Tatar I think, 21 days and I’m sensing, honestly, some fatigue…”) then what did not look much better when they got to play with Jesperi Kotkaniemi. will he have left to shield his players from by the time they hit the · Power Play: Difficult as it is to believe, the Canadiens actually had a Christmas holidays? chance to tie the game early in the second period when the Devils were What’s ailing the Canadiens is not fatigue, it’s lack of talent. Like a caught with too many men on the ice. The first wave, even with number of teams in the salary cap era they just don’t have the depth to Kotkaniemi, went nowhere while the second unit had one decent chance, withstand lengthy injuries to key players. If anybody for a second doubted when Andrew Shaw set up Tatar in the high slot with an excellent pass. the importance of Paul Byron (internally, the Canadiens sure don’t), how But Tatar mishandled it and never got a shot away. A short time later Hall do the Habs look without him? Along with Brendan Gallagher, Byron is so was left alone in the Montreal slot and the Habs had clearly blown their much a part of their identity, not only with his speed, but also his ability to only opportunity to pick up at least a point. A little over a minute later, finish around the net. Joel Armia is not flash and dash but was extremely Zacha scored his first goal off a scramble to open up a three-goal lead. important for his board play and strong physical presence (and stick), This is an element of the Montreal game we saw so much of a season often breaking up plays inside his own zone. How does it look in there ago when opponents scored in bunches. It has crept back in. Almost as since the Rangers’ Brendan Smith took out Armia with a knee on knee predictable now as a Mike Reilly blast hitting everything but net. hit? THE UGLY As for the back end, it’s gone from blue line to code blue. · Xavier Ouellet, Mike Reilly, David Schlemko, Victor Mete: Ugh. I’ll spare Waiting for Weber is a nightly game played out in living rooms across the Jeff Petry and Jordie Benn because they played nearly 60 minutes city. But the reality is, when he does return, he will be doing so after between them two nights earlier against Washington, but overall this was missing almost a full year of activity going up against opponents that a low point of the season for the Canadiens defence corps. Ouellet was seemingly keep getting younger and faster as he attempts to play catch just horrid on the game’s opening goal by Price-nemesis Palmieri when up at age 33. he made a terrible decision with the puck as he circled his own net, handcuffing partner Mete with a bad pass that resulted in a turnover, Don’t get me wrong. A normal Shea Weber, even with a lot of rust on aided as well by some awfully soft play by Danault. To make matters him, will be a significant upgrade. But if the Habs are to survive the rest worse, when the puck got to Andy Greene inside the blue line, Ouellet of 2018 with the purpose of hanging around for a playoff spot, they’ll moved directly in front of Price with, I suppose, a plan to block an need another defenceman, and I was prepared to go there even if Noah incoming shot. But he allowed Palmieri to set up behind him. Like he Juulsen hadn’t become the latest regular to go down with a major injury. wasn’t even there. It’s difficult to move a guy away from the crease, let alone tie up his stick, if you’re not even aware that he’s standing there. A Yes, the Habs have depth in numbers on the blue line, but it sure seems perfect deflection of the Greene shot opened the scoring and if Price had like a few of them have morphed back into the fringe players they were been mic’d up you would have heard something like #&!&!%%$$!!! (You when training camp started. might have heard the same thing from Karl Alzner watching upstairs, who Maybe their coach is right and they just need a breather. But at the still can’t get back in the lineup. What does that tell you?) Drouin’s goal moment it looks like almost every one of them is standing still trying to 16 seconds later from a bad angle should have been an indication that find a way to jump back on an open horse while the merry-go-round gets Kinkaid could be had on this night. But, when the Habs did get a chance faster and faster. from in close they either missed an open net, couldn’t control the puck or hit the goalpost/crossbar. On New Jersey’s second goal, it was THE GOOD Montreal’s second D pairing that was victimized when Reilly fell for a move by Hall and couldn’t recover while Schlemko just fell, period, with · Max Domi streak: His deflected screen shot past Keith Kinkaid with nine nobody around him, allowing Nico Hischier to break the tie and send the minutes to play extended his point streak to 11 games. What I liked even Devils on their way to another win on home ice where they are now 7-1- more was his post-game approach when he refused to take the bait after 2. The Montreal blue line is clearly having issues dealing with speed. being asked if the loss was Montreal’s worst defensive game of the That doesn’t auger well for a Friday afternoon match up in Buffalo where season. He had already checked out and was on his way to Buffalo. the Sabres have also won 7-of-10 games. Buffalo is riding a seven-game “We’re going to bounce back. We’re not going to dwell on that,” said winning streak that began in Montreal when they beat Price and the Habs Domi, clearly growing in stature off the ice as well. The real answer is 6-5 in overtime. Since then, the Canadiens have allowed 24 goals in six yes, even worse than what we saw in Edmonton. That night the Habs games. And if you think goaltending has been the issue, let me invite you were still alive midway through the third period. This one was done after to take a step inside the Montreal blue line. Now look at the bottom of 40 minutes. your shoe. · Third Period: That was an interesting call, to keep Carey Price in goal. · Keith Kinkaid: Is this Kinkaid’s way of getting even for Price pummeling By the time Pavel Zacha beat Price on the only stinker of the five goals Palmieri nearly two years ago? Or is he just flashing the maturity level of he surrendered you had to believe the hook was coming. Zacha, like so a 10-year-old? many opposing forwards of late, skated unmolested through the middle of the ice and over the Montreal line to fire a wrist shot that Price couldn’t squeeze as it trickled in behind him to officially put the game out of reach. It might have been an embarrassing moment for a goaltender who had The Athletic LOADED: 11.23.2018 managed to right himself on the western road trip, but it was hardly pivotal. With Antti Niemi likely scheduled to start in Buffalo, Price hung in there and at least forced his teammates to refocus to avoid a total blowout and try to build on it. What else was good about it? Jonathan Drouin continued to fly, the top line connected for their second goal and once Julien was done mixing up his trios, the fourth line actually looked decent with newcomer Michael Chaput slotted between Kenny Agostino and Nicolas Deslauriers. Agostino made a nice play to score from in close, but the goal was called off by Tim Peel because the Habs’ winger took Kinkaid out of the play. 1117081 Montreal Canadiens life,” said Philadelphia Flyers assistant coach Ian Laperrière, who estimates he has known Bouchard since they were five years old.

When the NHL locked out its players in 2004, the then 30-year-old Joël Bouchard’s job title might be head coach, but everything about him Bouchard decided to launch a charity effort to raise money for sick screams future GM children. It was a travelling caravan of NHL players who criss-crossed Quebec playing 4-on-4 games. He lined up corporate sponsors and then took care of wrangling the talent and booking arenas. Sean Gordon “One idea led to another, which led to another,” said Martin Brochu, his Nov 22, 2018 friend from childhood and business partner in his hockey academy. “And when this man gets an idea in his head…”

Like many other pros, Bouchard operated a summer hockey school, but So this one time, a pal of former NHL defenceman Joël Bouchard rang after the lockout season he decided not only to expand it from four, to 12, him up on the phone to chat. to 16 weeks, but to try and improve on the typical business model. Eventually, he settled on the idea of a year-round academy catering to all Bouchard was in some far-flung rink in the northern U.S.; the friend was levels from mite to pros, with a bespoke, state-of-the-art rink that — what told to hang on for a second while the 11-year NHLer fumbled with a the hell — might even house a junior team one day. measuring tape and jotted down the exact height and depth of a concrete step. Specific memories have since faded but this would have taken Buildings are expensive, and while Bouchard made more than a few place sometime in 2009 and Bouchard, who today is the first-year coach bucks as a player, he needed help to cover the $20 million cost. Once of the Canadiens’ American Hockey League affiliate, was in the throes of again, he began wooing corporate backers and cultivating well- trying to build a 3,100-seat arena complex in Boisbriand, Que. connected local politicians. The decision would eventually be made to locate the new rink in Montreal’s northern suburbs, which constitute a Let’s just say he was intimately involved in every aspect of the project. rich vein of hockey talent. It would be built thanks to substantial public No decision was too minor, no detail too inconsequential to escape his assistance – which later sparked a minor political controversy in attention. The facility, known today as the Centre d’Excellence Sports Boisbriand. Rousseau, got built. Bouchard’s brand in hockey circles may be bluntness, but in deftly His way. navigating the financial, political and regulatory shoals to see the arena “I measured everything, I went everywhere . . . I have binders at my project through to completion he showed he can also do tact and house with Zamboni room dimensions, what’s the best size for a dressing diplomacy when the occasion demands. room. If it’s too big the guys hang around too long after the games, if it’s By the fall of 2008 Bouchard, who grew up in a family of Canadiens too small they’re stepping all over each other,” Bouchard said in an fanatics, had retired from hockey; the closest he came to suiting up for interview last week at Place Bell, the Laval Rocket’s plush, year-old his childhood faves was in his last stop, with Montreal’s AHL team in home. “At the Centre d’Excellence I laid brick, I painted the ice, during Hamilton (“Julien BriseBois did me a favour,” Bouchard said of the former the construction I always kept my hand or my eyes in something, just to Canadiens executive, who now runs the Tampa Bay Lightning). try and understand. That’s how I am.” That’s not to say he was sitting around. He hired on to work Canadiens Yes, one might reasonably conclude he likes to be the decider and pays broadcasts for RDS, where Bouchard was among the first inside-the- fanatical attention to the little things. glass commentators, and on FM radio. Why it matters: in an interview with The Athletic earlier this fall where he The general agreement among his colleagues from the period is he could defended general manager Marc Bergevin’s performance, Canadiens have continued in broadcasting as long as he wanted. It would have owner Geoff Molson provided a few bullet points on what he values in a been an untroubled, modestly lucrative life by professional sports GM. standards, but Bouchard isn’t about comfortable or easy. The first was having a “keen eye” for identifying and evaluating players, In addition to his media gigs, Bouchard was helping out former major- the second was having good relationships with and the respect of other junior teammate Pascal Vincent as an assistant coach on the QMJHL’s GMs, and the last was, well let’s turn it over to the man himself. Montreal Juniors. The other assistant was Dominique Ducharme, now of “The third one is a Montreal-specific criteria: it’s really hard – really hard the Canadiens, and a onetime minor hockey nemesis of Bouchard, – to make a difficult decision in a market where there’s so much fan Brochu and Laperrière. Hockey might be the world’s largest small town. emotion for the Montreal Canadiens,” he said. It wasn’t long before Bouchard decided to pack in his media career and Doing so, Molson added, requires pluck and leadership. devote himself full-time to the arena project. It opened in 2011, the same year the Juniors were re-born as the Blainville-Boisbriand Armada – with The widely-held assumption when Bergevin hired Bouchard was that he a helping hand from the media conglomerate Quebecor and several was brought on board as an heir-apparent to Montreal coach Claude former teammates including Daniel Brière (they played together in Julien. But after considering each of the boxes and how the Rocket Arizona) and Laperrière. coach’s career path seemingly ticks all of them, what if in fact he’s the logical in-house candidate to succeed Bergevin? What might that look The deal was tricky; Laperrière recalls being in a car with Bouchard as he like? tried to shepherd it home. Let’s start the examination of the Molson criteria by breaking down the “He was losing his mind,” the former laughed. element of bravery. Oh, and lest anyone think Bouchard is infallible, here’s what Laperrière It can manifest itself in many ways. In Bouchard’s case it goes well had to say about another bright idea they once had: “We got into the beyond a willingness to do hard graft in the minors; a 1992 sixth round restaurant business, and we got burned. My dad told me we’d get draft pick, he played 364 games in the NHL and 312 games in the AHL. burned, and we did. Sometimes you hear stories about how this or that guy managed to get out or not get hurt as bad, but Joël got burned just It’s more than summoning the grit to come back a few weeks ahead of as much as the rest of us.” schedule from a broken jaw or pranged knee. The hockey academy and attendant businesses have done substantially In April of 2000, while playing for the Dallas Stars, Bouchard started better than the ill-fated eatery; it’s a reasonable bet Bouchard has earned feeling poorly. Team doctors thought he might have a liver infection, but more since retiring from hockey than he did playing. The facility in the problem was meningitis. His condition took such a grave turn close Boisbriand has also become an offseason hub for NHLers, several of friends and family members were informed it might be a good time to say whom follow a summer program now supervised by former pro Ramzi their goodbyes. Somehow, he pulled through. Abid (briefly a Bouchard teammate in Phoenix and Pittsburgh). Two years later, he would have surgery to remove a salivary gland The Armada has been an unqualified success on the ice with back-to- tumour. Then came a bout with what turned out to be mercury poisoning. back QMJHL final appearances and a steady stream of pro prospects. It’s the sort of run that can alter one’s general outlook on life, and so it Similarly the club has developed into a winning proposition off the ice, was with Bouchard, who often says his medical scares may in fact be the although it’s reasonable to ask how having an AHL team just down the best thing that ever happened to him. road will affect attendance in the medium-term, particularly given a tepid start under new coach Bruce Richardson (another longtime Bouchard “Joël’s a guy who doesn’t worry about yesterday or tomorrow. It’s a cliché confederate). to say live in the moment, day by day, but that’s really how he lives his “(Bouchard) took a huge risk,” said Brochu. “It could well have not there were no other rules, particularly when the ball was up for grabs worked out.” after a miss or a save. The ability and willingness to make “difficult” (read: unpopular) decisions “If it was loose in the grass, you were diving over everything to get there first,” said Bouchard, who spent countless hours in the lane behind his The other staple story among Bouchard’s associates tends to involve him house waging a friendly war with Brochu. confronting a veteran teammate, or colleague, or business partner and calling them out for taking shortcuts, being sloppy or putting forth Nobody becomes a professional hockey player by being anything less anything less than maximum effort. than insanely competitive, what’s interesting about those back-alley games is twofold. Both Bouchard and Brochu would defy stupefying odds When Laperrière was asked if the tales were true and whether he had and play in the NHL (Bouchard for Calgary, Nashville, Dallas, Phoenix, any to contribute, he laughed and said “how much time have you got? New Jersey, Pittsburgh, and both New York teams, and Brochu for cups Joël is Joël, man; he was like that in Atom.” of coffee with Washington, Vancouver and Pittsburgh). And 35 years It’s not that Bouchard is aggressively dickish so much as he is unusually later they remain as close as ever. In fact, they are business partners. forthright, more or less totally unfiltered and congenitally un-concerned So too are Laperrière, Pierre Gendron (Bouchard’s former teammate in with the approval of others. When you’ve seen what he’s seen and made both midget and major-junior) and Stéphane Dubé, the fitness consultant it out the other side, there’s no time to pussyfoot. Anyway, you might Bouchard’s crew started working with as punk kids with unrealistic plausibly deduce he’s not afraid to say and do things that prove dreams. Bouchard’s various ventures, like the Blainville-Boisbriand unpopular. Armada, the eponymous hockey academy he started with Brochu (who “He’s honest, and some guys don’t like that. Not everybody likes to hear still runs it), as well as the pro-level gym housed in the Centre the truth, but like him or don’t like him, you have to respect his honesty,” d’Excellence Sports Rousseau, are dotted with longtime friends and said Laperrière. “He really believes that if he’s straight with people they associates. So is the Rocket’s staff. will appreciate it. When you really think about it, it’s tough being honest “He’s primarily a believer in having the right person in the right role, it just all the time.” happens that several of those people have known him a long time,” It’s instructive that Bouchard’s allies and detractors (hey, it’s hockey, Brochu said. “It’s also a question of philosophy and outlook. If you’re everyone has detractors) tend to describe his personality using similar going to hop on the ice, give it everything you have.” terms; whether one is viewed as admirably frank or just kind of a jerk is a Brochu’s dad held various roles in the legendary Montréal-Bourassa matter of perspective. Midget AAA program, whose alums include Pierre Turgeon, Martin So, Bouchard is temperamentally suited to plowing his own furrow. The Brodeur, Félix Potvin, and a great many others. Bouchard and Brochu track record also shows he doesn’t shrink in the face of important would go on to play for the team, along with Laperrière and Gendron. judgment calls or conflict situations. Whether it was with his junior team So yes, you might say Bouchard has been immersed in the world of élite or with the national program, Bouchard has proven decisive – trading fan hockey for a long time, and is good at cultivating and maintaining favourites, cutting highly-regarded prospects, thrusting relative unknowns relationships. into key roles. He is quick to admit he doesn’t always get it right, but this is not the type of person who shies away. That’s true on the ice as well. Scratching out somebody’s six degrees of hockey separation is always a fun exercise, with Bouchard it’s especially time consuming. In this regard To watch Bouchard run practice is to hear him yell encouragement – and he resembles the man who hired him last spring to coach the Rocket: bellow salty epithets – and to teach, usually by showing. Sometimes this Marc Bergevin. Inevitably, the two briefly shared the same dressing room happens theatrically or sarcastically, as when he recently mimicked with the Penguins. He also suited up with the man he succeeded in the lackadaisical defensive-zone coverage by skating around slack-jawed, Rocket job, Sylvain Lefebvre, in New York. his face angled toward the rafters and arms hanging limply by his sides. Bouchard has played with or for dozens of current NHL bench and front Bouchard keeps proceedings brisk and up-tempo. Also, he wears a red office types, and scores of scouts, coaches and executives in Europe. In helmet rather than a ballcap like most other coaches, partly because he’s 1995 alone, he opened Calgary’s training camp alongside Pittsburgh injured himself in practices enough times not to want to do it again. head coach Mike Sullivan (a teammate on four separate occasions), Judging from a recent viewing, players are expected to match or exceed Buffalo head coach Phil Housley, recently-fired Traktor Chelyabinsk head the coach’s intensity, and they’re going to pick up nicks and bruises in coach German Titov, Edmonton assistant Trent Yawney, Minnesota the process. Bouchard’s energetic ferocity carries over to his in-game assistant Dean Evason, Swiss national team assistant Tommy Albelin approach; how long it might take for the Rocket to tire of their coach’s and former Dallas assistant James Patrick, now head man for the animated style is an open question. Much presumably hinges on whether Western Hockey League’s Kootenay Ice. Bouchard’s playing stops also his young team’s results improve (they currently sit at 7-10-1-1). Although overlapped with several Hockey Canada luminaries including president most pro hockey players don’t expect to be handled with kid gloves. Tom Renney, who coached him with the Rangers, and former chief scout Ryan Jankowski, who was part of the Islanders’ system. “He’s hard on people, but in a good way. There’s a lot of teaching to do still here, so he’s on every detail,” said Rocket forward Nikita Jevpalovs, Familiarity doesn’t automatically equate to friendship, but it does increase who played for the Armada from 2012-15. “He knows how to pick the likelihood of getting a call returned. (players) who will buy in to the system and the style he likes to play. In A“keen eye” for identifying and developing talent junior he always had an accent on the details, on a pro style of game. So when you come here the system is exactly the same with maybe a tweak Fundamentally, we’re talking about a rink rat’s rink rat, a man whose here and there to adjust, but it’s the same approach.” knowledge of the current and future generations of Quebec (and Canadian, and international) hockey prospects is voluminous, Jevpalovs also offered a summation of the benefits that can be drawn comprehensive and deep. The same goes for the Canadiens’ talent pool. from Bouchard’s bedside manner. It might sound counter-intuitive, but How many other pro coaches go to the trouble of contacting every single playing for a Manichean hard-ass can eliminate stress rather than create rookie camp prospect’s current coach and/or team to talk about their it. player? “You always know. There’s never times when you come to the rink and “I have trouble remembering the names of the 23 guys on our NHL you have no idea what’s happening. Like, what did they think about you. roster,” Laperrière said. “A name will come up, and Joël will say ‘yeah, And that’s a part that’s pretty hard on players mentally. When you don’t saw him in Kamloops last year, didn’t love his warm up but he was pretty know you can get into yourself . . . it brings your game down,” he said, good in the game’. Who remembers that stuff? When he sees something, “But with him . . . if you played bad, he’ll tell you. If you played good, he’s it sticks. going to help you out. If you do need help you can always ask him.” “It shows he doesn’t have kids.” The Latvian has crossed the Atlantic twice for Bouchard, and is one of several Rocket players with longstanding ties to the coach. Encyclopedic knowledge helped Bouchard build a perennially contending Armada team, and a gold-medal World Junior squad. It’s not a coincidence. So yes, he has a handle on identifying talent and putting it together in The name of the game was “la gobeuse” – or the gobbler – and in the proportions that lead to success. Part of that is down to the glowering east-end Montreal neighbourhood of Tétraultville, the rules were intensity he brings to his work, a vestige of having to fight for every scrap straightforward. as a player. One road hockey net, one goalie, one shooter, one ball (tennis or orange Officially, the Rocket’s GM is Bergevin, although Bouchard more often plastic, c’est selon). The goalie scored points by stopping and holding the deals with assistant GM Scott Mellanby. Mellanby is based in the U.S. ball, the shooter by scoring, first to ten wins. The only other rule was and Bergevin has an NHL team to tend to, so Bouchard holds “It’s the same thing in hockey, you have 20, 30, 35 games. Adaptability is considerable sway in the team’s personnel matters. of the highest importance. There are guys who just can’t adapt their game. Without naming names I would see guys you couldn’t do anything “I speak daily to the coach and to Daniel (Brière, now GM of the Maine with; they might be good somewhere else, but in the end you’d prefer to Mariners) about our players in the East Coast, that’s important. For one play against them,” he said. thing, I need to know what’s going on with our players there. Marc, as you know, is extremely busy, I speak to him when I have to something to The player/not player calculus is not a simple function of aspects like tell him or he needs to talk to me. I’m in contact also with Scott Mellanby, puck skills or hockey sense. But Bouchard allows that passion and drive who is in St. Louis. But those guys aren’t here. I like to bounce ideas are key elements. around with Scott, but there’s a job to do in the day-to day,” Bouchard said. “There’s a difference,” he says, “between ‘I would like to be a hockey player,’ and ‘I want to be a hockey player’.” And he’s generally the one doing it. That Bouchard is partial to the hands-on approach can’t have been a surprise to the Canadiens’ Perhaps an example is in order. In the immediate lead-up to the 2017 braintrust. With the Armada, he served as president, GM and coach. In World Junior Championships the media soothsayers zeroed in on the the players’ recounting when he oversaw Hockey Canada’s U-17, U-18 bubble prospects, and mentioned Anthony Cirelli of the Oshawa and U-20 squads — the latter team twice, including 2017-18’s gold- Generals in the conversation. medal run — he took on a more activist role than the typical manager. “Cirelli! He’s a nobody, fourth-round pick, outside looking in,” Bouchard “He was there for practices and for the games, obviously. But he was in said, recalling that his immediate thought upon hearing the experts was, the room quite a bit, we saw him at dinnertime too sometimes,” said “Oh boy, (Cirelli) can sleep in peace, he’s making the team for sure. Canadiens defenceman Victor Mete, who played for Bouchard’s national Hockey player.” teams at all three levels. “He was always interacting with the players, Not especially imposing or dynamic offensively, at that point Cirelli was more so than not seeing (the GM) at all. I like the way he coaches, he’s barely a point-per-game player in his third year in the Ontario Hockey hard but he’s a fun guy too. He jokes around, but when it’s time to work, League; but he had reached the OHL as a walk-on, did score the it’s time to work . . . everything has to be perfect. It’s hard but it’s good, it overtime winner in the 2015 Memorial Cup final, and generally played forces you to be the best you can be.” with doggedness and verve. So is it challenging for someone who is accustomed to handling all the Sure enough, he ended up becoming a catalyst for Canada’s march to important decisions to defer to higher-ups in a comparatively hierarchical the gold medal game (where they would lose in an epic shootout thriller NHL organization? against the U.S.); his tying goal in the semi-final palpably broke “I’m the luckiest guy in the world, lots of people have decided to believe Sweden’s spirit. in me,” he said. “If Marc believes in me it’s because I have help too . . . I’ll These days Cirelli isn’t exactly the headliner on a stacked Tampa team, direct, and guide, but I don’t need to decide everything all the time,” but in his short NHL career has already proven he’s not cowed by the Bouchard said. “I want the environment to be the way I think it should be, playoff spotlight. Last Saturday he happened to notch the extra-time tally but it’s good that I’m not the one who makes all the decisions.” to beat Philadelphia. He then added: “But there are things I won’t budge on.” Bouchard once told a La Presse interviewer his favourite movie is One day he’ll surely be asked to. Seabiscuit. It’s a fitting choice given his natural affinity for the under- appreciated and overlooked. Perhaps it’s an unconscious nod to his own As a coach, a job he plainly enjoys, Bouchard is a motivator, but also a playing career: great minor hockey player, solid junior (the most thoroughly competent Xs and Os guy. And he knows how to fit the accomplished member of his Collège Français Memorial Cup team in various pieces of a team together, taking particular care to stay in tune terms of NHL games played: Donald Brashear), AHL all-star and, in fits with the dressing room. When the Rocket recently snapped a string of six and starts, NHL player. He is the first to admit there were always better- games where they did everything but win, he gave them unscheduled pedigreed, more talented athletes out there. Yet, he’s the one who time off because he felt they needed the mental break. played. Bouchard regularly reminds his Rocket charges of that fact. “It hurts because guys are invested, it eats at you, the guys don’t sleep It’s all part of helping them achieve the exalted, all-encompassing and well,” he said. only meaningful definition in Bouchardspace. Players report Bouchard is not hostile to modern niceties like analytics or Hockey player. sports science. Where he might be accused of an old-school bent is in prizing intangibles and gut calls when evaluating talent. In the Bouchard Bouchard insists he couldn’t be happier than he is right now, helping to paradigm, players’ individual attributes can be boiled down to binary sculpt young players’ games and honing those who are closer to NHL terms: hockey player, not a hockey player. call-ups to their sharpest edge. There is no reason to doubt that is true. “I have my own definition, people have asked me to describe it but I keep But his personality, experience and professional makeup suggest he is it to myself, it’s just the way I see things. Sometimes I can have a really destined for loftier heights. That may mean taking charge of an NHL good offensive guy, ‘that’s a hockey player’. Or it can be a good bench one day. No one should be surprised if it turns out to be the front defensive guy, ‘that’s a hockey player’. Or it can be two guys with similar office instead. styles, ‘that one’s a hockey player, that one I don’t think so’,” he said. “It doesn’t mean I’m right. But that’s how I did it with the Armada, and with the World Junior, with Dominique Ducharme, (Hockey Canada head The Athletic LOADED: 11.23.2018 scout) Brad McEwen, or (now Sabres scout) Ryan Jankowski. They laughed all the time.” It can indeed sound risible at first, but Bouchard’s categorization method is not devoid of empiricism and nuance. One can infer from his caginess that the equation involves multiple variables and inputs; they seem to range from the highly technical to the esoteric. Among the ones he cares to expand upon: can a player’s shortcomings be addressed through teaching? In his experience certain habits and behaviours can be corrected or unlearned, others not. The reasoning goes some flaws, once exposed, essentially doom a player against top opposition. “Sometimes I see something in a player and I tell myself it’s going to be tough for him. I call it Bambi syndrome . . . and in the NHL, Bambis with broken legs get chewed apart,” he said. Bouchard likens it to a baseball pitcher who might be fine using the same approach and arsenal the first couple of times through the order, or on his maiden swing through the division. Eventually, hitters figure it out and things turn messy. 1117082 Nashville Predators

Catfish Corner: Rocco Grimaldi and the curious case of the black Prius

Paul Skrbina, Nashville Tennessean Published 8:00 p.m. CT Nov. 22, 2018 | Updated 8:28 p.m. CT Nov. 22, 2018

Why not pick up this week where we left off last week: Does Rocco Grimaldi drive a black Prius? I'm not judging, even if he is 5-foot-6 and a perfect fit for such a car. I know Rocco is from California. I didn't typecast him as that guy who would put his own name on his license plate. Upon further inspection, I saw a mini hockey glove and a mini Predators hat (I think) dangling from the rearview mirror. This was too much. Curiosity piqued, I stopped Grimaldi in the hotel lobby (or was it outside the locker room? It was the last day of a long trip.) Anyhow, I asked him a question I never thought I would: "Rocco, do you drive a Prius?" "No, that's my dad's," Grimaldi said with a grin. Grimaldi was reassigned to Milwaukee on Tuesday. I miss him already. Another thing I wasn't expecting to see or hear was Ryan Johansen singing. The Predators' top-line center and top-of-the-line goofball serenaded Calle Jarnkrok with some Shania Twain after Jarnkrok's first career hat trick. It's more fun to have fun when you're winning, like the Predators have been. They reclaimed their spot atop the league with a victory Monday against the Lightning. They're still waiting for P.K. Subban to come back from an upper-body injury. They found out Viktor Arvidsson won't be back from a broken thumb for six to eight weeks. They're trying to figure out how to replace him on the top line. Hint: So far, it's been a lot of Craig Smith. Austin Watson returned from his 18-game suspension for domestic assault and spoke for the first time. Kevin Fiala, honest to the core, talked about trying to regain confidence after being dropped from the first line to the fourth line in a three-game span.

Tennessean LOADED: 11.23.2018 1117083 New York Islanders Pierre-Louis had become close with Lee and his wife, Grace, over the past two seasons, and even accompanied Lee to Denmark in May during the world championships before his health worsened. Anders Lee Tries to Fill the Islanders’ John Tavares-Size Hole “Fenov was one of those people who come into your life and change everything,” Lee said. “No matter how hard his days were or how much pain he was in, he never showed it or took it out on anybody. He just put By Allan Kreda a smile on and cared for other people.” Nov. 22, 2018 Lee’s efforts helped raise more than $125,000 as teammates with their wives and families stayed almost four hours after a loss to the Stars to participate. The Islanders selected left wing Anders Lee in the 2009 N.H.L. draft five “This is why this day is so worth it,” Lee said. “I knew Fenov would be rounds after picking John Tavares first over all. with us. I remembered him in every way I could.” A few months later, Tavares was in an Islanders uniform, on his way to Rangers defenseman Kevin Shattenkirk was moved enough to contact leading the team in points in the 2009-10 season. Lee through social media and replicate the Kan Jam fund-raiser event last season. Zach Bogosian of the Buffalo Sabres followed suit, and this Lee, from Edina, Minn., headed the Green Bay Gamblers of the United season, Ryan McDonagh and J. T. Miller, former Rangers, will hold one States Hockey League, where he led the team in scoring. Then it was with the Tampa Bay Lightning this season. three years at Notre Dame, including two as the captain. Islanders left wing Matt Martin said Lee’s talent for bringing people Lee did not make his Islanders debut until April 2013, scoring in his first together aligned with his rise to the captaincy. game. But he spent 59 games with the team’s American Hockey League affiliate in Bridgeport, Conn., over the next two seasons before becoming “He’s someone who cares about people, and it’s more than hockey,” said an Islanders mainstay. He also completed his degree in management Martin, who returned to the Islanders last summer after two seasons with consulting at Notre Dame in 2014. Toronto. “We all want to be great hockey players and win a Cup, but at the end of the day, you want to leave your mark.” This season, Lee, 28, is attempting fill the void left when Tavares departed for the Toronto Maple Leafs via free agency. Potvin, who captained the Islanders to four Stanley Cups from 1980 to 1983, said he spoke with Lee shortly after he became the 15th captain in Fresh off a 40-goal season, Lee is among the team’s leading scorers team history. again. And hours before the team’s opener, the new coach, Barry Trotz, anointed Lee to replace Tavares as the captain. “I just told him to think about how far he’s come — from being a sixth- round draft pick to captain of the Islanders,” said Potvin, who retired in “I didn’t see it coming,” Lee said of the announcement, which was made 1988 and is now a broadcaster with the Florida Panthers. in front of the team. “I was flooded with emotions. There were a bunch of hugs from the boys, and then it was back to work.” Reality strikes Lee when he manages to catch highlights, perhaps while decompressing between games with his two Australian shepherds, It does not come as a surprise that Lee commands such respect from his Gordie and Howie. teammates. And through his leadership, the team is off to a strong start without Tavares. “Every time I see a photo from the night before on my phone with the ‘C’ on my jersey, I still say, ‘Wow,’ because I’m not used to seeing it there,” The Islanders, who missed the playoffs the past two seasons, are 10-8-2 he said. “It’s a big letter.” after Wednesday’s 5-0 loss to the Rangers at Madison Square Garden and have forged a 7-1-0 record in divisional games heading into Friday’s road game against the Devils. New York Times LOADED: 11.23.2018 “It was an easy decision putting the ‘C’ on Anders,” said Trotz, who won a Stanley Cup with the Washington Capitals last season. “The tough thing for Anders is that he is basically replacing the face of the franchise. There comes a burden with that initially. And then there comes a comfort with it.” Lee received congratulations from several previous Islanders captains including Denis Potvin, Clark Gillies, Bill Guerin, Michael Peca and Tavares. “J. T. said some really nice things that showed his confidence in me,” Lee said of Tavares, who is a close friend. They attended each other’s weddings this past summer after Tavares’s departure after nine years with the Islanders roiled the team’s fan base. “You work your whole professional hockey career to make a personal decision, and he earned it,” said Lee, who can become an unrestricted free agent after this season. “John was a great locker-room guy with an unbelievable work ethic and focus. These are big shoes to fill.” Through 20 games, Lee has six goals and nine assists after scoring 74 goals over the past two seasons. Forward Jordan Eberle joined the Islanders before last season in a trade from Edmonton, where Connor McDavid was 19 when he became Oilers captain. Eberle said Lee’s path to success gave him added heft with his teammates. “You look around the league, and most teams have that superstar kind of guy coming out of junior who eventually takes over a team,” Eberle said. “Leezy is a feel-good story who has worked his way up and up and up. He’s been in the minors. He’s been everywhere. He is a great guy who works hard, qualities you look for in a leader.” Lee’s team-building efforts extend off the ice. He came into the season with a heavy heart after the death of a friend who became the inspiration for Jam Kancer in the Kan, Lee’s charity Frisbee tournament to raise money for pediatric cancer patients. The third annual event took place at Barclays Center after Sunday’s loss against Dallas and was dedicated to Lee’s friend 17-year-old Fenov Pierre-Louis, who died in July. 1117084 New York Islanders

Islanders need to clean up sloppy play

By Andrew Gross [email protected] @AGrossNewsday Updated November 23, 2018 1:43 AM

It was back to the beginning for the Islanders. But reuniting the top two lines from the season’s first four games alone won’t help them snap out of their two-game losing streak and three-game funk of sloppy play. They must rediscover their commitment to detail- oriented structure when they face the Devils on Friday afternoon at Prudential Center. “It’s on us,” said left wing Anthony Beauvillier, reunited with center Mathew Barzal and Josh Bailey while Brock Nelson was put back in between Anders Lee and Jordan Eberle for Thursday’s practice in East Meadow. “It’s about our starts, it’s about our execution and the way we’ve managed games, especially the first 10 minutes. We’ve just got to get back to basics, back to the grind mentality, the grit. It’s easy to fix. It’s not about X’s and O’s. It’s about execution and commitment.” The Islanders (10-8-2), who will face the Hurricanes on Saturday night at Barclays Center, opened a stretch of four games in six days with a 5-0 loss to the Rangers at Madison Square Garden on Wednesday night. The Islanders lost to the Stars, 6-2, on Sunday and have allowed 16 goals in their past three games. “It’s just working together, making strong plays and talking,” defenseman Johnny Boychuk said. “If you do those three things, there’s no problems.” “It’s just a matter of scoring,” Barzal added. “We’ve just got to bury our chances. There were a couple of crucial moments in the last three games where we needed a goal, myself included, and we’ve just got to find a way to get to the net.” The Islanders’ top-six forwards have produced only one even-strength goal in the past three games, including a 7-5 win over the Rangers on Nov. 15. Beauvillier notched his first career hat trick in that game and added a goal against the Stars but played on Valtteri Filppula’s third line both times. “There’s a certain detail, a certain commitment, a certain responsibility that goes with almost every play that we have to recognize a little better than we have the last couple of games,” coach Barry Trotz said. “We’ve got to get the sloppiness out of our game. Some guys are casual, some guys are not executing. “We need our skill guys going. You win and lose with your top guys over the long haul.” Notes & quotes: Ryan Pulock did not practice after playing through an arm issue Wednesday. Trotz said he expects him to be available Friday . . . Cal Clutterbuck (illness) practiced and is expected to be available.

Newsday LOADED: LOADED: 11.23.2018 1117085 New York Islanders combined. Ryan Pulock, whose heavy shot has missed the net too often this season (three more times on Wednesday), has struggled to adapt his skills to Trotz’s desire for defensive-zone play first and offense second. Evaluating the Isles at 20 games: The flaws holding back a team that’s The same is true for Nick Leddy, stuck on five points, compiled in three of defying most expectations the 20 games. When the Islanders were keeping shots to the outside and their goalies were posting .930 save percentages, those scoring deficiencies from the By Arthur Staple back end weren’t hurting them. Now they seem glaring. Devon Toews is among the AHL’s scoring leaders for defensemen but he still awaits a Nov 22, 2018 call. “It’s not all about points,” Lamoriello said last week after announcing the injuries to Casey Cizikas, who will need another week or two and is

sorely missed, and Andrew Ladd, who won’t be back anytime soon and is If this 2018-19 Islanders season were always going to be about missed more than you might think. evaluation and assessment of the franchise for years to come, then the Josh Ho-Sang is also among the top 30 AHL scorers. Michael Dal Colle 10-8-2 record the team sports as it hits the quarter mark of the season has played the last two games and done very little with limited might be seen as a pleasant surprise. opportunity. Perhaps some new faces can inject a little life and It is most definitely that to the hockey world, which viewed the John recommitment to what Trotz has been saying. Tavares-less roster with a very jaundiced eye. Lou Lamoriello’s biggest “There’s opportunity because some guys are out, you’ve got to grab hold summer coup was luring Barry Trotz into the fold, along with his longtime of it,” Trotz said. “Some guys aren’t grabbing hold of it.” assistant Lane Lambert and longtime goalie guru Mitch Korn. That lent this new Islanders era an immediate air of respectability even in the wake A season ago on Thanksgiving eve, the Islanders were all over the NHL of Tavares spurning them. highlight shows. Tavares capped an overtime defeat of the Flyers with a ridiculous individual effort in overtime to outwork Sean Couturier and “I think we could see from the first week of camp that there was some whip a pass to Bailey to send the 2017-18 Islanders to 12-7-2 through 21 stability there and that we were in good hands,” Josh Bailey said. “There games. They were a flawed team that was getting porous goaltending was a serious approach from Barry on down to the guys in the room.” and not much defensive-zone commitment, but the goals were coming at Which has also lent these last three games an air of disappointment. a high enough rate to keep them feeling good about themselves. These Islanders are not in anyone’s top 10 in terms of talent, but they That lasted a few more weeks, until the scoring dried up, Johnny have been disciplined to Trotz’s tasks and gotten the sort of goaltending Boychuk and Calvin de Haan went down with long-term injuries and the that can lift an ordinary team to bigger heights. Islanders spiraled down the standings. Then came the major overhaul Until a week ago. As their Corsi and high danger chance percentages and a new direction. confounded the numbers-inclined, the Isles managed to win games while There isn’t that same feeling this season because Trotz won’t let the being outshot and outchanced on the regular. Trotz’s winning formula Islanders slip that far. But this is a flawed group that perhaps wasn’t as from the last two of his four seasons in Washington — shot quality good as an 8-4-1 start and shouldn’t be as bad as the 2-4-1 run that trumps shot quantity — seemed to take hold at about the eight-game followed. Lots of Metro teams have shown their flaws so far and things mark last month and the Islanders, improbably, were on to something. are tightly packed, with the Isles currently sitting fifth, two points clear of But their last three, punctuated by Wednesday’s 5-0 drubbing at the the basement and four points from first. hands of the genuinely rebuilding Rangers, have looked a mess. The Nothing has been decided. The Islanders could still very well be a playoff Isles have allowed 16 goals in the three games, which actually included a team this season, improbable as that sounded just a couple of months win over the Rangers in Barclays Center last week; Thomas Greiss and ago. They could also be a team that commits more to the future than the Robin Lehner, easily the team’s first-quarter MVPs, have both looked present with another two weeks like this past one. The evaluation period mediocre. hasn’t ended yet. And the attention to detail that defined some surprising wins — 7-2 over the Kings in Los Angeles on Oct. 18, 6-1 over the Flyers in Philly on Oct. 27, 6-3 in Pittsburgh five days after that — has dissipated. The Athletic LOADED: 11.23.2018 “We’re letting some things slip for sure,” said Lehner, who likely would have been pulled after allowing three goals in the opening eight minutes on Wednesday had the Isles not been facing a back-to-back against the Devils and Hurricanes on Friday and Saturday. “We’ve been real good with those details and we’ve gotten some lucky bounces to get back in games, or get big leads on teams. Now, we’re getting some bad luck on us and we’re not able to get back into it.” If this season were about the future of the Islanders, that would all be fine. But Trotz is leaning heavily on veterans like Valtteri Filppula, who has been among the biggest surprise signings in the league with 12 points in 20 games; Leo Komarov, who has nine points; and Tom Kuhnhackl, who has gotten intermittent top-six minutes. All three were Lamoriello’s primary free-agent signings on July 1 after Tavares walked. They were brought in for character and the way they carry themselves, but perhaps (at least in Filppula’s and Komarov’s cases) their production has convinced Trotz that they can play more outsized roles on a winning team. That’s not going to work over the long term. The Islanders certainly need more from their top six despite good numbers from Mathew Barzal (2-16- 18), Bailey (6-13-19), Anders Lee (6-9-15) and Brock Nelson (9-6-15). Trotz vented a bit about their work following Sunday’s 6-2 beatdown by the Stars and elaborated on Wednesday morning. “You get certain matchups, especially at home, and they should be on the positive end of it,” Trotz said. “You try to give the best matchups to give yourself a chance to win. They should be able to take advantage of those and they get taken advantage of. The line they have, they know they’re better than the line they’re going against and you can’t be on the bottom of that matchup.” Similarly, the Islanders need more from their top defensemen. Scott Mayfield is the leading scorer among Isles defensemen with three goals and eight points — that’s one more goal than the rest of the D corps 1117086 New York Rangers Q: What is Brett Howden like as a roommate? A: He’s only 20 years old, but I can already tell that he has some cooking sense, which is good. Neal Pionk’s dad cut him once but now he’s living the dream Q: You don’t cook?

A: I do, too. I thought I was gonna have to kind of walk him through it, but By Steve Serby he seems to be handling himself well. November 22, 2018 | 10:55PM Q: How did you become such a good cook? A: It was last year in Hartford. Vinni Lettieri and I lived together in Rangers defenseman Neal Pionk takes a shot at some Q&A with Post Hartford. I wouldn’t say I’m a good cook by the way — a learning cook columnist Steve Serby. (smile). His dad’s a chef, so we would come home from practice, get home about 1 or 2 o’clock, we would FaceTime his dad, and get all the Q: Describe your on-ice mentality. ingredients and his dad would walk us through the process and the steps, and then we’d go from there. A: I’d say a relentless attitude. Q: What is your go-to dish? Q: Why do you play that way? A: One of my favorites right now is bacon-wrapped scallops, and then I’ll A: I think I play that way just ’cause growing up I was never the biggest do some asparagus on the side. Maybe some potatoes, too. The baby guy, never the fastest guy, so it was a mindset that had to push me to the scallops are way more flavorful. next levels and push me higher, so I knew if I had the mindset going into the corner that maybe I could take the puck away from a bigger guy or Q: You let Chris Kreider cook when you lived in Norwalk with him before maybe slow down a faster guy. training camp. Q: Was that an obstacle growing up? A: We did salmon a few times — I have to get the brand of mayo that he orders, but he orders some specific brand of mayo that makes everything A: At times it was, but I think I used it almost as a chip on my shoulder. I better. got cut from a few teams and I used it as motivation to keep going. Q: Describe Henrik Lundqvist. Q: Give me a scouting report on you. A: Probably the most competitive guy on our team. He wants to win every A: The competitive nature and my ability are the two things that would single night, and he gives us that advantage every night and gives us a stand out. chance to win every game. Q: What’s it like being a New York Ranger? Q: Coach David Quinn. A: It’s a dream every single day. Sometimes you have to take a step A: He’s a great coach. I think the best part is that he’ll vocalize what he back and realize it, but you’re playing for the best franchise in hockey, an wants, and he’ll let you know. There’s no hidden secrets. Original Six franchise, and I think the best fans in hockey. I remember at the end of last year, I think we got eliminated from playoffs, but the Q: Did you ever have a Stanley Cup dream? Garden was still packed, and they were cheering just as loud when we scored as the first game. A: Yeah, walking it down Broadway (laugh). Q: Describe your first time in a Rangers uniform at MSG. Q: Is that your dream now? A: I have to give a lot of credit to those NHL video games (chuckle), A: Now it is (smile). I guess growing up, just bringing it back home. I ’cause that’s what it felt like. You kind of say, “Am I really here, am I guess I always thought it’d be cool, bring from Duluth [Minn.] and right on really doing this kind of thing?” Lake Superior there, just to bring it out on the water, bring it in front of the Duluth Lift Bridge would be a cool spot. Q: If you could pick the brain of one defenseman in NHL history, who would it be? Q: You liked Albert Pujols. A: Arguably the greatest defenseman of all time, or most consistent, Nick A: So Twins were my main team, but my grandparents live in St. Louis, Lidstrom. so my secondary team was always the St. Louis Cardinals, and the Twins didn’t really have any long-ball hitters ever, so Pujols was one of Q: If you could test your skills against any goaltender in history, who my favorites. would it be? Q: Who are athletes in other sports you like? A: Dominik Hasek. A: I have all my Twins players, but then a guy I always liked was Dustin Q: Boyhood idol? Pedroia just because he always had dirt on his jersey, felt like he was swinging out of his shoes, give 100 percent even though he was a A: I liked watching Brian Rafalski just because he was a smaller, right- smaller guy. handed defenseman. Q: Do you see yourself as the Rangers’ Dustin Pedroia? Q: Who are some of your favorite players as you got older? A: (Smile) Well, in a sense. I just like his attitude and the way he went A: Ryan Ellis for Nashville, a smaller right-handed defenseman, but a about the game. It seemed like he was giving 100 percent, and hated to good puck mover and plays in all situations. lose. Q: What is your best hockey moment? Q: Your mother made you take piano lessons for one year in second grade. A: Winning a gold medal with the [2013] World Junior A Challenge team in Nova Scotia. A: I didn’t like it so I quit. I did the one-year service and I was done (laugh). Q: What is your worst hockey moment? Q: What did you use the piano for in the basement? A: The one that hurts the most is the national championship [Minnesota- Duluth’s loss to Denver in 2017] my sophomore year of college. I didn’t A: I’m sure we used it as a hockey net at some point. We used a lot of watch the game until I think four months after the fact, and I couldn’t even stuff as a hockey net — a couch, the piano, and I think eventually we got finish it. mini-hockey nets. It was usually me and Aaron, the youngest one, versus the two middle ones, Nate and Joe, in a two-on-two game. We’d put the Q: Are you a bad loser? bench on its side, and that was one of the nets, and then the piano kind A: I used to be (chuckle). I remember one time, I broke my stick over the of had walls on each side and that turned into the other net. boards, and even then the sticks were pretty expensive, and I think I had Q: Growing up with four brothers. What was that like? to be about 12 years old, 13 years old, and my dad looked at me, he said, “I’m not buying you another one. You can work for your next one”. A: Chaos at times. The youngest one was always crying. He’s a mama’s So in the winter, he snow-plows driveways and he made me go with him boy, he’ll admit to it, so I’m not afraid to say it. It was a lot of fun though. for a few hours to earn my next stick (chuckle). Had four friends growing up all the time, something to do, someone to play with. Q: Describe your hometown of Hermantown, Minn. A: [Population of] 10,000 people, and we have one indoor rink and five outdoor rinks available to the community. Q: The story your parents told you when you were a Junior Hawk for the Waterloo Blackhawks. A: So I was out there for the national anthem, and as soon as the anthem was over, lined up at wing to play the game (laugh). I was 3 years old. And the ref had to escort me off the ice. Q: Your father cut you once. A: I was on the Triple-A team which my dad coached. It so happened that we were going to Minneapolis for a really good Triple-A tournament, and we combined with another team. And a week before the tournament, he brings me in and he said, “Hey you’re not coming with us. You’re not on the team.” So essentially, he cut his own kid from the team he was coaching (laugh). I kind of saw the writing on the wall. But the backstory to it is last minute, one of the defensemen called and said he had something come up so he couldn’t make the tournament, so I went, but I hardly played (laugh). So after I made my NHL debut — I never brought it up to him since then, so this has been 10 years for me now — and we went out to eat and I said, “Hey, do you remember when you cut me from your own team (laugh)?” Q: What was his response? A: He said, “Yeah, I remember that (laugh).” Q: What drives you? A: I guess what drives me is just the love and the passion for the game. From Day 1, just being on the ice, and everything that comes with hockey, the family part of it, the community feel, the friends that you make … that’s what makes you excited to come to the rink every day. Q: What are your favorite New York City things? A: Going home, when I hit a red light, I got mad, ’cause I considered that traffic (laugh). It honestly took me two weeks to adjust. Now that I’ve gotten acclimated, and I figured out the subway a few weeks ago, so you figure out those little tricks. And I remember when I first tried to call a taxi here, I didn’t realize that the lights have to be on … for them to be available. I thought they were just driving by me just ’cause. So I was trying to flag a taxi down, and they kept wheeling by me, and I was like, “What’s going on here? Why won’t they stop (laugh)?” Finally, someone’s like, “No, the light’s gotta be on for them to stop.” Q: Three dinner guests? A: Zac Brown, Dave Schultz, Albert Pujols. Q: Favorite movie? A: Tommy Boy. Q: Favorite actor? A: Will Ferrell. Q: Favorite actress? A: Margot Robbie. Q: Favorite meal? A: Coconut shrimp. Q: This is supposed to be a rebuilding year. What are your thoughts on that? A: We we don’t like using the word “rebuild” around here. We got some of the best players on the league. I think as we’ve shown through the first six weeks here so we can run with anyone.

New York Post LOADED: 11.23.2018 1117087 New York Rangers

Mats Zuccarello hoping he’s set to go after coming back too soon

By Brett Cyrgalis November 22, 2018 | 7:56PM

Mats Zuccarello said that he wanted to get back with his winning team so bad he probably cost himself a couple of more games out. Because of a right groin strain, the Rangers winger has played just once in the past seven games, and that game — Nov. 15 against the Islanders — was probably a little premature, considering the way he felt. Now, after finally getting a full practice in with his team Thursday, he can look back with some clarity. “I probably thought I was going to be better than I was last time, and I probably should have taken a different way. I probably shouldn’t have played,” said Zuccarello, whose team is 9-1-1 in its past 11. “But it is what it is. Now I feel good.” Zuccarello said he has never had a groin injury, and that’s “it’s tricky.” He first missed the Nov. 9 game in Detroit and the next two games as well. But then he returned for that Islanders game — a 7-5 loss at Barclays Center — that set him back. He missed the next three , including Wednesday night’s redemptive 5-0 win over the Islanders at the Garden. But the 31-year-old Norwegian is hoping he can play Friday afternoon against in Philadelphia. “Felt better now than it did last time,” he said. “Hopefully I can play, but it’s hard to crack the lineup. This is a hot team.” Rugged winger Cody McLeod suffered a fractured hand in a fight Wednesday night, and it’s expected he’ll be out somewhere around four to six weeks. McLeod had just scored his first goal as a Ranger and was a reluctant combatant with Ross Johnston. Coach David Quinn was upset about Johnston not getting an instigator call — or any other additional penalty. That made McLeod’s injury even more frustrating. “[The official] didn’t think there was enough there to warrant an instigation,” Quinn said. “Cody didn’t want to fight. Left his gloves on as long as possible. He only took his gloves off to protect himself. And [the officials] didn’t see it that way.” With McLeod’s injury and Zuccarello’s uncertainty for Friday, Quinn said there is a chance the Rangers could play with seven defensemen or make a call-up. Henrik Lundqvist is scheduled to start in goal Friday after he backed up Alex Georgiev for the young Bulgarian’s first NHL shutout Wednesday night. Lundqvist, 36, had also taken a maintenance day off from practice Tuesday but skated hard Wednesday morning in Westchester. Having started 17 of the first 22 games, Lundqvist said he is “feeling good.” Three players missed Thursday’s practice for maintenance — Marc Staal, Mika Zibanejad and Vlad Namestnikov. All are expected to play Friday. The team traveled to Philadelphia after the practice and was planning a team Thanksgiving meal at the hotel. Quinn said his favorite side dish is “sweet potato anything.”

New York Post LOADED: 11.23.2018 1117088 New York Rangers Thus far, it’s led to a surprising start to the season. Turns out, most people outside the organization aren’t exactly holding their breath waiting for it to come crashing down. Rangers for real? A surprising response from around the NHL “It’s not an easy thing when you’re trying to go through this, all credit for showing honor by playing the way they’re playing,” the executive said. “It’s hard thing to do.” By Brett Cyrgalis Or, as the coach added, “How do you not take them for real?” November 22, 2018 | 11:23am

New York Post LOADED: 11.23.2018 NEW YORK RANGERS Neal Pionk's dad cut him once but now he's living the dream The assumption, apparently naïve, was that scouring the league for opinions on the surprising hot streak of the Rangers was going to bring some measured perspective. Instead, it got the exact opposite. Speaking to one league executive, one coach, and one national broadcaster, all on the condition of anonymity in the hope of unfettered candidness, The Post came upon an outside picture of the Blueshirts that was far more shining than expected. As Thanksgiving is a traditional measure for league-wide reflection, the Rangers are on a run of 9-1-1. That continued with the 5-0 thumping of the Islanders in the Garden on Wednesday night and rolls on with afternoon matches on Friday in Philadelphia and Saturday at home against the Capitals. So the rebuilding that was declared this past February in a letter to the fans? Not so much for the team that at this barometer was tied in points atop the Metropolitan Division. “It was a good PR move, but I don’t think there are a lot of people that believe in the rebuilding,” said the coach. “People know going in that they have some good rookies and some real experienced guys that have been to Stanley Cup finals before, and they have goaltending. At the end of the day, you have to be ready to play.” So it hasn’t surprised anybody that Henrik Lundqvist continues to be an elite goaltender, the 36-year-old starting 17 of the first 22 games and putting up a 2.61 goals-against average with a .919 save percentage. That solid goaltending has also included 22-year-old backup Alex Georgiev, who picked up his first NHL shutout on Wednesday night. “The difference is that if we make a mistake,” the coach said, “it’s magnified because it ends up in the back of our net.” The big question coming into the season was how the players were going to react to first-year NHL head coach David Quinn. Fresh out of Boston University, Quinn has demanded accountability on a different level than his predecessor, Alain Vigneault. And the team has responded to what has been some tough-love to this point. “Whatever that coach is selling, they’re buying,” the executive said. “The internal leadership is obviously strong, led by Lundqvist, and they’re following.” The one thing that everyone mentioned was that Thanksgiving is not quite the same marking poll it used to be. There is such parity in the league that the 26 points for the Rangers (12-8-2) is five points short of Toronto’s conference lead — and seven points in front of Florida’s conference basement. Besides the few teams considered elite — the Leafs, Lightning, Predators, and maybe the Jets or Wild — the rest of the league is in a pretty similar situation. “We could go through this exercise with 26 other teams,” the broadcaster said. “The Rangers still have some holes, and their ‘D’ hasn’t played as well as they should, or could. But in that group, if you have to start with something, starting with the goalie is where I would go.” Yet that hardly means the Rangers are in the best shape to make a run this season, well in front of their projections. General manager Jeff Gorton is likely going to be exploring trade options nearing the Feb. 25 deadline, with key pieces Kevin Hayes and Mats Zuccarello the most attractive rental pieces currently in his stable. “Do they have the depth?” the executive wondered. What they do have is promising young players up front in Filip Chytil and Lias Andersson, to go along with young blueliners Brady Skjei, Neal Pionk and Tony DeAngelo. Those guys are following the leaders like Marc Staal and Mika Zibanejad and Jesper Fast, who have set the tone by going full-in on Quinn’s system and mentality. 1117089 New York Rangers

Tied for first place is nice, but Chris Kreider is more focused on the big picture

By Colin Stephenson [email protected] @ColinASteph Updated November 23, 2018 1:36 AM

GREENBURGH, N.Y. — With 60 games to go, the Rangers are tied for first place in the Metropolitan Division. That’s nice and all, but Chris Kreider isn’t easily impressed. “The difference between first and last in our division is like a game or so,’’ Kreider said after practice on Thanksgiving Day before heading to Philadelphia for Friday’s matinee with the Flyers. “You’ve just got to focus on the day-to-day stuff. “We want to be in the mix,’’ the ultra-focused Kreider said. “We want to make the playoffs. That’s where we want to be. Will it be wire-to-wire? Whatever it is, we want to be in the playoff picture.’’ It has become a thing in recent years to take note of the NHL standings on Thanksgiving Day, because teams holding a playoff spot that day reach the postseason roughly 75 percent of the time. Last year, six of the eight Eastern Conference teams holding a playoff spot qualified at the end. Only the Islanders and Red Wings dropped out of the picture after Black Friday. So the Rangers, who are 9-1-1 in their last 11 games and 12-8-2 (26 points) overall, had a lot to be thankful for Thursday, including getting winger Mats Zuccarello back at practice. He missed six of the last seven games with a groin strain. “I know they’re tricky,’’ Zuccarello said of his injury. “You think you’re good and then you push it too hard, especially when you’re going good and the team’s doing well. You want to be a part of it, so you kind of push yourself. But it’s one of those injuries that’s tricky. I never had it before, so it took some time for me to get used to the feeling and how it should feel.’’ Zuccarello missed three games with the injury and then came back to play in the 7-5 loss to the Islanders on Nov. 15. But he realized during the game that he wasn’t healed, so he sat out the next three games. But he said he feels better now. The Rangers will need him against the Flyers, especially given that rugged winger Cody McLeod, who scored his first goal of the season (and first as a Ranger) in Wednesday’s 5-0 win over the Islanders, suffered a broken hand in the game and will be lost for an extended period. McLeod was injured in a second-period fight with the Islanders’ Ross Johnston. Rangers coach David Quinn said the Rangers expect him to be out four to six weeks or so. The Rangers have only 13 forwards, including McLeod, who hasn’t yet been placed on injured reserve. To dress 12 forwards Friday, they’ll need Zuccarello or a call-up from Hartford. If Zuccarello can’t go, Quinn didn’t rule out the possibility of dressing 11 forwards and seven defensemen. “That’s something we’ve discussed, and we haven’t finalized anything yet,’’ he said. “We’re hoping [Zuccarello] can go.’’ Notes & quotes: Quinn said Henrik Lundqvist will start _Friday. He wouldn’t say if Lundqvist will play Saturday at home against Washington . . . D Marc Staal and forwards Mika Zibanejad and Vlad Namestnikov had maintenance days and didn’t practice.

Newsday LOADED: LOADED: 11.23.2018 1117090 Ottawa Senators Melnyk does benefit, that said, from the rising value of the team and arena, which Forbes Magazine estimated last year was worth an estimated $400 million US ($570 million Cdn). Depending on how much What could be the issues between Melnyk and Ruddy? of the NHL credit line Melnyk has drawn down, nearly half of the value of the Senators and arena could be offset by debt. (Senators chief operating office Nicolas Ruszkowski declined to comment.) James Bagnall Which naturally makes Melnyk cautious in his negotiations. On Thursday, Melnyk signalled that he’s still in this thing. You can’t say we weren’t warned. Ottawa Senators owner Eugene “We’ve championed a downtown sports and entertainment arena, and Melnyk openly mused last summer about the risks in the $4-billion project this important civic project, since initiating our proposal in 2014,” he said to remake LeBreton Flats. His job was to finance the construction of a in a statement. “We continue to be committed to making our vision a new $600-million arena — the centrepiece of the bid known as reality.” RendezVous LeBreton. The question is whether commitment alone is enough to get this done by Melnyk’s partner, John Ruddy, is the founder and executive chairman of January. Trinity Developments, responsible for building the condominiums that would bring humanity onto the Flats. Ottawa Citizen LOADED: 11.23.2018 Yet, oddly, it was Melnyk who commissioned some real-estate studies. His goal was to determine whether Ruddy’s plans to add thousands of condominiums just outside LeBreton Flats would undercut the economics of the RendezVous LeBreton project. A suggestion of tension between partners if ever there was one. The NCC on Thursday gave Ruddy and Melnyk until January to sort out their differences. The precise sticking point isn’t clear, but we can try to discern its nature. In a project this size, multiple streams of future revenue pay for the upfront cost of the sporting facilities, condominiums, retail stores and public spaces. An official familiar with the structure of the bid notes it’s similar to the $614-million deal that led to the construction of an arena and other facilities in downtown Edmonton. Oilers’ owner Daryl Katz committed to paying $132.5 million to cover part of the costs of building the arena. The city kicked in $226 million and there was a special nine per cent tax on tickets to raise $125 million. The construction of a pedestrian corridor and light rail transit station accounted for some of the other costs related to the wider project. The City of Ottawa, of course, is not subsidizing RendezVous LeBreton — hence, the importance of building condominiums, whose buyers will offset construction costs and contribute ongoing fees. Is Melnyk looking to extract money from the housing side of the project as well as the arena portion? Perhaps. But it seems more likely his concern was that any new arena be surrounded by a lively community of residents served by a generous supply of retail outlets. In Edmonton, the Oilers retained the right to develop the area around the arena for offices, hotels and retail stores — all of which would contribute additional streams of revenue for the team. Any number of detailed negotiations between Melnyk and Ruddy might have produced an impasse. Two factors, in particular, may have exacerbated things. First, recall the timing. The Ottawa Senators and Trinity prepared their bid when Melnyk was recovering from his May 2015 liver transplant. It wasn’t until March 2016 that Melnyk declared he had “a clean bill of health.” By then, the NCC had nearly finished the evaluation of the bids. In April that year, it ruled in favour of RendezVous LeBreton, thereby knocking out its only rival, Canadensis — a Montreal-heavy team led by Devcore and Canderel. During this period, the lion’s share of the work on the Senators’ portion of the bid was handled by president Cyril Leeder (who Melnyk pushed out in early 2017) and Geoff Publow, the team’s long-serving vice-president of strategic development. (Leeder and Publow did not return calls.) Sources say that when Melnyk’s health improved, he began pushing for better terms within the RendezVous LeBreton partnership. Some of the tougher negotiating stance may have been stimulated by money considerations. While Melnyk got an exceptionally good deal when he acquired the Senators and their Kanata arena in August 2003 for $127.5 million, they have not been able to generate consistent profits. Indeed, this can be seen in the debt that has accumulated. Earlier this summer, Melnyk revealed the parent company of the Senators and the arena had concluded a $135-million financing from a syndicate of banks, which allowed him to pay off debt that had been held by Highbridge Principal Strategies of New York. Last month, the Senators said they had negotiated a $20-million credit line with Bank of Montreal. All of this is on top of a $100-million US ($140-million Cdn) line of credit provided by the NHL in 2015. 1117091 Ottawa Senators

Senators deal Chris Wideman to Edmonton Oilers for sixth-round pick in 2020

Bruce Garrioch

DALLAS — The Ottawa Senators have sent defenceman Chris Wideman packing. A healthy scratch in the club’s past two games, Wideman had become the club’s seventh defenceman, and on Thursday he was dealt to the Edmonton Oilers in exchange for a sixth-round pick in the 2020 NHL draft. A potential unrestricted free agent next July, Wideman’s ice-time had slipped dramatically this season to less than 10 minutes a game and he had lost his job to youngster Christian Jaros. So much to be thankful for today! Especially the opportunity to play for @EdmontonOilers! Happy Thanksgiving everyone! — Chris Wideman (@Chris_Wideman) November 23, 2018 The club also has young blueliner Maxime Lajoie in the lineup and Christian Wolanin has played well with the club’s AHL affiliate in Belleville, so he’s going to get the opportunity to play at the NHL level at some point. The Senators have been trying to deal Wideman for a while, so this isn’t a move that should come as a huge surprise and it just so happens that Edmonton needs help on the blueline. Ottawa could have defenceman Ben Harpur back from injury Friday night against the Dallas Stars at American Airlines Arena. “The emergence of some of our younger defencemen this season afforded us with an ability to consider moving a veteran player,” Senators general manager Pierre Dorion said in a statement Thursday night. “While we didn’t necessarily want to lose Chris, we remain committed to the importance of putting players who will make up our long-term core in areas where they will learn by way of gaining on-the-job NHL experience. “Receiving a pick in return for a player on an expiring contract also enables us to continue on the path of rebuilding with an eye both on the present and most importantly, the future.” Making $1 million after signing as a unrestricted free agent in the summer, the Senators brought Wideman back because they felt he deserved the opportunity to return since he missed most of last season with a hamstring injury. The Oilers need help on their back end and Wideman should get a chance to play under new coach Ken Hitchcock. No, Wideman isn’t going to make a huge impact, but he’s a good player for the second power play unit and he gets the job done. Let’s be honest, the Senators are in a rebuild and Wideman wasn’t going to be part of of it down the road. Sure, the Senators could have held on until the trade deadline in February, but that would have been pointless. The Senators actually did Wideman a favour by moving him now. Ottawa Sun LOADED: 11.23.2018 1117092 Ottawa Senators

Ben Harpur looks like he’s ready to return against Dallas Stars

Bruce Garrioch

DALLAS — The Ottawa Senators could have a familiar face back in the lineup on Friday night against the Dallas Stars. If all goes well Friday morning, Ben Harpur may be ready to return for the first time in two months. Harpur, who has been out with a back injury since Oct. 20, took part in the club’s full skate Thursday at the American Airlines Center and just needs to wait until after Friday’s skate to get the green light. The Senators would welcome the 6-7 Harpur back because he’s missed 15 games and he plays a key role. “There’s zero symptoms of his issues the last five days,” coach Guy Boucher said Thursday afternoon. “Right now it looks really good and I need to go check now and (Friday) morning, but there’s a chance in the lineup. Absolutely.” Boucher hasn’t settled on what his lineup will look like against the Stars because defenceman Mark Borowiecki and centre Colin White weren’t on the ice for the short skate following a 6-4 loss to the Minnesota Wild on Wednesday. Both are questionable. “We’ll see. They might both be OK, one might be OK, we’ll see (Friday),” said Boucher. Ottawa Sun LOADED: 11.23.2018 1117093 Ottawa Senators The Senators have provided no shortage of entertainment because there haven’t been any concerns about a lack of goal scoring when they step on the ice. It’s defence, defence, defence for the Ottawa Senators Now, Boucher just wants the players to take another step in the right direction so the Senators can have success consistently. Bruce Garrioch Ottawa Sun LOADED: 11.23.2018

DALLAS — If coach Guy Boucher writes a message on the board Friday night at the American Airlines Center, it should be pretty simple: Defence, defence, defence. As Americans gathered at their homes to celebrate Thanksgiving Day with traditional turkey and football, the Ottawa Senators were on the ice here just after lunch working on playing better in their own zone after a frustrating 6-4 loss to the Minnesota Wild on Thursday night. Make no mistake, the Senators did a great job coming back from a 4-1 deficit in the third period before dropping the decision in regulation, but nobody was happy that they dug themselves that hole in the first place, and that’s why the focus was on play away from the puck. “We know we’ve got to work on our defensive side of the game,” Boucher said Thursday. “We worked on things that are within our control. We feel that the five goals that were scored (Wednesday) could have been prevented. “That’s the bad side, and the fact that they scored five, but the good side is they could have been prevented. We put in a lot of time on the offence, and the enthusiasm, and the fans recognize it’s fun to watch our team play, but if you want to win games in the NHL, you’ve got to play well defensively.” The Senators are the NHL’s second-highest scoring team with 79 goals in 22 games. However, they’ve also allowed a league-high 94 goals, and nobody else is really close in that department. Vancouver has allowed 84 goals, but they’ve played two more games. That’s why the Senators know they have to clean up their act. The Senators knew there would be nights like the one they had against the Wild, but they feel they’ve happened way too often lately, and if this team is going to improve, then it has to be done right. Is defence a commitment or a learning curve? “A little bit of both, but mostly commitment,” said defenceman Dylan DeMelo. “Everywhere we’ve played as players, we’ve been in crucial moments defensively, right? Maybe there’s a little bit of a learning curve because it’s at a different level. “But, in the end, you’ve got to take pride in it. The best defensive teams are the ones that take pride in it, and it’s not just one guy, it’s a five-man unit on the ice that’s committed to blocking shots, working hard that little extra defensively instead of going on the offence. “For us, it’s a commitment factor, an attention to detail factor and a little bit of that is learning curve, but I think it’s just buying into the way we need to play to win.” The fact the Senators showed a lot character by coming back in the game against the Wild was little consolation after a loss. “You look back at it and you think, ‘Well, what do you come in and talk about today?,’ ” said winger Bobby Ryan. “Do you come in and say, ‘Well, you guys were resilient, you worked and you didn’t give up when it was 4-1 going into the third,’ so you build on that? “Or do we look at it like, ‘Why are we in this position and why are we down 4-1 and chasing the game?’ A lot of people would make a lot of money if they had the answer, but I think with the position we’re in and trying to grow something, you’ve got to look at why we’re behind in games way too often.” As this road trip continues against the Stars, the situation has to improve or the Senators will have no room to falter offensively. “Right now, the defensive side is hard because of our lack of experience, and that I can’t change, but there’s a commitment part that we can definitely improve faster than the experience part,” said Boucher. “That’s what we’re trying to put the clamp on right now. “The players are in it. They want it and they recognize we could have done better defensively (Wednesday) for sure. We didn’t fold and we made it 4-4 and that last goal by (Eric Staal) hurt because it’s easily preventable, and if we get to overtime you get a point and you get something positive regardless of what happens.” 1117094 Ottawa Senators healthy skepticism in the Ottawa business community regarding his ability to fund his part of the deal.

Ruddy and his Trinity Development Group are pretty much financing the Onus falls on Eugene Melnyk, Senators to figure way forward — and fast rest of the $4 billion project. — on LeBreton Flats project Who should ultimately call the shots? (Refer to the golden rule: he who has the gold makes the rules). By Chris Stevenson Nov 22, 2018 When the NCC entered into the term agreement with the Melnyk-Ruddy alliance in January, it was understood the men would have their differences over how RLG would be structured and run resolved by June. So it’s come to this: the National Capital Commission pretty much read wanna-be LeBreton Flats developers Eugene Melnyk and John Ruddy One source told The Athletic the two sides went to arbitration just three the riot act Thursday: you’ve got a little over a month to prove to the NCC months after RLG won preferred proponent status from the NCC over the you can play nice or you’re out. Montreal-based Devcore Canderel DLS group. No resolution was found. Why am I surprised this process, now 2-1/2 years down the road, has After Watson brought the pair together in August to try and broker a deal, taken this turn and put a downtown NHL arena in peril? Melnyk said: “We are fully capable of funding our portion of what we need to accomplish. As a team effort here, everything that is required can I should have known better. I thought the chance to do something this get done.” grand, which could be a win-win for the public and private sector and a wonderful legacy for all involved would see everybody get along for the Melnyk said whatever challenges they faced were “nothing benefit of all. insurmountable.” I underestimated who is involved, I guess. (Melnyk issued a statement Thursday: “We’ve championed a downtown sports and entertainment arena, and this important civic project, since The revelations Thursday that Melnyk and Ruddy’s RendezVous initiating our proposal in 2014.” We continue to be committed to making LeBreton Group (RLG) is about to implode because the pair can’t get our vision a reality,” he said.) along is sad. It’s another PR fiasco for the Senators in a year of them. In September the two sides were put on notice by the NCC. There was a Fair or not, based on their public reputations, you know which guy many meeting Nov. 1, including Watson, and they requested another week to Senators fans are going to blame for this apparently dysfunctional work out their differences. relationship. Melnyk owns the Ottawa Senators, a team experiencing tough hits on and off the ice; Ruddy is a part owner of the Ottawa A week later, the NCC was informed they couldn’t reach an agreement. Redblacks of the CFL, a five-year-old franchise off to its third Grey Cup One source indicated members of the NCC board, which has had four this weekend. teams working to resolve procedural issues to move the project along, are furious it has come to this. Melnyk has sneered at the idea of even a single partner; Ruddy has worked famously with Roger Greenberg and Bill Shenkman to redevelop The NCC met in camera Wednesday to discuss the state of the Lansdowne Park, a roaring success that has revitalized that part of Melnyk/Ruddy mess. As a result of those discussions, the NCC board downtown. passed a motion Thursday to give Ruddy and Melnyk until the next meeting in January meeting to work things out. I was skeptical about LeBreton from the start, but, as it turns out, for the wrong reason. Being a resident of the National Capital Region for going The hard line taken by the usually staid NCC reflects how angry board on 40 years, and having observed the NCC, with its secretive ways and members are after doing all this work only to have to the project set back its glacial activity, I thought the government would ultimately wrestle by the failure of Melnyk and Ruddy to reach an agreement. optimism to the ground like that German soldier did to Private Mellish in “If it turns out this group can’t do it, we’re going to move on to a new Saving Private Ryan. solution and new ideas for how to bring this very important area to life as Nope. a community in the capital,” Kristmanson said. The NCC (and Ottawa mayor Jim Watson and his city staff) have done a Watson, who has done just about everything you could ask of a politician magnificent job here, fast-tracking this process and being the leaders in through this process, must be livid. Two stations for the LRT, one of trying to make this city-changing project happen. They have been doing Watson’s pet projects, have been constructed at either end of the bleak the heavy-lifting in clearing the bureaucratic obstacles over the past 2-1/2 LeBreton landscape at this point. years. “It’s a setback and it’s a disappointment,” he said. “A sense of They’ve got just about everything ready for the final stages of cutting a disappointment and also a sense of frustration with the two groups that deal with Melnyk and Ruddy. But now it turns out duelling Melnyk and make up RendezVous LeBreton. They have to get their act together, Ruddy can’t form their own partnership despite Watson’s efforts to be a plain and simple, otherwise, I think we are going to have to move on in peacemaker. He’s had numerous meetings to try and find common January. ground, but it looked Thursday like he had thrown his hands up in the air. “That meeting, I think, is going to be the most significant of the meetings “Well, um, let’s put it this way,” Watson said when asked about sitting in a we’ve had. We’re going to either proceed because the corporate room with the two. “It has been a challenging relationship that I have governance structure has been presented and it makes sense or we’ll witnessed and my hope is they come together, get their act together and have to bid adieu and start the process over.” bring forward a corporate governance structure that makes sense and is If there is no workable alliance between Melnyk and Ruddy by January, workable and is implementable so we can break ground on this project one source in Ottawa’s business community said Melnyk will have to and not be constantly mediating between the two partners.” retreat to Kanata. He thinks Ruddy will bid to carry on without him. I know what you’re thinking: “somebody can’t get along with Melnyk?” In “Ruddy can bring in some other partners to make it happen,” said the the sarcastic words of San Jose Sharks defenceman Marc-Edouard source. “Melnyk is a tough man to work with. I don’t think he can do that. Vlasic: “Really? Huh.” He’ll have to lick his wounds and figure out what he’s going to do. He’s going to have a soon-to-be 30-year-old Canadian Tire Centre in need of The process is now stalled because of “unresolved issues within the a major, major infrastructure renovation.” partnership,” according to the NCC, and Dr. Mark Kristmanson, the NCC’s CEO, termed the issue “corporate governance.” Meanwhile, a place for an NHL-calibre arena could be maintained with a “placeholder” in the LeBreton footprint once development starts in case That sounds like Melnyk and Ruddy can’t even agree on how Melnyk either decides at some point to move downtown or ultimately sell RendezVous LeBreton Group should operate since “corporate the team to someone who would run it out of LeBreton. governance” basically covers every aspect of corporate behaviour. Still in the picture, it is assumed, though in the background, is the I spoke to a couple of members of Ottawa’s business community Devcore Canderel DLS group. Do they regroup and align with Ruddy? Thursday with knowledge of what’s been going on with the LeBreton bid. At least now there will be some kind of clarity in January and the NCC Part of this comes down to who’s going to drive the bus on the project can decide where to from here. That much is clear after Thursday’s going forward. This has been a simmering issue. Melnyk would be events. responsible for the rink and about $150 million of infrastructure. After having to refinance upwards of $200 million in debt in June, there is The redevelopment of this important, neglected land is going ahead with or without Melnyk, the Senators and/or Ruddy. Put up or shut up time is coming fast like a light at the end of an LRT tunnel. The Athletic LOADED: 11.23.2018 1117095 Philadelphia Flyers Wayne Simmonds leads the Flyers with nine goals and Giroux has a team-high 25 points.

Philadelphia Inquirer / Daily News LOADED: 11.23.2018 Flyers will try to end four-game skid against Rangers by Sam Carchidi

A dejected Claude Giroux shook his head slowly and talked in a measured tone Wednesday after the Flyers had lost their fourth straight, a 5-2 decision in Buffalo. "It's frustrating and we need to wake up," the Flyers captain said. The Flyers did wake up over the last two periods. Problem was, they were already in a 4-0 hole because of a first period in which they were outhustled by the faster, hungrier Sabres, didn't defend the front of the net, and were slow to loose pucks. It didn't help that goalie Alex Lyon was shaky in his first NHL game of the season. "We lost battles, didn't make plays, played on our heels," Giroux said of the opening 20 minutes, which set the tone for Buffalo's seventh straight victory, its longest streak since 2012. "And then somehow we decided to wake up and started playing our game … but it was too late. It's unacceptable." Defenseman Christian Folin agreed. "We had no emotion whatsoever and came out just straight-out flat," Folin said. "… I don't know if we left our legs in Philadelphia or something, but it shouldn't happen. We have to find a way to start out better. It's hard to battle back in this league when you're down four goals." The Flyers (9-10-2) will try to play a full 60 minutes when they host another surging team, the New York Rangers, in a matinee Friday. The Rangers (12-8-2) are 9-1-1 since Oct. 30. During their recent trip out West, the Flyers started a streak in which they scored first in six straight games. They went 5-0-1 in that span. Since then, they have allowed the first goal in four straight — and gone 0-3-1 in those contests. "We didn't do enough in the first 10 minutes to give our goaltender a chance to get into this hockey game," coach Dave Hakstol said about the latest defeat. "On the flip side, he didn't give us a [big] save early on, either. The two go hand in hand." With the Flyers facing a 4-0 deficit and five seconds left in the opening period, Scott Laughton was involved in the team's first fight of the season. Laughton lost a decision to Johan Larsson, but he appeared to give the Flyers energy in the second period, when they got goals from Giroux (six shots, three hits) and Wayne Simmonds to cut the deficit to 4- 2. "Trying to start a a spark," Laughton said. 'We're down four and I'm trying to get something going." The Flyers will now face a surprising Rangers team that has won three in a row and is coming off a 5-0 victory Wednesday over the Islanders. In that win, Filip Chytil, 19, became the first Rangers rookie to score goals in five straight games since the 2005-06 season. Points-wise, the Rangers are tied for first place with Columbus (which has a game in hand) in the tightly contested Metropolitan Division, while the Flyers have fallen into last place. If the spiral continues, general manager Ron Hextall will feel pressure to make a major move — whether it's a coaching change or a trade. Joel Quenneville, who won three Stanley Cups while directing Chicago, is available on the coaching market. Working in Hakstol's favor: While coaching North Dakota and the Flyers, his teams have usually improved significantly in the season's second half. Breakaways The Flyers recalled winger Tyrell Goulbourne from the Phantoms and sent Nic Aube Kubel back to the AHL team Thursday. Aube-Kubel had no points in nine games with the Flyers and was plus-1. … Cal Pickard replaced Lyon (eight saves on 12 shots) after the first period Wednesday and stopped all eight shots he faced. Pickard will likely face the Rangers. … The Flyers have allowed 11 goals over the last two games. … Chris Kreider leads the Rangers in goals (12) and points (20). … Shayne Gostisbehere was minus-3 Wednesday and is a team-worst minus-11. … 1117096 Philadelphia Flyers Overall, the team owns an NHL-worst .876 save percentage and has yielded the league's second-most goals per game at 3.62.

Yeah, there's no way the Flyers should be thankful for their situation in What the Flyers shouldn't be thankful for on Thanksgiving net. Comcast SportsNet.com LOADED: 11.23.2018 By NBC Sports Philadelphia Staff November 22, 2018 8:00 AM

In the holiday spirit, NBC Sports Philadelphia's John Boruk, Tom Dougherty and Jordan Hall debate what the Flyers shouldn't be thankful for on Thanksgiving: Boruk I’ve written about this in great detail over the past few weeks and that’s been the Flyers' lethargic starts to not just games, but also each of the past four seasons. The numbers speak for themselves through the first 21 games: 5-1-1 when they score first and 4-9-0 when their opponent jumps out to an early lead. Almost every team playing .500 hockey can point to this as a reason for its mediocrity, but for the Flyers starting slow, it extends well beyond games. They’ve also been mired in playing catch-up throughout Dave Hakstol’s first four seasons. Let’s break down where they’ve stood in the standings on Turkey Day over the past four seasons: • 2015-16: 7-10-5, 14th in Eastern Conference • 2016-17: 9-9-3, 13th • 2017-18: 8-9-5, 13th • 2018-19: 9-10-2, 15th It’s tough for any team to continuously play catch-up to the rest of the league, which is what the Flyers have been forced to do by getting off to these slow starts, season after season. A year ago, they were midway through a 10-game winless stretch before they finally started to dig themselves out of a hole in December. Impressively, the Flyers played the final four months of last season at around a .650 points percentage to qualify for the postseason, which they only accomplished after beating the Rangers in Game 82. Teams that are in playoff position after November typically qualify for the postseason 75 percent of the time. The Flyers proved they could overcome that twice in the past three seasons, and it appears they’re putting themselves in that unenviable position once again. Dougherty The Flyers' penalty kill is atrocious, and it continues to get worse and worse. It's the wound that never closes, perhaps because the team doesn't want to get it healed. The structure is a broken system and there has not been any real accountability to fix it in the past four years. So the Flyers are not thankful that the NHL rulebook exists. The Flyers are the third-most penalized team in the NHL with 96 penalties — 90 minor penalties — yet have been shorthanded 73 times. This isn't the Broad Street Bullies anymore. The Flyers have just one fight this season. This is a team that takes penalties and doesn't know how to avoid punishment. If the Flyers' PK was even just a little bit better, perhaps we're talking about a team that isn't at Thanksgiving in mediocre standing. But too many times this season the PK has directly impacted the outcome of a game. And for that, the Flyers cannot be thankful for the rulebook. Hall Calvin Pickard, who wasn't in the organization fewer than two months ago and played almost all of last season in the AHL, is currently the Flyers' No. 1 goalie. Alex Lyon, who was playing at Yale in 2015-16 and has just 12 career games of NHL experience, is the Flyers' backup goalie. The injury cloud hovering over Brian Elliott and Michal Neuvirth is dark and gloomy. The Flyers have already played four goalies through 21 games this season. They also played four last season. It marks the first time the Flyers have used four or more goalies in back-to-back regular seasons since the 1989-90 and 1990-91 campaigns. 1117097 Philadelphia Flyers

What the Flyers should be thankful for on Thanksgiving

By NBC Sports Philadelphia Staff November 22, 2018 8:00 AM

In the holiday spirit, NBC Sports Philadelphia's John Boruk, Tom Dougherty and Jordan Hall debate what the Flyers should be thankful for on Thanksgiving: Boruk When you're sitting around the Thanksgiving Day table offering thanks, good health for family and loved ones is one of the first mentions at the table. Aside from injuries to goaltending, the Flyers have reason to be thankful for their health. Imagine for a moment where the Flyers might be without the services of captain Claude Giroux, who's played the full 82-game slate the past two seasons and proved in 2017-18 what he’s capable of when he’s not dealing with injuries. Sean Couturier has played in 149 consecutive games and, as a result, it led to a breakout year in which he finished second in Selke Trophy voting. Jakub Voracek has missed only nine games since the end of the 2011-12 season, having played the full 82 in four out of the last five seasons, and defenseman Ivan Provorov still hasn’t missed a game in his professional career dating back to October 2016. Last season, the Flyers had a very manageable 134 man-games lost to injury and almost half of that was attributed to the goaltending position. I’ll contend the Flyers don’t make the postseason with any of the aforementioned players out for an extended amount of time. So you can look at this with your cup half full of apple cider or half empty. Cynics would point out the Flyers haven’t achieved much with these core members and their contributions, but if Dave Hakstol was dealt a shorthanded roster with injuries to these key players, the Flyers wouldn’t be sniffing the postseason over the past three years. Dougherty Gritty. Yup, this is where we're at. Gritty is the gift that keeps on giving, whether you like him or not. I was sour on Gritty at first sight. Then he came in to Miley Cyrus' "Wrecking Ball," and that put me largely on board. I could do without the corny security detail. But Gritty has offered us a nice distraction, and he's united Philly together. I tend to believe mascots are overrated, and I am still Team Phang. That said, Gritty has a way of growing on you. And with a hockey team that is still undergoing unexpected growing pains, having a big, orange, furry thing getting beat up by a 6-year-old is marketing gold. Hall There's no place like home? Not for these Flyers so far. That's why they should be thankful for the ability to get away. For some reason, the Flyers have not been able to solve their own building. They're 4-6-1 at the Wells Fargo Center, with only one NHL team — the Panthers — owning fewer home victories. They're tied for 28th with 2.64 home goals per game while allowing 3.73, tied for second most. What's the deal? Pressure has come up and that's not good if the Flyers are wilting under it this early in the season. They should be comfortable at home, but here we are — the Flyers need to win back over fans. On the road, they're 5-4-1 and scoring 3.50 goals per game, fourth best in the NHL. It's scary to think where the Flyers would be if they didn't have the chance to flee from Philly and visit the sunny, stress-free West Coast, where they regrouped and found some confidence in late October, early November. Things could be much, much uglier. Comcast SportsNet.com LOADED: 11.23.2018 1117098 Philadelphia Flyers

Flyers are woefully in need of change

By John Boruk November 22, 2018 12:10 AM

The Flyers are now one of four teams currently occupying last place entering the Thanksgiving break. Two of those teams have made a change behind the bench. The Los Angeles Kings were the first when they relieved John Stevens of his duties on Nov. 4. And just two days ago, the St. Louis Blues followed suit when they cut ties with Mike Yeo and replaced him with former Flyers coach Craig Berube. Following Wednesday’s dreadful 5-2 loss in Buffalo (see observations), it became clear something drastic has to change within the Flyers' organization. The more things change, the more they stay the same. Except, when it comes to the Flyers, nothing seems to change. Whether it’s the coaching staff, an inefficient penalty kill, bad starts coupled with poor goaltending, it’s the same problem areas that surface game after game. That lack of game readiness falls back on coaching as the Flyers dropped their fourth in a row. They simply weren’t ready to play from the opening drop of the puck. They weren’t equipped to handle the youth, speed and skill of a very confident Sabres team in the midst of its longest winning streak in 12 years. Captain Claude Giroux was rather succinct in his evaluation of what went wrong. “Lost battles. Didn’t make plays. Played on our heels. Can’t start like that,” Giroux said. Despite the Flyers having an extended amount of rest with three days in between games, you could detect they would possibly have a lethargic start to this game. They didn’t practice Sunday with the annual Flyers Wives Carnival. They didn’t practice Monday with a players' day off and the first 30 minutes of Tuesday’s practice resembled a team that hadn’t picked up its sticks in nearly a month. “We didn’t do enough in the first 10 minutes,” Dave Hakstol told reporters Wednesday. “We didn’t do enough to give our goaltender a chance to get into this hockey game. On the flip side, he didn’t give us a save early on either, but the two go hand in hand. Of course, the one area the Flyers require more stability and less change is in net as Alex Lyon became the fourth goaltender to start a game for the Flyers just 21 games into the season. Lyon’s season debut couldn’t have come off the rails any quicker as the Sabres torched him for three goals in the first nine minutes, and then came the backbreaker with eight seconds remaining in the first period, which gave Buffalo a comfortable 4-0 lead to start the game. Unlike last Saturday’s game against the Lightning, there would be no four-goal comeback. Not even close. “Disappointing obviously. I just feel bad for the team. I can’t put them in that position,” Lyon said. “But I’ve been pulled before and I’ll probably be pulled again. I've just got to try and bounce back and erase it. Quick memory is the best medicine you can have.” Lyon may have a quick memory, but those attending Friday’s game against the Rangers won’t. Turn in a similar performance like this and the fans will be demanding change. Comcast SportsNet.com LOADED: 11.23.2018 1117099 Philadelphia Flyers his recall and played fine in the NHL during his brief stint last season. But on this night, he looked like he was functioning at AHL-level speed.

One could argue that all four first-period goals could be pinned on Lyon, Sabres 5, Flyers 2: 10 things we learned from a horrendous start that but I’ll acknowledge that the second and third goals (the former because could not be overcome it was a man alone in front on the rush, the latter because the initial rebound-causing point shot was screened) were tough stops to make. Goals 1 and 4, however? An awful rebound right into the slot and a short- By Charlie O'Connor Nov 22, 2018 side wrister allowed from a less-than-dangerous angle — Lyon simply needs to be play those better. There’s a reason why Lyon finished with just 1.75 Expected Goals faced despite allowing four actual goals, and it wasn’t just the limitations of the formula. Dave Hakstol had no choice but When the Philadelphia Flyers left for their four-game western road trip at to pull him at the first intermission. the end of October, they had three more losses than wins to their record. The aim on that trip? Save the season with a strong showing, and they Lyon is the type of player and person who is easy to cheer on. He’s a did just that by posting a 3-0-1 record away from the City of Brotherly hard worker who has put his time in as a part of the Flyers organization, Love. and turned himself into a pretty solid AHL goalie. He also is probably the most personable player in the Philadelphia locker room, and I gather he’s Three weeks later, and they’re basically right back in that same spot as just as generous with his time to fans. But these types of performances before the trip. can’t be accepted, even from a goalie who most want to see succeed. If An embarrassing first 20 minutes of play put the Flyers in a 4-0 hole Lyon delivered even an NHL-average performance last night, the Flyers Wednesday night, and their comeback attempt over the final two periods are probably only down 2-0 after one period and still have hope. fell well short, as Philadelphia lost to the Buffalo Sabres by a 5-2 final 3: Ten-game losing streak has to be brought up score. The defeat dropped the Flyers to 9-10-2 and back to last place in the Metropolitan Division. The parallels are striking. In 2017-18, the Flyers’ ten-game losing streak began on Nov. 11 with a 1-0 shutout to the Minnesota Wild. In the Claude Giroux and Wayne Simmonds scored for the now-floundering following contest, the team again failed to score, and followed up that club, which will take a four-game skid into the traditional Black Friday defeat with a one-point loss in extra time. In 2018-19, Philadelphia fell to afternoon game against the New York Rangers tomorrow. Goaltender the Panthers on Nov. 13, and then dropped the following contest due to Alex Lyon lasted only the first period last night, stopping just eight of 12 the same issue — an inability to finish on chances. A third straight loss shots before giving way to Cal Pickard, who made eight saves in relief. came in extra time, and now, with a fourth defeat in the books and two Carter Hutton cruised to the victory for Buffalo, making 23 saves of his more tough contests coming this week, it’s fair to wonder when this run own. will end. Note: This article will reference advanced hockey stats. If you’re looking Somehow, the Flyers are trending toward replicating that run of to better understand any of the referenced metrics, please read this ineptitude from last season, at the exact same point in the calendar. And primer, which explains the concepts behind them. just like last season, there are positives that optimists can point out — 1: No excuse for terrible start during the four-game skid, Philadelphia has outshot and outchanced the opposition handily, both at 5-on-5 and on the whole. Remember general I’m not a huge believer in the concept of game-over-game momentum. manager Ron Hextall’s contention after nine straight losses last season It’s a great story when it happens, but all too often, a confident that his club was not playing poorly on the whole, just “shooting performance by a team is followed up by a tentative one, or an (themselves) in the foot at times?” It’s not difficult to imagine those same embarrassing showing elicits an urgent reaction. Good teams tend to words coming out of his mouth now. deliver good performances over long stretches; bad teams bad performances. And mediocre clubs? Well, they lean toward being all over The first question facing the Flyers is the most pertinent one in the short- the place from game to game, week to week and period to period. term: When will this losing streak end? The Rangers (who they face Friday at home) may not be a good team on paper, but they’re currently The Flyers certainly qualify as a mediocre team through seven weeks in playing like one (8-1-1 record in November, 51.17% xG at 5-on-5). 2018-19, so it shouldn’t have been a shock that they failed to “carry over” Toronto (Saturday’s opponent) is both good on paper and good in reality. the dominant final 10 minutes of regulation from last Saturday’s loss to Then the Flyers face Ottawa on Tuesday, and one assumes the streak the powerhouse Tampa Bay Lightning. Still, there’s a big difference won’t go beyond that, but a six-game skid is still nothing to sneeze at. between not carrying over momentum from a previous game, and whatever the Flyers did for the first 20 minutes on Wednesday. Question No. 2 is just as important, though more murky in nature: How many losses in a row would inspire the Philadelphia front office to make a Nothing was working. Backchecks were lazy, passing wasn’t crisp, and change, whether it be to the roster or otherwise? Many argue that the puck battle after puck battle went in the Sabres’ favor. To their credit, ten-gamer last year proved that Hextall would stay the course under any Buffalo did what a confident team should do when facing an obviously and all circumstances, but the situation is a bit different this year. flailing club like the Flyers — they pressured Philadelphia to death, knowing that their opponent had no chance of burning them with a quick Hextall remains the same patient GM he was in 2017-18, but there passing sequence or a 1-on-1 dangle. The result? Through the first 10 seems to be more urgency from above this time around. After all, it was minutes of the period, the Flyers had a whopping 0.03 Expected Goals. reported by Sam Donnellon back in September that chairman Dave Scott They might as well have been playing with brooms rather than hockey was a driving force behind the James van Riemsdyk signing this past sticks. summer, a move that certainly seemed “un-Hextall-like” in its aggressiveness and “win-now” thinking. The money men at Comcast are The final two periods were a clear improvement — the Flyers outchanced starting to flex their muscles, and its fair to wonder how many losses the Sabres 15-6, outscored them 2-1, and generally looked like the team they’ll accept before strongly pushing the general manager to do that fans hoped they would see at the drop of the puck. Instead, it took a something. 4-0 deficit and Buffalo clearly pulling back a bit on their pressure to get the Flyers going. The solid advanced metrics (53.95% score-adjusted 4: What smaller changes can be made? Corsi, 57.20% adjusted xG) at 5-on-5 over the course of the full game Setting aside the possibility of a big trade or coaching change, one were irrelevant. This was, simply put, an unacceptable showing. assumes that in response to a four-game skid, the current coaching staff 2: Lyon a major part of the problem last night in charge will make some sort of adjustment to the Flyers’ lineup heading into the back-to-back this weekend. That’s just what happens after a One cannot (and should not) absolve the Flyers’ skaters for their inability team drops multiple games in a row. to create anything of real value in the first period of play. Particularly over the first 10 minutes, Buffalo had all of the puck possession, and looked But what moves can the Flyers make? They can juggle the lines at even like they were taking apart an AHL team. But for all of that territorial strength, but there are good things happening with the current groups. dominance, the quality of the Sabres’ chances wasn’t especially high. As First-period meltdown aside, the Giroux-Couturier-Konecny trio has been bad as things looked, the period could have been salvaged, at least to buzzing since the end of the West Coast road trip. The trio of van the point where a comeback in the final two-thirds of the game would Riemsdyk, Jordan Weal and Simmonds has actually been dominant have remained legitimately possible. territorially, and the Nolan Patrick-Oskar Lindblom duo has flashed clear chemistry, even if it’s been less apparent in recent contests. Remember Instead, the skaters who seemed to be playing at an AHL pace were that the Flyers have been driving the shot (55.11% Corsi) and chance being backed-up by a goalie to match. I’m not saying that Alex Lyon is (62.87% xG) differential at 5-on-5 during the skid. Maybe it’s not the merely minor-league fodder from a true talent standpoint — he earned forward lines that are the problem? I’m partial toward looking at the back end when it comes to adjustments. No player on the Flyers was blameless for the team’s awful first period. The duo may not have clicked to start this season, but maybe it’s time to But it’s worth pointing out that it’s not like they just packed it in after give the Ivan Provorov-Shayne Gostisbehere pair another look, falling behind 4-0, something that would have been easy to do with a especially with the memory of how well they performed together in 2017- holiday on the horizon the following day. Then again, it’s difficult to loaf 18. Philadelphia desperately needs more from both players; maybe the through the final 40 minutes when the team’s best player is still clearly best way to extract that value is to load up the top pair and hope the skill giving his all, as Giroux did in the final two periods of play. shines through. Yes, that leaves the team with some combination of Robert Hagg, Christian Folin and Andrew MacDonald as a second pair, Giroux was the primary reason the game didn’t end up spiraling and that’s less than ideal. But it’s going to be the impact guys who pull completely out of control for Philadelphia. He scored the Flyers’ first goal the Flyers out of this mini slump, so I’d focus on giving them the best of the contest, and then was all over the ice afterward. On an early third- chance of success and take my chances with one lesser D-pair. period power play, he finessed his way through three players via a zone entry before letting a quick shot loose that nearly fooled Hutton; on a later 5: 2-for-3 penalty kill still a thing PK, he carried the puck up ice with a Sabre draped all over him. Giroux certainly wasn’t giving up. The Flyers can’t even win the “Worst Penalty Kill in the NHL” award this year. For the past few weeks, they’ve been locked in a life-or-death Looking back on the ten-game losing streak, I remember coming away struggle for the dishonor with the “we bash our PK coach in an Uber” from the games at the tail end of the skid thinking Giroux seemed to be Ottawa Senators, and whenever Philadelphia drops below them — as the only Flyer who still had jump in his step as the foundations of the club they did on Sunday and Monday — the Sens find a way to upstage the appeared to be going up in flames. The team isn’t at that point yet, but Flyers’ ineptitude, a trend which held last night. Allowing one power play Giroux continues to stand out, trying his best to keep his team going by goal on three opportunities, as the Flyers did against Buffalo, just isn’t sheer force of example. Some have posited that there’s something rotten enough to be worse than the Sens, who permitted two goals on four when it comes to the Flyers’ core, and that’s driving the inconsistency. chances versus the Minnesota Wild. On Thanksgiving Day, Philadelphia I’m skeptical of that line of thinking — I tend to attribute team-wide sits 30th in the league with a 68.5% efficiency rating, while the Senators troubles to the holes on a roster, not the actually good players — but I’m hold an even-more-horrid 67.1% rate. especially convinced that Giroux is certainly not part of the problem here. But just because the Flyers aren’t the worst doesn’t mean they aren’t 9: Lehtera in for Aube-Kubel, does little doing an utterly terrible job of goal prevention while shorthanded. In fact, a 2-for-3 night is basically what can be expected at this point, considering As the line combinations at Tuesday’s practice hinted, rookie Nicolas the fact that on average, they’re killing only a bit more than two-thirds of Aube-Kubel was removed from the lineup for last night’s game, replaced opposing PP opportunities in 2018-19. So in a sense, this wasn’t even a by Jori Lehtera, who checked back in after sitting out two games. Aube- bad night for the Philadelphia PK — merely an average one. That a 66 Kubel, of course, hasn’t exactly been heavily utilized in his fourth-line percent night is just “more of the same” for the penalty kill speaks to how NHL role, but before Wednesday, he had avoided healthy scratch status the unit has performed this season, and the lack of realistic hope for since his recall prior to the West Coast road trip. That changed against improvement that exists at this point. Buffalo, as Lehtera took up his old place as 4C, pushing Scott Laughton back to the wing. 6: Weal line actually fairly effective But just because Hakstol replaced a rookie with veteran as his 12th There weren’t many positives in this game, but the play of Philadelphia’s forward apparently did not change his marginalization of the final F on his third line probably comes the closest to qualifying. Not only was the van depth chart. Lehtera received just 5:52 minutes of ice time, and only two Riemsdyk-Weal-Simmonds trio the only one to largely avoid horrific first- third-period shifts (one after the Sabres scored their empty-net goal). He period shifts, they potted a high-effort goal in the middle stanza was basically irrelevant. (Simmonds’ rebound tally) and dominated on the play-driving charts. All three forwards finished with Corsi For Percentages over 69%, and xG And maybe that’s all Hakstol really wants out of his 12th forward right rates above 90 percent. The Sabres managed just 0.03 Expected Goals now. Laughton and Weise have his trust and stay in the regular rotation with the trio on the ice at 5-on-5. even when lines are juggled, but it’s that final center/wing on the depth chart that has been getting dropped when games get tight or if a The group has flashed play-driving potential in its first two games comeback is necessary. Maybe Hakstol really does just have 11 forwards together as well, posting 60 percent and 66.2 percent rates by Corsi and that he truly trusts at the moment, regardless of whether it’s Aube-Kubel xG respectively in a little over 18 minutes of 5-on-5 ice time. The unit or Lehtera who plays. visually seems like an odd mix — an undersized center between two big physical wingers who don’t bring elite speed to the table — but it’s 10: Strange game for Provorov as odd season continues topping opponents in the territorial battle and leading 2-0 in goal My initial perception of Provorov’s performance on Wednesday night was differential thus far. Maybe combining Weal’s strong neutral zone work that of another underwhelming showing. After all, he got off to a slow with two players who can wear down a defense on the cycle is a ticket to start handling the puck (a recurring trend for him in 2018-19) and it was success. his turnover that led to a Sean Couturier second-period penalty in the 7: Flyers needed more from Konecny, Voracek neutral zone as well. A bad first impression and a glaring mistake that led to a negative outcome? Those tend to stick in one’s head. Fair or not, more talented players get graded on a curve as compared to those further down the lineup. Dale Weise could have a “good” game if But the data tell a different tale. Not only did the Flyers outshoot the he simply pushes the puck in the right direction at 5-on-5 and is involved Sabres 16-10 with Provorov on the ice at 5-on-5, but they also allowed in a few chances. But for the scoring line forwards on the depth chart, just one scoring chance while creating seven of their own. In addition, the just being noticeable isn’t enough. They need to both create chances and pair of Provorov and Hagg was Philadelphia’s only defensive duo to not finish on them. The latter was Travis Konecny’s big issue on Wednesday. allow a 5v5 goal against to Buffalo. By the numbers, last night graded out As for Jakub Voracek? Let’s just start with noticeability. as one of Provorov’s better showings of the season. I also noticed on numerous occasions in the second and third periods that Provorov Konecny certainly was involved against the Sabres, particularly in the looked back to his disruptive self in both the neutral and defensive zones. final 40 minutes of play. But on multiple occasions, the puck simply The good stats weren’t merely random variance. bounced over his stick just as he seemed poised to create a high-danger chance. And when he was able to successfully settle the frozen piece of I don’t think anyone would argue that Provorov is living up to the rubber, the 21-year-old struggled to finish, most notably on a golden standards he set for himself in 2017-18. But I’m willing to entertain the opportunity in the third period after leaving the penalty box (he was possibility that the nature of his mistakes — early in games when serving a Pickard tripping penalty), which could have made the score 4-3. impressions are most malleable, and often leading to goals against — is Konecny wasn’t necessarily bad last night, but considering the making an underwhelming season incorrectly seem like a total disaster. opportunities he was granted, the Flyers really could have used one goal. After all, Provorov is dealing with a PDO of 98.4, third-lowest on the Flyers defense, implying that he’s dealt with a bit of bad luck so far. And But at least Konecny was involved in scoring chances. Voracek, on the his advanced metrics are slowly trending upward, despite his current other hand, was largely invisible, with his most notable moment coming partner, Hagg, not exactly being a darling of the stats. There’s clearly on the sequence leading up to the empty net goal when he was unable to another gear for Provorov to reach, but I plan to watch him especially keep a bouncing puck away from a hard-charging Jack Eichel. closely on Friday and Saturday to determine if the smart, little plays are Otherwise, he just wasn’t especially impactful, taking just two shot returning to his game. Some may not be seeing the full picture because a attempts (1 SOG) and generating zero scoring chances. In fact, the bad first shift in a game solidifies the narrative that Ivan Provorov still isn’t Flyers generated just 0.22 worth of xG at 5-on-5 with Voracek on the ice quite right. — not nearly enough for a player of No. 93’s caliber. The Athletic LOADED: 11.23.2018 8: Giroux’s effort continues to shine through despite issues 1117100 Pittsburgh Penguins

Win over Dallas provides defensive blueprint for Penguins

JONATHAN BOMBULIE

Before the Pittsburgh Penguins snapped a four-game losing streak with a stress-busting 5-1 victory over the Dallas Stars on Wednesday night, coach Mike Sullivan gave an impassioned defense of his team’s style of play. The Penguins don’t need to become a more passive, conservative team, Sullivan said. They still have the speed and the stars to win the way they did while claiming back-to-back Stanley Cup championships in 2016-17. Wednesday night’s game showed Sullivan is probably right — but with one big caveat. The Penguins can still win consistently while playing fast and fearless, but it will require a strong, roster-wide commitment to shoring up the defensive details of the game. “It’s a great blueprint for success,” Sullivan said. “We were much harder to play against. The quality of the chances, we cut down significantly.” Here’s a quick rundown of some of the aspects of the team’s defensive game that were on point Wednesday night and need to continue to be moving forward if the Penguins are to sustain success. After all, offense isn’t a problem. The Penguins are fifth in the league with 3.45 goals per game. Defense is. They’re eighth worst in the league at 3.25 goals against per game. • The Penguins have been vulnerable to counter-attacks this season because all three of their forwards often barrel into the offensive zone, infatuated with the possible reward and not worrying much about the risk. On Wednesday, the third forward into the zone usually played it cool. “We had at least one player on the right side of the puck or the right side of people, which makes it harder for them to transition,” Sullivan said. “We had numbers back a lot because of that depth.” • The Penguins also sometimes face odd-man rushes when their forwards — especially the ones with high-end skill like Evgeni Malkin and Phil Kessel — misfire when attempting plays with a high degree of difficulty in the neutral zone. It’s a double-edged sword. The Penguins want those players to work their world-class magic but only when the time is right. On Wednesday, they found the right balance. “I thought we made good decisions with the puck through the neutral zone,” Sullivan said. • Penguins defensemen have been criticized for being too aggressive when deciding when to pinch, leaving the team susceptible to odd-man rushes when the gambit fails. On Wednesday, they were much more judicious. “Our defensemen, when they activated off the offensive blue line, they were smarter with how they did it,” Sullivan said. The Penguins didn’t solve all their defensive problems with one strong showing, of course. They have a long, hard road ahead of them to climb out of their current hole. But for one night at least, they stopped digging. “We talk a lot about becoming a team that doesn’t beat itself and becoming hard to play against,” Sullivan said. “Those are ways you can become hard to play against, making sure you control the controllables out there to force teams to have to work to get the types of opportunities they’re going to get.” Tribune Review LOADED: 11.23.2018 1117101 Pittsburgh Penguins

Penguins place Matt Murray on injured reserve, call up Tristan Jarry

JONATHAN BOMBULIE | Thursday, Nov. 22, 2018

For most of this season, the Pittsburgh Penguins have been trying to win without their No. 1 goalie playing at the top of his game. Now they’re going to have to try to win without him on the roster. Matt Murray will be out “longer term” with a lower-body injury, coach Mike Sullivan said Thursday. Sullivan said the injury has been bothering Murray for a couple of weeks, and after consultation with team medical personnel Thursday morning, the decision was made to shut him down for a period of rest. Aside from a successful Canadian road trip last month, Murray has struggled this season. He’s 4-5-1 with an .877 save percentage. He has lost five decisions in a row and has been pulled from two of his past six starts. Murray never publicly mentioned an injury as a possible explanation for his struggles. “He’s a real competitive guy,” Sullivan said. “Everybody’s fighting through bumps and bruises, but him in particular, in this scenario, he’s fighting through it, trying to capture his game. He knows how important he is to our team. It just speaks volumes for the type of person that he is.” As Murray has struggled, Sullivan has turned to Casey DeSmith more and more in recent weeks. DeSmith has started five of the team’s past seven games. The 27-year-old New Hampshire native has performed well. He’s 4-3-3 with a .924 save percentage that ranks ninth-best in the league among goalies who have started at least 10 games. DeSmith made 18 saves as the Penguins snapped a four-game losing streak with a 5-1 victory over Dallas on Wednesday night. “I feel confident in my game right now,” DeSmith said. “I feel confident in the net for sure. The more starts I have, hopefully that confidence keeps building.” DeSmith said Murray’s injury won’t change his approach. “For me personally, I’m just going to try to keep doing what I always do, what I have been doing this whole year,” he said. “It’s been working out pretty well for me so far. As long as I stay confident and keep going out there and making saves that I should, our team is good enough where we’ll win some games.” The Penguins called up 23-year-old Tristan Jarry from Wilkes- Barre/Scranton of the AHL to complete their goaltending tandem. The organization’s top goalie prospect, Jarry is 4-5-1 with a .909 save percentage in the AHL this season. His first extended stay in the NHL last season was productive. He went 14-6-2 with a .908 save percentage in 26 NHL games. “He’s played extremely well,” Sullivan said. “He had a really good training camp here. He’s played extremely well since he’s been in Wilkes-Barre. We believe these guys are capable guys. They both have NHL experience. They both have been in this position last year, and they did a real good job for us when Matt was hurt last year. We trust these guys. We believe they can help us win games.” Tribune Review LOADED: 11.23.2018 1117102 Pittsburgh Penguins

Casey DeSmith stands tall as Penguins juggle goalie situation

JONATHAN BOMBULIE | Thursday, Nov. 22, 2018, 6:03 a.m.

Pittsburgh Penguins coach Mike Sullivan is faced with a difficult balancing act when it comes to his goaltending situation. In the long term, he knows he has to get Matt Murray up and running if the Penguins are going to have any kind of big-picture success. In the short term, though, it’s hard to argue Casey DeSmith isn’t the one of his two goaltenders in the best form. To provide a crude snapshot, DeSmith’s save percentage this season is .924. Murray’s is .877. On Wednesday night, Sullivan took a short-term view. He turned to the goalie he felt gave his team the best chance to beat the Dallas Stars. He was rewarded with a strong 18-save performance from DeSmith and a 5- 1 win. Afterwards, Sullivan said the dynamic will soon change if for no other reason than the way the schedule shakes out. The Penguins play a pair of back-to-back games against Boston and Tampa Bay this weekend, then go on the road for another back-to-back set with Winnipeg and Colorado next Tuesday and Wednesday. “Right now, we’ve got two goalies,” Sullivan said. “The reality is you need two goalies in this league to win. In the big picture, is Matt our No. 1 guy? Of course he is. He’s a real good goalie and we believe in him and he’s an accomplished guy. We know he’s capable of great things. “We’ve got a stretch of games here where we’re playing an awful lot of games and both guys are going to see time. It’s going to be important that we get Matt back on track, and that’s our intent. Certainly he’s a very important player for us.” For DeSmith, getting the nod Wednesday night was meaningful. He didn’t feel he played poorly in his previous outing, but he did fish five pucks out of his net in a 5-4 overtime loss to Buffalo on Monday. He desperately wanted another chance to prove himself. “That was awesome,” DeSmith said. “I wasn’t unhappy with my game the other day. To get another shot at it and to be able to capitalize and get the win tonight like we did, that feels really good for me personally.” In the Buffalo game, the Penguins blew a 4-1 lead. DeSmith made sure they didn’t replicate that ignominious feat after they took a 3-0 lead on Dallas on Wednesday. He stopped a Tyler Seguin breakaway and a Mattias Janmark rebound bid during a crucial stretch of the game in the first 10 minutes of the second period. The Penguins quickly built their lead to 5-0. “It’s something to build on,” DeSmith said. “We’ve struggled a little bit here at home. To get a convincing win against a really good team, that’s going to go a long way I hope.” Tribune Review LOADED: 11.23.2018 1117103 St Louis Blues

Physical presence is something new for Blues' Blais

By Jim Thomas St. Louis Post-Dispatch

Still trying to establish a foothold in the NHL, forward Sammy Blais has ridden the San Antonio express many times back and forth from St. Louis to the American Hockey League. The scoring instinct he displayed during preseason play and in the AHL has yet to manifest itself in hockey’s top league. “Every time you get called up it’s a new chance for you to prove what you can do,” Blais said following his latest callup from San Antonio on Nov. 15. But Blais, 22, has developed a new dimension to his game this season — physical play. It was on display for the Blues during the first eight games of the season. And after three weeks in San Antonio playing for the Rampage, Blais has brought his new style of play back to St. Louis. “I need to bring it,” Blais said. “I think I’m a big player that can play physical. I think I’ve been successful when I’ve been using my body and skating, so I just try to do it every game.” Even though he’s appeared in only 12 of the Blues’ 20 games this season, Blais leads the team in hits with 45. During his season-opening eight-game stint with the Blues, Blais led or shared the team-lead in hits three times. In four games since his latest callup, Blais has led or shared the team- lead in hits all four games. On a Blues team that’s not overly physical, it’s a much-needed presence. Blais had six hits against Vegas on Nov. 16, five apiece against San Jose (Nov. 17) and Los Angeles (Nov. 19) and three Wednesday in Nashville. One of those was a doozy that knocked Nashville’s Anthony Bitetto off his feet in the second period, aggravating the Predators and precipitating one of several mini-scuffles in the contest. So this is not the same Blais who was around for 11 games with the Blues last season, recording 15 hits. He’s got three times as many this season in just 12 games. “When I was in juniors I was a pretty small player,” Blais said. “I was like 5-foot-10 and now I’m almost 6-foot-3. I like doing it and I think it gives energy to the team when I do it.” Blais worked hard adding strength over the summer, and now is putting it to good use. Now if only some of that physical play can help him get his offense going: he has yet to score a goal or earn an assist this season. “But when I use my body I get the puck back,” Blais said. “So that’s what I need to do.” NO DOUBTING THOMAS In a largely forgettable 4-1 loss to Nashville, the best line on the ice for the Blues easily was the Robby Fabbri-Brayden Schenn-Robert Thomas trio. As his playing time has increased, and no longer worried about being sent back to juniors, Thomas’ natural skills are starting to emerge. “He’s a heck of a player,” interim head coach Craig Berube said. “He’s got some really good skill and vision.” Thomas played a season-high 19 minutes 4 seconds against the Predators, and Berube showed his faith by using him during the Blues’ ill- fated 5-on-3 opportunity late in the third period. (Trailing 3-1 at the time, Berube pulled Jake Allen to turn a 4-on-3 power play into a 5-on-3 man advantage, but Nashville foiled that strategy by scoring an empty-net goal.) “It was a good opportunity for me,” Thomas said. “It shows a lot that the coach can trust me and put me out in that situation. Hopefully it can continue and I can help contribute.” Thomas helped earn that trust by scoring his first NHL goal in the first period. “He’s had a lot of chances, he’s been working hard,” Schenn said. “He’s going to be a good player in this league, so it’s nice for him to get the first one out of the way.” St Louis Post Dispatch LOADED: 11.23.2018 1117104 St Louis Blues

Coming up: Blues vs. Predators

By Jim Thomas St. Louis Post-Dispatch

Blues vs. Predators TV/Radio • Fox Sports Midwest/KMOX (1120 AM) When/Where • 7 p.m. Friday, Enterprise Center About the Predators • Nashville scored a shorthanded goal and an empty-net goal to defeat the Blues 4-1 Wednesday in a game that was closer than the final score indicated. Frederick Gaudreau, Austin Watson and Ryan Ellis all scored their first goals of the season in that contest. For Gaudreau — like the Blues’ Robert Thomas — it was the first goal of his career. With his 320th career victory Wednesday, goalie Pekka Rinne became the winningest Finnish-born goalie in NHL history. The Predators were just a bit better than the Blues in two tightly-played contests in St. Louis last season, winning 2-0 last Nov. 24 and 2-1 on Dec. 27. Entering Friday’s game, the Preds (16-5-1) have earned at least one point in nine of their last 11 games. St Louis Post Dispatch LOADED: 11.23.2018 1117105 St Louis Blues “We got the passion back,” defenseman Alex Pietrangelo said. “It was one of the more intense games we’ve had in a while and I think that started with our work ethic. We put that in, especially there in the second Blues melt on home ice but get two chances to rebound this weekend half of the game.” Maybe it took the rough and tumble Predators to bring that out of the Blues, but the Blues definitely tried to return the favor in terms of intensity By Jim Thomas St. Louis Post-Dispatch and physical play. Brayden Schenn got into a tussle near the Nashville bench. He was coming to the aid of Vince Dunn after Dunn got sandwiched between two Being home for the holidays — or any time — isn’t what it used to be for Predators with a hard check. the Blues. With the Nashville Predators coming to town on Friday and the Winnipeg Jets paying a visit Saturday, the home team is 5-6-2 this Sammy Blais threw his weight around. season in the House of Blues. David Perron, Zach Sanford and Joel Edmundson all found themselves Only three other NHL teams are below .500 at home this season: the Los in mini-scuffles, sometimes resulting in unwise penalties. Angeles Kings (4-7-1), Philadelphia Flyers (4-6-1) and Pittsburgh Penguins (4-5-2). As far as the Blues are concerned, scuffling at home “We had some chances ... competed hard, worked hard, brought some isn’t a new development. emotion to the game, some passion to the game,” Schenn said. “If we do that for the next 60 games here, we’re going to like the results on most “What got my attention for our group was the last two home games last nights and (Wednesday) just wasn’t one of them.” year,” general manager Doug Armstrong said. “We had put ourselves in the position to solidify a playoff spot. So unlike Armstrong’s view of the Blues-Blackhawks games this year, Wednesday’s Blues-Predators contest definitely had the feel of a rivalry “And we lost to a Chicago team that really wasn’t playing for much. We game. lost to a Washington team that had just clinched everything they could clinch the night before in Pittsburgh and was tired.” “It definitely felt like that,” rookie center Robert Thomas said. “It felt more like playoff hockey where every little thing matters a lot. It was a really On April 2, against Washington, the Blues lost their first game of the intense, high-paced game.” season in regulation (23-1-2) when leading after one period — by a 4-2 score. But in order to really be a rivalry, both teams have to win their share of games against each other — home or away. On April 4, against Chicago, the Blues lost their first game of the season in regulation (31-1-2) when leading after two periods — by a 4-3 score. The Blues have lost six in a row to the Predators, dropping the last three by a combined score of 12-4. They missed the playoffs by one point. The Blues finished the season with 24-17 record at what was then called Scottrade Center, their worst It has been a similarly sad tale in Central Division play, in which they are home mark since the 2009-10 campaign (18-18-5). 1-5-3 this season. On only six occasions since the inaugural campaign of 1967-68 have the “We know it’s not going to happen overnight, building confidence,” Blues suffered more than the 17 home losses they did last season. Schenn said. “Obviously this team expects a lot more out of themselves as far as what we’ve given. We’re going to build it game by game.” “And then it flowed into this year,” Armstrong said. “Our home record isn’t nearly something that we can accept. There’s no better place to build than at home. “The natural thing as a St. Louisan is this is a blue-collar town. We have St Louis Post Dispatch LOADED: 11.23.2018 a good corporate base but a lot of our fans are workers. It takes a commitment to come to a Blues game and we need to send them home happier than we’re sending them home, and with a greater effort.” Blues fans haven’t been going home happy a lot this season. Witness the boos Monday at Enterprise Center near the end of a 2-0 loss to the Kings — a loss that ended Mike Yeo’s coaching tenure. Granted, renovations at Enterprise over the past two offseason have lowered the building’s capacity to 18,400, but crowds are down nonetheless. Last season, the Blues had crowds of 18,000-plus for 29 of 41 home games. They had crowds in the 17,000s 10 times and ones in the 16,000s only twice. In 12 home games this season, they’ve had a crowd of 18,000-plus only once, crowds in the 17,000s five times, and attendance in the 16,000s six times. The team’s new mobile ticketing policy could be a factor. So could the fact that the Blues have played so many home games early in the season, including a seven-game home stand. But the on-ice product hasn’t helped. The Blues began the season unable to stop anyone defensively. Now they can’t score a goal to save their lives. They never rally to win a game. And when the general manager and even the players talk about the need to play with greater effort, well, it must be an issue. “I watched the Edmonton-Calgary game the other night,” Armstrong said. “A division game. The Battle of Alberta. The raw emotion that was in that. And then I see us play Chicago and I don’t see that same raw emotion. It’s concerning, and we need to make this a much more difficult place to play in. And that starts with our core group demanding it of each other.” Well, the Blues play host to a pair of division rivals over Thanksgiving weekend in the Predators and the Jets. What better time to show the home crowd some raw emotion and greater effort? The Blues did show signs of life in those areas in Wednesday’s 4-1 loss to the Predators in Nashville. 1117106 Tampa Bay Lightning

Marty St. Louis meets the woman behind the sign

By Diana Nearhos November 22, 2018 at 10:48 PM

TAMPA – Marty St. Louis met his biggest fan Wednesday: Kathleen Harrod, whose "I (heart) U Marty" sign was immortalized in a Tampa Bay Times photo that has appeared several times since it was taken at a Sept. 21, 2003, preseason game. St. Louis wanted to do something for Harrod after seeing a Times article about her last summer. The Lightning had been talking to her for a while, looking for an opportunity. Marty St. Louis Night, when the team honored him for his Hall of Fame induction this month, seemed the perfect chance. St. Louis and Harrod met before Wednesday's game, and she brought a "I (heart) U Marty" sign. It wasn't the original sign, but it was one that goes back to 2004. Harrod was 15 in the 2003 photo. Now 31, St. Louis is still her favorite player but in a way expressed without hearts drawn in marker. St. Louis remembers always seeing her in the same corner of the arena with the sign during his Lightning career, including when he came back with the Rangers to a cool reception after his 2014 trade. Laughing, he complimented her strong hockey knowledge to pick him as her favorite at such a young age. "Thanks for all the support," he said as they posed with the sign. St. Louis on the Lightning's future St. Louis drove into Amalie Arena on Wednesday morning and stopped at the same Starbucks he did when he lived here. But when he got closer to the building, the similarities ended. "Diving down here, everything has changed," he said. "You can see the transformation." St. Louis credited Lightning owner Jeff Vinik for what he has done on and off the ice, and for the community, saying it speaks volumes about where the franchise is and where it is going. On that latter note, St. Louis expressed confidence in where the organization is going on the ice. "They'll win (the Stanley Cup) again," he said. "I can't wait. I'll be here. This town is such a great sports town. I feel like I played a part in where this team is now and it can go so much further." Tampa Bay Times LOADED: 11.23.2018 1117107 Tampa Bay Lightning F Ryan Callahan: Junior coaches "Those guys kind of developed me as a player. They taught me how to play the game the right way, and I am thankful for that." Who are the Lightning players thankful for? F Yanni Gourde: Benoit Groulx, Syracuse Crunch coach

"I think he pushed me hard to become a better player. He put me at By Nick Kelly Published: November 22, 2018Updated: November 22, center, that way I was using more of my speed. He kind of gave me a 2018 at 09:26 AM little bit more freedom offensively and defensively. I always took a lot of pride in playing good in the d zone. I think he kind of gave me the push I needed at that moment to become a better player as a center, being able The road to playing professional sports includes countless reps, several to fulfill all three spots as a forward. It kind of gave me a lot of flexibility of breaks, and numerous people. where I could play." People who encourage growth, challenge and support the athlete. Tampa Bay Times LOADED: 11.23.2018 It's no different for Lightning players, who have received different kinds of help from individuals all over the world en route to the National Hockey League. Parents and family members typically sit at the top of that list for most players, but the village that it takes to raise a professional athlete looks different for each player. In the spirit of Thanksgiving, the Times asked several Lightning players to name at least one non-family member for whom they are thankful in helping them become the hockey player they are today. Here are their answers: F Steven Stamkos: Jari Bryski, longtime skills coach "I have been working with him since I was 8 years old. Still, to this day, in the summertime, I skate with him. He has had a big impact on my development and he has got such a great outlook on life that has really kept me positive through some of the tough times." D Braydon Coburn: Paul Holmgren, former Philadelphia Flyers general manager "He brought me in, and he really set my mind at ease a little bit. He made me feel really comfortable. Kind of got my confidence to a place where I felt I could be an everyday NHL player." F Brayden Point: Skating instructor Barb Underhill and coaches Mike Stothers and Tim Hunter, who he worked with while playing for the Moose Jaw Warriors of the WHL "I think going into junior, it's such a different game from what you played before … Midget, Bantam or whatever. I think Stothers helped me so much understanding the game at a higher level. Where to go, what to do, when you have time, when you don't have time, things to try. He also gave me a ton of opportunity, especially at a young age, to play a lot. Same as Tim. He had a different way of thinking from (Stothers). Not totally different. But it is always good to learn from guys who have played good high-level hockey. Those two guys were huge. "Barb, from a skating standpoint, I don't think I would have made the jump at the age I did without her. I think she was a huge help, just to help me gain a step and to be able to help me skate at the next level." Mathieu Joseph: Mathieu Gravel, his Midget-level coach "I was 15 years old, and I was a little too small. He kind of gave me a lot of confidence that year. He told me I was a good player and could do some good things and he was going to use me. He was one of the first guys to kind of believe in me and I am always going to be grateful for this guy for sure." D Victor Hedman: Youth coaches "Some youth coaches that I had who really believed in me even though in the beginning … I was still tall when I was young, but my coordination wasn't that good. They still believed in me and gave me a chance. I am forever grateful for all of the coaches I have had. I have learned something from each one of them." D Ryan McDonagh: Mark Osiecki and Mike Eaves, former University of Wisconsin coaches "(Osiecki) really helped me learn the defensive game at a higher level. He taught me terminology and things that I was going to see a lot more of with higher skilled players. He got me to really emphasize good habits." F Cedric Paquette: Midget and junior coaches and his junior host family "When I had some rough moments, (my host family members) were there for me and helped me get through the tough moments. "I liked when the coaches were hard on me when I wasn't doing the right thing or taking bad penalties. I think they were both really good coaches for me." 1117108 Toronto Maple Leafs spent most of this week on the road and play Monday night at home against the Boston Bruins. That leaves Tuesday as the next practice when Matthews can get in some contact work with a return the next Four Canadian teams sitting pretty as of the U.S. Thanksgiving night. Globe And Mail LOADED: 11.23.2018 David Shoalts

With the arrival of the U.S. Thanksgiving holiday on Thursday, a couple of NHL aphorisms clicked into place. Both favour the Toronto Maple Leafs. The first involves the league standings: It has long been an NHL maxim that the teams in playoff position on the U.S. Thanksgiving are generally the ones still there when the regular season concludes in April. This belief was popularized by Sportsnet’s Elliotte Friedman, who discovered a couple of years ago that since 2000, when the NHL grew to 30 teams, almost 80 per cent of teams that were in a playoff position at the U.S. holiday finished the season in the same spot. Aside from the Leafs, who were second in the Atlantic Division with 30 points, despite losing 5-2 to the Carolina Hurricanes on Wednesday night in just their second road loss of the season, Thursday morning brought good news for a few other Canadian teams. The most surprising of that group is the Montreal Canadiens, who held down an Eastern Conference wild-card spot with an 11-7-4 record and 26 points. Also in playoff position are the Calgary Flames (13-8-1), who lead the Western Conference’s Pacific Division with 27 points, and the Winnipeg Jets. The 12-6-2 Jets could be considered to be slight underachievers, as they sat third on Thursday in the Central Division, but they have two games in hand on the division-leading Nashville Predators and the surprising Minnesota Wild, who hold second spot, two points ahead of the Jets. It is also clear the Leafs once again have to fight their way out of the best division in the Eastern Conference. With the Canadiens and the Boston Bruins tied for the two wild-card spots, it is a safe bet the top five teams in the Atlantic will make the playoffs along with the top three in the Metropolitan Division. Another surprise team in the mix is the Buffalo Sabres, who are 8-2 in their past 10 games and are tied with the Leafs in points, though they have one fewer win with 14. The other significant marker for teams at this time of year involves the league’s general managers: This is when they usually decide if their teams need changes and whether to increase emphasis on trade talks with their colleagues. The GMs got to work a bit early this season, as four teams have already fired their coaches. The Edmonton Oilers were the latest to do so when Ken Hitchcock took over for Todd McLellan on Wednesday. There are a couple of changes that lie ahead for the Leafs and only one can be called negative. Then again, even if Leafs GM Kyle Dubas does not get restricted free agent William Nylander signed by the Dec. 1 NHL deadline, meaning he can’t play this season, it will not be a downer for the Leafs. With Nylander’s good friend Kasperi Kapanen filling in for him on the right side of Auston Matthews, the Leafs have not missed a beat this season, fighting it out with the Tampa Bay Lightning for the lead of both their division and the conference. Even when Matthews was lost to a shoulder injury on Oct. 27, the Leafs carried on, posting a 7-4 record in his absence. The raging question in Leafs camp (aside from how on earth could they allow 29 shots in the first period of the Hurricanes loss?) is when does Matthews return to the lineup? This is where a dark cloud edges onto the Toronto skyline. When Matthews was injured, the best-case scenario had him lost for four weeks. He returned to full practice last Sunday and this Saturday’s home game against the Philadelphia Flyers marks four weeks since Matthews was lost. However, it would seem any hopes Matthews would play Saturday were dashed on Thursday when he was still wearing the red no-contact sweater for the Leafs practice in Columbus. Since the sport-science people generally (and this is far from an exact science) want a player to participate in at least one full-contact practice before he returns, it seems Matthews will not be back until next Wednesday’s game against the San Jose Sharks. This may be more a matter of the schedule than the state of Matthews’s shoulder. The Leafs have back-to-back games, road and home, Friday and Saturday against the Columbus Blue Jackets and Philadelphia Flyers. Then they will almost certainly take Sunday off because they 1117109 Toronto Maple Leafs seeming like you should win and then failing to do so, which elicits rage. It’s much more awful than seeming bad and being bad, which only prompts frustration. Ask Yeo. The NHL’s Thanksgiving deadline is meaningless, so why all the fired Setting the bar in November – as opposed to February or March – puts coaches? people on notice earlier. Now they’ve finished with the “let’s see what we’ve got” phase and begun the “playoff prep” stage. CATHAL KELLY It doesn’t help the players, who can’t stop themselves from becoming standings-obsessed. It doesn’t help coaches, who know that, from this point on, every small dip will be treated as a catastrophe. In late October, 2000, the Chicago Blackhawks fired an assistant coach, In a perfect world, they’d have the freedom to bump along until the final which was weird for a couple of reasons. Why an assistant? And why so quarter of the year, at which point they’d ramp it up ahead of the longest, early in the year? most difficult postseason in team sports. In explaining his process, then-general manager Mike Smith said, “You The people it helps are the league and team owners. Nobody’s going to usually judge your team by American Thanksgiving. … That gives us swallow another playoff expansion, but this is a way to artificially do so. about another 10 or 12 games.” From Nov. 22 on, the Lightning, Leafs and Bruins aren’t just cruising any It’s hard to say exactly where something started – especially things that more. They’re jockeying for position. The Stars, Canucks and Oilers don’t have a formal name – but this utterance is part of the creation myth aren’t just playing out the string. They’re fighting for their lives. of the Thanksgiving benchmark. This may be why so many head coaches were fired in the past few days That is the currently fashionable proposition that U.S. Turkey Day is the – they’ve been running on the track since October, but the race is now moment when the NHL’s foxes have created enough space between about to start. Time to get serious. themselves and the trailing hounds to determine with some accuracy who’s going to make it out alive. The earlier that happens, the more people care, the more money is made. The Thanksgiving threshold is good for business, if perhaps not The odds are pretty sweet; since Smith’s comment, about three-quarters for the medium-term viability of NHL players’ bodies and, arguably, of teams in playoff position on U.S. Thanksgiving have ended up in the teams’ chances in April and beyond. postseason. As you do, I asked Rosenthal if he had any thoughts about particular Initially, this was an interesting bit of trivia. It became a regularly teams and where they stood. Is he a fan of any one? discussed signpost. These days, it’s a hard border. “The Leafs, of course,” Rosenthal said. And then added by way of proof: If you are in, you should remain that way. Statistics say so. If you’re out, “The last time the Leafs won the Stanley Cup was five months before I it’s not time to panic, but it’s getting close. This is with nearly 60 games to was born, which means the next time they win it will be five months after I go. die.” I put the issue of the Thanksgiving benchmark to Jeffrey Rosenthal, a Well, what about making the playoffs this year? They look like a professor of statistics at the University of Toronto. Is this something we guarantee. What does science tell you? should treat as holy writ? “You’re asking me to predict?” Rosenthal has more important things to think about than whether the Montreal Canadiens are for real and what hanging on to eighth place in I am. the Eastern Conference means when a great fowl slaughter is upon us, “Then yes, sure. Why not?” but he was willing to consider the idea. Globe And Mail LOADED: 11.23.2018 There was a lot of math talk. I got confused and sat on the phone swaying for a bit, getting lightheaded. But the summation was this: “If there is a two-thirds probability of it happening, then that means there is a one-third chance of it not happening.” This struck me – admittedly, a not-very-smart person who had to redo Grade 11 geometry at night school – as deeply profound. Then Rosenthal said things such as, “it ain’t over ‘til it’s over,” and “that’s why they play the whole season.” All of us are coaches in our hearts. If this stuff is a science, it’s just as much Newton’s law of inertia as pure stats – an object in motion tends to stay that way. Unless it begins banging against goal posts and people in the neutral zone. The St. Louis Blues are one such team. At the Thanksgiving marker last year, the Blues were first in the Western Conference. That’s not just good odds. In casino terms, it’s close to a mortal lock. They ended up finishing ninth, out of the playoffs. That led in turn to all sorts of motion rippling through the club. A few days ago, it hit coach Mike Yeo in the back and propelled him with great force toward the parking lot while he held a bunch of framed photos in a box. It’s the other part of the prognostication – woe be to those who fall within those boundaries just as the leaves have fallen, then find themselves on the outside once the buds begin blooming again. A curse be upon them. Hitting the Thanksgiving marker has become so widely talked about that it creates an expectation. If you fail to make the playoffs now, you haven’t just had a down year. You’ve blown it. Nobody cares why you’ve blown it. They just know you have. Because of Thanksgiving. The Nashville Predators are the best team in hockey, but they’re still just two horrendous weeks from being out of the playoff picture. Unlikely? Highly. Possible? Anything’s possible. What’s gotten interesting about the Thanksgiving threshold is its sudden capacity to throw franchises into chaos. There is nothing worse than 1117110 Toronto Maple Leafs centreman. “But when we’re not connecting, not getting a stick on it, we’re having to start back in our own zone. It’s just having that balance.”

Balance is key. Overusing the stretch pass allows teams to adjust and Leading NHL in icings a byproduct of Leafs’ game plan take it away. Regularly checking down and hitting the option underneath is important, too. By DAVE FESCHUK One stat Parparov doesn’t keep, and it’d be difficult to track, is how often teams beat out impending icing calls by winning the foot race to the dots. Toronto has a handful of players — among them Kapanen, Zach Hyman and Connor Brown — who’ve made that a regular mission. Morgan Rielly, the Maple Leafs defenceman, was recently informed of a statistical curiosity that says something about how his team plies its craft. “Especially with Kappy and Hymes, they tend to beat it out. So you do ice Heading into Wednesday’s match in Carolina, the Maple Leafs were it on purpose occasionally,” Rielly said. leading the NHL in icings, according to the web site MoreHockeyStats.com. Alley-oop-style flip passes or pucks banked up the boards that create a foot race — they’re a viable part of Toronto’s attack. Toronto had committed an average of about 10 icings a game. As a point of comparison the Winnipeg Jets, currently vying with the Leafs for the “It’s the play for me, to be honest,” Kapanen said. “Hockey’s changing title of Canada’s best team, had been guilty of about half as many. Only into a faster game. We’re trying to use our speed as much as we can. the Colorado Avalanche had iced it less frequently. We have good centremen taking good draws, so if we ice it we’re not too worried about losing the draw in the defensive zone.” Kasperi Kapanen and other Leafs forwards are using speed to break out of the team’s defensive zone. For his part Andersen, who’s been Toronto’s most reliable performer, said he’s OK with the steady stream of faceoffs to his left and right, even “I didn’t know that,” Rielly said. “But that’s not all that surprising.” if he’d like to see a few less a game. Deadpanned Maple Leafs goaltender Frederik Andersen: “Maybe our “It’s fine to take an icing over a turnover. That’s something you can’t be forwards aren’t fast enough to hunt down those pucks.” too upset about,” Andersen said. “Even though guys are a little tired (because the icing team can’t make a line change), you’ve still got Andersen’s jab was in jest, we think. Toronto’s predilection for icings is somewhat of a chance to reset and maybe get another draw and get a product of a few things, lack of speed not among them. For one, chance to break out.” Toronto’s entire defensive philosophy is based on quick transition. To minimize time defending, the Maple Leafs prioritize prompt passes out of Said Rielly: “I feel like we’ve been (icing it) a bit more than we should. So, the zone, or, if pressure’s arriving, a less-than-artful play off the glass something to work on.” and into the neutral zone. If that puck doesn’t find a Toronto stick after crossing the red line, it’s a recipe for an icing. Toronto Star LOADED: 11.23.2018 “Lots of times it’s just a bad play by the defenceman,” Rielly said. “You try and put it off the glass or up the middle, and you just put too much mustard on it.” On an off night, the habit can occasionally make a Maple Leafs game feel like one long, slow procession back to the defensive zone for another in a line of faceoffs. But there’s some common sense to the trend. The Leafs, a team built on speed and skill, are enamoured with the stretch pass. They led the league in stretch-pass attempts last season, according to thepointhockey.com. They’re using it plenty again this season. And while more than a few Maple Leafs have spoken of the importance of not over-using it, it’s seen as an omnipresent possibility on a list of offensive options. “When you get the puck, you try to play it like a quarterback and look for the home-run pass,” centre Nazem Kadri said. “A lot of times we have the type of wingers where we just say, ‘Go.’ And if (the home-run pass) is not there, you check down and look for guys underneath. When I play with (Kasperi Kapanen), every time I touch it and I’ve got full control, I know Kappy’s going.” Those long passes — from the defensive zone to forwards streaking beyond the red line — can lead to icings, too. “There’s going to be times when you make the long play or the chip play and it’s not going to work out,” Rielly said. “That’s not a good thing, because you’re taking a D-zone faceoff. They have an opportunity to change and get a matchup. So it’s not ideal.” According to MoreHockeyStats.com, the Maple Leafs have won just 46 per cent of the defensive-zone faceoffs immediately following an icing. That’s below their 51 per cent season average heading into Wednesday. “The question is, ‘Are the icings costing them?’ Or are they good enough, say, in the faceoff circle to work around the problem?” said Roman Parparov, the San Jose-based stats enthusiast who maintains MoreHockeyStats.com. According to Parparov’s numbers, Toronto has been scored against six times within 30 seconds of committing an icing, tied for sixth-most in the league. Not ideal. But given the volume of icings, not especially punitive, either. Indeed, the Maple Leafs came into Friday in third place in the league standings and fourth in goals for per game; their speed-based approach is working. And their affinity for launching pucks up ice amounts to a relatively low-risk gamble. “With how well our team skates, the pressure we’re putting on the opponent with our forecheck is just so hard for them to handle. It creates a lot of offence and offensive zone time,” said John Tavares, the Leafs 1117111 Toronto Maple Leafs Defence pairs Morgan Rielly-Ron Hainsey GAMEDAY: Maple Leafs at Blue Jackets Jake Gardiner-Nikita Zaitsev Travis Dermott-Igor Ozhiganov Terry Koshan Goaltenders Frederik Andersen TORONTO MAPLE LEAFS at COLUMBUS BLUE JACKETS Garret Sparks 7 p.m., Nationwide Arena, TSN, TSN Radio 1050 BLUE JACKETS LINES BIG MATCHUP LW-C-RW Morgan Rielly vs. Seth Jones Artemi Panarin-Pierre-Luc Dubois-Cam Atkinson The teams’ respective best defenceman — the Maple Leafs’ Morgan Nick Foligno-Boone Jenner-Josh Anderson Rielly and the Blue Jackets’ Seth Jones — has the ability to take a game over. Skating ability and smarts are shared traits. Jones, the fourth pick Brandon Dubinsky-Alexander Wennberg-Anthony Duclair overall in 2013, has done well against Toronto, recording 10 points in 13 Lukas Sedlak-Riley Nash-Markus Hannikainen career games. Against Columbus, Rielly has seven points in 16 games. Rielly remains atop the NHL defencemen scoring race with 26 points in Defence pairs 22 games. No one should be surprised if one or both makes an offensive impact on Friday night. Ryan Murray-Seth Jones FIVE KEYS TO THE GAME Markus Nutivaara-David Savard 1. What time is puck drop? Zach Werenski-Scott Harrington The better teams find a way to win, comparable to what the Leafs did Goaltenders against the Blue Jackets on Monday in Toronto. Finding a way to win, Sergei Bobrovsky however, is one term that could be used to gloss over earlier missteps, and the Leafs have not been smart in either first period of their two Joonas Korpisalo games since sweeping California. Nothing as bad as allowing 29 shots in the opening 20 minutes in Carolina is anticipated, but Toronto can’t take INJURIES similar chances against a Jackets team that will be enthusiastic. Blue Jackets — None. 2. A bit of replication Maple Leafs — C Auston Matthews (shoulder) After falling behind 2-0 in the first period against the Blue Jackets, the Leafs rallied and scored four unanswered goals in the final 40 minutes. SPECIAL TEAMS That’s what coach Mike Babcock was remembering fondly on Thursday. Power play “We had, I thought, a real good second and third,” Babcock said. “It’s going to be important to get going. They have not played since we played Blue Jackets: 16.4% (24th) them and they will be ready.” Toronto was a shade better in five-on-five shot attempts (41-38) after the first period. Maple Leafs: 25% (7th) 3. Pierre-Luc not dubious Penalty kill Rightfully so, the majority of attention at the 2016 NHL draft fell on top Blue Jackets: 77.6% (21st) two picks Auston Matthews and Patrik Laine, but no one doubts whether Maple Leafs: 80.7% (12th) the Jackets got themselves a cornerstone-type in Pierre-Luc Dubois at No. 3. Dubois has a five-game point streak, including a goal and an Toronto Sun LOADED: 11.23.2018 assist at Toronto on Monday, and has 16 points in his past 14 games. At 6-foot-3, 207 pounds, the 20-year-old won’t easily be deterred by a Leafs team that will try to keep him in check. 4. Tavares, redux We keep reminding you of the kind of job John Tavares has been doing for the Leafs, especially on the road, and for good reason. Tavares has 11 goals in 11 road games, becoming the fifth Leaf and first in the modern era (since 1943-44) to score at least 11 goals in the club’s first 11 road games. Tavares will be a focal point for Columbus, whether the matchup falls to Boone Jenner (likely) or Dubois. Tavares’ solid, diligent approach has endeared him to teammates early in his Toronto tenure. 5. Short memories The Jackets didn’t practise on Thursday, but you can bet they will be prepared. Columbus didn’t make a ton of mistakes in Toronto on Monday night, yet when it did, the Leafs took advantage. So there will be no underestimating the Leafs. “Not to get a point out of that damn game, that was what was so frustrating,” coach John Tortorella told local radio station 97.1 The Fan. “We’re going to have a much faster team (in the Leafs) on Friday night. They will have their legs. They are a good team.” MAPLE LEAFS LINES LW-C-RW Zach Hyman-John Tavares-Mitch Marner Patrick Marleau-Nazem Kadri-Kasperi Kapanen Andreas Johnsson-Par Lindholm-Connor Brown Tyler Ennis-Frederik Gauthier-Josh Leivo 1117112 Toronto Maple Leafs makes great stuffing. Stuffing and turkey is probably my go-to on Thanksgiving.”

With Thanksgiving in mind, the Leafs held a 3-on-3 mini tournament in LEAFS SNAPSHOTS: Leafs star Matthews not quite ready for contact ... one end of the ice to conclude practice. Matthews didn’t look out of place, Did Babcock drop Nylander hint? scoring a couple of pretty goals, and said his shot feels good while maintaining that accuracy remains a work in progress. Terry Koshan “We wanted to know who was going to cut the pumpkin pie and deliver it to the guys,” Babcock said of the enjoyable manner in which practice ended, and looking ahead to dinner later in the day. COLUMBUS – Another step forward for Auston Matthews on Thursday The players appreciated it. afternoon, but don’t count on seeing the Maple Leafs centre in a game just yet. “It was fun, try to get re-energized,” centre Nazem Kadri said. “Everyone enjoyed themselves. I couldn’t tell you who won. Once we were out of it, I Matthews again practised with his Leafs teammates, this time at stopped paying attention. But whenever you can have that quality time Nationwide Arena, though he remained in a red non-contact sweater. with each other, it’s fun.” Matthews will need to participate in at least one practice where he is in a LOOSE LEAFS regular sweater – meaning he can take part physically in all drills – and that would not come until Tuesday at the earliest, so he is going to miss Forward Zach Hyman was not on the ice for practice because he was at least the next three games. given a maintenance day, but Babcock said Hyman was “fine,” an indication Hyman will be in the lineup on Friday night when the Leafs Saturday will mark four weeks since Matthews suffered a left shoulder square off with the Columbus Blue Jackets From the oddities injury in a game against the Winnipeg Jets. In the 11 games Matthews department, the Jackets are the lone NHL club (not including the second- has missed, the Leafs are 7-4-0. year Vegas Golden Knights) that the Leafs have never shut out. The clubs have met 26 times since Columbus entered the NHL in 2000-01, “It’s my body – when I’m feeling good, ready for contact, I think I will and Jackets goaltender Sergei Bobrovsky has the only two shutouts on know,” Matthews said after his second full practice since being hurt. either side, in 2013 and in 2015 Next up for the Leafs will be a visit to “Definitely want to get in at least one practice where it’s full go and Scotiabank Arena on Saturday night by the Philadelphia Flyers, marking bumping into guys and making sure everything is stable. the return of James van Riemsdyk. In five games with Philadelphia, van Riemsdyk, who missed 16 games with a knee injury, has one goal and “I think conditioning is there. I hate doing (hard skating after teammates three assists. are off the ice). It’s what you have to do stay in shape and get your legs back and your lungs, so I have been really pushing it from that Toronto Sun LOADED: 11.23.2018 standpoint. Out there (Thursday), I thought the pace when you’re not in a team setting for quite a while, you feel a little lost, a little out of rhythm. But I thought it picked up there at the end.” A comment by Leafs coach Mike Babcock, meanwhile, during his post- practice availability gained plenty of traction. Despite losing 5-2 in Raleigh against the Carolina Hurricanes on Wednesday night, the Leafs generally have put themselves in Babcock’s good books as the calendar hits U.S. Thanksgiving. And no wonder – Toronto’s record of 15-7-0 has the team in third place overall in the National Hockey League standings. It’s what Babcock said about missing “pieces” – meaning Matthews and the unsigned William Nylander, the only idle Leafs – that raised eyebrows. “Obviously, ecstatic,” Babcock said of the Leafs’ overall play. “Anyway you look at it, we got off to a good start and we think our team is going to get better. “We have significant pieces not here and they will be here. So we will be a deeper team. But in the meantime, we have been allowed to grow players and create depth in the organization, which is important.” Perhaps Babcock is confident the Leafs will re-sign Nylander before the Dec. 1 deadline to do so. If Nylander is not under contract then, he will be ineligible to play in the NHL this season. What is certain is this: With a healthy Matthews and what we would expect would be a rejuvenated Nylander in the lineup, only a fool would attempt to put a ceiling on the Leafs’ potential. Opposing teams have enough trouble trying to beat Toronto, and usually fail, when those two are not in the lineup. On Matthews’ progress, Babcock said: “He is not ready, so there is no timeline here yet. There is no sense rushing him back. When he gets back, he has to be in shape, has to be ready physically and mentally. When it’s time, he will play.” Conceivably, the earliest Matthews would return is Wednesday at home versus the San Jose Sharks. TALKING TURKEY Credit Matthews for having good taste. We’ll tell anyone who will listen – and even those who won’t – that turkey beats ham as the main course at any holiday dinner, U.S. Thanksgiving included. What happens to be Matthews’ favourite Thanksgiving dish? “You know, my dad (Brian) makes good turkey,” Matthews said. “I like turkey. I am not really a big ham guy. I’m thinking of something else he 1117113 Toronto Maple Leafs

AUSTON AMAZING: Missing Matthews? Here are his top shots!

Nelson Branco

GAMEDAY: Maple Leafs at Blue Jackets TORONTO MAPLE LEAFS LEAFS SNAPSHOTS: Leafs star Matthews not quite ready for contact ... Did Babcock drop Nylander ... TORONTO MAPLE LEAFS AUSTON AMAZING: Missing Matthews? Here are his top shots! TORONTO MAPLE LEAFS McElhinney gets some revenge as Canes beat Leafs Auston Matthews is back on the ice! But he’s just practicing as he heals from his injured shoulder. At press time, the Toronto Maple Leafs haven’t announced a return date to this season’s NHL competition. Toronto Sun LOADED: 11.23.2018 1117114 Toronto Maple Leafs “To be honest, I never really thought about that,” Kapanen said of his scoring potential in the NHL. “I know I’m a pretty fast guy and I can use

my speed to maybe get some breakaways and be on the forecheck and Which Leafs should play with Auston Matthews when he returns from just try to make plays.” injury? Almost all of the damage he’s (unexpectedly) offered so far has come with Matthews. He still technically hasn’t scored yet in 126 5-on-5 minutes with Nazem Kadri and has dotted the scoresheet otherwise with By Jonas Siegel Nov 22, 2018 only a single assist; he was paired with Marleau when he beat Martin Jones during 4-on-4 action last week in San Jose and scored again 4-on-

4 in Raleigh. RALEIGH, N.C. — Hours before the Leafs lost for the only the fourth time The numbers and eye test suggest he’s a better fit with Matthews at this in 11 tries in his absence on Wednesday night, Auston Matthews went point (though he was due to cool off) and it seems like a lock that he’ll be through another skate with his teammates, inching closer to his first there when Matthews returns from his month-long absence. game since Jacob Trouba battered his left shoulder at the end of October. Where things at right wing really get interesting is when Nylander returns (if might be most appropriate at this point) and goes back to playing with Matthews should be back in the lineup soon — maybe even by the Matthews. Has Kapanen performed well enough to push Connor Brown weekend and if not then, perhaps early next week when the Bruins and down the lineup? Sharks come to Toronto. It would appear so. Whenever that time does come, though, Mike Babcock will have to decide anew who to pair with the 21-year-old, who blitzed through Left wing October with 10 goals and 16 points in the first 11 games. More curious than Kapanen and a potential right wing for Matthews is Right wing whether Marleau goes back on his left.

It’s unlikely that William Nylander will be around by the time Matthews It didn’t totally work to start the season — Matthews’ ridiculous start to returns so Babcock will have to search for new options — just as he did the year notwithstanding. Marleau didn’t score at all at even strength in when training camp opened and Matthews tag-team partner of two years 10-plus games with Matthews, and managed only a couple primary was still back in Sweden. The Leafs coach gave Patrick Marleau and assists. Tyler Ennis the first go, with Ennis a presumed placeholder until Nylander finally signed and rejoined the team. “I think you kind of look at (like) if you’re getting the chances or you’re creating chances, and if you’re doing those things the points will come,” Of course, Nylander didn’t sign and Ennis stuck on Matthews’ right wing Marleau said of the slow start to his 21st NHL season. “But if you’re out through the entirety of the preseason. He lasted only three regular there and you’re not creating anything then you gotta look at your game season games though before Babcock finally punted him for Kasperi and try and do some different things to make sure you’re doing that.” Kapanen. And unless Nylander signs sometimes soon and then beams in Star Trek-style from Europe, his 22-year-old buddy looks like a cinch to Marleau felt like it was coming and it has since he hooked up again with go back with Matthews in the coming days. Kadri, his linemate for almost 800 5-on-5 minutes last season: He has a pair of goals at even strength along with three assists — two of them And why not? primary.

Kapanen popped five goals in just under nine games with Matthews and “He’s been around for a while and I think understands how to play the looked dangerous every night. He was a different player with Matthews game — he’s pretty easy to play with,” Kadri said before the game — much scarier with that explosive speed and a threat to not only fire against the Hurricanes. “He’s got great speed and we both have played that wicked shot of his, but set up others with tools that never looked to together enough to understand where each other want to be so it works be in his toolbox previously. Kapanen, remember, had only two assists out well.” total in his first 57 NHL games. He needed five periods with Matthews to get three, including this soft helper on Matthews’ seventh of the year in Kadri said that familiarity comes in handy in knowing where Marleau is Dallas: going to be when the Leafs are breaking out or when he’s got the puck in the offensive zone. He has a strong feel now for what Marleau wants to Kapanen obviously had some nice moments before — like scoring a pair do and where he wants to go on the ice. in the 2017 playoffs against the Capitals, including the double OT winner, or giving the Leafs a 4-3 lead in Game 7 against the Bruins last spring — Much like Kapanen with Matthews, the numbers suggest (not quite as but nothing that suggested this kind of pop. convincingly) that Marleau fits better with Kadri:

“I think Kappy is one of those guys that in the American League he didn’t If Marleau sticks with Kadri though, who joins Matthews and Kapanen? look this good,” Babcock said the other day. “He just didn’t. I saw him With Hyman attached now at Tavares’ hip, could Andreas Johnsson lots.” finally get that chance?

The Leafs just concluded the first quarter of the season and Kapanen Johnsson has looked better and better after a sluggish start to the has already set career highs for goals (9), assists (7), and points (16), season and like Kapanen, his speed/skill combo might click with and he set a new high-water mark in playing 20 minutes and six seconds Matthews. That’s a big jump though in terms of competition and ice time last week in San Jose. and it’s likely that Babcock goes back with Marleau on Matthews’ left wing, as he intended it from the day that Tavares officially joined the He zipped his ninth goal of the year past Curtis McElhinney in the third Leafs. period of the Leafs loss to the Hurricanes. It was the kind of shot that a player booming with confidence makes. (The only other conceivable option is Brown moving to left wing to play puck hound for Matthews.) “Once you get a little more ice time and you get more opportunities you’re gonna get a chance to shoot the puck a little more,” Kapanen, In the likely event that it’s Marleau, and perhaps the 39-year-old shows who’s averaging a career-best 16 minutes, said after the game against better now that the wheels are fully in gear, what becomes of Par Carolina. “I guess it’s just the ice time to be honest. Or maybe it’s just Lindholm? been clicking for me this year, I don’t know.” With Johnsson struggling early in the year, Lindholm moved from the 4C Kapanen scored only nine goals in 44 games in his first season with the spot to left wing with Kadri and Brown and fared reasonably well, if also Toronto Marlies. He doubled that in his second season and then fired 12 offering little juice offensively. Does Babcock revert back to that? Or does goals past AHL goalies in only 28 games last year before getting the call he keep Johnsson in a more prominent role and slide Lindholm into the to join the Leafs for good in January. fourth line centre spot that he was expected to solidify when he signed with the Leafs in May? He scored seven times in 38 games, while averaging around 11 minutes in fourth line duty, and added one more in the playoffs. That would give the Leafs their deepest possible lineup without Nylander. A UFA after this season, Lindholm has kept things secure in the third centre spot with Matthews out (though his line was beaten up badly by the Hurricanes).

“We’ve kind of known what we’ve had from the get-go,” Babcock said of Lindholm, who has six points and a crisp 56 per cent win rate in the faceoff circle so far this season. “You didn’t know how he was going to settle in. You thought you had something right from the get-go. Obviously, we talk about it every time, when there’s an injury it leads to opportunity for others. But, you’ve got to do something with that opportunity.

“He’s one guy who has.”

The 27-year-old rookie doesn’t offer the same kind of potential punch that Johnsson might playing with Kadri and returning him to the fourth line would bump Frederik Gauthier from the lineup and bolster that unit’s speed and skill level.

Whatever they end up doing, the Leafs will get a serious boost with their best player back in the lineup. That time is coming soon.

The Athletic LOADED: 11.23.2018 1117115 Vegas Golden Knights

Revenge on Golden Knights’ minds as Flames come to Vegas

By Adam Hill / Las Vegas Review-Journal

At least the Golden Knights didn’t have to wait long to seek revenge for the thumping they took Monday from the Calgary Flames. The teams meet again at 3 p.m. on Friday at T-Mobile Arena. “We owe them,” forward Alex Tuch said of the 7-2 loss at Calgary in which the Knights gave up the most goals they had all season. “It’s good (to play again so soon). They took it to us. It was a really good game by them.” The Knights (10-12-1) did have the benefit of regaining some confidence between the meetings as they went on the road to Arizona and beat the Coyotes 3-2 in overtime on Wednesday night. Now they can turn their attention back to the Pacific Division-leading Flames. “It was an embarrassing one for us and it was all on us,” defenseman Brayden McNabb said after the Knights practiced Thursday. “The effort wasn’t there, and obviously our play wasn’t there. We’re ready. We definitely owe them, but they’re a good team.” The Flames (13-8-1) certainly deserve credit for what they were able to do Monday. They outskated and outworked the Knights, generating scoring opportunities seemingly at will for the first 40 minutes. Tuch said he talked to members of the Flames who said it was their best performance in a long time. He also was wary of the Knights focusing too much on the last meeting. “We can’t worry too much about what happened last game,” Tuch said. “We have to worry about us in this locker room.” The Knights hope they picked up a few things strategically that will help slow down the Flames, though coach Gerard Gallant declined to give specifics. “I’m not going to tell you, but I hope it works,” he joked. “I think it’s great (to play them again so soon). You get beat like that you want to get back at it. We got back at it in Arizona last night and played a real good game. But it will be good to play Calgary again. It’s fresh in our minds, so hopefully, we’re ready to respond and play real good.” Marc-Andre Fleury is expected back in net after sitting out the loss in Calgary. Fleury had to watch his backup Malcolm Subban endure an onslaught of high-danger shots. “It’s good to get a chance to play them again right away,” Fleury said. “We can put that last one behind us and get a little confidence against them. They’re a good team though. They did the same thing to Winnipeg (on Wednesday). They have a lot of guys with skill who can score, so we have to be ready.” Subban was far from the team’s biggest problem in the loss. The Knights made it far too easy on Calgary’s skilled forwards to skate and let players set up in dangerous areas without much challenge. They can’t allow that to happen no matter who’s in net. “I think we were a little bit too lackadaisical and we just weren’t making the hard plays we needed to,” Tuch said. “It wasn’t like we were turning pucks over left and right, but they were making the smart plays, we weren’t covering well and we took some bad penalties that led to goals. They were feeling it, obviously.” There is some precedent to the Knights responding well to a bad November loss. Last season, they followed an 8-3 November road loss to the Oilers with five straight wins. Wednesday’s road victory gave the Knights something to build on, but it’s been over a month since they were able to win consecutive games. Breaking that trend would be even more valuable than vengeance. LAS VEGAS REVIEW JOURNAL LOADED: 11.23.2018 1117116 Vegas Golden Knights

NHL video replay has not been kind to Golden Knights

By David Schoen / Las Vegas Review-Journal

After further review, it’s been confirmed that video replay has not been kind to the Golden Knights. The Knights were on the wrong end of two coach’s challenges in the third period of Wednesday’s 3-2 overtime victory at Arizona and haven’t fared well when the replay officials in Toronto are consulted. Coach Gerard Gallant is 0-3 on challenges that he’s initiated, and seven of the nine rulings by the NHL Situation Room involving the Knights have gone in favor of the opposition. Cody Eakin’s goal at 4:18 of the third, which would have put the Knights ahead 3-1, was overturned after Arizona coach Rick Tocchet challenged that Knights winger Alex Tuch was offside. It’s the third time the Knights have had a goal overturned for offside by video replay. “If I look at the challenge on (Tuch’s goal), real close, but the right call was made,” Gallant said, adding later that Tuch never touched the puck before crossing the blue line and, therefore, never established possession. Gallant used his challenge at 13:11 of the third after Derek Stepan scored his second goal to tie the game at 2-2. Coyotes forward Richard Panik was battling in front of the net with defenseman Deryk Engelland, but replay officials ruled no goaltender interference occurred before the puck crossed the line. “When I challenged, there was six minutes left in the hockey game and did I think I was going to win it? No. But it was worth the risk,” Gallant said. “And they took some time to look at it because there was a little contact there.” Ottawa coach Guy Boucher unsuccessfully challenged for goaltender interference on a Knights goal Nov. 8. The only other time the Knights won a video replay was Nov. 3 when a Carolina goal was waved off and the Situation Room initiated a review that confirmed the call. Turkey day Goaltender Marc-Andre Fleury hosted teammates for Thanksgiving dinner Thursday. It won’t exactly be a potluck, but that scenario does open the debate for who would be most likely to show up empty-handed and who would bring the worst dish. “I would say (Alex Tuch), but he actually brought some jello thing that his family makes last year that was actually pretty good. I was impressed,” Nate Schmidt said. “You know what, (Malcolm Subban) would be the most likely to show up empty-handed and (Jonathan Marchessault) would bring something terrible. That has nothing to do with his wife. She makes great food, but if she wasn’t there and it was just him, it would be awful.” Fleury just laughed. “Yeah, I don’t think Subban has done a whole lot of cooking,” Fleury said, “but he would just have Postmates deliver something.” In the end, it’s all in good fun and important for team bonding. “All of us are away from our moms and dads and siblings and stuff,” Fleury said. “ It always feels like your hockey team is like your family so it’s good to be able to spend some time together and be thankful for what we have.” Max stats Max Pacioretty’s overtime winner against Arizona was his 46th game- winning goal since the 2010-11 season, which ranks second in the league. Only Washington star Alex Ovechkin has more with 62. LAS VEGAS REVIEW JOURNAL LOADED: 11.23.2018 1117117 Vegas Golden Knights

VGK Rolling Out Inaugural Season Book, New Merchandise, Collector Cup Series for Holiday Shopping

By ALAN SNEL

They never sleep at the Vegas Golden Knights headquarters. I’m not talking about the hockey players. I’m talking about the business guys, who are rolling out some new licensed VGK merchandise just in time for the holiday season and a new limited edition collector cup series thanks to a new business partnership with Terrible Herbst gasoline/convenience stores. First the new merch. On “Gold” Friday at the team store at City National Arena, new items will make their debut. It’s quite a roster of diverse holiday presents: a branded adult onesie; the “ugly” holiday sweater, which seems in vogue at holiday parties; ornaments, naturally; Golden Knights cigars, (to break out after more victories); a limited edition pin set; and a new line of premium New Era hats. Seems like someone likes the idea of a VGK adult onesie. Meet Pierre- Edouard Bellemare, VGK onesie pitchman. LVSportsBiz.com asked Golden Knights coach Gerard Gallant if he would wear a onesie. “No,” Gallant said. There were no further comments from Turk on Turkey Day in Las Vegas. Other Golden Knights players were impressed with the Golden Knights merch possibilities. “We always see Golden Knights stuff around the city,” forward Jonathon Marchessault said. Bellemare said his mother was visiting Las Vegas last year and “was in the Golden Knights store every day.” Even good guy defenseman Brad Hunt piped in, “It’s always good shopping in there for Christmas.” For Marc-Andre Fleury fans, you will not be disappointed. A limited- edition commemorative poster celebrating Mr. Flower’s 50th career shutout will be available for a cool $50. The Golden Knights are also debuting its inaugural season book on Friday. To sweeten the book deal, fans who buy the book at The Arsenal at City National Arena or The Armory at T-Mobile Arena Friday will receive a free special edition Fleury puck commemorating his 50th career shutout while supplies last. For more info on the book, which retails for $59.99 and includes a special “augmented reality component” where some book pictures come to life, check out this item. Just so know about store hours, The Arsenal will be open from 8 a.m. to 8 p.m. Friday,while The Armory will be open from 8 a.m. through the end of the Golden Knights game, which begins at 3 p.m. There will also be a retail tent set up on Toshiba Plaza outside T-Mobile Arena starting at 8 a.m. Friday until the end of the VGK game the following night, Saturday. Many professional teams feature collector cup series. In the Golden Knights’ case with Terrible Herbst, there will be six cups in the series, each featuring a different Golden Knights player/character (hmmm, wonder whether Chance the mascot will be featured?) The cups retail for $2.99, which includes one free fountain soda fill. The cups will be released individually, with the release dates to be determined and announced at a later time. Your first Golden Knights player to be featured on the cup — none other than wily veteran Deryk Engelland. Here’s your press release quote as attributed to VGK team president Kerry Bubolz: “The Golden Knights and Terrible Herbst have collaborated on this unique promotion that we hope our fans will enjoy. The collector’s cups will feature some of our most popular players and characters and will be a great, affordable addition to the memorabilia collections of Golden Knights fans throughout the Valley.” LVSportsBiz.com LOADED: 11.23.2018 1117118 Washington Capitals “Ah, yes, cranberry sauce," Vrana said. "I mean, I have never celebrated. I normally get Uber Eats or something. I don’t have my family here or anything. I am not going to cook cold turkey by myself and just enjoy For foreign-born NHL players, Thanksgiving can be a little awkward Thanksgiving by myself, so I’ll try for the first time. I saw pictures last year of the families, and it was really nice and had lots of food and looks like a good national day for it. People like it a lot here, right?” By Samantha Pell November 22 at 7:00 AM Washington Post LOADED: 11.23.2018

Washington Capitals forward Andre Burakovsky sat in his dressing room stall and turned to his left, giving a sheepish grin to forward Tom Wilson. It was Wednesday morning at the Capitals’ practice facility, and the Swede had been talking about his still-to-be-decided Thanksgiving Day plans when he thought it was best to casually drop a hint in Wilson’s direction. “When I live in America I guess I have to follow the traditions and the holidays, so I haven’t really planned anything yet,” Burakovsky said. “We will see. We will see if I get an invite from Wilson.” [Michal Kempny haunts his former team in Capitals’ win over the Blackhawks] Wilson, who is Canadian, didn’t seem to pay any attention. “I like the holiday,” Burakovsky continued, before Wilson immediately interjected: “Of course you do. You can eat lots of food!” Thanksgiving for non-Americans in the NHL, such as Burakovsky and Wilson, is mostly an excuse to eat good food, relax and adopt a holiday as their own while playing hockey in the United States. But it also signifies how multicultural hockey is, with the Capitals alone having eight separate countries represented on their roster. While Thanksgiving is seen as a standard holiday for most Americans, for players born outside the U.S. it can get a bit awkward trying to plan for the day. “It’s hard to get into the actual history of it, especially from people who aren’t from America,” Capitals forward and Minnesota native Travis Boyd said. “They don’t really understand it, but I basically just tell them it’s a day where you eat a bunch of food and hang out with your family. Like that is pretty much the gist of it. Sit around, do nothing, watch TV and eat a bunch of good food. That’s it.” Canadians have their own Thanksgiving holiday in October, so to partake in a second one a month later isn’t always an extravagant occasion. But some players still like to take full advantage of the opportunity. Canadian forward Brett Connolly still didn’t know his Thanksgiving plans the day before the holiday. “It’s a fun day,” said Wilson, who planned on spending the holiday with friends and teammates. “I’ll still celebrate it. It’s even better. I get two Thanksgivings! I didn’t get a chance to celebrate the Canadian one, so hopefully there is some turkey in the future [Thursday].” For some NHL teams, the holiday is used as just another bonding experience, with organizations having one big dinner together or multiple smaller celebrations at players’ homes. For the Capitals this year, Thanksgiving falls a day before a back-to-back, not giving the players much time to enjoy the festivities. Boyd said most of the time, especially for a team with a lot of players with families and young kids such as the Capitals, Thanksgiving is a time best spent in small groups. “We’ll eat,” said Connolly, who already had a large Canadian Thanksgiving feast courtesy of his mother-in-law in October. “It won’t be too crazy.” For Burakovsky, his first Thanksgiving celebration was with the host family he was staying with at the time, and he immediately took away one essential thought: "It can be a little unhealthy if you treat yourself, but, yeah, I like the holiday.” He said he doesn’t have a favorite Thanksgiving food. “I just eat anything.” Forward Jakub Vrana, who is Czech, will be enjoying his first Thanksgiving with his father, who is in town ahead of the Capitals' annual dads’ trip. Vrana said the festivities will mostly just include him and his dad, with the chance that other players, such as forward Dmitrij Jaskin and defenseman Jonas Siegenthaler, will stop by. Vrana said his Thanksgiving plans also include cooking his first turkey. “Yeah, I think it’s pretty simple, no?” the 22-year-old said. “You just put it in the oven, and it takes a couple hours.” While Vrana enjoys the American holiday, he was still learning the exact terms for all the Thanksgiving essentials: “I think we want to make mashed potatoes and some what is it called? Like a raspberry sauce?” Cranberry. 1117119 Washington Capitals

NHL contenders beware: Being in a playoff spot on Thanksgiving is critical

By Brian McNally November 22, 2018 3:09 PM

ARLINGTON, Va. — Call it the NHL version of early voting. By the time American Thanksgiving hits in late November – in an international sport like hockey you have to distinguish these things – teams that are in a playoff spot have a huge advantage. The season is only about a quarter over, but trends are already in place that will carry over for the next 60 games. According to the NHL, over the past five seasons 62 of 80 teams in a playoff spot on Thanksgiving Day have gone on to clinch a playoff berth (77.5 percent). That’s good news for the Capitals, who had a short summer after winning the Stanley Cup, a few tough road trips already and some injuries that have tested their depth. Yet 21 games into the season Washington is 11-7-3 with 25 standings points and sits in third place in the Metropolitan Division. “It’s the quarter of the way through mark and we’ve had to work for it,” Capitals defenseman Matt Niskanen said. “But going through that is not a bad thing in the long run. If everything comes easy for you all the year then sometimes that can set you up for failure later on. So we’re working through it and still racking up enough points.” That’s a playoff spot – albeit a precarious one. The Caps are only two points ahead of the Carolina Hurricanes (10-8-3, 23 points), who are the first team out of the playoffs in the Eastern Conference. But it’s better than the alternative. There is a theory that Thanksgiving is no longer the barometer it once was given the parity in the NHL. Last season five teams outside of a playoff spot at the quarter pole (Boston, Philadelphia, San Jose, Minnesota, Colorado) all recovered to make it anyway. Twelve teams remain within five points of a playoff position through 317 games in 2018-19, continuing a recent trend. In each of the past two seasons, at least 12 teams were within five points of a playoff spot as of U.S. Thanksgiving. At least three teams have clinched a postseason berth after being outside the bracket on U.S. Thanksgiving in each of the past eight applicable seasons. But all of that still bucks historical norms. Five teams breaking the Thanksgiving curse has only happened a few times since the turn of the century. It also happened in 2000-01, 2003-04 and 2007-08. The Capitals are the quintessential turnaround story. The Rock the Red era began during that 2007-08 season when they fired coach Glen Hanlon on Thanksgiving Day and hired Bruce Boudreau. It took a while, but Washington eventually caught fire, went from dead last in the conference to clinch the Southeast Division title and a playoff berth on a memorable final day of the regular season. But they had to win 11 of their final 12 games to do it. Spending the whole season chasing is no way to go through life. It’s exhausting. And that’s the reason Thanksgiving remains a good barometer. The Florida Panthers just missed the playoffs in 2017-18 and with a young roster stacked with talent were considered a contender. But on Thanksgiving Day they sit last in the Atlantic Division at 8-8-3 with 19 points in 19 games. Florida is already seven points out of an Eastern Conference wild card spot and 11 points behind third-place Buffalo (14-6- 2, 30 points). It gets late quick. After winning the Presidents’ Trophy the previous two years, the Caps spent last fall trying to acclimate to big roster changes and getting over the grief of back-to-back second-round playoff exits. It took a while and they hit bottom on Nov. 16 with a 6-2 loss to Colorado and were out of a playoff spot 20 games into the season. But Washington won two of its first three games on a pre-Thanksgiving homestand and held the final Eastern Conference wild card berth on the holiday at 12-10-1 (25 points). Then the Caps beat Tampa Bay at home 3-1 the day after Thanksgiving. No one knew at the time that was a preview of the conference final, which Washington won in seven games. “I think it was a little harder to believe last year,” Niskanen said. “To believe that you could come through it and be better. This year I think at least stats wise we’re on as similar path and we know that we have the potential to get better and do something at the right time of year because we just did it.” Comcast SportsNet.com LOADED: 11.23.2018 1117120 Washington Capitals

Capitals defenseman Michal Kempny helps take down former team in 4-2 win over Blackhawks

By Brian McNally November 22, 2018

CAPITAL ONE ARENA — Michal Kempny tried to say it was just another game, but he could not keep up the ruse. Playing his former team meant too much. The Chicago Blackhawks gave up on Kempny last February. He was traded to the Capitals after months in and out of the lineup. He wondered if his time in the NHL was coming to an end. Maybe it’d be better to just go back to the Czech Republic. Good thing he didn’t. Kempny found a home in Washington and quickly became a top-four defenseman who helped stabilize the blueline and help the Capitals to their first Stanley Cup. The disappointment upon leaving Chicago was behind him. That didn’t make Wednesday’s game against the Blackhawks any less weird. “It feels really nice. I have to say it wasn’t an easy game for me to play,” Kempny said. “I know a lot of guys from Chicago. I spent almost two seasons there. But big win for me and our team.” Kempny made sure of that. He scored a goal at 9:28 of the second period – his first of the season – and that proved to be the game winner in a 4-2 victory against Chicago. It wasn’t quite as big as Kempny’s last goal, which came in Game 4 of the Stanley Cup Final on June 4 against the Vegas Golden Knights, but it meant something nonetheless. “It’s huge. After every practice I see him shooting pucks,” teammate and fellow Czech Republic native Jakub Vrana said. “He works on his shot and today it went through for him. Helps his confidence. I bet it feels pretty good.” Kempny became the second Caps player in two games to score against his former team. At Bell Centre in Montreal on Monday, Lars Eller was being booed by the fans who used to cheer him there. He promptly scored the game-winning goal in overtime to stick it to them. Eller always loves playing the Canadiens, where he never felt he was given a chance. Kempny was more conflicted. Joel Quenneville, Chicago’s coach when he was there and a three-time Stanley Cup champion with the Blackhawks, was fired on Nov. 6. It wasn’t quite as personal. But like Eller he has landed in a good spot. “It always adds a little bit of extra fire to guys,” Capitals coach Todd Reirden said. “I thought [Kempny] was skating well. Great to see him get rewarded with a goal there and I thought he had a strong game. Made some good plays at the end, some good blocks, and his skating was a factor, which is always important. I thought he did a good job of breaking pucks out, but he was ramped up for it for sure and then he settled into it and had a real strong game.” Kempny almost added a second goal with a chance in the slot in the third period at 9:40. He had a tip on goalie Corey Crawford in the second period. It’s all part of the Capitals asking more of their defensemen given a brief lull in their five-on-five play and without key forwards T.J. Oshie and Evgeny Kuznetsov, who are out with upper-body injuries. After the game, Kempny caught up with his former teammates. Blackhawks captain Jonathan Toews approached in the hallway outside the Chicago locker room and other former teammates stopped by to say hello. “I don’t know. It feels a little bit weird,” Kempny said. “The first period I was really excited from the game. After the first I was trying a little bit to settle down and keep playing my game and help my team to win.” Comcast SportsNet.com LOADED: 11.23.2018 1117121 Winnipeg Jets Winnipeg Free Press LOADED 11.23.2018

Vesalainen activates out clause in contract, jets off to Jokerit of KHL

Mike McIntyre

MINNEAPOLIS — Kristian Vesalainen has officially bid farewell to the Winnipeg Jets organization — at least for now. The 19-year-old rookie was assigned Thursday to Jokerit of the Kontinental Hockey League, where he will finish out the season. Vesalainen has an out clause in his three-year entry-level contract that allows him to return to Europe if he's not on the Jets' roster. That applies to this season only. He made the Jets out of training camp, registering one assist in five games, before being sent down to the Manitoba Moose of the AHL. Despite Jets management preferring him to stay in North America — and even calling him back up this past weekend in a last-ditch attempt at convincing him — Vesalainen has opted to head home to Finland rather than remain with the Moose, where he had three goals and five assists in eight games. He would be eligible to rejoin either the Jets or Moose once the Jokerit squad's KHL season ends. The KHL playoffs begin in late February and run until mid-April, around the time the Stanley Cup and Calder Cup playoffs begin. Could a familiar face soon be back in the fold? Colorado Avalanche's Marko Dano has been placed on waivers for the second time this season. Marko Dano was placed on waivers by the Colorado Avalanche Thursday, five weeks after the team grabbed him off the hockey scrap heap when the Jets tried to send him down to the Moose. Dano, 23, had no points in eight games with the Avalanche while also spending a handful of games as a healthy scratch. The Jets may be interested in getting Dano back for forward depth, especially after losing Vesalainen. As the team that initially waived him, Winnipeg has the right to reacquire Dano and send him directly to the Moose, as they initially intended, providing no other NHL team makes a claim by this morning with the intention of keeping Dano on their roster for at least the next 30 days. Dano, the 27th overall pick in the 2013 NHL draft, was acquired by the Jets in February 2016 as part of the trade that sent Andrew Ladd to the Chicago Blackhawks. He played 82 games with the Jets spread out over parts of four seasons, scoring 10 goals and adding 12 assists. He was a healthy scratch for every game this year prior to being put on waivers. Jets head coach Paul Maurice appears to be finding additional trust in his fourth line. The trio of Jack Roslovic, Nic Petan and Mathieu Perreault were given several shifts late in Wednesday's game against the Calgary Flames, even with the Jets trailing by a couple goals. The Winnipeg Jets fourth line of Jack Roslovic, left and Mathieu Perreault along with Nic Petan has seen more icetime recently. Petan played 8:20 over 11 shifts, Roslovic 9:07 over 13 shifts and Perreault 11:02 over 16 shifts, thanks to his work on the second power- play unit. That's a marked increase of usage for Petan and Roslovic, who were struggling to exceed five minutes a game, especially in games where the Jets were behind. "Since the three of them have gotten together, I think post-Finland, Jack Roslovic is skating differently now. He’s got some comfort in his game. But his energy level’s gone right up. Matty Perreault brings that. So it’s a good line. And they need to be rewarded at times. So they need to feel from their coach that if their game is right they’ll get an opportunity to play a bit more. And we, as a team, need to be able to play that line more," Maurice said. Roslovic was a healthy scratch for the second game of the Global Series in Helsinki, then moved to the wing for a few games with Andrew Copp as his centre. He's now back in the middle, with a noticeable difference. "Yeah, getting him back to skating is the thing we needed to do. When you take a player out of the middle, their game frees up. There’s not as much responsibility on the wings. So he got back to skating and moving right and we had hoped he could transition that into the middle, and it has," said Maurice. 1117122 Winnipeg Jets After (Wednesday) we have to play some good hockey in Minnesota and be able to bounce back after this loss," Laine said.

The recent play of the third-year Finnish sniper is another reason for What in the blazes...? optimism. Laine has five goals in his past two games, including three First-period Dumpster fire in Calgary belies Jets' solid first quarter during five-on-five action, which was an area he'd been struggling in. He is up to 13 goals on the season, putting him on pace for 53.

The Minnesota Wild will prove to be a good test for the Winnipeg Jets By: Mike McIntyre when they visit Xcel Energy Center in Minneapolis, Friday. The Minnesota Wild will prove to be a good test for the Winnipeg Jets when they visit Xcel Energy Center in Minneapolis, Friday. MINNEAPOLIS — Blake Wheeler suggested they just "shower this one off and move on." Winnipeg's power play is the second-best in the NHL right now, and the penalty kill has been reliable on most nights and sits 13th overall. The Sound advice from the captain, really. The Winnipeg Jets wouldn't want Jets also own the fifth-best goals-against-average in the league, even the stench of Wednesday's first-period cow patty in Calgary to linger too after getting scorched by the Flames. long. And scrubbing it from the memory banks is likely the best way to move forward, even if some valuable lessons might have been contained "I think when we play our game and are confident, we’re a good team. I in the mess that was giving up five goals en route to a 6-3 loss. think (Wednesday) was the first game we really got down early, and no one really lost their mind or lost their cool," said defenceman Jacob "I think it was just embarrassing. That’s not the Winnipeg Jets. That’s not Trouba. the way we want to play this game. It was bad. It was real bad. We can’t let that happen again," said forward Patrik Laine, never one to apply a Some areas of ongoing angst include how the Jets manage the puck in filter when it comes to speaking what's on his mind. their own end, which was on full display in Calgary. There were far too many blunders and brain cramps that came back to bite them. At the top (As a quick aside, thank goodness for that. Far too many athletes are of the list is veteran Tyler Myers, who is truly struggling on a third-pairing content to just spit out the same tired clichés, which is all the more right now along with journeyman defenceman Joe Morrow. reason to appreciate Laine's candour.) Perhaps it's time to sit one or both of them down for a game or two and With the Jets having now hit the quarter mark of their season, it's give Sami Niku a look, just to see what the reigning AHL defenceman of important to maintain some perspective with an eye on the bigger picture. the year can do. Or why not Tucker Poolman, currently biding his time Prior to that forgettable 20 minutes against the Flames (which was patiently with the Manitoba Moose? followed by 40 pretty dominant minutes by the Jets), Winnipeg had been playing some of its best hockey of the season and was on a 4-0-1 run Want more on hockey? heading into the game. Get a weekly trip around the world of hockey right in your inbox. Reason for some concern? Sure, I'll give you that on at least a few fronts. Reason to panic? Absolutely not. This team is 12-6-2 and own the NHL's SUBSCRIBE TO DUMP & CHASE fifth-best winning percentage while sitting in a playoff spot on U.S. Vezina finalist Connor Hellebuyck also had a setback Wednesday night, Thanksgiving, which has historically been a fairly telling barometer as to getting pulled for the first time in a calendar year after giving up three how things will play out. According to the NHL, 62 of 80 teams in playoff goals on just nine shots. Hellebuyck had been playing well of late after a spots by Turkey Day over the past five seasons ended up making the bit of a lacklustre start, so it's possibly just a blip. But it's worth keeping playoffs. an eye on, especially with backup Laurent Brossoit playing so well and Winnipeg's 26 points are just one short of what they had after 20 games champing at the bit for more action. last season — a campaign in which they ended up finishing No. 2 overall Then there's the injury bug, or lack thereof. Defenceman Dmitry Kulikov in the league while setting all kinds of franchise records and advancing to is the only player to be felled so far, which represents a run of good luck. the third round of the playoffs for the first time. Can it continue? The Jets certainly hope so, but a look around the NHL "Just really important that the hockey team doesn’t think it can just throw at the number of wounded regulars suggests nothing is permanent. How its sticks out there and be good. We know we gotta work" they handle any such adversity if and when it comes will be another key. – Winnipeg Jets head coach Paul Maurice "I think the last little bit we’ve been where we want to be. I think our game is inching close to how we want it. We had to grind the first handful of Bottom line: there's no point in raising a big stink. games, first 10 or so games. I think we’re in a place now where we have a lot of confidence in what we do, in everyone’s role, everyone’s job. Maybe the most promising sign is that players and coaches know We’ve been having quite a bit of success doing that lately," Wheeler expectations are higher than ever and aren't just content to be a good concluded Wednesday night at Scotiabank Saddledome. team. Nobody around the organization is celebrating this start or planning a parade. Moments later, the captain hit the shower. "I think that the hockey team is very interested and aware that we need to Winnipeg Free Press LOADED 11.23.2018 get better. And that’s not a statement of we’re not playing well. We’ve had a decent, solid start to the start of the year. We have areas to improve. We certainly don’t feel we’ve arrived," Jets head coach Paul Maurice said in the aftermath of Wednesday's loss. "Just really important that the hockey team doesn’t think it can just throw its sticks out there and be good. We know we gotta work." They'll get a chance to do just that when they take on the Minnesota Wild Friday afternoon at Xcel Energy Center. It's a big game, for a few reasons. The Wild are currently two points up on the Jets for second place in the ultra-competitive Central Division. But more than that, Minnesota is the type of team Winnipeg has struggled with so far this season. The Jets have played only six games against teams currently in the top 10 of NHL win percentage. And their record is just 1-4-1 in those contests. The old saying "to be the best you've got to beat the best" comes to mind. And the Jets have done very little of that so far, racking up the majority of their points against some of the league's lesser-lights. That might be the biggest area of worry, especially with their schedule set to start getting tougher. "I say our game is not there yet where it needs to be. I think we’re getting there. Baby steps. But I think overall we’ve played some good hockey. 1117123 Winnipeg Jets Goalies Connor Hellebuyck GAMEDAY: Winnipeg Jets at Minnesota Wild Laurent Brossoit Minnesota Wild Ken Wiebe Forwards Jason Zucker-Eric Staal-Mikael Granlund 3 p.m., Xcel Energy Centre. TV: TSN3Radio: TSN 1290 Zach Parise-Mikko Koivu-Charlie Coyle THE BIG MATCHUP Jordan Greenway-Marcus Foligno-Joel Eriksson Ek Connor Hellebuyck vs Devan Dubnyk Nino Niederreiter-Eric Fehr-J.T. Brown In what was a rare occurrence, both No. 1 puckstoppers were pulled on Defence the same night, Jets goalie Connor Hellebuyck getting the hook after giving up three goals on nine shots on goal against the Calgary Flames Ryan Suter-Mathew Dumba and Dubnyk yanked after the Ottawa Senators turned a 4-1 deficit into a Jonas Brodin-Jared Spurgeon 4-4 tie. These two netminders are friends and work together as part of the NET360 goalie fraternity in Kelowna in the summer. Hellebuyck was Nick Seeler-Greg Pateryn pulled for the first time since Nov. 10, 2017, when he gave up five goals on 22 shots on goal against the Vegas Golden Knights. Goalies 5 keys to the game Devan Dubnyk Clean up first period Alex Stalock Despite scoring 15 seconds into Wednesday’s game against the Calgary Injuries Flames, the Jets gave up five goals on 14 shots on goal. Yes, the Jets Jets: D Dmitry Kulikov (upper body, IR) regrouped and made things interesting, but they’ll need to be quicker out of the gate in order to avoid consecutive losses in regulation time for the Wild: None first time this season. Special Teams Laine feeling it POWER PLAY After going 18 games without a five-on-five goal to start the season, Jets sniper Patrik Laine has three during his past two games and five goals Winnipeg: 31.7% (2nd) overall during that span to move him into the team lead with 13, which left him just four behind NHL leader David Pastrnak of the Boston Bruins Minnesota: 23.3% (10th) going into Thursday’s action. PENALTY KILLING Byfuglien a force Winnipeg 80.6% (13th) Minnesota product Dustin Byfuglien has four assists during his past five Minnesota: 85.7% (4th) games and has been logging an awful lot of ice time. He’s only had fewer than 20 minutes in a contest once in 18 games and his average time on Winnipeg Sun LOADED 11.23.2018 ice is up to 24:43 for the season. He’s also averaging nearly a point a game, with two goals and 16 points in 18 games. O from the D Speaking of defencemen making an impact, the top pairing on the Wild, Ryan Suter and Mathew Dumba, have combined for 13 goals and 32 points this season, with 14 of those points coming on the power play. Dumba has 10 goals to lead all defenceman and features a booming shot, so the Jets must keep tabs of when this pairing is on the ice and they’ll be on the ice a lot as they average 25:54 (Suter) and 24:04 (Dumba). Healthy and producing Wild left-winger Zach Parise endured an incredibly challenging 2017-18 campaign thanks to a series of injuries, but he’s back to full health and is already in mid-season form, with nine goals and 19 points — with only five of those points coming on the power play. Parise has also enjoyed ample success against the Jets during his career, recording 17 goals and 35 points in 42 games. GAME DAY LINEUPS Winnipeg Jets Forwards Nikolaj Ehlers-Mark Scheifele-Blake Wheeler Kyle Connor-Bryan Little-Patrik Laine Andrew Copp-Adam Lowry-Brandon Tanev Nic Petan-Jack Roslovic-Mathieu Perreault Defence Josh Morrissey-Jacob Trouba Ben Chiarot-Dustin Byfuglien Joe Morrow-Tyler Myers 1117124 Winnipeg Jets is solid, Dustin Byfuglien is playing at a high level and Ben Chiarot has settled in and played a simple, yet effective game on the second pairing.

FORWARDS (B+) FIRST QUARTER REFLECTIONS: Jets managing expectations with steady play and room to grow The Jets have been a bit top heavy this season in terms of offensive production, but the balance is starting to come. Wheeler is an elite passer and remains among the assist leaders in the NHL, Mark Scheifele Ken Wiebe is close to a point-per-game average and Laine is up to 13 goals and leading the team after a relatively slow start – especially at even strength. Kyle Connor’s progression over the past 12 months is impressive. The checking line of Adam Lowry, Andrew Copp and Brandon Tanev MINNEAPOLIS – All things considered, the Winnipeg Jets put continues to improve and provides quality minutes against the themselves in a relatively comfortable position as they completed the first opposition’s most skilled players on a regular basis. quarter of their 2018-19 schedule. Winnipeg Jets’ Brandon Tanev (13), Adam Lowry (17), Andrew Copp (9) With a 12-6-2 record, the Jets currently sit in third place in the ultra- and Tyler Myers (57) celebrate Copp’s goal against the Vancouver competitive Central Division standings. Canucks during third period NHL action in Winnipeg on Thursday, October 18, 2018. THE CANADIAN PRESS/John Woods For a team that came into the season with heightened expectations after setting a franchise record for wins and points and reaching the Western COACHING/MANAGEMENT (B-) Conference final, it’s fair to say the Jets haven’t reached top gear just yet. Maurice and his coaching staff get credit for having above average special teams, including a power play that has been at or near the top of But that’s not abnormal either. the NHL for the majority of the season. The Jets have done a better job lately of finding more ice time for the fourth line and that must continue. “The hockey team is very interested and aware that we need to get The Jets have been mostly healthy during the first quarter, so their depth better,” said Jets head coach Paul Maurice. “And that’s not a statement hasn’t really been tested. With the departure of Kristian Vesalainen, who of we’re not playing well. We’ve had a decent, solid start to the start of was officially loaned to Jokerit of the Kontinental Hockey League on the year. We have areas to improve. We certainly don’t feel we’ve Thursday afternoon, it will be interesting to see if the Jets put in a claim arrived. We’ve got an awful young team here. The first goal would be a for former Jets forward Marko Dano. Dano, who had no points in eight real good example of that, just basic things, basic positioning in front, games with the Colorado Avalanche, was placed on waivers on things like that. Just really important that the hockey team doesn’t think it Thursday. can just throw its sticks out there and be good. We know we’ve got to work.” OVERALL (B) The work for the Jets resumes on Friday when they continue a four-game There have been plenty of signs of late that the Jets are beginning to road trip against the Minnesota Wild, a team that is two points ahead of play closer to their identity game on a more consistent basis. A potent them in the standings. power play allowed the Jets a little more time to find their way in the defensive zone. Reducing the offensive-zone penalties is an area that “Obviously we’ve won more games than we’ve lost, so that’s a good requires further attention. This is a fast team with plenty of offensive thing,” said Jets forward Patrik Laine, who is in a groove after a relatively weapons, but it’s the continued commitment to the defensive zone play slow start of his own. “I say our game is not there yet where it needs to that could allow the Jets to remain among the elite teams in the Western be. I think we’re getting there. Baby steps. But I think overall we’ve Conference. played some good hockey.” By the numbers: Winnipeg Jets during the first quarter of the 2018-19 There were some defensive-zone challenges during the first 10 games of season the season — and some poor puck management crept into Wednesday’s 6-3 loss to the Calgary Flames — but the Jets have made a commitment Record: 12-6-2 to being better in those areas, especially after returning home from Finland. Home record: 7-2-2 “The last little bit we’ve been where we want to be. I think our game is Road record: 6-5 inching close to how we want it,” said Jets captain Blake Wheeler. “We had to grind the first handful of games, first 10 or so games. I think we’re ROW (regulation and overtime wins): 12 in a place now where we have a lot of confidence in what we do, in Points: 26 everyone’s role, everyone’s job. We’ve been having quite a bit of success doing that lately.” Goals for: 64 By getting themselves inside the playoff line by American Thanksgiving, Goals against: 54 the Jets are well positioned, but it’s no guarantee for future success. Goal differential: plus-10 Just last season, the St. Louis Blues were on top of the Central after the 20-game mark and ended up missing the playoffs. Power play efficiency: 31.7 % So, it’s obvious the heavy lifting for the Winnipeg Jets is just about to Penalty kill efficiency: 80.6 % begin. Team leaders With that in mind, here’s a closer look at the positional grades for the Jets Points: Blake Wheeler, 25 through the first quarter of the season: Goals: Patrik Laine, 13 GOALIES (B-) Power play goals: Patrik Laine, 8 Coming off a Vezina finalist season, Connor Hellebuyck’s numbers are below league average and he would garner a C- for his work so far. Prior Even-strength goals: Mark Scheifle, 7 to being pulled for the first time in more than a calendar year on Wednesday against the Calgary Flames, he’d shown plenty of signs of Assists: Blake Wheeler, 22 finding his form. Expectations on Hellebuyck are high and he’ll continue Power play assists: Blake Wheeler, 13 to push to improve. On the flip side, most folks didn’t know what to expect from backup Laurent Brossoit, but he’s 3-0-1 in his five Power play points: Blake Wheeler, 13 appearances and has been fantastic. Yes, the sample size is limited so far, but he’s proven to be a capable backup to this point and should track Shorthanded goals: Adam Lowry, 1 for somewhere in the neighbourhood of 20 starts. Shots on goal: Patrik laine, 81 DEFENCE (B) Shooting %: Mark Scheifele, 20.8 % The back end has mostly been steady, though the third pairing of Tyler Myers and either Joe Morrow or before an injury, Dmitry Kulikov, has Time on ice: Dustin Byfuglien, 24:42 been on the ice for a lot of goals against and endured some defensive Hits: Adam Lowry, 60 struggles. However, the top pairing of Josh Morrissey and Jacob Trouba Blocked shots: Jacob Trouba, 40 Penalty minutes: Brendan Lemieux, 27 Plus/minus: Mark Scheifele, plus-8 Faceoff %: Adam Lowry, 57.1 % Goalie stats Games played: Connor Hellebuyck, 16 Minutes played: Connor Hellebuyck, 909 Shots against: Connor Hellebuyck, 482 Goals against: Connor Hellebuyck, 44 Wins: Connor Hellebuyck, 9 Losses: Connor Hellebuyck, 5 Goals against average: Laurent Brossoit, 1.64 Save %: Laurent Brossoit, .951 Winnipeg Sun LOADED 11.23.2018 1117125 Vancouver Canucks Add it all up and he’s looking at a 90.1 even strength save percentage, which is in the bottom-third of the league.

It’s important to understand that save percentage isn’t all about the Patrick Johnston: Frustrated Markstrom battling pucks, fatigue in goalie. It’s about what the team in front of him is doing, too. Canucks’ losing skid While the Canucks have done a better job at eliminating shots off the rush, which are a more dangerous form of shot, they’re still yielding too Patrick Johnston many shots from the prime scoring areas. Turnovers in the slot certainly don’t help.

The defensive struggles are putting heavy pressure on the goalie — and The Vancouver Canucks and netminder Jacob Markstrom are looking for when you’re leaning heavily on just one, it’s a big ask. ways to snap a seven-game losing streak as they head to San Jose for a Friday game against the Sharks. And so, while Markstrom searches for answers, maybe it’s just a little rest that he needs. The Canucks goalie has carried a heavy load over the past few weeks and cracks are showing up in his game. And some help in front. SAN JOSE, Calif. — Like the rest of his struggling Vancouver team, there Vancouver Province: LOADED: 11.23.2018 was no hiding the frustration that goalie Jacob Markstrom was feeling after Wednesday’s 4-3 loss to the Anaheim Ducks. “I gotta work harder. You don’t just get lucky, you earn your luck, and you gotta earn your bounces. I guess I gotta work harder,” he said after the loss, the Canucks’ sixth-straight in regulation, seventh-straight if you include a Nov. 10 shootout loss to the Buffalo Sabres. Markstrom is making many difficult saves, night in, night out. Teammates have been acknowledging the netminder’s heavy workload — Monday’s 20-save effort in the first period against the Winnipeg Jets, where the visitors scored three times but could have had three more — while also insisting they’ve got to do a much better job in front of him. “Too many good chances to the other team,” Antoine Roussel said after Wednesday’s loss at the Honda Center. But Markstrom’s also undoing his good work by conceding goals any goalie would like back, on shots from far out or on bad shooting angles. Take the goal Adam Henrique scored from down low, to the right of the net on Wednesday. The Canucks’ struggling penalty kill took away the pass — something Henrique himself highlighted post-game — forcing him to take a low-percentage shot. He managed to pick the top of corner of the net, the only spot Markstrom hadn’t covered. Goalie analyst Kevin Woodley was critical of the reverse-VH technique Markstrom’s defaulting to on shots from tough angles on TSN 1040 Thursday morning. “It’s designed to be a technique used on dead angles,” he explained, like when the puck is behind the net — not when the shooter is at the bottom of the faceoff circle, like Henrique was. “It’s a technique that worked early on because shooters hadn’t figured it out.” Not so much anymore, he said. Applying such an approach was a mental error, one possibly the result of fatigue, Woodley suggested. The return of Anders Nilsson, who has had more success with similar shots to the ones that have handcuffed Markstrom this season, will sure help Markstrom tidy up his game. We’ve seen him perform much better in the past when given breaks to recover physically and mentally. but overall, Markstrom has given up one more goal than expected per 100 shots at 5v5. that's about one goal every 4 games. if you want to blame the state of the team on that, fill your boots. but you're letting cognitive biases affect your judgement. — nobody (@petbugs13) November 22, 2018 When you dig into the numbers you find some interesting things. The league average save percentage on high danger shots, ones basically on top of the crease, is 82.8 per cent. Markstrom is actually a hair below, posting a 82.2 save percentage. That’s still in “decent” territory. Even on shots from inside the scoring chance area, between the faceoff dots and down toward the crease, Markstrom has posted respectable numbers. It’s long shots where he’s had real struggles. There are 72 goalies who have suited up in an NHL game this season. Markstrom is in the bottom- third when it comes to the average distance at which goals are going in against him. 1117126 Vancouver Canucks

As Baertschi struggles with concussion, Canucks call up Boucher, re- assign Gaunce

Patrick Johnston

SAN JOSE — The Canucks have made a switch on their depth chart. Returning to the Utica Comets of the American Hockey League is Brendan Gaunce. Coming up from Utica is Reid Boucher. Best known for his sound defensive game, Gaunce suited up for three games for the Canucks since being recalled Oct. 30 and recorded three points. He scored a goal and added an assist in his first game back in the NHL, against the Chicago Blackhawks on Halloween, then recorded another assist in the next game, the wild 7-6 win over the Colorado Avalanche on Nov. 2. Despite his offensive outburst while skating on the fourth line, he only played one more game over the succeeding three weeks, Nov. 17 against the Montreal Canadiens. He only played 4:58 in that game. Darren Archibald has been preferred on the fourth line to Gaunce, and with Gaunce’s waivers clock ticking down — he cleared waivers before the season started and is allowed 30 days in the NHL before he has to be placed on waivers again before being re-assigned to Utica — it makes sense to swap him out for Boucher. (If you’re counting at home, Gaunce spent 22 days in the NHL, meaning he can still be recalled but would need waivers after another eight days with the Canucks.) Boucher has been on a tear with the Comets, scoring 10 goals in 12 games. He also missed seven games due to an injury suffered Oct. 20. He’s played 47 NHL games for the Canucks over the last two seasons, scoring eight goals. His scoring talents have always been evident, but his biggest knock has been his foot speed. It’s possible the Canucks will look to put him in the lineup in one of the two games remaining on their road trip — Friday against the San Jose Sharks, Saturday against the Los Angeles Kings — but goal scoring hasn’t really been a problem for the Canucks, and that’s his strength. What the Canucks need is smarter play in their own end. While not noted as a defensive player, Boucher is a new option on the wing and a little offensive flair is never a bad thing. Baertschi struggling Winger Sven Baertschi, out with a concussion since Oct. 24, told Swiss media that his first time back on ice last Saturday didn’t go well. He told Swiss newspaper Blick that after skating for about 15 minutes, he felt dizzy and stopped. He’s also having blurry vision and a headache. The team has been very cautious with head injuries this season, emphasizing the need to take them seriously. Baertschi echoed a similar sentiment, acknowledging the need for him to not rush to return. “I also want to be able to enjoy my life after my hockey career with my family,” he said. Vancouver Province: LOADED: 11.23.2018 1117127 Vancouver Canucks Then again, Demko turns 23 in early December and has just the one NHL game to his credit. The Canucks won that game, but Demko’s performance didn’t qualify as a QS (Quality Start), meaning he didn’t Why the decision to chase Sergei Bobrovsky isn’t an open and shut case provide league average or better goaltending in that game. Conventional for the Canucks wisdom suggests that goaltenders take forever to develop and peak in their late-twenties, but much of the research done in the public sphere places peak years for the position closer to their age 23 or 24 seasons. If he isn’t ready to go soon, then when will he be? By JD Burke Nov 22, 2018 Whether the reasons I’ve outlined are worthy enough to be cause for concern regarding Demko’s development, there’s no avoiding the fact that the majority of prospects simply don’t pan out. The Canucks are nothing if not big game hunters under Jim Benning’s watch. It hasn’t always paid off and sometimes it’s even backfired. But I The Canucks aren’t ready to contend yet, but they’re perhaps less far off don’t think that strategy is going to change anytime soon. than most originally suspected even as recently as this summer. With what we know about when players reach their peak performance Look at the laundry list of stars and assets that the Canucks have zeroed (between 23-25 years old) and all the cost benefits that accompany in on over the last four-plus seasons. Players like P.K. Subban, Steven players in those stages of their career, it’s critical that the Canucks make Stamkos, John Tavares, Loui Eriksson, Milan Lucic (twice), Jay Beagle, hay while players like Brock Boeser, Bo Horvat, Quinn Hughes, Elias the first overall pick and on and on — I’m sure I’ve forgotten someone, Pettersson, etc. are cost-controlled. If Demko isn’t an NHL-calibre and I’m equally certain you’ll let me hear about it in the comments starting goaltender for those years, that’s going to be a significant section. impediment to doing just that. All of this is to prove a point that the Canucks are very likely to be in on It could be in the Canucks’ best interests to get ahead of that situation, the Sergei Bobrovsky sweepstakes if the two-time Vezina Trophy winner lest they find themselves scrambling for quick fixes midseason. Enter makes it to free agency this summer. Sergei Bobrovsky. If recent Canucks’ history (the best predictor of future actions, or so they Before the emergence of John Gibson of Anaheim, it was Bobrovsky who say) wasn’t a strong enough indication, the little morsels of information held the mantle as the NHL’s best goaltender, and he did so for a sizable that my Athletic colleague Jason Botchford is laying like a breadcrumb chunk of time. Bobrovsky’s .937 save percentage at 5-on-5 over the last trail connecting the team and Bobrovsky really ought to do the trick. three season is the best rate among goaltenders with 1000 or more The first piece to hit the floor came in an Athletic Q&A, where the VIPs minutes in that stretch. The 48.6 GSAA to Bobrovsky’s credit also ranks had the opportunity to talk directly to Botchford. That was on October 4th. first, nine-plus goals ahead of Pekka Rinne in second place. A week ago, Botchford elaborated further in The Athletties, looking at the If it weren’t for Bobrovsky’s advanced age, this feels like a slam dunk. circumstances that the Canucks are beset with and then connecting the Any time a team gets a chance to land arguably the best goaltender in dots. the game, it’s best they do their due diligence. That age qualifier is Now everyone is talking about the possibility of Bobrovsky coming to essential though. Bobrovsky is 30-years-old and will be 31 at the start of Vancouver. Count yours truly among them. On the debut episode of my his next contract. new radio program Rink Wide with J.D. Burke & Andrew Wadden, my co- Benning has often stated that goaltenders can play well into their late- host and I mused on the possibility for an entire segment. thirties. In fairness, he’s seen it often enough that it’s not a wholly We’re a Bob McKenzie tweet connecting the two sides away from unreasonable stance. While a member of the Bruins organization, DEFCON 1 — though there’s no chance of that happening this early in Benning saw Tim Thomas hit his stride in his age-33 season and the season. continue to provide excellent goaltending until he was 38. With the Canucks, Benning signed Ryan Miller to a three-year contract when he Nevertheless, we should examine how we arrived at this point. Start with was 34 and got full-value right to the end of that deal. It’s not the norm, a look at the status quo. The Canucks have the fifth-worst save but it does happen. percentage as a team at 5-on-5. Jacob Markstrom, the Canucks’ de facto starter for much of the season by necessity, has the seventh-worst GSAA However, when making that type of bet on an older goaltender, it has to (Goals Saved Above Average) per hour among goaltenders with a be considered on a case by case basis. For every Thomas or Miller, minimum of 196 shots faced. This stat suggests that he’s allowing far there’s a Carey Price or a Cory Schneider. So, where does Bobrovsky fit more goals than the average goaltender based on the location and on that matrix? I’m not qualified to answer that question, but noted goalie frequency of the shots that the Canucks surrender with him in net. expert Nick Mercadante (who recently ranked Bobrovsky as the second- best goaltender in the NHL on Dimitri Filipovic‘s excellent Hockey Goaltending hadn’t necessarily cost the Canucks hockey games through PDOcast podcast) sure as hell is. Here are his thoughts on Bobrovsky October but as the calendar has turned to November and the injuries entering his thirties and what type of bet he’d place on the star have mounted, it’s become a flaw that this team can’t outscore often netminder: enough to keep pace. “He’s built like a Gumby goalie. Wiry, not heavy. But he relies on his In a vacuum, that’s fine. The Canucks playing exciting hockey, scoring flexibility for his style to be at his best. He has a history of recurring groin goals in bunches and still managing to lose hockey games is probably issues that won’t get better over time. Will likely get worse if anything. what’s in their best interests anyway. It’s something that everyone can Heavy goalies breakdown faster — think Price — especially ones that live with, though I suspect the front office won’t share the enthusiasm that are torquing and slamming their knees down in butterfly style. Other big the average fan has for this template. goalies adapt to become more blocking. Ben Bishop, Mike Smith, etc. It’s usually pretty ugly. What about next year, though? Or the one after it? It’s clear that Markstrom isn’t going to be Canucks goaltender when they’re turning the Bobrovsky is more like a Ryan Miller or even a Roberto Luongo corner. This begs the question, who will be Vancouver’s goalie going regarding his physique. He doesn’t carry as much weight, so I’m less forward? worried about impact injuries. But he’s got the muscular stuff recurring around his groin which is worrisome. Especially so given his propensity For years it seemed like the answer would be Thatcher Demko and that to be low to the ice, legs flared and pushing his legs out in sprawls to may very well still be the case. At just 22-years-old, Demko is still a maximize ice coverage. relatively young prospect in goaltender terms. It doesn’t seem that outlandish to still believe that he can be an effective starting goalie. He’s the best in the game at that. It’s his bread and butter. But it may eventually be his undoing as well. If he can adapt over time as Miller did, There are some who believe the Canucks’ conviction in Demko is starting then he might age a bit more gracefully. But he could also go through a to waver, though to what degree remains unknown. It probably didn’t help steep fall first because goalies are like zebras. matters that Demko was sidelined with a concussion from training camp that kept him from action until last night’s 19 save performance in the I think if I had to handicap it, four years is safe. Anything beyond that is Utica Comets 3-2 win over the Laval Rocket. begging for trouble. Largely uncharted territory for elite starters, Henrik Lundqvist and Luongo being the current exceptions.” Is there something to the Canucks’ supposed skepticism? On its face, it’s hard to see. Demko’s steadily improved each year in the Canucks’ Bobrovsky isn’t going to come cheap. I’ve heard $10-million thrown out system and carried a .922 save percentage last season as a second-year regularly as a baseline for the annual cap hit. That number seems low to pro in the AHL. In the prospect rankings that Ryan Biech and I developed me. It’s not often the best goaltender in hockey hits the open market, and this summer for the Canucks’ system, Demko ranked No. 3. I tend to think that in this new era of NHL stars getting paid, he’s going to be a trailblazer at his position. The Canucks can afford whatever the final figure on Bobrovsky’s contract is with relative ease, even considering the new deals on the way for Boeser, Pettersson, etc. The Canucks will also be a more attractive option for Bobrovsky than many of their competitors, given that they currently employ the same goalie coach, Ian Clarke, that guided Bobrovsky to his two Vezinas. It’s also likely that Clarke will push for Bobrovsky, too. This decision won’t be a slam dunk, obvious move for the Canucks. Bobrovsky has the potential to change this franchise’s trajectory almost overnight — he’s that good. For how much longer is a worthwhile question though and one that’s incredibly difficult to answer. Similarly, one has to wonder for how long Bobrovsky will provide full-value or something close to it on a contract that gets into the four or five-year range. Decisions, decisions. The Athletic LOADED: 11.23.2018 1117128 Vancouver Canucks And tonight, well, Red Shirt Pouliot got into a lot of trouble on Alpha Proxima II.

It all started in the first period where No. 5 had a chance to clear the The Athletties: Golden Dekes, Gagner’s Redemption Tour and Pouliot’s puck, but instead of taking the safe route, he gave Getzlaf a nice pizza in terrible, horrible, no good, very bad game the slot. There are many better plays to make than the one chosen here, but as By Wyatt Arndt Nov 22, 2018 Harman “Boy Genius” Dayal theorized in his big Pouliot breakdown a while back, the most trouble for Derrick seems to come when he is rushed on a play. Often times he forces the puck into bad spots when he has to make a quick decision. IF YOU ENJOY HATE-WATCHING DERRICK POULIOT, THEN BOY, DO YOU HAVE A FUN READ AHEAD OF YOU! Look at multiple instances of Derrick being rushed behind his net only to turn the puck over in a dangerous spot as evidence to this theory. It wasn’t what you would call a pretty game. The final score of 4-3 probably doesn’t do this one justice. Fun Fact No. 1: I like how Granlund at one point just has no idea what is happening with this play and is super confused how Getzlaf ends up with It was a game in which Jacob Markstrom was both amazing and the puck. Like he probably thought of 10 things Derrick was going to do heartbreaking, all at the same time. with that puck, and the one he chose, was not on that list. If Stefon was recapping this game he would tell you this game had Fun Fact No. 2: As Jeff Paterson pointed out tonight, the NHL didn’t list everything. that as a giveaway, which begs the question: if that isn’t a giveaway, what the hell is?? Shaky defence, Furbies, Derrick Pouliot seemingly on a crusade to gift pucks to the Ducks, a cat from Bodega, EP40 doing his dekes, I honestly want to know what is required for a giveaway in the NHL. Do screaming babies in Mozart wigs and Goldobin gunning down James you have to double authenticate a giveaway with a text sent to your Cybulski’s ice cold take of him being too “inconsistent” for his liking by phone? How does this work? having a hell of a game. Aside from being caught red-handed giving the puck away to the Ducks, It wasn’t a game you walked away from thinking “Yes, the Canucks have Derrick also got caught on small things, like covering the puck with his turned a corner”, but it was a game with enough silver linings that you hand. could at least go “Hey, at least they tried.” You can get away with sweeping the puck in one direction, ONE! You Basically it was the type of game that Hank Sedin would have talked swept back against the grain Derrick! You made it too obvious! about as being a good one because they were in it until the end, they just have to find a way to finish. Later on, Pouliot made the insane decision to follow up Chris Tanev on a zone entry with two guys behind him. BEST CAPTAIN MATERIAL I pray someone was screaming “LAST MAN LAST MAN” like their life “We’re in every single one of these games, and we’re playing well, it’s depended on it, like in beer league hockey. frustrating not to get the two points here. You have to work through it, and you gotta get the right bounces. ” – Bo Horvat Honestly, this breakaway bothered me more than the turnover that led to the first goal, because here he had time to think and he still made the Just like Hank would have done it! judgement call to jump up in the play. Horvat also dropped a “little things” twice in this postgame interview. This led to more questions from the internet. BEST SIGN THE DUCKS DON’T HAVE TIME FOR THIS And to be fair to Pouliot, it wasn’t all him. The Canucks avoided the slot in front of Markstrom like they owed it student loans. The penalty kill was AHAHAHA YOU HEAR THAT @BOTCHFORD ? CAPTAIN BO HORVAT awful at times. TOOK THE FACE OFF  But by any measure, eye test, or underlying stats (Tanev and Pouliot — VIP HASTINGS (@THEMATTHASTINGS) NOVEMBER 22, 2018 tanked in Corsi, coming in at around 38 per cent each at evens), it was Even the Anaheim Ducks see through this charade the Canucks are not a good game for Pouliot. putting on, so they are just outright announcing Horvat as the captain of When Edler comes back, the question everyone will ask is “who comes the Canucks. out,” and if you had asked me last week, Michael Del Zotto would have BEST DERRICK POULIOT: A TALE OF SADNESS, BETRAYAL AND been the easy choice. MISERY Now, I’m not so sure. IS POULLIOT GOING TO BE AWARDED AN ASSIST ON THAT BEST ICE MAN GETZLAF GOAL? #CANUCKS You want someone unafraid to ask questions about your mistake? — BRAD STOWE (@THEONLYSTOWIE) NOVEMBER 22, 2018 Send in J-Pats. THERE AREN'T ENOUGH WAYS TO EXPRESS THAT POULIOT IS NOT AN NHL DEFENSEMAN. #CANUCKS I fear the day I make an error and Jeff shows up to talk to me. — BALRAJ (@BDHILLON17) NOVEMBER 22, 2018 “So Wyatt, you spelled Derrick Pouliot’s name wrong in your first Athletties, that has to feel bad, right?” THAT'S ON POULIOT AGAIN. DUCKS HAVE SCORED 4 GOALS IN THIS GAME, 3 OF THEM WAS BECAUSE POULIOT'S. #CANUCKS But when you need answers, J-Pats is your man. — RYAN FZ (@RYANFAHRENDHOLZ) NOVEMBER 22, 2018 No, no questions about “what do you guys have to do to turn the corner here.” Tonight he asked Derrick about his turnovers, and kudos to both As you can imagine from this tiny sampling of Pouliot reactions (which if men for being so damn professional about it all. you times it by a thousand you still probably fall short of the outrage going on tonight), it was not a banner game for the former Portland J-Pat: Derrick what happened on the first one, what were you trying to do Winterhawk. with the puck there? It’s clearly a big ask to have Pouliot fill in on any team’s top four, much Pouliot: I wasn’t quite sure where it was, and then when I found it the guy less a team that is struggling like the Canucks. was right on top of me so I just whacked it and went right to Getzlaf and he made a good move. So it’s a turnover you can’t have, you gotta try And when you pair him with Tanev, it’s asking him a lot to take on the and get it to the corner out of the front of the net. tough assignments usually reserved for Chris. We’ve seen it before with Luca Sbisa, if you give top-four minutes to a bottom pairing guy, you’re It’s good ownership from Derrick, if anything. going to get some really ugly games at times. BEST SAM WINNER It’s like sending in a red shirt guy on Star Trek to join an away mission with Worf. You know he ain’t coming back from that. THE SAM GAGNER REDEMPTION TOUR ™ — JOHN MATISZ (@MATISZJOHN) NOVEMBER 22, 2018 There was more from the Alien, though, as even on a shot attempt and rebound, he manages to almost turn it into a tap-in for Goldy: They say absence makes the heart grow fonder, and look no further than the fanfare for the return of Samwise Gagner to the lineup. At one point Goldobin was swinging the bat like David Ortiz, and if it weren’t for a Ducks face, that puck is going in, I swear. And it’s not without merit, mind you. I am not mocking people embracing his return. For a team that needs offence, Sam Gagner is miles ahead of You want passes that lead to shot attempts? Goldobin has those for half the team in that regard. days. Here he is feeding fellow Rush Line member (they briefly did a cameo appearance to get a goal) Jake Virtanen through four Ducks Yes, play in his own end will always be suspect, but man alive, the leading to a shot on net. defensive zone is already a tire fire, what’s one more Bridgestone tossed on top of the pile really going to do? You want passes that lead to goals? Here’s Goldobin feeding Captain Horvat in the slot, letting the Canucks briefly dream of an existence But ask yourself, can you see Schaller or Motte making a pass like this? where they might get two points out of the game. Gagner’s offensive vision has never been in question, and no, he didn’t There are still many days of battle ahead. The non-Goldy truthers (The light the world on fire tonight, but yes, he did at least create scoring Ball-ers?) will have days in which they claim victory. Days in which chances, and even helped produce a goal from the maligned Pouliot. Goldobin gets no points or goals. Days in which they claim victory in the Again, not lighting the world on fire: assessment of one Nikolay Goldobin. However, Gagner at least knows what he’s doing in the offensive zone But tonight? Tonight is a night for the Golden Truth era. and is creating scoring chances. BEST HITS FROM THE RUSH LINE How good was Gagner tonight? He earned the trust of Coach Green to RUSH. ALL DAY. EVERY DAY. I CARE NOT FOR THE LITTLE the tune of 20 minutes of ice time. Power play time, too. THINGS. GO BIG OR GO HOME! @BOTCHFORD @THESTANCHION If Gagner keeps playing like this, it will once again cause one of those #CANUCKS dreaded roster questions. — JOSH THE ZAMBONI GUY (@JOSH_OFTHE_MACE) NOVEMBER Not quite the “champagne problems” of old. 22, 2018 More like Baby Duck problems. This wasn’t the rushiest of rush goals, but still. But still. When Virtanen reunited with his pals in the third period, they managed to get one on the board, which surely has to buy them a reunion tour during BEST HE’S NOT WRONG the next game. HE'S BEEN OUTSTANDING TONIGHT BUT THAT GOAL WAS If for no other reason than… MARKSTROM CLASSIC. #CANUCKS WORST OF THE LITTLE THINGS — SINISTAR (@STICKNPUCK1) NOVEMBER 22, 2018 You might have noticed a lack of Eriksson mentions in the earlier chapter Honestly, Markstrom was really really good tonight. on the Golden Dekes, and it was because, well, his entire time with Golden Dekes felt a little bit off. But there was another goal where you said to yourself “Wait, what, how,” in quick succession. Like when you buy sour cream and don’t realize it’s light sour cream until you’re halfway through your taco and are wondering why you aren’t It feels bad highlighting this goal on a night when Markstrom at times was enjoying it as much as you normally do. the only guy furiously dumping water out of the leaking boat with a spoon he found in the can of what I assume is the pure horse meat Bo Horvat And yeah, Eriksson is trying to get the puck to the point there which isn’t eats. a bad play, but he does it in the form of a 99 mph backhand pass, and ends up clearing the zone. But that’s another goal like that where you wonder if it’s a mechanical issue at play. Which was kind of a microcosm of his game tonight. Every time Goldy and Dekes did their thing, Eriksson would stumble onto the scene and Are players getting a book out on Marky? Or is it just a good shot? kind of third wheel it up and make things awkward. Someone get Kevin Woodley on the phone. Obviously when a team has lost seven in a row, it’s hard to argue against mixing up the lines, but admit it, life feels better when Little Things Loui BEST POSITIVE REINFORCEMENT plays with Bo Horvat. This was what the entire night was like for Markstrom, he really did play WORST FLY BY well. Come on Jake, you had RK17 in your wheelhouse there! You know if he For some reason the Canucks just sort of forgot about guys in the slot had functioning hips and shoulders he would have taken you out in a and Markstrom would have to come up with a huge save time and time similar spot! again. Hack the bone! Hack the bone! BEST OF THE GOLDEN DEKES SHOW BEST CALLIN’ BATON ROUGE GOLDY AND DEKES IS THE ONLY FUN THING ABOUT THIS IF EVER THERE WAS A TIME TO PUMP SUTTER’S TIRES, IT’S NOW. — TYLER SHIPLEY (@LE_SHIPSTER) NOVEMBER 22, 2018 THE CANUCKS ARE COMPLETELY LOST ON THE PK WITHOUT HIM. YA GOLDY NEEDS MORE GOALS TO BE A SUCCESSFUL — JASON BROUGH (@JASONBROUGHTSN) NOVEMBER 22, 2018 FORWARD IN THIS LEAGUE…… #CANUCKS What is the number for Baton Rouge, because the Canucks might need — NATHAN ARMITAGE (@NATHANARMITAGE) NOVEMBER 22, 2018 to call them to fix up the Canucks penalty kill. If not a statement game, it was at least a “shut people up” game from Officially the Ducks only went 1-for-4 on the power play, but the decisions Goldobin. For one day at least. being made tonight at times were downright bizarre. Yes, with the morning radio shows abuzz with talk of how good was For example, that goal looks like your average power-play goal. Good Goldobins nine points in nine games REALLY (never have I seen a nine- screen, smart shot from the point. points-in-nine-games stretch broken down like this before), Goldobin showed up and got himself a goal and an assist tonight. But when you break down the play that led to the first chance all alone in the slot, which then eventually led to the goal on the same shift: And yes, don’t worry, EP40 did his dekes: At one point Motte is watching three Canucks go to the board and he just You really do have to watch every single Pettersson shift to make sure decides “hey why not, looks fun” and slides on over, leaving Kase all you don’t miss him claiming the souls of opposing players. alone in front of the net. At least Welinski kept his ankles intact. Barely. You know Brandon Sutter would have broken both legs and arms before Then go to Georgie Twiss’ Etsy page and give the gift of joy only an letting that happen. You know it. EP40 card can give you. BEST SHOUT OUT Warning: Opening the card may break your ankles. For what it’s worth, I thought Hutton had another strong game. BEST POLL I don’t want to destroy your data plans too badly, so I’ll only take this one BETTER SUCCESS FOR US THIS SEASON? #CANUCKS gif, but look at how Hutton not only cuts off a lane to the net, but he forces the guy behind the net, then follows up blocking the passing lane, — CANUCKSPLACE (@CANUCKSPLACE) NOVEMBER 21, 2018 then follows that up by bouncing the guy to the ground. How… This is a guy who looks like he can work in your top four. How does winning the Stanley Cup not win this poll? Tony Greco better cash in on this in the offseason with commercials This is dangerously close to “You know, I really hope the Canucks lose a starring Ben Hutton. game in Boston so they can win the Cup on home ice.” WORST FLY BY PART 2 And people said this town wouldn’t buy into a rebuild. Watching Jake not drive the lane to the net but instead choosing to circle Pfft. around and take a bad angle shot was disheartening, to say the least. BEST BRANDING You didn’t get the Shotgun name by circling the net, Jake! If you want a fun read into Pettersson’s one-timey goodness (and let’s be BIGGEST AMICABLE NEWS honest, we could Watch videos of EP40 shooting the puck all day), MORE CLARITY TO COME, BUT THERE IS WORD TONIGHT VAN IS Daniel Wagner has a great article on Dekey Pete claiming the right CHANGING COOS. JEFF STIPEC HELD THE JOB. faceoff circle as his spot on the power play, since Ovechkin already has the left side. — ELLIOTTE FRIEDMAN (@FRIEDGEHNIC) NOVEMBER 22, 2018 I really enjoy the branding because it adds another layer to the mystique TC CARLING — EXECUTIVE VICE PRESIDENT, HOCKEY around Pettersson’s last name (also PetterZone sounds like a delicious ADMINISTRATION & ARENA OPERATIONS — IS LEAVING THE Italian food item), and because it helps Vancouver in its quest to mention ORGANIZATION. CARLING, WHO WORKED HIS WAY UP FROM Elias’ name in conjunction with as many other NHL star players as MEDIA RELATIONS, IS TIGHT WITH TREVOR LINDEN. possible. — ELLIOTTE FRIEDMAN (@FRIEDGEHNIC) NOVEMBER 22, 2018 I am hoping, though, we can dip down the list of star power and start getting Petey comparisons to third and fourth liners as well. Friedman (or FEAN as he calls himself), broke the news just before the game started tonight. “He has the edge work of a young Lonny Bohonos, and the grit and determination of Dane Jackson.” As Botch sent me: BEST ASSIST By all accounts Stipec did a fantastic job. It wasn’t that long ago that Botch ran a story on him, where he came across very well spoken, to the PIC.TWITTER.COM/M9WMPBTZYO point where people wondered if he’d be a good fit as the new president. — MICAH BLAKE MCCURDY (@INEFFECTIVEMATH) NOVEMBER 21, Do you know how hard it is for the Canucks to have someone who is well 2018 spoken and seems genuine do interviews? Stipec’s one interview was the best this town had seen from Canucks management since Laurence The PetterZone is real, and it’s spectacular. Gilman hits on the radio back in the Gillis era. BEST NEW FAN Botch broke down Stipec’s success on Twitter, but short form: GREAT NIGHT @ICBABC GALA – WE WERE ABLE TO MAKE THIS Canucks top-10 team in season ticket renewals and top 10 in revenue, YOUNG @BRETTFAVRE FAN’S DREAM COME TRUE (GLAD YOU’RE despite missing the playoffs horribly for three seasons straight. ON THE MEND @BBOESER16!). TWO GREAT GUYS AND AMAZING ATHLETES! #CANUCKS #GOPACKGO Stipec a local kid who worked at the arena since 1982, harder to find a PIC.TWITTER.COM/MT0EUX4W6Q feel-good local kid made it big story than that. — JORDAN BATEMAN (@JORDANBATEMAN) NOVEMBER 21, 2018 Ninety per cent renewal rate is an INCREASE of six per cent from a year ago. Only four other teams in the league had a bigger jump. I always enjoy forcing a Canucks fandom narrative on random celebrities because 1) it amuses me greatly for reasons I cannot explain and 2) You can argue the margins on this on how much impact he had versus Canucks Nation can always use an extra splash of high profile love. how much was derived from people excited about the rebuild finally Michael Buble can’t be the only guy carrying water for this organization, taking form, but you can’t argue that overall Stipec was doing good work he has vacation days coming up, he needs some help. here. So now it is canon that Brett Favre is a huge Canucks fan. He was born And as Jeff Paterson pointed out, Stipec was on the last eastern road trip in 1969, so his favourite player was probably early Canucks star Dennis doing facility tours trying to gather info for future Canucks upgrades. Ververgaert, who doesn’t get nearly enough love for looking like Inigo Montoya. Yet here we are, with Stipec and TC Carling gone, yet another front office shuffle before the season is even up. Everything from the DJ to the COO Seriously, though, it’s a shame that in the Canucks famous moustaches is apparently on the table, which will lend themselves to questions about history, Vervegaert gets left out of the conversation. Also, full marks for stability in this organization. the tricoloured gloves. More information will come out in the coming weeks, but from the outside BEST LONG GAME looking in, the optics of this won’t do any favours to those who wonder about ownership’s role in the Canucks. I have been working on forcing Canucks fandom on one of my favourite author for years. BEST INITIATIVE @BRENTWEEKS OREGON HAS NO HOCKEY TEAM, SO YOU'VE OKAY SO I DIDN'T WRITE A CHILDREN'S BOOK (SORRY BEEN NOMINATED TO BE A VANCOUVER CANUCKS FAN. EVEN IF @CHRISCONTE79 & @BOTCHFORD ) BUT I DID MANAGE TO ON A PURELY SUPERFICIAL LEVEL. DESIGN A "MERRY PETEYMAS" CHRISTMAS CARD. ALL PROFITS MADE (MINUS MATERIAL COSTS) WILL GO TO @CANUCKPLACE — WYATT ARNDT (@THESTANCHION) OCTOBER 30, 2015

BUY NOW! HTTPS://T.CO/B3SGVDUF2V This started Oct 30, 2015. PIC.TWITTER.COM/GXWKZQMOPN DO I HAVE TO EMBRACE IT WHILE THE JERSEY'S STILL SWEATY FROM THE GAME, OR CAN WE LAUNDER IT FIRST? — GEORGIA TWISS (@GEORGIATWISS) NOVEMBER 20, 2018 — BRENT WEEKS (@BRENTWEEKS) NOVEMBER 21, 2018 Want to hand out the best Christmas Card you can get for a Canucks fan AND help out Canuck Place? We will break him. One day, he will post a picture in a Canucks jersey. inconsistent if you can’t produce every game or is it merely the fact you aren’t a player who will hit the score sheet every night? BEST ROOK TO QUEEN BISHOP FOUR I’d also argue that offensive players make more visual mistakes (ie Goldy Shout out to Canucks Reddit user Shaibis for finding Chess Grand trying to dangle with the puck can lead to ugly looking turnovers versus a Master Nakamura rocking a Canucks skate logo hat during a stream. guy tasked with “getting the puck in deep and forecheck”) which can also Couple of observations: lead to the idea a player is “inconsistent”. I assume someone just made a crazy move and Hikaru has no idea how One person suggested Goldy should have more points, due to the fact he the person is going to recover. was playing with EP40, and that’s the reason they are criticizing his play. The two chess players look like they’re Nutriboom employees escorting I will say that being inconsistent can be a valid critique. Sometimes a Peralta and Charles out of the building. players effort levels can dip, and you can noticeably point out a stretch where a player maybe isn’t as engaged in his own zone as he has been Is Nakamura wearing the hat because he’s a fan of the Canucks or at other times. Maybe he isn’t moving his feet and lets people skate by because he thinks it’s a Versace hat? him, beating him to the puck too often. That can lead to very real situations of wondering if a player will ever “put it all together” for a BEST “ENGIMA”* meaningful stretch of hockey. TRYING TO REMEMBER THE LAST TIME A CANUCK HAD 9 POINTS But from where I’m sitting, Goldy has been playing very well this season. IN 11 GAMES AND GOT AS LITTLE RESPECT AS NIKOLAY He has shown a willingness to listen to his coach (as seen by his GOLDOBIN improved defensive work), and he continues to be a very solid playmaker (as seen by his shot assist stats). — JACKSON MCDONALD (@FAILSONMCDONALD) NOVEMBER 20, 2018 His chemistry he has shown with Pettersson has been a major highlight of this season so far. Sure, it would be nice if he had more goals, but *legally I am required to refer to any Russian player as an engima, as watching him play this season has left me impressed by his ability to be a stated in the Don Cherry handbook of rules, section 67, rule 12. playmaker. It is something a team in need of offensive output can use, Nikolay Goldobin (Or Nick Au-Dobin for all you grade 8 Science teachers because again, we aren’t very far removed from “Megna on the power looking to make relatable content for your students) is a constant source play” days. of sports talk in this city. If your main critique of Goldobin is “he isn’t scoring enough goals” I would Being a bubble player with potential top-six offensive talent tends to put suggest you embrace his ability to make his teammates better, and you in an uncomfortable spotlight in hockey. When you don’t get points, embrace the fact that his shooting percentage is quite low, and will you can’t escape into the shadows of “working hard” like others can. Tim probably level off a bit, leading to more of those goals you desire. Schaller may hear a thought or two about his lack of production on Hell, tonight a puck bounced in off his foot and got him a goal. occasion, but his name isn’t on the lips of people quite like Goldy. Sometimes that’s the way the puck bounces. And to be fair, when you’re riding shotgun with Dekey Pete, and getting There are other players I would take to task before I would approach power play time, people are going to expect more from you. It’s the Goldobin, is all I’m saying. Yet he remains a quote unquote “enigma” to reason the name “Jayson Megna” added to the word “power play” makes many. any Vancouverite spit out their coffee and start screaming “Nooooooooooooooo” while running out of Starbucks. A wise man suggested to me that maybe it’s because Goldobin doesn’t get quoted a lot. Maybe Goldy doesn’t feed the media machine, so in that But Goldobin currently sits third in the team in scoring with 15 points, absence, people fill in their own conclusions about how he plays and trailing only the Mega Powers. As Darryl Keeping has been pointing out why. all season (and last season), Goldy is one of the best players at setting up his linemates for scoring chances, while also running into bad luck this Or maybe, he just needs a Shotgun like movement to get everyone on season on his return investments (his teammates were simply not board. scoring off of his passes, at an absurdly low rate). The Athletic LOADED: 11.23.2018 NIKOLAY GOLDOBIN NOW HAS 9 POINTS (2G,7A) IN HIS LAST 9 GP. HE'S LEADING THE #CANUCKS IN: – PRIMARY SHOT CONTRIBUTIONS – ASSISTS – CF% – PRIMARY SHOT ASSISTS/60 TO EP, BROCK, BO, JV18 HE MAKES THE TEAMS BEST PLAYERS BETTER, HE'S PART OF THE SOLUTION! #TEAMGOLDY PIC.TWITTER.COM/U8EYMVFH47 — DARRYL KEEPING (@DKEEPING) NOVEMBER 20, 2018 When Brock, Petey and Goldy were all playing together, this is why it was so beautiful to watch. Goldobin had the hockey IQ to play with his top end linemates, but he also knew one simple fact that made life so beautiful: Shooters shoot. So he made sure he got that puck to his shooters. There was no going into business for himself on that line. Goldobin wasn’t going take a chair to their backs and break up The Shield. Goldy simply passed the puck as much as possible to the point where he was hitting Hank Sedin levels of helping set up teammates (sample sizes, yes, but the point is there to show the potential Goldy was showing). Today, though, we saw talk of Goldy being inconsistent. Whether that was meant for his defensive work or his scoring output, it’s hard to say. The word inconsistent as a critique, is dare I say it, an enigma in the sports world. Too often it’s used to describe a player who is simply not a top 10 player in the NHL. Players like Crosby and McDavid are “consistent” because they have the skill to produce almost all the time. Sometimes a player who is “inconsistent” is a player playing to the best of their abilities, but realistically they’re going to top out as a mid-range player. Is it 1117129 Websites Potential 2018-19 cases: This sure seems to be what the Oilers are gunning for, and the standings tell us they still have a decent shot. The Blackhawks do too. But the Blues and Kings have a much tougher road The Athletic / The 10 types of mid-season coaching changes (and how ahead. they usually work out) The One-And-Done The scenario: Maybe the firing is a mistake. Maybe the replacement is By Sean McIndoe Nov 22, 2018 the wrong choice. Maybe it all just happens a little too fast and nobody can settle in. But for whatever reason, the new guy comes in, finishes off the slate as best they can, and then is swept aside for yet another new coach in the offseason. It’s been a rough few weeks for NHL coaches. After going all of 2017-18 without a single coach losing their job until the final day of the season, Recent examples: The Oilers replacing Dallas Eakins with Todd Nelson we’ve already seen four pink slips this year, including two this week. And in 2014. The Leafs replacing Pat Burns with Nick “Nimrod” Beverley in we’re only a quarter of the way through the schedule. 1996. The Canadiens going from Jacques Martin to Randy Cunneyworth in 2011. The Capitals bringing in Dale Hunter to replace Bruce Boudreau Typically, NHL teams don’t want to make coaching changes while the in 2011. Carlyle being replaced by Peter Horacheck in 2015. That weird season is going on. It’s virtually always a sign that something has gone switch in 2014 when the Devils replaced Peter DeBoer with Adam Oates horribly wrong, and a major change is needed to try to salvage the and Scott Stevens. Wait, would that count as a two-and-done? I may season. But at the same time, plenty of GMs around the league are need a ruling here. under pressure to do exactly that. And that pressure will only mount as other teams make changes and potential candidates get snapped up. Does it work?: In theory, it’s virtually impossible for this sort of move to be considered a success (although a cynic could argue the Leafs got So today, let’s look at 10 types of midseason coach firings, and some exactly what they wanted out of the Carlyle firing). Generally, if the new examples of each from the last 25 years of NHL history. Maybe they can coach is any kind of upgrade, they’ll stick around longer than one year. teach us something about this year’s firings – from the four we’ve already seen and the ones that might still be to come. That said, it sure sounds like Hitchcock might be a short-term stopgap in Edmonton, in which case we might look back at him as the rare case of And we’ll start with what is, unfortunately, probably the most common this sort of being done on purpose and actually working out well. It’s kind of midseason coaching change… happened before; Jacques Lemaire did a decent job replacing John MacLean in 2010, although the hole he inherited was too big to get the The Deck-Chair Reshuffling Devils back to the playoffs. The scenario: The season isn’t going well. The team fires its coach and Potential 2018-19 cases: Many of the guys who fall into this category are hires a replacement. The season continues to not go well. Maybe it interim hires, and it sure seems like Willie Desjardins might be trending wasn’t the coach, you guys. this way. Recent examples: The Leafs go from Ron Wilson to Randy Carlyle in The Quick Trigger 2012. The Senators trying to stop a tailspin by replacing John Paddock with GM Bryan Murray in 2008. The Canadiens firing Alain Vigneault for The scenario: The team that makes a change after only a handful of Michel Therrien in 2000. The Canucks going from Tom Renney to Mike games. These ones are always strange – a team goes through the Keenan in 1998, and then again from Keenan to Marc Crawford the year offseason evaluation process, decides to stay the course behind the after. The Wild replace Mike Yeo with John Torchetti in 2016. Panthers’ bench, builds out its roster for that guy, and lets him run the entire coach/GM Rick Dudley stepping aside for John Torchetti in 2004. The training camp. Then the team has a few bad games, and now it’s time for Kings replace Andy Murray with John Torchetti in 2006. Uh, maybe we a change? should just call this one “The John Torchetti”. Recent examples: The Blackhawks going from Denis Savard to Joel Does it work?: Nope. Although in most of these cases, you get the feeling Quenneville after four games in 2008. The Flyers going from Peter that nothing would have. Laviolette to Craig Berube after three games in 2013. The Canadiens replacing Jacques Demers with Mario Tremblay after four games in Potential 2018-19 cases: We’ll have to wait and see what the new guys 1995. The Penguins going from Ivan Hlinka to Rick Kehoe after four can do. But the Kings are already giving off that vibe. games in 2001. The Blue Jackets firing Todd Richards for John Tortorella The Too-Little-Too-Late after seven games in 2015. The scenario: The old coach was bad. The new coach is good, at least Does it work?: The record here is pretty mixed. The Blackhawks switch for a while, and the team starts playing up to expectations. But the GM was arguably the most successful midseason coaching change in waits too long to make the switch, so they miss the playoffs anyway. modern NHL history, helping pave the way for multiple championships to come. Berube was able to get the Flyers to 94 points and a playoff spot, Recent examples: The Blues firing Andy Murray for Davis Payne in 2010. and Tortorella has done a good job in Columbus. The Senators going from Craig Hartsburg to Cory Clouston in 2009. The Islanders making the switch from Jack Capuano to Doug Weight in 2017. On the other hand, Kehoe wasn’t much of an upgrade in Pittsburgh, never cracking the 70-point mark in two seasons. And the Canadiens Does it work?: Yes and no. In a way, this has to almost feel like the swap was the first domino in the series of events that led to the worst-case scenario for a GM. It’s one thing to make the wrong move. It’s disastrous Patrick Roy deal that set the franchise back a decade. another to make the right one, but realize you pulled the trigger too late for it to make a difference. Potential 2018-19 cases: None, unless some GM out there has a time machine. Although you have to figure at least a few of them wish they Potential 2018-19 cases: None of the firings we’ve seen so far will fall did. into this category, because at least the four teams acted with enough time left to right the ship. But will we look back at some other team that The Late-Season Axe (aka “The Lou”) hasn’t made a move yet and wonder if they should have joined the early- The scenario: OK, the postseason is almost here. What do we still need season crowd? Maybe not, but every Flyers fan is angrily clenching their to do? Print playoff tickets – check. Rest a few players for the Cup run fists right now just in case. ahead – check. Figure out some sort of fun gimmick for our fans – check. The Short-Term Fix Was there something else? Oh right, fire the coach who got us here with The scenario: The new coach comes in, things turn around, and the team a few games to play. makes the playoffs. It’s only a short-term boost, as the team is back to Recent examples: This one is the Lou Lamoriello special, as he pulled it being mediocre again relatively quickly and the new coach probably off twice with New Jersey. In 2000, he fired Robbie Ftorek with eight doesn’t last long. But for at least a little while, the change works. games left in the season and the Devils leading the conference. And he Recent examples: The Senators go from Paul MacLean to Dave did it again in 2007, icing Claude Julien with just three games left despite Cameron in 2014. The Avalanche replace Bob Hartley with Tony Granato the Devils sitting in second. in 2002. The Blues firing Ken Hitchcock for Mike Yeo in 2017. There aren’t many non-Lamoriello examples of teams pulling this move, Does it work?: For the team’s long-term chances, maybe not all that although somewhat amusingly it happened to Ftorek again in 2003, when much. But for the owner’s bottom line, and for the GM’s job security, it the Bruins fired him with nine games left. That team wasn’t as good as sure doesn’t hurt. either Devils squad, but was still headed for the playoffs. Does it work?: Somewhat amazingly it did, at least once, as those 2000 at least for a few years. The Jets firing Claude Noel in 2014 and bringing Devils went on to win the Cup with Larry Robinson behind the bench. But in Paul Maurice. The Senators going from Sparky Allison to Jacques they couldn’t repeat the magic in 2007, losing in the second round, and Martin in 1996, although that one took a while. Maybe the Bruins going those 2003 Bruins went out meekly in Round 1 to (who else) the Devils. from Julien to Bruce Cassidy in 2017, although it’s too early to say for sure. Plus a few others we’ve already mentioned, like Boudreau in Potential 2018-19 cases: Watch your back, Barry Trotz. Anaheim and of course Quenneville in Chicago. But assuming Lamoriello doesn’t go for the hat trick, these moves are Does it work?: It sure does. It’s figuring out which hire is going to fit the rare enough that we can probably just say “nobody” and be safe, even bill that’s the tricky part. though it’s kind of fun to imagine it happening. (Side-eyes the Lightning, their long-time coach, and rookie GM who didn’t hire him.) But yeah, Potential 2018-19 cases: Jeremy Colliton is young and should get plenty probably nobody. of time to turn things around in Chicago. With the season’s other hirings being a pair of interim tags and a recently retired 66-year-old who might The “Opportunity Knocks” Switch only stick around for one year, Colliton seems like our best bet for long- The scenario: The team may not want to fire its coach. They almost term success. definitely don’t need to fire him. But suddenly an unexpected name Then again, we’ve got four more months left in the season. In a league becomes available and, well, tough decisions have to be made. where GMs seem to be getting awfully antsy, that’s probably plenty of Recent examples: The Canadiens replacing Therien with Julien in 2017. time to add a few names to our midseason club. Maybe one of them The Ducks going from Randy Carlyle to Boudreau in 2011. Columbus ends up being the one to turn a franchise around. If you’re a GM of an pouncing on Hitchcock in 2006. underperforming team, there’s only one way to find out… Does it work?: First things first; for all the talk we always hear about The Athletic LOADED: 11.23.2018 coaches who’ll “have another job as soon as he wants one”, these moves are actually quite rare. When Boudreau was hired in Anaheim, he became just the seventh head coach to work for two teams in the same season, according to Elias. These moves usually work out at least reasonably well, as you might expect given that they involve coaches with a track record of success. Julien had a wobbly start in Montreal but looks like a smart hire now, and Boudreau found success in Anaheim. But nothing’s guaranteed; Hitchcock never won a playoff game in Columbus. Potential 2018-19 cases: The obvious name here is Joel Quenneville. At two weeks and counting, he’s already been on the sidelines longer than Boudreau or Julien were (and he seems to be enjoying his time off). But he’s going to be the elephant in the room all season long, looming over every vacancy that opens up, and more than a few that don’t. The Total Disaster The scenario: The true worst-case scenario. A team makes a coaching change, get ripped by just about everyone for how they handled it, the replacement is a mess who’s gone by the end of the season, and then they watch the guy they fired go on to win the Jack Adams almost immediately. Recent examples: The Panthers leaving Gerard Gallant at the curb in favor of Tom Rowe in 2016. Sorry, I just needed to find a way to work this one in and couldn’t really do it justice in any other category. It really stands on its own. Does it work?: Not super well, no. Ah well, at least the Panthers learned their lesson and didn’t hand the Golden Knights and any other key pieces of their Cup run. Potential 2018-19 cases: Only time will tell, but by this point every Oilers fan just assumes it will somehow be them. The Cup Winner The scenario: This is the unicorn. A team whose season is going off the rails fires its coach, gets back on track and wins the Stanley Cup that same season. Recent examples: The Penguins going from Therrien to Dan Bylsma in 2009, then again when they went from Mike Johnston to Mike Sullivan in 2016. The Kings firing Terry Murray and bringing in Darryl Sutter in 2011. And also that Ftorek firing by the Devils in 2000. Does it work?: By definition, yes, literally as well as it possibly could. But it’s also exceedingly rare. The only other teams in NHL history to pull it off are the 1970-71 Canadiens and 1931-32 Maple Leafs. That’s it. Just six midseason coaching hires have won a Cup in NHL history. Potential 2018-19 cases: The Penguins are totally going to do this again. Don’t act like you haven’t thought about it. The True Franchise Turnaround The scenario: Short of the Cup Winner, this is best-case scenario for a midseason firing, and it tends to be a more realistic goal. The new guy comes in, things start turning around, and the team realizes they’ve found the man to lead them into the future. Playoff success, a return to contending, and maybe even a Cup or two eventually follow. Recent examples: The Lightning replacing Guy Boucher with Jon Cooper in 2013. The Flyers going from John Stevens to Peter Laviolette in 2009, 1117130 Websites “I’m always trying to be a two-way player. I always tried to be a two-way player when Todd was back there, too,” said McDavid, pushing back on a question about changing his game. “Just because it’s a different guy Sportsnet.ca / Oilers players looking to run with Hitchcock's new roles back there, it doesn’t mean I’m changing my game. “Just because Hitch is back there now, it’s not like now I want to play defence. I’ve always wanted to play defence. It’s part of the game, so Mark Spector you’ve got to be good at it.” McDavid will learn from this coach, the way any 21-year-old would from a guy with more than 1,500 games under his belt. But Hitchcock will learn ANAHEIM — And so the Ken Hitchcock era begins in Edmonton, as the from McDavid too, and if the rest of the roles fill themselves up, the two confident coach attacks the roster like a Japanese Village chef goes after may just get some playoff games this spring. an onion. For now however, it’s the Anaheim Ducks on a Friday afternoon. A team Milan Lucic goes to the third line, but with a purpose, playing on a beefy, the Oilers need to pass by if they’re ever going to get anywhere in the intimidating unit with Zack Kassian and Kyle Brodziak. Pacific. Connor McDavid gets double-shifted, but not with the usual wingers he Sportsnet.ca LOADED: 11.23.2018 was mostly deployed with by Todd McLellan. Hitchcock sits his fourth-line centre and sends McDavid out for his extra shifts between Ty Rattie and Jujhar Khaira, the captain’s positive osmosis now touching more teammates than it had before. And now the talk is about how Ryan Nugent-Hopkins is ready and able to drive his own line, instead of asking whether Leon Draisaitl can. He creates roles, Hitchcock, and then it’s up to his players to find theirs and run with it. Sportsnet NOW gives you access to over 500 NHL games this season, blackout-free, including Hockey Night in Canada, Rogers Hometown Hockey, Scotiabank Wednesday Night Hockey, the entire 2019 Stanley Cup Playoffs and more. “Our team, before, sometimes all the lines wanted to play like Connor’s line,” assessed Kassian, looking at a suddenly changing culture and trying to make sense of it all. “Connor’s line is going to have its own way to play, and the other lines need to find an identity. “Our line, we can grind, we can hold on to the puck and eat up minutes. That’s what a team needs to be successful.” “I agree with (Kassian) 100 per cent,” Lucic said. “When you see someone of that stature, and he’s playing the way he is, and having the success that he is, it’s human nature. You want to copy that. “It’s like when a team wins the Stanley Cup, what do the other teams do? They try to copy that.” Sure, the league is moving towards speed and skill. But speed and size, of which Kassian possesses plenty of, isn’t totally passé. When fixed with Brodziak and Lucic, it wouldn’t make much sense for that trio to play a perimeter, skill game. “When there’s a play to be made we’ve got to make it. But we won’t be going out of our way to stickhandle through guys,” promised Lucic. “And remember: Kass was a first-round pick. He does have a skill set to him. I was a second-round pick and have had my fair share of success offensively. Brodz had been in more of a checking role, but still… “Yes, we’re expected to play a certain way. It’s not just meat and potatoes, doesn’t-matter-what-curve-your-stick-is type of stuff, but you’ve got to find a way to keep the straight-line game the most important part.” There is no lack of confidence with Hitchcock, whose theme at his first real practice here on Thanksgiving Thursday was one of perseverance. His message, paraphrased, was, “So what if something doesn’t work, or a drill gets botched. Work through it. Make a second effort, and a third one, too.” He wants his centres to receive the puck lower in the offensive zone to begin the transition to offence, and he’d like his team not to be so spread out when they don’t have the puck. He wants the Brodziak line to be his “Identity Line” that sets up momentum to be carried on by the next group over the boards, and he’d like Lucic to forget about 25-goal seasons, and help where he can help best right now. “To me, he’s spent way too much time talking about not scoring, and it’s not going to help him,” Hitchcock said. “He needs to do what he did (vs. San Jose): he was physical on the puck, he protected the puck, he was great down low. A very, very effective player. He’ll score goals, chip in. But he needs to be a very solid, third-line player who gets to play on the power play. “Never mind what he’s not doing. He can have a huge impact in the game.” And he wants McDavid to become a better two-way centreman, right? Well, wait just a second on that one… 1117131 Websites garnered Vezina and Norris Trophy talk, respectively — plus Mitch Marner and newcomer John Tavares, who has 14 goals through 22 games. Sportsnet.ca / Maple Leafs all smiles with impact returns potentially Then you add Matthews, who exploded out of the gates with 10 goals looming and 16 points in 10 and a half games before being injured, and the possibility of bringing Nylander back into the fold. No wonder everyone’s smiling. Chris Johnston | @reporterchris November 22, 2018, 5:11 PM “It’s been great to see us play the way we have,” said Matthews. “A couple really good wins for us.” COLUMBUS, Ohio — Perhaps it was the sight of Auston Matthews His parents are flying up to Toronto from their home in Arizona to spend scoring nice goals in a 3-on-3 shinny game with his teammates, or the some time with him this weekend. And on a big American holiday, he promise of a Thanksgiving feast still to come. was looking forward to getting together with teammates and celebrating. But there was a buoyancy around the Toronto Maple Leafs as they sailed “I love turkey,” said Matthews. past an unofficial line of demarcation on the NHL calendar Thursday with a 15-7-0 record and some apparent sunshine on the horizon. Sportsnet.ca LOADED: 11.23.2018 “Obviously ecstatic,” said Leafs coach Mike Babcock, when asked how he views this opening stretch of the season. “Any way you look at it we’ve got off to a good start. We think our team’s going to be better, we have significant pieces not here and they will be here. So we’ll be a deeper team.” Now, it’s tempting to want to take his quote literally. Matthews is a significant piece and we know he’s inching closer to a return from his left shoulder injury. But Babcock answered the question in the plural, which would appear to point to William Nylander’s impending arrival as well. Negotiations are at a sensitive stage with a Dec. 1 deadline looming for Nylander to sign and be eligible to return to the NHL this season. General manager Kyle Dubas is accompanying the team on this road trip, as are both of his lieutenants: Brandon Pridham and Laurence Gilman. We’ll see. In the wake of Wednesday’s 5-2 loss in Carolina — a game where they gave up 29 shots to the Hurricanes in the first period alone — the Leafs held an up-tempo practice at Nationwide Arena. Matthews participated in a red no-contact sweater, but was able to play in the 3-on-3 tournament they held at the end, maneuvering comfortably in traffic and scoring the winning goal. “I think everybody saw the red jersey and gave me some time and space out there, so I got lucky,” said Matthews. “It’s just fun to be back out there with the team and kind of compete in some of those drills.” He’s made significant progress since taking a jarring hit from Winnipeg’s Jacob Trouba on Oct. 27, but still needs to test his shoulder with contact before playing a game. Saturday will mark four weeks since Matthews went down with the injury — the minimum time the Leafs announced he’d be out — and he may still require another week or more of rehab with the team not scheduled to practice again until Tuesday. “You know what guys, he’s not ready. So there’s no timeline here yet,” said Babcock. “We’ll just keep on keeping on until — there’s no sense rushing him back. When he gets back, he’s got to be in shape, he’s got to be ready physically and obviously mentally. When it’s time he’ll play.” Amazingly, the Leafs have gone 7-4-0 without Matthews in the lineup heading into Friday’s visit against the Blue Jackets, which has eased the pressure on his recovery. As much as he hates the extra conditioning skates he’s being put through daily, he understands the importance of staying patient during the recovery process. He missed 20 games during three separate injury absences last season, including a 10-game stretch with a right shoulder sprain. “It’s a similar injury but obviously it’s going to heal differently,” said Matthews. “You never know. But just taking my time and making sure everything comes back all right. I’m feeling pretty good out there right now and still have a bit of a ways to go — I want to get back in a full practice without that red jersey — and take some bumps, give some bumps and see how it feels.” The Leafs had plenty to be thankful for as they prepared to celebrate U.S. Thanksgiving with a big team dinner. This date has traditionally been used by NHL GMs to gauge what their team really is, and the numbers told an encouraging story about where Toronto stands. It is third overall in point percentage (.682), fourth in goals per game (3.45) and fourth in goals allowed per game (2.64). The list of players having monster seasons includes starting goalie Frederik Andersen and top defenceman Morgan Rielly — who have 1117132 Websites four-game losing streak after a relatively promising start to November but have lacked consistency and accountability. Add in a struggling Eagles team, and Philly’s not the most fun place to be these days. At least Sportsnet.ca / 6 NHL coaches who could be on the hot seat they’ve got Gritty to lighten the mood. Gritty on Twitter Emily Sadler | @EmmySadler November 22, 2018, 6:25 PM Practiced for days #thankful https://t.co/iVpI5dUrDt …Getting warmer: Last year, we survived an entire NHL season without a coach being fired. Rick Tocchet, Coyotes It was pretty nice, actually. Now a quarter of the way through 2018-19, With the exception of the penalty kill, this team can’t seem to get out of the count is already at four. the rebuilding stage. Another season near the bottom of the standings The Los Angeles Kings started things off by firing John Stevens earlier has us wondering how long Tocchet will have to right the ship. this month, followed by the (more surprising) departure of Chicago’s Joel Guy Boucher, Senators Quenneville. The Blues (Mike Yeo) and Oilers (Todd McLellan) also decided to shake things up with coaching changes, and when you look This is a tricky one, as no one expects the rebuilding Senators to contend around the league it seems like we could be seeing a few more fall. this year. Still, it’s too soon to say whether the roster overhaul will also include a change behind the bench. This is never a fun topic to address, but it’s a story worth watching as struggling teams look to switch things up and spark some success before Bob Boughner, Panthers it’s too late to get in the race. After a horrendous start to the season, the Panthers may have (sort of) Here are a few seats that look like they might be heating up. found their footing. A recent five-game win streak suggested they may be turning things around but the Panthers are still a bit a mystery this year. Randy Carlyle, Anaheim Ducks Sportsnet.ca LOADED: 11.23.2018 Record with ANA: 99-57-31 It’s hard to get a proper read on the Ducks through the first quarter of the season, as injuries have struck early. Corey Perry is two months into his long-term stint on injured reserve with a knee injury, defenceman Cam Fowler is expected to miss an extended period of time with a facial fracture, and Hampus Lindholm is out with a lower-body ailment. In his second stint in Anaheim — his first began with him leading the club to its first-ever Stanley Cup in 2009 — Carlyle inherited a team that had finished atop the division four straight years and looked poised to contend for the Cup. They came close in 2016-17, but were swept the following year and appear to be trending in the wrong direction and lack a real identity. This is a talented team that could be due for a shakeup. Prime Time Sports Brian Burke on the NHL's coaching carousel November 22 2018 Audio Player Your browser does not support the audio element. Mike Sullivan, Pittsburgh Penguins Record with PIT: 138-74-26, two Stanley Cups It’s been almost three years since Penguins general manager Jim Rutherford replaced Mike Johnston with Mike Sullivan and sparked a thrilling sprint to the 2015-16 playoffs. Sullivan guided the team from ninth in the Eastern Conference on the day of his hiring all the way to the Stanley Cup, then led the Champs to a second straight title the following year. After keeping their playoff streak alive with their 12th straight post- season berth last spring, the Penguins have fallen flat through the first quarter of 2018-19 and currently sit at No. 14 in the East with an 8-8-4 record as the rest of the league appears to have caught up with their fast- paced style of play — and are beating them at their own game. Rutherford stirred things up by trading Carl Hagelin to the Los Angeles Kings for Tanner Pearson, but the recent move to place starting goaltender Matt Murray on injured reserve suggests the issues here go beyond the bench. Currently struggling through a 2-7-2 stretch since Oct. 30, the Penguins are in dangerous territory already and must find a solution or risk missing the playoffs for the first time since Sidney Crosby’s rookie year. A weekly deep dive into the biggest hockey news in the world with hosts Elliotte Friedman and Jeff Marek. New episodes every Thursday. Dave Hakstol, Philadelphia Flyers Record with PHI: 131-96-40 Now in his fourth season behind the Flyers’ bench, Hakstol is one of the longest-tenured head coaches in the NHL. Yet, with two first-round playoff exits on his resume, the club hasn’t been able to make much progress under his guidance. So far, this year doesn’t look much different as the Flyers continue to be one of the league’s most frustrating teams with lots of talent that just can’t quite reach their full potential. The 9-10-2 Flyers are currently on a 1117133 Websites

Sportsnet.ca / Road to 100: The top-10 goals of Connor McDavid's career

Michael Singh | @MichaelSingh94 November 22, 2018, 1:58 PM

On Tuesday night, Edmonton Oilers superstar Connor McDavid reached the 100-goal milestone, becoming the fourth active player to reach the mark before his 22nd birthday, joining Sidney Crosby, Steven Stamkos, and Ilya Kovalchuk. Whether you are an Oilers fan or not, watching the Oilers’ captain is always a treat. So, to celebrate the milestone, here are the 10 best goals of McDavid’s first 100. 10. Boston Bruins — Oct. 11, 2018 McDavid scored the first goal of his 2018-19 season at the expense of a 41-year-old Zdeno Chara, who looked his age next to the Oilers’ 21-year- old speedster. A sweet little pass by Ty Rattie to recognize McDavid’s open lane — and the rest is history. 9. Colorado Avalanche – Feb. 1, 2018 What makes McDavid so special is not only his otherworldly speed, but his ability to make high-end plays while moving at that superior speed. Jonathan Bernier learned this the hard way after making a tough initial save on a McDavid breakaway. 8. Carolina Hurricanes – Feb. 3, 2017 0 — 100 real quick. McDavid went from being visibly frustrated and snapping his stick to taking off on a partial breakaway and scoring in just a matter of seconds. Once he gets a step on you, you can forget about it — especially if he’s going to finish it off like this. 7. San Jose Sharks — March 30, 2017 The Oilers’ captain can do it all, no matter how many teammates are on the ice. Shorthanded, McDavid catches the San Jose Sharks on a bad change: just check out how many little moves he pulls off before quickly shifting the puck to his backhand to beat a helpless Martin Jones. 6. Toronto Maple Leafs – Feb. 11, 2016 Like most players from the Greater Toronto Area, McDavid loves playing against the Toronto Maple Leafs. In five games against the blue-and- white, the former Toronto Marlboro has eight points (four goals, four assists), including this beauty past former Leafs’ goalie Jonathan Bernier. 5. Tampa Bay Lightning — Feb. 5, 2018 A forward playing defence, Matthew Peca was in trouble the moment McDavid picked up the puck. One inside-out move later, and McDavid has a sharp angled one-on-one with Andre Vasilevskiy — one of the best goalies in the league. The next play he’s able to make is what separates him from the rest. 4. Calgary Flames — Oct. 4, 2017 No breakdown needed: this was just unfair. 3. Anaheim Ducks — April 30, 2017 Former Ducks’ defenseman Sami Vatanen may have looked the worst after all was said and done, but McDavid deked the whole Ducks’ team with that one ridiculous cutback. His ability to turn on a dime sets him up perfectly to rifle this shot past John Gibson. 2. Nashville Predators — Feb. 26, 2017 I don’t even know what the most ridiculous part of this play is. First, in stride, McDavid receives a pass and simultaneously turns Roman Josi inside out by putting the puck under his stick. And just when you think Ryan Ellis is there to come over and save his defensive partner, McDavid slips the puck under his stick and puts it far-post past a surprised Pekka Rinne. 1. Columbus Blue Jackets — Feb. 2, 2016 In his first game back from injury, McDavid reminded the rest of the league why there was so much hype surrounding the Hart Trophy winner. I’ll let this play speak for itself. Sportsnet.ca LOADED: 11.23.2018 1117134 Websites

Sportsnet.ca / Senators trade Wideman to Oilers for draft pick

Mark Spector | @sportsnetspec November 22, 2018, 5:26 PM

ANAHEIM — Chris Wideman needed a new home. The Edmonton Oilers dearly require some offence from their blue-line, and another right- handed regular as well. And so we have, at the price of a conditional sixth-round draft pick in 2020, the perfect marriage of a player, an opportunity, and a team with a hole to fill. Do you, Chris Wideman, take this team to have and to hold? And will you work a power play and get shots through to the net? “Well, I didn’t get to the NHL by being a shutdown defender, if that’s what you’re asking,” said Wideman over the phone. “I would say there is definitely an offensive element to my game, but not at the expense of playing defence. Just trying to move the puck up ice, and there’s a ton of skill up there in the Oilers lineup.” Wideman was one of the Senators players in that ill-fated Arizona Uber van, but long before that he’d lost the faith of Ottawa head coach Guy Boucher. He averaged just 13:33 of ice time per game this season. The Senators are rebuilding and he wasn’t part of the plan. The 28-year-old couldn’t get to the airport fast enough on Thursday, grabbing an evening flight even though the offer was there to fly out and join the Oilers in California the next morning. Does he welcome a fresh start? “For sure,” the St. Louis native said. “No hard feeling towards anybody or anything that’s happened in Ottawa. It’s a mutual parting of ways. In the direction they’re going in, this is what they felt was best for them.” Wideman is a right-shot defenceman who has seasons of 51 and 61 points in the AHL. Those numbers have never translated to the NHL, but he was also on a team that had Erik Karlsson eating up a ton of powerplay time on the blue-line, and this season young Thomas Chabot, who has 25 points in 22 games as a sophomore. In Edmonton, the defence was best described by GM Peter Chiarelli recently, when he said in a radio interview, “Right now, our six starting D, none of them are exceptional passers. In order for us to have a smooth flow to the game all of them have to be in kind of the B+ range as far as the passing goes, in their own skill-set… When you’re not there, things can break down in a hurry.” On the right side of Edmonton’s blue-line lies a paucity of offence and puck-moving skill. Adam Larsson stays at home while Matt Benning, who stands to lose some ice time upon Wideman’s insertion into the lineup, has struggled. Those are the only right shots currently on the roster, with Ethan Bear (in the AHL) and Evan Bouchard (OHL London) on the way but not yet ready. Wideman missed most of last season with a hamstring tear. It pulled right off the bone, and he had to prove this season that it was going to be OK, which he has done. “Fully recovered,” he said. “Now, I’m just ready for the opportunity and to take advantage of it.” He’s been a plus player in every pro season until posting a minus-9 in Ottawa this season. This is his first trade — the Senators drafted him in 2009 — and he’s ready for a new challenge. “I’m very excited about the opportunity of playing in Edmonton, and getting a chance to play with some of the guys that are in that lineup. And for a coach who has won a Stanley Cup and been successful in this league for a ton of years. It’s a great opportunity for me personally.” Sportsnet.ca LOADED: 11.23.2018 1117135 Websites “As a lifelong resident of Ottawa, I remain committed to the redevelopment of LeBreton Flats, the cleanup of this site in the shadow of the Peace Tower, the revitalized downtown core of the Nation’s Capital Sportsnet.ca / Senators future threatened by latest self-inflicted arena and a new smart-growth community where people can live, work and delays play,” Ruddy said. “As the Master Developer for the RendezVous submission, Trinity has the experience and track record to get this critical project done.” Wayne Scanlan November 22, 2018, 4:14 PM Later in the afternoon Thursday, Melnyk also released a statement:

“We’ve championed a downtown sports and entertainment, arena and When Eugene Melnyk and his RendezVous LeBreton group won the right this important civic project, since initiating our proposal in 2014. We to build a new arena as part of a $4-billion development just west of the continue to be committed to making our vision a reality.” Parliament Buildings, there was a sense the Ottawa Senators had just won a championship. Mayor of Ottawa on Rendezvous LaBreton: "We cannot have a dysfunctional partnership contract and build this site over the next 10 or Melnyk, the Senators franchise owner, was stunned, almost speechless, 20 years" saying he was “kind of shocked.” At his side was Cyril Leeder, the Senators president and co-founder, and a major player in developing the — John Shannon (@JSportsnet) November 22, 2018 proposal. Backed by Trinity Developments, headed by John Ruddy, the For the region at large, the LeBreton project represents a rare RendezVous group had beaten out a Devcore bid fronted by Quebec opportunity to develop a large open site in the downtown area of a major billionaires Andre Desmarais and Guy Laliberte, founder of the Cirque du Canadian city. It melds nicely with a major LRT initiative currently Soleil. underway. This was in April of 2016. A little over two and a half years later, the When it was approved, the thought was that ground could be broken on proposal to build on the LeBreton Flats property owned by the National the project in 2018, with the Senators ready to play in their new arena as Capital Commission is going nowhere. At Thursday’s NCC meeting, the early as 2020 or 2021. Others thought the timeline was unrealistic, and board announced that the proposal is stalled, and made it plain that the they are being proved right, for reasons they might not have imagined. impasse is not the fault of the NCC or the city of Ottawa. Self-inflicted delays. The problem is within the RendezVous group, specifically between For the Senators franchise, the new arena represents a lifeline. Among Melnyk and Ruddy. In the past, Melnyk has questioned Ruddy’s proposal those who have stated a move downtown is vital for the Senators is the for large residential development as part of the project, and as recently NHL head office, which is keeping a close eye on developments in as last April said he was “hedging” on the idea of moving his hockey Ottawa, where franchise debt re-financing has been common in recent team downtown. years. NCC chairman Mark Kristmanson said on Thursday there remain “A new downtown arena is vitally important to the long-term future, “unresolved differences” within the partnership. stability and competitiveness of the Senators,” NHL commissioner Gary Ottawa mayor Jim Watson concurred. In late summer, he joined Ruddy Bettman said in the fall of 2017. and Melnyk for a face-to-face-to-face meeting, but little was Since the Canadian Tire Centre (called the Palladium initially) was built in accomplished beyond a photo-op. suburban Kanata in 1996, fans have endured the commute. In recent “It has been a challenging relationship that I have witnessed,” Watson seasons, however, attendance has dipped, Melnyk has been a lightning told reporters following the NCC meeting. “My hope is that they come rod for fan criticism and the idea of a new rink at LeBreton has become together and get their act together and bring forward a corporate thought of as a panacea. Today, the concept feels much more distant governance structure that makes sense and is workable so that we can than the 26-kilometre drive from the CTC to LeBreton. break ground on this project and not be constantly mediating between Ryan Dixon and Rory Boylen go deep on pucks with a mix of facts and the two partners. fun, leaning on a varied group of hockey voices to give their take on the “We cannot have a dysfunctional partnership construct and build this site country’s most beloved game. over the next 10 to 20 years. It has to be workable.” The great irony, of course, is that the historically stodgy NCC has turned #LeBreton: In January, the NCC will proceed with next steps either down dozens of proposals to build on this precious land below within the established solicitation process or within a new process. Parliament, including a bid by original Senators franchise owner Bruce #LeBretonFlats Firestone to build his arena there for the expansion Senators of 1992. — National Capital Commission (@NCC_CCN) November 22, 2018 Firestone was privately dismissed by the NCC chair at the time. Publicly, Jean Pigott said the matter would be “studied.” Last January, the NCC declared an agreement in principal to transfer the land over to the RendezVous group for development. But there has been Ironically, nearly three decades later, the NCC has dramatically reversed little progress on the file since. Sources say that Melnyk and Ruddy field, opening the door to a major corporate development and the first rarely speak to each other. private enterprise proposal it welcomes can’t get its act together to get it done. NCC Board member Aditya Jha made an awkward bid for the quote of the day when he compared the RendezVous partnership to a “one- RendezVous has two months to find a way, or the bidding process could legged child with one eye who wants to become an athlete.” go back to square one. Winning the race, he said, is unlikely. The Quebec bidders might be back in play. They also proposed an NHL arena. The catch is, they don’t own a team and Melnyk has repeatedly Whether RendezVous wins the ‘race’ is equally doubtful, despite getting said he won’t sell it or be a tenant for them. the green light to build an 18,000-seat downtown arena for Ottawa’s NHL team, along with a waterscape along the Ottawa River, with hotel and Something has to give between now and January, when the NCC meets retail space on a prime 21-hectare piece of land. An Abilities Centre and again to update the LeBreton file. outdoor arena are also included. Sportsnet.ca LOADED: 11.23.2018 The area has been vacant since the 1960s when the government expropriated the row houses and industrial buildings on the site. Not coincidentally, Leeder, who often represented Melnyk in these meetings with the city or developers, is long gone from the scene, having been fired by Melnyk in January of 2017. Former executive Tom Anselmi, who replaced Leeder, has also come and gone. The NCC has given RendezVous a January deadline to get its proposal in shape or the process will proceed without RendezVous. Ruddy and Melnyk did not attend the meeting but Ruddy did issue a statement, reaffirming his pledge to develop LeBreton. He did not mention Melnyk or the Senators in the statement. 1117136 Websites quite a while you feel a little lost, a little out of rhythm, but I thought it picked up there at the end today."

Leafs Ice Chips: Conditioning shouldn't be an issue for Matthews TSN.CA / Matthews expected to miss at least three more games When a player misses a chunk of time due to injury conditioning can become an issue, but Auston Matthews isn't expecting that to be a factor Mark Masters for him. The 21-year-old admits he doesn't much like the rigorous skating drills he has done while rehabbing his hurt shoulder, but the hard work has paid off. And Matthews tested his legs and lungs out even more at Thursday's practice getting in more reps due to the absence of Zach TSN Toronto reporter Mark Masters checks in daily with news and notes Hyman (maintenance). on the Maple Leafs. The team practised at Nationwide Arena in Columbus on Thursday ahead of their game against the Blue Jackets on ---- Friday night. Asked to assess the state of the 15-7-0 Leafs at the American After Auston Matthews hurt his left shoulder on Oct. 27, the Maple Leafs Thanksgiving benchmark, Babcock was predictably upbeat and sounding announced their star centre was expected to miss at least four weeks. confident his group was about to get a lot stronger. We now know the layoff will be a little longer as Matthews remained in a red (no contact) sweater at Thursday's practice. "Obviously ecstatic," he said. "Any way you look at it, we’ve got off to a good start. We think our team is going to get better. We have significant “Just taking my time making sure everything comes back alright," the 21- pieces not here and they will be here and so we’ll be a deeper team." year-old said after the workout. "I’m feeling pretty good out there right now and still have a ways to go. Want to get back into full practice Matthews has missed the last 11 games. The other key piece missing is without that red jersey and take some bumps, give some bumps and see restricted free agent William Nylander who must sign by Dec. 1 to be how it feels." eligible to play in the NHL this season. But Toronto is in the midst of a busy part of its schedule and the team In Nylander's absence a couple players have stepped up, but none more won’t be practising again until Tuesday. So, Matthews will almost than Kasperi Kapanen who has racked up nine goals and seven assists certainly sit out at least three more games: Friday in Columbus, Saturday since being promoted to a top-six role for the first time in his NHL career. against the Philadelphia Flyers and Monday against the Boston Bruins. "We've been allowed to grow players and create depth in our Sunday is a scheduled day off. organization, which is important," Babcock said. "I think the more depth It appears the earliest Matthews could return is Wednesday when you can have, the more chance you can have to have success long-term, Toronto hosts the San Jose Sharks. But even that may be optimistic. playoff time, but also when the tougher parts of the schedule (come) when you’re playing a lot of games in a short period of time." "You know what guys, he's not ready," Leafs head coach Mike Babcock said when pressed on a return date for Matthews. "So, there's no timeline Kapanen is averaging 16:04 of ice time per game this season. Last year, here yet and we'll just keep on keeping on. There's no sense rushing him he averaged 11:15 in his 38 NHL games. back. When he gets back he’s got to be in shape, ready physically and "Once you get a little more ice time and you've got more opportunities obviously mentally so when it's time he'll play." and you get the chance to shoot the puck a little more (you feel better)," Still wearing red at practice, Matthews out at least three more games Kapanen said when asked what’s behind his confident start. "I guess just the ice time, to be honest. Or maybe it’s just been clicking for me this Auston Matthews remained in a red sweater at Leafs practice on year. I don't know. I think since Game 1 I’ve been performing pretty well Thursday. Afterwards, the centre said he "definitely" wants to go through and I feel like I can be a lot better still. I just have to keep going." at least one full practice with contact before returning to the line-up. That means he'll miss at least three more games with Toronto's next practice Babcock: 'We have significant pieces not here and they will be here' not until Tuesday. Head coach Mike Babcock said there's "no timeline" Asked to assess Toronto's first quarter of the season, Mike Babcock said for Matthews to return. he was "obviously ecstatic" with the progress the team has made. The ---- head coach also seemed pretty confident that restricted free agent William Nylander will be back in blue and white. "We have significant Zach Hyman missed Thursday’s practice, but Babcock said it was just for pieces not here and they will be here and so we’ll be a deeper team," he maintenance and the gritty left winger will be good to go against the Blue said. Jackets. Hyman’s absence did open the door for Matthews to get a little more work in. ---- "We gave Hyman a day (off) and so Auston was on a line the whole time Toronto’s power play is 3-for-21 in the last eight games, with all three instead of being an extra piece," Babcock noted. "There’s nothing worse goals coming in a 5-1 win over the woeful Kings last Tuesday in Los than being an extra piece." Angeles. Matthews looked good during a fun three-on-three shinny competition at "We’re getting our looks," insisted centre Nazem Kadri, who scored two the end of the practice snapping in a few goals, including the one that of the man-advantage markers in Los Angeles. "It's just a matter of clinched his group the mini-tournament. getting in a rhythm. The other night (Monday against Columbus) there were no power-play opportunities in the game and (that) throws the "I think everybody saw the red jersey and gave me some time and space rhythm off a little bit. I feel like we’re getting some good looks it’s just a out there so I got lucky," he said with a chuckle, "but it’s just fun to be matter of timing." back out there with the team and kind of compete in some of those drills." The Leafs went 0-for-2 on the power play in Carolina, generating just one When he suffered separated his right shoulder last season, Matthews shot. returned after a four-week layoff. But this latest injury is to his left shoulder, the one the southpaw uses to generate power for his potent "The puck just seemed like it was bouncing on us," John Tavares shot. So how’s the shot coming along? explained. "We weren't able to really just finish off some of those plays and connect. We didn’t have a power play last game and sometimes that "It feels fine," he noted. "I mean, it’s still a work in progress, just getting takes you out of the rhythm a little bit. We just didn’t capitalize on some all your strength back. I feel like accuracy has been a little bit of an issue of our chances." for me. Shooting on Freddie (Andersen) and (Garret Sparks) they don’t give me much space, but I think it will come back. It did last year. It just ---- takes some time." Lines at Thursday’s practice: One area where Matthews doesn’t expect much trouble is conditioning. Forwards He’s been going through rigorous skating drills at the end of each practice to stay as close to game shape as possible. Matthews-Tavares-Marner "Yeah, I think conditioning is there," he said after the latest session. "I Marleau-Kadri-Kapanen mean, I hate doing that stuff, but obviously it's what you got to do to stay in shape, to get your legs back and your lungs, so I’ve been really Johnsson-Lindholm-Brown pushing it from that standpoint. When you're not in a team setting for Ennis-Gauthier-Leivo Defencemen Rielly-Hainsey Gardiner-Zaitsev Dermott-Ozhiganov Marincin-Holl Goaltenders Andersen Sparks TSN.CA LOADED: 11.23.2018 1117137 Websites also 20, recently returned to the lineup after missing the start of the season with nerve damage in his arm as a result of the crash.

Three days after the Broncos played their first game of the season, TSN.CA / Rebuilt Broncos one of the best stories in hockey Neville resigned from his post as assistant GM. He did his job – and then some. He picked up the pieces and put the Broncos back together as best he could, then passed the baton to Oystrick. Frank Seravalli For Neville, 44, it was personal. The North Battleford, Sask., native grew close with Haugan in his three years living in Humboldt and it just wasn’t going to be the same without his mentor and friend. As Jason Neville slogged through hours of video last summer to rebuild the Humboldt Broncos player by player, his vision was clear but his goal “I put so much time and energy into this that I never really focused on wasn’t lofty. And he was short on time. what I needed,” Neville said. “This was hard. I rode the bus about six to eight times a year, on the close trips. That one was a trip I normally “I was motivated mostly by the three returning players, Brayden would have taken, but for whatever reason, I wasn’t on the bus. I stepped Camrud, Derek Patter and Tyler Smith,” said Neville, the assistant GM to away once I knew things were going in the right direction.” late coach Darcy Haugan last season. “I just wanted to put a competitive team together, to make sure they had a place to play and be proud.” Oystrick thanked Neville in a statement upon his resignation. His hope for the Broncos was just to make it to the Saskatchewan “Even though I was a stranger in the midst of an extraordinarily painful Junior Hockey League’s 2018-19 playoff play-in round for the ninth and circumstance, Jason never hesitated to share with me his extensive 10th-place teams in the 12-team league. knowledge of the team, league and community he loves so much,” Oystrick wrote. “Thank you for having my back Jason, and know that the “I told everyone we’re not going to be doormats,” Neville said, “but Humboldt Broncos will always have yours.” we’re not going to be running away with the league, either.” Neville has since focused on his day job as the supervisor of student Neville was right on the former. He may turn out to be wrong on the services for the Horizon School District and he recently accepted a part- latter. time scouting role with the Western Hockey League’s Swift Current Broncos, who are coached and managed by Humboldt legend Dean The Humboldt Broncos are writing one of the best stories in hockey. Brockman. Barely eight months after the crash that claimed the lives of 10 players, two coaches, the team athletic therapist, statistician, broadcaster and bus Like a proud parent, Neville has watched with pride as the Broncos driver, the rebuilt Broncos (18-6-2) are the No. 1 team in the SJHL as the have become the surprise of Saskatchewan. season nears the midway point. “Nathan has taken it and run with it,” Neville said. “I’ve been so Humboldt has built a sizeable lead in its division, won six straight impressed. I’ve had so many different emotions watching this team. You games and is an impressive 10-3-0 on home ice at Elgar Petersen never know what you have until you start playing. For a while, like Arena, where support has remained strong since a sold-out return to the anyone else, I was waiting for the bubble to burst. I think they’re well past ice on Sept. 12. Attendance is up more than 50 per cent from last season that now. They’re just a good team.” to an average of nearly 900 fans per home game. TSN.CA LOADED: 11.23.2018 Humboldt wouldn’t have nearly as competitive a team to watch without the countless hours quietly put in by Neville, head scout Luke Strueby and assistant coach Chris Beaudry, which started in May after the community announced the team would return for the 2018-19 season. They did it against all odds. “The toughest part was the timeline we had,” Neville said. “It was all a blur.” By May, most players had already committed to a team with a letter of intent for the season. New head coach and general manager Nathan Oystrick wasn’t hired until July 3. And the SJHL didn’t do the Broncos many favours in the June 11 dispersal draft, allowing each team to protect their nine best returning players. In other words, SJHL teams could only lose their 10th best player. Players who already committed to colleges were exempt, as were bantam draft picks. As a result, the 2018-19 Humboldt Broncos are a hodgepodge, starting with the three returning players. Two came from the dispersal draft, three arrived from the bantam draft, two were previously ‘listed’ as Broncos property, three were recruited in tryout camps and five were acquired via trade. With the help of donations, the Broncos were able to spend money on trades that come with a “player development fee,” which is a trade for a player without giving up anything but cash. To spend as much as $5,000 to acquire a player is a luxury most SJHL teams don’t have. But the Broncos didn’t have a choice. “We had to do that because we didn’t have any assets to trade,” Neville said. Those players the Broncos traded for have made a huge difference, including leading scorer Michael Clarke, centre Owen Guenter, starting goalie Dane Dow and rising prospect Chase Felgueiras. They were all on the waiver wire first, which Neville prowled daily. Of course, the three returnees have played a key role in keeping the Broncos on course, playing for their fallen teammates and honoring the traditions passed on by Haugan. Camrud, 20, is tied for the team lead in goals (14) and tied for second in points (26) with Guenter as he hunts for a scholarship in his final year of junior eligibility. Patter, 20, has netted three game-winning goals. Smith, 1117138 Websites

TSN.CA / Hitchcock: ‘Sense of responsibility’ to Oilers fans and ‘their team’ runs deep

Frank Seravalli

COSTA MESA, Calif. — When Peter Chiarelli called to offer Ken Hitchcock the job to coach the Edmonton Oilers on Monday, Hitchcock admitted he hesitated for a minute. There was no question Hitchcock, the hockey lifer, wanted to be behind the bench again. Coaching courses through his veins, even 211 days after retiring from the NHL. It was a dream opportunity. But Hitchcock said he paused because he knew what going home meant – a weight that’s just different than any of the pressure from his other four NHL stops in Dallas, Philadelphia, Columbus and St. Louis. “I feel a sense of responsibility that goes way deeper,” Hitchcock said. “I feel that and I’m not afraid of it. I know the responsibility that sits in front of me.” Hitchcock, 66, said he received more than 550 text messages and 150 calls in the 24 hours after he was announced as the Oilers new coach. There really is no place like home. About 40 of those messages, Hitchcock said, were from those midget players he coached over 12 seasons with the Sherwood Park Chain Gang program. Think about that: Those 40-plus year-old connections, from a time when cell phones were a pipe dream, have all kept up with Hitchcock's changing cell number over the years. Hitchcock lost both of his parents at a young age. He began coaching in his early 20s while selling sporting goods at nearby United Cycle, and those players became like his family as they compiled an astounding 575-69 record from 1972-84. “The biggest factor is the people. I didn’t want to let them down,” Hitchcock said in taking the job. “That’s pretty deep.” On Tuesday, the same United Cycle shop, now called United Sport & Cycle, sent out a congratulatory message on the company’s instagram account when Hitchcock was hired: “People I sold sporting goods to are all of [a] sudden your best friend,” Hitchcock said, laughing. That gaudy record and the championships won for Sherwood Park not only forged bonds, but set him on the path to the WHL in Kamloops and ultimately the NHL. What a journey it’s been: a Stanley Cup, third on the all-time wins list, three Olympic gold medals as an assistant coach, 14 Stanley Cup playoff appearances in 17 full seasons. Along the way, Hitchcock is equally proud of his midget players that went on to become doctors and lawyers and parents as he is of the handful of Hockey Hall of Famers he coached. Hitchcock said he doesn't have any immediate family in Edmonton now. Nonetheless, he’ll have plenty of support to get him settled in Oil Country. He said his brother and sister live in the region and will help him move back home. When the Oilers host the Stars (of all teams) on Tuesday night, it will be a home-ice debut that’s really a homecoming, a career come full circle after 34 years for this son of Sherwood Park. “These are people I’ve lived my whole life with and I have a healthy dose of respect for them,” Hitchcock said. “It’s their team. And I’m responsible for getting it to play as well as I can. I get that.” TSN.CA LOADED: 11.23.2018