Today’s News Clips March 29, 2019

ChicagoBlackhawks.com RECAP: Blackhawks 5, Sharks 4

By Chris Wescott March 28, 2019

RAPID REACTION: Alex DeBrincat scored twice as the Blackhawks were able to outlast the 5-4 in a game full of offensive production.

DeBrincat put Chicago up 1-0 at 4:10 of the first with his 39th of the season. He buried a rebound from out in front on a 5-on-3 power play with Jonathan Toews and Patrick Kane recording the assists.

Connor Murphy made it 2-0 for the visitors at 6:19 of the opening frame as he hammered a shot from the point for his fifth goal of the season. Brandon Saad and Artem Anisimov had the helpers.

Jonathan Toews scored his 33rd of the season to make it 3-0 for the Blackhawks at 10:59 of the first. The goal was assisted by Saad and Erik Gustafsson.

Lukas Radil responded for the Sharks to make it a 3-1 game at 11:57.

The Sharks pulled to within one at 2:33 of the second period with Gustav Nyquist firing his 20th of the season past Corey Crawford, on the power play.

DeBrincat buried a feed from Dylan Strome at 4:21 of the second, giving Chicago back the two-goal lead. Dominik Kahun recorded the second assist on the goal.

Tomas Hertl scored on a 5-on-3 power play at 6:29 of the second to make it a 4-3 game.

Things got tense when Timo Meier deked and scored at 16:06 of the second to tie things up at 4-4.

Chris Kunitz tipped in a goal at 18:08 of the second to make it 5-4 Blackhawks. Kane and Gustafsson recorded the assists.

OH CAPTAIN, MY CAPTAIN: Toews recorded two points in the first period giving him 76 for the season, which tied his previous career-high set back in 2010-11.

THIS IS 40: With his second goal of the night, DeBrincat reached 40 goals in his second NHL season. The Blackhawks have two 40-goal scorers (Kane, 41) for the first time since the 1990-91 season in which Steve Larmer had 44 and Jeremy Roenick had 41. DeBrincat is the youngest player (21 years, 100 days) to reach 40 goals in a season, passing Larmer (21 years, 284 days) who set the mark on March 27, 1983.

TALKING POINTS: "We did do a good job of getting there and we got rewarded for it. We could have had a couple more too, there were pucks lying around. We got some pucks to the net, we were around the net. It's nice to see the guys get rewarded and remember how to score." - Jeremy Colliton on getting to the net

"It's a cool accomplishment. It's what I've been working for. Obviously, I couldn't have done it without my linemates giving me the puck, finding me in open areas and a lot of the times I'm just there to bang it in. A lot of credit to them." - DeBrincat on reaching 40

WHAT'S NEXT: The Blackhawks conclude this road trip in Los Angeles against the Kings on Saturday night at 9:30 p.m. CT. The game can be seen on NBCSCH or heard on WGN 720. The game can also be streamed via NHL.tv or the NBCSCH MyTeamsApp.

ChicagoBlackhawks.com FEATURE: DeBrincat's journey to 40 goals not a surprise

By Chris Wescott March 29, 2019

Dylan Strome didn't know much about this undrafted kid the Ontario Hockey League's Erie Otters had signed, but there was plenty of chatter that he could eventually produce for them.

"He got passed up in two drafts and I guess one of our scouts found him," said Strome.

It didn't take Strome long to figure out that Alex DeBrincat was the real deal and was going to live up to that hype.

"He had like five or six goals in the preseason and from then on we knew it was going to go pretty well," said Strome. "He scored three goals in his first three games in the OHL. We all knew he could score and I think his overall game kind of rounded out into Rookie of the Year and then a 100-point season."

DeBrincat went on to have not one, not two, but three 100-plus point seasons with the Otters. He tallied 51, 51 and 65 goals in his three years in the Ontario Hockey League, playing along fellow teenage phenoms Connor McDavid and Strome.

"Everyone was surprised, I think," said Strome, who has been reunited with DeBrincat in Chicago. "We heard about this free agent kid coming in, didn't know much about him but knew he'd be a pretty good player. We were hoping he'd be what he turned out to be. I think he was what we wanted and a lot more. A very good find for us [in Erie] and the Blackhawks, obviously, with him slipping that late in his draft."

While McDavid went first overall to the Edmonton Oilers and Strome went third overall to Arizona in the 2015 NHL Draft, DeBrincat fell to 39th the next year, much to the benefit of Chicago. While DeBrincat had the numbers in junior, could a 5-foot-7, 165-pound winger make that kind of impact in the NHL? There were questions, and DeBrincat has answered them with authority.

"It was always tough because he was so small so I never really knew how good he was going to be," said McDavid, who spoke with Blackhawks.com about DeBrincat in February. "I always believed he was going to be a really good player, but you hear little doubts and whatnot, but he just kept proving everyone wrong. It's a credit to him and how hard he works, his passion for the game and it's really amazing to see."

The doubts are no more.

DeBrincat, nearing the finish of his sophomore season in the NHL, scored twice against the San Jose Sharks on Thursday night to become the youngest player in Blackhawks history (21 years, 100 days) to reach 40 goals in a season, besting Steve Larmer (21 years, 284 days), who set the record on March 27, 1983.

When asked if a few years ago, playing in Erie, DeBrincat would have imagined one day scoring 40 goals in the NHL - let alone in his second season - the winger let out a small laugh.

"No," he said. "I think you just worry about getting to the NHL, not about how many goals you're going to score. It's a cool accomplishment for me. It's fun to do, fun to score, glad it happened."

There has been no sophomore slump for DeBrincat, who set a high bar for himself with a team-leading 28 goals last season as a rookie. He's bettered those numbers, a feat that shouldn't be shrugged off as a natural progression. Not every second-year player makes a leap like DeBrincat has, not only living up to expectations but shattering them.

"I think it's pretty impressive for him to do what he did in his rookie year," said Jonathan Toews. "Not that it would be a fluke, but a lot of guys are excited to play and sometimes being a young rookie, not knowing what you're up against, helps you to go out there and just play and enjoy the game, play, create, and score. It's always tough to come back and back that up your second season and he's done all that and more. For him to reach a 40-goal season this early in this season is pretty impressive."

Blackhawks Head Coach Jeremy Colliton agrees.

"You see that a lot where sometimes guys take a step back but I think it says a lot about his character and commitment to being great every night," said the coach. "He's been able to produce for us pretty consistently. I know he was a little more streaky last year, but not so much this year."

You can't get to where DeBrincat is without willing to put the work in.

"He practices hard and he loves to score goals," said Strome. "You're not going to find a guy who scores many more goals in practice than he does. I guess you practice like you play and he scores goals everywhere. It's fun to watch. He always has a good work ethic and it shows on the ice."

"It's his heart, I think," McDavid said of DeBrincat's biggest asset.

"He's got such good character, he works so hard, he's so tenacious on the puck and he's got so many different qualities that make him a guy that never goes away and a guy you can bet on.

"If you're a smaller guy, you need to be able to win puck battles. You're not going to out-muscle that many guys, especially in this league, so he just flat-out out-works guys. That's how he wins his puck battles and makes plays."

With back-to-back strong seasons, DeBrincat has already established himself as one of the league's best young stars, so where is his ceiling?

"Well, 40 goals is a nice floor," quipped Colliton.

"He'll get better. He'll learn more and more about how to get open in this league and he's already doing a good job of it. But as a veteran guy, you learn what you've got to do to produce every night, whether that's power play coming through more consistently or just finding a way to get out of d-zone more. If he gets out of d-zone more, he's in the offensive zone and he can finish down there so I wouldn't say he's a finished product at all. That's not a slight on how he's playing, he's playing great. But he's young, he's a kid still. He can get better."

With DeBrincat already scary good at putting the puck in the net, it's amazing to ponder that he could - and likely will - get even better with time.

For those who know him best, that doesn't come as a surprise.

ChicagoBlackhawks.com BLOG: Crawford nominated for the Masterton

By Chris Wescott March 28, 2019

The Chicago Chapter of the Professional Hockey Writer's Association (PHWA) has selected Corey Crawford as their nominee for the Masterton Trophy this year.

The Bill Masterton Memorial Trophy is an annual award under the trusteeship of the PHWA and is given to the NHL player who best exemplifies the qualities of perseverance, sportsmanship, and dedication to hockey.

The winner is selected in a poll of all the chapters of the PHWA at the end of the regular season.

Previous Blackhawks winners of the trophy are Bryan Berard in 2004 and Pit Martin in 1970.

ChicagoBlackhawks.com THREE STARS: Draft picks shine in CHL playoff action

By Austin Siegel March 28, 2019

Every Thursday throughout the 2018-19 season, blackhawks.com will highlight prospects who have stood out for their junior, college or professional team in the previous week's action.

Here are this week's Three Stars.

FIRST STAR D Adam Boqvist (London) THE NUMBERS: 3 GP, 4 G, 1 A (#1 London leads #8 Windsor 3-0 in 1st Round)

With the OHL playoffs underway this week, Adam Boqvist continues to do what he's done throughout his brief career: Take the biggest stage available and absolutely own it. The top prospect in the Blackhawks organization scored four goals in a 6-3 playoff win over the Windsor Spitfires on Tuesday, as the London Knights took a commanding 3-0 lead in their first round series. Outscoring Windsor by himself, Boqvist scored his first three goals on the power play on Tuesday night, including a second-effort tally to bring the Knights level at 3-3 in the third period. His four-goal outburst made Boqvist just the second defenseman in OHL history to score four goals in a playoff game.

SECOND STAR D Nicolas Beaudin (Drummondville) THE NUMBERS: 4 GP, 2 G, 2 A (#2 Drummondville leads #7 Gatineau 3-1 in 1st Round)

Speaking of offensive-minded defenseman, Nicolas Beaudin continued his impressive QMJHL campaign in the postseason. The Blackhawks other first round pick in the 2018 NHL Draft, Beaudin scored on back-to-back nights for the Drummondville Voltigeurs in their first round series with the Gatineau Olympiques. Beaudin fired home a shorthanded goal in Drummondville's 7-4 win over the Olympiques on Tuesday, before scoring his ninth goal of the season on Wednesday night in a 4-2 loss to Gatineau. The Voltigeurs still hold a commanding 3-1 series lead over Gatineau and can advance to the second round with a win on Friday night.

THIRD STAR G Alexis Gravel (Halifax) THE NUMBERS: 3 GP, 3.03 GAA, .896 Save Pct. (#1 Halifax trails #8 Quebec 2-1 in 1st Round)

Backstopping the top seed in the QMJHL's Eastern Conference playoffs, Alexis Gravel and the Halifax Mooseheads have had their hands full with the Quebec Remparts. After dropping the first two games of their first round series in Halifax, the Mooseheads faced a must-win game in Quebec City on Tuesday night. No problem for the 19-year-old Gravel. The Blackhawks prospect turned away 25 of 26 shots against the Remparts including this unbelievable pad save in the first period to keep the game scoreless:

The Mooseheads are back in action on Thursday night in Quebec City looking to even the series.

ROCKFORD REPORT: The race for the playoffs in the AHL's Central Division has been heating up this month, with the IceHogs locked in a tie with the Manitoba Moose for the final postseason spot. Manitoba has a game in hand on Rockford, but the IceHogs have nine games left to make their move up the standings. A shootout win over the Chicago Wolves helped Rockford keep pace in the Central Division, as Victor Ejdsell carried a three-game point streak through the win over Chicago and two losses to the Milwaukee Admirals last week. The 23-year-old Swede has 27 points (11 G, 16 A) in his first full season in Rockford, since being acquired by the Blackhawks at the trade deadline last season in a deal with the Nashville Predators. NBCSportsChicago.com Four takeaways: Blackhawks snap scoring slump, get revenge in San Jose

By Charlie Roumeliotis March 28, 2019

Here are four takeaways from the Blackhawks' 5-4 win over the San Jose Sharks at SAP Center on Thursday:

1. Revenge in San Jose

The Blackhawks are hard to figure out. One day they'll get shut out by Arizona, and the other they'll put up a five spot against one of the best Western Conference teams in San Jose, which has now lost seven in a row (0-6-1). Perhaps there's a looser feeling in the locker room after their playoff hopes have basically slipped away.

It's likely too late for these two points to have an impact on the standings, but the Blackhawks can at least leave the arena with positive vibes. It was the first time in seven games that they scored more than two goals in a game after they had found the back of the net only nine times in their previous six contests.

2. Alex DeBrincat joins exclusive company

After going pointless in a career-long five straight games, DeBrincat got back on the scoresheet in San Jose. And he did so in a big way.

The 21-year-old winger tallied a pair of goals to hit the 40-goal mark for the first time in his NHL career in only his second season. He became the second Blackhawk in 19 years to accomplish that feat, with Patrick Kane doing it twice since then.

DeBrincat and Kane are the first Blackhawks duo to score at least 40 goals in the same season since Jeremy Roenick (41) and Steve Larmer (44) did so in 1990-91. DeBrincat and Kane also became the second American-born duo of all-time to score 40 goals in the same year, joining Joe Mullen and Kevin Stevens when they did it with the Pittsburgh Penguins in 1991-92.

3. Power play back on the board, penalty kill struggles continue

At 5-on-5 play, the game was fairly even. The Sharks led in shot attempts (43-30), but the Blackhawks generated more scoring chances (21-18) and high-danger chances (14-10), according to naturalstattrick.com. It was special teams where things got lopsided.

The Blackhawks committed five penalties, three of which were by Brent Seabrook — uncharacteristically. Both teams had a 5-on-3 advantage at some point, and they each converted.

The Blackhawks finished 1-for-2 on the power play while the Sharks went 2-for-5. It's the 13th time this season the Blackhawks have given up multiple power-play goals in the same game, and fourth consecutive outing they've allowed at least one.

4. Back on the scoresheet

The most encouraging part about the five-goal outburst is that the players who were struggling to get on the scoresheet as of late finally got back on it.

Patrick Kane had a two-assist night after being held pointless in seven of the previous 14 games. DeBrincat had a two- goal effort after going goalless in six straight. Strome also registered an assist to end a five-game point drought. And even Jonathan Toews tallied a couple points to tie his career high with 76 points.

Perhaps the Blackhawks can build on that momentum in the final five regular-season games, and feel good about the offensive part of their game going into the offseason.

NBCSportsChicago.com Corey Crawford named Blackhawks' nominee for 2019 Bill Masterton Trophy

By Charlie Roumeliotis March 28, 2019

Corey Crawford is the Blackhawks' nominee for the 2019 Bill Masterton Memorial Trophy, annually awarded to the player who best exemplifies the qualities of perseverance, sportsmanship and dedication to the sport, as voted upon by the team's chapter of the Professional Hockey Writers' Association.

The 34-year-old goaltender missed nearly 10 months with a concussion dating back to December of 2017, worked all training camp to get back in shape and returned this season after missing the first five games. He went 6-14-2 with a 3.28 goals against average and .902 save percentage in 23 appearances before being sidelined again on Dec. 16 with his second known concussion.

After missing 28 games, Crawford made his second comeback on Feb. 27 against the Anaheim Ducks. And since then, he's 7-4-1 with a 2.23 goals against average, .925 save percentage and one shutout in 12 starts. He's been one of the biggest bright spots for the Blackhawks down the stretch.

Only two other Blackhawks have been presented with the Masterton Trophy: Pit Martin (1969-70) and Bryan Berard (2003-04). The 31 nominees will be narrowed to three finalists in a poll by the PHWA members, and the winner will be announced at the NHL Awards in June.

Brian Boyle was the recipient of the award last season after he was diagnosed with myeloid leukemia, a type of bone marrow cancer, at the start of training camp and returned on Nov. 1. He went on to record 23 points (13 goals, 10 assists) in 69 games for the playoff-bound New Jersey Devils.

NBCSportsChicago.com Scott Foster on emergency appearance with Blackhawks and his most tense in-game moment

By Charlie Roumeliotis March 28, 2019

One year ago today, history was made at the United Center.

It was March 29, 2018. Anton Forsberg was expected to be the starter vs. Winnipeg but got injured before the game, which forced Collin Delia to make his NHL debut earlier than anticipated. And with 14:01 left in the third period and the Blackhawks leading 6-2, the unthinkable happened.

A 36-year-old accountant named Scott Foster entered the game for an injured Delia as the emergency goaltender. He stopped all seven shots he faced to preserve the victory for the Blackhawks, and was named the No. 1 star of the game. It was epic.

And then Foster went dark. He disappeared from the spotlight and we didn't hear from him again.

In the latest Hawks Talk Podcast, Pat Boyle sat down with Foster for nearly 30 minutes to relive that memorable night and took us behind the scenes of what transpired.

Here's a snippet:

On getting the nod:

"The first thing I remember is, we’re watching the game on TV and I was actually sitting beside Forsberg and [Corey] Crawford at the time, and Delia takes a shot," Foster said. "And there’s probably like a joke or something made about where he got hit with that puck and that it kind of shook him up or something like that. That’s when he goes down and now he’s not getting up. That’s when your heart rate starts going and you start to think, ‘There’s gotta be another guy between me and him, right? One of these two guys suits up and goes in for this game, right?'

"And then a trainer came running down and told me to start to stretch, which is something that probably doesn’t happen too often at men’s league. Then [assistant coach] Kevin Dineen’s running down the hallway, yelling at you to get your helmet because now you’re going in. So I had to make the walk down the hallway into this locker room and start grabbing my gear and my helmet and gloves and start getting ready to make the journey out the tunnel.”

On what he did during TV timeouts:

“Those were probably my most tense moments on the ice, actually. When the game is going on, you have something to focus on, you’re playing, you’re just trying to do your thing. But then there’s these moments in time where you can either glance around the crowd, do you skate to the bench? I remember just trying not to get run over by the ice crew. And I think I pondered actually going to the bench and I’m like, ‘Well then these guys are going to start talking to me and that’s probably the last thing I need to do right now.’

"I even remember trying to grab a drink of water and I let my eyes glance up through from the ice level up to the rafters in the United Center and I was like, ‘OK, no more of that! This place is huge. That’s a lot of cell phones taking pictures of you right now. Let’s not do any of that anymore.’ It was just kind of, take a moment to yourself and honestly just try to block a lot of stuff out.”

Chicago Tribune 3 takeaways from the Blackhawks' 5-4 win over the Sharks, including Alex DeBrincat's 40th goal and Corey Crawford's brush with injury

By Jimmy Greenfield March 28, 2019

Say, what's that thing that hockey players need to do to win hockey games?

Oh, yeah: They need to score goals.

The Blackhawks had a ferocious offense for nearly three months before the goals disappeared, and with them their chances of making the playoffs. After scoring five goals in two periods against the Maple Leafs on March 13, the Hawks scored just nine goals over 19 periods.

The Hawks won the Leafs game but went 2-3-1 in the following six games as they failed to score more than two goals in any game and were shut out against the Coyotes on Tuesday night. Whatever the reason, the offense returned during Thursday's 5-4 win over the Sharks, sparked by three first-period goals.

As coach Jeremy Colliton put it: “We remembered how to score.”

Too bad they forgot how in the previous six games or the postseason might still be a possibility.

Here are three takeaways from Thursday night’s win.

1. Alex DeBrincat hit 40 goals and he's just getting started.

Being a second-round pick in the NHL draft is nothing to sneeze at. The NHL has plenty of stars who were passed over in the first round, including Hawks' second-rounders Duncan Keith, Brandon Saad and Corey Crawford.

But the thing about DeBrincat is that he should never have been a second-round pick. Despite remarkable numbers for the OHL's Erie Otters, he was available when the Hawks picked 39th overall in 2016 because his size made him less likely to succeed in the NHL.

Maybe that tends to be true about some players. It wasn't true about the 5-foot-7-inch DeBrincat.

After scoring a pair of goals against the Sharks on Thursday, DeBrincat hit the 40-goal mark during his second NHL season and has 68 goals and 57 assists in 159 career games.

There are three players in the entire 2016 draft who have more goals than DeBrincat — Auston Matthews, Patrik Laine and Matthew Tkachuk. They were taken first, second and sixth overall, respectively.

The eight players taken ahead of him in the second round — all of whom were approximately the same age as DeBrincat when the draft took place — have thus far combined for two goals and two assists in 21 games.

Both of his goals on Thursday against the Sharks were due to his incredible nose for the puck and shockingly quick shot. The first came during a Hawks' 5-on-3 power play, when DeBrincat put back his own rebound, finding the puck in front of the net and backhanding it in before Sharks goalie Martin Jones could recover.

DeBrincat's second goal was more typical for him. It came when Dylan Strome found him in front of the net and he one- timed a shot with precision right over Jones’ shoulder.

“When you get to see him every night you realize the skill set he has is pretty special,” Hawks coach Jeremy Colliton said after the game. “That release (is) unbelievable, and when he does release it he puts it in a good spot. But to have 40 goals in his second season is tremendous.”

2. Dylan Sikura still searching for first goal.

When the Hawks are finally mathematically eliminated from the playoffs, don't be surprised to see Sikura's ice time start to increase. The team is going to do whatever it takes to get him his first goal before the end of the season.

Sikura has offensive talent, that's clear. He's also been much better at getting open for chances over the last few weeks, particularly when he's been playing on the top line. But with no goals despite 51 shots on net, Sikura hasn't shown anywhere near the quick release or ability to find the corners that DeBrincat has.

A case in point was during the first shift of third period when Sikura and Toews had a 2-on-1. Toews drew the defender over before laying a perfect pass onto Sikura's stick. Instead of going with a quick release, Sikura settled the puck then shot directly into the middle of Jones' chest.

Those opportunities have to be converted, especially during a close game.

3. Another scary Sharks moment for Corey Crawford.

It was about 3 1/2 months ago that the Sharks' Evander Kane ran over Crawford at the United Center, giving Crawford a concussion that cost him more than two months of his season.

There almost was a repeat of that early in the first period when Sharks forward Marcus Sorensen barreled towards the net and made no real attempt to halt his momentum before pushing Crawford toward the back of the net.

The collision wasn't nearly as violent as the one in December and Crawford was able to avoid getting pushed back so hard that he might have hit his head on the ice or against one of the goal posts. It ended up being a two-minute penalty on Sorensen for goaltender interference.

But it once again illustrated the danger that Crawford and every goalie face each time they take the net.

Here’s a recap of the Hawks’ 5-4 win at SAP Center in San Jose:

If the Blackhawks can't play consequential games anymore, they at least seem determined to play entertaining ones.

With their playoff hopes all but lost this season, the Hawks played like a team that had nothing to lose Thursday. They built a huge early lead, blew it nearly as quickly, then kept up the fight and rode Chris Kunitz's tiebreaking tally late in the second period to secure a 5-4 victory over the Sharks in San Jose.

The Hawks’ ultra-slim playoff chances improved slightly as they moved within five points of the Avalanche for the final Western Conference wild-card spot with five games to go. The Sharks, who already have clinched a playoff spot, lost their seventh straight.

Alex DeBrincat scored a pair of goals to reach 40 in just his second season, becoming the youngest player in Hawks history to reach that mark. DeBrincat reached 40 goals at 21 years, 100 days to break the team record set by Steve Larmer, who notched his 40th on March 27, 1983 when he was 21 years, 284 days old.

DeBrincat and Patrick Kane joined Kevin Stevens and Joe Mullen (1991-92) to become the second set of U.S.-born teammates in NHL history to each score at least 40 goals in a season.

Jonathan Toews had a goal and an assist to get to 76 points on the season, tying his career-high set in 2010-11.

After a couple of weeks of barely being able to find the back of the net, the Hawks jumped out to a 3-0 lead on goals by DeBrincat, Connor Murphy and Toews before the game was 10 minutes old. DeBrincat's first-period goal came on a five- on-three power play.

The Sharks got on the board before the end of the first to make it 3-1, then tied it in the second. Gustav Nyquist scored early in the period, then, after DeBrincat's second goal, Tomas Hertl and Timo Meier each tallied to make it 4-4.

A little over two minutes after Meier's goal, Kane flipped a backhander towards the Sharks' net that Kunitz tipped in to beat Martin Jones for his fourth goal on the season.

Dylan Sikura had a glorious opportunity to extend the Hawks' lead and score the first goal of his NHL career early in the third when he and Toews had a two-on-one, but his point-blank shot was turned aside by Jones.

Chicago Tribune 5 reasons to keep paying attention now that the Blackhawks will (almost certainly) miss the playoffs

By Jimmy Greenfield March 28, 2019

The Blackhawks could be eliminated from playoff contention as early as Saturday, but, for all intents and purposes, their playoff hopes ended after they lost to the Coyotes 1-0 on Tuesday night.

With just a 0.4 percent chance to reach the postseason, according to hockey-reference.com, it’s time to look at a few reasons to keep an eye on the Blackhawks over the final week of what will be their second straight season without making the playoffs.

1. Individual milestones.

It seemed to be a foregone conclusion two weeks ago that Patrick Kane would easily surpass his career-best 106 points set during the 2015-16 season and Alex DeBrincat would score 40 goals in just his second NHL season.

Now it looks like both will come down to the wire.

Entering Thursday’s game against the Sharks, Kane had just three points over his last six games and was stuck on 102 points. DeBrincat’s last goal came on March 13 against the Maple Leafs — six games ago — keeping him two shy of becoming the third Hawks player to reach the 40-goal plateau since Tony Amonte in 1999-2000. Kane had 46 goals in 2015-16.

With 32 goals and 42 assists for 74 points, Jonathan Toews is two away from tying career highs in all three of those categories. He’s also trying to play in all 82 games for the first time since the 2008-09 season and just the second time in his career.

On the flip side, Dylan Sikura is still looking for the first goal of his NHL career after failing to score in his first 35 games.

2. The Hawks’ draft position.

After deciding to play hard and stubbornly refusing to tank over the final three months of the season, the Hawks are likely to finish with anywhere from the seventh-worst to the 12th-worst record in the NHL.

Their odds of winning the draft lottery — which will be held April 9 — are slim no matter where they end up in the standings. If they finish with the seventh-worst record, the Hawks will have a 6.5 percent chance at the top pick, according to Tankathon.com. If they finish 12th worst, their chances are 2.5 percent.

The June draft is being framed as the “Jack Hughes” draft, and that may end up being the case, but Finnish forward Kaapo Kakko and Russian forward Vasili Podkolzin are likely to go second and third and make any team who gets them extremely happy.

If the Hawks can finish seventh worst, their odds of a top-three pick are 20.4 percent while they drop to 8.2 percent if they end up 12th overall. After playing the Kings on Saturday, the Hawks play their final four games of the season against the Jets, Blues, Stars and Predators — all playoff teams.

3. Avoiding consecutive last-place finishes for the first time in over 60 years.

This flies in the face of tanking, but the Hawks can avoid their second straight last-place finish in the Central Division if they can overtake the Wild.

Entering Thursday’s game, the Hawks trailed the Wild by three points with a game in hand. The Wild’s schedule is just as tough as the Hawks’ with games against the Golden Knights, Coyotes, Jets, Bruins and Stars.

Maybe the difference between sixth place and seventh place is not a big deal, but it has been a long time since the Hawks had back-to-back last-place finishes. It hasn’t happened since the Original Six era, when they finished last overall in four straight seasons from 1953-54 to 1956-57.

4. Prospects joining the Hawks for the final week.

The Rockford IceHogs are still in the hunt for a playoff spot and don’t have any obvious prospects to get a call-up for the final week. Perhaps defenseman Henri Jokiharju will return for a few more NHL games, but it doesn’t seem likely.

It’s more likely Denver sophomore Ian Mitchell, the Hawks’ 2017 second-round draft pick, could make his NHL debut, but for that to happen the Pioneers would have to lose this weekend in the NCAA Tournament and he would have to sign an NHL contract.

The Hawks did this last year, signing Sikura and Blake Hillman after their college seasons ended and getting them a few NHL games before the season ended.

5. The wild-card races.

Come on, just because the Hawks are out of it doesn’t mean it’s time to stop watching hockey.

The wild-card races have been pretty tight, especially in the Eastern Conference, where the Blue Jackets, Canadiens and Hurricanes have been bouncing in and out of playoff spots for several weeks.

The Avalanche are two points ahead of the Coyotes and can start to pull away in the Western Conference when the teams meet Friday night.

Chicago Sun Times Blackhawks ‘not accepting any fate’ in playoff race, beat Sharks 5-4

By Jason Lieser March 28, 2019

The Blackhawks are trying to hang around as long as possible in the Western Conference wild-card race to see if they somehow can catch enough breaks to sneak into the playoffs, and they bought themselves a little more time with a feisty performance against the Sharks.

The Hawks scored three times in the first period and held on for a 5-4 victory Thursday to keep themselves in play as a long shot. They trail the Avalanche by five points for the final playoff spot with five games left.

The Coyotes are two points behind the Avalanche and can pull even when the teams play Friday in Denver. The Wild also are in the mix, a point ahead of the Hawks, and they visit the Golden Knights on Friday. The Hawks have a day off before facing the last-place Kings on Saturday.

“Every game’s big right now,” Jonathan Toews said. “It’s a big win for us to stay alive and keep that morale up and keep heading toward the end of the season in the right direction, regardless of what happens in the standings.”

The Sharks game was a sharp change from the tight, low-scoring battles the Hawks have had the last two weeks. It was the first time they scored more than twice since beating the Maple Leafs on March 13.

They opened a 3-0 lead in the first nine minutes, but the Sharks came to life and tied the score 4-4 late in the second period. The Hawks went up 5-4 on a long shot by Patrick Kane that Chris Kunitz chopped into the net.

That was a key element of the offense Thursday after coach Jeremy Colliton called out his players for not wanting to mix it up at the net on offense and get ‘‘dirty goals’’ from deflections and rebounds. The Hawks had a presence around the crease from the outset, and it made a difference.

The Hawks were also better on the power play after scoring only four times in 36 tries in the previous 14 games. Alex DeBrincat gave them a power-play goal four minutes into the game.

They also have been bad on penalty kills, and that problem persisted. The Hawks committed five penalties, including three by Brent Seabrook in the first 25 minutes, and gave up two goals.

The Hawks took their 5-4 lead into the third period and made it last. They held the Sharks to nine shots on goal in the final period.

“We started making a few more hard, direct, forward plays,” Colliton said. “Thought our D-zone was pretty good. That’s what you should do on the road.

“I think one of the things as a team we can get better at is, OK, you’re up 3-1, the game should be over. Find a way to close it down. We struggle with that a little bit. But 5-4 on the road against that team… I thought we did a real nice job in the third.”

DeBrincat broke out of his slump with two goals, boosting his season total to 40. With Kane at 41, the Hawks have two 40-goal scorers for the first time since Steve Larmer and Jeremy Roenick in 1990-91.

“You just worry about getting to the NHL, not about how many goals you’re gonna score,” said DeBrincat, who never imagined potting 40. “It’s a cool accomplishment for me. It’s fun to do, fun to score. Glad it happened.”

At 21 years, 100 days old, he also took over Larmer’s spot as the youngest player in franchise history to reach 40 goals in a season.

Toews assisted on DeBrincat’s first goal and scored his 33rd to push his point total to 76, matching the career high he set in 2010-11. He is one goal away from tying his career high in that category, as well.

Chicago Sun Times Baby steps for Blackhawks’ defense, which is keeping team afloat

By Jason Lieser March 28, 2019

There has been one bright spot for the Blackhawks amid their playoff hopes unraveling: They’ve played their best defense of the season.

Whether it has been the playoff-like tension or a legitimate step forward — or likely a combination of both — the Hawks allowed the fifth-fewest goals in the NHL in the last two weeks.

‘‘It feels better,’’ defenseman Connor Murphy said before a game against the Sharks late Thursday. ‘‘We had spurts where we were scoring a ton and winning and not defending that great, but we were winning. I would take winning over anything, but it’s nice to see that part of the game look better.’’

It has been a surprising flip for the Hawks, who were among the highest-scoring teams and the most porous defenses in the last few months. Now their scrappy defense is keeping them in games, but they can’t get their offense firing.

The best they’ve played was Sunday against the Avalanche — and not only because Duncan Keith won the game for them in overtime with a takeaway and an end-to-end goal.

Of the 47 shots the Avalanche uncorked, only 20 made it all the way to goalie Corey Crawford. The Hawks blocked 23 of them, led by defenseman Brent Seabrook with five.

‘‘We did a good job of limiting them and having all five guys supporting everyone on the ice,’’ Seabrook said. ‘‘When you’re doing that, it definitely helps make your defensive game better and drives your offense.

‘‘We want to continue to push and fight and get in the playoffs, and hopefully that translates into success going forward — not just this year but next year. When everybody’s buying in, it’s fun to watch, and we’re pretty good.’’

The Hawks have held opponents to an average of two goals a game since March 9 and rank 19th in shots on goal against during that span, a significant jump from being worst in the league through 65 games.

Shots on goal isn’t the defining stat for a defense, but some other numbers from this stretch illustrate modest improvement, as well.

Crawford’s return certainly has helped everything look better, and he has a stunning .948 save percentage in the last nine games. The defense also has helped him out a little. The Hawks have been 24th in high-danger scoring chances against at even strength, which is still bad, but it is a baby step after giving up by far the most in the league before this uptick.

‘‘I think we’ve been better,’’ coach Jeremy Colliton said. ‘‘We’ve been pretty good at limiting the other teams’ opportunities, and it’s allowed us to get some points when we haven’t been scoring. But that’s what’s required. We have to play that way this time of year.’’

The question is whether they can do it regularly, and they’ll get a better chance at proving it next season.

It was a difficult adjustment to Colliton’s defensive philosophy in the middle of the season, especially with little practice time in his first month on the job. With him laying the groundwork this season and getting a full training camp to install his system next fall, though, things should be more cohesive next season.

‘‘In the season, you get a 40-minute practice every now and then, and it’s hard to change the way you’re playing,’’ Murphy said. ‘‘It’ll definitely be big to have a full training camp and get it integrated for a full season.’’

Chicago Sun Times Blackhawks notes: Alex DeBrincat pushes through frustrating drought

By Jason Lieser March 28, 2019

Alex DeBrincat was chasing one of the most prolific scoring seasons in Blackhawks history before he got swept up in the team’s recent offensive slump.

He was fourth in the NHL in goals a month ago and was on pace for 46, but had just two in 12 games leading up to the Hawks’ matchup with the Sharks late Thursday. That’s quite a rut after averaging a goal nearly every two games to begin his career, and DeBrincat can’t pinpoint why he’s been off.

“It’s a little bit frustrating, but if you’re getting chances, it’s gotta go in sooner or later,” he said. “I’ve had a few chances to score these past few games and it just hasn’t gone in.

“I’ve whiffed on a few pucks and missed the net a few times, but… I’ve just gotta keep playing and keep shooting. I don’t think I’m gonna change anything, and hopefully they start falling my way soon.”

His drought, along with that of Patrick Kane and Jonathan Toews, is a big reason they’ve gone from one of the most dangerous offenses in the league to one that managed nine goals over the six-game span that essentially sunk their playoff bid.

DeBrincat, Kane and Toews — all on the top line now as coach Jeremy Colliton desperately tries to jolt the offense — combined for 12 goals in the last 15 games. They had 99 in the first 61.

It has still been a landmark season for DeBrincat, who followed a terrific rookie year by asserting himself as one of the league’s elite scorers. He has 38 goals and 71 points, which ranked ninth and 34th, respectively.

As he looks to get going again, he’s trying to stay steady.

“Overthinking it and getting too down on yourself is definitely going to hurt you,” he said. “Whether you’re in a slump or it’s going well, you go about it the same way.”

Dahlstrom signs extension

Hawks defenseman Carl Dahlstrom started each of the last two seasons in the minor leagues before proving himself as a full-time player. Management was convinced enough to sign him to a two-year, $1.7 million extension this week.

“It’s always in the back of your head from kind of right the start of the season, but it’s also something we as players try not to think about too much because it might ruin the play a little bit,” said Dahlstrom, who would have been a free agent this summer.

“I’ve always found a way to contribute to that next level. I think I’m still in the process of doing that here in the NHL, but I think I’ve come a long way so far.”

Dahlstrom, 24, has been in the organization since being drafted in the second round in 2013. He has six assists, 32 blocks and is a plus-8 in 648 minutes this season.

International sensation

The Hawks will start next season in Europe, and tickets for the two games they’ll play there sold out in less than two days.

They will finish training camp and play their final exhibition game in Germany against Eisbaren Berlin, and that game sold out in 19 minutes after going on sale Wednesday. Their regular-season opener against the Flyers in Prague sold out by Thursday morning.

Daily Herald Blackhawks still alive -- barely -- in playoff chase after 5-4 win over Sharks

By John Dietz March 28, 2019

Alex DeBrincat scored twice and Chris Kunitz provided the game-winner as the Blackhawks kept their slim playoff hopes alive with a 5-4 victory at San Jose on Thursday.

The Hawks (34-33-10, 78 points) are now 5 points behind Colorado, which sits in the second wild-card spot. They are also 3 points behind Arizona and 1 behind Minnesota. All of those teams have five games remaining.

DeBrincat now has 40 goals on the season and is just 1 behind Patrick Kane.

This is the first time the Hawks have had two 40-goal scorers since 1990-91 when Steve Larmer (44) and Jeremy Roenick (41) accomplished the feat.

The Hawks jumped out to a 3-0 lead on goals by DeBrincat at 4:10, Connor Murphy at 6:19 and Jonathan Toews at 10:59.

Second-period penalties by Slater Koekkoek, Brent Seabrook and Murphy allowed San Jose to get back in the game.

The Sharks converted twice, then tied things up at 4-4 on a Timo Meier goal at 16:06 of the second period.

Kunitz notched the game-winner with 1:52 remaining in the second period when he redirected a long Kane backhander past Sharks goalie Martin Jones.

Kunitz has 4 goals on the season, 3 of which have come in his last 15 games.

Corey Crawford made 26 saves in net to improve to 14-18-3. Kane, Brandon Saad and Erik Gustafsson had 2 assists each, and Murphy had 6 of the Hawks' 20 blocked shots.

San Jose has lost seven straight.

The Hawks close out their three-game road trip at Los Angeles on Saturday.

Crawford nominated: The Blackhawks' chapter of the Professional Hockey Writers' Association nominated Corey Crawford for the Bill Masterton Memorial Trophy, awarded annually to the player who best exemplifies the qualities of perseverance, sportsmanship and dedication to hockey.

Crawford missed the final 47 games of the 2017-18 season with a concussion and also missed more than two months this season with a concussion.

After PHWA members vote on the 31 Masterton nominees, the list will be narrowed to three finalists.

The winner will be announced at the NHL awards in June.

LAKings.com Dustin Brown Becomes LA Kings All-Time Games Played Leader

By LA Kings Staff March 28, 2019

Dustin Brown, already one of the most accomplished players to suit up for the LA Kings, passed Dave Taylor to become the Kings all-time franchise leader in regular season games played with 1,112 as he took the ice against the on Thursday.

To celebrate this monumental accomplishment, the Kings will host a special pre-game ceremony featuring both Brown and Taylor on Monday, April 1. Plus, a special commemorative Dustin Brown poster will also be given away to all Kings fans that night.

As General Manager of the Kings, Taylor selected Brown (born in Ithaca, New York on November 4, 1984) in the first- round, 13th overall, in the 2003 NHL Entry Draft on June 21, 2003. Brown made his NHL debut with the Kings a few months later in Detroit against the Red Wings on October 9.

Those events in 2003 set in motion a distinguished career highlighted by two Stanley Cup Championships as Brown and his teammates reached unprecedented highs, that will be long remembered by all Kings fans, in 2012 and 2014.

As he closes in on the completion of his 15th season with the Kings, Brown continues to lead both on and off the ice, and his list of accomplishments in a Kings uniform continues to grow.

Brown also ranks second all-time in seasons played with the Kings (15 seasons; 2003-2019); only Taylor (17 seasons; 1977-1994) has played more seasons for the franchise.

He recently scored his 20th goal this season, giving him seven career 20-plus goal seasons, reaching the 20-goal mark in two consecutive seasons and scoring a career-high 33 goals with the Kings during the 2007-08 season.

During the regular season, Brown ranks first in all-time hits (3,359), sixth all-time in goals (281), ninth all-time in assists (334), eighth all-time in points (615), fifth all-time in power plays goals (95), fifth all-time in game-winning goals (40), second all-time in overtime goals (9) and third all-time in shots attempted (2,906).

During the postseason, Brown ranks first all-time in hits (413), third all-time in games played (85), eighth all-time in goals (19), tied for seventh all-time in assists (28), eighth all-time in points (47), tied for fourth all-time in plus-minus (plus-14), tied for seventh all-time in power play goals (6), tied for first all-time in short-handed goals (2), tied for second all-time in game-winning goals (5) and fourth all-time in shots (197).

At just 23-years-old, on October 8, 2008, Brown became the youngest captain and the first American captain for the Kings, a role he served through 2016. That same season he was named the Kings Most Valuable Player (MVP).

He shares the franchise record for most times being named the team's MVP, with four nominations to date (2008-09, 2009-10, 2012-13).

He was also named the team's Most Inspirational Player following the 2007-08 and 2017-18 seasons, and he was the recipient of the Jim Fox Community Service Award three years in a row (from 2008-11).

Brown won the Mark Messier NHL Leadership Award in 2014 - in recognition of his commitment and service to charities in his community - and the NHL Foundation Player Award in 2011 for his extensive charity work in the Los Angeles community. He also skated for Team USA at the 2014 and 2010 Winter Olympic Games, winning a silver medal with Team USA during the 2010 tournament. NHL.com Canucks defeat Kings in shootout, avoid elimination from playoff race

By Kevin Woodley March 28, 2019

The Vancouver Canucks avoided being eliminated from Stanley Cup Playoff contention with a 3-2 shootout win against the Los Angeles Kings at Rogers Arena on Thursday.

Vancouver (33-35-10), which ended a three-game losing streak, is seven points behind the Colorado Avalanche for the second wild card into the playoffs from the Western Conference. The Canucks will be eliminated if the Avalanche get one point against the on Friday.

Thatcher Demko made 37 saves, and Quinn Hughes, who was the No. 7 pick in the 2018 NHL Draft, had an assist in his NHL debut.

"I want to play my best hockey here and produce and do what I can to pitch in, so it's nice to do that," said Hughes, who signed a three-year, entry-level contract on March 10.

Austin Wagner and Adrian Kempe scored, and Jonathan Quick made 36 saves in his 600th NHL game for Los Angeles (28- 40-9), which has lost two straight and has been eliminated from playoff contention.

"We want wins, obviously, but you can live with an overtime loss if you compete and play as hard as you can," Kings defenseman Drew Doughty said. "We love playing the game of hockey and we are committed to making this team better every night and we all play with heart and we all compete and that's what we ask."

Forward Dustin Brown played his 1,112th NHL game, passing Dave Taylor for the most in Kings history.

"It's something you never think about," Brown said. "I just put my head down and work and eventually when you look up, you are at some places you never thought you'd be."

Wagner scored on his own rebound off a wraparound attempt at the right post to make it 1-0 at 12:56 of the first period.

Alexander Edler scored on a point shot through traffic at 14:07 of the second period to tie it 1-1. The goal was Edler's 94th in the NHL, passing Mattias Ohlund for most in Canucks history by a defenseman.

"It's a special milestone," Edler said. "There are some pretty big names up there (in the Canucks Ring of Honor at Rogers Arena) with Mattias."

Boeser scored 56 seconds later to give the Canucks a 2-1 lead. After Hughes banked the puck to himself off the back of the net to get past his defender, he skated out to the right circle and took a shot before Boeser chipped the rebound over Quick from a sharp angle while being knocked to the ice.

"He's got special talent, that's for sure," Canucks coach Travis Green said of Hughes. "It doesn't look like he lacks confidence, which you want in your guys that are skilled. You want them to make plays and he made a few tonight that obviously are very exciting."

Kempe tied it 2-2 at 11:47 in the third period on a wrist shot following a turnover by Canucks forward Loui Eriksson at the blue line.

Quick made a sprawling glove save on Boeser on a 2-on-1 with Elias Pettersson in overtime, but Tanner Pearson scored the only goal in the fourth round of the shootout on a shot that hit his shoulder and bounced in.

"The save on Boeser might be one of the best saves I've ever seen him make, and that's a lot of really good saves," Brown said.

They said it "We had opportunities. I wish we had a little more killer instinct on two power plays, one late and one in overtime. We need to learn. We are out of the playoffs, but that is the difference between playoff teams and non-playoff teams, opportunities like that slipping through your fingers. Good teams find a way to capitalize." -- Kings forward Dustin Brown

"It was surreal to have the Canucks fans supporting me like that. It was a tremendous night for me and my parents and I'm just really happy to be here." -- Canucks defenseman Quinn Hughes

"It's a team I grew up watching. I grew up idolizing these guys, being from Southern California. It was a little surreal in warmups seeing those guys down there. But once the game starts, you've got to lock in. Definitely a cool one." -- Canucks goalie Thatcher Demko, who is from San Diego

Need to know Kings defenseman Dion Phaneuf was a healthy scratch for the fourth time in the past six games. … Canucks defenseman Ben Hutton returned after missing 11 games with a foot injury. He had two shots in 24:37 of ice time. … Edler has eight points (three goals, five assists) in his past six games.

Los Angeles Times Kings' past haunts them in shootout after Canucks' Tanner Pearson scores winning goal

By Assoiciated Press March 28, 2019

Tanner Pearson scored in the fourth round of the shootout and the Vancouver Canucks kept their faint playoff hopes alive, beating the Los Angeles Kings 3-2 Thursday night.

Brock Boeser and Alex Edler scored in regulation for the Canucks, who are seven points behind Colorado for the second wild-card spot in the Western Conference with four games to play. The win snapped a three-game losing skid for the Canucks.

Vancouver goalie Thatcher Demko made 37 saves in regulation. Jonathan Quick stopped 36 of 38 shots for the Kings.

Los Angeles opened the scoring 12:56 into the first period when Wagner poked the puck at Demko from the side of the net. The goalie flattened out in his crease but couldn't contain the rebound. Instead, it popped out to a waiting Wagner who chipped the puck off the crossbar and into the net.

Vancouver responded on the power play midway through the second, after Kings right-winger Carl Grundstrom was called for interference.

Canucks rookie Elias Pettersson got the puck to Edler at the point and he scored on a hard shot between Quick and the post.

The goal was the 94th of Edler's career, making him the Canucks' franchise leader in goals by a defenseman.

It was the Canucks' newest defenseman who set up the second goal of the night less than a minute later.

Hughes made a move pas Kings center Tyler Lewis below the Kings' goal line, escaping his check and gaining time and space to get back out front and put a shot on net. His shot ricocheted off the post to Boeser, who fired a wrist shot past Quick.

Kempe tied the score again 11:47 into the third period after Canucks left-winger Loui Eriksson turned the puck over in the defensive zone.

Lewis picked it up and sent a cross-ice pass to Kempe at the hash marks and the Kings center sent a wrist shot past Demko.

The Vancouver trio of Hughes, Boeser and Pettersson put on a show in overtime, but couldn't score.

The Athletic Why Dustin Brown is the king of all the Kings

By Lisa Dillman March 28, 2019

There are a lot of names to consider when you debate the barstool question — who is the greatest Los Angeles Kings player of them all?

Choices abound and there is no better place to start than the Hockey Hall of Fame wing: Wayne Gretzky, Luc Robitaille, Marcel Dionne, Rogie Vachon and Rob Blake. In another corner there is a most venerable captain and former Kings general manager, Dave Taylor, and his Triple Crown linemate Charlie Simmer.

With all that hockey royalty, you don’t immediately look toward Dustin Brown, who, at 34 is still playing and producing.

Brown stepped into the Kings’ lineup as an 18-year-old in 2003 and became captain in 2008. He held that position for almost eight years, and under his captaincy watch led the Kings to Stanley Cup championships in 2012 and 2014.

Brown was a shy teenager when he joined the Kings and became a leader, a champion, a father of four children, and now he will become the all-time franchise leader in regular-season games played (1,112) tonight at Vancouver against the Canucks, passing Taylor.

And so, here is one respectful submission from someone who eventually will be in the all-time-great conversation: current Kings captain Anze Kopitar.

“Brownie won the championship here,” Kopitar said. “The first one and the second one, the two that we’ve got. It’s such a very fine line with ranking them. I know he’s not just a big, but a huge part of this organization, right now, in the past and going forward.

“His jersey is going to be retired and he’s most likely going to have a statue in front of Staples Center. You do the math.”

In Edmonton on Tuesday, Brown played his 1,111th game, tying Taylor. Brown celebrated the occasion by scoring and adding two assists. He’s had 20-plus goals in seven seasons, including this one.

Taylor, also the Kings GM who drafted Brown in 2003, played the most seasons (17) with the Kings and Brown, in his 15th season, is second.

Kopitar’s views are seconded by others who have been there for all of Brown’s career. There probably isn’t anyone with a greater frame of reference and scope than Fox Sports West analyst Jim Fox, who is in his 29th season in the TV booth.

He has nearly four decades of perspective on Kings history, having played alongside Taylor, Gretzky, Robitaille and Dionne. Fox, 10th on the Kings’ all-time scoring list, played his entire NHL career in Los Angeles, from 1980-81 to 1989.

“I honestly put him right at the top because of the two Stanley Cups, his captaincy, his tenure,” Fox said. “He’s only played for the Kings. There’s a lot of parallels with Dave Taylor in that he spent his entire his career with the Kings.

“The style of play and how they were both physical players and also produced offensively. They both were captains. The Gretzkys and the Dionnes and the Robitailles certainly have the numbers as far as the offense.

“But again, I put Dustin right at the top because of his ties to the organization. For me, and for a lot of players, Dave Taylor was the guy.”

Robitaille was drafted by the Kings, won the Calder Trophy as rookie of the year in 1987 and made one Stanley Cup final with the Kings during the Gretzky Era, in 1993. But his lone Stanley Cup championship came with an All-Star collection of talent in Detroit in 2002.

Dionne started his NHL career in Detroit and finished it with the New York Rangers, having been traded there by then Kings GM Vachon. As for Vachon, he debuted with the Montreal Canadiens and finished with the Boston Bruins, but is most closely associated with the Kings.

Gretzky, of course, is indelibly linked to the Edmonton Oilers dynasty, which produced four Stanley Cup championships in his time there.

“We’re talking about attachment to a franchise,” Fox said. “Luc was here three times. Dustin and Dave didn’t go anywhere. That puts it over the top.

“Then when you add two-time captain of a Stanley Cup champion, I can’t say any more.

“The Gretzky trade changed the way everyone looked at the Kings and the franchise, and the Stanley Cups have changed the way everyone looks at the franchise.”

The Kings will commemorate the accomplishment with a ceremony before their April 1 game at Staples Center against the Calgary Flames, with Brown and Taylor.

Brown said he didn’t know much about Taylor when Brown was growing up in Ithaca, N.Y.

“I met Dave when he drafted me, but I didn’t understand the impact he had on the organization until I had been around for a couple of years,” Brown said.

This is a distinctive milestone.

“It’s like 1,000 games but different,” Brown said. “It’s one of those things you don’t really think about it. You just accumulate games over the course of a year and years turn into more years and all of a sudden you’re at a milestone like this.

“A lot of it is just durability and luck.”

The likes of Fox and long-time radio play-by-play announcer Nick Nickson are struck by the many similarities between Taylor and Brown.

“One of the first comments one of the veterans made me to me when I first came to the Kings in ’80-81 (was), ‘You’re going to see Dave Taylor play the same way whether it’s a preseason game or a regular-season game. He’s playing all out,’” Nickson said. “Dustin’s been the same way.”

Like Taylor, Brown dealt with a speech impediment early in his career, and was so successful at conquering it that it is no longer noticeable.

“They did leave it all on the ice.” Fox said. “At the end of the game, they had nothing more to give. That’s what teammates appreciate more than anything.

“I played with Dave and was very close friends with Dave. To be talking about Dustin like this is something I never thought I would do.

“I can’t turn a blind eye to what he’s done. To me, the two Stanley Cups is the separation point.”

There was a time in 2012, before the Kings won their first Stanley Cup championship, that it seemed as though Brown could be on the move.

Recently, I asked former AEG overlord Tim Leiweke how close a trade came to happening. Then-Kings GM Dean Lombardi already had acquired Jeff Carter from the Columbus Blue Jackets. Further changes appeared in the works.

“In order to be successful and win Cups, we needed guys who were ultimately committed to building a culture — and Brownie was one of them,” said Leiweke, who was AEG’s chief executive until he left in 2013. “There are times in sports where you’ve got to take a step back and allow him to begin his career here and finish his career here. I think that’s a noble thing.

“I always thought when you thought of the Kings during this period of time, you thought of Dustin Brown. He was unbelievable.”

Leiweke, who in his current role as CEO of Oak View Group worked to renovate Seattle’s Key Arena and bring an expansion franchise to the city, remembered when Brown first joined the Kings.

“This not a kid who was born to be a leader at first,” Leiweke said. “The thing that amazes me about Brownie is just seeing the evolution and the growth of his leadership. He figured out how not just to be a leader, but he figured out how to be a great leader and to win a Stanley Cup.”

Privately, Leiweke assured Brown’s wife, Nicole, that her husband was not being traded. Their conversation took place before the trade deadline during a game on Feb. 25 against Chicago, in which Brown had a hat trick and assist.

So how close was Brown to being traded?

“Dean is Dean,” Leiweke said, cryptically. “You never know. There are certain things in life. That would have never happened under my watch. I always told Dustin that.”

Not all was ideal in Brown’s world after the Kings’ second Stanley Cup championship in 2014. He seemed unable to escape coach Darryl Sutter’s doghouse and recorded back-to-back seasons of 27 points (in 2014-15) and 28 points (in 2015-16). Management took the captaincy from him and gave it to Kopitar in June 2016.

The execution of the transfer was clumsy, and it was a testament to the class and professionalism of Brown and Kopitar that it didn’t create a rift in the dressing room or in their relationship.

“Especially the way it was handled at the start, it was wrong in my eyes,” Kopitar said. “If I could have done it differently, I definitely would have done it differently. I wasn’t concerned about anything else but our friendship because it can put a dent into the friendship.

“Credit it to him. He never even thought about me stabbing him in the back or something like that. At that point, we had been together for 10 years. If he would have thought that, I’d gladly give him the ‘C’ back because his friendship means a lot more than a letter on my jersey.

“He was thinking the same way. We haven’t missed a stride since that happened.”

Brown’s game flickered back to life when the Kings replaced Sutter with John Stevens, and he finished with a career-high 61 points last season. He has 48 points (21 goals, 27 assists) in 66 games this season, despite having missed the first 10 games with a broken finger.

Beyond the numbers, what has also been impressive about Brown is his ability to adapt to the new NHL, a world in which many of his punishing hits, once allowable, are no longer permitted.

“The hits just aren’t there, so you’ve got to find a way to be physical in more subtle ways,” he said. “I think I’ve done a pretty good job of that.

“I found a way to adapt to the rule changes and how you have to play the game. You can still be a punishing player in today’s game if you find the right way.”

Brown smiled, adding: “I don’t think I’m very well liked around the league, which is a probably good thing. You wanted to be hated by everybody but your teammates.”